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November 17, 2011

BAKERS’ BLISS: Store of the Year

award for The Butler’s Pantry Page 3

Woolly helpful: Ladies’ knitting to help children Soccer: Local star is named Player of the Year Page 32

ONCE again, the charitable ladies of the Glasthule Knitting Group put their considerable skills to good use when they held a knitathon at Glasthule Parish Centre recently. With the soft sound of busy needles filling the air, the knitters created lots of colourful toys and gifts for a charity appeal, with their lovely creations set to help cheer lots of children in Africa and Eastern Europe, this Christmas.

Picture: Geraldine Woods

Full Gallery on Page 10

Hurling: Kilmacud Crokes stake place in minor final Page 31

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

Council’s €250,000 bailout for Pavilion DLRCC approves repayable funding for local theatre

Q DAWN LOVE

DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has agreed to bail out the cash-strapped Pavilion Theatre.

An accelerated grant of €250,000 will be allocated to the theatre, and will be repayable by a deduction from the

Pavilion’s grant of €25,000 per annum, over 10 years.

The popular local theatre has been involved in a period of restructuring after declining audience numbers and revenue sponsorship.

The number of staff at the theatre has been cut to reduce the payroll costs.

Independent councillor Victor Boyhan said he had supported the move, saying: “This money, to me, is not about a bailout – it’s about a strategic investment with a key player in the arts and culture in the county.”

Full Story on Page 6

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

INVITE: STALLS SOUGHT

Christmas fair at Churchtown FESTIVE cheer will come a little early to Churchtown this year when the Glenside Pub will host a Christmas Fair in its car park on Landscape Road, on Saturday, December 10.

The fair will open at 11am and run throughout the day, and is being held in conjunction with the Churchtown Business Association.

The fair’s organiser, Paul Mangan, says there is no cost to have a stall

RETAIL Laser and skin clinic opens in Upper George’s St

at the Christmas Fair and among the stalls to be included will be those for arts and crafts, Christmas themes, food and all other stall options.

Paul said that the fair is open to everyone. “We are hoping for about 12 stalls, but we can cater for about 30 or 40 of them,” he said.

For further information, or if you are interested to have a stall at the fair, call Paul at 086 300 6589.

Alain Loiseau and Francoise Loehr

Julia McHugh and Olivier Combier

Vera McHugh, Helen Gowing, Olivier Combier and Lorraine Dunne

Helping you look great at parties L ASER and skin clinic, We Love Laser, has just opened its doors in Upper George’s St, and, say the owners, the outlet is ready to help get Dun Laoghaire locals hair-free for the party season.

The beauty treatment centre’s Julia McHugh says: “We

offer results based on treatments in medical-grade laser hair removal, skin peels, medical microdermabrasion, lesion removal and medical micro-needling, and more.”

For further information, call 01 - 214 3635, or see www. welovelaserireland.com.

Smiles from Brenda O’Brien, Helen Gowing and Janet Finlay as they help celebrate the store’s opening day

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17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

RETAIL Top national food award for deli and restaurant

A Titanic achievement: Designer’s admiration for design prow-ess Surrounded by some of the delicious fine fare that saw The Butler’s Pantry, Mount Merrion Avenue, claim the Store of the Year award from Retail Excellence Ireland, Eoin Warner, director of retail, The Butler’s Pantry chain, shows off the prestigious award. Picture: Geraldine Woods

Butler’s cooking is key to award glory Q MICHAEL HANNAN

try on achieving this prestigious award.

“Eileen deserves this national recognition. As a local customer, I know how hard she has worked to expand this wholesome food business to meet the needs of local customers,” he said.

As the business has developed and expanded, it has managed to retain a commitment to premium-quality natural food, as all dishes are made using only the freshest ingredients.

Their dishes and recipes change with the seasons, and use the availability of fresh ingredients to ensure the very best in

IS YOUR

SECRET

A WELL-known Blackrock deli and restaurant has won the Best Small Store award in the 2011 Retail Excellence Ireland Awards.

The Butler’s Pantry, on Mount Merrion Avenue, scooped the prestigious award last weekend, beating more than 150 other entries, and owner, Jacqui Marsh, said she was thrilled that the store got the honour.

“We’re delighted to have won for two reasons.

Firstly, it’s a great award to have won, and great to get recognition from your peers and, secondly, from

Dublin area, employing a total of 90 staff, and producing an average of 1,600 meals a day.

Marsh believes that the experience of opening the chain during similarly recessionary times has stood it in good stead.

“This time around, we’ve had to reinvent ourselves. People use us for a number of reasons, and the restaurant aspect is particularly popular.”

Local Independent councillor and customer, Victor Boyhan, was effusive in his praise for the store.

“I wish to congratulate Eileen Bergin and all her team at The Butler’s Pan-

a motivational point of view, it’s great for our staff,” she said.

The Butler’s Pantry was founded in 1987 by Eileen Bergin in response to the changing trends in Irish lifestyles and eating habits.

The first shop, on Mount Merrion Avenue, concentrated on cooking and baking great-tasting breads, meals and desserts in the morning, and selling the produce to local clientele in the evenings.

It quickly gained a reputation as a place to go for a tasty “home-cooked” style of food, and now has eight shops in the greater

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taste and flavour.

It has been the recipient of the Bridgestone Award every year since 1995.

In 2003 and 2004, it won the Small Business award at the Irish Food and Drink Industry Awards.

They were finalists in the Best in Fresh awards in 2007, and at the 2008 Great Taste Award, they won gold in three food categories.

Marsh said that it was a fantastic award, as it acknowledged the chain’s “seven-star service” commitment to improving the quality of the customer’s experience.

FORMER Blackrock College student Paul Costelloe was happy to chat with Gemma McCorry as she sailed across the carpet in a stunning Titanic Belfast dress and ensemble at the recent CIM Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards in Belfast City Hall.

The Titanic dress, which is based on the iconic outline of the legendary RMS ship, created a surge of interest in the links between fashion and business, with Paul’s business know-how making a splash with guests as he discussed how he adapted his high-end business model to cope with the sinking feeling of the current economy.

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

A GIFT FROM THE

PEOPLE Helping promote

a new enterprise

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ENTERPRISENEWS Bernadette Paolozzi, and her model granddaughter, Nadia Forde, highlighting the opening of a new Mobility Care Centre in Dun Laoghaire

Mobilising a health care option for all Q DAWN LOVE dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

Christina Sanne of Red Rufus at Winter Fair 2010

Local Craft & Designers to show at the National Crafts & Design Fair 2011 8 talented designers – all based in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown – are building on their success at last weekend’s Winter Fair in Dalkey, by having their own stand at the National Craft & Design Fair 2011, which is taking place in the Main Hall of the RDS from November 30th to December 4th next.

This is one-stop shopping at its best with thousands of unique gifts available at the show which is open to the public.

The county will be represented by Christina Sanne of Red Rufus Sock Dogs (pictured above), Susannagh Grogan of Susannagh Grogan Scarves and members of the County Enterprise Board’s DLR Jewellery Designers network – Laragh McMonagle Jewellery, True Colours, Blaze & Sparkle, Vivien Walsh Jewellery, Cadenza Glass Beads and By Aisling. To get a flavour of their work before the show – check out the network’s website: www.dlrjewellerydesigners.ie .

The Enterprise Board is delighted to be supporting this group’s presence at this significant national event. It is marvellous that the county is being represented by a group whose work is of outstanding quality and design. We wish all of the designers very well!

TOP model, Nadia Forde, teamed up with her beloved nana, Bernadette Paolozzi, in their firstever photocall together to highlight the opening of a new Mobility Care Centre in Dun Laoghaire, last week.

The first Mobility Care Centre was opened in Swords two years ago, and both showrooms stock a range of equipment and aids to independent living for adults, teens and children suffering a temporary or permanent disability.

Co-owner, Richard

Ryder, who has been involved in the disability sector for many years, said: “The Mobility Care Centres allow customers to see and try out aids and equipment for themselves, rather than having to order from catalogues, which has been the practise for years.”

According to Ryder, due to health cutbacks, local healthcare professionals are not always in a position to provide mobility equipment and patients must now find and pay for any necessary items themselves.

“People coming to us say there’s no HSE funding available to pay for

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‘The Mobility Care Centres allow customers to see and try out aids and equipment for themselves, rather than having to order from catalogues, which has been the practise for years’ --------------------------------------------------------

Richard Ryder, Mobility Care Centre

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what they need.

“Specific equipment or aids have usually been recommended but it’s now up to the patient to source it.

“Our Mobility Centres, where a lot of the most common items are already in stock, have become a

lifeline for many people and their families in this situation,” he said.

Preliminary results from the 2011 Census indicates a 14% rise in the number of people aged 60 years and over since the last census, five years ago.

Statistics from the 2006 Census shows that the incidence of people experiencing some form of disability is at its highest between the ages of 55-64 (figures from the 2011 Census are not available yet).

Ryder also pointed out that being mobile and able to live independently is the number-one concern for everyone coming to the centres, regardless of their age.

“Amongst our older customers, the majority are going to use savings or their pension, but others are relying on their families to cover costs,” he said.

Candle-lit walk of remembrance A CANDLE-LIT walk of remembrance, in memory of those who lost their lives in the recent floods, organised by members of the Catholic Youth Council, was held at Dun Laoghaire Pier last Sunday.

Monsignor Dan O’Connor, the parish priest of Dun Laoghaire, warmly welcomed everyone to the event, thanking the young people for the act of community remembrance.

The candle-lit precession stopped at five points along the pier, for music and reflection in remembrance of loved ones.

A number of young people led short prayers, remembering loved ones, those lost at sea, and those who had passed from this world early in life.

There were prayers for Garda Ciaran Jones and hospice nurse Celia Ferrer, both lost in the recent floods.

Local Independent councillor, and director of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, Victor Boyhan, attended the act of remembrance.

Afterwards, Cllr Boyhan said: “It was a very special event. It was particularly fitting that the event was held on Remembrance Sunday.

“It’s at times like this that I think of a harbour of tears; the mass exodus of forced emigra-

tion – people forced to run away, because of social ridicule, never to return, and the loss of life at sea.

“This unique harbour has had its fair share of pain in its short history. Tonight’s act of solidarity was an opportunity to remember them.

“It is my hope that this candle-lit act of remembrance will become an annual event,” said Cllr Boyhan.

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5

Coors blimey: .What delight at winning an ice holiday prize delight on their faces when Kris Goodbody, from Blackrock; Thomas Conway, from Ranelagh and John O’Rourke, from Booterstown won a trip to The Rockies, thanks to Coors Light’s Destination Rocky Mountain competition.

Their team – the Monkies – will join four other winning teams from across Ireland to take the trip of a lifetime to the world-famous Rocky Mountains, Colorado next January, for the snow adventure of a lifetime.

Fine Gael Deputy Peter Mathews welcomed the news of funding approved for the Dublin South hospitals

HEALTH: BOOST FOR LOCAL SERVICES

€448,000 funding approved for South Dublin hospitals FUNDING amounting to €448,000 has been allocated to Loughlinstown and St Vincent’s hospitals, this week.

The funding announcement was welcomed by Fine Gael TD for Dublin South, Peter Mathews, who said it had been approved by the Special Delivery Unit to reduce waiting lists and combat the trolley problem in Loughlinstown and St Vincent’s hospitals in Dublin South.

He said: “I am delighted with today’s announcement by the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, that the Special Delivery Unit set up by the Minister earlier this year has allocated €448,000 in funding to Loughlinstown and St

Vincent’s hospitals.

“By prioritising the treatment of patients, the Minister is now able to open a 40-bed ward in Leopardstown Park Hospital, with eight stepdown beds, and to also fund 229 assisted discharge packages, at the rate of seven per week, in Loughlinstown and St. Vincent’s hospitals.

“These measures will be in place until the end of the year,” said Deputy Mathews.

“This is very welcome news for the people of Dublin South, who rely on these hospitals for their health care needs.

“Staff at the hospitals provide exceptional care, and I believe these extra measures will enable them to provide an even better service to

patients.

“I would like to thank Minister Reilly for his work on this issue, which forms a key part of his reform agenda for our entire health care system,” he said.

“A number of conditions are attached to this funding, and it is up to each hospital to ensure they are keeping up with their end of the bargain.

“They must progress the implementation of the HSE’s Acute Medicine Programme, and ensure the hospital has seven-day discharge rounds.

“It’s also essential that additional capacity, funded by this initiative, is not offset by reductions as a result of this initiative,” said Deputy Mathews.

Getting the big picture Cormac Curtis test drives the Skoda Yeti

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THERE was no denying the

MOTORING PAGE 19

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

COURTS: WOMAN AIDED CANNABIS GROWING

ARTS Accelerated €250,000 grant passed

Jail for drug Council factory role agrees to that gardai stopped a car in Dublin, and a search revealed a hold-all containing cannabis.

This led them to the Mount Anville Wood address. W hen they arrived with a search warrant, Huyen ran out the back door, but was caught as she tried to climb behind a garden shed.

The house was described as a “cannabis cultivation factory”, with the upstairs rooms converted for growing cannabis. There was high-density lighting and reflective foil on the walls, and a new electricity system installed downstairs.

Judge Martin Nolan said that Huyen must have been aware of the operation, but she was making little profit from it for herself. He sentenced her to three years, backdated to her arrest last year.

bail out Pavilion Theatre Q DAWN LOVE dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) has agreed to bail out the cash-strapped Pavilion Theatre.

An accelerated grant of €250,000 will now be allocated to the theatre, and will be repayable by a deduction from the Pavilion’s grant of €25,000 per annum over 10 years.

The popular local theatre has been involved in a period of restructuring, after declining audience numbers and revenue sponsorship. The number of staff at the theatre has been cut to reduce the payroll costs.

At a council meeting on Monday night, local representatives were told that, over the past few years, the theatre had encountered serious financial difficulties.

The Arts Council funding for the theatre had also been cut.

In a report issued to councillors, Richard Shakespeare, director of Environment, Culture and Community at DLRCC, had urged them to support an accelerated

grant for the theatre, saying that due to “exceptional and necessary expenditures, the Pavilion Theatre has built up a substantial deficit by way of overdraft, which is likely to reach €250,000 by the end of 2011.

“Interest charges on the overdraft are also compounding the deterioration of the Theatre’s financial position,” he said.

Speaking at this week’s council meeting, Councillor Victor Boyhan (Ind) urged the council to support Shakespeare’s proposal to assist the theatre in overcoming its current financial crisis.

A triple blow He said: “Arts in all its forms need to be supported. The theatre had been hit by a triple blow, with the recession, the reduction in direct grant aid from the Arts Council, and the slow-down in sponsorship.

“This money, to me, is not about a bailout – it’s about a strategic investment with a key player in the arts and culture in the county,” he said.

After some debate, the council unanimous-

The council voted unanimously to advance the Pavilion Theatre an accelerated grant of €250,000

ly decided to support the funding proposal, with regular six-month reviews.

Cllr Boyhan said: “Now that the council has agreed to support the Pavilion Theatre, I hope the board will focus on a new business plan in order to sustain itself.”

Speaking to The Gazette, Cllr Boyhan said that he had written

to the chairman of the Pavilion Theatre, urging the theatre to develop a new business plan, and an audience and marketing strategy by the New Year.

Cllr Boyhan said there was no doubt in his mind the funding for the Pavilion was deserved, and that the council had to “pay a price to retain cultural events in the

town”.

“I am reasonably confident a new model for the Pavilion will produce results and attract interest as a commercial venue for a wide variety of events.

“For that reason, I supported the resolution for a grant of €250,000 from the council. This grant will be repaid,” said Cllr Boyhan.

SUPPORT DUN LAOGHAIRE BUSINESS

SHOP LOCALLY

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A VIETNAMESE woman has been jailed for three years for assisting in a sophisticated €360,000 “cannabis factory”.

Thi Tran Huyen (35) was caught fleeing from a house that contained 410 cannabis plants and €170,000 in harvested cannabis.

Four of the bedrooms had been converted to grow the drug, and a new electrical system had been installed to handle the lighting and heat required.

Huyen, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis at Mount Anville Wood, Stillorgan, on July 26, 2010. She was living in the downstairs of the house at the time.

Sergeant Brian O’Keefe told prosecuting counsel, Mr Sean Guerin BL,

CALL THE GAZET TE ON 60 10 240

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7

€2 rry An FF 1,3 drew 20 s

TELEVISION: NEW SHOW ON GAA CLUB SINGERS

Following singers to Croke Park

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M it ch el lO ’C on no r

€1 FG 7,3 92

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€1 PBP 2, 81 1

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POLITICS Breakdowns on election spend

Q MICHAEL HANNAN

€1 7,1 90

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€2 7,0 38

Ci ar GR an N Cu ff e

€2 4, 47 9

Iv an LA a B Ba ci k

dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

Figures show the General Election campaign expenditure for candidates, with some drawing from public funds, as fully detailed below

General Election costs hit €9.28m Q DAWN LOVE dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

NEW figures released by the Standards of Public Office Commission have revealed details of the expenditure of Dail election candidates in Dun Laoghaire in the lead-up to the 2011 General Election.

According to the figures, former Minister and Green TD, Ciaran Cuffe spent a total of €27,038.49 in the lead-up to the election, with €3,571.07 of that amount met by public funds originally.

Any spending met by public funds was later reimbursed to the exchequer by candidates.

Cuffe was followed by Labour’s Ivana Bacik, who spent a total of €24,479, with €925.67 of that amount originally met by public funds.

Meanwhile, newlyelected TD, R ichard Boyd Barrett, of People Before Profit, spent just €12,811.64, none of which came from public funds.

Other figures show that Fine Gael TD and Ceann Comhairle, Sean Barrett’s expenses amounted to €15,791.34, while newly-elected TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor ’s election spending totalled €17,392.37.

Fianna Fail’s Barry Andrews’ total expenses incurred amounted to €21,320.21, while Mary Hanafin’s amounted to €17,190.58.

In a report to the Ceann Comhairle, the figures released by the Commission show that election expenses of €9.28 million were disclosed by candidates and political parties at the General Election – a

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‘Figures released by the Standards of Public Office Commission revealed the expenditure of Dail election candidates in Dun Laoghaire in the lead-up to the 2011 General Election.

‘The highest expenditure was reported on behalf of Fine Gael and its candidates, at €3,120,238, followed by Fianna Fail, at €2,138,793, and the Labour Party, at €1,956,813.’

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decrease of almost 16% on the €11.08 million figure reported for the 2007 General Election, even though there were 100 additional candidates in 2011.

The highest expenditure was reported on behalf of Fine Gael and its candidates, at €3,120,238.

T his was followed

by Fianna Fail, at €2,138,793, and the L a b o u r P a r t y, a t €1,956,813.

The figures represent reported expenditure on property, goods or services used for election purposes during the election period.

The election period began with the dissolution of the Dail on Feb-

ruary 1, 2011, and ended on polling day on February 25.

No candidate was reported to have exceeded the statutory expenditure limits. The limits for the 2011 General Election were €30,150 for a three-seater constituency, and €37,650 for a four-seater.

A total of 327 candidates qualified for reimbursement of election expenses, and the total certified for payment, to date, is €2,503,857.

On the issue of reported expenditure met from public funds, the Commission said it had previously commented (in its 2006 Annual Report, and subsequent reports) that the use of public funds for electoral purposes “is a major issue”, which requires to be “reevaluated in consideration of future changes to the electoral law”.

A NEW television programme, following the search to give GAA club members the chance to sing at Croke Park, is hoping to hit all the right notes on screens.

Pitch Perfect is a new series on TG4, from Good Company Productions, which runs at 8pm every Monday.

Officially sanctioned by Croke Park and the GAA, Pitch Perfect selected singers from local GAA clubs and parishes all over Ireland, who were all set to become a choir and realise their dream of performing centre-stage at Croke Park.

The singers performed the songs of the opposing teams for the All Ireland Football Final in September, in front of a crowd of more than 82,000 people.

Two main mentors, international soprano Niamh Murray and composer and former musical director with Riverdance, Colm O’Foghlu, took a group of 30 altos, sopranos, basses and tenors and trained them over an eight-week period.

They were moulded into a choir, representing clubs from all corners of

Ireland, and representing the GAA’s geographical spread with clubs from Strabane to Schull, Kiltimagh to Killester and Gorey to Gort featured in the show.

The filming was done at a range of locations, from Maynooth College to the Gaiety Theatre to the National Concert Hall.

Series guests include such musical luminaries as Anuna, Colm Wilkinson, Riverdance percussionist Ian McTigue, barbershop quartet Four In A Bar, rock band Stand, Brian Kennedy, Fiachna O’Braonain and Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich.

Pitch Perfect also offers an insight into how our top inter-county teams work and train to reach their ultimate footballing stage, Croke Park.

Throughout the series, viewers follow the movement of the football championship throughout eight weeks until the Final.

The commentary is provided by the voices of such GAA former playing stalwar ts as Dara O’Cinneide of Kerry, Coman Goggins of Dublin, Jarlath Burns of Armagh and Sean O’Domhnaill of Galway, and many more.

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

FINANCE AIB Cornelscourt’s branch manager talks about

Niamh Moriarty with her sisters Fiona and Aoife

A focus on all of the community INCE the beginning of the year, AIB Cornelscourt has been concentrating on helping local SMEs, by providing free showcase retail floor space in their main banking hall.

Branch manager, Sandy Doyle, and her staff are very keen to get business and the economy moving again, and the initiative is proving highly successful, with a waiting list of clients hoping to get involved. The Gazette spoke to Sandy about this, and their other endeavours at the branch.

“To date, we have been concentrating on helping our local SMEs. This [showcasing initiative] has been running since the start of 2011, and is our 16th showcase so far, this year.

“We are finding that there are more and more people either setting up, or planning to set up, a new business. Starting a business remains one of the biggest decisions a person will make in their lifetime.

“While it can be a very exciting time, it can also be extremely daunting, having to make lots

S

of decisions that may have lasting implications for them and their business in the longer term,” said Sandy.

“We are here to help and guide local SMEs from the very first time they set up the business, right through to the day-to-day management of their business. We also pride ourselves in the delivery of a first-class customer service that we provide to our wider community, she said.

“The staff in AIB Cornelscourt are currently helping to raise funds for a five-year-old girl, Niamh Moriarty. Niamh has cerebral palsy, and cannot walk on her own at the moment. She is hoping to go to America for an operation. All of the staff are actively involved in trying to help raise the necessary funds for Niamh’s operation.

“We have just had a Halloween Junior Saver art colouring competition. We had a huge response to this competition, and a very high standard of art are currently on display in our banking hall,” said Sandy.

Thomas Crotty, art competition winner

The young artists pose together

Niamh Moriarty with Kerri Nolan, Manager Sandy Doyle, Terri Halpenny, Linda Hill and James Roulston

Christina Goldston, of ChristinaBelle

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9

how the branch is playing a part in the local community

Linda Priestley with Sandy Doyle, AIB Branch Manager, and Aisling Sheehy. Pictures: Geraldine Woods

Sandy Doyle and Terri Halpenny with Christina Goldston

Robert Halpenny

Rachel Crotty with her brother, Thomas

Jamie Mullally

10 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

CHARITY Glasthule Knitting Group creates gifts for appeal

The brightly bedecked ladies of the Glasthule Knitting Group show their colourful selection of wonderful woollen gifts. Pictures: Geraldine Woods

A woolly kind way to support children NCE again, the ladies of the Glasthule Knitting Group were delighted to use their formidable skills in aid of a good cause when they took part in a knitathon at Glasthule Parish Centre recently.

Without a cross word, but with some crossed stitches, the expert knitters

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created lots of bright, colourful toys and gifts for the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox appeal, creating toys to delight children in Africa and Eastern Europe, supporting their Christmas with their generously created and donated gifts from Ireland.

The ladies were keen to say that new

members are always very welcome, and they meet every Tuesday morning from 10am to midday in the new parish centre, with novice knitters just as welcome as experienced hands to share a cuppa, chat, a sense of fun and, as this project showed, a real sense of community spirit and kindness.

Betty Clarke knits another dainty piece

Expert

Mary Pat Shaw, with Sylvia Fry of the Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal

knitters, Margaret Byrne and Patricia Swords

Kitty Transon, Betty Clarke and Betty O’Reilly

Jayne Doran and Marion McGettrick

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 11

AWARDS Accepting their Oscar Wilde Gold Medals

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It’s all about Belfast: For history buffs and all music lovers

Dublin students Roslyn Steer, Katie Hill, Laura Sinnott, Deasun O’Riain and Joan Redmond display their Oscar Wilde Gold Medals

Five Dubliners top the class Q STAFF REPORTER

FIVE Dublin students have each been named among the 23 winners of the Undergraduate Awards, an awards programme open to undergraduate students on the island of Ireland and, recently, the USA. They were each awarded the Oscar Wilde Gold Medal for academic excellence by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony held at Dublin Castle on Friday, October 28.

Trinity College Dublin graduate, Joan Redmond of Castleknock, Co Dublin, won the Historical Studies category for her essay, Religious Violence and the 1641 Rebellion:

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They were each awarded the Oscar Wilde Gold Medal for Academic Excellence --------------------------

Divided Communities in Seventeenth-Century Cavan.

Originally from Killiney Co. Dublin, University College Cork graduate, Roslyn Steer, won the Modern Cultural Studies category for her essay, The Influence of Music on Modernist Literature.

University College Dublin graduate, Deasun O Riain, was the winner of the Celtic Studies &

Irish category for his essay, “An Dirbheathaisneis sa Ghaeilge: Mo Bhealach Fein.

Laura Sinnott, from Swords, Co Dublin, also a Trinity College Dublin graduate, won the Languages & Linguistics category for her essay, The audio-visual juxtaposition of Günter Grass’ Die Blechtrommel.

Katie Hill, from Monkstown, Dublin, won the Nursing & Midwifery category for her essay, Paediatric Palliative Care in Ireland. Katie is currently in her final year at Trinity College Dublin.

There were 2,381 submissions to the 2011 Undergraduate Awards programme of which 23 winners were selected.

SEE TRAVEL PAGES 22-23

12 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

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DIARY

Stories from around the capital

Take care of your mind FORMER Dublin captain Paul Griffin will be at the Hilton Dublin Airport, Northern Cross, on November 22 and the Radisson Blue St Helen’s in Stillorgan on Wednesday, November 23, to promote positive mental health.

He will be discussing the role that mind management can have in enhancing performance and overcoming adversity. Paul will speak about the important role positive thinking played as he suffered setbacks in his playing career with serious injuries over the past two seasons.

With an estimated 400,000 people in Ireland experiencing depression at any one time, the Lean on Me campaign, supported by Lundbeck Ireland and Aware, was developed to encourage better understanding of the condition, encourage friends and family to provide support to those affected, and encourage them to seek treatment if necessary.

Paul will be joined by Caroline Currid, a performance coach and sports psychologist. She

Rugby star Alan Quinlan and sports psychologist Caroline Currid launch the Lean on Me campaign

will discuss some practical tools and techniques for managing a healthy mind, many of which are regularly used by professional sports people on and off the pitch.

“There are simple techniques that sports stars use which can be adopted by men and women of all ages to help them manage their thoughts and maintain a healthy, positive mind.

Alan Quinlan might look big and tough, but he has to work just as hard as everyone else to maintain a positive outlook,” she

said.

The events are free of charge but pre-registration is required.

Log on to www.leanonme.net for more information.

Beer matching at Siam Thai SIAM Thai, in Dundrum Town Centre, was the setting for an exciting evening of food, laughter and beers.

Heineken Ireland is bringing beer and food together in some

top restaurants in Dublin this November in an effort to show people the wonderful marriage that these two make.

With the global trend of beer and food matching arriving in restaurants across Ireland, beer is fast becoming a drink of choice when it comes to eating out.

Beer, with its natural ingredients of hops, barley and water is the perfect accompaniment to food, both savoury and sweet.

From banoffee pie with Paulaner to Thai Pork Curry with Birra Moretti and Affligem with crème brulee, beer and food really complement each other.

We sampled massaman curry with Sol and Sweet and Sour chicken with Zywiec. The event was hosted by a lovely lady who knew lots in the way of beer and food matching and taught all guests how to sample beer, much in the same way as wine.

Log on to thisisbeer.ie for beer and food matching opportunities at home and for details of the next beer and food matching event.

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 13

14 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK *based on standard industry measurements

GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY

Taking good care of your CALL 60 10 240

and won’t harm or damage even the most irritable skin.

Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, which nourishes and softens the skin and stimulates skin microcirculation.

Olive oil also promotes the elimination of toxins and protects the skin against free radicals.

Ziaja’s natural formulas have been designed to be slowly absorbed into the skin, offering long-lasting moisturising action, and can be used by the whole family and by infants from the first month onwards.

Why not try Ziaja’s Natural Olive Cream Light €5.99, an antioxidant-rich, light-weight formula combining natural olive oil and shea butter extract (a natural UV blocker) that leaves dry, tired skin feeling smooth,

Ziaja’s natural olive formulations soften and hydrate dehydrated skin

radiant and conditioned all day long. It’s beneficial for all skin types and can be used as a make-up base.

For the ultimate body moisturiser, check out

Ziaja’s Natural Olive body Butter, €7.99, which is an ultra-nourishing body butter that specifically fits the bill for treating dry winter skin.

It can be used as a

daily care product, and when it is applied generously, it will leave the skin soft, supple and delicately scented. True moisturising alchemy, it slows down skin aging

SUPPORT

LOCAL BUSINESS

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ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS

IT’S pretty much inconceivable to cook without olive oil in today’s world and, for thousands of years, olives have been used in skin care because of their incredible ability to increase moisture levels and improve skin elasticity.

Just as our Mediterranean counter par ts have used olives in their cooking for centuries, so too have they in their skincare, using this luscious oil to form the basis of many of their hair and skincare beauty rituals.

Ziaja’s natural olive formulations are a gentle and effective way to soften and hydrate dehydrated skin, even in the delicate eye and lip areas. This natural-based face and body range is suitable for all skin types,

CALL THE GAZETTE ON

60 10 240

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 15

Edited by Dawn Love

skin … even when shaving due to its high vitamin E content and antioxidant action. Use on the whole body, including elbows, knees and other areas that require intensive regeneration.

The total shave

Everyone loves stocking fillers, particularly thoughtful, useful pressies.

So, if you are on the look-out for something different to finish off dad’s, or your other half’s stocking, then check out Total Shaving Solution.

This cult shaving oil is Irish and 100% natural, and will radically enhance his daily shaving experience.

With Total Shaving Solution, he can say goodbye to painful nicks, cuts, razor rash and even in-grown hairs. This one-

step shaving oil preps skin before shaving and also provides a highly protective and lubricating barrier during shaving, enabling the closest shave possible without cutting the skin, leaving skin supple, moisturised and soothed.

Total Shaving Solution combines a careful blend of natural essential oils chosen for their therapeutic and antiinflammatory properties, including sesame seed, soya bean, grape seed, clove bud, lavender and menthol.

Founded by Tom Murphy in 1994 after he was made redundant, the County Mayo native, who enjoyed a successful 20-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, decided to take the plunge and set up a new

business.

Like millions of men, Tom loathed shaving and the inevitable daily nicks, cuts and razor rashes.

He wanted to create a breakthrough shaving solution that put an end to the chores and sores of having to shave each day.

The result was Total Shaving Solution – a 100% natural and breakthrough shaving oil, which dramatically prevents dry skin, rashes, nicks, cuts and ingrown hairs.

Total Shaving Solution is priced €5.39 for 10ml and 10.99 for €25 ml and is available from pharmacies and groceries nationwide and is also available to purchase online too. Visit www. totalshave.com

Cowshed’s new ranges for mother and baby COWSHED’S Udderly Gorgeous Maternity range and Baby Cow Organics range are now available on the Irish market. Since its launch in 1998, Cowshed’s philosophy has been to create a complete range of honest, natural and therapeutic products, using the best organic and wild crafted plants.

The Udderly Gorgeous range is 100% natural and made from wild-crafted Sea Buckthorn Oil and rich in vitamins, carotenes, minerals and fatty acids, to provide your skin with all the nourishment it needs.

The Baby Cow Organics range is made from Meadowfoam Oil and is specially formulated to pamper, protect and soothe baby’s delicate skin.

The Udderly Gorgeous Maternity Range includes products such as Udderly Gorgeous Stretch-mark Oil €19.95 (a must for any mumto-be), Udderly Gorgeous Bath and Shower Gel €15.95, Udderly Gorgeous Stretch-mark Balm €23.95 and Udderly Gorgeous Cooling Leg and Foot Treatment €17.95 (this is simply great for any fluid retention you might develop during

Total Shaving Solution shaving oil is 100% natural and preps skin before shaving

pregnancy).

16 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteMUSIC MUSIC Competition: U2 can win Achtung Baby special edition ANOTHER 20-year anniversary comes this month with the celebration of U2’s reinvention and opening of the second age of their career with the release in 1991 of Achtung Baby, and we have five copies to give away.

Simply answer the following question: What was the name of the studio in Berlin where the album was recorded?

Send your answer to competition@ gazettegroup.com, with the subject line “Achtung”, before Friday, November 25, or log on to our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/gazettenews, and like and share the U2 post on your wall.

REVIEW: FIRST WHOLE-CAREER COMPILATION FOR REM

End of the world arrives

Q ROB HEIGH

THERE comes a moment in every band’s career when it is right to let go of the reins and call time on what has been a good run.

REM announced last month that the time has come to close the book on what has been an epic, three-decade career.

Having been there for a good part of that journey, listening to the full-stop that is Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, a 40-track compilation of the band’s greatest hits from their 15 studio albums, is a rollercoaster ride of memories of the good times, and the less-good times, spent with a band who redefined American indie

music, inspired a whole generation, and deservedly sold millions of records around the world.

The two-disc set is a fascinating ride down memory lane, as well as an insight into REM’s progression as a band.

From the Byrds-ian, Glen Campbell-esque opening run of Gardening At Night to Life And How To Live It, to the point where they hit their stride in the feedback-driven intro to Begin The Begin, through the bubblegum pop of Shiny Happy People and Man On The Moon, the record chimes and chimes again what a great band REM were in their prime.

Aguably, they were never the same after the departure of founder member, Bill Berry, in

1997, but among what were sometimes patchy, sometimes inspired, albums that came after their best, New Adventures In Hi-Fi, are some pretty incredible songs.

Their decision to quit is undeniably sad, but this collection shows their ability to turn their hands to a variety of styles, and one of the joys is reading the liner notes, as each band member recalls the times, circumstances and inspirations that led to such an impressive oevre.

Their ability to merge the influences of their Southern youth with the inflections of the great guitar bands of the late Sixties and early Seventies, and their understanding of what makes a timeless pop song will be their

REM call time on 31 years with compilation album

legacy, something other acts should aspire to.

A 40-track run through of 15 albums will inevitably miss some of their finest moments, so I heartily recommend catching up with the extended edi-

tions of the IRS releases, Out Of Time, the aforementioned Adventures, and their swansong, Collapse Into Now, which meant that REM will exit the stage on a deserved high.

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 17

GazettePETS PETS

Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA

THE FACTS: IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS PROTECTED

Keeping pets safe during extreme cold IT’S winter time folks, oh yes, the frigid air is barreling towards us and we’re busily raiding the garden sheds for shovels and salt in preparation for winter; so, in the spirit of Jack Frost, let me ask you a few questions.

Do you don your winter woollies, break out the old Ugg boots and add a trendy scarf to your daily wardrobe? Yes! Ooh, then you’re probably like me and love the unique seasonal quality that comes with the fact you can layer up and no longer feel the need to wax your legs. Bliss.

However, let’s hope you also paws, (sorry) to take precautions when it comes to your pet’s seasonal requirements because it’s important

to keep our four-legged friends warm and protected during the cold snap.

Below are some of my top tips. Read them, you never know, they may come in handy.

Dog and cats • Make sure your pet has access to fresh drinking water and food.

• If walking your dog, wear warm, reflective clothing and get Fido a reflective collar and lead also.

• Watch for dogs’ and cats’ paws becoming impacted with snow – this can cause discomfort.

• Make sure your cat wears a reflective, safety collar.

• Make sure your pet sleeps indoors, especially during extreme tempera-

• Keep a close eye on pets sleeping by the fire; they could burn if they get too close.

Pet birds • Birds should be placed in a draught-free spot and well away from a heater.

• Make sure your bird has access to fresh drinking water.

Make sure your dogs paws don’t become impacted with snow

tures and raise their bedding off the ground so they don’t catch a chill from the cold, damp floor.

• Cats prefer to be snuggled up indoors and a comfortable chair or basket can make the perfect bed for your feline friend.

• Watch out for hypothermia or a body temperature that falls below nor-

mal for your pet. Cats in particular are at risk here, especially if they already suffer with poor circulation or are exposed to cold conditions. If Kitty shows signs of depression, weakness, lethargy, begins to shiver and stops responding to you, wrap her up, keep her warm and ring your vet immediately.

Outdoor pets If you have a rabbit or guinea pig it’s important you move the hutch to a sheltered area like a shed or garage. Better still, move to a downstairs loo or cloak room.

• Make sure they have plenty of warm, fresh bedding to snuggle down in and change it regularly. Do not, under any circumstances, use cut

grass as a form of bedding as moulds and fungi can build up and create a toxic atmosphere that can prove fatal for your pet.

• Rabbits and guinea pigs will naturally eat more in the winter so they have extra fat to help them stay warm; make sure you give them plenty of food, fresh vegetables and fresh water.

Make sure the water doesn’t freeze in the water bottle.

Feeding birds In sub-zero temperatures, wild birds have difficulty finding food. An extra bit of care from you will see them through the winter. Wild bird seed, peanuts and suet slabs are widely available in shops and garden centres.

Frozen Ponds If you have a pond in your garden, check it each day for ice. Toxic gases can build up in the water when it’s frozen. This may kill fish or frogs hibernating at the bottom of it.

• Dog owners must keep pets well away from ponds and lakes that have frozen over. Thin ice may break under your dog’s weight. If you must allow your dog near open water, then stay with him at all times.

For more information, check out www.dspca.ie or email me at miriam. kerins@dspca.ie For more information, log onto www.dspca.ie or email miriam.kerins@ dspca.ie

18 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs INTEREST-FREE OPTION ON OPEL PASSENGER CARS OPEL Ireland has announced a very attractive finance offer for all new Opel passenger cars.

Financed through Credit Opel and underwritten by permanent tsb Finance Ltd., Opel’s 0% Flexible Finance offer gives customers the chance to buy a car without paying one cent of interest.

Customers choose the Opel car they want, and then select their deposit range from between 30 – 50%, with the term ranging from 12–48 months.

New Opel customers will also reap the benefits of Opel’s new four-year/100,000km Full Warranty plan.

Customers can choose their new Opel Astra, Corsa, Insignia or Meriva in tax band A (in diesel and/or petrol models); with annual road tax of just €104.

The best Skoda Yeti?

The practical, yet charming, Skoda Yeti brought out the inner boy racer in CORMAC CURTIS, who got more drive than he was expecting HEN it comes to cars that are designed to carry a combination of people, luggage, cargo and/or recreational equipment – it rarely transpires that the result is something that is a heap of fun to drive and has a boot-load of character in the looks department!

But, I must admit, the latest 4x4 incarnation of the Skoda Yeti comes dangerously close to achieving both.

I recently had a long weekend to put the Yeti 4x4 Ambition through its paces in the not-too-extreme environment of Dublin City. But, let’s face it, most people who buy any kind of SUV will only need to test its off-road mettle when they get dangerously lost at the Ploughing Championships, or spend too long at the beach to find the tide getting perilously close

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SPECS: SKODA YETI 4X4 AMBITION, 2.0 TDI Top speed: 201km/hr 0 – 100km/hr: 8.4 secs Economy: 5.9l/100km CO2 emissions: 155g/km Annual Road Tax: €302 Price: €29,545

where they parked.

Any way, let’s talk first impressions.

The Yeti is a really attractive, but not a stunning-looking car.

In the same way the Suzuki Swift stole envious glances from MINI owners when it first hit the streets, the Yeti has its own charm. So much so, in fact, that my six-year old asked me: “Is he a happy car? ‘Cos I think he’s smiling!”

You can’t really argue with that kind of affection, can you?

The model I tested was the 2.0TDI 170bhp six-speed manual version – I can’t tell you if the car was happy or not, but I certainly was.

This car has a throaty exhaust note that just begs your inner boy racer to come out for a joyride.

Some clever guy in some secret research laboratory somewhere in car-making land has clearly figured out a way to make modern diesel engines sound like a cross between a Porsche and a Harley-Davidson. That, coupled with the fact that the engine produces 170bhp, means you get a level of fun behind the wheel that you just don’t expect from an SUV such as this.

Moving on to more practical

matters – after all, this car has an awful lot to offer in practical terms – the cabin is a very comfortable affair indeed.

The front passengers enjoy plenty of room, with seats that are incredibly supportive, without being completely rigid.

There was enough space in the back for my two kids in their child seats, but I wouldn’t be too keen on a long journey back there myself.

Having said that, the three rear seats, using Skoda’s VARIOFlex Seating Solution, can be rearranged in an almost endless set of configurations to allow for any combination of passengers and luggage – they can even be removed completely.

Returning to the front, some might consider the dashboard in the Yeti bland, but I found it simple, uncluttered and I liked

the matt finish and brushed aluminium-style accents.

The console boasts an impressive touch-screen interface that controls everything from the Bluetooth connectivity of your mobile phone, to the impressive Columbus satellite navigation that is fitted as standard on all Yeti 4x4 vehicles from 2012.

There are some little letdowns in the Yeti. Anyone shorter than about 5’ 10” will find the visors completely useless when the sun is low in the sky - as my wife was at pains to point out.

And, if I was to really start splitting hairs, I would ask why the ‘ticking’ sound of the indicator is so quiet!

In short, this is a great car from a company that is making huge strides in build-quality, design and value. The model I drove costs €29,545.

New dealer in Dublin for Suzuki SUZUKI Ireland has announced the appointment of Paschal Kennedy Motors Ltd in Dun Laoghaire as a new Suzuki dealership.

The appointment increases the number of Suzuki dealerships in Ireland to 19.

Commenting on the appointment, Wayne Doolan, general manager of Suzuki Ireland said: “We are very happy to be associated with Paschal Kennedy Motors. They have been successfully serving customers in the Dun Laoghaire area

since 1969 and have gone from strength to strength.”

Dealer Principal, David Kennedy, is pleased about this latest development within his business. “This third-generation family business was originally established in the 1920s by my grandfather. Due to fuel shortages, the business was sold during WWII, and was bought back again in 1969. At that time, we concentrated on service and repairs before moving into the sales area,” he said.

“Business grew beyond our expectations, leading to expansion in 1995 in both our site size along with our sales and after-sales facility.”

Paschal will be stocking the complete range of Suzuki vehicles, which includes the Alto, the Splash, the Swift, the SX4 Crossover Range and the Grand Vitara.

Paschal Kennedy Motors is situated on Library Road in Dun Laoghaire – see www.kennedymotors.ie for more details.

David Kennedy and Paschal Kennedy, of Paschal Kennedy Motors, with Michael McBarron (standing) and Wayne Doolan of Suzuki Ireland

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 19

20 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY DUBLIN 15: RECENTLY UPGRADED PROPERTY FOR €290,000

Four-bedroom peace in the Glade

A mix of classic and contemporary decorations

INTERIORS: CHRISTMAS TIME IS A-COMING

Delectable decorations BELLEEK Living have designed an exclusive Christmas Collection, full of unique gift ideas.

Whether it is surprising that special someone or adding a contemporary touch to your home, the Christmas Collection holds the perfect solution.

Among their special range of decorations, they have a variety of styles, both contemporary and classic, including a Contemporary Nativity Set for €45, a Classic Three Kings Set for €45, and a selection of snowman and snowflake ornaments.

For more information, see www.belleek.ie

SHERRY Fitzgerald, Castleknock, are bringing No. 14, Castleknock G l a d e , a f o u r- b e d semi-detached home that benefits from an upgraded kitchen, bathroom and double glazed windows, to the market for the asking price of €290,000.

T he proper ty also features a 88f t-long rear garden that offers wonderful potential to extend.

The accommodation comprises entrance hall with glazed ceramic floor tiles, a guest WC comprising WHB and WC with a ceramic, tiled floor.

The living room benefits from excellent proportions and a tiled fireplace with a back boiler, and it leads into the dining room, an open plan space with the living room, with access to

the kitchen, with views from a picture window overlooking the long rear garden.

The kitchen features an upgraded solid wood-fitted Shakerstyle kitchen, which is plumbed for a washing machine. The ceramic floor tiling has a feature centre piece, and there is a door to the rear garden.

The master bedroom is a double room to the front of the house and has built-in wardrobes and dressing table, which, along with the other three bedrooms, is well-sized and features built-in wardrobes.

The main bathroom was recently reappointed to comprise a wc, a bath with a shower screen and an electric shower. A wash-hand basin sits above a contemporary style storage

Number 14, Castleknock Glade, is on the market for €290,000

unit.

To t h e f r o n t , t h e driveway is bordered to one side by a neat lawn and it is fully walled.

Side access leads to the phenomenal 88-ft long rear garden laid in lawn. This garden affords obvious potential to extend subject to

planning permission.

The property is located within a five-minute walk of Castleknock Train Station. Castleknock Glade is just a short stroll from Scoil Thomas Primary School and a good selection of local shops.

Castleknock Com-

munity College, Mount Sackville girls’ school and Castleknock College boys’ school are all within close proximity of the property.

To arrange a viewing, contact Michelle Currana at Sherry FitzGerald, Ashleigh Retail Centre on 01 820 1800.

CASTLEKNOCK: FOUR-BEDROOM SEMI-DETACHED FOR €375,000

Secluded living at Brompton Lawn SHERRY FitzGerald, Castleknock, are also bringing No. 23, Brompton Lawn, Castleknock, Dublin 15, a four-bedroom semi detatched property, to the market, with an asking price of €375,000.

This family home in exceptional condition, having clearly been well maintained by its owners.

Situated at the end of a cul-de-sac, this immaculately presented home benefits from a large back garden and ample off-street parking to the front.

The property benefits from well-proportioned accommodation which is designed with comfortable living in mind.

Number 23, Brompton Lawn, Castleknock, is on the market for €375,000

It comprises a large welcoming entrance hallway, an open-plan living/dining room, study, a bright modern open plan kitchen/breakfast room, which features Italian black granite floor tiles. The kitchen is fitted

with an excellent range of white high-gloss units, integrated oven, hob, hob, dishwasher and washing machine. Double doors from the breakfast area lead to the garden and a guest WC. Upstairs, there are four

bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The back garden measures 65ft (approx), it offers a high degree of privacy and is filled with an array of trees, bushes and flowers. There is also a large brick shed. The front

driveway provides excellent off-street parking.

Local facilities are in abundance and include a variety of shops, restaurants, pubs, schools and leisure amenities. It is ideally located within minute’s walk of Roselawn Shopping Centre, Coolmine Train Station and numerous bus routes.

Castleknock, Blanchardstown Village and Town Centre, the Phoenix Park, various golf courses and, most importantly, the M3 and M50 are all in close proximity. There is also an good choice of national and secondary schools locally.

For information, contact Carol Anne Galvin on 01 8201800.

17 November 2011 GAZETTE 21

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS

Supported by AIB

Interview: Susan O’Dwyer – Chief executive, Make-A-Wish Ireland

Making a difference is dream job for Susan

THE BEST BANK TO HAVE A CURRENT ACCOUNT Q – I have just opened a Bank of Ireland current account and received a 24-page booklet on fees and charges. You would nearly need a degree in Banking to understand all the terms and conditions plus, of course, time.

Where is the best bank to have a current

SUSAN joined Make-A-Wish in October 2006 as development and fundraising manager, and was appointed chief executive in 2009. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the Foundation in Ireland, helping grant wishes to children across the country.

Make-A-Wish Ireland grants wishes to children between the ages of three and 18 years living with life-threatening medical conditions. Make-AWish receives no Government funding, so totally relies on the generosity of the general public, corporates, groups and associations.

Every wish granted is unique and extremely special to the family involved, allowing them to forget hospitals, treatments, injections and even the illness itself, ensuring that the family creates fantastic memories that will last a lifetime.

Wishes fall into four categories: I wish to have, I wish to go, I wish to meet and I wish to be, with wishes only being limited by the child’s imagination. A wish brings a smile to a child’s face and gives them something to look forward to.

Look out for all of their great Christmas gift ideas this year, which will all be helping to raise money for Make-A-Wish Ireland, from limited edition scarves at Pamela Scott and Candles from the Disney store to music downloads from some of our Celebrity Ambassadors and great MakeA-Wish Merchandise... there is something for everyone.

account and how do you minimise the exorbitant costs ? Alan - Milltown A - Welcome to the real world!

Current accounts are really loss leaders to the banks that operate them but it is a way of reeling you in so that other more profitable products and services can be offered to you.

Even though it is a loss leader, the charges can still be costly – 28c for every transaction or € 11.40 per quarter up to 90 transactions thereafter 28c per transaction.

These costs are outside other charges once overdrafts (€ 25 application fee ), referral fees (€4.44 per day) or unpaids (€ 12.70 for each item sent back) come into the reckoning.

Avoid overdrafts at all costs – they are just not worth it. As regards free banking though, Bank of Ireland DOES offer free banking if - You lodge over € 3,000 per quarter over that three-month period - You MUST make 9 debit payments from the account using Banking 365 and/or go online OR - Maintain € 3,000 in the current account at all times during the quarter AIB Bank at €4.50 per quarter, plus 20c for most other transactions bar cheque and branch transactions (which cost 30c each – they would prefer

Susan O’Dwyer

you using their online facilities) while Permanent

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

A: Believe it or not, I wanted to be a Montessori teacher, and now I am the chief executive of a children’s charity

TSB require lodgements of € 3,000 plus 18 card purchases and 1 online transaction to qualify for

When you receive a letter from a wish parent expressing their thanks, you cannot help but be passionate for what we do and want to do more

Q: What was your first job?

A: My very first job was a hol-

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

A: I am lucky to work with a

iday job working behind the counter in the local delicatessen. My first full-time job was working as a secretary for a small firm of accountants

great team at Make-A-Wish and we all work together very closely on a day-to-day basis to ensure we grant as many wishes as possible

Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: Too long ago to remember

Q: What sport can you play?

A: I love playing tennis, for

Q: When did you start your present job?

A: I have been working with

me it’s a complete switch-off and a fabulous way to reduce stress. Pilates is my new focus and I try not to miss a class, I also enjoy walking with family, friends and my dogs

Make-A-Wish Ireland since 2006 where I started as fundraising manager and in 2009 I was appointed chief executive

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: Knowing that we are making a difference to very special sick children nationwide is what keeps us motivated.

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

A: I have a few guilty pleasures: (1) curling up on the couch with a mug of tea, bar of chocolate and an oldfashioned movie such as an

Audrey Hepburn film and (2) at Christmas time sitting down for hours at a time doing a Wasjig jigsaw

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A: I am an avid follower of @ MakeAWish_ie and Make A Wish Ireland on facebook; I also follow numerous other Irish charities and all of our Make-A-Wish Ambassadors to follow what they are up to

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously?

A: I am a cautious spender,

where would be good

Q: What would be your dream job?

A: I am lucky to be working in my dream job. Making a difference in the lives of sick children and their families makes my work so rewarding and is a huge motivator, especially as I am a mother myself.

If I had to choose something else as a dream job, maybe to own my own greeting card shop or run my own Montessori School

but when I shop some of my favourite haunts are Ashanti Gold in Greystones, Peter O’Brien’s collections in Arnotts, Carl Scarpa, Cinders and Dundrum Shopping Centre

Q: Any advice for budding business women out there?

A: Ensure that you have a

Q: Describe your dream holiday?

A: As long as there is sun-

Staying close to family and friends is imperative as you need time out to keep your focus. Keep positive, and learn to juggle.

shine and I am relaxing with my family and friends, any-

balanced lifestyle, a good support system and, where possible, someone that you can trust as a mentor.

the free banking.

Ulster Bank probably have the best deal currently and you can check for comparisons through the Financial Regulator’s web site - http://www. itsyourmoney.ie/costcomparisons/cs_tab_personal_current_account.htm Don’t forget if you have an aversion to current accounts, you can always pay your bills for free through An Post’s BillPay service – 120 different bills and payable on the drip if necessary in any of the 1,250 post offices ( e.g. pay your € 200 two-monthly ESB bill over 8 weeks at € 25 per week ) Finally, surplus funds should not be left in a current account – the interest rate is 0% ! Better in your pocket.

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

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22 GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel Belfast bliss for history buffs and all music lovers Leave the winter woes at home with a great Algarve holiday, with a range of options to choose from

A FAVOURITE spot for Irish people, the Algarve is the ideal year-round sun destination.

Concorde Travel feature packages to the idyllic resorts of Albufeira, Alvor, Carvoeiro, Lagos, Portimao/Praia da Rocha, Vale do Lobo/Quinta do Lago and Vilamoura.

Whatever your budget, Concorde Travel has a range of two-star to five-star hotel and apartment options to suit you. With flexible departure dates and holiday durations, as well as departures from Dublin, Cork and Knock to Faro, Concorde Travel now make it even easier to travel to this beautiful holiday hotspot.

The three-star Hotel Praia Sol (Vilamoura), on a bed and breakfast basis, costs from €299, whilst the four-star Vila Gale Ampalius (Vilamoura) costs from €419.

The five-star Hilton Vilamoura, As Cascatas Golf Resort and Spa (Vilamoura) on a bed and breakfast basis, costs from €519.

Prices are per person, based on two sharing, and include flights from Dublin, transfers, sevennight’s accommodation, airport tax and baggage.

Visit www.concordetravel.ie, or telephone 01 775 9300 to find out more.

Norway’s the way to go and see what’s described as the greatest Northern Lights show in 50 years PREPARE for the most spectacular show on earth this winter with a trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights.

With NASA predicting the brightest and most active Northern Lights display for 50 years, now is the time to book this once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Four nights in a three-star hotel costs €689, or €759 for four-star accommodation.

The package includes return flights from Dublin to Tromso via Oslo, four nights’ accommodation in a three- or four-star hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, and airline taxes.

Travel between Thursday, December 1 and Thursday, February 28, using the reference: H014-3396.

For further information, or to book this trip, see www.gohop.ie/3396/Cheap-Holidays/NorwayNorthern-Lights-/holiday.html.

MICHAEL HANNAN

AS A regular visitor to Belfast, I thought I had seen much of what the city had to offer, but a stay there during its Music Week, with the MTV Awards in town, gave me a completely new perspective.

After checking in at the luxurious Europa Hotel, and lunch at the nearby Made in Belfast restaurant, our group gathered at the famous Ulster Hall in Bedford Street to begin the Oh Yeah music tour.

The tour is run by the Oh Yeah Music Centre, which was set up in 2005 to help promote talented musicians and rock bands from Northern Ireland.

The Ulster Hall is where, in 1971, Led Zeppelin gave Stairway to Heaven its world premiere.

Our tour took us past the street where Ruby Murray lived. While most people, sadly, only think of her name as the cockney rhyming slang for curry, the 1950s’ singer was the only entertainer to have five singles in British Top20 charts simultaneously.

We went past the Maritime Hotel where, in 1964, a 19-year-old Van Morrison and his band, Them, brought the house down with their classic, Gloria.

We saw his humble origins as we drove past 125 Hynford Street, where he grew up.

A trip past the famous Limelight Bar was next, where, in 1994, Oasis played a gig and, when told their Definitely Maybe album had reached No 1, famously threw off their guitars and, in the guide’s words, “got a wee bit drunk”.

After a visit to the Oh Yeah Music Centre itself, we quenched our thirst at the elegant Duke of York pub, where Gerry Adams previously worked as a

perfection.

Back at the Ulster Hall later that evening for the Benefit Gig for the Alzheimer’s Society, we were treated to more than three hours of timeless punk and rock classics by Divine Comedy, Ash and The Undertones.

Two highlights were the double rendition of The Undertones’ classic, Teenage Kicks, which the late DJ, John Peel, famously played twice in succes-

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

The Titanic Walking Tour guide was witty, engaging and full of ‘useless’ information [about the ship and its building] that a history anorak like myself thrives on --------------------------------------------------------

barman, and stopped to admire the mural in an alleyway across the road depicting many famous Northern Irish personalities.

T he mural was a cross-community effort, between Danny Devenny, an ex- member of the IRA and Maze prisoner, and Mark Ervine, son of the late Progressive Unionist Party leader, David Ervine.

Dinner at The Bar and Grill at James Street South proved to be a great choice, with both the seafood and steaks ordered by our group cooked to

sion on BBC Radio 1.

As if to mirror this, at the end of the concert, all three bands came onstage again to perform the song together. The sight of men in their 50s pogoing wildly to this punk anthem was as memorable as it was humorous.

No trip to Belfast can be complete without taking part in the Titanic Walking Tour.

This takes in the famous Thompson dry-dock and pump house, as well as the berth where the ship had its final fit-out before being launched.

The tour guide was witty,

engaging and full of “useless” information that a history anorak like myself thrives on. For example, the docking berth where the ship would be brought in for repairs would have contained 21 million gallons of water (85 million litres).

This took about 100 minutes to pump out, or the equivalent of two Olympic-sized swimming pools every 60 seconds.

Not bad, for 1912!

After a browse around the St George’s Markets, lunch in the Galley at Belfast Barge was excellent, with my companions’ risotto earning particular plaudits.

A hugely entertaining alternative walking tour of the city, by Terri Hooley, the godfather of the Belfast punk scene, rounded off my trip.

Hooley is a peace campaigner, band promoter and opened the Good Vibrations record shop in 1978, launching such bands as The Undertones, Rudi, and The Outcasts.

He recounted the famous story of when The Clash came to Belfast to perform a gig at the Ulster Hall, only to be told at the last hour that it couldn’t go ahead due to concerns over the insurance costs.

The cancellation sparked a riot by punks of mixed religion waiting outside, who, disgruntled

With so much to enjoy on in Belfast recently, where

at the eleventh-hour cancellation, attempted to rip off the doors to get inside.

As Hooley puts it: “It didn’t matter if you were Protestant or Catholic, as long as you were a punk.

It was a strangely unifying experience.”

Speaking of experiences, there are plenty of great ones to be had in the Northern capital, ranging from culinary, musical, cultural and historical, and if it all seems like too much effort, there are no shortage of cosy pubs to rest awhile.

To find out more information on Northern Ireland’s tours and events, or for further information on places to stay, and things to see and do in Northern Ireland, callsave 1850 230 230; visit the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s tourist information centre in Suffolk Street, Dublin 2, or see www.discovernorthernireland.com.

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 23

Edited by Mimi Murray

TravelBriefs

Enjoy shopping and pampering in Carlow at a comfortable price CARLOW has never been more affordable for a pre-Christmas shopping break and, with the fourstar Talbot Hotel located just a short stroll from all the attractive shopping areas, it is convenient, too.

The Talbot Value Shopping Package includes attractive discounts for the best boutiques in Carlow, which includes an exclusive guide to the best shops in Carlow town.

After the day’s shopping, attentive staff will bring your shopping bags to your room, while you relax and enjoy a sumptuous meal in the cosy fourthfloor Liberty Tree restaurant. Pampering is also important, and the hotel is offering 50% off a facial or massage in its Pure Beauty spa.

Stay at the hotel mid-week for €149 for two nights’ bed and full Irish breakfast, and a fourcourse meal each evening. Winter weekend packages are available from €99 PPS. For further information, see www.talbotcarlow. ie, or telephone 059 915 3000.

any trip to Belfast, hundreds of media staff from all around the world were delighted to attend a day of music- and culture-driven events the fine setting of the Titanic Drawing Offices helped to engage the Belfast guests with local craic agus ceol

The iconic Titanic Signature Building’s exterior is another sign of the modern face of Belfast’s contemporary cityscape

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Same Old Moon

DALKEY-based St Patrick’s Dramatic Society are staging their latest memorable production, following the fortunes and family life of Brenda Barnes. Brenda’s life is anything but straightforward, as we see on her funny and sometimes dramatic journey from childhood to her 40s, thanks to her eccentric and sometimes fiery family. See the society’s production nightly at 8pm until Saturday, November 19, with admission costing €18/€15.

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 until Saturday, November 19, with admission costing €10.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 Sweet Charity

READY for another hit show from Coolmine Musical Society? Then come along to Draiocht, where the highlyskilled players are marking their 30th year in show-stopping style, thanks to their production of Sweet Charity. New York in the 1960s will blaze into life on stage, with such memorable songs as Hey Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, and Rhythm of Life to enjoy, all in the name of following the ups and downs of lovelorn dancehall hostess, Charity Hope Valentine. Coolmine MS’s production runs nightly at 8pm until Saturday, November 19, with admission costing €20/€17.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think that Cinema really needs this version of the timeless, and seemingly endlesslyreheated and reserved, tale, with this latest reimagining being a little too bodacious rather than gracious with the source material...

The Mess-keteers

It’s one for all, and all for one – edging towards the exit, that is, with an uninspired rehash of a timeless tale ...

Q KATE CROWLEY

EVEN unf lappable, battle-hardened cinema reviewers could be forgiven for shrieking and eeking when faced with the sight of not one, not three, but two Nicolas Cage films opening at the same time. Two! Why, the very thought of cuddling up with Nic for his latest offerings, Trespass, and Justice, is almost – almost – enough to send yours truly barrelling through the doors to see the latest Twilight film (as Twilight The Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 opens this week).

I say “almost”, as even my darling, Emo-friendly daughter, Crowleyetta, knows that there’s only one way I’ll go to see, and review, another Twilight film – at gunpoint.

And so, shrieking and eeking away from angstdriven vampires (oooh, the angst, the angst!), and eeking equally loudly

FILM OF THE WEEK: The Three Musketeers ++ (12A) 110 mins Director: Paul S Anderson Starring: Logan Lerman, Matthew MacFayden, Ray Stevenson, Orlando Bloom, Milla Jovovich, unlikely shenanigans

OUR VERDICT: MANY cinemagoers will have had more Three Musketeer films that they’ve had hot dinners, with it being a timeless – but, perhaps, a little over-familiar – tale that needs something special, or different, to really stand out. Although the director, and cast, gamely have a go at modernising some aspects of Dumas’ tale, their efforts simply sit uncomfortably with the source material ...

away from Mr Cage, my dainty feet take me (and thee) directly to ...

Actually, I’m just popping on my time travel beret, and stepping back in time to the period commonly known as Approximately Three Weeks Ago, and the release of a film which I didn’t review at the time, but will do just fine, today.

After all, I can’t stand angst-driven vampires and werewolves, but I don’t mind a shaggy tale of musketeers, and one of cinema’s most revisited inspirations has been, errr, revisited, in this lat-

est version of Dumas’ The Three Musketeers.

Actually, there’s not much more that I need to say to explain the film, folks, as I doubt very much that very many of you aren’t fully aware of the timeless tale of derring-do and French heroics, with this version pretty much following the standard template, on which, more anon.

For now, it’s a “Non!” to following Dumas’ tale too closely from the very start, as director, Anderson, introduces the musketeers undergoing a heist, of sorts, before the ever-

treacherous Milady de Winter (Jovovich) does a runner with the goods.

Okay... so, they’re the three musketeers of the title – so, where’s the fourth guy, who everyone expects? Enter surferdude-esque D’Artagnan (Lerman), who soon annoys, impresses and joins the Three (Macfayden, Stevenson and Evans), just in time to be caught up in a plot by Cardinal Richelieu (Waltz).

The holy man has a wholly cunning plan to control Le King (Fox), with a nice little war with England being his grand plot, just grand, merci.

With Richelieu and Winter playing an icily cold game of politics, and wishing to rule the regal roost behind the scenes, The Thre- sorry, Fousorry, The Guys must thwart their cunning plans, and prevent war with England.

For zee King! For zee honour of France! For zee

probable sequel!

However, mein Gott!

The Three Musketeers veers wildly into French farce throughout, but never in the best way.

The characters are too ... modern; a tricky thing to pull off, and, frankly, Anderson fails.

I can’t quite knock the director with that tooeasy gibe of his being “best known as a videogame film maker”, as not every film made about a computer game is always awful. (I quite enjoyed the somewhat incoherent Silent Hill film-of-thesame-game, for example.)

Still, Anderson, probably best-known for his interminably awful Resident Evil films (also starring his wife, Jovovich, in equally interminably awful roles), has done it again – using his reverse Midas touch (the Sadim?), he’s turned literary gold into cinematic straw. More musketeers?

Zut alors, non!

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

GazetteGAMING GAMING Games giant has to fight its corner SHANE DILLON

THESE are dark days for Nintendo. Once an unassailable giant in gaming, the company recently posted its first publiclyreported loss in decades.

Actually, although it reported a huge loss – almost mirroring the healthy profit it posted in the previous year – some industry analysts were expecting an even larger loss, with wild talk of 100-billion yen on the cards, for a while.

What on earth has taken Nintendo to this sorry state of affairs?

Well, the reasons have been many, and complex, all combining to hack away at the company’s economic fortunes.

For starters, an obvious problem has been its 3DS console, which has bled away profits on hardware and software losses.

Despite being a technological marvel – with nothing comparable to it on the market, or on the way – and despite impressing most, but not all, of those who’ve used it, sales have been much slower than expected.

This doesn’t come as a total surprise – Hollywood has noticed that 3D films at cinemas have significantly plateaued, while 3D-enabled televisions are virtually glued to the shelves, stubbornly

refusing to sell.

The “obvious next step forward in visual entertainment” seems to have been embraced instead as “an interesting, but passing fad” by consumers, as well as gamers.

In the face of it, despite the impressive hardware, but battling consumer interest, perhaps that’s why the 3DS hasn’t caught on, impacting on Nintendo’s fortunes with the losses that it incurs on hardware sales.

Despite being able to magic up such innovative tech and hardware, Nintendo’s also facing a perception that its hardware platforms are approaching the end of their life cycle, with the end of the Wii in sight, while its successor is in development.

This further weakens titles available for it, creating a dragging anchor effect on companies willing to develop for it.

This isn’t an entirely fair summary, as there’s still plenty of life in the “aging” console, but, with much of the world’s media focused on the cool new kid in class – Apple’s various IOS-driven gadgets – while the other gaming heavyweights – Sony and Microsoft – are much more publicly slugging it out between them on the main street, Nintendo’s been left to sink into the background.

Bytesandpieces Have a yen for original gameplay?

JAPANESE developer, Kairosoft, have enjoyed enormous success with their resolutely oldschool, pixel-led titles, with each of their “simple” games consuming days of gamers’ lives.

That sounds extreme, but, after all, behind the cutesy graphics in their games (whether running your own high school or managing a Formula One team) lies very compulsive gameplay, as the intricacies of managing financial systems, organising and planning layouts and so on make the time fly by – as I’ve found, by missing bus stops while engrossed d in i perfecting my shopping centre’s layout. Oops.

As such, for something a little different, why not consider Oh! Edo Towns for your IOS-driven gadget? Available for €2.99 on iTunes, this is the chance to design and maximise your very own Feudal Japan town. That probably sounds about as enticing as an omnibus edition of Eastenders on TV, but this very Eastern title, complete with addictive, good-humoured pick-up-and-play fun, is another absolute gem from Kairosoft.

The forthcoming Nintendo Wii title, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, can be expected to generate healthy revenues for the company, as the games company faces into an unwelcome battle to reverse the shift in its fortunes

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

‘Currency issues have also proven to be major thorns in the company’s side, with the dollarto-yen rates across the past year having a particularly painful effect on Nintendo’s finances’ --------------------------------------------------------

As if these weren’t difficult enough problems, currency issues have also proven to be major thorns in the company’s side, with the dollar-toyen rates across the past year, having a particularly painful effect on Nintendo’s finances.

With such negative external factors for any company to deal with, it’s no wonder that the Kyoto-based company has revealed just how much its sales, and profits, have plunged.

It’s quite a turnaround from the previous fiscal year for Nintendo, when it posted its usual healthy profits, despite the challenges facing gaming’s

drift at physical makets at present. After all, for every Gears of War 3 (XBox 360), Uncharted 3 (PlayStation 3) or, even, Angry Birds (iPhone) success story, a hundred other titles on all platforms sink without trace.

That’s the bad news.

But, of course, Nintendo’s far from finished, just yet.

True, the 3DS has not taken off as expected, but the regular DS handheld is still doing okay, and, if sales of the Wii have also significiantly slowed down – with the negative impact of not having the same software range and products as its rivals – Nintendo still has key gaming aces up

its sleeve.

One of these is the forthcoming next installment in the long-running Zelda series, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; a title that’s a cornerstone product for Nintendo to remind rivals, and gamers, that it still has some outstanding cards in its hand.

Now 25-years-old, the Zelda series has a longevity, and pedigree, that few games can lay claim to, with the Wii Motion Plus proving an entirely natural fit for the protaganist, Link, and his adventures.

With this forthcoming title (and the help of a certain super plumber’s new release), Nintendo can remind gamers, and the wider industry, that it can deliver the goods when it needs to.

And Nintendo needs to. Now, more than ever, the gaming giant needs to start landing some wellaimed blows on its rivals, before it goes down for the count ...

GAZETTE

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

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PLANNING NOTICE

NOTICE

PLANNING NOTICE

DUN LAOGHAIRE/ RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

LICENSING ACT (IRELAND) 1874, Sections 9 &10

DUN LAOGHAIRE/ RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

Bernard & Joan Strahan seek permission for a 63sqm ground floor extension to the side and rear of an existing 3-bed dormer bungalow at 29 Hillside Drive, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. Also, part of the main roof is to be raised by c1.3m to a max ridge height of c7.2m to house c22sqm of additional accommodation at first floor level.

Total floor area is to be 274sqm and total extension 85sqm.

Proposals include the demolition of a garage, provision of rooflights, re-grading driveway & front garden levels, new roof to bay window and new first floor window to front elevation, new side passage gate, new chimney and all associated site works on a 0.1 hectare site. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dun Laoghaire during its public opening hours. A submission/ observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the Planning Authority.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE FOR A NEW WINE RETAILER’S OFF LICENCE District Court Area of Dublin Metropolitan District District Court No: 23 BERNADETTE FEGAN Applicant TAKE NOTICE that Bernadette Fegan of The Ground Floor, The Corrig Stores, Corrig Avenue, Dun Laoghaire in the County of Dublin intends to apply to the Court at Court 23, Old Public Records Building, Four Courts, Dublin 7 on the 14th day of December 2011 at 10.30a.m. for a certificate to hold a WINE RETAILER’S OFF-LICENCE in respect of the premises situate at The Corrig Stores, Corrig Avenue, Dun Laoghaire in the County of Dublin in the court area and district aforesaid. Dated the 9th day of November 2011 Signed:Jones Magee Solicitors, Solicitor for the Applicant, 1 Eglinton Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.

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Permission sought for the demolition of 2 no. existing sheds to the rear of the existing dwelling and the construction of a single storey extension to the side, 2 storey extension to the rear linked to the existing dwelling via a glazed area/ conservatory, porch area to the front of the existing dwelling, upgrade of existing septic tank to an EPS Bison ASP Waste Water Treatment Unit & all Associated Site Works at 2 Kellystown Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 for Mr. & Mrs. T. Kelly. This application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, County Hall, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin during opening hours from 10am - 4 pm Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application by the Planning Authority.

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INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2008, Sections 6, 7&8

PLANNING NOTICE

PLANNING NOTICE

DUN LAOGHAIRE/ RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

DUN LAOGHAIRE/ RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

I, Ann Foley intend to apply for Permission for Retention for; 1) detached habitable Room, 2) garden shed, 3) 4.4m wide vehicular entrance and increased heights of boundary walls, 4) All ancillary site development works.

The house site is located north west and adjacent to, No. 2 Clonard Park, Sandyford, Dublin 16. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire during its public opening hours. A submission / observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the planning authority. Signed, Cathal Boylan, Chartered Engineer, BOYLAN ENGINEERING, (Eng. and Environmental Consultancy) Main St., Mullagh, Kells Co. Meath.

046-928 6000 / 087-820 5470, www.boylanengineering.ie.

Planning permission is sought for the demolition of existing sheds to side (approx. area 6m2) and the construction of a new single storey extension to side (approx. 50m2) and all associated site works including replacing existing guarding on front elevation at first floor level for Darren Clarke and Maria Costello at 1 Friarsland Avenue, Goatstown, Dublin 14. Proposed extension will accomodate a “Granny Flat” (approx.

14m2 of proposed extension, approx. 28m2 in total) and additional Living area for main house (approx. 36m2).

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire during its public opening hours. A submission/ observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the planning authority.

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17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 27

GazetteSPORT

NO BOUNDARIES: Claire Shillington on her Ireland cricket journey so far Page 29

MOTOR RACING: FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TO RACE ON SPECIALLY-CREATED TRACK

Button presses Dublin into F1 action in summer sport@gazettegroup.com

FOR the first time, one of the leading F1 teams in the world will take to the streets of Dublin next year when Jensen Button will bring his Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes F1 car to the Bavaria City Racing Dublin event on June 3, 2012.

Former World Champion Button will treat race spectators to a Formula 1 masterclass on a specially designed track that starts

at the Convention Centre, continues along Custom House Quay before crossing Butt Bridge, chicanes at D’Olier Street, zips past College Green and the Central Bank on Dame Street before reaching the chequered flag on O’Connell Bridge.

Bavaria City Racing’s Dublin ambassador, Eddie Jordan, said: “I’m hugely excited about Bavaria City Racing Dublin; this is something spectacular, something

you’ve never witnessed before and I, for one, can’t wait.”

The City Racing extravaganza is a free public event, and over 150,000 people are expected to line the streets of the capital to enjoy the best the world of motor sport has to offer.

Gavin Collins, of Bavaria City Racing, said: “We are delighted that the Vodafone-McLaren F1 team is coming to Dublin. They are a premier F1

Keith O’Haire, from Gleeson, and Robert Hyland, of Vodafone Ireland, at the launch of this unique F1 event

team and Jenson is one of the leading drivers in world motorsport.”

Robert Hyland, Sponsorship Manager at Vodafone Ireland, said: “We are truly excited at the prospect of bringing the

Formula 1 experience to Dublin. Jenson is one of the sport’s great ambassadors, and we are delighted to be able to help showcase what he and the cars can do.

“It will be a massive

event for the city that will be remembered for years to come.”

For those who want to get closer to the action, there are three ticketed premium performance zones on the track at

Customs House Quay, O’Connell Bridge and at the Main F1 Paddock on North Wall Quay.

Tickets for these areas are priced from €75.90 and are available from Ticketmaster.

28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

Avoca move ahead of the pack in Division 2 AVOCA moved a massive eight points clear of the top of the Leinster division two table with a sixth successive victory when they claimed a 4-0 victory over Mullingar in Newpark last Saturday.

With other results working in their favour, it boosted their chances yet further of making it back into division one despite the season being just one-third of the way in.

Martin Naughton netted his sixth goal of the campaign to open proceedings, pulling the ball onto his reverse-side and shooting home. Sean Walsh continued his flying start to life in Dublin from close range, before Peter Haughton made it 3-0 at the break, when a quick free on the fivemetre dash was one-two’d back to Haughton to slot home on his reverse. Walsh completed the win in the second half.

Near neighbours Monkstown’s bid for a fourth Irish Senior Cup final appearance in five years, however, came to an end on Saturday when they were undone by 2008 final nemesis, Pembroke.

They nabbed the win on penalty strokes despite never having led the game in normal time. Richard Sykes’ drag-flick had given Town the lead against an under-strength Pembroke who were without Adam Pritchard due to a broken nose sustained in the past week while South African Matt Brown is back in his homeland following the end of his three-month visa.

They battled back to level, with Alan Sothern credited with getting on the end of a good team move but Frank Ryan put the hosts back in front.

Tim Hill sent it to extra time with his second goal of the campaign, rounding off a full pitch move with a diving touch to Gordon Elliott’s cracked cross.

ATHLETICS: DSDAC GET RECOGNITION FOR ACHIEVEMENTS

High jumper Deirdre Ryan claimed her Athlete of the Year award in recognition of her achievements in 2011

Ryan’s rich reward sport@gazettegroup.com

DEIRDRE Ryan was named as the Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards, in association with Woodie’s DIY and Tipperary Crystal, last Saturday in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry.

The award came off the back of her stunning qualification for the London Olympics, with her sixth-place finish at the recent World Championships. This was the year when the DSDAC high jumper made the great leap forward to medal contender in one of the most technically and mentally demanding of field events.

Her finish at the World Championships was the stand-out performance by an Irish athlete at any major championships this season, clearing a season’s

best of 1.95m to set a new Irish record, and also securing the A qualification standard for London 2012.

Given an injury-free build-up and another fractional improvement on her current best, Ryan, who also won the Track and Field Athlete of the Year, should be one of our leading hopefuls for London 2012.

Ryan’s club, Dundrum South Dublin (DSD) were also the worthy recipients of the Club of the Year Award. DSD is one of the powerhouses of Irish athletics and the Dublin 14 club enjoyed an exceptional run of success in cross-country, road-running and track competition over the past year, including winning all four team titles at the National Inter-County Cross-Country Champi-

onships, and their womens’ team winning the Woodie’s DIY National League title for the first time since 1987.

Other awards The U-23 Athlete of the Year was named as Brian Gregan, of Clonliffe Harriers, who are based in Morton Satdium, Santry.

The Tallaght man ran the race of his life at the U-23 European Champion-

ships in Ostrava, running a personal best of 46.12, to split two sub-46 second British athletes. A month later, the DCU student went below 46 seconds for the first time when running 45.96 to finish fifth in the World Student Games in China.

The Outstanding Official Award was presented to Aine Pobjoy, from Mid Sutton AC, who embodies the ethos of volunteerism,

giving unselfishly of her time and energy for the benefit of others. Aine is a permanent fixture at local and national competitions and has also helped develop the Annual Juvenile Star Awards.

The Dublin woman has also been involved in the management of many successful Celtic Games competitions and European Youth Olympics teams.

Deirdre Ryan receiving the Athlete of the Year award from Minister Leo Varadkar, Ray Colman of Woodies, and President of Athletics Ireland Liam Hennessey

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29

in association with

No boundaries for Shillington Malahide’s Clare Shillington has travelled to Bangladesh to try to help Ireland’s women cricketers to a World Cup in India next year THE influx of youth is such that Clare Shillington made her international cricket debut the same year one of her team-mates was born.

Far from veteran status, it is more a statement on the prodigious talent that Ireland has to pick from, as the country’s women aim to make similar waves to those stirred up by the Irish men in the past four years.

They are bidding to qualify for the World Cup this week in Bangladesh, needing to upset the world rankings and win against Pakistan or West Indies – as well as the hosts and Japan – in the

initial group phase to take a direct route to the finals in India. Finish lower than the top two, and they go into the murky waters of a repechage round.

Taking on the chal-

turns 14 during the tournament.

Tice became the second youngest women’s international earlier this year and has since taken eight wickets in just four

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

‘It is a huge commitment, but I wouldn’t still be playing if I didn’t love it and think we have a realistic chance of qualifying for the World Cup’ --------------------------------------------------------

lenge, Irish cricket sought a special dispensation to allow two of their number to make the trip, 15-yearold Kim Garth and, most notably, Elena Tice, who

Clare Shillington in Ireland action

international games, catapulting her into the team.

She was born in 1997, the year Malahide cricket club member Shillington made her Irish debut. She was a precocious teenage batting talent at the time but told the Gazette just prior to flying out to the competition that selection runs along Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenet that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

Asked how she feels about possibly having made her debut before Tice was born, Shillington laughs.

“We haven’t talked about it but that is an interesting one! That makes me feel very old.

Just hearing their date of births... It’s fantastic that Elena is able to do it physically at that age; her and Kim Garth.

“As a dynamic in the team, it’s incredible. I’m a good bit older but we do come together and age doesn’t really mat-

ter when you’re playing cricket.

“Everyone does look out for each other but I hope I can pass on some of the experience that I have built up over 14 years as a cricketer and the standards you should have. I’m highly competitive so I do my best to pass that on to anyone coming onto the squad.”

From a preparation perspective, the side has travelled in confident mood, with both Shillington and captain Isobel Joyce – sister of Irish men’s star Ed – labelling the group the best prepared side ever put together.

The squad signed up to a mantra of “unpaid professionalism”, replicating full-time training around their working or student lives with regular 6.30am fitness calls, similar to those employed by Dublin’s senior footballers last January prior to their AllIreland victory.

It is a necessary effort to be competitive against countries that have gone the full-time route in recent years. Shillington played against a touring Pakistan side in the early part of this decade, a side that were comfortably beaten by Ireland in what was their first season of the professional era.

Since then, they have risen to a place above Ireland in the rankings and won a Champion’s Challenge tie last summer in South Africa with plenty

to spare.

Speaking about playing full-time athletes, Shillington takes a pragmatic approach: “It’s a killer, but you have to play with what you’ve got. We all understand that money makes the world go round; cricket in Pakistan is part of their culture and everyday life, while it’s down the pecking order in Ireland.

“If we were professionals and it was our job, I’ve no doubt we’d pass the likes of Pakistan, the West Indies and higher because there is the talent there.

“Sometimes it is souldestroying to see how quickly a team like that can jump up, but we deal with what we can and made a commitment to be unpaid professionals.

“It is a huge commitment but I wouldn’t still be doing it if I didn’t love it and think we have a realistic chance of winning.

At this stage, I definitely think we can qualify. I started my international career in India and would like to finish it there in a World Cup. “It’s been quite a long preparation. I’ve been involved in quite a lot of these trips and it’s definitely the most prepared we’ve been from the amount of work, time and effort we have put in.

I’m glad to be getting out of an indoor training hall and getting on a cricket pitch.”

FastSport

World and Olympic champ helps Gymnastics launch THE national governing body for Gymnastics in Ireland re-launched their brand last week with the help of Olympic and World medallist gymnast, Louis Smith, last week.

Gymnastics Ireland’s brand transformation includes the launch of a new website (www. gymnasticsireland.com), Facebook Page (Gymnastics Ireland) and Twitter account (@Gymnasticsire).

Smith was joined by leading female gymnast, Emma Lunn and Irish Rhythmic athlete, Aisling McGovern, both from Maynooth. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Bronze medallist also coached a group of young Irish 2016 Olympic hopefuls on the morning of the launch.

Ciaran Gallagher, Gymnastics Ireland chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted that Louis could be here to help us launch the new Gymnastics Ireland brand. He is not only one of the best gymnasts in the world, but he is also a great personality and really conveys what Gymnastics Ireland is now all about.”

Ireland trio make the team of World Cup ’11 LEINSTER ‘S Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell were the Ireland players who made the official Rugby World Cup dream team, voted for by international fans of the New Zealand celebration of the sport’s Facebook page.

Ireland captain O’Driscoll took nearly 50% of the votes to make the Dream Team. A

consistent performer for Ireland, O’Driscoll added to his impressive tally of international tries with a well-taken try in the pool match against Italy.

Based on suggestions from the online community, a shortlist of names per position was created each day and put to the vote, with over 160,000 votes being cast along the way.

The other players in the XV were made up of players from the semi-finalists, Wales, New Zealand and France.

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 17 November 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

SOCCER: LOCAL PLAYERS HAVE EYE ON INTERNATIONAL PLACES

Meteors blast way into Cup’s next round METEORS advanced to the next round of the Women’s Superleague Cup with a 62-44 victory over Oblate Dynamo’s last Friday night.

Rebecca Nagle and Rachel Fitzgerald starred for Hugh Kilbride’s side, who have shown a vast improvement this season after what was a frustrating campaign last time out.

Kilbride was delighted by his side’s efforts.

“We knew it would be a difficult game, but our defensive performance was what won us the game. We have been working harder on defence this season and I think that has a lot to do with why we have improved this year. It’s certainly a big improvement on last year and we still have some important players to come back. We are looking forward to having a crack at Glanmire next. They will be a step up but we will be up for the challenge.” Kilbride said.

her semi-final Bowtell bows with run in the same out in semis at week.

Loughborough Rock and roll AMY Bowtell for local rugby endured semi-final heartbreak in both teams in cup the singles and doubles as last week’s ITF women’s event in Loughborough last weekend after productive competitions.

The 18-year-old made it through three rounds of the $10,000 event in England before falling to number two seed Tara Moore 6-1, 6-2.

Nonetheless, the St Andrew’s student did enough to reach a personal record high in the world rankings of 586.

She reached a similar position on the doubles tour of 684

BLACKROCK College booked a place in the Leinster Senior League Cup competition last Saturday when the Stradbrook side edged home 25-22 against St Mary’s College.

It sets up a final date with Old Belvedere on December 17.

For Seapoint, however, their Senior League Shield campaign came to an end when they fell to Greystones 18-11 in Kilbogget Park to miss out on a decider date with Old Wesley.

Leinster Under-15 schoolgirls managed to secure second-place in the interprovincial tournament held in Tullamore last weekend

Locals shine for Leinster sport@gazettegroup.com

OUR Lady’s Grove’s Emma Byrne and Alexandra College’s Sophie Gleeson played their part in helping Leinster claim second place in the U-15 schoolgirls’ interprovincial competition held in Tullamore last weekend.

They were involved in the province’s panel that recorded victories over Connacht and Ulster, but the tournament hinged on the very first game, in which Munster nabbed the early initiative with a 2-0 victory.

The tournament itself doubles as an introduc-

tion to the selection process for the Bob Docherty tournament, which gets underway in April for the Irish schools’ Under-15 squad.

Leinster were undone

by Megan Connolly and Sarah McKevitt strikes on the first day of competition at Leah Victoria Park, and were playing catch-up from there on in.

Ousting Connacht 3-0 was a good start, when Megan Lynch got the blues off to a fine start with St Joseph’s, Lucan student Eleanor Ryan Doyle and Kirsty Maher adding to the win.

Local stars: DIT awards their scholarships RENOWNED local footballers, Ciara

Murphy, Sinead McGoldrick and Amy Ring, were among the 54 new student athletes who were presented with their sports scholarships at DIT last week. The players, pictured here with college president, Professor Brian Norton, Dr Mike Murphy and Sinead McNulty, Head of Sport, are among the students who represent a wide range of sports - from Gaelic games, rugby and soccer to boxing, equestrian and tenpin bowling.

With the westerners having already beaten reigning champions Ulster on day one, it was an impressive comeback.

With Munster winning 4-0 against Ulster, though, it meant Leinster had to rely on outside results if they were going to win the title.

They fulfilled their side of the bargain when Lynch again was on the mark, while Shianne Swarres, Jenny Clifford, Courtney Higgins and another from Ryan Doyle notched a 5-1 success over the northern province.

It meant that any Connacht win in the tourna-

ment’s final game could have handed Leinster the title ahead of Munster. But the southern side took the title with a gritty 0-0 draw in Athlone.

In the coming weeks, trialists will emerge from this competition with a mind on the Docherty international tournament, that will see the Republic take on near-neighbours Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the first major international underage competition for girls.

Elsewhere, Wayside Celtic continued their recent revival with a pair of wins in the past week

to advance to the second round of the Leinster Senior Cup before picking up a big away win over Mount Merrion in the Sunday Senior.

Goals from Ray Whelehan from the penalty spot and another from Darren Lacey saw Wayside home ahead of Bluebell United 2-0 in midweek.

Sunday’s success over Merrion lifted the Jackson Park club to eighth and away from any immediate danger at the bottom of the division.

For Merrion, they are stuck in second bottom but with games in hand on all their rivals.

17 November 2011 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31

in association with

HURLING: KILMACUD EASE PAST CASTLEKNOCK

a

CLUB NOTICEBOARD CUALA OUR heroic U-16 boys continued their

available on the website and will have

great run by adding the Division One

been sent out to the postal address

title to their roll of honour on Satur-

on record of all paid up members.

day at Shankill. It was a nail-biting

Members are asked to check their

final against the Na Fianna side who

email and telephone contact details

had beaten them in the champion-

as being up to date.

ship back in May, but the Cuala lads

The minor section is holding a table

edged it by two points in the end on a

quiz to raise funds for fielding five

score of 1-09 to 0-10.

teams across football and hurling in

This same group of lads and men-

2012. The quiz takes place on Friday,

tors won the U-16 Division One title

November 25, and teams of four are

and A championship in hurling, fol-

invited to enter at a cost of €40.

lowing on from an A championship

Academy training for the older

cross-code double last year at U-15

of the little ones will be moving to

as well. They now step into the minor

the IADT pitch from this Saturday.

ranks, where the whole club wishes

Please check times with each group.

them the best of luck in 2012.

Coaches, helpers, parents and kids

The juvenile boys’ AGM takes place

going onto the pitch must wear non-

on Thursday, November 17, at 8.30pm

metal studded boots on the pitch

in the club.

and also make sure to adhere to the

The club AGM takes place on Wednesday, December 8. Details are

sometimes strenuously enforced pay and display parking regulations.

Kilmacud Crokes restricted Castleknock’s minors to a scoreless 37-minute period at Parnell Park

WANDERERS

Crokes cruise to place in the final

END-of-season party and dinner

information contact Niall on 086 885

dance will be held on Saturda y,

7303.

MINOR A HURLING S/F Kilmacud Crokes 2-13 Castleknock 0-4 STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com

ALEX Pilkington’s incisive first-half burst saw Kilmacud Crokes ease into the final of the Minor A hurling championship last weekend, earning some modicum of revenge for Castleknock’s victory in the football equivalent a week earlier.

It was a tie transformed in the four minutes leading up to half-time, when a tight, physical battle with chances at a premium turned into a procession, as Crokes hit 2-2 without reply.

Castleknock never truly recovered, having to endure a 37-minute spell without scoring as Kilmacud stifled the threat of Ciaran Kilkenny, part of a two-man full forward line who were swallowed up by the southside team’s extra man in defence.

It took Kilmacud 13

minutes to get off the mark, Ken Kelly’s free cancelling out an early Castleknock effort, while Conal O’Neill helped make it 0-3 to 0-2 by the 18th minute.

From then on, though, it was an exhibition in the art of defending as John Huban and Robert Murphy snuffed out scoring chances, forcing Castleknock wide to the corners, leaving Paddy Tighe with a minimum to cover.

The half-back line of Jamie Clinton, Emmet Doherty and James Murphy were similarly forceful, coming away with the breaks, and their work rate was a thing to behold with Conor Devins and Matthew Geraghty also to the fore.

And the key scores followed as Pilkington got a slightly fortuitous first goal in the 28th minute, when his smack from a narrow angle was only half-stopped by the ’Knock keeper and drib-

bled over the line at the near post.

Caolan Conway added a point before Pilkington calmly clipped home his second major as good hassling around the 40 turned over possession and set up the chance as he reeled away to the left of goal.

Pilkington added a point for good measure to add to three frees from Kelly to make it 2-6 to 0-2 at the interval.

Castleknock required a big start to the second half but it scarcely mate-

rialized as two more Kelly frees and a 65, capped by a sweet score on the turn from Oisin O’Rourke, saw the lead built to 14 points.

It took until the 52nd minute for Castleknock to get the scoreboard moving once more while Kilkenny cleared the bar for the first time in the 56th minute but it was too little to upset the applecart.

Kilmacud now face Ballyboden St Enda’s in the decider following their 2-12 to 1-11 win over Lucan Sarsfields.

November 26 at 8pm in the Merry

Ladies’ training is on Mondays

Ploughboy. Tickets €40, includes

and Wednesdays at 7.30pm. Con-

dinner, live enter tainment and

tact Darren on 087 664 7205.

medals and awards presentations.

There was no winner of this week’s

Contact any committee member

Lotto. Numbers drawn were 4, 6

for further details and tickets.

and 24; €25 goes to Eddie Downey,

Adult mens’ junior As and Bs

Monica Byrne, Ann Kearns and John

should contact their managers

Willoughby. Jackpot next week is

regarding training plans for next

€700.

season.

Wanderer s’ club car sticker s

Under-15 boys training is on Tues-

available to purchase this week,

day nights at 7.30pm and Under-15

contact any committee member

girls training on Wednesdays at

for details, €3 each.

6.30pm at Frank Kelly Park.

All new players welcome. For more

The new club website is now live at www.wanderersgaa.ie.

STARS OF ERIN MASSIVE congratulations to the Stars

very close game saw Ranelagh Gaels

of Erin Under-11 hurlers who won a

win out by a single point deep into

play-off for runners-up position in

injury time.

the league against St Maur’s on Saturday morning in Glencullen.

Congratulations to Ranelagh Gaels and commiserations to St John’s.

Its been an exceptional year for this

Sunday, November 20, sees the final

bunch of talented players who also

of the Paddy Mulligan Cup which will

finished runners-up in the football

see Stars of Erin take on Ballinteer St

league.

John’s.

The management team of Mick

There was one lucky winner of the

McDonnell and Barry Heeney deserve

Stars’ weekly lotto. Congratulations

a special mention.

to Carmel Shelley.

The Under-8s and Under-9s hurlers

The numbers drawn were 11, 14 and

took on St Mark’s in Glencullen on Sat-

23. Jackpot starts again on Sunday,

urday morning in a challenge game. St

November 20, at €200.

Mark’s brought a very talented bunch

The Stars’ annual Christmas raffle

of juveniles up the mountain and real-

tickets are now on sale. This is a lim-

ly made Stars work. Thanks to Mark’s

ited draw so please purchase your

for making the trip up.

tickets early to avoid disappoint-

Sunday saw the pitch in Glencullen

ment.

host the Murphy Cup final, where St

Tickets available from all Stars

John’s, Ballinteer, and Ranelagh Gaels

committee members. Tickets priced

battled to take home the trophy. A

at €10.

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

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Kilmacud’s

minors reach the championship decider P31

NOVEMBER 17, 2011

NO BOUNDARIES Shillington on World Cup strike P29

GazetteSPORT

Eamon Zayed is presented with the Tissot PFAI Premier division Player of the Year award by Republic of Ireland goalkeeping coach, Alan Kelly

Zayed on top of the world after award

Local player claims the big prize as he is named Player Of The Year at the Airtricity League ceremony STEPHEN FINDLATER dundrumsport@gazettegroup.com

ST JOSEPH’S Boys graduate Eamon Zayed took the top award tonight at the PFAI Awards last weekend with the Libyan international named Airitricity League Premier Division player of the year by his fellow professionals.

Moving from the now defunct Sporting Fingal in the close season, Zayed scored a massive 22 goals this year, helping Derry City to a thirdplaced finish in their first season back in the top flight.

It was quite the performance, and he was delighted to accept the honour, which he placed up there as one of his “proudest moments in football”.

While he was proud to take the individual honour, he was quick to pay tribute to his teammates who laid on the majority of chances for

him.

“It was unbelievable to be nominated but to win it is unexpected, to be honest, but I’m chuffed, really delighted.

“As the season started, I saw some of the players like Gar McGlynn and James McLean and Daniel Lafferty – the guys who were going to supply my chances and they have had superb seasons and created a lot for me, and it was just a matter of getting on the end of them. I’m delighted with the return but this trophy is as much about my team mates as it is me.”

Upheaval The end of last season saw a lot of upheaval, mainly precipitated by Sporting Fingal’s crash, but Zayed’s move to Derry helped the striker link up with Stephen Kenny, a manager who, he says, played a large part in his massive goal outlay.

“I worked with Liam Buckley at Sporting Fin-

gal and under Paul Doolin at Drogheda United – two very good managers in their own right – but there’s just something about Stephen, who seems to get the very best out of his players. He gave me freedom this year and put his trust in me playing up top as an out-and-out striker, saying just get in the box and on the end of chances.

He’s been really good to me, and so I have to thank him.

“We didn’t set out any targets at the start of the year. We just said we’ll see how it goes. As we passed the half-way stage, and we’d played everyone, we knew we’d be in there at the end and were good enough to compete. Third was a fair reflection.

“One of our main aims was to get to Europe and we managed that. Hopefully, next year, we can make a better challenge, Stephen can keep the side together and possibly add to it and, who knows, next year?”