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What’s cooking? The Happy Pear demo with Miele Soccer:
Bluebell finally win back LSL Sunday Senior Page 32
david and Stephen Flynn of The Happy Pear pose for a picture with Margaret Crerar at Citywest recently, where Miele are hosting the Happy Heart Cooking Demonstrations. The demonstrations run over four weeks and will show people how to eat their way to lower cholesterol and lose weight through eating a wholefood, plant-based diet. Pictures: Richie Stokes
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Clondalkin hit hard by Garda cutbacks ‘I am committed to reducing crime and supporting the Garda’ - Minister
ian begley
SINCE the Government came to power in 2010, Clondalkin has lost a total of eight gardai, with 31 being lost from Dublin Mid-West as a whole.
The figures, obtained by Fianna Fail, show the reduction in Garda numbers in divisions across the country over the past five years. Currently, Clondalkin has 80 gardai compared with 97 in 2010; Lucan has 74 com-
pared with 84; Ronanstown is down to 88 from 93; and Rathcoole to 21 from 29 during this five-year period. Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) said: “We have a huge crime rate and huge issues throughout the area and the fact that
they’re cutting gardai everywhere is a shame.” Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said she was “committed to reducing crime and supporting the work of An Garda Siochana”. Full Story on Page 2
2 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 June 2015
referendum: 60% came out to vote on May 22
security Clondalkin has lost eight gardai
Yes vote high in Clondalkin Ian Begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com
CLONDALKIN’S overall turnout in the marriage equality referendum stood at 56% with 73% of voters putting an X in the Yes box. These figures, given to The Gazette by Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes, showed that 60% of people from South County Dublin came out to vote on May 22. Seventy-one per cent of people from the local authority voted Yes while 29% voted No. Results come from the tallies taken in the RDS and Citywest count centres and reflect 88% of boxes. Tallaght South had the highest Yes vote in the country with 76.3% with the North Inner City (75.7%) coming second. Speaking to The
Gazette Hayes said: “There is no doubt that new voters played a key role, but older communities clearly voted Yes in large numbers. Much focus has been given to the excellent Yes vote in Pembroke, Rathgar and Rathmines, but credit is also due to Tallaght and the North Inner City for topping the poll. “What is remarkable about Dublin is that the Yes vote was so consistent. From a 76% in Tallaght South to 68% in Templeogue Terenure, just an eight-point spread. This compares to a spread of 26% points between Dublin South East at 75% and Roscommon South Leitrim at 49%. “I hope my analysis puts to bed any ageist discussion on who voted Yes and who voted No,” he said.
Clondalkin has lost eight gardai since 2010, new figures on Garda reductions across the country have shown. Picture: Declan Masterson
Garda cuts directly affect crime – Gilligan
SINCE the Government came to power in 2010, Clondalkin has lost a total of eight gardai with 31 being lost from Dublin Mid-West as a whole. The figures, which were obtained by Fianna Fail, show the reduction in Garda numbers in divisions across the country over the past five years. The data were released by the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald recently after five months of Parliamentary Questions from Fianna Fail’s justice spokesperson, Niall Collins. Clondalkin at present has 89 gardai compared
ian begley ibegley@dublingazette.com
to 97 in 2010; Lucan has 74 Gardai compared to 84; Ronanstown 88 from 93; and Rathcoole 21 from 29 during this five-year period. Clondalkin Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) believes these cuts have had a direct impact on crime levels in the community. He said: “If anywhere should be getting more Garda resources it
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should be the Clondalkin area. We have a huge crime rate and huge issues throughout the area and the fact that they’re cutting Gardai everywhere is a shame. “We’re being told that the economy is getting back on track and growing yet there are still these cuts happening everywhere. “The gardai are doing what they can with the resources they have, but some people aren’t reporting incidents to them because they feel that the resources aren’t there to help them address their concerns,” he said. C l l r G i n o K e n ny (PBP) also agreed that these cuts had a negative impact on the local c o m m u n i t y, s ay i n g : “Incrementally there is no doubt that this would have a detrimental effect
on policing in the constituency. “Like all public servants including the Garda the last five years have seen a raft of cuts to pay and conditions which there is no doubt had and is having an adverse effect on crime levels.” In response to the concerns of local representatives, Minister Fitzgerald said: “I am absolutely committed to reducing crime and supporting the work of An Garda Siochana. “This Government has worked to deliver economic recovery, and as a result we are able to deliver on the priority goal of investing in An Garda Siochana. “In September 2014 this Government reop e n e d Te m p l e m o r e Garda College to new recruits. The college had been closed by the
FF-led government in 2009 when they ceased recruitment of gardai. Since September funding has been allocated for recruitment of 550 new gardai. “Futhermore, between 2012 and 2014, Fine Gael invested €27.5m in new Garda vehicles marking a massive increase on the €4.8m provided for in budgets 2009-11. The latest 370 new Garda vehicles have begun coming on stream since the start of this year. “In addition, Government has allocated a further €700,000 in 2015 for the procurement of specialist vehicles to aid gardai in tackling highly-mobile criminal gangs. We will continue to invest in the purchase and replacement of vehicles to ensure gardai can be visible, flexible and responsive,” she said.
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN Gazette 3
awards
dispute: legislation in train to force company to engage in talks
Hairlough is the best in Dublin
Dunnes workers plan protest march Ian Begley
UP TO 200 Dunnes Stores staff at the Clondalkin Mill Centre who are members of Mandate trade union will participate in a major national demonstration in Dublin on June 6. The reasons for the march concern an ongoing dispute with the company over low-hour contracts, fair pay and job security. This follows a national day of strike action carried out by fellow trade union members at stores throughout the country on April 2. Siptu has members in five stores in the State and Mandate has members in 109 stores, representing around 70% of workers.
Speaking to The Gazette, communications officer for Mandate David Gibney said the strike was being taken due to the failure of Dunnes Stores to engage with staff, and because of acts of retribution against workers who supported the previous strike. He said a number of dismissals had occurred along with instances of workers being shifted to different departments and hours being radically changed. “Immediately after the strike, within 24 hours a number of workers were told they were being let go, and a number of other workers who had been working in one department for over 20 years were shifted to another
department which disrupted their rosters and schedules,” he said. A r o u n d 70 % o f Dunnes Stores workers are female, he added, and many of them have children. Gibney added that when a retail worker’s pattern of hours changes, it makes it difficult to access child minding services and disrupts their entire way of life. Both unions have met Junior Enterprise Minister Ged Nash to state the case of the Dunnes Stores workers and Minister Nash is currently drawing up legislation for collective bargaining which will effectively force Dunnes Stores to engage with staff, said Gibney.
Dig in: Students put final touches to their garden entry for Bloom festival pictured are Luke Rothwell, James Adare and Mateusz Wargala of Colinstown Park Community College, Clondalkin, putting the finishing touches to their garden design entry for Bloom 2015. With the help of Cuprinol Garden shades, the students created a hedge school, which explores the idea of outdoor education and how to incorporate horticulture into the school curriculum. Post Bloom, the hedge school will be re-planted to create an outdoor classroom at Colinstown Park Community College. Picture: Keith Arkins
OVER 350 people attended 98fm’s Best of Dublin Awards recently where a Clondalkin barber was honoured as Dublin’s best barbers/hairdressers. The radio station’s annual awards on May 27, in association with Costcutter, included 20 accolades for the city’s best hidden gems, people and businesses. Lenny Keith of Hairlough Barbers told The Gazette he was thrilled with the win and was grateful to his community who gave them the thumbs up. “The competition was down to the public vote and we were very fortunate that so many of our loyal customers voted for us.” For more on Hairlough Barbers and its family fun day on Sunday, June 14 see the Facebook page.
4 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 June 2015
tallaght ‘There is a great tradition of volunteering in our hospital’
Charity cycle will be a boost for stroke services Ian Begley
OVER 50 staff and Friends of Tallaght Hospital are taking to the road for a charity cycle for the hospital’s stroke services on June 5. This, the facility’s first charity cycle, will see participants
setting off from Tallaght to Ballymoney, Wexford, via the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. Each participant is fundraising ahead of the event. Tallaght was the first hospital in Ireland to have a dedicated stroke unit and it forms
part of its expert age-related care service. Each year, the stroke service provides treatment and rehabilitation supports for over 350 patients as well as support to their families. Tallaght’s chief executive David Slevin is participating
in the cycle and said: “There is a great tradition of volunteering in our hospital and this charity cycle is another example of it. “I want to thank all participants for their efforts in raising funds for our hospital.
“As well as raising money for our services, the participants are raising awareness of the vital care our stroke services provide for thousands of patients and their families.” Slevin added that the cycle was conceived as an annual fundraiser and the engage-
ment to date on the inaugural event would suggest it has a very strong future ahead. “I look forward to an enjoyable day for all the staff and Friends of Tallaght Hospital participating and let’s hope for good weather to help us along,” he said.
Council releases funding for community projects Ian Begley
SOUTH Dublin County Council launched its community initiative fund with funds of €170,000 for local projects. This initiative allows community groups to bid for funding for projects which is not available from other sources. It aims to fund or provide an opportunity for access by groups to funds for significant community and cultural / heritage enhancement or neighbourhood projects which they could not start or complete on their own. The Community Initiative Fund has been designed to be as flexible and
responsive as possible to the needs of the community and in formally launching the application process. Mayor of South Dublin Fintan Warfield said: “It was very important that applicants give as much information as possible on their application as [these] will be judged on their merits and on the evidence of strong community support. Grants from €1,000 to €50,000 will be available to support projects.” Applicants will be required to show they can provide some of their own funding and / or volunteerism for a project. For more information on how to apply, visit www.sdublincoco.ie.
Deputy Robert Dowds (Lab) argues that the charge should be phased out for low and middle-income workers first
levy: Voices of low-paid workers must be heard
Time for hated USC to be abolished Deputy Robert Dowds
TD for Dublin Mid-West
THE hated universal social charge (USC), legacy of the economic collapse, takes 7% of any annual income of €17,000 to €70,000, on top of income tax, PRSI and other contributions. The weekly USC deduction on their pay slip reminds workers of how they and their families are still paying for Fianna Fail collapsing the economy. N ow G ove r n m e n t finances are getting into reasonable shape, we must start phasing
out USC for low and middle income workers, eventually abolishing it for those on modest pay. The USC takes in about €4bn a year while Government spends €7bn more a year than it takes in, so this cannot be done at once. But removing it must be prioritised. We in the Labour P a r t y h ave s t a r t e d reducing the USC responsibly, star ting with the lowest paid. In our first year in Government, we took 330,000 of the lowest paid workers out of the USC net and have continued to
add to this. By the end of the year, 500,000 of Ireland’s lowest paid workers will pay no USC. We cut the lowest rate (on incomes up €12,012) from 2% to 1.5%, and the second lowest rate (€12,012 to €17,576) from 4% to 3.5% in the most recent Budget. Modest maybe, but it is the start of reducing the USC further. The USC should not be reduced or scrapped for higher earners – I have many reasons for believing this, not least of which is a troubling disparity
in income before taxation and social welfare payments are factored in. T he Government takes money from the richest and gives it to the poorest, bringing Ireland to roughly the EU average in terms of income equality after tax and welfare. The top 1% of earners pay over 20% of income tax in Ireland – not a figure I want to see fall. As Government is more able to roll back the burdens of the crash, the voice of the modestly paid worker must be heard first.
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN Gazette 5
grants Elderly and disabled homes to get improvements
Mixed welcome for housing funding Ian Begley
South Dublin County Council is in line for €4.4m to improve housing for the elderly and disabled people in the locality. The €4,383,88 grant will allow extensions to be built for people with a disability, and also housing adaptations to improve mobility, by funding items such as stair lifts and access ramps. Environment Minister Alan Kelly’s announcement on May 28 that the funds were part of a national housing investment package of €91m received a mixed wel-
come. Dublin West’s Deputy Eamonn Maloney (FG) said it would make a big difference to those in need of such revamps. He said: “I am delighted that the council is getting its fair share of the housing adaptations grants for the elderly and disabled in our local community. “Further funding is being provided towards local authority house adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of local tenants with a disability and to deal with overcrowding.” Maloney was equally pleased that 49 vacant local authority units in
south county Dublin would now be put back into productive use through an additional funding allocation. “One of my huge frustrations is seeing boarded up social housing not being used, so it’s important to see these vacant units come back on stream as quickly as possible. “I am also pleased that funding has been provided to South Dublin to help make local authority houses more energy efficient. “Not only will the homes be warmer and the energy bills lower but employment in local construction will
be increased and maintained into the future.” Clondalkin councillor Eoin O Broin told The Gazette that although the funds were welcome it was merely a “drop in the ocean” to meet the needs of the many local residents who applied for housing adaptation grants. He said: “We have a very long waiting list of people who have applied and are on the waiting list for adaptation grants. “This funding is a drop in the ocean. “Many of the people who need these grants suffer with very severe mobility issues or are
The €4,383,88 grant will help fund items such as stair lifts and access ramps
elderly individuals who depend on housing adaptations to help them live a normal life. “While the €4.3m is welcome, it’s nowhere near enough to meet the needs in the county. It
will go only a small way to meeting the needs of people who have already been assessed and are on the waiting list for adaptations to their properties.” Cllr O Broin added
that the council had no problem with housing people in vacant units, stating that South Dublin County Council had the fastest turnout of vacant units in the State.
6 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 June 2015
opinion Dublin is focal point of Irish and international rugby
Hosting World Cups would boost morale The double Rugby World Cup bids are vital for the continued economic recovery of Dublin brian hayes
IN December, the Government together with the Northern Irish Executive came together with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to launch Ireland’s official bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup on an all island basis. Earlier this year, the same three parties came together again to launch Ireland’s bid to host the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August 2017, and we were successful. In both bids, Dublin plays a central role. In terms of the 2017 bid, all group games to be held in University College Dublin before the knockout stages move North for the semi-finals at Queen’s University Belfast and the final at Ulster’s newly
redeveloped Kingspan stadium. In terms of the 2023 bids, 12 stadiums have been identified as likely venues for the tournament’s matches with Croke Park, the Aviva Stadium and the RDS all attracting games to Dublin. Indeed the key knock out games, including the final will be played in the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park. For many reasons, Dublin is a focal point, not just for Irish rugby, but for the game globally. The game’s governing body, World Rugby, formerly the International Rugby Board, has been based in Dublin since 1998. Both the Six Nations and the Pro 12 are run from Dublin, while the vast majority of operations for the Euro-
pean Champions Cup are also run out of Dublin as the predecessor to this, the ERC [Europen Rugby Cup], was based here. The IRFU’s bid teams for both tournaments h ave b e e n wo r k i n g strenuously over the past number of months to prepare the best possible bid for World Rugby’s executive to consider. Former International Hugo MacNeill is heading up the bid for the 2023 World Cup, while other former players such as Keith Wood and Brian O’Driscoll have weighed in to support. Both bids will require investment from the Government, including the redevelopment of the RDS to modernise it and increase its capacity. But beyond the stadiums, the Government has already invested heavily through sports capital grants in rugby clubs across the country that will play their part in the bid as training venues and team bases. Changing rooms, floodlights, gyms and artificial pitches will all be constructed in the immediate future. These will be of huge benefit to the bid process but will also be of long-term benefit to the sport of rugby in the wider community. At the moment, Ireland takes in about €50m every year in revenue from sports tourism. The 2023 World Cup alone could be worth up to €1bn in sports tourism revenue. This is not an
Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes outlines the advantages for Dublin in hosting both Rugby World Cup championships
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‘The 2023 World Cup will attract up to 350,000 visitors, most of whom will arrive via Dublin Airport’
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Brian Hayes MEP
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insignificant amount; the expectation is that the 2023 World Cup would attract up to 350,000 visitors, the vast majority of whom will arrive to Ireland via Dublin Airport. The 2023 event would have an accumulative television audience of over four billion people. The marketing potential from that alone would be worth the investment and
generate a huge number of first-time and repeat visitors subsequently to Ireland. Dublin Chamber of Commerce estimated that the two Six Nations matches held in Dublin during 2015 were worth €40m to the local economy. A study by RBS following the 2014 tournament estimated that the Six Nations gener-
ates 200 year-long jobs in Dublin and 400 jobs in Ireland. In the past decade international sporting events such as the Special Olympics World Games (2003), Volvo Ocean Race (2009 and 2012), Tall Ships Race (2005, 2011 and 2012) and most notably the Ryder Cup (2006) have been held in Ireland. We have a proud history of hosting major international sporting events with the Dublin Horse Show and Irish Open in golf being annual attractions. However, it is obvious that there is a limit to our potential. Ireland is not going to
host a football world cup and as my predecessor in the European Parliament, Gay Mitchell, found out when he was Lord Mayor of Dublin, Dublin will never host the Olympics either. However, the bid to host the 2017 and 2023 World Cups is rooted in realism. It would be a huge boost for Ireland in terms of morale and national pride but crucially it would be a massive economic shot in the arm, one that is set to benefit Dublin in particular. Brian Hayes is the Fine Gael MEP for Dublin
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN Gazette 7
don’sdublin GB Shaw: A giant of Irish literature and an ardent socialist GEORGE Bernard Shaw is one of the giants of Irish literature, and over a long life of 94 years he was a prodigious writer of plays, letters and an ardent socialist. He was born in 33 Synge Street on July 26, 1856, to George Shaw, a grain merchant, and Lucinda Gurly, a professional singer. He attended Wesley College and later a private school in Dalkey. Although he had a lifelong love of learning he disliked formal education, considering “schools and schoolmasters prisons and turnkeys”. Later, in 1895, he was a cofounder of the London School of Economics. He went to London in 1876 and joined his mother, who had moved there with her voice teacher George Vandeleur Lee four years earlier. Most of his early years there were spent in various libraries reading the works of great dramatists, and visiting theatres. His early novels were rejected by publishers, but he began to make a living by writing critical reviews for London magazines. In 1892, his first play Widowers’ Houses, a sharp attack on slum landlords, opened in the Royal Theatre on December 9. He considered it one of the worst plays he ever wrote, but by the mid-1890s he was one of the most popular and successful playwrights in London. Works like Mrs Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man and Candida drew critical reviews for their incisive commentaries on class-structure, morals and the prevailing social issues. This is often considered his greatest contribution to the dramatic art. In 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and in 1938 had the rare distinction of becoming the only person to also win an Academy Award for his work on the film, Pygmalion. In 1906 he moved to the small village of Ayot St Lawrence, north of London, and lived there for the rest of his life. The house is called Shaw’s Corner and his ashes, with those of his wife, Charlotte, were scattered along the footpaths and garden they loved.
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
George Bernard Shaw was born in this Dublin city centre house, 33 Synge Street, on July 26, 1856
Failte Ireland Strategy expected to boost tourism
Figures show an increase in visitors Ian Begley
THE council has welcomed the latest Failte Ireland figures which show an increase in visitor numbers to Dublin so far this year. It is expecting a high tourism boost through its ambitious five-year tourism strategy, launched last year.
The latest Central Statistics Office figures show the number of trips made to Ireland in the first three months of 2015 is steadily increasing. The statistics showed 1.53 million trips were made between January and March, up 14.1% (188,800) on the same period last year. Welcoming the figures,
south Dublin’s chief executive Daniel McLoughlin, said the local authority had been playing a key role in the promotion of tourism locally. He said: “The redevelopment of Rathfarnham Castle, scheduled to reopen in June, and planned initiatives in the form of a Dublin Mountains Visitor
Centre, the Clondalkin Round Tower Visitor Centre, the Dodder and Grand Canal Greenways and many other proposals will benefit local businesses and communities. “We’ve been working with Failte Ireland and our partners locally to promote south Dublin county as a tourism destination
and we are delighted that this seems to be paying off with an increase in visitors. We want to further increase visitor numbers and promote the identity of south Dublin county and its visitor attractions through participation in county, national and international tourism initiatives.”
8 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 June 2015
gazetteGALLERIES
Zeta Cunningham, David Norris and Claire Caulfield. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston
whistle-stop tour: fighting for equality for everyone
T
he Yes Equality Bus brought its nationwide tour to Liffey Valley recently to campaign for a YES vote in the recent Marriage Equality Referendum. The bus attracted a host of local politicians as well as Fine Gael Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald and Senator David Norris. Ava Keogh Rosa Thomas, Guia Macapaz and Sorcha Costello.
Jamie Kenny, David Norris and Andre Goyvaerts
Rachel McMahon
Anita Thomas
Claire Caulfield and David Norris
Amy Cawley
Frances Fitzgerald and Moninne Griffith
Orla Carey getting face painted by Sophie Davy
Kate Prokopcenko with author Debbie Thomas
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN Gazette 9
Raquel Costa and Julie Okunowo
Susie Amadasun and Keziah McKibbon
Weston Airpark: Debbie Thomas’s new book
Launch party is a tough act to follow W
eston Restaurant at Weston Airpark in Celbridge recently played host to the launch of Debbie Thomas’s new children’s book, Class Act. The event was well attended by families and featured facePictures: Cathy Weatherston
painting, clay bee-making, a treasure hunt and a special guest appearance by local beekeeper John Lennon of the North Kildare Beekeepers Association and his display hive of busy honeybees.
10 gazette 4 June 2015
gazetteGALLERY
Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins
Tom Vaughan Lawlor, Charlie Murphy, Mary Murray and Peter Coonan from Love/Hate arriving for the 2015 IFTA Film and Drama Awards at Sean Bean and Jim Sheridan
the Mansion House. Pictures: Patrick O’Leary
Glitzy awards honour the brightest and best
T
HE stars of Ireland’s film and theatre world were honoured in true Hollywood style recently at the Irish Film and Television Awards at the Mansion House. Veterans of the stage, screen and television set rubbed shoulders with some more recenet arrivals to our screens. Gay Byrne, Kathleen Watkins and Patrick Bergin were among those in attendance, as was Jim Sheridan, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award
Patrick Bergin
by Sean Bean. It was no surprise that Love/ Hate picked up a few gongs on the night. Moe Dunford took the leading actor award for her role in Patrick’s Day. Aidan Gillen took the gong for the leading male in the RTE dram, Charlie. Those who attended the event were very sad to learn that shortly after he had walked up the red carpet to attend the awards, RTE veteran broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy died suddenly.
Ciaran Hinds signing autographs
Sarah Greene
4 June 2015 Gazette 11
bloomsday P15
asdfsdaf exam time P27 P16
dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
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diary P12
what’son a festival of great music:
Jamie Martin: “We’d spend a good few hours rehearsing, maybe four or five.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE: Cry Monster Cry’s jamie martin on life in a band
Hitting the right notes Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
ONE OF Dublin’s most exciting bands on the circuit nowadays is folk-rock ensemble Cry Monster Cry. Ahead of numerous appearances lined up on TV, at festivals as well as their own shows throughout the summer, The Gazette spoke to Jamie Martin, one half of the fraternal duo that is the core of the band. Martin ran us through an average day in the life of a professional band member. “I normally get up at around 10am. Then I’d probably go over to my brother Richie in Rathmines and have a meeting about upcoming gigs and whatever that week entails, whether it involves
recording, radio and TV appearances or festivals. “At lunchtime, we’ll grab some food. A favourite place we like to go to is 250 Square in Rathmines because they do really great sandwiches and coffee. After that we go back to Richie’s house and will use it as a rehearsal space if we’re a two-piece or will go to a space in Glasnevin if it’s a rehearsal for the whole band. We’d spend a good few hours rehearsing, maybe four or five. “We start off by playing our instruments, I play the guitar and mandolin, and have a warm-up for about a half an hour. If a good song comes from that, we’ll stick with it. Then we’ll run through the full set list and see what sounds good. If we’re doing a festival,
we may have to cover songs to work on too.” The brothers have always had an interest in music. They attribute this to their early exposure to a wide range of musical genres thanks to their parents’ eclectic tastes. Summer holidays and long car journeys through the wilds of their mother’s home in Donegal were always accompanied by mixed tapes with Bob Dylan, The Everly Brothers, Van Morrison, Ray Charles and Simon and Garfunkel. It wasn’t long before the brothers began playing music themselves; experimenting with many instruments from the piano and violin to the guitar and mandolin before setting up the band in 2012.
Cry Monster Cry last headlined in Whelan’s and the band has another gig coming up there too in a few weeks which will be in aid of the homeless. Also coming up in October, is a gig in Temple Bar’s Button Factory. The band is also due to appear on RTE’s popular music show, The Imelda May Show, in early July. “When we’re rehearsing we won’t get a chance to eat dinner but will just grab a sandwich but if not rehearsing, we’ll cook something at Richie’s. We both like to cook and usually it will be something pasta-based or fajitas. When rehearsing, we finish late, maybe 11pm or midnight and then I’ll go straight home to bed. I’ll be too tired to do anything else except maybe read a book.”
Ireland’s longestrunning chamber music festival has been launched for 2015 with a programme featuring over 40 performers in ten unique venues over six days. KBC Great Music in Irish Houses will take place from June 9 to 14 with an array of Irish and international artists performing pieces from classical greats such as Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel and Reich. The festival will kick off at the Samuel Beckett Theatre at Trinity College with the criticallyacclaimed Colin Currie Group, who will perform scores from Reich, including an Irish premiere, Reich’s Quartet. The first of two “sister acts” of the Festival are Latvian siblings Baiba and Lauma Skride whose programme by Scandinavian composers, Sibelius and Nielsen, marks two further 150 birthday milestones this year, along with WB Yeats. The German Armida Quartett will perform works by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Stravinsky at Belvedere House on June 13. For more information on the full programme visit www. nch.ie.
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12 Gazette 4 June 2015
dublinlife
diary
Elsie McDermid’s show at the Gaiety Theatre was cancelled when the Rising started. She wrote letters home to her mother in England describing what she was witnessing on Dublin’s streets
Opera diva’s Rising letters LORD Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke revealed a rare eye-witness account of the 1916 Rising at the Mansion House last week. The Lord Mayor and City Librarian Margaret Hayes welcomed a 26-page letter by opera singer Elsie McDermid, of her impressions of the Rising while she was in Dublin. McDermid was booked to sing in a Gilbert and Sullivan show at the Gaiety Theatre but the show was cancelled when the Rising broke out on April 24, 1916. She wrote the 26-page letter home to her mother in England, dated April 25, in which she related, among other things, that digging trenches in St Stephen’s Green was going ahead and gives eye-witness accounts of the first casualties on the streets of Dublin. The letter was never published in historical accounts of the Rising. Colin McDermid, the singer’s nephew, gave
a copy to Dublin City Public Library and Archive and it will be included in the exhibition, Proclaiming the Republic.
Kenny passes audition for Radio Kerry role MICHAEL Healy-Rae is well known for bizarre outbursts and contributions in the Dail. His latest contribution to parliamentary proceedings was equally bizarre. During the orders of business, he all but demanded that Taoiseach Enda Kenny appear on Radio Kerry. He said Enda had “refused” to appear on one of the station’s shows, Kerry Today, making him the only party leader not to have done so. He also said the show’s presenter Jerry O’Sullivan had “been looking for you for a long time.” Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett told Healy-Rae he was out of order and the two proceeded to argue, using the
formula familiar to the Punch and Judy theatre that the Dail has become, until Enda weighed in saying he would be delighted to appear on the show. Don’t touch the dial.
Top world golfer is hosting A fundraiser THE annual Mary McKenna Golf Classic takes place on Friday, June 5, at Donabate Golf Club to raise funds for the Dyslexia Association of Ireland. Having raised more than €30,000 for the associatilon to date, this year’s competition, which is organised by world-renowned golfer Mary McKenna, is the largest ever with a target of 35 teams and the aim of raising €10,000. The golf classic and raffle features some great prizes including two f lights to Istanbul, which have been donated by Turkish Airlines.
Mar y McKenna called on all golfers across Dublin and surrounding counties to dust off their golf clubs and register for the event. All funds raised will be used to support the services of the dyslexia association, including assessment and tuition for people with dyslexia, and an information service. Teams of four people can enter at a cost of €200 per team. Places can be booked online at https://marymckennaclassic.eventbrite.ie or by calling 01 877 6001.
Write time to give tips to budding authors IF you are a budding new writer, hungry for more skills to allow you to make the most of your potential, don’t miss the BooksGoSocial Writers’ Conference in the Writer’s Centre, Parnell Square.
From June 26–28, the weekend of first-class training provides practical support and opportunities to meet, and get to know, fellow writers and other professionals within the industry. This unique event will bring like-minded writers together for chats and longlasting friendships as well as well as arming you with valuable knowledge of the constantly-changing digital market, not to mention important tools to help you write that masterpiece within you that’s just aching to be written. The conference is ideal for both fiction and nonfiction authors and will be hosted at the Irish Writers Centre in the heart of Dublin, the main writers centre in Ireland. Tickets are available from €90 and can be purchased at www.thebookpromoter. com
Strategy talk time at networking awards RENOWNED strategy and communications adviser Olwen Dawe, who has worked mainly in the area of economic development, will visit Dublin on June 26 for the annual Network Businesswoman of the Year Awards. The visit will be Dawe’s first to Dublin since she became president of Network Ireland, an organisation supporting women in business. T he Network Ireland Awards ceremony takes place in the Dylan Hotel on Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4, at 12.30pm. Network Ireland’s Dublin branch is hosting the awards and an annual summer lunch at the hotel. Early-bird tickets cost €49 for Network Ireland members and €69 for non-members and are available at www.eventbrite.ie/e/network-dublinbusinesswoman-of-the-yearsawards-tickets.
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Gazette
feature bloomsday: LIterary classic still able to surprise
Join the fun to celebrate Bloom’s Dublin city stroll bairbre ni bhraonain
JUNE 16 has become synonymous with Dublin, James Joyce and Ulysses. Bloomsday is a celebration of Ulysses’ main character, Leopold Bloom, on his tramp around Dublin on that date during the course of a normal day in his life in 1904. Bloomsday has become an institution in the social, cultural and literary life of Dublin. Each year more events are added to the celebra-
tions, which have outgrown the day itself and go on for a week, from June 9 to 16. Events to look forward to inclcude some wonderful guided tours recreating Bloom’s ramble around the capital taking in places like Sweeny’s Pharmacy in Lincoln Place, where he bought the famously redolent bar of lemon soap, and the Martello Tower in Sandycove, where the younger character Steven Dedalus (the young Joyce) shared lodgings
with his pal Buck Mulligan (based on Oliver St John Gogarty). Ulysses, the novel, makes such expansive use of Dublin that it is an ideal platform to show off the capital, revealing hidden areas unknown to even diehard Dubliners.
Characters The James Joyce Centre has organised plenty of events to recreate chapters from the novel, each of which is titled after characters and
events in Homer’s Iliad, which Joyce considered the finest story ever told. The centre’s Footsteps of Leopold Bloom tour on June 4 and 18 focuses on the Lestrygonians episode of Ulysses. Here, Bloom makes his way through the city centre from Middle Abbey Street to the National Library. During his walk, he gets hungry and this leads him to ponder hunger’s effect on historical and cultural events. On June 16, Bloomsday itself, the centre’s itiner-
Hats off to Leopold Bloom ... Bloomsday enthusiast Senator David Norris with James Joyce lookalike, john Shevlin. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography
ary gets off to an early start at 8am and a visit to the Martello Tower in Sandycove to relive the Telemachus scene where Dedalus describes the sea to Mulligan as “scrotumtightening”. From 10am to 11am, the Lotus-Eat-
ers scene where Bloom buys his bar of soap at Sweeny’s Chemist is recreated. Locations change on the hour to correspond to the relevant episodes being recreated, until the final scene at 2am.
Bloom returns home to 7 Eccles Street, where in the bedroom, his wife Molly recites her famous soliloquy. For more information on the festival, go to www.jamesjoyce.ie/ bloomsday
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dublinlife
Bulmers bubblin’ at the races ian begley
FOLLOWING last year’s success with 36,000 attendees, Bulmers Live at Leopardstown is kicking off again this month. Some of Ireland’s most critically acclaimed musicians will take the stage, as well as the iconic UK 1980s group, The Human League. Commencing on June 11, the gig series returns with a strong Irish card for June, July and early August. Opening proceedings on a special Friends of Dublin Football Day, local legend Paddy Casey (June 11) gets things under way. That show is followed by The Hot Sprockets (June 18), Delorentos (June 25), Hermitage Green (July 9), The High Kings (July 16), Damien
Dempsey (July 23), and The Stunning (August 6) take to the racecourse stage. Then, one of the biggest selling UK acts of the new wave synth-pop era, The Human League, is the final act to play live on August 13. As always, the performances will be preceded by a top-class card of horse racing, a wide selection of hospitality options from the Summer Bundle to the premium Pavilion Party, with hospitality options to suit both large and small groups. Over the season, Bulmers Live at Leopardstown is set to offer a fantastic night out for individuals, groups and friends, with a huge variety of on-site entertainment on offer for just €15. For more information visit www. leopardstown.com
feature tips for testing times: don’t worry, be prepared
Look after brain and body for best results ian begley
T H E L e av i n g C e r t and Junior Cert exams are just around the corner. These can be challenging and nervous times no matter how much preparation has been done. While there is no magic way to really learn what you need to know apart from putting in the hours revising, making sure you are on your best form to apply the knowledge learnt on exam day by putting worries to one side and embracing the exam knowing you have done all you can. Neil Shah of the Stress Management Society has some top tips on how to keep on top of the exam period, while remaining calm and focussed: Manage your study time: It is important to schedule your work. Draw up a balanced and realistic revision schedule and stick to it. Studying for long periods of time will not benefit you in the long term as
Exam time: It is important to manage study time and take regular breaks
human brains can only maintain concentration for 90 minutes at a time. Take regular breaks and schedule time to do the things you enjoy. Also, be aware of when you work best; some people prefer studying early in the morning and others prefer to stay up late.
Stop comparing yourself with others; adopt a revision technique that works for you. Everyone has a different approach to revision. Choose your own method and find the revision style that suits you. Examples
Some examples include revising alone in a quiet room; revising with a friend; going to the librar y; playing music in the background; or working on the computer. Manage your study space: Avoid technology, television or social media when you are studying. Keep your study room clean and clear to avoid distractions. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eat well and don’t skip any meals, especially breakfast. Good nutrition fuels your brain as well as your body. Also make sure you keep hydrated as your
brain can only function at its best when hydrated. When in a stressed state, our bodies are expecting a physical response – fight or flight. Engaging in physical activity such as short walks in the park, going to the gym or simply doing some stretching is the best way to burn off your stress and regain focus. Get support: If you are feeling stressed, allow yourself a break to spend some time with your relatives or your friends. Some social interaction will take your mind off revision for a while and give you a mental break. You can then go back to revision feeling re-energised and focused. If it all gets a little too much to handle why not take a moment out with Rescue Remedy, which is a blend of five Bach Flower Remedies especially beneficial when you find yourself in stressful exam situations.
4 June 2015 Gazette 15
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16 Gazette 4 June 2015
dublinlife
FEATURE
escape the mayhem: broadcaster andy kershaw
It takes some fishing to relax a workaholic Renowned broadcaster Andy Kershaw is currently touring Britain and Ireland performing his one-man show based on his acclaimed autobiography, No Off Switch, which tells of his time as a tour manager for the Rolling Stones, copresenting Live Aid, the Old Grey Whistle Test, touring with the Hells Angels, covering the Rwandan genocide as a war correspondent, and most
recently, presenting the BBC’s One Show. He will make his Dublin debut on Saturday, June 6, at the Abbey Tavern in Howth as part of the Howth Literary Festival. This week The Gazette spoke with Kershaw about what he likes to do to Escape the Mayhem of his fast-paced life and career. He said he was somewhat of a workaholic, as the title of his autobiography suggests, and he is
not happy when he is not working. There are only two activities that he can enjoy apart from working and these are fishing and attending motorcycle racing competitions. “I love going fishing, all kinds of fishing, but even there when I’m sitting beside a pond or a lake or in a boat at sea I’m busy thinking, plotting and planning because it’s a very contemplative activity. The only type of fishing I don’t do is fly fishing
with the floating line and all that splashing around,” he said. He went on to say that his favourite kinds of fishing are sea-fishing from a boat and general coarse fishing in rivers and lakes for perch and tench. He employs the catchand-release technique as opposed to bringing the fish home to eat. “I have fished all over the world. I have a fishing rod that will pack down very small and go
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Renowned broadcaster Andy Kershaw
in my rucksack for when I’m travelling. I like discovering waters that aren’t regularly fished or haven’t been fished for a long time. “I love going into the Pennines [mountains in Cumbria, England]. I’m always coming across these dams up in the
moors and wondering whether anybody has ever fished them. “Since childhood I’ve been a huge motorcycle racing fan, and I love going to watch the bikes, and I love coming to Ireland to watch them because of the real road racing [in Ireland].
He went on to say that he would like to take a fortnight’s holiday in Ireland soon and dedicate all of his time to fishing and motorcycle racing. You can catch Andy Kershaw performing his one-man show at the Abbey Tavern in Howth on, June 6.
4 June 2015 Gazette 17
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Pets clara could be your friend for life
The National Library of Ireland (NLI) will commemorate the 150th anniversary of poet William Butler Yeats’ birth with a month-long celebration of his life and works
National Library of Ireland: commemorating Ireland’s most celebrated poet
150 years of WB Yeats
Keith Bellew
On Wednesday, June 3, the National Library of Ireland (NLI) will commence its month-long commemoration of Ireland’s most celebrated poet, William Butler Yeats. 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of Yeats’ birth, and NLI has a packed programme of events to celebrate the life and work of the Nobel Prize winner. Events during the month will include lunchtime talks, lectures and a panel discussion; music and theatre performances; poetry readings; and public tours of the award-winning exhibition Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats. Speaking to The Gazette about
the highlights of the commemoration programme, head of outreach at the NLI, Katherine McSharry, said: “For me, one of the highlights is the Yeats birthday itself which is June 13, and the reason for that is it’s a day for anybody who is interested to come in to the National Library and enjoy listening to Yeats’ poetry, to hear some music, eat some of the Yeats’ cake and to really come in and enjoy the national library because that’s something Yeats did himself. Because he is somebody that spent a lot of time here, I think it’s lovely that we’re able to offer that opportunity to other people to really be a part of their national Library.” She went on to say that she thinks the annual Joseph Hassett Yeats Lec-
ture which will take place on Thursday, June 11, will be one of the biggest draws of the programme as this year’s lecture Players and Painted Stage: The Drama of Yeats’s Life will be given by Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford, Roy Foster. “He’s an amazing speaker, he’s also WB Yeats’ biographer so he knows the story of Yeats really intimately,” she said. The programme will not be limited to the exploration of Yeats’ poetry, as every aspect of his life and work will be looked at, from his plays, and his role in the foundation of the Abbey Theatre to his role as a Free State Senator, and his unrequited love for Maud Gonne.
“I think one of the most interesting about Yeats, unlike somebody like Joyce, is that he was so involved in so many different areas, so for that reason we have a short theatre piece which makes reference to the fact that Yeats wrote a lot for the theatre and was involved in the founding of the Abbey Theatre,” said McSharry. Another aspect of his life that will be explored is his fascination with the occult. There will be a number of interesting items on display including examples of some the automatic writing his wife Georgiana Hyde-Lees did, and various mystical tools that he made himself during the 1890s. For a full list of the programme of events visit www.nli.ie.
The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week this week is Clara, who’s a terrier of about three years old. Clara can be a little bit nervous of new people but once she gets to know you, you’ll have a friend for life. Clara loves her food and will do anything for some of her favorite treats, so she’ll definitely enjoy some positive reward based training with her new family. She also loves curling up in her duvets to go to sleep. Clara needs an adult only home with experience of dealing with nervous dogs. Her new family will be offered support from our Training and Behaviour Team here in the centre to help Clara settle. If you think you could offer Clara a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.
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BEAUTYbits
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Bioderma’s micellar solutions to hit Ireland
Aldi ladies canvas travel bag €11.99
TWO new products are launching on the Irish market this month, with Bioderma, leading French dermocosmetics brand and creator of the world’s first micellar solution, now available in Ireland in pharmacies nationwide from June. The brand has enjoyed phenomenal success thanks in part to the innovative cult beauty product, Sensibio H2O, which sells one bottle every three seconds worldwide. Bioderma will launch in Ireland with four ranges including: Sensibio – formulated for all sensitive, prone to rosacea and reactive skin types, Atoderm -
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and recommended by pharmacists worldwide, Bioderma has a unique approach of dermocosmetic skincare. By placing biology at the service of dermatology, Bioderma seeks to understand how skin reacts and in turn, how to protect and regenerate skin cells while treating a wide range of skin conditions. For more information about the brand, go to: www.bioderma.com
Get soft, silky skin with Nimue’s milk peptides ALSO new to the consumer is Nimue Skin Technology, which introduces the new Nimue Cleansing Milk enriched with moisturising milk peptides and Cermamide-3 which helps to maintain and stabilise the epidermal barrier of the skin leaving the skin feel soft and smooth to the touch. The new Cleansing Milk is a soap free creamy milk emulsion with a soft, smooth and delicate texture that gently and effectively removes make-up, pollutants and daily impurities, leaving the skin with a delicate smooth finish. Milk peptides and Ceramide-3 works to restore the skin’s natural equilibrium with the combination of three acids: lactic, glycolic and citric acid which all work together to gently remove dead skin cells, encouraging skin renewal. The soap free emulsion is based on a liquid delivery system which acts as a built in water reservoir within the emulsion to maintain moisturisation on the skin for up to five hours. All Nimue stockists can be found at www.nimue skin.com
Mint v e skin la lvet Brandy s ce-up pump nake €119
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20 Gazette 4 June 2015
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FastTravel Travel in Scandinavian style to enjoy Hong Kong’s treasures BETWEEN September 11 and October 24, you can fly from Dublin to Hong Kong, via Stockholm, for under €600 for return flights. You’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do in Hong Kong. The city exudes sophistication, with impressive skyscrapers, museums and galleries at every turn. Sample some delicious dim sum, pick up souvenirs at Ladies Market in Mong Kok or hike to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Scandinavian Airlines new luxury long-haul cabins feature fully flat beds in business class and top quality in-flight entertainment, allowing you the chance to fully relax from the moment you board. Book your flights with Scandinavian Airlines on www.flysas.ie.
Wi-fi fall on must-have list GLOBAL travellers’ desire for free wi-fi is still the number one amenity when choosing a hotel for both leisure and business stays, but this is slowly changing, according to the latest research from online accommodation booking service hotels. com Globally, complimentary wi-fi is the top factor in choosing a hotel for leisure stays (30%), as compared to 34% in 2013. Fifty per cent of global respondents said free wi-fi is their must-have when travelling for business, down from 56% two years ago. Free breakfast is once again the second musthave amenity for leisure travellers (21%) and third for business travellers (12%).
Soak up US sun and fun for all the family with June specials IT’S not too late to book a fun-filled getaway to the USA with American Holidays this summer. Soak up the sun and sights in sunny Orlando, Florida, in an adventure with your nearest and dearest. Orlando guarantees families adventures never to forget. Embrace your inner child at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, SeaWorld, Wet ‘n Wild, Legoland, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure to name a few. Spend seven nights at the International Palms Resort from €699pp, which includes return flights and accommodation. Based on two adults and two children sharing this offer is available only in June. To book and for more information visit www. americanholidays.com.
Nantes: Beautiful, strange and wonderful
Bemusement gives way to amazement in this small city dave phillips
There is one feeling that Nantes seems to invoke in Irish people, and that is mild bemusement. Tell someone that you’re headed off to France for the weekend and you’ll be met with a friendly smile and the inevitable question – whereabouts? Tell them Nantes and watch their brow closely; you should be able to see a crinkle forming. For the geographically oblivious (among whose ranks I am often at the forefront) Nantes is
Europe’s green capital; a little city that sits on the Loire River, about 50km from the Atlantic coast. Officially part of the Pays de la Loire region, it was historically the capital of Brittany and still retains a strong connection to the Breton language and Celtic culture. And while Anne of Brittany – who went on to become Queen of France – left a mark on her birthplace, perhaps the biggest cultural imprint comes from Nantes other eminent enfant: Jules Verne. Ve r n e ’ s n o v e l s
embraced a particularly Victorian lust for adventure and invention, and it seems that this outlook is still very much alive and well on the streets of Nantes. Take a walk through Nantes’ Bouffay district and you’ll find a hectic blend of markets, bars and restaurants crammed into the tight medieval hub. There’s a chaotic blend of the old and new, a butcher’s shop front along one of the streets sits unchanged for decades – boucherie spelled out with painstaking detail in
The Lilian Bourgeat, Batiment Aethica,- on the Ile de Nantes is another of the city’s amazing installations. Picture: Bernard Renoux
well-maintained tiny red mosaics, while above the mantel, white plaster busts of a cow and a sheep are adorned with pink neon wigs. “This is part of an art installation,” explains Chloe, our guide. She delivers this information politely despite it being the umpteenth time she has done so. It is a line that seems applicable to practically everything in Nantes, which feels like a university town that grew up and prospered, but never lost its idiosyncratic, artistic spirit. On the other side of town, new and strange buildings continue to spring to life from disused dockland shells. Nantes had relied on shipbuilding and trade for centuries, until the nearby Saint-Nazaire became the main port on the Loire. Much like in Dublin, recent years have seen an injection of massive investment and an overhaul of the old shipyards. But the overhaul has kept that keen creative spirit intact. Now you can find an architect’s office with a massive measur-
The Grand Elephant, above, and La P
ing tape unfurled around its gardens. It adds to the feel that the city is a giant playground, just waiting to be explored. Very little in Nantes is purely functional, huge attention is paid to the aesthetic value of things as well. Across the road from the architect’s office there’s an upmarket furniture store, but the building it is housed in is clad in lightweight aluminium shreds, and discreet outdoor speakers play an ongoing loop that blends birdsong and metallic melodies. It sounds beautiful, and as people cycle by nonchalantly on their way home from work, it becomes evident how normal it is for things to be extraordinary. “This
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TRAVEL TRAVEL
FastTravel The hills are alive with the sound of a good deal
Parade de Yodel and La Parc la Beaujoire, below, illustrate how the old and new rub shoulders in this green city. Pictures: Jean-Dominique/Billaud/LVAN and Martin Argyroglo/LVAN
is part of an art installation.” The mantra repeated, we continue on. Across the river at the incredible Parc de Chantiers, the originality of Jules Verne’s vision is fully realised through a huge three-storey steam-punk carousel that allows you ride on lobsters, whales and other underwater beasties using antiquated joysticks and switches to make claws grab, tails swish and eyes spin as you whizz around. Les Machines De L’Ile Nantes is a collection of incredible machines that has to be seen to be believed. Le Grand Elephant is 45 tonnes of wood and steel that can carry 50 passengers on its back – at 40-foot high the
view from the top may be impressive, but the view from the bottom, watching the giant feet move, and eyelashes blink as water gushes from the trunk, is far better. Getting to see all the cultural highlights of Nantes is very simple. A 10-mile trail is marked out across the city that will take you from historic chateau x and churches, to pop up bars and restaurants along the Loire, and across the river, where the little clustered fishing houses with communal backyards has become one of the most popular spots to live in Nantes. It is not only marked out on the map you can pick up at the tourist office, but literally
marked out as a painted green line that stretches all across the city. There is a wholesome sense of relaxation that comes from walking Le Voyage a Nantes, knowing that if your eye is caught by an interesting cafe or gallery, you can explore away, safe in the knowledge that you will easily find your way back onto the green line. Like any bustling city, there are plenty of options for accommodation, including some that embrace Nantes quirkiness. The four star Okko Hotel forgoes the usual bar and restaurant set up in favour of a communal living room, where guests can eat together. You won’t be disappointed
by the cuisine in Nantes but really this is a place where culture is at the helm. Nantes is a beautiful, strange and wonderful little city to explore. You may arrive in Nantes bemused, but you’ll return amazed.
Aer Lingus fly three times weekly from Dublin to Nantes; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flights operate to September 12, 2015. Fares start from €59.99 oneway, including taxes. For more information on fares and schedules visit
aerlingus.com
TO mark the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music, Crystal Summer is offering holidaymakers in Austria a fantastic free Salzburg day trip and €50 off per holiday booking. Book a holiday to either St Wolfgang, St Gilgen or Fuschl am See, travelling from now to the end of September 2015, and take advantage of this fantastic offer. As the most successful film musical in history, The Sound of Music has captivated audiences for decades. The tour takes you to all of the film’s most memorable locations, including the Benedictine Convent and Leopoldskron Palace, where the legendary Do-Re-Mi was performed by Maria and the von Trapp children. Spend seven nights at the threestar Hotel Leifer in St Wolfgang from only €699pp from June 24. To book your holiday visit www. crystalsummer.ie
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June 4, 2015 Gazette 23
OUT&ABOUT
CINEMA
man up: smart script, sharp direction
The highs and lows of the mistaken identity date dave phillips
THE humble romantic comedy is a commodity that is increasingly thin on the ground. The past decade has seen a dearth of traditional rom-coms, you know the kind with two people meeting and overcoming a few stumbling blocks before settling down to eternal bliss. They really don’t make them like they used to, and arguably for good reason. There is only so much you can wring
from the nuts and bolts of fantastical romantic relationships before the audience get a sense that they have seen it all before, hence the need to subvert the genre, or fall back on gross-out humour, or God forbid, add zombies. But Man Up, the latest film from Inbetweeners’ director Ben Palmer doesn’t do this, instead it marks a return to that old-school, very British style of rom-com, relying for the most part on the classical cutesy chemis-
try between Jack (Simon Pegg) and Nancy (Lake Bell), and occasionally propping that up with a bit of crass humour. The set-up is simple: Nancy is single in her thirties, and desperately maudlin at the prospects of a life alone (we must deign to the Hollywood logic). After yet another matchmaking evening turns into awkward disaster, a hungover Nancy has a copy of a poppsychology bestseller Six Billion People and You foisted on her by a
well-meaning stranger on the train, who thinks that Nancy could use the book to develop a more positive outlook in life. Meanwhile Jack is divorced and forty and similarly miserable, waiting in Waterloo Station to meet a blind date set up. His cue to recognise her is that she will be waiting under the clock and carrying a copy of Six Billion People and You. Set over the course of a day, Man Up follows the highs and lows of the mistaken identity date
Simon Pegg and Lake Bell put in solid performances
– but what is refreshing is that the date seems relatively real. There is a beer on the South Bank, and there is bowling, and there are some tequila shots. The mundanity of it is charming, and of course things are kept interesting as Nancy is kept on her toes - she must now answer to the name Jessica, be a decade
younger, and compete in triathlons. Lake Bell steals the show as Nancy, comfortable with the awkward and bumbling style of dialogue that makes Man Up shine. Pegg also puts in a solid performance; Jack may not immediately be likeable – he’s egotistical, jealous, and cocky – but as the story develops we
start to see some of what has brought him to that space. Man Up proves to be just as mixed up and temperamental as its characters. We never stray from the well-beaten narrative path of true love. But buy into the myth for an evening and you’ll be sufficiently entertained. Verdict: 6/10
S u p p o r t l o c a l b u s i n e ss
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MUSIC
SIMPLY RED: BIG LOVE
Happy to accept being blue-eyed soulsters – Mick COLM MURRAY
MICK Hucknall says the love of his wife and daughter inspired him to write the first Simply Red album in eight years. The band this week announced they will r e l e a s e t h e i r 11 t h album, Big Love (East West/Universal) in June to coincide with their 30th anniversary year. Of the album, Hucknall said: “I hadn’t intended to do anything, and it was my manager who said it was going to be our 30th anniversary and I agreed to do a tour.” It’s not so long ago that Simply Red had embarked on a “farewell tour” back in 2010, so in essence they have “un-retired”. Around that period, there was the obligato-
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‘It’s not so long ago that Simply Red had embarked on a “farewell tour”, so in essence they have un-retired’ ------------------------
ry Greatest Hits packages – two, in fact, and Mick Hucknall’s tribute to Bobby Bland. On the new album, highlights include the celebratory first single, Shine On, driven by their trademark blueeyed soul sound, and The Ghost Of Love, a big soul song punctuated by wah-wah guitar and the kind of bold orchestral strokes that once powered Barry White and his Love
Unlimited. The break has done Hucknall a power of good; newly refreshed, he now has a much clearer appreciation of Simply Red’s considerable legacy. He says that the b a n d ’s l a s t s t u d i o album, 2007’s Stay, was an attempt to pull away from their sound. “With Stay, I was running away from Simply Red, but now I’m comfortable with the notion of us as a blue-eyed soul group. I had to stop myself fighting that idea. “Our sound is original too. I honestly don’t know of another band that has pulled so many musical strands together,” he said. Their tour hits Dublin on December 1. Key tracks: Shine On, The Ghost of Love
Earl Sweatshirt (right) went down a treat with the Forbidden Fruit audience. Picture: James Martin
KILMAINHAM: THOUSANDS PARTY
Bank Holiday festival bears plenty of fruit
LAST weekend signalled the arrival of the summer festival season kicking off in earnest with the uber hip Forbidden Fruit festival within the splendid surrounding of the Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Now in its fifth year, the festival (reflecting its urban location) has evolved into a more urban /dance line up. Nowadays performers have less to transport in the way of instruments and backline. And the sole requirements for this year’s headliners – Fatboy Slim, Wu Tang Clan and Richie Hawtin – barely consisted of a few mics, mixers and a couple laptops to wow the masses. Friday evening was an easing-in process with punters getting into the spirit of things with a
truncated line up and just the original stage and undergrowth stage with full line up in the form of DJs Nicolas Jaar and Mark Knight warming up for the main man, Fatboy Slim. Always one to play to the crowd, he didn’t disappoint and crammed as many of his 90s hit and remixes into a 90-minute festival friendly set. The comedy stage on Saturday and Sunday hosted some of Ireland’s top talent. This included Fred Cooke, Pat McDonnell and David McSavage. Damian Lazarus and the Ancients Moons provided an uplifting take on house to a rammed tent while over on the lighthouse stage Mount Kimbie shook things up. The original stage had its bass speakers pushed
to the limit with hip hop the order of the evening. Earl Sweatshirt kept it downbeat before Joey Bada$$ lifted proceedings with a mix of old and new dating back to the nineties. Even the absence of RZA failed to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm as the Wu Tang Clan gave ’em what they came for. Sunday was all about the four-to-the-floor and house music with the main stage and tents peppered with good time DJs and collectives. Representatives Sleep Thieves did themselves proud with a production to match their dense, deep mood over at the live live stage. Booka Shade’s hotly anticipated live appearance didn’t disappoint either. Gorgon City followed and by now it was a race against time to fit as much
as possible before the curfew crept in. A quick dart to the live live stage to lively local collective the Greedy Pig dj’ and the busy undergrowth stage to check out a mix of breaks, acid and house expertly delivered by Maya Jane Coles and then the much anticipated Hamburg resident, Cyril Hahn, followed. Shame the same couldn’t be said of pin-up Hot Since 82, as he fluffed his lines at least twice early in his set. Benefiting from the full production it should have been easy for Richie Hawtin to deliver yet seemed to be unaware of his 90-minute set time. The chugging under tune kept ticking along for 45 minutes or so with only a drop here and there to lift the masses from their shuffle.
4 June 2015 gazette 25
pond: challenges lazy expectations
Fused
A work of high art following no rules
bairbre ni bhraonain
WHAT can I say about Pond? It is difficult to quantify the unquantifiable. This is a novel in its own sphere, following no decent rules of literary device or plot in its radicalism. The heroine speaks to us from her mind and we are privy to her gumble of thoughts and snatches of memory, never really knowing w h e r e we s t a n d o r exactly what is going on at times. Claire-Louise Bennett is an experimental artist in the tradition of Aldous Huxley with loud echoes of Beckett and Joyce. The unnamed character drifts from one mood or thought to another with no discernible purpose apart from the immediate apprehension of her existence. That should be enough, perhaps, and this is what is being explored by Bennett. Pond challenges us and our lazy, conservative expectations, as all good literature should
but seldom does. Pond, as an absolute good, is most challenging about what literature is. What is demonstrated through this novel is that literature, once in the steady hand of an artist fully in charge of --------------------------
‘Whereas Beckett’s tramps find engagement through dialogue with others, the unnamed woman in this novel does not’
---------------------------------------
her medium, can feed on any single thing, or on nothing at all. The unnamed woman in Pond is utterly selfpossessed, self-obsessed and lives a solitary life. In this way she reminds me of Beckett’s lonely tramps, but whereas Beckett’s characters do find engage-
ment via dialogue with others, the unnamed woman does not. Instead, she sometimes tells us of conversations held in the past with various itinerant lovers or her landlady. Other than this, she is quite alone. Her memory is often very sketchy too, and her priorities are odd. In one excerpt, she struggles to remember an incident and is unsure of every detail except that she is positive she was wearing a hat. In another chapter, she relates a time when a rat catcher came to her cottage. She is knocked offkilter by his presence to such an extent that she does not know how she takes her tea; so she takes it the same way the rat catcher does. She also has a problem with physical perspective, often repeating: “When I am alone it’s very hard for me to gauge distance.” T his is followed through into temporal distance as she finds it hard to remember the past and resents
Gazette
ARTS
Israel Galvan. Picture: Luis Castilla
Dancer who redefines Flamenco tradition bairbre ni bhraonain
Pond is a work of high art in the steady hand of an artist fully in charge of her medium
any form of “enforced remembrance”. Not only do we question the character’s sanity but also, as a reader, it is impossible not to try to psychoanalyse her. The book is a goldmine for interpretation. T here is so much humanity in it that it is difficult to confine criticism to any broad themes. Bennett is a magnificent writer, and the connections she makes are highly individual and always poetic. One example is her description of her cottage demolition, seen from the side of a hill. She recalls the resulting carnage as being like a “glazed and gangly calf wrenched sideways out its mother’s dazed and quaking backside”.
Claire-Louise Bennett is an experimental artist in the tradition of Aldous Huxley with echoes of Joyce
The character is charming at times and has a real innocence about her. Her engagement with her surroundings is absolute, she gives her all to it and it is impossible not to agree with everything she says. Bennett’s powers of description are simply
unparalleled and a joy to read. Even her search for a knob for her old cooker becomes a riveting quest. What can I say about Pond? It is a work of high art. Pond, published by The Stinging Fly Press, is available in bookshops for €12.99
ONE of the highlights of this year’s Dublin Dance Festival, which finished on May 30, was Israel Galvan, arguably the best Flamenco dancer on the planet. His El Edad de Oro (The Golden Age) performance at the Abbey Theatre, was full of unexpected invention and great fire. Galvan commands a stage with enormous prowess and magnetism, and the audience was putty in his hands. Although he is nontraditional, his form of Flamenco is highly artistic and authentic. He uses, not only his lightening feet in his performance, but also his arms and body to create, at times, a single undulating movement. He also uses stillness to great effect, filling the gaps between action and quietness with great tension, making the audience wait for what will come next. Galvan also claps to accompany his dance, merging sound and movement to perfection. It is no wonder he is renowned for his cutting edge innovation, which embellishes the tradition of Flamenco he has inherited.
26 clondalkin gazette 4 June 2015
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planning Notice SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
John Mansell & Lisa Hanbury are applying for Permission for development for 1. A single storey stepped flat roof extension to the rear of existing dwelling to consist of a lounge & kitchen. 2. Conversion of existing garage to TV room, with a new front window to be implemented. 3. Construction of a new entrance porch, with low level cills & a tiled apex roof over. 4 Modifications to the front roof of dwelling to include the removal of 2no. existing dormer windows to be replaced with, 1no. dormer and 1no. ridge window. All drainage structural and associated site works to be implemented at 46 Monastery Walk, Clondalkin, D22. This application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of South Dublin County Council during its public opening hours of 9am – 4pm, Mon-Fri, and a submission or observation may be made to South Dublin County Council in writing and on payment of the prescribed fee (₏20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by South Dublin County Council of the application. 24074
planning Notice planning Notice SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Deborah Begley is applying for Permission for dwelling, access via right of way on existing driveway, connection to existing services and associated works at no49 New road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. This application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of South Dublin County Council during its public opening hours of 9am – 4pm, Mon-Fri, and a submission or observation may be made to South Dublin County Council in writing and on payment of the prescribed fee (₏20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by South Dublin County Council of the application. 24075
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Paul & Orla Jackson hereby apply to South Dublin County Council for planning permission to construct a first floor extension to the existing dwelling, and all associated site works, at 74 Alpine Heights, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. This application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of South Dublin County Council during its public opening hours of 9am – 4pm, MonFri, and a submission or observation may be made to South Dublin County Council in writing and on payment of the prescribed fee (₏20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by South Dublin County Council of the application.Signed: Mark Kelly, w w w.mkelly.ie. 24076
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 27
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Gazette
28 Gazette 4 June 2015
SPORT
FastSport First ever table cricket tie in dublin: CRICKET Leinster held a hugely successful first ever Table Cricket match in the province with St Michael’s, Belcamp Lane in Coolock taking on their counterparts from Ballybough. Both teams have had approximately eight training sessions in the game designed for people with severe physical or learning disabilities. Coolock won the toss and opted to bat first. They put up a good total of 282 but it wasn’t enough as Ballybough replied with 290, edging a victory by eight runs. Lynn Conroy, one of the players, said of the new sport: “The training was very interesting and I enjoyed the tournament. I got to make new friends and to engage with the Leinster coaches again. I’d love to keep playing this game.” The sport is supported by Dublin City Council and The Lords Taverners.
cricket: D’Arcy and morrissey inspire big senior cup fight back
Big stand sees Tarf through sport@dublingazette.com
CLONTARF ran up a remarkable victory over Leinster in the opening round of the Leinster Senior Cup as they recovered from a seemingly down and out position
to stun their Rathmines opponents. Struggling at 84 for six, chasing Leinster’s first innings of 200, Adrian D’Arcy and Joe Morrissey put together a century stand that set up a great win.
Clontarf are safely through to the second round
D’Arcy carried his bat for 114 and led Tarf to the win. In the first innings, Leinster also had to recover from the loss of early wickets – Queenslander Mick Granger removed five of the top order in a devastating spell of five for 24 – as they dropped to 15 for four. But JP O’Dwyer clipped 58 and Ritchie provided 93 not out to launch them to a century partnership and a respectable total. But Tarf rallied after their similar early travails to land the victory and their place in the second round. In Phoenix Park, the hostes looked to have laid the foundations for a win with a massive first innings total of
Clontarf’s Mick Granger picked up five wickets. Picture: Deryck Vincent
327 for seven with runs from Sam Anderson (91), Alistair Taylor (79) and Masud Ahmed (76). But YMCA kept their composure throughout their innings and maintained a steady pace, keeping wickets in hand and never letting the run rate get out of hand. A win by eight wickets sounds comfortable enough but a couple of wickets at any stage could have turned the match on its head. As it transpired, YM planned it perfectly and secured the win in the gloom in the 59th over. There were two centuries in the innings Jack Tector [107] and Simmi Singh [125*]. Milverton saw another tense match with fluctu-
ating fortunes. Pembroke batted first and lost early wickets but a century stand between Jono Cook (70) and Lorcan Tucker (50) saw them post a competitive 249/9 in the 60 overs. Although The Hills reached 100 for two i n ve r y g o o d t i m e and looked comfortable, wickets fell steadily thereafter and when the 7th wicket went down at 167 Pembroke were well on top. But Tomas Murphy led a fightback and at 198 for seven with plenty of overs remaining, The Hills looked like they were back in with a chance. But three wickets for four runs from Jack Balbirnie, introduced late in the innings, finished off the
match. Although North County could be said to have never really lost control of their match against, Balbriggan they were made to fight all the way. Balbriggan were another team to lose early wickets and Mooney and Harper out with only four runs on the board. Balbriggan made something of a recovery from their disastrous start but the final total of 135 never looked like being enough. North County also lost a couple of early wickets but at 89 for the loss of only two wickets the game seemed in the bag. But six more wickets were to fall before North County were finally able to get over the line.
Five Dublin-based players in China-bound selection sport@dublingazette.com
UCD Marian’s Conor Meany is among the players named in the 12-man selection.
UCD Marian Conor Meany and Dan James along with Templeogue’s Conor Grace and Jason Killeen and DCU’s Martins Provisors have all been named in a 12-man Premier League selection by coach Colin O’Reilly to compete at basketball’s SinoEuropean Championships in China in July. The C&S UCC Demons Player-Coach is also available for selection for the trip to Jiansgu province while four other players from the undefeated treble
champions are also included while Neptune’s Roy Downey completes a Cork sextet. Killeen and Grace are some of the only players in the squad with professional basketball experience. Twenty-three players were named on the initial panel. “It took us five weeks, three training weekends and three games to finally come to agreement around the selection,” said O’Reilly of the selection. “As always, when you bring the best talent in the country together, it’s hard to really
decide between one player and the others within that sample size but we feel we have picked a balanced squad with one eye on the present and one on the future. “Our goal now is to turn a selection of players into a cohesive unit with everyone on the same page trying to better the team. “From the five weeks working with this group I feel this is very achievable before heading to China. “The commitment shown by each player has been sensational
and their improvements are very evident even at this early stage.” O’Reilly added that the side will look to create its own character in the coming weeks. “We are trying to establish a player driven culture of improvement, while implementing a style of play that’s fun and also rewarding for guys. “Over the next few weeks we will run individual sessions in Dublin and Cork to build on the foundations put in place so far while continuing to build momentum towards the competitive action in July.”
4 June 2015 Gazette 29
Gazette
Blind golf a perfect fit for brilliant Brill Despite suffering from Usher syndrome, Carol Brill is enjoying a new sporting lease of life; she tells JAMES HENDICOTT about playing golf internationally despite having less then 3% vision CAROL Brill, who suffers from a rare eyesight and hearing-affecting genetic disorder, Usher syndrome, is set to be the first Irish woman to compete in the Italian Blind Golf Open in Milan this coming October. Dundrum’s Brill is an active campaigner on issues surrounding Usher syndrome, having recently spoken to the Oireachtas about the debilitating genetic problem. Usher syndrome causes progressive damage to both eyesight and hearing. The rare condition is passed through recessive genes, and affects approximately one in 20,000 people. Astonishingly, Brill first picked up a golf club early in 2015. Her visual problems kicked in at the age of ten, but have slowly worsened ever since,
leaving just a 3% visual window - through which she has perfect vision directly in front of her. Somewhat surprisingly, golf is well-adapted to blindness, in that changes to the practical rules are relatively insignificant. Besides a few minor tweaks, the only rule changes are based around the participants reliance on a well-established guide for information on the distance and direction of the hole, as well as assistance in lining up shots. While simple in theory, though, the game is clearly a massive challenge in practise. Brill also sees it as “a chance to get out of my own head. “I can see the golf ball, but that’s it, I don’t see anything else around the golf ball”, Brill explains, “but I don’t feel the limi-
tations of my condition. I just focus on the ball and hit it. I might miss it a few times, but I hit it. “I’m so busy, even though I’m classified unemployed”, Brill tells GazetteSport “because I’m always campaigning around deaf and blindness. I just want to make life better for people who are losing communication and mobility. “We see and hear the world, and to lose both of those senses is a massive, massive challenge. “For the Milan Open, only three classifications can play, B1, B2 and B3. I’m classified as B3. B1 is completely blind, while I’m B3, because I have very limited 20-20 vision,” Brill explains. “My coach Gary has nicely demonstrated that it’s possible to hit the ball without seeing
Carol Brill is campaigning for more awareness of people with sight and hearing issues.
at all, by putting stickers on his classes. Of course, I worry about the day I really can’t see the ball, but he does it without a problem. “I had to give up my tennis, so its really encouraging to know I’m not going to lose this. You lose parts of your life
course. Leopardstown Golf Course have been great, too. It’s so encouraging to have people so interested in helping you.” “Carol’s a very determined woman”, Cullen said. “When she puts her mind to something she just goes and does it.
--------------------------------------------------------
‘I don’t feel the limitations of my condition. I just focus on the ball; I might miss a few times but I hit it!’ - Carol Brill --------------------------------------------------------
altogether. I’ve lost driving, too, for example. A lot of this is about finding ways to make up for those losses. “I try to be positive all the time. Of course, there are days I get down, otherwise I wouldn’t be human. I just don’t allow myself to stay there, I keep picking myself up.” Coach Gary Cullen, a former Irish international golfer now working with American Golf, talks passionately of Brill’s progress, after meeting her through a contest on Twitter. The meeting came about through “complete chance, after professional lessons came up for grabs,” Brill says. “They’ve been so supportive, letting me use their driving nets when there are no customers, and helping me on the
She’s just completed her first 18 holes, which went really well for only four months’ training. “She had a few blow outs, but it’s seriously different to your everyday golf, and I’m learning while I do it as well. “We use a lot of numbers, and adjust Carol’s stance to help her measure how hard to hit the ball.” Cullen’s admiration of Brill is unquestioning, though, and he had little hesitation in agreeing to guide her around the Milan course. “She’s extremely inspirational; she’s done a huge amount of work on many different things. I think for her it’s a nice bit of head space”, Cullen says. “She’s a brilliant woman. She doesn’t let the world stop her.”
FastSport
Dun Laoghaire’s Doyle stars in billiards finals DUN Laoghaire’s Wayne Doyle won both the long format and 150-up championships last week at the Irish Billiards Championship as he got the better of Aidan Murray from Wicklow. It was a highlight of the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association season as they held their biggest ever championship finals weekend with 14 national snooker and billiard champions were crowned in the Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow. Doyle also reached the quarter-finals of the World Billiards European Open earlier in the week and is fast emerging as one of the top young billiard players in the world. Aonghus McAnally, also from Dublin, won the intermediate billiards long format championship when he beat Robert McCrum but it was McCrum who came back to win the Intermediate 150-up Championship when he beat Brendan Devlin from Celbridge SC in the final. Colm Gilcresest, another Celbridge SC member, retained his master snooker championship with a dramatic five frames to four victory over John Farrell from Terry Rogers SC in Dublin. Andrew Doherty from Terenure became the first Dubliner to win a RIBSA Junior National Championship since 2006 when he beat Adam Fitzgerald from Youghal CYMS 4-1. Fitzgerald bounced straight back after losing the U-19 final to win the Under-21 Championship and qualify for the IBSF World Under 21 Championship later this year when he beat his club mate Noel Landers 4-3. The match was tied at 3-3 when Landers called a foul on himself that no one else saw it and that let in Fitzgerald to get back into the frame which he won to claim the title. Michelle Sherwin from Q’s SC Dublin, continued her domination of the ladies game in Ireland when she won her 11th Irish ladies championship with a 4-0 victory over Irish number two Claire Mill. Brendan O Donoghue from the New Institute snooker club in Nenagh won the title for the second time in his career when he beat Robert Murphy from the QClub Wicklow 7-2 in a high quality final.
Gazette
30 CLONDALKIN gazette 4 June 2015
SPORT
fastSport
soccer: greenogue club promoted but denied title
Clondalkin win FAI/ETB Bobby Smith Cup title FAI/ETB Clondalkin claimed the Bobby Smith over their Limerick counterparts under the watchful eye of Ireland under-21 manager Noel King, winning 2-0 in Tallaght. The two sides were formed from participants in FETAC level five programs that fused education and soccer in sport, recreation and exercises courses. Early exchanges were even, with both sides struggling to find their rhythm. With 10 minutes played the game settled and Limerick looked the more likely to score. James Cussen, in particular, found space between the Clondalkin midfield. Clondalkin held out, though, and their pair of Warren Kershaw and Craig Hanlon soon began to win the battle in midfield, bringing playmaker Adrian Rafferty into the game. With 25 minutes gone the deadlock was broken. Rafferty played a good pass wide to Longford Town’s Jamie Mulhall; his excellent low cross was met by Bobinel Mazono of Cabinteely FC, who gave Clondalkin a 1-0 lead. Clon were now firmly on top and pushed for a second. Mulhall and Daniel Farrell were causing real concerns with their pace while Limericklooked increasingly dangerous on the break. From one such instance, they burst forward at pace. Cussen found himself 25 yards from goal and he played a superb pass through for Ryan Gilmartin but Michael Quinn in the Clondalkin goal did brilliantly to close the angle and made a great save to deny Gilmartin the equaliser. Shortly afterwards, and with almost the last move of the first half, Clondalkin won a penalty. Warren Kershaw won the ball in midfield and drove straight at the Limerick defence, only to be dragged down by Ryan Earls, giving the referee no option. Mazono stepped up, only to see his penalty well saved. The Limerick front two of Jamie Bromell and Gilmartin looked dangerous, and it took some strong defending from Clondalkin to keep their lead intact. As Limerick pushed, however, they were caught on the break, and Clondalkin took advantage to make it 2-0. Rafferty slid the ball through for substitute Lee McNeill, whose run and low cross found Rafferty in return. He steered the ball home.
The Peamount United Under-15 side that earned promotion for a second successive season
Peas frustrated by playoff row james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com
CONTROVERSY has marred Peamount United Under-15’s second successive promotion through the DDSL leagues. A disputed abandoned match led to a threeway playoff at the top of the league being used to decide the fate of the title but Peamount intend to boycott that series. The issue dates back to a game with co-leaders St Paul’s Artane, after a delayed kick off between the sides led to Paul’s refusing to play. They
were later awarded the points. “They were given a walkover despite the game only running about half an hour late,” Peamount United manager Gavin Earley told GazetteSport. “We were told it would be reviewed at the end of the season. We were willing to play, as was the referee, so we don’t understand why they’ve been awarded the points.” Earley has indicated his side will likely refuse to participate in the playoff series, and simply take their promotion and third place. He’s particularly
annual golf day Clondalkin to host big fundraiser in August clondalkin will host their annual fundrais-
ing golf day on Friday, August 14 in Beechpark Golf Club in Rathcoole to aid with the club’s recently launched development plan. There are sponsorship packages ranging from €100 to €500 while individual players can take part in the day for €75. Tee times are available from 1pm to 4:30pm Golfers and sponsors interested in being associated with this event can contact Tim O’Connor on 087 2897667 (ocontim@ yahoo.ie).
incensed that the first game between St Paul’s and the other top side St Joseph’s Boys was played without his knowledge. “We should have a game against St Paul’s from which we’d need a draw to win the title,” Earley argues. “We didn’t even know there would be a playoff until we heard that the first game had been played. We’ve heard it’s because one of the other sides will lose players to the Gaeltacht shortly afterwards. There should be an open draw.” Nonetheless, the side have kept busy of late,
recently played English touring side Biggleswade Town, a feeder club for English conference side Stevenage Town, losing 4-1 over an extended game of three 30 minute periods. Peamount went 2-0 down in the first thirty minutes, before pulling back a goal through Tom Griffin, who tapped in after a save from Aaron Hennessey’s shot. Biggleswade added two late goals, but praised Peamount’s style of play, crediting the slightly younger side [age group football works by school
year in England] with “playing football the right way.” Regardless of the playoff situation, Peamount United Under-15’s will begin their 2015/16 season in the top Under-16 division of the DDSL, and aim to impress by doing more than just staying up. They hope to add to a strong core of players at the club. The side have bonded recently over international trips, including picking up two wins in Sevilla and playing friendly fixtures at Ipswich Town earlier this year.
4 June 2015 CLONDALKIN gazette 31
Gazette
skills competition
Tower’s Clarke set to represent Dublin
Club Noticeboard round tower clondalkin
Hannah Clarke, from Round Tower, Clondalkin, will compete in the All-Ireland camogie skills final in Portlaoise on Saturday. She recently won the Dublin Feile skills competition in Silver Park in April in order to win the honour of representing her county on the national stage.
THERE were excellent championship
novel fundraiser. Raise €100 and be in
wins midweek for our senior hurlers
with an opportunity to undertake a
against Kilmacud Crokes and their
parachute jump.
junior counterparts against Civil Commisserations to Emma O’Malley
mine the last man or woman standing
and the Dublin U-14 ladies footballers
to undertake the jump. Sponsorship
who lost the Leinster final to Meath on
cards are available behind the bar. We encourage all our adult teams
Saturday.
hurling: seven goals for Juniors in islandbridge
This coming Friday, the club is
to support Round Tower GAA Club golf
hosting a very special evening for
classic. It will take place Friday, July
first and second year students. A fun
10 at Newlands Golf Club.
quiz is taking place that will test their
If you know of a business that might
general, sporting, music and movie
be interested in entering a team or
knowledge. Admission is €5 and all are
taking tee box sponsorship please let
welcome.
us know. Details available from any
Friday week, the U-13 football and
Round Tower lotto draw (May 25):
music with EZE-PZE. Admission is €5
numbers drawn were 1, 6, 21 and 24;
and all are welcome.
the bonus ball was 15. There was no
Bookings are now being taken for
winner of the €7,700 jackpot; three
our Summer Camps 2015. Kellogg’s
€100 winners: May O’Connor, Veronica
Cul camp will run from July 6-10. The
Bolger, Carol Cryan.
club camp will take place from July
Play the club lotto online at www.
13-17. Further details on the website.
roundtower.ie and support this very
Bookings are being taken at the club
important club fundraiser. Round Tower is offering excellent
James (086 4082561) or Catherine (086
party packages, including for no extra
8303207).
cost cake, balloons and decorations.
Our hurling section is running a very
jehc group 2 Civil Service 1-5 Round Tower, Clondalkin 7-15 sport@dublingazette.com
ROUND Tower junior hurlers demolished Civil Service in their championship game last Thursday in Islandbridge, making it three wins in a row. A strong first-half wind in Round Tower’s favour helped them get quickly on top of their west Dublin opponents, smashing an impressive six first half goals as they ran riot early on. Eoin Hutchison scored a brace, while
Ruari Keogh, Fergal Power, Donnacha Rafferty and Darren Gilligan each took a goal each to see Civil Service all but blown away in a powerful, dominant first half. For all their control, though, John Delaney in the Tower’s goal also played a key role, stopping several aggressive attempts from Civil Service to drag back the escalating margin. Tower’s went in at the break with a mighty lead of 26 points, with scores at 6-10 to 0-2. The second half, in which Tower played against the wind, proved
a far tighter affair, with the Clondalkin side only slightly adding to their substantial margin of victory, but never looking unduly concerned when it came to championship progression. Philly Carroll scored the vital goal, with Civil Service also pulling a one back for their trouble. Tower eventually ran out 7-15 to 1-5 winners, a 28-point margin. The result is an impressive one for Round Tower, who only edged past the same Civil Service side in the league by a score of 2-15 to 4-7 a few weeks ago.
Round Tower will face a Ballyboden side in the next round of the championship that features their own former star Ray McKenna. Ballyboden have been posting some impressive scores over their opening games, and will present Tower’s biggest challenge yet. They are the one of two other sides in the group with a perfect record at this stage in the competition and this tie will go a long way to deciding who goes through with a favourable draw to the knockout phases.
Summer celebration taking place?
Further detail is available from
Fancy an experience of a lifetime?
Tower’s run up huge win over Services
member of the executive.
hurling teams host an evening of trad
nursery on Saturday mornings.
The Round Tower’s junior hurlers
A night of entertainment in the club on Saturday, June 13 will deter-
Service.
We can also provide DJ and hot food. Enquiries to Jimmy at 087 7453478.
lucan sarsfields MANY thanks to all the teams who
– August 10-14; hurling /camogie
sent in match reports this week-
– August 17-21; see website for
end.
details.
Full details can be found on our
The next Lucan Sarsfields’ bingo
website www.lucansarsfields.ie
night takes place Wednesday, June
over 1,500 players in action in the
10 at 8.30pm in the clubhouse; eyes
last week across all four codes from
down.
age seven to 40+.
There are only four slots left on
Condolences to the McNally Fami-
timesheet for our classic on Friday,
ly on the death of Mary, late of Beech
June 19. To book a slot or sponsor a
Park, in Lifford, Co Donegal.
tee-box call Michael at 087 2331983.
Best of luck to St Mary’s BNS sen-
Clarevoyant Bernie Stokes will
ior hurling team in the Division 1
appear at the club on June 13. Tickets
Cumann na mBunscol final on Tues-
on sale every Tuesday and Thursday
day, June 9 at 2:30pm in Croke Park.
at the bar 7.30pm.
Bookings are now open for our
Have you got your tickets for The
summer camps; the Kellogg’s Cul
Kube this Friday, June 5? If not con-
camp (football) – July 6-10; hurl-
tact the organising committee on
ing/camogie – July 13-17; football
087 4650729.
Got a story? we want to know!
Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3
or email sport@dublingazette.com
GazetteSPORT all of your clondalkin sports coverage from page 28-31
playoff furore: Peamount promoted but title bid likely to be out of their hands amid controversy P30
june 4-10, 2015
Granger inspires clontarf: Leinster senior cup sees huge fightbacks across the board P28
Bluebell end the wait The Bluebell United players celebrate their LSL Sunday Senior success with club stalwarts Willie O’Reilly and Christy Beahan
Red Cow club win the Leinster Senior League Sunday Senior title for the first time since 1987 as Andy Noonan and his charges get over the line
james hendicott
sport@dublingazette.com
BLUEBELL UNITED have finally secured a long-awaited Leinster Senior League title, their first since 1987, having led the Sunday Senior’s top tier of Leinster intermediate football almost from start to finish. The free scoring Leinster Senior Division side hit 51 goals in 24 league games this season, and wrapped up the trophy to end their 28-year wait for this success. It rendered last Sunday’s clash with arch rivals Crumlin on Sunday as a dead rubber, as they were no longer able to bridge the gap to Andy Noonan’s Bluebell side despite a number of games in hand.
“We’ve been near enough for a few years, but this year things really came together,” Noonan told GazetteSport. “It’s been the strength of squad, as well as key experience in the backroom staff and some experienced players that have helped us through.” While their season has largely been a domineering one, Noonan’s side looked to be wobbling towards the end of April and early in May after suffering a number of injuries and suspensions. Still, the manager never really doubted his side’s title credentials. “I’ve used 39 players this season, and every player knows there’s competition for their place,” Noonan said. “We had about eight
players out through injury and suspension, including most of the defence. Every club has their blips but I wasn’t worried; I knew they’d come back, and I knew we’d pull together.” Bluebell performed when it counted, turning around their dip in a season-defining 4-1 win against Drumcondra on Wednesday, June 6. That result ended their poor sequence and saw the Red Cow side go undefeated until last Sunday, when it no longer mattered. “It’s big for the club,” Noonan said. “It’s difficult to know just what it means yet, as it’s not a situation we’ve been in before. I will lose players to the League of Ireland, but we’ve always lost two or three. It’s a key part of who we are. “Players see us as a platform. I’d rather sign
young players who want to progress to League of Ireland, who show ambition. Losing them is part of that, and show potential new players that we’ll help them progress. “As for next season, we have a couple more games first. We’ll wait for the close season to take a breather and assess, but I’d be happy to go into next season with the squad I have now.” Noonan himself has a UEFA B-license, and might be looking to manage in the League of Ireland in the longer term. For now, though, he’s more than content with progress. “I took a couple of players down to the Crumlin v Drumcondra game for my own viewing pleasure,” he told us. After 28 years, it was a pleasure hard earned.