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INSIDE: Popping in to look at a new Pop-Up shopping centre P10

Tennis: Local star claims four medals at world championships Page 32

Soccer: Young Clonkeen alumnus claims top FAI award Page 30

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

March 1, 2012

WATER BIG JOB: Engineers pipe up

about works to end the town’s leaks P7

Elderly housing project plan is backed I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN

A PROPOSAL to extend Rochestown House, a residential home for the elderly located off the Sallynoggin Road, received overwhelming support from Dun Laoghaire councillors this week.

The extension, which currently comprises two low-rise, residential blocks, is owned

by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and will cost €3 million to build.

Planning permission for this first phase will be sought within weeks.

Councillors gave the green light for the plans to move to the next stage at a Dun Laoghaire Area Committee meeting on February 27.

Talking to the Gazette on the regeneration plans, Independent councillor Victor Boyhan said that he was delighted with the proposal, saying: “It’s long overdue.”

Full Story on Page 2

Here come the girls: Enjoying the fun at a ladies’ night out THERE were big smiles from Aisling

Handley and Geraldine O’Driscoll when the Gazette met them, and several other local women, at a recent fundraising girls’ night out at the Stillorgan Park Hotel. With celebrity

MC Gillian Quinn on hand to oversee the evening’s events, Paula and Trish, and all in attendance, enjoyed a great night out, with a fashion show helping to create a stylish evening of fun.

See Gallery on Pages 8 -9

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

COUNCIL: ROCHESTOWN HOUSE SCHEME TO BENEFIT THE ELDERLY

Housing plan has all-party support

EVENT The annual SPAR retailers’ 5-Star Awards

Garry Healy, BWG; Stephen Dwan, SPAR Knocklyon; Iwona Kolano, SPAR Express Rathfarnham; John Byrne, SPAR Oldcourt; Alan Griffin, SPAR Clonskeagh and Liam O’Dwyer, BWG

I BAIRBRE

Ni BHRAONAIN news@gazettegroup.com

A PROPOSAL to extend Rochestown House, a residential home for the elderly located off the Sallynoggin Road, has been given overwhelming support from Dun Laoghaire councillors this week.

The extension, which currently comprises two low-rise, residential blocks, is owned by Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council and will cost €3m to build.

The Department of Environment, along with Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council will fund the venture.

Planning permission for this first phase will be sought within weeks.

Councillors gave the green light for the plans to move to the next stage at a Dun Laoghaire area committee meeting on February 27.

The site is 0.89 hectares, has a gentle slope to the south and has a public park to the east. The house itself sits within the former walled gardens of Somerton House.

Construction It is proposed to carry out construction on both blocks in a phased project.

The work on Block 2 nearest to Sallynoggin Road will commence first and the number of dwellings it will comprise is 46 one-bed units for senior citizens. The size of each of the proposed one-bed units will be 48sq m.

There will also be provision made for landscap-

ing by the Council Parks Department.

Block 1, as it presently stands, is a communal block with community facilities providing 33 dwellings with nine onebed units and 24 bedsit units.

Commenting to the Gazette on the regeneration plans, Councillor Victor Boyhan said that he was delighted with the proposal. “It’s long overdue,” he said.

He also thanked the Council Executive Housing Team for prioritising this scheme.

Tops shops honoured T John Byrne, SPAR Kilmacud Road, and Donnacha McCormack, SPAR Main Street, Dundrum

Imaginative “The council architect’s have come up with a very imaginative and attractive plan. The new design addresses the needs, requirements of national best practice for social housing and our commitments to improve our housing stock provision for elderly people.

“These works will dramatically improve the standard of living accommodation at Rochestown House and will create warm comfortable homes for elderly people. I am delighted with the plan unveiled here tonight.

“This is great news,” he said.

Proposed new developments include reconfiguring the bedsit units into one-bed apartments.

Refurbishment works will also include drainage works, re-wiring, new plumbing and a new heating system.

The energy upgrade works in Block 1 will include external wall and roof insulation and improved ventilation.

OP performance awards were given to Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown area shops in the annual SPAR retailers’ 5-Star Awards ceremony in Killashee House Hotel in County Kildare recently. A total of six stores in the area received a 5-Star award. Two of these, SPAR in Kilmacud and McCormack’s SPAR in Dundrum, have won the 5-Star award five years’ running. The other award winners were: McInerney’s SPAR Clonskeagh; Montgomery’s SPAR Shankill; Rushe’s SPAR Stillorgan; and O’Connor’s SPAR Express Rathfarnham.

The SPAR 5-Star Awards is a programme of continuous assessment. SPAR shops are randomly inspected and audited over the course of a year’s assessment.

The scheme also employs mystery shoppers who are members of Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA) and SPAR personnel. The assessments are based on the shop’s presentation, its customer care, hygiene and food safety. The awards ceremony is run by BWG Foods in association with the Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA).

BWG Foods own and operate the SPAR brand in Ireland. The chief executive of BWG told the retailers assembled that they are part of an Irish-owned retail group which is a major contributor to the local and national economy.

Peter Dwan, BWG; Colm and Lilian Montgomery, SPAR Shankill, and Paul Brooder, SPAR Sandycove Road, Dun Laoghaire

Des Smyth, BWG; Simon Scanlon, SPAR Stillorgan; Joanne Nolan and Karen Murphy, SPAR Leopardstown Valley

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

HERITAGE TG4 series celebrates a golden rail age

Picture shows a service crossing the bridge at Milltown, one of the stops along the old railway route to Dundrum, and beyond

Full steam ahead in look back at our lost railways tive business interestss were settled at then.

The story of the famous Harcourt Streett crash of 1900 is also re-told in the programme,, as is the tale of the e “dance trains” to Bray,, which carried excited d young people away to o the Arcadia Ballroom..

The train fare and pricee of admission were an n all-inclusive deal.

There were also thee “sea breeze excursions”,, where families took thee train at Harcourt Streett Station and headed d for the seaside in thee 1950s.

‘Unprofitable’ The Harcourt Street line was the first to be closed in January, 1959, under then chairman of CIE, Todd Andrew’s new policy of closing lines that were deemed to be “unprofitable”.

Those most affected by the closure were probably schoolchildren, whose journey from Bray was now to be made by bus – and a much longer one, for it.

Ironically, the Green Luas line today runs on a large section of the old Harcourt Street Line.

‘Milk It’ for health advice NOTRE Dame Secondary School in Churchtown took part in the recent national Milk It competition, and teacher Mairin Byrne, along with her English class, undertook to set up an advertising campaign around the theme of increasing calcium intake through dairy products.

The Transition Year students produced an advertisement featuring a Dairy Fairy, and hoped this would appeal to their teen demographic.

Milk It encourages teenagers to educate each other on the crucial importance of the role dairy products play for future bone health.

The campaign is also the National Dair y Council’s competition for designing a workable idea to promote dairy products, with teenagers encouraged to consume five portions of dairy products each day.

gazette

group

.com

THIS week saw the airing of the first episode of TG4’s new documentary series, Boithre Iarainn (Iron Roads).

The opening episode of the series featured a fascinating insight in to the Dublin and Kingstown line, as well as Dundrum.

T h i s r a i l w ay l i n e was the first one in the country and opened in 1834.

The story of the Harcourt street line is depicted by utilising rare footage of the railway, as well as interviewing the people who used and drove the trains.

Meanwhile, Dundrum played a central point in an extraordinary story depicted in the documentary.

When it was decided to extend the line to Bray, two vying companies race-built the rail – one from Harcourt St, and the other from Bray; the first company to reach Dundrum secured the contract to run the railway line.

William Dargan was the victor, and went on to build many Irish railway lines.

This is how competi-

SCHOOLS

Despite unfortunate incidents – such as the Harcourt Street crash of 1900 (above) - south Dublin was wellserved for many years by a wealth of rail lines (top)

All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

SPORT

Rugby play sessions

MOUNTTOWN Facility in Dun Laoghaire is offering rugby-inspired play sessions for children between the ages of two and seven years of age.

Rugbytots is a series of structured workshops concentrating on developing the skills required to play rugby.

This unique programme is claimed to improve your child’s co-ordination skills, team-working abilities as well as improving and strengthening general physique and social skills.

The classes are run by an Irish Rugby Union Federation (IRFU) coach, who is also qualified in paediatric first aid and is garda-vetted.

The sessions are being run on Saturdays in the Mounttown Community Facility from 9am to 12 noon. If you want your child to get involved you can call 086-4127351 or book a place online at www.rugbytots.ie.

OPERA New operatic play, The Weeping Flowers comes to town

Pavilion to host world premiere A BRAND new operatic play, The Weeping Flowers, is having its world premiere at the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire in March.

For those who don’t know much about opera but would like to, then this show is the ideal introduction.

Weeping Flowers was devised by Irish writer, Gerard Dalton, and contains 27 arias and duets taken from 22 of the most famous operas by 14 renowned composers.

The story is one of tragic love among two young people and the

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‘The story is one of tragic love among two young people and the music has been chosen to perfectly convey the passion’

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music has been chosen to perfectly convey all of the passion experienced by the couple.

Seven of Ireland’s leading young opera singers will perform in what is said to be a “cool and contemporary” take on an old musical art form.

Soprano Emer Barry takes the lead as Dahlia.

She has performed as a

soloist in concert (NCH) and as guest soprano with choral societies.

Her operatic roles include Fulvia in Rossini’s, La Pietra del Paragone, Nedda in Leoncavallo’s, Pagliacci, Susanna in La Nozze di Figaro

by Mozart and first lady in The Magic Flute with Glasthule Opera in 2011.

The remainder of the cast includes: Aaron Cawley (Tenor) plays the part of Martin, Emiliy Alexander is Jasmine, David Lynn is Rob, Joan O’Malley is Violet, Gavan Ring plays Joseph and Dominic McGorian appears as Alfred.

The show kicks off in the Pavilion Theatre on March 20 and runs until March 22.

For information about the show visit www.paviliontheatre.ie For tickets you can p h o n e t h e P av i l i o n Theatre Box office at (01) 231 2929 or you can avail of their free online booking at www.paviliontheatre.ie

Soprano Emer Barry takes the lead as Dahlia

Footloose set to hit stage A NEW musical production of Footloose is being staged at Clonkeen College in late March.

The cast is drawn from the main pool of Clonkeen’s students, including two from first year, although the bulk of the cast comes from transition and fifth year.

The boys of Clonkeen College have recruited girls from five local secondary schools to form the female contingent of the cast for the musical.

The girls taking part are generally transition-year students from

schools such as Loreto Foxrock and Dalkey, St Rochfort, Clooney and Holy Child, Killiney.

The choice of Footloose tied in very well with a school cast, according to Jason Masterson, past pupil of Clonkeen and current musical producer there.

“It’s very funny and all the characters are teenagers so it’s really ideal for a school production,” he said.

“I was in a previous production of Footloose when I was at UCD so I know how well it works with students. It’s a comedy and the songs

will also appeal to the parents as they’re all 80’s classics like Footloose, Holdin out for a Hero and Let’s Hear it for the Boy.” If you want to re-live the 80s and support Clonkeen College, then go along to a performance any night between Tuesday, March 29 and Friday, March 23 at Clonkeen College at 8pm.

Tickets cost €10 each and €5 for primary school children and are available at Clonkeen College and you can call their box office on 01 2892709

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5

HEALTH Prestigious medical glory for local man

Top award for helping make a ‘tomorrow’ dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

DUN Laoghaire local Chris Macey, and his Irish Heart Foundation team, have picked up the highest honours at the Astellas Changing Tomorrow Awards for 2012.

The Astellas Changing Tomorrow Awards were set up to applaud and recognise exceptional work by professionals working in the area of health, with the view that the work of these innovators predicts a better future – or “tomorrow” – for patients in Ireland.

The awards were open to any kind of profession working within the field of health, including advocacy groups, doctors, nurses, patient groups, hospital administrators and physiotherapists, and others.

Macey’s initiative, Saving Lives and Money through Better Stroke Services, secured first place for his team in the category, Changing TomorrowThrough Leadership.

It is estimated that the result of this project will be to reduce deaths and permanent, severe disabil-

ities of at least 230 people this year alone.

Each of the winners in the five categories received a specially-commissioned trophy to signify their achievement, plus a €1,000 educational/ research grant.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, chair of the judging panel, Professor Luke Clancy, director general, Tobacco Free --------------------------

‘These awards aim to reward the tireless commitment of our healthcare community to its patients, and to the country’ --------------------------

Research Institute, said: “The winners truly showcase the fantastic work being carried out by our healthcare professionals.

“These awards aim to recognise and reward the commitment of our healthcare community to its patients and, subsequently, to the country.”

At the end of the economic boom, Ireland

received the worst stroke outcomes in Europe, based on the TAIST study published in 2006 that found Ireland to have the worst outcomes for stroke patients among 11 countries in Europe and North America.

The Irish Heart Foundation launched a stroke campaign, which set out to achieve major improvements in the acute stroke service, putting forward a case to the government which argued that wider access to stroke unit care and clot-busting thrombolysis treatment would save lives and taxpayers’ money on a significant scale.

Armed with ESRI research on the cost-benefit of acute services, the Foundation secured support amongst decisionmakers at governmental level, and this resulted in extra funding for service improvements at a time of major cutbacks.

Other award winners included Northgate Public Services and Cork University Maternity Hospital, Beaumont, The Cardiac Risk in the Young Centre in Tallaght Hospital and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.

Relaxing yoga classes for pregnant women RELAX, Stretch & Breathe is a yoga programme for pregnant women in Dun Laoghaire’s Mounttown Facility.

Yoga instructor and co-ordinator, Anne-Marie O’Dowd, is a qualified ante-natal educator with CUIDU, which is an organisation promoting natural birth of Ireland. Ante-natal information is also a part of the class.

Although Anne-Marie is a highlyqualified practitioner she says that no yoga experience is required of participants.

She says she hopes the classes will offer a gentle yoga experience, with as much emphasis on de-stressing and

relaxing as stretching and strengthening the body, and it is claimed that these classes help a great deal with labour and childbirth.

Classes begin on Wednesday, March 9, from 7.30pm to 9pm, in the Mounttown Facility, Meadowlands Fitzgerald Park, Lower Mounttown Road, Dun Laoghaire.

Courses can be started at any time in four-week blocks across 36 weeks, and either paid per class, or priced at €40 for four classes.

For further information, see www. aboutbirthandbabies.com, or contact Anne-Marie at 086 341 2571.

M

I BAIRBREA NI BHRAONAIN

New frontier: ‘Mazda make impressive inroads with their re-designed 7-seater C-MAV’

Chris Macey and Sarah Horgan, from the Irish Heart Foundation, and Dr Frances Horgan, chair, the Irish Heart Foundation Stroke Council, are pictured receiving their trophy from Patricia Kelly, general manager, Astellas Pharma Co

MOTORING PAGE 18

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

SUPPORT DUN LAOGHAIRE BUSINESS

SHOP LOCALLY

INDUSTRY Topics to include importance of range of ideas

Entrepreneurial workshop on business ideas I BAIRBREA NI BHRAONAIN

M

dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

CALL THE GAZETTE ON

60 10 240

LOCAL entrepreneurs can look forward to a workshop entitled Idea Generation/Business Innovation by a consultancy firm, Innovator, and Dun Laoghaire County Enterprise Board (DLCEB).

Innovator is a leading

consultancy for entrepreneurs and large companies, and helps companies to achieve growth and success through innovation by transforming typically unstructured development activities into planned, managed and predictable processes.

The workshop is aimed at those planning to start their own business, as

9am to 1pm, and includes lunch. Among the topics to be discussed are The importance of having more than one idea, and Defining and Building a Business Case Around Your Idea.

This workshop promises to be very practical and inspiring for participating entrepreneurs, whether already established or

embryonic in the county.

The workshop is on Tuesday, March 6, from 9am to 1pm at the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Carysfort Suite, and costs €25.

If you are interested in attending the workshop, contact the DLCEB website’s booking office at www.dlrceb.ie; email lisa@dlrceb.ie or call Lisa Brown at 01 494 8400.

Honouring Tom: Tribute for a legend

ENTERPRISENEWS

TOM Conolly (1902 – 1982),

Learn how to Create Winning Business Ideas this March!

the founder of Ireland’s first supermarket (in Dun Laoghaire); the man who introduced Green Shield Stamps retail promotions to Ireland, and shipwreck survivor (the RMS Leinster, 1918) was recently remembered, and honoured, in the Dun Laoghaire Club, of which he was a leading member.

A portrait of the legendary figure will now hang in a place of honour at the club’s Eblana Lodge in Eblana Avenue.

Pictured holding his photo is a great-grandson, also Tom Connolly, where he was joined

by Breasal O’Caollai, president, the Dun Laoghaire Club and Pat Dullaghan, a club trustee and long-time friend of the late Tom Connolly.

Two of the questions most frequently asked by aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs are ‘How do I brainstorm good business ideas?’ and ‘How do I know if my business idea has any merit?’

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Enterprise Board (DLR CEB) will be helping people find the answers to these questions at its ½ Day ‘Business Idea Generation’ workshop this Tuesday, March 6th in Stillorgan Park Hotel.

This morning event, running from 9am-1pm, is designed to benefit those who are planning on starting their own business or looking to pursue new opportunities for their existing venture. Participants who complete the workshop will get an insight into how best to identify and evaluate new business ideas, by way of products or services, in advance of market launch.

The workshop facilitator is Innovator, a leading Dublin-based consultancy that specialises in Business Idea Generation, Business Model Innovation, Intellectual Property Management and Commercialisation. The company has a track record of delivering workshops for entrepreneurs, start-ups and existing small businesses.

The training approach will be user-friendly and hands-on. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and interact during the workshop. The morning will feature practical exercises and case study examples. The participation fee is only €25 per person (including refreshments). Places can be booked on www.dlrceb.ie/training.

well as already established companies looking to pursue new opportunities.

DLCEB says that participants who complete the workshop will have a better insight into how best to identify and evaluate new business ideas, such as products or services, in advance of a market launch.

The event runs from

THEATRE: FRANK MCGUINNESS’ PLAY COMING TO THE PAVILION

Carthaginians and The Troubles’ legacy I BAIRBREA NI BHRAONAIN dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

THE Millennium Forum in Derry is taking Frank McGuinness’ Carthaginians on tour to the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire as part of their 10th anniversary.

Carthaginians is Frank McGuinness’ elegy for the dead of Bloody Sunday, with this production commemorating the 40th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Derry.

The play has been hailed as one of the few artistic survivors of “The Troubles”.

Its themes of survival and stoic continuity in the face of setback are particularly relevant to Ireland’s economic troubles today.

This production was directed by actor/director Adrian Dunbar, who is an extremely prolific actor and has appeared in films such as The General, My Left Foot and The Crying Game.

The central character of the play, Dido, is an artistic misfit and homosexual who has written a play which acts as a comic gem within the setting of a graveyard.

The thematic resonanc-

es are manifold – Hamlet’s play within a play, Beckett’s waiting game, the Aeniad’s classicism and the Bible’s Rapture, which is predicted to happen at the end of 2012.

The play is set in a graveyard, and was staged in a graveyard in America.

The main characters are dealing with the aftermath of Bloody Sunday and the human fallout of violence and loss of loved ones. The human cost of war is a speciality of McGuinness’, as it was O’Casey’s.

Carthaginians was first staged at the Peacock in

1988 and was directed by award-winning director, Sarah Pia Anderson.

Its first staging in Derry came four years later, in a touring production by Druid, and was directed

by McGuinness himself.

This production’s director, Dunbar, considers the timing of the play’s resurrection to be very appropriate, and has said that, since the British apologised for Bloody Sunday and officially recognised the slain as innocent, there is a sense of the future opening up in a significant way.

The cast includes Chris

Robinson, Orla Charlton, Lucia MacAnespie, Sara Dylan, Liam McMahon, Brian Hutton, and Matthew McElhinney.

If you wish to book tickets for this play, you should do so early as there are only two performances scheduled for Dun Laoghaire.

Carthaginians runs at The Pavilion Theatre on Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10.

Tickets are now available from the Box Office.

For further information, telephone the Pavilion at 01 231 2929, or see www. paviliontheatre.ie.

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7

COUNCIL

DLRCC 34.4km has already been replaced

Impact of dogs on park use I SANDY HAZEL dunlaoghaire@gazettegroup.com

Fitness appointment: At Fitzpatrick Castle hotel CORMAC O’Sullivan has joined the FitzDLRCC has been quietly busy working on updating the town’s Victorian water pipes, with contractors (inset) working away to lay a new system with a minimum of disruption

Work continuing to replace water pipes I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN news@gazettegroup.com

WATER pipes dating back to Victorian times are currently being replaced across Dublin, with their rehabilitation being coordinated by Dublin County Council, concentrated primarily in Dun Laoghaire and Dublin city centre.

These two locations possess the oldest systems, and it is the largest scheme of its kind ever attempted in Ireland.

The old system that is being steadily replaced has done its work for 150 years, but is now very degenerated, and leaks were a huge problem.

According to senior executive engineer, Eugene Doran, too much time and manpower was being spent on locating leaks and patching them up, while project liaison officer, Peter O’Farrell, said: “The problem with the cast-iron pipes was ground movement and, in winter, the old pipes break.”

The work began in November, 2010, and has been progressing over the past two years in 100metre piecemeal fashion.

In order to create minimum disturbance to households and traffic,

the pipes are replaced 100 metres at a time.

The new MDPE (Medium Density Polyethylene) pipes come in giant rolls, and are fed into the existing pipes by a system known as “slipline”.

When slipline is not possible, then the workers must burst the pipes.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council employs contractors to do the work, and the most qualified one will get the contract based on the stipulated requirements of the brief.

Gerard Looney, senior engineer on the rehab scheme, said: “It’s a regional project, and the process of hiring contractors is based on the required process of county councils. Everything must be contracted to specific standards.”

Sometimes, the old pipes aren’t buried deep enough (750mm), and when this is the case, trench cutting is necessary. Otherwise, the new plastic pipe is simply pulled through the existing one and electrofused.

Where trench cutting, is needed the engineers use a compressor with rods and a bursting head that breaks the pipes.

Pipe bursting is done by a compressor pulling a rod

through an old pipe.

The rod is connected to a “bursting” head, which has the new pipe attached behind it. As the rod is pulled along, the head bursts the old pipe and pulls the new pipe into position to replace it.

Looney said: “Before this scheme began, we were proactively looking for leaks in the old system, and you could never locate them all – there were thousands of leaks you’d never find, and this waste of water is now being avoided.”

Saved 6.8 milion litres Since the project got under way, O’Farrell said the saving of water per day amounts to “984,000 litres – that’s 6.8 million litres per week, give or take”.

The project has been a great success, and the public of Dun Laoghaire have congratulated the Rehab watermains team personally.

Looney said: “We have always given advance notice to the local people of upcoming work in their areas, and sent out leaflets to remind them, too.

“If a certain house or establishment needs to retain their water supply while work is ongoing, we facilitate them. For instance, dentists need

a constant supply of water.”

There is also a 24-hour phoneline that people can ring if their supply doesn’t return, or if they have any problems relating to the work done.

“This expense pays for itself many times over in goodwill,” said Looney.

O’Farrell said he has never really come across anything unusual underground, as they so rarely have to openly dig trenches, thanks to the new, efficient slipline method.

“The only thing you’d find unexpectedly is cables and phone wires, and this can slow down operations for us, as we have to work around them.”

The project is now near an end, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is waiting for the last contractor to come in.

O’Farrell said: “To date, 34.4km of pipe has been replaced in Dun Laoghaire” – and all of this has been happening quite unobtrusively around where you live and work.

Doran added: “We’re conscious that the work is an inconvenience to people and, from the beginning, we have tried to minimise it.”

patrick Castle Hotel team as manager of the hotel’s Fitness and Leisure Centre, The Club, where he will be responsible for developing the club and establishing it as a leading South Dublin health and fitness provider.

He has more than 15 year’s experience in general management, sales, marketing and administration in the highly-competitive sector of the health and leisure industry in Ireland. Cormac has previously worked in the Arklow Bay Hotel, LA Fitness, Jackie Skelly Fitness and Energie Fitness, and has a proven track record in developing new fitness techniques.

A MAJOR survey for the Dun LaoghaireRathdown Open Spaces Strategy found that 18% of people cite dog fouling as the main reason to not visit a park.

However, owners who allow their dogs to foul footpaths and parks are getting off lightly, according to fines records from the council.

Complaints In 2011, there were 140 dog fouling complaints made to the council.

Five fines were issued under the Litter Acts, of which two have been paid and two prosecutions are pending.

A spokesperson from DLRCC said that there are “difficulties in ascertaining dog ownership details”, and this makes it hard to issue a fine, which is a standard €150.

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

WOMEN Coming together for a great evening of pampering,

Paula Gilmer and Trish Finnegan

Gillian Quinn , Aisling Handley and Geraldine O’Driscoll

Setting the standard for a great night out ITH 2012 moving briskly along, and many a girls’ night out being planned as spring slips by, The Gazette couldn’t help but remind readers of the high-quality of entertainment set at a recent fundraising girls’ night out.

Held at the Stillorgan Park Hotel, the Milestones & Moments Girls’

W

Night Out saw lots of local ladies come together to help support four local schools – Our Lady Of The Wayside NS, Kilternan; Holy Trinity NS, Leopardstown; Gaelscoil Thaobh Na Coille, Belarmine and St Patrick’s NS, Glencullen, with the evening’s activities raising more than €3,000, and setting quite the standard for future

Anita Cushion and Niamh Connolly

get-togethers of the girls to match.

Celebrity MC, Gillian Quinn, oversaw a memorable fashion show featuring local mothers and teachers from the schools, while a wide range of local businesses and enterprises were also on hand to help create a superb evening of pampering and fun for all involved.

Una Doyle and Anita Cushion

Aisling Handley

Gillian and Geraldine with Adrienne McCroary

Linda Byrne

Geraldine and Gillian

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9

fun and fundraising fashion in aid of four local schools

Moire McGowan and Fiona Ni Cleirigh

Gillian and Geraldine with Frances O’Driscoll

Councillor Lettie McCarthy and Jackie Reynolds

Sinead Vard and Tara Smyth

Fiona O’Connor

10 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

TAKE TWO Pop-Up Shopping World launches at Deansgrange

Maureen O’Halloran, Michael Keane, Lisa Murphy and Gerald Keane. Pictures: Una Williams

A novel way to go shopping ...

AST week, The Gazette reported on the firstever shopping centre dedicated to Pop-Up shops, which opened in Deansgrange recently.

Shopping World affords retailers the opportunity to lease a Pop-Up shop, without paying massive overheads, thus creating a competitive new outlet for the current economic climate. With the centre due to open on a seven-day-a-week basis in April, interest is hotting up in leasing units at the centre.

Our Take Two gallery continues our look at the official opening of the centre.

L June Lane and Emma Burke

SPRING...

...YOUR BUSINESS INTO GROWTH

ADVERTISE & WATCH YOUR BUSINESS GROW WITH THE GAZETTE CALL US NOW ON 60 10 240 Lucci Minx and Olivia Hogan

Berenice Palozzi and Catherine Morgan

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 11

12 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

EVENT City gets ready for pageantry, culture, carnivals and

Exploring science of fun A host of colourful characters were on hand in Dublin this week to launch our national holiday celebrations A HOST of colourful characters were on hand in Dublin this week to launch St Patrick’s Festival 2012, which will take place from March 16 to 19.

Drawing inspiration from Dublin’s status as The City of Science, the Festival parade and ever-popular city Treasure Hunt are this year inspired by the how, what and why of science.

Celebrating the very best in Irish and international talent, Dublin will come alive with pageantry, culture, carnivals and free entertainment.

With an audience of over one million, Ireland’s leading pageant companies will animate a selection of science questions posed by children, such as “How is a rainbow formed?, What makes the weather change?, How is electricity made?’’ and each will present their imaginative, colourful, remarkable and thought-provoking creations on the streets of the capital during the festival parade.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said: “St. Patrick’s Festival is a fantastic showcase for Ireland and for Irish tourism, and a centre piece of our tourism calendar.

“This festival makes the most of the unique international profile of St Patrick’s Day. “There’s a great schedule of free events taking place over the four days of the festival with the very best of Irish and international talent.

“It will reinforce Ireland’s reputation as a friendly and fun destination for visitors.”

Susan Kirby, CEO of St Patrick’s Festival, feels the 2012 programme of events will have something for everyone: “Our St Patrick’s Festival is one of the largest artistic presentations of its

kind in the world and the atmosphere in the city is always electric.

“This year, we will be hosting some of the best events that the capital has ever seen, with something for all ages, nationalities and tastes and the majority are free!

“The collaboration with Dublin City of Science 2012 also links us to a year-long celebration and will open up the city in a whole new way for many people, with the parade in particular answering everyday questions in a colourful way.

“Above all, this is a national celebration and a chance for everyone to come along and enjoy all of the fun of the festival.”

In preparation for the big day, primary school children from across the country have also joined the fun, with discussions based around science questions in the classroom.

Responding with drawings, stories and video, a selection of their interpretations will be available to view on the festival website.

Everyone can take part by downloading the resource pack from the festival website, www. stpatricksfestival.ie, from March 1.

The How? What? and Why? resource pack explores child-centred answers to the questions being animated by the pageant companies.

Professor Patrick Cunningham, chief scientific adviser to the Government, feels the theme to the parade and treasure hunt is an exciting platform for science.

“What better way to demonstrate the reach of science into our everyday lives and culture than through Ireland’s national festival.

“We are delighted to be working with St Patrick’s Festival, combining science and creativity in a

Pictured are Emily Parkes, aged 5 (left), and Mia Parkes (right), aged 7 from Dunboyne, Co Meath and Jake Murron (centre), aged 3, with characters from the Artastic street troupe who will be appearing in this year’s parade, Moe Coakley (far left) and Emily Archer (far right) joined by Leo Varadkar, Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Susan Kirby, CEO of St Patrick’s Festival

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‘There’s a great schedule of free events taking place over the four days of the festival with the very best of Irish and international talent’

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new and exciting way,” he said.

This year’s jam-packed St Patrick’s Festival lineup aims to cement the world-class reputation of the Irish national holiday with four days and nights of celebration and entertainment, for young and old.

New initiatives have been added to this year’s festival, such as I Love

My City, a distinct celebration of Irish culture during the festival.

This special programme of unique, free Irish cultural events takes place in the beautiful surroundings of some of Ireland’s prestigious cultural institutions, venues and spaces in the Georgian Quarter from Merrion Square to Kildare Street.

Artists, performers and collectives, such as Donal Dineen, Dublin Laptop Orchestra, UNESCO City of Literature and many more, will perform on March 16 and 17.

I Love My City headline events will take place in The National Gallery, The National Museum, the RHA, The National Concert Hall, The National Library and Leinster House, while city-wide, cultural institutions and venues will also be offering a variety of activities and interesting events that are a must-see at Festival time.

The programme will also see an eclectic Trad

Stage in Meeting House Square, a busy outdoor music and street performance schedule and an Irish Craft Beer and Artisan Food Market in Custom House Quay.

On March 16, Dublin’s Creative Quarter (from Georges Arcade via Powerscourt Townhouse to South William Street) will be bustling with activity and the best of Irish design and making will be on show.

The full I Love My City programme will be launched on March 6, headline events are free but reserve spaces early to avoid disappointment, check www.stpatricksfes-

tival.ie for updates.

Other Festival favourites, such as the St Patrick’s Festival Ceili are back in the line-up for 2012.

Kicking off the festival in style on March 16, visitors will be immersed in Irish culture and craic at this outdoor celebration of traditional Irish dancing.

This popular event offers a unique and funfilled way to spend an afternoon dancing on the streets of Dublin.

Expert callers will lead the crowd through dances such as the Siege of Ennis, the Walls of Limerick and lots more.

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 13

free entertainment to run from March 16 to 19

for St Patrick’s Festival Emily, Jake and Mia take a closer look at what’s coming up at this year’s festival

Characters from the Artastic street troupe help to launch St Patrick’s Day Festival

14 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY FastBeauty Iron warning: Look out for signs of deficiency

A RECENT study by the Department of Health and Children has found that Irish women were twice as likely as men to have an iron intake below recommended levels.

The latest figures show that as many as 91% of women aged 16-64 do not get their recommended daily allowance of iron in their diets.

Staff at Lucan Village Pharmacy advise that iron is used to make haemoglobin, which carries energy around the body, and that symptoms of iron deficiency can include tiredness, poor concentration and dark circles under the eyes. If you require further information regarding iron supplements, consult your local pharmacy or doctor.

Chic event: At BT’s store BROWN Thomas’s French beauty experience, Vive la Beaute, is running until Sunday, March 4, celebrating Parisian beauty and style.

Exclusive product launches, bespoke themed events and fabulous gifts with purchases are adding to the stylish celebrations. For further information, see www.brownthomas.com.

by Laura Webb

Kiehl’s keeps skin healthy and youthful T

HE Kiehl’s brand has been on the market since 1851 and is renowned for its skincare products that give men and women healthier-looking skin.

Taking care of the skin is probably the most important daily routine a person should try to keep on top of, and with the

extensive skin care range at Kiehl’s, everything a person needs to keep skin healthy and revitalised is supplied under the one roof.

The brand’s latest product, Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, is Kiehl’s first serum that promotes youthful clarity, while reducing the appearance of dark spots, discolourations, post-acne marks and hyper-pigmentation. It also helps to prevent the formation of new discolourations.

The product can be used all year round, and the good thing about it is, it’s suitable for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.

Key ingredients in the product include white birch extract. This is a sugar derived ingredient known to reduce the signs of photo-damage, while restoring hydration. Activated C, another key ingredient, works with white birch extract

to support and facilitate the appearance of discoloration correction.

Activated C also helps to prevent new forms of discolouration from appearing.

Youthful

Enhanced skin clarity, to even out skin tone and give a more youthful appearance, is provided by peony extract. This is a traditional Chinese medicinal antioxidant that also helps to protect against damage to the skin.

It’s recommended to use the product for at least eight weeks to see visible results. The useup rate of this product is 30-45 days.

Kiehl’s found that 87% of women clinically demonstrated more even skin tone, while 89% clinically demonstrated a reduction in dark spots. The recommended retail price for Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution is €41.

Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution

The original familyrun Kiehl’s pharmacy was located in New York City in 1851. Using natural ingredients, its products are formulated to assure the highest quality of skin care for customers all over the world.

The extensive range of Kiehl’s products can be found at their dedicated stores in Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 and at Dundrum Town Centre.

To view their products online, log onto www. kiehls.co.uk.

Brushing up on those make-up skills BRUSHING up on DIY make-up is something many of us can raise our hands high and admit we need some help, and, thankfully, it is out there.

LA Creative Academy is Ireland’s leading training institution for make-up, fashion, beauty,

designing and photography.

Art studio

Based in Dublin’s Chatham Street, it is now running Sunday classes in make-up, fashion and beauty in their state-of-the-art studio.

Participants will learn the latest tips from international catwalks, and could be the next big catwalk or bridal make-up artist.

For further information on the Sunday course, call LA Creative Academy on 6751999 or visit www.lamakeupacademy.com

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZET TE CALL 60 10 240

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 15

16 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteMUSIC MUSIC FastTunes with Radio Nova’s Dee Woods THE ANNUAL guilt-fest that is Lent has kicked off, and seeing as you’re supposed to give up something that’s hard to do, I think I’ll give up paying for stuff. Actually, it’s easier than it sounds — if you look for free entertainment, you can find it.

One great example is Hard Rock Rising, which is taking place every Thursday until March 8 at The Hard Rock Cafe, Temple Bar. There is no cover charge so it’s basically a free gig as you’ll witness bands battling it out for the chance to perform at The Hard Rock Calling Festival in London’s Hyde Park.

The Saturday night at Hard Rock Calling will be headlined by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and is set to be a great platform for the successful band to share the stage with one of the best in the business.

And they’ve made it this far, so you can be guaranteed decent music from the likes of Johnny and the Beep Beeps and Eazy Tiger.

For more information, log on to www. hardrock.com and search for the Dublin location.

The Australian Pink Floyd played three shows at The Olympia last week, and they didn’t disappoint. Okay, you didn’t think you were looking at David Gilmour or Roger Waters but they sure did a good impression of sounding like them. They may have been singing someone else’s songs but they sure were playing like they wrote them.

If you missed Australian Pink Floyd, then be sure to catch the splinter group, Brit Floyd, at The O2 on May 4. They played a blinder at The Grand Canal Theatre last year and return to the bigger venue, apparently with the infamous Floyd inflatables. I’ve High Hopes!

Listen to Dee Woods from Radio Nova every weeknight from 7pm to 12am on 100.3FM

Pink Floyd’s The Wall in concert

Monsters of rock: Local band take stage at RDS show DUNDRUM band, Cry Monster Cry, were certainly not drying their eyes last weekend when they were asked to play the Hot Press 2FM stage at the RDS Music Show.

The band, who are set to release their debut EP, The Fallen, in May, were one of the top ten acts out of 600 who took part in a Hot Press competition to get a showcase spot at the RDS. You can keep up with the band on Facebook and Myspace.

LOCAL TALENT: A GATHERING OF TALENT MAKING THEIR MARK

Songwriter Club united in creativity I ROB HEIGH

LOCAL supporters of the Dublin music scene, radio presenter Keith McLoughlin and singer Sinead McNally, are set to host the next session of the The Songwriter Club on Saturday, March 10 at the Teachers’ Club, 36 Parnell Square West.

The idea for The Songwriter Club came about in late 2011 when Sinead and Keith spoke to each other about setting up a meet-up group for people involved in the music industry to bring them together to chat about all aspects of the industry, including songwriting, gigging, recording and promoting their music.

Sinead said: “The idea for the Songwriter Club came about in late 2011.

I wanted to be able to meet with people in the industry to chat informally about all things related to my work as a singer/songwriter.

“Although it’s so easy to connect and network with people across the internet and at gigs, I thought that a meetup group for us to meet face to face every cou-

Members of the Songwriter Club gather at the last meeting of the collective

ple of months would be very beneficial.

“The first-ever meeting was held at The Village on Wexford Street.

The club is now set up so that songw riters, musicians and professions connected to the industry can meet face to face to share information and advice and to discuss topics and issues of importance to us.”

After the success of the previous meetings,

the club has had to move to bigger premises for this next meeting to allow the number of people interested in attending a place in the conversation.

“There has been a lot of interest expressed from songw riters in Cork and Galway regarding a similar club being set up in those cities.

“It is hoped that over the next 12 months, there will be at least two

other locations in Ireland where The Songwriter Club will exist so that people who want to be part of the club don’t always have to travel to Dublin.

“There has also been a lot of interest expressed at the meetings that Songwriter Club gigs should be considered in which members of the club come together to perform at a suitable venue occasionally throughout the year.

“As you can see, there are lots of topics and issues to be addressed and we hope to cover as much as possible in the coming months,” said Sinead.

All musicians, and people involved in the music industry are welcome to attend, and the Songw riter Club posts its news its own Facebook page at w w w.facebook.com/ pages/The-SongwriterClub/228119757249977

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 17

GazettePETS PETS

Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA

THE FACTS: MICRO PIGS HAVE VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO CARE

This little piggy is not going to market THEY’RE mini-pigs with a massive price tag, and, although these gorgeous little porkers are not going to market, I’m concerned for their welfare. You see, now that the designer “handbag dog” phenomenon is soooo last month, these adorable, pint-sized creatures look set to become the latest fad.

Therefore, following a number of calls to the shelter, some of which I’ve taken personally from people asking such questions as: “Eh, do you know where I can get my hands on a micro-pig for my mate’s 18th birthday?” to: “Can I bring my micropig out in my handbag?”

My answer to both questions by the way is “No” and, er “Absolutely not.”

If you read on, you’ll

grown. However, as not every human is the same height, this is obviously difficult to judge.

A micro-pig has been bred over generations to be smaller than other species of pigs

understand why.

I’m going to outline a few guidelines, which I hope prospective micropig parents will take into account before they decide to purchase one of these animals and then find out, when it’s too late, that they are unable to provide for their well-

being and very specific requirements.

What is a micro-pig?

It is quite simply a pig that, over generations, has been bred to be smaller in adulthood than other species of pigs. They are usually described as being “knee-height” when fully

Can anyone own a micro-pig?

No. A pig is a farm animal. This means in accordance with the legal requirements; before you purchase your pig, the Depart of Agriculture Food and the Marine will need to be contacted in order that the local District Veterinary Office, (DVO), can arrange an inspection of the owner’s premises to establish suitability. You will then need to be registered as a “herd owner”. A herd owner is someone who has just one pig or several pigs. According to the Department’s guidelines,

“Only persons registered with the Department and issued with valid pig herd numbers are allowed to own or trade in pigs. This provision applies to anyone who wishes to own pigs, however few.”

Can I bring my pig out with me when I’m socialising?

No. You will need to contact the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, and fill in a dispatch document to notify them of a pig movement.

So, if your pig becomes ill, how do you take him to see a vet if you don’t have a legal permit stating you’re a herd owner or a dispatch document giving you permission to move him? The vet will need to visit you, so do take into

account expensive, outof-hours, house calls.

This brings me to veterinary care.

Will my local vet be able to provide care for my pig?

Unlikely. Local vets are highly equipped and trained to deal with domestic pets like cats, dogs, rabbits, etc., When it comes to dealing with pigs, however, you will likely need a more specialised professional.

What is the average life span of the micro-pig?

Approximately 10 years, although some live until they are 25 to 30 years, and that’s a lot longer than a cat or a dog.

So, you see, pigs are wonderful, intelligent ani-

mals, but, sadly, they are often purchased by people who are not equipped with the proper knowledge or facilities required to care for them. Owning a pig takes skill, a proper budget, land and a good deal of time and understanding.

Also, as social animals, pigs require the company of other pigs and that means if you only purchase one, he is likely to become depressed.

Where can I obtain more information?

Check out www.agriculture.gov.ie and I would advise reading their Pig Welfare Requirements Booklet.

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

18 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS

Edited by Cormac Curtis

RoadSigns Road Signs MERCEDESBENZ LET THEIR STARS SHINE: MERCEDES-BENZ have said that “all the stars will be out” this weekend, when members of their main dealer network are set to host a used car sale.

Recognising that March can be the best time for customers to source a top-quality used car, every Mercedes-Benz dealer in Ireland is remaining open from 9.00am until 6.00pm on each of the four days of the event, (12.00 noon – 4.00pm on Sunday).

All cars presented for sale will be covered by MercedesBenz’s own Star Select Approved used car warranty.

It is estimated that some 500 cars will be offered for sale over the four days of the event, from Thursday, March 1, until Sunday, March 4.

Mazda have rebuilt their award-winning Mazda5 from the ground up. The Sport version of the car comes with incredibly useful powered rear sliding doors, and an incredibly comfortable leather interior. Folding seats offer plenty of load capacity when needed

Changing expectations CORMAC CURTIS ccurtis@gazettegroup.com

XPECTATIONS have a way of really messing with your perspective.

I can’t tell you how many nights I was dragged kicking and screaming to some party or other, swearing blind that I was going to have a miserable night. Then, lo and behold, the night turns out to be a real humdinger – the kind against which you measure all other nights.

The question then remains, was it that good in the first place? Or did it simply surpass some pretty low expectations?

Well, I must admit that, for me, the Mazda5 was kind of like one of those nights.

On paper, there is not a whole lot to get excited about – family car, sevenseater, 1.6-litre diesel engine. Yawn.

T his car was first released to the public

E

SPECS: MAZDA5 SPORT Engine: 1.6L (115ps) diesel Transmission: 6-speed manual Economy: 5.2L/100km CO2 emissions: 138g Road Tax Band: B Price range: €25,495 €30,495 (model driven)

back in 2005, and Mazda gave it its very own classification – Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle, or C-MAV for short.

Don’t get me wrong, this car has been a success for Mazda, with over half a million sold worldwide, 175,000 of those here in Europe.

It has picked up no less than 37 automotive awards, and has consistently been voted one of Europe’s most reliable and safe vans.

Which begs the question, how come I wouldn’t recognise one if it jumped

up and waved its motoring awards in my face?

Well, even as a father who needs to ferr y around my kids, their friends, and bags of toys, bikes and sports gear, I wouldn’t really be too bothered about the look or image of the family car – I’m just interested, quite rightly, in the practicalities.

Which means I am also left feeling a little resentful when I am forced to buy a car I need instead of a car I want.

This is all a very drawn out way of saying that the latest incarnation of the Mazda5, well, surprised me.

I took a moment to consider the looks of the car, and, to be honest, I had to nod in approval – I may have even grinned a little.

Even in the original Mazda5, the designers went to some lengths to keep the sliding rear doors look as non-commercial as possible, by

keeping the rail they move on nicely hidden.

In the new model, Mazda’s award-wining Nagare-flow design elements have given the profile an attractive, sculpted “wind and wave” feel.

The model I tested boasted the Sport spec.

Among other features, it included attractive 17” alloys, air con, very efficient bluetooth connectivity (it hooked up to my iPhone a good deal more easily than a few premium saloons I have tested), cruise control, power rear sliding doors, rear spoiler, side skirts and front fog lights.

All this, and a very fuel efficient 1.6 litre diesel engine delivering a claimed 5.2L/100 miles, or 54mpg in old money.

Either way, that’s attractive fuel economy by any standards.

So, it sounds like the whole package, but I still wasn’t looking forward to driving it (those pesky expectations still hanging

around).

I was wrong to be so negative.

This fairly big tank had no problem moving when asked, and the six-speed gearbox was very well matched to the 1.6-litre diesel motor.

You’re never going to take any quick corners in this car (which begs the question, why do they call it the Sport model?), but it drives a hell of a lot better than I was expecting.

Add to this the leather trim, with very eyecatching red piping, well laid-out dash, strong air con with air vents that you can point anywhere, heated seats, arm rests, big rear view mirrors and even a reverse parking sensor – you really begin to see what all the fuss is about.

Mazda could have given the old model a nip, a tuck, and a few botox injections and jacked up the price – they did, after all, already have a winning

formula on their hands.

But in fairness, this car was rebuilt from the ground up, and you can feel it.

Of course the real litmus test is what my kids say.

My six-year-old said: “Papa, this is a very handy car.” Her younger sibling, after some thought came out with: “I love these doors,” and I’m forced to agree with both of them.

This is a terrific family car. It leaves you wanting nothing (apart from, perhaps, automatic transmission), but it has classleading extras, and acres of carry space, with the option of folding all the seats in case you ever need to move half of IKEA’s store room.

The electric sliding doors made me smile – and they really are useful, but I felt the boot should have a hatch option so you can just open the glass section; that would have made it that little bit more complete.

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 19

20 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS

Plug in to the appeal of electric vehicles

www.gazette group.com

All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

Edited by Cormac Curtis

LECTRIC vehicles are becoming a more regular sight on Dublin roads, and now you now can test-drive the Renault Fluence ZE saloon and Kangoo ZE mini van at Bill Cullen Liffey Valley to see if “electric” is up your street.

Robert Dunne is the Electric Vehicle (EV) ambassador for the South Dublin region, and is based at Bill Cullen Liffey Valley, where he is dedicated to the Renault range of electric vehicles.

His role is to help build awareness and assist customers in making informed choices about owning an EV. He says: “Renault has made EV attainable and affordable for everyone.

The first 2,000 customers who purchase an EV will have a free home wall box installed at their home or business, providing them with their own fuel station.

“Home charging is the preferred method of charging an electric car or van, and an overnight charge of six to eight hours will cost around €2, based on night rates.

“Renault believes that EVs should be affordable to all and, with the SEAI offering grants of up to €5,000 to purchase an EV, people are very interested in learning more,” “We are currently offering free extended test drives of the Kangoo ZE van and Fluence ZE, and I would definitely recommend that people who believe an EV vehicle may suit their lifestyle should drop in and have a drive.

“It’s an incredibly smooth driving experi-

E

Robert Dunne, Electric Vehicle (EV) ambassador, Bill Cullen Liffey Valley, is ready to advise everyone on whether “electric” is right for them, depending on their lifestyle, while (inset) Al Pacino is one of those already enjoying the EV experience

ence, and we can advise on costs and savings to be made by owning an EV, and also how to finance your EV,” says Dunne.

He has a long history with Renault, and started off his career at 12, washing and cleaning out cars as they arrived into the country. He joined CityGate Renault in 2006 as a sales consultant, before taking a year out in 2007 to travel the world.

In 2008, he returned and took up a position in Bill Cullen Motors Liffey Valley, before becoming an EV ambassador in 2011.

Dunne has taken part in a charity white-collar boxing fundraiser in aid of Crumlin Children’s Hospital, with Crumlin Boxing Gym, and, from this, he has developed a passion for the sport.

Benefits As an EV ambassador, he is faced with the challenge of informing customers on the benefits of the EV range, determining whether EV is the right fit for them, and demonstrating the vehicles.

A personal highlight for him was his trip to the Seville Motor Show last October, where he drove the full Renault ZE range for the first time.

The range is to be expanded later in 2012, when Renault will launch the Twizy – an urban twoseater quadricycle, and the ZOE – a stylish compact hatch.

Renault is the only manufacturer to introduce a range of electric vehicles from light commercial vans to passenger cars, and aims to be the leader in the field of electric vehicles.

1 March 2012 GAZETTE 21

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS

Supported by AIB

Interview: Stephanie Sinnott, owner of Baby Body Fit

Finding her niche in the fitness industry BABY Body Fit was started in December, 2010, by Stephanie Sinnott, after she spent three years working in the fitness industry.

This week, Stephanie spoke to the Gazette about how she started her business. “I gave birth to my daughter in March, 2008, and while trying to lose that weight, I decided to learn more about fitness, and retrained as a fitness instructor and personal trainer.

“I quickly found my niche within the fitness industry. I decided to turn my passion for fitness and pregnancy into a career, and conceived Baby Body Fit. “Noticing the trend for pregnancy yoga and pilates, I saw a gap in the market, as there was a lack of a maternity exercise programmes available. I wanted to provide women with a safe and effective exercise routine for during and after their pregnancies,” she says.

Stephanie was keen to develop a wide-ranging and beneficial programme for her clients.

“In Baby Body Fit’s prenatal, Prepare classes, we combine light cardio work with strength and toning exercises. We

work on strengthening legs, arms, upper and lower back, along with core muscles and posture. The classes help to control excessive weight gain through light strength training, “In our post-natal, Regain classes, we use a mix of interval and circuit training, brisk walking and light jogging, and body-toning exercises to give you a fun, full body work-out. The beauty of this is that you can bring your little one in their buggy, saving you getting a babysitter! This has become a great social time for the mums, with lots of coffees had afterwards.

“We have also launched our ‘Maintain’ classes, which are held on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. Maintain classes are open for females of all ages and all classes are suitable for all fitness levels.”

Baby Body Fit have classes running, or starting soon, in Dun Laoghaire, Cabinteely, Stepaside, Sandymount, Firhouse, Lucan, Phoenix Park and Swords.

To find out more, visit www.babybodyfit.ie.

Q: What was your first job?

A: Lounge girl in local pub.

Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: It was £12 for a seven-hour shift! I thought I was loaded!

Q: When did you start your present job?

A: I started the business in

Bank compliance and regulation requirements to ascertain this information, so relevant advice and recommendations can be given. Therefore age, family situation, income details, current commitments, future commitments ( e.g. did you know in a recent bank study that the cost of sending your child to third level education alone, excluding fees, exceeds € 42,000 per child ! ) your present rainy day fund (ideal to have between three to six months’ net annual income in a totally accessible account ) all count in making that decision where to invest that €10,000 ! So, let’s presume you are under 30, single, no commitments, no debt and you really do not need this money for two years… the two best rates going to print are: 1. Investec Bank – 18 months fixed account ( gross 6.85% but equivalent to 4.52% Annual Equivalent Rate ) 2. Permanent TSB – two years and two months (gross 9.5% but equivalent to 4.47% AER)

Stephanie Sinnott, owner of Baby Body Fit

April, 2011, and quit my job to build it in July, 2011.

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: Working for myself and teaching the classes.

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

A: Although I love teaching the classes, I am slowly handing over most of mine to the other instructors.

Q: What sport do you follow?

websites, anything relevant to the business.

ing Tallafornia and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Both hilarious!

Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: Mainly indie rock – Interpol, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Joy Division, Nirvana, but I like almost everything except bubblegum pop.

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A – As the saying goes, how long is a piece of string ?

Find must be completed in accordance with Central

there’s no escaping that!

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

A: I’ve recently started watch-

touch it for two years. Pat – Cork St D 8

professional independent financial advisers, a Fact

A: Parenting and maternity

tlebells, home work-outs and weight training.

safest and best place to put it ? I don’t want to

know some of the background circumstances. For

A: I live with a soccer fanatic so Q: What sport can you play?

A: No sport, but I run, do ket-

Q – I have € 10,000 to put away. Where is the

With these type of requests, it is really important to

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

A: Actress.

INVESTING €10,000

Q: What was your last tweet/ status update?

A: Announcing the new franchise in Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary.

ing money frivolously?

A: Dundrum Town Centre! My family and friends say my car knows its own way there!

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: About 50.

Q: Describe your dream meal?

A: Scallops, black pudding and

Q: What was your worst holiday experience?

A: Being told that the bus

pea puree for starters, venison for main, and poached pears for dessert.

journey from Koh Samui to Singapore was only 16 hours.

It turned out to be 34 hours!

Q: Who would you like to have dinner with?

A: Kurt Cobain. Failing that,

Q: Describe your dream holiday?

A: Seeing the Northern Lights.

Jillian Michaels.

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but I’d say Jedward represent the Under-15’s population.

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

A: Travel, staying in nice hotels,

www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the

Q: Where do you enjoy spend-

I’ve had enough hostels!

Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward?

A: I would hope David Norris,

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22 GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteTTRAVEL Travel EXTRA Take a ‘Oui’ holiday to Disneyland DISNEYLAND Paris is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is offering some great deals, with free children’s places for the celebration party, starting from Sunday, April 1.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris, Abbey Travel is delighted to offer up to 40% off Disneyland Paris hotel and park passes – plus, children under seven stay and play free.

Abbey Travel is offering family stopover packages starting from €85 per adult per night. The price is based on two adults and two children under seven staying for four nights in Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne, and five-day park tickets, for arrivals on selected dates from March 29 to November 7, with the sale ending on April 30.

This package excludes flights and transfers, and the offer is subject to availability, terms and conditions. To book, call Abbey Travel on 01 804 7160, or see www.abbeytravel.ie.

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Family fun at the lodges in Fota Island Resort I CORMAC CURTIS

ID-TERM breaks take a little getting used to. They seem to just creep up on you, and they shouldn’t.

Especially, if like me, you already have two kids in school.

I really should have a clearer idea of when the holidays are – but I don’t.

The idea of taking two days off half-way through February just doesn’t have a very “mid-term” feel to me. In late January we’re still talking about the Christmas break we just enjoyed!

On top of all that, at this time of year, I like to

M

live in denial.

I especially like to pretend that there is nothing on the horizon that will actually cost me anything, as I desperately do what I can to balance the overdraft/credit union/credit card bill from the festive season.

But a mid-term is a midterm, so, at the beginning of February, along with every other family in the country, we tried to think of something fun to do with the kids for a couple of days.

The answer, as it so often does with my lot, involved a trip to Cork.

We tend to grab any opportunity to spend a little time in Cork with both hands – but one thing we hadn’t tried in Ireland’s “real capital” before was self-catering.

The Fota Island Resort was our destination for three nights in an incredibly well-appointed threebed holiday home.

I’m sorry… that’s an unfair understatement.

The self-catering houses at Fota Island Resort are stunning.

Ours looked like a show-home that was kitted out in the very best fixtures and fittings.

Leather furniture, big f lat-screen T V, spot-

Offer: Go wild with the family this Easter COME face-to-face in county Cork this

Easter mid-term to children aged 4-12)

April with free-roaming animals and

where they will be kept entertained with

birds, as kangaroos cross your path and

plenty of fun activities, including arts and

ring-tailed lemurs jump down from trees.

crafts, swimming, picnics and soccer.

Book an Easter family package at the

Hot chocolate and cookies in the Amber

five-star Fota Island Resort and enjoy

Lounge complete this family friendly

two nights luxury accommodation with

package, which is available from €268 per

breakfast each morning, an early bird

night for adjoining or interconnecting

dinner on one evening, an in-room movie

rooms, subject to availability.

and tickets to one of Ireland’s top ten visitor attractions, Fota Wildlife Park.

Back at the resort, mum and dad can

Fota Island Resort also includes Irish Open Championship golf courses and Academy, self-catering lodges, fitness

also head off to the spa for some R&R with

classes, and walking trails. There is sure

a treatment or time in the hydrotherapy

to be something every member of the

suite, while the kids go wild in the Cheetah

family will enjoy. For more, visit www.

Club kids’ camp (open every day of the

fotaisland.ie or call 021 488 3700.

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

‘It was a joy to settle in to such a warm and comfortable environment and plan our activities for the coming days’

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

lessly clean double oven, microwave, fridge-freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, en-suites off each bedroom, downstairs toilet, heated towel rails all over – this place had everything, and tastefully decorated to boot.

Not only that - but guests can use the hotel’s fitness centre, including the all-important swimming pool.

The houses are tucked away, just off the long,

tree-lined drive that runs up to the main hotel.

It was a joy to settle in to such a warm and comfortable environment and plan our activities for the coming days – not forgetting an appointment in the hotel’s luxurious spa for a certain wife of mine.

Usually we would have a pretty good idea of the kind of facilities and activities available at a hotel like this, long before we get there. But,

this time we hadn’t got around to it. The result of this lack of planning was that we were pleasantly surprised to find one of the houses in among the holiday homes was specifically for a supervised Kids’ Camp.

Even after our first day of swimming, walking, and even a visit to a local jungle gym-style activity centre called Go Safari – our two little adventurers were only too keen to meet up with other kids for some arts and crafts and a movie at the free kids’ camp.

Once the movie was over, we strolled around to pick up the girls, who fell fast asleep as soon

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 23

Edited by Mimi Murray

FastTravel

Celebrate St Patrick’s day in style – in lovely Malta JET off to Malta to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this year – with direct flights from Dublin and just over three hours away, Malta is a great destination for a weekend break, especially around Paddy’s Day. Spring has a lovely mild climate in Malta, and getting around the island is easy.

Malta will celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Irish style, which will see Irishmen and “honorary Irishmen” flock to their local Irish pubs to drink Guinness and listen to traditional Irish music.

Prices for accommodation only with Belleair are as low as €41 pppn in the 5-star Radisson Blu, St George’s Bay, B&B based on two people sharing.

Mercury Direct offers a stay in the 3-star Porto Azzurro, St Paul’s Bay, in a studio on B&B basis for three nights for €315.71 per person, including flights, transfers and luggage.

Concorde Travel offers excellent packages of direct flights plus a threenight stay in the 4-star Hotel Cavalieri, St Julian’s, based on two sharing standard room, B&B for €469 pp, including all taxes and charges.

There’s lots of information, and you can book accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets, on www.visitmalta.com, or visit your travel agent.

Becky and Sarah Curtis prepare for their visit to the Kids Camp and the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, left, as the all-important swimming pool awaits the arrival of a horde of fun-loving families

as they got back to the house.

This was the end of a pretty perfect family day.

Ordinarily, I would have been happier if I could have squeezed in some time at the hotel’s driving range – but seeing my better half practically float out of the beautiful spa following her Comfort Zone facial, I couldn’t complain.

It would be difficult not to feel relaxed at Fota Island Resort, such is the attention to detail and thought they put into a

family’s requirements requirements, but the spa really is the icing on the cake for a little destressing.

It features a full fitness suite, an indoor heated swimming pool and a superb hydrotherapy suite, home to Ireland’s only “walking river”, which is apparently renowned for assisting in healing sports and fatigue-related injuries. The spa is home to 18 spacious treatment rooms and offers over 60 treatments.

I know I said that this was a self-catering holi-

day, and we did have most of our meals in the house, but one morning we couldn’t resist popping in to the clubhouse to have breakfast served to us.

Receiving such charm and warmth from the staff, even when you arrive at a golf club with two excited little girls, really is a treat.

But we needn’t have worried, as there was a table with a few very excited Corkonians, one of whom had hit a holein-one on his morning round, and they were only too happy to share

the good news with everybody!

Families visiting the Fota Island Resort should make certain to visit the nearby Fota Island Wildlife Park – it is the kind of place that kids simply adore.

The only reason we didn’t pay a visit this time around, is because we had been lucky enough to spend time there late last year – and our two girls were having far too much fun with the other kids at the resort to even consider going anywhere else.

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT

GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Macbeth

ONE of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays will be brought to vivid life by the Icarus Theatre Collective, as the noble’s progressive lust for power gradually escalates in his bid to usurp the kingdom ... The award-winning British theatre company will bring their considerable skills to bear in an eclectic production, bringing the original verse to life in a number of imaginative ways. See Macbeth at 7.30pm on Monday, March 5 or at 10.30am on Tuesday, March 6, with tickets priced €12/€16.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Paddy Laughs - Heat 2 THE craic will be mighty – with a little luck and skill – thanks to the finalists taking part in Heat 2 of the Paddy Laughs comedy competition. It’s the next stage in the four-step contest, seeking to find and crown the best local comedian, with would-be comics, aged 18 and over, invited to come along and break a leg – or, better, some funny bones – with their very best (and worst) gags! Come along and enjoy Heat 2 at 8.05pm on Saturday, March 3, with admission priced at €5.

CIVIC THEATRE 01 885 2622 A Murder of Crows HANSEL and Gretel get in a flap with an exciting production for children aged eight and over. Based on the classic tale, actors/musicians will weave a gothic tale of two lost (but ultimately resourceful) children – but seen from the perspective of a chorus of raucous and rowdy crows, whose antics will delight children as they flap about. Wing your way over to the Civic Theatre for this lively play on Thursday, March 1 and Friday, March 2, with shows at 10am and 12.30pm. Admission costs €7.50, group rate.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 David O’Doherty THE shy and retiring founding member of Destiny’s Child, little-known inventor of the iPad, instantly recognisable star of 2Fast 2Furious, and 1990 East Leinster Under-14 triple jump bronze medallist, David Doherty takes time out from his remarkable global achievements to star at Draiocht with little more than his wit, a keyboard, anecdotes, and lots of experience from performing at comedy festivals around the world. Catch David at 8pm in Draiocht on Friday, March 2, with admission costing €16.

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Daniel Radcliffe tries to magic up a break away from Harry Potter as he stars in The Lady In Black; Natalie Portman returns in the re-released Star Wars: Episode 1, which has gained an extra dimension for its 3D release; and Liam Neeson wolfs down another tough-guy role in The Grey

Assorted servings This week, a look at some of the films on general release that may – or may not – deserve your consideration ...

KATE CROWLEY

FACED with a notexactly-thrilling rota of titles for your consideration, this week, I’m sorely tempted to crack open the emergency bottle of Mother’s Ruin – AKA gin – that clinks every so often at the back of my drawer where it hides behind unwanted Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston DVDs – any of which make excellent coffee coasters, I can exclusively confirm.

However, given that pouring oneself a stiff drink at the workplace is A) only permissible if one is a master whiskey maker, and B) perfectly routine if starring in TV’s Mad Men, I’m faced with the sobering fact that there’s nothing new of worth to urge you all to trot off with your recessionist roubles to catch at the cinema, this week.

Instead, here’s another one of my irregular

FILM OF THE WEEK: Various to Directors: Various Starring: Harry Potter, Darth Vader, Oskar Schindlier – or, at least, the actors well-known for these cinematic characters

OUR VERDICT: WHILE Adam Sandler’s latest offering lurks at cinemas, rubbing shoulders with Nic Cage’s latest, here, instead, are a number of marginally better films to consider viewing, as cinemas and film distributors sink into their annual early-spring slump.

round-ups where I cock a snoop at some of the currently showing films, which I haven’t previously covered.

First up, and it’s Harry Pott–errr, I mean, Daniel Radcliffe, starring in The Woman In Black ( , 15A, 95 mins). Oh, and this time around, he ain’t the titular character, folks.

Sent to one of those creepy old mansions that only the rich and insane could afford to build and live in, outside a grim little town, the young solicitor is soon in no doubt as to why the locals fear the house by the marsh.

After all – and, as I

love saying, “the clue’s in the title!” – the film’s titular character is not only haunting the crumbling old place, but proving quite capable at killing the locals’ children in her supernatural quest for vengeance, of sorts.

And, Blimey O’Reilly, Radcliffe’s character only has a child of his own, hasn’t he? Err, yes, he does. It’s time for the mutton-chopped young man to face up to this spooky lady, before she strikes again ...

Based on the criticallyacclaimed 1980s book, which has also enjoyed an equally well-received play, the film fails to

complete the set, with Radcliffe proving particularly miscast in the role of Earnest Young Ghostbuster Solicitor Dad. Magic, it ain’t, but at least it’s not particularly awful ... ...which neatly leads me on to Star Wars: Episode 1: 3D ( , PG, 136 mins), which has returned like Obi-Wan to our screens. In 3D. This, of course, means that the film has finally gained an extra dimension, which is pretty neat, considering how utterly two-dimensional it was without this gimmicky extra bunged on top.

Star Wars fans will lap this up, and of course the 3D polishing adds an oooh-shiny layer of gloss to the impressive visuals.

However, as one of those old-fashioned people that like films with elements such as “plot” and “characterisation” – not to mention being

one of the six billionor so people that hated Jar Jar Binks, first time around – I sense a great disturbance in The Force regarding this one.

As with the previous film, Liam Neeson stars in The Grey ( , 15A, 117 mins). Oskar Schindler seems ever further behind him, as he coasts through a pretty daft film of Man Versus Wolf!

Here, the ever-decreasing numbers of survivors of a plane crash in a freezing, hostile landscape get picked off for lunch by some hirsute hunters – wolves – while Neeson tries to get them all back to safety, which is as daft, yet deftlymade, as I’ve probably just made it sound.

Finally, Adam Sandler’s latest – oh no, I’ve run out of space. Sorry, Adam. It was going to be a review for you, anyway. But then, aren’t they always? That’s all, folks!

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

GazetteGAMING GAMING Bytesandpieces The last word on The Last Story?

Once again, Alan Wake’s most useful defence comes from his trusty torch, as another unlikely, bizarre adventure begins to unravel around him.

However, the torch isn’t the only source of light relief in this downloadable sequel to his earlier title, with several fun moments, too.

Plenty of fun, schlockhorror moments here SHANE DILLON

YOU’LL understand that I have a certain symapthy for writers. While I wait for Hollywood to discover what a literary genius I am, I’ll have to settle for getting my literary kicks in the gaming world with Alan Wake, the unlikely hero, of sorts, of the hit XBox 360 title of the same name.

Actually, at the time of writing, I note that the recently-released port of Alan Wake to PC, via the digital distribution channel, Steam, recouped its PC development and marketing costs in just 48 hours.

It just goes to show that a great game needn’t be format-exclusive, and Alan’s bizarre adventures in a sleepy lumberjack town that’s anything but, could be a hit with any gamer interested in something a little different.

I’ve previously praised the XBox 360 version of

the title, as I really liked its graphics, coupled with the imaginative setting (coming on like a cross between Twin Peaks, The X-Files, The Twilight Zone and a vintage Stephen King tale), creating a title that took an awful long time to get made – five years – but which exceeded expectations.

Now, once again, Wake returns to the XBox with the next chapter in his tale – Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, presented as part of XBox 360’s “House Party” of downloadable titles.

Here, the unlucky protagonist has swapped the surprisingly violent setting of rural Bright Falls for a new tale in an unfamiliar new landscape.

While its parent title had a broad, wide-ranging plot with some literary pretensions – only to be expected from dealing with a character whose twisted words seemed to be coming to horrible life

around him – its sequel of sorts has swapped the highbrow appeal for popcorn shlock, reimagining Wake’s world as seen by, say, a collaboration between David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino.

The result is a game that’s familiar for Wake veterans, yet reimagined with a healthy dose of menace and threat, creating plenty of schlockhorror moments that will feel instantly familiar to any Alan Wake veteran or newbie alike.

Here, Wake has left the forests and lakes of Bright Falls far behind for the dusty plains of Arizona, as he finds himself once again out under a dark night sky, with little more than a torch for company.

It’s not long before Wake’s running for his life to the “safety” of a nearby motel, with a nearby diner also providing a thin slice of bright, welcoming safety from the

dark landscape, where oil derricks tirelessly bob up and down, and The Taken – mysterious, homicidal people swathed in swirling, oily smoke – lurk in the helpful darkness, ready to put Wake to sleep. Permanently.

Wake knows that Mr Scratch, his evil doppelganger (occasionally seen on TV sets in live footage, using the same actor for the Alan Wake model) is behind the nefarious goings on around him, and that, following his adventures in Bright Falls, his ability as a writer to manipulate reality with his words makes him the only person able to thwart such plans.

Now, all Alan has to do is find Mr Scratch – and to survive the darkness that’s all around ...

A sequel that’s not a direct sequel, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare is a highly enjoyable piece of action-horror-hokum.

Not for children (with

scenes of implied violence, murders, and more), my description of something that’s Lynchian and Tarantinoish seems pretty apt for this slice of paranormal Americana.

Still, although the game has its faults – Alan again controls like a tank, suffers from a “roadie-run” posture when he moves, and fights the camera almost as much as The Taken – it’s good fun, with a number of blackly amusing moments, too.

Its presentation, too, is notable, with the series’ Twilight Zone homage, “Night Springs”, framing much of the action in style, with a narrator’s distinctly dulcet tones occasionally describing Wake’s latest decisions.

Although not exactly the depeest or longest adventure in the world, this is an enjoyable return for Wake, while its occasional bursts of action certainly won’t send gamers to sleep ...

NINTENDO’S Wii troubles continue, as the console continues languishing at retail. It’s a pity as, although its successor is on the way, the Wii never quite hit the stride that it should have; not helped, perhaps, both by a few too many simplistic titles hitting the market, as well as not always being supported with any great enthusiasm by retailers, as a cursory walk into any games’ retailer around Dublin shows, with small Wii sections .

It’s unfortunate, then, that a richly imaginative title with much to appeal to gamers looking for a bit more “oomph” for their Wii, The Last Story – a highly-imaginative and beautifully-presented action-RPG – has been dropped by GAME, removed from the retailer’s website, and won’t be available to buy in the chain’s Irish stores, as I confirmed with a number of outlets by telephone.

While the retailer’s well-publicised trading difficulties continue, its seems counter-intuitive that key, flagship and console-specific titles would not be stocked by the chain. This would be akin to, say, going to your supermarket and being told that, no, sorry, they don’t sell milk. Not a critical problem, but not very helpful, at the same time.

Of course, The Last Story is available from other outlets, and is well worth seeking out and paying the asking price for a challenging, fun and frequently beautiful, Wii title.

GAZETTE

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

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28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

Ronan and son set for Great Ireland Run RONAN Keating and his son, Jack, were on hand last week to help to launch the 2012 SPAR Great Ireland Run, and to show their support for the run’s nominated charities, the Marie Keating Foundation and the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.

The SPAR Great Ireland Run 2012 will take place in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, April 15, at 1 pm, with up to 12,000 entries expected.

Every entrant will receive an exclusive technical T shirt before the event as well as a generous goody bag after completing the run.

Dublin Gazette Newspapers is delighted to announce that, once again, we have teamed up again this year with the SPAR Great Ireland Run to recognise the top runners in each of our newspapers’ local areas.

This year, the Gazette will recognise the fastest man and woman from each paper’s circulation area with a specially designed plaque, as well as prizes of sports gear. After the Run, we will also be publishing a results list of the top local male and female finishers.

The 2012 Run will once again incorporate the Irish 10k road championships and will feature most of Ireland’s top distance runners. To further incentivise elite Irish athletes and raise the standard of 10k running, a prize fund is being put in place for the first ten Irish men and women.

A star-studded field of international and national distance runners will compete on the day. Last year’s winners were Jesus Espana of Spain and Charlotte Purdue of Great Britain in 29:26 and 32:42 respectively.

Entries can be made online at www.greatirelandrun.org. More details and up-to-date news on the event is on Facebook and Twitter.

CRICKET: LOCAL INFLUENCE BRINGS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Euro Under-19 player Paul Stirling with Brian O’Rourke, who received the Outstanding Contribution to Coaching award recently

O’Rourke honoured sport@gazettegroup.com

BRIAN O’ROURKE’S tireless efforts for Cricket Ireland have earned him the prestigious ICC Europe Coach Award ‘Outstanding Contribution to Cricket Coaching’ for 2012.

The 41-year-old Leinster Development Manager has played a pivotal role in the promotion of cricket in the country for the past 17 years - developing talents such as Eoin Morgan, the O’Brien brothers, John Mooney, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling and George Dockrell.

It was under O’Rourke’s influence that Dockrell switched from a medium pace bowler to spin, a move which has turned him into one of the most highly rated youngsters in world cricket.

Clearly delighted that his hard work has been acknowledged by the ICC, O’Rourke said: “It’s a fantastic honour not just for me personally but also Irish cricket. There’s a real buzz in the country about cricket at the moment, and the game is clearly on the rise.

“The numbers of coaches and participants are growing significantly, and there’s still a lot of talent out there to be unearthed. There are a lot of opportunities now for young cricketers and I’m confident that Ireland will continue to be a major player on the world circuit for generations to come.”

O’Rourke has fulfilled a variety of roles since 1995, coaching Ireland teams from Under-15 through to Under-19 level, taking charge of Under-19

World Cup campaigns in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

During that time he has also been heavily involved at inter-provincial level, leading Leinster Under 15s at every tournament since 1997.

O’Rourke has also instigated a comprehensive tour programme for Leinster youth sides, giving them opportunities against quality representative sides from the UK - to date 50 such tours have taken place for Leinster teams aged 11 to 19, with notable wins against county opposition, including Gloucestershire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

The Pembroke club man has gained experience by working in Australia and South Africa, forging valuable pioneering partnerships between those countries and Irish

cricket – indeed no fewer than 20 youngsters have been placed in South African schools since 2003.

He has also organised training camps in India and Spain, helping future Irish cricketers obtain valuable overseas playing experience.

Brian O’Rourke has been involved in the establishment of many new clubs over the past two years, including Adamstown, Dundalk, Swords, Tyrrelstown, Cabinteely, Carlow, Clonee and Greystones.

O’Rourke’s innovative work in school’s cricket has seen thousands of children introduced to the game, and the emergence of the Leprechaun Cup has seen the game at the crucial Under-11 level go from strength to strength.

Indeed such has been

the popularity of the primary school competition that it has been necessary to introduce an additional Super League element for schools in the Dublin and Wicklow regions..

National Development Manager, Tim Simmonite, knows just how important O’Rourke is to Cricket Ireland.

He said: “Brían continues to play a key role in the creation of future coaches as part of a much greater workforce. He is a proud and passionate man, and Ireland would simply not be where it is on the world cricket stage without him.

“Brian’s record, achievements and abilities speak for themselves and I’m delighted that he has achieved recognition through this prestigious award - he fully deserves this accolade.”

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29

2012 DUBLIN SPORTS AWARDS - FEBRUARY NOMINEES

FastSport

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

# STARof the

Superbike superstar added to Bavaria line-up

MONTH

SHANE DAGG

LESLEY O’HALLORAN

REBECCA MCDONNELL

THE Malahide exile was a crucial part of British Columbia’s victory in the Las Vegas Rugby Sevens’ championship, scoring in both the semi-final and the final.

DUN LAOGHAIRE tennis star O’Halloran came back with four medals, including gold, from the ITF Senior World Championships in San Diego last month.

REBECCA from Westmanstown Gaels became the first representative from the club to be picked for a Dublin team this month.

THREE ROCK ROVERS

CLONDALKIN GYM

BALLYBODEN U-21S

THE Rathfarnham hockey club proved their mettle and resilience in the EuroHockey indoor championships in Turkey, claiming promotion.

THE Precision Display Squad made history by becoming the first club to claim back-to-back titles at the City of Leeds Gymfest.

THE St Enda’s side claimed their fourth title at this level in five years in an epic final against Kilmacud Crokes in which they prevailed in by a point.

# TEAMof the MONTH

Lining out for Calcutta: Charity race’s 14th running IRELAND rugby stars Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Donnacha Ryan lined out last week to launch the Calcutta Run which takes place on Saturday, May 26.

The 14th running of the race will see funds being raised for the Peter McVerry Trust and GOAL’s work with homeless young people in Dublin and Calcutta.

The 2011 race raised €160,000. For more information, see www.calcuttarun.com

IRISH World Superbike star Eugene Laverty is the latest big name from the world of motorsport to confirm their participation at Bavaria Dublin City Racing extravaganza that comes to the city in June.

The 25-year-old from Antrim finished fourth in the World Superbike Championship in 2011 and has since teamed up with the Max Biaggi at the Aprilia team to push for the top spot.

Laverty will ride his Aprilia Superbike along the Bavaria City Racing city track, which starts at the Convention Centre, continues along Customs’ 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.

The Aprilia team joins an ever-growing line-up of international and domestic motorsport talent that includes the Vodafone McClaren F1 team and the Breezemount Motorsport GP2 team at the event.

Bavaria City Racing Dublin will take place on Sunday, June 3, and is a free public event and over 150,000 people are expected to line the streets to enjoy the best the world of motorsport has to offer.

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 Paddock on North Wall Quay. Tickets for these areas are priced from €75.90 and are available from Ticketmaster.

Ireland three for three in T20 series IRELAND’S cricketers finished their tour of Kenya with a whitewash in the Twenty20 series against the host nation in Mombasa last weekend.

The third match proved a close-run encounter, that Ireland came out of vic-

torious by only two runs.

Ed Joyce and Gary Wilson were the main scorers for the visitors in their innings, that saw them run up a total of 107 for 9.

Kenya ran the match close, ending on 105 for 7, with wickets being claimed by Alex White, Boyd Rankin and George Dockerell proving the difference between the sides.

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 1 March 2012

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

SOCCER: LOCAL STAR CLAIMS PRESTIGIOUS FAI AWARD

Crokes hurling section set for Punchestown THE Kilmacud Crokes Hurling Development Fund will hold their major fundraiser on the opening day of the Punchestown National Hunt Racing Festival on Tuesday, April 24.

Proceedings begin with a four-course silver service lunch served before the first race and there will be celebrity guests, tipsters and entertainment on hand for the event in the Punchestown Pavilion, located close to the last fence.

The top-class card features three Grade One races and many of Ireland’s leading National Hunt horses will be appearing, fresh from the Cheltenham Festival. There will be entertainment back at the clubhouse in Stillorgan.

Transport to and from the venue will be provided and the club are now taking corporate or individual bookings for what promises to be a great day out. All proceeds go towards the future development of hurling in the club. Further information and contact details are available from www. kilmacudcrokes-hurling.com

Clonkeen College alumni Darren O’Dea, pictured here playing for Celtic, was named Young International Player of the Year

O’Dea named Young Player I sport@gazettegroup.com

FORMER Clonkeen College schoolboy Darren O’Dea was among the big winners at last Sunday night’s Three FAI International Awards which took place at RTE studios when he took the Young International Player of the Year gong.

It followed an excellent year for the Leeds United man as he broke through into Giovanni Trappatoni’s team as a regular, making nine appearances, eight as a starter, and memorably making up the central defensive partnership with Richard Dunne against Russia.

Speaking about the award, O’Dea said he has worked hard to get into the frame for a regular place in the Irish set-up.

“I’ve had to wait for my chance and there have been plenty of good players in front of me but, when I’ve come in, I felt I’ve done well and it’s obviously been fantastic to be involved in a good squad and we’ll all look forward to the Euros now,” said O’Dea. Picking out highlights from the campaign, O’Dea was keen to focus more on the campaign as a whole than just the famous night in Russia.

“I don’t think Moscow

Sailing into 2012: ISA hold conference at Royal Marine THE sixth Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Dubarry Annual National Conference takes place this weekend at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire.

The event will launch what will be one of the most exciting years for sailing in Ireland with many major international events being hosted in Ireland as well as the participation of the Irish Olympic Sailing team in London 2012.

For more information go to www.sailing. ie/conference.

was the outstanding game of the qualifiers. All the games counted. It was a good point and we were under a lot of pressure, and the defenders maybe got the credit that day, but I think the squad as a whole takes great pleasure from the campaign.

“Thinking about the Euros does come into your head everyday but you just try and stay fit and do well with your club and, hopefully, I’ll be involved in what will be a fantastic occasion for the country and one I’m really looking forward to.”

He was among a series of local players to be honoured on the night, with St

Killian’s schoolgirl, Chloe Mustaki, taking the U-17 international girl’s Player of the Year.

Former St Joseph’s Boys player Hugh Douglas – now with UCD – lifted the gong for Irish Schools’ Player of the Year. The pair were among a list four former Joey’s members to be nominated.

Eamon Zayed was up for Airtricity Player of the Season, but lost out to former Leicester Celtic man, Pat Sullivan, while Sam Byrne was in the running for the U-16 Player of the Year.

Richard Dunne scooped the main prize, the Senior International

Player of the Year Award, while Darren Gibson’s goal against Wales in the Carling Nations Cup was voted the Three International Goal of the Year.

Shamrock Rovers were awarded the Special Merit Award for their groundbreaking achievements in Europe last year, as they became the first Irish team to qualify for the group stages of a UEFA competition.

Former Republic of Ireland midfielder, Ray Houghton was inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame, while Czech midfielder, Pavel Nedved, was awarded the International Personality of the Year.

1 March 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31

in association with

FOOTBALL: LOCAL DERBY SEES HONOURS EVEN a

CLUB NOTICEBOARD CUALA THE club strategy evening is on this

the big night.

coming Friday, March 2, from 7 to

Well done to the second minor team

9pm in the Killiney Castle Hotel. All

who got their Minor Hurling League

members are urged to come along

Division 3 campaign off to a good

and determine the areas of prior-

start with a two-point win over Kil-

ity development for our club over

macud Crokes on Saturday.

the next three years. There will be more detail on the structure of the

Hard luck to the first team who went down to the same opponents.

evening on the website throughout

There was plenty of local rivalry

this week. Please don’t leave the

over the weekend with the U-14A

future of the club up to somebody

and B footballers both coming from

else. The club belongs to all of its

behind to beat their equivalent

members.

opposition from Kilmacud, by three

If Friday night raises passion and

points and one point respectively.

debate, then what will it be like on

Congratulations to the U-16A,

Saturday, when the weigh-in for the

U-15B and both U-13 football teams,

following week’s Cuala Boxing Night

all of whom also recorded good wins.

takes place in the bar? Guaranteed

Good luck to the Juvenile girls teams

trash-talking but, hopefully, no

whose season gets under way next

punches thrown one week out from

weekend.

STARS OF ERIN Cuala’s COnor O’Brien shoots for goal against Ballinteer St John’s at Hyde Road last weekend

Cuala caught as St John’s revive to tie AFL DIVISION 2 Cuala Ballinteer St John’s

1-8 1-8

I sport@gazettegroup.com

HONOURS were even at Hyde Road when Ballinteer St John’s second-half fightback came up just short of nabbing an opening day win, with Eoghan Sheanon’s impressive score six minutes from time split the difference.

Conor O’Brien’s drive on the stroke of halftime put the Dalkey men on their way, and he and Luke Keating helped extend a lead out to five points six minutes into the second half.

But, from there, Ballinteer were the dominant force and looked on course to complete a comeback when Glen Whelan’s contentious left-footed effort — he appeared to have crossed the sideline before turning his marker — arced in from the right.

Sheanon, though, kicked his side’s first score for 16 minutes to end a lively tie. Befitting an early season encounter, both sides tended to give away possession too cheaply.

Both sides also had their share of wides but they were interspersed by some top scores, the first of which came from the boot of Peter O’Curry — sporting a shock of orange hair to match the Ballinteer jersey.

A sharp chance off the post was almost volleyed goalward by Whelan soon after when short, sharp passing was working well for the visitors. They were also first to most kick-outs with O’Curry and Mark Kavanagh to the fore, but Cuala were picking off most of the breaks and secondary ball.

And after some initial wides, Whelan kicking a couple, Cuala found their form and

piled forward at pace.

They were hampered by Colm Sheanon’s nastylooking shoulder injury, while Philly O’Donnell had an enforced break for a blood issue.

Donal Lehman, though, drilled one effort over, while his second and a similarly hard hit O’Brien point levelled the scores at 0-4 with half-time closing in.

Keating — Colm Sheanon’s replacement — chipped through for O’Brien, and he won a battle with Fionan Clabby before racing in on goal from 40 yards out and pummelling the

ball home.

Ballinteer’s secondhalf comeback was started by Whelan’s neat free, and it gathered real momentum when Ciaran Judge spun to scramble in off his left boot.

That reduced the gap to the minimum, but Lehman’s third kept Cuala steady. The waves of fast attacks from the visitors pushed into the lead with eight minutes left on the clock, as Whelan grabbed his fourth of the game.

But Eoghan Sheanon popped up in the 56th minute to get both sides on the board for 2012.

THE Under-8s played their first

The Under-10 hurlers turned over

hurling game of 2012 against St

Crumlin on their home turf on Sat-

Kevin’s HC in Glencullen on Satur-

urday morning, winning by the nar-

day morning, A brave effort and a

rowest of margins. Only the single

battling performance was just not

point separated the two teams at

enough as the St Kevin’s lads left

the final whistle. A great catch and

Glencullen with a win. It was a very

point from Cian Sinclair, and a cou-

close game all the way through, but

ple of goals from Peter Keane along

two goals in the final 10 minutes

with a debut goal from Jake Rapple

saw St Kevin’s home safely. Noah

saw the Stars to victory. Well done

Sinclair was outstanding and by

to all keep up the good work.

far the best player from both sets

The Under-12s hosted St Jude’s in

of players. Roisin Maguire did very

Glencullen on Saturday morning. A

well and was impressive striking

great game of hurling was on dis-

from hand. Special mention to Mat-

play for the both sets of supporters

thew O’Flynn who made his hurling

who turned out. Daragh Naylor had

debut. We hope to see much more in

a great game in goal and his puck-

the future.

outs were excellent.

FOXROCK/CABINTEELY TESCO, sponsors of Ladies Gaelic

this on many fronts, including at

Football, run an annual competion

club level, by being a driving force in

to select an individual as the GAA

the development for sport over the

Club Person of the Year. We are

last 13 years. At school and com-

delighted that our own chairman,

munity level, by the advancement of

Pat Ring has won the Leinster Club

this agenda within the schools and

Person of the Year. This is a national

with neighbouring sports, clubs and

competition and an event that rec-

with the local authorities and also

ognises individuals like Pat who have

at county level through his involve-

gone the extra mile to for their club

ment in committees and influencing

and developing Gaelic football within

the agenda.

our community.

We thank Pat for all his commit-

Pat Ring has been instrumental in

ment to this agenda and wish him

giving players of all ages the oppor-

the best of luck as his name now

tunity to play team sports and the

goes forward to represent Leinster

development of Gaelic football in

against each of the other provinical

the community. He has achieved

winners at an event in mid-March.

Follow GazetteSport on Facebook and Twitter and at www.gazettegroup.com

ALL OF YOUR DUN LAOGHAIRE SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

COLD OPENING: Cuala fail to pick up win

against Ballinteer in season’s first tie P31

MARCH 1, 2012

FEBRUARY FLYERS: Dublin Sports Awards nominees announced P29

GazetteSPORT

The members of the gold-medal winning Irish tennis team, Lesley O’Halloran (far right), Philippa Palmer, Niamh Kennedy and Grace Reidy

O’Halloran brings back top honours Four medals - including gold for Irish ladies’ team - for Dun Laoghaire senior tennis star ROB HEIGH

dunlaoghairesport@gazettegroup.com

BLACKROCKTennis Club star, Lesley O’Halloran, returned to Ireland last week with four medals, including a first gold for the country’s tennis stars in the Margaret Court Cup World Team championships, from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Senior World championships in San Diego.

A gruelling schedule saw her play 20 matches over 14 days, and O’Halloran returned home with four medals — gold in the Margaret Court Cup, silver in the Senior 45s World Mixed Doubles Championships, and two bronze medals in the Singles World Senior 45s and the Ladies 45 doubles’ championships.

Speaking to GazetteSport, O’Halloran was delighted to have achieved a national first, the premiere gold medal for an Irish team at an international tennis event.

“We were thrilled to win the gold. Seven years ago, we came third, and I think that was the first

time Ireland had got a medal at the event. Now, to win gold, it feels a little bit unreal.

“When we saw the draw, we knew we had a chance to come out of our group, and I felt pretty positive we would do well. Once we progressed from the group stages, we met Germany, which was a hard set of matches, and then we faced France in the final.”

France took the first rubber when Sylvie Mattel beat Palmer, but O’Halloran levelled the tie with a three-set win over Valerie Vernet Le Droff.

O’Halloran and Palmer, unbeaten in doubles during the week, kept their streak going against Mattel and Vernet Le Droff to clinch the title for Ireland.

“It was a sweet win, as we had lost to them before, and it was a satisfying result for us,” she said.

Currently ranked second in the world at the 45 level, Lesley just missed out on a chance to play the world number one, Belgian Klaartje Van Baarle, in the final of the singles event when she succumbed to injury, losing the semi-final to the tournament’s eventual winner, American Jennifer Dawson.

“The tournament as a whole was gruelling, playing on the hard courts over the course of the two weeks. Playing on hard courts is a lot tougher on the body, and it was bound to catch up with me before the end of the tournament.”

However, the four medals are an immense achievement that O’Halloran can add to her already hugely impressive roll-call of success.

Lesley is a former Irish No 1, and is currently ranked sixth nationally across all age groups. She played in the Federations Cup, was the only Irish player to qualify for the main draw in doubles in Wimbledon, where she reached the second round, earning a world doubles ranking of 113, that no Irish female player has since achieved.

And all this from a player who was at one stage told she would not play again: “I had a break for some time when a hip injury kept me out of the game for seven years. My doctor thought I would not be able to play again. But I just gave it a go and came back, and I haven’t stopped playing since,” said O’Halloran.