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WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE DCC AREA, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED  NOVEMBER 16-22, 2017

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ONE OF TWO SETS OF FAMILY TICKETS (4 TICKETS PER FAMILY SET)

FOR RAPUNZEL

We have sets of tickets for The Gaiety’s brilliant Christmas panto, Rapunzel, to give away.

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SUCCESS OF BOSTON GROUP INSPIRES NEW INNER CITY INITIATIVE

Solas Project shines a light on helping young people in D8  EMMA NOLAN A DUBLIN 8-BASED youth workers group is taking on a new approach to help support the young people who need it most. The Solas Project is committed

to supporting young people who are involved or at risk of becoming involved in criminality in Dublin 8 and 12, and are now taking inspiration from a successful Boston group. See full story on Page 9

2 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

HEALTH | CLLRS’ CALL SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES BY ‘PHOENIX’ BACKERS

‘Name the new hospital after Dr Kathleen Lynn’  MARK O’BRIEN THE vast majority of Dublin City councillors have backed a proposal to name the new National Children’s Hospital after Dr Kathleen Lynn. Dr Lynn was a veteran of the 1916 Rising and the founder of St Ultan’s Children’s Hospital to care for the children of the poor in Dublin. Lord Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha has written to the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board to call for the new hospital to be named after Dr Lynn. His letter was signed by 57 of the 63 Dublin City councillors. Mayor Mac Donncha said: “The vast majority of members of Dublin City Council fully support the proposal that the new

Patriot and health expert, Dr Kathleen Lynn, who was a veteran of The Rising and worked for the city’s children

children’s hospital should be named after Dr Kathleen Lynn. “We are urging the board to adopt this name in preference to the name currently being put forward: ‘the Phoenix’. “This proposed name

has been widely questioned already, given that another health facility in the city bears this name, and also that there is a Phoenix Children’s Hospital in the USA. “We believe that the most appropriate name for

the new hospital should be in honour of Dr Kathleen Lynn – a pioneering medical doctor who worked tirelessly for decades for the health and well-being of the children of Dublin and Ireland.” A similar political and public interest in honouring the women of The Rising, and of the city, culminated in the naming of the Rosie Hackett Bridge, which opened in 2014. However, a spokesperson for the Children’s Hospital Group told The Gazette that the name ‘Phoenix’ had been chosen as the new name for acute children’s healthcare services in Ireland. The group said the name had been chosen following an extensive consultation process involving staff, children, young people

and service users. T h e s p o ke s p e r s o n added: “Over the course of the next number of years, there will be a process to name theatres, wards and visitor spaces. “As a leading research and academic hospital, there will also be a focus on academic scholarships, research grants and bursaries. “We plan that the contribution that Dr Kathleen Lynn made to the care of children in Ireland 100 years ago will be recognised in a meaningful and appropriate way within the new hospital upon its completion. “It is also worth noting that Dr Kathleen Lynn is already recognised in Tallaght Hospital, where there is a ward named after her.”

FASTNews

Take a oui look at some of the best new French films THE IFI French Film Festival is currently at the IFI in Temple Bar, until November 26. This year’s festival features 19 Irish premieres, including Let The Sunshine In (Un Beau Soleil Interieur), starring Juliette Binoche, above, along with a number of special guests. Brooks Hotel are offering a special room rate of €185 per room per night, inclusive of full Irish breakfast at Francesca’s Restaurant, for the duration of the festival. A Prix Fixe menu at Brooks Hotel for €35pp, inclusive of a glass of Pinot Noir throughout the festival, is also available. To find out more or to book a stay, see www. brookshotel.ie, using the promo code ‘FFF’; for further information on the festival itself, see www.ifi.ie/ frenchfest.

Future looking golden as music chain expands again GOLDEN Discs is to open a new flagship store in the city centre this week, opening at Henry Street on Saturday, November 18. The company will also open a new store in The Square, Tallaght on the same day. The openings bring the total number of Golden Discs stores to 16 nationwide, supported by a recently launched new website (goldendiscs.ie) and concession stores in 80 Tesco locations all across Ireland. Golden Discs have also announced that they will be hiring an additional 50 personnel to man their new stores.

Quizmasters at the ready for Dublin heat at the DTwo

Gino’s raises a lot of lolly for sick kids FAY Morrison had 99 reasons to look happy as she tucked into an ice cream at Gino’s Gelato in Grafton Street recently. Her treat was to help highlight Gino’s Gelato’s fundraising campaign for Temple Street Children’s Hospital, with the three-month campaign raising more than €10,000 across its three months thanks to a donation being made from the sale of every large gelato sold. Gino’s Gelato co-owner Anthony Murphy said: “We teamed up with Temple Street as we wanted to support the brave children and their families who attend there.”

THE Big Ireland Quiz is back again this year in aid of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, with DTwo Hotel, at Harcourt St, to host the capital’s final heat next Wednesday, November 22 at 7pm. The Big Ireland Quiz is a nationwide table quiz fundraiser organized by Muscular Dystrophy Ireland (MDI) and the Irish Quiz Organisation (IQO), with winners and runners-up qualifying for a grand final event in early 2018. More than €3,000 in prizes will be won, with €1,000 going to the Big Ireland Quiz champions. For further information on Muscular Dystrophy, see www.mdi.ie. Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 3

FASTNews

AWARE looking for 50 volunteers to help with its vital support line AWARE is urgently seeking 50 volunteers in the Dublin area to join the Aware Support Line. As Ireland’s leading organisation providing support, education and information services about depression and bipolar disorder, the Aware Support Line provides callers with telephone support and information about issues relating to their own mood or the mood of a friend or family member who may be experiencing mood-related conditions. Volunteers will receive full training for the vital role. To get involved, see www.aware.ie/volunteer, or phone Aware at 01 661 7211.

Senator Humphreys (Lab) calls for a directly elected mayor for Dublin A LABOUR Party senator has called on the Government to urgently move on proposals for a directly elected mayor for Dublin. Senator Kevin Humphreys said that a directly elected mayor could focus on issues such as housing and public transport. He said: “With Dublin competing with other major European cities for tourism and investment, the need for a directly-elected mayor for our capital city has never been greater. A directly-elected mayor for Dublin could focus on the main problems Dubliners are facing at the moment.”

Strictly delighted to help brave boy, Jack  SYLVIA POWNALL A DUBLIN community is stepping out this weekend to raise funds for a brave boy with a rare genetic condition. Little Jack Cready was just 18 months old when he was diagnosed with the SCN2a gene mutation, which causes multiple seizures a day and can lead to brain damage. A posse of Portmarnock prancers are ready to take to the stage at the Sands Hotel this weekend as part of a Strictly for Jack ballroom bonanza, and are hoping Dubs will support Jack’s cause.

The foxtrotting fundraisers hope to raise awareness of the condition – which affects less than 400 children

worldwide – and raise money towards special equipment Jack will need as he grows older. His mother Frances said: “Everything was great until Jack hit 15 months. One morning he started to have what was actually a seizure, but we didn’t realise it at the time. “We had concerns for a couple of weeks leading up to that. He changed dramatically from being a ver y happy,

active little boy to being not able to move.” Jack’s diagnosis came just a week before his second birthday. Frances said: “We’re trying to find the right medication. But he’s such a fighter, he’s a real fighter.” Dad John hopes this weekend’s event will increase awareness around SCN2a and support for Epilepsy Ireland. He said: “Jack has an intellectual disability, so he doesn’t have the same learning potential as other children do. “He needs a large padded bed and a special walker as he’s lost the ability to walk.” Strictly for Jack is on

In a video on facebook, Jack’s parents (above) and others talk about the impact of his diagnosis

this Saturday, November 18 in the Sands Hotel, Portmarnock. To donate, see https://www.ifundraise.ie/3633_strictly-forjack.html

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

Out and About

Night of celebration to mark 50 years of club T

HE Red Cow Hotel was packed with over 200 guests as Crumlin United celebrated 50 years of service to the local community. The club’s most famous son, Robbie Keane, paid homage to his former club in a video, while MC Martin Loughran gave an honourable mention to former players, managers and friends of the club. Guest of honour was FAI CEO John Delaney.

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 5

Our opening hours are Mon-Sat 7.30am-6.00pm Find us on facebook

Etherson’s Butchers voted two of the Best Butcher Shops in Ireland ETHERSON’S BUTCHERS have been named as two of the best shops in Ireland winning Best High Street Butcher Shop for the shop on Cabra Road and winning Best Shop in a Shopping Centre for the shop in Laurel Lodge Shopping Centre, Castleknock at this year’s Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland (ACBI) Star Shop Awards held at ACBI’s National Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony which took place at the K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare Sunday, October 29th. The awards were presented by the Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Mr. Andrew Doyle, TD. Commenting on the prestige of the win John Hickey, CEO of ACBI said: “I would like to extend a very special word of congratulations to Etherson’s Butchers for achieving a double win at the Craft Butchers Star Shop awards; to make it into our top ten shops is a tough challenge and to win a category is even harder but to come first place in two categories is rare, this truly places Etherson’s Butchers at the top of their game and demonstrates their

commitment to excellence throughout every aspect of both businesses”. This competition attracts Craft Butcher shop entries from across Ireland, with the top 10 shops being selected by an independent panel of judges. Each of the shops was mystery shopped and judged on its performance from a customer’s viewpoint. John Hickey adds: “Our independent judges’ mystery shop each of the butcher shops in the manner of the customer. With Etherson’s Butchers the judges were very impressed with the overall fresh product range, store presentation, customer care and the overall shopping experience.” Etherson’s Butchers are an award winning butchery. Etherson’s Cabra has been trading since 2007 and Etherson’s Castleknock since December 2017. For the coming weeks, we will be running in store promotions and giveaways to celebrate this magnificent achievement. When you are in with us next why not get one of our loyalty cards if you don’t have one already.

- Awarded by Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland -

The staff at Etherson’s Butchers in Cabra

6 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

PHIBSBOROUGH | AN POST CLARIFIES FUTURE OF HUB UNDER A CONTRACTOR

‘Post office to stay – but we won’t be running it’  MARK O’BRIEN AN POST have said that Phibsborough Post Office will not be closed or downgraded in any way. The post office on North Circular Road is to cease being run directly by An Post and will instead be run by an independent contractor. The company stated that this is now standard practice, with less than 50 of 1,125 post offices nationwide still being run directly by An Post. Former Labour Party TD Joe Costello has started an online petition against the restructuring,

A spokesperson for An Post told The Gazette that there is “no question of Phibsborough Post Office closing or being downgraded in any way”

netting more than 1,200 signatures so far. Local Labour representatives also plan to hold a meeting about the issue in the Panama Scout Hall in Phibsborough on Thursday eve-

ning (November 16). Costello said that he felt that the restructuring of the post office would lead to a downgrading of services. He said: “This is not the time for An Post to be downgrading its

operation and reducing the footfall in the Phibsborough area. “An Post must rethink its strategy, reverse its decision to close its Phibsborough branch, and promote the exten-

sive range of services currently being provided there.” An Post have strenuously denied that the post office would be closing. A spokesperson for An Post told The Gazette that there is “no question of Phibsborough Post Office closing or being downgraded in any way”. They added: “What is happening is that we are changing the way the office is run, namely from being by an An Post manager to being run by a contractor. “Of the 1,125 offices nationwide, less than 50 are run by An Post, the rest being contractor-run

offices. “Our office at North Circular Road is one of seven offices being converted in this way in the coming weeks. “Offices in the current round of conversions, along with Phibsborough, are our post offices in Rathmines, Youghal, Shannon, Newbridge, Tuam and Westport. “The change in business model for Phibsborough will not in any way change the range or extent of the services offered by An Post. “We remain committed to providing the area with the highest level of services for the future.”

THE LIBERTIES | CLUB MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE FOR LOCAL LADS

Saints alive! Rugby to the fore over in The Liberties A LIBERTIES rugby club has received funding from the National Lottery Good Cause fund. Liberty Saints is a rugby club unlike any other, and not just because it doesn’t have a pitch – based in the heart of The Liberties, the Dublin 8 club provides rugby and a sense of belonging to something to potentially vulnerable youths in an area with a population of 55,000 people, ten primary schools and no playing fields. The club, which began life as an after-school project in 2008, is a hugely positive intervention in the lives of boys in their early to mid-teens. The club’s coaches act as role mod-

els, helping their players to steer a path through the difficult terrain of their youth. In 2014, the club received €8,000 for essential training gear and, critically, somewhere to store it. Liberty Saints president Tom Magee said: “We bought a 20-foot container. As we don’t have a training ground, whatever we got we had to secure.” The container is stored where the players train – on a patch of land about the size of a couple of tennis courts at St James’s Primary School in Dublin 8. Magee did not follow an orthodox path into rugby. He took the game up

FASTNews

Kids will grow to love this fun competition SECONDARY school students across the country are now invited to take part in the new “GROW 2 CEO” competition as GIY and Cully & Sully have set about finding Ireland’s brightest young food entrepreneurs. Growing kits will be delivered to 21,000 students across the country that apply to take part in the 2018 competition. The kits will include everything the students need to grow vegetables, including seeds, pots and soil, and plenty of expert growing tips from GIY and support from Cully & Sully. Students are asked to pair up to undertake the challenge. School students and teachers planning to participate in this nationwide competition can sign up to take part via cullyandsully. com/ourgarden.

Free meeting on MS issues

Some of the players of Liberty Saints. The club has tapped into the passion for sport in The Liberties, offering a great outlet for local youths, and in turn making a positive contribution to the wider community.

at the age of 26 and ended up on the Leinster squad at 29. Some Saints players now have equally impressive stories to tell. He said: “Blackrock College have taken two [players] on scholarships, and Terenure have taken four.” The club, according to Magee, has ambitions that go far beyond the field

of play: “The aim is to rejuvenate the community of Dublin 8 through rugby. “We put rugby in front of these guys, who had no outlets [for their energy]. They were like coiled springs, all day long. Parents, teachers even the guards got in touch commenting on how much these guys had come on [thanks to their involvement with the club].”

A FREE public meeting for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is taking place in Trinity College at the end of the month. Leading experts specialising in MS will speak about the latest research and key findings in this disease area, with several keynote speakers also attending the Thursday, November 30 event from 6pm – 7:30pm at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute. A panel discussion with speakers and patient advocates and bloggers for MS Ireland’s MS & Me Blog, and Living Like You blog, will provide an opportunity to participate in an open question and answers session.

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8 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

A window wonderland

RILEY Bedford, aged 5, and Amelia Lily Nwanguma, aged 4, were on hand to unveil the Arnotts Christmas windows this year. This festive season, the Arnotts Christmas windows are all about the wonders of “Santa Mail” and tell the enchanting story of the magical journey taken by the letters sent from every little girl and boy to Santa. The journey of wonder begins from the time a child posts their very important letter, right up to the moment when it arrives in the North Pole and is read by Santa himself. Pic: Marc O’Sullivan

PEOPLE | SPINAL INJURIES IRELAND FUNDRAISER

Inspiring uncle prompts Lee to organise boxing night for charity

 MARK O’BRIEN A BALLYMUN man says that his inspiring uncle prompted him to organise a white-collar boxing night to raise funds for Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII). Lee Kenny (26) has organised the event – which takes place in the Wright Venue in Swords on Saturday, November 25 – having been inspired by his uncle, who sustained a spinal injury in a car crash. Lee said: “When I was a baby, my uncle Rober t Kenny was involved in a bad car crash. “His spinal cord was very badly damaged and he is now a quadriplegic. “He has never let this get to him, however, and he has a great life now. “He works part-time, has a wife and little daughter, and has even played table tennis at Paralympic level.

Lee said that watching his uncle over the years had opened his eyes to the difficulties people with spinal cord injuries face on a daily basis. “There are so many obstacles to overcome and Spinal Injuries Ireland played a massive role in helping him gain his independence back over the years,” he said. “I am delighted to be able to support SII in some way as they continue to help people around Ireland who live with spinal cord injuries.” Lee has recruited 45 of his work colleagues in Ikea Ballymun to take part in the night. There will be 36 fighters taking part in 18 fights on the night. “This is the first time that most of us have stepped foot in a boxing ring so everyone is excited but also a little nervous,” he said. “We’ve been training twice a week for the past five weeks in preparation for the night and it’s

shaping up to be a really brilliant night.” Olympic boxer Kenneth Egan has backed the event and has even visited the fighters to offer them some advice. “I am delighted to support this white collar boxing event in aid of Spinal Injuries Ireland,” he said. “As a boxer, I have seen my fair share of injuries but a spinal cord injury is one of the worst injuries a person can sustain.

Life-changing “It is a life-changing injury that can change the world of not only the person who is injured, but their family as well. “That is why the work that Spinal Injuries Ireland does is so important.” Tickets for the event are available to buy from Spinal Injuries Ireland (01) 6532180. Tickets can also be purchased on the night at the Wright Venue.

Quick thinking garda uses phone app to locate a violent robber A GARDA used a tracking app on his phone to locate a suspect in a violent daylight robbery, a court has heard. Charlene Curran (39) carried out a “vicious and unprovoked” attack on Rebecca Kelly on Essex Quay, Dublin city while she was walking and sending a text from her iPhone. Curran of Magdelene Court, Kells, Co Meath pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery on August 10, 2016. The court heard that Curran tried to snatch the phone out of the victim’s hand but when Ms Kelly (25) held on to it, Curran attacked her. She flung Ms Kelly across the road, causing traffic to stop and cars to beep. She then pulled the victim’s hair and punched her in the face, while trying to pull the phone from her grip. She told Ms Kelly she would stop if the victim let go of the phone but Ms Kelly held on. The court heard that a man then came over and began pulling at the victim’s bag. The victim let go of the phone in order to hold on to her bag and Curran ran off with the phone. Garda Ian Lawlor told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that when he came on the scene, Ms Kelly was upset and crying. She had injuries to the back of her head from being banged on the road and her face was sore.

Gda Lawlor said he asked Ms Kelly to track her phone using software on his own phone. This programme directed him and Ms Kelly towards the nearby Heuston station where Ms Kelly identified her attacker. Judge Karen O’Connor said this was a very vicious attack on a young lady. She imposed a prison sentence of two and a half years but suspended the last 18 months on condition that Curran co-operate with the Probation Services. K e v i n W h i t e BL , d e f e n d i n g , described the incident as “a vicious and an unprovoked attack” but said it was totally out of character for his client. He said her two previous convictions are for minor non-violent offences. Counsel said Curran had been dabbling in drugs at the time.

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Geldof accused of hypocrisy  EMMA NOLAN

BOB Geldof has been branded a “hypocrite” for handing back the Freedom of Dublin in protest of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi holding the same accolade. “I am a very proud Dubliner but cannot in all conscience continue to be one of the honoured few to have received this great tribute whilst Aung San Suu Kyi remains amongst that number,” the Boomtown Rats singer said outside City Hall on Monday. Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced widespread criticism and a n g e r over her count r y ’ s violence against the Rohi n g y a

Muslim minority in what has been described as “toxic ethnic cleansing” by the UN. Geldof slammed the Myanmar leader, describing her as a “handmaiden to genocide”. “I would be a hypocrite now were I to share honours with one who has become at best an accomplice to murder, complicit in ethnic cleansing,” he said. However, Lord Mayor of Dublin Micheel MacDonncha has hit back at Geldof calling his gesture “ironic” and called into question his knighthood awarded to him in 1985 by the queen for his humanitarian work. “I find it ironic that he makes this gesture while proudly retaining his title as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, given the shameful record of British imperialism.” Geldof has since dismissed Mayor MacDonncha’s views as “typical Sinn Fein nonsense”. Councillors are to debate whether they need a protocol in place to remove the Freedom of the City.

COURTS | IMITATION FIREARM IN INCIDENT

Man attacked home of ex-girlfriend with a hurley and a ‘gun’ A MAN carried out a violent attack on the home of his ex-girlfriend because he could not deal with the end of the relationship, a court has heard. Derek Shevlin (24), of Castletimon Road, Coolock, had an imitation gun when he went to Ciara McGrath’s family home and threatened to shoot her father. Shevlin pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill David McGrath and to damaging property at Cromcastle Road, Coolock, on September 11, 2015. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Shevlin and Ms McGrath had dated for five years but the relationship ended in January 2015. Eoin Hardiman BL, defending, said the attack by Shevlin was “the culmination of his total failure to deal with the end of the relationship” with Ms McGrath. The court heard that at 1am in the morning, Ms McGrath’s father, David McGrath, was awoken by Shevlin shouting in front of his home. Shevlin was demanding money for an

iPhone he had bought his ex for Christmas 2013. He shouted: “You made a thick out of me” at Mr McGrath, and demanded €400 for the phone. Shevlin had a hurley with him and used it to smash in the front door and front window of the house, and the windows of a van in the driveway. He then pulled what appeared to be a small black handgun out and pointed it in the air towards Mr McGrath, and said: “You better have the money”. He also began shouting abuse about his expartner. After his arrest, Shevlin told gardai he had “lost it” on the night and just “wanted what I’m owed”. He has 15 previous convictions, including convictions for robbery and firearms offences. Mr Hardiman handed in a lengthy psychological report on behalf of his client. Judge Karen O’Connor said she needed time to study the report and adjourned sentencing to December 6. She remanded Shevlin on continuing bail to that date.

SOLAS PROJECT | GUIDING DUBLIN’S YOUNG PEOPLE

‘We stay with them no matter what happens, we don’t give up on them’

CEO of the Solas Project Eddie D’Arcy

 EMMA NOLAN GUIDING Dublin’s young people away from and out of crime is a vocation for the Solas Project team. The Dublin 8 based organisation is committed to supporting young people who are involved or at risk of becoming involved in criminality in Dublin and have started a new initiative, inspired by a similar group in Boston called Roca. Roca’s mission is to “disrupt the cycle of incarceration and poverty by helping young people transform their lives” and now The Justice Team initiative in Dublin aims to emulate their success. Funded by the Irish Prison and Probation services, the Justice Team is a three-pronged approach to reach these young people in the south west inner city. “Our vision is that all children and young people know their self-worth and can take full advantage of their potential – and we really believe that,” said CEO of the Solas Project Eddie D’Arcy at the launch of the Justice Programme last Friday. “We concentrate on reaching out to those most in need.”

Eddie discussed the success of Solas initiatives, which are concentrated in the south west inner city, stretching from Stanhope Street near the Smithfield area, right through from Guinnesses to Aungier Street and out to the canals, taking in “a bit of Inchicore and a bit of Crumlin”. However, their prison service, Compass, extends to the whole of Dublin. “We build a relationship with the young people while they’re in prison, and as it gets closer to their release we build the relationship to the point, where they agree on a voluntary basis that they want to keep receiving support from us.” There is no limits on how long the young people can receive the supports, which is a crucial aspect of both Solas and Roca’s models. The ultimate goal of the groups are helping young people achieve a pathway to economic independence. Some young people “fall by the wayside, relapse, end up back in prison,” Eddie explains but the model being explored by the group now is to stick with them. “We stay with them no

matter what happens, we don’t give up on them. It’s takes a long time for them to accept and realise that but after a while, they realise that ‘that idiot Eddie D’Arcy isn’t going away, he’s going to hound me into trying to stay involved so let’s have another go at it’,” Eddie said. Solas Project has assembled an experienced multidisciplinary team with a range of skills to staff the Justice Programme. Many of the young people from the different target groups are aware of and know each other and the team say they are anxious to ensure they recognize that others are consciously making efforts to change and that their support is long term. Team Leader Aishling Golden said that they

are ready to do “something different” to help the young people who fall through the cracks. Aishling explained that 18 – 24 year olds make up 9% of the population in Ireland yet they make up 26% of the prison population. “They are grossly over represented in the prisons,” she says. “A f ter young peo ple have gone through the prison system, 62% of them will reoffend – there’s something wrong when this 62% are continuing to have no progress. “So we’re saying we’re going to do something different – we are going to chase those 18 – 24 year olds.” Read more about the Solas Project at solasproject.ie.

10 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

Out and About

Doreen O’Driscoll and Eileen Loughlin

Aileen McDermott and Eimear Kane

Comedy premiere is a hit with audiences C

Mary Shackleton and Dermott Ennis. Pictures: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.

OMEDY fans were out in force at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin for the premiere of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly’s Postcards From The Ledge by Paul Howard. Paul’s character Ross O’Carroll-Kelly started life in a newspaper column almost twenty years ago. He has since become the star of a critically acclaimed series of books that satirised Ireland during the years of its economic boom and bust and have sold well over one million copies in Ireland alone.

Paul Howard, Caoimhe O’Malley and Mary McCarthy Julia and Rose Geoghegan

Peter Coonan and Kim O’Driscoll

Joe Conlon and Jenny O’Connell

Marcus Kelly and Emma Molone

Gillian and Annabel Comyn

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

Winner Amy Costello with former teacher Liz Fitzpatrick and her Mother Louise O’Neill pictured with Anne Flood and Diageo Operations Manager Aidan Crowe

Celebratory ceremony for winning students Winner Darragh Kavanagh with Trevor Kavanagh and Molly Sheehan. Left: Winner Louise Dolan. Pictures: Naoise Culhane

HE winners of this year’s Finbarr Flood Scholarship Awards were announced at the Guinness Storehouse last week. The programme supports post-Leaving Cert school leavers and mature students from schools around the Diageo brewery in Dublin who show strong potential and want to pursue further education. The awards are held in honour of the late Finbarr Flood, former managing director of the Guinness Ireland Group, who founded the scholarship programme.

Winner Zuo Min Xie and Anne Flood

Winner Nikola Borja

Winner Shannon Ryan

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

TRAVEL P26

FOOD P28

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

FESTIVAL A NEW APPROACH TO HELPING MAINTAIN BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

HARIA’S A BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER COLLIE STAR!

Mojo Rising to help raise men’s spirits  MARK O’BRIEN DUBLIN will welcome a brand-new festival this week when Mojo Rising comes to the Grand Social on International Men’s Day (November 19). The festival is the debut event from Mojo – a male mental health collective that is working to raise awareness and understanding of male mental health challenges. The event features a diverse range of acts, including Paddy Casey, Attention Bebe, dance act Lords of Strut, spoken word performer Emmet Kirwan, and DJ Nialler9. Headline act Paddy Casey said he was delighted to lend his talents to such a worthy cause: “International Men’s Day is a great opportunity to reignite the conversation of mental health stigma for men and to continue raising awareness of the important work Mojo does in addressing mental health challenges faced by men. “Mojo Rising will see some of the very best performers in Ireland coming together to share in the celebration of Mojo Men. “I am so excited to be involved in what is set to be a great festival and I encour-

age as many people as possible to support this extremely worthwhile event.” Mojo courses have succeeded in achieving a reduction in depression in 83% of the men who have attended their courses. Mojo programme director and cofounder, Derek McDonnell, said the response to the announcement of the festival has been overwhelmingly positive so far.

Mental health He said: “We are absolutely delighted with the support we have received for this event so far which just reinforces our belief that there is a need for more creative ways to get the conversation of men’s mental health in the public domain.” He added that he felt it was important to challenge the stereotype of how a ‘real man’ should behave. Derek said: “Real men are emotional beings who can be vulnerable. Irish society often reinforces the stereotype that men should be the strong silent type and that don’t show emotions: ‘boys don’t cry!’ “However, it’s important for men to learn that just like physical health, there

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GAZETTE

DIARY P14

Some of those supporting Mojo Rising (from top) Attention Bebe, Paddy Casey, Lords of Strut and Gaff, and Nialler9

will be times in their lives where they’ll experience a dip in their mental health, and it’s okay to ask for help when they need it. “Learning to talk to family and friends about feelings takes time and practice; on Mojo we work creatively to provide space for men to do this. “We work with men from all backgrounds to help them to help themselves and get back on their feet. “These men have gone on to support

other men, their friends, their families, and this has a knock-on effect for wider society. “It’s 2017 – it’s time for a national conversation on what it means to be a man in Ireland today,” he said. At Mojo Rising, doors open at 7pm; tickets are €15, or €10 for students – however, as it’s an inclusive event, there is an option to ‘pay what you can’, be it €2 or €5, by donating that amount at the Eventbrite page.

OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Haria, a beautiful oneyear-old female Collie. Haria is a very clever, active and affectionate dog whose litter of puppies have all found homes, and now it’s her turn! Haria is definitely a star, and loves being the centre of attention. She loves people so much that she struggles when left alone, so she is looking for a home where there is somebody there for most of the time. Haria will make a great doggie friend to someone who likes an active lifestyle and can give her all the care and love she deserves. If you can be Haria’s #SpecialSomeone*, then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website, www.dogstrust. ie. You can also find them on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 13

FEATURE

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE

Helping children big and small enjoy all the joys the season has to offer LAURALYNN, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, is once again hosting its much-loved Light Up LauraLynn from 3.30pm on Sunday, November 26. This is the fifth year that LauraLynn has hosted Light Up LauraLynn and the event is now a firm favourite in the Christmas calendar. The hospice grounds become a festival of Yuletide activities and games, including festive food and hot chocolate stands, a ‘Write to Santa’ zone, and performances by a range of acts including The SuperTones, the Legato Singers and their very own LauraLynn Choir. It costs €5.1m per year to keep LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice open €3.5m of which is generated through

to make up this deficit by Christmas. “This year’s Light Up Fair will be our best yet,” said LauraLynn CEO, Sharon Morrow. “Children big and small will enjoy a truly special evening where we remember loved ones and we look forward with hope to a happy Christmas for all LauraLynn families and friends. “The atmosphere is always fantastic and everyone has a great time.” LauraLynn’s much-loved Christmas cards will also be available on the night, and this year they come in two sets: a special pack created by the children at LauraLynn, plus a more traditional set of designs. If people can’t make the fair the

Darragh Cunningham with a frosty assistant launching the Light Up LauraLynn campaign

fundraised income from events and activities like Light Up. Since opening in 2011, LauraLynn has cared for more than 325 children and their families and provided more than 275,000 hours of short stay care provided to children in LauraLynn Hospice. However, there is a critical shortfall of €1m in fundraising this year, so every contribution received from the supporters and every ticket sold for Light Up LauraLynn will be vital in helping

cards are also available from LauraLynn’s online Christmas Shop at www. lauralynn.ie. This year the event will be ticketed for the first time, with individual passes costing €10 and family passes costing €25. Tickets can be purchased online via EventBrite at https://light-up-lauralynn.eventbrite.ie, and as numbers are restricted the public is being encouraged to snap them up before it’s too late.

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14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

CHRISTMAS RUN: FLAGSHIP FUNDRAISING EVENT

Are you Aware of this annual charity run AWARE is urging people to register today for the 12th annual Aware Christmas Run which will take place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, December 9. The Christmas Run is Aware’s flagship fundraising event, seeing over 2,000 people take part and raising more than €60,000 for the organisation’s nationwide support, education and information services. Online registration is now available at aware.ie/ events for both 5K and 10K options at a cost of €25 per person. Festive attire is encouraged and all are welcome from walkers to runners

SOAR THROUGH THE SKIES FOR CHARITY THE ISPCC are offering thrill-seekers the chance to soar through the skies at speeds in excess of 100mph next year. The exhilarating prospect of hurtling over scenic Snowdonia, Wales, has already piqued the interest of charity supporters with a thirst for adventure. Taking place on Saturday, April 21, 2018, this

day trip with a difference will see participants take on Zip World Velocity: the fastest zip line in the world and the longest in Europe. Those taking part will travel by ferry to Holyhead on the day, before being taken by coach to begin their adventures. After completing Little Zipper, a line to build confidence, participants will ascend Penrhyn Quarry towards the Big Top of Velocity. Those taking part will be asked for a deposit of €150 to secure their place on the trip and to fundraise €500 in support of the ISPCC’s work. For more information and to register interest, visit www.ispcc.ie.

DUBLIN 15 TO HOST A STYLISHLY FUN EVENT THE Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown will be hosting a terrific afternoon on Sunday, November 26, with the Let Us Shine fashion show and variety performance, courtesy of lots of models and performers who all have Down syndrome. With a prosecco recep-

tion to launch the 2-5pm event, the participating children and young adults have arranged a stylish showcase of on-trend fashions, as well as promising some great singing, dancing and other live entertainment to end the weekend on a high note. Presented by Down Syndrome Ireland, tickets are €20, or €5 for U-16s, and can be bought online at www.BookEventsIreland.com.

TAYTO PARK AUTISMFRIENDLY FOR A DAY TAYTO Park and Autism Ireland team up and celebrate Autism Awareness Day on Saturday, November 18. To support and raise awareness for Autism Ireland, the team in Tayto Park will be creating an autism friendly environment in the park on November 18 with the intention of allowing families of children with autism to enjoy the facilities. Small changes in Tayto Park will include no music being played throughout the park and queues for the attractions being kept

Presenter Cassie Stokes and elves Ryleigh Brady and Matthew Hannon who are reminding people to register for the 12th annual Aware Christmas Run. Picture: Naoise Culhane

to a minimum. Entry on the day will be €14 per person with €2 going directly to Autism Ireland. Entry includes access to Attractions in Eagle’s Nest, the Zoo & the Tayto Factory Tour.

STUDENTS GETTING CPR TRAINING IT IS estimated that approx 5,000 people per year die of sudden cardiac death in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation in association with Bank of Ireland has launched the CPR 4 schools training programme. This innovative programme is designed for post-primary schools and equips teachers with the skills to deliver CPR training to teach their students. 70% of cardiac arrests happen in the home and the chances of recovery decrease by 10% for every minute that proper care isn’t administered. The programme will be rolled out nationwide and by 2019, 72% of postprimary schools will have been trained.

To register post-primary teachers are encouraged to visit www.irishheart.ie or email schools@irishheart.ie

CALLING ALL FAIRIES AND ELVES THE Ilac Centre is on the lookout for a special Christmas fairy or Santa elf to light up the centre’s stunning Christmas Tree centrepiece this year. Families are invited to a free show on Saturday 18 November, in the leadup to the exciting arrival of Santa Claus in the Ilac Centre at 3.30pm. The crew of Fame Ireland will be entertaining the crowd with music and dance and a Christmas singalong will get everyone in the festive mood for Santa’s big entrance. One lucky child, dressed as a Christmas fairy or elf, will be selected to push the big switch and light up the spectacular towering Christmas Tree, to guide Santa on his way. The Santa Experience will open fully from Friday, November 24, from 12pm to 6pm every day, and

10am-6pm on Saturdays. Online booking is now open at http://www.santaexperience.ie.

DIT STUDENT DESIGNS CANDLE FOR CHARITY DIT marketing student Amy Walsh, from Templeogue, has designed the Jack & Jill ‘Find a Diamond’ candle, which has been launched for Christmas to make much needed funds for the charity. Each candle contains a beautiful costume jewellery pendant, with two real

diamonds in two of the candles which are Irish made by Celtic Candles (Baldoyle) and available in two scents Red Dahlia and Coconut, Water and Lime. The two real diamonds were donated to the children’s charity by Loyes Diamonds of Baggot Street. The candles are on sale at Avoca Stores nationwide, including Malahide Castle, Suffolk Street and Rathcoole stores and direct from the charity for €19.95.

DIT marketing student Amy Walsh has designed the Jack & Jill ‘Find a Diamond’ candle

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

IT | POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON GREATER ‘STEM’ ENGAGEMENT

Bruce Murphy and Lucy

Tech forum focuses on retaining women

O’Keefe, CroiValve; below: John Molloy and Jason Sheehy, iKydz. Pictures: Conor McCabe

Seedcorn hopes high as companies vie for €100k

T WO South Dublin companies, iKydz and CroiValve, have been named Best New Start Company and Best Early Stage Company respectively, at the Dublin final of the 2017 InterTradeIreland All-Island Seedcorn Investor Readiness competition. Both companies fought off tough competition from other businesses in the capital to win a prize of €20,000 each to help finance the early stages of their ventures. Winning companies from each of the four regional finals will go on to compete in the allisland final of the compe-

GAZETTE

BUSINESS

tition, which takes place on Wednesday, November 22 at the Crowne Plaza Northwood. Companies are in with a chance to compete for the overall Best New Start Company prize (worth €50,000), or the overall Best Early Stage Company prize (worth €50,000), and ultimately the Overall Winner title (worth €100,000). iKydz, based in Parkwest, has developed a unique parental internet control system to allow parents to manage their children’s internet usage while at home and on 3/4G. Meanwhile, CroiValve,

based at Pearse Street, is developing a minimally invasive medical device to treat tricuspid regurgitation. C u r r e n t l y, f e w e r than 1% of the 550,000 patients who develop this disease annually undergo surgery, due to the risks involved. They endure long, repeat hospitalisations and a very poor quality of life. Companies can follow the competition on Twitter (@ITI_seedcorn), where they can also get valuable information and advice from experts. Further details are also available at www.intertradeireland.com/seedcorn.

SENIOR leaders from 18 top technology companies in Ireland met last week in IBM Ireland’s HQ in Dublin at the annual Connecting Women in Technology (CWIT) CEO forum. The group have been collaborating on a common goal of attracting, retaining and promoting females in the technology sector. The tech leaders were joined by Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton, who discussed the importance of promoting STEM and technology careers at school level and promoting female role models in industry – actions which will encourage young women into areas where females are currently underrepresented. Speaking at the meeting, Minister Bruton said: “I am always urg-

ing all of our young people, but especially young women, to consider a career in STEM [subjects] and I’m delighted to see senior leaders across the technology sector coming together today to encourage the same. “The vibrant technology sector we have here in Ireland is an important part of Ireland’s economic success.” Minister Bruton added that he was encouraged to see cooperation between the education and technology sectors in promoting inclusion and diversity. Over the past 12 months, in addition to their own diversity and inclusion programmes, CWIT member companies have undertaken a range of activities to improve gender diversity in their industry.

These include “IT is not just for geeks”, a programme that educates students and encourages girls in particular on the vast array of opportunities in the technology sector. More than 4,000 students were reached by the programme, and there are plans to expand this initiative in 2018. In addition, the STEM Teacher Internship programme, supported by CWIT and 30% Club Ireland, has facilitated 11 student teachers from the BSc Science Education in Dublin City University to complete 12-week paid internships in Accenture, AIB and Intel. There are plans to increase the number of internships next year, with IBM, Virgin Media and Vodafone set to facilitate placements.

BOI readies 17th Enterprise Week BANK of Ireland’s 17th National Enterprise Week Bank will see up to 26 events take place across the country. Taking place from November 17 to 24, the week is aimed at SMEs with an interest in growing their business. Each unique event has been carefully planned to support specific industry sectors with experts on hand to speak about

everything from trends, forecasts and opportunities to personal relevant business experience. The aim of the initiative is to promote and drive momentum for businesses in areas such as manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, agri, finance, fisheries and export markets. Three themed events will take place in Dublin, with True Blue in the Mansion House from

12:30 to 2pm on November 21; networking event Ready Steady Grow taking place in the Pavilion, Leopardstown from 8-10am on November 21, and Building Bridges to Your Market taking place in the Carlton Hotel in Tyrellstown from 7:3010am on November 23. Colin Kingston, Bank of Ireland provincial director said: “The events have been specifically

designed to bring together experts who are experienced in supporting business growth and who can deliver valuable information and forecast trends to drive further development for these important sectors.” For further information and to reserve a space, see: www.businessbanking.bankofireland.com/ campaigns/enterpriseweek/

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

Out and About

Kim Moynihan, who received a Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology, with her parents, Tommy and Margaret

Sinead Pugh and

Aoife Dolan, who both graduated with a BA (Hons) in Psychology. Pictures: Robbie Reybolds

Celebrations as graduates step forward S

TUDENTS from all parts of the city, county and further afield brought their mums, dads, partners and pals along to an exciting day at the RDS recently, where Dublin Business School saw them complete their studies in style. The graduates were delighted to don traditional caps and gowns to collect their formal and precious paper scrolls, marking for most the end of study in a wide range of topics. From journalism to psychology, social science to psychotherapy, the delighted new graduates were ready for the next stage in their lives – after some serious celebrations with their friends, families and partners first, of course.

Carly Quinlan, from Howth, who received a BA (Hons)

Jack O’Connor, with his

Sarah Carson, Jamie Murphy and Sarah Louise McMahon,

in Psychology, and her husband, Paul O’Hanlon

BA (Hons) in Psychology

who all graduated with BA (Hons) in Social Science

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

Out and About

Niamh Heffernan,Dave Coleman, Natalia Gracz and Dave Mc Cabe

Serena Huggard and Anna Conaty

Emma Reynolds, Aoife O’Donnell,Mary McEnroe and Aileen

Fun for all at Dia de los Muertos T

Michelle McGrath and Lee Malone. Pictures: Julian Behal

O USE a very Irish phrase, “the craic was deadly”in the city centre recently when revellers marked Dia de los Muertos – the Day of the Dead. The Mexican celebration and remembrance of the dead is always a colourful event all around the world, and those celebrating at Number 9, Camden Street, threw

themselves into the spirit of the event with great enthusiasm. Proving much more colourful than that other recent holiday event, Halloween, the party saw lots of delicious Mexican fare whirl by – and margaritas flow – alongside plenty of live entertainment, all fleshing out what was a great night out for everyone.

Lauren Moran

Mannion

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Pictured at the launch are Valerie Cox, author of ALONE: The First 40 Years, with service user Ann McCuley from Terenure, Minister of State with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly and service user Mary Connolly from Cork Street. Picture: Jason Clarke

BOOK LAUNCH | HISTORY OF ALONE, THE GROUP THAT SUPPORTS OLDER PEOPLE TO AGE AT HOME

Celebrating a charity’s significant anniversary  MARK O’BRIEN WILLIE Bermingham was a young man working as a fireman in Dublin in 1976. During that harsh winter, Willie and his colleagues found the bodies of a number of older people who had died alone in tenements across the city. Appalled at the conditions that these elderly people died in, Willie and his friends began to distribute food and blankets and offered support to the older people, which led to the founding of the charity ALONE the following year. Now a new book – ALONE: The First 40 Years - tells the inspiring story of the early years of ALONE, from Willie Bermingham’s selfless dedication to the people who followed in his footsteps, as well as the new challenges and issues faced by the charity today. Written by author and journalist Valerie Cox, the book is also a memo-

ry of the poverty, isolation and housing conditions endured by many Dubliners throughout the last 40 years. Valerie Cox said: “Working on this book gave me a first-hand account of the issues faced by older people in Ireland - whether it is loneliness, a lack of support, or housing. “A lot has changed since 1977, but ALONE is still needed today more than ever. “This book is dedicated to the unsung heroes of ALONE, those who continue to volunteer, donate and work to support the older members of our communities.” The book records the founding of the charity in 1977 and chronicles the charity’s achievements including the housing complexes it built and the thousands of people who have been befriended by the charity’s inspiring volunteers. Speaking at the launch of the book at the National Library of Ireland last week, Minister Jim Daly - who

Pictured at the launch is Patricia Larkin, sister of Willie Bermingham (founder of ALONE). Picture: Jason Clarke

has special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People – commended ALONE for the work they have done. “ALONE was founded in 1977 as a response to the desperate issues faced by older people in the city,” he said. “Today, ALONE continues to provide a very valuable service to older people throughout Ireland who find themselves isolated and alone. “I am delighted to be launching this book tonight in celebration of such an important and historically significant charity.” Valerie Cox has long given a voice to the voiceless in her work as a journalist and broadcaster and CEO of ALONE, Sean Moynihan paid tribute to her work on the book. “We would like to thank Valerie Cox for undertaking this project and producing such

a fantastic book that records the challenges and achievements of our organisation,” he said. “This is also a story of the joy and laughter between people, which friendship and support brings.” A number of older people who use ALONE’s services and feature in the book praised ALONE for the work they carry out in the community. Aideen Archibold, a tenant of ALONE’s housing with supports, said: “I am so grateful for the work of ALONE. “They’re such helpful, kind and cheerful people who also organise various events for us throughout the year. “The work they do is so necessary, and thanks to this organisation, I am very happy to have somewhere in Ireland that I can call home.” ALONE: The First 40 Years is available to purchase from Veritas Bookshops priced at €15.00.

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

OpenDays CONSIDERING YOUR FUTURE EDUCATION OPTIONS? GET A HEAD START AT SOME ...

ITB graduates Danielle Pugh, Niamh Crowe and Chloe Farrell celebrate after being awarded their Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sports Management and Coaching. Picture: Andres Poveda

INSIDE

COLLEGE AWARENESS WEEK FURTHER EDUCTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, AS THIS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS P21

WHY GO TO AN OPEN DAY?

DITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE WAY TO DO IT

VISITING WILL GIVE YOU AN INVALUABLE LOOK AT THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE P20

GREAT RANGE OF OPTIONS AT POPULAR THIRD-LEVEL INSTITUTION P22

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 21

OPENDAYS

Fast-track your career into the healthcare profession … work as a phlebotomist! NEXT April sees the return of Geopace Training to Dublin with their two day phlebotomy training course. An increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals has led to a shortage of allied healthcare workers, especially phlebotomists - the skilled healthcare professionals who take your blood. Demand is high within hospitals as well as many clinics and surgeries and offers a golden opportunity for that “longed for” career change! If you have good people skills, good manual dexterity and like the idea of working in a busy hospital or clinic, a phlebotomist job may be just the right job for you! Many people enter this profession when they are looking for a career change or a fresh start. Phlebotomists often work part time (mornings) but some do work full time as well as weekends and holidays.

Blood samples are usually collected before mid-day and then analysed in the Path Labs in the afternoon. “We train people from all walks of life and all ages,” explains Lauren, office manager. “We’ve had shop assistants, receptionists, beauticians and den-

tal nurses, as well as telesales staff, unemployed, school leavers and the retired,” says Lauren. Once on the healthcare career ladder ambition often drives people to progress to working in the labs and to other specialised

departments. Internal promotion is much easier once you are “on the ladder” and have some experience. Many hundreds of Geopace trainees are now working as phlebotomists and a few have even chosen to work abroad where there is often a shortage and growing demand for this specialised skill. If you like the idea of a career in healthcare then this may be just the job for you! Training takes place over two full days and culminates in the award of a nationally recognised and accredited certificate. “We practice on artificial arms”, says Lauren. “And all our students have a lot of fun learning. We get a great deal of satisfaction when we later learn that they are working in their local hospital or GP Surgery”. If you would like to know more about phlebotomy as a career or to book a place on the course in Dublin visit Geopace Training’s website at www.geopace.com.

College Awareness Week provides great opportunities for all

Why open days are important THE weeks ahead are very busy with open days and similar events that allow CAO applicants to better understand the courses in which they are interested, as well as experiencing the atmosphere of different institutions. Students have the opportunity to speak to lecturers and those already enrolled in the course. In this way, attending open days is an invaluable part of the research

process, and would-be students can get a feel for what the college has to offer. It may well be further off the beaten track than they would like, but it may be more suitable for their needs than one that is nearer to them. Open days can also be extremely overwhelming. Third-level colleges are large, busy places and, without proper planning and preparation, attendance can easily become a negative experience or a missed opportunity. However, there are a number of easy steps a student can take to get the most out of these opportunities ...

Prepare and research Before attending, students should take time to go through the college prospectus in some detail and carefully consider the courses in which they are interested, including the pros and cons of each one and the differences between one course and similar courses. It is important for students to make a list of everything they want to find out at the event, including what is involved in any subject with which they are not

familiar and how much class contact, practical work or group work is involved.

Know when they are being held It may sound obvious, but if students have not already done so, it is time to research when events of interest are taking place and create a personal calendar. Try not to be restrictive. It can be beneficial to attend as many as possible. This allows students to compare institutions more easily. Many colleges hold their open days on Fridays and Saturdays. Plan the day Before the open day, most institutions post extra information on their website, such as campus maps and lists and timings of talks and tours. Students should plan to allow time to attend the formal talks and tours, as well as time to soak up the college atmosphere. It is also important to visit the non-academic facilities such as halls of residence, gyms, sporting facilities as well as any artistic endeavours at the college, etc.

COLLEGE Awareness Week starts on Monday, November 20, with the aim of inspiring and informing students about the importance of having a post-secondary school plan. College Awareness Week is par ticularly aimed at students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as other marginalised groups that are underrepresented in higher and further education. T he objective is to ensure students of all ages and from all backgrounds know the educational opportunities that are available to them. Speaking at the launch of the event, Minister for Education Richard Bruton said: “This is a very positive initiative which has, as its aim, a vital objective: to increase participation in higher and further education by those from socially

disadvantaged communities. “Education has a transformative effect, opening doors that would other wise be closed.” College Awareness Week is a multi-organisational and collaborative campaign which invites communities acros s

Ireland to host events in schools, afterschool programmes, Colleges of Further and Higher education, training centres, libraries and businesses, among others. These community events aim to raise awareness of the opportunities available and to showcase local personal-

ities who have benefitted from further education. Now in its fourth year, the campaign has been a runaway success, with more than 1,200 events held across the country last year. Dr Graham Love, chief executive of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) said: “Equality of access to education is a key objective of the HEA and we have seen the huge success of College Awareness Week in helping to raise awareness of the oppor tunities that education creates. “We believe in the power of education to transform lives and create broad opportunities for people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Education cannot be the preserve of the few.” Further information on College Awareness Week events across the country can be found at collegeaware.ie.

ITB graduates proved the perfect cover shot OUR cover shot shows just three of the delighted students graduating from ITB recently, marking the culmination of their years of study at the popular institution. Open days provide an invaluable insight into the diverse academic, professional and social lives of institutions like ITB. The north Dublin institution has put itself on the academic map for many years, thanks to its diverse range

of courses that cater for a wide range of categories, with the award-winning college constantly revising its courses to stay up to date on trends. However, as with its contemporaries, open days are an invaluable way for ITB to engage with the community, and reach out to show prospective students the possibilities that studying at ITB affords – leading to more delighted graduates stepping out a few years later.

OPENDAYS

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Key CAO 2018 dates to take note of Chart: CAO

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 21

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College Awareness Week provides great opportunities for all

OPENDAYS

Key CAO 2018 dates to take note of Chart: CAO

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OPENDAYS

THIRD LEVEL: A GREAT CHANCE TO TALK DIRECTLY TO CURRENT STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC STAFF

Making the most of your visit to DIT EACH year thousands of students attend DIT’s big open day events on the first Friday and Saturday of December and they say that the most useful aspect of the day is talking directly to current students and academic staff in the subject areas they wish to study. Frank Costello, head of admissions in DIT, says that doesn’t surprise him. “When you’re studying for your Leaving Cert, it can be hard to imagine what it might be like to come to college and to have the opportunity to work in science and engineering labs, or in art and media studios, or to participate in business case

study projects. “Talking to current students, in particular, is the best way to help you to figure out what you would really, really love to study and where that might lead you.” This year, DIT has added some additional sessions that might be particularly useful to students and to family members. For example, 30-minute study skills sessions could help in the months leading up to the Leaving Cert exams – how to concentrate; how to take notes that really help with revision; how not to procrastinate. There will also be ses-

DIT Design & Visual Communication 2017 graduate Clare Okura McCay with her graduation project; right: DIT Culinary Arts students

sions on minding your mental health, and specific sessions for parents of future students to give them information that will help them and their student son or daughter to make the transition successfully from second

to third level. For times of these sessions and how to book your seat go to dit.ie/ openday. While your reason for going to college is to gain your academic qualification, it is also a period in

KEEP

READING KEEP

LEARNING THE GAZETTE HAS REGULAR EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR KEEP READING TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL EDUCATION MATTERS

your life when you can explore so many interests – through sports clubs, student societies, volunteering, etc. Find out about all of these options too at the open day. DIT also hosts open

days for specific disciplines during the year, such as engineering, science and music. The first of these takes place on Friday, November 23 when the Dublin School of Creative Arts at DIT will welcome visitors

to view studios and facilities in the Grangegorman campus. The School will also hold Portfolio clinics on the day, students can secure their place by emailing creativearts@ dit.ie.

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 23

STYLE

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

Simple Micellar Cleansing Water €6

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation €19.50 Simple Micellar Facial Gel Wash €6

Payot Nutricia Baume Levres Lip Balm €18.50

La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Riche €23.99

IDC Deep Wrinkles Anti-Ageing Skincare €80

IDC Regen Boost Skin rescue Serum €62

Vichy Dermablend SOS Concealer Stick €13.50

THIS time of year is always tough on skin. The change in season, the drop in temperature, going from the cold outdoors to warm indoors and even hats and scarves rubbing off the skin can cause a number of problems. Chapped lips, dry skin, redness are common issues so a little helping hand from a few Winter Skin Saviours can ease the transition into winter, and keep your complexion bright and hydrated. Some tried and tested products we’ve been using so far this year include La Roche Posay’s Hydraphase UV Intense Moistur-

iser Rich – which provides care to hydrate, comfort and reduce skin sensitivity – and Vichy’s new Dermablend foundation, which provides 24 hour hydration with a light, long hold coverage that lasts for 16 hours. Prices range from €5 to €80, but if you find something that suits you, a more pricey investment can see you through the winter months.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres €8

Uriage Bariederm Soothing Repair Barrier Lip Balm €11

WinterWonders

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FASTNews

Toyota launches diesel scrappage websit TOYOTA in Ireland claims that customers can see how much they will save by moving from diesel at dieselscrappage.ie, the new website created to help customers to see just how much they could save by scrapping their diesel vehicle and making the move to a Toyota hybrid car. The website uses a range of factors such as depreci-

Peugeot 3008 is voted Irish Car of the Year

The Peugeot 3008 was voted Irish Car of the Year 2018 in association with Continental Tyres as a special ceremony at Dublin’s Gibson Hotel last week. The overall winner, which was also the first SUV or crossover type car, to be named as the European Car of the Year, was chosen from a shortlist of nine category winning cars as MICHAEL MORONEY reports.

ation, road tax, NCT costs, fuel economy and servicing

Skoda’s new Kodiaq SUV was voted as the Irish Large Crossover of the Year

when calculating the savings. Toyota is the only brand launching a diesel scrappage scheme exclusive to hybrid where the diesel vehicle will have to be scrapped, delivering real societal benefits as hybrids emit up to 90% less NOx than diesel. The launch of the website coincides with Toyota’s upgrade to hybrid for free and trade in, trade up 181 promotions which make it even easier for customers to switch to a hybrid or petrol model

EU emissions targets are too high claim motor industry CAR manufacturers claim that the European Union’s 2030 call for a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions is both ambitious and too aggressive. The European motor industry representative body ACEA believes that this new goal goes beyond the EU’s wider climate and energy framework. The EU proposal calls for the reduction of 30% of average CO2 emissions by 2030 from car fleets compared with 2021 levels. It also sets an interim goal of a 15% reduction by 2025 to help ensure car manufacturers to kick start investment early. The EU’s current caps on CO2 from cars are 130g/km

The new Peugeot 3008 was launched on the Irish market in early February 2017. This new SUV to the Peugeot range features the latestgeneration Peugeot iCockpit with digital instrumentation as standard across the range. T he car combines driving efficiency with high-levels of safety and technological equipment. With a choice of five

trim levels, to include Access, Active, Allure, GT Line and GT versions, a wide range of both petrol and diesel engines is available. The 1.2-litre PureTech 130bhp turbo petrol engine, with CO2 emissions from just 117g/km, was voted International Engine of the Year in its category for the secondyear running, earlier in 2016. This engine is available with a 6-speed

manual gearbox or with Peugeot’s latest generation EAT6 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.6 THP petrol 165bhp BVA automatic has emissions from 129g/CO2. Four BlueHDi diesel engines are available, trim dependent, with CO2 emissions from 103g/km, and power ranging between 100, 120, 150 and 180bhp. The 2.0 litre BlueHDi 150bhp version is

matched to a 6-speed manual gearbox, whilst the 1.6 BlueHDi 120bhp version is available with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed EAT6 automatic gearbox. The range-topping GT version comes equipped as standard with a refined 2.0 litre BlueHDi diesel 180bhp 6-speed automatic. The new Peugeot 3008 is a stylish, safe and easy car to drive and comes with a range of advanced driver safety features as standard across the range. The entry level cars come with an impressive 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The base safety pack includes an electronic stability programme, 6 airbags, cruise control with speed limiter, speed

David Walshe and Michael Sheridan of the Irish Car of the Year Committee; Des Cannon, managing director Gowan Distributors LtdPeugeot Ireland and Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres at the presentation of Irish Car of the Year 2018 to the Peugeot 2008.

limit information with intelligent speed adaptation, driver attention alert level 1 and lane departure warning, along with two ISO-Fix seat fittings, as standard. The range starts from € 2 6 , 5 9 5 p l u s d e l i very related charges for the entry level model, the Access 1.2 130bhp PureTech petrol version. There were a total of nine category winners, all of which were in the running for the top honour. The 30 journalists on the voting panel elected the Peugeot 3008 as the Irish Car of the Year 2018 by a slight margin over the Skoda Kodiaq, another popular SUV.

set for 2015 and 95g/km fixed for 2021. The existing limits are averages for the EU fleet as

Kia’s Stinger joins

a whole. Individual car manufacturers have specific targets which are backed by financial penalties

The 2.2-litre diesel powered Kia Stinger will be available in Ireland in March 2018 priced at €53,00

THE new Kia Stinger, a powerful fastback sports car, was launched in Ireland last week. The final car production closely follows the design and engineering blueprint laid down by the 2011 Kia GT Concept. The Stinger is the highest-performance production vehicle in Kia’s history. The car features ample room to accommodate five occupants and their luggage. It’s stable and delivers nimble handling with rear wheel drive for true sports car driving ability. GT-Line models are finished with dark chrome

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

MOTORING

Subaru combines urban and rugged in new XV SUBARU’S XV crossover is now available to Dublin car buyers. This new compact SUV claims to combine stylish urban design and

SE models are equipped as standard with Eyesight, adaptive cruise control, hi-beam assist,

rugged good looks. The car is being

Subaru rear vehicle rear detec-

offered in two trim levels SE and SE

tion, automatic LED headlamps

premium with two engine specifica-

and headlamp washers, alloy

tions.

wheels (1.6 litre models – 17-inch

This new XV is built on the new

alloy & 2.0 litre models – 18-inch

Subaru Global Platform which

alloy), heated front seats, keyless

claims to enhance safety, ride com-

entry and push-button start, and

fort, and agility.

privacy glass, as well as a 8-inch

The Subaru symmetrical AWD

touch screen infotainment system,

system is standard on all models

incorporating audio, Smartphone

which claim enhanced drivability

connectivity and a rear view park-

on poor road surfaces and real SUV

ing camera.

capability. Subaru claims that the 2018 Subaru XV crossover is totally new from the ground up, inside and out and from top to bottom. The changes include a new platform with a new suspension system,

The category winners in the Irish Car of the Year Awards

passenger cabin.

a new Subaru Boxer engine and a new transmission. The car has a redesigned exterior

The system also incorporates Subaru STARLINK and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. SE Premium models add leather seats, satellite navigation, sunroof, and electrically-adjustable driver’s seat for added functionality. Subaru SV prices start at €33,495 for the new 1.6i SE Lineartronic CVT automatic, rising to €38,495 for

and claims a more spacious, more

the range topping 2.0i SE Premium

comfortable and more connected

Lineartronic CVT automatic.

Kia Picanto - Irish City Car of the Year 2018 Nissan Micra - Irish Small Car of the Year 2018 Honda Civic - Irish Compact Car of the Year 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia - Irish Medium Car of the Year 2018 BMW 5 Series - Irish Executive/Premium Car of the Year 2018 Peugeot 3008 - Irish Compact Crossover of the Year 2018 Skoda Kodiaq - Irish Large Crossover of the Year 2018 Toyota Prius PHEV - Irish Green Car of the Year 2018 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio - Irish Performance/Sports Car of the Year 2018 The new Subaru XV crossover

the high performance leagues highlights, for the ‘tiger-nose’ grille surround and front lower grille, side fender vents, and door mirror caps. 18-inch wheels complete the exterior design of GTLine models. Top-specification GT models feature the same dark chrome highlights and gloss black diffuser, complemented by larger 19-inch wheels, LED headlamps, dual twin exhausts and Brembro

disc brakes with red callipers. The Kia Stinger will be offered with either a petrol or diesel engine option and all models will be paired with eight-speed automatic transmission. T he engine anticipated to account for the majority of Stinger sales in Ireland is a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, capable of producing 200bhp at 3,800 rpm. Its maximum torque output of

440 Nm is available to drivers across a wide 1,750-2,750 rpm range, enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100km/hr in 7.7 seconds. The Stinger’s most powerful engine is a 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 ‘Lambda II’ petrol engine, with peak power of 370bhp arriving at 6,000 rpm, and 510 Nm torque accessible from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm.

BMW Ireland announces new sterling offers BMW Ireland has announced an unprecedented 9% reduction off every BMW model. As many Irish consumers look to 2018 to buy a new car, BMW is claiming to provide value, local expertise and peace of mind while protecting the long term interests of customers. This BMW ‘Sterling Sales Event’ offer is in addition to the Lower Emissions Allowance announced earlier this year by BMW Group Ireland which gives customers a further €2,000 off any BMW with emissions of 130g/km or less. The incentive is open to owners of diesel Euro 4 (EU4) emission standard vehicles or below who can trade-in their vehicle for a new BMW i, BMW iPerformance model or low-CO2 emission models. The promotional offer is available from now until the 31st March 2018 at BMW Retailers nationwide. For example the BMW 530e SE plug-in hybrid model now comes with €5,711 off the list price, €7,500 off in SEAI grants and VRT rebates, plus a potential €2,000 with the Lower Emissions Allowance dropping the price of this model to €48,249 (RRP).

GAZETTE

26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

STEEL YOURSELF

MYTHS, WINE, HIKING AND DRAMATIC INDUSTRIAL WASTELANDS: WHY THE CZECH REPUBLIC’S EAST BEATS PRAGUE’S TOURIST CROWDS

 JAMES HENDICOTT THERE’S a long-standing joke in the Czech Republic’s second city, Brno. “We know wine,” they say. “We keep the best wine for ourselves. The mediocre stuff we sell to tourists, and the really bad stuff we send to Prague.” It’s fair to say the Czech Republic’s two main cities have quite a rivalry. A few years ago, Brno’s mayor spend a small fortune on building a modern-version of Prague’s spectacular clock in the city’s main square. It’s a phallic, towering, slowly-twisting statue that almost nobody can use to tell the time, and once a day it omits a strange glass marble, because ... nobody seems to be quite sure. It’s odd, largely

Vitkovice, once Europe’s largest steelworks, has found an unexpected new life as a hub for tourists and locals;

because the city doesn’t need to compete. If Bohemian Prague is home to the dark history and literary pretensions, laid-back Brno has a fastgrowing collection of its own unique lures. A once impenetrable walled city, its main attractions are in a compact hub – a spot that’s GET THERE Ryanair fly to Katowice (Poland), which is a short hop from Ostrava. Brno is a further two-hour train journey, or closer to Bratislava (Slovakia), also via Ryanair

become pleasantly alternative in the way it presents itself. Trams chug through the pretty, classical streets. Local bars consist of shacks selling hefty glasses from Moravian

vineyards, served in the open air around bubbling fountains. Cocktail bars like the magical Bar That Does Not Exist (Ktery Neexistuje, in the local lingo) have a menu of thousands of fiery, fruity concoctions made from a mind-boggling selection of boozy bottles. In fact, the general offthe-wall vibe to Brno is probably its main allure. An architect, for example, once got irritated by negotiations over compensation for his construction of the soaring Church of St James, and so adorned a window ledge with a fornicating, nude-bummed symbol who still rests there today. Then there’s the Brno dragon, adorning a tunnel in the city hall, said once

below: more rustic charms are to be found in the rolling hills near Ostrava. Pictures: James Hendicott

to have plagued the city (his modern incarnation looks suspiciously like an alligator). St James’s church’s relatively recently discovered ossuary is a creepy, claustrophobic series of

underground tunnels, home to wall-to-wall heaps of skulls and bones, while bunker 10-Z – a former secret Soviet underground bunker close to the city’s heart – might have jokingly-plastered

pictures of atom bombs on its walls today, but the other relics remind us of its deadly serious practical applications. While Brno tends to align itself culturally with Vienna (another snub to

capital Prague, we suspect), Ostrava, near the Polish border, is a totally different, if more rugged beast. This was once a Soviet metal-manufacturing heartland, and while it’s

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

GAZETTE

TRAVEL

Some of Brno’s former citizens wait out the ages in the ossuary under St James’s Church (above), while modern life – and the living – have a distinctly relaxed vibe around the city centre (left)

moved on to become something of a tech haven, the allure of those almost dystopian rusting hulks that are the former factories, and the modern adaptations of the ferric wastelands, is as surreal as it is enticing. The main draw is Vitkovice – a massive complex that once comprised Europe’s largest steelworks. Its towering empty shell soars over the city; a twisted maze of pipes and dirty warehouses that looks fresh from a dramatic war movie. At its heart, a climb to the top of the blast furnace gives you shaky views of the endless brown tubes that weave below. You can sip wine in a hard hat, eyeing up a train that’s rusting gently

into the knee-length grass 200ft below you, before exploring a cultural centre built into a former gas container. Rebranded Bolt Tower after the Jamaican sprinter won several key races STAY Brno’s beautiful Barcelo Brno Palace Hotel is housed in a gorgeous hollow historical building, with a glass-topped courtyard at its heart, and set right in the centre of the action. The Mercury Ostrava Centre offers a similarly historic hub, being smart, centrally located and carefully restored.

in the city over the years, the tour involves perilous strolls along metal paths with nothing but 100 metres of air beneath them. The theme continues

elsewhere: exploring the recently-closed mines around the city remind visitors of hardships. Miners here were paid well by most standards, but the grinding of the steam-operated machinery (still working) and the shaky lifts are just the adornments of a spot where you can also see the devastating medical records, and hear of times when the literal canary in a coalmine was still a necessity. Buildings like Dul Michal still bear the physical scars of a former life, in their simple markings like the wear on the stone staircases, as well as in the hook-filled rooms that once lifted miner’s clothes out of reach. Like Dolni Vitkovice, Dul Michael has under-

gone a transformation, and now hosts try-ityourself forges and a stark modern art gallery, hosted in a room where the windows are still marked with the paint designed to disguise the mine from bombs during World War II. Then there are the hills – the Pustevny slopes are filled with colourful wooden buildings and gentle sloping paths where you can uncover Radegast, the Slavic God

of hospitality. His chubby, horned statue guards hilltop snack shacks, where the beer of the same name flows, before you cruise the hilly roads to the base on board a souped-up, gravity-powered scooter. It might not be what you come for, but the city heartland is fast developing, too. Known for spawning Czech tennis great Ivan Lendl, and Oskar Schindler of Schindler’s List fame, it’s home

to grandiose, sweeping riverside parks, affordable high-end hotels, and manic nightlife in Stodolni Street, where party-tilsunrise bars serve cheap cocktails and pump out Euro-dance hits. There are hip graffiticoated streets bars tucked into tiny squares. Across the gentle river you’ll find a castle that’s slowly collapsing into the heavily mined soil, while kayakers make waves beneath bridges made from the

steel that used to sit beneath it. The pace of life is, it seems, dead slow. This sums up the East’s major draw: it’s not Prague. It’s not pretentious, but it is crammed with action; is cheap, adventurous, and markedly different. In Brno, the area has real class, while Ostrava has deep Soviet scars that have become a cleverly developed asset. This is Czechia, but not as you know it.

Chill out and relax in hip Ostrava Square, with the area largely overcoming the scars of a Soviet past to transform itself into a vibrant, modern setting

GAZETTE

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

Niall Murphy: Beetroot and Orange Cappucino I use the term “cappuccino” here to refer to the presentation of this starter, which serves four. I serve these in glass cups so that you can see the amazing deep ruby purple of the beetroot against the stark white of the froth.

Ingredients  Olive oil  1 onion, finely diced  450ml chicken stock  Zest and juice of one orange

Salt and freshly ground pepper  50ml full-fat milk 

Preparation  Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.  Brush the beetroots lightly with a little oil, then wrap them in tinfoil. Place them on a baking tray and roast for 30–40 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then peel and roughly chop.  Place a pan on a medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil and when the oil is heated add the onion and sweat gently until soft and translucent.  Add the beetroot and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

 Remove from the heat, add half the orange zest and the orange juice and blend with a hand blender. Pass through a fine sieve and return to the pot. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and keep warm on a very low heat.  Place a small pan on a low heat, add the milk and whisk constantly. As the milk warms up, a beautiful froth will form on the top.  Divide the soup between four serving glasses, spoon the froth on top to create the cappuccino effect and sprinkle with the reserved orange zest.

Cookbooks at the ready for top awards... THESE recipe excerpts are taken from some of the cookbooks that have been nominated in the EUROSPAR Cookbook of the Year category in this year’s Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards. These nominations include: Niall Murphy, The Cookery School, Donnybrook Fair, published by Mercier Press; Rory O’Connell, Cook Well Eat Well, published by Gill Books; Roz Purcell, Half Hour Hero, published by Penguin Ireland; Rachel Allen, Home Baking, published by HarperCollins; and The awards will take place on November 28, and you can vote for your favourite cookbook at www.irishbookawards.irish/vote/, with voting open until midday on November 23.

Rory O’Connell: Celeriac Fritters with Pears

 Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Celeriac, or root celery, as it is sometimes called, is a terrific vegetable. It make a marvellous soup, is great roasted or as a puree and is the essential ingredient in the classic remoulade, in which case it is eaten raw. The flavour of celeriac is milder and sweeter than the green celery we are more familiar with. These crisp fritters are served here as a main course (for four people) but would also be very good as a starter, in which case the recipe would serve eight people. I use peppery watercress sprigs and radicchio leaves here, but you could substitute a mixture of leaves.

Preparation  Make the batter for frying the fritters first. Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.  Add the olive oil and whisk in enough water to form a smooth batter the consistency of thick cream. Chill for 30 minutes, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg white.  Whisk all the dressing ingredients together. Taste and correct the seasoning.  When ready to cook the fritters, heat 10cm of sunflower oil in a heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless steel saucepan until it reaches 180°C, or if you have a deep fat fryer, that will work perfectly.  Mix the celeriac through the batter. Gently drop four large spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil and cook until crisp and golden brown on both sides, which should take about 10 minutes

Ingredients  Sunflower oil, for deep frying  120g celeriac (weight after peeling), peeled and cut into fine julienne, like long matchsticks  12 watercress sprigs  12 radicchio leaves

 1 ripe pear, cut in quarters lengthways, cored and thinly sliced  16 walnut halves  4 generous teaspoons homemade mayonnaise  28 capers

Batter  140g plain flour  Pinch of salt

 One and a half tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  100ml water  1 large egg white, beaten until quite stiff

Dressing  6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  2 tablespoons lemon juice  Half teaspoon honey

in total.  Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven. They will remain crisp for 20 minutes or so.  To serve, place the salad leaves, sliced pear and walnuts in a large bowl and dress with the well-mixed dressing. Divide between four plates and place a fritter on top of each salad.  Drop a teaspoon of mayonnaise on top of the fritters and scatter on the capers. Add a few grains of sea salt and serve

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

Roz Purcell: Peanut Squash and Chickpea Curry You can blitz the leftovers of this curry (which serves four people) into an epic peanut and squash curry soup. All you have to do is add some vegetable stock to suit your slurping preference!

1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)  Salt and freshly ground black pepper  200ml water  1 tsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish cooked brown or wild rice, to serve  1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Ingredients  1 tbsp coconut oil  1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced  1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and spiralized  1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk  4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter  1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed  60g dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, goji berries or chopped pitted dates  Two and a half tbsp good-quality curry powder (check to make sure there’s no added sugar)

Preparation  Melt the coconut oil in a wide-bottomed saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes before adding the squash. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  While this is cooking, put the coconut milk and peanut butter in a smoothie maker or small blender and blitz until no lumps are visible.  Now back to the saucepan. The squash will have softened but still have a bit of bite, which is perfect. Add the chickpeas, dried fruit, spices and some salt

 

GAZETTE

FOOD&DRINK and pepper. Turn up the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the water and let it boil for 2 minutes more before removing the pan from the heat.  Once the curry stops bubbling, pour in the coconut and peanut mixture and keep stirring until it thickens up slightly.  Ladle into bowls, garnish with the chopped fresh coriander and serve with the rice and a lime wedge on the side.

Rachel Allen: Salted Caramel Peanut Bars OK, these are not technically a bake, but they’ve earned their place in the book by being just generally incredible! The lovely biscuity peanut base is topped with a thick layer of chocolate studded with peanuts and sprinkled with sea salt, which ties it all together. This recipe makes about 18 biscuits.

Ingredients  100g (3.5oz) butter, plus extra for greasing  250g (9oz) digestive biscuits  100g (3.5oz) soft light brown sugar  250g (9oz) crunchy or smooth peanut butter  200g (7oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), roughly chopped  150g (5.5oz) tinned caramel, or boiled condensed milk (see tip)  30g (1.25oz) salted peanuts  A pinch of sea salt flakes  A 20cm (8in) square cake tin Preparation  Grease the base and sides of the tin and line with baking parchment. Put the butter in a small saucepan

over a medium-low heat until melted.  Put the digestive biscuits in a food processor and add the sugar. Pulse until the biscuits are reduced to fine crumbs. (Alternatively, put the biscuits in a plastic bag, tie the top and crush them with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and add the sugar.)  Add the melted butter and the peanut butter to the crushed biscuits and blend with the food processor, or mix with an electric beater, until they come together. Scrape down the sides of the food processor or bowl and mix again for a few seconds.  Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth it out using the back of the spoon. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.  Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring regularly for a glossy finish. Pour the melted chocolate over the biscuit base in the tin.  Use a teaspoon to spoon the caramel over the chocolate topping in blobs, then scatter with the salted peanuts.

Using a knife, or the handle of a teaspoon, swirl the mixture well to create a ripple effect, then scatter with a pinch of sea salt flakes.  Return the mixture to the fridge for 30 minutes to chill and set, then lift it out of the tin and cut into 18 bars to serve.  Tip: If you are unable to buy tinned caramel, you can buy condensed milk and boil it in the tin, unopened, in a saucepan of water for three hours. Make sure that you leave it to cool in the tin before opening. I often boil a few at a time and keep them for another time, as they will keep for a year, or even more!

30 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

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34 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

SPORT

FastSport MCKINLEY KICKS KEY ITALY PENALTY: FORMER St Columba’s College student Ian McKinley kicked an important penalty on his international debut for Italy’s rugby team as they overcame Fiji for their first win of 2017. McKinley had previously been developed through the school and the Leinster academy before losing sight in his left eye following a stray boot in 2011. He subsequently retired and moved Italy, initially to coach rugby but soon started playing lower tier club games while developing a pair of protective goggles to allow him to play. Since then, he was signed up by Bennetton Treviso, impressing enough to be called into Conor O’Shea’s Italy side. Italy were 10-10 with Fiji at half-time before he scored a key penalty in their 19-10 win.

BASKETBALL: SWORDS CLUB TOO GOOD FOR GARVEY’S TRALEE WARRIORS

Swords cut apart Warriors to get back to winning ways

 sport@dublingazette.com

GRIFFITH College Swords Thunder got back to winning ways with a resounding 88-59 point win over reigning Champions Trophy holders Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in the men’s Super League. The win has them in second place behind the red-hot UCD Marian who have eight wins from nine outings to date. For Swords, Charlie Coombes landed 22 points, netting four of his five threepoint shots while all of his twopointers landed in a superb display of shooting. With Isaac Westbrooks making the play and Conroy Baltimore and Alex Dolenko pitching in with 13 points each. They led 50-33 at the break and pulled away further in the second half, ending a run of two losses in succession. UCD Marian fur ther affirmed their spot at the top of the table with a home win over Belfast Star 73-61 with Mike Garrow (18 points) and Conor Meany (17) doing most of the damage. It means they lead the table by three points from a clutch

Conroy Baltimore on the attack for Griffith Swords Thunder. Picture: Martin Doherty

of teams on 18 points – Sword Thunder, Black Amber Templeogue, Pyrobel Killester and Garveys Tralee Warriors. All have played a game extra, though, than UCD. Elsewhere in the division, a little bit of history was made Saturday evening as Maree snagged their first Men’s Super League win since their promotion from Division One. The

wait had finally ended for John Finn’s side as they recorded a 102-100 win over DCU Saints in Oranmore. A superb display from Maree and Irish international star Eoin Rockall saw him bag 36 points, and solid performances from Enda Walsh and Kenneth Hansberry helped to seal the victory for the home side. “We played very well and

matched up well against DCU,” said Maree head coach John Finn. “We have basically set ourselves up for the past few games so that when we got a game that was close we would actually win it. I think tactically, we got it right. “ Pyrobel Killester travelled to Cork on Sunday afternoon for a big clash against UCC Demons and came out with a

104-95 point win, thanks to top scoring from Royce Williams and Rodrigo García Ruiz. Over at Oblate Hall on Saturday evening meanwhile, Black Amber Templeogue launched a major comeback to take an 86-82 point win over Moycullen with Neil Randolph one of the stand out stars for the Dubliners on the night. In the Women’s Super League meanwhile, Courtyard Liffey Celtics maintained their unbeaten streak in the league with a 76-62 point win over Maxol WIT Wildcats at home on Saturday evening, with Jazmen Boone top scoring her side to victory. Pyrobel Killester recorded their fourth consecutive win when they overcame NUIG Mystics by six points in Galway. “Mystics’ record doesn’t really reflect how good they are,” said Killester’s Karl Kilbride. “But we prepared very well, we had a really good week in training and we knew what to expect.” DCU Mercy, meanwhile, held on firm despite the best efforts of Singleton SuperValu Brunell on Sunday afternoon.

Dun Laoghaire the new base for biggest Irish triathlon  sport@dublingazette.com

Action from last year’s Ironman 70.3 in Dublin Bay Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

THE IRONMAN 70.3 Dún Laoghaire triathlon has been confirmed for August 19, 2018 with general registration opening this week. The event will take the place of Ironman 70.3 Dublin on the 2018 calendar, making for a new chapter for the event at the coastal town which becomes home to the country’s biggest triathlon. The event is expected to attract close to 2,000 athletes from all over the world and will take athletes through and past the most

spectacular scenery in the area. The race features a 1.2-mile swim from Sandycove around the Martello Tower before taking athletes on a spectacular and challenging 56-mile bike course. The course travels through County Wicklow and the Wicklow Mountains National Park, its glacial lakes and rivers. Athletes will take in stunning coastal views and weave their way through the streets of the seaside town for the 13.1-mile run, before finishing with Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Dublin Bay as the backdrop. “Dun Laoghaire has become

a favourite amongst triathletes over the past few years for its pristine swim venue, breath-taking views and warm hospitality,” said Declan Byrne, Ironman 70.3 Dún Laoghaire Race Director. “Dún Laoghaire and provide athletes with a new and exciting course and a race experience to make Dún Laoghaire a race destination of choice across Europe and further afield.” An Cathaoirleach (Mayor) of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Tom Murphy, speaking on behalf of the Council said: “Dún Laoghaire-

Rathdown has a rich sporting heritage, a stunning location between the mountains and the sea, a high quality public realm and is perfectly suited to host a world class sporting event of the calibre of Ironman 70.3..” General registration can be made at www.ironman.com/dunlaoghaire70.3. Athlete inquiries may be directed to ireland70.3@ ironman.com. Ironman 70.3 Dún Laoghaire will offer 50 age-group qualifying slots for the 2019 Ironman 70.3 World Championship being held in Nice, France.

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

GAZETTE

FIGHTNight

McAfee continues to defy all bar own expectations SINCE turning professional earlier this year, Stephen McAfee has defied all expectations – except perhaps his own. The Sallynoggin super featherweight entered the paid ranks of Irish boxing with little elite amateur pedigree, but has almost instantaneously carved a reputation as one of Dublin’s most exciting fighters. With a background mainly in kickboxing and semi-pro fighting, McAfee needed something special to stand out among the dozens of new pros in 2017 – and stand out he did. Debuting in May, the former Monkstown amateur opened his account with a KO of the Year contender, flattening Poland’s Marcin Ficner in the third round having had him on the floor a number of times beforehand. That finish went viral and there were more than a few interested observers of his second fight in September and McAfee did not disappoint. Facing Hungarian Attila Horvath, the 26-yearold tore into his unsuspecting foe from the first bell and had the fight waved off within a round. Following a sustained attack to the body, the shell-shocked Horvath was carted off to hospital with broken ribs. A real character, McAfee joked afterwards how the early stoppage came as he was in dire need of a bathroom break and had to get back to the dressing rooms as soon as possible. With statements having been made in his two previous fights, McAfee has been rewarded with a big bout number three. The Jonathan Lewis-trained boxer will fight in one of the chief support bouts on the big ‘Celtic Clash 4’ bill at the National Stadium on Saturday, December 2. McAfee is well aware that he needs to be an entertainer alongside being a sportsman, and the Dub certainly has a swagger about him. McAfee described how: “You’ve got to be confident in this game and I don’t lack confidence. The more confident I am the better I perform. You always have to try and stand out and it’s great to get the stoppage for the fans. “You are thinking you want to steal the show a bit, but rounds are important too. I think after two knockout wins people will start to take a little more notice of me. The main goal was to get people talking about me and I think I did that.”

O’Brien stepping up at Celtic Clash opportunity Inner-city boxer continues his remarkable redemption story, fighting back from drug addiction and run-ins with the law, forging a fledgling life in the ring with an Irish title in sight  sport@dublingazette.com

CR AIG O’Brien will make his return to the ring next month following his maiden title victory, as his remarkable story continues with pace. Last month, the innercity light middleweight claimed the BUI Celtic title, and will look to round of a brilliant 2017 with a win at the National Stadium on the South Circular Road. O’Brien will fight on the Celtic Clash 4 card which is headlined by former top amateur and RTE pundit Eric Donovan who defends his BUI Celtic featherweight title against Juancho Gonzalez, while there is also Dublin grudge match between Dubliner’s Crank White-

house and Jay Byrne for the BUI Celtic welterweight belt. O’Brien’s star has risen exponentially in recent times following his title win against Frenchman Alain Alfred. Since this tough victory, which also played out at the National Stadium, the Northsider has been paraded at halftime at Dalymount Park during a Bohemian FC game and was given a civic reception with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. He is delighted with the recognition but is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. O’Brien notes how “I’m getting more recognition, it’s good. I’m a true believer that hard work pays off. “I’m not blowing my

own trumpet, but if you’re good enough to win it, why not fight for it? I’ll push on, eventually I want the Irish title next year. The recognition is coming with the hard work – but if you were to ask me is it a little bit big compared to others... yeah it’s definitely a little bit big! It’s all part of the game. “I’m still training hard. After the last fight I didn’t celebrate much, I was back in the gym training away and now I’m back out December 2. You get up early in the morning to run, and if you have the thought of why you’re running, the belt, eventually the Irish title, it gives you motivation to keep moving forward.” The boxing ring is somewhere you can’t rest

Craig O’Brien, right, from the Henrietta Street flats won the Boxing Union of Ireland Super Welterweight Title in the National Stadium last month. Picture: Ricardo Guglielminotti

on your laurels. Lives can change in a split-second with one punch, one mistake. This could be vividly seen in O’Brien’s last fight where he was floored heavily in the opening round. The Celtic Warriors Gym fighter though battled back to win on points. Reflecting on that fight, O’Brien says: “It was a good learning fight, an eight round learning fight. Being knocked down early on, some fighters can’t recover from it, some fighters get a shock, so it’s good to know that I can – which I don’t want to be doing again anytime soon. “All the hard work, all the sacrifices paid off there. Recovering from that knockdown, is all the graft I put in, all the training, all the eating well, all the dieting well, all the early nights and long runs, all that paid off. Getting knocked down and coming back to recover, you can say that at least I can do it – but at the end of the day, I shouldn’t have got caught in the first place. That’s the bit I’m annoyed with, but we’ll come back and learn.” Born and bred around the Henrietta Street Flats, being a champion boxer looked to be a million miles away for O’Brien at one stage. In his younger days O’Brien got mixed up in drug use and had numerous spells in jail, but turned his life around following the birth of his first child and his subsequent return to boxing.

O’Brien doesn’t shy away from his past, indeed it motivates him with the 28 year old explaining: “Does it help me? Yes, it does. If I think where I was when I was 17, 18, 19, it makes me one hundred percent stronger, seeing where I am now. That’ll help me in the long run, whether it be in a fight, a camp, or whatever. I’ve had tough times - and that’s through no-one’s fault other than my own, at that age you think you know everything. “Just as well I went to boxing at eight years old and I was half-decent at it. So I knew people around it and I was able to fall back in. Not that I said one day when I was 21 or 22, ‘I’m going to be a pro,’ that never happened. I just went to the gym to stay fit, stay active, and along the lines I met people, good friends of mine like my old trainer Niall Byrne, that shaped me into getting fit and becoming a professional boxer.” Celtic Clash 4 also features Sheriff Street’s Bernard Roe and East Wall’s Jake Hanney, as well as Colin O’Donovan, Vladimir Belujsky, John Joyce, Regan Buckley, Stephen McAfee, James Cahill, Martin Quinn, Dylan McDonagh, Thomas Finnegan, and Niall O’Connor. Tickets for the card cost €30, €40, €60, and €100 and can be purchased from Craig at 085 107 8220 or via Ticketmaster.

GAZETTE

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

BOXING: KELLIE WINS BIG IN TENERIFE AS HER RISE CONTINUES

Railway remain unbeaten in women’s EY League RAILWAY Union took four points from their double weekend to continue their unbeaten start to the women’s EY Hockey League season, holding at bay a Belfast Harlequins 3-2 on Saturday before drawing with Trinity. In the former tie, the Sandymount hosts started brilliantly, hunting in packs in the press, and broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when Kate Lloyd, pictured, smashed in on her forehand following a left-wing attack broke to her. Heisterkamp made it two when she finished off a glorious pitch-length move just before the end of the first quarter. Quins, though, have a fearsome midfield line-up in Zoe Wilson, Gemma Frazer, Jenny McAuley and Lizzie Colvin and they generated lots of second quarter chances. Grace O’Flanagan saved brilliantly down low to tip away Lucy Geddes’s shot to retain the 2-0 lead. Jenna Watt put the tie back into focus with 20 minutes to go when her touch to Wilson’s switch move spun through the clutches of the Railway corner defence. Crucially, Railway replied instantly with the Orla Fox – who impressed in defence – slapping a ball into Lloyd’s path to ramp the ball into the roof of the net. It was her fifth goal in a week. Wilson banged in a powerful corner shot to reduce the gap to 3-2 with 14 minutes to go. And the Irish international lined up another power-hit at goal five minutes from the end but, this time, O’Flanagan got down at full-stretch to deflect the ball around the post for a hard-fought three points. A day later, Railway fought back twice against Trinity to keep their unbeaten record going in the women’s EY Hockey League with their fourth draw out of six games. Sally Campbell gave Trinity the lead for the first time with a spectacular shot into the top right corner in the 23rd minute. Orla Fox equalised from a corner three minutes later for 1-1, a rebound after a couple of Carolyn Crampton saves. Niamh Sweeney restored the Trinity lead a minute into the second half when she fired home when located in the circle by Erica Markey. Once again, Railway came back and won a stroke in the 43rd minute which Sarah Canning converted, making it 2-2 with 27 minutes to go. Railway end the weekend in fifth place.

Kellie Harrington, third from left, celebrates her gold medal with her team in Tenerife

Harrington’s Canary gold  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

KELLIE Harrington is already itching to get back in the ring two weeks on from landing gold at the Boxam Elite tournament in the Canary Islands. The 27-year-old from Glasnevin scored a unanimous points victory over Romanian Cristina Cosma after receiving a bye straight through to the final. “It was great tournament. I got straight into the final against the Romanian girl and it was a good fight,” Harrington told GazetteSport. “We had a good few

days beforehand training because we knew when we would be fighting as there were not that many women in the tournament. “I just went out and did the job. Took all the advice from my coaches and enjoyed it. It was a tournament that I could actually enjoy because there wasn’t much pressure on.” Harrington’s previous fight saw her walk away from the EU Championships in Italy with the lightweight silver medal around her neck. She reached the final on that occasion as well, but missed out on gold after

NEW TECHNIQUES WWE superstars work out with the SBG crew WWE champion Jinder Mahal and WWE

Irish superstar Becky Lynch - from Baldoyle - crossed codes as they visited Straight Blast Gym in Dublin last week for a session with coach John Kavanagh – the mastermind behind Conor McGregor’s success. The 30-year-old Lynch was put through her paces, trying out a variety of new techniques under the watchful eye of Kavanagh and his team.

losing a split decision contest with Mira Potkonen. “It was a 4-1 split decision and I got two counts in the final as well. The first count I shouldn’t have gotten but the second one, I should because I was all over the shop. After the first count my head wasn’t in the game and then I ended up getting the second. “When I went in, I had a game plan but that went out the window. Everyone has a game plan until they get hit I suppose. I didn’t stick to my plan and I do believe that if I had of done what I was told to do then it could have been a different outcome. Unfor-

tunately, it just wasn’t to be.” Harrington isn’t the first boxer to have found Potkonen difficult to navigate. Irish icon Katie Taylor was dumped out of the Rio Olympics by the Finn after losing on split decision at the quarterfinal stage, but Harrington believes it’s her physical attributes rather than any technical ability that makes her tricky to beat. “She’s not a great fighter but she’s great at what she does. She’s a brawler, she’s fit and she’s strong. Technically not great at all but what she does is effective.” Harrington also spoke

about how the future of female boxing in Ireland looks bright. “Irish female boxing is on the up. With the amateurs, we are doing so well. We have a team heading out to the World Championships in India this week. I’m sure the girls on that team are going to bring back some medals. Hopefully some gold ones. “Even the younger girls, from 11 years of age up, are absolutely amazing. They are so technical and aggressive. When I started, there was no high performance or squad training, but the girls have all that setup now.”

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

GAZETTE

SOCCER: LEINSTER SNATCH INTERPRO TITLE FROM ULSTER

The successful Leinster schools interprovincial side

Ryan and Reghba on the mark for Leinster FAI SCHOOLS INTERPROS  sport@dublingazette.com

TWO local players represented Leinster as they regained their Under-18 Boys’ Interprovincial title by remaining unbeaten from their three games at the AUL Complex last weekend. Having won the title in 2014 and 2015, they were edged out by Ulster last year but have returned the trophy to Leinster with the help of Jack Ryan from Templeogue College, and Ali Reghba from Coolock’s Chanel College – both players finding the back of the net during the tournament. Jake Walker proved the hero as his penalty 15 minutes from time secured a 2-2 draw with Ulster to leave them sitting a point ahead of the reigning champions and Connacht, with Munster a further point behind. Leinster went into the game knowing that a draw would be enough to take home the silverware but Ulster started brightly and tore into their opponents in search of the win

they needed. They had a legitimate penalty appeal waved away by the referee after five minutes before Leinster took the lead when Colm Whelan slotted past Daniel Houghton in the Ulster goal. Whelan should have doubled their advantage minutes later but he could only find the side-netting this time round. His miss was punished six minutes later when Ulster equalised through Michael Gallagher and the teams went into the break level. Like the first, Ulster started the second half well and took the lead 11 minutes after the restart with Gallagher’s second of the game. Ulster were now sitting on a result that would see them secure back to back titles but the referee dashed their hopes when he pointed to the spot. Walker saw his initial effort palmed away by Houghton but he showed excellent reactions to pounce on the rebound. The remainder of the game turned into a somewhat sour affair that saw a number of rash tackles

committed, with Walker and Ulster’s Corrie Lee Bogan given their marching orders. Leinster had kicked off their tournament in style with a 4-0 demolition of Munster the day beforehand. Clarke produced an excellent save to deny Munster from the spot after 33 minutes before Ryan gave Leinster the lead from 18 yards just before the break. Walker doubled their lead from the spot after 49 minutes and Regbha made it 3-0 11 minutes later. The game was now

all but ended as a contest and Leinster rubbed salt into the wounds late on with a fine goal from Lotafa. The following day, Leinster played their second game against Connacht but it was a game for goalkeepers as both put on excellent displays to see the game end scoreless. Following their performances during the tournament, both players will now be hoping to be named in the underage international squad.

FASTSport

Liffey Valley’s double delight at senior cross country races in Adamstown ISLANDBRIDGE-based Liffey Valley Athletic Club won both women’s and men’s team titles at the Leinster Senior Cross Country Championships in Adamstown, Co Wexford last Sunday. The course was testing with some muddy patches and a few hills thrown in for good measure. The women’s 5k saw the team lead home by Eimear Nic An Bhaird, who is having her best season ever, in tenth. She was followed by Sile Carroll and Aileen Gittens and her sister Annie. The team was completed by Jenifer Preston who was making her debut at this level. The team were retaining their title in an event that they were recording their third success in the last four years. Cross country requires all runners to perform to their best with team points calculated on finishing places and Liffey Valley’s 60 points was two ahead of Wicklow’s Sli Cualann with Dunboyne in third with 71 points. The men’s 10k saw Liffey Valley engaged in a battle with Raheny Shamrocks, winners of the Dublin title the previous week. Peter Arthur and Neil O’Rourke got themselves into the leading bunch from early in the race and set the tone for the Islandbridge based club to contest the team title. Kilkenny’s Thomas Hayes won the individual title with a front-running performance. Peter Arthur led the yellow singlets of Liffey Valley home in second place with Neil O’Rourke fourth, his best run ever in these championships. Mike McCarthy was the third scorer followed home Chris Morgan to compile a team total of 42 nine ahead of their north city rivals Raheny Shamrocks’ 51. With a total of ten runners in action Pierce Geoghegan, Paul Balfe, Andy Nason, Brendan Beere and Matt Blyth provided solid back up to the scoring quartet.

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GAZETTE

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017

SPORT

FOOTBALL: ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS AMBUSHED IN AUGHRIM AS THE

FASTGAA

Rathnew stun Vincent’s LEINSTER SFC QUARTERS

Rathnew 1-13 St Vincent’s 1-9  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

Tarf’s Metrifit boost THE year ahead promises to be a busy one for Clontarf Ladies GAA Club as they prepare to take advantage of winning top prize in a national competition for sports clubs – organised by fruit importers Fyffes in partnership with Irish sports technology specialist Metrifit. In fending off competition from over 200 other entrants, their recent success saw the club win a year-long use of Metrifit’s performance monitoring software, a nutritionist and testing day and a new team kit. Among the latest innovation in sports technology, the Metrifit system helps athletes and team players reach peak performance using information gleaned by monitoring elements such as health, nutrition, sleep, stress, illness, injury and activity levels.

ST VINCENT’S suffered a shock loss on the very first step on the Leinster ladder on Sunday, as they crashed out of their St Patrick’s Day quest at the first hurdle against rank outsiders Rathnew, from Wicklow. Rathnew are a consistent force in Wicklow football, having taken the title a county record 34 titles – and four of the last five – but you could get odds as long as 8/1 on the Wicklow side going into the contest against a starstudded Vincent’s side. The Marino men have taken the Leinster title four times while Dublin sides have landed a total of eight times since Rathnew took one of Wicklow’s two

Leinster senior football titles back in 2001. While Vincent’s had the likes of Diarmuid Connolly, Ger Brennan, Shane Carty, Mossy Quinn and Enda Varley in their starting 15, Rathnew largely looked in control of the contest. Carty’s very early chance seemed to set something of a precedent for how the Marino side’s day was to pan out. Played clean through on goal after four minutes with Vincent’s 0-1 down, Carty couldn’t get hold of a pass from Gavin Burke, and having fumbled the goal chance, was forced to take a point to level up. Things briefly looked like going according to the script, however, as a Connolly free, a point set up for Burke by Varley, and Varley chipping home himself saw Vincent’s go 0-4 to 0-1 in front after 15 minutes, a lead they were to blow

before half time. Connolly was denied a goal by a sharp block in the Rathnew defence on 25 minutes, but the Wicklow champions were creeping back into the game, powered in part

by long-time county stalwart James Stafford, who retired from the Garden county setup last year. Stafford found himself at the heart of plenty of Rathnew’s better moves, and helped bring the sides

were level at 0-5 each on 27 minutes, with Rathnew striking again just before the break to go in with an unlikely 0-7 to 0-6 lead over the Dublin champions. Things were to get worse

St Vincent’s reign as All-Ireland champions came to an end last weekend at the hands

CLUB NOTICEBOARD BALLYMUN KICKHAMS

OUR heroes of the week this week are a no brainer for the first time in months. Our U-15 footballers won their championship final in Parnell Park, defeating a sporting Whitehall Colmcille team. The exemplary performance and superb win was the perfect reward for these lads, led by John ‘Lenny’ Leonard. They are a credit to the club, their families and their mentors. Well done lads, you are our laoch na seachtaine! Take a bow! A special word of thanks and congratulations to Fiach Andrews, who has been coaching these lads since the start of the year and has made a huge impression on the team. A large portion of the success is down to Fiach’s coaching. Well done Fiach. Well done to our intermediate footballers who won the inter B final against a sporting Scoil Ui Chonaill team last Wednesday and well done to Dermot and all his team on a great end to a tough year for them. Maith sibh.

Commiserations to our minor B footballers who were defeated in the championship semi-final on Sunday morning. This team were a credit to the jersey and the club and credit is due also to them for their fine season and to manager Gerry Staunton. Hard luck lads. Our monthly draw results have been posted on our website, congratulations to all the winners and thank you all those who support the club through the draw. You keep the lights on and the water warm. Thank you. Congratulations to Gerry Seaver, our GPO, and all his team mates in Ballyboughal on their Leinster championship victory over Emo and best of luck in the rest of the campaign. All eyes are now firmly focussed on our big event on November 25 where we will select our best Dublin team, made in Ballymun. This promises to be a brilliant night’s entertainment with MC Pat Mannion and special panelist guests Ciaran Whelan and Joe Brolly. We urge you to buy tickets in advance as sales for the event are going well. They

are available from Mace on Glasnevin avenue or any member of the committee. This night will have everything, great untold tales from today and yesteryear, insights into great Dublin players and teams and managers and players from Dublin from many eras, and rounded off with a DJ to dance the night away. All details are available on our website www. ballymunkickhams.com or our FaceBook or Twitter @ BallymunGAA

CLONTARF

FOIRNE na Seachtaine are our inter and junior hurling teams who both gained league promotion on what was a #SuperSunday for Cluain Tarbh. Our inter hurlers defeated Na Fianna 3-10 to 1-10 on Bóthar Mobhí to clinch promotion to AHL3. Later that day, our junior hurlers defeated Naomh Jude away to clinch promotion to AHL6. In the big ball game, our minor B buachaillí won their MFCD shield final.

On Saturday, both our Faoi16 buachaillí won their penultimate league matches. The Bs edged a titanic struggle against Man O’War to win by the minimum 4-9 to 3-11. The As had a game of two halves and recovered from a half time deficit of four points to restrict Castleknock to two points tar eis an briseadh, winning 4-14 to 2-7 with John Hanley getting score of the match. GRMA to St Colmcilles of East Meath who hosted our Faoi11 buachaillí on Saturday for a blitz. Gaelic Football Coaching workshop on utilising space on the astro, Thursday, November 16 from 7.30pm-9pm. Any mentors interested please confirm attendance with Gerard Dinan. Gumshield fitting clinic on Monday, November 20 in the club 7-8pm. No winner of lotto. Póta Óir is now €5,500. Numbers drawn 2, 3, 14, 19. Consolation prize winners Sean O’Sullivan and Kevin Hoy. Well done to Fiona Coghlan who played on the first ever Barbarians ladies rugbaí match at the weekend.

ERIN’S ISLE

AFTER winning a football blitz the previous week, the U-10 girls followed their continued success in winning a camogie tournament in Crumlin over the weekend. Congratulations to our U-13 hurlers who won their league final. It was a superb team performance. The lads did their mentors and the club proud. Well done to all involved. The U-21s footballers are out in the championship again this Saturday away to St Margaret’s at 2.30pm. A big support would be welcome. Our annual mass takes place on Sunday, December 10. In preparation, the Erin’s Isle Choir will meet on a number of dates to be determined. We really want to make this a special event as we come to the end of our Centenary Year. For more information, contact Ann Byrne on 087 6733735. Please don’t forget to complete the online questionnaire/survey. It should take less than 15 minutes to complete, this is the membership’s opportunity to help in the future decision making process.

Centenary Ball tickets can be collected in the club bar on Friday between 8pm and 10pm. Tickets sold out so only those who have reserved and paid for tickets will be able to collect. The dress code on the night is formal/smart. We now have physical and electronic copies for the sponsorship brochure, anyone who either knows someone that may provide sponsorship or anyone who wants to get involved please let me know. If you have anything for club notes, please contact Paul Campbell at 087-7585019 or send to cambod11@hotmail. com before Sunday evening.

NA FIANNA

CONGRATS to our minor A footballers on their championship final win against Thomas Davis on Sunday. A thrilling performance by the lads in front of a big Na Fianna crowd in O’Toole Park saw the capture of the minor A double. Congrats also to both U-21 hurling teams play on championship wins on Saturday; the As won their

16 November 2017 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

GAZETTE

WICKLOW WINNERS LAND SHOCK RESULT

and end reign from a Vincent’s point of view after the break. In a stuttering contest, Rathnew were making the better use of their chances, and turned a single point lead into a three point gap swiftly after the break.

of Rathnew

The introduction of Ruairi Trainor prompted a Vincent’s revival, with Trainor pointing himself and then laying a point on for Quinn to bring the game back to a single point margin. Then came what most in Aughrim believed was the sucker punch. Varley played in Quinn to fist into the net at close range after a fast-paced break from Vincent’s, and suddenly the Dublin men led by 1-9 to 0-10 with 15 minutes remaining. Instead, Vincent’s goal was a prelude to the drama. Rathnew battled back to level in a dominant passage, before main man Stafford grabbed a ball from high in the air and slammed past Michael Savage in the Vincent’s goal to send the hosts clear. Suddenly the Wicklow team had a real lead to

defend, and they never really looked like giving it up, with Stafford popping up in the closing seconds to put things beyond doubt, fisting over a point to finalise the scoring at 1-13 to 1-9 in Rathnew’s favour. Plenty of credit has to go to the Wicklow side, naturally. Equally, it’s clear that the less than inspired performance from Vincent’s in overcoming a disappointing Ballymun Kickhams in the Dublin finale two weeks ago was not so much a blip, as a sign that things were not going completely smoothly. Vincent’s went right into the New Year in their search for national glory last time around, and perhaps the load has become a little too much. Either way, their intracounty adventure was curtailed at the very first hurdle.

MINOR DOUBLE FOR GLASNEVIN CLUB

Lacey lands killer blow for Na Fianna DAVID Lacey’s late goal saw Na Fianna win the Dublin minor football championship with victory over Thomas Davis 1-8 to 1-7 at O’Toole Park last weekend. Fresh on the back of the hurlers winning their equivalent title the week beforehand, Na Fianna fought back from four points down with five minutes remaining to secure a famous double. The Mobhi Road side started the game strongly with James Doran grabbing the first two points. Lacey then hit a free for Na Fianna as John Foley stretched the lead. In comparison, Thomas Davis could only manage a solitary point during the opening 15 minutes Sean Currie was having a big influence for Na Fianna but Thomas Davis started to come more into the game. Adam Fitzpatrick, in particular, showed his class in front of the posts for the Kiltipper side. A minute before the break, Davis delivered a three pointer to leave the score at 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time, David Keogh the man after initially starting the move and finishing it off via a great pass from Mikey Keddy. The Tallaght side stretched their lead before both sides split the posts over the following five minutes after the break. Another point for Thomas Davis looked to have made the task too big for Na Fianna but they managed to reduce the deficit with a Lacey free before his goal really threw the cat amongst the pigeons. It was an excellent side-footed finish to round off some fine work by midfielder Donal Ryan. Davis tried desperately to find an equaliser but time was quickly running out and Na Fianna were defending as if their lives depended on it, clinging on for their one-point win.

CLUB NOTICEBOARD semi-final against St Vincent’s and the Bs enjoyed a quarter final win, after extra time, against Naomh Mearnog. Well done to our junior A hurlers on their league final win against St Finbarrs on Sunday which sees them promoted to Division 5 next year. Hard luck to our inter hurlers in their league final against Clontarf and to our minor A camogie team against Lucan in the championship on Sunday. Our senior 2 footballers play St Jude’s in the inter championship final on Friday at 8.15pm in Abbottstown. The U-21A footballers play Cuala in the championship semifinal in Mobhi Road on Saturday at 2.30pm. The minor B hurlers play Castleknock in the championship final in Collinstown on Sunday at 11am. Also at 11am on Sunday, both minor camogie teams play away in the Championship. The As play Faughs and the Bs play

Balinteer. Good luck to all teams, support welcome, full fixture list on website. DCU’s Alumni Affairs office will host an evening in the Mobhi Suite Thursday, November 16 at 8pm to celebrate our longstanding connection and continuing relationship. All members with DCU connections past or present, including connections with St Pat’s, Mater Dei and All Hallows are invited. Basic spoken Irish class for beginners continues in the club on Thursday from 7.30-8.30pm. Ciorcal comhrá sa bhear sa chlub gach oíche Déardaoin 8.30-9.30. Seisiún ceoil ina dhiaidh sin, fáilte roimh chách. 25 Card session in the club every Friday night, all welcome. Members’ subscriptions due since the AGM can be paid in the club office from Monday to Friday from 9.30am-1pm or online www.clgnafianna.ie.

O’TOOLE’S

GREAT win for our U-14A hurlers that played Clanna Gael Fontenoy on Saturday in the league. This panel has come on immensely thanks to the ongoing coaching by Danny Webster. Every championship final must have a winner but Saturday here in Blunden Drive our U-13 girls just missed that win by two points. Our girls were magic. The fact there are several places between the two teams in the league didn’t do Ballinteer any favours, both teams played superbly. Ballinteer had the best of the first half but the second half definitely belonged to O’Toole’s. Well done girls, trainers, mentors and parents. We are seeing seeking managers for our adult teams for the 2018 season. Applicants should contact John Thompson on 087 2958398 for further details. Membership fees are

now overdue. You can pay online at otoolesgac.ie and follow the instructions. Adult players can renew their membership through John Thompson on 087 2958398. Friday nights’ ladies five-a-side was a great success and the craic was mighty afterwards. The next is on December 1 so if you’re female, over the age of 15, enjoy the game, this is for you. A big thanks to all those that participated in our annual mass on Sunday, especially Fr Comer, Kelly, Lorraine and Hellen. There’s a table quiz for our ladies section on December 29 to include a Guess the Contents jar, €100 for the correct guess. Please support. Friday night card bingo and Hi/lo jackpot. Saturday Timeless and Sunday Eddie & Tom. There was no winner of our club lotto. The numbers were 6, 12, 15 and 21. The jackpot is €4,200.

SCOIL UI CHONAILL

CONGRATULATIONS to our AHL3 team who beat St Sylvester’s on Sunday morning following a hard fought match that saw Scoil recover from eight points down to take the win at the final whistle. They now face Round Tower, Clondalkin in the playoff finals next Sunday with promotion to division 2 being the ultimate prize. Our Mothers and Others team put their skills to the test in a Saturday morning blitz hosted by Beann Eadair. Commiserations to our minor footballers who lost out to St Patrick’s in their league semi final on Sunday afternoon. Anyone interested in availing of very attractive pitch side advertisement opportunities should contact Aidan Mulvey on 085 7213789. Training for all ages and levels continues; adult hurling and football teams train in Scoil on Mondays

and Thursdays from 6.30pm. Juvenile training takes place in Scoil at 10am on Saturday mornings. For any news or enquiries, please contact scoil.pro. eoc@gmail.com

WHITEHALL COLMCILLE

THE club AGM takes place next Monday, November 20 at 8pm; this year, the meeting will take place in the club bar for your comfort. Reports and financials on the way to full members. Congratulations to our senior footballers who secured their place in AFL Division 2 last Sunday against Erin’s Isle. Well done to the U-21 hurlers As in the championship with a good win over Thomas Davis and hard luck to the Bs who were beaten by a strong Setanta team. Great to have two teams in the U-21 hurling championship.

Well done to the U-15 footballers getting to a championship final and hard luck in the game in Parnell, losing to Ballymun. Well done to all members and families who traveled out to support our young and not so young stars of the future at all matches last weekend. The line was red as far as the eye could see. Bar Bingo continues this Friday night at 9.45 in the club bar, come on down to join in the fun. No winner of this week’s lotto jackpot but two members as always win €50; next weeks jackpot will be €7,250. Please support your club by playing online lotto, or buying in the club bar. All tickets are entered into weekly draw for two €50 prizes. As always, keep an eye on the club website and Facebook page for more details on all club events and fixtures. www. whitehallcolmcile. Facebook: WhitehallColmcille Twitter: @wcolmcille

40 DUBLIN GAZETTE  CITY 16 November 2017