Dublin Gazette: Fingal Edition

DublinGazette FEB 27 - MAR 4, 2020

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THE LATEST NEWS & SPORT FROM THE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL AREA

Housing

REEL-Y GOOD NEWS

SPORT

RUGBY: Skerries

boosted by big win and rise up to top spot in All-Ireland League Division 2C. SEE P30

A HOUSING charity has warned that an ongoing protest at a construction site in Mulhuddart could put the delivery of 65 social houses at risk.

Cluid has indicated that it may seek a court injunction against a 24-hour picket by a group calling itself ‘House the Irish First’ at a site on Ladyswell Road.

SEE PAGE 2

FRESH International Film Festival 2020 has announced that it will hold the Dublin heats of Ireland’s Young Filmmakers of the Year 2020 on Wednesday, March 4 at the Lighthouse Cinema in Market Square, Smithfield.

This year’s festival saw a record number of entries, with young filmmakers from all across Dublin set to showcase their creative talents in the city centre.

Picture: Dermot Culhane

polska gazeta READ ALL ABOUT AN INNOVATIVE SUMMIT IN WARSAW PAGE 22

Woman forced to sell up after horror ordeal Move spurred by home invasion

SYLVIA POWNALL

Find us on Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

A YOUNG model who was held at knifepoint by masked raiders at her Portmarnock home says she is moving out and selling up because she no longer feels safe.

Eve Ryan told last month how a gang of

six armed intruders ransacked her home on Thursday, January 9 and locked her in the bathroom for 20 hours.

Earlier this week, she revealed that her granny – who has dementia and was in the house at the time – is now in hospital and she can no longer care for her.

Eve, 24, said: “I’m never going to be the same again. I’m always looking over my shoulder. We’re going to move house; we’re selling up.

“We’ve been there for 18 years. It’s a lovely house in a lovely area, but there are too many bad memories now. I’m afraid to walk up the stairs.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Missing dog home after her two-month walkies

A FAMILY in Blanchardstown is overjoyed after being reunited with their beloved dog who went missing almost two months ago.

Margaret McMahon and her sons Ryan and James were left heartbroken when their collie-cross, Bella, bolted on New Year’s Eve after being startled by fireworks.

Thankfully, there was a happy ending for everyone and their beloved pooch Bella after an extensive social media campaign finally tracked down the street-smart dog.

SEE PAGE 3

2 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

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D15 school all set Christmas comes (very) early for charities to debate EU issues THE spirit of Christmas popped up briefly at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre recently, with visits to Santa’s Grotto at the bustling retail hob helping to raise €40,000 for four charities.

Pictured at a cheque presentation for the funds, to be divided equally,

are Niamh Garrahan, marketing manager, Blanchardstown Centre; Gerry Cully, CMRF Hospital liaison manager; Ailbhe White, corporate partnerships executive, Temple Street Foundation; Stephen Cairns, development director, Multi Ireland; Joe Gavin,

general manager, Blanchardstown Centre; Elizabeth Smyth, community fundraising manager, Focus Ireland and Fr Dan Joe O’Mahony, OFM Cap Parish Chaplain, Capuchin Day Centre for the Homeless.

Picture: 1IMAGE/Bryan Brophy

‘Protests could put social houses at risk’  SYLVIA POWNALL

spownall@dublingazette.com

A HOUSING charity has warned that an ongoing protest at a construction site in Mulhuddart could put the delivery of 65 social houses at risk.

Cluid has indicated that it may seek a court injunction against a 24-hour

picket by a group calling itself ‘House the Irish First’ at a site on Ladyswell Road.

The housing association is working in partnership with Fingal County Council (FCC) to build homes for families, single people and older people on the local authority’s housing list.

But protesters have picketed the entrance for more than a month, and no work has been carried out on site as a result, with

the project due for delivery in August.

A Cluid spokesman told Dublin Gazette: “We are deeply concerned that these homes may now never be delivered, and the delay will have knock-on effects on other social housing building programmes around the country.

“The protest is causing costs to skyrocket and this cannot continue indefinitely. Cluid is ready to deliver this project as

soon as possible, but if this protest continues, we may have to abandon our plans to provide a home to these 65 households on the housing waiting list.”

The units are set to be allocated by FCC, which has close to 14,000 people on its housing waiting list, with 6,959 who indicate a preference for D15.

Protestors claim half of the homes should be given to locals on the housing list before anyone outside the area gets one.

A spokesperson for the council said it had “longestablished policies which are the fairest way possible of allocating housing to those on the housing list”.

The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), of which Cluid is a member, issued a statement on Wednesday describing the picket as “unhelpful”.

ICSH called for an end to the action, adding: “The current protest is creating unacceptable obstacles and delay in delivering new social rented homes for low-income families by a very well-regarded housing association, working hard to address the undersupply of good quality, affordable social housing in the area.”

HARTSTOWN Community School in Dublin 15 will be among nine Dublin schools participating in the model council of the European Union on Thursday, February 27.

The annual debating competition is organised by the European Commission Representation in Ireland in Dublin Castle, and Hartstown students will represent Estonia at the debate.

This year the students will be discussing how the EU can help to address climate change.

The winning school will be announced on the day and the students will get to meet the Estonian Ambassador to Ireland.

The event will provide young people with an opportunity to engage deeply with the defining political issue of our era from a variety of different national perspectives.

In addition to discussing the social and economic implications of increased emissions reduction targets, participants will debate the support mechanisms required to ensure that the Green transition is managed in a just and equitable fashion.

Man saved All welcome after 40ft fall at 5K walk in Clonsilla for hospice A MAN is recovering in hospital after falling down a 40ft embankment beside the railway line in Clonsilla late on Wednesday night, February 19.

The man, aged in his 30s, rang 999 but could not give his exact location. He was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown with non-life threatening injuries following a rescue operation that took two hours.

Dublin Fire Brigade crews used technology to triangulate his position from his phone signal, using the signal from a firefighter’s phone in conjunction with the injured man’s phone to establish coordinates for his exact location.

They used thermal imaging cameras to scan the bottom of the embankment in the dark, and the victim was hoisted by rope to a floating platform, which was then used to transport him across the Grand Canal to a waiting ambulance.

RTE’S Kathryn Thomas, director of nursing Sr Margaret Cashman, and St Francis Hospice chief executive Fintan Fagan last week launched this year’s 5K Spring Memorial Walk in aid of the hospice, which is based in Blanchardstown and Raheny.

This year’s walk takes place in St Anne’s Park, Raheny, on Sunday, March 8 at 1pm, followed by refreshments and fun activities for all.

The walk will be led by Kathryn along with staff and volunteers of St Francis Hospice.

Join the fun with friends and family for this gentle 5K walk as staff and supporters gather to remember all those the hospice has cared for and raise much needed funds for its services.

The entry fee is €20 per adult; children go free. Register online at www.sfh.ie, or contact the hospice at 01 832 7535.

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 3

MULHUDDART: MAJOR SEARCH REUNITES FAMILY WITH POOCH AFTER TWO-MONTH WALKIES

Bella-utiful end to family’s hunt for missing dog SYLVIA POWNALL

A BLANCHARDSTOWN family is overjoyed after being reunited with their beloved dog who went mi s s i n g alm os t two months ago.

Margaret McMahon and her sons Ryan and James were left heartbroken when their collie-cross, Bella, bolted on New Year’s Eve after being startled by fireworks.

The Mulhuddart family mounted a largescale search operation after Bella was spotted in St Margaret’s, on Keelings Farm, and as far away as

Sallins, Co Kildare.

A social media campaign was launched with the Bring Bella Home Facebook page attracting countless followers and volunteers to help track her down.

Local dog groomer Louise Connolly, who coordinated the effort, said it took weeks of tracking Bella’s movements before they could finally bring her home.

She revealed how a farmer who spotted the dog in Kildare saw her bolt towards the train tracks and feared the worst but “Bella, the amazing dog

she is, didn’t die”.

Louise added: “She was clever, staying off road and in fields. The animal instinct amazes me. With the amount of land out there, we were searching for a needle in a haystack.

“She turned up in Blanchardstown on around February 10. Once we knew she was back in Blanchardstown we had to act fast.

“There were so many sightings during the day but when we searched ... nothing. She was laying low in the evening and we needed to know where.

“Eventually we knew

her route – Ongar in the day, Whitestown at night.”

Using night vision cameras, a rescue possie of six finally rescued a severely underweight Bella, who was lured back to safety with a bowl of dog food.

Delighted owner Margaret said: “Thanks so much to everyone involved. It was a long process to get her back but she’s home safe and snoozing like she hasn’t slept in weeks.

“Everyone was so kind in helping out, and a major thank you to Louise who organised everything from start to finish.”

Ryan and James reunited with their beloved Bella [inset] after almost two months apart.

Pictures: Facebook/Bring Bella Home

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

COMMUNITY: TIDY TOWNS SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS WIDESPREAD ANNOYANCE

Rush residents call foul over dog mess blighting the area SYLVIA POWNALL

THREE out of four residents of Rush see uncollected dog waste as a “significant problem”, according to an online survey.

The seaside village is calling ‘foul’ on owners who don’t pick up after their pets after a study by the local Tidy Towns group exposed the scale of the problem.

With a population of just over 10,000 p e o p l e, some 519 Rush resi dents took the time to answer the 10 questions posted online and gave dog poop a resounding thumbs down.

The findings showed that 74% see uncollected dog waste as a significant problem, with a further 18% describing it as a “frequent” problem.

A shocking 86% say they spot dog waste left on footpaths, green areas and the beach on a daily basis, with another 13% encountering the problem weekly.

“

Public footpaths (93%) pose the biggest problem, followed by residential roads, green areas, the beach and sports grounds.

The vast majority of those surveyed believe owners fail to pick up after their pet, or discard full poo bags, due to laziness, or a lack of consideration, lack of enforcement and a shortage of poo bins.

Eve Ryan

I’m never going to be the same again: Eve CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The walk to school has turned into a slalom walk [as we try to avoid dog mess]

Tidy Towns member Siobhan O’Reilly, who organised the survey, said: “This was one of the top two issues raised at our AGM. It’s not limited to Rush, but we decided to have a look at what we could do about it.”

One wheelchair user who completed the survey described the issue of dog fouling as “a significant hygiene issue”, adding: “I have to touch the wheel of my manual chair.

CRIME

Despite signs and warnings, uncollected dog waste is a growing issue in Rush

“If I’m in my power chair, I’m bringing [dog waste] into my home, and am unable to clean chairs or floors myself. I’m sure prams and kids’ bikes have the same problem.”

A mother-of-three said:

“Since the New Year, the poo on the paths is insane. The walk to school has turned into a slalom walk.

“I have a baby in a pram, a toddler on my hand and while trying

to avoid the poo on the right, the buggie drives through poo on the left.

It’s disgusting.”

Dog poop can carry infectious roundworm p a r a s i te s, w h i c h i n extreme cases can cause

blindness in children.

The survey results will now be forwarded to Fingal County Council and the committee hopes it will help to highlight the issue and spread public awareness.

FASTNews

Fingal students presented Table quiz with scholarship awards fun at the Grand Hotel TWO Fingal students were among those presented with Memorial Scholarship awards at a special event in The Helix at DCU on Monday, February 17.

David Duggan from Rush, a former student of St Joseph’s Secondary School, and currently a first year student in Communications Studies at DCU, was presented with the Nicola Radford Memorial Scholarship.

Kim Flood Roustan (inset) from Swords, a former student of Portmarnock Community School and a current second year Marketing, Innovation and Technology student, was awarded the Volkswagen Group Ireland – Stephen Moran Memorial Scholarship.

The 21 scholarship recipients were selected based on their talent and dedication but also according to specific criteria set by scholarship donors.

MALAHIDE Lions Club is holding a Table Quiz on Thursday, March 5 in the Grand Hotel at 8pm.

Proceeds are for Malahide Alzheimer Care, with a table of four costing €50.

It promises to be an evening of fun and entertainment, hosted by Al Foran, with great prizes.

Your support will be most welcome, with a great night guaranteed for all, and all in the name of a good cause.

She continued: “And obviously me looking after my granny – she’s in hospital – it’s not doable for me, so we’re selling up and we’re going to move.

“I just think you have to feel safe where you live.”

Investigating gardai have made a number of arrests in connection with the aggravated burglary, but no charges have yet been brought.

The gang managed to break into the detached house on Strand Road despite a state-of-the-art CCTV system, high perimeter gates, and three dogs.

Recalling her ordeal, Eve said: “I went to the toilet in the en suite and I heard noises. I knew my granny couldn’t make her way upstairs that quickly.

“Next of all, I see a man, six foot, with a screwdriver in his hand and a balaclava. He dragged me out into the hall. That is when I saw the other men; I was terrified.

“They threw bleach at me, kept screaming at me, asking me where the money and jewellery were, where the safe was.”

Eve, who was a finalist in Miss Ireland 2015, was eventually freed when her aunt called to check on the house and her neighbour kicked the toilet door down.

She said: “My friends have really supported me. But I don’t think I’ll ever be the same happygo-lucky girl again. I’ll always be conscious that I was terrorised in my own home.”

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 5

PEOPLE: MAN AND FAMILY LIVING NEAR MILAN TRY TO STAY WELL

Baldoyle dad goes into self quarantine as virus lurks SYLVIA POWNALL

A BALDOYLE man living near Milan has put himself and his family into quarantine as the number of deaths from coronavirus in Italy continues to rise.

Vincent Healy, who has been living in the Lombardy region for a decade, says he plans to stay on lockdown with his wife, Paola, and their two young children for 14 days.

As of Tuesday, 260 people in Italy had been diagnosed with the virus and seven have died.

Now, 11 towns in the northern Italian province have been placed in a red zone, meaning residents are now confined to their homes.

Vincent’s village, which is about half an hour’s commute from Milan, is in a yellow zone, meaning it is “not particularly safe”.

He said: “We’re staying home and we’re doing what is sensible. Schools, universities, museums are all closed. There is nowhere to go, so you might as well stay home.”

Vincent said he and his family will stay home for 14 days and have not left the house since the weekend when they stockpiled supplies from the local supermarket.

He revealed: “We were doing a shop on Saturday morning, just like everybody does, and we just thought, ‘You know what, this could get much worse’.

“So we just bought lots of extra pasta and extra rice and a load of tinned goods that won’t go off.

There’s not much to do, so we might as well stay at home and sit it out.”

The dad-of-two said he was lucky enough to be able to work from home

FASTNews

Works has begun on a new train station’s construction WORK commenced this week on the construction of a new train station in Dublin.

The chief executive of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham, and the chief executive of Iarnrod Eireann, Jim Meade, were at Pelletstown Station on Wednesday, February 26, to mark the event.

Pelletstown is situated between Ashtown and Broombridge stations and will serve the existing community of Ashington, as well as the new community at Royal Canal Park, with a journey time of just 12 mins to the city centre.

This is the first new station to open on the Iarnrod Eireann network since Oranmore in 2013, and will be the 145th station in total. It is served by Dublin Bus’s No 122 route.

Fingal gets ready for another great Seachtain na Gaeilge

Vincent Healy is staying in lockdown with his wife and children near Milan, choosing to self quarantine themselves in a bid to stay well as the coronavirus spreads

once he has the internet, but he was aware of a small number of colleagues commuting to the office in Milan.

Vincent also revealed that he had not bought a face mask and was unlikely to be able to source one

SF name Aaron to succeed Paul SINN FEIN has done on nominated Fingal County 21-yearCouncil over old Aaron the years.

O’Rourke as “I will work a replacehard to reprement for Paul sent the peoDonnelly at a ple of Ongar, specially conLittlepace, vened meeting Clonsilla, Hartof Fingal Counstown and ty Council on Huntstown Paul Donnelly congratulates Aaron O’Rourke on Tuesday. and I will be The vacancy being chosen by Sinn Fein to succeed him their voice on arose after the council.”

Donnelly topped the poll in Dublin West At the same meeting, mother-of-three in the general election.

Pamela Conroy was co-opted to take over The 21-year-old student, who lives in Roderic O’Gorman’s seat in the CastleBeechfield between Littlepace and Ongar, knock Ward. is in his final year at DCU to become a priShe said that as a mum to a child with mary school teacher. extra needs, she would fight for better Speaking at the selection convention, housing, healthcare, childcare and the he said: “I know I have big shoes to fill but provision of school places. as Mary Lou McDonald said after becomMeanwhile, it has emerged that former ing Uachtaran of the party two years ago, Mayor of Fingal, Joe Corr – who held a I’ve brought my own shoes. seat as an independent county council“I want to continue the great work Paul lor – has been nominated to the Seanad.

now, as he’d heard stories of panic-buying of medical supplies and groceries.

He said the government was doing a good job locking things down, and he hadn’t seen anyone from his village in several days.

He added: “The only

way to spread it is contact, so the more we avoid people the better.

“I’ve no doubt cabin fever will be setting in soon, but we’re lucky enough to have a garden so the kids are out there playing away.”

SEACHTAIN na Gaeilge, which runs from March 1-17, will be celebrated in style in Fingal as the council launches an exciting and varied programmed of events.

On Tuesday, March 10 at the Atrium County Hall Swords, there will be Ceol, Craic and Gaeilge with musicians Paudie O’Connor, Aoife Ni Chaoimh and Caoimhoin O Fearghail, and musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Dublin.

There will also be musicians from Dublin Comhaltas as they look forward to wel-

coming the Leinster Fleadh to Swords in July. Everyone is welcome and there will be light refreshments served.

The stunning chapel in Swords Castle will be the setting for a Lon le Gaeilge on Tuesday, March 3 from 1pm, and there will be a guided walk in Ardgillan Demesne on Thursday, March 12 at 11am.

The full Seachtain na Gaeilge i bhFine Gall programme, which includes a range of events across local libraries, is available on the council’s website at www.

Fingal.ie.

6 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

JP Scally, Lidl Ireland managing directot, with store manager Max Nozhenko Jenny O’Farrell

The new store’s very first customer, Heitor Franca

Zara Sullivan, Anna Cullen and Niamh Doyle

Rachel Murphy and Sam Whelan

Hannah Pitman, Ken Cusack and Abbie Fitzgerald

Max Nozhenko, All Ireland winner and All Star nominee Eabha Rutledge, and Adrian McAdam. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon

LIDL OPENS STORE IN DRUMCONDRA

L

IDL Ireland celebrated the opening of its brand-new store in Drumcondra on Thursday, February 20 – the first new Lidl Ireland store of the decade. All Ireland winner and All Star nominee, Eabha Ruthledge, of the Dublin ladies football squad, did the honours of officially opening the

Aileen Ennis and Patricia Townsend from CARI recive a donation of €1,000 from Lidl store manager Max Nozhenko

store. The opening of the Lidl Drumcondra store brings 24 new jobs to the locality. The store is fully equipped with a large canteen and welfare area as well as shower facilities, providing staff with all they need for a pleasant work environment.

Lidl Drumcondra’s store staff

Mia Whelan

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 7

BLANCHARDSTOWN: ENCOURAGING VARIED AND SUSTAINABLE TYPES OF TRANSPORT

Council first in Ireland to launch new mobility hub SYLVIA POWNALL

FINGAL’S first mobility hub in support of sustainable travel has been launched in Blanchardstown.

The council has become the first local authority in Ireland to provide the facility and chose Blanchardstown Main Street as its first location.

The hub comprises five parking bays with specific colour-coordinated functions, including age-friendly, disabled, electric vehicle charging, bike rack (bike share and public), and car sharing.

The aim is to encourage varied and sustainable types of transport in areas that are close to existing public transport links with a high concen-

“

of citizens, including the aged and those with accessibility issues, to travel in a greater variety of ways, and advances Fingal’s climate action

This is a worthy initiative that shows Fingal’s commitment to helping our people and environment to thrive

tration of employment, housing, shopping, amenities and recreation.

A counc il spokesperson explained: “This allows a greater number

goals in the process.”

Mobility hubs will be rolled out on a phased basis across Fingal towns and villages in coming months, according to the

FCC claims four honours at the annual LAMA Awards

FINGAL County Council had cause for celebration after winning four gongs at the annual All Ireland Community and Council (LAMA) Awards in Croke Park.

The local authority was nominated for 10 initiatives in eight categories and came away tops in the best communitybased initiative category for its ‘Community Car’ age-friendly sustainable transport service, which launched in Skerries recently.

The conservation and restoration of the Casino building in Malahide won silver in the Best Heritage Project category, while Donabate-Portrane Community Centre claimed silver in the Best Business

Working with the Community category.

Tyrrelstown Park in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 won bronze in the Best Public Park category.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Eoghan O’Brien – who accepted the awards on the night – paid tribute to council staff, volunteers and businesses for their work on the ground.

He said: “These awards recognise the hard work that is done in communities by the council and businesses across the year.

“They are a credit to everyone and shows how we are a council that leads the way in looking for new and better ways to deliver for our residents.”

The conservation and restoration of the Casino building in Malahide won silver in the Best Heritage Project category. Picture: Paul Sherwood

local authority.

Mayor Eoghan O’Brien said: “This is a worthy initiative that shows Fingal’s commitment to helping our people and environment to thrive.

“I look forward to seeing the success of the model in Blanchardstown and beyond.”

The council’s director of operations, David Storey, described the hub as “an innovative piece of infrastructure that supports different modes of transport”.

Fingal has been consistently to the fore in pioneering sustainable models and is the lead contracting authority for all four Dublin councils

The hub comprises five parking bays with specific colour-coordinated functions including age-friendly, disabled, electric vehicle charging, bike rack (bike share and public), and car sharing. Picture: SON Photographic Ltd

in planning new electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the city.

Consultants are to be hired to help inform city transport planners of the number, type and optimal location of chargers for a new network to support EV uptake.

Provision of charging infrastructure is expected to focus on on-street park-

ing, with public car parks, offices and depots owned by the local authorities, and locations owned by charities or community groups to be prioritised.

Multi-storey car parks used by council staff and visitors would also be prioritised, according to tender documents.

In a tender document, Fingal County Council

said that “while there is a basic EV charging infrastructure in place across the Dublin region and Ireland, there is a need to develop and expand the EV charging infrastructure network to further drive the uptake of EV use and make it easier for current and new EV users to reliably charge their vehicles”.

8 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

POLITICS: WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST SITTING OF THE 33RD DAIL

FASTNews

Celebrate a range of outstanding women MOTHERLAND, The Songs of 20th Century Women, performed by Edel Murphy (Celtic Woman, Riverdance) will take place this May in Dublin.

Featuring “evocative” projected images alongside spoken word, Edel Murphy (above) performs iconic songs of struggle and celebration from such songwriters as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Kate Bush, Nanci Griffith, Richard Thompson, Dolly Parton, and The Beatles.

Under the musical direction of her long-time collaborator, Ewan Cowley, and following extensive tours with Grammy Award-winning shows, Celtic Woman, and Riverdance, Edel and her live band will sonically travel through the Dustbowl of the Great Depression, the homes of 1950s urban desperation, down the protesting streets of the 1960s, and into the confusion of the 21st Century.

You can catch the performance on Friday, May 8 in The Civic Theatre, Tallaght, and on Friday, May 29 in Bewleys Cafe Theatre.

See www.motherlandsongs.com for more tour dates.

The gathering saw an upbeat mood at Leinster House for the first sitting of the 33rd Dail. Pictures: Maxwell Photography

It’s Dail smiles for the post-election gathering THIS past Thursday, 48 newly elected TDs arrived at Leinster House as the 33rd Dail convened for the first time.

Overall, Sinn Fein has the largest number of new representatives, with 17 TDs, while the Green Party added nine TDs to its ranks.

Fianna Fail returned eight new seats, Fine Gael five, and the Social Democrats four, with Labour only adding one new TD. Four new Independents also won Dail seats.

Sinn Fein’s nationwide ascendance was not echoed in Dublin, however, with Paul Donnelly the

only new TD for the party in the county, winning a seat in Dublin West.

On the contrary, five of the Green Party’s nine new seats came from Dublin, with Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central), Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West), Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central), Ossian Smyth (Dun Laoghaire)

and Roderic O’Gorman (Dublin West) all winning seats.

Meeting at noon, the 33rd Dail began with the clerk calling out the names of all TDs returned from each constituency, before reading out the names of the nominees for Ceann Comhairle.

Only two representatives – Fianna Fail’s Sean

O Fearghail, and Independent TD Denis Naughten – ran for the position, with Deputy O Fearghail winning the secret ballot, retaining the position he originally won in 2016.

Immediately after the Ceann Comhairle was elected, the nominations for the position of Taoiseach were called out.

Fine Gael, as the sitting government, was the first party to nominate a leader, with incumbent Taoiseach Leo Varadkar failing to be re-elected.

D e p u t y Va r a d k a r rece ived 36 votes in favour, but 107 against, with 16 abstentions.

The Dail also voted against Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin’s bid to become Taoiseach, as 41 voted in favour, 97 against, and 19 abstained.

Sinn Fein’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, received the most votes out of all the candidates, receiving 45 votes in favour, 84 against and 29 abstentions.

However, with no Taoiseach being elected, the Ceann Comhairle suspended the house until Thursday, March 5.

Deputy Varadkar will continue in the role of Taoiseach in a caretaker capacity.

Choirs give Boxers to €15,000 to do their bit help Simon for Nepalese SOLAS Workplace Choir and the Mountjoy Prison Inhouse Voices Choir, who collaborated to produce last year’s Christmas single, Jingle Jangle, and album, presented a cheque worth €15,000 to the Dublin Simon Community recently.

Andrew Brownlee, chief executive of SOLAS, said: “It is fantastic that the Jingle Jangle collaboration between the SOLAS Workplace Choir and The Mountjoy Prison Inhouse Voices Choir raised such a significant sum of money for the Simon Community.

“SOLAS works closely with the Irish prison system, by funding prison education services through the Education and Training Boards across Ireland.

“I would like to thank all the members of the public who bought the Jingle Jangle album. The money raised will help the Dublin Simon with the important work they do.”

THE Umbrella Foundation’s Brawl for Nepal 2020 takes place on Saturday, March 14 in aid of raising funds to support young people at risk of trafficking in Nepal.

Aiming to raise €25,000, the event will take place at The Well pub in the city centre, with 21 amateur boxers competing to see who is king or queen of the ring after eight weeks of training.

Each fighter has been busy collecting donations, with further funds set to come from event sponsorship and ticket sales.

The Umbrella Foundation is a non-profit NGO charity founded and registered in Ireland and dedicated to alleviating the impact of trafficking, poverty and war on children and their families in Nepal.

Its primary work is in rescuing trafficked children and reconnecting them with their families and communities.

To learn more, see www.brawlfornepal2020. eventbrite.com.

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 9

COMMUNITY: MASTER PLAN REVEALED LAST OCTOBER STILL CORE TO PROJECT’S DEVELOPMENT

Lusk Village Quarter developers reiterate commitment THE developers behind Lusk Village Quarter have reiterated their commitment to delivering the master plan for the area, as presented last October.

In an update since the project was unveiled in October 2019, McGarrell Reilly told Dublin Gazette that the scheme of houses and amenities was on target.

Locals had expressed concern after the first planning application, of four lodged, was granted permission with what seemed like a paring back of the retail element.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are committed to delivering the overall master plan for Lusk, as presented in October.

“This master plan provides for a total of 16 commercial units including a new Lidl supermarket, a pub and restaurant, two cafes, a creche and 10 shops.

Commencement “Lidl will take approximately 40 weeks from commencement to open its store and McGarrell Reilly will commence on the other

commercial elements in mid-2020, subject to planning.

“A number of three-storey town houses have been designed to allow six units in the ground floor to be converted to retail at a later point, should there be additional demand.

“The development also provides a new village square, green spaces and playground.

“Works have also commenced on a new park to serve the local community including recreation space, a playground, biodiversity areas and a playing field.”

Bouled over with delight as new courts are launched

FASTNews New licence for Near FM NEAR FM community radio has signed a new ten-year licence with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

This is Near FM’s third tenyear term as a licensed Irish broadcaster and means that communities in north east Dublin will continue to have a local community radio to serve them.

Near FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, with production and broadcasting services undertaken by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers.

Near FM’s Sabrina Ryan said: “It’s a great honour for us to continue to provide this service for all of our broadcasters, listeners and the communities we serve.”

Near FM broadcasts on 90.3 FM in north east Dublin; see www.nearfm.ie.

Comedy back to D’Parish LIGHTNING comedy returns to D’Parish with award-winning playwright David Gilna hosting at The Chalk Venue for another night of laughter, all in aid of Aware.

The popular Swords event has moved from the Lord Mayor’s pub to a new venue, with international Comedian Damian Clarke headlining the show.

The last gig was a sell-out show at Swords Castle for the Swords Summer Festival, so book your tickets now.

Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. Tickets for this “night of comedy and mental health awareness”, priced €10, are available at Eventbrite or on the door.

The spokesperson added: “We want to realise our vision for this mixed-use development where residents in Lusk Village Quarter, and from Lusk as a whole, can avail of much needed retail amenities, social and recreational spaces.

“We understand that the project details are complex, and so we are committed to providing ongoing information to the local community.”

For the latest updates on Lusk Village Quarter, see luskvillagequarter.ie.

THE Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Eoghan O’Brien, opened Alden Park boules/petanque courts in Sutton last week, much to the delight of keen boules players from the locality.

The courts were installed by Fingal County Council after local resident Tom Donnellan suggested it would make a great addition to the park.

The facility is free to use and will be run on a turn up and play basis.

Pictured trying out the courts are Barbara Fitzpatrick, Eileen Donnellan, Cllr Eoghan O’Brien, Kathryn O’Donogoe and Agnes Graham. See also Page 10.

Picture: Shane O’Neill, SON Photographic Ltd

Major traffic plan put in place near airport SYLVIA POWNALL

A MAJOR traffic plan for a busy route near Dublin Airport comes into operation from this week as works to lay a new jet fuel pipe continue.

The second phase of construction on the pipeline at Stockhole Lane/Clonshaugh Road got under way on Monday, with a traffic plan in place for the next three months.

The €20m project is designed to provide a “sustainable” means of aviation fuel supply to Dublin Airport, replacing tanker deliveries with a 14.4km steel pipe tunnelled from Dublin Port to the airport.

The pipeline will remove more than 30,000 fuel tanker trips each year from public roads, with significant environmental benefits including a reduction in traffic volumes, emissions, accidents, road damage and noise.

The pipe will dissect a busy residential belt of north Dublin including East Wall, Fairview, Marino, Clontarf, Artane, Coolock, Darndale, Clarehall and Burnell.

Fingal County Council (FCC) confirmed that a stop-go traffic system will operate until this Friday, February 28 from 10am to 4pm at Stockhole

A map of the traffic plan

Lane, between the Clayton Hotel and Baskin Lane.

From next Monday, March 2, the southbound lane will be closed between the Clayton Hotel and Baskin Lane to allow traffic to travel north.

Southbound traffic will be diverted via Baskin Lane, the R107 (Malahide Road) and the R139.

A council spokesperson said: “The diversion route will be signposted and the lane closure will be monitored closely by FCC’s traffic section and managed on an ongoing basis.

“Works are expected to last 10 to 12 weeks, subject to favourable conditions.

“Local access to homes and businesses will be maintained at all times.”

Permitted working hours for the pipe-laying project are from 7am to 8.30pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 6pm on Saturdays.

A reduced traffic management layout with associated traffic lights and tower lights will remain in place outside of the working hours.

Contractors GMC Utilities Ltd have undertaken an extensive liaison process with all residents and businesses affected by the works and say they will continue to do so.

10 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

HothouseL Flowers rock the house

EGENDARY band members from the Hothouse Flowers, Liam O’Maonlai and Peter O’Toole, rocked the house at the Dunboyne College of Further Education (DCFE) Graduate Association night in Dunboyne Castle Hotel last week. The audience was treated to an intimate, soulful night with the members from the Hothouse Flowers showing why their careers have enjoyed such longevity.

The Hothouse Flowers musicians were a big hit on the night, adding to the upbeat fun

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

The Fingallian’s GAA Valentine’s Ball was the perfect place to get all dressed up and enjoy good food and prosecco with friends

Fingallians enjoy Valentine’s Ball F

INGALLIANS GAA Valentine’s Ball in the Carlton Hotel last week gave everyone a great excuse to get dressed up and have fun.

Love was definitely in the air at what was one of the club’s highlight events of the year. Guests enjoyed prosecco on arrival, dinner, a raffle and then a band followed by DJ until late.

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

FOSTERING ‘I cannot describe the joy that fostering has given our family’ MANY people may ask themselves, ‘Why foster?’, and wonder how fostering might affect them and their families.

One mum, Michelle, talks of her experiences with Orchard Fostering, and what fostering has meant to her and her children.

“I am a foster parent to two sisters, who are aged nine and four.

“My foster children joined our family of mum, dad and three birth children – the oldest of whom is 13 – two years ago.

“The nine-year-old had had a difficult relationship with her birth mother, and initially resisted a different type of parenting, but has now really blossomed and is enjoying being part of a family.

“The four-year-old had a lot of developmental problems when she came to us, but she has reached and exceeded all of her milestones over the past two years.

“I cannot describe the joy it has given our entire family to see the girls so happy and having the same experiences as my own birth children.

“We have recently learnt that the girls will be with us on a long-term basis until they are 18, and we are delighted, as they are part of our family and we think of them as our own children.

“I would encourage anyone who has

Fostering can enrich your family’s life just as much as that of the children you’ll be caring for, and will be making a huge, positive difference to

ever thought about fostering, or who is interested in helping a child who has not had a positive start to life, to pick up the phone and contact Orchard Fostering to see if it’s for them.

“We have had tremendous support from Orchard Fostering throughout our training, and helping us with the girls – they are literally available 24/7 to their foster carers.”

For further information, or if you are interested in fostering, contact Orchard Fostering at 01 627 5713, email info@ orchardfostering.ie, or alternatively see www.OrchardFostering.ie.

So much to gain THIS WEEK saw the launch of Fostering Fortnight, the Irish Foster Care Association’s annual campaign to raise awareness and understanding of foster care in Ireland.

Taking place from March 2 to 15, Fostering Fortnight highlights the valuable contributions made in fostering families daily.

It’s a chance for those involved in fostering, and the communities that support them, to tell their stories.

The Irish Foster Care Association recently conducted their 2020 Members Survey, to discover the benefits of foster care.

They discovered that 53% of respondents said they continue to foster because they want to make a difference to the lives of children in care.

Some 33% want to offer a child or young person in need the opportunity to be part of their family, with a huge 72% recommending

fostering to others.

More than 32% of respondents said that safety and security were two of the main benefits care to children and young people in care, while 20% said connection with a responsible adult with their best interests at heart, with 19% saying that consistency in their day-to-day lives were huge benefits.

Changes When asked about the changes they see in their foster child after time in foster care, 33% said they see better communication, 25% said the child was more settled in school, and 23% said they saw improved social skills.

There were 5,971 children in care at the end of November 2019, with 92% (5,469) in foster care, 3,924 (66%) in general foster care, and 1,545 (26%) of children in relative foster care.

Some 92% of children

in general foster care had an allocated social worker, and 88% of children in relative foster care had an allocated social worker.

Foster care is a huge part of the alternative care system in Ireland, with Fostering Fortnight providing an opportunity to celebrate foster care in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, Bernard Gloster, chief executive of Tusla, said: “The Irish Foster Care Association’s Fostering Fortnight in March is a great platform through which we can celebrate the remarkable contribution that foster carers make to the lives of so many children.

“There are many misconceptions around foster care; for example, that foster carers are certain types of people.

“But the truth is that it only takes one person to change a child’s life, and that each child is different, with their own needs.

“You don’t have to be

perfect to be a perfect foster carer for a child – indeed, what is perfect for one child is not per-

Origins: Steadily working together to help make children’s lives better ORIGINS Foster Care is an independent fostering agency, owned and managed by qualified social workers with a combined 50 years’ experience.

Their ethos is “working together to make children’s lives better”, believing that providing nurturing foster homes for children can only be achieved when all parties involved in the fostering process work together as a team.

Trust, transparency and strong relationships are vital, with Origins working to ensure that the child and foster family are central to all decisions.

Children and young people who find themselves within the foster care system have generally come from very complex family backgrounds.

Many children in care have been exposed to substance abuse, physical, emotional or sexual abuse or chronic neglect.

Regardless of the reason why a child comes into care, the com-

Support is key for foster carers to help make sense of a child’s background

mon pattern for all children will be a sense of loss, feeling vulnerable, sadness, anger or instability, and generally a fear of the new environments they find themselves within.

Origins offer support to foster carers and helps them to make sense of the more complicated backgrounds that some children arrive with, through an attachment and developmental traumainformed lens.

Origins know that being a foster carer is undoubtedly a challenging role, but also asks what better achievement in life could someone have than knowing that they have been a major part in the story of a child that leads them to become a fulfilled and happy adult?

For further information, you can contact Origins Foster Care by calling or texting 087 052 9749, or see www.originsfostercare.ie.

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13

HELPING CHILDREN THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME

from foster care “

fect for another.

“This is why foster carers from all walks of life are needed, with different skills and interests.”

Catherine Bond, chief executive, Irish Foster Care Association, said: “Fostering Fortnight has become such an important two weeks in the calendar for

foster care in Ireland.

“It creates an awareness around the valuable contributions being made every day by families, social workers and the wider fostering community.”

Advocacy The Irish Foster Care

Association (IFCA) has launched a new advocacy service (funded by Tusla and Pobal) in response to some of the complex and often difficult issues that foster carers experience in their fostering role.

IFCA’s advocates support foster carers with communication, corre-

Fostering Fortnight has become such an important two weeks in the calendar for foster care in Ireland, creating an awareness around the contributions being made by the fostering community spondence and meetings with Tusla and others where issues can be teased out, foster carers’ voices can be heard, and solutions identified.

Their advocacy team works with foster carers to ensure they feel acknowledged, understood and supported, with four advocates working across the country, supporting our foster carers and working closely with Tusla and other stakeholders.

Speaking about the new service, Catherine Bond said: “We are delighted to launch our new advocacy service.

“This service is available to our members who need support in their fostering role when things get tough.

“We now have four advocates on the road supporting foster carers across Ireland, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and a much-needed service for foster carers.”

Keep up to date on all the activities taking place across Ireland during Fostering Fortnight, on Facebook and Twitter by searching for ‘Irish Foster Care Association’.

FOSTERING

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN APPLY TO FOSTER IF… You would like to work as part of a team to support a vulnerable child Many of our Irish Foster Care Association’s (IFCA) members report that they can see the difference fostering makes to a young person’s life.

Good communication and teamwork have a huge part to play in bringing a positive difference to the lives of children and young people in care.

You and your family are open to expanding your family to include a child in care Many of our foster carers at IFCA report that fostering has had a positive impact on their overall family life. Fostering is a team effort and involves the whole family.

You are single You don’t have to be married or in a relationship to foster. There are many excellent foster carers who are single.

The most important thing is that you should be able to demonstrate a strong network of support for you and the child in your care.

You are not heterosexual Your sexuality will not stop you from fostering. What is important

is that you can provide a young person with a safe, caring and stable home.

You are not an Irish citizen Applications from non-Irish citizens are welcomed, once you can remain in Ireland indefinitely and can provide a long-term commitment to remaining in Ireland to care for a child.

You are a Traveller Traveller children also sometimes enter foster care and can be greatly supported by a family who understand and appreciate their ethnic and cultural background. Traveller families can also provide a caring home for a child who is not from the Traveller community.

You do, or you do not, practice a religion It does not matter what your religious beliefs are, and this should not affect your application to foster. You will need to consider how you feel about educating yourself and your family about other faiths.

You will need to be open to assisting a child to uphold the faith and traditions of their birth family or faith of choice.

You are over 40 years old There is no upper age limit to foster. What matters is that you are fit and able to care for and meet the needs of any child you are approved to look after.

A strong network of support to care for a child will also be very important; the needs of the child will be central to assessing your suitability.

You work Depending on the needs and age of the child in your care, it may also be possible to continue to work.

Foster carers are expected to be available to care for children, attend meetings, training, support groups, and to promote and support access and contact between a child and their family. The child’s needs and best interests will be central to these arrangements.

You do not own your own home There are lots of foster carers who live in rented accommodation.

However, it will need to be secure, stable and long-term. This will have to be properly discussed and may need to be agreed with your landlord.

Your accommodation should also provide the child with the privacy and space they require.

14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

SCHOOLS: STUDENTS ARE BUSY TURNING RECYCLED WASTE INTO HIGH-END FASHION FOR FINAL

Global financial platform Revolut has been announced as the partners for this year’s Junk Kouture contest, marrying similar goals of nurturing community and creative spirit amongst young people

There’ll be nothing that’s rubbish about this year’s great Junk Kouture designs PADRAIG CONLON

RENOWNED recycled fashion competition Junk Kouture has announced a brand-new partnership with global financial platform Revolut.

The new deal will see the fintech brand working with Ireland’s leading haute-couture design contest as it marks its tenth year.

Junk Kouture is a fashion competition using recycled materials, which challenges young people to design, create and model high-end couture from everyday junk.

It incorporates elements of fashion, design, engineering and environmental sustainability, in a

creative contest unlike any other, and one that is open to all secondary school students across the island of Ireland.

The whole idea of Junk Kouture is to create striking works of recycled couture that wouldn’t look out of place on the world’s most famous runways or in some of the best Hollywood films.

Designs can be crafted in any style of wear, from modern to male, to high fashion or feminine, and many more, with the most important rule being that designs are made from 100% recycled materials.

Over the past decade, Junk Kouture has already captivated more than 40,000 students, 8,000

“

It’s looking like this year will be our strongest and most competitive [contest] yet teachers and 100,000 audience members.

Troy Amour, chief executive of Junk Kouture, is really looking forward to what this year’s competition will reveal.

He said: “I am very proud to be involved in one of Ireland’s most prestigious post-primary competitions.

“Each year, more and more students are entering, which brings a new wave of creativity and fresh talent to Junk Kouture.

“I cannot wait to see what this year will bring – it’s looking like it will be our strongest and most competitive [contest] yet.”

Having launched in 2015, Revolut has grown a network of more than 10 million users, 500,000 of which are based in Ireland.

One feature of the Revolut app is that it allows users to enjoy a global lifestyle wherever they may be in the world with peerto-peer payments, budgeting and analytics features, commission-free stock

trading, cryptocurrency exchange, and other such fintech features.

With Junk Kouture planning to expand the competition to London, LA and Hong Kong soon, the partnership with Revolut is coming at just the right time.

Winners from the 2019 competition boast a fantastic travel CV, having attended the star-studded Cannes Film Festival and walked the red carpet in London at the Royal Film Premiere of the Oscarnominated film, 1917.

Speaking on the new sponsorship announcement, Ryan Thorpe, senior marketing manager at Revolut, said: “We’re delighted to partner with

Junk Kouture on this exciting new venture, which we believe will help further strengthen community and creative spirit amongst young people in Ireland.

“Our values closely align with those of Junk Kouture: inspiring young people to design, create, collaborate and challenge the status quo, while unleashing their creative brilliance.”

As applications have just closed for Junk Kouture this year, thousands of sustainability-driven teenage designers from the length and breadth of the country will be putting the final touches to their looks in the hopes of becoming the overall winner of the

2020 competition at the 3Arena on April 30.

Last year, everything from burnt pieces of toast to bike tyres were used by entrants, so anything goes when it comes to a Junk Kouture creation.

In attendance will be judges Michelle Visage, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Strictly Come Dancing and X-Factor judge Louis Walsh, lending their keen eye for star quality to fellow judges Dr Tracey Fahey from LIT, Jane Leavey of Griffith College, and former winner and LSAD graduate, Stephen McLaughlin.

The South-Eastern Regional final takes place in The Helix, DCU on Tuesday, March 3.

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

STYLE: FRESH NEW LOOKS

PENNEYS have teamed up with one of Britain’s most sought after designers – Bobby Abley – for a collection celebrating one of the most heavily anticipated films of the summer, starring some of pop culture’s best known characters: the mischevious Minions, best known from Despicable Me. Take a look inside at our favourite bits from the new collection.

MAGAZINE

DUBLIN

MUSIC P18

MOTORING P21

PAGE 19

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

Funding boost for youth group RACHEL D’ARCY

JUST ASK, a youth group from Dublin 7, were awarded funding last week by Vhi to deliver a ‘Run for Fun’ programme as the company seeks to give a sporting chance to more than 100 young people from underserved communities.

The Run for Fun programme was created by Vhi, in partnership with Irish Youth Foundation (IYF), to empower and build the self-esteem of young people through a dedicated fitness and nutrition programme.

It launched as a pilot in 2017, and since then, 125 young people have taken part, with 1,000 weeks of training completed across eight different youth groups.

Just ASK received a grant of €5,000 to deliver the programme over an eight-week period.

Through the programme,

participants train with fitness instructors while also learning about healthy eating.

At the end of the programme, they are encouraged to take part in a 5km park run.

Declan Moran, director of marketing and business development, Vhi, said: “Getting involved in sport can be difficult for many young people, who may have no previous experience or face social barriers that deter them from participating.

“That is where Run for Fun comes in. At the end of each [such] programme, Vhi employees join the young people and take part in the local park run with them.

“To see the pride on the faces of the young people when they complete the 5km is what it’s all about.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the five successful groups

progress over the next eight weeks, and joining them at a park run in the coming weeks.”

Lucy Masterson, chief executive, IYF, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Vhi again this year on the Run for Fun programme.

“Through the programme, Vhi has highlighted how important it is to level the playing field for young people across Ireland living in underserved communities.

“This programme is an excellent opportunity for these young people to boost their self-esteem, build their resilience and reach their full potential.

“The impact of this programme over the past three years has been fantastic, and by opening Run for Fun to new community groups, we will be able to create positive change for even more young peo- The Run for Fun programme is designed to empower and build the self-esteem of young people through a dedicated fitness and nutrition programme. Picture: Julien Behal ple throughout Ireland.”

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS I N F O R M AT I O N

QUIRKY MATTERS

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Heritage House, Dundrum, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240 Dublin Gazette Newspapers publishes four weekly quality free titles, covering the latest news, sport, entertainment and lifestyle from the four local authority areas of Dublin

Celebrating the write stuff C O N TA C T S Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@dublingazette.com Commercial Director: Liz Ferris lferris@dublingazette.com Acting Interim Group Editor & Travel Editor: Shane Dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@dublingazette.com Picture Editor: Alison O’Hanlon picturedesk@dublingazette.com Online & Style Editor: Rachel D’Arcy rdarcy@dublingazette.com Advertising Sales:

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www.dublingazette.com Dublin Gazette Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the City Gazette, Fingal Gazette, South Gazette and West Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

PICTURED at the official launch of the Dalkey Literary Awards in Trinity College Dublin’s Berkeley Library were David McWilliams, co-founder of Dalkey Book Festival; Sian Smyth, director of Dalkey Book Festival; Neil Freshwater, chief executive, Zurich Insurance plc, with Dalkey Literary Awards judges Fiach Mac Conghail, Rick O’Shea and Jennifer O’Connell. The prestigious new awards programme for writers in Ireland boasts a total prize fund of €30,000, and was launched by The Dalkey Book Festival in conjunction with Zurich Insurance.

Museum discovers it owns an Most expensive Irish authentic Rembrandt painting whiskey now for sale A NEARLY 400-year-old painting that had originally been attributed to an unknown artist working in Rembrandt’s workshop has now been judged to be a work by the Dutch master himself.

For decades, the Allentown Art Museum in Pennsylvania displayed a painting, entitled Portrait of a Young Woman, and credited it to “Studio of Rembrandt”.

Two years ago, the painting was sent to New York University (NYU) for conservation and cleaning.

Conservators at the university began removing layers of thick varnish that had been added to the painting over the centuries, and began to speculate that the work may have been done by Rem-

brandt himself.

The delicate brushwork hidden underneath the varnish was indicative of a style seen on other, confirmed Rembrandt works.

Outside experts then examined the 1632 painting and concurred with the NYU’s assessment that the piece is an authentic Rembrandt.

“We’re very thrilled and excited,” said Elaine Mehalakes, vice-president of curatorial affairs at the Allentown Art Museum.

“The painting has this incredible glow to it now that it just didn’t have before.

“You can really connect with the portrait in the way I think the artist meant you to.”

AN EXTREMELY rare 45-year-old Irish whiskey has gone on sale, priced at €35,000 a bottle.

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter One is believed to be the most expensive Irish whiskey in the world, with only 48 bottles being put on sale.

The whiskey is the first in a collection of very old whiskeys set to be released by Midleton over the next five years – one year between now and 2025.

This year’s release is a “peated single Irish malt”, and was created by master distiller emeritus Max Crockett in 1974, a year before the original distillery closed in 1974.

The original Old Midleton Distillery in Cork ran between 1825 and 1975 and this new batch is the first to be released from the distillery since 2004.

Bottled in hand-blown, Waterford Crystal decanters, the bottles will be housed in a wooden cabinet designed by John Galvin.

DOG OF THE WEEK DUBLIN Gazette Newspapers has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs.

This week’s dog of the week is Bruno, a very handsome five-year old Rottweiler cross that is a gentle giant and a real couch potato.

He is a very affectionate dog; he can be a little shy at first, but with a slow and gentle approach, he will show you just what a loving boy he is.

Bruno is a really clever dog, and will do anything for a tasty treat, making him a dream dog to train.

Bruno’s ideal home would have a large garden where he can potter about and

explore, with an adult family who would be willing to meet him a few times in the Rehoming Centre so he can build up trust. He would also like to be the only dog in the home so he can lap up all the love (and couch) for himself.

If you have room in your heart and home for Bruno then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50.

Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie.

You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE. (Remember: Always have your dog on a lead when in public.)

bruno

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

MANY PEOPLE may have the image in their mind of the typical Dublin taxi driver being a man.

However, the taxi business here is still male dominated, there are also many women involved who have built fulfilling careers in the industry.

Drivers are not just the heart and soul of the taxi industry; they are the ones who can put a smile on the face of customers and have them come back time and again for the service.

Thankfully times are changing and more women are getting into the industry which is a positive development for the business.

So what is life like for a female taxi driver in Dublin?

Du b l in G aze t t e caught up with one such hard working taxi driver, Marie Fullam from NXT Taxis to get a glimpse into her career.

Dublin Gazette: How long are you driving

a taxi?

Marie Fullam: I’ve been driving a taxi now for the last 20 years.

Do you enjoy your job?

I do, you get to meet loads of different people and difference situations.

Is it rewarding?

Like all selfemployed people, you get as much out of it as you put in but it’s been good to me over the years .

What do your family and friends think about you driving a taxi?

My family are used to it, my brother is also in the game. My friends look on it as just another job and don’t give it too much thought.

Would you like your family members to drive a taxi?

As I said my brother also drives a taxi and has done for the last 30 years so you might say it’s like a family business.

Do you work with an established taxi company or are you an independent driver?

I have worked with NRC Taxis for many years now and they have recently merged with Xpert Taxis to form NXT Taxis.

I prefer working with an Irish company who has a presence on the ground. I feel that a lot of customers still want to be able to pick up the phone to call a taxi.

Would you drive as an independent driver working the ranks?

No I wouldn’t like that as there would be too much hanging around and you can never be sure who is getting in the car with you. Working with NXT it’s like the clients have already

Veteran Dublin taxi driver Marie Fullam on working with NXT Taxis

“

Drivers are not just the heart and soul of the taxi industry; they are the ones who can put a smile on the face of customers and have them come back time and again for the service been vetted.

What about the App companies?

Actually NXT Taxis have their own app which gives even more options for their customers and drivers.

I know if there is ever any issues, I can always drop into NXT offices to discuss with the staff in person where the app companies can be pretty cold and faceless.

Would you recommend it to other women and why?

There’s not too many of us in the

industry but that’s changing, more and more women are getting into the industry now and rightly so as it’s been a male dominated job for too long.

Is taxi driving a safe occupation for a female driver or have you ever had any bad experiences?

I work with NXT who have mostly corporate work so it’s very safe.

How do your customers treat you?

Most customers treat me with respect but you will get the odd one that is hav-

ing an off day and will take it out on you.

What does your average week entail?

I work my own hours but generally start around 7am and work through to around 4 or 5pm with a break in the middle.

How flexible is this job when you are also looking after your family?

It allows you to come and go as you wish but at the end of the day the bills still have to be paid.

What are the best benefits of driving a

taxi?

It gives you the freedom to come and go as you please provided those bills are all paid.

How do your male colleagues treat you?

Most of the lads are fine, you get the odd old fogey who are still living in the dark ages.

Have you considered stopping driving and taking on another job?

Like us all I’ve considered changing but I’ve done this for so long now it’s second nature to me and I’m happy with it.

If you are interested in a safe and rewarding career in the taxi industry please contact NXT Taxis on 01 888 8888.

18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

DUBLIN ENTERTAINMENT WELL WORTH A LISTEN

JOIN ME IN THE PINES ‘I want to do that thing where I go from style to style and execute it really well’ DAVE GERAGHTY is best known for his role in delicate local indie heroes BellX1, but in recent years his solo career – both under his own name and under the moniker, Join Me In The Pines – has taken precedence.

Geraghty’s life is a little different to the old days: while BellX1 recently did an anniversary tour, much of his time is spent focusing on cinematic soundscapes, including the Oscar academy awardnominated short film, The Crush.

Alongside that niche, the singer-songwriter has allowed his creative juices to flow through engaging with his long-time friend, Belfast creative Mick Major, who has encouraged his redirection into a more soulful, funky outfit.

“It’s lovely having to join the dots in somebody else’s mind,” Geraghty says of his cinematic work.

“I feel unburdened by

 JAMES HENDICOTT

not having to produce lyrics; it’s a new lease of life and energy that I can just pour into making the music as it’s supposed to be, fitting the visual.

“It has to carry the emotional intensity of what’s

“

“I’ve just been doing it if I’m into the project, which is great, but there is an analysis going on.”

There’s been a crossover between the music for movies and Geraghty’s wider work.

“Since doing The Crush, I went into the IFI to see it as part of an Irish Short Films showing, and one of them was by Roy Spence.

I’m not claiming to have reinvented the wheel, but this album is definitely not like anything I’ve already done

on screen. It’s insightful. I watch movies in a slightly different way now.

“There are potentially four projects lined up on the cinematic side, and the past couple of films I’ve watched have been research, so I have an ear on the score.

“He made many films back in the 70s, and they were real pioneers in home-made sci-fi special effects.

“I thought that was so good, and I ended up using it for the slight sci-fi feel for [new single] Feels So Heavy.

“We built the video around an edited-down version of the film. It was a great happenstance that it all came together.”

Despite being a solo project, primarily, Join Me In The Pines has taken on a collaborative bent for the newer material.

“Paul [Noonan] does the majority of the lyric writing in BellX1, and I guess there’s that melting pot of everyone’s input and influences.

“The latest album isn’t just me, I’ve got this symbiotic relationship going on with Mick Major.

“He really encouraged me. We have two very different albums, but I’m on his album and he’s on mine.

“There’s a lot of common ground to our friendship, but near the beginning of Monomania [the latest album], I got the chill about trying to pull another album out on my own. I just wasn’t up for it again.

“Mick asked me to send the songs across, and I did, and he loved where it was going.

“He kind of brought all his knowledge and his own thoughts on where it was he thought I should go with the style.

“When we talked about it, he helped me embrace my new direction, and

ignore the echoes of what came before.

“I know I’m not [David] Bowie, but I want to do that thing where I go from style to style and execute it really well, like he did.

I’m embracing that.

“I’m not claiming to have re invented the wheel, but this album is definitely not like any-

thing I’ve already done.

“It was also the result of a friendship blossoming, and I think there’s a newfound energy that comes from that, from thinking outside the box together.”

Join Me In The Pines release new single, Feels So Heavy, on February 29, and play Bloody Mary’s in Dublin on the same night.

GOINGOUTOUT FEBRUARY 27 (THURSDAY) The Murder Capital @ Vicar Street, SOLD OUT Louis Berry @ The Sound House, €13

Hot 8 Brass Band @ The Academy, €23 Tommy Fleming @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre, €30 Stu Daly @ Whelan’s, €7

FEBRUARY 28 (FRIDAY) Nelly + Shaggy @3Arena, €45+ Example @ The Academy, €20 Damien Jurado @ Liberty Hall Theatre, €25 Kila @ The Purty Kitchen, SOLD OUT Cory Wong @ The Button Factory, €23

MARCH 2 (MONDAY) James Arthur @ 3Arena, €39+ Editors @ Vicar Street, €37 Temples @ The Button Factory, €19 Shawn James @ Whelan’s, €18 The Maine @ Academy Green Room, €20

FEBRUARY 29 (SATURDAY) Gavin James @ 3Arena, €39+ Hare Squead @ Workman’s Club, SOLD OUT Kiefer Sutherland @ The Academy, €34 Jerry Fish @ Whelan’s, €22 Join Me In The Pines @ Bloody Mary’s, €15 MARCH 1 (SUNDAY) Sleater-Kinney @ Vicar Street, €34

MARCH 3 (TUESDAY) The 1975 @ 3Arena, SOLD OUT Tones & I @ Vicar Street, €23 JpegMafia @ The Academy, €18 The Aristocats @ The Button Factory, €30 MARCH 4 (WEDNESDAY) Jonas Blue @ The Academy, €20 Blossoms @ The Olympia Theatre, €27 Testament @ The National Stadium, €45

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

FRESH IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME AND WARDROBE

Penneys (L-R): - Top €6, Shorts €7 - T-shirts €12, Hoodie €18 - T-shirt, €12 - Hoodie, €18

 Rachel D’Arcy, Style Editor

HOME & STYLE

SAY ‘BELLO’ TO A NEW RANGE

CULT FAVOURITE designer Bobby Abley was made famous for his eye-catching, cartoon-inspired collections. His designs have been worn by celebs, including model Bella Hadid.

Now, Abley has teamed up with Primark – or Penneys to us Dubliners – on a 10-piece

capsule range of apparel inspired by an upcoming film, Minions: Rise of Gru. The collection features the rebellious cartoon Minions on leggings, sweatshirts and t-shirts, turning their quirky personalities into cool athleisure wear.

The range is displayed in a creative execution that has been curated and directed by Abley himself. He said: “I’ve been showing at London Fashion Week for seven

years. One of the main comments I get on social media is: ‘We love this, but what about the people who can’t afford it?’

“So that was one of the reasons why I jumped at this opportunity to work with Primark and make my collection available to the masses.”

The collection is available now, with prices ranging from €6 for t-shirts to €18 for hoodies.

KEEPING SKIN HEALTHY AND EXFOLIATED  Rachel D’Arcy, Style Editor EXFOLIATING is key for the skin’s health, with skin care experts regularly stressing the importance of exfoliating to ‘wake up’ your skin.

Exfoliating two to three times a week is one of the most important things you can do for skin health.

Scrubbing away dead cells leads to higher cell turnover

and youthful-looking skin.

Check out the exfoliator options on offer from Dermalogica ...

Daily Microfoliant: €59.50 This is a gentle, daily use exfoliating powder for all skin conditions.

It has a rice-based powder formula which activates upon contact with water, releasing papain, salicylic acid and rice enzymes that micro-exfoliate dead cells, instantly leaving skin smoother and brighter.

Daily Resurfacer: €98.50 A daily, leave-on exfoliating treatment that brightens and tones all skin conditions.

Each dose contains one application of alpha and beta hydroxy acids and enzymes to smooth the skin, helping to reduce the signs of premature aging without irritation or redness.

Rapid Reveal Peel: €90 This is a 10-part system dedicated to re-texturing the skin and creating a more radiant complexion. Rapid Reveal Peel is formulated to tackle common signs of ageing.

It kick-starts skin renewal for instant radiance, speeding removal of dull cells on the surface of your skin to reveal brighter, smoother-looking skin.

Daily Superfoliant: €68.50 This resurfacer aids in delivering smooth skin, and helps fight the biochemical and environmental triggers known to accelerate skin ageing. The advanced powder formula activates upon contact with water, releasing powerful enzymes, skin-smoothing alpha hydroxy acids and antipollution technology.

MultiVitamin Thermafoliant: €59.50 This thermal skin exfoliant infuses skin with age-fighting ingredients, and combines physical and chemical exfoliants to refine skin texture and enhance penetration of age-fighting vitamins into skin.

Resurfacing microgranules gently polish off dulling skin cells to reveal smoother, fresher skin immediately.

All products can be found at authorised Dermalogica salons and at Dermalogica.ie.

20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

digital

Fall in love with YOUR local paper on our newly improved website www.dublingazette.com, Facebook and Twitter

DublinGazette Wherever you are, we’ve got you covered

For all digital enquiries contact JPMontgomery@dublingazette.com

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF TRANSPORT

DUBLIN MOTORS

A brief guide to help spark your interest in electric vehicles THERE are many different hybrid and electric vehicle technologies on offer, so which one is right for you, and your motoring needs?

Read on to get an insight into the frontrunner trends in the industry right now ...

Full electric All-electric vehicles run on battery power alone, which means no fuel is necessary, while zero emissions on the road are guaranteed.

Electric vehicles are better for the environment and, with government purchase incentives, reduced road tax, and BIK benefits for company car drivers, they’re good for your wallet, too.

With a domestic wallbox, you can plug in overnight and guarantee yourself a full charge in the morning – just like your phone.

Alternatively, you will find an ever-increasing number of public charging points at supermarkets, shopping centres, motorway service stations, and many other locations.

Fewer moving parts than traditional vehicles means lower maintenance costs too.

PHEV Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) have all the functionality of full hybrid technology, with the added advantage that they can be charged from an external electricity supply.

The larger capacity of the battery makes them

capable of zero emissions while driving for ranges of up to 56 kilometres, with the ability to switch to hybrid mode to conserve battery life, and to petrol- or diesel-only for longer journeys.

HEV These days, hybrid vehicles (HEV) are an increasingly common sight on the road.

This is especially true in cities and urban areas, where their lower emissions and improved fuel economy at typical city speeds are a major advantage.

These vehicles have an internal combustion engine, but they also have a larger battery and more powerful motor.

This provides more assistance to the engine and enables the vehicle to drive parts of short journeys at low speeds using the electric motor alone – and thanks to the conventional engine, driving range isn’t an issue.

Mild hybrid With mild hybrid technology, the internal combustion engine is assisted by an electric motor.

At low speed, or when stationary, the engine can switch itself off and the 48V starter-generator seamlessly restarts when needed.

The separate 48V Liion battery is automatically recharged by regenerative braking during coasting and braking, and there is no requirement to connect the battery to a power source.

The new Audi RS 5 Sportback is more than just a sporty car, thanks to some striking design elements and raw power under the hood

A sporty delight DECLAN GLYNN

THANKS to a wonderful blend of premium functionality, comfort and dynamic ability, the new Audi RS 5 Sportback is more than just a sporty car.

Striking RS design elements promise ultimate sportiness that you can transfer effortlessly onto the road with its powerful engine, and quattro all-wheel drive.

The forward thrust of the Audi RS 5 Sportback makes everything in the rear-view mirror appear smaller in an instant.

It develops exhilarating power under the bonnet with its 2.9-litre V6

TFSI twin-turbo engine (shared with the Porsche Panamera 4S, no less).

Thanks to an output of 450bhp, and a whopping 600 Nm of torque, you can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 3.9 seconds.

The standard lim ited top speed of 250 kmph can optionally be increased to 280 kmph.

Thanks to ‘Quattro’ permanent all-wheeldrive and a sportilytuned eight-speed tiptronic transmission (with optimised gear changes), fast and self-assured sprints are guaranteed.

It is possible to tailor your own driving experience with the Audi ‘drive

select’ dynamic handling system, enabling the driver to experience the standard ‘RS sport suspension’, which makes the RS 5 Sportback hug the road.

On the road is where the new Audi RS 5 Sportback stands head and shoulders above its competitors.

Engine Thanks to the car’s standard twin-turbo system, the new petrol engine feels much more urgent low down the rev range that the previous V8-powered RS 5.

Under strong acceleration, the RS 5 Sportback’s four-wheel-drive system

provides enough traction to whisk you off the starting line in a controlled and urgent fashion.

The RS-5 Sportback’s tiptronic (automatic) gearbox has eight wellchosen ratios, which does add greatly to the o u t s ta n d i n g d r iv i n g enjoyment of the car.

The gearbox is also smooth and amenable when the driver takes control manually, too.

My review car looked absolutely stunning in its striking Nardo Grey exterior colour, while ‘Fine Nappa’ black leather upholstery (with a honeycomb pattern) ensured that the interior of the car looked equally as desir-

able as the exterior.

Additionally, plenty of other RS-specific interior trim elements add a real sense of occasion to the mix.

The classy cabin and dashboard of the RS 5 Sportback are both exquisitely finished and super-intuitive to use.

Audi’s pitch-perfect execution of the new RS 5 Sportback is to be commended, with the car proving itself to be as close to perfection as you can get in this market segment.

The incredibly capable Audi RS 5 Sportback is priced from €114,050 (exdelivery) and is on sale now.

SEAT Ireland breaks into top ten car sales SEAT Ireland has been breaking its own records again, with the news that – for the second year running – the brand has had its best January in its history.

Not only that, it is the first time the brand has broken into the top-ten selling car brands in the Irish market.

SEAT Ireland recorded its best-ever January, significantly increasing its sales compared to January 2019,

despite a market that is down 3.47% on last year’s sales.

Once again, SEAT’s SUVs continue to drive a large part this growth, with Irish buyers very much coveting the Ateca in particular, which is now the brand’s best-selling model.

This is very closely followed by the Arona, and now in third place by the 2020 Continental Irish SUV of the Year, the SEAT Tarraco.

22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27 February 2020

POLSKA GAZETA Poland looks to the fintech future with help from a Wolves Summit This week we look abroad, to Warsaw, where an upcoming conference will welcome the world

P O L A N D ’S g r o w i n g economy and innovative outlook is set to once again draw investors, corporations and startups from around the world to Warsaw for an impressive conference: Wolves Summit 2020.

Running on March 23 and 24, the eleventh edition of the international Wolves Summit conference will attract many of the world’s brightest business and entrepreneurial minds to the Palace of Culture and Science.

T h e re, c o n fe re n c e attendees will discuss effective funding, the ethical challenges of new technologies and development opportunities for the digital economy.

Some 450 start-ups, 250 investors and 450 corporations are set to attend the conference, eager to focus on diverse topics including effective financing, equality and accessibility in the technological industry; and the development of medical technologies and business ethics, to name but a few.

Wolves Summit 2020 puts the problem of diversity and inclusion, as well as accessibility in the technology industry, very high on the agenda.

In this eleventh Wolves Summit, the organisers will once again be collaborating with BalansPL, an NGO that works to support equality initiatives in the industry.

Of course, the sum-

mit is about much more than looking at key and emerging issues, and providing networking and direct peer-to-peer appointments.

It will also host The Great Pitch start-up competition, during which the best projects will be selected.

GTR Ventures is offering the winning fintech an US$10k opportunity, comprising complimentary passes and profiling opportunities at the third GTR Ventures Tradetech showcase competition, which will be held at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore from September 8-9.

This edition of The Great Pitch will also be unique – for the first time, the judging jury will also grant additional awards alongside GPC. The winners of The Great Pitch contest will directly enter the semifinals of the twelfth Innovation World Cup, and will have a chance to present their solutions at top international tech events.

All this is just part of Wolves Summit 2020, which offers a truly fascinating look at Poland’s ever-growing business and fintech sectors.

For much more information on the diverse c o n fe re n c e, s e e t h e English-language site a t h t t p s : / /p o l a n d . wolvessummit.com/, or alternatively the Polishlanguage site at https:// poland.wolvessummit. com/pl/.

This year’s Wolves Summit will again showcase Poland’s economic and entrepreneurial strengths to a global market, building on the successes of previous conferences

Tegoroczny Wolves Summit po raz kolejny zaprezentuje siłę gospodarczą i przedsiębiorczą Polski na rynku globalnym, bazując na sukcesach poprzednich konferencji

Polska kontynuuje rozwój gospodarki dzięki Wolves Summit – konferencji biznesowej Rozwijająca się polska gospodarka i innowacyjne perspektywy po raz kolejny przyciągną inwestorów, korporacje i startupy z całego świata do Warszawy na imponującą konferencję.

11. edycja międzynarodowej konferenc ji Wolves Summit, odbędzie się w dniach 23-24.03.2020 i przyciągnie do Pałacu Kultury i Nauki wiele najzdolnie jszych umysłów biznesowych i przedsiębiorczych.

Uc z e s t n i c y ko n fe re n c j i omówią efektywne finansowanie, wyzwania etyczne nowych technologii oraz możliwości rozwoju gospodarki cyfrowej.

Udział weźmie około 450 startupów, 250 inwestorów i 450 kor-

poracji, będą poruszać między innymi takie tematy jak skuteczne finansowanie, równość i dostępność w branży technologicznej, a także o rozwoju technologii medycznej i etyki biznesowej.

Wo l ve s S u m m i t 2 0 2 0 poruszy problem różnorodności i integracji, a także jakże ważną dostępność w branży technologicznej.

Podczas jedenastej konferencji, organizatorzy ponownie będą współpracować z BalansPL, organizacją pozarządową działającą na rzecz wspierania inicjatyw na rzecz równości w branży.

Oczywiście szczyt to coś

więcej niż tylko przyjrzenie się kluczowym zagadnieniom, tworzeniu sieci reklamowych i bezpośrednich spotkań peer-topeer.

Odbędzie się również konkurs The Great Pitch, podczas którego wybrane będą najlepsze projekty.

G T R Ve n t u r e s o f e r u j e zwycięskiej firmie fintech 10.000$, bezpłatne przepustki i możliwości profilowania podczas trzeciego konkursu GTR Ventures Tradetech, który odbędzie się w hotelu Marina Bay Sand w Singapurze w dniach 8–9.09.2020.

Edycja The Great Pitch będzie również wyjątkowa – obok nagród GPC, jury po raz pierwszy przyzna dodatkowe nagrody.

Zwycięzcy konkursu The Great Pitch wezmą udział w półfinałach dwunastego Pucharu Świata Innowacji i będą mieli okazję zaprezentować swoje rozwiązania na najważniejszych międzynarodowych wydarzeniach technicznych.

Wszystko to jest tylko częścią Wolves Summit 2020, która oferuje naprawdę fascynujące spojrzenie na stale rozwijający się polski biznes i sektor fintech.

Więcej informacji na temat konferencji można znaleźć na stronie: https://poland.wolvessummit.com/pl/.

Lub w języku angielskim: https://poland.wolvessummit.com/.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN POLSKA GAZETA? EACH week, DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS are focusing on news and views for the Polish community with Polska Gazeta.

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and to be part of a sponsorship option, please contact Martyna Muszczynska at her email below.

Phone: 01- 60 10 240 • E-mail: sales@dublingazette.com

27 February 2020 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23

CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN...JUST FOR FUN!

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

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

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

Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

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RUGBY P30

THE BEST IN DUBLIN

SPORT

SUPER SAINTS: SOCCER: ST MOCHTA’S booked their

place in the FAI Intermediate Cup semifinals and the prospect of a mouthwatering north Dublin derby with Malahide United with a 3-2 victory over St Kevin’s Boys.

The LSL Sunday Senior title contenders were massive favourites, travelling the short distance across the city to St Aidan’s CBS for the tie.



GAZETTE

GAELIC GAMES P31

PAGE 28

LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS RUGBY | YET ANOTHER VICTORY FOR LEINSTER IN THE PRO 14

O’Brien fires up Blues win  sport@dublingazette.com

ACADEMY flyer Tommy O’Brien crossed for his first senior try as Leinster Rugby posted a 21-13 Guinness PRO14 win over a determined Ospreys side at the Gnoll.

Adding to O’Brien’s opener and a Josh Murphy effort, it was not until the 73rd minute that Cian Kelleher crossed from replacement Rowan Osborne’s pass to seal the result.

Ospreys had led 10-7 thanks to winger Luke Morgan’s try on the stroke of half-time, but with man-of-thematch Peter Dooley starring in a dominant scrum, the platform was laid for Leinster’s twelfth straight victory of the PRO14 campaign.

36-25 winners on their only previous visit to the Neath venue back in November 2003, Leinster had to absorb the early pressure from the wind-backed Ospreys.

Out-half Luke Price watched his seventh-minute penalty from halfway bounce away off the left hand post.

Hugo Keenan had to react smartly to bring down the fast-breaking Hanno Dirksen just eight metres out, and a

couple of poaches from James Tracy and James Lowe saw the province warm to their task.

With Michael Bent getting the better of Nicky Smith at scrum time, Leinster gained further ground from the resulting maul, before a penalty advantage allowed Gibson-Park to attack the short side of a ruck.

Quick hands from the scrum half, Kelleher and Scott Fardy sent the freshly-introduced Tommy O’Brien over in the right corner past Olly Cracknell.

Ciaran Frawley converted neatly from the right for a 7-0 lead, but Ospreys almost responded just after the restart.

Ospreys went close again with Scott Otten going close while Price slid another kickable penalty wide but they did get on the scoreboard from his boot, a left-sided penalty after Aled Davies gobbled up yards.

It got even better for the Welsh region a few moments later, Frawley’s attempted pass to Keenan on halfway going to ground and Morgan hoovered it up, fended off Kelleher and scampered clear to touch down behind the

Ciaran Frawley kept the scoreboard ticking along. Picture: John Crothers

posts; 10-7 at half-time.

Leinster retook the lead early in the second half, however. Ospreys battled through a bout of scrum pressure five metres out from their own line but they could not stop Murphy in the 48th minute, the flanker squeezing over beside the right hand post with timely support from Ross Molony and Scott Penny.

Frawley added the extras to give the visitors a 14-10 advantage. Price punished Fardy and Penny for coming in at the side on the hour mark, making it a one-point game with the home crowd roaring their team on.

But the clinching moment came when Kelleher crossed for his fourth try of the season, seeing out yet another win.

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

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

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

1

CASTLEKNOCK Feb.20 – No Lotto Jackpot winner. Next week’s Jackpot €4,600. Only two Match 3 winners so €150 each to Carol Brady and Norah O’Connell. Lucky Dip €30 goes to Ann and Noel Farrell.

Feb.22 – Congrats to Luke Swan (1-1) and Senan Forker on Dublin U-20 Footballers Leinster Championship Semi-Final win over Meath (2-14 0-7) in Parnell Park. The Leinster Final against Laois is fixed for Friday night March 6.

Sadly no joy for Mollie Turner and her St. Dominic’s Cabra Camogie colleagues who lose by 0-7 1-10 to St. Pat’s Academy Dungannon in the AllIreland Post-Primary ‘C’ Final.

In the Dublin U-13 Football Grading League Div.1 Castleknock lose to Na Fianna (2-1 3-5) while in Div.13 St. Brendan’s edge Castleknock by a single point (2-4 2-5).

Congrats again to Ciarán Kilkenny as another star performance helps Dublin to a 1-15 1-14 NFL Div.1 win over Donegal.

Feb.23 – In the AHL Div.3 our Senior Hurlers make a brilliant start to the league with a 3-24 1-9 win over St. Mark’s. The game marks Cian O’Dulaing’s first game as the team’s new Captain.

The MFL Div.1 team lose to narrowly (0-13 0-15) to Na Fianna and it was a similar story in Div.4 with Castleknock losing to Na Fianna as well (4-3 3-7). In spite of losing to Tipperary (0-8 0-14) in the Senior Camogie League it’s great to see Aoife Whelan on the scoresheet for Dublin.

FINGALLIANS UNDER-8 All Stars of the Future: Our 2012 group played their first GoGame matches against Naomh Mearnóg & Castleknock at the weekend. Training continues each Tuesday evening between 6 – 7pm for this group. New players are always welcome.

Annual Club Awards Night: Monday 16th March – Further detail to follow.

Adult Hurlers: The 2020 leagues commenced on Sunday morning. Our 1st team beat Good Counsel and 2nd team drew with Whitehall.

Adult Football League Games – Opening Rounds (Sunday, 1st March): Div 2 v St Sylvesters @ Broomfield, 10.30am; Div 6 v St Anne’s @ away, 12.00 and Div 11 at home v St Maurs @ 3pm.

Minor Hurling: Div 1, home v Raheny and Div 5, away v Good Counsel @ 11am.

GAA Draw: A big thank you to all who supported the draw. Ticket sales have now closed. The club sold €13,200 in tickets and all the money stays in the club and goes towards the development of games.

Adult Hurling Champion-

ship Draw: Intermediate group – St Maurs, Naomh Mearnóg, Erin’s Isle, Kilmacud & Naomh Olaf. Junior F group – Clontarf, St Pat’s (P), Civil Service & Castleknock.

Adult Football Championship Draw: Senior 2 group – St Peregrines, Ballyboughal & Templeogue Synge St: Junior 1 – Clontarf, Kilmacud & Castleknock: Junior 6 – Whitehall, Cuala & Good Counsel/ Liffey Gaels.

Club Shop New Opening Times: Every ThursdayÁ s 7.00pm – 8.30pm and SaturdayÁ s 9.30am – 1.00pm.

Membership 2020 Overdue for players : Membership can now be paid on line. www.fingallians.com for all further details. Early bird prior to 29th Feb. Ladies Football: Training 8 – 9pm each Monday & Wednesday.

Athletics Update: Leinster indoors was held at the weekend in Athlone. Well done to Katherine Markey who was first in the Masters 60M & 200M sprints. Angela Torsney was 2nd in the Masters shot and her daughter Anne Marie was 1st in the Senior Shot.

SOCCER: STRIKER RETURNS FROM HOLIDAY TO MAKE IMPACT IN

Refreshed McCaffrey fires St Mochta’s through FAI INTERMEDIATE CUP St Kevin’s Boys St Mochta’s  DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

2 3

ST MOCHTA’S booked their place in the FAI Intermediate Cup semifinals and the prospect of a mouth-watering north Dublin derby with Malahide United with a 3-2 victory over St Kevin’s Boys.

The LSL Sunday Senior title contenders were massive favourites, travelling the short distance across the city to St Aidan’s CBS to face a side three leagues below them in Senior 1B. A game played in horrendous conditions didn’t lack for action, however, as the sides exchanged leads twice before Gareth McCaffrey netted a late winner for Brian McCarthy’s side.

Karl Somers had fired the Blanch side into an early lead before a Stephen Cantwell penalty and Bobby O’Reilly’s strike turned the tie on its head.

Somers netted his second of the game with a delicate lob late in the first

half to send the sides in level at the break before substitute McCaffrey sealed the win late on.

“We started off well, got a goal up and then we switched off and it was only the last ten minutes we got going again,” a relieved McCarthy told Dublin Gazette.

“We got a goal and we probably could have got one or two more before half-time, but, on the balance, it was probably a fair result going in at 2-2.

Kevin’s were very, very good; a good young side.

“We’re disappointed in our own performance but we give Kevin’s credit for that – they really made it difficult for us.

“We got the goal not far off the end of the game and we saw it out well. I’m delighted with the character and we’re thrilled to be through to the semifinals.”

Former Shamrock Rovers striker McCaffrey was left out of the starting lineup after recently returning from holiday and showed his enthusiasm with a match-winning turn from

St Mochta’s LSL Sunday Senior side

the bench.

“We’re lucky we’ve a good squad of players and it was just to freshen things up. Gareth was away as well; he only got back from holidays, so it was just a call on who was fit and fresh to play.

“He came on and got the goal and his performance was really good, so that’s what you expect from him.

It’s great to have him.”

McCarthy heaped praise on a talented Kevin’s side

who play positive, progressive football regardless of the conditions or the level of their opponents.

The Mochta’s boss is also manager of the Leinster Senior League intermediate team and he admitted he won’t be afraid to select from the lower leagues in future squads.

“If they play that way every weekend, I don’t think they’ll be a 1B or 1A side for long. If they can keep that standard up,

they definitely won’t be in the lower leagues for long.

“On the Leinster Senior League squad, I have to pick strongly and it’s a reminder there are good players down the league.

“People expect you to just pick teams from the top league, and it can be the case, but looking at it the other night there are definitely players that wouldn’t be out of place in the top league.”

Thunder tame UL Huskies

Swords Thunder’s senior team

SWORDS Thunder survived a late rally from UL Huskies to see home a 65-71 away win in Limerick in women’s basketball’s National Division One. Thunder started the better of the two sides with a 29-43 lead at the half through scoring from Niamh O’Donovan, Peggy and Katie Black.

Huskies battled back in the second half with the scoring of Summer King and Cathy Grant as they tried to find their way back into the game, but it wasn’t enough as Thunder did enough to run out eventual winners.

O’Donovan ended with 23 points to her name with Peggy Black getting 18 and Kaite Black on 12 points.

It was their seventh win from 13 games in the campaign and has them in a share of third place in the north conference with a game in hand on Griffith College Templeogue.

Meteors, though, are the side on the march with 11 wins out of 12 and look a certainty to advance to the playoffs as conference winners. They are 12 points ahead of Swords whose next game is a date with Tipperary Knights in ALSAA on Saturday at 7pm.

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

FAI INTER CUP

SOCCER: SUPER SUB NOLAN BAGS SECOND HALF HAT TRICK

Shels hit Cappry for six SFAI SKECHERS UNDER-16 CUP LAST 16 Shelbourne Cappry Rovers  EAMON SCOTT sport@dublingazette.com

UEFA 2020

No Barriers project set to harness youth energy FAI interim deputy chief executive Niall Quinn; Republic of Ireland international Stephanie Roche; Millie Murray, age 11, from Scoil Chearbhaill Uí Dhálaigh; and Ben Udemba, age 12, from Coolmine Community School were all on hand to launch the No Barriers 2020 project at FAI Headquarters, Abbotstown.

The No Barriers 2020 project aims to bring together sport and social action, harnessing the excitement of the UEFA EURO 2020 tournament in primary schools across Ireland.

Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

6 0

SHELBOURNE ran out comfortable winners over Donegal’s Cappry Rovers in the last 16 SFAI Skechers Barry Cup encounter at the AUL Complex on Sunday.

Sub Aaron Nolan bagged himself a hat-trick and could have had another couple after his impressive second-half cameo show.

The final scoreline is a little harsh on the men from Tir Conaill as they went shoulder to shoulder with the Reds on their home turf, especially in the opening exchanges.

Cappry came within an ace of a perfect start from the opening attack when Oisin Duffy hit the base of the Shelbourne upright before it was cleared to safety.

That was the closest they got to Darragh Mooney’s Shelbourne goal over the course of the ensuing 80 minutes and, by full-time whistle, the Johnny Fullam-managed DDSL boys had netted six times, In recent years, Cappry have been regular participants in the latter stages of the Skechers National Cup competitions and travelled with a degree of confidence, backed by a hardy band of supporters.

It took Shels a little while to counter the Cappry set-up but, once they got a foothold, they found a rhythm and proceeded to stroke the ball around with a growing assurance.

Chinoso Muoh and Sean Fullam combined to good effect down the right while Dean Rooney and Jason Delaney were equally productive on the left.

Kav Cloete, at centre forward, showed a good footballing brain as well as a good touch to constantly ask big questions.

But it was Michael Onibinkun in the middle who pulled the strings for Shelbourne to telling effect, with his range of passing and spatial awareness making him a standout.

Shels came close off a couple of corners but

Shelbourne in action against Cappry last weekend; Asdf asfd sdaf dasf dsaf dsaf dsaf sdaf sdaf Shels team is pictured above. sdaf dsaf sdaf dasf aasdfasdf. Picture: XXXX YYYY

Evan Long in the visitors goal showed good hands and confidence coming to claim or punch the ball clear.

The breakthrough came courtesy of Onibinkun who availed of a slack Cappry clearance to drill a crisp finish past Long in the Cappry net. The opportunity had been created by Aidan Murphy and Kav Cloete down the left.

Skipper Craig Walsh had another ruled to leave it at 1-0 at half-time and the home side came out fastest again in the second half.

Just two minutes after the restart, Jason Delaney rifled home past a static Cappry defence from an acute angle close in. On 46 minutes, Cloete got the goal his endeavour merited, finishing from close in after he was set up

by Onibinkun.

By this stage, Nolan had made his introduction and he showed the type of form to force his way into the starting 11 with a range of finishes from close in, rapid reaction and from the edge of the box as he completed his rapid-fire hattrick.

Cappry continued to battle manfully but this was Shelbourne’s day and even with central defender Andrew Murphy pushing forward, Walsh marshaled his back four admirably and, on the day, there was to be no late consolation for the Donegal boys.

Shelbourne advance to a trip to Waterford to face Villa FC for a place in the last four of the national competition.

Getkate’s stunning start to 2020 CRICKET  sport@dublingazette.com

MALAHIDE man Shane Getkate is looking forward to a big finish to the Ireland Wolves’ tour to South Africa before jetting out to join the Irish senior cricket team in India.

Getkate claimed seven wickets at an average of 22.71 during the T20 series, and while only getting limited opportunities with the bat, during his two innings he scored his runs at an immense average of

200.07.

It makes for a busy start to 2020 with Getkate receiving welcome news that he had been selected in the senior men’s squad for the Afghanistan T20 International series in India that starts in early March.

“I’m very happy to be back in the senior team for the Afghan tour,” he said. “I’ve been working hard over the winter, and if I get an oportunity against the Afghans, who are a tough opponent, I’ll be giving it 100%.

“It follows on from what was

a very enjoyable 2019; a year of which I have very fond memories.

“I can remember receiving my first cap in a T20 International against Oman from Stirlo [Paul Stirling], and then making my ODI debut against Zimbabwe a few months later.

“They are two days I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

“Playing for Ireland is something I always dreamt of as a kid, so to be able to play and wear the green shirt is a great honour.”

Shane Getkate

30 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 27 February 2020

ROUND

CLUB NOTES GARDA/WESTMANSTOWN GAELS

2

SOME juvenile action last weekend but several fixtures called off because of ongoing poor weather and unplayable pitches.U12 boys hosted Faughs on our all weather astro pitch in a grading match and pulled off a superb win by 4-15 to 1-03,U14 boys got their football league off to a flier beating Templeogue Synge St away by 4-14 to 0-01 and U13 Girls won their first competitive camogie match.Thanks to Ali Twomey who took a coaching session on Saturday with our U13 and U 14 Camogie squads.

All club members reminded that membership fees are now due and can be paid online at- https://payments.gardawestmanstowngaels.com/ It is imperative that all members are fully paid up before playing or training to cover insurance requirements in the event of a serious injury.

Mens squad continues training on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at 7.30.PM under Jack Sheedy with opening league game away to Cuala scheduled for this Sunday March 1st at 10.30.AM-Juniors have a bye this weekend.Trip to Belfast scheduled for Friday March 6th.

Ladies pre season continues on Mondays and Wednesday’s at 7.30.PM with first competitive game only a few weeks away.Ladies section hold a Fundraising Quiz at Westmanstown on Friday March 6th at Westmanstown at 8.00.

PM-please come out and support.

SKERRIES HARPS CONGRATS to Killian McGinnis, Adam Fearon, Ciaran Murphy & The Dublin u20s on their win over Meath in the Leinster Semi Final and will face Laois on 6 March in the Final.

Megan Carroll & Orlaith Durkan played with the Dublin Senior Camogie team vs Tipperary and Emma Parker with the Dublin Intermediate Camogie team vs Antrim, both teams unfortunately losing out.

Our Adult Hurlers recorded a good win over Na Fianna in AHL5 yesterday. In Juvenile action the U16 Footballers had a win over Parnells, & The u15 Div 2 Footballers defeated Sylvesters.

ZINGO RESULT Sun 23 Feb 2020: 2-6-3-14-5-7; no Jackpot or Dividend Winner - next

weeks Jackpot €2400.

Play on line at skerriesharps.ie and follow the links. Thanks to all who support the Zingo every week. Draw every Sunday evening at 6.30pm. Always good fun!

Skerries Harps GAA & Camogie club is currently seeking new volunteers for the year ahead across all aspects of the club - if you feel you would like to get involved - maybe on a Sat morning during Academy, on our Fundraising Committee, as a team mentor etc please contact secretary.skerriesharps. dublin@gaa.ie or pro.skerriesharps.dublin@ gaa.ie for more details. There are many ways that individuals can contribute to our growing club! We welcome all volunteers.

ST BRIGID’S IN THE first adult hurling week of the season AHL4 had a good win over Commercials starting their season with a seven-point victory. Both the AHL1 and the AHL8 games were victims of the weather.

The coming weekend sees AFL1 fixed in Russell Park on 1st March v Skerries Harps at 10.30, with AFL3 away to St Pats Donabate at the same time. AFL6 are home at 12.00 v Fingal Ravens and AFL10 home at 3pm v Erin’s Isle.

Our Club Nursery, in association with Sherry Fitzgerald will be in action this Saturday 29th Feb from 9.30am to 11am when it will be indoors in Russell Park. All boys and girls aged between 4 and 6 are welcome, especially new families. Just arrive down and speak to any of our friendly coaches or email us at pro.stbrigids.dublin@gaa.ie for more information.

There was no winner of our Club Lotto Jackpot last week. Our next Jackpot rises to €9,200 and will take place on Friday evening 28th February in Myos.

Tickets are available from our usual sellers, in the club bar or you can support online via our club website. Thank you to all who support our Club Lotto and to our great Lotto Committee.

Due to demand, our Club Shop with @oreillyssports opening hours are now Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 5.30pm to 7.30pm, Saturday - 9.30am to 1.00pm. Group bookings and fittings are facilitated outside these times.

Please email: stbrigidsgaaclubshop@gmail.com for further information. Click on the button on the website to view the clothing range.

Our Club Bar is available for functions and Birthdays (21st parties and older). Ring 018202484 after 8.30pm any evening or call in and speak to Paddy.

Juvenile Handball Training continues every Wednesday evening at 7pm in Russell Park. All are welcome. Contact Enda on 086 8288308.

Keep up with all our news on our website www.stbrigidsgaa.com, our free to download Club App and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

RUGBY: LOVELY DAY IN BANGOR FOR FINGAL SIDE

Skerries sweep to the top of AIL 2C AIL DIVISION 2C Bangor 7 Skerries RFC 22  sport@dublingazette.com

ON A SEISMIC day in AIL Division 2C, Skerries raided Uprichard Park to move top of the table, overtaking Enniscorthy courtesy of this win in the Bangor wind and rain.

Skerries played with a significant breeze in the first half and, despite putting a lot of pressure on the home team, found it difficult to convert opportunities into scores.

Seventeen minutes in, after a lineout win by Tom Mulvaney, an excellent Skerries maul was finished off by Ross McAuley and converted by Paul O’Loghlen.

The Fingal side continued to dominate but couldn’t add to the scoreline until right on half time when, after excellent back play, Kevin McGrath scored in the corner to make it 12-0 to the visitors.

The good news was that the wind was dropping and, despite all the rain, the pitch was still in good condition. The returning duo of Ross Halligan and Johnny Sherwin were excellent in the first

Skerries’ Mark Oliver celebrates his try in the corner against Bangor.

Picture: Gerry Weldon

spell, backed by a strong lineout and a good maul.

Skerries started the second half on the front foot and Paul O’Loghlen kicked superbly to put the home team under constant pressure.

After a fumble inside the Bangor 22, Mark Oliver followed up to score in the corner for a 17-0 lead with 30 minutes to go.

Another flowing move by the Skerries backline broke down and the Bangor winger intercepted

LEARN TO LEAD Masterson part of inaugural class BALLYMUN Kickhams and former Naomh Mearnog player Denise Masterson (far left, back row) was among 20 graduates from the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s inaugural ‘Learn to Lead’ Female Leadership programme.

The LGFA Leadership Programme was devised to develop the next generation of female leaders within ladies Gaelic football – and the 20 participants embarked on a wonderful journey over the course of 12 months.

to run the length of the pitch for a converted try, leaving the score at 17-7 with 20 minutes to go.

This was now a test of character for the visitors and, as has happened all season, this team produced when most needed.

Another good passage of play from the backs left Oliver to score again in the corner, to leave score at 22-7 with 15 minutes to play.

Skerries then held on

comfortably with a big shift put in by all six of the replacements. More good news followed as news from Enniscorthy that they had been beaten at home filtered through.

Skerries now lead the table by three points with six rounds of matches still on the agenda – three at home, three away – in their bid to return back to Division 2B level with Bruff first on the agenda on Saturday.

27 February 2020 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 31

LADIES FOOTBALL: SECOND SUCCESSIVE DEFEAT FOR MICK BOHAN’S SIDE

Goal-hungry Galway too strong for Dubs who drop to fifth spot LIDL NFL DIVISION ONE Galway Crumlin  DAIRE WALSH sport@dublingazette.com

4-6 2-6

DUBLIN’S Lidl National Football League Division 1 prospects suffered a setback at the hands of a goal-hungry Galway at the DCU Sportsgrounds, dropping to fifth in the table.

With the Leonard cousins – Roisin and Tracey – recording a combined tally of 3-3, Tim Rabbitt’s charges were worthy victors in this round four clash.

Carla Rowe once again led the way for Dublin with a 1-4 tally as Mick Bohan’s side succumbed to a second defeat on the bounce.

This game was a repeat of last year’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior decider when Dublin secured their third national title in succession courtesy of a 2-3 to 0-4 victory.

Fo l l ow i n g e a r l y t r a d e d f re e s between Galway’s Roisin Leonard and Rowe, Ailbhe Davoren’s powerful tenth-minute strike found the roof of the Dublin net.

Despite suffering this early set-back, the hosts responded immediately with a three-pointer of their own from the impressive Rowe.

The Tribeswomen continued to pose a threat in attack, however, and bagged their second goal of the contest on the first-quarter mark.

The industrious Davoren released Tracey Leonard in space and the Corofin ace angled a low shot beyond the reach of Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant.

The 2019 All-Star has started the season in spectacular style and subsequently added a point to stretch the visitors further in front.

While another Rowe effort offered the Metropolitans some respite, Roisin Leonard matched her relative’s opening haul of 1-1 by firing into the bottom left-hand corner in the 23rd minute.

This provided Galway with a convincing 3-2 to 1-2 interval cushion, which was extended on the resumption thanks to Andrea Trill’s quickfire two-point salvo.

And they effectively placed the

Dominic’s denied Senior B crown by St Pat’s

Dublin’s Jennifer Dunne battles with Galway’s Siobhan Divilly for a high ball.

Picture: Piaras O Midheach

outcome beyond doubt when Roisin Leonard fired home at the tightest of angles for her second goal on 41 minutes. A free from Tracy Leonard bolstered her side’s stranglehold on the proceedings, before Rowe fired back with a much-needed point for Dublin at the opposite end.

Dunne also cancelled out Trill’s third

score for Galway in advance of a strong finish from the 2018 league champions. After converting her fourth free of the day, Rowe coolly slotted a 59th minute penalty past Dearbhla Gower.

Muireann Ní Scanaill also flicked over a late point, but Galway had already done enough to secure a third successive triumph by that stage.

Commercials and St Brigid’s lokcing horns in AHL4.

Picture: Martin Doherty

HURLING: O’Sullivan’s glorious solo goal underpins strong start to 2020 league season ST BRIGID’S AHL4 hurlers began their 2020 league season with a

strong opening day performance, overcoming Commercials 1-17 to 2-7 at a sunny Russell Park on Sunday morning.

Despite playing against a stiff breeze and the concession of an early goal, the home side fought back to lead 0-11 to 1-3 at half time thanks to points from Kieran O’Sullivan, Ciaran Dolan, Dara Doyle and Michael Fraine.

CAMOGIE

O’Sullivan’s superb solo goal on the 40th minute was the second half’s crucial score, as he fielded a huge puck out from Brigid’s net minder Ciaran Cahill before beating his man and hammering the sliotar to the roof of the net from a tight angle.

While a late 1-2 from Commercials reduced the gap back to six points, scores from Conor O’Brien, Cian McCarthy and Jamie Winters saw Brigid’s over the line.

ST DOMINIC’S were denied the All-Ireland Schools C title by St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon who became just the second Ulster side claim the trophy.

They prevailed 1-10 to 0-7 at Kingspan Breffni Park, ending the Cabra school’s outstanding year on a low note.

The Academy had to withstand a rally from their Dublin rivals in the second half to emulate 2009 champions St Colm’s High School, Draperstown, but some staunch defensive play, allied to the foundation established in the opening period, saw them join the Derry crew on the roll of honour.

They got off to a dream start, putting points from Fancine Farley and Reagan Fay (two frees) on the board before Lara Devlin found the net at the end of the opening quarter.

St Dominic’s settled into proceedings from there though and five points from the magnificent Jody Couch, two of which came from play, kept them in touch, trailing 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval.

Couch added a quick brace after the resumption to halve the deficit but St Patrick’s responded in the style of champions, rattling off four points on the spin from Sian Fitzgerald, Devlin, Fay and Farley to cement a famous victory.

Loreto Beaufort’s Senior B final was postponed from last weekend due to the weather and will be played next weekend.

Gazette SPORT FEB 27 - MARCH 4, 2020

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31

MOCHTA’S MARCH ON

SOCCER: Clonsilla club set up a huge Fingal derby in the FAI Intermediate Cup following their strong win over St Kevin’s Boys. SEE P28

DUBS DEFIED LADIES FOOTBALL: Tough outing for Mick Bohan’s troops as they fall to second successive defeat of the league campaign.

SEE P31

SKERRIES BACK ON TOP RUGBY: Skerries raided Bangor for bonus point win to return to top of AIL Division 2C as main rivals Enniscorthy falter. SEE P30

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Ambitious Bohs bounce back with double delight  DAVE DONNELLY

sport@dublingazette.com

BOHEMIANS bounced back from the disappointing opening-day defeat to Shamrock Rovers with back-to-back 2-0 wins over Waterford and Sligo Rovers.

Ireland Under-21 international Danny Mandroiu was on target in both games, while Canadian international Kris Twardek also got off the mark in Monday night’s victory over the Bit o’ Red. Manager Keith Long admitted the staff and players are determined not to rest on their laurels following last season’s third-placed finish and a return to Europe for the first time in seven years.

They’ve gone about their business diligently following the heartbreak of conceding an injurytime to bitter rivals Rovers having played the last half-hour with ten men.

A trip to the RSC was first on the agenda on an own goal from former Hoops defender Sam Bone and Mandroiu’s first of the season sealed the win before half time.

Monday night’s visit of Liam Buckley’s Sligo was a nervier affair before winger Twardek sank the hopes of the club from whom he joined in the off-season.

The short turnaround meant first starts of the season for Paddy Kirk, Conor Levingston and Luke Wade Slater, while Ciaran Kelly also made his bow having joined from St Patrick’s Athletic.

Bohemians Kris Twardek celebrates his goal against Sligo Rovers. Picture: Martin Doherty

“We don’t want to just settle; we want to be at the top of the table“ Two more ex-Saints, linked up for the opener as Michael Barker’s long ball down the right found the rampaging Glen McAuley.

The former Liverpool trainee pulled the ball back for Wade-Slater but, having dealt with the cross, Sligo couldn’t prevent Mandroiu from slamming home the opener from six yards.

Sligo, who announced the signing of New Zea-

land international striker Ryan de Vries after the game, piled on the pressure after the break as they searched for their first goal of the season.

Bohs sealed the win on the break in the final minute as Wade-Slater skipped down the left and picked out Twardek to slot home the insurance goal.

“I’m delighted with the win,” said goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness, who

has stepped into the big shoes vacated by James Talbot following his injury against Rovers.

“Winning 2-0 away in very tough conditions [at Waterford] and coming up against another tough team, keeping another clean sheet was the foundation and, with the two boys scoring, it was excellent.

“It was much like it was against Waterford.

They put us under a lot of

pressure towards the end of the game and I thought we managed it excellently.

“I thought we dealt with the pressure well and Paddy’s [Kirk] block off the line sums up what this team will do for each other.”

Bohs face another tough away trip to Derry City on Friday night with the Candystripes well-rested following the postponement of their tie

with Pats on Monday.

“We want to go up there and get three points,” added the winter signing from Cabinteely.

“We don’t want to just settle; we want to be at the top of the table. That’s where this team really want to be, and where they deserve to be.

“It’s a fantastic group, and we’ll go up there – play our ball and hopefully we’ll come back with the three points.”