Laoghaire GAZET TE FREE
RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.
YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER
INSIDE: Fine crafts on show at bowling and tennis club’s fair P2
Hurling: Ballyboden set to start Leinster adventure Page 32
Sports Awards: October’s winners are announced Page 29
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 MOTORS ........................18 BUSINESS ................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26
November 3, 2011
A YEN FOR NATURE: County’s first Japanese garden is opened Pages 6-7
Boyhan lashes council actions on flood Q NATALIE BURKE
DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) has been criticised for its response to the widespread flooding and devastation caused by severe rainfall last week. Residents and business owners in Dun Laoghaire and surrounding areas were this week continuing to suffering from the effects of the deluge. “I’m not sure people real-
ise the extent of the damage caused by last Monday week’s rainfall, or just how many people have been affected across the county,” said Independent councillor Victor Boyhan. A DLRCC spokesperson said: “The local authority engineers are currently engaged in investigating the sites of the worst-affected areas, with a view to developing a full understanding of the consequences of what occurred.” Full Story on Page 5
Greening away: Students’ joy as school gets prestigious flag LORETO Abbey students had plenty of
reasons to smile recently, after their Dalkey school became the first in the country to be awarded, and raise, the Active School Flag. Alison Murphy, Jennifer Cullivan, Maria Murphy,
Chloe Bolton, Kate McKeown and Kathy Goulding joined fellow students, staff and Michael Fitzsimons, a Dublin Senior football player, to raise the flag. See Gallery on Pages 8-9
2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
CARE: NEW CAMPAIGN
Promoting fostering
THE Irish Foster Care Association, and the Health Service Executive, are working in partnership to promote fostering with a campaign, Focus on Fostering Week, which runs until Sunday, November 6. Fostering involves caring for someone else’s child in one’s own home - providing family life for a child who cannot live with his or her own parents, either on a short- or a long-term basis. Foster carers provide a stable family environment, nurturing the child to help him or her develop and succeed. The reasons for children being placed in foster care are complex, and rarely for any single isolated reason, for
CHARITY Blackrock club’s annual art and craft fair
example, for reasons of bereavement, illness or family breakdown, child abuse or neglect, alcohol or drug dependence. In some cases, a child may be removed from their family for their own safety.
All walks of life Foster carers come from all walks of life, regardless of marital status, sexuality or residential status, and come from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, which reflect the needs of the children/young people they care for. If you would like further information on becoming a foster carer, please contact the fostering team on 01 663 7300.
Organiser and president of Blackrock Bowling and Tennis Club, Deirdre Ryan, with Deirdre Kearney. Pictures: Geraldine Woods
Bowled over by crafts HE Blackrock Bowling and Tennis Club annual Art and Craft Fair was officially opened by club member and broadcaster, Dave Fanning, recently, in aid of The Irish Kidney Association and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. Introduced by the organiser and president of the club, Deirdre Ryan, Fanning said he was stunned by the
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standard of the work on display, and delighted that the proceeds were going to such a worthy cause, particularly Our Lady’s Childrens Hospital in Crumlin. There was a wide variety of art and crafts on display, both from club members and invited guests from other clubs. The event continued over the weekend, with afternoon tea also available.
Siofra Burke, Alaidh O’Beirne and Ciara Kearney
Eavan and Grainne Dowd
Deirdre Ryan with Dave Fanning
Gerry Ryan with some of
Lousie Bernstein with her grandmother, artist
his woodwork
Ruth Bernstein
Lara and James Mitchell admire some paintings
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3
VISIT Potential of local area to increase tourism
Club becomes limited company
Minister is shown Tourism plans for town Q MIMI MURRAY dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com
DUN Laoghaire’s massive potential for tourism was brought to the attention of the Tourism Minister, Michael Ring during a recent visit to the town. During the visit, Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire Mary Mitchell O’Connor said it allowed the Minister see the “wonderful tourist amenity” that Dun Laogahire has in the form of the Harbour. “I explained to him how we plan to market Dun Laoghaire as a marine and leisure destination for the future,”
she said. “Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, along with The Harbour Board and the Business Association are working hard to make this happen. During the visit, the Minister spent time with members of the Harbour Board, where he learned about the plans to create a Diaspora Centre in Dun Laoghaire. He also visited the National Maritime Museum of Ireland and the Dun Laoghaire Chamber of Commerce. “Tourism has been a key priority for the Government since it came to office. For example
the visa waiver scheme has made it easier for tourists from emerging economies to visit Ireland without the cost or hassle of applying for a separate Irish visa. “The reduction in the level of VAT to 9% on a range of labour-intensive tourism services has made goods and services more affordable for overseas visitors,” said Deputy Mitchell O’Connor. “The Government also recently announced a €9 million overseas tourism marketing blitz to attract visitors to Ireland over the typically quieter winter months. This is in addition to The Gathering, which
DECISION
Minister Ring, Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Breasal O’Caollai in the National Maritime Museum
will be the biggest ever tourism initiative in Ireland, consisting of a year-long programme of arts, sports, business and community group events in 2013. It is hoped that this initiative will encourage the Irish Diaspora to come home, ensuring a
boost for tourism in Dun Laoghaire and surrounding areas,” she added. “Recent CSO figures on tourism show that the strategy is working. Visits to Ireland for the first eight months of 2011 were up by 11% compared to the same period in 2010.
“The Irish Tourism industr y is showing strong signs of improvement. The visit of Minister for Tourism Michael Ring today, emphasised how Dun Laoghaire can play a real role in this continuing national success story,” the local TD continued.
MEMBERS of the Dun Laoghaire Club have voted overwhelmingly in favour of forming itself into a company limited by guarantee. The decision was taken at the 101st annual general meeting. The organisation said that for the past century the club has thrived in the sea-port town but despite owning an extensive property in the town centre and running numerous events it has never enjoyed a legal entity. The Club said the main reason for forming the company is the protection which a company with limited liability can afford to its members. The incoming committee said it believed that the formation of the new company will not affect any of the benefits which members up to now have enjoyed.
4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
PEOPLE: BLACKROCK AUTHOR’S TALE CATCHES THE EYE OF HOLLYWOOD
COMMUNITY
Call for awards’ entries AC T I V E c o m m u n i ties throughout Dun Laoghaire could see their projects exhibited in the county council offices if they enter this year’s C o m m u n i t y Aw a r d s project. Project categories will include Little Citizens, Young Citizens, Older Citizens, Environmental Awareness in Action, Community Services, Sports in the Community Arts and Culture, and Volunteers. All entries, excluding the Volunteer award, will form part of a public exhibition, which takes place in the County Hall in Dun Laoghaire from Monday, November 14 to Friday, November 18. For further information on the awards, see www. dlrevents.ie.
They’re branching out: Local groom and his lovely wife take their next major step in life BEAUTIFULLY framed against an early autumnal scene, Dun Laoghaire man Cliff Cottell and his wife, Niamh O’Donohue, from Tullamore, posed for a photo following their wedding recently. The happy couple
tied the knot at The Brooke Lodge, Macreddin, in County Wicklow, and are all set to branch out in the next stage of their lives together. The Gazette is delighted to join in with wishing them all the very best.
Writer all set for big screen
Q MICHAEL HANNAN
A BLACKROCK author’s book has been chosen by a Hollywood-based producer for the plot of a proposed multimillion dollar movie. Ava McCarthy’s book, The Insider, caught the attention of Hollywoodbased producer, Jeremy Wall, who has produced films such as The Objective, Reservations and Back In The Day. One of Ireland’s leading crime writers, McCarthy has had two other international bestselling thrillers, The Courier, and her latest opus, Hide Me, which was published in October this year. The Insider is set in the world of hackers and insider traders, against a backdrop of Dublin and the Bahamas. It was published in 2009 to critical acclaim, winning Book of the Month at the Sainsbury’s Book Club. Her thrillers have been translated into 13 languages. McCarthy says: “My agents in London have a section that deal with movie and TV rights, and very shortly after the book was released in 2009, they had a phone call from an English producer [Rakha Singh, who produced The Killing of John Lennon]. “He said he’d love to make this into a movie, but he never had enough money to bring it to the table. “He did keep returning to us, seeing if the rights had been sold and, eventually, he partnered up with a Hollywood-based production company,
Ava McCarthy
called Polaris Pictures, based in California, and this helped him to raise the finance, and so, two years down the line, it’s in production now,” she says. The Insider is a fastpaced thriller centred on heroine ex-hacker, Harry Martinez’ efforts to track down her investment banker father’s crooked partners, after he has been jailed for fraud, and after one of his former associates claims Harry owes him. The stakes are high: €12,000,000 or her life. Martinez must use all her hacking skills to pursue the partners, and avoid those on her trail, from the London Stock Exchange to the casinos of the Bahamas. The film’s production is expected to be completed in a two-year timeframe. McCarthy said that Polaris is looking to get a scriptwriter on board. “They’ve talked about Kirsten Sheridan [daughter of film director, Jim]; they want it to be an Irish-based production, as the heroine is Irish.” McCar thy lives in Blackrock with her husband, two children and two dogs. She is currently working on her fourth novel.
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5
TRANSPORT ‘Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown should lead on sustainable energy use’
Council called upon to commit to e-power cars Q PAUL HOSFORD dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com
CALLS have been made for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) to commit to replacing its transport fleet with E-Power vehicles. The call, from Inde-
pendent councillor Victor Boyhan, comes as the ESB, in conjunction with DLRCC, launched its first public charge points for the vehicles in Dun Laoghaire town centre. The car charge point, located near the Council Offices on Marine Road, is the third charge point
to be installed in the county, with one in the Sandyford Business District and a fast-charging point in Windsor Motors, Deansgrange. Cllr Boyhan said that the charge point represented a shift in thinking, but called on DLRCC to lead the way on the issue.
“The installation of Dun Laoghaire town centre’s first ESB E-Car Public Charge Point is to be welcomed, but more needs to be done to support a real shift to e-powered transport, particularly by the council itself. “If we are serious about meeting EU targets on
carbon emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, we, as a council, need to commit to change our own transport practices, and move to e-powered vehicles, where possible. “I am calling on the council to drive the Green agenda and com-
mit to e-power. “As policy makers, we need to lead the changeover to more sustainable transport options,” said Cllr Boyhan. A s p o ke s m a n f o r DLRCC confirmed that “DLRCC is committed to promoting and supporting sustainable travel
within Dun LaoghaireRathdown. “The installation of the ESB e-car Public Charge points in Sandyford and Dun Laoghaire, coupled with the introduction of an electric van to the council’s transportation fleet, highlight this commitment.”
Scheme to facilitate sandwich boards’ use
Q MIMI MURRAY dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com
LOCAL businesses need all the advertising they can get, and a new scheme that will allow sandwich boards on the streets of Dun Laoghaire looks set to grab punters’ attention. Labour party councillor Richard Humphreys has called on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) to introduce the licensing system for advertising sandwich boards because, he says, hard-pressed businesses need to let the public know of their existence. “At the moment, there is no licens-
Leopardstown Inn staff battle flood waters during the height of the flash floods
WEATHER: DLRCC WAS NOT PREPARED – CLLR BOYHAN
Council’s response to floods criticised Q NATALIE BURKE
DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s response to the widespread flooding and devastation caused by severe rainfall last Monday has been criticised this week by Independent Cllr Victor Boyhan, who is calling for an improvement to the maintenance of water relief management. Over 80 ml of rainfall is said to have fallen last Monday afternoon and over one week later, residents and business owners of Dundrum, Dun Laoghaire and the surrounding areas are still suffering the implications of being affected by ‘one month’s rainfall
in half a day’. “Clearly the council was not prepared and that is obvious. A lot of people have been severely affected by the flooding and are particularly worried that it could happen again”, said Cllr. Boyhan. Residents in the Blackrock area were severely affected and according to Cllr Boyhan, have since had to vacate their home due to the severe damage caused by the flooding. “I’m not sure people realise the extent of the damage caused by last Monday’s rainfall or just how many people have been affected across the county. “People are out of their
homes, businesses have lost out and even Monkstown Post Office had to close because of the level of flooding which affected it,” he said. According to Cllr Boyhan, blocked gullies were one of the main reasons why the flooding was so extreme in some areas. “The gullies around the area were clogged shut and were congealed with grit and debris and the rain water had nowhere to go but up,” he said. “After examining the gullies myself, I couldn’t believe how many of them were blocked. “I also noticed the emergency fire hydrants located around the area were also blocked which
could potentially be a big issue. “There is a need for both the gullies to be pumped and the fire hydrants to be unblocked on a regular basis and this needs to become a priority before a similar situation happens again. There needs to be more preparation,” he concluded. A spokesperson for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said that, following the extreme events of last Monday night, in which the levels of rainfall equated to one month’s rainfall in half a day, the council engineers are currently analyzing the full extent of the affected areas.
ing scheme in our county for sandwich boards, which means that no business is entitled to put a sandwich board on a public footpath anywhere in the county. “I submitted a question on this issue to the October meeting of the council, and I am pleased that the manager has responded positively, and that this scheme will be introduced,” said Cllr Humphreys. DLRCC said it has been working to develop a new policy for sandwich boards on public footpaths. As part of this review, it has also updated the policy in respect of all street furniture, including tables and chairs.
6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK *based on standard industry measurements
IT’S YOUR STORY County’s first Japanese
Council’s yen Q LESLIE MOORE
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS
CALL 60 10 240
ENTERPRISENEWS
Christina Sanne of Red Rufus at Winter Fair 2010
WINTER FAIR – coming soon! NOW in its seventh year, the annual Winter Fair is taking place in Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre on the weekend of November 12th and 13th. Every year, the Winter Fair attracts thousands of visitors who are keen to see the work of over 35 designers and crafts people, who are based in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. The event is organized by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board, who work with client companies in the sector, to help them to promote, showcase and sell their products. Jewellery from members of the DLR Jewellery Designers network will be available, as well as a wide selection of design-based products – fashion, ceramics, giftware, art, photography and children’s books and toys. This is only one of a whole range of supports offered by the Enterprise Board to businesses in this sector. The Winter Fair gives a wide range of local designers an ideal platform to sell direct in the run up to Christmas, and also allows members of the public to consider locally-made pieces when choosing gifts in the pre-Christmas period. If you would like to learn more about this event – open 10am-6pm on November 12th-13th – or if you are working in the design sector in the county and would like to find out about the range of supports available, contact Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board – (01) 494 8400 or info@dlrceb.ie. Check out www.facebook. com/thewinterfair
Senior Parks Superintendent, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
ON THURSDAY, October 27, An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), Councillor John Bailey, officially opened a new tearooms and a Japanese garden in the courtyard of Cabinteely House. The opening of the tearooms fulfils a commitment in the council’s Open Space Strategy to provide quality facilities in its flagship parks, and to develop them as visitor attractions in the county. The availability of a quality food offering in the park will now enable visitors and families, in particular, to spend as long as they wish in the park to avail of its amenities, which include tours of Cabinteely House, a highly accessible and award-winning playground, and a variety of walks through meadows and woodlands. The building that now houses the tearooms is most likely to have originated as a single-storey house for the steward of the estate, in the early 19th century. In the latter part of the Victorian period, a second floor was added to stable horses and fodder. The conversion of the building to a tearooms, under the direction of Pamela O’Connor, senior architect in DLRCC, has involved a very fine conservation of the building’s features, including a contemporary fit-out which perfectly addresses its new use. The development of the county’s first Japanese garden grew from a commitment to the city of Izumo in Japan, with whom Dun LaoghaireRathdown has a Friendship Agreement. The agreement facilitates a cultural exchange which began when
Izumo City became the base camp for the Irish Soccer Team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Since that time, there has been a football exchange programme between Izumo City and St Joseph’s Boys AFC, Sallynoggin, which ultimately led to the establishment of the international soccer tournament known as the Hibernia Cup. From these links, an Irish Week was established, which is held in Izumo every year by the Izumo/Irish Friendship Club. --------------------------
‘It is through the work of Lafcadio Hearn (the son of an Irish father and Greek mother) that many generations of Japanese have learned the English language’ --------------------------
However, the Irish link with Izumo goes back as far as 1890, when Lafcadio Hearn (the son of an Irish father and Greek mother) visited the Izumo Grand shrine. So impressed was he by Japanese culture that it inspired him to translate and interpret Japanese folklore into English for the first time. It is through his work that many generations of Japanese have learned the English language and English-speaking peoples have gained an understanding of Japanese culture. The official opening was also an opportunity to acknowledge the skill and dedication of council staff and, in particular, Jim Ellis, parks district supervisor, whose team is responsible for the man-
His Excellency, Chihiro Atsumi, Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, and An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor John Bailey, opened the county’s first Japanese gardens, before proceeding to take a more detailed look at the intricately-designed gardens
agement of Cabinteely Park and the crafting of the courtyard garden. I think when you enter the courtyard you will be amazed at the level of detail, which is a permanent testament to the dedication of these staff. As all keen gardeners will appreciate, a garden needs time to mature and I, for one, will watch with great interest the changes that occur over the seasons. While the physical work on the garden is complete, it is intended that the work of Lafcardio Hearn will be celebrated here at Cabinteely, and interpretive
information will be put on display in the coming months. We are also proposing improvements to other areas of the park next year, including a children’s maze, a wildflower meadow and community orchard, a cricket pitch and a high-level tree adventure course for what you might call ... older children! The ongoing improvement and development of our parks and recreational facilities in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown demonstrates the commitment over many years of the councillors and management to this
His Excellency, Ambassador Atsumi, admires a garden feature
service, as well as the dedication of the parks team, who ensure that we achieve the highest standards of presentation of our parks, towns and villages.
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7
gardens, created by DLRCC, are opened
SURVEY: MOST SOUGHT AFTER BODY SHAPES
for gardens
Kate and Kelly top perfect body poll Q STAFF REPORTER
KELLY Brook and Kate Middleton, have two of the most sought after female body shapes according to a new survey carried out by Dublin-based company Keepfit. Run by fitness trainer Neil O’Brien, Keepfit. ie offers boot camp and CROSSFIT style sessions in locations such as Old Belvedere in South Dublin. Determine
Junko Hamilton and Mark Nangan admire the exquisite stonework at the new Japanese Gardens in Cabinteely Park
In a recent bid to shape and structure its programmes according to what their clients want, Keepfit.ie surveyed over 100 of its Dublin-based members aged between 19-45 to determine what body shape people were striving for. Two clear winners emerge with English actress and model Kelly Brook having the body of choice from the women’s perspective. According to Keepfit. ie, Brook would be considered to have a more curvaceous figure rather than the size zero stereotype; suggesting that
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‘For the men, the company said it was interesting to note that the age of the ripped muscular build has seen its day’ --------------------------
women want to acquire a more toned but feminine figure. For the men, the company said it was interesting to note that the age of the ripped muscular build has seen its day. Former professional bodybuilder, Arnold Schwarzenegger had a minisculeresponse while New Zealand Rugby union player, Dan Carter, received the lion’s share of the votes. Regular Keepfit.ie training sessions are held in Old Belvedere throughout the week and Saturdays. Go to www.Keepfit.ie or the Keepfit.ie Facebook page for more information on locations, days and times.
8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
EVENT Loreto Dalkey celebrates as they become the first
Alison Murphy, Deputy Head Girl, Jennifer Cullivan, Deputy Head Girl, Maria Murphy, Head Girl, Chloe Bolton, Kate McKeown and Kathy Goulding, Deputy Head Girl
Principal Robert Dunne with Micheal Fitzimmons, Jennifer Cullivan, Alison Murphy, Maria Murphy and Jane Coyne
Hoisting their new Active School Flag
HE Active School Flag was launched by the Department of Education in 2009 and Loreto Dalkey is the first school in the country to achieve this flag. It is a non-competitive initiative which seeks to recognise schools (both primary and secondary) that strive to achieve a physically active and physically educated school community. Local sports celebrity Micheal Fitzsimons,
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Students look on as their new flag is raised
a member of the Dublin Senior Football team, was guest of honour at the ceremony and was welcomed by Principal, Mr Robert Dunne, sports co-ordinator Jane Coyne and PE teacher, Steve Cahill, and members of the Active Team. All the students gathered for the raising of the flag and gave a lively rendition of two apt songs, The Wacka Wacka and Wave Your Flag!
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9
school in the country to achieve the Active School Flag
Micheal Fitzsimons raises the flag
Jane Coyne, sports co-ordinator and Steve Cahill, Everyone was all smiles on the day
PE teacher
Head Girl, Maria Murphy
10 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
TAKE TWO Another look at a recent fundraising RNLI walk
The walkers were tired but happy at the end of their lengthy fundraising walk for the RNLI, which saw them walk all the way from the Howth Lifeboat Station to Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station
A 16.5-mile walk to help the RNLI HE Gazette is happy to return to the recent coastal fundraising walk held in aid of RNLI services, and to highlight the efforts of ordinary people to support such vital services that are called upon, all year round. As reported in last week’s gallery, despite the slightly chilly autumn weather, a group of walkers recently set off from Howth Lifeboat Station, and walked all the way along the
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coastline to Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station – an impressive 16.5-mile-long route, which took in much of the historic and pleasant scenery along the coastline, and which, understandably, took several hours to complete. Despite the lengthy walk, the participants were in great spirits throughout, with refreshments and a celebratory medal to look forward to at the end of the walk.
Susan King, RNLI and walker Marie-Ann Walsh-Bowers
RNLI divisional media relations Barry Keane
Emma Jane Byrne
manager, Niamh Stephenson
Walk organiser, Vinny Totterdell, presents Mary Macken with her medal after Brid Pierse, Carol Gannon and John Condon. Pictures: Margaret Brown
finishing the walk
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 11
12 GAZETTE 3 November 2011
Gazette Contacts SNAPSHOT Stories from around the capital Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 6010240 Fax: 01 6010251
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Full of beans … Lucan twins, Jedward, are set to take centre stage when they appear at the Olympia Theatre in this year’s Panto this December. Jedward & The Beanstalk at The Olympia Theatre will run from December 21 until January 8
The Battle of Speeds THE stunning Orangery in Marlay Park has been announced as the location for a production of The Battle of Speeds, by Daniel Figgis this November. The new show will consist of six short fantasy movies, each with a separate original orchestral soundtrack, composed by Figgis. The six movies will play concurrently on all available surfaces in the Orangery – four walls, floor and ceiling – totally immersing or “suspending” the viewer in the multi-sensory experience. Figgis first presented a new work in the forest in Marlay Park in 2004. While performing there, he became intrigued by the park’s boathouse and shot all the video footage for his current show in and around the boathouse and lake in late September. The Battle of Speeds will be performed for one day only on November 27, over a six-hour period between 10am and 4pm. Family tickets cost €5 and are available online on www.tickets. ie.
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DIARY Career and lifecoaching event COACHING Potential, a new business and social enterprise, will hold a free Career and Life-Coaching event for parents on November 12, in the Burlington Hotel. The event will help parents learn skills and exercises that will help them explore and understand your child’s interests, skills and abilities and how they link to potential career options, as well as enhancing communication through effective questioning and listening techniques, setting goals and actions plans and develop personal resilience to deal with obstacles and challenges. The company diverts 10% of all of its revenue to it’s foundation that recognises ability and potential in young people, providing grants for education and training. Places are limited and booking is essential, so to book your place, email courses@coachingpotential. com or see www.coachingpotential.com
Arch Bistro’s Christmas menu THE Arch Bistro in Churchtown
will be brimming with Christmas spirit this week when they launch their Christmas menus. This year, the restaurant is running an Early Bird Special on Saturdays, which is guaranteed to give a great night out with fantastic value. For €35 per person you get a three-course early bird dinner, a half-bottle of house wine and a reserved area downstairs in the Glenside, where all ladies will be treated to a glass of Prosecco on arrival and live music for the rest of the night, so you can party away for the evening without having to move. They are also running a €35 set dinner menu all evening every evening for the month of December, but spaces are limited, so book soon. For all bookings and inquiries, contact Mark on 01 2966340.
Clarification THE Gazette has been asked to point out that the Beechfield Nursing Home Group, which encompasses Glengara Park Nursing Home in Dun Laoghaire and Beechfield Manor Nursing Home in Shankill, will hold their Charity Bridge Tournament in the Fitzpatrick’s Hotel in Killiney on Friday, November 4, and not at either of the above mentioned nursing homes. The Gazette is happy to clarify this.
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 13
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GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY Avoid the big freeze with cozy coats this winter
Lancome’s Designer brush set
LANCOME has teamed up with worldrenowned fashion and interior designer, Ben de Lisi, to create a stylish, de Lisi personalised Lancome designer brush set. Visit the Lancome counter at your nearest Debenhams Department Store, from November, 20, 2011, and with the purchase of two or more Lancome products, receive your personalised skincare and beauty essentials along with your very own Ben de Lisi Designer Brush Set and a complimentary €5 Ben de Lisi fashion voucher. And, with purchase of a third Lancome product, a full-size cleanser is yours, absolutely free.
ITH the three dreaded words on everyone’s mind this winter – The Big Freeze – fast approaching, Kilkenny, home to Ireland’s largest collection of Irish designers, has a fantastic range of coats and woollies to help you brave the elements in style and stay warm in the cold weather. Wrap up in style with fabulous winter coats from a host of top Irish and international brands, such as Fee G and Fuschs & Schmitt. The Fee G Mohair Shawl Collar
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Coat, €329.95 is available in two of the season’s must-have colours, bright red and electric blue, and the shawl collar gives the coat an effortless chic look. Meanwhile, the beautiful Fee G Boatneck Coat, €339.95 will help you up the glam-stakes this winter, with its embellished button finish. Fuschs & Schmitt has a great range of practical everyday coats – our top pick is the stylish and practical Fuschs & Schmitt Quilted Belt Coat, €285, with its faux fur trim hood for extra
warmth. Chunky cardigans are essential winter fashion items, and the Fenn Wright Manson Charcoal Cashmere Mix Cardigan, €186 is a wardrobe must-have. Wear with skinny jeans and knee-high boots for a casual winter look that will keep you fashionably warm. For cosy accessories, Kilkenny has a range of winter knits that will not only keep you warm, but also make a difference to people’s lives. As part of its Warm Irish Hearts campaign to help raise €50,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation, Kilkenny stocks a range of hat, scarf and glove sets, all hand-knitted by members of the ICA from around and the country. These beautiful knits are available in red, cream and purple. Fee G Boatneck Coat (€339.95)
Young and stylish
There will be a touch of royalty at The Children’s Rooms in Brown T homas this winter, when Princess Marie Chantal of Greece’s stunning girl’s range comes to town. With subtle hues of rose pinks, burgundy and blended chocolates and warm autumnal hues of plum and moss , the collection is perfect for any little Princess. Highlights this autumn, are sure to be the Chantal wool dress in camel, navy or grey and, for cold winter days, the Russian gold button coat in rose or grey herringbone. The outfits are as pretty and elegant as a girl’s wardrobe should be and are destined to be treasured favourites. Meanwhile, new for the boys is Hartford, a cool and trendy brand, with
Bonpoint dress (€115)
Fuchs & Schmitt Quilted
Mona Lisa Belted Puffa
and coat (€260)
Belt Coat (€285)
(€150)
distressed check shirts, chunky alpine knits and great leather jackets, as well as Italian favourite Paio Crippa, which specialises in tailored pea coats with velvet collars perfect for the wintry days ahead. The children’s department will also carry designer favourites, including Armani Junior, Baby Dior, Boss,
Bon Point, Burberry, Caitmini, Chloé, Cyrillus, Dore Dore, Jelly Cat, Juicy Couture Acc’s, Juicy Couture Kids, Juicy Baby, Junior Gaultier, Marthé Francois Girbaud, Molly Brown, Moncler, Monnalisa, Natures Purest, Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney. And one of my favourite brands, Petit Bateau,
will make a welcome arrival for baby, girls and boys, offering timeless and modern classic cottons with simple and fun t-shirts, trousers, jumpers and coats. Tartine et Chocolat’s gorgeous baby gifts from rattles and comforters to soft toys also make ideal presents and come packaged in the brand’s power blue signature colour.
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 15
Edited by Dawn Love
Holiday gift sets from Cowshed are udderly delightful STAYING true to its philosophy for keeping things simple but effortlessly stylish, this Christmas, Cowshed have herded together gift sets to cater to everyone on your list and make this year’s shopping stress-free. With every Cowshed formulation naturally paraben, petrochemical and sulphate-free andcreated using wild-crafted ingredients – these products are suitable for all. In keeping with Cowshed’s unique heritage, all products contain a herbal infusion sourced
from the walled garden at Babington House. Amongst the array of gift sets on offer is the Grumpy Cow Duo (€24.95). Grumpy Cow is a citrus blend, with the essential oils of red mandarin, petitgrain and grapefruit. This duo will invigorate the senses and keep the mind uplifted and energised. The gift set includes Grumpy Cow Uplif ting Bath and Shower Gel 100ml and Grumpy Cow Uplifting Body Lotion 100ml. The Hand Care Caddy Set (€44.95) features
two of the brand’s most popular products. This set is a must-have duo for pampering those hard-working hands and essential for any kitchen or bathroom. Choose either the combination of Grubby Cow Zest Hand Wash with Cow Slip Soothing Hand Cream, featuring essential oils of sweet orange to cleanse and peppermint to revive, or Dirty Cow Freshening Hand Wash and Cow Pat Moisturising Hand Cream with the oils of coriander and orange. This set features bot-
Cowshed have herded together gift sets to cater to everyone on your list
tles of each and a limited edition Cowshed-branded maple holder to the display the gifts in.
16 GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazettePETS PETS
Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA
THE FACTS: DUBLIN SPCA OFFERS A SAFE HAVEN PROGRAMME FOR PETS IN NEED
The link between domestic violence and animal abuse URING one of my adult lectures this week, I was asked an important question by a student. He wanted to know what the term “domestic violence” meant? My answer? If a person, (usually a woman, but sometimes a man) is physically or emotionally abused in a relationship – then that
D
constitutes domestic violence. It’s important to mention that, in the majority of these situations, the abuser may use a range of behaviours/ tactics in order to gain control and power over their victim. By coincidence, Safe Ireland, a support organisation aiming to create safety for women and children affected by domestic
violence, released figures for their annual one-day census report showing that on one given day last year, a staggering 555 women and 324 children received help and support from a domestic violence service. Now, when you break this down, that means 23 women and 13 children needed help every hour of that one day, which was November 4, 2010. This led my class to have a discussion regarding the link between domestic violence, as well as mass and serial violence and animal abuse. You see, there is a connection between those who abuse animals and those who abuse their partners. Now, I’m not sure what figures are available for Ireland concerning animal abuse/spousal abuse, (or indeed if there are any) with regard this situation; however, a recent study in Wisconsin (USA) revealed that one-in-four cases of women who reported abuse at the hands of their partners, had also witnessed those partners being abusive toward pets and livestock. I would imagine the situation is similar around the world. To add to this, the Chicago Police Department examined the criminal histories of animal abusers who were arrested between 2000/01 and found approximately 30% of these had domestic violence charges to their credit. In my opinion, these statistics are way too high and I find them scary and unacceptable, to say the least. I would also add that, during my own research, I found that, in association with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a US-based
Victims of domestic violence often remain in dysfunctional relationships in order to try and protect their pets
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‘Seventy-one percent of those women who were pet owners and who entered a women’s shelter reported their abuser had injured, maimed, threatened or killed family pets’ --------------------------------------------------------
organisation, 71% of those women who were pet owners and who entered a women’s shelter reported their abuser had injured, maimed, threatened or killed family pets. Worryingly, 32% of those women also reported their children had either hurt or killed animals. So, why do those who abuse their spouse/ partner also abuse their animals? Well, there are many reasons but I believe the main ones to be: • To enforce submis-
sion • To create and further enforce an environment of fear • To prevent the victim from leaving • To prevent the victim from showing independence • To enforce submission by the victim • To isolate the victim and children from other family members/friends Those of us working in animal welfare refer to this cycle as ‘the link’.’ You see, those who com-
mit these horrible crimes have usually used animals as rehearsal tools during their teenage years, before graduating toward violence against humans. We refer to these atrocities as “starter crimes”, when the abuser commits them during adolescence. However, as they get older, the abuse gets more severe and we refer to these as “indicator crimes”, meaning it’s an indication the perpetrator will graduate to committing more serious crimes against human beings. This is why it’s important that those working within law enforcement who respond to calls reporting domestic violence recognise and are familiar with “the link”and be on the alert for children and animals
who may also be suffering in that particular household. It’s a sad fact that victims of domestic violence often remain in dysfunctional relationships in order to try and protect their pets. Unfortunately, those who take part in animal cruelty rarely stop there, so it’s vital everyone understands that an effective response/prosecution to those perpetrating these crimes will have huge benefits for society. The Dublin SPCA offers a Safe Haven programme for those pet parents who are suffering at the hands of an abuser by providing an emergency/ safe place for their pet to stay either at our shelter when resources allow, or through our network of foster families.
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 17
GazetteMUSIC MUSIC REVIEW: NATIVE INSTRUMENTS’ LATEST UNITS
Traktor put Kontrol at your fingertips Q ROB HEIGH
THE BAT TLE of the turntables over the last year has not been who has the skills to pay the bills but, instead, who can come out with the best DJ controller as a sizable number of DJs convert to digital systems and software packages. With the lines drawn similar to the Apple vs Android battle in the smar tphone market, the hardware wars have shifted slightly as well, with the main players, Serato and Traktor, aligning themselves with various hardware
manufacturers to produce the best four- and two-channel controllers. However, since then, Native Instr uments’ Traktor products have taken the lead in terms of the controller battles by creating their own line of controllers that seamlessly integrate with the software they produce - well, if anyone should know how to create a controller that matches the capabilities of the software, surely it should be themselves. Last year saw the launch of the Traktor Kontrol S4 unit, which stands head and shoul-
ders ahead of the pack in terms of it’s usability, feature set and integration with the controller software. The S4 is unparallelled in terms of how simple and fun it is to use. The range of configurable built-in effects, the availability of a fouroption sample deck to add depth and options to your mix and the upfront, tactile and sensitive controls allow you to build a four-channel symphony without a steep learning curve. It also has the advantage of not draining all of the CPU capability of your laptop or compu-
ter, meaning that there are no nasty drop-outs that some DJs have encountered when using other such highend controllers. Traktor has always been a very usable software, but the controllers match and harmoniously integrate all of the features of the software, putting physical and tangible control at your fingertips. Traktor have come out in the next phase of the battle with the S2, a stripped back, twochannel version of the S4, that still features all of the high-spec elements of its big brother,
Traktor S2 is a more basic, but equally feature-filled version of the S4
but with a simplified interface for more novice digital DJs. In fact, it is almost a three-channel controller, with the sample deck still being available, with its own vol-
ume in the centre of the unit. The S2 does everything that the S4 does so well - making the most of the software’s capabilities - while bringing the user experience
back to basics. While it’s not the bells and whistles approach of the S4, the S2 is still head and shoulders ahead of the pack in terms of doing what it does incredibly well.
18 GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs SKODA UNVEILS NEW 4X4S: SKODA Ireland unveiled its new range of 4X4 vehicles at last month’s Ploughing Championships. Dublin residents are encouraged to call in to their local Skoda dealer and test drive the new 4X4 models, which will be available to test drive during an Open Week at local dealerships from November 1-6. There are three Skoda dealerships in Dublin, Annesley Williams Ltd, Swords Road Clogran, Autostation, Sandyford Business Park, and Pilsen Auto Ltd, Ballymount. As an added incentive, those who undertake a test drive will receive a free winter driving pack, which will be useful in the months ahead.
All new Kia Rio on the market KIA Motors Ireland have announced the prices and specs of the all-new Rio Range which went on sale in Ireland towards the end of October. There are two model trims for Rio in Ireland – LX and EX. The entry level LX, at €15,295, is powered by a 1.25-litre petrol engine, which is A rated for annual road tax. The EX model is available in both the 1.25-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel (also A rated) at €16,495 and € 17,895, respectively. Like all Kia models, the new Rio comes, of course, with Kia’s unbeatable seven-year warranty. The new Rio is one
of the company’s most anticipated launches in recent years, and attendees at this year’s National Ploughing Exhibition had an opportunity to preview the car before it’s launch. Space
The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455mm, new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance. The cabin is more spa-
cious than its predecessor’s, enhancing occupant space and cargo capacity. The base of the windscreen is moved for wards by 156mm and up by 18mm, while the wheelbase is 70mm longer and the bodyshell 25mm wider. Front legroom is increased by 45mm, front headroom by 8mm. Trunk space in threeand five-door hatchback models is 100mm wider and the capacity is now 288 litres – a 6.6% improvement over the previous model – with the rear seats upright, and more than 920 litres with the rear seats folded down. The backrest of the
There are two model trims for Rio in Ireland
rear seat is split 60/40 for maximum versatility and creates an almost flat load area when folded down. Standard safety equipment features six airbags (including side curtain airbags ), ESC electronic stability control, HAC hill-start assist control, and “active” front seat head restraints to protect against whiplash injury
in a rear impact. For additional safety, an ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) system is standard. Sensors detect when the driver is braking suddenly and hard, and then flash the brake lights three times to alert following drivers that the car is slowing rapidly. In addition to the enhanced space and safety, new Rio custom-
ers will enjoy audio comfort features, such as Bluetooth, remote audio controls and iPod compatibility. The EX model, which is expected to be the volume seller, comes with a host of features, including 16” alloy wheels, front fogs, allround electric windows, leather trimmed steering wheel and gearshift and cooled glove box.
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 19
Opel Astra GTC set to rock mid-size coupe class
NEXT MONTH will see the arrival of the Opel Astra GTC in Opel dealerships. The sports coupe, which will lay down the gauntlet to the mid-size coupe segment with a heady mix of dynamic excellence, dramatic design features and competitive pricing. Closely based on last year’s stunning GTC Paris concept, the production Opel Astra GTC enters the Irish market priced from €22,995. But even in entry-level trim, the Astra GTC adopts the sophisticated front suspension from the Insignia OPC, featuring Opel’s HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut), combined with the clever Watt’s link rear axle for unmatched stability and handling precision. The third body style to come off the new Astra’s Delta platform (following the Hatch and last year’s Sports Tourer), the only
elements the GTC shares with its siblings are door handles and the roof aerial – even the wheelbase and tracks are different. Mark Adams, Opel’s vice-president of design, has aimed to create a car that looks like it has been plucked from the class above, with its low, wide stance and simple, yet rakish lines. But don’t be fooled – the GTC’s “straight-fromconcept” looks shroud a cabin that’s roomy and comfortable enough to accommodate four adults and their luggage. “The Astra GTC is the sporty member of the Opel family,” says KarlFriedrich Stracke, chief executive officer of Opel. “It has been designed and engineered in our facilities in Rüsselsheim to be a highly desirable sports coupe, with invigorating driving performance, while remaining affordable, roomy and
The GTC range starts at €22,995 for the 120PS Sport 1.4-litre Turbo and extends to €30,495 for the 165PS SRi 2.0-litre CDTi
flexible. We’re convinced that it will bring a breath of fresh air into the midsize coupe segment.” The Astra GTC can be ordered initially with a choice of four engines – three petrols and one diesel, with two 1.7-litre CDTi engines to follow in January, 2012. With 165PS, the 2.0litre CDTi is an upgraded
version of the diesel that’s fitted to some models in the Insignia and Astra ranges. All engines feature six-speed transmission and Start/Stop as standard, maximising economy and performance. Delivering 380Nm of torque (including overboost function) the 2.0-litre CDTi engine provides excellent mid-
range acceleration for the GTC, combined with a 0-100 km/h time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h. That torque also allows the GTC a relaxed cruising gait, meaning a combined fuel consumption of just 4.9 litres per 100 km and C02 emissions of just 129g/km. It also gives drivers a range potential
in excess of 1,100 km. Standard equipment is generous no matter which GTC model customers choose. Even in entry-level Sport trim, the GTC comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, DAB stereo and USB functionality. Move up to the top-spec SRi, and buyers get, as standard, tinted glass, onboard c o m p u t e r, l e a t h e rtrimmed steering wheel and fog lamps. The latest generation Bi-Xenon Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL), which offers nine separate light beams, is optional across the range. A range of new colours and materials, bespoke to the GTC, set the car apart from others in the Astra range. Morello Red, a new premium leather trim, is also available as an option and brings with it six-way adjustable front seats.
EUGEOT’S new 508 is a spacious and solid looking car. The car has been designed as a purpose-built estate, and that gives it a presence and standing on the road that’s volumes ahead of the previous 407 model. The comfort levels are good and there’s plenty of space on board, from the large boot to the rear seats. The car has a solid, functional feel to it that was made special by the extra features included in the test car. The inside is made feel more airy with the panoramic sunroof that runs the length of the car, well
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20 GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supported by AIB
Interview: Frances Flannery, owner of Dublin Vitality Centre
WHOLE OF LIFE POLICY Q – I have just found out I was sold a whole of life policy on my mortgage more than 11 years ago. I am livid, as I could have had a much cheaper policy all these years. Do I have any comeback on the broker who sold it ? Jimmy – Churchtown A - Yes you are quite right that a whole of life policy is much more expensive than decreasing cover or mortgage protection, which only covers the balance on the mortgage at time of death. Whole of life insurance pays out a lump sum WHENEVER you die. But, really, you only want to cover the term of your mortgage, so if you live well after the repayment of your mortgage, it can be very expensive mortgage protection. Obviously mortgage protection is much cheaper, while level term insurance cover (covering the mortgage term for the FULL amount right throughout the term) is slightly more expensive than decreasing term. Perhaps your broker did explain, but possibly did not stress the pecuniary differences. You could take a case to the Insurance Ombudsman but, personally, I believe with your having signed the proposal, received the policy document and left it for 11 years, the chances of success would be slim. I would ask for a new quotation, choosing the decreasing term for the number of years left on your mortgage and at least save some money now. You might also have a small pay back from the whole of life policy.
BUDGETING Q –I am useless at budgeting. Is there any quick fix method which will help me focus on managing my money in a better way ? Joan - Lucan A - The key to financial happiness is having enough money to meet your commitments. You need to total all your annual household bills – do not hold back, include everything – and divide by 12. That’s the amount of money you need just to keep you ticking over. Capital expenditure (washing machines, car break downs, summer holiday costs) should be provided separately. We should all live within our means i.e. the costs of living should be borne by what we earn NOT by our savings. Email me for a simple free word document budget template to track your household costs. Remember the Money Doctor mantra … ensure best value at all times. Ask yourself on every item of expenditure a) do you need it and b) is there a better or cheaper alternative. This month sees the launch of a FREE Money Doctor mobile app to help you track your spending. Extremely easy to operate – just tap in the amount every time you spend money into the drop down menu for a set period, at the end of which you will be sent a full report on exactly what you have spent for your own analysis or professional consideration. For iphones, androids, blackberries and Microsoft 7 mobiles, you can access the APP in the usual sources, plus through the web site www.moneydoctor.ie and help you better manage your money. Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor
A health clinic with a difference FRANCES Flannery is a business woman who knows the value of excellent training and diversification. She completed a post-graduate degree in eBusiness and Business at NCI, and ranked one of the highest in her year with a first-class honours qualification. She also has qualifications in web design, graphic design and is certified by Google as an Adwords Professional. “I spent many years working in marketing and design. I had a fabulous marketing role in Brown Thomas for three years and had the opportunity to work with some top people. That gave me a 3D perspective on service, product and quality.” Frances is an example of a new breed of Irish business owner – one who has many feathers in her cap. As well as being a highly qualified business professional, she is also a registered dental nurse and internationally qualified health practitioner. Her clinic, Dublin Vitality Centre, is located in Blanchardstown Village and provides laser teeth whitening, red vein removal, microdermabrasion, food intolerance testing and colonic hydrotherapy. “At this time of year, people are preparing for the party season – which means looking and feeling good inside and out.”
Frances Flannery, owner of Dublin Vitality Centre
Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: I wanted help people and also to run a business. I feel so lucky to be doing what I’m doing.
Q: What was your first job? A: One of my first roles was a temp placement at Saatchi & Saatchi in London, where I cultivated a love for branding, marketing and design.
Q: And your first pay cheque? A: Probably about £200 per week.
Q: When did you start your present job? A: I’ve been running Dublin Vitality Centre for two years.
Q: What is the best thing about your job? A: I love making people feel better about themselves. I have qualifications in dental laser teeth whitening, colon hydrotherapy, Indian Head Massage, Microdermabrasion, red vein removal and food allergy test-
ing. My training has taken me all over the world.
Q: What part of your working day do you delegate? A: Very little. In order to offer the very best prices around, which we do at Dublin Vitality Centre, I work very hard. When in not working in the clinic I am doing something else related to the business.
Q: What sport do you follow? A: Gym time is imperative for me. I practise what I preach. A 7am session is not unusual.
Q: What sport can you play? A: Tennis, but horrifically out
Irish President, in my opinion.
Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: High Energy Dance music for the gym
Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook? A: Health forums, raw food blogs, detox and body health pages.
Q: What was your last Tweet/ status update? A: I posted a notification about how detoxing your liver can speed up weightloss. Have a read on our website.
ing money frivolously? A: I enjoy spending but never frivolously.
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: A yearly cull on clothes and shoes ensures those not worn get brought to a charity shop. I choose quality over quantity.
Q: What was your worst holiday experience? A: I really love diversity. Even if things don’t go according to plan, its always an adventure.
Q: What would be your dream job? A: I’m very lucky. Running
Q: Describe your dream meal? A: At this time of year, look out
Dublin Vitality Centre is my dream job.
Bellx1 right now.
for chestnuts, which can be deliciously roasted on a baking tray in the oven.
Q: What do you plan to do when you retire? A: I’ll tell you exactly. Im go-
Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – Michael D Higgins or Jedward? A: Michael D. Impressive com-
Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna? A: Dame Edna for her fashion
munication and transparency will make Micheal D a great
Q: Where do you enjoy spend-
ing to pioneer a very unique retreat/health workshop centre, where I will offer health retreats and have clients visit Ireland from all over the world. I may live to be 110.
of practise.
Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure? A: I’m loving Snow Patrol and
sense and sparkling repartee.
3 November 2011 GAZETTE 21
Fresh fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins and Brazil nuts contain zinc and selenium
NUTRITION: FIGHTING THOSE WINTER GERMS
David Killeen, chairman of The Irish Franchise Association; Orna Stokes, senior manager, SME and Franchising, Ulster Bank; Anita O Neill, area manager, Ulster Bank Commercial Banking, Central Dublin and Tom Shanahan, executive director of The Irish Franchise Association
Onwards and upwards for the franchise sector ON Friday, April 27 and Saturday April 28, 2012, the Irish Franchise Association hosts the Ulster Bank Irish Franchise Association EXPO and Awards at the RDS, Dublin. The purpose of the exhibition is to act as a showcase for Irish franchisors and the franchising sector. With an unrivalled series of seminars and exhibitors, this event is an opportunity for people to access and avail of real-time information on franchising that normally takes months of painstaking research. The Irish Franchise Awards, which will run in conjunction with the exhibition, recognises excellence in franchising and rewards outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals engaged in the franchise industry. As the recessional dust begins to settle, it’s clear that more and more people have been turning to franchising. As a result of redundancy, job dissat-
isfaction, or just a deeprooted entrepreneurial desire, the country is rapidly awakening to the vast opportunities to be found in franchising – it’s one of the few buoyant markets in uncertain times. According to the latest Irish Franchise survey, there has been a marked increase in turnover for the sector to €2.4 billion, representing an increase of 15% since the last survey in 2006. In total, the Irish franchise industry contributes 4,086 operating units on the island of Ireland and has generated 42,927 full-time jobs The EXPO and Awards will be the highlight of the franchising calendar for 2012. The exhibition will take place from 10am to 6pm on Friday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday and will feature guest speakers, seminars on franchising, exhibitors from the franchise sector and extensive information and advice for individuals interested in franchising.
New workshops will be introduced and a separate seminar area, panel discussions as well as private meeting rooms for franchisors and prospective franchisees to discuss opportunities privately. Monthly easy payment options, as well as substantial early booking discounts, are now in place for exhibitors to avail of. The Irish Franchise Awards will be presented at a formal black-tie awards ceremony in the RDS Concert Hall on Friday, April 27. The award ceremony is anticipated to be one of the most impressive business events of the year reflecting the remarkable growth of the franchise sector in these challenging times. Booking forms and information packs are available from the Irish Franchise Association. Call 01 8134555 or email expo@irishfranchiseassociation.com or see www.irishfranchiseassociation.com
Strengthen your immune system LEILA JOHARI
WITH a mini ice age apparently on the way, this winter could be the coldest we have faced in decades. This means that it is even more important we ensure that our immune systems are working at their best, so we can fight the nasty germs that thrive during the winter months. White blood cells work to fight these germs and protect us against infection. These white blood cells need to regenerate to do their job and need the appropriate nutrients. We can help our white blood cells help us by eating the right foods. Fresh fruit and vegetables
All fresh fruit and vegetables, such as green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes and citrus fruits, will provide excellent sources of vitamins A (beta-carotene) and C. Green leafy vegetables, like spinach and kale, are high in folate. Folate prevents DNA and blood vessel damage. Fruit contains powerful antioxidants that detoxify and fight bad bacteria. Phytonutrients strengthen the immune system by rebuilding
damaged cells and enhancing new ones and are found in peppers and broccoli. Garlic, ginger and chillies
Garlic, onions, leeks, ginger and chillies have antibacterial properties and are decongestants. Raw garlic can be eaten in salads or dressings, such as pesto and salads. Onions and leeks can be used in warming winter soups and ginger and chillies can be used in spicy curries. Brazil nuts, wheat germ, oysters and beef
Brazil nuts, wheat germ, oysters and beef contain zinc and selenium. Selenium is an anti-oxidant and fights free radicals which damage cells. Zinc is a mineral that can enhance your immune system by strengthening antibodies and helping white blood cells reproduce more quickly. So, get those slimy oysters down your throat! Whole grains, yeast extract, tuna and pulses
Whole grains, yeast extract, tuna and pulses contain the B group vitamins, which are important in combating stress. Stress can lower the effectiveness
of the immune system, which will leave us vulnerable to catching an infection. Vitamin B and vitamin C will help prevent stress. Natural, low-fat probiotic yogurt
Most people don’t associate the word “bacteria” with health but there are certain bacteria that we could not do without. Good bacteria, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, regulate the immune system by increasing the antibodies and preventing the rise of pathogenic organisms. Fight symptoms the natural way
If you do begin to feel signs of the sniffles, there are natural remedies to ease symptoms. There is no need to run to the chemist and by packets of medication. Besides, if are going to have another ice age you may not be able to leave the house anyway! Honey will help ease a sore throat, green tea can help kill bacteria and a hot lemon drink is rich in vitamin C, and is ideal for sufferers of colds, coughs, bronchial problems and flu. Thyme and eucalyptus oil may help clear congestion, use a few drops in boiling water as an inhalant and use
thyme in your cooking. Echinacea will stimulate the immune system and you should drink plenty of water. F o o d s t o avo i d include diary produce, chocolate and all foods high in saturated fats. These foods are mucus forming and will make you more congested. Immune-strengthening diet
• Breakfast: Pink grapefruit followed by muesli with extra nuts and seeds and 1 dessertspoon wheatgerm. • Lunch: Warm broccoli, red pepper and sesame salad served with rye bread. • Dinner: Salmon, sweet potato and stirfry of green beans and spinach • Dessert: Mixed berry compote with low fat, natural pro-biotic yogurt We have all been warned to prepare for The Big Freeze but it is equally important to prepare for The Big Sneeze! And remember, prevention is better than cure, so start your immune boosting diet now and keep those nasty winter bugs away.
22 GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel
Sunset Beach Club can offer a wide range of venues for your special day
A Spanish Wedding Open Day to be hosted by Sunset Beach Club this November ANYONE considering getting married abroad should make a note of an upcoming Spanish Wedding Open Day being hosted in November by Sunset Beach Club. This is an ideal opportunity to learn everything you need to know about getting married in Spain, and to personally meet with wedding planner, Kerry Vear Smyth, and wedding coordinator, Claire Mitchell, who are the key personnel who take care of all the details of a wedding at Sunset Beach Club. Four-star hotel Sunset Beach Club, one of the most popular hotels on the Costa del Sol, offers complete wedding services and boasts a fabulous location on the seafront of Benalmadena, just 15 minutes from Malaga airport. Depending on the date of the wedding and size of the party, Sunset Beach Club can offer a wide range of venues, from their formal banqueting room with spectacular sea views, terrace restaurant for an al fresco reception, or the new Luna Beach Club, the ideal spot for an informal wedding or day-after party. As well as bespoke wedding services, Sunset Beach Club offers complete weddings, which include every detail of your special day; the wedding ceremony and legal paperwork, hair and make-up, flowers, wedding car, photography, cava for the speeches, reception with free-flowing wine, wedding cake, table centre, chair bows, menus, live entertainment, and much, much, more! For example, a complete wedding for 40 guests starts from €5,100. The open days take place on November 19, in Bewley’s Hotel In Dublin, and in the Clarion, in Cork, on November 20. To find out more about the Open Days in November and the Wedding Services at Sunset Beach Club, visit www.sunsetbeachclub.com or contact the hotel wedding coordinator, Claire Mitchell directly at weddings@sunsetbeachclub. com or telephone (34) 952 579 400 Ext. 3123
Holiday heat: The family-friendly Smugglers’ Cove in St Lucia (above) and Riu Cancun Resort in Mexico
HAPPY HOLIDAYS: FESTIVE TRIPS S ABROAD D
Plan a Christmas family getaway CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and, for many, stress levels are already rising. For those who bite the bullet and decide to forgo the endless last-minute shopping, snow and spending, there are plenty of festive trips abroad. Set in 60 acres of lush, tropical gardens on a secluded bay, seven nights on an all-inclusive basis at the four-star Smugglers’ Cove in St Lucia is available from €4,646, for a family of four. Boasting extensive facilities including a popular kids’ club, mum can escape to the spa, which offers yoga and Pilates classes, while older children and dad can also enjoy a wide
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‘With a reputation for world-class shopping, pampering and glamour, Dubai makes an excellent choice to ring in the New Year’ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
range of watersports, as well as tennis, squash, seven freshwater swimming pools and archery. The price includes scheduled flights on December 20 from Dublin (via Gatwick), resort transfers, taxes and surcharges. Families will love the four-star Almond Beach Village in Barbados, with seven nights on an all-inclusive basis, from €4,249 for a family of three. For the ultimate bucket-and-spade festive holiday, this family-
friendly resort is located on the stunning Platinum Coast. Facilities include a selection of kids’ clubs, 10 swimming pools, fitness centre, tennis courts and fine restaurants and bars. The price includes scheduled flights from Dublin departing December 20 (via Gatwick), resort transfers, taxes and surcharges. After Christmas, travellers can combine a city and beach holiday in Dubai departing December 27.
With a reputation for world-class shopping, pampering and glamour, Dubai makes an excellent choice to ring in the New Year. Enjoy nine nights on a bed-and-breakfast basis at the five-star Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate from €1,499 per person. This luxury city resort houses eight restaurants and bars and has access to the Oceana Beach Club, just 10 minutes from the hotel, via complimentary shuttle bus. The price includes scheduled flights from
Dublin (via Gatwick), resort transfers, taxes and surcharges. The five-star RIU Cancun Resort is in an enviable position on the beachfront, opposite two shopping centres and just a short distance from Cancun’s lively restaurants and bars. Enjoy seven nights on an allinclusive basis over New Year from €2,099 per person, to include scheduled flights from Dublin (via Newark), resort transfers, taxes and surcharges. Resort facilities include windsurfing, canoeing, a spa and four restaurants. To book any of these offers, visit www.tropicalsky.ie or telephone 01 8077996/ 068 56800.
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 23
Edited by Mimi Murray
WEEKEND GETAWAY: RECHARGING THE BATTERIES
Travel B ri e fs A touch of luxury at The Lodge at Ashford Q DAWN LOVE
ALTHOUGH I always enjoyed holidays in the West as a child, I have to say I don’t miss the four hours – if we were lucky - it took to get there. It was an endurance test in patience, although probably more for my parents than us kiddies. Okay, so the motorway isn’t as picturesque as the winding roads I remember as a child but the trip down to The Lodge at Ashford, Co Mayo took us no time at all. Once home to the estate manager of Ashford Castle, the Lodge is perched at the crest of a hilltop and enjoys incredible views of Lough Corrib. Today, the hotel boasts 24 deluxe bedrooms and 26 suites, one of which we stayed in. It’s really ideal for families or couples who enjoy the great outdoors. The Lodge itself is comfortable and the suite we stayed in had oodles of space and lots of extra little luxurious touches, such as underfloor heating in the bathroom. And, I have to say, although there was a wedding on our second night we didn’t hear any music or any revellers, which can so often be the norm in hotels and can make you wish you had just stayed at home. For me, the big highlight of The Lodge was the food and the wonderful walks of the Ashford Castle estate. Head Chef Adrian Bane was previously the Sous Chef at Ashford Castle and the dinner menu at Wilde’s (named after the father of Oscar Wilde, who holidayed nearby and later wrote a book on his beloved Lough Corrib) features an array of tempting treats. For starters, I went
Be adventurous – visit the highlights of Jordan such as Mount Nebo, Amman and ‘rose city’ of Petra
The Lodge at Ashford, Co Mayo, which was home to the estate manager of Ashford Castle which enjoys incredible views of Lough Corrib
JORDAN is a land steeped in history and culture and conjures up images of sultry desert nights. Visitors can now see the highlights of Jordan’s capital Amman, visit historical sites, including Jerash, the Desert Castles, Mount Nebo, Kerak and Madaba and explore Jordan’s jewel, the Nabataean ‘rose city’ of Petra, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adventurous types take a jeep safari into Wadi Rum and marvel at its stunning desertscapes, or languish in the warm waters of the Red Sea and stand at the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, long famed for its therapeutic powers. An eight-night package with GoHop.ie costs from €1,263 and includes flights, all transfers in an air-conditioned car, eight nights accommodation in four-star hotels, sightseeing and meals as indicated, services of an English-speaking driver, local guide in Petra, short horse ride to the entrance of the Siq in Petra, as well as a two-hour tour of Wadi Rum by Jeep and all entrance fees. For more information, visit www.gohop.ie.
Fitzwilliam Hotel is offering packages to help you look and feel your best this Christmas season for an Autumn Harvest Salad (€7.50) with organic local leaves, walnut oil and reduced fruit vinegar with autumn fruits. It was slightly too salty for my taste buds but I particularly loved the pretty baked apple slices tossed through the salad and I think it’s little extra surprises like that, that makes Wilde’s excellent reputation well-deserved. For the main course, I opted for the Rack of Pork (19.50), which came with buttered savoy cabbage, bacon, potato croquette and wholegrain mustard emulsion. This was, to sound like Darina Allen, simply delicious.
Cooked to perfection, I would recommend it to anyone. As for dessert, well, on a cold autumnal evening there is nothing like a hearty Warm Crumble with Granny Smith Apples, Fresh Sage and Preserved Berry (€6.50). T h e n e x t d ay we enjoyed a great walk around the grounds of Ashford Castle and the ruined abbey nearby. There are different trails to suit all fitness levels and, if you fancy getting on your bike or pony trekking, then this can all be organised by the team at the Lodge. For lunch, we ate from
the Quay Bar menu and again the food was really lovely and, after we had recharged the batteries, it was off again for some more sightseeing. Arriving back at around 4.30pm, we decided to order some room service and have an early meal at around 5pm. I have to say the only downside to a lovely stay was that, due to the fact there was a wedding on, we were informed the kitchens would be closed to other guests until 8pm. So, with no food available at The Lodge, we headed to the castle for a more extravagant meal for two.
THE Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin has created three seasonal packages guaranteed to help you look and feel your best this Christmas. Whether you want to spend the month of November getting party ready, or perhaps getting all your Christmas shopping done early, The Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin has some great packages. The Seasonal Style package allows guests to check into their signature guestroom and receive a fashion-inspired welcome amenity, followed by a complimentary glass of bubbles in The Inn on the Green. This get-away costs from €99pps. The Naughty and Nice package includes a three-course meal in the hotel’s Citron Brasserie on the evening of your stay, and costs from €115 pps. The Fitzwilliam Feel Good Factor includes a rejuvenating and revitalising hour treatment at the hotel’s in-house Spirit Spa. The Feel Good Factor package also includes a healthy breakfast in the hotel’s Citron Brasserie on the day of your departure and costs €140 pps. For more information, log on to www.fitzwilliamhoteldublin.com.
24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Paddy Casey
AWARD-winnging singer-songwriter Paddy Casey is playing a special fundraising gig at the Pavilion, with everyone invited to come along and support a worthy cause – and hear his great music too, of course. Casey’s gig is in aid of Children’s Hope, the South Dublin children’s charity, and, he says, he hopes as many music lovers and charity supporters as possible can come along to help him support the cause. His fundraising gig takes place on at 7.30pm on Sunday, November 6, with the fundraising tickets priced at €15.
MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Aristocrats
BRIAN Friel needs no introduction to theatre audiences, with his popular plays continuing to strike a chord with arts lovers. Now, one of his most best-known plays, Aristocrats, is coming to the popular Dundrum venue, as a family wedding in a crumbling mansion sees the past very much intruding on the present, exposing the fragility of the characters’ relationships ... Regarded as one of Friel’s finest plays, Aristocrats is running nightly at 8pm until Saturday, November 5, with tickets priced at €16/€14.
DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 My Way
GARVAN Gallagher’s exhibition on the “invisible” status of older citizens is drawing to a close, with his diverse range of work having very successfully examined and highlighted the status and self-image of our elders. My Way is an excellent, diverse project underlining how valuable our “invisible” citizens are, and how age should not affect anyone’s status in society. My Way runs at Driaocht’s ground floor gallery until Saturday, November 5.
Dusty old tomes with long-forgotten tales are actually part of the puzzle that will lead reporter, Tintin (Jamie Bell) and his faithful pet, Snowy to the trail of a long-lost 17th century galleon. However, as always, there’s also a bad guy on the trail, with a race on to find the ship ...
Galleons of appeal Brussels sprouts another unlikely hero, with the wellknown cartoon character making his big-screen debut Q KATE CROWLEY
SPEAKING of winter of discontents – and I was, last week, when sending Mr Crowley up to the attic to retrieve wellies to deal with that dreadful downpour we were all drenched by – I note a certain new release that’s soon to come sulking onto our screens. Thankfully,The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 isn’t here just yet, so my inner Scrooge will just have to wait. And so, moving from one timeless character to another, I’m not sure what kind of space Tintin comes from (as the iconic cartoon character certainly comes from an entirely different universe than most clean-cut heroes), but it’s one that has kept him popular for several decades now. Irish readers – and cinema audiences – don’t have quite the same passion for the plucky Bel-
FILM OF THE WEEK: Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn +++ (PG) 106 mins Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Mackenzie Crook, Toby Jones
OUR VERDICT: ALTHOUGH at times, Tintin seems to have less personality than his dog, there’s still plenty to admire in this debut big-screen film for the well-known sleuth reporter. Purists won’t be happy with all of the changes made to Tintin’s background, with three well-known Tintin tales blended to create this version, but regular audiences should warm to this clean-cut, determined “new” hero ...
gian super-sleuth reporter, but Steven Spielberg’s (and producer, Peter Jackon’s) new film is all set to give Tintin more fans here than he’s had since he first appeared in 1929. (And no, dear readers, I’m not quite that old.) The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is a realistic, yet highly-stylised, computeranimated film, and – Oh! I spy readers running off to hide under their beds, suddenly thinking of the CG horrors of Tom Hanks’ The Polar Express, and Jim Carrey’s wretched A
Christmas Carol. Well, stay where you are, folks, as this is a busy, dynamic tale that’s both a good showcase for Tintin’s stories and characters, and is also a decent film on its own merits. Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell) is a plucky Belgian reporter getting by in a European vaguely old-world setting, which nicely sums up the 20th century. Of course, any good repor ter-cum-sleuth needs a good mystery to solve, and it isn’t long before Tintin, and faithful pooch, Snowy, are caught
up in the mystery of a long-lost 17th century galleon, with The Unicorn, and her secret treasure, being sought after in the modern day. Following a swift kidnapping by Sakharine, a descendant of the pirate that sank The Unicorn (both played by Daniel Craig), Tintin’s on board an old steamer, where he soon runs into Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis). Ever sleuth needs a bumbling, bad-tempered sidekick, and so Tintin and Haddock, are soon on the trail of both The not-so-lost Unicorn and Sakharine, who’s strangely determined to find the ship and get his hands on its loot. However, what use could something from the 17th century have for a very modern villain? And how can Tintin, Snowy, Haddock – and a number of other characters from Tintin’s universe – beat Sakharine to
the treasure? Tintin’s on the case ... Mashing together a number of Herge’s tales into an introductory opening film in the planned Tintin trilogy has upset purists, but it’s an effective enough way to introduce Tintin to modern audiences. Of course, the animation is pretty great, for the most part – although the stylised characters still feel somewhat uncanny. However, its globetrotting antics, broad comedy and stylish animation make for a decent first entry and “return” of Tintin. Finally, speaking of mysteries, a cer tain stunning reviewer went snooping around on Tintin’s international website, but couldn’t find “Ireland” listed under the European release dates section. Tsk, tsk. Perhaps Tintin’s next adventure could be “The Curious Case of the Missing Country ...
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25
GazetteGAMING GAMING Bytesandpieces Happy about another Angry Bird?
Deliberately more detailed to behold than the in-game vehicles, the virtual showroom models are simply stunning to examine – and could pass for the real thing on our motoring pages – with the in-game’s vehicles also looking great as they tear around the tracks
A worthy champion of the racing genre SHANE DILLON
LAST week, I mentioned the recently released XBox 360-exclusive title, Forza Motorsport 4 (or Forza 4, for short) which I’m taking a deeper look at today. In terms of new and current racers on the XBox, nothing else comes close to Forza 4, with it certain to continue motororing into plenty
of homes, both now and at Christmas. For newcomers to the Forza series, or for those who’re just looking for some more information, here’s some more info that should help you decide if this is the racer for you. Although the 360 has seen accomplished racers jockeying for position in the past couple of years, Forza 4 has the graphical
edge, with a number of clever processing effects putting a noticeably polished edge on an already highly-impressive title. The tracks are eyecatching for all the right reasons, while the cars have both the looks – and the muscle – to grab racers’ attention from the get-go. In fact, the car modelling seems taken to another level here, with
Anotherweebyte... Grand new title on the way ... BY THE time Gazette readers see this, it’s likely that the question of what the next Grand Theft Auto title will be will be answered, with the first trailer by Rockstar set to spill the beans on Number 5 in the series on November 2. There’s been an awful lot of speculation over
the past year, with the New York-inspired 4 seeming a long time ago by now. Still, the hints, nudges and winks dopped by Rockstar, as well as “those in the know”, have all been pointing towards a Los Angeles “inspired” setting for the next title. True, we’ve already seen this in the “Los Santos” setting of Grand Theft Auto: San
Andreas, but it would be intriguing if this was the direction for the next in the series, which would just mark the second appearance for the series on current consoles. Although Grand Theft Auto 5 may not even hit consoles in 2012, it’ll be great to have some idea on November 2 of what we can expect, then.
the virtual showroom that lets you look at, and, in some cases, climb into, all kinds of both ordinary cars and supercars presenting them in stunning detail. I bet the range of car manufacturers whose ranges are presented here wished their cars looked quite as ... perfect, in real life. For those who may be looking for their own unique racing experience, it’s quite interesting that cars can be modified, with a comprehensive paint editor allowing all manner of interesting user designs to be created, which is certainly not standard for racers. However, all this polish and clever design is just icing on the cake – gamers demand a lot from their racers, and boy, does Forza 4 deliver. There’s a vast range of tracks, vehicles, brands, licences and challenges to unlock – and that’s even before hardcore
petrolheads start delving into the comprehensive tuning options, to really maximise and individualise their Forza experience – offering a comprehensive, detailed experience with plenty of depth. Starting off with the lowest-class vehicles which, predictably, handle like shopping trolleys (but with less speed), a few determined races later sees the driver and manufacturer experience begin to rack up, unlocking extra cars, challenges and grades. In short, Forza 4 lays down the gauntlet, both to other XBox racers, as well as to the PlayStation 3. It’s difficult to see what the next evolution, or iteration, can be for the racing genre, given the level of graphical polish, programming cunning and gameplay options that Forza 4 delivers, but, for now, this genuinely seems like a must-have title for any XBox racing or car fans.
HOW do you make gamers happy with a longrunning series? Give them more of the same, it would seem, as the all-conquering Angry Birds title has received yet another update – with this one introducing a new bird to the tried-andtested forumula. Rovio, the Finnish developer, doesn’t seem to have to do very much to push and develop the brand, given the global march of the unlikely smartphone/ IOS-ruling game. With sales of approximately 12 million downloads from Apple’s iTunes alone, to date – which ignores the vast range of spin-off merchandise – Rovio needn’t do anything else but sit back, and watch the cash roll in. Still, in a nod that other developers could note, at least Rovio continues to develop its brand with its spin-offs and expansions rewarding loyal customers. And so, it’s likely that gamers will welcome the arrival of the new Globe Bird, within the 2011 update of the Angry Bird Seasons pack. Sure, it’s just more of the same – but more Angry Birds just seems to keep creating more happy gamers ...
GAZETTE
26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
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PLANNING NOTICE DUN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL Planning Permission is sought for a new single storey domestic extension to front, conversion of garage to habitable use, construction of new pitched roof to replace existing flat roof over first floor level to side, elevational changes, and all ancillary works, at 126 Landscape Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14, by Sheena McElroy. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dun Laoghaire during its public opening hours. A submission /observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the planning authority.
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3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 27
GazetteSPORT
WINNING FORMULA: October winners of Dublin Sports Stars are announced Page 29
PERFORMANCE: THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON EXCELLENCE COMES TO DUBLIN
sporttracker bring elite to the elite once more sport@gazettegroup.com
SPORTTRACKER.IE are hosting the third annual multi-sport coaching conference at the Regency Hotel on November 19 from 9 am to 3.30pm. The event, entitled Preparing To Perform, is another gathering of high-profile dignitaries from the world of sport in Ireland and abroad, who will inform and inspire. Last year’s event saw some 600 delegates
in attendance, including well-known sports personalities. It provided a networking platform for attendees to exchange knowledge, ideas and personal experiences. This year’s event will feature keynote addresses from the likes of former head coach of British Triathlon and Welsh Athletics, Chris Jones. He has worked extensively with Dr Greg White in pioneering the first UK
Sports Science research programme with elite triathletes, and his athletes compete at Olympic, European, Commonwealth and World level. Also speaking is Guro Strøm Solli, from Norway, an elite cross-country skier with a Masters in Exercise Physiology and Sport Science, and has researched the effects of increased exercise intensity on the female athlete. The Regency will also
World champion cross-country skier, Guro Strom Solli, will be one of the keynote speakers
welcome Billy Walsh, head coach of the Irish Amateur Boxing Associations High Performance Unit, as well as sport psychologist, Phil Moore, and athlete management expert, Ken Lynch.
With such an array of topics the aim of the conference is to cater for coaches, trainers, fitness experts, managers, triathletes, athletes and the amateur enthusiast. The list of speakers for
the conference is being updated daily, and will include Pete McGrath, Down’s double All-Ireland winning manager, and Jim Kilty, who has coached many athletes and coaches internation-
ally with great success. Log onto www.sporttracker.ie to view the full programme and list of speakers or, alternatively, you can telephone 042 93 24504 or email info@ sporttracker.ie.
28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
Recovering the need for speed
PETER CARROLL spoke to Jack Kennedy, a local superHeineken Cup defence set bike ace, who has proved his mettle with a return to to begin in Montpellier the saddle after a crash nearly ended his career LEINSTER captain Leo Cullen was on hand last week to help to launch the Heineken Cup for 2011/12 at the National Convention Centre in Dublin. Leinster, who will be playing in Pool 3 for the opening phase of the competition, will kick off their defence of the title on Saturday, November 12 against Montpellier Herault in the Stade de la Mosson. They will then welcome Glasgow Warriors to the RDS the following Sunday for a lunch-time kick-off before travelling to Bath on Sunday, December 11 in the first of the traditional December double-headers - with the fourth-round tie taking place in the Aviva Stadium the following Saturday evening. For more information, see www.leinsterrugby.ie
Development seminar set for November 19 The second annual Club Development Seminar, organised by Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare Sports Partnerships, will take place at Croke Park on Saturday, November 19. This follows on from the very successful inaugural seminar held in the Aviva Stadium in 2010. The seminar will host leading speakers on issues such as budgeting, strategic planning and volunteer recruitment, and has been set up to help
clubs to tackle the problems they face and to ensure they are well positioned for the future. The event will run from 9.30am (registration is from 9.00am) to 1pm, followed by lunch, and the whole day will only cost €20 per person. Contact Audrey Grainger at South Dublin County Sports Partnership, on 01 414 9000 ext 2678, or email agrainger@ sdublincoco.ie for more information. For more information on the speakers at the seminar log onto www. eventelephant.com/ thefutureofyourclub
THE world flies by. The rider reacts and guides his machine through meandering circuits. Splitsecond decisions are the difference between champions and obscurity. In a sport with a welldocumented history of danger and high-risk endeavours, local racer Jack Kennedy knows all too well that the adrenaline and satisfaction of the race far outweigh the injuries and forks in the road. Last May, Kennedy came off his Appleyard Yamaha in the meeting at Thruxton, while he was sitting second in the British Super Sport (BSS) standings. A big moment in the 23-year-old Clon-
silla man’s racing career, Kennedy knew his future lay in his reaction and recovery from the injury. “It was very difficult. It was a bad back injury, a fracture to my L1 ver-
tigious Brands Hatch circuit, Kennedy showed the world that he couldn’t be discounted, claiming a victory against the odds. “To win that race itself is brilliant. The fact that I
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‘The problem was that the mini-motos and training were on the same day. Even though I loved playing football, I just knew racing was for me.’ --------------------------------------------------------
tebra. It’s a horrible feeling sitting the races out, watching them on television. You miss the feeling of the competition,” said the passionate rider. In the last meeting of the season at the pres-
was just back from injury made it a lot more special. A lot of spectators and critics watch to see if a rider can come back and be competitive after they have a spill. “There have been a lot
Jack Kennedy is looking forward to developing his superbike career
of decent pilots who’ve never recovered after coming off their bikes, so it was a really important win for me.” Kennedy began his racing career at the age 10, and was much inspired by his father, David, who was well-known on the Irish scene, competing in both cars and bikes. The young adrenaline seeker had to make a choice between hurling and football at O’Toole’s, or the sport that would later go on to be his career. “The problem was that the mini-motos and football training were on the same day. Even though I loved playing for O’Toole’s, I just knew racing was for me. “I always took it very seriously and a had a lot of discipline. I just knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.” Colin Appleyard called on the skills of the dynamic rider in 2010, which allowed Jack a taste of the higher level of the game on the British scene. “The British and Irish bike communities are both very similar, they’re all very passionate fans. Of course, I’ll always have a lot of time for the Irish people that have supported me. It’s a great feeling when I’m down in Mondello and people come up and wish me luck or tell me they’ve been watching my races, it means a lot. “There are big differ-
ences though as far as the racing is concerned. It’s a big step up, it’s like comparing the Premiership to the Championship. The timing is a lot better, the officials are far more professional. It’s just 100% racing. “There are big rivalries in the pits. Alistair Seeley won it last year and even though I get on very well with him, he’d play his cards very close to his chest. Everyone out there is trying to make a living.” The tragic death of Marco Simoncelli sent shockwaves throughout the racing world, and it really hit home to Jack, who was watching the race from home. “I was sitting watching in my house in my cast. It really hit me hard, he just lost control of the bike and it can happen to anyone. He was 24, I’m 23. I was crying my heart out, it’s very frightening to see that,” said Kennedy. Despite this, the future looks bright for Kennedy, the racing world is his oyster and he hopes to continue pursuing his path in it for the foreseeable future. “I just want to make a career out of this. In a few years time the dream move would be to World Super Sport I’d get to travel the world and really enjoy myself. At the moment I just want to focus on winning the BSS championship, then who knows?”
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29
in association with
HOCKEY: SCHOOLBOY TEAMS EXIT IN SEMI-FINALS
2011 DUBLIN SPORTS AWARDS OCTOBER WINNERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH
STARof theMONTH
PAUL RYAN BALLYBODEN St Enda’s Paul Ryan has been at the forefront of his club’s drive for five. He has taken over the main scoring mantle for the Firhouse Road club since the injury of talisman Conal Keaney and his contribution in the final against O’Toole’s was one of the main reasons that Boden claimed the fivein-a-row.
TEAMof theMONTH
EGAN AND FLEMING
SALMON Leap Canoe Club members Peter Egan and Neil Fleming took the Liffey Descent title to add to their huge achievements this year, having claimed the Irish and British canoeing championships. The pair will now focus their attentions on attaining the qualifying standard for inclusion in the Irish team to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games.
THE autumn arrived with a vengance in the last weeks of October and it’s no surprise that the fast waters provide us with one of the month’s Dublin sports stars. Peter Egan and Neil Fleming have been slowly rising through the ranks of Irish canoeing and it is heartening to see them at the top of their game just before the crucial qualification process for London 2012 begins. Three huge titles in 2011 is a great platform to begin from. Paul Ryan assisted Ballyboden to their 2011 Dublin crown and helped them claim the first five-in-
a-row in the capital since Garda achieved that milestone in 1929. His contribution throughout the campaign meant he could not be ignored in the shakedown.
Let us know! Let us know about your achievements in sport, so that the Gazette can tell the rest of Dublin — and give you, or your team, a chance of being one of our monthly stars. Contact us on 01 601 0240 or sport@gazettegroup.com to tell us all about your successes, and follow us on Facebook at facebook. com/gazettesportII.
St Andrew’s David Cole celebrates a goal against Regent House
Local sides bow out of Leinster chase sport@gazettegroup.com
LEINSTER’S challenge for the All-Ireland Schoolboy’s hockey championships title came to an end at the semi-finals stage as, for a second year running, both final four ties went to penalty strokes. St Andrew’s fell 3-0 to Banbridge in their competition after Matthew Bell’s late flick tied up a game which the Dubliners led for a long period. Fiachra Maher had put his side in front in the second minute with a brilliant touch to David Cole’s flick. Wesley were undone on the eighth round of
sudden death penalties, 7-6, by Cookstown. Ian Sloan had put the Ulster side in front with time running out before Kirk Shimmins gave his side a lifeline with four minutes left but they could not see it home in the shoot-out. Both had reached the last four a year ago and they returned to the semis as they got the wins they needed against Ashton and Friends, respectively, in deciding group games. Their progression was far from comfortable, though. Ashton lost the cutting edge that marked their 6-1 win over Sullivan Upper earlier in the com-
petition and let slip seven penalty corner chances. Ian Stewart, meanwhile, snapped up the chances that came his way, netting in the first minute of the tie and got an insurance goal later on to punish the Blackrock Road school’s profligacy. Andrew’s corner prowess helped them through against Lisburn’s Friends School. Needing just a draw, the first half was tight for the Booterstown side as the Ulster school held more possession and clipped a post and the bar. After a scoreless first half, though, Andrew’s stepped up as Fiachra
Maher twice slid onto disguised David Cole corner flicks, sandwiching a straight Cole drag. Friends did pull one back but Lee Cole’s solo effort capped a solid win, overturning a 4-3 loss to the same opposition a month ago in a friendly tie. Sutton Park came close to beating Cookstown when they led 3-1 at halftime but four second-half goals denied them, leaving them with just a point from three group games a 2-2 tie with Newpark. St Columba’s garnered a draw from their game against Munster champions Midleton but fell to Banbridge and RBAI.
Juveniles in final Win tickets to see UCD in friendlies action: across Dublin this weekend
Villarreal finished UCD AFC have announced recently that fourth in last seasons La they will host two friend- Liga and so are qualifiers for next season’s Chamly THE matches at the Belfield Tesco juvenile football championship pions League. As well Bowl against Scotland’s finals take place this weekend, on Novemas this, they have a wide Stber Johnstone FC on July 5 and 6. range of talented 10, and Spain’s Villarreal Over 2,000 girls will take part in 63 finalsfootballers at their disposal CF on July10 16. across locations in Dublin. withbut Barcelona StEntry Johnstone finished to the finals is free, there willtarget be and former Manchester eighth in the SLP last a collection for Guide Dogs for the Blind United player, Giuseppe season, and have the a long at each venue, official charity of DLGF. Rossi, on the top tradition in Scottish Pictured are players from St Maur’s and of the list. of Tesco, at the football. Former with players St Slyvester’s, Mr Ping GazetteSpor t and include Sir Alex Ferguson Junior A final in September. Picture: GAApics.com UCD are giving lucky and Ally McCoist.
readers the chance to win pairs of tickets to these matches. Simply answer the following question: Where was Villarreal striker Guiseppe Rossi born? Send your answer, together with your name, address and mobile phone number, to sport@ gazettegroup.com, with “UCD Friendlies” in the subject line of the mail.
UCD’s Robbie Benson
30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3 November 2011
GazetteSport Sport SOCCER: UNDERAGE TEAMS LINE OUT IN THE DELUGE
FastSport
Run for Mark to raise funds for local hero Local hero Mark Pollock is the subject of an upcoming fundraising event being held in Dublin on November 16. Run for Mark In The Dark is taking place across the country with a view to raising monies for the ongoing costs associated with Mark’s spinal injury. For over a decade Mark Pollock was known as an inspiration, an adventure athlete competing in the world’s harshest environments despite being completely blind. In 2010, however, he fell from a second story window fracturing his skull, some ribs and breaking his back in a number of places. Despite the best efforts of his surgeons, his spinal injuries are irrepairable. Dublin also has a walking option which is half the distance of the full 8-10k run. You can register now to take part at the Leinster Rugby Store in Donnybrook, as well as through the online regitration system at www.markpollocktrust.org/run/
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Cabinteely FC’s Under-17 Major 2 side were in action against Palkmerstown Rangers
Cabo sparkle in the rain sport@gazettegroup.com
CABINTEELY FC had another competitive weekend across the age groups last week. After a defeat the weekend before, Cabinteely’s U-17s needed a result against Major 2 rivals, Palmerstown Rangers. Despite knocking on the door throughout the game, the Cabo side never finished off their chances, with the game finishing honours even at 0-0. The return of Ger Hattigan at centre half kept the Rangers men out, marshalling a solid back line. Tom Curran and Ben Whelan were solid in the
middle of the park providing many opening for Jack Kelly and Tom McGrath. A moment of controversy saw David Harris taken down in the Rangers box with only seconds left in the match, but their protests were waved away. The U-17s grabbed an important point that kept them top. The Cabinteely U-9s had a hard fought contest with Leicester Celtic the same weekend, a real barn burner that finished 3-2 in favour of the Dun Laoghaire men. After going one down, Dara Meegan, flew toward the Celtic defence and bet three defenders before
placing the ball into the opposition net. The Leicester side found themselves in the lead again, a Ben Darcy free kick brought the teams level again with a powerful strike. Christian O’Hara grabbed the last goal of the game after some lovely work by Dara Lynch in the midfield. Brian McGrane U-11C team were pitted against old rivals St Josephs last Saturday with the Cabinteely side losing out 2-0 on the day. With score line not really ref lecting the game, it was an even battle throughout with the
Cabo men threatening just as much as their Joeys counterparts. Cabinteely were on top for the majority of the first half but, just before half time, Joeys grabbed a goal and despite an aggressive showing from McGrane’s men, they couldn’t get one back before half time. Doing their best to put the pressure on in the second half, Cabinteely succumbed to another Joeys goal and the score finished out with different spells of pressure from both sides. Cabinteely U-11A faced Ballyfermot the same weekend, playing into the wind in the first half.
The Dun Laoghaire side passed the ball around well and forced some saves from the Ballyfermot stopper in the first half, but unfortunately for them their opposition scored a fine goal to put them ahead at half time. A lovely goal from Cabinteely evened the affair, but yet again Ballyfermot forced an error from the side that resulted in another goal, leaving the Cabo side 2-1 down. Again, the Cabinteely men went at their opposition and grabbed on back and desoite working hard for the remainder of the game, the match finished a draw.
Seapoint continue winning ways sport@gazettegroup.com
S E A P O I N T ’ s U n d e r-14 s improved their winning streak in the league last week with a solid win against the heroes of last year’s cup, Lansdowne, beating the strong side 33 points to 21. The size of the Lansdowne men was quickly noted as they came into a 7-0 lead. Seapoint reacted brilliantly to the early try and scored two of their own. The first was an aggressive breakaway from Sean Ross, giving the momentum to the Dun Laoghaire side.
It was Ross again who made the second, being tackled without the ball just before the try line. The penalty try was scored again and it was the spirited Ross who converted it to give his team a 14-7 lead. Lansdowne kept the game close however, pulling back a try of their own which was converted to leave the two sides deadlocked at half time with 14 each. Despite the clouds opening up, the handling of the Seapoint men continued to be precise, and it was man of the moment,
Sean Ross, who touched down. Again, the try was converted to put the Dun Laoghaire side 21-14 up. In a real nip/tuck affair, Lansdowne didn’t back down and their converted try made a very interesting last quarter with the score at 21-21. A man in an excellent vein of form, Sean Ross, proved to be Lansdowne’s undoing on the day, claiming another try which the Seapoint man failed to convert, putting his side 5 ahead at 26-21, leaving it all to be played for.
However, the Seapoint pack wouldn’t let the Lansdowne men back into the contest, they were well on top in the final quarter, winning plenty of ball to the annoyance of their opposition. It was Glen Mulvaney who closed the game off taking a try after a good Seapoint scrum. Ross was on hand yet again with the conversion, leaving the game with a personal tally of 23. Ross was key to the Seapoint win, but the effort from the pack was solid as well as the backs who tackled hard and passed precisely.
3 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31
in association with
HURLING: BODEN EQUAL GARDA’S 1929 SUCCESS
a
CLUB NOTICEBOARD CUALA CONGRATULATIONS to our Under-
Park in the semi-final of the inter-
16a hurlers who secured back-to-
mediate championship.
back top-flight championship titles with victory over Ballyboden St Enda’s at Blakestown on Saturday afternoon. Good luck to our adult footballers who face Scoil Ui Connail at Parnell
Thomastown plays host to a trio of girls’ finals next Saturday. Cuala minors take on Foxrock Cabinteely in the Division One Shield final, while the Under-15s play Ballyboughal in the Division 3 final.
FOXROCK/CABINTEELY THE annual club dinner dance takes
outstanding, regularly claiming
place on November 18, in the Stillor-
player-of-the match. The nomination is a first for the
gan Park Hotel. Payments for all tickets are due by this Friday as there is a waiting
club and we wish Sinead all the best on All-Stars night. The ladies’ juvenile finals week-
list for tickets. The awards ceremony for the allstars takes place on November 12. We are keeping our fingers crossed for our own Sinead Goldrick, who has been nominated at corner back for 2011. Sinead played on the back line for Ballyboden were untouchable as they drove for the title against a misfiring O’Toole’s team
St Enda’s supreme to claim five in a row DUBLIN SHC FINAL Ballyboden St Enda’s O’Toole’s Q PETER CARROLL
3-12 0-9
sport@gazettegroup.com
B A L LY B O D E N S t Enda’s confirmed themselves as one of the great teams in the county’s hurling history last weekend, becoming the first club in 82 years to win the Dublin Senior Hurling Championships five times in a row. The local side were clinical in front of the goal throughout the game, while O’Toole’s found it hard to register their scores, struggling with the pace set by an enlivened Enda’s, which resulted in 15 wides in total for the Darndale hurlers. O’Toole’s hopes of stopping Ballyboden from achieving a quartet of consecutive titles were boosted by the fact that ‘Boden were also missing the outstanding
talents of Conal Keaney and Stephen Hiney. However, the goalkeeping expertise of Gary Maguire was still present. His efforts won him deserved All-Star recognition this year, and he was not beaten between the posts with another outstanding display. What started out as a very even game, with the two teams level at 0-3 each in the opening 15 minutes, erupted into a Ballyboden showcase when Emmet Carroll fired the ball past Brendan McLoughlin after a well-weighted line ball from Stephen Nolan found its way to him. This strike led to a passage of pressure play from the O’Toole’s forward line, in particular Liam Ryan, who constantly probed, looking to cause problems for the Ballyboden defence, who were equal to his efforts.
The gulf between the two sides was widened even further out when Paul Ryan rifled home a free from 20 metres just before the break, leaving the score at 2-6 to 0-4. A Conor McCormack strike in the opening minutes of the second half put the game to bed for the Dundrum side. A high pass was collected by the Ballyboden man, who skipped past a defender before smashing the sliotar beyond the O’Toole’s goalkeeper that put his side some 11 points clear with the second half only barely started.
Clear water Five minutes af ter McCormack’s strike, Ballyboden could have registered another goal in the shape of a Paul Ryan penalty, but the star man’s strike smashed the Darndale side’s crossbar before O ’ To o l e ’ s d e f e n c e
cleared the careering sliotar up the pitch and out of danger. O’Toole’s threatened throughout the remainder of the second half, but they will be disappointed with their accuracy in front of the posts, their wides being an unwanted statistic in the final. However, there will be no complaints with the result, as Ballyboden were uncatchable as soon as they put light between themselves and their opponents. Captained by Dave Curtin, Ballyboden were deserved winners on the day and lifted their fifth consecutive county championship title since they won their first in 2007. Ballyoden’s next challenge comes in the shape of Westmeath’s Clonkill, where they will represent Dublin in the AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship away from home on November 6.
the Dubs this season and has been
end takes place on November 5 and 6. Eleven of our 16 teams have reached the finals. Last year, we won five trophies, more than any other club in Dublin. Let’s hope we can put in as good a performance this season.
NAOMH OLAF THERE was huge disappointment
League Division 3.
for our U-15 footballers who were
There are two important fixtures
defeated by Skerries Harps in the
this coming weekend for which we
semi-final of the B football cham-
need as much support as possible,
pionship last Sunda y. Nonethe-
although, unfortunately, they are on
less, the players and mentors have
the same time. Our minor football-
been excellent all year and we and
ers are in semi-final action in the
they should be very proud of their
MFC C on Sunday, November 6 away
efforts.
to St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER in Martin
In the only other club game of the
Savage Park with an 11am throw-
weekend, our U-13 hurlers had a
in, while our U-15 footballers face
good win away to Kevin’s in Hurling
Naomh Fionnbarra at home.
STARS OF ERIN THE Under-11s played a challenge
training continues every Tuesday.
g ame a g ains t Thoma s Davis in
There was no winner of the week-
Glencullen on Saturday morning. A
ly lotto. Numbers drawn were 8, 15
tough game resulted in Stars com-
and 18. There were three no jack-
ing out on top.
pot winners prizes, which went to
It’s been a fantastic year for the Under-11s who finished runnersup in both the hurling and football leagues. It’s a real credit to their
1st: Paul Kavanagh; 2nd: Larry and Susan Roe; 3rd: Sr Brennan. Lotto jackpot for week ending November 6 will be €1,500.
management team, and the club
The club hosted a Halloween bingo
would like to take this opportu-
night in Johnny Fox’s Pub on Octo-
nity to thank Micheal McDonnell
ber 30. A very very special thanks
and Barry Heeney for all the hard
has to go to Gary and Jenny Collins
work they have put in throughout
who hosted and organised an excel-
the year.
lent night. Everyone had a fantastic
Un d e r - 8 s t r a i n i n g c o n t i n u e s every Thursday, while the Under-9s
evening, and we are already looking forward to the next one.
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ALL OF YOUR DUN LAOGHAIRE SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31
CABO ON THE MARCH: Soccer youth see league action last weekend P30
NOVEMBER 3, 2011
BACK ON TRACK Kennedy on his superbike return P28
GazetteSPORT
Ballyboden St Enda’s swept aside the challenge of O’Toole’s in a one-sided final at Parnell Park
Five-star St Enda’s claim crown again Ballyboden’s quintet is only the beginning as they face the Leinster championship challenge PETER CARROLL dunlaughairesport@gazettegroup.com
LIAM Hogan, manager of the record-breaking Ballyboden St Enda’s hurling side, was on cloud nine after his side recorded their fifth Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in a row last weekend. Hogan was in ebullient form when GazetteSport spoke to him about the championship campaign and the next quest for the Leinster Club Hurling Championship title. “It’s a brilliant feeling. It was a game that was on a one-way track after Emmett Carroll got the first goal, so the achievement didn’t really sink in at first,” Hogan said. “When we got back to the clubhouse, we finally realised what we had done and we had a great night. All the players deserved one.” The Ballyboden team have been missing two important players in Conal Keaney and Stephen Hiney, but, when asked about dealing with the loss
of such players, Hogan highlighted it was much more than the Dublin duo that were missed. “A lot of the papers are talking about Conal and Stephen, and of course they are huge losses. “But, in reality, we’re missing five super players — the two lads, David Sweeney, Brendan Treacy and James Duffy. They were massive blows but, as I told the lads, there’s no point in dwelling on it, everybody else has to get out there and pick up the slack, which they have done.” Gary Maguire, Ballyboden’s goalkeeping standout won an All-Star this year, and Hogan gave his thoughts on the player’s contribution. “Gary is brilliant, a complete goalkeeper. He’s always cool under pressure, he has great hands and quick feet, as he proved in a sticky situation in the O’Toole’s game. I think one of the reasons why he is playing so well is having pressure from Finn McGarry, who is equally as good, and always ready to play,” said Hogan. Ballyboden’s next outing will seem them tested
against Clonkill in Westmeath this weekend, their first game in their Leinster campaign. Despite being favourites, Hogan sees a great challenge ahead. “Clonkill will be a very tough test. They’ve been out at the Dublin quarters, semis and the final, so we know they mean business. They had a challenge game against Sarsfields recently and they beat them well. They will get our full attention. “A lot of people may think we have underachieved in Leinster over the last few years, but that would be a huge insult to the teams we have played. My motto is ‘play one game at a time, play one ball at a time’ and that’s the only way to be successful in hurling. “We never want to look too far ahead but, come the weekend, we will be looking to progress, and next year we will be looking for our sixth Dublin championship in a row. These players are passionate and determined when it comes to the game, so I expect great things from them, and they expect the same for themselves,” he said.