Dun laoghaire

Gazette DUN LAOGHAIRE

Jan 26 - Feb 1, 2017

Find us on

WIN

INSIDE: Let our Wedding Supplement help you and your big day! P15-21

A SIGNED COPY OF UNA HEALY’S NEW ALBUM & TICKETS TO SEE HER PLAY THE SUGAR CLUB TO ENTER SEE PAGE 3

SPORT No stopping Blackrock P32

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

‘Nightmare’ roof repair scam targets Blackrock Locals urged to be alert as men seek payment to ‘fix’ roofs that they damaged

 EMMA NOLAN VULNERABLE Blackrock locals are being targeted in a ‘nightmare’ scam.

Reports of a group of men offering to repair roofs which they claim are damaged are circulating in the

Blackrock, Mount Merrion, and Foxrock areas, and locals say that some neighbours have lost as much as €20,000.

One local woman, Kathleen, told The Gazette about her experience where she was threatened by the men

who damaged her roof deliberately before trying to extort money from her.

Tom Fahey of the Mount Merrion Residents’ Association is warning residents not do business or engage with someone arriving on a doorstep uninvited.

He advises: “If you need work done on your house, always engage a reputable contractor. Always get a quote in writing from a contractor before you agree to have any work performed on your property.”

Full Story on Page 4

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

COUNCIL | BID TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT PUSH FOR HOUSING

Unused sites survey under way in county  AISLING KENNEDY

A COMPREHENSIVE review of all the vacant sites within Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown is currently under way.

The main reason for the review is to identify development sites within Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown that are on lands zoned for housing and/ or regeneration.

A review of the vacant sites within the area was called for when it came to light recently that local authorities across Dublin had established Vacant Site Registers, but no properties had so far been added to the official lists.

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

‘The council has ... a Vacant Sites Register, but indicated it may be some time before it was filled in’ --------------------------

Under legislation introduced in 2015, all local authorities had until January 1 to create registers listing vacant and unused properties that could be used for housing.

Senator Victor Boyhan (Ind) told The Gazette that the council is obliged to keep a register of all

The area’s vacant sites may be eligible to pay an annual 3% tax from 2019, based on the site’s value

vacant sites within its functional area, containing the location of each vacant site, the name and address of the owner, and details of any action the local authority has taken about the site.

He said: “It is important to note that if the property is owned or occupied by the council itself, the register must contain details of what it is being used for and what the council intends to do with it.

“The register must give details of the current market value of every site listed on its register.”

The Vacant Site Register is aimed at forcing owners to develop or sell property that has been allowed to sit idle, and is part of the legislative effort to boost the supply

of new homes.

The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 states that sites that have been on the register for more than 12 months by the start of 2019 will be eligible to pay an annual 3% tax, based on the value of the property.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said it has established a Vacant Sites Register, but indicated it may be some time before it was filled in.

A spokesperson for the council told The Gazette: “As the register was only established on January 1, the register is not presently populated with any vacant sites.

“Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is presently engaging in a detailed assessment of all potential vacant sites in the county.

“This assessment will involve correspondence with the relevant landowners at various stages throughout the review process.”

FASTNews

Be Aware of a new group for depression support A NEW weekly Aware support group is starting in Blackrock this week.

Suitable for people who experience depression or bipolar disorder, the group – which is free to attend, with no referral or booking needed – will meet every Thursday at 7.30pm in Avila House, Sweetman’s Avenue in Blackrock.

Brid O’Meara (above), director of services, Aware, said that such support groups can make a real difference for many people: “Every single week, we provide 39 groups across the country.

It can be hugely helpful to be reminded that others understand what you are going through, and to also be reminded of practical tips and skills that can help.”

Help available to reduce energy and heating bills COMMUNITY groups across Dublin city can now apply for grant funding to help reduce their energy and heating bills under the Better Energy Communities (BEC) scheme. €30 million has been made available by Sustainable Energy Ireland to support community energy projects aimed at reducing energy consumption in the community, private and public organisations.

Jim O’Callaghan TD (FF) said: “This year, over 300 community organisations received a grant, and with the budget increasing by 50% for 2017 to €30 million, there are more opportunities for community organisations in Dublin Bay South to obtain funding.

“One such example of this project was the €43,397 awarded last year to establish a sustainable energy community in St Andrew’s Resource Centre in Pearse Street, which is set to include energy upgrades to three public and community buildings and a small number of homes in the area.”

The deadline for applications for this grant funding is February 17, 2017 and successful applicants will be informed by April 2017.

For more information see www.seai.ie/bec or the BEC team can be contacted directly on 01 8082162.

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

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

Una Meanies business Una Healy plays the Sugar Club next month and YOU can win a pair of tickets – see below right for details

SINGING sensation Una Healy has more than just a beautiful, crisp voice – the former Saturdays star can also boast a sophisticated palette when it comes to corn snacks!

Currently touring the nation to promote her single, Stay My Love, The Gazette caught up with the talented songwriter just in time to find out what she had for lunch – and why the English just don’t do crisps.

“It was a very Irish lunch,” she laughed. “I had a chicken fillet roll, a pack of Meanies and a bottle of Tipperary Spring Water. You can’t beat Meanies!

“I really miss the crisps here. The selection in England is nothing like ours – it’s just awful!”

Stay My Love is the first single from Una’s first album, The Waiting Game, due out next month.

The duet with Sam Palladio, star of TV’s Nashville, has been getting rave reviews from the critics, and Una said she was delighted with how it turned out.

She said: “Sam’s got a gorgeous soft voice that blends well with my own, and he’s an upand-coming singer-songwriter himself – albeit everbody knows him from Nashville on TV – so like me this is his first stint as well, so we’re both really excited.”

It’s not the first time Una has shared the

stage with a male TV heart-throb. Before she found fame, the young songstress used to play on the Dublin pub scene, where she was once the warm-up act for none other than ... Christian Grey.

She revealed: “You know Jamie Dornan?

He was part of a duo called Sons of Jim, and I supported them in the Sugar Club, back in 2005.

“I met him recently at a premiere and he came up to me and said, ‘Do you remember me?’ and I was like, ‘Of course I remember you!’

“We knew each other from well before The Saturdays, or Fifty Shades of Grey, or anything like that.”  Una returns to the Sugar Club on February 16, but this time she’s got a four-piece band backing her. To win a pair of tickets to the show AND a signed copy of Una’s new album, The Waiting Game, just go to The Gazette’s Facebook page and Like and Share our Una Healy post.

ll u f e h t e e S interview onok our Facebo page!

4 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

BLACKROCK | LOCALS URGED TO BE AWARE OF PEOPLE OFFERING ‘REPAIRS’

Warning as scammers charge €2k to ‘fix roof’  EMMA NOLAN PEOPLE across Blackrock and surrounding areas are being warned of a ‘nightmare’ scam targeting vulnerable people.

Reports of a group of men offering to repair roofs which they claim are damaged are circulating in the Blackrock, Mount Merrion and Foxrock areas, and locals say that some neighbours have lost as much as €20,000.

One Mount Merrion local, Kathleen, told The Gazette about her experience where she was threatened by the men who damaged her roof deliberately before trying to extort money from her.

Around two weeks

ago, Kathleen, who is a widow, saw a man walking out of her garden as she was walking home to her house. She said he was wearing “official looking” clothing with a logo on it.

The next day, the same man knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer because she was alone and didn’t know who he was.

Then, when he showed up at her house for the third day in a row, she answered to see what he wanted. “I thought, ‘If he comes again, I’ll see what he wants’, so I opened the door and he said: ‘Do you know you have a hole in your roof?’ and he left me a flyer.”

Kathleen then went to check the roof and saw

Kathleen’s roof, after scammers had set to work ‘repairing’ damage that they had ‘found’. They attempted to charge her €2,000, until challenged by a friend who arrived with a builder.

that there was indeed a hole in her roof. Over the next few days, she frantically tried to call roofers to come and repair it, but none were available at short notice.

“I couldn’t get anybody over the weekend, and by Monday I was panicking because I had a hole in my roof.”

Trying to help, Kathleen’s son called the number on the flyer that was left by the man a few days

earlier. He said he would come and repair the tiles for €100.

“A day later, three men arrived with ladders and got up on the roof and before I knew it, they were taking tiles off the roof.”

The men told Kathleen the damage was a lot worse than initially thought, and tried to charge her €2,000 to repair it.

Kathleen says she knew she was in trouble then. “I started shaking,” she said.

Sumo-ch fun at an upcoming park run PLENTY of people from Dun Laoghaire and environs are expected to make their way to Marlay Park soon as it plays host to the sights and sounds of ‘sumo wrestlers’ – lots and lots of them, as people take part in a fun third annual Sumo Run. Sponsored by Renault Ireland, the 5km route invites participants to squeeze into an inflatable sumo suit, then make their way around the route in aid of Purple House Cancer Support. To register as an individual or a team for the fun run, see sumorun.ie.

She called her friend, Rosemary, who runs a property management company called Dublin Property Centre, and asked her to come to help her deal with the men.

“I told her they were taking tiles off my roof and she arrived soon after, [coming] from a building site in Stillorgan with a male builder with her.”

Kathleen said that Rosemary confronted the men and told them to leave

before they could charge her any money – but she was still left shaken by the incident.

Rosemary told The Gazette that the men became worried when she questioned them on their protocol and methods.

“They were very forceful in a passive-aggressive way, and they looked the part with their electrician trousers and van.”

She suspects that the men made the hole worse in order to charge more to repair it. “They’re the sharpest operators. People on their own – widows, pensioners – it’s very scary for them. It’s very intimidating, and you don’t realise you’re in it, til you’re in it; it’s like an accident.”

Kathleen said she was very lucky that she didn’t hand over money and has heard of others who have been intimidated into paying scammers. She is now having CCTV cameras installed at her house.

The incident was reported to gardai.

FASTNews

TaxAssist wins ‘Franchisee of the Year’ THE Dun Laoghaire branch of TaxAssist Accountants was recognised as “Franchisee of the Year” at the company’s annual conference in Kilashee House hotel last week.

Speaking about the win, Kevin Kelly owner of TaxAssist Dun Laoghaire commented: ‘I am delighted with the win. We have worked very hard over the last few years to build a strong practice that can offer a top quality service to our clients. I am really looking forward to building on this into 2017 and working with the local business community even further.”

The company has opened 25 branches nationwide over the last seven years and has created over 100 jobs.

Sports clubs urged to apply for funding AN Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor Cormac Devlin is encouraging all local sports clubs to apply for the 2017 Sports Capital Programme from January 23, 2017 from 9am. The closing date for applying for these grants is February 24 at 5pm.

According to Cllr.

Devlin: “All clubs and organisations must be registered with the website OSCAR; www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie before February 10 otherwise they wont be able to make an application.

If organisations have questions, they should make contact with the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership Office on (01) 271 9502 or through their website www.dlrsportspartnership.ie

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 5

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 27 January 2017

WEST WOOD CLUB | A NEW WAY OF WORKING OUT FOR FITNESS ENTHUSIASTS

Taking your workouts into a whole new world  AISLING KENNEDY THE first virtual reality indoor cycling class in Ireland will be launched at West Wood Club in Dun Laoghaire and Sandymount at the end of this month.

T h e n e w i m m e rsive fitness class will see members cycling through a 40-minute experience of digital graphics which will allow cyclists to climb the side of a steep glacier, sprint across lava flows or ride through a space age city.

The digital graphics are part of a workout called ‘The Trip’ and it is inspired by cinema,

live concert experiences and interactive gaming all combined together to bring a new way of working out to fitness enthusiasts.

Vickey Nolan, general manager at West Wood Club in Dun Laoghaire, spoke to the Gazette this week and said: “It is the first time in Ireland this has been launched and it really is very impressive.

“We have an iMax style cinema screen set up and the feedback we have received so far is really great.”

The gym has teamed up with Les Mills International to bring its members this studio based cycling workout.

Participants of the cycling class will find themselves fully immersed in an experience of futuristic imagination and virtual reality according to Ms Nolan.

“Our highly trained instructors will bring the class on a journey they will never forget.

“W hen you’re taking part in the class you don’t think of anything else, you’re just fully focused on the visuals which makes it so easy to get in and exercise, you don’t feel like you have to workout.

“This cycling concept brings working out to the next level.”

West Wood Club in

Taking steps to a life full of purpose PEOPLE from Dun Laoghaire were spotted at the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, last week as India-born author residing in Ireland, Srimanju (Manju) Katragadda launched her debut book, Connect to Your Inner Guide, to a packed reception at the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan. In her book, Manju shares in a simple, step-by-step approach the seven sutras for the journey of awakening that she has personally experienced.

She offers practices and perspectives for people to use practically and easily, to live a life full of purpose, fulfilment, and joy.

Her book also explores how by developing and building a relationship with our own inner guide, people can arrive at a sense of belonging to infuse them with the wisdom, creative vision, and self-confidence that we all require to achieve their dreams and live a fulfilled life.

The class will see members cycling through a 40-minute experience of digital graphics, helping them to feel they’re undertaking a real journey

Dun Laoghaire will launch this new fitness class on January 30 for members only and the

classes will commence on February 1 for members and corporate groups.

For more information contact Vickey Nolan on vickey.nolan@westwood.ie

FASTNews

Communities urged to apply for energy fund COMMUNITY groups across Dublin can now apply for grant funding to help reduce their energy and heating bills under the Better Energy Communities (BEC) scheme. €30 million has been made available by Sustainable Energy Ireland to support community energy projects aimed at reducing energy consumption in the community, private and public organisations.

Deputy Jim O’Callaghan (FF) said: “This year, over 300 community organisations received a grant, and with the budget increasing by 50% for 2017 to €30 million, there are more opportunities for community organisations ... to obtain funding.”

The deadline for applications for this grant funding is February 17. For further information, see www. seai.ie/bec or contact 01 808 2162.

Dublin ranks well in drawing skilled workers

Tripti Gupta with author Srimanju

Srimanju Katragadda and Aidan Storey

Bharath Kumarwith and Srimanju

Anka Pniewska, Anand Rajagopalan, Srimanju Katragadda (author), Taanvi Arekapudi and Ishitha Arekapudi

DUBLIN has been ranked 10th in the world for ‘talent competitiveness’, beating London, New York and Berlin.

According to a new global index compiled

by Adcecco Group, that looks at cities’ ability to develop, attract and retain highly-skilled workers, Dublin’s solid performance in the rankings is particularly boosted by the presence of major international companies with a global reach, including Apple and LinkedIn. We also benefit from being small in size and population – a factor which the report reveals can aid a city in attracting top talent.

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 7

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

BALLINTEER | COMMUNITY IS SHOCKED AS CLASSROOMS ARE BURNED OUT

Criminal investigation confirmed as gardai probe Scoil Naithi blaze  AISLING KENNEDY THE fire at Scoil Naithi Gaelscoil in Ballinteer on Monday morning this week is under criminal investigation, according to gardai in Dundrum.

The primary school was extensively damaged by the blaze on the premises this week.

Four units of Dublin Fire Brigade – from Rathfarnham, Dolphins Barn, and Donnybrook – attended the fire, which started at around 4.15am on Monday morning.

It is believed that four classrooms were burned out.

A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana told The Gazette that gardai at Dundrum are investigating “a criminal damage [by fire] incident which occurred at Scoil Naithi” on Monday.

The gaelscoil will remain closed for one week while the board of management at the school assess the damage along with a number of official agencies.

In a statement on the school’s website on Monday evening, the board said that they are working hard to ensure that the school is reopened as soon as possible.

The board also stated that they are “very grateful for

all the messages of support received from the parents, the school community and the wider community”.

An update is expected from the board by the end of the week.

Shocked Local people have been reacting to news of the fire this week, with one former pupil commenting on Ballinteer Today’s Facebook page that he was “shocked and slightly saddened” by the incident at the school.

Paul Leahy, a former pupil of the school, and whose mother is a current teacher at the school, said: “Scoil Naithi played a massive part during my childhood in educating me, and I also made large amounts of friends there. It brings back memories of all the school tours.

“It’s very unfair on all the present students as their education will be disrupted by this. The damage to the school will need to be rebuilt and, hopefully, measures will be taken so incidents like this do not happen again.”

Deputy Josepha Madigan (FG) said she was distressed to hear of the fire at Scoil Naithi, and said: “The fire crew did a fantastic job in combatting the blaze.

“Scoil Naithi is an impor-

tant part of the community and plays a great role in providing a gaelscoil education for children in Rathfarnham.

Disrupted “It is not yet clear to what extent education for students of will be disrupted over the coming days, but all are working to ensure that they can get back into their classrooms as soon as possible.”

Deputy Catherine Martin (GP) called on the Department of Education and Skills to support the school community.

She added: “This is a terrible blow to the entire school community of Scoil Naithi in Ballinteer.

“The Department must do everything they can to support the school in every feasible way.”

Minister Shane Ross said he has been in contact with the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, on behalf of the school.

He said: “The Minister [Bruton] assured me that temporary accommodation will be made available, if necessary.

“The fire is devastating news for the 290 students, the staff and for the wider community. Thankfully, no one was hurt.”

EVO Payments International, a credit card payment service provider operating throughout North America and Europe, has announced the creation of 50 jobs at its new Irish headquarters in Dun Laoghaire when it opens later this year.

The new headquarters marks a €9.1m

investment in the Irish market.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, made the announcement at the company’s new headquarters last Friday.

Operating under the BOI Payment Acceptance brand name in Ireland, EVO established a presence here in 2014 and works in partnership with Bank of Ireland in providing card point-

Plans to improve DLR access to cultural activity MINISTER Heather Humphreys met with DLRCC chief executive Philomena Poole last week to discuss the rollout of the new Creative Ireland Programme for the area.

Creative Ireland is a five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which at its core is a wellbeing strategy which aims to improve access to cultural and creative activity.

In preparation, Minister Humphreys met with all local authority chief executives last week. Speaking after the meeting, Minister Humphreys said: “I have asked Philomena to establish a culture team, bringing together relevant personnel to develop a culture and creativity plan for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown to drive public participation in creative cultural activity in the area.

“I have also asked the national Creative Ireland team to conduct workshops around the country this spring.

“The date for the DLR workshop will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Dublin ranks well in drawing skilled workers These photos from the Dublin Fire Brigade show some of the extensive destruction left by the blaze at Scoil Naithi Gaelscoil

50 jobs for credit card firm HQ  AISLING KENNEDY

FASTNews

of-sale and online payment solutions for Irish SME and corporate businesses.

Minister O’Connor welcomed EVO to Dun Laoghaire, and said: “This is a great success story with a further 50 jobs being announced today.

“The alliance between EVO Payments International and Bank of Ireland brings together a world--leading international payments technology company and a

major Irish financial institution, and the result is a great win for Ireland.

“I am confident the company will get the required skills from our talented workforce, and I look forward to the business going from strength to strength in the future.”

EVO has begun recruiting for the 50 new positions and expects to fill all roles this year.

DUBLIN has been ranked 10th in the world for ‘talent competitiveness’, beating London, New York and Berlin.

According to a new global index compiled

by Adcecco Group, that looks at cities’ ability to develop, attract and retain highly-skilled workers, Dublin’s solid performance in the rankings is particularly boosted by the presence of major international companies with a global reach, including Apple and LinkedIn.

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 9

10 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

GazetteGALLERY

| SILVER SCREEN FANS ATTEND LAUGHTER LOUNGE PARTY

Restaurateur Nick Munier and Alanna Feeney

Sony Prajapati and Stephen McFadden

Stars sparkle at film fest launch Brian McNamara and actress Leah McNamara. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Radio and TV presenter Blathnaid Actress Amy De Bhrun

Treacy and Charlie Murphy

2FM star Stephen Byrne and Shane

Actresses Jenny Dixon and Anita

O’Neill

Nikolaison

T

HE Laughter Lounge in the city centre was bursting at the seams with Irish stars for the launch party of the Audi Dublin International Film Festival 2017, which will take place from February 16 to 26.

Festival director Grainne Humphreys took to the stage to let the attending film buffs know what films will be screened during this year’s festival, and also what actors are due in town for the annual event.

Top stars, including Vanessa Redgrave, Nathalie Baye, Kerry Fox, Ross Noble, Ben Wheatley and Anna Friel, will be joined by top Irish talents Jack Reynor, Moe Dunford, Cillian Murphy, John Butler and Aiden Gillen on the red carpet during the upcoming festival.

Actress Niamh Algar

Patrick Kavanagh and Paula Lyne

Emma Costello and Sarah Gordon

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 11

12 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

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

DUBLINLIFE



GAZETTE

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 13

STUDENT THEATRE AWARDS: DANCING WITH STARS HOPEFUL ALL SET FOR NEW ROLE AS JUDGE

Treading the Bords was Aoibhin’s first love The RTE star knows the

importance of participation

in the dramatic arts during

school years

DANCING With The Stars hopeful Aoibhin Garrihy is set to bring a splash of sequins and some newly learned Samba skills to this year’s Bord Gais Energy Student Theatre Awards.

The former Fair City star joins this year’s expert judging panel alongside Amy Huberman – and she’s encouraging students to get their entries in now.

Aoibhin, who’s also a speech and drama teacher, will bring her acting expertise and recently acquired choreography skills to the judging panel and will help judge the performance categories.

She said: “I’m so excited to be involved in this year’s Student Theatre Awards. As someone who has had a love for acting and performing since I was a child, I understand how important it is to encourage and celebrate

participation in the dramatic arts during school, and these awards do just that!

“As a judge, I’ll be looking for enthusiasm, innovation and commitment to the character whether that is through a powerful performance or captivating choreography.

“Above all else, I am really looking forward to seeing some of the standout talent from this year’s Awards.”

The deadline for entries in all production categories is January 27. The closing date for entries in the written categories is February 10.

Shortlisted schools will be invited to a special awards ceremony at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre on May 17 – some will even get the chance to perform on Ireland’s largest theatre stage.

Go to bgesta.ie to find out more, including how to enter the awards.

GAZETTE

14 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

Challenge yourself and help raise vital funds for Concern Judges Niamh Farrell from HamsandwicH & RTE’s Paddy McKenna on stage at Whelans, where they and along with Bare in the Woods festival director Peter Dunne will choose a winner

Le Crunch time for cover artists THE hunt for Ireland’s next undiscovered musical talent is underway with the return of Le Crunch Apple of My Eye song contest for a fourth successive year .

The French apple brand has teamed up with JOE to launch this year’s search for Ireland’s best cover version.

Over the last few years, thousands of aspiring musicians from all over Ireland have entered the competition with fantastic interpretations of well-known songs.

The comp has also seen a number of those shortlisted gain huge recognition within the music industry and public domain, as well as perform at a number of top festivals around the Country including the Indiependence Music & Arts Festival and Electric Picnic.

A panel of music industry judges will select the top ten tunes to go through to a national semi-final, open to public vote for short listing down to a final five, who will then contest the final at Dublin’s iconic music venue Whelans in front of a packed live audience on March 23rd.

The winner will walk away with prize money and a guaranteed slot at the Bare in the Woods Festival 2017.

To be in with the chance of winning a share of a €2,500 prize fund, musicians are asked to record their favourite cover version (on video or MP3) and to enter the competition through JOE.ie. Deadline for entries is Friday, February 20, 2017.

Visit www.ouitolecrunch.com to find out more.

A DARING new contest that encourages people to do humanitarian-focused challenges has been launched by Concern Worldwide.

Surviving on €5 worth of food over five days or hauling around a daily allowance of five litres of water for cooking, cleaning and drinking are two of several tasks facing participants in the aid agency’s inaugural World Champions competition.

The winning team will spend over a week in one of the 27 countries where Concern Worldwide operates to find out how the money they raised goes to helping people living in extreme poverty.

The life-changing competition involves people setting up teams and winning points by completing regular missions, promoting their efforts on social media, and fundraising.

C o n c e r n ’s Wo r l d Champions manager, Jonathan Power, from Tallaght, south Dublin, said: “Adventure awaits those who register for this exciting new contest open to adults all over the country.

“Participants will be challenging themselves while raising desperately needed money to help fund Concern’s activities

in some of the world’s poorest countries with the chance to win a trip of a lifetime to see our work first-hand.”

The “survive on five” mission will see teams get a glimpse of a reality that is faced by over one billion people around the world currently trying to survive on less than €1 a day.

The winning team will be taken to one of Concern’s programmes this summer when they will meet some of the people living in extreme poverty, who are benefitting from the donations the aid agency receives from the public.

Registrations can be made by emailing worldchampions@concern.net with further details available at www.concernworldchampions.ie where a leader board and team updates can also be found.

FAMOUS ORCHESTRA COMING TO TOWN VIENNA’S Strauss Festival Orchestra, along with internationally renowned conductor Peter Guth, are set to perform at Dublin’s 3Arena on February 25.

The Strauss Festival Orchestra have had countless appearances at music festivals, TV concerts, tours in almost every European country, America and Asia.

The orchestra is synonymous with the authentic interpretation of Viennese music in historical formations, and with a wide repertoire from the classics to the Strauss Dynasty.

Peter Guth, the internationally renowned Johann Strauss specialist, shares the musical direction with his younger colleague Willy Buchler who takes over the annual tours in Japan and NewYear’s Concerts in the Wiener Konzerthaus.

True to the tradition of Johann Strauss, they both also conduct with the violin in hand.

Tickets for the event are priced from €29 to €59 plus booking fee are on sale now from Ticketmaster outlets nationawide and from ticketmaster.ie.

LESLIE DOWDALL TO PLAY NUMBER 22 LESLIE Dowdall, the voice and songwriter behind In Tua Nua and

Mike Hanrahan of Stockton’s Wing will play Dublin’s newest theatre club venue Number Twenty Two, South Anne Street on Thursday, February 23.

This show is part of a nationwide tour beginning in February to support the release of their version of Antony and The Johnsons beautiful song You Are My Sister in January.

The live show features Leslie on vocals, keyboards and guitar and Mike on guitars and vocals.

Leslie and Mike (inset, left) have toured intermittently in recent years and this is their first recording since Learning to Let Go was released a few years back.

Tickets priced €17.50 for show or €55 for dinner and show are available at www. numbertwentytwo.ie

POIGNANT PLAY AT SMOCK ALLEY THE latest performance from Dublin-based Home You Go productions, Tender Mercies, will be performed in Smock Alley Theatre this February.

The “poignant, highly theatrical and blackly comic” play was written and directed by Colette Cullen.

Tickets are available on smockalley.com.

GAZETTE

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 15

To Have to Hold WI€N200 WORTH

FUJIFILM INSTAX 300 WEDDING GIFT PACK See Page 20

SUITED AND BOOTED: Classic style at Magee to ensure gentlemen look their very best Page 19

Planning your perfect day?

Look around for the perfect photographer to capture what you want from your treasured wedding shots.

SEE PAGE 20

GAZETTE

16 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 17

LOVE MARRIAGE

Turn to The Inn at Dromoland for a luxurious, dream wedding

View the magnificent Ballyhannon Suite in full bridal set-up at The Inn at Dromoland

NESTLED on the 450-acre Dromoland Estate and overlooking the panoramic Shannon Estuary in beautiful Co Clare, The Inn at Dromoland is the ideal venue for your wedding day celebrations.

Part of the Dromoland Castle family, wedding couples can expect the very highest levels of hospitality and service.

The hotel aims to exceed every expectation, with the renowned service for which the hotel has long been known.

The hotel offers a wonderful private garden area overlooking Dromoland Castle Estate and Lake – ideal for post-wedding photographs, for the exclusive use of bridal parties.

Wedding packages start from €42PP. Each package has been carefully selected to ensure that your wedding day will linger in

the memory of your guests for years to come.

The Inn at Dromoland has also been approved by The Registrar’s Office as a suitable venue to accommodate civil marriages and partnerships.

Make a date for your diary: the hotel’s Spring Wedding Showcase will be held on Sunday, March 5 between 1-5pm.

View the magnificent Ballyhannon Suite in full bridal set-up, along with a host of exhibitors to help you plan your special day.

Marietta Doran will be on hand to talk you through the latest bridal fashion. View the newly-renovated bridal suite and sample some of the wonderful catering that is on offer at the hotel.

To make an appointment, call 061 368 161, or email claire.coughlan@theinnatdromoland.ie.

The Court Yard Hotel in Leixlip offers a captivating setting for the wedding you’ve always wanted

 OLD-WORLD CHARM CLOSE TO THE CITY'S EDGE 

A special €10,000 package will make any wedding or civil ceremony at The Athlone Springs Hotel even more wonderful

A perfect day for all at Athlone Springs

SET in Monksland, Athlone in Co Roscommon, The Athlone Springs Hotel is a beautiful venue in the heart of Ireland.

This contemporar y venue hosts a welcoming lobby and drinks reception area in Cedar Cocktail Bar, and the stunning Clonellan Ballroom caters for weddings up to 300 guests.

The hotel also has its own private garden where you can escape for your photos, and the Manhattan bridal suite is the height of luxury.

The hotel’s wedding experts know that planning your big day is not easy when you are trying to budget and still have the wedding of your dreams.

T he wedding team have been brainstorming over the past few months and are delighted to announce the launch of a new all-inclusive wedding package.

For €10,000, couples can choose their church wedding package, or their civil ceremony wedding package.

Each package cov-

ers everything you need for your special day.

Whether you are having a church or civil ceremony, your ceremony decor and flowers are all included.

You will also have two photographers to choose from, along with your wedding car, wedding cake, band and DJ, stationary, along with a full catering package from the hotel – it’s all included in this new, amazing package.

The groom and his groomsmen will also have loads of choice with

suits from Martin Feeney Formalwear in Galway.

The Athlone Springs Hotel have some great wedding open weekends and events planned over the next few months, so drop by and chat with the team or contact Nicola any time at 090 644 5808, or see events@athlonespringshotel.com.

Be sure to drop by The Athlone Springs Hotel stand at the RDS wedding show on January 28 and 29, or attend the wedding showcase and tasting evening on Thursday, February 2.

A unique, tranquil wedding setting with a difference BUILT on the original site where Arthur Guinness created his brewing empire, The Court Yard Hotel in Leixlip offers old-world charm, beautiful original stone work with contemporary design in a setting that is as picturesque as a pint settling.

The hotel truly is Kildare’s best-kept secret.

From its humble beginnings back in 1756, the Court Yard Hotel has become a popular choice with a unique space for weddings and events since opening its doors in 2005.

With a graceful renovation and rejuvenation of historic buildings, the Court Yard Hotel is unique in its character and design, with beautiful exposed brick walls, huge windows and vaulted and beamed ceilings.

Renowned for their ability to capture the true essence of the day, the hotel’s wedding experts

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

‘Renowned for their ability to capture the true essence of the day, the hotel’s wedding experts firmly believe that each wedding should truly reflect the couple’s own style’

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

firmly believe that each wedding should truly reflect the couple’s own style.

It all adds up to a beautiful tranquil escape for a wedding with a difference The Court Yard Hotel has a wide range of choices to offer for your wedding event.

Ideal for intimate gatherings,

celebrate with up to 100 cherished family and friends in the stunning RiverBank reception room – a truly beautiful wedding room with captivating views of the River Liffey and Leixlip Castle Boat House.

The RiverBank room offers its own private terrace for pre-drinks reception and evening party room with an exclusive piano bar.

For exceptional service, exquisite cuisine and unforgettable charm choose the Court Yard Hotel for your wedding celebration.

Packages provide an array of enhancements to choose from, all-inclusive to bespoke inspired packages starting from as little as €39.95 per person.

For further information, or details about wedding packages, contact the hotel by telephoning 01 629 5100, email info@courtyard.ie, or see www.courtyard.ie.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

LOVE MARRIAGE

Make your most memorable day perfect THE Bracken Court Hotel is a well-established 4-star luxury hotel, exceptional in design and character.

From the moment you step on to the red carpet, you will experience the true dedication of a friendly and professional team with a single focus in mind – the success of the most memorable day in your life.

They want to make sure that your day is everything you hoped for and more.

Every wedding is unique and special, as it should be.

A grand affair, an intimate reception, the style of your wedding is entirely up to you.

They have the perfect stylish suites to choose from. It’s your special day, allow them to make it perfect.

Bespoke Venue The bespoke wedding venue is also registered to host civil ceremonies, and there is a variety of large and small spaces within the Bracken Court to host the most intimate wed-

ding celebrations to the most lavish occasions.

Guests can enjoy the luxurious accommodation, the beautiful open air terrace, the elegant formal banqueting rooms, the Bracken Grill dining room, and the intimate Jack Doyle’s bar.

Plus, the commitment to only one wedding a day, ensures the bridal party and their guests have all the space and personal attention needed to make the day as special as it should be.

Excellent value wedding packages at the Bracken Court Hotel start from just €39.95 per person, with a premium all-inclusive package priced at €79.95 per guest.

From the elegant red carpet and champagne on arrival, to a sumptuous champagne breakfast for the bride and groom the following morning in their bridal suite, the Bracken Court in Balbriggan has a single focus on creating memorable weddings. Beautiful touches include per-

and entertainment is tailored to the bridal party’s exact requirements.

A late bar is organised for the reception after-party, as well as various catering options for evening guests.

Wedding guests can take advantage of special guest rates, and personalised booking forms can be mailed out with wedding invitations.

Spring Wedding Showcase The venue are holding a Spring Wedding Show on February 26 from 2pm - 6pm where they will set the scene as they present the reception suites and civil ceremony room dressed for the occasion.

Enjoy prosecco and canapes as you experience all the Bracken The Martello Suite at the Bracken Court hotel is a modern banqueting suite, and Court Hotel has to offer you on your can cater for weddings of up to 220 guests special day.

The Bracken Court Hotel can be sonalised menus, elegant stemmed colour scheme. The hotel’s dedicated contacted on (01) 841 3333, with candelabras, and chair covers and wedding co-ordinators will ensure weddings and other special occasion coordinating bows in the wedding everything, from the style of the wed- detail available on www.brackensuite that complement the wedding ding suite, to the meal, fresh flowers, court.ie

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

Navy Dillon jacket €369

Tailored fit; three-piece suit €950

Tailored fit; three-piece suit €950

Tweed suits you, sir …

THE three-piece suit is more popular than ever right now (thanks Conor McGregor). And while they may not be to everyone’s taste, there’s no denying that they’re very dapper – especially when tailored in a subtle tweed. Check out Magee on South Anne Street, just off Grafton Street.

Let a CCU loan help plan the perfect day THE average cost of a wedding in Ireland is over €23,000!

Whether you are getting married on a small budget or with no expense spared, you need to keep track of your spending and avoid paying for your big day for years to come.

Maureen Brogan (above), chief executive, Community Credit Union (CCU), says: “With a fast, affordable and flexible loan from CCU, you will be able to cover all or part of your wedding expenses and plan your perfect day exactly as you would like it without the pressure of financial worries.

“You will be in a position to finance your wedding reception, dress, flowers, photographer,

invitations and any other wedding costs.

At CCU, we tailor your repayments to meet your own personal circumstances, and we advise you of the best method of repayment.

“You will also enjoy the added peace of mind of automatic Loan Protection Insurance at no extra cost; terms and conditions apply.”

Maureen adds: “You can also repay your loan at any time – without any penalties – and there are no fees, no charges and no costs for processing your loan.

“Make planning for your big day easier with a loan from CCU. Call us today at 01 869 2555; visit us at any of our four offices, or see www.communitycu.ie.”

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

LOVE MARRIAGE

WI€N200 WORTH

PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Instax 300 Instant Camera • Three packs of 20 photos (total 60 wide-format shots) • Pen, bespoke wedding album and adhesive pads

FUJIFILM INSTAX 300 WEDDING GIFT BUNDLE

Your photographer may take some creative shots to add to your day’s memories

THANKS to our friends at Fujifilm, we have two Fujifilm Instax 300 Wedding Gift Bundles (worth €200) €200 to give away to two lucky readers.

This wonderful all-in-one pack would make a perfect gift for the happy couple – or be a terrific way to capture some on-the-go moments of their special day, with the easy to use camera making it so easy for everyone to capture and share the memories of the wonderful day.

TO WIN, just LIKE and SHARE this post on our Gazette Facebook page before 5pm on Monday, January 30, with both winners to be contacted soon afterwards. Best of luck!

Check the list, list, list...

SO YOU’RE getting married – congratulations! For most couples, that’s the easy part, as the big day marks the end of months (and sometimes even years) of meticulous marital planning.

To help ensure that the day passes off without a hitch, you’ll undoubtedly refer to The List a lot – the endless to-dos to get through before the I-Dos can start.

Here are just some of the main pointers to note, tick off, and move past as you prepare for a wonderful wedding – yours!

Rebecca and Gavin Cox Claire and Bren Regan

12 MONTHS TO GO

3 MONTHS TO GO

1 WEEK TO GO

• Set yourself a budget

• Three months out is pretty

• Print or do up place cards

• Start researching venue/

much your last chance to tell

and do up table plan

ceremony locations

everyone

• Organise envelopes with

• Look in to wedding insurance

• Compile your wedding gift

payments for suppliers – allo-

• Decide how many guests you

list (if you’re having one)

cate groomsmen to look after

want and make a rough list

• Start collecting addresses

them on the day

• Think about the style of

of friends and family for the

• Give reception venue/cater-

venue you’d like

invites and buy stamps

er final guest numbers

• Start researching wedding

• Decide on your song choic-

• Attend wedding rehearsal

suppliers and services such

es: first dance, reception etc

with celebrant

as wedding photographers,

• Arrange food tasting and

• Pack your honeymoon bag

entertainment, florists, etc

decide on menu

(don’t forget your passport)

Look around for your perfect photographer WHETHER or not you’re using a Fujifilm camera (see above) to capture some fun shots from the big day, or haven’t even thought about the perfect photographer, one thing’s for sure – you’ll want photos to treasure for the rest of your life.

It’s never too soon to start thinking about the photos from your wedding day, with a good photographer being something that you should research just as carefully,

and as far in advance, as any other key part of the day.

While many of us turn to friends and family members to see who they used, these days it’s easier than ever before to see what specialist wedding photographers are out there, and to get a good look at their style.

Many have online portfolios to showcase their work, with subtle digital retouching, polishing and

copies often included in their packages and wedding deals.

These shots, by the Gazette’s own Aishling Conway, show how many couples still go for classic style in their timeless wedding pictures.

However, whether you’re going for traditional or something more contemporary, just remember to research and look around, with your photographer sure to be happy to work around your ideas.

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

Some things to keep in mind if your wedding will be abroad THINKING of marrying abroad? Well, on a chilly January morning, who could blame you?

As lovely as Ireland is, the lure of sun-kissed lands and tropical winds can be forgiven for luring the odd one or two (or a few hundred) couples away.

If you’re thinking of getting married away from home, Tropicalsky.ie’s Fred Harrison has some great tips to keep in mind ...

1. Check that you are not paying for any extra legal requirements while in the resort – always check before committing to any deal.

2. Always ask how many weddings a day your chosen hotel will have – you don’t want to be part of a ‘conveyor belt’ wedding just churning them out.

3. Always ask if you need to leave the hotel to complete formalities that could involve a visit to the local Licence Office or Registrar’s Office while on your holiday/honeymoon.

4. Go easy on the sunbathing – you definitely don’t want to get sunburnt before your wedding.

5. Always travel with your original documents and paperwork, regardless if you’ve sent copies beforehand – your wedding won’t take place unless you have these.

 CONSIDER THESE HONEYMOON HOTSPOTS 

Really engaging places to holiday FOR many newly engaged couples, dreaming of a wedding abroad or planning their honeymoon won’t be too far from their minds as the year gets under way.

Leading travel operator, Falcon Holidays and Thomson, predicts that there will be an increase in queries around destination wedding and honeymoons, with a surge of bookings expected.

The travel operator offers a range of exciting honeymoon and wedding destinations for newlyengaged couples – including Mexico and Jamaica – with direct flights from Dublin Airport.

Both the Caribbean coast of Mexico and the island of Jamaica boast endless sandy beaches,

crystal-clear waters and an infectious party spirit, offering the ideal destinations to allow the happy couple to take their vows, or to relax and unwind in magical surroundings after their big day.

Jamaica’s castaway backdrop, paired with its easy-going vibe, means that the island itself is the ideal location for a relaxed beach wedding.

It’s also packed with secret coves, sugary sands and crashing waterfalls, including the 600-feet-tall Dunns River Falls – where you can swap vows right next to its thundering cascade.

Honeymoons in Jamaica can be well spent sipping spiced rum in a twoperson hammock, or the more adventurous couple

Jamaica and Mexico’s crystal-clear waters (bottom) are calling honeymooning and engaged couples and guests

can explore, climb a water fall, or explore Jamaica’s beautiful coral reefs.

Further afield, and Mexico offers perfect beaches, ancient cultural sites, a rich history and a stunning choice of resorts along the Caribbean Coast.

Honeymooners can spend the time in Mexico experiencing jungle tours, swimming with dolphins in crystal-clear waters or taking part in a variety of water sports. with a vast range of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, or live music or cultural shows to enjoy..

For further information on honeymoons and dream destinations with Falcon Holidays and Thomson, call 1850 453 545, or visit your local Falcon Travel Shop.

Fall in love with a special venue that’s deep in a Wicklow valley HIDDEN in a secluded Wicklow valley, less than an hour’s drive from south Dublin, lies BrookLodge and Macreddin Village – a luxurious 4-Star wedding venue.

Situated in the heart of Macreddin village, BrookHall is a dedicated wedding venue that is home to The River Room, which can seat up to 200 diners, a mezzanine bar, a dedicated reception area, en-suite bedrooms with French windows and a swimming pool.

The privacy of BrookHall will provide relaxed surroundings

for couples and their guests to make their day uniquely special and memorable for years to come.

For those lucky enough to be getting married on a balmy summer’s day or evening, five double-doors leading on to south-facing decking overlooking Ballycreen Brook will afford the perfect setting for showcasing the glamour of your wedding day.

For winter weddings, a great stone fireplace at either end of the room will guarantee a truly warm and romantic atmosphere.

Wicklow’s BrookLodge and Macreddin Village will delight, as will the Macreddin Chapel, above

Experience the calmness of Macreddin Chapel – a private and unique venue which seats up to 140 guests and is conveniently situated on the grounds just across the village green, and

approved by the HSE for civil marriages.

Macreddin Chapel can also be used for a simple but intimate blessing.

This multi-award winning country village setting includes: The Straw-

berry Tree – Ireland’s first certified organic restaurant, La Taverna Armento – a southern Italian bistro; Actons country pub and orchard cafe, The Wells Spa, a par 72 championship

golf course, Macreddin Smokehouse and Macreddin Organic Bakery.

For further information, telephone 0402 36444, email info@ brooklodge.com, or see www.brooklodge.com.

22 GAZETTE 26 January 2017

DUBLINLIFE

Kale loaf with feta & tasty roasted squash

BITESIZEDNEWS

The Library Bar

Something a little different in the city  AISLING KENNEDY

IF you’re looking for something a little different in the city this weekend then check out Number Twenty Two on South Anne Street.

The new venue, which opened in October, has two foodie spaces – The Library Bar which serves bar bites and drinks, and the Theatre Club which hosts a dinner and show on Saturday nights as part of the Cafe Society.

Some of the upcoming shows include ceol and traditional nights, and masquerade and spectacle nights which start from 7pm onwards.

Bar bites The Library Bar serves lunch daily from 12pm to 4pm and also has both an a la carte menu and bar bites available for guests from 12pm until late.

A DJ also features in the Library Bar every Friday and Saturday night.

In addition, there is a late-night bar in the Theatre Club each Saturday night that features fire breathers, knife eaters, snake charmers and special international DJ acts each month.

Visit www.numbertwentytwo.ie to find out more.

The Theatre Club hosts a dinner and show on Saturday nights

FOOD&DRINK

Serves: 4 people Ingredients l l l l

350g diced butternut squash l 1 tbsp olive oil l 100g kale 20g salted butter l 30g fresh breadcrumbs l Six eggs 200ml milk l One tbsp chopped dill fronds l 100g Feta Green salads

Preparation l Remove the tough stalks from the kale. Soften the salted butter.

Crumble the feta.

Method Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6., the put the squash on a baking tray and drizzle with the oil.

Toss gently to coat, and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through and beginning to char at the edges.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil.

Add the kale and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until still bright green but starting to soften.

Drain in a colander and run under cold water until cool, then squeeze in a clean tea towel to remove excess moisture.

Grease a 2lb non-stick loaf tin with the butter.

Add the breadcrumbs and shake gently to coat the bot-

tom and sides of the tin, then tip out any excess crumbs.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until light and bubbly.

Fold in the squash, kale, dill and feta, then season with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, or until the filling is just set and golden on top (the middle should spring back to the touch).

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

Best served at room temperature with a green salad.

n This recipe is courtesy of M&S as part of an instore promotion to encourage healthy eating this January.

Raise up your glass to a celebration of Champagne NICOLE Snozzi, sommelier and brand ambassador for Champagne Laurent-Perrier, will host an exclusive fivecourse dinner at The Shelbourne on February 8 to showcase the champagne marque’s finest flavours.

The five-course menu, created by head chef Garr y Hughes, will have a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne as an accompaniment with each course and Nicole will introduce each glass with an in-depth knowledge for guests.

The evening will begin with a reception in the Adams Suite at 6pm followed by dinner in The

Saddle Room at 7pm.

T h e f i ve - c o u r s e t a s t i n g menu in The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne costs €96 per person including the welcome reception and matching Champagne with each course.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier Week runs for the week from February 6 to 12 at The Shelbourne when a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne is available to all restaurant guests for the discounted price of €15 per glass.

Booking is essential, for more information and details on how to book call (01) 6634500.

26 January 2017 GAZETTE 23

GAZETTE

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

Now is the time to set realistic career goals and objectives for the year ahead JANUARY is the perfect time to set realistic career goals and objectives for the year ahead.

Whether it’s a new job title, more responsibility, career development, a pay rise or additional benefits, now is the ideal time to plan, making necessary amends and improvements to help reach your 2017 work goals.

Osborne chief executive and owner Shona McManus says: “Most people feel refreshed and motivated when they return to work in the New Year. This is why we advise setting realistic careers goals in January.

“People are feeling uplifted, confident and driven after their rest over Christmas, making this the perfect opportunity to review your career objectives.”

Here are Osborne’s five tips on how to progress ...

1. Be self-aware: Being self-aware in the workplace gives the opportunity to objectively analyse your role within the company.

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will help you pinpoint areas in need of growth, and allow you to focus on them throughout the year.

Be open to and encourage constructive feedback from peers and management to help you become 100% selfaware.

2. Manage your own expectations: Be realistic with your goals and time frame. While ‘bluesky thinking’ is exciting and will help you feel

charged and energetic about the year ahead, remember to be practical.

3. Develop a plan: Setting goals is not enough – a detailed plan on how you will achieve your goals is essential. A clear plan will allow you to review your strategy and introduce additional elements, such as training, as the year progresses.

For example, if you are applying for a team lead position, but lack management/supervisory expe-rience, get involved in a project where you could gain useful skills in this area, and get yourself on a relevant course to help you upskill.

4. Meet with your employer: Arrange a suitable time to speak with your manager to make these new goals known.

Prepare your development plan and speak knowledgably about it.

Also, know and understand your predecessor’s job spec, so you can visualise what is needed to move forward.

5. Dress for the job you want: Dress for success! Dress for the job you want, not the one you’ve got. Be aware of how you present yourself in meetings, in the office and with other staff members.

Lucan-based Nostra set to create 50 new positions There is good news on the jobs front as Lucan-based ICT company is set to create 50 new jobs.

T he company was established by Kevin O’Loughlin along with G a r y By r n e , S e n a n Finucane and Barr y O’Loughlin in 2006 and has grown rapidly in the last number of years.

The business has grown from just four staff in 2006 to 75 people in 2016 with 50 new positions to be filled over the next three years.

Recruitment for the new positions, with the support of Enterprise Ireland will begin immediately and includes roles for computer engineers and sales personnel who will be required to service recent client wins and support

the growth of new international business.

The company supports well-known brands including BoyleSports, Dawn Farm Foods and aerospace giant Avolon.

In 2016 the company turned over €7 million and it is currently in the second year of a 5-year plan to achieve a turnover of €25 million with 147 jobs by 2020.

To meet this expansion, Nostra recently extended its headquarters and has just completed a full renovation and state-of-the-art 9,000 sq ft facility which was unveiled on January 18 by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor.

Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “SME’s

Kevin O’Loughlin CEO; Barry O’Loughlin; Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Cllr William Lavelle.

Picture: Conor_Healy_Photography

are the backbone of our economy and are creating jobs right across all regions of our country. They are filled with innovative, hardworking entrepreneurs. I am delighted that Nostra, an Enterprise Ire-

land supported company which started its life with just four people working out of what was essentially a shed in an industrial estate has now grown to be an international player on the world stage.

“I would like to congratulate Kevin O’Loughlin and his team for their hard work and vision and wish them the very best in their endeavours.”

Kevin O’Loughlin, CEO of Nostra said: “We are really grateful for the support we received from Enterprise Ireland which has allowed us to grow and expand the company.

“Our international business has really taken off and the support from Enterprise Ireland has been a game changer for us.

“It has helped Nostra to take on new business and create new jobs. We are very focused on reaching our goals and are currently working on building our business in North America and Europe.”

Moore tenants sign leases at the Ilac Centre

HAMMERSON and Irish Life, joint owners of the Ilac Centre, have commenced work on the redevelopment of the centre’s Moore Mall South. Agreements have been exchanged for four of the five newly-created units.

BB’s Coffee & Muffins has committed to 1,679sq ft, serving a range of pastries, sandwiches and coffee. Book retailer, The

Works, will occupy 1,958sq ft, and sport supplement store So Nutrition will occupy 560sq ft.

Specialist catering equipment retailer, Nisbets, will complete the new leasing agreements, occupying 5,554sq ft.

The redevelopment, which involves an investment of about €1.5 million, will be completed by summer, with the

latest centre additions forming part of the owners’ wider plans to improve the tenant mix at the centre.

The Ilac Centre comprises 291,808sq ft of retail accommodation and in the 12 months to December 31 last had a footfall of 17.8 million people.

The centre is adjacent to Henry Street, Ireland’s busiest

shopping street, and is home to 85 retail and catering units, including H&M, River Island, and Argos.

New high street brands introduced to the centre in recent months include Tiger, Paese Cosmetics and Chopped, adding to the diverse mix of homegrown and international stores at the centre.

GAZETTE

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

DUBLINLIFE

ReelReviews

CINEMA

HACKSAW RIDGE: THIS TRUE TALE HAS SOME PRETTY INTENSE BATTLE SCENES

LION

A truly engaging film BASED on a non-fiction book, Dev Patel impresses in Lion (Cert PG, 118 mins).

Despite having been raised by a good family (with Nicoloe Kidman as his mum), a man adopted as a child is compelled to discover his past, and driven to find out what happened to his birth family in India. So begins an epic journey across a continent and cultures, with a compelling emotional narrative driving it forward.

UNDERWORLD

Still flapping about KATE Beckinsdale is still flapping about in leathers as a tough vampire in Underworld: Blood Wars (Cert 16, 91 mins). Once again, the vampire and werewolf worlds are continuing their age-old war, with humans caught in the middle. Expect lots of black leather, slo-mo shootouts and endless angst, but not much in the way of an engaging plot in the latest in the franchise.

LA LA LAND

Last - definitely not least LA LA Land (Cert PG, 128 mins) is as good as its multiple awards, award nods and audience reaction say it is. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sing and dance theuir way through a slightly melancholy musical that pays tribute to Los Angeles, Jazz, Cinema, Romance, and more. Its terrific visuals, some striking editing and punchy music make it a delight, and one to watch out for at the Oscars.

Andrew Garfield presents a likeable lead, but the story of a pacifist medic determined not to kill is often overwhelmed by the film’s well-shot but violent action

Really not a hack job DIRECTOR Mel Gibson’s penchant for realistic violence, obvious to anyone familiar with his previous work, is on full display in true WWII drama, Hacksaw Ridge (Cert 16, 139 mins).

Each act of bodily harm, whether the result of a gun shot or an everyday accident, is captured with Gibson’s unflinching lens. The camera never shies away from framing the grizzliest details of each and every wound.

Oddly enough, the overarching theme here is non-violence. Gibson’s target subject is the horrific experience of war and the transformative power of religious conviction – most significantly, the sixth Commandment:

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

“Thou shalt not kill.”

However, for a film that seeks to champion the power of God’s peace in the face of man’s violence, it spends far too much time relishing in the horrors of the battlefield.

Gibson composes his wartime sequences with an artistic, nightmarish expertise and while he doesn’t necessarily set out to glorify said violence, it becomes the centrepiece of this fascinating but flawed picture, ultimately

dulling its central message.

Conscientious objector Desmond T Doss (Andrew Garfield) enlists for World War II intent on never touching a weapon.

As a deeply religious Seventh Day Adventist, Doss believes he can go to war as a medic without ever firing a gun.

However, after facing discharge and a possible court martial, Doss heads to Okinawa with his religious principles intact.

Doss is a good natured if not mawkishly allAmerican protagonist.

He’s likeable to a point, but is so convinced of his own principles, he is a character without conflict.

Consequently, there’s very little that endears him to

us bar his bravery.

Hacksaw Ridge also stars Hugo Weaving as Doss’s alcoholic father and Vince Vaughn as the sergeant of his platoon.

Vaughn does a more admirable job here than in his previous dramatic turn for True Detective, Season 2.

With Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson produces some of the finest, and most disturbing battle sequences ever committed to film.

However, once the battle commences – and it doesn’t relent – the central message of Hacksaw Ridge is swiftly obliterated, like so many massacred soldiers.

It becomes clear alarmingly quickly that the only way to survive is by indis-

criminately killing anything that moves.

It’s hard to ignore the notion that Doss would be a much more effective medic with a gun in his hand. Indeed, at times, he’s only able to do his job because someone else if firing for him – Doss gets by on admirable determination, religious conviction, and sheer luck.

For all its violent realism, Hacksaw Ridge keeps a sense of fantasy; at times it’s difficult to believe what we’re watching.

Still, everything we see is true – a fact hammered home when several interviews with those that were there follow the film.

Gibson tugs the heartstrings, twists the nerve endings and thumps

The Good Book relentlessly throughout his film, but it’s only here, when unmistakable reality sets in, that Hacksaw Ridge achieves a kind of emotional catharsis.

Unfortunately, despite Gibson’s masterful record of battle, some fine acting and a well-crafted, consistent sense of dread, Hacksaw Ridge remains an anti-war movie that relishes in the horror of its subject, muddling its message too much to really engage or affect.

Though not for the faint of heart, fans of war cinema will find plenty to enjoy here – just don’t expect the transformative experience that Hacksaw Ridge suggests.

Verdict: 6/10

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

DUN LAOGHAIRECLASSIFIEDS CARPENTRY & CONSTRUCTION

ROOFING

WINDOWS

Ace Roofing & Guttering Family run business with 20 Year Guarantee Re-Slating • Re-Tiling • Felt Roofs • Flat & Asphalt Roofing • Roof Repairs Gutter Cleaning • Guttering Installation • Attic Insulation • All Home Improvements

01-9014850 / 01-5137136/085 7305786 www.acegutteringandroofing.com

30% off with this advert DVDS

TV/LAPTOP REPAIRS

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

GOT A STORY? Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 2 email news@dublingazette.com

WINDOWS

DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPER HAVE OVER 280,000* READERS EACH WEEK *Publishers Statement

MOULD REMOVAL

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS CALL 01 60 10 240



26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 27

DUN LAOGHAIRECLASSIFIEDS RECRUITMENT

PASSIONATE WORDPRESS DEV PATCHY CV? PERM JOB AVAIL E; DEREK@BUABUA.IE

GOT A PHOTO? Email news@dublingazette.com



GAZETTE

28 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

SPORT

FastSport SHERIFF LAND HOME DRAW IN FAI JUNIOR CUP: SHERIFF YC will meet Waterford side Villa at home in the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup following the draw made last Thursday.

The AUL’s leading lights - currently unbeaten in the Premier A campaign - are one of just a five Dublin clubs still involved at this seventh round stae of the competition, one of the biggest club cups in Europe.

Near neighbours Donnycarney also have a home tie with Limerick’s Kilmallock coming to the northside on the weekend of February 3, 4 and 5.

Crumlin United, meanwhile, are on the road and will travel to Thurles to take on Peake Villa in their last 16 outing.

Terenure’s VEC FC go to Boyle Celtic while Finglas club Willow Park will make the trip to Kilkenny to take on Evergreen with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.

ATHLETICS: COOLMINE RUNNER LOOKING TO HIT NEW HEIGHTS IN 2017 SEASON

Flynn seeks a big climb in altitude

 JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

BLANCHARDSTOWN athlete Dave Flynn has revealed plans to stretch to much longer distances over the coming year, after finishing his cross country season by grabbing second out of the Irish competitors at the Antrim International Cross Country last weekend.

Flynn’s performance in Greenmount – at a race won by Kenyan steeplechase Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto – came despite the race taking place in extremely muddy conditions, a rarity for an athlete who does much of his training in California, and had recently returned from a camp in Portugal.

With his cross countr y season complete, Flynn told GazetteSport that he’ll be focusing on the 10k rather than his usual steeplechase, as he heads to train at altitude in California for several months, before making further steps up in distance.

“I had some long chats with my coach over the last week or so about this,” he explained. “ F o r t u n a t e l y, my training group has a lot of good 10k runners I can train with. I’m hoping to go as fast as anyone in Ireland in 2016, about 29 minutes and 10 seconds.

“There’s a saying in running, ‘live high, train low’. Mammoth Lakes is perfect for that.

“We live at 8,000ft, and can drop to 5,500ft

to do interval sessions.

“The ‘easy run’ can go to 10,000ft. I don’t know why it’s called the easy run, because nothing’s easy on the body at the altitude. But it’s the perfect environment.”

Flynn’s time in California will allow him to make his 10k debut in world class conditions, competing in exceptional fields locally.

“It’s a case of hanging on to the pacer for as long as you can, and then the real race starts at 5k,” Flynn says of his new discipline.

“T here’s a race in Belarus that I’m looking at competing in, and another in Highgate in the UK, that takes in the UK national championships, but also has a drum tent over the track.

David Flynn in action at the Antrim International cross country race

“I’ll be running a few.”

Not that he’ll be sticking with it for long.

With Flynn’s last 10k track race of the season lined up for June, he’ll again look to step up, with a series of half marathons towards the end of 2017.

“There’s a few I’ll be looking at.

“I will definitely

be r unning the Irish National Championships, which is part of the Rock and Roll half marathon in August.

Apart from that, I’m not sure,” he explains.

That won’t be the end, either, with the full marathon in sight for early 2018.

“It’s a hard thing to get right, with issues like

sorting out how to take on water and gels on the run,” Flynn explains of the full distance, but the enthusiasm shines through.

From steeplechase to the marathon in a year is a big move, but one the Flynn and his team of California-based backers seem genuinely excited by.

Belvo breeze through to Bateman Cup decider  sport@dublingazette.com

Old Belvedere are through to the Bateman Cup final

OLD BELVEDERE eased to a one-sided 44-14 win over Ballynahinch to reach the final of the Bateman Cup, setting up a date with Cork Constitution in the final.

Belvo established a 25-0 interval lead thanks to tries from captain John Kennedy, his centre partner Ben Woods and hooker Cathal O’Flynn to set up the win.

They were in front within two minutes. Woods did really well to gather Willie Staunton’s garryowen on halfway and pop the ball

back to the supporting Kennedy who sprinted clear to score in the left corner.

A Staunton penalty added to the scoreline. And it got worse for the Ulstermen as they missed a couple of penalties and then Staunton’s fine pass to the right found number 8 David Sherry.

He beat an initial defender and stepped inside another to set up O’Flynn’s close range converted score.

A terrific individual try from Woods, who burst through the ‘Hinch defence from just outside their 22, was converted by the

influential Staunton and the latter’s late penalty had the margin out to 25 points at the turnaround.

The Co Down side improved in the second half to reduce the arears to 25-14 after tries from James Simpson and Stuart Morrow.

But Belvedere rediscovered their scoring touch with a try from replacement David Brandon in the left corner. Staunton’s monster skip pass did plenty of the damage and Kennedy and Sherry linked well to send the waiting winger over.

Staunton’s impressive distribu-

tion was also a key factor in a 71st minute score for full-back Daniel Riordan after ‘Hinch had lost flanker Callum Irvine to the sinbin. The well-drilled hosts added a sixth try late on when the excellent Sherry charged through and passed for winger Shane McDonald to finish off near the right corner, with Staunton tagging on a tremendous conversion for good measure.

The result puts Old Belvedere through to their first ever Bateman Cup decider. They are bidding to be the first Leinster club to claim the All-Ireland title.

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

NSC opens doors for Paralympic hopefuls

Medalists from Rio 2016 were on hand to give their advice to the likes of Mark Nugent on how to get involved in Paralympic sport at a major event at the national sports campus in D15  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

PARALYMPICS Ireland hosted a major event last week at the National Sports Campus in a bid to encourage more people to get involved with Paralympic Sports.

They opened the doors of the National Aquatic Centre pool, indoor athletics track and basketball courts to prospective Paraathletes while a number of Rio 2016 medalists were also there to impart their knowledge.

The exhibition also saw coaches work with potential athletes on areas such as throwing technique and track speed repetitions.

Seven-time Paralympian Catherine Walsh spoke to attendees about their own experiences of the

games, including difficulties they have faced and overcoming their initial fears.

Walsh talked specifically about dealing with her initial anxieties around getting involved in athletics, and integrating into non-Paralympic groups for training purposes. The partially sighted athlete has travelled to the Paralympics to compete as a runner, cyclist, triathlete, discus thrower and long jumper. She explained how she is able to use familiar routes and local gym facilities to make her training sustainable.

“I used to think when I was younger that I was very nervous with a new group. But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised everyone has those anxieties,” Walsh explained. “Being

visually impaired can make it a bit harder when you don’t know where the door is. It can be a bit embarrassing. But taking part comes down to families, and transport.”

For some, the event offered a chance to reconnect with sport and explore possibilities after being hit with serious injury. Mark Nugent – a former marathon runner, rugby player, cyclist and Maynooth GAA regular based on Coolock – spent the event exploring possibilities for new sporting endeavours as he continued his recovery process following a spine injury sustained last April.

“I realised the day of my accident that I’d never walk again,” Nugent told GazetteSport. “I have a T2 spinal injury, which

Coach Declan Slevin with Robbie O’Sullivan as he tries out the hand cycling. Picture: Eoin Gleeson/Sportsfile

means I’m paralysed from my armpits down.

“Much of my sporting endeavour in the past has been around leg strength, and now I have to focus on my arms, so that’s going to take a bit of adaptation.

I’ve never really used my arms for more than passing a ball.

“I’ve always been involved in sport,” he

his surprise at the number of people in a similar situation he’s found unwilling to give sports a go. “It’s very challenging. It’s quite sharp, and it took me nine months since my accident to get here,” he explained.

“It’s not easy. The hardest thing is getting in and out of the chair, and, getting yourself off the floor.

It gets easier but you have

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

‘I’ve always been involved in sport and it’s not something I want to leave behind now’ - Mark Nugent

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

continued, “and it’s not something I want to leave behind now that I’ve had my injury. I’d like to do something active that’s going to challenge me.

“It’s important, I think, to have a challenge, otherwise you’re at a loss. I’d like to try a few different sports; I’ve had a look at the kayaking. I’ve done some short distance kayaking as part of a challenge called Coast to Coast, so I might go kayak training.

“It’s easy enough to get involved. In fairness, they’re all very friendly and encouraging. They all want you. Sometimes when you’re so involved in sport at a local level and try to move to a different sport, they might say they’ve got enough people.

I’ve found these groups all very welcoming, and to be honest I really enjoy it.”

Nugent also expressed

to have great support. I was in hospital for the guts of five months, and there wasn’t a day when someone didn’t come to see me. The support network means everything.”

Nugent’s view is reflective of many in parasports: the opportunities on offer and enthusiasm of the community are universally praised, and the added challenges in simply taking part in disability sport seen as things that the community in general suffers from, but are more than possible to overcome.

The more experienced athletes spend the day milling around, encouraging everyone to try things out.

For those who couldn’t make the day, the ‘get involved’ tab on paralympics.ie is the starting point, offering connections to numerous different sporting bodies.

FASTSport

Dillon the queen of the indoor hockey boards KATE Dillon was queen of the Leinster indoor hockey boards, scoring twice early in the second half to swing the tie Railway Union’s way at St Columba’s in the final, beating Glenanne 3-2.

The Sandymount native had trailed 1-0 to Glenanne at the break after Audrey Westlake’s clever finish from mid-circle, found by an intricate pass down through the centre.

But Dillon’s aggressive style swapped the lead in a quick-fire burst. Her first saw her bustle through a couple of tackles from right to left before popping an early shot that out-foxed Susan Byrne.

Anna-May Whelan then picked Dillon out from the right for a first-time finish. Whelan added another after her initial shot was saved

by Byrne but fell invitingly for the follow-up chance.

Roisin O’Brien got one back at the left post from Jessie Meeke’s cross to put the game back into the mix. Kate O’Hogan was brilliantly alert to snuff out a corner switch from Westlake while the same player saw another chance deflected over as Railway held on for the win.

On the men’s side, Ross Canning’s hat trick of set piece goals saw Three Rock Rovers ease to the Leinster indoor league title with a 5-0 win over Glenanne at St Columba’s College.

Much of the damage was done early on with Canning scoring two corner goals in the first three minutes before Jody Hosking added a fine individual effort, weaving through a couple of tackles before shooting home.

Eckart Geyer added another corner for a 4-0 half-time lead. The Glens had sporadic attacks and had what looked set for a certain goal chalked off as Neil Byrne slid to touch in a ball from the right – it was disallowed for breaching the three points of contact rule.

Canning’s stroke early in the second half closed out the scoring with Gary Shaw making a number of saves in his role as goalkeeper.

Wendel Armstrong, at the far end, had a couple of nervy moments to clear from some loose passes around the back while Glenanne were denied a consolation goal when Rhys Coleman’s shot bounced off the post.

GAZETTE

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 26 January 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: JOEYS TRIO MAKE VITAL INTERVENTIONS FOR UNDER-16 SIDE

O’Flanagan passes 50 mark for green army ANNA O’Flanagan proved one of the stars of the Irish women’s hockey team as they claimed first place at World League Round 2 in Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to gold, Irish players scooped all of the individual awards with Anna O’Flanagan landing both the top scorer and player of the tournament prizes while Ayeisha McFerran took the best goalkeeper award.

Indeed, it was an extra special week for O’Flanagan, who plays with Hermes-Monkstown, as she passed the 50-goal mark for Ireland, scoring in each game to end up with a dozen to her name from the event.

Speaking about that milestone, she told The Hook it was not something that had been on her radar: “In relation to scoring my 50th goal, I am obviously absolutely delighted!

“I actually wasn’t conscious of the milestone before the game. I only realised when I saw the tweets after the game!

“I knew after the summer tests I was in and around the 40 mark but it totally slipped my mind coming into this tournament as our main focus was always ensuring we qualified for WL3 and winning the tournament.”

She joins a shortlist of players to have reached that milestone with Lyndsey McVicker the all-time top scorer for Ireland on 65.

The Hermes-Monkstown striker – who has also netted 23 times in club action this term – is keen to see her contribution help deliver a World Cup spot later this year and the road to Tokyo 2020.

The tournament win means Ireland qualify for World League Round 3 where they will battle it out for a place at the 2018 World Cup “I’m extremely honoured to join the group of players who have come before me,” O’Flanagan added.

“And I am very grateful to be a part of this great team as we continue to compete with the top teams in world hockey.

“Exciting times lie ahead for our squad and I really look forward to the next few years together.”

The DDSL team with the cup after the SFAI Subway Championship National Final at Cahir Park AFC. Picture: Eoin Noonan/Sportsfile

Davis seals DDSL glory SFAI U-16 I’LEAGUE FINAL DDSL Waterford League  sport@dublingazette.com

3 2

DY L A N D av i s p r o duced an incredible late save to deny Waterford and eventually help the DDSL secure the title after a 3-2 win in the SFAI Subway Under-16 National Championship in Waterford at the weekend.

His St Joseph’s Boys teammates Jamie Crilly and Jake Ellis also played a part in the win, with the latter scoring twice; including the winning goal with just three minutes of extra time remain-

ing.

Both teams started the game brightly with a quick tempo as they looked to be the first to find the net. However, it was the Dublin side who took the lead on 16 minutes when Jordan Carr took possession of a Conor Grant ball and kept his nerve to finish past an onrushing keeper.

Waterford looked to hit back immediately and were rewarded for their response when a cross bounced off Grant and into the back of his own net.

It was to be the last notable incident of a half that was contested at a

CELTIC CROSS WIN Multi-talented Healy leads field in Wales HOLY Child, Killiney student Sarah Healy,

pictured, showed she is a sporting talent to watch as she won the Under-17 Celtic Cross Country title held at Blackweir Fields, Bute Park in the centre of Cardiff city.

Healy is also a Leinster underage representative, showing her range of talents.

Mount Anville’s Amy Rose Farrell and Sophie Murphy, who runs for DSDAC, finished second and third in the U20 women’s event in what were hugely impressive results for the young athletes.

frantic pace.

The second half started off in similar fashion with the DDSL retaking the lead a minute after the restart.

This time it was via the penalty spot after Carr showed good footwork to bamboozle the defence, and Ellis found the net.

A large partisan crowd tried to urge their team on and it paid dividends when they struck an equaliser with 73 minutes on the clock.

Like the first, there was an element of luck about their second as Waterford’s long ball approach resulted in a corner kick that evaded the defence

and ended up in the back of the net.

With the game drawing to a close, Waterford almost snatched victory when Greg Waters unleashed a devastating shot from 30 yards that needed to be superbly tipped onto the underside of the crossbar by Davies.

With that, the game entered extra time and the DDSL upped the tempo once again as they searched for a winner.

They almost got the goal they wanted on a couple of occasions as Waterford struggled to create anything other than some hopeful long

balls.

Just as the game looked liked heading to the lottery of penalty kicks, the DDSL were granted a free kick that Chris Madden hit. His shot was blocked but fell at the feet of Ellis, who volleyed home into the far corner.

DDSL manager Paul Somers was understandably delighted with the victory: “We played a Waterford side that are very, very good.

“They are a big physical side and they gave us no rest at all.

“For our own part, we stuck to the game plan we had and tried to play as much as possible.”

26 January 2017 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

Youthful Dubs surge back to beat Kildare O’BYRNE CUP SEMI  PADDY HEWSON sport@dublingazette.com

BALLINTEER’S St John’s Robbie Gaughan continued his run in the Dublin senior football side along with Ballyboden St Enda’s Colm Basquel and Kilmacud Crokes’ Shane Cunningham.

They claimed a place

in the O’Byrne cup final after a two point win over Kildare at St Conleth’s Park last Sunday, edging out the lilywhites 0-16 to 2-8 with a late flurry.

Kildare led 2-4 to 0-8 at the break and were in a strong position when Dublin went another 12-minute spell without scoring.

But a busy Niall Scully, with an eye-catching

performance, then broke the drought with two consecutive points to re-fire the Dublin engine and this was followed by points from Basquel and Ross Hazley.

Despite faulty final passes and some loose finishing, Kildare managed to get further scores and keep the prospect of a final place alive. But that was to fade quickly

as, on the 65th minute a foul on Basquel allowed Conor McHugh to point the resultant free to draw.

With Kildare now giving up easy possession it wasn’t long before Scully pointed again to put the Dubs ahead with Niall McHugh putting the matter beyond with an insurance point to secure a final place.

CAMOGIE: BOOTERSTOWN SCHOOL LAND DUBLIN TITLE

CLUB NOTICEBOARD CUALA ANYONE interested in contributing to

Slaughtneill has been confirmed for 3pm

Cuala’s well-being is invited to join us in

on Satruday February 25 in the Athletic

Cuala at 8pm on Monday, January 30 for

Grounds, Armagh.

a short meeting.

There was no winner of the Cuala

Children, young people, adults, pen-

lotto this week. Next week’s jackpot will

sioners... is there something small we

be €9,400. Our lucky dip winners were

can do to make a modest impact on the

Conor Molloy and Fiona Naughton. Buy

well-being of our community?

your tickets at http://www.cualagaa.

The senior hurlers are holding a golf

ie/lotto/

classic at the highly rated Powerscourt

Congratulations to Sarah Healy of

Golf Club on Friday, February 17 at 12pm

the U-16 girls who won the U-17 Celtic

for a Shotgun start. For more details,

International cross country race at the

contact Harry Roberts - harry@offic-

weekend.

eshop.ie or Barry O’Halloran - barry. cuala@gmail.com.

Our All-Ireland AIB senior hurling championship semi-final against

SHANKILL

LAST week’s club development lotto

Well done to Hannah and Sinead who represented Cuala & Dublin on the Leinster LGFA Inter Pros team at the weekend.

provided free of charge

draw, sponsored by Slimming World, saw

The club AGM will be held on Monday,

the numbers drawn 5, 15, 25 and 26; there

February 6 at 8pm in St Anne’s Resource

was no jackpot winner.

Centre Shankill.

Lucky dip winners were David Cole,

Our U-14 boys and men’s adult football

Frances Morgan and Jason O Sullivan.

teams are looking for extra players for

Next draw is Thursday in Brady’s pub

next season. For U-14 players, contact

when the jackpot will be a whopping

Gabriel on 085 7254897 and adults, Kevin

€1,250. Tickets are €2 each or three for

on 086 8449902.

€5.

For more information on the club,

Our academy, sponsored by O’ Don-

contact secretary.shankill.dublingaa.

nell’s Pharmacy, is back in action every

ie or call 086 4010438. Follow us on Face-

Saturday at 10am in St Laurence’s Col-

book and Twitter. Join Shankill GAA Club,

lege. Cost is €2 per child; there is no

your community, your GAA club where

annual subscription and all equipment is

everybody knows your name.

Colaiste Iosagain celebrate their Dublin schools senior A championship title

Fantastic first half FASTGAA lays base for glory Cuala hurlers golf classic SCHOOLS SEN A FINAL Colaiste Iosagain Our Lady’s, Terenure  sport@dublingazette.com

4-7 3-5

COLAISTE Iosagain landed the Dublin Senior A post-primary schools championship title in excellent fashion, holding off the second half fightback from Our Lady’s, Terenure to prevail 4-7 to 3-5 at Clanna Gael Fontenoy last Friday.

Aided by a stiff breeze, the Booterstown outfit got off to a flying start.

With a number of early points and goals coming

from Eleanor Ni Eachthigheirn – who ended with 1-3 – Grainne Ni Dhrisceoil (2-0) and Meadhbh Ni Ghallchoir (1-0), Colaiste Iosagain dominated the first half.

Much of the play was directed from midfield by a great individual display from the Iosagain’s captain Grace Ni She. A solid full back line l i m i t e d O u r L a d y ’s School scoring chances and helped to build a 4-6 to 0-2 at half-time.

But the second half was a complete role reversal with the swapping of ends and condi-

tions.

Indeed, Our Lady’s never let their heads drop and fought back b r ave l y i n t h e s e cond half, outscoring their opponents by an impressive 3-3 to 0-1.

However, they lef t themselves too much to do and Colaiste Iosagain hung on for a fivepoint victory at the final whistle.

Iosagain’s rise up the ranks in the Dublin schools competition had been dramatic.

It is only a few short years ago since the southside school played

in Division C of the same competition.

Much of the credit for their success is due to teacher and coach Ciaran O’Murchu and his principal mentors Michelle Ni Uirthile and Lusai Ni Chonchubhair, past pupils of the school and former camogie players.

For some of the girls, there was little time for celebration as the dual players had to go straight back to training in preparation for their Leinster Senior Division A football final against Port Laoise.

for All-Ireland final bid

CUALA’S senior hurlers are looking to build even further on the successes of 2016 as they build up to their All-Ireland club championship semi-final against Slaughtneil on February 25.

Fundraising has proven an important part in supporting their success, particularly to fund their training schedule.

To assist them in their quest for All-Ireland glory, they are holding a golf classic at Powerscourt Golf Club on Friday, February 17 at 12pm for a shotgun start.

The event includes golf for a four-person team at €400 while sponsorship of a hole or green is available from €150 while team and hole/green sponsorship is €500.

Food will be served to all golfers after the event upstairs in the Powerscourt Clubhouse which looks out on to the ninth and 18th greens.

For further information on the event, you can contact Harry Roberts (harry@officeshop.ie), Barry O’Halloran (barry.cuala@gmail.com) or Eddie Gough (gough.eddie@gmail.com).

The Cuala senior hurling team and management would like to thank all their sponsors for their kind support.

GAZETTESPORT

DUN LAOGHAIRE SPORT, PAGE 28-31

IOSAGAIN’S SENIOR SUCCESS: Camogie championship glory as Colaiste see off Our Lady’s P31

Blackrock College celebrate their Subway All-Ireland Under-19C cup victory . Picture: Gary Carr/Inpho

Rock win classic All-Ireland final  sport@dublingazette.com

BLACKROCK College won a nerve-shredding Subway Under-19 C AllIreland Schools Cup final in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on Tuesday morning, shading their tie with Larkin Community College 49-45.

T here were superb performances at both ends of the court, with Jiahui Ren, John Iamoste and Jiahuang Ren some of the standout stars for Larkin, while MVP Sean Lardner drove Blackrock forward with style along with Roberto Brusasca, Rhys Hennessy and Rob Somers.

Larkin came out in the first quarter the fastest, running the break well and driving insides for some lay-ups as Blackrock struggled to find their feet to seen them into an 11-4 lead at the first buzzer.

Blackrock hit their straps in the second, though, and soon had the game back to within just one point, with Lardner and Rob Somers leading the scoring.

A three-pointer just

before the buzzer from Andrzej Bobko kept Larkin in the lead by four at the half time break, 20-16.

A tense third and fourth quarter saw the control of the game change on numerous occasions. Rhys Hennessey tied the game on 26 apiece with just over three minutes to play in the third, and a threepointer from Lardner put them in the lead.

Larkin brought the game back to a tie from the free throw line, and added some nice baskets on to take the lead going into the last, 36-29.

Blackrock were determined though, and their grit paid off and at the start of the fourth, got straight back onto the scoring, with Hennessy, Lardner and Karl Conroy all netting vital scores to reclaim the lead once more midway through.

Despite the best efforts of Jiahui Ren and Jiahung Ren for Larkin, Blackrock managed to hold firm, and Lardner and Brusasca rounded off the scoring in style to win by four in the end.