Fingal

Gazette FINGAL

May 11 - 17, 2017

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Travel: Make it Mexico with what could be the deal of the summer 21

HEROES SHINE LIGHT OF HOPE Thousands gather to show their solidarity

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SPORT Isaac back in the Irish squad 32

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

No early Metro North, warns transport chief NTA boss derails hopes that work on key link could start before 2021

 SYLVIA POWNALL

T H E N a t i o n a l Tr a n s port Authority (NTA) has dashed hopes of an early delivery for the 17km Metro North light-rail line.

Officials told councillors at a seminar in Swords on

Monday that construction of the revived €2.5bn project cannot begin before 2021.

NTA deputy chief executive Hugh Creegan said: “We may be able to shave some months off it as we go along, but I don’t want to

promise that we can shave years off it – I don’t believe that’s possible.”

Politicians told of locals’ frustration about the delayed project, which was first mooted over a decade ago as part of the Government’s Transport 21 vision.

Referring to the Luas link-up, Deputy Darragh O’Brien (FF) said: “The only transport project that has been delivered in the last six or seven years has effectively benefited the southside of Dublin.”

Continued on Page 4

2 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

LUSK | OBJECTORS CLAIM TRICS SYSTEM CAN’T BE CROSS-CHECKED

Fears ‘flawed’ traffic data will affect plans  SYLVIA POWNALL

PLANNERS are being urged to reject a major development in Lusk awaiting a decision by An Bord Pleanala amid claims the traffic data submitted is based on a flawed system.

Objectors warn that the residential and retail complex at Lusk Commons will result in traffic chaos, and say the study submitted with the application has little or no relevance.

Station Construction Ltd was granted permission by Fingal County Council in December to demolish two houses and redevelop a seven-hectare site, but the decision was appealed.

The proposal provides for seven blocks ranging in height from single-storey to three storeys to include 154 housing units, an anchor retail store covering 4,324sq m, and a discount food store of 1,660sq m.

The plans include several smaller retail units, a petrol station, restaurants, two take-aways, a drivethrough restaurant, a creche and a gym.

A decision on the mixeduse development is due in a matter of days and, if it gets the go-ahead, new access routes will be provided via Station Road, Saddlers Place, Scholars Walk, Joyce’s Road and Raheny Lane.

Anticipated traffic fig-

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‘Why ... would you include a London city comparison to a traffic survey here?’

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Local, Anne Sheridan

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ures – which claim the impact on the surrounding road network will be almost negligible – have been calculated using the TRICS (trip rate information computer system) database.

But the figures have been called into question because they are based on UK examples, and fail to distinguish between city

centre, urban and rural site locations.

Eight objections have been lodged to the proposal – including one from Rush and Lusk Educate Together School, one from Lusk Community Council and one from Lusk Community 2020 Sports Plan Committee.

All cite traffic congestion as a result of such a highdensity development as a major concern.

The TRICS system is widely used in the UK and Ireland, but a group of Fingal residents fear it wildly underestimates the volume of expected traffic.

Anne Sheridan told The Gazette: “As members of a residents’ association,

we spend our time looking at traffic reports. The problem with TRICS is that councils here are in no position to cross-check the figures.

“The findings of the reports have never been independently verified.

Why, for example, would you include a London city comparison to a traffic survey here?”

At a local authority meeting recently, a number of councillors called for a freeze on planning applications with TRICS data attached until the statistics can be verified. An Bord Pleanala has refused to comment in the past on whether or not it has faith in the TRICS system.

€2.1m to help council refurb housing units THE second-highest national spend on refurbishing vacant council houses for use has been approved for Fingal.

T h e l o c a l a u t h o rity will benefit from over €2.1 million in funding to return 151 boardedup properties to use this year.

The funding is the second-highest in the country behind Dublin City Council, and has been welcomed by Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell and his Seanad party colleague, James Reilly.

Deputy Farrell said: “This will create 151 new homes in Fingal for homeless households and families on housing waiting lists, and will greatly assist our local authority in achieving a quick turnaround and re-letting times for vacant units.

“These measures will

greatly reduce the number of vacant units in Fingal, and our local authority will continue to be supported in the remediation of any such vacant units that occur.”

Census 2016 showed the housing shortage had resulted in sharp rent increases in Dublin City (30%), followed by Fingal at 22.8%.

Last September, Fingal County Council revealed it was to work with the Housing Agency on a pilot research project to explore ways in which local authorities can identify vacant units and acquire them for social housing.

At the time, council chief Paul Reid estimated the council’s housing stock as in excess of 5,000 units with average turnaround times for vacant units at 12 weeks.

FASTNews

Enterprising Aoife does well at national awards BALBRIGGAN girl Aoife Ni Chunaigh was among the winners at the National Student Enterprise Awards in Croke Park last week.

The Colaiste Ghlor na Mara self-starter was recognised for her book, Make Every Step Count. This year’s programme attracted 22,000 student participants from 620 secondary schools around the country. The year-long programme helps each student to gain the skills and practical knowledge of running a real-life business.

A total of 200 teenage entrepreneurs, aged between 13 and 18 and from 77 different enterprises, competed at this year’s national final, with every county and Local Enterprise Office represented.

Aoife was congratulated by Oisin Geoghegan, head of enterprise with Fingal County Council, and Pat Breen, Minister of State for Employment and Small Business.

Seven Fingal schools receive funding for summer repairs SEVEN Fingal schools have been approved for funding for roof repairs and other works over the summer.

Four have secured capital for roof works: Scoil Phadraic Cailini, Donabate; St Marnock’s National School, Portmarnock; Fingal Community College, Swords, and Skerries Community College.

St Patrick’s Boys’ NS, Donabate and St Mary’s NS, Garristown, has been approved for mechanical works, while St Colmcille’s Boys’ NS will also have works carried out on the school’s toilet facilities.

Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the news, saying: “It is of the utmost importance that continued investment is made in our local schools to ensure they are maintained to the highest possible standard.”

English language support teachers agreed for Fingal SIX primary schools in Fingal have been allocated English language support teachers. They are Scoil Chormaic, Castlelands, Balbriggan; Bracken Educate Together NS, Balbriggan; Thornleigh Educate Together NS, Swords; Holywell Educate Together NS, Swords; Malahide/Portmarnock Educate Together; Queen of Ireland NS, Rivermeade. The Rivermeade school was also successful in having an additional mainstream teaching post approved.

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11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 3

SURVEY | HALF OF US GO TO THE PUB EVERY WEEK - BUT A BREXIT HANGOVER IS BREWING

MORE than half of the population goes to the pub at least once a week, a new survey has found – but publicans have warned that they could face a Brexit hangover.

Which pub will get your vote for Best of Dublin?

WITH just two days left to vote, there are five pubs in the running for 98FM’s Best of Dublin awards in the Bar category. They are the Confession Box, the popular Marlborough St pub that won last year, the Clonsilla Inn, Rush local the Strand Bar, The Old Schoolhouse in Swords, and Tallaght’s Abberley Court. Get over to www.98fm.ie/BestofDublin and get one in before closing.

The findings of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland’s (VFI) poll of 1,500 people suggests most of us still see the local boozer as a social hub at the heart of the community.

Some 88% of respondents said they want to see Ireland’s pub culture preserved, and 62% reckon it plays a “pivotal role in local communities”.

Not surprisingly, 53% said they had enjoyed a first date in a pub (the poll didn’t mention pub break-ups, unfortunately).

Some 52% of Irish people hit the pub at least once a week, with 80% stating the main reason is to meet friends or family.

The lure of the Irish pub is even stronger for tourists, with 88% of previous visitors here saying they went for a pint.

But while the research points to an industry bouncing back

after years of decline, VFI president Pat Crotty warned of challenges facing the industry, saying “the cost of public liability insurance is causing havoc”.

He added: “Overall the trade is in a much better place and we are looking forward to the future with great optimism, but we are still facing some significant challenges. Brexit is already having an effect as the numbers visiting Ireland from the UK have fallen this year.

“The value of Sterling is a key issue for us as a tourist destination, and with the negotiations around the UK’s departure from the EU only starting, we can be sure of more uncertainty in the coming years.” But as one punter quipped yesterday: “There’s one thing there’s no uncertainty about – the price of a pint coming down!”

4 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

EVENTS | MALAHIDE SET FOR CLASSIC CAR SHOW AS FINGAL GETS INTO SUMMER

Skerries trad fest to kick off busy summer of family fun  SYLVIA POWNALL

FINGAL’S busy summer calendar kicks off this month with two family-friendly events – the Malahide Classic Car Show and the Skerries trad music weekend.

The first lady of Irish motoring Rosemary Smith will open the Malahide vintage event on Sunday 28 May at 11am.

The legendary rally driver – who remains the only woman ever to win the Dutch ‘Tulip’ rally, in 1965 – will launch

the charity event, which attracts car lovers from all over Leinster, at the Grand Hotel.

Malahide Lions Club organises the display which is now in its sixth year.

S p o ke s m a n B r i a n Dooley said: “There will be motoring nostalgia and music for mum and dad.

For the kids there’s a play area and face painting.

The entry fee is €5 per adult or €15 for the whole family with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the Alzheimers Society of

Ireland and Parkinsons Association of Ireland.

Meanwhile to get you in the mood, the Skerries Traditional Music Weekend takes place from May 19 to 21.

The itinerary includes gigs, music and dance workshops as well as music on the street, singing sessions, pub sessions with a Ceili Mor with the Kilfenora Ceili Band.

Friday’s concert features Altan and the weekend also offers the opportunity to learn how to play the tin whistle.

SWORDS

Despite delay, call to keep the Metro North plan on track Continued from Page 1

Lisa Kellett and Don Earley from Blanch-based digital marketing agency The Web Centre

Ryan’s speech gives guests at Chamber’s lunch goosebumps

THE PLUSH surrounds of Castleknock Hotel made a fitting venue for Fingal Chamber’s inaugural Business Leadership Lunch on Thursday last.

Chamber President Guy Thompson welcomed some 75 business leaders and their guests to the networking event, one of many clever initiatives being rolled out as part of the Chamber’s new development phase to ensure better and more relevant opportunities for members to meet and network around specific key economic matters and the more important business issues of the day. The Guest of Honour at the lunch was Frank Ryan, Chairman of IDA Ireland.

Speaking afterwards, Chamber chief Tony Lambert said: “The Guest of Honour, Frank Ryan was a particularly excellent choice whose speech put Ireland’s business and economic success in its proper perspective – with one Chamber Member describing it as “very insightful and motivating” while another entrepreneur said he felt “goose pimples” listening to him.”

Clockwise from above: Anna Howard and Michael Howard with Guy Thompson; Jennifer McKenna and Maura Cassidy; and Tony Lambert, Rosalie Delaney and Peter Cooke

Metro North is expected to get the Government green light later this year and move to public consultation in 2018, with work due to start in 2021 and finish in 2026/27.

Chairing Monday’s seminar, Fingal Mayor Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) said the project needed to be fast-tracked to allow for future development of lands at Lissenhall in north Swords.

Economic Ed Hearne, Fingal County Council’s director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism, spoke about how Metro North will underpin the economic growth of the county.

He added: “A decision on the early delivery of Metro North can bring the certainty and confidence to unlock further investment and deliver a transformative economic impact for Fingal and the Dublin region.”

Frequent Revamped proposals unveiled last year reduced the size of trams from 90m to 60m – twice the size of Luas trams – allowing for more frequent services, with up to 30 trams an hour.

Sections of the line close to the city and the air por t are expected to r un underground, with others on elevated tracks.

Journey times of 19 minutes between Dublin Airport and the city centre are expected once Metro Nor th is completed, with more than 30 million people projected to use the service annually.

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 5

6 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

A MALAHIDE LEGEND

Meet the doting grandad who has

The cluster of fairy buildings now includes everything

A way with the fairies

from a windmill to a goblin jail

 SYLVIA POWNALL

Fairy Master Ger Rowley and his granddaughters, Jamie (6), Kasey (1) and Robyn (9). Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon

MEET the man dubbed the ‘Fairy Master’ who brings a bit of magic into children’s lives.

Ger Lowry built his first fairy house for his grandchildren – Robin, Jamie and Casey – but it’s now mushroomed into a village on the green outside his Malahide home.

The 59-year-old carp e n t e r ’s e n c h a n t i n g handiwork at St Sylvester’s Villas is the talk of the town and is raising funds for the Make-AWish Foundation.

A modest Ger told The Gazette: “It started up for my grandkids and I had one left over, so Robin said ‘Why don’t we put it over by the tree?’

“Then I saw a child out there one day dancing up and down with excitement. Next thing, there’s buttons, soothers, money, all sorts of things being left there.

“I’ve had mothers stopping me in the street, saying: ‘Thank God you’re doing that – they’re leaving their doodies with the fairies’.”

Ger, a ships carpenter by trade, works in maintenance at Malahide Castle

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‘Whenever I have a bit of spare time I go and do it. For me, it’s just the fact that the kids are getting so much out of it.’

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Ger Lowry

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and spends his days off in his garden shed planing or painting another piece for the wooden wonderland.

He’s even built a miniature fairy village to send to a young girl who moved from Kinsealy to California with her family, at the request of her aunt.

He said: “Whenever I have a bit of spare time I go and do it. For me, it’s just the fact that the kids are getting so much out of it.

“There’s a goblin jail, a windmill, a clock tower, even a palace where the fairy king and queen live.

“It’s never been touched by vandals, nothing’s ever been broken, bar the kids might accidentally knock a piece

over.

“We have an old signpost to it, and even the parents say they love it.”

Ger’s daughter, Tracy, lives in Swords but the grandkids come over as often as they can to check on the enchanted kingdom and to visit with their grandmother, Bernie, who is battling cancer but is “doing great”.

Tracy said: “Dad made a little box with a padlock because people were leaving money at the doors.

“They were making a wish and leaving cash, so we said: ‘What about [helping] the MakeA-Wish Foundation?’

There’s a sign which says each time you make a wish you help a child.”

The children’s charity was also chosen in memory of little Mia Keane from Malahide, who was diagnosed with cancer aged five and sadly lost her battle three years later.

Tracy said: “This started out in the back garden for my kids and just grew bigger and bigger. People come from all over to see it now.

“They’re calling him the Fairy Master in Fowler’s pub – he’s a legend!”

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 7

Out and About

FCC’s chief executive Paul Reid and Mayor Darragh Butler assisted the president

King of the castle President Higgins unveils a plaque to commemorate Skerries Tidy Town awards

with the tree-planting duties

P

RESIDENT Michael D Higgins marked the 25th anniversary of Ardgillan Castle and Walled Garden opening to the public by planting a tree in a ceremony last week. The President planted a native Irish Strawberry tree close to the Castle and not far from the Irish Oak tree which was planted by President Mary Robinson in 1992 to mark the official opening of the facility to the public. The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Darragh Butler, the CEO of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid, elected members of Fingal County Council, members of the Oireachtas, members of the Ardgillan Board and other specially invited guests including members of the Taylour family for whom Ardgillan is their ancestral home. The president also unveiled a plaque to commemorate Skerries’s win in the national Tidy Towns competition.

President Higgins was delighted to see the children playing. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon

Sarah Grogan with her dad Oisin and nanna Martina

Lucy Mulvaney presenting President Higgins with a Odharnait Gannon with Honor and Tristan

Brian and Caoimhe Kenny with twins Mia and Isabelle

lovely bunch of flowers

8 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

PEOPLE | BALBRIGGAN WOMAN HOPING TO GET TO DISNEYLAND WITH HER KIDS

Mum fights her terminal cancer for family’s sake  SYLVIA POWNALL A BALBRIGGAN mum diagnosed with terminal cancer has stunned doctors by battling on to make precious memories with her children.

Edel Kennedy, 38, was given the devastating news that she had cancer of the sternum last year after routine tests for chronic pain.

The disease also showed up in her liver and further tests revealed a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, but Edel refuses to give up.

Despite being told it was too advanced for surgery, and given little hope of remission, she underwent extensive treatment to get more time with her husband Bryan and kids

Erin (9), Ben (5), and four-year-old Jake.

The brave mum-ofthree, who founded homeless charity North County Outreach, faces a daily fight to stay alive and shares her progress through a blog.

She said: “I told them I simply wouldn’t accept that, as I couldn’t leave my babies. Right now we are living life to the fullest we can.

“I’m trying to stay positive because I believe a positive mind is a positive body. Each day here with my babies is a blessing, so we are hoping to make some dreams come true and make some awesome memories for the family.”

The goal is to get to Disneyland in Florida before Edel’s health worsens so they can cap-

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Edel Kennedy with her husband, Bryan, and their kids, who they are trying to take on a magical holiday

ture some special memories and fulfil a lifelong dream.

Edel has baffled medics by making it into remission in just five months – but she’s been warned to prepare for the worst.

Bryan is her full-time carer as she suffers from several serious conditions including asthma, fibromyalgia, chronic anaemia, reflux disease

and recurrent DVTs. She is on 25 tablets a day as well as daily injections and endures chronic pain, and she is hoping for a move from her twostorey home to a council bungalow.

Edel suffered a miscarriage in 2011 and shortly afterwards Bryan lost his job. Three years later, they lost the family home to the bank and moved to Balbriggan to start afresh.

But despite this they set up North County Outreach and still find time to distribute donated food, clothes and toiletries to around 300 people in the city centre.

Edel said: “T hat’s something we never stopped doing, despite ‘the big C’ jumping into our lives, and we won’t stop if I can help it.

“There’s always someone less fortunate than

‘Each day here with my babies is a blessing, so we are hoping to make some dreams come true and make some awesome memories for the family’

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Edel kennedy

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you out there. I’ve only been given an 8% chance of living for another five years, but I don’t look that far ahead.

“Right now, I’ve got to focus on the here and now, and on making memories with my family – that’s why this trip to Disneyland is so important to us.”

Donations can be made at gofundme.com/ dels-dream.

Summer time, when the sleeping can be EZ WITH summer around the corner and our days getting brighter, longer and busier, we all need a good night’s sleep to make the best of the sunshine.

City-wide furniture and mattress experts EZ Living have put together a handy guide for everyone to get the best sleep they can as the nights get warmer and shorter.

For starters, the EZ experts the right mattress is key, as we all sleep differently and have different needs.

Light sleepers: So many of us are light sleepers for a wide variety of reasons, which can really affect your day.

However, there’s a common ‘cure’ for many people – a pocket sprung mattress, as movement in this type of mattress is very minor.

Back aches: You may need an orthopaedic mattress – it’s specifically

EZ Living have a wide range of mattresses to suit any need

designed to support your neck, back, and hips while preventing your midsection from sinking into the mattress.

Orthopaedic mattresses give a gentle degree of firmness and support while also providing comfort.

Too hot: The Irish-made Gel Indulgence Mattress is a cool mattress, which eliminates the build-up

of pressure and provides air circulation to reduce surface temperature.

Restless sleepers: A durable and functional foam mattresses absorbs movement, with the Sleep Easy collection or Sensation mattress topper helping to combat restlessness.

Side sleepers: If, like most people, you tend to snooze in the foetal position, EZ recommend a soft- to medium-firmness mattress to support pressure points;.

Back sleepers: You need a mattress that will support your neck and lower spine, with a firmer mattress – like those in the Saol Fada Superb Range – providing support.

FOR further advice and, more importantly, to find the right mattress, call in-store or see www.ezlivingfurniture.ie

FASTNews

Man dies after being assaulted outside nightclub A 34-YEAR-OLD man has died two days after he was viciously assaulted outside a Swords nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Christopher Fitzgerald was attacked outside the Wright Venue at Airside at around 3.30am, sustaining serious head injuries. He died at Beaumont Hospital on Tuesday.

The victim was originally from Finglas but had been living in Drogheda, Co Louth, for the last number of years.

Donated Reports yesterday indicated that his organs would be donated to help others awaiting transplants.

Emergency services were called to the scene at the Wright Venue, Ireland’s biggest nightclub, at 3.40am on May 7 where Christopher was being attended to by staff from the club.

It’s believed CCTV footage caught the attack and shows the alleged attacker fleeing in a taxi.

On Tuesday, a man in his 30s was arrested and detained for questioning in connection with the assault. He was being held at Swords Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. Anyone with information is asked to contact Swords Gardai at 01 666 4700, or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.

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11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 9

10 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

Out and About Some of the 14,000 people who ran and walked through Phoenix Park from 04.15 in the morning in this year’s Darkness Into Light event, which was raising awareness of suicide and raising funds for Pieta House. Darkness into Light picture: Crispin Rodwell

Where there is light, there is

hope 

Tristan Conway Behan and Louise Corrigan

Cycle for Suicide: Michael Hardford , Dave Sheehy, Mike Tighe and Daniel Sharkey

B

Cycle for Suicide: Members of the Lusk Free Wheelers

ACK in 2009, a modest group of about 400 people gathered in the Phoenix Park to participate in the first Darkness into Light in aid of Irish suicide prevention charity Pieta House.

Just nine years on, the event which Pieta House CEO Brian Higgins calls a “movement against suicide” has grown into a global phenomenon, with events this year taking place from Iceland to Australia. On Saturday in Ireland, 150,000 people got up from their beds at the crack of dawn on Saturday to walk, jog and even swim for hope.

All across Dublin, in their distinctive yellow shirts, they met at parks at first light to raise funds and awareness, and to send out a message of hope to those who are struggling.

Hours later , those in yellow were joined by the bright orange vests of the brave cyclists who had two weeks earlier headed off on the sixth annual Cycle Against Suicide, a journey that began in Swords before heading north to Belfast, west to Castlebar, south to Fermoy in Cork and then back to Dublin via Tipperary and Carlow – all to send out a message that help is there if you need it and it’s ok to ask.

Almost 700 people die by suicide in Ireland every year, but as the events of last Saturday show, those who are struggling can indeed take hope – they are not alone. Well done to everyone who took part!

Dinagh Smyth and Sharon O’Callaghan

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 11

GAZETTE

12 GAZETTE 11 May 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

Keelings initiative plants a growing interest in the country’s key agri sector KEELING’S, the supplier and producer of fresh fruit, had the cream of the crop of people interested in the agri sector when it staged an initiative recently to help them get started in the industry.

The annual Feeding Ireland’s Future initiative was aimed towards young unemployed people, to help them with interview tips, CV writing and business skills. This year’s participants had the opportunity to experience a day in the life at Keelings, with the day including a manual handling training session, a tour of the pack house, and a certificate presentation at the end of the day hosted by David Keeling, chief executive of Keelings Retail.

Of the event, he said: “This is Keelings’ fourth year taking part in the scheme, which offers young people first-hand on-site experience. It was our pleasure to meet the participants of the 2017 Feeding Ireland’s Future, and we hope they enjoyed a valuable day with us at Keelings.

He is pictured presenting Carl Kelly (left) with a manual training certificate at the event, with Carl securing a position with Keelings a few weeks after the event.

€750k fund to support female entrepreneurs CALLING all female entrepreneurs in Dublin – Enterprise Ireland has announced €750,000 in startup funding for women entrepreneurs.

Up to €50,000 in equity funding is available to a maximum of 15 successful female applicants with early stage start-up companies. Last year, one in three companies who received CSF investment from Enterprise Ireland were female-led.

As well as securing up to €50k in funding, 10 of the successful applicants will also have the opportunity to participate in Dublin BIC’s INNOVATE accelerator programme.

Delivered over a 12-week period in the Guinness Enterprise Centre, the INNOVATE programme will increase the capabilities of the participants and move them to investor-ready stage within a short period Full details on the Competitive Start Fund for Female Entrepreneurs, including the application form and eligibility criteria, can be accessed on the Enterprise Ireland website www.enterprise-ireland. com/FemaleCSF, with the closing date being 3pm on Wednesday, May 17.

John Donnelly (second left) with some of the team from Eazi-App: “The last two years has seen phenomenal growth in the mobile app market”

Fingal’s Eazi-Apps set to grow firms’ reach

A DUBLIN-based Company, Eazi-Apps, is helping small businesses locally and nationally tackle the next frontier in technology: mobile apps.

SMEs are always looking at affordable ways to engage their customers and leverage more business from them, whether it’s by sending them (free) push notifications, allowing them to order food, book appointments, buy products, pay membership as well as rewarding them with loyalty schemes

and special offers directly on their smartphone.

The mobile app market is experiencing huge growth, with 86% of people in Ireland possessing or having access to a Smartphone. Mobile apps command almost 80% of the time spent on mobile phones.

Eazi-Apps deals with all types of SMEs – from bars, restaurants and coffee shops to garden centres, salons, clubs and societies and any organisation that relies on

repeat business.

In most cases, 90% of a company’s turnover is from existing customers and keeping those customers loyal to the business is the secret to success.

John Donnelly of EaziApps said: “The last two years has seen phenomenal growth in the mobile app market and businesses are now realising they need a mobile marketing strategy to meet their customers’ expectations.

“However, most small

businesses are currently out-priced when it comes to developing a custom app.

“Eazi-Apps are working with businesses throughout the country to offer affordable mobile app solutions that allows businesses and customers to engage on a platform that is active 24 hours a day,” he said.

Identifying this barrier has allowed Eazi-Apps to provide a solution that is cost-effective and allows small businesses to com-

pete with larger enterprises.

With mobile usage set to increase at an alarming rate for the foreseeable future, the real challenge for businesses will be to compete for the attention of their customers and produce apps that provide value and encourage interaction.

To find out more about how the company can help your business, contact Eazi-Apps at 086 223 0812, or email john@eaziapps.com.

Wheelie good efforts see wins for Smarter Travel THE Ashling Hotel welcomed the winners of the annual Smarter Travel awards recently, where several of the country’s most innovative transport leaders and companies were represented.

Pictured are Aimee Reed, of Northern Trust, which won three awards including Overall Smarter Travel Workplace, alongside Ivan Griffin, winner of the Overall Smarter Travel Cam-

pus, with UCD, and with Anne Graham, chief executive, the National Transport Authority.

Partners of the Smarter Travel Workplaces and Smarter Travel Campus programme from around the country submitted entries to the awards competition, which recognises and celebrates the efforts that workplaces and campuses make to promote sustainable travel.

Picture: Julien Behal

11 May 2017 GAZETTE 13

TRAVEL: YES WE MEXICAN P21

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on events taking place across the city and county

tour of the news and this week

Festival Fun I

t’s only May, yet many of both Ireland and Europe’s best festival offerings are now the preserve of those who bought early, or can afford the risky and overpriced world of the black ticketing market.

Electric Picnic sold out without a single act announced.

Glastonbury has undergone its annual (extremely brief) Spring resale and will offer no more.

The biggest gigs of the summer including U2, Cold Play and Radio-



MOTORING: THE MICRA JUST GREW UP P22

CINEMA: GUARDIANS OF THE SEQUEL PREVAIL...JUST P24

OUR SWEET MARLEY IS A DARLING, CLEVER DOG

head - have largely seen tickets fly.

The summer still holds plenty of promise for those music fans with a little less foresight, though, and there are some fantastic festival offerings still on sale both at home and abroad.

As prime time for late ticket buyers arrives, we explore six of the best offerings you can still access, both at home and abroad...

Continued on pages 16-17

Artist Maser in front of his striking new The City Is My Garden mural, as seen when walking north from the Ha’Penny Bridge

Musing on a mural to help you nuture an interest in nature  EMMA NOLAN

ONE of Ireland’s leading visual artists has painted a mural to encourage Dubliners to slow down and appreciate both art and nature in a different environment.

Maser has teamed up with Arnotts and the National Botanic Gardens for

‘The City is my Garden’ concept, which celebrates the beauty of Dublin city and to bring the outdoors indoors.

Maser has created a unique graffiti installation on the wall of Number 1, Liffey Street – a key landmark when approaching Arnotts from the Ha’Penny Bridge.

OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Marley, a six-year-old female Collie crossbreed who has been at Dogs Trust for quite a while now, through no fault of her own.

She is super sweet and affectionate but as people have abandoned her in the past, she has lost her ability to trust new people that she meets. Marley is exceptionally clever and would excel in all kinds of training – she is looking for an adult-only home with someone home fulltime to help build back up her confidence.

If you are looking to give a very special dog the chance at life that they truly deserve, then Marley could be the dog for you!

If you can be Marley’s #SpecialSomeone*, 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, at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

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DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

HEALTH: FUNDRAISER AND AWARENESS EVENT TO HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR DONATIONS

Run for a life – and help with an organ

POPULAR RTE broadcaster Ray D’Arcy stepped out with two lively young transplant recipients for a photocall to highlight the Irish Kidney Association’s upcoming annual family fun run, Run For A Life.

The charity fundraiser which will take place at Corkagh Park, Dublin 22 on Saturday, May 20, celebrates the ‘gift of life’ and aims to raise awareness about the vital importance of organ donation and transplantation.

At the photocall, Ray was joined by Shannen Proudfoot (age 10) from Nobber, Co Meath, who underwent a kidney transplant operation three years ago at Temple Street Hospital thanks to her donor aunt, Ann McGivney, whose donor operation took place at Beaumont Hospital.

Representing Children’s Liver Disease Ireland (CLDI) was Elizabeth Murphy (age 11) from Ballyboughal, Dublin.

Elizabeth underwent a liver transplant when she was just five months old at King’s College Hospital, in London, while under

the care of Crumlin’s Children’s Hospital.

Run for a Life is open to people of all ages with the option of walking, jogging or running competitively in either a chiptimed 2.5km, 5km or 10km distance.

For fur ther information, see the site at www.runforalife.ie.

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A HIP-HOPPY GIG ORCHARD Thieves are inviting Dubliners into a hip-hop-infused, immersive experience in the city centre this weekend.

The cider brand has set up an unusual event at Dame Lane in Dublin 2, where this Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13, running from 1pm through to 11:30pm, a “forbidden library”, and “a derelict chipshop” have been resurrected.

Behind closed doors, ticketholders will be treated to a secret adventure; where staff with a mysterious edge will interact with them and offer clues to win.

Dance breaks, MCs are just the tip of an iceberg of fun, with signature

cocktails and Orchard Thieves battered fish and chips from Beshoffs.

Tickets are available at: startboldendbold. eventbrite.ie.

STORIES CELEBRATE OUR CAPITAL CITY INTERNATIONAL Literature Festival Dublin (ILFDublin) has announced details of its Fringe programme, Stories from the City.

Celebrating the magic of our Capital’s literary heritage, the fringe programme brings the hidden characters of Dublin’s literary scene and beyond to the fore, with a mix including performance, talks, poetry, music and spoken word in venues across the city from May 20 to 29.

An extensive programme of events is taking place over the course of the festival, including improv fest founder Neil Curran, who will take improv to a whole new level in Smock Alley Theatre; journalist and writer Brian Finnegan and Irish writers John Boyne, Mary Dorcey, Denis Kehoe and Claire Hennessy gather-

Ray Darcy was joined by Shannen Proudfoot and Elizabeth Murphy to help launch this year’s Run for A Life, which encourages people to sign up for life-saving organ donation. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

ing for a special edition of GCN’s Town Hall Talks in Belvedere House, and ILFDublin Artist in Residence Inua Ellams, who will be in the Liquor R o o m s o n Mo n d ay, May 22 for a RAP party (rhythm and poetry).

Poetry Ireland opens its doors at 7pm from Monday, May 22-24 at 7pm for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series and Herstory, which tells the lost life-stories of historical, contemporary and mythological women.

For full details of the programme and to purchase tickets, see www. ilfdublin.com.

DESIGN YOUR WAY TO AN EASONS WINNER THE 2017 Eason Creates Design competition is now open for entries, with the second annual competition providing a platform for third-level students across the country to become Eason’s next stationery designer.

In the search to find Ireland’s next top student designer, Eason is giving entrants the opportunity to showcase their work online and in stores throughout Ireland.

Any third-level student with a creative flair is invited to design an

original pattern for use on a fresh new range of Eason stationery.

The contemporar y new range of fashion stationery will be produced with high-quality materials and the winning designer will have the opportunity to see their own stationery designs produced as well as winning a top-of-the-range Apple workstation, complete with Adobe Creative Suite.

Five entrants will be shortlisted on Eason Edition and a winner chosen in June by a panel of experts in the design industry.

Last year’s winner, Rita O’Brien from Limerick, presented the judges with a suite of stationery focusing on colourful geometric patterns with fun, contemporary typography intertwined throughout.

Drawing on inspiration from insects, Rita called for an emphasis on wings to symbolise transformation and new beginnings.

To take part in this year’s competition, applicants can enter via www. easonedition.com. The competition is now open for entries and will close at midnight on May 25.

11 May 2017 GAZETTE 15

Want a FREE golf lesson from a pro?

FANCY taking up golf?

The team at the fivestar Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen, are offering the public the chance to enjoy a free two-hour golf lesson as part of a “taster” initiative to grow the game.

Join head pro Lynn McCool (above) and her team at the Co Fermanagh resort’s Golf Academy on either May the 14th (Sun) or 17th (Wed).

Tuition is complimentary and clubs are provided.

Register your interest at www.lougherneresort. com/Give-Golf-A-Try

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WHAT’S ON

River me timbers All aboard for Dublin Port’s annual Liffeyside spectacular

Powerboat racing aces ThunderCats will create quite a splash on the Liffey this June Bank Holiday weekend

DUBLIN is set for a real treat this June bank holiday weekend with an action packed programme of fun for all the family at Dublin Port’s Riverfest 2017.

The three-day festival of on and off-water attractions and entertainment takes place along North Wall Quay from June 3-5.

Water activities include the UK ThunderCats’ racing display – a first for Ireland – kayak- ing, maritime demonstrations, food ing trips, stand-up paddle boarding and markets and a family fun fair, sessions, jetpack displays, boat tours all taking place. of the port and bay and the ever Movie lovers are in a for a spepopular international Tall Ships. cial treat, with screenings of Back Creating a carnival atmosphere to the Future and Jaws on Sunday on the quayside will be children’s 4th June at the North Docks on the art and pirate demonstrations, world’s biggest mobile LED screen. street theatre, zip lines, rock climb- Booking is essential.

11 May 2017 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

Sublime summer musical outings yet to sell out

MUSIC

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N O S ’ T A H W

E D I U G S T N EVE

with JAMES HENDICOTT

Culture Date with Dublin 8

The west inner-city postcode that encompasses Phoenix Park and The Liberties hosts its first ‘Culture Date’ event, with tours, access to new venues and music. Check out the Magazine Fort, explore IMMA, or take a self guided tour through the app. May 13/14

Take That

The legendary boy band are still going strong, and drop in on the city to mix 90s nostalgia with their latter-day return to the charts. They’ll be doing two nights, both of which you’ll need a bit of luck to get into. May 15/16.

Resist: American Voices

American spoken word artists take to Smock Alley Theatre’s stage to explore their hopes, dreams and fears as they glance back at their homeland from Irish shores. Expect fireworks.

May 14.

Churchill, Hitler and Ireland’s Emergency

A historical take on Ireland’s neutral (on paper, at least) view of World War II, and what really went on as Belfast got blitzed, Churchill got pissed and Ireland tested its constitutional neutrality to the limit. The Little Museum hosts a historical take. May 17.

Dublin Dance Festival

Dublin opens its doors to moves, as a festival taking in an ambitious programme of dancers and choreographers in varying styles includes ten days worth of events, running from May 18 to 28.

Hot Press Covers Exhibition

 JAMES HENDICOTT

Indiependence €119

The steadily growing festival in Mitchelstown, County Cork has always had a monster of an atmosphere and well-curated quality deep into its lineup, in particular with its strong selection of local acts.

Already on the last of their tickets for 2017, it’s a real bargain by Irish festival pricing standards, with the added bonus of being walking distance from the town’s pubs (where you’ll also find an additional music trail).

Starring: Manic Street Preachers, Frank Turner, The Coronas, All Tvvins, Tom Odell and The Riptide Movement.

Roskilde €269

One of only a handful of European festivals to hold a torch to legendary Somerset offering Glastonbury, Danish super-fest Roskilde is also one of the most expensive festivals to get through the gates of, but makes up for it with eight days of camping for your money.

Highlights of that extended stay (which sees punters build their own villages amid the tents) include the traditional naked race, a penchant for the unusual when it comes to music, and a truly stellar headline line up. As well as the music, it comes with countless artsy zones and a charitable philosophy.

Starring: Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, A Tribe Called Quest, The Weeknd, The XX and Blink-182.

Sea Sessions €125

Combining surfing and music in beautiful Bundoran, Donegal, Sea Sessions has been growing consistently since the first edition in 2007, and has a unique selling point for an Irish festival, in that for many attendees the musical aspect of the event is very much an evening thing.

Surfing and skating play a key role during the day. That’s not to say there’s not plenty of live musical entertainment too, and having sold out a few weeks before the event last year, they might do so earlier this time around, having pulled a mega-headliner in Primal Scream.

Starring: Primal Scream, The Coronas, Sigma,

Badly Drawn Boy, Mr Scruff and Dreadzone.

Colours of Ostrava €105

The most ambitious festival on our list, perhaps (you’d need to fly to Prague and travel onwards to Ostrava, in the East of the Czech Republic), Colours of Ostrava rewards your efforts with bargain entry, beer (around €2 a pint) and food (around €4 a meal), as well as arguably the best setting of any European festival, the stunning, rustic grounds of a Soviet-era power plant.

Amongst it all, there’s also a design zone, arts installations and 20 different stages, and plenty of side events to choose from.

Starring: Alt-J, Norah Jones, Jamiroquai, Justice, Benjamin Clementine and Imagine Dragons.

Body and Soul €195

Clear the diary (it’s just a couple of weekends away), Body and Soul is billed as the Irish festival with an ethos. To many long-time Irish festival goers, it’s the spin off of the very best bits of Electric Picnic.

Known for using its forest setting to improve

An entire wall of signed covers featuring U2 (yes, they’ve starred that many times!) also stars Brian O’Driscoll, Imelda May and just a few political statements as Hot Press celebrates 40 years at the National Photographic Archive. Until September.

atmosphere, it’s also strong on wellbeing aspects and artistic flair. The Westmeath-based event also features plenty in the way of talks and theatre on top of an impressively ‘of the minute’ alternative music line up.

Starring: Sleaford Mods, Austra, Metronomy, Vitalic, Lambchop and Mykki Blanco

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bicentenary

A celebration of south Dublin harbour life comes to Dun Laoghaire with art, talks, songs and sails. The celebration gets under way in early May, but runs throughout the summer with a host of events even taking in Viking long boats.

Reading/ Leeds Festivals circa �€250

The UK’s twin rock festivals are very rough around the edges, and to be brutally harsh, don’t offer a whole lot beyond the music.

That said, with densely packed programs, a wild after-show campsite life and a penchant for bigname special guests, that’s never seemed to hold them back too much (and there’s always the air guitar competitions).

Think setting up in front of sweaty stages and watching all kinds of chaos unfold, fuelled by a lot of cider. Unusually, this year’s offerings are not yet sold out.

Starring: Eminem, Muse, Kasabian, Liam Gallagher, Bastille and Haim.

The Hot Sprockets

An unlikely mix of country/folk music and a distinctly local feel, The Hot Sprockets somehow live out the American mid-western lifestyle right here in Dublin. Get a taste of their surreal and memorable musicology at the Opium Rooms, May 13.

New album of the week

Paramore - After Laughter. Four years after their last release, Tennesse pop-punkers return with a revised line up and an album, apparently, about that feeling when laughter ceases and reality dawns. Typically moody, then.

The Rubber Bandits

Paramore - After Laughter

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DUBLINLIFE

From Princess to Preppie, kids will be spoilt for choice with junior fashions at the brand-new store

Fresh new looks for Benetton at its first standalone kids store  EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

THE newest addition to Grafton Street is the first ever United Colors of Benetton standalone kids store in Ireland.

Fo r S u m m e r 2 0 1 7, the brand produced a fresh childrenswear line designed to make an impression on special occasions, and is available now.

Romantic looks for little girls who want to look like princesses at summer parties include A-line dresses, broderie

anglaise tops and skirts, shirts and cardigans with jewel embellishments, as well as pieces in tulle, lurex and crisp cotton.

This summer’s “preppy with personality” look for boys is a mini-version of a gentleman’s sartorial style.

Pieces are sophisticated but with a playful attitude – bow-ties are printed on t-shirts, or worn with a mandarin-collar shirt in polka dot, stripe or mini anchor patterns, and paired with pique jackets, turn-up shorts and canvas slip-ons.

11 May 2017 GAZETTE 19

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STYLE

SUITS

YOU AT RIVER ISLAND  EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

THE thought of investing in a good suit can be daunting – you have to question whether you’ll get good value for money, whether you can afford something that’s both good quality and stylish, and whether it’ll date after a season.

L u c k i l y, R i ve r Island has launched a new tailoring collection with prices ranging from €45-€147, so lower suit budgets are considered.

Apart from its appeal-

ing price point, the collection itself is elegant and versatile.

Fits and fabrics have been chosen with the modern high street-shopping man in mind. The updated skinny, slim and tailored fit blocks are form-fitting smart essentials in the range, as bold pops of colour accent the classic palette of grey and navy.

Nick Tahir, head of menswear buying at River Island, said: “We have implemented new fit blocks and a vast array of exciting new cloths and styles, keeping the quality and design handwriting that we’re known for frontof-mind throughout.”

The collection is in store and online now.

River Island’s new tailoring collection has prices ranging from €45-€147

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DUBLINLIFE

FOOD&DRINK BITESIZEDNEWS An Innocent way to get some helpful protein in a healthy, balanced diet  EMMA NOLAN

Gourmet Food Parlour Crofton Road Dun Laoghaire Although it’s part of a chain, there’s a strong flavour of individuality about the Dun Laoghaire outlet of

The Gourmet Food Parlour,

which put its own twist on some well-known dishes – to impressively delicious effect

The Picky Eater

SITUATED on Crofton Road, overlooking Dun Laoghaire harbour, there are few restaurants around Dublin that offer such beautiful scenic views.

The Gourmet Food Parlour is a hidden gem amongst the many restaurants now popping up around the newly revitalised seaside town’s centre and it is one to definitely put on your to-try list.

GFP Dun Laoghaire is part of a restaurant group that boasts locations all around the city, but it still manages to retain its own uniqueness that many other chain eateries tend not to do.

Firstly, when you walk into the restaurant it has a funky, vibrant feel to it; it’s chic with a definite buzz about the place.

It is very well laid out and offers amazing views – so try to book a table near the windows to make the most of it.

The staff are very welcoming and attentive and, as an added bonus, they were very considerate of

my nut allergy, which was great as it can be a tricky subject to bring up when I dine out.

We ate from the pretheatre menu which costs a very reasonable €22 and runs from 5–7pm, Wednesday to Sunday.

It is a tapas menu, which I love, and I must admit I found it hard to choose just three dishes as each one sounded very appealing when I began reading the menu.

I eventually decided, and chose the chicken wings in hot buffalo sauce; the Tiger prawns pil pil, in garlic, chilli, and lime with a smashed avocado toast; and the patatas bravas con chorizo.

You certainly could not complain about the portions in GFP, which can only be described as extremely generous.

The wings were huge, lightly crispy and golden, and had plenty of heat from the hot buffalo sauce.

The Tiger prawns were cooked perfectly in the juices from the garlic,

chilli and lime and tasted divine. The smashed avocado toast was a lovely added touch, and was very refreshing on the taste buds after the spicy wings.

The patatas bravas were a gluttonous delight and the chorizo certainly added an extra spicy kick to them. A nice twist on the average patatas bravas, it has to be said.

My other half had the Iberico ham with caper berries, pecorino, and quince, the beef short rib crostini with Philly cheese and scallions, and the salt and pepper squid with chipotle aioli.

The Iberico ham was a simple dish with outstanding flavours, the beef short rib crostini was flavoursome with the added extra of the indulgent Philly cheese which is always welcome, and the salt and pepper squid is always a dish he goes for, as it never disappoints.

This time was no exception, and a special mention must go to the chipotle aioli as it was one of the

THE benefits of protein have really taken centre stage in recent years, with many food brands realising that their customers want options that are healthy and filling.

Innocent Smoothies have taken this on board, with their new protein super smoothies range.

With a choice of two flavours Berry, and Tropical (right), they contain a tasty blend of fruits, coconut milk and a hefty 8g of soya protein to help keep bones strong and muscles healthy too.

This is a very strong choice indeed, and is a greaton-the-go option for breakfast or a handy post work out snack. Innocent protein super smoothies are available at Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Spar, Daybreak, Costcutter and Gala.

Italian experts to serve up a city centre eaterie  AISLING KENNEDY

The welcoming interior provides food for the soul

best that we have tasted so far, and went very well with the squid.

I would highly recommend a visit to the Gourmet Food Parlour in Dun Laoghaire. It has the best views, welcoming staff,

and delicious food. I’ll definitely be heading back for a visit again soon.

For more information, see w w w.gourmetfoodparlour.com/ dun-laoghaire or call 01 280 5670.

Conclusion MAYBE you’ll go to Dun Laoghaire for the views, but you’ll stay for The Gourmet Food Parlour (at Unit 3 Harbour Square, Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire; tel 01 280 5670). The restaurant is a must for foodies or visitors alike, serving up some unique recipes.

LEADING Irish pastry chef Aoife Noonan and pizza expert Michael Ryan will join the criticallyacclaimed Italian chef Francesco Mazzei in developing contemporary Italian food menus for The House of Peroni, which will return again to Dublin this month.

The House of Peroni will open to the public at 1 Dame Lane, Dublin 2 from Thursday, May 25 until Sunday, June 4.

This year, The House of Peroni will bring to life Gusto d’Italia (the flavours of Italy) with an exciting food offering that includes daily fresh pasta specials, Neapolitan-style pizza, cicchetti bites and a few fresh twists on traditional Italian gelato.

Each weekend, the brunch menu will include dishes such as carbonara mac and cheese, smoked fish platter with avocado and soft-boiled egg, soft polenta sausage crumble with quail eggs, and The Italian Job – an Italian take on ‘The Full Irish’.

There is no admission fee and no booking required for guests of the House of Peroni, with the restaurant working on a first-come, first-served basis for over-18s only.

11 May 2017 GAZETTE 21

Exclusive Asian cruise offer

THIS week we bring you an exclusive Click&Go cruise offer which is only available to the Irish market.

How do you fancy a one-night stay in a fourstar hotel in Shanghai followed by a nine-night cruise to Japan on board Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas at a saving of €700 per person?

This exclusive offer is for one date only (departing June 11) at amazing fares of €1,349 per person for an inside cabin or €1,449 for a balcony.

The itinerary is fantastic: Shanghai, China - Kumamoto, Japan Kochi, Japan - Miyazaki, Japan - Shanghai, China.

Price includes return flights from Dublin, all meals and snacks on board, full entertainment programme, 20kg of checked luggage plus all taxes and charges. *Prices are based on two sharing and subject to availability. Gratuities and port excursions are extra. Upgrades and other itineraries are available. Further details at www.Click&Go.com.

DEAL OF THE SUMMER? TWO WEEKS ALL-INCLUSIVE FOR LESS THAN €93 PER DAY

Make it Mexico for an epic summer getaway  SYLVIA POWNALL

THIS has to be the deal of the summer – two weeks all-inclusive in Mexico for less than €93 per day.

If you think about it, how much money do you spend on your summer holiday? First off there’s the actual cost of getting there: flights, baggage, transfers and your accommodation for the duration.

Then once you get to your resort and you add meals, snacks and all your drinks for the week – it really adds up doesn’t it?

All-inclusive packages are growing in popularity, with pretty

much everything included from food to drinks and entertainment too.

The best thing about this type of holiday is that you can budget exactly what you’ll spend on your trip before you go. It means you only need money for souvenirs and any other extras and that’s it.

The RIU Lupita on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast comes with a trio of pools, the main one flanked by gardens.

There are four restaurants, including a Mexican a la carte and a steakhouse. Plus, live shows are on most nights of the week.

The hotel is surrounded by

Deal

Long weekend in the Algarve in May. From €269pp for the 4* Paraiso de Albufeira Aparthotel.

Price is per person based on two sharing in May 2017.

Price includes:

The spectacular shores of Maroma Beach

• 4 nights in the 4* Paraiso de Albufeira Aparthotel, Albufeira • One bedroom apartment on an self catering basis • Return Aer Lingus flights from Dublin to Faro • Departure day, Thursday • Airport Transfers • Airport taxes & charges

Visit www.clickandgo. com or call (01) 539 7777 to talk to an experienced reservation agent today.

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TRAVEL

Tulum’s spectacular coastline makes it one of the top coastal destinations in Mexico

tropical gardens, and there’s a free five-minute shuttle bus to the sandy beach.

If it’s retail therapy you’re after, it’s just 15 minutes’ walk to the shops of Qinta Avenue in Playa del Carmen, a mile-long bustling strip perfect for evening strolls.

With an average 340 days of sunshine per year this mainly expat resort near Cancun was voted in the top 10 places to visit in 2017.

The beaches along this stretch of coast are gorgeous – from Playa del Carmen all the way south to Tulum and north to the spectacular shores of Maroma Beach.

Splash your way among the

stalagmites and stalactites of Rio Secreto. The guided tour of the Riviera Maya’s ‘secret river’winds through a portion of a vast network of caves and cenotes.

This deal at the RIU Lupita in Mexico comes in at just under €93pp per day.

You’ll get your flights, transfers and 20kg baggage included and your room for the two weeks at the hotel on an all-Inclusive basis - and here’s the best bit.

All Inclusive at the RIU Lupita means your breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner are included in the price you pay AS WELL AS local and imported drinks.

This hotel is 24 hour all Inclusive so it offers snacks and drinks around the clock.

The only question is for less than €93 per day, can you afford not to go? I’d be quick about making up my mind if I were you…

Holiday deal

7-Jun-17, Dublin to Mexico, RIU Lupita, Playa car, 3T, All Inclusive, 14 nights from €1,299pp.

Book through www.falconholidays.ie

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M50MOTORING

Fresh start for the Micra THE new Nissan Micra has all of a sudden grown up, and by introducing a one for two model move Nissan has made the car sexy in a single stroke.

It has grown in size, capacity and it takes on a new persona that breaks the mould of the Micra of the past.

Last week, Nissan announced a host of changes in terms of design and specifications for the latest generation Micra.

You need to forget about the Micra of the past, because this new car offers so much more. This is no longer going to be the staid car of the older and more sensible drivers; even though age won’t be a deterrent to having some fun.

Ev e r y t h i n g a b o u t the Micra has changed including the fact that it has replaced both the old one and the slightly bigger Note. Relative to the old Micra, the new car is longer and wider, while being lower than in the past.

The design is very new and modern and it is in line with the rest of the cars in the Nissan range.

On the mechanical side the new Micra has new engines, three in all, two of which are petrol, and a third diesel engine option. The petrol engines are three-cylinder ones, one of which comes with a turbo-charger, while the diesel option is the 1.5-litre Renault developed engine that’s widely used in both Nissan and Renault cars.

I was surprised that Nissan didn’t introduce an electric drive option as this is very much a city car, given Nissan’s impressive Leaf electric car experience. Nissan has a new Leaf on the way for 2018 and James McCarthy, CEO of Nissan Ireland said that he would not be surprised to also see an electric version in

FASTNews Dublin grows in importance in falling national motor market NEW car sales in the Dublin region continue to grow as Ireland’s capital city region accounts for an increasing percentage of the national fleet according to the latest registration statistics issued by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

The official statistics show that new car registrations in Dublin for the month of April account for 39.7% of

The entry model starts at €16,695 while accessorizes and specification options will tempt drivers up the price line.

all new car registrations, up from 37.4% for the same period in

Nissan Micra 1.0 petrol SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Engine power 0 – 100km/hr Economy Fuel Tank Capacity CO2 emissions Road Tax Band Main Service Warranty Entry Price

the near future.

The new 0.9-litre turbo-petrol engine is an impressive one, developing 90bhp with plenty of torque at 140Nm for an engine of this size.

Out on the road, the car delivered an impressive performance and on the M3 motorway to Navan it showed its ability.

0.9 litre 90hp 13.8 seconds 23km/litre (4.4/100km or 64mpg) 41 litres 99g/km A2 €180 30,000km/12 months 3 years /100,000km €16,695

Being a relatively small petrol engine can push the rev counter into the uneconomical zone and that’s when the engine r e v s c o m e cl o s e t o 3000rpm.

At that speed the car achieves the motorway maximum of 120km/hr and the Micra was steady and powerful on the road

Nissan’s Micra has been a top selling starter car for generations of Irish drivers and has a reputation for being a rather timid, dull little motor. However, as Michael Moroney found this week, the new generation Micra has grown up, and far from being boring – she’s sexy.

2016. The SIMI figures

with no hint of its threecylinder design configuration.

Nissan claims that this new engine has given improved fuel economy with a combined economy figure of 23km/litre (4.4/100km or 64mpg).

In theory that should give a range of over 900km given the car’s 41 litre fuel tank capacity. City driving will probably be less, but it is still a relatively economical smaller car.

In performance and size terms, this new Nissan Micra is a match for the best.

The improved engine is great to drive and meets all of the economy and CO2 standards giving relatively low cost motoring.

The turbo-petrol engine is the better option but it adds €1,000 to the entry price.

This engine is more

-10% (83,831) on the

powerful and slightly more economical and that’s what you’ll be paying the extra money for.

The standard specification Micra comes in the entry XE grade with a high level of specification.

This includes 15-inch steel wheels/covers, LED daytime running lights, electric door mirrors with integrated turn signals, electric front windows, rear spoiler, hill start assist, trip computer with gear-shift indicator and outside temperature read-out, manual air conditioning, heightadjustable driver’s seat, rake/reach adjustable steering wheel, two-tone dashboard.

The top SVE grade Micra was available to me for the car launch and that’s €4,000 more expensive than the entry car.

This version comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, Nissan Intelligent Key with engine start button, rear view camera with rear parking sensors, BOSE Personal audio system with six speakers, safety pack, leather steering wheel and gearshift, three rear headrests and SVE black and grey cloth trim.

So there’s a lot of kit in there, making the car feel so much more impressive than the Micra of old.

This new Micra will break the mould in terms of the car’s perception.

The entry prices are temptingly competitive relative to the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, while this car seems bigger and is more exciting and modern to look at.

The new generation Micra has changed and it’s here.

show that 33,292 new cars were registered in Dublin so far this year.

The overall national car market in April was down by -24% (7,865) compared to (10,381) in April 2016.

New car registrations year to date are down same period last year (93,205). The decline in new car sales in the Dublin region was 4%, which is significantly lower than the national average decline of 10% for the year to date.

The Hyundai Tucson remains Ireland’s best-selling car, followed by the Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Octavia, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

Toyota remains the top-selling brand and grey was the most popular car colour in Ireland so far this year.

Registrations of light commercial vehicles are also showing a decline with the April market in Ireland down by a massive 25% compared with April 2016.

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 23

5 Series gets top marks in Euro NCAP results EURO NCAP recently released the crash test results of two new cars – the BMW 5 Series which achieved a top five-star safety rating; and Fiat’s made-over Doblo which received three stars.

The seventh-generation BMW 5 Series continues its successful track record in Euro NCAP’s executive car segment.

The car showed good all-round performance in crash protection and avoidance tests thanks to its new platform, body and updated safety features.

Track tests demonstrated that the autonomous braking system can effectively assist the driver in avoiding or mitigating critical rear-end crashes with other cars and pedestrians. With an 81% score, the 5-series particularly impressed in pedestrian safety through its standard-fit “Person Warning”

system and active bonnet.

Thirteen years after the tests on the original Fiat Doblo, Euro NCAP has taken another look at the versatile small MPV. The latest generation Doblo was already introduced in 2010 and is also sold by Opel and Vauxhall brands as Combo.

The version tested by Euro NCAP is the 2015 Doblo facelift that includes, apart from small safety updates, cosmetic upgrades aimed at extending the lifecycle of the car.

The three-star Euro NCAP safety rating, however, reveals the car’s true age and highlights the lack of ambition to compete on safety with other, more modern competitors in the segment.

The Opel/Vauxhall Combo has not received a similar facelift, so would be expected to end up with even fewer stars, but Opel have their eyes fixed on

the future.

Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, said, “Fiat’s line-up now features several cars that have been on the market for a long

time and their safety is well behind the class leaders. Opel have made a clear decision not to implement the changes that Fiat made to get to a threestar rating, but instead have

focussed their attention on a complete new Combo, that is being co-developed with Opel’s new owners, PSA, and which Euro NCAP expects to test early next year. In this

release, however, BMW has led the way with a new 5 Series that features lots of driver assistance systems which Euro NCAP believes will transform safety in the years to come.”

The seventh-generation BMW 5 Series continues its successful track record in Euro NCAP

LDV offers new electric people carrier

THE LDV range, which is imported into Ireland by the Harris Group, is growing its electric vehicle (EV) fleet. Its latest zero-emission model, the EG10 is the second EV from LDV, and follows last year’s unveiling of the EV80. Prices are not yet confirmed for the new model The new EG10 claims a driving with a range of 160km (100 miles) on a single battery charge. The Harris Group says that this model will be followed by petrol and diesel variants.

The new LDV EG10 is a large people carrier available in two models, Flagship and Elite. It is powered by a Ternary Lithium battery, with peak power of 190bhp (150kw) and an impressive peak torque of 800Nm. The specification includes a progressive, pure electric power system that claims to provide a highly- efficient, steady power supply and an electric parking braking (EPB) system that is claimed to be both convenient and dependable. The EG10 comes with a multi-function steering wheel, front and back radars and a rear camera.

The EG10 is fitted with dual sliding doors and keyless entry. There is a 6-way adjustable driver seat to suit driving height preferences. The 5.2m capacity claims to provide extra leg room and space for longer journeys.

Next-gen Yaris adds to Toyota’s hybrid arsenal

TOYOTA’S new Yaris sees significant improvements to the outgoing model’s design.

Toyota claims that the car brings more dynamic performance and styling.

T he new Yaris has 900 new par ts compared with the outgoing model and gives Toyota a unique offering in hybrid drive for the smaller car market.

The Yaris is now available in five grade options: Terra, Aura Luna, Luna Sport and Sol, four of which, uniquely for the B segment, are all available in hybrid.

Toyota says hybrids currently account for more than 35% of Yaris sales in Ireland.

The new Yaris comes with more refined front and rear designs that give the car a more active and dynamic look. There are some interior changes and new colour choices available.

The hybrid version remains a unique option in its segment, with bestin-class CO2 emissions.

Toyota claims that the Yaris Hybrid noise and vibration levels have been significantly reduced with new engine mounts, roll restrictor, front driveshaft and sub frame.

New-design engine mounting system, shock absorber adjustments and retuned electric power steering claim to improve Yaris Hybrid’s ride comfort and steering accuracy.

Toyota says that the new Yaris brings bigcar safety into a small, city-sized package with the adoption of Toyota Safety Sense as standard across the range.

This feature comes with a Pre-Collision System with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Automatic High Beam, and Lane Depar-

ture Alert. Road Sign Assist is also available as standard on all but the Luna grade.

Toyota has added a new 111bhp, 1.5-litre petrol engine to the range offering.

This new engine is designed to meet more stringent emissions standards and “real world” fuel economy measurement.

The new engine claims to deliver 10%

more power and torque than the previous 1.33litre engine, yet also posts an improvement in fuel economy of up to 12%.

Toyota will be offering four engine choices in the new Yaris, 1.0 and 1.5 litre petrol engines, a 1.4 litre D4D diesel engine and an improved hybrid petrol engine choice.

Entry prices start from €15,950 for the 1.0-litre three-door version.

Entry prices start at €15,950, before delivery charges

GAZETTE

24 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

ReelReviews

KING ARTHUR

Not very Excaliburing WITH Michael Bay soon to unleash his latest truly terrible Transformers film – and this one incorporates King Arthur as another cinema sin – Charlie Hunnam steps up to star in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (Cert 12A, 126 mins) first. It’s a gritty yet fairly standard big budget beefcake blockbuster telling of Arfur and friends – best of all, not a Transformer in sight!

Following the old rule of ‘The enemy of my enemy is the guy I’ll bust out of this joint with’, Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Yondu (Michael Rooker) team up in a highlight of the film

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2: AN ENTERTAINING, NEON-SOAKED SEQUEL

THE PROMISE

A worthy historical tale CHRISTIAN Bale steps up to deliver a typically intense performance in The Promise (Cert 12A, 133 mins), which delves into the complex and almost completely unexplored (by Western cinema) Armenian Genocide, which saw 1.5 million people killed around 1915. There’s a lot to take in here with a complex tale to get to grips with, but it’s a decent cinematic stab at the barbaric incident.

THEIR FINEST

But not the stars’...

EVERYONE loves character actor Bill Nighy, but his straightforward admission that he never watches any of the films he makes comes to mind with Their Finest (Cert 12A, 117 mins).

Nighy’s on typical scenestealing form, but the film itself – another rosy-eyed look back at The Blitz and brave Lahndaners – is fairly forgettable fare. So, be like Bill, and don’t bother watching this one ...

Volumes of character

MARVEL’S 2012 “surprise” hit Guardians of the Galaxy appealed to our sense of humour, our sense of adventure and our yearning for genuine human (whatever the species) characters, warts and all – characters we learned to love as much for their insecurities and inconsistent quirks as their heroics.

Consequently, the outthere space opera struck a chord with audiences young and old – a sequel was inevitable.

Director James Gunn returns to the helm for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Cert 12A, 120 mins), making great effort to deliver on the promise of the original with its loveable crew, unique humour and way-over the top action and space adventure.

However, perhaps for the first time since 2007’s Iron Man, Marvel have

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

somewhat veered from their winning formula, omitting some key ingredients in their recipe for success and instead allowing the film to play out as somewhat of a – dare I say it – character study.

As a sequel, Vol. 2 is stripped of the need for deep exposition and build-up; instead, it jumps straight into the action and digs a whole lot deeper into characterisation.

Here, Gunn focuses on family drama rather than formulaic world-saving action (don’t worry – there’s time for some of that too).

When we first meet

them, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and the Guardians have been hired by an alien race called The Sovereign to protect a precious array of batteries.

When genetically engineered raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper) decides to take some for himself, The Sovereign hunt down the team, who only manage to escape certain doom thanks to the sudden appearance of a man claiming to be Peter’s father, Ego (Kurt Russell).

As exciting as it is to see Russell enter the fray, Guardians 2 is a little too eager to show off its new character, shifting that emotional payload too early and denying the audience some muchneeded narrative build up.

The sudden plot turn feels unearned.

Indeed, that’s the one glaring problem here – the film’s narrative step is a little off, missing the riv-

eting pace of the original.

We spend much of its two-hour run-time wondering where in the galaxy all this action and excitement is actually going.

Beyond Quill’s budding relationship with his father, some soul searching on Yondu’s (Michael Rooker) part and furious sisterly drama between Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan), there’s very little resembling a plot to be found throughout the film’s first two acts.

Still, Guardians 2 is a delight to watch, packed with impeccable character, creature and set design; an aesthetic that harks back to the eccentric indulgences of 70’s sci-fi rather than the slick, cool sheen of its contemporaries.

The action is wonderfully cartoonish and the characters as loveable as ever, includ-

ing Dave Bautista as the hilariously literal Drax.

Rooker’s Yondu is the standout here, delivering the best jokes and carrying out the best action with ultra-cool ease in the film’s most original action setpiece.

Significantly, Yondu is there to deliver the film’s most important message to all the millions of kids who’ve come to worship this once u n k n ow n , unlikely group of superheroes.

Guard ians 2 has cemented itself as the superhero

franchise with the most heart; Vol. 2 takes several leaps further in that direction.

Despite its middling pace, Guardian 2 is always ‘on’, bursting at the seams with crude charm.

While it’s unfortunate that it takes so long to find its feet, the deviation in formula allows everything to feel surprisingly fresh, despite occasionally diminishing returns.

Verdict: 7/10 The Sovereign’s leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) provides an interesting secondary villain

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 25

Hank Scorpio

GAZETTE

TECH TRAILER: MASSIVELY INFLUENTIAL FILM’S SEQUEL DRAWS NEAR

“Don’t look at me – I’m the wrong Scorpio! Do you want some sugar? Now, run!”

What Microsoft could learn from everyone’s favourite supervillain SCORPIO looks well on track to make quite an impact on the world.

No, not Hank Scorpio – everybody’s favourite most-awesomest-boss-ever-and-incidental-supervillain from The Simpsons, way back near the last ice age when the clapped-out show was still any good – but Microsoft’s Scorpio, AKA its next games console, though I’d expect that name to change.

While the XBox One definitely had and has some absolutely terrific console-exclusive games and franchises, it’s widely regarded as trailing Sony’s PlayStation 4, with some terrible PR blunders along the way that didn’t help its image, and sales.

Perhaps Microsoft have learned from those mistakes – Scorpio’s hardware is by all accounts, pretty impressive, going way past ‘mere’ 4K rendering to showcase even greater detail, at least via the tech demos The equally powerful (and less that have been showdangerous) other Scorpio cased.

Once industry figures and innovators start seeing the tech, it’s usually a sign the hardware is well on the way – XBox head honcho Phil Spencer has just come out to say Scorpio is well on track for release, so we could well see it later this year.

However, a much bigger issue will be to see if the company learns from its mistakes and can convince gamers that its focus with Scorpio will be games, games, games – rather than trying to position it as an entertainment hub that’s also a console, or vice versa.

That kind of between-two-stools positioning spooked gamers when the XBox One came out, dealing it an early body blow from which, debatably, the console never truly recovered.

And, with rumours of Sony tinkering with a new console to release next year – yes, even after its barely released PS4 Pro has made much of a mark on the gaming world – Scorpio really needs to learn from its Simpsons namesake.

Namely, it needs to move fast, act decisively, hire the right people, have clear plans, and maintain a clear focus on world domination – at least, in gaming terms.

If Microsoft can do all that, Scorpio should be able to create the right kind of “D’oh!” for the company …

The original Blade Runner continues to be referenced in many games today – but can its sequel (above) have the same impact, some 35 years later?

Blade Runner 2049

Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling lead, with hopes that the first film’s enigmatic mood can be recreated

Broaden your photo horizons VERY quickly ... I don’t often refer to game updates, but Horizon Zero Dawn has just released a new automatically installed patch that adds even more options for in-game photographers. The PS4 game is great fun to play – as well as being one of the best-looking games of this generation – with the extra camera options added by the update making it even easier to create some pretty stunning images.

TECH purists may disagree, but this next bit absolutely belongs here rather than on the Cinema page – after months of teaser trailers, a proper trailer for Blade Runner 2049 has just been released, and as we all know, Blade Runners hunt replicants, and replicants are androids, and androids are pure tech, so there!

After an awfully, awfully long wait (some 35 years or so) for fans of the truly classic sci-fi original to get a sequel, the new trailer suggests that much of the look and tone of the original film has been successfully captured.

While the first film had mixed reviews – to say the least – it’s now regarded as a true cinema

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com

classic that had a significant cultural impact.

It’s also a film which had an enormous and continuing impact on many games, from the cyberpunk thrillers that were once all the rage to more modern contemplative games about identity and purpose.

To this very day, games and cinema alike continue to give nods to the seminal film in everything from design to visuals, stor y

and tone, making it a cross-cultural milestone to celebrate.

As a disclaimer, I played the point-andcl i c k B l a d e R u n n e r adventure game on PC yonks ago, and proved utterly rubbish at chasing down and ‘retiring’ replicants, which probably all subsequently enjoyed brief but fulfilling lives murdering humans because I was the Worst Cop Ever in that city.

Sorry about that.

You’ll have to wait until October 6 for Blade Runner 2049’s standard, 3D and IMAX release, but check out Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in the trailer, today, with some screengrabs here to help whet your appetite ...

26 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

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SPORT

FastSport DUKE RETURNS TO IRISH SIDE FOR USA TOUR: UCD captain Deirdre Duke will return to the Irish senior women’s international hockey side for their nine-day tour to Pennsylvania which gets underway on May 22.

The striker led her club to a national trio of titles this season but missed out on Ireland’s victory at the World League Round 2 in January due to a shoulder injury.

She is one of eight players added to the squad of 22 players with Ellen Curran from Hermes-Monkstown - the freshest face in the panel following her exploits with the Irish Under18s last summer.

Railway Union’s Grace O’Flanagan comes back in as one of two goalkeepers in the panel ahead of UCD’s Clodagh Cassin.

Loreto’s Ali Meeke, UCD’s Emma Russell, former Old Alex player Emily Beatty - now based in Belgium - Loreto’s Ali Meeke and HermesMonkstown’s Sinead Loughran are other returnees.

RUGBY: DUBLIN CLUB OUT-SCORE CON BY THREE TRIES TO ONE BUT STILL LOSE

Tarf foiled at final hurdle as Quinlan kicks Cork to UBL win

UBL DIVISION 1A FINAL Cork Constitution 25 Clontarf 21  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

CLONTARF fell just short as handling errors and penalties cost them in the Ulster Bank Division 1A final at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday as Cork Constitution held on to defeat their long-time rivals by 25 to 21.

The Dublin side, bidding to maintain the title in their third consecutive final, faced a Cork Con squad looking to take title out of Leinster for the first time since their last win in 2010.

And the Cork side drew first blood after four minutes through the boot of the impressive Thomas Quinlan.

Quinlan added a second from another penalty with 11 minutes on the clock but, despite Constitution’s 6-0 lead, there were promising early signs for Clontarf, especially in some powerful forward play.

It was the backs who were to make the breakthrough with a fine, battering run from Michael McGrath ending with a tee-up try for Matthew D’Arcy through the middle of the Constitution

Cork Con’s Gavin Duffy and Clontarf’s Ben Reilly. Picture: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

defence.

McGrath had bashed away several of the Cork side’s backs on his way through the line, having been played in with a midfield switch. David Joyce converted to put Clontarf 7-6 in front.

Constitution had much of the territory, however, and after Quinlan kicked them back in front with a third three-pointer, a period of pressure on the Clontarf line saw the Cork side

twice kick for the corner, only to concede a penalty right on the Clontarf goalline.

By all rights, Clontarf should have conceded. Instead, they battered their way into the Constitution half with key man McGrath stretching over for a contentious TMO try and a 14-9 lead through Joyce’s conversion.

Their habit of conceding kickable penalties, however, was to mean a two tries to nil difference at half time met Quinlan’s

accurate kicking, and amounted to only 14-12 in Clontarf’s favour on the scoreboard, a lead they were fortunate to hold.

Quinlan kicked Constitution back in front after halftime before a break from the Cork side – somewhat against the run of play – saw their first try of the game, finished off by Rob Jermyn after a Gerry Sweeney run to give Constitution a buffer at 22-14.

Clontarf, for all their flair, were

simply not taking their chances and only a Michael Brown interception prevented Constitution from breaking through again.

With Clontarf scrum half Sam Cronin sent to the sin bin on 59 minutes and Quinlan adding his seventh successful kick, Constitution looked huge odds on favourites.

Unusually, the Cronin sin bin led to a period of dominance for the 14 men. Five minutes of sustained pressure on the Constitution line eventually set up the grandstand finale, with Michael Kearney tumbling over to close the gap to four point at 25-21 in Constitution’s favour.

In the period that followed, Clontarf could – and arguably should – have won the game.

Constitution’s habit of punting the ball back to the opposition was met only with a couple of fatal errors in a poor quality period, however, and the Cork side held out, 25 to 21.

“This is special,” Constitution’s Quinlan reflected after the game, calling Clontarf a “super side”. The side that finished fourth in the regular season table to Clontarf’s second, though, were the ones to take the silverware.

McIntyre sisters Kill off Spartans in Premier final  BERNARD DUFF sport@dublingazette.com

KADCA Killers’ Norma McIntyre. Picture: Jurij Smakov

KADCA Killers enjoyed the perfect finale to an anniversary season last Friday night as Badminton Premier League finals took place in a packed Terenure Badminton Centre.

South Dublin Spartans, a feeder club from the Whitehall Road Junior Badminton Club formed in 2011, were the home side, taking on Baldoyle-based KADCA. The KADCA club, originally from Killester, have just finished their 40th anniversary and this was a chance

to end their year in style as well make up for defeat in last year’s inaugural BPL final.

The first two rubbers in the final were the men’s singles and women’s singles. They were shared with victory for KADCA’s current Ireland international Sara Boyle over Vicky Pesti (3-0) with Spartans’ Tony Stephenson beating Mark Brady (3-0).

Matches three and four were also shared meaning that it was two-a-piece with five rubbers to play. The Paul Reynolds/Mark Topping pairing won the first men’s doubles match for Spar-

tans. Sarah Boyle/Lauren Au took the first women’s doubles match for KADCA, keeping parity going once again.

There was little to separate the sides. The next two matches both went to five sets and this would decide the final.

Both matches went in favour of KADCA Killers. Ciaran Chambers/Mark Brady beat Tony Stephenson/Jack O’Brien in their fifth set as did Norma McIntyre/ Cara Elmes over Vicky Pesti/ Karen Nelson.

From 7-3 down in the fifth, the McIntyre sisters fought back to

win 11-9. After the match, Norma McIntrye said: “It was a rollercoaster of a match. One team would win a couple of points and the other would get it back.

“It might have been the experience of my sister and I that won it in the end.”

Asked if they know how crucial the match was, Norma said: “No, it would have been a very different game for all players if we had realised that result on the night came down to those few points”.

The remaining three rubbers went 2-1 in KADCA’s favour, sealing a 6-3 overall win.

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

World medals on the mind of Natalya Coyle

Reflecting on her seventh place finish at the 2016 Olympics, the penathlete is keen to kick on further this year and push for the podium as she realises how close the summit of the sport is  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

Six Dublin primary sides set for Leinster finals OUR Lady’s Milltown, Central Model School on Marlborough Street and St Ciaran’s Hartstown’s soccer teams are among the Dublin sides to contest the provincial finals of the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme on Thursday, May 11 at the MDL grounds in Navan.

They emerged from the Dublin county finals that featured 288 students and 36 schools in April to represent the county on the provincial stage with the dream of an All-Ireland stage on May 31 in the Aviva Stradium the target.

The A Cup, open to boys and/or mixed teams from small schools, had 10 passionate schools taking part in Dublin. Our Lady’s, Milltown triumphed in what was a thrilling contest.

The B Cup, for medium sized schools, again proved to be a compelling division with four teams involved. The final was eventually decided on by a narrow margin. Central Model School proved a little too strong over a talented St Mary’s, Booterstown side. The C Cup for large schools, was another hard fought contest between four very talented schools. St Ciaran’s eventually came out on top of the large schools division thanks to a win on penalties over Ballyroan BNS. The girls side of the competition was also played in Abbotstown recently. In the A Cup, for small schools, St Damian’s, Walkinstown defeated Good Shepherd, Churchtown in a really exciting and hard fought match to retain their title.

The B Cup for medium sized schools saw Gaelscoil Cholmcille seal qualification to the next stage after they overcame a tough challenge from St. Patrick’s, Chapelizod.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Johnstown put in a fine display against St Vincent de Paul Girls to progress from the C Cup division for large schools.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Johnstown finished off the tournament unbeaten and look in fine form heading into the Leinster finals.

The SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme competition has been in existence since the mid 1990s and has 28,256 participants from 1,483 schools involved this year, a 19% surge from last year.

NATALYA Coyle has spelled out her key goals for the coming year, as the pentathlete – one of Ireland’s best performers at the 2016 Rio Olympics – also continues in her role as an Aramark wellness ambassador.

“It is a quiet year compared to an Olympic year,” she told the Gazette. “But I have the world championships.

“I’ll be competing in the mixed relay with Arthur [Lanigan O’Keeffe, a fellow Dublin-based Olympian] in August. I’m really look forward to that. Pentathlon is a great individual sport, but that can also be isolating at times and Arthur’s great fun to work

with. He’s very lively and passionate about it all. I’m a bit more reserved, so we work well together.”

Having had time to reflect, Coyle describes her Olympic performance in Rio as a “Catch 22”. She finished seventh overall, probably slightly above expectations going into the event.

Coyle, who went to school at King’s Hospital in Palmerstown, said: “I gave it my all and went all out for personal bests which I got. But, of course, you can’t help thinking that it was so close. It was a good performance but it could have been something really special. My main aim now is to medal at the worlds.”

Coyle’s training this year involves a gruelling

routine of 20-25 hours a week across the various sports. Pentathlon competitors compete in fencing, 200 metre freestyle swimming, show jumping and a final combined running and shooting event, meaning there’s a real range of disciplines to be developed and sustained.

“I train six days a week, and divide my days into power days and technical days,” she says of her schedule. “On power days, I’ll be running and swimming, and on technical days its gym and fencing. It’s great having the institute of sport [an everdeveloping campus alongside the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown], as all my coaches are there, all the experts are there. It definitely

Natayla Coyle is looking forward to this year’s pentathlon world championships. Picture: James Crombie/Inpho

makes life a lot easier.”

One of the key areas of pentathlon has long been fencing. Relatively small differences in performance in the event can cause a huge swing in the overall results and event winners almost invariably come near the top of the field with the sabre in their hand.

“There’s a lot of pres-

explains. “Most people only get an hour and a half to two hours exercise in a day, research shows.”

We joke that Coyle probably has the average amount of exercise for the week done by 10am on Monday but the 26-yearold remembers her youth being very different to behaviour today, even with the relatively short

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

‘I gave it my all but, of course, you can’t help thinking it was was so close [to a medal]’ - Natalya Coyle on Rio 2016

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

sure on the fencing portion,” Coyle admits. “You can really dig yourself a hole mentally if you’re not careful. It’s important not to put yourself under pressure, and to make sure you take each hit separately, focus on each round.”

As for the recent alteration of Olympic results due to drugs, Coyle says “you can’t think about that when you’re competing. There’s enough to worry about with getting in the right mind frame.

You can’t think the right way if you’re worrying if you’re on a level playing field.”

Last year, as well as the Olympics, Coyle took on a role as a wellness ambassador for Aramark, something she has just renewed, and is clearly passionate about.

“I take part in wellness projects with young people in schools,” she

time that has passed.

“The statistics on inactivity today are stark,” she says. “There’s just not enough exercise being done.

“When I was young, I played sport for fun; I never thought I’d be good enough to go to an Olympics but I’m competitive by nature, and spent my summers with friends competing. A lot of children seem to sit inside playing games today.

“I understand for some people it’s a safety concern but after school we’d always have been outside running around, not playing Playstation.”

“I work as an ambassador because I think it’s so important this stuff changes.” With a wide variety of experience to draw on, and having gone to the very top of the sport, there could be few better spokespeople.”

GAZETTE

30 FINGAL GAZETTE 11 May 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: DOYLE’S 41ST GOAL OF THE SEASON CONFIRMS MAJOR 1C WIN

Corrstown and Lucan to host Holmpatrick Cup THE NCBI Specsavers HolmPatrick Cup is coming to the Corrstown Golf Club, Kilsallaghan on Saturday, May 13 and Lucan Golf Club, Celbridge Road on Sunday, May 14 where eager Dublin golfers will tee off to compete for the chance to play at St Andrew’s, Scotland and win the prestigious trophy.

The competition sees GUI-affiliated golf courses across the country hold a qualifying tournament, the winners of which will qualify for the county final and compete for a place at the provincial tournament.

The four provincial winners will then play at the final, which is hosted at the world-renowned St Andrew’s Links in Scotland.

Specsavers Dublin stores are encouraging locals to get behind the worthwhile cause and will be supporting the event. For only €7.50 per person or €15 per team, players can compete at Corrstown Golf Club, Kilsallaghan, on Saturday, May 13 and Lucan Golf Club, on Sunday, May 14.

The national all-island competition was founded in 1932 and is the longest running and largest charity golf tournament in Ireland.

The money raised goes directly to fund the NCBI’s life-enhancing services, which help over 8,000 people with sight loss as well their families.

CEO of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland Chris White added: “The NCBI Specsavers HolmPatrick Cup is Ireland’s longest running charity golf competition and is 85 years old this year.

“We are delighted to have Specsavers on board as a charity partner for the next two years.

“Both of our organisations have such a wide reach throughout Ireland – between us we are in every community in the country.

“That really allows us to focus on our shared priorities, which are the prevention of sight loss and the importance of early detection of through education and awareness of eye health.”

To sign up to the NCBI Specsavers HolmPatrick Cup, call (01) 882 1939 or visit www.ncbiholmpatrickcup.com.

Pictured are vice chairman of Specsavers Ireland Kerril Hickey with CEO of NCBI, Chris White.

The Rush Athletic side that won the LSL Saturday Major 1C division

Athletic Rush to LSL title  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

RUSH Athletic secured the LSL Saturday Major 1C title in dramatic fashion as they grabbed an injury time winner during a 1-0 victory over Liffey Valley Rangers at Ballyowen Park last week.

Their victory, coupled with St Mochtas’ surprise defeat at home to Fairview CYM, left them seven points clear of second placed Mochta’s with just one game remaining.

The away side dominated large portions of the game but just couldn’t find the goal needed to

secure the championship until they were awarded a penalty in the 92nd minute. The prolific Mark Doyle took the spot kick to secure victory and bag his 41st goal of the campaign.

Rush will be delighted to have sewn up the title against Liffey Valley as they took to the pitch again just two days later.

That away tie against fifth placed Ballyfermot United saw them trail 3-2, with Rush’s strikes coming from Dylan Kelly and Barry McAllister.

Howe ve r, 16 - y e a rold Jonathan Hanratty entered the fray as a second half substitute and

TAG RUGBY Malahide’s summer tag season set for lift off THE Malahide RFC tag season gets under way in the next week and is still welcoming new teams with registration available for the coming few days.

To register your team to take part, it only takes an €80 deposit to get you and your friends involved.

You can also register as an individual by emailing marketing@malahiderfc.ie. Teams can also be entered via the Irish rugby portal on: http://www.irishrugby.ie/tagrugby/register/index.php.

blew Ballyfermot away by bagging five goals to give his side a 7-3 win.

Rush had strung together a 40-game unbeaten run before they came up against Mochta’s four weeks ago and lost 3-2 against their title rivals who were putting together a late charge.

Their victory failed to derail Rush, however, who showed the mentality of champions to win their next two games and second league title in a row.

Club secretary Derek Coffey spoke to GazetteSport about what attributes the team harbours

that has set them apart from so many other sides they have come up against in the last two years.

“They have commitment, togetherness, and a great hunger in training and matches. They also have a great manager, coach, trainer, and the total backing of the club itself,” said Coffey.

As well as performing well in the league, Rush also reached the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup where they lost out narrowly to Limerick’s Ballynanty Rovers.

Rush were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half before

conceding the only goal of the game with just minutes of the tie remaining.

“We got to the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup and, in fairness, they should have won that day but the rub of the green didn’t go our way.”

Despite the step up in class Rush will experience next season, Coffey is confident the team can keep their remarkable run going.

“Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt. It’s a vote of confidence for going up a league or two next season, where they will have to hold their own against bigger and better teams.”

11 May 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

INTER CHAMPIONSHIP

Fingallians lose thriller to Vincent’s hurlers

CLUB NOTICEBOARD FINGALLIANS

FINGALLIANS fell to a second defeat from two outings in the intermediate hurling championship as they went down 4-14 to 2-16 against St Vincent’s last weekend at Lawless Park.

It leave the Swords club needing a big run of form to bounce back with their next task against Kilmacud Crokes on June 7 having lost their opening tie to Na Fianna.

U-16 championship: Our footballers

upgrading of our training facilities at the

bowed out at the semi-final stage at

ball wall and running track.

home on Saturday. They were beaten by

Tables seating 10 persons are priced

Naomh Mearnog 3-15 to 3-11 after extra

at €1,200. For further information,

time.

please contact Teresa or Gary: teresa-

Our juvenile handbook was launched

Summer camp dates: Football - July

able to members on the club website,

3-7; Hurling - July 10-14 for boys and girls

Fingallians.com.

aged four to 13 years.

Minor Ladies: Congratulations to our girls on winning the Division 2 league.

LADIES FOOTBALL: SYL’S O’SULLIVAN LANDS PAIR OF POINTS

Gaeilge: Our Irish language group

boys and girls aged 13-18 years. Kellogg’s Cul Camp – August 14-18, 4-13 year old

from 9-10pm. Fun and free. All standards

boys and girls.

LEINSTER U-14 FINAL

Dublin 3-14 Meath 1-6  sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN captured the Leinster Under-14 championship title for the first time in three years on Saturday following a 14-point, 3-14 to 1-6, win over Meath in Clane.

St Sylvester’s Katie O’Sullivan was among the stars as she landed a pair of points, starting from full forward.

She was joined in the panel by fellow north county footballers like Ballyboughal’s Sarah Willis and St Finian’s

duo Emma Howe and Teegan Comber.

The opening half of the contest between these two great rivals was a somewhat nervy affair as both sides took time to settle.

Dublin, with the aid of a strong breeze, took a slender two point lead into the half time dressing room despite Meath bagging the opening goal of the game when Nicole Smith was on target for the Royals in the 21st minute to reduce the deficit to 0-6 to 1-1 at the break.

The girls from the capital upped their game in

the second half playing with much more confidence and indeed conviction.

Indeed, the game as a contest was over after a couple of quickfire goals in the 37th and 39th minutes when corner forward Eimear Mangan netted twice for the Dubs, much to the delight of the large support in attendance.

Dublin grew in confidence as the game progressed despite the best efforts of the girls from the Royal County.

The contest was sealed for Dublin in the 56th minute when Ciara

O’Connor kicked a high ball into the danger area only to lob and deceive M e a t h ke e p e r A m y O’Leary.

Aoife O’Sullivan, Roisin Quigley, Eimear Mangan and Aoibhinn McCarthy shone brightly for Dublin while Alanna McNulty, Siofra Murphy and Nicole Smith gave wholehearted performances for the Royals.

Next Saturday Dublin will compete in the All Ireland Under-14 blitz in Portlaoise with Dublin looking to add another piece of silverware to their productive season.

Quiz and Social Night: The hurling sec-

Race Day – Saturday, July 8: After a

tion will a quiz on Saturday, May 20 at

very successful day last year, our club

9pm; €50 per team of four with music

are now taking bookings for tables at

after.

Race Day 2017 in Bellewstown. Our aim is

Shop: There is a new range of adult

to fill 40 tables, so please help us reach

training tops now available from the club

our goal.

shop on Saturday mornings from 10am

The money raised last year helped

to 12pm. Prices start at €32 and pictures

fund several projects including the

will be available during the week on Twit-

re-surfacing of the all-weather pitch.

ter.

This year our target is to raise €20,000

Lotto: Numbers were 12, 16, 18, 25 and

which will be used to deliver on critical

34. We had four winners, each receiving

club development projects including the

€525. The jackpot this week is €2,104.

ST FINIAN’S

North county stars shine in Meath rout

Hurling and Paul Flynn school of excellence – July 25-28 and August 1-4 for

meets in the club each Wednesday night welcome. Bain triail as.

Katie O’Sullivan kicks a point for Dublin against Meath. Picture: GAAPics.com

collins9@gmail.com.

on Friday evening in the club. It is avail-

IT WAS a successful weekend for the

half, the girls turned on the style and put

adult hurling teams. The AHL4 team who

in a great performance to run out 3-14

had a great win over St Oliver Plunkett’s

to 1-6 winners. Next up is an All-Ireland

in Ridgewood on Saturday evening with

semi-final.

Shane O’Brien, Domo Harris and Adam

A reminder that comedian Rory

O’Shaughnessy who scored great goals

O’Connor, the man behind Rory’s Sto-

with Jack Murray also in good scoring

ries, is coming to the Peacocks on Sat-

form.

urday, June 17. Tickets are €20 and are

The AHL9 team beat St Peregrine’s in

available from team mentors, the club

Blakestown on Sunday to top the group

office and are now available to purchase

with Jay Merriman, Conor White and

on the club website.

Eoin Murray dominant at the back and Adrian O’Keeffe in good scoring form.

Well done to the adult camogie team who beat Naomh Barrog in River Valley.

Congratulations to the Thomas Ashe minor team who won their Division 4 league game by beating Castleknock in St Margaret’s on Sunday.

The Family Funday will take place on Saturday, June 17 from 3pm until 6pm.

This year, the club will be hosting an Ice Cream Funday in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland so please support this worthy cause.

The summer Cul camp will take place from July 3 to 7. The second summer

There was a good turnout of club

camp will take place Tuesday, August 15

coaches for the football coaching work-

to Friday, August 18 and the third camp

shop on Friday, May 5. Credit as always

will take place on Tuesday, August 22 to

to GPO James Devlin on a very informa-

Friday, August 25. Online payments with

tive session.

price details will be available online soon.

The hurling workshop will take place

St Finian’s GAA club extends sincere

on Friday, May 12 from 7pm to 8.30pm on

sympathies to Ciara Buchanan from

the juvenile pitch in Rivervalley. Please

the adult LGFA and camogie teams on

wear comfortable clothing and bring a

the passing of her grandfather Brendan

pen and notebook. Contact James Devlin

Turley.

on 086 400 0324 to reserve a place.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.

Well done to Teagan Comber and

Fhionn’s afterschool and breakfast

Emma Howe from the U-15 LGFA team

club operates in the clubhouse activ-

who were part of the U-14 ladies Dublin

ity room daily on Monday to Friday. For

football team which won the Leinster

further details, please contact Karen at

championship on Saturday.

087 771 1856.

In an exciting, physical game, the Dubs

The club lotto jackpot on May 5 was

only led by two points at half time having

€2,200 and the numbers drawn were 6,

played with a strong wind. In the second

18, 22 and 23. There was no winner.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

ON THE MARCH: Rush Athletic continue their flight up LSL ladder with superb run to Major promotion P30

MAY 11 - 17, 2017

FIGHTING ON FIVE FRONTS: Pentathlon star Coyle eyes up world championship medal P29

Swords Thunder basketballer Isaac Westbrooks leads a coaching session in Bluebell Community Centre at the AIG Heroes event on Tuesday. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Isaac back in Irish side

Swords Thunder’s star man added to a brilliant season with a call-up to the national side as basketball looks to build further on its recent growth

 DAVE DONNELLY

sport@dublingazette.com

A GOOD year has turned into a great year for Isaac Westbrooks as he prepares to join up with the Ireland squad this summer.

Having guided Griffith Swords Thunder to second in the Men’s Super League and lifting the National Cup, he received the news he’d been recalled into the national team after a long absence.

“For me personally, it’s been a great year, and for the Swords Thunder Basketball Club,” he told GazetteSport at the AIG Heroes event in Bluebell Community College on Tuesday.

“Even going back to last year and the year

before, we’re a relatively young club but we’ve had a lot of success this year, especially with the National Cup final victory.

“We lost in it last year to Templeogue in a heartbreaking loss so to be able to get back there and win it this year was great. That was wonderful.

“Considering how young we are, to have the success we’ve had in the league, we finished second in the league again to Templeogue, was great.”

Westbrooks has played for Ireland all the way through from Under-15s to senior level, but hasn’t been involved with the men’s team for a number of years but is looking forward to his return.

“I haven’t been involved with the international scene for at least five or six years,” he continued

“I had a couple of stints with the men’s team under Jay Larranaga back in the day but the men’s team has only reintroduced itself and being a part of that is great.”

Westbrooks moved the US – the opposite journey to that made by his father, the legendary Jerome Westbrooks – straight out of school.

He had spells in Spain, Iceland and several years in England with the Leicester Riders before returning to Ireland with his boyhood club, Killester, in 2010.

His experience of other basketball cultures has given him a nuanced appreciation of the state of the game in Ireland, which he feels is on an upward growth curve.

“There’s definitely growth in the game. There

was a lull there for a while. There was a time when basketball was huge and every weekend you’d have packed arenas.

“That kind of fell off for a while but, this year, there are certain clubs that are really making a concerted effort.

“Tralee [Warriors] would be the example this year of just getting bodies into the gym to watch and spectate. There’s been a real push to get more people watching the game of basketball.

“Templeogue, Tralee, ourselves, even Killester are trying to push the game.

“Basketball Ireland, in terms of media outlets, live streams and the availability of watching the game, has improved drastically over the last year or two.”