Clondalkin

Gazette CLONDALKIN

June 8 - 14, 2017

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New garda unit to combat sexual, domestic violence

Stepping up effort to crack down on sex crimes and abuse in the home

 SYLVIA POWNALL ONE of two new Dublin Garda units specialising in sex crimes and domestic abuse went live in Clondalkin on Friday.

In all four Divisional Protective Services Units – based

in Clondalkin, Cabra, Cork and Dundalk – were launched to tackle sexual crime, human trafficking, child abuse and domestic violence.

There are 15 personnel attached to each unit and according to Deputy Commissioner John Twomey their

focus will be “to place vulnerable victims of crime at the centre of the garda service”.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chief executive Noeline Blackwell said the organisation had “waited for these units for a long time”.

Orla O’Connor, director of

the National Women’s Council of Ireland, said: “We know how difficult it is to report domestic, physical and sexual violence and this is a positive step forward to changing that experience.”

Continues on page 4

2 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

SERVICES | PLANS TO RESTRUCTURE FREE ADVICE FIRMS SHELVED

FASTNews

 SYLVIA POWNALL

Deputy Mayor leads push to stamp out gum littering

Relief as citizens info centre escapes axe THE local Citizens Information Service (CIS) has welcomed news that plans to axe some CIS and MABS offices have been shelved.

A report published last week by the Joint Committee for Social Protection on plans to restructure the free service found the proposal to be “flawed and ill-considered”.

David Lynch, chair of Clondalkin and Lucan CIS, welcomed news that plans to regionalise the service had been halted.

He said: “Clondalkin and Lucan CIS has consistently opposed these regionalisation plans

The Citizens Information Service located at Oakfield Industrial Estate. Picture: Google Earth

about which neither it nor any other local service around the country was consulted.

“These regionalisation plans, which will effectively mean the wind-up of local CIS and MABS companies, would compromise the independence and

autonomy of local information services and drive away local voluntary input, which is the hallmark of the existing service.

“We should all be fully aware of what will be lost if our nearly 30-yearold company here in Clondalkin and Lucan

is forced to wind-up as a result of this restructuring.

“We have here an excellent community-led service that offers very high-quality, information, advice and advocacy to the citizens of Clondalkin and Lucan.

“The service is highly respected and valued in the local community as the citizens know that the information and advice they receive is always confidential and independent of State service influence or interference.”

The centre is located at the Oakfield Industrial Estate on the Ninth Lock Road in Clondalkin, and provides a vital service for locals offering advice on a

range of issues from Social Protection entitlements to grievance procedures.

Lynch said: “The company was instigated by members of the local community in response to local need and has a strong community and voluntary ethos that has attracted the input of hundreds of local volunteers over the years.

“They participate at all levels of the organisation, adding value to the local service way over and above what the State could ever have provided.

“This tried and tested approach will be lost in this headlong rush towards an ill-conceived regionalisation plan.”

Tallaght Hospital gets new chairman LIAM Dowdall has been appointed the new chairman of the board of Tallaght Hospital. He has been a non-executive director of the hospital board since 2011 and was until recently the vicechairman of the board. He was officially appointed chairman on May 22, taking over from outgoing chairman, Michael Scanlan.

Liam said: “It is a great honour to take up the position. This hospital is such an important part of the local community and provides excellent care and treatment to its patients.”

SOUTH Dublin County Council Deputy Mayor Martina Genockey teamed up with the youth of Clondalkin last week to wage war on chewing gum litter. The Labour councillor launched the 2017 Gum Litter Taskforce and pledged zero tolerance for offenders who find themselves in a sticky situation.

The campaign aims to educate schoolchildren with the aim of changing people’s behaviour towards gum disposal. It includes a four-month mass media advertising blitz, a schools education programme, a dedicated website and sponsorship of three national Tidy Towns awards.

Cllr Genockey said: “This is a great campaign to get involved in and it unites communities in a common goal.”

Work on major new library to begin by the end of 2017 WORK on building the new library in North Clondalkin is due to get under way before the end of 2017. Tenders for the project in Rowlagh, at the junction of Liscarne Close and Oatfield Avenue, are to be issued within the next two months.

South Dublin County Council expect the library to be fully completed and open to the public in early 2019. The area, which has 10 schools, was identified as a key priority in the South Dublin Libraries Development Plan 2012-2016 Council officials say the facility will offer “multifunctional services” and bring “much needed community, recreational and educational resource to the area”.

Welcoming the news Cllr Francis Timmons (Ind) said: “While I have not agreed with the location of the new library for North Clondalkin, the facility itself looks like it will be a huge asset to the whole community. Learning is important at any age and I welcome the multi-use potential of such a building. It will provide a state-of-the-art library that will contribute to lifelong learning throughout the area.’’

It is envisaged that the library will open for 54.5 hours per week over six days with four late openings and open all day Friday and Saturday.

The main library hall will include a children’s library (dedicated area) and an adult area as well as a specific digital area for IT, free internet access PCs, printing facilities, multi-media stock and self-service stations. There will also be an exhibition space, study area and an adult reading area.

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 3

THEY say Guinness is good for you, but it’s also very good for tourist numbers as the Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate was Ireland’s most visited attraction in 2016, according to figures released by Failte Ireland.

In its annual list of top visitor attractions, the Guinness Storehouse welcomed 1.6m visitors last year - a 10% increase on the year before.

Open since 2000 it is celebrating 17 years of welcoming visitors to the home of Guinness Located on part of the Guinness brewery, the storehouse takes visitors through the history of the stout as well as outlining the brewing process.

The tour ends with a free pint in the Gravity Bar on the top floor of the storehouse.

Around 20% of visitors taste Guinness for the first time at the Storehouse, quite amazing considering it’s the most exported stout across the globe.

IN THE BLACK

Guinness Storehouse tops the list of Ireland’s tourist attractions

4 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

COURTS | PATRICK KINCH SAID HE WANTED TO ‘GO OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY’

Man who fired 37 shots at gardai in standoff is jailed A MAN who discharged 37 shotgun rounds in the direction of gardai during a 15-hour stand-off in Tallaght to provoke them into killing him has been jailed.

Patrick Kinch, 48, later told officers that he wanted to “go out in a blaze of glory” but believed he would not go to heaven if he killed himself.

Kinch, of Deerpark Square, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangering gardai by firing at them with a stolen sawn-off shotgun during a siege that lasted almost 15 hours.

Judge Martin Nolan

suspended the final three-and-a-half years of a 10-year prison term.

Kinch also pleaded guilty to damaging the house where the siege took place and to causing over €7,000 worth of damage to a garda vehicle.

Garda Ror y Maher told the court that in the early hours of December 20, 2015, Natasha Donnelly, Kinch’s partner at the time, witnessed him behaving erratically in the house they shared on Deerpark Square.

He said Donnelly thought Kinch had been drinking and had taken valium.

She feared for her safety and fled the house along with her children.

Gda Maher said Donnelly was told by Kinch that she could get the gardai but to “tell them to bring a body bag”. She then drove to Tallaght Garda Station.

Armed members of the Emergency Response Unit approached the house behind a ballistic vehicle.

Gardai spoke with Kinch while he leaned out of an upstairs window and Kinch said he would be down shortly.

Gda Maher said that two shots were fired from the window at 5am and

further shots were fired over the next several hours – forcing gardai to take cover behind the ballistics van.

Kinch demanded that they shoot him – roaring “death is natural” and “we all have to die, come on, take a headshot”.

At around 2pm Kinch leaned out a downstairs window, pointed the shotgun directly at gardai and fired. The shot hit a fence and while two

gardai were struck with rebounded material, neither was injured.

Gardai observed Kinch put the shotgun barrels under his chin before he eventually threw the unloaded weapon out the window and was arrested.

Kinch, who had 33 previous convictions for assault, threats to kill and robbery, later told gardai: “I saw all of you and said f**k it, I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.”

Defence counsel Michael Boland said that Kinch had been close to one of his sisters who died in 2011 and had been motivated partially by “wanting to be with her coming up to Christmas.”

He said that Kinch’s probation officer had twice brought Kinch to hospital and demanded he receive psychiatric care in the days leading up to the siege.

Playground facelift is child’s play for TGI staff  SYLVIA POWNALL

restaurant staff were eager to help.

David said: “We formed a good relationship with them last year. Not only did they back the summer project financially, they also sent over staff every Friday to help out with the sports day.

“We kept the relationship going and approached them for this and they jumped on board. Most of their staff are local and they wanted to reach out to the local community.

“We were looking for a company to come in and fund the refurbishment

A PLAYGROUND in need of a little TLC got the TGI treatment earlier this week when staff from the Liffey Valley eaterie refurbished the Clondalkin facility.

A group of 10 volunteers from TGI Fridays visited the Quarryvale amenity in nearby Greenfort Gardens and gave the 12-year-old playground a muchneeded facelift.

Local kids are delighted with their handiwork and staff at the Quarryvale centre have erected a plaque at the community amenity to mark the company’s contribution.

David Graham, manager of Quarryvale Community & Leisure Centre, told The Gazette: “They got it done in a day, the rain held off so we got it finished on time and without a hitch.

“The playground was first opened in 2005 and we did a paint job on it a year later but it hadn’t Volunteers from TGI Fridays been done since.

“There was a lot of grey and cold steel whereas now there’s lots and maybe use it as a team building event for staff, that is how we secured of reds and greens and bright colours.

“They’ve tidied it up and it looks really the funding for materials and got a fresh so the kids will really appreciate it.” crew to paint it.

“It’s working out very well, we’ve even The centre first approached TGIs last year when they were looking for a spon- been over there for food a few times. sor for their summer youth project and Their staff are great, very enthusiastic.”

FROM PAGE 1

New unit to combat sexual and domestic violence Maeve Lewis of survivors’ group One in Four said: “We believe the specialist training provided to gardai in the DPSUs will improve the experience of survivors of child sexual abuse in engaging with the gardai, and hopefully will encourage more people to come forward.”

The move marks the delivery of a key pledge in the modernisation programme of An Garda Siochana.

A second phase of DPSUs are expected to be rolled out nationwide in 2018 – and garda chiefs have promised they will work closely with the Child and Family Agency Tusla.

T hey have also pledged “a more professional and consistent ser vice” and an enhanced response to the investigation of missing persons, children who are missing in care, and sex offenders.

Ms Blackwell said: “We need well informed, well trained gardai to effectively combat sexual, domestic and gender based violence.

“We need victims to be confident that if they work up the courage to report, their cases will be investigated in a consistently high-quality manner. These units are structured to provide that.”

Exploitation In addition to sexual and domestic crime the Clondalkin unit will probe online child exploitation, child welfare, human trafficking and prostitution.

It will also deal with sex offender management, missing persons, support for victims of crime as well as a new Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System.

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 5

6 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

Out and About

Huge crowds enjoy festival family fun Ryan and Aaron O’Mahony

Stephen, Dylan, Katie and Emma Reynolds. Emer and Ben Macken.

Pictures: Aishling Conway

Emma and Lauren Walsh

T

HERE was plenty to do and see around Leixlip last Bank Holiday Weekend as the Leixlip Festival returned. A carnival took to the main street featuring clowns, stilt walkers, fire eaters, magic, punch and judy shows, a funfair, a bouncing castle and an open dog show plus plenty more. In St Mary’s Church there was a summer fair with face painting and tea and cakes. And once again the Court Yard Hotel put together a line-up of incredible music talent including The Blizzards, The Riptide Movement and Le Galaxie as revellers came out to Rock the Yard!

Tom, Saoirse and Roisin Christian Marie Therese and Molly Phelan

Keela and Ava Culbert

Isabelle Byrne, Lauren Flanagan and Aoife Sarah and Jamie Sweeny

Rachel and Daniel O’Sullivan

Norris

Logan and Sinead McCabe

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 7

8 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

KISHOGE | INNOVATIVE TEACHING FOR KIDS OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM

Drama to the rescue to help sidelined teens  MARK O’BRIEN A CENTRE for young people who can’t attend mainstream school will soon be using drama as an innovative way of teaching and developing social skills.

The Carline Learning Centre in Kishoge works with young people aged 13 to 17 who cannot attend mainstream schools.

The centre was recently granted €1,000 by South Dublin County Council to run an eight-week drama course in association with the Gaiety School of Acting.

Centre manager Olivia Keaveney told The Gazette that the idea to apply for funding for the course came after a previous successful link-up with the Gaiety School of Acting.

The innovative use of drama is to help teach teens and develop a range of social skills

She said: “They do a school programme called Breath. They run it with teaching staff and they run it with students, so we booked them in to come in and do a day with the young people and a day with staff and teachers and we found it absolutely brilliant.”

Olivia said that it is

hoped the new course will help the students develop problem-solving skills and boost their selfesteem.

“We work with young people that cannot attend mainstream education for whatever reason.

“It could be that they’ve dropped out, or it could be that they were bullied in school, or it could be that their behaviour or

emotional needs can’t be managed in a mainstream school.”

T he young people attending the centre study subjects to Junior Cert level and also have access to counselling and social care services.

The drama course is intended to complement the holistic approach to education that the centre already offers.

Olivia said: “We wanted to give the young people better coping skills and also give them more of an opportunity to express some of the emotions they have in a more creative way and in a safe way.”

The course should also help develop the leadership skills that a lot of the students have but have not been channelled in the right way.

Olivia added: “A lot of them have leadership skills, and it’s just getting

in to the positive end of that – that being a leader is a positive, it doesn’t always have to be a negative, which a lot of them would have experienced in mainstream schools.

“If they were behaving badly, they might have encouraged others to do so. It’s about the joy of being a leader.”

FASTNews

Council secures €5,000 grant for improvements at recycling centre THE council has secured a €5,000 grant for improvements including an audio monitoring device at its recycling centre in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght.

News of the funding was welcomed by Cllr Charlie O’Connor (FF) who had called for action to be taken to clean up the bring banks close to the entrance at Tallaght Stadium.

The council stated: “The unfortunate reality is that many of our bring banks experience largescale illegal dumping.

“What is described as ‘clothes overspill’ are bags of clothes which are too large to be placed in the recycling bin being dropped on the ground beside the container.”

The local authority now plans to remove two can containers and five textile containers from the site since these are well serviced elsewhere.

COMMUNITY | MOVE TO CURTAIL USE

Egan welcomes SF Bill to crack down on quads, scramblers CLLR Kenneth Egan (FG) has welcomed new legislation put forward

by Sinn Fein which aims to clamp down on antisocial behaviour caused by quad and scrambler bikes.

Deputy Dessie Ellis moved the Bill in the Dail last week and said it was needed to give gardai powers to seize vehicles since there is a loophole in the law as it stands.

He said: “In many estates, you can see vehicles like quad, dirt bikes and scramblers repeatedly being used by some as young as four and five to intimidate and cause problems for the local community.

“Most people are responsible in their use of these vehicles, but, in some cases, they are used in an anti-social way to torment local communities and damage public property.

“The law as it stands prohibits their use on public roads unless fully insured and taxed, and the vehicles have to meet other regulatory requirements.

“There is a hole in the legislation which allows people who use these vehicles for anti-social behaviour to sidestep gardai in public spaces

The days of quad bikes being used for anti-social behaviour could be numbered

and avoid any penalties.

“This Bill will deal with the issue where these vehicles are being used illegally in private property such as parks and greens by extending the powers of the gardai by increasing the definition of the public space.”

Cllr Egan raised the issue with South Dublin County Council and called for its parks byelaws to be amended to give gardai powers to seize illegal quads and scramblers.

He welcomed the Sinn Fein Bill and said he hoped it receives the necessary support to be passed into legislation.

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 9

10 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

Out and About

Nearly 33,000 participants took to the streets of Dublin. Picture: Seb Daly / SPORTSFILE

Winner Anne Marie McGlynn from Tyrone, centre, is presented with her prize by Vhi CEO John O’Dwyer, right, and Kathy Endersen, left, CEO of the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Runners celebrate crossing the finish line. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Ciara Smyth and Megan Counihan

Thousands take to the streets for good causes N

EARLY 33,000 participants took to the streets of Dublin to run, walk and jog the 10km route in the women’s mini-marathon, raising much-needed funds for hundreds of charities around the country. The winner of Monday’s race was Ann-Marie McGlynn from Strabane in Tyrone who crossed the finish line in a time of 00.33.55. She was followed by Laura Shaughnessy from Rathfarnham in Dublin who came second and Catherina Mullen from Dunboyne, Co Meath in third place.

Mona-Lxsa Tauras, Holly Da Costa, Soule and Ghaliah Conroy

Forbidden Fruit is the sweetest for festival-goers

Lorna Danaher and Rob McCann. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

T

HE June Bank Holiday saw festival season get underway when the Bulmers Forbidden Fruit Festival returned to the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art at Royal Hospital Kilmainham. The changing weather didn’t dampen festival-goers’ spirits, with thousands enjoying a range of top acts including Orbital, Bon Iver and many more.

Olivia Hogan and Claire Craig

Sarah Tighe and Sarah

Aoibhe Devlin and

Curran

Vanessa Williams

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 11

Runners celebrate crossing the finish line

Tadhg, Barry, Aisling and Liam Judge from Dublin

Friends from Clondalkin walk for Spinal Injuries Ireland

Caroline Shesgreen, Eileen Murphy and Kate O’Brien

GAZETTE

12 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

Orlagh O’Connor, GRENKE Leasing, presents Michael O’Hara, managing director, and a number of the Data Solutions team with the 2017 Distributor of the Year Award at the Tech Excellence Awards in Citywest Hotel

Dublin tech firm scoops a top distributor award A CLONDALKIN-based IT distributor has claimed the 2017 Distributor of the Year Award at the Irish Tech Excellence awards held at Citywest Hotel.

Data Solutions claimed the top title in recognition of its business performance and customer service, with the award going to the company following a poll of resellers and other industry figures.

The award win marked the third win out of four years for the company at what was the 17th annual outing for the awards.

Driving Data Solutions’ success on the night were its business achievements throughout 2016, in addition to its €5 million investment and expansion into the UK market.

T h e c o m p a ny h a s also signed a number of partnerships with leading vendors in the UK, including Nutanix and

Cohesity, and is looking to replicate its success in Ireland in the competitive UK market.

The company’s annual IT security event, The Secure Computing Forum, also factored into its win, with peers praising the initiative.

The Secure Computing Forum is Ireland’s largest annual conference dedicated to IT security, with last year’s event attended by more than 400 people from a range of industries.

Michael O’Hara, managing director, Data Solutions, said: “The Tech Excellence Awards is Ireland’s pre-eminent technology awards programme. We are humbled to receive this award for three of the last four years.

“The Data Solutions’ team is absolutely chuffed as it is a real endorsement of the service we provide from those who know it best – our reseller cus-

tomers, and partners.

“We are exceptionally proud of our great rela-

tionships with our resellers and vendor partners, and this award highlights

our ongoing commitment to both our customers and the market.”

United we stand ... for a shared tourism vision

A DIVERSE group of characters came together at Collins Barracks to help launch the new national representative Association for the Visitor Attractions and Experiences (AVEA) sector in Ireland, which is a single unified body representing the key contributor to the economy.

Joining the newly appointed AVEA

chairman, Paul Carty and Ann Daly, marketing director, The National Museum of Ireland were Carmel Rowe (Dunbrody Famine Ship and Irish Emigrant Experience), Tom Coll (drummer, Guinness Storehouse), Dallan Kenny (viking, Dublinia) and Tom Coll (GPO Witness History experience). Picture: Julien Behal

Have you ever considered a career in hospitality?

THERE are many benefits to a career in hospitality.

One of the major benefits is job security.

Tourism is one of the biggest industries in Ireland. In 2016, 8.8 million international visitors arrived in the country. That’s a 10% increase on the year before.

The hospitality sector plays a vital role in that industry. There will always be a need for hospitality jobs in Ireland.

Another benefit is career advancement.

Hotels tend to promote from within.

Far from being a “summer job” or a stopgap until something better comes along, a hospitality job could lead down many career paths - marketing, catering or management to name a few.

There are also flexible hours to consider. Some people would go insane if they were stuck in a cubicle for eight hours a day Monday to Friday.

Are you a night owl or an early bird? There’s a shift to suit you.

Do you enjoy social interaction and get a buzz from meeting new people?

A job in hospitality is a perfect role for a real “people person”.

Now for the fun stuff. Meals, uniforms and hotelier discounts are standard for most positions.

But the real perks are all thanks to your friends in “The Industry”.

Because you are all tourism ambassadors, your friends will know the hot new restaurant or bar to try out and will most likely know someone who can get you in.

Have you considered a career in hospitality?

If you want to talk to someone about opportunities in this sector, contact RecruitmentPlus on 01 2788610 or visit www.recruitmentplus.ie.

Remember this key info, and you’ll wow when you work! If you’re interested in temping or want to talk to someone about your career, contact RecruitmentPlus at 01 2788 610, or also see www.recruitmentplus.ie.

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 13

TRAVEL: SEE THE WORLD P20

DUBLINLIFE Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week

FOOD: SAY ALOHA TO A HAWAIIAN POKE P21



GAZETTE

INTERVIEW: LOVE/HATE STAR JOHN CONNORS P19

LET LILLY HELP KEEP YOU BUSY AND ACTIVE OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Lilly, a friendly and bouncy 8-month-old, female Collie cross.

She is a curious girl but can get a little worried by new things so she will need gentle and patient owners to help build up her confidence.

Lilly is very affectionate with people she knows well but can be overwhelmed if strangers fuss over her too much, so if there are children in her new home, they would need to be at least 10 years of age, or older.

Lilly is very social with other dogs and she would be more than happy with sharing her furever home with another canine pal.

Being a clever Collie cross she will need lots of mental stimulation as well as physical exercise to keep her brain busy.

If you can help Lilly then 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 at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

Come On Live Long return with a stunning new album

 JAMES HENDICOTT FOUR YEARS after the release of their acclaimed debut album “Everything Fall”, and with an ocean of water under the bridge, Dubliners Come On Live Long formalise their return next week with the official launch of a follow up, “In The Still”.

The four-piece are an eclectic lot, seemingly grabbing their inspiration from old-school fuzzy jazz tracks, delicate, fashionable beats and gentle pop sensibilities all at the same time. Their style has become ever more creative, and in “In The Still”, they’ve taken directly from their surrounds, drawing on a series of imaginative samples and playful field recordings.

Continued on pages 16-17

GAZETTE

14 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

CONTEST: SEARCH IS ON TO FIND THE FACE OF A NEW TEETHING CHARACTER

By gum – your baby could be a Calpol star

TO SUPPORT the fun side of teething and its milestones, Calpol has launched a nationwide search for a little teething character.

Despite the ups and downs of the teething period, there are precious moments to capture and look forward to as well ... cute gappy grins and funny faces.

To enter, see www.littlecharacterscompetition. ie and upload a picture of the very first tooth, the dribbling, or a satisfying chomp on the perfect teething toy to be in with a chance of winning a professional family photoshoot, a family pass for a leading Irish attraction, and a chance to feature as

Get your ticket now for The K Club’s ultra glamorous fundraiser for the Jack and Jill Foundation

Calpol’s Facebook star for 2017.

As this can be an uncomfortable process for your toddler, Calpol has put together some teething tips to help soothe the pain, including to cool baby’s teething ring in the fridge, if suitable; cool drinks or soft foods such as yogurt; and play with baby to distract them from the pain of their gums.

RACE TO THE K CLUB TO SUPPORT ILL KIDS LOTS of people will be gallop over to The K Club in Straffan at the end of the month where a spectacular black tie gala event is being held in aid of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball is a key fundraiser for the charity, which needs to raise €3.5m each year to help care for seriously ill children and their families.

The stylish evening will be hosted by RTE sports presenter Tracy Piggott, and will be attended by some of the country’s leading horse racing, sports and entertainment figures.

Tickets are priced €145, and include a drinks reception, four-course dinner, music and entertainment and an auction and raffle.

For further information, call 045 894 538 or email edelle@jackandjill.ie.

HORSES GALORE AT THE RDS IN AUGUST STAYING with a horsey theme, and the 2017 Dublin Horse Show will take place in the RDS from Wednesday, August 9 to Sunday, August 13.

Now in its 144th year, the show promises to be an exciting mix of all things equestrian and more.

Each year the show offers visitors a chance to view national and international showjumping competitions and world-class

equestrian entertainment, browse through more than 300 trade stands, taste a wide array of food and drink in the many bars and restaurants, and enjoy some entertainment with everything from music to circus acts.

For the third year running, Dundrum Town Centre will be the title sponsor for Ladies Day, which takes place on Thursday, August 10.

Admission starts at €22, while hospitality packages are also available offering uninterrupted views and fine dining experiences.

eral population, and that men with MS have a 5% lower quality of life than women with MS. The research was based on findings of a nationally representative study to understand the impact of MS on the 9,000 people with the disease.

The research also reported that Ireland is below the rest of the EU in terms of the number of people working – 60% of people in the EU liv-

ing with MS are at work, whereas the figure is just 43% in Ireland.

Ava Battles, chief executive, MS Ireland said: “MS is generally diagnosed at a young age and weighs heavily on a person’s life. Family, work, social and personal life can all be impacted by the disease and for the first time we can now quantify this.

“We need everyone involved in the care of

MS – people with MS and their loved ones, healthcare professionals, the Government – to work together to improve access to services, treatment and supports so we can improve life outcomes for people with the disease.

“We have also unveiled our #LifeWithMS campaign featuring top tips for improving daily life when living with MS which we sourced directly from people living with the disease.”

A CALL TO DO MORE TO HELP THOSE WITH MS TO MARK the recent World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day on May 31, MS Ireland and Novartis released research on the quality of life of people living with MS in Ireland.

The research revealed that quality of life of people living with MS was 32% lower than the gen-

Aoife Kirwan, MS Ireland patient advocate, is pictured with her son, Adam Kirwan

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 15

GAZETTE

FEATURE

BLOOMSDAY: A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH SEAMUS HEANEY MAKES AN UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT

You should meet your heroes!  DON CAMERON

PEOPLE say that you should never meet your heroes, but I suspect sometimes they’re wrong – I know this, because when I met one of mine, it was a brief but beautiful moment.

It was on Bloomsday, a few years ago, and I went to Sandycove to sample the atmosphere and get my copy of Ulysses datestamped in the James Joyce Museum in the old Martello Tower.

The place was alive with people, with many dressed in Edwardian-era attire, and lively chat filled the sea air.

James Joyce lookalikes were everywhere, and a few very attractive Molly Blooms caught the eye. “Yes, yes,” one said in a sultry voice, like her famous namesake, and the crowd laughed and cheered.

Inside, the curator stamped postcards that I was going to send to friends who were Joyce friends. Then she flicked open the cover of my book, put ink on the date-stamp and pressed down hard.

I was delighted, thanked her and eased my way past the colourful crowds overlooking swimmers in the nearby Forty Foot, and headed home.

I got off the train at Booterstown and headed up the road, book and postcards safely tucked under my arm.

I had only recently finished reading the great book after numerous false starts, and had decided to get it stamped on Bloomsday as a reminder of my long-delayed achievement.

Yes, I had finally finished it, and it seemed like a good idea to get it stamped in the place where the story begins, and also to enjoy the merriment at Sandycove.

It was a good decision, and a few photographs and a luscious ice cream

helped make the day.

As I neared the local shops and thinking about finding a proper place for the book on a shelf at home I looked up, and stopped dead in my tracks.

I had to be seeing things, I thought, and quickly headed to the newsagents where none other than Seamus Heaney was buying a copy of The Irish Times.

I waited at the door, heart beating fast, and when he stepped outside I stuck out my hand, saying: “Happy Bloomsday.”

“And a very Happy Bloomsday to you, too,” he replied, giving me a firm and friendly handshake.

He noticed my book (above). “Good day for it,” he said, smiling.

“Yes,” I managed, “and I’ve just been to Sandycove to have it datestamped.”

“Good idea,” he said, “and a nice reminder of the day.”

I nodded. “Yes ... and I wonder if you would be so good as to sign it. That

would be terrific!”

So, standing in the sunshine, I handed my book to the great man and the cover was flicked open again. Moments later he handed the book back and again bid me a “Happy Bloomsday.”

Then he pushed his spectacles up his nose, fixed the newspaper under his arm and walked to his car. He gave a final, friendly wave and was gone.

I stood there for a few moments looking at my book, a smile as broad as Dublin Bay on my face.

It had indeed been the briefest of encounters, but I was very happy to have met my hero.

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

N O S ’ T A H W

E D I U G S T N E EV

with JAMES HENDICOTT

Arundhati Roy

The Man Booker Prize winner speaks at ILF Dublin on the back of her second novel ‘The Ministry Of The Utmost Happiness’, no doubt touching along her arrest for the political content of her writing along the way. June 11 at the RDS

Arcade Fire

Mellow Canadians drop in on Malahide Castle, with what’s sure to be a massive stage show riddled with hits. The show, part of a European tour, is likely to include glances at new tracks such as the newly unveiled ‘Everything Now’. June 14

“If I wasn’t writing music, I would lose my mind” - the reincarnation of Come On Live Long

Dublin act Come On Live Long’s comeback brings with it evolution, and a stunning new album  FROM PAGE 13

ARCADE FIRE, MALAHIDE CASTLE

Ireland v Austria

Martin O’Neill’s side bring Austria back to the Aviva Stadium for a contest that could set the tone for the rest of the campaign, as Ireland seek to challenge Serbia for a table-topping slot currently held only on goal difference. June 11

Colour Dash Dublin

Combine a 5km run with the colorful world of the Indian festival of Holi, as joggers in Phoenix Park arm themselves with paint to pound the streets and splatter each other. The charitable Sunday morning run takes place on June 11.

24hr Opera

Many of Ireland’s finest talents in a fast-growing opera scene will take part in a 24hr event in which they put together a performance from scratch. The live performance from a no-doubt tired cast will take place on June 9, and will be as fresh as an opera could ever hope to be. June 9.

Liam Gallagher

The former Oasis frontman has been rumoured to be turning out with his brother in a reformation in recent weeks. That’s probably wishful thinking, but he will play a few old classics alongside his newer material as he plays the Olympia Theatre in an unusually small show on June 10.

Glendalough Guided Moonlight Hike

See Glendalough in a whole new light, as a guided tour taking in the history of the site goes late into the night, finishing around 1am. The 4-5 hour hike gets underway at 8pm on June 9, and will be led by Wild Summits and their qualified mountain leaders.

June 9.

Taste of Dublin

The annual foodie festival returns to the Iveagh Gardens, with 20 restaurants, 60 exhibitors and over 160 masterclasses and demos to skip lunch or dinner for. June 15-18.

New album of the week

MUSIC

Alt-J - Relaxer. Imaginative indie-pop stars Alt-J will appear in Dublin as part of the new Trinity College gig series this summer.

New album ‘Relaxer’ is only eight-tracks long, but as always we can expect carefully crafted, delicately wonderful abstract storytelling.

GAZETTE

GAZETTE

16 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

The Still”.

“There was this church just down the road from a town we were staying, and it has this organ, the most beautiful sounding organ I’ve ever heard,” McCabe explains.

“We went down in the middle of the night, brought all our recording gear and recorded the organ.

It’s on a couple of tracks, most notably on ‘Little Hedgehog’.

Since the last album, vocalist Rob Ardiff spent six weeks in Paris producing a solo EP, and became a father. Bassist Ken McCabe relocated to Malta for a while and worked as a producer on a number of records, not least Loah’s highly-acclaimed new album, and also left the country for two years to complete a teaching qualification. Keyboard player Louise Gaffney created music videos for sadly-deceased pianist Conor Walsh. A real contributor to the new record, then, is the bringing together of their varied recent lives.

“We got together for a weekend jamming, and we had an absolute tonne of material,” McCabe told The Gazette of the process.

“We almost had an album from that one weekend,” Ardiff Come On Live Long: In The Still continues.

“There were a couple of tracks Right at the end of the track, you written later in the studio, but a can hear the creaking of the pedlot of it was there straight away. als on the organ and the wind A lot of the songs were quite outside in the middle of the night. individual projects, written away “When we got out of there, from the band. They were less we’d taken pictures of everything jammed out than the first album; to make sure we put everything we just jammed together to fin- back where it was. We got back ish it off. to the house and realised we’d “It’s really hard ducking in and left a little knob off a controller out of music,” Ardiff said of the behind. We went back the next time away. day and got it. Apparently since “That’s why we all had our own then they’ve installed CCTV camthings going on, though. Music’s eras in the church. really good for mental health, “We bring a little recorder evedefinitely in my case. If I wasn’t rywhere,” he adds of the band’s writing music I’d be losing my imaginative sonic backdrops. mind.”

“We spent a day in the forest The varied process of making recording the sound of breakmusic is clearly a huge part of the ing wood, to use as percussion. appeal for the band, with McCabe There are no real rules on the and Ardiff recalling a particularly sound we make in this band.” madcap recording experience in Naturally, reproducing those Mayo during the making of “In quirky sounds live can be pretty

tricky, but it’s something that Come On Live Long are focusing on for their launch date. “ We can play nine of the ten tracks on the album live, though ‘Peak’ will have to be our walk on music,” Ardiff tells us.

“Ken got a choir at his school to perform on some tracks, and we can’t get them on, obviously.

“We recorded some of the songs with Rian Trench [formerly of Solar Bears], and he’ll be warming up for us at the launch show.”

U n u s u a l l y, “ I n t h e S t i l l ” appeared online well ahead of the physical launch date, having been available on Spotify since mid May. “This album was funded by Spotify,” McCabe says of the release’s digital-only initial launch.

“The people who complain about Spotify tend to be the ones that have a lot to lose in potential sales. New bands, bands like us who aren’t backed by anybody, we’re only gaining from Spotify.

Unless a label are going to do a lot for us, there’s not a lot to be gained from signing for record label, and it means we get to keep all the income.

“I 100% want to make a living out of this,” Ardiff concludes, “but we 100% do it for the love of it, too. If it wasn’t for the love of it, it’d be hard to write it at all.” In the release of a colourful, textured and subtly produced sophomore album, Come On Live Long are taking large steps along that road.

‘In The Still’ is out now, with the official launch taking place at Whelan’s on June 17, with support from Trenchurion. Non-digital versions of the album will be available on the same date.

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18 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINLIFE

STYLE

sweet summer dresses

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

THE sun is shining, so that can only mean one thing, dress season has officially begun. Carraig Donn has a wide range of dresses for summer 2017. Whether it’s sheer cap sleeves, frilled detailing or wrap dresses, Carraig Donn has a wide range of dresses with beautiful details across its 37 stores, online on its new look website, www.carraigdonn.com or from Carraig Donn’s “Shop Our Instagram” page.

Frill sleeved dress

Cape sleeve dress

Pleat detail dress

add a pop of colour SUMMER is all about being bright and breezy, so why not add a pop of colour to your wardrobe with Carraig Donn’s Pala D’oro pink, three quarter length sleeved dress with frill detail (€39.95). The coral Pala D’oro frill sleeved dress (€39.95) is perfect for work or play, and will leave you feeling cool this summer. Pala D’oro’s gorgeous pink floral cape sleeved dress (€39.95) is the perfect occasion dress for this season - simply add a gold sandal and clutch for extra glamour

Black floral pink and yellow wrap dress

Out with the old, in with the new

TO celebrate the launch of their #Summer 100 campaign, Life Style Sports at Arnotts will keep your feet looking lit’ this summer thanks to the Trainer Exchange.

Exclusive to Life Style Sports at Arnotts, the Trainer Exchange takes place from June 1-12.

Customers who drop their old trainers into the special Trainer Exchange box in store, will receive 20% off any new pair of fashion or running and fitness trainers of their choice, perfect to funk up your feet this summer!

This epic exchange gives everyone the chance to look slick this summer in some top-quality sneakers from International brands like Nike, Adidas originals, Reebok, Puma and Converse.

When in store, customers will also be invited to try on their favourite trainers and ‘Snap ‘n’ Share’ pictures using the hashtags #TrainerExchange and #ArnottsLifeStyleSports. Customers who upload their images to Twitter or Instagram will be chosen at random to win €100 to spend on the summer range in Life Style Sports.

Life Style Sports is located on the lower basement level in Arnotts with direct access through the Liffey Street entrance.

pretty prints MAKE a stylish statement this summer with Carraig Donn’s printed tunic dresses, wrap dresses and check dresses. Whether it’s the Pala D’oro gorgeous print tunic dress (€39.95) accented by a pink floral pattern, the Pala D’oro black, pink and blue circular patterned tunic dress (€39.95) or the Pala D’oro black floral pink and yellow wrap dress (€39.95) updating your wardrobe will be easy this summer with Carraig Donn.

Print tunic dress

Frill Bottom Dress

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

FEATURE

Wannabe gangsters take centre-stage in this gritty new Irish film, with its Darndale setting framing the action of lives spiralling out of control as amidst drugs, violence and tension

INTERVIEW: STAR AND DIRECTOR OF CARDBOARD GANGSTERS TEAM UP TO TALK ABOUT NEW FILM

Darndale setting delivers a dark trip through Dublin’s underbelly  DARRAGH MCKIERNAN THE Gazette caught up with Love/Hate star John Connors recently to hear all about his team-up with director Mark O’Connor, with their third film together on course to be the Irish film of the year.

Set in Darndale, the upcoming Cardboard Gangsters follows smalltime drug dealer Jay (Connors) and his gang – Cobbie (Ryan Lincoln), Dano (Fionn Walton) and Glenner (Paul Alwright) – as they plan their move into the higher ranks of the Dublin gangland scene.

Cut off from social welfare payments and with the ultimate dream of leaving the life he leads behind, Jay plans on becoming a big-time heroin dealer, with the hope of earning enough to pay off his family debts and start a new life for

Actor John Connors has an imposing presence throughout the film (above, and top centre), delivering a compelling character to match

himself and his pregnant girlfriend (Gemma-Leah Devereux) in Spain.

However, heroin kingpin Derra Murphy (Jimmy Smallhorne) doesn’t take kindly to the idea of another competitor in the Darndale area. Combine this with Jay’s romantic fling with Derra’s wife, Kim (Kierston Wareing) and Jay’s dream suddenly doesn’t looks shaky ...

Co-written by Connors, the film boasts an intense,

humorous and entertaining script. John’s acting talent shines throughout, as he stands out in some of the more vivid and explosive scenes.

John grew up in the Darndale area. He said: “I grew up in the area, I’ve seen a lot of things. I always wanted to make a film about where I came from, and also how you get into that sort of life.

“Instead of looking at it from a narrow point

of view, just show that sometimes you’re pushed in a corner and it could be difficult.”

The film is full of young and up and coming talent. With young Irish actors like Barry Keoghan beginning to make a name for himself, it seems to be a good time for young actors to be getting involved in the Irish film scene.

John said: “There’s some amazing talent in

the film – I loved it! Me and the gang had a great time together; we lived together for seven weeks.

“The casting process was a really long and drawn-out thing where we really made sure that people fought for their roles before we gave them to them.”

Director Mark O’Connor is quickly becoming one of Ireland’s finest directors. His filmography holds a number

of films that fall into the crime drama genre.

Like Cardboard Gangsters, his other recent films (Between the Canals, and Stalker) depict similar scenes of Dublin’s dark criminal underbelly.

When asked what it is about these Dublin crime dramas that seems to do so well with cinemagoers, Mark said: “I suppose it’s just the connection, the criminal lifestyle that goes back to the 1920s. People

get fascinated by that.

“Entering into that world ... getting an insight into it is almost glamourous. You’re almost living in that world for an hour and a half; it’s kind of the fascination of it.”

The film’s energetic soundtrack contains a number of Dublin-based artists and lends a feeling of authenticity to some of the vibrant montage scenes.

Mark added: “We tried to find the soundtrack that fit Darndale. John knew some rappers, I had some ideas, and over the course of the development it was just finding the right soundtrack and then also the right composer to build the whole score and the whole sound of the film.”

Cardboard Gangsters hits cinemas on June 16.

See our Main Cinema review on Page 24

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINLIFE

Nip around nature in Nicaragua

Last minute deals for a trip to remember in Italy or Austria CRYSTAL Summer Holidays are offering €50 off per booking on lake and mountain destinations throughout Europe departing in July or August.

Whether you want to relax beside the lake or spend your days walking, cycling and sailing, a holiday to Italy or Austria could be the perfect choice for you.

The beauty of Italy cannot be overstated.

The magnificent country is surrounded by crisp waters, pretty lakeside towns and ancient fishing villages set beneath the Alps.

Austria is recognised for its scenic beauty as well as its cultural activities. Visitors can raise a glass with the hosts at one of the many traditional summer festivals and sample the wholesome delicacies.

The following are just a few of the many deals on offer. For full details of these or bookings, see www.TravelMedia.ie.

Italy: • Depart June 17, stay at the 3* Hotel Rododendro, Val Di Fassa, for seven nights, on a half-board basis, from €599pp.

• Depart June 17, stay at the 3* Chalet Salvan, Selva, for seven nights, on a catered basis, from €629pp.

Austria: • Depart June 21, stay at the 3* Hotel Obermair, Mayrhofen, for seven nights, on a B&B basis, from €529pp.

• Depart June 21, stay at the 3* Hotel Gansleit, Soll, for seven nights, on a half-board basis, from €599pp.

You’ll hanker for Hong Kong after making your way to the slick city

With its vast size, China is home to some of the planet’s most incredible scenery – so why not take in some of the sights at your own pace on a bicycle tour?

TOURS: TAKE TO TWO WHEELS FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LOTS OF SPECTACULAR

Saddle up and see the  SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

EXPLORING far-flung destinations is on most people’s bucket list, but have you ever thought of doing it on a bicycle?

Seeing new places from a saddle offers a close-up perspective of the landscape and way of life, which can’t always be enjoyed from a vehicle.

Adventure holiday experts Explore offer more than 70 cycling trips worldwide, from a picturesque tour around Lake Constance to pedalling past the powering volcanoes in Central America, or even cycling through the rural backroads of China.

Great haul of China They’ve just launched a new 12-day trip to China on what are classed moderate to challenging graded

c y cl i n g r o u t e s f r o m Chengdu to Guilin.

Join the trip in the sprawling city of Chengdu and visit the Giant Panda breeding centre and follow the route past terraced rice paddies and mountainous backdrops through the remote villages of rural China.

Learn to cook local delicacies before finishing the trip with cycle rides and cruises along the Li River amid stunning Karst scenery.

Trips depart this September and from next May, June, September and October, and cost from €3,105 per person.

This price includes return flights, 11 nights’ hotel and one overnight train accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, bike hire, transport and the services of an Explore leader, cycle guide, bike mechanic and driver.

• Prices quoted include return flights to London but other airports can be arranged at time of booking.

• The cost of bike hire is included in all prices.

• For more information about all these trips, or to book, see www.explore.co.uk

Have your fill of fabulous flowers in South Africa

Alpine adventure Alternatively, the seven-day self-guided Lake Constance by bike is an easy graded trip set in the beautiful alpine setting of Lake Constance, shared by Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Stop off en-route at the thermal spas and cycle through idyllic lakeside villages and huge apple orchards.

Discover the baroque tow n of Meersburg, home to Germany’s

oldest inhabited castle, pedal through vineyards and spend time at the 15th century gothic cathedral in Radolfzell.

Departures run until this October and cost from €727 per person.

This price includes six nights’ hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, bike hire and luggage transfers.

Tibetan wonders Another trip just launched is the Tagong

Horse Festival of Ancient Kham – an 18-day trip to the southeastern area of the Tibetan Plateau which is home to striking mountain scenery and fascinating people.

Journey onwards to the Tagong grasslands for the annual Horse Festival.

This trip departs on next June 14, 2018 and costs from €3,984 per person.

This price includes

return flights, 17 nights’ hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, transport and the services of an Explore leader, driver and local guides.

Hong Kong Kunming to Hong Kong and the Buffalo God Festival offers a 16-day journey across southern China to explore ethnic minority villages and experience the Buffalo God Festival

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 21

FOOD&DRINK DINING OUT: KLAW POKE OPENS AT CAPEL STREET

Closer to home, an Alpine adventure takes in pretty, historic towns

CITIES AND SIGHTS

world!

of the Miao people.

This trip departs on next May 16 and costs from €3,956 per person for return flights, accommodation, transfers, services of an Explore leader, driver and local guides.

Panama E x p l o r e ’ s 14 - d a y C y cl e N i c a r a g u a t o the Panama Canal is a moderate to challenging graded cycle trip that explores the spectacular scenery of Central America and the tropical Caribbean island of Bocas del Toro.

Pedal past Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, cycle around the expansive Lake Nicaragua and visit the extraordinary Panama Canal.

While visiting Bocas del Toro, relax on the stunning beaches, snorkel or dive the colourful coral reefs and take a boat trip to one of the

outlying islands.

This trip departs on October 20 and costs from €2,573 per person.

This price includes return flights; 12 nights’ hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis; bike hire; transport and the services of an Explore leader, driver and cycle guide.

Flowers of the Cape A 12-day journey from South A frica’s Cape Town to Windhoek during the wildflower season.

Tr i p s d e p a r t o n August 5 and 16 and cost from €3,088 per person.

This price includes return flights to London, five nights’ hotel, five nights’ lodge and one night guesthouse accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, transport and the services of an Explore leader, driver and local guides.

Say Aloha to this Hawaiian staple IRELAND’S food revolution is continuing with the opening of Klaw Poke on Capel Street.

Niall Sabongi, of Temple Bar’s wildly successful restaurant Klaw, has created a destination for fans of this Hawaiian dish at a time when raw and nutritious food is more in demand than ever.

Poke (pronounced Po-kay) is a raw fish salad widely served across Hawaii, which since 2012 has caught the imagination of food enthusiasts across mainland US and now Europe.

The menu offers a number of suggested Poke bowl mixes, or customers are welcome to create their own dish by choosing a base of either brown rice, quinoa, rice noodles or wild leaves, adding sauces such as house ponzu, sriracha aioli, namjim or gochujang.

There is a wide selection of toppings to finish including sunomono cucumber, nori, macadamia nut, fried onion and kimchi.

The final price of the Poke bowl is based on the diner’s choice of protein,

from €8 for yellowfin tuna to €15 for lobster. They also offer Irish salmon, octopus, crab and shrimp.

Klaw Poke also serves all of the Klaw favorites with chowder, crab, Irish oysters and the famous Klaw lobster roll.

A 25-seater restaurant, Klaw Poke is an attractive addition to the Capel

Street area which is enjoying a renaissance with an eclectic selection of bars, cafes and vintage and antique shops.

Inside the interior has been stripped back to bare brick, with the rear featuring the old “Walsh’s” shop sign.

For further information, see www.klaw.ie, or follow @KlawPoke on Twitter.

GAZETTE

TRAVEL

Celebrating our island’s diverse gins THE Irish Gin & Tonic Fest – a 32-county celebration of Ireland’s finest gins – will run in bars throughout the country from June 25 to July 1 for its second year.

There are 14 Irish gins on board for the festival including Dingle Gin, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin and Hapenny Gin. In addition to all the venue activities, each of the brands will be hosting their own festival event, such as the ultimate gin & tonic demo at IdleWild at Fade Street.

Facebook The public can vote for their favourite Irish G&T the festival by using the #IrishGnT tag on Twitter or by going to the festival’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/GreatIrishBeverages.

Irish gins are proving to be very popular at the moment, with many bars throughout the country claiming that they are outselling Irish whiskies.

A sneak preview of the Irish gins will be on show at a special party on the rooftop bar of Odessa Club, Dame Court D2 on June 16.

Tickets are available online, at www.greatirishbeverages.com.

Help to ‘turn up the heat on cancer’ with a special BBQ campaign BALLYMALOE Foods and the Marie Keating Foundation have joined forces to “turn up the heat on cancer” with their BBQ To Beat Cancer campaign this summer.

This year the initiative is focusing on raising awareness on issues surrounding men’s health and prostate cancer.

Running throughout the whole summer, they are invit-

ing BBQ lovers to host a fundraising BBQ in aid of the charity.

Ballymaloe have created special BBQ recipes to help BBQ to Beat Cancer hosts prepare the most delicious meals on the day.

Entered into draw T hose who register will receive a BBQ pack in the post

with the chance to be entered into a draw to win great Ballymaloe goodies.

More than 3,400 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland each year and the funds raised from the campaign will be used to help those on their prostate cancer journey, while also raising awareness.

Commenting on the partnership, Maxine Hyde, sales and

marketing manager for Ballymaloe Foods said: “We are so happy to have the opportunity to partner with the Marie Keating Foundation. We truly admire the important work the foundation does to raise awareness of cancer and fight the disease in Ireland.”

For more information or to register, see http://www. mariekeating.ie/bbq/.

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22 GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINLIFE

FASTNews

Honda is offering an option for buyers of the CR-V for 172 registrations up until the end of July

Honda 172 ‘High Five’ Offer - Celebrating the Honda CR-V TO celebrate the Honda CR-V being the “Overall Best Selling SUV in the World” Honda want to give everyone a High Five.

The latest generation of Honda CR-V will now be available at Honda dealers with a choice of five highly competitive offers for the July 172 selling period.

The offer includes either 3.9% APR PCP finance or €4,000 guaranteed minimum trade-in value or complimentary leather up-grade or three years road tax and platinum service plan or a €1,000 deal booster.

Standard Honda VR-V features include Citybrake active system, Bluetooth, Cruise control, Alloy wheels and Dual-zone Climate Control.

Upgrading to the CR-V ES grade brings the internet-enabled Honda Connect infotainment system, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, front fog lights and auto lights and wipers.

New environmental tyre levy on the way IT appears that the new Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) for recycling tyres will come into effect this year, with July 1 being a starting date, according to tyre industry sources who met with representatives of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment, Denis Naughten last week. The scheme to be operated by Repak Ireland will mean an additional recycling charge of €3.44 incl. VAT for each car tyre, when changing tyres, amounting to a levy of €13.75 when changing a set of four car tyres.

The regulations will insist that the Visible Environmental Management Charge (vEMC) must be shown on all invoices, credit notes and delivery dockets issued by producers to retailers, and retailers to consumers, in a similar way that VAT appears on invoices.

The rate for a motorcycle tyre will be set at €1.85 while tyres for lighter trucks and 4x4’s will be charged between €8.20 and €8.60 (€6.70 to €7.00 plus 23% VAT). Heavy truck tyres will be levied at between €10.50 - €11, plus 23% VAT. All retailers will have to register with and report to Repak ELT Ltd. All tyre sales websites operating in Ireland will be obliged to have their compliance scheme registration number displayed at the point of sale.

New Kodiaq gives Skoda the SUV space edge

Skoda’s new Kodiaq joins the market for mid-range SUVs with bigger size that offers more space. The Kodiaq is good to drive and competitive to own in terms of fuel economy as MICHAEL MORONEY found out during his recent test drive.

FOR a new entrant to be seen and stand out in the bulging mid-size SUV market it needs to have something very special.

That’s what Skoda’s new Kodiaq needs to do.

For Skoda that challenge has been met by a combination of fresh design, generous space, good functionality, coupled with the latest driver assistance systems and new connectivity solutions.

This new SUV has obviously ticked the boxes of the competition and came out with more on offer at a price that’s sure to be competitive.

The Kodiaq is not quite the stand-out fresh design, but it has identity and size to make it different.

More and more midsize SUV drivers are looking for space and flexibility and the Kodiaq goes a longer way than most in achieving these. I took it for a lengthy test run that included some modest offroad, but mainly tarmac

driving.

That experience was memorable not in a fast car motoring excitement sort of way, but more in that I was almost instantly comfortable in the car.

The complete driving dynamic seemed to be just right; a combination of engine power, six-speed gearbox and comfort were all included in a package that has genuine family appeal.

Skoda has built on the Volkswagen Tiguan experience and added some extras to give the Kodiaq more appetite. For starters, the Kodiaq is longer and has a longer wheelbase than all five of the other mid-range SUV’s that I’ve looked at when comparing its key features.

And the wheelbase, the distance between front and back wheels, is also the longest and that’s part of the reason why the Kodiaq delivers well on driving comfort. The extra length ensures better passenger leg space

too, compliments of the sliding middle row of seat.

And for the Kodiaq, extra vehicle length has ensured that it has the biggest boot capacity in the segment at 630 litres, extending to 2,005 litres when all three rows of seats were folded down.

The Kodiaq performs well in terms of economy.

I drove more than 700km and found that the range was well in excess of 850km.

The six-speed gearbox was easy to use and allowed a motor way cruising speed of 120km/ hr to be achieved at relatively low engine revs of 2,250rpm approx. That gearbox ratio, along with the smooth start/stop system for city driving, are both helping to keep fuel economy levels under control.

I was impressed with the economy figures, given that the version that I drove was fitted with Skoda’s automatic 4x4 system. This adds additional

The new Skoda Kodiaq is a solid looking SUV that combines all of the technical features of the VW range along with some very impressive Skoda features that make it especially attractive

VSkoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 4x4 SPECIFICATIONS Engine 2.0 litre Engine power 150hp 0 – 100km/hr 9.3 seconds Economy 19km/litre

(5.3l/100km or 53mpg) Fuel Tank Capacity 50 litres CO2 emissions 141g/km Road Tax Band C €390 Main Service 20,000km/12 mnths Euro NCAP Rating 5 star (2012) Warranty 3 years (100,000km) Entry Price €35,495

weight to the Kodiaq and engages when the front wheel shows signs of even the most minor levels of slippage.

Dry roads meant that a run across the field was the only way to ensure its engagement, but it would be useful in now much forgotten snow and ice

driving conditions.

The Kodiaq comes with solid seating and the test car was fitted with three rows, enough for seven passengers. There were only two Iso-Fix seats, which is a pity as younger families often need the third and some now come fitted in the third seat row

8 June 2017 GAZETTE 23

as well.

It is well equipped in the safety sense and just recently came out with a top score in the Euro NCAP crash test assessment. The new Skoda Connect is an annual subscription option for Kodiaq buyers and this offers additional online infotainment services and navigation in real time.

The system also provides remote access for increased connectivity and driver assistance. One such driver assistance feature is the emergency call (e-Call) function which will automatically call the emergency services once an airbag is activated to ensure occupant safety.

The Kodiaq claims to offer over 30 simply clever features that offer practical and convenient assistance in everyday life.

These include split folding and length adjustable rear seats as standard, the

optional third row of seats costing an additional €1,000, a crafty door-edge protection system, electric child safety locks. The Superb model feature of Skoda umbrellas fitted to the front door pockets comes on the mid-spec Ambition model.

This new Skoda SUV choice is impressive in terms of value with the entry prices starting at €35,495 for the entry level two-wheel-drive diesel version that’s offered as standard with the DSG automatic gearbox.

That puts it more expen-

GAZETTE

MOTORING

sive than Volkswagen’s entry level Tiguan or the Nissan Qashqai with the third row of seats opportunity that they can’t offer.

The extra’s listing from Skoda is now growing, so choose wisely based on practical use opportunities.

The Kodiaq is bigger than some of the competition; I believe that many families will appreciate that extra space. It offers good comfort and the extra length, while adding marginally to the turning circle, is well worthwhile for needs of a busy family.

The reversing camera on the Skoda Kodiaq

GAZETTE

24 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

WAR MACHINE: NETFLIX UPS ITS GAME WITH BIG-NAME, MID-BUDGET FILM

Takes aim at various war tropes, but misses

IN NETFLIX’S War Machine , Brad Pitt plays the charismatic general Glen McMahon, newly appointed the command of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Beloved by his men, baffling to most everyone else, McMahon sets about ramping up the war effort when all anyone really expects of him is a quick, painless exit strategy.

Based on the true-life events recounted in the book, The Operators, by Michael Hastings, about the rise and fall of General Stanley McChrystal, War Machine also stars

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall, Ben Kinsgley (brilliant as Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai) and a blink and you’ll miss her appearance from Tilda Swinton.

Director David Michod has previously tackled familial crime in the critically acclaimed, Animal Kingdom (2010), and dystopian drama with 2014’s The Rover

– two powerfully dark films showcasing a young director with incredible talent and promise.

T hose who’ve followed Michod’s career, then, have been eagerly awaiting this adaptation, through the controversy of Netf lix’s distribution acquisition and the somewhat off-putting first glimpse of Pitt’s offbeat performance in the first trailers.

War Machine sets itself up as an oddball satire grounded in reality. As that first taste indicated, Pitt plays it anything but straight.

In many ways, McMa-

Brad Pitt plays his role with gusto, but there’s an uneasy balance between comedy and drama at the heart of War Machine that never quite gels successfully

hon echoes his brilliant performance as Lieutenant Aldo Raine in 2009’s Inglorious Basterds, full of good-natured stoicism, a man-out-of-time innocence paired with an insatiable hunger for war.

It works, for perhaps the film’s first act, when War Machine begins to

tackle heavier subject matter – the moral fog of war – Pitt’s comedic handling jars horribly.

It’s that very imbalance that ultimately drags War Machine down. Despite a strong start, this is a very confused film, kicking things off with winks and nods to Strangelove

before going down a winding, tiresome road.

A subplot involving a worn-out marine squad led by Will Poulter shoulders the film’s dramatic burden and feels like it belongs in an entirely different film.

There are great war movies that meander

between satire and severity with definite success; War Machine isn’t one of them.

That’s not to say War Machine is without its charms. There are some quality comic performances here – the aforementioned Kingsley, as well as Anthony Michael Hall as McMahon’s right-hand man, firing off hilarious, gung-ho verbal assaults in support of his commander whenever the chance arises.

T h e r e ’s a c e r t a i n degree of affection in War Machine not often seen in this kind of film – still, despite being occasionally thoughtful, War Machine fails to truly affect.

In attempting to communicate the stagnation of modern warfare, “the slow shuffle toward freedom,” War Machine spends much of its twohour run time vacillating between command centres, military dinners and press conferences; consequently it feels more like a sequence of occasionally funny, occasionally disturbing scenes with little or no unifying coherence.

There’s certainly an interesting, uniquely American story here, buried beneath a few two many layers of awkward moral brooding and misplaced comedy.

While War Machine d o e s n ’t k n ow q u i t e exactly what it is, it’s not a total waste of time – just an unfortunate misuse of talent.

Verdict: 5/10

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

TECH SOCIAL MEDIA: COULD THESE BE A WINNER?

Glasses fit for the 50,000 helpers to make/lose money Snapchat generation It may look like a clunky old Ceefax screen, but this is

a very active view of a programmer ‘playing’ a $50,000 stake on the stock market with his own money

THOSE of you with 50,000 bucks (or euro) to spare – yes, yes, who doesn’t have that kind of dosh burning a hole in their pocket – might like to follow Mike’s example.

W ho’s Mike, you ask? He’s the plucky programmer who’s put $50,000 of his own money into the stock market in a currently ongoing ‘game’ of sorts.

Using his own automated algorithm that regularly tallies the instructions that viewers of his live-streaming account (https://www. twitch.tv/stockstream) at Twitch enter, his code then buys or sells accordingly.

It’s an automated punt on the stock market, with Mike hoping that the trades makes some

money (well, you’d hope so), as well as providing an interesting look at how crowdsourcing can even effect the markets.

With his own app (appropriately named Robinhood), Mike and the viewers are able to monitor what’s happening, as his $50,000 stake wobbles up and down in value.

I’m not so sure I’d like to run the ‘World’s First Multiplayer Stock Market Game Using Real Money’ – let alone with my money – but Mike’s still happy to let the world play away.

If his stake falls below $25, 000, it’s gam e over (as per official FINR A/SEC trading regulations), but for the moment it’s certainly one of the stranger live streams you can watch.

Monumental title has an IOS sequel LITER ALLY just announced at the time of going to press, Monument Valley 2

Monument Valley 2 could be another towering success

(IOS-only, Android to follow) has hit the Apple store. As Apple’s 2014 Game of the Year, the beautiful isometric puzzler was short but very sweet, with its sequel looking like more of the same – a real must buy!

OKAY, so glasses with cameras in them aren’t exactly a revolutionary idea (the less said about the quirky but doomed Google Glass, the better) – but could the Snapchat Glasses succeed where others have failed?

Recent years have seen “wearables” take off in the consumer tech sector, most typically exemplified by the fitness trackers that lots of people use.

However, the popular notion of glasses that record what you see has never quite taken off, with Google’s recent doomed Glass project just the latest weable-camera tech that caught lots of media attention, only to get yanked from shelves fairly soon after release.

Whatever about the potentially cool aspects that augmented reality or video-recording glasses might have offered users, their typically steep price and muddled feature sets have generally left ordinary consumers cold.

Enter Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, with their take on creating tech-enabled glasses – or sunglasses, in their case.

They’ve thrown away all the augmented real-

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com

ity stuff – so, no getting emails flashed from your phone into your view, or maps showing where you are, or similar quirky but distracting stuff.

Instead, they’ve gone for a simpler, consumerfriendly and ‘purer’ product – they’re just sunglasses that record what you see, making clips that can be easily viewed within Snapchat itself, or saved as video clips for other applications and social media sharing.

Tap a button and they start recording, with an external light turning on to show others that you’re recording, with video that can be sent to your phone or later downloaded.

That’s it – no forwarding calls, no GPS tracking, no

email alerts: just portable video recording, in tensecond bursts (with regularly tapping a button on the camera side keeping the recording going for longer bursts.)

Stripping away all the bells and whistles to market it as a cool piece of wearables – with a strong social media aspect – was a great idea to help give the glasses a boost, and make them more palatable to consumers.

It’s a simple concept, but one that’s proved very popular since the US-only launch several months back, where it wasn’t unheard of to find queues

of early tech adopters lining up to buy the glasses from special vending machines.

Now, the machines have started to pop up at a number of key European capitals, and while Dublin doesn’t have any – yet – I’d be very surprised if one doesn’t pop up here some time soon.

Adding to their potential allure is a reasonable price for a firstwave piece of new kit – €150, from Snapchat’s website, where

they’re available in a limited range of colours.

It’s an interesting move for Snap Inc, with Snapchat’s clearly defined demographic and user base (primarily young females) creating what could be a pretty very lucrative group to target for sales and further spreading the tech.

Look out for these on the streets of Dublin soon.

The videos appear to be circular if viewed outside Snapchat itself, but appear much more naturalistic from inside the app The case that the sunglasses come in offers a number of full recharges, with a charging cable also provided

26 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

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28 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

SPORT

FastSport DEVINE THE NEW PRO AT SUTTON: PADDY Devine has been appointed head professional at Sutton Golf Club. He joins the club from Royal Dublin where he has been assistant professional for the past nine years.

He becomes only the fourth ever professional at Sutton. Joe Nangle was appointed the club’s first professional in the early 1950’s. He was followed by Nicky Lynch, who held the position for over 50 years, before Conor Russell took over.

Devine is a fully qualified AA PGA professional who not alone has worked as a club assistant professional but who also played on the PGA Europro Development Tour for a number of years. Amongst his achievements was victory in the PGA National Fourball Championship in 2009 where he and his partner recorded a 59 on their way to a record winning score of 31 under. He also regularly competes on the Irish Region circuit, finishing in second place in the 2013 Irish Club Professional Championship.

BOXING: CASTLEKNOCK MAN RISING QUICKLY SINCE SWITH FROM RUGBY

Collins Junior looking to forge own route in the fight game

 DARRAGH MCKIERNAN sport@dublingazette.com

CASTLEKNOCK native Steve Collins Jr, son of former two weight world champion Steve Collins, is set to take on Paddy McDonagh for the vacant Irish light heavyweight title on June 24 in the National Stadium.

The night will also see Ballyfermot man Luke Keeler fight for the Irish middleweight title against Darren Cruise on what promises to be the best professional fight card since the Bernard Dunne era.

Collins, who had no amateur experience, has only been boxing for four years and is undefeated after eleven fights.

A win on June 24 will cement his place in the European rankings as he progresses towards a European title shot.

Collins has brushed aside a number of competitors in the past. Earlier this year, he went the distance with Spaniard Pablo Sosa who previously held former world title challenger Eduard Gutknecht to a draw in his home town.

The only blip on Collins’ record is in the form of a draw

Steve Collins Junior, centre, takes on Paddy McDonagh for the vacant Irish light heavyweight title. Picture: Enya Martin

that came against Tommy Gifford in 2015, however this was put down to Collins suffering an injury to his right shoulder in the early stages of the fight.

Despite the clear link to the ring in his family, Collins opted for the rugby pitch in early life, starting out with

Coolmine RFC and progressing through the ranks with Castleknock College.

He had a promising young rugby career before life inside the ropes, with stints at Wasps, Connacht, Lansdowne and London Irish to name a few.

However, at 23, the dream

of life of a as pro rugby player ended abruptly, not due to injury, but of his own accord.

Speaking about his time at the Wasps academy, Collins said: “I was working in my uncle’s pub over there at the time because I had no income; you’d be in the gym for seven

in the morning, you’d train during the day then I’d come home, eat, then I’d go to work until one or two in the morning.

“It was really, really getting to me, my weight was dropping. Guys were coming in so I thought this is kind of inevitable... I’m constantly being fatigued, I’m going to nip this in the bud, I’m going to go home.”

T he dream to box was always present for Collins.

Having a former two weight world champion as a father, it would be tough to not want to follow in his footsteps.

Despite this, Collins Jr tries to steer clear of any comparison to his father.

“It’s enough that I have my dad’s name. I didn’t want to be like him, putting a shamrock in my head, using the same music. I don’t even fight similarly to him.”

The announcement of this June 24 card is set to be the biggest night in Irish boxing since Bernard Dunne retired in 2010.

Tickets for the night are now on sale through Red Corner promotions.

Pentathlon duo fence their way to World Cup gold  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

Arthur Lanigan-O’Keeffe and Natalya Coyle on the podium

NATALYA COYLE and Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe took gold for Ireland in the modern pentathlon mixed relay World Cup in Drzonkow, Poland, converting a dominant start into a medal that Coyle told the Gazette earlier this month was amongst her main aims for the year.

The pair won the fencing competition to take charge in an area both have focused on since before the Rio Olympics as key to working their way up

the field. Both scored top-ten finishes in Rio individually with the fencing proving costly in both cases.

They had previously been beaten by only the Japanese pair in the swim and had their worst round on the horses as they accumulated penalty points.

It meant they finished some way short of the Hungarian leaders.

The Dublin-based duo were determined to get back on top, however, and led from start to finish in the laser run, establishing a substantial lead over the

Polish, Korean and German teams and eventually taking the key run/shoot round by a full 15 seconds.

The pair have always worked well together, with Coyle talking of the energy O’Keeffe brings to the relay partnership, describing herself a mellower competitor and O’Keeffe as her rambunctious, energy-lifting partner.

The Polish victory was the fourth round of a World Cup series that’s previously visited the US, Egypt and Hungary, and will conclude in Lithuania, taking place from June 22 to 25.

A f t e r t h e e ve n t , C o y l e described the pair as a “dream team,” while O’Keeffe described the first event he’s competed in since the Rio Olympics as shaking off the demons of the Brazilian Olympics, tweeting “here comes Tokyo 2020” after the win.

The relay event is not currently an Olympic event in its own right, however, with the showcase featuring only the individual versions of the sport.

Coyle had earlier come home in 13th in the individual event over the course of the weekend.

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

Handball hero Kennedy finds CJ too hot to handle Dublin legend remains on 31 All-Ireland titles as he falls to Limerick’s rising star of the alley, CJ Fitzpatrick, who won out in the hardball decider for the second year in succession  sport@dublingazette.com

Hermes-Monkstown’s Nikki Evans celebrates with goalkeeper Liz Murphy . Picture: Ady Kerry

Hermes-Monkstown end Euro campaign on a high  STEPHEN FINDLATER

HERMES-Monkstown closed out their European challenge on a high as they beat Russia’s CSP Krylatskoye on a shoot-out to end seventh at the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup in s’Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

The victory, after a 4-4 draw in normal time, was enough to retain Ireland’s place in the top tier of European club competition for 2018.

Anna O’Flanagan gave the Dubliners a lead when she found a brilliant finish from the right of the circle in just the third minute for a 1-0 lead.

Krylatskoye, though, bounced back quickly with Bogdana Sadovaia levelling almost immediately and Alina Khalimova made it 2-1 in the second quarter from a corner rebound despite Liz Murphy’s excellent first up save.

Nikki Evans tied the game for a second time with another top finish, this time from the left of the circle over the goalkeeper, making it 2-2 at half-time.

Khalimova’s second of the game restored the Russian side’s lead only for Hermes-Monkstown to fight back once more. O’Flanagan cracked in a corner strike from a switch left for 3-3 and then, with 10 minutes to go, Sinead Loughran ended up firing home for the lead.

It came from a swift counter-attack and while Evans’ reverse-stick cross was intercepted, the clearance fell nicely for Loughran who picked out the backboard.

There was a nasty sting in the tail with 110 seconds to go as a loose free-out went straight to Iuliia Kazakova who intercepted and shot home for 4-4.

But Suzie Kelly, O’Flanagan and a delicious Laura Pinder effort in the shoot-out, combined with a trio of Liz Murphy saves, earned HermesMonkstown the victory.

Earlier in the competition, Hermes-Monkstown had been beaten by the eventual champions and hosts Den Bosch before falling 4-1 to Spain’s Complutense – O’Flanagan on the mark – in the first phase of the 5th to 8th place playoffs.

ST BRIGID’S Eoin Kennedy had to be satisfied with the silver medal in his All-Ireland Senior Singles hardball match held at Lahorna Tipperary on Sunday.

Having won the first of his eight hardball senior singles as far back as 2003, Kennedy was attempting to defy his years when taking on the 2016 champion CJ Fitzpatrick from Limerick.

Fitzpatrick, a full 10 years younger, had

overcome Kennedy for the first time in the 2016 final, in a terrifically competitive match 17-12, 21-17, 21-16.

Both players came t h r o u g h t h i s y e a r ’s championship earlier rounds showing good form to meet in the 2017 All-Ireland final and the crowd were again expecting fireworks.

The players did not disappoint as they put on a display of serving and long range killing showing all that is best in this code of handball.

K nown as the “alley

cracker” the ball has a distinctive sharp sound when it meets the front wall adding to the sense of power and precision.

Key to the match was the first game. Recovering from a mid-week infection and still on anti-biotics it was important that Kennedy win the first. Unfortunately for the Dublin player, Fitzpatrick had other ideas and forged an early lead 7-2.

He built on this to lead 14-7 and Kennedy had to dig deep to bring the scores back to 15-10.

CJ Fitzpatrick, Joe Masterson (President Irish Handball Council) and Eoin Kennedy following their All-Ireland final last weekend

Again Fitzpatrick succeeded in keeping his lead intact bringing it to 18-13 before Kennedy took him out.

He needed to get some points but Fitzpatrick rolled a ball out of the front corner to regain the hand and served out the game 21-13.

The second game began better for Kennedy and with precision serving down the right and flat killing the returns, he led 7-3 before Fitzpatrick fought back to 9-7.

This game was even tougher than the first as both players fought for supremacy. The St Brigid’s player called on all his experience to make aces and led 18-13, before a Fitzpatrick fight-back brought the scores back to 19-17. The crowd were on their feet acclaiming the efforts of both players.

T he galler y were enthralled by the quality of the rallies and Fitzpatrick’s incredible speed around the court to pick up what seemed to be rally winning kills

by Kennedy.

This was balanced by Kennedy’s tenacity and court control as he commanded the centre of the court and through a combination of kills and effective passing shots succeeded in fighting his way to the second game win on a score of 21-17.

T he match seemed finely poised for the third game shoot-out.

On the resumption after the five minute break, it was clear from the start that Kennedy had pulled out all the stops to win the second game and that this had taken too much out of him.

He needed to make aces in the first few hands but his serving power had diminished and Fitzpatrick was able to take him out too easily.

Once he established an early lead the Lime r i c k p l ay e r p l ay e d extremely confidentally and was killing spectacularly from all parts of the court with either hand.

Kennedy had to take an injury time-out due to bruising of his left hand but this only briefly delayed the inevitable with Fitzpatrick running out the third game easily.

Fitzpatrick’s two wins in a row show his real credentials as a hardball champion and he was a worthy winner in denying Kennedy’s efforts to win his ninth title.

The sheer speed of the hardball code makes refereeing difficult and both players were complimented on showing outstanding sportsmanship in calling double bounces against themselves.

T h e y h ave p r ove d again to be Ireland’s two best hardballers and we look forward to future clashes between these two great champions.

GAZETTE

30 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 8 June 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: AFTER LEAGUE DISAPPOINTMENT COMES METRO CUP GLORY

Hayes hopeful of forcing way into O’Neill’s plans FORMER Cherry Orchard star Jonny Hayes has enjoyed the most successful season of his career this year, and he hopes it can get even better on Sunday by making his competitive debut for the Republic of Ireland against Austria in the Aviva Stadium.

The 29 year-old recently helped Aberdeen to second spot in the Scottish Premiership and the finals of both Scottish cups.

He was rewarded for his fine performances by been nominated for player of the year, and is widely expected to make a move to Celtic this summer.

In the meantime, he has the little matter of a crucial World Cup qualifier to prepare for after switching places from the stands in Vienna last November, to firmly within Martin O’Neill’s thoughts this weekend along with fellow local lad Glen Whelan (pictured above

by Martin Doherty).

“They are a good side,” Hayes said about the tie. “Obviously, they have got some Champions League level players who would fit into most teams in the world like Bayern Munich, etc. But we have proven that we can go away and win so there’s no reason why we can’t do it here.”

Hayes had to watch previous Ireland campaigns from the outside but being around the squad now, he can see the confidence O’Neill and his management team have given in the players, especially in this week’s friendly against Uruguay.

“The management team have installed belief and confidence in the players from two or three years ago. You can see that confidence and belief building up game by game. We play the best teams in the world, so there’s nothing to fear this week.”

Hayes earned his fourth cap during the win over Uruguay last weekend and knows it will be hard to break into the starting eleven.

“I hadn’t expected to be in the team against Uruguay, but was delighted to be thrown in.

“We played well in patches and the win against a quality side was fully deserved, but at this stage it is all about trying to get into the team for Austria. I’m realistic and fully aware it is difficult to displace the lads ahead of me in the pecking order.”

Dublin Bus celebrate their Metropolitan Cup success

Bus bounce back in style  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN Bus enjoyed a season of mixed fortunes this year as they narrowly missed out on promotion but ended the campaign with some silverware after defeating Newbridge Town 3-1 to walk away with the Metropolitan Cup. The LSL Sunday Senior 1 side also made it to the final of the Lanigan Cup but they lost 3-0 to Cherry Orchard on that occasion.

Luke Halpin hit a first half double against Newbridge but the Kildare side pulled one

back in the second half after upping the tempo and putting their opponents under some sever pressure. The Bus would not be denied on this occasion, however, and after surviving through the storm, Dylan Byrne wrapped up the victory for his side late on.

The final came just a week after the side’s promotion hopes were shattered after a 1-1 draw with Verona, and manager Darren Sheridan told GazetteSport about how proud he was of his players’ reaction to that disappointment.

“It was a fantastic finish to the season. The

PLAYER OF THE MONTH Ryan-Doyle honoured for her March exploits PEAMOUNT United’s Eleanor Ryan-Doyle was honoured with the Continental Tyres Women’s National league for her exploits in March.

The first three player of the month awards for 2017 were handed out as the league takes its summer break.

The striker’s gutsy performances for the Dublin club have been one of the league’s major talking points this season as she continues to help her team climb up the league table.

Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

disappointment of not getting promoted on the Sunday was huge so to come back and end the season with the Metropolitan Cup, and also play in the Lanigan Cup final, was fantastic.”

The Bus agonisingly missed out on promotion to the top division by a single point after a loss and draw in their last two league games to leave them in fourth position – a point behind Portmarnock AFC and Leixlip United in second and third respectively.

“We’ve only lost four games throughout the season and drawn eight.

The sticking point for me

would be to turn those draws into victories by not conceding silly goals when we are winning games.

“We lost the second last game after being 2-0 up after 20 minutes.

We got a penalty on 21 minutes, which would have seen us promoted.

We were home and dry but low and behold we missed that penalty and our keeper let in three very soft goals. That’s the ups and downs of football.”

When asked if getting his players up for the final was hard so soon after such a demoralising finish to the league cam-

paign, Sheridan insisted credit should go to the players for motivating themselves.

“The lads did that themselves because they felt they deserved more so it wasn’t really hard as such.

“When it came to it, they were fantastic and it was a brilliant game of football.

“In the first half we were fantastic in our play and how we approached the game, and in the second half we were brilliant at our defensive side of the game because Newbridge threw everything at us. I was so proud of them.”

8 June 2017 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

TOWERING SUCCESS

Clon girls welcome Rush side for top class ties

CLUB NOTICEBOARD LUCAN SARSFIELDS

ROUND Tower’s U-11 girl footballers enjoyed two top matches against St Maurs last week at the Community Centre pitches.

The Rush side proved tough opponents and travelled 24 players arriving in Clondalkin, making for a couple of good games against the 28 Round Tower girls. At the game, Towers presented TD Eoin O’Broin, a team sponsor, with a box of roses and a thank you card for his support.

BEST of luck to all our players starting

Adult hurling games resume this week

exams this week. The ability to deal with

with both junior teams in third round

adversity and handle pressure learned

championship action. The junior Bs trav-

on the playing field can be a great benefit

el to Islandbridge to meet Civil Service on

in the exam hall too.

Thursday at 7.30pm. The seniors travel

Calling on all members for a big push on selling the car draw tickets. Sold tickets can be returned to the club bar.

LADIES FOOTBALL: HOWE GOAL UNABLE TO TURN THE TIDE

to Kilmacud Crokes for a league encounter Saturday at 6.30pm.

Commiserations to our representa-

Last week, there was no winner of the

tives on defeated Dublin hurling teams

€4,600 lotto and the numbers were 2, 4,

last week, Chris Crummey (senior),

19 and 21.

and Paul Crummey and Ciaran Dowling

This week’s €5,000 draw will be managed by Team Diarmuid Dawson and is

(U-21). Great for the club to have continued representation at these levels.

sponsored by Diamond & Gem Jewellers.

Lucan Sarsfields Golf Society’s next

Tickets can be purchased online, at the

event is the annual golf classic on Fri-

club, in Carey’s Newsagents or in Vesey

day, June 16 in Lucan Golf Club. This is a

Arms or Kenny’s Bar.

key fundraiser for the club so all support

Last weekend was a quiet one for games activity. The U-13 ladies football

welcome. To book a tee time, phone Seamus Fagan on 086 8168984.

were the exception on Friday evening,

Bingo continues on Wednesday 8pm in

winning by four points over Ballyboden

the club bar. This weeks jackpot is near-

in a high scoring game 6-13 to 6-9.

ing €1,600.

The senior footballers are at home to

Club shop opening times are Saturday

Thomas Davis on June 14 followed by an

from 10.30am to 12.30pm and Thursday

away trip to St Vincent’s on June 17.

from 7-8.30pm.

Following another championship win

Lucan District Credit Union Academy:

over Portobello, the intermediate ladies

Saturday at 9.30am for camogie and

football team’s next championship fix-

girls football, 10am for boys football and

ture is not until July 12 at home to West-

hurling; for boys and girls born in 2010,

manstown.

2011 and 2012 – 12th Lock.

ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN The Dublin Under-14 side prior to their All-Ireland semi-final against Galway. Picture: GAAPics.com

Galway prove too strong for Dublin U-14 ALL-IRELAND SEMI

Galway 6-23 Dublin 3-3  sport@dublingazette.com

ST FINIAN’S Newcastle star Emma Howe scored a goal for Dublin in the semi-final of the Under14 All-Ireland football championship but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from crashing out after a 6-23 to 3-3 loss to Galway at Moate GAA in Westmeath.

Dublin were crowned Leinster champions this year but their opponents from the West proved too strong on the day and reached the final thanks

to a number of star performances, as well as an impressive team display.

Galway were on top from the start and dominated the game to take a 14-point lead into the break with the score standing at 3-9 to 1-1.

Katie O’Sullivan had grabbed Dublin’s first goal in the 16th minute but strikes from Ellen Power and Eva Noone saw the Connacht champions comfortably in control.

Dublin needed a strong reaction in the second half but it only saw the Tribeswomen become even more clinical in

front of goal. They were laying siege at this point and the score might have been even greater if it weren’t for impressive performances by full back Aoife O’Sullivan and centre back Lucy Crowe.

Goalkeeper Rugile Auskalnyte also stood out for Dublin after putting in an outstanding performance to deny Galway further glory. However, the likes of Kate Slevin were too strong and her goal, alongside three-pointers from Aoibheann Costello and Kara McClene helped them keep Dublin at arm’s length.

Aishling O’Neill and

Howe scored goals for Dublin but the consistent kicking from Galway made sure their opponents never got close enough to threaten their lead.

Lucan Sarsfields player Mia Dunne was also involved in the squad who helped Dublin reach the semi-final stage.

It was a tough outing and they will look to bounce back next year but as the referee blew his whistle for the final time, it is Galway who will go on to play Kerry in the final next month after their 3-16 to 4-3 win over Cavan.

THE U-13 boys are continuing their win-

dates for summer camps for boys and

ning form with a great win on Thursday

girls aged between five and 12. Please

evening over Erin’s Isle. Well done lads

watch our website and Facebook pages

and mentors.

for further details on prices and contact

Well done to the U-12 ladies football team in their game against St Kevin’s on Saturday morning; some brilliant play from their new team members.

Our senior and junior football teams

details. Cul Camp is July 10 to 14 and the club camp is July 17 to 21.

Busy week this week as final preparations for our OsKars fundraiser continue.

were unlucky this week with both teams

Thanks to the all our actors for all

losing their league games. This week’s

their hard work and time to date. If our

fixtures are available on the website

actors could check with sponsors that

please support our teams.

their advertisements are submitted to

St Patrick’s GAA Club have announced

paddyf18@gmail.com.

GARDA/WESTMANSTOWN QUIET weekend on the playing fields due

check our website on www.gardawest-

to Bank Holiday weekend for both adult

manstowngaels.com.

and juvenile sections.

Our girls U-14 Feile squad take part in

The ladies were the exception, turn-

the National Feile Competition in Mona-

ing in a top class performance in their

ghan on weekend of June 23-25. Please

championship outing against Ballinteer

give them your full support.

St John’s, winning by 3-18 to 1-5.

A date for your diaries is Friday, July 7

The intermediates have a challenge

when the club will hold a race night fund-

match next Saturday evening at West-

raiser at Westmanstown Sports Centre

manstown when they welcome Cootehill

and “they’re off” at 8pm.

with a 6.30pm start.

The next league fixture is also at Westmanstown on Wednesday, June

All club members are asked to participate by either buying horses or sponsoring a race.

14 against Clann Mhuire, starting at

Looking a little further ahead, our club

7.30pm. The next league outing for the

summer camp takes place in Westmans-

juniors is away to St Finian’s, Swords on

town from August 21-25 and the Belfast

Sunday, June 18 with an 11am throw in.

tournament is on weekend of October

For all juvenile fixtures and results,

20-22.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR CLONDALKIN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

ON THE BUSES: Coldcut crew bounce back with Metro Cup glory following their missed promotion chance P30

JUNE 8 - 14, 2017

COLLINS FOLLOWING OWN PATH: Junior Celtic Warrior’s set for Irish pro title showdown P28

Dublin manager Jim Gavin felt his side were “comfortable” but need to improve their scoring ratio for later challenges following their win over Carlow

Gavin content in control Round Tower’s club man happy to get summer campaign running with Sunday’s win over Carlow, doing enough to unpick a packed defence

 KARL GRAHAM

sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN manager Jim Gavin was content enough as his All-Ireland champions kicked off their 2017 Championship campaign with a 12 point victory over Carlow last weekend.

The Round Tower’s man praised his side for the way they managed to control the game despite their opponents sitting many players behind the ball.

“We’re just happy to come away tonight with a win in the opening round of the championship,” Gavin said after the game.

“It’s our first step on a journey in 2017, I’m not sure where it will take us but we’re just glad

to get out of the blocks.

“Carlow are a very well-drilled side and they showed great effort there today. They probably played the way we thought they would play. Of their 14 outfield players, they probably had at least 13 behind the ball on most occasions.”

Dublin went into the game with many people expecting them to rack up a big win but their 0-19 to 0-7 victory was probably less than many anticipated.

It wasn’t a game for the football purists as Carlow kept men behind the ball throughout the game in an attempt to frustrate Dublin. It worked as well, with the Dubs restricted to just a three point lead going into the break.

The second half started in the same fashion

until Carlow were reduced to 14 men when Brendan Murphy was shown a second yellow card for an off the ball incident with Jonny Cooper on 48 minutes.

That dismissal effectively handed the game to Dublin with the final gap between the two teams the only matter left to be resolved.

“They’re a very physical side and they used that to good effect in the game. “ When you look at a lot of their players, a lot of their forward line have played in midfield.

They’re big players, they’re physically well conditioned, and they’re very well coached,” said Gavin.

“I thought we controlled it quite well first half, we were comfortable but probably missed

as much as we scored and that obviously needs to be improved for future outings.

“In the second half again, I thought we looked very much in control and we’re just happy to come away with the win.”

Gavin was also impressed with Mark Schutte’s performance after he made his debut from the bench. The Cuala dual star, who this year won an All-Ireland hurling medal with his club, previously played for the Dublin hurlers but decided to switch allegiances to Gavin’s men.

“We’ve been impressed with Mark. He’s been brought in on his club form. He’s carried that form through to the county team and he’s progressing very well,” said Gavin.