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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES......................11 DUBLIN LIFE................... 15 OUT&ABOUT.................. 21 CLASSIFIEDS.................34 SPORT............................35
John Hurt’s in town and he tells The Gazette of his love for Ireland
see page 18 February 27, 2014 Month XX, 2012
available in: dublin city centre • finglas • coolock • ballymun • Raheny • fairview • santry • whitehall • drumcondra
inchicore • ringsend • sandymount • Ballsbridge • rathmines • drimnagh • terenure • walkinstown • ballyfermot • crumlin
INSIDE: Take an extra-special look at the shooting of Penny Dreadful scenes in the city centre P14
FILAN GREAT: Former Westlife star talks about his new album P29
Family fight back as rent rockets Dozens protest at Department of Social Protection as Connells forced from their Blanch home natalie burke
AS A rousing chant of “Joan Burton, hear us clear, we don’t want your cutbacks here” resonated around Store Street, a family’s homelife hung in the balance. Gwen Connell and her three daughters, along with 30 supporters, chose to protest outside the Department of Social Protection this week as her family face homelessness due to a massive hike in their rent. The family had to leave their home in Blanchardstown two weeks ago, after their monthly rent was increased from €900 to €1,300. Connell and her three daughters are
currently living in separate accommodation. Just prior to the protest, Minister Burton sent a letter to Connell suggesting she may have to rethink her family’s needs. The Minister’s comments come as the family made an attempt to be heard and highlight the need for protection against rent hikes from landlords, which are leading to homelessness Focus Ireland’s year end figures state that 16 families per month become homeless in Dublin. In an email sent to the family this week, Minister Burton suggested the family should “think again about [their] many needs”. Continued on Page 8
Gwen Connell comforts her daughter, Katie, as her older daughter, Lauren, and a supporter look on during their protest. Picture: Hiromi Mooney
2 DUBLIN CITY gazette 27 February 2014
dublin GAZETTe newspapers i n f o r m at i o n Top Floor, Clarendon House, 39 Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 - 6010240
works €2m attraction for city centre
Cheers! Contruction to start on whiskey museum
Dublin Gazette Newspapers publishes seven weekly quality free titles, covering the greater Dublin area from the city centre to Dun Laoghaire
laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com
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www.gazettegroup.com Gazette Group 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 Blanchardstown Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.
Construction work on Dublin’s newest tourist attraction is set to start this March following a €2m investment. A planning application to renovate a Gothic revival style building across from the main entrance of Trinity College on College Green into a whiskey museum was granted in April 2013. However, work on renovating the building could not begin until a fire certificate was approved. This cert was recently granted on February 13, three months after it received a disability access certificate. Plans for this unique museum first formed two years ago. The two directors, Keith McDonnell and Mike Murphy, knew the building was unoccupied and decided they wanted to do something with it, so the brainstorming session began to see what would work in that
building. According to a spokesperson for the Irish Whiskey Museum, the directors “didn’t want a building of such beauty in the heart of the city centre to be left unoccupied”. “They recognised the surge in Irish whiskey’s popularity and saw a gap in the market. This is the first Irish whiskey museum in the world, nobody else is telling the story of how Irish whiskey came about. All of the whiskey brands are concerned with their brand and their distilling methods. We will be bringing it all together in an intriguing tale. Something new
They said they hope to bring “something new and unique” to the tourism industry in Dublin. “We will be the newest and most centrally located visitor attraction in the city. The response from the marketplace has been overwhelming to date so we know there is going to be a big demand for this attraction when it opens.” Featuring a contemporary bar and guided tour this tourist attraction will
Construction is set to start in March on the renovations of a Gothic Revival style building across from the main entrance of Trinity College on College Green which will house a new Irish whiskey museum
create 25 jobs once it opens its doors. Chief executive McDonnell says: “We are delighted to be progressing with this project. We saw an opportunity to bring an unused building in the heart of the city centre back to life. Our tour concept is unique, unlike the current whiskey tours, we differ by focusing on the wider intriguing history of Irish whiskey, incorporating all Irish whiskey brands, both new and old.” Construction works are due to commence in March and it is due to launch towards the latter end of the summer season. According to its founders, the Irish Whiskey Museum will be Dub-
lin’s “newest and most centrally located visitor attraction”. A spokesperson for the Minister for Tourism said Varadkar welcomed it as a new addition to Dublin’s tourist attractions. He also welcomed the creation of jobs, “particularly the fact that they are in hospitality related industry”. Situated at the start of the new Dubline, (Dublin city discovery trail) which stretches from Trinity College to Thomas Street, Failte Ireland have welcomed this new development. Whiskey distillers such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Bushmills, Tullamore Dew and Teeling have also endorsed the project. This museum tells the
tale of Irish whiskey and its impact on the global whiskey market. Brands old and new will be brought to life in an attempt to reclaim Ireland as the original home of whiskey. The museum will have an interactive, ultra modern experience depicting the rise and fall and recurrent renaissance of Irish whiskey. What was once an unused building in the heart of the city centre is soon to welcome domestic and international visitors as well as true whiskey connoisseurs through its doors bringing about more buzz to the city centre streets. Once opened, this museum will operate seven days a week.
27 February 2014 dublin city gazette 3
event
planning: ormond quay hotel
Hotel demolition permission refused
A night in honour of Rosie
Dublin City Council have decided to refuse permission for the demolition of the Ormond Quay Hotel, which has lain idle on the north quays for several years. The Irish Georgian Society has welcomed the refusal and was one of a number of objectors to the plans, which would have seen the hotel demolished to make way for a new six-storey hotel with 170 rooms. Planning officials at Dublin City Council recently rejected the plans citing the orientation, height and proximity to adjacent residential buildings on Strand Street Little, as one of the main reasons for its refusal. Commending the council for refusing it, a spokesperson for the soci-
An evening of entertainment to celebrate the naming of the Rosie Hackett Bridge takes place on International Women’s Day. The event is a night of music and spoken word with writer and actor Tara Flynn as MC while music is from jazz band Zrazy and Rita Fagan. There is also poetry and prose from Enda Wyley, Catherine Anne Cullen, Kitty Holland, Justine McCarthy, Rachel Hegarty, Mary Russell and more. Hosted by the IWWU [Irish Women Workers Union] Commemorative Committee and SIP TU, A Bridge for Rosie takes place at Cois Life Bar, Liberty Hall from 7.30pm to 10pm on March 8.
ety said: “In particular it was positive to learn that this decision was determined on the grounds of a commitment to protect Dublin’s rich and unique architectural heritage. “The society commends Dublin City Council’s reasoning that the proposed new six+storey building would detrimentally impact on the ‘surviving grain, rhythm and character of Ormond Quay Upper’ and be at variance with its Liffey Quays Conservation Area designation, and that the ‘scale and robust character and design of the proposed development adjacent to both the front and rear of No. 6 Ormond Quay Upper would be over dominant and seriously injure the setting of the
protected structure.’” These reasons were cited by the Irish Georgian Society when they objected to the scheme at local authority level last year. The society went on to say the refusal will “ensure the survival of the fictional location for the Sirens episode of James Joyce’s magnum opus, Ulyssees. Joyce’s world renowned masterpiece chronicles the passage of Leopold Bloom through Dublin during an ordinary day, June 16, 1904 and is fundamental to the designation of Dublin as a UNESCO City of Literature and critical to Dublin being placed on the tentative World Heritage Site list in 2010,” the society spokesperson said.
Be a kitchen hero: The Great Irish Bake to raise much-kneaded funds celebrity chef and kitchen hero Donal Skehan launched The Great Irish Bake 2014 in aid of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, with the help of Amy McDonagh from Galway and Dylan Doyle from Ballymun. The fundraising event is calling on baking enthusiasts to host a bake sale at home, school or work on Friday, April 4. The hospital aims to raise €150,000 from the event this year, which will help contribute to the purchase of three Giraffe Omnibed Incubators. For more information visit www. thegreatirishbake.ie. Picture: Andres Poveda
4 DUBLIN CITY gazette 27 February 2014
council Money ‘could be put to far more productive uses in the community’
Nearly €500k is spent on graffiti removal in the city laura webb
Almost half a million euro was spent on the removal of graffiti from across Dublin City in 2013, money the council say could be used for more productive activities in the community. As council’s across the country tighten their belts to keep within budgets, Dublin
City Council, like all councils across the country, are spending thousands on removing graffiti from walls, buildings, streets, bridges and other places graffiti can be found. According to a spokesperson for the council, approximately €450,000 was spent cleaning and removing graffiti in 2013. “Graffiti is an offence under the Litter Pollution
Act and the money spent on removing it could be put to far more productive uses in the community.” Actions
“Some of the actions undertaken over the last number of years have included our schools officer, litter prevention officer and our litter wardens working with young
people continuously encouraging and attempting to foster positive behaviour in terms of preventing litter including graffiti; working closely with An Garda Siochana in the gathering of information and intelligence in order to pursue enforcement measures under the appropriate legislation; ongoing awareness campaigns which highlight issues
around litter including graffiti and which aim to encourage behavioural change and seek the assistance of the general public in combating littering. While creative initiatives such as allowing traffic control boxes to be used for street art in Temple Bar [are also being run],” the spokesperson added. Meanwhile, graffiti was
Hot stuff: Film fest on a roll
FastNews
Experiencing life in Dublin
How Dublin life is experienced by foreign nationals is being depicted in a newly released book published by Literary Publishing. The New Dubliners is a collection of true stories from multicultural Dublin depicting life in the capital experienced by foreign nationals and the “new Irish”. The book’s author is Daniel Zuchowski, who has lived in Dublin since 2007, and has worked as a teacher of English. His book is based on his own experiences and observations, as well as on those other new Dubliners that he has met. The New Dubliners is available in bookstores and on Amazon.
Having a say on your city parks Dublin City Council is asking residents to have their say on the development of the city’s parks. The council is asking for opinions on public parks, access to them, what people do there, as well as views on the quality and value of the parks provided by Dublin City Council. For anyone interested in making their views known, they should complete the Dublin City Council Parks Questionnaire before February 28. The questionnaire can be filled out online at www.dublincity.ie.
removed from 23 areas in Dublin Central using the Probation Services between January 1 and January 31 this year including North Strand Road, Spencer Dock, Sheriff Street and Manor Street. A further 10 areas saw graffiti removed using corporate contractors, including Smithfield Plaza and Liffey Boardwalk, Dublin 1.
a STUNTMAN is covered in flames during the Pyrotechnics and Pistols practical special effects live show, which recently took place at Smithfield Square as part of the 12th Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. The show was held in partnership with F/X Ireland and the Stunt Guild of Ireland. A wide range of Hollywoodstyle effects and realistic action sequences demonstrated how stunts still play a big part in films today. Picture: David Smith
books: 150 handmade copies reproduce the original 1914 text
Limited edition of Joyce’s The Dead a costly treasure laura webb
Joycean collectors start saving because a copy of a limited centenary edition of The Dead will set you back €1,250. Only 150 copies of the handmade book, which reproduces the original 1914 text of Joyce’s short story, will be made this year to mark the centenary of the publication of Dubliners. The book, which is being co-published by Stoney Road Press and the James Joyce Centre, is letterpress printed by hand on a Swiss proofing
press while the illustrations are hand drawn by American graphic artist Robert Berry. They are then transferred to letterpress plates and each one is then hand printed with the text. Senator David Norris, director and one of the founders of James Joyce Centre, is also involved with the book, having handwritten an introduction for it. In a description of the tome, the publishers say the paper is 250 gsm cotton rag and the book is hand bound by Antiquarian Bookcrafts in Dublin and is presented with a
matching slip case. This unique book is set to be published on June 15 with a selling price of €1,250 attached to it. A limited number of copies is now available at the special pre-publication price of €750. When asked about the price of the book, managing director of Stoney Road Press David O’Donoghue said: “The book will have about 15 illustrations by the artist Robert Berry and it is hand-printed on handmade papers and handbound, so the whole thing is very artisan
made and crafted. “It is kind of an old craft being rejuvenated and it takes an awful long time to make each book. “Each book will be signed by Senator David Norris along with the signature of the illustrator Robert Berry. It is very much a collector’s item and all the books that we would make would tend to go into private collections or public collections and the price they would pay would always go up in value over the years,” he said. Despite writing the
introduction to the book Senator Norris was a little taken aback when The Gazette told him the price shouting “What?” before giggling about it and saying: “I wonder if they will give me a copy – I couldn’t afford that.” Speaking about his involvement with the book, he said he had finished revising his introduction and that he was “very honoured and flattered” to be invited to write an introduction to it because it is “one of the greatest short stories ever written”. “I have always been
fascinated by Dubliners and I wrote about Dubliners many years ago. I was the first person to examine all the manuscripts of Dubliners because they were hidden away in an American university and nobody bothered looking at them.” T he book will be launched on June 15 exactly 100 years to the day on whichDubliners was first released. For further information about the book email Stoney Road Press mail@stoneyroadpress. com or call 01-887 8544.
27 February 2014 DUBLIN CITY gazette 5
6 dublin city gazette 27 February 2014
don’sdublin All is back to normal in Sandymount After all the recent bad weather, it was a pleasant change to be able to walk safely on Sandymount Strand. There were no waves breaking against the promenade, and with the tide going out the vast expanse of the strand was available and being used by locals. Joggers jogged, strollers strolled and dogs chased sticks into the water before excitedly shaking themselves off. Things were, thankfully, back to normal. On the beach, I walked past the old baths with the grand curve of the strand leading to Blackrock on my left. The place was busy, and I had to stop and watch two boys as they prepared, and then managed, to fly a kite. The sail rose and fell in the gentle breeze, a colourful moving shape against the blue sky. It was a wonderful sight that was only outdone by the boys’ loud laughter and shouts of success. Walking along the ribbed sand it was easy to see why the place is one of Dublin’s favourite spaces. The view across the bay to Howth was magnificent; the twin towers of the Pigeon House never looked so tall and, of course, the air was clear and bracing. In James Joyce’s famous book Ulysses, the young hero Stephen Dedalus closes his eyes as he walks on the strand and wonders “Am I walking into immortality”. I didn’t have such a profound thought, but I think I know where he was coming from. Standing at the northern end of the promenade, The White Lady was looking out to sea. The tall, elegant sculpture was presented to Ireland by the President of Mexico in November 2002, and it has since become a much-loved feature. When I stopped nearby to take some photographs, I could see it shimmer in the strong, winter sunlight - “she” was looking great!
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
protest 5,000 sign petition to save business property: holbrook house
€12m price tag for office
Stephen Cunningham, operations manager of Moore Street’s Paris Bakery. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
Paris Bakery fights for right to remain open
laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com
Paris Bakery is set to meet with Chartered Land to plead its case on saving the business and the livelihood of its 70 employees. This week, operations manager at Paris Bakery Stephen Cunningham told The Gazette that Chartered Land, which wishes to build a shopping centre at the site of the bakery, has agreed to meet with him. “This will be the first time they will have agreed to meet me. I am waiting for a date but I am hoping this week,” he said. He hopes to discuss the possibility of throwing them a lifeline and not closing the business down with the loss of 70
jobs. “I hope they can see that number one they can’t take down the building – there is no point because they are not allowed to build on the site. They want to let it just sit there – so what’s the point? “Why don’t they just leave us there, leave us employing 70 people and paying €17,500 a month in rent. It does not make any sense, even financial sense. “It is going to be knocked down to underpin the building [beside it]. But it is attached onto the building so it doesn’t need to be underpinned,” he said. The bakery opened in 2010 at Number 18 – 19 Moore Street. It was recently announced
that once the lease is up in July, they will have to vacate the premises to make way for a support structure for Numbers 14-17 which was recently declared a national monument because of its part in the 1916 Rising. So far over 5,000 people have signed a petition to Save Paris Bakery and a protest recently took place outside the bakery. “It was really amazing to see the turn out.” James Connolly Heron, the great-grandson of James Connolly, showed his support by taking part in the protest and is trying to find out if the building is pre-1916. “I am very grateful for his support. He has been nothing but helpful to us in our pursuit of what we perceive to be justice,”
Stephen said. “James Connolly Heron has had his experts come to have a look and their report is due this week and that will make a huge difference to things,” he added. The management say they will continue to protest to keep their premises, with Stephen saying: “We will keep going until we have to chain ourselves to the oven. “We are getting the raw end of this deal. There is no shopping centre being built, they are protecting themselves in the future, they are afraid of their lives of finding something that predates the building and if they find that they can never knock it down.” Chartered Land refused to comment.
A high profile Dublin office is being offered for sale with a price tag in excess of €12 million. Ho l b r o o k Ho u s e , located just off Merrion Square on Holles Street, is currently let in its entirety to three key tenants The Open University, Pobal and the Commissioners of Public Works Ireland (OPW) with the average unexpired lease term exceeding 11 years. Additional income is generated through roof masts let to O2, Meteor and Vodafone. Combined annual rent roll exceeds €900,000 per annum. Built in 1968, the fivestorey, over-basement property currently extends to approximately 21,162 sq ft of office space and additional accommodation. This property is brought to the market by Savills on the instruction of the Joint Receivers Kieran Wallace and Cormac O’Connor of KPMG.
Holbrook House on Holles Street
Lunchtime talks on Dublin period housing laura webb
A walk along a peaceful Sandymount Strand
A team of conser vation experts will present a series of lunchtime talks on the history and conservation of Dublin period houses. Conserving your Dublin Period House is presented by The Irish Georgian Society and Dublin City Council and will begin in
March. These talks will be particularly beneficial to period house owners as industry experts will be on hand to talk about the history and significance of Dublin’s period houses and offer practical advice on their conservation. All periods and types of houses, from the modest Edwardian artisan dwelling to the substan-
tial red bricks of the Victorian suburbs and the townhouses of our Georgian city squares will be looked at providing an A to Z for their care and repair. Talks, which will commence on Tuesday, March 4, 2013 from 1pm to 2pm and continue for 12 weeks, will take place in the Octagonal Room, CAH, 58 South William Street, Dublin 2.
The talks are priced at €10 (€5 students), which you may pay for at the door or book in advance for a special reduced price of €100 (€50 students) for all 12 lectures. Complementary to the Tuesday talks will be a Saturday morning walking tour at an additional cost of €10 (€5 students). For further information see: www.igs.ie
27 February 2014 dublin city gazette 7
8 dublin city gazette 27 February 2014
food: diverse pr0posal
Market plan to be lodged
natalie burke
PLANS for the redevelopment of an historic Dublin market are set to be lodged within weeks. The historic fruit and vegetable market hall, located between Capel Street and the Four Courts, could be redeveloped as a continentalstyle food market if the plans go ahead. Approximately 80 pitches, comprising a combination of indoor and outdoor permanent and temporary stalls, will be available to traders from September 2015, following a €3m construction project due to begin later this year. Dublin City Council has been renovating the historic market hall in Dublin’s north inner city
since 2012. This work is now 85% complete, according to the council’s planning department, and the local authority is ready to seek planning permission for the redevelopment scheme. The building, which was built in 1892 and is listed on the Record of Protected Structures, has 6,000sq m of internal space devoted to wholesale. As part of the development, the wholesalers – who serve surrounding restaurants and shops with fruit and vegetables – will move to the western half of the building. The remaining half of the hall will be devoted to a retail food market with a range of produce providers serving goods to take home, as well as food to eat at the market.
homeless ‘Nightmare’ as rent rise affects children
Gwen Connell and her three daughters are pictured with a message directed to the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, outlining details of their “nightmare”. The photo became a viral hit, and received more than 32,000 views on Facebook within 24 hours.
Family hit with ill health over crisis Continued from Page 1
“To ensure that you and your family can live together again in housing that you can afford, you may have to think anew about your family’s many needs, and how those needs can be met within the housing market as it exists at the moment,” she wrote. Cllr Ruth Coppinger of the Anti-Austerity Alliance, who is trying to assist the family access housing, said Minister Burton’s comments are “callous” and a “new low” for Labour. “She [suggests] the family need to make ‘difficult choices’ if they want to live together again. What is she saying? That families shouldn’t expect to be together? That they should accept living in slums?” Cllr Coppinger also
condemned claims by Minister Burton’s that housing is still available to rent in Dublin 15. “Burton suggests the family are only pretending they can’t find rented accommodation in Dublin,” she said. A social media campaign launched by the family earlier this week saw Connell and her daughters photographed with a message directed at Minister Burton, outlining details of their “nightmare”. The picture, which was posted on Facebook, attracted 32,000 likes and over 600 shares within the first 24 hours it appeared online. The family had to leave the house on February 10 where they had lived for almost three years and try to find somewhere more affordable. Speaking about her family’s ordeal
however, Connell said she has had no luck finding a new home “It’s really awful. I’ve been looking for somewhere to rent but I haven’t been able to find anything for €950, which is the rent allowance,” she said. Connell is currently staying with a friend while her eldest daughter is staying with her grandmother, and her two youngest with their dad. “It’s not ideal and I really miss them. I’m still getting up to bring them to school in the morning but it’s very hard.” While Gwen and her family have not declared themselves officially homeless, she says she feels it may be their only option to get help. “I was told by Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council to come back when I was homeless but it’s not a route I
want to drag my children down,” she said. The worry of their situation has had ill-effects on all members of the family. While Connell admitted she is having trouble sleeping, she said it has affected the younger members of the family too. “Katie hasn’t been well and I had to bring her into Temple Street Hospital recently. We found out it was anxiety making her ill, but she’s only 10 years old. ” she said. A spokesperson for the Department of Social Protection said that it is not the policy of the Department to comment on individual cases. However she said that 79,000 people are currently in receipt of rent supplement, showing that a significant number of landlords are accommodating applicants of the scheme.
27 February 2014 dublin city gazette 9
council Six million journeys for scheme so far
Bike stations to expand into south central areas laura webb news@gazettegroup.com
More Dubliners will be getting on their bikes courtesy of the Dublin Bike Scheme which is expanding with new stations being installed in the south central area. There will be 17 stations in the south central area including: Emmet Road, Inchicore Road at Kilmainham Gaol and Francis Street and two at St James’s Hospital During a presentation to south central councillors, project coordinator for the bike scheme Jason
Freehill said there was “no doubt [the bike scheme] will be heavily utilised in this part of the city”. “Since the scheme launched, I think every second day of the week I received expressions of interest from individuals, elected representatives and commercial entities to expand the scheme and one of the areas that has had huge interest has been the south central area. So, I know there is great anticipation for the scheme to be delivered and become available,” he said. A station at Military
Road is set to start in March with a 40-cycle stand, while the station at St James’s is due to start by the end of February. Work on the Francis Street station started last week and it’s expected that all stations will become fully operational by July of this year. Currently the Dublin Bike Scheme has 36,000 subscribers and so far there has been in excess of six million journeys recorded. When it started in 2009 there were 450 bikes in operation. The scheme now has 550 bikes and 28
The Dublin Bike Scheme is expanding with new stations being installed in Dublin South Central
stations. In 2010, a long-term strategy was adopted by the council for a further expansion to provide for 5,000 bikes and 300 bike stations. The second phase of the planned expansion is now being undertaken
eastwards towards Barrow Street and westwards towards Kilmainham Jail and Heuston Station with 58 new stations and 950 bikes. Since construction on the second phase started in October 2013, 14 stations have been installed
According to Freehill, the aim of the second phase is to provide stations in the proximity to employment areas, residential areas, transport modes as well as tapping into cultural destinations like Kilmainham Jail and the Phoenix Park.
schools Running a bank is a challenge Six transition year students from St Conleth’s College, Ballsbridge have opened up and continue to run a bank within their school. The young bankers are taking part in the 2013-14 Build a Bank Challenge. In St Conleth’s, banking comes with a sly twist: The bank is prison themed and indeed, its marketing campaign is completely prison related. Throughout the year, the boys have been opening accounts, running seasonal promotions and accepting lodgements from students in the school and are looking forward to the Regional finals of the Build a Bank Challenge to be held on March 5.
10 dublin city gazette 27 February 2014
lauralynn Buyer ‘delighted money is not going to a bank’
Proceeds of Wicklow land sale for charity laura webb
lwebb@gazettegroup.com
A Du bl i n e r w h o bought a site in Wicklow is delighted to see the proceeds from the sale go to charity rather than the banks. Anthony Murphy, a gas fitter from Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7, bought the site in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, during an Allsop auction in the RDS recently. All proceeds from the sale will go to Ireland’s only children’s hospice, LauraLynn House in Leopardstown, under the request of the seller Catherine Harold. When asked about
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‘I bought it for the kids. I was just looking to secure something for their future’
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Anthony Murphy
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the sale, Murphy said he was initially unaware of the LauraLynn House connection but when he found out he was “delighted to see it go to charity rather than a bank”. The father-of-three said he bought the site for his children. “I bought it for
the kids. I was just looking to secure something for their future. I didn’t think I would get it at that price,” he said. Asked what he plans to do with the site he said he will maintain it for now. The site was sold for €13,000, €3,000 more than the reserve price. Meeting Murphy after the auction, Catherine Harold thanked him and said: “You have done a really nice thing”. Great-grandmother Catherine had hoped the site would go for €25,000 so the LauraLynn House Hospice could build “more rooms” at the hospice but said the money will “still do a lot of good
for them”. Catherine’s daughter, Caroline, who was with her on the day said it’s “not too disappointing” because someone has bought it adding that they are “happy to see it sold”. Catherine went on to say that people can still donate to the charity if they wish and said she will continue to donate where she can for the cause. “I don’t have any more sites, but I will donate money. “Not that many people know about [LauraLynn]. It is the only children’s hospice in Ireland,” she said. A few years ago, she
The site in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, was bought at an Allsop auction for €13k and all proceeds from the sale will go to LauraLynn House in Leopardstown
found out about the LauraLynn hospice after seeing a TV segment which said that it needed fundraising support. “I just thought, these are children, for goodness sake. Everyone has the right to die with dignity, especially a child. Children do
need their own space.” Catherine bought the site in 1972 and had hoped to develop on it but she never got around to doing anything with it. “I spoke with my children and we just thought it was a good thing to give it to them and help them with
their work. They are getting all the money. Murray Flynn, our solicitors, has done the work for nothing and Allsops are not charging. So all the money will go to LauraLynn House,” she added. To donate go to www. lauralynn.ie.
27 February 2014 dublin city gazette 11
gazetteGALLERY
RTE presenter Brendan O’Connor and founder of To Russia With Love, Debbie Deegan. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan
Maeve Buffini and Emelie Hart
Mary and Dara Ferguson
The new charity shop on Clontarf Road
Secondhand shop has first class credentials
I
rish charity To Russia With Love opened its first shop - With Love - recently in Clontarf. The outlet was launched with the support of RTE’s Brendan O’Connor and Mary Kennedy. With Love will be stocking high-quality secondhand goods from Irish style icons such as Miriam
O’Callaghan, Lorraine Keane, Norah Casey, Marian Keyes and Mary Kennedy. Other items in the store will also include jewellery, old china, candles, hats and shoes. “As fundraising events are so difficult these days we have to look at every possible way to find funds for our children.
Louise Moyne, Vyvienne Bell, Martina O’Brien
Many people cannot afford to give donations but they can give us their unwanted jewellery, previously loved clothes, shoes, bags and bric-a-brac. “We wanted a shop that would be different, and we have certainly achieved this,” said Debbie Deegan, To Russia With Love.
12 dublin city gazette 27 February 2014
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Rachel Lenny and Celine Gilmer
Mary Wedick and Denise McBrien Peter Wolohan and Matthew Andreucetti. Pictures: Conor O’Mearain
Delight on the menu at Dine in Dublin launch D
INE in Dublin has recently been launched at an exclusive culinary evening hosted by chef Andrew Rudd in his private Drury Street venue, Medley. The guests sampled a five-course tasting menu on the night by some of the best chefs in the capital.
Joe Carlyle and Vicky Notaro
Dine In Dublin is taking place this week from February 24 to March 2. For the full list of events and special offers that are part of the week-long festival, log on to www.dineindublin.ie.
Emma Daly, Henry Daly and Gail Kaneswaran
Anne Marie Hora and Madison Duffy
Clyde Carroll and Niall O’Farrell
27 February 2014 dublin city gazette 13
14 gazette 27 February 2014
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More colourful characters were also represented
Perhaps spurred on by the saying: “There are no small roles, only small actors”, the extras certainly gave their all. Pictures: Geraldine Woods
A splendid view of a new Penny Dreadful
T
HE Gazette was happy to leap upon its high wheeler bicycle to move precariously across the cobbled city centre streets to Dame Lane recently, where upcoming horror series Penny Dreadful was being recorded for users of modern televisual projection devices. Featuring the finest sights, sounds and fashions of the bygone Victorian era, Dame Lane was almost unrecognisable, such was the
proliferation of products from the period that were on show, as respectable wellto-do gentlemen and ladies mingled with common folk around the wares of coopers and candlemakers. While Penny Dreadful’s leading luminaries – such as Timothy Dalton, Josh Hartnett, Billie Piper and Eva Green – were not present at the time, the extras dazzled in their own right.
Were one but to stroll a moment away from the hustle and bustle of Dame Street, one could have taken in a disparate
From civilians to the military, a wide cross-section of Victorian life was to be spotted ambulating around Dame Lane
group of characters from a somewhat more genteel era
27 February 2014 Gazette 15
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dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
Gazette
feature P16
Samantha with Mr Tayto launching Popcorners, a crisp Sam’s favourite snack when she comes home to Ireland is a Tayto crisp sandwich.
made from popcorn. Pictures: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.
a day in the life: Samantha Mumba on hiking, writing and juice for breakfast
Sam’s home and she’s gotta tell us something Laura Webb
Living and working in Los Angeles and travelling to Ireland to visit family and friends can be tiring work for anyone but for singer Samantha Mumba this is just part of life as she knows it. Back on home soil to release her new single, Only Just Begun, we caught up with the pop star to see how a typical day goes for her. Waking up at a reasonable time of 10am she isn’t a big breakfast person and instead opts for a juice. “I would juice instead of breakfast and then
it is off to the gym. I have to get it [the gym] out of the way in the mornings otherwise I will just get too lazy, not at night, no, I lose the will to do it, plus evenings are too busy anyway – I like to have the gym to myself,” she laughed. So from the gym it could be on to work or if she is at home she might go hiking. “I live a little outside LA so I would usually have to drive in to see management, go for meetings, auditions, usually if I am recording that would be in the evenings. Otherwise I would be at home with my stepson making him lunch.”
Once her busy day heads towards evening, it’s back to the kitchen for some cooking. “I love to cook. It is a little passion of mine. Pinterest has expanded my cooking skills. I just love trying different things. I would be known in my house for my brown sugar garlic wings and I do a good macaroni and cheese.” When it comes to an easy snack, her favourite is a Tayto crisp sandwich, which she says is what’s great about coming home because her beloved crisps are hard to find in her adopted town, LA.
Once her day is over and evening sets in, she says: “I wouldn’t go to bed early. Once my stepson is in bed, we would sit down with a glass of wine, watch our shows, watch a movie. I would probably go to bed about 12 or one-ish. But if I am writing, I can only write late at night, I am a weirdo like that, that could be until three or four in the morning,” she said. Samatha is touring at a number of venues in Ireland. Her latest single, Only Just Begun, was released on February 21 and is produced by Mariah Carey collaborater Justin Gray.
GAZETTE
16 GAZETTE 27 February 2014
DUBLINLIFE
AERONAUTICS
Here to support and report! Advertising, editorial and marketing staff at Dublin Gazette Newspapers
We’ve just got bigger and better DEAR READER,
DUBLIN Gazette Newspapers has successfully operated in the greater Dublin region for the past 10 years. We offer quality local coverage and report on the stories that may not make it to the national papers, but impact greatly on the lives of our local readers. Quite often these stories do make it in to the national media, after we have highlighted the issues. We intend to bring this same passion for what goes on, in and around Dublin city, to the readers of our new Dublin City Gazette, out this week. Although local is our bread and butter and what our readers look forward to each week, we also print a quality lifestyle section containing everything from travel to style, cinema, food and drink, art and literature and motors. We intend to develop and grow this section within our new Dublin City Paper while maintaining a superior local news section. Our secret diner, The Picky Eater, will check out the food scene in Dublin city and county. Well known Dubs, young and old, will talk about their favourite place to Escape the Mayhem in a busy city - this could be a city garden, museum, pub or somewhere so secret, we don’t even know about it yet! Our Day in the Life column will each week follow an individual from their waking moments till they hit the pillow that night. They say the best things in life are free and why should the news be any different? That’s why our free, self select publication should be your number one weekly read. You can pick us up in hundreds of outlets across the city and county each week. We’ve got the suburbs covered and now Dublin City has its own dedicated local paper, which will be essential to the lives of those living and working within the Dublin City Council region.
Mimi Murray Editor, Gazette Group Newspapers
Views from the Eclipse 550 jet – a snip at $2.65m – undoubtedly add to its already sky-high allure
THE HIGH LIFE: ECLIPSE 550 IMPRESSES AT MANY LEVELS – IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT
Off to cloud nine ROB HEIGH
IT WAS not a regular Wednesday afternoon when I took to the skies recently in the first Eclipse 550 plane to be introduced to European airspace by Aeris Aviation, based in Devon and brought to Dublin by the company’s chief executive, David Hayman, and the rock ’n’ roll aviator, Bruce Dickinson – singer with legendary metal band Iron Maiden. The 550 is described as a revival of the Eclipse 500 that the manufacturer, Eclipse Aerospace of Albuquerque, was hailed for before the economic downturn meant that they had to file for bankruptcy in 2008. But, with investment from aviation giants Sikorsky, the company and the plane have a new lease of life, and its arrival in Dublin was part of Aeris’s mission to introduce the Eclipse 550 to a new, more confident market. This has seen the plane grace the runways of several air shows and trade events across Europe in
recent months. Hayman was kind enough to invite me on board the Eclipse at Weston, and I stepped into its compact and classy interior – the first time I had been in a plane so small. This marked my first flight in what the industry term a very light jet; a type of airplane designed to be flown by sole pilot owners. With the ability to fly at altitudes up to 41,000 feet at a maximum cruising speed of 430 mph, the Eclipse 550 is described as the most efficient twinengine jet on the planet, and is the equivalent of a Formula One car in the aviation world. Obviously, the price point is beyond the reach of most mere mortals, but the thrill of taking to the air in the Eclipse 550, well ... eclipsed any reservations about the $2.65m (€1.93m) price tag. With Hayman taking the controls, we took off from Weston and headed north-west into the airspace over Kildare and Westmeath, jetting up to Mullingar and back in a
Vanessa Cunningham and Dave Scully, from Dublin Weston Airport’s marketing team, flank pilot Bruce Dickinson, front man with Iron Maiden
matter of minutes. The controls were fascinating in themselves, with what looks like an expanded iPad interface containing all of the necessary flight and mechanical data to fly the plane. Once we were up over the clouds, the smooth sailing trip felt more like a car journey than a plane ride. Speaking after the flight, Hayman talked about what it meant to the company to have such an internationally recognised face as Dickinson on board with the project.
He said: “It’s great to have Bruce on board – his positive energy, knowhow and expertise in aviation are amazing, and he really is a great frontman for our business.” Although we may think that being involved in aviation is out of reach, Dickinson said that although he had a long association with flying in his family, his initial uncertainty that he could be a pilot faded when he realised what was possible with application and self-belief. He said: “It started when I was five years old. My godfather was an
engineer in the RAF in the second World War, and my uncle was in the RAF as well. “I was terrible at maths and physics at school, so I decided that there was no way that I could be a pilot, because all the people I knew at school who wanted to be pilots were all ‘Brains of Britain’ types at maths. But, of course, it’s a load of nonsense, as I discovered later – you can teach yourself all you need to know if you’re motivated.” For further information on the plane, see www. aerisaviation.co.uk.
27 February 2014 Gazette 17
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diary
Fab women have last word The National Leprechaun Museum is hosting a nightly show of Fabulous Females, which celebrates the forgotten women of Irish folklore. Running nightly from February 27 to March 8, Fabulous Females aims to reconnect audiences with the incredible women of our oral folklore. Irish legends tend to focus on great male warriors such as Fionn McCumhaill, Cuchulainn and Oisin, whereas females have taken a back seat. With their diminished roles in the tales, they have tended to be relegated to wives, mothers,
messengers, or lovers to lead men astray; full of sorrow and destruction. However, this brand new one-woman production will showcase the power of those forgotten female legends. Tickets priced €15 to €20 are on sale now from the National Leprechaun Museum’s box office at 01 873 3899, or online at www.leprechaunmuseum.ie. Shows start at 8pm.
Paddy’s day salvo sparks an invitation MINISTER of State for Tourism and Sports Michael Ring has hit back at the Dublin
Lord Mayor’s criticism of this year’s upcoming St Patrick’s Day Festival, welcoming him to organise his own festival instead. Mayor Oisin Quinn said recently that the “tacky” St Patrick’s festival in Dublin city would encourage people to get drink and “throw on leprechaun hats”. Mayor Quinn also said that the organisers of the parade appeared to be staging events in a bid to generate money. He went on to criticise the decision to install a Funderlandtype event in Merrion Square. However, Minister
Ring responded by saying “if he wants to organise something alongside this festival, he is very welcome to do that.”
say halo to a way to spruce up your home C E L E BR I T Y a r c h i tect Dermot Bannon is offering householders advice on how to reinvent a home when he launches the new stateof-the-art Halo Tile and Bathroom showroom, which is located at Ballymount retail centre. The people at Halo a r e g i v i n g aw ay a €5,000 home makeover prize on the day, and a weekend away in any
Meet celebrity architect Dermot Bannon at a showroom event in Ballymount
one of the well-known Talbot Hotel Group hotels. There will be advice o n r e c e n t G ove r n ment grants for home improvement, and big-
name products such as Velux, Dulux, Boru Stoves and Worcester Boilers will also be there to give advice. The showroom will open on March 1, and
Dermot will be on hand from 1.30pm to 3.30pm to offer advice on the b e s t u s e o f c o l o u r, space, design and light when making over your home.
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dublinlife
reel insight: the gazette catches up with john hurt at the savoy
Happy to ‘be Irish’ Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
WITH another successful Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (JDIFF) coming to an end this week, The Gazette caught up with screen legend John Hurt at the red carpet premiere of John Michael McDonagh’s new dark and humorous film, Calvary. Hurt, who starred in
movies such as Elephant Man, Alien and The Naked Civil Servant, had no part to play in Calvary, but took on the role of Marlowe in Jim Jarmusch’s romantic vampire movie, Only Lovers Left Alive, which was also screened during JDIFF. At the red carpet outside the Savoy cinema, excitement was in the air as stars such as Brendan
Gleeson, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Marie Josee Crozee and Killian Scott arrived for Calvary’s gala opening. Speaking about the importance of JDIFF and other festivals for the Irish film industry, Hurt said: “I think they’re important for any film, and the fact that we’re doing it [the film’s premiere] here in Ireland means that we’re
Soundbyte: Brendan backs Fassbender CALVARY star Brendan Glee-
Michael Fassbender to win
son, who was also at the film’s
the Academy award for
star-studded premiere at the
Best Supporting Actor
Savoy cinema in the city cen-
at this year’s Oscars
tre, told The Gazette that he
for his turn in Twelve
is rooting for fellow Irishman
Years A Slave.
supporting the whole understanding of what film is about for lots of people in this country. “It’s fantastic, I mean – it’s really, really important [to do this], and Ireland is important to me personally.” Five years ago, Hurt took part in the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?, but his conviction that he had Irish roots was shaken as no Irish connection was found by researchers. The Gazette asked Hurt what he thought of those genealogical revelations. “Rubbish! They didn’t go around all the right avenues. I am Irish!
“I mean, I’m Irish in an area – only a bit, but I’m Irish. I love Ireland and I would hate to be without this little country,” he said. Hurt also spoke of his involvement in Jarmusch’s latest offering. He said: “The marvellous thing about Jim is that he absolutely and resolutely refuses to say what any of his films are about.” Hurt is currently working on film projects, but refused to disclose them. However, when asked, he said he would like to film in Ireland soon: “Oh, that would be wonderful! Yes, absolutely.”
Speaking of his love for Ireland, screen legend John Hurt (pictured signing autographs at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival) batted away the failure of researchers to find any Irish roots in his family line, saying: “Rubbish! They didn’t go around all the right avenues. I am Irish!” Picture: Photocall Ireland
27 February 2014 Gazette 19
ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: Media pundit on how to unwind
Hook on the blessings of a good, thick book
Each week the Gazette speaks to Dubliners about how they like to unwind in a bustling, busy city. George Hook goes first Laura Webb
The stress of everyday life takes its toll on many but it’s what people do to relieve that stress and get away from it all that we’re keen to find out at the Gazette. Whether it’s a yoga class in the park, a walk along the strand or a movie, there is something for eve-
ryone to help escape the mayhem of every day life in Dublin. This week, Escape the Mayhem caught up with broadcaster and rugby pundit George Hook at a life skills seminar and asked him what it is that helps him to unwind. “I must say I read more now than I have ever read and I was an impressive
reader. “But I have to say electronic books have become an incredible boon for me. I carry books around all the time on an iPad. What I do now is I read,” he said. Finding a corner
So where he goes to read and unwind? “I love just going away in a quiet corner, with no television, finding a corner for me and my book.” When taking time out to read and forget his problems George says the
feeling he gets from his escapism is “incredibly uplifting” and he recommends it. “That is the great thing about a book. You carry it with you so it goes wherever you go,” he said. So if the stress of life is taking its toll take a leaf out of George Hook’s book and find a quiet corner and read. Hook was in attendance at the seminar which is run by Aware and is based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy.
George Hook: “I carry books around all the time on an iPad”
Gazette
FEATUREs
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20 Gazette 27 February 2014
dublinlife
business
Advice on keeping or selling rental property John Lowe, the Money Doctor, gives two Gazette readers invaluable advice on keeping or selling rental property I AM a reluctant landlord with a property in a large estate in Swords. I bought the four-bed semi-detached property in 2004. I paid €375,000 and thankfully got a tracker mortgage. I lived there until 2011, when I moved to Co Limerick with my family, renting there. We put the property on the market in 2011, but despite dropping the price several times, it did not sell. Thankfully, it has been rented by a very nice family who have looked after the house very well.
I was getting €1,150 rent per month. My mortgage is currently €1,308.56 monthly, but between other costs and tax, I’m paying about €2,000 per annum. Now the tenants are moving out, and I need to decide if I should sell or hold onto it as a rental property, as we have no retirement plan or pension to speak of, and I know how valuable a tracker is. Having spoken to an estate agent today, the house will realise between €260,000 and €280,000 [if sold at cur-
rent market values]. I still have c. €190,000 to pay on the mortgage, with 12 years left. I should still be able to obtain about €1,000 rental per month. Your advice would be appreciated. JOHN SAYS: Thanks for the note. The first issue is tax relief at source. Since you first rented the property, you are ineligible to receive this – so, hopefully you have already stopped this. You can still claim 75% of the interest as tax relief on your rental income tax
liability. Selling depends on your next move and career. If you can sell now, it would be cleaner – your full income would allow full mortgage entitlement on your next mortgage, plus you would not have to worry if it ever gets sold, or if you can continually find tenants to rent – not to mention the additional €2,000+ per annum to be found, and the “hassle factor” that is now a landlord’s lot! However, keeping the house – fully rented all the time – means that inexorably your mortgage will be repaid ... primarily by your tenant, so it is like a little mini-pension. And what will the property be worth then? My guess would be, it would
be worth a lot more than it is now. If the €2,000 is not a problem at the moment, and you do not want to buy again, if you cannot sell the property, it won’t be a problem – but if you can sell now, I would. Good luck with it ...
Getting a mortgage... I AM building a house later in the year. Between my girlfriend and myself, we have €150k cash, and the site is family-owned (being the proceeds of a house sale and some savings). I’m a carpenter, and will do the bulk of the work myself, but we will need some additional funds to finish the house; possibly up to €50k. Are we better off
putting all our money in one account and negotiating a loan at this stage, or should we build the house and take out a mortgage against it once it is structurally complete? JOHN SAYS: I would always look for pre-approval before undertaking such a project, as the last thing you want is to find you cannot obtain a loan to finish off the house. Today, €50k is not a huge sum to look for, but you will need steady income from a secure employment – generally, a minimum [wage of] €25,000. The site is also worth something – from your parents, perhaps? You are allowed up to €225,000,
and say the site is worth €50,000 – it means the property should be worth in excess of €250,000 on completion, so [this would be] a 20% loan to value for the lucky lender! You obviously have a bank account; that should be your first port of call – they know you. What is the cheapest standard variable rate under a 50% loan to value? KBC Bank, at 3.85% – email me for details (jlowe@moneydoctor.ie). Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@ moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor. ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor
27 February 2014 Gazette 21
food&drink P27
asdfsdaf P27 cinema P28
OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week
Gazette
TRAVEl P22
PETS
can you give dashing roman his true home?
Artastic characters, Piyanuch Chanphet (left) with Rachel Laley and Moe Coakley in St Stephen’s Green at the launch of St Patrick’s Festival 2014. Pictures: Robbie Reynolds
drowning the shamrock: three-year theme for four-day festival
Feel the love, St Patrick Ian begley
ST PATRICK’S Day is set to kick off this year with an explosive variety of cultural, theatrical and festive events from March 14-17. Taking centre stage this year will be the festival’s cultural programme I Love My City along with a four-day programme of events that are mostly free to attend. For the first time in its history, St Patrick’s Festival has created a threeyear theme and narrative for the Festival Parade. The thematic journey of Past, Present and Future will be explored respectively in the period 2014, 2015 and 2016. Speaking to the Gazette, Susan Kirby, chief executive of St Patrick’s Festival,
said: “The four-day festival is absolutely jam-packed, full of really super events for everyone from the ages of eight to 80. “The I Love My City cultural programme is a series of inspiring, intimate and cultural events curated by the fes“The ceili will have around 7,000 people engaging. The Big Day Out event will have over 90,000 people on site, and the festival Treasure Hunt welcomes about 5,000 people. “A lot of work goes into the festival from the artists, producers, creators, and dancers. We also have volunteers who come from all over the world to take part in the festival. “We have a real festival family and community spirit and they work very hard to produce the festival every year,”
said Kirby. This year, an array of eclectic events and renowned figures from musical talents to literary figures will be showcased during the festival. New to the Paddy’s Day line-up is the most anticipated Live on the Green event, which will take place on Saturday, March 15. Meteor Music Award winner Jerry Fish will headline this free live music event, which it is hoped will get everyone into the festival spirit. Speaking at the launch of the St Patrick’s Day Festival on February 20, Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring said: “The festival is hugely important for Irish tourism. The support from the Government, Failte Ireland and others like Dublin City Council helps this
world-class festival go from strength to strength. “It’s one of our most important events for international visitors, whose numbers rocketed to 140,000 overseas people last year. “That’s 37% higher than in 2010. It gives us a sense of national pride as Irish people, and gives visitors something extra special for their trip,” said Minster Ring. Overall, the numbers engaging with the festival is about 1.6m over the course of the festival weekend. The parade will welcome in the region of five hundred thousand people onto the streets of Dublin. For a full programme of the St Patrick’s Day Festival events visit www. stpatricksfestival.ie.
The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is romantic Roman, a sixyear-old male Boxer with a heart of gold. He arrived into Dogs Trust in quite poor condition recently and has been given oodles of TLC from all the staff and is now thriving and full of personality! He is a true gent and would need to go to a loving family who can continue his development by bringing him on several short walks a day to help him build up his muscles again. He is happy to hang out in his new forever home with big kids 10+ and maybe a canine pal. If you think you could give this handsome man his perfect forever home, please contact the Dogs Trust reception a call on 01-879 1000 or pop into their rehoming centre 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/ dogstrustireland or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.
22 Gazette 27 February 2014
Gazette
&ABOUT OUT fast TRAVEL NEWS
A Highlife chalet in France would be an ice retreat!
Chill out with a cool French chalet break natalie burke
IF YOU fancy celebrating Paddy’s Day with a difference this year, Highlife Ski and Snowboard are inviting you to take to the slopes in Val d’Isere, France – a resort renowned for its sensational highaltitude skiing and chic village setting. The resort offers a great range of nursery slopes for beginners, as well as extensive skiing for the more skilled, along with quirky boutiques and a main street lined with cafes. Stay in a cosy Highlife chalet, complete with log fires, saunas and an outdoor hot tub, and on St Patrick’s Day, gather round the table and tuck into a piping hot traditional Irish stew prepared especially by your chalet chef, followed by a delicious round of complimentary Irish coffees to further warm you. As part of the all-inclusive Highlife packages, all wine, beers and soft drinks are available as part of the complimentary bar in your chalet, so you can enjoy apres-ski evenings chilling out by the log fire at no extra cost. St Patrick’s Stay packages with Highlife Ski & Snowboard start from €1,075, per adult, and €886, per child under 12, arriving Sunday, March 16. For full details, see www.highlife.ie; call the team at 01 677 1100, or email info@highlife.ie.
america: celebrate our national holiday in style in new york city
Turn the Big Apple green on March 17
natalie burke
BEING Irish is something that is celebrated almost every day of the year, but with the arrival of St Patrick’s Day, it is the perfect excuse for the world to really paint its towns and cities green. The celebration is considered serious business in New York City, with the Empire State Building going green for the occasion, and everyone who is anyone claim-
ing an Irish connection somewhere down the bloodline. With more than 150,000 people marching in the New York City parade every year, which has been held annually since 1762, heading stateside this St Patrick’s Day could be the ideal way to celebrate your heritage with a little difference. While watching the marching bands on Fifth Avenue is probably already appearing on
your must-see list, there are plenty of other shenanigans around the Big Irish Apple to check out. For something a little different, head to the Irish Art Centre on 51st Street on March 17 and catch an afternoon of authentic Irish music, with performances from the NYC Harp Orchestra, as well as Irish dancing performances by the Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance. There’s also a tin whis-
New Yorkers outdo even the Irish when it comes to dressing up and celebrating St Patrick’s Day in the heart of their city
Whether you’re standing on Fifth Avenue (above) or are St Patrick Day celebrations are a truly unforgettable
tle workshop and Irish language lessons on the agenda, along with crafts, films and a good old music seisiun, too. For those with an interest in film, the Craic Festival series (presented by Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey) starts on March 6. It’s a three-day event that takes place at the Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street, celebrating the newest generation of Irish filmmakers. Highlights include the opening night US premiere of Danny Boy, starring Gabriel Byrne, and the US premiere of 14 Days, directed by Dermot Lavery. The Craic Music series also runs from March 7-8, and is bound to bring in the crowds with the line-up that is headlined by The Rubber Bandits and Duke Special.
To follow your cultural adventures, there’s always a good Irish bar around the corner for a pint of Guinness and a little visit back to Irish soil. One of New York’s most historical offerings is McSorley’s Old Ale House on 7th Street. Established in 1864, it’s NYC’s oldest “Irish” tavern, and has seen the likes of Abe Lincoln and John Lennon – and a host of civil rights and union movement activists – pass through its doors. T hink “sawduststrewn floors and history-patched walls” - it wasn’t until the 1970s that women were even allowed to enter! In fact, a visit over Paddy’s weekend coincides conveniently with the much-celebrated St Paddy’s “Luck of the Irish” pub crawl
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Travel
TRAVEL NEWS For Mother’s Day, whisk her off to Dubai’s sun
Treat your mum in a million to a break in the glorious sun NATALIE BURKE
WITH just weeks to go until Mother’s Day, now is as good a time as any to pencil in the all-important March 30 date in your diary. If you’re tempted to give mum a well-earned break away, there are plenty of getaway options and last-minute deals with the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) out there to show her your appreciation. If you’re looking for the perfect trip for a mother-daughter getaway, take her for a sevennight getaway to Morocco, for just €449 per person. The Agadir Beach in Morocco won the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award in 2013 due to its unspoilt beauty and stunning sunsets, making it the ideal place to plan your holiday. Stay in the Argana Hotel, located just 300m from the sea, with its own swimming pool, wellness centre, poolside gym and sauna. You can even treat Mum to a new ’do, with a hairdressers on site, too. Nearby, the La Medina D’Agadir is a must-visit village, full of arts and crafts stalls set amongst stunning architecture. For just €449PP, departing on March 29, travellers can avail of seven nights’ accommodation, return flights, checked in luggage, transfers and breakfast each morning. For further information on this offer, that is available from TravelAgent.ie, see: http://itaa.ie/ mothers-day-gift-morocco/.
taking in the sights elsewhere in the city, New York’s experience. Pictures: Shane Dillon
( w w w. p u b c r aw l . com). The event takes place this year on Saturday, March 25, taking in bars such as the Village Pourhouse, Traffic East and American Whiskey, and tickets must be purchased in advance. However, if your idea of culture is soaking up the sights of the city rather than the closest bar, then perhaps a ramble through the Little Ireland district of the Lower East Side could be the order of the day. Big Onion Walking Tours (www.bigonion. com) host a special St Patrick’s Weekend Irish New York tour, taking you right through the role of Irish immigrants in the history of New York City. The Lower East Side is said to have boasted more Irish residents than Dublin during the 19th cen-
tury, and walking tours take place on March 15 and March 16. As for where to stay, just one block away from the main parade route lies The Hotel @ Times Square – a trendy boutique hotel located in midtown Manhattan. Located just a few blocks away from the Irish Art Centre, and a short subway ride from the Tribeca Cinemas, the hotel offers complimentary continental breakfast, wi-fi and phone calls nationwide. You can stay for about €142 (at current exchange rates) per person, based on double occupancy in March. For further information or to make a booking, see www.applecorehotels.com/the-hotelat-times-square, or call 0044 808 178 6363. (Note that flights and transfers not included.)
MEANWHILE, IN THE WINDY CITY ... WHILE New York City might claim to
cago for three nights
be the largest Paddy’s Day parade
from €787PP, or at the
on the far side of the Atlantic,
historic and luxurious
Chicago is famous in other ways for
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celebrating all things green.
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The Windy City is renowned for
Both prices are based on depar-
dyeing the Chicago River green and,
ture from Dublin on March 14,
this year, you can take part from
including flights and accommo-
just €779PP, including flights and
dation (room only), based on two
accommodation for three nights,
sharing.
with Thomas Cook Ireland. Stay right in the heart of the
For further information or to make a booking, call the Thomas
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Sheraton Hotel in downtown Chi-
see www.thomascook.ie.
Delight at a trip to Dubai Alternatively, why not travel that bit further and whisk your mum in a million to Dubai for a weekend getaway? A city of striking contrasts, Dubai is one place where modern sophistication meets beautiful tradition. (Think: shopping, great food and sunshine.) Depart on March 28 for just €696PP and let the team at Orient Travel (www.orienttravel.ie) tailormake your holiday, taking in a half-day city tour, a 4X4 desert safari, a show cruise dinner and return flights, staying at the three-star Ewa Hotel. For further information, see http://itaa.ie/dubaicity-break-for-mothers-day-4-days-from-e696-pps. For other special offers from ITAA, see www.itaa. ie/offers.
Gazette
24 Gazette 27 February 2014
OUT&ABOUT Patent leather clutch €89
Yellow dress with draped neck (TBA) Draped neck sleeveless top with drawstring €55
Cut-out cuff €29
Just Yellow circle cut skirt €125
Honeycomb knit sky blue zip-up drop shoulder cardigan €89
Floral print sweater €69
be COS! While music lovers get used to their favourite music store moving premises, fashion followers are only too happy with their new neighbours as COS gets set to open its first standalone store. Tower Records has left the building and has taken up space on Dawson Street leading the way for a new brand to make itself known in the iconic spot. COS has found some fierce following in Ireland thanks to its concessions in BT2 in Grafton Street and Dundrum, and in Brown Thomas in Cork and Galway, making way for its next chapter – to open a standalone store. And it’s almost here. The store will be located on Wicklow Street mixing well in the main shopping area, alongside both highend brands and boutique labels. The store, which plans to open in spring, will be spread across 574m over two floors. It will feature the full collections of womenswear,
menswear and childrenswear and will open with the fresh and dynamic spring summer 2014 collection comprising bold shapes and soft colours. Marie Honda, COS overall brand responsible, said of the expansion: “Since opening our first COS concession in Ireland in 2010, we have been fortunate that the brand has received such a positive response. We hope our customers will continue to enjoy the brand, the collection and the new store.” Remaining aligned with the COS aesthetic, the store interior will focus on the use of natural materials and stylish minimal features, creating a relaxing and enjoyable shopping environment for all. The store interior will be an example of the brand’s second generation design concept, redeveloped over the years to ensure modernity. For further fashion news from COS see: cosstores.com
Cut-away silk cotton aqua dress with draped pockets and skirt €125
27 February 2014 GAZETTE 25
GAZETTE
STYLE
A symphony of colours for spring wit h Jessica Nails ADD a splash of colour to hands and feet with irresistible shades from Jessica Nail’s coral symphony range. Pastel and coral can be seen on catwalks across the globe as we hit the spring season, while lilac adds a burst of spring time to any look. Nails are great for adding a splash of the season’s favourite palette. Jessica Nails spring 2014 palette, Coral Symphony, is inspired by oceanic corals and blooms. There are six uplifting, spring time shades that perfectly capture the hottest catwalk colours of the season.
Clours include Conch Shell, a pretty pink ,while Starfish Glow is a vibrant hot pink. Ocean Bloom is a lively lilac that will add a colour pop. The collection also includes Ocean Bloom, Tropical Sunset, - a beautiful coral tone and Sharktooth continuing the white nail trend. Coral Symphony is also available in 3 week GELeration. Price: Jessica Nails Coral Symphony range €12.95 for custom colours and €25 for GELeration. Jessica Nails are available from salons nationwide and online at www. frenchbeautyroom.com. Jessica Nails: offerings inspired by corals and blooms
BEAUTY news Keep your feet neat with Micro Pedi IT’S a tough life juggling work, families and domestic bliss and Irish mothers can often feel the strain on their feet. From shopping, cooking, cleaning and carrying out chores, mothers are on their feet almost all day. So why not encourage mum to put up her feet this Mother’s Day with a gift of a Micro Pedi? This revolutionary at-home pedicure device, that’s fast and easy to use, giving salon standard results every time. This handbag-sized, portable device will remove even the roughest of skin, leaving beautifully, soft skin on heels, soles and toes. The Micro Pedi system has a unique micro-mineral roller which safely, gently and effectively buffs away hard, jagged and rough skin giving immediate, lasting results, leaving a mum’s feet instantly softer and smoother. The Emjoi Micro Pedi is available from Boots, leading pharmacies nationwide and online from www. micropedi.ie The Micro Pedi is priced at €39.95 and replacement rollers also available for €14.95
Style Saturday events at the Kilkenny Shop MAKE room in the diary for the Style Saturdays events taking place in the Kilkenny Shop Nassau Street every Saturday until March 22. From 12 noon to 4pm, top Irish designers will be in store to give customers expert style advice on the latest season trends as well as showcasing looks from their own spring summer collections. Fiona Heaney, founder of renowned Irish label Fee G, started Style Saturdays in the Kilkenny Shop February 22, while Aideen Bodkin, Jennifer Rothwell, Niamh O’Neill and design duo Lennon Courtney are also scheduled for the coming weeks. Learn how to dress from the experts with Style Saturdays at Kilkenny. No booking is necessary to attend these free events – for further details on dates and times, visit www.kilkennyshop.com or ask in store. Dates for your diary - March 1: Aideen Bodkin; March 8: Jennifer Rothwell; March 15: Niamh O’Neill and March 22: Lennon Courtney
Gazette
26 Gazette 27 February 2014
OUT&ABOUT
Theatre Damien Devaney, one of the lead actors in The Bridge Below The Town
tale of 1950s love set to tour the country Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
SET in a small town in 1950s Ireland, Pat McCabe’s The Bridge Below The Town is a tale of the power of love and a couple’s triumph over great adversity. Livin’ Dred Theatre Company will tour the play, stopping in 10 theatres around Ireland in March and April, starting with a performance in its home county, Cavan, before travelling on to eight others, with two dates in Dublin. This new production of the play is directed by Padraic McIntyre, and includes actors such as Malcolm Adams (of Ripper Street fame), Gina Moxley (Game of Thrones, Stardust, The Butcher Boy), Damian Devaney (The Clinic, Raw), Janet Moran (Trivia, Love/Hate, Breakfast on Pluto), Roseanna Purcell and Barbara Bergin (The Snapper, Intermission, Love is the Drug). The Bridge Below the Town comes to the Pavilion for two dates on March 25 and 26, and the show will end its tour in Tallaght’s Civic Theatre, with a run starting on April 1 and ending on April 5. Tickets costing €18 and €16 are available from the Pavilion Theatre at www.paviliontheatre.ticketsolve. com, and from the Civic Theatre at www. civictheatre.ie.
ARTS
book review: rebel romancy
History is the star in uneven love story Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
A C H U R C H T OW N resident and engineering academic at UCD has taken a leap into the unsure waters of writing historical novels. Writing his historical novels from a deep love of Irish history, which began as a hobby, and originally from Galway, Paul B McNulty now lives in Churchtown. His latest novella, A Rebel Romance, is set during the 1798 Rebellion, one of Ireland’s many disastrous attempts at revolution against the British. The story follows on from McNulty’s previous novel, Spellbound by Sibella, and depicts the love story of Sibella’s illegitimate daughter, Cecilia Lynch. The heroine of the story, Cecilia lives in relative luxury as the illegitimate daughter of a baronet and an exotic mother who has a history of dabbling in witchcraft. Cecilia meets an eligible young man in John Moore, a United Irishman who goes on to be appointed president
--------------------------
‘Another troubling feature with the book was the stilted dialogue, which was McNulty’s attempt at an approximation of how the Irish landed gentry spoke in the 18th century’
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of Connaught by General Humbert in the briefly-established Irish republic during the 1798 Rebellion. H e av y t h e m e s o f illegitimacy, women’s rights and democracy are all woven together in the novella, although the story cannot bear the weight or breadth of such matters. T here are several problems with the story, not least the galloping pace which takes us from introductions to the characters through
to their love stor y, the rebellion, battles, imprisonment and the dramatic conclusion in huge leaps. As such, McNulty’s choice of the novella is surprising for such a sprawling tale. The literary form of the novella is quite an antiquated one, and it is rare to come across it today. T he novella was always a curious hybrid, as it was born in the 14th centur y from a need to extend a short story. It is therefore a very specific medium, and was best exampled by Henry James’ Turn of the Screw, Kafka’s Metamorphosis and George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Another troubling feature with the book is the stilted dialogue McNulty’s attempt at an approximation of how the Irish landed gentry spoke in the 18th century. One of the most remarkable examples of this occurs during a scene where Moore produces a bottle of champagne to toast his and Cecilia’s engagement, and she says: “Are you
The cover of Paul B McNulty’s new historical novella, A Rebel Romance, set in 1798
going to offer me a celebratory potation?” This is surprising as although McNulty has a good grasp of Irish history on a grand scale, there is however enough historical source material (through prodigious amounts of correspondence from that era) to gauge how people naturally spoke to each other on a daily basis. On the positive side, A Rebel Romance is the kind of light read that many people enjoy and takes the reader back to a more genteel time. McNulty is also a keen amateur historian, and by setting his stories against the backdrop of Irish historical events, he not only educates the reader but also depicts many important turning
The novella’s author, Paul B McNulty
points in Irish history which have never been tackled in literature, and especially not from
the Irish perspective. A Rebel Romance is available on Amazon and costs €4.99.
27 February 2014 Gazette 27
Gazette
FOOD&DRINK BITESIZEDNEWS
The atmospheric vault bar at ely in the IFSC is a great setting for an upcoming fundraising banquet
L’Ecrivain
French restaurant
Lower Baggot Street Standing on the site of two former Georgian coach houses/mews, the multiple award-winning French
restaurant L’Ecrivain
has had several updates over the years, but retains its reputation for some of the best food in Dublin
The Picky Eater AFTER weeks of perpetual rain and floods, we finally decided to venture out for a bite to eat, and plumped for a stalwart of the Irish food scene, and made reservations for L’Ecrivain. Brollies in hand, we set off for the Lower Baggot Street establishment, which has fed the great and the good of Dublin for close to 25 years. Packed out on a Tuesday night, the dining room was abuzz with couples and suits coming straight from work. In one corner, the editorial team of a rival paper were guzzling vast amounts of red wine poured from huge decanters that were almost as big as the diminutive sommelier. L’Ecrivain is always a great place for peoplewatching, and so we took our time in ordering, soaking up the atmosphere and the room. As a centrepiece, the main dining area has a huge Knuttel carpet
adorning its wall, and this draws the diner’s attention immediately. The place is warm and inviting, and we cosied in for a long evening of good food and chat. After ordering a Pinot Blanc from the Alsace region (€40) we examined the menu closely, but the winning options stood out immediately. For starters, I went for scallops while my companion ordered the rabbit. An amuse bouche – which consisted of something with peas – was my least favourite dish of the night, but things only got immensely better from there. The scallops (€20) were tender, seared to perfection and were served with mushroom and bacon, a shallot puree and fermented scallop brandade. My companion’s loin of rabbit (€17) with bacon and leek farce was outstanding, with a little confit leg tortellino, lentil
ragout and parsley root puree. An unusual palate cleanser consisted of a lemon sorbet that had a creamier texture to most sorbets, and some lemonade-like liquid poured on top. Our waiter recommended that we mix both together and drink it like a shot, which we promptly did and got a lovely icecold, cleansing kick. My main of pork belly (€37) had been slowcooked for 16 hours, and under the crisp crackling, the meat fell away. This was complemented with a carrot and mustard puree and date confit carrots. The accompanying sauerkraut was tangy, and hit the right note with the pork. The meat on my companion’s halibut (€38) was snow-white and flaked into moreish chunks. This was served with haricot beans, smoked eel and a verjus and celeriac puree. A fermented garlic potato dauphine finished
The simple but elegant dish presentation at L’Ecrivain was also of note. Picture: The Picky Eater
off the dish. “Sublime” was her only comment. Enough said! Dessert was a shared chocolate eclair (€13.50) that had notes of coffee, filled with cream and was sprinkled with chocolate coffee beans. It was a nicely-sized dish and was dispatched in a couple of mouthfuls.
The petit fours that come with coffee are always a welcome treat as the finale of a meal, and the chocolate truffle and raspberry macaroons ended a splendid evening in food exploration. For further details on L’Ecrivain, see www.lecrivain.com or call 01 661 1919.
Conclusion THANKS to its masterful mouthfuls, served with an irresistible dash of people-watching, L’Ecrivain (at 109A Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2; tel 01 661 1919) more than lives up to its reputation as a top French restaurant, which oui certainly liked.
A delicious fundraiser to support Barnardos natalie burke
THE ely bar & brasserie at the CHQ building in the IFSC is set to host a unique fundraising evening of food, wine and craft beer modelled on the Crimean War Banquet of 1856. Stack A, as the CHQ building was originally known, was completed in 1821 as a cast-iron, bonded wine, spirits and tobacco warehouse. The 1856 banquet was organised to honour the Irish veterans of the Crimean War. Today, ely is inviting guests to visit its vaulted wine cellars for an evening of history and celebration, beginning with a drinks reception, followed by a feast styled on the 1856 banquet. The ely banquet for Barnardos, the children’s charity, will be held on Thursday, April 10 from 7pm at the ely bar & brasserie in the IFSC. Tickets cost €80 and proceeds raised from ticket sales will go to Barnardos. For further information or to purchase tickets, see www.elywinebar.ie/banquet.
Kids will go nuts for these new fruit snacks DENMARK’S top-selling lunchbox snack, Fruit Heroes, has made its debut in Ireland, offering a delicious and healthily nutricious snack. Primarily targeted at children aged six to 12, and simply designed with a fun cartoon character to reflect their pure and simple ingredients, the Fruit Heroes range features great tasting, healthy and natural pure fruit bars in four flavours: apple and raspberry, banana, blackcurrant and strawberry varieties. Made from freshlypicked and sun-dried fruit, and with no added sugar, preservatives, colourings or artificial ingredients, five-bar multipacks are available in selected Tesco stores around the country for €2.29. For recipes and further information, see www.fruitheroes.ie.
Gazette
28 Gazette 27 February 2014
OUT&ABOUT
CINEMA
ReelReviews
UNDER THE SKIN Alien seductress
Under The Skin is the long-awaited latest visual treat from director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth). Dark, and at times disturbing, the film sees Scarlett Johansson as an alien who arrives on earth to prey on vulnerable males on the streets of Scotland. The story is left deliberately vague, Johansson’s femme fatale character, Laura, is part of a group of unnamed, unknown aliens who take human form in order to – well it’s not exactly clear what they want to do but it doesn’t look healthy. Laura sets about seducing people at the fringes of society, young people without families, loners, easy targets who won’t be missed. They are disposed of stylistically, wilfully submerged in some otherworldly black stasis that’s never explained. Glazer and cinematographer Daniel Landin have created a wonderfully intoxicating, oil-slick, psychedelic world for Johansson to explore. And it is intriguing to watch for a while, especially to a remarkably well-suited soundtrack. But once it becomes clear, around 45 minutes in, that the narrative may also be from outer-space, cleverly attempting to wear the skin of a traditional story then it all begins to crumble. The intended mystery quickly becomes tedious, and at times it seemed Over the Head might have been a better title. There seem to be fleeting glimpses of grander themes on display, and if you really wanted to you could read the film as a form of the classic thought experiment about how our society looks to the outsider, or it could also say something about gender roles in Western culture, or the predatory nature of life, but you would be putting in a lot of work to do so. Verdict: 4/10
Inventor Tim Jenison works on a re-creation of one of Johannes Vermeer’s paintings
TIM’S VERMEER: A creative documentary that examines the artist’s work
Brush up on some art theories Researching the painting techniques of a 17th Century Dutch Master may not sound like your typical cinema fare, but Tim’s Vermeer is an absolute joy for anyone interested in a gripping story. The Tim in question is Tim Jenison, an inventor and founder of Newtek, a company that ushered in a new era of video production in the 1980s, and continues pushing the boundaries of video broadcasting and 3D rendering today. This effectively means as well as having his finger on the pulse of digital imaging, he now has the means and opportunity to pursue some rather quirky personal obsessions - like figuring out how Johannes Vermeer painted such exquisitely detailed images.
Dave phillips
Jenison argues that in paintings such as The Girl with the Pearl Earring, Vermeer creates images in an almost photographic style, capturing the fall-off of light in ways which the human eye doesn’t pick up. Having worked with cameras for all of his professional life, Jenison becomes convinced that Vermeer’s paintings show lighting effects that are only visible through the lens of a camera and hypothesises that either Vermeer had an eye that was drastically differ-
ent to any other human eye, or that he used a camera. The idea that burgeoning camera technolog y was utilised by Vermeer and other painters is not new. As the film details, there is a canon of work showing how the camera obscura has been used across centuries to create incredibly detailed images. Jenison builds on the existing theory firstly by suggesting a unique way a mirror could be used to account for the lighting effects, and secondly by taking on the role of an experimental archaeologist and attempting to put the theory to practice in painstaking detail, despite never having wielded a paintbrush. The film is produced and directed by Penn
and Teller who have been gracing our screens for decades as stage magicians and professional debunkers. At this point they are dab hands at skillfully unravelling a good yarn, and it is evident. Across 80 minutes the film never misses a beat, taking us on the highs and lows of Jenison’s
obsessive journey which sees him travelling around the world in search of answers from artists, scientists, and historians; testing the limits of his (and his family’s) patience in his quest to recreate a Vermeer. Through seeking to physically recreate a Vermeer, Jenison also metaphorically paints a portrait of the artist. T he picture that emerges is one of Vermeer as the archetypal Renaissance man, a polymath who is
both an exceptionally skilled artist and an avid technological tinkerer, a person who is obsessed with the details and possessed of a tenacity to realise them. Despite the centuries and professional labels that adorn them, the two men seem to have a lot in common. Tim’s Vermeer is a film that seeks to shrink the ideological gulf that can exist between high art and technology – it is an engaging, entertaining, and educational underdog story that exposes inextricable links between genius and hard graft. Verdict: 8/10
Nicely echoing our other review starring Scarlett Johansson this week, here she is in the recent hit film about one of Vermeer’s best-known paintings, The Girl with the Pearl Earring
27 February 2014 GAZETTE 29
INTERVIEW: THE GAZETTE TALKS TO FORMER WESTLIFE STAR
Filan great about his hot new album ROB HEIGH rheigh@gazettegroup.com
THE process of leaving world-conquering bands and heading off on your own is beset on all sides by the car wrecks of failed solo careers. However, someone who has navigated the choppy early waters of the solo life, delivering a solid first album and selling tens of thousands of tickets to loyal fans, is former Westlife singer, Shane Filan. He exclusively spoke to Gazette Music ahead of the start of his first-ever British and Irish tour in Liverpool last Thursday, which will end in a three-day celebration at the Olympia on March 11, 12 and 13. He said: “I’m really excited ahead of the first show in Liverpool; I don’t know what to expect. It’s the first-ever Shane Filan concert, which is kind of weird. “It’s hitting home that I’m on my own solo tour now, and it’s really exciting,” he said. Having had a long career with Westlife, and having taken to considerably bigger stages than the ones he will stand on in the coming weeks, Shane said he was a little nervous ahead of the tour. He said: “I’m playing in theatres, playing to 2,000
GAZETTE
MUSIC&ENTS CELEBRITYspy
with Q102’s Rebecca Lee
Oh, baby! Simon will be kept X-tra busy IT’S certainly been a busy week for Simon Cowell, between becoming a father and announcing his return to the X-Factor UK. The X-Factor judge is said to be ecstatic following the birth of his son Eric, with girlfriend Lauren Silverman. He’s also expressed his excitement about returning to the X-Factor UK after a three-year break. Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon believes Simon’s return is vital in bringing life back to the show. She told Dublin’s Q102 she feels Simon will help rake in the viewers and talent.
BEYONCE’S going to be one minted miss when she wraps up her world tour. It’s estimated the Bootylicious singer will have earned a cool €146 million by the time it ends in March. The tours unsurprisingly is set to be the most successful of her career. She not only stars in the show, but serves as its director and executive producer (how amazing is she?)
HUGH Jackman says he’s looking forward to hosting the Tony Awards again. The star is set to MC Broadway’s biggest event in New York this June. Jackman announced the news in a tweet; it’ll be his fourth time hosting the event.
On recording his new, solo album, You And Me (right) in Nashville, Shane Filan said: “I got to write with some amazing writers. I found my sound, and I love the country-pop style.”
to 3,000 people a night, which to me, right now, feels like 80,000.” Before becoming a solo artist, Shane was able to prepare for the future while still in Westlife as they made the announcement of their split some eight months ahead of going their separate ways. He said: “Once we decided we were going to split as a band, we all started planning what we were going to do, and for me the only thing I wanted to do was sing. “So I mentally had to prepare for that – for the end of Westlife. It was a daunting thing to walk out of such a massive band and take on a new role and stand on the stage on my own.
“The band ended and all the other stuff that happened – financially, I wasn’t in a good place – it was a scary time for me. I had no certainty going forward, as I had no record deal and no songs. “But, once the process [of recording the album, You And Me] started last January, that was it,” he said.
Nashville The record is a set of bright and catchy pop songs with a country tinge, something that came from Shane’s experience working and writing new music in Nashville, which inspired and gave him confidence in his solo venture, as well as giving it a clear direc-
tion. He said: “I was three or four weeks into the writing process, and the record company booked me to go to Nashville. That, straight away, was daunting, as it is where some of the best songwriters in the world live, so you can’t go over there and not come back with something. “It was a bit of pressure straight away, and I was thrown in at the deep end, but I learned a lot. I got to write with some amazing writers. I found my sound, and I love the country-pop style.” With such a vast back catalogue of tracks as well as his new solo material, Shane said he found it tricky to pick the ideal set list for the tour.
“It’s not just about performing your songs, you need to make it a show, make it interesting and exciting, up-tempo and ballads as well. “I think it’s a good set list; there are a lot of Westlife numbers [too], which I think is important. I have tried to make them fit in to my style of music, changing them here and there, and the set list really flows now.” As for ending the tour in Dublin, Shane says that he was delighted that he got such support from his home audience that he was able to add the additional shows when the first one sold out. He said: “No better place to finish it up. The Olympia is such an iconic venue!
MAN of the moment Robert Sheehan has been busy scouting locations in India for his new movie. The ex Love/Hate star has been checking out locations in Goa with his production team for his new film, Jet Trash. The 26-year-old has been filming projects non-stop since he was killed off in the hit TV series more than a year ago.
VOICE of Ireland winner Keith Hanley says he doesn’t hear from Jamelia any more. The 2013 winner, who was carried through the show by the superstar singer, told me they’ve cut ties. Keith made the comments during a chat about his new single, Blue, which has just been released on iTunes. He told me it doesn’t bother him that they’ve gone their separate ways, and that he feels Jamelia did her best while they were working together on the show.
Gazette
30 Gazette 27 February 2014
OUT&ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY
APPSWATCH
Yes, you could stand out in the street looking for bus updates – or you could just glance at the same info on your phone
REASONS TO BE APPY
Beat – or avoid – the traffic with these downloads GIVEN the continuing inexorable rise of smartphone and tablets all around us – frankly, you can hardly hop on the bus or Luas any more without someone almost poking your eye out as they play Candy Crush Saga (see below right), let’s look at some of the useful apps for the city’s travellers. A surprising number of people still don’t have these useful apps, so don’t put off installing them any longer, and help to make your commuting life a little easier. Whether you’re an experienced app-ster, or late to jump on the tech bus, there should be something here for you ... SPEAKING of buses, the official Dublin Bus app (free, IOS, Android) is a must. Just a tiny bit clunkier to use than it should be, it’s nevertheless a must-have for bus users, as it provides the very latest updates on when your next bus(es) are due to depart, based on the GPStech that the bus fleet uses. As it uses the same GPS data that the real-time stops display, it can be a little prone to the same “ghost buses” issues that randomly hit them, but it remains a consistently useful, if not essential app nonetheless. FOR those looking to jump on board the rush-hour sardine tins otherwise known as the Luas, you’re in luck – Luas (free, IOS, Android) is worth making tracks to, as it’s another pretty useful app for that service’s users. It has the same real-time updates for the next tram along the Red or Green line, along with associated useful data. Again, another must-have for regular travellers. CAR users enjoying traversing the biggest mobile car park in Europe (otherwise known as the M50), or those who are competing in the daily “Who can take the slowest trip along the Quays?” contest will have plenty of time to browse through the useful AA Ireland Breakdown & Traffic app (free, IOS, Android). If you tire of customising the app with your own AA info (just in case you ever need to worry about such matters as help in a breakdown, renewing your tax, setting an NCT reminder and so on), you can also read the latest Roadwatch traffic updates – perfect for learning all about the jam you could have avoided two miles back if you’d just checked your app in time. IF YOU’RE one of the many people spotted risking life and limb on two wheels in town – I salute your braveness, one and all – Dublin Bikes is indeed a great facility to have. Apps for it … not so much. Appsolute Editions’ Dublinbikes (free, IOS, Android) seems to have a mixture of 50:50 happy/dissatisfied users at present. In theory, the app tells you how many available bikes/free slots are at the stations around town, but in practice, the data updates may not be the most reliable. In common with all these apps, there’s room for improvement. And, for all the motoring apps, there’s vroom for improvement.
Tech watchers and business analysts are peering into their crystal balls, attempting to calculate what will happen to WhatsApp – the extremely popular mobile messaging service – following its sale to Facebook for $19bn. Illustration: Shane Dillon
communications: why facebook paid €19bn for company
WhatsApp with that deal? WHENEVER you hop onto Dublin Bus or the Luas at the moment, you’ll easily see two apps in widespread use on smartphones – Candy Crush Saga (see below), and WhatsApp. For those who may be new to smartphones – even today, there are still many who are – WhatsApp is a free (for the first year; minimal charge thereafter) messenger app that uses 3G or Wifi to send free texts and other media contact to anyone using the same app – thus completely bypassing mobile carrier services. Until very recently, WhatsApp had a comparatively low profile, without any of the social buzz surrounding the likes of Instagram, Snap-
shane dillon
sdillon@gazettegroup.com
chat, or Facebook. Speaking of which … Enter MarkZuckerberg, Facebook’s founder, who made a pretty astonishing deal in late February to buy WhatsApp for the Dr Evil-ish sum of $19bn (in euro by my calculations, that’s … a lot of money). “Facebook buys WhatsApp for $19bn” is a headline that’s been widely reported, and which you may have already seen. However, there’s been a comparative lack of insight into why Face-
book paid such an eyebrow-raising figure for an app that doesn’t generate any major revenue at present. Gazing into The Gazette’s crystal ball, and using the same finelyhoned guesstimate skills that tech watchers and financial analysts are using at the moment, I can confidently gues- err, predict that this latest tech acquisition was a tactical move by Facebook. After all, while Facebook has leapt into the public eye and imagination in recent years, there are certain markets – such as across various Asian countries, for example – where its uptake hasn’t been as rapid, or unchallenged. In such sectors, What-
sApp (and similar services) have a strong presence, with communications messengers providing a bigger challenge to social media than in our Western markets. Bearing this in mind, WhatsApp’s acquisition is a way to further bolster the Facebook brand globally, and especially in such comparatively weaker markets. For now, the $19bn deal – comprising a hefty chunk of money up front, stock shares and further payments down the road – sees Facebook as owner of the hugely-successful messenger service. With that, it can be presumed to start automatically data-mining all of the data exchanges that WhatsApp users have
been sending for a few years. Armed with this data, Facebook could work on further refining its advertising strategies and algorithms, as well as seeking to further monetise WhatsApp (possibly by introducing tailored advertising to the currently adsfree, streamlined app) while a wild card guess could see WhatsApp integrated into Facebook – all of which add value to the overall Facebook brand. In the short term, it seems like a crazy figure to have paid out, but in the long run, it could turn out to be a prescient purchase for Facebook. And, at least it didn’t pay a truly ridiculous price for the company like, say, $20bn …
PRETTY SWEET FINANCIAL FIGURES BEHIND CANDY CRUSH SAGA HAVING surpassed Angry Birds in the public consciousness, the nearly-ubiquitous Candy Crush Saga has some impressive economic statistics behind its candy-swapping gameplay. Recent reports reveal that its maker, King Digital Entertainment, is currently pulling in about €580,000 ($600k) a day from the title – a pretty sweet set-up for King, or any gaming business.
The game’s currently sitting near the top of the food chain when it comes to the free-to-play gaming business model, whereby a game is free to download and play, but if just 1% of its daily players decide that they’d like to pay a small fee to unlock extra game features – well, it’s not hard to see how the figures could be a delicious package for potential investors to take a bite at.
So, given some of these hard-boiled financial figures behind the smash-hit phone and tablet game, King has filed an IPO in America, seeking to pull in an initial $500m. Based on its huge number of Irish fans, Candy Crush Saga is unlikely to be running at a floss – sorry, loss for quite some time ...
27 February 2014 Gazette 31
32 Gazette 27 February 2014
Gazette
&ABOUT OUT road NOISE
Ford EcoSport SUV
Delorentos set to have sport with Ford – Ole ole ole! Irish band Delorentos are taking part in an exclusive concert hosted by Ford later this month. Taking place on February 26 in Barcelona, the concert will be broadcast live on Spotify and streamed live on Ford Europe’s YouTube channel. The event, that also features such acts as Natalie McCool from the UK; and Mickael Miro from France, will mark the launch of “EcoSport Live!” an innovative social media campaign built around the all-new Ford EcoSport. For “EcoSport Live!” Ford will loan 100 new Ford EcoSport SUVs for up to six months to music, fashion, food and sport bloggers from 10 European countries; they will share their experiences through social media. The bloggers – who will share their experiences of the car on social media – will test Ford’s new in-car connectivity system Ford SYNC with AppLink, which enables drivers to voice-activate apps from such providers as Spotify, Radioplayer and Audioteka while on the move. Ford also will announce special EcoSport Live! events in each of the 10 countries – including local challenges and celebrity drives – that will take place throughout the year. “We’re excited about EcoSport Live! because it puts our new EcoSport SUV and SYNC with AppLink in the hands of some of the most creative and socially connected people in Europe and they decide what they create and share,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, marketing, sales and service, Ford of Europe. “A concert with 10 great up-and-coming new acts that is available to everyone online is a great way to kick off EcoSport Live!” A growing number of service providers has already confirmed they are enabling their apps to work with Ford SYNC with Voice Control and AppLink in Europe. Ford has previously announced apps from ADAC; Audioteka; Cityseeker by Wcities; Die Welt; Eventseeker by Wcities; Glympse; Hotels.com; Kaliki; Spotify; Radioplayer and TomTom.
opel meriva: more efficient, more functional and better looking
Gold cert and the stars well earned cormac curtis
Opel have made some changes to its popular Meriva, making the car more efficient, better looking and more functional. Gazette motoring will carry a full road test of the car once it becomes available, but in the meantime we have the latest specs and features of the versatile MPV. Launching on these shores in April, the new Meriva will be available from a lower price of €18,995. On the exterior the Meriva, stands out with a crisper design, new chrome accents and newly designed front and rear lights. Opel’s new generation 1.6 136hp turbo diesel engine is introduced, this is the quietest and most efficient engine in the class, consuming as low as 3.8 litres per 100km and qualifies in vehicle road tax band A4 (€200). Later this year and for the first time in a petrol
or diesel MPV, emissions will go under 100g– with just 99g/km CO2 when a 1.6 CDTi 110hp variant is introduced. The Meriva comes with features such as: rear-hinged FlexDoors to make access easier, variable rear seating system called FlexSpace, ergonomic front seats and numerous storage solutions. Opel’s very own FlexFix, a fully integrated, rear-end bicycle carrier system is ideal for active individuals and families. The new IntelliLink multimedia system is also introduced, allowing the streaming of music and calls through Bluetooth phones, tablets or portable devices. Voice commands for navigation, phone calls and music tracks have also been introduced. It will even display texts to stay connected throughout every journey. The new Meriva has achieved the maximum five star result in the Euro NCAP crash test. Additionally, in the new Ger-
man TÜV Report 2014 found that the Meriva was found to be the car with the lowest defect rate and also best quality among two to three year old vehicles and even beat other manufactures in the premium segment for this accolade, as a result it has been awarded the TÜV Gold Certificate. Trim options for the Meriva are:
Entry Model S: Features daytime running lights, FlexSpace adjustable rear seats, FlexFloor – an adjustable luggage compartment floor that can be lowered to give you more load height and volume, CD with USB for iPod/ MP3 player and aux-in sockets, electric front windows and heated door Mirrors, door-to-door illumination, remote central dead locking and driver’s seat height adjuster, electronic stability programme-plus and an anti-lock braking system. Best Selling SC Trim: Adds additional features
Opel’s new generation 1.6 136hp turbo diesel engine is the quietest and most efficient engine in the class
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The Meriva, stands out with a crisper design, new chrome accents and newly designed front and rear lights
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such as air conditioning, cruise control, activesafety front seat head restraints, FlexRail centre console system featuring aluminium rails and sliding tray/cup holder, Full-size curtain airbags, active-safety front seat head restraints, steering wheel mounted audio controls, ambient lighting in centre console, front seat back pockets, 12-volt electrical accessory socket in rear centre console, rear courtesy lights, Remote control security alarm system on 1.6CDTi models. Premium SE Trim: Add addional features from SC such as; Panoramic glass roof with
electrically operated sunshade, 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, front fog lights with chrome surrounds, dark-tinted rear windows, multi-function trip computer, electrically operated rear windows, leather-covered steering wheel, leather-covered gear knob (manual models only), front sliding centre storage module with armrest and lid, aviation-style folding trays on front seat backs, driver’s under seat storage box, front passenger’s under seat storage tray, front and rear door sill step plates, full body-colour door mirrors, chromeeffect lower side-window mouldings.
27 February 2014 Gazette 33
Gazette
MOTORS
audi tt: the love affair continues
Taut, muscular, athletic, poised – what’s not to like? cormac curtis
THE Audi TT - it’s already been a huge success, and Irish motorists have been enjoying a love affair with it from day one. Now it’s time for the next incarnation. Taut and muscular, athletic and poised: the new Audi TT will be making its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. In anticipation of its release, Audi have released this stunning concept of the car to give an idea of what to expect. For the third generation of the compact sports car, the designers have reinterpreted a host of ideas from the first TT generation from 1998 – in a dynamic, diverse way. The front end of the new Audi TT has dominant horizontals. The single-frame grille is broad and flat. Two contours form a V-pattern over the engine hood. The position of the four rings is also new: they now sit centrally on the hood, echoing the R8. Struts divide the large
air inlets. The headlights repeat this motif – they are structured with divider struts acting as reflectors for the daytime running light. Audi can supply the headlights as an option with LED technology or its pioneering Matrix LED technology, where controllable individual light-emitting diodes generate the main beam. Many details of the new Coupe’s profile are reminiscent of the first generation’s classic design. The sill contour forms a powerful light edge and the wide wheel arches constitute distinct geometrical entities. At the front, the wheel arch intersects the hood join, which continues over the door as the tornado line and extends all the way to the rear. The flat greenhouse looks like an entity in its own right. The shape of the C-post, with a slight kink, gives the TT a powerful, athletic look and enhances the impression of tension. At the rear, too, horizontal lines reinforce the wide, sporty impression. The struts in the
rear lights pick up on the headlights’ motif. They remain permanently on – another Audi innovation. The third brake light with a flat strip shape links the two units on either side. All engine versions have two large, round exhaust tailpipes in the diffuser. Like all Audi S models, the TTS features four tailpipes. Inside, too, the styling is so light it almost seems to float, evoking the clean sports car character of the new Audi TT. The centre console and door trims have flowing, matching shapes. The round air vents, a classic TT feature, evoke the engines and incorporate the air conditioning controls. This solution – and the elimination of the central MMI monitor, now replaced by the Audi virtual cockpit – pave the way for the dashboard’s slim architecture. The third generation of the Audi TT, the design icon, has been systematically refined in every department, both inside and out – resulting in a pedigree sports car.
The new Audi TT will be making its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week
34 GAZETTE 27 February 2014
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27 February 2014 GAZETTE 35
CROWDFUNDING P37
ASDFSDAF P27 GAELIC GAMES P39
DUBLINSPORT Let the Gazette keep you up to date with all the best local sporting action from around the city as we cover all the stories that matter to you and your community
GAZETTE
SPORTS AWARDS P36
FastSport DUBLIN HAILS O’DRISCOLL IN RUGBY SURVEY:
St Pat’s Athletic players Ger O’Brien and Killian Brennan (inset) who have both been nominated for Airtricity Player of the Year. Main picture: Billy Galligan
SOCCER: FAI SHORTLISTS SHOWS RANGE OF LOCAL FLAIR PRESENT ON WORLD STAGE
Dublin talent aplenty on list of international nominees A WEALTH of Dubs and Dublin-based players have been named on the shortlists for the 24th annual Three FAI International Football Awards, which will take place on Sunday, March 2 at RTE Studios, Donnybrook. St Patrick’s Athletic duo Killian Brennan and Ger O’Brien have both been rewarded for excellent seasons with a spot on the SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year shortlist. They helped the Inchicore side land the League of Ireland title and are on the list with former Crumlin United man Richie Towell completing the line-up following a fine 2013 with Dundalk. Tallaght man Robbie Keane is up for
both senior international player of the year along with Three International Goal of the Year. He is up against former Belvedere and Shelbourne man Wes Hoolahan in the latter shortlist for his first international strike against Poland. On the women’s side, Peamount’s Julie-Ann Russell will battle it out with former club mate Louise Quinn – who now plays in Sweden – for the women’s player of the year gong. They are joined on that list by US-based Shannon Smyth. In the underage categories, Sam Byrne – formerly of St Joseph’s Boys – is in the Under-19 selection courtesy of his performances in the international side while
he has impressed in the Manchester United as he notched several goals for the reserves. Belvedere’s Pierce Sweeney is also an Under-19 nominee while Shane Griffin makes up the trio. Byrne’s Joey’s club mate Katie McCabe – now with Raheny - is in line for the girl’s equivalent Under-19 title along with her current club mate Claire Shine. Going down the age groups, St Kevin’s Boy’s Jack Byrne and Stella Maris’ Cody Mulhall are Under-17 boys nominees; Keeva Keenan from WFTA and subsequently Shelbourne is nominated in the Under-17 girls category. At Under-16 level, Malahide United’s Robert Duggan and St Kevin’s Anthony
Dolan are included, too. Of the Junior internationals, Sherriff YC’s Darren Dunne flies the Dublin flag while Martin Cramer’s performances for Crumlin saw him get one of the three shortlist spots in the intermediate player of the year. Three nominations were chosen across the categories by a panel from the Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland. Also at the awards, a former Republic of Ireland great will be inducted into the FAI’s Hall of Fame, while there will also be a Special Merit Award, and an International Personality of the Year Award, all of which will be announced at the event.
DUBLIN rugby giant Brian O’Driscoll was announced as the nation’s greatest-ever back according to a survey released by IRFU community partner and sponsor of the 6 Nations, Ulster Bank. The survey, based on responses from across the country revealed O’Driscoll as Ireland’s best back of all-time, with 75% of the vote, easily beating Ronan O’Gara in second place with 8%. Clubs can still enter RugbyForce, the Ulster Bank initiative which provides clubs with the opportunity to win support packages for their club, with the top prize of €10,000 and four provincial prizes of €5,000. For further information, log on to www. ulsterbank.com/rugby
C O N TA C T S Sports Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com
For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@gazettegroup.com Phone: 01 651 6230 or 01 651 6205
Gazette
36 Gazette 27 February 2014
SPORT
DublinGazetteNewspapers 2014 dublin sports awards february nominees
ANOTHER month of fantastic Dublin sport to report on, and all this in spite of weather that would otherwise indicate the end of days... or at least the truth of global warming. We have another illustrious set of nominees for the Dublin Sports Awards, featuring a wide array of sports that survived the elements and showed the depth of talent in sport right across the capital. We have a huge amount to look forward to from these stars and teams over the coming months, and we’ll be bringing you all the developments on their respective progress. We’re also delighted to announce that the Dublin Sports Awards for 2013 will have their gala presentation evening on March 27 - more details to come soon.
H STARof the MONTH
stephen mcphail
caroline ryan
sinead DENNY
rush man McPhail made his debut for Shamrock Rovers last week in the quarter-final of the Setanta Sports Cup and made a prodigal return when he scored for his new club in their 5-1 demolition of Belfast side Glentoran.
THE Garda Club cyclist returned to the World number one spot this month in the 3km individual pursuit, a huge confidence boost ahead of her appearance at the 2014 World Track Championships in Colombia.
DSDAC athlete Sinead Denny followed up her successful 2013, where she claimed silver in the 2013 championship and represented Ireland at the European team championships with gold in the 400m at the AAI National Indoor Championships in Athlone.
three rock rovers
collinstown fc
st mochta’s
THREE Rock Rovers Hockey Club brought four decades without the national title to an end this month when they kept their nerve to claim the Irish Senior Cup at Belfield on penalties after they had ended the final against Pembroke Wanderers level at 2-2
Collinstown reached the last eight of the FAI Junior Cup competition for the first time when they defeated Mervue United in a hard-fought encounter that saw the Clondalkin side’s rehearsal of their penalties skills pay off in the shoot-out.
ST MOCHTA’S Sunday Senior 1A side have defied the odds to reach the quarter-final stages of the FAI Intermediate Cup, most recently getting the better of Ulster side Cockhill Celtic 2-0 to set up a showdown with LSL giants Tolka Rovers.
TEAMof the MONTH H
Malahide cricket event wins international recognition sport@gazettegroup.com
The packed crowd at Malahide Cricket Club last September when ireland played England in an ODI
On the same day as Ireland won an historic victory against West Indies in their T20 encounter, Cricket Ireland’s promotion and marketing of the Ireland vs England one-day international won a prestigious ICC global award. The event in September 2013 saw 10,000 fans attend the north county club as part of a record sell-out crowd. Cricket Ireland marketing manager Andrew Leonard said: “We are absolutely delighted
to receive this Global ICC Award. It’s a fantastic honour for everyone at Cricket Ireland, including the volunteers who worked so tirelessly to make the match the undoubted success it was. “That day that will live long in the memory of many Irish cricket fans, with a superb game of cricket being matched by glorious weather, a recordbreaking crowd and the magnificent debut of our newest international venue in Malahide. It was a special day which showed Irish cricket at its very
best.” The support which roared Ireland on that day is hoped to be in place again at Clontarf when the national team meet Sri Lanka in two one-day internationals on May 6 and 8. ICC global development manager Tim Anderson said: “I’m really pleased to congratulate the winners of the Pepsi ICC Development Programme Annual Awards 2013, who have all demonstrated incredible dedication to growing cricket globally. “Cricket Ireland’s sell-out
ODI against England confirmed the major market potential that Ireland has for our game.” This year’s judging panel featured current ICC president Alan Isaac, previous ICC presidents Malcolm Gray, Ehsan Mani, David Morgan and Sharad Pawar, as well as John Stephenson as a representative of the MCC. All Pepsi ICC Development Programme Annual Awards 2013 winners receive a cricket equipment grant to their national cricket body.
27 February 2014 Gazette 37
Gazette
Pledge project aids sport stars’ ambitions Dublin sports people have adopted the new crowd-sourcing approach to realising their dreams, and James Cluskey and Cian Curley explain how it can transform their careers stephen findlater
sport@gazettegroup.com
NINE Irish sports stars have banded together with Pledge Sports in a bid to pursue their sporting dreams, hoping that this new initiative can provide a way to support their elite ambitions. With Irish Spor ts Council funds being shaved year on year and wholesale sponsors diminishing, the initiative provides a platform for “crowd-funding” via their website. It is something that the likes of Dublin triathlete Kevin Thornton, Lucan golfer Cian Curley, Swords tennis player James Cluskey and Aer Lingus swimming Olympian Barry Murphy have all jumped on board. It has enjoyed success in the US to date, open-
ing a portal for athletes to receive funding from fans and commercial sponsors. For Metro St Brigid’s runner John Coghlan, this has already allowed Teneo - a consultancy firm in New York - to provide a donation that pushed him over the 60% of his funding target as he embarks on his first full year as a professional having previously won European gold as part of the Irish Under-23 team. For each participant, their motives are different depending on their sport but the aim is the same — to get the helping hand they need to push for higher ground in the sporting world. Barry Murphy, meanwhile, is looking to compete in a world with heavily-funded American and Australian college students with his current
support structure a fraction of his rivals. Nonetheless, he won a 50m breaststroke world bronze in 2013 as well as a European short course third in the same event. His stated goal is to become a European champion. In 2013, James Cluskey showed just what this leg up can do. With Sports Council funding for the first time, he was able to travel to more events on the world tennis tour and became Ireland’s highest-ever ranked doubles player, and was just the third Irish player ever to win a Challenger level event. This year, funding may be limited from that avenue, so he is hoping to use this route to fill the gap and push for a Wimbledon doubles spot, something that could
Lucan golfing star Cian Curley explained that it can cost over €20,000 to simply get on the first rung of the ladder to European success
have a long-lasting effect on tennis in Ireland. “The more tournaments and sometimes the further I can go to find a better schedule, having a bit of security there will help me break the top 100 in the world and play Wimbledon. “I went to Johannesburg last year and lost
the first rung, the Euro Pro Tour, of the ladder. “On the Euro ProTour, there’s 15 or 16 events a year,” he told GazetteSport. “It will cost €800€1,000 per event. At the end of year, you get to Q-school where the entry fee alone is €1,700. If you were to go through all the phases of qualify-
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‘The costs of playing on the tour adds up very quickly. For me, it was a no-brainer’ - Cian Curley
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the first round. One of the reasons I think I lost was I put more pressure on myself because of the cost of getting there. Having more money would help me get to those tournaments that I want to play so I can make my decisions number one for tennis rather than other reasons. “I am not a big fan of being negative about how difficult it can be. At the same time, no one is forcing me to play tennis. But I am 150 in the world and am going in the right direction and really close to Wimbledon. It would be a really big moment for tennis, like when Conor Niland played.” For Curley, his target is getting a foothold on the European Tour after a impressive amateur career. It is a notoriously tough thing to do with start-up funds of €20,000 required just to get on
ing school, you are looking at €5,000 to €6,000 for that alone to get you onto the main tour. “You are looking at €20,000 at least for your flights, your car rentals, your hotels and your entry fees at a minimum. It all adds up very quickly. “When I researched what Pledge Sports was all about, it was a nobrainer for me. It is something that has been very successful over in the US. It is the first time it has been tried on such a scale in Ireland. It’s good to be involved and, hopefully, it can work out.” With funding in place, it would allow Curley to travel to more tournaments to give the golfing prospect a stronger base to take a tilt at qualifying school to the European Tour, a level where he would be able to sustain a long-term career as a pro.
FastSport
Dublin hockey acclaimed in national awards list DUBLIN clubs, players, coaches and umpires to the fore in Irish Hockey Awards as they are landed six out of the seven prizes announced last Thursday while a further two of the three remaining gongs are guaranteed to stay in the province. It was an incredible day for Beaufort side Loreto who were awarded three trophies with a high possibility of landing a fourth on the awards night, to be held on March 21, as three of their players – Sinead McGirr, (pictured above), Ali Meeke and Nikki Keegan will battle it out with Kate Dillon for women’s club player of the year. Already in the bag are Umpire of the Year for Fiona Davitt – the Leinster Hockey Umpires President this season – while Inez Cooper wins Volunteer of the Year. She has recently been coopted onto the European Hockey Federation executive board having played key roles in the delivery of the Irish Hockey League among other roles in recent years. Graham Shaw also gets a partial nod from the Loreto camp as Coach of the Year having helped the club to the Irish Hockey League finals in the judging period while also getting Rathdown to their first senior cup final. His magnum opus, though, was delivering an IHL and Irish Senior Cup to Monkstown, the latter their first national title in 99 years. In addition, Town can celebrate Lee Cole’s Under-18 player of the year having starred with the Irish Under-18s in Poland, too. The Sky-Blues are up for club of the year along with Loreto, Railway Union and Muckross. Mount Anville won school of the year following their Senior Cup win last season while their talisman last season, Sara Twomey – who plays her club hockey with Hermes – won the Under18 women’s player of the year. As well as the women’s club player of the year, the men’s club player of the year will also be named from a shortlist at the event with Monkstown’s Gareth Watkins, UCD’s Ross Canning and Pembroke’s Mark Ingram on the list along with the solitary Munster representative, Dave Egner. The President’s Award will also be awarded on the night and is decided upon at the sole discretion of the president to recognise an individual for their outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey.
Gazette
38 DUblin city gazette 27 February 2014
SPORT
FastSport
soccer: sponsors’ support steels gypsies for campaign
National heartbreak for Pembroke sides PEMBROKE Wanderers were left frustrated as both their men’s and women’s teams fell at the final hurdle in their respective Irish Senior Cup finals at Belfield last Sunday. On Saturday, the club achieved a rare feat when the men beat Lisnagarvey in the semi-finals 3-2 after extra time while the women got the better of Lurgan on penalty strokes to set up an incredible double header. But the Dublin 4 club could not land either piece of silverware. The women were undone by a classy UCD side laden with internationals 2-0 in their decider with Anna O’Flanagan and Nikki Evans on the mark. The men, meanwhile, were denied in cruel fashion on penalty strokes by Three Rock Rovers who claimed their first Senior Cup title in 40 years. Pembroke had led via Conor Harte’s goal but they went behind 2-1 before Tim Hill equalised with nine minutes left. Rovers, however, prevailed 5-4 in the shoot-out.
Shels’ stars selected for Ireland squads Shelbourne FC have been celebrating the success of their underage players in being called up for Ireland duty recently after it was announced that their young stars were to appear in the squads for the Under17, Under-18 and Under-19 representative teams. Recent first team addition Lee Desmond has been called into Paul Doolin’s Under-19 squad for the upcoming friendlies against Romania in Cork on March 1 and 6. Desmond has been a
regular feature of Martin Murray’s Under-19 squad since his return from England where he appeared for both Newcastle United and Ipswich. Adam McDonnell, also a member of Murray’s Under-19s and signed up to the first team by Shels manager John McDonnell, has been called into Tom Mohan’s Under-17 squad for Ireland’s friendly against Austria in Dublin on March 4 and 6. In addition to Desmond and McDonnell’s call-ups, both Aaron and Ryan Robinson made their debuts for Paul Doolin’s Under-18 squad against Wales in recent weeks.
Bohemian FC manager Owen Heary, centre, with Keith Buckley, Jason Byrne, Stephen Traynor and Ryan McEvoy at the launch of their new kit
Bohs’ boss set for season rob heigh sport@gazettegroup.com
League of Ireland side Bohemians are set to enter the 2014 season with new manager Owen Heary at the helm for his first full term, and both the club and its new boss are prepared for the challenges to come. With the backing of new sponsor, Mr Green, which will provide significant financial and marketing support to the Gypsies, Heary is set to make the switch to managerial life as he simultaneously undertakes his European professional coaching licence tuition.
Speaking to GazetteSport at the launch of the club’s association with the online company, whose logo will appear on the club’s iconic red and black home jersey as well as their all-new green away strip, Heary said he felt the link-up would deliver great dividends to the club. “Mr Green are backing us on what I’ve spoken to them about and willing to row in and help us on other things, so it will be a good association for the club. They’re giving a lot to it, are willing to put their money where their mouth is and back the club, and it’s going to
Super students UCD celebrate title win at Frank Cooke Park UNIVERSITY College Dublin’s Colleges
and Universities Premier League soccer team were celebrating last week when they defeated IT Carlow 2-0 at Frank Cooke Park to claim the Premier Division title. The students won the match at Tolka Rovers ground courtesy of goals in either half from Dean Clarke and Cillian Morrison. Picture: Pat Murphy / SPORTSFILE
work out well.” Heary is happy with the way that pre-season training has gone to date, in spite of a number of the fixtures he was hoping to have under his belt before the season’s start falling foul of the weather. “The training has been going very well, it’s just the matches being called off has not been ideal. It’s hard to work out where we are in terms of match fitness but hopefully between today and next week we will have three games under our belt and see where we are.” With the inclusion of new players brought in in the close season and the
return of Bohs icon Jason Byrne, Heary feels he has a balanced squad to pick from. “There are some good experienced professionals we have brought in, Jason and Aidan Price and Paddy Kavanagh, and some younger players like Jack Memry and Philly McCabe, and they will be good additions to the lads we have kept from last year, like Keith Buckley and Ryan McEvoy who have been around for four or five years. It’s a good blend of youth and experience. I think it will turn into a good side, get a good start and build on it.”
Heary also has high aspirations for the season ahead, and is hoping to avoid the trauma of the drop zone come the end of the league campaign. “For me, I’m hoping to finish a lot higher than we did last season. The relegation battle was not nice for the club or the fans, or the players themselves, but they dug themselves out of it. “They will know from past experience it is not a nice place to be, so hopefully we won’t be near that. Finishing higher up the table, even getting a Setanta spot or challenging for a cup, wold be a good season for us.”
27 February 2014 DUBLIN CITY gazette 39
Gazette
Hyland intervention secures Jackies draw sport@gazettegroup.com
NATALIA Hyland scored two vital late points for Dublin’s ladies footballers as they remained unbeaten after three rounds of matches in Tesco HomeGrown national football league Division 1, tying 1-13 with Monaghan in their refixed game in Inishkeen.
Honours were even after a topsy-turvy tie that swung both ways over the course of the hour last Sunday. Dublin struck for the game’s opening goal in the 11th minute, Noelle Healy capping a surging run with a cracking finish to hand the visitors a 1-3 to 0-3 lead. Dublin were 1-6 to 0-5 in front before
Niamh Kindlon grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. She converted a free to leave just three points between the sides before her goal levelled the tie. At half-time, the teams were deadlocked at 1-7 apiece and the secondhalf would also fail to separate them. Dublin, with Sinead
Aherne (0-7) and Lindsey Davey in good form, lost Leah McCaffrey to a yellow card and, when Monaghan pushed two points clear, 1-13 to 1-11, last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists were on course for victory. But two points from Hyland, including a sensational long-range free, rescued a draw for Dublin.
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Dublin make fine start to campaign Minor a championship Dublin 0-12 Cork 0-7 sport@gazettegroup.com
ORLA Beagan helped Dublin get their All-Ireland championship campaign off to the perfect start when she top-scored with eight points as her side saw off Cork 0-12 to 0-7 in the minor A championship last Saturday in Parnell’s. Cork had started the better and looked very dangerous in front of goals, sending over two early points but resolute defending by the Dublin backs together with the assured performance of
goalkeeper Faye McCarthy ensured that Cork did not get the ball to the net. As the Dublin girls got more into the game, they were awarded three long range frees which McCarthy drove straight over the bar. Cork replied with two points from Rachel O’Shea and Kate O’Keeffe. But Beagan was soon to come to the fore. She put over four great points in the last 10 minutes of the half to leave the half time score 0-8 to 0-4. The Rebels did draw solace from a strong wind in their favour in the second half but Dublin came
out strong to put early pressure on the Cork defence. Beagan pointed from a 45 and a free to bring Dublin’s total to 10 points – a six-point lead. But Cork replied with points from Rachel O’Shea and substitute Keeva McCarthy to annul that salvo. The Lucan forward, though, was a constant threat and she drove through the centre to draw a superb save from Sarah O’Sullivan in the Cork goals with the clearest goal chance of the tie. A minute later, she tapped the sliotar over the bar to keep Cork at arm’s reach. Cork did
have a purple patch but superb defensive work from the backs kept them at bay with Niamh Byrne, Sarah Nagle and Hannah Hegarty were prominent. McCarthy was called upon to make one particularly good save. Her long accurate puck outs were significant. Doireann Mullany and Martha O’Donoghue worked tirelessly at midfield while Eve Keogh led by example when she chased Cork’s centre back half the length of the field, eventually ending up hooking her and regaining possession to aid the final five-point win.
DUBLIN senior hurling manager Anthony Daly says that while he is pleased his side picked off a 2-17 to 0-17 win over reigning All-Ireland champions Clare last Sunday in NHL division 1A, there is still plenty to build on. Speaking about the result, he said that it is nothing to get too excited about: “Look, it’s one day in February, the same day as last week was one day in February. We’re not too over the moon because we know there’s a lot of work ahead. Some of our point-scoring attempts at the end were poor.” He was pleased, however, with how his side bounced back from a heavy opening day defeat in the league against Galway and is hopeful his side can produce a more consistent level in the coming weeks. “We asked for a response and I think we got a response,” Daly said. “We missed a few chances [against Clare] to make it comfortable for ourselves. Clare probably targeted last week something savage at home to Kilkenny and it’s probably hard then to be 100 per cent tuned in for the following week. “We smelled an advantage there and it’s good to see lads back in form. A lot of the lads like Liam [Rushe] at
centre back set the tone from early. We could have done a bit more for our scoring difference but we didn’t. We’re delighted with the win.” The Dubs were full value for their victory with a goal in each half from the influential Conal Keaney in the 13th minute and Colm Cronin in the 43rd helping Anthony Daly’s men to victory. Keaney, who endured a frustration time in Salthill, culminating in his sending off, was stellar against the Banner. Craobh Chiarain’s McCrabbe put Dublin ahead with a first minute free and it was an early sign of Dublin’s intent. Clare were always chasing a Dublin side that looked focused and fully determined to make amends after their heavy Round 1 loss to Galway. Keaney started in a two-man full-forward line alongside David O’Callaghan and proved a dynamic outlet while in defence Rushe had an outstanding afternoon. Keaney shot 1-2 in the opening half as Clare struggled to contain the powerful Boden man as the Dubs led 1-12 to 0-10. In the second half Dublin contained their opponents with Shane Durkin hitting two important second half points.
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black and red and green: Bohs’ manager Owen Heary talks to GazetteSport about the season ahead P38
february 27, 2014
crowdsourcing the future: Locals join new programme to help fund their ambitions P37
St Vincent’s Tomas Quinn with his #TheToughest Leinster club provincial player award for his performances throughout 2013 at Croke Park this week. Picture: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
Quinn targets winning ways St Vincent’s talisman confident that the Marino team are capable of getting even better as they prepare for the All-Ireland club final ROB HEIGH
sport@gazettegroup.com
TOMAS Quinn is confident that his St Vincent’s team can get even better as they prepare for their 2014 club championship decider against Castlebar Mitchels on St Patrick’s Day. Speaking to GazetteSport after being presented with the Leinster club player award from AIB, sponsor of both the GAA and camogie club championships, at Croke Park for his impressive performances throughout 2013, Quinn was keen to focus on the team, not the prize. ”It’s a great honour. The truth of winning awards is that it means our team is still winning matches, which I think is the most important thing, and it means that we have another
important day to look forward to in a couple of weeks’ time. I think if winning awards helps us to get there, it doesn’t matter which one of us gets it.” Castlebar’s Richie Feeney was the recipient of the Connacht #TheToughest provincial footballer award, and was one of the attendees at Croke Park last week, where he came face to face with Quinn ahead of their match on March 17. “One of the beauties of GAA is that you can hold a conversation with your opponents! He was sitting at my table for lunch and we had a chat and it was very pleasant, but it will be very different in a couple of weeks’ time.” St Vincent’s will face Castlebar after Quinn top-scored for the Marino club, his 1-8 the foundation of their semi-final win against
Ballinderry Shamrocks, while the Connaght champions progressed against Dr Crokes, who suffered from the departure of Colm Cooper early on. Quinn is confident that St Vincent’s can capitalise on the performances to date and build a stronger platform for victory as training continues ahead of the final. “The training is going great. This is the game every club player wants to play in, so the chance to be preparing for this is brilliant. We have a lot of work to do, we know we can keep getting better, and we have a couple of weeks to keep trying to improve. “We will do our homework on Castlebar as a team ahead of the final, but we obviously still have a few weeks to go and it hasn’t come into our training yet, although we will definitely have
a look at them beforehand.” Quinn has been on this stage before in 2008 when he helped guide St Vincent’s to the club championship title against Nemo Rangers as the captain of the side, providing seven points in the side’s tally of 1-11, and he has clear memories of that day in March six years ago as well as clear expectations of the task that will face St Vincent’s in almost three weeks time. “The biggest memory is the final whistle and winning, it’s the memory you’ll always take away from a day like that. As far as expectations are concerned, it’s just how hard a game as we’re going to be facing. Whoever came up with #TheToughest as a tagline deserves a raise, because the competition has proven itself to be that. The run that Castlebar have beaten to get to the final, we know it will be a tough game.”