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exclusive: 60 years on – Ronnie Delany recalls

his Olympic medal exploits in Melbourne Pages 24-25

Motoring: Kia Sportage’s fourth generation impresses around the city with ease Page 23

Gallery: Smock Alley fashionistas examine students’ work Page 10

sport Soccer:

Clonkeen pair answer Irish schools’ call Page 30

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April 14-20, 2016

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The future is local - the future is free

a shared call to help carry a card to save lives

BOOTERSTOWN lad Jack Waters, who received a kidney transplant three years ago thanks to his donor mother, Ciara, featured on RTE’s children’s news show, News2Day recently. The Waters were on the show to help highlight the Irish Kidney Association’s Organ Donor Awareness Week, which occurred earlier this month. Also on the news with them was Jack’s brother, Matthew, as well as James Reynolds, a kidney transplant recipient from Tallaght, and a social media coordinator for the Irish Kidney Association, with all encouraging people to become organ donors. Pictured are Matthew and Ciara Waters, James Reynolds, Jack Waters and Gill Steadman, presenter, News2Day.

Deputies bicker over forming a government PBP, FG at odds over ‘political jockeying’ and ‘posturing’ in inter-party talks

 emma nolan A WAR of words has erupted between two opposing Dun Laoghaire TDs about the “painful” inter-party discussions currently taking place ahead of forming a new government.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP) said that the “real issues are spiralling out of control” while “Fianna Fail and Fine Gael play political games”.

He said: “Witnessing the political jockeying and posturing from the estab-

lishment parties in forming a government has been a truly painful experience.”

However, fellow Dun Laoghaire TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG) responded to Deputy Boyd Barrett’s claims, saying: “Some parties – includ-

ing AAA, PBP – totally opted out of trying to form the stable government we need.

“They have put self-interest above the national interest, which is extremely disappointing.”

Full Story on Page 2

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 April 2016

politics | dlr deputies (PBP, fg) trade criticisms

Parties bicker over forming government  emma nolan

Deputies Richard Boyd-Barrett (PBP) and Mary MItchell O’Connor (FG) have taken very different views of the formation of the next government

A WAR of words has erupted between two opposing Dun Laoghaire TDs about the “painful” inter-party discussions currently taking place ahead of forming a new government.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP) said that the “real issues are spiralling out of control” while “Fianna Fail and Fine Gael play political games”.

He said: “Witnessing the political jockeying and posturing from the establishment parties in forming a government has been a truly painful experience. The health and housing crises are getting worse by the day. A functioning Dail is needed to deal with this.”

Fellow Dun Laoghaire TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG) responded to Deputy Boyd Barrett’s claims, saying: “Some parties – including AAA, PBP – totally opted out of trying to form the stable government we need. They have put self-interest above the national interest, which is extremely disappointing.”

“We [FG] are committed to forming a stable government in the best interest of the country. This is an objective shared by many of the Independents we have spoken to.

“We will continue to work with those who are willing to put together a stable partnership gov-

ernment,” she said.

“Fianna Fail rejected the offer of a full partnership government with Fine Gael so that means that a minority government is the most likely outcome now.

“As the largest party in the 32nd Dail, the responsibility falls to Fine Gael to lead the negotiations and seek to form a stable government. We will continue to do that.”

Deputy Boyd-Barrett c o u n t e r- r e s p o n d e d to Deputy Mitchell O’Connor’s “disingenuous” claims.

Speaking to The Gazette, he said: “It’s very disingenuous for Deputy Mitchell O’Connor or Fine Gael to point the finger at the parties of the Left for failing to form a government, when she knows quite well that we are not even close to having the numbers to form a government.

“We wish we had the numbers, and we certainly hope we will have them at some time in the future, but the only parties that have the sufficient numbers capable of forming a government are Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

“They’re very unhappy now, because [given] the history of the State, FF and GF have controlled both the government and the opposition, and they are terrified at the prospect that they won’t control both sides of the house, and the country is being left in the political wilderness as a result.”

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FastNews

Race on to rent Eddie Irvine’s home – for €1,200 a night A SORRENTO Road property (above) built by former Formula One driver Eddie Irvine is now available for short-term lettings.

The 5,000sq ft home is a stone’s throw from Killiney Bay, and boasts landscaped gardens, an outdoor pool which links to an indoor lagoon, and a jacuzzi with views across Dublin Bay. The five-bedroom home was previously on the market in 2003 with an asking price of €6.5m and was said to be “possibly Dublin’s most dramatic residence”, but never sold.

Guests can now let the house for a minimum of three days, for €1,200 a night.

Designed by award-winning Smith & Kennedy architects, the property is brought to the market

by Clare Connolly Property Consultants.

Summer camp fair gathering KIDS Guide Dublin is hosting its first annual summer camp fair this Saturday, April 16, at the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire.

The fair will provide families with an opportunity to meet the organisers of some of the best summer camps in Dublin in person.

Kids Guide Dublin co-founder and president Geraldine Smythe said: ““Summer camp is an opportunity to discover and explore interests the usual school day just doesn’t have the time or resources to provide.” Taking place from 10am to 4pm, attendance is free.

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 3

health

transport | key transport link now set to reach down to bray

Activities to help the over-55s

Luas Green Line to be further extended  emma nolan

THE Luas Green line is to be extended from Cherrywood to Bray town centre, servicing numerous additional stops through Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

The plans were outlined in a report by the National Transport Authority (NTA), which outlines the transport strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016 – 2035.

The NTA report states that while a decision on the final alignment has yet to be made, it is likely to run to Bray DART station via Shankill and the former golf club lands.

It will provide a highfrequency, high-capacity link between Bray and the key employment areas of Sandyford, Dundrum and

Cherrywood, in addition to connecting to the city centre.

The report also stated that it is intended that a portion of the metro services commencing in Dublin Airport and Swords will run through to Bray, subject to the final design of the Cherrywood to Bray section accommodating the length of trams involved.

Luas services will also operate between Bray and Broombridge/Finglas, allowing interchange with metro services to Dublin Airport and Swords.

Cllr Carrie Smyth (Lab) welcomed the news and told The Gazette: “The residents of Bray and Shankill were disappointed when the Luas extension to Bray was no longer

on the agenda.

“Providing more sustainable travel options is important as congestion levels are on the increase on the N11 and M50, with greater numbers of people returning to employment.”

Acting Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe said that the strategy will ensure the integration of transport objectives within all levels of the planning and development system within the Greater Dublin Area.

Minister Donohue said: “The strategy is forecast to have a significant, permanent and positive impact on the transport network [in the area] and will facilitate the economic growth of the region.”

growing education ties

DEPUTY Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG, centre) joined Dr Annie Doona, president, IADT Dun Laoghaire and Deirdre Hanamy, principal, Blackrock Further Education Institute at the recent signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the development of educational pathways, access and progression routes for Blackrock Further Education Institute students.

The signing marked a substantial new collaboration between the Institutes and a commitment to joint staff development and events. The heads of the respective institutes were jointly delighted to sign the MOU, highlighting the sustainable pathways and partnerships to education that it underlined – a move that Deputy Mitchell O’Connor also praised.

OVER 55s living in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown are invited to take part in two days of activity taster sessions next month.

DLR Sports Partnership are teaming up with the council and DLR Leisure to organise the Active 4 All event, which focuses on group activities and light exercises, promoting physical activity and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Activities will include dance, parachute games, and taster games. A session to be held on May 10 and 11 will take place in three public leisure facilities, at Meadowbrook, Loughlinstown and Monkstown.

For information and to register, contact Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership at 01 271 9502, or email sportspartnership@dlrcoco.ie.

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 April 2016

council | plans for proposed shankill facility are now on show

Crematorium sparks interest  emma nolan PLANS for the proposed crematorium adjacent to the Shanganagh Cemetery in Shankill are now available to view by members of the public.

The facility is proposed to be located on a green field site which has been earmarked for such a development since 1989, beside the existing car park near the bring centre.

The site is bounded to the north by Shanganagh Park and to the south by the green fields at Woodbrook.

Elements of the proposal consist of a cre-

matorium building, a columbarium wall and new burial plots.

Plans for a meadow and woodland copse and walk are also outlined as

conducting the memorial ceremonies. A small coffee and flower shop and an administration building comprising staff facilities and public

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‘There is no doubt that there is demand for such a facility and that there is merit in having a crematorium locally’

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Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF)

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well as a future pedestrian route to connect the Woodbrook Lap lands to Shanganagh Park.

T h e d e ve l o p m e n t would also see two halls built that will be used for

toilets are also included in the plans.

This news comes as plans to build a crematorium in Kilternan were withdrawn following a lengthy process of

permissions and objections between local residents, developers and the council.

Cllr Cormac Devl i n ( F F ) we l c o m e d the production of the plan. Speaking to The Gazette, he said: “For many years local residents have been aware of this proposal so it is finally nice to see what the council is planning for this area.

“There is no doubt that there is demand for such a facility and that there is merit in having a crematorium locally.

What is vitally important now is that the public are made aware of the consultation process

The consultation process for the proposed Shankill crematorium can be viewed on the council’s site at dlrcoco.citizenspace.com

and that their views are listened to and suggestions taken on board by the council.”

If approved, the crematorium would be the first of its kind in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

Cllr Devlin said the whole area of Shankill is due to undergo a massive change over the next 10-20 years with the Woodbrook local area plan, and the potential extension of

the LUAS Green Line to the Woodbrook area.

He said: “The area in which the crematorium is proposed to be built is a tranquil place, as it’s nestled between the sea and has beautiful views of the Dublin mountains.”

The consultation process for the crematorium is set to begin and can be viewed on dlrcoco.citizenspace.com.

A spokesperson for

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council told The Gazette that they believe this longstanding objective of the council will be beneficial to people of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

They said: “With diminishing land available for burials and increasing demand for cremations, we believe that this will be of benefit to the people of the county.”

Council passes Frascati centre for multi-million euro redevelopment  emma nolan

DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have given the go-ahead to a multi-million redevelopment of the Frascati Shopping Centre in Blackrock.

While this application was amending some elements of a 2014 application, this appears to be the final application for the redevelopment.

The proposed modifications to the permitted scheme on the 2.37 hectare site include a reconfiguration of the lower ground floor level, and alterations to the car park layout.

Alterations to the ground floor plan will see an extension of the retail floor space into the colonnade area fronting Frascati Road, and the provision of additional restaurant/cafe floor space and a provision of public toilets.

The second floor plan will see a new

glazed roof structure over the mall, as well as a reconfiguration of the floor plan.

Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF) spoke to The Gazette about the redevelopment which he considers to be “good news” for Blackrock as a larger centre will provide additional jobs in the locality as well as an increase in the retail offering.

He said: “The businesses in Blackrock have been through a tough time over the past few years, especially with the prolonged road works along the Blackrock by-pass.

“I imagine the grant of permission will be welcome news from the majority of retailers in Blackrock as it will undoubtedly increase footfall for the whole town.

I hope that it benefits all the businesses in the area, as the most challenging part will be the construction phase whenever that begins.”

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 5

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6 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 April 2016

Author hopes for the write luck as award looms  emma nolan

HAVING been shortlisted for the 45th Hennessy Literary Awards for her book, The Lodger, The Gazette spoke to Monsktown native Natalie Ryan on being shortlisted and her love of writing.

She told The Gazette: “I am very cranky when I’m not writing! If ever I’m stuck in

a rut, I take myself off for a walk on the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire, and by the time I get back I will be running to my computer to get something down.”

Ryan said she can’t remember exactly when she started writing, but said that her parents told her that before she could even walk, let alone read, all she ever wanted to

do was sit in her playpen surrounded by books.

“I can’t say exactly when I started to write, because it just followed on naturally from when I started reading, but if you count some terrible poetry and high-falutin’ prose about nature as writing, then I would say around eight or nine years old.

“I started to write more in

earnest when I did an MA in Creative Writing in UCD in 2010.”

The author and boutique owner lives in Monkstown in a “testosterone-fuelled house”, with her husband and three boys under the age of five. She runs her own shop, Ashanti Gold, in Greystones.

“I spent my childhood in Ghana, West Africa, where

much of my writing is set,” she said. “The story that has been shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary Award, however, is about a young housewife who takes in a hunchbacked lodger to make ends meet while her husband is away, and the relationship between them.”

When asked what winning the Hennessy Literary Award would mean to her, Ryan

joked that it would be a “huge validation that the hours I put in – whilst the house stays a mess and the children are unwashed – are worthwhile”.

She added: “It is also a great launch pad for someone like me starting out, and I would be in great company with the likes of Joseph O’Connor and Colum McCann being previous winners.”

Apply now courts | foxrock businessman pleads guilty to charges for a share of council funding  emma nolan

ROUND two of the 2016 Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Council Council grant scheme is now open.

The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to individuals, groups and organisations engaged in projects, events or developments at a local or county level.

The emphasis of the scheme is on providing a diverse range of funding for projects, ranging from events and heritage to community, arts and business.

The seven different categories on the scheme are grants for arts, business, area promotion, community, environment, events, heritage and sports.

Speaking about the scheme,An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Barry Saul (FG) said: “I am delighted that we can provide this opportunity for a wide variety of groups and organisations from every corner of the county to apply for a wide range of grants.

“In round one of the 2016 scheme, the council has already approved more than €492k in funding and I would urge any interested parties to apply as soon as possible.”

Anyone interested in applying for funding under the 2016 scheme can download the relevant applications at dlrcoco.ie.

The closing date for applications is May 3.

VAT fraud committed over ‘financial circumstances’ A BUSINESSMAN who fraudulently reclaimed VAT after falling into “dire financial circumstances” with a development project when the housing market collapsed may perform community service.

Patrick Chambers (65), of Brennanstown Vale, Foxrock, committed the offences to generate funds after falling into difficulty with a large loan he had taken out to develop a second property on the grounds of his family home.

Chambers pleaded guilty to four counts of claiming repayment of VAT to which he was not entitled on dates between July, 2009, and March, 2010, and to producing an incorrect invoice in connection with VAT in July, 2012.

The total loss to the exchequer was €35,780.

Chambers has no previous convictions.

Shane Costelloe BL, defending, submitted that Chambers had not taken out the loan to “make a quick buck”, but to meet costs that arose following the end of his marriage, and that he was anxious to repay the money.

He said Chambers was a talented software engineer who had once employed 170 people before his company was

bought out, and some form of community-based work may be appropriate.

Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered that Chambers’ suitability for community service be assessed. She adjourned --------------------------

‘Chambers was fully co-operative and told the investigation he had committed the offences because he was desperate for money ’

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard how a Foxrock man made fraudulent claims relating to VAT repayments

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

after getting into dire financial circumstances following the property market crash

sentencing until July 21 next.

John O’Reilly, of the Revenue Commissioners, told Lisa Dempsey BL, prosecuting, that following a series of audits relating to Chambers they launched an investigation in 2012.

Revenue established that Chambers had reclaimed VAT to which he was not entitled by double-counting invoices, creating invoices from himself to himself, and fraudulently creat-

ing invoices. Chambers was fully co-operative and told the investigation he had committed the offences because he was desperate for money as he was in “dire financial circumstances”.

Mr O’Reilly agreed with Mr Costelloe that Chambers’ early guilty plea was especially useful as the trial would have been complex, and it would have been difficult to convey the evidence to the jury in a way they would understand.

Mr Costelloe said the genesis of the offences was the collapse of the property market at the end of 2008. He said Chambers had separated from his wife in better economic times and had bought his wife out of her share of the family home.

He also had responsibilities towards the upkeep of his children.

Counsel said Chambers took out a loan of over one million euro to develop a property at the back of the family home, with a view

to selling it for a profit.

Mr Costelloe said that at the time, due to the prices given for “large, opulent houses” in the area, he would have been able to clear the loan.

However, when the market crashed and the bank sought their money back, he lost the development as well as his family home, which he is due to leave in June.

He said it was during this period that Chambers committed the offences, and he was, to all intents

and purposes, bankrupt.

Counsel handed in a number of reports and submitted that Chambers was at a low risk of re-offending. He fully accepted responsibility for what he did, and was deeply remorseful.

Mr Costelloe said Chambers was anxious to repay the money, possibly with an annuity from his pension. He submitted a custodial sentence was not necessary to send a message about these types of crime.

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 7

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Gazettegallery

| 1916-related events currently running in town

At Kilmainham Gaol were actors Joe Taylor, Barbara RCSI president Declan Magee with Liam and Karen Bradley, Isabelle Reast and Alice Sheils, marching past life-size cutouts of Countess

Brennan and Stephen Jones (top); writers Joseph

Markievicv and Captain Christopher Poole at the steps of the RCSI. Picture: Maxwell Photography

O’Connor and Hugo Hamilton. Pictures: Marc O’Sullivan

Rising to the fore W

ITH Rising-related commemorations countinuing around the city and country, The Gazette has gathered together some of the many striking events currently being marked by the people of Dublin.

The Royal College of Surgeons at St Stephen’s Green (main pic) is playing host to Surgeons and Insurgents – RCSI and the Easter Rising, which explores the stories of both surgeons and insurgents during Easter week, 1916, and runs until April 17.

Next, and Kilmainham Jail (above right)

featured in a unique, site-specific theatre piece commemorating the Rising. Entitled Signatories, the piece is moving to three venues – the Pavilion Theatre, Civic Theatre and the National Concert Hall – from April 22 to May 5. For further information and bookings, see www.ticketmaster.ie.

Finally, and the Gibson Hotel, Docklands is currently playing host (below, right) to The Untold Stories – a photography exhibition that focuses on men and women from the docklands district who were caught up in the Rising.

Eilish Lynch and Ellen Galvin

Nicky Logue, general manager, the Gibson Hotel with Grainne Keeley, daughter of Christina Caffrey, the bearer of a note signed by James Connolly to her mother. Pictures: Shane O’Neill Photography.

Paddy O’Brien and Anne Keely

R1

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 9

14 April 2016 Gazette 11

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

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a day in the life: fitness guru Kathryn Thomas on her summer camp for adults

Unhealthy lifestyle gets the boot  Emma Nolan

Ever wanted to leave the world behind and embark on a detox amid the serene backdrop of rural Ireland?

That dream has been made a reality by fitness guru Kathryn Thomas and her Pure Results Bootcamp which she describes as “summer camp for adults”.

Kathryn spoke to The Gazette about a day in her life at Pure Results Bootcamp where guests spend either four days or a week in the idyllic 500 acre surrounds of Parknasilla in Kerry, on a strict exercise and diet detox programme.

“A lot of the guests can’t remember the last time they spent so much time outdoors,” she says.

“It’s an early start -

generally we have clients getting up at about 6:30am.”

Kathryn and her team have arranged the daily exercises classes so that upon waking guests partake in some low intensity exercise, to “wake the body up”.

“The morning exercise session is usually some aqua aerobics or a light jog that we call our Kenyan run.

“This was devised by an Irish Brother who trained a lot of marathon runners in Kenya and his philosophy is that it’s better to wake the body up slowly.”

The camp is also opening a second and more accessible location at the Temple Lodge Hotel in Westmeath this year.

Breakfast is served at 7am where it’s either a

green smoothie and protein balls or scrambled eggs depending on what exercise class is coming up.

“We try to keep it varied, so there’s a different breakfast every day.”

After breakfast, there are two high intensity classes.

“We could have anything from circuits to boxercise or an assault course.

“The classes are all designed so everybody works outside their own comfort zone.”

Guests at Pure Results range in age up to age 70 and are all levels of fitness.

“It’s up to the trainer to push them,” Kathryn says. “Everybody can work out together.”

After the two hours of intense training, it’s time

for lunch. Lunch and dinner at Pure Results often consist of items like poached salmon with Asian greens, turkey burgers with homemade slaw and a lot of fresh fish from local suppliers.

Those wanting to lose weight are served smaller portions than those maintaining their weight.

Day trips are also on the boot camp itinerary with a day and a half off site within the week programme.

Evening classes usually consist of yoga, body balance and, once that’s done, guests can enjoy their evening in the hotel’s spa facilities.

“We also do evening kayaking out on the water in front of the hotel.

“Most people are in bed for around nine o’clock,” she says.

“Our clients say that they sleep so well because they don’t really have to think about anything.

They arrive down and leave their brain at the door and are told where to go and what to do and eat.

“People think ‘oh my God, boot camp is so intense’ and it is, the classes can be intense when you’re in them but it’s also a really good holiday and a great time to feel re-energised and eat good food, completely detox and sleep.

“It’s about investing in and giving time back to yourself.”

Four days at Pure Results Bootcamp starts at €499 and a week starts at €999 with two weeks after care. Find out more at pureresultsbootcamp. com.

Kathryn spoke to The Gazette about a day in her life at Pure Results Bootcamp

12 Gazette 14 April 2016

Gazette

dublinlife DJ Steve Aoki to bring his biggest tunes to Dublin International DJ Steve Aoki is taking to the stage at the Academy on Abbey Street next month.

Presented by Desperados, the Full Moon and Tea Party event is aiming to combine the “normal with the absurd for an epic party experience”.

The Academy will be

transformed into a neon beach party meets Mad Hatter’s haven to shock guests throughout the night.

A spokesperson for the event said: “The renowned full moon, all night beach party will be paired with the traditional notion of afternoon tea to bring music fans a night of absurdity

that only Desperados can deliver.

“Buckets, neon paint and full moon performers will transport attendees to an atmosphere rivalling the party islands of Thailand.”

Taking place on Tuesday, May 17, tickets are priced at €23.90 and available from Ticketmaster.

diary

$30,000 donation from ebay

ebay Ireland has donated $30,000 (€26,400) to three Irish charities.

Earlier this year eBay’s Global Impact Team invited the employees of eBay Ireland to nominate Irish charities for consideration in the eBay Give Grants scheme.

The chosen charities are Inner City Helping Homeless, Women’s Aid Dundalk and To Children with Love.

Debbie Deegan, Founder of To Children with Love, spoke about the donation: “To Children With Love is now operating in Ireland for the first time and we’re working with children from Colaiste Eoin, a very disadvantaged school in Finglas. “eBay’s contribution will allow us fund a cool study hub, where the children will feel comfortable and more importantly encouraged to study and do group project work.

“Without this donation from the eBay Global Impact team, the school would not have been able to create this much needed space.”

recognition for art students Visual Communication Students at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, have been recognised nationally and internationally at the “most rigorous and honest assessment in the world”, the International Society of Typographic

International DJ Steve Aoki

Designers (ISTD) student assessments.

Twelve final year students have been recognised for their responses to the ISTD set briefs, and have been offered membership to the Society.

The students and staff involved will be awarded certificates in recognition of their achievements at the ISTD Awards in London, taking place in July 2016.

The ISTD is a professional body run by and for typographers, graphic designers and educators.

NCAD student Ally Mo o r h e a d r e c e i ve d ISTD membership with Merit (one of only three awarded in Ireland). A further 11 NCAD students were awarded membership including: Shane Bonfield, Diane Dear, Melodie Fox, Katie Kidd, Eulich McGeown, Niamh McNally, Jennifer O’Brien, Christine O’Flynn, Michael Simpson, Jamie Smyth, and Shauna Woods.

Debra Ireland fundraiser Tickets for a Debra Ireland fundraiser with a performance from Ire-

land’s number one Elvis impersonator, Ciaran Houlihan, are now on sale.

Taking place on June 24 at the Hilton Hotel Charlemont Place, all funds raised from the night will be going directly to the charity which provides support to people with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

The illness is a distressing and painful genetic skin condition causing the skin layers and internal body linings to separate and blister at the slightest touch. It affects approximately one in 18,000 babies born.

As there is currently no cure for the disease, all proceeds to the charity go towards supporting treatment for sufferers, who are in constant pain and towards high level research programmes.

Mother of six Tina O’Gorman has singlehandedly raised over €1million for charity over the past 34 years and is organising this upcoming event.

She said: “What gives me the greatest satisfaction is the joy on the people’s faces that you have just helped.”

Tickets for the night cost €50 which includes the live show, drinks reception, dinner and late night disco. For more information or to buy tickets, please call Tina O’Gorman on 085 827 4783.

celebrating Thai New Year Thai restaurant chain Saba To Go are celebrating Songkran, aka, Thai New Year with a voucher giveaway worth €15,000.

Songkran is a time of great celebration in Thailand where it is tradition to pour water on your elders to bring health and good fortune, so Saba To Go want to shower their customers with free vouchers.

Alan Cadden, manager of Saba To Go said: “We are delighted to be celebrating Thai New Year in such a big way this year, paying tribute to our Thai chefs, and our authentic Thai ingredients used in our dishes.”

The giveaway is running until Sunday April 17 and vouchers of up to €250 can be won when you order from the Rathmines and Windy Arbour branches.

14 April 2016 Gazette 13

Gazette

feature culture: eclectic greek film festival this month

A terrific collection of cinematic visions WITH summer looming on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to indulge in a little escapism, and the Dublin Greek Film Festival is a chance to do just that.

Now in its second year, the festival runs from Thursday, April 21 to Sunday, April 24 at Chester Beatty Library, Filmbase, Omniplex Rathmines and The Sugar Club.

The festival will be presenting cinematic visions of Greece through features, documentaries and short films, along with

Greek music.

It will start with the screening of the awardwinning music documentary, A Family Affair, which won Best Documentary at Hellenic Film Awards 2015.

It will be shown at Chester Beatty Library on April 21 at 6pm. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Angeliki Aristomenopoulou, and will include a wine reception sponsored by Kir-Yianni Wine Estate.

Agora (2015), directed

by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, an internationally acclaimed Greek documentar y filmmaker, opens the second day of the festival.

T his documentar y shows the development of the Greek economic crisis and will take place at Filmbase on Friday, April 22, at 6pm.

Also to be screened on Friday is Elias Demetriou’s new movie, Smac, which tells the story of Eleni, who is diagnosed with cancer and takes another look at her life.

This will be screened at Filmbase at 8pm.

On Saturday, April 23, there will be a screening of Little England, by Pantelis Voulgaris, one of the most prominent Greek directors. This period drama takes place on award-winning the Greek island of Andros during World War II, and will be shown at the Omniplex Rathmines on Saturday, April 23, at 4.30pm. wAlso that day, awarded shorts from 2015 Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF) will be

Award-winning music documentary A Family Affair is just one of the highlights of the second Dublin Greek Film Festival, which runs from April 21 to April 24

presented at Filmbase.

For more than 15 years, the DISFF-awarded short films have been travelling in Greece and abroad.

The festival organisers are proud to add Ireland as a new destination to this journey. This free screening will commence at 6pm.

The third day of the festival will finish with a screening of The Sentimentalists (2014), by Nicholas Triandafyllidis, a film which mixes dark comedy with tragic romance. It will be shown at Filmbase at 8pm.

On Sunday, the festival closes with a fundraiser

for refugees in Greece at The Sugar Club. The event will consist of a second screening of A Family Affair, followed by a concert of Pakaw!, the all-female combo that pushes the boundaries of traditional Greek music and Mediterranean rhythms, which starts at 4pm.

Gazette

14 Gazette 14 April 2016

dublinlife

feature

public lectures: top ten tips on dealing with anxiety

Managing the negative effects of worrying Saint John of God Hospital, one of the leading providers of mental health treatment and care services in Ireland

and Europe, delivered the first of its 2016 public lecture series, entitled “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” earlier this week.

Dr Keith Gaynor, senior clinical psychologist at Saint John of God Hospital gave the public lecture that provided

information on worry, how it can affect us and how to manage its negative effects.

Here are 10 tips from Dr Gaynor on how we can teach ourselves to worry less.

1. Don’t waste time on What if’s. Don’t waste time thinking up situations that “might” happen, but in reality are quite unlikely to happen – that is just a misuse of time. Try to pin point when you start asking yourself these questions.

The majority of the scenarios you create using this approach are never likely to happen – so why waste your time thinking about them?

2. Create a worry diary.

Take a diary, a paper one or on your phone, and in it mark an asterisk every time and place you worry and guesstimate how long you worried for.

This is important for two reasons: a. It makes us aware of a process that may have been automatic until now. We need to notice how frequently we worry and most people will be shocked at what they see. b. Secondly, we need to pinpoint those occasions when we worry the most because these are the times we are going to target.

3. Starve worry of space and time. If we want to reduce the amount of time we worry, we need to starve it of time and space in our lives.

We need to look at

Dr Keith Gaynor, senior clinical psychologist at Saint John of God Hospital

those key times we marked earlier, in our diaries, and add more stimulation. We need to shift our attention from the internal (worrying) to the external (finding a solution).

4. Get lost in something different. Don’t let yourself be overcome with worry. The trick to forgetting your worries is to replace them with something else.

Exercise, take a class in something like art, yoga or read a book. Nothing festers worry more than an idle mind.

5. Problem solve, don’t worry. Worrying is normally a very inefficient attempt to problem solve.

So when you worry, try to turn this into useful problem solving by considering what you need to do now to deal with the problem. Decision making is a core skill to com-

bat worry.

6. Learn to accept uncertainty. Uncertainty is a fact of life, so try to accept that you will always have to live with, or tolerate some uncertainty. Unexpected things happen, and accepting this in the longer term will make your life easier and reduce your anxieties.

7. Go to sleep early.

Sleep is the ultimate healer. Nothing can make a mole-hill look like a mountain more than lack of sleep.

8. Don’t Google it. We are all guilty of Googling our ailments, but when the ailment itself is worry there is no point is selfdiagnosing as it will only feed the anxiety.

While the internet is an amazing resource to find helpful information, you can find a negative response for every positive, helpful result.

Panicky Google searches almost always end badly. This leads to the next point…

9. Talk to someone.

Sometimes, it really helps to just get it all out.

10. Be kind to yourself. Stay in the moment.

Spending most of your time worrying about things that might happen in the future means that you’ll spend less time enjoying the present and staying in the moment.

Acknowledge the worries that enter your head, but don’t engage them, try to refocus on what you are doing in that moment.

Put all the energy into something positive and productive instead.

The Lecture Series will take place from 8.00pm to 9.30pm on Monday evenings in the Saint John of God Hospital on the Stillorgan Road until Monday, April 25.

14 April 2016 Gazette 15

Gazette

16 Gazette 14 April 2016

dublinlife

BUSINESS

retail

property

THE opening of a new Lidl supermarket in East Wall has created 18 jobs.

The opening marks Lidl’s 146th Irish store and brings its total number of employees in the Republic of Ireland to more than 4,000 people.

After 10 months of construction, the brandnew 19,500sq ft store in East Wall opened at 8am on Thursday, April 7.

Speaking about the opening, Niall Murray, regional director at Lidl Ireland, said: “We are really excited to be opening our brand-new East Wall store. We and are looking forward to welcoming visitors to the store.”

DRIVEWAYS can showcase your house to make it a really standout property in your area.

Mindful of this, Tobermore are launching an exclusive competition on its Facebook page for you to win a free Landscape design call-out service.

Visit w w w.facebook. com/tobermore.concrete to enter.

Tobermore’s beautiful range of block paving products are designed with durability in mind, are cost-effective and minimum maintenance is required, so that’s one less job for you to worry about. The company’s call-out service involves a detailed assessment

18 jobs at new Lidl

A good driveway can add value in a number of ways

€3m rebrand for Colourtrend ACTRESS Fiona Shaw joined Colourtrend’s Liam Holland, sales and marketing director, and Kevin O’Connor, managing director, at Studio 6, Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, for the unveiling of Colourtrend’s new €3 million rebrand recently.

The investment by the Irish-owned paint brand is one of the largest in rebranding by an Irish-owned private family business. Colourtrend has added a new tagline to its brand – Infinite Colour from Ireland – allowing it to share in the current global interest in all things Irish. Shaw has worked with cinematographer Cian de Buitlear, and the Irish landscape, to help convey the range of natural colours in the Colourtrend palette. Picture: Maxwell Photography

of your outdoor space, the discussion of various ideas and a landscape design drawing from one of the company’s expert landscape designers.

Whether your house is a chic, contemporary abode or a quaint, traditional haven, Tobermore offer a driveway solution that can enhance the style, beauty and character of your home, whilst

meeting your budget.

Theresa Kiely, manager at Tobermore’s Dublin Paving and Walling Centre said: “As well as creating a parking facility, a well-landscaped driveway enhances the style and value of a property and provides a safe play area for children.”

Call 01 8437440 or visit www.tobermore.ie for more information.

14 April 2016 Gazette 17

cinema P21

OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week

gaming P22



Gazette

travel P20

Pets meet bouncy bernard – he’s full of love and energy

Keagan Forde, Michael Glynn, Evan Forde and Dylan Crean from Galway helping to launch the event. Picture: Ruth Medjber

Irish Youth Music Awards: showcasing talents and honing skills

Youths to take centre stage  Cathal Dennehy

Some of Ireland’s most gifted young musicians will showcase their talents and hone their skills at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday at the Irish Youth Music Awards.

Organised by Youth Work Ireland, the national event will see musicians aged between 12 and 19 from across the country representing their community and gaining experience in the music industry.

This is the ninth year of the programme, which brings some of Ireland’s top music industry personnel directly into contact with young musicians.

Those attending will have the opportunity to attend an educational hub featuring music industry panels and workshops. Open for all attend-

ing to participate in will be an industry panel with tutors Alan Cullivan, founding chairman of MMF Ireland (Music Managers Forum Ireland), James Byrne, founder of the label Any Other City, Gav Fox, member of Turn and Idlewild, and Dan Finnegan, founder of Paper Trail Records.

Students can also hone their skills with experts during workshops for individual musical disciplines. These include song writing with multi-instrumentalist Tully Gunawardhana, who has co-composed with The Coronas, and drums with Johnny Boyle, who has toured with The Frames, as well as Marianne Faithful and Damien Rice.

Paul Moore – who has recorded with Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison as well as taking the reigns as musical director with Riverdance – will be offering bass workshops. Vocal

workshops are courtesy of Shelley Bukspan, who has arranged backing vocals for artists such as Mary Black, Bronagh Gallagher and many indie and contemporary young Irish acts.

Regional finalists will be awarded points throughout the day by a separate panel featuring Keith Johnson (IMRO), Grainne Biddle (Sony Music Ireland), Laura Duff (Irish Youth Music Awards Winning Songwriter 2015) and Phil Udell (State Magazine/ Word Up Collective). The overall winning region will be announced on the day.

Performers have been chosen to represent their region at local live selection nights and will be supported by a team comprising the other participants from their region taking on individual music industry roles.

The recipient region will receive

five days’ recording time in a studio and a full backline provided by Music Maker Dublin.

They will also produce an album released on physical CD with a professional design.

The album will be digitally distributed worldwide through iTunes, Spotify and many more outlets. Last year’s IYMAs recipient act, Jake Mc Ardle, went on to perform for President Michael D Higgins.

Tickets for the Irish Youth Music Awards National Day are available from Eventbrite at €20 including booking fee. The event is an all-ages, alcohol-free event. Group tickets are also available for youth clubs or projects priced €120 (including booking fee) allowing admission for six young people, two youth leaders and include a set lunch on the day.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week this week is Bernard, a seven-month old, male cuddly crossbreed looking for a home to call his own.

He is a very sweet, bouncy boy with lots of energy. He loves to play but especially loves to snuggle.

His canine carers think that he is very clever, but he still needs to learn some doggy social skills, so he would be best suited to a home where he is the only dog. Training classes would be a great, fun way for him to get to know his new family!

If you think you could offer Bernard a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000.

They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on 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

18 Gazette 14 April 2016

R1

OUT&ABOUT

Reinventing the feminine silhouette  Emma Nolan

Minimal and functional – a sneak peek at the autumn winter 2016 collection from Cos has revealed an unusual and exaggerated aesthetic.

Cos have reinvented the feminine silhouette with this collection of “every day decadence” that prioritises layering and asymmetrical lines.

Hemline are long and wide, shoulders oversized and sleeves billowing.

The colour palette relies heavily on Cos staple black, but incorporates some rich charcoals, dusty terracotta and forest greens with a lilac surprise in the form of an oversized pant suit.

Varying textures are a focal point of the collection – heavy wools fea-

ture alongside silk chiffon and buttery leather.

While the looks shown might be a daunting commitment, individually, pieces can be worn with tighter pants or a line skirts for a more accessible take on the look. Such as the oversized bomber jacket (which isn’t going anywhere for the time being), the leather sleeveless turtleneck, the silk chiffon sheer panel top and the oversized wool jersey sweater.

St a n d o u t p i e c e s i n c l u d e t h e reworked menswear trousers worn as a strapless jumpsuit and the leather pumps with textured suede heels.

The collection will be available next season at the Cos Store on Wexford Street, Dublin 2.

14 April 2016 Gazette 19

R1

g spray Clarins Fix Make up settin €28

Aldi CC Cream €3.99

Aldi Face Treatment Oil €5.99

Flormar BB Cream €9.95

Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream €28.95

Flormar Double Radiance Primer Highlighter

Clarins Bronzer €45

get a summer glow Flormar Bronzing Powder €9.95

Achieving that bronzed summer glow is rarely achievable by natural means in our temperate (cold and wet) climes here in the North Atlantic, yet most of us have no qualms about reaching for the bottle when a little extra melanin is required.

Now, I’m not talking fake tan here, I’m talking about less intense products to give a quick easy glow without the need for Tanning Thursday and streaky sheets.

The mantra, life is better with a tan, doesn’t apply to everyone and pale skin is beautiful but sometimes you can’t beat that vitamin D glow and since a real tan can be harmful, a touch of bronzer can do the world of good.

Clarins are launching their summer 2016 make up collection this week and

it includes a “made to measure” Golden Glow Booster (€24). Simply add two to drops to your daily moisturiser for a gradual building tan that you can control.

Their bronzing and blush compact (€45) comprises of two universal matte shades, coppery beige and terracotta beige, a gold shade that lights up the complexion and an apricot blush with subtle pearl that promises to give a radiant glow. The collection also includes a make-up setting spray (€28) to ensure a long lasting hold.

Blogger favourite Flormar have a great range of affordable sun mimicking products.

The double radiance primer highlighter (€12.95) has a lightweight creamy texture

to illuminate cheekbones, cupid’s bow and decollete.

BB cream is a great warmer weather alternative to heavier foundations and Flormar’s for under a tenner version delivers hydration, sun protection and a mattifies oily complexions.

Skincare brand Dr Hauschka current have a tinted day cream (€28.95) on the market.

Available in Avoca and pharmacies nationwide, it blends with your own natural skin tone for an even complexion adding a sun kissed glow to your face and neck.

Clarins products are available at Clarins counters nationwide from April 17 and Flormar is available in all good pharmacies now.

Gazette

STYLE

Denise Mannion accepts the prize on behalf of her daughter Niamh Mannion, who is currently pursuing her fashion career in New York. Also pictured are judges Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon. Model Ieva Paulikaityte wears the winning outfit. Picture: Anthony Woods

€10,000 bursary for emerging Irish designer An emerging Irish designer has won a €10,000 bursar y to help further her career in the fashion industry.

Niamh Mannion was awarded the life changing prize at the 16th annual Persil Fashion Awards which were held in The Dean Hotel, Harcourt Street last week.

Eight finalists were chosen from over 60 entries from NCAD, Limerick School of Art and Design and Griffith College.

The hopefuls were set the task of designing an outfit which is completely machine washable and inspired by the theme, Bedtime Stories.

Speaking on her design, Niamh said it was inspired by the Brother’s Grimm tale Hansel and Gretel, and the haunting black forest wherein the children find the witch’s cottage.

She said: “The oversized bomber jacket is made from pleather, painted canvas, and hand-frayed bag strapping.

“The sporty poloneck dress is made with scuba jersey and mesh fabrics.

“I created this outfit as an exploration of intricate textures, hand painted patterns and fabric clashing.

“Winning the Persil Irish Fashion Award would be invaluable in furthering my pursuit of a career within the fashion industry and I am over the moon to have been shortlisted.”

Having recently just moved to New York to expand her fashion horizons , Niamh’s mum Denise Mannion was on hand to accept the award.

Speaking to T he Gazette on her daughter’s win, Denise said she was “so proud and delighted”.

“I don’t even know if she’ll believe it,” she joked. “She left for New York on March 15 and my washing machine was going non-stop before she left.

“She’s looking for a job over in New York at the moment so this will be a big boost for her.”

Gazette

20 Gazette 14 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

fast

TRAVEL NEWS

TRAVEL

spain: beautiful weather, delicious food and history

Explore Germany’s many rural delights More and more Irish tourists are choosing Germany as their destination of choice for short breaks, with a 13% rise in overnight visitors so far in 2016 compared to the same period last year.

With cheap flights, decent weather, and no hassles with currency exchange, it’s little surprise that Munich, Berlin and other major German cities are proving such a hit with Irish tourists.

The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) has capitalised on this trend, and recently launched its “Holidays in the Heart of Nature” campaign, which hopes to spread awareness among visiting tourists of Germany’s rural delights.

“It’s clear from the popularity of rural interest television shows, specialist publications and the media, that people in Ireland have a deepseated love and respect for rural life – just as we do in Germany,” said GNTO’s director for UK and Ireland, Klaus Lohmann.

“Exploring rural and ‘green’ Germany will enable visitors to discover

many fascinating regions and areas, with picturebox villages, incredible landscapes and the chance to relax.”

Sporty types will not be disappointed with the array of activities on offer across the German countryside. The adrenalineinducing free-climbing was invented in Germany and the many hiking and walking routes wind their way through different terrains and levels to suit all needs.

With more than 200 long-distance cycle routes, cyclists are also spoilt for choice, combining rural landscapes with urban discovery.

The bracing coastline in the North offers a huge array of activities from windsurfing to sailing and kitesurfing, plus Germany has a whopping 16 national parks, more than 100 nature parks and 15 unique biosphere reserves.

The big cities will undoubtedly retain their popularity among Irish tourists, but if you’re planning a break this summer, there’s never been a better time to tack on an extra few days to explore the countryside.

Take a walk along the Gran Via, the city’s main tourist artery

Enjoy a European break and visit magical Madrid

 Cathal Dennehy

If you’re looking for a European break with beautiful weather, delicious food and plenty of culture and history, then Madrid may be the place for you this Autumn.

There are few better times of the year to visit the Spanish capital, with temperatures lingering in the high teens or low twenties.

A five-night stay is just about the perfect option for anyone wanting to not just see the city, but also travel outside of Madrid and take in some of the sights in the surrounding areas, rich in culture, cuisine and captivating scenery.

Spend time exploring the old town of Segovia, with its winding streets and old buildings, as well as its almost 30-metre high aqueduct which dominates the area.

There will also be plenty of free time to explore and discover these unique cities at your own pace.

Your base for this holiday will be the Hotel Puerta de Toledo in Madrid - a friendly, tastefully-decorated hotel located in the heart of the city.

An essential way to spend an af ternoon on your trip should be a walk along the Gran Via, the city’s main tourist ar ter y

which stretches from the famous Metropolis building to the Plaza de Espana.

T he street, which stretches for a little over a kilometre, is a hub of culture with museums, chic hotels, opulent theatres, historic cinemas and decorative statues lining the route.

While Madrid may not have the coastal delights of its major Spanish rival, Barcelona, it does boast an array of beautifully maintained parks, a perfect place to take a time out and enjoy a few hours of serenity.

T he biggest green space is the Casa de Campo, which is five times bigger than New

York’s Central Park, and features a large lake with small boats and kayaking facilities.

A smaller, but more central option is the Parque del Buen Retiro, which features tree-lined walks, fountains, monuments and regular performances from musicians to puppeteers.

You will take in some of Madrid’s highlights including the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Oriente, and visit the historic cities of Toledo and Segovia on two full-day included excursions.

Admire the beautiful works of the Museo del Prado, which is amongst the very best art galleries in the world, or stroll

around the gardens in Parque del Buen Retiro.

Head out on a full day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Toledo, a city beautifully situated on the banks of Spain’s longest river, the Tagus, where you will take a walking tour through the historic centre of the city.

Prices start from €699pp including flights, transfers, taxes and charges, 5 nights’ half-board accommodation and excursions, with f light departing Dublin on September 5, 2016.

For more information visit www.traveldepartment.ie.

14 April 2016 Gazette 21

The Man Who Knew Infinity: film on Srinivasa Ramanujan underwhelms

ReelReviews

Bio doesn’t add up to an inspiring tale of greatness AS ANY school teacher will tell you, bringing maths to the masses has never been an easy thing, but cinema has produced some valiant attempts over recent years.

Back in 2001, A Beautiful Mind chronicled the rise and mental collapse of John Nash, and in 2014 Oscar winners The Imitation Game, and The Theory of Everything, successfully brought to life the individuals behind the integers.

In much the same vein, The Man Who Knew Infinity aims to give the story of Srinivasa Ramanujan a big-screen treatment, and it certainly has some of the components of a Hollywood story.

Ramanujan may be an obscure figure to the general public, but among mathematicians he is recognised as a genius.

Director Matt Brown starts Ramanujan’s (Dev Patel) story as an unemployed youth in Madras in the early years of the 20th century, scrawling lengthy equations in chalk on temple floors, setting the tone for the connection between the mathematical and the divine that seems a key component to Ramanujan’s work.

 Dave phillips

Struggling to find a job in Madras, Ramanujan knows that he has an exceptional talent for numbers and just needs to find somebody in a position of power to recognise it.

The answer comes when a new employer, Sir Francis Spring (a throwaway cameo by Stephen Fry), recommends Ramanujan to some of the old boys in Cambridge.

And so we begin a tale of two worlds, as Ramanujan begins a correspondence with the celebrated English mathematician G H Hardy (Jeremy Irons).

For the most part, Matt Brown does a solid job in contrasting the dusty, convivial and spiritually literate life of people in Madras, with the emotionally stunted life of Cambridge – where the lawns may be green and lush, but nobody dares to step on the grass.

As the First World

War grows on the horizon, Cambridge remains ensconced in a sense of imperial superiority, and much of the plot revolves around Ramanujan’s struggles to be academically and personally accepted within the culture he has found himself thrust into.

With Hardy in the role of a harsh but benevolent taskmaster, Ramanujan attempts to enculturate himself and get his work published.

There are a lot of story elements in here that should make The Man Who Knew Infinity a hit, but it quickly becomes evident that something essential is missing from this equation.

As well as directing, Matt Brown takes the role of screenwriter – a task that he unfortunately performs less adequately.

For the most part, The Man Who Knew Infinity unfolds without a hint of textual nuance, with conversations playing out functionally, rather than organically.

And so, a scene in which Hardy eventually breaks Ramanujan’s spirit, forcing him to conform to Cambridge standards, features the

Gazette

CINEMA

the huntsman Snow thank you ...

AS A sequel that nobody asked for, The Huntsman – Winter’s War (Cert 12A, 117mins) is the prequel to 2012’s visually lovely (but dull as dishwater) Snow White and The Huntsman.

Charlize Theron is once again as cool as ice, while Emily Blunt and Chris Hemsworth gamely give their best – but it’s a film that’s not Grimm enough, or fairy engaging, making it a huntsman to avoid.

zootropolis

Disney’s roaring success

Although The Man Who Knew Infinity ticks all the right, if predictable, boxes in the “struggling maths genius” category, it never soars beyond the sum of its parts

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

‘For a film about numbers, it spends a lot of time spelling things out, and the end result does not make for great cinema ... Just short of two hours, the stodgy pacing of The Man Who Knew Infinity makes it feel a lot longer’

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

superfluous dialogue: “I see you’ve finally broken his spirit”.

For a film about numbers, it spends a lot of time spelling things out, and the end result does not make for great cinema.

Equally superf lu-

ous is the storyline of Ramanujan’s wife and mother, who are cooped up together, and at odds with one another back in Madras.

Just short of two hours, the stodgy pacing of The Man Who Knew Infinity makes it feel a lot

longer.

Neither Patel nor Irons, upon whose shoulders the film rests, perform at the top of their game and the end result is a story that feels like it has much more to offer.

An attempt to shoehorn the source material into a Hollywood format leaves us consistently skimming the surface – save a single slide at the end, there is really no insight into the significance that any of Ramanujan’s work had on the field of mathematics.

An east meets west adventure that sadly stays too formulaic.

Verdict: 5/10

DISNEY have added yet another impressive film to their CG roster with Zootropolis (Cert PG, 108 mins), which takes a familiar cop trope – a fresh rookie trying to make their mark and solve a tough case, while teaming up with an unlikely ally – but makes something new.

Warm-hearted, likeable performances add to the great design, making it a treat for audiences.

midnight special Make time for this one

WHILE we’ve all seen oddcouple/on-the-run films before, Midnight Special (Cert 12A, 112 mins) feels like something fresh, yet timeless. A protective father goes on the run with his young boy, who has special powers, while danger follows close behind. It’s a low-key film with a muted tone, yet some lovely performances, and its direction, create what could be a cult classic.

Gazette

22 Gazette 14 April 2016

OUT&ABOUT

GAMING

bafta awards: respected body selects its best titles from the past year

Paying tribute to a range of great games

SOME years ago, BAFTA – the British charity that has become an internationally recognised award/recognition brand for its celebration of the moving image – expanded its remit to take gaming into account.

As gaming sales, and the industry, quietly adds billions to the British Exchequer each year, it’s no surprise that gaming was eventually elevated to enjoy the same critical analysis and recognition as film and television, with the BAFTAs now enjoying global recognition.

The annual BAFTA gaming awards were held just after The Gazette went to press last week, but here’s my analysis of some of the big winners.

The awards proved an unexpected night for the underdogs, as small games and f ledgling companies emerged as the top winners in some David and Goliath showdowns.

First up, and the small, indie title Her Story (developed by Sam Barlow; available on IOS, PC, Mac) was debatably the critical darling of the night, picking up awards for Debut Game, Game Innovation, and Mobile & Handheld – three more to add to its range of awards from around the world.

Her Story’s daring narrative featured jumbled video snippets from

 shane dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com

the 1990s of ‘lost’ police interviews with a woman reporting her husband missing.

This initially simple premise took wouldbe Sherlocks on a ride through an ever murkier, adult tale, creating a truly unique and innovative title in the process.

Moving on, and the award-winning indie title, Everybody’s Gone to The Rapture (The Chinese Room; PS4) also impressed, scooping Audio Achievem e n t , Music, and Performer (for Merle D a n dridge, as Kate Collins) awards to add to its global haul.

Aw a r d s f o r audio may not sound (no pun intended) like par ticularly impressive wins, but Rapture’s soundscapes were key to creating one of the most haunting titles of several years; quite simply, its audio was in a class of its own throughout.

Its imaginative setting – a beautiful, sunlit and rustic English village in Shropshire, set some time in the 1980s in the immediate aftermath after the end of the world – was gorgeous to explore.

However, seeing as it played/sounded like a cross between evergreen radio serial The Archers, and Day of The Triffids, its terrific music score, natural sound effects, and the recovered snippets of overheard conversations between initially calm but increasingly panicky and upset villagers were pretty singular in their use.

Studio co-founder and composer Jessica Curry’s superb, pastoral score also made an unforgettable impression.

Still, while the overall feeling was that the night had gone to underdogs such as these, a number of major titles also won awards.

Best Game went to Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios; PS4, XBO, PC). The latest iteration in the popular franchise once again set gamers loose in an irradiated, post nuclear-war landscape, but packed in a bewildering amount of

Some of the most notable BAFTA 2016 games award winners, from top left: Her Story, Everybody’s Gone to The Rapture, Fallout 4, Batman: Arkham Knight, Until Dawn and Rocket League

quests, missions, secrets, easter eggs and sheer silliness to keep players lost in the wasteland for a very long time.

Despite being full of game bugs and glitches, and although the title wasn’t exactly pushing the consoles into a sweat, let alone to their limits, Fallout 4 became a critical darling pretty quickly, leaving a warm, fuzzy, irradiated feeling in gamers’ hearts.

Next, and Best British Game went to Batman: Arkham Knight (Rocksteady Studios; PS4, XBO, PC).

By no means a small title – Rocksteady is one of the biggest British games developers – this latest iteration of the Batman franchise had top-notch graphics that pushed the consoles hard.

Despite some niggles – its over-reliance on the Batmobile, and its

infamous, disastrously unplayable PC launch – this Batman was the best yet.

The very cinematic yet oddball title Until Dawn (Supermassive Games; PS4) claimed the Original Property award, as its complex, multichoice narrative – trying to keep a group of youngsters alive through the night at a remote, snowbound cabin – impressed with great if occasionally gory graphics, while its branching slasher plot demands repeated playthroughs.

Finally, Rocket League (Psyonix; PS4, XBO, PC, LX, Mac) continued its relentless drive into gamers’ hearts, scoring Famiy Game, Sport Game and Multiplayer Game awards.

While the thought of, basically, playing football by using cars to knock a ball about in giant stadi-

Sam Barlow collected a clutch of BAFTAs for his acclaimed game, Her Story. Picture: Matt Crossick/PA

ums doesn’t sound like much, the game’s spectacular success underscored that the simplest games, or ideas, still strike a chord for anyone just

looking for a blast of pure, uncomplicated fun.

For the full list of winners, and nominees, see awards.bafta.org/ award/2016/games.

14 April 2016 Gazette 23

Gazette

MOTORING

The fourth-generation Kia Sportage looks sturdy, but has plenty of comfort within the spacious cabin. Pictures: Paddy McGrath

kia sportage: changes to popular model deliver an impressive ride

Fourth-generation ups the ante in the crossover stakes

 dave phillips

WE TAKE a trip back to the compact crossover market this week, this time checking out what is fast becoming one of Ireland’s favourite makes and models.

In 2015, the K ia Sportage was listed in the top ten best selling cars in Ireland, and it is seems evident that the trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

There are currently more than 11,000 listed on Irish roads, with Kia hoping to add another 3,000 by the end of the 2016.

It is easy to see what makes the Sportage so popular – as a brand, Kia continues to take leaps and bounds in terms of quality, while still main-

taining a market-leading warranty.

And the compact crossover model essentially gives solid hatchback performance and then some, ticking a lot of boxes for buyers looking to strike a balance between performance and versatility.

The trend continues in this fourth-generation Sportage. Available with the choice of two engines – a 1.7-litre diesel, or a beefier 2.0-litre (with AWD) – the newest Sportage comes in three trim levels, and starts out from €27,995.

We took out what is proving so far to be the most popular configuration, the mid-level trim combined with the 1.7litre engine – which with stop/start technology as standard, falls into the

€200 A4 category for road tax.

On the outside, the Sportage’s familiar sleek and solid stance gives it a muscular presence on the road. Face-on, the headlamps have been set up higher than the grille – a small change from the last generation, but one that sets the new Sportage apart aesthetically from other compact crossovers on the road.

And, while the width remains the same, Kia have added an extra 40mm in length – which goes toward making the interior all the more comfortable.

A very comfortable cabin, and a good amount of adult space in the rear, will no doubt contribute to the Sportage’s popularity.

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

‘The new Sportage works out as a very comfortable ride, feeling incredibly well-insulated with minimal road noise regardless of the surface’

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

The mid-level EX trim (€29,995) comes with half-leather seats, adding a touch of luxury to the simple, wide and sturdy soft-plastic dash.

A 7” touchscreen incorporates Sat-Nav and a reversing camera, as well as the usual media inputs.

An effortlessly clean and uncluttered panel below controls heating, and a 4.2” LCD screen can act as a speedometer, as well as displaying speed limits or other

in-ride information as needed.

An incredible panoramic sunroof, stretching all the way back to the back seats, comes optional on the EX trim, and will bump the price up another €1,105.

The new Sportage works out as a very comfortable ride, feeling incredibly well-insulated with minimal road noise regardless of the surface.

The 1.7-litre engine zips along and provides plenty of torque, feeling

The latest tech deliver all the aids you could want, adding to the driving experience

like there is always something extra to give.

The Sportage feels effortless on the motorway, while suspension upgrades in this new generation, combined with the increased wheelbase, give a much greater sense of stability when

taking the car out across less-maintained country roads.

All in all, this fourth generation Spor tage looks, feels and performs solidly and impressively.

No doubt we’ll see it again in the top ten sales at the end of the year.

24 dun laoghaire Gazette 14 April 2016

Ireland’s most famous Olympian, EXCLUSIVE

Golden exploits of Dublin’s proudest sporting son Almost 60 years ago, Ronnie Delany sent Dublin and the rest of the country into delirium with his golden exploits at the Melbroune Olympics. No Irish athlete has managed to achieve such a gold run since. For the 81-year-old, family life in Dublin is far more important than any Olympic gold medal.  Cathal Dennehy

Almost 60 years have passed since one of Dublin’s proudest sons, Ronnie Delany, turned in a performance that would change his life forever.

It was December 1,

1956, when the Sandymount resident – competing over 10,000 miles in Melbourne, Australia – sent the Irish nation into euphoria, sprinting to gold in 1500m at the Olympic Games.

Six decades on, the memory has crystal-

lised in his mind, and it’s no surprise, because Delany’s run may well be the greatest feat in Irish sporting history.

“I remember the intensity of concentration,” says Delany, now 81.

“During the race,

Ronnie Delany and Brush Shields, during the Remembrance Run 5k 2015.

Picture: Tomas Greally/Sportsfile

you’re focused. You don’t hear the crowd.

You’re watching, focusing, monitoring, and if you have the gift to be able to win, you’re going to win.”

Delany played a patient game in the final, saving his speed for the home straight, at which point he unleashed a devastating change of gears to leave Australian rival John Landy and the world’s best milers trailing in his wake.

“I threw my arms wide in celebration as I went through the victory tape, and kneeled down to say a prayer as a mark of my faith,” says Delany.

“You’re almost saying: ‘I don’t believe it, I’ve won the Olympics.’

At 21 years of age, I was going to climb up the rostr um as Oly mpic champion.”

It was the feat which would define his career – indeed his life – but truth be told, he felt more fortunate a half century later, when his home city honoured him with the freedom of Dublin.

“That’s probably the proudest moment of my life,” he said.

“I’m indebted to my city. When your own select you for such an honour, it’s an absolute pleasure.

“I love this city, and getting that honour is a renown you enjoy throughout your life.”

D e l a ny w a s a c t u ally born in Arklow, Co Wicklow and moved to Dublin at the age of five.

As a result, both counties are understandably keen to claim him as their own.

“I can claim dual citizenship,” he says with a laugh.

“I had a dilemma back in the 50s. Dublin decided to make me the Dublin man of the year, while Wicklow decided to make me Wicklow man of the year. It required a solemn decision, so I decided I’d take both!”

At the age of 19, Delany left Ireland for six years to attend college at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, moulding himself into the world’s best middle distance runner over 3,000 miles from home.

“I never had a sense of loneliness,” he says.

“My life was extraordinarily full. I took the academic side seriously and the running seriously, and I also had to work.”

At a time when he was one of the world’s best athletes – but also an amateur who was unable to take any earnings from the sport – Delany worked a number of different jobs to get by.

H e wo r ke d a s a “grease monkey” at a friend’s garage, as a caddy at a local golf course, and as a park-

Ronnie Delany sprinting to gold in the 1500m at the

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

“That’s way above the Olympics, the happiness I’ve enjoyed in family life. The gift of my children, the gift of my grandchildren, that’s way above anything else.”

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

ing attendant at a local church.

“I’d be out parking cars for midday mass and people there would be papers hot off the press about the guy who ran a world record at Madison Square Garden the night before,” he said.

“The people probably didn’t know the guy who set the record was the guy parking their cars.”

After winning gold in Melbourne, Delany didn’t get to return home to Dublin along with the rest of the Irish team, but had to hightail it back to Villanova for his end-of-term exams.

It was weeks later before he made it back

to the Emerald Isle, landing at Shannon airport and being brought to Dublin by motorcade to be received by the Lord Mayor.

Only then did he realise the effect his achievement had on the psyche of the Irish people.

“It was celebration after celebration,” he said.

“We Irish are great for celebrating; give us an excuse and we’ll do it.”

Delany retired from athletics at the relatively youthful age of 26, though for the past six decades, he’s brought back to Melbourne in some small way on a daily basis.

“When you have the

14 April 2016 dun laoghaire Gazette 25

Ronnie Delany speaks to The Gazette

Ronnie falls to his knees and offers a prayer of thanks after winning the gold medal

Olympic Games

honour and distinction, when your fate says you’ll be an Olympic gold medallist, there’s never a day you’re not reminded of it,” he says.

“I still get correspondence from all over the world, requests for autographs. The impact on your life is ongoing.

“You don’t look at yourself in the mirror every day and say it to yourself, but you have a deeper sense of being part of history of the Olympic Games, part of the inspiring inspiration of the Olympic Games.”

Beyond the satisfaction of his spor ting achievements, Delany says nothing has compared to the sense of contentedness he has gleaned from bringing up four children, and the 81-year-old is now a proud grandfather to 15 grandchildren.

“T hat’s way above the Olympics, the happiness I’ve enjoyed in

family life,” he says.

“The gift of my children, the gift of my grandchildren, that’s way above any thing

House on Stephen’s green.”

Another of his regular activities is to go to the theatre, which was a

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

“My life was extraordinarily full.

I took the academic side seriously and the running seriously, and I also had to work”

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

else.”

These days, Delany likes to stay active by playing tennis twice a week at the Fitzwilliam Club, and he also swims regularly.

Though he admits he’s not a man for pubs, one of his favourite ways to spend an evening is at one of his most beloved Dublin restaurants.

“My favourite restaurant locally is Bistro One in Foxrock,” he says.

“That’s a great, local family-run restaurant.

My favourite restaurant in the city is the Cliff

particular passion during his adolescence.

“My abiding memory of my teens was theatre,” he says.

“I loved going to the theatre in Dublin. I still go to plays and musicals these days, but I don’t have the same opportunity to go as I used to.”

This December, it will be 60 years since Delany turned in his ultimate performance of sporting theatre, and for Dublin’s proudest sporting son – and indeed his beloved city – it will never be forgotten.

Torchbearers Ronnie Delaney and Bridget Taylor outside Government buildings when the Olympic Torch crossed into the Republic of Ireland in 2012

26 dun laoghaire Gazette 14 April 2016

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28 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 14 April 2016

SPORT

FastSport irish american football team set for debut: THE senior Ireland American Football team will travel to the Netherlands on August 26 to take on the Dutch National team in a friendly fixture in their very first international match.

It will be the first time an Irish national American Football side will take on another country’s national team and marks a significant forward step.

The Ireland programme began last year and includes a senior and junior full contact team and a flag gootball team, all with the goal of competing in friendly fixtures as well as European and International competitions.

“I am delighted that our senior team will be playing in their first friendly game against the Dutch Lions later this year” said Ireland General Manager Orla McAleese. “Our coaches and players have worked extremely hard over the past few months and they are really looking forward to it.”

cycling: dundrum club step in to organise road championships

Orwell to host Irish nationals  sport@dublingazette.com

ORW E L L W h e e l e r s won the bid to host the National Road Race Championships from June 23-26, an award announced by Cycling Ireland earlier this week.

The former club of Stephen Roche will

use the Phoenix Park as a focal point for the championships, it being the planned location for the start and finish area, subject to licence.

Orwell is one of Ireland’s largest cycling clubs, along with being one of the most progressive, having recently received sponsorship

from Scott Bicycles.

The club promises an exciting weekend of racing, which will incorporate the national time trial championships, the elite men’s and elite women’s road race championships, the veteran championships and the masters championships.

Action from the final stage of the 2016 road race

Orwell Wheelers are looking forward to hosting the national road championships

The National Road Championships are hosted by Cycling Ireland clubs every year, with the location being rotated between the four provinces.

The 2016 Championships were initially to be hosted by Clonmel CC, the Munster club who also held them in 2012.

But they were forced to withdraw their application, leaving way for new applications to be received.

Orwell were successful in securing the prestigious event. They have hosted many National Championships over the past 70 years, most recent of which was t h e ve r y s u c c e s s f u l 2009 Criterium Championships held on the

Meadowmount circuit in Dundrum.

Denis Gleeson, President of Orwell Wheelers, said of the championships: “It is a great honour for our club to be chosen to host the 2016 National Road Championships, particularly since it will be based in our heartland of Dublin City and the Phoenix Park.

“Our club, while only founded in 1948, boasts of having one of the first English speaking winners of the Tour de France. We have produced many national champions, a number of whom are still active members, and we are proud to be one of the largest and most active cycling clubs in the

country.

“Come June we hope to see many of our racing friends from around the country and those travelling from abroad.

We want this to be a special event.”

Orwell’s race director and event organiser Stephen O’Shea added: “I raced in the past in the Phoenix Park and loved the atmosphere associated with this unique location.

“Taking up the task of putting together a spectacular championships this year will be challenging!

“However, I am comforted knowing that the club’s many members are supportive of the event and I thank them in advance.”

Avoca miss stroke of fortune in national Trophy final  sport@dublingazette.com

Avoca’s Anna Richardson on the attack against Bandon last Saturday. Picture: Adrian Boehm

EMMA White’s pair of diving saves denied Avoca the women’s Irish Hockey Trophy title as Bandon claimed at Belfield last Saturday, denying the Blackrock club a cup double.

It went the distance by Avoca after a huge arm-wrestle at Belfield, one in which the west Cork outfit had the slight edge on chances but could not find the backboard until the shoot-out.

There, Jenny Buttimer, Rachel Desmond and Jessica Kingston all potted their efforts which,

in tandem with White’s blocks, allowed the nerveless Vicky Burns the chance to win it.

That normal time ended scoreless could scarcely have been predicted in a crackerjack first half in which the play swung wildly from end to end.

Amy Buttimer was sent clean through but saw her first up effort excellent shut down by a sliding Esme Galloway, Avoca’s stand-in keeper after Danni Cummins picked up an injury in the past week.

Desmond’s follow up was cleared off the line while she

also got a deflection to a cracking disguised pass from Burns but Galloway again did enough to keep it out.

W hite, meanwhile, kept out Aideen McGuinness and Rachel McAuley chances as Anna Richardson bossed the midfield in a superb opening stanza.

The second half was tighter though both sides did have giltedged chances to win it, Katie Desmond denied by Galloway’s long stick while Sarah Healy missed out with the goal beckoning.

Bandon, though, had the know-how in the shoot-out from their semi-final and shot their way to a famous maiden victory in this competition.

Nonetheless, Ronan Hickey’s Avoca can look back on a reasonably productive season.

They were promoted to the top tier in Leinster and duly stayed in Division One with something to spare.

The Leinster Hockey Shield was added on St Patrick’s Day with a 2-1 success against a fancied Glenanne side to cap off their exploits.

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 29

Gazette

Sailing senior still on the crest of a wave National Sailing Club’s Leonard McKay continues to get out on the water every Saturday during the summer, making the 82-year-old the perfect subject for Setanta’s new TV series  james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

LEONARD MCKAY – at 82 years old, the senior member of the Irish National Sailing Club – has spent his life living on the Dun Laoghaire sea front, and much of his life sailing in its harbour and the wider Dublin bay.

A keen fan of a sport he calls “primal,” McKay rarely misses a Saturday on the water and particularly loves the aspect of small-boat sailing that pits him against nature.

Indeed, in tandem with Mar y Beck, he claimed last weekend’s squib class silver cup on his third outing of 2016.

“I enjoy the feeling of it being you against the elements,” McKay tells

GazetteSport. “I sail in squibs, three metre boats that have two crew, and compete within the club.

The last 25 years sailing every week, spending summers on the water have been the highlight of my life.”

McKay is one of a number featured in a new Setanta Spor ts series Super Fit Seniors, in which outstanding distance runner Eamonn Coghlan talks to various older athletes about their fitness regimes, attitudes and approach to sport.

The sailor told the show his main training regimen is to “keep breathing” and that he doesn’t “know anything about calories, or pay any attention to them”.

Instead he eats the same unprocessed foods

he has eaten all his life, growing as much of the produce as he can manage himself in his garden.

The gardening itself also plays a fitness role.

“I eat a good breakfast and a three course lunch every day,” he says. “I always have, even when I was working. For tea, I just eat a slice of toast and have a cup of tea.

I don’t snack. I think snacking is a problem today.”

Speaking of the health that enables him to continue sailing into his 80s, McKay recalls his upbringing, the rationing of sugar in the 1930s and 40s, and how it led him to eat a naturally healthy lifestyle.

“I just kept it going,” he explains. “I have an artificial left knee. We’ve

Leonard McKay tends to his boat in Dun Laoghaire harbour as part of the Super Fit Seniors on Setanta Ireland

talked in the club about whether it would be possible to continue if I had another one. We think it would. The club is very big on getting disabled people out onto the water, too.”

McKay talks passionately about his love for

boats are just you, the wind and the waves. It’s just the ropes and your muscle.

“We don’t go out if the wind is above about a force four, you have to be safe,” he adds. “We’ve been out into the harbour a couple of times this year

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

‘The last 25 years sailing every week, spending summers on the water have been the highlight of my life’ Leonard McKay --------------------------------------------------------

the INSC and is often trying to tempt others onto the water. “90% of the people in the club don’t own boats,” he explains.

“It’s a very accessible sport. We’ve had a lot of people from around the world, people who work for companies like Google and Facebook, joining recently.

“They might sail at home and they want to continue here. They pay their dues and take a club boat out. There’s everything from paddle boards to cruisers.”

Not that McKay ranks them all equally. “I look down my nose a little at cruisers,” he admits. “I don’t think you’d have trouble finding people my age who use cruisers, as there’s a lot of support equipment and often a large crew. The smaller

and just turned around and come back because of conditions. But it’s two and a half hours of exercise every Saturday that I really enjoy. When I haven’t done it, I’ve really noticed the difference during the week.

“Some of my friends gave up sailing at 60 because they thought they were too old,” he concludes. “I still get them to come out with me every so often, but there’s the call of Saturday afternoon TV sport.

For me, playing sport always beats watching someone else play. So I just keep going.”

Super Fit Seniors, a sixpart sports entertainment series will be shown freeto-air on Setanta Ireland for six weeks and started this Monday, April 11 at 7.30pm.

FastSport

Kevin Sims interviewed by Eamonn Coghlan

Sims continuing 60-year connection with cycling AT 84-YEARS-OLD, Kevin Sims takes his cycling seriously. Aside from a break in the 1960s during which he took up powerlifting, Sims has been racing bicycles most of his life.

That including in the 1953 Ras, the first ever edition of Ireland’s premiere cycling race, in which he departed an O’Connell Street start competing for Kildare.

Sims trains three to four times a week - “Tuesday and Thursday, Saturday if I can manage it, and a race on Sunday,” with his sport taking him around the country, where he competes in an over 80s age category.

“I’d try to go 35 miles,” he tells GazetteSport.

“I have to compete against people a few years younger than me, and a lot of them would be former pro cyclists. Some of them looks great.

But I still race. In the winter every weekend, and in the summer, when the light’s better, on Tuesdays too.”

Sims is one of the stars of new Setanta series Super Fit Seniors, in which he says he does “a 60 mile race from Tallaght, riding with my two daughters.”

Sims also rides alongside fellow veteran Sean Lally, who twice finished second in the Ras. When he’s not cycling, Sims loves gardening, but points to the wonderful experiences the sport has brought him as particularly great memories.

“I rode through the French Alps with friends a few years ago, and the scenery was incredible,” he recalls. “We went back and did it in Italy and Germany, too. Now, I go to Spain every year.

It’s tough - it’s very hilly - but I really enjoy it.”

He does, however, avoid cycling through town, instead using Wicklow for his training, and looks at today’s obesity epidemic with some horror.

“You didn’t see big people in the 30s and 40s,” he explains. “It’s just the last 20 or 30 years, people are overeating and sitting in front of the TV instead of exercising. I’ve always kept myself around 11 stone” With his current fitness regime, Sims’ won’t be facing that kind of problem anytime soon.

Gazette

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 14 April 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: schools team to take on scotland in centenary shield

DSDAC sweep to team titles at Great Ireland DUNDRUM South Dublin enjoyed one of their best team performances last weekend as they produced a superb set of times at last Sunday’s Great Ireland Run in the Phoenix Park.

In an outing reminiscent of DSD’s quarter of national cross-country wins a few years ago, they swept to a series of team titles in the annual event.

Brandon Hargreaves, who has just returned from sabbatical in the US, was always in the lead group and finished in third place. Joe Sweeney, fifth, showed he is returning to the form that saw him finish fifth in the European cross country championships, with Killian Mooney, the youngest of the top finishers, in tenth place.

Mark Conway was the fourth scorer on this momentous occasion.

Any preview of the race would have placed DSD ladies as the top team and they duly delivered. They were led home by the evergreen Maria McCambridge who finished a close up third place and was supported by a powerful team that included Sarah Mulligan, fourth, Laura Shaughnessy, fifth, Fiona Clinton, eighth, Meghan Ryan, ninth, and Harriette Robinson in 16th.

McCambridge, who is still seeking a Rio marathon qualifying time, proved that the speed is coming back to her legs after an injury hit season. This proved a marvellous occasion for DSD, with their colours dominant in the top 10.

Indeed, there were many other fine runs with Rachel Riordan 42nd and Sarah O’Carroll in 43rd. In the women’s Over-50s, Annette Kehoe came second in a time of 43.33 for the 10km while Linda Finnegan did likewise in the Over55s in 44.47.

Maxine Jones took second place in the Over60s while the likes of Denis Romain, Mark Sheridan, Colm Cunningham, Colin Murphy and Barry O’Grady all produced good times.

Meanwhile, Anita White continued to pursue her javelin dream to qualify for the Europeans with a throw of 51.37 at a chilly Santry on Saturday.

The national record holder continues to impress in a single minded determination to appear at her first major championships.

The Republic of Ireland schools team

Clonkeen duo in Irish panel sport@dublingazette.com

CLONKEEN College’s Eric Donnelly and Shane Hanney are both in the Republic of Ireland shake-up to play in the eighth Inspiresport Centenary Shield fixture of the series will take place in Celtic Park in Killarney on Thursday, April 14 against Scotland.

The title has already been decided in England’s favour following their late 2-2 draw with the Republic of Ireland last Friday night.

It means Paddy

O’Reilly’s side will be playing for pride as he hopes to increase his points tally for 2016.

The Republic of Ireland are currently with two draws under their belts following their opener with Northern Ireland in Arklow Town which ended scoreless on St Patrick’s Day. Scotland on the other have three games played with an opening 1-1 draw to Northern Ireland in Glasgow at the end of February.

The Scots were bitterly disappointed to lose at home to Wales as a soli-

back to back wins Joeys’ new Under-17 side get the best of Wexford st joseph’s Boys/Bray Wanderers SSE Airtricity league side took all three points from their meeting with Wexford Youths with a 3-2 win at the Carlisle Grounds.

Aaron Malone opened the scoring just after the break before Luke Devlin made it two nil shortly after. Wexford then pulled two goals back before Conor Maguire sealed the win late on to make it back to back victories for the first time this season for Graham Kelly’s team.

tary goal from Ifan Jones 12 minutes into the second period was enough to see them win out the game.

The tartan army also suffered a defeat to England in Fleetwood Town on April Fool’s Day. Substitute Aaron Smith put the English in front early in the second half only for this to be cancelled out on the hour mark by another substitute Kyle Banner.

The game looked to be ending in a draw but Smith secured his second of the night as he lobbed the goalkeeper,

Wilson inside the box for the match winner with four minutes of injury time on the clock. The visitors will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing season and end it on a high, with an away win against last year’s Champions.

The outing will provide both managers with the opportunity to play some fringe players. However, a win in this contest will be very much in their mind-set.

The Republic of Ireland stick with the same squad that travelled

to England for their game last week which saw Eoghan Morgan of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf captain the side.

St Colmcille’s Darragh Gibbons and Lucan CBS’s Conor Kane are among the other Dubliners involved in the line-up.

O’Reilly will no doubt want to avail of the full six points on offer in his two remaining games.

Following the Scotland encounter, the Irish will travel to Llandudno to take on the Welsh in a fortnight’s time.

14 April 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 31

Gazette

derby date

Crokes win big against Boden in AHL Division 1

Club Noticeboard Cuala

kilmacud Crokes’ senior A hurlers pro-

duced a good victory against local rivals Ballyboden St Endas, in a tough and physical AHL1 encounter.

Crokes scored nine points from play, in the first 16 minutes. Lorcan McMullan scored a great goal for a 1-12 to 0-5 halftime lead and they maintained an 11 point lead to the end.

GOOD wins for all three adult hurling

raiser for our minor boys, girls and

teams last weekend with the seniors

ladies sections, is being launched next

overcoming Lucan, the second team

Saturday, April 16 in the clubhouse at

beating Ballinteer in AHL5 and the

9.30pm. Contestants will be revealed

third team beating Clontarf in AHL7 by

and some of the Cube games demon-

a single point.

strated. Everyone’s invited to come

Well done to the U-16A footballers on

Picture: Diarmuid O’Gallchobhair

football: stillorgan side undone by st aidan’s

along and join the fun.

a hard fought win over Thomas Davis

Good luck to both our U-14 teams in

in first round of the A championship.

their Feile matches next weekend. The

Hard luck to the U-16B footballers on

Feile Bs are in Thomastown and the

their loss to Lucan despite a brave

As in Martin Savage Park. All support

performance.

welcome at both venues.

Good luck to Darragh Spillane, Con

A special thanks to all who took part

O’Callaghan and Martin Cahilan with

in the adult football fundraiser The

the Dublin U-21 Footballers in their

Cuala Golf Masters in Old Conna Golf

All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo

Club. Thanks also to all our sponsors

next Saturday.

and Ciaran Irwin who expertly organ-

Well done to Michael Fitzsimons on

ised the entire event.

helping the Dublin senior footballers

This week’s Cuala lotto jackpot is a

overcome Donegal to reach the league

massive €5,300. Our lucky dip winners

final.

last week were Caoilfhionn Denn and

The Cuala Cube, 2016’s big fund-

Eric Tomkins. Buy your tickets online.

Shankill OUR juvenile academy, sponsored by

and played two brilliant matches. Well

O’Donnell’s Pharmacy, Shankill, is in

done to our brave U-8 camogie team

action every Saturday morning at

who had a draw away to Crumlin.

10am in our home ground at Shanga-

St Benildus missed out on the Dublin senior A title

Small’s big scoring breaks Benildus

schools sfc a final

St Benildus 0-10 St Aidan’s 0-15  sport@dublingazette.com

ST BENILDUS missed out on the Dublin Schools senior A football championship title last Friday at O’Toole Park, falling to St Aidan’s by five points.

The Whitehall school laid the foundation for their victory in the opening half and led 0-8 to 0-3 at the interval. A Cian Gerrard point on the restart stretched that advantage before Benildus finally came to life to shoot five points

in-a-row to cut the margin to one.

Aaron Bradshaw led the Benildus fightback with Joe Rafferty firing over a 32nd minute point following a run by the Ballinteer St John’s clubman. Within a minute, Tom Keane and Aaron Bradshaw added to their side’s tally.

A Dan O’Brien point at the end of a fine move made the score and a second point from Rafferty, when he got his fist to a Keane free dropping short, cutting the deficit to just one point, 0-9 to 0-8.

Howe ve r, A i d a n ’s

steadied themselves with a free from Paddy Small which was followed by a brilliantly struck point by his Dublin Under21 tea m-ma te Tony O’Sullivan from longrange.

The accuracy of Small was the deciding factor over the course of the hour while Aidan’s defensive structure ensured opportunities for the Benildus inside line were kept to a minimum.

Also, on a couple of occasions when they did breach the defence, Sam Bruton stood tall in the Aidan’s goal.

In the opening half

the sides were level, 0-2 each, inside 10 minutes with Adam Conway and Small on target for Aidan’s and Bradshaw and Eoin Foley likewise for Benildus.

Small edged Aidan’s in front with a 11th minute free before Bruton made a great save to deny Callum Pearson.

Donal Ryan, O’Sullivan (free) and Small, off his less favoured right foot, put daylight between the teams, 0-6 t0 0-2.

Tom Keane cut the margin but crucially Aidan’s finished the half the stronger with two Small frees.

Fixtures for all teams will be available during the week If you would like

nagh Castle.

The sun was shining on Saturday and

your child to join the academy, just

there were traffic jams at the Castle

come along any Saturday morning or

as the academy got into full swing

contact us by telephone or e-mail at

and as we welcomed visiting teams to

secretary.shankill.dublin@gaa.ie or

Shankill while our boys and girls gath-

086 4010438.

ered to travel to away games.

There was a great mornings hurling with the U-8 team who hosted Westmantown Gaels while the U-9 team trained. The U-13 boys football side lost to Naomh Olaf.

The U-10 girls travelled to Fox/Cab

There are no trials, no selection processes and no annual subscription.

New players for all of our teams are always welcome.

For the adult football team, contact Kevin on 086 8449902.

kilmacud crokes WELL done to our U-16A footballers

good wins over Skerries teams on

who beat Vincent’s in their opening

Sunday. Our minor football first team

championship game on Saturday.

beat Na Fianna by five points while

Hard luck to the U-16B squad who were

MFL3 lost to O’ Tooles and MFL5 had a

beaten by Maurs.

good win over Ballinteer.

Great result for our senior hurlers

The AFL1 senior team played a chal-

who beat Ballyboden in their league

lenge game in Pairc De Burca against

encounter over the weekend.

St Brigid’s of Roscommon which they

Both our U-15 football teams had

won.



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The Republic of Ireland Under-15 side ahead of their tie with the Czech Republic

Joeys and Cabo in green Max Murphy, Callum Thompson and Jason Knight in the Irish Under-15 panel as they run up big win over Czech Republic on Monday afternoon  sport@dublingazette.com

ST JOSEPH’s Boys Max Murphy and Callum Thompson and Cabinteely’s Jason Knight were part of the Republic of Ireland Under15 panel that produced an impressive 5-2 win over the Czech Republic in the first of two games.

And they manager Colin O’Brien was pleased with the quality of his side’s attacking display.

“It was great. I’m delighted for the players. From day one this season, they’ve created lots of opportunities in games and have competed in every game,” he said.

“No so-called superior nation that they’ve

played this season has been over them. They came off the pitch each time realising that.

They’ve threatened to score goals in every match and this time they finished off some good opportunities and I’m pleased for them.

“I feel that there are exciting players in this age group but I also believe that’s the case with the other age groups I’ve worked with.

“Maybe there is doom and gloom in some quarters but it’s just people’s opinions – we know how we’re educating the players and we feel that they’re getting their minds opened to how we want them to play.

“A lot of people won’t see the work that’s

done off the pitch. They’ve been a credit to their clubs and the centre of excellence that they worked in.

“From team meetings, to acting in the hotel, their routine for the week with us.

People don’t see that.

“They’re a smashing bunch of lads. I’ve seen some great players in recent years and they just need to be put into an environment where they can continue to develop. Hopefully these players can continue that process now with the U16s.”

The attacking play was a testament to the quality in this group with Adam Idah and Sean Brennan each scoring twice in Clonmel on Monday with Seanie Mahon adding

the fifth.

O’Brien feels that over the course of the campaign this crop of young players has made great strides as a group.

“We’ve worked very hard all through the year with the four team functions – attack, defence and the transitions – and that’s what we look for when we play. They learn through practical work on the pitch, some visual stuff, they’ve been excellent with that all season.”

Elsewhere, Cabinteely’s Aaron Brilly was in the Irish Colleges and Universities squad who beat the Scottish Universities 3-0 in an international friendly played in constant heavy rain at Whitehall.