Dundrum GAZET TE FREE
JULY 26, 2012
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DUNDRUM • CHURCHTOWN • NUTGROVE • RATHFARNHAM • BALLINTEER • SANDYFORD • LEOPARDSTOWN • TERENURE • STILLORGAN
INSIDE: Happy young campers have a fun-filled day at Hamleys P2
Cycling: Nicolas Roche finishes 12th in Tour de France Page 30
Hurling: Ballyboden notch 17 goals in two AHL games Page 31
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 BUSINESS .....................18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26
INVESTMENT: Tanaiste announces €8m for local social housing Page 4
Council hit with €1.37m funding cutback I SUZANNE BYRNE
A €1.37 MILLION cut in local government funding has been announced for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), based on the county’s 79% compliance rate of household charge payments, to date. The cut represents 5% of the usual allotment of Government funding, to counterbalance the deficit created by the 20% of non-compliant
households. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown has the highest compliance rate for the charge in the country and, therefore, this 5% cut is the lowest in the country. The council’s management team will now meet to prioritise where the cuts can best be borne. Councillor Cormac Devlin (FF) said: “It will either be services, or projects that are in the pipeline.” Full story on Page 6
A sweet idea: Dentists’ event is something to smile about SAFFRON Barrett and her mother, Dr Sarah Jane Dunne, and Molly Barrett, were having lots of fun at Dundrum Dental Surgery as part of a great fundraiser recently. Dr Dunne and her husband, Dr Ray Barrett, held a free
children’s dental check and hygiene visit at the Healthy Smile Club, in aid of the Children’s Sunshine Home and LauraLynn House – something to smile about, indeed. Full Gallery on Pages 8-9
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SERVICES: CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITY EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN 2014
CHILDREN Having lots of fun at Hamley’s summer camp
Health unit plan to ‘ease’ pressure on hospitals I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com
THE announcement that a new primary healthcare centre is to be set up in the Dundrum and Rathfarnham area as part of the Government’s new Stimulus Package, which has earmarked €115m of the €2.25bn available for the establishment of primary care centres across the country, has been welcomed by local representatives. The centre will be one of 35 that will be developed by the Government project in two phases, with 20 to be progressed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Procurement is set to begin before the end of next year, and construction is expected to commence in 2014. Rathfarnham Fine Gael senator, Cait Keane, said: “I was delighted to hear that Knocklyon/Rathfarnham has been included in the list of locations being earmarked for new primary care centres. “T he provision of primary care at a local health centre is a very important resource in any community, and this new centre will also help to alleviate the pressures on the hospitals across our capital city.” Outline
Senator Keane went on to outline the purpose of the primary care units being set up across the country. “The key objective of the Primary Care Strategy is to develop services in the community, which will give people direct access to integrated, multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists
and other health care disciplines. In a developed primary care system, up to 95% of people’s dayto-day health and social care needs can be met in the primary care setting. These enable multidisciplinary services to be delivered on a single site, providing a single point of access for users and encouraging closer coordination between health providers. “I will be pursuing this issue with the Government in a bid to ensure that the Knocklyon/ Rathfarnham area is prioritised,” said Senator Keane.
Storyteller Shannon reads to Niamh Byrne, Ben Sexton, James and Katie Callan and Catelyn Jackson. Pictures: Geraldine Woods
Sharing a campfire in a toy store H AMLEY’S in Dundrum Town Centre set up its own camp to beat the summer blues, with a bright, welcoming atmosphere entertaining lots of children, despite the unseasonably cool weather outside. For two months, Hamley’s camps provide lots of fun-filled activities, with campside tales and tunes,
workshops, challenges, scavenger hunts, sports days and much more providing even more reason to visit the popular toy store. As if the fun activities weren’t enough, there was even a chocolate fountain and strawberries to add to the day’s fun, making Hamley’s an even bigger hit with the summer camp kids.
Vital
Local councillor Neale Richmond (FG) responded to the news, saying: “This announcement is good news for health care in the community. It will play a vital part in providing for the people of our area and ease the pressures on nearby hospitals such as Tallaght and St Vincent’s. “It will also be a boost to the local economy in terms of providing shortterm construction jobs and long-term jobs in the centre itself, together these will be of great benefit to the local economy. “Our area will see the construction of one of just 10 centres, the projects will commence by the end of 2012 with construction due to start in 2014.” The Government will invest the €2.25bn in public infrastructure projects in Ireland. The bulk of the funding will come from a combination of the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF), the European Investment Bank/Council of Europe Bank, domestic banks and other potential private investment sources.
Amelia Brain
Niamh Byrne
Having fun with the in-store sandpit around the campfire
Ben and Katie Callan
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 3
COUNCIL Household tax shortage cited for reduction
Local funding to be cut by almost ¤1.5m I SUZANNE BYRNE
LOCAL government funding to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is to be cut by close to €1.5 million to make up for the shortfall in income from the household charge. L a s t we e k , l o c a l authority managers were notified by a circular from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government of advised allocations in respect of the local government fund, based on the level of compliance with the household charge payments. With 79% of house-
holds in Dun LaoghaireRathdown County Council area having paid up, representing the highest rate of compliance in the country, it has the lowest cut in funding at just over 5%. However, manager Owen Keegan said the cut of €1.374 million was “most unwelcome”, given the area’s “stellar performance” in paying the household charge. Income from rates and council charges have plummeted in recent years. Earlier this year, the council revealed it was looking at privatising fire and rescue services. The highly popular Dun Laoghaire Festival
of World Cultures was also cancelled after it was reported to have made a huge loss in 2010.
'Serious effect' Speaking to the Gazette, People Before Profit Councillor Hugh Lewis said the cuts would have a serious effect on the area. “I presume [cuts] will be made in services rather than expenses. “At the very outset, we knew the result of the household charge would be in funds for local government. They took the same money out of local government that they intend replacing with the household charge,” he
Local government funding to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is to be cut by close to €1.5m
said. Councillor Lewis said he understood the manager would bring the report on the funding cuts to the council in September. Because wages or council conference expenses couldn’t be cut, services such as libraries would be the prime target, said Cllr Lewis. Fianna Fail councillor
Cormac Devlin said that there were a number of projects which could be curtailed and that the management team would meet to present various options to members in September. “It will either be services or projects that are in the pipeline. [Services] have already been curtailed, so I’d prefer that we examine all possibili-
ties and be quite imaginative come September.” Environment Minister Phil Hogan has said that the funds were being “withdrawn” from rather than “withheld”, and could be regained when the final installment of the fund was made in September, if councils were successful in improving compliance rates.
FIRE SAFETY
Tenants safely moved from The Laurels THE evacuation of tenants from The Laurels in Dundrum last week to permit essential fire safety renovations to be carried out has seen the tenants safely moved out of the complex. Speaking on behalf of receiver of the property, Kieran Wallace of KPMG, Morwenna Rice said: “All the tenants have been successfully moved out of The Laurels. “They have all been moved to very similar types of accommodation and 90% of those that have moved are within 5km of The Laurels complex – the vast majority of the tenants being located in Dundrum, Sandyford and the Churchtown area.” It was revealed that a number of tenants elected to take a payment to vacate the premises.
4 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
POSITION Parish committee seeks manager to ensure smooth running of facility
Balally centre’s €1m revamp nears completion I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com
THE Balally Parish Pastoral Centre, which has undergone an extensive €1.1m renovation programme in the last year, is nearing completion, with the parish committee looking for a manager
to help operate the new centre from its planned opening date in September. Mgr Dermot Lane parish priest of Balally, said: “We have long maintained that this centre is a gift from this generation to the next. It is a matter of particular satisfaction
for the people of Balally, and our many friends outside our immediate area, that we have been able to provide this wonderful amenity at a time of such economic difficulty.” According to a statement from the Balally Parish committee, the parish has begun an advertising
drive to recruit a manager who will ensure the centre runs smoothly. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny turned the sod on the project last October and, during the last 11 months, 15 separate construction jobs were performed during the build, including the erec-
tion of the centre proper, the landscaping of the area and the provision of car parking facilities surrounding the centre itself. Value
Mr Kenny said of the project: “The value of this centre is not just the magnificent building that
emerges and the needs it will serve, it is the sense of commitment that is nurtured by the efforts of those who are involved” Mgr Lane said at the ceremony last October: “This new centre is a concrete manifestation of that strong sense of community that all of us
know exists in our parish. It is not just a statement of intent; it is an expression of confidence in the future.” For further information on applying for the position of Pastoral Centre Manager, contact Mgr Dermot Lane PP on 01 295 6165.
Fun-filled festival to celebrate diversity I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com
THIS weekend, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) is celebrating diversity with the free DLR Fusion event in The People’s Park, Dun Laoghaire. From 11am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, the park will be filled with a range of activities, including art workshops and circus workshops teaching stilt walking and juggling, as well as (for young attendees) interactive events with Dublin’s Children’s Museum, Imaginosity, and Street Theatre Ireland. DLR Fusion aims to promote an ethos of social inclusion, encouraging equality,
diversity, respect and inclusion, and supports the participation of all members of the community. RehabCare will premiere an original reggae piece, and Southside Travellers, invite people to their Campfire Circle to exchange stories. The sports area will include Buntus and Ultimate Frisbee, as well as a host of interactive games. There will also be art exhibitions on display in the park from local artists Iris O’Connor, Step Up and the Artisans/St John of God, and a stage programme of African drumming, Brazilian and gospel music, Indian dance, and performances from local groups. For further information, see the DLR Fusion page at www.dlrevents.ie.
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Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore welcomes the investment
PLAN: 101 UNITS TO BE ACQUIRED OR BUILT BY 2014
Social housing is set for €8m investment I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com
THE TANAISTE and Labour TD for Dun Laoghaire, Eamon Gilmore, has welcomed the announcement by Planning Minister, Jan O’Sullivan, that more than €8m is to be invested in Dun LaoghaireRathdown in the next two-and-a-half years to provide new social housing units, with an emphasis on those with special housing needs. Between now and 2014, 101 units will be acquired or constructed in Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and employment from this will be localised, according to Minister Gilmore. “ L o c a l vo l u n t a r y groups will be involved in acquiring and building
many of the units, and I would like to pay tribute to their work in this area. The provision of units for people with a special housing need nationwide is an issue I have worked with Minister O’Sullivan on during recent months. “This housing initiative will also see investment in construction, especially from 2013 on. This will provide a much-needed boost to the local economy.” Local projects to avail of the funding include St John of God Trust in Loughlinstown, where six units will be provided; Tuath Housing in Dundrum where there will be two units; Honeypark will get 80 social units which will be managed by Tuath; and Rochestown House, which will get a total of
13 units. The Tanaiste Gilmore said: “The substantial funds involved will provide long-term, stable homes for the elderly, homeless persons and people with special needs.” According to Fine Gael TD, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, the funding move represents a great boost for the area in times of economic uncertainty. “That the green light has been given for these proposals from local authorities, in spite of our economic situation is fantastic. It is crucial that we continue to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged in society and that those who are capable of living independently are assisted in doing so.”
In related news, Leas Cathaoirleach Stephen Fitzpatrick (Lab) said he had raised with Minister O’Sullivan the issue of outlawing social bedsits to get in line with the private sector, which will phase them out next year. “In addition to the good news on the investment in social and voluntary housing, Minister O’Sullivan informed me that she would consider my proposal on bedsits, which calls for the creation of a specific capital fund providing for the upgrading of all bedsit accommodation nationally, moving towards a phasing out of local authority bedsit accommodation. “I will be writing to Minister O’Sullivan in the coming weeks to provide her with more detail.”
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COUNCILLORS: THIRD LEVEL FEES JUSTIFIED IN COUNCIL INQUIRY
EMPLOYMENT: FIVE JOBS IN HEARING AID COMPANY
Jobs promise by Bonavox BONAVOX, Ireland’s iconic hearing aid retailer, has created five jobs following the recent opening of its second Dublin audiology practice in the Dundrum Town Centre on the Sandyford Road. The facility will be operated by senior administrator, Karen Fitzgerald, with a staff of four newlyappointed hearing aid audiologists and administration assistants. Announcing the expansion details, Mark Campbell, director at Bonovox said: “This is a very proud day for everyone at Bonavox. We wish Karen and her team every success in this new venture and will be offering her every support over the coming months and years,” he added. Local councillor G r a c e Ta l l o n ( L a b ) welcomed the recent announcement, saying:
“Dundrum has a huge amount to offer business in terms of facilities and access with the Luas and access to the road network. It is a shame that there is so much vacant property and, hopefully, this will be the start of a recovery in the fortunes of the village.” For over 45 years, Bonavox has provided audiological services to its clients from its North Earl Street base and provided U2 frontman Bono with his distinctive stage name. “To help celebrate Bonavox’s new store opening in Dundrum town centre, we have a number of special offers running which will be of interest to new and old customers alike [which will be extended] to our new store until the end of August 2012,” Campbell concluded.
College funding ‘in public interest’ I SUZANNE BYRNE
Doing their bit: Launching a new community fundraising initiative DARRAGH O’Kane (age five) from Stillorgan, Jack Kirwan (age
five) from Stepaside and Mena Noone, (age six) from Foxrock pictured at the launch of the Irish Cancer Society’s new Run, Walk and Roll fundraising campaign. They are inviting communities across Ireland to run, walk and roll in just about anything with wheels- scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, prams, bikes... as long as it doesn’t have an engine. CallSave 1850 60 60 60 to find out how you can get involved.
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AN inquir y by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has found education expenses claimed by two of its councillors, Barry Ward (FG) and Cormac Devlin (FF), in 2010 were in the public interest. Local Labour Party activist Shane Hogan requested the inquiry after complaining that, under the Local Government Act 2001, the councillors had not acted in the public interest in claiming these expenses. He also claimed that county manager Owen Keegan had sanctioned the payments without the approval of councillors as is required by law, and of failing to report the expenses. There was an outcry last year when it emerged that the councillors had received funding for the third-level courses. But while the inquiry found there had been a “technical” breach of the Act, it did not find the councillors and county manager had failed to act in the public interest. The council has asked the councillors to supply them with their course papers and a note outlining the benefits. The Gazette reported in July 2011 that Cllr Ward claimed €10,085 for a Masters in Economic Policy at TCD, while Cllr Devlin claimed €2,780 for a BA in public management from the Institute of Public Administration in 2010. The Gazette understands that Mr Devlin repeated two exams and
the council has said the €910 fees for these should be repaid since council policy on education excludes such payments. In an email, Mr Hogan told the Gazette: “The courses were not approved by other councillors. Every council meeting includes a list of courses which councillors vote to approve attendance. These courses never appeared on this list for approval, until after my initial complaint was made. They were retrospectively approved in October 2011. “There was no check to ensure that the course is relevant to the role of the councillor. Ward’s Master’s degree has no relevance to his role as a councillor,” he said. Cllr Devlin, who is arranging to repay the two invoices, said the expenses were legitimately paid under the education and training budget and were relevant to his position. Speaking to the Irish Times last year, Cllr Ward said the council had paid for one half of a Masters in economic policy at TCD, which he defended as “entirely, as far as I am concerned, to help me in my role as a councillor”. Mr Keegan has said that future individual applications for education and training “would be brought to the wider body of elected members for approval”. A council spokesperson has confirmed that since no breaches were found under the 2001 Act, “no further investigation was warranted”. C l l r Wa r d h a d n ’t responded at the time of going to press.
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 7
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CONTRACT Councillor seeks review after complaints
Grass cutters performance in spotlight I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com
GRASS cutting in the county has come under the spotlight this summer. Dun LaoghaireRathdow n County Council has had to impose fines on their contractor after their landscape maintenance work was deemed below acceptable standards. A council spokesperson said that “a number of factors are used to assess per formance, including frequency of grass-cutting, length of grass growth, quality of weed control and extent of litter picking. “The council is cur-
rently in dispute with the appointed contractor, and fiscal penalties are being imposed with a view to restoring acceptable landscape maintenance standards.” Councillor Neale Richmond (FG) said that the council’s findings mirrored those of his constituents: “I have been informed by council officials that in recent weeks they reviewed the quality of the contractor’s performance which, consistent to the representations I have received, was found to be unsatisfactory. Consequently, the council imposed a financial penalty on the company for
lack of compliance.” Cllr Richmond has now called on the council to review its choice of contractor following complaints by local residents. “I have asked the county manager to review the contract for grass cutting due to a multitude of complaints from residents primarily in the Ballinteer area.” He went on to catalogue a number of issues he felt remained outstanding in terms of the performance of the landscaping contract. “These include a lack of cutting in the first place, haphazard cutting when cutting does
Councillor Neale Richmond (FG) said that contractor’s performance was questionable
take place, grass being left behind in mounds on green areas, roadways being left covered in grass and the disputed use of herbicide, which has left the quality of work to be deemed questionable in estates such as Delbrook Manor, College
Park, Woodpark, and Kingston.” However, Councillor Lettie McCar thy (Lab) said that she has had ver y encouraging dealings with the Parks Department of the council around the issue of grass cutting in her own ward.
“I’ve contacted them about a few small areas like Aiken village and other places where they didn’t really know they were in their remit and the grass wasn’t being cut. I must say they were fairly quick to act and those areas are now being done regularly.”
LITERATURE
Writers in line for bookfest THE ANNUAL Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Mountains to Sea Book Festival is to take place from September 4 to 9, with a stellar line-up of guests and speakers from the world of literature. This year’s highlights include Booker Prize winner John Banville, Pulitzer Prize winner Philippa Gregory, and many more renowned authors who will give talks or read from their works. Also included in the festival will be the highly anticipated writing for TV event that features the writers of the hit TV shows Borgen and Mad Men, with a number of writing workshops available for applicants. Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire will be the venue for the festival, and the full programme can be found at the website mountainstosea.ie or paviliontheatre.ie.
8 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
CHARITY Dental practice’s day for The Children’s Sunshine
A selection of the day’s prizes at the practice
Norma Jean McMahon and Charlotte Grootveld
Saffron Barrett and her mother, Dr Sarah Jane Dunne, and Molly Barrett. Pictures: Geraldine Woods
Fun at the dentist helped to fundraise O CELEBRATE 10 years in business, and to give something back to the community, Dundrum Dental Surgery on Main Street recently held a fundraiser. Husband and wife, Dr Sarah Jane Dunne and Dr Ray Barrett, held a free children’s dental check and hygiene
T
visit at the Healthy Smile Club, with Janey Mac the clown helping to entertain children, while donated prizes from a variety of businesses helped to provide lots of gifts for everyone. The fundraiser was in aid of the Children’s Sunshine Home and LauraLynn House, which supports
children with life limiting conditions and their families by providing high quality transitional care, home support, respite, crisis and end-of-life care. With more than 1,400 children with life limiting and life threatening conditions, such fundraising activities provide a vital financial lifeline.
Penna Agogue is ready for her check-up
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 9
Home and LauraLynn House was something to smile about
Sophie Carroll
Janey Mac meets Keelin and Emma McCarthy
Dental hygienist Evelyn O’Brien Dentist Brid McGlacken meets Kawsu and Luke Camara
Dentist Paul O’Donnell
with Emma Robson
Dental hygienists Evelyn O’Brien and Catherine Gannon
10 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
FOOD Delicious new Domino’s Mexicano range is launched
Ally Garvey
Manners Oshafi and Emma Waldron
New pizzas’ launch a tasty treat for all
UCK’S Townhouse was a suitably hot venue for the launch of Domino’s Mexicano range of pizzas, with a sizzling fiesta party creating a deliciously tasty start for the new line. Fashionistas and foodies rubbed shoulders at the party, keen to sample
B
Kady O’Connell
the Mexicano fare, with the venue transformed into a Mexican-themed hacienda, complete with pinata, sombreros and a Mariachi Azteca band. Margaritas and beers completed the mood, while the guests tucked into the tasty samples. The chicken and beef Mexicano options are com-
Cathy O’Connor and Corina Gaffey
Sean Montague and Brendan Scully
bined with chorizo, red and green chillis, tomatoes, onions, 100% mozzarella and a sour cream drizzle on Domino’s classic crust, while the veggie includes a sweetcorn and spinach variation, along with the delicious toppings – all combining to create a real Mexican treat.
Ella Goodwin
Conor Pope and Sonia Harris
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 11
12 GAZETTE 26 July 2012 Commercial Feature
Personal pregnancy care at the Rotunda Private Clinics
THEATRE Hard work and
Well, the I PAUL HOSFORD phosford@gazettegroup.com
Dr Ronan Gleeson, Consultant
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REJECTION is a part of life most people try their best to avoid. Defence mechanisms and rationalisations for avoiding situations in which it may arise are carefully constructed. But, for a brave few, rejection becomes a way of life. For actors and actresses, there is a repetitive cycle of rejection from auditions, call backs and reviews. Rather than be a hostage to this cycle, Malahide-born actress Suzanna Geraghty wrote a onewoman play based on her experiences on the New York audition circuit. The result is Auditions, Zoe’s Auditions, an hilarious look at the desperation and delusion of Zoe, an aspiring actress who dreams of landing an acting job. Zoe, who is overly enthusiastic and eager to please, is prone to a series of mishaps and misadventures that lead casting directors to shout, “Next!” He r ov e r - t he - h i l l agent sends her on an assortment of auditions ranging from Hamlet to Riverdance, to being shot out of a cannon for
Suzanna Geraghty
a touring circus. Just as she is ready to give up, she falls asleep at her job working backstage on a production of A Christmas Carol and is visited by three audacious ghosts – of her past, present and future – who have startling wisdom to pass on to her. The play comes to the Mill Theatre this week, starting on Thursday, July 26, and runs until Saturday, July 28. The play has already proven to be a huge hit in New York, where it won the audience award at the United Solo Theatre Festival, which celebrates one-person shows from all over the world. Suzanna is excited to get to perform the piece on home soil, and says that the play’s success comes purely from having a likeable character. “Audiences seem to like Zoe and take to her very easily. “They love her resilience. It’s not that she’s willing to put herself up for things time and again, it’s that she gets knocked down time and time again and manages to get back up every single time. “She’s so full of hope and she genuinely can’t see why people who
have so much, so much that she would love to have, don’t appreciate it more.” Having spent a number of years on the New York theatre circuit herself, Suzanna says that the character is not fully autobiographical, but that it came from a natural place. “The character resonates with me. I spent 16 years as an impoverished actress in New York. “The actors’ union, Actors’ Equity, have ensured that shows must audition actors for shows, regardless of whether or not the roles are filled. “So, you get to the 46th Street office at 5.30am and line up in queue that goes around the block to be among the 230 people who get two minutes’ audition time. “It was there that the character of Zoe came about. I would do auditions of scenes from Zoe and make up a writer of the play. “My friends loved the character and urged me to write a play for her, but I always felt that was something I couldn’t do.” Suzanna’s hesitance to write the play came not from a fear of failure or rejection, but from
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 13
perseverance pay off for this actress turned writer
show must go on... Suzanna’s own struggles with dyslexia, a condition she was diagnosed with one year before sitting her Leaving Cert. “I always thought that I just wasn’t that bright, but that I’d work harder than everyone to get by. “Then, when I was diagnosed, it was like some teachers had just given up on me. I was told not to apply for college, as I wouldn’t be accepted.” Undeterred, Suzanna applied and was accepted to Bard College in New York. There, she received Deans List honours, never telling anyone of her learning difficulties and using her acting and sporting talents to overcome her dyslexia. “Bei ng a n act ress helped. The words I used were muscular and characters say and do things. That stops words being
just characters on a page. It took the scariness away from it all.” For now, Suzanna is based in New York, where she will return to be part of the encore showings of the play at the United Solo Theatre Festival, a section reserved for the biggest hits of the festival, but she does say she would like to come home. “I’m trying to base myself here, but nobody knows who I am! “I’m very entrepreneurial and want to do my own work. “I never expected any of this, but Zoe is getting a great reaction. “I have a fantastic team that I have worked with who are unbelievably brilliant. I’m extremely grateful to have gotten this far. “I just could’ve done without the poverty!”
Geraghty performing as Zoe whom she came up with while working as an actress in New York
CHARITY
Zombies wanted for a walk I LAURA WEBB lwebb@gazettegroup.com
BEWARE – zombies are set to take over the streets of Dublin at this year’s Zombie Walk, which takes place on Saturday, August 4, at St Stephen’s Green’s Leeson Street entrance. Gathering times will be announced closer to the date, and zombies of all ages are allowed to take part. All “zombies” or people – are asked to do is have fun and dress up while walking, shuffling and moaning through the streets while raising money for charities. Last year’s Zombie Walk attracted hundreds of wannabe undead, with some people simply painting their faces white, while many others used prosthetics to create a frightful and very realistic look. For further information, see www.dublinzombiewalk.com.
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Aine Lawlor, RTE Morning Ireland presenter and breast cancer survivor meets two young Florence Nightingales – aka four-year-olds Annika Morris and Lucy O’Neill – at the launch of Boots’ partnership with the Irish Cancer Society as the company’s chosen Charity of the Year
Dublin’s Boots steps up to support cancer RTE Morning Ireland presenter, and breast cancer survivor, Aine Lawlor, was on hand to support the launch of Boots’ partnership with the Irish Cancer Society as the company’s chosen Charity of the Year for 2012/13. The partnership will support people living with cancer in Ireland, and aims to help increase awareness, promote prevention, and raise vital funds to support the Irish Cancer Society’s nursing services. To mark the launch of the partnership, Boots’ employees and customers from their 24 Dublin stores are participating in a series of Boots Night Walks for Night Nurses, which are taking place across the country on Wednesday, August 29. All money raised will be invested in the Night Nurse service that is provided free of charge by the Irish Cancer Society to patients in their home. For further information about the Irish Cancer Society, Boots Ireland’s Charity of the Year partnership, and the upcoming Boots Night Walks for Night Nurses event, visit your local Boots store or see www. irishcancer.ie.
DIARY
It is closed on Mondays. For further information, call 01 478 9090.
Motor on over to a Your chance to see taxi’s booking app Jimi Hendrix shots WILD things should be flocking in a purple haze to the Ebow Gallery on Castle Street, Christchurch in the coming weeks, after it secured an exclusive exhibition of Jimi Hendrix photographs by legendary snapper, Gered Mankowitz. In the exhibition, which is entitled Experience Hendrix, Mankowitz captures the powerful image of the legendary ’60s guitarist in many different but always striking ways. Not only enthusiasts can go along and witness the genius of Mankowitz’s art, but they can also buy a number of limited edition pieces which are available for collectors to snap up. Experience Hendrix opened last week and continues until Sunday, August 12. The Ebow Gallery is open from 12pm to 5pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 12pm until 8pm on Thursday.
DUBLIN taxi company Global Taxis have launched the first and only taxi booking app for smartphones. The free Click A Taxi app uses your GPS location and a user-friendly interface to enable people in Dublin to book a taxi on the go. Working through partnerships with local taxi providers, the app is a way for local people to book a taxi, as well as providing holidaymakers and business people an easy way to arrange their travel around Dublin. Once the Click A Taxi app is downloaded, users can book a taxi in any area of the country, throughout Britain and, by the end of the year, in most of Western Europe and the United States. The app is available to download via www.clickataxi.com, and at the Android and iPhone app stores.
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 15
OLYMPICS An interesting talk on days gone by
Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when I STEPHEN FINDLATER sfindlater@gazettegroup.com
RECALLING the legendar y feats of some of his peers, for mer Irish Olympian Harry Boland gave a fascinating insight into the way athletes prepared for the Games in days gone by when he spoke at the official launch of the Irish Competitors at the Stockholm Olympics 1912 exhibition in Swords last week. A century ago, with Ireland not yet an independent state, it could not send its own Olympic team, but this did not prevent a number of Irish-born athletes competing. The exhibition, curated by Colm McQuinn, details how nine individual sportsmen and one cycling team found a way to take part, representing the US, Great Britain and South Africa, and going on to win three gold and one silver medal. 1912 was the first time the Games took place in London, before it returned to the English capital in 1948. A basketball international, Boland is among 11 surviving members of the Irish contingent from those later London Games, and his talk gave a fascinating snapshot into how the Games have changed. Recalling the story of Pat O’Callaghan, a twotime hammer gold medallist, he said:“He used to do his day’s work, cycle to a meet; throw the hammer, win [the event], of course, dance all night and then cycle home the next morning. “That was his training for the Olympics. When you consider the way training is done nowadays, it’s a totally different story.” For Boland, he modestly suggests he and the Irish basketball team he represented went to the games more by accident
Fingal Mayor Cian O’Callaghan (Lab), 1948 Olympian Harry Boland, and archivist Colm McQuinn
than design. An impressive hurler, winning a Dublin senior club championship with UCD, he was coaxed to play basketball by Father Horan at Belfield and duly got noticed enough
to answer a call to take part in the Games. Beset by the aftermath of World War II, London was not the glamorous proposition that greets the athletes this week.
“I became one of the only civilians on the Irish team which went straight to the 1948 Olympics in London. “If there had been any qualifying competition before you entered like
there is now, I don’t think we’d have got there. “We were selected at the last moment. When I consider all the preparations now and all the competition that goes into selecting a team, ours was an extraordinary situation. Boland ended up being one of just two non-military men to be selected, a connection that ensured that Ireland managed to get a full set of equipment for the trip. “That was the kind of scene that prevailed. We had no outfits so the army loaned us shorts which we had to give back again.” He freely admits his
side were “completely outclassed” but is quick to add “we had a great time of it; saw a lot of the other events. “It was a wonderful time. I can’t consider myself an Olympic hero but the fact remains, I was there!” The Irish Competitors at the Stockholm Olympics 1912 exhibition is available to view in the Fingal Local Studies and Archive in Clonmel House, Forster Way, Swords over the next few weeks. It is also on display in the County Council of fices on the Grove Road in Coolmine and in Swords.
MUSIC
Calling all gospel choirs ORGANISERS are calling on Dublin gospel choirs to get involved in the first-ever Kilkenny International Gospel Choir Festival, which will take place from August 30 to September 2. Festival founder and Kilkenny Gospel Choir director Fr Willie Purcell, wants gospel choirs to sign up and sing with hundreds of others during the weekend of music. The choirs will partake in three days of musical activities, with concerts and performances planned for various venues. The festival’s grand finale at Kilkenny Castle is set to see more than 1,000 voices come together. For further information, see www.kilkennygospelchoirfestival.com.
16 GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteMUSIC MUSIC FastTunes with Radio Nova’s Dee Woods THE 2012 Olympic Games kick off in London this Friday (July 27) and all the competitiveness in the air is making me think about the rockers who run rings around manufactured artists and reality TV bands. In fact, if rock had an Olympic Games, there are many deserving candidates: just don’t test for any illegal substances! The Rolling Stones should be given gold for going the distance, and overcoming a few hurdles along the way, as they celebrate an historic 50 years in music this month. Another medal needs to go to musical heavyweight Bruce Springsteen who shook the capital last week with two nights of tireless rocking out at the RDS. The Boss didn’t disappoint with both sets at well over three hours and, unlike his London gig the previous weekend, no one pulled the plug. In fact, Springsteen had his own “power switch” on stage to make sure that didn’t happen, not to mention the “British bobby” who mockingly tried to shut the gig down. Actually, give Bruce bonus points for having the craic. Also at these fantasy games, a posthumous medal must be awarded to Jon Lord for his contribution to music. The keyboardist passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer last week at the age of 71. He was a founding member of Deep Purple and co-wrote many of their songs. He also played with Whitesnake as well as cropping up to play with other well-known bands such as The Kinks on their massive hit, You Really Got Me. And if the sporting aspect of the Olympic Games doesn’t float your boat, the good organisers of the games are putting on starstudded concerts as part of the opening and closing ceremonies, with another medal-worthy candidate: Paul McCartney last on stage at this week’s opener. Now as we know in all Olympic Games there are winners...and there are losers. The Spice Girls are set to reunite for a performance at the Games’ closing ceremony. Anyone who sits through that deserves a medal.
Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, who passed away last week
EXCLUSIVE: SAVIOURS OF ROCK N ROLL, GASLIGHT ANTHEM
Keeping the Gaslight shining strong and true I PAUL HOSFORD
“YOU KNOW it’s funny, I actually don’t own a single record by any one of those bands.” Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements, Tom Petty – Alex Rosamilia, the guitarist from The Gaslight Anthem, has heard the comparisons innumerable times before, but they are hard to avoid. The New Brunswick, New Jersey band have just released their fourth album, Handwritten, and the comparisons with another New Jersey rock hero has become an all too familiar fallback for the music media. But, Rosamilia is a neophyte when it comes to The Boss, and doesn’t even own a Replacements CD, preferring “stargaze-y Britpop” in the vein of The Cure and The Smiths. The muchvaunted Jersey sound, Rosamilia says, is a media creation. “There is no ‘Jersey rock’ sound. That’s not a thing that we set out to achieve, and it’s something that the media has come up with, I think. “We don’t tr y too hard to sound like any one thing. We play and what comes out is what we sound like.”
The Gaslight Anthem, with guitarist Alex Rosamilia pictured far right
The album, a follow up to 2010’s American Slang, sees the band return to the more raw feel of their 2008 breakthrough, The ’59 Sound, and Alex says that getting the album out feels good. “It’s great to get it out, but the fact that people listen to our band is a huge perk. “When we started, we were playing to three people and, last night, we played to around 5,000. That in itself is huge for us.” The genesis of the album saw the band head
to Nashville and work at the legendary Blackbird studios, with even more legendar y producer, Brendan O’Brien. Off the road for more than half a year, Alex says he didn’t miss playing live any more than he would
from Handwritten is the closer, National Anthem. A personal, raw showstopper. “Brian wrote National Anthem in Nashville, in the house we were staying in, and came downstairs, we were all in the
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“There is no Jersey Rock sound. We don’t try too hard to sound like any one thing. We play what we sound like” --------------------------------------------------------------
the studio, but that being on the road for so long does take its toll. “I like them both, I’m a straight down the middle man. It’s like which do you prefer, apples or oranges? They’re both awesome for completely different reasons. “I’m getting older, so things are starting to hurt a little bit more! But we’re not real partiers and I think that’s where a lot of the pain comes from; not treating your body right during the day. “We go through way more water and seltzer than beer.” The early standout
living room area. He played it for us and asked did we want to work on it and we were like ‘no, that song is done.’ “He thought that we would work on it, but it was done the way it was.” Bringing O’Brien on board was an easy decision for the band, with the legendary producer having worked with such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam. “He has been subconsciously producing us for 20 years. He has worked with so many of the bands and records that we grew up with.
“If you look at a band like Mastodon, who I love, they had the same producer until they got on a major label. And when they did, they went for Brendan. “If it’s cool for Mastodon, it’s cool for us!” As for personal adoration, it’s not something the modest guitarist actively courts. “It’s weird. I don’t understand why people like me that much. I don’t like me that much! “I don’t understand the idol worship of musicians. I do understand the respect as musicians, but I don’t see why you should become a demigod. It’s a mental state that I’ve never been a part of. I’m flattered by it, but I’ve never been part of that mindset.” As for how the band are doing in terms of the band’s stated goal of reclaiming rock and roll, Rosamilia is content. “I’m sitting on a bus in America, talking to you in Ireland about my band. I think we’re doing pretty well.”
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 17
R1
GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY
Edited by Laura Webb
Victoria spices up autumn with her latest collection SHE first appeared in the public eye as one-fifth of a girl band who would go on to break chart records, but now Victoria Beckham is showing her own girl power in the fashion world as she launches her seventh season at Brown Thomas. Her 12-month-old daughter, Harper, may have stolen the spotlight around the world, when she was pictured making her first steps in public at the BT event, but the designer mum certainly held her own looking chic and relaxed in black with a tousled upstyle. Last week was the first time the style icon visited Brown Thomas in Grafton Street to promote her two womenswear collections
– Victoria Beckham and Victoria, Victoria Beckham. Arriving at her showroom at the flagship store, Victoria was met by a
of her clothing line have continued to impress the designer. “It’s doing really well. Brown Thomas has been one of my retail partners
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Being a mother of four, it wasn’t surprising to see her going down to a child’s level, kneeling to chat to one of her little fashionista fans ---------------------------------------------------------
crowd of fans who she was happy to chat and pose with. Being a mother of four, it wasn’t surprising to see her going down to a child’s level, kneeling to chat to one of her little fashionista fans. Brown Thomas was one of the first stores to stock her collection and sales
right since the beginning, so to be here and support them, and just meet people – I’m quite overwhelmed. The turn-out is absolutely incredible,” she told reporters at the event. The designer said she feels blessed with her life, having a great family while also being able to work at
something she loves – fashion design. The fashionista went on to praise Irish women for their sense of style saying “women here really do understand fashion” and are “fashion forward”. Commenting on her stunning collection, Victoria told reporters that she moved away from the strong military influence her collection had last year but continues to remain respectful to her image and brand by giving a “very strong fashion message” each season. Her new line is just as svelte and chic as the designer herself and has some amazing figure hugging dresses. See the collection at Brown Thomas now.
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Want to look like Dita Von Teese?
Victoria Beckham launches her seventh season at Brown Thomas
EVER wanted to mirror Dita Von Teese’s signature look? Then head down to Debenhams in Blanchardstown on Friday, July 27 where celebrity makeup artist, Derrick Carberry, will be recreating that classic look. Dita Von Teese has joined forces with make-up brand ARTDECO for her new collection Art Couture Dita Von Teese Classics. Having a big influence on the collection, the products include her signature red lipstick, black gel liner and fluttering lashes. Derrick Carberry will in Debenhams Blanchardstown on Friday 27 from 3pm until 5pm.
18 GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supported by AIB
Interview: Paul Jacob, Smart Storage on making space out of nothing at all LENDERS BECOME REALISTS Q – I HAVE a tracker mortgage but cannot pay the capital element. The likelihood is that I will not be able to ever pay this capital back. Is my lender going to allow me pay an interest-only amount indefinitely, or am I just kicking the can down the road? Michael – Mount Merrion A - LENDERS are slowly becoming realists. “You can’t get blood from a stone”, and it is more debt reality than debt forgiveness. With the launch last month of the Personal Insolvency Bill, together with the already implemented Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process with all lenders, mechanisms are now in place to give closure to those who, as you state, may never be able to pay the amount they borrowed. Time is the key. You have a tracker and, with the ECB rate at an historical low of 0.75%, your monthly interest payments are probably affordable. Your partner may have lost their job, you may have lost your job, or your business may have collapsed. The lender has to give you time (and dignity) to see whether your income can turn around, or eventually you stop kicking that can – whatever that takes. Either way, you will be required to complete a Standard Financial Statement, a 12-page form outlining your financial circumstances and expectations. If you need help with the evaluation process, completing this form or even require representation to your lender or the courts, call 01 278 5555, or email consultation@moneydoctor.ie for details of our advisory services.
ARE SAVINGS BONDS SAFE? Q – WILL my three-year An Post savings bond be safe if the euro fails and we go back to the punt? Will I get my money back? Sorcha – Templeogue A - An Post’s Saving Bond is part of the State Savings managed by the National Treasury Management Agency– they also manage the National Pension Reserve, NAMA and are a Governmentappointed body), and are a direct, unconditional obligation of the Government and are considered sovereign debt, and are ranked equally with all other sovereign debt. There is no expiry to this protection, and the only limitations are the ones imposed by the investment [worth]: - Savings bonds and savings certificates – €120,000 per person; - National solidarity bonds (four-year and 10year) – €250,000 per person; - Prize bonds – no limits. Remember also that you may withdraw on all investments (bar prize bonds – a little longer) with only seven days’ notice without penalty. You will, however, miss on the interest that you would have earned. The punt was exchanged at a rate of 0.787564 to the euro back in 2001. Personally, I do not think the euro will fail but, if by a long stretch of the imagination it did, you can be sure of an equitable exchange rate being employed. As Bobby McFerrin once sang: “Don’t worry, be happy”! Contact John with your money questions at
jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor
Solving press-ing problems at home IT ALWAYS seems that space is at a premium in every home, no matter how much or how little of a hoarder you might be. Prompted by the growing shoe crisis in their own home, the idea of creating a storage solution that banished bursting drawers and crammed cupboards was developed by husband and wife team, Paul and Clodagh Jacob. The couple, who are both engineers, initially developed an understairs storage unit when their two young daughters began to follow in their mother’s footsteps and develop an interest in footwear. Paul needed to devise an easy way to store the growing “shoe mountain”. Smartstorage.ie’s units provide storage for shoes, school bags, ironing boards and other household appliances. Smart Storage units can be installed in just a couple of hours so minimum fuss for a busy family. Paul recently appeared on RTE Dragons’ Den and had the dragons fighting to invest in Smart Storage, and eventually accepted publisher Norah Casey’s offer to invest in the business. For more information on how Smart Storage might help with your own press-ing problems, log onto their website, www.smartstorage.ie.
Paul Jacob, Smart Storage, shows off an example of his products
Q&A the electric guitar – due to respect for my neighbours, I play with headphones on
Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously? A: Back to that electric guitar
Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be? A: This questionnaire
Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward? A: Got to be Jedward
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: Four pairs – one black, one
Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on? A: I’m taller than I appear on
Q: What music/pictures/ movies do you have on your iPod/iPad? A: Bruce Springsteen, all the
TV and my teeth are all my own
way
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: Archaeologist
that you once thought you could not pull off? A: Turning Smart Storage into
Q: What was your first job? A: Packing potatoes into bags
a vibrant, standalone business
in the back of my aunt’s shop in Waterford
Q: And your first pay cheque? A: £5 for a week’s work of packing potatoes!
Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed? A: Never Q: When did you start your present job? A: I started Smart Storage in 2010
Q: What is the best thing about your job? A: That we are bringing a solution to a problem everyone has – lack of storage space
Q: What part of your working day do you delegate? A: I delegate the stocktaking to my wife, Clodagh
Q: Have you achieved anything
Q: What habits would you like to lose? A: I sometimes have a short fuse
Q: What sport do you follow? A: I’m a big Munster Rugby fan Q: What sport can you play? A: Unfortunately, I am too old to play contact rugby, but I love playing tag rugby in Greystones Rugby Club
Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure? A: My guilty pleasure is playing
Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook? A: TheJournal.ie, and other business sites
Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to? A: My holiday with my family – it’s been a really busy year
Q: Describe your dream meal? A: BBQ with family and friends
Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna? A: Enda Kenny
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS
brown, a pair of flip flops and a pair of runners; my wife and daughters have enough to fill two Smart Storage units
Q: What was your worst holiday experience? A: A week in Menorca with two sick children in 2004
Q: Describe your dream holiday? A: The Whitsunday Islands off the coast the Australia
Q: What would be your dream job? A: Skipper on a boat off the Whitsunday Islands
Q: What do you plan to do when you retire? A: Like my dad, I don’t think I will ever fully retire, as I’m always on the go
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MATTERS
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 19
GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY Four-bedroom finesse at Glenlyon Park PROPERT Y Partners O’Brien Swaine are bringing to the market 9 Glenlyon Park, Knocklyon, a large style fourbedroom, three bathroom detached family home which comes to the market in fine condition throughout, for the asking price of €389,000. This attractive home has undergone extensive refurbishment in recent years and boasts marble flooring, a large integrated kitchen, two reception rooms, a utility room, four bedrooms, the master of which is en
suite, and a family bathroom. There is also a guest WC, and a private landscaped rear garden. The accommodation comprises an entrance hallway with laminate wooden flooring, a TV room, a living room with laminate wooden flooring, marble feature fireplace with a timber surround, bay window, TV point, and double doors leading to the kitchen and dining room. The space contains a modern fully-fitted kitchen with a good range of wall and floor units and marble floor-
ing, as well as an integrated fridge freezer, dishwasher, stainless steel oven, hob and microwave. The room also contains sliding doors to the rear of the property. The utility room also features marble flooring, and has a worktop, storage presses, and is plumbed for a washing machine and tumble dryer. The main bedroom features built-in wardrobes, and has an en suite which contains a WC with wash-hand basin and a step-in
9 Glenlyon Park in Knocklyon is brought to the market for €389,000
shower. The other bedrooms also feature built-in wardrobes. The main bathroom features a bath with a Mira shower, partlytiled walls and floor, a wash-hand basin and WC. To the front of the
property is off-street parking for two cars, a lawn, and side entrances to the rear of the house, which features a private landscaped rear garden which is not overlooked, a large patio area, raised flower beds and a Barna shed. Ideally located just a
stone’s throw away from a host of local amenities such as shops, schools and public transport. Also just a short trip away are SuperQuinn Knocklyon, Rathfarnham, Templeogue and Dundrum. There are also transpor t links such as the 15, 49 and
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75 bus routes and easy access to the M50 road network. Viewing of 9 Glenlyon Park is highly recommended and can be arranged by contacting Nichola O’ Connor at Property Partners O’Brien Swaine on 01 457 8909.
20 GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteMOTORS MOTORS Zafira Tourer RoadSigns Road Signs offers some serious space and comfort C-MAX to get EcoBoost engine
FORD are set to offer its C-MAX and Grand C-MAX with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine starting in October this year. The combination of the award-winning engine and the popular multi-activity vehicle is expected to deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Ford customers will have the option of purchasing a C-MAX and Grand C-MAX with either the 100 PS or the 125 PS versions of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, which was recently named the 2012 “International Engine of the Year”. The Ford C-MAX 1.0-litre EcoBoost is expected to deliver 5.1 l/100 km (55.4 mpg) and 117 g/km CO2 across both power outputs, while the Grand C-MAX should achieve 5.2 l/100 km (54.3 mpg) and 119 g/km CO2. Ford has sold more than 200,000 C-MAX and Grand C-MAX cars in Europe since the latest versions were introduced in 2010; with the two models this year claiming Ford’s largest share of the compact multi-activity vehicle segment since the original C-MAX went on sale in 2003. The three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine uses turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust to deliver the power of a larger engine with the fuel efficiency of a smaller unit. It is built in Ford’s engine plants in Cologne, Germany, and Craiova, Romania. More than 4,700 customers across Europe have ordered a Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost in its first full month on sale, accounting for about one quarter of the model’s sales in Ford’s 19 traditional European markets. Ford predicts that by 2015 more than half of vehicles it produces in Europe for the continent will be powered by EcoBoost engines – also available in 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre displacement. Updated C-MAX and Grand C-MAX will offer in-car connectivity system SYNC with emergency assistance; and advanced driver assistance technologies active city stop, lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, auto high beam, driver alert and traffic sign recognition. Customers will also be able to specify Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Power Tailgate options and the stylish new Burnished Glow colour.
CORMAC CURTIS
IF I had any strength left I would fight the urge to write about the weather, but I just don’t have that strength. It has finally got the better of me, and I am admitting defeat in the face of a wet and dull foe, the likes of which, with luck, we will never have to face again. This rain is just relentless. Earlier in the year, as the cold snap eased and the gas bills began to drop a little, I had visions of sitting in the garden with my laptop, typing away under a parasol as the kids mucked about in the sun. But no, our summer has forsaken us, the only hope of blue skies and sandy beaches lie across
the channel on mainland Europe. There is good news for those fortunate enough to get there, as Opel’s new Zafira Tourer offers some serious comfort for cruising down to San Tropez or Nice with a pack of kids and a load of luggage. I have sung Opel’s praises on a number of occasions this year, as they have made some very sound decisions in their fleet development and pricing. What Opel are proving with the Zafira Tourer is that they are carefully gearing their model range to very specific segments. The pricing of the Zafira Tourer alone (starting at €28,495) is an indication that it is not intended as a family
SPECS: ZAFIRA TOURER
Top speed: 193km/hour CO2 emissions: 119 g/ km Road Tax Band: A – Road Tax €160 Entry Price: €30,495 excl options
van all-rounder. This car packs a lot more punch than that – and besides, as I said a few weeks back, the new Meriva already offers ever y thing a family could want, so why cover old ground. No, the Zafira Tourer, as its name suggests, has farther horizons in mind for its driver and passengers. Let’s start with space. In terms of pure volume there is a total of
Ford’s popular C-MAX Opel’s FlexRail offers storage spaces exactly where needed
1,860 litres of storage space available with the rear seats collapsed, this is 40 litres more than the previous model. This car really starts to shine when you examine the thought and engineering that has gone in to how all this space is used. With the Zafira, Opel were determined to achieve maximum flexibility without seat removal, they claim it is the car’s underlying principle – and it’s easy to believe them. They have extensively re-designed their Flex7 seating system, giving second-row passengers the chance to enjoy firstclass feeling While the third row seats can still be folded down f lush with the floor of the luggage compartment, the second row has been completely re-designed. There are now three individual seats that can be folded flat creating an even load floor. More importantly, the passengers in the second row can enjoy the optional lounge seating system. This is a simple and smart move by Opel that provides generous seating space and comfort like in an upper-class saloon. Using a clever folding mechanism, the back of
Opel’s new Zafira Tourer
the middle seat in the second row folds down and rotates to offer comfortable armrests for the passengers in the outer seats. The outer seats also slide 50mm towards the centre of the cabin and thus create more shoulder room, I’m not aware of any other car in this segment offering such flexibility. What all this translates into is a vehicle that offers not just room, but very generous comfort levels for people who expect better-than-usual levels of luxury – for long and short journeys. This car will take adults and kids on a long-distance journey across Europe, but, it will also operate just as easily as a corporate limousinestyle transport. I’ve mentioned it in previous articles, but I must talk about Opel’s nifty FlexRail.
26 July 2012 GAZETTE 21
Edited by Cormac Curtis
RoadSigns Road Signs The upgraded Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5 goes on sale in autumn
offers 1,860 litres of storage space
Front seat passengers enjoy a storage system that provides highly versatile, modular multilevel storage occupying the deep space between the two front seats. In plain English – there is a clever set of storage drawers that can each be easily moved forwards and backwards on a clever rail system
depending on what kind of storage you require. The SE model that I tested featured attractive polished aluminium rails, reaching from the front centre console back to the rear footwell, plus a practical sliding tray/cup holder. As you would expect from a premium model, the car comes with plen-
ty of features as standard, including, CD/MP3 player with stereo radio featuring an Aux-in socket and very easy-to-use USB connectivity. The steering wheel features audio controls. Cruise control features, as does very useful front and rear parking distance sensors. The model I drove also
featured a mobile phone system with Bluetooth, which is a €357 option. The engine range on offer for the Zafira Tourer consists of efficient diesel and petrol engines with output from 81 kW/110 hp to 121 kW/165 hp. A n e s p e c i a l l y l owconsumption ecoFLEX model with a 2.0 CDTI common-rail turbo die-
sel and standard Start/ Stop technology is also on offer. The Zafira Tourer 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX, boasts one of the values in the compact monocab class with just 119 g/km CO2. And this comes with spirited performance of 96 kW/130 hp and maximum torque of 300 Newton metres.
APART from a glorious week back in March when I reviewed the wonderful VW Golf Cabriolet, we haven’t exactly been blessed with open-top driving weather. So, it makes sense to start planning for next year, and fans of the legendary Mazda MX-5 will be buzzing with the news that there is an all-new model on the way for 2013. The newly-upgraded version of the world’s most popular open-top sports car is now rolling off the assembly line in Hiroshima and will go on sale in Europe this autumn. It has enhanced safety and driving attributes, along with exterior and interior upgrades to make its two models – the retractable hardtop coupe and the classic soft-top – even more attractive. The upgraded MX-5 has a new front bumper design that makes the roadster more aggressive looking and contributes to optimal aerodynamic performance. Irish drivers will also have a beautiful new grey exterior colour available, as the former Metropolitan Grey is replaced with Dolphin Grey. And on the inside, panel decor and matching steering wheel spokes have been upgraded for a touch of refinement. The MX-5 has always provided one of the world’s most intimate and enjoyable drives, and the upgraded version is now even more responsive to driver input. Throttle movement, and the degree to which the gas pedal is pushed, are now controlled separately. This increases the feeling of linear acceleration, and gives the driver even more control when accelerating from a reduced speed, which is key for driving on windy Irish country roads. This is combined with revised vacuum brakebooster characteristics that optimise brake return control, which is especially beneficial when the driver brakes upon entering a curve. New acceleration control then kicks in when the driver lets off the brake and steps on the gas pedal again. Taken together, these two new upgrades make braking more controllable, acceleration after braking smoother and makes it easier for the driver to reach the desired vehicle speed after braking. The upgraded Mazda MX-5 will go on sale across Europe in autumn 2012.
22 GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel
Thomas Cook Sport is offering deals on match breaks to top cities like Manchester
Thomas Cook is offering exclusive match breaks to Barclays Premier League’s biggest games WITH football season approaching and fixtures for the Barclays Premier League now announced, Thomas Cook Sport is offering some exclusive match breaks to the biggest games of the 2012-13 campaign, as the only official ticket supplier in Ireland for the biggest teams across the water. Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool FC filled the top eight places in last year’s league, and Thomas Cook Sport is providing packages to see all these teams, as well as being Official Travel Partner to Celtic in Scotland. Manchester City start their campaign to retain the title on August 18, playing host to newly promoted Southampton. A one-night package, including guaranteed match ticket, is from just €126 per person (flight extra). Manchester United kick off at Old Trafford against Fulham on August 25, and the Thomas Cook package for €228 includes match ticket, four-star city centre accommodation, match programme, stadium tour, and discount vouchers for both the hotel’s bar and lounge and the United Megastore. The key fixture against Spurs on September 29, also at Old Trafford, is available for €240. “Euro 2012 will have whetted fans’ appetite for what should be a very competitive Barclays League campaign starting next month,” says John Grehan of Thomas Cook Sport Ireland. “Our packages ensure Irish fans will have the very best opportunity to follow their favourites across the water.” With over 150 Premier League match breaks on offer, Thomas Cook Sport Ireland enjoys greater access to tickets than other operators in Ireland. Many of its Premier League breaks include free stadium tours, club museum tours, match programmes and discount vouchers for club stores. All packages include match ticket and accommodation based on two people sharing. Flights are not included. For more information, contact Thomas Cook Sport Ireland on 01 514 0405.
Northern Ireland – a golfer’s paradise STEPHEN FINDLATER
THE story goes that Strandhill in Sligo was once pencilled in to host the world surfing championships. It seems the turnaround came with the realisation that exposure to the wider world, and the deluge of visitors that would ensue, would leave the village creaking under the increased strain with scant waves to go around. For Northern Ireland – and the Causeway Coast in particular – the inverse expectations had long been lying latent; a breathtaking golfing region all dressed up but waiting for a party to attend. Revealing itself to the world, the European Tour’s arrival to Royal Portrush’s Dunluce course proved their moment as the Irish Open came to town with much fanfare. Fans arrived in their droves, the highest aggregate attendance for the tour flanking the fairways, braving the North Sea’s most rogue and changeable elements. Indeed, the appetite was such that over 15,000 took in the Pro-Am, a previously unheard of
number, while sold out signs appeared at the gates for the first time in tour history. But with the tented village now dismantled and the chain of flags lining each street from Bushmills to the course ravelled up, the Northern Irish Tourist Board (NITB) are hoping that the memorable week will create a lasting legacy for visitors. With good reason: a chip and a putt from the Giant’s Causeway, the oldest Irish distillery and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the top of Antrim offers an idyllic base for an extended golfing trip. Indeed, the rooms on the sea side of the Causeway Hotel perched atop one of the cliffs overlook the “stones” themselves and the walkway which leads to the UNESCO world heritage site. A new £18.5m visitor centre at the venue opened this month and is expected to accommodate over 600,000 visitors a year. What that volume creates is a high quality of hotel and restaurant. Most to avail of those traditionally seem to be day-trippers. But there is majesty to entertain those with a
longer term view, traversing the route between Cushendall and Castlerock golf clubs. Those two way-points provide hidden gems. The former, nestled at the foot of Glenballyeamon, offers a perfect easing into a four-day stint as the Red Bay waves lead into the River Dall, which meanders its way through the course. Under 5,000 yards, the attraction lies in the trickery held within, especially on the closing pair of holes, both with the Mull of Kintyre lurking in the eyeline. Breathtaking
Rolling around the corner of the A2, Ballycastle, with Rathlin Island the feature vista, could provide the next stop but a further 20-minute spin along the breathtaking coast road opens up more bounty. A chain of four courses dotted around the ruin of Dunluce Castle conclude this ride. Portstewart’s strand course provides the championship standard challenge, while the old and riverside provide more leisurely fare. All are set in classic links country, the contrast of pinky yellow dunes pro-
viding towering banks to counteract the deep brown brush. Castlerock is but a few minutes down the Derry road and has a fifth hole described by David Jones as “the most scenic” in Irish golf. T he jewel in the region’s crown, though, is undoubtedly Royal Portrush. The course, redesigned in 1951, has the elevation to provide clear views of Scotland and, to the west, the Donegal mountains with cliff, sea and island relaxing the eye. The dunes once again play their part, lending themselves to some of the most devastating bunkers. Green-side, they fall like crevasses while Keegan Bradley – the 2011 PGA rookies of the year – described the fairway-side sand-trap on 17 as being bigger than the house he grew up in. Since he grew up in leafy, well-to-do Vermont, it is an up close perspective that needs to be seen to be truly appreciated. Calamity corner – the circuit around holes 13, 14 and 15 – sits on the precipice between cliff and sea. The 14th is a true test of nerve with any drift to the right liable to leave you 50 feet below in
The beautiful Giant’s
a deep ravine. The New York Times’ writer Charles McGrath described it as the “hardest par three I’ve ever seen” before the closing holes eased him back to reality, away from a chastening sea breeze. That combination of difficulty and scenic delight has seen Portrush regularly named among the top 20 golf courses in the world by numerous magazines. And now, introduced to the wider world by last month’s Irish Open, it is very much at large in any self-respecting itinerary of Northern Ireland. • Green fees for Royal Portrush are £125-140 in summer and £60 in winter. For more information
on the Causeway Hotel, go to http://www.giantscauseway-hotel.com/.
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 23
Edited by Natalie Burke
TravelBriefs
The annual Grand Prix of India is a highlight in the Formula 1 calendar this October
Causeway is a great reason to extend your stay when in Northen Ireland for a golfing trip
THE annual Grand Prix of India ranks as one of the highlights in the annual Formula 1 calendar, providing a race-going experience like no other. The 2012 F1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix takes place from October 26 – 28 at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida, and Gohop.ie has an exclusive offer for racing fans this season. Racing packages from Gohop.ie start from €749 per person, with views of turns 14 and 15 at the Classic Stand West Zone, €819 per person with views from the Star Stand East Zone (the critical point sharp turn) or €949 per person for views of the largest circular bend of the circuit. Travelling on October 26, packages include three nights in the five-star Metropolitan Hotel, Delhi on a B&B basis, a Grand Prix Season pass for all three race days, including practice and qualifying sessions as well as transfers from and to Delhi Airport and transfers to the Buddh circuit. Popular
Royal Portrush Golf Club. Picture: Mark Alexander
The Royal Portrush Golf Club which hosted last month’s Irish Open. Picture: Mark
The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge near Ballintoy.
Alexander
Picture: Stephen Findlater
Racing packages also offer you the chance to take in a Golden Triangle Escorted Tour from only €470 per person, taking in a threenight excursion to some of India’s most popular destinations. Witness a guided tour to see the surreal views of the magnificent Taj Mahal sparkling in the rays of the Indian sun in Agra, visit the pink capital city of Rajasthan and the beautiful blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture of Fatehpur Sikri. Explore the many facets of Jaipur and its crafts before visiting City Palace, the architectural masterpiece and must-see destination in Jaipur. The price of the Golden Triangle Tour includes a chauffeur-driven air-conditioned vehicle for the journey, a local English speaking guide for the sightseeing tour in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Jaipur, as well as an Elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur. For more information or to book, visit www.gohop.ie.
24 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
GoingOUT THE PAVILION THEATRE 01 231 2929 Pavilion Theatre Music Weekender
FOR one weekend, the Pavilion Theatre will play host to three of the hottest acts on the Irish music scene. On Thursday, Sam Amidon will bring his electrifying live show to theatre; on Friday, David Kitt will be performing his debut album Small Moments in its entirety and, on Saturday, following the successful release of their third album Little Sparks, Delorentos are set to perform a seldom seen intimate acoustic set Taking place over the weekend of July 26-28 at 8pm, tickets are priced at €17/16.
MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Auditions, Zoe’s Auditions AN HILARIOUSLY touching tale of lovable Zoe, an aspiring actress who dreams of landing an acting job. Her over-thehill agent sends her on an assortment of auditions ranging from Hamlet to being shot out of a cannon for a touring circus. Wildly enthusiastic and eager to please, Zoe is prone to a series of mishaps and misadventures that lead casting directors to shout “NEXT!!” Just as she is ready to give up, Zoe falls asleep at her job working backstage on a production of A Christmas Carol. She is visited by three audacious ghosts with startling wisdom for her. July 26-28 at 8pm. Admission: €18/15.
CIVIC THEATRE 01 462 7477
Neither man was happy with the outcome of this round of spin the bottle
Much Ado About Nothing AFTER the success of last year’s production of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, AC Productions return with another one of Shakespeare’s classic comedies, transposed to 1960s Italy where wit is as sharp as the fashion. Cupid has his work cut out for him as reluctant lovers, Beatrice and Benedict, exchange words. In the Bard’s tale of barbed words and sparkling wit, the path of true love certainly doesn’t run smoothly. The show runs for two nights, on August 10 and 11 at 8.15pm. Admission €10.
DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 The Connect Club 2012 THIS July, Draíocht is delighted to be back working with the Daughters of Charity’s Summer Camp, the Connect Club in Laurel Lodge. The summer camp is filled with social and recreational activities catering for young people with varying degrees of intellectual disability, with the aim of providing an outlet that is fun and focused on the individual’s likes and interests. For more, see www.draiocht.ie
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A dark moon rises As massive in scale as the seemingly insurmountable hype that was built up for it in the lead up to its release I NIALL BERMINGHAM
MAGIC Mike is a film about male strippers. As the characters strip away their clothes, the director (Steven Soderbergh) does our his best to strip away a prejudices and replace for them with empathy emp these men. Channing Tatum Tatu does this his best to portray port so-called Magic Mike… I’m sorry. I just can’t go on with this. This is a film taking their about men taki clothes I’m going to l th off; ff I’ go see Batman instead. At least Batman always leaves his clothes on. So this is it, the big one: The Dark Knight Rises. Seven years after Nolan’s first foray into Gotham City here we are at the end point. The third film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy and it has been quite the adventure. Starting with Batman Begins in 2005, the success of which was a tremendous shock to
FILM OF THE WEEK: The Dark Knight Rises ##### (12A) 165 mins Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard
OUR VERDICT: A suitable end to perhaps the best super hero series ever. Excellent performances from all involved and a brilliant job by Christopher Nolan as both director and writer. This is a film for fans of the series but also for the newcomers out there who never saw the first two. I assure you, they do exist.
the system of many film goers, The Dark Knight followed after in 2008, a film many remember for the astounding performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker, we now find ourselves at the conclusion with Rises. The hype and expectations leading up to this film were on par with any other film in recent history and, while it is a subject for debate, in my mind Rises was well worth the wait. Set eight years after the end of The Dark Knight we find Gotham a city changed. Gone are the criminal underworld and
the corrupt politicians and all down to the Dent Act. Harvey Dent aka Two Face has been written as the hero after his death and Batman, the villain. Because of this Batman (Christian Bale) has retired and Bruce Wayne has gone into hiding, never leaving his estate. The opening half an hour or so is spent introducing all the old and new characters and setting up all the twists and turns. We meet Bane (Tom Hardy) in a magnificent opening scene and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman/ Selina Kyle steals her
opening scene while also stealing some pearls from a very frail Bruce Wayne. John Blake, an idealistic young member of the GPD, is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt with Marion Cotillard playing a Wayne Enterprises board member. All the old faces (Caine, Oldman and Freeman) show up here as well and give spectacular performances. Then of course there’s Bale as Batman/ Bruce Wayne. It’s been said that Batman is the least interesting character of the series and is supported by all the others. I’m not so sure that’s the case this time around. In Batman Begins we saw a person trying to get a grip on his new role as city protector and in The Dark Knight someone who had found his place and was trying his best to survive the anarchy his city was plunging into. However he was a charac-
ter who was always sure of himself and knew where he was headed. This time around we get a character out of place. His city doesn’t need or want him anymore. Portrayed as the murderer of the city’s “real” hero Batman has, as I said earlier, retired and Wayne locks himself away not daring to face the world. This take on Batman is nothing new, the comics have been doing it for decades, but it’s certainly not the Batman you would expect in a film. Bale is brilliant as this wounded (both emotionally and physically) version of the beloved character. The soundtrack is brought to you by Hans Zimmer and is superb. It never lets up and takes your emotions on an unforgettable journey. All in all this is a fantastic film despite some very minor plot holes. Unfortunately it is, for now, the last one in the series.
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 25
GazetteGAMING GAMING Bytesandpieces New CEO takes over at Yahoo!
Showing a rare moment of peaceful player cooperation (and DayZ’s slightly clumsy animation), this player is greeted by a group of heavilyarmed zombie apocalypse survivors in the depths of fictional post-Soviet state, Chernarus. Whether or not they then played the game in the way that many gamers are following – and gunned him down a moment later to scavenge his meagre supplies – is anybody’s guess ...
Horribly entertaining I SHANE DILLON
THE thing about zombies – in terms of how often they pop up in modern culture – is that they have a habit of coming back to life, again and again. We see this time and again, with waves of zombies periodically shambling, staggering, shuffling and otherwise making their way onto the big (and small) screen. For example, despite the TV industry’s initial reluctance to bring it to life, The Walking Dead
has turned into a worldwide TV hit. Meanwhile, editing (and reshoots) are quietly continuing on the bigscreen version of World War Z, starring Brad Pitt, which has now been delayed to next June. Bearing in mind this kind of enduring zombie popularity, it’s clear that they have a certain role in pop culture – something which is even more relevant in computer games, as zombies have long been a stalwart of gaming. The reason I’ve dug
up zombies again (sorry) is that I, and a number of industry bigwigs, note the infectious popularity of PC title DayZ, which has leapt up almost out of nowhere, grabbing 140,000 extra players in just five days (at the time of writing)to take the title past the 640,000 mark. That’s an impressive number when you consider that DayZ is not actually a standalone, professionally-created and released game, but just a mod. A what? A “mod”, or modifica-
Curious to tap 60,000,000 times to reveal a secret? TAP. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Sound like fun yet? Well, imagine repeating that for about, ooh, another 59,999,993 times. After all, it will “only” take 60 million taps until the mystery of Curiosity is revealed – the forthcoming (August) app from the inimitable Peter Molyneaux, developer of lots of very creative games, and serial
promiser of incredible gaming experiences that, err, never quite match his spiel, when delivered. However, Curiosity is making many people, well, curious, as details become clearer ahead of its forthcoming launch. Curiosity features a giant black cube floating in a clinically clean, simple space, with the cube composed of 60,000,000 different shapes.
Players will tap away at the cube, piece by piece, to get to the cube’s centre, where the player who lands the final tap/ blow will learn what the cube holds and, claims Peter, “a life-changing experience”. So, if you’ve ever wanted to tap away at a giant virtual cube to win, say, a butter-dispensing torch, Curiosity could be for you ...
tion, generally sees dedicated gamers tinkering around with a game’s source code to create a new version of the game, sometimes using their own graphics and models, or otherwise completely restructuring the original title. In this way, mods can breathe new life into an existing title or, as in the case of DayZ, bringing a pretty-dead title back to (undead) life – making it a hit with gamers in the process. You see, DayZ is actually a mod for a 2009 PC title, ARMA II, which, as news of DayZ spreads, is suddenly flying off the shelves again – not for gamers interested in ARMA II, but for those looking to use it to play the DayZ mod, instead – a remarkable feat, considering that the mod isn’t even finished yet, and has much left to be ironed out. In DayZ, players roam around a fictional postSoviet state, which has been overrun by zombies
(and is now attracting a large number of zombiesurvivalist gamers). The player is forced to constantly scavenge for supplies, while tending to their own needs, all the time remaining wary of zombies – and wary of other human players, who could prove to be much more dangerous. After all, the three humans spotted over the crest of the next hill could be helpful survivors, or they could gun down your character and loot the corpse, stripping it of hard-won items. In DayZ’s harsh world, death has consequences. It’s an interesting concept, mixing conventional gaming tropes with unpredictable (and, consequently, pretty “real”) human behaviour, adding levels of suspicion and consequence to the title in ways that a conventionally produced game can’t quite match. Whatever about conventional zombies, DayZ’s undead pedigree grows healthier by the day ...
FINALLY, some good news for Yahoo! – it’s got a new CEO, and an extremely capable one at that. Jumping ship from Google, highly-experienced Marissa Mayer has taken over at Yahoo!, following the media feeding frenzy earlier this year regarding the then CEO Scott Thompson’s misleading college degree, while Ross Levinson stepped in as interim CEO following Thompson’s resignation. Mayer has quite a task on her hand – Yahoo!’s earnings dropped by 4% in the three months to June, earning $227 million in the quarter. Not exactly a small chunk of change, but, in the same period, more than $130 million was set aside for layoffs, as the company cut 1,500 people from the payroll. Of course, such figures and percentages can be viewed one way or another, depending on the angle you look at them, but one thing remains clear – the company is now trailing behind arch online rivals which have markedly different platforms for users to engage with, but have a global reach in a way that Yahoo! currently does not. On a positive note, Mayer has some terrific credentials, having accomplished a lot since becoming Google’s 20th employee (yes, 20th) in 1999. As pure speculation goes, no doubt the company’s investors had reason to shout “Yahoo!” when they learned of her appointment ...
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26 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
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28 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
ATHLETICS: JENNINGS SHOWS TRUE GRIT AHEAD OF LONDON GAMES
Thompson breaks new ground in Japan DONABATE man Gary Thompson took positive steps forward in his current campaign in the Japanese Formula Three Championship at Fuji Speedway last week. He secured a podium in race one of the weekend, whilst also making history in the championship by becoming the first ever driver to qualify a national class car in overall pole position for the second race of the weekend. Starting from third position in race one, the young Irishman overcame semi-wet conditions to take the chequered flag where he had started, and in doing so, earning SGC by KCMG’s first podium of the season at the renowned circuit. Lining up in pole position in race two of the weekend, 20-year-old Thompson got off the line well to lead the overall race in its early stages, until Takamoto Katsuta hit Thompson whilst tussling for the lead, ending the ambitous driver’s chances of securing victory in a championship renowned for propelling the careers of Pedro De La Rosa and Adrien Sutil. Overcome by his team’s performance this weekend, Thompson remains confident that SGC by KCMG can provide a competitive package to enable him to challenge for outright victory as the season progresses. “We had a difficult start to the weekend, struggling a small bit for pace in Friday testing,” explained Thompson. “Even though it was raining during both qualifying sessions, we managed to take third position for race one and an overall pole for race two. “This was a great result and a big thank you to the whole team. I’m very happy to have been able to secure our first podium for this season. Also, to start from pole position in race two was quite major for me. I am looking forward to the next race in Motegi and hopefully we’ll be on top of the podium celebrating victory.”
Rathfarnaham AC’s Caitriona Jennings endured a dramatic battle to earn her place in the Irish Olympic women’s marathon team
Caitriona on a mission STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com
AS THE second fastest woman to achieve the qualifying time for the Olympic marathon, Rathfarnham AC’s Caitriona Jennings admitted it was an uncomfortable wait to see if she had made the thee-person team to take the line on August 5 in London. Her run in Rotterdam created a dilemma for Athletics Ireland, joining DSDAC runners Linda Byrne and Ava Hutchinson and former Dundrum runner Maria McCambridge to beat the two hour and 37 minute target. With time not included in the criteria, it meant that none of the runners could feel comfortable that they had assured a ticket to the Games. “Even when I finished,
I knew I was the fourth qualifier and it wasn’t nailed on I would get the selection but I had done all I could do,” she told GazetteSport last week. “I had no indications whether I was going to be selected and, to be honest, even though I had the second fastest time, it didn’t give me an awful lot of comfort. “Linda was the national champion and would recognise she had to be selected. If you looked at the qualifying criteria, time wasn’t one of those listed so it was really a matter of the waiting game.” In the end, she got the green light with Maria McCambridge, a runner with whom she regularly trains and has virtually swapped places. McCambridge, a former Rathfarnham resident, now resides in Donegal, Jennings’
home county. It brought an extra layer of compassion to the big decision: “I did feel for Maria as I could only imagine how horrendous it was for her. Doing everything you can do to be selected and then miss out. It’s so unusual in Irish athletics. At the end of the day, someone was going to miss out and it was going to be devastating.” Nonetheless, Jennings says she is “counting down the days” as the excitement builds to the biggest sports show on earth. London will represent just her third marathon having originally build her appetite for endurance events in triathlons before linking up with the Marathon Mission group in late 2009 following a national half-marathon victory. They provided a sup-
port structure which has seen Irish marathon standards bounce back in style, filling an Olympic team from just a ‘B’ standard qualifier four years ago. The Dublin marathon was her first target. Somewhat perversely, a nightmare preparation served to show her that qualification was very much within reach “I got injured in the ten weeks before Dublin and couldn’t run at all. I was only allowed to start running again for 30 minutes every second day just two weeks before the marathon so I had very little miles in my legs. “But I really wanted to do it and experience what it was like to run a marathon so the next time it came around, I would have gained the experience. I knew I wasn’t going to be anywhere
near the qualifying time but I wanted to run about 2.43 and I did it. “It was success for me in that, when I got to the line; I knew that I had a really good shout at the qualifying time having run that time with essentially no running training. It left her in great shape in Rotterdam in April this year to get the time required. “Initially, the pace was slower than I thought it would be so, at the 5k mark, I had to make a decision. I felt I needed to push on. Because I started slower than I needed, I was never in a group, always playing catchup with runners going at a slower pace. It was good psychologically to be passing people all the way.” And it proved enough to earn a once in a lifetime ticket to London.
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 29
DublinGazetteNewspapers 2012 DUBLIN SPORTS AWARDS - JULY NOMINEES
FastSport
# STARof the MONTH
DAVID FLYNN
NICOLE OWENS
FINN LYNCH
COOLMINE athlete David Flynn claimed the national senior steeplechase title, the first time a Clonliffe man has won the event in over 40 years
THE St Sylvester’s forward struck a hat-trick of goals for Dublin in their All-Ireland Aisling McGing final win over Kerry
THE National Yacht Club member took silver at the world youth sailing championships in the laser radial, Ireland’s best-ever result
Youth gets its head for Ireland’s Serbia date
# TEAMof the MONTH
FINGAL RAVENS
GERRY AND ROB MORAN
LUCAN CAMOGIE
AFTER a winless first four months to the season, the Rolestown club bounced back with four successive AFL1 wins in July
THE duo beat over 500 competitors to win Castle GC’s annual Father and Son All-Ireland event on home turf this month
LUCAN’S U-14 community games claimed Leinster laurels for a third successive year with a brilliant win over Thomastown
Croker’s new funzone: Davin Stand initiative unveiled last weekend CLONDALKIN youngsters, Ryan Gillane, age five,
left, and Dean Murray, age seven, were among the first to enjoy the GAA Croke Park Family Funzone at Croke Park last Sunday before witnessing Dublin’s 2-13 to 1-13 Leinster final win over Meath. The funzone took over the entire Davin Stand car park from 12-3.30pm on the same day that the Dublin and Meath heroes of 1991 were guests of honour at Croke Park. The funzone, which is to become a permanent installation at Croke Park for the remainder of the football and hurling championship campaigns, will include the Leinster Council’s inflatable playing pitch and other interactive games and activities for young players.
GIOVANNI Trapattoni named six local footballers in his 23-man squad to face Serbia in an international friendly on August 15 in Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia. St Joseph’s Boy’s graduate Andy Keogh, now with Millwall, was among a number of players recalled as the deck was shuffled to allow some of the more senior members of the Irish panel rest in the wake of the European championships. Former Clonkeen College man Darren O’Dea, though, will hope to use the tie against Serbia as an opportunity to impress as he seeks a new club for the 2012-13 season. Portmarnock’s Stephen Ward retains his place in the panel as does Paul McShane – another from the Joey’s alumni – and Clondalkin man Glenn Whelan while Darren Randolph returns to the panel to take one of the goalkeeping slots as Shay Given takes a break. Making the announcement at the FAI’s agm Festival of Football in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, manager Trappatoni said: “This friendly offers us a great opportunity to try out younger players ahead of our World Cup qualifying campaign. “As a result, I have decided to leave some of our senior players out of the squad for this fixture. Serbia are a very good team with a great football heritage, and will provide us with a great test before our game against Kazakhstan in September. “I am looking forward to working with each of these players next month. As we prepare for a new journey for this team, it is important that we remember our last campaign as we build for a brighter future.” Former Leicester Celtic man Damien Duff is one a string of experienced players left out of the panel with Given, Robbie Keane, and Richard Dunne, with 420 caps between them, not required for the Serbia tie.
30 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 26 July 2012
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
CYCLING: STRONG SHOWING YIELDS 12TH FOR NICOLAS ROCHE
Dublin U-18s girls are through to All-Ireland THE Dublin U-18s girls produced a stunning 7-10 to 5-8 win over Cork in their All-Ireland semi-final and will now play Tyrone in the final on the August bank holiday weekend. The game has been confirmed to take place in Birr, Offaly on August 6 at 4.30pm and will be shown live on TG4. Ballyboden St Enda’s Maria Mc Grath, Claire King and Aoife O’Brein were among those in the panel along with Kilmacud Crokes’ Molly Lamb. Elsewhere, Kilmacud Crokes’ Rory O’Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Cian O’Sullivan and Craig Dias all took home Leinster Championship winning medals on Sunday after Dublin saw off provincial rivals, Meath, in a hard fought 2-13 to 1-13 win. O’Carroll, O’Sullivan and Nolan played the full 70 minutes of the game, particularly shining in the last ten minutes of the match when the Dubs were put under a lot of pressure by the Meath outfit who poured themselves toward the opposition goal in an effort to get the scores level. Craig Dias made an appearance with ten minutes to go in the place of Paul Flynn and he too dealt with the Meath onslaught very well. Dave Byrne of Naomh Olaf along with Ross McGowan, Shane Cunnigham, Dave Campbell and Conor Ferris of Kilmacud Crokes and Robbie Gaughan and Donal Gormley were all members of the Dublin minor panel that secured the Leinster title last Sunday. Gaughan and Cunningham helped the onesided victory by notching a point each to add to the Dub’s amazing final score. Cormac Costello of Whitehall Colmcille’s scored a hat trick to help the minors to victory, but on the day Dublin bossed the possession and the scores, with the score line finishing at an amazing 3-17 to 1-11. The minor side will now go on to face Monaghan in the quarter final of the All-Ireland, while the seniors must wait for the qualification fixtures to finish before they will know who they face in All-Ireland quarter-final action. The two wins on Sunday made for a treble in the space of a week for Dublin panels against Meath in Leinster competitions with the ladies claiming their respective title the week before, a feat that is sure to live long in the memories of Dublin and Meath fans alike.
A brave effort almost yielded vital seconds for Nicolas Roche last Friday on the 18th stage of the Tour de France
Roche close to top ten finish sport@gazettegroup.com
NICOLAS Roche was forced to settle for 12th place overall in the Tour de France last Sunday af ter another strong showing in the world’s biggest cycling race. The Meadowbrook man had flirted with the top ten for the duration of the three-week marathon but he was eventually edged out in the last few stages after losing time in the Pyrenees. His subsequent 77th place finish in last Saturday’s time trial extinguished all hope of making a single figure
finish. A day earlier, however, he did shake off the shackles and pursue his preferred, aggressive tactics of going for a stage win rather than protecting his position. Indeed, he came close to claiming Friday’s 18th stage only to see his impudent late attack snuffed out by a rocket powered sprint from world champion Mark Cavendish. Roche made his move on the final ascent about 10km from the end of the stage into Brive la Gaillarde as part of a 16-man group. That group was whit-
tled away but, cresting the final climb, he had just Alexandre Vinokourov, Nick Nuyens and Luca Paolini for company. With his position threatening the top ten riders, the peloton was never likely to let him go completely free and the likes of Germany’s Andreas Kloden and Luis Leon Sanchez set off to reel in his advantage. Both bridged the gap with a little over five kilometres to go but the effect of their chase was to add to the pace of the main bunch who sniffed an opportunity to make
it a stage for the sprinters. Roche was the only man with the power to resist their urges for the most part with only Sanchez keeping him in check. Eventual Tour winner Bradley Wiggins, though, was leading the big chase as he led out his Sky team mate Cavendish as the pace picked up to a crescendo. For Roche, it was just too hot to handle and he ended up being caught a mere 150m from the finish line as Cavendish whipped out from the back of the leading pair
with a brilliant move to slip-stream his way to the stage win. With the train engulfing the leaders, Roche clung on for fifth place with an incredibly brave ride but could not make any dent in the rankings. With the ride down the Champs Elysee seeing no further changes in classification, it left Roche with his best ever finish in the Tour, outdoing his 13th place finish in 2010. Next on the agenda is the Olympic Games in London where he will take part in the road race.
Monkstown hosts Battle of Big Hitters sport@gazettegroup.com
THIS Friday, a Leinster rugby side will take on an Ireland cricket eleven in a Charity 20-20 cricket match in Pembroke Cricket Club (Monkstown FC), Sandymount, 4 with proceeds set to go to Spinal Injuries Ireland. This inaugural mid summer festival is a major event in the fund-raising calendar of Spinal Injuries Ireland. The initiative which is fully endorsed and supported by both cricket Ireland and Leinster Rugby is aimed at encouraging children in the Lein-
ster community to get healthy, get active, to get outdoors and play cricket and rugby. Spinal Injuries Ireland aims to use this event to raise funds for the charity whilst simultaneously showcasing and promoting the development of cricket and rugby for children throughout Leinster. Commenting on the event, Phillip Quinlan, chief fundraiser for Spinal Injuries Ireland said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have the support of both Leinster Rugby and Cricket Ireland for this unique sporting event. The monies raised from
the event will go towards building a transitional living unit for patients who have no suitable accommodation to go to on discharge from the National Rehabilitation Hospital. So this is a vital and much needed fundraiser for us.” The main event will see Leinster rugby take on Ireland’s cricket team – with both teams fielding their senior players. Leinster Rugby are bringing the Heineken Cup, while their development officers together with key players will be showing everyone why they are the kings
of Europe with master classes of place kicking, tackling and passing. If cricket is your thing, Cricket Ireland will be on hand for master classes of bowling, fielding and batting. With bouncy castles, facepainting, entertainment, masterclasses, and of course the opportunity to witness this unique sporting event, the Battle of the Big Hitters is sure to be the ultimate day out for any family. Tickets for families are available for €30, adults cost €15 and children get in for €5.
26 July 2012 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 31
HURLING: HOGAN HAILS STAR MAN’S INFLUENCE
CLUB NOTICEBOARD BALLINTEER ST JOHN’S THERE was no winner of Thursday,
Spread the word to your friends,
June 12 lotto draw of €1,200. Next
family and neighbours. Sing-a-long
week’s draw will be for €1,400. Tickets
in the bar on Tuesdays, singers and
are available online at www.ballint-
musicians welcome.
eerstjohns.com. Wednesday night, a great night of traditional music, no cover charge. Why not come up and join in or enjoy a night of music and craic?
Great win for senior hurlers in the league against Faugh’s during the week. Sympathies to the Reynolds family on the passing on Norry’s nephew Dean.
NAOMH OLAF CONGRATULATIONS to Olaf’s David
Ballyboden St Enda’s Dave Sweeney will emigate to Australia after a glittering spell with club and county
Massive wins send Sweeney off in style I PETER CARROLL sport@gazettegroup.com
TWO massive back-toback wins for Ballyboden St Enda’s showed that the five time senior championship winners are still very much a force despite an early exit in their defence of the title this year. M a t h e m a t i c a l l y, Boden could still claim a spot in the league final, but according to manager Liam Hogan, the league is not the title that his side were out to get this season. “ R e a l i s t i c a l l y, we want to win the championship, ever y side wants to win the championship and the league is really used these days to give young players a chance in the line up. “We’ve had to play league ties without 11of our players that are involved with intercounty duties, so really, it’s very hard to put a real effort into winning the title when the team
is constantly changing. “The league is really out of our hands now, but we’ve brought through some great young talent like Gavin Corrigan and Cathal Bergin, who hasn’t put a foot wrong since he’s come in. “Donal Butler is another player who has stood up to be counted, he came on against Crumlin and he was absolutely superb, I’m very optimistic looking forward to next season,” said Hogan. After a 7-12 to 0-11 demolition of Crumlin, Ballyboden struck up an amazing tally last Saturday again, seeing off St Vincent’s, 10-26 to 5-10. A time to celebrate such an amazing wins perhaps, but for the Ballyboden faithful, it was one of nostalgia and heavy heartedness as former Dublin hurler, David Sweeney played out his last games for the club for the moment.
“Dave has decided to move to Australia for four years, but, knowing him, he’ll still be fit enough to play when he gets back. “He’s been an amazing ambassador for the club, like Stephen Perkins before him; they’re two bosses around here and they’ve done us very proud. “Before I arrived here, he was already a household name and one of the shining lights of Dublin hurling and he was amazing during the last five championship winning seasons. “One of the best ground strikers of the ball I have ever seen, he was showing versatil-
ity right up to his last game. “He’s played in the forward lines and we moved him back to corner back while we gave some of the young lads a chance. “For the last three games of the league campaign he played at centre back and his dominant performances led to confidence in the forward lines to the extent that they’ve scored 21 goals in the last three games. “Dave will probably be remembered as the greatest player to come from the club, and the door is always open if he ever considered a comeback,” said Hogan.
on the wrong side of the scoreline.
Byrne who captained the Dublin minors
There were a lot of positives includ-
in a decisive win over Meath on Sunday
ing the introduction of some new young
in the Leinster final with a final score,
talent. The intermediate hurlers were
Dublin 3-17 to Meath 1-11, a gap of 12
away to St Sylvester’s midweek and,
points.
despite being six points in arrears at
This decisive win augurs well for
the interval, dug in for the second half
David’s team who will next face beaten
and came away with a share of the
Ulster finalists Monaghan in the quar-
points on a score of Olaf’s 1-13 to 0-16
ter-final.
for Sylvester’s.
It was a mixed week for adult hurling
Olaf’s again put up a very spirited
with the intermediate team securing
performance to win by 2-10 t0 1-10 at
a valuable three league points but the
home to St Jude’s on Saturday. There is
juniors losing out on two occasions.
a break now in competitive hurling until
The junior hurlers were narrowly beaten away to Civil Service midweek
mid-August when leagues and championship resume.
and, despite putting up an excellent
Lotto numbers were 2, 18 and 30.
performance against Skerries Harps,
There was no jackpot winner; the jack-
on Sunday morning came out in the end
pot is now €1,800
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S WELL done to Claire King, Maria McGrath
hurlers won over Na Fianna.
and Aoife O’Brien on helping the Dublin
The annual golf classic is on Friday,
footballers to a great win over Cork in
September 14 in Edmondstown Golf
the minor All-Ireland semi final.
club.
The senior A hurlers gave David
Teams of four include dinner and
Sweeney a rousing send-off on his final
prizes of €400. Green sponsorship
game for the club – for the time being –
(exclusive) is €250. Tee sponsorship is
with a good win over St Vincent’s. The
(including entry to the draw for two All-
game completes the team’s league pro-
Ireland premium tickets and chauffeur
gramme. The game was sponsored by
to and from Croke Park) is €100. Enquir-
John Miller (medals and trophies).
ies to Liam Deane 087 6471121 or e-mail
The senior B hurlers draw with Kilmacud Crokes; the junior A hurlers were beaten by Fingallians and the junior C
Ldeane2@eircom.net. Next Saturday’s walk is the Circuit of Kilbride. See website for more.
WANDERERS THERE was no lotto winner this week.
urday, August 18; 11am-12noon for all
€25 to Debbie Kirwan, Lily Mangan, Mary
ages, and each Wednesday from 6.30pm
Morrissey, Fiona Fletcher. The jackpot
to 7.30pm for ages six and up at Frank
next week is €4,100.
Kelly Park. All welcome. Contact Niall for
New 400-member quarterly draw
details on 086 8857303.
tickets with great prizes now on sale.
Thanks to Brendan Heavey for
Each draw is limited to 400 entrants,
arranging and all who attended another
with large cash prizes. Each draw is €5
enjoyable golf outing last Friday.
per ticket, or €20 for the year. Congrats to our winners from the
The membership deadline has now passed.
first draw: first prize - Bren Murrahy,
Playing members €100; non-playing
second prize - Jim O’Neill, third prize
members €50. No player is eligible to
- John Cardiff, fourth prize - Lynn and
play unless fully paid up.
Aileen, fifth prize - John Connon, sixth
Non-playing members are entitled to
prize - Alison Thompson, seventh prize
apply for Dublin tickets if fully paid up
- Deborah Heavey. Contact Tony on 087
only. Contact Damian on 086 8632565.
1259722 or any committee member for more details. Juvenile training will resume on Sat-
Ladies training each Monday and Wednesday at 7.20pm in Frank Kelly Park. Contact Ian on 087 6307046.
ALL OF YOUR DUNDRUM SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31
THE SWEENEY: Boden club hero signs off in style for senior hurlers P31
MARATHON MISSION: Jennings looking forward to London Olympic Games P29
GazetteSPORT
Ballinteer man Scott Evans drew one of the toughest opponents in the Olympic badminton first round draw
JULY 26, 2012
Evans hoping for Olympic magic Badminton’s Scott Evans goes into his second Games hoping to learn the lessons of 2008 after tough year dundrumsport@gazettegroup.com
HAVING been paired against an opponent whom many have suggested is the greatest of all time, Ballinteer’s Scott Evans is hoping for a bit of magic when he meets Lin Dan on the opening day of the Olympic Games in London. The draw could scarcely have been tougher for Evans, world ranked number 76. World number one Lin, although seeded second to Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei for the tournament, has the track record to intimidate many in the game. Evans, though, has enlisted some fascinating members to his backroom team to aid his hopes at the Games. Among them is famed magician and mentalist Keith Barry who has been helping the former Wesley College student with the psychological aspects of his game. Speaking about the eye-catching appointment, he said this week it has been an invaluable source of confidence: “Despite my initial
fears of the unknown, Keith has really got me mentally prepared and focused like never before to gain a podium spot in London. “Now feeling fit, fresh and concentrated, and with the Olympics less than a couple of weeks away, my routine has changed again in the last fortnight or so to focus more on playing badminton, which is what I will have to do in London after all.” Ireland’s first ever badminton Olympians, Evans is hoping to improve on his performance in Beijing in 2008 when he fell to Marc Zweibler. After a tempestuous 2011, he feels he has learned from four years ago to make a bigger impact this time around. “This time, I didn’t have as many tournaments; I didn’t play as well; and even almost got banned from the sport. But I managed to scrape through to London. Over the past couple of months I’ve changed my whole training regime and even my whole attitude in order to be as well prepared as possible for these Olym-
pics. “I’ve been building up my strength, conditioning and fitness levels for the past few months and I can really feel the benefit now.” He is one of the first Irish athletes to get into action, playing on Monday at 8.30am, as part of a sizeable local contingent. Nicolas Roche, who grew up in the Meadowbrook estate in Dundrum, will also be in action on the Saturday as he swaps the Tour de France for the Olympic road race. Rathfarnham woman Annalise Murphy begins her pursuit for a medal in the Laser Radial class of sailing with preliminary races starting in Weymouth on Monday. In athletics, the locality offers a wealth of entrants with Dundrum South Dublin enjoying one of the largest single club entries of the Games as Linda Byrne, Ava Hutchinson (marathon), Claire Bergin (4x400m relay) and Deirdre Ryan are all in action while Caitriona Jennings from Rathfarnham AC also in the marathon.