Clondalkin

Gazette CLONDALKIN

vox pops: Members of the public go to town when

expressing their anger over the Luas strikes Page 24

Motoring: Impressed by the Opel Performance Centre’s remodelled style and raw power Page 23

Don’t forget!

Sunday, April 24 is Census day; so fill out the form you recently received

sport Football:

Round Tower’s tricky start in AFL2 continues Page 31

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

April 21-27, 2016

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The future is local - the future is free

company’s ready for life in the fast lane

Fastway Couriers, which has operations in Ballymount and Swords, has been selected as Ireland’s Courier Company of the Year for 2016 at the 7th annual Irish Logistics and Transport Awards. The annual awards took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dublin and was attended by approximately 500 industry professionals. Pictured are Philip Wharton, The Irish Independent, presenting Bronwyn Campbell, marketing manager and Bobby O’Keeffe, CEO Fastway Couriers Ireland with their award. The accolade is a first for Fastway Couriers and marks a major milestone for the business.

Picture: Picasa

Substation fire caused by copper wire thieves

Massive blaze at ESB facility left thousands of homes without power

 Ian Begley

The massive blaze at an ESB substation that left thousands of homes without power last weekend was caused by thieves trying to steal copper wire, according to the electric-

ity company and investigating gardai.

In a statement released

by Crimestoppers, the ESB said that the damage was caused by “third-party interference” with the overall cost of the incident to the utility estimated at

up to €10m.

A spokesperson said that over 150 kilometres of copper valued at €3m has been stolen from the ESB since 2012, costing around €28m to replace.

At the time of going to press, gardai confirmed

to The Gazette that no arrests have been made so far and an investigation is being carried out by gardai, the ESB and Dublin Fire Brigade.

Full Story on Page 6

2 CLONDALKIN Gazette 21 April 2016

courts | ‘the last of his offending behaviour’

Convicted killer jailed for post office raid

The Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin

A convicted killer who robbed a post office while armed with an axe has been sentenced to four years, with the final 18 months suspended.

Kenneth Wilson (46) of Deansrath Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, has 18 previous convictions including manslaughter, armed robbery and a charge of possession of firearms for which he was sentenced to ten years.

In 1999 he was jailed for five years for his role in the killing of Patrick Joseph Craig, a father of six, in 1992. Wilson was one of two masked men who burst into Mr Craig’s home and shot him as he lay in bed. The court heard Wilson did not intend to cause serious harm and was under the influence of his co-accused at the time.

Mr Justice Paul Carney called it a “a brutal and vicious assassination”.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that in November 2012, Wilson and two other men entered the Bawnogue Post Office, Clondalkin.

Wilson was armed with an axe while the other men had a crowbar and imitation handgun.

The men began to break down the security glass with their weapons while two staff members, including Louise Thunder, who was four months preg-

nant, locked themselves in the bathroom. The men took over €7,000 from the registers before fleeing in a blue BMW. The car was spotted near Deansrath Lawns with Wilson running away from it. When he saw gardai he slowed to a walk and went into a house. Gardai followed him in and found him sitting on a stool and out of breath.

Wilson claimed he had been there all morning and that he had just let a man in who climbed over the back wall. He was arrested and interviewed ten times but refused to make admissions. Only a small amount of the money was recovered.

Wilson later pleaded guilty to robbery at Bawnogue Post Office on November 28, 2012.

In a short victim impact report, Ms Thunder said she feared she might lose her unborn child because of the trauma.

Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC previously told Judge Sarah Berkeley that Wilson “sees this as the last of his offending behaviour”. He said he was now looking for work and that he was at a low risk of re-offending.

Sentencing Wilson on April 15, Judge Berkeley noted he had not re-offended since the incident.

FastNews

Racing from sunrise to sunset to raise €30k for Clondalkin boy (8) Lucan IT consultant company Nostra are on a mission to raise €30,000 in the first annual Dawn to Dusk challenge for a Clondalkin boy with cerebral palsy.

The company’s 50 staff will be split into four teams and will race from sunrise to sunset to see what team will reach Loop Head, County Clare first.

On April 30, the cycling team will start from Howth Head (325Km), the running team will begin from Salthill Strand (151Km), the walking team from (Spanish Point (60Km) and the driving team will start from Malin Head (1,150 Km).

Zaki Djellabi is an eight-year-old boy from Clondalkin with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy spastic diplegia with ataxia and dysarthria.

Cerebral palsy, in short, means that at birth Zaki was deprived oxygen which left him with brain damage.

To reach normal developmental milestones such as being able to sit up, chew, swallow, taking steps and to speak, Zaki had to undergo intense sessions of physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy.

Without surgery Zaki will become wheelchair dependent for the rest of his life.

To find out more information about the Lets Do It For Zaki campaign, visit letsdoitforzaki.com.

21 April 2016 CLONDALKIN Gazette 3

council | amendments to parks bye-laws called for by councillors

proclamation

Readings to mark 1916 Rising

Clarity sought on scramblers issue  Ian Begley

Fine Gael councillors Kenneth Egan (Clondalkin) and William Lavelle (Lucan) have called for amendments to the South Dublin County Council (SDCC) parks bye-laws to explicitly make provision for the detention, return and/or disposal of scrambler bikes that have been seized by gardai.

The use of scramblers bikes, predominantly by children and teenagers, has led to increased complaints and concerns regarding safety and nuisance.

At present, Section 3.1 of the bye-laws prohibits the uses of mechanically propelled vehicle, including scrambler bikes and

quads, in SDCC-owned parks and open spaces.

This section of the byelaws gives An Garda Siochana the power to remove such vehicles.

However, gardai have raised concerns that the bye-laws do not clearly define what gardai can do with scrambler bikes and quads once seized from council-owned land.

A motion tabled by both councillors was discussed at the council meeting on Monday, April 11.

The motion stated: “That this council calls on the chief executive to seek legal advice and to consult with An Garda Siochana with a view to bringing forward amendments to the parks and open spaces bye-laws 2011 to clarify the legislative

basis for Section 3.1 of the bye-laws (which allows An Garda Siochana to remove scrambler bikes from park/open space) and to further explicitly make provision for the detention, return and/or disposal of vehicles which have been removed.”

In response to the motion, SDCC managers stated that “it is proposed to further consult with An Garda Siochana in relation to this matter.”

Egan and Lavelle have called on SDCC managers to expedite this consultation and to bring back a report to the council with any necessary amendments to the 2011 byelaws so as to ensure that gardai have the certainty they need to seize and detain scrambler bikes.

Speaking out on issues Colaiste Bride was one of 14 schools across Dublin that took part in the Young Social Innovators Speak Out that took place in Drogheda recently as part of the Young Social Innovators (YSI) Speak Out Tour 2016.

Over 6,500 students throughout Ireland took part in Young Social Innovators this year working in 450 teams to tackle social issues affecting them and their communities.

Sixty teams will be shortlisted to compete for the national title of Young Social Innovators of the Year on May 10 in Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre. Y oung Social Innovators challenges young people to work within their communities to identify areas of need and to come up with and implement solutions for positive social change.

Pictured are Nikkita Chan, Aoife Smyth, Shar Osem and Alice Kelly of Colaiste Bride at the south Dublin leg of the Young Social Innovators’ Speak Out tour 2016, which took place at UCD. Picture: Derek Speirs

A series of 15 readings of the Proclamation at four minutes past each hour from sunrise to sunset will take place this Friday outside The Civic Theatre Tallaght. The readings mark the centenary of the reading of the Proclamation by Patrick Pearse at 12.04pm on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916.

The Proclamation will be read by individuals of all ages in Irish, English and other languages representing some of the cultural diversity of the county.

The readings will be on a small stage outside the Civic Theatre with a backdrop of two specially designed and printed banners made by 10 participants working with artist and print maker Jim Cathcart.

4 CLONDALKIN Gazette 21 April 2016

housing crisis | motion received unanimous support by all councillors

Urgent call to declare national emergency  ian begley news@gazettegroup.com

Calls to declare a national emergency regarding the housing crises was made recently at April’s county council meeting.

A number of motions were made during the meeting, including a report that confirmed more than 100 rapid unit builds will be included within infill housing sites throughout South County Dublin.

These will be developed as part of the €64.7m allocated the council as part of the government’s plan to tackle the housing crisis and are expected to

be completed by the end of 2017.

Cllr Ruth Nolan (PBP) tabled the motion calling on the government to declare a national housing crisis and to present a housing programme that would see the development of houses on a much faster pace.

Her motion received unanimous support by all councillors present at the meeting.

Speaking to The Gazette, Cllr Nolan said she believed declaring the lack of houses in Ireland as a national emergency would lead to the EU providing the government will additional funding to fast-track much needed

housing development.

She said: “It’s almost become a daily occurrence where people ring me describing how they’re being kicked out of their home because they cannot afford to pay their rent or because their landlords are selling their property.

“We have more than 100,000 people nationally on the housing waiting list, but in reality there are much more people urgently needing to be housed. Many people are being put onto HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) which takes them off the housing list. However, the problem with the HAP scheme is that there is nothing stable about it.

“The entire situation is at crisis point and the only way to solve it is for the government to undertake a massive house building programme. The council did say they will build 200 houses by 2017, but that’s far too low to alleviate the problem, said Cllr Nolan.

Meanwhile, Dublin Mid-West TDs John Curran (FF) and Eoin O Broin (SF) have been appointed to a new all-party housing committee.

Commenting upon his appointment, Deputy Curran said he is “eager” to find solutions to the unprecedented housing crisis facing the state.

“In Dublin I have seen the housing crisis first hand. Rising rents and tiny supply of housing, brought about under the

More houses urgenly need to be built in order to ease the housing crisis

Fine Gael-Labour coalition has resulted in the complete neglect of housing in this country.

“If all parties buy into this process, this housing committee can make a constructive difference to improve the housing situation. For our part, we will drive on home building as a core priority for this

committee.

Also commenting, Deputy O Broin said: “The housing and homeless crises are continuing to spiral out of control.

Families are presenting as homeless every single day. There are now 2000 children sleeping in emergency accommodation across the state.

“We need fresh thinking and new policies aimed at reducing the flow of people into homelessness, increasing the supply of social housing, bringing down the cost of homes for first time buyers and providing greater quality and security for landlords and tenants in the private rental sector,” he said.

21 April 2016 CLONDALKIN Gazette 5

6 CLONDALKIN Gazette 21 April 2016

exhibitions blaze | explosion reported at ESB substation in Inchicore Historical material sought Help South Dublin Libraries local studies unit gather historical information of local interest to inform possible future exhibitions in Clondalkin’s new Round Tower Interpretive Centre.

The unit is looking for material related to Clondalkin’s buildings, industries, transport, school’s etc, and also items relating to Clondalkin during the revolutionary period (1912 to 22). Your item will be photographed or scanned by library staff, and returned to you on the day.

The scanning events are taking place at Clondalkin Library, Monastery Road on Tuesday, April 26 from 4 to 8pm and on Thursday, May 5 from 4 to 8pm.

Copper thieves sparked blaze at ESB station  Ian Begley

The massive blaze at an ESB substation that left thousands of homes without power last weekend was caused by thieves trying to steal copper wire, according to the electricity company.

In a statement released

by Crimestoppers recently, the ESB said that the damage was caused by “third-party interference” with the overall cost of the incident to the utility estimated at up to €10m.

“Following an initial investigation by ESB

Networks it has become apparent that this incident was caused by third party interference, where thieves were attempting to steal copper wire from the site,” said a spokesperson.

The ESB also reminded the public and perpetrators of the criminal activity of the dangers of interfering with our electricity infrastructure: “Such interference is a highly dangerous activity with the perpetrators putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.”

T he spokesperson

added that over 150 kilometres of copper valued at €3m has been stolen from the ESB since 2012, costing around €28m to replace. It called on members of the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activity to gardai.

More than 120,000 customers across South County Dublin and its surrounding areas were left without power last week after a fire broke out at approximately the evening of April 17.

There were no reports of any injuries as the

Gardai evacuated the area within a 500-metre radius of the blaze.

Picture: Steve Humphreys

sub-station itself was unmanned.

An ESB spokesperson later stated that a transformer fault occurred at the 220kv substation due to the fire. Gardai evacuated the area within a 500 metre radius of the blaze with a housing estate

located close the scene, across the Grand Canal.

Nearby residents were advised to remain indoors and keep windows and doors shut to block out emissions from the fire.

A Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) spokesperson commented: “At 7.20pm

we began to receive numerous calls regarding a large explosion at the sub-station. The facility is a 220kb substation which was well ablaze by the time we reached it.

The ESB had isolated all electricity before we commenced our operation.”

21 April 2016 CLONDALKIN Gazette 7

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Gazettegallery

| students strut their stuff on the catwalk

Laura Lynch, head of youth business Bank of Ireland with Eleanor Dwyer

Celebrations as Eleanor Dwyer, wearing a dress entitled Jewel of Nylon designed by fellow students Jennifer Siak and Emma Clarke, was named the overall winner. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Stars step out for ‘Junk’ fashion show

Emma McCarron and Maureen Lucia McCawley and Maureen O’Donnell

O’Donnell

Vogue Williams, Louis Walsh and Glenda Gilson

L

ouis Walsh, Glenda Gilson and Vogue Williams were on hand to dish out the awards at the grand final of the Bank of Ireland Junk Koture at Dublin’s 3Arena recently. 80 students strutted their stuff down the catwalk in their creations fashioned by renewable materials. Louis and Vogue joined stylist Rob Condon, Lorna McGee and LSAD lecturer Tracy Fahey on the judging panel for the show. Over 1,100 designs were entered from all over Ireland, with Eleanor Dwyer, from Our Lady’s Bower emerging as the overall winner. Entertainment was from Louis’ pop band Hometown and Irish language group Seo Linn.

Christine Hamill, Gabriel Bannigan and Claire Tenwick

Ciara Doyle and Maeve Murray

21 April 2016 CLONDALKIN Gazette 9

10 Gazette 21 April 2016

Gazettegallery

| the inaugural UCD Festival launch event

Nicole Parks and Nicola Bailey Some of UCD’S most well-known and well-respected alumni Miriam O Callaghan, Fr Peter McVerry, Gordon Snell and Aoibheann Ni Shuilleabhain at the launch of the first ever UCD Festival. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Plenty to see and do on Campus Laura Shorten and Ashling O’Brien

T

HE first ever UCD Festival will take place across the Belfield Campus on June 18 and visitors will experience an enormous variety of talks and exhibitions, theatrical performances, live music, interactive workshops and family entertainment. The showcase event that will be an excellent opportunity for one and all to discover the state of the art facilities on campus, explore the new buildings and the wonderful parkland.

Clodagh Lannon and Aishling O’Connor

Gordon Snell and Prof Margaret Kelleher

Naomi Cassidy and Ciara Horgan

Toluse Akinladl, Molly Dillon Leetch and Brenda Mangwandi

Roisin Monks and Cillian Totterdell

21 April 2016 Gazette 11

Gazette

12 Gazette 21 April 2016

dublinlife

diary

Coming together to help break the cycle of suicide Dublin cyclists are invited to take part in the fourth annual Cycle Against Suicide event taking place over two weeks in April and May. This year’s Cycle will travel over 1,100 kilometres around the island

of Ireland over 14 days, beginning in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, April 24 and concluding back in the capital on Saturday, May 7.

Jim Breen, founder of Cycle Against Suicide, said: “At Cycle Against

Suicide, we believe in solidarity; we believe that together, shoulder to shoulder, we can empower one another to create an island of Ireland where ‘It’s OK not to feel OK, and it’s absolutely OK to ask for help’.”

Colm Hayes, Cycle Against Suicide Ambassador and RTE 2FM DJ said: “Cycle Against Suicide acknowledges life’s difficulties, offers reassurance and hope, and meaningfully empowers individuals across the island of Ireland to seek help when necessary.”

Approximately 7,000 cyclists are expected to participate. Register now at cycleagainstsuicide. com.

“big-hearted” volunteers being sought The Irish Heart Foundation is seeking “bighearted” volunteers in Dublin to give a few hours of their time, to sell Happy Heart pins on-street and raise much-needed funds for their Happy Hearts Appeal this May. Every day in Ireland 27 people are losing their lives to heart disease and stroke and some 300 new cases are diagnosed daily - yet 80% of these deaths are completely preventable.

Irish Heart Foundation medical director and cardiologist Dr Angie Brown said: “It is well known by medical professionals that heart disease and stroke remains the number one killer in Ireland. “The good news is that 80% of this disease is preventable – and the Irish Heart Foundation is here to help.” To register your interest as a volunteer for the Happy Heart Appeal on May 5 and 6, call Anne Harrington at the Irish Heart Foundation on 01-6685001 or email happyheart@irishheart.ie.

Pictured at the launch of 2016 Cycle Against Suicide was Cycle Against Suicide founder Jim Breen with Cycle Against Suicide ambassadors rugby pundit Brent Pope, Irish actress Charlene McKenna, RTE 2FM presenter Colm Hayes and former Armagh Gaelic footballer Oisin McConville. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

recreating a 21-year-old project The Ark (the cultural centre for children in Temple Bar) recently put a call out for children to have their portrait photograph taken.

These images of the nation’s children in 2016 have been placed in the windows of the building on Eustace street.

The team at The Ark were setting out to recreate one of the first ever projects that took place 21 years ago when The Ark first opened.

Back in 1995 for Faces in The Window, photographs of children were displayed in the windows of the building to show the world who The Ark had been created for.

Now in 2016 as part of the recent Easter programme, 264 children

had their photographic portrait taken to become part of The Ark’s Faces in the Window 2016 project which features the faces of children in Ireland today.

These children were selected from applications from all over Ireland.

The photos are now in the windows - have a look as you pass by on Eustace Street.

Irish Cancer Society seeks team members The Irish Cancer Society is calling on women of all ages in Dublin to sign up to join their team ahead of this year’s VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.

Those joining Team Irish Cancer Society for the event will be supporting the society’s free nationwide services for cancer patients and their families.

The Mini Marathon, which takes place on Monday, June 6, will see over 40,000 women walk, jog and run the 10 kilometre route across Dublin City.

Mark Mellett, head of Fundraising at the Irish Cancer Society said: “Over 40,000 women will take part in the Mini Marathon in June and over 40,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer in Ireland this year, a poignant reminder visually on the day of the vast numbers of people affected by cancer in this country.

“The Mini Marathon offers a great goal for those looking to get fit ahead of the summer while also truly making a difference to those affected by cancer.”

To join team Irish Cancer Society, visit cancer.ie/ getactive

21 April 2016 Gazette 13

Gazette

14 Gazette 21 April 2016

dublinlife Bealtaine 2016: hundreds of initiatives in festival

Help celebrate older creativity  Ian Begley

Bealtaine 2016 is almost upon us, which will once again provide the opportunity to celebrate older members of the community, and their living legacy

Age & Opportunity has announced Iconic Citizens as the theme for Bealtaine 2016, Ireland’s annual festival of creativity as we age which is celebrated during the month of May.

Bealtaine is an Age & Opportunity initiative funded by the Arts Council and delivered by hundreds of organisations around the country.

Last year, more than 125,000 people participated in Bealtaine, making it one of the most

important cultural events in the national arts calendar.

This high level of engagement, married with the creativity and enthusiasm of all involved, makes Bealtaine the vibrant and energetic celebration of creativity that it is today.

This year, Bealtaine will celebrate its 21st birthday with over 600 events in libraries, arts centres, care settings, galleries, local halls and community centres throughout the country.

With a wide range of activities including poetry, writing workshops, traditional music events, art exhibitions and an important seminar about the use of creativity in planning our communities and care settings, there will definitely be something for everyone during Bealtaine 2016.

Festival highlights include a visit from visual artist Deirdre O’Mahony who will present First Citizens Speak, a film that explores the lives of a community of older people in north Clare.

T he Ark Cultural Centre for Children will host a reading event for grandparents and their grandchildren which will be led by Marita Conlon McKenna and her daughter Amanda Hearty.

The seminar, This Is Not My Beautiful House, will examine how creativity, creatively charged communities and the arts contribute to better ways of living as we age.

In particular, the seminar will seek to address how creativity should shape residential and community design in a

way that enhances human dignity and growth.

Finally, Bealtaine, in partnership with glor Arts Centre, Ennis, and Clare County of Culture, announced VoltAge, a festival-within-a-festival.

VoltAge will feature three days of exhibitions, discussions and events from Thursday, May 5 to Saturday, May 7.

Alongside these programmes there will be a huge range of 600 local initiatives hosted by local authorities, arts centres, libraries, active retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs from every part of the country.

Commemorate Speaking about the festival, Karen Smyth, CEO of Age & Opportunity said: “We are delighted to unveil a very special programme for Bealtaine 2016 as we commemorate 100 years since the birth of modern Ireland with a celebration of Ireland’s iconic first citizens.

“The festival combines the creative mediums of visual art, music, theatre and literature to explore the impact that Ireland’s first generation continues to have on our culture and identity today.

“As Bealtaine enters its 21st year, we are thrilled that the festival continues to grow and with over 600 different arts events taking place nationwide, audiences of all ages and across Ireland will have plenty to choose from during the month of May.” For more information and for the full line up, see www.bealtaine.com.

21 April 2016 Gazette 15

campaign: call for more support for sufferers

Summer adventure

Lifting the lid on Parkinson’s disease  Ian Begley To mark Parkinson’s Awareness Week recently, a national awareness campaign was organised by the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland (PAI) to lift the lid on Parkinson’s and highlight the difficulties experienced by the 12,000 people in Ireland living with the disease, and to call for more support for them and their families.

The week kicked off with a Unity Walk in Dublin’s Merrion Square,

attended by almost 1,000 people from all over Ireland - including the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Criona Ni Dhalaigh. Richie Kavanagh, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease since 2008, performed his recently re-launched hit song Aon Focal Eile.

He is encouraging all his supporters and those affected by Parkinson’s disease to show their support for the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease, which affects over 12,000

people in Ireland.

An art auction took place on April 13 with pieces of art being provided by Harold Huberman, a former fashion designer and artist, who also lives with Parkinson’s disease.

Creating awareness of the serious impact of Parkinson’s disease and the effect it has on so many people’s lives is vital, says Paula Gilmore, chief executive of the PAI. She said: “The high level of engagement with our members and their families around issues

relating to Parkinsons shows us not just the seriousness of the disease but also the importance to those who live with it of the need for proper access to services and treatments.

“The PAI receives no government funding and depends on donations to provide services through our 16 branches and national office in Dublin.

“We are seeing a significant increase in demand for our services, with increased calls for

Gazette

FEATURES

People from all over Ireland turned out in force to support the Parkinson’s Unity Walk 2016. Picture: Marc O’Sullivan

our nurse call-back and support line services. We are also receiving more requests for information, publications and access to education, but there are simply not enough resources to deal with the 12,000 people in Ireland who have to live with Parkinsons every day.”

The Parkinson’s Unity Walk, as part of the Parkinson’s Awareness Week took place on April 10.

Over the years, the walk has gained momentum with more than 1,000 people at this year’s event including Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Criona Ni Dhalaigh.

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Running from July 3 to August 14, Delphi Resort’s S u m m e r A d ve n t u r e Camps are all-inclusive, so your kids will be fed and watered three times a day and given all the safety equipment they need.

Three, five and seven night camp options are available plus they are running an early bird offer. Call or email to book before May 27 and receive 10% off when you quote “Dublin Gazette”.

For information or to make an enquiry or booking, call Delphi Resort on +353 (0) 9542208 or visit www.delphiresort.com.

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16 Gazette 21 April 2016

dublinlife

business

Only half have a pension plan ONLY half of Irish people are in a pension plan, according to recent research conducted by Irish Life.

Irish Life held a major pensions conference attended by almost 200 delegates in Dublin last week.

On the theme, Empowering Retirement, speakers discussed new initiatives to engage members of defined contribution pension schemes.

Presenting an analysis of the current pension landscape, Damian Fadden, Irish Life Corporate Business, discussed whether defined contribution schemes are ready to step up to ensure Irish workers are well-prepared for retirement.

“We know from our research that only half of people working in the private sector are in a pension plan, that the average contribution rate in defined contribution schemes is just 10%, and the average starting age in a workplace pension is in the mid-30s – so there is a mountain to climb.

“However, these challenges can be resolved with the help of the behavioural insights we have built into our new Empower pension package. These are not just ideas – we have already successfully transformed pension scheme membership and savings levels for a number of our corporate clients,” he said.

Did you hear about the ninth Hearing Awareness Week?

THE ninth annual Hearing Awareness Week recently saw five nationwide free health screening events take place during that time in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Athlone. The campaign highlighted the issue of

hearing loss and how it’s a key part of overall health and wellness. Pictured at the city centre launch of Hearing Awareness Week 2016, in association with Active Retirement Ireland, were Dolores Madden, marketing

director, Hidden Hearing; Stephen Leddy, managing director, Hidden Hearing; Mai Quaid, president, Active Retirement Ireland and Dr Nina Byrnes, medical advisor to Hidden Hearing.

Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

resource: initiative to support communities

KBC Bank Ireland seeks groups to share €100k

 Ian Begley

KBC Bank Ireland is calling on community groups across Dublin to apply for financial support for their dream projects from its €100,000 funding initiative, Bright Ideas.

KBC’s Bright Ideas community support initiative returns for a third year to support individuals and organisations which are transforming and improving the lives of others in their locality.

This year’s initiative will be promoted across seven different geographic regions, including Dublin, reflecting KBC’s expanding network of retail banking hubs in Ireland.

A new Green category has also been created, to recognise the importance of environmentallyfriendly projects in com-

munities nationwide. A dedicated prize of €2,500 will be given to the overall winner of this category.

Over the past two years, 70 creative and innovative local community projects have received funding through Bright Ideas, breathing new life into a diverse range of schemes.

These have included creating communitybased amenities for the elderly and people with special needs, sporting and educational activities for young people, community wellbeing resources, arts and culture initiatives, as well as urban renewal projects.

Among last year’s winning projects in Dublin was Steps Together, a pilot programme to provide people with disabilities with greater opportunities to participate in physical activity, health awareness

Eoghan and Ferdiad O’Reilly at the Grow Dome in Rialto, Dublin 8 - one of last year’s winning projects in KBC’s Bright Ideas community fund

and sport in their local community, helping them to build meaningful, interdependent relationships with others as a result.

Sarah Hewitt, of St Michael’s House in Clontarf, which developed the programme and received €2,910 in funding, said: “The pilot programme went really well. It made a huge impact on the individuals involved and as a result we are now running the programme again

with another group.

“Having access to funding through Bright Ideas was really worthwhile; it really made a difference to the people who participated and made a significant contribution to developing a sense of community.”

Applications for Bright Ideas funding can be submitted at www.kbcbrightideas.com. The closing date for applications is May 31.

21 April 2016 Gazette 17

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Pets cosmo will be a perfect pal

Betroffenheit touches on universal themes of loss, addiction and recovery

Festival: bringing unique and eye-opening experiences of dance

World-class entertainment

 Ian Begley

Extraordinary artists will present world-class dance as Dublin Dance Festival (DDF) comes to town from May 17 to 28. This is the first festival programme by new DDF director Benjamin Perchet, who promises 2016 audiences “an inspiring journey of aesthetic pleasure and intellectual stimulus”, exploring themes of migration, mobility and transformation.

The programme will present work by artists who blur the lines between art forms and will offer unique and eyeopening experiences of dance, via world premieres, film screenings, exhibitions, discussions, master classes and more.

DDF is the leading dance event on the Irish arts calendar, bringing together dance artists and choreographers from around the globe each May to

share vibrant, contemporary dance with audiences in Ireland. The 2016 edition will feature work from the US, Canada, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, France and the UK, as well as showcasing and celebrating contemporary dance from Irish artists.

One of the true ballet masters of our times, Alonzo King brings his celebrated contemporary ballet company on a first visit to Ireland. The twelve extraordinary dancers will be presenting two technically brilliant and sublimely beautiful works at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre on Sunday, May 22.

Dublin Dance Festival are also thrilled to present the European premiere of Betroffenheit, an acclaimed new dance-theatre work by Olivier award-winning Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite and pioneering playwright/performer Jonathon Young.

The 2016 festival will open with the Irish premiere of Planites from Greek choreographer Patricia Apergi.

This intensely physical, urban fusion piece for five dancers focuses on the foreigner, the immigrant - the person who travels, whether by choice or by force.

Co-commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival and Siamsa Tire, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, Anam, (meaning soul) will bring together the skills of world-class step dancers from the US, Canada and Ireland in an exhilarating fusion of styles.

Authentic and raw, the world premiere of this percussive dance piece will be performed with live music and song by acclaimed musician Fergal O’Murchu.

At the O’Reilly Theatre, The Akram Khan Company will present the heart-

warming Chotto Desh, a captivating experience for all the family from this multi-award-winning choreographer.

Chotto Desh is thrilling and poignant tale of a young man’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh, told using a magical mix of dance, text, visuals and sound.

Dublin Dance Festival box office at Festival House will be home to DRAFF: another exhibition, investigating the process of making dance work with a series of behind-the-scenes fragments from some of the shows in the 2016 programme.

The festival will also offer an extensive schedule of seven master classes and workshops by festival artists for professional dancers, dance and performance students and children.

For a full line-up of events taking place, visit www.dublindancefestival.ie.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week this week is Cosmo.

He came to us as a puppy and has been in a home before, but struggled hugely with being left alone and, sadly, his previous family just didn’t have the time to meet his needs.

If you live in an adult-only home with someone there the vast majority of the time, then Cosmo could be the perfect companion for you. He will need a little help to learn to settle in to a home again, but when he does, you will see just how loving and wonderful he truly is.

If you think you could offer Cosmo a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE. Dogs Trust are asking all ladies taking part in the VHi Women’s Mini Marathon 2016 to do so on behalf of #TeamDogsTrust – see www.dogstrust.ie for more information.

Gazette

18 Gazette 21 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

Asos Public Desire Kat Grey Heeled Sock Boots €49.28

Topshop Hex Sock Fit Aankle Boots €98

Zara €65.95

Shade Adjusting Drops €17.00

A handy way to adjust the colour of your foundation The Body Shop have devised a handy way to adjust the colour of your foundation.

The shade adjusting drops come in lightening and darkening shades so that foundation can be adjusted to suit your skin tone perfectly.

This product will be particularly handy for those who tan in the summer and need a darker foundation while the tan lasts.

They’re also a useful addition to any make-up bag for times when you forget your own foundation and need to borrow a friend’s, or if you just have bad luck selecting the right colour.

Often, foundation can have that dreaded orange tinge on paler skin tones, the lightening drops use a con-

centration of white and pink pigments helps to lighten, while neutralising the yellowness of light-to-medium foundation shades. On darker skin tones, foundation can sometimes look too light or ashy.

The darkening drops use a concentration of black and red pigments help to darken while keeping the natural depth of dark-to-deep foundation shades.

One drop of the product will make a face worth of foundation either half a shade lighter or darker and it’s a great way to make an expensive bottle of foundation go a lot further and not go to waste if it isn’t exactly the right shade.

At €17 each, the drops are available at the Body Shop.

Asos Public Desire Alexa Red Patent Sock Boots €46.46

River Island nude patent sock boot €95

There’s a new boot in town  emma nolan

River Island brown leopard print velvet heeled ankle boots €60

Since ankle boots rose to prominence a number of years ago, they have stayed as the most worn female boot style.

From Chelsea, to cut out, to bucked, chunky, pointed, Western you name it – ankle height is where it’s at and while it’s here to stay, the sock boot is the style that enchanted on the autumn winter runways and is now translating to the high street somewhat.

The skintight style were spotted on the Givenchy runway and also featured in recent Dior and Dries Van Norten collections and have been seen on the street style elite since then.

Topshop have begun to emulate the look with their sock fit and suede styles and River Island’s offering comes in nude, leopard print and black leather.

It’s time to cover up those ankles and embrace the newest It Boot.

21 April 2016 Gazette 19

Gazette

STYLE

River Island Bursary winner William with Roz Purcell modelling his winning outfit

Templeogue’s William Shannon Doyle takes top fashion design bursary  emma nolan

Asos Daisy Street Iridescent Sock Ankle Boots €49.28 Topshop Suede Sock Boots €110

River Island Black tie back heeled ankle boots €65 Topshop Magnificent Suede Sock Boots in tan €110

A 22-year-old Dublin fashion designer from Templeogue has the River Island 2016 Fashion design bursary.

William Shannon Doyle was chosen to receive a €3,500 bursary and a paid threemonth internship in River Island’s design studio in London.

This is the thirteenth year of the River Island Bursary which offers final year fashion design students at the National College of Art and Design the chance to win a paid, threemonth internship at the company’s design studio in London.

T his year R iver Island asked the NCAD students to create a capsule collection for River Island Spring Summer 2016.

The students then submitted portfolios of designs which were judged by River Island

Design Controller Lucy Moller, who was the 2006 winner of the Bursary.

Speaking on the announcement, Lucy said: “The River Island Bursary launched my fashion career 10 years ago.

“It is always so exciting to see new and exciting talent emerging.

Our industry thrives on fresh ideas and it is so important to inject new energy and life into our design studio and creative teams.

“We are delighted to be amongst the first to witness and embrace the emergence of some of Ireland’s brightest new stars in the fashion industry.”

William’s winning design consisted of a red skirt with black detailing, black top and bomber jacket with a silk clutch bag that were inspired by 1950’s vintage where “functionality meets luxury”.

Gazette

20 Gazette 21 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

fast

TRAVEL NEWS

TRAVEL

bargains: balmy breaks to leave you beaming

Yoga practitioners can take to sunnier climes without needing to strain their resources

Yoga getaways won’t stretch your budget  ian begley

IF YOU struggle to find tranquillity and peace of mind in Ireland, you will be happy to know that Travel Department are holding a range of yoga retreats in Europe.

Lake Garda Yoga Holiday Recharge in Lake Garda, Italy. Nestled in the tranquillity of Garda Trentino’s olive groves and vineyards, Torbole is the perfect place for a yoga retreat.

Your hotel is located in the midst of nature and enjoys the healthy climate of Lake Garda, while being a short stroll from the centre of Torbole and near the beautiful Riva del Garda.

Yoga on this holiday will be led by Emma Burke Kennedy, one of Yoga Dublin Studios’ regular Vinyasa Flow yoga teachers.

Twice-daily yoga sessions will be held in the mornings and evenings, which will be suited to all levels of yoga practitioners. Afternoons are free to spend at your leisure.

Prices star t from € 72 9 p p , i n cl u d i n g return flights from Dublin, transfers, five nights’ B&B accommodation, eight yoga sessions with

an expert instructor, and a half-day Lake Garda boat excursion, with the flight departing on September 14.

The Algarve Yoga Holiday Soak up the Portuguese sun and indulge in a relaxing yoga retreat in the fabulous surroundings of the Algarve.

Your base for five nights will be the Memmo Baleeira – set inside a nature park and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, this contemporary hotel is a two-minute walk from the closest beach and a 13-minute walk from Sagres Point.

Yoga on this holiday will also be led by Burke Kennedy. Twice-daily yoga sessions will be held in the mornings and evenings, which will be suited to all levels of yoga practitioners. Afternoons are free to spend at your leisure.

Prices star t from € 79 9 p p , i n cl u d i n g return flights from Dublin, transfers, five nights’ half-board accommodation and eight yoga sessions with an expert instructor, with the flight departing on October 19.

To find out more about these offers, and to book, see www.tdactive.ie.

A range of affordable holidays invite you to set off to a range of sun-kissed shores, with great deals currently available to stay in Torremolinos (main), Fuerteventura and Malta (right)

The sun is closer – and cheaper – than you think  ian begley

Travel Editor

THE beaches of Europe have always been extremely popular with Irish holidaymakers, with the Algarve, Fuerteventura and Majorca remaining firm favourites for 2016.

If you’re dreaming of a sunshine getaway, it’s closer and cheaper than you think. From only €189, you could spend a week lounging on a golden beach, soaking up the sunshine and letting life’s worries melt away.

GoHop.ie have put together a list of sun holiday packages to some of the most popular destinations to help you escape reality and catch some rays this May.

Malta Spend seven nights

in Malta from €274pp.

With return flights from Dublin airport on May 14, spend seven nights in a four-star accommodation on a self-catering basis.

Located in the South of Europe in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is a haven for those in search of tranquillity and relaxation.

This beautiful island is relatively small in size; however, it undoubtedly delivers quality on all fronts.

From buzzing nightlife, colourful festivals, delicious cuisines and spectacular, natural scenery, Malta is a compelling and exciting country.

It comprises three separate islands, with the main one being Malta itself, followed closely by its counterparts, Gozo and Comino, which are

famous for their peaceful atmosphere and watersports facilities.

As well as its yearround temperate climate, it is a country abundant with history and fascinating culture, with monuments such as Fort Rinella and the Church of St Mary being tourists’ favourites.

However, no one can forget the iconic sanded beaches that cluster the area, and the all-around natural beauty that can be found in all areas of Malta.

Torremolinos Spend five nights in Torremolinos from €189pp. On May 16, fly to the Costa del Sol popular holiday resort and stay for five nights in three-star accommodation, on a self-catering basis.

Torremolinos is one of the most popular holiday resorts in the Costa del Sol. It is the perfect blend of a traditional fishing village and modern city.

This holiday destination is home to several gorgeous beaches, leisure facilities, delicious food and much more.

Summer is the most popular time to visit Torremolinos, so expect crowds. There is hardly any rainfall during the summer season, but temperatures can drop significantly in the evening; however, this is seen as a relief by most tourists.

Fuerteventura Spend seven nights in Fuerteventura from €293pp. On May 24, fly from Dublin to spend seven nights in three-star accommodation on a self-catering basis.

With the exciting Oasis Park, world-famous surfing, sun-soaked beaches, and a truly laid back atmosphere, Fuerteventura holidays are ideal for families, couples and groups.

The best time to visit Fuerteventura would probably be from April to June, when the weather is gorgeous and the summer rush has yet to hit the island.

Unwinding on a gorgeous beach, and with soft sands and warm, sparkling seas, and a dazzling backdrop of volcanic rock, you’ll soon discover why Fuerteventura beaches are renowned as being some of the finest in Europe.

For the full holiday list of holiday offers from GoHop, see www.gohop.ie or call 01 241 2389.

21 April 2016 Gazette 21

eddie the eagle: britain’s plucky ski jumper gets an inspirational biopic

ReelReviews

Affectionately told underdog tale of a cool, if unlikely hero, wings it a bit

THERE must have been something in the air at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The event in Canada saw the world debut of Jamaica’s bobsleigh team – which of course became the basis for the plucky underdog classic, Cool Runnings.

But a bigger star that year was Great Britain’s Michael “Eddie” Edwards – a ski-jumper who ecstatically took last place in the three jumps that he participated in.

Retold with dollops of nostalgia and liberal helpings of Hollywood treatment, Eddie The Eagle (12A, 105mins) follows Eddie’s Olympic obsession from his early years.

Growing up in Gloucestershire in the 70s, the young Eddie fawns over a treasured glossy almanac of the Games and becomes determined to become an Olympian.

Undeterred by constrictive leg braces, a general lack of athletic prowess, and a tendency to injure himself, Eddie spends his childhood

 Dave phillips

recreating the Olympic Games in the alleyways and fields of his neighbourhood.

Fast forward several years and many pairs of broken glasses later, and the patience of Mum (Jo Hartley) and Dad (Keith Allen) is thinning as the now almost-adult Eddie (Kingsman’s Taron Egerton) refuses to settle down and get a job, and persists with his dream – or at least, a more nuanced version of it.

Realising that despite his best efforts he may never qualify for any of the Olympic events, Eddie changes tack.

A little research shows that Great Britain has had far fewer athletes compete in the Winter Olympics, and nobody has ever represented the country in Ski Jumping. So, with cogs set in

motion, Eddie sets out to fulfil his dream.

There is no denying the fact that Eddie the Eagle is a straightforward and predictable underdog story, and it takes a little while to settle into the sappy, mawkish tone set by director Dexter Fletcher.

Things are stepped up a notch when Eddie heads to train in Norway, and meets washed-up former jumper Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman).

Peary’s character – a hard-drinking former athlete who is bitter about his missed opportunities in life – adds a level of complexity to the story.

And, while the story and roles remain pleasantly straightforward, the introduction of Jackman to the mix alongside Egerton brings a level of depth that is noticeably lacking in the film’s first act.

Throw in some bullies to bypass, some officious snobbery from the committee, and a cameo from Christopher Walken, and you have more than

Gazette

CINEMA

the jungle book Go ape for this one

AN ALL-star cast add their weight to a wonderful retelling of The Jungle Book (Cert PG, 106 mins).

Disney’s classic animation gets a modern reboot, with perfect animation bringing the jungle’s creatures to glorious life. While the likes of Bill Murray, Idris Elba and Scarlett Johansson add their voices, the luscious cinematography and action provide the centre of this enticing, bewitching film.

zootropolis

Disney’s roaring success Eddie, meet ‘Eddie’ ... The one and only Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards meeting Taron Egerton, portraying him in this warm-hearted film

FAMILIES have given their roar of approcal to Disney’s Zootropolis (Cert PG, 108 mins). The latest fully CG film for the studio takes a familiar cop trope – a fresh rookie trying to make their mark and solve a tough case, while teaming up with an unlikely ally – but creates something new and fresh. Warm-hearted, likeable performances add to the great design, making it a treat for audiences.

Trainer (Jackman) and jumper (Egerton) mentally prepare for the challenge

enough elements to help the story along through its almost two-hour running length.

Eddie The Eagle, much like its subject matter, is a film that is clunky and ineffectual at times, but possesses something greater that causes its flaws to fade.

D e x t e r F l e t c h e r ’s vision – which starts out so sickly sweet and overwrought with halcyon day sentimentality

– eventually transforms into a much more significant commentary on human potential.

While the film never stops being light and whimsical, there is something in the story of a boy from Gloucestershire pursuing his dream at all costs that is endearing and undeniably heart-warming to watch.

Just as films like Cool Runnings and The

Mighty Ducks captured an underdog spirit for a generation growing up in the 90s, Eddie The Eagle deserves to become an underdog classic for a new generation.

The film is a guaranteed dose of feel-good vibes, and a reminder of that Olympian motto: the important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.

Verdict: 7/10

the huntsman Snow thank you ...

THE Huntsman – Winter’s War (Cert 12A, 117mins) is the prequel to 2012’s lovely looking (but super dull) Snow White and The Huntsman. Charlize Theron is once again as cool as ice, while Emily Blunt and Chris Hemsworth gamely give their best. However, it’s once again all style, no substance, with a dreary heart that is likely to leave you even colder than Thereon’s Queen.

Gazette

22 Gazette 21 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

GAMING

WEEBYTES RACHET & CLANK: THIS colourful REBOOT PROVIDES some PAWS FOR THOUGHT

The Samsung Gear VR

Praising the virtues of new tech  Shane dillon

I’LL be taking quite a detailed look at virtual reality (VR) later this year, but for now, many readers will have already noticed the extensive advertising currently surrounding one of the first VR sets – the Samsung Gear VR headset, which has a price point aimed at a mass market (currently circa €249).

It provides a pleasing, modestly-priced introduction to VR and, more importantly, it proves to the masses that VR works, and could wow as a new entertainment (or infotainment) format.

You simply slot one of a number of Samsung phones (you can easily check for compatibility) into the front of the large but light headset, which is easily secured to the head, and can be adjusted.

Then, by tilting or turning your head, the ‘screen’ (viewed a little as if through binoculars) changes the view to match, providing a great connection to the screen’s content – simply, it’s as though you’re really in that place you’re viewing, but you’re able to look all around you.

While looking slightly pixelated, the tech is very impressive, and immersive, with Samsung likely to stay the forerunner in this exciting new tech sector for a while to come.

Cat-like Rachet and his pal, Clank, deliver an almost purrr-fect title

I REMEMBER Rachet & Clank (Cert 7, c. €35) when it first came out – in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. While the PS2 had no shortage of wannabe console icons (for a while, Crash Bandicoot was the face of the PS2), Rachet & Clank still stood out at the time.

They were the stars of a lively platformer which saw the mismatched duo – an energetic catlike creature with aspirations to be a Space Ranger, and a diminutive but plucky no-nonsense robot pal that he found – team up to run around on several creatively rendered planets, with a host of wacky characters and even wackier weapons added to the mix.

Simply, R&C, created

by Insomniac Games, was a winning formula, and provided lots of fun in that first entry, and in many of the franchise’s additions afterwards.

Flash forward to today, and Rachet & Clank are getting a full franchise

 shane dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com

reboot, which has worked very well for a number of other games of old (sit down, Lara Croft – gamers know that the recent Tomb Raider reboot was particularly successful).

To use the new game’s marketing tagline, it’s “the game based on the film based on the game”, seeing as the determined duo are also getting the big-screen treatment, with a film on the way very soon – making it perhaps perfect timing to get the hype machine going with this lively reboot and relaunch.

At its basic level, Rachet & Clank goes back to its roots, to largely reimagine the very first game in the long-running franchise.

(In fact, you’d need a third hand to count all

the entries in the longrunning series across the years.)

However, it’s not a straightforward, beatfor-beat retelling of the original game and story, as it mixes things up a bit, adding in characters not seen until later entries in the franchise, and follows a slightly wayward story, thanks in part to its particularly unreliable narrator.

Still, in essence, it’s classic Rachet & Clank – the pair once again travel around several planets, while a number of minigames, or changes to the game’s style, break up the action.

Everything is presented with plenty of goofy jokes, sight gags, and an enthusiasm to provide plenty of fun always close to hand.

Visually, the game’s a real winner, with terrific cinematics that indicate the quality of the upcoming film, but they’re just the icing on the cake – the game’s worlds and design are packed with detail.

Everything from the bustling cityscapes in part of the game to delicate light effects and material reflections all add up to help craft a very pretty title, making each world a joy to roam around, just taking in the sights.

Not that gamers will be stopping for the views very much, as there’re a lot of bad guys to dispose of in each world, with plenty of weapons to do so.

They deserve a special mention. When facing endless bad guys, Rachet and Clank have several weapons to use to even the playing field – with plenty of upgrades to make them ever more powerful.

With weapons that, for example, turn enemies into placid sheep, or force them to start disco dancing, or even turn them into 2D ‘pixel’ versions of themselves, the game’s sense of silliness and lighthearted fun is always close to hand, even during some of the game’s

busier moments.

However, while it perhaps stays a little too close to its overly familiar roots, that’s not a bad thing, as Rachet & Clank have delivered a great platformer for the PS4.

Indeed, while the PS4 has tons of excellent games for older players, it’s a little less well served by games for younger players, or families – at least, based on what I’ve seen on the shelves around many Dublin shops at the moment, with more fam-

ily-friendly titles barely getting a look in.

However, Rachet & Clank is likely to do very well, as despite its brevity – it’s not the longest, or biggest game in the world – it’s wonderful to look at, and is also lots of fun to play;.

With its welcome delivery of a blast of family-friendly fun for the PS4 (or for any gamer who appreciates a wellcrafted title), Rachet & Clank is available this Friday, April 22.

Feline-feeling Rachet and his robot pal Clank (top) explore several colourful worlds, with plenty of silly Drawing on shared assets from the upcoming film about the duo, the game often looks fantastic

moments thanks to their creatively daft weapons

Gazette

24 clondalkin gazette 21 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

Railing against all the Luas strikes affecting Dubliners

IN OUR vox pop, we sent our reporters out on two successive days to ask a random selection of people in the street about the ongoing Luas stoppages. Remarkably, having spoken to up to 50 people on and off the record, not one supported the union’s stance on this issue. Our reporters, Ian Begley and Emma Nolan, asked each respondent these two questions: “Do you support the Luas strikers’ action? Will you be affected by any more industrial action?” This is what they had to say ...

 JIM WALSH

I DON’T support the drivers, because I think they’re reasonably well paid as it is. I think they’re looking for the same wages as train drivers, who have more responsibility.

I will be disrupted by further strike action – I use it to get out to Sandyford, and it’s hard to get out there without the Luas.

much, but I do not support the drivers’ strike.

Number one – I think they really did terrible damage to themselves on the Easter weekend, but I just think they should have gone into it better with their eyes open.

Number two – I actually don’t blame the drivers, I blame the union. I think they should have taken more responsibility and realised that it was way beyond their scope to get that amount.

 Josephine

Litchfield

I USE the Luas rarely to get into town, so it doesn’t affect me that

 Elaine Moriarty

 EDEL HOGAN

 pat cryan

I FIND it very disruptive, and the demands being made by the drivers are insane. The prospects into the future seem pretty dire, because their seems to be no middle ground or settlement on the horizon.

T he strikes won’t affect me as much, because I’m retired, but we always use the Luas – we never take the car into town – so it would affect us, in that sense.

with the whole 53% thing – I just think it’s greedy.

T hey should have started off at a lower rate and built up from there, whereas, because they publicised the 53%, I think everyone is against them because of that, unless you’re related to one of the drivers.

Student doctors and nurses are getting paid less, and I don’t agree with that concept.

Also, I think if the company give into the Luas drivers, I think it will have a knock-on effect. All the others will start making noises and I’m not sure the country can afford the kind of increases they’re looking for.

I’M HALF and half. I just think, especially over the Easter Weekend, they sort of held the country to ransom – they knew it would be a busy weekend for tourism, and that kind of thing.

They knew what they were getting into when they signed up for their job – the difficult hours and having to work bank holidays.

My own husband is a taxi driver, and he works unsocial hours as well.

So, in a way, I’m 90% against what they’re doing. It’s a great service, but if they get away with it, it opens a can of worms for any other people to go on strike.

I DON’T support them, because I work in Tallaght and have to get the first Luas. They always stop at the Red Cow for about 10 minutes in the morning, nearly making us all late.

A junior doctor only starts on €31K a year, and gardai are at €23K when they start – the Luas driver’s job is so simple in comparison, yet they’re making so much.

looking for a 50% hike?

I’ll be disrupted by further strike action and will have to walk, so it’s a bit mad, y’know.

 Kate O’Reilly

I FEEL disgusted at their behaviour. I think, given the political climate, they’re just asking for too much and are totally intolerant about what’s being offered already.

As a member of the public, I feel totally discommoded with their behaviour.

They’re not just going on strike, but are deliberately delaying their trams at peak times.

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

‘I also think the amount of a raise they’re looking for is a bit over the top, because compared to some other professions, they don’t have to do much training’

 Michelle Horan

I THINK the whole thing is a disgrace. It’s terrible that they’re holding the public to ransom, because so many people depend on its service.

I think it’s gone on for too long, and to strike on Easter Sunday didn’t do them any favours.

A lot of people with no income at all have to survive, so why can’t they get by with what they’re on?

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

 Aine O’Dwyer

 Emily Graham

 Jonathan

Richardson

 PAUL MORAN

I DON’T support the Luas drivers. If they wanted a small increase, then fair enough, but I don’t agree

I’M FROM the US and we don’t have strikes like this. I believe everyone has the right to strike, but I just think that it’s a little outrageous to ask for about a 40% increase when they’re already earning so much

MY OPINION from what I heard is that junior doctors and nurses are working twice as long for half the money, yet the Luas drivers only do what they do – sit there and drive the Luas, and they’re

I THINK a cer tain amount of it is okay, but some of the days they’ve been striking on – like during the Easter weekend and the Centenary celebrations – were a bit ridiculous, because it was a once in a century event and they caused a lot of hassle for people trying to get in and out of town.

I also think the amount of a raise they’re looking for is a bit over the top, because compared to some other profes-

21 April 2016 clondalkin gazette 25

sions, they don’t have to do much training. I’ll be affected by further strikes because I won’t be able to get to Heuston Station to get the train home.

 Ailish Durney

THEIR demands were too high to begin with and Transdev called their bluff, so I just don’t know where they’re going to go from here. They don’t have the people on their side, and I just find the whole thing ridiculous.

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

‘Everyone deserves to be heard, I guess’

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

 Fiona Shannon

I SEE where they’re coming from, but what they’re asking for is a bit too much. But everyone deserves to be heard, I guess, and if they want more pay, then I guess they deserve it, but at the same time, they’re asking a bit too much. I will be inconvenienced by the strikes for getting to work and other activities.

Luas commuters who The Gazette spoke to were united with the same criticisms of the Luas drivers, their pay demands, and their union’s tactics

Gazette

VOX POPS

26 Clondalkin Gazette 21 April 2016

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21 April 2016 clondalkin Gazette 27

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Gazette

28 clondalkin gazette 21 April 2016

SPORT

FastSport Shelbourne sign former Ireland star: SHELBOURNE FC have signed former Irish international Stephen Elliott until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.

The Dubliner played his early football with Belvedere FC and Stella Maris before signing for Manchester City in 2004. He later moved to Sunderland, where he worked under Mick McCarthy.

The striker then followed McCarthy to Wolverhampton Wanderers before spells with Preston North End, Norwich City, Coventry City, Hearts and, most recently, Carlisle United.

He ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Carlisle back in October 2014 and underwent surgery.

The 32-year-old represented the senior Ireland team on nine occasions, scoring once: the winning goal in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory against Cyprus in 2005.

soccer: over 1,300 students take part in Primary school festival

Ringsend abuzz for cup finale  sport@dublingazette.com

IRISHTOWN Stadium played host to the Dublin county finals of the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme, the culmination of a programme that saw 1,376 students take

part.

Indeed, 272 students from 34 schools played in the Dublin finals where just six schools earned progression to the provincial finals.

The A Cup, open to boys and/or mixed

St Damian’s celebrate. Pictures: James Crombie/Inpho

teams, had 10 highly competitive schools with the final between the impressive St Joseph’s, East Wall and Our Lady of the Wayside, Bluebell. It proved a thrilling encounter with St Joseph’s, East Wall winning out in the end.

The B Cup also proved to be a tense affair with four teams involved in this division. Mary Queen of Angels, Ballyfermot emerged on top with Taney Parish NS a close second.

The C Cup was another hard fought contest between four passionate schools. St Mark’s from Springfield in Tallaght eventually came out on top ahead of St Molaga’s, Balbriggan, St

Mary Queen of Angels, Ballyfermotcelebrate their success

Benedict’s, Ongar and St Colmcille’s, Knocklyon.

On the girls side, St D a m i a n ’s , Wa l k i n s town emerged victorious from eight participating schools in the A Cup, catering for small schools. They were too good for Scoil Treasa Naofa in the final.

Gaelscoil Cholmcille came out on top in the B Cup ahead of St Patrick’s, Chapelizod while Our Lady of Good Counsel GNS, Johnstown sealed qualification in the girls C Cup for large schools, overtaking St Vincent de Paul Girls’ school in the final game.

The girls division has continued to grow over the past number of years

with almost 500 students taking part in the Dublin competition.

T he winners from each division will now progress to the Leinster finals on April 28 in Navan.

The SPAR FAI Primary School 5s competition has been in existence since the mid 1990s and saw nearly 20,000 par ticipants from 1,069 schools involved last season.

The competition is run across six divisions, ensuring that schools of all sizes are catered for. Depending on their size, a school can enter several teams into the competition.

Boys and girls are encouraged to play together but there is

a separate competition for boys and girls dependent on school enrolment numbers.

Fergus McDaid, secretary of FAI Schools stated: “T his is our second year with title sponsors SPAR and the competition is expanding year on year. The support shown by Spar ensured this grassroots initiative really supports Dublin’s local talent.

“The event encourages children to become involved in soccer at an early age and emphasises the fun aspect of the sport. FAI Schools are delighted to be hosting the finals on Wednesday, May 11 in Aviva Stadium, something which the children will relish I’m sure.”

Clohisey leads Raheny to national road relays success  sport@dublingazette.com

Raheny’s Mick Clohisey, Kieran Kelly, Mark Kirwan and Daire Bermingham. Picture: Tomas Greally /Sportsfile

RAHENY Shamrocks won their first senior men’s title in five years at the GloHealth National Road Relays on home soil last weekend in perfect running conditions in the north Dublin suburb.

They greeted 33 clubs and over 80 teams on an excellent day of racing.

The masters’ women (O-35 and O-50) got racing underway at 2pm and it was Sli Cualann were first to strike gold in the four-mile relay (1-2-1 mile legs)

in the O-35 section with 23.19.

The F50 Raheny Shamrock women took top honours in 27.30.

There was a great finish to the masters’ men’s O-35 race with Donore Harriers just holding off Rathfarnham WSAF in the final one-mile leg of the four-mile relay in 19.34 to 19.36. Mick Traynor led Raheny Shamrock’s M50 team to a comfortable win in 20.25.

Leevale AC retained their women’s title in convincing style. Carol Finn got Leevale’s ladies off to a good start with a

5.11 opening mile leg, handing over to Lizzie Lee, who extended their advantage with a 10.38 two-mile leg.

Next up was Michelle Finn, who took Leevale to victory with a 5.01 leg, giving them a 31-second winning margin over Crusaders, who edged Sli Cualann for second.

In the men’s race, a recordbreaking three-mile leg from Raheny’s Mick Clohisey of 14.04 proved pivotal in helping them to gold for the first time in five years, with Mark Kirwan, Kieran Kelly and Daire Ber-

mingham also playing their part.

Raheny came home 18 seconds clear of Ennis Track, who held off Kilkenny City Harriers for second.

John Travers of Donore Harriers equalled Clohisey’s record on the three-mile leg, helping his team to fifth.

Meanwhile in Santry at the Irish Universities Championships, DCU again took victory in both men’s and women’s team events, their tallies of 178 points in the men’s and 156.5 in the women’s more than double that of their closest challengers.

21 April 2016 clondalkin gazette 29

Gazette

Bullish Bastick keen on more league glory

FastSport

Templeogue Synge Street midfielder talks about the fun of being part of a Dublin side in the midst of an incredible winning run in the national league ahead of Kerry final date Top line-up confirmed  james hendicott

sport@dublingazette.com

HAVING already sold a substantial 50,000 tickets, with the promise of a 3,500-participant Easter Rising centenary event and the small matter of two league finals to play out, the finale of this year’s early-season GAA action is arguably the best prospect it has been in years.

With Dublin and Kerry – the two main contenders for All-Ireland glory come September – facing off for the first time in a league final since 1987, however, the good natured ribbing between Dublin’s Denis Bastick and Kerry’s Bryan Sheehan can’t hide the edge to a final that has none

of the league’s usual early-season indifference.

As Bastick and Sheehan sit next to each other in Croke Park a few days ahead of kick off, they both admit to an added “bite” to this particular fixture, with Dublin keen to maintain their astonishing run of 21 games undefeated in league and championship, and Kerry out for post-All Ireland revenge.

“There’s a lot to be said for momentum,” B a s t i c k t h r ow s o u t cheekily when asked about the Dubs’ winning streak. “We still go by the same old cliche, though.

It really is one game at a time.

“Winning becomes a habit, and that’s the place we’re in now. But

we’re always trying to get better.”

Dublin’s attempts to get better have been fairly evident throughout their undefeated league season, in fact, not least in the capital side’s use of 35 different players over the course of the eight games that have taken them to the final.

With young star Jack McCaffrey out injured, Ror y O’Carroll New Zealand-bound and Alan Brogan having hung up his boots before it all got underway, the experimentation has been substantial.

While Bastick jokes that the side have “not at all” missed them so far, he is keen to talk up the parade of youngsters battering down Jim

Denis Bastick will be hoping that the league can be a launchpad to another push for the All-Ireland senior championship title. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/ Sportsfile

Gavin’s door in search of a regular first team shirt.

“T hey’re tough to catch in training,” the Te m p l e o g u e S y n g e Street midfielder says of the newcomers.

“It’s really unfair to single any of them out.

I think it’s important for the younger guys to continue on. They’re a real

explained. “We upped it a bit. But we were expecting things to be tough.

“We each try to step up to the plate,” he adds.

“We have a great panel, and we’re going to need every one of them to step up at some point this season.

“We know they will be big challenges to come.”

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‘We’ll have fun now because that is what the GAA is all about but on Sunday it will be all business’ - Denis Bastick

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bonus.”

Both Dublin and Kerry made light work of their semi-final opponents on the way to the league’s big night. Kerry brushed aside Roscommon, while the Dublin rematch with Donegal – a game given extra edge by the gritty nature of the league contest just two weeks before – proved far from an even contest.

“The league game was tough, so it did surprise us a bit to win by the score we did,” Bastick said of the semi, which saw a Dubs side that made 11 changes and took to the field without the influential Cian O’Sullivan batter the Ulster side 1-20 to 0-13.

“We did our homework, tweaked things around and improved a few things,” Bastick

Kerry are clearly up for things, too. Bastick declined to comment on the idea that Kerry might be more motivated, laughing as he did so, while Sheehan admitted his side were “still very hurt by losing the [2015] All Ireland final.

It would be very nice to beat Dublin, especially when there’s silverware up for grabs.”

As for the good-natured approach to the game?

“It’s always been fair between us,” Bastick says of Sheehan.

“It’s generally good natured, shoulder to shoulder. We’ll have fun now, because that’s what the GAA is all about, but once we cross the line on Sunday it’s all business.

That’ll be a different story.”

for Dublin 7s tournament IRELAND’S premier rugby 7s competition, the Dublin 7s Festival, has announced further details of its impressive line-up with seven teams travelling from foreign shores to take part in the event.

It will feature the national sides of Italy, Germany, Jamaica and Norway as well as the Samurai international team and European heavyweight clubs; Ulster, Biarritz and London Wasps.

Tough opposition can be expected from the Samurai International team who have become known for their eye catching kit and display sublime skills as well as the Italian national side who are ranked in the top 15 in the world.

Two-time European Cup winners, London Wasps, and Rio 2016 hopefuls, Jamaica and Germany, add plenty of fire power to the line-up and the power and skill of Ulster, Biarritz and team Norway are sure to entertain and thrill in equal measures.

The festival will also boast a domestic competition with current AIL Champions, Lansdowne FC among the favourites. Old Belvedere, UCD, Trinity College, St Mary’s, Bective Rangers, Blackrock College and Old Wesley will have other ideas as they look to display their class in the fast paced 7s format.

Alongside the on field spectacle, spectators of all ages can enjoy live music, festival favourite DJ sets, a family fun zone, artisan food stalls and for the adults, a craft beer zone featuring some of Ireland’s top brewers.

Speaking about the team announcements, organiser Brian McDermott commented: “Some of the most talented and exciting teams in the world have confirmed for the Dublin 7s Festival and the addition of Samurai International and the Jamaican national team only adds to the excitement.

“It’s more than just rugby, we’ve gathered the best in music, food, family entertainment and craft beer. Whether you’re a rugby fanatic or just learning about the game we have you covered.”

Tickets start at €15 for general admission and are available at www.dublin7sfestival.ie. VIP and corporate hospitality packages are available on request.

Gazette

30 clondalkin gazette 21 April 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: united under-15s march on in two cup competitions

Bluebell’s EA Sports ended by Wanderers BLUEBELL United’s excellent run in the EA Sports Cup came to an end at the hands of Bray Wanderers in extra time, denying them a third straight League of Ireland scalp in the competition.

Early pressure from the LSL side came to nothing as Bray got into their stride after a slow build-up. But the lively play of Robert Bayly, Ajibjula Sule and ex-Seagull Ger Rowe was cause for concern among the Bray faithful.

Ten minutes in, nice movement from Drew Lewis created a half-chance, his backheel for Ger Pender allowing the latter to find the inrushing Moore in the area, but Blubell’s Sean Gleeson cleared.

Bray were starting to impose themselves, with Alan McNally’s service down the right finding Dylan Connolly, but Connolly’s feed didn’t reach the advancing Pender.

Midway through the period, however, Referee Michael O’Connor and his assistant spotted an infringement in the area and awarded a penalty against the visitors. Ryan Brennan stepped up and sent the ball to McNulty’s right.

Bray looked more comfortable after taking the lead, but it was a slender one, and Blubell had it all to play for.

Things looked even better for the home side after Pender doubled their lead with only minutes to go to the break - but there were enough minutes for Sean Byrne to cut the visitors’ deficit before they left for the dressing rooms.

Peter Cherrie had made a superb double save, but at the third time of asking the Bluebell man made no mistake in finding the back of his net.

The game was fairly evenly poised on the resumption and again Bluebell opened well, Sule winning a free kick but it was over-hit and flew out of play without troubling the Bray defence.

And it took until half-way through the second half before Byrne contrived to double his and his team’s score, leading to extra time.

There, Bray prevailed. Lewis managed to curl a superb shot into the top corner of McNulty’s net and they made the game safe with a penalty which Dylan Connolly converted for a 4-2 result.

The Lucan United Under-15s

Lucan firing on two fronts sport@dublingazette.com

LUCAN United’s Under15 girls are riding high after progressing to the Leinster and League cup finals, an amazing achievement considering all the girls are still eligible to play Under-16 level again next season.

In the Leinster cup, Lucan travelled to Killeigh in Offaly and put on a masterclass display, winning their semi- final in comfortable fashion, beating the home side by 7-0. Big performances on the day came from the likes of captain Aoife Hanley, Nicole Smith, Zara Lawless and

Jessica Hennessy.

The Metro Girls league cup was a very different affair; Lucan had to come from a goal down at half time against a very strong Enniskerry team that have a number of Irish Internationals and MGL representatives in their ranks.

Lucan’s defence was marshalled excellently

by Alanna Cassells with Aoife Kenny and Annmarie Byrne having outstanding games.

Abby Sheils in goal was assured when called upon and dealt with everything that Enniskerry could throw at her; in

Club of the year O’Neill opens the bids for annual nominations soccer clubs across Ireland are being invited to submit themselves for the Club of the Year under any of the four categories; Coach Education, Best Community Club, Underage Development and Club Development and facilities.

Entry is open to all clubs and can be made online at www.aviva.ie/coty. Republic of Ireland Manager Martin O’Neill launched this year’s awards along with representatives from current Club of the Year, Achill Rovers.

Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

midfield Jess Hennessy was again pulling the strings as chief playmaker and managed to score the equaliser midway through the second half from a through ball from Cassells. The tireless work rate from the excellent Nicole Smith was rewarded by a well worked goal from the Lucan midfielder with some great interplay with Sarah Robinson and Aoife Hanley involved. Lucan came away winners on a score line of 2-1.

Lucan’s management team were quick to play down expectations indicating the team was

using his season as a stepping stone for next season but they club are proud of the excellent coaching structure in place which is now bearing the fruits of all their hard work.

They club now have eight teams from U-10s to U-16s and are planning a number of open sessions in June to welcome new players. All the managers’ details can be found on the clubs website.

Elsewhere, Lucan United’s Under-15 B1 boys claimed a 3-0 win over Finglas United to make it three wins in their last four games.

Lucan took the lead after some great play through midfield allowed Daniel Jackson to break free and he clipped a fantastic through ball to Conall Chambers who finished with a lovely chip over the keeper.

United doubled their lead early in the second half again it was Daniel who lifted the ball over the Finglas defence for Cian Leavy who picked out the top corner.

Lucan then put the game out of the reach when Chambers whipped in a great corner and Jack Brennan rose to head it in.

21 April 2016 CLONDALKIN gazette 31

Gazette

football: st mary’s strike with late goal

Club Noticeboard Round tower, clondalkin A STOPPAGE time goal saw the sen-

pupils and takes place 7.30-9pm, with

ior footballers lose by two points to

admission €5.

St Mary’s. Our junior As defeated St

Between the Posts April 2016 is now

Maur’s and the junior Bs were beaten

available to read electronically online

by Thomas Davis. The minor hurlers

via Roundtower.ie and subscribe to

had a narrow loss to Na Fianna.

it via our mailing list - send an email

Our senior ladies footballers have

to info@roundtower.ie for inclusion.

made a very welcome return. They

Thanks to Castle Print for their design

played Lucan Sarsfields in their first

and print of the newsletter.

league clash and registered a 6-11

We continue our new feature Club

to 4-3 win. Great to see you return

Legends with a legend not just in

ladies and best of luck for the season

Clondalkin but also in his native Lei-

ahead.

trim. Sean Creedon spoke with former

Well done to our U-14 hurlers who

Leitrim and Tower’s footballer Pakie

competed at the Feile over the week-

McGarty. It’s a great read on our

end and reached the semi-final. After

website. Thank you Sean for bringing

enduring a 2-1 to 0-5 loss to Erin’s

it together and to Pakie for his par-

Tower’s stunned by last minute winner

Isle, they defeated Fingal Gaels 4-4

ticipation.

afl division 2

Round Tower on the attack. Pictures: Niall Connaughton

Round Tower 2-11 St Mary’s 3-10  sport@dublingazette.com

AN injury time goal meant Round Tower’s senior footballers were left to rue missed opportunities as they were left with another early season setback.

They got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal inside a minute. However, within the opening 10 minutes the sides had been drawn level. Jason Joyce kicked Tower’s opener and it was followed by an excellent kick from the right by James Kelly.

Joyce kicked a free won

by Niall Lanigan and the latter kicked the equaliser with the outside of his boot to level the game at 1-1 to 0-4.

After the early setback, Tower’s had settled well and found the net.

A Joyce free hit the post and Stephen McGibney collected the rebound.

He cut inside and struck the crossbar but Lanigan flicked the rebound into the net.

Mary’s responded with a point before Lanigan netted his second. Joyce was again to the fore, breaking in from the left.

His shot was saved but Lanigan was on hand to poach again.

The home side remained in control and struck another two wides before former Dublin footballer Blaine Kelly struck a free.

When Towers lost the resulting kick-out Kelly again punished to narrow the deficit to a goal. The momentum had swung and a free saw the deficit reduced to two points.

Another free – this time from long-range – cut the deficit to the minimum.

Tower’s did respond as Micheal Walsh won the ball low on the ground and flicked to Liam Connolly who converted.

Mary’s countered and a Niall Byrne close-range block denied them a goal before subsequently tapping over a point for a 2-6 to 1-7 half-time scoreline.

Lanigan tacked on the first score after the break while McGibney then fielded a long Kelly pass and with

a sharp turn, extended the lead to four.

But they could not press home the advantage as McGibney, Mick Hallows and Walsh all went close. Tower’s were on top with Ian Ward commanding the half-backs and the midfield battle was being won. However they were to rue those missed opportunities. A Mary’s attack culminated in a fisted effort coming off the post before being followed into the net.

Mary’s ended the break in scoring only for Lani-

gan to point once more.

However, entering the final seven minutes, St Mary’s gathered momentum.

They kicked three scores in succession to level the game. With two minutes remaining, it looked as though Kelly had won it for the home side when he kicked a point from the 21. However, late drama ensued when Mary’s broke down the left and a low strike beat Gary Cleary to leave the home side on the back of a two point loss.

to 0-3 and Naomh Fionnbarra 4-0 to

Round Tower lotto – April 11: the

1-3. They were defeated 4-10 to 3-5

jackpot was €10,000; numbers drawn

against hosts O’Tooles in the semi-

were 10, 11, 21 and 25, the bonus ball

final. Well done to all involved.

was 4.

Players and mentors are advised

There was no overall winner and

the GAA rulebook is available to down-

no bonus ball winner; three €100 euro

load via the downloads section of our

winners: Les Smith, Len and Den, Alan

website featured on the front page.

Milton.

Our next GAA disco takes place in

Thank you to all for supporting and

the club this Friday, April 22. Again, it

subscribe to play lotto online by visit-

is open to fourth, fifth and sixth class

ing www.roundtower.ie.

ST pat’s palmerstown THE lotto numbers for this week were

made it through to the Feile semi finals

2, 8, 22 and 25 for the first draw and

but were beaten by the group winners.

2, 4, 12 and 15 for the second draw;

The lads played two great games to

neither draw was won so next week

get there. Some great performances

there will be two draws with jackpots

so well done to all.

of €10,000 and €1,200.

Two great games of football for

The draw takes place in the Palm-

our U-9s against St James Gaels with

erstown House every Sunday night at

really strong performances, special

10pm and tickets cost €2. Thank you to

mention to Aidan Reid who led a fan-

all our sellers and to all that support

tastic second half comeback and Liam

our lotto every week.

Beggan for his huge defensive display

Tickets available from all the usual sellers including Supervalu, Palmerstown House, Manor Hair Studios.

throughout.Keep training guys.

Great game of football for our U-10s v Liffey Gaels with some great

Our hurling/camogie skills was a

performances from Clayton Murphy

packed session on Friday and will be on

Sean Fulham and Sean Deegan who

from 6-7pm next week. Everyone wel-

never stopped from start to finish.

come. It’s a great chance for the kids

St Pat’s just losing out by a point . Well

to learn from experienced coaches.

done to all .

Our teams had a great weekend on

The U-16s had a cracking game of hurling at home with a great win with

the field.

Congrats to our U-14 hurlers who

a score of 2-7 to Ballinteer’s 1-5.



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Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3 An aerial contest. Picture: Niall Connaughton

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32 clondalkin gazette 21 April 2016