Dun laoghaire 21 1 16

Gazette DUN LAOGHAIRE

INSIDE: As the election nears, politicians talk to The

Gazette about the housing and homelessness crisis P6

Learning Curve: Our supplement has plenty to help build on any college plans Page 17

Creed night: Boxing’s film fans gather for the launch of ‘the new Rocky’ Page 12

January 21-27, 2016

Find us on

Leo’s latest film, The Revenant, is a brutal, primal tour de force

see page 13

The best things in life are FREE!

Undampened enthusiasm to enjoy a 4km walk

NOT even sea spray could dampen these particpants’ enthusiasm as they walked along the Dun Laoghaire coastline recently. The chilly coastal air provided a great incentive to march briskly along and take in the pretty views, with 350 walkers taking steps to get in better shape as 2016 gets well under way.

Organised by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership, the Operation Transformation 4km walk was part of a nationwide initiative by the popular RTE show to promote the message that walking is a great way to get active, and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. With a walk taking in the People’s Park, the East Pier and Newtownsmith, these walkers certainly had plenty of places to visit.

See Story on Page 4

sport Hurling:

Schutte’s bitter-sweet SHC emotions Page 32

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Shots fired in robbery

Masked gunman attempted to rob post office in Blackrock; passerby praised for challenging fleeing raider

 emma nolan A NUMBER of shots were fired in a robbery attempt on a post office in Blackrock.

The incident happened at around 2.30pm on Tuesday, January 19, at Woodbine Park in Blackrock when a masked man entered the premises.

The gunman threatened customers and staff and fired a number of shots before leaving the scene on foot, and

empty handed. No one in the post office was injured.

As he fled the scene, the gunman was challenged by a male passer-by who attempted to apprehend him. Following a struggle, a firearm – described as a hand gun – was recovered and the raider managed to flee the scene on foot.

The passer-by sustained minor injuries during the altercation, but is understood

to be in good health.

Gardai have confirmed to The Gazette that a search operation is currently under way and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Donnybrook Garda Station at 01 666 9200, or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.

This is the third armed robbery on a post office in Dublin this month, with the

previous two occurring in Tallaght and Goatstown on January 5.

Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF) took to Twitter to comment on the incident and praise the passer by who challenged the thief, saying: “More serious crime, sadly in Blackrock.

Armed robbery at Woodbine Post Office. Shots fired, raider challenged but he escaped on foot (gun recovered). Citizen deserves bravery medal.”

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 21 January 2016

meeting | ‘If you can’t make your point in three minutes, you’re doing something wrong’

Council votes to halve speaking time  emma nolan

DLRCC councillors voted to reduce their speaking time from six minutes to three at their recent council chamber meeting

Du n L ao gh a i r e Rathdow n County councillors voted to reduce their speaking time from six minutes to three at the council chamber meeting held on January 11.

The motion which was a proposal from the Organisation, Procedure and Protocol Committee passed 32 to five.

People Before Profit councillors at the meeting voted against the motion which Cllr Karl Gill accused those in favour of wishing to “gag themselves” and “reduce democracy”.

Speaking at the meeting Gill said: “The idea that councillors would support the reduction in their own rights and therefore curtail their ability to represent their constituents is akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.

“The rationale from the proposers of the motion was to make the business of the council more efficient, however, the majority of councillors rarely ever take up the full amount of speaking time allocated.”

He said that if councillors from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael stopped “holding up meetings by making pointless pedantic comments and speeches that lack any sense of substance, then maybe we would be able to be more efficient in our work.”

He also criticised the atmosphere in the cham-

don’s dublin A church blessed with the nickname The Pepper Canister Nicknames are something that Dubliners are good at handing out, usually to friends and acquaintances, but it is rare that buildings

ber, saying it is often “jovial and blatantly far more to do with scoring empty political points than it is to getting business done”.

Sinn Fein councillor Sorcha Nic Cormaic was in favour of the motion which she believes will improve overall efficiency at the meetings which she says rarely get beyond the first few motions as time is often taken up with councillors commenting on managers’ reports and debating issues.

She said: “While it is important to allow councillors speak on issues, it is not unusual for many councillors to stand up and repeat ad nauseam what has already been said. After some debate it was agreed to reduce the speaking time from six minutes to three minutes for proposers of motions, and from three minutes to two minutes for other speakers on motions and reports.

Nic Cormaic said: “If you can’t make your point in three minutes, you’re doing something wrong. Something has to be done to improve efficiency in council meetings, as we never get the business finished in the time allowed. Many other ideas were bandied about at the OP&P (Operations, Procedures and Protocol) meeting, but none were agreed as they were deemed unfair. This is a fair and workable solution.”

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

are so honoured. So, I was really looking forward to visiting St Stephen’s Church, a place that I had passed many times but never entered and, like most people, called The Pepper Canister.

By the early 1800s, with the city spreading out into new suburbs, there was a need for a church to serve the growing community beyond Merrion Square. The Earl of Pembroke, a significant local landowner, gave the site for the church for free and an additional £700. It was one of the last Georgian churches built in Dublin and was designed by John Bowden who also responsible for the church of St Philip and St James, Booterstown. Sadly, he died during construction and the work was completed by Joseph Welland. It was consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, William Magee on December 5, 1824, and the final cost was £5,169.

The original building was rectangular and the colourful apse (east end) was added in 1852. But it is the front (west end) that is the most attractive and giving an unbroken view across Merrion Square southside, to Leinster House. It is a beautifully realised feature, unchanged in almost two centuries. The cupola at the top of the church is a model of the Choregos of Lysicrates in Athens and where we get the familiar nickname.

Inside, there are wonderful stained glass windows which were not original features but added in Victorian times. A piece by the renowned Beatrice Elvery and another in honour of Dr Joliffe Tufnell, a former president of the College of Surgeons, look great in the sunlight. The organ dates from the 1750s and the carved rosewood pulpit is particularly attractive. Upstairs I noted a plaque in honour of Captain Charles King, a man who survived the Battle of Balaclava. I definitely hadn’t been expecting that. Wonderful.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

St Stephen’s Church, otherwise known as The Pepper Canister, was designed by John Bowden and consecrated on December 5, 1824

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 3

council | 5,600 families on waiting list

book festival

Support for emergency status for housing crisis  emma nolan

Councillors in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (DLR) Council voted recently to support a motion by People Before Profit councillor, Hugh Lewis, calling on central government to raise the housing crisis to a national emergency status.

There are over 5,600 families and individuals on the housing list amounting to over 12,000 people in DLR on the social housing lists alone with over 100,000 families nationally in need of a permanent home.

Lewis said the effect of raising the housing crisis to an emergency status would free the government of the economic constraints laid down in the Fiscal Treaty, allowing the council to return to a direct build construction

programme.

Speaking after the vote Cllr Hugh Lewis said: “The passing of this motion was vital for the thousands of people across the county in need of social housing.

There is a crisis in housing nationally, here in DL the lack of available housing and the sky high private rents making the problem particularly acute.

“Every day I am contacted by young people that do not have a sustainable home to call their own, desperately in need of housing.”

Lewis says that the solution to the crisis is “constructing new homes”, which he says would be far more economically beneficial than the current method of privatising social housing.

He said: “Only by the Government acknowledging the deepening crisis as

an emergency can this be done.”

Cllr Neale Richmond (FG) voted against the motion. While he does not deny that the issue exists, he believes that great efforts are being made by the Government to tackle these issues through both the social housing strategy and the construction 2020 strategy.

He told The Gazette: “In terms of the number of homeless people presenting, these are also down substantially compared to this time last year. Overall supply is key and we are seeing a number of new developments coming on stream with the second phase of Belarmine Woods due to come to market soon, as well as the first planning documents being processed for the new housing developments in Cherrywood.”

Irving at Pavilion Theatre

YOUNG MOUNT MERRION ACTOR STARS IN NEW FYFFES TV CAMPAIGN Up-and-coming Dublin born actor, Thijs Peeters, from Mount Merrion is set to become a familiar sight in Irish homes this January as he stars in a new TV campaign launched by banana importer Fyffes. The aim is to remind consumers of its long and distinguished heritage as an Irish-owned brand.

The 30-second commercial sets out to illustrate how bananas have been a popular fruit with Irish families across the generations by blending footage reminiscent of the 1920s with modern day scenes. Entitled Fyffes Generations, it will be broadcast on all major channels throughout January.

This year, the Mountains to Sea Dun Laoghaire Book Festival (March 9-13) will be preceded by a special event on February 2 when the iconic American novelist and Academy Awardwinning screenwriter John Irving discusses his new book Avenue o f My s t e r i e s , a l o n g with Irish author John Boyne.

Avenue of Mysteries is the story of what happens to Juan Diego in the Philippines, where what happened to him in the past while living in Mexico collides with his future.

Join John Irving at the Pavilion Theatre on February 2 at 8pm where he will discuss the themes of his 14th novel and his extraordinary career to date.

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 21 January 2016

launch | promoting the message that walking is a fun way to get healthy

Great turnout for Operation Transformation events  ian begley

On January 9, there was a great turn out for two events organised within Dun LaoghaireRathdown to coincide with the launch of RTE’s Operation Transformation programme.

Some 350 people tackled the chilly, but sunny conditions

in the Operation Transformation 4km walk around the Dun Laoghaire coast.

Organised by the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership this event was part of a national initiative to promote the message that walking is a fun way for people to get active as part of a healthier life-

style. People of all ages and fitness levels wrapped up and put on their runners to take part in the 4km walk around the People’s Park, Newtownsmith and the East Pier. With smiling faces and laughter throughout, the participants received a hot cup of tea at the finish line for their efforts.

Meanwhile in Marlay Park, over 650 people joined Paul Sinton Hewitt and An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Barry Saul (FG) to launch the link-up between Healthy Ireland, Operation Transformation and parkrun Ireland.

Speaking about the events, he said: “The importance

of a healthy lifestyle is well documented, and studies have shown that getting fitter improves both physical and mental health. I have been heartened by the huge number of participants who have braved the elements to get on the road to fitness for the New Year. A big thank you has to

go out to all the volunteers who helped on the day and of course the county council’s parks department.”

For information on future walking and activity initiatives in the county, contact Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership at 01-2719502 or sportspartnership@dlrcoco.ie

Irish medical technology company to create 70 jobs in Blackrock Seventy new jobs in Blackrock will be created by Irish medical technology company, 3D4Medical over the next 18 months, which has been seen as welcomed news for the community.

The positions in the company’s new global headquarters will be in the highly- skilled technical, design and medical sectors including: software developers, 3D graphic artists and medical writers and experts, to build on the success of its world-renowned applications.

TD for Dun Laoghaire Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG) has welcomed the announcement, saying: “3D4Medical is an indigenous Irish technology compa-

ny that specialises in the development of medical applications for professional reference as well as student and patient education.

“The opening of the new global headquarters in Blackrock will allow 3D4Medical to more than treble the company’s workforce in Ireland.

“3D4Medical has been supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland and this announcement reflects the company’s strong growth in the global medical technology market and its commitment to continuing to grow its headquarters and maintain its R&D base in Ireland,” she said.

Siobhan Berry, owner of Mummy Cooks, has successfully managed to develop and sustain her own business thorugh the economic downturn

stillorgan | entrepreneur’s business keeps growing

Giving food for thought about Mummy Cooks

 ian begley ibegley@dublingazette.com

Local entrepreneur, Siobhan Berry has successfully managed to develop and sustain her own business despite the economic downturn and now sells her childfriendly food products throughout Ireland and abroad.

Speaking to The Gazette, the Stillorganbased business woman talked about how her c o m p a ny, Mu m my Cooks, has significantly grown since she first set it up in 2012.

“It all started back in 2012 when I was running classes for mums who were beginning to wean their baby onto solid food. There weren’t any other classes like it around at the time and so with my experience as an asset manager I decided to take a leap of faith.

“It’s very important to get your child to develop a positive attitude towards food at an early age so they become a happy eater.”

As well as running mummycooks.ie, Berry is the resident feeding and weaning expert with

MummyPages.ie – Ireland’s largest parenting website “In 2013, I started to sell portion pot products, which provide solutions for parents looking to store food for both toddlers and adults. We’re also an online resource for parents and have recipes, advise and product solutions on our website.

“We have also recently announced the launch of our new Mummy Cooks food flask, which can store food for children going to school, so parents can include vegeta-

bles and more variety in their lunches. It can also keep food hot or cold for up to six hours.

“I found it very difficult to come up with different lunches every day for my own children and I found that many other parents struggle with this task. It just gives parents a better option and would be a nicer alternative to ham or cheese sandwiches.

“I’m now selling my products all over Europe and also in Super Valu.

It’s all very exciting and going well, which is great.”

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 5

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ask the politician | in the build up to the general election the gazette Question: How would you deal with the current housing and homeless crisis in the city if elected?

Introduce rent controls and increase rent supplement

 Mary White (Fianna Fail)

 Richard Boyd Barrett

(People Before Profit)

Firstly, we would take all NAMA-owned properties and other publicly-owned buildings and immediately house the 1,638 children and 744 families currently in emergency accommodation.

We would immediately introduce rent controls and increase rent supplement to realistic levels and ban economic evictions.

We would declare a national housing emergency in order to be able to get around EU rules which are preventing us from directly building council houses in large quantities.

We would start an emergency public housing programme with the aim of building a minimum of 10,000 council houses

150,000 new homes nationwide by 2021

every year for the next five years.

As new council houses are built and come on stream we would phase out reliance on private landlords and schemes like Rental Accommodation Scheme and Housing Assistance Payment. Families need permanent, secure homes of their own, not to be prey to private landlords.

We have never before seen the extent of the current escalating homeless crisis. At present there are over 800 families and 1,600 children sleeping in emergency homeless accommodation, with 80 new families becoming homeless in Dublin each month.

Mike Allen, Focus Ireland’s director of advocacy, has described this as “the changing face of homelessness” as many families are now becoming homeless, as distinct from individuals.

The Government’s failure to take even simple measures, such as increasing rent supplement thresholds or refurbishing vacant council housing, is forcing people out of their homes in the short term.

However, even more worryingly, there appears to be no long-term coherent plan for supplying homes to those who need them. Last December, NAMA announced its plan to build 20,000 new homes over the coming years. However, the Government is allowing NAMA to sell off these vital assets to private vulture funds while delivering less than 2,000 social housing units.

While I welcome the use of modular

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homes as a temporary solution to the housing emergency, we need to invest in permanent homes. There are 3,000 vacant units under the control of local authorities across the country which could be refurbished relatively cheaply and used as a permanent home thereafter. It’s baffling to see the Minister spend €191,000 on a temporary modular home while at the same time refusing to spend €30,000 to refurbish a vacant unit controlled by local authorities.

Investment needs to happen now. Fianna Fail proposes to build 150,000 new homes nationwide by 2021, which would include 45,000 social housing units.

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 7

relaunches its q&a with election candidates on the topics that matter

Removal of sale as a reason for ending a lease

Accelerate action to provide houses for those on the social housing list

 Deputy Leader Cllr Catherine Martin

(Green Party)

 Cllr Carrie Smyth (labour)

The sad fact is, despite all the fanfare around the current government’s plan to tackle homelessness, this crisis is a long way from being solved.

There are many factors which cause homelessness, and we will never be able to treat them all, but the pressure on housing waiting lists is having an undeniable effect. The backlog of people waiting for a home, in a market with rapidly inflating prices, is contributing to a situation that worsens by the day.

To combat the current housing crisis, the Green Party has proposed solutions in the short-term including the removal of sale as a reason for ending a lease; better resourcing of the Private Residential Tenancies Board to resolve disputes; paying rent supplement in advance; making deposits and rent-in-advance available to all rent supplement tenants; and a housing trust scheme to acquire encumbered buy-to-let properties for social housing, through purchase or lease.

We also need the state to directly intervene

and use, Dublin Bus and NAMA lands to address our growing housing crisis. Moving bus garages out of the city centre would also be a win-win solution for both transport and housing policy.

It makes no sense for bus drivers to have to come in early each morning to bring a bus back out to the start of their route on the edge of the city. Far better to build purpose-built garages on the edge of the city and use the vacant lands for new housing developments. At the start of its existence there was a clear agreement that NAMA’s mission was to progress a social as well as economic return for the state. It is now time for them to deliver that social dividend.

What’s missing is the political will and vision for how we could do things differently. We’ve had enough words, promises and launches; what we need are houses.

If I am elected, one of my key priorities is to accelerate action to provide houses for those on the social housing list, and to increase the supply of houses at affordable prices for those who wish to buy their own home.

In my twenties when I was a volunteer coworker with Dublin Simon for two years, I saw first-hand the homeless situation in Dublin on the Tuesday evening soup run.

The action plan for homelessness has provided new beds for rough sleepers, established a night cafe facility for those who do not attend emergency accommodation and extended the Tenancy Protection Service which helps prevent families from becoming homeless. The Housing Assistance Payment has been increased for those who find themselves homeless to assist them in finding rented accommodation.

While I am pleased that this has resulted in a decrease in the number of rough sleepers, I believe the long-term solution to homeless-

ness is to increase the supply of homes.

The Government’s Construction 2020 strategy seeks to provide 35,000 new social housing units by returning to direct housebuilding by local authorities and approved housing bodies.

In addition, the strategy aims to deliver up to 75,000 units of long-term quality accommodation to meet housing needs through local authority housing support schemes.

I fully support the implementation of this strategy and the introduction of measures to improve the rental sector and to help tackle mortgage arrears.

I will work to ensure we make securing your own home a reality for everyone.

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 21 January 2016

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 9

10 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 21 January 2016

DUN LAOGHAIREGazettegallery | The dlr LexIcon library

Cuan O’Doherty

Locals enjoy a family fun day

Pamela Devlin with children Kellymei, Caelan and Casey Marie. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan

T

he dlr LexIcon library held a special family day recently to kick off the new year in style. Local children and their parents enjoyed a whole host of entertainment

including a music workshop, a puppet show, yoga storytelling, a book clinic, an illustration workshop, a writing workshop, a poetry picnic and a clown balloon modeller.

Sarah and Sean Smyth

Robert and Matthew Bevan with sister Olive

Mary Kelly and Phil Kennedy

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11

puts on a packed programme of events at special day for community

Cynthia and Simon Zoladz Gilda and Maria Ferreira from Portugal with Ewa and Maya Boroviecka from Poland

Eleanor Kieran with Aiden and Saorlaith

Ciara Byrne with Rohan, Nora and Aibhlin

Lucy Czujko with sons Sam and Jamie

Emily, Alice, Senan and Raul Dore

Fiona and Aislinn Kelly

Yvonne Kennedy and Louis Krcho with daughter

Nicola Davitt with sons Michael and

Yumi

Marty

12 Gazette 21 January 2016

commonGazettegallery | movie fans enjoy creed Premiere

Niamh Ryan and Catriona O’Connor

Laura O’Neill

Olympian Kenneth Egan and Kyle Kearney. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Hits above the belt

Becky Godfrey and Sophie Gorman

Andrew McCabe and Romy Carroll

Joanna Richards

21 January 2016 Gazette 13

asdfsdaf diary P27 P16

Trad Festival P15

dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week

cinema: The Revenant – a vengeful ‘inspired by true events’ epic

Haunting tale of survival How far would you go in the pursuit of justice?

That is the question that lies at the bloody heart of The Revenant – a visceral and vengeful “inspired by true events” epic that sees Leonardo DiCaprio as a frontiersman abandoned in the bleak American wilderness with revenge as his sole fuel for survival.

In a performance that sees its star crawling naked through the snow and consuming raw buffalo liver, it could be argued that the real question being asked here is – how far will DiCaprio have to go to in order to bring home that elusive Oscar?

And with The Revenant securing 12 nominations for the awards next month, including a Best Actor nomination for DiCaprio, this looks like it could be the year that finally does it.

It is a fitting follow on from last year’s ceremony which saw director Alejandro G Inarritu take home an armful of awards for the effervescent and psychedelic tour-de-force that was Birdman.

A plethora of award nominations is one of the only discernible links between both of Inarritu’s recent films.

 Dave phillips

While on the surface Birdman was whimsical and surreal, The Revenant is gritty, gruesome, and at times, overwhelmingly raw.

Based on a novel of the same name, which in turn was based on early 20th Centur y retelling of Wild West tales, this is a story that has had several layers of aggrandisement heaped upon it on its way to screen.

Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is a tracker who embarks on an expedition to gather furs in the frigid depths of South Dakota under the command of Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson).

An intense opening scene depicts the absolute carnage that follows when the trappers are waylaid by a Native American war party, whose land they are pillaging.

The muddy, bloody battle becomes stupendous in its scope, and the few remaining fur trappers left in its wake

The Revenant is dominated by DiCaprio’s terrifying and primal performance

are forced to forge a path through the wilderness in an attempt to reach home.

Much like Inarritu brought the cityscape to life in Birdman, here the tall pine forests and snow-laden slopes become vitalized.

T he Revenant is thronging with stunning shots that at once capture both the inherent beauty and peril of the natural world.

Hugh Glass is scouting alone when he is attacked and utterly mauled by a Grizzly bear. Barely alive, the

crew are loathe to leave him, but do not have the resources to get him back to safety.

One of the frontiersmen, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) is paid to stay behind until Glass dies and give him a proper burial, but chooses to abandon him, crippled and defenceless some days later, setting in motion Glass’ astounding journey to seek revenge.

Played out over almost two-and-a-half hours, The Revenant may be a gruelling tale, but it makes for an easy

watch. Dominated by DiCaprio’s terrifying and primal performance, and bolstered by Hardy and Gleeson’s also excellent turns, The Revenant is a film that strips things down their base components.

T he natural world becomes both exquisite and treacherous.

Human beings become both angelic and monstrous.

And brutality becomes both heinous and routine.

An overreliance on CGI at times mars what otherwise feels like a

deeply grounded and at times horrifically real film. But that should not discourage viewers too much.

Inarritu has managed to craft something special in The Revenant – by focusing on this small but extraordinary piece of history, he manages to obliquely tell a much larger story of the birth of the American frontiers.

It is a story dominated by men, exploitation, greed, and blood; and a story that you won’t regret watching.

Verdict: 9/10



Gazette

charity challenge P14

Pets

can you give avocado a loving home?

The Dublin Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Avocado is a threeyear-old female German Shepherd cross. She had a beautiful litter of puppies who have all found their forever homes and now it’s Avocado’s turn! She will need an adult-only home and it’s really important that someone is home for most of the day. Avocado forms very strong bonds with people and really panics when left alone.

If you think there is a place in your home for this bright, beautiful and loving girl, please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000.

They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 o n the M50.

Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook. com/dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE

Gazette

14 Gazette 21 January 2016

dublinlife

Revup4dsi: flatley set for motorcycle challenge

The Lord of the Dance takes to the open road

 ian begley

ibegley@dublingazette.com

The lord of Irish dance Michael Flatley took time out of his busy schedule to help launch Down Sy ndrome Ireland’s (DSI) annual charity motorcycle challenge Revup4DSI. Motorcyclists across the country are preparing to take to the open road for the DSI event which takes place over the May bank holiday weekend, April 30 to May 2.

The successful event was co-founded in 2005 by a pair of keen motorcyclists, Michael McCor-

mick and the late Aidan Lynam, both of whom have daughters, Megan and Robyn, with Down syndrome.

Michael (CEO of DSI at the time) was looking to run a motorcycle event for DSI and Aidan (managing a bar at the time) was thinking along similar lines. So after a fairly brief but enthusiastic meeting Rev-up was born.

The round Ireland road trip has grown to become one the biggest and most popular fundraising events and has raised over €1.5m in much-needed funds for Down Syndrome Ireland over the last 10 years.

Down Syndrome Ireland are currently planning a number of special events for next year’s RevUp to honour the passing of their esteemed colleague Aidan Lynam.

Aidan was the instrumental part of a strong team behind the very first RevUp4DSI and was tragically killed during last year’s event. In memory of Aidan, DSI intend to have their most successful motorcycle challenge yet come May 2016.

Secret checkpoints

The event is a point-topoint navigation ride that takes in over 1,000km of

stunning Irish views within a three-day period.

On the Saturday, motorcyclists will gather at Joe Duffy’s BMW dealership in Finglas for their first in a series of route cards that will lead them through a number of secret checkpoints and to their base for the night. The following day’s ride will take on a poker run format where a playing card is collected at each checkpoint and the best hand will win.

All of which will add to the excitement and camaraderie on the road over this fantastic fundraising weekend.

Entry to the three-day

The lord of Irish dance Michael Flatley with Mark Reilly and David Clarke from Drogheda pictured at the launch of Down Syndrome Ireland’s annual charity motorcycle challenge. Picture: Gerard McCarthy

event is by donation, with a minimum requirement of €500 sponsorship per rider and €500 per passenger. Accommodation

and meals are all booked in advance to make it a very relaxing and rewarding weekend of twowheeled fun.

For further information, visit www.revup4dsi. ie, email revup@downsyndrome.ie or call 01 4266500.

21 January 2016 Gazette 15

features

Warm up winter with a banjo and Bovril  emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com

Wave goodbye to the January blues and start the new year with music, dancing and… Bovril!

The Banjo and Bovril Trad Festival is making a welcome return to The Harbour Bar in Bray this January 27 to 31.

The festival celebrates the old tradition of the Banjo and Bovril nights that took place back in the day and is completely free to attend. When the winter days were coming to a close, the fishermen would arrive in from the sea and head for The Harbour Bar to warm up with steaming mugs of Bovril, before they settled in for a night

of singing and playing music.

With some of Bray’s favourites and a few of Ireland’s very best, the line-up includes Moxie, The Bonny Men, Mundy, Ye Vagabonds, John Spillane, Lisa O’Neill, Ronan O Snodaigh and Pete Pamf, Pine Marten, Sheila Garry and Elaine Hogan, Pete Cummins, Hank Wedel, Darren Eedens, Bunoscionn and Old Hannah.

Moxie are five young Irish musicians making waves on the Irish music scene with their fresh blend of jazz, rock, bluegrass and world music and The Bonny Men, will bring their set of trad tunes bursting with energy.

Mundy is sure to get the crowd going and brothers Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds are just back from a tour with Glen Hansard.

A c cl a i m e d s i n g e r songwriter John Spillane will also take to the stage. Also performing, with her natural flair for storytelling and combined with a unique sound, Lisa O’Neill’s show promises to be something special.

K ila’s Ronan O Snodaigh joins forces with Pete “Pamf” Ruotolo on guitar and Dublin based trio Pine Marten will be bringing their Scandinavian, bluegrass influenced folk to the bill.

Singer songwriter John Spillane will take to the stage

Hailing from Clare, the admired talents of musicians Sheila Garry and Elaine Hogan will be performing and

Grammy Award winner Pete Cummins will be in the house.

New York-born and C o r k- r a i s e d s i n g e r

songwriter Hank Wedel will be warming up with some Bovril and guitar slingin’, banjo pickin’ Canadian Dar-

ren Eedens, who has been known to stand on tables while belting out tunes will also be paying the Harbour Bar a visit.

To round off one hell of a festival line up, some Harbour Bar favourites will take to the stage with the amazing tradsters Bunoscionn and from Sligo with their own brand of roots, it’s the brilliant Old Hannah.

The Banjo and Bovril Trad fest is the perfect way to spend a long, cold Januar y night, dancing away to worldclass Irish acts in a cosy pub with a steaming mug of warming Bovril bringing the traditional banjo and Bovril nights back to life.

Gazette

16 Gazette 21 January 2016

dublinlife

diary

Witnessing a C-Section birth a big eye-opener for students

The live Caesarean Section was broadcast to students via video link from an operating theatre in the Rotunda Hospital. Picture: Maxwell Photography

Last Tuesday January 12, more than 180 students from 90 secondary schools across Ireland witnessed a baby being born via a live caesarean section as part of the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) transition year (TY) programme.

The week-long interactive RCSI TY MiniMed training programme was held between RCSI on St Stephen’s Green and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

The live caesarean section was broadcast to students via video link from an operating theatre in the Rotunda Hospital and was performed by a team led by Professor Fergal Malone, the new Master of the Rotunda Hospital.

During the procedure, students asked questions to Professor Malone and his surgical team, who answered them while guiding the students through the C-section procedure.

Now in its ninth year, the RCSI TY MiniMed programme, gives Transition Year students the opportunity to step out of their usual classroom setting and experience what it is like to train and work as a doctor in the setting of a real hospital.

DSPCA start off 2016 with special Tom cat tenner The DSPCA are delighted to start 2016 with a special Tom Cat Tenner Event which will see the neutering of male cats for just €10 Euro per animal.

DSPCA head of Education Gillian Bird said: “Cat populations in Dublin and surrounding

counties has gotten out of control and the DSPCA are urging pet owners and people who are feeding feral cats to act now before the breeding season begins.”

Each year the DSPCA take in over 1,500 cats and kittens most of which are born to wild or semi-feral parents.

By starting the neutering early in the year, the DSPCA hope to see a reduction in the numbers of feral and unwanted cats.

“A healthy and fertile male cat can father thousands of kittens each year, by being active every night of the breeding season.

“By neutering the male cats in a territory, the rival males will be kept away and the females will not become pregnant thus cutting down on the numbers of kittens born,” Bird said.

Male cats as young as 12 weeks of age can be neutered by the DSPCA Veterinary team. Visit dspca.ie to book your tom cat in for this discounted neutering.

in research carried out by Coyne Research on behalf of Irish Life.

The research found that 77% of the Irish workforce believe they deserve more money for the job they do, while 61% of the Irish working population have made friends for life through work and 46% socialise with their colleagues after work. The research was published to mark the launch of Irish Life Empower, an improved workplace pension plan.

domestic water revenue to date hits over €110m Irish Water has confirmed that 61% of customers are now paying water charges at the end of the third billing cycle compared to 55% at the end of the second cycle and 44% at the end of the first billing cycle.

Some 928,000 customers have now paid part or all of their bills, an increase of 98,000 customers who began paying charges for the first time in the past three months.

Total revenue from charges paid to date by domestic customers is €110.8m.

Revenue received during the third billing cycle was €42.3m, an increase from €38m in the second billing cycle and €30.5m in the first billing cycle.

Irish Water plans to spend €522m in starting to address the major deficits in Ireland’s drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and repairing the most critical infrastructure in need of urgent investment in 2016.

Irish Water Customers can find out more on www.water.ie or by calling LoCall 1890 448 448.

Survey reveals the habits of the irish workforce A survey has revealed that nearly half of the Irish workforce regularly ‘dine al desko’ and can’t start work without a coffee or tea, while four in 10 people believe they could do a better job than their boss and over a third of employees admit to having had an office crush and an office romance at some point in their career.

The habits and opinions of Ireland’s workforce have been revealed

The DSPCA is offering a special Tom Cat Tenner event which will see the neutering of male cats for just 10 Euro per animal

Gazette

21 January 2016 Gazette 17

Learningcurve

courses: expanding your educational horizons in another country

Are you dreaming of studying abroad?

 ian begley

If you dream of studying in Australia or New Zealand then you’re in luck as it has become increasingly popular and accessible in recent years due to the exodus of Irish young people to these countries in search of work.

Even though Australia’s environment is vastly different from that of Ireland, its geography and culture present opportunities to study subjects that might be difficult to access in Ireland. This is one of the most interesting aspects of choosing to study abroad and there are a range of unique courses to choose from in the Study in Aus-

tralia section of Studyoptions.com.

New Zealand’s geographicalenvironmentalso provides unique opportunities for Irish students, particularly in the medium of science. Irish students can study physical geography among volcanoes, geothermal areas, geysers, glaciers and fiords; orlearn about the unique challenges to civil engineering in an active tectonic zone.

For more information see the Study in NewZealand section of Studyoptions.com.

For those who are interested in studying abroad, but do not want to stray so far from home, many of the top European universities are actively seeking Irish

students.

Places are available on degrees, in a wide range of subjects including: arts and humanities, engineering, life sciences, social sciences, business, IT and health sciences. Students can study degree programmes in a full range of subjects in English, with lectures, books and projects in English.

In addition to the educational advantages there are cultural and adventurous aspects of studying abroad also and the young people of Europe are fluent in English in many cities.

Entry requirements in Europe are lower than those in Irish universities, as are the entrance fees

Going abroad to study has many advantages such as experiencing new cultures, lower entrance fees and requirements an can look impressive on a CV

in many cases. There are no fees for Irish students studying in Scandanavia, while in Austria, Germa-

ny and Switzerland, fees are below €1,500 per annum in state funded institutions. Fees are also

reasonably low in Italy and the Netherlands, and some countries also offer Tuition Fee Loans

or grants to contribute to living expenses. Irish students who qualified for Maintenance Grants can take them with them, to public programmes on the continent.

Along with all of the other advantages, the standard of education is also very high. Programmes are offered by some of Europe’s leading research universities, as well as some top universities of applied sciences and career-oriented university colleges. Additionally, a qualification from a European institution looks very impressive on a CV. For more information on studying abroad visit: www.eunicas.ie/

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18 Gazette 21 January 2016

Learningcurve

IT Tallaght hold Open Day What differentiates an institute of technology from a university? Traditionally there have been three main factors; the additional entry options for students in the form of the Level 6 and Level 7 courses which can be used as a ladder to progress on to the Level 8 Honours Degree, the increased focus on exposing students to more practical skills through industry-style projects and assignments and, finally, the supportive learning environment which is achieved through smaller class sizes which facilitates more individual support.

IT Tallaght’s Open Day is taking place on Saturday,January 23from 10am – 1pm.

According to IT Tal-

laght, the 2015 computing graduates had an employment rate of 90% within three months in the ICT sector, with an additional 5% going on to further study. This is an exceptional progression rate of 95% after less than three months, with typical salaries in the region of €35,000.

The college itself has three schools; Business and Humanities, Science and Computing and Engineering with a total of 41 courses across all levels.

In 2015, the Culinary Arts department launched their own Masters Programme, the first of its’ kind globally.

For more information on the courses on offer, as well as the new initiatives in the college, visit www. ittdublin.ie.

money: the importance of budgets and paying bills on time

Learning how to manage finances  ian begley

Many people going to college this year will be living alone for the first time and will have no experience of budgeting and paying bills.

Managing your finances is just as important as managing your timetable and study plan.

According to Dublin City University, recent figures show that the total cost for a student living away from home in self-catering shared accommodation for the eight-and-a-half month academic year is almost €7,000. For those who

stay at home the total cost is €3,433. A further nontuition fee, in the region of €400, must be added for non-grant holders attending certain institutions.

According to director of student affairs at DCU Barry Kehoe: “The total cost-of-living figures are approximate. Some students will spend more on travel or food, while others may splurge on books or pay a higher rent.”

While the total spend seems like a lot of money, Kehoe says these are minimum amounts for survival with a small portion allocated to social life.

The following is a list of tips for first time students to survive their first academic year.

Always pay bills on time to avoid late fees. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have several bills to pay at once which cannot be put off any longer. If you have a credit card, make a personal note of every purchase you make as you don’t want to be taken by surprise with a huge bill.

When this dreaded bill does arrive, try to pay it off as quickly as possible, as bad credit follows you everywhere.

Never go food shopping when you are hungry, as you will invariably buy too much, some of which is bound to go to waste.

Don’t make impulse purchases, always make a shopping list and buy in bulk. Just because food is cheaper in discount supermarkets doesn’t necessarily mean its unhealthier so shop there whenever possible. Also, these are great places to save money on things like toiletries and household supplies. Always bring lunch from home and try to avoid eating out often.

Limit the number of times you allow yourself to eat out over the period of a month.

Create a budget, contact your student union to see if it runs second hand book schemes, take full advantage of student discount’s and always enquire if one is on offer.

Look for special offers everywhere and check out second-hand shops for clothes, books and furniture. Investing in a Leap card is a great way to save money. Many students will have to get four buses or more a day, and those few cents saved on each journey add up.

Creating a budget is just one way of managing your finances

21 January 2016 Gazette 19

series: Literature and revolutions

Spring evening lectures at Trinity  ian begley

T h e Tr i n i t y C o l lege School of English is hosting a range of spring evening lectures throughout the next several months, titled Literature and Revolutions.

The series is inspired by the centenary of the Easter Rising. Some of the talks will focus on this historic occasion and its impact on Ireland’s literature and culture while the rest will explore other revolutions along with their literary dimensions.

On Tuesday, January 19, Professor Patten will discuss the representation of the 1916 Easter Rising in fiction, looking at a range of novels from 1917 to the present day, and from Eimar O’Duffy to Roddy Doyle, to assess the role of the novel in depicting the revolutionary generation of Ireland’s early 20th century.

On Tuesday, January 26, Brendan O’Connell will present a lecture entitled The Beastly Rebels of 1381, which will examine works by writers such as Gower, Langland and Chaucer, exploring the various ways each uses animal imagery to convey the motives and

All lectures take place in the Jonathan Swift Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

actions of the rebels, and to articulate a wider political vision.

Professor Dawe will talk about his latest book Of War and War’s Alarms on Tuesday, February 16.

His volume presents a multifaceted study of war and revolution and their impact on the writing lives of Irish poets and novelists from WWI and the Easter Rising through the War of Independence to the Spanish Civil War, WWII and the Northern Troubles.

DrEmaVyroubalova will host a lecture on the literary and cinematic afterlives of the Prague Spring on Tuesday, March 8. She

will look at how the events of one of the revolutions taking place across Europe in the 1960s – the Czechoslovak Prague Spring of 1968 – and its suppression by the Soviet army the following summerwas re-presented, re-worked, and re-imagined by writers, playwrights and film directors.

On Tuesday, March 22, Chris Morash will also discuss an interesting topic on how time effected the 1916 rising. “At 12.20 noon onApril 24, 1916, the first group of volunteers stormed the General Post OfficeinDublin;inLondon, the clocks read 11:54am.

From 1880 until Octoberof

1916, Ireland had its own time zone - a situation that was changed at least partly in response to the Rising.”

This lecture will look at the ways in which Irish literature of the time, particularly theworks ofWBYeats signaled the sudden slipperiness of time itself.

The cost to attend the entire series of lectures is €50, with individual lectures priced at €6 each.

Concessionary rates for the full series will be €35 with individual lectures €5 each.

A full programme and booking form is available on the OscarWilde Centre website at www.tcd.ie/ owc.

Open day at Stillorgan College of Further Education  ian begley

Stillorgan College of Further Education are hosting an Open Evening on Wednesday, January 27, from 5.30 to 7.30pm, with details on what the college has to offer on display during the event.

The college offers courses in areas such as multimedia, animation, travel and tourism, journalism, media production, art, photography, business and computer skills and event management.

Stillorgan College recently developed a new course in multimedia production with games design. The interactive media and games sector has been identified as a priority area fortraining,as there is currently a skills shortage in this growth industry.

Another recent addition to the list of courses is a Level 5 course in animation.This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third level course in animation production.With a dual focus on drawing and computer skills, the

course will cover all the fundamental areas required fora successful portfolio submission. Students will learn to visually develop and communicate their ideas through life drawing, storyboarding, character design, background design and planning.

Stillorgan College is also hosting a second Open Day on Wednesday, March 9, from 10.30am – 3.30pm.

More details about the college and the courses on offer are available from the college website at www.stillorgancollege.ie.

Gazette

Learningcurve

Irish Student Summit 2016 to take place in February  ian begley

The Irish Student Summit 2016 will take place on February 4 in Dublin Castle and will have over 600 students, 40-plus start-ups, 22 workshops and powerhouse business speakers from Silicon Valley and Ireland, with speakers from Twitter, Paddy Power, Silicon Republic, Ireland AM and Humans of Dublin.

One student start-up will also walk away with a €1,500 investment in their business idea.

A panel of judges will narrow down applications to the 10 best applicants from the online submissions and the public will be able to vote for their favourite two on Twitter and Facebook.

The final two applicants will go head-to-head in front of an audience and a panel of judges, who will

vote for the winner.

Students interested in applying for this investment are asked to upload a two minute video to YouTube with their business pitch and send the linkto Fiona. omalley@usi.ie.

Applicants must put ‘Student Summit 16’ in the video title before their name and ‘application’ at the end.

The judges are looking for new product ideas, new business ideas or new service ideas – either at infancy or development stage.

The rules of the competition state that all applicants must be second or third level students, must be the owners or founders of the company that the application is for or they must own the intellectual rights to the product idea they have.

To booktickets to the Student Summit, visit www.studentsummit2016.eventbrite.ie/

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20 Gazette 21 January 2016

Learningcurve

Special interest rates for education loans at St Patrick’s Credit Union St Patrick’s Credit Union offers an education loan at a special interest rate of 6.7%APRdesigned primarily for members who have a child going to third level (it can also be used for adult learning, primary and post-primary education costs).

Members can apply for approval for the full amount that will be incurred over the duration of the course (typically from one to fouryears) and then draw down the loan in various stages and amounts as and when required during this period.

This gives the member peace of mind knowing

they have the financial resources to put their child/children through college, and avoids the uncertainty of having to apply for a loan each year.

The credit union has offices at 22 UpperErne St (Pearse) 1a UpperOriel St (StLawrenceO’Toole)and 27/28 Herbert Place St Patricks Credit Union.

See their website www.stpatrickscu.ie for opening times and more details, or contact them on Free call 1800 94 00 77.

Credit union membership is determined by where you live and/or work. See their website to see if you qualify to become a member.

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stem subjects: Developing new approaches to teaching

Learning with Lego at Dublin City University  ian begley

Dublin City University is partnering with Lego Education to create an interactive learning hub that will help DCU student teachers and Irish schools develop innovative and creative approaches to teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects in the classroom.

The creation of the flagship Lego Education Innovation Studio (LEIS), will see the new Institute of Education at DCU’s St Patrick’s Campus, Drumcondra become the first centre of teacher education in Ireland to mainstream these innovative approaches across all its programmes.

The Institute’s students will develop new approaches to teaching that can be replicated in

Dan Gilbert, IT Services , DCU and Nicola Broderick, Science Education, DCU at the DCU announcement of a flagship Lego Education Centre

schools throughout the country, igniting a passion for STEM subjects from early childhood education right through to third level. By adopting Lego’s playful learning tools,

teachers graduating from DCU Institute of Education will be fully skilled in helping schoolchildren develop Hands-on Mindson’ 21st century skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, teamworking and communication.

Professor Brian MacCraith, president of DCU and chair of the STEM Education Working Group said: “High quality STEM education is of pivotal importance to a knowledge-based society and economy such as Ireland. Our ultimate purpose at DCU Institute of Education is to inspire and develop students to think creatively, reason systematically and release the potential to shape their own future and the future of their students in turn.

“This unique collaboration with Lego Education can play a key role in transforming the future of STEM learning in Ireland, helping future generations to develop

a sense of wonder about the subjects that allow us to understand, measure, design and advance our physical world.”

The new studio will have the capacity to develop research projects through linkages with existing DCU research centres such as the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning and to explore cross-faculty research possibilities with the faculty of Engineering and Computing.

Internationally the Lego Education Innovation Studio at DCU will lead a European teacher education network to develop new teaching methods across Europe and exchange ideas and best practice. The network will include existing partners from Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.

Speaking at the announcement of the new initiative at DCU St Patrick’s Campus, Dr Deirdre Butler said: “This

flagship innovation space is a wonderful example of a smart partnership enabling the Institute of Education to be the first to mainstream the Lego Education principles across the full spectrum of teacher education.

“It brings together Lego Education’s range of expressive learning materials with the Institute’s creative, innovative leaders in teaching and learning to design exciting learning environments in which our children can develop the range of skills necessary to thrive in this globally connected digital world.”

Outreach activities of the Lego Education Innovation Studio will include a range of continuing professional development for teachers; opportunities for teachers to bring their classes to use the resources in-studio; open days and evenings for schools and local community groups and hosting the first Lego and Junior Lego Leagues.

21 January 2016 Gazette 21

Gazette

counselling: being on your own can be tough for students

There is always hope and help when dealing with depression

î Ž ian begley

More than 450,000 people experience some form of depression at any one time in Ireland, according to Aware, a charity helping those suffering from depression.

Students and young people in general, make up a large portion of those who go through depression as many people experience the first symptoms of depression during their college years.

Factors such as living away from home for the first time, dwin-

dling career options and declining living standards can leave some students feeling lost and alone.

This can lead to some students feeling like there is no hope and no help for them but this is not the case.

There is help available on most college campus’ in Ireland and students embarking on a college course should be aware that these services are always accessible to them.

For any students who may be struggling, here

is a list of helpful services you can access if you feel you need to talk: UCD Student Counselling Service is a free ser vice and is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. You can call (01) 7163133 or call into the Student Health Centre in the Student Centre for more information.

UCD also have a programme called Please Talk which is a voluntary organisation run by students and staff and its aim is to provide information and sup-

port to students. For more information email ucd@pleasetalk.ie Trinity College provides support, guidance and treatment options for students suffering from mental health issues through their College Health Service and their Counselling Service. To contact the College Health Centre call (01) 8961591.

DCU run a Counselling and Personal Development Service which is a confidential and free service and is available to all students. For more

information, call (01) 7005165 or email counselling@dcu.ie Alternatively, there is a listening support service called Niteline that is a confidential phone service run by and for the students of DCU, NCAD, RCSI, TCD, NUIM and their affiliate colleges. Niteline is open every night during term time from 9pm to 2.30am and you can call about any problem you may be experiencing.

For more information, log onto www.niteline. ie or call 1800793793.

Students and young people in general, make up a large portion of those who go through depression.

Picture: Annifer Photography

Gazette

22 Gazette 21 January 2016

Learningcurve

More options in higher education The recent formation of a Regional Cluster Strategic Partnership, with DCU, Athlone Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Maynooth University, is expected to provide “exciting opportunities for the development of higher education across the Midlands-East and North Dublin Region”.

The creation of this cluster is in line with the HigherEducationAuthority’s Towards a Future report which sets out a vision for the higher education landscape in Ireland.

The four parties to this agreement have distinctive yet complementary visions for higher educa-

tion across the region.

Each organisation will continue to function independently, but will collaborate on activities that are mutually beneficial to help them achieve national educational objectives.

Professor Ciaran O Cathain, president of Athlone Institute ofTechnology said: “Each of our organisations have clearly demonstrated a leadership role in our local environments. Maynooth University and Athlone Institute of Technology already have a shared history of successful collaboration on bi-lateral projects, as have DCU and Dundalk Institute of Technology.

student digs: research is key to finding accommodation

Finding a home away from home  ian begley

Searching for student accommodation in Dublin can be an arduous task with soaring rent prices and high levels of students in need of somewhere to live for the coming year.

The price of accommodation is a massive factor that needs to be considered when looking for accommodation. Rent prices can range from €300 for a shared room and continue up to €700 or more for a more luxurious apartment.

It is, therefore, very important to start searching for accommodation as early as possible before the start of the first semester or the closer it gets to the

beginning of the college year. It is advised to do as much research as you can online, but also to make sure to view the areas and accommodation you are considering renting in.

Ask friends or family living in Dublin about what the area is like and ask them for alternative recommendations.

Thoroughly check out public transport connections between the college and the accommodation Some areas can look close to the college on the map but may be difficult to reach by bus or Luas.

Also, make full use of any accommodation support offered by the college or student union, as they will be able to offer practical help and advice.

It is also very important to know your rights. In most cases, rent is usually payable monthly and in advance. At the beginning of a letting period, tenants are required to pay a deposit of one month’s rent which will be refunded when the lease is up or if the tenant decides to leave once the lease is up. If, however, a tenant causes any damage to the property, the landlord has the right to hold onto the deposit to fix the damage.

Make sure that the landlord gives you a rent book so that tax relief on any rent paid can be reclaimed. Ask the landlord if they are registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).

By law, landlords must be registered with the PRTB and if they have not registered there may be problems down the road.

Don’t forget there are other ways to rent in Dublin which include on-campus accommodation, longterm student hostels and accommodation with a family. Visit www.rent.ie/ student-accommodation/ for more information on what lettings are available.

Soaring rents can leave students bewilderd but starting your search early can help

21 January 2016 Gazette 23

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24 Gazette 21 January 2016

Learningcurve

investment: budget increase will support important initiatives

‘We are at a critical time for education in Ireland’ We are at a critical time for education in Ireland.

The economy is recovering, employment is increasing and tax receipts are ahead of targets. While we cannot afford to take this newfound recovery and stability for granted, those of us with a passionate interest in educationcanlookforward to increased investment over the coming years.

Budget 2016 saw important investment in education. The current education budget increased by €144m.

This additional expenditure allowed for important initiatives including a reduction of one point to average primary school class sizes, increasedguidancecounselling in second-level schools, the provision of 600 additional resource teachers, improvements to school leadership, ring-fenced funding forapprenticeships and some additional support for disadvantaged students at third level.

The education sectorwill also benefit from €3.8bn in capital spending up to 2021.

Budget 2016 was a good start in responding to the needs of the education system, but we will need to go much furtheroverthe coming years.

There is,of course,a need for investment in charting a renewed vision for education in Ireland,but money is not the only lever required.

We also need a commitment to reform. Overrecent years, despite the paucity of available funding, we have led a hugely significant programme of reform through all sectors of education, and

the commitment of each of the education partners to delivering that reform has been commendable.

This reformwill lead to long term change in the education system.

We have created greater choice in school patronage, literacy and numeracy scores have improved for the first time in a generation, school self-evaluation has been introduced and significant changes made to school inspection.

The era of unqualified teachers working in our classrooms is over, and underperformance amongst teachers will be tackled with new fitness to practice hearings.

We have reduced by 50% the amount spent on the inefficient renting of prefabs. We have published and funded a new digital strategy forschools thatwill transform our approaches to teaching, learning and assessment.

Measures This Government has taken several measures to expand and improve the provision of high quality early years education, including the establishment of a new educationfocused inspections of early years and the publication of the Aistear Siolta Practice Guide.

Initial teacher education has been dramatically overhauled and improved, with the number of teacher training colleges already reduced from 19 to 12. We have created 16 local education and training boards to replace 33 VECs, and cre-

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‘In the coming months, we will be facing the conclusion of this Government’s mandate, and our collective thoughts must turn to the choices we will face in electing the next government’

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ated SOLAS to replace the discredited FAS. Four consortia are now working towards achieving Technological University status. QQI has been created to replace four different accreditation and quality assurance bodies. Regional skills fora are being established, to deepen the links between ETBs, Higher Education

institutes and local industry. Regional clusters have been put in place to improve cooperation between HEIs, while we have started to systematically analyse the performance of each University and Institute of Technology.

These are not individual, disconnected reforms, but all form part of a

system-wide programme of change that is designed to meaningfully improve educational outcomes at all levels. Through these reforms, we have four simple objectives: to improve quality and accountability; to support inclusion and diversity; to encourage learning for life; and to build the right systems and infrastructure.

In the coming months, we will be facing the conclusionofthisGovernment’s mandate, and our collective thoughts must turn to the choices we will face in electing the next government. Within education, we will face furtherchoices.

We have worked to deliver ambitious but achievable reform of the education sector. Some will argue for deeper, faster reform that takes less account of the views of stakeholders. And others still will argue for the retention of much of the status quo.

There will be no reenergising of the Irish state, and of our social contract,

without a commitment to education and to an ongoing renewal of education.

The choices we make in the coming months will make one thing clear to all: the degree to which different parties genuinely believe that the needs of those we serve in education, from the youngest pre-school child to the retired lady who decides to return to education, should dominate our thinking. I know they dominate mine.

Jan O’Sullivan (Lab) Minister for Education and Skills

Gazette

21 January 2016 Gazette 25

dublinlife

HEALTH

FlyeFit has opened their fifth franchise on George’s Street Dublin gym chain FlyeFit has opened its fifth franchise on George’s Street. The new inner city location offers the compact FlyeFit model that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Affordable and straightforward, this is a no-frills facility that gets the job done and the affordable price of €29 a month or €32 a month for roaming membership which includes access to its other locations; Ranelagh, Baggot Street, Macken Street and Swords.

The new George’s Street site fea-

tures a huge high performance area with 10 squat racks, as well as a free weight area. There’s a studio in the loft fitted with TRX equipment, a cardio zone equipped with numerous treadmills, cross trainers and rowing machines, a spin studio for spin classes and an astro floored studio for classes.

Classes are included in membership and are suitable for all levels of fitness. Personal training is also available with the FlyeFit trainers separate to membership.

The bones of the body become more porous and brittle from osteoporosis

Keeping your bones strong and healthy  Susan Boland Nutritional Therapist DipIHS NTOI

Fitness Coach IETA

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease of the skeletal system that is characterised by deterioration of bone tissue, along with a decrease in bone mass making them fragile and more likely to break and affects millions of people in Ireland.

People receive hospital treatment for fragility fractures every year as a result of osteoporosis with wrist, hip and fractures of the vertebrae the most common type of breaks.

However, they can also occur in other bones, such as in the arm, ribs or pelvis.

Warnings There are usually no warnings an individual has developed osteoporosis and it’s often only diagnosed when

a bone is fractured after even minor falls.

Osteoporosis results from an imbalance between the ingestion and absorption of calcium into the body and its excretion.

Loss of bone-building materials can occur as the body ages, and is particularly prevalent among post-menopausal women, the early stage is osteopenia.

The architecture of bone requires many nutrients to maintain and restore its integrity but there are at least 20 essential vitamins and minerals that have to be obtained from food.

Causes include: family history/sedentary lifestyle/decrease in oestrogen.

Digestion: Poor uptake of minerals from the diet due to low acid levels in the stomach or other causes of malabsorption of food Stress: may cause low

acid levels in the stomach, high cortisol, tissue acidity and inflammation also inflammatory conditions may lead

Medication: which affects hormonal balance or bone strength such as cor ticosteroids/steroids, thyroid

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‘There are usually no warnings an individual has developed osteoporosis and it’s often only diagnosed when a bone is fractured after even minor falls’ --------------------------------------------------------

to cartilage and bone destruction Diet: An acidic diet/ high cortisol may cause calcium to be leached from the bones to restore the acid/alkaline balance.

Drinks: Caffeine, sugar and carbonated (fizzy) drinks affect calcium absorption or increase calcium excretion.

Social: Heavy drinking or smoking/Lack of weight bearing exercise/ Lack of sunshine

hormones, aluminum containing antacids and diuretics Drug therapies for osteoporosis include bisphosphonates, these drugs are associated with a growing list of concerns, including research that suggests a link between the use of bisphosphonates and oesophageal cancer.

More inf orma tion can be obtained from my website susiebwellness.ie/.

Take the pledge and make an eye test part of your routine Research shows that sight is the sense people fear losing the most and yet most don’t consider an eye test to be a core part of their health routine.

Some 21% of the population have never had a sight test at all, rising to 36% of those under the age of 35.

Now, as part of Healthy Eyes Awareness Week, January 18 to 24, eye health experts are urging people to take action and commit to having regular eye exams as part of a healthy lifestyle.

David Hewlett, chief executive of FODO Ireland, who represents opticians in Ireland said: “An eye exam is a vital health check which can detect a range of health conditions for which you experience no symptoms and where early detection can pre-

vent sight loss.

“These conditions can only be prevented if they are detected early and the key to that are regular eye exams.”

Peter Coleman, chief executive of the Assoc of Opticians in Ireland (AOI) said: “We want to remind people during the Healthy Eyes campaign that even if you think your eyesight is good, you only know for sure if you get your eyes tested regularly.”

Healthy Eyes Awareness Week is a chance for people to pledge their commitment to have an eye exam and encourages a positive attitude to all aspects of eye health. As part of the campaign people are encouraged to take pictures of themselves holding the Eye Pledge leaflet and share on social media #eyepledge.

26 dun laoghaire gazette 21 January 2016

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Planning Permission is sought for the construction of a new first floor extension with a flat roof finish to the rear of the existing house, Alterations to the existing vehicle entrance, Plus all associated site works. All at 51 Rockville Crescent, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Signed, Mr. & Mrs. Ronan & Fiona Munro.

This planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (â‚Ź20) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of this application.

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planning Notice DĂšN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

We, David & Kara Richardson wish to apply for Full Planning Permission for development at this site No. 13 Woodlands Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. The development will consist of: Demolition of existing adjoining domestic garage, The addition of a single storey side lean too extension, the addition of a single storey porch to front, a single storey extension to the rear. Demolition & re-organisation of first floor and on ground floor to facilitate the new layout, addition of roof lights on the proposed new roof and existing main roof Changing of fenestration on all elevations to allow for new layout, widening of the existing entrance gate to allow for pedestrian and vehicle entrance with new footpath dishing, and all ancillary site works.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased for a fee not exceeding a reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, DĂşn Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, during its public opening. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made on payment of â‚Ź20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the planning Authority.

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21 January 2016 dun laoghaire gazette 27

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Permission sought for two storey granny flat extension to side, extending to rear at ground floor, and connection to all services at 106 Achill Road, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin for Gary Traynor and Stacey McMahon. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, Marine Road, Dun laoghaire, Co. Dublin during its public opening hours of Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of 20.00 within 5 weeks of receipt of the application by the Planning Authority.

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Gazette

28 gazette 21 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport

basketball: woods, painter and Mcdermott on flying form

Balbirnie’s extra training ahead of PNG contest FORMER Pembroke cricketer Andrew Balbirnie recently completed a three-day batting camp ahead of Ireland’s ICC Inter-Continental Cup fixture with Papua New Guinea.

Returning to Dublin for a couple of days before flying out to Australia for that match, Balbirnie took part in the camp, which was run by assistant coach Pete Johnston with the support of team manager Chris Siddell, along with six teammates.

Balbirnie spoke about the importance of the camp, especially given the time of year.

“It went very well, most of us haven’t hit balls since before Christmas so to get the chance to all come together before we go on tour to hit balls, either red or white balls, is key.”

The batters flew out to Brisbane to join up with the rest of the squad on Sunday, with a warm up match in Brisbane on the horizon before travelling to Townsville for the Inter Continental Cup match with Papua New Guinea on January 31.

DCU Mercy’s Sarah Woods combined for 75 points with Chelisa Painter and Aoife McDermott

DCU close in on league title  sport@dublingazette.com

DCU Mercy took a step closer to a regular season title with a 12-point win at defending champions Team Montenotte Hotel in the women’s basketball National League last weekend.

Chelisa Painter, Aoife McDermott and Sarah Woods combined for 75 points in the 82-70 win.

“They’re a very motivated

team right now now and moving the ball a bit better which always makes it easier,” said coach Mark Ingle.

“Our sights are set on trying to win the regular season but it is all about one game at a time. We’ve found a new way to win.

We’re not as fluent on offence but we’ve picked up our defence,” he continued. Mercy recovered from a 19-6 first quarter

deficit to lead by eight points at half time.

Meteors kept control of a playoff spot with a gritty 58-40 win at Courtyard Liffey Celtics.

In a game which failed to ignite after a low scoring opening quarter, Meagan McGuinness and Beth Meany helped push out Meteors’ lead down the stretch.

Pyrobel Killester toughed out a 64-59 win over UL Huskies in Limerick. 31 points from Sarah Benedetti put Huskies on course but with Rae Contreras on form for Killester, the Dublin side overturned the 36-33 half-time score.

Twenty points from Cathy Kavanagh helped understrength Maxol WIT Wildcats to a 71-56 at home to Portlaoise Panthers, but it wasn’t enough to break the Waterford side into the playoff spots. Claire Melia top scored for Panthers.

On the men’s side, GCD Swords Thunder inflicted Templeogue’s first defeat of the season

in what served as a Hula Hoops Men’s National Cup final dress-rehearsal.

Thunder upped their inside game in the second quarter with a 16-6 run and pushed Jason Killeen into foul trouble.

Templeogue’s efforts to regain parity were further hampered by the loss of Conor Grace to a hand injury while Thunder continued to apply tough defence.

Thunder Coach Dave Baker said: “When a team is unbeaten, everyone steps up to try and knock them down. Neither side played well tonight but they only beat us by a point last time out so we felt we owed them a little.

We’re just concentrating on making top four at this stage.”

SSE Airtricity Moycullen are up to eighth place in the table after a 76-68 win at home to Rathfarnham’s Eanna BC. American Raheem Lemons made his debut for the Galway side but it was Ronan O’Sullivan who topped out with 20 points. Eanna had the

better start and were also closing in on Moycullen in the fourth quarter before the final buzzer sounded.

The visitors had Conor Gallagher, Connor Poston and Sean Gordon in double-digits.

In the last game of the weekend, C&S UCC Demons beat UCD Marian 80-68 at the Mardyke Arena.

With just a basket between the sides at halftime, Lehmon Colbert’s 28 points helped Demons pull clear. The win moves Demons level on points with Templeogue, albeit with an additional game played.

Pyrobel Killester shook off their cup defeat in impressive style with an 84-61 win over DCU Saints.

N i n e t e e n - y e a r- o l d Eoghain Kiernan was top scorer with 19 points for Brian O’Malley’s side as they built on a 48-35 lead at half time.

Martins Provizors and Duane Johnson combined for 38 points on their second appearance together for DCU Saints.

21 January 2016 gazette 29

Gazette

annual awards: rcsi set to host celebration of a stellar year

Shorlist hails Dub sailors  sport@dublingazette.com

A STRONG Dublin contingent are in the running for the annual Irish Sailing Awards which will take place at the historic Royal College of Surgeons on

Thursday, February 4.

The annual awards celebrate Irish achievement and success on the water, both domestically and internationally in 2015 with Rathfarnham’s Olympian Annalise Murphy among the

star attractions.

Four awards will be presented on the day – The Afloat Sailor of the Year award; the Mitsubishi Motors Club of the Year award; the ISA Youth Sailor of the Year award; and the ISA

Nominees and winners from last year’s annual Irish Sailing Awards

FastSport Peas and Shels in a pod with WNL stalemate:

Howth duo Colin O’Sullivan and Douglas Elmes have been nominated for youth sailor of the year

Training Centre of the Year award.

The highlight of the day is the presentation of the Afloat Sailor of the Year.

Nominees Nominees this year include John Twomey, who qualified for his 11th Paralympics in December - an Irish record; Frenchman Sidney Gavignet, who beat the round Ireland sailing speed record on his MOD 70 MusandamOman trimaran in May; and Justin Slattery, a key crew member on board the winning boat, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the Volvo Ocean race, viewed by many as the pinnacle of international ocean sailing.

The nominees for the Youth Sailor of the Year award were selected on the basis of medal results from world or European championships, including those with top 10 results from the year gone by.

This award is dominated by Howth YC with Aoife Hopkins, Colin O’Sullivan, Ewan McMahon and Douglas Elmes with Lough Derg’s Aisling Keller and Waterford’s Geoff Power also on the list.

The nominees for the ISA Training Centre of the Year award were selected on a regional basis and will receive a regional award on the day.

T h e ove r a l l w i n ner will be announced

from the following list of nominees: The Royal Irish Yacht Club (Dublin – Eastern Region); F o y n e s Ya c h t C l u b (Limerick - Southern Region); and Mullingar Sailing Club (Westmeath – Western Region).

The Mitsubishi Motors Club of the Year award is given to a club with sailing success at local, national and international level; and takes into account satisfaction of club members; the club’s impact in sailing development and training; the relationship with the local community, and relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level.

PEAMOUNT United and Shelbourne Ladies LFC played out a highly entertaining 2-2 draw in the Dublin derby at Greenogue.

Noelle Murray opened the scoring for Shels - rifling into the top right corner of the Peamount net on 32 minutes.

The hosts were level three minutes after the restart. Amber Barrett’s shot rattled the Shelbourne crossbar and the rebound fell for Sarah McEvitt to drive into the bottom corner of Niamh Reid-Burke’s goal.

The game sprung to life and Shelbourne retained their lead on 51 minutes as Siobhan Killeen unlocked the Peas defence for Sarah Rowe to find the net.

High drama was left until the final minute as Barrett’s shot again rattled the woodwork and Roma McLaughlin saved a point for Peas with the equaliser meaning both sides are unbeaten in this year’s League Cup.

Brilliant Barton strike lands Premier title for Alex  sport@dublingazette.com

The Alexandra College side that won the Senior Premier League last week. Picture: Adrian Boehm

ALEISHA Barton’s extra time goal saw Alexandra College win back the Leinster schoolgirls Senior Premier League title on Tuesday afternoon at Grange Road, edging out Loreto Foxrock 1-0 in a tense final.

She swept home following a superb attack via Katherine Egan and Jan Cleary on the baseline. Cleary waited superbly before picking out Barton arriving late to finish off the move with four minutes

to go in silver goal extra time.

It was the only breakthrough as both goalkeepers, Caroline Nugent for Alex, Jane ConwayKenny for Foxrock, produced fine performances between the posts.

Earlier on, Foxrock had slightly the better of the first half exchanges with Christina Hamill – the Leinster Under16 captain – forging the clearest of chances when she cut through one-on-one.

Nugent, though, did superbly to spot the danger and slide out and make the save low

down. She subsequently was lobbed by another effort but somehow got her glove up high enough to clear the danger over the endline.

Alex were somewhat subdued in the opening period, a far cry from their semi-final when their business was all but done and dusted in a 7-0 win over Loreto Beaufort.

Foxrock had gritted their way through a 2-1 battle with Mount Anville and relished the contest with Ellen Curran in midfield and Hannah McLoughlin at the back dig-

ging in.

Alex, though, came out strong in the second half and dominated the play, pinning Foxrock in the 23m area for long periods.

McLoughlin managed to block a number of attacks down the middle before the Milltown school started moving the ball more dramatically to the left to Ava Beatty and Sophie Roopnarinesingh.

They won corners but could not convert until Barton’s precious moment in silver goal extra time.

Gazette

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 21 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: sallynoggin club build pathway to league of ireland

St Brigid’s receive top class Leinster training THE members of St Brigid’s RFC in Foxrock and their parents enjoyed a day to remember this week when four Leinster Rugby players visited the club to coach its Under-11 and Under-12 teams.

The club’s training ground in Cornelscourt was a buzz of excitement as some 40 players lined out for a one-hour coaching session with Leinster Rugby players Isaac Boss, Jack McGrath, Mick Kearney and Zane Kirchner.

The four players took charge of the coaching session after the club won the top prize in a competition organised by the Windsor Motor Group to celebrate its role as official vehicle supplier to Leinster Rugby.

The club also received €500 worth of training equipment which will be put to use to help its players to improve their skills and to hopefully follow in the footsteps of those playing for the Leinster Rugby team.

Scores of clubs throughout Leinster entered the competition with St. Brigid’s RFC emerging as winners after best explaining how the coaching session and equipment could make a difference to the club.

Almost 200 boys and girls play rugby with the club in age groups ranging from Under-6 to Under-12. The club celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It has a close relationship with the local St Brigid’s NS, which counts Leinster Rugby’s Ian Madigan as a past pupil.

“St. Brigid’s RFC is a shining example of all that is great about grassroots rugby in Leinster. Its dedicated coaches provide a safe and fun filled environment in which to learn the skills of the game and they were worthy winners of the coaching session,” said Neil O’Sullivan, sales director at the Windsor Motor Group.

The four Leinster Rugby players who put the club’s teams through their paces also provided expert advice on all aspects of the game including ball handling, ball kicking and tackling. The two teams also enjoyed an extensive Q&A with the players after training, where they made the most of the opportunity to secure autographs and photos.

St Joseph’s Boys are looking to build a formal pathway through the club into the national league with Bray Wanderers

Joey’s partner with Bray sport@dublingazette.com

THE conveyor belt of blossoming young football talent at St Joseph’s Boys shows no sign of slowing down after the Sallynoggin club announced a new strategic partnership with Bray Wanderers this week.

The partnership, which comes into effect from February 1 and will run for an initial period of five seasons, will see player development at the core. Joey’s will assume full responsibility for the development of players from Under-17 and below whilst Bray will continue to concen-

trate on the development of players from Under-19 and upwards.

“Both clubs are entering an exciting new era and we believe that not only will the formation of this new and improved club partnership greatly benefit both clubs going forward for many years to come but, more importantly, it affords our best young players a complete player pathway into League of Ireland football and we look forward to working closely with Mick Cooke and his staff and Denis O’Connor and his board,” said St Joseph’s Boys chairman Tommy Tallant following

meteors soaring McGuinness points way against Liffey Celtics meteors ran up a 58-40 victory over the

Courtyard Liffey Celtics in their latest women’s National League tie, pulling away in the second half after the Leixlip side were in contention at 24-20.

Meagan McGuinness landed 14 points while Beth Meany, with 13, and Emily Leer (pictured), with nine points, also made key contributions.

The result has Meteors in the top three of the division after 12 rounds of matches.

the announcement of the link-up.

In a similarly positive statement, O’Connor, chairman of Bray Wanders said: “We are delighted to announce this exciting new partnership with St Joseph’s Boys.

“Joe’s has a long and proud tradition of developing some of Ireland’s best young footballers.

“Hopefully we will see many of those players progress to the first team in years to come and play a major part in what we believe will be a very success period in our club’s history.”

In truth, the partner-

ship has already existed on an unofficial basis for many years with almost 70 players from Joey’s moving on to play professionally at the Carlisle Grounds in their later years.

I n w h a t ’s b e e n undoubtedly one of the most successful and beneficial partnerships between Irish clubs, the likes of Eamon Zayed, Jay O’Shea, Dave Webster, Jake Kelly and Kieran Marty Waters have all made to move from Joey’s to Bray.

In these early stages of the official partnership, both clubs will work closely together to

formulate a player development philosophy that will see the very best young player’s progress through the programme with the ultimate objective of playing first team football with Bray.

A partnership development group has already been established to ensure that player development will take place in a fully integrated manner.

Wanderers will be in the early stages of their preseason training and under the guidance of Cooke will look to push on from eighth placed finish last season in the Premier Division.

21 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 31

Gazette

Cuala quartet on the mark for hurlers  sport@dublingazette.com

FOUR Cuala players scored from play for the Dublin senior hurlers last Sunday as they continued their encouraging early season form.

David and Sean Treacy, Darragh O’Connell and substitute Mark Schutte all cleared the bar as they beat Laois

Laois 2-20 to 1-9 in their Bord na Mona Walsh Cup round three encounter at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, helping them progress as group winners. They will face Galway in next Sunday’s semi-final at Parnell Park (2pm).

A seventh minute goal from Fiontan MacGibb put Dublin in front

before the hosts gained parity in the 18th minute when Tadhg Dowling rattled the net.

With 10 minutes to go in the opening half, Ryan struck a penalty to the net and, by the break, the Dubs were 2-12 to 1-7 in front and looking good. Dublin continued to hold the upperhand and could have won by

more but for some fine goalkeeping by Eoin Reilly with the impressive Eamonn Dillon denied on a couple of occasions.

This win adds to earlier wins for Ger Cunningham’s side against UCD and Antrim a week earlier, all with plenty to spare and plenty of scores on the board.

football: gavin’s side struggle in semi-final

Club Noticeboard Cuala CONGRATULATIONS to Oisin Gough,

The 2016 Cuala annual awards and

David Treacy, Sean Treacy, Darragh

social night on Saturday, January 23 is

O’Connell and Mark Schutte, who

now sold out. It should be a great night

were all part of the Dublin senior hurl-

out if previous years are any guide.

ing team that defeated Laois by 2-20

Congratulations to the 20 Cuala

to 1-9 in the Walsh cup on Sunday. They

members who completed the LGFA

face Galway next in the semi-final.

Grab your Whistle (GYW) refereeing

Hard luck to Con O’Callaghan and

course in Cuala last Saturday. Mem-

Conor Mullally who were part of the

bers are reminded that their annual

Dublin senior football team that lost

subscriptions fell due on January 1.

out to Longford in the O’Byrne Cup

Payments can be made through the

semi-final on Sunday.

Cuala website.

There is no increase for those who

Well done to Cuala’s Jennifer Dunne, Hannah O’Dea and Billy Kate Huggard,

pay before February 28.

This week’s Cuala lotto jackpot will

all named on the 2016 DLGFA minor panel last week.

be a massive €4,200.

foxrock cabinteely THE AGM of Foxrock Cabinteely GAA

ior team who won the Dublin Senior

club saw a large number of members

Championship, Dublin senior league

present hear very detailed reports

Division 1, Dublin senior cup Division

from all members of the executive.

1 and – for the first time in the club’s

Club secretary Linda Carroll provided a very detailed report which covered all aspects of the club’s activ-

They lost out narrowly in the All-

ities over the past year which ranged

Ireland semi-final to the eventual

from games and football development

winners Donaghmoyne.

right through to our involvement with local partner schools.

Paul Schutte, Sinead Goldrick, Johnny Cooper and Ali Twomey launching Dublin’s 2016 season. Picture: Ramsey Cardy

Longford bring Dubs trophy run to an end

o’byrne cup semi Longford 1-12 Dublin 0-9  sport@dublingazette.com

CON O’CALLAGHAN was unable to build further on what’s been a strong campaign for a heavy county role in this season’s O’Byrne Cup. The Cuala man lined out alongside club mate Conor Mullally in their surprise defeat last Sunday against Longford.

Dublin were well below their emphatic best in Pearse Park as the home side outfought the All Ireland champions, claiming a place in the final with a

1-12 to 0-9 win.

Longford’s victor y came as still more of a surprise given the relatively familiar look of the boys in blue, with Jim Gavin giving several of last season’s regulars their first run out of the 2016 pre-season.

On the day, Longford always looked slightly on top, a few days after their boss Denis Connerton described the current Dublin crop as “some of the best players of all time”.

The third-division side led 0-7 to 0-4 after a turgid first half, with the capital side out-scrapped

in front of a noisy home crowd, with Dean Rock and Johnny Cooper falling short of their usual standards, and Con O’Callaghan failing to build on an impressive showing last time out.

On his return to the side, Stephen Cluxton’s distribution was shy of his normal high standards.

There were promising moments in the second half, however, as a more fluid Dublin asserted themselves to close within a point, with Rock finding his rhythm and scoring three points in quick succession to make it a single point game with a

few minutes left.

Longford were not to be denied, however, with Liam Connerton’s only score of the game – a well-taken goal – rallying the home side.

Longford outscored the Dubs in the closing minutes to pull away, and earn a shot at a first O’Byrne Cup title since 2000. Last time Dublin faced Longford, their margin of victory was a breathtaking 27 points.

This time, Dublin are left to nurse their wounds and look ahead to the league season opener, at home to Kerry at Croke Park a week on Saturday.

history – the Leinster senior championship.

Gordon also called out that our juniors won the Division 5 league, our

David Kiely presented a detailed

minors won the Division 5 league and

breakdown of the clubs finances and

our U13’s won the division 2 cup so it

while it was a “cost neutral” year for

was a very successful year for the

the club, all present were in agree-

club.

ment that – apart from providing

Gordon also acknowledged the

football to all who want to play - fun-

pla yers who represented their

draising is of the utmost importance

county from U-12 right up to senior,

in 2016.

and last, but not least, the remark-

Registrar Niall O’Kelly reported a large increase in the number of

able fact that Sinead Goldrick won a fourth consecutive All-Star award.

registered players over the past 12

Paul Ryan, from the Policies and

months and great credit is due to all

Procedures sub-committee, out-

mentors – particularly in the younger

lined the comprehensive work that

age groups – for playing a major part

his sub-committee carried out at the

in this growth.

start of the year; the result of which

Head of football, Gordon Bell, gave

is the new club hand-book which all

a comprehensive report on all club

members sign up to when applying

teams. Pride of place went to the sen-

for membership of the club.

shankill THE juvenile academy, sponsored by

Men’s adult football team train-

O’Donnell’s Pharmacy, Shankill, and

ing has resumed. New players are

all our teams will return to action

always welcome; contact Kevin on 086

this Saturday, January 23. Contact

8449902.

your team manager for details as we

The club AGM will be held on Mon-

are using several venues in order to

day, February 1 at 8pm in St Anne’s

accommodate all of our various age

Resource Centre, Shankill.

groups.

For more information, contact sec-

If you would like your child to join

retary.shankill.dublin@gaa.ie or call

the academy or any of our teams,

086 3215087. Follow us on Facebook and

just contact us at secretary.shankill.

Twitter. Join Shankill GAA Club.

dublin@gaa.ie; there are no trials, no

Your community, your family friend-

selection processes and no annual

ly GAA Club where you’re not just a

subscription. The cost is only €2 for

number and everybody knows your

each child.

name.

GazetteSPORT all of your dun laoghaire sports coverage from page 28-31

new connections: St Joseph’s Boys sign key deal with Bray Wanderers to formalise player pathway P30

january 21-27, 2016

shooting the lights out: Dublin clubs make big moves in basketball leagues P28

Paul Schutte at the AIG launch of the new Dublin GAA season. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Schutte’s mixed feelings Cuala hurling star admits to bittersweet emotions as shoulder injury denies him a place in his club’s historic Dublin county final success  nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

CUALA’S triumph in the Dublin senior hurling championship last year and journey to a first Leinster final since 1989 was a joyous occasion for almost all involved with the Dalkey club until the final defeat to Oulart-The Ballagh.

It may have tasted slightly bitter-sweet for Paul Schutte, however, as the 26-year-old was forced to undergo shoulder surgery in October which ruled him out of the county final and the provincial ties that followed.

Schutte is nearing a return to action and very much looking forward to it but reflected on the timing of his injury which was hard to take.

“It was very tough seeing as we would have been seen as under-achievers in a sense. We have so many county lads on the team and it’s hard to justify being on that county team if you’re not winning championships,” said the Cuala man.

“I played up until the final but it’s not the same when you’re not on the pitch.

“It gives me motivation for this year anyway to push on because my dad, the O’Callaghan’s dad and the Treacy’s dad were all on the teams that won championships. They weren’t shy of rubbing it in our faces that they’ve got three and we’re the under-achievers. It was nice to finally get that monkey off the back and hopefully we can drive on now,” he added.

The shoulder has proven to be a sore-spot

for the Schutte family, which Paul spoke about while discussing his recovery earlier this week.

“It was a dislocation,” he said. “This was my second surgery on the same shoulder so me and my brother’s shoulders have been letting us down.

Mark’s done his twice now.

“It has been tough but I’ll still get half the league and the championship so there is plenty of work ahead of me. I lost a stone while out and, by the looks of me, I can’t afford to lose that stone so I’ve a lot of work to do in the next few months.”

While speaking at the AIG launch of the Dublin GAA season, Schutte was asked how he thinks Dublin have coped without him so far in 2016. Ger Cunningham’s side set-up will contest

a Walsh Cup semi-final vs Galway this Sunday after a convincing 2-20 to 1-9 win over Laois last weekend.

The Dub star praised the energy younger players such as Setanta’s Fiontan MacGibb have given the side and also welcomed back club-mate Oisin Gough who has returned to the Dublin set-up.

“Oisin’s a brilliant player with a great attitude and someone that’s really honest on the pitch.

“He had a brilliant championship with Cuala as well. It’s just such a huge commitment as everyone knows, he just couldn’t commit in the past so now he’s back and he’ll be a huge addition to Dublin.”