Dublin Gazette: Fingal Edition

DublinGazette AUGUST 23-29, 2018

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THE LATEST NEWS & SPORT FROM THE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL AREA

No thank Ew CLONSHAUGH locals are kicking up a stink about a proposed giant sewerage plant, with fears over the possible health impact of the €1bn facility. Deputy Sean Haughey (FF) is calling for an oral hearing to help discuss and highlight concerns. P4

SPORT ATHLETICS: Swords Greta Steimikyte produces glorious performance in Berling to land Euro gold.

SEE P33

JOHN LYDON (AKA JOHNNY ROTTEN) GETS READY TO ROCK DUBLIN AS PIL GIG LOOMS P14 Find us on Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

JESSICA Cox, Megan lawless and Kelly Pease, from Glebe North FC in Balbriggan, were happy to give the thumbs-up to Fingal Festival of Fun’s Football for Girls. Several U8 – U13 football teams played the tournament at the AUL Complex last Saturday, August 18. Picture: SON Photo

Desperate mum begs Taoiseach to help son

March on Dail over Jamie’s health needs SYLVIA POWNALL

A MUM-OF-FIVE who lives in An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s constituency has pleaded with him to help her son who has Cerebral Palsy.

Lesley Anne O’Brien (35), from Clonee, says

she is at “breaking point” because of the lack of support for her seven-year-old boy, Jamie.

After years of waiting he was finally given a brain scan in November 2016 – but it was another ten months before the family was informed of his diagnosis.

Jamie was given a splint and a walking

frame but has had ZERO hours of occupational therapy, and Lesley Anne is now planning a march to the Dail to hand-deliver a letter to the Taoiseach.

She told Dublin Gazette: “Sometimes I feel like giving up. I’m at my wits’ end. Jamie is wrecking my home and he is hurting himself.

We need help now.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

‘Give us a voice on 1,200 homes’

THERE’S anger in Donabate as the rising local concerns about over-development on the peninsula saw calls for greater local engagement on plans to build more housing.

Locals have upped their calls for proper public consultation as groups focus on plans to build up to 1,200 new homes on a councilowned landbank at Ballymastone next year.

The groups make the same point – they want locals to be consulted before building begins. In response, the council says there will be an opportunity to respond when the project moves into the statutory planning proSEE PAGE 2 cess.

2 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

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DONABATE: GROUPS DEMAND LOCAL INPUT ON PLANS

FASTNews

Anger as public left out of focus on 1,200 homes Dig into Fingal’s lost DONABATE residents are calling for proper public consultation on plans to build up to 1,200 new homes on a councilowned landbank at Ballymastone next year.

Fingal County Council is seeking expressions of interest from developers to construct the units as part of its efforts to fasttrack delivery of social and affordable housing.

But Supporting Proper Development in Donabate (SPDD) and Donabate Portrane Community Council both want locals to be consulted before building begins.

Co r i n n a Jo h n s to n ,

 SYLVIA POWNALL

spownall@dublingazette.com

who is a member of both groups, said: “We fully welcome houses in Donabate but there are infrastructural issues in terms of schools, a garda station and amenities. “ We b e l i eve t h e re should be full consultation with the community.

We believe we need to sit down and meet with Fingal County Council.

There should be open

and full consultation and transparency on this plan.”

Under the plan, half the homes – a mix of houses and apartments – would be for private sale with 30% social and 20% affordable.

The Donabate Local Area Plan 2016 provides for the development of the Ballymastone lands and the the council says it published what it describes as a “market sounding document” on eTenders to gauge interest and explore options.

But there are no plans for public consultation, despite the fact that the

local authority is holding a consultation ahead of drafting a master plan for a large tract of land at Castlelands in Balbriggan.

Director of planning Annemarie Farrelly said: “An educational and recreational campus will be delivered at Ballymastone and the area is also due to be linked to Malahide via the Broadmeadow Greenway.”

A council spokesperson told Dublin Gazette: “ T h e a n n o u n ce m e n t that the council is seeking market soundings is merely the latest step in a process that has already seen extensive consultation with the community in Donabate, and they will also have another opportunity to participate when the project moves into the statutory planning process.”

Submissions The local authority received 18 submissions during the first submission period for the local area plan, 30 submissions during the second, and during the draft plan statutory submission period, 66 submissions were received.

T h e s p o ke s p e rs o n added: “Fingal County Council recognises the role Donabate plays in the wider Fingal region, in terms of its potential to support a high quality of life with the offer of culture and heritage, access to the coast, waterways and the city and airport.

“As such, Fingal is focused on delivering a successful and sustainable community through the provision of physical and social infrastructure and improving connections between the new and existing communities.”

past at key dig sites

DO YOU know what may lie beneath the green of your estate? Could there be the remains of the past where the kids have a kick-about?

Well, yes – and a Heritage Week event organised

by Fingal County Council aims to find out just what lies beneath.

Community Archaeologist Christine Baker says: “We’re asking people to come out and find out what may be underneath their open space, learn a little about geophysical survey, see what equipment is used and maybe have a go.”

Explorations took place in Corduff Park yesterday (Wednesday) where there is a ring fort, and all are welcome to the green spaces at St Columba’s in Swords (Thursday, August 23 at 10am), and Chapel Farm Lusk (Friday, August 24, at 10am), both of which are beside major ecclesiastical sites.

A final, fourth gathering takes place at Rosepark, Balrothery on Saturday, August 25 where there was an Iron Age settlement.

Be an extra ‘Consult in a Howth locals over film shoot bus plans’ WANNABE actors, ravers and all-round movie lovers are being invited to come along to the Deer Park Hotel in Howth this Thursday, August 23 and Friday, August 24.

The production crew behind a new Irish film are looking for extras aged 18 to 80 to party with them in scenes being shot in the north Dublin fishing village.

A spokesperson said: “There are three shoot days that require a large number of background artists, and if you’re interested in joining us for any of them we’d love to talk to you.

“Get your dance on in Howth for an Industrial Rave and a Midnight Party. We’re a small independ-ent production, so this is unpaid work, but we’ll feed you and treat like the VIPs you are.”

Because these will be working sets, alcohol is not permitted. If you are interested, email extra.hatym@gmail.com with a recent photograph of yourself.

A THOROUGH process of public consultation is needed to allay growing public concern over the proposed changes to services under Bus Connects.

Fianna Fail TD Darragh O’Brien said the level of reliance on local routes could not be underestimated after hosting public meetings in Malahide and Kinsealy which were packed to the rafters.

He said: “Under these proposals, [Kinsealy] locals would have to travel first to Swords to get into the city centre. This is a huge departure from the existing regular direct service.

“It’s understandable why residents are so incensed about these proposals and any potential reduction in Dublin Bus frequency or connectivity.”

Cllr Brian Dennehy hosted a third FF public meeting in Rush on Monday. Area brochures outlining the changes are available at: https://busconnects.ie/initiatives/dublinarea-bus-network-redesignlocal-area-brochures/.

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 3

AIRPORT

Runway’s length ‘not too short’

THE planned new runway at Dublin Airport is 500m too short and will limit long haul flights, according to the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA).

Preparatory works for the 3.1km airstrip are already under way – but experts warn it’s a flawed blueprint.

IALPA safety and technical director John Goss wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney warning the runway’s length could limit travel to the Far East and hamper tourism.

It’s understood that advances in technology may solve the problem before the runway opens.

M i n i s t e r C ove n ey replied that the Dublin Airport Authority is “satisfied” that the new runway will meet the needs of long-range aircraft.

MALAHIDE: IT’S A RUFF RESULT FOR ADORABLE POOCH

FASTNews Ah, doggone it! Coco does his Call to help Get to grips best for Dublin but just loses tackle costs with your for parents cupla focla out at the Nose of Tralee final in Skerries SYLVIA POWNALL

MEET the Malahide pooch chosen to represent Dublin in the canine version of the Rose of Tralee.

Two-year-old Cavachon, Coco, beat more than 1,000 four-pawed contestants to get to the final of the Nose of Tralee, run by Petsitters Ireland.

Proud owner Claire Gubbins told how her beloved mutt was up against professional models and dogs which’d appeared on Ireland’s Got Talent.

And even though he lost out to the Carlow entrant, Mr Bailey, the mum-of-one said that she couldn’t

be prouder.

She joked: “He sometimes sits when he’s told and is very good at bringing you the cooker or the fridge when he wants what’s in it.

“He has a lovely, caring nature; he knows when you’re upset and he’s

really protective, caring and cuddly.

“He is great with the baby and he just makes you laugh – you can’t be in a bad mood w h e n Co co i s around.”

The competition closed on Tuesday and the Carlow winner was announced on Facebook that eve n i n g, w i t h Coco Galway coming in second after a huge number of online votes were recorded.

Kate McQuillan, owner of Pet Sitters Ireland, said: “Ireland is a nation of huge animal lovers and we look forward to this time of year to celebrate the special bond that people have with their pets.”

SINN Fein Cllr Malachy Quinn has described the fact that one-third of parents say they’re in debt due to back-toschool costs as “alarming but not surprising”.

He said principals in Fingal had told him that due to spiralling costs many pupils will start the new school year without the necessary books or uniforms.

It recently emerged that 27% of parents are using money lenders rather than credit unions or banks for loans.

Cllr Quinn said: “Rules around generic uniforms and book rental schemes need to be seriously looked at.”

The Balbriggan Cllr added: “The Government must place educational attainment at the top of the agenda and supporting families unable to afford the back to school costs must be part of that.”

FAILTE ISTEACH English classes will restart in Skerries on September 12 at 7pm in Mourne View Community Hall.

The classes run from September to June each year and take place every Wednesday from 7-9pm.

Students can join classes at any time during the year and can study at beginner, intermediate or advanced levels.

At the first class, the students are asked to make a voluntary donation of €4 to buy a workbook which will be used for class; there is no cost for the lessons.

If you have any questions or would like to join, email simon1murphy@hotmail. com, or alternatively you can text/WhatsApp 086 366 8867.

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

CLONSHAUGH: ANGRY LOCALS THINK PLANS FOR €1BN FACILITY STINK FAMILIES

Call for oral hearing on giant sewerage plant “

It baffles me how this could be considered, given the likely impact on public health

SYLVIA POWNALL

A NORTH Dublin TD has called for an oral hearing to deal with residents’ concerns over a planned giant sewerage plant in Clonshaugh.

Sean Haughey (FF), who submitted a formal objection to the Irish Water proposal, warned that the €1 billion waste water treatment plant could impact on public health.

Revised plans for the facility at Clonshaugh, on a site bordered by the Malahide Road and the M1, have been scaled back from an original blueprint for 700,000 residents to 500,000 but are still a cause for huge concern.

Deputy Haughey told Dublin Gazette: “It baf-

Deputy Sean Haughey, FF

fles me how this could be considered, given the likely impact on public health. The unique birds and wildlife which habitat the Dublin Bay will also inevitably be badly affected. “ T h e p rov i s i o n o f smaller treatment plants is more sustainable and in keeping with environmental princi-

ples generally.”

The deadline for submissions expired last week with swimmers from Portmarnock staging a pro-test outside An Bord Pleanala’s head office and lodging an objection.

Locals fear their Blue Flag beach is in jeopardy because of the outflow pipe which could affect the quality of the water.

The pipe will also burrow under the Baldoyle Estuary, which is a nature reserve.

Swimmer Moira Cas-

sidy said: “It just seems idiotic for us for them to have the out-flow so close to the velvet strand. It just feels like they’re using the northside of Dublin as a dumping ground.”

The Greater Dublin Drainage project – which aims to take waste from parts of Dublin, Kildare and Meath – raised hackles when it was first mooted several years ago.

Irish Water lodged a revised application on June 20 and Clonshaugh residents, some of whom live just 300m from the

proposed site, mounted an opposition campaign and started a petition.

Philip Swan of Portmarnock Drainage Awareness said: “We have noise pollution from Dublin Airport going over; now we’re going to get foul pollution – it’s not fair on these people.

“This is capable of pumping 3,600 litres a second – that’s 310 million litres an hour. So if there’s a failure here in this plant, if it goes wrong, literally something will hit the fan.”

Irish Water insisted there would be no issue with the water quality, adding that the proposed out-fall is 6km out to the Irish Sea and will be 23m below sea level at the point of discharge.

Council called upon to fully ban use of controversial pesticide linked to cancer THERE have been renewed calls for Fingal County Council to halt the use of a weedkiller,

linked to cancer, in public parks and playgrounds.

The local authority last year began phasing

out the use of Roundup, which contains the herbicide glyphosate – but Cllr Mary McCamley

(Lab) wants it banned altogether.

T h e c o n t rove rs i a l chemical glyphosate is at the centre of a €250 million legal payout awarded by a US court to 46-year-old groundsman Dewayne Johnson, who has terminal cancer.

An estimated three and a half tonnes of it have been used annually to control weeds in Dublin city, according to Cllr Ciaran Cuffe (GP).

South Dublin County Counc il has already banned it, and Fingal County Council ended

the use of pesticides in the Millennium Park in Blanchardstown last year.

But Cllr McCamley wants a county-wide ban. She told Dublin Gazette: “It’s now time to stop using pesticides, for the sake of the employees and the environment.

“Now that we know this employee won a huge victory in the landmark case, it’s time to call a halt to all pesticides – not only in Fingal, but all local authorities.

“Find an alternative,” she said.

Calls are mounting Fingal County Council to fully stop using a particular pesticide linked to cancer

Supporter Cllr Tania Doyle with Lesley Anne O’Brien

Exhausted mum rallying others to fight for help for their children CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

She added: “When he was born he didn’t sit up on his own, never crawled.

He was falling over, smashing his face and his teeth. He wouldn’t stop crying, but the doctors just said I was depressed and gave me tablets.”

In desperation, a frazzled Lesley Anne, whose eldest child is eight, posted a video on Facebook as a cry for help which has since been shared all around the globe.

She said: “People contacted me telling me they’d left Ireland because of it. One couple moved to Australia to get services for their child, who has autism.”

In the video, she reveals that it’s 10.30pm and she’s just managed to get her kids to bed as a result of Jamie’s behavioural problems.

She reveals: “Tonight was very, very difficult to say the least. He came in and just lost it; it resulted in kicking and punching and screaming and clattering, and hitting his brother and sisters.”

Close to tears, she addresses An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris directly and tells them: “Stop failing our children.

Our children once again are being failed by the system because they aren’t getting the care that they need.”

Lesley Anne, who had to give up her job as a hairdresser to care for Jamie

and his siblings, continues: “It’s twenty to eleven, I have a pizza in the oven because I don’t have time to eat during the day.

“I have baby sick all over me because I don’t have time to change. I’m so tired, I’m so exhausted.

Sometimes I feel like giving up ...

“I’m begging someone out there to just share my video, to share my pain, to share the torture I’m going through at the moment to get my son everything he needs.”

Lesley Anne has set up a Facebook page – Help Our Children Ireland – and local Cllr Tania Doyle (Ind) is backing her campaign.

‘Waiting lists’ Cllr Doyle told Dublin Gazette: “Jamie needs to be assessed by an Occupational Therapist, but the waiting lists are up to four years on the public system. If you go private you can be seen straight away and that’s simply wrong in this day and age.”

Lesley Anne will march from the Taoiseach’s constituency office in Ongar to the Dail on September 18 and is calling on others to join her.

She said: “I want everybody, even if it’s only a couple of steps, to walk with me to show their support, just to say that they’re behind me.

“As it stands I’m starting to break, I am struggling. If you don’t scream in this country you will not be heard.”

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 5

6 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

Bernard Byrne Senior and Junior

Joe McNeice, Mark Doherty and Tiarnach McGinnity

Christina Noble Golf Classic at the Castleknock Golf Club

John Brady, Ray Greahan, Tony Fox and Sean Coyne. Pictures: Simon Peare

Colin Feeny and Joe O’Flaherty

Tony Goldrick, David Byrne and Des Lawlor

John Collins and Joe Malone

Jack Counihan, Frank Colgan, Con Mulligan and Malachy Guilfoyle

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 7

8 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

BALBRIGGAN: ENTREPRENEUR JENNIFER ROCK WOWS WITH SKIN NERD

Beauty expert’s pitch bags a €100,000 prize SYLVIA POWNALL

BALBRIGGAN beauty expert Jennifer Rock is celebrating after taking home a €100,000 prize from a competition for female entrepreneurs.

The founder of Dublin online skincare consultancy The Skin Nerd was one of 115 women from across the country who entered The Pitch.

She won after putting her best business case forward at the grand finale to a panel of judges including beauty mogul Jo Malone, and RTE Drag-

on Bobby Kerr.

Jennifer, who started her business 12 years ago with The Cleanse Off Mitt, had five minutes to prove to the judges she could hit targets, reach milestones and push to new goals; all the while inspiring the team around her.

The mum-of-one, a regular expert guest on TV3’s Ireland AM, said: “I am incredibly honoured to have won.

“We have expanded so rapidly that for a while we were on different floors of the building. Right now, we have thousands in the

Jennifer Rock making her winning pitch to the judges

Nerd Network, and our community of clients is getting bigger every day.”

Jennifer’s first book, The Skin Nerd: Your straighttalking guide to feeding,

protecting and respecting your skin, is due out this Autumn.

She is also working on upgrading her website so clients can find everything they need on one page.

She told Image magazine: “I don’t really have typical days. Since I started The Skin Nerd, my life has been anything but typical, but I love it.

“My week includes a mish-mash of meetings, working on things in the office, the odd event or photo shoot and anything else that pops up.

“It’s all well and good to have an idea, but it isn’t a meal until you make it one, if you get me. You just have to take a chance and make the tough decision for the sake of your business instead of putting it on the back burner.”

The Skin Nerd, which Jennifer set up in 2017, now employs 12 people full-time with plans to launch a new app and a new product.

As well as bagging the €100,000 cash prize, she will also receive a full business suite of products from competition sponsors Samsung and a digital marketing masterclass.

FASTNews

Dunsink Observatory

Still great events for all in Heritage Week HERITAGE week is coming to an end in Fingal but there are still a number of events to suit all ages if you want to get involved.

A natural heritage workshop takes place at Baldoyle Library today (August 23) from 2.30pm while senior parks superintendent Kevin Halpenny will give a talk on the restoration of Bremore Castle at Balbriggan Library, also today, at 6.30pm.

Another event today sees Sam Green giving a talk on Dunsink Observatory at Blanchardstown Library, at 6.30pm.

This Saturday, August 25, Fiona Fitzsimons of Eneclann will give a workshop on How to find my soul a home: marriage sources for family history. It takes place at Balbriggan Library from 10.30am.

Later that afternoon, she will explore sources for family history and next of kin at Blanchardstown Library, at 2.30pm.

For a full programme of events, see www.fingalcoco.ie.

North Dublin is Phone mast all set to get two rejected in new skate parks Castleknock FINGAL County Council has appointed a contractor to construct two skateparks in Balbriggan and Skerries (concept shown below) which are due to be open by next Summer.

UK-based firm Freestyle Skateparks – which has built more than 600 skateparks in the past 30 years – has been selected to design and construct the amenities.

Before tendering for the project, the council undertook a series of design workshops with stake-holders to determine their needs and get their input.

The detailed design process for the skatepark is already under way and concept images have been produced, with construction works to commence later this year.

Skatepark committees in both towns thanked the council for engaging with them and said the success of the project was an example of what could be achieved through co-operation and consultation.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Anthony Lavin, said the construction of the skateparks will be a wonderful resource for both communities.

He said: “Recreational spaces are important for residents to make connections in their communities and pursue their interests. I’m delighted that the council were able to contribute this project and look forward to its completion.”

AN BORD Pleanala has refused an appeal for a 12-metre phone tower in a shopping centre beside a national school in Laurel Lodge, Castleknock.

The move was welcomed by local Labour Party representative John Walsh, who said the proposed location beside Scoil Thomais NS was “completely inappropriate”.

The mast was opposed by local residents and was twice rejected by Fingal County Council.

An Bord Pleanala turned down the appeal by Shared Access Limited on the grounds that it would set “an undesirable precedent” and provide an “overly dominant and visually intrusive structure”, injuring the amenities of the area.

Mr Walsh is now calling on the appeals board to reject a second application by the same company for a 15-metre mast in the same location, which is still under consideration.

He added: “The developer should accept that they have taken the wrong approach here, drop this application and engage constructively with the council to improve mobile phone coverage in the area.”

Come along to pub quiz in Donabate A PUB quiz will take place on Thursday, August 30 at 8pm in Keeling’s lounge in Donabate.

Tickets are €10 per person; €40 for a team of four.

Proceeds will go to local campaign group, SPDD (Supporting Proper Development in Donabate).

Tickets are available at the door on the night or from Emer at 086 369 1871.

SPDD is a voluntary nonpolitical group of concerned residents from Donabate and Portrane.

The group is not opposed to housing, but wants to ensure there is sustainable development on the peninsula. Come along on the night and give your grey matter a workout!

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 9

10 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

Jessica Cox, Megan Lawless and Kelly Pease from Glebe North FC

Lusk United players. Pictures: SON Photo

Holly Duff, Emily Humphreys and Ava Farrelly, Skerries Town FC

Acting Mayor of Fingal Cllr Jimmy Guerin with Cara Doyle, Emma

Hannah Gay, Lara Whelan and Ruby Corr

Murphy and Lara McCarthy from Swords Celtic and Lusk United

from Skerries Town FC

Fantastic initiative I in Fingal

T was an action-packed day at Dublin’s AUL Complex recently for the annual Fingal Festival of Fun for Girls.

Teams from all over Dublin took part in what is a fantastic event to help with the development of girls football.

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

PAPAL VISIT: HOW THE 266TH POPE WILL IMPACT THE CITY ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO DUBLIN

Mixed reactions as the Pope’s visit set to put Dublin into lockdown SYLVIA POWNALL AND RACHEL D’ARCY

THE city centre will be on lockdown for Pope Francis’ visit this weekend as Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works face a mammoth logistics challenge.

On Saturday, August 25, there will be 51 roads facing temporary closure including most thoroughfares in the city centre, with some shutting down as early as 6am.

Sunday will see 86 roads cut off, with parking suspended on another six, with a full list available on Dublin City Council’s website.

Parking will also be suspended in many areas though the council has stressed that emergency routes will be maintained and local access will be “facilitated as far as possible”.

Public transport services will continue to run during this period – with some changes to normal timetables – and passengers are urged to check with Dublin Bus and Luas before departing.

There will also be lim-

His Holiness, Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio)

ited access to the Phoenix Park, and Dublin Zoo will be closed to the public for the weekend.

Social Democrats Dail candidate for Dublin West, Aengus O Maolain, has criticised the extensive closures, describing the plans for Sunday in particular as “ludicrous overkill”.

He said: “Roads as far away from the Phoenix Park as Lucan and Blanchardstown are proposed to be closed under the notice.

“A s h t o w n , C a b r a , Navan Road, Castleknock, Laurel Lodge, Carpenterstown and Porterstown are going to be effectively cut off from the rest of Dublin for the Pope’s visit if the OPW’s road closures plan for August 26 are allowed to go ahead.

“It will be near impossible for residents to travel to other parts of the city with the proposed road closures.

“People have been telling me that they feel the proposal is totally over the

top, particularly for the many people in the area who have no interest in the Papal mass.”

He was also critical of the fact that the OPW held a briefing for the community on August 10 at the Castleknock Hotel – the day after the deadline had expired for objections to the plan to be lodged with Fingal County Council.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Anthony Lavin (FG), will be one of the first to greet Pope Francis when he touches down at Dublin Airport at 10.30am on Saturday.

It’s not clear whether the Pontiff plans to follow in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II who kissed the tarmac when he visited in 1979, but he’s guaranteed a Cead Mile Failte nonetheless.

A spokesperson for Fingal County Council told Dublin Gazette: “Cllr Lavin will be there on the tarmac to greet him wearing the chain of office, as is customary with any visiting dignitary.”

The whirlwind tour continues with a welcome ceremony in front of Aras an Uachtarain at 11.15am,

a stop-off at Dublin Castle at 12.10pm, a tour of the Pro Cathedral at 3.30pm, followed by a visit to the Capuchin Day Centre.

Saturday will end with a speech at the Feast of Families festival in Croke Park. Pope Francis will then fly to Knock at 8.40am on Sunday and is due back in Dublin at 11.50am, ahead of mass at the Phoenix Park.

He will be given a farewell ceremony at Dublin Airport at 6.30pm and is due to board a flight for Fiumicino Airport in Rome at 6.45pm.

The Abbey Street stop on the Luas red line will be suspended from 11am to 5pm on Saturday and there will be no service on the Luas green line between Dawson and Parnell from 10.30am to 5.30pm.

On Sunday, there is an even further impact for Luas users – however, there will be free travel on all public transport (provided you have a Phoenix Park Papal Ticket).

There will also be a secure access area around the city on Sunday, starting at the M50 at 6am until 11pm.

Retailers praying for great sales JC’S Supermarket in Swords has entered the spirit of things with a host of Pope merchandise ahead of the Papal visit this weekend.

Never one to miss a trick, the retailer proudly announced the arrival of its ‘Pontiff Pack’ in store on Facebook, describing it as “Everything you’ll need for the 26th August. Folding chair with holy water holder, blessed bottles to store it in, flasks for your hot tea and the all-important kneeling pads.”

Just days earlier, the supermarket heralded the arrival of a batch of ‘Genuflection jellies’ which it promised would be “sacrilicious” (right).

Tra d e rs t h e l e n g t h a n d breadth of Dublin are cashing in on the visit with a range of items from reusable canvas Pope bags to the now infamous Lollipope flying off the shelves.

Big name retailers are seizing the opportunity – among the items Dunnes Stores is selling are commemorative T-shirts –

while budget shop Dealz has cornered the lollipope market and says it has already sold well over half its stock.

Religious retailer Ve r i t a s ’ range includes t-shirts, canvas bags, mugs, umbrellas, fridge magnets and key rings, and its chief executive,

Aidan Chester said the merchandise had “gone down very well” with customers.

An army of followers to throng the Phoenix Park POPE Francis will meet homeless people who sleep in the Phoenix Park the day before he celebrates Mass there.

The Pontiff will be introduced to 80 homeless people at the Capuchin Day Centre in Bow Street in what is listed as a ‘private visit’ – including men and women who sleep rough at the Phoenix Park.

The OPW said “multiple food and drink stations” would be available at the park, where up to 500,000 people are expected to attend Sunday’s mass.

People who attend can expect to walk from 4km to 7km in the approach to the venue and within the park itself.

With private traffic being prohibited from anywhere near the venue, people will have to walk for up to 75 minutes from their public transport hub to the gates of the Phoenix Park and then queue for up to an hour to get into the park.

When the Mass concludes at 4.45pm, it may take more than two hours to walk back to the public transport hubs, with queuing times adding another hour or two.

Much of city centre to be impassable to traffic SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 12pm – 3.45pm: Sean McDermott Street, James Joyce Street, Gloucester Place Lower, Rutland Street Lower.

12pm – 4.30pm: Cathal Brugha Street, O’Connell Street Upper, O’Connell Street Lower, Talbot Street, North Earl Street, Earl Place, Sackville Place, Abbey Street Lower, Old Abbey Street, Harbour Court, Abbey Street Middle, North Lotts, Bachelors Way, Liffey Street Lower, Henry Street, Moore Street, Moore Lane, Rosie Hackett Bridge, O’Connell Bridge, Marlborough Street (6am – 4.30pm), Thomas Lane.

Cathedral Street (10am, Friday, August 24 – 7pm, Saturday, August 25).

From early morning to 5.15pm: Church Street, Nicholas Avenue, Mary’s Lane, May Lane, Bow Street, New Church Street, Friary Avenue, Red Cow Lane, Beresford Street, North King Street, Hammond Lane, Westmoreland Street, Dame Street from College Green to Georges Street, Dame Street from Georges Street to Lord Edward Street, Lord Edward Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Burgh Quay, Nassau Street from Dawson Street to Lower Grafton, Lower Grafton Street from Nassau Street to College Green, College Street from Pearse Street to College Green, D’Olier Street from Burgh Quay to College Street, Patrick Street from High Street to Kevin Street, Cork Hill, Castle Street.

Suspension of parking, 6am to 4pm/5pm: Killarney Street, Buckingham Street Lower and Upper, Sean McDermott Street Lower and Upper, Cathal Brugha Street, Cumberland Street North, Sackville Place, Abbey Street Lower, Abbey Street Middle, Eden Quay (between O’Connell Street Lwr & Marlborough Street), Bachelors Walk, Bow Street, Nicholas Avenue, Church Street, North King Street, Mary’s Lane between Church Street and Beresford Street.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26 Today, most of the roads surrounding the Phoenix Park will be closed off from 6am to 11pm.

As the day of the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park, most of the surrounding roads will be closed off today, beginning at 6am and lasting until 11pm.

Parking restrictions will also be in place for Sunday.

For full details, see www.opw.ie.

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN DUBLIN P16

LEATHER-MAKING AND WHISKEY WORKSHOPS P28

MAGAZINE

DUBLIN

HYBRID MONDEO MEETS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE P29

LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS TAKE YOU ON A TOUR OF THE NEWS AND EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY

THE GIFT OF GAZ | STOCKING UP AS THE CITY IS SET TO SHUTDOWN

There’s no way yer man from the Vatican is darkening Davy’s door DAVY was in the driveway when I walked past his house on me way to the shop to get me messages.

He had the boot of the car open and what looked like half the supermarket in there.

“Ah howya Gaz,” he says. “Haven’t seen ye in a while.”

“Sure ye knew I was on me holidays,” I says. “And a grand break I had too.

Here, what’s all this anyway? Is there an oncoming apocalypse that I should be made aware of?”

“Nah, worse,” he says. “The Pope.”

“Wha’? Is he coming to your gaff so you have to put on a big spread for him?” I says to him, laughing.

“Sure I wouldn’t let him in the door,” Davy spits back. “He seems like a nice enough fella but after all that’s gone on,

I couldn’t in good conscience let him darken my door.”

“I have a feeling it’s not something that’s going to pop up,” I says. “So what’s with all the supplies then?”

“Ah I’m just stocking up,” he says.

“Sure the whole place will be in lockdown for the weekend so I’m making sure I’ve enough so I don’t have to leave the gaff until yer man is back at the airport and on a plane back to the Vatican.”

I admired the preparation to be honest. It seems like all of Dublin will have a fair bit of hassle getting anywhere or doing anything this weekend.

I even heard that out as

far as Lucan, the guards were telling people not to park their cars in their driveways in case they get blocked in by people parking there.

I says this to Davy and he gets all animated.

“And have ye seen the list of things they’ve banned?” he says. “There’s a rake of stuff ye can’t bring into the

“

Maybe he’s right. Maybe me mind is a bit twisted after all

Pheono.”

“I know,” I says. “And whatever about bags of cans and what have ye, I can’t believe they’re not allowing mobility scooters or chairs in. There’s gonna be a fair few elderly people there and they’re facing a fair auld walk in to see himself.”

“It’s no wonder they’re setting up a morgue inside,” says Davy.

“Here,” I says. “Ye don’t think….nah, it couldn’t be.” “Ah go on, wha’,” says Davy with a pleading tone in his voice.

“I was just thinkin’,” I says. “Do ye think there could be some long-term planning here?

“What do ye mean?” he says.

“Well, ye know the way the Government have been getting a bit of stick for shelling out 30-odd million for this

shindig?” I says to him, walking him through me little theory.

“Yeah, it’s a scandalous amount of money,” he says.

“Yeah, ye know the way they’re always worried about pension shortfalls coming down the tracks?” I says.

“Well maybe this is an attempt to cull the herd a bit. Spend a bit now to save a fair whack later if ye get me?”

Davy looks at me disgusted. “Ah here now, that’s not right,” he says. “Your mind works in some twisted ways sometimes.”

I stayed stony faced and turned off down the road. I was only messing, of course, but it’s a bit of craic to get the rise out of Davy. Maybe he’s right.

Maybe me mind is a bit twisted after all.

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13

14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

ENTERTAINMENT JOHN LYDON TAKES AIM

Take this PiL for some raw honesty from Rotten legend PUBLIC Image Ltd have come to mean more to many punks than Johnny Rotten’s scene-making, better-known other band, The Sex Pistols.

As his far more stable and long-standing outlet, the vibrant, story-telling punks are currently in arguably their sharpest form, and in frontman

 JAMES HENDICOTT

John Lydon’s eyes, firing on all cylinders.

“Things are running much more efficiently

now,” the iconic vocalist tells us ahead of their Dublin date this week.

“We can guarantee wages. We can guarantee records that won’t be held up or analysed incorrectly.

With our own label, we’re outside of the s***sdom, and it’s taught us what continuity is.

“It’s allowed our friend-

ships to blossom.

“I’m absolutely rubbish at business,” he continues.

“I couldn’t count past ten.

But I work with friends.

“Our manager, Rambo, is a complete warhorse of a man, and he gave me the stamina and trust to believe in myself.

“These are songs that come from the heart and soul, and I like to share that. I like venues where I can see people’s eyes.

“It’s a church without religion, a celebration and an exploration. It’s fantastic.”

This is no nostalgia tour, however. Of his commitment to the band, Lydon proclaims: “I’ll keep going until I drop. As long as I’m alive, there’ll be a song to mention that. There has to be, really.

“I’m here to improve myself, and hopefully that has a positive effect on others. Songwriting was given to me as a gift, really.

“I accidentally walked into the Pistols and I’ve worked on it ever since. I take it really seriously.

“We’re writing constantly, but when we get together as PiL it freeforms and flows. We record more or less in the same way as we write. I can’t say what’s going to come out of us next.

“It’s been three years, though, and there’s three years of pent-up energy and anxiety. That’s a won-

Age hasn’t stopped John Lydon and his PiL bandmates from taking some well-deserved pops at The Establishment, connecting with new audiences also unhappy with the way things too often work

derful fuel to be burning.

“We are prolific; it comes from really liking the people you work with.

It’s intense, and obligations become a pleasure.”

That hasn’t always been the case, of course: in the early days, Lydon’s band relationships were a notorious problem in his music, as were his management.

McLaren “I never felt like I was under the thumb with Malcolm McLaren,” Lydon jokes of an old managerial nemesis. “He’s far too ineffectual and weak to be a threat. It’s just the glory hunters that emulated the Malcolm approach.

“There’s this cottage industry that’s built up around me saying that it’s their genius and that I’m

next to nothing to do with it. Well, where’s the proof of that?

“Here I am; I’m still at it; I’m not short of ideas.

Then there’s that lot.

“I suppose it’s the way of the world. You stand up for what you believe in, there will always be someone there in your shadow who claims they did it first. I take it as a compliment.

“Are my ideas so good you have to fight and squabble about them?

Ha!” These days, the functional heart of Public Image LTD and Lydon’s lifestyle are located far away from his original London base, on the west coast of the US. “LA is la-la land,” Lydon says of his long-time home. “I live down on the

beach so I don’t have anything to do with what goes on in town.

“The salt air’s good for me; all those respiratory illnesses I’m prone to cease to exist while I’m here.”

Sharpness Not that moving away has blunted any of the singer’s observational sharpness, which he has no issue turning on his roots in Ireland and what seems to be a fading local religious ethos.

“It’s so easy to judge in the name of religion and I think that’s what we see creeping back in now,” Lydon says, of the more extreme religious takes, in particular around abortion.

That particular call, he says, is a woman’s choice.

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

“I understand both perspectives. My mother could easily have aborted me, and I wouldn’t be here today. I’d be very upset about that. “ B u t a nyo n e w h o thinks a woman would make such a choice lightly is very ignorant indeed about women.

“We’re now in the cusp of complete radical change and a break away from religion into a modern society, where people are judged for what they offer as an individual, with free thinking.

“Religion is still trying to drag us back to that medieval monstrosity we knew as underprivileged, disenfranchised slavedom,” Lydon adds.

“I hope we’ve got better at this stuff. I can see the improvements out there, but it’s a neverending cause, and one you can’t relax on, as it never stops.”

Lydon’s never been afraid to speak his minds

ALSO OUT AND ABOUT

“

I’m A Celebrity is ‘24 hours of people sitting around moaning about not having showers or eating chocolate cake.

That’s pretty damn hard to endure.’ on all sorts, of course, and the less charged causes around him get similarly witty, barbed quips.

I’m A Celebrity – the show in which he once participated, for example – is “24 hours of people sitting around moaning about not having showers or eating chocolate cake.

That’s pretty damn hard to endure. I hate whingers.

“My biggest problem was when they’d sit round the corner with an acoustic guitar. I’d slip into the darkness, thinking: ‘I’m not singing Ging-GangGoolie with this lot!’,” he adds.

His tours, contrary to popular belief, were “never about chaos, but about connecting. A problem shared is a problem solved. Social clubs and music hall are where PiL shine”.

Arsenal, the football club he’s long supported, evoke a big sigh. “There aren’t many crying eyes at the Emirates over [former Arsenal manager Arsene] Wenger,” Lydon says.

“Sometimes people don’t take the hint.

That kind of arrogance is unbearable, and it’s a shame.

“He should have parted

as a legend, but he bought dodgy dopes. Any schoolboy could have seen where the problem was.”

The forthcoming show in Ireland, where Lydon traces his familial routes, are his first in five years.

“It was fantastic to play in Ireland,” Lydon said of his last show here, at Electric Picnic.

“The reception to PiL was stunning. I don’t know why, but I think it was something to do with the Sex Pistols hangover. I thought it would be negative, but it wasn’t. It’s home from home, Ireland, as it should be.

“We like the smaller, intimate gigs and Dublin offers that, though we’ve had to change the venue, as it sold out just after being announced. We’ve gotta get em while they’re young; gotta get the numbers. That’s how it is.”

Public Image LTD play Vicar Street on Sunday, August 26.

Come to fundraising fun at Leisureplex Stillorgan A SPECIAL fundraising afternoon is being held this weekend for The Down Syndrome Centre, with a donation also be made to CRY, a sudden adult death syndrome screening service for families affected by SADS – all to help honour the late Lucy Dolan (inset).

Lucy, who passed away suddenly last September, was a much respected professional with EE Group, with her friends

and colleagues organising this fun-filled way to honour and celebrate her life, as well as supporting charities.

So come along to Leisureplex Stillorgan this Sunday, August 26, from 2-6pm, where the afternoon’s bowling, pool, Quasar, refreshments and more promise to be a great afternoon, a fun way to honour Lucy, and an excellent opportunity to support The Down Syndrome Centre and CRY alike.

The charity fundraiser costs €20 per adult, and €5 per child. All are welcome.

A cracking good festival THE Dalkey Lobster Festival takes place from tomorrow, Friday, August 24 to Sunday, August 26 in the relaxed, chilled southside village of Dalkey, offering a fusion of local seafood with the best of current global jazz musicians and lots of fun events for all the family to enjoy.

There are lots of free events on throughout the festival, with organisers

encouraging both locals and those from further afield to come and get involved.

There will be delectable seafood available, including crab and lobster of course, and ‘all that jazz’ in the form of great musical performances.

For further information, see ilovedalkey.com, or also see facebook. com/DalkeyLobsterFest.

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

LOVE YOUR DUBLIN: THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT DUBLIN CASTLE

THE SACRED TRADITIONS GALLERY ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE CHESTER BEATTY LIBRARY EXHIBITS THE SACRED TEXTS, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS AND MINIATURE PAINTINGS FROM THE GREAT RELIGIONS AND SYSTEMS OF BELIEF REPRESENTED IN THE COLLECTIONS

DUBLIN MADE EASY AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN DUBLIN CASTLE

L

OCATED on Dame Street, right in the heart of the city, Dublin Castle has stood for over 800 years.

In that time, the castle has served many functions and continues to be a major tourist attraction to this day.

Originally built as a defensive fortification by the Normans, the castle eventually became the official residence of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Following the foundation of the Irish Free State, the castle temporarily served as the Four Courts, which had been badly damaged during the Civil War. In more recent times, Dublin Castle has been used to host official state visits, with Queen Elizabeth visiting there in 2011.

And when the castle isn’t hosting dignitaries, it has frequently served as a filming location.

Films such as Barry Lyndon, Becoming Jane and Michael Collins have been shot there and it has also doubled as the Vatican in The Tudors.

Here we take a look at some of the best things to see at Dublin Castle.

TAKE A TOUR OF THE STATE APARTMENTS

THE State Apartments dominate the south range of the castle’s upper courtyard.

They were built as residential quarters of the viceregal court and were the seat of the executive and focus of fashionable and extravagant social life.

Today the Apartments are the venue for Ireland’s Presidencies of the European Union, presidential inaugurations and prestigious functions.

The apartments boast stunning features, such as The Grand Staircase, which has played a major part of the main ceremonial route used during the inauguration of the President of Ireland since 1938.

The State Apartments Galleries host a vibrant programme of exhibitions, many of which explore themes relating to the castle’s history.

THE CHESTER BEATTY LIBRARY THE Library Chester Beatty Library contains some of the finest treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world.

The collections were left in the care of a Trust for the benefit of the Irish people by Chester Beatty - a successful American mining engineer, collector and philanthropist.

Since moving to Dublin Castle from Shrewsbury Road in 2000, the Chester Beatty Library has gone from strength to strength, with over 300,000 people visiting it each year.

Manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and decorative arts complete this amazing collection - with Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur’an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts among the highlights on display.

THE GARDA MUSEUM IN a slightly ironic twist, the opening of the Garda Museum in its new location in the Treasury Building of Dublin Castle was held up for several months due to legal wrangles.

While mystery still surrounds what caused the hold up, the museum finally opened its doors to the public last August. Visitors will find an interesting exhibition about the history of An Garda Síochána and information on policing in Ireland before 1922.

Among the museum artefacts are photographs and documents outlining the history and development of policing in Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Uniforms, equipment, weaponry and an old garda bicycle can be found on display. Those who want to delve even deeper into the how crime has been combatted throughout the years can do so, with areas such as forensics, air support and the water division.

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

BFEI P20

STILLORGAN COFE P22

ITT P24

LEARNINGCURVE Whether you’re a first-time student or want to boost your existing qualifications, there’s a lot to learn about college life – luckily, Dublin Gazette has everything you need to know

ON YOUR WAY Whatever course of education you’re looking forward to (or staying with), the best of luck and enjoy it all!



GAZETTE

TU DUBLIN P18

Don’t panic over the results – there are many options ahead MORE than 57,000 students across the country were celebrating after receiving their Leaving Cert results last Wednesday. But after that initial release of nervous energy following the long wait since the exams were finished in June, many students will face another anxious wait to find out if they have secured a place on the college course they wanted.

The seven students who received eight H1s in this year’s exams will have their pick of courses and overall, the number of students receiving 400 points or higher has jumped by almost 40% from 2016. In the same period, the number of students scoring 100 points or lower has dropped by 2% from 8.5% to 6.5%.

While this improvement in academic performance is to be welcomed, it is sure to make the race for college places even more competitive and there will likely be students left disappointed that they haven’t secured the place they set their sights on.

Fortunately for those wishing to pursue further education, the range of options available to them has never been greater. Even if you didn’t get the place you wanted through the CAO system, there is a wide range of courses available at Further Education Institutes that can offer an alternative route into the course you had your heart set on. Regardless of results, a big well done to the entire Leaving Cert class of 2018, who have just passed a major milestone in life.

GAZETTE

18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

LEARNINGCURVE

Technological University deal is warmly praised THE alliance of Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and Institute of Technology Tallaght is set to become the first Technological University (TU Dublin) in Ireland, as announced

earlier this summer by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.

The university will be located on three campuses – at Grangegorman, Blanchardstown and Tallaght – creating an inclusive and open learning experience offering path-

ways to graduation from apprenticeship to PhD level to a diverse range of students.

Speaking on the day of the announcement, the president of DIT, Professor Brian Norton, said: “This is a milestone day that

marks the beginning of a new type of Irish university that will revolutionise higher education in this country.

“TU Dublin will be positioned at the convergence of the arts, business, science and technology,

Students from DIT, ITB and ITT celebrate the announcement that TU Dublin will be established next January

and will strengthen the Greater Dublin Region and its prominence as a location that encourages and supports knowledge advancement, sustainable development and inclusive education.

“After many years of laying the groundwork, today is the realisation of our long-held collective ambition to become a technological university and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in higher learning in Ireland.”

Dr Diarmuid O’Callaghan, president of ITB, said: “Technological universities are an established feature of many international educational systems in Germany, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand, acting as a dynamic catalyst for economic, technological, social and cultural progress.

“TU Dublin will comprise a joined-up approach to the third-level experience that involves connecting students, employers, researchers and the wider academic community to facilitate economic transformation and sustainable growth.

“On this momentous day, we look forward to the establishment of the pioneering TU Dublin, where our students, staff and societal partners will connect with academic programmes to create Ireland’s skilled graduates of tomorrow.”

The president of ITT, Thomas Stone, said: “On behalf of all the staff, the 28,500 students across our three Institutes and all the contributors over the past seven years that have made this breakthrough possible, I would like to express our delight at today’s announcement by

An Taoiseach.

“TU Dublin will focus on practice-based, research-informed learning, combined with rigorous academic standards and success through inclusive and authentic engagement with our students.

“We look forward to the final stage of this process which will include ongoing engagement with the HEA and the Department of Education and Skills in advance of formal designation early next year.”

With establishment confirmed for early next year, the first graduates of TU Dublin will receive awards from the new university in 2019.

CAO and lifelong applicants who accept a place in DIT, ITB or ITT this August, as well as continuing students, can look forward to receiving their parchments from the new university.

Success STEMs from rise in interest in Leaving subjects BT IRELAND, which organises the BT Young Sci-

said: “I would like to sincerely congratulate all

entist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), has

students who received their results and com-

welcomed the positive news emerging from this

mend them for what many refer to as the tough-

year’s Leaving Cert results, showing an increase

est exam of their lives. It is fantastic to see so

in the percentage of student studying STEM at

many young people realising the possibilities and

higher-level generally across the board.

opportunities within STEM and working so hard

Of note, Maths is up, with 31.5% of students now studying higher level and of that number, 92.6% of students received a H6 or higher.

to achieve such results.

“At BT we see first-hand the limitless possibilities which studying STEM subjects at secondary

In Biology, 11.3% of students earned a H1 mark

school level can offer. As Ireland’s reputation as

– more than double the 5.1% who did so last year.

a global science and technology hub grows, so

Separate from Maths and Biology, higher level numbers also increased in Agricultural Science, Engineering and Technology.

Shay Walsh, managing director of BT Ireland,

too does the demand for skilled graduates.

“If we are to retain this status we need to be nurturing top-quality talent through our education system and through events like the BTYSTE.”

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

LEARNINGCURVE

Choices galore in the heart of old Blackrock IF YOU have just completed your Leaving Certificate and you want to go to college then Blackrock Further Education Institute (BFEI) offers Level 5 courses that have progression pathways to degree courses, or professional qualifications for those who want to go directly into employment.

BFEI also offers second chance opportunities to individuals who do not have the Leaving Certificate and are looking for a new career, and

a fresh start.

The institute is located just off the main street of Blackrock village, and is served by the DART line and key bus routes.

Make the clever choice and attend its Open Day on Wednesday, August 29 from noon to 6pm to learn more about its many courses, including Pre-University Law, Arts and Social Science, Psychology with Special Needs Assisting, Digital Publishing & Creative Writing, Computer Sci-

ence, Web Design, Interior Architecture and Design, Retail Pharmacy Assistant, Beauty Therapy and Theatrical Media Make-Up. Students can make a more informed decision about a course/career choice by speaking to course teachers and students, sampling the atmosphere and seeing the state-of-the-art facilities which includes computer laboratories, design studios, beauty salons and the learning centre.

Blackrock Further Education Institute prides itself on offering a wide range of courses which cater for traditional careers, as well as also looking to the future to offer meaningful choices for modern career and education paths

Computer Science set to be added to Leaving Cert exams STUDENTS from 40 schools

BFEI also delivers the new National Accounting Technician Apprenticeship. Apprentices who complete this two-year course gain a diploma from Accounting Technicians Ireland and a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Accounting.

This programme will suit school-leavers (1822 years old) who prefer practical training to full-

time academic study.

Apprentices will work in an accounting firm four day a week and attend lectures one day a week.

The programme offers school-leavers an alternative to full-time thirdlevel study. They get paid approximately €17,000 a year, and tuition costs are fully funded.

If you cannot visit on open day, then it is highly

recommended that you browse the institute’s website or request a brochure to read about the courses and, in particular, the graduate profile which highlights their success and the benefits former students gained by attending BFEI. Further details on the institute and all courses are available now over at www.bfei.ie.

Find the perfect path to your further education with The Open College SPEAKING about the alternatives for learners in Ireland, Joe Walsh, chief executive of The Open College, assures students that there is a “real alternative to the big universities and courses available in Ireland that translate into real jobs, both here and Internationally”.

He continued: “Results are dominated by stories about who got the most H1s and the inevitable preoccupation with the CAO. This is frustrating for students who have not gained enough points or who are looking to pursue a different path, and in many cases wish to combine further education and entering the workforce.”

The Open College offers more flexibility and choice to its prospective students than any other private college in Ireland.

This independent private college offers more than 90 QQI (formally FETAC) approved Level 5 and 6 courses to thousands of students in a variety of formats.

Traditional taught programmes where attendance is required, blended learning and their renowned distance learning and e-learning programmes, are all available.

In this way, the student is empowered with options for independent study, informal learning and varied commu-

nication channels including one to one tutor support.

While QQI do offer some general interest courses, most of The Open College’s programmes are designed with upskilling and practical training in mind.

Business, Healthcare, Childcare, Digital Marketing, Management, Law, Journalism, Sports and Special Needs are just some of the areas covered, plus all courses are designed and constantly maintained by leading educational experts to ensure they are up to date technically, culturally and from a legislative perspective.

Walsh added: “QQI Level 5 and 6 major awards can be also used to progress to third level degree courses under the QQI Higher Education Links Scheme, so there are still plenty of alternatives available.”

For further information on courses and programme advice, contact The Open College at The Learning Centre, Leopardstown Business Centre, Ballyogan Road, Dublin 18.

Email info@theopencollege.com, see www.theopencollege.com, or call its advice lines (Monday to Friday, 8.30am5.30pm) at 01 206 1828/206 1829.

will be first to start studying Leaving Certificate Computer Science from this September.

The introduction of Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject is part of the Government’s overall commitment to embed digital technology in teaching and learning.

The announcement is one of a range of that have been outlined in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) strateg y and Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland the best education and training service in Europe by 2026.

The move will focus on h ow p r og r a m m i n g a n d computational thinking can be applied to the solution of problems, and how computing technology impacts the world around us.

Teach Announcing the new subject, Minister for Education Richard Bruton said: “The introduction of this new subject will teach our young people flexible, solutionorientated thinking.

“It will teach them to be creative, adaptable learners. It will increase the number of students taking up computing and STEM courses and apprenticeships after school, leading to a highly-skilled workforce.

“I’m delighted we were able to bring the introduction of this subject forward to this year as I think it is an important and timely addition to our education system.”

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

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22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

LEARNINGCURVE

New Stillorgan College courses a draw for students

STILLORGAN College of Further Education has been a specialist centre for further education/postLeaving Cert courses since 1986.

During this time, it has developed an enviable reputation for its delivery of further education programmes.

The college offers a range of practical courses that develop the necessary skills for the workplace or to progress to further study in institutes of technology or universities.

The college is innovative in providing courses that meet the current needs of industry. One of its new courses is a Level 5 course in Illustration and Design.

This exciting course introduces students to the wide-ranging discipline of illustration and helps them gain an improved understanding of the possibilities of image-making.

A second new course for 2018/2019 is a course in Regional Tour Guiding.

The purpose of this award

(which was developed in collaboration with Failte Ireland) is to enable learners to acquire the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies to work effectively as a Tourist Guide in the greater Dublin Region and surrounding area.

It also provides learners with the necessary business skills needed to start their own tour guiding business.

Another recent addition to the list of courses is a Level 5 course in Anima-

tion. This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third-level course in animation production. With a dual focus on drawing and computer skills, the course covers all the fundamental areas required for a successful portfolio submission.

One of the longest established courses in the college is the Art course.

This course provides tuition in areas such as drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics and com-

Illustration and Design is an exciting new course

bined materials.

The college also offers Level 5 and Level 6 course in Multimedia and Web Development. Also on offer is a Travel and Tourism Course with Airline Studies. This course prepares students for work in all areas of the travel industry.

Courses in Media Pro-

duction, Journalism and Level 5 and 6 courses in Computer Skills for Business round off the extensive offering of courses in the college.

The staff of the college have extensive industry experience in their respective fields and are dedicated to ensuring that, whether aiming to move

to higher education or entering the employment market, students leave the college with every skill necessary for the future.

The college is currently accepting applications for courses commencing in September 2018. For further information and to apply, see www.stillorgancollege.ie.

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23

Griffith College and Available Places could be a lifeline for students WITH the excitement of the Leaving Cert results coming out over the past few days, a lot of people don’t know about something called the ‘Available Places’ process which runs through the CAO. Basically, the Available Places process does what it says on the tin – they are places that are available in college courses that didn’t fill up in the first round of the CAO offers.

Right now, Griffith College has such places in Law, Journalism, Business, Computing and Design so even if you didn’t get an offer – you could be studying an honours degree in Ireland’s largest independent college by the end of September.

Just log onto the CAO website, go to the Available Places tab and fill in the course you’d like to study.

Emily Watts, at Griffith College’s admissions office, says that the Available Places process can be a lifeline for many students.

She says: “The Available Places process gives students the chance to study a course even if they missed out by a few points on their Leaving Cert.

“We have a lot of students who come to Griffith College through Available Places and have gone on to hugely successful careers in law, journalism and many more.”

For further information on the popular college’s diverse range of courses, see www.griffith.ie.

GAZETTE

LEARNINGCURVE

Join a quiet revolution IN A quiet part of Dun Laoghaire, bordering on leafy Monkstown, a restrained revolution is playing out in a modest building on Cumberland Street, courtesy of the students and teachers of Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute (DFEi).

DFEi offers courses in a diverse range of subjects, with courses related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics proven as reliable and sustainable routes to gainful employment.

DFEi’s Pre-University Science courses in Laboratory Techniques and Food Science & Nutrition are the perfect first steps to a STEM career.

Other interests may lead to DFEI’s courses in

Marketing & Event Management, Business Studies with Law, or Police & Security Studies.

DFEi’s Community & Social Care course will get you started on the path that will enable you to work with dementia sufferers, or people with disabilities, mental health or social issues, while DFEi’s Nursing Studies course has been extremely popular over the years.

Courses in TV & Digital Film, Digital Radio Production, Journalism for the Digital Age, Sound Production, and Music Production cater for more creative pursuits.

DFEi’s quality assured courses are open to anyone who is seeking the knowledge, skills and

competencies to enhance their employment opportunities or educational progression.

If you did not get enough points for your chosen third level course, consider spending a year in DFEi. It’s another tried and tested way to get a place

in college, as is the legendary Arts, Culture & History course – an excellent foundation for pursuing an arts degree in NUI. With subjects like archaeology, folklore and local history, this course is perfect for those of you who want to use your fascination with the past

to propel your academic career forward.

These are just some of the diverse, fascinating and rewarding courses on offer at DFEi. The formula is simple – eight QQI Level 5 or Level 6 modules with as many distinctions as you can get.

But it takes work on your part – you need to come to class, complete assignments on time and prepare for exams. The teachers are there for you every step of the way if you are there for them.

For further information, visit www.dfei.ie. The college is holding information days, on Thursday August 30 from 2.30 to 6pm, and on Wednesday, September 12 from 10am to 1pm.

GAZETTE

24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

LEARNINGCURVE

At the forefront of innovation in higher education IN JULY, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the alliance of the Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown is set to become the first

technological university (TU Dublin) in Ireland in 2019.

The Tallaght campus of the university will continue to be an important centre for high-quality education, research and training in the region,

where inclusive and open learning experience pathways to graduation from apprenticeship to PhD level will be available to a diverse range of students.

TU Dublin is positioned at the convergence of the arts, business, sci-

ence and technology, and will strengthen the Greater Dublin Region and its prominence as a location that encourages and supports knowledge advancement, sustainable development and inclusive education.

Students from DIT, ITB and ITT celebrate the announcement that TU Dublin will be established next January

TU Dublin will continue to provide careerfocused, enter priseinformed, relevant higher education programmes and research to prepare graduates for the workplace in their chosen disciplines.

As graduates, they will also have the skills to adapt and grow in their careers to succeed in an ever-changing and developing environment.

The first graduates of TU Dublin will receive awards from the new university in 2019.

In addition to IT Tallaght’s exciting alliance to help create TU Dublin, ITT also offers free

Springboard+ courses in Computing, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing and Pharmaceutical Technology, commencing in September.

T he Springboard+ upskilling initiative in higher education offers free courses at Certificate, Degree and Masters level, leading to qualifications in areas where there are employment oppor tunities in the economy.

The majority of courses are part-time for a maximum of 12 months and are open to all eligible applicants regardless of their employment status.

All courses lead to

qualifications in enterprise sectors, which are growing and need skilled personnel.

Springboard+ is cofunded by the Government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF programme for employability, inclusion and learning 2014-2020.

For further information on full- and parttime courses at ITT, visit the ITT campus during its upcoming Open Evening on Thursday, September 6 from 4-8pm, or see: www.it-tallaght.ie/fulltimecourses, www.it-tallaght.ie/parttimecourses or www.it-tallaght.ie/ springboard.

Accountants warn Leaving Cert is ‘not fit for purpose’ A LEADING global body of

In a global survey which

accountants has said there

sought the views of 18,000

is a lack of understand-

young finance profession-

ing amongst many Leaving

als in 150 countries aged

Cert students regarding the

between 18 and 36, ACCA’s

opportunities within the pro-

Generation Next report

fession, and it is calling on

highlighted considerable

those receiving offers from

business ambition within the

universities to consider a

sector, with a remarkable

career in the field.

81% of respondents aspiring to start their own business.

According to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA),

Stephen O’Flaherty, chair of ACCA Ireland,

many Leaving Cert students are not aware of

said: “The ambition of young finance profession-

the varied roles within the profession, the level

als and the flexibility of the qualification is evident

of remuneration and the global mobility that it

within the Generation Next report, with 80%

offers.

expressing a desire to work in another country

ACCA has said that the Leaving Cert syllabus

and 85% agreeing that a background in finance

and exam is not fit for purpose and is more rep-

will be valuable for organisation leaders in the

resentative of the skillset of bookkeeping rather

future.

than innovative, strategic thinking accountancy

“It is vitally important that our Leaving Certifi-

professionals who can go on to dominate senior

cate students understand their options and the

executive positions in organisations around the

great opportunities the profession supports,”

world.

he said.

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

CAO points rise as jobs growth’s impact is felt COURSES linked to strong job growth have seen an increase in points in the first round of CAO offers.

More than 50,000 students received their first-round offers on Monday, with rises in points for courses such as engineering, nursing and teaching.

Points for engineering have risen by more than 20 for courses in Trinity, UCD and NUI Galway. Primary teaching at Maynooth University has risen by 14 points, while most secondary teaching course have also seen a rise in points.

Students have until 5.15pm on Friday to accept their first-round offer. The second-round offers will be available to view online from 10am next Wednesday, August 29.

Scamwatch initiative to help student renters THE Union of Students in Ireland, housing charity Threshold and Daft.ie have launched an awareness campaign to help students secure suitable accommodation to rent in Dublin.

Called Scamwatch, the initiative offers a checklist for potential tenants to help them avoid falling victim to a rental scam.

As part of the initiative, Threshold will liaise with student unions across Ireland to aid with students who come into problems with accommodation during the academic year.

The Scamwatch checklist can be downloaded at www.threshold.ie.

GAZETTE

LEARNINGCURVE

Sallynoggin’s centre of excellence in learning FOR more than 50 years, Sallynoggin College has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence in the area of further education, with many students having achieved international recognition in the areas of Sports, Fashion and Photography, to mention just a few.

The college offers a diverse range of courses outside the CAO points system, leading to higher education or employment.

It has developed strong links with both industry and higher education colleges and has an increasing number of students being accepted through

CAO and or taking up employment.

All of its courses, either of one- or two-year duration, are quality assured and certified by national and international examination bodies including QQI and ITEC. In response to current trends both nationally and internationally, the college continues to expand and develop these courses.

It currently provide courses in the area of Childcare, Social Studies, Airline Studies, Hotel & Tourism, Personal Training and Fitness Instruction, Yoga Teaching, Hairdressing and Beauty Ther-

Sallynoggin College has been a centre of excellence in learning for more than 50 years

apy, Fashion Design, Fashion Buying, Styling and Visual Merchandising, Art, Photography, Commercial Floristry, Performing Arts, and Dance.

College facilities are continually upgraded and

refurbished in order to enhance and develop its course offering.

Sallynoggin College welcomes applications from all, including school leavers, mature students, graduates, international

students and those who are recently unemployed.

Second chance opportunities are also offered to those without the Leaving Cert who want to upskill, progress to higher education or retrain.

All courses in the college are recognised for the SUSI Grant and Higher Education Authority fund for learners with learning difficulties.

For further information, see www.scfe.ie for a full list of courses, email reception@scfe.ie, call 01 285 2997, or contact Sallynoggin College of Further Education, Pearse Street, Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin.

26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

ENTERTAINMENT StillShowing...

THE MEG

Water silly shark film JASON Statham provides a stoic send-up of himself as he takes on a prehistoric shark in the supremely silly The Meg (Cert 12A, 113 mins). It’s hard to take Statham seriously, but when you’re fighting a giant shark terrorising an undersea base, nobody’s expecting Shakespeare. We’ve seen several shark films in recent years, which have all tended to be somewhat serious fare, but The Meg just goes for the jugular with no-brainer action.

HOTEL ARTEMIS

Still worth checking out JODIE Foster is still holed up on a few screens over at the Hotel Artemis (Cert 16, 94mins), bringing a nice mix of drama and comedy to her role as the effective manager, caretaker and virtual prisoner of the eponymous hotel that’s strictly for crooks only. When some guests bring unwelcome attention to the door, Foster (as The Nurse) and the others have to rally as the hotel faces a particularly long, violent night (even by Artemis standards).

SCENE AND HEARD THIS WEEK

Idris may Elba in on Bond role, as Trek wobbles along WITH myself and the rest of the Gazette team just back from summer holidays, it’s fair to say that cinema trips weren’t a priority as I braved the paintstripping rains of Donegal for a couple of weeks.

However, those two weeks saw plenty of interesting cinema news stories rolling around, so here’re two of them, as iconic characters look set to face some shake-ups on the big screen.

First up, and the ongoing will-he, won’t-they mutterings about Idris Elba taking over as the new Bond took another tangible step closer to a hoped-for reality thanks to some cryptic mutterings, tweets and Hollywood buzz.

The unnamed Bond film currently being worked on – set to be Daniel Craig’s last outing – has hit a bump in the road with director Danny Boyle just abandoning the project over ‘creative differences’, but even though that film hasn’t even been shot yet many eyes are looking out for double-oh Idris for the following film.

Idris has been an out-

 SHANE DILLON

sider name long attached to the Bond franchise, with plenty of fans seeing the charismatic actor as a natural fit, despite the powers that be in charge of the Bond brand resisting change to Bond’s identity.

Frankly, the more-orless insistence that Bond is a white guy, as Bond author Ian Fleming wrote at the time as the ‘classic English gentleman spy’, has kept the character dipped in amber, even though Judi Dench took over as M with ease.

However, it’s now believed that the Broccoli family (largely the guardians of Bond’s cinema image) are keen to add some diversity to the role, to possibly update Bond for the modern multicultural, multiethnic world.

While Idris finally getting the gig could leave some Bond fans shaken, not stirred, I’m also hoping that he gets his license to kill with a shot at the role.

To lose one a-lister from your next cash cow film project is unfortunate, but

Idris Elba seems to be moving closer to becoming the next Bond – but Chris Pine looks set to drop Captain Kirk

to lose two is a big problem – a problem for Paramount to solve over its increasingly troubled Star Trek franchise.

The rebooted films have been something of a curate’s egg, with Star Trek Beyond (2016) pleasing critics but barely crawling through cinemas at impulse power, rather than warping by in a blaze of glory.

You may have seen the headlines about ‘the two Chrises’ (Pine, as Captain Kirk, and Hemsworth, as Kirk’s dad) bailing on the project as they were unhappy with the money they were offered.

While it remains to be seen if this is negotiating/posturing over salary negotiations, many cinemagoers and Trek fans may not know that a more earthly force seems to be affecting the two Chrises, and the Trek franchise’s future: China.

Digging into the Trek malaise during the summer break, I found a number of fascinating articles and content pointing out that Chinese investors were a key part of the last Trek film, but they largely took a bath on returns, with Trek crashing and burning hard in China.

While the Marvel films

TECH TIME Fighting for the (far) Right to shout out SHANE DILLON

sdillon@dublingazette.com OVER the past fortnight, with the Gazette closed for summer holidays, the tech world was gripped by a sudden battle over internet freedoms of speech rights versus the responsibilities of giant tech companies, sparking an ongoing blaze that’s currently being bitterly fought on both sides of the debate.

Events were triggered by the removal of much of Infowars host Alex Jones’s online content from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify, with Twitter just suspending him for a week.

Firstly, if you don’t know who the American farRight agent provocateur Alex Jones is – lucky you.

Jones is the charming gentleman who, as just one of his many ‘achievements’, continues to insist that the

Sandy Hook elementary school massacre was a ‘false flag’ fake, staged shooting masterminded by liberal anti-gun, anti-freedom globalists, with the ‘dead children’ just actors used by fake parents to threaten gun owners’ rights. A charming fellow, indeed.

However, he finally prompted the tech giants to act in a move that could have long-term implications, forcing a sea change in how they patrol and police user content.

In addition to repeatedly, aggressively insisting on his channel that Robert Mueller (currently investigating alleged Russian interference in America’s politics) was a child rapist, and that he also headed an international child sex ring and had flown children around the world to be sexually abused, Jones also repeatedly said that, essentially, Mueller should be ‘dealt with’, while making gun- and shooting-related comments

and hand gestures, albeit occasionally adding “politically” to cover himself.

This was a step too far for the tech and social media platforms, who moved swiftly with a largely shared purpose to finally shut Jones down.

The fall-out from the action against Jones continues to reverberate, with many people howling that it’s an attack on free speech and blatant censorship.

On the other hand, with the increased societal and political pressure on the tech giants to address their roles as publishers, rather than ‘just’ being content platforms, the move has also been widely applauded.

It’s an issue that isn’t going away, with the move against Jones prompting a wide-ranging discussion of users’ rights, and platforms’ responsibilities.

Perhaps even Alex Jones will have helped to do one good thing, after all.

and similar blockbusters tend to do roaring business in China, the Chinese market is generally very resilient to Sci-Fi fare, with the likes of Trek, and even Star Wars, far from beloved IPs there.

As such, Chinese investors aren’t rushing to help bankroll the next Trek film, and Paramount’s recent films haven’t exactly been spectacular hits, leading to belts being tightened, lower salaries being offered, and the rebooted Trek franchise’s future looking rocky.

Things also aren’t looking much better for its small-screen iteration,

with Star Trek: Discovery – warping back onto Netflix with a second series soon – alienating fans, and proving a costly acquisition for Netflix.

Perhaps that’s why the almost 80-year-old Patrick Stewart popped up very recently to say he’s returning as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, to continue baldly going where his character hasn’t gone before with his own spinoff Trek series.

Whether we get to see Idris as Bond, or Stewart back again as Picard, here’s hoping that the big and small screen gods make it so...

Infowars host Alex Jones

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN...JUST FOR FUN!

CODEWORDS

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All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number!

To start you off, we reveal the codes for two or three letters.

As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid.

Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

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28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23 August 2018

FOOD & DRINK

A GUIDE TO DELECTABLE DISHES

A free leather-making and whiskey workshop Designer and leather maker Jason Karayiannis will host a hands-on workshop at Drury Buildings on August 29

Curl up with this healthy new Irish lentil crisp range IF WHISKEY is your thing, you’ll be interested to hear that there’s a whiskey and leather-making workshop taking place in Dublin at the end of this month as part of the #BlackBushStories series.

Irish craftsman Jason Karayian-

nis will host the hands-on workshop at Drury Buildings, in association with Bushmills Irish Whiskey ambassador and acclaimed bartender, Paul Rocks.

During the August 29 evening, guests will be treated to specially

created Black Bush drinks whilst learning how to create their own personalised leather pieces.

The event is free to attend but places are limited to 50. To register for a place visit blackbushstories. com before Friday, August 24.

IRISH healthy food company Kelkin has turned its attention to even healthier lifestyles with a new crisp range – lentil curls.

Available in two classic flavours – Sweet Chilli, and Sour Cream & Onion – the new Kelkin crisps are just 98 cal-

THIS recipe is courtesy of Edd Rathorne, the head chef of Sandyford House.

He began his training in Killakee House Hotel, Rathfarnham, under master chef David Edwards, where he worked gaining experience in classical French cuisine.

THE weather’s suddenly gone all hit and miss again (mostly miss), but Edd guarantees that this recipe for Eton Mess will be a hit with anyone, any time..

He created this delicious dessert when he appeared on TV3’s Ireland a.m., and says that when it’s on the menu in Sandyford House, it flies out the door.

An Eton Mess is basically a rough mixture of whipped cream, pieces of meringue, and fruit, typically strawberries, making it easy to make and even easier to devour!

Ingredients (For the meringue) • 115g castor sugar • 115g icing sugar • 4 large egg whites For the fruit fool

• 200g natural/Greek yoghurt • 200g freshly whipped cream • 100g chopped strawberries • 100g raspberries • 100g blueberries • 50g castor sugar • 50g dark chocolate

ories per 20g bag, offering a guilt-free way to tuck into a tasty snack on the go.

The lentil curls are the latest step for the company founded in 1977, with healthy, vitamin-rich foods still at the heart of the business.

From here, Edd achieved extensive qualifications, and has since won numerous awards and garnered many rave reviews throughout his career.

Edd has cooked for celebrities and ambassadors, and has also appeared many times on television.  EDD RATHORNE

Berry nice ... and this dish is pretty easy to whip up

• Half teaspoon vanilla extract • Half teaspoon grated ginger [optional]

• Zest of 1 orange • 5-6 mint leaves Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 105C. • Whisk eggs with an electric mixer until stiff.

• Gradually add castor sugar and

continue to whisk to soft peaks.

• Slowly sieve in icing sugar, folding gently until mixed thoroughly.

• Spread evenly on a sheet of greaseproof paper. (Chef’s tip: Sprinkle with toasted flaked

almonds or dessicated coconut for added texture and flavour.)

• Bake for approx 110/115 mins, remove and allow to cool .

• Mix the ginger, zest, sugar and vanilla through the whipped cream.

• In a tall glass or bowl, place alternative layers of crushed meringue, yoghurt, vanilla cream & fruit (the more layers, the better).

• Garnish with grated chocolate and fresh mint leaves. (Chef’s tip: To give the Eton Mess a banoffee twist, replace yoghurt with toffee sauce and the berries with some sliced bananas.)

23 August 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

MOTORS

WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF TRANSPORT

Kevin Hilliard, sales director, Citroen Ireland, Pat Ryan, managing director, Citroen Ireland, and Cyril and Paul Molloy, dealer principals at Citroen South Dublin

Citroen welcomes new dealership in South Dublin Citroen Ireland has appointed a new dealership Citroën South Dublin operated by dealer principals Paul and Cyril Molloy. The new Citroen dealership is based on the Whitechurch Road, Rathfarnham and is part of the family owned Fort Motors Group, which was founded in 1959 by Cyril Molloy.

The team at Fort Motors are very proud to have

The new Ford Mondeo Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is a very impressive car to drive, with new levels of economy, lower emissions and comparable value with an entry price of €36,920 for the Titanium specification versions.

built up a great reputation with customers thanks to their knowledge and dedication to customer service and satisfaction.

Speaking at the contract signing, Cyril Molloy, dealer principal, Citroen South Dublin said: “We are

MACHINE OF THE WEEK

Hybrid Mondeo meets the environmental challenge Ford has met the hybrid car challenge head on with the recent launch of the Ford Mondeo Hybrid. This is a big car with all of the traditional Mondeo space coupled with a very impressive hybrid drive system that combines smoothness with efficiency as MICHAEL MORONEY found our during his test drive.

FORD has stepped up to the hybrid car challenge with a new Mondeo, Ford’s first entry to the hybrid drive market in Ireland. The car is the first of a number of new hybrid and electric drive cars that Ford has in its pipeline of models up to 2020.

Hybrid drive systems are seen as an entry to the final electric car goal.

Hybrid cars don’t have the range issues of pure electric cars, while delivering some economy and environmental benefits, especially during spells of low speed city driving.

The Ford Mondeo Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is a big car and one that you would not instantly consider to be a hybrid sector challenge. The dominant engine power for the

Mondeo range is the 2.0litre turbo-diesel version, so the hybrid drive provides very interesting and new contrast.

For the Mondeo HEV drive Ford has merged a specially designed 2.0litre petrol engine with an electric drive system that uses two electric motors.

One of these motor drives the wheels to support the smooth petrol engine, while the other provides regenerative charging to the 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which is located behind the rear seats in the boot area.

I found that the automatic gearbox and hybrid drive combination gives a very smooth driving experience, where the change from electric drive to the quiet Ford petrol engine,

is as seamless as you could imagine. The acceleration power is impressive and from a driving point of view this hybrid Mondeo has to be ranked as one of the most impressive hybrid cars that I’ve driven.

Ford claims that this combination of a specially-developed 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric drivetrain gives the Mondeo HEV a fuel consumption rate of 24km/ litre (4.2l/100km or 67mpg). For comparison purposes, a 2.0 -litre diesel rated at 150bhp combined with a Ford Powershift automatic transmission, comes with a claimed fuel consumption rate of 20.8km/litre (4.8 l/100km or 59mpg). This 15% fuel economy advantage

for the Mondeo HEV is absorbed in the diesel/ petrol fuel price difference at the pumps, and it now makes driving the hybrid version a real choice.

In practice, I achieved a range of almost 800km on a full fuel tank and that equates to about half of the rated fuel economy figure. Much of my driving was over longer distances which distorts the hybrid benefits a little as these are at their very best in city start/stop driving.

The Mondeo HEV has Ford’s Smartgauge interface which allows you to monitor, manage and reduce fuel and energy consumption. The system has what Ford calls a “Brake Coach” that encourages gradual braking to help return more energy to the battery. An icon beside the car’s dials lets you known when you are regenerating electric power, but it does not dominate the dials so you

simply get on with driving.

With the Mondeo HEV Ford has provided all of the benefits of lower emissions in a big car that’s affordable to run compared with traditional diesels. The big car comfort and safety features are all retained in this new Mondeo HEV and you are making a difference to the environment.

T h e hy b r i d d r ive Mondeo is only available in four-door format and in either Titanium or Vignale specification, the latter which I drove.

This specification puts the entry price at €36,920 which is competitive relative to diesel versions with a similar specification.

You get a lot of car in the Mondeo HEV for that price with an impressive specification coupled with economy figures that are a match for diesel, depending on your driving pattern.

excited at the opportunity which the Citroen range of cars and vans holds for the South Dublin area. Our understanding of this local market has been built over almost 60 years, and we are confident that the Citroen brand will resonate with motorists here on a number of fronts, not least its individualism and contemporary styling.”

Lexus launches new LC Yellow Edition Coupe LEXUS is introducing a new addition to its LC flagship coupe car range with the launch of the new LC Yellow Edition Coupe. The Flare Yellow paint finish continues in the cabin, where the black door panels are enhanced by warm yellow Alcantara inserts. The yellow shade is also featured in contrast stitching details on the white leather seats, instrument panel, steering wheel and centre console arm rest. The cabin also features a driver’s head-up display, an Alcantara headlining and 10-way power adjustment for the front seats in semi-aniline leather.

The new LC Yellow Edition benefits from the Lexus Dynamic Handling and Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) with four-wheel steering, which independently controls front and rear wheel steering angles, and a Torsen limited-slip differential.

Yellow Edition versions of both the LC 500h, with Lexus’ self-charging Multi Stage Hybrid System, and the LC 500, powered by a 477bhp naturally aspirated V8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission, will be available.

The Lexus LC Yellow Edition flagship coupe

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SOCCER P37

THE BEST IN DUBLIN

SPORT

LEAGUE OF IRELAND: SOCCER: BOHEMIANS made it three

wins from four over bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday evening.

Eoghan Stokes scored the only goal of the game against the side he trialled with in pre-season as Keith Long’s side took three points from west Dublin for the third consecutive visit.



GAZETTE

HURLING P39

PAGE 35

LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS

ATHLETICS | STREIMIKYTE SWEEPS TO GLORY IN BERLIN

Golden girl Greta wins Euro crown  STEPHEN FINDLATER

sport@dublingazette.com

GRETA Streimikyte landed Ireland’s first gold of the European Paralympic athletics championships as she stormed home in the 1,500m in Berlin with plenty to spare.

The Swords-based runner took off on the second lap, building a 15-metre gap back to Spain’s Izaskun Oses Ayucar and she powered on from there, eventually finishing a good 40-metres away from her nearest rival in a time of 4.48.54.

The 22-year-old DCU post-graduate student moved to Ireland in 2010 with her family and has been running for the country since getting citizenship in 2015.

The Clonliffe Harriers club woman made her debut in June 2016 when she competed in the IPC Athletics European Championships in Gros-

seto, Italy. There, she competed in the T13 1,500m final and came home with a bronze medal after a fantastic run.

At the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, she placed third in her heat and advanced to the final where she ran a lifetime best time of 4:45.06 finishing an impressive fourth place; a tremendous achievement.

A student of International Relations in DCU, Greta started her running career thanks to her parents.

Originally from Lithuania, she is a triplet and has a condition called retinopathy brought about by being in a incubator at birth.

Her victory came on a special day for the Irish team on Tuesday as Jason Smyth smashed the championship record as he scorched to victory in the men’s 200m T13 final in 21.44.

And Rio silver-medallist Orla

CLONLIFFE HARRIERS’ Greta Streimikyte won gold at the European Paralympic Athletics Championships in Berlin. Picture: Luc Percival/Sportsfile

Barry wrapped up an incredible day in the T57 discus, producing six superb throws which were all good enough to have won the gold.

Barry’s longest throw was 28.76 metres - over eight metres further than Martina Willing, who took the silver.

They are part of a 10-strong Irish

team for the competition in Berlin which runs until next Sunday with discus thrower Niamh McCarthy, Raheny sprinter Orla Comerford, 200m runner Paul Keoghan in action along with long distance runners David Leavy and Patrick Monahan.

High jumper Jordon Lee completed the line-up.

SPORT CONTACT INFO SPORTS EDITOR: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com

For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@dublingazette.com Phone: 01 601 0240

34 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

1

FINGALLIANS FOOTBALL All-Ireland Final tickets: Qualifying members must register their name at the club bar prior to Tuesday, August 28. An open draw for tickets will take place at 9pm on Thursday, August 30 in the club bar. Tickets must be collected by the lucky winners prior to Friday at 9pm or they will be entered into an additional draw in the bar on Friday at 10pm. Further detail will be published on social media.

U-16 Hurlers: Our division 1 hurlers drew their last game of the league on Friday evening v Kilmacud Crokes. The result has them finishing in a very creditable fourth in the county.

Diary Date: Saturday, September 1, Fingallians Family Fun Day 2–6pm. This will be a fundraiser for our boys and girls who will be participating in Féile next April. Loads of fun and games for all the family plus facepainting, BBQ, raffle, DJ etc.

Main Event: Gaelic for Mammies and Social Footballers present Fins Culchies vs Fins Dubs for Sam Maguire trophy. Family ticket €10. All club members and non-members welcome.

U-10 footballers: The mentors and parents wish to thank Celbridge GAA on the 32 team All-Ireland blitz they hosted. The entered two teams, one progressed to the semi final and the other was beaten at the quarter final stage.

New Sponsors: The Club are delighted to announce Joe Duffy Group, as sponsors of our Academy section. We look forward to partnering with the team at Joe Duffy Group in the years ahead.

Athletics: Congratulations to member Michael Coleman, who won silver in the U-16, 100m, in the All Ireland Community Games, in Limerick.

Social Dancing: This Friday, August 24, there will be social dancing in the club, from 9pm with Gary Fitzpatrick. Admission €10 at the door.

NAOMH PEREGRINE WELL done to Evan Carthy and Tomas Hegarty playing today in the U-15 Leinster Blitz in Ferbane Gaa, Co Offaly.

Unfortunately lost the final of the Adam Mangan shield to Kildare by six points both Tomas and Evan represented the club very well on the day.

Wll done to Karl Flynn, Cormac Dunne and the rest of the Dublin U-14 squad playing in the Leinster U-14 football tournament this Saturday in Blessington GAA club Wicklow.

We need all members and friends to get behind Hazel Austin’s entry to compete in a skills test during the all Ireland camogie final. She has already been shortlisted to the final 10, earning €500 for the club in the process.

If she makes the final two, the club will be awarded 7k (winner’s prize)

or 3k (runner up), plus we all get to see her compete in Croke Park. Hazel and her sisters compiled the video on their own initiative and in their own time so please take a minute to vote for her and for St. Maurs. Best of luck Hazel. https://www.her.ie/…/ vote-to-see-your-favourite-team-play-a…

The G4MO were back in action today after a short summer break with a victory over local rivals, Skerries. Final score 3-9 to 0-3. Well done all - it’s great to be back.

St Maurs under 14 Ladies v Lusk Round Towers under 15’s (Monday 13th Aug) Monday’s game was a preseason warm up before the start of this year’s Championship, but you wouldn’t know it to watch St Maurs who battled well and earned a solid victory.

Final Score 5-12 v 3-6

IRONMAN 70.3: BRITISH PAIR LEAD THE INTERNATIONAL FIELD

Ironman tests the will of the masses  sport@dublingazette.com

VISITING British pair Emma Pallant and Elliot Smales were the big winners as they led the field home at the IRONMAN 70.3 in Dun Laoghaire.

More than 1,700 athletes took part and put their abilities to the test in what was described as a beautiful, breath-taking and testing course with the professional duo taking the laurels.

In the professional women’s race, USA’s Rebeccah Wassner was first to exit the water in 29.44, two minutes ahead of Pallant and compatriot, Amber Ferreira. Tine Deckers (Belgium) followed a further two minutes back.

Wassner was not able to maintain her lead, dropping down to sixth place by the 50km mark.

Deckers made up her swim deficit and to move into the lead ahead of Pallant and Ferreira.

Deckers would go on to enter T2 a minute and 45 seconds ahead of Pallant.

The leading pair amassed a sizable lead over the chasing pack over 10 minutes ahead of third placed Ferreira.

With Deckers first out onto the run course, she kept ahead until eight kilometres in when she was passed by Pallant.

With her lead less than a minute, Pallant could not let her guard down but she held on to take the win with a time of 4.48.01. Deckers took second place in 1.28 later, followed by Ferreira in 3rd, rounding out the podium.

Pallant said of the win: “Amazing race, just what I expected, really tough and I think it was

“

Amazing race, just what I expected, it was all about strength and fitness

”

the water neck-and-neck was Elliot Smales and Iceland’s Sigurdur Ragnarsson in 25.24, closely followed by the USA’s Andy Potts who was four seconds back.

It was in transition that Elliot took the lead and continued to push ahead holding a five-minute lead 50km into the bike.

T h e U SA’s E l l i o t B a c h moved into second place ahead of Potts with Ireland’s Bryan McCrystal a further minute back in fourth place.

McCrystal managed to move into second place cutting Smales’ lead to 3.20 by the end of the bike.

Bach and Potts entered transition in third and fourth place around five minutes back on Smales.

all about strength and fitness and sets me up really well for the [IRONMAN 70.3] World Champs.

I just wanted a good battle and some confidence before I fly to South Africa and Tine [Deckers] gave me that!”

In the men’s race, coming out of

The crowds flocked to the IRONMAN 70.3 in Dun Laoghaire last Sunday. Picture: Fabrice Jolivet

With Smales over four minutes ahead of McCrystal, Potts quickly moved into third place ahead of Bach and proceeded to chase the second spot.

Potts passed McCrystal 9km into the run but still trailed Smales by over 5 minutes.

Smales, who never looked in trouble on the run, held steady, running to victory in a time of 4.13.57.

Potts finished second, trailing by 4.13 with McCrystal a further five minutes back in third.

“I went really hard at the beginning of the bike, got away and expected some people to catch me but it never happened. What a course! Up on Sally Gap, you had every condition today and it was amazing!” said Smales.

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

Conor Kavanagh and Mark Fabian

Melissa Djemai, Betsy Bates, Ella Bates and Buddy the dog

Aaron O’Loughlin, Alex O’Loughlin and Lee McGarry

Sarah Ball and Rylee Rae

The Frank Keane Volkswagen Cup winners. Pictures: Simon Peare

Maurice, Mya and Kai Core

Tony Devito

Keane for some fun and games at day out for community T

Tony O’Connor, Riley O’Connar and Georgia Gargan

Ella, Zak, Austin and Maeve Bates with Buddy

HE Frank Keane Volkswagen Cup and fun day took place recently in Westmanstown Sports Centre.

Eight teams, all sponsored by Frank Keane Volkswagen, were involved this year playing in a five a side tournament.

The winners on the field were Lucan United FC who received a prize of a €1,000 Nitro Sports voucher.

Fun day activities included a bouncing castle, face painting, games, competitions and prize giveaways.

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

SOCCER: ST MOCHTA’S BOSS KEEN TO TIGHTEN UP DEFENCE

McCarthy keeps it clean for new term LSL SUNDAY SENIOR

St Mochta’s Bluebell United  DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

0 0

ST MOCHTA’S manager Brian McCarthy praised his side’s defensive shape as they kept a clean sheet in their opening-day draw with the champions at Porterstown Road on Sunday.

McCarthy had targeted improving his side’s capabilities at the back in the off-season after a poor defensive record hampered their title defence last year.

The Saints conceded 41 goals – 12 more than their title-winning season – compared to the champions, who conceded just 19 on their way to a third league crown in four years.

And the manager was pleased with the way his side kept the free-scoring Bell scoreless despite losing defender Anto Murphy to a second yellow card in the closing stages.

“I think a draw was fair,” McCarthy told the Dublin Gazette. “We definitely both had chances. We conceded a lot of goals last year – we conceded 41 goals last season – so to have a clean sheet against the champions [was great].

“It was something we set up during the summer, to try and be more compact. I know we can score goals, we just need to stop conceding them.

“From that perspective, I was very happy with the way it panned out. Obviously you’d like to get a win, but a draw I was happy enough with.”

Both teams had new men between the sticks with Mochta’s Craig Hyland – the former Shamrock Rovers keeper Bluebell had tried to sign 12 months ago – the busier of the two.

Firefighter Hyland did his best to douse the flames of the Bell attack with a spectacular reaction save from a Gary Seery shot made all

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

2

NAOMH PEREGRINE WELL done to all the children, mentors, volunteers and special guests who took part in a successful summer camp last week. A special thanks goes to Amanda and her team of volunteers who made the week so enjoyable for all those taking part.

The Academy starts back this Thursday on the Astro in their allocated slots and the U-8s starts again this werk on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm.

Well done to the lads in the final day of Camaint in a great game of hurling.

Congratulations and best wishes to all our Leaving Cert students who received their exam results.

We hope they can all achieve their true potential in the future ahead of them.

Mary is taking requests for inclusion in the qualifying members’ ticket draw for the right to buy a ticket out of the club’s allocation for the All-Ireland final. But don’t forget to take part in the club fundraising raffle where draw tickets are €5 each for two additional sets of final tickets and other great prizes.

There was no winner of the club lottery this week. The numbers drawn were 3-17-18-19. Next week’s jackpot is €9,800. Lottery tickets cost €2 and the proceeds are used for the benefit of club members.

Skerries; Aisling Spillane and Naomh Uinsionn’s Kathryn Kantounia celebrate the Dublin Junior Premier semi-final win over Offaly. Picture: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Bluebell United’s Gary Seery and St Mochta’s Anto Murphy battle for the ball. Picture: Anto O’Brien

the more impressive by the fact it took a late deflection.

Adam Hayden, fresh in the door having signed from Greystones United in the summer, had less to do but stood up well when called upon to deny Noel Murray and Karl Somers.

Hyland pulled off another impressive stop to turn away Luke Rossiter’s header as the points were deservedly shared.

STICKER ALBUM

Swords Celtic launch innovative fundraiser

SWORDS Celtic launched an innovative fundraising project this week with the Balheary club releasing a sticker album.

The project that saw all teams from the Under-6s to the Youth Team photographed to appear on their own sticker and packets of stickers on sale at the club for children to collect and swap.

These albums have proven very popular with clubs across Europe and Swords Celtic are one of the first clubs in Ireland to introduce the idea.

Pictured are Darragh O’Brien TD, Eddie D’Arcy, Alan Foran, Councillor Darragh Butler and youth players Adam Butler and Frank Foran.

“I said to Andy [Noonan] afterwards it was like a game of chess. He moved and then I moved and we cancelled each other out a bit.

“It mightn’t have been the greatest game – I heard a few people say that – but that’s the kind of game we need to get used to.

“A lot of people come to Mochta’s to watch goals and entertainment but to win leagues, you have to be more compact.

NAOMH MEARNOG WE EXTEND our sympathy to Paddy Kavanagh and his family on the death of his wife Teresa. (Tess) The Kavanaghs are loyal and hard working members of the club where Tess’ son Conor has served as club chairman while his brother Adrian is the current club secretary. May Tess’ Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.

Congratulations to our under 16 hurlers and their mentors Cecil Ryan, Donal Lean, Dylan Kilbride and Tony Philips who have finished runners up in their league. Working with limited numbers, this was a superb achievement.

Well done to our U- 11 hurlers who defeated Cuala in the Camaint final which was held in Parnell Park. The mentors on this team are Danny Harrington,Thomas McGowan, Stephen Rafter, Rob McNamee, Larry Kirby, James Kiernan, Sean O’Shea and John Lowrey.

Our camogie girls continue to do us proud and we had three girls involved with the Dublin Premier junior team who defeated Offaly to reach the All Ireland final.

Those involved are Laura Walsh, Gráinne Power and Aoibhe Dillon. Aoibhe scored 1-5.

Well done to all.

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 23 August 2018

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

3

SKERRIES HARPS WELL done to the McMeels sponsored AFL2 footballers on their win against Naomh Mearnog and to the AFL4 footballers who defeated Kilmacud Crokes on Saturday. The AFL9 footballers recorded a draw when they faced St Colmcilles on Sunday.

The junior ladies Footballers had a strong win over Craobh Chiaran midweek in the junior D shield.

It was a busy weekend for our juvenile representatives on various intercounty squads with our members lining out with the Dublin minor ladies and U-13 footballers, Dublin U-14 camogie panel and the Dublin U-14 and U-15 boys development squads. Well done to all, far too many to mention and a great achievement for all.

See www.skerriesharps.ie/fixtures for details of all upcoming games.

Juvenile Games Weekly Meetings are now on summer break! Adult Games Meeting continues each Thursday in the clubhouse Zingo Result: 2-6-5-4-7-3-1; we had no winners of jackpot or dividend.

Next week’s jackpot is €1,200. How do you win? You buy a ticket! You can also play on line at skerriesharps.ie and follow the links. Entries only €2 each or three for €5.

ST BRIGID’S WELL done to Limerick hurlers at the weekend, next final up is Football All-Ireland Dublin v Tyrone on the 2nd September. Dublin Ladies meet Galway in the SFC Semi-final at 4.30pm on Saturday in Dr Hyde Park.

Wishing all the best to Paddy, Noelle, Ciara and Deirdre in their preparations.

Saturday morning Nursery will be back on September 1 after the summer break, have a great holiday in the meantime. Nursery will resume as usual 9.30 to 11am, all 4 to 7 year olds welcome.

Keep up with all our news on our website www.stbrigidsgaa.com.

See the amazing pics of our new carpark

on the website.

A huge well done and thank you to everyone involved in administering, organising, fundraising, sponsorship, Lotto Committee and those who support our club every week. The next lotto draw in Russell Park is on Thursday, September 6 when the jackpot will be €6,200.

All in St Brigid’s would like to extend our sympathy to the Kehir and Martin family following the passing of Siobhan Kehir, wife of Mark Kehir.

St Brigid’s Lip Sync event will take place on October 6; there is a huge evening of entertainment in store.

ST FINIAN’S HARD luck to the Adult LGFA team who battled bravely but were beaten in the Championship on Monday evening. A big thanks to the huge numbers who turned out to support the team in the Valley.

Well done to the Gaelic for Mothers and Others team who played Erin’s Isle on Thursday evening in the Valley in a very competitive match.

The nursery (4 and 5-year-old boys and girls) and academy (6-year-old boys & girls) sponsored by Sky Handling Partner will resume on Saturday 1st September at 10am & 11:30am respectively after the Summer break in River Valley Pitches and the clubhouse coffee shop and club shop will reopen on September 1 also.

A draw was held in the clubhouse on Thursday to pick names to purchase All Ireland Hurling Final tickets and the names picked were posted on the Club Facebook page.

Congratulations to Tony Ryan who won the pair of All-Ireland hurling final tickets in the club raffle on Friday evening.

To apply for All Ireland Football final tickets, please contact the club email address: stfiniansgaaclubswords@gmail.com, or text Maree McDonough by 7pm Thursday, August 30. Only FULLY PAID UP adult members and juvenile members playing on adult teams are eligible to purchase tickets through the club and have been notified by email and only one ticket may be ordered per member.

The Executive Committee will endeavour to facilitate ticket allocation in a fair manner with fully paid up members but if demand exceeds supply, a draw will take place to pick club members who will be offered the opportunity to purchase All Ireland final tickets.

St Finian’s GAA club is holding a raffle for two stand tickets for the AllIreland Football Final on Sunday, September 2. The draw will take place on September 1. Raffle tickets are €5 each and are available from the clubhouse office, mentors or any committee member.

GOLF: SWORDS HOSTS TOP CLASS QUALIFIERS

Ganaza plays the round of his life to hit Sky screens  sport@dublingazette.com

JUNIOR golfers from Malahide Golf Club put on an exceptional display of golf at the Irish qualifying event for the American Golf Junior Championship, held at Swords Golf Club, with three youngsters from the club making it through to the final that will be televised on Sky Sports.

Leading the way in the gross competition was 17-year-old Sergio Ganaza who, despite having a handicap of 7, played the round of his life to shoot level par and lead the field that are hoping to make it through to the U.K. & Ireland final at Gainsborough Golf Club.

Joining Sergio from Malahide are fellow junior members Eoghan Clarke, 14, and Joey Irwin, 11, who took first and second in the boys handicap competition with incredible scores of 52 and 46 points respectively.

After seeing qualification come to a close, Matt

Bacon, Head of Events at American Golf couldn’t hide his excitement for the Junior Championship, “Some of the best junior golfers in the U.K. & Ireland have played in the Championship over the past few years so I’m excited to see the boys and girls that have been here today taking the competition forward.

“There has been some incredible golf, all played in the best spirit of the game. It never ceases to amaze me how these young people perform under pressure, but more so, how they handle themselves in the heat of competition. From what I’ve seen and heard, every parent and Junior coach can be very proud of their kids.”

John Clark, Managing Director of PING Europe, added: “Over the years we’ve been involved with the American Golf Junior Championship, we’ve seen some great golf played by hugely talented golfers but, more importantly, we’ve seen sportsmanship and

LORD MAYOR’S CUP Smith adds yet another title PHILIP Smith of Malahide Golf

Club won the 2018 Lord Mayor’s Cup at Clontarf Golf Club with an impressive 5&4 victory over Ger Campion of Donabate GC. Smith also won his semi-final 5&4 over local Clontarf member Donal Heron. Philip’s father Darragh, pictured together, was the winner of the Lord Mayor’s Cup in 2000 whilst his uncle John Irwin was the winner of the Lord Mayor’s Cup in 2004. He also won the Castle and Balbriggan Junior Scratch Cups in 2018.

Malahide Golf Club Junior Captain Sergio Ganaza played the round of his life to reach the televised stages of the American Golf Championships

camaraderie from some inspiring young people. We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with American Golf and being part of this fantastic event yet again, and we’re looking forward to welcoming all the qualifiers to Gains-

borough Golf Club for the finals.”

The American Golf Junior Championship will be shown on Sky Sports in October. The event is free to enter and players with and without handicaps can take part in different categories.

23 August 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

HURLING: ST SYLVESTER’S SECURE PROMOTION TO AHL DIVISION TWO

FOOTBALL

Skerries back in AFL2’s playoff places

Senior hurling set for return to Malahide AHL DIVISION THREE

Ballyboden St Enda’s St Sylvester’s  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

2-13 1-17

ST SYLVESTER’S will return to senior hurling after a three year absence a game ahead of schedule last week, as they defeated Ballyboden St Enda’s in their penultimate AHL3 contest to guarantee promotion and another hardwon shot at the second tier.

The Malahide club had gone close to promotion last year and will now look to retain their spot in AHL2 having gone straight back down on their last stint in the division.

This year has gone far better, though, as a youthful side has built on a failed

promotion playoff in 2017 and come back stronger.

“This is a new management team’s second year involved,” the club’s Declan McGrath explained. “Last year we were putting the building blocks down, and learning to play a system.

“They’re a young team, and they’ve matured a little bit and got a bit more used to the system. We certainly planned to go up this year, and it’s worked out well.”

The game against Ballyboden wasn’t a classic. While Sylvester’s have comfortably won a lot of their league matches this year, and are unbeaten in league and championship since way back in March, the Ballyboden game was decided by the narrowest margins.

Free-taker Dan Murphy hit 11 from

11, including a game-winning free from 65 metres six minutes into injury time.

“It wasn’t our best performance but we got there in the end,” McGrath said of the game. “Dan is really reliable. He’s been a huge asset this season.

“We have seven or eight players who played with the Fingal hurling side, including the likes of the O’Flynn’s, so there’s lots of experience to build on, but last time we weren’t strong enough at senior level. We’re hoping this time we’ll be good enough to hold our own.”

While the league promotion is important, it’s also key to the long term for the side, traditionally in more of a footballing heartland, that they develop into a senior championship team. That’s something that could also be on the cards for this year.

“We need to make the final to go up,” McGrath says of the championship charge.

“We’re already in the quarter final draw with a game to spare and we’ll be getting a home draw for that game, though we don’t know who it’s against yet.

“The last championship group game and the last league game aren’t all that important now. It’ll all be about that quarter final, and hopefully a game or two more after that.

“We’ll be playing the fourth place team from the other section of the draw on September 23. Everything before then is kind of irrelevant.”

Sylvester’s hope to grab two for two, and firmly establish themselves as more than just a footballing hub.

SKERRIES Harps returned to the topfour courtesy of a dogged 0-13 to 0-11 triumph at the expense of Naomh Mearnog at Portmarnock.

Stephen Smith and underage star Killian McGinnis contributed two points apiece in a tight and tense opening half, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Mearnog developing a slender interval cushion (0-5 to 0-4).

After the home team stretched their lead out to three points on the restart, the dependable Harry Dawson pegged them back with a brace of long-distance frees.

Though this settled the Skerries nerves, Mearnog were two points to the good - 0-11 to 0-9 - with five minutes of normal time.

It was at this point, however, that the Harps challenge truly came to life. Dawson and substitute Ciaran Murphy levelled matters in the nick of time, and this supplemented by a fourth score of the proceedings from the former.

He was subsequently joined on 0-4 by McGinnis, who fisted over at the end of a swift counter-attack to guide Skerries towards a crucial triumph.

GazetteSPORT AUGUST 23-29, 2018

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 33-39

GRETA GETS GREAT GOLD

ATHLETICS: Swords woman storms to Paralympic European gold with blistering 1,500m performance in Berlin SEE P33

STALEMATE SOCCER: St

Mochta’s tighten up defence for the new LSL Sunday Senior campaign as they tie with reigning champions Bluebell. SEE P37

SUPER SAINTS UP TO SENIOR HURLING: St Sylvester’s get the best of Ballyboden St Enda’s to earn league promotion with game to spare with championship target up next SEE P39

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Keane lights up NAC with European gold  STEPHEN FINDLATER

sport@dublingazette.com

NAC’S Ellen Keane delivered on her billing as one to watch at the World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships as she won the S8 breaststroke gold medal at her National Aquatic Centre home venue in Abbotstown last weekend.

She saved the best for last after a fourth place in the 100m backstroke by just a finger-tip in her first event. She did get on the podium in the 200m individual medley soon after as she delighted the huge home crowd.

She was able to block out the cheers to deliver a composed performance that saw her comfortably hold off the challenge of Zsofia Konkolyy by two seconds. Spain’s Nuria Marques lead the 200m Individual Medley home followed by Toni Shaw from Great Britain with Keane electrifying the crowd in third position to take bronze on Friday evening.

And then, last Sunday, she put in a dominant performance in the 100m Breaststroke SB8 to deliver Ireland’s first gold medal at the Championships.

Keane dominated the race from the moment she surfaced after a perfect dive to lead the field right up until she touched the wall to win by more than five seconds.

Her medal was her second and Ireland’s third

Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner celebrate their European medals at the NAC last weekend.

Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportfile

“I was shaking but I got my mind focused on the

race plan and it was enough to win the medal.

Once I was in there, it was about not getting ahead of myself.” - Ellen Keane on the back of Nicole Turner’s silver from yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre event.

Keane’s emergence onto the podium was greeted with a huge Irish cheer and an already emotional occasion was made all the more special as her gold medal was presented by her

long time coach, and Director of High Performance for Paralympics Ireland, Dave Malone.

Nerves “I was so nervous on the blocks,” she said afterwards. “I was shaking but I got my mind focused on the race plan and it was enough to win

the medal. Once I was in there, it was about not getting ahead of myself.

“The best thing about the breaststroke is that you actually get to see the crowd when you breathe.

“They pushed me and really helped me. This means so much.”

NAC swimmer Nicole

Tu r n e r, m e a nw h i l e, added to the medal haul with a silver medal in the S6 50m butterf ly.

She qualified for the final with the second fastest time of 37.04 seconds, putting her through alongside British world record holder Elenor Robinson.

Tu r n e r h a d e n d e d

fo u r t h i n t h e 1 0 0 m breaststroke but was not to be denied in this event, outdoing her prerace ranking of third in Europe.

She was third at the 25-metre mark but she closed fast and went ahead of Oksana Khrul in the last few metres to get the silver medal.