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Tri out a micro triathlon and play a part in helping arthritis sufferers

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INSIDE: Gallons of coffee and a zest for his work fuel Today FM presenter Anton Savage’s everyday life P11

Golf:

Finlans win the annual Castle Father and Son Page 30

Hurling:

Ballinteer pick off fine win over Vincent’s Page 31

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28

competition: You and a friend could win a fabulous trip to Cornwall See P24

‘Punitive’ property tax audit wanted  aisling kennedy

IT HAS emerged that, to date, €31.3m in local property tax (LPT) has been collected in the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown area alone, leading to local councillors call ing for a complete review into how it is charged.

Currently, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown has paid the most LPT out of any constituency in Ireland, with a compliance rate of 97.2%.

Cllr Liam Dockery (FF) said:

“I think the Government should reconsider the basis on which the LPT is calculated. It is a punitive, anti-urban tax.”

In response to requests for a review, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance said that a consultation process was currently under way.

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind) declared, however, that the public consultation process is a “meaningless consultation” .

Full Story on Page 4

All abuzz: Lots to do at Summer Medley event at Airfield House THIS pirate got very buzzy at Airfield House during its Summer Medley event recently. Aisling Brophy, and her bee-autiful friend, were among the many visitors to Airfield for a day of family-friendly activities, with children particularly well catered

for at the historic house. From meeting gentle donkeys to lawn games, trying out print workshops and following fairy trails, there was more than enough to leave grownups, children and pirates feeling happy. Picture: Paul Sherwood

4 DUNDRUM Gazette 16 July 2015

finance Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown pays the most, nationally

Calls for review of local property tax  aisling kennedy

LOCAL councillors are this week calling for a complete review into how the local property tax (LPT) is charged, particularly for residents of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

To date, €31.3m has been collected by the Government in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown alone, with a payment compliance rate of 97.2% in the area, according to figures released by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners this month.

The area has paid the

most property tax out of any constituency in Ireland, and local councillors feel that something needs to be done to protect its more vulnerable residents.

Cllr Liam Dockery (FF) told The Gazette: “I think the Government should reconsider the basis on which the LPT is calculated. It is a punitive, anti-urban tax.”

According to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance, the price of an average threebedroom, semi-detached house in south Dublin has dropped by 2.7% to €360,000 in the second

quarter of 2015, further highlighting the fact that less people can afford to buy houses and pay the LPT. Cllr Docker y said: “Even if property prices fall slightly, the LPT will still hit south Dublin homeowners the hardest as long as the basis on which the tax is calculated remains unchanged.

“I’m concerned about the revaluation of property in 2016, and what that will mean for people who are finding it hard to pay the tax. Fianna Fail has proposed to remove the valuation date for 2016, and to give

the Oireachtas a discretion on revaluation.”

In response to requests for a review into the LPT, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance said: “The Minister for Finance has already committed to examine the LPT, and any impacts on LPT liabilities of property price movements.

“Following a request from Minister Noonan, Dr Don Thornhill is conducting a review, with the primary purpose being to consider and make recommendations – in the context of property price developments – what adjustments, if any, might be made to the system to achieve relative stability in LPT liabilities of liable persons.

“As part of the review, a consultation process is currently under way and submissions have been

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind): “The council should be prepared to organise public briefings about the options to cut or increase the local property tax”

requested from the interest groups and members of the public.

“It is expected that this review will be completed in summer. The results of the review will be considered in the context of Budget 2016.”

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind) does not feel that the public consultation process holds any merit, however, and said: “To be honest, I feel this is

a meaningless consultation.

“The public are being asked to have regard to the ‘potential effects of retaining the existing variation, or applying an alternative or no variation, on businesses, individuals and on local authority services’. There is no attempt to offer any guidance as to what those effects might be.

“How can people

comment without seeing what the proposed DLR budget will be, and the council’s options?

If the council gets more money, how will it be spent? If less, what is the impact?

“If this consultation is to mean anything, the council should be prepared to organise public briefings about the options to cut or increase the LPT,” he said.

Eircode system creates confusion  aisling kennedy

EIRCODE, Ireland’s new €27m postcode system, has come into operation this week, causing confusion and uncertainty for people in Dun LaoghaireRathdown.

There has been opposition to the introduction of the new postal system as codes for each address are generated at random, which means that neighbouring properties’ codes often bear no resemblance to each other.

For this reason, major deliver y companies, including UPS, have said they will not use Eircode.

There is also confusion as to whether people should use their Eircode address or their current

address as it states on the Eircode website that “Eircodes are not mandatory. However, some private organisations may require an Eircode in the future.”

Eircodes comprise seven characters that are unique to each mailing address. The characters are divided into two parts – a routing key and a unique identifier, for example the Eircode for the National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire is A96 C8X7.

Residents in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown do not need to apply for an Eircode as letters will be sent to all addresses in the next two weeks to notify people of their code.

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

16 July 2015 DUNDRUM Gazette 5

don’sdublin Oldest museum in State yet hardly anyone knows it It is the oldest museum in Ireland and, until recently, a place that I had not known about. The Zoological Museum, in Trinity College, was established in 1777, although records show that there were collections of “natural history objects” dating back almost 100 years before. The museum was originally based in the Regent House and was established to house Polynesian artifacts from the South-Sea Islands, many of which had been brought back from the expeditions of Captain Cook.

A new building was erected in 1876 to house the growing collection, but due to renovations and the demand for space the museum is now on the first floor. However, much of the collection is intact and it is a vital resource for students.

Over the years there has been a number of curators with Whitley Stokes (founder of the Botanic Gardens and co-founder of Dublin Zoological Society) appointed in 1792, and Robert Ball in 1844.

He was the most influential appointee and was responsible for amassing most of what the museum now holds. And in that same year, when it was declared extinct, the museum was presented with a specimen of Ireland’s Last Great Auk. This flightless bird, a relative of the puffin and razorbill, was hunted by man for its fine feathers.

Only a few specimens remain in museums today, and it is one of the most treasured items in the museum’s 25,000 piece collection.

The great thing about visiting the museum is that you handle many of the items, and if you like (or dare!) you can have your photograph taken in the jaws of a giant shark.

Now that’s different!

From birds and butterflies to a royal elephant there is much to see and enjoy in this little museum.

And, appropriately for a zoological institution, there is a rare Charles Darwin item in a glass case at the entrance. Don’t miss it.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

The Zoological Museum in Trinity College was established in 1777 and houses a 25,000 piece collection for all to enjoy

trade Fine Gael, Sinn Fein at odds over partnership

Transatlantic deal sparks attacks  aisling kennedy

A WAR of words has broken out between Cllr Neale Richmond (FG) and Cllr Shane O’Brien (SF) over Sinn Fein’s failed attempt to pass a motion against the ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) at the recent

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council meeting.

Following the council meeting, Cllr Richmond contacted The Gazette and accused Sinn Fein of being “anti-EU”, based on their decision to “join with hard-left and farright parties in opposing ongoing EU-US trade

talks in the European Parliament”.

He said: “This trade deal is potentially huge for Ireland, with benefits of €2bn per year on the line, but at every level Sinn Fein has thrown their lot in with the mad, bad and scary parties of European politics.

“By adopting this mili-

tant position, Sinn Fein’s MEPs are willing to put 10,000 potential new jobs for Ireland at risk.”

In response to Cllr Richmond’s remarks, Cllr O’Brien told The Gazette: “During the debate at last week’s council meeting, Cllr Richmond stated this trade deal [TTIP] will offer great opportunities

for Ireland, and especially for the beef sector.

“However, on a recent delegation to Brussels, I met with directorate general for agriculture and rural affairs’ senior official, John Clarke who confirmed that the beef sector will be negatively affected by this trade deal.”

6 DUNDRUM Gazette 16 July 2015

grant aid €30,000 for Little Sisters  aiSLing kennedy

THE Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in Clonskeagh has been awarded €30,000 in funding through the Department of Health National Lottery grant programme.

Minister for Communications Alex White said: “The awarding of €30,000 will provide a timely boost to the facility and its residents.”

The funding will be used to purchase a wheelchair-accessible minibus to help people at the nursing home. Minister White said: “The provision of this grant to purchase a minibus is a welcome improvement that will further opportunities for residents to participate in meaningful activities.”

business Local entries sought in national contest

Search is on for best young entrepreneur  aiSLing kennedy

A C OU N T RY W I DE search is currently under way for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE), and the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Local Enterprise Office is inviting entries for the competition for 2015.

T he free to enter national competition is open to people aged 18 to 30, and there are three award categories; Best Business Idea (for businesses not yet trading); Best Start-Up Business

(for businesses trading for 24 months or less), and Best Established Business (for businesses trading for more than 24 months).

All young people living in Dun LaoghaireRathdown or running a business based in the county are encouraged to apply through their local enterprise office before the deadline of Friday, July 31.

There is a €2m investment fund and targeted business supports on offer to the winners, and

an investment fund of €50,000 is being made available to three local winners at county finals.

The county finals will be hosted by each of the 31 local enterprise offices across Ireland this autumn.

During last year’s inaugural competition, more than 1,000 applications were received, 400 young entrepreneurs took part in business boot camps, and 93 young entrepreneurs throughout every county in Ireland won cash investments for their businesses.

The first stage of the competition is countybased and leads to the naming of the Best Young Entrepreneur in each county. This stage is followed by eight regional finals, with one young business-person being crowned Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur later in the year at the national finals in Google’s European HQ in Dublin.

Speaking about the competition, An Cathaoirleach of Dun LaoghaireRathdown County Council, Cllr Barry Saul (FG), said: “The doors of our local enterprise office are always open for anyone thinking of setting up a business, or for those looking to grow their business.

“Through important initiatives, such as Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition, the local enterprise office hopes to support more of our young people with their business ideas and start-ups ventures.”

For further information, see www.localenterprise. ie/DLR or www.ibye.ie, or search for #IBYE on social media.

An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Barry Saul (FG): “Through important initiatives, such as Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition, the local enterprise office hopes to support more of our young people with their business ideas and start-ups ventures”

16 July 2015 DUNDRUM Gazette 7

8 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 16 July 2015

GAZETTEGALLERIES

Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan officially opens the school

The pupils were very excited as Bernard Dunne helped raise their Green Flag at the opening of the new Gael Scoil Shliabh Rua. The opening was attended by the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, local politicians and family and friends of the pupils. The special day also included traditional Irish music and a special cake shaped like the new school (inset). Pictures: Geraldine Woods

Gael Scoil Shliabh Rua celebrates opening

School secretary Aine Tully with Cllr Lettie McCarthy, principal Conchur O Raghallaigh and Matthew Tully, Donal Leary, Harry Ball and Conor Joyce who entertained everyone with traditional Irish music

Little Setanta O’Leary had his grandparents Frances and Brendan Leeson

16 July 2015 DUNDRUM Gazette 9

10 gazette 16 July 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Orna Collins and Julia O’Leary

Karl Fitzpatrick and Elaine Hanley, Catherine Lonergan and Clodagh O’Hea

Alexandra Moore

Leah O’Donovan, Margaret O’Halloran and Grainne O’Sullivan. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Having a ball and helping out charity W

ell-known faces from the Irish modelling business turned heads at the June Ball in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association recently at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dublin.

The glitzy event was attended by over 700 guests and was a resounding success raising more than €60,000 on the night.

The association is the primary support

Maya Geller and Dan McNamara

organisation for people living with motor neurone, their family and carers. Key services include home visiting by a motor neurone disease nurse, financial assistance towards home care, funding towards research and the provision of specialist medical equipment on loan to clients. Funds raised on the night will be divided between these crucial services that the charity provides.

16 July 2015 Gazette 11

HEALTH P14

asdfsdaf law P27 P16

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



Gazette

feature P13

what’son can you bear to miss a special day with your teddy bear?

THE tenth Teddy Bears’ Picnic will return to Blackrock Park on July 19 for children of all ages.

Also being celebrated on the day is National Playday, and there will be lots of fun and games taking place all around the park.

Broadcaster Anton Savage: “The only major part of my morning is having huge, vast quantities of coffee”

A DAY IN THE LIFE: tune in to popular broadcaster’s coffee-fuelled show

A Savage day for presenter  ian begley

ANTON Savage, the accomplished, suit-wearing presenter of Today FM, has built up quite an impressive CV over the years, working vigorously to deliver entertaining and informative shows to thousands of listeners from around Dublin each day.

This week The Gazette caught up with Savage to see what a day in his life is like.

“I usually get up at about 5.40am every morning. I don’t have much of a breakfast and have a mindless brain stem routine that just about gets me to the car. The only major part of my morning is having huge, vast quantities of coffee.

“I have one of those cheap Dunnes

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

‘When I get home, I go through the usual routine of finding something edible to force into my face’ -----------------------------------------

Stores coffee machines in my house, and drink about a half a pint before I leave the house and bring the other half with me in the car.

“I have a quick detour into a coffee shop before I get into the station, which would probably be the equivalent of another pint of coffee.

“The best thing about having to get up early is that the bus lanes are still open, which means that it only takes me about

12 minutes to get into work.

“Whenever it’s lovely and sunny outside, I say to myself that I wish I had a bike but on the days when it’s raining and dark, it’s lovely to be in a warm, comfy car with a cup of coffee listening to Paula [MacSweeney] and Ian [Dempsey] on Today FM,” he said.

Arriving into the Today FM studios at about 7am, Savage said he researches all the news of the day and helps to choose what stories would be best suited for the show.

“We go on air at 9am, and are done at noon. After the show, we would sometimes do a pre-record of the following day’s show or maybe I would interview a guest.

“I would then shoot across to the Communications Clinic, except on Wednes-

days when I would spend the afternoon writing a feature for The Herald.”

Savage, who lives on the northside of Dublin, usually gets home by 6pm and says that it would be very rare that he would have a day shorter than 12 hours.

“When I get home, I go through the usual routine of finding something edible to force into my face, and by the time it’s Friday I’m very eager for it to be the weekend.

“I’m becoming a huge fan of Netflix, because of the huge variety of documentaries that are available on it.

“I usually head to bed extremely early.

When I was doing Ireland AM, I was going to bed at about 8.30pm, but nowadays if I go to bed later than 9.40pm then it’s a miracle,” he said.

Check-ups Families are invited to bring their bears and blankets along on the day, where there will be free bear care and check-ups from the Bear Doctor and the Teddy Bears’ Hospital.

Teddy bears will be treated to minor repairs to give ailing grizzlies a new lease of life.

There will also be a DJ, face painting, bouncy castles and inflatable games for all ages, entertainment at the Lake Stage, a make and do area and picnic facilities with plenty of goodies on offer.

The event will start at 1pm and finish at 5pm. The Teddy Bears’ Picnic is a free event. For further information, see www.dlrevents.ie.

Gazette

12 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife

DIARY

A very cheeky remark Government TDs and Ministers were appalled and outraged in the Dail recently when Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said a bold word.

Speaking in the Dail during a discussion on the Environment Bill, to which the Government had tacked on some new water charge legislation, Deputy Adams alluded to the Coalition’s preelection promise of a democratic revolution sayingL “Democratic revolution my arse.”

The Coalition members were disgusted by the remark, or went to great pains to appear so at least.

Enda Kenny’s answer to Don Corleone’s Luca Brassi, Government chief whip Paul Kehoe (FG), led the charge of indignation saying: “Shame on you, shame on you.”

A s u s u a l G e r r y ’s loyal Deputy Mary Lou McDonald was thrilled with her leader’s performance laughing away at his side and tweeting his remark with the kind of pride Mary Todd would have felt for Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

clampers hamper new lord mayor IT’S probably fair to say that Dublin Lord Mayors and clampers don’t mix

– as Sinn Fein’s newly elected Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh found out when she was clamped recently.

In an ironic twist of fate, it occurred as she was parked outside Dublin City Council’s Wood Quay headquarters.

Just three months ago, her predecessor Cllr Christy Burke (Ind) said that he was opposed to any increase in the fees for the removal of clamps, saying that any increase would only work to serve the company operating the clamping service.

“It would appear to me that the requested increase is certainly to boost the profits,” he said.

While it is unclear whether the clampers in question knew whose car they were attaching the automotive fetters to, average citizens can take solace in the knowledge that even the Lord Mayor cannot escape parking regulations in this fair city.

a healthy way to learn about city Dublin City Council’s community initiative, Let’s Walk and Talk, is a great way for people to stay healthy, meet people and learn a little something about Dublin City.

This initiative com-

prises weekly walks in various parts of the city, themed historical walking tours and other special events.

To mark the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue last year, a new “leg” to this initiative was launched entitled New Shores, Ancient Footprints, which was aimed to educate Irish people about other cultures that exist in the city.

Felip Garzon from Mexico said these walks helped him greatly to improve his English “When I came to Ireland, I wanted to meet Irish people and learn about Irish culture but it was very difficult.

“These walks have given me the chance to do this as well as helping me improve my English,” he said.

For more information about these walks visit www.dublincity.ie/letswalk-and-talk.

a musical fable of Broadway The highly-acclaimed production of Guys and Dolls by the Chicester Festival Theatre production will come to Dublin next April following its run in London’s West End. The musical production will run at Dublin’s Bord Gais Energy

Gerry Adams struck a bum note in the Dail with some inappropriate language. Picture: Cathy Weatherston

Theatre from April 26 to 30. The story, which is based around the prohibition-era of New York, is a hugely popular and multi-award winning musical.

It is based on the colourful stories by American journalist Damon Runyon who was renowned for his vivid fictional depictions of gamblers, hustlers and nightclub singers of New York.

Tickets are available

from the Ticketmaster from July 3, 2015, and are priced at €20.

Come out to play at Curiosity fest The Festival of Curiosity will take place this July and as it was a sellout event for the last two years, now is the time to snap up a ticket.

During the day there is a list of events that are free for families including treasure trails, Lego building, rocket launches,

shows and workshops.

By night Dublin city will light up in a curated programme including a lively fusion of science, arts, culture and technology.

There is a special theme to the festival this year about making memories, and inviting people of all ages to come out to play and to try new things.

Ellen Byrne, co-founder and creative director of the festival, said:

“Going into year three at a festival – with two sellout festivals behind us and over 40,000 people visiting each year – it’s really wonderful to see a home-grown Dublin festival exploring science, arts and technology spread its wings so far so quickly.”

The festival will take place from July 23 to 26.

For more information information about the festival at www.festivalofcuriosity.ie

16 July 2015 GAZETTE 13

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: ACTRESS AND AUTHOR KATIE KIRBY

Happy to exercise her thoughts  AISLING KENNEDY

KATIE Kirby is a busy woman who alongside her acting career in both TV and theatre, has just recently finished her first novel, Could It Be You. She also has a onemonth-old baby and a two-year-old, so finding time to relax and unwind is very important to her.

The Gazette spoke to Kirby to find out how

she manages to escape the mayhem of motherhood and deadlines.

She said: “I exercise as much as I can. I like to keep outdoors as much as possible, especially if the weather is good.”

Out and about

Kirby said that her two daughters keep her on her toes, and that she always likes to be out and about with them.

“My two-year-old in

par ticular loves being outdoors, so she’s a great motivator to get me out of the house!

Today, we’re visiting Glenroe Park to feed the animals, so I’m always trying to stay as active as possible with them.”

Kirby is also a big fan of Tracy Anderson exercise videos, and throughout her pregnancy she

kept herself relaxed and fit by completing the workout videos three days a week.

“I’ve been using her exercise videos for many years; she’s my fitness guru.”

Kirby said that since she had her second daughter four weeks ago, she has yet to get back into her fitness regime.

“I’ve been walking and things like that, but we have a very awake baby the second time around, so she’s giving us a run for our money.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to normal soon. I remember before my first baby was born, I used to think exercising was a bit of a chore but now, after I’ve had my children, I think: ‘Oh, I want this, an hour to myself to relax’,” she said.

Kirby’s biggest pleasure for relaxation is watching tennis in the summer months.

She said: “I don’t watch much T V, but when I do sit down to watch it, my guilty pleasure is the French Open and Wimbledon. I love watching tennis.”

K irby’s first novel, Could It Be You?, is a romance novel and is available to buy now as an eBook for £2.99 on Amazon.com.

Katie Kirby; right, her romantic new ebook, Could It Be You?

GAZETTE

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM

Gazette

14 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife Micro-triathlon: Dublin people share their stories

Give it a Tri, raise  Keith Bellew

Pictured at the launch of Give it a Tri for Arthritis was Edel McCabe, communications manager, Arthritis Ireland and Arthritis Ireland volunteers Alison Paisley and Sinead McGuinness. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

Arthritis Ireland is holding a micro-triathlon this October 11 at Sportslink, Santry, to coincide with National Arthritis Week.

The micro-triathlon is the first of its kind in Ireland and consists of a 3km run or walk, a 3km cycle and three lengths of a pool or a 30-minute aqua-aerobics class. It is open to everyone, of all ages and all exercise levels.

To promote the event and raise awareness of the difficulties faced by those who suffer with arthritis, a number of Dublin people have shared their stories of coping with the condition.

One such person is 29-year-old Alison Paisley, from Walkinstown, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 16.

She said that due to her condition, even the most basic tasks which others take for granted can be a trial for her.

“I can’t do the same things other people my age could do. Basic things like showering, washing, drying my hair drained me.

“Constant pain and discomfort wake me up constantly, never fully enjoying a deep, relaxed sleep.

“Some nights I get no sleep and some mornings can be very difficult as I’m so stiff and feel like I haven’t even gone to bed,” she said.

She went on to say that apar t from the physical effects, a condition like fibromyalgia takes a huge emotional toll, which leaves her with a feeling of guilt.

Aged 31, Peter Boyd, from Ballbriggan has also decided to share

his story to raise awareness of the condition.

He was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid ar thritis when he was 27.

He was working and living in Scotland and working as a personal trainer at the time.

A fter he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and later with rheumatoid arthritis, he was forced to give up his job and move back home.

He described the difficulty faced by those living with a debilitating condition which does not show up on the surface.

“For a long time, I felt

trapped by my physical symptoms and beaten down by the emotional onslaught.

“It has been said that ‘in space no one can hear you scream’. Well, confronted by fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, no matter how hard I screamed no one saw, understood or heard the pain, fatigue and exhaustion I was feeling,” he said.

He is now doing the micro-triathlon as part of his goal to become more active once again.

According to Arthritis Ireland, a cornerstone of its philosophy is “moving is the best

medicine”.

With this in mind, it has launched a unique initiative to engage the Irish public to get out and get active.

Another reason this i n i t i a t i ve h a s b e e n launched is the need to tackle the growing problem of obesity in Ireland.

According to figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ireland is on course to become one of the most obese countries in Europe.

Figures show that 85% of Irish women will be overweight and 57% will be obese by 2030.

16 July 2015 Gazette 15

of coping with chronic conditions to promote three-stage charity event

awareness of arthritis

John Murray, RTE Radio One presenter and Arthritis Ireland volunteers Alison Paisley and Sinead Mc Guinness at the launch

Around 89% of Irish men will be classified as overweight, and 48% will be obese.

A study from the UK

by Dr Stephen Messier shows that for each pound of body weight

lost, there is a 4lb reduction in knee joint stress among overweight and obese people.

Researchers say the results indicate that even modest weight loss may significantly lighten the load on your joints, which is of great benefit for those who suffer with arthritis.

RTE Radio One presenter John Murray, has got on board to lend his support to the initiative.

“T his is a fantastic idea from Arthritis Ireland. I have been a strong advocate of the benefits of exercise for many years, and with the alarming statistics released from the WHO the micro-triathlon couldn’t come at a bet-

ter time.

“Ireland has to reverse the ticking time bomb of obesity and the micro-triathlon is the ideal goal to help us achieve this,” he said.

S t e p h a n i e C a s e y, head of community development at Arthritis Ireland said: “We know that exercise is the magic pill for arthritis and fibromyalgia.

But for many people living with chronic pain, even a short walk can be a huge challenge.

“We have designed our micro-triathlon to suit everyone, whether they have arthritis or simply want to get

fit over the summer months.

“We believe that everyone has the potential to be a micro-triathlete!”

Interested

Those interested can take part as an individual or as a team.

Registration is €30 for a team and €15 for an individual entry.

For more information log on to www.arthritisireland.ie/microtriathlon.

For more information on fibromyalgia and rheumatoid ar thritis visit: www.arthritisireland.ie.

Gazette

FEATURE

Home for cats sought The DSPCA has made an appeal to the people of Dublin to assist them in their attempts to re-home some of the 160 cats and kittens currently under their care.

One such cat is Allie, who came into the DSPCA over a month ago from Ballymun.

She was shot with a pellet gun and as a result of this coupled with a suspected related fall she seriously fractured her front left leg, which had to be amputated.

If you would like to know more about the cats and kittens looking for homes, would be interested in offering a temporary foster home or are not yet a monthly supporter, check out www.dspca.ie for details.

Gazette

16 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife

FEATURE

New Companies Act 2014 analysed  Noreen Maguire Solicitor, Maguire Muldoon Solicitors, Clonskeagh, analyses the New Companies Act 2014, and its main points

Why did we need a new Companies Act? The new Act was nec-

essary because the previous legislation was cumbersome, having been

amended 30 times in 50 years.

The original company legislation was aimed at PLCs – more than 86% of companies in Ireland are private companies limited

by shares, and at long last they are centre stage.

What does it mean?

The 2014 Act, broadly speaking, has five different types of company, as

follows: 1. LTD – Limited company 2. DAC – Designated activity company 3. CLG – Company limited by guarantee (charities and clubs) 4. PLC – Public limited company 5. UC – Unlimited company Here, I am going to deal exclusively with points one and two, above.

DAC and LTD The DAC is the closest to our usual understanding of what a private limited company is. The DAC has a memorandum and articles of association with an objects clause and a minimum requirement of two directors.

The new animal is the LTD. The memo and arts are changed to a onedocument constitution – most importantly, there is no objects clause – so the old idea of a company acting outside its powers, “ultra vires”, is now removed.

A company can be treated like any individual: it can enter into a contract and do anything it wants to do, as long as it is legal.

The other big change is that the LTD can have a minimum of one direc-

tor, but it must also have a company secretary. In both the DAC and LTD, a majority written resolution can now be passed.

For both the DAC and the LTD, the company name must be changed to include “DAC” or “LTD”, as appropriate, so if you opt for the DAC-type company, this will have implications for your website, stationery, etc.

The LTD no longer has to hold a physical AGM – it can adopt a written AGM .

What do we have to do?

A private company needs to decide whether to convert to the new LTD-ty pe company, “opting-in” to the legislation and its rules and regulations. Alternatively, a company can choose to “opt out” and become a DAC. The DAC-type company will be more suitable for special purpose companies: joint venture companies and regulated financial institutions, or where the members of the company would prefer to limit the scope of the company’s powers.

The third option is to do nothing. Once the time limits pass, all private companies will then

automatically convert to an LTD regardless.

So, you may ask, am I better doing nothing?

You should make a decision. If you don’t opt in or opt out, you are effectively in breach of your director’s duties under the new legislation, and this can have implications for a director.

What are the deadlines?

June 1, 2015 – Commencement of Act. August 31, 2016 – Deadline for opting out and becoming a DAC. Hold your EGM, and if agreement is reached by ordinary resolution, fill out the documentation required by the CRO. November 30, 2016 – You have until this date to opt in and become an LTD. Draft your new constitution – hold EGM, pass special resolution, and lodge in the CRO. After November 30, 2016, technically you will be in breach of legislation, you will convert to LTD regardless.

In the meantime, you are governed by the rules attaching to a DAC. Finally, our advice: be proactive and decide – deadlines approach quickly, so put it in your diary for next January.

Solicitor Noreen Maguire: “The new Act was necessary because the previous legislation was cumbersome, having been amended 30 times in 50 years”

16 July 2015 Gazette 17

style P20

asdfsdaf P27 music P23

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

health P19

Pets C’mon – give timon a great new home

Dara O Briain speaks at his BBC Science Club during The Festival of Curiosity

Dublin City: annual festival of science, art, design and technology

Ignite your curiosity  Keith Bellew

The Festival of Curiosity returns to Dublin from July 23 to 26 with a cultural feast of science, art, design and technology for all the family to enjoy.

Now in its third year, the festival will see Dublin City come alive with a free daytime family programme and a lively and curated nighttime programme.

During the day, the city will transform into a carnival of curiosities with lots of free family events including curious treasure trails, Lego building, rocket launches, shows and workshops where all ages can go on a city wide adventure in science, play and curious technology.

Step inside Smock Alley Theatre and experience the wonder of science

through an exciting carnival of handson workshops, adventures in electronics, interactive installations and games for all the family.

One daytime event which is sure to attract big crowds is Rawar! Digging for Dinosaurs: a palaeontology exhibition presented by world leading palaeontologist Jack Horner at The Round Room in The Mansion House on Friday, July 24 at 1pm.

By night the festival will light up Dublin City in a curated programme with a lively fusion of science, arts, culture and curious technology.

The Moon Cycle on Friday, July 24 promises to be one of the most interesting of the nighttime events, and is a must for stargazers.

Some of Ireland’s finest astronomers

will pack their telescopes and take participants on a nighttime sojourn through Dublin to Dunsink Observatory.

The party leaves from Smock Alley Theatre at 9pm and cycles for 45 minutes to Dunsink Observatory taking in the Phoenix Park on the way before bedding down for a picnic under the stars.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is an event called, Ugly Animals: The Search for Dublin’s Minging Mascot, which will be held at The Mansion House on Thursday, July 23 at 7.30pm.

Based on the premise that cute animals get far too much attention, a selection of Dubliners will be championing a series of ugly endangered species, one

of which will be honoured with the title of Dublin’s Minging Mascot.

Both previous instalments of the festival were sell-outs with over 40,000 people visiting each year. Co-founder and creative director Ellen Byrne, said it was great to see a home-grown Dublin festival exploring science, arts and technology establish itself so quickly.

“We have a special theme this year about making memories, and inviting people, of all ages, to come out to play and to try new things - which sees our Curious Nights (adult programme) expand later into the night and the beginning of a new and exciting flagship #Grandpals programme,” she said.

For more information visit: www. festivalofcuriosity.ie

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs.

Our Dog of the Week this week is Timon, a four-year-old male lurcher crossbreed.

Timon has been at Dogs Trust since 2013, and will require lots of time, love and commitment from his new owners.

He is a really playful fellow, both on his walks with his carers and in his kennel, keeping visitors to the centre entertained with his shenanigans! Timon is looking for a home with older children.

If you think you could offer Timon a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

FURTHERPREPARATION FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO GET READY FOR THE ROAD IN CONFIDENCE

The cycle will be a challenging part of your triathlon – so be sure you’re bike-ready IT WILL always be more effective to have a professional carry out your adjustments for you, but in the meantime, see below some simple fitting tips that anyone can do at home on their triathlon bike.

These great tips come courtesy of Jimmy’s Bike shop, Malahide.

Shoe cleats: make sure the middle of the cleat is just behind the ball of your foot, and just ahead of the fifth metatarcel.

Also ensure the cleats point very slightly outward.

Saddle height: a quick test to ensure an approximate height is to sit on your saddle and place the heel of your foot on the base of the pedal, in this position your leg should be fully extended.

Saddle position: when sitting on the bike with your right foot clicked in and positioned at three o’clock, your knee should be 2.5-3cm ahead of the pedal axle.

A good tip is to use a plumb line to gauge

this distance correctly.

Arm angle: when in the optimum cycling position, your shoulder to elbow angle should be about 90 degrees – or slightly less for longer distances on the bike.

Arm pad position: again, in the optimum position, arm pads should rest on the base of your forearm and generally they should be as wide as your shoulder width.

So, the combination of these little adjustments can have a significant effect over a half Ironman distance of 90km. It will also improve your comfort and ability to stay on the bike for longer periods of time.

Look out next week for Gary Crossan’s tips on basic bike maintenance.

Vanguard Wetsuit – male €550 The Zerod Vanguard is an advanced triathlon wetsuit. It is constructed of high-quality Zerod Flex 395 neoprene, and has an SSS coating to reduce friction and drag.

Zoggs Predator Mirror €29 Super-soft silicone seal for ultimate comfort and fit with easy-adjust silicone strap for fantastic strength, comfort and durability.

Compressport Swim cap €6 Along with the official swim cap, try the new Compressport classic swim cap for extra warmth. It, too, is designed for comfort in the water.

Zerod ISuit Black & Orange €175 The iSuit will be your most important ally when competing at Half Ironman and Ironman. The use of technical fabrics such as “water wear weapon” and mesh makes it super light, breathable and very efficient.

Bodyglide Anti-Chafe €14.50 BodyGlide protects against chafing and rash and it makes wetsuit entry and exit easier and faster.

These products are all available from Base2Race, Unit 46, Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin 24, which offers the following quick tips for swim gear and accessories: 1. Place your goggle strap just above the widest part of your head. If they move down during the swim, they will become more secure rather than

loosen.

2. Ensure your hands are lubricant-free before to putting on your goggles.

Sticky lubricant on goggles can impede your vision.

3. Wetsuits are expensive, so try and swim in your wetsuit before purchase.

Height and weight guides do not factor in body shape.

Triathletes will need to be at the top of their fitness when they take to the water at Scotsman’s Bay, Dun Laoghaire

IRONMAN: PART 1 OF 3 TO GUIDE YOUR TRAINING

Top tips to help your race go swimmingly  TRIATHLON IRELAND

YIKES! With just over five weeks to the start of Ironman Dublin 70.3 on August 9 and, with most of the training done, it’s time to start thinking about what the day involves.

This week, GazetteHealth talks to Gary Crossan of Triathlon Ireland about the swim section of the event. His helpful hints for first or umpteenth-time triathletes are set out below. Onwards to victory in Ironman Dublin 70.3!

Participants will begin with a 1.9km swim in Dun Laoghaire’s scenic Scotsman Bay. Gary Crossan says this is probably the event’s most intimidating element.

Most important, he says, is to be prepared by knowing what to expect.

Everyone must complete the one lap swim in under 70 minutes, otherwise they will not be permitted to complete the rest of the event. Every athlete

gets a wave to start in and these run over a period of 75 minutes. Positioning for the start, sighting and drafting – these are the key points to consider here.

A simple thing like positioning at the outset can have a huge bearing on how the rest of the day will go. If you get it right, it can go swimmingly!

But, get it wrong, and you can find yourself being punched, kicked and half drowned. This doesn’t make for a fun start to a long day.

The stronger, faster swimmers get themselves up front and at the centre of the wave. Weaker ones should be more to the back and side of each wave, so things are less crowded and you can avoid the melee which is part and parcel of triathlon swimming.

Next up for consideration, says Crossan, are sighting and navigation.

You may not have had to deal with these while

doing your weekly training in the pool.

Good sighting prevents zig zagging and wasting valuable energy needed for the bike and run sections that follow.

Before diving in, get your bearings – where the buoys are and, if possible, a landmark on the shore.

Having a landmark means you don’t have to sight as often, which effectively means less interruption to the rhythm of your stroke.

The word “drafting” is frowned on in the triathlon world, says Crossan, but only in the bike section. It is perfectly legal in the swim and is a great way to save energy while also improving speed.

It is all about being able to swim as closely as possible to the person in front without constantly hitting their feet. It takes skill and practice, but can be worked on in the remaining weeks of training.

Another point to consider when drafting is to

make sure you keep sight of where you’re going. Do not just blindly trust the person you are following, as they might be going the long way round!

Crossan maintains that the last part of the swim is where you can most definitely gain a few positions if you do it well – that is the exit.

On the final 100m of the swim, kick your legs very hard to get a bit of blood back up to the top of your body (as being horizontal for up to 30 minutes-plus can leave you dizzy if you stand up too suddenly).

So, kick like mad, swim until your hands can touch the seabed, stand up slowly and then, when you have your balance, run with high knees out of the water.

At this point you will start to unzip your wetsuit and make your way to your bike, where you will get set for the next section – the 90km cycle. More on that next week ...

16 July 2015 Gazette 19

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

Three staple make-ups to help your summer look M&S Earrings €17

M&S Playsuit €35

I JUST love summer beauty products, including fresh floral fragrances, eye shadows in gun metal grey and some bright sheeny lips.

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Urban Decay Revolution lipgloss €19

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Littlewoods Ireland Bag €45

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Littlewoods Irel and Jumpsuit €4

The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig parfum €29.95

16 July 2015 Gazette 21

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SEVENTIES fashion has been floating around all summer and is set to continue into autumn. While I’m not really a flares and funky floral prints kind of girl, I do love a bit of high-glam disco, and I’m sure Studio 54 would have been my spiritual home had I been born in the right decade and country.

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Co-founders Grace O’Rourke and Aoife Connolly from Dublin have created an exclusive three-piece collection featuring pants, sleeveless top and jacket.

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Gazette

22 Gazette 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

The spaghetti vongole with cockles, mussels and clams was bursting with taste

Picky Eater PASTA and pizza are too often regarded as “the lazy options”, or lie nondescriptly on those “fusion” menus so beloved of Dublin diners these days.

Not so at Pizza Stop, where “ersatz” is stopped at the door and the genuine Italian experience awaits.

You could pass the restaurant by on Chatham Lane, off Grafton Street – and what a mistake that would be.

Picky and friend met midweek for a quick bite before a gig. As oregano, yeast and vino tinto perfumed the air, we perused the familiar menu, happy amid the red gingham tablecloths and kitchen bustle.

Skipping the antipasti on display (a large cured ham, grilled courgettes and other sundries), we went for a shared tomato and mozzarella bruschetta and a plate of meats from the menu.

The former were the right combination of juicy and dry; the latter moist and tasty.

A glass of house red (each) helped the lot go down nicely. We were

ready for our main dish.

Picky’s pal toyed with the idea of roast suckling pig, but a night of music and beer beckoned so he turned instead to a good old-fashioned pizza with all the trimmings.

A basic margharita was piled high with olives, anchovies, more cheese, pepperoni and peppers.

It emerged fragrant, crisp and even, not buckling remotely under the weight of extra toppings.

Picky went for the spaghetti vongole with cockles, mussels and clams.

A liberal sprinking of black pepper and parmesan (yes, yes, we know you shouldn’t) delivered taste even towards the last mouthful.

The spaghetti was deliciously al dente, and reminded us of Roman holidays: sun, sea and the taste of salt. (It can do this

even in the depths of winter, bless it.)

The accompanying garlic bread and mixed salad were fresh and simple – ideal companions.

Replete and entering the digestive phase, Picky and friend concluded that there’s nothing like a good Italian meal and nothing better than good company to savour it with.

We rounded off our early supper with an inky espresso and Americano laced with sugar.

It can be a tight squeeze in Pizza Stop, and sometimes you can feel a little too close to your neighbouring diners for comfort. But the more you tuck in, the less of a problem this seems to be.

Our bill came to around €50 all in. For cheap, cheerful, tasty and atmospheric fare, you just can’t beat Pizza Stop.

Conclusion SOME may find the venue a bit of a squeeze, but the food on offer at Pizza Stop (at 6/10 Chatham House, Chatham Lane, Dublin 2; tel 01 679 6712) makes it worth dropping into. It doesn’t needlessly tinker with old staples, delivering instead truly tasty fare.

16 July 2015 GAZETTE 23

ALBUM: HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL

Florence learns to live and love in the world  COLM MURRAY

FRESH from her headlining slot at last month’s Glastonbury festival, Florence and her cohorts, The Machine, return with album number three.

For Florence Welch, the success of her first two Florence and the Machine albums Lungs (2009 – Album of the year, Brit Awards 2010) and Ceremonials (2011) meant five years of back-to-back recording, promoting and touring. Lungs ran straight into the making, promoting and touring of the Grammy-nominated Ceremonials, an album written while on the road and recorded straight after coming off tour. The shows were getting bigger, the hair redder, and the success wider and wilder.

A pop star at 21, with two international hit albums behind her, Florence discovered that in giving seven years to her music, some elements of real life had been left by the wayside. Coming back from tour and moving out of her mother’s Camberwell home, Florence reengaged with normal life: going out, falling in and out of love, and simply trying to learn how to look after herself outside of the hermetic bubble of life of the road.

“It was sort of a crash landing.” Florence freely admits.

“I guess although I’ve always dealt in fantasy and metaphor when I came

to writing that meant the songs this time were dealing much more in reality.

Ceremonials was so fixated on death and water, and the idea of escape or transcendence through death, but the new album became about trying to learn how to live, and how to love in the world rather than trying to escape from it.”

And so the new Florence, and her songs, started to swim into focus.

The result is How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, a collection of songs, written and recorded over the course of 2014.

Produced by Markus Dravs (Björk, Arcade Fire, Coldplay) the third album

by Florence is live-sounding, tune-rich, unhinged in all the right places and powerful in all the best ways. In voice and, ultimately, outlook, Florence has never sounded better. Anthemic hooks and bombastic orchestras are the foundations for the album as her vocal theatrics take the songs to the next level.

A prime example is the future Florence classic Ship To Wreck: it opens the album, and showcas-

es Florence and Dravs’s enthusiasm for reframing her distinctive voice.

The music is not unlike upbeat Cure hits from the 1990s – all polished and tight with catchy hooks.

The dynamics then shift with the first single What Kind of Man, topped off with brass section by lifting and building the momentum throughout.

The themes of love lost and breakups display world weariness from Florence who recalls the fights, drunken night and blissful moments of sadly defunct relationships.

Elsewhere, on Various Storms and Saints, the delivery is stunning, with dusty guitar and occasional keyboard humming accompanying Welch for the first two minutes or so, letting focus fall on Welch’s voice. It’s this restraint which is in contrast to the directness of the first two albums which Florence has learnt to harness. Third Eye is one of her most complete songs as Welch swaps between an uplifting chorus, and verses filled with her roaring near spoken word declarations with the horn section highlighting Welch’s wail of “You are flesh and blood!

And you deserve to be loved!”

An album full of shimmering tunes cl o s e s w i t h t h e uplifting and rocking Mother, leaving us in no doubt there is still a lot more to come from this formidable artist.

Florence and The Machine are set to headline this year’s Electric Picnic

GAZETTE

MUSIC

Gazette

24 Gazette 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

mayo: cong’s most famous ‘son’ is just one attraction

A relaxing break that even The Quiet Man would praise  mimi murray

IN THE early 1950s, an American screen legend came to County Mayo to make one of the most famous movies ever made on these shores.

The Quiet Man starred John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and was set in the stunning village of Cong on the Mayo/Galway border.

This movie has effectively kept the village going for the past 65 years with a strong tourism industry growing out

of the movie, with Quiet Man tours taking place in the village every day, and busloads of tourists stopping to pay homage at all the film’s famous locations.

Cong is also known as the location for one of Ireland’s most renowned castles/hotels, Ashford.

Ashford Castle may not be within a lot of people’s budgets, but the lodge is.

Situated within the 350acre estate, The Lodge at Ashford Castle overlooks beautiful Lough Corrib.

It was originally built in

1865.

We arrived in Cong on a grand, soft day – translation: grey and wet, but as we all know in Ireland, it doesn’t take long for dull weather to move off in another direction, and we were able to ramble around the estate and take in all the lush scenery and magnificent countryside.

My other half was determined to teach our young son how to skim stones, and what better place than Lough Corrib: a serene lake, with the only thing breaking the

silence being a fisherman tinkering at his boat.

After plenty of fresh air, it was back to Wilde’s restaurant for dinner. This place is more on the side of fine dining, so probably not the best place for our almost three-year-old, but there is a bar serving food, which is probably better with young kids.

However, they do have a really adventurous menu for kids in Wilde’s, which impressed us.

Our meal was to be filled with lots of little surprises. Between all

courses there are small plates, selected by the chef and brought to the table, which allows you to sample so much more of this great chef’s cooking.

For starters I went for Johnny’s King Crab with mango and euchalyptus, sea urchin and coriander, while hubby went for pan-seared scallops with bacon, truffle, honey and apple.

My main was wild turbot with monks beard, leek and grape, while my other half went for venison.

Ashford Castle’s Wilde’s restaurant offers a great view over Lough Corrib, complementing the fine fare

I was impressed by the presentation and attention to detail, and the flavours married well together.

Our family suite was perfect, with lots of space for our son to run around, and we all got a great night’s sleep after a busy day of travelling and sight-

seeing.

If you plan a trip to Mayo, or are a Quiet Man fan, Cong is not to be missed and the Lodge is a great base.

For further information on Cong, see www. congtourism.com, and for the Lodge at Ashford, see www.thelodgeac.com.

16 July 2015 gazette 25

America: the perfect adventure destination

Gazette

TRAVEL fastTRAVEL

The best of culture, food and scenery Located in the south-west region of India, Kerala offers honeymooners the best of culture, food and scenery on their romantic getaway.

Unwind and allow all of your wedding nerves to float away in this destination, which boasts postcard-perfect beaches, shady coconut groves and lush paddy fields.

With GoHop.ie, you can spend 14 nights in Kerala in five different resorts from €2,280pp from October to April. Spend two nights in the Old Harbour Hotel in Kochi, two nights in the Windermere Estate in

There’s a lot more to this vibrant city than meets the eye

You should want to leave for Las Vegas  ian begley

With 10,000 Irish fans making the trip to Vegas to see Conor McGregor take on Chad Mendes last week, we take a look at some of the things Irish fans could expect to do on a trip to Sin City.

Famous around the globe for its world-class entertainment and casinos, there’s a lot more to this vibrant city than meets the eye. From incredible shops to fantastic scenery, you won’t be stuck for things to do in and around Las Vegas.

American Holidays has compiled a list of the most exciting activities and excursions to ensure you have a great trip.

1. Check out the incredible free water display at the Bellagio Fountains.

Water shoots up to 460ft in the air, perfectly choreographed to the tunes of Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. The Fountains of Bellagio were destined to

romance your senses.

Take in a complimentary Las Vegas show of water, music and light thoughtfully interwoven to mesmerise its admirers.

2. Find out all there is to know about America’s most famous criminals, such as Al Capone, and learn about the origins of the FBI at the interactive Mob Museum.

The museum provides a world-class, interactive journey through true stories. From the birth of the mob, to today’s headlines. Whether you like it or not, this is American history.

3. Experience the immense beauty of the Grand Canyon on a helicopter tour. Be wowed by the canyon’s breathtaking canyon which stretches as far as the eye can see. Enjoy the scenery of all the rims of the canyon where you can see the Colorado River, lush forests of the Grand

Canyon National Park, as well as the high deserts of the West Rim. 4. Built in 1931, the Hoover Dam draws millions of visitors each year and The Hoover Dam Tour offers a unique way to see, learn and appreciate what Hoover Dam is all about. This tour offers guided exploration into lesser known parts of the dam.

5. For a truly life-changing experience and adrenaline rush like no other, complete your visit to Las Vegas with a tandem skydive. Take in the stunning views of Mount Charleston and the strip as you free fall for 60 seconds.

6. Venture into the desolate and abandoned Area 51, journey along the infamous extra-terrestrial highland and learn about legends of aliens and UFOs on a special tour.

7. Shop til you drop on the Las Vegas strip. You’ll find everything from highend designer boutiques to

fun souvenir stores.

With the vast quantity of things to do in Las Vegas, you can spend six nights in the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino from €689pp in August.

For those looking to travel during the winter you can spend five nights in the Excalibur Hotel and Casino from €695pp in December.

If those who want two holidays in one, you can spend three nights in the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas and seven nights in the all-inclusive Occidental Grand Xcaret in Mexico, from €1,579pp during the month of November.

Or for a thorough American experience spend four nights at the Circus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and three nights in the Ramada New York/Eastside in New York from €815pp.

For more information on these deals, visit www. americanholidays.com.

Munnar, two nights in Cardamom County in Kerala, two nights in Backwater Ripples in Kumarakom, one night in Lakes and Lagoons in Alappuzha, and five nights in The Leela Kovalam in Kovalam.

Highlights on this tour include soaking up the picturesque port town of Kochi, exploring the tea plantations and pristine valleys of Munnar, gliding along the Kumarakom backwaters and relaxing on the golden beaches of idyllic Kovalam.

To find out more about this offer, visit www.gohop.ie.

26 DUNDRUM GAZETTE 16 July 2015

DUNDRUMCLASSIFIEDS PLANNING NOTICE

BUILDING

ALL BUILDING SERVICES ROOF REPAIRS CHIMNEYS POINTING / PAINTING WINDOWS & DOORS ALL MEASUREMENTS ALTERATIONS Call Michael: 086 2561436

CLEANING

PLANNING NOTICE

RECRUITMENT

DÚN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

We, M. & N. O’Grady Developments Limited intend to apply for planning permission for development on this site: plots 1 to 13 (approved under reg. Ref. D13A/0370) on site formerly known as 54 Nutgrove Avenue, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 and lands (disused hockey pitch) bounded by 56 to 92 (even no’s) Nutgrove Avenue to the north, 2A to 28A (even no’s) Loreto Avenue to the east, Educate Together National School to the south and by area of open space within Stonepark Abbey, & Rathfarnham Scout Den to the west, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.The development will consist of Internal modifications to already approved houses on plot 1 to 13 approved under Reg. Ref. D13A/0370 incorporating: (1) Increase in floor area of house type A1 to 137.39m.sq. (3 bed option) & 175.27m.sq. (4 bed option), (2) Increase in floor area of house type B to 112.73m.sq. (3 bed option), 157.36m. sq. (4 bed option), (3) Increase in floor area of house type C to 131.76m.sq. (3 bed option), 179.36m.sq. (4 bed option) and Associated external modifications of house type A1, B & C including increase in height of wall plate level on front elevation.The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire during its public opening hours.A submission/observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the planning authority.

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Visit: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DublinGazetteNewspapers Twitter: @DublinGazette

DÚN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL

Permission is sought for a single story extension to the side and front of existing dwelling also alterations to front boundary wall for the provision of on site car parking at No16 Rosemount, Dundrum, Dublin 14

by Bernadette Maher.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Dun Laoghaire during its public opening hours.

A submission/observation may be made on payment of €20 within a period of 5 weeks from the date the application is received by the Planning Authority.

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Gazette

28 Gazette 16 July 2015

SPORT Patterson all set for Euro debut

FastSport

softball: stillorgan called into ireland’s first slowpitch side

McGee back in irish davis cup tennis team:

CASTLEKNOCK’S James McGee will lead Ireland’s Davis Cup team to face South Africa in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Euro/Africa Zone Group II relegation play-off.

The Irish number one will be backed up

by Sam Barry and they will be joined by doubles specialists James Cluskey, from Swords, and David O’Hare for the tie which takes place at the Irene Country Club in Centurion, South Africa from July 17 to 19.

The Irish Davis Cup captain Conor Niland said: “I am very pleased to announce a strong team for this tie against South Africa.

It is great to have James McGee back in the squad and we are excited at the opportunity to play in South Africa.”

Ireland lost both their previous outings against the South Africans and need a win to avoid dropping into Europe Zone Group III for the first time since 2007.

 sport@dublingazette.com

THE inaugural women’s Irish National Fastpitch Softball Team will be competing in its first international championship at the European Softball Federation’s 2015 European Championships in Rosmalen, Holland on July 19 to 25.

Following the recent announcement by Softball Ireland, Ireland will be anchored by longtime Stillorgan resident, Jennifer Patterson (nee Bohan). She grew up in Lakelands and currently resides in Coolnevaun with her husband, daughter, and pets.

Patterson has qualified from an extensive

panel of players that will form the first ever women’s national team.

“To represent Ireland again is a great honour and one that I had hoped to do again.

So, to compete on an Irish Team that is brand new… it’s all the better,” she said. “This team has an opportunity to establish a benchmark for future teams to challenge. It will also provide the foundations for several young women and girls to participate in softball for years to come.”

She credits her love of sport to the success she had whilst playing hockey and rounders in the fields of Lakelands.

She and the teams from the estate had won

a number of All-Ireland championships in their respective age brackets.

Patterson began playing softball in the mid 1990s, and was selected to represent Ireland in the European Coed Slowpitch Championships in 2000 and 2004, in Maynooth and Linz, Austria respectively.

Those Ireland teams earned bronze and silver medals in their respective years. Patterson has followed those selections, with three national titles with her club, the Oddsox Greens.

She is also a core member of one of the most successful teams in the UK. Her team there, H2O Heroes, has won the national soft-

Jenny Patterson in action

ball league four times and garnered three silver medals in the British National Championships.

She has travelled to the USA, London, Jersey and Czech Republic to compete in further high profile championships.

The 2015 ESF European Championships is the most prestigious competition in Europe for this format of softball, the majority format played on the continent. It is also the largest development focus for the European Softball Federation (ESF) across many delegations within the breadth of

Europe. The ESF hold similar championships for men, and a number of age bracketed events across several divisions for both girls and boys youths.

With the selections now made for this initial Women’s Irish National Team, Team Ireland has been training regularly, both midweek and on weekends. They also took part in a tournament in Belfast, competing against teams of men and women, where the Irish ladies finished as runners up.

Although this is Team Ireland’s initial foray into women’s fastpitch softball, the team has

lofty aspirations. This year’s team is looking to achieve both a European and world ranking.

It is hoped that they can achieve a ranking in the top 15 in Europe, while its standings globally will depend on results elsewhere. Softball Ireland has already negotiated an at large bid to compete in Canada at the 2016 Women’s World Championships.

For Patterson, her involvement is also a family affair as her husband, Stephen, who is originally from the United States, acts an assistant coach for the team.

Four Dubliners called into Irish women’s hockey team  sport@dublingazette.com

Kate Lloyd is one of four Dubliners to join up with the Irish senior women’s hockey team. Picture: Adrian Boehm

FOUR Dubliners have been added to the Irish senior women’s hockey team panel for the EuroHockey Championship II in Prague as part of seven changes to the panel made by new coach Graham Shaw.

Shaw took over as head coach from Darren Smith in the wake of last month’s World League Round 3 in Valencia when 2016 Olympic hopes were dashed.

In the intervening fortnight, Railway Union’s Kate Dillon and Emma Smyth both

announced their retirements while UCD’s Nikki Evans is recovering from a broken jaw sustained against South Africa.

With Anna O’Flanagan, Lizzie Colvin, Aine Connery and Emma Gray unavailable too, it leaves Ireland shy half a dozen players with over a century of caps.

In their absence, opportunity knocks for a series of newcomers to stake their claim for a place in the side. Ards’ Kerri McDonald is the sole debutante while Railway’s Kate Lloyd has only two games under her belt

and is in line for a maiden tournament She comes into the panel along with UCD duo Deirdre Duke and Emily Beatty while Pembroke goalkeeper Stella Davis comes in as number two goalkeeper and Ayeisha McFerran will likely be the number one in Gray’s absence. Naomi Carroll is the other incoming player to the panel.

Speaking about the selection, Shaw said: “The objective of this tournament is a top two finish to secure promotion back to A Division.

“This is very important for this squad and the path we want to take.

“The squad selected has flexibility with multiple players able to operate in more than one position and physically fit to cope with the heat in Prague.”

Ireland - currently ranked 14th in the world - are drawn in Pool A with Czech Republic (world rank 35), Ukraine (26) and France (24) for the competition which starts on July 18.

The latter two sides have both been comfortably beaten by Ireland in the past year.

16 July 2015 DUNDRUM gazette 29

Gazette

Boden secure semi-final place with ease  sport@dublingazette.com

B A L LY B O D E N S t Enda’s senior A ladies footballers qualified for the Dublin championship in midweek as they comprehensively beat St Sylvester’s in Malahide by a scoreline of 2-16 to 0-2.

This followed their win over Clann Na nGael in

the previous round 3-12 to 2-6.

With Foxrock Cabinteely already through, the side now look forward to a last four clash, which is still to be decided, against one of Kilmacud Crokes, St Brigid’s and Fingallians.

Despite missing players due to injuries, holidays, work commitments

and J1s, the Boden girls still had too many resources for Syl’s. As the score highlights, this was a team performance with nine players getting on the scoreboard.

Who they play next will be decided on July 22 when Kilmacud and Fins meet in the final round of group games.

Crokes need to win to

grab one of the places in the top two of the group; they sit on six points while Fingallians and Brigid’s are both on seven after three rounds of games.

Brigid’s are in the strongest position as they have to play Thomas Davis with plenty of permutations working in their favour.

Hurling: Ballinteer land key win in division 1

Club Noticeboard Wanderers THE lotto was won by Helen Conlon;

Park. All newbies welcome. Contact

the numbers were 1, 3 and 28; no con-

Louise O’Loughlin on 086 8333587.

solation prizes. The jackpot next week goes back to €500.

Juvenile football and hurling continues for boys and girls aged seven to

See the club website and Facebook

12 with midweek training and match-

for details of our major fundraiser in

es on Saturday morning and nursery

November.

training for boys and girls aged four

Training continues on Tuesdays and

to seven on Saturdays at 11am.

Thursdays at 7.30pm. All new play-

Girls’ football training for ages nine

ers welcome. Contact Stephen on

to 13 will take place each Saturday

086 0489379. Check out the website

at Rockbrook Park School on the all

and Facebook/Twitter for fixture

weather pitch at 12 noon.

updates.

The ladies’ footballers train on Mondays at 7.30pm in Frank Kelly

All levels welcome. For fur ther information call Fergal on 087 6213142.

ballyboden st enda’s A BIG congratulations to the Dublin

continues to be not only the largest

senior footballers on their Leinster

summer camp around but also the

final win over Westmeath and the Dub-

most enjoyable.

lin senior hurlers on their champion-

Providing GAA and many other

ship win against Limerick, in particular

sporting activities for boys and girls

our Ballyboden St Enda’s representa-

aged five to 12, it is a camp which puts

tives on both teams

fun and enjoyment as its number one

Congratulations to our Ballyboden

Ballinteer St John’s beat St Vincent’s with two points to spare

Clabby leads way for crucial victory AHL division one

Ballinteer St John’s 1-14 St Vincent’s 1-12  sport@dublingazette.com

BALLINTEER St John’s senior hurlers registered a much-needed two-point win in their AHL1 clash against St Vincent’s last Tuesday night in Marlay Park.

On a wet and dull night in Rathfarnham, it was Ballinteer who opened the scoring when a longrange effort from Glen Whealen flew between the sticks after 60 seconds. Fionan Clabby added a second shortly after a with a free from his

own half. Clabby had his sat-nav switched on for this on as he was five from five for long range frees in the first-half.

Fergal Chambers added two from midfield before Aodhan Clabby finished the move of the half to put Ballinteer further ahead.

Joe Maher picked up the ball 45 yards out, made a bursting run straight through the middle of Vincent’s half-back line before a clever handpass to Clabby created the space he needed to burst the ball into the net for the game’s first goal.

Vincent’s remained in the game however with

points from John Hetherton and Mossy McGrane, but the Ballinteer goal was left free of pressure due to the defending of Ronan Collins, Dave Harney, and Alex Hogan, which kept the score at the break 1-8 to six points.

McGrane registered the first score of the second half with a 30-yard free before Chambers hit his third point of the night just seconds later from a tight angle out left.

Gavin O’Broin put himself on the scoreboard next with a point following good work by Whealen and Sean Lane.

The industrious Maher

was rewarded for his efforts with a point too soon after.

John’s seemed in a comfortable position and on top of the game but the score was all square with 10 minutes to go when Vincent’s got a brief grip of the game and added a goal to their tally to make 1-11 each.

The Marino men looked inspired and Ballinteer looked like they might crumble but soon stiffened up and hit three points to Vincent’s one in the final moments to leave the full-time score at 1-14 to 1-12 for the Southsiders.

rule.

senior A ladies footballers who quali-

Kids get to keep up their practice,

fied for the Dublin senior A champion-

get to meet their friends, make new

ship semi final by comprehensively

friends, go on day trips and get lots

beating St Sylvester’s away in Mala-

of freebies, all in a safe and enjoyable

hide by a scoreline of 2-16 to 0-2.

environment.

The biggest and best summer camp

For more information on Ballyboden

in the country begins again in Bally-

St Enda’s, log on to www.bodengaa.

boden this July.

ie and follow us on Twitter and Face-

Ballyboden St Enda’s summer camp

book.

naomh olaf MIXED week for our hurlers: on Tues-

are also in action for Dublin this week.

day evening, Olaf’s defeated Parnells

Chloe Ni Ceallaigh is on the Dublin

1-9 to 1-7 in the junior C championship.

minor B panel.

In the junior B championship on

Roisin MacLoughlin, meanwhile,

Wednesday evening, Ballyboden

returned to minor A county training

proved stronger, winning 2-18 to 0-13.

last week after a long spell of injury.

The minor footballers were also out

Julie Grimes put in another fine per-

on Wednesday and were unfortunate

formance for Dublin in the annual Paul

to be defeated by a point in a tight

Beecher camogie tournament this

match against Fingallians, 4-8 to 3-13.

week following on from an equally fine

Congratulations to Nia Kennedy and

performance from Ciara Murphy the

the Dublin U-14 ladies footballers who

previous week.

won the Leinster blitz at the weekend,

There was no winner of this week’s

defeating Meath in the final 2-3 to 0-3.

jackpot. Winning numbers were 23, 24

Two of our young camogie stars

and 26. Next week’s jackpot is €1,500.

ballinteer st john’s THERE was no winner of the July 9 lotto

clubhouse – starts at 8pm and all are

draw for €6,200. The jackpot will be

welcome for a great night’s entertain-

€6,400 next week.

ment.

Our Joker Wild draw continues this

The third annual golf classic takes

Thursday; it is open to lotto players

place in the K Club on July 31. See ball-

present in the clubhouse on the night.

inteerstjohns.com/golf or email golf-

Tickets are available online at www.

classic@ballinteerstjohns.com.

ballinteerstjohns.com or from the usual outlets.

Bingo every Monday night in the

Deepest sympathies to the Duffy family on the passing of JJ’s mother Annie.

Gazette

30 DUNDRUM gazette 16 July 2015

SPORT

fastSport

golf: castle golf club host biggest event on calendar

O’Reilly wins titles at 100m, 200m and 400m DSDAC’S Mollie O’Reilly moved up a distance in style as she finished second in the AAI Track and Field Under-20 championships last weekend with a time of 56.99 seconds in Tullamore.

O’Reilly is eligible at this age group for two more years, showing her potential.

In the wake of that performance, O’Reilly used the national juvenile track and field championships last weekend to work on her sprint speed to aid her 400m running.

She subsequently followed up with two gold medals both in personal best times. In the 100m, she came home in 12.07 seconds while she added the 200m in 24.91 seconds.

Elsewhere at the event, Rachel Dunne also won gold, with an impressive performance in the Under-18 400m hurdles in 64.82.

Others who stood out from the club were: James Holden, second in the Under-17 400m (51.58) and fifth in the 200m (23.06).

Christian McKenna was second in the Under18 1,500m and third in the 3,000m. Molly Hourihan landed silver in the Under-15 long jump and in the 250m hurdles while James Maguire took silver in the Under-16 250m hurdles.

Ciaran Carthy was a bronze medallist in the Under-15 250m hurdles in 36.89 seconds.

Gavin Dunne completed the medal haul with gold in the Under-19 400m.

A week earlier, three of DSDAC’s Under-12s also shone on the national stage. Ciara Kelly was first up with her newest accessory, the turbo javelin or the “jav” as it has come to be known. While beating the throw that got her to the All Ireland’s, she was far off her best.

Claudia Moran and Erica Field were next up with the high jump in a test of nerves and talent.

Moran struggled to get into her stride and fell short of her personal best but Field gave her all and achieved a new mark of 1.20m.

She also took part in the long jump, but two jumping events in the one day proved too much.

This was the girls’ first time at the individual All Ireland championships.

Also competing on the day was Cian O’Sullivan in the boys’ Under-13 high jump and he put in a great performance but just fell short of his personal best.

Michael and Stephen Finlan celebrate their success with, from left, Derry Byrne, Paul Carroll and Karl Devenney. Picture: Pat Cashman

Finlans win Father and Son  sport@dublingazette.com

MICHAEL and Stephen Finlan emerged as the 2015 Father and Son AllIreland golf title at Castle Golf Club, claiming the title for the third time as they ended up ahead of a field of over 500 golfers from more than 100 different clubs.

The week-long event is renowned for its friendly atmosphere and this was evident from the qualifying rounds and right through all the matchplay stages and the tournament is the biggest open event on the Irish golfing calendar.

On the first qualifying weekend, the O’Reillys of Elm Park, on their first visit to The Father and Son led the qualifiers with a net score of 67 and they then went all the way through the matchplay stages to the final.

The Smyths were the leading Castle pair on 68.

The leading gross score of the qualifiers was 75

by Morgan and Robbie Pierse of Grange.

Sixty-four pairs qualified for the Matchplay stages of the event, which commenced on Monday and ran every evening during the week.

siblings tournament Kilmashoge the stars of annual family affair members of Kilmashogue GC formed

part of all the winning pairs in the second National Siblings Tournament last weekend.

Brothers Ian (Kilmashogue GC) and Ross Williams (Rathfarnham) won the Brothers competition. Club president Geraldine Coghlan along with her sister Paula Tanham, lady captain in Woodenbridge, won the sisters competition and John Baker (Kilmashogue) and his sister Marian Manley (Roganstown), pictured, won the brother and sister competition.

Former Arsenal and Republic of Ireland footballer Niall Quinn and his son, Michael, from Naas Golf Club played in the competition and only just failed to qualify for the matchplay stage.

In the knock-out phases, the big story of the week was the eventual winners, the Finlans. This was their third win in this event following their wins in 2005 and 2013.

For the father Michael Finlan, this is actually his fourth win as he also won the event with his father, Ben, in 1979.

Three days into matchplay, the defending

champions, the Grimes (Killeen Castle/Portmarnock), were beaten by local Castle pair the Donnellys two and one.

The O’Reillys (Elm Park) staged the comeback of that night coming from three down with three to play to win out on the 19th.

They were emerging as major contenders but so too were the Finlans who saw off the McEvoys on the Thursday evening with an 18th hole victory to put them through to the last 16. They followed up with a victory over the Whelan team to make it through to the final four.

The opening semi-final provided some thrilling golf where the O’Reillys (Elm Park) came from three down early in the match against the Quinns (Castle) to secure a place in the final after a long putt for par on the 18th.

In the second semi, the Caseys (Blessington Lakes/Elm Park) came up against an in form Finlans who secured victory on the 14th green.

And they carried that through to the final with yet another big win as they beat Paul and Louis O’Reilly of Elm Park five and four in a hard fought final.