DublinGazette MAY 9-15, 2019
POLITICS: We have a range of local election candidates for consideration – and discuss the importance of voting on May 24 SEE PAGE 20
SPORT
SOCCER: Rush
Athletic secure third promotion with more still to come. SEE P28
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THE LATEST NEWS & SPORT FROM THE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL AREA
‘Climate of fear’ now grips Blanch families Community suffers as feud worsens SYLVIA POWNALL
PARENTS are not letting their children out to play as a “climate of fear” grips communities in Blanchardstown caught in the
crossfire of a bloody gang feud. Residents are terrified after a string of shooting incidents and petrol bomb attacks during daylight hours – and are afraid to talk to gardai for fear of retribution.
Armed gardai patrolled the streets of Corduff at the weekend following an arson attack on a house at Westway on Saturday morning. Last week a takeaway driver was caught up in a shooting, and last month a school went into lockdown after shots were fired at a man CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 outside the gates.
Fury over traffic jam DONABATE residents faced more frustrations recently when two-hour delays hit the increasingly developed peninsula. A sub-contractor carrying out daytime works instead of at night was blamed as the culprit for the severe delays and traffic jams, with locals left fuming over the tailbacks, which lasted up to two hours for some.
SEE PAGE 2
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SUBCONTRACTOR BLAMED FOR WORKS TAILBACKS
Donabate fury over traffic ‘meltdown’ SYLVIA POWNALL
spownall@dublingazette.com
GARDAI were forced to halt road works in Donabate last week as commuters missed key appointments because of two-hour tailbacks. A subcontractor who carried out resurfacing works during rush hour which were supposed to be done overnight has been blamed for the “utter chaos”. Motorists reported that five-minute journeys took well over an hour – and the 33B bus from Portrane to Swords took two hours for what is normally a 40-minute trip. Local Cllr Adrian Henchy (FF) wrote to Fingal County Council to express his fury, demanding that in future these works are carried out at night. He said: “What happened yesterday in Donabate, traffic-wise, was an absolute disgrace and
Journeys which normally take five minutes took well over an hour as just one part of the traffic chaos
there should be very serious repercussions for any contractor who was in breach of their traffic management arrangements. “To see irate gardai shouting at road workers yesterday evening at 5pm to immediately stop working because of the utter chaos the workers were causing is just a terrible situation for all parties concerned. “The amount of emails and messages I got yesterday and today was unprecedented, and in a number of cases caused significant
distress for people. “I was canvassing last night in Donabate and the anger and frustration expressed at the doors was palpable. “No warnings were given and no one was on the ground yesterday to manage the unfolding situation. “It was total gridlock in all areas of the peninsula, with tailbacks for miles in all directions.” Warning that a repeat of the fiasco would not be tolerated, Cllr Henchy demanded that works be carried out at night until
the new distributor road is opened. He added: “Given the amount of works being carried out at present, there also needs to be a central coordinated approach across all departments within Fingal County Council so every road opening licence is very carefully managed. “We cannot have a situation arising where a main contractor blames a subcontractor for traffic problems.” A spokesperson for Fingal County Council told Dublin Gazette the gridlock arose “as the main contractor of the resurfacing scheme sub contracted out the iron works. “The sub-contractor did not comply with the order given for night time works only in this area. “I am fully aware of the implications of decisions we take and the potential impact on the area and it is not in the interest of Fingal County Council to cause traffic congestion.” Commuters are ‘fainting’ on overcrowded trains – see Page 8.
FASTNews
Fresh calls to clamp down on quad bikes GARDAI are being urged to clamp down on illegal use of quad bikes and scramblers after Blanchardstown residents were plagued over the bank holiday weekend. Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) said he noted six quad bikes and scramblers between Whitechapel and Lohunda – and he said there was no response from gardai when he rang them. He said: “This is just a disgrace. Shame on the parents who allow their young children on them. They’re doing wheelies and racing each other on the footpaths.” Cllr Donnelly added: “They’re so brazen, they don’t care what they are doing because they feel they will not get caught. Somebody is going to get killed.” A Fianna Fail proposal to give gardai the power to confiscate and destroy dirt bikes where riders have engaged in reckless behaviour is due for debate in the Dail this week.
Have a say on master plan for Castlelands THE community is being urged to have its say on a master plan for lands at Castlelands in Balbriggan which went on public display on Tuesday, May 7. The blueprint will govern how a 60-acre site of State-owned land is developed to deliver up to 1,000 housing units and the draft has come in for criticism. There have been calls for more social housing (10% of mix) in addition to concerns over the proposal to build six-storey blocks of apartments and duplexes.
In a welcome change of tack, the council is proposing that social and community facilities be provided in advance of housing – meaning early delivery of a primary school site and recreational facilities “which would include meeting the local demand for a swimming pool”. A public information evening takes place in Castlelands Community Centre on Tuesday, May 21 from 4-8pm. The plan can be viewed at https:// consult.fingal.ie/en/ browse.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 3
PEOPLE: TEEN SCOOPS FIRST PRIZE IN NATIONAL CONTEST WITH EYEWEAR GADGET
Enterprising Ava impresses with invention SYLVIA POWNALL
AN ENTERPRISING student from Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS has taken first prize in the junior category of a national competition. Ava Gilmartin had her eye on the prize when she invented ‘Specrest’ – an innovative device for conveniently storing eyewear. Her win at the National Student Enterprise Programme marks the first victory for Fingal in the junior category in the 17 years of the programme. Ava demonstrated her gadget at the national
finals in Croke Park, explaining: “It just slides onto your clothing, and your glasses go through it and it keeps them secure and safe all day long.” The 13-year-old came up with the idea after her mother, a nurse, complained about her glasses constantly falling off at work. Specrest is an afforda b l e, b i o d e g r a d a b l e holder for glasses that can slide into bags, pockets, clothing or even sun visors in cars. Ava is now exploring a patent application for her invention, which costs €5 and is on sale in opti-
cians, pharmacies and supermarkets. The national awards programme is organised by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) for secondary school students to help them gain the skills and practical knowledge of running a real-life business. Oisin Geoghegan, chair of the LEO Network and head of enterprise at LEO Fingal, said: “We had three great entrants this year and they all did exceptionally well at the judging process at National level. “ Fi n g a l c o n t i n u e s to lead the way in the
SCHOOLS
Gaelscoil helps clean Coolmine
Local Enterprise Office chair Oisin Geoghegan with Minister Pat Breen, Ava Gilmartin and Michael Nevin, chair of the enterprise education committee
national Student Enterprise Programme, with more than 2,700 secondary students participating this year, from 29 schools.” Separately, Fingal’s Best Young Entrepreneurs who will represent the county at national level were announced at an awards ceremony
hosted by LEO. Ciaran Brennan was awarded the title of Best Young Entrepreneur. He also won the Best Start-Up category with €15,000 investment for his construction firm profit system, LiveCosts. com, based in Blanchardstown. Graham Brocklebank,
founder of ed tech firm Peer in Castleknock, won the Best New Idea category with a €7,000 investment fund. Meanwhile, the winner of Best Established Business, with an investment fund of €15,000, went to Seamus Tighe, founder of Everest Granola Ltd in Blanchardstown.
THE oldest gaelscoil in Dublin 15 joined forces with local election candidates for a summer cleanup in Coolmine last week. Pupils at Scoil Oilbheir were keen to show their willingness to do their bit for the area and the planet. Principal Antoin O Cleirigh said: “We do lots of school work on conservation, recycling, and good citizenship and we see this as a great opportunity to do some of this work outside the classroom.” The school has been based in Dublin 15 for more than 40 years and to meet growing demand will take in two classes of junior infants this September, bringing its total enrolment to 268, with an additional teacher. For further information, email priomhoide.scoil. oilibheir@gmail.com.
4 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
COURTS: JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS
FASTNews
Tusla celebrating support week with several community events TUSLA will celebrate National Child and Family Support Week from May 13 to 19 with a number of events across Fingal and north Dublin. This year’s campaign, which follows on from last year’s inaugural public information drive, will highlight the range of services Tusla provides as part of its Prevention, Partnership and Family Support (PPFS) programme. Suburbs in the Tusla
Dublin North region include Balbriggan, Blanchardstown, Baldoyle, Artane, Castleknock, Clonsilla, Coolock, Darndale, Donaghmede, Howth, Malahide, Naul and Raheny. There will be an information stand in Mulhuddart Community Centre on Monday, May 13 from 10am to 1pm, where members of the public can meet staff and find out about Tusla services.
On Wednesday, May 15 from 10am to 1pm, there will be a parenting session in the Aster Family Resource Centre, Balbriggan. For further information, email family.support@tusla.ie or follow #childandfamilyweek on Tusla’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels. Tusla also operates the online resource, www.parenting24seven.ie.
Chamber hosting annual golf day FINGAL Dublin Chamber is holding its annual golf day at Roganstown Golf Club, Swords on Thursday, May 23, with a shotgun start at 2.15pm. Roganstown is a highly-acclaimed 18-hole championship golf course designed by Ryder Cup legend Christy O’Connor Jr. Registration is from 1.30pm to 2pm, with dinner after golf.
Entry for team of four is €550, which includes golf, dinner and teebox sponsorship. The number of teams is limited, so book early to ensure your team’s place at what’s certain to be a very popular event. To book your team, see https:// fingaldublin.chambermaster.com/ eventregistration/register/211.
Man tried to rob shop armed with timber A HEROIN addict who attempted to rob his local shop armed with a piece of timber has been jailed for four years. Scott Grant (31), of Pinewood Green Court, Balbriggan, threatened staff at Costcutter’s in Hampton Street, Balbriggan on December 11, 2016 – but ran off when the manager chased him with a sweeping brush. More than a year later Grant tried to rob a different shop on Clonard Street in the town using a tree branch in April 2018. Later that month he was spotted damaging a parking meter to get coins from it to feed his drug habit. A witness told gardai he was wearing black clothes and pink gloves and a
garda later arrested a man fitting that description. Grant had a hammer down his pants when picked up by gardai. The court also heard Grant carried out a robbery of a woman on September 26, 2018. He grabbed her handbag and she fell to the ground during the attack. Pieter Le Vert, defending, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that his client was making efforts to deal with his addiction. He has worked all his life as a labourer and is looking for work. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended the final two years of a six-year prison term on condition he keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service for two years after his release.
Man jailed over devastating hit and run injuries
A MAN who left two pedestrians seriously injured when he drove onto a busy footpath before “calmly” leaving the scene has been jailed for seven years. Paul Connolly (37), of Cregg Court, Kilmeague, Robertstown, Co Kildare, was under the influence of drugs and driving his young child to school when his car mounted the footpath at Coolmine Road on May 1, 2018. Connolly, who was on a 25-year driving ban at the time, left a young law student who had been on his way to catch a train to college with a “catastrophic” brain injury. Connolly has 215 previous convictions, including 14 for dangerous driving and three for hit-and-runs. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Michael Igoe (54), and 19-year-old student Francis Dhala. He admitted taking cocaine and tablets the night before. He also pleaded guilty to driving under the influ-
ence of drugs; possession of cannabis; failing to remain at the scene; failing to offer assistance; failing to alert gardai; and driving without insurance or a driving licence. At a previous hearing, the court heard how Connolly “undertook” a line of traffic stopped at a railway barrier, before suddenly swerving onto the pavement where he first hit Mr Igoe and then struck Francis Dhala, causing him “catastrophic” injuries. Witnesses described him going back onto the road, doing a U-turn and
driving “calmly” from the scene with a smashed windscreen. He was followed by a driving instructor who kept in touch with gardai until they were able to intercept him. The court heard Connolly told initially gardai he thought he had hit “a bush”. Mr Igoe and Mr Dhala both sustained very severe injuries from the hit and run. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Connolly to eight-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended.
CRIME
‘Climate of fear’ worsens in Blanch CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Local Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) told Dublin Gazette: “There is a huge climate of fear. People are afraid to let their kids play out on the streets. People are genuinely fearful.” Cllr Donnelly called for an end to the violence and said the thugs responsible showed “a complete disregard for the community”. He added: “These people must stop now before more lives are ruined. The Corduff community do not deserve this and their children need to feel safe.” He urged anyone with information to share it with gardai “so they can get these people off our backs”. Armed guard Lee Boylan (24) remains under armed guard at a hospital after he was shot as he sat in his van in rush hour traffic on the Blakestown Road in Blanchardstown on March 6. He was hit ten times and a number of stray bullets sprayed nearby walls, cars and houses on a busy road where children had been out playing just minutes earlier. On Saturday, four men smashed the windows of a house in Corduff, threw a bucket of petrol inside and set it alight. Two men who were upstairs at the time managed to escape without injury. Gardai say the attack, which happened at 11.20am on Saturday morning, could have been fatal. The feud involves three gangs with ties to Dublin 15 and Finglas who are engaged in a bloody turf war to control the local drugs market. Over the bank holiday weekend there were armed garda patrols in both areas. Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01 666 7000, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 5
6 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
Foroige members at FitFest
Members of Fingal Comhairle na nOg. Pictures: Gavin Byrne
Overall winners of Foroige FitFest Alan O’Brien, Katelyn Collins with OT leader Siobhan O’Brien and boxer Victor Rabei
Promoting health for young people at FitFest A ROUND 200 young people took part in the Fingal FitFest held by North Dublin Foroige last week. The event featured a 2km walk/run along with a range of activities including gaelic
Foroige Team from Balbriggan
Foroige team from Mulhuddart
games, yoga, boxing, circuits, jiu jitsu, wellbeing workshops and much more. Special guests included pro boxer Victor Rabei and Operation Transformation leader Siobhan O’Brien.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 7
8 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
MALAHIDE: LANDMARK PROJECTS NEAR COMPLETION
FASTNews
Castleknock opera night raises almost €10,000 for two charities AN EVENING of opera in Castleknock raised funds for two worthy causes with cheques totalling almost €10,000 handed over last week. The annual Opera Gala raised a total of €9,593.30, with the funds divided equally between Home Start and Special Olympics. A presentation of a cheque for €4,796.65 was made to Special Olympics and accepted by Kieran Mulvey, chairperson of Sport Ireland. A presentation of a cheque for €4,796.65 was also made to Home Start to Angela Canavan, and Special Olympics swimming champion Jack McFadden, whose mother used Home Start’s services when Jack was a baby. Jack went on to compete in the Special Olympics this year and won two gold medals.
Opera Gala Castleknock would like to thank all the performers, sponsors, ticket sellers and the audience for being part of such a successful event in raising funds for these two very deserving charities to support children and families in Dublin 15. Pictured are Mary Troy and Rachel Devlin, on behalf of Opera Gala Castleknock, presenting a cheque for €4,796.65 to Jennifer Murphy, Kieran Mulvey, with Jack McFadden and his mother, Maria.
The beautifully restored Casino building with its striking thatched roof
It’s full steam ahead for model railway, Casino’s reopening SYLVIA POWNALL
TWO Malahide landmarks are about to unite and reopen as a top tourist attraction as repair and conservation work on the Casino building nears completion. Work on the eagerlyawaited project began in April 2018 and the beautifully restored thatched roof is now visible to the public again, providing a distinctive feature at the entrance to Malahide village. The large thatch roof was re-coated over the winter with the help of a temporary structure that ‘wrapped’ the building – allowing the thatcher to work underneath, whatever the weather.
Thanks to the generosity of the late Micheal Gaffney (who bequeathed €1.5 million to the project), the Fry Model Railway will now be housed inside the landmark Casino House, which dates back more than 200 years. The 2,500sq ft working miniature rail display was created in the 1920s and later modernised to become the largest model railway collection in Europe. The Fry Model Railway Collection was bought by Dublin Tourism from the late Cyril Fry’s widow in 1976, and is now in the care of Fingal County Council. The restoration project is expected to change the landscape of tourism in
Malahide, drawing thousands of visitors beyond the grounds of the castle and into the village itself. Last week, the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Anthony Lavin (FG) unveiled a plaque to mark the restoration works as the installation of the model train exhibition got under way. He said: “Over the years the people of Malahide have watched anxiously as [the Casino] fell into disrepair and it is thanks to Michael Gaffney for his generous donation and Fingal County Council that we were able to conserve this unique and magnificent landmark.” It is expected that the Casino Model Railway Museum will be open to the public in the early
Autumn. County Architect Fionnuala May said the Casino, originally built as a shooting lodge for the Talbot family, was the “only cottage orne” of its type in Fingal and as such is an important part of its architectural heritage. Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) said the Casino “will undoubtedly be a great attraction and also provide a relief to community members who have been eager to see the Casino restored and utilised as a public amenity”. The council allocated funds for the project after a long running campaign by locals including Tidy Towns stalwart Gerry Rafferty and politicians across all parties.
‘People fainting on full trains’ LABOUR local election candidate Corina Johnston has called for “deficiencies” in infrastructure in Donabate and Portrane to be addressed amid claims that commuters are fainting on overcrowded trains. She said: “The Donabate Distributor Road is due to open later this year. The road is being constructed as a single lane despite planning permission granted for a dual carriageway. “An alternative direct slip road
from Donabate onto the M1 is needed to ensure the steady flow of traffic off the peninsula. The Hearse road needs to be upgraded. “I am calling on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to prioritise this before traffic chaos ensues.” Calling on Transport Minister Shane Ross to fund an upgrade of the northern commuter line, she added: “The population is increas-
ing all along the northern commuter line. “Trains are full at peak times and the one direct bus to the city centre is full. People are fainting on the trains on a regular basis and many are now walking to Portrane to get on the direct bus.” Ms Johnston also called on Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to “address the lack of permanent gardai on the isolated peninsula”.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 9
FASTNews
Fingal sees top Lottery award nods
MALAHIDE Sea Scouts and Draiocht theatre in Blanchardstown are among the 24 Dublin clubs, community projects and organisations selected as county winners in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards this year. The awards were created to honour and showcase the inspiring work being carried out by thousands of projects, clubs and individuals in their local communities across Ireland thanks to National Lottery Good Causes funding. The full list of county winners can be found at www.lottery.ie/goodcausesawards. These winners will now go forward to the six regional finals, competing for a place in the national finals in Dublin on Saturday, November 2.
Schools hoping for award wins FOUR Fingal primary schools are among the regional finalists in the annual Our World Irish Aid Awards, a global citizenship programme run by the Department of Foreign Affair. Third-class pupils and teacher Orlaith Kenny from Scoil Choilm Community NS, Clonsilla, were shortlisted for their project on how buying Fairtrade products improves the lives of children in developing countries. Teacher Karen Donnelly and her sixth-class pupils at St Ciaran’s NS, Hartstown were recognised for a project in which they created a sofa from waste plastics. A group of six fifth-class pupils at Balbriggan Educate Together NS wrote letters to politicians and created a board game for peers under the guidance of teacher Cecelia Gavigan. Scoil Bhride Cailini, Blanchardstown third-class pupils (teacher Sabina Carthy) submitted a storybook on the lives of school children in Irish Aid partner countries. All four will showcase their projects at the regional final event at the Dublin Clock Tower next Tuesday, May 14.
INTERVIEW: HIGH-PROFILE DEPUTY ON STEPPING UP HER POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS
Daly hoping to battle for Ireland at the EU’s heart PADRAIG CONLON
D E P U T Y C l a re D a l y caused a stir last month when she announced plans to run in the upcoming European elections. The Fingal Independents 4 Change TD has proved to be a mighty opposition force in the Dail since winning her seat in 2011. Talking to Dublin Gazette, she said: “I’ve worked as a student union leader, councillor, TD and a trade unionist, and I suppose the European platform is the natural extension of that. “Any platform I get elected to, I use it to highlight issues, to expose the status quo, and I would hope to empower people to challenge the existing order.” Deputy Daly discussed how she and fellow Independents 4 Change colleague Mick Wallace, who is running in Ireland South, had been thinking of running as MEPs for a long time. She said: “We reflected on having achieved a lot here using the Dail platform to rattle the cages of the powers that be, so we had to toy with the idea of giving that up. “Increasingly, so much of what we have been dealing with from within the Dail either emanates from the European Union, or the European Union is offered as an excuse by the Government as to why they can’t implement policies in these areas. “So we want to take the
fight to where it’s at – to the heart of the institution. Rather than picking up the crumbs, we want to see can we make a difference, because a difference is needed.” She believes the EU is at a crossroads right now, dealing with a country leaving its membership for the very first time, as well as the rise of the Far Right across Europe, which is bringing in a new and frightening dimension. However, Deputy Daly said: “These occurrences are, in my opinion, a consequence of the fact that the European Union has left so many millions of its citizens behind, and it’s in crisis as a result. “The EU needs to abandon its neo-liberal path, its increased militarism, and needs to take a different tack which puts the interests of its citizens ahead of those of the corporations. “That’s not been what the European project has been about, to date.” When asked if she supports the further integration of the European Union project, she said: “I think that’s a question that gets focused on incorrectly. “I’m very pro-European – I love Europe, I love mixing with different cultures, I love being able to travel easily and to use the Euro and all that good stuff, but there are also huge problems with the European Union project. “If you ask am I for or against the EU, it avoids the central question
“
We need to be building a Europe that puts the interests of citizens first, and [the EU needs to] put money into areas that develop society which we should be asking, which is: ‘What type of Europe are we building?’ “That’s where the focus needs to shift, and I think we need to be building a Europe that puts the interests of citizens first to move away from the
increased border control and securitisation of the EU, the militarism, all of these issues, and [the EU needs to] put money into the areas which develop society. “A strict neo-liberal agenda is not working for the people of the EU. We
can see that already – the European project hasn’t delivered.” Deputy Daly was very blunt when the ongoing Brexit issue was raised: “It doesn’t matter a toss what my ideas are on Brexit, and it hasn’t mattered a damn what any-
body’s attitude in Ireland has been over the past two years, yet we’ve been subjected to droning on about it repeatedly. “The best outcome for Ireland, for me, would be if [Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn gets elected as the leader of Britain – whether that’s inside or outside the EU is a matter for the people to decide for themselves.” On the biggest issues the new European Parliament will face, Deputy Daly said: “One of the critical ones is going to be the European Army. “Germany and France are desperate for a European army and we have the game-changer now where defence spending can come directly from the European budget. “That’s already happened with the [recent] vote ... to spend an extra €13 billion on defence and research projects. “This is money that’s coming from other budgets, including budgets to deal with sustainable environmental issues, Erasmus schemes, mobility schemes – it’s absolutely shocking! “They can’t say they are interested in dealing with climate change and the environment when they’re taking money out of that budget and putting it into defence, [so] of course I’m against a European army. “Can I change any of these things we’ve spoken about? I don’t know but I do know that I would certainly try,” she said.
Dundalk college holding two information evenings DUNDALK Institute of Technology (DkIT) is holding two information evenings in Fingal for Transition Year and Sixth Year students and parents. The first event takes place in Balbriggan on Wednesday, May
15 in the Bracken Court Hotel and the second is in Swords on Thursday, May 16 in Carnegie Court Hotel. Both events take place from 4pm to 8pm. The events are aimed at pro-
viding school leavers with information about the CAO process and the 45-plus degree courses on offer at DkIT, and about supports and fee options available. DkIT staff and students will be available at the event to meet
with attendees and discuss their third-level options and associated career pathways. The CAO Change of Mind facility opened this week and existing CAO applicants can visit www.cao.ie to make changes to
their existing application and course preferences free of charge. To find out more about courses on offer, see www.dkit.ie/ courses or attend the information evening (see www.dkit.ie/ roadshows).
10 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
MENTAL HEALTH: FOCUS ON SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE
OPINION: MINISTER’S VIEW
‘We need to update our divorce law’
Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan – who is FG Director of Elections for the forthcoming Divorce Referendum – on why she is calling on voters to back changing our divorce laws in the referendum on Friday, May 24.
These youths are calling on their peers to ignore their ‘Mind Monsters’ and address having positive mental health. Picture: Marc O’Sulliivan
HSE wants youths to beat ‘Mind Monsters’ RACHEL D’ARCY
A NEW initiative has been launched by the HSE ahead of exam season, aimed at helping young people through difficult times. Mind Monsters also aims to give adolescents and young people support on how to take care of their mental health, focussing on things known to cause stress and anxiety for young people. The campaign highlights the benefits of taking study breaks, sleeping, sharing problems with trusted people and spend-
ing less time on electronic devices, and the impact it can have on your mental health. Young people will be able to find personalised support options through a search tool on YourMentalHealth.ie, with a wealth of information also being supplied to schools across the country and capital. Speaking about the campaign, Jim Daly, the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, said: “I am delighted that the HSE has launched this campaign for young people.
“It is very timely, considering that many are now preparing for or taking part in exams at school or at third level. “Stress is a normal part of life and it affects us all, but at this time of year there can be a lot of pressure, particularly around exams. “YourMentalHealth.ie is a great resource for young people who are experiencing anxiety and offers much needed information on where to go for support. “I think that providing online supports for young people is a good way to ensure that any young
person in need of help and advice can access it when and where they need it.” Jim Ryan, HSE assistant national director for Mental Health Operations, said: “Developing this campaign was a great opportunity to collaborate with partner organisations as well as young people themselves on how best to address some of the issues they are facing today, such as exams or relationship difficulties. “One of the best ways to deal with difficult emotions is to talk about them, but this isn’t always easy to do.
“We now have new content on YourMentalHealth. ie that was developed by and for young people. “By providing information on these topics we wanted to empower young people to be able to tackle issues themselves and take proactive steps to mind their mental health. “YourMentalHealth. ie also signposts a range of available supports and services. This campaign forms part of our efforts to deliver on our commitments under Connecting for Life, Ireland’s national strategy to reduce suicide,” he said.
Support Children’s Hospice Week RACHEL D’ARCY
THIS year’s annual National Children’s Hospice Week will run from May 20-26, with a number of exciting events taking place across the week. National Children’s Hospice Week was launched by Ireland AM star Alan Hughes and Weekend AM beauty Anna Daly at LauraLynn, Ireland’s only children’s hospice on Tuesday. The annual campaign is aimed at raising awareness and vital funds for children’s hospice care in Ireland, with cover-
age across the week on Virgin Media. The peak of the weeklong partnership will be a Children’s Hospice Telethon, which will air from LauraLynn’s grounds on May 22, and which the public are being asked to kindly support. The theme of this year’s campaign is, Moments that Matter, highlighting how precious time is for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, and that capturing and savouring the big and small moments every day can accumulate into valuable memories to cherish for years to come.
Alan Hughes gets help from little Cian Murphy to launch this year’s Children’s Hospice Week
THE courtroom is a barbaric venue in which to pick over the carcass of a failed marriage” remarked Fiona Shackleton, Paul McCartney’s divorce lawyer. This is an insightful remark from someone at the coalface of marital breakdown. For the best part of two decades, I practiced as a solicitor in family law, specialising in the area of separation and divorce. I also acted as a mediator in many cases in an effort to assist couples to avoid a court-imposed outcome and the necessity of having to endure protracted matrimonial litigation. In marriage we promise ourselves to one another “till death do us part”. This solemn vow reflects an ideal; the steady love and companionship of marriage that many of us hope to enjoy for the duration of our time on earth. But sadly, for many couples, this ideal is not reflected in reality. Many marriages do break down and have always done so. We need to treat these families with compassion and respect. I have witnessed first-hand the pain and trauma that the time-limit which is enshrined in our constitution under article 42.1.3, inflicts on families. The current four-year wait period before someone can even apply for a divorce exacts an enormous toll on many people who are left unable to move on with their lives. They are often caught in a long-drawn out court process that only serves to increase acrimony in the long run. In the forthcoming referendum on divorce on May 24 we are asking people to agree to amend the Constitution, allowing Oireachtas members to pass a law that will reduce the separation period to two years out of the previous three.
Current law Our current law can be said to make divorce as difficult as possible. The consequence of this is not, as some claim, the protection of the family unit; rather, it leads to the damaging of families. I have seen this with my own eyes. Our country in 2018 is a very different place to the Ireland that enshrined a four-year wait period for divorce in Bunreacht na hEireann in 1997. It is thankfully an unrecognisable country to the one that banned divorce outright in 1937. We have become a more mature and open society, one that is less willing to judge the life choices of others. The reduction of the time-limit from four years to two does not undermine the institution of marriage, it simply allows us treat those whose marriages break down with the compassion and respect they deserve. This month, my husband and I will celebrate our seventeenth wedding anniversary. But for a myriad of personal reasons not every marriage stays the course. I believe the time limit for divorce should be reduced from four years to two in recognition of that, and in solidarity with our separated friends and family members. That’s why I am calling for a Yes vote on May 24.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 11
Nothing rubbish about these great Junk Kouture looks FASTNews Got €123 for a night out?
A NEW report has revealed that Dublin is one of the most expensive places in Europe to go on a night out. The capital is the only Irish city to make it into the report, and was topped only by Amsterdam (€142.62), Zurich (€147.73), Mykonos (€177.40) and Ibiza (€421.80). The European Price Index for 2019 revealed the costly price of a night out at Coppers or Workman’s, with those heading out in town expected to shell out around €123.55.
WHILE a lot of us can’t even manage to sort and recycle waste material properly, students from all across the country proved, yet again, that one person’s trash is another’s treasure – or at least, that household waste can be turned into striking new fashion. Striking Junk Kouture outfits by several
students, including an outfit by Hazel McMorrow (main) and Grace Kearney (inset), were on show as part of the grand final of the nationwide Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture 2019 search Held recently at the 3Arena, the event saw several unique outfits created using recycled
material, with everything from egg cartons to old chair covers given a new lease of life as part of an imaginative ensemble. The creativity of the student finalists was highly praised by the judges, with the huge national interest in the competition reflected in the large amount of entries. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
Help 98FM to highlight Best of Dublin RACHEL D’ARCY
Garda Eimear Cantwell – just one of the Dubs singled out for this year’s Best of Dublin awards
THE Best of Dublin awards are back with a bang this year to celebrate all that’s wonderful about the capital. Run by radio station 98FM, the awards are back for their sixth year, with a host of the city’s most loved places and people nominated for awards in several categories. The categories cover everything Dublin has to offer, including Dubliners’ favourite food and drink
venues, best breakfast and butcher – and even the best bus driver and barber. The coveted Dublin Hero award returns this year as well, along with the Best Dub award, with several recognisable faces such as performer Paul Ryder and activist Sinead Burke up with a chance for taking home the prize. There are five nominees shortlisted in each of the 16 categories, and one from each will be crowned the Best of Dublin at an awards ceremony on May
23 at the Guinness Storehouse. Speaking about the awards, 98FM presenter Adrian Kennedy said: “Every year, the Best of Dublin Awards are a highlight on our calendar. It’s a great night and a chance to celebrate the people that make Dublin so special. “Each award celebrates the businesses and people that go above and beyond and make Dublin one of the best cities in the world. “We love seeing the passion people have for Dublin
and the awards are a great opportunity for 98FM and Dubliners to say ‘thank you’.” Those shortlisted for 98FM’s Best of Dublin can also be in with a chance to win a huge €10,000 worth of advertising with 98FM for the Best Campaign between now and the awards ceremony. Vote for your favourites at www.98fm.com/ bestofdublin and stay tuned to 98FM for updates on this year’s Best of Dublin awards.
12 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
Kate Browne and Ziggy O’Connor
Skerries Martello Sea Cubs. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon
Darragh and Anna Smith
Chloe Duff and Nina Canning
24 Hour static cycle fundraiser in Skerries I
N order to meet the demand for the Skerries Youth Counselling Service, they held a static bike event to raise funds to extend the number of service days/hours available for young people in need to see the counsellor. There were five cyclists undertaking the full 24 hours, they were joined by individuals and groups participating in the event throughout the 24 hour period.
Ellen Coleman
Eve Doyle, Sophie Boylan and Lauren Keating
Dave Beattie, Darragh O’Brien TD, Mags Daly and Cllr Tony Murphy
Rose Palmer
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 13
GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
Westmanstown Captains Cathal O’Reilly and Therese Dowling with Fair City Stars Ryan Andrews, Victor Burke, Sorcha Furlong, George McMahon, Dave O’Sullivan and Geoff Minogue. Pictures: www.simonpearephotography.com
Soap stars see exciting new episode for club
Sorcha Furlong and Tony Martin
F
AIR City stars joined golfers at the 17th hole on Westmanstown Golf Course recently to test their skills and celebrate the reopening of the hole following a five-month closure to carry out its’ redevelopment. The 17th hole has been re-developed making the hole a risk reward par five where the water penalty has been significantly increased in front of a tight narrow green.
Stella Hickey and John Doyle
Therese Dowling and Sean Mitten
Tom Elliot and Marie Kinney
Finola McGarrity, Ryan Andrews and Rhonda Treacher
Edward Doyle and John McLaughlin
Maura Gear and Bridie Hourihane
14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 9 May 2019
DUBLIN
Revised KIA Sportage still has the power to surprise... P22
MAGAZINE LONG SHOT MAKES POLITICS SILLY BUT FUN P19
beautiful Bulgaria... P20
LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS TAKE YOU ON A TOUR OF THE NEWS AND EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY
GOING BRIGHT FOR SIGHT
INSPIRATIONAL legally blind marathon runner and Guinness World Record holder Dr Sinead Kane joined some young pals at the GPO on O’Connell Street, to launch Sightsavers Ireland’s 2019 Bright for Sight campaign. Pictured is Sinead with Lily Smullen, Pippa Smullen and Saorlaith Quinn and Senan Quinn. Sinead together with the children were wearing vibrant yellow to encourage businesses across Ireland to go Bright for Sight, wear something yellow to work and make a small donation on Friday June 21st and give the gift of sight to the people in the poorest countries in the world www. sightsavers.ie/bright.
Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland
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DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS I N F O R M AT I O N Heritage House, Dundrum, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240 Dublin Gazette Newspapers publishes four weekly quality free titles, covering the latest news, sport, entertainment and lifestyle from the four local authority areas of Dublin
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE THIS WEEK...
Babe, there’s sumo-ch effort going on to win in this contest E AC H ye a r around this time, the peaceful air at Sensoji Te m p l e i n downtown Tokyo is disrupted by wails of crying infants. Throngs of crowds gather for a prestigious 400-year old competition – the Nakizumo Crying Baby Festival. Yep, every year families from all over Japan head to the temple to see if their baby can cry the hardest and loudest, pairing each baby with a sumo wrestler who is meant to make their baby cry before its opponent. It is believed that babies who cry will grow up to be healthy and strong, and it is also thought that crying babies ward off evil spirits. The first baby to cry, wins, with a referee making sure nothing cruel is done. Judging by some of the cheerful faces on show here, the competition is harder than it sounds – something to think about the next time your precious infant empties its lungs on the weekly shop...
Six simple ways to be a good owner WHETHER you’re a new or experienced dog owner, it’s always good to remind yourself of some key steps to help care for them, and to have a happy, healthy dig. Here are six key points to remember ...
Pick the right dog: Start off your great dog owner’s journey by picking a canine that best fits you and your lifestyle. Never buy a dog on an impulse. Evaluate pros and cons, and examine your lifestyle, work and personal commitments, daily physical activity, and, of course, finances.
C O N TA C T S Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@dublingazette.com Group Editor: Patrick Finnegan pfinnegan@dublingazette.com Deputy Group Editor: Shane Dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@dublingazette.com Picture Editor: Aisling Conway aconway@dublingazette.com Travel Editor: Sylvia Pownall spownall@dublingazette.com Advertising Sales:
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www.dublingazette.com Dublin Gazette Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the City Gazette, Fingal Gazette, South Gazette and West Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.
BITS & BOBS
Never hit them: From the training perspective as well as humane perspective, this is never an appropriate thing to do. Regardless of how irritated you get at your dog, hitting will never solve your problem. What you will get out of this is a dog who’s afraid of you. Instead, teach them and train them while simultaneously practicing patience and compassion.
Hopes for land speed attempt with tuk-tuk isn’t just talk-talk
Play more with them: Don’t be a couch potato yourself – take them out for a fun game of fetch. Remember that even older dogs want to have some decent quality time with their owner, so kill three birds with one stone by combining longer walks, playing games, and meeting other dog owners into an one-hour session a couple of times a week. Supply better dog food: Be honest when evaluating the kind of dog food you give to your pooch pal and if possible, don’t skimp on it. Is your dog getting all the nutrients they needs from the kibble or canned food you provide? If it’s the super cheap stuff and you cannot afford anything more expensive on a daily basis, maybe treat them to a premium quality food on certain occasions – and don’t forget about healthy dog treats. Give them their own space: Dogs love to have their own place. The great thing about dogs is that they won’t mind sleeping anywhere and they don’t complain. Dogs really like to know there’s always something that belongs to them: it could be just a small mat in the corner of your living room. Anything will do Brush their teeth: Some 80% of dogs develop oral diseases by the time they’re three years old. If a dog develops any kind of oral disease as a result of poor dental hygiene, there’s a chance that your dog’s heart, kidneys, and liver might also become seriously affected. Brushing your dog’s teeth regularly and giving good quality chew bones is extremely beneficial.
Brought to you by Carl & Patricia Cautley Affordable Super Premium Pet Food Tel. 089 602 6096
www.hussed15.ie carl@hussed15.ie patricia@hussed15.ie
WHAT HAVE THE LATE KING OF POP AND THE KINGDOM GOT IN COMMON? A local election candidate in Kerry has had her poster vandalised, with the end result proving a hit on social media. Maura Healy-Rae, of the infamous political clan, is running for re-election in the Killarney area as an Independent councillor. However, some wag in The Kingdom soon scrawled ‘Michael Jackson’ on one of Maura’s election posters, given her now-that-you-mention-it resemblance in it to a certain late King of Pop. The poster was tweeted to Alan Kinsella, who has been collecting Irish election literature since 1983. Somehow we think Maura will fare better with local voters than Jacko...
DOG OF THE WEEK DUBLIN Gazette Newspapers has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. This week’s dog of the week is Charlie, a devilishly handsome oneyear old German Shepherd who is cheeky and inquisitive in nature. This charming chap quickly wins over the hearts of everyone he meets, and he absolutely adores gentle cuddles and playing with his toys. Charlie is still a puppy so he can be a little bit scampish at times. He loves people very much and gets attached to one person, so his ideal loving home would be with one person who
works from home or is there a lot of the time. A nice quiet home with no other pets would be Charlie’s dream, but don’t forget to keep a close eye on him as he can be quite the escape artist! If you have room in your heart and home for Charlie then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE. (Remember: Always have your dog on a lead when in public.)
charlie
A DAD-OF-TWO from Billericay, Essex is hoping to break the land speed record for a humble tuktuk. Matt Everard (46) and his cousin, Russell Shearman (49) purchased the 1971 Bangkok taxi on eBay in 2017. They have since spent £20,000 on adjustments during a five-month period. The pair are attempting to break the current tuk-tuk land speed record – a hold-onto-your-
hat dizzying speed of 68mph (109kmh) – at Elvington Airfield, North Yorkshire. Of the venture, Matt said: “Imagine explaining to your straight-talking Essex wife that, after she went up to bed one night, you ended up buying a Thai tuk-tuk from a bloke on the internet.” Matt hopes that the soupedup tuk-tuk will reach speeds of 90mph (145kmh).
And yeti, nobody can believe creature’s footsteps are real THE Indian Army has come under ridicule for ‘Yeti tracks’ (inset). The army tweeted from its official account that an expedition team near Mount Makalu, in the Himalayas, had come across: “Mysterious footprints of mythical beast ‘yeti’ measuring 32x15 inches close to Makalu Base Camp”, posting several photos. The detail that most undercut the army’s claim was that the footprint photos seemed to suggest that the alleged yeti is onelegged, which sceptics were quick to point out, with one person asking whether the beast “travels by jumping”. The army replied to the furore by saying it confirmed that “the videos and photographic evidence” had been “handed over to subject matter experts”. Whatever the outcome, there’s certainly been an abominable amount of interest in the story, and that’s snow joke ...
18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 9 May 2019
GOINGOUTOUT
PICK WEEK OF THE
MAY 13 (MONDAY)
Olly Murs @ 3Arena, €42 Olly’s still hugely popular with an awful lot of people, and hey, at least he’s an early sign of Summer (and Summer sounds) on the way, right? Have some singalong fun at his gig ...
MAY 9 (THURSDAY)
Unloved @ Whelan’s, €17 Graham Mitchell @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €10
MAY 10 (FRIDAY)
dEUS @ The Academy, €44 Alex Aiono @ The Academy 2, €18
MAY 11 (SATURDAY)
The Murder Capital @ Whelan’s, €13 One of Dublin’s hottest new guitar bands play Whelan’s as part of Eastbound Festival. Don’t be surprised if their next Dublin outing is in a far bigger venue. Daddy Long Legs @ The Sugar Club, €15 ELKAE @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €10 Yola @ The Academy Green Room, SOLD OUT
MAY 12 (SUNDAY)
Manic Street Preachers @ The Olympia Theatre, SOLD OUT Jamie Lawson @ Vicar Street, €30 Rhys Lewis @ Whelan’s, €14 Kess Klein @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €18
MAY 13 (MONDAY)
Dermot Kennedy @ The Olympia Theatre, SOLD OUT Ella Vos @ The Academy 2, €14
MAY 14 (TUESDAY)
Wu Tang + De La Soul + Public Enemy @ 3Arena, €60+ This ‘Gods of Rap’ tour might be a bit of a throwback, but it’s virtually certain to feature a pulsating soundtrack to many of our young lives. Dermot Kennedy @ The Olympia Theatre, SOLD OUT Martino Da Vila @ Vicar Street, SOLD OUT
MAY 15 (WEDNESDAY)
Dermot Kennedy @ The Olympia Theatre, SOLD OUT The Nude Party @ Whelan’s, €13 Kawala @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €14 THIS week in Carrigstown, tensions are still running high between Eoghan, Will and Cristiano, with Eoghan still being hassled by the two teens, with suspicion the pair may have stolen from him
Another week of some rising tensions over in Carrigstown
There is worry that Bela is being conned, with Cass and Charlie getting involved, leading to him telling the pair to stay out of it – but do they listen? A guilty Carol confesses to her crime as she feels condemned by the community.
From the shadows: Jamie Adam’s unveiling... SOMETIMES, some of the very best pieces of music never see the light of day. This was very nearly the case with Kells bedroom electro-pop musician Jamie Adam. A self-confessed introvert, Adam worked nights and produced his music in the early hours for many years, forging an album
JAMES HENDICOTT
of fuzzy, late-night tracks reminiscent of poppyelectronic outfits such as MGMT and Foster The People.
“I didn’t write the record for anyone other than myself,” he says. That, perhaps, is what makes it such a great album. New release, Melodic Electronic, has the distinct feel of a complete lack of self-consciousness, and the buzz of its late-night, spaced out creation is all the bet-
ter for it. “I’ve been writing songs and riffs for about ten years now,” Adam says. “I must have well over a thousand sound recordings on different phones and laptops. I wrote Melodic Electronic in 2016 because I was going through a real personal shift. “I had just come back from a summer in America. I had started looking after myself better both physically and mentally. “I had also just left the band I was in, as I was getting a little frustrated with how difficult it was to meet up and create new music. “By going solo, I just had to rely on myself for output and I was able to write the majority of the record in a few months. “It was a form of selftherapy for me; most of the songs are introspective and self-reflective.” Introvert Adam’s working on getting over his introvert character and bringing the show on tour, too. He’s played about half a dozen live shows so far – and while he feels his stage show is a work in progress, he’s coping with the more outgoing style. “I actually haven’t found it too bad,” Adam says of his live progress. “I was always in bands growing up, albeit more of a background member. “I feel comfortable on stage but it is definitely different seeing your face more prominently in photos and posters. “I’m still an introvert. I
Her apology is rejected by Anto and Sharon, however, with the pair still convinced that someone else was behind the accident. Pressure is piled on Zak this week to take on a new business venture, leading to things backfiring on Jane as the week goes on. She gets rattled later on in the week when the legality of Zak’s new venture comes to the fore, leading to a power switch. Don’t forget that Fair City is only on our screens two days next week (on May 12 and 15) due to the Eurovision Semi-Finals. Zak and Jane find themselves at odds over a controversial new business venture
can deal with being in the public and crowds quite comfortably, but it consumes energy. “So I can only do it for a certain period of time before it exhausts me. “We are in the early stages, in regards to playing live with this project. I think we have only played five or six shows altogether so far, so I see next summer being busier in terms of gigging. “I am just looking forward to getting out and playing as much as we can and just honing our craft. “I still feel like we are only getting started. “I felt like the last year has been just a great learning experience in regards to working and releasing music independently. There is a lot of knowledge I will bring to the table for the next set of recordings.” The process so far, though, is just the tip of what could, it seems, be a very special rise. “This record is like an EP to me,” Adam tells us. “I’ve written so many songs since I finished this album that I feel like it is only a taster of what is to come. “I was only a college kid who was making tracks on his iPad in the corner of his bedroom back in 2016. “If someone had told me I’d have played headline shows in Whelans and have national radio airplay and blog coverage by the time Melodic Electronic was out, then I would have taken it.” Melodic Electronic by Jamie Adam is out now.
9 May 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19
LOOK, LISTEN AND LEARN WITH OUR REVIEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
CINEMA | LONG SHOT MAKES POLITICS SILLY BUT FUN
Bafflingly bad Sonic trailer hits the world
Aims to entertain with its unlikely but amusing story
SHANE DILLON
SHANE DILLON
THAT still (above) from last week’s trailer for Sonic The Hedgehog not only summed up the hideous new look of the iconic character in the film, but of the overwhelmingly negative reactions to the trailer for the upcoming November film by Paramount Studios. Also starring Jim Carrey and James Marsden, the titular games character at the heart of the trailer created one hell of a stir – for all the wrong reasons. To say this odd (and occasionally creepy looking) version of the beloved games character didn’t go down well is a strong contender for 2019’s Understatement of the Year. The trailer’s bewilderingly inappropriate use of Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise also left many viewers bemused. However, there’s a happy ending to the tale – of sorts – with the film’s director saying the fans have been heard loud and clear, and Sonic’s look will be redesigned for the film’s release. Phew!
AS LAUGHABLE as politics can be, especially across the pond at the moment, we tend not to see many films drawing comedy from politics. Instead, politics tends to get shoehorned onto the small screen, where it tends to do much better as a subject matter, as seen by House of Cards. But, in the current climate, it’s difficult to find anything more ridiculous than what’s happening in American politics. Enter Seth Rogen with Long Shot (Cert 16, 125 mins), ably backed up by Charlize Theron, with this dynamic duo taking a sharp crack at making US politics genuinely funny again, while adding plenty of snarky comments about the media as well. Rogen reprises his standard, default cinema character type as Fred Flarsky, yet another lovable bum character that he can trot out in his sleep. This particular schlub is a high-principled hack (welcome to the club, Flarsky) who doesn’t like the direction his paper is taking, and soon finds himself out of work and about
Rogen and Theron aren’t a pair of actors that you’d normally put together, but this odd couple match-up works surprisingly well in Long Shot
as down on his luck as he could be. Enter Lady Luck via a chance reacquaintance with a former babysitter, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), who Fred once had a crush on – and these days she’s babysitting the country, as Secretary of State. Charlotte’s as attractive, powerful and successful as Fred is, well, not, but her power and success also leaves her lacking a connection to ordinary people. As she already knows Fred, albeit from long ago, he’s soon added to her aghast team as a new speechwriter to help give her the common touch – and by God, they don’t
come much more common and vulgar than Fred. Now, what are the odds that this particularly odd couple might find more than a shared past connection and a current work relationship in common? Might they have a ... long shot at falling in love? Stoner, slobby comedy and arch comments on politics and the media make for strange bedfellows, but it’s a pairing that’s worked well in this case. Rogen and Theron represent an odd couple indeed, but their unlikely cinematic pairing works, and works well. I’m not the biggest fan of Rogen’s usual shtick, but at least this time he has some
interesting points to make behind the stoner, slapstick laughs. Theron, meanwhile, yet again shows her versatility with this rare comedic role, yet one which she effortlessly carries off. She’s very much playing the straight man role to Rogen’s pratfalls, but she also earns her laughs, too. Simultaneously managing to be both more ridiculous and, at times, more serious than some of what we see in American politics at the moment, this unlikely rom-com has much more than a long shot at being a hit. Now, if only they could wring a laugh out of Brexit ... Verdict: 8/10
What’s new to this may RACHEL D’ARCY
A NEW MONTH means a new spate of content being delivered to our screens, courtesy of Netflix. The days are getting longer, meaning we’ve even more time to dive into the likes of WHAT/IF starring Renee Zellweger, Wine Country directed by Amy Poehler and season one of Derry Girls. WHAT/IF made its trailer debut to rapterous applause online recently ahead of the series’ May 24 debut. The show is painted as a ‘raw, voyeuristic examination of acceptable people doing unacceptable things’, and is expected to be the next big hit for the streaming giant. Another May highlight is The Society, billed as a modern take on Lord of the Flies. When everyone else mysteriously vanishes
from their wealthy town, the teen residents of West Ham must forge their own society to survive. Find out what happens to them on May 10. Killer Ratings is another must watch when it hits screens on May 31. A true-life documentary, it focuses on a Brazillian TV host who literally killed for ratings, then used his TV show to try cover up the horrific truth. For something a bit more lighthearted, there’s Wine Country, a Netflix original film starring and directed by comedian Amy Poehler. Focusing around six long-time friends heading away for a 50th birthday, the comedy sees the group question their friendships and futures. The movie hits the streaming service on May 10. For all these and much more, be sure to keep an eye on Netflix over May.
Look out for Wine Country, which promises to be a hoot
20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 9 May 2019
POLITICS
HAVE YOUR SAY WITH YOUR VOTE ON FRIDAY, MAY 24
Make sure to cast your vote to ensure that your voice is heard THE 2019 local elections will be held in all local authorities in the country, including the four Dublin council areas on Friday, 24 May, the same day as the 2019 European Parliament election and a referendum easing restrictions on divorce. Each local government area is divided into local electoral areas (LEAs) where three to seven councillors are elected on
the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The importance of casting your precious vote in all elections cannot be overstated and this applies especially to the local elections. Decision makers Council elections take place every five years where voters can decide
on who the decision makers in our community will be. Dublin’s four local authorities – which comprise various local electoral areas – will be represented by a total of 183 councillors, comprising 63 in Dublin City Council and 40 in each of the remaining three local authorities: South Dublin, Fingal and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Candidates from all the major political parties will be well represented, as well as non-party independent candidates. Generally local elections provide a mid-term assessment of how central government is performing and the electorate are not slow in providing this slap on the wrist to the Government. Parties will evaluate the performance of their can-
Whoever you support, and whatever your views, it’s very important that you vote and help make your views known
didates in the campaign and they will be in a position to assess their vote share to see if they might be suitable to run at the next general election. This is one of the prime reasons to cast your vote and to let the power brokers in Leinster House know exactly how you feel they are performing. Precious vote More importantly, it is your precious vote that decides how your local council listens to your concerns. This year, the local elections take place on Friday, May 24 and voters will also be deciding on who represents Dublin at the European Parliament elections. Dublin will have three
EU seats immediately and a fourth when Britain leaves the EU. Voters will also be deciding on the referendum to ease divorce restrictions. With a general election in the pipeline, both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will get an early indication from the electorate if their Confidence and Supply arrangement is hitting the right notes, and whether the Brexit-inspired reason for delaying a general election has paid off. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael usually run several candidates in each local area in the expectation of winning multiple seats. They will often aim for geographical preferences in the location of their candidates and some age balance as well.
Smaller parties usually run just one candidate and Independents, who are usually well-known locals in the area and generally poll well. It is very important to use your vote wisely in these elections, as councillors will represent your concerns at council meetings. They will also vote on critical local area planning decisions among others, which can have a profound effect on the quality of life you and your family enjoy in your neighbourhood. In the main, local councillors are very accessible and are people who are living in your locality and have a genuine interest in ensuring that the best decisions are secured for your community.
Get YOUR ad and YOUR message out there for voters! Only €125 +VAT!
GLENCULLEN-SANDYFORD
Contact 01 601 0240 or email sales@ dublingazette. com
9 May 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21
ON THE TRAIL OF OLD-WORLD CHARMS
TRAVEL
Head off the beaten path to find beautiful Bulgaria From the likes of the UNESCO-protected spectacular Rila Monastery (main) to charming coastal villages, echoes of the Communist past, and Sofia’s striking city centre, Bulgaria has a lot to offer visitors
SYLVIA POWNALL
Travel Editor HAVE you ever thought about visiting Bulgaria? And if not, why not? It’s less than four hours from Ireland, boasts some of the most popular beach resorts on the Black Sea, and brings the phrase ‘cheap as chips’ to a whole new level. If those reasons weren’t enough, the former Communist country is also bursting at the seams with fairytale forests, traditional fishing villages, historical cities and world-famous monasteries. Despite its 80 miles of golden sandy beaches
Bulgaria is still a relative newcomer in the tourism stakes – and with that comes many benefits. It remains the best-value sun holiday destination in Europe, ahead of Portugal’s Algarve, with a three-course dinner for two including wine coming in just over €20 and change from a euro for a bottle of beer. There’s also a lovely mix of off-the-radar beaches and relatively unspoilt mountain scenery, along with Unescoprotected World Heritage sites. The resort of Varna, just north of Sunny Beach, is a foodie’s heaven with a string of cafes
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There are also more than 120 monasteries, with the Rila Monastery proving the most popular and restaurants serving fresh fish from the Black Sea. But the beaches and fishing villages are just for starters. Its highest mountain range, Rila, offers an endless series of picture-postcard hikes. There are also more than 120 monasteries, with the Rila Monastery proving the most popular. Founded in the tenth century, the Unesco-protected site was destroyed
by fire two centuries ago but hailed a “masterpiece” after it was rebuilt. Perched atop the peak of Buzludzha mountain in the Central Balkans is the House Monument of the Bulgarian Communist Party. It commemorates the early beginnings of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1891 and opened 90 years later in 1981. Despite its derelict status, its interior is still a sight to behold.
The country’s capital Sofia features the heaviest dose of Stalinist architecture, and is home to an ensemble of three Socialist Classicism buildings known as the Largo. It was commissioned in 1951 and finished in 1957, with the original statue of Vladimir Lenin replaced in 2000 by one of St Sophia. And if the beaches, mountains and cities are not enough to keep you occupied, there’s always the skiing. Bansko, set in the scenic Pirin National Park, is one of Europe’s finest, and cheapest ski resorts. Fuel up for a day on the slopes with some kyufte
(Bulgarian meatballs) or gyuvech (spicy vegetable stew) and wash it down with the country’s national drink of raika, a fruit brandy made from fermented grapes or plums. Might be best to leave the raika for the apres ski though, since the shopbought varieties are around 40% AVB, while the home brews can have anything up to 80% alcohol. • TUI is offering a last-minute deal departing Dublin on May 20, with seven nights’ selfcatering at the Aparthotel Rose Village in Sunny Beach, from €279 per person sharing.
• Click and Go is offering seven nights B&B at the Sunny Day Club Hotel, Sunny Beach, in June from €523pp based on two adults sharing. • Sofia city breaks, which include three nights’ B&B accommodation, a city tour and guided transfers, is priced at €469pp with Travel Department. • Highlights of Bulgaria including Sofia and Plovdiv is available from €799pp with Travel Department. The trip includes seven nights half-board and B&B accommodation, guided tours including an excursion to Rila Monastery, and guided transfers.
22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 9 May 2019
MOTORS
WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF TRANSPORT
Ford drives innovation at supermarkets WHEN it comes to raising blood pressure for parents, the weekly shop with the kids is right up there with the likes of getting them to bed early. Ford has come up with a way of lowering the stress of that situation – taking inspiration from the means by which new car technology helps drivers to avoid accidents on the road. Available in most Ford models, Pre-Collison Assist technology uses a forward-facing camera
A first glance may suggest that not too much has changed for the Kia Sportage – but you’d be wrong, as a completely new engine, and many other features, help it impress with ease
Revised KIA Sportage still has the power to surprise DECLAN GLYNN
A RAFT of useful changes to the 2019 Kia Sportage have helped to keep it near the top of the SUV class – a fiercely competitive class for any car manufacturer to compete in. Upon initial glance, it may not seem as though the facelift of the Kia Sportage has been that c o m p re h e n s ive, b u t under the skin is where you will find a completely new diesel engine that meets the latest Euro-6d Temp emissions regulations. The new 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine in the Kia Sportage is kinder to the environment than ever before, and comes with a standard six-speed manual gearbox across the range, with a sevenspeed DCT (Dual Clutch
FACT BOX
1) Striking new design 2) New 1.6-litre diesel engine 3) 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT 4) 4 trim levels 5) Priced from €29,815 (ex-delivery) Transmission) automatic reserved exclusively as an option on the K3 model. There are four wellequipped models available in the 2019 Kia Sportage – K2, K3, K4, and range-topping GTLine. All models are driven by the front wheels (2WD), with the exception of the K3 model, which can be specified with the option of a 4WD drivetrain. Diesel is currently the only engine option in the new Sportage, as no petrol engine is offered in the
Irish market. External changes to the 2019 Sportage mainly consist of a redesigned front bumper with new fog light housings, a reworking of Kia’s distinctive ‘tiger nose’ front grille, new headlights, new rear light clusters, a revised rear bumper, and a range of new designs for the alloy wheels. Changes to the inside of the Sportage include a revised multi-function steering wheel, an updated instrument cluster incorporating a reprofiled climate control
panel, and high-grade upholstery. The car I had on review was a KIA Sportage K4 model, finished in striking Blue Flame metallic paint. Standard equipment across the Sportage range is impressive, with the K4 model coming complete with 19” alloy wheels, Lane Keep Assist, LED rear lights, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, leather interior with heated seats front and rear. Other features include dual-zone air-conditioning, reverse camera, front and rear parking sensors, 7” touchscreen with satellite navigation, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, Bluetooth, and silver skid plates front and rear. The 1.6-litre, 115bhp engine provides excel-
lent fuel economy, with as little as 4.9-litres of diesel consumed for every 100km driven on an extra-urban driving cycle. Annual road tax is just €270 in 2WD guise, and €280 for the 4WD model. The fourth-generation Sportage also has a new platform – shared with its close relative, the Hyundai Tucson. The Sportage is great to drive, with lots of grip through corners and a suspension set-up which smooths out the worst bumps very well. The car never feels b u l ky, a n d i s a b i g improvement on its predecessor overall. The Sportage is a very relaxing long-distance companion, and is equally impressive on a twisty country road too. Overall visibility is terrific, thanks in no small
part to the high-set driving position, with the large glass area making the car bright and airy inside. Excellent head and leg room prevails within the cabin of the Sportage, and will allow for up to five occupants to travel in comfort. Boot space is equall y i m p re s s ive, w i t h 491-litres of space available with the rear seats in place. However, with the rear seats folded down, this capacity increases to a generous 1,480-litres, and by lowering the boot floor, an additional 37 litres of storage can be availed of. The 2019 Kia Sportage is priced from €29,815 (ex-delivery) and comes with Kia’s outstanding 7-Year/150,000km warranty as standard.
and radar to detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in the road, and automatically applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings. The ‘Self-Braking Trolley’ uses a sensor to achieve a similar outcome – to scan ahead for people and objects and automatically apply the brakes when a potential collision is detected, which any parent with kids who love speeding off with the shopping trolley will appreciate. Although just a prototype for the time being, the trolley shows Ford applying its automotive expertise to some everyday problems.
Renault LCVs a hit in the EU AFTER launching the fourth electric light commercial vehicle (LCV) in its line last year with Master Zero Emissions (ZE), Groupe Renault has maintained its European leading position in this market segment with a 46.2% share, especially with its best-seller, Kangoo ZE.
9 May 2019 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23
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RUGBY P29
THE BEST IN DUBLIN
SPORT
GOLD RUSH
SOCCER: RUSH Athletic remain on
course for a remarkable treble as all three of their Leinster Senior League clubs are in contention to top their respective leagues. The Sunday Division 3 side have already sealed their title with games to spare, while the Sunday Major 1 and Saturday Division 3 sides are within a win of taking their tin pots.
GAZETTE
FOOTBALL P31
PAGE 28
LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS RUNNING | 100 MILE CHALLENGE
Mun’s Fun Run return sport@dublingazette.com
BACK for a second year at Trinity Comprehensive School on Wednesday May 15 is the Ballymun Running Festival which aims not only to celebrate physical fitness but also good mental health for all ages. On offer from 12 noon to midnight are runs from 5km to 100 miles, with the most popular are likely to be the 5km (6pm), and the 10km and half marathon (7pm). The team 100 mile will start at 12 noon and run until midnight, when the Midnight 5km concludes the day’s activities. “This year’s theme is ‘We Run Better Together’”, says Ken Coakley one of the event organisers. “That’s why we’re calling on
Ballymun Running Festival organiser Ken Coakley
clubs, schools and organisations to put in a team to run the 100 miles – any way you like. “You could have 20 runners each doing 5km, or four doing 25km, or a mixture of both.” All runs are non-competitive on a looped course around the school, with nine laps making up 5km. A large timing clock will allow
teams to manage their own progress over the 12 hours. Finishers will be presented with a specially designed medal based on the See Change ribbon. As a prelude to the main event, Trinity students along with pupils from a number of other schools will take part in the annual Mun Fun Run 5km (11am).
A feature of the day is its festival atmosphere with music helping keeping morale high and healthy snacks as well as hot and non-alcoholic cold drinks on offer throughout. Thanks to the support of local businesses, entry for all runs is free, though sponsorship cards are on offer.
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
28 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
CLUB NOTES
ROUND
1
SOCCER: FINGAL SIDE ON THE CHASE FOR THREE LEAGUE TITLES
CASTLEKNOCK MAY 4 – A disappointing Féile for both Boys teams. The Div.1 Boys fail to get out of a strong group out in Silverpark (well done Kilmacud who won Div.1 out) and it is just as hard in Somerton for the Div.6 Boys (congrats to St. Maur’s who won Div.6). Many thanks to all our players, parents and mentors. Congrats to Conor Murray and Luke Swan on Dublin’s Leinster MHC win over Offaly (1-23 1-10). Luke goals for the third Dublin game in a row. A Senior ‘B’ SHC defeat (0-13 3-19) out in Shankill as Cuala produce some flawless hurling. May 5 – Two Championship wins out of two as the Junior ‘C’ Hurlers get the better of St. Sylvester’s in Somerton (1-15 1-3). Brian Carter’s ‘wonder’ goal the highlight. Victory for the MFL1 team against Skerries (1-14 2-10) as last gasp points from Cian Boyle and Ronan McCann help sneak the win. In the MFL3 a remarkable game sees Castleknock go from 5 goals down to almost grab a win but Clanna Gael Fontenoy just hold on to win it 6-9 6-6. MFL5N 0-10 Whitehall 2-11. May 6 - Congrats to Hannah Bourke on qualifying for the Dublin Camogie Poc Fada Juvenile Final on May 17. Upcoming: The Annual CCC Plant Sale is on next weekend – May 11/12 – Club members are asked to give their support. The Annual Golf Classic takes place in Westmanstown Golf Club on Friday June 21st. For further information contact Mick Lynch 086-2531600 or Charlie Spillane 085-1101008.
FINGALLIANS DARKNESS into Light :The Club Health and Well being section would urge all teams to take part in the Darkness into Light Walk on Sat 11th May in Malahide Castle as a small tribute to Sam Clarkin ,to help awareness and to also show our members to share their problems with people who care. Paul Flynn : Paul announced during the week that he is retiring from Inter County Football with The Dubs .We would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul so much for his leadership on and off the field with Dublin,for all the enjoyable and Heart stopping moments in the Sky Blue ,he has become a huge role model for both Boys and Girls in the club (and some older ones too) and is always available to promote our Games. And has shown that with some hard work any player can rise through the ranks to the top of their game. Senior Ladies Champ : The Senior ladies open their Div 1 Championship run with a game against Kilmacud Crokes and notched up a last minute one point win.
Rush Athletic celebrate a goal during their win over Enniskerry YC. Picture: Gary O’Shaughnessy
Rush’s treble a perfect building block for future LSL SUNDAY MAJOR 1
Academy Video : Keep an eye out for the new promotional Video made by Senior Player Danny Campion on the Academy/ Nursery with voice over by none other than the great Micheal O’Muircheartaigh who is able to inform us that Fingallians is older than the GAA! Hurling Championship: The First Hurling Team notched up a great second round win in the Junior A Championship against a strong Cuala team in Shankill on Sunday morning. While the Second Team lost out to Realt Dearg . Dublin U14 Ladies Football/Camogie : Best of luck to Sarah Power and Katlyn Treacy who play for the Dublin U14 Ladies Football in their Leinster Blitz in Portlaoise on Saturday next. Also Sarah lines out for the Dublin U14 Camogie Team with Aoife Kenny on the following day in the same venue for the Leinster Camogie Blitz. Congratulations to Meadbh Delaney and Eve Pennie from our U13 Camogie Team who have been selected to join the Dublin U14 Academy Team.
DAVE DONNELLY
sport@dublingazette.com
RUSH Athletic remain on course for a remarkable treble as all three of their Leinster Senior League clubs are in contention to top their respective leagues. The Sunday Division 3 side have already sealed their title with games to spare, while the Sunday Major 1 and Saturday Division 3 sides are within a win of taking their tin pots. The Major 1 side – the highest-ranked of the three – have also got a potential cup final to look forward to should they see off the challenge of Larkview Boys on Friday
night. Rush will be up against it in the Kevin Nugent Cup it with a trip south to Kimmage to face a side pushing for promotion from the league above to intermediate football. Regardless of the outcome there, the rosy picture enjoyed by the club is a remarkable turnaround from the rut the club was in just six years ago when chairman Adrian Kelly returned to the fold. “We’ve a very good side,” Kelly tells the Dublin Gazette. “They’re very young – the oldest player on the team is 30 and there’s only one of them. The rest are in their early 20s, and three or four of them are teenagers.
“We have got a will this year just not to lose. They just keep fighting back when they’ve come up against it. We literally only lost one league game this season. “We’re going for four in a row this year, but in the last four or five years I think we’ve only lost five league games. They’re a cracking strong side. “When we set off this year, promotion was our aim, but now going for the league is a huge bonus again. To us, a cup final [would be] another day out for the club. “We talk to other clubs and hear about them struggling to get players up training and using Saturday players on Sunday.
“We’ve an average of 50 lads training each week in three squads, so we’re really lucky. That’s why we’re competing on three fronts.” St Kevin’s Boys and promotion rivals Ballyfermot United contest the other semi and, should the former prevail, it could set up a replay of sorts between the clubs. Kevin’s were the opposition last year when Rush’s Saturday side lifted the Tom Carroll Cup – the club’s first cup win of any description in 16 years. The club have since received backing from the local council and the FAI with a view to developing their own purpose-built training facility, some-
thing they’ve been badly lacking in recent years. That has been put on hold for the time being owing to the uncertainty at the national association, but Kelly is confident they will manage to see the project through. “There’s positive progress with the council – they’ve been strong behind us – but there’s been a bit of movement. The club is willing to get into a mortgage situation again to help buy this land. “We’ve identified a plot of land we want and spoken to the people who own it and they’re positive about it. “We just need to work on it, but we’re not giving up on it.”
McKiernan wins Irish 5k
CATHERINA McKiernan won the women’s Irish Runner 5k in the Phoenix Park as the Castleknock-based runner kicked off the Athletics Ireland Race Series in style, taking with the national championship for the distance. This was the first race of three with a 5 mile and 10 mile coming later in the Summer. This is a great way for runners to target themselves towards the longer distance and maybe even aid their training for Dublin Catherina McKiernan, centre, with Mary Mul- Marathon. hare and Bronagh Kearns. Picture: Sportsfile The evergreen McKiernan ran a superb
17:15 to take the gold ahead of Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Bronagh Kearns (St Senans AC). Over 1,100 runners took part with 230 of these running as part of the National 5k Championships. National medals were up for grabs for all age categories and club team prizes too. Peter Samba of Dunboyne AC won the main men’s race with Raheny Shamrock AC man Kieran Kelly winning the national championships in second place overall.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 29
RUGBY: DIVERSE NORTH COUNTY CLUB MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY IN YOUTH FINALS
Brilliant Balbriggan make breakthrough YOUTHS RUGBY sport@dublingazette.com
BALBRIGGAN RFC’s Under-14s won the Leinster Rugby Schools/ Youth League Division 2 on Sunday with a superb win over Cill Dara at Energia Park, Donnybrook. It was this team’s first ever title having lost narrowly in two previous finals but it proved to be third time lucky as they coasted to victory by a margin of 60-19. Balbriggan had already played Cill Dara twice earlier in the season, once in the league and once in the cup with one win apiece from those encounters, both hard fought affairs and Sunday’s final was expected to be more of the same. On the day, everything came together just right for the boys
from the North County who put in their best performance of the season. Many in this team have been there since the start of ‘Mini Rugby’, playing together since they were five or six-years-old, drawing players in from the town and surrounding villages and townlands such as the Naul and Stamullen while two players travel from Duleek each week. All attend non traditional rugby playing schools. The team itself reflects the very diverse mix of nationalities in the community with players hailing from Russia, Poland, Romania, France and Greece as well as two Irish born sons of Nigerian parents, the club enriched by this diversity. The final on Sunday was a great spectacle of open flowing rugby.
Balbriggan were familiar with their opponents and were aware that Cill Dara were big, physical and extremely fast. Balbriggan’s high tempo, pressure game worked a treat, closing down the Cill Dara fast men quickly, before they could get moving. An early try set the tone and Balbriggan quickly opened up a 19-0 lead before Cill Dara managed to score. The first half ended 31-5 with five tries and while the Kildare side came back in the second half with two converted tries, Balbriggan finished the stronger with another five tries. They can now look forward to a well-earned break over the summer before the new season gets under way again in late August for the new season.
Balbriggan celebrate their success. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
Try-time for Balbriggan against Cill Dara. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
Brian Wokocha scores for Castleknock Celtic against Newbridge
Celtic win on the double DDSL YOUTHS 1
sport@dublingazette.com
CASTLEKNOCK Celtic enjoyed double delight against Newbridge Town last weekend as both their Youths-1 team and Under12A outfits won against their visitors from Kildare. For the Youth-1s, Celtic were rocked back by a goal by Daniel Piere against the run of play after 20 minutes. They hit back on the half hour when a Michael Afuye assist set up Brian Wokocha who shot home from close range. After the break, it was
Sean Ivers who set up Afuye and he put the home side in front on 64 mins. Newbridge bounced back immediately to equalise through Cormac Bruce, and it was a dog fight thereafter. When it looked like the points would be shared, Afuye was again involved and was in the right position to assist in the fabulous looping header into the top corner by Leigh Reilly who snatched the winner . Donatus Nweke was magnificent in the back four that earned him the man of the match award.
Andy Cunningham made important saves to keep Newbridge at bay. For the U-12s, Newbridge’s 50-kilometre trip to Porterstown seemed a worthwhile one when they went ahead early on. Celtic hit back with a vengeance and goals from captain Dylan Kelly and Patrick Langan changed the landscape at half time. Langan got his second to make it 3-1 after the break but Newbridge reduced the arrears to a single goal with a fine strike that gave Cristian Larini no chance. Langan completed his
hat trick to give his side a memorable 4-2 victory. Excellent for Celtic was Alex Murgatroyd who was always looking to be creative with his passing. Marco Djorgjevic was in fine form and his three assists were a major factor. Cillian Murray was tenacious and strong in the tackle that limited the attacking options for the visitors. But It was Nicolai Copimulti who was made man of the match for his industry and combative performance in the middle of the park.
30 DUBLIN GAZETTE FINGAL 9 May 2019
CLUB NOTES
ROUND
2
NAOMH MEARNOG CONGRATULATIONS to our boys Féile football team who reached the final only to lose out after extra time to Fingal Ravens. The weekend started with victories over Naomh Olaf and Beann Eadair. Our final group game was against Ballinteer which we lost by a point. We still topped our group and faced O’Toole’s in the semi-final. After a hard fought encounter, a goal in the last minute gave us a one point win. It was off to St.Peregrines on Sunday where our opponents were Fingal Ravens in the final. We were 2 points up with 4 minutes of normal time left and we started to dream. However, it was not to be. Our opponents leveled the game and run out deserving winners in extra time. Thank you to the entire squad for their efforts and the management team of Aidan, John, Brendan, Ciaran, Gearóid and Mick. It was a good week for our adult hurlers. Our Intermediate lads were most impressive in their championship match against Parnells coming away with a comfortable victory. The junior team defeated Clontarf in the league and Erin Go Bragh in the championship. Our minor footballers had a very impressive win over Naomh Olaf. This is a very impressive squad and thanks to them the future of football in the club looks bright.
SKERRIES HARPS OUR U-14 Boys (pictured) competed in Feile Peil na nOg over the weekend in Div 2 & 8 and despite some great performances it wasnt to be for the teams and mentors. Well done to all involved, especially the committee who hosted Div 8 in Skerries. The Senior Ladies recorded a league with in AFL2 over Lucan Sarsfields midweek, & the Junior Hurlers who recorded a strong win over Crumlin in the Championship on Sun 5th. Hard luck to Jane Maguire Robyn Buckley Rachel O’Brien, Sarah Smith and the Dublin u16 Camogie team who were defeated by Kilkenny in Sundays Leinster final. Well done to Hannah McGinnis who played with Dublin u14 ladies vs Wexford over the weekend. Upcoming Fixtures:Thurs 9 May: AFL9 vs Portobello Home 7.15pm; Junior Camogie vs OPER Away 7.30p; Sun 12 May: AFL1 Vs OPER Home 10.30am; AFL4 vs Cuala Away 10.30am; AFL9 vs St Finians Away 3pm Upcoming Events /Diary Dates: •Skerries
Harps golf society first outing 2019 will take place in Balbriggan G.C. on Friday the 10th of May. Timesheet is from 12-40pm to. 2.40pm. Golf will be followed by meal and prize presentation in Harps clubhouse from 8pm. To reserve your tee time contact Paul Murray on 0851740474. • Sat 18th May: Live music in the Club with BrandeD , no cover charge all welcome.! • Sat 1st June Elvis Extravanganza in the Clubhouse Tickets €20 available now from clubhouse bar (Limited availability) Zingo result 6-1-3-2-5-4-7 No winners.of Jackpot or Dividend Next week’s draw Sun 12 May 6.30pm..Jackpot now a fantastic €4900. See you there! Play on line at skerriesharps.ie Annual Primary School Football Leagues commence Bank holiday Monday 6th May , preceded by the Annual Solo Run. Check the tournament Social media page (Skerries Harps Primary Schools Leagues 2019) via Facebook to keep up to date.
ST BRIGID’S OUR CLUB Nursery, in association with Sherry Fitzgerald continues as normal this Saturday for 4-7 year old boys and girls from 9.30am - 11.00am on our AllWeather pitch in Russell Park! New families always welcome! Just arrive down and speak to any of our friendly coaches! Well done to our Féile Boys Footballers who represented the club brilliantly at the weekend in Fingallians. Many thanks to all their mentors and supporters and to hosts Fingallians for a great weekend. Well done also to our Inter Hurlers who made it 2/2 in Championship with a great win over Ballinteer on Sunday. There were great league wins for our Junior Ladies Footballers, U16 A Camogie and Minor A Footballers last week while our Senior Ladies Footballers drew in Division 1. Our hugely popular annual Golf Classic takes place on 24th May in Royal Tara Golf Club. Two Shot Gun starts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Cost is €400 per team of 4 which includes a 3 course meal. Tee boxes can also be spon-sored from €100. Please contact Paddy for more info 0868229312. 2019 Memberships are now overdue (Deadline was March 31st) and should be paid online via www.stbrigidsgaa.com without delay. There was no winner of our Club Lotto Jackpot last week. Our next Jackpot rises to €2,600 and will take place in Myos this Friday evening, May 10th.
HOCKEY: PENINSULA CLUB REFLECT ON RICH HISTORY
Portrane celebrate their 100th season STEPHEN FINDLATER
sport@dublingazette.com
PORTRANE Hockey Club celebrated their 100 year anniversary at the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate, as the centre-piece of their weekend of celebrations. It followed their annual golf classic on the Friday evening before 200 guests enjoyed the gala ball, joining Master of Ceremonies RTE’s Darragh Maloney. The theme of the Centenary Ball was “Remembering our Past and building for an exciting future”. Portrane, also known as St Ita’s Hockey Club at time, can still claim to be north Dublin’s oldest and most successful hockey club. The club is now based at the centre of Donabate Village beside Donabate Community College but for much of its 100 year history it was based at the magnificent sportsgrounds in St Ita’s hospital known locally affectionately as “The Park”. Names synonymous with the club in its formation years are still in the club to this day. The Nevilles and the Byrnes who down through the generations became legendary players of Portrane but
Portrane’s Adrian Henchy presents Chris Neville with the player of the year prize
none more so than the late great Paddy Neville. A true gentleman who was a gifted sportsman, he went on to become one of Portrane’s greatest ever players who also went to represent Ireland at senior level playing centre forward. Paddy’s brother John was also a gifted player and the famous Neville Cup that is played in Leinster on St Stephen’s Day is named after them. At the centenary celebrations, the latest generation was well represented with Chris Neville being named the player of the
SPAR FAI 5S Balrothery win FAI Schools Cup BALROTHERY NS landed the B Cup title for medium sized schools at the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s finals at the National Sports Campus this week. They proved a little too strong over a talented Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada side following a compelling division played out between 12 different schools. The event this year will feature 37,448 students from 1,696 schools. Picture: oisin keniry / inpho
season. Portrane’s glory years were undoubtably the 1950s winning the Leinster Senior Cup on three occasions 51, 52, 55 and beaten finalists in 54,58 and 59. In that period they also won the Leinster Senior League Division 1 title in 52 and were runners up on four occasions during that glorious period. The only cup that has alluded Portrane in its 100 years is the Irish Senior Cup although they did win the Irish Challenge Cup in 2011 defeating Kilkenny. Apart from that title in 2011 successes have been
few and far between, one big day was the capturing of the Neville Davin Cup in 2004 against Weston. This came during a lean period but the club has been revitalised of late with the state-of-the-art water-base pitch came on stream in 2014 and led to a surge in membership and which has led to the reformation of the ladies section. They will soon have three teams competing in the Leinster leagues. Without doubt the highlight so far of 2019 was Portrane ladies first ever Leinster cup final victory.
9 May 2019 FINGAL DUBLIN GAZETTE 31
FOOTBALL: RUSH CLUB FINISH STRONG TO STORM THEIR WAY TO DIVISION 6
FOOTBALL
Dublin Masters off to a winning start
Magical Maur’s win fantastic Feile title DIVISION 6 FOOTBALL FEILE JAMES HENDICOTT
sport@dublingazette.com
ST MAUR’S took the division six Feile football title over the weekend, coming out on top by narrow margins in four of their five games as they ultimately got the better of a tight rivalry with Scoil Ui Chonaill. Maur’s were in a fiercely competitive group and went into their final game needing to win to progress, despite having two straight wins on the board. They had been behind to Craobh Chiarain with a few minutes remaining in that decisive contest before a vital goal from Reece Price rescued their tournament progression and saw them top the group. With the knockouts effectively having started early, Good Counsel were St Maur’s semi-final opponent. And it took until the dying minutes once again for the Rush side to fully take control, with late goals helping them to a 5-9 to 4-5 win in a high-scoring and vibrant contest. After a dip in the sea for recovery
purposes, Scoil Ui Chonaill – narrowly beaten in the group stages – returned as final opponents for Maur’s. Scoil created numerous chances, including smashing the crossbar, but Maur’s were the far more clinical side. Ciaran Kelly and Luke Clare scored first half goals and Maur’s held out for a 2-3 to 0-3 win. The Rush lads were led by Stevie Boyle and hugely assisted by some strong goalkeeping from Reece Armstrong. Matt McHale (0-2) and Eric Grelet (0-1) were the other Maur’s scorers in the final. Maur’s were playing down a division for the Feile tournament. They currently sit bottom of division five in the league, and lead mentor Brian Clare hopes the Feile win at division six level can push them into stronger league form, where he hopes to finish mid-table. “We’ve had a few bad results at the beginning of the year but we thought anything could happen,” Clare explains. “We knew it would be difficult, but we thought if we got a few results we could get to a semi-final. The whole team played well, they really raised their
game. “The club is in a great place,” Clare explains, recalling the passionate reception they received on returning to Rush after their win, car horns ringing in the streets. “The seniors are second in division one, which is great, as we get all the Dublin stars down here. It’s great for
the kids. “We’re in the middle of a big development project putting in a pitch that will be ready at the end of the summer. We’re a small parish, and a real parishstyle, community club, so this is great stuff. Coming home to that kind of reception, it’s a great experience for the kids.”
REIGNING All-Ireland Masters football champions, Dublin, opened their Championship account with a four-point victory over Laois in Stradbally on Saturday afternoon. The Dubs built the platform for victory in the opening half as they held a 3-7 to 2-2 advantage at the break. Dublin came out of the blocks impressively and actually led by 12-points, 3-4 to 0-1, at one stage of the opening half thanks to goals from Niall Crossan, Ray Cosgrove and Ciaran McGuinness with just a Brian McEvoy point coming in reply. However, Laois concluded the half on the up with two goals from Greg Ramsbottom, finding a route past John Murphy in the Dublin goal. Ramsbottom completed his hat-trick in the second half and the O’Moore County got within two points of the Dubs but the champions held on for victory. Cosgrove scored two supreme efforts from frees from distance to edge them back out of range while Murphy kept out Larry Keenan with a diving save to keep it that way. The Dubs will face Roscommon, Down, Tyrone, Mayo and Kildare as well as the O’Moore County in this year’s campaign with 16 teams taking part in total. The other counties taking part are Clare, Antrim, Cavan, Sligo, Donegal, London, Galway, Roscommon, Westmeath and a combined Leitrim/ Longford selection.
GazetteSPORT MAY 9-15, 2019
ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31
BRILLIANT BALBRIGGAN
RUGBY: Diverse
north county club wins first Leinster Youths title with brilliant performance at Energia Park. SEE P29
TRIPLE THREAT SOCCER: Rush Ath-
letic secure third LSL promotion with plenty of potential silverware in the pipeline this term. SEE P28
MAGICAL ST MAUR’S FEILE FOOTBALL: Rush
club run up series of top wins to secure Division 6 of the Feile over the bank holiday weekend SEE P13
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Gavin hails Paul Flynn’s outstanding qualities STEPHEN FINDLATER
sport@dublingazette.com
DUBLIN boss Jim Gavin hailed Paul Flynn as an “outstanding individual and gentleman” following the Fingallians man’s decision to step away from the Dublin senior football panel last week. It means Dublin will go into their drive for five All-Ireland titles in a row without one of their most experienced heads. In a career spanning 12 years with the Dubs, Flynn earned four All-Star awards, five national football league titles, 10 Leinster championship titles and six All-Ireland titles. “Paul has had a long and distinguished inter county career representing the county of Dublin,” Gavin said at the launch of the Leinster senior football championship. “Paul, in particular, has given a huge amount to Dublin football. The biggest compliment I can pay him is that any time he got the privilege to wear the Sky Blue jersey, he left everything on the field for the team. “And what a great legacy to leave and what a great example to leave for the 2019 team to follow.” “His collection of medals and awards is a testament to the impact he has had on our Gaelic games. An outstanding leader, Paul inspired those around him by his determination, self-sacrifice and commitment
Jim Gavin at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel for the launch of the Leinster senior championships. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
“Paul is an outstanding individual and
gentleman and he is an immense credit to his family, friends and club Fingallians CLG“ to his sport – all focused on the team being the best that it could be. “Paul is an outstanding individual and gentleman and he is an immense credit to his family, friends and club Fingallians CLG and I wish him well in all his future endeavours.” Dublin are currently waiting in the wings to see who they face in their championship
opener on the weekend of May 25 and 26 with the winner of Louth and Wexford to be confirmed in the coming days. Rory O’Carroll is one that has caught the eye in recent times since his return from New Zealand as a potential returnee but Gavin said he will not be fasttracked straight back into action. “That’s a testament to
an athlete and a player who is focused in what he wants, who is very ambitious, understands the athletic demands that are placed on intercounty footballers and w h o h a s o bv i o u s l y worked really hard on that on his own time.” “One needs to prove that one is playing well and that’s really only the first step. “Then, once you’re
back in with the squad, you need to fight for your jersey along with all the other players. “So that will be the next phase. And we don’t hand jerseys out. “You have to earn the right.” The question of Diarmuid Connolly is also never far from the agenda. Gavin confirmed he has not returned to the panel yet but the man-
ager is not ruling anything out. “Like any player, if s o m e o n e i s p l ay i n g well with the ir club and they’re interested in coming back in and committing themselves to senior inter-county football, obviously we’re interested. “So it’s a choice that players make. I need to respect those choices and I hope you do too.”