Fingal

Gazette FINGAL

AUG 31 - SEP 6, 2017

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L A R U T A N E H T S E R O L P X E E T T THE GAZE D A O R E H T P U T S U J ’S T A H T E PARADIS SPORT Dublin Ladies go fourth

Fury as ‘over-zealous’ wardens snatch Bella Doggone it:

 SYLVIA POWNALL

Seized in “20 seconds” after a dog

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Pages 18-19

warden pounced outside a shop

FINGAL County Council has refused to explain the actions of an “over-zealous” dog warden who seized a family pet left outside a shop in Skerries by its owner.

The family’s beloved King Charles Cavalier, Bella, who has arthritis, spent the night at the pound and they had to pay €120 to get her home safely the next day.

Owner Carol said Bella was “visibly distressed” when they went to collect

her and the poor pooch was “soaked in her own urine”.

Two Facebook campaigns were launched after the incident – Pound Watch, and Dog Warden Alert Skerries – to keep owners updated on developments.

Bella’s owners said they

did not realise it was illegal to tie a dog up by its lead in a public place, but they maintain the way she was taken was “cruel”.

A spokesperson for FCC said they did not discuss individual cases.

Continued on Page 4

2 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

RUSH | LOCALS TO VOICE OUTRAGE OVER PLANNED CLOSURE OF R128

Hard night ahead for Irish Water over road  SYLVIA POWNALL

IRISH WATER is expected to come in for some heavy criticism at a public meeting in Rush tonight to discuss the planned closure on the R128.

A drop-in information evening at the community centre will hear of the utility company’s plans to upgrade the wastewater system which will in turn improve water quality at Rush South Beach.

But locals are outraged at news that the main Rush-toSkerries road will be closed for 10 weeks so the pipes needed to upgrade the sewer network can be laid.

After a closed meeting last week a number of conces-

sions have already been made – the start date for the works was delayed by one week to September 11 to facilitate a road race and the project will now be carried out in seven phases.

A spokesperson for Irish Water said: “The first phase will require a Stop/Go single lane closure to be in place.

“The remaining six phases of the work are at a much deeper depth as the sewer is located 4.5m underground and will require 160m of road to close at a time.

“Pedestrian and cycle access will be available for the duration of the works. Throughout the works at least one of the entrances

to Golden Ridge will be available for use.”

A Stop/Go system will also be provided at school peak times on the Palmer Road and two free shuttle buses will operate seven days a week replacing the 33 and connecting commuters to the route at Lusk.

R e s i d e n t s h ave a l r e a d y expressed their anger about the lack of advance notice from Fingal County Council. They have also criticised local councillors for not speaking up on their behalf.

Meanwhile Donabate is also braced for months of traffic chaos after the council indicated that work on the long-awaited Distributor Road is due to start in October.

The e20million project is key to the local authority’s attempts to deal with the housing crisis

and will open up tracts of land for development on the peninsula.

The 4km route will bypass Donabate village and realign a stretch of road from the R126 Hearse Road crossing the Dublin-Belfast railway line heading north to reconnect with the R126 Portrane Road.

Construction is expected to take 18 months and while the project received a broad welcome, Fianna Fail Cllr Adrian Henchy (left) warned of the potential chaos it could cause.

He said: “Along with the construction of this critical piece of infrastructure you also have the building of the National Forensic Hospital at St Ita’s campus.

“This will require intensive traffic management innovation to ensure accessibility in and out of the peninsula.”

FASTNews

Praise as new dog litter bins for Newbridge House NEW dog litter bins will be provided at Newbridge House and Demesne in Donabate on foot of requests from locals and Green Party representative Mark Henry (inset).

Henry said: “Newbridge Demense is a fantastic local amenity and I very much welcome Fingal County Council’s investment in improving it this year.

“The council has installed new paths for buggies and wheelchairs, the courtyard has been much improved, and new animals and an improved visitor centre are on their way.”

At the request of local residents, Henry has now secured additional dog litter bins at the Donabate pedestrian exit, bringing the total number of dog litter bins to six. He added: “I commend the responsible dog owners who use the existing bin facilities.

“Hopefully the addition of the new bins will encourage the laggards to follow suit, for the good of all park users. We have a fantastic local amenity so let’s work together to keep it pristine.”

Extended 142 bus service from Portmarnock to UCD NEWS of an extended bus service from Portmarnock to UCD has been given a broad welcome.

The 142 Dublin Bus service will offer a new 7.10am timetable, Monday to Friday, which will begin next week. The bus will also serve Malahide and the city centre via D’Olier Street, South Great George’s Street and Aungier Street.

Deputy Darragh O’Brien (FF) said it would support many Fingal students in attending college, adding: “This earlier service will allow those with 9am classes to get there on time while continuing to live at home so they can afford expensive college fees.

“The introduction of this extra, earlier bus service may even allow Fingal residents to consider jobs that they would not have been able to previously.”

All welcome at Ogra Fianna Fail housing, Brexit meeting

Malahide Lions gift €5,000 to groups THE generosity of the members of Malahide Lions Club was once again to the fore at special cheque presentations recently, as the club presented the Alzheimers Society of Ireland, and the Parkinsons Association of Ireland, with a cheque for €2,500 each. The funds were raised by the Lions at their Malahide Classic and Vintage Motor Show held earlier this year, with the May event proving a roading success. This year’s event was the sixth such show for the Lions, with it showing no signs in slowing down in popularity for car lovers and their families from all across the city, and beyond, with the funds raised going to both worthy groups.

OGRA Fianna Fail is hosting a free so-called ‘monster meeting’ to discuss housing and Brexit at the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan this Saturday, September 2, from 10am to 3pm.

The housing session will be chaired by Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee, and the Brexit session by the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. Speakers include Katie Daughen, head of Brexit research, British Irish Chamber; Professor Daire Keogh of DCU; Cluid Housing Association’s head of policy Simon Brooke and lecturer Cormac Lucey.

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31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 3

PEOPLE | FAMILY OF DUBLINER BATTLING CANCER SEEK HELP TO KEEP TREATING TEEN IN THE US

Help give brave Robyn a fighting chance at life  EMMA NOLAN A DUBLIN teenager has reached a significant milestone after starting secondary school while battling serious illness.

Brave Robyn Smyth has neuroblastoma and has endured various forms of invasive and aggressive treatments including chemotherapy, surgery, stem-cell transplant and radiotherapy for years, so her starting school this week is a huge achievement.

Mum Bernadette said: “It’s a miracle to reach such a huge milestone.” Robyn,who has just turned 13, was diagnosed with stage

four neuroblastoma in 2007 at the age of three; she subsequently went through aggressive treatments and went into remission in 2009.

She remained cancer-free until July 2013 when a tumour was found

and more treatments were needed.

Robyn cleared most of the disease

and remained stable until April 2015, when a scan showed the disease had progressed again.

This left Robyn’s family with no treatment options left in Ireland, and they were given only a 5% chance of survival for Robyn.

In order to give Robyn options, and the best chance of saving her life, Robyn’s family decided they had to go abroad for treatment.

This has led them to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Michigan, where Robyn is taking part in trial treatment. Bernadette said: “It’s ongoing, we go over all the time.

“We’re back on September 25 and we’ve been going since 2015 when we were told there was nothing else they could do for her here.”

Robyn’s family receive no state

funding and rely solely on the kindness of others and donations to help her continue her fight.

“We really need help,” Bernadette said. “Anybody can do anything at all [to help out].”

Now, Robyn has started first year at Clonturk Community College in Whitehall – and while her mum said Robyn was very nervous starting school, she hopes she’ll make new friends there.

Donations can be made at robynslife.com, or alternatively at gofundme.com/robynslife

Despite her treatment, Robyn (13) does her best to keep her spirits up

4 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

SWORDS | GOFUNDME PAGE TO HELP PAY FOR MARK’S SURGERIES AFTER CRASH SKERRIES

Friends appeal for help as pal seriously injured  SYLVIA POWNALL FRIENDS and family have rallied around a young Swords man left in a critical condition after a car crash earlier this month.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Mark Kelly (24, left), who was seriously injured in a single car collision on the Drynam Road at around 2am on Saturday, August 19.

Mark was travelling in

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‘We would like to show our support by raising funds towards Mark’s medical expenses as he has a long recovery ahead’

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The page at www.gofundme.com/mark-kelly

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the passenger seat when the crash occurred and was rushed to Beaumont Hospital where he has since undergone life-saving spinal surgery.

He now needs a number of operations and his pals have set up an online fund hoping to raise €3,000 towards his medical costs.

A statement on the page, created by pal Laura

McDonnell, reads: “Mark is in critical condition in Beaumont Hospital awaiting multiple operations.

“We would like to show our support by raising funds towards Mark’s medical expenses as he has a long recovery ahead.

“These funds will go towards Mark’s journey to recovery. With Mark’s wide circle of friends and

loved ones we hope to reach our goal.”

By Monday afternoon, a total of €900 had been raised through donations from 31 people in the space of five days.

Gardai are still appealing for witnesses to the crash which left the two other occupants of the car, both men aged 21 and 20, with minor injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Swords Garda Station at 01 666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

To donate to the cause, see https://www.gofundme.com/mark-kelly

Miles of smiles from Caroline Giles in Specsavers’ contest SWORDS woman Caroline Giles can see the finishing line as she moves a step closer to winning the title of Specsavers’ Irish Spectacle Wearer of the Year.

Caroline is a semi-finalist in the competition’s 35-44 age category. She was congratulated by Specsavers Swords staff Lila Buckley, Natasa Ribic and manager Sean Douglas on her good luck, with Caroline now one of eight semi-finalists who will compete to represent Ireland at the international eye specialists’ upcoming grand final in London on Tuesday, October 10. Delighted to have been selected, Caroline was happy to collect her semi-finalist prize – a Specsavers eyewear voucher worth €215, a framed certificate and a bottle of champagne.

The overall prize is well worth looking out for – €12,000 in cash, and €1,000 to spend on eyecare in Specsavers. Best of luck to Caroline in the contest.

Dog owner furious as beloved pet seized at shop Continued from Page 1

Bella’s owner, Carol, said her husband – who nipped to the shop to buy a newspaper – had only been gone “20 seconds” when someone ran in to tell him the dog had been taken by two men in an unmarked white transit van.

According to Carol, CCTV footage from the supermarket showed that her husband had just walked away from the dog when she was seized.

Asked if the warden could have handled the situation differently, the council spokesperson said that under Section 9 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 “a dog tied up in a public place is not under control and may be removed by a dog warden.

“The warden usually waits for a reasonable period of time before exercising his judgement as to whether the dog should be removed in the interest of its welfare.”

A post on the Pound Watch Facebook page states: “We know that this situation could have been completely avoided with a little common sense and concern for the dog on the part of [the warden].

“The trauma to the wee dog and its family was totally unnecessary.”

A second page, Dog Warden Alert Skerries, advises people to post on its wall to let others know when the wardens are in town “so they can’t make any money out of us”.

Local councillors have promised to follow the matter up with council officials. According to council figures for 2016, there were a total of 305 dogs seized in Fingal last year.

Of those, 196 were given to welfare groups, 66 were rehomed by owners, 30 were rehomed to the public, and 14 were euthanised.

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 5

HERITAGE | LOCAL INITIATIVE UNCOVERS A MAJOR SURPRISE FIND

FASTNews Picture: Google Maps

Skerries Point Shopping Centre sold for €3.4m AN AMERICAN investment company has bought Skerries Point Shopping Centre for €3.4 million – €400,000 above the guide price set by selling agents Savils.

Three months ago, the same US firm – Grand Coast Capital – acquired Swords Plaza, for €13.5 million. Skerries Point is located close to the town centre and its largest residential cluster at Kelly’s Bay, as well as Skerries Educate Together School.

The centre is anchored by Eurospar and other tenants include Boylesports, Well Fit Health and Fitness, Vets First and Kelly’s Bay Montessori, alongside a pharmacy, takeaway and beauticians.

Skerries Point extends to 6,381sq m (68,682sq ft) and has parking at surface and basement level for 200 cars. A new link road that runs past the centre will eventually connect the area to the Balbriggan Road.

Rebecca Storm to hold a concert at St Sylvester’s A ONE-OFF concert by Rebecca Storm takes place at St Sylvester’s Church in Malahide on Friday, October 20. Doors open at 8pm and tickets (€30) are available from Sharon in the Parish Centre, or at 086 049 2369.

The Bleeding Pig cultural festival set to help feed Portrane’s arts appetite A TEN-DAY public arts event will be launched in Portrane this weekend in partnership with the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival.

The programme will be launched by Fingal Mayor Cllr Mary McCamley and council chief executive Paul Reid in Lynders Mobile Home Park on Sunday, September 3.

Resort Revelations III artist Vanessa Daws will invite guests to take a journey by boat to the site of the ill-fated John Tayleur, the famous shipwreck.

Catherine Barragry will present a live sound performance entitled Earthbound, while Alan James Burn’s psycho-acoustic sound performance, Entirely hollow aside from the dark / Smuggler’s Cave, will return to its original location of Tower Bay Beach, Portrane, from September 10 -13.

For the full schedule and ticket information, see www.fingalarts.ie.

Community helps find three ancient graves at castle  SYLVIA POWNALL THREE ancient graves have been uncovered at Swords Castle just days after the annual community dig at the site got under way.

The archaeology project – which sees volunteers join experts in sifting through the earth at key locations – uncovered the major find last week.

A trench was positioned to find the missing wall of the East Tower, but instead the remains of what’s thought to be at least three burials have been uncovered.

Fingal’s community archaeologist, Christina Baker, who is leading the project, said: “It is not the first time that burials have been uncovered at Swords Castle; however the depth, just a few inches below the ground surface, is surprising.

“We know from pre-

While archaeologists would have welcomed any find in the grounds of Swords Castle, to discover remains was a superb discovery

vious works that an eleventh-Century burial ground was here before Swords Castle was built.

“We have found isolated human bones, which we

have dated to this period, during seasons one and two of our Swords Castle: Digging History project.

“But to find burials that haven’t been totally removed by the old orchard or subsequent works so close to the surface is very unusual.”

Swords Castle was built around 1200, becoming one of the eight manorial estates belonging to the medieval Archbishops of Dublin.

It fell into ruin in the 1500s, with Our shout-out in last week’s Gazette asking locals to come along and join in the dig at Swords Castle

restoration works taking place in the 1990s.

The burials have been disturbed by tree roots and are not expected to survive reburial, so they will now be excavated and analysed so they can be dated.

Christine, who is excavation director for the project, explained: “An important element of the archaeology project has been finding Fanning’s burials, which were excavated in 1971 and have since disappeared.

“We now have an opportunity to solve the questions that have remained unanswered for more than 40 years.

“By excavating, analysing and scientifically dating these remains we will be able to find out more about the people who were buried here and

when they were buried.

“The find has generated a lot of excitement among the volunteers on site but everyone is very respectful that these are remains and they will be excavated in an appropriate manner.”

Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) told The Gazette: “This is fascinating news. Like everyone else, I look forward to finding out more about who these people were and how long they have been buried there.”

The community dig started in 2016 and has attracted around 300 volunteers over three seasons, uncovering everything from human bones to a roof tile etched with musical notes to pieces of crockery and glassware.

Christine said: “Everything’s exciting when you’re finding stuff, but we want people to relate to it.”

6 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

Knocksedan to Swords route hailed by locals

T H E l o n g - a w a i t e d would continue to lobby Knocksedan to Swords the National Transport local link bus service has Authority to extend the serbeen given a warm wel- vice through River Valley. come by residents and pubCllr Darragh Butler, who lic representatives. was one of the first passenThe new 196 route will gers on the 196 travelling mean rural residents and from Penneys to Knockseschool children can access dan return, said it was great the town centre and travel to see so many people using between townlands and vil- the service. He added that lages across the area. although the NTA has no The 16-seater will be plans to extend the route upgraded to a 45-seater along the Forest Road they once the route is fully up had confirmed a variation and running, though Dub- to school services sub-conlin Bus says there are no tracted to Fingal Coaches. plans at present to extend From this week buses the service to River Valley serving Holy Family, to serve Holy Family NS Colaiste Choilm and Loreand Loreto on the return to College will include a morning pickup at 8.10 in journey.

Hailing the new route, Knocksedan and an eveDeputy Darragh O’Brien ning drop at either 4.20 or (FF) said: “It is welcome 4.45pm, Monday to Friday.

Cllr Butler said: “Myself news for all residentsMona who Treinovska have relentlessly pushed for and Darragh O’Brien TD a better linkage of services have battled long and hard between towns and villages with residents for this service so it’s great to see it across our county.”

Deputy O’Brien said he finally coming on stream.”

Swimming ban for Rush South & Loughshinny

A BATHING ban was water quality had returned imposed at two Fingal to ‘excellent’. beaches last week after However, the ‘Do Not Ciara Mulroy andnotice Dawn Kelly suspected sewage was Swim’ which was found in the water. issued at the same time for The council issued Loughshinny was extendtemporary Do Not Swim ed for three more days as notices for Rush South “unacceptable levels of and Loughshinny beaches contamination” remain.

A council spokesperson as a result of high levels of microbial contamination said: “The likely cause of found in routine samples the deterioration in the water quality is undetertaken on August 21.

The likely cause of the mined and investigations lower water quality at both are ongoing.”

The beach remains open locations is sewage from a wastewater treatment but beach users are asked plant or sewer network – a to respect the temporary regular occurance at Rush ‘Do Not Swim’ notice as it has been put in place to South after heavy rain.

The Health Safety Exec- ensure the health of bathutive advised that swim- ers is not compromised. ming should be prohibited Anyone intending to at the beaches until levels swim at any Irish beach returned to normal. are advised to check the Further samples were water quality by accessing taken on Friday and on the EPA website at www.

Monday the ban at Rush beaches.ie or checking South beach was lifted the notice board at the after the results showed entrance to each beach.

Out and About

Daniel Crothers on Camp at Lough Sheelin

Anna Ryan on the high wires

Erin Rock

High adventure for Sea Scouts

M

Katie McKernan and Maire Hussey

ALAHIDE Sea Scouts have had a high octane adventurous summer both in Malahide and on their annual camps around the country. Neala Troop rowed their way to Lough Key Forrest Park where they stayed for the last four nights of their expedition camp and took part in various adventurous activities including a high wire course. Lir Troop went to Mount Mellary in Waterford where they participated in a National Patrol Jamborette with about six hundred other scouts from all around the country. While The Wednesday Troop spent time on traditional Scout activities pioneering, bivouacking and hiking.

Scouts Shane Cahill, Glen Cahill and Oliver Jones Anna Martin, Sofia Forsgren and Gracie Law

Ruben Allen

Leaders Lisa McEvoy and Fiona Martin

Shane Murphy and Joseph MacLochlainn

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 7

Out and About

Sophia, Theo, Isabella and Alexandra Hartney

Ciara and Caoimhe Bassett. Pictures: ALISON O’HANLON

Mohammed and Salem Alameen

‘Stars’ honoured

by Mayor and author Brian

HOMEOWNERS whose who need to carry out properties have been survey work and for those affected by pyrite deserve who are living in blocks more support, Deputy with pyrite damage. It Louise O’Reilly says. makes sense for these The Sinn Fein TD wel- homes to be remediated en comed the NSAI revised masse, but there is, at presstandards published last ent, no provision for this.

“Likewise, there is no week but she said families adversely affected by the financial support for those mineral disease which has families who carry out tests eaten away at their houses but whose homes are not should be given more help. sufficiently damaged to She said: “While we wel- warrant inclusion in the come any measure which remediation scheme.” seeks to improve the Deputy O’Reilly said possibility of homeown- the fact that the developer ers with pyrite-affected responsible for building homes being able to sell some of the pyrite-affected their property, the fact houses in Fingal looked remains that, even if the set to build more houses Government adopt these on neighbouring sites was standards, it will not help particularly harsh on those most of the families with affected. pyrite-affected homes.

Fianna Fail Deputy Darragh O’Brien warned “Home owners in Mona north Treinovska county Dublin with pyrite that the new standards will need more support from “do little to support hundreds of families in Fingal the Government.

“In particular, there that continue to be left in needs to be help for those limbo”.

Paul Mulville joins Social Democrats

M

AYOR of Fingal Councillor Mary McCamley was on hand last week at Balbriggan Library to launch Brian Gallagher’s latest children’s book Pawns. The Mayor and Brian also presented certificates and medals to the children of Balbriggan who took part in the Summer Stars reading programme.

Sarah and Anna Smith

Bushra Alameen and author Brian Gallagher

Pyrite-affected home owners ‘need our help’

Nathan Arachchige

Ciara Mulroy and Dawn Kelly

DONABATE Cllr Paul “As a progressive Mulville has joined the activist for many years, I Social Democrats Party, believe through collective it emerged last week. action it is truly possible Ciara and towards Dawn Kelly The 34-year-old hasMulroy to move a society represented the Swords and economy organised electoral area on Fingal to the benefit of not just County Council since he the few, but the many.” ran as an Independent in Cllr Mulville joins Cllr the 2014 local elections.

Cian O’Callaghan as a “The Social Social Democrats member Democrats of the local are a new authority. and energetic Party copar ty challenging the leaders Catherine Murphy status quo TD and Roisin and standing for progressive policies, Shortall TD welcomed honest politics and a Paul and said he brought strong and sustainable a wealth of experience to economy,” Cllr Mulville, the SD’s Fingal branch.

Deputy Shortall added: inset, said.

“I will continue to work “He’s an energetic camto represent the people of paigner for local issues the Portrane, Donabate, including the need for Swords and the wider local job stimulus mealocal electoral area as I sures, social and affordhave done since being able housing, improved elected as an independent public transport and the building of Metro North.” councillor in 2014.

8 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

Man accused of killing dad-of-three Dermot is further remanded A MAN charged with the murder of father-of-three Dermot Byrne (right) was further remanded in custody when he appeared at Cloverhill District Court last week.

The case against Anthony Walsh – who appeared via video link for last week’s hearing – was put back to September 20 to allow prosecutors to prepare a book of evidence.

T he 29-year-old is charged with murdering Mr Byrne, 54, a businessman and keen pool player who was found close

to death on the side of the street after being severely beaten.

Judge Kathryn Hutton remanded the accused, of no fixed address but from Glencullen in south Dublin, in custody on the charge of murdering Mr Byrne at North Street, Swords on July 16.

On his first cour t appearance on July 21, Garda Killian Leydon said Mr Walsh was arrested at 4.45pm the previous day outside St James’s Hospital in the south inner city.

He was brought to Swords Garda station and made no reply to the

charge after caution.

Legal aid was granted at that initial hearing after defence solicitor Jonathan Dunphy told the court that Mr Walsh was not working and had been in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Bail cannot be granted in the district court in

murder cases and can only be considered by the High Court.

Mr Byrne was found with serious injuries by a passer-by at the steps of Fingal Community College at about 3am.

He had been stripped naked.

A Dublin Fire Brigade tender and HSE ambulance from Swords were dispatched to the scene, and teams of paramedics battled to save the dadof-three’s life.

He had a faint pulse when the emergency crews arrived, but died in the ambulance while being treated.

Mr Byrne, who was originally from Glasnevin Avenue in Finglas, was director of a familyrun wholesale bicycle company.

Pensioner died after patio fall, cardiac arrest A PENSIONER who fell and broke her arm on her patio developed hypothermia and died, an inquest has heard.

Anne Elizabeth Hanson (72), of Offington Park, Sutton was found dead at her home by her son on February 9, 2016.

Dublin Coroner ’s Court heard she suffered a cardiac arrest secondary to blood loss and hypothermia with a broken arm.

Ms Hanson usually sat knitting in her kitchen but may have gone out on to the patio to let her dog out, her son, John Hanson, told the court.

He said he arrived at her home shortly after 8pm after he failed to reach her by phone and found her lying on the patio.

She had moved into the ground floor apartment only six months previously, he said.

Gda Aisling O’Neill,

formerly of Howth Garda Station, said Ms Hanson was dressed only in her nightdress when she fell and was unable to get up.

It is thought she lay dead for some hours before she was found.

A post-mor tem examination gave the cause of death as cardiac arrest secondary to hypothermia and blood loss with a fractured humerus in the context of alcohol intoxication.

Toxicology A toxicology screening revealed Ms Hanson had a blood alcohol level of 257 milligrams per 100ml of blood – more than five times the legal drink-drive limit of 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Coroner Dr My ra Cullinane returned a verdict of death by misadventure due to the “significant risk” posed by alcohol consumption.

FASTNews

Councillor blasts ‘empty houses Malahide Tennis Club to serve up a being left to rot’ as ‘a scandal’ treat for art lovers next weekend HOUSES in public ownership have been left to rot despite the fact that the waiting list for a house in Swords now stands at 6,822 people, a councillor has claimed.

Social Democrats Cllr Paul Mulville expressed serious concern at the fact that 1,751 people are on the list for one-bed accommodation, 2,699 are registered for two-bed units, 1,998 are listed for three-beds and 374 for a four-bed with Swords as their preferred location.

He added: “An applicant may select up to three housing areas; therefore, of the 6822 people some will also have expressed an interest is seeking other housing areas.

“Given the fact that so many people are on the housing waiting list, it is a disgrace that there are empty homes in public ownership left idle.

“For example, the health service executive owns a number of homes in Portrane which are vacant, some boarded up for many years and some only left empty a short while.

“The fact that these houses are being left to rot is an absolute scandal.”

IF YOU’RE an art lover, make sure you make it down to Malahide Lawn Tennis Club next weekend for the 15th annual Catherine Lawlor School of Art Exhibition.

The exhibition, which will be officially launched on Friday evening (Sep 8) by actor Robbie Kane, will showcase the work of 52 local artists and consists of 135 pieces and will run until Sunday. So if you’re looking for a new piece of art for your home or a unique gift for someone special, why not come along while at the same time supporting the Jack and Jill Foundation – with all proceeds from the event going to the children’s charity.

On yer bike to help support the Jack and Jill Foundation’s work A BIKE trip around beautiful Kilkenny on Wednesday, September 16 will help to raise funds for the Jack and Jill Foundation, with Dubs asked to help add their peddle power to the fundraiser across a 66 or 100km route. Together with their country cousins, anyone taking part will be helping to make a very real difference to seriously ill children and their families.

To register (€30), see www.jackandjill.ie.

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 9

FINGAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC | LOCAL CHILDREN ARE STARS OF CONOR MCGREGOR COMMERCIAL

High note for local choir  SYLVIA POWNALL

Fingal Children’s Choir recorded in Windmill Lane Recording Studios for Beats by Dre,

Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather in

featuring Conor McGregor. Picture: Fingal Academy of Music Facebook Page

Las Vegas

Beats By Dre released a video depicting young boxers in Dublin preparing for a fight spliced with footage of McGregor preparing for his own bout

Listen to their cuppa words of advice about suicide support in this month-long initiative IN THE heart of the city, Rory Cowan – formerly of Mrs Brown’s Boys – joined members of the Liberties community and shared a chat and a cuppa with one of the nation’s best listeners, RTE’s Joe Duffy, ahead of Suicide or Survive’s (SOS) National Tea Break initiative on World Suicide Prevention Day: Sunday, September 10.

Encouraging everybody all across the whole city to support the initiative, Rory said: “It was a pleasure to come down and have a cup of tea with the team from Suicide or Survive to help launch their National Tea Break campaign.

“The idea of SOS’s National Tea Break campaign is to get the nation talking and raise funds, so that we collectively can make a difference to suicide and mental

health issues in Ireland.”

Joe added: “Mental health is something that affects everyone, and as a nation, we need to join together to try and lift the stigma surrounding it. Presenting Liveline on national radio, I know how difficult, but also how helpful, talking about mental health can be.”

To take part in the National Tea Break, register and download a pack from www.suicideorsurvive. ie, then all that’s left is to get the community together, pop on the kettle and get chatting. The pack includes everything needed to host a successful tea break.

All funds raised will be invested in bringing Suicide or Survives’ unique programmes and services to communities across the nation.

Picture: Marc O’Sullivan

FINGAL kids who sang in Conor McGregor’s ‘Beats by Dre’ commercial had no idea what they were recording – and only found out after the iconic ad was released.

The video, which had been viewed over six million times within days of its release, features young singers from the Malahide-based Fingal Academy of Music and Children’s Choir.

But according to the academy’s director Donal Kearney they were oblivious to the fact that they were joining the likes of Ed Sheeran, Pharell Williams, Nicki Minaj, Michael Phelps and Neymar on the recording.

Donal was given just three days’ notice before the choir recorded a version of The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Juicy’ in Windmill Lane and was bound to secrecy after signing a non-disclosure agreement.

He said: “They knew we were going to this studio and we were recording this piece of music, but they didn’t know what it was for.

“They knew it was an ad but I had only told them it was for a household music product, that’s all I gave them.”

Afterwards he sent out a text message to parents alerting them to the video which “just turned out to be the biggest ad on the planet at the minute”.

Donal praised the company’s decision to film in Dublin and said he’d had a staggering amount of feedback already.

He said: “This group of kids is going to remember it forever. The story and the ad is really nice and it just suits that they got a choir from Dublin to do it.

“People flew over from LA and they could have gone anywhere to do that ad but they wanted kids from Dublin and I think that was a nice touch.”

And he praised 29-year-old scrapper McGregor - who lost in the tenth round to Floyd Mayweather at the weekend but won global praise for his efforts in the ring.

He said: “I think it (Dublin) is a big part of his story and his appeal. Americans love him, and not because he’s Irish, but because of who he is - a family guy who is proud of his community and proud of where he came from and that was always going to be the angle that they were going to try and sell.”

10 GAZETTE 31 August 2017

Out and About

Steve O Reilly, Conor McGrath and Aran Johnson

Red-hot launch party for Suzanne

James Patrice Butler, Suzanne Jackson and Mark Rogers. Pictures: BRIAN McEVOY

Samantha Gibbons

Lena Morkuniene

S

UZANNE Jackson celebrated the launch of her new SOSU eyeshadow palette Hot Fire at Fire Restaurant at The Mansion House last week. Guests on the night included her husband Dylan O’Connor, parents Damien and Susan, sisters Carla and Katie, Lauren Pope of The Only Way is Essex, James Patrice Butler and Mark Rogers as well as models Michele McGrath, Jodie Wood, Terrie McEvoy, Louise O Reilly and Lena Morkuniene.

Dominique Nugent

Niamh Cullen

AJ Fitsimons and Mark Rogers

Fiona McNamara

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 11

Sinead Murphy

TOWIE star Lauren Pope

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12 GAZETTE 31 August 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

Free masterclass for businesses on a range of topics BUSINESS membership organisation Guaranteed Irish is holding a free workshop for businesses on best practice in employment law and how to safeguard your business.

The workshop, Safeguarding your Business, is being run in partnership with Guaranteed Irish member Peninsula and will take place at the Guaranteed Irish offices at 1 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 at 8.30am on Tuesday, September 12.

The workshop will explore topics including the latest updates in employment law, how to increase staff performance and what the correct procedures for redundancy issues are, and will be delivered by an employment law expert.

Speaking in advance of the workshop, Brid O’Connell, chief executive of Guaranteed Irish, said: “Every company, no matter what size it is, will face employment law, HR and health and safety issues at some stage over its lifetime, and how they handle these issues will determine their success as a business.

“Our workshop will equip businesses with the tools they need to safeguard against these issues, and it’s not just for Guaranteed Irish members – all businesses are welcome to attend; they simply need to register in advance.”

Further information on the free event can be found at Eventbrite.com; just search for ‘Guaranteed Irish Masterclass’.

ENTERPRISE | NEW INCENTIVES INCREASINGLY TEMPTING PEOPLE BACK

Enticing emigrants to return to new chances ALMOST a quarter of a million Irish people are thought to have emigrated since 2008.

Those returning home face challenges, but many companies are putting in place enticing incentives to tempt talent back to our shores.

Osborne, one of Ireland’s leading recruitment consultancies, is focused on placing returning emigrants in top positions in Ireland across various sectors.

H e r e a r e f i ve o f Osborne’s insights into what’s enticing emigrants back home...

Innovation – Ireland is demonstrating agility and innovation with top market salaries, pensions, career development opportunities, healthcare cover and competing strongly against its European counterparts.

Software Hubs – international conglomerates and new start-up software

Returning emigrants and workers are finding ever more job opportunities to stay in Ireland, suggest Osborne

companies, that deliver gaming, animation, and software development, are making Dublin their home.

Freelancing Internationally – it’s estimated that some 40% of workers will be freelance by 2020.

Professionals in design, journalism and web development can now freelance internationally from Ire-

land, and this flexibility and freedom is tempting Irish emigrants back to literally work from home.

Gaps in the market – there are clear skill gaps in areas such as IT and engineering, so there are strong job opportunities for returning emigrants in these sectors. Accountancy and finance, cyber security and human resources

continue to show signs of a positive incline too.

A great place to work – Ireland has some of the best workplaces in Europe, many of which are getting recognised by the Great Places to Work organisation. An increasing number of firms are offering extremely competitive salaries, employee benefits and a focus on

employee career development.

To find out more about Osborne, visit w w w.

Osborne.ie, see www. facebook.com/osbornerecruitment or follow Osborne on Twitter @ OsborneRecruits and hear what the Osborne team has to say on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin. com/company/1809059)

North Korean missile sends the euro’s worth rocketing to $1.20 NORTH Korean military manoeuvres with missiles have seen the euro’s value rocket to its strongest level in more than two years, in a move which is expected to impact on European and Irish trade, at least temporarily.

The pariah state’s latest show of force – firing a ballistic missile right across the northern end of Japan – earlier this week saw the euro rise above $1.20, marking a strong rally for the currency in what some traders described as a vote of confidence in the currency’s stability.

The modest gain – some 0.4%, to

$1.2023 – marks the euro’s strongest point since January 2015, with the North Korean missile launch rattling markets, spurring the euro upwards. It has also been reported that next week’s monetary policy review by the ECB is also likely

to have briefly impacted on the euro’s worth.

The market jitters prompted by the unexpected missile launch saw nervous global markets shift to new levels, with the dollar hitting a four-month low against the yen, set against the euro’s rise.

The geopolitical tensions in the region are likely to have an impact on the leading currencies for some time to come, with Irish business leaders also keeping an eye on any mid-term economic impact arising from any instability connected to North Korea’s decisions.

Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week

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DUBLINLIFE

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 13

BUSTER IS A BRILLIANT LITTLE DOG OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Buster, a very cute, six-year-old Terrier crossbreed. Little Buster would love a home which would be nice and quiet for him so he can settle in at a gentle pace. Buster won’t take long to wrap his paws around your heart and you will become firm friends. A game of fetch and a treat will be a great way to build a bond with this character!

Buster is a very clean dog and perfectly housetrained too. He enjoys his home comforts, and is a real creature of habit. If you are looking for a fun-loving, sparky little dog to join your quiet home, he could be just for you!

If you can be Buster’s #SpecialSomeone*, then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website, www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

Punk Lives!!!

PARANOID VISIONS KEEPS IT REAL P16-17

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14 GAZETTE 31 August 2017

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

CHARITY: WHACK THE KETTLE ON AS PART OF A NATION-WIDE FUNDRAISING COFFEE MORNING

Brew up, buddies, to help support all our hospices YOU never need an excuse for a cuppa – and Keith Duffy is calling on everyone to whack the kettle on and help support Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning For Hospice on Thursday, September 14.

The annual event, supported by Bewleys, invites everyone to have a coffee morning in aid of the country’s hospices, with hopes to raise €2 million to support the incredible

work hospices provide all around the country.

From homes to hospitals, colleges to convents, Keith is calling on everyone to brew up and dig deep to help the great cause.

You can register at www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie, or call 1890 998 995, to get a coffee morning pack containing Bewley’s coffee, posters and invitations free of charge.

You can also text COFFEE to 50300 and donate €4 (a minimum of €3.25 will go to the cause)to support your local hospice and homecare services, and help to give patients the best quality of life during their illness.

HELP YOUR TAKEAWAY CURRY SOME GLORY LOVE your chipper?

Want to help it take a bite at some fame? Now’s your

chance to help sing its praises, thanks to the Just Eat National Takeaway Awards 2017.

A tasty angle on nominations is that everyone who votes also has the chance to win free takeaway grub for a year.

The Just Eat awards, now in their fourth year, are a way to recognise the quality of food and service consistently delivered by this sector of the food services industry.

Voting at eat.ie/takeawayawards2017 is open for all takeaway restaurants in Ireland, with a deadline of September 25,

before an awards night to be held on October 17.

IT’S ULYSSES – BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT THEATRE fans are in for a treat with a special version of James Joyce’s classic, Ulysses, as part of the upcoming Dublin Theatre Festival.

Running at The Abbey from October 2-14 as part of the festival, and then on to October 28, Dermot Bolger’s vibrant version of Ulysses has been described as a fun pandemonium of live music, puppets, dancing, clowning, bowler hats

and kazoos, all adding a fresh, fun feel to the quintessentially Dublin story. For tickets, see abbeytheatre.ie.

DROP BY THIS GREAT ABSEILING EVENT T H E M a k e - A -W i s h Foundation are hoping to rope in as much support as possible for an unusual fundraiser tomorrow, (Friday, September 1) when abseilers go down the side of one of the city’s tallest buildings.

Head over to the State Street building at Sir John Rogerson Quay, Dublin

2, where the plucky souls will abseil 115 feet down its side at 1.30pm in the Rope For Hope event.

O r g a n i s e r s a r e n ’t stringing anyone along – the popular event is a key fundraiser for the charity, and will help it to continue its terrific work with sick children and their families.

Watch the abseilers do their thing all day on Friday, from about 10am until 6pm, and drop the organisers a euro or two to help support the great cause. For further information, see https:// makeawish.ie.

Pictured launching Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice are Eleanor Flew, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services; Nuala Drennan; Mark Saunders, Bewleys and Keith Duffy. Picture: Lensmen

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 15

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FEATURE

FAMILIES: CLOSING DATE ALMOST HERE FOR FIRST KIDS SPECTACLE WEARER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Last chance to let the whole world see how cool your kid looks with glasses IRISH international and Connacht rugby player Kieran Marmion has put out a last call for entries for Specsavers’ first ever Kids Spectacle Wearer of the Year awards.

The competition looks to celebrate children in Ireland who wear glasses with pride, to help remove any stigma to needing specs.

Urging people to enter, competition ambassador Kieran – who needed to wear glasses since he was nine years old – said: “From my own experience, I know children can feel embarrassed when they first put on a pair of frames, worry-

ing about what people might say or think.”

Aside from honouring young glasses wearers, the competition will also help to raise vital funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, with Specsavers donating €1 to the charity for every entry received.

The winner will receive a trip for two adults and two children to Legoland Windsor, staying for two nights in the Legoland Hotel.

Today, Kieran wears contact lenses on the rugby pitch, and glasses when he’s enjoying any downtime.

Nina Mullins McShea and Trysten Bruen help Kieran find the right frames at the launch ofn the awards search. Picture: Dan Sheridan

He said: “I’m delighted to team up with Specsavers as we look to encourage children to wear their glasses with pride.

It’s great to be a part of something that celebrates such a positive message, whilst also raising money for a great chil-

dren’s charity.”

The competition is open to children aged four to 15 and Specsavers’ Dublin stores are appealing for last entries. All that is needed is an image of the child in their specs and a brief description of why they are happy to wear them.

Peter McGrath, Spescsavers, said: “We are encouraging all those interested to enter the first ever Kids Spectacle Wearer of the Year awards. It’s a fantastic platform for younger children as it recognises that kids should wear their glasses with pride and not be embarrassed when an optician pre-

scribes you with a pair.

“In our Specsavers Dublin stores, we have hundreds of child-friendly glasses that they will be more than happy to wear, such as our newly launched Minions range, our JCB range and a Disney collection.”

The closing date to enter the competition is midnight on Sunday, September 10, with the finalist to be chosen by a judging panel before the overall winner is announced later in the month.

For further information and to enter online, see https:// www.specsavers.ie/kids-swoty

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

N O S ’ T A H W

E D I U G S T N E EV with JAMES HENDICOTT

Electric Picnic

Okay, you need to leave the city for this one (and already have a ticket), but we could hardly leave out Ireland’s essential music festival, could we? The XX, A Tribe Called Quest, Duran Duran, Run the Jewels and Pete Tong star. 5ive are playing, too. September 1-3.

MUSIC

DUBLIN’S ORIGINAL PUNKS POWER ON The fusion of Paranoid Visions with their hero Steve Ignorant from Crass has the Dubliners fired up Steve Ignorant with Paranoid Visions

Ireland v Serbia

A key World Cup qualifier for Martin O’Neill’s side against the side above them on goal difference at the peak of Group D at the Aviva. While second place is likely to produce another player off, a win here will see Ireland in line for an automatic berth in 2018. September 5.

DURAN DURAN

What’s The Story?

Lives in Direct Provision Learn about the many challenges faced by those arriving into Ireland’s asylum-seeking direct provision system, as Christchurch Cathedral hosts a series of speakers including those who have directly experienced the set up.

September 4.

The All Ireland Hurling Final

The Dubs might be some way short of hurling glory these days (and for far too long), but a final between Waterford and Galway is enticing if only because it feels like a 2017 changing of the guard. Croker, September 3.

An Introduction to Zero Waste

A little education on how to reduce your impact on the world is always worth exploring, right? Zero waste is a movement towards reducing and ultimately eliminating packaging. Get a taste of its philosophy and methods at Smallchanges, Drumcondra, on September 4.

Clothes Swap at the Dublin Food Co-Op

Get rid of those nice clothes you don’t wear/ fit into/ ever dig from the back of your wardrobe, and trade them in at Dublin’s coolest market venue for something you’ll actually wear outside the house. You’d be mad not to. September 7.

Words on the Street

A literature festival takes to the streets of Dublin, specifically Parnell Square, on which six different venues will host a collection of broadcasters. Rick O’Shea and Katherine Lynch are amongst those involved. September 7

Pet Shop Boys

The London duo fresh from the eighties have sold over 50 million records worldwide for a very simple reason: they’re music is catchy as hell. Expect hits like ‘West End Girls’, ‘It’s A Sin’, and ‘Always On My Mind’ on display on September 6.

New album of the week

LCD soundsystem - American Dream. The disco punks return - having officially quit as a band a few years ago, creating an emotional farewell concert movie - with surprisingly new music ahead of a long since sold out Dublin date.

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16 GAZETTE 31 August 2017

 JAMES HENDICOTT PARANOID Visions were punks almost before the concept even existed in Ireland.

Breaking through in the early 80s, their early gigs were chaotic in nature; often descending into riots at stage front, with the band spat on, demonised and in many cases banned from appearing in venues.

“We ended up playing ‘Battle of the Bands’ gigs just for somewhere to play,” guitarist Peter Jones recalls.

“We’d be on between these acoustic guitar acts, and there’d be 80 punks there waiting for us to come on stage. All hell would break loose for the four songs we got to play, and then all our fans, who would be most of the audience, would just leave.

Usually we’d come second, as they had to admit

we’d had a lot of impact, but didn’t want to give the prize to us after we’d unleashed that kind of chaos.

“I vividly remember a complaint going in at one of those competitions saying that we only rehearsed once a week, and shouldn’t be allowed to win. The man who said that is still involved in the Dublin music scene. He was right about the rehearsing to be honest.”

There’s plenty of water under the bridge since those days: Paranoid Visions broke up for a decade, reformed, went through an extended campaign of Bono-criticism (including the release of punk parody ‘I Will Wallow’), courted controversy by promoting an album with an image of Brian Cowen’s head aligned in gun sites, and wrote an entire album slamming what they saw as a parochial, Catholic church-led rot in the country.

They are, in short, not afraid to go hard against

the political status quo in true punk fashion, with vocalist Declan Dachau famed for both the bluntness of his vocals, and harsh quips in which he espouses staunchly anti-nationalist, inclusive principles.

Most recently, Paranoid Visions have been heavily involved with a real hero of theirs, inviting Steve Ignorant of British punks icons Crass into the fold at regular intervals. The unlikely combo has led to shows before thousands, and boisterous records that have exploded on the punk scene.

“We put on the Last Summer tour in Dublin, and kind of got along. Steve’s very shy, but very personable,” Jones explains.

“He found that when he came over here, there’s none of that tongue-tied stuff, he just got slagged by people like us. He really liked that, really connected with it.

“We played with him again in Manchester and were supposed to play New York, but it got cancelled. We ended up doing the final wrap-up gig in Shepherd’s Bush Empire instead. Afterwards we had this amazing after-show party and really got to know him. Later, we told him we had this song, and we were having problems getting the vocal right; that we basically wanted it to sound like him. And he said ‘I’ll do it’. So he came over and did it, and ended up doing the verse on another one, too.

“So there were two tracks, two lots of vocals done in two hours, and that included a tea break, a chat and a play with the dog. Afterwards we went out down the Foggy Dew, and he said ‘this reminds me of the first two Crass albums. There was no time for messing around, we just got in and did it.

We got studios cheap in the middle of the night.

That’s what I love doing, and that’s where I came

from. I’ve really enjoyed this, if you ever want to do anymore give me a shout.”

Paranoid Visions and Steve Ignorant agreed to make an EP, which later became an album, with the label later insisting that live shows were included, too. Things haven’t really looked back.

“Initially speaking [the two versions of the band, with or without Steve] were two radically different things,” Jones recalls.

“The way he sees it is that there is only one band, that has his name in it when he’s with us, and we change the set list to accommodate him - we don’t have quite as much stuff to choose from. But we have stuff that we only ever do with Steve, and then three or four just random tracks from our stuff that he doesn’t take part in.”

The band have played in both forms at some festivals, the double appearances a chance to experi-

ment with the two sides of the band.

As well as the addition of Steve Ignorant as a potent vocalist, the reason for Paranoid Visions success today is simple: politics. Jones isn’t afraid to delve into his views, in which he broadly condemns the present-day political class, slams Brexit and Donald Trump, and rallies against selfinvolved nationalism.

His band do much the same, delivering a visceral, creative swipe at political convention in the time of populism, and expressing an affection for the developing fringes of hip-hop that are doing the same. Right now, with populism on top, a vocal dissenting voice like Paranoid Visions could hardly be more relevant.

New album ‘Rebellion’ - which does what it says on the tin - is out now.

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GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE Go amblin’ along Antrim’s stunning coast

NORTHERN IRELAND: LEAVE CITY STRESSES BEHIND WITH A LEISURELY BREAK IN FERMANAGH,

From spacious, sandy beaches to dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear waters, there are plenty of relaxing spots and great views to take in along the coast

 SHANE DILLON DE S PI T E b e i n g a n Ulsterman hailing from beautiful (if rain-blasted) Donegal, I probably have about as much – or as little – experience of the rest of Ulster as most of our readers.

That’s doing Ulster a disservice, particularly her topmost counties, as the northern province is home to some of the island of Ireland’s most stunning scenery and historic sites, with the Causeway Coastal Route along the north Antrim coast seeing travellers and tourists alike threading one spectacular location after another together into a trip to remember.

I hit the road a few weeks ago to explore the route for myself, noting that many of the names scattered along the way and about the coast evoke the region’s rugged

The Giant’s Causeway can seem to have more tourists than rocks, but the whole area is breathtaking

past (such as Greysteel, Castlerock, Waterfoot, and Windyhill), as well as more familiar names like, um, Ringsend, or my quirky favourite, Blagh, which some might say at

the thought of heading all the way up to the top of our island – but how wrong they’d be, given the sights that await.

Many of these old names sound a bit mythi-

cal, but they suit the ancient spots that they typically adorn, with several of these rugged places proving perfect for Game of Thrones’s well-publicised use as Westeros locations in the hit show.

Despite this auspicious link to such a well-known show, the well-signposted Causeway Coastal Route is more than worth the trip in its own right, without the need to detour to any Thrones location.

Loosely speaking, it’s an arc that loops up and around the headland from Derry over towards Larne, with the western side sending you on to the delights of Donegal through the nearby gateway town of Letterkenny, while to the east, you’re just a skip away from bustling Belfast.

However, city life will be the last thing on your mind as you drift along the relaxing route, which has several gems laid out

along the way to spur you along to the next memorable destination.

The journey takes you through well-tended farmland, up and across rolling hills, alongside quiet shores lapped by the Atlantic Ocean, and across flat plains with rising walls of distant blue hills framing the views perfectly, reminding you that, with a little lick of sun, our island can be very beautiful indeed.

The landscape here is dotted with pretty towns and villages, such as Castlerock, which has the luck to face onto a long, long golden strand (top), where some of the coast’s many dark cliffs dip their feet into the cool ocean.

Further along, past busy Coleraine and back on track along the northern coast near Portrush, the scenery starts to become ever more rugged, with the dramatic silhouette of ruined Dunluce Castle

perched precariously on a crumbling cliff edge hinting that you’re drawing near to the ancient heart of the route – The Giant’s Causeway (left).

As Northern Ireland’s sole UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s a place that’s absolutely swarming with visitors, all year round.

It’s here that you’ll start to think of all the battleinspired names you’ve passed as you fight hordes of other tourists for a parking space – you may even need to park in nearby Bushmills, home to the famous distillery, and avail of the free shuttle bus up to the causeway.

However, the world-

famous site is worth any initial aggravation (but heed the boxout below), as you’ll be happy to tick it off the bucket list once you’ve surveyed its unique columns, and the equally striking hills and ridges which sweep around it.

Last but not least, the steady of foot and brave of heart can also step lively across the nearby Carricka-Rede Rope Bridge, just a few kilometres away up the coast, and another tourist magnet.

These are just some of the many treasures along the route, but whether you travel east-west, or west-east, just be sure to head north for a terrific trip.

A GIANT TIP TO REMEMBER Visiting The Giant’s Causeway with some friends, we all queued up to pay admission at the visitor centre – only to then see afterwards that you can just walk straight through a wide-open side entrance!

(They were absolutely fuming, once they spotted this, echoing many irate complaints online which highlight the same maddening point.)

So, if you’re visiting, be aware that you can just walk up and across the centre’s sloped roof, which is covered in grass, and then down the stairs at the other side to access The Giant’s Causeway, free.

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TRAVEL

WHILE FURTHER NORTH, A CAUSEWAY ROUTE DELIGHTS WITH ONE TREASURE AFTER ANOTHER

With its spectacular views, luxurious suites, spa and famous golf course – and of course fishing lessons for kids – Lough Erne Resort truly is a treat for all the family.

Lough Erne, which dominates Co Fermanagh and surrounds Enniskillen, is the perfect getaway for a short break in one of Ireland’s most beautiful, unspoiled settings. Picture: Xxxxx Zzzzzz

 ALISON O’HANLON NESTLED between the lower and upper sections of beautiful Lough Erne, the historic island town of Enniskillen is the perfect base to discover the Lakelands of Co Fermanagh.

And what a county it is.

Stunning scenery, incredibly friendly welcomes and of course, water – water absolutely everywhere.

We took the kids up to explore the Erne County for a few days before they headed back to school – and it was an experience none of us will ever forget.

Though just a couple of hours up the road from Dublin, Fermanagh feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Dublin, boasting beautiful ancient forests, grand stately homes, ancient castles, and stunning rural scenery that, when the sun is shining, you could easily mistake for the south of France.

Enniskillen itself is a unique spot, sitting on a tiny, milelong island, guarded by the 600-year-old Enniskillen Castle,which itself houses two fascinating museums that even managed to hold the attention of an iPad obsessed six year old and her nine-year-old sister – no easy feat.

The recently renovated Fermanagh County Museum explores the county – and castle’s – rich history since it was built by the Maguire chieftains through to the plantation of Ulster, while the castle’s other museum explores the military exploits of the Inniskillings regiments as far back as the 1700s.

Just a short drive away from Enniskillen, not far from the splendour of the 18th century Florence Court House, is the magnificent Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, a miracle of nature beneath the foothills of spectacular Cuilcagh Mountain.

A WELL ERNED BREAK Clockwise from above: Enniskillen Castle, fun at the Fermanagh County Museum, exploring Marble Arch Caves by boat & Devenish Island (x2)

This was probably the highlight of the trip for the little ones, who were intrigued as we were guided through a fascinating natural netherland of rivers, waterfalls, winding passages and lofty chambers.

From the wonders of the underworld, we went back to the luxurious surrounds of the five-star Lough Erne resort for a swim in their infinity pool, before heading into town for a wonderful meal at Saddlers Restaurant on Belmore St,where the friendly staff spoiled us with steaks to die for.

The following morning we took a quick ferry ride over to Devenish Island, where St Molaise established a monastery in the 6th century.

The most important of Lough Erne’s plethora of ancient island church settlements, Devenish Monastic Site is a must for history buffs, while the kids will love exploring the ruins of a 12th century round tower and 15th century priory that dominate the site.

Before heading home to Dublin, we stopped in at lovely Enniskillen one more time, where we had a bite to eat at Blakes on the Hollow, which has to be one of Ireland’s friendliest tradional pubs. The hubby said the Guinness was great, while the food was right up there with Saddlers – and that’s some compliment!

One thing I can say for sure as we headed home: Enniskillen, rest assured – Isle be back!  For further information on Northern Ireland go to www.discovernorthernireland.com

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DUBLINLIFE

Seasonal delights LAMB RUMP WITH BLACK PUDDING AND FIG MASH For 6 lamb rumps of 300grms - 400ml red wine 10-12 sprigs of thyme 2 large chopped carrots 2 bay leaves 6 cloves of garlic 1 litre chicken stock 1 large chopped onion Salt and pepper to season Handful of chopped parsley

THIS week the new Woodlock Brasserie at Citywest Hotel is sharing one of its fantastic recipes with us.

With a menu that reflects finest seasonal ingredients, it offers innovative cuisine that can be described as artwork on a plate.

With a location convenient to Dublin City

Method: Marinate lamb in all ingredients in a deep oven tray for at least one hour.

Then cover in tinfoil, place in oven at 150 for 2 to 2 ½ hours until lamb is tender.

For plating: Grill two rings of black pudding and place on plate. Mix one fig which has been warmed in oven through mash potato.

Place quenelle of mash next to pudding, place sliced rump on top and coat in reduced red wine jus.

centre, the Woodlock Brasserie (above) enjoys stunning views of the Wicklow mountains and beyond.

Award winning executive head chef Ciaran Cunningham brings an international creative flare to the menus which explore rare culinary techniques to enhance your experience.

A slice of New York style in Dublin DUBLIN’S newest food market has opened its doors on Wellington Quay.

Dollard & Co is a New York-style food hall with a deli-style menu and more formal dining options.

Set on the ground floor of the historic Dollard Printworks, the building itself is the oldest steel frame structure in Ireland.

Reminiscent of New York’s Dean and Deluca, this new Dublin version has been meticulously restored to create a gorgeous food hall and market filled with the best in Irish and international fare.

Stepping in to Dollard & Co from either Wellington Quay or the entrance on East Essex St, visitors will be greeted with displays of seasonal produce, artisan breads, deli treats, meats, freshly caught seafood, a fantastic assortment of local and international cheeses, charcuterie and innovative and take-home meals.

At the very heart of Dollard & Co is The Grill.

This casual dining centrepiece seats 40 people.

Sit around our open plan kitchen, watch the chefs hard at work cooking up a storm.

Open till 10pm each night (with a late night pizza hatch which stays open till 4:30am on weekends) Dollard & Co is open for Dubliners to enjoy.

FOOD FOOD&DRINK Be shellfish & treat yourself at Shel’ fest IT’S that time of the year again when there’s an ‘r’ in the month, and The Shelbourne Hotel focuses on all things oyster with their annual Oyster Festival.

Running at the hotel from September 1 to 17, the The Shelbourne Oyster Festival will give oyster-lovers of all levels the opportunity to enjoy the country’s finest at their peak of perfection.

A six-course oyster tasting menu by Chef Garry Hughes and his team is available in The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne every evening throughout the festival for €69 per person, or with wine pairings for €95, selected by sommelier Nisea Doddy.

Along with the more elaborate tasting menus a selection of oysters simply iced and on the half shell will be available.

All are Irish oysters from Carlingford, Sligo and Dungarvan, and Galway Natives – served over crushed ice with the traditional accompaniments of shallot vinaigrette and Tabasco.

There’s also an interesting choice of hot oyster dishes, ranging from the classic Oysters Rockefeller to the signature Oysters Shelbourne, a half dozen freshly shucked oysters, Liscannor crab meat and lobster glazed with Hollandaise and Gruyère, or smoked oysters with creamed, truffled Lusk leeks.

For further details on oyster menus available at The Shelbourne, see Notes to Editors, below. The 2017 Oyster Festival at The Shelbourne runs from September 1st to 17.

For more details or to make a booking please call + 353 1 6634500. www.shelbournedining.ie

New healthy treat ticks all the boxes HB Ice Cream has introduced a healthy sweet treat in association with Irish vitamin and protein bar, Fulfil.

Available for a limited time only, The HB Happyful Yoghurt offers a tasty combination of natural yoghurt layered with freshly cut fruit, creamy softserved ice cream and topped with pieces of Fulfil’s best-selling flavour, Peanut and Caramel.

Now in selected HB Happiness Stations nationwide, the Happyful Yoghurt (RRP €3.50) provides the ultimate solution for snacking on-the-go, ensuring those with a sweet tooth stay fulfilled whatever time of day.

For all the latest information on HB, visit www. facebook.com/hbicecream/ or search @HBIreland on Twitter and Instagram. To find out more about the Fulfil range, visit http://fulfilnutrition.com or search @Fulfil_nutrition on Facebook and Instagram.

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

STYLE

Too cool 4 school @ Mango  EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

BACK to school season is upon us, and you’ll find plenty of inspiration at Mango. September is a time for some new gear to keep the kids going all term long, and the brand have plenty of great looks to help give some lessons in style, whether he or she is in a dress-down day or relaxing at home – after all their homework’s done, of course!

See in-store for all prices

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 31 August 2017

DUBLINLIFE

In the FASTLANE The new smaller, compact Karoq adds to Skoda SUV attack SKODA’S SUV attack is continuing as the company has revealed that the new smaller and compact Karoq model will be available in Ireland from December of this year. The new Skoda Karoq claims to offer exceptional space and functionality for five people. The new technologies features for the Karoq include a digital information display and a new 1.5 TSI petrol engine.

With the new Karoq, Skoda is offer two specification levels rather than the usual three. The range will start with the mid-level Ambition and there will be a higher specification Style version. Skoda plans to expand the Karoq range further in 2019 with the launch of the SportLine and luxury Laurin & Klement derivatives.

While the new Skoda Karoq will be unveiled to the public at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September, the first models will arrive at Irish Skoda dealers in early December.

The new Skoda Karoq is the latest compact SUV offer which will be due in Ireland in December of this year

Iceland warms to Mercedes-Benz vans SUPERMARKET chain Iceland has taken delivery of four additional new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans that have entered their fleet alongside their original purchase of five units last year.

All four 314/36 medium wheelbase vans have been converted by Paneltex and are fitted with Alex Original fridges. Other features include high roof, automatic gearbox, reverse camera and PARKTRONIC parking and manoeuvring aid.

These latest units will be used for Home Deliveries and will be deployed to new Iceland stores opening up across the country at Gorey, Shannon, Limerick (Watch House Cross) and Cork (Ballincollig). These new store openings will bring the total number of stores Iceland operates across Ireland to 20.

Volvo’s stylish new SUV proves a safe bet Volvo has a new generation XC60 on the market with fresh design changes to the Swedish brand’s best-selling mid-range SUV. MICHAEL MORONEY took the XC60 to the roads where its performance, safety and comfort impressed.

VOLVO aims to build on its enviable safety reputation with the launch of the new XC60 mid-size SUV that brings together new levels of safety coupled with style.

Volvo claims this new XC60 is one of the safest cars ever made because of the level of safety technology that’s standard on many of the models.

The XC60 does the SUV thing with a level of style and comfort that makes this car less intrusive, more acceptable and now with its new platform, also more comfortable.

While the Volvo headline story for the new XC60 is about safety, for me the car excels in terms of driving performance and comfort.

On the safety front, the new XC60 Volvo now adds Steer Assist to their ground-breaking City Safety system to every XC60 version. This car is also available with the new Oncoming Lane Mitigation which uses the Steer Assist to help prevent head-on collisions.

And now Volvo’s Blind Spot Indication System (BLIS) uses Steer Assist in reducing the risk of lanechanging collisions.

Volvo’s City Safety system is fitted to every XC60. This includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, and the world-first application of SteerAssist.

This feature helps to avoid or limit the severity of collisions at low speeds by assisting with the steering in an emergency, such as

The new-look Volvo XC60 comes with subtle styling changes that include new headlights and styling lines

Volvo XC60 D4 2.0 D4

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

when swerving to miss an obstacle.

For new XC60 buyers the attraction of the car revolves around the optional impressive safety package that’s not offered by the competition. The Volvo Pilot Assist is a good example, which is Volvo’s semi-autonomous drive feature.

Volvo Pilot Assist assists

2.0 litre 190hp 8.1 seconds 21km/litre (5.2/100km or 60mpg) 60 litres 136g/km B2 €280 20,000km/12 months 5 star (2009) 3 years (100,000km) €53,950 with the steering (up to 130km/hr) and takes care of the acceleration and braking required to keep the car within lane markings and at the desired cruising speed or distance from any vehicle in front. Pilot Assist is a step towards fully autonomous driving.

I drove the new 2.0-litre turbo-diesel version of the

XC60 with an enhanced engine feel that shows little change in actual performance and economy features over the engine used in the previous model.

All new version XC60’s come with an eight speed automatic gearbox that allowed ver y smooth acceleration and gave the car a pace that was impressive. This car gives an impressive feeling of being well balanced in every respect, power, performance safety and comfort, a true all-round offer at the higher end of the market.

Over a 1,100km test route that brought me on a mix of longer country drives with some city collections, this new XC60 made driving a total pleasure. The standard allwheel-drive system was rarely engaged as summer road conditions were good.

Volvo’s new Sensus infotainment system is also standard. This is operated through a 9” portraitstyle touch screen that’s easy to get used to. The package includes satellite navigation with lifetime annual map updates and Real-Time Traffic Information (RTTI) and an intuitive voice-activation system. It also provides access to the internet and a range of cloud-based apps.

The Volvo XC60 is in the luxury end of the mid-size SUV market and it deserves to be. Entry prices start at €53,950 but you’ll soon drift up the specification trail with the range of optional safety features offered on this car.

For me, the car is hugely balanced as an impressive and comfortable driving machine that sets new standards in safety. The others will follow.

31 August 2017 GAZETTE 23

Mercedes-Benz offers new eco-friendly bonus MERCEDES-BENZ in Ireland is

GAZETTE

MOTORING

Car technology is a must for Irish drivers

now offering a €2,000 change-

A NEW survey shows that over two thirds (69%) of Irish

over bonus to encourage car

drivers claim that car technology plays an important

owners to switch to new more

role in their purchasing decision, while 44% said that they

eco-friendly models from

would not be comfortable being a passenger in a self-driv-

their Mercedes-Benz range.

ing car. The latest Carzone Motoring Report has examined

The offer applies to owners of

trends in the Irish motoring industry and found that Irish

EU1 to EU4 emissions-stand-

drivers are now placing more emphasis on in-car technol-

ard diesels.

ogy and have become reliant on it to get them from A to B.

The discount, which is

The Carzone Motoring Report is compiled by analysing

offered irrespective of the

data from the 67 million searches carried out on Carzone

make or model the customer

in the first five months of 2017, as well as an in-depth

currently owns, is available

survey of 2,647 Irish motorists and a cross section of car

on orders of new Mercedes-

retailers in Ireland.

Benz diesel cars powered

The report finds that 65% of drivers claim that technol-

with EU6 emission-standard

ogy has made them a better driver and 70% say that tech

engines, as well as new

makes the driving experience all the more enjoyable. When

Mercedes-Benz plug-in

it comes to how we are using tech in the car, it appears

hybrids. The incentive can be

that drivers prefer technology that makes driving easier

combined with government

rather than simply for entertainment purposes. Almost

subsidies applicable to plugin hybrid vehicles.

half of those polled (47%) say they can’t live without their Mercedes-Benz is offering a €2,000 changeover bonus for new car buyers of more eco-friendly models

Owners of diesel cars with

trusty GPS. The survey found that most Irish motorists believe that autonomous driving will happen in their

Certain conditions apply, the vehicle

emissions standards EU1 to EU3 will

purchase of a new car. Owners of diesel

receive additional financial compensation

cars with emissions standards EU4 will

must have been registered in the cus-

that they would embrace the experience of being a

for the disposal of their used vehicle. This

receive the trade-in price agreed with

tomer’s name for at least six months and

passenger in a self-driving car, however, there remain

is determined by an independent body,

the dealership in addition to the €2,000

the new vehicle must be registered before

concerns about lack of control and the threat of the car

which must, in turn, be set against the

changeover bonus.

March 31, 2018.

being hacked.

lifetime. Just over half (56%) of Irish drivers also revealed

GAZETTE

24 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

DETROIT: HISTORIC DIVIDE RESONATES SHARPLY IN FILM BASED ON 1967 RIOT

ReelReviews

Disunited states of America in timely tale “IT’S hard to believe that this could happen in America,” laments a radio reporter in a short snippet of archive audio in Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit (Cert 15A, 142 mins).

Recounting true-life events steeped in racial hatred and police brutality, the above quote seems particularly timely.

Following the tragedy of the recent events in Charlottesville and a certain world leader’s less-thandamning response to the actions of the ultra-Right, a film that teaches us a lesson in the facts of America’s all too recent history of racial imbalance and injustice is deeply necessary.

The above quote refers

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

to the violence of the riots in Detroit in the late Sixties, rather than the state’s brutal, prejudiced response.

Bigelow crafts a balanced view of the events; she damns the violence itself but targets the institutionalised racism that led to it in the first place.

Set in the summer of 1967, the city of Detroit is caught up in a whirlwind of unrest with black protesters calling for civil rights, unrest that

explodes into chaos as the state response becomes more and more unjust.

When a report of gunshots at a motel prompt the police department, the state police and the National Guard to send in forces to “investigate”, naturally, they come in guns blazing.

A series of tragic events unfold, spurred on by police br utality and vicious interrogation tactics, while a lone security guard (John Boyega) attempts to stop things from boiling over at the scene.

The intense, pressurec o o ke r a t m o s p h e r e here makes for an often uncomfortable watch and the sense of forebod-

With Donald Trump’s recent jaw-dropping comments on US neo-Nazis, the ugly, historic tensions at the heart of the film continue to echo in modern-day America

ATOMIC BLONDE

A radiant new series DESPITE a bit too much advertising, Atomic Blonde (Cert 16, 115 mins) turned out to be pretty decent.

Charlize Theron shows off some serious acting (and possibly karate) chops as a spy getting caught up in some pretty murky stuff in Cold War-era East Berlin. The end result is a very stylish spy film, with Carlize at the heart of some brutal, terrific action sequences.

A GHOST STORY

Worth getting in a flap

America’s troubled divisions come to the fore in Detroit, with stars John Boyega (above) impressing in the powerful film based on the riot in the eponymous city

ing is often crushing, and unbearable.

Bigelow rarely holds back from capturing violence, yet her approach is never sensationalised.

Detroit maintains a rich, documentary-like texture, helped on by the occasional punctuation of still archive photography.

The director adopts a newsreel-style shaky-cam approach, which is effective in the chaos of the riots and shootouts, but for the film’s more tender moments, like a scene in which a young singer (Algee Smith) performs to an empty, evacuated auditorium, the tactic is often quite jarring, occasionally clumsy.

The invasive camera eye allows for complete immersion within the events and evokes the

director’s previous war films, but often denies us identification with the characters.

Still, the unifying aesthetic does give the film a consistency throughout – a not-so-simple feat for a film with a 140-minute run time and a huge cast of characters.

Indeed, this is an expertly assembled film – terrifically paced, featuring razor-sharp editing in the film’s fast-moving shootout sequences and the excellently placed splicing in of archive footage to add an extra layer of realism.

However, while the social aesthetic is deftly crafted, the point at its core is often laboured, particularly in the early stages of the narrative.

Detroit could main-

tain its chaotic, traumatic depiction of institutionalised brutality and racism while following a slightly subtler line of delivery.

An expository animated sequence that begins the film feels oddly placed and out of step with the rest of the aesthetic.

However, given the rate at which people seem to be forgetting the horrors of the past, perhaps this history lesson is a necessary one.

This isn’t a perfect film, but in troubled times, it’s a fine response to rising tensions. Perhaps Detroit would benefit from a little more subtlety, but the message is one that clearly needs to be heard loud and clear – perhaps subtlety isn’t the most efficient route at this point in time?

Verdict: 7/10

WE’VE seen a lot of evil ghost films recently – so why not go to a thoughtful one instead? A Ghost Story (Cert 12A, 92 mins) sees Casey Affleck star as the titular ghost (above), and yes, that’s what he looks like. Casey returns to quietly haunt his grieving partner after his sudden death, in a film in which nothing very much happens but remains quietly watchable all the same.

THE EMOJI MOVIE (:-/

:-(

)):-(

UNIVERSALLY hailed as one of the worst films of the year (and possibly ever), The Emoji Movie (Cert G, 86 mins) has at least crawled away from its 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Ripping off much, much better films, the tale of a ‘Meh’ emoji seeking to change his lot in life has seen particularly savage critic and audience reviews. Sad faces – and gross poop emojis – all round for this awful stinker.

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

GAMING

Screenshot fans will love tinkering with the in-game camera – an increasingly popular feature of many triple-A titles – repositioning the sun and camera to get the perfect shot

UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY HIT SERIES MAKES A WELCOME RETURN

Tomb raiders find Indian adventure IF IT ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The popular mantra can spring to mind when facing franchise sequels or spin-offs, which usually tend to offer more of the fan-pleasing same rather than taking things in a creative new direction.

Still, when that spin-off comes from the juggernaut that’s the PlayStation’s Uncharted series – and comes directly linked to Uncharted 4, still one of the very best benchmarks in console gaming, why ‘fix’ things, indeed?

Gamers have been following Uncharted’s fortune-hunting rogue Nathan Drake for many years now, but with developer Naughty Dog saying that Nate’s tale has been satisfactorily concluded, there’s now room for

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com

ancillary globe-trotting, tomb-raiding characters to step into the charming thief’s shoes.

So we arrive at Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (PS4, Cert 16,

c. €40), where we meet again sharp-witted, impulsive thief Chloe Frazer, this time teamed up with cool-headed mercenary Nadine Ross, with the pair having to set aside their mutual dislike to team up to find another shiny McGuffin.

They’re on the trail of

the Tusk of Ganesh, a relic in a long-lost Indian city – as are a group of bad guys, whose intentions are much worse than ‘just’ being thieving treasure hunters – with the scene set for a game that feels very similar to Uncharted 4, but one that forges its own identity by refining that game’s brilliantly successful formula, rather than reinventing it.

Although it’s a direct spin-off – presumably the first of several, given the well-developed characters the long-running series has fleshed out – The Lost Legacy forges its own beats and identity from the off.

While several of the game’s mechanics will be instantly familiar, they all combine to create a fun

tale of derring-do adventure, occasional puzzles and stealth, and regular guns-blazing action sections showing that Chloe and Nadine are a very, very capable pair of characters.

Their frequent bickering, occasional quips and chit-chat create a pair of believable characters in unbelievable situations, and the unlikely pair soon establish a strong dynamic.

It’s also worth pointing out that with strong, believable female leads still in short supply in gaming, Chloe and Nadine are especially welcome to see here.

Once again, Naughty Dog have delivered a toptier title, with a game that’s packed to the brim with

graphical bells and whistles, again pushing at the top end of console power.

Given that much of the donkey work had been done with the tools it developed for the previous game in the series, that should come as no surprise, so The Lost Legacy may not have quite the same impact and wowfactor that Uncharted 4 so memorably did.

Still, given its spectacular settings and a general air of dilapidated beauty – from some shabby slum streets to crumbling, overgrown temple ruins – it’s a game that’s an absolute looker in many parts, with some simply stunning vistas to discover.

One thing that bats against the game is its length – it was originally

The Lost Legacy isn’t a very long game, but it’s stuffed to the brim with stunning locations, gorgeous graphics and classic Uncharted gameplay. Screengrabs: Shane Dillon

developed as DLC (downloadable content) before getting spun out into a longer tale, leaving it with a relatively short play time of about 7-8 hours, if you trot through at a brisk pace.

However, that’s just

about the only criticism to make, as The Lost Legacy is very much a gamer’s game – its sumptuous graphics, fun gameplay and strong, likeable characters all combine to create a title that’s well worth finding.

26 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

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28 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

SPORT

FastSport SUPER WALSHE: IRELAND’S women finished the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women’s European Championship in 10th place after they lost out to Israel 54-66 in the 9-10th classification game in Skopje.

In what has been a rollercoaster of a ride for the squad, a third quarter run by Israel saw Ireland on the back foot going into the last and the mountain was just too much to climb for them.

A superb display from Katie Walshe saw her bag 21 points in the game, continuing her impressive form in the tournament, but Israel’s Lior Garzon and Daniel Karsh – who finished on 20 and 14 points respectively – had just too much fire power for the Irish.

Head Coach Andy Gill said afterwards: “We set ourselves some goals when we began the programme and we’ve definitely achieved higher than we thought. To finish in the top 10 and maintain our seeding, we’ve over-achieved and the girls have performed well.”

ICE HOCKEY: DUBLIN SIDE SEE FOUR PLAYERS CALLED UP FOR IRISH SQUAD

More than just luck for Clovers, who train using roller blades  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN-based ice hockey team Celtic Clovers have seen four of their star players picked for the Irish national side.

The players - who impressed in trials back in June and July - are to appear at an international Development Cup hosted in Andorra.

Peter McGivern, Aaron Collins, Conor Fleming and Romans Piskurevs all came through the trial, an achievement for Clovers as they battle on in what they believe to be the only country in the European Union without a year-round ice hockey rink.

“Technically we travel to the UK for our games,” Clovers man Derek O’Neill told GazetteSport of the club. “We usually play late on Sunday nights in Belfast. We do a lot of our training on roller blades, which always comes as a shock to players who get involved after moving from playing hockey elsewhere into Ireland.

“Our games take place at the same venue as the only professional team on the island, the Belfast Giants, play.

They’re usually late on Sunday night as that’s when we can get the time. It’s important to us as a principle that we’re an ice hockey club, not a roller hockey club, so we compete on ice.”

Clovers formed on a temporary, warehouse rink in Castleknock in 2012 - a spot that’s since closed down - but have grown quickly in those five years, even attracting international visitors to the side [Piskurevs, for example, is a Latvianborn naturalised Irishman].

“Clovers play in Strasbourg every year against French and Austrian teams, and very much hold our own against teams that contain ex-pros so it’s at a good level,” O’Neill explains, “but we also have our own development team. That’s becoming more common, a lot of clubs have two teams competing now.

“The main aim of the trip out to Andorra is to play at a higher level and get experience. Obviously there are stronger teams all over Europe than Ireland, and nobody wants to be the whipping boys, though the other side of that is you can get better by playing strong opposition.

“The teams in Andorra are at a simi-

Some of the Celtic Clovers team

lar level to us, though.

We’ll be playing Andorra, Morocco and Portugal.”

One aspect that that grates with O’Neill is the link of a proper rink in the south of Ireland.

“It’s scandalous that there’s not a rink in Ireland. Ironically, when Ireland was a far poorer place with far less facilities in the 70s and 80s, we did have one,” O’Neill says, citing a refused planning application as an extension to the shop-

ping centre in Liffey Valley as the latest barrier to regular ice hockey in the Republic.

“There’s never less than a hundred people at a public skate in Belfast when we go up. It seems obvious the demand would be there in Dublin too. Our games are free to watch in Belfast, so anyone can check us out.”

Technically, the team that travels to the Development Cup in Canillo in late September are not

‘Team Ireland’, though they are sanctioned by the Irish Ice Hockey Association. They exist in a kind of administrative gray area, in the shadows, much like the sport itself in the Republic.

Development of the national team - as well as the surprising existence of competitive league teams here [albeit facing each other up north] - is reason for optimism when it comes to the future.

Mohan picks nine Dubs for Czech friendlies  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

Ireland Under-19 football manager Tom Mohan

NINE Dubliners have been named in Tom Mohan’s Ireland squad for the friendly doubleheader against the Czech Republic in September.

Four of the players named still ply their trade in the capital, namely Brian Maher of St Patrick’s Athletic, Aaron Bolger from Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians’ Warren O’Hora and Ryan Graydon.

Bournemouth’s Lucan keeper Mark Travers is also in the side,

alongside former St Kevin’s Boys star Dara O’Shea, Tyreke Wilson of Manchester City, Southampton’s Jonathan Afolabi, and former Belvedere FC man Dan McKenna.

The team will play the Czechs in the first of the two games – set up as preparation for the UEFA Under-19 Championship qualifiers in October - on Saturday at the RSC, Waterford at 7.45pm, with the second taken place in the same venue at 1.00pm two days later.

“They’re good opponents,” Mohan said. “The Czechs are

always physically strong, athletic, good technically, and have played a lot of games at Under-18 level.

“I feel this will be a really good test for us ahead of the qualifying games in Waterford.

“Waterford is always great to play in - the pitch is always in good condition and the crowd loves their football. It’s also good that we have players from the South East involved in this squad.”

Mohan is happy that players in this age group are making progress at club level - both at home and abroad. “We’ve a number of

players out with injuries and have several players involved in at first team level in England and Ireland so they’ll come in after the first game.

“It’s been a good couple of months for numerous players.

Several have played first team in pre-season and have made their debuts at first team level competitively.”

“We had a three-day training camp and a number of homebased trials over the summer to try and look at as many players as we could. We are constantly monitoring the players.”

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

Kickboxing star looks to kick on after switch O’Donovan hopes to become world number one in her

Dubs hammer Kerry to reach fourth final in a row DUBLIN Ladies’ football team reached another All-Ireland final with a comprehensive hammering of Kerry on Saturday, a fourth consecutive finale that’s likely to see the Jackies face off against arch nemesis Cork.

The goal-hungry Dubs hit a scoreline of 5-10 to Kerry’s 0-11 at Semple Stadium to ease into the final, with Sinead Aherne again the key woman as she hit 2-7.

It was Dublin’s efficiency in front of the posts compared to that of their opponents - who hit more wides than points - that ultimately did much of the damage.

The first goal came midway through the first half, followed by a second just before half time. Aherne grabbed both, the first a clinical finish placed just inside the Kerry post, and the latter a well-taken penalty bashed home when Niamh McEvoy was brought down after breaking through on the Kingdom’s goal.

That gave the Dubs a fairly comfortable 2-6 to 0-4 lead going into the break, and license to cut loose in a second half in which Kerry also upped their attacking game - primarily by grabbing their points more efficiently.

Dublin had far more cutting edge, though, as the experienced Sinead Finnegan martialled a Jackies’ defence that’s been revamped somewhat for the 2017 season. Nicole Owens effectively put the game to bed a minute after half-time, as a swift attacking maneuver ended with her slotting into the Kerry net.

From then on, the Dubs took advantage of their comfortable lead to ring the changes, and Noelle Healy put a gloss on the final scoreline, adding a fourth with twenty minutes to go, and a fifth in the dying seconds as the girls in blue ran riot. The 5-10 to 0-11 final score is a great confidence builder going into another decider.

The Dubs have only a single ladies’ All-Ireland title, having lost the final six times. The last four defeats came against Cork, including the past three years on the trot. Heartbreakingly, none of the last three contests saw the Jackies defeated by more than two points.

Mayo stand in the way of the Munster ladies ahead of the September finale, and the Rebelettes have had a less inspired season than usual. The Dubs will be giving everything to overcome the disappointment ‘nearlies’ of recent years.

primary sport, after successfull move sees her win National Karate Championships and make Irish squad  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

TERENURE martial artist Caradh O’Donovan is expanding her horizons, with the champion kickboxer spreading her wings into a dual-sport attack on competitive karate in recent months.

O’Donovan is currently ranked number two in the world in her -55kg weight category in primary sport kickboxing, having missed a number of key tournaments over the course of the last six months. She hopes the two further competitions she’s likely to compete in over the coming couple of months might propel

her ahead of Britain’s Shannon Ryan to top the rankings.

T hat second place ranking is all the more astonishing, though, when you take into account her new found competitiveness in the world of karate.

Explaining the crossover between the sports, O’Donovan told GazetteSport “not every style of kickboxing is similar to karate, but some are. I complete mainly in point fighting, which is a version of the sport where the main aim is to get the first hit in - be the first to score. In some ways karate is quite similar to that, although the different

length of fights is something I have to get used to.

“I’ve been lucky, I’ve been doing my karate in Santry, which is where the national coaches are based, and it’s a great place to get good quickly.

I started doing it really for fun, and I have a long way to go, but it’s a great place to be.

“I’ll never compete in an Olympics in kickboxing, because while it looks likely to be added to the Olympics in the future, it’ll be too late for me.

In karate, it’s a long way off but if things are going well I have to think about competing in Tokyo.”

Most recently, as a result of her new passion,

Caradh O’Donovan standing on the top podium after coming first in the World Cup in Italy

O’Donovan’s technical training has leant far more towards her karate ambitions.

“My strength and conditioning hasn’t really changed,” she tells us.

“The technical side of the karate is a bit of a priority as I have far more to learn there. I feel like with the kickboxing, as long as I get some sparring in ahead of competitions I’ll be okay, but I do tailor my training to what’s coming up in terms of competitions at the time.

“I think the sport of kickboxing is hugely under-appreciated in Ireland,” O’Donovan continues. “Ireland is in the top three in the world as a team at most competitions, usually behind Russia and Hungary, but we get very little recognition for that. Currently, to compete for Ireland you have to pay to take part, but there are huge numbers of people involved.”

O’Donovan, in fact, is well placed to comment in the funding issues around sport in Ireland, having previously worked within the government sports departments connected with the funding of both triathlon and boxing. Having departed to mentor young Irish sportspeople as a profession she found it challenging to train and work civil service hours - she’s less than positive about the funding aspect of sports.

“We’re one of the most successful Irish teams in any sport, and it’s well-

known that there’s a difficulty there with funding,” she explains of the kickboxing in particular.

“There’s some income for the association, but they can’t afford to support athletes. Last year we hosted the junior worlds, and the year before that the world senior championships were here in Ireland.

“I know from my experience that there’s a lot of money wasted, though.

It really frustrates me.

It’s not even that these organisations don’t have enough funding. They don’t need more money, they just need to be managed better.”

It’s fair to say as a fighter in her early 30s who already travels the world to compete, O’Donovan is not really talking about herself, but more about the sports broadly: she will struggle by and compete regardless of money coming in, not even limiting herself to just a single sport in doing so.

O’Donovan’s kickboxing, funding issues or not, is undeniably world class, with that world number one spot a realistic possibility in the -55kg weight category for later this year. The karate is new, but a real ‘watch this space’.

O’Donovan will be competing in both sports during October - at the kickboxing British Open and the Karate 1 series A in Austria. She will then head for the karate Belgian Open in November.

GAZETTE

30 FINGAL GAZETTE 31 August 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: MCCORMACK HAPPY WITH FIRST WIN AFTER PROMOTION

Young guns show future

is bright for Leinster LEINSTER emptied their bench to secure victory as their young side secured a 25-17 victory over Bath in their second pre-season friendly at Donnybrook.

McCarthy scored a late try to seal the win for his side after a stellar second half performance from Ireland star Joey Carberry.

Leinster started a string of youngsters including Blackrock man Caelan Doris, whose first involvement was taking down 2017 Lion Taulupe Faletau during the opening stages.

Leinster kicked the first score through a lovely pass from Jamison Gibson-Park that put Ross Byrne outside the first defender to eventually force a penalty that Byrne put between the posts in the 25th minute.

15 minutes later, Leinster got their second score of the game when 21-year-old Max Deegan crossed the line on the left-hand side. It all came from good footwork by Conor O’Brien and great positioning by Ed Byrne.

It was the final score of the half but the home side got off to a great start in the second half and Dave Kearney crossed the line after beating full-back Darren Atkins to Carbery’s kick upfield. Carbery then converted to give Leinster a 15-0 lead.

However, Kearney soon went from hero to villain when his attempted clearance only went as far as Bath centre Ben Tapuai, who took advantage to beat Sean Cronin on the outside and strike back.

The visitors didn’t let up there and pulled themselves within three points when a maul was allowed to gain ground and Fotuali’i slipped through to score, with Freddie Burns converting for the extra two points.

Leinster responded in excellent fashion, however, and stretched their lead to six through a Carbery penalty.

With three minutes remaining, 22-year-old substitute Nick McCarthy, pictured, looked to have ensured victory for Leinster when the scrum-half touched over and Carbery converted.

Bath lost a Matt Banahan offload at the Leinster line but Fotuali’i was alert to pounce on the loose ball and cross the line for his second try.

Glebe North getting some instructions from last season’s manager Kevin Curley. Picture/JuniorSoccerPortal

Glebe remain unbeaten sport@dublingazette.com

GLEBE North got their first win of the season as they battled from behind to win 2-1 away to Dunboyne on Saturday.

The Leinster Senior League Senior 1 Sunday side maintained their unbeaten start to the season thanks to goals from new signing Lar Ivors and Andy Haran.

Glebe, who were missing six players between holidays and suspensions, were reduced to ten men for the final stages but defended their patch to take the win and move up to second in the table.

It was the visitors who took the lead just after the half-hour as Brian Crossan sent a longrange free kick sailing past the Glebe goalkeeper.

The hosts felt they’d equalised almost immediately when Ivors’ cross was carried into his own net by Dunboyne keeper Cian Maher, but a Glebe attacker was deemed to have impeded him.

Glebe started to get on top and they did level it up shortly after when Chris Pollis played a through ball for Ivors, who had the pace to beat defenders and keeper to the ball help it find the

RUGBY 7’S Fingal rugby side to host their first 7’s festival MALAHIDE Rugby Club is hosting a 7’s festival on the 9th of September. All players welcome and there will be food, beers, and music available throughout the day.

Rugby sevens originated in Scotland during the 1880’s and is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven-minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40-minute halves.

It’s popularity has grown steadily and in 2016 it made it’s first appearance at the Summer Olympics.

back of the net.

The visitors then took the lead for the first time early in the second half as Ivors turned provider, linking up with Aidan Bissett before crossing for Haran to volley home from the edge of the box.

Ivors – who scored the goal that relegated Glebe from the Senior Division two seasons ago – is one of three players, alongside Lee Fahey and Lee Sheridan, to sign from Tolka Rovers this year.

There’s a fresh look to the squad with the new additions and youth players under manager Gary McCormack, who recently stepped up

from assistant to Kevin Curley.

Ivors had a chance to wrap up the points from the spot 15 minutes from time but Maher made the save, before Bissett was sent off to tee up a nervy, backs-to-the-wall conclusion.

“We held on with the ten men to get the result,” McCormack told GazetteSport.

“After the previous week - being 3-1 up against Tolka and conceding the two goals in the last ten minutes - we showed a bit of bottle and belief to hold out with ten men to get the win.

“We’ll only get better as the weeks go on. It’s gelling well, so I’m hoping the next few weeks we can get a few results and just build a bit of momentum and belief.”

Having only falling short of promotion back to the top tier in the final weeks of last season, McCormack expects to challenge again in a tougher league than last year.

“Promotion is the main objective. Last year we just missed out on it, but I think that was a hangover from the year before, getting relegated the way we got relegated.”

31 August 2017 FINGAL GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

WOMEN IN SPORT

Champions show off their medals in Swords

CLUB NOTICEBOARD FINGALLIANS

FINGALLIANS ladies did their bit for the game by showing off their winning minor championship and league medals to Susan Mc Kitterick from team Sponsor McInerney Saunders on Main St in Swords.

They came together as part of the joint effort between the club and their sponsors to encourage female participation in sport.

LEAGUE Winners 2017: Our division 3

tions to Shane, Aaron & Eoin who rep-

men overcame Naomh Fionnbarra on

resented Dublin in the Michael Foley

Saturday evening to win the league and

Under-15 tournament. The club were

gain automatic promotion. Well done to

also represented by Ben and Gordon

Wayne & his squad on a great achieve-

with the Under-14’s and Darragh with

ment going unbeaten in the league and

the Dubs Under-16’s.

winning with one game remaining.

FOOTBALL: MINORS FALL SHORT AGAINST DERRY

9.30am and Thursday evening at 8pm on

weekend for Dublin as both codes quali-

the all-weather pitch. Classes are €5 per

fied for their All-Ireland finals. The men

session [open to non-members].

overcame Tyrone and the ladies beat

Academy: The new season will start

Kerry. The Men’s final will be played on

back on Saturday morning 9th Septem-

17th Sept and Ladies on 24th September

ber from 10am. New girls and boys aged

in Croke Park.

4 – 6 years are most welcome. Please

All-Ireland Tickets – Football and Hurling: The draw will take place this

Lotto: Numbers – 9, 15, 17, 27 and 31. We had four winners with each receiving

night]. Applications are now been taken

€602 [Robert Mooney, Shay McLough-

for football final tickets at the club bar.

lin, Muriel Tobin & Peter McEntyre]. The

Dublin 0-14 Derry 0-17  sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN’s minor AllIreland football dream came to a painful end on Sunday when they lost by three points to a Derry side that finished stronger down the home stretch to progress.

The young Dubs gave their all and were left to rue a number of missed scoring opportunities in both halves – with the boys in blue also enjoying several goal-scoring chances throughout the game.

The absence of James Madden through injury was keenly felt as his athleticism and goal-scoring threat could have been key on this occasion.

Dublin kicked the first point of the game in the first minute from the boot of Ross McGarry but Derry responded with a brace of points from Patrick Quigg.

David Lacey levelled matters in the eighth minute, but Dublin were struggling to gain a foothold in the early stages and fell three points behind by the 11th minute.

Dublin gradually began

to play with a greater degree of cohesion and successive points by Lacey and the outstanding James Doran reflected their increasing comfort.

Derry regained their two-point buffer by the 21st minute but with Doran increasingly influential from centreforward, gaps began to appear down the heart of the Derry defence.

Dublin managed to take the lead after Doran’s second point of the half was followed up

by Lacey and McGarry to take a narrow 0-8 to 0-7 lead going into break.

Dublin dominated the

match upon the restart but should have had more to show for it than the points tallied by Seán Hawkshaw and Doran.

Derry took advantage to level with a point from Oisin McWilliams, while Dublin replied through Doran and Lacey. The momentum swung back towards Derry with Lorcan McWilliams and Richie Mullan bringing the sides level once again.

With the game still close going into the final stages, it was Derry who managed to finish strongest with scores from McWilliams and substitute Jon Paul Devlin.

Jackpot this Tuesday will be €2,194.

BEST of luck to the AHL4 hurling team

The Dublin premier camogie team

who play St Marks in the Junior A cham-

who are in the upcoming All-Ireland

pionship semi-final on Saturday 2nd

junior camogie final on 10th September

September at 6.30pm in Ridgewood. All

involving Ciara Buchanan from the adult

support welcome. Please consider local

camogie team are having an open night

residents when parking in Ridgewood.

in Parnells GAA Club Coolock on Monday

It was mixed fortunes for both adult

ALL-IRELAND SEMI FINAL

from 9.45am.

must be paid for and collected on the

ST FINIAN’S

Young Dubs miss out to northern rivals

register on the morning in the club hall

Thursday for hurling final tickets [these

Young Dublin Hurlers: Congratula-

Daniel Brennan in action for Dublin.

Bootcamp: Every Tuesday morning at

Dublin senior ladies and men: A great

28th August between 6pm & 7pm.

football teams. The AFL4 team had a

A word of thanks to all of the coaches

great win over Man O’War on Wednesday

and helpers who contributed to the

evening in Ridgewood but were beaten by

smooth running of the third summer

neighbours St Margarets away on Sat-

camp last week outgoing GPO James

urday evening. The AFL8 team beat Por-

Devlin’s last camp with St Finians. Check

tobello in Ridgewood on Tuesday evening

out the club Facebook page and website

but were beaten away by St Sylvesters

for some photos of the camp.

on Thursday evening.

The nursery and academy will resume

Congratulations to the Adult LGFA

on Saturday 9th September at 10am and

Team who made it to the semi-final of

11.30am respectively after the summer

the junior D championship by beating

break. New members are always wel-

Ranelagh Gaels.

come. We are always looking for parents

The club is holding a raffle for two

to become involved in coaching also.

Stand tickets for the All-Ireland hurling

There are aerobics and fitness class-

final and for two Stand tickets for the

es taking place in the clubhouse activity

All-Ireland football final. The draw for

room on Monday, Wednesday and Friday

the hurling final tickets will take place

evenings. For further details, please

on 31st August and for the football final

contact Bernie at 085 135 9766.

tickets will take place on 16th September.

Club Lotto - The club lotto jackpot

Raffle tickets are €5 each and are avail-

on the 25thAugust was €2600 and the

able from the clubhouse office, mentors

numbers drawn were 7, 10, 12, 20. There

or any committee member.

was no winner. Lucky Dip Winners of €40

The club is holding a pre-All-Ireland

were Djanka and Eddie Gajdel, Paul Cur-

race night on Saturday 16th September

ran, Eoin Harmon, P. Gibney. Next week’s

upstairs in Peacocks.

jackpot is €2700.



GOT A STORY? WE WANT TO KNOW!

Call our SPORT TEAM on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3

or email sport@dublingazette.com

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

GREAT GLEBE: Manager McCormack delighted to see side remain unbeaten in Leinster Senior League P30

AUG 31 - SEP 6, 2017

MULTI TALENTED CARADH: Kickboxer has impressed after making switch to Karate P29

Delightful Dubs make light work of Tyrone Three in a row still on track for the Boys in Blue as Jim Gavin’s side barely need to leave third gear to get past disappointing challenge of Red Hand, as O’Callaghan and McCaffrey put in standout performances  DAVE DONNELLY

sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN set up yet another All-Ireland senior football final showdown with Mayo after brushing aside Tyrone by 2-17 to 0-11 at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.

Con O’Callaghan and Dean Rock topscored with five points apiece as Dublin dismantled their Ulster opponents to win the semi-final by a 12-point margin.

The result, and Mayo’s comprehensive win over Kerry on Saturday, sets up a repeat of last year’s final, which required a replay before the Boys in Blue could get their hands on the trophy.

Diarmuid Connolly made his return from a 12-week suspension as a late sub, while Dublin were so comfortable they could afford to

leave Bernard Brogan and Michael Darragh MacAuley riding pine.

The Dubs had Tyrone on the backfoot from the first whistle and they struck a decisive blow as early as the fifth minute as O’Callaghan scored a magnificent solo goal.

The Cuala clubman sold an outrageous dummy to Tyrone defender Ronan McNamee before showing the poise and confidence to hammer home a shot from 13 yards.

It was a devastating early blow for the Red Hand, who had set up to defend and frustrate Dublin’s all-star attacking unit and left them chasing the game from the very beginning.

Not that they modified their approach to any significant degree, as Dublin continued to wear down their opponents with nine further points in the first half, including a double from O’Callaghan.

Tyrone did manage five points of their own in reply, including two from frees, but the scoreboard reflected the abiding sense that Dublin were always pulling away.

Paul Flynn impressed off the bench with three points while he also saw a good effort on goal saved by Niall Morgan.

Kevin McManamon came close to a goal of his own only to see his well-struck effort cannon off the bar, while the rampaging Jack McCaffrey broke through before skewing his shot wastefully wide.

Another substitute, O’Gara, did manage to breach the net for the second time with three minutes remaining as he batted the ball home at the end of a tremendous flowing move.

The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Connolly, however, as the St Vincents man replaced O’Callaghan in the final min-

ute of normal time.

Connolly didn’t touch the ball during his brief cameo on the pitch but the effect his return, after being disciplined for laying his hands on a linesman in June, was clear for all to see.

Tyrone had their own chance in injury time to grab a consolation goal from the spot and put some respectability on the scoreline, but Stephen Cluxton dived to his right to save Peter Harte’s disappointing penalty.

“We got an early goal,” a less than delighted Dublin manager Jim Gavin said after the match.

“It was an opportunity and we took it. In the second half we had more chances and we weren’t clinical enough.”

The Round Towers man added: “We know that the next day that won’t be good enough.”