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INSIDE: Racing to raise muchneeded funds for Community Care Foundation See Page 6

Hurling:

Tower’s minors make it into MHC quarter-finals Page 31

Soccer:

Leinster callup for Liffey Valley player Page 30

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES.......................6 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................27

addiction: Local man’s bid to help others recover from alcohol dependency Page 2

Council is owed €27.7m in levies  PAUL HOSFORD

SOUTH Dublin County Council has revealed that it is currently owed €27.7 million in outstanding development levies.

Just how much of the money is recoverable is not yet known, but the vast majority of the cases involved are from residential developments. Of 252 cases in a report seen by The Gazette, 172 are resi-

dential developments.

Local TD Robert Dowds (Lab) said that the biggest issue will be about the retrieval of the money.

“Superficially, the figure looks like a disgrace, but it is far more complex than that.”

Sinn Fein’s Eoin O’Broin called for the Minister for Local Government, Phil Hogan to do more.

Full Story on Page 9

Dressed to impress: Twins’ costumes fire imaginations all the thought and imagination

that went into Chloe Coburn and Molly Redmond’s Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee costumes paid off as they were announced winners of the fancy dress competition at the recent Clondalkin Youth Service

disco in Knockmitten Youth and Community Centre. There was plenty of stiff competition with some fantastic costumes on display but the pair’s colourful creation was just too good.

See Gallery on Page 6

R1

2 CLONDALKIN Gazette 8 November 2012

dublin GAZETTe newspapers i n f o r m at i o n

Alcohol Implants to reduce dependency

Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 - 6010240 Dublin Gazette Newspapers publish eight weekly quality free titles, covering the greater Dublin area from Swords to Dun Laoghaire

c o n ta c t s Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com Acting News Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@gazettegroup.com Picture Editor: Paul Hosford picturedesk@gazettegroup.com Acting Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sport@gazettegroup.com Advertising Production: Anita Ward ads@gazettegroup.com Financial Controller: Carly Lynch clynch@gazettegroup.com Advertising Sales: 01 - 6010240

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Robert Moore has started a company that supplies implants that may help sufferers of alcoholism stop drinking

Local man wants to help drinkers tackle problem A LOCAL man who recovered from alcoholism is now looking to help others do the same.

Saggart man Robert Moore says that his life has been so changed by an implant in his stomach, which he received in Latvia, that he has started a company to help others do the same.

The implant, offered

by Robert’s company Aluston Health, blocks enzymes that break down alcohol, meaning that those who do drink, suffer severe reactions. That, coupled with detox and support, help sufferers

 Paul Hosford news@gazettegroup.com

stop drinking, something that Robert himself did in March this year.

“I started drinking when I was 16 or 17 and moved abroad when I was 18. I’ve always been around drink, so it was part of my environment.

“When I came back from travelling, I took a lease on a pub in the

city centre. I was always a very high-functioning [alcoholic] and kept up appearances. I would always open the pub at 10am in a shirt and tie and really look the part, but I would always have one more drink than my friends,” says Robert, who adds that the drinking itself wasn’t that much of a problem.

“The hangover was torture. I’d be out of action for two days.”

With the pressures of running two pubs building, Robert found himself drinking more, but is keen not to use economic

worries as a reason for his problem.

“I had to keep going and I suppose it did cause me to drink more, but I wouldn’t use that as an excuse. I had problems before all that.”

Demons

After spending three months in rehab in 2010, Robert still found the demons hard to shake.

“Self-control wasn’t for me. At every social event, drink was around me. In between then and getting the implant, I might have only drunk four or five times, but they were

bad ones. I would be out drinking for four or five days.”

Having taken the plunge and gotten the implant, which he describes as a “last chance saloon”, Robert says that he feels he has a new lease of life.

“It’s a great peace of mind to not be a hassle or a worry to my family or girlfriend. My health and my interests are increasing, and my hunger for life is back.”

For more information, see http://www.alustonhealth.ie, or call 01 458 6754.

Debate over Clondalkin horse centre planned A MOTION debating the placement of an equine centre in Clondalkin is expected to be heard at next month’s South Dublin County Council meeting.

Fianna Fail councillor Trevor Gilligan said that he hoped the

council would dispose of some land around Clondalkin for the use of local horse enthusiasts after over 50 people attended a meeting in Bawnogue in support of the idea.

“Horse owners are now organising themselves into a formal

committee so that they can work with South Dublin Council to establish an equine centre,” said Cllr Gilligan.

Delighted

“I was delighted to attend the meeting, it was a great success

and now it’s up to the council to work with us in establishing some land. There is plenty of land out there, if the council are proactive in making this happen.”

The next meeting of South County Council will take place on November 12.

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 3

TRIBUTE: LOCAL GROUPS RECOGNISED FOR HELPING THEIR COMMUNITIES

ENTERPRISE

Support for local business

Double success at the Pride of Place awards THERE was a double local success at the 2012 Co-operation Ireland Pride of Place awards recently.

The Retired Active Men’s Social (RAMS) group in Newcastle and the Clondalkin Tidy Towns group were both runners-up at the awards ceremony which was held in Thomond Park in Limerick.

RAMS were runnersup in the Active Elderly in the Community category, while Clondalkin Tidy Towns were recognised in the Over 2,000 Population category.

Local politicians paid tribute to the groups, with Fine Gael Deputy Derek Keating saying

the work of RAMS was “outstanding”.

Quality of life

“The most recent success of the RAMS in Newcastle, see attached, demonstrates the value to the quality of life of RAMS in the Newcastle area, and the growing meaning RAMS has in the lives of increased number of retired residents and their families.

“This is an outstanding achievement and a great personal accomplishment for Newcastle resident Matt Dowling and his team. I congratulate RAMS and wish them continued success into the future,” said

Deputy Keating.

Fianna Fail councillor Trevor Gilligan said that he was sure their hard work would continue. “ N e x t y e a r, b o t h groups will win the 2013 Pride of Place award in their respective categories, of this I have no doubt.

Hard work

“I would like to congratulate RAMS for all their hard work within the community. I would also like to congratulate the Clondalkin Tidy Towns group, who have worked tirelessly since setting up a few months ago. This is a great achievement for the groups.”

Dare to scare: Halloween fun and games at The Haunted THE HAUNTED was an evening filled with HalloScreams and the Spooktacular which was all created by the young people of the county. The festivities took place in Tallaght and Clondalkin with a display of scary lanterns and figures and finished up with music, dance and games to celebrate Halloween in a safe and fun way. For months in the run up to Halloween, youth groups in Tallaght and Clondalkin worked at creating scary lanterns and figures which were used in The Haunted. Pictured are Knockmitten Multimedia Group who were the winners of Best Decorated Large Figure Over 14 years.

THE Clondalkin branch of Bank of Ireland will host two local businesses in its lobby as part of its seventh National Enterprise Week which runs November 16-23.

Bank of Ireland will host Newlands Home and Garden Centre and The Midas Touch hair and beauty salon.

According to Bank of Ireland, the key focus will be on getting access to credit and will feature a Junior Dragon’s Den, a concept aimed at young entrepreneurs, and holding credit clinics.

The clinics aim to explain the small business lending application requirements and improve the access to credit for small businesses.

GOT A STORY? Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 or email news@gazettegroup.com

4 CLONDALKIN Gazette 8 November 2012

community Plan details the programmes, activities and services on offer

Council to launch Age Friendly County Strategy  paul hosford

SOUTH Dublin County Council will this week launch their Age Friendly County Strategy. The programme was launched in South Dublin in February and the strategy has been developed following an

extensive consultation process during the intervening period of time.

T he strateg y contains details of the many programmes, ser vices and activities that are on offer for older people in the county.

It also contains information

on the council’s plans for the future.

The implementation of the strategy will be overseen by the Age Friendly County Alliance, a group of partners chaired by the county manager and including the HSE, An Garda Siochana, CPLN

and Dodder Valley Partnerships and the South Dublin Volunteer Centre.

Members of the newly established Older Person’s Forum for South Dublin County are also involved and will work to ensure that the needs of older people across

the county are taken into account in all future planning.

The strategy will be officially launched by the South Dublin Age Friendly County Alliance as part of Social Inclusion Week 2012, and will be followed by the

Annette Halpin Tea Dance at the Red Cow Hotel at 3.30pm on Thursday, November 8.

For further information on the strategy, contact Sarah O’Gorman of the Community Services Department on 01 4149000 ext 2678 or email sogorman@sdublincoco.ie.

A pirate play zone for ye little mates at Liffey Valley THE Pirates Village pop-up play-zone is coming to Liffey Valley this Saturday, November 10, and will be there until January 2013.

The playzone, which is suitable for toddlers and children up to 10 years old, will be set up below the food court in the shopping centre.

Children can participate in in hourlong session in the play-zone’s giant custom-made pirate-themed inflatables, while parents can relax in the viewing area.

The activities include a galleon ship adventure, mini-mermaid slide, pirate ball pool, pirate’s assault course and a toddler area.

There are extra activities in the Pirates Cove beside the Pirates Village, which cost from €3. These include bumper boats, water-walker zorb balls and a snow tube.

The Pirates Village will be open from 12pm to 6pm on Monday to Friday, and 11am to 6pm on weekends and holidays, and admission costs €5.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald

net: minister hails facebook safeguards

Concern is raised over cyber-bullying  paul hosford

A LOCAL TD has met representatives of Facebook to raise concerns over cyber-bullying.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald met Simon Millner, policy director for Facebook in Ireland and Britain ahead of the Digital Youth international symposium which took place at the Science Gallery in Dublin last week.

Afterwards, Minister Fitzgerald welcomed what she called “the child-focussed and userfriendly safeguards and supports which Face-

book have put in place to protect children and respond to concerns over cyber-bullying and inappropriate online behaviour”.

In the wake of the suicide of a second Irish teen in as many months, the local TD made specific reference to the contentious ‘ask.fm’ website which has come to attention in Ireland in recent weeks due to its use as a platform for cyber-bullying.

Minister Fitzgerald stated her intention to ask the Latvian authorities to investigate lack of safeguards applying to ask.fm, which is based in

that country.

The Minister told the symposium that “in seeking to respond to cyberbullying, we should seek to start by addressing bullying in the round.

This requires a whole school-and-community approach to address the underlying factors”.

Report

The Minister said she expects to receive the report of the National Anti-Bullying Forum working group before the end of the year.

It comes as European research shows that Irish parents are among the most restrictive when it

comes to what their children do on the internet.

The issue of cyber bullying has made headlines in recent months following the deaths of 15-year-old Ciara Puglsey in Co Leitrim in September and 13-year-old Erin Gallagher in Co Donegal.

Both girls took their own lives following allegations of cyber bullying.

Just last week, Clondalkin-based charity Console urged anyone who is being cyberbullied to contact them at the Beacon of Light in Clondalkin, which can be contacted on 01 868 5232.

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN Gazette 5

6 CLONDALKIN Gazette 8 November 2012

gazetteGALLERIES

Kevin Foley, Steven English, Yvonne English, Michelle English, Sinead Flood, Aoife Mallon, Claire Fitzmaurice and Nicole Murphy

taking a punt: race night raises funds for community care

T

he Louis Fitzgerald Hotel was the venue for a recent race night in aid of Community Care Foundation (CCF). The charity CCF was set up in 2010 by two workmates Paul English and Rodney O’Connor, to help the poor of Dublin particularly at Christmas and times of need.

They have to date run four concerts of song and music, with three musical extravaganza evenings scheduled before Christmas.

The shows will be held on November 25 at St Aengus’ in Tallaght, December 2 at St Teresa’s, Donore Avenue and December 15 at Holy Spirit, Ballyroan.

All the kids had a great time at the imaginative school event. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston

disco: strictly dancing for hard working volunteers

Fancy footwork for fancy dress

Community Care Foundation founders Rodney O’Connor and Paul English

T

HE volunteers of Clondalkin Youth Service came together to celebrate a year’s hard work with a disco in Knockmitten Youth and Community Centre. The fancy-dress event, which attracted children from all over Clondalkin, was well received Studying the form were Pat Forde and Tom Walpole

and great fun for all of the volunteers.

From zombies to Superman, there was an impressive range of colourful and creative costumes on display which ensured that everyone who attended had a very memorable evening.

Musical director Damian Gallagher

Grace Carey and Ben Kelly

Ann Bradley, Jimmy Nelson, Pat Conlon and Margaret Hanlon John Gregg

Hats off to a great party

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN Gazette 7

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Jumping for joy

Chloe Lynch, Clare Healy, Molly Redmond, Chloe Coburn, Chloe Shapleton, Niamh Moran and Nicole Lynch

Fancy Dress winners Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, Chloe Coburn and Molly Redmond

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Laura Killeen, Aine Gavin, James Brown and Emma Walsh

8 CLONDALKIN Gazette 8 November 2012

EDUCATION Teaching alternative in Clondalkin

Primary school to hold an open day THE Clondalkin Primary School will hold an open day next Wednesday, November 14, from 12 noon to 2pm.

The school is based upstairs in the scouts den on Watery Lane and caters for children up to

age 12. Using Montessori methods, the school teaches within the curriculum set out by the Department of Education.

Board member and parent Sinead Rafferty is hoping that locals, many

of whom don’t even know about the school, will come along and see what they have to offer.

Secret

“The school is a bit of a hidden secret, but it offers small classes and

caters to all children. It is an alternative to regular school and, using Montessori methods, helps teach the children in a concrete way.”

For more information, contact the school on 087 673 1897.

Surprise! Minister joins in youth celebrations eleven youth groups from across Dublin were treated to a surprise special guest during their Youth Participation Day Celebrations in Ronanstown CYC on Friday when Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald dropped by. The groups, which included Lucan CYC, Clondalkin CYC and Ronanstown CYC, were joining forces to participate in a Global Justice Development Workshop and to showcase their projects on everything from women’s rights to Chernobyl. The positive initiative by CYC was supported by the National Youth Council of Ireland. Pictured with the Minister is Caitlin Brown from Ronanstown CYC.

halloween: Since 2005, clean-ups cost €1.7m

Few bonfires as council ‘haunting’ a big success SOUTH Dublin County Council has indicated that this Halloween was quieter than last year, with fewer unauthorised bonfires reported and clean-ups required than in 2011.

However, the council has said that the cost of annual cleanu-ups since 2005 has now topped €1.7 million.

SDCC has for the past number of years put on events and organised bonfires in order to keep anti-social behaviour to a minimum. This year, the council ran a new event in Tallaght and Clondalkin entitled The Haunted, which included a display of lanterns

and theme figures and also featured music, dance and games, which organisers intended to celebrate Halloween in a safe and fun way.

More than 150 children turned out at each location, and Maire Ni Dhomhnaill of South Dublin’s Parks Department said that the event was a great success.

“The Haunted was very successful, particularly given that it was the first year of the event.

“The young people were very involved from start to finish and made the lanterns that were launched on the evening, with prizes being awarded for the best ones. It was very cold,

with the event in Collinstown [Clondalkin] being outdoors, but there’s not much we can do about that,” said Ms Ni Dhomhnaill.

Dangerous

“Halloween can be a dangerous time of year, so we offer a safe way of enjoying it.”

In terms of unauthorised bonfires and antisocial behaviour, she said that this year appears to have been quieter than last year.

“Generally, there were fewer bonfires than last year, but we don’t have an exact number just yet.

“We have counted

[as of Friday morning] around 200 such instances.

“We won’t, unfortunately, be reinstating green areas, which means that open spaces and fields will have black marks on them.”

The bonfires take a toll on already stretched council resources, Ms Dhomhnaill pointed out.

“Every year, council staff have to prepare for Halloween as it is a busy time of year with cleanups.

“We estimate that, since we started preparing for the clean-ups in 2005, they have cost the council €1.7 million,” she said.

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN Gazette 9

fees Biggest issue is how money can be retrieved – Dowds

Council owed €27.7m in unpaid levies

Following a Dail Question by Deputy Joe Higgins (SP), South Dublin County Council has revealed the total owed to it in unpaid development levies

SOUTH Dublin County Council (SDCC) has revealed that it is currently owed €27.7 million in outstanding development levies.

Following a Parliamentary Question tabled recently by Dublin West Deputy Joe Higgins (SP) looking for the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, to report on outstanding levies payable to local authorities, it was revealed that SDCC was owed €32.1 million for the last audited year – 2010.

The council has subsequently told The Gazette that, as of the end of the third quarter of 2012, the figure had been reduced to €27.7 million.

Just how much of the money is recoverable is not yet known, but

the vast majority of the cases involved are from residential developments.

Of 252 cases in a repor t seen by T he Gazette, 172 are residential developments.

However, only 54 of those cases are complet-

ed and occupied developments, and account for just €1.8 million of the overall figure.

Local Deputy Robert Dowds (Lab) said that the biggest issue will come in the retrieval of the money.

He said: “Superfi-

cially, the figure looks like a disgrace, but it is far more complex than that.

“Looking at the figures, it appears that only a small portion of the €27.7 million is actually collectable. Some of it was never handed over

and, in some cases, the developer [is now in] difficulty and won’t be paying it back.

“It is important that the money is collected, but it is unrealistic to think that a lot of it will be repaid,” said Deputy Dowds.

10 clondalkin Gazette 8 November 2012

gazetteGALLERY

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Ciara Hickey

Sean De-Claine

Winner of the national women’s marathon championships Maria McCambridge, and her son Dylan, with Georgina Drumm, vice president, Athletics Association of Ireland. Pictures: Sportsfile

So far, so good for Gary Condren

Stepping out to make a marathon effort for fun

T

HOUSANDS of people took to the city centre recently for the annual bank holiday marathon, which attracted runners from every city in the region, as well as from all across the island of Ireland, and,

indeed, all corners of the world.

While a number of dedicated athletes had soon taken the lead in a bid to win the Dublin Marathon 2012, most were running simply for the fun and the pleasure of doing so.

Thousands of spectators cheered on the tired but determined runners, walkers and fundraisers taking part, while the clear weather, and wacky costumes sported by some, added to the upbeat mood.

Oliver Geoghan offers an encouraging high-five to Karen Thomas, from Portland, Oregon

8 November 2012 Gazette 11

health P14

asdfsdaf BUSINESS P27 P16

dublinlife

Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week, as well as the latest from our schools

hugh lane: gallery’s concert season

Classical ensemble will have audiences flying high As part of the 36th series of free concerts taking place in the Sculpture Gallery of the Hugh Lane Gallery, classical ensemble Concorde will play on November 11.

The Sundays at Noon concerts were set up to offer the best of Irish and international musicians who would play the most beautiful music in elegant surroundings for free to the public.

It is run each year from September to June and its popularity is such that the gallery is always full so those wishing to attend are advised to go early to get a seat.

Concorde is made up of Madeleine Staunton on flute, Paul Roe playing clarinet and bass clarinet, Elaine Clark on violin, Martin Johnson on cello, Dermot Dunne on accordion and Jane O’Leary,

the artistic director of the group.

On November 11, the Concorde group and special guests will play a selection of pieces under the umbrella of Up Close with Music.

Among the pieces included in the concert programme are a cello solo called Five Hofer Photographs by Dave Fennessy, Hhmmmm, a bass clarinet solo by

Elaine Agnew, and Con Coro, a violin, cello and tape composition by Rhona Clarke.

Concorde: Up Close with Music is on November 11 in Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North.

If you’d like to find out more about the event, you can call 01 222 5550 or email info.hughlane@ dublincity.ie.

The Concorde group who will play at the Hugh Lane Gallery



Gazette

disney on ice P12

Gazette

12 Gazette 8 November 2012

dublinlife

Travel with Mickey and friends to Hawaii

Skate into The temperatures are starting to plummet, so why not get the kids ready by taking them to see Disney on Ice this weekend?

The ice-skating spectacular show, Passport to Adventure, is set to take centre stage at the RDS until Sunday.

This show takes audiences on a fun-filled tour of four exciting destinations filled with their favourite Disney friends.

With Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as tour guides, guests will visit the enchanting worlds of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and Lilo And Stitch.

“It’s an extraordinary

show and a family vacation all rolled into one incredible night,” said producer Kenneth Feld.

“You really get a sense you are travelling right alongside Mickey, Minnie and their friends.”

The show runs from November 8 to 11. Tickets are available from the Ticketmaster desk in the Dublin Discover Ireland Centre, Suffolk Street, online at www.ticketmaster.ie, and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

a real treat for everyone If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting a chocolate factory then you need dream no longer, as But-

lers Chocolate Factory is now running tours at its Dublin headquarters.

Butlers Chocolate Experience allows the public to explore the inner workings of one of Ireland’s longest-established chocolate factories.

Children and adults can learn what really goes on behind their doors, discover how chocolate is made, and how Butlers create their different assortments.

Visitors also get the chance to make their own chocolate creations in the Butler’s kitchen.

There are two types of tour on offer: The World of Chocolate Tour, which takes in the Chocolate

8 November 2012 Gazette 13

Gazette

diary

winter with a happy face Museum, The Chocolate Movie and the Chocolate Gallery, and The Ultimate Butlers Chocolate Experience Tour, which also offers access to the mysterious Chocolate Experience Room. Tour prices start at €10 and €12.50 respectively.

Butlers is located in the Clonshaugh Business Park in Dublin 17.

The musical debuted on Broadway in 1997 and is based on the 1994 animated film of the same name.

The music is by Elton John, and the show features actors in animal costumes as well as giant puppets. It has toured all

Musical roars into theatre The musical production of Disney’s The Lion King is coming to Bord Gais Energy Theatre in April, 2013, and the launch took place last week in the Project Arts Centre in Essex Street.

Explore the inner workings of one of Ireland’s longestestablished chocolate factories

over the world since its initial Broadway run, visiting places as far flung as Rio, Sydney, Russia and Singapore.

At the Dublin launch, cast members performed famous songs from the show in full costume and Thomas Shumacher,

president and producer of Disney Theatrical Group was on hand for the celebrations.

Tickets for the show

are already on sale and are available from the box office at Bord Gais Energy Theatre, www. bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Gazette

14 Gazette 8 November 2012

dublinlife

Psychologist and author Jason O’Callaghan

Turn over a new leaf and live the life you want  natalie burke

IF YOU’VE ever wondered what it is you want out of life, or, more importantly, how to get it, a new book recently launched by journalist, psychologist and founder of the D4 Clinic Jason O’Callaghan, could be the key to a new and enlightened future.

Get The Life You Deserve: 29,000 Days – What Will You Do With Yours? aims to help readers discover the secret to positive living and offers motivational tips to inspire people to get the life they deserve, whether that is to lose weight, find love or get the job they always wanted.

Using research into psychology and hypnotherapy, Jason O’Callaghan uncovered his interpretation of positive living.

He discusses how, through taking responsibility, readers can release themselves from the shackles of their old lives and gain the motivation and inspiration to fulfil their dreams.

Readers of the book are advised on how stress can kill you faster than junk food, how smiling can help you live longer, and how what “number” of child you were in your family

may affect your success in life.

Fellow author Ruth Field was on hand to help with the launch, and praised the newly published book.

She said: “[It] really brings home the fact that we don’t have very long on this earth, and yet we are wasting days, months and years being stuck in jobs we hate, or in bodies we loathe, or in relationships that are making us unhappy.

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‘Readers of the book are advised on how stress can kill you faster than junk food, or how smiling can help you live longer’

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“Through a combination of visualisation techniques and inspiring stories of famous successful people, Jason highlights the value of failure as a necessary stepping stone to success,” she said.

Get The Life You Deserve: 29,000 Days – What Will You Do With Yours? is available from all major Irish book shops, with a RRP of €16.99.

With autumn passing us by, and winter just around the corner, it’s time to consider what you can do to stay healthy during the months ahead

health: some top tips to avoid piling on the pounds

Avoid the winter bulge AS THE clocks change and the dark evenings set in, the gloomy weather leaves us yearning for comfort foods, big fires and neslting in front of the TV. Clothes have gone from shaped to shapeless, and the last thing we want to do is face the elements and get active.

Shorter days and a lack of sunshine reduce our body’s production of serotonin – a hormonelike substance that promotes feelings of relaxation and happiness.

A natural reaction to this is that many people start to eat more carbohydrates, such as pasta, potatoes and rice, helping to raise serotonin levels.

With our bodies naturally craving starchier comfort food, it’s easy to pile on the pounds as the weather turns colder.

But autumn doesn’t

have to mean adding inches to your waistline, and help is at hand.

Motivation Weight Management is best known for its success in helping thousands of Irish people to reach and maintain their ideal long-term weight.

Motivation’s success is founded on the company’s approach to weight management, which focuses not just on what people eat, but why.

With that in mind, here are some tips from Motivation on keeping your waistline under wraps while you wrap up for winter.

1. Cold comfort: The cold weather makes it the ideal time to start cooking for your autumn diet plan.

Use seasonal vegetables to create big pots of warming soups and stews, which are not

only low in fat, but are also cheap and hassle free.

2. Start as you mean to go on: If breakfast has never been a priority, change that now by making it part of your autumn shape-up diet.

Short winter days can make us sluggish, and we need that extra energy boost to set us up for the day. Porridge oats are perfect for releasing energy throughout your morning.

3. Shape up: Make the most of the bracing, crisp autumn air. It is a well-known fact that the body expends more calories in the winter to keep warm, so you already have a head start!

Take your exercise outside, with long walks or bicycle rides.

Change your routine to keep your body on its toes, and to keep it interesting.

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‘With our bodies craving starchier comfort food, it’s easy to pile on the pounds as the weather turns colder’

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

Also try to do your exercise in the morning to start your day. If you wait until evening, it will be dark and your motivation might be gone.

4. Spice up your body: Introduce some heatgenerating foods into your diet in these cold months. Use spices such as Cayenne or chilies to help keep your circulation moving.

5. Wonderful Water: Drink two mediumsized glasses of water

with each meal. This will not only serve to hydrate your body, but is also now proven to help with weight loss, according to Discovery News, and the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Their study shows that obese dieters who drank two cups of water before each meal lost five pounds more than a group of dieters who didn’t increase their water intake.

6. Don’t buy it! Junk food is really no good for anyone, so if you don’t buy it – then you can’t eat it!

Special occasion or Christmas treats should be the very last thing purchased, because chances are that if you stock up and buy in advance, it will be eaten in advance, too.

For further information, see www.motivation.ie.

8 November 2012 Gazette 15

 laura webb

WHEN people think of Ireland, one thing that comes to minds is of course, a leprechaun, but what many might not know is that there is a museum dedicated to their magical and fascinating world.

The National Leprechaun Museum is located in the heart of the city centre, in Jervis Street, and has been there since 2010.

The first attraction of its kind to be dedicated to Irish mythology, the museum takes visitors through a story of 12

chapters, with each chapter reflecting Irish mythology, or recreates experiences that people would typically associate with leprechauns.

People actually get a taste for how life can be for the wee folk, as many items on display are much bigger than average, to help people think like them.

Tom O’Rahilly, founder of the museum, talks about why he set up the museum, and what people can expect from it.

“T he lepr echauns wouldn’t let me go – they kept coming back to me, so I had to do something

about it,” he joked.

The museum was set up as a way of telling the enchanting stories of leprechauns.

Tom said: “When I started, I didn’t know much about leprechauns and, the more you dig in, the more you find out about the leprechauns and all the other characters in that other world. So, how would you talk to people about it?

“That is where the museum came in. If we can chat to people about them, show them some stuff, and get them to do some things, then we

can begin to explore the whole area.

“People come in with different backgrounds and different depths of knowledge from different countries, so it is really about trying to engage people in different ways,” he said.

According to Tom, everyone has a different opinion or idea of what the museum might be, and so people get a unique experience.

Small groups are set up, and it is a semi-guided experience.

“It is also about having an experience with other people. Essentially,

we are getting people to think like leprechauns,” said Tom. A new attraction coming next month is coin making, so people will be able to make their own lucky coins.

Asked if he has ever seen one, Tom said the leprechauns have seen him, but every time he turns around they disappear.

The Leprechaun Museum is open daily from 10am until 6.30pm.

For further information about special events coming up, see www.leprechaunmuseum.ie.

Gazette

Sharing big fun with the little people at museum

features

LocalMatters S u p p o r t l o c a l b u s i n e ss

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GAZETTE

16 GAZETTE 8 November 2012

DUBLINLIFE

Q&A

BUSINESS

Supported

by AIB

When negative equity strikes Continued from last week

EDDIE WALSH, CHAMPS BARBERS

Cutting edge programme EDDIE Walsh opened Champs Barbers in 1996 in the building where, in 1916, his grandparents lived, and where later his mother was born and lived, in lower George’s Street in Dun Laoghaire.

While still at school, Eddie would, at every opportunity, make his way to his uncle’s barber’s shop there, where he discovered his calling.

Nowadays, Eddie runs his five salons, and teaches barbering. He is vice-president of the Irish Barbers Federation, whose objectives are to promote higher standards in barber-

ing and qualifications for barbers.

With these aims in mind, Champs are also opening a School of Barbering in the New Year.

Eddie says: “I believe there is a lack of well-trained barbers, probably because of the lack of good training, or just because the interest is not there. With Champs Barbering School, it will be our aim to train potential barbers to get that job.

“With our hands-on programme, and with five salons, we can provide the necessary work experience to get people to the top of the ladder.”

How long have you been in business?

the recession?

For 16 years.

What makes your business successful?

Determination, commitment, hard work and a willingness to change.

What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?

Champs Barbers and Hairdressers are fully trained qualified professionals who are continually upskilling, which means they have a good understanding of what our clients need.

Although all our salons are individual, they all have the same relaxing ambience, which our customers always comment on.

How has the recession impacted your business?

At Champs, we don’t cut corners, so therefore we haven’t cut our prices in spite of the present climate.

In a recession, it is the first reaction of any business, but in doing this we simply could not maintain the standards which have made us stand out in the business for so long.

Having said that, we do try to give back to our clients by giving different specials and promotions.

What have you changed about your business to combat the effects of

Champs has actually expanded in the last year, which may seem a strange thing to do in a recession, but my motto has always been to look forward and never back.

What law or regulation would you change overnight to help your business?

The commercial rates have increased so much that it has put an end to many businesses that were just about hanging on. In recessionary times, bumping up rates by more than 100% in some cases just doesn’t make any kind of economic sense.

How do you use social media (Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, etc) to help your business?

We have only just signed up to Facebook , after much deliberation, and let’s just say that the jury is still out on that one.

What is your ambition for the business?

To stay at the top of our game is always our aim. We have launched our own range of products, and are hoping to open the Champs School of Barbering in the New Year.

What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?

It’s easy getting there – it’s staying there that’s the hard part.

AS DISCUSSED last week, problems with negative equity can strike if your life circumstances change, such as, for example, you need to change homes, or you lose your job. What happens then?

A) You must immediately communicate with your lender. Paying from savings is short-term folly.

Complete a Standard Financial Statement, outlining your circumstances and details of expenditure, and make an appointment to see your lender.

If you cannot even pay the interest-only monthly repayment (about 60% of the normal capital and interest repayment), request a payment holiday – no payments whatsoever, initially for three or six months.

Remember that the normal rule of thumb is that you should only be paying 35% of your monthly net disposable income (that is, after tax) on financial commitments, including your mortgage. Are you paying in excess of this now? You will also need to submit bank statements, P45 etc to back your case.

B) EBS and AIB Bank only recently announced changes in their policy regarding negative equity, along with other lenders who had already brought in this facility. This allows families to transfer their negative equity to their next property while, perhaps, increasing the debt in order to buy a more appropriate home for their needs.

For example, if you live in a property that sold for

€200K, but you owed €425K, the negative equity – ie €225K – can be added to the purchase price of €300K, so that the maximum loan-to-value is 175%; you would now owe €525K on a property worth €300K but have “traded up”.

However, the terms and conditions still apply – all lending is based on the ability to repay. You still have to prove ability to repay the €525K. On the Net Disposable Income method, and if this was your only financial commitment, you would need between you a net monthly income of €8,160 (or just under €100K net per annum), based on an interest rate of 4.3% and a 25-year term.

If you do not have the income but must move, your only choice is to rent the existing property and rent larger accommodation until income allows you back in the mortgage market.

Of course, the final alternative is personal insolvency or bankruptcy. Talk to you next week ...  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

TWO-DAY EVENT: ENTREPRENEURS SHARE EXPERIENCES

Meeting aims to encourage more women into business NATIONAL Women’s Enterprise Day 2012 has been hailed as a huge success, with hundreds of participants representing every county in Ireland attending the event in Portlaiose.

Successful businesswomen shared their experiences with start-up companies and fledgling businesses at the twoday event, which was organised by Ireland’s 35 County and City Enterprise Boards, which support around 12,000 women in business across the country.

The aim of National Women’s Enterprise Day was to encourage even more women to set up their own businesses, and to increase national rec-

ognition of the essential role played by Ireland’s female entrepreneurs.

A panel of experienced business mentors conducted over 200 one-toone mentoring sessions during the event.

Mary McKenna, founder of Tour America, said: “I’m amazed to see the amount of women that are here, and the energy that’s coming from the room. It’s great to see women helping and supporting women.

“Ireland is a great country, and there are many opportunities in times like these. The clear message is: ‘It’s okay to try things’,” she said.

Michael Johnson, of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Enterprise

Celebrating the contribution of women to business at National Women’s Enterprise Day 2012

Board, said: “Through profiling the success stories of female entrepreneurs in Ireland, we hope to encourage more women to seek out new business opportunities by setting up or growing their own business.

“The full programme of workshops, talks and oneto-one mentoring clinics was designed specifically to help boost confidence

levels among women.

“The fantastic feedback from the event serves to prove that the inspiring stories and words of wisdom shared at National Women’s Enterprise Day are already having a very positive and motivating effect on women in business today.”

For further information, see www.enterpriseboards.ie.

8 November 2012 Gazette 17

gaming P21

asdfsdaf P27 TRAVEl P24

OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week



Gazette

style P20

Pets can you give bruno a home?

There aren’t many people who would walk away from a recod label to release their album on their own terms, but Tyler Hilton did just that

PEOPLE: former one tree hill star on the challenge of songwriting

Enjoying a musical rebirth  paul hosford

TYLER Hilton is relaxed. The one-time One Tree Hill star, who made his name blurring the lines of reality and fiction as a singer-songwriter on the teen television drama show, has released his first album in nearly a decade and, although only 28, is going through something resembling a creative rebirth.

After five years recording and rerecording an album that was set to be titled The Storms We Share, Hilton left his record label, started his own record company, and earlier this year finally released his third album, Forget The Storm.

Added to that, he is currently headlining his first-ever European tour and, the day we meet, he is preparing to take

to the stage in Dublin’s Academy.

We meet in Bia Cafe on O’Connell Street, in the shadow of Dublin’s Spire, and Hilton seems to be enjoying music again, something he admits wasn’t happening under his old deal.

“It does feel like a weight lifted. I feel like you need to do what you’re built to do; runners need to run, and singers need to sing, but it had been nearly 10 years since I put out a record, so I felt like I had to put something out. That’s why I left my label to put it out.

“Even if I didn’t have the money to promote it the way a record company would, I was like: ‘Let’s put something out’, and it felt really good,” he says.

It is refreshing to hear Hilton carries no bitterness towards his former record label, though he does equate the end of

the working relationship to a separation.

“It’s like going through a break-up.

You go through the heartbreak and then start over.

“I ended up liking this record a lot more than the one I’d spent six years [working] on, and I think that’s because I was just thinking instinctually, and wasn’t caught up in picking the perfect song. “[At my old label] there wasn’t any pressure to do one thing or another. I would do something, and they would be like: ‘Cool; what else?’, and I was thinking: ‘Well, I don’t know, what do you guys want me to do?’,” says Tyler.

That sense of freedom is evident on the album, as Hilton is given the latitude to do different things with his music.

“It wasn’t a premeditated sound, but when I came out of my heartbreak and, like, coma of despair, I was really angry and directionless. That’s where these songs come from.

“There’s a lot of songs about anger, and I don’t know if I’ll ever make an album [again] that’s ‘this rock and roll’, but it’s a representation of where I was at the time.

“It’s less of a representation of the last six years than it was the period after I left the label.”

While most people are struggling to get to a major label deal, Tyler says that walking away from the comforts of being signed to a major to setting up his own label felt right.

Continued on Page 19

DUBLIN Gazette Newspapers has teamed up with Dog’s Trust, Ireland’s largest dog welfare charity, to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs.

Don’t let this mature gentlemen’s age fool you, though – he still considers himself to be a sprightly young chap.

This super handsome boy has been living at Dogs Trust for nearly 19 months, waiting for someone special to come along and offer him his forever home.

Bruno would probably prefer a home without kids where he can be the centre of attention. He is a big fan of cuddles, and would be happy to share the right home with another dog.

If you think you can give Bruno a loving home for his twilight years, contact Dogs Trust at 01 879 1000.

Further information about their work can be found on their website at www. dogstrust.ie.

All dogs that are adopted from Dogs Trust are vet-checked, vaccinated, neutered and micro-chipped before being re-homed

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 8 November 2012

OUT&ABOUT

STYLE

Dune €115 Next €93

Next €40

Ne w He r i t a ge

Debenhams €18.50

with tailored of the manor, y d la e th n o - this is the A modern take to accessories el fe an ri st eque Awear tweeds and an sual look from ca t ar sm ct perfe

Accessorize €39 Accessorize €34

Faith €186

Debenhams €70

Dunnes €20

Debenhams €39

BEAUTY news

Getting a seasonal glow - bargains and beauty buys!  LAURA WEBB

OK, so Christmas isn’t for another while yet, but many people are already thinking about buying here and there so December isn’t an expensive month.

This week Gazette Style has a very rewarding idea that will get you some great gifts while you buy for others. If you purchase two or more products at Lancome, you will get a free skincare essentials gift bag worth €74.

Looking after your skin is essential in winter months so it is definitely something to think

about for yourself, so when buying for mum, or even the man in your life check out Lancome products and receive an extra special gift early.

Who says Christmas can’t come early?

The gift includes a Lancome Makeup Bag, a Lancôme makeup Brush Dou, skin care produts: Visionnaire (7ml), Génifique (7ml), Hydra Zen Moisturiser (30ml), Tonique Douceur (50ml) and Galeteis Douceur (50ml). It also includes Hypnose Mascara (2ml) and L’Absolu Rouge (1.6ml).

This gift is available in all Debenhams Department stores Dublin, until Sunday November 18 or while stocks last.

Keep an eye out for offers like this at department stores across Dublin, so you can treat yourself while treating others.

TAKING a look in the mirror, most of us can see the holiday hue has well and truly disappeared, so it’s over to the false tan to give our winter skin a sparkling glow.

Fake tan experts He-Shi have a great line of products that make skin luminous, shimmering and soft.

The new He-Shi Luminous Shimmer is a subtle and sophisticated bronzer, which offers a gorgeous glittering finish, perfect for enhancing skin on dark evenings.

There is no hideous smell and it’s easy to use. It can be layered for deeper colour and washes off with ease making it a perfect product for any party occasion.

Luminous Shimmer is available from selected department stores, salons and day spas for an RRP of €12.60.

8 November 2012 Gazette 19

Gazette

MUSIC FASTtunes

Halloween’s not over: Christmas albums are looming!

Actor and singer/songwriter Tyler Hilton: “I want to rediscover the things I love, so I have more to put into the next record”

PEOPLE: walking away from a record label ‘was right for me’

Breaking the rules Continues from Page 17

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

“I’m a pretty patient guy for the most part, but I think people were surprised I stayed as long as I did. I go back to the relationship [comparison]: you stay with someone as long as you can to try make it work, but, eventually, you have to decide to walk away.”

Going back to 2005, Hilton was a man on a massive upward swing, recording an album on a major label and having starred as Elvis in the acclaimed Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line.

It seems odd, then, that a European tour would be so long coming, not to mention a new album.

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

‘The industry keeps changing, but this is my favourite time in my career ever.

Nothing lasts very long in this business.’

“The industry keeps changing, but this is my favourite time in my career ever.

“It feels different, for sure, but I feel like no matter what it is, nothing lasts very long in this business.

“You couldn’t have

told me when I first got into the business that not listening to the people telling me what to do would be the answer.

“It’s so counterintuitive to everything you learn your whole life, but breaking all the rules ended up being the answer.”

As a man who has acted and sung for some 15 years, Tyler doesn’t see any problem with cramming as much as possible into his schedule.

“I feel like if you do a lot of one thing, you’re probably missing out on something else.

“I want to rediscover the things I love, so I have more to put into the next record, and nobody

wants to hear songs about the life of being an actor.

So, when I’m home, I try not to do any of that.”

W hen back home, Hilton says that catching up with family, friends and his girlfriend, actress Megan Park, grounds him, as well as hiking and “feeling healthy”.

Hilton met Park on the set of the criminally under-rated movie, Charlie Bartlett, and the two have been together for five years now.

“The thing is we’ve been together a long time and, fortunately, we’ve been very happy and she’s not crazy!

“I could probably date another actress and she’d be out of her mind, or, if

I’d never met Megan, I could date a nurse and it would be fine but, for me, Megan is perfect.

“If she was in any other kind of industry, she’d be perfect. The way she handles herself and her temperament teaches me a lot.

“She’s very together, or at least she acts that way in front of me!

“It’s nice for me to see people who can be so normal, and so together, and be successful in this industry, because it’s not usually that way.”

Unfortunately, it’s not usually that way, but thankfully, Tyler Hilton is the exception rather than the rule. And that’s probably why he’s so relaxed.

So, Halloween is over, the nights are good and dark and the fridge is fast becoming a warmer place to be than outside. And with that, of course, comes the annual day that breaks the bank for all of us.

No, I’m not talking about when the fat guy gives the presents, rather when the fat cats take them: Budget 2013.

And if your purse strings are tighter than Joan Rivers’ face, I’m looking to the people who still have money to see how they’re still bringing in the big bucks in these tough times. The answer?

A Christmas Album. When you think about it, it’s made with minimum time and effort, no one will blame you for doing covers, even the corniest ones are going to shift at least a few copies, and there’s almost a guarantee that sales will pick up at Yuletide every year, meaning artists can put their feet up and watch the Christmas cash roll in.

Many rockers have turned their hand to the odd Christmas tune: Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, even Phil Lynott, but an entire album is a reputation gamble if ever I saw one.

New additions to the Christmas album shelves this year include Rod Stewart, who’s bringing out a festive album which one can only hope isn’t as cringy as the title - Merry Christmas, Baby - while Sandy and Danny themselves, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are re-uniting for their Christmas record, This Christmas.

The album cover shows the two Grease stars enjoying cups of tea by the Christmas tree - a far cry from Travolta’s Pulp Fiction days.

Rod Stewart on the other hand is bringing out the big guns for his album, which includes a virtual duet with Ella Fitzgerald for What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Ehhh, probably not listening to your album, Rod! Dee Woods @ Radio Nova

Better be good for goodness’ sake

Gazette

20 gazette 8 November 2012

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

more

theatre THE pavilioN THEATRE 01 231 2929

Every Little Step… the Rhythm of Hope FROM their critically acclaimed premiere in New York, Dance Theatre of Ireland and Soul Steps bring a stunning, foot-stomping, body-clapping, energizing experience in every Little Step...the Rhythm of Hope, featuring dance, live music and story-telling. In their hottest work to date, a powerful cast of seven performers combine Irish and modern dance with African-American stepping. November 6-9, tickets are priced at €17/€14.

Mill Theatre 01 296 9340 Chris Kent

WHAT do you get when you cross a burnt out electrician with a standup comedian? You get the most high-voltage act on the Irish comedy circuit at the moment.

Join multi award-winning Chris Kent for his new positively charged, totally unique debut. In this brand new show, Kent throws some light on the joys of being a negligent electrician and a couldhave-been porn star, as well as an uncanny resemblance to a wellknown, sheeploving soap celebrity. November 16-17 at 8pm, tickets are priced at €10.

CIVIC THEATRE 01 462 7477 The Nualas

FOR the price of one household charge you and several friends and/or family members can enjoy a night of worldclass entertainment - scintillating vocal harmony, ambitious choreography, kneelength, yet unbelievably glamorous, and shiny, stage attire. November 15 at 8pm with tickets €20 and €16 with €15 and €11 concessions.

Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts take a break from swimming

cinema: A foreign treat in irish cinemas this week

No signs of rust HAVING already been praised with a host of accolades before ever hitting our big screens, winning the title of best film at the London Film Festival and Cabourg Romantic Film Festival as well receiving as a nomination for the much-coveted Palm D’Or at Cannes, I had already assumed high expectations before attending the screening of Rust And Bone last week.

Directed by Jacques A u d i a r d , a c cl a i m e d director of ‘A Prophet’, the French-Belgian film stars Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard and Belgian actor, Matthias Schoenaerts in the leading roles.

Based on a short story collection of the same name, Rust and Bone is

 natalie burke nburke@gazettegroup.com

a story centred around unemployed Ali who, on moving with his son to start a new life in Antibes, falls in love with Stephanie, a character portrayed by the brilliant Cotillard.

An unconventional love story, the film defies the tones of a typical romantic movie, instead focusing on the bleak and sometimes dark moments of life and the unexpected turns it sometimes takes.

Single and slightly inadequate father Ali takes his five-year-old

son from their home in Belguim to live with his sister in France, where he befriends Stephanie, a confident local who has an enviously unusual career as a whale trainer at a local marine theme park in Antibes.

Despite being poles apart, a friendship sparks between the two when they begin to bond around their flawed lives. Ali fails to care for his own son, focusing instead on a road destined to lead to trouble, while Stephanie faces a lifetime of trials as she struggles to rebuild her own life after a life-changing accident, grasping solely onto the unintentional compassion shown by her new friend.

Taking a step away from her most recent

Film of the Week: Rust and Bone h h h h h (15A) 120mins Director: Jacques Audiard Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Bouli Lanners, Alex Martin, Celine Sallette

OUR VERDICT: WHILE foreign-language films don’t always appeal to everyone, Rust and Bone is one film that we recommend should shake that trend.

An unconventional love story, the enlightening tale focuses more on the troubling moments real life can bring and less on the romantic aspect of a blossoming friendship. Having already been awarded prestigious titles in the film world, Rust and Bone is one French film that lives up to its esteemed albeit young reputation.

screen appearance this year as powerful Miranda Tate in The Dark Knight Rises, French actress Marion Cotillard instead slips easily into a role of a woman trapped by a tragic accident, in the deep recesses of a depression and struggling to rediscover her will to live. With few moments to smile about, Marian manages to convey the deep and troubled emotions being no

doubt felt by someone in her position and plays a dramatically powerful performance while still possessing that sense of the natural French grace and poise she is celebrated for.

Matthias Schoenaerts on the other hand, becomes a character that is hard to warm to, but one that is portrayed just as successfully. His apparent disregard for the welfare of his son,

his illegal fist-fights and easy disposal of one night stands have a tendency to overpower the real reasons for his adolescent behaviour; a struggle to make ends meet and an insecurity about his real capability as a single parent.

To g e t h e r t h e t wo struggling characters unknowingly lean on one another for support as life continues to throw hurdles their way. While the French subtitled film may not be for everyone, and occasionally fails to explain fully the lessimportant tangents of the story, Rust and Bone is one story that if you get caught up in it, will draw you in and leave you feeling enlightened, satisfied and with an appetite for the culture of French film.

8 November 2012 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

GAMING ASSASSIN’S CREED 3: A SUPERB SEQUEL

A title that’s worth hunting down in shops  SHANE DILLON

EVERY week feels like Christmas for gamers at the moment, with triple-A titles either suddenly on the shelves, or about to hit the market.

And, certainly, one of the biggest titles of the year – in more ways than one – comes courtesy of the cross-platform title, Assassin’s Creed 3, which was released just last week but, unsurprisingly, has leapt straight to the top of the charts around the world.

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, AC3 is the latest in the popular series, which has spun off into indirect titles, making this not just the third in the overall series, but certainly the most impressive.

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@gazettegroup.com

For “newbies” to the Assassin’s Creed setting, a modern-day protaganist is caught up in a slowly-uncovered, endof-the-world scenario – however, dull-as-dishwater Desmond is merely a means to an end, as, through some high-tech nonsense, he can “relive” the memories of – Oh, look, it doesn’t really matter, does it?

Desmond accessing memories of long-dead people is the way to play the game proper, as we

slip back into time to “remember” the character’s actions.

This time round, AC3 follows a half-English, half-Mohawk man, Connor, in Colonial America, around the time of the great American Revolution.

During 30 or so years of Connor’s life, around the Revolution years, he wanders through several key parts of the Colonial frontier, with vast tracts of land, speckled with small towns, as well as a number of well-known cities in their older, simpler forms, including New York and Boston.

Connor’s life brings him into contact with a wide range of historical characters on all sides of the Revolution, with eve-

From snowbound city streets teeming with British Colonial soldiers to verdant Frontier lands full of wildlife, the beautifully realised world of Assassin’s Creed 3 is a memorable, diverting place to wander and explore

ryone from Washington to Franklin shoehorned in, as well as several key historical moments in the battle for America at the time.

As an assassin with his own agenda to follow, Connor spends an awful lot of time tracking down – and eliminating – all kinds of people, in line with the previous games.

However, AC3 remains, as ever, a game that certainly has a violent nature in parts (albeit for the greater good, once again),

BYTES&PIECES STILL SO FORZA, SO GOOD Franchise spin-off impresses

FIRST things first – yes, Forza Horizons. really does look that pretty, as shown in the screenshot, right.

Already a terrific racing franchise exclusive on the XBox 360, where Forza easily roared into pole position as a great cicruit racer, an elite team of developers were assembled for this recently released spin-off with an open-world setting – and, boy, did they deliver the goods.

Set around the Horizon Festival in Colorado (an ever-so-slightly naff-feeling central hub), it’s your job to roll into town in the equivalant of a rusty bathtub on three wheels, before taking to the highways and byways of Colorado for all kinds of Horizon challenges.

The more you race, the more you rise up the ranks from your lowly starting position of 250th place, as you undertake

The game ships with a photo mode, to create similarly striking shots

set challenges, random races, or simply challenge other, snazzier cars to a race – and what races they are, too.

Colorado, here, takes in all kinds of sweeping landscapes and surfaces, with a wide range of beautiful, gleaming motors to unlock and take to gravel roads and wide highways, while the spectacular sunsets and ambient details add to

the overall mood.

Indeed, it’s a pleasure to just drive, picking a forest road or desert trail to follow, with the game putting the horizon there for you to reach as best as you see fit.

So, for those looking for a meaty racer, or for those looking for a very pretty driving game, or even for those just looking for a great game, Forza Horizons is a winner.

but rewards exploration and observation.

While the main campaign missions can be blitzed through reasonably quickly, there are, quite simply, a staggering range of side-missions and distractions to undertake.

Whether hunting wildlife to make money, recruiting craftspeople to make your humble home ever grander, exploring the lands and the cities, or even taking to the high seas in well-realised naval sections – and all with a noticeable graphical flair in an already attractive series – AC3 presents a beautiful, challenging and rewarding title.

Coupled with a historical (and physical) setting that’s rarely been touched upon in gaming, and with a striking story that resonates with contemporary times – not to mention a lot more features than I have space to even mention, let alone look at here – AC3 has delivered an outstanding title.

Available now for several platforms, it’s a terrific title, and one that makes the game’s revolutionary past something to definitely look forward to ...

22 GAZETTE 8 November 2012

GAZETTE

&ABOUT OUT road

MOTORS

NOISE

Skoda drives up the motor ranks SKODA’s drive to become a Top-5 best-selling car brand has taken a big step forward in recent weeks with the recruitment of five new dealerships for its network across Munster and Leinster. The dealerships chosen for their strategic importance in high population centres include Boland’s in Carlow, Sheehy Motor Group in Naas, Co Kildare, Frank Hogan Motors in Limerick, Western Motors in Drogheda Co Louth and J Donohue Motors in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

In addition to the dealership expansion, Skoda has also announced its latest innovative sales incentive programme for Irish motorists.

In conjunction with Applegreen, Skoda has launched a unique fuel card offer for Irish motorists, guaranteeing them a set price for fuel in 2013 and saving them hard earned money.

Anyone who orders a new Skoda before November 17will receive a fuel card capping the price of fuel at 99c a litre for the year ahead.

Skoda was also recently recognised as a leading provider of value for Irish motorists by Motorcheck. ie Value Analysis report which was carried out across a range of car brands and models to determine which cars retain their value providing the best investment. The report which compared almost 12,530 pricing samples between January 2009 and July 2012 revealed that Czech automobile manufacturer Skoda provided the greatest return on investment of any brand. Skoda claimed Number 1 spot in three of these categories, best diesel option for small hatch (Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDI), mid range saloon (Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI) and large saloon (Skoda Superb 1.9TDI Greenline).

Over the three-year period the outstanding Skoda models retained 67% (Fabia), 62% (Octavia) and 61% (Superb) of their original value. These valuations are all significantly ahead of the average retained value for each segment with the Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI +12%, the Skoda Superb 1.9TDI Greenline +11%, and the Skoda Fabia 1.4TDI +5% respectively.

Joe Barrett, retail director of Applegreen and Ciara Walsh, marketing communications manager, SKODA Ireland, are all smiles as Skoda announces its latest innovative sales incentive programme for Irish motorists in conjunction with Applegreen

Today’s Beetle transfers the styling of the original Beetle and the 1998 new Beetle into a sportier, more masculine era

VOLKSWAGEN: THIRD INCARNATION OF A MOST ICONIC CAR

The beloved Beetle is back with a bang

 CORMAC CURTIS

IT hasn’t been all that long since the 2012 Geneva Motor Show – it was back in March. But it seems like an eternity since I was there to see, for the first time, just how great the all-new VW Beetle was turning out to be.

Pearlescent white paint, tinted windows, blindingly bright chrome alloys designed with good ol’ fashioned hubcaps in mind– it had the perfect blend of classic Beetle lines, combined with a dune buggy-like profile.

Did I mention the gloss-black door sills with the chrome highlights?

The fact that the classic sills were omitted from

the second-generation Beetle still boggles the mind, but their return just makes this model that bit more special. And that’s what the Beetle is all about – special.

The entry-level model is already a design classic, but Volkswagen have not spared the whip when it comes to options for those who really want to treat themselves to a top-end motor.

The model I test drove recently was a dream.

The interior was practically wrapped in leather, with colour panels that matched the Denim Blue exterior beautifully.

T he f lat-bottomed leather steering wheel was a multifunction joy, as it gave me control of the simply wonderful

sound system.

Made by the classic guitar manufacturer, Fender, the Fender Plus stereo will, on this side of the Atlantic, only be found in the Beetle. The system comprises two tweeters each in the mirror triangle and rear side trim, front and rear woofers and a subwoofer located in a closed bass box in the boot.

Heart and soul of the system is a 10 channel amplifier with class A /B end stages and eight speakers delivering a 400 watt output, while ambient lighting around the speakers and door panels creates a relaxed atmosphere.

For me at least, this makes the world a better place, it really was a

shame that VW insisted I give the car back.

The Beetle is priced at a very competitive €19,995 for the entry-level model, but true Beetle lovers will almost certainly want to spring for some of the top-drawer extras. Personally, I would be a big fan of the optional winter pack that includes heated front seats with three pre-set temperature settings.

If I had my way, all cars would be equipped with keyless entry systems, like the one available on here.

This system enables you to enter and exit your car without taking the key out of your pocket.

Once inside, as long as you have the key on you, the engine can be started

without inserting the key in the ignition by simply pressing a button in the centre console.

It’s options like these that keep a car like this one that bit extra special – but don’t forget leather, you really do deserve the leather interior.

It’s no coincidence that the Irish love the Beetle, the first one built outside of Germany was on Dublin’s Shelbourne Road and continued to be produced there right up the late 1970s.

Beetle lovers had to wait until 1998 for the second generation model to arrive, but this third model is set to bring different generations of motorists together as it is certain to go down a storm.

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN Gazette 23

Gazette

CRAFT craftwork: Dalkey’s winter fair expects over 5,000 visitors

Designer showcase flourishes

Thousands of locally produced craft and design goods will be on display at this year’s Winter Fair in Dalkey, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, November 10 and 11.

For the first time, this year’s fair is taking place in the Cuala GAA Hall on Hyde Road.

More than 5,000 visitors are expected at the event, which is now in its eighth year, to see work from over 40 design and craftworkers from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, which is emerging as a centre of excellence for the craft and design sector.

Fresh styles and gift ideas, as well as specially-made Christmas items, will be available during the two-day event, which is organised by Dun LaoghaireRathdow n County Enterprise Board.

The Winter Fair has grown in popularity every year since it began among locals and visitors to the area, many of who travel specifically to see the wide range of quality products available.

With over 40 stands, locally designed fashion, hats and jewellery, photography, bags, candles, furniture, toys and

A sample of Laragh McMonagle’s jewellery

collectibles will all be available at the Winter Fair 2012.

Regular exhibitors who are returning to the Winter Fair include Susannagh Grogan Designs, Red Rufus Sock Dogs, Cathy White Vintage Bags, Cadenza Glass Beads, Blue House Studio and Michael Delahunty Photography, many of who have created new work specifically for the event.

They will be joined by a record number of new exhibitors – all based in the county – some bringing their new work to the market for the

An example of jewellery from Cadenza Glass Beads

first time.

Event co-ordinator S u z a n n e M ay s a i d : “This is such an important event in the design calendar that people are now travelling to Dalkey from all over Leinster.

“We are delighted to welcome a number of first time exhibitors to the Winter Fair, in

addition to our regular faces.

“The range of local creative talent at the Winter Fair is always inspiring and offers gift ideas for every taste and budget.

“Every year, there are new and exclusive collections and the public are always ver y supportive of locally-produced design and craft products.”

Laragh McMonagle, a locally-based jewellery designer has participated in the Winter Fair over the last number of years.

She said: “This is one of my favourite times of the year, when all our hard work is unveiled to the public.

“It gives us a chance to meet our customers face-to-face and it gives them a chance to ask us questions about our craft and hear our design stories, which is a unique aspect of Winter Fair.”

The Winter Fair 2012 in Dalkey is open to the

public from 10am to 6pm on both days, and admission is free.

Updates can be found on the Winter Fair Facebook page, at w w w.

Red Rufus Sock Dogs

facebook.com/thewinterfair.

Further information is also available at http:// www.dlrceb.ie/winterfair2012.

Gazette

24 CLONDALKIN gazette 8 November 2012

OUT&ABOUT

fast

TRAVEL

Celebrate Bond with a visit to bonnie Scotland STUNNING locations are a key ingredient of James Bond films and, with the recent release of Skyfall, the fourth Bond film to feature the beautiful surroundings of Scotland, there’s never been a better time to explore the northern country.

While Daniel Craig was seen jetting off to the Bahamas and South America in his first two outings, the character goes back to his Scottish roots in Skyfall. In a chase sequence filmed in the Highlands, near the peak of striking Buachailie Etive Mor, the secret agent’s iconic Aston Martin DB5 manages to get upstaged by the stunning atmospheric scenery.

Whether you’re a 007 fan or fancy a piece of your own adventure, Scotland boasts a number of Bond-inspired activities to pursue on a visit to the highlands.

The Spy who Loved Me, The World is Not Enough and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are just three of the many Bond films to include skiing scenes, and Scotland has five ski resorts. Why not hit the slopes this winter for skiing, snowboarding or some expert snow-sports tuition?

For a combination of breathtaking scenery and exhilarating adventure, visit Highlands Sarafis at www.highlandsafaris.net, and choose from a mountain safari, a cycle through a wilderness trail or try your hand at off-road driving.

Get an adrenaline high at the Highland Fling Bungee in Perthsire, Britain’s first static bungee jump, perched above a dramatic gorge and ancient trees, or sail 30 miles from the north west coast to the Outer Hebrides, to its powder-white beaches, Atlantic waves and dark moorland.

For further details of these and many other Scottish activities, see www.visitscotland.com.

northern ireland: cookery school serves up some great lessons

Turn into a top chef (with a little Belfast help)

 laura webb

SURPRISINGLY, heading to Belfast on a dreary Thursday morning didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the day ahead.

It was the inaugural Belfast Restaurant Week, and anything that involves testing culinary treats is something that I don’t mind doing in rain, hail or snow.

Having gone to Belfast before by car, and although it is nice to

have the freedom of your own vehicle so you can pack whatever you can fit into it, taking the Enterprise train from Dublin definitely has its advantages.

You leave from central Dublin to arrive in central Belfast – what more could you ask for, really?

The day ahead was a busy one. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board had organised some very interesting activities that would test my

own culinary abilities, and get me tasting some very famous ones, too.

The Europa Hotel is one of the best-known hotels in Belfast.

Just a few minutes’ drive from the train station, it is in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Belfast, perfect for finding your way through the city.

Once checked in, it was time to go to the Belfast Cooker y School.

This school is Belfast

Belfast Cookery School is the city’s first purpose-built cookery school

Paul Rankin’s restaurant, Cayenne, boasts a relaxing

city’s first purpose-built cookery school, and is ideally located in the heart of the city close to hotels, public transport, pubs and shopping.

I t h a s 16 f u l l y equipped individual cooking stations.

On arrival, we were greeted by Mourne Seafood Bar’s head chef, Wayne Carville, who was ready to demonstrate the meal we were about to make.

The ingredients were all laid out, and we could see by the rice, prawns and other ingredients that it was going to be some sort of risotto, and we were right – seafood risotto.

Talking us through the recipe, Wayne made it sound so easy, but I suppose when you are a top chef it’s going to be easy – for you!

The flavours of the

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

‘We were given a guide to Belfast restaurants, which is a great booklet to have as it outlines the many restaurants this wonderful town has to offer’ ----------------------------------------

garlic, herbs and stock he was using started to fill the air, and I could feel myself getting hungry. All in all, I would say it took about 20 minutes to make – now it was my turn.

I found my cooking station and the ingredients were ready to be used. It was the first time I had to peel a prawn,

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

Travel fast

TRAVEL

Check your travel policy’s coverage

FOLLOWING the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in New York recently, Irish travellers have been given a stark reminder of the risk of travel disruption that can often occur due to serious weather events around the world, and Multitrip.com is reminding people to check the cover on travel policies before purchasing a policy All Multitrip.com insurance policies include cover for travel delay after a 12-hour period, missed departure, missed connections, and catastrophe cover for new accommodation if you are forced to move accommodation as a result of an act of God, along with airline failure and supplier failure cover in the event of company liquidation.

The travel insurance company has also created a new additional Travel Disruption Cover.

Annual Multitrip policies are available, starting from €19.99 for European cover for an individual with private health insurance, or worldwide from €26.95. For further information, see Multitrip. com, or call 01 247 8900.

ambience, making it a perfect spot for diners (right), whether locals or tourists

and my initial reaction was to cringe, but I did it and it was actually fine.

The prawns were used to make a stock that would later be added to the rice to make the risotto.

The key to making the perfect risotto, in Wayne’s eyes, is to keep stirring, making sure it doesn’t stick to the pan.

O t h er i ngred i ents included white wine, garlic, paprika, chopped tomatoes, herbs, prawn meat, mussels and cockles.

After a lot of rice grain tasting and checking for the pin point in the middle of the grain, my dish was ready.

What’s great about the school is that you have all the joys of making the dish, without having to clean up afterwards, making it feel like a treat rather than a chore.

It was interesting to

see all the differentlooking dishes, but it was time for the taste test – and even if I do say so myself, I quite enjoyed it.

After the school we went back to the hotel for a break before heading off to Cayenne – the restaurant of Paul Rankin.

Ambience On the night, he was celebrating local food and wines with an Irish connection. The chilled ambience of the restaurant is apparent when you first walk in.

There were a few different local suppliers on hand to talk about their great products, and to answer any questions we might have had.

We met renowned chef, Paul Rankin, who talked us through the menu while his friend

and wine expert, Joe Wadsack, talked about what wines suited each course – and his recommendations were definitely on point.

For starters, I had a salt and chilli calamari, which was cooked to perfection.

For my main dish, I enjoyed venison, which literally melted through my knife, and a chocolate dessert to finish.

All in all, it was just superb. We were given a guide to Belfast restaurants, which is a great information booklet to have as it outlines the many restaurants this wonderful town has to offer.

For further information on Belfast, contact the Northern Ireland Tourist Board at CallSave 1850 230 230, or see www.discovernorthernireland.com.

Seafood Risotto For one to two people

Ingredients • One quarter onion • One clove garlic • Half celery stick • Pinch-smoked paprika • Half cup rice • 100g mixed seafood (of your choice) • Half cup white wine • Parmesan (amount to your taste) • Chopped parsley for garnish • One pint chicken or vegetable stock • Oil • Butter

Method • Dice the onion, garlic, celery, fennel and garlic and sweat. Add the rice (arborio or carnaroli).

• Fry the rice for two to three minutes. Add a half glass of white wine, and cook until evaporated.

• Add boiling stock, one ladle at a time, until rice is tender (you don’t have to use all the stock).

• Add your diced seafood and any shellfish. Add a knob of butter and parsley.

• Add your grated parmesan and serve.

Whatever your level of cooking skills, why not try this delicious dish?

26 clondalkin gazette 8 November 2012

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mountain-biking P28

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

dublinsport Let the Gazette keep you up to date with all the best local sporting action from around the city as we cover all the stories that matter to you and your community



Gazette

cycling P29

FastSport Eight locals in hockey panel:

Members of Coolmine swimming club last week celebrate club coach Afric Creedon’s win in the Dun Laoghaire Harbour swim with Eamonn Coghlan also present

swimming: dublin 15 club celebrates the top achievement of club coach

Creedon win inspiring next batch of Coolmine swimmers COOLMINE swimming club enjoyed a special Halloween gala last week when Irish sporting legend Eamonn Coghlan visited the club to present club coach Afric Creedon with her trophy for winning the Dun Laoghaire Harbour swim.

It is one of the top two open water swims in Ireland, circumnavigating 2,200m of the south Dublin port, and one which Creedon has been pursuing for the past few years.

Speaking to GazetteSport about the event, she said: “The current wasn’t

mild which suited me. It was a really big win for me in our second last event of the season.

“I’ve been doing it for years and this is my biggest result, that and the Liffey Swim are the ones everyone wants to win. The best I had done in this one before was sixth and I’d been fourth in the Liffey.”

The Clonsilla resident combines her time training in Coolmine pool, getting up at 5.15am three times a week, with coaching the club’s young populace of around 100 members.

She is among six coaches at the club which caters for all ages from as young as six-years-old up to 19 with members welcomed almost as soon as they swim a length of the pool.

“We’re always looking for new members . We welcome ages in five sections from tadpoles up to elite level. We’re always aspiring to bring our swimmers up to elite level and then international competition.”

To that end, the likes of Laura Fallon among a number of members to excel on the national stage. And Cree-

don’s exploits have also had a noticeable effect on the young swimmers at the club with many younger members following in Creedon’s wake and taking to the open seas.

“Five of the girls went on to take part this year in the Dun Laoghaire swim. It really has taken off and I’m so proud of them.

“Open water swimming compared to in the pool is totally different. We’ve seen that it has provided some inspiration for them to get involved in both sides of the sport”

FOUR former Wesley College students and four St Andrew’s alumni were included in the Irish men’s hockey squad who travelled to the Netherlands this week to take part in a 23-player camp with a view to selection for the Champions Challenge tournament in Argentina later this month.

Wesley’s Mitch Darling, Phelie Maguire, Brian Doherty and Andy McConnell along with Andrew’s David Cole, Davy Carson, David Fitzgerald and Stu Loughrey will all be hoping to impress new coach Andrew Meredith in the squad’s first meetup since the summer.

The camp saw Ireland compete in a number of training matches against Dutch club sides.

c o n ta c t s Acting Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@gazettegroup.com

For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@gazettegroup.com Phone: 01 651 6205

Gazette

28 CLONDALKIN gazette 8 November 2012

SPORT

FastSport goldrick makes award shortlist: FOXROCK Cabinteely’s Sinead Goldrick is on the shortlist for the annual LGFA Senior Player’s Player of the Year award.

The nominees for the prestigious awards were chosen by the intercounty squads that have played with and against these nominees and singled them out as the outstanding players in their grade.

Goldrick is in the running with Cork’s Briege Corkery and Geraldine O’Flynn who were both members of the AllIreland champions dynamic half-back line.

The LGFA Player’s Player of the Year award winners will be announced at the TG4/O’Neill’s AllStar awards at the Citywest Hotel on Saturday, November 10.

For further information regarding tickets for the event, please call 01 8363156 or email info@fai.ie.

cycling: nicolas roche starts development team for 2013 season

Roche set to launch new team  sport@gazettegroup.com

DUNDRUM native Nicolas Roche is set to launch a new Irish cycling squad for junior riders for the start of the 2013 with six places for cyclists based in Ireland.

Put together in conjunction with Philip Finnegan, the Nicolas Roche Per formance Team has secured invitations to compete in five international stage races next year, four in France and one in Germany for riders who are either first or second year juniors.

Speaking to stickybottle.com about the new initiative, Finnegan said the idea is “to get riders used to riding as a team,

to teach them how to do that and how to get used to that.

“When you look at the window that good riders have to get into a big pro team, it’s pretty short. It can be hard to make that step up to a big pro team once you’re 22 and you move out of the U-23s.

“So the idea here is to try and get the riders into that way of thinking and that way of riding from the time they are very young; to hopefully get them on the road to making that transition from the time they are first-year juniors.”

Beyond those dates on the continent, the team will focus on three day events in Cork and Gorey, the latter on the

Easter weekend, the junior Tour of Ireland, the national championships and the Suir Valley three day.

From there, the development of the side will hope to develop into the senior ranks over time.

“Obviously there is a good national set-up and juniors are taken into that for the main races and we’ve seen there was a stint with Cycling Ireland for the juniors racing abroad before the European Championships this year.

“But what myself and Nicolas are really hoping to do is to get juniors and give them that set-up the whole year round, with the added bonus of the foreign

Former Meadowbrookn resident Nicolas Roche

races we can bring them to.”

Finnegan will be the hands-on manager in Ireland while Roche who will link up with the SaxoBank team in the new year - will be the team principal. He will mentor and advise the riders, as well as maximising their racing opportunities abroad.

It will run along similar lines to the senior An Post-Sean Kelly team.

And the team is now taking applications to join up with the team from young Irish cyclists, with Finnegan adding: “We’re ver y open to having a look at everyone,” Finnegan said of the process that will be used to find the right six riders for next year.

“This is a team structure; we want team players who will understand that cycling is about

working for the team goal.

“But they will be young riders and it’s ver y impor tant that ever y single one of them gets chances to win or be the main rider sometimes; we’re going to be very committed to that.”

F i n n e g a n wo r ke d with Roche on getting the Nicolas Roche Classic up and running this year.

Local trio star for Republic of Ireland in Euros  sport@gazettegroup.com

Orlagh Nolan (pictured), Chloe Mustaki and Emily Cahill were all part of the successful Ireland U-19 side

LOCAL trio, Orlagh Nolan – from Ballinteer – Chloe Mustaki (formerly of St Kilian’s DSD) and Emily Cahill (Peamount United) all played their part last week as they helped the Republic of Ireland to top their group in the first round of qualifying for the UEFA U-19 women’s European championship.

Following big wins over Latvia and Cyprus, it set up a top table clash with Serbia for top spot, bouncing back from a 2-1 deficit as skipper Denise O’Sullivan

and vice-captain Emma Hansberry gave Dave Connell’s side a deserved 3-2 win.

The result continues the good mood in Irish women’s football as Connell has now led the U-17 and U-19 sides to their respective groups with a 100 per cent record in both cases and, with the men’s U-17 and U-19s also qualifying for the elite phase.

Both teams went into the game at the FK Srem Stadium in Jakovo having already secured qualification for the next phase but Ireland were very much the underdogs, having lost to the Serbs at

last year’s U-19 elite phase.

Nolan created the first of the day when she swung the ball into McCabe who sent a glancing header into the the net.

But Ireland paid for their profligacy thereafter and it cost them in the 36th minute when the Serbian captain Damnjanovic equalised and nine minutes after half-time a penalty led to Cubrilo giving the home side the lead.

However, the Irish women responded magnificently and within five minutes were back on level terms when a short free-kick

by Clare Shine found Lauren

Murphy and her cross was headed home by senior international O’Sullivan.

The winning goal came in the 74th minute when Emma Hansberry curled a 25m freekick around the wall and in off the post as the Irish threat from set-pieces once again reaped rich dividends.

With Ciara O’Connell in superb form at the back and goalkeeper Jillian Maloney equal to anything the Serbs fired at her, the Irish were able to hold their lead this time and record a famous victory.

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN gazette 29

Gazette

Downhill dream near the heart of the city

FastSport

Ticknock Hill sits less than a 10-minute drive from the Dundrum shopping centre but offers an oasis for mountainHorse sport and pentathlon bikers just a few miles away from the lights of Dublin city NESTLED in the foothills of the Dublin mountains, it scarcely seems like you’re located just a 10-minute drive from the Dundrum town centre or just a few minutes from a turn-off for the M50.

But Ticknock Hill’s mountain-bike trail offers one of the most stunning views of the city while the twisting route around the back end of the Three Rock and Two Rock mountains can quickly transport city folk to a serenity scarcely found in the county.

Coillte have been busy up there in recent years, making more and more accessible mountainbike tracks for people to get involved in the sport,

 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

providing the perfect avenue by which to take in the views.

It was there that GazetteSport met up with Stepaside resident Niall Davis – who has competed at the top level of European mountainbiking – who explained the simple beauty of the trail.

“There are so many people you take up here and they started pointing down to where their

house is and say ‘I’ve lived down there for 20 years and never knew this was here’. That’s the beauty of it. It’s such an asset and free to use,” he explains.

It is a sport that is rapidly growing in Ireland with the growth of mountain-bike trails in Ballinastoe and Limerick newly introduced with the support of Coillte and one which is becoming increasingly more accessible for Dubliners.

After an initial grind up the tarmac path, the break from the trees opens up to unimpeded views out over Bray Head and across to Wales on a clear day with the Mourne mountains also in sight to the north.

From there, the off-road

Niall Davis, left, traversing one of the turns on the Ticknock Hill mountain bike trails

begins, looping up and around the famous Three Rock mounds from which the area takes its name, the gnarled, rocky trail begins – one purposebuilt by Coillte – with plenty of challenges.

The forest road first brings you a vista of Dub-

back of Three Rock and away from the city lights.

There a long, straight section bounds along before traversing into some fast twists with lots of ups and downs. Despite the recent wet weather, the course remained reasonably intact though

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

There are so many people you take up to Ticknock and they point at their house and say ‘I’ve lived here 20 years and never knew this was here’ - Niall Davis

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

lin but once onto the single-track, replete with lumpy rocks, the route soon whips around the

there are plans for Coillte to reduce the pooling of water at the base of various drops.

It navigates over 4km of a narrow, custom-built course, cut into two sections formally carved out in the past couple of years and is one that Davis says, while not for absolute beginners, is one that can certainly be an avenue for aspiring mountainbikers.

“You’d want to be comfortable cycling on the roads, there’s not a huge step from there to mountain-biking. Once, you’ve got your gear, you’re good to go.”

** If you would like to give mountain-biking at Ticknock Hill a try, you can rent bikes and gear from Stepaside-based Niall Davis’ company, biking.ie

added to Sports Campus

MINISTER for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar confirmed a number of developments at the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown including the development of high performance training facilities for Horse Sport Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland.

Speaking at a briefing in Dublin last week on developments at the National Sports Campus, Minister Varadkar also confirmed that lease agreements have been put in place with the FAI, GAA, IRFU and Irish Hockey Association (IHA), after the ownership of lands at Blanchardstown were transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the Campus Development Authority in August of this year.

“I’m very pleased with the huge progress made in the last six months.

“I hope this decision by HSI and Pentathlon Ireland will encourage many other NGBs to view the campus as an ideal site for developing facilities and enhancing their own sport.

“Following on from the positive announcement on investment in training pitches from the FAI earlier this month, the announcement shows that the partnership approach between Government and sporting bodies which I announced last March is working,” Minister Varadkar said.

The National Sports Campus Development Authority will now develop a centre of excellence for Horse Sport Ireland/Pentathlon Ireland for equestrian sports, and facilities for the modern pentathlon.

Horse Sport Ireland chairman Joe Walsh said of the announcement: “This move is a very important step for Irish equestrian and affiliated sports.

“It not only provides us with the dedicated training facilities which we need, but it also merges equestrian sports with other mainstream sporting disciplines which can only be of benefit to all of Irish sport.

“Priority access will be given to high performance athletes, but the facilities will also be used by HSI affiliates and will also be open for private hire by the public.”

Gazette

30 CLONDALKIN gazette 8 November 2012

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: liffey valley Rangers man makes club history

Adamstown duo take part in high quality training events ADAMSTOWN’S Darragh Zaidan flew out to Greece on Sunday morning for a month long training camp where he has been invited to train with his former VCC Morteau team mate Stelios Farantakis (junior national time trial champion) in Chania, Crete.

Zaidan will avoid the unpredictable Irish weather, as he continues his preparations towards his second full racing season in France.

Elsewhere, the club’s Roisin Kennedy was part of the women’s Irish national development team training Camp at Corkagh Park last Sunday. The FBD Ireland camp included training and talks, as the women prepare for the 2013 racing season.

Peas back on top of WNL PEAMOUNT United moved clear at the top of the Bus Eireann Women’s National League with an emphatic 5-2 victory over main rivals Raheny United in a seven-goal thriller at Morton Stadium.

After beating Peamount in the FAI cup final, Raheny went into the game full of confidence but they ended up suffering their worst defeat since the commencement of the league last year.

Stephanie Roche found the net to open the scoring in the 12th minute when she finished off a Sara Lawlor cut-back.

They conceded an equaliser seven minutes later when Amy McLoughlin headed an attempted clear-

ance into her own net.

The end to end action continued when Solene Barbance put Peamount back in front in the 22nd minute after she connected with a JulieAnne Russell cross to head home.

Lawlor then made no mistake one minute into the second half when she ran onto a Louise Quinn long ball before rounding keeper Emma Merrigan.

Roche added her second goal in the 50th minute. More creative play by Russell set the opportunity up for Roche to fire home.

Rebecca Creagh pulled one back for Raheny in the 63rd minute with a long distance strike but Lawlor wrapped it up eight minutes later after connecting with a Roche through-ball.

Liffey Valley Rangers’ Alex O’Callaghan , far right of front row, became the club’s first ever member to get a call-up for Leinster

Alex gets Leinster call  nathan kelly sport@gazettegroup.com

LIFFEY Valley Rangers U17s Alex O’Callaghan recently had the honour of being the first player from the club to represent Leinster in the interprovincial tournament in Wexford.

The promising midfielder spoke to GazetteSport about the experience of representing his province.

He said his inclusion initially came as a surprise: “I was delighted to be picked. I didn’t really expect it so it was great.

Most of the players were

Premier players or play with League of Ireland clubs so it was good to see that you don’t have to play there to get looked at.”

O’Callaghan added, though, that there was not much time to sit back and enjoy the news. “Because it was so close to the tournament [that the squad was announced] I didn’t really have time to think about it. Straight away I was just looking forward to it.”

The tournament didn’t go according to plan for the Leinster side. Despite being favourites, they

dublin city cup Neilstown man Egan on hand at big boxing event kenneth Egan was on hand last week at the

Dublin City Cup, an initiative of St Saviour’s, Smithfield boxing club, the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and Dublin City Council.

The event continues to thrive in its third year due to the exceptional talent taking part, combined with the theme of cultural integration and social inclusion with teams from London, Norway, Baltic States, Derry, Omagh and Dublin taking part.

failed to win a game and only managed one point in three games.

After being asked what he thought the reason was behind the favourite’s poor form, he was quite honest.

“There was no real team chemistr y,” he explained.

“All the players only met each other and everyone was from different clubs and had different opinions on other players in the squad.

“We didn’t really train much either as the team was picked the week of the tournament. I think the Connaught game we

should have won. We played well, had most of the ball but just didn’t take our chances.”

The Valley man featured in that game, along with the opening game against Munster. Once again the 16-year-old was honest in his assessment of his performances.

“I didn’t think I did my best because I wasn’t used to the positions or the style of play. In the Munster game it was hard to get into it because it was 3-1 when I came on and found it hard to make an impact.

“Against Connaught I thought I did well but

could have done better. I found it took me a few minutes to get up to the pace of the game but once I did I think I did ok.”

Having returned back to the Valley, O’Callaghan added what lasting impressions playing in the tournament will have on him.

“Once again, the professionalism was a big thing for me. The experience of playing with international players and players who will play in England was great. Receiving a cap and knowing that I was selected to play for Leinster was fantastic.”

8 November 2012 CLONDALKIN gazette 31

Gazette

Garda set to host Thousandaire event  sport@gazettegroup.com

GARDA GAA and its juvenile section Westm a n s t ow n G a e l s i s hostsing a Who Wants To Be A Thousandaire? event in the Westmanstown Sports and Conference Centre on Saturday, December 8 at 7.30pm.

Contestants will be

drawn from ticket sales and each contestant will play for €1,000 in a fully computerised show with 50/50, ask the audience and a video-linked phone-afriend.

The show is being run to assist in the development of club facilities which benefits the communities of Blanchards-

town, Clonee, Clonsilla and Lucan.

The launch night for the event will be held on Tuesday, November 13 at 7.30pm in Westmanstown with new Dublin manager Jim Gavin the guest of honour.

There will be an opportunity to meet and greet the new senior Dublin football

manager who was previously a coach of the senior Garda GAA club men’s team.

There is still some large screen digital advertising space available for the show, please contact stephen@westmanstowngaels.ie or call 0866082708 for further information about the night.

football: minors move on to quarter-finals

Club Noticeboard round tower, Clondalkin THE annual general meeting of Round

O’Malley, Linda Delaney, Martin Ryan,

Tower GAA club will take place in the

Eric Byrne, Simon Breslin, Shane

clubrooms on the evening of Saturday,

Cross, Eoghan Hutchinson, Podge

December 1 at 5pm.

McKeever, Jason Joyce, Willie Kennedy,

Only paid up members are entitled to

This will be one of the nights of the

bers are eligible to vote. Any member-

year and is not to be missed. Tickets

ship status related queries should be

are available from the clubrooms or

directed to the secretary at the earli-

directly from Matt McCormack on 087

est opportunity.

6836737.

Nominations for executive posi-

Scrap Saturday is returning to

tions or motions for discussion on the

Round Tower. The next collection will

evening should be with the secretary

take place Saturday, November 10 and

and addressed solely to the secre-

persons are asked to leave their metal

tary seven days before the meeting.

to Monastery Road between the hours

They can also be left with at the box

of 10am and 4pm.

provided at the club bar.

15 and 17. The bonus ball was 19. There

St Kevin’s in the championship but

was no winner of this week’s jackpot

advance to the quarter finals. The U-21

of €9,600.

footballers face Ballymun Kickhams

Congratulations to Tommy Madden,

Saturday at 2.30pm in the community

Daithi Crann and Donegal John who

centre while the minor footballers

were the three €100 winners. Match

face Clontarf at 11am Sunday morning

three and the bonus ball: Catherine

in the Community Centre. All support

Murphy. Next week’s jackpot is €9,700

minor b hurling

Round Tower Fingallians  peter carroll

2-11 2-10

sport@gazettegroup.com

AFTER a competitive game with St Kevin’s at the weekend, Round Tower have found themselves in the quarterfinals of the minor championship after a year that has seen the side slightly struggle to get used to the pace of the second division, with the absence of inter county prospect Gary Quinlivan.

“After gaining promotion from the third division last year, we’ve found

it hard,” said coach Philip Quinlivan. “We’ve grown with each result and I think the strength of the team, coming off a season where they’ve constantly improved, is showing in the championship.

“It was a big step up to make and the lads had a great attitude to the step up. Missing Gary when he was out with the Dubs was obviously tough – he takes our frees and 65s – so we obviously can feel his absence.

“The team is full of very talented young men though, and they’ve really upped their games in the championship and the

performances have taken us this far,” he said.

With only three teams in their championship group, Tower’s first saw off St Peregrine’s by five points, 1-18 to 1-13, with Quinlivan banking 1-11 on the day, before going on to get a bye due to the absence of a fourth team in the pool.

And they got a stroke of fortune in their final group tie as St Kevin’s had not enough underage players available. As such, the Clondalkin outfit were awarded victory beforehand but played the tie at as high intensity as possible.

“Kevin’s cer tainly knew,” said the elder Quinlivan. “But, we didn’t tell our lads so they would go out and play competitively, and in the end the result was sent in as 2-11 to 2-10 for us, even though it was actually a draw.

“When you’re making a run at the championship you’ve got to get in as many high intensity games as you can, so it was better that the lads didn’t know the match had been decided before the throw in.

“The way they’re playing, we’ve got high hopes and hopefully we can continue our good form.”

The clubrooms are available for

Round Tower present Jigs and Reels

rental for parties, anniversaries, etc.

in association with a local Irish danc-

Please contact Jimmy behind the bar

ing club on Friday 16th November in the

or on 01-4592960.

Green Isle Hotel at 8pm. A great night

Pick your lotto team leader and help

of entertainment and fun is in store

them become the top Friday night sell-

with members from across all sec-

er. One hour once every seven weeks is

tions taking part with an experienced

all it takes.

dance partner.

Quinlivan plays key role in second tier

This week’s lotto numbers were 3, 11,

The minor hurlers drew against

welcome.

Dublin minor star Gary Quinlivan has helped inspire the Round Tower minors following their move up to division two

Chris Kavanagh and Gavin Lawler.

attend this meeting and only A mem-

Those signed up are Rebecca O’Connor, Fiona O’Shea, Jessica

If you are able to help, please contact Matt McCormack on 087 6836737 or email info@roundtower.ie.

st pat’s, palmerstown HARD luck to our U-14 camogie team

The dinner dance has been confirmed

who lost out to Lucan by a single point

to take place on February 2, 2013. Fur-

in the shield final. The U-12 hurling

ther details to follow.

team missed out on league honours

First draw winning lotto numbers

also by a single point. The U-13 hurlers

were 14, 19, 23 and 4. There was no

on the other hand beat Wild Geese also

winner. Second draw winning num-

by that one point.

bers were 12, 19, 30 and 10. There was

The annual Mass for deceased club members, family and friends takes place this Friday at 8.30 pm in the clubhouse. All welcome.

no winner. Any three numbers: Mrs Danagher, Sean Cuffe.

The next draw is on Sunday, November 11.

lucan sarsfields WELL done to our U-21 hurlers on

No Thursday openings until further

their championship win over Na

notice. Socks, shorts etc available

Fianna last Saturday.

from the bar during club hours.

Well done also to our U-13, U-14A,

Our nurseries now take place

U-14B and U-16B on winning their

every Saturday on our all-weather

finals over the weekend.

pitch at our clubhouse grounds at

Club shop opening times: Tues-

the 12th Lock.

day (7.30-8.30pm) and Saturdays

Football and hurling for boys born

(10.30am-11.30am) opening only until

in 2006, 2007 and 2008 is from 1.30pm

Christmas.

to 3pm. Football for girls born in

Occasional opening during nurs-

2005,2006 and 2007 is from 1.30pm

eries on Saturdays when staff are

to 2.15pm and camogie for girls aged

available.

six and over is from 2.15 to 3pm.

GazetteSPORT all of your clondalkin sports coverage from page 27-31

Round of applause: Tower’s minors awarded place in championship quarter-finals after Kevin’s game P31

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

new developments: Nicolas Roche starts up new elite junior cycling team P29

Three Bells are ringing for Ireland  peter carroll

sport@gazettegroup.com

BLUEBELL’S Ian Cherry, Shane Stritch and club captain, Glen Madden all represented the Republic of Ireland over the last two weekends playing for the international amateur team, making big impacts that Clondalkin coach Andy Newman believes will see them make the starting line up for the UEFA Regions Cup next year.

Stritch, a tenacious striker, and Madden, an adventurous midfielder, took to the field in the first weekend to play the Defence Forces, and they showed their clash with Madden bagging a hat trick and Stritch

taking one of his own to help the Irish to a 7-0 victory.

The following weekend, Cherry represented the club when he took to the field against age old international rivals, England, and he helped the team to victory with his role that saw the side go on to win 2-1.

“Ian has been involved in these set-ups before,” said Bluebell manager Andy Newman. “He had a good game; he got about 60 minutes and that’s commonplace in these friendlies where the team is rotated.

“He’s a top player, his approach to the game is fantastic. Even though it’s amateur football, I think

if you had to pinpoint one professional out on that pitch it would be Ian. “We’re delighted with the lads at the club, but that is the calibre of player that we attract here. It was great to see Shane and Glen getting a call-up and they justified their selections immediately with goals on their debuts.

“Trevor Molloy, a legend of the Irish game and my assistant coach, has done great work with the likes of Shane and Glen and he’ll be very proud of the goals that they scored after he’s given them so much guidance since arriving here.”

Newman also believes that more of his players could find themselves

in the amateur set-up only for a certain rule regarding a player’s professional status is concerned, where the players have made a couple of appearances for Airtricity League teams before stepping back to the amateur leagues.

“Honestly, I think we could have even more if it weren’t for some of our lads having played for League of Ireland teams and being given professional status. It’s something that needs to be looked at,” said Newman.

Out of the three select panels that played over the two weekends, one team will be selected to represent Ireland at the UEFA Regions Cup.

Ian Stritch, second from left, top row