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Aug 27 - Sept 2, 2015
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INSIDE: Presenter and fashionista Lisa Fitzpatrick talks us through a typical day in her busy life P11
fringe: Don’t hang about – make plans about what to see at exciting festival P17
Paws for thought: Helping to mark a business’s 30th Hockey:
History made by local players at European level Page 32
CARRIE Fagin and her pooch pal, Shaggy, helped Devines Hardware, Car Accessories and Locksmiths celebrate their 30th birthday in Rathfarnham recently. The longestablished business on the Harolds Grange Road laid on lots of activities to help mark the milestone event, with Carrie and Shaggy coming along to check out a dog show – just one of the fun ways that Devines and the community celebrated, with a raffle, prizes and more on offer throughout the day. See Gallery next week
Hurling:
Ballinteer face Lucan in critical SHC tie Page 31
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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28
Woman confronts two burglars in garden Kilternan local shocked to find an attempted break-in as she sat in garden
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A KILTERNAN woman faced down two burglars at her home last week and ran them out of her garden after an attempted breakin while she was home
alone. Aileen Eglington, who is chair of the Kilternan’s Residents’ Association, was sunbathing in a secluded part of her garden when she realised two men were attempting to break into
her home. She told The Gazette: “I can’t describe the feeling when you suddenly realise that there is someone in your garden. I froze in my seat for a minute and then I got up and walked
around the side. There were two guys down the side of my house in front of me.” Eglington called the Gardai, but both men escaped on foot. Full Story on Page 4
2 DUNDRUM Gazette 27 August 2015
stepaside Local anger as crime rates show a continued rise
Renewed calls to reopen station aisling kennedy
AS CRIME rates peak at an all-time high in Stepaside, local residents and business owners are this week renewing their appeal to reopen Stepaside Garda Station. As reported in The G a z e t t e t h i s we e k , local resident Aileen Eglington experienced her second burglar y in one year, and other nearby neighbours are also being subjected to increased burglary attempts following the closure of the local Garda station in March 2013.
Des Kennedy, post master at the local post office and owner of Centra in Stepaside, told The Gazette that petty crime is a frequent occurrence at his shop, and he said that he has noticed a sizeable rise in crime, particularly within the past 12 months. He said: “Stepaside covers a vast area, which includes Glencullen, Kilternan, Leopardstown, Sandyford, Carrickmines, and other areas. We think that the closure of the station was a bad mistake, because the area is not adjacent to any other
police station. “Dundrum is our nearest station but it already has a huge demand on it. A new station is badly needed.”
Rose by 72% In June this year, new crime figures released showed that burglaries in the Dundrum area have risen by more than 72% in the past year. In the first quarter of 2014, Dundrum logged 183 burglaries, which had risen to 315 for the first quarter of this year. Car thefts also rose, from 25 incidents to 38 in the past year – an
increase of 52%. Ta l k i n g t o T h e Gazette, Deputy Shane Ross (Ind) said that he intends to make the lack of a Garda station in Stepaside a major issue in the upcoming general election. He said: “Residents of the Stepaside area have been under siege from burglaries ever since the Garda station closed. We will not be fobbed off with vague, long-term promises of a super-station somewhere in the area. Stepaside needs a permanent Garda presence now. “The closure of stations nationwide was wrong. It made various areas of Ireland open season to criminals. The campaign to reopen Stepaside Garda Station will be stepped up in the coming months.” Cllr Lettie McCarthy (Lab) added: “I will remain of the view that closing Stepaside
Stepaside Garda Station, which was closed in March 2013, despite the local community’s objections. Picture: Google Maps
Garda Station was ill-conceived. Even if there was an intention to build a super-station in the area, Stepaside should have remained functional until plans were progressed.”
Resources In response to calls for the local station to be reopened, a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said: “Local Garda management closely monitors
the allocation of all resources in the context of crime trends, policing needs and other operational strategies in place in the Dundrum Garda District. “Senior Garda management is satisfied that a comprehensive policing service continues to be delivered, and that current structures in place meet the requirement to deliver an effective and efficient policing service to the com-
munity. This situation is kept under review. “Since the closure of Stepaside Garda Station, two Garda clinics are open to the public, once weekly, for two hours at Glencullen and Lamb’s Cross Sandyford. “In addition, local management have directed high-visibility patrolling in the vicinity of Stepaside village following the station closure.”
Clubs: apply now for rates exemption aisling kennedy
ALL SPORTS clubs across the Dun Laoghaire area should note that the deadline to apply for a partial commercial rate exemption is looming. The partial exemption applies to clubs where buildings or par t of buildings are occupied and are used exclusively for community sport on a not-for-profit basis. T h e Va l u a t i o n
(Amendment) Act 2015, which introduced a new provision to the Valuation Act 2001, gave rise to this partial exemption. Under the Valuation Act 2001, the entire premises occupied by a sports club registered under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 was liable for commercial rates, according to the Valuation Office. The amendment changes this by confining
Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers
the liability for commercial rates to those parts of the club premises used by the club for the generation of income. Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF) told The Gazette that he would like to see as many clubs avail of this exemption as possible. He said: “These changes were only enacted earlier this summer so I am reminding all community sports clubs across the county to avail of it before the deadline closes. “Sporting clubs that operate on a not for profit basis will continue to be exempt from rates and do not need to make an application; how-
ever, it should be noted that buildings or part of buildings used for or in conjunction with the sale or consumption of alcohol or food, retail use or hire to non-community organisations will remain liable for regular commercial rates.” Any club hoping to avail of the commercial rate exemption must apply to the Valuation Office by completing a form, which is available for download at www. valoff.ie. For further information on these changes, clubs should contact the Valuation Office by telephoning 01 817 1033, or by emailing valuationservices@valoff.ie.
27 August 2015 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 3
DON’SDUBLIN Dublin native Elizabeth Bowen turns tragedy into literary gems ELIZABETH Bowen was born on June 7, 1899 at 15 Herbert Place, Dublin and baptised in nearby St Stephen’s Church, Upper Mount Street (the Pepper Canister) shortly afterwards. The family owned a big house, Bowen’s Court, in Faraghy, near Kildorrey, Co Cork where she spent her early summers. However, when her father, Henry Cole Bowen, suffered a mental illness in 1907, she and her mother moved to Hythe, Kent. Years later, Bowen would return here before her death on February 22, 1973. Her mother Florence died when Bowen was only 12 and she was brought up by various aunts in Ireland and England. This rootlessness gave her a feeling of not belonging and sharpened her observations on life. These themes pervade her writings, as do life in the Big House during the turbulent times following the creation of the Irish Free State. Many such houses were burnt to the ground, but Bowen’s Court survived and she inherited the property in 1930. She often visited the court and spent a lot of money maintaining it, but in 1959 she was forced to sell it. In London, she knew members of the Bloomsbury Group and one of them helped in getting Bowen’s first book, Encounters, published in 1923. She wrote 10 novels, 13 collections of short stories and numerous works of non-fiction. The Last September is the book she felt closest to and deals with the tensions of the early 1920s for the Anglo-Irish community. As a member, she wrote with an insider’s view, giving the story a reality. During World War II she worked for the Ministry of Information and her book The Heat of the Day (1948) is considered by many commentators to be one of the most evocative observations of life during the Blitz. And, in the same year, her literary work was recognised when she was awarded a CBE. After she died in London, her body was brought home and she was buried in Faraghy churchyard, close to her beloved Bowen’s Court.
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
Elizabeth Bowen (inset) was born at 15 Herbert Place in 1899 and was buried in Faraghy churchyard, in Co Cork
DUNDRUM Interactive experiences focus on the sport
A roadshow celebration of rugby AISLING KENNEDY
THE Canterbury Ultimate Rugby Roadshow visits Dundrum this month and the game’s enthusiasts will be able to take part in rugby challenges and experiences to find out what it’s really like to be a professional player. There will also be a
chance to win a one-toone training session with Canterbury ambassador and England star, Sam Burgess, as part of the Canterbury speed test. The roadshow is touring Ireland and England to find the quickest rugby fan. It also gives fans a chance to walk in the
footsteps of elite athletes. A range of interactive experiences includes the creation of two different changing room areas, to take fans on a journey from the sports’ grassroots to the experiences of the professional player. Canterbury chief executive Chris Stephenson said: “We’re proud to be
telling our story to rugby fans across the country and are delighted to be able to reward them with this innovative experience. “Players and supporters show their commitment to the game on a daily basis and we wanted to display that dedication in a way that includes the people at
the heart of these stories.” The Ultimate Rugby Roadshow takes to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, August 29 before the Ireland v Wales match. It then moves to Dundrum, where it will be located in the county council car parkat Sandyford Road on Sunday, August 30.
4 DUNDRUM Gazette 27 August 2015
crime Kilternan woman shocked to find men breaking in
Burglars faced down in garden aisling kennedy
A KILTERNAN woman last week faced down two burglars at her home and ran them out of her garden after an attempted break-in while she was home alone. Aileen Eglington, who runs her own business, AE Consulting, and is chair of the Kilternan Residents’ Association, found herself in the scary situation of witnessing two men breaking into her home while she was sunbathing in her back garden. It is the second time Aileen’s home has been burgled in the past year after
a group of men broke into her home last summer and ransacked her house. Eglington spoke to The Gazette about her horror when she realised two men were breaking into her house. “I was sitting in my back garden ... behind a load of lilies so nobody could see me in this particular part of the garden. I was listening to the radio when I heard a noise. It suddenly dawned on me that the noise was my side gate opening.” She has two large double gates at the side of her house that are more than 2m tall but, crucially, the
gates can only be opened from inside the garden. “In that split second, I said: ‘Oh my God – there’s burglars in my garden!’ They had climbed over the gates at the side of my house and they had opened [them]. “There’s a huge big bolt on the gates and I’m not actually able to open the bolt on the gates, my husband, Paul, always has to do it. “I can’t describe the feeling when you suddenly realise that there is someone in your garden. I froze in my seat for a minute, and then I got up and walked around the
side. “There were two guys down the side of the house in front of me. They were only about 6ft away from me so I screamed like a maniac at them and I ran after them. I didn’t think straight, I just ran after them. I was literally screaming my heart out.” Kilternan resident Aileen Eglington faced down two burglars at her home and ran
Jumped
them out of her garden after an attempted break-in while she was home alone
The pair of burglars ran away from her house and up the Enniskerry Road, where they jumped over the wall into the Blue Church, and then ran out the back of it. Eglington added: “I’d say the two guys were in their late teens to early 20s, and one was very distinctive because he had a royal blue top and trousers on him. I thought that was unusual, because most guys wouldn’t wear matching colours like that.” She called the gardai, who arrived at her house within five minutes, and they immediately started to look for the two men,
but to no avail. T he first burglar y involved a group of men who broke down the front door while her husband, Paul, was in the back garden cutting the grass. They ransacked the couple’s bedroom. “They took my husband’s watch, all of my gold jewellery and the thing that saddened me the most was they took two little boxes which I kept in the wardrobe that contained my mother’s and my aunt’s jewellery. They have both since passed away. “They knew exactly what they were looking
Hardware store marks 30 years aisling kennedy
Devine’s Hardware store in Rathfarnham celebrated 30 years in business last weekend and held a host of in-store competitions and events to mark the day. The family run business, which was opened in 1985, is run by Seamus and Catherine Devine and their children Angela and John. Steven O’Connor is the honorary member of the family having worked at the store with the Devine’s for years.
Angela Devine told the Gazette that the 30 year celebration was a great success and said: “There was a great turnout on the day with well over 50 people attending. We had a fun dog show, a photo booth, a bad joke contest, a barbecue, refreshments, and goody bags for everyone.” She added: “My dad has worked really hard over the last 30 years to keep the business going and we all try to help him. We’re very proud of our shop.”
for, and they upended our whole bedroom in the process.” Eglington said increased crime rates in Kilternan since the closure of Stepaside Garda Station in March, 2013 mean she is worried for the safety of those living
in the semi-rural area. She said: “All I could think of that day was that I’m strong and tough, and I just ran after them without thinking. But there’s an awful lot of very vulnerable people living around here and we need to protect them.”
27 August 2015 DUNDRUM Gazette 5
media Donnelly to focus on Ethiopia
business: kevin kelly, taxassist accountants, to lead dlr group
Chamber names its new president aisling kennedy
KEVIN Kelly was announced as the new president of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Chamber recently, and as part of his new role he intends to increase the amount of networking between local businesses. Kelly is the owner of TaxAssist Accountants in Dun Laoghaire, which is a network of accountancy and tax advice shops for small businesses and taxpayers. He was previously the vice-president of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Chamber. Kelly took over the reigns from Dr Josephine Browne, of the Institute
of Art, Design and Technology, who has moved on from her chamber position after a two-year term. Pat Neill, of Dundrum Town Centre, has been elected as vice-president. Kelly joined the chamber when he started his own business in 2011, and he has played a pivotal role in the chamber ever since. He is involved with several committees, and last year was part of a large drive led by Dr Browne to restructure the chamber. Kelly believes that the business community across Dun LaoghaireRathdown wants to see the area being the best place in the country to work and live, and he said
that he is looking forward to promoting this ethos. He said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role and look forward to the challenge. The chamber will concentrate on supporting its members and promoting corporate social responsibility, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and business development. “I believe that we need to increase the opportunities the chamber provides for local businesses to network with each other.” For more information on the Dun LaoghaireRathdown Chamber, see www.dlrchamber.ie, or contact Kevin Kelly at TaxAssist Accountants at 01 901 0457.
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Something to call home about: At the finish line of Vodafone’s triathlon event ANNE O’Leary, Vodafone chief executive and Dundrum man David
Gillick, Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon ambassador, were delighted to be at the finish line of the run stage of the Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon 2015 recently. Participants from all across Dublin and beyond faced an intense physical and mental challenge as they swam, cycled and ran the stages of the triathlon, with the finish line at the Phoenix Park providing a welcome end to the challenging but rewarding course. Picture: David Maher/Sportsfile
CLLR Deirdre Donnelly (Ind) is among 10 journalists from Dublin to receive funding from the Simon Cumbers Media Fund to report on a topic of her choice to promote better quality media coverage of development issues in the Irish media. She will receive funding to travel to Ethiopia, where she will focus on how the Irish and international business world is contributing to the move from aid to trade in the African nation. Cllr Donnelly’s project will also explore how sustainability and selfsufficiency are the way forward and the best way to create employment and a future. Her work will be broadcast on Newstalk.
6 DUNDRUM Gazette 27 August 2015
theatre Stillorgan woman’s first play to star five actors
Local’s Beasts almost ready to roam at The Mill aisling kennedy
A YOUNG playwright from Stillorgan will soon have her first play brought to life in The Mill Theatre in Dundrum. Laura Murphy (25), who recently finished a masters degree in drama and performance study at UCD, wrote her first play – called Beasts – as part of a class she took in the college.
Mu r p hy t o l d T h e Gazette that the play began as a 20-minute piece for an assignment she was writing for the stage class and it grew from there. She said: “I hadn’t really done much writing before I took the writing for the stage class. I had done some blogging and short stories, but this was my first attempt at writing for stage. “We had our work
read out in class by actors, and I remember I felt completely out of my depth. But a girl called Colette Cullen, who was also in my class, said she thought it was brilliant and said that she’d love to direct it. “I thought she was being nice because the play was really different in comparison to all the other works that were read out in the class, but I didn’t really think any-
thing would come of it. “It turns out that she wasn’t just being nice, and she actually is directing the play now.” Beasts is a five-actor piece based around characters Eleanor and Jim, and their unusual family. The play shows how the family tackle their daily dramas. Belle is the superior one – or so she thinks – while Boone is the family clown and Filly is a neurotic. The comedy/drama is succinctly described by Murphy: “The humour and comedy in the play come from the structure and the hierarchy of the characters or, rather, how the characters perceive that structure to be.” Mur phy said that while the play has a combination of comedy and drama, it also has a lot of action and physical comedy as well. “The play ends up being really energetic and enter taining to watch, and after every run-through the actors are always absolutely wrecked!”
Laura Murphy’s first play, Beasts, will play out at The Mill Theatre in September
Murphy is looking forward to seeing the play on stage, and said: “It’s brilliant to watch in rehearsals. I’m excited to hear what people think because when I write I don’t really think about other people reading or watching my plays. “It’s only really my boyfriend that reads my work, so to actually see something that I’ve written, to have a direc-
tor take an interest in it, and to have actors actually want to perform the parts is an amazing feeling. “It’s great to see the play come together because all the actors bring a little piece of themselves into the characters, and they become much more complex and 3D, and everybody who works on it brings a little bit of themselves so
it starts to take on a life of its own.” Beasts will be performed in The Mill Theatre, Dundrum, from September 24 to 25 and then travels to the Mill Bank Theatre in Rush, where it runs from October 9 to 10. Tickets are available from the Mill at www. milltheatre.ie, and from www.homeyougoproductions.com.
Sandyford Men’s Shed launched aisling kennedy
THE Sandyford Men’s Shed was officially launched last week at its new premises at the Step Enterprise Building, Carmenhall Road, Sandyford. The Men’s Shed was initially set up in January 2011 by Aidan Carty, with the purpose of supporting men in local communities and to provide them with the opportunity to improve and maintain their health and well-being by participat-
ing in a community group. Alan Mortell, chairman of the Sandyford Men’s Shed, told The Gazette that the launch was a great success, with members of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, An Gardai Siochana and many other local people turning up to show their support. He said: “The Sandyford Men’s Shed is for all men, but we do help men who are isolated and guys who are maybe out of work, retired or have nothing to do and nowhere
to go. “We also help men who suffer from depression. It’s a great outlet to get together with a bunch of other guys to participate in woodwork projects, and other types of projects.” Mortell said that the Sandyford Men’s Shed currently have 15 to 20 members, with new members joining all the time. For information on how to get involved, email sandyfordmensshed@gmail.com.
27 August 2015 DUNDRUM Gazette 7
charity Rechristened 2006 Honda CRV makes an international fundraising trip
Friends ride ‘the 46A’ all the way to Mongolia aisling kennedy
FIVE friends who met in Wesley College, Ballinteer, have successfully reached Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia after travelling through 20 countries, three deser ts and two seas in aid of the Go Help, and Make A Wish charities. Jordan Sutton, Jonathan Lewis, Jack Perdue, Shane O’Rourke and Ben Chad-
wick devised an idea to travel to Mongolia in a blue and yellow 2006 Honda CRV which they bought after working for a year to save the money. They named the Honda ‘The 46A’ and set off on a 28,000km trip, during which they stayed in Soviet-era hotels, bribed border guards with cigarettes, and attempted to find the “only ATM in Turkmenistan”.
Writing on their blog, 46A to Mongolia, the five men said that the idea arose from their desire to raise money for Go Help, which aims to improve the access to health and education in rural areas of Mongolia, and Make a Wish Ireland Foundation. They wrote: “One of our team members has a personal connection to Make a Wish. Jordan’s cousin, Robyn, has lived with Rett
survey: 1,000 americans choose shane durkin, ballyboden st endas
Ireland’s sexiest GAA player is a Dundrum man aisling kennedy
SHANE Durkin, a GAA player at Ballyboden St Endas, was last week named the sexiest GAA player in the country. The Dundrum man was named the sexiest player, thanks to bookmakers Paddy Power, who asked 1,000 American women to rate 645 of the 2015 championship’s hurling and football panellists purely based on their physical attractiveness. Durkin told The Gazette that he had never even heard of the award until he got the call to tell him he had won. He said: “When I heard that I’d won, I was pretty embarrassed, if I was being honest. I thought it was the lads playing a trick on me.” Durkin has endured plenty of slagging from team mates and other Irish sports players since he won, with Leinster rugby player Luke Fitzgerald taking to Twitter to say: “Heard about the award for best looking in the GAA. All the hard
Shane Durkin and his fiancee, Sinead Allen
work really paid off, congrats!” Fitzgerald followed up his comments with emojis of a hair cut, nail polish and lipstick. Durkin is taking it all in good spirit, however, and said: “The lads are giving me plenty of stick. I was actually at my friend’s wedding when it was announced, so they got plenty of mileage out of it!” Aside from the jokes, there is a more serious issue close to Durkin’s heart. He received a cash prize as part of his win, and is donating it to the Cian Durkin Foun-
dation. The foundation was set up by his family a few years ago after Durkin lost his nephew, Cian, to cancer. Durkin said: “The great thing about winning is that I am getting to give the prize money to my nephew’s charity.” For now, Durkin is on holiday with his fiancee, Sinead, who has been enjoying the constant jokes he has had to endure. He said: “Sinead has been joining in the slagging, as have my family! But I know they’re all secretly proud.”
syndrome all her life. “Retts affects mainly girls and for many, this means they will never walk. Robyn and her family were flown out to Florida by Make a Wish and enjoyed an exciting opportunity for Robyn to swim with dolphins. We hope to raise money and awareness for the work Make a Wish Ireland are doing.” As part of their journey to
Mongolia, the quintet made their way through Europe, Turkey, over the Caspian Sea and through Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, meeting many challenges along the way. Perdue, describing their arrival by ferry in Turkmenistan and the subsequent difficulty in scraping together a $4 parking charge, wrote: “Being absolutely penniless at this stage, we haggled with
the guard, and he settled for one dollar and a pack of smokes. “We’ve come to realise that cigarettes are a valuable currency!” The men will leave their 46A Honda behind as a community vehicle in Mongolia, and are due home soon. For information on how to donate to the men’s chosen charities, visit the 46A to Mongolia Facebook page.
8 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 27 August 2015
GAZETTEGALLERIES
Aveen and Clodagh Ryan
CALLING ALL MINIONS: CHILDREN CREATE THEIR OWN WORKS OF ART
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OUNG Minion fans had a chance to paint their own Minionthemed pottery at Giddy Studios at the Dundrum Town Centre to help celebrate the long-awaited release of the Minions movie. Children had a chance to give their mums and dads time to shop as they decorated their own popcorn/cereal bowl or a dinner plate before they had their mini-Minion treats. It was great fun for all ages.
Molly with mum, Sinead Gleeson
Lisa Fitzpatrick, joint winners Gerry Murphy and Annie O’Brien and Alan Hughes at the final of The Beacon Hotel’s Dare to Be Different competition at Leopardstown Races in Leopardstown
Robert McGuinness
Ella Breen
Amanda Geoghegan helps with the artwork. Pictures: Geraldine Woods Leigh Arnold
Sophie Eves
Sara Defoubert
Lucy Fitzpatrick
27 August 2015 dundrum Gazette 9
leopardstown: DARING TO BE DIFFERENT
You look fabulous! T
HE Beacon Hotel proudly sponsored the Best Dressed at this year’s Leopardstown Races and each week there were over €2,000 in prizes to be won. The finalists from each week were then invited back as VIP guests for the festival finale to compete for the top prize at the Dare to be Different Style Awards, valued at €3,000. The aim of the competition was to find a range of different styles from classic race day looks to the more quirky and alternative
designs. Gerry Murphy and Annie O’Brien won jointly, as judges couldn’t decide between them, so they each won a luxury break in each of the Fitzpatrick lifestyle hotels, The Beacon, The Spencer and The Morgan. Judges included Lisa Fitzpatrick, fashion stylist along with TV presenter Lorraine Keane, actress Leigh Arnold, singer and presenter Michele McGrath, beauty guru Triona McCarthy, Deric Hartigan, TV presenter and journalist Siobhan O’Connor, and Alan Hughes.
Dawn and Bernie Leaden-Bolger
Lydia Adams and Bella a Gogo
Kathryn O’Reilly, Lydia O’Reilly and Leeza McGettigan. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
Xxx yyll xxyyl zxyxzz zz x x
10 GAZETTE 27 August 2015
GAZETTEGALLERY
Elliott, Lottie, Bonnie, Babette and Morah Ryan
Paul Harrington and Joe Harrington
Holly and Shay Byrne
Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins with grandchildren Sadhbh, Cian and Saoirse O’Byrne and (inset) Gay with Marty Whelan and Rory Cowan. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
BORD GAIS THEATRE: OPENING OF BELOVED MUSICAL
Dublin is alive with the Sound of Music
F
ANS of the timeless musical, The Sound of Music, flocked to the opening night of a production of the classic show at The Bord Gais Energy Theatre recently, where many well-known faces were to be seen. With accomplished West End stars joining some other top-notch actors and singers, the cast didn’t have to climb every mountain to reach dizzy heights of perfection. Their masterful story of the Von Trapp family’s escape from Nazis – and of a certain singing nun’s influence – delighted the audience. By the musical’s end, when it was time to say so long, farewell, everyone knew that they had seen something good, indeed.
Jessica Whelan, Maria Whelan and Caoimhe Karla Cosgrave and Holly O Connor
Faughnan
Nuala Carey
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dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
a day in the life: lisa fitzpatrick balances her family and work
what’son
A mum with a mission àisling kennedy
KNOWN for being Ireland’s numberone fashion guru and stylist to the stars, Lisa Fitzpatrick is one of the busiest stylists in showbiz. She presents a fashion slot on Ireland AM on weekdays, appears on TV3’s Xpose regularly, runs her own fashion roadshow and is mother to two young children. She took time out this week to talk to The Gazette about a typical day in her life. “I get up at about 6am every day and I have a routine where I love to have my coffee and a bottle of water first thing in the morning.” Lisa, who is married to Paul Fitzpatrick and is mother to Sophie (12) and Dalton (9), says that her son spoils her every morning and always makes her a coffee to get the day started. “Dalton makes me my coffee every morning and he writes little letters on the coffee tray or puts a fake flower or a flower from the garden on my tray each day. He’s great, and a really thoughtful young man.” Once she has her morning coffee, Lisa gets herself camera ready and heads to the TV3 studios in Ballymount for her fashion segment on Ireland AM. “I usually get to TV3 at about 7am, and I will then sit with my models, check the re-fit of their clothes, then do the Coming Up slot, and then present the slot at 10am.
“After that, I then head into the city centre for meetings at 10.30am. I always go into Clarendon St Church and light three candles, either before the meeting or after the meeting, for whoever is in my thoughts. I never go into the city centre without lighting candles in Clarendon St.” After that, Lisa pulls some looks for Xpose in stores around the city, and then at 1.45pm she leaves the city centre to pick up her children from school. She is usually home by 4pm when she then sits down to have a healthy lunch of either a tuna salad or salmon and brown bread. She then turns her attention towards her children, and begins helping them with their homework. “I usually cook dinner while the kids are doing their homework and then once dinner is finished at about 5pm, I get into mammy mode and prepare lunches for the next day, put washes on and do a bit of ironing. “Then, at about 7pm it’s my time! I catch up on my TV box sets – I’m watching Madame Secretary, and Suits, at the moment.” She is usually pretty tired from the early start, so she is always in bed by 9pm and asleep by 10pm, ready to start the next day again at 6am. Lisa Fitzpatrick is currently relaunching her Fashion Fix roadshow in the Spencer Hotel on September 19. Tickets for the roadshow are available at www.fitzpatrickstyle.com.
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volunteer to help a wheely great event
TV presenter and style guru Lisa Fitzpatrick is kept busy with staying on trend for all the latest fashions, while also juggling her time as a wife and mother
EVENT volunteers are being sought for the Great Dublin Bike Ride, which takes place on Sunday, September 13 in Smithfield. The event is a mass participation bike ride for people of all abilities – from novice riders to experts, and enthusiastic, reliable and safety-conscious volunteers are needed to help direct more than 2,500 cyclists through the course. Volunteers will meet at Smithfield and Swords on Sunday, September 13. They are crucial to event operations, cyclists’ safety and contributing to the atmosphere of the day. Volunteers are currently being recruited for event coordination, team support and cyclist registration. Two scenic routes (60km and 100km) have been designed for the event (subject to change, pending approval of the relevant bodies), with both routes starting and finishing in the heart of Smithfield. The Great Dublin Bike Ride is based on the international sportif model, which promotes cycling and mass participation. You can apply online at www.volunteer.ie.
12 Gazette 27 August 2015
Gazette
dublinlife Festival set to brew up a storm Bac k b y p o p u l a r demand after its inaugural outing last year, The Dublin Coffee and Tea Festival 2015 is set to be another big weekend on the social calendar for coffee and tea lovers nationwide. T he festival takes place once again in the RDS from September 11 to 13, with thousands of visitors expected to taste what the coffee and tea industry in Ireland has to offer. The Dublin Coffee and Tea Festival fea-
tures: The Roasters Village hosting an array of coffee and tea micro roasters; T he SCAE Brew School where visitors will be shown how to use different brewing methods; The National Home Barista Championships as well as The Food Village for Artisan food and beverage suppliers whose products compliments the coffee and tea drinking experience. The Festival has served as a fitting platform to promote the
renowned World Barista Championship which is coming to Dublin in June 2016 for the first time. For further information visit www.dublincoffeefestival.com.
shatter shoots back on story Alan Shatter has hit back at a story that ran last week alleging he charged €12 passport photos to the Irish taxpayer during his tenure as Justice Minister. The former minister says the
claims are “totally false”. The Star reported that Shatter claimed €12 in expenses for passport photos in October 2013 while he was earning a salary of almost €160,000. However in a Facebook post the Dublin South TD torpedoed these allegations. He said the real story was that he undertook ministerial engagements in Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, in 2013 for which inoculations and photos were required for a Lebanese visa. “I was asked to furnish all relevant receipts to the Department of Defence and did so,” he said. This isn’t the first time Shatter has been in the spotlight over photographs. Back in 2007, he circulated a bizarre leaflet with pictures of his head photo-shopped onto a picture of Star Trek’s, Captain Kirk, and Simon Cowell with headlines like Shatter has the X-Factor.
Barnardos seeks volunteers Children’s charity Barnardos is seeking volunteers throughout Dublin to support its national collection day – Buckets for Barnardos – on Friday, September 18. Barnardos is hoping to recruit over 1,000 volunteers to raise funds for its work with vulnerable children and families. Barnardos works with over 11,300 children and families in 40 projects throughout Ireland To volunteer contact Grainne on 1850 217 217 or visit www.barnardos. ie/buckets. If you are unable to volunteer but would like to help you can text BUCKET to 50300 to donate €4.
diary
Model Holly Carpenter at the launch of the Dublin Coffee and Tea Festival 2015
27 August 2015 Gazette 13
FEATURE event: ‘The Festival is packed with lectures, debate, film and walks’
Rising to open Dublin Festival of History Ian Begley
The third annual Dublin Festival of History is set to take place again this year with the question of how 1916 should be commemorated as one of the chief topics. The festival runs from September 25 to October 10 in Printworks Dublin Castle, Dublin City Council public libraries, and various other venues. A panel discussion of commemorations is only one of the topics in the 2015 programme, which will look at some of the greats of history in Napoleon, Caesar and Wellington, as well as the social history of Dublin throughout its sporting and culinary
life. As the centenar y o f t h e 1916 R i s i n g approaches, the Festival will open with a panel of Irish historians reflecting on recent commemorative events, and looking ahead to the plans to mark the centenary of the Rising. The 1916 Rising also features strongly in the programme in the branch libraries with talks on the fire brigade in 1916, the re-development of Richmond Barracks and the labour movement at Easter Week 1916. There’s a focus on women’s history, with talks on the women who took part in the Rising, the lives of the Pearse sisters, and women’s
political participation in Ireland. Speaking at the festival Dublin Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh (SF) said: “The Festival is packed with interesting lectures, debate, film and walks and is a real treat for the history buff. “The programme for the 2015 Festival runs from the 1916 Rising to the Second World War, from the history of soccer in Ireland to medics in the trenches, from the field of Croke Park to the field of Waterloo, and from the streets of Dublin to the streets of Samarkand. “This year for the first time the Festival, run by Dublin City’s public libraries, will include a
How 1916 should be commemorated will be a major topic at the Dublin Festival of History. Picture: Courtesy of Dublin City Library and Archive
family and children’s programme which takes place in Dublin Castle and partner venues and includes a specially commissioned walk, A Child’s view of Dublin Life through the ages.” All lectures and children’s events at the Dublin Festival of History are free and tickets can be booked at www.dublinfestivalofhistory.ie.
Search is on for Silver Surfers Age Action is searching for people over the age of 50 who are getting online and mastering new technologies as part of this year’s Silver Surfers Awards. This year’s awards were launched by Newstalk’s George Hook at an event in DCU accompanied by past winner Marie O’Gorman and new learners Adrienne Swan and Noeleen Brennan. Although as many as 70 per cent of older people don’t use the internet Age Action’s Silver Surfers have overcome the challenge of learning something new and are now expert googlers, skypers and tweeters. Whether it’s keeping in touch with grandchildren overseas, paying bills, starting your own blog or researching your passion, Age Action wants to highlight the achievements of the
over 50s in Ireland and nominations are now open. -----------------------------------
‘I was amazed by all the different contributions to technology’ -----------------------------------
One of last year’s winners, 86-year-old Paddy Crean, said: “I was amazed by all the different contributions to technology from different Silver Surfers, from finding crochet patterns online to writing stories for grandchildren to setting up online book clubs.” Eamon Timmins, chief executive of Age Action, said there were more nominations last year than ever before and they are hoping to top
this in 2015. “The Silver Surfer awards are a great way to show an older relative or friend your appreciation and we’re urging everyone right across Dublin who knows a great silver surfer to nominate them. We hope they will inspire other older people to take the plunge and to get online,” he said. All nominees will be invited to the awards ceremony in October, organised by our partners for this year’s Silver Surfers, the DCU Age Friendly Project. Nominations can be made online at www.ageaction. ie/silversurfer or by phoning 01 475 6989. Closing date for nominations is October 4, 2015. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on October 20 at The Helix Theatre.
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14 Gazette 27 August 2015
dublinlife
award-winning : National Theatre of Great Britain
Thrilling new stage play has plenty of bite Ian Begley
The National Theatre of Great Britain returns to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre this October with the multi awardwinning production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime. Christopher Boon is a 15–year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome (a form of autism) which
leaves him ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion of killing Mrs Shears’ dog, it takes him on a journey that upturns his world. Based on the awardwinning novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliott, T he Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a
thrilling new stage play from the National Theatre. Speaking to The Gazette, director Stephens said that adapting the novel into a play was both daunting and tremendous fun. “Mark Haddon is an extraordinar y writer and it was a real honour to be asked to adapt his novel into a play - it was
both a massive compliment and very daunting at the same time. “Mark was such a brilliant, empowering collaborator. He basically said ‘I trust you’ and to do whatever I wanted with his novel. Because of this I felt more brave and confident about taking upon this massive feat. I took a long time thinking about how to dramatise the novel which is entirely built around the interior voice. “Drama deals with things that people do rather than the things people feel or think about. T he novel is all about what Chris remembers and what he thinks and observers. Finding a dramatic muscle to that was the real challenge.” Stephens went on to say that Christopher’s teacher Siobhan is one of the chief characters in the play despite her playing only a minor part in the book. “The novel pretends
Director Simon Stephens said that adapting the novel into a play was both daunting and tremendous fun. Picture: Alex Rumford
to be a book written by somebody else – Christopher. His teacher is quite a peripheral figure in the novel, but I made his relationship with her the real centre of the play. “I have allowed Siobhan act as the narrator in the play by reading C h r i s t o p h e r ’s b o o k aloud. “When she first picks up his book she finds something very special
in him which she finds astonishing.” He added that he wants the audience to have the same sense of astonishment and curiosity into Christopher’s world as his teacher. “We recognise ourselves in Christopher, but at the same time he’s unlike anything we have ever experienced. “What Mark’s done is that he’s invented a character who doesn’t
h ave e m p a t hy a s a means of exploring how important empathy is because of his condition - he can’t understand people’s feelings.” The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is taking place at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre from October 6 to 10. Tickets are priced from €15 - €55 and can be purchased on www. bordgaisenergytheatre. ie
Simon says please join its upcoming fun run THE Simon Fun Run will hold its 32nd charity run in the Phoenix Park this October. The Simon Fun Run is a professionally timed road race which is registered with Athletics Association Ireland and will see runners such as Olivier Meisonnave from Dax Restaurant and the Hamleys Bear take to the track. The five-mile route is open to
professional and amateur runners alike, with Simon inviting running clubs, school groups, corporate teams, family groups and friends to take part.
Activities There will be a Hamleys’ Kids Zone, Simon Food Court, live music and performers and much more activities on the day.
The run will take place on Saturday, October 3 and the meeting point is the Papal Cross in the park. There is an entrance fee of €30 for adults, €10 for 13-18 year olds, while 12 years and under are free, and school groups can register as a group for €15. To register, see www.familyfun. ie/dublin-simon-fun-run/.
27 August 2015 GAZETTE 15
FEATURES
Ryan Sheridan is set to release his new album, Here and Now , on August 28. Picture: Jelena Lihhatsova
RYAN SHERIDAN: SINGER/SONGWRITER RELEASES ALBUM
‘I’m ecstatic to get back to my native home’
IAN BEGLEY
RYAN Sheridan, the acclaimed singer/songwriter from Monaghan, is set to release his new album in Ireland on August 28 following a much anticipated world tour. His new album Here And Now was recorded in Ireland and Germany, and is the follow up to his Irish platinum selling debut The Day You Live Forever. Featuring the massive hits Jigsaw and The Dreamer, that album was only kept from the top of the Irish charts by Adele’s 21. A brand new single Hearsay is also being released to coincide with
the arrival of Sheridan’s new album. 2012 saw international deals done with Universal Music in Europe and Australia, and The Day You Live Forever climbed to the top of the German charts. Thrilling
Extensive touring soon followed, and Sheridan spent much of 2013 thrilling European audiences with his highoctane live shows. Speaking to The Gazette, Sheridan said he is very excited in the run up to his new album, along with performing in Dublin. “After my first album in 2011 I’ve been touring around the world for
a total of four years and now I’m very pleased to be back releasing another one. “Over the years I feel like I’ve progressed a little towards a more acoustic element. “I was really inspired to bring the album back to my roots and back to a raw energy acoustic sound that I was looking for. “I only just got back from a tour recently and then I have an Irish tour coming up starting on August 28 in Whelan’s Pub. It’s been about two or three years ago since I last toured around in Ireland so I’m ecstatic to get back to my native home.” Sheridan went onto
say that his upcoming performance in Whelan’s Pub is something he is really looking forward to as it was where he first started out. “Whelan’s is where it all started for me so I have a bit of a soft spot for the place. I’m now very much looking forward to per forming there again. I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic night and hopefully the place will be packed full of music lovers.” Ryan Sheridan’s new album Here And Now will be released August 28 and he will be performing in Whelan’s Pub on the same day. V i s i t w w w. r y a n sheridanmusic.com for more information.
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dublinlife
feature
crisis: Calling to re-establish Training Agency
Hospitality sector facing chef shortage Aisling Kennedy akennedy@dublingazette.com
Dublin, and indeed Ireland, is currently facing a
crisis in the hospitality sector as there is a major shortage of culinary chefs throughout our country. The crisis of chefs has
reached its highest level yet and the Restaurant Association of Ireland is now calling on the Minister for Education to re-es-
tablish CERT, the former State Tourism Training Agency. CERT was established in 1963 and was responsible for providing a trained workforce for the hotel, catering and tourism industry. It was abolished in 2003. Chief executive of the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) Adrian Cummins said: “The restaurant sector are calling for the immediate reestablishment of CERT, which the tourism and hospitality sector held in high esteem while it was operational. It was fit for purpose and serviced the industry with skilled labour during its operational years.” A tota l of 24,700 chefs were employed in 2014 but according to the RAI the main skills shortages are among suitably qualified chefs as many of the applicants submitted for chef positions are deemed not to be appropriately qualified. The RAI believe that there is not enough chef training centres in Ireland and said that there is an immediate deficit of 5,000 chef trainees annually. Ross Lewis, joint-owner and Michelin star head chef at Chapter One, told the Gazette that he believes there are many facets to the current crisis in chefs and there is no quick fix. He said: “The prob-
Ross Lewis, joint-owner and Michelin star head chef at Chapter One
lem is that demand is outstripping supply. The industry has been growing progressively over the last 15 years and I’m not sure that we’re surviving the supply of chefs to meet the demand. “There is probably 3,000 to 4,000 more restaurant seats in the city in the last three to four years and that’s a huge contributing factor.” Lewis explains that a shortage in chefs in Ireland is a continual problem as Ireland is a small country and chefs tend to train here and then move onto other countries. “Chefs are usually young and single and they do tend to move on to other countries. We have to try to encourage these guys back here because it’s potentially a huge area for Irish tourism.” Another aspect of some young chefs deciding against the trade are the unsociable hours and in some cases poor wages. Lewis is quick to dispel this idea, however, and says: “Yes the hours can
be unsociable but on the other hand it has never been a more positive time to be a chef. “It’s a glamorous job now and the amount of people who are interested and attracted by it has never been greater.” Crisis
Lewis believes that an important area to tackle in the crisis of chefs is training colleges. “There is an element of large drop outs from college and in the first year of the industry there is a very significant drop out. “We need to take a look at this because for every hundred enrolling, the amount that are actually making it through to the industry is considerably less and this is a real issue. “We need to take the teaching of culinary arts and cheffing back into the kitchen. Apprenticeships have been dispensed with which is a major problem. “If somebody comes through the apprenticeship system in the kitchen then they’ll know
what’s involved and what the hours are and they’ll tell you very quickly whether they want to do it or not.” Lewis explains that teaching in a classroom is a cheaper and easier option but it’s not practical because young chefs are not experiencing the real kitchen environment or being hands on with food. “There’s a big disconnect between the educational system and the industry and that’s an issue.” Lewis is aware that there is no quick fix but he is adamant that the problem should be approached from all angles. He said: “We’re going to have to do something because it’s at a crisis stage at this point. Instead of hiring chefs with training, kitchens are hiring the immigrant workforce who might not have worked in a kitchen before. “I am very proud of Ireland as a food island as the primary produce here is second to none.
27 August 2015 Gazette 17
asdfsdaf P27 cinema P25
travel P20
OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week
Gazette
style P18
Pets it’s the quiet life for Maggie
Emily Aoibheann from performance group Dying Breeds rehearsing for their new show Object Piggy which will feature at Dublin Fringe. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
festival: Celebrating 21 years with a packed programme of shows
No longer on the fringes keith bellew
Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival celebrates its 21st birthday this year from September 7 to 20 with a packed programme of acclaimed shows in the mediums of theatre, comedy, music, dance and circus. Speaking to The Gazette, chief executive and artistic director of Tiger Dublin Fringe Kris Nelson said the festival was created by a group of artists who felt that they weren’t being presented in mainstream festivals, and wanted to create their own context for independent work. “Unlike most fringe [festivals] around the world they decided they would make a curated festival so that their Fringe of other work by Irish art-
ists would be selected by the director, whereas other Fringes around the world are based on first come, first served,” he said. He went on to say that the festival has really grown over the years and is no longer on the fringes of the main festivals as it is now one of the main festivals. “The festival presents the very best and brightest of new Irish makers, so we focus a lot on new forms new expressions, new kinds of theatre, dance, comedy, and circus. “Over the years it’s become an incubator for new talent and new ideas, and it’s also a place where more established artists come to try something new,” he said. He said that Fringe audiences are
very diverse comprising arts aficionados, first timers and everything in between. Many of the events will be held in unique venues throughout the city, and Nelson says this lends a spirit of adventure to the festival. Possibly one of the most intriguing of these is Beckett in the City which will be performed in the former residence of Gaelscoil Colaiste Mhuire in Parnell Square. This building is steeped in Irish republican history as it is the place that the 1916 proclamation was signed. It has been left vacant since the school moved premises in December, 2002. Directed by Sarah Jane Scaife, this performance examines the female characters in Samuel Beckett’s Footfalls, Rockaby, Not I and Come and
Go. Nelson said that Scaife is one of the world’s leading experts on Samuel Beckett, both in an academic sense and in terms of staging his work. “For her what’s important is that Beckett has a connection with Dublin and with the cityscape, so what she has done over a series of works is connect lesser known pieces or parts of Beckett’s works into places in the city. “She wants to connect how the state and religious institutions have effected Irish women and she’s doing that with these iconic works and also with amazing performers,” he said. To view the full programme of venues and events visit www.fringefest. com.
The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is Maggie, a six-year-old Labrador-cross. Maggie adores her tennis balls and adores the people she knows. Maggie would love to meet her soul mate who will make her feel comfortable and secure and know she’ll never have to live in a kennel again. Maggie is a beautiful older lady looking for a quiet home to call her own. Maggie needs an adult only home with few visitors. She would love to live in a quiet area where the noise, hustle and bustle of daily life won’t worry her. Maggie needs to be the only dog in the home but has previously lived with cats. If you think you could offer Maggie a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie.
Gazette
18 Gazette 27 August 2015
OUT&ABOUT Label Lab Black scuba dress €99; Untold Black polka dot clutch €64
Biba Bird bell sleeved blouse €115, Black culottes €189, Black fringe clutch €150
Label Lab Black beaded long sleeve dress €199
Linea Two-tone cashmere waistcoat €246; Label Lab Grey cable knit jumper €99; Maison Scotch Grey check trousers €See in store Gray & Willow White and grey stripe coat €249; Label Lab Grey cable knit jumper €99, Grey skinny jeans €69 Biba Black faux fur collar coat €239
HOUSE of Fraser presented their store brands last week in the Dean Hotel. Firm favourites Biba had plenty of exceptional pieces for the autumn season, including a stunning gold luxe jacket.
Waistcoats are a key trend among all brands, with the grey two-toned cashmere offering from Linea stealing my heart. Embellished jumpers and jackets also featured heavily, while a faux fur striped coat from Pied a Terre sent fashion editors and
bloggers’ hearts skipping. The yellow tweed coat from Dickins and Jones had us all wishing for some Arctic conditions, while the black, beaded long-sleeve dress from Label Lab will have you looking fab at any Christmas bash.
Biba Black embellished jacket €159, Oriental fringe kimono dress €129
mimi murray
27 August 2015 Gazette 19
Gazette
STYLE Dickins & Jones Yellow tweed coat €259; MaxMara Weekend Black polo neck jumper €See in store; Victoria Beckham Jeans Black flare jeans €See in store
Biba Gold leather blazer €349, 1963 slogan T-shirt €39, Leggings €65
Look your best for next season mimi murray
AUTUMN seems to be just around the corner and it makes me long for lipsticks in dark berry shades. I may not be able to pull them off as a
look, but I still lust after them! Coral nails and nude, sun-kissed complexions make way for smokey eyes and nails in plums and greys. Here, I have chosen some of the best products I have sampled so far for this autumn.
Www.spongelleIreland.ie Anti-cellulite body buffer €14
Vichy Skinsleep cream €28 Lancome Vernis in Love €19.50
Pied a Terre Faux fur stripe coat €236
Clarins Double Serum 30ml €69.50
Lancome Grandiose smudgeproof mascara €30
Kiehls Daily revival concentrate €42.50
Urban Decay Naked Smokey €46
Clarins Joli Rouge €22
Great gifts for shoppers to help mark elite Lancome make-up artist’s classes at BT LANCOME’S elite make-up artist Marc Sinclair (right) will be in Ireland hosting a series of make-up masterclasses and one-on-one appointments in Brown Thomas this September, on Thursday 10 and Friday 11. This coincides with an exclusive gift with every purchase of more than three Lancome products. The Absolue Precious Cells gift contains two full-size products: Absolue Precious Pure
Cleansing Foam and Liquid Rouge in Love 316; eye cream and day cream. The Lancome gift, available exclusively at Brown Thomas, also contains an Oleo serum using rose stem cells to target anti-aging, and Rouge in Love, to add a touch of gloss to your autumn complexion. The gift – worth more than €210 – is available from Thursday, September 3 to Saturday, September 19, and will be available with the pur-
chase of three or more Lancome products. This gift is available while stocks last from the Lancome counter in Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.
Gazette
20 Gazette 27 August 2015
OUT&ABOUT
co donegal: still largely untouched by tourism, fanad peninsula delights
Make the time to visit this quiet treasure A refined and relaxing
The welcoming exterior of the sympathetically developed Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa
co meath: dunboyne castle hotel and spa
mimi murray
getaway from city life ian begley
I RECENTLY enjoyed a one-night stay at the historically renowned Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa, Co Meath. The original castle on the Dunboyne estate was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell, but the charming present day building that we see today was completed in 1764. Rooms are very spacious and modern, equipped with a Smart TV and a magnificent view of the hotel grounds. My guest and I took advantage of the hotel’s new Aromathera-tea package, which includes afternoon tea and a choice of one of three spa treatments at the hotel’s Seoid Spa for a total of €65pp. I found the afternoon tea to be delightfully lush, and felt very sophisticated, tucking delicately into finger sandwiches, freshly
baked scones, orange flower meringue pie, and a gorgeous lavender and poppy seed cake, along with several cheeky glasses of prosecco. Later that evening, after a long stroll around the woodland grounds of the hotel, my guest and I went for dinner at the Dunboyne Castle restaurant, The Ivy. To start, I had pan-fried scallops with salt-backed heritage carrots, while for my main I enjoyed a succulent roast rump of Wicklow lamb and confit of belly, which was served with an array of fresh vegetables. My companion had the seared fillet of turbot, which he enjoyed just as much. Overall, it was a really delicious meal. The hotel’s Sadleir Bar was our next stop and, again, the place was full of good cheer and music and its ambience was very relaxed.
Tuck into delicious afternoon tea treats
The morning after this eventful and enjoyable night, I received an extremely relaxing back massage with lavender, ginger, black pepper and rosemary in the Seoid Spa. Afterwards, my companion and I took advantage of all the facilities within the spa that we had unlimited access to, which included the thermal, outdoor hot tub and relaxation and fitness
suites. The Aromathera-tea package at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa includes the Aromathera-tea and your choice of one of these three spa treatments for €65pp. Make a night of it from €155pp midweek, including overnight stay, breakfast, dinner and the Aromathera-tea package. For further information, see www.dubboynecastle.com.
THE Ring of Kerry is one of the most visited and best known tourist destinations in this country. There is no doubt that it is spectacular. Howe ve r g o i n a straight line nor th, about 400km and about 100km east as the crow flies, and you will find scenery of equal beauty, and some of the best beaches in Europe, if not the world. Donegal is as breathtaking as parts of southern Ireland, but with none of the tourist trappings. Food hasn’t taken the massive strides that it has down south, you won’t find shops selling Aran jumpers and walking sticks, and you certainly won’t find bus loads of tourists, eager to find a gravestone with their family name on it. What you will find is real peace and solace, pubs with plenty of craic, and magical scenery all across the county. I recently stayed close to the Fanad Peninsula, in the height of summer,
and barely saw another vehicle – or human, for that matter – as we drove the route over the course of a few hours. There are plenty of pretty little towns around this area, and we stayed in Rathmullan House, in the village of Rathmullan. It’s well placed on its own beach overlook-
--------------------------
‘We drove to Fanad Lighthouse and were the solitary visitors at the head!’ --------------------------
ing Lough Swilly, and is the perfect spot to truly relax. During the summer they cater extremely well for families with children, even small children, but during the autumn and winter months, they are eager to welcome older guests who want to sit beside the fire with a good book or the papers and get away from it all. Close by are the gor-
geous villages of Ramelton, as well as Portsalon and Milford. Letterkenny is also no more than a 20-minute drive away. We dined in Ramelton for lunch on one of our days away in what appeared to be the only cafe/restaurant in the village. It was thronged with Irish holiday-makers, and there are plenty of those. There aren’t many places to eat in the general area and even the local pubs were closed at lunchtime. However, this place was doing a roaring trade, and the food was tasty. For this reason we mostly dined in Rathmullan House, which wasn’t a chore. The food was very good, with lots of choice, including some really good fish dishes, including John Dory, brill and cod. They also have an extensive wine list, with some unusual and exciting wines. It was on day two of our visit that we undertook the drive around the Fanad Peninsula, and
27 August 2015 Gazette 21
Gazette
TRAVEL fast
TRAVEL Survey says we’d all like to take a trip to Route 66 ian begley
Fanad Head Lighthouse awaits visitors to this striking, yet largely untouched part of the country. Wherever you strike out towards, Donegal’s coastline offers visitors and locals alike a wonderful range of beaches and inlets, with rock and cliffs creating unforgettable vistas along many parts of the coast.
even though it rained almost throughout, the sun broke through on occasion to allow us some absolutely amazing views of the ocean, and of beaches so sandy and velvety, we longed to swim there. We drove to the lighthouse and were the solitary visitors at the head! Back at Rathmullan, there is a swimming pool that we mostly had to ourselves, which was great as it allowed me the freedom to play with my three-year-old and try to start the process of teaching him how to swim. Our room was beautifully decorated, and there is a choice of old-
world bedrooms in the main house, and newer rooms in the new addition to the old house. Across from the hotel’s private beach is Buncrana, and a ferry can be taken across to visit that village and make the trip to Malin Head. The beach is long enough for a leisurely stroll along and there were plenty of people horseriding in the waves. All in all, this place is picture postcard perfect, and is well worth the lengthy drive from Dublin. For further information on Rathmullan, see www.rathmullanhouse. com.
Donegal wasn’t spared this summer’s inclement weather, but Rathmullan House provided a cosy retreat
ROUTE 66 has been voted as Ireland’s dream trip destination, according to a new survey by travel experts, Hotels.com. The survey revealed that 38% of Irish people long to drive the famous route, which runs from Chicago to LA. In keeping with the American theme, 27% say they would love to take a road trip along the Pacific Coast highway in California, while 18% dream of taking to the open road along the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
Playlist The survey also showed that a great playlist is the number one essential item for any car journey (83%), followed by sunglasses (52%), and snacks (48%). When it comes to road trip tunes, AC/ DC’s Highway to Hell came out on top, followed by Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’. When asked where people went in the car on holiday as a child, France was the popular destination, while closer to home, Kerry was the most popular Irish destination for a road trip.
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22 Gazette 27 August 2015
OUT&ABOUT
FOOD&DRINK
BITESIZEDNEWS
The Bridge Chowder €8
Building bridges with the best of food Situated right in the heart of Dublin’s Ballsbridge, The Bridge 1859 has gone from strength to strength since opening in September 2014. Located in the middle of Ireland’s rugby heartland, The Bridge 1859 offers more than just pre and post match pints with a brand new menu offering a wide variety of dishes. The Bridge 1859 is the latest venture by Noel Anderson, the man behind The Grafton Lounge in Dublin 2. Noel has teamed up with Ireland and Leinster Rugby players Jamie Heaslip, Sean O’Brien, and brothers Rob and Dave Kearney to create Dublin 4’s newest pub. Head chef Simon Boland (formerly of The Church Bar and Restaurant) has created the menu which ranges from starters such as The Bridge Chowder €8 and West Coast Water Mussels €10/€14, mains such as Tempura Lemon Sole €14, Roast Stuffed Globe Artichoke €14 and the 1859 Tower Burger €16, and desserts such as the Butterscotch Chocolate Brownie €6 and the Strawberries ‘N’ Cream €6. The selection ranges from familiar and indulgent to unconventional and intriguing, and always to the highest quality. Carefully sourced highlights include the Glazed Chicken and Herb Roulade €16 which is wrapped in pork caul, the Summer Salad €11 with sweet potato, candy cane beets and Five Mile Town Goats Cheese, and the Ham Hock Roll €11, served on a Waterford blaa with candy cane beetroot and celeriac remoulade. The Bridge 1859 also serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Dishes include The Bridge Breakfast €12, their take on the full Irish, which features aged smoked back bacon, prime pork sausages and boards head black and white pudding. The Bridge Salmocado €12 is another exciting addition to the menu – English muffin, chicory, beef tomato, smoked salmon, poached eggs and avocado hollandaise. The Chorizo and Haddock Smokies €12 are an exciting addition to the brunch menu, and feature cod, salmon, smoked couli, palourde clams, chorizo, toast, wilted spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise. For the more traditional types, The Bridge Roast €13.50 is served every Saturday and Sunday, and changes each week. The Bridge 1859, 13 Ballsbridge Terrace, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Open 7 days.
The Teeling Whiskey Distillery is the only operational distillery in Dublin City
Whiskey galore at first new distillery in 125 years Mimi Murray
I recently became a tourist in my own city and visited the new Teeling Distiller y in Newmarket Square. This is the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years and is a great interactive experience for whiskey fans. The Teeling Whiskey Distillery is the only operational distillery in Dublin City where visitors can get up close and personal with the traditional Irish whiskey making process. We we n t f o r t h e Teeling Trinity Tasting which meant we were going to sample the brands Small Batch, Single Grain and Single Malt offerings at the end of the tour. Mmmmm, something to look forward to. All guided tours are given by Teeling Whiskey Ambassadors and take between 45 minutes and an hour. Our tour guide was well informed, engaging
and had plenty of interesting anecdotes. The tour itself involves a walk through the exhibition area, detailing the history of Irish whiskey from the very beginning, to where it is today. From the exhibition space, the tour then ventures to the inner workings of the distillery where visitors can experience the heat and sweet smell from the stills and witness the whiskey making process first hand. Visitors can see into the barrels to understand the process as it happens, every stage from grain to whiskey. The area is small but I certainly felt like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory and was impressed by the large copper stills and sheer touching distance of the process. The tour doesn’t end there. We were then guided into The Bang Bang Bar, where we got to taste Teeling Whiskey. My personal favourite and supposedly a
favourite among women was the Small Batch, although I found most men plumping for this on the day also. The single malt was a firm favourite too. There is also a cafe and shop where you
can buy the whiskey at a cheaper rate than it sells in stores around Dublin. The Teeling Whiskey Distillery and visitor centre at 17 Newmarket, Dublin 8, is open seven days a week.
V i s i t o r s c a n n ow access the distillery via the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, getting off at stop 12A. Visitors can simply walk in or pre-booked tours are available on TeelingWhiskey.com.
27 August 2015 Gazette 23
Gazette
HEALTH challenge: ‘The best race ever’
Ironman? Been there, done that, got the T-shirt! suzanne sheehy
NOW I can say it... I’m a finisher! It feels great to have faced down one my most difficult challenges to date. Since registering for the Ironman 70.3 Dublin in November 2014 along with over 2,500 athletes, I was set and ready to go on Sunday, August 9. I faced into a 1.2 mile (1.9km) swim, a 56 mile (90km) bike ride and a 13.1 mile (21.1km) run. As a two-year member of Fingal triathlon club I competed regularly. Since I now knew the triathlon it was time for a new challenge. Here was my opportunity. The Ironman 70.3 Dublin was special. First, Ironman is a global brand having its first outing in the Irish capital. You couldn’t miss these guys arriving in
their 40ft trucks only days before the event! It was also a chance to swim in Scotsman’s Bay, Dun Laoghaire, cycle through Dublin, Fingal, Meath, Kildare through closed roads and conclude with a run in Europe’s largest city park, Phoenix Park. D u r i n g my e i g h tmonth journey towards the 70.3, my training involved many Triathlon Ireland events along with Howth Aquathons. This helped prep me for the big day, helping me to try out different foods/gels/bars and find what agreed with my stomach. It also helped me identif y appropriate race gear. On the day, I had old reliables to sustain me rather than newbies! At times my confidence was knocked and I questioned my ability. For example, in one Escape from Ireland
You couldn’t miss these guys arriving in their 40ft trucks
2km Open Water event, I had difficulty with strong currents and finished – exhausted – in 75 minutes knowing the cut-off for the Ironman 70.3 swim was 70 minutes. A bad day – but an invaluable learning curve. When race day finally arrived, conditions were perfect. So many thoughts crowded into my head. I was jumping up and down on the spot not to keep warm but because of the nerves. This was a big goal race! I took comfort in knowing I was surrounded by many novices. T he horn went, I jumped into the water complete with timing chip which was fastened to my left ankle with the velcro strap. We were well and truly off. As we all began to settle into a rhythm, I managed to separate from the crowd and find some
Take care of your heart
Women urged to care for heart health
Members of Fingal Triathlon Club competing in the Ironman 70.3 Dublin. From left to right JP McKenna, David Freeman, Suzanne Sheehy, Dave Harris, Conrad O’Dea
THE Irish Heart Foundation’s September Heart Month is fast approaching and this year’s campaign is focusing on women and heart disease. In the run up to heart month, the Irish Heart Foundation is promoting a number of facts and tips on women’s heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the numberone killer of women in Ireland – yet less than one in five women know this. -----------------------
‘High blood pressure is a silent risk factor and a serious risk for stroke’
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The bike race saw competitors to travel through Dublin and west of the city through Meath and Kildare. Picture: Colm Bellew
space. Occasionally, I felt someone tugging at my leg or I got a few knocks on the head from another swimmer. Nothing to do but plough on. I kept a check on the buoys to make sure I was on track. Last thing I wanted was to add needless kilometres by veering off course. Towards the end I felt the cold and was relieved when the swim was complete and I’d reached T1 (transition 1). Stripping off my wetsuit, I grabbed a gel – and the bike. I got into
a steady rhythm and my confidence grew. I knew I could do this. People cheered us along the 90km on as we hydrated at fluid stations en route. Great! As I entered Transition 2, I rushed to rack my bike and don my runners. The run was my strongest and most enjoyable moment. I kept a steady pace throughout. My family turned out in Phoenix Park along with Fingal club members. I crossed the finish line with an overall
time of 5:59:09. I swam 52:16, biked a 3:22:01, ran a 1:36:10. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Next day, I felt my pain. But it was good to know I’d finished and it made it all worthwhile. If I could bottle it, it would be worth gold! My evaluation? The best race I’ve ever experienced – and it was Dublin’s inaugural Ironman70.3 to boot. Congratulations to all those finishers and huge gratitude to all those who came to support everyone.
Also, menopausal women are at a high risk of developing heart disease or suffering from a stroke. The foundation is advising women to reshape their eating plans and stay active and healthy. According to the Irish Heart Foundation, high blood pressure is a silent risk factor and a serious risk for stroke. For this reason, its annual blood pressure roadshow will return in September, visiting approximately 50 locations nationwide. For further information on heart health and heart month, see www.irishheart.ie.
Gazette
24 Gazette 27 August 2015
OUT&ABOUT
music MUSIC
Nils has toured with both Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen
vicar street: renowned guitarist, singer, pianist, solo artist Nils Lofgren
It’s time to face the music Keith Bellew
Nils Lofgren, the r e n ow ned gu i ta ri st, singer, pianist, solo artist and member of both Neil Young’s band and Br uce Springsteen’s E Street Band is coming to Vicar Street on November 2. Speaking to The Gazette he said he hasn’t been to Dublin for a number of years and is looking forward to his return. “My wife Amy and I insisted we get up there. We’re excited to get back to Dublin and Belfast and hopefully do some good shows up there for everyone,” he said. Having turned pro with his band Grin at the age of 17, after seeing The Who and Jimi Hendrix per form in Washington, Lofgren
has been on the road touring and recording for 47 years. His most recent release was a 10-disc greatest hits collection called Face the Music in 2014, which includes a wealth of unreleased tracks and alternate takes and he says that this tour will see most of these performed with varied track-lists from show to show. He was picked up by Neil Young around 1968 when he was 18 after he blagged his way backstage at a gig and played a few of his songs for him. “Realising I knew nothing about the music b u s i n e s s , I ’d s n e a k backstage at every concert and try to ask for advice. “In this par ticular instance, Neil Young heard me out and asked
me if we had any songs. I said yeah I write the songs and he said sing me one and handed me his Martin guitar. “I sang him a song and he said, I like that, sing another, so I ended up singing him about half of the first Grin album. “He bought me a cheeseburger and a coke at this nightclub because I was underage and I spent two days visiting with him and singing four shows on the first Crazy Horse tour,” he said. He ended up joining Young’s band, recording and touring for several albums, the first of which was After the Gold Rush. Between 1971 and 74 he also recorded four albums with Grin and began recording as a solo artist in 1975.
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‘He bought me a cheeseburger and a coke at this nightclub because I was underage and I spent two days visiting with him and singing four shows on the first Crazy Horse tour’
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Between now and then he has released over a dozen solo albums several of which are underground cult classics. However, unlike many solo artists, Lofgren has no problem playing in a band under someone
else’s leadership and he continued to record and tour with Young in the 70s and 80s. One man he met during this time was Bruce Springsteen. “Way back in 1970, his band Steel Mill and my band Grin did an audition night for Bill Graham’s Fillmore West, and I was a big fan of his music and used to go and see his shows and we had a friendship. We just kind of had a common sense of pur pose of what music could do and what it was supposed to mean. “Br uce and I had long talks about music, i n cl u d i n g my e a r l y songs with Neil Young, and how much I really liked being in a great band and not being the leader, and I think he filed that away. “Long story short, in
1984 when he needed a guitarist he called and asked me to come up and jam with the band. We jammed for two days and it felt beautiful and they asked me to join, and this was literally like a month before the opening of the Born in the USA tour,” he said. Lofgren continues to tour with Springsteen and the E Street Band to this day, most recently in 2012. When he got back from this tour, he began working on Face the Music. “As I assembled that box set, I had forgotten a lot of the things I had done, and I’m so conscious of what’s going on today or tomorrow that it was a great stroll dow n memor y lane. There’s two bonus discs with 40 out-takes, basement tapes and unreleased demos,” he said.
Lucky fans will have the opportunity to meet Lofgren after the show as he plans to spend an hour meeting and greeting and signing autographs. “Traditionally what we’ll do, [unless there’s some extraordinary bus ride after the show], is I’ll dry off and come out and sign for people, shake their hand, look them in the eye and thank them for showing up. It’s kind of the show after the show,” he said. Face the Music is av a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t Nilslofgren.com along with details of his guitar school where budding musicians can download lessons tailored by Lofgren. For more information on Lofgren live at Vicar Street on November 2, visit www.vicarstreet. ie.
27 August 2015 Gazette 25
ReelReviews
PAPER TOWNS
A something-thin plot FOR those who loved The Fault in Our Stars last year, here comes another manipulative film with ‘Hollywood teens’ in pretty contrived situations. Paper Towns (Cert 12A, 109 mins) sees a nerdy but nice guy trying to track down his crush when his toocool-for-school neighbour disappears. Can he follow her trail of clues and find missing Margo? Adults are unlikely to care.
fantastic four Oh no they’re not ... Sinister characters for a reasonably creepy tale – dead children are some of the chief protaganists of Sinister 2, courtesy of the influence from an ancient Pagan spirit
sinister 2: sequel competently delivers more of the same for fans
A creepily effective follow-up BACK in 2012, Sinister arrived on the scene, starring Ethan Hawke as Ellison Oswalt, the true crime writer with a terrible habit of moving his unsuspecting family into houses where grisly murders had taken place. It was a genuinely creepy movie, which saw a suitably haggard Hawke bearing the brunt of the load as he scrambled to solve a mystery involving ritualistic murders captured on video tape and an ancient evil Pagan god, called Bughuul. Around the same time, Dublin-born director Ciaran Foy quietly released his first feature length film. Citadel was a dark and impressive horror debut
Dave phillips
about an agoraphobic man battling teenage hoodlum demons, which despite its small distribution, was very well-received. One of the fans of Citadel was the writer and director of Sinister, Scott Derrickson, who tweeted Foy to ask if he would like to direct the Sinister sequel. Sinister 2 sees James Ransome take the lead role, reprising a bit part he played in the original. He is now an ex-cop who is working as a private
investigator, still trying to solve that very same mystery that Ethan Hawke unwittingly stumbled into, in the first film. While the original saw Hawke desperately trying to save his own family from the curse of Bughuul, this time, Ransome is trying to save his love interest (Shannyn Sossaman) and her twin boys from the childmunching deity. Ransome’s ex-deputy isn’t traditional hero material. He is the kind of bumbling, good-natured twit who just wants us all to get along. His character brings a kind of off-beat pace to the film, with his quirkiness lending a comedic element that was almost completely missing from
the original. But the cost of having such a light-hearted lead becomes clear through the lack of tension. Partly, this is down to a diminishing sense of mystery, too. The supernatural elements of Sinister 2 become wrung out to the point of exhaustion. We are never truly scared for Ransome as he creeps around in the dark as he’s so well-mannered and resilient that we are sure he will bounce back from any demonic trauma. Bughuul gets much too much screen time, and it feels like we know the gang of creepy dead kids hanging around Sossaman’s house on first name terms. That is not to say that
nothing works well here. There is good on-screen chemistry between Sossaman and Ransome, and some of the most frightening moments come courtesy of Sossaman’s abusive and estranged husband (Lea Coco), who is on a mission to capture his family and force them to return to his redneck normality. Perhaps the best thing to come from this film will be a higher platform for Ciaran Foy. Horror sequels tend to be ropey territory, and Sinister was a particularly tricky film to follow – both because of its success, and because there is not a lot of story left to go on. Yet, despite the crum-
bling building blocks he inherited, Foy has managed to create and maintain some basic structure. You get the sense that Foy’s strength lies in developing his own material, and his next project is already rolling: a big-budget horror set in Ireland that he is writing and directing. Sinister 2 may be a superfluous film, but it’s a solid showcase for Foy. While it doesn’t come close to the tension or creepiness of the original, it does have some very likeable characters, features some disturbing old super-8 scenes, and is jam-packed full of jump scares, so if the itch needs to be scratched ...
Verdict: 6/10
HERE comes yet another attempt to breathe life into Fantastic Four (Cert 12A, 106 mins), as four young scientists acquire superpowers and must try to thwart a supervillain ... Marvel’s heroes have had one underwhelming cinema outing after another down the decades, and this reboot is no different, with a dull story, weak cast chemistry, and signs of its troubled editing.
pixels
Plot barely joins the dots LAST and most definitely least, Pixels (Cert 12A, 106 mins) is the latest big budget film based on videogames that delivers a giant stinker. Aliens attack Earth, in the guise of classic videogames and characters of yore, and only a bunch of aging gamers can stop them ... Even for an Adam Sandler film, Pixels is pretty bad, and trails in the shadow of 2012’s superior Wreck-it Ralph.
26 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 27 August 2015
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Planning permission is sought by Conor and Fiona Clinch for alteration and extension works to their existing dwelling, Heronford House, Heronford Lane, Rathmichael, Dublin 18 to include the demolition of an existing single storey 1.5 sq.m flat roofed boiler house lean too extension on the north western face of the existing building with the construction of a replacement two storey pitched roof infill extension of 8 sq.m (4 sq.m per floor) with the provision of a matching pitched roof over the existing part flat roof together with a two storey part pitched roofed part flat roofed extension of 102 sq. m (51 sq.m per floor) to the south eastern face of the existing building representing an overall proposed extensions of 110 sq. m together with the provision of a new adjacent 3 space car parking area with new formed entrances in existing boundary walls with ancillary and enabling works utilizing the existing septic tank and existing surface water drainage sump. The planning application may be inspected or purchased for a fee not exceeding a reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, during its public opening hours of Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the Planning Authority, on payment of a fee of €20 within 5 weeks of receipt of the application by the Planning Authority and such submissions or observations will be considered by the Planning Authority in making a decision on the application. The Planning Authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.
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Gazette
28 gazette 27 August 2015
SPORT
FastSport ‘Big sexy’ lands deal with Spain based group: BALLYBRACK man Sean “Big Sexy” Turner has signed up with the Macklin Gym Marbella (MGM) ahead of his Lights out for the Plaza date in Puerto Banus on August 28. There, he will fight a Spanish opponent in his sixth professional bout as he looks to extend his record to six wins from six outings after a series of quick-fire victories. The Spanish based Irish promotions company officially confirmed the news in a statement, saying: “MGM are very pleased to announce that they have added a real Irish Boxing character to their ever growing stable; Sean “Big Sexy” Turner has signed a management contract with MGM. The hard-hitting heavyweight added of the new arrangement: “This is a totally fresh start, there is a long road ahead but I am in the right place here with the right people to go to the next level.”
ultra-running: bawnogue man completes 20 marathons in 10 weeks
Conlon conquers challenge stephen findlater sport@dublingazette.com
BAWNOGUE man Mark Conlon smashed his own personal target as his mission to run 20 marathons in 20 weeks ended up being completed in a mere 10 weeks, complet-
ing the challenge with an incredible 10 marathons in five days. This final phase consisted of running backto-back marathons, the first starting at 6am and the second beginning at 2pm in the afternoon with just a two hour break in
between – the minimum allowed in order to be legitimately accredited. He would later find out that he was the first person in Ireland to complete such a feat while he also became the youngest person to hit 100 marathons.
On the trail
Mark Conlon celebrates following completion of the challenge
Looking back on the monumental challenge, Conlon said the fourth marathon was one of the hardest as he took on a 100km ultra distance. “I was nearly going to back out at some stages on that one. You are running on just an hour’s sleep and it begins to mess with your head,” he said. The 10 marathons in five days was another huge battle through the mental and pain barrier on a route around Howth Head. “It was really painful on the feet with blisters every day. I was peeing blood by the third day so it was a matter of getting the blister plasters on and trying to get as many fluids into me as possible. “It was really tough,
especially going up Howth Head the first time, knowing that I would have to do it all over again in a couple of hours.” With a medic on hand, he made it through the challenge and is now already thinking of new records to break and tests to put his body through. During this challenge he ran his 100th and 101st marathon on the same day and he is already looking to push on toward 500 marathons. Asked about the attraction of running such long distances with such frequency, Conlon said: “It is the mental challenge and something of an addiction. It is great for your head to get out and run, to test yourself and see how far you can go”.
Conlon got into running during his time with the Army having played football in his youth with Crumlin Untied, going for trials in his teens with Leeds United. The challenge was part of a fundraising effort for Pieta House, a charity close to his heart following his experience serving overseas: “Having seen people come back with severe depression, it’s important to know there’s someone to talk to, and how much exercise can clear your head, as it does for me.” You can donate to Conlon’s cause, Pieta House, via the following link: http://www. my c h a r i t y. i e / e ve n t / markconlons_20_marathons_in_20_weeks.
Thirteen Dublin-based players in Hibernia squad sport@dublingazette.com
Templeogue’s Conor Grace in action against China during the summer
THIRTEEN of Colin O’Reilly’s 26-man Hibernia Basketball squad hail from Dublin for the start of the FIBA Europe Cup in October. Isaac Westbrooks and Kevin Lacey are from Swords Thunder with Martins Provizors and Mark Nagle coming in from DCU Saints. Jermaine Turner and Ciaran Roe are Killester’s representatives. In south Dublin, UCD Marian’s Conor Meany and Dan James return with club mate Neil
Baynes. The Templeogue quartet of Conor Grace, Jason Killeen, Phil Taylor and Luke Thompson complete the squad. The panel draws heavily from the men’s Premier League Select at the Sino-European Championships in China during the summer but there are a couple who are unable to take part in this new side that will play in this European-wide competition. Demons pair Niall O’Reilly and Shane Coughlan step down while Paul Dick has signed a new
contract to play in the LEB Plata in Spain with Araberri. Niall Murphy, Jack O’Mahony, Michael Bonaparte, Isaac Westbrooks and Neil Campbell are the players who did not train with the men’s Premier League Select Squad named in February. All 26 players are invited to attend training sessions and prep games in August and September before the squad is reduced and player availability is assessed. O’Reilly has “left the door open” for bringing in American and other category two.
Hibernia Basketball is a newly formed club made up of players from the Men’s Premier League to compete in the inaugural FIBA Europe Cup. In the competition, they have been drawn to play away in Denmark against the Bakken Bears, Slovenia versus Tajgun Sentjur and the Czech Republic to meet Sportovni Hala Nymburk, The home matches will be on Wednesday, November 18 and 25 along with December 2. Ticket details for all home fixtures will be announced on September 1.
27 August 2015 gazette 29
Gazette
O’Caoimh riding on the crest of a wave Dublin wakeboarding star David O’Caoimh tells NATHAN KELLY of a recent series of victories in Europe as he builds toward a trip to China for the World Cup in his chosen sport KILLINEY wakeboarder David O’Caoimh has been riding on a tidal wave of success in recent weeks, winning a succession of tournaments and being crowned European champion along the way. The 21-year-old was captain of Team Ireland who travelled to the Netherlands for the European African (EA) Championships which took place August 1-9. On the penultimate day, O’Caoimh won first place at the European Super Final when he was last of the dock and, on the final day of the event, he was crowned Overall
European Champion. Speaking to GazetteSport after his success in the Netherlands, revealed how he felt when announced as champion of Europe. “I was actually pretty relieved to be honest,” he said. “Obviously I was then delighted when the feeling sunk in as it’s a brilliant achievement but initially I just had this sense of relief. “I’d performed really well over the whole event, but going into the final, I was up against a Russian guy, Nikita Martyanov, in the final and he had been bril-
David O’Caoimh in recent action
liant all week. He went before me in the final and done really well so I think that set a marker for me to emulate and beat and somehow I pulled it off.” W hile David stole most of the headlines, it was a good event for Team Ireland overall, with two athletes making it to the final of the Junior Women Division. Aisling Deegan, from Ballsbridge placed fourth and Cavan girl Nicole Carroll finished sixth. Zach Zebedee, aged 12 from Kildare is now ranked ninth in Europe, while Team Ireland fin-
ished sixth overall at the championships. “It’s always brilliant to see the Irish doing well, whether it’s me or any other Irish individual, or members of an Irish team, it’s always great,” said the Team Ireland
being able to perform as I know I can when I had the injuries, so I just really concentrated on getting back to my best and I think I’m performing at that level, or pretty close to it now. “I feel really good when
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‘For any sports person, whatever you train in, you want to compete on the world stage’ – David O’Caoimh --------------------------------------------------------
skipper on our success. While the success in the Netherlands was the highlight of his recent success, O’Caoimh won his sixth pro men’s title at the Irish National Wakeboard Championships in mid-July, and also claimed top spot at the European Pro Tour Stop in Northern Ireland. The Dubliner then followed his European Championship triumph by winning the Lowlands Wakeboard Tour Stop in Enniskillen last week before his team won the Team Challenge at the Chill and Ride event in Germany. “I’ve been on a great run,” he said. “I had a couple of niggling injuries at the start of the year which hampered my form at a couple of events, but I think that’s actually made me more focused. “It was frustrating not
I’m out on the water the last while and a lot of that is down to focus, you’ve got to somehow make your mind and performance work in sync and thankfully over the last couple of events, I’ve been able to do that.” The life of a professional wakeboarder is certainly a busy one, with O’Caoimh set to travel to Florida, China, Mexico and possibly Spain and USA before the year is out, as well as competing at a number of events here in Ireland. “The trip to China is one I’m really looking forward to,” he said. “It’s the World Cup and I think any athlete or sportsperson, whatever you train in, you want to compete on a world stage and that will be the chance to do that at a huge event. I just hope I can continue in this form.”
FastSport
McLaughlin Leinster’s captain for early games KEVIN McLaughlin has been confirmed by Leinster Rugby as the captain during the Rugby World Cup period. The 30-year-old St Mary’s club man, who has 114 caps for Leinster since his debut in April 2007, has captained the province in the past and led the team out against Edinburgh and Benetton Treviso in last season’s Guinness PRO12. Confirming the news last week, head coach Leo Cullen said: “I think this is a great opportunity for Kevin. He had an unlucky run with injuries last season and I know he is very keen to hit the ground running this season. “This is by no means a new role for him and we saw last season what he brings to the table in terms of his captaincy. He has really driven the environment during the pre-season and he is a great role model for the younger players and indeed the wider squad.” McLaughlin last played for Leinster in last December’s 21-11 win in the RDS against Connacht but had to come off with a shoulder injury. That same injury required surgery and effectively ruled Kevin out for the season. “Kevin is a player who leads by example with little regard for his own body and he epitomises everything we want to see from a Leinster Rugby team going forward,” Cullen added. “He is selfless, puts team first and is always driving his own standards as well as the standards of those around him.” McLaughlin, who has eight Irish caps to date, has won two Heineken Cup trophies with Leinster starting in both final wins over Northampton Saints and Ulster Rugby. He has also won an Amlin Cup and three PRO12 titles with the province. Former Blackrock College man Cullen was confirmed as Leinster’s head coach a day earlier as head coach of the province on a two year deal. Cullen, who won 221 caps for Leinster and is a three time Heineken Cup winning captain with the province, had already been in charge on an interim basis following the departure of Matt O’Connor at the end of last season.
Gazette
30 DUNDRUM gazette 27 August 2015
SPORT
FastSport
cricket: ireland under-15 swat scotland aside to retain title
Joanne and Ellen Smyth win Mother and Daughter JOANNE and Ellen Smyth won the seventh All-Ireland Mother and Daughter Foursomes Open competition at Castle Golf Club last week. On a glorious day, weather-wise, their 40 points saw them top the field of over 100 competitors from 20 clubs from around Ireland. This year, the club welcomed CPL, the global provider of recruitment, staffing and outsourcing services, as their main sponsor. The competition is also supported by Medipharm who provided skin care hampers which were presented to all winners. Castle GC’s lady captain, Margaret McConville quoted Oscar Wilde to celebrate the event, saying: “Most women become their mothers, that is their tragedy. No Man does, that is his.” Castle Golf Club is also the home of the prestigious All-Ireland Father and Son competition which attracts over 500 competitors and is now in its 54th year. Pictured are Colin Galligan, Medipharm, Ellen and Joanne Smyth along with Margaret McConville - Lady Captain Castle Golf Club.
Meteors set to celebrate 50th anniversary METEORS ladies basketball club are looking forward to celebrating their 50th anniversary with the season beginning with their annual Pat Clarke Memorial tournament over the weekend of September 11-13. The event sees eight women’s teams from Ireland competing in a three-day tournament at their home in the gym of Colaiste Eoin/ Iosagain on the Stil-
lorgan dual carriageway. To celebrate the event, the club are putting together a book which will include 50 years worth of team photos, club achievements, newspaper clippings, along with interviews with players and coaches throughout the decades. The club currently boasts over 300 members, and has teams successfully competing locally and nationwide from senior premier league level all the way down to the Under-9 age grade.
Six south Dubliners from the successful Leinster Under-15 side helped Ireland land European glory
South Dubs aid Euro victory sport@dublingazette.com
SIX south Dublin cricketers helped Ireland’s Under-15s win the ICC European Trophy, after beating Scotland by seven wickets on the final day’s play. The side was underpinned by three players from YMCA, including captain Harry Tector, Ror y McMahon and Shane Keane while Pembroke’S JJ Garth and Josh Little were also included as well as Merrion’s Max Neville. In the final game, the Irish bowlers put their team in pole position as they bowled out Scot-
land for 93 all out in 35.4 overs, Tom Diamond (30) and Louis Ware (25) were the only batsman to score any runs as Ireland had victory in sight. The pick of the bowlers was captain Harry Tector, from YMCA, who took three wickets for 26 runs in 10 overs. Ireland’s reply got off to a stuttering start, losing three early wickets Rory McGovern (7), Ian Anders (7) and Sean Currie (3), before Tector with 30 not out – including three fours and Neil Rock 27 not out including four fours led the Irish to a seven wicket victory and ICC Europe
blackwater cup Cabo Under-15s claim first silverware cabinteely FC’s DDSL Premier side
overcome all to take Kells Blackwater Cup to begin their season in style. Cabo were one of the 12 teams that took part in the Under-15 section of the competition and made it through the initial four-team group on the first weekend of the tournament. They duly won their quarter-final by beating Kells Blackwater FC 3-0 before dismissing Shelbourne 2-0. In the final, they beat Castleknock, running out 2-1 winners.
U15 Trophy winners. It followed an immaculate start to the competition for the reigning champions with four wins in succession, capping the run with a comprehensive dismissal of Guernsey who were ousted for just 75. Neville (2-24) also bowled superbly in a disciplined Irish display. McGovern’s 23 was the highlight of the emphatic Irish win, secured with almost 31 overs to spare. Elsewhere, at adult level, Clontarf finally put an end to YMCA’s title aspirations for 2015 in Leinster’s Division 1.
Joe Morrissey took 3-33 and Alex Cusack 4-28 as YMCA never got going. Simmi Singh top scored with 48 and Harry Tector reutrned his highest score for YM (36 not out) but it was never going to be enough. Mark Collier and Bill Coghlan added 155 for the opening wicket to put the result beyond doubt, and to give Clontarf maximum points, with a nine wicket win. That was the highest opening partnership in senior cricket since complete records began in 2011 and only the fourth 100+ partnership for the opening wicket in that
period. Merrion’s excellent end to the season continued, though, as they br ushed aside Cork County with a sevenwicket win in Anglesea Road. Wickets were shared around as Cork County totalled only 158. Ross Durity top scored with 30 and David Rhoda took 3-23. As with the Clontarf chase, this was never going to be enough with Robin Smith scoring his fourth league 50 and skipper Rory Allwright scoring 42, his highest score for Merrion 1 since June 2011.
27 August 2015 DUNDRUM gazette 31
Gazette
corporate lunch
Naomh Olaf to host AllIreland corporate lunch
Club Noticeboard ballinteer st john’s NO WINNER of the August 20 lotto draw
naomh Olaf will host their All-Ireland cor-
porate lunch in Croke Park’s Cusack Stand on Friday, September 4 with Marty Morrissey the MC with special guests including entertainment from Dave Young on hand. The event costs €1,000 for a table of 10 for a four-course lunch with funds raised going to the juvenile section. For more information, go to www.naomholaf.ie or call John O’Brien on 087 662 4910.
welcome for a great night’s enter-
next week.
tainment.
Our joker wild draw continues this
If you buy your school books in
Thursday; it is open to lotto players
Opening Minds Ballinteer, then a con-
present in the clubhouse on the night.
tribution will be paid to the club. See
Tickets are available online at www.
the website for more details.
ballinteerstjohns.com or from the usual outlets. Bingo every Monday night in the
hurling: ballinteer look to end run of draws
clubhouse – starts at 8pm and all
for €7,400. The jackpot will be €7,600
Great wins for Junior A and B footballers against Erins Isle and O’Tooles in the league.
Ballyboden St enda’s CONGRATULATIONS to our senior
98FM’s Dublin Talks broadcasts live
footballers who overcame St Maurs
from Molloy’s Pub in Tallaght.
with a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-12 in AFL1.
2011 All-Ireland winning Dublin stars Bryan Cullen and Barry Cahill
Best of luck to Michael Darragh
will join 98FM alongside Dublin leg-
Macauley and the Dublin senior
end and Thomas Davis clubman Paul
football team as they take on Mayo
Curran.
this weekend in the All-Ireland football semi-finals.
Prizes will be given awa y on the night, including a pair of tick-
For all GAA fans, why not meet
ets to the Dublin. If you would
some of your football heroes from
like to attend the show, log onto
the past this Friday, August 28 as
www.98fm.com/DublinTalksGAA.
naomh olaf HIGHLIGHT of the week was the
after the rugby match, followed by
senior footballers away win over
Steve Pepper.
St Finian’s, Swords on Saturday
La na gClub will run from 2pm to
evening; final score: 1-11 to 0-10.
6pm. This is a day for all the com-
The junior D footballers were back
munity. Bring your friends along.
out in Swords on Sunday but were Ballinteer St John’s senior hurlers face a crucial date with Lucan Sarsfields
Lane wary of Lucan threat in Dublin SHC
sport@dublingazette.com
BALLINTEER St Johns’s crunch championship clash with Lucan Sarsfields on Saturday afternoon is geared up to be one of the tightest and most tense fixtures of the weekend. With the senior hurling championship back up and running this week, Ballinteer and Lucan meet in Group 2 in what is now a winner takes all clash to be played in Monastery Road at 4.15pm. The way the group is set up before the final round of fixtures, Ballint-
eer are in second spot on two points, two behind leaders Cuala, who play third place Faughs on Saturday, who like Lucan, have one point. Sean Lane, who is a part of the management team at St John’s, spoke to GazetteSport in the lead-up to the massive fixture. “It’s going to be very tight,” he said. “The last three games between us have all been draws, that’s this year and last year’s league fixtures and a championship game last year. There won’t be a puck of a sliotar in it at all; both sides are very well matched.”
Ballinteer may at least take confidence in the fact that they go into the game on the back of some good league form, with a draw against Ballyboden last week following up wins over K ilmacud Crokes and St Vincent’s in recent weeks. “I think you do have to put that in to context,” Lane was quick to point out. “It’s always nice to be in good form but you have to remember we’re playing those games with full squads whereas the other teams are missing bodies. “I think there will only
be a point or two in it,” he added. “I actually feel it may come down to a couple of big calls or decisions on the night as you really can’t separate the sides. I just know we’re fully prepared for the game to come.” In other local championship action, Ballyboden St Enda’s take on St Jude’s in Parnell Park on Friday night at 8.15pm in a huge derby clash. Last year’s beaten semi-finalists will be hoping to emulate their 2013 success when they were crowned Dublin senior champions.
not so lucky.
Friday, September 4 is the annual Naomh Olaf All-Ireland corporate
Crucial match coming up next
lunch in Croke Park. This year’s
Saturday in the senior B hurling
event is hosted by Marty Morris-
championship. Naomh Olaf play St
sey.
Peregrine’s in Blakestown at 6pm in a relegation play off.
There is no better way to get into the spirit of what promises to be
Two ma jor events coming up for
a spectacular All-Ireland hurling
the club: next Saturday, August 29
final between Galway and Kilkenny,
is La Na gClub. This promises to be a
than to get to Croke Park two days
great day for all with something for
early and relax with friends at the
everyone. Family fun, lots of activi-
Naomh Olaf corporate lunch. A
ties for the kids, bouncy castles,
small number of tickets are still
barbecue, Irish music in the bar
available from the committee.
wanderers THERE was no lotto winner. Numbers
O’Loughlin on 086 8333587.
drawn were 4, 20 and 24 - €25 to Declan
Juvenile football and hurling con-
Walsh, Kevin Sheridan, Stephen Gal-
tinues for boys and girls aged seven to
lagher, Paschal McMahon.
12 with midweek training and matches
The jackpot next week is €1,100.
on Saturday morning and nursery
See the club website and Facebook
training for boys and girls aged four
for details of our major fundraiser in
to seven on Saturdays at 11am.
November.
Girls’ football training for ages
Training continues on Tuesdays and
nine to 13 will take place each Satur-
Thursdays at 7.30pm. All new play-
day at Rockbrook Park School on the
ers welcome. Contact Stephen on 086
all-weather pitch at 12noon. All levels
0489379. Check the website and Face-
welcome. For further information call
book/Twitter for fixture updates.
Fergal on 087 6213142. Membership is
Ladies Footballers are training on Mondays at 7.30pm in Frank Kelly Park. All newbies welcome. Contact Louise
now due. All adult players are reminded they must be fully paid up to play.
GazetteSPORT all of your dundrum sports coverage from page 28-31
aug 27-sept 2, 2015
The wakeboarding dubs: SHC showdown: Ballinteer St John’s face old foes Killiney man David O’Caoimh Lucan Sarsfields with quarter-final place on the line P31 wins series of high-flying titles P29
Three Rock Rovers strikers Jonny Bruton, left, and Mitch Darling, right, are among a large local contingent lining out in London this week. Picture: Eleni Henry/Hockey Ireland
Rovers’ duo Rock Europe Large local contingent play key roles as Ireland’s hockey team reach the European Championships semi-finals for the first time in history stephen findlater
sport@dublingazette.com
THREE Rock Rovers’ duo Mitch Darling and Jonny Bruton, as well as former Wesley College students Kyle Good and Kirk Shimmins and Clonskeagh native Ronan Gormley, helped Ireland’s hockey team break new ground on Tuesday afternoon as they reached the European Championships semi-finals for the very first time. They drew 2-2 with world number four side Belgium in London whom they eliminated in the process following a 4-3 victory over France earlier in the group – in which Bruton scored a vital goal – before narrowly succumbing 2-0 to
the Olympic champions Germany to two goals in the last six minutes. Against the Belgians, Ireland led twice with Monkstown’s Peter Caruth poking home from a Shane O’Donoghue cross. O’Donoghue, from Templeogue, played a starring role in midfield throughout and was at the hub of most of Ireland’s forward momentum. Belgium equalised early in the second half but O’Donoghue’s drag-flick created the second Irish goal when he drew a great save which fell perfectly for John Jackson to volley home. Florent van Aubel levelled once more for the Belgians but Ireland remained reasonably resolute in defence to prevent any further chances and garner the result they needed, creating his-
tory in the process. Coach Craig Fulton hailed his team’s performance, saying: “There is a very small difference between success and failure, and today in difficult conditions we put in enough detail to get a big result in a major competition when it counted. A fantastic team performance; now onto the semis!” Caruth was later named man of the match and he was breathless after the tie in hailing the performance. “What a game! We knew we had to come out and play, not defend for a draw. Some decisions back and forth didn’t go our way but we stuck with it and fought our way to the result. “The late corners did add to the tension
but we practise for those situations for when it comes down to the wire. It was a dogfight and we did what we had to do.” It continues a superb summer from the Irish team in which they moved to the brink of Olympic qualification in July when they beat higher ranked Malaysia and Pakistan in the World League. They will find out if they qualify for Rio 2016 via that route in October, something that requires world number one side Australia to beat New Zealand in the Oceania qualifiers, but their performances at the Euros has opened up another unlikely route to the Games. Should Ireland win this competition, they will earn an automatic ticket to the Olympics.