DublinGazette DECEMBER 5-11, 2019
IN THE VULTURES’ SIGHTS...
me is EXCLUSIVE: Don’t despair if your ho week, being circled by a vulture fund – this 2-13 we have some great advice to help P1
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THE LATEST NEWS & SPORT FROM THE DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL AREA
End of an era
SPORT GAA: End of an era as
Jim Gavin walks away from the Dublin Senior Footballers. SEE P31 & 32
travel
THIS STAYCATION IS SURE TO WOW BY NEXT SUMMER P18 Find us on Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you
BINGO BELLES RALLY BY DAIL
HUNDREDS of Bingo players rallied outside Dail Eireann this week in a bid to defend the beloved game’s prize system. They were joined by several TDs in a show of support, as they protested about a new Bill that would introduce a prize limit of 50% of the proceeds of each line of Bingo played – a move slammed as “crazy” by the protestors. Picture: Maxpix
Cllrs defend backing €22.8m water centre Dubliners angry as project greenlit RACHEL D’ARCY
NEARLY 40 councillors have voted to approve plans for a €22.8m white water rafting centre at Spencer Dock, that will be used by sports teams, tourists, Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) and more.
The plans have proved controversial amongst Dubliners, with many criticising the decision to approve the project in the midst of a major housing crisis. Just one day after the vote took place, the capital was ranked as the worst city in the world for expats to find a place to live.
Many councillors have defended their decision to vote for the plans, including Gary Gannon (Social Democrats), who said his vote was swayed by the importance of the facility to the fire brigade. Taking to Twitter, Cllr Gannon said: “I placed aside my reservations when a senior member of the DFB outlined how important this facility will be to their work.” SEE PAGE 8
THE Liberties paid a fond farewell to Christy Egan as Christy’s Hospital Shop at James Street closed down last week. Tributes flowed in to the popular shopkeeper, who’s sold his last penny sweets and is now facing a well-earned retirement. Many said it was the end of an era as the Christy’s local landmark closed down. SEE PAGE 3
Dolphin Park plan approved
APPROVAL has been given for more than 160 housing units, at Tempelogue Synge Streets GAA, home ground of Dolphin Park. In addition to the housing units the existing facilities will be upgraded to include new floodlights, a gym and new dressing rooms. The funding for upgrades will be raised through the sale of 15% of the existing site to develop housing. The plans consist of 153 apartments, seven townhouses and one detached house.
SEE PAGE 2
2 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
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CLUB SET TO SELL LAND TO FUND REDEVELOPMENT
Permission granted to develop club ground RACHEL D’ARCY rdarcy@dublingazette.com
APPROVAL has been given for over 160 housing units at Dolphin Park, in addition to upgrades of the existing sporting facilities for the clubs that use the pitch. The pitches are owned by GAA club Templeogue Synge Street, but is also used by a number of local schools and other clubs in the locale. The €3 million development is expected to include new floodlights, an all-weather pitch, a gym, dressing rooms, new meeting rooms and modest catering facilities. The funding for upgrades will be raised through the sale of 15% of the existing site to develop housing. This consists of 153 apartments, seven townhouses and one detached house.
Dolphin Park has been given approval for 160 housing units. Picture: GOOGLE MAPS
It is understood that once completed, the new pitches will increase the capacity of the club, in addition to providing the ability to extend both training and playing hours, with Templeogue Synge Street estimating the level of training time will increase by over 400 hours across the year.
Club Chairman Alan O’Brien said; “We are delighted to have finally received approval from An Bord Pleanála for this ambitious redevelopment of our club. We are going to create a modern GAA facility that will service the needs of the GAA community in this part of Dublin for generations to
come. “The growth in our playing numbers is down to the dedication and passion of our volunteers and the pride we have instilled in this club. However, we need to take our club to the next level in order to achieve our real potential and that means having modern facilities. However, Kevins Hurling and Camogie Club, who have been sharing the facilities with Synge Street, said that their club will lose out as a result of the new plans, and that players may be forced to train further away from where they live. The club have previously held ‘flash mob’ protests against the plans. Many residents in the local south city area have also complained that the area has a chronic lack of green areas.
FASTNews
Jingles the Penguin soft toys will be available
Tesco stores host ‘Festive Fun Days’ for all customers TESCO stores across Dublin are calling on locals to drop in-store on December 6 and 7, to join Tesco colleagues for a series of ‘Festive Fun Days’ in aid of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. This year’s series of ‘Festive Fun Days’ aim to raise €150,000 for the little heroes of Temple Street, with all of the vital funds raised going toward purchasing an advanced Retinal Camera for the Theatre ward. Using this new equipment, an Ophthalmologist can ensure timely intervention, which can prevent loss of sight and in the case of Retinal cancer can cure many cases. Geraldine Casey, Director, Tesco Ireland said: “Last year was a great success in terms of generosity and community spirit, with Temple Street proving to have a special place in everyone’s heart. We are so happy to be able to bring our colleagues and customers together to help the little heroes of Temple Street at this special time of the year. We encourage everyone to drop in store to embrace the joy of Christmas and get involved in this year’s festive fun!” Tesco customers and colleagues will also be able to support the little heroes of Temple Street by purchasing limited edition festive floral bouquets and children’s favorite, Jingles the Penguin soft toys, with funds from each sale going directly to Temple Street. Participating stores include: Artane, Cabra, Clarehall, Clearwater, Drumcondra, Jervis St, Kilbarrack, Malahide, Parnell St, Prussia St, Phibsboro, Santry, Talbot St, Cardiffsbridge Express, Dorset St Express, Fairview Express and Glasnevin Express.
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 3
LEGEND: TRIBUTES POUR IN AS LOCAL SHOPKEEPER BAGS HIS FINAL SWEETS
Shutters down for a final time at Christy’s RACHEL D’ARCY
TRIBUTES have poured in for a beloved shopkeeper in The Liberties, as his shop closed its doors for the final time, last week, on November 30. Christy’s Hospital Stop Shop, on James Street sold its last bag of penny sweets last Saturday, as owner Christy Egan heads into retirement. The shop has been in Mary Aikenhead House for decades, selling penny sweets and other important provisions to Liberties locals, and is sure to be missed. Popular Facebook page,
The Liberties Dublin, shared news of Christy’s retirement over the weekend, with many locals flooding the comments with tributes for the Liberties’ stalwart and its loyal owner. Memories Gillian Dowling said: “Amazing memories on way home from school. Blackjack bar, Touchdown bar, packets of Meanies and 50p-worth of cola bottles on the way. Best days ever. Best wishes to you and family Christy.” Another local, Betty, said: “Great little shop,
remember it well. “My friend worked in it in the 80s. She used to have her twin babies behind the counter with her! Best of luck in your retirement Christy.” Tracey Tierney Moorhouse said that Christy is a huge asset to the community, who will be greatly missed. “Definitely has a lot of memories of times gone by ... not only from all the people in James Street but even people from the surrounding areas who used to go to Basin Lane school and pop into Christy’s at lunch or after or before school.
SCHOOLS
12 pupils awarded for artworks
Christy’s Hospital Stop Shop on James Street; inset: Christy serving one of his loyal customers Picture: INSTAGRAM.COM/FUZZWORTHY
“Christy will always be part of the memories of my school days,” she wrote. Heather Iland posted pictures on Instagram
in dedication to Christy Egan. “I wonder how many millions of penny jellies he sold,” Heather wrote, alongside a touching
series of images of the man himself behind the counter, with a look of pride on his face as he prepared to enjoy his retirement.
LORD Mayor Paul McAuliffe and Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley awarded prizes to 12 lucky Dublin pupils for their winning pictures that will feature in the 2020 Dublin Fire Brigade Fire Safety Calendar. Dublin Fire Brigade, as part of Fire Safety Week, invited all primary school children in the Dublin region to participate in an art competition with the aim of increasing fire safety awareness among young people. The 12 best ‘fire safety’ pictures are included in the 2020 calendar, with copies going to all Dublin primary schools. Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley said: “By raising the awareness of fire safety among these children we are spreading the message, and this will help to save lives.”
4 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
PEOPLE
SWITCH FOR AUNGIER STREET SITE
Support hospice’s appeal
Avalon House set to become a family hub
THE Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is asking for the public to support those facing death, dying and bereavement this Christmas by donating to its Never Forgotten appeal. According to the IHF, more than 30,000 people in Ireland die every year, with at least ten people bereaved by each death. The Never Forgotten appeal invites people to remember someone they love who has died this Christmas and to support the work of the IHF. Each donation also allows people to compose a personal message in memory of someone special, which is then handwritten into the 2020 Book of Remembrance which will be displayed in the IHF library. You can donate online at www.neverforgotten.ie.
RACHEL D’ARCY
Kearney ho ho holds it well as Christmas Lights turned on CHRISTMAS officially kicked off in Crumlin Hospital when CMRF Crumlin ambassador and Leinster and Ireland rugby player Rob Kearney helped 13-year-old patient Naomi Kerr and Santa Claus switch on the Christmas lights. Carols were sung loudly and, as the evening grew dark, the lights on the tree shone brightly, creating Christmas magic for the children attending the hospital. Picture: Mark Stedman
PETER MCVERRY Trust revealed last Friday that Avalon House on Aungier Street will now be used as a family hub, as opposed to the original plan of temporary homeless accommodation. The announcement was made on Friday morning, as residents surrounding the area prepared to protest against the initial plans, which would have seen a 150-bed homeless hostel open for the winter months, opening in January. It would have been the largest hub in the State. Residents said they believed there was an over-concentration of such services in the area, with five similar homeless services currently on offer, and voiced concerns of
Avalon House’s proximity to several primary schools and the impact it would have on local businesses. In a statement, the Peter McVerry Trust announced that they would no longer be pursuing the homeless hostel option, but will instead be reconfiguring Avalon House into a 30-suite hub for families moving out of B&Bs and hotels, before moving into housing. This will be the eighth family hub for the Peter McVerry trust, which supports 86 families in their other hubs, located around the city. The statement said: “ [ P e t e r M c Ve r r y ’s ] planned new hostel at Avalon House was a sincere effort on our part to reduce street homelessness in the city. “However, given the
concerns raised about the concentration of hostel beds in this area of the city, and following consultation with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, we now propose to reconfigure Avalon House into a 30-suite family hub to support families out of B&Bs and hotels and assist them into housing. “This will contribute significantly to the plight of homeless families who need support to move towards housing. “Housing is the primary goal in tackling homelessness and Peter McVerry Trust has increased its housing stock this year by 50 units. “We have a proven track record of forging strong links with communities across the city and will continue our efforts to do so, going forward.”
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 5
6 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
Andrea Lizarazzo and Graham Hanlon
Aileen and Vincent Sheridan
St Lazarus Ireland’s gala dinner event S
Cairenn Foy and Paddy Smith
Kelly Piercy, Lauren Doyle and Alisha Larkin. Pictures: Kieran Harnett
T Lazarus Ireland’s gala dinner took place recently in the round room of the Mansion House. This year’s event was hosted by Nuala Carey with music from Sean Boland. The charities that St Lazarus Ireland was fund-raising for are Crosscare, global emergency care skills, Ballet Ireland, Dementia hospital Blackrock providing vital funds for the most vulnerable in society.
Kelly Wright and Finian Sharpley
Anne-Marie and Bernard Barton
John D Turley, Louise and John Peart
Niamh Sammon and Perry Ogden
Maureen Gunne and Joan Keoghan
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 7
CHRISTMAS: THE NEW SHOW FOR ALL THE FAMILY IS A WINNER – OH YES IT IS!
‘Aladdin’ flies in to Dublin to help The Gaiety put on no ordinary panto SYLVIA POWNALL
THE magical story of Aladdin is getting a 2019 makeover at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre – and panto audiences are loving it. Now extended until January 17, the Arabian tale combines genies and flying carpets with an Irish institution in the form of bumbling Garda PC. The Corkman puts manners on the cast as he orders them not to address the audience as ladies and gentlemen (offensive) or boys and girls (ageist). “Dem’s de rules,” he yells, brandishing a red
hurley at street urchin Aladdin, princess Jasmine, Widow Twankey and her son, Wishee Washee. Stars at the gala opening included Boyzone’s Keith Duffy, RTE’s Baz Ashmawi, Pat Kenny and Weekend AM hosts Laura Wood and Anna Daly. Dublin Gazette tagged along just to see what all the fuss was about. Was it worth it, you ask? Oh yes it was. Hero Aladdin is played by West End star Julian Capolei, who also led the cast in Disney’s Aladdin The Musical in London’s West End.
The swagger and charisma of his performance are matched by iconic panto dame Joe Conlan, who celebrates 30 years in the industry, in the role of Widow Twankey. Another veteran of the Christmas panto, Nicholas Grennell, whips his young audience into a frenzy of booing as lamp-stealing villain, Abanazer. Meanwhile, Michael Joseph pokes fun at himself – and the audience – at every opportunity as chief mischief-maker Wishee Washee. This version sticks faithfully to the story,
FASTNews
Christmas markets set for College Green
Panto fan Leah (right) loved Aladdin at The Gaiety in the city centre – just the latest in the venerable theatre’s excellent pantos
but it ditches the Disney tunes, with Abanazer channelling Billie Eilish’s ‘Bad Guy’ and princess So Shy twerking away. The intimate Gaiety venue, which staged its first panto in 1873, is perfect for witnessing a
‘magic carpet’ flying right over your head as Aladdin and Jasmine sing ‘Rewrite the Stars’ from The Greatest Showman. Our critic, Leah (6) was rapt for the entire threehour show. She concluded: “I don’t
want it to be over. Can they do it again?” As the saying goes, this is no ordinary panto ... Tickets for Aladdin (from €19.50) are available now at www.gaietytheatre. ie and also at www.ticketmaster.ie.
IRISH-MADE artwork, photography, jewellery and fashion will take over Bank of Ireland’s forecourt at College Green for the Designer Dublin Christmas Market. The market will take place 10am to 8pm Friday, 20th December, and 10am to 6pm Saturday, 21st December. Designers participating in the market include JP Crafts, Design by Bell, Wildbird Studio, Tremendous Truffles, and The Ethical Silk Company. There are also more to be announced. The Market is supported by the Local Enterprise Office for Dublin City. Further information on the Market can be found on its Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook. com/DesignerDublinChristmasMarket.
8 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
FASTNews
Councillors vote on O’Devaney Gardens DUBLIN City councillors have voted against a motion calling for the support of the O’Devaney Gardens redevelopment project to be rescinded. The motion was tabled by Cllr John Lyons (Ind), with the support of several Sinn Fein and Independent councillors. The proposal for the rescinding of the support was defeated by a majority vote – 22 for and 35 against – during Monday night’s council meeting. Cllr Anthony Flynn, who was one of the councillors who supported the motion, said that the deal is not supported by the public, and that those who tabled the motion will be seeking legal advice this week, and may move forward with a judicial review.
City’s waste collection in focus DUBLIN City Council has taken another step forward in the campaign to take the waste collection service back into council ownership. Cllr Daithi Doolan, chair of the Council Working Group on Municipalisation of Waste Collection, said: “Dublin City Council has adopted a report which is committed to taking the waste collection service back into council ownership. “The report, which was adopted unanimously, commits the council to funding a road map to delivering a council-owned 21st Century waste management service. “This service will benefit the householder, the workers and the environment. “We are not attempting to turn the clock back to 2012 when the service was originally privatised – we intend to develop a whole waste management service that is sustainable, accessible and accountable to be people who use it.”
SPENCER DOCK: PROPOSED PLANS ARE UNVEILED
White-water rafting plan heavily criticised RACHEL DARCY
SEVERAL Dubliners have heavily criticised Dublin City Council’s decision to develop a white-water rafting centre on Spencer Dock, to the cost of approximately €22 million. Plans for the centre were initially introduced in January, with the Lord Mayor at the time Nial Ring throwing cold water on the plans, calling them a “white elephant”. At a council meeting earlier this year, Cllr Ring said: “What’s the genesis of this? Whose baby is this? Who has decided the north inner city needs white-water rafting? I can’t honestly support it at this stage. I think it could be a white elephant.” However, further plans were unveiled last week for the new centre, with construction set to begin in 2020. Councillors voted at Monday’s meeting to give the plans the goahead, with 37 councillors voting for the plans, versus 19 against. The cost of the project was initially estimated at €12 million, but this has now doubled to approximately
Artist’s render of the proposed centre, costed at €22m.
€22.8 million. The original cost, the council say, been preliminary and had not included design or demolition fees, or VAT. The site of the white water rafting centre is next to CHQ, where the emigration museum EPIC is located. A promotional video showcasing the international-standard centre was unveiled on November 26, with many reacting negatively to the cost of the project, saying money should be spent on social housing, transport infrastructure and other public
facilities such as libraries and swimming pools. One person referred to the plans as ‘peak Celtic Phoenix stuff’. However, many white-water rafting, rowing and kayaking clubs have all welcomed the plans, saying the centre will provide a world-class training facilities for existing watersports enthusiasts, as well as a safe location for people to learn and be introduced to new sports. The facility is also expected to be used for training by Dublin Fire Brigade.
Illness forces mum to drop out of hit RTE health show A DUBLIN mum – and the first leader chosen for Operation Transformation 2020 – has had to withdraw for “medical reasons”. Claire Beakhurst was given the news last week after routine blood tests pointed to an underlying health condition. The Malahide mum-ofone is now unable to take part in the upcoming series after doctors detected an “anomaly” which was later diagnosed as an overactive thyroid. Originally from Drimnagh, Claire was the first of five leaders to be announced by RTE and said her five-year-old daughter Ellie inspired her to apply for the show to be a good role model. After learning that she could not continue her OT
journey, Claire revealed her condition, adding: “I was unaware that I had any symptoms. Now I’m going to Beaumont Hospital for further tests and scans.” OT medical expert Dr Sumi Dunne met with Claire and explained why she could no longer take part, as medical management of the condition now needs to be her priority. Dr Sumi said: “For Claire, medical management of this condition and appropriate care is now the priority. “As Claire will need to commence treatment, it is prudent for these medical reasons that Claire steps back from the OT journey of 2020.” Claire will now be replaced by a Cork mumof-four, Tanya Carroll (33).
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 9
CRIME
Cyclist snapped robber as he stole handbag A ROBBER who snatched a handbag from a woman’s convertible car on a summer’s day was identified from photos taken by a cyclist who witnessed the crime, a court has heard. Mark Dwyer (42), of Dolphin House, Rialto told the woman: “Darling, here I am” as he pulled the bag from her car after appearing at the passenger side of her vehicle when she stopped at traffic lights. The woman described it happening suddenly “like he dropped out of the sky”. A cyclist was able to snap some pictures of Dwyer using the zoom on the camera he was carrying. Dwyer, who has 112 previous convictions, had just been released from prison the previous week. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of a handbag at Herberton Bridge, Drimnagh on July 7, 2018. Rebecca Smith BL, defending, said Dwyer had been in and out of custody since an early age and was never really in a position to tackle his drug addiction. She said he had made great efforts since going into custody to start tackling his problems. Ms Smith said he had a decent upbringing and had the support of his father. She said she had been asked to convey his apologies to the victim and asked the court to be as lenient as possible. Judge Martin Nolan said Dwyer had spotted an opportunity with the top of the car open. He said a “good Samaritan” had seen him and there had been no great difficultly identifying Dwyer from the pictures. He took into account Dwyer’s guilty pleas, but said he had a terrible record of conviction. Judge Nolan imposed a two a half year prison sentence.
COURTS: TEEN WAS ORDERED TO HOLD DRUGS AFTER RUNNING UP DEBT
Teen had €48,200 drug haul by bed A 17-YEAR-OLD teenager who was caught with more than €48,000 worth of cannabis in his bedroom asked gardai to say, “Sorry to my ma”, a Dublin court has heard. D a r r a g h C o r b a l l y, with an address in Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, and now aged 19, was asleep in his bedroom when gardai raided his home searching for drugs. The then fifth-year student had run up a drug debt and been excluded from school, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. Corbally pleaded guilty to one count of possessing cannabis for sale or supply at the same address on Decem-
ber 22, 2017. The charge carries a mandatory minimum jail term of 10 years. He will be sentenced on December 18. Garda Damien Quirke
told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that Corbally’s house was placed under surveillance
before a decision was made to execute a bench warrant. When they called to the house, they were told two children were asleep in the home. One of the children was Corbally. When woken by gardai, he immediately admitted to possessing the cannabis, which was found at the end of his bed. A total of 2,411g of cannabis, with a street value of €48,236, was seized. Corbally told gardai he had started using cannabis the previous summer and had run up a debt. He said he was ordered to
hold the drugs as a result. When asked by gardai how much he thought it was worth, he replied: “A big bit”. When asked what the drug dealers would do now the drugs had been seized, Corbally started to cry, the court heard. When asked if he wanted to say anything else, he replied: “Sorry to my ma.” Ronan Kennedy SC, defending, submitted his client’s responses to gardai were somewhat “childish”, which he said reflected his youth and immaturity.
The court heard Corbally was living with his mother and younger sister at the time of the offence and his mother was experiencing some difficulties. He was supported in court on Friday by his grandmother. Mr Kennedy urged Judge Karen O’Connor to take Corbally’s youth and immaturity into consideration, as well as his early guilty plea and cooperation with gardai. A period of detention could have “detrimental effects” and be counterproductive to his progress, the court heard.
10 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
LeMans ‘66 races into the film world
M
Niamh Martin and Conor Martin
Peter Collins and Alex Doyle
otor racing fans were out in force for the special,preview screening of Le Mans ‘66 at Dublin’s Cineworld Imax. Spotted at the special screening were Liam Cunningham, Models Natalia Petric, Carl Shaaban and Monica Walsh, Radio Nova’s Marty Miller and Clint Drieberg as well as film director Robbie Walsh. Le Mans ‘66 stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale and is based on the true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles, who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.
Daithi de Barra and Ger Barry
Shane Moloney,Martin Lynch,Darren McCoy and Bernard McGranaghan
Radio Nova’s Marty Miller
Model Natalia Petric
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 11
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
Tadgh Edgar shows his medal after the run
Just Ask Homework Club participants Leon Farrell and Luke Fagan with Brighid Smyth and Cllr Heney
Sharing a fun run T And they’re (almost) off ... Students of the Just Ask Homework Club with Cllr Deirdre Heney (FF, centre) and Brighid Smyth, head of corporate communications, Vhi (right). Pictures: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
HE achievements of 15 young people from Just Ask Homework Club were recognised recently at Fairview parkrun, as part of the Vhi Run For Fun programme. The eight-week course is supported by the Irish Youth Foundation and encourages young people from disadvantaged communities to embrace the benefits offered through running, culminating with a 5km parkrun. The Fairview Park run saw a super attitude from all involved, with the young Just Ask Homework Club participants setting a great example for themselves, and their peers, as they all completed the fun and healthy exercise with their friends and a very commendable outlook.
Some of the participants at the conference
Medication trends to the fore at RCSI T HE Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) Dublin recently played host to the tenth annual conference of the Irish Medication Safety Network,drawing together experts and leaders in the field to discuss some of the key issues and trends in the sector. A wide range of related talks and presentations addressed a number of issues from both a domestic and an international point of view, with case studies, the findings from ongoing research, and collaborate working across multiple countries to improve the safer use of anticoagulant medication among the conference’s highlights.
Ciara Kirk, Marita Kinsella and Paul Fahey
Niamh O’Hanlon and Roisin O’Hare
Niamh McMahon and Aoife Delany
Aoife Lenihan
Michael Fitzpatrick and John O’Byrne
Annmarie O’Neill and Professor Fionnuala Ni Ainle
12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 5 December 2019
DUBLIN GAZETTE EXCLUSIVE EXPOSE ON VULTURES FUNDS: PART 5 OF 7
Dealing with vulture funds This week we give you advice on all you need to know when dealing with Vulture Funds. In researching this piece, Padraig Conlon spoke with several legal and property experts, among them Edmund Honohan, Master of the High Court. Here is what we’ve learned…
DUE PROCESS All you ever need to know ... Three important reminders: 1. Have you done an Affidavit? 2. Have you done an Affidavit? 3. Where is your Affidavit? It’s a fast track process. You will not be allowed to give sworn evidence in person unless you’ve filed an Affidavit. If you don’t file an Affidavit, it could be game over. The County Registrar can order an Eviction. But if an Affidavit is filed, the case must be transferred as a “defended” case, to a Judge. You can appeal the Registrar’s Order (10 days). Ask the Registrar for a Witness Summons returnable for the Hearing before the Judge; naming the MABS official you have dealt with up until now. You will probably get a letter from the solicitor telling you not to attend Court, and isn’t that strange? Following the crash, they changed the Rules of Court so that you wouldn’t be allowed to give evidence from the
(Ironically, you do not need a new Affidavit to do so!)
TENANTS witness box. Nice one! Happily, some judges choose to ignore those changes. But don’t expect the judge to do your work. That’s not their job. Even if it’s obvious that you need an Adjournment, for instance to read a new Affidavit just handed to you, you must ask, and he will not prompt you. He, or she, may not even give you the reasons you’ve lost the case though failure to do so means he/she’s in breach of your entitlement under the European Convention on Human Rights. You have only 10 days to appeal the Judge’s Order to the High Court.
This affects you too. So, if your Landlord mortgaged the house as a “buy-to-let” investment, he may be in arrears. Even if you’ve paid the rent, you may get a letter from a “Receiver” giving a deadline to leave. Do you have any rights? Think of it this way: the Bank or Vulture Fund is your new Landlord. They must follow the Law and deal with you under the supervision of the PRT. And guess what: 70% of these “Notices to Quit” have been found to be in breach of the rules. So, if you get a “Notice to Quit” don’t just hand back the keys - talk to THRESHOLD.
5 December 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13
What to do - Where to go - Who to talk to Some tenants may not be confident that in Ireland a Landlord cannot just throw you out and change the locks. It’s true, they can’t, and there are plenty of NGO’s who will be happy to help you. Only time will tell if you must vacate. In the meantime, sit tight.
EVICTION Could it be your turn? The small print says: “if you fail to make your payments when due your home is at risk.” That was true then, and it’s true now. Whoever owns your loan, owns your home. That’s the law. If you can pay off the loan, you get back your home. But, you’re in arrears and you’re still there: how come? It’s simple: nobody wanted to evict you. The banks didn’t, the building societies didn’t, the Government didn’t, and even (sometimes) the Judges don’t. Until now the lenders (“mortgagees”) followed guidelines (a “code of conduct”) set by the Central Bank and many agreed a “restructure” of payments. Sometimes the borrowers (“mortgagors”) agreed a voluntary surrender of the house, or just walked away. The Government rewrote the Insolvency Laws, and a few borrowers have done “arrangements”. Even when the lenders objected the Court has the final say as to whether you get to keep the house, and on what terms. (You will need a Personal Insolvency Practitioner for this.) Another option suitable for some was the Government’s Mortgage-to-Rent scheme, but it hasn’t worked, as planned.
WARNING
A Vulture Fund has bought your Loan. There’s the new problem, the Vulture Fund now actually wants to evict you. It owns your house and wants you out so it can be sold on to someone else, at a handsome profit. Best offer they’ll make to you is: “Give us the keys and we’ll write off your debt.” If you can do that, fine, but you may be refused public housing afterwards.
If you are in need of further advice please contact MABS, the State’s money advice service, who will help guide you through dealing with problem debt. MABS is free, confidential and independent and can
be reached MABS Helpline 0761 07 2000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm) For a call back from the helpline, email: helpline@mabs.ie
14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 5 December 2019
DUBLIN
STYLE P20
NEW HONDA CIVIC PACKS IN A VERY IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF FEATURES P21
MAGAZINE
MUSIC P19
LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS TAKE YOU ON A TOUR OF THE NEWS AND EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY Pictures: Conor McCabe Photography
Water spectacle! DUBLIN Port’s Harbour Master, Captain Michael McKenna, and his daughter, Bella, were delighted to help welcome DPC Tolka – Dublin Port Company’s new pilot boat – as she arrived at the port recently. The state-of-the-art vessel (in orange, top left) will be able to reach larger vessels in all kinds of weather conditions at Dublin Bay, helping to guide them safely in. With the DPC Tolka’s importance to both the port and the capital alike, she was given a superb welcome by a flotilla of vessels as she made her confident way across the bay to the port.
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16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 5 December 2019
ROSCOMMON: LIVE – OR STAY – LIKE A KING OR QUEEN IN AN IDYLLIC COUNTRY RETREAT
Cloontykilla Castle set to offer the ultimate dream staycation in 2020 PADRAIG CONLON
THE popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey make many of us dream of being king or queen of a castle. Roscommon native Sean Simon also had a head full of those dreams – and he’s working on making that dream a reality for guests at Cloontykilla Castle, Roscommon, from the middle of next year. A successful acting career in musicals and theatre productions in London’s West End, as well as appearances in several major movies, gave Sean the opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream in the place where he grew up. Talking to Dublin Gazette, he said: “When I was a child, I told my parents that one day I’d have the money to buy the two castles, known as Cloontykilla Castle and McDermott’s Castle, in Lough Key Forest Park.” Originally from nearby Boyle, he had played among the ruins of Cloon-
tykilla Castle, known locally as Rockingham Castle, when he was a small child. Built in 1839, the castle was designed by famous architect John Nash, who also designed Buckingham Palace, and was built by Lord Stafford King Harman. The Stafford King Harmans left Ireland in 1957 after a fire destroyed the living quarters in Rockingham Castle. Sean bought the two castles from the Irish Forestry Board in 1997 with the dream of restoring the once great buildings to their former glory. So began two decades of hard graft, which have pushed Sean to the very limits. He said: “It has been a very interesting and challenging project as both castles had been abandoned and neglected and were in ruins. “I’m currently turning Cloontykilla Castle into a magnificent five-star luxury retreat that will be a completely authentic
There has been lots of interest in the ambitious project, driven by Sean Simon (seen above, right, with Kevin McCloud, the presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs on its initial focus on the project some years ago). Such was the enormous interest in that episode, Grand Designs is returning for a follow-up episode next Summer. Screengrabs: YouTube
experience. “If you’ve ever wanted to have your own castle for a week, then it will be the place for you!
“When I open in the Summer [2020], guests will be able to rent the castle and experience what life was like in the 13th Century, but with 21st Century luxury touches such as underfloor heating, and so on.
“It will be a fantastic venue for small private weddings, and parties, set among the most beautiful countryside, that is abundant with wildlife. “There’ll also be horse riding available, and wonderful country walks, as
well as a private harbour with access to the Shannon. “It’s a great concept. It’s not a hotel, there’s no bar, and no restaurant – it’s a private castle you can rent out. “If you need anything
from a chef to a driver, we can organise all that, no problem at all. There’ll be a phone number for guests to call if need be.” His work on Cloontykilla Castle has even featured on the hit Channel 4 show, Grand Designs, in 2012. Sean proudly said: “That show had the highest-grossing viewership in the history of the programme, and the production team are coming back for a return show next Summer. “It’s a massive deal – that episode is available on US Netflix, and was watched by 107 million people, coast to coast, in the USA! “I can’t wait for people to come and experience Cloontykilla Castle. It is going to be something they have never, ever experienced before. “This historical experience is not something currently available anywhere else in Ireland, and will leave guests with unforgettable memories.” Cloontykilla Castle is due to open next Summer. For further information, see https://cloontykillacastle.com/.
Architectural render showing how the magnificent project should look upon its completion: Picture: NYD
5 December 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17
TAKE A BREAK, AT HOME OR AWAY Celebrating the best of the best in the travel sector THE Irish travel industry’s prestigious ‘Oscars’ took place recently, with the 28th annual Irish Travel Trade News (ITTN) awards celebrating the best movers, shakers, airlines and agencies and much more at work in the Irish travel industry. Pictured are Ciara Foley, Austin Carroll, Paula Cross, Michael Coffey, of Platinum Travel (with Neil Steedman, ITTN, secondright) – members of Platinum Travel, which scooped the 2019 ITTN Travel Agency of the Year award at the black tie event at the Clayton Hotel. Picture: Paul Sherwood
You could stay at a Generator hostel in Barcelona (above), London, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome – or even right here in Dublin, in Smithfield – with a 20% discount
Hostels generate a cool 20% discount SHANE DILLON
Travel Editor ‘BLACK Friday’ has been and gone, with the American-influenced shopping day casting a spell over travel, too, with many agencies and operators offering a range of Black Friday deals recently. However, not to be outdone, all kinds of postBlack Friday travel deals are also available at the moment, and for those
looking for something that could be a bargain break – especially for anyone coming up from down the country – Generator hostels are currently offering 20% off stays, both here and internationally. With Generator Smithfield already proving particularly popular for ‘staycationers’ on a budget – as well as for people jetting off to the Generators scattered across many of Europe’s capital cities – it’s
hard to argue with a cool 20% discount, especially as pre-Christmas shopping trips loom. The sale promotion is live with bookable dates up to March 28 next, and applied automatically at check-out; reservations must be made at least three days prior to arrival date, for a minimum stay of two nights, and is subject to availability. For further information, see staygenerator.com.
American Holidays celebrates a move over to new setting at Exchequer Street AMERICAN Holidays recently officially celebrated the formal opening of its new offices in Exchequer Street, following its move earlier this year from its long-established offices just off Grafton Street. Now located at No 16, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2, the new American Holidays offices builds on the expertise built up by the company’s travel experts from many years of presenting some of the best deals and destinations for Irish visitors to America. Bladhana Richardson, head of marketing with American Holidays, said, “With this new store, we really wanted to create a unique experience for our customers. “Every member of our team, throughout the entire business, has
collectively visited every part of the United States – so, it’s safe to say that there isn’t anyone on our team who can’t provide you with a tailormade getaway to America.” With the major office move behind them, the American Holidays team are busy at work focusing on the dream trips available in its recently launched 2020 brochure. For further information on the office and the 2020 deals, just see www. americanholidays.com.
TRAVEL
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DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS I N F O R M AT I O N
COOL AND QUIRKY THINGS
BITS & BOBS
Heritage House, Dundrum, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240 Dublin Gazette Newspapers publishes four weekly quality free titles, covering the latest news, sport, entertainment and lifestyle from the four local authority areas of Dublin
C O N TA C T S Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@dublingazette.com Commercial Director: Liz Ferris lferris@dublingazette.com Group Editor: Patrick Finnegan pfinnegan@dublingazette.com Deputy Group Editor & Travel Editor: Shane Dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@dublingazette.com Picture Editor: Alison O’Hanlon picturedesk@dublingazette.com Online & Style Editor: Rachel D’Arcy rdarcy@dublingazette.com Advertising Sales:
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www.dublingazette.com Dublin Gazette Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the City Gazette, Fingal Gazette, South Gazette and West Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.
RTE presenter Blathnaid Tracy and RTE 2FM presenter Tracy Clifford joined Craig Fitzgerald and Matthew Murtagh, of Irish band (and previous nominees) The Academic, to help launch the RTE Choice Music Prize 2019. The RTE Choice Music Prize Live Event will take place on Thursday, March 5 next in Vicar Street, where it will continue to champion Irish music. Picture: Maxwell Photography
Unlucky crook targets Viking treasure leads two Bikers gather to elderly bodybuilder’s men straight to ... prison smash a record A HARLEY Davidson enthusiast home – big mistake! TWO Englocal corogathered 3,497 motorcyclists in A HOME invader in Rochester, New York got more than he bargained for when he tried to burgle an 82-year-old bodybuilder’s house.. According to a local news station, Willie Murphy was enjoying a quiet night in when a man showed up at her front porch. The man told Murphy that he was injured and asked her to ring an ambulance. Murphy picked up the phone to ring 999 but smartly didn’t let the man into her house. While on the phone, Murphy heard a loud smash and returned to her sitting room to see the man trying to break in. Unlike many 82-year-old women, Murphy is well able to handle herself in a physical altercation and proceeded to beat the man with a wooden table, forcing the robber out of her home with bruises and a broken ego.
lish metal detectorists are facing jail time after uncovering Viking t re a su re – believed to be more than 1,000 years old – but tried to keep their find (inset) for themselves. Under British law, any treasure found by detectorists that is believed to be more than 300 years old must be reported to a
ner to be processed and valued. However, George P o w e l l a n d L ayton Davies aroused suspicion with the valuations on the “old treasure” that they found, with Herefordshire police soon detecting the detectorists’ true haul. Powell and Davies were sentenced to 10 years and eight years respectively.
Texas last week to break the Guinness World Record for the largest parade of Harley motorcycles. Adam Sandoval said he started trying to break the record in 2010 and ended up with three failed attempts before Saturday’s event, which involved the help of Paris HarleyDavidson in Paris, Texas. Sandoval said he wanted to bring the record back to the United States after learning the previous record was set in Greece. A Guinness adjudicator was present at the Cox Field airport tarmac, the location of the gathering, to count the bikes participating in the parade.
DOG OF THE WEEK DUBLIN Gazette Newspapers has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. This week’s dog of the week is MaxMali, a very intelligent and handsome seven-year-old Belgian Shepherd. He loves cuddles and pets as well as a game of fetch! He is looking for a quiet home with no other pets so he can lap up all the attention for himself. Max-Mali would love his future family to be quite active so they can bring him on adventurous walks to sniff out new places. He also loves keeping himself busy with brain games and putting his clever
brain to use by doing basic training and learning new tricks. Max-Mali will make an amazing companion and will be a very loyal friend to his future human best friend. If you have room in your heart and home for Max-Mali 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 www.facebook.com/dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE. (Remember: Always have your dog on a lead when in public.)
max-mali
5 December 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19
WELL WORTH A LISTEN
ENTERTAINMENT
A slow act of musical poetry JAMES HENDICOTT
PERHAPS the strangest thing about David Keenan’s wild developmental story – still unfolding slowly after years of slow-building to the heights of an Olympia Theatre headline slow – is how long it’s taken the Dundalk man to release an album. Keenan (right) is an intense character; his words flowing with the considered, poetic bent of someone who’s spent a lot of time thinking about what the world means, and his own place in it.
Talking to him about his music is a strange experience, uncomfortably intimate at times, having a top-class songwriter look you in the eye and talk off the cuff in a way that isn’t
all that dissimilar to the way he delivers his lyrics. The album, A Beginner’s Guide To Bravery, is now just around the corner, being due just after Christmas, and is very much a long-term project. “It’s a consequence of living,” Keenan says of his record. “It’s a kind of bookmarking of a certain period. “There are songs on the record from four years ago, and others I wrote this year. “They’re a by-product of my own individuality, so in a way they’ve been developing since I was a child.
“A collection of things have aligned. I’ve been releasing EPs for a couple of years, with the intention of getting a body of songs that tell a story. “There’s a lineage between each song, but they have to have their
own personality, too. It’s the story of my evolution, moving to Dublin, finding a stride, the emotional journeys. “It’s also been about getting the right band, and recordings that I was happy with. That was a
lot about getting people I trusted into the band. “I did it live, and that was important to me. Life isn’t click-tracked.” The product is a brave, coherent album that’s a certain early contender for 2020 Album of the Year
consideration. It’s been a long time coming, but Keenan is a good bet for 2020’s great Irish breakthrough. David Keenan plays The Olympia Theatre on January 13, with tickets priced at €25.
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HOME & STYLE
Keep your home looking cool this christmas WHILE DECORATING your Christmas tree each year is a major tradition, the way we are decorating it today has become anything but! People are saying goodbye to their flimsy tinsel, and multicoloured lights and instead, giving a big warm welcome to bold and often themed décor. People are creatures of habit and don’t like change but guess what – your interior does! It’s okay to be afraid of change, but sometimes change might be exactly what your interior both needs and deserves! Lucky for you, EZ Living Furniture are giving us their top tips to make the most out of our themed Christmas decorations. Ready for some themed tips? Let’s get started! 1. Start the season off right! In order to make the most of your theme, it is important to invest in a tree that’s durable and will withstand the festive season (and the surprisingly heavy baubles!). Whether you invest in a green tree or a frosted white one, your tree will set the tone for your theme! 2. Theme your Tree! Before you start decorating, pick one central theme that everything can be tied to. Themes
don’t have to come from a colour, they can also have many different sources such as shapes, patterns, symbols, and even moods. Pick a theme and stick to it! 3. Light it Up! Start with the lights first. Whether you decide on warm yellow hues, multicoloured lights, or sparkling whites. Weave your lights from the top of the tree right down to the bottom and work your way back up. Make sure to test the lights before you start on your baubles as lights will be the most intricate part to redo. 4. Balance your Baubles! In order to create the most aesthetic look, EZ Living Furniture are suggesting you invest in 3 different sized baubles. This will add flair to your tree! 5. Theme it with a Topper! In order to really perfect your theme, your tree topper should be the perfect finishing touch! Invest in a show stopper that you will be proud of! After all, it is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation! For more information simply log onto ezlivingfurniture.ie , or call into any of EZ Living Furniture’s Christmas departments Nationwide!
FRESH IDEAS FOR YOUR WARDROBE
(L-R) A Nu meet-up in London, humble beginnings in Trinity College, and founder Aisling Byrne
Become a Nu you with this innovative new app Rachel D’Arcy IRELAND’S FIRST clothes sharing app launched in Dublin this month, taking a step in the sustainable direction. Fo l l ow i n g a n e x te n s ive amount of testing during the Summer, the app – Nu – brings the model of clothes sharing to Ireland for the first time. Billed as a social network for women looking for an unlimited revolving wardrobe, the app was created by Dubliners Aisling Byrne and Ali Kelly. Speaking about the app, Aisling Byrne, said: “Creating a sharing economy for clothing means that pieces that might have gathered dust at the back of Dubliner’s wardrobes get to see the light of day. “As Irish women ourselves,
we’re guilty of keeping our ‘good’ clothes for special occasions and then never wearing them. We want to take the stress out of finding nice outfits for special occasions and to encourage our members to get the most out of their wardrobes.” Back in 2014, Aisling and Ali went to India on the Suas volunteer programme and saw first-hand the reality of the fastfashion industry. When they returned to Dublin, they struggled to find affordable alternatives to fast-fashion brands. Both feeling isolated in their efforts to make more conscious fashion choices, they decided they needed to make a change. What began as an idea became a reality from late 2017. Building a Squarespace website for women at Trinity College, the site allowed students to share ball
BeautyBITS
Penneys launch their own shopping Monopoly game with Hasbro What does a thimble, a dog and a brown shopping bag all have in common? They’re all included in the Penneys MONOPOLY game, released just in time for Christmas! Penneys MONOPOLY sees players take a shopping trip, as they buy and build Penneys stores. Fill your baskets with amazing fashion at amazing prices, and race through the changing rooms. The game is available for €22 from Penneys stores across Dublin.
gowns ahead of Trinity ball. Roaming the Trinity lecture theatres, Aisling asked for photos of outfits that students would be willing to share for the upcoming ball. Up they went on the Squarespace – with students coordinating swaps over WhatsApp. With 350 sign-ups and 60 swaps in three weeks, Nu had proved that the model could work. The web platform launched in September 2017 and people outside of Trinity could now upload and share their clothes online with the growing Nu Community. Nu recruited brand ambassadors and began to build student communities across the UK and Ireland. Aisling said: “We want to offer Irish women an alternative to fast-fashion. Nu encourages friendship, sharing and actually wearing our clothes with a goal to extend the life-cycle of our
favourite pieces. Looking good doesn’t have to cost the earth.” The app aims to create communities of women across the country who can share their much-loved, but little-worn, items of clothing. Women of all ages and sizes can use the app to share clothing for upcoming events such as weddings, Christmas parties and work events as well as day-to-day and streetstyle fashion. To track the environmental impact of the Nu app, Aisling worked with the London Waste and Recycling Board to develop a detailed impact calculator allowing members to track their carbon, waste and water offset each time they borrow and lend pieces on the platform. Find out more about Nu: https://www.thenuwardrobe. com/ or follow Nu on Instagram.
Ireland’s First Cannabidiol Massage Treatments launched in Dublin spa The Buff Day Spa in Dublin will became Ireland’s first spa to offer cannabidiol massage treatments this week. The CBD oil is mixed with massage oil, allowing it to absorb quicker as part of the therapeutic massage process. Minor aches and injuries respond well to the new technique, as does chronic pain like arthritis, according to Heidi Grimwood of CBD Spa. CBD Spa works in conjunction with CBD Ireland Online, more information can be found on https://www. cbdspa.ie/.
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WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF TRANSPORT
MOTORS
REVIEW: NEW VERSION IS A PROUD ADDITION TO A 40-YEAR HERITAGE OF QUALITY CARS
Honda Civic Sedan 1.0-Litre VTEC impresses with ease DECLAN GLYNN
BUILDING on its 40-year heritage, the all-new Honda Civic Four-Door Sedan stays true to the original Civic concept of “a car for all people, a car for the world”. The new car is a marriage of distinctive design, sporty styling and versatile practicality – with a renewed focus on rewarding driving dynamics. The all-new Civic has been engineered from the ground up to fulfil the promise of agility on the road, while also having the ability to turn heads with its striking design language. A lightweight, highly rigid bodyshell complements the car’s lower centre of gravity, while a sophisticated new suspension system contributes to an engaging and fun driving experience.
The new Honda Civic Four-Door Sedan stays true to its roots, but the revamped model also packs in innovative features alongside its power and comfort
FACT BOX
1) 126bhp 2) 0-100km/h in 10.6-seconds 3) Dynamic performance 4) Low fuel consumption 5) Annual road tax just €190 The new Civic debuts an all-new 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo petrol engine that has been developed specifically to deliver a powerful, engaging and efficient driving experience,
and a comprehensively revised 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine, which delivers outstanding real-world efficiency and refinement. The new Honda Civic Sedan is available in two
lavishly equipped trim levels – Smart Plus and Premium, while all models come with Honda Sensing as standard. Featuring a collision mitigation braking system, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, intelligent speed limiter, intelligent adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition, this innovative suite of advanced safety and driver assis-
Advice to maximise your EV’s battery life DECLAN GLYNN
FOR the growing number of Electric Vehicle (EV) owners in Ireland, the good news is that there are a raft of techniques, and technology, to increase how long your battery lasts. This guide should help you to achieve more distance per charge from your battery. Intelligent braking Electric cars come with ‘regenerative braking’ technology. This is where the electric motor is used to slow a car down, and in the process, this recharges its battery a little. However, EVs also come with traditional braking systems which use normal brake pads pressing against brake discs to slow you down – which wastes energy as heat, due to the friction involved. Most electric cars use regenerative braking as much as possible, but will also use the traditional brakes under heavy braking.
To recapture as much energy as possible, you should avoid pressing too often, and too hard, on the brake pedal – unless you have to avoid an unexpected obstacle, of course.
Stop stopping This doesn’t mean flying across every T-junction and ignoring red lights. It means trying to avoid coming to a complete standstill as much as possible, because getting an electric motor turning from rest puts strain on the batteries. In reality, this means keeping the car moving if you’re approaching a roundabout and can see no one is coming, or keeping moving when joining another road – provided you can see no other cars are there – rather than stopping on a slope and having to do a hill start. Drive in someone else’s slipstream When driving along, your car is faced by a wall of air which,
depending on speed, can put up quite the fight to be moved out of the way, limiting your range in the process. However, when driving on motorways, if you can stay relatively close to the vehicle in front (preferably a larger one), albeit far enough back that you can have enough space to slow down if that vehicle slams on the brakes, you can let the vehicle in front do all the work of pushing stationary air out of the way. This leaves you with ‘clean’ air, which is much easier to drive through, therefore helping to boost your range as your car faces less wind resistance. Windows up Aerodynamics are a large influencer in how efficient a car is at turning energy into distance travelled. A good general rule to boost your range is to drop the windows down at low speeds to cool the cabin down, and use air-conditioning briefly at higher speeds.
tance technologies ensure the new Civic is among the very safest cars in its class. My review car was a Honda Civic Sedan 1.0litre Turbo (petrol) Smart Plus model which looked amazing in stylish Lunar Silver metallic paint. Key equipment in this model includes a leather multi-function steering wheel, 17” alloy wheels,
climate control automatic air-conditioning, auto wipers, electrically retractable door mirrors, driver seat lumbar support and front and rear parking sensors. Other features included Honda CONNECT with GARMIN Navigation, two USB/HDMI inlets, front fog lights, alarm system, Bluetooth, and Low Speed Following (CVT/9AT
transmissions only). Honda’s CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is optional in petrol engine guise, while Honda’s wonderfully smooth 9AT (9-speed automatic transmission) is available as an option with the diesel engine. Pricing for the most sophisticated Civic sports sedan ever starts at just €27,750
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DUBLIN SENIORS
This week, we look at housing aid, the grants for physical activity and the dangers of falls and fractures
Housing Aid for Older People Scheme
Sports grants to promote physical activity in older people The Go for Life National Grant Scheme is celebrating a momentous allocation of funding for sporting activities in older age-groups. The grants scheme, a combined initiative from Age & Opportunity and Sport Ireland, will distribute over €300,000 across 1,084 groups. This allocation brings the total grant fund allocated to date to over €6 million. The National Grant Scheme provides an accessible and enjoyable means for older people in communities nationwide to reap the health rewards from doing physical activity. Brendan Griffin, Minister of State with responsibility for Sport, said: “I am delighted to see that almost €300,000 has been allocated by Sport Ireland to the Go for Life grants to over one thousand groups this year. This means that 33,000 older people will take part in sport and physical activity as a direct result of this grant scheme. “Over the last eighteen years, the National Grant Scheme funding has supported and empowered thousands of groups of older people to get more active more often and the record number of applications this year shows the continued importance of the scheme for groups throughout the country. Go for Life is doing a wonderful job of providing opportunities for older people to enjoy all the benefits that participation can bring.” Karen Smyth, CEO of Age & Opportunity, said: “Today’s grant funding is helping us create an Ireland, where all older people are more active and more connected and the allocation of grants ensured clubs and groups from all walks of life could benefit from the scheme.” Of the successful funding allocations, 243 grants were awarded to Active Retirement Associations, 278 grants were awarded to Irish Countrywomen’s Associations and 21 applications were made by Local Sports Partnerships. Other funding allocations included: 33 Men’s Sheds’ groups; 2 Women’s Shed’s groups (for the first time); 11 Arthritis Ireland initiatives; 16 Irish Wheelchair Association groups; and activities for 22 Family Resource Centres. The Grant Scheme is part of Age & Opportunity’s ‘Go for Life’ programme, funded by Sport Ireland, and delivered nationwide with the support of Local Sports Partnerships and the HSE.
THE HOUSING Aid for Older People Scheme is used to improve the condition of an older person’s home. In general, it is aimed at people 66 years of age and older, who are living in poor housing conditions. However, in cases of genuine hardship the local authority may assist people under age 66. If you have a disability and your home needs to be adapted to make it more accessible, the Ho u s i n g Ad a p ta t i o n Grant for People with a
Disability or the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme may be more suitable for you. VAT refunds are available on aids and appliances used by people with disabilities. This refund scheme also applies to the cost of installation work. Rules Local authorities have been instructed that only essential repairs should be undertaken to make the property habitable for the applicant. Local authorities vary as regards what type of work they will grant aid
under the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. You should check with your own local authority to see which types of work its scheme will cover. The type of work that is grant aided can include some or all of the following: n Structural repairs or improvements n Dry-lining n Repair or replacement of windows and doors n The provision of water, sanitary services and heating
n
ing
Cleaning and paint-
n Radon remediation n Re-wiring
n Any other repair or improvement work considered necessary. Many older people may be eligible for the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. However, priority will be given to people on the basis of financial need. Means Test Your total household income is assessed to find out if you qualify for the grant and at what level of
assistance. When applying for the grant, you must provide evidence of ownership of the property and evidence that the Local Property Tax on it has been paid. How to apply Download an application form from your local authority’s website or ask for one to be posted to you. Contact the Housing Section of your local authority for information about the eligibility rules in your area, which may differ from those in other local authority areas.
NATIONAL FALLS AND BONE HEALTH PROJECT FALLS ARE a challenge for older people and a significant and costly cause of injury. The original AFFINITY project commenced in 2013, to deliver the vision described in the National Strategy for Prevention of Falls and Fractures in Ireland’s Ageing Population. The senior stakeholders agreed in the latter half of 2016 that the project needed to be re-focused in light of changes in HSE structures, and the need to significantly scale up implementation of falls and fracture prevention. AFFINITY 2018-2023 has been set up to bring renewed focus, coordination and clear direction to the spectrum of falls and fracture prevention service
improvement initiatives currently underway in the community, and within acute services across the country. Aim Reducing harm from falls requires not just a single discipline or service, but rather a whole community and a range of services including health services. The aim of the AFFINITY
National Falls and Bone Health Project (2018-2023) is to coordinate the development of a comprehensive falls and fracture prevention system. Such a system involves all parties focusing on a common agenda of reducing falls and fractures and their impacts, by bringing together and integrating primary prevention, secondary prevention and rehabilitation
as well as measuring outcomes collectively. The intent is to increase awareness of the preventable nature of falls and to enable older people, communities and health and social care providers to reduce the risk and rate of falling where possible, to reduce the severity of injuries and to promote the best possible outcomes for people who have suffered a fall-related injury. Further information on AFFINITY 2018 - 2023 is available from: Eileen Moriarty, HSE Lead on Affinity National Falls and Bone Health Project Telephone: 021 4923194 Mobile: 086 7871707 Email: Eileen.Moriarty@hse.ie
5 December 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23
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5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 27
SOCCER P28
THE BEST IN DUBLIN
SPORT
PICTURE THIS: FOOTBALL: GAZETTE SPORT looks
back and salutes Jim Gavin’s remarkable reign as Dublin senior football manager from the early days through to a sixth All-Ireland senior title in seven attempts in the spring. Not only an incredible success on the field, the Round Tower, Clondalkin man’s tenure will be defined by doing so with quiet dignity.
GAZETTE
BASKETBALL P29
PAGE 31
LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS RUGBY | LEINSTER MAKE IT SEVENS PRO14 WINS IN A ROW
Cullen hails Byrne as Warriors tamed by changed fifteen sport@dublingazette.com
CIAN Kelleher and Ross Byrne combined to do all of Leinster’s scoring as they quashed Glasgow Warriors’ lightning-quick start to record a 23-10 result in their first Guinness PRO14 win at Scotstoun Stadium in seven years. It made it seven wins from seven for the province in the Pro 14, building an eight-point gap at the head of Conference A over Ulster. Byrne converted Kelleher’s 30th and 34th minute tries and fired over three penalties, including a vital second half brace of kicks, as Leo Cullen’s youthful side – showing a full 15 personnel changes from their Lyon trip – recovered impressively from some early setbacks. Glasgow full-back Ruaridh Jackson scored two tries of his own, the first while Leinster’s Hugo Keenan was in the sin-bin. Yet, the Warriors lost their grip on a 10-3 lead as Kelleher’s snappily-finished efforts moved the
visitors seven points clear. Coach Leo Cullen picked out Byrne for special praise for his performance in the overhauled Leinster side. “Ross Byrne was a bit unlucky in playing in that [World Cup warm-up] match against England at Twickenham,” Cullen said. “It was a tough day for him but he’s come back and he’s been outstanding for us. I can’t speak highly enough about him. He’s one that will push on. “We’ve got a very competitive group of players. We picked guys who were highly motivated to come over here and do a job for the team. And they were excellent today. It wasn’t a perfect performance by any means but they each showed a lot of character. They dug in well for each other.” Plenty more changes are in the pipeline for the next fixture as the Heineken Champions Cup returns against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens. For that tie, there have been a number of injury updates. Fergus McFad-
Leinster rugby coach Leo Cullen. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
den (elbow) was a replacement in the win over Glasgow Warriors on Saturday and trained as normal after coming through with no issues. Josh Murphy (head) and Peter Dooley (knee) were withdrawn in the same game. Murphy will now follow the graduated return to play protocols under the supervision of team medics while prop
Dooley will be further. Joe Tomane has recovered from his hamstring injury and has returned to full training ahead of the back-to-back games against Northampton Saints. Rory O’Loughlin (shoulder) will again increase his training load and will be further assessed while Seán Cronin remains unavailable for selection as he also increases his training
SPORT CONTACT INFO SPORTS EDITOR: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com
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28 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
CLUB NOTES
ROUND
2 1
LUCAN SARSFIELDS BALLYMUN KICKHAMS OUR SENIOR WELL done toteam the Junior play Ballyboden A la in the league final on Thursday night at 7:30. Venue TBC. Keep an eye out on our social media for full fixture announcement. Congratulations to members Darragh, Conall, Ryan, Kevin, Brian, Cian and Ryan on their terrific charitable feat during Movember! Enjoy the clean face lads and well done! Our juvenile awards night takes place this Friday 6th December at 6:30 in St. Kevins school. This is an end of season recognition for all our juvenile teams for both players and mentors. We would urge all parents of the children to attend and bring your cameras, as these are precious memories. There will be lots of smiling faces on the night! Our AGM is also an important date of note. It takes place on Tuesday 10th December at 8:30pm in St Kevin’s school library. All motions/nominations to the secretary via email before 3/12/19. All submissions to email secretary.ballymunkickhams. dublin@gaa.ie Our artificial pitch replacement has started, and we advise all juvenile teams that during this process, Pairc Ciceam will essentially be a building site and therefor out of bounds for safety reasons. We ask all juvenile teams to please comply with this rule. It’s envisaged that the pitch will be completed by start of February. Our annual day at the races in Leopardstaown is again on the 29th December (Sunday) and tickets at €90 per head are available now from Dermot McMahon and David Quinlivan.
O’TOOLE’S LAST Saturday our U12’s & U10’s had a great day planned. First, they played a blitz between themselves in Abbotstown and then they all came back to the club for a Christmas pizza party. Thanks to all the mentors and parents for their dedication throughout the season. David Needham is running a foundation course next Tuesday 10th and Thursday12th Dec. to attend please contact David on 086 3101034. A big ‘Thanks’ to Paudie Butler for doing an excellent Wall Ball session with our players. Azzurri will be in the club this coming Saturday morning from 10 to noon. They bring all your orders for collection as well as having some gear for sale. The ‘MONSTER RAFFLE’ draw will be held on the 20th Dec here in our lounge. And it’s looking like a night you don’t want to miss. To all that have tickets ‘Please return the stubs and money ASAP’. You can put the into the letterbox outside
the office door, meet with Brendan or bring the up on Thursday night to Hellen. Because remember…..if you’re not in, you can’t win. Also, on the night of the 20th Dec we have some very prestigious people in our midst. These lovely folks are being rewarded for their voluntary contribution to O’Toole’s over the years and more years to come. The following are receiving ‘Life’ memberships: Breda Tracey, John Thompson, Mick Cunningham snr, John Maher, Brendan O’Donnell & Paul Jennings. Come along from 8:30pm and help them celebrate. Entertainment this weekend in our lounge: Saturday night with ‘PULSE’ and Sunday ‘Chris I. C.’ ‘Find the Joker’ jackpot this week is *€720* There was no winner of our Thursday night ‘Live’ Club Lotto draw. the numbers were 6, 8, 12, 17. This week the jackpot is a ‘I could spend this on Christmas pressies’ €3,300. Remember if you’re not in you can’t win.
SOCCER: INCHICORE CLUB’S UNDER-15S LAND DOUBLE TO ADD
St Pat’s clean up in FAI youth leagues FAI YOUTH LEAGUES DAVE DONNELLY
sport@dublingazette.com
A REMARKABLE season for underage football at St Patrick’s Athletic finished last week, as the Under15s sealed a second league and cup double in as many years with victory over Shamrock Rovers. The Saints had already wrapped up the league title with victory over Bray last month and doubled up by beating crosstown rivals Shamrock Rovers on penalties at Richmond Park. An early Rovers strike was swiftly cancelled out by a spectacular individual goal from Jack O’Reilly as he left a trail of defenders in his wake before picking out the corner. S o m e we l l -wo r ke d build-up play in midfield put O’Reilly into space on the left but he had plenty of work to do, jinking through a string of challenges before finishing emphatically. It remained 1-1 through extra time and it went
down to penalties and the Saints dispatched all five of theirs, Glory Nzingo hammering home the final spot-kick to clinch a 5-4 win. It caps off an unprecedented year for the club’s dominant underage sides as the Under-13s also won the league and cup double, while the Under-17s made it a trio of league wins. The Under-19s had a disappointing campaign by their standards, but rounded off by sealing the Leinster Senior Cup with a 4-0 win over a senior Athlone Town side in Inchicore. The senior players have now returned to preseason training under the stewardship of Stephen O’Donnell, who took over from the departed Harry Kenny late last season. O’Donnell has put his faith in youth with the recruitment of winger Jason McClelland and goalkeeper Conor Kearns from UCD, while defender Rory Feely has returned from Waterford. Luke McNally has been
The St Patrick’s Athletic Under-15 side that won the league and cup double in 2019
promoted to the first team following a successful loan spell with Drogheda United and will be joined in defence by captain Ian Bermingham, who signed a new deal this week. 30-year-old Bermingham, who is assistant to Sean O’Connor on the under-15s management team, expressed his excitement at penning a new deal. “Last year was disappointing for us, and the
whole club. We had a great group of lads last year and a lot of quality, but Stephen’s come in and put his own stamp on things,” he said. “This club needs to be up challenging – I say that all the time. Obviously the last couple of years we’ve gone off the boil a bit and we haven’t gotten close enough to the top two. “We’ve got to keep aiming for that and I know Stephen is adamant to go
and get after them. The standards he’s set since he came in we can go on and get that bit closer. “I’m not saying we’re going to win the league this year, but I’m firm in the believe we can get close enough and go and have a bash off them. “He wants a tight-knit, close group. He’s signing young, hungry players, and he wants us to go after teams and play with a high intensity.”
McAuley the latests new Boh
New Bohemians signing Glen McAuley
BOHEMIANS made a wealth of new signings over the past week with 19-year-old Glen McAuley the latest to be added to their panel. The striker, who has been capped for Ireland all the way up to U19 level, spent the previous five years with Liverpool and he joins from St Patrick’s Athletic. It follows the arrival of Anto Breslin, JJ Lunney, Kris Twardek and Stephen McGuinness. Lunney, 21, is back for a second spell with the club having made his breakthrough with the club in 2018 when he made 21 appearances before departing for one season at
Waterford. Breslin is a St Kevin’s Boys product and joins the club after a year with Longford Town where he was named in the PFAI First Division team of the year. Twardek is a product of Millwall who hails from Canada but has also been capped at underage level by the Czech Republic. He joins the club following one and a half seasons with Sligo Rovers. The 24-year-old McGuinness, meanwhile, adds to the goalkeeper options after 30 appearances for Cabinteely in 2019.
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 29
TO GOLDEN YEAR
BASKETBALL: SEMI-FINALS BECKON FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2016
Killester dazzle to knock out Mathews
HULA HOOPS WOMEN’S NATIONAL CUP Pyrobel Killester Fr Mathews sport@dublingazette.com
celebrate the league in Tallaght Stadium
NEW CAPTAIN
Pembroke’s Balbirnie now also T20 skipper SANDYMOUNT man Andy Balbirnie assumed the Irish men’s T20 cricket team’s captaincy this week, taking over from Gary Wilson for the first time. Balbirnie was recently announced as the Irish test and one-day international captain but the Pembroke club man will now lead the side in all forms of the game. Picture: Matt Impey/Sportsfile
Pyrobel Killester’s Rebecca Nagle seeks out a pass. Picture: Michelle La Grue Photography
72 64
PYROBEL Killester put in a dazzling display in Clontarf on Saturday evening to win out 72-64 over Fr Mathews and reach their first cup semifinal since 2016. Mathews started the game stronger, with Shannon Brady dominating under the boards inside and Grainne Dwyer shooting well to see them into an early lead. Killester settled as the quarter ticked down though, with standout player Adella Randle El finding her range to see it 14-16 in favour of Mathews going into the second. The sides remained neck and neck throughout the second quarter, before huge scores from Killester at the end of the period saw them edge into a 33-30 half time lead. Momentum stayed with Killester in the third, and they opened up a 10-point lead at one stage, 44-34, but again, Brady and Simone O’Shea were on hand to claw the gap back for Mathews. Strong shooting from Rebecca Nagle, Randle El and Aisling McCann kept Killester’s noses in front, 52-45, but the result was very much still in the melting pot. A nerve-wracking fourth quarter followed, with Killester just managing to keep ahead early on. Mathews were dealt a blow when Grainne Dwyer had to leave the court due to injury, but Chantell Alford and O’Shea stepped into the gap in style, knocking down some big scores to leave the result in doubt. A huge three from Nagle with 42 seconds to
go though was the turning point for Killester, as she edged them out into a 69-64 point lead, and they managed to hold on well to win out 72-64 in the end. Speaking afterwards, a relieved Killester boss Karl Kilbride stated: “That was an exciting one! After our last two performances, we took a lot of stick – and rightly so – for our defensive performances and we put an awful lot of work in this week into making sure that if we were going to lose this game, we’d have no regrets because we didn’t play defence. “I’m super proud of the effort from the team.
Credit to Fr Mathews though, they just kept coming back at us. We would get into a six or eight point lead and they kept hitting big shots, Chantell Alford was brilliant and Shannon Brady caused us big problems. Overall, I’m just so delighted with our turnaround from the last two weeks. “Cup is everyone’s favourite weekend in basketball and you want to give yourself a shot at it every year and we played well enough tonight to give ourselves that shot. If we can play defence like we did tonight, we’re confident that we’ll give anybody a game.”
Ruddock’s perfect Lansdowne send off RUGBY: AIL DIVISION 1A Clontarf 19 Lansdowne 23 sport@dublingazette.com
LANSDOWNE put a halt to their five-match losing streak with a much-improved second half performance in downing Clontarf 23-19 at Castle Avenue. Trailing 12-3 at the break, Lansdowne - in what was Mike Ruddock’s last game in charge before moving to coach Ospreys - lifted themselves off the league’s bottom rung thanks to converted tries from forwards Martin Mulhall and Mark Hernan. Leinster starlet Harry Byrne also played a key role for the visitors, kicking 13 points as Clontarf missed out on a repeat of last year’s Division 1A semi-final victory over their Dublin rivals.
This Friday Night Lights encounter was a cagey affair during the first half, with full-back Sean Kearns knocking over two early penalties for ‘Tarf. He nailed a thumping third penalty from long range and that nine-point gap remained in place up to half-time. Byrne sandwiched in his first successful kick before Kearns’ fourth of the night, but Lansdowne found their rhythm during a crucial third quarter push. Having been held scoreless by Young Munster last time out, the headquarters club rediscovered their try-scoring touch. Loosehead Mulhall piled over from a few metres out for the opener, which was converted by out-half Byrne. With captain Jack Dwan leading by example and Peter Sullivan threatening out wide, Lansdowne continued to convert their
opportunities on the all-weather pitch. They put together 20 points without reply as lively replacement Hernan exploited a defensive gap to force his way over and Byrne took his own haul into double figures. Having relinquished control of the scoreboard, ‘Tarf
were running out of time. The north Dubliners battled back late on with former captain Ben Reilly crashing over for a converted try. However, it was only enough for a losing bonus point as Andy Wood’s charges lost more ground in the race for the play-offs.
Clontarf and Lansdown contest line-out possession
30 DUBLIN GAZETTE CITY 5 December 2019
HOCKEY
FOOTBALL: CUALA JUST ABOUT OUT-LAST GLASNEVIN SIDE
Na Fianna taste Under-21 final heartache yet again UNDER-21 A FINAL Cuala 2-16 Na Fianna 2-15 after extra time CÓILÍN DUFFY sport@dublingazette.com
Pembroke’s Orla Macken
Pembroke continue to set pace in EY league PEMBROKE continued their excellent start to the women’s EY Hockey League season with a fourth win from five outings, edging out Belfast Harlequins at Serpentine Avenue as Irish international Gillian Pinder made her first appearance of the season. They went 1-0 up in the second quarter after a quick restart from Aisling Naughton who laid it through for Sinead Loughran who drove into the circle and slotted past Marianne Fox. Jenna Watt levelled within five minutes for 1-1 at half-time. Pembroke went clear courtesy of Orla Macken’s powerful penalty corner strike which went through the goalkeeper’s legs with 27 minutes to go and while they had a few more chances to make the game safe – with Leah McGuire and Emily Beatty impressive – they had enough to get over the line 2-1. Elsewhere, Riona Norton’s second penalty stroke save of the season ultimately saw Railway Union hold on for their second win of the season, beating Catholic Institute 2-1. Insta were the side on top in the first half when Aoife Hickey guided in the first penalty corner of the match for a 1-0 lead. Niamh Shaw equalised when she swept home from a break-out corner for Railway and it remained 1-1 half-time. It became 2-1 just before the end of the third quarter when Lily Lloyd produced some individual magic after she was set free by Hannah de Burgh Whyte. She waltzed past a couple of players before finishing on her reverse. The Limerick side fought back to win a corner that was improved to being a stroke but Rosie Pratt’s shot from the spot was denied by the home goalkeeper. Muckross won a ding-dong battle with Cork Harlequins for their first three-pointer of the season with two goals in the last five minutes making the difference. Anna O’Flanagan netted her fourth goal of the season to make it 1-0 in the 16th minute but Harlequins equalised from their first penalty corner with Emma Barber striking from the top for 1-1 at half-time. Jessica McGirr got her first goal since her summer move from Loreto with a corner deflection to restore the Donnybrook side’s lead but Barber fired home another corner to level at 2-2 going into the final quarter. But a 65th minute penalty stroke was converted by Sophie Barnwell to give Muckross the lead for the third time. And they made extra sure in the last seconds, countering from a defensive corner with Jane O’Brien playing in Nikki Keegan to make it 4-2.
NA FIANNA endured Under-21 A final heartache for the second successive week as they fell to Cuala by a single point in the football final at Abbotstown last Saturday. It came just a few days after they had been denied the hurling crown by Lucan Sarsfields, making for a tough week for the Glasnevin club’s young talents. For Cuala, it ended a 10-year wait for this title as they showed a late kick down the final stretch to win out. Na Fianna had powered back in the second half of normal time, after a solid Cuala start and, indeed, forced extra-time with a late pointed John Foley free. However, Cuala held that little bit extra in extra-time, and with Dublin Senior panellist Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne leading the charge, they claimed victory by the minimum margin. The Dalkey side may be mainly known for their
Cuala’s Under-21 footballers celebrate their success last weekend
successes in the small ball of late, but they’ve been putting in the hard yards in football also, and this Under 21 success shows that there’s plenty of exciting times ahead for Gaelic Football in Cuala for years to come. Managed by Maurice O’Callaghan, father of Cian and Con; they produced some great football over the 80 minutes plus of action, that was a fitting end to this competi-
CLUB OF THE YEAR Friends honour Naomh Barrog
NAOMH Barrog was named the Friends of Dublin Hurling senior club of the year at a presentation evening last weekend at the Red Cow Moran Hotel. It follows an excellent 2019 in which the club’s adult men won AHL Division 2 to reach the top tier while they also enjoyed success in the Under-12 Camaint, the Under-13 leagues and PJ Troy Cup while their camogie sides reached Under-16 and 14 championship semi-finals.
tion, that always produces some excellent football. Ó Co fa i g h - By r n e impressed at midfield, as Cuala began impressively, and powered to an 0-8 to 0-1 lead at the end of the opening quarter. Peter Jackson (1-3) was among those solid in attack, and indeed O’Callaghan’s charges could have been further ahead, but for David O’Hanlon pulling off a stop on a Jack Twomey
goal effort Peter Feeney and Brian O’Leary (0-6) were among those that kicked Na Fianna into life, but they trailed 1-10 to 0-5 at the break. Jackson grabbed Cuala’s opening goal late in the half, but on the restart Na Fianna upped their game, despite losing James Doran to an injury. A David Lacey (1-3) penalty goal, coupled with points from John
Foley (0-3) and O’Leary cut the gap to a point. Na Fianna looked like silverware might be theirs when Liam Stacey found the net in the closing minutes of normal time. This was cancelled out as Cal Doran (1-1) found the net, before Foley’s late pointed free forced extratime at 2-11 apiece. The sides were well balanced in extra-time, but Cuala held that slight extra edge.
5 December 2019 CITY DUBLIN GAZETTE 31
FOOTBALL: JIM GAVIN CALLS TIME ON HISTORIC REIGN AS DUBLIN SENIOR MANAGER
Meeting with fans at his homecoming in Clondalkin in 2013
Dublin manager Jim Gavin celebrates the 2017 success with his children Jude and Jasmine. Pictures: James Crombie/ Inpho
The Dream-maker S
Dublin Gazette Sports Editor Stephen Findlater conducts the first one-on-one interview with Jim Gavin following his appointment in November 2012.
Gavin celebrates with Brian Fenton after the 2019 final. Picture: Oisin Keniry/Inpho
ELF sacrifice, commitment, respect, perserverance, hard work. These are the things I have always believed in.” Jim Gavin’s words to the Dublin Gazette just two weeks into his tenure as Dublin senior football manager would be the underlying principles that guided his incredible reign, culminating in their five in-a-row success earlier this year. In total, he would bring six All-Irelands, five national leagues and seven Leinster titles to the capital. More than the trophies, the Round Tower, Clondalkin man did so with a quiet dignity, deflecting the spotlight to the players that so delighted the Hill, always showing respect and integrity toward the opposition.
2018 final celebrations. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
He was also a man who gave prominence to the essence of Dublin as a city, something for the marquee team to reflect in the way they played, to pay tribute to Molly Malone and the rare auld times. Stories abound of taking the squad to the top of the Guinness Storehouse to survey their city; or, at the start of the 2019 campaign, when the players were brought to the Clonturk Road scene in Drumcondra of Dublin’s very first All-Ireland win in 1892. IT gave the team an inherent sense of place, a sense of purpose, a commitment to be part of greatness of what it means to be a Dub.
Hill 16 salutes their heroes in 2013
Gavin applauds the support after the 2013 final
GazetteSPORT DECEMBER 5-11, 2019
ALL OF YOUR DUBLIN CITY SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31
PATRICK’S PERFECTION
SOCCER: Inchicore
club cleans up in the FAI underage leagues with the Under-15s closing out the year with incredible double. SEE P28
BLUE MAGIC RUGBY: Leinster build for Northampton dates with seventh win from seven Pro14 outings. SEE P27
DAZZLING PYROTECHNICS BASKETBALL:
Pyrobel Killester back in the mix for potential National Cup final spot after healthy quarters win over Fr Mathews. SEE P29
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Dublin toasts Jim Gavin’s legendary reign as boss CÓILÍN DUFFY
sport@dublingazette.com
TRIBUTES have been pouring in for Jim Gavin, after he called time on his involvement as Dublin senior football manager on Saturday, following a meeting with Dublin GAA CEO John Costello. In a statement on the shock move, Dublin GAA Chairman Sean Shanley paid tribute to the “five-ina-row” All-Ireland winning manager. “Dublin GAA will be forever grateful to Jim Gavin for his dedication, commitment and contribution as a player and, since 2003, leading the next generation of players at Under-21 and Senior level,” Shanley said. “I regret his departure but appreciate the huge sacrifices he has made over this period.” The statistics are staggering. In 107 competitive games across the All-Ireland and Leinster Championships, and the Allianz Football League, 86 wins were produced, resulting in 18 titles out of a possible 21. In addition to the five-ina-row, under Gavin’s tenure, Dublin also claimed Sam Maguire in 2013. They went unbeaten under his stewardship in Leinster, picking up seven provincial titles in-a-row – along with five Allianz Football League Division 1 titles including a four-ina-row between 2013 and 2016; and a further success in 2018. Gaelic Players Association CEO and former Dublin player Paul Flynn, who
Jim Gavin steps away leaving a remarkable legacy of five All-Ireland titles in a row. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
“He has not only driven the standards for
Dublin GAA, but also intercounty teams all over the country“ retired from inter-county football last May, was among those to pay tribute. “He has not only driven the standards for Dublin GAA, but also intercounty teams all over the country,” he said. These were sentiments echoed by Barry Cahill. “He was so meticulous about his preparations and how he went about his business. “ He l e f t n o s to n e unturned in how he approached things, and
he was very meticulous in how he went about it. “The results speak for themselves, not just what he has done in the past seven years, but the previous four years with the Under-21s also.” Jim’s home club Round Towers Clondalkin will host a special “members only” event to pay tribute to him this Saturday. The club toasted Jim and fellow club member Frank Roebuck, who has also been involved with Dublin under Gavin.
“What has been achieved by Jim is unprecedented. This is testament to the huge responsibility he has undertaken to meticulously prepare the team for each of the challenges it has faced and to ensure players receive the best preparation and support. “For the past decade, Jim has been keenly involved in preparing Dublin teams. We are forever grateful to Jim for the role he’s fulfilled in promoting our club and the Clondalkin com-
munity with great honour. “We also take this opportunity to pay tribute to our very own Frank Roebuck, who has been an integral part of Jim’s backroom team and has undertaken huge personal sacrifices to support Jim and the team.” Meanwhile, Dublin GAA have already begun the process to seek Gavin’s successor. It’s expected that the new manager will be announced next week, on or before December 12 - the date of the annual
Dublin GAA Convention. On Monday night at a meeting in Parnell Park, a sub-committee to interview potential candidates was proposed, and it is likely that committee will be rubber-stamped by the County Committee tonight (Thursday). Interviews with potential candidates are set to take place this weekend with former All-Ireland Under 21, and Minor winning manager, and ex-GPA CEO Dessie Farrell among the forerunners.