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a VIP night out for TEN people at the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby final

UNANIMOUS CROSS-PARTY PUSH FOR HOMES IN SHANKILL

Councillors unite with radical social housing plan  EMMA NOLAN

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Netflix’s take on cult anime classic Death Note fails to do it justice

A UNIQUE cross-party proposal aimed at easing the housing crisis in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown received unanimous support by councillors this week.

Cllr John Bailey (FG) told The Gazette: “This is the first proposal of its kind to have

unanimous cross-party support in the country.”

The plans for 540 social and affordable homes on the council-owned lands at Shanganagh Castle can be progressed after amendments put forward by People Before Profit were supported. The lands will be developed with 100% social and affordable housing. Full story on Page5

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DALKEY | DEVELOPERS’ PRICE AT PROPOSED SITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Unbuilt social homes could have €500k cost  EMMA NOLAN DEVELOPERS are asking the council to pay more than €500,000 per social housing unit in an unbuilt Dalkey development.

Winterbrook Homes Ltd have applied for planning permission for a complex of 56 apartments at Charleville House on Harbour Road beside St Patrick’s Church, close to Dalkey village.

Five of the units must be used as social housing under new laws. The company has put the cost of these apartments at almost €2.6m – that’s €516,400 each that the council would have to pay per unit to be used as social housing.

However, as the proj-

The mooted possible cost to the council could change, as the unbuilt development’s costs are estimates that have yet to be fully evaluated as per standard practise

ect is only at the planning permission stage, these costs are estimates and have not been subject to any tendering process or rigorous evaluation by the council’s quantity surveyor or valuer.

A council spokesperson said that a full evaluation of costs and land values will only be undertaken when, and if, planning permission is granted.

They said: “Following a grant of planning per-

mission and evaluation of proven costs, should the council be unable to secure substantial savings on the indicative average unit cost of €516,400, alternative options for Part V compliance will then be

explored.”

Cllr Hugh Lewis (PBP) described the situation as “lunacy”, adding: “A proposition for the council such as the apartments for social housing in Dalkey underpins the lunacy and expense of paying developers for 10% social homes [as part of developments].

“We need to be aggressively building our own homes on our own [council-owned] lands, and demand a fair portion of housing from private developments.

“These [costs to the council for the] apartments could build two brand-new three-bed houses for two families to call their home for the same price as one of these apartments,” he said.

FASTNews

Good news for county’s lovers of outdoor BBQs THROW another shrimp on the Marlay! Outdoor barbeques for the public could be on the cards for the Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown area, even as the weather turns.

Cllr Chris Curran (SF) has expressed his delight that the council agreed with the party’s motion to trial outdoor barbeques in Marlay Park.

He said: “Our parks are a valuable, much used resource and should be used to their maximum. The barbecues are currently in use in Phoenix Park and seem to be very busy indeed.

“Marlay Park is a brilliant facility for local people and seeing the barbecues extended across the county would be an excellent incentive for people to use our parks,” said Cllr Curran.

School issues a warning letter to students, parents A GOATSTOWN school has issued a warning to students and parents as a convicted rapist has moved to the area.

Mount Anville Secondary School issued a letter to parents warning that students of the all-girl school should be “vigilant” as dangerous serial rapist Michael Murray has been spotted in the area recently.

Murry was convicted in 1996 for rape and sexual assault after a six-day rampage in September, 1995 where he raped four women and sexually assaulted two others in Dalkey, Killiney and Monkstown.

He also stabbed a woman in Rathmines. Murray was released in 2009 after serving 13 years of an 18-year sentence.

Murray was not named in the school letters, but it is believed to be him as he has been spotted in South Dublin in recent months.

The letter said Gardai had informed the school that Murray hadn’t re-offended since his release.

A night to help St Joseph’s

The Metals inspire a great exhibition NIAMH Lowney and Lauren Walsh were all smiles as they took in a fascinating exhibition’s launch at the DLR LexIcon Library. Inspired by The Metals – Dun Laoghaire’s historic old link that contributed much to the fortunes of the town – the exhibition of design projects connected with the iconic route is the result of a collaboration of final year students at UCD’s School of Architecture.

Picture: Peter Cavanagh

THE second Irish Fashion Collective in aid of Saint Joseph’s Shankill will place in the Conrad Dublin on Friday, October 13, featuring a wide range of Ireland’s leading designers. All funds raised will go to supporting Saint Joseph’s vision of creating Ireland’s first dementia village. Tickets priced €100 are available from www.saintjosephsshankill.ie, or email Siobhan.grant@sjog.ie or call 01 271 9204.

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

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

ALL-IRELAND FINAL | MEET 86YO SEAN, WHO’S HOPING TO GO TO HIS 75TH CROKER SHOWDOWN

KING OF THE HILL Sean’s first All Ireland

Final was the ‘Thunder and Lightning’ final of 1939 (right)

 SYLVIA POWNALL DYED-IN-THE-WOOL Dubs supporter Sean Hallinan is bidding to attend his 75th All Ireland final in Croke Park on Sunday.

The 86-year-old from Cabra – who attended his first AllIreland at the age of nine – hopes to be there once again to see the boys in blue defeat Mayo to raise the Sam Maguire Cup. Sean has yet to secure a ticket but is ever the optimist and expects to be among the 83,000-capacity crowd at Sunday’s final with his nephew Joe, who flew in from NewYork for the game.

He told The Gazette: “My first final was in 1939 and it was known as the thunder and lightning final – Kilkenny beat Cork by a point.

“My older brother Joe and I were boarders in St Vincent’s school in Glasnevin and we used to go to the matches every Sunday.

“He was my best friend and we used to travel all over the country in the van supporting the Dubs.”

Sean’s brother Joe passed away in 2013 and he now goes with his nephew, also Joe – who has flown home from New York every year since 2002 for the Croker final.

Sean said: “The game has changed and it’s a lot faster than it was in my day. I played right hand forward or corner forward, take your pick. It was a lot more physical then but I love it just as much today.”

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

TWEETS | PARTIES UNITE TO CRITICISE COUNCILLOR’S OPINIONS

Murphy slammed over ‘Sharia law’ comments  EMMA NOLAN

DUNDRUM Fine Gael councillor Brian Murphy is facing a disciplinary hearing over comments he made about ‘Sharia law in Ireland’ on Twitter last week.

Cllr Murphy, who represents the Dundrum electoral area, has been distanced from the party and his colleagues since making the claims.

He tweeted: “Sharia Law is operating in Ireland and most of the political class either do not know or do not care.

It is a subversion of our legal system.”

Another of his tweets (bot h show n, right) read: “Future generations of Europeans will inherit countries more divided, more dangerous and packed full of terrorists. They have been betrayed.”

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has distanced himself from Cllr Murphy and his comments, saying: “They do not represent the policies, views or

Screengrabs show two of Cllr Murphy’s Tweets, which have drawn crossparty condemnation from local representatives, including from within his own party

values of the Fine Gael party.

“The party at executive council level will take any necessary action that needs to be taken by them and he’ll be informed of that in due course.”

Cllr Murphy’s party colleague, Senator Neale R ichmond, told T he Gazette he “wholeheartedly disagrees” with Cllr Murphy’s comments.

He said: “I wholeheartedly disagree with com-

ments by Cllr Murphy on Twitter over recent months in relation to immigration, religion and various unsubstantiated claims.

“I have tried to engage with Brian numerous times in relation to this, but I strongly feel that his comments are both incorrect and inappropriate.”

Cllr Chris Curran (SF), who also serves the same constituency, said that the comments made by Cllr Murphy are “danger-

ous” and “only serving to inflame ignorance and division”.

“The Taoiseach must stand strong on this. His party need to be extremely clear and deal with the matter promptly. As I understand it, Cllr Murphy could be expelled from his party – I doubt he would resign.”

Cllr Donal Smith (FF) from Stillorgan deemed Cllr Murphy’s comments “wrong, ill-judged, illinformed and irresponsible”.

He said: “The Irish Muslim community are pro-Ireland, law-abiding, hard-working and respectful people. All people in Ireland have the same rights under the Constitution.

“I’m proud that freedom of religion is included in our Constitution, and that people of all faiths are treated equally – we should continue to be caring, humane, openminded and friendly.”

Backlash However, despite the backlash, Cllr Murphy told The Gazette he stands by his comments.

“I stand over the fears I expressed about Sharia law beginning to take root in Ireland.

“Immigration has been a good thing for Ireland; the vast majority of immigration has been very positive for this country, but we do have to acknowledge that Islam does present a particular challenge because it doesn’t integrate as easily as other forms of immigration and other immigrant groups.

“I would view it as a betrayal by us, as politicians, if we were to pass on a more dangerous and a more divided country to the next generation.”

Council, IADT scoop award for initiative

THE Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, in partnership with Young Irish Filmmakers, won the Best Small Sponsorship Award at the Allianz Business to Arts Awards 2017 for the ‘Young Women in Film & Television’ initiative.

Welcoming the announcement, An Cathaoirleach Tom Murphy said: “I am delighted and proud to see Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council win this award in recognition of our support for IADT’s Young Women in Film and Television initiative.

“This new transition year scheme in the National Film School has been truly inspirational for the young women taking part, and has made a significant impact on the gender equality movement within the creative sector.”

Dr Annie Doona, president, IADT said: “I would like to extend a big thank-you and congratulations to our sponsors, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, our partners Young Irish Filmmakers, the mentors and the enthusiastic students who participated.”

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5

FUNDRAISER | JACK & JILL INITIATIVE

Go hill the way to help sick children STEP up to an unusual fundraising challenge and help support the Jack and Jill Foundation’s vital work with children.

That’s the message from Bank of Ireland ambassador and Irish rugby player Sophie Spence, GA A legend John O’Leary and his son, Tom, who are calling on people to climb a hill for Jack & Jill.

The Up The Hill fundraiser asks people to join one of the charity’s 13 key hill-climbing events on Saturday, October 7 – or to create their own Up The Hill event with family and friends – to help support Jack & Jill’s unique home nursing care and respite service.

People can register for €16 – which funds one hour of home nursing care for a sick child locally – at www.jack-

Picture: Naoise Culhane

SHANKILL | UNANIMOUS CROSS-PARTY SUPPORT FOR PLAN

Councillors unite to build 600 homes  EMMA NOLAN

andjill.ie, with Bank of Ireland supporting the initiative by adding €4 per registration for the first 12,000 registrations.

So register now at www.jackandjill.ie, and

join Sophie, John, Tom and thousands of other people on October 7 to climb a hill, big or small, and help make a huge difference to sick children and their families.

THERE was unanimous support at Monday’s council meeting for a cross-party housing proposal that will see nearly 600 homes built in Shankill.

The draft plans for the Shanganagh Castle site received unanimous support, including two additional changes.

T he plans for 540 social and affordable homes on the councilowned lands can now be progressed; while amendments put forward

by People Before Profit were supported, including seeking a higher proportion of social housing and the need to retain the affordable homes as affordable into the future.

The cross-party proposal to develop the lands with 100% social

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and affordable homes is a break from the strategy used in similar sites across Dublin where large portions of public land is sold to developers through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The proposal was drawn up by three local councillors: Michael Merrigan (Ind), John Bailey (FG) and Shane O’Brien (SF), for the Shanganagh Urban Village Cooperative Housing Development.

Talking to The Gazette, Cllr Bailey said: “This is the first proposal of its kind to have unanimous cross-party support in the country.

“This is a very significant and unique proposal – there are 5,070 people on the housing list in Dun LaoghaireRathdown and this will have a major impact on

the area.”

Cllr Bailey said that the plans will be a “template for the future” that other local authorities could adopt.

The motion put forward by PBP on Monday night sought to ensure that there would be a greater number of homes available for those on the housing list at the Shanganagh site.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP) said he is delighted that Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown are not going with the original plan for a PPP at the Shanganagh site, and are building both social and affordable homes on this site.

He said: “I am particularly pleased that the proposals for a bigger proportion of social housing put forward by People Before Profit on

the council has been agreed. The job over the next weeks will be to try and get as big a percentage as possible.”

Cllr Hugh Lewis (PBP) echoed Deputy Boyd Barrett’s views, saying: “540 homes won’t solve the housing crisis, but it can make a big impact.

“T he decision last night to build 100% social and affordable [housing] at Shangangh represents a progressive collective decision by all councillors and a recognition that the only way to solve this crisis is for the council to build homes on the scale that is required.”

Cllr Bailey said that he and Cllrs Merrigan and O’Brien “put their political differences aside” to find a solution to the housing crisis in the county.

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

Out and About

There was a great attendance at the busy event. Pictures: Peter Cavanagh

Lauren Price thinks pink with Lea

Rathfarnham girls Isabella and Sofia Howard play with Stella Wright from Dun Laoghaire

An Cathaoirleach and Mandy Hall, The Crepe Box

Poochie pals Diesel and Butch with

Leanne

McNulty, Kaylin and Jonathan

Ryall

Brian O’Toole, Leinster Honey with Cllr Murphy and

Plenty to savour at a food festival

Jenny and Zach Burns tuck in

Grainne Kelliher, chief executive, Airfield Estate

F

AMILIES and foodies from across Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown made their way to Airfield Estate in Dundrum for the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council-sponsored Airfield Festival of Food recently. Held with the theme of Food Literacy: Unearthing the Knowledge Gap, the two-day festival saw a wide range of the county’s produce providers gather to showcase the diverse fare grown across Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, and engage with the public to help discuss healthy, delicious and nutritious foods. In addition to the food and drink stalls, displays and exhibitions, lots of fun activities had also been arranged at the historic house and grounds, a favourite for visitors in their own right.

Masey takes Suzie Freeman for some walkies around the obstacle course

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7

Out and About

Caitlin Fogarty and Archie

Elijah Milne and Louis

Showing some perfect paws, Marlow and Chrissie Mahon pose for a pic; right: a great big slobbery, lubberly dog, Jaeger, looks ahead to joining in the fun. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Happy to share some ruff work in Rathfarnham

Radio presenter Dara Quilty takes his Jody Pezzilli and

Lacey

four-legged friend for a walk

C

ANINE capers delighted the county and city’s four-legged friends (and their owners) at the Purina Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’s annual Great Irish Dog Walk at DSPCA Rathfarnham over the weekend. Lots and lots of dogs and Dubliners went walkies around the centre’s expansive grounds, with the dog nature trail just one of the range of familyfriendly events laid on for the event. More than 2,000 adults, children and dogs came along to enjoy the free dog training and agility classes, doggie fun zones, dog grooming, children’s fun zones, face painting and games, giving everyone a great insight into the DSPCA’s diverse work.

Aimee and Sarah Duggan with Ty Carney, Ollie Duff and a curious canine

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

Delight as council reveals plans for Fernhill Park and Gardens PLANS for the restoration of Fernhill Park and Gardens have been unveiled in what promises to be a great public park for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown when completed.

Cllr Lynsey McGovern (Ind) told The Gazette that she was thrilled that at last a sustainable

plan for the future of Fernhill Gardens has been agreed and will now proceed.

She said: “I never made any secret, from my first day in the council, of my ambitions to have Fernhill Gardens saved, acquired and restored to its former glory by the council.

“I am particularly pleased that a multiple of sports and games areas will be developed for public use as part of the master plan for the site, and that a new tearoom and a cafe will be developed in the gardens.”

Cllr Emma Blaine (FG) congratulated the council’s Parks

Department for their plans and said: “Fernhill House and Gardens, when opened as a public park, will be an invaluable resource and amenity for local residents and, indeed, the entire county.”

Senator Victor Boyhan (Ind) praised the council for produc-

ing the plans, saying: “The council saved Fernhill from developers by purchasing the site some years ago, and is now at the next stage – its restoration and reopening.

“Great credit is due to the council for its commitment to saving Fernhill.”

IKEA staff members Therese Soderlund and Jackie Fox are so excited they can’t stand still

IKEA Carrickmines to celebrate 1st birthday with in-store party

IKEA’s Order and Collection Point in Carrickmines will be celebrating its first birthday in store this Saturday – with a number of exciting activities for all of its customers.

So why not come on down to Carrickmines for one of the many fun free events that are being laid on for all the family – there’s face painting for the kids, design and style workshops for mums and dads, special offers for IKEA Family members, food sampling, and you’ll even get the chance to meet and be photographed with the famous ‘Lion Man’ (below right) currently featuring in IKEA’s TV ad campaign.

2FM will also be hosting a live broadcast from the Carrickmines depot throughout Saturday afternoon. Pictures: ALISON O’HANLON

LEFT: Therese Soderlund, Tamara Skoric, Eimear Fleming, Glenn Weafer, Ewa Paciorek, Clare Melony, Matthew Bools & Donal Lynch.

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9

10 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

Out and About

Frances Winston

Elaine Murren, Niamh Farrell and Claire McDonagh

Deirdre Crookes, Lauren McDonald , Megan Russell and Lyndsey Holmes.

Mother of all previews keeps guests on edge

Peter McGoran and Orlaith Dunne

A

DOUBLE-HEADER of thrillers were set to thrill movie buffs as ‘It’ and ‘Mother’ had special preview screening in Dublin.

Paramount Pictures hosted a special preview screening of the American psychological horror film, Mother, at the Odeon Cinema in Point Village Dublin. Guests Diana Bunici, Cathy O’Connor and boy band, Taken, arrived to a red carpet drinks reception ahead of the special invite-only screening.

Another preview was held at The Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, which was packed to capacity for the special screening of the American supernatural horror film, It, based on Stephen King’s classic 1986 novel of the same name (below).

Guests were on the edge of their seats as they watched the film, which is set in the town of Derry, Maine. In a place known as The Barrens, a group of seven kids are united by their horrifying and strange encounters with an evil clown and their determination to kill It. Spotted on the night were model Carl Shaaban , actress Leah Mints as well as 98fm’s Luke O’Faolain and Kodaline’s Steve Garrigan.

Emily Holmes and Jessica Maiti

Bernie Leadon Bolger and Dawn Leadon Bolger

Laura McNaughton

Patrick Moynan and Carl Shaaban

Jody May

Niamh Cullen and Lisa McEvoy

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 11

Out and About Kodaline’s Stephen Garrigan and Diana Bunici Caoimhe McKenna and Kellie Duke

David Campbell and Pictures: Bbrian McEvoy

Rodrigo Ternevoy

The guys in new Boyband, Taken, were dressed to impress

Cathy O’Connor

GAZETTE

12 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

CELEBRATING BUSINESS THROUGH CREATIVITY THE Dean Dublin, A&L Goodbody, Bank of Ireland, ESB and Dublin Port Company were among the winners in 11 categories at the 26th annual Allianz Business to Arts Awards ceremony at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre last week.

This year’s Allianz Business to Arts Awards, attracted a record number of nominations with over €6.5m spent on arts sponsorships submitted. The Awards recognise businesses, artists and arts organisations that develop creative

partnerships and bring businesses and the arts into mutually beneficial relationships across society.

The evening was a celebration of the most innovative and creative partnerships in Ireland in 2016/2017.

WIN

Andrew Hetherington, CEO, Business to Arts; Sean McGrath, CEO, Allianz Ireland; Laura Lynch, Head of Segments, Bank of Ireland; Richie Boucher, CEO, Bank of Ireland and the Junk Kouture winner, Mariusz Malon from Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana at the Allianz Business to Arts Awards. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

a VIP night out for a party of TEN to the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby FINAL

TREAT nine pals to a VIP night at the highlight Of The Irish Greyhound Racing Calendar – the Boyleports Irish Greyhound Derby FINAL on Saturday, September 23 at Shelbourne Park.

This great prize includes FREE admission for ten, who’ll each receive a race card, €10 tote bet, €10 food voucher and complimentary first drink.

Doors open at 4pm; the first race is at 7.15pm.

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, just

THE main event of the Irish Greyhound Racing Calendar takes place at Shelbourne Park on Saturday, September 23 when six of the fastest greyhounds in training will go to the traps in their quest to lift the €150Kwinner’s cheque and title of winner of the 2017 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.

Doors open at 4pm and from the moment you step into the Dublin 4 venue, live music and buzzing bars will greet you with an eclectic mix of patrons from around the world gathering for a superb night’s entertainment.

The first of a bumper 13 race programme goes to the traps at 7.15pm, with the feature event – the BoyleSports Irish Derby Final – Race 8 on a night that never fails to deliver.

Shelbourne Park’s Patrick Flynn said: “BoyleSports

visit the Dublin Gazette Facebook page and simply Like and Share our BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby competition post, and tag someone you think would like to come along for the highlight of the Irish Greyhound Racing calendar.

Alternatively, email competitions@dublingazette.com and answer this question:  Which Irish bookmaker has sponsored the Derby for the past four years?

Derby Final Night is the culmination of six fantastic weeks of racing at the venue and this year is the centrepiece of our inaugural Festival Of Racing,which sees the first round heats of the Sporting Press Micro Dog ID Irish Oaks on Thursday September 21, and the Dublin Coach Juvenile Derby starting on Friday 22, making it three prestigious classic events offering a total prize fund in excess of well over €400,000.

“We would like to thank BoyleSports who are sponsoring the Derby for the fourth consecutive year and have once again shown their commitment to supporting Irish Sport.”

To find out more about Derby Day, go to www.shelbourneparkgreyhoundstadium.ie

Dundrum and Blanch firms among fittest in the country TWO DUBLIN businesses came out on top in the Irish Life Health Workplace Fitness Challenge.

Towercom in Dundrum were named Ireland’s Fittest Company and PayPal in Blanchardstown were named the Most Improved Large Company (over 250 employees).

Over 170 businesses throughout Ireland participated in Irish Life Health’s Workplace Fitness Challenge 2017 – a six-week nationwide workplace challenge which encouraged employees to take small, consistent steps to improve their fitness.

Now in its second year, the Irish Life Health Workplace Fitness Challenge supports and encourages employees to increase their level of physical activity to become fitter, healthier and happier.

The pioneering initiative by Irish Life Health was developed in partnership with DCU. Busy PayPa l, winners of the Mos t Improved Large Company, was led by gym services manager Suzanne O’Connell; “Everyone leads busy lives these days and I believe the majority of those working desk jobs are concerned about the impact it’s having on their health, so it was easy to get people involved.

“I found the challenge easy to communicate and to manage. And the

PayPal were named as winners of the Most Improved Large Company

Move Your MET app appealed to a lot of employees as they could do it in their own time outside of working hours.

“Anyone who tried the challenge and stuck with it found their fitness levels had improved. What’s more, they’re more aware of their fitness, how to measure it and the health benefits associated with being fit.

“I would encourage anyone to participate in next year’s challenge. Not only will it improve your fitness, and ultimately your health, it’s also a lot of fun!”

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 13

MUSIC P16

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

EXUBERANT AMBER HAS A SPARKLING, FUN PERSONALITY

OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Amber, an eightyear-old female Pit Bull Terrier.

She is paws-down one of the most affectionate and endearingly dogs we have ever had in our rehoming centre. If you’re looking for a fun and bouncy pal, then Amber would be a great addition to your family.

Amber is all about people, so would need to be the only pet in the home. She would love to live with young children but, as she is quite a bouncy dog, any children in the home would need to be able for her exuberance!

Amber has been overlooked time and time again, and we just can’t understand why – she’s got so much love to give! Can you give her the home she truly deserves?

If you and your family can be Amber’s #SpecialSomeone*, then 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, at www.facebook. com/dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

STYLE P18



GAZETTE

DIARY P14

DUBLIN FRINGE: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, SAYS ITS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

A festival for us all  EMMA NOLAN

IN WHAT is his last year as artistic director of the Dublin Fringe Festival, The Gazette sat down with Kris Nelson to discuss this year’s performances.

“I’m so excited – the building is absolutely buzzing! It’s a wild time.”

Kris said, ahead of the opening day of this year’s festival.

Originally from Canada, Kris first led the Fringe as artistic director in 2013 and while he says he has loved his time in Dublin, this year’s festival is a bittersweet affair as it’s his last.

“I’m in festival mode so I’m just very excited about bringing the festival to life. I have had a few moments and a few twinges [about leaving], but I’m trying to keep them at bay.”

He will next take up the position of artistic director of London contemporary theatre festival, Lift.

As for this year’s Dublin Fringe, Kris praised the programme of artists and performances. “This year’s programme is the biggest we’ve had in a

Artistic director Kris Nelson; right: Everything Not Saved – one of the Fringe 2017 shows

while, with 80 different shows in 33 different venues.”

This year will also see many outdoor and public events taking place across the city. “These shows will bring really interesting propositions to public spaces,” Kris said.

One such outdoor event is Trophy.

Comprising a cluster of tents at Barnardo Square, beside City Hall, each tent is a person who tells a true story of a moment in their life when every-

thing changed. It’s described as a living monument to the experiences that make up our lives and a conversation about change.

Of the other highlights, Kris says: “The festival is for new work, new voices and new kinds of experiences.

We take audiences everywhere – there’s a show about the GAA called Spliced; there’s a circus called Raven

Eyed, in an old warehouse; there’s Soldier Still, about violence and posttraumatic stress disorder.

“Another piece which I think is really fun is Neon Western – it’s a rave, but also a spaghetti western, it’s got amazing music and that’s happening in the Samuel Beckett theatre. It’s a really wild and really visual and exciting show.”

With so many things to see and experience at this year’s Fringe, Kris recommends just showing up at venues and seeing what’s on at any given time. “A lot of people just rock up to the festival. They go to Smock Alley or the Project Arts Centre and they just say ‘What’s on?’ and that’s a really great way to take in Fringe.”

He also recommends simply calling up the box office and having a chat to find out what shows you’ll enjoy most. “Our box office team will guide you and find out exactly what you want to see.”

The Fringe is running until September 24; for the full listings, see fringefest.com.

14 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE Gogglebox is back, and all set to rule the TV roost €30K HELPS TO BRING A SMILE TO SICK KIDS AT CRUMLIN HOSPITAL

LITTLE patients at Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin were cheered up this week as One4All raised over €30,000 for the

CMRF Giggle Fund.

The Giggle Fund is dedicated to brightening the lives of patients in Our Lady’s Children Hospital, Crumlin. Be it for fun, games or educational activities, these funds will

help the hospital relieve the pressure of a hospital stay for both patients and their families.

The funds will also be used to help patients celebrate special occasions such as St Patrick’s Day,

DIARY

Pat Kenny and Gogglebox are back on Wednesday nights on TV3, with the first show starting last night (Wednesday, September 13), bringing another batch of the nation’s telly watchers to the small screen with reliably entertaining results

Easter, Christmas and birthday parties.

The Shop4Crumlin campaign, which took place from July 22 to 30, saw One4all donate .50c to CMRF Crumlin for every transaction made in any of its 8,000 retail outlets nationwide or online.

For further information on Shop4Crumlin visit www.one4all.ie/shop4crumlin.

phone equipment manufacturers to award prizes in each category.

Submissions can be made at https://filmfreeway.com/festival/ DublinSmartphoneFilmfestival. For further infromation, see www. dublinsmartphonefilmfestival.com/.

MOBILE PHONE FILM FEST ON THE WAY

TWO IN THREE people in Ireland mistake blood cancer for skin cancer, according to new research to mark Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

A new campaign launched by former Irish professional boxer, Barry

DUBLIN Smartphone Film Festival – a new international film festival dedicated to filmmakers exclusively using mobile devices – starts next January 27.

The festival will screen a selection of short film, documentary, animation and music videos, along with hosting industry and educational workshops.

The festival is now accepting submissions from local and international filmmakers, and the awards categories include Best Fiction, Music video, Documentary, Animation, and Best 360/VR film.

The programmers are on the lookout for strong original concepts with an inventive use of the technology and have teamed up with several smart-

HELPING TO MAKE BLOOD CANCER MORE WIDELY KNOWN

McGuigan, aims to highlight the significance and impact of blood cancer, which 85% of respondents were surprised to learn is the fourth most common cause of cancerrelated death in Ireland.

Barry said: “My father, Pat McGuigan, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer at the age of 52.

“He underwent surgery in hospital, but sadly died nine weeks later. My family and I were shocked and devastated.”

The study shows twothirds (67%) of people believe that there are low levels of awareness of blood cancer amongst the population because they

Boxing legend Barry McGuigan at the launch of Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Picture: Naoise Culhane

have not heard much about it in the media.

Barry added: “In 1987, we were unaware of blood cancer or what it meant in terms of prognosis, treatment and survival. Today, however, there is renewed hope.”

The Make Blood Cancer Visible campaign will host a free patient information event for people living with blood cancer on September 27 at 6.30pm in the Davenport Hotel on Merrion Street Lower, Dublin 2.

The event is open to all people living with blood cancer as well as their family, friends and carers.

For all campaign information, visit cancer.ie/ bloodcancer.

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 15

CHILDREN: 10,000 KIDS TO JOIN NATIONAL INITIATIVE

Dahl-ings, you’ll love this great readathon MORE than 10,000 Irish kids are set to embark on a fourweek reading marathon this October in aid of Multiple Sclerosis Ireland.

Heinz and MS Ireland are teaming up for the MS Readathon to inspire kids around the country to embrace adventure and make the most of the back to school season, and to help raise essential funds for MS Ireland.

In competitions appearing in Tesco and SuperValu stores around Ireland, Heinz customers can win iconic Roald Dahl book sets.

The collection contains 15 classic stories, written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Book sets are available to win with a purchase of Heinz Back to School products in select stores.

Roald Dahl launched the first ever MS Readathon in 1988, beginning three decades of adventures in reading. More than 10,000 young readers in schools around the country took part last year, reading some 87,000 books in total and raising funds for people with MS in their community.

Speaking at the launch of the 30th MS Readathon in Dublin this week, Dahl’s widow, Felicity, said: “Roald once said, ‘If you can learn to treat books as your friends when you are young, you will always be able to cope with the tougher [more serious] ones in later life’.

“Over the past 30 years, the MS Readathon has encouraged children all across Ireland to make friends with books and the reading habit whilst raising funds for a highly worthwhile cause.

“Roald helped to launch the very first MS Readathon in Ireland and I am delighted to be following in his rather giant footsteps to help launch this year’s readathon.”

To sign up for it, see www.msreadathon.ie. If you have any query about MS, you can call the MS Information Line at 1850 233 233, or see www.ms-society.ie.

GAZETTE

FEATURE

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

N O S ’ T A H W

E D I U G S T N E EV with JAMES HENDICOTT

The All Ireland Final

Wrangle your seat in Croker (or failing that, the pub), get your sky-blue on, and get ready for the big one: it’s time for three in a row. Or is it? The continued drama of Dublin’s dominance and Mayo’s curse takes its latest twist on Sunday, September 17.

Bluefire Street Festival

Back for its fifth outing, this colourful Smithfield event brings with it a bunch of wonderful musical unknowns, arts and crafts, family fun, and lovingly prepared food offerings. Far better than a free festival has any right to be. September 16.

Cycle Hack Dublin

As the debate on Dublin cycling rages on (half the city seems to have an opinion on who causes road chaos), Cycle Hack Dublin drops in on the city to talk about how to improve the bicycle experience. A weekend-long programme in the Fumbally Exchange. September 15-17.

The EA Cup Final

Another sporting finale scheduled for the weekend, Dundalk travel to Tallaght to take on Shamrock Rovers, as last year’s League of Ireland Champions look to salvage pride from a season in which Cork City became kings. September 16.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

The funk-rockers with one of the best stories in music may have faded a touch in recent years, but they’re still a compelling live act, and sure to light up an arena stage as they have been for a generation. September 20 and 21, 3Arena.

CHILIS!

The National Ploughing Championships

It goes without saying this involves braving the traffic over near Athy, County Kildare, but it’s not to be sniffed at: this monstrous event has more to offer than you can ever hope to see in a single year, and it’s not all farming. September 19-21.

Terenure Family Fun Day

Bushy Park hosts a community event in the south Dublin suburb, with a market from 11am and entertainment, bouncy castles and face painters from 1pm. September 16.

The National

Slightly glum but endlessly talented Americans - a band with no less than four albums in NME’s top 500 - return to Ireland to showcase their latest, ‘Sleep Well Beast’. Powerfully emotional stuff, Vicar Street.

September 17 and 18.

New album of the week

Benjamin Clementine - I Tell A Fly. The Parisianinfluenced Englishman with a complex and heartbreaking backstory returns with his latest experimental, avant-garde jazzy offering, sure to be loaded with quirky character.

Is another Mercury Prize in the offing?

MUSIC

ROCK GETTING READY TO CRUSH TICKET TOUTING

GAZETTE GAZETTE

GAZETTE GAZETTE

16 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

Music and gigs fan Deputy Noel Rock (FG) has had enough of above-face-value Flogging Molly at The Olympia ticket resales. He tells The Gazette how he wants to stop it, once and for all.

CELTIC PUNKS FLOG CHAOTIC BRILLIANCE

 JAMES HENDICOTT FINE GAEL TD Noel Rock (right) is pushing forward with his bill to outlaw the above-face-value sale of tickets, with the long-term campaign proving a popular bid to stamp out the current legal and thriving secondary ticketing market in Ireland.

Deputy Rock, who’s at pains to clarify that his bill is targeting only “above-face-value” resales – and takes no issue with legitimate onwards sale due to personal circumstances – told The Gazette this week that the bill is currently - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - being held up by a consultation process taking place in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, before progress to the next stage.

The problem, he says, continues to grow: “There’s a consistent pattern of popular, high-profile events selling out in minutes, and - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - reappearing at high value on ticketing websites almost immediately.”

There are also some quite dubious practises.

He cited LCD Soundsystem at Dublin’s “There are certainly cases where companies offer a ‘guarOlympia Theatre and Danish singer MO in antee’ of a ticket that a customer has paid for, that essentially The Academy as recent examples. “It’s legal says they will either be provided with a ticket, or with their currently, and real fans are being squeezed money back. That’s not much of a guarantee in itself, but out. it’s also common to substitute tickets in other parts of a sta“The difficulty is, I don’t really trust dium, for example. What kind of customer service is that, the industry to make it difficult. There are really? It’s mis-selling.” a lot of vested interests in the market, Deputy Rock – a TD for Dublin North West – is a dediand there’s very little motivation to cated music and sports fan himself, and often tweets about make the market customer-friendly. attending various events, including Electric Picnic in recent weeks.

Mo – the Danish singer is He highlighted the touting issue earlier this year by another example cited by the arranging to meet and confronting someone selling Ireland deputy as someone whose gig v England Six Nations tickets, recording and publishing the very quickly sold out, followed discussion as the seller attempted to unload the tickets at by reselling websites offering several multiples of face value. tickets almost immediately Deputy Rock claims to have a “thick file” on bad practises

 JAMES HENDICOTT

There’s a consistent pattern of popular, high-profile events selling out in minutes, and reappearing at high value on ticketing websites almost immediately TD Noel Rock

LCD Soundsystem (above) played at the Olympia Theatre, with Deputy Rock citing the speed at which their gig sold out as an example of ticket touting in action, affecting fans trying to get the elusive tickets

within the industry on his desk, containing a broad range of issues around touting that have seen customers ripped off in various ways.

“During the consultation process, we’ve received submissions from people like Ticketmaster, who as owners of resale website have a vested interest,” he continued.

“It’s worth noting that Seatwave shut down in Belgium after the government [there] outlawed resales, and touting is definitely down.

“I fully accept that it’s almost impossible to totally stamp out touting. We’re not suggesting that the law will have that impact. But what’s happened in Belgium since they made the changes is [touting’s] been substantially reduced, and some of the major players have been pushed out of the market.

“It’s created a ‘friction’ – a doubt in the minds of both the buyers and sellers involved in these transactions, and that’s what we hope to do, as it’ll definitely make things more dif-

ficult, and give gardai the power to intervene,” he said.

“At the moment, if someone sells a ticket to a concert or a football match, the terms and conditions that outlaw it are close to useless, even if they prohibit reselling.”

“Things are only going to get worse, as it’s an easy, legal way for people to take a punt on making a lot of money. It doesn’t benefit the artist or the people who actually want to attend these events.”

Deputy Rock will be pushing for his anti-touting bill – which has the backing of organisations like the GAA, the FAI, and major concert promoters – in the coming months.

“Our research has shown the vast majority of the Irish public support measures to stop above-face-value sales, even in cases where it causes some job losses.

“We did a survey of 1,100 people posing a question on that particular scenario, and 86% were in favour of the legislation. That’s unprecedented for almost anything,” said the deputy.

DAVE King doesn’t care what you think, and it might just be the best thing about him.

His band – well-travelled celtic punks, Flogging Molly – sit halfway between a session and a riot; a chaotic, unapologetic, ramshackle fusion of Irish trad and punk rock angst.

Based out of California (and largely comprising Americans) – but led by King, who was raised in long-fallen Dublin 4 tenement Beggar’s Bush – Flogging Molly have made a career out of morphing trad stylings into songs about drink and national pride, love and hopelessness.

Dublin is a spiritual home; a loose party at the end of a summer-long European tour.

King’s trademark is a

husky, snarling yet somehow warm voice, a quick turn of phrase and cutting lyrics.

Fuelled by on-stage cans of Guinness, he wiggles with his guitar, gurning between vocals and throwing playful but pointed jabs, like the dedication of Selfish Man to his brother, and a quip about so many of his mates coming down that nobody’s actually paid to be in a packed Olympia.

The highs are in the raucous choruses; What’s Left of The Flag is a glorious embittered ode to Irish identity, flowing into a manic Rebels of The Sacred Heart, and a melodic slowed-down celebration of the booze, Drunken Lullabies’ Then there’s the lesserknown highs – they come in nods to debut, Swagger, and early days in LA pubs, or in Saints and Sin-

ners – a track that plays with religious themes but is ultimately about losing yourself in a fully-lived, fully-loved life.

D ow n t h e f r o n t , where 500 punks haven’t stopped leaping in 90 minutes, they can do no wrong. Celtic punk doesn’t always sit well with trad purists, but there’s no better place to soak up something like this than an Olympia heaving with roaring, half-cut punk fans lobbing every word back at the stage.

King is like Glen Hansard, except far more fun, slightly worse for wear, and with everything The Clash ever made eating at him from inside his veins.

Flogging Molly can happily lay claim to Green Day’s famous playful-punk quote: they very much put the fun in dysfunctional.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

DUBLIN continues to produce some amazing fashion talent with five young designers named as finalists in the Dublin Fashion Festival Young Designer of the Year for 2017.

The five budding designers – Maria-Christina McPadden, Romy Blennerhassett, Danielle MvGregor, Aoife Eustace Doyle and Naomi Ajetunmobi – are Dublin residents and their designs, along with the remaining seven finalists, will be showcased in a spectacular catwalk show taking place in the Mansion House on Friday, September 22.

Romy is from Monkstown, Maria Christina is from Blackrock, Danielle is from Clondalkin, Aoife is from Dundrum and Naomi is from Fairview.

The finalists were chosen by a select judging panel including renowned fashion photographer, Barry McCall; TV3 Xpose series producer, Debbie O’Donnell; the Irish Independent’s fashion editor, Bairbre Power; the owner of The Design Centre, Ashling Kilduff; Brown Thomas’s personal shopping manager, Katie McGrath; Arnotts head of personal shopping, Clara Halpin and Evoke.ie editor, Sybil Mulcahy.

The designers’ pieces will be showcased in front of key fashion media and influencers, including some of Ireland’s established designers and fashion buyers, as they compete for the title of Young Designer of the Year.

Along with the coveted title prize, the winner will also get the invaluable opportunity to shoot a fashion

By Aoife Eustace Doyle

By Romy Blennerhassett

5

TAKE

Crimp silver necklace €185; punk bracelet €120; Rocks-off necklace €145

By Naomi Ajetunmobi

By Maria Christina

By Danielle McGregor

Unravelled rose gold bracelet €110; Idol rose gold necklace €595

portfolio with fashion photographer Barry McCall.

Previous winners of the Young Designer of the Year Award have gone on to achieve great successes.

With so many excellent candidates, the judges have the extremely tough decision of choosing one overall winner out of the finalists.

Having completed her shoot with Barry, last year’s winner, JJ Donnelly from NCAD, is now assisting the design team for Irish designer Carolyn Donnelly on The Edit at Dunnes.

JJ is now getting ready to pass on the title to this year’s winner, along with featuring her collection at this year’s show.

For further information, see www.dff.ie or become a fan on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram #DublinFashion.

Unravelled gold necklace €195

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

STYLE

Jager silver earrings €80

New omantic

R

Ardour silver ring €135

A JEWELLERY LINE YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE WITH

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

A NEW Irish jewellery brand has just launched with a brand-new store in town.

Founded by designer Niamh Patten and JulieAnn Fearon, the New Romantic collection is inspired by their love of simple beauty.

Sterling silver plated in gold, rose gold and Rhodium pieces are the brand’s key looks. Designer Niamh said: “I create what I like to wear and what I think the strong, confident women of today would like to wear.”

All of the metals and stones used to create New Romantic’s pieces are ethically sourced and manufactured in Italy

and Greece. In Italy, where most of the pieces are made, the craft of jewellery is passed down from generation to generation.

With prices ranging from €60 to €595, New Romantic can be found at its flagship store located at Number 21 Drury Street, Dublin 2, as well as online at www.newromanticjewellery.com.

Odyssey silver necklace €160

Idol silver necklace €595 Energy rose gold necklace €140

Jager gold ring €80

Jager rose gold bracelet €95

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

FOOD&DRINK  EMMA NOLAN

THE Exchequer D2 has launched an exciting menu made up of entirely gluten free dishes. The menu is one of many new changes taking place at the established Dublin eatery, along with the welcome addition of talented new head chef Marty Montgomery.

The menu is designed for people who suffer from gluten intolerance, whether it be a dietary choice or those who suffer from coeliac disease, this menu hits the spot on all accounts.

No longer will diners with gluten intolerance be limited in their dining choice with an entire menu on offer at The Exchequer to satisfy their taste buds.

With delicious dishes on offer such

as cured salmon with cucumber and wasabi dressing, hake with asparagus, mussel and garlic sauce as well as a sumptuous steak tasting board including bavette, flank and featherblade, the new menu is a triumph of flavours and local product.

The new menu consists of numerous starters, mains and desserts to make for a fully rounded dining experience with absolutely no gluten!

The gluten free menu is the latest in a string of food innovations at The Exchequer and it showcases the level of care taken by the expert team for their valued customers.

The new menu is available in the excellently located Exchequer D2, seven days a week and table bookings can be made at www.theexchequer.ie

The steak tasting board at the Exchequer D2

Eat gloriously gluten-free at Exchequer D2

Hake with asparagus, mussel & garlic sauce

Ben&Jerry’s unveil new non-dairy range  EMMA NOLAN

ATTENTION ice cream fans unable – or choosing not – to consume dairy!

It’s almost time to raise spoons in celebration of an all-new Ben &

Jerry’s, non-dairy flavour lineup, set to arrive into Irish supermarkets later this September!

Soon, fans will be able to dive deep into a decadent tub and experience all the chunks and swirls Ben & Jerry’s is known and loved for, but this time in a vegan certified, almond-based indulgence.

For years, non-dairy fans have been forced to watch ice cream consumers with envy, unable to satisfy their sweet cravings.

Now the tables are turning.

Non-dairy and vegan consumers alike will be able to participate in a truly indulgent ice cream experience, enjoying two classic Ben & Jerry’s flavours… as well as a Non-Dairy exclusive flavour, Peanut Butter & Cookies.

Chunks? Check. Swirls? Check.

Non-Dairy? Check. We kid you not!

The new lineup includes a trio of flavours ready for spooning, including: Peanut Butter & Cookies: We’ve always had a thing for

peanut butter… and cookies.

Presenting: vanilla non-dairy ice cream with chocolatey sandwich cookies & scrumptiously crunchy peanut butter swirls.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Irresistible chocolate non-dairy ice cream with fudge brownies.

Our fabulously fudgy brownies have come from New York’s Greyston Bakery in Yonkers since ‘88, where baking is part of a greater-good mission to help provide jobs & training to low-income city residents.

T his concoction includes Greyston’s vegan brownie, which brings a taste like no udder.

Chunky Monkey: Okay, so we monkeyed around with our clas-

sic Chunky Monkey… banana nondairy ice cream with chocolatey chunks & walnuts - guaranteed to make fans go truly bananas!

To learn more about Ben & Jerry’s new flavours or to find a store near you, visit www.benjerry.ie.

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

TRAVEL EARLY BOOKINGS: WHISK THE ENTIRE FAMILY OFF TO A WINTER WONDERLAND

Claus to visit lovely Lapland  SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

IT MIGHT seem a bit early to be talking about ‘the s-word’ – why, snow of course! – but when it comes to visiting magical Lapland in December, early booking is advised.

If you want to make it a festive season to remember, whisking the entire family off to visit Santa in his winter wonderland home will pretty much nail it.

Fly direct into Rovaniemi Airport in Finland from Dublin and you can deliver your festive wishes direct to the man himself, take a husky-led sleigh ride and enjoy an early white Christmas.

Visit Santa is the expert

when it comes to picking the perfect trip for a meet and greet with Mr Claus and his wife.

T h e y ’r e offering a three-day idyllic Lapland trip from €1,440 per adult and €1,340 per child (travel dates December 1, 3 and 11) crossing the snow-capped forests with the help of trusty reindeer and noble huskies.

Price includes return flights, taxes, transfers, thermal snow suits and boots (a must), two nights’ full-board accommoda-

tion, a 90-minute husky experience and a 90-minute reindeer experience.

You will also get a private meeting with Santa and his elves, a €25 gift allowance, snowmobile, sleigh ride and tobogganing, all meals including a festive gala dinner, souvenir CD and relevant licences.

The four-day Lapland Lullaby trip starts from €1,490 per adult and €1,390 per child and travels on December 5, 8 and 13.

The activity-based Sleighbell Spectacular is a three-day affair with everything from husky and reindeer sleigh rides to lessons at Elf School – from €1,259 per adult and €1,059

per child travelling December 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20.

F o r m o r e information or to book see VisitSanta.ie or call the experts at 01 611 1048.

If you’re on a tighter budget, Lapland day trips with Falcon Holidays can offer the experience at a lower cost, with their one-day package departing on December 9 and 16.

Adult prices start from €679 with children from €579 and prices include flights, taxes,

transfers, guides, visits to Santa and outdoor activities including sledging and snowmobiling.

Aside from in-flight meals you will also get lunch in Santa Park, but you might want to bring a bit of cash for tea, coffee and other snacks from Mrs Claus’ Bakery.

There are also plenty of souvenirs from the gift shop – and there is a cash point in Lapland, so don’t worry about how much to bring.

Thermal outerwear is provided and you’ll also get to take a train ride through the toy workshop to see how the elves are progressing with all their Christmas orders (now we’ve said ‘the c-word’ as well...)

For further information, see www.falconholidays.ie.

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

In the FASTLANE

Latest Nissan Qashqai Making the best even better has been the challenge for Nissan as its most successful Qashqai crossover car gets an update for 2017. MICHAEL MORONEY has been a fan and now he finds that the new version brings even more appeal.

Traditionally going on summer drives was all about the journey, but parents today admit that their kids have their heads down most of the time, immersed in their devices

Parents wave the white flag on kids’ screen times on car journeys ONCE upon a time, long journeys by car were an opportunity for families to bond, but today’s car journeys are a lot different. Traditionally going on summer drives was all about the journey, but parents today admit that their kids have their heads down most of the time, immersed in their devices.

Research by Enterprise Rent-A-Car has found that almost one-in-three (30%) of Irish parents with children under 18 admit that their kids often play on a tablet or phone “for hours on end” in the car (and in everyday life). With Irish motorists covering an average of 612km while driving on holiday this summer, that’s a lot of screen time.

The research also suggests, however, that in spite of frustration and anxiety about over-reliance on devices, parents are waving the white flag and admitting defeat in their attempts to limit the time their kids spend on mobile devices.

Even though 26% of parents worry that it could be bad for children’s health to play on tablets or phones for long periods in the car, and 25% would prefer to engage more and have conversations, just 15% of parents have become angry with their kids for staying glued to a device as opposed to interacting with others.

“For families heading off on a long drive in the car during the summer, it is not the same as 20 or even 10 years ago,” says George O’Connor, managing director of Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ireland. “With the emergence of mobile technology, you’re simply not comparing like with like and most parents accept that devices are part of the journey now.

“However, the research suggests that a lot of parents are maybe losing the battle to get their kids off the devices and interacting with others,” O’Connor said. “Thirty per cent of our survey respondents admit their kids stay too long on their devices but only 15% say they’ve been angry as a result. It seems that for the sake of a quiet life, we are letting our kids win that battle.”

IRISH car buyers have loved the Nissan Qashqai since it was first introduced in 2007. It has become Ireland best selling crossover vehicle in that time with more than 50,000 Qashqai’s now on Irish roads.

In 2014, the Qashqai underwent a significant design change and now this year, there are some more subtle changes to Ireland’s favourite crossover.

To those with a casual interest in cars, the exterior design changes will not appear significant.

The most obvious but somewhat subtle exterior changes sees a new and larger ‘V-motion’ grille along with new front bumper and front fog lamps. The new ‘boomerang’ Daytime Run-

ning Lamps (DRL) and the LED light motif has been extended across the whole lamp at the rear to give the car a more modern look.

Jump inside and you’ll notice that there is a new D-shaped steering wheel. Nissan claims that the seats have been redesigned using a more durable upholstered finish or a choice of quality soft nappa leather, with 3D quilting. I think that Qashqai drivers will like the re-fresh for the car.

I took the entry-level diesel version out on the roads, powered by its well-proven 1.5-litre turbo -diesel engine.

What’s retained with that engine is the impressive fuel economy figure claimed to be 26km/litre (3.8l/100km or 74mpg).

The new Qashqai retains the modern design dash of the previous model with very small design changes

With almost 1,000km behind the wheel, I found the Qashqai economy level was close to an acceptable just 20% off that figure, giving me a range of more than 1,000km from the car’s modest 55-litre capacity fuel tank.

The six-speed manual gearbox allowed for sensible use of the engine’s

110bhp power and torque.

This new Qashqai will deliver pace and more than adequate power at the entry level to suit a combination of modern city driving with weekend longer runs cruising at 120km/hr at just over 2000rpm.

T hat’s economical driving for any modern car and with its low CO2

rating, now down to 99g/ km. This means that the refreshed Qashqai is now even more cost effective to own. If you want to extend that ownership value even longer Nissan is offering a five-year warranty extension option and a Service Plan to allow you to manage the running costs well into the future.

Nissan claims that this new Qashqai delivers improved driving performance due to calmer vehicle body motion and better levels of impact shock.

The new Active Return Control claims to allow the steering wheel to return to centre position more naturally, bringing claims of improved precision during driving. Nissan also claims significant improvements to noise,

Domino’s and Ford begin consumer research of pizza delivery using self-driving vehicles THERE’S a driverless car coming to your door to deliver your next pizza - maybe that’s no longer a far-fetched idea as Ford and Domino’s pizza work on a new initiative in the US. The two companies have joined forces in an industry-first collaboration to understand the role that self-driving vehicles can play in pizza delivery.

As part of the testing, researchers from both companies will investigate customer reactions to interacting with a self-driving vehicle as a part of their delivery experience.

They claim that this research is important as both companies begin to examine and understand customers’ perspectives around the future of food delivery with self-driving vehicles.

As Ford builds out its business enabled by self-driving vehicles, conducting research with companies, like Domino’s, will be crucial to ensuring that the technology is applied in ways that enhance the customer experience. Ford plans to begin production of self-driving vehicles in 2021.

Over the next several weeks, randomly-

Ford and Domino’s have completed preliminary testing of the driverless car delivery process at a simulated urban environment on the University of Michigan’s campus

selected Domino’s customers in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, will have the opportunity to receive their delivery order from a Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle, which will be manually-driven by a Ford safety engineer and staffed with researchers.

Customers who agree to participate will be

able to track the delivery vehicle through GPS using an upgraded version of Domino’s Tracker. They will also receive text messages as the self-driving vehicle approaches that will guide them on how to retrieve their pizza using a unique code to unlock the Domino’s Heatwave Compartment inside the vehicle.

14 September 2017 GAZETTE 23

upgrade adds to its appeal

Nissan has retained four grades, XE, SV, SV Premium and SVE for the new Qashqai with entry prices starting at €27,970 for the diesel versions, that’s just a modest €400 more than the outgoing models.

1.5 litre Petrol engine versions 110hp are also now avail 11.9 seconds able and powered by an 26km/litre improved 1.2-litre turbo(3.8l/100km or 74mpg) petrol engine.

55 litres The Nissan Qashqai is still one of the most 99g/km desirable and affordable A2 €180 crossover cars on the Irish 30,000km/12 mon market. It competes in a 5 star (2014) very packed competitive 1350kgs space against this year’s 3 years (100,000km) best seller, the Hyundai €27,970 Tucson, as well as Ford’s Kuga, Toyota’s RAV4 and towards autonomous a growing host of other driving in the future. options.

There are ISO-Fix seat The Qashqai upgrades attachments in the rear are functional and make and a new lane depar- the car even more desirture warning system, all able. For me, it still retains of which add to the safe- its status as a crossover ty appeal of the Qashqai. icon.

Nissan Qashqai 1.5dCi

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Engine power 0 – 100km/hr Economy

Fuel Tank Capacity CO2 emissions Road Tax Band Main Service Euro NCAP Rating Towing rating Warranty Entry Price The new-look Nissan Qashqai comes with small changes to the exterior design, more significant changes to interior quality, driving performance and comes with new Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies

vibration and harshness (NVH) performance on the new Qashqai, all giving an impressive and non-tiring driving experi-

ence.

T his new Qashqai comes with the option of some new Nissan Intelligent Mobility technolo-

gies. These include intelligent emergency braking with pedestrian detection and intelligent park assist.

New rear cross-traffic

alert and still assist systems have been added while other safety systems have been upgraded.

The new Qashqai is

still awaiting a new Euro CAP safety rating, while its 2014 rating remains a strong five stars. Any new test will see the benefits of the new safety systems, some of which are part of the process

GAZETTE

MOTORING

GAZETTE

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

Nat Wolff stars as Light Turner – a high school loner who ends up with a supernatural notebook that will see anyone whose face is known, and true name written in it, die exactly when and as described

DEATH NOTE: NETFLIX’S FILM ADAPTATION OF A CLASSIC JAPANESE SERIES ENDS UP AS A WEAK CHAPTER

Doesn’t have the write stuff ADAM Wingard hinted at a promising future in genre filmmaking with his debut project, home-invasion horror, You’re Next.

While his sophomore effort wasn’t quite as well-received, many critics (including this one) lauded its deft blend of horror and bitter comedy – a stylistically original thriller that nodded at genre-filmmaking gone by in a manner that thrilled film nerds ... and left some newcomers confused.

There were plenty of horror aficionados eagerly awaiting Wingard’s follow-up project, then – needless to say, after two

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

deviously original efforts, many of them were baffled by his surprise announcement that that film would be a reboot-come-sequel to one of the genre’s modern masterpieces, The Blair Witch Project.

Though offering up some genuine scares in its final act, The Blair Witch was a jump scare-riddled mess. Wingard would

Western take on Death Note isn’t the first film based on the hit brand

have to return with something good – something original – if he were to deliver on the promise of his early efforts.

Regrettably, he hasn’t.

With Netflix original, Death Note, it’s become abundantly clear that Wingard isn’t the wunderkind that horror-fans once held him up to be.

Instead of delighting with an original effort, Wingard chose to westernise Death Note – a property beloved of Japanese manga and anime lovers the world over (see panel below).

The original comic has gone through myriad

NETFLIX’S interesting but ultimately botched take on Death Note isn’t the only film featuring a bored death god, an increasingly psychotic youth, a supernatural notebook and a worldwide murder spree – far from it.

There have already been several Death Note films in Japan, where the brand has been a runaway smash-hit success for many years

manifestations: as an animated series, a number of live-action movies, and even a musical. Wingard’s vision deviates somewhat substantially from that source material, but that’s the least of Death Note’s problems.

Light Turner (Nat Wolff) is a reclusive high school student, plagued by bullies and without friends. When a mysterious notebook – Death Note – literally drops from the sky, Light gains the power to kill anyone, in any way, simply by inscribing their name on its pages.

Naturally, with such

– first in a complex manga, then as a long-running anime (right, which you can watch on Netflix), followed by three live-action films and a TV drama which attempted to capture some of the complex tale’s magic.

Unfortunately, as with Netflix’s adaptation, the live-action stuff has ultimately failed to do Death Note justice, as there’s something about the complex, pitch-black content

power comes a whole new set of problems, and Light soon finds himself tormented by the mysterious death spirit, Ryuk (voiced

by Willem Dafoe), hunted by a relentless investigator (Keith Stanfield) and plagued with some serious girlfriend trouble.

While it bears many of the symptoms of the director’s early work – a delightfully grim sense of humour, razor-sharp horror, oodles of gore-heavy practical effects and the stylised retro sheen that had The Guest standing out from the crowd – Death Note fails to tell its fascinating story with any-

thing resembling a professionally crafted narrative, eschewing character building and clarity for a disastrously bloated narrative that closes with far too many loose ends.

Wingard attempts to stuff far too much into Death Note’s mercifully short run time, letting the meandering narrative run wild after only 20 or so minutes.

Little or no time is given to establishing Light as someone we could actually care about, bar a halfbaked attempt at familial drama with his father (Boardwalk Empire’s Shea Whigham, turning in

one of the film’s finer performances) and a shallow, poorly executed romantic subplot.

Perhaps if it ran even further from the source material and tried to tell a much smaller, more intimate horror story, Wingard’s Death Note could have been a return to form for the director – certainly, there are plenty of signs of that early promise littered throughout.

Unfortunately, Wingard played a dangerous game in adapting Death Note – and has surely lost many of those early devotees in the fray.

Verdict: 4/10

(which is entertainingly barmy to watch in the Netflix anime) that just hasn’t translated well to its live action treatments, so far.

However, given the global popularity of the hit manga and anime series, it’s very unlikely that this TV adaptation will be the last we see of Death Note, as there’s great potential for the memorable core content Ryuk, a bored Shinigami (death god), with Light Yagami, a student (and eventual mass murderer) to get the treatment it deserves.

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

TECH LAUNCH: ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER NEW PHONE – BUT WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE?

Are you feeling X-cited about Apple’s latest, best iPhone?

ONCE again, the Church of Apple drew its devotees together this week to sing the praises of another new product launch.

But what, pray tell, did we learn from Tuesday’s largely iPhone-focused presentation?

Tech watchers, business leaders and the stock market had spent a busy Monday chattering about Apple’s expected revelations, with a number of leaks – proven to be correct – suggesting Apple’s latest iPhone iteration would make some large leaps forward.

The leaks and rumours were confirmed by the main man himself, Tim Cook, who took to the stage to run through the main features of Apple’s new ‘anniversary’ phone – the iPhone X – as well as run through the major boosts to some ‘lesser’ models, such as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus, and other Apple products.

However, the X was by far the star of the show, boasting some interesting new features – and an eyewatering price – to note.

Perhaps the biggest change for most users was a further drift into purely tech-driven fea-

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

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com

tures, with the X ditching its physical Home button for a full-screen phone experience.

Forget fingerprint recognition – the X now scans your face, using infrared tech to create a 3D mask and verify that, yup, you’re you, rather than, say, an annoying kid brother trying to unlock your phone with a photo of your face.

It’s an interesting piece and use of tech, with Apple claiming that it’s about 20 times better and more secure than its fingerprint-scanning tech which it had introduced a few years back, but many users may miss the muscle-memory use of a home button.

Moving on, and there we r e t h e i n e v i t a b l e power, speed and processing jumps that each new iPhone iteration gets – and as the vast majority of people go as glassy-eyed as I do whenever someone starts talk-

‘The iPhone’s Achilles Heel (its pitiful battery life) saw a plaster slapped on, with claims of an extra two hours or so of extra life for the X, despite its power-hungry abilities’ ---------------------------------------------------------

ing about giga-anything chips, processing cores and RAM, let’s just say that the X has seen a decent boost to enable it to do even more impressive things, even faster.

One welcome new feature, although not a revolutionary one, is the X’s introduction of wireless charging, using a special plate – so goodbye, fiddly, fragile charging cables.

This isn’t particularly new tech, as a number of rivals have offered wireless charging for some years in higher-tier phones, but it’s a canny move towards the wire-free future that’s surely coming.

Apple’s new usermodifiable emoji was a bit of an underwhelming feature to highlight, but anyone who can’t type anything without adding a This-is-what-I-kindof-mean face at the end could get a kick out of them, although thankfully they’re locked into

using Apple’s proprietary messaging system. ;-) Apple’s already impressive iPhone cameras got another significant boost, both in terms of the power put into taking shots, and to subtly edit them afterwards.

At this stage, many phones (not just luxury iPhones) have started to encroach on the lower tiers of digital cameras’ abilities, and as other tech heads have noted, there’s an evolutionary clash beginning to take place between phones and cameras which one would hope camera manufacturers have already woken up to the dangers of. A complex story for another day...

The iPhone’s Achilles Heel (its pitiful battery life) saw a plaster slapped on, with claims of an extra two hours or so of extra life for the X, despite its power-hungry abilities.

Longsuffering iPhone

There’s no place like home ... but now, there’s no home button, with the iPhone X completely ditching the familiar feature that’s been there all through the past ten years of the iPhone range’s life. Losing the stalwart button for an all-screen piece of ‘real estate’ is just one of the first things that strike you about the latest iPhone – but the more significant changes are all under the hood ...

users will welcome the boost, any boost, to the battery life, but I can’t help but think of how my cheap €150 Moto G phone, for all of its faults, generally lasts a day and a half on a single charge despite heavy use – something beyond this pricey new phone.

I said ‘pricey’ for a reason: the iPhone X has a

$999/£999 price point – to start with – which will inevitably be even higher, here, let alone paying for higher-storage models.

For all of its bells and whistles features (which I’ve ignored running through in more detail, as by today, Thursday 14, readers will already have had a full day or two of iPhone X articles

everywhere), that’s an eye-watering price for what’s ultimately still just a phone; fancy and powerful, but a phone nonetheless.

Apple purists will love it, but it’ll be interesting to see how the X fares over here in our cash-strapped economy once it starts shipping in early November ...

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE

14 September 2017

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28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

SPORT

FastSport WANDERERS WELCOME NEW YOUTH MEMBERS: WANDERERS rugby club are welcoming new players to join up as they begin their youth section’s new season on Sunday, September 10 at their Merrion Road home.

Registration begins at 9.30am followed by training 10am until 11.15am with new members for the Under-9s age group – born in 2009 – being recruited.

All levels of experience are catered for with an emphasis on fun for the children, learning how to execute the basic skills of the game in a safe environment.

All other age groups are also facilitated from Under-6s up to Under-12 level at the family orientated club.

Throughout the Saturday morning sessions during the season, the club will be serving breakfasts, teas & coffees. For more information, visit www.wanderers.ie/mini/youth rugby for more details or contact coaches: Mike Maloney on 086-8103212 or Cahir O’Higgins on 0876685785.

SWIMMING: RANELAGH TEACHER EMBRACING NEW SEA-SWIMMING CHALLENGE

Earley’s homage to late wife with his maiden Liffey Swim

 JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

AS WELL AS being the culmination of a surprisingly intensive Irish sea swimming season, the iconic Liffey Swim carries with it some incredible stories local stories.

Saturday’s 2.2km race, for example, saw Dublin’s Mark Earley – a teacher at Gonzaga College in Ranelagh – swim in memory of his wife late Liane Deasy, who passed away as a result of nocturnal epilepsy earlier this year.

Earley was completing his first Liffey Swim, and told Gazette Sport: “Since late April, I have swam at the Forty Foot every day, apart form some days when I haven’t been in the country. I started doing it as a homage to my late wife, who died on April 20.

“She was a very keen sea swimmer and ignited in me a passion for the sea that I didn’t know I owned. The daily swims sort of naturally piqued my interest in the open sea swimming – something I’d admired from afar. When the summer season began I joined a club and started racing.”

To do it in a river with friends, for someone you love and for charity made it that be more special for me. I struggle to find other sporting events that have meant that much to me.”

Another finisher in Saturday’s event was Viking Swim Club (Ballyfermot) member Lucy Collins, who covered the course alongside her mum Isabel, who swims both in the pool and at the Forty Foot with the Phoenix Swim club.

At just 13 years of age, Lucy – who attends Colaiste Cois Life in Lucan – had already completed the six required qualifying races in qualifying to swim the river, typically over just under 2kms, and held in the Irish Sea. Mark Earley during the Liffey Swim (Picture: Aoife Hyland), left, and Lucy and Isabel Collins, right, at the finish line The 13-year-old was the youngest swimmer to take part Earley finished the Liffey the preparation - the fear of the and there are no bottlenecks in this year’s event, with the rounding buoys, the crowding 2.2km race surprisingly routine route in a time of 43 minutes, just unknown. seven minutes behind the men’s “As an event, it was well is less of an issue [than in sea for the teenager, who’s become winner, recalling: “I was quite run and the atmosphere was swimming that Earley had to a regular on the Sea Swimming emotional finishing the race as amazing. I like the informal an complete in order to qualify]. circuit in 2017.

I’d been thinking of Liane for a friendly approach of the Leinster At least, that’s my opinion as a ** You can donate to Mark large part of the course.

Open Sea people - they’ve been beginner! Someone trying to “I also took a stray foot to my nothing but a pleasure to deal win the race may feel totally dif- Earley’s fundraising campaign ferently. in aid of Epilepsy Ireland - a shoulder under one bridge and with all season,” he continued “To complete any type of race campaign thats raised nearly pulled my left calf in the final “With the handicap system, 100m so that kept me busy. I the Liffey race thins out and in the city you live in, passing €18,000 at the time of writing suppose the biggest challenge bulks up at various parts. If any- landmarks that are woven into - by searching ‘Liane Deasy’ on was dealing with the nerves and thing, given it’s a straight course your life and memory, is special. everydayhero.com

Famous Dublin race draws the crowds for 98th edition  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

The River Liffey saw 500 people take on the 98th edition of the annual race. Picture: Aoife Hyland

THE 98th Liffey Swim on Saturday saw almost 500 ambitious swimmers - many of whom have qualified through regular participation in sea swims throughout the year - compete down a 2.2km course from outside the Guinness factory to Custom House Quay, through the heart of the city.

The event, considered an AllIreland climax in the sport of sea swimming, is a handicapped swim that enables direct competition between athletes of differing abili-

ties. The adaptation means the victor isn’t necessarily the person with the fastest time, and adds a competitive element even in scenarios where masters swimmers compete against younger athletes.

Swimmers are released according to their handicap, with the fastest athletes left to chase down their slower competitors, who have already departed, and the first to reach the Custom House Quay is declared the winner.

Colin Monaghan of Dublin swimming Club took home the men’s title this time around, finishing in 36 minutes. He was the

first over the line, operating off a thirty second handicap.

Anne Marie Bourke, who started with a two minute handicap, took home the women’s title in a race run an hour apart from the men’s contest, in a time of 33 minutes and 48 seconds. Bourke also represents Dublin Swimming Club.

It is Ireland’s oldest swimming club, based in Ringsend, hosting regular training and competitive events at Seapoint, Sandycove and Dun Laoghaire, as well as more conventional indoor events.

The athletes were also joined

by Clare O’Dwyer, a regular in the contest who is still completing the course a few months short of her 76th birthday. O’Dwyer told The Times on Saturday that she’d been doing the event for so long she could no longer remember when she started.

The race – its fame secured by a Jack B Yeats 1923 painting which, bizarrely, won an Olympic gold medal in its own right – was originally designed by Dublin Corporation engineer Bernard Fagan as a demonstration of the quality of the Liffey’s water. It’s been running since 1920.

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

Cooper envious of new boys on All-Ireland eve Na Fianna man wishes he could go back to experience his first senior football championship final all over again as he prepares for his fourth decider in Croke Park on Sunday

Joyce and Dockrell light up Leinster’s treble win  BERNARD DUFF sport@dublingazette.com

THE LEINSTER Lightning added the 2017 Hanley Energy Cricket InterPro Championship in Rathmines on Sunday to the T20 Trophy they won in August, making it a clean sweep of titles in 2017.

They added the three-day championship in midweek when they played Belfast’s Northern Knights in a title decider at Castle Avenue. Leinster bowled out the Knights in their first innings for 195 before taking charge on day two with the bat. If proof were actually needed that Ed Joyce still has it, he top-scored with an unbeaten 167 that displayed all his trademark timing and instinct for runs. Leinster declared on 383-8.

By this stage, the title was actually confirmed by Leinster after they scored their 250th run to gain an extra bonus point which put the title beyond the Knight’s reach. Batting second time round, the Northern Knights were undone by another Ireland international. This time is was George Dockrell who used his left arm spin to kill off the Knights.

Dockrell had figures of 6-29 helped Leinster to a victory by an innings and 12 runs.

Dockrell’s 6 wickets meant he ended up the firstclass season’s leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets.

There was some joy for the Knights as their skipper James Shannon with 60 runs ensured he was the highest run scorer. Shannon totaled 446 runs at a great average of 74.3 runs.

With a second trophy in the cabinet so Leinster faced the same opposition in Observatory Lane on Sunday. In a rain affected match yet again, Leinster proved too strong.

Batting first Leinster scored 239/8 in 48 overs.

Dockrell brought the form from the first class game into the one-dayer. He top scored for Leinster with 50 runs off just 35 balls.

The rain then came and the Knights target would become a steep 188 off 25 overs, a tough chase in which they never threatened.

Dockrell, with 3/18, backed up by Peter Chase’s 2/18 and Simi Singh’s 2/29 meant Leinster won by 55 runs and completed the clean sweep of the silverware.

 DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

NA FIANNA’S Jonny Cooper admits to a tinge of envy as teammates Con O’Callaghan and Niall Scully prepare for their first All-Ireland football finals.

Cooper, who was dismissed with a black card early in last year’s final replay win over Mayo, is looking forward to making up for lost time when they face the same opposition on Sunday.

And although he’s looking ahead to his fourth All-Ireland final in blue – he’s won all three so far – his drive for self-improvement means

he can’t help wondering what he could have done better in his maiden Championship.

“You’d like to be back at the start again and having another crack at it and seeing if I could do it better than what I was doing at the time. It’s an interesting one.

“I suppose you don’t really take it [in] – well I didn’t. It was over before I knew it. It was October and you were training again before you even knew it.

“I don’t know what way the likes of Con would be feeling now.

They’re all quite levelheaded so I’m sure they’re all taking it in

their stride.

“They have to find their own path as well as leaning on the support of the guys who have been through it. It’s an exciting time for a few of them lads.”

Back when he was a young footballer on the beginning of his journey towards intercounty stardom, Cooper didn’t look up to the heroes of the 1980s and early 1990s.

During a less-thanfertile time for Dublin football, it was his Na Fianna clubmates Dessie Farrell, Senan Connell and Jason Sherlock who inspired him to reach for the stars.

Na Fianna man Johnny Cooper is looking forward to a fourth All-Ireland final . Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“I haven’t seen much of [the classic Dublin sides], or know much about it, to be honest.

I’m obviously aware of the tradition as a whole, but in terms of names and people who would maybe have been the bigger players back then, I wouldn’t have too much of a grasp.

“I cer tainly would have gone to the games in the 2000s, etc, so I’d have a lot more of an affiliation to individuals in the later years rather than the earlier years.

“Dessie, Jay and Sen would have been the three big Na Fianna and Dublin players at the time, so I’ve obviously a direct connection with them.

“Dessie and Jason have gone into coaching and management and done particularly well, so I’ve kept in contact with them, and I’ve seen Senan about and he’s doing his own role with analysis.

“T hey would have been the original people you’d have nailed to wrap yourself around in terms of looking directly at what they were doing.

“They weren’t overly successful with Dublin but they were where I wanted to be so it was good to interact with them in any shape or form.”

The game has changed immeasurably even since those players were winning Leinster Championships around the turn of

the century.

Jim Gavin’s Dublin team, and that of Pat Gilroy before him, have been a huge par t of that changing focus in GAA where players are expected to be comfortable in any part of the pitch.

That flexibility was key to Dublin’s overwhelming a more old-fashioned Tyrone in the semi-final and will be even more vital against a similarly vibrant and modern Mayo side led by Aidan O’Shea.

It’s a par ticular strength of this Dublin that players like Cooper are just as adept playing as an out-and-out defender or sweeper or getting forward to advance play and score points.

“You have to be comfortable, certainly now, in many different positions, many different scenarios, angles, etc.

“You have to be just as comfortable – maybe not as good, but as comfortable – taking a score as the forwards would be, and likewise the forwards in terms of blocking and tackling.

“T hat’s what’s the exciting part of it. When I started, you were an out-and-out defender and that was your job, whereas now that’s very much flipped on its head.

“You could be taking up any role, or asked to do any role, and you have to be adaptable in Jim’s to fit in.”

GAZETTE

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 14 September 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

BOXING: LOCAL DUO ADD VICTORIES TO THEIR FLEDGLING RECORDS

Ballybrack man Smith wins top title at Citywest SHANE Smith has won gold at the World Martial Arts Games held at the City West Hotel.

The Ballybrack native took top prize by decision in the full contact 71kg division, while Carol Coughlin also walked away with a gold medal in the full contact 48kg division thanks to a second round stoppage.

Multiple styles of martial arts were on display with approximately 800 competitors from around the world taking part.

Monkstown to host top class junior boxing MONKSTOWN Boxing Club have announced they will host a Four Nations Junior Boxing Tournament in December 2017.

The four teams involved are Dublin, London, Belgium and Scotland national teams. This tournament has been set up specifically for 17-yearold boys to help develop their international experience and thus help develop them in their quest to become Irish elite champions in the coming years, and hopefully go onto to represent Ireland at European and World Championships.

Monkstown are keeping everything local with the running of this event – the teams will be staying in the Rochestown Lodge Hotel, the boxing will take place

in St Josephs Boys Football Club Sport Hall Sallynoggin, and their main meals will be served in the Sallynoggin Inn. The Dublin team will continue their squad training sessions every Saturday morning from 11am at Monkstown BC, Mounttown Community Facility, Fitzgerald Park.

Club Chairman Tommy Rapple said of the event: “The local community, businesses and politicians always come and support our projects and we’ve no doubt they will be delighted to hear about this fantastic tournament.

“Monkstown BC have two Irish champions in this age group and fingers crossed they will be selected.

What a fantastic initiative to help kick start these boys international careers” Finals day will take place on Sunday, December 10 from 12pm to 4pm.

Niall O’Connor lands a blow on Pal Olah during his success last weekend in the National Stadium. Picture: Laszlo Geczo

Niall sweeps to debut win sport@dublingazette.com

NIALL O’Connor and Stephen McAfee both secured wins at the ‘Celtic Clash 3: Building Champions’ card at the National Stadium last weekend.

Ballybrack light welter weight O’Connor promised before the fight that his debut would be one to remember and he backed his claim up with a points victory over Pole Pal Olah.

O’Connor was initially set to fight Belfast man Alec Bazza but the bout was one of them to fall victim to rearrangement.

The home fighter started brightly to put Olah on the back foot from the off with a number of impressive shots that left his opponent stunned.

One thing O’Connor could not be accused of was failing to enjoy his first foray into the professional ring, with a bout of showboating added to the flurry of punches.

The punishment inflicted on Olah during the first round had left its mark on him as he came out for the second looking zapped of energy and unable to hold off O’Connor.

PLAYER OF MONTH Nominations open for latest footballing star THE GAZETTE is currently taking nominations for the latest New Ireland Assurance Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football Association star of the month.

Send in your nominations to sport@dublingazette.com by Monday, September 18, including the player’s name, club and a couple of lines about why you feel they should be up for the honour.

For August’s award winner, the nomination period will refer to the latest stages to date of all the New Ireland Assurance competitions.

Eastern European fighters are usually made of stern stuff, however, and aside from a slip in the third round, did well to stay on his feet.

O ’ C o n n o r ’s c o a c h Tony Davitt didn’t seem overly pleased by the showboating antics of his fighter but, on this occasion, he was able to back it up on this occasion with some impressive boxing.

O’Connor probably would have liked to prevent the fight from going the distance but Olah proved tough and the Dubliner took the bout with a score of 40-36.

McAfee secured the

second win of his professional career with another knockout performance at the National Stadium.

The Sallynoggin slugger stopped Pole Marcin Ficner in round three of his first fight on the Celtic Clash 2: The Rising card back in May but he went two steps further this time round with a first round knockout of Hungarian Attila Horvath.

McAfee walked away from the Ficner fight with his name on the lips of the majority of the crowd after putting his opponent on the floor three times – the final

one finishing him off with a sweet left hook.

McAfee spoke about the confidence he has in his ability last week and promised to put on another enter taining affair for the crowd.

There was less fight to enjoy this time round but it was equally as impressive from McAfee as he put Horvath on his knee with a succession of powerful body shots towards the end of the round. The referee stopped the fight when Ho r v a t h e ve n t u a l l y managed to get back to his feet and the Hungarian needed to be helped from the ring.

14 September 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

HURLING: DUBLIN JUNIOR C HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

CLUB NOTICEBOARD SHANKILL

iT WAS brilliant to see so many new boys

The action continued with our U-11

and girls at our academy on Saturday

girls football match against St Mark’s.

morning and there is plenty of room

A great weekend of activity; well done

for many more. Our juvenile academy is

everyone.

for both boys and girls from four to six years of age.

All-Ireland final on Sunday, September

macy and is in action every Saturday

22. Contact your team manager to book

morning from 10am to 11am in Shanga-

your seat.

and there is no annual subscription.

Qualified coaches are always in attendance and all equipment is sup-

Cuala dim red star challenge in Parnell

JCHC FINAL

Cuala 1-18 Realt Dearg 1-13  sport@dublingazette.com

CUALA won the Junior C hurling championship final after recording a 1-18 to 1-13 win over Realt Dearg at Parnell Park.

The division six leaders were impressive from the start with the halfback line doing well to snuff out the Realt Dearg attacks in any way necessary. Aidan Lonergan once again showed class in his distribution, while James Murphy and Conor Hayes stood strong in the centre of defence.

However, midfield was probably were the game was won for Cuala as Jack Hartnett dominated his territory and even managed to pitch in with a couple of scores.

Cuala’s goal came in the first half from the booth of Tiarnan Lane when he made a 40m charge through the middle and played a dummy pass to Karl Wolohan before finishing in emphatic fashion.

His goal sucked the

wind out of the Realt Dearg players, and the dominance of Fionn O’Tiernaigh, Colman O’Drisceoil and Cillian O’Farrell at the back for Cuala added to their misery.

Up front, half-forwards Davey Nash and Emmet Murphy were relentless in picking up balls sent forward from the back and running at goal. On many occasions, Realt Dearg were forced fouls, which only served in allowing Murphy to split the posts from frees – hitting eight in total and adding another from open play.

When the first half drew to a close with a toot of the referee’s whistle, Cuala took a 1-8 to 0-6 lead into the break.

Cuala nearly forgot to come out after the interval and Realt Dearg took advantage of their complacency to notch 1-1 within three minutes of the restart. The goal came from a speculative ball that was batted down by O’Drisceoil. His teammates failed to clear and an opponent stole in to guide it into the back of

the net.

The resultant puck-out was then turned over by Realt Dearg and sent over the bar to make it a one point game.

Brian Cornella responded for Cuala with a beauty from midfield before Hartnett dug out a second and Fintan O’Brien pointed a monster free from 85m.

Fionn O’Drisceoil entered the fray four minutes into the second half and immediately went about locking onto the balls that resulted in four points for his side.

Murphy added another three frees at the perfect

time to give Cuala some breathing space before Lane landed his third point.

Realt Dearg were getting frustrated at the end and after tempers flared a red card was flashed.

The game was all but over at that stage but there was just enough time for Wolohan to sign off in style with a lovely individual effort.

Things could get even better for Cuala as one more league win will see them secure a league and championship double – gaining promotion to division five in the process.

The club will run a bus to the ladies

It is sponsored by O’ Donnell’s Phar-

nagh Castle. The cost is only €2 per child

Cuala’s Junior C hurlers celebrate their success in Parnell Park.

Good luck to the Dubs on Sunday.

There will be a Foundation coaching course for new coaches on Friday, September 24 and Friday, October 2; Steve Davis, 087 6414123, has the details.

plied free of charge. So why not come

We are in the process of setting up a

along any Saturday morning and give

ladies football section. All abilities will

the academy a try?

be catered for so check out our Face-

Action this Saturday saw our U-10

book page and follow the link to the

hurling team travel to Geraldine P Moran

ladies Facebook group, e-mail steveda-

while in the afternoon, the U-13 girls had

vis203@gmail.com or contact Steve on

a cup match in the Castle against Bally-

087 6414123.

boden St Enda’s.

The men’s adult football team have

In a cracking game, the Shankill girls

ambitions to climb up through the league

just lost out by the narrowest of mar-

divisions so new players are always wel-

gins.

come; contact Kevin on 086 8449902.

Sunday was ladies day in the Castle.

For more information on the club,

First up, we had our U-8 girls football

contact secretary.shankill.dublingaa.ie

and camogie teams in a blitz with Stars

or call 086 4010438. Follow us on Face-

of Erin. At the same time, our U-10 girls’

book and Twitter. Join Shankill GAA Club,

footballers were having a blitz with Bray

your community, your Village GAA club

Emmets.

where everybody knows your name.

KILMACUD CROKES IT was a great weekend for the minor A

Well done to the AHL1 team who beat St

and C hurlers, U-16 A, B and C ladies foot-

Vincent’s 0-18 to 0-16. In ladies football,

ballers, U-15 A and C hurlers and U-15

well done to the junior team who beat

camogie teams who all had very impres-

Clontarf 4-8 to 4-5 on Wednesday.

sive championship victories.

In men’s football, hard luck to the AFL4

In adult hurling, well done to the AHL2

team who were well beaten by St Jude’s.

team who had a great 3-15 to 3-13 vic-

Congratulations to Burgess Duharra

tory over Naomh Olaf. In adult football,

(Tipperary) on winning this year’s SE

hard luck to the AFL8 team who were well

Systems sponsored camogie 7s cup final.

beaten by St Sylvester’s.

Well done to St Brigid’s of Kilkenny who

Both the AFL4 and AFL8 teams have

won the shield final.

finished their respective leagues and will

Next weekend, it’s the turn of the VW

remain in the same divisions in 2018. The

Men’s Football Sevens. Come on down

junior D championship semi-final did not

and joy the fun. Further details of sched-

take place as St. Sylvester’s have been

ules etc will be available on club web site

omitted from the competition.

and Facebook.

NAOMH OLAF BEST of luck to David Byrne and the Dubs

championship on Sunday.

in next Sunday’s All-Ireland football

The minor ladies footballers and U-16

final. Hard luck to Roisin MacLoughlin

camogie teams also had good champion-

and Chloe Ni Cheallaigh and the Dublin

ship wins. Hard luck also to ladies foot-

Premier junior camogie team beaten in

ballers who lost out by three points to

last Sunday’s All-Ireland Premier Junior

Erin’s Isle in the championship final last

final.

Friday night.

Great week for junior football in the

The senior hurlers play the replay of

club with the second junior team wrap-

their senior B championship semi-final

ping up the AFL11 South league title to add

against Raheny in St Anne’s Park at 5pm

to the AFL8 title already secured. Well

next Saturday evening.

done players and management.

Big support needed for this crucial

Great effort by the U-15 hurlers

match and a bus for supporters at €3

although beaten by Na Fianna in the

each will leave Naomh Olaf club at 4pm

Division 2 hurling league final but they

to bring supporters to the game. First

bounced back to defeat St Jude’s in the

come, first served.

GAZETTESPORT

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

BOXING CLEVER: Local fighters O’Connor and McAfee add further building block to fledgling pro careers P30

SEPTEMBER 14-20, 2017

COOPER’S ALL-IRELAND ENVY: Na Fianna man closing in on fourth football final date P29

Kilmacud Crokes man Cian O’Sullivan. Picture: Kevin Goss-Ross

Cian’s singular focus

Crokes kingpin is looking to limit the outside noise and keep Mayo firmly in his sights as he and Dublin aim to make it three senior titles in a row

 KARL GRAHAM

sport@dublingazette.com

CIAN O’Sullivan has insisted the Dublin players are focused on their performance in the AllIreland final against Mayo on Sunday, but he does admit that all the talk of three in a row can be an unwelcome distraction.

The midfielder is one of three Kilmacud Crokes stars involved in the team, alongside Cillian O’Shea and Paul Mannion.

“You’d be lying if you said at some stage, subconsciously, it doesn’t seep through, there has been so much chat about it from family and friends,” O’Sullivan said in the lead-up to the final.

“I guess the important thing is to recognise

that it is a distraction and something that could make you a little bit complacent or even make you take your eye off winning an All-Ireland final and the performance that is needed to do that.

“So I think it’s about not getting worried when you hear those kinds of things. It’s going to happen so it’s just about dealing with them by refocusing on the task in hand.”

Dublin eased to victory over Tyrone in the semi-final, thanks largely to the Ulstermen’s decision to set-up aiming to stifle their opponents rather than playing to their own strengths.

The Dubs wouldn’t even consider doing something similar according to O’Sullivan.

“You can’t go changing your tactics or strategy too much because you only have three

weeks going into the final. All your hard work strategising, and the game-plan stuff has been done earlier on.

“Obviously Mayo are going to set themselves up a lot differently than Tyrone did so that in itself is going to bring challenges in terms of how you are going to respond to how the opposition are going to set up.

“From our own perspective how we play football in general terms that will stay the same.”

As well as the three Cokes players, Naomh Olaf’s David Byrne and Ballyboden St Enda’s star Michael Darragh McAuley will also be hoping to see their names on the team sheet come Sunday.

While some of them are unlikely to start,

manager Jim Gavin has insisted all positions on the team are still up for grabs.

“There is a blank sheet,” said Gavin. “It’s the choice that players make and what they bring to every session that will populate that team sheet of 26 players.

“What I’m interested in really is the present and what form players are bringing into this massive battle that we have.”

Gavin also revealed the spirit amongst the players despite the fierce competition to get into the team.

“Of course they all want game time. We do understand that. But if it’s the last quarter of the game that I’m asking the player to play or the full expanse of the game, that is the best thing for the team.”