Clondalkin

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YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER

INSIDE: Euphoria at gold medal win for euphonium player P3

May 12, 2011

HEALTH: Minister Fitzgerald helps launch a mental health initiative P7

A credit to their school: Students open own ‘bank’ Rugby: Clon RFC hail successful 2010/11 season Page 32

DENISE McNamee, business teacher, Collinstown Park Community College, joined students – and “staff members” – to officially launch the school’s new credit union, believed to be the second such initiative in the country.

Run in association with Rowlagh Credit Union, these students are running their financial facility to enable students to save money in an easy manner while in the school, and foster an interest in regular saving.

See story on Page 2; full gallery on Pages 8-9

Football: Round Towers hold on for SFC round two win Page 31

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 MOTORS ........................18 BUSINESS .................... 21 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

New park bye-laws tackle quad bikers Council plans new gardai powers on bikes, scramblers

Q PAUL HOSFORD

SOUTH Dublin County Council has vowed to crack down on the scourge of quad bikes and scramblers in local parks.

The council this week said that it plans to bring in new bye-laws to tackle ongoing

anti-social behaviour issues in parks.

The bye-laws, which will be brought to public consultation later this month, will give Gardai powers to enter parks and seize quad bikes and scramblers being used in council parks.

The move to tackle the

problem was welcomed by local Fine Gael councillor Emer Higgins, who said: “There are ongoing antisocial issues in parks and open spaces throughout the county, and these new proposals are aimed at tackling these issues to make our parks safer.”

2 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

COUNCIL SDCC says terms cannot legally be revealed, but best tender acted on

Terms of waste collection sale ‘confidential’ Q PAUL HOSFORD

clondalkin@gazettegroup.com

SOUTH Dublin County Council (SDCC) has confirmed that the terms of the deal to privatise waste collection in the county are confidential.

The council sold off its waste collection services to Greyhound Waste and Recycling last month, and, since then, has dealt with a number of questions from local representatives regarding the particulars of the sale.

The issue arose under two headings this week at the SDCC meeting, with both councillors Breda Bonner (Labour) and Maire Devine (Sinn

--------------------------

Fein) raising the issue under separate questions.

Cllr Bonner asked “the manager for an account of the deal between South Dublin County Council and Greyhound Waste, which resulted in the recent privatisation of the bin service”.

She asked specifically for the price paid by Greyhound, what exactly is included for that price, what commitment has been made by Greyhound in relation to the waiver scheme, and what commitment has been made by Greyhound in relation to maintaining a free Green bin service.

However, the council

‘The detailed financial terms of the sale [of waste services to Greyhound] are legally confidential’ --------------------------

SDCC report

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could not comment on large parts of her queries.

In response, a council reply said: “In relation to the consideration for the sale of the service, the detailed financial terms of the sale are legally confidential.

“However, the price paid by Greyhound was the highest of the bids received, and is comparable with other successful disposals of large waste collection businesses by our colleagues in other local authorities.

“T he final sum – including savings accruing to the council arising from the sale – will be available when all contractual obligations are resolved, and following a customer numbers verification process.

“Replies [to other,

related parts of Cllr Bonner’s questions] are not, therefore, available at the present time,” said the council.

In relation to waivers and the green bin service, SDCC confirmed the retention of waivers for a 12-month period, along with the green bin services staying the same.

“As part of the bidding process, the council sought, and received, a commitment that waivers would remain in place for a 12-month period following the sale.

“Existing waiver customers will, therefore, receive the same benefit for that period.

“There were no outstanding applications when the sale was completed, and the total number of waiver customers in the county is 18,884.

“The green bin service, formerly offered by the council, is a key part of the service now being offered by Greyhound.

“It is a requirement of the waste bye-laws for this county, and, therefore, of the waste collection permits for all domestic waste providers, that a green bin service be provided to customers as part of any domestic waste collection service,” said the council.

Denise McNamee, business teacher, with Collinstown Park Community College’s “staff” of the school’s new credit union for students

SCHOOLS: COLLINSTOWN PARK CS LAUNCHES A CREDIT UNION

Give credit to school idea Q PAUL HOSFORD

clondalkin@gazettegroup.com

THE students of Collinstown Park Community College officially launched their school’s credit union last week.

The facility, which is run in association with Rowlagh Credit Union, offers students the chance to save money in an easy manner while they’re in the school.

The schoolchildren involved received extensive training from Anne Ford, of Inchicore Credit Union, as well as Margaret Ryan, from the education committee of the Irish League of Credit

Unions’ Chapter 25.

Denise McNamee, business teacher in the school, has put in many hours organising the facility, highlighting the community ethos and volunteering spirit at the heart of the Credit Union as a movement.

“As far as we know, we are the second school credit union in the country,” says Denise.

At the event in the school, the work of the credit union was outlined to those in attendance, which included the directors of Rowlagh Credit Union.

The event was compered by Warren Davis,

who called on a number of speakers to give an overview of the various branches of the organisation.

Carly Ward, chairperson of the board of directors of the credit union, spoke of the workings of the board and her responsibilities as chair.

Membership Sarah Obafemi, of the membership committee, then outlined the work that goes into getting people joined up and into the membership of the credit union.

Orla Garland, of the tellers, then outlined the skills that they had

learned, in terms of handling cash, recording totals and updating members’ books.

Laura Keeler then took the audience through the work that goes into marketing and creating awareness of the enterprise within the school.

Ashley Kelly, of the supervisory committee, then thanked all those who made the credit union movement within the school possible, presenting bouquets to both Anne Ford and volunteer, Esther Jacobs, who comes in every second week to help the staff.

Anne spoke of the immense hard work that

goes into running the students’ credit union, saying that it is “nothing philosophical; it’s just a very simple idea to put the idea of saving, the idea of credit unions into students’ heads”.

“I’m reminded of the athlete, Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games.

“When he was asked how he did it, he said it was: ‘Commitment, hard work and doing what I love’, and what I can see every time I come up to Collinstown Park is that spirit,” she said.

Gallery on Pages 8-9

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 3

MUSIC Euphoric about euphonium player’s win

Support autism appeal

A Feis Ceoil win for Adam Q PAUL HOSFORD

clondalkin@gazettegroup.com

A MOYLE Park College student was celebrating recently, having claimed a gold medal at the ESB Electric Ireland Feis Ceoil festival.

Adam McGrath, who is due to sit his Junior Cert in the school next month, is a 15-year-old euphonium player who plays in Clondalkin Youth Band.

At the Feis, he was awarded the gold medal for his skill with the instrument, which is a brass instrument similar in look to a tuba, though it has a higher pitch, and a somewhat mellower sound.

Despite being young enough to compete in the junior ranks, Adam took to the stage in the

senior grading, coming away as the overall winner, delighting Vincent Dolan, who leads the Clondalkin Youth Band.

“It’s a magnificent achievement, especially for somebody so young.

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‘The gold medal is a magnificent achievement for Adam’ --------------------------

“It’s rare that at his age you would reach such a level of ability.

“The Feis had him competing against musicians of all ages and experiences,” he said.

As for what got Adam to this point, Vincent is certain that his innate ability is the key factor.

“He has fantastic technical ability, which has gotten him through. He is a very talented musician who has performed for the President of Ireland,” he said.

Adam, who is also a talented basketball player, was part of the Clondalkin Youth Band which was recently crowned 2011 Parade Champion at the international band parade and competition in Limerick, making this an exceptionally successful spell for the youngster.

The ability of the players in the band is something Vincent takes great pride in.

“It raises the profile of the band, and it shows the strong ethos of musical education and accomplishment that we have.”

FUNDRAISE: CYCLE

Vincent Dolan, who leads the Clondalkin Youth Band, congratulates euphonium player Adam McGrath on his impressive gold medal win at the ESB Electric Ireland Feis Ceoil festival, adding to the notable skills of the band’s members

THE Quinlan’s Black Lion Clondalkin annual cycle races take place on May 22 and May 29.

The cycle race is to help raise funds for Irish Autism Action, and is organised by Niall Kelly, from Quinlan’s.

Entry for one or both races is €25, which goes to Irish Autism Action.

Sponsorship cards will be issued on registration.

There will be training sessions held every Sunday from now until the event, starting at 10am outside Quinlan’s.

The first race will see riders set out on a 70km cycle from Quinlan’s to Blessington and back, circling Blessington Lake.

The main race will be from the Round Tower in Clondalkin to the Round Tower in Glendalough on May 29.

For further information, contact Niall Kelly at 086 806 0433.

4 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

JOBLESS: NEW FIGURES

Live Register falls by 0.1% Q PAUL HOSFORD

IN keeping with the national news that the Live Register had dropped for the month of April, the signing-on office in Clondalkin experienced a small decline.

Nationwide, the 0.1% decline in unemployment was attributed to a slight decrease in the number of people signing on the Live Register.

The nationwide picture for the year to April 2010 saw an additional 50,781 people join the register.

Contrary to the national picture, however, Clondalkin’s yearly figure has dropped in the last year. In March 2010, 10,058 people were listed as on the Live Register, with this month’s 9,884 marking a decline on 12 months ago.

In February, however, the figure was at 9,771.

November 2010 marked a yearly low for the Live

Register at the Clondalkin office, when 9,544 people signed on.

Since then, every month has seen a rise in the numbers in Clondalkin, with April marking some respite for that figure. Strikingly, the burden on the rises is evenly borne by both sexes and all ages, with relative rises similar across gender and generation ages.

The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment as it includes part-time workers, seasonal and casual workers entitled to Jobseekers Benefit or Allowance.

Un e m p l o y m e n t i s measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, the latest of which shows that the unemployment rate was 14.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010, with the average unemployment rate during 2010 being 13.6 per cent.

SHOP LOCAL The Gazette examines the many

How supporting also supporting HE Gazette is never backward about coming forward when it comes to our support for the local community – in fact, it is the very essence of what we do.

By bringing together news, features, pictures and reports about local politics, sport, social events and enterprise, we do what we can to support all of these areas.

T

Support is the key to a thriving local community, and every member of the public can contribute to this support.

Simply put, shopping locally benefits the local area.

By shopping locally, without any of the expedition involved in travelling across the city, we can support local business, enterprise and industry, all of which play a far greater

role in our quality of life than one might imagine.

On a very basic level, the commercial rates that even the smallest of such local businesses pay, goes directly to our local council.

Without these rates, the quality of public amenities, from parks and playgrounds to sports facilities and community groups, would simply not be of the standard we currently enjoy.

Taking this train of thought a little further - by keeping one local business open when we shop local, we are supporting local jobs for local people.

On top of this, every local business, and their employees, will naturally tend to support their

neighbouring businesses – be it by buying a sandwich, renting a DVD, getting their dry cleaning done, or filling a prescription – the hustle and

bustle that goes hand in hand with local business is mutually beneficial.

Greenogue, along with its neighbouring industrial estated, is a vibrant hub of business, with a vast array of local, homegrown businesses running in the area.

Even at a time when money is scarce, there is a plethora of local businesses for residents to get behind.

Thyes Kavanagh, chairman of the Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce, says that the Chamber hopes that jobs can be preserved and business can grow if people can be convinced to Shop Local.

“In these difficult times, Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce is calling on people to Shop Local.

“Please support local business, not only do they offer great value for

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 5

benefits of spending what we can a little closer to home

our local economy is our local community

money but also a personal service. These businesses employ a large number of local people, both full and part-time, and need your

support.

“Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce is at present working on their own campaign to pro-

mote local business and are also updating their website.

“We would like to thank the Gazette for their Shop

Local feature and hope that shoppers will support the advertisers within the supplement,” Mr Kavanagh said.

6 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

COUNCIL: NO FUNDS TO TACKLE NOISE LEVELS

Brushing up on a litter league: IBAL launch 2011 campaign

No say over road noise SOUTH Dublin County Council (SDCC) has no say in lowering noise levels along Palmerston Avenue.

Local Independent councillor Gus O’Connell had asked the Lucan Area Committee to “initiate the process for the erection of a suitable and robust sound barrier to the rear of Palmerstown Avenue, where it bounds the N4, in lieu of unfulfilled promises in the 1980s to provide a wall along this section of the busy traffic artery”.

Cllr O’Connell said that the sets of traffic lights on either end of the road made the problems worse.

“The residential area in question that suffers the anomaly is located between two sets of traffic lights, at the Oval and Kennelsfort Road, which exacerbates traffic noise,” he said.

“In addition, the former barriers or fences have totally deteriorated, and the present ‘shrubbery’ is no deterrent to those bent

on anti-social behaviour,” said Cllr O’Connell.

In response, SDCC said that the issue was one for the National Roads Authority (NRA), and that regulations don’t exist to enforce the idea.

“This is a national primary route, and responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of this route lies with the National Roads Authority. The council undertakes these works on their behalf, on receipt of funding.

“The council has no resources to carry out any such works [independently].

“As there are no traffic noise regulations in force in this country, there is no process whereby retro-fitting noise barriers to such roads puts an obligation on the council.

“T he NR A have already indicated that they have no plans for the installation of such noise mitigation.

“If the motion is passed, the matter will again be taken up with the NRA,” said the council.

WHILE the grown-ups

talked behind him, Clondalkin lad Cillian Young O’Loughlin showed how happy he was to be helping to launch the 2011 Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) anti-litter league at the Merrion Hotel.

Behind him, the chairman of IBAL, Dr Tom Cavanagh, was discussing the workings of the litter league with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan.

As part of this year’s nationwide league roll-out, IBAL is calling for an Adapt A Road scheme to be taken up, which could see local businesses being advertised at roads that they help to keep clean and litter-free.

COUNCIL: CROSS-PARTY PLAN TO EXAMINE NEW SCHEME

New policies may help to address housing list Q PAUL HOSFORD

clondalkin@gazettegroup.com

THE waiting lists for social housing in Clondalkin have become “chronic”, Sinn Fein councillor Matt McDonagh has said.

Speaking at the recent Clondalkin Area Committee meeting, a number of questions were raised in connection with the issue, which has been a mainstay of council business for many months.

Fine Gael councillor Therese Ridge asked “that a report be presented outlining the numbers of housing units available to applicants on our waiting lists in the Clondalkin electoral area” with a specific focus on the new schemes brought on by South Dublin County Council (SDCC).

The council’s figures showed that the new initiatives had brought on nine units, with more on

-------------------------------------------------------

‘At present, there are 17 council stock dwellings available for allocation in the Clondalkin electoral area. Tenants have been identified for seven of these dwellings, and will shortly be sourced for the remaining 10 ...

‘The council said that there are currently 5,251 applicants on the council housing lists’ --------------------------------------------------------

the way.

In response, SDCC said: “To date, under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, nine properties in the Clondalkin electoral area have been procured under agreed lease arrangements from private property owners, and made available for tenanting to persons on the Social Housing waiting lists.

“A further 14 properties

in this area are currently being processed under lease arrangements, and will be made available for tenanting to housing applicants, on completion of lease agreements.

“At present, there are currently 17 council stock dwellings available for allocation in the Clondalkin electoral area.

Tenants have been identified for seven of these dwellings. Tenants will

shortly be sourced for the remaining 10 dwellings,” said the council.

SDCC also said that it has recently been informed of two new housing policies by the Department of Local Government.

“These policies relate to the Housing Needs Assessment, and the Allocations Scheme.

“The Housing Needs Assessment relates to the criteria and eligibility of new applicants, and the Allocation Scheme is, essentially, a new scheme of letting priorities that has to be adopted by the council.

“The council, at its last meeting, agreed to arrange for an advisory committee of the council to be set up, to include members of each political grouping in the Chamber to examine the new allocations scheme, in line with the directive of the Depart-

ment of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG),” said SDCC. “It was agreed as the correct approach, having regard to the tight timeframe available to the council, as the new scheme has to be adopted

by June 13 – the date of the June council meeting.

“The Housing Department is currently working on a draft scheme to present, using the current scheme of letting priorities as the base, and incorporating the necessary changes, as advised by the DOEHLG,” said the council.

The council also said that there are currently 5,251 applicants on the council housing lists who have expressed a preference for accommodation in the Clondalkin area, although the true need for units will be ascertained with the new schemes.

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 7

HEALTH Fundraising for a vital, supportive service

COUNCIL: FUNDING

Plans for summer projects

Launching the Beacon of Light initiative at Citywest Business Campus were Gerard O’Neill and Orla Murphy, Amarach Research; Tony Bates, Headstrong; Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald; Michael McLoughlin, Amarach Research, and Sr Carmel, from Clondalkin

Gathering to support a Beacon for mental health Q PAUL HOSFORD

clondalkin@gazettegroup.com

THE Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, was on hand to support efforts by the business community in Citywest to raise funds and awareness for the locally-based counselling service, The Beacon of Light.

The initiative was spearheaded by Amarach Research, and was launched last Friday in Citywest Business Campus, with Minister Fitzgerald happy to be on board, tackling the main barriers to seeking help.

“I was delighted to launch this fantastic initiative to help raise funds for The Beacon of Light counselling service, based locally in Clondalkin.

“Cost and stigma are the main barriers for people with mental

health issues who wish to seek help.

“As Minister for Children, I will continue my campaigning to help break down such stigmas, both locally and nationally,” she said.

Minister Fitzgerald went on to say that the plan to raise funds for The Beacon of Light comes at a very important time.

“At a time when businesses and families are struggling to make ends meet, this programme, co-ordinated by Amarach Research, is a very welcome initiative that shows the generosity of our business community.

“The programme aims to raise €50,000 this year for this local service, to help break down barriers for those seeking help.

“Any business interested in becoming

involved in this initiative should contact Amarach Research in Citywest,” she said.

Survey results presented by Amarach Research at the event show that Irish people know someone who has suffered from mental health vulnerabilities over the past 12 months, with depression (at 38%) the most widespread issue.

Bereavement This is followed by bereavement (26%) , stress-related issues (21%), alcohol or drug addiction (15%), bullying (8%), and emotional abuse (7%).

However, the survey shows that only half of people affected with mental health problems (49%) in the last year have sought professional counselling – with those most exposed to the

economic downturn less likely than those in higher social class groups to seek help.

Minister Fitzgerald said: “As a co-founder of the cross-party group on mental health, this is an issue that is of particular interest to me, and I am delighted to support this programme.”

The Beacon of Light service provides a professional counselling service to the people who need it in Clondalkin, and surrounding areas, at a cost appropriate to the circumstances of the individual or family.

They offer individual and child counselling, as well as functional family therapy, through a link with the Family First Team.

To make an appointment, telephone 01 457 8700, or see www.beaconoflight.com.

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

SOUTH Dublin County Council (SDCC) will provide funding for 35 summer projects this year, the council has revealed.

Labour councillor Eamon Tuffy asked this week for confirmation that such a scheme will operate this year.

SDCC said: “Summer projects traditionally provided the opportunity for children to avail of healthy activities and educational trips outside their areas, who might not normally do so.

“Now, more than ever, there is a need to provide such activities.

“The council has allocated funding from the community budget to provide for 35 projects across the county.

“Meetings have been held recently with project leaders to assist with the planning, administration and other arrangements in relation to events.”

8 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

SCHOOLS Students at Collinstown Park Community College

Denise McNamee, business teacher, with Collinstown Park Community College’s students involved in its new credit union. Pictures: Peter Doyle

Saving facility is a credit to students

S REPORTED on Page 2, credit is due to the enterprising staff and students of Collinstown Park Community College, who have created their own credit union, thought to be the second such initiative in the country.

The financial facility, which is run

A

in association with Rowlagh Credit Union, offers students the chance to save money in an easy manner while they’re in the school, and should help to foster a greater appreciation of money, the importance of saving, and help focus the students on saving towards a more stable future.

The facility was officially launched with an informative presentation at the school, which saw several key figures present talks to the students explaining how the credit union works, what it could mean for them, and offering a great insight into the important new school facility.

Lisa Currivan and Dannielle Courtney

Margaret Ryan, from the education committee of the Students listened attentively to a number of presentations on the new credit union facility at their school

Irish League of Credit Unions’ Chapter 25

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 9

launch their own credit union, to help promote saving skills

Daniel Breen, Dylan Hillary and Dean Tuohy

Margaret Ryan, Irish League of Credit Unions’ Chapter 25; Anne Forde, Inchicore Credit Union; Danny O’Connor, Helen Mountaine and Luke Ledwith and Lauren McEneff

Esther Draper, Rowlagh Credit Union

Warren Davis; Anne Forde, Inchicore Credit Union; Ashley Kelly, director, Collinstown Park Community College Credit Union, and Esther Draper, Rowlagh Credit Union

Winnie Neary, Walter Doolan and John Paul Reilly

Orla Garland, Laura Keeler and Owen Brennan

Jasmine Canning, Dylan Wall and Danielle Harcourt

10 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

ENVIRONMENT Minister heaps praise on Palmerstown school

Green Flag for King’s Hospital MINISTER for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, was on hand to help raise a Green Flag for the King’s Hospital School in Palmerstown last week.

The Minister, who was the guest of honour at the event, praised the pupils and staff for their hard work and enthusiasm in bringing the award to the school.

The Green Schools project, known internationally as EcoSchools, is an international environmental education programme, environmental management system and award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment.

It is promoted in Ireland by An Taisce.

M i n i s t e r F i t z g e r-

ald praised the whole school approach taken by the King’s Hospital School.

“T here was ample evidence that every student, teacher and visitor was involved in this project,” she said.

“The contribution and support of school management was particularly critical in bringing the award to the school.

“At a wider level, this award can be seen as bringing about not just change for the school but change in the greening of Ireland.”

She also went on to point out the economic value of the work and outlined the project’s wider benefits.

“Recent research on the economic value of the Green Schools programme to schools in Ireland has revealed

Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald (pictured inset), was on hand at King’s Hospital to congratulate the school’s students on winning a Green Flag recently

that the programme has saved schools in Ireland a minimum €2m in waste, electricity, water and fuel costs this year.

“The results reveal that a minimum of 12 tonnes of waste is diver ted from landfills in Ireland every

school day by schools undertaking the programme.

“As well as that, 3.7 million units of electricity will be saved this year, 200 million litres of drinking water saved this year and around 500,000 litres of transport fuel saved this

year.

“Because the pro gramme also involves the wider community, t h e ove r a l l s av i n g s to the wider community could be several times the €2m saved by the schools involved,” said Minister Fitzgerald.

“As the number of schools participating is growing every year subsequent years’ savings are expected to be higher.”

M i n i s t e r F i t z g e rald thanked science t e a c h e r, M r C i a r a n O’Connor, and headmaster Mr Michael

Hall for their hard work on the project and commended the school for ensuring that every aspect of the school’s curriculum is designed to influence for good the life-long development of the young citizens passing through its doors.

Marshfield House goes on the market ONE of the locality’s most historic homes has been put on the market.

Marshfield House, which is located just off the Lucan/Leixlip Road, is a six-bedroom home set on about eight acres of land.

The grounds at Marshfield are a feature, with lawns rolling down

to the river, interspersed with flower beds and colourful shrubs, and with two particularly striking 200-plus-yearold blue cedars.

Situated on the banks of the Liffey, the period home has almost 1/4 mile frontage of the river and also boasts associated fishing rights.

It is handy that the river comes as part of the lands, given the historical implications of trout fishing on the home.

The original lease stated that its leasee is “obliged to produce two dozen trouts yearly and every year at Christmas”.

From 1711 to 1713, Marshfield House was constructed on behalf of Benjamin Rayner, a local innkeeper from Leixlip.

Rayner is recorded as having obtained a 90-year lease from a Joseph Marriot.

As part of the lease, Ray ner was

contracted to construct a “house of lime and stone and other improvements”.

The name Marshfield refers to Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, f o u n d e r o f M a r s h ’s Library, the oldest public library in the country, which was founded in 1701.

Historic Marshfield House has been put up for sale

www.gazette group.com All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 11

12 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazettePETS PETS

Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA

THE FACTS: CHECK YOUR ANIMAL’S TEETH REGULARLY, AND BE ALERT FOR PROBLEMS

Brush up on your pet’s dental care ID you ever suddenly become aw a r e o f a n offending stench, and wonder where it’s coming from?

You get yourself to a quiet corner, and examine your shoes for something messy, or discreetly raise your arms above your head to check for nasty pit stains, and then realise: “Oh, thank God – it’s not me who stinks, it’s my dog’s breath!” Sound familiar?

Few pet owners make the effort to educate themselves in their pet’s oral hygiene, but did you know that dental disease is one of the most common disorders in our canine companions?

Keeping your pet’s teeth in check has lots of health benefits – the obvious being minty-fresh breath.

Remember, bad breath in dogs is rarely related to last night’s rich food!

D

More often, it’s an indicator of poor dental health, and/or an infection that needs investigating by your vet.

For example, did you know that if your cat or dog suffers an infection of the gums, teeth or oral cavity, this can spread via the bloodstream and into their heart and liver, and could cause additional health problems, such as kidney failure, endocarditis and abscesses in vital organs, possibly resulting in a shortened lifespan?

You didn’t?

Take precautions Well, now that you do, it’s time to take precautions.

Brush your pet’s teeth at home using a special brush and veterinary toothpaste, available from your vet.

Gently introduce your pet to the new taste by rubbing some of the tooth-

paste along his gums, and then repeating the process with a toothbrush.

Aim the bristles along the gum line of the upper back teeth, and angle them slightly upwards, making sure the bristles get right under the gum line.

Working back to front, make little circles; as you would with your own teeth.

However, remember, even with the best home care your pet may still require some professional dental de-scale and polish. *** Feed your pet a crunchy diet, and appropriate chew treats. It’s always worth checking with your vet before you change your pet’s diet; especially if the animal has breed-specific dietary requirements.

I would recommend you make these changes gradually; particularly

Remember – your pets and animals are relying on you to help keep them healthy

with puppies, and always try one food at a time.

Check your pet’s mouth regularly, and observe signs of an inflammation known as gingivitis. This can be seen as a reddening of the gums adjacent to the teeth. It will also cause bad breath.

Dental disease is not just a problem for dogs; other companion animals – such as cats and rabbits – suffer, too.

Conditions such as feline stomatitis – which is very painful, and can be life-threatening for many cats – can occur in all breeds, and at any age. *** Cats with this condi-

tion usually experience inflamed gums which, if untreated, can spread to areas at the back of the throat, making eating and swallowing difficult.

So, if your cat’s breath smells, get to the vet immediately and seek his/ her professional advice on how best to rectify your kitty’s condition.

Rabbits can also suffer.

This is usually due to a bad diet.

You may not know this, but rabbits need lots of fibre in their diet; so give those bunnies plenty of hay and help keep bad oral hygiene at bay.

A rabbit’s teeth continuously grow, and must

be checked regularly by your vet to ensure they are wearing down properly.

If a rabbit’s teeth are not kept in check, and go untreated, the poor creature will not be able to eat properly, and there is a danger it could starve to death.

For those horse owners reading this, did you know that a horse’s teeth will also grow continuously, so it’s important to keep an eye on them?

Your vet is the best person to advise you, regarding this, but if you notice your horse has difficulty chewing, is dropping more food than he actually manages to swallow,

and there are signs of undigested food in his poo, then it’s likely he may be suffering from dental problems, and you need to seek expert help.

So, you can see why proper dental care is a priority for all companion animals and, as prevention is better than cure, perhaps the next time you visit your vet, you’ll ask his/her advice as to the best way of examining your pet’s teeth so that you can keep an eye on his oral health.

If you’d like more information log onto www. dspca.ie or email me at miriam.kerins@dspca.ie.

GOT A STORY? TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOCAL EVENT, CELEBRATION OR FUNCTION Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 or email news@gazettegroup.com

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 13

HEALTH Escaping negativity and unhelpful thinking

Are you a tonic, or are you toxic?

Q PATRICIA MURPHY

IT IS amazing how some people have the ability to light up a room when they walk in. Others light up the room when they walk out.

We allow other people’s moods and attitudes to have such a powerful influence over our personal wellbeing.

Sometimes we join in with the rise of the happy tide, and other times we get pulled down into negativity and unhelpful thinking. It pays to ask ourselves: ‘Am I a tonic, or am I toxic?’

It is very easy right now to pick fault with just about everything.

Nobody we know has escaped the negative effects of the struggling economy and political change. Nor should we ignore or deny the issues that challenge us daily and which need to be addressed.

But none of this is an excuse or a reason to carry a negative attitude with us into every interaction we have, including with our own selves. After all, we live with ourselves 24/7.

Left untreated, toxicity spreads, causing damage within and without.

What you really need is a daily tonic. Something to pep you up physically, mentally and emotionally. The ingredients are simple and available to us all.

Here are some suggestions to help you look and feel great every day.

Feed Your Body

Paying attention to

W

Mega Mini: Michael Moroney falls in love with the Countryman

------------------------------------------------------

‘Left untreated, toxicity spreads, causing damage within and without.

What you really need is a daily tonic.

Something to pep you up physically, mentally and emotionally’ ------------------------------------------------------

exercise and nutrition is essential to support the body.

Food nutrients supply us with the energy to carry out daily functions, including the repair and renewal of organs and tissues. The increase of oxygen during modestintensity exercise floods the cells with vitality and increases our ability to get rid of toxins.

It conditions the heart and lungs and even makes us smarter. Discipline is the essential ingredient here. At least 20 minutes of brisk walking, plus three balanced meals per day, is a must.

No excuses. Remember to keep it simple and include 6-8 glasses of water to keep you floating along.

Personal Care

A simple shower, clean clothes and a spray of scent can lift your mood by tenfold. It also makes it more pleasant for others to be around you.

Feed Your Mind

Include constructive thoughts and behaviours towards happiness and health. Step by step and easy does it. It is far more effective to change 100 things by 1%, than to change one thing by 100%. Smile

and keep your conversations upbeat, even if you don’t feel like it.

Act as if you mean it and, pretty soon, you won’t just be faking it, you will be making it.

Feed Your Spirit

Immerse yourself in the fun stuff for a few hours each week. Hobbies and recreational activities are a great way to give you something to look forward to and a break from the routine. Socialise with family, friends and work colleagues, keeping alcohol within the weekly recommended allowance.

Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Sometimes we forget just how blessed we really are. Give thanks for the big things and little things that make our lives so special. Acknowledge your achievements, including your own valuable input into your happiness, health and wellbeing.

These simple lifestyle changes can have a really positive influence on how you look and feel day in, day out. The best predictors of your future happiness and health are the actions and attitudes that you are practising right now.

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

Patricia Murphy can help detox mind, body and spirit

SEE MOTORING PAGE 18

14 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY New face unveiled for Yves Saint Laurent fragrance BENJAMIN Millepied, the French principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and choreographer for the recent blockbuster, Black Swan has been unveiled as the face for the next male fragrance from Yves Saint Laurent, available from September, 2011.

Described as one of the most gifted dancers and choreographers of his generation, Millepied enrolled with the New York School of American Ballet at the age of 16 and became principal dancer at 18 with the prestigious New York City Ballet.

On his new role with YSL Millepied said: “I’m happy and proud to have been chosen by Yves Saint Laurent, one of the world’s most pres-

tigious brands. I admire the world of this House, its elegance and modernity. Monsieur Saint Laurent was a fashion genius, a lover of the arts, he also knew how to use his talent to serve the art of dancing.”

Benjamin Millepied will represent the new fragrance for men from Yves Saint Laurent, the 3rd facet of the men’s olfactive trilogy, alongside Olivier Martinez for L’Homme and Vincent Cassel for la Nuit de L’Homme.

Benjamin Millepied

Edited by Dawn Love

Confessions of a beauty addict This week the Gazette chats to media analyst Kathleen Rowley about her beauty addiction MY life-long addiction began when I first clapped eyes on my glamorous air hostess Aunty Mary’s bathroom cabinet, brimming with shiny and expensive looking tubs of wonder.

On family trips, I would gulp down glasses and glasses of Coke, just so I could go up and investigate each tub, tube and bottle, carefully assessing the smell, texture and colour of each.

Less exotic potions were to be found at home, where they were kept out of reach from my grubby little hands following an incident at my weekly

teddy bear’s picnic, where Big Ted enjoyed a facial, compliments of Mam’s new Clarins cream and a more-then-healthy spritz of the ever-cherished Chanel No.5.

Big Ted was eventually donated to a Children’s Hospital, where I am sure he still is reeking of the classic scent. Mam’s potions were moved to the top shelf.

During my teens, a bagpacking job in Superquinn gave me the means to splurge in the Body Shop, where body butter and a bottle of white musk was the ultimate sign of sophistication.

For teenage discos a bottle of Exclamation and a frosted lipstick were my chosen weapons, as they were for most of the girls attending, resulting in the small community hall

still gives me the shivers when I get a whiff of it), I thoroughly enjoyed the role.

Working for renowned brands such as Armani, Lancôme and Pout greatly improved my knowledge of products but, even more importantly to a beauty junkie, my collection of samples became legendary.

Vichy Essentielles Kathleen Rowley

practically heaving with overpowering teenage fragrances, or maybe it was just the pheromones and teenage lust! If it distracted from my heavy Gallagher-like eyebrows and braces, I was in – ‘dramatic’ eye shadows and liners, along with an over-enthusiastic use of bronzer was the order of the day.

Despite a stringent budget and a barrage of feminist anti-beauty industry propaganda, my love of all things beauty-related continued

through college.

To fund a trip to the land down under, I got a beauty addict’s dream job, fragrance and cosmetics consultant on counters in Brown Thomas, Arnotts and Dublin Airport. I learned about the construction of a scent, along with skin types and the most up-todate make-up trends.

With the exception of a two-month stint standing freezing at the front of Brown Thomas spraying Stella McCartney’s perfume (to this day it

I was astounded at how this lightweight, quick-drying lotion kept my skin soft and moisturised 24 hours after application. With sensitive skin, this was ideal as the fragrance was gentle and ladylike without irritating my skin even after defuzzing the pins.

Model Inc Lip and Cheek tint

At €7.50, this is the recessionista’s answer to Benefit’s Benetint, giving you a nice burst of raspberry colour. The colour lasts on the cheeks, but was a little drying on the lips and the fragrance is strong and powdery.

However, for €7.50, it is a welcome addition to any hand bag.

Revlon PhotoReady

I’m a foundation slapper. I have tried them all, from Rimmel to Yves Saint Laurent, and can safely say I have found my perfect partner – smooth, long-lasting and reliable, this product delivers on its promises. My skin had a nice glow with medium coverage, thanks to the ‘photocromatic pigments’ and it evened out my skin tone without feeling too heavy.

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 15

FOOD: NEW BRANDING FOR BREAKFAST

Relaxation is never too far away in Ireland’s top spas Q DAWN LOVE

Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway

IRELAND is now widely recognised as one of the world’s gourmet capitals, but our luxurious spas are also making headlines. Set in some of the country’s most spectacular hotels and resorts, it’s easy to see why we our spas are fast becoming something of a Mecca for those on the lookout for top-class beauty and relaxation treatments.

This week, the Gazette’s Beauty pages takes a look at some of the country’s top spas and the luxurious treatments on offer.

At the Spirit One Spa in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway, they are famed for their Elemis Lime and Ginger Salt Glow and Cleopatra Milk Bath.

Scrub up for summer with their exotic exfoliation ritual designed to invigorate and revitalise the body. Elemis exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow deep cleanses, polishes and softens skin to perfection.

Druids Glen Resort, Co Wicklow

Just over half-an-hour south of Dublin, but an entire world away, set between the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea, Druids Glen Resort’s beautifully natural surroundings will have you feeling calmer before you even set foot inside.

The atmosphere is one of calm, suggesting you take a deep breath and relax, settling into a place where you will find your own personal corner of pleasure – whether that is in the lovely spa, the pool, on the two championship golf courses, in one of the bars and restaurants, or curled into a comfy chair with a good book by any of the grand windows looking out onto the grounds, and the beauty of the changing seasons outside.

For the month of May, the spa at Druids Glen Resort is offering an Advanced Elemis facial, with a complimentary back massage, for just €99.

For more information, call 01 2870848, or visit www.druidsglenresort. com

Tradition After your body scrub, soak in the age-old tradition of the Elemis Cleopatra Milk and emerge drenched in moisture, scented like a dream.

There is also a full-day pass to the Thermal Suite, with full use of the swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and jacuzzi.

Price: All for €85 – normally €140 – save €55.

For further details on the range of treatments available call 091 538423 Treatments are available seven days a week.

Hastings Hotels

Spring is nature’s time of renewal and rebirth and the perfect time to rejuvenate your body and soul with a self-indulgent escape to one of Hastings Hotels’ fabulous Spas at Culloden Estate, Belfast, or Slieve Donard Resort, Co Down, and experience their world-famous ESPA treatments and therapies. To put a little extra spring in your step, they are also offering a £10 voucher off your next visit!

The Spring Spa Experience includes: • ESPA Welcome Foot Ritual • ESPA Upper Back, Shoulders and Neck Massage • ESPA Boutique Facial with Indian Head Scalp Massage • Delicious light lunch in the Juice Bar • Full use of all the spa facilities • Use of robe, slippers and towels • £10 voucher off your next spa treatment Offer available until May 31, 2011. For more information, visit www. hastingshotels.com.

The Relaxation Room at the spa in Druids Glen Resort’s spa

Rudd’s take on new look IRISH breakfast meat producers, Rudd’s, are re-launching their traditional Irish brand with a modern new look, as well as adding new products to their portfolio.

The relaunch campaign is part of Rudd’s new marketing strategy for the brand. John O’Brien, commercial manager at Rudd’s said: “We’re delighted to announce the relaunch of our range to include some popular breakfast favourites, giving it a contemporary new look, while retaining our traditional values.

“We are proud to use 100% Irish pork, sourced from Bord Bia-approved Irish farmers to produce

the Rudd’s range, which now offers all you need to create the ultimate full Irish breakfast, while supporting Irish jobs.”

Bill O’Brien, managing director of Rudd’s said: “We understand the importance of supporting Irish jobs, therefore we continue to use only 100% Irish pork to produce our range which, we firmly believe, has been the best-kept secret in breakfast, until now.”

To support the Rudd’s re launch campaign, a number of tasting events will be taking place throughout Dublin this month. The tastings will take place from May 12-14, and again from May 26-28.

16 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteContacts

EVENT Festival returns to the Phoenix Park

Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 6010240 Fax: 01 6010251 Managing Director: Liam Holland email: lholland@gazettegroup.com

General Manager: Michael McGovern email: mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com

Editor: Cormac Curtis email: ccurtis@gazettegroup.com

Production Editor: Jessica Maile email: jmaile@gazettegroup.com

News Editor: Dawn Love email: dlove@gazettegroup.com

Sports Editor: Rob Heigh email: sport@gazettegroup.com

Financial Controller: Carly Lynch email: clynch@gazettegroup.com

Advertising Production: Anita Ward email: ads@gazettegroup.com

Advertising Sales: 01 6010240

email: sales@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, Castleknock Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette, Malahide Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

Pictured at the launch were Ella McSweeney, broadcaster and MC of the Chef’s Summer Kitchen at Bloom, with Flower Fairies (all aged 5), Isibeal Fitzpatrick, Ava Callan, Nessa Last and Kayla Cooke. Picture: Gary O’ Neill

It’s time to Bloom BLOOM, Bord Bia’s gardening, food and family festival returns to the Phoenix Park this June Bank Holiday Ireland’s largest gardening, food and family festival, Bloom, is set to celebrate its fifth year when it takes place this June.

At the heart of Bloom are 27 stunning large, medium and small show gardens, which will be judged by international independent judging panels, and gold, silver gilt, silver and

bronze medals will be awarded.

Dublin will be well represented at the event, which takes place between Thursday, June 2 and Monday, June 6, with a number of top garden designers creating some of the stunning show gardens.

Amongst those taking part will be John Sweeney, from Lusk, and Rachel Freeman, from the Blanchardstown Institute of Technology.

Meanwhile, from Dalkey, Sheena

Vernon will also be taking part, as will Brian Cleary, from Dundrum, and award-winning gardeners Liat and Oiver Schurman, from the renowned Mount Venus Nursery.

The event will also showcase the best of Ireland’s food industry with the new Bord Bia Food Village.

Bloom is open daily from 10am6pm. Advance tickets are on sale now from €15 – kids go free! Visit www.bloominthepark.com.

See feature next week

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 17

18 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs RENAULT VAN RANGE IS APRIL BESTSELLER: RENAULT, Europe’s best-selling van range, hit the number one best-selling spot in Ireland in April with 14.9% of the overall market, and featured on the podium in 14 counties, including number one in Cork, Kerry, Westmeath and Cavan.

With prices starting from just €8,990, with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty across the range, it is not surprising that Renault is performing well each month. Renault now has three versions of the Kangoo, the new Trafic, with its increased performance 2.0-litre dCi engine and the all-new design Master, which comes in either front- or rearwheel drive specifications and has one of the lowest running cost in its segment.

Mini has grown up in size, accessibility and performance in the new Mini Countryman All4, but it’s pricey at €28,980 even though it’s still a great car to drive

Meet the Countryman MICHAEL MORONEY tested the new Mini Countryman across a range of conditions, but his heart won out over his head in his love for the new car INI’S first fourdoor car is the new Countryman, a car that has grown up in terms of size and stature. This is now the biggest car in the Mini range, and it brings a new opportunity to the BMW-owned brand.

I’ve had the All4, or four-wheel-drive version of the car, on the road and I’m impressed. I know that the car is expensive for its size, but it does drive superbly and retains that Mini car handling appeal from the past.

BMW has added lots of good bits to this new, bigger Mini. The engine is a new 1.6-litre BMW turbo-diesel engine that’s thrifty and lively. And, while I know that there’s

M

SPECS: MINI COUNTRYMAN ALL4 1.6D Top speed: 180 km/hr 0 – 100km/hr: 12.9 sec Economy: 20.4 km/litre (4.9l/100km) CO2 emissions: 129g/km Road Tax Band: B (€156) Scrappage Eligible: Yes Warranty: 2 years Entry Price: €28,980

a bigger 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine on the way, I found that the 1.6-litre engine was more than adequate and a dream to drive.

And that was after almost 1,400km on the clock, where I drove the Mini Countryman up

and down the country, national roads, motorways, and the occasional boreen were tried to test the car’s ultimate performance. The All4 system had to be tried and, luckily, the sun shone for me and crossing a dry field was effortless.

The four doors for the Mini Countryman make a huge difference in terms of passenger space and accessibility. The car now takes on a new image.

That, coupled with the larger wheels and Bridgestone Dueller run-flat tyres for mild, off-road use, makes the Mini All4 a very versatile car.

The test car had lots of kit included in the Chili pack that Mini offers.

This included 17-inch

alloy wheels and lots of multifunction kit with an impressive Bluetooth phone kit that was easy and clear to use. It also came with leather seats and Xenon headlights, which, in total, rounded the price up by an extra €8,000 – now that’s getting expensive.

Power

The engine power was impressive, with 112bhp pumped out at ease. On the motorway, the engine allowed the car with its sixth gear to cruise at just around 2,000 rpm.

That’s what delivers the good fuel economy figures. Despite being a bigger car than the standard Mini, it’s still economical. I returned

a figure close to the rated figure of 20.4 km per litre of diesel (4.9l/100km), which I consider to be a good performance, and I drove the car long and hard.

The economy figures are helped by the stop/ start system that stops the engine in traffic or at traffic lights. This, along with brake regeneration, gives a measure of the BMW EfficientDynamics technology to give good economy figures from the Countryman.

The car is rated in Band B for motor tax purposes, as its CO2 figure is 129g/km. Again, that’s a reasonable figure and gives an annual motor tax charge of just €156.

And, with all that, the

Countryman is lively.

The acceleration pace is as good as many bigger cars at 12.9 seconds in a 0 to 100k/hr race. So, while it may look like a hot hatchback car in design, it does not match that kind of performance on the road.

The power is, however, well-developed for the car allowing for the 270Nm of torque, so much so that the car is well able for all driving conditions.

The All4 off-road technology will have limited appeal, but it could have been useful in last winter’s frost and snow.

It adds about €2,000 to the price and provides a compromise of sorts without opting for a full heavy-duty 4x4 system.

Motor industry revs to a good start first 3 months of 2011 WITH a 14% increase in sales volume in first three months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010, the motor industry has claimed pole position across all retail categories in Ireland to date.

The latest Consumer Market Moni-

tor has reported that the industry has experienced a major boost as 50,000 new cars have been sold right up to midApril 2011. No doubt the conclusion to the invaluable scrappage scheme in June has contributed to the motor industries

excellent start to the year; as has price discounting from dealers and distributors in order to encourage new car sales.

UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII) released the

results, which detailed that, apart from the motor trade, the only other sector to experience any form of growth in Q1 is clothing, footwear and textiles, which experienced an increase of 2.6% in volume.

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 19

20 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY KILDARE: FULLY RENOVATED AND EXTENDED COTTAGE IN SOUTH NAAS FOR €820,000

Magnificent Mill on market COONAN Real Estate Alliance are bringing Mill Cottage, an unique residence set on approximately 0.7 acres of land in South Naas, Co Kildare, to the market for an asking price of €820,000.

Surrounded by mature trees, lawns and hedges, Mill Cottage is a 19th-century thatched cottage, located in the tranquil country townland of Millicent, only 4km from Naas.

Rescued from dereliction by its current owners in 2003, Mercury Group Architects were commissioned to oversee the extensive conservation and extension of the cottage

to its present condition, a process that saw the renovators incorporating time-honoured traditional working methods and materials.

Extending to 3,300 sq ft, and featuring modern amenities such as a geo-thermal heat pump, under-floor heating and pressurised hot and cold water, Mill Cottage is a magnificent blend of old world and contemporary living under one roof.

Located only 25 minutes from the M50, this is an opportunity of a lifetime for the right purchaser.

Presented in pristine condition and finished to the highest stand-

ards, Mill Cottage is an ideal family home with a range of very attractive features and designs.

Listed Mill Cottage is a listed structure, circa 200 years old, and has been meticulously restored and maintained. It features a new oat and straw thatched roof.

Having been architecturally designed throughout, it is a bright and light-filled accomodation with rational timber windows and has the latest in energy saving and eco-friendly features built in to its design.

The area around

The impressive, renovated structure at Mill Cottage, South Naas, Co Kildare

Mill Cottage features an abundance of shops and the fine schools within easy reach, along with some of the most prestigious golf courses

Kildare has to offer.

The exterior of the property is also appointed to a high-standard.

Mill Cottage is totally surrounded by mature

lawns and shrubbery, with an attractive gravel driveway on both sides, and a south-facing garden.

For further informa-

tion, please contact Philip Byrne Coonan, of Coonan Real Estate Alliance, on 01 628 8400 or philipb@coonan.com.

GOATSTOWN: ASKING PRICE OF €425,000

A garden of Eden in Goatstown demense

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

SHERRY FitzGerald are presenting No. 37, Eden Park Drive, Goatstown, a semi-detached family home in a highly-sought after area, close to the best of schools and within easy access of excellent local amenities, with an asking price of €425,000.

Built in the 1950s, this three-bedroom semi-detached family residence has airy, bright accommodation and a west-facing rear garden.

The property offers a spacious interior, including a hall, living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms (two of which are doubles), bathroom and, outside, a garage to the side of the property offering prospective owners the potential to convert (subject to planning permission).

Overall, there is a good internal flow to the lay-

Number 37, Eden Park Drive, in Goatstown

out, providing an excellent balance of well-proportioned living and bedroom accommodation.

The Goatstown area the property is situated in is a quiet, leafy enclave, with both Stillorgan and Dundrum within walking distance.

Other amenities include the popular Dundrum Town Centre, local

shops, UCD Belfield, and excellent transport links, including bus routes, Luas and the M50. There is a good selection of schools close by, making this a desirable family home.

The property also boasts a large front garden with central driveway and lawn on either side with mature hedging. There is a private, triangular-shaped,

walled, west-facing rear garden with mature plants and shrubs and large side space and gated side access, with access to the garage.

The property can be viewed by appointment, which can be arranged by contacting Shane Desmond at Sherry FitzGerald Dundrum on 01 296 1822.

12 May 2011 GAZETTE 21

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS

Supported by AIB

Interview: Abdur Rahim, owner of Himalaya Tandoori Indian Cuisine

High standards at Himalayan Tandoori ABDUR Rahim was born in 1969 in Bangladesh and went to college from 1988-1992. He then started a job in Dhaka, which is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city and one of the major cities of South Asia. Two years later he relocated to South Korea, where he got a job working in a factory.

While there, he thought of the possibility of working in a restaurant. He then came to Ireland and his first job was in an Indian restaurant, Eastern Tandoori, in Deansgrange.

Working there gave him a lot of practical experience.

Abdur took a job as chef and learned how to cook curry.

He then had the opportunity to experience a restaurant management at Meghna Tandoori Indian Cuisine in Terenure. There he gained more experience and met many people and learned how to attend to customers. Abdur found that it is important to serve good-quality food at all times and to always have the highest of standards.

Abdur then decided to open his own Indian restaurant, Himalaya Tandoori Indian Cuisine, in Clondalkin. The restaurant opened in July of 2005. They have a chef menu and also have good-quality wine. The restaurant offers a gift card and take-away service, with a 20% discount on the take-away menu.

He hopes to open more restaurants in other locations in the future and would like to thank his customers for their support.

Abdur Rahim

ANSWERS TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE QUESTIONS SHORT TERM DEPOSIT RATES Q – I have € 70,000 from the sale of my house and am not rebuying for at least 6 months to a year. Any ideas on where to put the money to make a gain for this short period ? I also need it to be safe. Maggie – Wicklow A - Safety and best rates – they are the two most important aspects to your query. Safety in that your funds MUST be guaranteed by the deposit taker to be repaid.

All the Irish deposit takers are currently guaranteed by Eligible Liability Guarantee Scheme for any amount up to the end of June this year, with any of the six main Irish deposit takers ( AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB, EBS, Irish Nationwide and Anglo Irish Bank), while the Deposit Protection Scheme underpins this up to € 100,000 per person once the deposit taker is regulated by the Financial Regulator. This includes credit unions. Rabodirect have their own parent’s protection (Rabo Group – AAA rated, the highest rating a bank can have), while Nationwide UK and Investec Bank are guaranteed by the UK Financial Regulatory Authority up to the equivalent of € 100,000 per person.

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), who look after the state savings on behalf of the government, offer safety and good value but their offerings are more long term.

Q&A

Take An Post’s Savings Bond – it offers 10% tax free after a three -year term, which is equivalent to receiving 4.42% each

Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

A: Businessman

Q: What air carrier do you use when going on holidays?

A: British Airways

food and drink?

A: Indian curry and I like

do you own?

A: Five

year from a DIRT deducting deposit taker. In emergencies

drink a lot of plain water

Q: What car do you drive?

A: I love to drive my Ford

Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: Cash

Mondeo

Q: Who would you like to have dinner with – Brian O’Driscoll or Brian Cowen?

A: Brian O’Driscoll

Q: Where is your favourite holiday destination?

A: My homeland, Bangla-

NTMA investment with NO penalty.

Q: What was your first job?

A: Factory work

desh

your € 70,000, after six months, you would receive € 70,892.50

Q: Have you ever met Brian Cowen?

A: No

into your hand.

Q: How many people do you have to talk with every day?

A: Lots of people to talk to Q: What is the greatest thrill of your working week?

A: A busy Saturday

Q: Can you swim?

A: Yes Q: Would you ever bungee jump?

A: No Q: Do you play any sport?

A: I love to play football Q: What is your favourite

Q: How many times each year do you shop for clothes?

A: Three Q: What is the name of your favourite shop?

A: Debenhams Q: How many pairs of shoes

you only have to give seven days notice to withdraw from this

Q: When do you wish to retire?

A: At age 65 Q: What will you do then?

A: Spend time with family and friends

Best non-NTMA deposit ? 3.5% for three months fixed from Irish Nationwide Building Society – yields a net 2.555%. On

Well done on selling the house – not an easy achievement in this economy.

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

Irish company is tackling clutter with their Smart Storage AN innovative Irish home company is quickly gaining momentum by eliminating excess clutter from around the home.

Smart Storage, which makes custom-designed, under-stairs storage units, which fit seamlessly into the unused space under any stairwell, has had fantastic feedback already.

The slide-out units promise to “stop you tripping over everyday items such as shoes, toys, sporting

equipment, and even the vacuum cleaner, and will see an end to the age-old argument; who causes the mess in the home?”

Smart Storage provides a range of Irish manufactured products, which also includes attic storage, and they will soon launch in the United Kingdom after 12 months of successful trading in Ireland.

The under-stairs storage solution ranges from a single drawer, a large

three-drawer unit to larger units, depending on available space. The three-drawer unit, which is the most popular, is custom designed specifically to fit into all homes. The units are installed by expert fitters around the country.

Each drawer is ideal for a variety of storage options and can accommodate 12 pairs of shoes, three large school bags, two small suitcases, a set of golf clubs or several bottles of

wine.

So, if the clutter in your home is caused by parents or children, the girls or the boys, Smart Storage has a common-sense solution.

Founder of Smart Storage, Paul Jacob, has worked in the construction industry for 20 years and found new ways to diversify within his area of expertise.

“Smart Storage enables people to maximise storage within the home

by utilising the unused space underneath the stairs to clear away clutter,” he said.

The process for installation is simple and involves submitting rough measurements of the area under the stairs to the Smart Storage website, www.smartstorage.ie.

For further information on Smart Storage, or to receive a quote, visit www.smartstorage.ie or call (01) 201 7676.

22 GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel

Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock

With fabulous beaches and historical sites, Israel has something for everyone FROM the Judean desert and the saltiest sea on earth, the Dead Sea, to ancient biblical cities, covered markets and a high-rise metropolis, Israel is truly a destination with something for everyone.

Located in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel’s temperate climate, fabulous beaches, archaeological and historical sites, and unique geography make this country an appealing holiday destination.

Explore the amazing cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, by combining an eight- or nine-night stay in both cities, with Concorde Travel.

Surprising Scottish summer road trips rays reach the eye. It is more of a Trompe L’Oeil, where the eye is fooled by the way in which things actually look.

While in Ayrshire, be sure to take a trip to town of Newmilns. This town has been thrust into the Hollywood spotlight, thanks to its famous mill – Morton, Young & Borland Mill, which is currently providing lace and fabrics for the hit HBO show, Boardwalk Empire.

Start out in Edinburgh and pay a visit to Rosslyn’s Chapel, which was used as location for Dan Brown’s, The Da Vinci Code, before making your way to Edinburgh’s Old Town, which was the backdrop for Chariots of Fire and Mary Reilly, featuring Julia Roberts, and Jekyll and Hyde.

Other places to stop on the way to Inverness include the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Eileen Donan Castle near Loch Duich, which was the principal fortress of Christopher Lambert’s character in Highlander and the world-famous Loch Ness where the film

• 3-star Hotel Montefiore on a B&B basis, Jerusalem, from €870pp • 3-star City Hotel on a B&B basis, Tel Aviv, from €1,054pp • 4-star Grand Court Hotel on a B&B basis, Jerusalem, from €924pp • 4-star Grand Beach Hotel on a B&B basis, Tel Aviv, from €1,169pp

SPRING and summer is a great time to visit Scotland, when the days stretch out and the first blooms and wildlife appear across the gardens and in the countryside.

What better way to discover some of the surprising things Scotland has to offer than by car.

So, whether you’re into history or film, or simply want to enjoy the open Scottish road, there is sure to be a road trip to suit you.

VisitScotland has put together some of the most unusual road trips Scotland has to offer.

Visit www.visitscotland. com/surprise for further information and the bestvalue travel deals.

29th October - 8 nights

The Electric Brae

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• 3-star+ Prima Hotel on a B&B basis Tel Aviv, from €1,130pp • 4-star Prima Royale Hotel on a B&B basis, Jerusalem, from €854pp • 4-star Dan Hotel on a B&B basis, Jerusalem, from €830pp

Ayrshire lies in the south-west of Scotland and is home to some of the most beautiful sights in Britain. A must for any trip to this part of the world is the Electric Brae in Ayrshire. The Electric Brae is a quarterof-a-mile long hill where cars appear to be drawn uphill by some mysterious attraction.

The significant thing about this unusual phenomenon is that it is not what is commonly called a mirage, which is created by the way in which light

‘Monty Python fans should make a stop in Callander just outside Stirling home to Doune Castle, which was used in Monty Python’s Holy Grail’

Israel (Jerusalem and Tel Aviv or pilgrimage) - only three departures October 12, eight nights

Holy Land Pilgrimage €1,224pp

Two-centre (four nights Jerusalem + four nights Tel Aviv) from €1,174pp Package includes return flights from Dublin, accommodation and transfers. Concorde Travel offer direct flights from Dublin to Tel Aviv. Flightonly offers also available.

To book yourself in for your holiday to Israel, visit, http://www.concordetravel.ie/featureddestinations/israel/

Film location road trip: Edinburgh - Inverness

If one person likes history and the other is a movie buff, for a road trip with a difference, why not combine both on a

Lomond is surprisingly just 90 minutes from Glasgow and a little more than an hour from Edinburgh, so this road trip is perfect for visitors who want to get out of the city for the day.

This scenic route has many surprising sights and attractions on the way. Monty Python fans should make a stop in Callander, just outside Stirling, home to Doune Castle, which was used in Monty Python’s Holy Grail. Histor y fans should then take the A84 and 85 to Killin – via Balguhidder, home to the grave of Rob Roy – then follow this scenic section of loch around to Alexandria. If you have time pop

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meandering drive from Scotland’s historic capital of Edinburgh to Inverness and the heart of Braveheart country. With its breathtaking scenery and rich heritage, Scotland has been the perfect setting for many of Hollywood’s blockbuster films, such as Harry Potter and Chariots of Fire.

of the same title starring Ted Danson was made.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

Writers, artists and musicians have found inspiration in the rich landscapes of Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and the Trossachs for generations. Loch

over to Stirling and Stirling Castle for views over the Forth Valley and a chance to pay homage at the Wallace Monument.

W hen you finally reach Loch Lomond and are looking for a place to stay, why not spend the night in a wigwam? There are several locations to choose from, including

The spectacular view of

Strathfillan Wigwam Village, which is situated on a working farm right on the West Highland Way (near Loch Lomond) and has excellent on-site facilities and lots of farm animals to see.

Enjoy the open road: See Scotland by motorbike

For a fun and surprising way to see Scotland this summer, why not hire your own personal trike chauffeur. Trike Tours Scotland offer one of the most unusual ways to see the famously breathtaking scenery Scotland has on offer.

Trike tours can take you on trips to the mountains, lochs and glens of the Highlands via Perthshire, Stirling and the Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond, Inverness and Mull.

See www.triketoursscotland.com

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 23

TravelBriefs

The Balmoral Show, King’s Hall, Belfast

There are plenty of fun things to do when you take time out to discover Northern Ireland STUCK for something to do? If so, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of exciting things to do in Northern Ireland during May 9 - 22. For more details on these and other events, Callsave 1850 230 230, visit Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s Information Office at Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 or click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events • Hidden Treasures Children’s Theatre, Waterside Theatre, Co Derry, May 8 – 19. A festival featuring the highest quality theatre experiences for children and their families with local, national and international acts.

Eilean Donan Castle, which is situated by the picturesque village of Dornie on the main tourist route to the Isle of Skye

• Balmoral Show, King’s Hall, Belfast, May 11 – 13. This show offers an extravaganza of colour, competition and showmanship, along with daily displays of pedigree horses, ponies, cattle, sheep, poultry, pigs and goats.

• Third Annual Maguire History Weekend, Enniskillen Castle Museums, Co Fermanagh, May 13 – 15. This event will explore the aspects of the Maguire history of Fermanagh.

• An introduction to Basket Making, The Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena, Co Antrim, May 14.

Participants will be using sorted and soaked willow to produce baskets and learn new techniques.

A car on a single track road near the ‘Rest And Be Thankful’ Pass Argyll with Beinn An Lochan in the distance. Pictures: P.Tomkins/Visitscotland/Scottish Viewpoint

• Wild on Wildlife, Castle Ward, Downpatrick, Co Down, May 14. Fun-filled activities for all the family, including mini beast hunts, pond dipping, wildlife art workshops, speciality foods and craft stalls.

• International North West 200, Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine, May 16 – 21. The International North West 200 is a motor cycle road race held over a nine-mile road circuit. It is a week-long festival of sport and attracts competitors from all over the world.

• Garden Show Ireland, Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, May 20 - 22. Advice abounds on how to make the most of your garden, from rearing chickens or keeping bees to growing vegetables, dining in style or even making jewellery out of flowers and plants you have grown!

The bridge across the River Ayr to the town of Ayr, which is a commercial and administrative centre on The Firth of Clyde, Ayrshire

Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland

24 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1

GoingOUT GoingOUT THE HELIX 01 700 7000 The Chernobyl Children’s Appeal Concert THIS year marks the ninth year in a row for the concert, which will see children aged from eight to 18 perform a wide range of songs in aid of the Chernobyl Children’s Appeal, with this year’s concert having a special significance as the world marks the 25th anniversary.

All proceeds will help to support the many children who continue to suffer ill health. With tickets priced at €15, the concert starts at 7.30pm on Saturday, May 14 in The Mahony Hall.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 The Shaughraun TANEY Drama Society are preparing to bring their extensive skills to bear on their production of The Shaughraun, by Dion Boucicault, which is often described as a touchstone Irish play.

The Society’s players will bring the tale of a wily Sligo poacher, called Conn, to vivid life, thanks to a large ensemble, a great set and period-appropriate costumes, with Victorian melodrama, romantic comedy and more added to the mix.

The Shaughraun runs nightly at 8pm at the Mill Theatre from Wednesday, May 18 to Saturday, May 21, with admission priced €18/€15.

CIVIC THEATRE 01 4627477 The Tinker’s Curse ANOTHER Irish-set production, The Tinker’s Curse, tells the story of Rattigan, a Traveller who climbs Croagh Patrick to do penance for the sins of a lifetime. Along the way, Rattigan’s relationship with his wife and daughter come to the fore, as he contemplates what it is to be a father, a husband, a Traveller, and a penitent ascending Ireland’s most sacred spot.

Written and performed by Michael Harding, with live music by Finbar Coady, The Tinker’s Curse runs nightly at 8pm from Thursday, May 12 to Saturday, May 14, with tickets priced €20/€16 conc, or €10 on Thursday.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 Fingal County Youth Orchestra FCYO are sure to be a hit when its young – but highlyskilled – members play a wide range of concertos, pop songs, contemporary pieces and well-known favourites in this concert, which follows on from their magnificent performance at the prestigious Festival of Youth Orchestras at the National Concert Hall recently.

Founded in 1990 and based in Castleknock, the FCYO members, who range in age from 8 to 18, will delight audiences with their accomplished playing. Their concert starts at 8pm on Sunday, May 15 in the Main Auditorium, with tickets pirced €13/€11 conc.

PAVILION THEATRE 01 231 2929 Young At Heart HELD as part of Beltaine, the DLR festival that celebrates older people in the community, a special showing of the life-affirming documentary movie, Young At Heart, will be held on Tuesday, May 17, at 7pm.

The smash-hit film follows a group of senior citizens, who, despite their advancing years, sing their hearts out with a wide range of classic and contemporary pop songs, with the bittersweet wisdom of age adding an extra dimension to some of the songs.

The documentary helps to show the creativity in older people, and how staying active can keep you young at heart, and is sure to be a welldeserved hit with the Pavilion’s audiences.

The film tickets are priced at €5.

Animal trainer Jacob (Robert Pattinson), centre, should look worried – he knows his circus boss, August (Christoph Waltz) probably suspects that he’s been throwing lingering looks at his wife, Marlene (Reese Witherspoon). But whatever Rosie the elephant knows, she’s saying nothing.

Send in the clowns!

Don’t talk to Kate about The Depression – she’s gloomily contemplating this bygone era-set manipulative movie ...

Q KATE CROWLEY

EVEN though The Simpsons long, long ago turned into a mirthless, plodding cash cow, I’m reminded of some of the many things it got right along the way.

Who can forget the regular appearance of deeply cynical focus groups, lawyers, accountants or product testers with clipboards, calculating exactly how to manipulate everyone in Springfield into coughing up for something useless?

Well, it seems that those clipboarders went to Hollywood, and have had a go at movie-making. With an elephant.

Hot to trot on the heels of the likes of, err...

Operation Dumbo Drop, Larger Than Life and, umm... Dumbo, here comes another film with an elephant as a star – for dumbo here, yours truly, to review.

But first, back to those

FILM OF THE WEEK: Water for Elephants ++ (12A) 119 mins Director: Francis Lawrence Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, A Charismatic Elephant

OUR VERDICT: THE scratching noises that some viewers may hear during the film are probably from clipboard-wielding focus group managers at the back, scribbling notes on how well the audience is reacting to each obvious, manipulative point in this particularly calculated film. Five minutes with Krusty the Klown suddenly seems preferable. “Mind you, the elephant is lovely.” (Stick that on yer posters, mate.)

clipboard holders.

I’m presuming that they, or somebody, somewhere thought: “What if ... we got Reese Witherspoon, permanently dolled up to the nines like she’s in a Max Factor ad; that vampire guy, Pattinson, who all the girls ditched for the hunkier dude in that Twilight sequel, and made some kind of predictable, cliche-ridden, forbiddenlove film set in a honeyhued Depression-era circus? With an elephant?”

Bingo. I think I’ve just described a more interesting film than this

one, but, with half of my review – or space – yet to fill, let’s make a trunk call to find out some more ...

Thanks to flashbacks, an old man, Jacob (mostly played by Pattinson, as his youthful self) recounts the greatest tale of his life, back in the Depression, when his newly-penniless self hit the road – or, rather, a railway track, aboard a circus train – for an exciting adventure that would make the most of his veterinary skills.

August, the kindhearted, avuncular circus owner, is a gentle – oh, no, silly me, he’s a predict-

ably cold-hearted brute of a man, who’s married to the beautiful Marlena (Witherspoon).

She’s quite a dame, being able to ride horses, work with elephants, and throw lots and lots and lots of lingering gazes at the circus’s newest manure shoveller, who, naturally, throws lots and lots and lots of lingering gazes back, all of which gets noticed lots and lots and lots by August.

Send in the elephant!

It turns out that Dumb– whoops – Rosie the elephant responds very well to Jacob, who is soon assigned to train the circus’s new, star attraction, as well as helping Marlena to work with Rosie.

So, with plenty of gentle patting, ear-tickling, and soft-spoken words – and, yes, folks, I mean Jacob’s elephant-training skills – the stage is gradually set for a climactic, big top showstopper.

Now, you don’t sup-

pose that an elephant, two star-crossed souls, a jealous husband and a film finale could lead to a crazy climax, do you?

Although I was happy to note Jacob’s methods of working with big, dumb, forgetful animals (which I shall apply forthwith to Mr Crowley), I can’t say that I was so happy with the rest of the film.

Pattinson – not exactly the most charismatic of actors, shall we say – fizzles rather than sizzles opposite Witherspoon, as both throw their best thousand-yard-stares at each other, past the audience and out the door, towards their pay cheques.

Waltz is so over the top, one could be forgiven for looking towards the corner of the screen, in the expectation of spotting an old lady playing some penny-dreadful music on a piano each time he appears, cackling.

Two stars. And one’s for the elephant.

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 25

Some feel hacked off with Sony ADAM MAGUIRE

IN THE past fortnight, Sony’s Playstation Network – which lets PS3 and PSP users play games online – was hacked.

T he company has since taken down the network, and admitted that some of its users’ information has been stolen.

Not only is this a costly disaster for Sony, it is also a potentially expensive occurrence for anyone who has had their information swiped.

The hack According to Sony, at some stage between the April 16 and 19, someone gained unauthorised access to their network, and their 75 million users’ data.

They can be sure that

things such as names, addresses, passwords and dates of birth were stolen.

More critical information – such as credit card details – may also have been taken, and there are already reports of more than 2.2 million account details being sold online by hackers.

Those at risk Anyone who has an account with Sony’s Playstation Network may have had their information stolen.

In other words, if they have played online with

their PS3 or PSP, they have given Sony some personal information.

Naturally, a lot of those users are young, and would not have credit cards – though they may have used a relative’s information to buy something online.

Of course, credit card details are not the only thing that is dangerous to have stolen.

If hackers have a person’s login details and passwords, they can do plenty of damage, too.

How to protect yourself If you think that you, or someone in your family, gave information to the Playstation Network at any time, there are some immediate steps you can take to protect yourself.

Firstly, make sure that the password used there is not the same as the one used elsewhere. If it is, change it.

This will ensure that hackers cannot log in to the likes of your email and gain additional information.

Secondly, ignore any emails, phone calls or even letters you might receive purporting to be from Sony. They are a scam.

In fact, you should be extra vigilant of any attempts to gain sensitive information from you in such a way by anyone.

Lastly, monitor your credit card to see if anything unusual happens on it.

If you see anything odd going on, alert your bank straight away to have it stopped.

Garageband for the iPad Garageband for the iPad is an amazingly condensed piece of work that lets even the most musically-challenged person build an impressive piece of music.

Basically a streamlined version of the software that many popular artists use to record their music, Garageband for the iPad lets you build a song from scratch.

Users can sing into the iPad’s built-in mic, plug in a guitar and record what you play, or use the on-screen keyboard and drum-kit to lay down additional tracks.

There are also built-in loops that you can sample from and, with the right tweaking, you can layer it all together into a coherent piece of music.

However, even more However impressive are the “smart” instruments, which basically help you to play chords on the guitar, bass and piano without needing to know how to do so in the real world.

Effectively, this app can do most of the hard work for you, just like the expensive software that chart-topping (and autotuned) artists have been using for years.

In this regard, Garage-

band strikes the best of both worlds.

It is easy and fun to play with, but useful enough for those wanting to do something serious.

It just so happens to be a bargain, too.

Garageband is available from the iPad App Store for €3.99.

Visit teic.ie for the latest tech news, reviews and views.

GAZETTE

26 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

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12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 27

GazetteSPORT

GOLD IN SIGHT: James Scully aims for double successes: Page 29

CRICKET: LEINSTER CRICKET GIVES BACKING TO COUNTY-WIDE SCHOOLS’ CONTEST

O’Brien leads the line for the Leprechaun Cup sport@gazettegroup.com

WOR L D C u p h e r o Kevin O’Brien launched this year’s Leprechaun Cup schools’ cricket competition.

This year’s event will involve no fewer than 38 Primary Schools from various parts of Dublin and surrounding counties.

Leinster Cricket have announced that Precision Electric have become the new spon-

sors of this tournament, that will again reach out to hundreds of young cricketers in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.

Managing director, Karl Reid, is thrilled to be involved with Leinster ’s youth cricket programme: “We are delighted to be associated with this year’s competition and the whole concept of introducing boys and girls to the game of cricket.

“We will be closely

monitoring the results and look forward to seeing some of the stars of the future featuring in the coming weeks.”

Precision Electric’s financial contribution will not only supply schools with playing equipment, but will also help to provide more coaches for schools in order to further develop the game.

Coaches currently active within schools include Reinhardt Stry-

Kevin O’Brien (right) and Brian O’Rourke (Leinster cricket union development officer) are pictured with Castleknock NS students Iain Anders, Sarah McIntosh and Edward Vincent

dom, Andrew Leona r d , D av i d R u s s e l l , Theo Lawson and Bill O’Connor.

These coaching positions have also come

about through financial support received from both Fingal County Council and South Dublin County Council.

Matches take place

this week between Ballyroan Boys vs Taney NS (Dundrum) at Marlay Park, Castleknock NS v St Mochta’s NS (Blanchardstown) in Civil

Service or Porterstown Park, St Bosco’s (Cabra) v Castleknock ET at Cabra, and St Partick’s (Diswellstown) v’s Scoil Mhuire at Civil Service.

28 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteSport Sport Rugby

FastRugby

SCULLY CUP: THREE LATE TRIES SCUPPER HOPES FOR FOURTHS

Leinster hail the stars of the year ISA Nacewa was named the Leinster Players Player of the Year at the Annual Awards Ball held in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin last Saturday night.

Nacewa has been a stand-out performer for Leinster again this season having featured in all but one of the province’s games in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup competitions.

Just this week the 28-year-old was also awarded the IRUPA Player of the Year award and Coach Joe Schmidt hailed Nacewa’s outstanding performances over the course of the campaign.

Leinster coach Schmidt was among those to praise the one-time Fiji international, saying: “Isa’s durability, commitment, experience and rugby talent have seen him perform at a consistently high level in every match he’s played this season.

“As a leader, Isa is recognised by his peers as one of the benchmark players within the squad.

He is professional in all that he does; his recovery, strength and conditioning work, analysis of opponents, attention to detail to improve his own performances. He is utterly committed to the values of the squad and readily shares his knowledge and experience with the younger players.

“Never one to rest easily with personal accolades, I know that Isa will be keen to point out the efforts of his team-mates this year, but he should be proud of this recognition.”

Centre Eoin O’Malley, meanwhile, took the Powerade Young Player of the Year as the Leinster Academy graduate fought off stiff competition for the accolade.

Since overcoming a nightmare spell of injury, the Belvedere College SJ former Schools Senior Cup winner has made a positive impact in the senior panel, and his Heineken Cup debut was followed by his first Ireland Wolfhounds cap.

Clondalkin came close in the Scully Cup final againast Naas but were unable to turn over a late rally from the home side

Clon denied Scully title SCULLY CUP FINAL Naas 27 Clondalkin 20 JONNY STAPLETON sport@gazettegroup.com

CLONDALKIN fourths played Scully Cup hokey cokey last Sunday afternoon but ultimately had their party pooped by a talented Naas outfit.

Clon had one foot in the winner’s circle as they stormed into a 15-0 early lead, before promptly been forced to take it out by a rapidfire Naas second-half performance, and it was the host who were ultimately dancing come full-time.

The fourth string, who were far from outclassed, did threaten to emulate their last kick of the game victory over the

same side they defeated in the Spiers Cup last term, but despite a late surge they couldn’t claim a third cup win for the club this term.

With the elements in their favour Clon made a bright start.

The played territor y superbly and, via brilliant lineout jumping

by Collie McHugh and Dave Gilmore in particular, dominated the line-out without regard for whose throw it was.

The young a mobile Naas unit were keen to keep the ball out of the tight and away from Clondalkin front row power and used the tactic to get a foothold in the game. Until sensational prop Conor Maloney found himself on the wing that is.

The former first team captain, who has yet to fulfil his full potential, registered a monster hit, followed it with a turnover before powering through three would-be tacklers to instigate the move that eventually led to the opening score.

Flanker McHugh burst through the middle and offloaded superbly to Seanie Brennan, who was as creative with the ball as he was destructive without it throughout.

The big lock was halted as he charged for the line, but, after superb recycling young scrumhalf Colin Lyons fed John Walsh down the blind to open the scoring.

Player of the season contender Ciaran Jones

missed the conversation and a penalty soon after but Clon were on top and soon extended their lead.

This time Maloney finished from close range after good work from the front eight and Lyons.

The ten-point advantage was pushed to 15 soon af ter as Clondalkin’s very own Benjamin Button, Eamon Stapleton, finished touched down after another superb maul from the pack.

Just when it looked like the visitors were going to take a sizeable lead into the break Naas hit back before the turn to reduce the arrears.

The Kildare outfit, keeping the ball alive and moving it at every

opportunity, eventually made irrelevant some brilliant covering tackling from the Dave Shirley, Kev Dunphy, Jones and Ritchie Murphy to make it 15-5 at the turn.

Naas completely dominated after the break and set up residence in Clon’s 22. Initially, the visiting defence held firm with Stapleton’s direct running and a break from Paddy Lawlor giving Clon temporary reprieve.

However, the visitor’s pressure eventually told and they scored three tries in quick succession to steal ahead.

Clon did attempt a late comeback but couldn’t deny Naas silverware for the second successive year.

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 29

in association with

Preparing for the big tests STEPHEN FINDLATER talks to mentor and coach, David Malone, about James Scully, Ireland’s most promising swimmer, ahead of Paralympics 2012 NAC swim club’s James Scully was recently honoured as the Swim Ireland Disability Swimmer of the Year, capping a brilliant 2010 with a fourth-place finish in the 200-metre freestyle final at the world championships in Eindhoven.

But the young star is hoping that result is just a stepping stone en route to the London Paralympic Games in September, 2012.

For now, though, juggling his high-performance training is sharing his preoccupation with his Leaving Certificate, making for a hectic couple of months.

Soon after Scully completes the State exams,

the 18-year-old will be straight back into competition, looking to secure a place for Ireland in the London Games through the European championships in Berlin.

ally carded athlete under the Irish Sports Council performance grants so, ultimately, James is preparing for the Leaving but also, just two weeks after, he will go to compete at

--------------------------------------------------------

‘We’re coming into the final bit of the plan. It’s a matter of getting the Leaving Cert out of the way, and then the priority will be London 2012’ --------------------------------------------------------

And club coach, as well as Irish team manager, Dave Malone says the major issue is getting the balance between the twin concerns just right.

“He’s an internation-

the European championships in Berlin. That’s a phase of qualifying for the London Games in September 2012.

“He’s risen slowly through the ranks in the

James Scully receives his Swim Ireland Disability Swimmer of the Year award

past three or four years to achieving that fourthplace finish in the world last year.

“Obviously the exams are incredibly important.

It’s quite a tricky year and James is at that age where he has really learned a lot over the last couple of years to get to this point.

“He’s been balancing the time management around studying and training to the standard of a performance athlete.

Balancing act “For James, it’s about balancing the books and getting the rest and recovery in as well and take in a bit of a social life, too, to keep the life balance together.

“It’s difficult to manage but James receives support from the Irish Institute of Sport, working with athlete executive, Ken Lynch,” said Malone Their plan for this tricky season has seen Scully compete closer to home, more recently entering the National long-course championship, held at his home pool in the NAC. While the event is an able-bodied gala, disabled entrants were allowed enter, helping get more experience of a large meet with high-quality opposition – something which is hard to come by in the current period.

“It was an opportunity for him to swim in a high-

level event. With the commitments at school this year, we’ve limited James’ travel exposure to events around Ireland. He competed in Limerick in February while he was due to take part in the Welsh championships, but it was cancelled because of the conditions at the times.”

As for the route to London, individual qualifying proper begins on January 1, 2012 but countries are currently scrambling to secure places for themselves, a process which goes right up to March, 2012.

Next month’s Europeans act as the first opportunity to gain an Irish place and Malone – one of Ireland’s most decorated Paralympians and a gold medallist – is hopeful over his protege’s chances.

“With James, we’re happy with the way he has approached the last number of months and kept himself organised.

“He’s very much in line to qualify. It’s a major performance meet at the Europeans but, to an end of preparing for London, this is just a stepping stone.

“We’re right in the preparation of a four-year plan but we’re coming into the final bit of that plan. James is very much on track and it’s a matter of getting the Leaving Cert out of the way and then the priority will be London.”

FastSport

Show your allegiance to Leinster (like the editor) WITH the last phases of the Magners’ league and the Heineken Cup final this month, fans everywhere (including Gazette editor, Cormac Curtis, pictured above right at the RDS last week) are going blue with anticipation, and can now show their support with teamcoloursonline.com.

Team Colour’s range of waterless, press-on temporary tattoos with Leinster colours and slogans are now available. Charities, sporting clubs and schools involved in fundraising can have tattoos commissioned with their own crest to either generate profits from sales or simply raise awareness of their brand.

For more information, see www.teamcoloursonline.com or visit their Facebook page.

Iconic camp set to take place in July BASKETBALL Ireland have announced that their popular basketball camp, Gormanston 2011, will take place in the week of July 10 to 15 at Gormanston College.

The camp will once again cater for residential and day campers and the cost will remain the same as in 2010.

The national basketball camp is renowned for delivering only the best in coaching with past coaches hailing from America, Canada, and Europe, as well as the best Irish coaches. Campers get a rare opportunity to experience the valuable knowledge

from some of the best in the game.

The camp has become renowned as the place to be each summer for prospective basketball stars of the future.

Some of Ireland’s top players have come through the ranks at the camp, and it attracts the best coaches from home and abroad.

Past coaches have included some of Ireland’s greats, including Danny Fulton, Joey Boylan, and Gerry Fitzpatrick, along with a medley of extraordinary coaches from abroad, such as Brian Hill, Lazlo Nemeth and Serge Clabau.

Attendance costs €375 for residential attendees, while daycampers can take part for €200. For more information, see www. basketballireland.com

30 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 12 May 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

NIVEA CUP: LOCAL SIDES SHARE POOR FORTUNES IN CUP TIES

Rooney keen to remain with Caley for moment PALMERSTOWN soccer tyro, Adam Rooney, has stated his intention to remain at Inverness Caledonian Thistle for another year.

The local star has been on top form for Caley this season, and is fourth-top scorer in the SPL this season.

He has been the target for the attentions of a number of English sides, and Young Boys Bern of Switzerland, but he is determined to remain under Terry Butcher’s tutelage for at least another season.

“I’m happy here and have enjoyed my time. I’m not desperate to get away,” said Rooney.

Egan targets return to Olympic place

give it everything and whatever happens happens. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

KENNETH Egan is determined to regain his number one status in the Irish boxing and his place at the London 2012 Olympics.

In a recent interview with The Irish Times, Egan spoke of his desire to once again be on an Olympic podium come the end of September 2012.

“I’m just keeping the head down, training hard. What will be will be in a boxing sense. If it doesn’t work out and I don’t go to London, fair enough. I went to Beijing and I got my medal. That’s the worst-case scenario.

Of course I don’t want it to go that way and I’ll be gutted if it turns out like that.

“I’m still going to

Palmerstown denied double cup titles PALMERSTOWN United were denied the U-11 Joe O’Leary Cup on penalties by Crumlin United at the AUL Complex last weekend.

Normal time ended level 1-1with David Scully on the mark for Palmerstown while Kyle Rafferty was the marksman for Crumlin.

But the latter managed to keep their nerve to win the shootout 4-2.

Their U-10 side were also denied in a close final, too, losing out in the U-10 Lee Kavanagh Cup Final, falling 3-2 to O’Deveney Dunard.

Clondalkin Celtic, above, were beaten in the Wally Winn Cup, while Collinstown bowed out of the AUL Nivea For Men Cup against Sherrif f YC

End to Town’s dream AUL NIVEA FOR MEN S/F Sheriff YC Collinstown JONNY STAPLETON

1 1

sport@gazettegroup.com

AUL Saturday Division 3 side Collinstown’s sensational cup run was halted by Premier A Sunday champions elect. Sheriff YC at the semi-final stage last weekend.

Goliath finally got the better of David when the giant-killing Clondalkin side were beaten by a team that ply their trade 11 divisions above the Collinstown Park outfit.

Having seen off the challenge of St Paul’s, Artane, and Ballymun United in previous

rounds, the Clondalkin outfit had put together a run as good as any cup fairy-tale ever told.

However, the league’s top side, Sheriff, arrested the Collinstown charge at the penultimate stage.

Sheriff came to the semi-final gun-fight ready and determined to fire the first shot, and set a high tempo from the off.

It was not long before they took the lead.

With just over 10 minutes gone, they went 1-0 as their front man finished calmly after a neat touch.

The divisional superior side were simply better in the exchanges thereafter.

A roaring success: Clondalkin host kids’ end-of-season camp CLONDALKIN RFC hosted an end-of

season party for their underage stars, celebrating the end to yet another brilliant season.

The big open-day party in Gordon Park last Sunday morning was a huge success, with all of the club’s underage teams taking part in the event.

Leo the Leinster Lion was present to roar the kids on for another year of rugby endeavour for the gold and blues.

They moved the ball well and eventually prised open the ’Town defence for a second time, albeit after Collinstown’s top scorer Anto McCormack had a header saved.

This time, Sean Murphy added the final touches to a brilliant move to make it 2-0 with just 20 minutes of the game gone.

Sheriff, who are on course for the treble, put two feet in the cup final, on the half-hour mark as a frustration saw Dave Long dismissed- transforming the hill Collinstown had to climb to a massive mountain.

Sherriff continued to dominate after the

turn and but for some fine Graham Matthews goal keeping could have extended their lead.

With just two in it Collinstwon always had a chance of turning things round and a hand ball in the box in the final 15 minutes granted them that opportunity.

One of Dublin footballers most prolific strikers McCormack slotted home from 12 yards to set up a tense finale.

The Clondalkin side pushed on and thought they had sent the game to extra time when Pat Shorthall powered a header home. The referee, however, chalked the effort due to some push-

ing in the box, and it was Sheriff who hit the net next to bring a nightmare end to ’Town’s fairy-tale cup run.

In what was a bad weekend in cup competition for Clondalkin sides, Clondalkin Celtic and Ashwood both tasted final defeat.

Celtic lost 3-1 to nearby rivals Kingswood in the Wally Winn Cup. Wayne Killen had given his side a lead but the concession of two penalties eventually proved vital as Wood claimed the silverware.

Meanwhile, Ashwood lost in a seven-goal thriller to Tallaght side Brookfield.

12 May 2011 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 31

in association with

SFC: CLONDALKIN GAA STILL IN CHAMPIONSHIP

CLUB NOTICEBOARD ROUND TOWERS THE development committee are

thers. We are going to start with

delighted to announce that we are

a light training session on every

hosting a commencement informa-

Wednesday at 7.15pm in Monastery

tion night on Thursday, May 19 at

Road. Spread the word, all wel-

8pm. Work has been going on in the

come.

background for a number of months

The senior footballers beat Trin-

to finalise specifications, costings,

ity Gaels in the second round of the

planning permission, funding, etc.

championship on Sunday.

and we want to bring everyone

The junior A and B footballers

up to speed and to announce the

both recorded two good wins in the

star t date for construction. We

league mid-week.

would encourage all members to

The minor hurlers beat Thomas

come along to this night and make

Davis and Naomh Barrog in the

sure they fully understand what

league. The U-16 footballers beat

we are planning and how it will be

Ballyboden to advance to the semi-

achieved.

finals of the championship.

First there was Gaelic4Mothers, now we are going to try Gaelic4Fa-

Round Towers squeezed past Trinity Gaels by a single point in the Dublin Senior Football Championship

Towers weather late Gael storm DUBLIN SFC ROUND 1 Round Towers 1-13 Trinity Gaels 1-12 JONNY STAPLETON sport@gazettegroup.com

ROUND Towers survived a late Trinty Gaels’ storm to defeat the Division 1 side by a single score, and book their place in round 3 of the most prestigious tournament in Dublin football.

Towers raced ahead and opened up a what initially looked like a comfortable four-point lead with just 12 minutes to go, but only stumbled over the line as the Students hit back late on.

The victory sees Towers’ through to the third phase of the championship and, having now defeated a team that reached the latter stages in recent years, they will be confident regardless of who they draw in the next round.

Towers, and the brilliant Cathal Carty, started in sensational form.

The Mayo native, who was chief point-getter, with 1-04 in the opening

round, hit the Monastery Road side’s first six points as they stole an early march.

The Black Lion FC predator split the posts from play on four occasions and twice scored from placed balls.

Trinty hit back, however, and kept in touch, thanks to their own star man, former Dublin panellist Brendan O’Brien, took advantage of a defensive mix-up to raise the green flag with a decent finish.

Towers didn’t wait too long, and regained their advantage via young centre forward, David Whelan, who started in the middle of the park in last season’s championship.

Whelan rattled the back of the net, and the Hoops looked in control.

Dublin player Dean Kelly began to impose himself on the tie and twice pointed, to allow O’Brien to put a single score between the sides and make it 1-7 to 1-6 in Towers’ favour at the break.

Barry Gallagher pointed his second free soon after the break, but the Students hit back promptly, before they cancelled out Carty’s seventh score soon after.

Towers then began to stamp their authority further and raced clear.

Stephen McGibney, who scored a well taken goal in Round 1, twice raised the white flag. A long-range effort from the returning Mark Taylor then made it three unanswered points and gave Round Towers a four-point cushion going into the final moments of the cup tie.

But, just when it looked like the Clondalkin side

were going to go on and record a comfortable win, Trinity made another revival.

Brendan O’Brien hit first, adding the finishing touches to a well- worked move. Then Joey McCann closed the gap further before defender Graham Dillion sent the ball over the black spot to leave the a single point between the Dublin sides.

Towers did look a little nervy at this stage but their defence held firm and put in a massive lastditch effort to ensure their progress.

O’Brien did have a chance to level the score, but sent his effort wide.

This years La na gClub will take place on Sunday, June 12.

LUCAN SARSFIELDS RACE night is on Friday, May 20.

Set dancing every Wednesday in

Please support this important fun-

function room at 8.30pm. All wel-

draiser for club.

come.

Good win for senior footballers

Upcoming dates for diary: Sat-

in Dublin senior championship last

urday, May 14: Trad Session. Lucan

week.

Comhaltas. Friday, May 20: Annual

Senior and inter 1 camogie teams remain unbeaten.

race night. Saturday, May 21: Golf society outing to Tulfarris.

Good luck to the U-14 camogie

Boys’ football and hurling nursery

girls in this yea’rs feile, which takes

every Saturday in 12th Lock from

place this Saturday and Sunday in

1.30 to 3pm. Girls football nurs-

Faugh’s GAA Club. Good luck also to

ery every Saturday from 1.30 to

the U-14 boys hurling who play feile

2.30pm. To play camogie, contact

in Silverpark, Kilmacud Crokes GAA

Liam Ryan at 087 223 2211.

Club this weekend. All support welcome.

Lotto: Numbers drawn were 4, 13, 18 and 23. There was no winner. Next

Pr emium ticket dr aw en tries

week’s jackpot is €17,000. Colette

available from Paul McGann, the bar

Condon’s team will be in charge for

or any mentor. Enter every draw

next weekend. Do not forget you

for year, total cost €20. Draws are

can always enter our lotto online by

happening most weekends.

clicking on www.lucansarsfields.ie

ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN A GOOD week for our junior football-

Congratulations to Damien Gal-

ers, with a mid-week league draw

lagher on his call up to the Dublin

away to Liffey Gaels, and a good

Under-21 hurlers.

home win against league leaders, Eirn Go Bragh, on Sunday.

In hurling, the Under-8s, 9s and

Welcome, and the best of luck, to our new Games Promotion Officer, David Needham.

10s played Parnell’s, Dubh Gall and

Members please note all score

Liffey Gaels, while 11s lost to St

predictions must be returned to

Anne’s and the 12s beat St Jude’s.

Pat, Jimmy, Paul, Ronan or Graham

In football, the 13s lost to St Pat’s

on or before Saturday, May 14.

(D), the 15s beat St Peregrine’s, and

Keep Friday June 3 free for our

the 16s lost to St Peregrine’s in the

fund-raising trip to the dogs at

shield quarter-final.

Harolds Cross. Further details to

In camogie, Under-11s went down to Commercials.

Senior hurlers at home in the

follow.

To view our website simply logon to www.stpatricksgaa.ie

lea gue on Saturda y evening at

Lotto: Number drawn were 8, 17,

6.15pm against Erin’s Isle, while jun-

26 and 27. There was no winner of

ior hurlers are at home this Sunday

the €6,800 jackpot. Match any three

in championship at 3pm against St

numbers winner was The Mooneys,

Sylvester’s.

who received €200.

ALL OF YOUR CLONDALKIN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31

MAY 12, 2011

COLLINS’ CORALLED: Sheriff YC arrest Clon side’s march to AUL final P30

GazetteSPORT

Clondalkin have broken plenty of new ground in the past few years and are the fastest-growing club in the province at the moment

DOUBLE DREAMS: Scully tackles Leaving and Europeans P29

A lot done, more to do for Clondalkin Club captain Dan Fitzpatrick says local rugby club must keep up the work rate to maintain progress JONNY STAPLETON clondalkinsport@gazettegroup.com

CLONDALKIN Rugby Club drew their most successful season to date to a close last weekend, but retiring club captain Dan Fitzpatrick has urged all involved to increase the work rate over the next few months.

Clon are currently celebrating promotion to Leinster League Division 1 for the first time in their history, as well as collecting their first ever Ladies’ trophy and a fifth senior cup victory in two years.

But Fitzpatrick has warned that, if the club are to maintain their recent run of success, they have to increase their efforts on and off the field.

The big lock is proud of what has been achieved under his two-year reign and has paid tribute to all involved in what was a historic promotion but has urged both players and committee members to focus on the future rather

than on past achievements.

“I know the club is thrilled with how this year has gone, and how the club has developed over the last few seasons. We are the quickest growing club in Leinster by far.

“The structures that have been put in place have helped the club develop. The last few weeks have been great, we have had big games after big games.

“The under 18, 17, thirds, fourths and women’s teams were in finals. The first got promoted and it’s been a big party as the season came to a close. But we can’t get complacent. Next year is what is important now.

“We have moved up a level and will play bigger and better teams next year. So it goes without saying that we have to up the work rate and increase our skill levels.

“We have to improve on and off the field and continue to set ourselves targets and goals. I have every confidence that, if the committee and players do that, we will stay up next year.”

Despite discussing the elite end of the club Fitzpatrick was also keen to stress Gordon Park remained open to any new players regardless of experience, age and gender.

T he second-row powerhouse insists Clondalkin’s policy of treating every player and member the same should continue even as the club progresses.

“One the greatest achievements the club has had is fielding five senior teams yet keeping the family spirit. That has to continue. That is Clondalkin’s unique selling point.

“So many new players have come to the club of late, and let’s hope that trend continues.

We welcome all people interested in rugby in Gordon Park. We are a community club,” Fitzpatrick added, before paying homage to the local press.

“The press coverage we have received over the last few years is amazing and much appreciated. It help us get our name out there and helped us with sponsorship and the like.”