Dublin Gazette: Fingal Edition

DUBLINMAGAZINE: Summer is just DUBLIN around the corner – at last – so start planning your great escape SEE PAGE 24

SPORT

CAMOGIE: Naomh Brid produce epic run to the annual Feile title in St Anne’s. SEE P38

GIFT OF THE

GAZ with too much sugar prompt a few slightly sour musings SEE P13

Find us on Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Fingal Edition FREE

THE LATEST NEWS & SPORT FROM THE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL AREA

Blanch car crash leaves 3 injured SYLVIA POWNALL

SEE WHAT THE GAZ HAS TO SAY THIS WEEK: Kids

YVONNE Connolly was joined by helpers Isebella Heaslip, Carol Healy and Sinead Collin at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre for the launch of an upcoming ISPCC fundraising initiative at the busy centre, which takes place on May 26 and 27. A range of centre discounts will be available for those who buy a €3 wristband. Picture: Leon Farrell

EE FR

DublinGazette MAY 3 -9, 2018

A 19-YEAR-OLD university student is fighting for his life after a suspected hit-and-run driver ploughed into three pedestrians in Blanchardstown.

Gardai are investigating the incident near Coolmine Railway Station which left the teen in a critical condition in Connolly Hospital and a man, 54, seriously injured.

A female pedestrian also sustained injuries after the car report-

edly mounted the footpath near the railway crossing during rush hour at around 9.30am on Tuesday.

The driver – who it’s believed was returning from the school run – failed to stay at the scene and fled.

The student was with a female relative on the daily commute to NUI Maynooth when he was struck from behind. His father reportedly rushed to the scene.

Gardai are now appealing for information.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

2 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

PICK US UP

BALBRIGGAN: UNDERTAKING GIVEN OVER EVICTION

EVERY THURSDAY!

FASTNews

You can pick up YOUR GAZETTE

at the following locations

• Applewood Community Centre • Topaz- Swords • SuperValu- Pavillions Shopping Centre • Eurospar- Applewood village • SuperValu – Balbriggan • Fingal County Council offices (Swords & Blanchardtown) • Bracken Court Hotel • St Finians Community Centre • Energie Fitness – Swords • EBS – Swords • Swords Central Shopping Centre • Spar – Airside • Applewood Community Centre • The Clarion Hotel – Airport • SuperValu- Malahide • Spar – Malahide • Centra – Malahide • Malahide RFC • Malahide United FC • Malahide Tennis Club • Esso – Malahide • Kinsealy Garden Centre • Hill Top Stores – Malahide • Malahide Library • M.U Gym (Malahide United) • Tesco -Clarehall • Londis – Malahide • Eurospar – Northern Cross • P.S.L.C – Portmarnock • Golf Links – Portmarnock • Texaco – Portmarnock • Eurospar – Dunboyne • Mulhuddart Community Centre • Day Today- Ongar • Dunnes – Ongar • Ongar Community Centre • Eurospar – Hartstown • Hartstown Community Centre • Centra – Hartstown • XL – Stop “N” Shop – Sheepmoor • Blakestown Community College • Lidl – Blakestown • St Peregrines GAA • Mountview Community Centre • Spar – Mulhuddart • SuperValu – Tyrrellstown • Park Plaza – Tyrrellstown • Tyrrellstown Community Centre • I.T.B • Blanchardstown Shopping Centre • Blanchardstown Library • An Draiocht • Harvey Norman – Blanchardstown • Crowne Plaza – Blanchardstown • Blanchardstown Garda Station • Justin’s – Blanchardstown • SuperValu – Blanchardstown • Mace – Blanchardstown Village • Dillon House – Coolmine • Topaz – Coolmine • Verona FC • Dunboyne Castle Hotel • Coolmine Community College • Woodview Stores – Roselawn • Westmanstown Sport Centre • Castleknock Hotel • Castleknock Golf Club • Castleknock Community Centre • Centra – Laurel Lodge • Castleknock Community College • Macari’s – Carpenterstown • Spar – Carpenterstown • Topaz – Castleknock • Myo’s – Castleknock • Londis – Castleknock • Tesco – Roselawn • Blanchardstown Hospital • Castleknock Community Centre • Spar – Hollystown • Roselawn Newsagents • Castleknock Doctor’s Surgery • Ground Coffeeshop – Westend Retail Park

For further info

www.dublingazette.com

01 60 10 240

Lots of free family fun in store over at Westend

After ordering their brief detention over contempt, a judge at the Four Courts accepted a Balbriggan couple’s apology and had them released. The couple were in court facing a battle over their home. Picture: Wikipedia

Couple apologise to court over contempt A COUPLE facing eviction were released from custody on Tuesday after apologising and purging contempt over their failure to obey a court order to leave their home.

Linda Hussey Smith and her husband, Gordon Smith, walked free from the Four Courts after they agreed to leave their home at Hamlet Avenue, Chieftain’s Way, Balbriggan.

Earlier at the High Co u r t, Ju s t i c e To ny O’Connor directed they be sent to Mountjoy Prison for contempt over their refusal to comply with the terms of an injunction obtained by KBC Bank Ireland Plc in March.

KBC obtained an order directing them to vacate their home on foot of a

Circuit Court possession order the bank obtained in 2016.

The court heard that in 2005, Gordon Smith obtained a mortgage of €220,000 and now owes KBC €275,000 after falling into arrears.

KBC tried to execute the possession order for the property in February but claimed its security staff were forced to leave after persons attacked them.

KBC then obtained a High Court injunction against the couple and anti-eviction activist Ben Gilroy, who it is claimed was seen on the property, requiring them to vacate the dwelling by late March.

KBC said the couple didn’t leave and brought

motions for alleged contempt being brought against Mr and Mrs Smith.

The couple, representing themselves, had opposed the application and had asked for the injunction to be set aside.

The Smiths claimed they were physically assaulted in their home by “mercenaries” using illegal weapons acting on behalf of KBC and were in fear for their safety.

Gordon Smith also argued that under Article 40 of the Constitution, which affords certain protections on the family, any orders to leave the property were not valid.

The judge rejected their arguments and ruled that the couple be detained at Bridewell Garda Station,

directing their incarceration at Mountjoy until they purged their contempt.

Within hours, the couple returned to court and apologised. They then undertook not to return to the property and purged their contempt.

The judge also said that comments allegedly posted on social media by Mr Gilroy about the case could amount to criminal contempt.

The remarks included a description of the judge as “a satanic cult member” and suggested that people should “use the defence of the Dwelling Act,” and “just wait for anyone coming through the door and blow their heads off with a gun”.

NEXT Monday, May 7, will see a day of free family fun at Westend Shopping Park, Blanchardstown.

Broadcasters FM104 will be live at its Road Hog from noon to 6pm with live music, competitions, branded promotions and lots more on the day.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the free family entertainment from 1-4pm, alongside a host of superheroes and supervillains to entertain children of all ages, as well as free face-painting and much more.

Cllr Newman blasts an ‘erosion of democracy’ SWORDS Cllr Joe Newman (Ind) has described a directive banning councillors from discussing planning files at meetings as “an erosion of democracy”.

The Department of Housing has been accused by public representatives of trying to gag them with a circular telling them it is not appropriate to discuss the merits of planning applications.

Cllr Newman (Ind) told Dublin Gazette: “I

only requested planning files be brought to a local area meeting once in the last four years to query a compliance issue.

“Councillors do not have any powers relating to planning other than the development plan every five years.

“The opportunity to request files and challenge planners to ensure transparency is in my opinion very necessary to ensure proper procedures are adhered to.”

Call to open new Educate Together this September A NEW Educate Together school to cater for pupils in Malahide and Portmarnock must be opened in temporary premises this September, it’s been urged.

Deputy Darragh O’Brien (FF) said that while news of a site for the post-primary facility was welcome, pressure on pupil enrolments means it must open in 2018.

He added: “There is already an acute shortage of secondary school places in Kinsealy, Malahide and Portmarnock.

“Parents have been left in an unacceptable position that their children cannot get secondary school places in the area where they live.

“The provision of a new post-primary school in the Malahide/Portmarnock area was first promised over two years ago and was originally scheduled to open last September.

“It’s my understanding that this school will open this coming September in temporary accommodation.

“I have asked the Minister [for Education] to give a formal commitment that this is the case and I will keep constituents informed of any progress in this regard.”

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 3

WOMEN: FAIR HELPED TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS

Community spirit to the fore in Tyrrelstown TYRRELSTOWN Women’s Social Club have sent out a heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported their recent fair.

The event attracted a steady flow of visitors, who enjoyed the cosmopolitan atmosphere created by volunteers and stall holders from around the world.

Spokesperson Lisa Crehan told Dublin Gazette: “We were delighted with the turnout. The sun shone and we had a collaborative art installation outside.

“There was a great buzz in the staff room at the Educate Together NS which was transformed with balloons and bunting, the smells of cakes and coffee.”

Biggest hits on the day were the face painting (which saw a constant queue) and the kids’ corner entertainment, which was provided by local Montes-

Jennifer Cruise and Eleanor Herbert. See full gallery next week. Picture: Simon Peare

sori teacher Leona and her daughter, Holly.

The two women’s group stands displaying and selling plants and cakes also went down a treat with sweet treats from Nigeria, Brazil, China, Italy, Moldova, Sweden, Sudan and Spain to tempt taste buds.

There were also a variety of craft demonstrations including the ancient craft of willow basket weaving and handmade jewellery.

Lisa revealed: “A high percentage of our stall vendors were from around the world including India, Belgium, China, England,

Brazil, Poland, Sweden, Nigeria, Spain, Moldova, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Slovakia, the Philippines, Bosnia and Herzegovina and, of course, Ireland!

“Just for fun and something different, there was a chill-out area with a record player or for anyone

who loves music, playing all the old legends.

“The kids were fascinated by the vinyls [records]; they got to hold them and watch them turn.

“Bringing the community together in such a fun and inclusive way proved a great success for all involved. We’re very proud of our volunteers and grateful for all the connections and friendships made through the experience.”

The day-long event also featured a stall run by training and education centre Baptec alongside an information desk run by Failte Isteach Tyrrelstown – an adult conversational English class for migrants in the community.

Tyrellstown Women’s Social Club hold meetings each week in the community centre. For further information or to get involved, see their Facebook page.

Investigations continue into Liga’s death in India POLICE in India have not yet charged anyone with the murder of Latvian national Liga Skromane, who had been living in Dublin for five years prior to her death.

Results of a postmortem released at the weekend confirmed that the 33-year-old, who worked as a waitress at a hotel in Rolestown near Swords, was strangled.

Her partner, Andrew Jordan, from Rolestown, remains in India as the investigation continues and says he is hopeful that police will catch her killer or killers.

He also paid tribute to the people of Kerala for

Council gets €56k boost to tackle illegal dumping FINGAL County Council has been awarded €56,000 to tackle litter under the Government’s anti-dumping initiative.

A total of €20,000 has been allocated to clamp down on illegal dumping with a further €36,000 pledged to address litter, dog fouling and graffiti.

The funding was welcomed by Senator James Reilly (FG) who said the aim is to set up co-operative projects involving local authorities, communities and state agencies. He added: “The money will empower people across Fingal to take action against those in society who commit criminal acts against their communities by wilfully and irresponsibly dumping their waste and spoiling the most valuable asset we have – our natural environment.”

Malahide mum’s latest thriller is just deadly

SYLVIA POWNALL

Music society’s night of favourite cinema songs was reel-ly great MARK Mark O’Looney, Eoin Cannon, Roisin Sullivan and Naoise Stuart-Kelly were pitch-perfect as they belted out a number of hits at the Martello Room, Portmarnock Leisure Centre recently as part of Music From The Movies – Portmarnock Musical & Dramatic Society’s latest toe-tapping majestic musical

performance.

Held in association with Boulevard Productions, the society’s stars sand popular hits from the likes of Dirty Dancing, Ghost, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Moulin Rouge, Titanic and The Sound of Music, wonderfully accompanied by Marian Mullen. Picture: Alison O’Hanlon

their support and compassion.

Liga travelled alongside her sister Ilze for a residential holistic treatment in February, but disappeared from the centre on March 14.

Her body was discovered by fishermen on April 21. Local media report that police are urging anyone with information to come forward in confidence.

Four suspects have been named locally, including a yoga instructor who has publicly stated he had no role in the murder and fears being arraigned on trumpedup charges.

MALAHIDE author Siobhain Bunni (right) has just published her third novel, Deadly Blind.

T h e m u m - o f- t h re e started her writing career over a decade ago and received rave reviews for her first two books, Dark Mirrors and Blood & Water.

Deadly Blind (also right) is a sharp thriller which follows the search for successful businesswoman Karin Bolger and her friend Sive Collins after they are abducted.

Siobhan was born in Baghdad to her Irish mother and Iraqi father who moved there after

first meeting in Manchester.

The family came to Ireland when she was still a baby and settled in Howth. Siobhain was educated at boarding school by the Benedictine Nuns at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara.

She draws on her knowledge of the west of

Ireland in her latest novel as most of the action is based in Galway where newly promoted DI Niamh Fox leads the investigation.

Siobhain graduated from the College of Marketing & Design and went on to work as a sales p e rso n u n t i l the company employing her closed down in 2006.

It was then she discovered her passion, and talent, for writing. She lives in Malahide with her three children, Daniel, Lara and Lulu.

Deadly Blind is available in paperback, published by Poolbeg Press, with a RRP of €9.99.

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

CASTLEKNOCK: AN BORD PLEANALA URGED TO REJECT CONTROVERSIAL TOWER

Call to oppose 12-metre phone mast near Scoil Thomais NS SYLVIA POWNALL

AN BORD Pleanala is being urged to reject an application for a 12-metre phone mast which would be located just 200m from a school in Castleknock.

The planning appeals board’s decision on the tower at Laurel Lodge Shopping Centre is due shortly and last-ditch efforts are being made to find another location.

The original application was twice rejected by Fingal County Council, but applicant Shared Access Network lodged an appeal in early April, prompting a public meeting about the issue.

At an area meeting of Fingal County Council, members asked officials to engage with the company in a bid to find an alterna-

Locals have expressed concerns over the proposed phone mast’s proximity to Scoil Thomais. Picture: Google Maps

tive site for the telecommunications mast.

Echoing this, local Labour Party representative John Walsh told Dublin Gazette: “This is a hopelessly flawed planning application, which has correctly been rejected by the council.

Wheelie happy to announce Skerries to host cycling Ras ROUND the world cyclist and local legend Dermot Higgins (second left) was on hand with members of the Rockabill Roadies Cycling Group, and Naoise Ensor, Miss Skerries Ras 2018, to help welcome the news that Skerries has again scooped the Grand Festival Finale of the 68th Ras Tailteann. The eight-day international cycle race begins in Drogheda on May 20 and will end in Skerries on May 27, marking the end of a gruelling 1,200km race. For further information, see www.rastailteann.com.

“There is no way that a mast should be located within 200 metres of Scoil Thomais National School and St Thomas’, the local parish church.

“The scale and height of the mast is absolutely inappropriate and inconsistent with the surround-

ing residential area.”

If it gets the go-ahead, the mast will form part of Three Ireland Ltd’s 3G and 4G broadband network but concerns have been raised about its proximity to a school.

Fingal County Council rejected the development

last November “by reason of its scale, excessive height and bulk, siting and prominent location within the streetscape”.

It said it would be out of keeping with the pattern of development and “seriously injure the visual amenities of the area and

of property in the vicinity”.

The local authority also ruled it would “create an undesirable precedent for other similar structures within local centres, located predominantly in lowrise residential areas”.

Mr Walsh welcomed the motion calling on the council to engage with the applicant, adding: “This is a constructive move by the council and hopefully the applicant will respond constructively as well.

“But first the decision on the appeal has to be made

by An Bord Pleanala. I have made a submission along with a group of local residents asking the board to uphold the decision by the council.

“This application is totally contrary to proper planning and development of the area.”

Keep publishing homeless figures every month – TD FIANNA Fail housing spokesperson Darragh O’Brien (right) has written to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy demanding that homeless figures continue to be published monthly.

The Fingal TD’s letter follows reports that the Government intend to prolong the release of figures and will instead publish them once every three months.

According to the latest figures published in February, there are now almost 10,000 homeless people in Ireland – including 3,755 children.

Deputy O’Brien said: “Delaying the publication of very crucial data related to homelessness is in my mind a very clear attempt to minimise the scale of the crisis.

“It would appear as though the Government are trying to keep this rising number of homeless people out of sight and out of mind, but there is no hiding from the fact that this is about more than just a number.

“These figures represent real lives, real families and children struggling to secure a roof over their heads or a comfortable place they can call home.

“The Government cannot bury its head in the sand over this crisis and cannot be allowed to hide the figures.

Should Ireland ever get to grips with the crisis, transparency and full accountability are imperative,” he said.

POLICING

Appeal for witnesses after D15 hit and run CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

During a follow-up operation, a man in his 30s was arrested a short time later in connection to the incident.

His car, a Seat with a 171-D registration, was recovered nearby at The Bell pub in Blanchardstown Village.

He was detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station for questioning.

The road leading up to the railway crossing was closed for a technical examination and local diversions were put in place.

Co o l m i n e re s i d e n t Kevin Donoghue said the extent of the incident was an awful thing to wake up to.

“I’ve never seen the likes of it before,” he said.

“I’m living here more than 20 years and this is the first hit-and-run I’ve heard of around here.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01 666 7000, or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.

Be careful driving this weekend AN GARDA Siochana and the Road Safety Authority have warned motorists to be safe on the roads this May Bank Holiday weekend.

Ahead of the Bank Holiday period, Minister for Transport Shane Ross has joined the RSA and gardai to urge motorists to leave a safe distance when overtaking cyclists, as well as renewing their appeal to all road users to act responsibly when travelling.

To date, six cyclists have been killed this year on our roads, compared to four in the same period last year, following on from a 50% increase in cyclists’ deaths in 2017 compared to 2016.

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 5

6 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar With Blakestown Community School Football Team. Picture: Simon Peare

Leo has excellent time at award bash

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Melissa Ateuy

B

LAKESTOWN Community School in Coolmine had a very special visitor last week who came to acknowledge the students hard work as they received their excellence awards. Leo was joined by Education Minister Richard Bruton for the visit and the Taoiseach took to Twitter soon after to say: “I had a great visit to Blakestown Community College last week with Education Minister Richard Bruton. Thanks for the warm welcome. Tomorrow, 73 students are due to receive excellence awards for their consistent hard work. Well done to all.”

Derek Byrne, Mick Rochford, Chaplin Mairead Monaghan with “Fit Kids, Fit Teens”

Robyn Nolan

Bobbie Taffe

Councillor Kieran Dennison with Eileen O’Connor, Ben Lynch, Nife Fagbemiro and Amanda Beatty

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 7

MALAHIDE: FRY RAILWAY WORKS BEGIN

Council chief executive Paul Reid, County Architect Fionnuala May, builder Francis Haughey and Mayor Mary McCamley examine the plans. Picture: Orla Murray

Casino project picks up steam SYLVIA POWNALL

WORK finally got under way last week on the longawaited Casino thatched cottage and model railway exhibition in Malahide.

The refurbished building will provide a display space for the Fry Model Railway Collection, which was previously on show in the courtyard at Malahide Castle.

Fingal County Council has appointed Armaghbased Francis Haughey Builders, who specialise in the conservation of cathedrals, churches, castles and period buildings, to oversee the project.

Work on site is scheduled for completion next Spring and the exhibition is due to open to the public by next April.

Councillors recently expressed dismay to learn that the budget for the scheme had risen from the initial €2.3 million and blamed much of the cost increase on delays.

But they said they –

along with the local community who set up a lobby group to campaign for the Casino project – would be pleased and relieved to see work start.

Council chief executive Paul Reid visited contractors on site last Friday and said he was “delighted” the local authority was investing in the redevelopment of the Malahide Casino.

He added: “The completed project will be significant for Fingal’s tourism, heritage and enterprise sector. It will showcase a unique and valuable element of our art and culture while still preserving the cottage’s original structure.”

The project has been partly funded by a generous gift of €1.5m bequeathed in his will by the late Michael Gaffney.

Fingal County Council is committing a further €1.75m of funding to deliver the project.

Separately, contractors are to be appointed for the design and construction

of the Fry Model Railway exhibition – a collection of intricately detailed scale model trains and carriages hand-made in Churchtown

by Cyril Fry. He started the labour of love in the mid-1930s and by the time he died in 1972, it boasted 360 trains and carriages to provide a historic record of Irish transport.

Fingal’s County Architect Fionnuala May said: “The Casino cottage building is a protected structure complete with a thatched roof designed in the Cottage Orne style, and forms a significant part of the architectural heritage of Malahide and Fingal.

“The plan for the redevelopment is in line with best conservation practices which will allow the history and significance of the property to be maintained.”

A new single-storey contemporary extension for a large exhibition space will also be built to the side and rear of the existing Casino.

Check to ensure you’re registered to vote in the upcoming referendum WITH just a little over a week to go until the May 8 deadline to register to vote in the upcoming abortion referendum, the Referendum Commission is urging everyone to check they can vote.

If you’re not listed on your local electoral register, and don’t apply in time to be added, you won’t be able to vote.

Isobel Kennedy, the chairperson of the

Referendum Commission, said: “You can find out very simply by checking the electoral register at www.checktheregister.ie.”

If you are not registered, you can be added with a supplementary register form you can download, or ask your local authority for one.

Complete it, bring it to your local Garda station to have your identity certified, and get it to your local authority before May 8.

Jeremy, 11, impresses with superb violin skills MAURA Cassidy, Dublin Airport’s Community Liaison Manager, was delighted to present Jeremy Campbell Irwin with the daa Perpetual Trophy after he won the Dublin Airport Malahide Young Musician of the Year 2018 award.

Playing two contrasting pieces on his violin, 11-yearold Jeremy, from Kinsealy, impressed the judges, earning him the overall prize of €200 and the trophy.

The Malahide Young Musician is supported through Dublin Airport’s community fund.

8 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

CASTLEKNOCK

Plenty to see and do at plant sale CASTLEKNOCK Community College Annual Plant Sale will take place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May from 10am to 5pm.

This is the 21st annual plant sale and in addition to the usual array of wonderful plants, pots and garden items, there will also be a raffle for a barbecue and patio set, lucky dip and lots more.

Check out the school website www.castleknockcc.ie for details of how to pre-order hanging baskets and window boxes.

Or go on the day, pick your own plants and let us make up a window box for you.

All funds raised this year go towards upgrading the school computer labs.

For further details contact cccplantsale@gmail. com.

STRATEGY: IDENTIFYING WAYS TO CREATE COMMUNITY EQUALITY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

Council set to unveil new socio-economic strategy for Balbriggan SYLVIA POWNALL

A NEW strategy for Balbriggan aimed at securing the town’s long-term economic and social development, are due to be unveiled shortly by the local authority.

Fingal County Council hopes its blueprint for the coastal town will promote economic growth, reverse social and physical decline and improve quality of life for residents.

The strategy will identify ways to create community equality and its development will be led by DCU president Brian MacCraith drawing on local

expertise.

The move has been welcomed by local Cllr Tony Murphy (Ind) who says the plan will make it more attractive to do business and live in Balbriggan.

He said: “In terms of the economic aspect of the plan, I am delighted to see the continued development of Stephenstown as a major centre of economic growth and employment.

“In tandem with this, Balbriggan Chamber of Commerce, the council and other experts have been busy trying to attract new businesses to the site and upwards of a dozen companies are showing

interest in taking up that invitation.”

Work began in March on the long-awaited Stephenstown Link Road which will open up almost 23 hectares of industriallyzoned lands for development.

The infrastructure has the potential to bring 900 new jobs to the area and in welcoming it Cllr Tom O’Leary (FG) announced: “Balbriggan is open for business.”

The council strategy will also seek to revitalise the town centre which has seen a number of units lie vacant since the recession.

A public realm plan

launched by the council, which set out a number of ambitions for the town centre, itself fell foul of the recession after it was published in 2011.

Cllr Murphy said: “I am confident that this new strategy will fund the implementation of that fantastic document. I believe this development is positive for Balbriggan, if somewhat overdue.

“Balbriggan has seen a massive increase in its population and housing over the last couple of decades, but has been playing catch up with local services and infrastructure.”

DCU president Brian MacCraith

And he pointed to social issues which led to a public protest recently with a large crowd of residents protesting outside the garda station over a spike in crime.

He said: “The new strat-

egy for Balbriggan will need to address social issues. The area of social inclusion needs to be tackled and I urge the council to take a role in dealing with a rise in antisocial behaviour.”

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 9

FASTNews Call for ambitious, affordable housing programme THE Government must launch an ambitious affordable housing programme, according to Fingal TD Louise 0’Reilly.

The Sinn Fein deputy made the call in the wake of a report that predicts a further rise in house prices by 10 per cent in Fingal this year.

She said: “This (price rise) is unsustainable. This government is indifferent to the plight of those struggling to afford a home.

“People are taking a week off work and queuing in the rain for a chance to buy a home in the Taoiseach’s own constituency of Dublin West.

“This is not how a functioning housing market behaves. People are desperate.”

Sinn Fein has outlined how affordable homes can be delivered within budget on State land in Castlelands, Donabate and Damastown.

Deputy O’Reilly said she meets families at her clinics across Fingal who cannot afford the inflated prices of new developments.

She added: “Any further unsustainable rise in house prices is not a symptom of a booming economy. It just highlights how unstable the housing market is.

“Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy needs to pull his head out of the sand and urgently address the housing needs of a huge and growing cohort of people who cannot afford to live in the city they work in.”

COURTS: MAN JAILED FOLLOWING FATAL DANGEROUS DRIVING INCIDENT

‘I have brought unimaginable grief’ A DRIVER who was slightly over the drink driving limit when he fatally struck a woman walking home at night has been jailed for two years.

Marjo Cayabyab, 27, was “two points” over the legal alcohol limit when he hit two women at they crossed the Hartstown Road in Clonsilla on January 3, 2016.

Care workers Claire Hewitt and Ann Keating had left the nearby Hartstown Inn pub at around 2am and were walking home. The car spun out of control and the side of the car hit both women, who had nearly made it across the road.

Both women were taken to hospital where Ms

Hewitt was pronounced dead within the hour.

Cayabyab of Beechwood Downs, Hartstown pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the collision took place near a dangerous bend where there has since been another fatality. Speed ramps are now in place.

Cayabyab was tested and found to be “slightly over the legal limit” with 37 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath. The legal limit at the time was 35.

Forensic investigators were unable to determine the speed of the car but

Support sought for drug and alcohol task forces A FIANNA FAIL councillor has called on the HSE to resource regional drug and alcohol task forces to deal with issues around addiction to gambling.

Fingal Deputy Mayor Adrian Henchy raised the issue at the latest meeting of the Regional Health Forum.

He said: “I have consistently raised this issue at HSE meetings given the rise in recent years in gambling and particularly now given the easy access across social media platforms.

“Similar to alcohol and drugs, a percentage of society goes on to develop serious problems around gambling and these problems can be both devastating not only for the gambler but for their wider circle of family and friends.”

Ireland has the highest rate of online gambling in the world and we are the third biggest losers globally when it comes to other forms of gambling.

Cllr Henchy welcomed the GAA’s move to ban gambling sponsorship and asked the regional health forum what steps the HSE is taking around the issue. In response, the HSE advised that the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland are currently working on a draft position paper on the issue of gambling.

Fingal students win top prizes in art competition SIX Fingal students have won top prizes in this year’s 64th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

All winners of Special Merit Awards, they are Martyna Glowicka (16), from Tyrrelstown, Hannah O’Keeffe (13), from Malahide Community School, Elizabeth Troup (9), from Rolestown National School, Swords, Eva Aherne (7), from St. Marnock’s National School, Portmarnock, Aoife Roche (6), from Scoil Thonuis, Castleknock and Anna Watson (5), from Scoil An Duinnínigh, Swords. Prizes will be presented at an awards ceremony in Dublin next month when all 126 national prize winners will be in attendance.

Claire claims top Water Babies award

CLAIRE Hogan from Blanchardstown has been named Water Babies’ International Teacher of the Year.

She has been involved with what is recognised as the world’s biggest and most professional baby and toddler swim programme for over eight years.

Claire, who now teaches over 200 children at her Dublin classes every week, was up against leading teachers from Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and China.

She said: “I love children, love swimming, and love bringing the two together as often as I can. Water Babies is not just a job for me. I’m really lucky to be involved in so may families’ lives and proudly watch babies and toddlers journey through their ups and downs. I love seeing them graduate as amazing swimmers and beautiful little people.”

Further information at www.waterbabies.ie.

Picture: Robbie Reynolds

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

concluded it was being driven at excessive speed for the wet road conditions.

The court heard that Cayabyab has no other convictions. He is devoutly religious and has been ostracised by his church since the incident.

After his arrest he told gardai he wanted to ask

the victim’s family for forgiveness. He admitted having two rum drinks at a party at his house earlier that night.

“I have brought unimaginable grief and pain to two families and shame on my own family,” he said, adding that the court’s ruling would be nothing com-

pared to the “enormous guilt I must live with for the rest of my life”.

David Hewitt, the deceased woman’s husband, said Cayabyab’s late admissions were hard on the family.

He said family outings and birthdays were now trips to the graveyard.

Ms Keating said the incident changed her life forever. Her injuries included fractured ribs and pelvis and liver lacerations and she was hospitalised for four months.

Judge Martin Nolan said Cayabyab was going much too fast in a built-up area.

He imposed a four-year driving ban noting he is a “moral man with a conscience”.

10 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

GALLERIES OF THE WEEK

Denis Leonard, principal of Dunboyne College of Further Education, Emer Cloak, deputy principal, guest speaker Elysha Brennan and Irene Togher, academic manager

Guidance counsellors Meabh Nimmo and Gordon Weldon with communications teacher Johanna Dawe Jeannie Flynn and Elysha Brennan

Paula Conlon

Sabrina Bollard

Amy Lee with Elysha Brennan

Jessica Moriarty

Adam Sharpe

Dunboyne College launches book

D

Toni McCallion

Keith Nulty

Eyitemi Arenyeka

The students who received their Graduation Association Books

UNBOYNE College of Further Education (DCFE) celebrated its most successful graduates at a Graduate Association event in Dunboyne Castle Hotel on April 26.

Special guest speaker was 2015 Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan, that year’s Meath Rose, who presented the books to graduates.

As part of the celebrations DCFE has published a book profiling 26 successful graduates. The book tells the story of their experiences of DCFE and their progress after graduation. Graduates featured demonstrate the range of QQI accredited courses offered in the college and all graduates recognise the important role DCFE played in their lives and career paths.

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

LOVE YOUR DUBLIN: THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BEST HANG OUTS AND HISTORICAL GEMS

WHEN YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN DUBLIN, YOU’RE ALWAYS CLOSE TO SOME TRULY GREAT TRAD MUSIC

FOLLOW THE TRAD PATH TO MIGHTY MUSIC AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SOME OF THE CITY CENTRE’S BEST SPECIALIST VENUES

W

HILE every tourist in Christendom piles into Temple Bar in search of authentic traditional Irish music, Dubs know that the city’s alive with some of the best trad music in the country, far from the madding crowds.

As you’d expect, outside (and in) Temple Bar the city centre is home to some of the best trad bars, with a variety of styles on offer to cater for culture vultures and trad lovers alike.

The scene doesn’t get shaken up very much, but then, considering the excellence of trad music around the city, that’s maybe no bad thing, as we all love knowing that some of our favourite bars can always be relied upon to give us some of our favourite trad music, too.

Here, we pick out just a few of the trad bests in Dublin, but whether you’re joining the Temple Bar hordes or just going to your local, take the time to appreciate the timeless beauty of our timeless Irish trad music scene.

THE COBBLESTONE

PIPER’S CORNER

O’SHEA’S MERCHANT

LOCATION: Smithfield

LOCATION: Marlborough Street

LOCATION: Bridge Street Lower

COME along to Tom Mulligan’s traditional Irish music bar and venue – the Mulligan family have been playing Irish music for five generations, so no-one can remember back any further to a time without mighty Mulligan music. Some of Ireland’s finest musicians – including Tom’s brother, the renowned uilleann piper, Neillidh – leads traditional Irish music sessions in the Cobblestone, seven days a week.

As well as hosting Na Piobairi Uilleann (Pipers Seisiun) on the first Tuesday night of every month, The Cobblestone Backroom Venue also presents gigs, sessions, classes and talks, alongside Bluegrass, Country, Folk, singer-songwriter nights, sean-nos singing and dancing, set dancing, ceilidh, history talks and more.

Trad music sessions take place Mondays from 7pm, Tuesday to Friday from 5pm, and at weekends from 2pm.

DUBLIN’S newest traditional music bar lies in the heart of the city, less than two minutes’ walk from O’Connell Bridge.

Opened last July by well-known uilleann piper Sean Potts and long-time Dublin publican Eamonn Briody, Piper’s Corner hosts nightly sessions featuring many of Ireland’s most talented Irish traditional musicians.

Adding to the arresting allure of the new establishment, the bar also has one of the most eye-catching exteriors in the city centre, making it hard to miss.

Sean and Eamonn have a strong background in Gaelic games and Piper’s Corner is an ideal gathering point for supporters travelling to and from Croke Park stadium on match days.

There’s also a wide range of Irish craft beers available. The trad session starts seven nights a week from 8pm, and 6.30pm on Sundays.

AT THE heart of O’Shea’s Merchant is the warmth of a genuine Irish welcome.

O’Shea’s has a long history of traditional music. Many of the great names in Irish music, such as Sharon Shannon, Altan, Mary and Frances Black and Damien Demspey, have played there over the years.

Offering live music seven nights a week.

Check out their Facebook page for the lineup, which is updated weekly.

If you fancy a bite to eat, there’s plenty of wholesome Irish food on offer. O’Sheas ingredients are sourced locally, or come from Kerry producers.

Many of their recipes came from John’s mother, Mary, who ran the kitchen for years and all are favourites of the O’Shea children and customers.

And, if you’ve ever wanted to give Irish dancing a lash, go on in on a Monday night to watch or take part.

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13

HOME & STYLE SUMMER IS IN THE BAG: Wheth-

DUBLIN

CHANNELLING SOME DIVE INTO THE DELIGHTS INTRIGUE P20 OF A WEST CORK BREAK P24 PAGE 27



er you need a tote, a leather bag in tropical colours or want to sip a Mermaid Martini, your dream bag is waiting for you... and summer!

MAGAZINE

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

THE GIFT OF GAZ | FIZZING OVER WITH SOME INSIGHTS

Too much sugar brings out a few sour words from the auld fellas IT WAS the nephew’s young fella’s communion at the weekend.

None of us go to mass any more but sure, you have to do all of these things because the young wans and young fellas can’t get into school if they haven’t been baptised, and sure once they’re baptised then you have to go through with all the other bits.

But these things have all gone a bit over the top now.

It used to be that you’d just get hauled around to all the relations’ houses in

all your finery.

Everywhere we went that day, me ma stuck the biggest napkin she could find over me so I didn’t ruin me gear with a cream cake or whatever the relatives would have out for you, because I had the pictures to take in the school next day.

It was a bit stressful really, but at least I got the few quid out of it – can’t say I ever had any sort of religious epiphany.

It’s all changed now though. The nephew had a massive function room booked out and there

were hundreds of people there – mostly adults as well.

I wonder who these things are intended for now. I’ve been at weddings that were less raucous.

The adults were happily skulling pints and the kids were going mad running around the place. I’ve never seen anything like it. They were near crawling up the walls.

“It’s because of all the sugar,” the brother says to me.

“What?” I says.

“The sugar. They’re not

used to it,” he says. “It’s all ‘healthy’ stuff these days.

The kids aren’t allowed bring chocolate bars into school or anything, so when they do get a drop of lemonade they go mad.”

“So what you’re saying is we built up a tolerance for it?” I says to him.

“Yeah, that’s it,” he says. “I mean, we only maybe got fizzy drinks with the Sunday dinner and things like that if we were lucky, but the kids don’t even get that now.”

“Yeah, but we were running it off outside,” I says to him. “Now parents are

afraid to let their kids go outside.”

“True,” he says. “It’s Catch-22, really. They’re afraid to give the kids unhealthy food because they’re afraid to let them get some exercise. They’re bringing in a sugar tax soon as well.”

“Yeah, I heard that,” I says. “Be nice if they spent that extra tax money on safe places for the kids to play outdoors then, wouldn’t it?”

“Sure that would never happen,” he says. “It would make too much sense.”

“

The kids aren’t allowed bring chocolate bars into school or anything, so when they do get a drop of lemonade they go mad

14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

FEATURES SHAWN MENDES RELEASES HIS THIRD ALBUM

Pop star tackles anxiety on latest track In My Blood RACHEL D’ARCY

YOU’D be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard ‘Stitches’ or ‘Treat You Better’ by Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes.

Catchy hooks with a melancholy feel are what Mendes does best, and you’d be damned if they weren’t stuck in your head on a loop.

The 19-year-old has achieved massive chart success with his first two albums, 2014’s Handwritten and 2016’s Illuminate, and is set to dominate the airwaves once again with the release of his third album, a self-titled offering, on May 25.

That’s right – at the age of 19, he’s already on his third full-length release, but age is irrelevant when it comes to Mendes.

He sings with the passion of an old soul, with

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes

lyrics marking major life experiences and emotions in a way some twice his age might struggle to portray.

Recently, he was also recognised as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018, performing on the night.

In My Blood, the debut single from Mendes’ new album, has garnered over 145 million streams and debuted at number one on iTunes in over 50

countries, receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard and Variety.

Mendes credits the track with being a breakthrough in him coping with anxiety, explaining to Zane Lowe on Beats 1 that the song is ‘complete truth’ about his mental health battle.

“I knew people who had suffered from anxiety and found it kind of hard to understand, but then when it hits you, you’re

like, ‘Oh my God, what is this? This is crazy.’ That song is complete truth and the best thing about it is, it’s not all down.

“The whole reason I wrote this song was to be like, at the end, ‘It’s not in my blood to do that.”

Tracks on Mendes’ new album include collaborations with Julia Michaels of ‘Issues’ fame (Like To Be You), which also includes a guitar solo from John Mayor.

Mendes also collaborates with up-coming vocalist Khalid (Youth), who smashed onto Irish airwaves late last year with Young Dumb and Broke.

He has also co-written with Ed Sheeran (Fallin’ All In You) and One Republic’s Ryan Tedder (Particular Taste) for the album.

S h aw n Me n d e s i s released through Island Records on May 25.

JET set for Dublin gig by influential Aussie band at The Academy ONE of Australia’s most successful rock bands, JET, are set to return to Dublin for one night only at The Academy on July 19.

After reforming in early 2017 to hit the road with Bruce Springsteen, the Aussies have since reissued their first two albums ‘Get Born’ and ‘Shine On’ across a series of platforms, to the massive enjoyment of fans new and old.

JET conquered the world after forming in 2001, selling more than 6.5 million albums globally.

Best known for their smash hit Are You Gonna Be My Girl, the band have topped festival bills and charts across the globe.

They’ve also scored a number of ARIA awards for their debut album, and were named Songwriters of the Year by APRA in 2006, and for three years straight, Are You Gonna Be My Girl was the most performed Australian song overseas.

Tickets for JET’s Dublin gig at The Academy are priced at €36.50, and are on sale now.

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS GO APE FOR THE I N F O R M AT I O N TOO MANY ZOOZ 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

SHOWS FROM NEW YORK BUSKERS AT THE SUGAR CLUB, D2

C O N TA C T S Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@dublingazette.com Group Editor: Patrick Finnegan pfinnegan@dublingazette.com

Group Advertising Manager: Sue Griffith sgriffith@dublingazette.com Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@dublingazette.com Picture Editor: Aisling Conway aconway@dublingazette.com Advertising Sales: 01 - 6010240 sales@dublingazette.com

FIND US ON

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 Blanchardstown Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

PERHAPS best described as “New York’s busking superstars”, Too Many Zooz are set to wow Dubs at The Sugar Club on May 18 and 19. The brilliant buskers have even worked with the likes of Beyonce! Tickets: www.sugarclub.com; Pic: Brandon Nagy

Have a heart and volunteer to help appeal THE Irish Heart Foundation is appealing for 3,000 volunteers to hit the streets to sell its famous Happy Heart pins and collect lifesaving funds for CPR training, with the 28th annual Happy Hearts Appeal taking place nationwide on Friday, May 11.

Central to the mission of the IHF is to help save

more lives from cardiac arrest through CPR training programmes, with the Happy hearts Appeal the foundation’s biggest annual fundraising campaign.

The charity needs to raise over €350,000 to ensure that they can continue to provide CPR training programmes in communities across the

Dublin hotel is in the running for EU award SANDYMOUNT Hotel is in the running to scoop the top travel accolade for ‘Europe’s Leading Green Hotel’ at this year’s World Travel Awards 2018, with the hotel also the only Irish hotel nominated in the prestigious international competition.

To vote for Sandymount Hotel before the closing date of Sunday, May 20, see www.worldtravelawards.com.

country.

With more than 5,000 lives lost due to sudden cardiac arrest each year, early CPR intervention can double, if not triple, someone’s chance of survival, making CPR training particularly vital.

To get involved, see www.irishheart.ie/happyhearts.

Where is the ‘best’ place?

PLANNING officials want you to help celebrate some of our most attractive and inspiring places.

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Ireland – the professional body for the UK and Ireland’s 25,0000 planning

professionals – wants the public to help identify high-quality places around Ireland which particularly inspire and engage citizens and communities.

Nominations are open until Friday, June 8, which

will then see a top ten shortlisted.

Nominations can be made at www.rpi.org.uk, by emailing contact@rtpiireland.org, or with Tweet or Instagram ideas, using #RTPIIrelandsBestPlaces or @RTPIIreland tags.

TRAVEL, PAGE 25

A real corker Luxury galore at Inchydoney Island



Deputy Group Editor: Shane Dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

SOME OF THE LATEST EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN DUBLIN

Country star set for special charity gig

Hit packed show at The Academy THE world’s premier Prince cover act is back with a brand new name, playing a date at The Academy on May 19.

New Purple Celebration, formally known as Purple Rain: A Celebration of Prince, will take in a Dublin date as part of their upcoming UK and Ireland tour.

The band have been

together for 13 years, fronted by founder Jimi Love, and featuring a full nine piece band. They’ve been described as “nothing short of a huge party’’, performing all of the Minnesota legend’s greatest hits.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster now, priced from €27.50 excluding booking fee.

DIARY

Too Many Zooz set to play the Sugar Club

NEW York’s visceral busking superstars Too Many Zooz are coming to Dublin for two electrifying shows in the Sugar Club on May 18 and 19.

Too Many Zooz are dancing sax wizard ‘Leo P’, ferocious percussionist ‘King of Sludge’ and nimble-fingered trumpeter Matt Doe, who met by chance, busking at Union Square Subway station in NYC. Commuter-shot footage of their high-octane performances went viral and very quickly made them YouTube sensations.

This prompted Beyonce to personally invite the band to her studio and subsequently perform on her Grammynominated album Lemonade.

Tickets are available from www.sugarclub.com.

THE Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation has announced that country star Michael English is coming home to his native Kildare for a special concert in aid of the charity.

The Killashee Hotel, Naas is the venue on Thursday, May 31 at 8pm, where Michael and his band will be joined by special guest, the legendary Brendan Shine.

Tickets are €25 and available now online at www.eventbrite.ie.

There are a limited number of tickets for sale at the Jack & Jill Charity Boutiques in Naas, Newbridge and Crookstown, County Kildare.

All proceeds from the sale of the tickets will go Jack & Jill.

18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

GOINGOUTOUT

PICKWEEK OF THE

MAY 8 (TUESDAY)

Ray LaMontagne @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre, €60 GRAMMY Award winning singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne comes to Bord Gais Energy Theatre as part of his first UK and Ireland tour in seven years.

The performance will highlight songs from his vast and varying body of work.

Ray will be joined by John Stirratt from Wilco on bass and the duo will be playing songs spanning across Trouble, Till The Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain, God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise, Supernova and Ouroboros.

On this tour Ray will be joined by special guest Freya Ridings.

MAY 3 (THURSDAY) The Go! Team @ The Button Factory, €20 One of the most startlingly original and entertaining live acts to come out of the indie scene in a long time, The Go! Team’s manic mix of pop and shouty dance is mad and energetic.

Justin Nozuka @ The Sugar Club

MAY 4 (FRIDAY) Sir Was @ The Workman’s Club, €13 Pursued By Dogs @ The Button Factory, €10 Girls Rock Fundraiser: Pillow Queens, Maria Kelly, Sub Motion + Roe @ Whelan’s, €11.50 Otherkin @ The Bowery, €15

MAY 5 (SATURDAY) MK, Jax Jones, Lee Foss @ 3Arena, €49.50 Relish @ Vicar Street, €30 The Frank and Walters @ The Bowery, €22 Mary Black sings Jimmy MacCarthy @ Vicar Street, €35 Peter Oren @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €12

MAY 6 (SUNDAY) Wye Oak @ Whelan’s, €16 Sublime, delicate touring folk act Wye Oak are the perfect mellow end to the weekend.

Spies @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €12 Maxi Jazz of Faithless @ The Bowery, €22 Judge Jules @ The Button Factory, €28

MAY 8 (TUESDAY) The Ruby Sessions @ Doyle’s, €7 Otzeki @ The Workman’s Club, €15 Black Pope @ The Big Lovin’ @ Whelan’s (Upstairs)

APRIL 24 (TUESDAY) Eden @ Olympia Theatre, €20 Ruby Sessions @ Doyle’s, €7

MAY 9 (WEDNESDAY) Ray LaMontagne @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre, €60 Paul Kalkbrenner @ District 8, €22 Bedouine @ Whelan’s, €15

Full Circle: How the legal life suits trance legend Judge Jules “

It’s a bit more traditional and corporate than it used to be

ONE of the king’s of Ibiza’s early trance scene, Judge Jules still f lits between home and ‘the island’ dropping records and exploring newcomers  JAMES HENDICOTT to a scene he helped create. These days, though, DJings diacy to react to. for the weekend: he’s a special- That always influist lawyer, too. ences you.

Judge Jules was always a Live, Jules does tongue in cheek name; a nod different types of to the trance-scene mainstay’s sets these days: those in the d e c i s i o n to set aside his l aw d e g re e and head for the hedonism o f t h e 9 0’s most notorious dance scene. These days, though, his life’s gone full circle.

Listening to Jules describe style of his 90s heyday, a lovhis manic schedule is enough ing throwback to the highs of to make your average person 25 years ago, which he calls an wilt: long weeks as “probably “exhibitions,” and those with the only person in my field more of a modern tinge. With with real life experience at the the latter, he’s come to view the top end of the music industry;” world in a distinctly modern light. weekends on the decks.

“The focus now is very much Jules spent fifteen years as one of the main DJs at Radio on the record, not the people,” One, and his passion for what he says of today’s scene.

“My playlist this week is he does still shines, not least through his syndicated radio almost entirely full of peoshow Global Warm Up, now ple that I’d never heard of six months ago. more than 700 episodes old.

“It’s very difficult to build a “It’s a background thing, but it’s syndicated to lots of radio career, and very difficult to find stations, so I think of it a bit like people making a lot of good the radio,” he says, recalling his records in a row.”

The internet, in a sense, has time on BBC Radio One. “I’ve nothing negative to say about handed over a kind of equality Radio One, it was an amazing alongside the potential for viral experience and everything runs promotion.

Oddly, in Jules new world its course. This is a great way to organisation amid the chaos showcase stuff I like.

“DJing for radio and DJing has also become critical.

“I might do an 18 hour live are similar in name only really. Of course you’re playing day sometimes with the records, but there’s no imme- law and, usually over the diacy from radio. weekend with the music.

“You might be aware that “Before I retrained in law you’re playing to lots of people, again, the only time I ever used but there’s not that live imme- it was in in knowing what to

say to the police when they turned up at illegal parties.

“I have a unique expertise now because I really understand the industry, and I can give people the advice I wish I’d received. It’s very easy to get messed around in music, especially when you have a contract in front of you that you’ve worked a long time for.”

As for that world back in Ibiza? “The main diffe re n c e to d ay i s

it’s very much about the day clubs,” Jules tells us.

“It’s a bit more traditional and corporate than it used to be, and a lot of the best stuff happens at pool parties. It’s still huge.”

Judge Jules plays The Button Factory on May 6 as part of Affinity’s 4th birthday party, alongside Marco V, Scot Project and Paul Denton. Tickets start at €28.

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

ENTERTAINMENT CONNECTING DUBLINERS TO THEIR CITY BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ARTISTS

Voices ring out in celebration of the people of the Tolka Valley MARK O’BRIEN

OVER 100 voices rang out across Clarke Square at The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks last Wednesday in celebration of the people of the Tolka Valley.

This performance was the culmination of months of work with many school and community groups working with artists and the National Museum of Ireland as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

The performance of songs and display of artwork created by communities on either side of the Tolka River was inspired by the museum’s

‘People of the Tolka River Valley’ collection.

Most of the songs are new works, composed based on people’s experiences connecting with their local community and one another.

Led by musician Susan McKeown, the Forever Young Chorus from Finglas performed new works created by Susan and the choir.

They were accompanied by the Holy Family School for the Deaf who signed the song in recognition of the official status of the Irish Sign language, declared in December 2017.

The Forever Young Chorus also made a special trip to National Museum of Ireland

- Archaeology for a talk and tour about a Viking woman’s remains discovered in Finglas in 2004.

Artworks created by St Malachy’s School, Finglas and the Deaf Village, Cabra, with the guidance of artist Claire Halpin were also on display.

St Malachy’s have been investigating Tolka Valley Park and the Tolka River and collaborating remotely with a group from Deaf Village Ireland who have been making artworks of butterflies (one of the only animals thought to be deaf).

As part of their exploration of the Tolka Valleys history, St Malachy’s School Finglas visited the National

Museum of Ireland’s Collection Resource Centre, where the students got close up to a range of 19th and 20th Century horse drawn transport vehicles used in North Dublin, including a fire engine, a hearse, a grocer’s van and a laundry van.

This is just one of the many National Ne ighbourhood projects that are happening around the city with community groups, artists and some of best known cultural institutions.

Communities involved range from craft groups to walking groups, choirs to colleges, nursing homes to hospitals, and scout dens to schools.

Claire Peelo who is joined by Holy Family School for the Deaf, the Forever Young Choir from Finglas and children of St Malachy’s School and Broombridge Educate Together. Picture: Mark Stedman

20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

TOP TWEETS Influencers don’t like being called influencers? It’s better than what most people call them. @JimJimNugent We’re guessing JimJim isn’t a FanFan of all the ‘right’ people

5 years later and I literally still can’t believe that Kim and Kanye went to the cinema in Portlaoise on their honeymoon.’ @Scarlet4UrMa Lovely as Portlaoise is, we’re guessing the cinema staff there can’t believe it either

Today was my favourite episode of The Cosby Show.’ @hotpatooties ’nuff said.

Bye, Bill...

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

ENTERTAINMENT

CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN...JUST FOR FUN!

NICKNAMED THE GUERNSEY FILM FOR SHORT, IT’S A LONGISH PIECE OF WHIMSY

Not quite the write stuff SHANE DILLON

BETWEEN a rock and a hard place. That’s my plight as a film reviewer this week, as everyone is crazy about Avengers: Infinity War, but I’d be doing the film an injustice to cram a review in here.

But, as it’ll have been out for a little while by the time of next week’s review, there’s probably no point reviewing then what the world and his dog are barking mad about at the moment, and in shutting the barn door on that particular horse which’ll have bolted well and truly down the road.

So, instead, for those of you who aren’t interested in seeing what feels like Avengers: Infinity Cast, or who simply couldn’t get a ticket for the intergalactic smash, here’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Cert 12A, 123 mins) instead.

There’s something mysterious about a Guernsey book club in World War 2 – if visiting Juliet can see past a hunky farmer’s charms

Oh, sure, it’s also been out a little while, but if ever there was a film which didn’t need much space for a review, this is it.

It’s also a film that’s dilemmadriven with characters between their own rock and a hard place.

That’s a little hard on Guernsey, perhaps, but that’s maybe a clever enough segue back to my intro.

Based on the best-selling book, what I’ll just call The Guernsey Film from here on has a pretty awful title, but the film at least is a bit better.

It’s yet another period drama (set in 1946) largely following plucky British people back during Zee War – French accent optional – and how they dealt

with Nazis occupying Guernsey during World War Two. In The Guernsey Film, a young, somewhat bored, engaged writer is contacted by a member from the eponymous book club, which intrigues her enough to pull her over to the island to meet its members.

As well as digging into the club’s activities under the recent Nazi rule during Guernsey’s occupation, Juliet (nicely played

by Downton Abbey’s Lily James) also finds there’s a big secret at the heart of the book club.

No, not its awful title, which is explained early and easily enough, but a key missing club member who nobody seems to want to discuss.

Perhaps channelling a little of classic Miss Maple sleuthing, Rachel turns out to be Miss Able as she sets to work on the Miss Terry, all the while trying

CODEWORDS

PUZZLES

SUDOKU EASY

MODERATE

in association with

to ignore the allure of Dawsey (Game of Thrones’ Michiel Huisman), a pig farmer.

Speaking of seasoned ham, there’s a reliably solid turn by the likes of Tom Courtenay and Penelope Wilton, who can churn this stuff out in their sleep.

The rest of the cast are also on … okay form, but while director Mike Newell has put together a handsomely shot film, this potato peel pie thing is a little too stodgy for my tastes.

I suppose that if you’re the kind of person who loves watching The Crown, thrills at fairly standard tweed-and-twee Plucky Brit period dramas, or were a member of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yourself, you’ll love this.

Otherwise, however, it’s easy to skip The Guernsey Film, and to stick with the Avengers: Infinite Cinema Queue instead... 6/10

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE SOLUTIONS TO THIS WEEK’S PUZZLES

WORD SEARCH

HOW TO SOLVE

Codewords are like crossword puzzles - but have no clues! Instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle.

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.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

FIND THE HIDDEN WORDS absent minded

inattentive

bemused

lost to the world

brown study

miles away

daydream

oblivious

dazed

preoccupied

ditzy

reverie

dreamer

vacant

faraway

vague

heedless

woolgathering

22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

GALLERIES

Lisa Jordan

Lottie Ryan, Keith Walsh and Jennifer Zamparelli

Brian Dowling, Niamh Doherty and Pippa O’Connor

Lottie Ryan, Morah Ryan, Babette Ryan and Bonnie Ryan

Alanna Beirne

Celia Holman-Lee

Jenny McCarthy and Martin King

Lynn Kelly

Fiona Wall and Julian Benson

Rosanna Davidson

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23

Blathnaid Treacy and Stephen Byrne

Doireann Garrihy, Aoibhin Garrihy and Ailbhe Garrihy

Evelyn Williams

Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Cassie Stokes

Best frocks forward at VIP Style Awards

T

HE lads and ladies were out and the fashions in force at this year’s VIP Style Awards, hosted at the Marker Hotel on April 27.

The event has built up a reputation since its inception in 2001 as one of the most anticipated red carpet events of the year for fashionistas and style lovers alike.

Influencer and presenter James Patrice took home the crown for Most Stylish Male, while Pippa O’Connor grabbed the gong for Most Stylish Woman at the 17th Annual Awards.

A number of awards were up for grabs on the night, including most stylish online influencer, won by Lisa Jordan, and Favourite Irish Designer, nabbed by Dublin based designer Emma Manley.

The Most Stylish Ever honorary award went to former model Celia Holman-Lee, who received a standing ovation after being bestowed the title. Celia started her career in the fashion industry at age 15, and now runs her own modelling agency.

Other guests on the night included the Garrihy Sisters – Ailbhe, Aoibhin and Doireann, Dancing With The Stars’ Erin McGregor, singer Jake Carter, television presenter Stephen Byrne, Brian Dowling and ‘Look of the Night’ winner Glenda Gilson.

Yvonne Connolly

Erin McGregor

Glenda Gilson and Rob McNaughton

24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

LUXURY AT INCHYDONEY ISLAND

Lodge and spa break is a real corker Feed the body and soul with ease thanks to a stay at Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa

SYLVIA POWNALL

Travel Editor T H E R E ’S s o m e t h i n g about wild west Cork coast that makes you feel like you’re in a parallel universe.

The people are laid back and friendly, the weather is softer (in spite of the rain) and the scenery is quite literally out of this world.

That’s why a mid-week stay at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa is just the tonic for stressed-out Dubliners looking to get away from it all.

I visited in mid-April and a botanical boost at the seawater spa combined with the sound of the Atlantic waves outside my window left me feeling 100% rejuvenated.

The hotel is perched on a peninsula jutting into the sea with a glorious stretch of beach to both its left and right and it takes full advantage of its unique setting.

On arrival we were greeted with a welcome cocktail which hit the spot after a four-anda-half hour drive – I’d recommend Fermoy as a good stop-off point.

After a casual dinner in the bar and an early night I was more than ready to try the gorgeous new signature spa treatment the next morning.

Fi r s t t h o u g h w a s breakfast in the Gulfstream restaurant which boasts a panoramic view of the sea and rugged coastline.

Inchydoney is a foodie’s paradise and their home-made walnut bread and fruit jams are to die for, but everything on the breakfast menu, hot and cold, gets a thumbs-up.

The spa has introduced a Signature Botanicals Ritual inspired by the rich marine ingredients available on the west Cork coast.

First there’s a marine salt body exfoliation,

followed by a seaweed body wrap. While I was cocooned in the fragrant warmth of marine algae my therapist Elaine treated me to a scalp massage and a mini flash botanics facial.

A precious mask of natural clay, comfrey and plant ceramides is applied to promote more radiant skin Once the seaweed is sluiced off the blissful treatment finishes with a mini body massage

using a combination of focus seaweed extracts, meadowsweet and horsetail salts which help detoxify the body.

To be honest my preferred option after this bespoke 70-minute treatment would have been to go back to bed – and there were countless guests of the same mind wandering around in their bath robes and slippers in a semi-catatonic state.

Some were happy to

spend hours relaxing in the seawater therapy pool, sauna, steam room and relaxation area – which all overlook the ocean.

But it was time to experience the Botanic a l A f t e r n o o n Te a .

This was served in The Lounge – an expansive room stuffed with deep couches, oversized armchairs, book shelves and an open fire.

Afternoon tea itself was a sumptuous affair

You may not see much of the beautifully appointed rooms, given how much you’ll be availing of the excellent relaxation options at Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa

with three tiers of sweet and savoury delights.

These included rosemary and sea salt brioche, delicious smoked salmon sandwiches with peppercorn infused pickled cucumber and, my favourite, lemon and thyme scones.

There was barely any

all washed down with a velvety Malbec. Heaven.

The Signature Botanic a l Tr e a t m e n t a n d Botanical Afternoon Tea package is available from €235 per person sharing including an overnight stay, Botanical Afternoon Tea with a Botanical Cocktail and a

room left for dinner but we couldn’t resist another visit to the Gulf Stream restaurant to watch the sunset under the expert care of food and beverage manager Cillian.

A wonderfully relaxing day was topped off with seared scallops w i t h s m o ke d c a r ro t puree and a pink peppercorn dressing, and a sumptuous fillet of Macroom beef with a lobster and prawn crust,

full 70-minute Botanical Treatment in the Island Spa. The shorter 30-minute Signature Botanical Treatment and Botanical Afternoon tea package, including an overnight stay and Welcome Botanical cocktail is available from €145 per person sharing.

Information and booking at 023 883 3143/ www.inchydoneyisland. com.

“

The people are laid back and friendly and the scenery is quite literally out of this world

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

A GUIDE TO TEMPTING FOOD AND LOCATIONS CHIC ASIAN STREET FOOD CAFE OPENS ON AUNGIER ST

Bringing a true taste of Asia to Dubliners A NEW chic Asian street food cafe has opened on Aungier Street.

Dublin is certainly known for its eclectic mix of cuisine, but one particular Asian f lavor that is not so easily found is the Gua Bao, and Dublin’s newest Asian eatery is all about Bao. Bao, is a tasty sandwich that originated in China and was eventually adapted to Taiwanese culture.

Across East and Southeast Asia, Gua Bao was originally sold along the streets to workers headed home exhausted and spent after a hard day’s work, or what students dreamed about while studying in class.

It was the sustenance that served to refuel them and bring them much-needed warmth and comfort.

Bao is comfort food in every sense of the term, and now Bao House, on Aungier Street, is recreating those authentic flavours for the people of Dublin.

If you haven’t tried one yet – drool alert imagine a soft and pill ow y s te a m e d b u n s

filled with a nuanced combination of braised pork belly, or perhaps duck confit, garnished

with pickled mustard greens, vegetables, peanuts, and coriander.

Bringing Bao House

to Dublin was the brainchild of Wynne Liu. Having worked in the financial industry in Ireland for the past 15 years, she has always been a fan of the city’s Chinese food scene; the problem, however, was that she felt Bao was almost nonexistent, so she decided to change that.

The new street cafe in the city will specialise in a variety of Bao. The beauty of this sandwich is that you don’t have to wreck your brain over what flavour to choose.

Because they are small in size, you can indulge in more than one – guilt free!

Gua Bao—which literally means “tiger bites into pig” given the way the bun seems to mimic a tiger’s mouth—has always been marked by the freshness of the ingredients, and Dublin’s new Bao House is no exception.

From the flour to the meat, all the ingredients are of the highest quality, sourced locally and are made fresh every day.

Good food is meeting great wine in the heart of the city next Wednesday FOLLOWING the success of their recent cider dinner, modern Irish restaurant, The Riddler, near Christchurch Cathedral, are hosting an exclusive wine tasting dinner on Wednesday May 9.

Offering a relaxed vibrant atmosphere, you’ll learn a thing or two about wine as you dine. The restaurant offers a fivecourse tasting menu creatively and carefully paired with hand-picked wines chosen from the finest vineyards of Spain, Italy and Australia.

The five course tasting menu, designed by head chef Artur Garwin, will include

delights such as Irish crab meat salad accompanied by Palazzi Pinot Grigio and

the Scarlet Heifer’s award winning rump of beef will be paired with Angus The Bull, the cabernet sauvignon from Central Victoria which is exclusive to The Riddle.

Dessert lovers won’t be disappointed with a white chocolate mousse paired with dessert wine from the vineyards of De Bortoli Deen in Australia.

James Roger from Premium Wines will be introducing the wines on the evening and the tasting dinner kicks off at 7pm, with tickets available for €55 per person.

For more information or to book call 01 9073266 or visit www.theriddler.ie

FOOD & TRAVEL

Smoking ban could extend to outdoor areas A PRIVATE members motion tabled by Fine Gael Senators has proposed to ban smoking in al fresco dining areas in Ireland.

Fine Gael Senator, and former health minister, James Reilly has said that it should no longer be acceptable for people to smoke where others are eating.

“While our smoking ban was a really progressive move and lauded internationally, unfortunately one of the unintended consequences has been the prevalence of smokers in the outdoor areas of bars, cafes and restaurants.

“This means that nobody can enjoy a meal outdoors on a sunny day in this country, without having to inhale other people’s smoke.”

Forest Ireland, the voice of smokers in Ireland, have condemned the motion to ban smoking in outdoor dining areas.

Spokesman John Mallon, said: “The war on smoking has gone far enough. There is no justification for banning smoking outside, even where food is served.

“Smoking in the open air poses no risk to third parties and although it may occasionally be annoying for non-smokers this is a matter for the individual establishment not the government.

Thirty new jobs as Freshly Chopped opens THIRTY new jobs for Dublin are coming on stream, as healthy food company, Freshly Chopped, has announced the opening of Freshly Chopped Smithfield 2.0.

The highlights of new flagship store include, a new healthy breakfast menu, a dinner menu with a Co-Founders of Freshly range of grilled protein Chopped, Andy Chen and boards, and a Fairtrade Brian Lee outside Chopped coffee dock with a 2.0 Smithfield. Picture: Karl team of award winning Hussey Photography baristas.

The new outlet has a completely new look and feel, with a graffiti wall, Wi-Fi, leather couches and charging points throughout the store.

Brian Lee, co-founder and CEO of Freshly Chopped said: “We’re excited to unleash Freshly Chopped Smithfield 2.0 on the world.

“Smithfield is the perfect location to unveil our unique, new vision as it is an area that is quickly becoming a new centre for creativity and innovation in Dublin, a hub for creative people from artists to writers and chefs.”

Full calories are counted for each salad, wrap and sandwich and Freshly Chopped offers a delivery, collection, take-away and dine-in service, with fast meal service times. The new Dublin store is now open at Unit 18, Block C, Smithfield Square.

26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

HOME | GETTING READY FOR SUMMER

HOME | THE LATEST DESIGN CRAZE

Daisies in the lawn… to weed or not to weed?

WEED

WARS

 Anne Byrne

Garden Design

HOW CAN you tell when spring has arrived? Easy – you will know when the weeds start growing! As spring has been unusually late this year, growth has been very slow to start, but everyone is quickly making up for lost time.

If you can get on top of weeds in the garden around now, you will save yourself a lot of time and energy later on.

What is a weed? Really it’s just a plant in the wrong place – every plant has its uses and its reason for existence but if you want a well - kept garden, there are some individuals who need to be shown the door to prevent them competing with your precious ornamental plants for light, air and nutrients. In the race for survival the weeds will always win unless you tackle them –compared to most “garden” plants, they grow faster, quicker, and stronger and have developed survival mechanisms that make them hard to get rid of.

I never use weedkiller as I don’t see the point in introducing chemicals into a healthy ecosystem when there is no need. Most annual weeds can be pulled out by hand or hoed off successfully and if you catch them early in the season, they won’t have had time to set seed and multiply yet. Perennials like dandelions and bindweed are harder,

but still worth tackling early – you need to take care to gently ease out as much of the root as possible, as breaking them can encourage new plants. The very best time is after a showery few days when the soil is damp and roots can be pulled out easily.

For paths and driveways, where roots can really get stuck in, a kettle of boiling water poured straight on to the offenders shows them who’s boss – I do this a few times a year and it stops them being a problem.

For lawns you can use a “grubber” – a metal tool with a forked point at the end – to lift up invaders, although I’ll admit to having a soft spot for daisies, and unless they’re really running riot, I’d be inclined to live and let live!

Jennifer Lopez x Inglot Try and tackle weeds before they have a chance to set seed

Christina Torsney , Jane Swarbrigg and Katie Allen helped celebrate the launch of the Jennifer Lopez x Inglot collection in Suesey Street, Dublin. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal and got a first glimpse of the new 70 piece collection designed by J Lo which launched in Inglot stores on April 26. Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

FRESH IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME AND WARDROBE

HOME & STYLE

TK Maxx Lemon Slice Hard Clutch €19.99

TK Maxx White Botanical Tote Bag €49.99

TK Maxx Tasselled Beach Bag €26.99

TK Maxx Wicker Bag €34.99

TK Maxx Brown Braided Tote Basket €19.99

TK Maxx Yellow Leather Studded Handbag €34.99

Summer is…

In the BAG  Jessica Maile, Style Editor

TK Maxx Mermaid Clutch €22.99

Beauty Review

I KNOW I said it was going to be summer soon, but with temperatures still trying to hit the freezing mark at night, I may have been a teensy bit optimistic. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from searching for their perfect summer bag and there

is no better place to look than TK Maxx.

They now have Bags of Bags in their bigger, better bag and luggage department.

Whether you need a tote, a leather bag in tropical colours or want to sip a Mermaid Martini, your dream bag is waiting for you... and summer!

Get striking brows with Kat Von D COMPANY: Kat Von D PRODUCT: Brow Struck Eyebrow Powder PURPOSE: To create a natural looking eyebrow TEXTURE:  PIGMENT:  PERFORMANCE:  PRICE: €€

in Debenhams online), my attention was

wear. I found after hour 7 or 8 the sheen had

immediately grabbed by the shimmery Brow

faded slightly, making a more-matte brow;

Struck, winning my love-at-first-sight-

not that I minded too much, however, as the

affections in lieu of Super Brow.

pigment still lasted.

The product is encased in Kat’s signature

The colour range is somewhat limited

hand-designed packaging, a sturdy black

in the Brow Struck, though – there’s

click-close case with just the right amount

no accurate shade for redheads like

of product. It’s intimidating at first; why on

myself, as has been noted online,

 Rachel D’Arcy

earth would anyone want glittery eyebrows in

but this isn’t out of the ordinary.

their day-to-day look? After a little research,

I’ve been long settling for a blonde

AT LONG LAST, beauty maven Kat Von D has

I came to learn that the shimmer was intended

shade, with Kat Von D no excep-

launched a line of brow products, aimed at

to mimic the natural sheen of eyebrow hairs to

tion. However, with Kat saying

creating a realistic brow.

create a more realistic look.

she’s developing specific shades

Launching four products – a brow

And that it does; I’m usually a pomade kind

for red-heads, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out.

brush, the Brow Struck ‘dimension’ pow-

of girl, but I just might be converted. The pig-

der, Signature Brow pencil and the Super

ment of the brow powder is second to none, a

Brow pomade – Mrs Von D has thought of

welcome delight, though it means you need to

but defined brow, it’s worth checking

everything for the brow enthusiast. While

get your strokes bang-on the first time.

out the Brow Struck.

I initially went on the hunt for the Super Brow pomade (which sadly wasn’t available

There’s a built-in primer to the powder as well, meaning they’re intended to give 12-hour

Overall, if you’re a fan of a natural

Available now from Debenhams.ie, priced at €21.

Kat Von D’s Brow Struck Eyebrow Powder €21

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 3 May 2018

MACHINE OF THE WEEK

TECH TIME

Dazzling graphics flesh out an emotional tour-de-force SHANE DILLON

I DON’T review many games here any more (despite still being a hardcore, oldskool – or just old – gamer myself), but it’s impossible for me to skip past one of the biggest games of the year; the just released God of War (Cert 18; c. €70).

After all, the PS4 exclusive is not just a spectacular tour de force for the console and contemporary gaming tech, but also shows the medium’s maturity to fine effect, expertly weaving in some unusually emotive narratives that’ll effortlessly resonate with anyone with experience of young children.

Most gamers, particularly those past their twenties and thirties, will come away thinking about their own kids, or their nephews (or nieces) and their own relationships and roles in raising them.

That’s not a bad strand to focus on when considering a game that’s essentially about a very, very angry guy who goes around smashing things and fighting monsters, but one that also subtly and overtly hammers home the importance of familial ties throughout, too.

Although a long-running, critically acclaimed PlayStation series, the simply titled God of War acts largely as a cold reboot for the franchise, finding disgraced god Kratos – a Spartan by birth – now living in exile deep in the heart of Norse mythology after his many pantheistic runins with Greek gods.

Now with a troubled young son, Atreus (brilliantly realised by Sunny Suljic), Kratos (Christopher Judge, sounding like half man, half mountain himself) sets off to honour his late wife’s wish and scatter her ashes together from the highest peak in the realm – but the Norse Gods don’t take too kindly to an interloper in their midst, and especially when it’s the notorious slayer of their Greek brethren ...

A standard enough literary focus on

‘the journey, not the destination’ comes into play here – pun intended – throughout the pair’s long, long journey across a surprisingly deep game that offers a hell of a lot of content.

While there’s a literal journey driving the game along as the hopelessly mismatched pair (the gruff, sullen, insensitive god and his obedient but unhappy young son) turn into journeymen together as they criss-cross the Norse realms, it’s the emotional journey of the two chief protagonists that lingers in the mind over the course of their lengthy adventure together, and beyond it.

incredible environmental design in many areas, alongside some blisteringly fast, spectacular particle and lighting effects in a very stable game.

“Wow,” as a seasoned fellow gamer simply put it when I showed him just a little of the game, and that’s without accounting for some of its many overwhelming setpieces. Wow indeed.

Still, very flashy design and stellar graphics aside – accompanied with a great score by busy composer Bear McCreary (of Battlestar Galactica, and The Walking Dead fame) that channels an interesting Lord of the Rings-meets-

Father and son travel to some spectacular places together – but it’s their emotional journey that makes the greater impression

From the best, most naturalistic presentation of a believable child character in gaming yet – Atreus’s quick wit, even quicker insults, innocent questions and flashes of emotion will constantly strike a chord with anyone with a son or young nephew – to Kratos’s slow, slow realisation that parenting isn’t just about being a cold, gruff authority figure, it’s the pair’s constant interaction and uneasy reliance on each other which engages even more than the visuals.

Still, what visuals. The gods themselves would approve, as God of War boasts some pretty jaw-dropping graphics in certain parts, with some absolutely

Gladiator vibe – God of War’s beating heart is the brilliantly realised father and son relationship driving it along.

While the game looks like it’s just about driving the pointy end of a big magic axe into a variety of beasts and monsters – and it’s very much this, too – it’s the game’s subtle reinforcement of the bonds of family that tie most of us together, even unwillingly at times, that makes a much deeper impact than all of the game’s violent delights.

To be as blunt as Kratos himself, you’ll Norse find a better game than this out there at the moment. Highly recommended. 10/10

Ford Fiesta delivers on driver satisfaction Ford has delivered a new sense of driver satisfaction in the latest Fiesta model, which offers a wider specification range with more options than ever before. MICHAEL MORONEY drove the new Fiesta with its much acclaimed new EcoBoost engine and is impressed with all other than the price.

FORD’S latest generation Fiesta is the result of a forty year old success story for the company, both in Ireland and across Europe. The Fiesta is Ford’s second most popular car in Ireland, behind the Focus and it is the market leader in its segment.

With every generation of the Fiesta the car seems to have gotten bigger and more spacious, almost out growing it segment identity as a supermini. The new generation Fiesta builds on that customer demand for a better driving feel, and like all success stories, change has to be careful rather than radical to keep Fiesta customers coming back.

I’ve had a few versions of the new Ford Fiesta out on test in recent weeks, after the snow storms of early March rendered my earlier attempts impossible.

The Fiesta first impressions are good, it’s design different, while still most obviously a Fiesta. The overall dimensions of the car are very similar to the previous versions as is the external design style.

There are subtle differences to the lighting and they are more pronounced at the rear end, where the lighting design has gone

from a vertical to a horizontal concept.

Ford claims to have made multiple changes to the car in terms of engineering for better safety and driver comfort. There are subtle changes to the structure of the car to give it more strength, but it was the improved driving comfort and smoothness that were most noticeable to me.

My test version was the Fiesta ST version, while

with ample power, even if the torque rating shows a minor drop from the current models. Compared with previous models, this car is faster with improved acceleration and marginally better economy.

Ford offers an entry level Fiesta with an improved new 1.1 litre petrol engine at a price that’s more competitive than the EcoBoost versions.

This version is a shade slower with the benefit

Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Engine Engine power 0 – 100km/hr Economy Fuel Tank Capacity CO2 emissions Road Tax Band Main Service Euro NCAP Rating Warranty Entry Price the entry level Fiesta comes in Zetec specification with a lot less in terms of features. The test car was powered by Ford’s impressive 100bhp EcoBoost petrol engine.

The three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine was very smooth to drive and comes

1.0 litre 100hp 10.5 seconds 23km/litre

(4.3/100km or 66mpg)

40 litres 97g/km A2 €180 20,000km/12 months 5 star (2017) 7 years €19,600 of marginally better fuel economy.

Ford claims that fuel effic iency is further enhanced with Auto Start Stop technology offered for all engines and Active Grille Shutter for 1.0-litre EcoBoost versions. The Fiesta comes with a new

3 May 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

WHAT’S NEW IN TECHNOLOGY AND ON WHEELS

TECH & MOTORS

A little-known history - 50 Years of Car Assembly in Ireland A vital, and often underappreciated, stage in the transition of the Republic of Ireland from an agriculture-based to an industrial economy is documented in a new book which tells the interesting story about the history of car assembly in Ireland over 50 years, up to the 1980’s. Bob Montgomery’s book entitled, Motor Assembly in Ireland, offers an insight a time when car assembly was an important feature of the Irish motor industry.

Ford’s new Fiesta has grown in size with enhanced comfort and impressive driving performance from the new EcoBoost petrol engine. The car is attractive to look at and great to drive with entry prices for the five-door EcoBoost versions starting at €19,600.

Bob Montgomery said, “It should be remembered that at the time assembly was introduced, the Irish Free State had virtually no light industry manufacturing, yet within six months, there were no fewer than 13 assembly plants in operation together with the necessary component suppliers. In the years that

Eco button for manual transmissions which adjusts engine and throttle settings to help drivers save even more fuel.

Out on the road the new Fiesta comes with an economy rating of 23km/litre (4.3/100km or 66mpg), which is marginally better than in the past. In practice I found that difficult to achieve and my 650km test run revealed a figure more than 30% higher, so I’m not sure how achievable the official figure actually is.

The driving comfort

is one of the outstanding features of this new Fiesta. The new six-speed manual gearbox was especially comfortable to use. Ford claims that the new gearbox design also brings some fuel economy benefits.

You will be impressed with the internal layout of the Fiesta especially as you move up the specification ladder. The entry level Zetec models come with Ford’s basic radio with 4.2 in TFT screen and 6 speakers. Moving up a grade to the Titanium versions adds a much more

impressive 6.5in touchscreen system, with Ford Sync 3 emergency system and Apple Carplay plus Android Auto and that gives a completely different feeling to driving the car.

SOPHISTICATED This new Fiesta delivers the more sophisticated range of driver assistance technologies and connectivity features than in the past, including the entry level models. These come with a lane-keeping alert and aid system, speed lim-

iter, seatbelt minder, rear centre headrest autoheadlamps and ESP with hill start assist. The new Fiesta comes with two ISO-Fix couplings in the rear seats and has a Euro NCAP 5 star safety rating.

This new Fiesta is an impressive car to drive, and is marginally shorter than the competing new Volkswagen Polo. The Polo beats it a little in terms of boot space, and the spare wheel is not included.

While the entry level Fiesta prices look attractive at €16,650, you will

need to add almost €4,000 to that price to get a fivedoor EcoBoost version, which seems like a big price jump.

Titanium spec versions, which is the minimum desirable level start at €20,150 for the entry models, which means that this much improved Fiesta is also going to cost you a little more. The good news is that Ford dealers are now offering a seven-year warranty on Fiesta models with €1,500 discounts, so there’s a new sense of value in the Fiesta, but don’t wait too long.

Volvo Car Ireland staff take action on marine plastic VOLVO Car Ireland staff recently undertook the first of a series of beach clean ups that are planned across Ireland by the Volvo Cars network. The beach cleanup, in partnership with Clean Coasts, challenged Volvo Cars staff to collect as much rubbish, including plastic, from the Shelly Banks beach over the course of the morning, to help raise awareness and tackle the growing issue of marine plastic pollution.

Following a challenge laid out by Volvo Cars CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, for employees to take action over the growing marine plastic issue, Volvo Cars is undertaking beach clean ups across the world.

“A crucial part of our sustainability effort at Volvo Cars is to help reduce plastic pollution and protect ocean health,” said David Thomas, MD of Volvo Car Ireland. Companies like Volvo Car Ireland make a tangible and immediate

followed in the region of 52 different makes of cars were assembled here.” These makes included Jaguar, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Adler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Chevrolet, to name but a few.

To get the process started, in 1933, Sean Lemass provided a tax concession to companies who engaged in assembling cars. The result was that within a year there were 13 assembly plants importing cars in completely knocked down (CKD), where the key components were taken from the manufacturing line and shipped to Ireland for assembly. A significant light industrial sector developed around these plants providing tyres, batteries, glass, springs, spark plugs, upholstery, paint and other components.

Bob Montgomery added,” This was the true start of the light manufacturing industry in Ireland that continued until the last cars were produced in 1984 after our accession to the EC. I feel that this is a vital, and often underappreciated, stage in the transition of the Republic of Ireland from an agriculture-based to an industrial economy.”

Meet Citroen at Blanchardstown CITROEN will be showcasing a selection of their vehicles in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre from the 4 -14 May 2018. This offers a great opportunity for customers to discover more about the new Citroën C4 Cactus and the funky Citroen C3 Aircross.

Visitors will get the chance to check out the new C4 Cactus being launched in Ireland this week.

The Citroen Advanced Comfort programme is at the very heart of new C4 Cactus, with features and technologies designed to emphasise a feeling of reassurance, comfort and calm. This fresh new model claims to set the standard for comfort through the world premiere of the brand’s Advanced Comfort seats and the European debut of the eagerly-anticipated new suspension system with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions.

impact on the coastal environment. On the day, the group removed over 30 bags of rubbish which include objects like plastic bottles, fishing rope, aluminium cans, food packag-

ing, items of clothing and a parking sign. The beach clean-ups are just one of a series of sustainability initiatives that Volvo Cars are executing.

The cars will be displayed just outside Odeon Cinema at the shopping centre’s blue entrance and members of the Citroen team will be on hand every day to answer all your questions and book you in for a test drive of your preferred model.

30 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

DUBLINGAZETTECLASSIFIEDS  FINGAL DVD TRANSFERS

RECRUITMENT

WINDOWS

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

PAINTING

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

INSURANCE CLAIMS

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 31

FINGAL  DUBLINGAZETTEPLANNING

FOLLOW US TODAY ON OUR SOCIAL NETWORK Facebook: www.facebook.com/ DublinGazetteNewspapers Twitter: @DublinGazette

SUPPORT

LOCAL BUSINESS



SHOP LOCALLY

CALL THE GAZETTE ON

60 10 240

32 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

R1

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 33

SWORDS ON BRINK OF HISTORIC PROMOTION P37

SOCCER : CORDUFF were undone 8-3 in a goal-fest in the FAI New Balance Under-17 Challenge Cup after they defeated Corduff 8-3 at Turner’s Cross on Saturday afternoon.

THE BEST IN DUBLIN

SPORT

DERBY DAY: DUBLIN SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: CASTLEKNOCK

swatted aside their most local rivals St Brigid’s in the Dublin Senior Football Championship at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon, ensuring both their progression and their rivals elimination in the process.

An emphatic scoreline of 1-16 to 0-7 emphasised the gap that has opened up between this pair, as well as Castleknock’s increasingly well-touted defensive prowess.



GAZETTE

AMPUTEE TEAM READY FOR BIG WEEKEND P34

CORDUFF’S EPIC CUP RUN UNDONE IN CORK P37

PAGE 39

LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS ATHLETICS | DOCKLANDS LIT UP FOR ANNUAL 10KM ROAD RUN

Night Run brings out a sea of blue  JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

OVER 7,000 PEOPLE completed the 10km KBC Dublin Night Run around the quays and dockland area of the city last week as the popular event saw athletes stretch across the east of the city.

Night Runs have become increasingly popular across Europe in recent years, and get underway shortly after sunset.

A party atmosphere has grown up around the events which, filmed with drone cameras, get underway with thumping dance music and lively warm ups, and typically feature a glow-in-the-dark running top for competitors.

The Dublin race got underway with fireworks, heading from the Convention Centre towards O’Connell Bridge, before turning back in the direction of

Ringsend.

It weaved its way around the streets of Ringsend and Irishtown, past Poolbeg Yacht Club, over the toll bridge and past the 3Arena. The finish line was located slightly further down the quays than the start line, close to the Convention Centre.

The race is traditionally a casual affair in terms of times despite the strict one hour 20 minute cut off time, however some serious 10km efforts were clocked around the streets at the front end of the event, mostly from local runners.

Dunboyne Athletics Club’s Kenyan native Peter Somba won the men’s and the outright event by almost two minutes, finishing the course in 31 minutes and 14 seconds, ahead of Joseph O’Donoghue from Crusaders Athletics Club, who crossed the line in 32.56.

In the ladies’ race, Sinead Tangney

NIGHTCALL: The motivational team at the start line while first female home, Sinead Tangney receives here prize from Titan Experience’s Declan Byrne, KBC’s Caroline Donellan and Athletics Ireland’s John Foley

of engineering firm ARUP clocked an impressive 37.36, coming home ahead of Slovak triathlete Petra Fasungova (38.36) and Claire Sullivan.

KBC’s Aidan Power said of the event: “The Night Run is truly a unique event and is one of those iconic races in the Irish running calendar.

“To experience the atmosphere at the race and see over 7,000 participants paint the streets of Dublin in a ‘sea of blue’ was incredible.

“Health and wellbeing is becoming more and more important for everyone and the participation and excitement we saw around the Night Run is testament to this.”

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

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

34 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

1

CASTLEKNOCK OUR Nursery, with thanks to Tiger Childcare, is in full swing in CCC every Saturday. New members always welcome. Nursery enquiries to lisakiernan1@gmail.com.

Well done to both our camogie feile teams who represented our club brilliantly over the weekend.

Our Division 6 side made it to their final and fought right up to the final whistle but lost out to Ballyboden by two points (1-1 to 1-3). The Division 2 girls lost the semi-final by the narrowest of margins.

Thanks to all volunteers who got involved including Michael and the grounds team who made it possible to host with 48 hours notice.

Great win for the senior footballers over St Brigid’s in Parnell Park (1-16 to 0-7), well done lads.

The club would also like to wish a speedy recovery to Thomas McDaniels.

The club is very excited to announce a new partnership with West Pharmaceutical Services to support our adult and minor men’s sides together with our juvenile girls. Look out for more news to come from “West” and Castleknock GAA .

Date for your diaries! Race Night on Friday, May 11 in Kavanaghs 8.30pm, set to be a great night as always. “Horses” are available from the Race Night Committee and from the Club Shop.

ERIN GO BRAGH NO WINNER of our lotto jackpot this week. Next week’s jackpot is €6,200; numbers drawn were 9, 14, 24 and 26. Thanks to everyone who supports out club lotto.

Well done to our adult footballers who won their championship match against Cabinteely.

Our G4M&O team did us proud when they took part in blitz hosted by St Peregrines on Saturday Well done to Conor Mcleod playing on the Dublin U-16 footballers in a friendly against Roscommon on Sunday.

Our U-14 hurlers had two great wins this week as well as wins for our U-15 and U-16 boys and our U-14 girls.

If anyone is shopping in Tesco , please remember to put your blue tokens in EGB tube.

Cúl camp to be held from July 9 to 13 in Castaheany Community Centre. Cost will be €65 per child with a €5 discount for siblings.

EGB summer camp to be held from August 13 to 17 in Castaheany Community Centre. Cost will be €50 per child with a €5 discount for siblings.

AMPUTEE FOOTBALL: INTERNATIONAL SHOWDOWN

McElligott all set for Dalymount delight

Former Shelbourne footballer anticipating the biggest weekend for amputee football in Ireland with England and Poland coming to Dublin this weekend for a series of round-robin fixtures  sport@dublingazette.com

CHRISTY McElligott is looking forward to the biggest weekend yet for the Irish Amputee Football Association (IAFA) as they – in conjunction with the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) – launched their forthcoming Citywest Hotel International Weekend.

Supported by the Football Association of Ireland, the tournament will be played this weekend in Dalymount Park, the Republic of Ireland will face England and

Poland in a round-robin tournament.

Ireland international McElligott was joined at the launch by IAFA Ambassador Damien Duff, IAFA Chairperson Janice Dunwoody and Citywest Hotel Commercial Director Sean Reid.

The tournament begins on Friday when Ireland play England, kick off at 7.45pm. The following day will see the conclusion of the tournament as Poland play England, kick off 12pm, followed by Ireland’s match against Poland, kick off at 4pm.

Part of the EAFF’s Amputee Football Weeks programme, the tournament will help promote amputee football in Ireland.

McElligott says the event is the biggest the sport has had in Ireland in recent years.

“We have a great opportunity to host a tournament in Dublin. It’s a great opportunity to show the fans what amputee football is about.

“Fans have got to see the game in the flesh to see what it’s all about and how good the sport is.

This event is all about creating awareness about amputee football

“

There’s nothing better than putting on the Irish shirt. It will be a proud weekend for the players and their family -Damien Duff

”

FINGALLIANS FOOTBALL Championship: Our senior footballers beat St Pats Palmerstown 2-17 to 1-9 and our junior footballers were beaten by Ballymun 1-11 to 1-9. Both teams need to win their final group game to make the quarter finals.

Ladies football league Final: Dublin v Mayo will take place in Parnell Park on Sunday at 4pm. We are hoping to turn Parnell Blue for the day so please support our girls. For tickets, please log on to www. dublinladiesgaelic.ie for further details.

Summer Camp Program: Kelloggs Cúl Camp: July 9-13, 9am-1pm. €50 members/€70 non members; Fins Summer Camp: July 23-27, 9am-1pm. €50 members/€70 non members; Hurling School of Excellence: July 31 -August 3, 10am-2pm. €60 members/€80 non members; Paul Flynn, Football School of Excellence: August 7-10, 10am-2pm. €60 members/€80 non members; Fins Summer Camp: August 13-17, 9am-1pm. €50 members/€70 non members Dublin Minor Ladies: Congratulations on winning another Leinster title with an eight point win.

and its development in this country. It’s an excellent chance for supporters to see it in all its glory.”

Duff added that playing international football is the pinnacle for any player.

“It will be a great weekend in Dalymount Park. I would urge as many to go and watch. It’s free admission. Poland and England are two of the best teams in Europe.

Sean Reid, Commercial Director, Citywest Hotel, IAFA ambassador Damien Duff, Republic of Ireland’s Christy McElligott and Janet Dunwoody IFAI Chairperson. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

“There will be some top-quality football on show from all three sides. Fans will be pleasantly surprised.

“There’s nothing better than putting on the Irish shirt. It will be a proud weekend for the players and their family.”

IAFA Chairperson Janice Dunwoody says the Association are proud to have the support of the EAFF, Citywest Hotel and the FAI in making this tournament come to life.

“Football brings all abilities together, it is an equal game for all to play and to support.

This friendly tournament is a great opportunity to see three of Europe’s top teams come together and compete.

“Fans are encouraged to join us at Dalymount Park to support the EAFF Amputee Football Weeks which takes place throughout the month of May around Europe.”

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

LEAGUE OF IRELAND: WATERFORD RAID DUBLIN FOR 1-0 WIN

LOI SHORTS Peas knocked off top PEAMOUNT United were toppled from the summit of the Women’s National League following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Galway on Sunday.

Peamount had a 100% record from their opening two home games and looked set to continue that trend at Greenogue when they took the lead through Eleanor Ryan-Doyle with just two minutes gone.

Winger Megan Smyth-Lynch found space on the left before hanging up a cross for the Ireland international to head home her second goal of the season. It took the visitors just seven minutes to find an equaliser, however.

A mistake from Naoisha McAloon, who botched an attempted throw out, presented Lynsey McKee with a golden opportunity to level the tie. She dribbled around McAloon before slotting the ball into an empty net.

Peamount manager James O’Callaghan sprung Ireland strikers Amber Barrett and Heather Payne from the bench but Galway hung on as Shelbourne went top following their comfortable 5-1 win away to Limerick.

Bohs’ Rob Cornwall and former team mate Ismail Akinade dice for possession. Picture: Martin Doherty

Bohs frustrations keep coming at Dalymount LOI PREMIER DIVISION Bohemians Waterford  DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

0 1

BOHEMIANS were left to rue a succession of missed chances as they were victims side of a smash-andgrab from Waterford at Dalymount Park on Monday night.

The Gypsies dominated the game but lacked a threat up front to cancel out Courtney Duffus’ wonderful solo goal early in the first half.

Manager Keith Long was sent to the stands in the second half as he protested a string of questionable refereeing decisions, including the failure to award a penalty for a foul on Dylan Watts.

The home side continued to knock on the Blues’ door for the remaining half an hour but found a makeshift Waterford defence in no mood to give up their clean sheet.

Bohs had a chance to open the scoring as early as the second minute when Garry Comerford’s failed clearance fell to Dinny Corcoran, but the striker couldn’t generate enough power in his volley.

Waterford had success with the long ball game, and Duffus cut in from the left and send a shot whistling past the near post before Akinade forced a routine low save from Shane Supple.

The goal arrived after 17 minutes when Akinade forced an error from Keith Buckley in the air. Duffus skipped past two challenges before burying his shot from close range.

The home crowd were incensed as the move began at the other end of the pitch, when Waterford were awarded a throw that should have gone Bohs’ way.

As they had in their defeat to the champions Cork City 11 days earlier, Bohs responded by getting

on the ball and dictating play.

A Keith Ward free kick was deflected goalwards and it took a tremendous stop from on-loan goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux to keep it out, before a wall of bodies kept out Ward’s volley.

The Blues retained a goal threat, however, and they should have doubled their lead in first-half injury time only for Comerford to miss the ball with the goal at his mercy.

The major talking point occurred ten minutes into the second half as the outstanding Watts dribbled into the box and past two challenges before appearing to be bundled over by Comerford.

Referee Ray Matthews was unconvinced by the midfielder’s appeals, and Long’s protests to the fourth official Neil Doyle saw him dismissed from the sideline.

Eoghan Stokes and Ward went close in quick

succession before a pass around the corner from Corcoran sent Kevin Devaney through, but the winger put the best chance of the game wide.

Corcoran was centimetres from latching onto a Devaney flick-on, before a fantastic reverse pass from Watts picked out Ward, but it was just slightly too high for the midfielder to steer on goal.

“We were magnificent tonight, and it is gut-wrenching to not get anything from the game,”

Long told the Dublin Gazette.

“I don’t think Waterford can believe their luck, to be honest with you. There’s quite a number of incidents that happen through the game that left us frustrated.

“The goal we conceded, there were a thousand people in the stand that were claiming it was our ball.

Then they go and directly score from that throw-in.

“That’s the way it’s been going for us, but we won’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

Keith Long just prior to being sent to the stands. Picture: Martin Doherty

LIGHTS GO OUT ON CABO CABINTEELY will have to do it all over again after their league fixture against Athlone Town was abandoned on Saturday evening due to a floodlight issue.

Referee Andrew Mullally called a halt to proceedings at Stradbrook Park in the final 20 minutes when the lights failed to light up adequately.

The referee deemed there to be too little natural light to complete the game and it was abandoned.

Marty Waters had given Cabo a lead midway through the first half as he scrambled home a loose ball, and the home side had a succession of chances to extend their lead but couldn’t find a finish.

The full match will be replayed with a date to be announced by the league in due course.

Pat Devlin’s side remain seventh in the First Division with nine points from their opening nine games.

Rovers finally get back in the winning frame SHAMROCK Rovers picked up a first win in all competitions since March on Monday night as they knocked Cork City off the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

Goals from Graham Burke and Ethan Boyle had Rovers in command in the first-half at Tallaght Stadium, and Roberto Lopes put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark.

Manager Stephen Bradley said afterwards to the league’s official website that a result like this one has been coming.

“The result or the performance doesn’t surprise me, because we were excellent against Limerick and Derry (both draws). That little bit of luck in front of goals was with us tonight.”

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

CLUB NOTES NAOMH PEREGRINE THANKS to all who helped prepare the Feile Camogie players and the volunteers who helped with hosting the preliminary rounds and the finals at the club at the weekend.

Best wishes to the boys’ football Feile players this weekend and to everyone involved in the round matches and the three finals taking place on Sunday on the main pitch.

Well done to the minor hurlers and the junior C team on their wins. Congratulations to Rachel Brennan and the Dublin Ladies Minor Footballers on winning the Leinster Championship.

We offer our deepest sympathies to the McSherry family following their recent bereavement.

There was no winner of the club lottery, numbers drawn were 6, 7, 8 and 12. Next week’s jackpot is €6,600.

The Friends of St Per-

ROUND

2

egrine’s GAA Club Charity Hike and Gala night takes place on Saturday, May 19 to benefit St Francis Hospice.

The hike starts at 9.30am from the Band Stand in Bray along the cliff path to Greystones and return.

Tickets are on sale in the clubhouse. Contact Richie at 086-2752789.

St Peregrine’s GAA Club inaugural Golf Classic celebrating 40 years takes place in Luttrelstown Golf Club on Friday, June 1. The entry fee is €400 for a team of four.

The Time Sheet opens from 8:30am. Contact Vinnie at 087-6753194 or Dave at 086-0462253 for details.

Overdue membership fees are payable on-line at http://www.cnp.ie/ contentPage/10016244/ online_memberships. The club’s “No Pay-No Play” policy will be strictly applied for as long as any or all of an individual’s 2018 membership fee remains unpaid.

SKERRIES HARPS WELL done to the KMR Catering sponsored Division 4 camogie team on their fantastic Feile win.

Great to see more silverware for our trophy cabinet. Fantastic camogie played over the weekend.

Well done to the Moriarty Supervalu sponsored U-16s on their league win over Naomh Mearnog on Saturday and to the U-15 Div 1 footballers on defeating Castleknock to make the Div 1 Shield Semi Final.

The senior Camogie team defeated St Vincent’s midweek in the league and the Senior ladies football had good win over Templeogue Synge Street.

The Intermediate footballers defeated Whitehall Colmcilles on Sunday.

Division 2 U-14 Feile Peil will be hosted by the club this coming Saturday, May 5. All support for our U-14 footballers appreciated. See www.skerriesharps.ie/fixtures for details of all upcoming games.

Zingo Result: 4-1-7-3-5-6-2. No winner of the jackpot; dividend winner Joe Williams; next week - €1,300 jackpot, dividend €100.

Next Draw will take place Sunday, May 6 in the clubhouse. How do you win! You buy a ticket!

SOCCER: BALHEARY CLUB ON THE BRINK OF A FIRST EVER STINT

Swords make big move to promised land of LSL top tier LSL SUNDAY SENIOR 1 Swords Celtic Tullamore Town  ROBBIE O'NEILL sport@dublingazette.com

2 0

SWORDS Celtic took another huge step toward promotion to the top tier of intermediate football as they saw off Tullamore Town 2-0 in Balheary.

Both Celtic and Tullamore town went into the tie knowing a win would bring them closer to promotion with Swords looking to go to the top league in the LSL for the first time in their long history.

It was the home side who started the brighter with Evan Kelly and Jack McGlade looking lively up front. On the 15 minute mark, a Gavin Smith free kick wasn’t too far away from giving Swords an early lead.

As the rain started to lash down on Balheary, the Co Offaly side started to come into the game

with Kevin Williamson’s curling freekick forcing home keeper Steven Trimble to stay on his toes.

He was called into action soon after as Brian Francis got in behind the Swords defence with trimble saving at his feet.

It was Swords, though, who took the lead soon after when a Greame Leahy cross was headed in by Smith on the 36th minute. Shortly after, Celtic appeals for a penalty were waved away by referee Declan Troy, keeping it at 1-0 at halftime.

Tullamore manager Tony O’Sullivan rallied his troops at the start of the second half and they got on top again.

Williamson met Anto Kavanagh’s cross with his head but it was redirected just went inches over as Tullamore as pressed for an equaliser on a slippy pitch.

The conditions may have played a part in a

The Swords Celtic LSL Sunday Senior 1 side

few loose tackles, leading to cards for both sides while Swords could have had a penalty in the 60th minute as the lively McGlade went down in the box.

Kelly went just wide in the 67th minute from another great chance as the hosts pressed on, particularly when Tullamore were reduced to 10 players when Brian Gill got his second yellow for lashing out at Smith.

Up a goal and with an extra player, Swords sealed the game on the

77th minute a Jones cross was poked home by Kelly to make it 2-0, much to the delight of the small Swo rd s c rowe d w h o braved the weather.

The result lifted Celtic to the top of the table w i t h t h re e m a tc h e s remaining in their campaign, two clear of Liffey Wanderers and Ballymun United.

Liffeys have the box seat for the moment, though, with two games in hand on both of their top table rivals.

Nonetheless, Swords

are in good shape to make the top three promotion places with four points in the difference back to fourth placed Glenville.

Elsewhere, Swords Saturday Major side recorded a 1-1 draw with Ballymun with Aaron McFadden scoring the goal while goalkeeper Eoghan Moloney pulled off numerous strong saves to secure the point.

The Sunday Division 3 side were 5-0 winnvers over Liffey Athletic to stay in the top two in the division.

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

IN SUNDAY SENIOR

SOCCER: FAI UNDER-17 CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

Corduff’s memorable run ends in goal fest FAI NEW BALANCE U-17 CHALLENGE CUP Greenwood Corduff FC  sport@dublingazette.com

PERFECT TIMING

Ballyboughal unveil clock and scoreboard

BALLYBOUGHAL GAA unveiled its brand new digital clock and scoreboard, courtesy of the GAA’s official Timing Sponsor EirGrid, in the company of Eoghan O’Sullivan of EirGrid, Ballyboughal GAA’s chairman, Richard Seaver and several club players including Jack Ryan and Kate Downey.

The club won this super prize as part of EirGrid’s #MomentsInTime campaign. The competition encouraged GAA fans to publicly share a picture of their favourite GAA moment using #EirGridGAA.

Corduff celebrating during their epic run to the FAI Under-17 Cup final.

8 3

CORDUFF were undone 8-3 in a goal-fest in the FAI New Balance Under-17 Challenge Cup after they defeated Corduff 8-3 at Turner’s Cross on Saturday afternoon.

It marked the end of an epic run for the Blanch side, starting off last October with victory over Ratoath before winning away in Trim and at Blarney United. They eliminated Conn Rangers next and Freebooters en rout to the final.

A hat-trick apiece from Darragh O’Connor and Ethan Varian was enough to see Greenwood secure the National Cup with a scintillating attacking display.

But it was Corduff who made the better start and they almost took the lead within the opening seconds. But after being sent through on goal by James Sheridan, winger Sean Enright clipped the ball wide of the far top left corner.

The Dublin club did take the lead after just two minutes as Adam Muhall expertly hooked his volley over the keeper and into the far top left corner from just inside the box.

Greenwood responded well to that set-back and they duly equalised after eight minutes when Darragh O’Connor drilled Aaron Walsh’s pullback into the roof of the net.

Frantic The frantic start continued as the Cork side completed the turnaround after just 10 minutes when Cathal Crowley fired the rebound home from a few yards after Ethan Varian’s initial effort was saved by keeper Eugene Prodanchuk.

But back came the Dublin 15 side and they levelled terms just shy of the half-hour mark when Sean Enright slotted Adam Mulhall’s square ball past the helpless goalkeeper.

The match continued to swing from end to

end as Greenwood retook the lead thanks to Aaron Walsh only for Corduff to make it 3-3 before the break when Jake McGarry found the net. But the second period was all about Greenwood as Darragh O’Connor again edged Greenwood in front in the 50th minute before doubling their lead and completing his hat-trick in the process with a fine finish four minutes later.

Ethan Varian deservedly added his name to the scoresheet just a minute later to net his side’s sixth of the afternoon.

And the talented forward completed the scoring as he made it seven with 20 minutes remaining, finishing well when through on goal before sealing his own match ball from the penalty spot late on.

Coolmine RFC to celebrate in style

JUNIOR RUGBY INTERPROS  STEPHEN FINDLATER

sport@dublingazette.com

AS PART of Coolmine RFC’s clubhouse’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the IRFU have decided to host the Junior Interprovincial Leinster vs Munster match this May 5 to recognise the club’s efforts in promoting rugby in the area.

Their River Road venue was opened 25 years ago by then president Mary Robinson and the club are looking forward to

toasting the occasion in style.

The junior interpros feature the best players from the regional leagues with Leinster featuring the likes of Monkstown’s Dan Costello, Clondalkin’s Mikey Russell, Matt Stapleton and Tom Brady and DLSP’s Morgan Merriman.

They got their campaign off to a great start with a 34-17 win over Connacht in Ballinrobe last weekend. They got up and running with a try from winger Derek Williams and pulled further ahead when Corey Carty

crossed for the second try with barely 15 minutes played in the game.

A second Carty try stretched the lead out to 19-3 and they were pretty much out of sight by half-time when Longford man - and Leinster skipper Kieran O’Gorman raced away to touch down.

Connacht got a couple of tries back to make it 29-17 but any sense that they could force a comeback ended when Joe Gorman got the final Leinster try late on.

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 3 May 2018

CLUB NOTES

ROUND

3

ST BRIGID’S CLUB camp is running from May 8 to 11 to coincide with half term from 9.30am to 2pm each day for five to 13 year old boys and girls - register on the website or email eventsbrigids@gmail.com for more info.

St Brigids Nursery sponsored by Sherry Fitzgerald runs each Saturday from 9.30 to 11.00am, all 4 to 7 year olds are welcome, come down to take a look and get involved.

Very well done to our Feile camogie teams last weekend. Nh Bríd won Division 1 in style on Sunday with a win over St Oliver Plunketts ER, and to the B team who narrowly missed out on a semi-final place. Many thanks to our hosts. Boys football Féile is the coming weekend in Ballyboden.

St Brigid’s annual club mini-leagues, sponsored by Bradys Garages Castleknock, will run on the week starting June 11 with Finals on Saturday, June 16. St Brigid’s Club Summer Camp is due from July 23 to 27, GAA Cúl Camp from August 13 to 17 and GAA Nursery Camp from August 20 to 24.

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

Best of luck to Noelle Healy, Deirdre Murphy and Ciara Trant and all the Dublin Senior Ladies who meet Mayo In Parnell Park in the LIDL NFL Division 1 Final on May 6.

ST FINIAN’S IT WAS mixed fortunes for AFL teams. The AFL4 team beat O’Dwyers in Balbriggan on Saturday evening while the ALF8 team were beaten by Castleknock in Ridgewood on Sunday.

Congratulations to the Under 14 Camogie Team who represented the Club with pride at Féile 2018 in Naomh Mearnóg on Saturday. Check out the Club Facebook page for some pictures of the day.

Well done to the adult camogie team who beat St Vincents away in the Senior seven League North.

The AHL 8 team are at home to Wild Geese on Sunday at 5.15pm in River Valley.

All support welcome and appreciated for the Adult Hurling, Camogie & LGFA Teams.

St Finian’s GAA Club congratulates its members on the U-8 and U-9 boys and girls teams from Holy Family Junior National School who made their first Holy Communion on Saturday and also to its members who made their Confirmation on the previous weekend.

A reminder that St. Finians GAA club present “I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here” as their main fundraiser for 2018 on Saturday, June 2 in City North Hotel.

Doors open at 7.15pm with the show starting at 8pm sharp.

The evening will finish with a late bar and DJ. Tickets are available for purchase both online on the club website http:// www.stfinians.com and also directly from contestants or the fund raising committee.

Adult ticket price - €25, juvenile tickets €10. Please contact Ian Fahey on 086 839 0511 or Fergus O’Neill on 087 967 6725 for further details.

St Finian’s GAA Club extends sincerest sympathies to the family of Seamus O’Halloran who passed away on Friday.

Seamus is the father of Mary Crosbie.

Mary’s two children Senan and Eimear both play Hurling, camogie & football with the club and her husband Ciaran is the current Under 13 boys manager and former club secretary. Ar dheis Dé go a anam dílis.

ST MAUR’S HUGE congratulations to our Maurs girls Laura Carthy and Jessie Kelly representing Dublin Minors in the Leinster Final, final score Dublin 2-13 to Meath’s 2-5 Our camogie team won through to the Div 3 feile semi final on Saturday.

They played Clontarf in the semi-final where they lost out with the final winners Ballinteer St Johns, getting a score of 2-3 to Clontarf 2-2. Ballinteer St John had a last second goal to win it in the end.

Senior 2 Football Championship Templeogue Synge Street 0-9 St. Maurs 0-8; Adult Division 2 League Dublin ladies gaelic - St Maurs 3-6 Castleknock 1-5; Senior 6 League camogie - Crumlin 2-9 Naomh Maur 4-6; Junior Football Championship - St. Maurs 2-12 St. Margarets 1-11; Minor Hurling D3 - Ros Lusca 3-8 Cuala 1-11; U 15 footballers Shield - St Catherines 0-9 St, Maurs 4-14 For the first time ever we will be holding Hurling & Camogie mini-leagues this year. They will take place the last week before the Summer break and will include kids from Academy to Under 12. Coupled with this we will also be hosting a ball-wall-wall-ball challenge for Under 13s & 14s Hurling and Camogie.

Prizes on offer for the winners. Limited places filling up VERY quickly!

Information and forms for complete Summer camps programme will be distributed to teams early next week!

CAMOGIE: DUBLIN FEILE FINALS

St Brigid’s family roots at core of famous Feile win FEILE DIVISION 1 FINAL St Brigid’s 2-3 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 0-1  sport@dublingazette.com

NAO M H B R I D w e r e c row n e d t h e D u b l i n camogie Feile champions last Sunday at St Anne’s as they won a memorable Feile Divis i o n O n e f i n a l ove r St OIiver Plunkett’s/ Eoghan Ruadh.

The two clubs battled through their respective Saturday groups and semi-finals to set up an enticing local derby with big support from both clubs in situ.

Ella Curtin got the first point early on followed by a goal from Sophie McCarthy for the perfect start but Plunkett’s were not likely to sit back.

And, just before half time, Lauren Caffrey scored a point for Plunkett’s after a great save

by Jane O’Reilly, reducing the gap at the break to 1-1 to 0-1.

In the second half, Abby Littleton scored a goal followed by points from Curtin and captain

Tara Coffey. Niamh Donlon scored a great point for Plunkett’s but it was not to be their day.

Despite the defeat, the spirit of the competition was in full effect when both sides embraced each other and friendships still strong and intact with many players going to the same local schools.

It was an especially proud moment for the Curtin family with Ella being named the final’s player of the match, lining out in a team which featured both her grandmother Nancy Dunning and mother Elaine Curtin as mentors.

Both clubs will now advance to the regional Feile this summer as a result of their performances.

St Brigid’s celebrate their success, above, while Ella Curtin receives her player of the match award

In Division 4, Skerries Harps were the champions in a 2-1 to 1-2 win over St Jude’s. Jude may be the patron saint of desperate situations but that was far from the case for Tymon Park’s finest and they battled

hard against an in-form Skerries outfit.

The large crowd present were treated to an excellent display of skillful attacking and dogged defending from both sides throughout

MOVING ON UP Portrane promoted PORTRANE hockey club are

back in Leinster hockeys’ division one for the first time in 20 years following their 9-2 promotion playoff win over Weston.

They produced an incredible early run of three goals in the first four minutes to race out of the blocks and never looked back with Colin Neville ending with four goals and Chris Nebille and Imran Khan nabbed two.

the encounter. But it was the second goal from Skerries, that eventually separated the teams at the final whistle with Leah Beggs later being named as player of the match.

3 May 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

FOOTBALL: KNOCK WIN DERBY BATTLE TO REACH SFC QUARTER-FINALS

Castle the kings of Dublin 15 DUBLIN SFC GROUP 4 Castleknock St Brigid’s  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

1-16 0-7

CASTLEKNOCK swatted aside their most local rivals St Brigid’s in the Dublin Senior Football Championship at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon, ensuring both their progression and their rivals elimination in the process.

An emphatic scoreline of 1-16 to 0-7 emphasised the gap that has opened up between this pair, as well as Castleknock’s increasingly well-touted defensive prowess.

Brigid’s have traditionally been a Dublin powerhouse with Knock one of the county’s youngest clubs but the class of Ciaran Kilkenny and the strength of the men in blue and yellow’s well-drilled backline made for a comfortable afternoon.

In fact, Castleknock look, if anything, stronger than the side that shocked Dublin football’s top tier in charging through to a maiden senior final in 2016, though Brigid’s will point to the absence of star forward Paddy Andrews in mitigation.

Things looked very different in the early stages. Castleknock conceded a few frees as

Brigid’s started strongly with Lorcan McCarthy kicking three to put Brigid’s in front.

It took until midway through the half for Castleknock to wrestle control that would later seem to come so easily.

Kilkenny, wearing 14, got hold of a perfectly placed crossfield ball by a marauding Thomas McDaniels, which he smashed home almost nonchalantly to grab a 1-1 to 0-3 lead.

One-way It was one-way traffic from then until half time. Kilkenny had another goal scoring chance but chipped over. Rob Shaw hit a fantastic point from a crowded midfield and Kilkenny added a rare free.

The Somerton side looked like they were at shooting practise at times and while John O’Loughlin was able to hit a strong point at the other end, Brigid’s had conceded seven points with only one in reply in the lead up to half time and looked cooked at 1-8 to 0-4.

The sunny conditions made for excellent football, and Castleknock continued to take advantage as they stifled Brigid’s and pushed on themselves.

Shortly after half time, Ben Galvin could have put the tie to bed but saw his effort

Castleknock’s Tom Quinn holds off St Brigid’s Lorcan McCarthy during their SFC battle at Parnell Park.

Picture: Niall O’Connell/@KnockPhotos

clawed out by Shane Supple.

Kilkenny could also have had another and Brigid’s briefly won the chance to get back into the contest, only for Morven Connolly to get down low to his right and save Philip Ryan’s penalty.

Seeing red That was the end of the game as a contest, though, and

Castleknock set about building a total while Ryan compounded his penalty miss with a straight red card for an off-the-ball skirmish.

Castleknock’s 1-16 to 0-7 win - a contest in which Brigid’s, astonishingly, managed only a single point from play - should be read as a statement of intent to their senior rivals.

Group 4 had been dubbed the

‘group of death’ ahead of the Senior Championship’s new format, yet this result and Ballymun Kickhams’ win over Clontarf the previous day ensure its over as a contest before the final round of games.

Both Castleknock and Kickhams look likely to go deep into the early autumn; their battle for group 4 supremacy is a tasty proposition.

FOOTBALL

Skerries snag tie as Syl’s win late A CONOR O’Brien fisted point earned Skerries Harps a 1-12 to 1-12 draw with Lucan Sarsfields in Dublin SFC1 Group 2.

Sarsfields opened up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead before the 20th minute with Brendan Gallagher in fine form.

However, points from Jack Smith, Shane Hickey and Dublin captain of 2011, Bryan Cullen, brought the sides level 0-5 each.

The were still level at the break (0-7 each) before a converted penalty by Harry Dawson, following a foul on Stephen Smith, put Skerries ahead.

But, through a Brendan Gallagher goal, he finished with 1-7 (0-3f), Lucan stole into a late lead before O’Brien secured the draw for Harps. A win over Na Fianna could see them through.

St Sylvester’s edged out Ballinteer St John’s 0-16 to 2-9 in Group 3.

Micheál McCarthy was the top-scorer for Syls as he slotted seven points from play as well as a free.

However, it was sub Ed Walsh, who scored 0-5 (0-1f) in total, who was the late, late hero for the Malahide men as his point two minutes into added time separated the sides. Syl’s advance as a result to the quarters.

GazetteSPORT MAY 3-9, 2018

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 33-39

KINGS OF THE D15 CASTLE

FOOTBALL: Castle-

knock produced dominant performance to win local bragging rights and place in the Dublin SFC quarter-finals SEE P39

COOL DAY OUT RUGBY: Coolmine to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their clubhouse with marquee fixture SEE P37

SWORDS A CUT ABOVE SOCCER: Swords

Celtic produced an excellent performance to keep them right in the hunt for what would be an historic promotion Page 36

Find us on

PICK US UP

EVERY THURSDAY!

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Aherne wary of Mayo threat in league final  JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

C A P TA I N S I N E A D Aherne took a measured view ahead of the Ladies National Football League Final at Parnell Park, as Dublin face into a repeat of last year’s All Ireland final in taking on Mayo.

The Dubs narrowly won their first All Ireland since 2010 last September against the Yew County, but victory on Sunday would mark a first ever league title for the Jackies, who last appeared in the final and lost to a dominant Cork side back in 2014.

On paper, with Mayo’s best player Cora Staunton having departed to the world of Aussie rules over the winter, the Dubs probably go into Sunday’s finale as favourites, But a tight semi-final against Galway – won with a goal by Aherne’s attacking partner and St Sylvester’s Nicole Owens from very nearly the last kick of the game – shows how even things are across the board in the ladies’ game this year.

Dublin are counting no chickens.

“Mayo are a very very good team,” Aherne said ahead of the league finale, adding of the loss of Staunton: “Panels change from year to year, theirs has, and so has ours.

“There are players they’ve brought in who are looking to step up, and you have to prepare for the team that’s there. I think they’re a very good squad, regardless of who’s

FINAL CURTAIN: Mayo’s Sarah Rowe and Dublin’s Sinead Aherne ahead of the league final.

Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

“We are in a league final but we haven’t played

overwhelmingly well throughout so there’s room to grow” - Sinead Aherne not there from last year.”

As for Dublin, this year has largely been about grinding out results so far.

“I think the Galway game showed a bit of experience,” Aherne said, “in that we managed to stay in the game even though we probably weren’t playing particularly well. They came out of the blocks and scored very early, in the first minute or so, but I think from then on they played the game on our terms. A

bit of experience helped us get the points we needed to.”

“There are a lot of contenders out there for an All Ireland, from the top five teams, but also from outside the top division.

Tipperary, for example, are looking very good.

There wasn’t much in the games across division one, so it seems wide open.”

That’s quite a change following years of Cork dominance, ended only

by Dublin’s All Ireland title last time around. The Jackies have definitely seen a bounce since Mick Bohan took over from Greg McGonigle back in 2017, taking their first All Ireland title since 2010 in Bohan’s first year back at the helm, though Aherne believes McGonigle also deserves some of the praise.

“Mick picks on form,” she said of Bohan, “and there’s always a chance he’ll bring someone in

from the clubs and introduce them to the side.

“Greg did a lot to bring Dublin football forward and made a huge difference to us. Sometimes you get a bounce with a new manager, a freshness, and Mick knows the club scene – which is really strong now – very well.

We’re in a league final, but we haven’t played overwhelmingly well throughout the league, so there’s room to grow.”

As for Sunday’s con-

test? “It’s not an All Ireland, but it’s a national title, and something we haven’t done before,” Aherne said.

“When you get the opportunity to do it, in front of your own fans, you obviously want to win.

“Winning league titles is a sign of consistency that gives you a springboard into the Championship. We’d love to kick on with that under our belts.”