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Laoghaire GAZET TE FREE

YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER

‘These annual French events are simply ooh-la-lovely’ TRAVEL: P22 RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.

November 10, 2011

INSIDE: Locals brush up on a new salon’s range THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING: South of great services P2 Dublin schools in BT’s RDS contest P3

Greening away: Happy to collect their eco award THESE members of the Associa-

Football: Cuala miss out on place in the top flight Page 32

tion of Landscape Contractors of Ireland had every reason to smile recently when they collected an award for their Engaging Communities in an Environmental Project project at the 2011 EnviroCom Awards. Held at the Royal Marine Hotel, the awards were presented to a wide range of groups located within Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown for their successful blending of environmental and commercial practice.

Picture: Paul Sherwood

Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

Football: Success across the board for local sides Page 31

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 MOTORS ........................18 BUSINESS .................... 21 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

Public to help shape major plan for town Consultation process for Draft Local Area Plan

Q DAWN LOVE

PUBLIC consultation on a major new plan, which, it is hoped, will transform Dun Laoghaire into a top tourist and marine leisure destination, is set to get under way.

Details of the non-statutory public consultation process on

a Draft Local Area Plan will be advertised from next week onwards.

An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor John Bailey, said: “We want to make Dun Laoghaire a vibrant destination, and to take its place among the top tourist, marine

leisure, cultural, and retail destinations in the country.”

He said the council was currently in the process of finalising an “Issues Paper”, designed to encourage dialogue on issues such as the town’s urban structure, public and green spaces, amongst other matters.

Full Story on Page 3

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

COUNCIL: THESE FUNDS ARE NECESSARY FOR FUNDING PROJECTS

EVENT Harpers Hair Salon holds launch evening

€4.4m raised in parking charges Q NATALIE BURKE

A MASSIVE €4.4 million has been raised through pay and display parking in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (DLR) so far this year, The Gazette can reveal.

According to new figures, the €4.4 million was generated in the first seven months of 2011.

However, this week, Independent councillor Victor Boyhan said he believed that the figure raised demonstrated an “aggressive” enforcement of parking fines within the county.

“The vote at the council meeting in early January to include the €4.4 million in the budget clearly shows that it was a conscious decision to have that target in place, and how much income was going to be made from parking,” said Cllr Boyhan, who was one of four DLR county councillors to vote against the motion.

In January, the council determined that income in the sum of €4,400,000 from the scheme would be included in the annual budget for the financial year ending December 31, 2011, and that this sum be used for works, including the footpath improve-

ment programme, road maintenance, public lighting, school warden services and grass cutting, among others.

Cllr Boyhan said: “Despite voting against the motion, it was a democratic decision at the council meeting, but I think it puts a lot of pressure on the scheme to bring in income and demonstrates a really aggressive enforcement of these parking fines,” he said.

Following a question raised by the councillor at a recent council meeting, it was confirmed that between January and June of this year, €3,588,054 was made from a combination of meter collections, parking permits, court costs and parking fines.

Over the seven months, it was confirmed that 22,816 parking fines were issued, 3,105 fines appealed, and almost €700,000 made from parking fines income.

A spokesman from the council’s transportation department responded by saying that “any reduction in the pay and display income budget will have an adverse effect on the scale and extent to which important services can be delivered”.

Aimee and Lisa Quinlan. Picture: Richie Stokes

Looking sharp as new salon officially opens

T WAS a very glamorous affair in Glasthule recently when Harpers Hair Salon officially opened its doors. The new salon is staffed by a team of professional stylists, and stock a comprehensive latest range of on-trend hair products to suit all hair types.

Owner, Janine Harper, began her salon training at the age of 18 with industry stalwarts, Toni & Guy, and clearly excelled, having received her full qualification after just 18 months – something that would take others more than four years to achieve.

I

Janine Harper

Lyona and Antonia Caffrey

Shannon Murray

Claire Reade and Jane Whittaker

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

PLANNING Consultation process on local area plan

Public to help shape the future of district Q DAWN LOVE

rock, Independent councillor Victor Boyhan said he wanted to encourage the people of both areas to engage in the planning process, and to have their say.

dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

THE public consultation phase for a major new plan aimed at shaping the future of Dun Laoghaire, and transforming it into a top tourist, marine leisure and cultural destination, is set to commence next week.

Details of the non-statutory public consultation process on the Draft Local Area Plan (LAP) will be advertised from next week onwards.

An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Fine Gael Councillor John Bailey, said the local authority was currently in the process of finalising an “Issues Paper”, designed to guide, and encourage, dialogue on issues such as the town’s urban structure, the scale and height of buildings, public spaces, its cultural development, green spaces and shopping, amongst other issues.

Vibrant destination He said: “We want to make Dun Laoghaire a vibrant destination and to take its place among the top tourist, marine leisure, cultural, and retail destinations in the country.”

The council will advertise the details of the non-statutory public consultation process next week, when members of the public will be invited to make submissions.

“All submissions will

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‘The Local Area Plan process affords local communities the chance to work closely with council planners and councillors, to focus in detail on specific local planning challenges and opportunities’ --------------------------

Cllr Victor Boyhan, Ind --------------------------

be taken into consideration when the Dun Laoghaire Draft Local Area Plan is prepared.

Once complete, the plan will go on public display,” said An Cathaoirleach.

Welcoming the commencement of the public consultation process on the LAP for Dun Laoghaire, and also a separate LAP for Black-

Local challenges He said: “One of the great things about the LAP process is that it affords local communities the chance to work closely with council planners and councillors, to focus in detail on specific local planning challenges and opportunities.”

Cllr Boyhan said that he had drawn up the following list of issues that he wish to see addressed in the new plans for Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock.

These should include planning for new residential communities; the renewal of Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock retail and town centres; sports and leisure facilities to include Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock Baths; as well as covering enterprise, industry and employment, alongside community facilities and amenities.

“Councillors will consider the issues that arise in the preparation of both draft LAPs, and will ultimately adopt, amend or revoke a LAP. “So, it is important that local people express their ideas, suggestions, and concerns early in the LAP process to their local county councillors,” said Cllr Boyhan.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

CLARIFIED

Council did reply IN THE October 27 edition of the Dun Laoghaire Gazette, we stated that Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council had not commented on a story we published relating to their emergency phone line service and flooding.

However, the council had responded to our queries, and this response was quoted within the story, which appeared on Page 5 of that edition.

The Gazette is happy to clarify this matter.

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

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SCHOOLS Girls set world record at the O2

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ENTERPRISENEWS

In addition to staying in The Revolver ferris wheel beside the 02 for more than 24 hours, students also staged a 12-kilometre walk

50+ Start Your Own Business programme

Students’ wheely great fundraiser Q MICHAEL HANNAN

ARE you over 50? Ever thought of starting your own business?

This may be the right time and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board is promoting a training course focussed particularly on specific issues and challenges relating to budding entrepreneurs in this target group.

The vital components of a structured Start Your Own Business programme will be combined with the inclusion of additional elements pertinent to “Senior Entrepreneurs”, such as succession and pension planning, and the use of social media in business.

The training, which will take place in early 2012, will be held over 10 evenings (1 x per week) in the Enterprise Board’s offices in Nutgrove Enterprise Park.

Topics covered will include The Challenges of Starting a Business, Marketing for 21st century businesses, Finance, Sales and Recession Proofing. Networking and Mentoring opportunities will form an intrinsic part of the programme and guest speakers will talk about their own experiences of starting a business in the local area.

If you have a business idea and are interested in joining this exciting new programme,and receiving further detail, please contact the Enterprise Board – (01) 494 8400 or info@dlrceb.ie.

STUDENTS from Rathdown School in Glenageary recently helped to set a new world record for staying in the Big Wheel’s Revolver at the O2 site – all in aid of leukaemia patients.

The event was organised on behalf of the Bone Marrow Leukaemia Trust.

The fourth- and sixth-year students were attempting to stay in the Revolver, in six pods, for more than 24 hours.

“We were up in the pod for 24-and-a-half hours.

There were 17 girls from Rathdown, and then four from Loreto Dalkey, and other college students,” said sixth-year student, Rachel McQuaid.

McQuaid said that the wheel went around 2,000 times, and did a full revolution every two minutes. The students stopped ever y three

hours to take a five- or ten-minute break, and the record attempt ended up at 11am on Sunday morning.

A 12-kilometre walk was also staged, which started from 11am from the school on the Saturday, with more than 100 students participating, including 60 from Rathdown and 40 from Loreto Dalkey.

The route went from the school via Blackrock, Rock Road and Sandymount, before finishing up at the O2.

The record-breaking attempt and walk was in aid of Students Unite for Childrens’ Health which was established in 2006

by Rathdown school teacher, Chris Connolly.

McQuaid said that they are trying to spread the programme to other schools.

“Normally, we do a charity show, but we decided to do something

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‘The wheel went around 2,000 times, and did a full revolution every two minutes. The students stopped every three hours to take a five- or ten-minute break, and the record attempt ended up at 11am on Sunday morning.’

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out of our box this time around. We’ve raised more than €7,000 at the moment, and the sponsorship is still coming in.

Our target is €12,000,” she said.

Fellow student, Clara Melly, accompanied McQuaid in the pod and said it was a great experience to beat the world record.

“An official came in from the Guinness Book of Records to make sure we were abiding by the standards of the Guinness World Record, and we got certificates.”

She said that about 150 school students took part in the walk in the rain, having each obtained sponsorship. “ Eve n t h o s e w h o couldn’t do the walk if they had matches, they got involved by getting sponsorship as well. Everyone got involved, from students to principals and teachers.

“We haven’t really done anything like this before – it’s usually shows, fashion shows, plays, that type of thing.

Last year, we did something for Crumlin Chil-

dren’s Hospital,” said Melly.

More than €100,000 has been raised over the last five years for a variety of projects and charities linked with children’s health.

The monies raised this year for the Bone Marrow Leukaemia Trust will go to buying iPads for teenagers with leukaemia who are in isolation wards and cannot communicate with their friends and extended family.

This will enable them to use all the social networking tools available such as Skype, Facebook, email, watch DVDs, listen to their favourite music and allow them to live as normal a life as a teenager as possible.

The rest of the money raised will be used to create apartment accommodation for parents of those in Dublin in longterm hospital care.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

RETAIL

Get ready to shop and rock IRISH X-Factor singer, Melanie McCabe, was in town this week to launch the second Dundrum Town Centre Shop & Rock event, which takes place on Thursday, November 17 and which will run from 9pm until midnight.

More than 75 retailers at Dundrum Town Centre are taking part.

Not only will there be discounts on the night, one customer will be walking away with a luxury holiday for two to Dubai, worth more than €6,000, thanks to Cassidy Travel and the Dubai Tourist Board.

Customers have to enter on www.facebook. com/dundrumtc, or at the Customer Service Desk on Level 2, and then be at the Shop and Rock event.

For further details, see www.dundrum.ie, or www.facebook.com/ dundrumtc.

PLANNING Concerns over the area’s scenic value

Parking seen as a threat MICHAEL HANNAN

A PROPOSAL to create additional car parking spaces near the Shankill Tennis and Bowling Clubs has sparked protest from a local residents group, who say it will take away from the scenic value of the area.

The proposed development includes 47 new car parking spaces to be created, with 14 along the laneway at Quinn’s Road. These car parking spaces have been seen as potentially detrimental to the scenic value of the area, according to Mike Fitzgerald, chairman for the Corbawn Residents’ Association (CRA).

“The laneway is a very beautiful piece of countryside next to urban Dublin and people are very fond of it, so hundreds of people use it every week. We were very fearful that putting parking bays

in it would destroy the atmosphere. Also, more importantly, parking any vehicles along it represents a major hazard to kids as they try and second guess what happens when a car tries to park there because it’s a narrow laneway.

“We put a study to the council and they did seem to accept that putting in additional car parking in the laneway would take away from the whole character of the environment. They conceded that, but, regrettably, on the one hand while they won’t put yellow lines and car bays there, it seems a bit mean-spirited that they still want to make changes that would facilitate people parking there,” he said.

The other proposed developments include the construction of a single-storey, timber-clad

Plans for extra parking close to Shankill Tennis Club has sparked fears in residents

clubhouse at the Shankill Bowling Club, with two outdoor mini-tennis courts. There will also be an indoor tennis hall accommodating three new tennis courts, new floodlighting columns, landscaping and new boundary treatment and site services.

The CRA have emphasised that they have posi-

tive relationship with the clubs and say that both have confirmed that they did not propose to have parking on the laneway to the sea and the parklands at the end of Quinn’s Road.

“It must be quite clear to the council that this is something people do not want. It would be appropriate if they were

to look at this plan from the point of view of safety first of all and protecting this last bit of greenbelt between Shankill and Bray,” Fitzgerald said.

A spokesperson for the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council confirmed that the additional car parking was proposed by the council themselves to cope with

anticipated demand.

They confirmed that the concerns of the residents have been noted in the Manager's report and that a comprehensive submission was made by a town planner on behalf of the residents, and these concerns have been taken account of in the decision by the council to agree the proposal with some minor amendments. The council will continue to monitor any complaints in relation to parking in Corbawn Lane, he said.

The residents’ group has called for the entire laneway be rezoned as a Pedestrian Priority zone, which they claim if achieved could help create a more appropriate context for any future planning proposals.

A spokesperson for the Shankill Tennis Club was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7

SCHOOLS Record number enters annual contest

Deputies strut for museum

Students are preparing for BT challenges Q LAURA WEBB dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

A RECORD number of students have entered the 2012 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, with 130 projects from Dublin schools qualifying for the prestigious competition.

The highlight of the school year for many young secondary students, this year’s entrants have shown that the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition hasn’t lost its spark among budding scientists.

This year 1,743 ideas were entered by 3,842 students from across the 32 counties.

In Dun Laoghaire, a number of different schools will exhibit their projects during the January show, including Blackrock College, Clonkeen College in Blackrock, Colaiste Iosagain in Blackrock, Holy Child Secondary School in Killiney, Loreto College in Foxrock, Rathdown School and Newpark Comprehensive.

Interest in the competition has increased over the years, and already judges have remarked on the impressive nature of entries this year, based on preliminary reviews.

Each year, more and more students are entering the competition, and

are battling it out for a place in the RDS exhibition.

To allow for more students to take part, BT has extended the space at the exhibition, making 550 places available – an increase of 30 on last year – allowing up to 90 additional students take part in January.

Speaking last week, the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, said: “In its 48th year, it is great to see the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition continue to break new records for both the number of projects entered and schools competing.

“It is hugely uplifting to

FASHION: FUNCTION

The RDS will once again be full to the brim with exciting projects by young scientists

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‘It is hugely uplifting to see 1,743 ideas generated in classrooms across Ireland, thought up by curious young minds’ --------------------------------------------------------

Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn

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see 1,743 ideas generated in classrooms across Ireland, thought up by curious young minds who are eager to positively impact the world around them.

“Research and innova-

tion are critically important to our economy, and I commend everyone involved in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition for providing a platform to stimulate and

showcase Ireland’s talent, both nationally and internationally.”

The 2012 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition takes place in the RDS, Dublin from January 11 to 14.

For further information, see www.btyoungscientist.com, check out http://www.facebook. com/BTYSTE, follow on Twitter at http://twitter. com/btyste or call 1800 924 362.

INDEPENDENT TDs, Deputy Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and Mick Wallace are getting set to strut their stuff down the catwalk in at a fashion show to aid the reopening of the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire.

Also attending the event will be People Before Profit TD, Richard Boyd Barrett.

The event will take place on T hursday, November 10 in Dun Laoghaire’s National Yacht Club. Tickets are available from the Maritime Museum’s office in the Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre, in local fashion shops, and by phoning 01 214 3964.

A host of local dignitaries are expected to attend the event, which will see the best of fashion from Glasthule, Monkstown and Dun Laoghaire on view.

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

EVENT

Guests enjoying the 2011 EnviroCom Awards Dinner

Bikes 4 Africa Group

Special Merit – Thorn Environmental – From left: Michael Johnson, DLRCEB; Adam Thorn; Myles Thorn; Cllr

Waste Prevention – Neil Keenan, President DLR Chamber; Cllr John Bailey, An

John Bailey, An Cathaoirleach DLR County Council and Neil Keenan, President DLR Chamber

Cathaoirleach DLR County Council and Joan Cox-Kearns, Dell. Pictures: Paul Sherwood

Awards ceremony

HE 2011 EnviroCom Awards Dinner was held at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire with An Cathaoirleach John Bailey and Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett speaking.

The Awards, now in their fifth year, are renowned for showcasing the best melding of environmental and commercial practice by companies, agencies and non-profits located or operating within Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

All of the entrants have put meaningful effort into reducing their impact on the environment.

T

Johnnie Fox’s - Environmental Performance Tourism/ Bank of Ireland Group – Energy Manager of the Year

Hospitality

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9

held at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire

Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland – Engaging Communities in an Environmental Project

Applegreen Group – Engaging Communities

Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel – Environmental Performance Tourism/Hospitality

Baxter Healthcare - Environmental Energy Management - Amgen – Susan Casey (left)

Performance Retail/Service

10 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 11

LIVE A return to home soil as Dubliners Tarantella Falls relaunch debut album

It’s all falling into place now Q MICHAEL HANNAN

DUBLIN band Tarantella Fall will relaunch their debut album, Abandoned Road, at Blanchardstown’s Captain Americas this Friday, November 11.

It is a homecoming gig for frontman Chris Kinsella, a Blanchardstown native who has lived there all his life, and he is looking forward to playing back on his old turf.

“Captain Americas is a fantastic new venue in the area that the band is very excited about playing. It is great to see a new venue in the area promoting live original music and, it’s free in on the night so be sure to get there early,” he said.

Abandoned Road is a concept album that tells the story of John Willmore, a man with a dark

past who decides to share that darkness with those he meets.

The album has been described as “reminiscent of the storytelling of Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen or Willie Vlautin” which “veers between the alt. rock musings of REM, the heavy guitar workouts of Neil Young and the sinister atmospherics of Slint,” according to Olaf Tyaransen of Hot Press.

Formed in late 2009, Tarantella Fall’s line-up is completed by Neville Foster on drums, Graham Keogh on bass and Ronan O’Donovan on guitar and harmonica.

They take the first part of their name from the Tom Waits song Tango Till They’re Sore and the name of an Italian dance.

The second part comes from a poem by Hillaire

Belloc in which the last line refers to a waterfall.

The band made their live debut in January and first launched Abandoned Road in March.

It’s been an eventful year for the quartet, who had their song, Wasteland, featured in Network Two’s The Importance of Being Whatever.

They helped musician Dave Browne break the Guinness World Record for continuous guitar playing of over 114 hours with a stint with him in the Temple Bar Pub. They have also performed for Special Olympics Ireland on Henry St, and shared the stage with Irish bands of the moment Royseven, The Minutes and Bipolar Empire as part of the Jägermeister Freezer Sessions in Dundalk.

Dublin band Tarantella Falls are set for a debut album relaunch in Captain Americas this Friday, November 11

12 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteNUTRITION NUTRITION Getting your digestive system in tip-top shape Q LEILA JOHARI

IF you find yourself experiencing hear tburn or indigestion you may be suffering from a digestive imbalance, an inability to produce the appropriate enzymes to break down food or an inability to secrete the acid or alkali environment throughout the digestive system.

A poor digestive system can result in embarrassing symptoms such as bloating, burping and belching which we would all prefer to avoid.

Importance of a healthy digestive system An optimally functioning digestive system is essential to good health.

The nutrients in food cannot promote health if they are being inefficiently absorbed.

The average person only absorbs 30% of the nutrients needed by the body each day. This is why we must ensure that our gut is as healthy as possible.

Strategies for dealing with dodgy digestion • Avoid large and too frequent meals • Avoid drinking with meals as this dilutes the action of digestive juices making complete digestion more difficult • Avoid strong spices, salt, sugar, curries, alcohol and coffee as these are gastric irritants and acid-forming foods such

as meat and fast food • Avoid fried foods • Avoid eating under stress as it impairs digestion • Avoid poor food combinations. A meal consisting of raw fruit, cooked fruit, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, several types of protein, starch and sweets will lead to indigestion.

Keep meals simple and chew food well.

Never combine fruits with vegetables, fruits with starches or liquids with solids.

Bacteria isn’t always bad One of the most important factors in boosting digestive health is ensuring that there is the right balance of good and bad bacteria in the stomach.

When bad bacteria overwhelm the good, d i g e s t i ve p r o b l e m s occur.

A good way of guaranteeing you have enough of these beneficial bacteria is to eat probiotics - foods that contain cultures of these bacteria.

Probiotic bacteria naturally dominate in a healthy gut; they reinforce the integrity of the intestinal lining as a protective barrier to prevent harmful organisms or materials from crossing into the body’s bloodstream.

The lifestyle link If you are ill, stressed, very tired or taking antibiotics, your gut flora suffers. When your gut flora is in decline, the harmful bacteria can

grow in formidable force, and, of course, the good bacteria are no longer able to do their important jobs.

So you’re convinced that you need to keep your good bacteria happy and healthy. The question is how?

Eating more probiotics is the obvious answer.

They contain living cultures of good bacteria, most often Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium species. They are available in milk-based drinks, yogurts and cheeses.

The idea behind probiotics is that they introduce colonies of good bacteria into the colon.

Eating probiotic products is like infecting your body in a good way.

Some research suggests that only a small proportion of the bacteria in probiotics make it through to the colon – many are killed in the acidic conditions in the stomach, which is why acid-forming foods should be avoided.

Prebiotics are food for the good bacteria. They are indigestible carbohydrates that encourage the existing good bacteria to thrive. Basically, they are soluble fibre such as whole grains, oats and rye, and good sources include Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic and bananas.

So listen to your gut reaction and make the dietary changes that will boost your digestive system. And remember, it’s not “you are what you eat,” it is “you are what your body can absorb”.

An optimally functioning digestive system is essential to good health

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 13

EVENT

10 Years and still going strong for the Boys!

The longest-running male lifestyle event, Toys 4 Big Boys, in Ireland kicks off on November 11 with a host of brand new features. Girls in the City will run in parallel with Toys 4 Big Boys in a different part of the Citywest venue.

Be wowed

by Toys 4 Big Boys at Citywest GET ready to experience this juggernaut of excitement as the longest running male lifestyle event in Ireland kicks off on November 11 with a host of brand new features.

Take a deep breath and prepare to be amazed and wowed as the show provides something of interest to all – lads, dads and families. Those who visit the event will enjoy a fun day out full of escapism and the chance to feast their eyes on everything they could possibly want.

This year will witness the biggest show yet, where revellers can expect to see amazing stunt shows that will shock and awe, the biggest Military Zone ever, the greatest cars and bikes you will see in Ireland, as well as the coolest gadgets on the planet!

Driving and drifting

Scream at the top of your lungs as the Oblivion Zip Line takes you from the top of the massive arena to the bottom in a matter of seconds. And if the Terminal Velocity Stunt Jump doesn’t frighten you to death, make your way over to the Live Action Arena and witness some top-class formation driving and drifting from some of the best drivers that Ireland has!

If you are still standing, and can take some more excitement, make your way over to the Adventure Zone or try water zorbing, kayaking, the bunjeetrampoline, climbing, the gaming arena, golf, hovercrafts, the Jedi Academy, for our younger visitors, laser clay shooting, our fantastic live stage, paintball, microlights, RC rac-

ing, skate ramp, wrestling, martial arts displays and much more.

The impressive Nintendo Unleashed Tour comes to Ireland for the first time at Toys 4 Big Boys, where you will be able to experience incredible 3D graphics, thanks to the revolutionary new Nintendo 3DS and you can also try out some ground-breaking prereleases. Nothing beats the satisfaction of playing new releases before everyone else, especially trying games that aren’t even available in the country!

And with great excitement, the event will see the first ever Soccer Live!

Arena, where Ireland’s best young freestylers and street footballers will make their mark at this years’ inaugural competition. There will be freestyle master classes with world renowned Daniel Dennehy and Peter Fleming, Ireland’s first ever 2 v 2 soccer tournament, street soccer challenges, and you may even get the chance to meet a soccer legend!

No excuses

Did we say there was free parking? Well, there is but, if you want someone else to do the driving, take the Luas (which departs from Connolly Main Line Railway Station) right to the front door – hop on the Luas Red Line to the last stop (Saggart) and you’re just 200 metres from the venue, so there really are no excuses! You simply need to come to this show!

Commenting on the Toys 4 Big Boys Show, John McDonald said:

“The Toys 4 Big Boys Show has changed considerably over the years and this year, being our 10th anniversary, there are no holds barred. We’re investing a huge amount of money in the 2011 event, which will see a big array of new features and activities for everyone to enjoy – and there will be parts to the show which no one has seen before!

There really is something for everyone at this year’s show – young lads and their friends, dads with their sons and families looking for something different to do. And, for the ladies….the Girls in the City event will deliver on everything they could possibly want.”

For tickets, and more information on this year’s show, check out www. toys4bigboys.ie. Flat rate ticket price of €10 with children under 10 free!

Girls in the City

This brand new event will run in parallel with Toys 4 Big Boys in a different part of the Citywest venue. An all-new concept event for women and their friends to have fun, with beauty, style and fashion. Three fashion shows a day; talks, workshops and demonstrations; delivering all the elements of a fulfilled and confident life. This event is styled and produced

by French fashion guru, Cynthia Baloula.

Online admission price of only €10 Free parking Community and competitions: Facebook.com/ girlsinthecity.ie Tickets: girlsinthecity. ie/tickets

14 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY Total luxury at the K Spa in Straffan

Vaseline’s makeover

ONE of Ireland’s most trusted skin care ranges, Vaseline, has just undergone a major makeover. Built on the premise that no two women are the same, Vaseline has developed a new three-stage moisturising treatment that works with every woman’s unique skin type. The essential range includes, Essential Moisture, Aloe Fresh and Cocoa Radiant.

“Our customers wanted a thicker texture and a milder formulation and so we created our new Essential Care Range in response to those demands,” says Lauren Brooking, of Vaseline Ireland.

The Vaseline Essential range is available from supermarkets nationwide

Q DAWN LOVE

I’VE been to a fair few beauty spas in my time as a journalist, but there are few that can compare to the K Spa in Straffan, Co Kildare. Tucked away on the grounds of the luxury five-star K Club Hotel and Resort, this is an absolute gem of relaxation and tranquillity.

Once the home to the

Barton family, the design of the hotel is based on that of a great chateau at Louveciennes, situated to the West of Paris, and just as it exudes luxury so to does the K Spa. Covering 20,000 sq ft, the spa is situated in a separate building to the main hotel and incorporates seven treatment rooms, two private suites, a swimming pool, saunas

and steam rooms.

The Spa carries two beauty ranges, the Irish organic brand, Voya, and the luxurious French skincare range, Carita.

I arrived on a rainy Thursday morning and was offered a glass of chilled, still water while I filled in a questionnaire form for the two therapists who would be looking after me.

Covering 20,000 sq ft, the K Spa is situated in a separate building to the main hotel

After changing into a luxurious towelling robe and slippers I headed off for a K Spa Signature Massage, which is a fullbody massage that fuses Eastern and Western techniques. My beauty therapist was Janet and to say I was thoroughly spoilt would be an understatement.

Using delicious grapeseed oil, Janet really concentrated on getting the lymph system going and when I say I felt three inches thinner at the end of the hour-long treatment, I’m not kidding. I think that’s the beauty of going for a K Spa Signature Massage. They are designed to suit the individual needs so, if you are pregnant and want to tackle any fluid retention, or if you have cellulite or you simply want to relax, then it’s an ideal treatment to opt for.

Next up was a facial using products from Carita, the range that every chic Parisian keeps on her bathroom shelf.

My therapist, Mona, felt that, although my skin is combination, it was also dehydrated, so she treated this in a number of ways.

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

‘I left feeling completely pampered and indulged, the way you should after a morning at a first-class spa’ --------------------------

First off, my skin was cleansed and then exfoliated with Carita’s famous mixture of roasted sunflower seeds marinated in essential oils such as thyme, lemon and clove, all of which are designed to exfoliate, brighten and soften your skin.

The next stage involved a relaxing massage and, for the mask, Mona used Carita’s Bain des Lagons, which plumps up the skin cells and increases its ability to maintain its moisture reserves.

While the mask was on, my hands were massaged and I was given an Indian head massage, at which point I nodded off completely.

Before applying a moisturiser, she used a concentrated moisture booster called Serum des Lagons (a favourite with many a beauty editor) which is essentially a fresh, thirst-quenching gel that refines the skin’s texture and leaves it looking like you drink the requisite eight glasses of water on a daily basis and never, ever indulge in a late night.

I left feeling completely pampered and indulged, the way you should after a morning at a first-class spa.

For more details about the K Spa, or to make a booking, call 01 601 7200 or log on to www.kclub. ie

The luxury five-star K Club Hotel and Resort

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 15

Edited by Dawn Love

Getting your hair ready for the big party season DOES your hair need a touch of magic in the leadup to the party season? L’Oreal Paris’ first triple reinforcing programme, with Arginine and a protein complex, could be just the ticket for you then.

The high concentration of Arginine in the Elvive Triple Resist range works from the root along the lengths, to the ends, leaving your hair feeling stronger and nourished.

Fans of the range include Hollywood siren Jennifer Lopez and products to chose from include the Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo (€5.35) and Triple Resist Reinforcing Conditioner (€5.35).

For a special treat the Triple Resist Reinforcing Masque (€7.96) has a rich, melting and soft texture while the Triple Resist Reinforcing Treatment (€5.99) penetrates ultra quickly targeting the root of the hair. and has seven treatment rooms, a swimming pool, saunas and steam rooms

16 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteMUSIC MUSIC Competition time: Win new editions of classic Nevermind Still one of the most influential and game-changing records ever made, Nirvana’s Nevermind is 20 years old this year, and to celebrate we have ten copies to give away.

Simply answer the following question: What was the name of Nirvana’s first album?

Send your answer to competition@gazettegroup.com, with the subject line “Nirvana”, before Friday, November 11 or log on to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gazettenews, and like and share the Nirvana post on your wall.

INTERVIEW: CELTIC ROOTS SHINE THROUGH

Katherine’s dream continues apace Q ROB HEIGH

MAKING the connection between the Celtic traditions has been something that many overseas acts have attempted over the years, to varying degrees of success, but Welsh mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins has more of an affinity than most.

She was on fine form when I spoke to her from London recently, where she was promoting the release of her new album, Daydream.

The record features two very Irish songs in its roster of beautifully rendered standards, which Katherine was delighted to talk about how they came to appear on this, her seventh studio album.

“Carrickfergus is a song I’ve known for quite a few years, and I have always wanted to record it, but sometimes when you’re making an album, there’s not space for everything, and not everything fits.

It has been on my list for quite a few years, and finally I had a space for it.

Katherine Jenkins will return to the Dublin stage in December 2012

“Black is the Colour was introduced to me by an Irish friend, who told me about Christy Moore, and I had never heard of him before.

“I started listening to some of his songs, and I found out how beautiful that song is, I knew immediately that would be the first song on the

album.

“When I had that, I knew I had a song that would match Carrickfergus, and that they would complement each other.”

Katherine was in Dublin last week, making press appearances and suggesting by Twitter that she was about to take over as the host of The Late Late Show, but she is set to return to the stage of the O2 next December with a full choir and orchestral backing, something she cannot wait to come around.

“I’m really looking forward to coming back to Ireland. I absolutely love singing there, and I always feel so welcome, the Welsh and the Irish have a great affinity.”

Katherine has had a meteoric rise to fame over the years since her first appearance on the music scene, and Daydream again underlines what is so special about her voice and style. It sounds like a Sunday afternoon at Christmas-time, warm and enveloping, mellow and rich. I asked Katherine when she thought

she had truly found her voice.

“I think that came on my second album. At the time I was doing a lot of touring between recording sessions, and I felt I had developed a lot as a performer.

“And I think I found my voice through the live experience rather than through the recording process. I think that’s when I started to realise where I was and where I wanted to be.”

For someone who has achieved so much - millions of record sales worldwide, singing with some of the finest tenors and acts in the business, I wondered what ambitions Katherine still had for her future career.

“I feel like a lot of the things I’ve really enjoyed and am proud of are things that I never expected to be involved in, like Doctor Who, like Popstar to Operastar, and so I feel that I’m happy to go along this path. And I’m really lucky, if I can carry on singing and making albums, I’d be really happy with that.”

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 17

GazettePETS PETS

Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA

THE FACTS: RATS MAKE GOOD COMPANION ANIMALS DUE TO THEIR HIGH INTELLIGENCE

Keeping the social and furry rat as a pet LET’S talk about rats!

Pet rats! Yes, people do keep them as pets; mainly because due to their high level of intelligence, they make wonderful companion animals and, as they live a relatively short life, (average three years), those who don’t wish to make the long-term commitment that comes with owning a cat or a dog, usually find this type of pet appealing.

Here’s the science bit: The domestic rat is related to the wild brown rat. However, people have been breeding him as a companion pet for around a hundred years.

Including his seven-inch tail, this animal ranges in length from between 14 to 18 inches and his coat can be curly and shiny, all

black or black and white.

However, (for a variety of reasons) not everyone is suitable to have one of these curious little creatures as pets.

And here’s why…

salmonella may produce problems in an otherwise healthy adult that may then pass to the unborn child. Personal hygiene is the key here and, if you’re in any doubt, consult your family doctor.

Care

You cannot keep a pet rat caged 24/7. Like the rest of us, they need time out to stretch their legs, to socialise, to interact with their owners by snuggling up on their laps and to explore new areas of their environment. If you don’t allow this type of socialisation, your rat may become depressed.

Rats are nocturnal creatures, which means they sleep during the day and need a quiet room when you’re going about your business. During the night

Welfare

The domestic rat is a relative of the wild brown rat

when you want to sleep, Roland the Rat wants to play. Are you prepared for this?

Do you know what a Zoonotic disease is (a disease in animals that may be transmitted to humans) and how to prevent it?

If you’re getting a pet rat for a child, you need to be aware that young chil-

dren have an underdeveloped immune system and aren’t in the habit of washing their hands following close contact with animals. This can make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of salmonella – an intestinal bacteria carried by rats.

The same rule applies if you’re pregnant because

As social animals, your pet rat will need a companion and this means another rat because, if Roland doesn’t have a friend, he’ll get bored and become unhappy. A pair of males is recommended because they do well together if introduced when young. (Babies can be removed from their litter at six weeks). Female rats actually get on better if introduced when they’re a little older.

Please be sensible, you

don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to know that males and females who are unaltered will breed, and breed, and, er breed and the litter count can reach as high as 20! So, have the little guys neutered/spayed as soon as you can.

Housing

Rats love climbing so get your little pet a wire cage with a solid floor and use pelleted, recycled paper, shredded paper towels or napkins. Never use pine or cedar shavings – they’re harmful to rats. Provide a small box or plant pot for hiding and PVC tubes for running through or small tree branches for climbing. If introducing an exercise wheel, make sure it has

a solid surface without wire rungs to ensure his tail doesn’t get caught when running.

Diet

Roland Rat’s main diet should be a good quality pellet chow containing soy meal, which is specifically formulated for rodents. I’d recommend peas, carrots, apples and bananas as treats and dog biscuits to keep his teeth in good condition – but never give chocolate, onions, toffees, peanut butter etc. Fresh, clean water in a feeding tube should also be available at all times.

For more information, log onto www.dspca.ie or email miriam.kerins@ dspca.ie

18 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs VW PASSES 8 MILLION MILESTONE: VOLKSWAGEN Group increased vehicle sales in September to achieve record nine-month results.

The German-based car company said that it is well on the way to hitting sales of eight million cars this year.

Volkswagen group retail sales for all brands, including Audi, Skoda and Seat, rose 13.3% in September to 751,900 vehicles. This gave a ninemonth retail sales figure of 6.11 million cars, a 13.9% increase from last year.

The Audi and Skoda brands have lead the expansion in sales by increased sales in expanding markets, including China and central and eastern Europe and by a significant rise in US sales. In Europe, Volkswagen Group sales grew by 10.8% to 2.7 million cars.

The new BWM 3 Series range has more space and significantly better engines

BMW launches new 3 Series BMW has launched the latest version of the 3 Series, its best-selling model in the world, in time for the 2012 market.

The new BMW face, with flat headlights reaching along as far as the BMW kidney grille, is part of the signature design of the new BMW 3 Series.

The sixth generation of the 3 Series has grown in size compared to its predecessor. It has a wider track, both front and rear, and the car is 93mm longer with a 50mm longer wheelbase. Despite the extra size, the new car is

40kg lighter.

On the inside, BMW claims that the new 3 Series is noticeably bigger and the rear passengers get more space and leg room. The new car will be available in three trim and equipment variants, the Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line.

BMW will be offering a choice of four new refined and economical engines, all of which feature new BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. In addition to two further optimised diesel engines, and the already

successful six-cylinder petrol unit, customers can also enjoy the power of the new turbocharged four-cylinder variant in the BMW 328i. This latest-generation petrol engine claims to give dynamic driving coupled with reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

BMW is the first carmaker to offer an eightspeed automatic gearbox in the premium mid-size segment. It can be specified in combination with any of the petrol and diesel engines in the range

and links up with the Auto Start-Stop function that comes as standard.

BMW claims that the compact and efficient gearbox allows the new BMW 3 Series to match, or out-perform, models fitted with the standard six-speed manual gearbox in terms of both fuel economy and emissions.

The new eight-speed automatic claims to bring together shift comfort, dynamic performance and efficiency of the highest order.

As components of the BMW EfficientDynam-

ics technology line-up, the Auto Star t-Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, Optimum Shift Indicator and needbased operation of ancillary components also play their part in reducing fuel consumption.

Added to which, the new Driving Experience Control switch offers Comfort, Sport and Sport + options, but also Eco Pro mode.

The Eco Pro switch helps drivers maximise fuel economy through their driving style, thereby enabling them to

increase the distance they can travel between visits to the pumps. The same goes for the CO2minimising BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition, whose peak output of 163bhp contrasts with average fuel consumption in the EU driving cycle of 24.3km/litre (4.1l/100km or 68.9 mpg) and CO2 emissions of 109g/km.

BMW said that it will add further cutting-edge engines to the line-up in 2012. The new BMW ActiveHybrid 3 petrolelectric engine cars will be premiered next year.

Volvo records Europe leading cut in CO2 VOLVO claims to be at the top of the table among European carmakers when it comes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This is shown in the sixth annual analysis conducted by T&E, the European Federation for Transport and Environment.

Europe’s eight largest carmakers cut their CO2

emissions by an average of 2% to 6% in 2010.

Volvo Car Corporation is the exception that stands out, with a CO2 reduction of no less than 9%.

Successful

This is the result of an environmental focus under the Volvo “DRIVe towards zero” banner.

Sales of fuel-efficient,

diesel-engine cars from the DRIVe range have been successful.

This is one of the explanations behind the major reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Examples of popular models are the V50 DRIVe with emissions of 99 g/km and the V70 DRIVe with 119 g/ km. Volvo Car Corporation’s CO2 strategy also

includes electrified cars with varying degrees of hybridisation, even more efficient diesel and petrol engines, and alternative fuels.

This is one of the explanations behind the major reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

Another reason may be that Volvo has downsized its engines in many

cars from bigger older technology engines that were less efficient.

Feasible

“The aim is to come down to an average of 95 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre across our total car sales in 2020. In theory that is entirely feasible, but a lot depends on devel-

opments in legislation, incentives, energy availability and, of course, customer demand. In addition, the EU intends to introduce a new method for calculating carbon dioxide, and this, too, will impact our plan,” said Peter Mertens, senior vice-president Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation.

R1

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 19

20 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

10 November 2011 GAZETTE 21

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS

Supported by AIB

Interview: Jim and Trish Doherty, The Golf Warehouse

Couple know their golf business off to a tee

CLOSING EXPENSIVE BANK ACCOUNTS Q – I have three bank accounts and a credit union account at the moment. I was thinking of closing the bank accounts, due to the fees I am currently paying. Will this affect my credit history ? Also have c. € 35,000 to invest for between five and 10 years – where is the safest and best

THE Golf Warehouse is an Irish, family-run and owned business located at the Mill Shopping Centre in Clondalkin. The shop in Cherry Orchard had been open for over 10 years when it moved to the Mill Shopping Centre in September 2011. So, they have a lot of experience in the golf business.

Run by husband and wife team, Jim and Trish, they are aiming to make golf affordable.

Jim has been involved in the golf business for nearly 20 years. He is from Palmerstown but went to primary school in St Joseph’s and secondary school in Moyle Park College. He then went to college in Scotland, the birthplace of golf. When he came home, he was working in his family’s golf wholesaling business, supplying all the professionals and golf shops around the country. He opened up The Golf Warehouse in November, 2001.

Trish is from Stillorgan and has worked in various companies in an accounts role before getting involved in the golf business. Being lucky enough to have worked in companies, from Maersk to Ogilvy and Mather, has given her a wide knowledge of how companies work. She is also a qualified Accounts Technician.

They are excited to be in the Mill Shopping Centre and their aim is to be the alternative golf shop providing advice and good value for money to their customers.

return ? Jimmy – Westland Row A - Maintaining one current account, let alone three, is expensive, especially if you use overdrafts and then exceed them. Interest rates start at c. 14%, and you could pay an additional 12% in surcharges when you exceed your overdraft. This, apart from the arrangement fee (€ 25) plus referral fees (€4.44 per day per item) and then the ignominy of having a standing order, direct debit or cheque sent back (€12.70 each). Charges can vary from bank to bank. Bank of Ireland for instance charge 28c per transaction, BUT it is free if you lodge € 3,000 per quarter (three months). You also have to make nine debit payments from the account using Banking 365 online or maintain that € 3,000 in the account at all times. Their charge is € 11.40 per quarter for the first 90 transactions (average cost 12.66c per transaction), after which the cost rises to 28c per transaction.

As you can see, it is all money. Only if you have a number of standing orders and direct debits (which cannot be appropriated to deposit or cash save accounts) is it worth maintaining a current account. I would certainly close two of the current accounts and, as long as you are not abandoning debts, this will not affect your credit history. Credit unions can only pay third parties by cheque – they do not have Direct Debit or standing order faciliJim and Trish Doherty of The Golf Warehouse

ties. Also, unfortunately, they do not pay dividends or interest at the moment either because of the bad debt provisions they have to allow for - this by

Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

A: Trish: A ballerina.

Jim : A rock star.

Q: What was your first job?

A: Trish: McDonalds.

Jim: Lounge Boy in The Silver Granite, Palmerstown.

Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: Trish: It was £30 and I got a pair of Pepe Jeans.

Jim: Probably around £20 and spent it on records.

Q: When did you start your present job?

A: Trish: December, 2006.

Jim: November, 2000.

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: Trish: Meeting different people.

Jim: The interaction with customers.

Q: What part of your working day do you ‘delegate’?

A: Trish: Some of the golf talk –

order of the Financial Regulator - but they are a

Jim knows more than I do.

The Frames to Yo-Yo Ma!

Jim: As much as possible.

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A: Trish: Jim does that

Q: What sport do you follow?

A: Trish: Eh, golf.

Jim: Golf, football, rugby, snooker, darts, tennis – pretty much anything with a ball.

Q: What sport can you play?

A: Trish: Eh, golf.

Jim: Golf, football – badly, snooker – just hit and hope.

Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure?

A: Trish: Have to say Happy Gilmore – proves anyone can play golf.

Jim: Love Actually (but it’s a secret – don’t tell anyone).

Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: Trish: There are nearly 10,000 songs – everything from Mamma Mia to Frank Sinatra to Cold Play.

Jim: Quite varied, from U2 to

Jim: Loads of people, from BOD to Martin Sheen to Glen Hansard, list is long.

Q: What was your last Tweet/ status update?

A: Trish: Ask Jim. Jim: Happy Election Day.

Q: Describe your dream meal?

A: Trish: Coca Cola Ham. I might print off the recipe for anyone who asks me nicely.

Jim: Anything cooked by Trish (fab cook). Fajitas, mmmmm.

Q: What habits would you like to lose?

A: Trish: The need for chocolate

Jim: Would rather starve – and that’s saying something.

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously?

A: Trish: Books – love reading.

Jim: CDs, DVDs etc.

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: Trish: Not sure.

Regarding your € 35,000 for that period of time, the National Treasury Management Agency’s State Savings would be both the best and safest in terms of deposit returns. The National Solidarity 10 year Bond pays 1% less DIRT tax per annum – net 0.73% per annum. That is 7.3% after 10 years, but you also receive a 40% tax-free lump sum totalling 47.3%. In your case, that would mean a total return of € 51,555 net into your hand after 10 years on your lump sum.

To obtain the same from any DIRT deducting deposit

Jim: Too many for a bloke, maybe 20-30.

taker, they would have to offer you a gross 5.41%

Q: Describe your dream holiday?

A: Jim: With Trish and our six-

Best rate currently is Permanent TSB’s two-year

year-old by a pool, in the sun, with many beers.

Q: What would be your dream job?

A: Trish: Mystery shopper or

every year to match the 10-year Solidarity Bond. fixed account at 4.22% per annum 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

personal shopper.

daily.

Jim: Rock star.

Jim: Eating sweets late at night.

Q: What do you plan to do when you retire?

A: Trish: Suppose I have to go

Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna?

A: Trish: Neither.

very useful and important Irish institution.

where my hubby goes…

Jim: Somewhere warm.

146,000* PEOPLE IN DUBLIN READ OUR PAPERS EACH WEEK *based on standard industry measurements

TO ADVERTISE CALL 60 10 240

22 GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel

Chatsworth House is one of several historic English venues celebrating Christmas in style

Help to celebrate the spirit of Christmas with delightful family holidays in England IN THE build-up to Christmas, there are lots of enchanting festivals and events taking place just across the water – so what better time to take the family on a short break to England?

In Westonbirt, the National Arboretum will become a wonderland of festive lights when the Enchanted Christmas event returns for 2011.

Alongside carols and festive treats of mulled wine and roast chestnuts, visitors will be able to take the 45-minute illuminated trail around the old arboretum. The trail takes in some of the gems of Westonbirt’s collection, spectacularly highlighting the beauty and shape of the trees.

For further details, go to www.forestry.gov.uk/ website/forestry.nsf/byunique/infd-8j9ce8.

Chatsworth House, in the Peak District, has brought out the holly and the ivy for its very own Christmas carol spectacular. All the classic carols will be brought to life in a series of stunning visual displays, along with a few extras, across the lower floors of the historic home.

Visitors will be taken on a magical, festive journey around the house, complete with beautifullydecorated Christmas trees, shepherds and their sheep, snow and sleighs. There is also the opportunity for children to take part in a traditional Nativity at the farmyard, starring real animals. This is running until December 23. For further details, go to www.chatsworth.org.

At Kenilworth Castle, kids can participate in traditional toy-making workshops with historical games experts, Heuristics. Not only will they learn how to make a traditional wooden toy, which you can take home, there will be carols, fun games, storytelling, mince pies, mulled wine and hot spiced apple cider. This runs from November 27 to December 31. For further details, see www.englishheritage.org.uk/kenilworth.

Where better to put on a Dickensian Christmas market than in the historic Kent town where Charles Dickens once lived? Lining the grounds of the red-and-green-tinged medieval Rochester Castle are rows of cheery fairy light-draped stalls, offering mulled wine, Dutch waffles, roasted chestnuts and plenty of handmade gifts.

And, as shoppers enjoy the seasonal sugary treats, they’ll be entertained by costumed characters, street performers, bands, and carol singers.

For further details, go to www.dickenschristmasmarket.com.

Whether for weddings, business travellers or holidaymakers, the wellappointed hotel has something to suit all interests and requirements

HOTELS: RELAXING AT THE RADISSON SSON BLU ST HELEN’S HELEN’S

Fine food is the icing on the cake Q MIMI MURRAY

THE Radisson Blu St Helen’s, located along the Stillorgan dual carriageway, is the perfect spot for business meetings, but also has an informal atmosphere that attracts guests for pleasure as well.

Staying there on a recent Friday, my husband and I were slightly perplexed on arrival to see a wedding party just about to check in. However, we were attended to promptly, and we hurriedly rushed past the bride, not wanting to lower the tone of her pictures.

Our business-class room was well laid out, and had everything the business traveller would

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

‘We made our way to the beauty salon on the ground floor – it really was one of the best treatments that I have had in a long time’ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

need. With one ear on the radio and the presidential election count, and an eye on the clock, we dressed for dinner.

Talavera Restaurant, located in the basement of the hotel, serves typical Italian cuisine. It seems to be popularwith locals, and many couples dropped by their neighbour’s tables in order to say hello and discuss our latest “prez”, Michael Squee.

The mostly Italian staff were excellent, and really attentive throughout the night. My starter choice

of beef carpaccio, with sheep’s cheese, was nice and light, while my husband’s pasta with seafood was really tasty.

Plaice fillets with a caper and tomato sauce was nicely cooked and light. My husband felt he chose badly, as he wasn’t a fan of the polenta, but his ossu bucco (veal shank) was well-cooked.

An affogato dessertice cream with Baileys poured over it was delicious, and my other half said the tiramisu was spot-on.

Wines are mostly Italian, with a handful from other regions, but we decided to stay faithful to the Italian theme and ordered a lovely Sangiovese, which was very drinkable. After dinner we moved to the Orangerie Bar for an after-dinner drink.

Next morning, we made our way to the beauty salon on the ground floor for some pampering. I went for a full body massage, while my hubby decided to try something a bit different and went for

facial – or “a macial”, as I have been calling it ever since.

My therapist, Roisin, was excellent, and it really was one of the best treatments that I have had in a long time.

There is no pool but guests can use a nearby club if they feel the need to get a few laps in before breakfast. However, there is a gym, which we did not make good use of, and instead headed back to Talavera for a tasty breakfast and a dissection of the election results.

For more information on the hotel go to www. radissonblu.ie/sthelenshotel-dublin. For information on the spa call 01 2188198 or email info@ pureradiantbeauty.ie.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 23

Edited by Mimi Murray

Bridge the gap to a trip to Tullamore THE four-star Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore, Co Offaly, is currently holding a room sale until 6pm on Sunday, November 13, during which time a limited number of rooms will be available each day for just €25 per person sharing, on selected dates until the end of February, 2012.

Located less than 90 minutes from Dublin, Limerick and Cork, the Bridge House Hotel, with a luxury spa, awardwinning leisure club, and Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, is perfectly located for a short break. for further details, visit www.bridgehouse.com, or telephone 057 932 5600.

With a limited room sale for just €25 per person sharing, Tullamore’s luxurious Bridge House Hotel has so much to offer guests, whether those staying with a promotional or regular rate

For those looking to travel further afield, have Christmas all wrapped up with a Stena Line shopping weekend in Wales, from only €99 per adult.

This fare includes

return travel by coach from Rosslare to Fishguard with Stena Line, and one nights’ accommodation in The Ivy Bush Hotel, with dinner and breakfast.

Enjoy an afternoon shopping in Carmarthen, and, before returning home the next day, enjoy a visit to Haverfordwest Indoor Market for all those little festive extras.

For further information, or to book, see www. stenaline.ie/iv ybush, telephone 01 204 7733, or visit your local Stena Line office or travel agent and quote A586..

FRANCE: RANGE OF SUPERB ANNUAL FESTIVALS

From wine to lights, the French celebrate in style MANY cities around France are pulsating with festivals at this time of year, with just a few to mention, including the Beaujolais Nouveau Festival, The Festival of Lights and the Cannes Dance Festival.

Running from Thursday, November 17 to Saturday, November 19, the Beaujolais Nouveau Festival will kick off at the stroke of midnight.

It is rumoured that the young wine, which comes from a region south of Burgundy in France, must be finished

by Christmastime, and there have been regulations put in place to delay the wine’s release until the third week of November.

This means that the arrival of the wine is strongly received in France, and, all over the country, celebrations take place and grand traditions have developed in honour of its release each year.

TravelBriefs

The biggest of these takes place in Beaujeu, the capital of the Beaujolais region, which springs to life with the Sarmentelles’ party.

This three-day festival involves the opening of huge barrels of the wine, and much sampling by party-goers, along with music and fireworks.

Wherever you may be in France, this is a great night to be a part of.

Lyon festival Over in Lyon, every building is illuminated during December’s Festival of Lights, or Fetes des Lumieres, as the locals call it.

The people of Lyon parade through the night carrying lanterns, keeping alive the tradition, which dates from 1852, when a statue of the Virgin was unveiled on the hillside during a storm.

Today, a host of activities take place throughout the procession,

Flying fish swimming over and around spectacularly colourful buildings and sculpture? Lyon’s spectacular Festival of Lights always delights locals and visitors.

which has been extended into a jam-packed four-day festival, in early December.

Finally, the Cannes’ Dance Festival takes place from Tuesday, November 22 to Sunday, November 27.

The “overshadowed” cousin of the Cannes Film Festival has just as

much cultural value and entertainment on offer, and this major festival is held every two years at the Palais des Festivals.

The Christmas Markets, located at the Boulevard Saint Germain and Place Saint-Sulpice in Paris, are a must visit for those travelling in the area throughout

December. Sip on a vin chaud as you browse for gifts and treats for loved ones. And, of course, Pere Noel is always on hand as well to take requests from any young visitors.

For further details on any of these festivals, go to www.rendezvousenfrance.com.

Great must-see offers at The Mustard Seed hotel in Limerick The Mustard Seed hotel in Limerick has a great value three-night break offer, including a bottle of Prosecco in your room on arrival, a four-course dinner on one evening, and full Irish breakfast each morning.

A light supper can be available each evening during your stay, and massage therapy is available from the resident Thai masseuer. Picnic baskets can be arranged for day trips or local hikes. This package costs €315 per person.

Alternatively, a rest and recharge package offers two nights accommodation, full Irish breakfast and dinner on one evening, from €180 per person sharing. For further details contact the Mustard Seed on 069 68508, or email mustard@indigo.ie.

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Boom Box

SHANKILL-based Rampage School of Dance are ready to bring their innovative dance to The Pavilion, with more than 50 dancers, drawn from a wide range of age groups, helping to bring the community group to life. Their 2011 annual show comprises several modern dance styles, with suprises adding to the fun. See their shows nightly at 8pm on Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12, with admission costing €13.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 A Skull in Connemara

THE Mill presents the second play in the Leenane trilogy, by playwright Martin McDonagh. In a rural Connemara town, a gravedigger prepares for his annual autumnal task of disinterring old, forgotten bones in the graveyard to make room for new arrivals. However, with his late wife’s remains due to be moved, rumours about her sudden death begin to surface ... This play runs nightly at 8pm from Tuesday, November 15 to Saturday, November 19, with admission costing €10.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 Travels with my cello

THE internationally-acclaimed celist, Julian Lloyd Webber, will perform a diverse body of work, ranging from favourite classics by Bach, Faure, Saint-Saens and Debussy to a number of pieces by his father, William, and his brother, Andrew. He will also reminisce on his collaborations with musicians as diverse as Yehudi Menuhin, Joaquin Rodrigo, Cleo Laine and Stephane Grapelli, as well as Elton John and, of course, his brother, Andrew. This not-to-be-missed show takes place at 8pm on Saturday, November 12, with admission costing €30/€27 conc.

This group of would-be penthouse robbers – purely on behalf of ordinary people who’ve lost all their savings in an elaborate scam – are keeping a close eye on their unscrupulous target, in a bid to come up with the perfect plan to reclaim everyone’s savings

Not a towering hit Despite high hopes for its notable cast, this high-rise heist never hits the dizzying heights of comedy, says Kate Q KATE CROWLEY

Oh, BROTHER. It’s at times like this – the preChristmas lull, in terms of cinema releases – that I start eyeing up my metaphorical Gone Fishin’ sign, gathering metaphorical dust as it hangs on the back of a metaphorical chair.

However, there’s nothing metaphorical about being unable to go Gone Fishin’, as you folks are due a review, and by jingo, you’re going to get one, whether you like it or not.

Speaking of lines and hooks, here comes something that’s fishin’ for your attenshin’, in the form of Tower Heist.

I’m not the kind of gal that normally takes to heist movies, or Ocean’s 11 derivatives (honestly, did anybody like Ocean’s 12? Anybody?), or anything where a bumbling e n s e m b l e s o m e h ow comes up with a plan for one last/big/unlikely

FILM OF THE WEEK: Tower Heist +++ (12A) 104 mins Director: Brett Ratner Starring: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Gabourey Sidibe, Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

OUR VERDICT: SOME of the scenes and storyline seems a little too muddled, more because of the direction than any intentional character development, but, despite this and some flat gags, it’s a diverting enough tale. Putting a white-collar, comic spin on the “Ocean’s 11” one-big-score niche, the enemble do their best to create an amusing tale of revenge, despite ineptness ...

score. Again.

Frankly, dear old Hannibal in television’s The A-Team came up with better plans in the time it took to light his cigar than a group of shmucks do in two hours at the cinema – still, when the shmucks in question are Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda and Ben Stiller, it’s a film that’s probably worth shmucking along to.

With a story to spur viewers on from the getgo in these difficult economic times – and to cut a long story short – a building manager (Stiller) of a typical rich Noo

Yawker tower, by Central Park, finds himself coming up with a cunning – and highly illegal – plan once it emerges that the Madoff-like super-rich character (Alda) in the penthouse at the top has invested all of the tower staff’s funds rather unwisely.

Namely, he’s invested their money in the Bank of Himself, ripping them all off in grand style, and is now still very much living a luxurious life in his sky-high home, while all of the now-penniless (or dollar-less?) doormen, cleaners and so on are –

well, you can guess the rest, I’m sure.

What’s an upset building manager to do? Why, hatch a plan to get everyone’s money back, of course, with the staff – and a number of hangerons, including a building tenant who’s also lost everything (Broderick) – determined to help him carry out a heist.

Seeing that they’re all pretty sure they’ll fail without some real criminal know-how, as this bunch of blue collar havea-go thiev- err, heroes have plenty of determination, but not enough street smarts to pull things off – it’s not long before they’ve added a career criminal (Murphy) to the mix.

After all, it often takes a crook to catch a crook, and, under his tutelage, it’s not long before the “perfect” heist to plunder the penthouse is on the way, with everything from a gun-toting Jamaican maid (Sidibe) to what I’ll call

An Unlikely Ferrari part of the denouement.

So, can the guys and gals of the tower pull together and find a way to stick it to The Man (at the top)?

Can they pull off their big job during the perfect distraction of the Macy’s Day Parade? And can Stiller and Murphy wisecrack some gems together in this unlikely buddy movie?

Without wishing to rain on anyone’s Macy’s Day Parade, it’s not quite a towering achievement, as despite the notable cast, some of the jokes and gags fall further than the eye from the top of the tower.

Still, at least Murphy is back on amusing “street” form, after a few too many interminable family- and make-up-led roles in recent years, while there’s a nicely underplayed, and largely sympathetic, feel to some of the characters.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

GazetteGAMING GAMING ‘Kinect is great for the entire family’ SHANE DILLON

LAST week, I spoke to Kieran Penwill, Microsoft’s Retail Sales and M a r ke t i n g C o u n t r y Manager for Ireland, who was keen to talk about the XBox 360’s Kinect motion sensor, which is a key platform for Microsoft to open up gaming to be more accessible and fun for the whole family, as well as enabling new and emerging types of gameplay.

The Kinect sensor and technology takes the controller out of gaming, and can enable additional user input, thus making gaming both simpler and more accessible, or more involving and immersive, depending on its implementation.

Kieran has worked with Microsoft since 2005, and has worked in this current role since 2010, overseeing the launch of Kinect in Ireland in November, 2010.

He has overseen the launch of a number of significant games here, such as Halo Reach, Gears of War 3, Forza 4, as well as key Kinect titles, including Dance Central 2, and Kinect Sports: Season Two – all of which makes him the perfect insider to talk to for everything XBox 360-related in Ireland.

Kieran was keen to

stress the XBox console’s move out of gamers’ “territory” in bedrooms, and into family living rooms, with the Kinect sensor playing a large part of that success, coupled with the console’s use as an entertainment hub capable of streaming TV and content to other rooms.

“The feedback from the random sample groups, is that something like 40% of people’s time on XBox is spent on non-gaming experiences.

“We need to look after our core gamers, who love XBox, but we have to remember that, when we launched Kinect, this is more than just a core gaming platform – this is a home entertainment device,” said Kieran.

“The [360] has traditionally been there for teenagers, or for the 20-something, but what we’re seeing now with the launch of Kinect is that [the 360] is down in the living room, so that the 360 can be brought back to ‘home’,” he said.

It’s fair to assume that much of that 40% of nongaming use would come through Microsoft’s partnership with Sky, with XBox users able to use their consoles for much more than gaming.

“The partnership with Sky has absolutely been a focus, to further integrate the 360 into home enter-

Bytesandpieces Ready to blast a new battle game ONLINE browsers may have noticed a variety of initial complaints about the cross-platform new release, Battlefield 3 (B3), for a few reasons, such as the surprise (though entirely optional) need to install a 2GB texture pack on the XBox 360 to maximise how it looks.

Personally, my first (and unexpectedly irritated) hour with B3 was spent turning my console on and off, while a constantly freezing and looping intro mission had me ready to march on the developers, ready to give them an earful!

Still, it’s important to note that the vast majority of B3 gamers, regardless of their console or PC set-up, have not reported any problems, and, with a patch likely to appear in the near future to “fix” any such potential problems, B3 has certainly lived up to the pre-release hype and interest, with several superb features.

With its rival, the latest instalment in the Call of Duty series, now in shops, the retail battlefield is definitely raging – but perhaps all this is just target practise before Halo: Reach arrives ...

Kieran Penwill, Microsoft’s Retail Sales and Marketing Country Manager for Ireland, is keen to promote the XBox 360 as a console for “hardcore gamers”, but, with the Kinect motion sensor, also as a fun family console and home entertainment hub

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

‘We need to look after our core gamers, who love XBox, but we have to remember that, when we launched Kinect, this is more than just a core gaming platform – this is a home entertainment device’ --------------------------------------------------------

tainment.

“Over the course of time, what we want to do is like in the US, and ideally to start streaming terrestrial [television], but that’s something to happen in the future.

For now, Sky subscribers can stream [Sky content] through their Xbox.”

Of course, a key Microsoft strategy is to celebrate the Kinect sensor, and to publicise how it can add to gaming experiences, Kieran said.

“For example, with [racing title] Forza 4, we implemented that with Kinect, so that when you turn your head, the motion sensor senses that you’re moving your

head, and it enables you to look at what’s coming up behind you.

“That’s what we’re doing – bringing Kinect more into that core gaming experience. It just gets you more immersed.

“We’re nurturing our core gamers, and we’re trying to utilise the Kinect for the family as best we can. For example, we’ve got third-party titles, like Sesame Street: Once upon a Monster, coming out; it’s timeless, and great for counting and so on, a great learning experience for children.

“We’re going to have three times as many Kinect titles launching in these next nine

months versus the last nine months, so we’ve got a lot more Kinect product launching through the first half of 2012,” he said.

With sales of upwards of 10 million Kinect units on top of the 55-million XBox 360 base, there’s already a huge user-base that should be expected to expand massively in the new year, with titles like the upcoming Kinectenabled Star Wars – possibly the ultimate Kinect title – inevitably going to further boost bits profile, and user base.

For now, the message from Kieran, and Microsoft, is very clear.

“It’s really important to say that we look after our core gamers, who are our number-one priority. We look after them, and we nurture them.

“But the 360 and the Kinect is for everybody – everybody can use it, and the great thing about it is that it gets you up off the couch!”

GAZETTE

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

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GazetteSPORT

ROAD TO LONDON: Linda Byrne set for marathon battle at Olympic Games Page 29

DIVING: NAC HOSTS SIXTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS THAT SAW CITYWIDE SUCCESS

Locals claim the honours at NAC championship sport@gazettegroup.com

IRISH divers won more than 60 medals against an international field in the National Diving Championships last weekend at the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown.

Almost 30 competitors from Dublin and Kildare faced off against tough opposition from across Europe, including the UK, Italy and Lithuania.

The national diving

championships, now in their sixth year, are the highlight of the sport’s calendar in this countr y and always produce fiercely contested action.

This year was no different, with the three-day event featuring competitors aged eight to 60, diving from heights ranging from one metre to 10 metres.

The highlights included triple gold for Natasha MacManus (13),

from Killiney, who won the one-metre, threemetre and platform women’s competitions.

Jack Ffrench, from Maynooth, won gold in the one-metre and platform men’s events. Sean McCormack, from Rathfarnham, won the threemetre men’s event.

All three are members of the National Diving Squad, which is supported by Swim Ireland.

Other winners included Tony Miller, Vivienne

The Irish medal winners at the National Acquatic Centre after the National Diving Championships

and Francesca Hew, Roisin Kane, Seanagh Carton, Jack Price, Adam Walsh and Fionn Nolan.

Many of the young Irish winners are a similar age to British Olym-

pic medallist Tom Daley when he won his first championship.

“I am so pleased that so many countries were represented this year,” said Ireland’s national coach, Vladyslava

Shapoval.

“It was a fantastic competition at all levels and I would like to thank all of the officials - including members of the London 2012 team – and volunteers who assisted this

weekend.

“I am delighted with the performance of the squad and we aim to compete next year at junior elite level in the UK next summer and elite European level in 2013.”

28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

Anti-doping app for sportspeople released THE Irish Sports Council this week has launched a new anti-doping application that is available to Android phone users allowing them to check their prescribed and over-the-counter medications purchased in the Republic of Ireland before they take them to ensure they are compliant with anti-doping regulations.

Earlier this year the Irish Sports Council launched the iPhone anti-doping application that has been a huge success with athletes across the country.

Since the iPhone app was launched in May, there have been over 1,200 downloads, with users checking between 10 and 20 medications each time compared to between two and three when they check from the Eirpharm website.

The app accesses information on the widely used Drugs in Sport Database on www.eirpharm.com.

The app allows the user to look up their medication by name or to search by ailment type.

Useful features include the ability to email a search result to any email address, to save the search in the app history, and to re-check medications in saved history against current database listings.

“The launch of the Medication Checker App for iPhone proved very successful earlier in the year. Results saw a ten-fold increase in the number of medications that users check on the Eirpharm.com database through the app. The ability for users to quickly check over-the-counter medications using a smartphone helps reduce the risk of inadvertently doping through the use of day-to-day medications,” said Ailish Keaveney, Head of Education and Research with the ISC.

RUGBY: COLLEGE MISS OUT ON VICTORY BY SINGLE SCORE

St Mary’s were just too good for Blackrock and just pipped them to the points after a close match at Stradbrook

Rock lose the point ULSTER BANK DIV 1A Blackrock College St Mary’s College

18 19

sport@gazettegroup.com

BLACKROCK College were denied a second successive win of the Ulster Bank Division 1A campaign by the narrowest of margins when St Mary’s College kept up their recent resurgence by clinging on for a one-point victory over their hosts at Stradbrook on Saturday.

Peter Smy th’s side triumphed throught the accurate placekicking of full-back Gavin Dunne, who finished with 14 points, and a second-half try from scrum half Matt D’Arcy.

Rock had undone Old Belvedere with a late win in the previous

round of matches and came on strong in the second half once again, with Brendan Macken crossing for a try.

But D’Arcy’s converted effort - his second of the league campaign - was enough to seal a third win in their opening five Division 1A games for St. Mary’s.

Try-scoring chances proved to be few and far between in the opening period, as both defences managed to cut down the space for the likes of Fionn Carr and Ronan Doherty.

The Templeville Road outfit did have an edge during the opening 40 minutes of play however, as Dunne punished indiscipline from the home side with four successfully struck penalties.

Blackrock were still

in touch at the break though, as the first try of the contest from f lanker Alex Dunlop meant that they only trailed by seven points, 12-5, heading into the second period.

This ensured that the game was still within the reach of ‘Rock, and they had their very own reliable place-kicker in the form of out-half Darragh Fitzpatrick.

He found the range with two penalties after the resumption, and he was also on target with a conversion after bustling centre Macken broke through for an excellent individual try.

This put Blackrock in a good position to lift themselves out of the danger zone but St Mary’s had other ideas and D’Arcy’s try, converted by Dunne, got

the visitors over the finish line.

Point on point Seapoint, meanwhile, have been riding high in recent weeks, and they backed up an outstanding win in Old Crescent with a thumping 42-15 success against east Cork opposition, Midleton.

Brian Keegan was the architect with a monster haul from out-half, scoring two tries to go

with six successful conversions to help lift the side up to the top of the table.

They are now in seventh place in the division after five games since promotion to Ulster Bank Division 2A. Danny Ruddock, Stephen Boucher, Gary Foley and Hugh Kelleher all crossed as they grabbed a half-dozen tries to claim a winning bonus point.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29

in association with

Byrne-ing up the miles ahead Dundrum South Dublin’s Linda Byrne made a huge statement for her future in athletics by qualifying for the 2012 Olympics

IRISH athletics had a glimpse of its future in the Dublin marathon last week when Linda Byrne was the first Irish woman home over the 26-mile course, and achieving the qualifying standard time for the Olympics in 2012.

It’s all the more massive an achievement when Linda’s previous distances in cross-country racing were only between five and eight kilometres, even more so when you realise that this was her first-ever full marathon.

“I ran half of the Dublin marathon last year for the experience and really enjoyed it, and was doing really well in road races.

After I left the Under-23 cross-country age group, I felt that I had to focus on the marathon, as it seemed like an event that I could make the qualifying time in.

“This was just my first marathon, and I think that I got everything right in the run-up to the race, and I just need to keep doing that in the lead up to London.

old Dundrum South Dublin athlete ran a well-planned race on the October Bank Holiday weekend in which her preparation paid off.

“It was a huge sense of

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

‘When I saw the clock above the finishing line, I could see the time, and I told myself, ‘just hold up’. It was a huge sense of achievement’

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

“As well as that, I think I can go faster - the weather conditions in Dublin weren’t ideal, and, on a better day, on a faster course, I’m sure I could improve my time.”

Linda was delighted when she spoke to GazetteSport last week about making the qualifying time for the London games, and the 25-year-

achievement. I realised pretty much as soon as I crossed the line that I’d achieved the standard, and I’m still trying to take it in now. I was in shock, really.

“Over the last few miles I knew I was inside the time, but my legs were starting to tighten up and it was very tough. But I knew I had to keep going,

Linda Byrne marks her debut in the marathon with the national title in Dublin

and when I saw the clock above the finishing line, I could see the time and I told myself, ‘just hold up’.”

“Now I have the qualifying time, there is a huge amount of pressure off, and I know that I won’t have to make the time at another race before the Olympics. It’s a lot of work to go into a race and then recover in time for the Olympics and get in the right training to peak in time for the big race. I can concentrate on shorter distances, and prepare for London.”

H e r a c h i e ve m e n t means that she may also be eligible for funding from the Irish Sports Council, whose decision to cut her from the carding scheme in 2009 meant that she was on the verge of leaving athletics for good, before deciding on long-distance events as her focus for the future.

“I was pretty much supporting myself in terms of my training. I should, hopefully, get back on the carding scheme for support from the Irish Sports Council, which will be great and mean I can concentrate on training full time from now on.”

Linda is also at an advantage in terms of her age. With the majority of marathon stars coming into their own as they reach their early 30s, the 25-year-old knows she is only at the beginning of a long road ahead.

“My trainer, Enda Fitzpatrick, was saying to me that London will be a stepping stone for me, and I will be aiming to improve continually over the next few years, with the goal being Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

“A lot of people think I was quite young to run a marathon at this age, but that’s because I have been running for so many years, I’ve built up a lot of training and I thought I was ready to try,” said Byrne.

Linda has made a huge leap in terms of distance and performance in a short space of time in graduating from crosscountry to marathon running, but her grounding in her original discipline has stood to her in her decision to change up.

“I’ve been taking part in competitive races since I was 15, when I was in my first international crosscountry race, and that stood me in good stead.

“Obviously, the distances are much different, going from five to eight kilometres to 26 miles, but you need to be strong over country ground.

“I’ve put in a lot of miles over the years, and that strength came into play in the marathon. I changed my training a bit, but not a huge amount.

I didn’t put in a huge amount of miles before this marathon, and I think there is room for improvement there.”

FastSport

Cross-country success for locals at Santry THE Dublin cross-country championships, which took place at Santry last weekend, saw a number of successes for athletes and clubs across the city.

Metro St Brigid’s athlete John Coghlan, son of the former world 5,000m champion, Eamon, won the senior men’s race, ahead of Blanchardstown native David Flynn, running in the colours of Clonliffe Harriers, and fellow MSB racer Liam Tremble.

In the junior men’s event, James Egan, from Dundrum South Dublin, finished in second place behind Kevin Dooney, from Raheny Shamrocks.

In the women’s races, DSD achieved a one-two-three in the junior race, with the places taken by Siofra Cleirgh Buttner, Claire McCarthy and Sorcha Humpries.

DSD were place second overall in the women’s team event, while Rathfarnham WSAF came third in the men’s team competition.

O’Driscoll set for a season on the sidelines LEINSTER and Ireland star Brian O’Driscoll is set to be out of competitive rugby for around six months after undergoing surgery on a neck injury.

This will mean the soonest he would return would be around the time of the Heineken Cup semi-final, and it is unlikely that he would be included at that stage.

He will also

be absent for the 2012 Six Nations competition, but should be available to make his return in the summer tour of New Zealand.

There are concerns that O’Driscoll would consider an end to his career, but with 18 months remaining on his current contract, he has no intention of hanging up the boots anytime soon.

Leinster will begin their Heineken Cup campaign this weekend against Montpellier in the French city.

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 10 November 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

SOCCER: LOCAL PLAYER NAMED IN IRELAND SELECT PICK

Hermes on the march with back-to-back victories HERMES made it two bonus-point wins from two to head up Pool A of the women’s Irish Hockey League with a game extra to play against second place UCD later this month.

They got off to a flying start against Armagh last Saturday, scoring after three minutes with a swift counter-attack, dispossessing the Orchard girls deep in their own half.

Lisa Jacob broke into the circle and rode a stick tackle before eliminating the advancing keeper Rhiannon McNally with an inside ball to the unmarked centre-mid Gillian Pinder who swept into the empty Armagh goal from the penalty spot.

They stretched their lead midway through the quarter as Aine Connery won a short corner. Audrey Flynn dragged to the left, McNally saved but Jacob first-timed the ricochet for a decisive second. The second quarter was more even with Armagh absorbing pressure well and outletting effectively against the Hermes press, but Hermes continued to hold sway with Pinder, Sinead Connery and Caitriona McGilp strong in midfield.

McNally was busy, repeatedly saving as Hermes won four corners and, from the third, Sinead Connery took an upright stop and cracked home a great strike from the top. While Armagh had some possession in the last five minutes Hermes closed the game out without keeper Gray being tested.

In the men’s game, Blackrock-side Avoca were thankful to doubles from Sean Walsh and Martin Naughton to beat Rathgar 4-1 and make it five successive wins in Leinster division two to lead the pack by six points already.

Australian Walsh waltzed his way through the circle to level after an early concession before Naughton made it 2-1 when he latched onto a breakdown before Walsh got the third 12 minutes into the second half from a corner switched left.

Naughton completed the win in the dying moments from a Gallanagh pull-back from the right baseline. With Weston’s game with Suttonians postponed, it leaves the Blackrock side six points clear of the pack at this early stage.

Paul McShane is one of the former St Joseph’s Boys’ players currently featuring in the Irish set-up

Casey on Under-15 panel sport@gazettegroup.com

St JOSEPH’S Boys’ Dan Casey has earned a place in the reduced Republic of Ireland U-15 panel named by Niall Harrison this week.

As a result, they could be selected to be involved with the squad which travels to Qatar in early December to play two games against the Aspire Academy, in what is becoming an annual trip for this age group.

In the wake of the SFAI Umbro Kennedy Cup at the University of Limerick in the summer,

there was a panel of 18 players who went on to play in the Hibernia Trophy run by Joeys.

Since then, Casey was added to the panel, which includes 13 players from the DDSL in the latest 18-player selection, following a four-day training camp at which 36 players were invited.

There, the players were assessed by Harrison and five other coaches before settling on this latest squad.

Harrison, though, has been at pains to point out this group is a fluid one with the key task to

Fleet Foxes: Five juvenile titles for footballers FOXROCK-Cabinteely were celebrat-

ing last weekend when they claimed a record five trophies in the juvenile finals they contested.

Pictured are the club’s victorious Under-13 Division 1 champions, who defeated Ballyboden St Enda’s in a thrilling match.

The club also claimed the Under11 Division 1 championships, as well as the Under-13 Division 2 Shield, Under-11 Division 4 cup and the Under-11 Division 3 Shield.

deliver a large group of players to John Morling at U-16 level, C a s e y ’s p o t e n t i a l opponents in Qatar provide a stiff test as a group who play full-time with a high level of focus on technical aspects of the game.

Further assessments of this group will take place in late December to see how the players have progressed following the programme before they play six international games in the New Year, potentially featuring against Belgium among other opposition.

He hopes to follow in the footsteps of former club men like Paul McShane and Andy Keogh who developed through the Sallynoggin club’s system before going on to play in England and also with the Republic of Ireland senior team.

They are both in Giovanni Trapattoni’s panel to play Estonia on Friday and, subsequently, next Tuesday in the return leg in the Aviva Stadium as they bid to claim a place in Euro 2012.

Ireland have faced Estonia twice before, both times proving suc-

cessful in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup when they recorded back-to-back 2-0 wins in the qualifying campaign.

Mick McCarthy’s side won 2-0 in Dublin back in 2000 as Mark Kinsella and Richard Dunne were on the mark. Having secured a draw at home to Portugal, Ireland went to the Baltics knowing a win would bring them a step closer to Korea and Japan.

D u n n e b r o ke t h e deadlock before Matt Holland completed the win and qualification in Tallinn.

10 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31

in association with

FOOTBALL: TROPHIES GALORE ACROSS SOUTHSIDE a

CLUB NOTICEBOARD FOXROCK/CABINTEELY FOXROCK-Cabinteely took part in

was a tough match for the girls as

eight juvenile girls’ finals this week-

‘Boden took an early lead. However,

end under glorious sunshine and

goals from Lizzie Murphy, Doireann

perfect weather conditions.

Shaffrey and Ellen Curran, as well

The club took home a record five

as some excellent points from Amy

trophies on Saturda y, including

Donnelly and Hannah O’Neill saw

the Under-11 and Under-13 divi-

the girls regain the crown to the

sion 1 championships, as well as the

delight of the travelling support-

Under-13 Division 2 Shield, Under-

ers.

11 Division 4 cup and the Under-11 Division 3 Shield.

It was the fourth championship final in a row for the U-13As, who were narrowly beaten in last year’s final after extra time.

This time they had to travel to Ballyboden to play the hosts. It

The annual club dinner-dance takes place on Friday, November 18.

Please ensure all outstanding monies are with Diarmuid Byrne ASAP. The club’s Annual General Meeting takes place on Thursday, November 24 in Cabinteely soccer club. All members are welcome to attend.

CUALA THERE was heartbreak at Parnell

Cuala’s Under-15 side were among the club’s winners as the juvenile finals took place. Pictures: GAApics.com

Locals claim the youth silverware sport@gazettegroup.com

CUALA’s Under-16 girls football team played their best game of the season, and probably the best game of their Cuala football careers, in the Division 3 Shield final in Ringsend last Sunday when they beat Skerries Harps 6-12 to 1-4.

I n a c o m p e t i t i ve game, the Cuala girls had to work very hard for their victory, with the scoreline doing Skerries little justice.

T h e r e we r e m a ny occasions throughout the match when Skerries threatened to score, but found it almost impossible to get through a solid defence.

When they did, Cuala’s goalkeeper Katie O’Dea was there to pull off the key saves.

W hen Cuala went on the offensive, they nearly always came away with a score, with goal-machine centre-

forward Cathy Brock registering an impressive tally of four goals and several points.

But this was an allround team effort and it was a joy to watch them finally show their true potential in a final having lost five previous finals, from U-10 to U-14 level.

Cuala just missed out on success at U-15 level, though, when they fell to Ballyboughal in a keenly contested tie on a 3-8 to 2-7 scoreline in the Division 3 decider.

Fox/Cab success N e a r- n e i g h b o u r s Foxrock Cabinteely, meanwhile, enjoyed a memorable weekend with a string of fine final performances when they took on eight juvenile finals in total in perfect weather conditions around the city.

They netted an amazing five wins, with the highlight being their four in-a-row winning

Under-13A side, getting the better of Ballyboden St Enda’s on their home turf.

Boden had taken the early initiative, but goals from Lizzie Murphy, Doireann Shaffrey and Ellen Curran, as well as some excellent points from Amy Donnelly and Hannah O’Neill saw the girls regain the crown with a 3-8 to 3-2 victory.

T h e U -13 B s t o o k the Division 2 shield while there was a clean sweep for the U-11s; the

U-11As won the Division 1 cup, the U-11Cs took the Division 4 cup, while the U-11Bs brought home the Division 3 shield.

Crokes’ wins K ilmacud Crokes, meanwhile, had some silver ware to add to their trophy cabinets, with the U-15 and U-16 sides both claiming shields. The former won out 8-8 to 2-7 against St Jude’s, while their elders took a 3-9 to 1-7 result against Na Fianna.

fully 2012 will prove third time lucky.

Park on Sunday when the senior

Congratulations to Skerries Harps

footballers lost out again in the

for whom Dublin captain Bryan Cul-

Intermediate Championship Final.

len capped a year to remember.

Conor O’Brien’s goal on 15 minutes

There was anguish as well for the

contributed to a 1-4 to 0-4 lead at

U-15 girls who were pegged back from

half time, and we stretched that by

another half-time lead to go down

another two points on the restart

bravely in their Division 3 champion-

before Skerries Harps came back

ship final at a busy Thomastown on

with a goal 11 minutes from time.

Saturday afternoon.

The lead swapped hands before two

Well done to the minor ladies who

points from Conor and Paul Schutte

gave us something to cheer when

brought the scores level as the clock

seeing off Foxrock/Cabinteely by

ticked down. Four minutes into injury

3-7 to 0-10 in their Divison One Shield

time though, with everyone bracing

final at the same venue, and to the

for the final whistle, Skerries won a

U-16 girls who won the Division 3

free 20 metres out which Harry Daw-

Shield final against Skerries Harps

son popped over with the last kick of

on Sunday.

the game.

Congratulations to the U-16 A foot-

Well done to all the team, manage-

ballers who are now only 60 minutes

ment, mentors and supporters for a

away from adding the Division One

fantastic end to the season. Hope-

title to their fantastic run.

NAOMH OLAF REMINDER that the Naomh Olaf AGM

reflection on the players and men-

is on this Thursday, November 10,

tors and we should all be very proud

starting at 8.30pm sharp. Only full

of their efforts.

members whose membership was

Our U-15 footballers had a fantastic

paid on or before March 31, 2011, are

win over title rivals Naomh Fionnbar-

entitled to vote.

ra in League Division 3 where are now

The annual Mass for deceased club

joint top with one game remaining.

members will take place in the Church

Thanks you to all those in the juve-

of the Ascension of the Lord, Balally

nile section who set up pitches on

on Saturday, November 12 at 7pm.

both Saturday and Sunday when the

Very hard luck on our minor footballers, who were beaten in the semi-

club hosted a number of ladies’ football finals.

final of the MFC C by St Oliver Plun-

Our girls did us proud on the pitch

kett’s. Nonetheless, to come third

with victories for the U-12s who

in the league and to reach a cham-

defeated Ballyfermot De La Salle in

pionship semi-final is a tremendous

the Division 3 Shield final.

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ALL OF YOUR DUN LAOGHAIRE SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31

PIPPED: Blackrock College denied back-

to-back wins in the Ulster Bank League P28

LONDON CALLING Linda Byrne on a marathon mission P29

GazetteSPORT

John Sheanon and Des Cahill were unable to mastermind a Cuala victory

NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Cuala pipped to senior place again

Single-point difference between Dalkey’s finest and the upper tier after Skerries Harps claim the inter crown INTER FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Skerries Harps Cuala STEPHEN FINDLATER dunlaughairesport@gazettegroup.com

1-11 1-10

SENIOR football remains agonisingly out of reach for Cuala as, for the second year running, the Dalkey men were denied at the final hurdle after Harry Dawson’s free deep into injury time killed their dreams.

It was a rough end to the campaign, as the sides looked on course for extra time, locked at 1-10 each, when Donnacha Reilly’s 45 rattled the post.

The ball rebounded back into a dangerous area with Paul Cashman fouled in the ensuing melee, allowing Dawson a chance at glory from close range.

The Dublin junior held his nerve to clear the

bar and spark Skerries celebrations, as Cuala could just watch on in anguish.

They came much closer than the 2010 final vintage, when the young Hyde Road side never got out of the blocks against St Brigid’s.

This time around, they had a more assured edge, and were holding sway at half-time after former Dublin minor Conor O’Brien took Donal Lehman’s pass on the move and beat his marker before finishing neatly in the 14th minute.

It was a goal that had been on the cards since Mick Fitzsimons’ surge had almost played in Ciaran Brosnan Senior hurler Paul Schutte added the score of the half from full-forward, while O’Brien and James Power also weighed in to make it 1-4 to 0-4 at half-time, reflective of their superiority around the park.

Power widened the gap with two more scores early in the second half, but Skerries kept in touch

through Reilly’s free-taking, but the northside club were beginning to show more of the initiative and desire for the title.

Dawson scored a cracker to get in range while Bryan Cullen became an ever-growing presence on the tie.

Their vital breakthrough came with the final ten minutes looming when Mark Boylan netted following a ball in from Colin Daly.

And they seemed to have broken the back of the tie when Reilly and Dawson cleared the bar once more to nudge two points in front.

O’Brien and Paul Schutte, however, summoned a late drive to bring matter back on an even keel as injury time approached and it looked like it had earned an extra 20 minutes.

But Dawson – with his fifth point of the game – had other ideas to scupper Cuala’s dreams who must now go back to the drawing board for another year as they seek to move up to the top level.