Fingal

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DublinGazette FINGAL EDITION

WITH THE LATEST NEWS AND SPORT FROM YOUR FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL AREA  MARCH 15-21, 2018

GARDAI PROBE ATTACK ON SWORDS HOME OF SPECIAL NEEDS GIRL

Heartless thugs destroy sensory garden  SYLVIA POWNALL

GARDAI are probing a suspected arson attack at a house in Swords which destroyed a sensory garden created for a four-year-old girl with special needs.

Louise O’Keeffe, 34, returned to her home in Holywell on Sunday only to discover little Ella’s playhouse, toys, bouncy castle, sand pit, pool, bike and slides had been deliber-

ately set on fire.

The mum-of-two told Dublin Gazette: “I’m completely devastated. Who in their right minds would do this? The kids are gutted. Ella has special needs and many serious medical conditions and she goes through enough on a daily basis without someone doing this to her.”

Gardai are investigating the incident after initial inspections found an accelerant was used to start the fire in the back garden.

Meanwhile the local community has rallied to support the family donating bikes and toys, and an online appeal has been set up to replace Ella’s things. Continued on Page 4

2 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

HOUSING | FURIOUS COUNCILLORS SLATE MINISTER’S DIRECTIVE

Change to councillors and planning rights ‘an attack on democracy’ A DIRECTIVE removing planning rights from councillors has been described as an “attack on democracy” and a show of disrespect to local authorities.

Ho u s i n g M i n i s t e r Eoghan Murphy’s decision to withdraw the long-established function from elected representatives has not been well received.

Earlier this week, a letter was circulated to council officials advising that councillors can no longer discuss major planning

 SYLVIA POWNALL

spownall@dublingazette.com

applications at meetings.

C a s t l e k n o c k- b a s e d Labour Party representative John Walsh said he was outraged by the move which he sees as “a direct attack on local government”.

He told Dublin Gazette: “This is an attack

on the rights of communities to have planning issues aired in public and their concerns represented in a democratic forum.

“Up to now, councillors could request that a presentation on a live planning application be given at an Area Meeting.

“At those presentations a planning official would go through the application, outlining the proposed development and the planning officials could also hear the comments of councillors.

“According to the direc-

James is delighted to join in the fun at Therapie opening

POPULAR social media figure James Kavanagh was only too happy to share in the fun as he officially opened a Therapie Clinic’s new clinic in Blanchardstown recently. A large crowd were in attendance at the Blanchardstown Centre, ready to join James in welcoming the beauty clinic to the busy shopping hub. Live music and light refreshments and prosecco added to the excitement of the launch, with James sharing some upbeat snappy banter with everyone.

Elected representatives slammed the directive from Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy

tive, this must now cease.”

The letter sent to council chiefs notes that any decision on a planning application is “an executive function exercisable by the chief executive, or a staff member to whom the function has been delegated”.

It also warns that discussing the merits of planning applications at council meetings prior to a ruling “could be viewed as an attempt to undermine due process and exert undue influence” on planners.

The circular concludes that major planning applications “should not be discussed” at Area Committee or council meetings and “the participation of local authority officials in any such discussions is not appropriate”.

The move follows a rul-

ing to pass applications for ‘strategic’ developments of 100 housing units or more straight to An Bord Pleanala, bypassing local authorities.

Community Mr Walsh warned: “There is a huge amount of development in Dublin 15 at the moment. Councillors and local representatives should be able to have a say, because we’re representing the views of the community.

“The attitude of central government is fundamentally hostile to local government; we saw that with the abolition of the town councils, and this is more of the same.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Tom O’Leary (FG) has called on Minister Murphy to exempt councillors from the €20 fee to make detailed written submissions on planning applications.

He said: “I am concerned that councillors will be inhibited from representing their communities by the imposition of a €20 fee for multiple planning application representations.

“An Taisce are exempt from these fees, and public reps should be exempt too.”

FASTNews

Putt it there ... Golf clubs get a €250k funding boost TWO Fingal golf clubs have been awarded sports capital grants totalling more than €250K. Balbriggan Golf Club has been allocated €103,430, with a further €150,000 for Malahide Golf Club.

Welcoming the news Senator James Reilly said: “I am particularly delighted that the club located in the growing town of Balbriggan, with a current population of 25,000 people, has been awarded €103,430.

“Captain Tony Hamilton is delighted with the news and it’s a great start to his year at the helm in Balbriggan. Golfing has a great tradition in Fingal and is enjoyed by many residents, but it is also very important for tourism and social life.”

O’Brien seeks support to help retain DFB services FINGAL TD Darragh O’Brien has called for support for a Fianna Fail motion which aims to ensure full retention of emergency services provided by Dublin Fire Brigade.

The HSE’s proposal to remove the delivery of Dublin’s ambulance service from the fire brigade, which has more than 800 trained paramedics, and merge it with the National Ambulance Service has met with huge opposition.

Deputy O’Brien said: “Dublin Fire Brigade has been providing crucial ambulance services to the citizens of the north county since 1898.

“This proposal could have a huge negative impact on the delivery of services from the DFB call centre. Removing any element of its firebased EMS system will have an adverse effect on safeguarding those in our community.”

He added: “Our [Dail] motion underscores the seriousness of this threat and reiterates our firm commitment to the full retention of ambulance services provided by Dublin Fire Brigade across Dublin.”

WHERE TO PICK UP YOUR DUBLIN FINGAL GAZETTE: Swords, Malahide, Donabate, Portmarnock, Skerries, Balbriggan, Ongar, Coolmine, Castleknock, Tyrrelstown, Mulhuddart, Blanchardstown, Clonsilla, Carpenterstown, Holystown, Mulhuddart, Hartstown, Huntstown Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 3

PARADES | VISIT FROM US MARCHING BAND AMONG HIGHLIGHTS

Fingal all set to celebrate St Another great Day in Patrick’s Day Paddy’s store for Dubs CULTURE | FESTIVAL FUN

 SYLVIA POWNALL

 RACHEL D’ARCY

FINAL preparations are under way for St Patrick’s Day parades across Fingal with a visit from a US marching band among this year’s anticipated highlights.

The North Dakota State University Gold Star Marching Band will feature in both the Swords and Blanchardstown celebrations having made their Irish debut at the Dublin city display in 2015.

Six parades are scheduled across Fingal in Swords (11am), Rush (1pm), Lusk (1.30pm), Balbriggan (2pm), Blanchardstown (3pm), and Skerries (3pm), with the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival in Howth.

The entertainment includes a variety of floats as well as pipe bands, dance troupes, community groups, buskers and street performers.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Mary McCamley said despite weather worries a large turnout was expected and road closures and parking restrictions will be in place.

She added: “I look forward to seeing the attendance at the parades. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the volunteers, community groups and events staff for their efforts.”

There are early warnings that we could be going white instead of green as meteorologists refused to rule out the possibility of snowfall in parts of the country this weekend.

Forecasters warned that weather will remain unpredictable for the remainder of the week with a second arctic chill threatening to plunge the mercury to freezing or below on Saturday.

TV3 weatherman Deric O hArtagain posted on Twitter: “No need for alarm just yet but something stirring for next weekend… Will be keeping a close eye.”

Meanwhile Fingal County Council is advising people to check in advance for road closures and parking arrangements.

See www.facebook.com/EventsinFingal or follow @eventsinfingal on Twitter.

THE annual St Patrick’s Festival is set to pack a punch this year, with thousands of talented home-grown and international performers coming together to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint.

Themed around ‘Home’, there will be five days and nights of events, starting on March 15.

More than 30 events will see a cultural celebration of Ireland and its people.

On March 15, there will be a screening of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for fans of ‘old Hollywood’ in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Directed

by Irishman Rex Ingram, the screening will see a live performance of a new score for the film by composers Matthew Nolan and Barry Adamson.

The festival will also see the world’s largest collection of Famine-related art on display at Dublin Castle, as Coming Home: Art and the Great Hunger Exhibition will be displayed, also on March 15.

North Dakota State University Gold Star Marching Band

Live music Experimental folkrock band The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock will expand to an 18-piece guitar orchestra to launch their new album, Lockout, in the Pepper Canister Church on March 16.

An acclaimed production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot will also come to Daisy Market on March 17 for a oneoff outdoor performance.

The highlight of the

celebrations – the St Patrick’s Day Festival Parade – will start at noon on March 17, St Patrick’s Day itself.

It will weave its way through the heart of the city in “a flourish of colour and flair”, with Grand Marshall Liam Cunningham leading the way, as well as guest of honour Mark Hamill making an appearance.

There will be a screening of Pathways: Irish Routes to the Art of the Matter by filmmaker Donal Dineen, a film about Irish creatives succeeding abroad, in the Complex in Smithfield on March 18.

Commissioned Another event specifically commissioned for the festival is Kormac: Equivalent Exchange.

Taking place in Vicar Street on March 18, it is a collaborative concert with DJ and producer Kormac.

He will perform with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Kormac’s Big Band and an array of 30 musicians and artists including Jack O’Rourke, Loah and Eimear Noone, while well-known urban artist Maser will also produce visuals for the show.

A street carnival will liven up Merrion Square on March 18 for Big Day Out, a day set to be bursting with music, street theatre and workshops.

There will also be lifesized arcade games to enjoy, with the experience truly being for the whole family.

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  NORTH 15 March 2018

SERVICES | CALLS FOR ACTION TO HELP CITIZENS, TACKLE LITTER SCOURGE

‘Give waste collection control back to councils to lower costs, dumping’  SYLVIA POWNALL WASTE management should be returned to the control of local authorities while an investigation into alleged cartels is ongoing, according to councillors.

At a meeting of Fingal County Council on Monday, they unanimously passed a motion to lobby Environment Minister Denis Naught e n t o h a l t p ay - b y weight bin charges and hand operations back to councils.

In January the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCOC) confirmed it was investigating fresh complaints of a waste industry cartel operating in the Dublin region.

Cllr Keith Redmond (Ind) said it would be wise of the minister to stop any changes in waste management

charges as an investigation into “geographical monopolies” is carried out by the CCPC. Cllr Redmond previously provided a tenminute recording of a conversation to the competition watchdog which suggested firms were carving up regions in the Dublin area and arranging non-compete agreements.

He said it would provide a “licence to gouge” to companies who would be allowed to set their own rates and while the “CCPC are conducting a

review of the industry, it would be prudent of the minister to halt” the pay-by-weight charges.

Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) said it was a “complete and utter mess” and companies were making “massive profits” as a result.

He added: “We do have to take cognisance on issues around alleged monopolies. We have no control over this whatsoever, and yet we are faced with calls every day from people.”

His party colleague Cllr Philip Lynam, whose motion was final-

ly debated almost 10 months after he submitted it, said the move was vital to protect consumers. Some householders have seen charges more than double from €4 to €10 per lift.

He said: “T he sad fact is that some people can’t afford it. There is no doubt that these charges will increase in the future and become difficult to manage.”

Speaking af ter the meeting he told Dublin

Gazette: “Locally this makes sense. We would bring job oppor tunities through services, in depots and on the trucks across Fingal, creating a one-stop service reducing the serious amount of dumping going on.

“We all pass household waste that is discarded in hedgerows, parks and street bins.

Local authorities spend millions each year cleaning up illegal dumping across the country.”

Dublin Bus to review 33X as demand soars Undertaking to examine the key Fingal link DUBLIN Bus has given an under taking to review the 33X service in a bid to meet increased demand.

T h e N a t i o n a l Tr a n s p o r t Authority has also said it will monitor and review the route’s timetable after a deluge of complaints from commuters.

The move has been welcomed

by FF TD Darragh O’Brien, who recently met with officials from Dublin Bus to plead the case for a better Fingal service.

He warned that demand on certain routes was reaching crisis point, adding: “I am glad they have acknowledged the growing demand on bus services for those living along pressurised routes in Fingal.

“I am hopeful that Dublin Bus will extend peak bus services on route 33X, which serves Lusk,

Rush and Skerries, following this review.

“There is no doubt that Fingal is in critical need of additional services to fill the gaps in existing services.

“Countless people getting up at the crack of dawn to make

their way to work face a chaotic and overcrowded commute. It’s becoming unbearable.

“I am deeply concerned that without a long-term plan set out by the Minister, the gridlock and commuter chaos will continue on a daily basis.”

HEARTLESS Arsonists destroy Ella’s garden

 SYLVIA POWNALL  Continued from Page 1

Louise said: “The support has been unreal. I had people I don’t even know offering to send out gift vouchers. I just want to get the garden back up and running for Ella as soon as possible.

“It’s just not fair on her to come home to that. She’s lost without it. She needs to be out in the garden, she needs her water play, she needs her sensory play.

“She’s looking out and crying to go out the back garden because that’s what she does. She’s not allowed out because it’s a mess and she can’t understand why.

“It’s part of her daily routine and it’s so important to her, she can’t be without it.

There’s no way she could comprehend any of this.”

Ella suffers from a very rare chromosome disorder called neuro fibromatosis microdeletion syndrome.

The neurological condition causes tumours to grow through the nerve system and she has to undergo regular medical checks. Due to her condition she has severe autism, intellectual disability and significant developmental delays. Louise bought the playhouse to create a safe space for her.

Last year Louise cofounded the support group RARE to help other parents.

She said: “My little girl’s garden is herworld. Ella is a flight risk, she has no sense of danger so I can’t bring her to the park. I have the garden as a sensory haven, it’s all done especially for her.

“It’s her happiness, it’s her world and now it’s gone.”

A GoFundMe campaign set up by Louise’s sister has raised e565 of its e1,500 target. To donate visit: https://www.gofundme. com/help-replace-ellasbeloved-garden.

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 5

FASTNews

A blooming good gardening talk BALBRIGGAN and District Horticultural Society will host a gardening talk on Growing Dahlias by Pat Thornton tonight (Thursday, March 15).

Pat will cover a range of topics including producing new plants from cuttings, growing beautiful flowers for garden display, cut flowers and exhibiting.

The talk is at 8:30pm in the Scouts Den, Market Green, beside Lidl. Admission is €4 and all are welcome.

Toastmasters meeting soon THE newly-formed Dublin 15 Toastmasters will hold its fourth meeting in St Mochta’s Parish Parochial Centre, Porterstown, Dublin 15 on Wednesday, March 21.

At the 8pm meeting, there will be members giving a first speech, a third speech and some topics.

There will also be a special training session on how to construct and give a speech.

Admission is free to adults. For details, phone Tony at 086 822 1274, or just come along on the night.

Join FCC’s IT mission in China FIRMS in the knowledge and technology sectors interested in learning more about business opportunities in Asia are being invited to contact Fingal County Council.

The local authority is offering Fingal-based SMEs the chance to participate in a major trade mission to Chengdu in mid May. For details, email bryan.coughlan@ fingalcoco.ie (with “Chengdu opportunity” in the subject header).

BLANCHARDSTOWN | TALENTED TEEN TROUPE LEARN THEIR FATE ON SATURDAY

Hip kids hope to step up to glory with ‘Talent’ win  SYLVIA POWNALL DANCERS from the Fit Kids/Fit Teens dance club in Blanchardstown will learn their fate on this Saturday’s episode of Ireland’s Got Talent.

Last week saw 14 members of the talented troupe through to the deliberations round after their hip hop routine to Bruno Mars’s Perm won praise from all four judges.

The performance brought Louis Walsh, D e n i s e Va n O u t e n , Michelle Visage and Jason Byrne to their feet and the FKFT crew hope it’s enough to make it through to the live semi-finals which start next Monday.

Jacinta Cassidy, who started the club some 30 years ago in Blakestown, said every kid in the club has their fingers and toes crossed for a

happy outcome.

She told Dublin Gazette: “Coming up to the closing date for the competition, a few of our instructors, including Donna Moran, agreed to make a video with some of the champion dancers.

“When we heard there were over 9,000 entries we didn’t expect anything, so we were thrilled to get

through several rounds of the process and get the chance to dance in front of the judges.”

The club represents Ireland in international hip-hop and breakdance events and champs Casey Ronan, Jamie Boylan, Jordan Nyugen, Darragh Rochford, Dean Kenny and Nicole Ryan are all from Dublin 15.

PEOPLE | TRIBUTES PAID TO THE LATE JUDGE’S STALWART PUBLIC SERVICE

Judge John Gerard Buchanan (91) dies TRIBUTES have been paid to Judge John Gerard Buchanan, who died last week at the age of 91.

His 1996 report into the controversial Dunnes Stores payments to former Taoiseach Charles Haughey formed the basis for the McCracken and Moriarty Tribunals.

There was a large attendance at his funeral last Friday at St Brigid’s Church in Castleknock followed by burial at St Thomas’s in Mulhuddart.

Justice Buchanan retired in August 1996 as acting president of the Circuit Court – its longest serving judge along with Dermot Sheridan, having been first appointed to the bench in 1978.

Gerry, as he was known by family and friends, spent his early years living on the South Circular Road and in Rathgar and was educated at Sanford

Park, St Columba’s College, TCD and Kings Inn. He was called to the bar in 1949 and took silk in 1973, practising as a barrister and public prosecutor in Dublin and the midlands.

He stood as a candidate for Fianna Fail in 1966 and 1973, and was a lifelong friend of Brian Lenihan Snr. On his retirement he paid tribute to three gardai who appeared before his court and were later murdered, including Detective Garda Jerry McCabe.

He served as the Circuit Court nominee on the three-judge Special Criminal Court, which required 24-hour security to be placed on his Castleknock home.

He was predeceased by his wife, Ann, and is survived by his four children: Peter, Catherine, Stephen and Fiona.

Jacinta paid tribute to the parents as well as choreographers and creative team Rachel Murphy and Ciara Moran, both former pupils of Blakestown

Community School.

She said: “We’re all delighted to be able to show hip-hop and breakdance in such a positive way.

“We’ve also been blown away by the support of the local businesses, football clubs, schools and other

organisations and really hope to do the area proud.

“If they make it to the semi-finals, they are hoping for the continued support to get them a step further towards the prize of €50,000 and a one-hour prime time TV special next Christmas.

“The cash would be very welcome, as the kids themselves would like to set up dance scholarships to help disadvantaged young people enjoy this art.

“But it’s the TV special that has them most excited because we hope all the children that attend their weekly classes could be part of the experience.”

6 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

EVENTS Portmarnock Musical and Dramatic Society’s music quiz

Vanya Sargent and Edmund Fleming. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon

Eimer and Rian Fleming

Audrey Clarke and Damien Browne

Mary Murphy and Gerry Jennings

Noleen Kelly and Jacinta Sheridan

Contestants are on song for fundraiser

P

ORTMARNOCK Musical and Dramatic Society held their Monster Music Quiz recently to support the musical society and the RNLI. Locals came to test their music knowledge. The quiz had questions on music from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and TV theme tunes. It was a fun night for all the family to enjoy with spot prizes and Mini games on the night.

Portmarnock Musical and Dramatic Society committee - Jacinta Sheridan, Amy Taaffe, Noleen Kelly and Catherine Sargent

Charles Sargent, Gary Sargent and Caoimhe Fleming

Tony Carney, Terrie and Brian Doyle

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 7

PORTRANE | GRANDMOTHER MARY CHARMS THE NATION ON RTE’S LATEST ‘ROOM TO IMPROVE’

Delight as ‘Ma’ Linders has home transformed

 SYLVIA POWNALL

A PORTRANE granny who stole the show on RTE’s Room to Improve says she still can’t believe the transformation to the home she’s lived in for almost 60 years.

Mary Linders stole the hearts of the nation and charmed architect Dermot Bannon with her quick wit and generous spirit in Sunday’s episode of the hit series.

The 81-year-old was delighted with the finished project, which saw a series of stone outbuildings unified to create a new structure, complete with a birds-eye view of Lambay Island.

Mar y told Dublin Gazette: “I’ve had a terrific reaction from everybody, it’s been fantastic.

I dreaded going to mass on Monday morning but I needn’t have worried.

“Fr Pat said to me,

The quintessential Irish mammy ... Mary Linders baking some tasty treats in the show. Picture: RTE Player

‘When are you going to Hollywood?’ The whole thing has been very successful. I can’t get over my old house and the four large bedrooms they turned it into.”

Sisters Anna and Marion recently returned from living abroad to move back into their childhood home with Mary, or ‘Ma’ as she’s known, and

Spot the difference... Mary’s Portrane house, and how it’s been utterly transformed into a stylish, comfy, modern family home inside

Anna’s six-year-old son Michael.

Dermot was given the challenge of making a home comfortable and spacious enough for three generations – all on a budget of just €34,000.

The sisters’ enthusiasm caused friction and they were briefly given their marching orders after they armed themselves

with sledgehammers and got stuck into the demolition work.

But along the way, everyone became the best of friends and the entire family was left gobsmacked at the result.

Mary sent Twitter into overdrive with her bawdy one-liners about stolen knickers and her closing joke about the only thing missing being a “Latin lover”.

But Mary, the winner of the inaugural Donabate Portrane Citizen of the Year award in 2016, says she’s determined to take it all in her stride.

She said: “Everyone’s congratulating me. I’m rather embarrassed about it because what you did all your life, you’re not going to change your spots.

“I’m 82 years old this year. I fell a year ago and broke my hip and five vertebrae in my spine.

“I was in a bad way, but they got me to walk as best I can again.

“I miss my gardening and other charity work, but for me now every day is a bonus. It’s great to have the two girls here; they take such good care of me.”

Mary revealed that her late husband, or ‘Da’ as he was known, would have been left speechless to

witness the transformation to the family home.

She said: “When we first moved in here it took two years to make it habitable. We used to go down to the strand to get water in tin mugs and dig out the stones and the shells.

“Now I’ve got a brandnew kitchen – I wouldn’t be used to having all things automatic, but I’m

getting used to it. It will take a bit of time.

“The house is absolutely beautiful. Dermot is a genius as an architect.

His tact and patience, I don’t know how he does it.

“I can sit out back in the courtyard and admire the view in the summer.

Wouldn’t it be a grand place to have a glass of sherry?”

8 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

TRAGIC RESCUE 116 | PROBE INTO HEARTBREAKING INCIDENT IS STILL ONGOING

Families visit R116 crash site one year on  SYLVIA POWNALL FAMILIES and colleagues of the tragic Rescue 116 crew visited the site on the first anniversary of the crash yesterday.

A candlelit vigil in memory of the four hero rescue workers began shortly before 12.46am – the last radar contact between the helicopter and control at Blacksod

lighthouse.

Hero pilots Dara Fitzpatrick and Mark Duffy, and winch crew Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith, died on March 14, 2017, when their

Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed at Blackrock Island off the Mayo coast.

To mark the anniversary four lights – one for each member of the crew - lit up from Glosh Tower. A four-minute silence was then held with all lights turned off, apart from the four beacons which could be seen across the Mullet Peninsula.

On Sunday a group of 77 cyclists arrived at Blacksod having completed a 347km ‘Miles in their Memory’ tribute to the four crew as well as Coast Guard volunteer Caitriona Lucas and all those who have died at sea.

Closer to home parishes a cross Finga l remembered 38-yearold Cia ra n, a keen cyclist and member of Wild Geese GAA Club, who is still missing along with fellow crewman Paul Ormsby from Ballyfermot.

Donabate curate

FASTNews Carjacking in Clontarf

Winchman Ciaran Smith who passed away in the

An attempted carjacking in Clontarf was stopped by passing motorists in the area last Sunday.

The incident took place on Alfie Byrne Road early on Sunday morning, with a man trying to force entry into a woman’s car.

Passers-by and other motorists performed a citizens arrest on the man.

Gardai from nearby Clontarf and Raheny stations arrested the man, who was held at Clontarf Garda Station.

tragic Rescue 116 crash

Fr Pat Reilly, who celebrated mass for the dad-of-three in Oldtown last September, said his family would be in ever yone’s thoughts and prayers.

Speaking on Tuesday he told Dublin Gazette: “Today is a sad day, a very sad day. It’s just ongoing. It’s so horrendous for all of them, but especially for the two families who haven’t found their loved ones.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like.

How do you keep hoping and believing through all of that?

“We will pray for them tomorrow. As I said in Oldtown they risked their lives to save others.

Their goodness and their generosity… it is such a

great loss.”

Dublin Airport Police Fire and Rescue Service posted online: “This crew being based at Dublin Airport had a strong place in all our hearts and this week we continue to remember our colleagues, and friends.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also paid tribute, adding: “There are families who do not have the remains of their loved ones, and my thoughts are very much with them at this sad time.”

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (A AIU) said a probe into the incident was still ongoing. Inquests into the four deaths are due to open before the end of the month.

Irish Coast Guard helicopter used in action by Rescue 116. Picture: Howth Coast Guard

Safety on St Patrick’s Day An Garda Siochana have released information on how to ensure children are kept safe ahead of St Patrick’s Day events this weekend.

Gardai posted a number of tips online, developed by the National Community Policing Office, including dressing your child in bright colours.

They also advise for parents and guardians to take a photo of their child on the day of a big event, so they have the most up to date picture of their clothing, hairstyle and other details.

Dublin Dog at Crufts A Dublin dog took a bite of the big time last weekend, winning the Toy Group title at this year’s Crufts.

Howard, a Papillion from Dublin, is taking part in the event with his handler Sean Carroll, who co-owns the pooch with his nephew, James Newman.

Almost 21,000 dogs were competing for one of the most celebrated titles within the world of dogs.

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 9

FASTNews

Have a say on Ward River Valley all-weather pitch SWORDS Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) is urging people to have their say on plans for an all-weather pitch and leisure hub at Ward River Valley.

A draft outline of the project is on public display and the deadline for submissions is close of business today (Thursday, March 15).

The proposals include a third-generation, fullsized synthetic pitch which will be fenced and floodlit. There are also plans for 103 car parking spaces and a five-bay coach park.

Cllr Butler said: “I will be making my own personal submission so feel free to contact me with any thoughts or comments.” For further information, see: https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/proposed-part-viii-all-weather-pitch-rivervalley-swords

Balbriggan set to get new family resource centre TUSLA has announced the opening of a new family resource centre in Balbriggan as part of a national expansion of services, with increased funding of 21%.

The Aster centre is one of 11 to be established following 47 applications from around the country.

Announcing the good news, Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone said: “Family Resource Centres are the very hub of the communities which they serve – I have seen this at first-hand in every part of the country. They provide a huge range of services by working with people from cradle to the grave.

They also support those going through a difficult period in their lives including bereavement, unemployment and addiction.”

The news was also welcomed by Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell.

Cautious praise as school finds a temporary home TEMPORARY accommodation has been secured for the new Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together secondary school (ETSS) at the Riasc Centre in Swords Business Park.

Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) gave news that the school will open to incoming students in September a cautious welcome, but warned that work must continue to find a permanent home.

He said: “The opening of the new Malahide Portmarnock ETSS will also benefit both Malahide Community College and Portmarnock Community School by providing more options for parents and students, and subsequently assisting in addressing the challenges both schools are facing in terms of the number of incoming students each year.

“I would like to commend the principal, the ET movement, parents groups, FCC, the Department of Education and the wider community who have been involved in delivering this new school. I also wish to commend Swords Baptist Church for facilitating this temporary accommodation.”

COURTS | RUSH SHOCK AS REGULAR TRIED TO HOLD UP POST OFFICE

Robbery attempt in a ‘moment of madness’ A MAN who tried to rob a post office “in a moment of madness” after earlier asking the staff for a bag has been given a two and a half year suspended sentence.

Michael Kelly (55), of no fixed abode, was recognised by one of the staff as a regular customer. He came into the shop, asked for a bag, offered to pay for it and left the premises.

Kelly pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery at Rush Post Office in Rush on September 24, 2016.

Garda Campbell Brennan said Kelly returned minutes later and held a note against the cashier window ordering them to

fill the bag with money or “I will kill you”.

He also instructed that Gardai should not be alerted. The staff member refused and told Kelly “No” on two occasions, warning him she was about to press the panic

alarm.

He left empty-handed.

The woman later told gardai she was in “disbelief” because she recognised the man at the counter as Kelly.

Gardai arrived and the defendant was identified

through CCTV footage.

He was arrested about five months later.

In his garda interview Kelly said it was “a moment of madness” while he was drunk. He said he was a recovering alcoholic who had been

sober for 10 years before a relapse at the time of the attempted raid.

His seven previous convictions are for minor offences and he had not come to garda attention since 2004.

Judge Martin Nolan heard Kelly had been dealing with “alcohol issues” since he was eight years old. He is now doing charitable work with the Simon Community.

Describing it as a “nasty incident”, Judge Nolan accepted that Kelly had taken steps to rehabilitate.

He said in his view Kelly “doesn’t deserve an immediate custodial sentence” before he suspended a two and a half year jail term.

Made false statement about ‘stolen’ Porsche A DUBLIN businessman made a false report that his Porsche car had been stolen after he abandoned it following a crash while intoxicated.

Eamon Colley, 51, left his Porsche Boxster in the Phoenix Park after he rearended another car that stopped to allow a deer to cross the road near the Castleknock entrance.

Colley, who received a 21-month suspended

A Porsche Boxster model. Stock image

sentence and an 18-month ban, turned up at Blanchardstown Garda Station the following day to report his Porsche stolen.

He accepted he was in CCTV footage that showed him yelling at a car park ticket machine and attendant, but claimed his vehicle was later stolen.

Colley, of The Courtyard,

Clonsilla, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a false statement at Blanchardstown Garda Station on February 15 last year.

Colley also admitted making a false statement at his business at Clonsilla Service Centre, Clonsilla Road, Dublin 15, on the same date.

After the crash Colley told the woman he hadn’t

seen her, assured her that gardai were on their way, and handed her his car repair service business card before driving off.

T he woman, whose new car sustained €9,413 worth of damage, noticed that Colley’s speech was slurred and his eyes appeared glazed over.

Judge Martin Nolan said he suspected that Colley had abandoned the Porsche after the accident to avoid a prosecution for drink-driving.

10 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

EVENTS No matter what’s happening in your area, Dublin Gazette’s

John Boland and Noreen Daly

Alan, Tom, Charlie and George Gregan. Picture: Simon Peare

Darragh Daly and Jana Milca

Colin Daly and Sinead Moriarty

Maria Murphy, Claire Morrin and Siobhan Talty

Seachtain na Gaeilge

A

S part of Seachtain na Gaeilge Naomh Peregrine CLG held their first Pop up Gaeltacht in the clubhouse.

They were honoured to welcome Michael O’Muircheartaigh as their special guest speaker during the evening.

Lorraine Duffy, Jenny Davis, Ciaran O’Conghaile, John Boland and Annmarie Corcoran

Lorraine Duffy, Janice Enright, Caitlin Dwyer and Lisa O’Rourke

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

far-ranging photographers have all the events and angles covered

Putting on a display of traditional dance. Pictures: SIMON PEARE

Elaine Kelly and Bernadette Meda Gudonyte and Monika Pamparaite

Andrius Staponkus and Neringa Dambrauskiene

MacLoughlin

Arunas Teiserskis

Ambassador Egidijus Meilunas, Lithuanian Minister of Education and Science Jurgita Petrauskiene and Mayor of Fingal Mary McCamley

A wonderful way to celebrate culture M

Jurgita Pakstiene and Simonas Narvydas

EMBERS of the Lithuanian community in Dublin 15 and beyond meet every Saturday morning at Riversdale Community College in Mulhuddart to celebrate their culture and traditions. Last Saturday, March 10 was a special day, as it marked the anniversary of Lithuania’s independence from Russia.

Schoolchildren and teachers all dressed up in their national costume and the country’s Minister for Education paid a visit to celebrate the occasion. The Mayor of Fingal, Mary McCamley, who is a board member of the school also dropped in to say hello. All in all it amounted to a wonderful and happy day enjoyed by all.

GAZETTE

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

DUBLINBUSINESS

iD Mobile is shutting down from April 6 ID MOBILE has announced that it is going into liquidation and will cease all operations in Ireland from April 6. iD has 40,000 customers in Ireland, and says it will contact them by “text, letter and email” over the coming days.

Call, text and data services will be provided to these customers free of charge for the next month, and anyone on a pre-pay plan can also continue to use their credit until this time.

However, according to the iD website, customers who have an outstanding balance on an equipment contract for a phone or mobile broadband device will need to continue to make payments until this balance is cleared.

Any iD customer who doesn’t switch to a new provider before April 6 will be left without service and risks being unable to keep the same phone number in the future.

Eoin Clarke, managing director of Switcher.ie, said: “iD provided a valuable, low-cost service to its 40,000 customers, and it’s a real shame to see it shutting down operations here and leaving these customers without a provider.

“From commentary online, we know that what iD’s customers loved the most was the value-formoney they got from their plans.

“The good news is that there is so much choice on the mobile market at the moment, with SIM-only plans starting from as low as €10 per month, so there is definitely still value out there.”

Need to create youth opportunities in focus RACHEL Collier, co-founder and chief executive of Young Social Innovators, has highlighted the gap between potential and opportunity faced by many young adults.

Launching YSI’s national Speak Out tour in Dublin, which is set to travel 2,000 kilometres over the next four weeks to hear 7,000 teenagers speak out about issues they are concerned about and innovations they are undertaking to address them, Collier said: “Marketeers, advertisers and insight companies are committing huge resources to analysing the preferences and behavioural patterns of young people so they can plan campaigns for future products and technologies.

“But despite all of the research, there’s a real deficit in opportunities for young people to be truly heard and listened to. Researchers tell us that Generation Z care about the world they live in and want to make a positive contribution.”

AbbVie staff show their delight as the company collects its number-one award at the Great Place to Work Awards recently

AWARD | BIOPHARMA CO IS COUNTRY’S NUMBER-ONE LARGE WORKPLACE

Joy as AbbVie named as number-one workplace ABBVIE has been named as the country’s numberone large workplace.

The global biopharmaceutical company, with a significant presence in Ireland, was presented with the award at the annual Great Place to Work Awards in Dublin recently.

AbbVie is listed among the Best Large Workplaces in Ireland for the fifth successive year and was placed third on the

prestigious list in 2016 and 2017.

AbbVie is spread across five sites in Ireland. Alongside three manufacturing facilities in Sligo and Cork, two offices in Dublin serve the needs of the company’s commercial and operations activities.

AbbVie’s director of HR in Ireland, Caroline McClafferty, said achieving the number-one position represented a signifi-

cant improvement on the company’s 2016 and 2017 rankings.

She said: “This firstplace ranking demonstrates our collective effort to foster an environment where people can thrive and develop.

“It’s a tremendous achievement for the company and a reflection on our employees across our five sites in Ireland who have embraced the AbbVie culture and con-

tinue to remain focused on making AbbVie a truly great place to work.”

The Great Place to Work Institute publishes three different lists annually and presents these at a gala event: the Best Large Workplaces in Ireland (>301 employees), the Best Medium Workplaces in Ireland (101300 employees), and the Best Small Workplaces in Ireland (20-100 employees).

John Ryan, chief executive of Great Place to Work Ireland, paid tribute to all companies which were recognised this year.

He said: “The organisations on this year’s list know that employees want an environment where they feel psychologically safe, encouraged to grow, provided with opportunities to develop, and empowered to do their best work.”

Retail Excellence joins Seanad register RETAIL Excellence have confirmed they have been admitted to the register of nominating bodies for the Seanad Eireann elections.

Retail Excellence can now select a candidate to contest the Seanad elections on the outside panel of the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

Deputy chief executive of Retail Excellence, and former Senator, Lor-

raine Higgins said: “I am delighted to learn that Retail Excellence has been admitted to the register of nominating bodies to Seanad Eireann.

“As the largest retail representative body in Ireland, with almost 2,000 members who operate in excess of 13,000 stores and employ more than 130,000 staff, we are honoured and delighted with this news.

“This is a huge opportunity for our membership and retail in general

and will help put the industry and its challenges on the national political agenda should our candidate be elected.

“We now intend to invite political parties to put forward suitably qualified candidates, which our board will vote on.

“The candidate with the majority of board votes will be deemed our candidate to run in the election,” she said.

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

It’s Alone but fun way to walk THE 13th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk, which takes place on St Patrick’s Day, is set to see more than 2,000 walkers take on the 16.2 mile/26km challenge, with the option of starting from Howth Harbour or Dun Laoghaire Harbour and then walking to ‘the other one’.

Suitable for most fitness levels, the fundraising walk will take participants along the scenic Dublin

Bay route with a ‘Halfway Hooley’ hosted at Dublin Port Company’s newly opened public plaza.

All funds raised will go towards Aware’s nationwide support, education and information services.

Gerry O’Brien, head of fundraising at Aware said: “The Harbour2Harbour Walk offers the perfect excuse to get friends and family together to mark St Patrick’s Day in a fun and healthy way.

“As a result of this and other fundraising efforts, Aware is able to provide support services for individuals and families impacted by depression or bipolar disorder, as well as delivering free mental health education programmes to adults and senior cycle students throughout the country.”

Participants can register at www.aware.ie/events, at a cost of €25 per person.

T h e Aw a r e H a r-

Leah Conway helps launch the Harbour2Harbour walk taking place this St Patrick’s Day. Picture: Shane O’Neill

bour2Harbour Walk 2018 is supported by Dublin

Port Company and Dublin’s 98FM.



GAZETTE

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13

GENTLE CHAMP IS A REAL WINNER DUBLIN Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Meet Champ, a seven-year-old greyhound who is currently looking for a retirement home where he can relax and enjoy his life. Champ is happy and excited when meeting new people, has great leash manners, and loves his daily walks. He gets attached to people very easily, and is looking for somebody who is going to spend most of the day with him. Having another dog at home may help with his anxiety and help him to settle at home quicker. If you think that you have room in your heart for Champ, please contact Dogs Trust at 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

GAZETTE

14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

GREAT IRELAND RUN: GET OFF THE COUCH AND START YOUR TRAINING!

FAMILIES are being encouraged to get off the couch and get active in training for the Garmin Great Ireland Run. With a choice of a 5k or 10k run on the day, the upcoming Garmin Great Ireland Run on April 15 is suitable for all ages, with specific events for children aged three to 15 as well.

The run takes place in the Phoenix Park, with a €30 entry fee for the 10k run, €20 for entry to the 5k, and €10 for the ‘mini’ kids events, which include a 1.5k and 2.9k run.

The Garmin Great Ireland Run is organised by the Great Run company, who are responsible for the world’s largest half marathon, the Great North Run, which has 55,000 participants each year.

The Great Ireland Run was established in 2001, and is now considered one of Ireland’s biggest athletic events.

For further information on the run, see www.greatrun.org/greatireland-run.

Step up to a fun challenge OUR WORLD IRISH AID AWARDS NOW OPEN PRIMARY school pupils across Dublin are being invited to submit projects for the 2018 Our World Irish Aid awards.

This year’s awards revolve around the theme, Transforming Our World, relating to all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, while highlighting the role played by education to make a difference to those both at home and in developing countries.

Students are asked to come up with creative projects about the challenges facing children in developing countries, and the role played by Ireland through Irish Aid and the Government’s programme for overseas development.

Some 60 projects will receive an OurWorld Irish Aid award at a regional award ceremony in May, and the top 12 entries will win a place at the awards ceremony in June.

There will also be additional awards for Teacher of the Year and Best Newcomer School.

More than 1,300 primary schools throughout

Ireland participated in the Our World Irish Aid awards in 2017. The deadline for entries is Friday, March 23.

Bull Music are aiming to keep the fire lit by having an Easter Bank Holiday weekend ‘gaff’ in a secret Dublin location.

Taking place from

OZZIE HUMOUR AT A FUN GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT AUSTRALIAN-British British author Kathy Lette (right) is set to take her new show, Girls’ Night Out, to the Civic Theatre stage on March 26.

Known for her novels, cutting wit and feminist edge, her new show is descriBed as a “psychological strip tease” that will discuss issues from childbirth to toy boys, close encounters with George Clooney and “tongue kissing” Prince William.

Lette’s show is targeted toward women, with men invited to attend at their own risk! Tickets are available now from civictheatre.ie, with prices ranging from €16 to €18.

For more on Kathy, see the feature on Page 23.

PARTY TIME AT RED BULL’S ‘FREE GAFF’ THE “free gaff” is a timehonoured party tradition in Dublin, and Red

Acts set to take to the stage include indie darlings Wyvern Lingo, soulstress Loah, hip-hop artist FYNCH and Cork-based producer Bantam. Organisers warn that space is limited, with tickets available from redbull. ie/freegaff.

JOIN THIS SNAKE HUNT AT MAXI ZOO

March 29 to April 1, Free Gaff promises three nights of the hottest Irish acts across three floors in a Dublin house, with the exact location to be revealed to ticketholders closer to the event.

Starting each night at 7pm, there will be a different line-up each night, as a strictly BYOB affair.

SIX pet stores across Dublin are set to host two family events on St Patrick’s Day and the Easter bank holiday weekend. Maxi Zoo will hold its annual St Patrick’s Day Snake Hunt across their six Dublin stores on March 18, as well as an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31. Both events take place from 12-4pm.

Children and parents are invited to take part, with goodie-bags up for grabs in the Snake Hunt, and Easter eggs for the win in the Easter egg hunt.

Pet experts from the stores will also be on hand during the day to share their knowledge with families. For further information on the two events, see maxizoo.ie.

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE Doyle’s set for a lick of paint FIREDOOR THEATRE: ICONIC DUBLIN PUB TO STAGE ITS FIRST EVER THEATRE PERFORMANCE

 MARK O’BRIEN

AN ICONIC Dublin pub is to become the city’s latest theatre venue next week when it stages its first ever theatre performance.

Doyle’s on College Street will play host to Firedoor Theatre’s new production Paint from Wednesday, March 21 to Saturday, March 24.

Firedoor were founded in the city centre five years ago and have primarily focussed on producing original work which has been staged in various venues across the city.

Artistic director Shaun Elebert, who also stars in Paint, told Dublin Gazette that encouraging new work is a big part of Firedoor’s ethos.

“As a company what we’re trying to do is promote new work as well as training actors and giving people opportunities to direct as well,” he said.

“So, it’s kind of covering all aspects of theatre, not just the performance end of it. Our writing has been quite progressive.

“This particular play Paint came from one of our Uncuts which we put on once or twice a year, which is showcasing 20-minute pieces by seven or eight members of our group so our own writing is definitely what we’re trying to promote all the time.”

Shaun added that he is very excited about being part of the first ever theatrical performance in Doyle’s.

“The manager Niamh, I was

talking to her about maybe putting on plays in Doyle’s and she was very excited about that, to actually open up Doyle’s as not just a music venue but a theatre venue,” he said.

Paint is a character-driven story about two men who meet up late one night under unusual circumstances.

“One lad is painting a wall at three o’clock in the morning in an industrial estate and he does this quite often because there’s something gone on in his life, something that has happened,” said Shaun.

“His wife has passed away but we don’t know whether it’s connected to his wife or not.

“We assume that it is but he’s out there painting the wall just to gather his thoughts as maybe

redemption or something for something that he’s done already.

“Then this other lad comes, who is meeting another guy at three o’clock in the morning to do a delivery but he never turns up.

“However, the two of them get talking about life and the older lad, which is the character I play, who is the guy painting the wall, he gives advice and give the younger lad advice and shows him what life is all about.”

Firedoor have more exciting productions later in the year, including a show in Smock Alley Theatre.

The group regularly hold auditions for new members.

For more information and for tickets to Paint, please visit www. firedoortheatre.com

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

EVENTS No matter what’s happening around the city, The Gazette’s

Catriona Kelly, Leah Kelly and Noel Kelly Catherine Miller and Danika McConnell. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Star-studded event for a worthy cause T

HERE were some very familiar faces in attendance at Liz & Noel’s Chernobyl Lunch at the Intercontinental Hotel Ballsbridge recently. The star-studded fundraiser was held in aid of Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International.

Well known figures from Irish broadcast and entertainment industries came out in force to show their support for the charity’s event.

Helen Faulknan, Ryan Tubridy, Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne, Adi Roche and Julie Shynkarenka

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

far-ranging photographers have all the events and angles covered

Ali Hewson with her god daughter Anna Gabriel who, at the age of 4, was rescued by Adi Roche and Ali Hewson and later adopted by the Gabriel family from Bandon

Denise Barry and Moya Murdock

Fiona Heffernan and Roma O’Connor

Rebecca Bagidi and Marcus Brennan

Aoibhinn Murdock

Eimear Murphy, Richard Minchin and Trish Buckley

Lisa Aramony and Kathy Ryan

GAZETTE

18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

DUBLINLIFE

PUZZLE PAGE

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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE

ARTS: SOME OF THE CITY AND COUNTRY’S BEST EMERGING WRITERS NOMINATED

Pore over the Hennessy awards  RACHEL D’ARCY

THE best of new Irish literature will be celebrated on March 21 when the 47th annual Hennessy Literary Awards take place.

Being held in the historic setting of the Honourable Society of King’s Inn, the awards will celebrate emerging literary talent from across Ireland.

Poets, short-story tellers and novelists alike will come together to celebrate the written word.

Categories include First Fiction, Emerging Fiction and Emerging Poetry, as well as the coveted overall Hennessy New Irish

Writer prize for 2018.

There are a number of shortlistees for each award, based across the country and in different areas of expertise.

Dublin’s Pat Nolan is nominated in the First Fiction category for Women and Other Anthropoids, while Bray man Samuel McManus is also shortlisted for his piece, The Dog in the Story.

A number of Dublin writers are also shortlisted in the Emerging Fiction category. Out of seven shortlisted candidates, five are Dublin-based.

The shortlisted writers include Manus Boyle Tobin, Niall McArdle,

Picture: Marc O’Sullivan

The literati... Vona Groarke, Una Mannion, Rachel Donohue and Sean Tanner

Ellen Kelly, Angela Finn and Ruth McKee. Poetry is also represented by the awards, with emerging poet Chris Connolly receiving a nod for

two of his poems, Particulars of Bovine Husbandry, and Old-Age Sensibility.

As well as celebrating new writers, the Hennessy Literary Awards also hon-

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our the achievements of established writers. Since 2003, the awards induct one individual into the Hennessy Literary Awards Hall of Fame.

This year will see novelist Bernard MacLaverty become the 16th figure inducted into it.

MacLaverty received critical acclaim for his 1980 debut novel, Lamb, which went on to become a feature film starring Liam Neeson.

His 1983 novel, Cal, also went on to be made into a film starring Helen Mirren. Last year, he published his latest novel, Midwinter Break, after a 16-year break.

Other literary luminaries who have been inducted into the Hennessy Literary Awards Hall of Fame include Vona Groarke, Joseph O’Connor, Frank

McGuinness, Anne Enright, John Boyne, and Paula Meehan.

The winners of the respective awards are chosen by two esteemed authors, alongside editor of the Irish Times’ New Irish Writing page, Ciaran Carty.

All pieces nominated for an award were published in the monthly New Irish Writing page within the Times.

This year’s judges are Marina Carr, winner of the lucrative 2017 WindhamCampbell prize, and ‘honorary Welshman’ Niall Griffiths, who is likened to a cross between Roddy Doyle and Irvine Welsh.

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

DUBLINLIFE

BORN of summer shenanigans, The Vaccines frontman J u s t i n H a y w a rd Young says the return of the Londoners with fourth album ‘Combat Sports’ is a trek back to their routes, via a half-century of new songs, a touch of nervousness, and occupying the band’s ‘natural space’....

Eight years after forming, and swiftly becoming one of Britain’s most exciting and popular rock bands almost by accident, The Vaccines fourth album ‘Combat Sports’ is, perhaps, a product of a band finally taking some time for reflection.

It’s been a frantic ride, and not one the millionselling rockers exactly planned.

The early days of The Vaccines have acquired almost mythological status.

Taking a break from his more regular role as a folk singer under the guise of Jay Jay Pistolet (a genre Hayward-Young’s confident he’ll return to at some point, though not under the guise of The Vaccines), the Vaccines frontman admits that the myth - though perhaps exaggerated - has elements of truth.

“We were just f*cking around in the summer,” Hayward-Young recalls. “‘Wetsuit’ and ‘Do You Wanna’ were written during a summer holiday, and weren’t supposed to be some kind of mission statement. I was borrowing a friends guitar, and played the songs to a couple of people.

“I was just enjoying it with nothing else to do, really, and made a quick demo from the song I wrote. It got out there and I got an email to go and have coffee with someone in the industry, and that was it. It went from there.”

The road from summer shenanigans has been somewhat jittery, if also ecstatic.

“It was ver y ner ve wracking,” Hay ward-

MUSIC

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BEST OF THE REST

 JAMES HENDICOTT

Young recalls.

“We didn’t really know how to deal with the way things were taking off, and with the big crowds to start with. It was really weird and hard.”

Some years later, in 2016, drummer and backing vocalist Pete Robinson departed the band, triggering a period of contemplation, and the rootsy return that is ‘Combat Sports’, arguably the closest The Vaccines have come to those heady early days of messing around in rock.

“Pete never really talked about why he left, and neither did the band. The rest of us mostly just talked about what to do next,” Hayward-Young recalls.

“We did dwell on it a bit, but decided to focus on the future. It didn’t really shock me that he went, we kind of knew it was going to happen, but [new members] Tim and Yoann had been around as part of the touring band for a while. It made sense to bring them in, it wasn’t an overnight thing.

“We wrote 50 songs for this album,” he continues.

“It’s been interesting. Some people think the album is referencing blood and gore, because of the title. It’s not so literal. Internally, the whole thing has been like day and night.

“T here’s always a strange period after the album’s finished when you’re just sitting around.

In an ideal world we’d probably just put it out the next day and be done with it.

“You have to keep pushing yourself, though.

“We did the first show the other day for the new record, and it was really exciting. When you come out and play those kind of shows - this one had six new songs - you have to be careful.

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20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

The Vaccines A RETURN TO SIMPLE ROOTS

Picture: Brad Elterman

“If you play the new stuff back to back, people will take it as an excuse to go to the bar. You can lose them. But you have

to keep pushing yourself.

“After the last record, we didn’t really know what we wanted to do, so it took a bit of time.

We wanted to recapture that time back at the start, that creative, free spirit.

We even thought about whether we actually need-

ed a drummer for a little while before we settled on adding the new guys.

Going back to our core just kind of naturally happened.”

“We learnt so much and grew up a lot writing the last record. It wasn’t an error, as such, but it did feel more like a fifth record than a third record. It was just eleven songs we love, rather than something more coherent. Like a chocolate box of songs.”

Combat Sports, then, is urgent rock and roll from NME’s former ‘Best New Band’. It’s a return to the buzz of ‘What Did You Expect From The

Vaccines?’, but with eight years worth of touring and life experience piled on top, and a light step away from the sex and shenanigans themes that sat right at the very heart of the debut.

It’s well represented in the video for ‘I Can’t Quit’, in fact, footage that has all the chaos, sexuality and straightforwardness that has come to represent the Londoners. They’re ready, heart linked loosely to their sleeves, to rip a heap of memorable riffs through your summer.

The Vaccines fourth album ‘Combat Sports’ is out on March 30 on Columbia Records.

MARCH 15 (Thursday) Erasure @ Olympia Theatre, (rescheduled date) Jonathan Wilson @ Whelan’s, €18.50 Old Hannah @ The Grand Social, €10 Sepultura @ Tivoli Theatre, €30 Brazilian thrash metal legends drop in on the Tivoli to make some serious noise.

Expect clashing chords, moshing, and damage to the floorboards.

Bitch Falcon + WOLFF + Ape Rising @ The Bowery, €15 One of Ireland’s best up-and-coming acts Bitch Falcon bring their abrasive brand of lairy rock to Rathmines in a show sure to shake your body with bass.

Rita Braga + Yawning Chasm @ Jigsaw, €10 Bicurious @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €7 MARCH 16 (Friday) Stereophonics @ 3Arena, €46 Legendar y Welsh act (and former Glastonbury headliners) run through the classics at 3Arena, in a show sure to show off Kelly Jones’ gravelly vocals, and the band’s penchant for pop-rocky drama.

The Stunning @ Olympia Theatre, €29 Ghost Accuser @ Thomas House, €5

PICKOF THE WEEK MARCH 21 (Wednesday) Joan Baez @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Legendary artist and activist Joan Baez will play the Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin, as part of an extensive 2018 tour in conjunction with the release of a new studio album, her first since 2008’s Day After Tomorrow. Tickets: €58

MARCH 17 (Saturday) Daithi @ Baggot’s House, €12 Donal Dineen @ Hang Dai MARCH 18 (Sunday) Aslan @ Olympia Theatre, €33 Kormac @ Vicar Street, €25 AILIE @ Whelan’s, €12 Native Oak @ Whelan’s (Upstairs), €10 MARCH 19 (Monday) Steven Wilson @ Olympia Theatre, €33 MARCH 20 (Tuesday) Vance Joy @ Olympia Theatre, €21 The Ruby Sessions @ Doyle’s, €6 Hippie Sabotage @ The Workmans’ Club, €5 Cannibal Corpse @ Tivoli Theatre, €28 MARCH 21 (Wednesday) Feeder @ Olympia Theatre, €28 Joan Baez @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre, €58 Bell X1 @ Vicar Street, €37

22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

GAZETTE

DUBLINFITNESS The 80% nutrition and 20% training rule myth CHECK OUT

www.kickstartfitness.ie

NOWADAYS I see a lot of nutrition based companies using this pitch, that your results on fat loss depends on 80% of your nutrition and just 20% on your training programme.

From the beginning let’s just blow this up and say it’s not true, simply because it depends on which approach you take and what works for you.

Firstly, truth be told you don’t necessarily need exercise to lose fat. All you need is a to be in a calorie deficit and you can do this by just eating less calories over a day or a week and you’ll start to lose fat pretty fast.

Therefore if you were to use this approach your fat loss journey would actually be 100% nutrition and 0% training and you’d still get results.

So why use exercise if your only goal is to lose fat?

Well here’s why, we know fat loss comes down to the amount of calories we put into our bodies vs the amount of calories we burn through daily activity and exercise.

So the more exercise we do the more calories we burn.

If you don’t decrease the amount of calories you’re taking into your body then this means exercise and activity are your tool to increase the amount of calories going out of the body still putting yourself in a calorie deficit and losing fat.

If you were to use this approach then your fat loss plan would be 100% exercise and 0% nutrition and you will still get results.

So I think that simply clears up the 80/20 rule

Gareth Francis is a qualified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach with over eight years experience in the fitness industry.

He now works as head coach in Kickstart Fitness. to be a myth and we really know it depends on which approach you take.

But what’s the best approach then?

My advice is find out what works for you. A lot of us fail with our fat loss goals because we make our plan just too hard to stick to and fall off the wagon before we start to see results.

For example when decreasing your calo-

 GARETH FRANCIS info@dublingazette.com

Here’s a beginners guide to fat loss.

There are no tricks, no magic pills or diet drinks just some simple steps that anyone can apply straight away.

Step 1: Find out how many calories you’re taking in daily by tracking them using a fitness app or googling the types of foods and drinks you’re consuming. Find your daily average, now take

All you need is to be in a calorie deficit situation to lose weight

ries keep your deficit realistic so that you can stick to it long enough to get real results. I recommend reducing your daily calories no more than 25%.

The same moto goes for exercise too, telling yourself your going to push yourself to the max everyday in the gym isn’t realistic especially if you’re new to exercise.

Remember it’s about sustainability, you need a plan that you can stick to until you reach your goal.

some calories away start with a low number 200-500 being sure the amount you do choose you can stick by it.

Step 2: Add in some exercise or activity. The more exercise and activity we do the bigger our deficit is going be and the more fat we are going to lose.

Step 3: Stick to it! Fat loss sounds really easy when you’re looking at the science of it but it’s actually sticking by it that’s the hard part.

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23

GAZETTE

FEATURE ENTERTAINMENT: OZZIE AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST KATHY LETTE BRINGING HER ONE-WOMAN SHOW TO DUBLIN

All welcome at this fun Girl’s Night Out – even men!

Kathy relaxing in style – and right, with her son, Jules Robertson

 MARK O’BRIEN DUBLIN Gazette may have gotten Billy Connolly in trouble.

The last time the Australian author, screenwriter and journalist Kathy Lette visited Dublin, she was here with her great friend, Billy, who was teaching her some local phrases.

She says: “Can you imagine being in Dublin with Billy Connolly? The fun we had!

“The craic was 90 – see, I’m basically speaking your language. What’s the other thing he taught me?

‘Tiocfaidh Ar La’?”

It is our unfortunate duty to inform Kathy that the last phrase does not, in fact, mean ‘Everything is okay’, and that Billy may have been trying to get her into trouble.

“He probably bloody was, you know!” she laughs down the phone.

A chat with Kathy gener-

ally involves a whole lot of laughter.

Kathy first achieved success as a teenager with the novel, Puberty Blues, which was made into a major film and a TV miniseries.

After several years as a newspaper columnist and TV sitcom writer in America and Australia, she’s written 12 international bestsellers in her characteristically witty voice, including Mad Cows (which was made into a film starring Joanna Lumley and Anna Friel), How to Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints), The Boy Who Fell to Earth, Courting Trouble, and Best Laid Plans – soon to be an eight-hour TV series.

Last year, she took to the road with her first one-woman show, Girls’ Night Out. She says: “It’s great, because when you’re a writer, you’re very iso-

lated and when I’m on book tours I always get to meet my readers and I’ve always loved it so much.

“It’s such a compliment because they’re so witty and wild and wicked and wonderful and warm.

“So, I thought I might as well just do a little show on the road where I get to talk to them and it’s just been so great.”

Men welcome The show is very much a girls’ night out, but men are always welcome to come too, even if many tend not to tag along.

“It’s all women who come,” says Kathy. “It’s 99% women. They come in gangs – grandmas, mums, daughters or sisters or best friends.

“I always say that women are each other’s human wonderbras – uplifting, supportive and making each other look bigger and better.

“We have a handful,

maybe five brave males that come along [per show]. I always say to them they’re going to be ovulating by the end of the show!

“But they love the girl talk. I think they’re surprised to know how candid women are with no men around.”

Girls’ Night Out draws on Kathy’s vast and varied life experience, which ranges from tales of love, lust, men, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, mastitis, sexist bosses, teenagedaughter-wrangling, ageing, toy boys.

The second half is more poignant and deals with raising a child on the autistic spectrum, Jules Robertson, through to his success playing Jason on Holby City.

“The first half is funny, it’s a bit of a laugh and a good rollick and all that, and then in the second act, it gets a bit more serious and I talk about how

women care,” Kathy says, “as in how we care for our ageing parents and our friends and our sick siblings and our kids.

“That bit is my favourite bit, because we turn the lights up a bit and then women share their stories.

“On a girls’ night out, what normally happens is we laugh and laugh and laugh and then suddenly we’ll be crying and hugging.”

Honest Kathy attributes her success down to the fact that she is honest and has never tried to be something she’s not, which strikes a chord with other women.

“Unfortunately, there’re still a lot of women who still pretend to have perfect marriages,” she says.

“I always say a perfect

marriage is like an orgasm – many of them are faked.

“I hate women in the public eye who try and pretend their lives are perfect so other women feel inadequate and jealous.

I don’t do that, it’s flaws and all – pelvic flaws and all.”

A staunch feminist, Kathy says that while progress has been made in achieving equality between the sexes, there is some way to go before it is achieved. However, she thinks women can use humour to challenge sexist behaviour.

She says: “Whenever I give talks in schools to young women I always say to them, yes, men are

physically stronger, but women are more verbally dexterous.

“We use on average about 500 more words in our daily vocabulary than the average male.

“I call it developing the black belt in ‘Tongue-Fu’, if you can fire off a witty one-liner and give a man a bit of quip-lash.

“Like, if a man is bullying you in a group, if you can fire off a one-liner and the other people laugh at him, you completely take away his power.”

Girls’ Night Out comes to the Civic Theatre in Tallaght on Monday, March 26. Tickets are available now from www.civitheatre.ie.

24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

River Isla

nd Green

chunky knit

roll neck ju m

per €55

DUBLINLIFE

NYX Professional Makeup Prismatic Shadow €7

This dress from River Island will help you look cool and collected, while also repping our country’s signature colour.

Weir & Son Chopard 18k Rose Gold Happy Hearts Bangle with Agate Heart €2,595

Fresh skin and rosy cheeks for St Patrick’s Day We all want to look our best, and Uriage HYSEAC Purifying Cleansing Gel is just the answer to giving you clearer, fresher and healthier skin. Suitable for use on face, chest and back, the flip cap bottle makes this the perfect shower buddy! RRP €25

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

STYLE

BeautyBITS

River Island Green bardot culotte jumpsuit €87

River Island Dark green frill sleeve tie back playsuit €61

Penneys are launching their Korean Beauty range this month Weir Both & Son er w S atch watch N ot A €65

Feed your k-beauty cutesy curiosity with Penney’s KPOPRange

IT’S EASY BEING FASHIONABLY

GREEN  Jessica Maile, Style Editor

WHAT other day of the year can you get away with proudly wearing our country’s colours from head to toe? St Patrick’s Day is a day for going all out, but that doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice fashion either.

From a shimmering glittery eyeshadow right to intricate emerald and gold detailed jewellery, there’s a number of ways to display your love for the emerald isle from a subtle accessory to a more-obvious gorgeously green outfit.

CALLING all beauty fanatics – Penneys are set to launch their own Korean beauty range, with products from liquid lipstick to bunny-eared mirrors.

Taking influence from the current k-pop and k-beauty

trends

sweeping social media, Penneys’

KPOP range

has something for everyone. From liquid highlighters and ‘jelly’ lipsticks to cream blush, KPOP can satisfy your k-beauty curiosity without breaking the bank.

Penneys have been upping their beauty game lately, releasing cult-like foundations and highlighters that are gaining admiration across social media.

Penneys’ beauty products are being compared to high-end names, with budget friendly prices, meaning their KPOP range is likely to fly off the shelves. It launches in store on March 19.

NYX Professional Makeup jumbo eye pencil in Rocky Mountain Green €4.99

• Sugar Blu sh Palette €6

elly k J €2 Pin • stick lip

in eam ter • B hligh 0 Hig 3.5 €

River Island Green chain side mini slouch bag €45

• Heart contour brush €4

 Rachel D’Arcy

River Island Green stripe jaccquard knot side top €35

• Cushion Bubble Blush €5

GAZETTE

26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

DUBLINLIFE

FASTNews

Volvo XC40 is named 2018 Car of the Year

THE new Volvo XC40 small SUV was named the 2018 European Car of the Year ahead of the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.

It is the first win of this prestigious award for Volvo Cars, the premium car maker and it topped the shortlist which included the Mazda CX-5 and the Range Rover Velar.

The XC40 win means that the complete line-up of

Volkswagen rocs compact SUV market

The compact SUV market is booming across Europe as drivers aim to downsize for greater economy and lower CO2 emissions. Volkswagen has joined this segment of the market with a new T-Roc model that’s attractive to drive.

MICHAEL MORONEY found that it comes with style and features to make it an enviable choice.

new global Volvo SUVs have each been named Car of the Year in either Europe or North America. Both the large XC90 and mid-size XC60 were awarded the North American Truck/Utility of the Year title in the past two years.

Volvo believes that the XC40 sets a new standard in its segment in terms of design, connectivity and safety technology. Early orders in excess of 20,000 cars across Europe and the US indicate that this is an appealing combination for customers.

The XC40 roll-out will soon extend to China, now the world’s biggest car market, where Volvo is expecting similar strong interest.

The XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new compact modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all upcoming cars in the 40 series, including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed together with Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.

Toyota to move out of diesel engines this year TOYOTA took the opportunity of the Geneva Motor Show to announce that it will phase out diesel engines in all of its passenger cars at the end of this year. This follows the strong demand for the hybrid systems that Toyota is now offering The company said that the new generation Auris models will come with three power options, including 2 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) versions. Similar to the decision taken in 2016, to introduce Toyota C-HR without a diesel version, the new generation Auris will only be offered with petrol and HEV engines.

Toyota said that HEV powered cars represented 41% of their total sales, rising +38% year-on-year to 406,000 units. In contrast, Toyota’s diesel mix on passenger cars was less than 10% in 2017. Toyota will continue to offer diesel engines in commercial vehicles such as the Hilux, Proace and Land Cruiser to meet customer needs.

Toyota Ireland’s diesel car sales are now at only 20% of its overall mix, compared to 60% just two short years ago. In contrast, hybrid electric cars now represent almost 50% of Toyota Ireland’s car sales mix.

VOLKSWAGEN has a third SUV for the Irish market with the recent arrival of the T-Roc, the new compact SUV in the range.

This new Volkswagen T-Roc is the new entry level SUV for the Volkswagen range, coming is below the popularTiguan.

The entry-level T-Roc specification comes with Volkswagen’s well regarded 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine that’s rated at 115bhp, while the test car that I had on the road was fitted with the larger 1.5 litre TSI engine that comes with a 150bhp rating.

The TSI code means that the car is petrol powered and has a neat turbocharger fitted for that extra power boost.

Volkswagen has been best known for its diesel heritage, which was severely tarnished with the diesel-gate scandals.

That’s probably why it came as no surprise when Volkswagen Ireland offered me the opportunity to test drive the new T-Roc, with a petrol fuelled engine.

Volkswagen is offering a single diesel engine alternative for the T-Roc, that’s the 2.0-litre version also rated at 150bhp. This is the only version that offers Volkswagen’s 4Motion four-wheel-drive system.

VW T-Roc Sport 1.5 TSI EVO Engine Engine power 0 – 100km/hr Economy Fuel Tank Capacity CO2 emissions Road Tax Band Main Service Euro NCAP Rating Warranty Entry Price This diesel engine option delivers significantly more torque than its petrol alternative, but there are no obvious fuel economy differences to report.

That’s why the 1.5-litre TSI engine is now a realistic option for the T-Roc. The Volkswagen heritage is very clearly obvious.

You can feel it throughout

1.5 litre 150 bhp 8.4 seconds 19km/litre (5.3/100km or 53.3mpg) 50 litres 121g/km B1 €270 20,000km/12 months 5 star (2017) 3 years €29,225 every aspect of the car, with a Golf-like driving experience on a raised structure to give marginally better road visibility with all of the well-manner handling of the Volkswagen Golf range.

Out on the road, it is an easy drive. The car’s engine management system allows the engine to

automatically shut down two of its four cylinders for fuel economy reasons, if not needed.

This adds to the thrifty performance and the beauty of it is that you don’t even notice the difference, other than a small message appearing on the dash.

The petrol engine performance means that on longer runs it cruises with ease.

While this engine revs higher than its diesel equivalent with judicious driving you can almost achieve the rated economy figure of 19km/litre (5.3/100km or 53.3mpg).

This means that on motorway drives you cruise at 120km/hr with the engine at 2500rpm, just marginally over the best economy sweet spot, without too much suffer-

The dash layout is very much to the new generation Volkswagen design

ing in terms of fuel economy.

With the engine performance so good, it’s easy to get comfortable with the other features.

The dash layout is typically Volkswagen with a slightly more robust feel to it. The speedo layout and clarity, introduced in the Golf over a year ago, is very easy to use with lots of easy to set options, all electronically driven.

The central infotainment screen is very large and clear to use with finger touch control.

I found that I quickly got used to its features and setting up the Bluetooth phone connection was logical and easy.

The T-Roc is designed as a five seat car, and to be more compact that the Tiguan. Five adults might find it a squeeze.

All Volkswagen T-Roc models come with Volkswagen’s high-tech safety systems.

Entry prices start at €29,225 for the 1.5-litre versions, while the smaller 1.0-litre petrol engine version is even more competitive at €25,525.

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

GAZETTE

MOTORING

Jaguar unveils electric I-Pace JAGUAR has unveiled the all-electric I-PACE at last week’s Geneva Motor Show.

This new car has a state-of-theart 90kWh Lithium-ion battery and offers sports car performance of 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds alongside the practicality of a 480km range (WLTP cycle) and 0-80 per cent charging time of 40 minutes (100kW DC).

Along with its concept car looks

UK, and will be built in Plant Graz,

and next-generation artificial intel-

Austria, as part of Jaguar Land

ligence, it is set to be the perfect

Rover’s manufacturing partner-

everyday EV consumers have been

ship with Magna Steyr. It joins

waiting for.

Jaguar’s growing family of SUVs,

The new electric I-Pace as designed and engineered in the

alongside the recently introduced new E-PACE and the F-PACE.

Ireland’s first driving school for kids opens at Tayto Park The T-Roc is a very attractive looking compact SUV with hints of the Golf design on a raised structure.

TAYTO Park and Nissan have joined forces to open Ireland’s first ever driving school for kids. The Nissan Driving School at Tayto Park gives kids the chance to learn the rules of the road and to test their driving skills on a purpose built, road marked traffic course before leaving with their own child’s driving licence.

The new track is currently under construction

AN international line-up of experts from the automotive and technology industries will gather in Killarney, Ireland, this May for Electronomous, the annual forum for topics including electric vehicles, connected car technology, autonomous vehicles, cyber security and more.

Electronomous 2018 takes place at the INEC, Killarney, Kerry, on May 2-3, 2018.

The conference, organised by vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie, will discuss how technology is changing all aspects of the automotive world including the rapid development of mobility solutions, as well as other key industry processes such as insurance, finance and sales.

The main attraction of Electronomous is a panel of globallyrenowned speakers, including Marcus Rothoff, Head of Volvo’s Autonomous Driving programme; Uwe Puetzschler, Head of Car2X at Nokia; Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom; and Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director with Nissan Europe, to name just a few.

The event will be hosted by Quentin Wilson, former Top Gear presenter and award-winning motoring journalist.

Some of the confirmed attendees for Electronomous 2018 include Volkswagen, IBM, Toyota, BMW, Honda, Applegreen, Valeo, TomTom, Audatex, the European Council for Automotive R&D

at Tayto Park in Ashbourne, Meath and will

Former Top Gear presenter and award-winning motoring journalist Quentin Wilson is hosting the event

be completed and open to the public on Saturday 24 March. The easy drive track will accommodate 20 miniature battery operated Nissan cars at one time with the new attraction set to give young drivers a real experience of what it is like to take to the road.

All drivers arriving at the Nissan Driving School at Tayto Park will enjoy a short video demonstration at the new attraction’s Learning Theatre, where they will learn the rules of the road before negotiating the traffic course. Young drivers who complete the course and prove to their parents that they have what it takes to make the move from the back seat to the front seat can pick up their driving licence.

Used tyre dangers in focus PART worn tyres may appear to be the cheaper option but motorists need

All car technology roads lead to Killarney (EUCAR) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The event will begin with a highprofile ‘Electric Drive’ from Dublin to Killarney on the afternoon of May 2, with TV & Motoring broadcaster Kirsteen O’Sullivan leading a fleet of electric vehicles on a 300km road trip in the company of motoring journalists and special

guests. The drive will give members of the public a chance to see the range and capabilities of EVs for themselves.

For a limited time only, Electronomous 2018 tickets are available for €300 + VAT per person at www. electronomous.com (to include access to the 1.5 day event and all other associated events).

to take note of the numerous studies and investigations that have highlighted significant concerns as to their roadworthiness. In the UK some 93% of part worn tyres inspected were sold illegally with more than half having safety-critical faults.

Many car owners are seeking the cheapest means to maintain their cars, part worn tyres, often advertised with low price tags, may seem appealing. The false economy of buying part worns in addition to the uncertainty over their safety is further highlighted by the poor quality of service and expertise of those fitting the tyres.

Buying part worn tyres is false economy.

Your tyres will have to be replaced much sooner and at a similar price to the ones previously fitted so you won’t benefit in the long term. Part worn tyres can be sold with 2mm tread depth, which leaves just 0.4mm – half the thickness of a bank card – before they reach the minimum legal limit of 1.6mm.

GAZETTE

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 March 2018

DUBLINLIFE

FOOD&DRINK

Siucra and Catherine Fulvio team up to dish out a deliciously easy to make salad for four SIUCRA and Catherine Fulvio have teamed up to create a mouth-watering salad for you to enjoy at any time of the day.

The combination of sweet and juicy pears, crispy pancetta and creamy goat’s cheese make for the perfect salad to rustle up in the kitchen, with this dish serving four.

Ingredients Salad l 3 to 4 pears, peeled, cored, sliced into wedges l 80g Siucra Light Golden Brown Sugar l 30g butter l 1 tsp chopped thyme l 100g pancetta l 50g rocket leaves l 30g salad leaves l 2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts l 50g soft goats cheese l Garden herbs such as fennel fronds and edible flowers, optional Dressing l 1 lemon, zest and juice l 50ml rapeseed oil l 1 tsp Siucra Caster Sugar l 1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives l Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preparation l To make the dressing, combine Siucra Caster Sugar with all the other ingredients. Check the seasoning, adding a little extra sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. l To prepare the pears, heat a large frying pan over a medium to low heat with butter and Siucra Light Golden Brown Sugar and add the pear wedges. l Add the thyme and saute until softened and golden. l Heat another frying pan and add the pancetta, saute until crispy and cooked. l Place the rocket leaves and salad leaves on a large serving platter. l Arrange the pears and pancetta on the top. l Spoon over some of the salad dressing and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top. Crumble the goat’s cheese on top before serving. Add herbs and edible flowers to garnish (optional).

The Irish Teeling Whiskey-inspired foodfest at the Conrad Hong Kong was a delicious way to showcase a range of foodstuffs

SHOWCASE: CONRAD HONG KONG SERVES UP DELICIOUS IRISH FARE

Feast in the Far East dishes up Dub grub IN CELEBRATION of the newly-renovated Conrad Dublin, its sister property – Conrad Hong Kong – held an Irish Teeling Whiskey-inspired tasting and cheese pairing experience last week, giving the Far East attendees a taste of some of the best of the west.

T he night brought g u e s t s a n e xcl u s i ve opportunity to experi-

ence Dublin fare firsthand, courtesy of traditional Irish bites and beverages offered at Conrad Dublin that were on offer at the Hong Kong bash.

Referring to the recently announced availability of direct flights between Dublin and Hong Kong scheduled to begin later this year, Thomas Hoeborn, general manager of Conrad Hong Kong,

said: “With the highlyanticipated new route between the two cities, we are delighted to introduce Conrad Dublin and be one of the first few to bring the city closer to our guests by showcasing the genuine taste of Irish presented by our seasoned culinary team.”

The night featured the likes of Irish beer cheese soup, black pudding

scotch eggs, and whiskey smoked salmon lollipops.

Along with the canapes, several ‘live stations’ and a chef’s showcase trolley were also available at the venue, with options including Irish farm cheese, salmon, beef and oysters.

Tim Loughman, vice president, luxury and lifestyle brands, Hilton said: “We are thrilled to have

two properties collaborate and inspire attendees to explore two of our iconic destinations, Dublin and Hong Kong.

“Conrad Hotels & Resorts prioritises introducing travellers to local cultures and we are so pleased that we were able to highlight the connectivity and service that is synonymous with the Conrad brand.”

15 March 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

ReelNews

A PANTHERRIFIC HIT

GAZETTE

CINEMA

ANNIHILATION: NEW SCI-FI IS BRILLIANT IN PARTS, BUT ALSO VERY INTELLECTUAL

Id’s a little bit baffling

Film passes big milestone HOLLYWOOD has been forced to sit up and take notice by Black Panther, which has quietly become a bona-fide juggernaut success in smashing a rare milestone last weekend.

Despite not getting anywhere near the level of hype or support doled out to pretty much any other superhero film (cough Avengers cough), BP has now smashed the Dr Evilish figure of One Beelyunn Dollars at the box office, surprising industry watchers with its startling success despite a relatively short run.

Garnering international critical acclaim (and, just as importantly, bums on seats), BP has done much more than ‘just’ generating shedloads of money – it’s shown that there’s a very real audience and hunger for major all-black blockbusters, putting paid to the traditional view that audiences largely warm to all-white casts.

Conventional BP’s runaway success at the box office has put paid to this tired, dated outlook – and quite right, too, as there’s been a growing sense for a while that audiences are getting tired of conventional allwhite hero films (or all-white blockbusters) with other ethnicities shoehorned into minor, supporting roles.

It’s true that we’ve seen any number of films trying to pander for Asian – read: Chinese – markets in recent years, with superfluous film sections set in Hong Kong or Beijing, or big-name Chinese or Korean stars given supporting roles in Hollywood triple-A films.

However, major bigbudget Western films that focus on other ethnicities have been rare – as rare as panthers’ teeth, in fact.

Here’s hoping that BP’s well-deserved success leads to some long overdue inclusivity at the cinema.

Described by many as ‘the most thoughtful sci-fi film since Arrival’, there’s no doubting that Annihilation explores some pretty interesting, intellectual themes. When a small team of soldiers and scientists go into The Shimmer – an expanding, otherworldly zone on America’s coast – its raw beauty and menace soon tests them...

FOLLOWING Ex Machina (2014) – a film which delved into the idea of consciousness and identity, filtered through the prism of machine intelligence – there were high hopes for director Alex Garland’s latest, Annihilation.

Ditching robotics and artificial intelligence this time round, Garland takes viewers on a different journey as he again explores the id itself – the core elements of what drives and defines humanity, and whether it can be replicated or corrupted by an external, truly other force.

However, what worked so well as a driving plot force in Ex Machina just isn’t as successful in Garland’s treatment of the ‘unfilmable’ novel by Jeff VanderMeer – perhaps that’s why most of the planet will be watching this on Netflix, rather than at cinemas.

As I recently wrote, Garland is reportedly none too happy that Annihilation got sold by Paramount Pictures to Netflix

 SHANE DILLON

sdillon@dublingazette.com

(bar a cinema release in America and Canada), when it had been made for a standard cinema release.

Media mutterings suggest that Paramount, spooked by the film’s intellectual themes and hardcore sci-fi elements, were happy to sell it to Netflix, which is conspicuously trying to up its game and land bigger cinematic fish to fry (despite similarly landing a recent stinker, The Cloverfield Paradox).

It’s a shame in a way, because Annihilation’s dreamy, occasionally beautiful visuals will certainly lose an awful lot of impact on small screens – and will have none at all if you’re one of those people who watches on a phone: a platform which will absolutely annihilate Annihilation’s impact.

Here, Natalie Portman

leads as an ex-soldier who’s one of a small team of scientists entering The Shimmer – a mysterious, slowly expanding zone that’s sprung up somewhere on the American coast, defined by what looks like an oil bubblelike forcefield at its edge, and mutating the flora and fauna within its lush, sun-dappled and rainbowhued interior.

The team – also including Jennifer Jason Leigh as its enigmatic head – are just the latest batch of people trying to solve The Shimmer’s purpose.

Mysterious However, although plenty of others have been sent into the mysterious miasma, nobody ever comes back – nobody, that is, except for Portman’s violently ill soldier husband (Oscar Isaac), giving her a personal quest to help solve the mystery of The Shimmer.

To say much more about what happens within the zone would be unhelpful, as there’s little that actually hap-

pens, with the film largely focusing on fostering an intensely brooding tone and atmosphere rather than providing traditional story beats.

There are some moments of startling beauty (with special praise for its dreamy cinematography and lighting), as well as some unsettling gore and one particularly disturbing beast, but for the most part there’s something that seems a little too ‘low energy’ about Annihilation, despite a few all-guns-blazing moments.

Portman and Jason Leigh are giving it their brooding best, but the end result is very much the sum of its parts.

Personally, as gorgeous – and occasionally ghastly – as its wonderfully executed visuals are, it was hard not to think of similar scenes from other sources.

Many of Annihilation’s locations bring to mind visuals from some brilliant video games and franchises (The Last of Us, Uncharted, Final Fantasy, Bloodborne), with echoes of the quiet

environmentalism behind much of Japanese anime and manga master Hayao Miyazaki’s work (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind) also drifting past.

The intense inner intellectualism driving the characters along – and the possible impact on the world around them – also brings to mind Andrei Tarkovsky’s seminal Solaris (1972), which saw an alien water planet reacting to/ manipulating the astronauts trying to study it.

That’s a hell of a lot of stuff to think about when considering what’s basically just a sci-fi film about a mysterious zone that’s full of some creepy/cool stuff.

Global release Although I was personally underwhelmed by Annihilation, it’s been a critical hit, with plenty of rave reviews, although it’s too early to say just yet what the long-term audience reaction will be, as it was just globally released on Monday.

While I found the film to be a curate’s egg unin-

tentionally stuffed full of overly familiar parts, most of its audience will see this with much fresher eyes.

Even at its worst, there are some very interesting, thoughtful ideas at the heart of Garland’s latest, providing a refreshing alternative to the utterly dumbed down sci fi that we’re mostly treated to.

(That said, I’m looking forward to Pacific Rim 2, because watching giant robots wrestling with kaiju and trashing cities is difficult to make boring.)

While it may seem a little too long, too intellectual or too esoteric for many, Annihilation is a very pretty and occasionally creepy way to kill a couple of hours.

It’s also an interesting benchmark to note as Netflix begins to flex its muscles in a bid to, perhaps, challenge cinema’s dominance for most big budget or critically acclaimed releases.

Ultimately, that may prove to be even more interesting to consider than The Shimmer itself...

Verdict: 6/10

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32 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

DUBLINLIFE Revellers enjoying a silent disco

Silent disco has all the very best tunes (and not much of the noise) for a fun night  JORDAN UPSHAW LOOKING for some weeknight fun? Then check out Dublin’s only Silent Disco, at Whelan’s on Wexford Street.

W helan’s hosts a Silent Disco ever y Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night yearround. What is a Silent Disco, you may ask?

Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like – a dance party without the noise complaints.

Par ticipants wear wireless headphones, drink and dance while a DJ takes care of the rest.

A silent disco eliminates the need for speakers and worrying about complying with noise ordinances.

The idea is that only the people wearing the headphones can hear the music. Everyone else remains undisturbed by the festivities.

Notably, Whelan’s features two DJs playing two different types of music. You can choose your favourite or switch between them as many times as you want.

According to the Whelans website: “If you don’t like what one DJ is playing, just flick a switch on your

headphones and listen to the other ,and if you don’t like that then just switch back again because you’ve probably already forgotten what was on the other channel.

“Pick up your headphones on the way in and switch between the two DJs to see who is playing the songs you most want to dance to. If you need a break, take the headphones off and marvel at the bizarre spectacle of a room full of people dancing and singing different songs, even though no music is to be heard.”

Musical genres vary by night. In the past they have included 80s vs 90s, noughties vs now, hip hop vs prog rock, indie vs electro, and many other genres.

The Whelan’s Silent Disco Ciunas takes place upstairs with regular pub merriment continuing uninterrupted downstairs. If you need a breather from dancing, you can go downstairs for a pint and then return to the disco upstairs when you’re ready.

Entr y is free all night, and so is the use of the wireless headphones. Discos start at 11pm and end around 3am.

FEATURES

FAMILIES | TAYTO ADDS A DRIVING SCHOOL TO POPULAR THEME PARK

Pick up a crisp new kiddy driving licence A NEED for speed is essential for those visiting Tayto Park in the coming months, as they have teamed up with Nissan to launch Ireland’s first driving school for kids.

The Nissan Driving School at Tayto Park is giving kids the chance to learn the rules of the road, giving them the ability to test out their driving skills on a dedicated road-marked course, tailored for smaller drivers.

The course will be the first ever of its kind for children in Ireland.

Any child that takes part in the training will leave with their very own ‘driver’s licence’, meaning they’ll be able to become real backseat drivers.

Currently under construction at Tayto Park, the new track is set to be open and ready for racing on Saturday, March 24.

The new attraction will give kids the chance to experience life in the driver’s seat, with the easy-drive track able to accommodate 20 miniature battery operated Nissan cars at one time.

Every child that participates will enjoy a short video

demonstration at the Learning Theatre, learning the rules of the road, before they embark on the drive of their lifetime on the purpose-built course.

Nissan are sponsors of the new attraction, as part of a new deal with the theme park.

The battery-operated cars on the course are representative of Nissan’s move to introduce more electric vehicles to their fleet, such as the Nissan LEAF.

Raymond Coyle, the founder of Tayto Park, said the new driving school is just one of the ways that the theme park aims to stay “innovative and creative”, keeping the park exciting for families across Ireland to visit.

He said: “Here at T a y t o Park we’re always l o o king for innovative and cre-

ative ways to enhance the experience for families at our theme park and zoo.

“The Nissan Driving School at Tayto Park will be the first of its kind in Ireland, of which I’m sure will be very popular among our younger visitors this season.

“I’m delighted to welcome Nissan to Tayto Park as this marks a milestone as the first sponsored attraction at the park.”

James McCarthy, chief executive of Nissan Ireland, said the car company is “delighted” to bring the driving school to Ireland.

Of the new attraction, he said: “Innovation and excitement for everyone is at the heart of what we do at Nissan.

“The thousands of children who will enjoy this new family attraction are the electric vehicle drivers of tomorrow.”

There’s plenty of vroom for driving fans twins Conor and Tara Ocks to get to grips with the new attraction at Tayto Park. Picture: Leon Farrell

A noteworthy way to help mark a century of Suffrage  JORDAN UPSHAW

THIS year marks the 100 year anniversary of Irish women getting the vote, with the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) ‘Saluting the Feminists’ with a free all-day event on March 28 from 10am to 5pm.

The event will celebrate the work of women composers, performers, pedagogues and women who have made important

musical contributions through other roles.

The main attraction will be the performance of an opera written by a female composer – Judith Weir’s Scipio’s Dream.

Weir is an awardwinning composer and currently holds the title of Master of the Queen’s Music. She wrote Scipio’s Dream in 1991.

Set in modern times, it follows office worker Scipio, whose boring day

quickly becomes interesting when two of his coworkers are transformed into the goddesses Fortune and Constancy.

The goddesses demand Scipio choose between the two and the gifts they offer him. Fortune tempts him with excitement, chance, and inclination.

Constancy transports him to heaven to meet his heroic ancestors and emphasises the importance of duty. Will he

make the right choice?

In addition to the opera, the Academy will also present an assortment of other events including concerts, talks and panel discussions designed to emphasise the significant contributions women have made to Irish music both in the past and in the present.

Saluting the Feminists is an event hosted by RIAM annually, but the centennial of Irish wom-

en’s suffrage makes the occasion unique this year.

According to RIAM, the event at RIAM, located at 38 Westland Row, “affords the Academy an opportunity to highlight the legacy of some of its key female pedagogues and salute a strong army of female composers and performers”.

Get your free tickets by registering at www.eventbrite.ie. Space is limited so book now.

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 33

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Gillick hails trailblazing Irish women’s athletes The scene for the PE Xpo at DCU last week. Picture: Kyran O’Brien

PEXPO: DUBLIN SCHOOLS SHINE AT ENGAGING EXHIBITION

Students provide sporting food for thought at PE Xpo  sport@dublingazette.com

FOR a second year, Colaiste Mhuire Cobh won the top prize at PExpo ‘18, the exhibition that encourages second level students to demonstrate their knowledge of sport, hosted for the first time this year by DCU. T i t l e d “ P r o -Te e n s ”, t h e Colaiste Mhuire project was inspired by the number of heavily marketed protein drinks and bars now targeting sports people.

The team of Cian Lynch, Diarmuid Kearney, Lauren Breen, Holly Morgan and Stewart Lynch first examined the intake of protein by young people both through their diet and though

protein shakes and bars.

To see whether the average diet could provide enough protein and whether those heavily involved sport needed more protein than the less active, they conducted a week-long experiment with each member of the team following a different diet after running a kilometre on the first and final days of the experiment. The results were inconclusive and they hope to continue exploring the topic on the Proteen website.

Top junior project (1st,2nd,3rd year students) was Jaia Kavanagh from Loreto Balbriggan with a project in the sports psychology section called “Does reinforce-

ment help sports teams win?”.

Kavanagh’s project also took the junior peer-judged award, voted on by fellow exhibitors.

Trinity Comprehensive, hosts of PExpo for the past three years, had 14 projects entered and took two awards.

Keith Enright and Brandon Kenna took the junior award in the ICT and Sports photography, for their project on the use of video techniques to teach sporting skills, while Arinna Gallagher’s study of “Sport and the LGBTG Community” won the top prize in the senior Power of Sport category.

For the first time, there was a special award for the best pro-

ject “as Gaeilge” and this went to Gaelcholaiste Cheatherlach for their project on concussion called “Ag chuir comhtol gadh chun cinn (concussion)”.

In the Well-Being, physical, Mental and Social category, both awards went to Leinster schools, with St Joseph’s Rush winning the junior prize for a study of “social jetlag” and obesity, and St Dominic’s Cabra best of the senior projects with a project simply name “Get Active Ireland!”.

With almost 200 entries, PExpo’18 proved a resounding success. PExpo will return to DCU on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

IRISH Olympian David Gillick paid tribute to the female atheltes who blazed a trail in Irish sport during his formative years ahead of this year’s VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.

The Ballinteer native -pictured above at the event launch with Amanda Byram - saw Sonia O’Sullivan dominate European distance athletics during his formative years as he harboured ambitions of following suit as a young sprinter. And he watched his teammate Derval O’Rourke break records in short-distance hurdling, which inspired him to back himself to success in his own career.

“The likes of Sonia O’Sullivan for me, when I was growing up, was pushing the boundaries of athletics,” Gillick told the Dublin Gazette.

“She was winning medals, and from an Irish point of view in athletics, there hasn’t been that many global medal winners who were dominant, and Sonia was one of them.

“Even for myself, in my career, the likes of Derval O’Rourke is someone I know well and respect, and I’ve competed on teams with her.

“Someone like that going away and winning World Indoors in Moscow, that would have inspired me because I’m thinking, ‘if they can do it, I can do it.’ They give you that belief you can have a crack.”

O’Sullivan holds the record time in the 10k race, which takes place on the June Bank Holiday weekend every year.

The event aims to promote activity and a healthy lifestyle for runners and non-runners alike, and will this year start in Fitzwilliam Square and end on Baggot Street.

GAZETTE

34 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

SPORT

FastSport HAND LINES UP THREE HARD HITTING DATES: CRUMLIN teenager Muay Thai fighter Liam Hand is set for a busy spell as he heads to England on March 24 in Lincoln at The Takeover event.

It will have professional fighters in action with a fourman winnner-takeall event running alongside a VIP/ black-tie evening with Frank Bruno and rapper Tinchy Stryder set to be in attendance On April 7, Hand will fight at local GAA club Good Counsel in what will most likely be the only time he will be in action in Dublin this year, giving his growing fanbase at home.

On April 21, he has the latest defence of his double Mayhem Belt in the 5* Everglades hotel in Derry.

Hand started up in the sport just two years ago at Hori’s Muay Thai Gym but has been making waves ever since with his dedication and results.

RUGBY: D’ARCY PULLS THE STRINGS IN COMFORTABLE AWAY DAY SUCCESS

Powerful Tarf sink Pirates to move into UBL 1A top four

UBL DIVISION 1A Buccaneers Clontarf  sport@dublingazette.com

7 33

CLONTARF moved into the top four of the UBL Division 1a with a powerful away win in Dubarry Park under lights, getting the best of Buccaneers in a tie postponed from a week earlier due to the snow.

A cold, wet and windy night meant conditions were testing for player and spectator alike with the elements better suited to the physically stronger visitors whose bonus point victory, allied to Garryowen’s home defeat, saw them leap frog a pair of Limerick clubs.

Although playing against the breeze, Tarf made the early running and Callum Boland had to put in a try-saving tackle on Adrian Feeney after 11 minutes. Ben Carty then had to be strong to shunt Royce Burke-Flynn into touch.

Eventually, a clever diagonal kick by Conor O’Brien to his brother Sean on the left flank exposed the Pirates defence and he got the grounding for a 21st minute lead.

Clontarf’s Conor O’Brien

Further pressure by Tarf yielded a 32nd minute Jack Power try converted by David Joyce for a 12-0 lead. Three minutes later, Buccs lock Daniel Law was sin-binned for illegal use of the boot.

Clontarf then applied a series of pick and goes until Matt D’Arcy punched a hole in the home cover for a well taken 37th minute try with

Joyce adding the conversion and a 19-0 half-time lead.

Clontarf promptly secured their bonus point try following the change of ends. Anthony Ryan made a telling break to get deep into home territory and the superior power of Tarf’s pack led to Dylan Donnellan driving over for 42nd minute try duly converted by Joyce.

Buccs responded to earn a penalty in front of the posts that was tapped quickly but the pass that sent Rory O’Connor over the line was ruled forward.

As the game entered the final quarter, Michael Noone stretched over the home line for a 63rd minute try and Joyce landed his fourth successful conversion to push his side’s

advantage to 33-0.

To their credit, Buccaneers battled gamely to the bitter end and were decidedly unlucky when Darragh Corbett was stopped by a seemingly high tackle just short of the visitors’ line five minutes from time.

Then, a brilliant break by Paul Boyle warranted a try that appeared to be prevented by a knock-on.

However, the midlanders gained some reward for their unstinting efforts and Boyle was their scorer when he powered through for a final move try which Luke Carty converted to take the bare look off the 33-7 scoreline.

Terenure College, meanwhile, won 29-13 at Garryowen to bolster Clontarf’s chances of a top four finish.

Tries from James O’Donoghue, Marc Hiney, Robbie Carroll and Jake Swaine did the damage for the Dubliners as they pulled away in the second half at Dooradoyle after the first half had ended 15-6.

That win has Nure in second place with three games remaining.

Life is Greener for Loreto with second All-Ireland win  sport@dublingazette.com

Loreto Stephen’s Green celebrate their victory on Monday.

LORETO Stephen’s Green (Dublin) have more silverware to add to their collection as they scooped the Under-19 B Girls All-Ireland Schools League basketball title as they overcame Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal Blarney with a 43-33 win at the National Basketball Arena.

Monday’s win completes a superb double for the school, who were crowned Subway Schools Cup champions back in January, and it was captain fantastic and MVP of the game, Lauren Devitt

who was the driving force behind the victory once more.

It was a slow start for both teams early on as they both took time to settle. Blarney’s Aoife Mc Sweeny opened the scoring with 5.58 to go in Q1, and a Simone O’Shea inspired five minutes saw them hold a 16-12 lead at the end of the first.

The second quarter was a much tighter affair, with Lauren Devitt beginning to fire on all cylinders for Loreto, and super scoring from Laura Furlong and Clodagh Cullen put momentum with Loreto and an outside shot

from Furlong brought the sides level with two minutes to go until half time.

Lovely link-up play between Julie Donnelly and Devitt saw Loreto take their first lead of the game, finishing out the quarter 29-24 ahead.

A third quarter switch up on defence from Loreto head coach Sarah Woods saw them put a box and one on Blarney threat, Simone O’Shea to make it extremely difficult for the Cork team to execute their scores.

Great displays from O’Shea, Sinead Singleton, Eve Mullins

and Emma Murphy just weren’t rewarded though, while at the other end, Loreto’s Furlong and Devitt put on a shooting display and stretched their lead over Blarney to nine points at the end of the third.

The final quarter saw Loreto maintain the same tempo and tenacity as the third, with Furlong and Devitt continuing to cause problems for the Blarney defence and as the clocked ticked down, the gap was just too much for Blarney to close and Loreto ran out 43-33 winners.

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

GAZETTE

FASTSport

MSB’s Shay Healy. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Olympian Healy a star turn

Ultra architects ready to paint Croke Park red The Colaiste Eoin students behind the rise of the GAA’s most famous fan movement talk about the genesis of the Ultras and how they are looking forward to another All-Ireland decider  PADRAIC MACLOCHLAINN sport@dublingazette.com

OLYMPIAN Shane Healy (Metro St Brigid’s) was a highlight of many wonderful performances at the Irish Life Health Masters Indoor Championships in Athlone last Saturday.

Healy was an Olympic 1,500m semi-finalist in Atlanta in 1996 and he won the M45 800m in 2.03.73 from Ken Archbold (St Laurence O’Toole’s) in 2.04.02.

It was among a series of superb performances from Dublin athletes in a high quality weekend.

Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) won the F35 400m in 59.52 and leapt to victory with 4.81m in the long jump.

Avril Dillon (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.) had a championship best performance in the F35 60m hurdles in 9.69 seconds.

Elsewhere on the weekend, Michael Cornyn (Dunboyne) won his first ever national title in the M55 800m in 2:20.93.

Joe Gough (West Waterford) won the M65 200m in 28.18, a new national record, the 400m in 61.38 and the 800m in 2:23.52.

Kelly Neely (City of Lisburn AC) won, as expected, the F35 1500m and 3,000m double in 4:53.12 and 9:38.02 respectively.

Anne Gilshinan (Slaney Olympic A.C.) won on the double also in the F50 800m and 1500m in 2:44.05 and 5:06.21 respectively. Niamh Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers A.C.) was also twice on top of the podium winning the F40 400m in 64.03 and 800m in 2:21.08, Mary Barrett (Loughrea AC) won multiple golds in the F55 section including 10.27m in the shot put. Geraldine Finegan (North East Runners AC) won the F50 400m in 68.48.

ONE of the revelations of Cuala’s run to their second successive AllIreland club hurling final has been their ubiquitous supporters group, the Cuala Ultras.

While David Treacy and chief marksman Con O’Callaghan has lit up the field of play, the support of their legion of young fans have stolen the show wherever they have gone, providing colour and great vocal support for the team in moments of need.

This group of young fans was particularly prominent in the semifinal victory over Liam Mellows of Galway, travelling en masse to Semple Stadium by bus and by train.

Chants have been a cru-

cial role, something rarely heard in GAA stands, with the Ultras drawing inspiration from diverse sources, from Celtic Park to schools matches, particularly from Colaiste Eoin games where many of the team had their formative years.

The team are certainly relish the Ultras’ support.

After the Leinster final last year, midfielder Jake Malone said: “the support this year has been second to none … when times got tough, the drove us on. They dug us out of the holes when we needed it”.

And so the Cuala train rolls on; for the supporters there are more train tickets to Croker to be booked as another AllIreland final awaits on St Patrick’s day.

The Dublin Gazette spoke to a few members

of the “ultras” this week to get their thoughts on the campaign so far and next Saturday’s match against Na Piarsaigh.

Ultras members Cormac Mahon, Luke Twomey, Darach ó Giollán and Conall ó Tuathail spoke to us this week about this season and the teams performances and how the club is feeling ahead of another all Ireland.

Luke: “The ultras were started by a group of about 10 people in the Cuala board room who sat together at matches and they started singing and chanting at matches.”

Cormac: “All the juvenile players in the club started sitting together at matches and we brought the megaphone in a while later and that added another level to it all

Clonliffe Harriers’ Snezana Bechtina. Picture: Sportsfile Cuala’s Ultras have created a n incredible fan movement for the Dalkey club

together.

Darach: “I feel as though the players get the sense they are playing for a community instead of just playing for each other.

The atmosphere created by the ultras really gives the team a lift.”

Cormac: “It’s not only the ultras who sing the songs all the fans do and the whole club is behind the team.”

Luke: “What this team has done is unbelievable for a small club from Dalkey to achieve this is unbelievable.”

Looking ahead to the final, the young fans reckon neutralising the Na Piarsaigh full-forward line will be a key area but confidence is high they can match last year’s performance against Ballyea.

Indeed, they have a large

bank of experience to draw from.

Cormac: Against Ballyea last year, everyone was talking about the damage Tony Kelly was going to do, but John Sheanon did an excellent job marking him and we’re hopeful he can do a similar job against Shane Dowling.

Conall: “I think it’s going to be a much closer game than last year.

“We’ve heard a lot about Na Piarsaigh and that they are preparing well and playing practice matches against intercounty opposition.

Luke: “The game last year in the Dublin final against Crokes when we were three points down and coming back to win by three was an important moment. I think it showed the guts and mental strength that this team has.

Conall: “Mattie Kenny is a very direct manager, he says it as it is. He’s been very direct with the team about the areas they need to improve.

“If the players have played well, he’ll let them know and if they have played poorly he’ll let them know as well.

“He’s worked on the team and he’s emphasised a high tackle rate. If you watch Cuala play, you’ll see them get right up in the opponents face and make it difficult for them.

Finally do you think your team will get the job done on Paddy’s day?

Luke (laughing): “Of course.”

GAZETTE

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

SPORT

FASTSport

RUGBY: GIBBONS LEADING SIDE INTO SEMI AGAINST BLACKROCK

Phoenix calling on young girls to give cricket a shot PHOENIX, Ireland’s oldest cricket club, are calling on local girls to give the sport a shot as they host a fun open day on Sunday, March 25.

Founded in 1830, Phoenix Cricket Club is located in the Phoenix Park, across from the zoo.

Last season, the club had 19 Leinster and Ireland Youth representatives from our club, coming from all ages and nationalities.

There are currently members ranging from the ages of six all the way up to 60, members coming from all over the world, places such as South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, France and the United Kingdom.

They populate five men’s teams, a ladies teams and youth sides from Under-9s up to Under-17.

In 2015, the ladies section celebrated 40 years.

In order to keep this tradition alive, they are looking to recruit more youth girls from age eight and up.

To this end, they are hosting the open day on March 25 from 11am to 2pm. No experience is needed, just fun for the girls. There will be free refreshments for all and a gift and more on the day along with competitions and prizes.

The club’s youth section registration for the coming season for new and returning members will also take place that day from 2pm to 4pm.

Full information packs on the cricket season will be available then. Girls training for U-11s onward are on Wednesdays from 5pm to 6.30pm.

During the season, the club will also have Easter (April 3-5) and Summer camps for kids with fully qualified coaches.

For further information about the camps or season, ask on the day or checkout the Phoenix Cricket Club Facebook page and the website www.phoenixcricketclub.ie for more details and to register for the GIVE IT A SHOT! Cricket for Girls Event, call Jackie on 0868511318. We look forward to seeing you on the day!!

Gavin Murphy-O’Kane crosses the line for a Castleknock College try

Knock on a Junior Cup roll sport@dublingazette.com

CASTLEKNOCK College stormed their way into the Leinster Schools Junior Cup final with an emphatic 30-7 points victory over CBC Monkstown in Donnybrook stadium.

Two first half tries from Luke Callinan, either side of an Oran Farrell effort, gave Castleknock a 15-0 lead going into half time and they never looked back.

Farrell was on the scoreboard again shortly after the break with a neatly struck penalty from 30m out to extend the North siders lead to 18 points.

CBC were not going

down without a fight and following strong carrying from their forwards, they scored a converted try to bring the deficit to 11 points.

However, if anything this score seemed to spark Castleknock into life once more.

A neatly executed line out move saw Oran Farrell surge into the CBC 22 and following quick ball at the breakdown, the ball entered captain Fionn Gibbons hands and the powerful centre stormed over from 20 metres out.

The first Junior Cup Semi-Final for Knock since 2006 was sealed when Senan Forker

SKEWERED Tridents undone by Oblates in Division 3 TRIDENTS Division 3 side came unstuck last week as they succumbed 48-32 to Oblates last Wednesday in Castleknock Community College.

The result leaves the club in eighth place in the division after 15 of their 20 scheduled games for the season, falling to an Oblates team who are going in seach of the title in a three-way battle with Tolka Rovers and Dublin Raiders.

Picture: Martin Doherty

offloaded in the tackle just outside the CBC 22m line to the dynamic Gavin Murphy O’Kane.

He needed no invitation to burst through the CBC defence and force his way over the line next to the posts. Farrell duly converted the extras to take the final score to 30-7.

They can now look forward to another day out in Donnybrook as they continue their quest for a ninth title at this level but they are very much being pitched as a dark horse ahead of their semi-final against Blackrock on Thursday, March 15 at 3pm.

This looks to be a solid,

not unbeatable, Blackrock outfit, searching for a 51st crown, which can slip into a groove at any point in the game.

Their backline looks silky smooth at times but Castleknock have their own headline act in Gibbons.

They have been on a roll this season, plotting an impressive course through the Leinster League to upend Roscrea 26-15 in the final with Gibbons picking up two of their tries.

This is far from a oneboy team as number eight Luke Callinan is a powerhouse carrier with an able support in flankers Gavin

Murphy-O’Kane, prop John Ozoani and lock Donnchadh Lahert.

The three-quar ters aren’t too slack either as half-backs Conor Duggan and Alex Watson are able distributors with centre Sean Casey skilled and full-back Oran Farrell always on the lookout for an opening. All in all, the northsiders have been rebuilding their reputation as serious contenders over the last five years.

While the league title is a nice garland to hang around the neck, there is nothing to compare with the message it would send to take out Blackrock.

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

GAZETTE

CROSS COUNTRY

FASTSoccer

Gidry glides to All-Ireland glory in Waterford IT LE CHEILE SS Tyrrelstown’s Efrem Gidry celebrates his win in the senior boys 6,000m at the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country at Waterford IT in Waterford.

Gidry was previously in Calais in a refugee camp before arriving in Ireland he glided home despite the tough conditions, seeing off St Aidan’s Sean O’Leary.

Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

SOCCER: SAFETY PRETTY MUCH ASSURED INTER STATUS

Adam Layton heads goalward for Castleknock Celtic against Dalkey United

Castleknock Celtic beat the weather to get the better fo Dalkey United

Hartstown Huntstown FC are looking forward to a Champions League final to remember

Byrne true to Harts LSL holiday promise LSL SUNDAY SENIOR 1B Hartstown Huntstown 1 Pegasus/St James Athletic 0  DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

H A R T S T O W N Huntstown coach Dave Byrne will honour a commitment to his squad to take them on a trip abroad after they all but secured intermediate football for next season.

Things were looking bleak for the Blanch side over Christmas as they went on a run of nine defeats in 11 games – but three league wins later they sit third in the LSL Sunday Senior 1B table.

C o n s e c u t i ve 1- 0

victories over Mid Sutton Sportslink, Mullingar Athletic and, last weekend, Pegasus/St James’Athletic have seen them rocket up the table.

They’ve now reached the 25-point mark – just over a point a game – that has as good as ensured they avoid the two remaining relegation spots.

And the management team will be true to their word and reward the squad with a day-trip away to coincide with the Champions League final in May. “We promised the guys once they’d secured safety that we’d bring them on a

trip abroad,” Byrne told the Dublin Gazette.

“We’ll honour that now for the night of the Champions League final – we’re going to go away for it. “ M a t h e m a t i c a l l y, here’s the funny bit. We can probably still get promoted but it depends on results around us.

Our goal was to stay in intermediate football this year.”

The decision to move s t r i ke r C h r i s t o p h e r Barbour into a playmaking midfield role proved the key to the victory over Pegasus that took Hartstown Huntstown to the magic 25-point mark.

It was another tactical switch – bringing youngster Adam Russell on to the right wing – that yielded the game’s only goal 20 minutes from the end.

Russell caught flight down the right-hand side and crossed for Mark Walsh – a stalwart from the Saturday side – to put the ball in the back of the net.

“We had it on the allweather pitch, having made sure it was prepped before the game.

“With the amount of snow during the week we had to do before to make sure the game went ahead.”

CASTLEKNOCK Celtic’s Under-19 LFL Development Cup tie against Dalkey United was the only game at Porterstown Park to survive the Friday night rain as the recent weather travails continue to have their impact.

The pitch was, nonetheless, in good condition despite the rain and perfect for good football and the two teams did not disappoint. The visitors were ahead in 15 minutes when Harry Crossan took his chance to put Dalkey in front.

Celtic struck back within 10 minutes when Lorcan Quinn was on the mark to find the net, 1-1 at half-time.

Despite conceding early on, Celtic looked composed at the back with Jordan Bowden and Tameen Chaal in commanding form. Jack Darcy looked back to his best form after his break from the team and impressed in the middle of the park with Alex Holmes and man of the match Killian Ronan.

Up front, James Smith was creating chances, and he was partnered in the attack by Adam Layton who was at his clinical best when he got Celtic’s second on the hour.

The highlight of the game came late on when Killian Ronan weaved his way through the Dalkey defence, only to be taken down in the box, and referee Paddy Kearns had no hesitation pointing to the spot.

Up stepped Holmes with five minutes remaining and his spot kick to the back of the net sealed a convincing win that puts Celtic in the draw for the next round of the cup later in the week.

Given the overall balance in the team and lots of commitment, this team will look forward to their next challenge with relish. Manager Eddie Bowden was quick to praise his team’s performance, not wishing to single out anyone for special mention as they had all put in a shift.

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GAZETTE

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  FINGAL 15 March 2018

SPORT

FOOTBALL: BALBRIGGAN SCHOOL ADD UNDER-14 CROWN TO THE MAIDEN

FASTGAA

Glory Glory Glor na JUV SECTION 2 FINAL Glor na Mara St Tiernan’s  sport@dublingazette.com

DCU celebrate. Picture: Eoin Noonan/Sportsfile

Fingallians duo play their part in DCU O’Connor win FINGALLIANS’ Emer ni hEafa and Niamh Rickard played their part in DCU’s run to the Gourmet Food ParlourO’Connor Cup title last weekend as they got the best of UCD in the semi-final before beating UL in the final 2-12 to 0-17 at Abbotstown.

There was just a single point in the difference at Abbotstown, and fittingly it was skipper Aishling Moloney who settled a gripping tie in the dying seconds.

The Tipperary ace finished with 0-7 to her name, while goals from Cavan’s Aisling Sheridan and Mayo’s Sarah Rowe helped the Dublin college past the holders to victory.

Cork sharpshooter Eimear Scally bagged 0-11 at the other end, while Grace Kelly and Shauna Howley hit 0-3 apiece.

3-12 1-6

FOR A school just four years in existence, few would have predicted this school year could get any better for Coláiste Ghlór na Mara.

The Balbriggan postprimary school picked up its first ever football title when their first year boys were crowned Tom Quinlan plate winners last November.

As the celebrations quietened down and the dust settled on that historic achievement many schools would have been content with that.

Not the Balbriggan side, though. Last Wednesday saw the school claim their second footballing crown this year as they overcame St Tiernan’s, Balally, in Abbotstown in the Juvenile Section 2 football final.

Eight of the victorious first year team were added to the Under-14 panel at the start of the competition in late November.

Having topped the group and navigated their way through the quarter and semi-finals comfortably, all roads led to the Leinster GAA campus.

From the throw-in, the tone was set for a ferocious first quarter which was played at blistering pace and saw both sides struggling to assert themselves on the scoreboard.

The first 10 minutes was a war of attrition played out in the middle third. Glór na Mara captain Evan Ó Carthaigh was immense in midfield alongside a busy Iarla Ó Ceallaigh.

Eventually, they began to boss the middle of the park and take some pressure of Kevin Ó Fearnáin at centre back. A pattern of Ó Carthaigh and Ó Ceallaigh winning possession

and feeding the swashbuckling Oisín Ó Murchú began to emerge. Ó Murchú would finish the game with 1-3 but not before St Tiernan’s punished the Balbriggan team’s defence who abandoned their post in alarming fashion.

The Dundrum school

should have had a second goal soon after but for the heroics of goalkeeper Ryan Ó hAilpín and the industrious John Ó Cléirigh. A flurry of excellent point kicking before the break left the score at 1-6 to 1-1 at half time.

Five points down and against the breeze, Tier-

nan’s needed a good opening to the second half.

They threw everything at Glór na Mara but could not break down a defence anchored by Ben Mac Tiarnán at full back.

Wing-backs Jamie De Sutún and Evan Ó Cleirigh were popping up everywhere, challenging,

The celebrations begin in earnest for Balbriggan school Glor na Mara

CLUB NOTICEBOARD CASTLEKNOCK

OUR nursery, with thanks to Tiger Childcare, is in full swing in CCC every Saturday.

New members always welcome.

Nursery enquiries to lisakiernan1@gmail.com.

Big thanks to everyone who supported Sunday’s Feile Bake Sale. Well done to all the organisers, bakers and helpers on a great job.

Feile Quiz will take place in the Carpenter on March 16. Also, time to think about getting tickets for the acclaimed “The Plough and The Stars” performed by the Draiocht company in Castleknock Community College on Thursday, March 22. Just text 086 8901147.

Comhghairdeas to our ladies senior footballers who won the 2018 Comortas Peile 7s, great performances by all and big thanks to all the event organisers.

Well done to our senior hurlers who notched a second victory of their league campaign with a 1-21 to 2-13 win over St

Sylvester’s in Somerton.

Heavy construction taking place in Somerton for the next two weeks.

There will be large heavy construction deliveries to the clubhouse construction site which will require use of the main gate. Visitors to Somerton should take should take great care during this period.

No winner of our lotto jackpot with thanks to Rialto Ford. Numbers were 7, 14, 15, 28. Five match 3 winners, winning €60 each. Lucky dip winner was M Devlin who takes home €30. Our new jackpot is €6,000 with the next draw in De Brun’s on March 15.

FINGALLIANS

LA FHEILE Pádraig: THE juvenile teams must wear club colours. Bring as much red and white as possible.

Whistles, posters, airhorns… all encouraged.

St Patricks Day Entertainment: The Fingallians group will

proceed down North Street to the clubhouse where we will have a ‘hooley mór’ with music, dance and DJ. The rugby game, Ireland v England, will be shown on the big screen. Both club finals will be shown in the club bar along with the FA Cup quarter finals.

There will be a BBQ from 12.30pm. The evening entertainment starts with a Ballad Group in the hall from 7-9pm.

Cake Sale: Our U-14 Feile team will host their annual fundraising cake sale in the club after the parade.

O’Connor Cup: Congratulations to Niamh Rickard, Emma Colgan and Emer Ni hEafa on winning the O’Connor cup on Sunday with DCU. The club shop will open both this Thursday so members can purchase club gear for the parade and adult players for the season ahead.

Safeguarding courses: The club is currently running these courses which must be completed by all personnel

interacting with children within Fingallians.

All courses completed pre-2015 are no longer valid due to changes in legislation.

Thursday, March 15: four places still available.

Please email cpo@ fingallians.com to book a place or if available to participate on a morning date, to be announced.

Good Friday: The executive has decided to keep the bar closed this year on Good Friday. This is in recognition of the hard working staff who deserve a day off.

Gym open day: All members are invited to attend an open day in Fin’s Gym on Wednesday, March 21. Come along any time between 9.30am to 1.30pm and 6-9pm to view the facilities, meet the trainers and chat about what classes/sessions would suit you and your family. All ages and capabilities catered for.

Get fit and get healthy with the Fins’ team.

Easter Camp Dates: Monday, March 26 to Thursday, March 29. Each

day from 9am to 1pm. It will cost €40 for members and €60 for non-members. It is for girls and boys aged four to 13 years.

Schools Update: Well done to St Finian’s Community College Senior boys who won the schools final on Thursday v Colaiste Chillian, 5-11 to 2-3.

Finian’s had 10 of our club on the panel.

Lotto winning numbers: 3, 4, 11, 16 and 33. We had five winners receiving €313 each.

The jackpot this Tuesday will be €2,326.

Na hUimhreacha Buaiteach Lotó: 3, 4, 11, 16 agus 33. Bhí cúig buaiteoirí, a bhuaigh €313 an duine. Ar an Máirt seo beidh an Pota Óir €2,326.

Fingallians extends deepest sympathy to the family of Fintan Keeling on the death of his brother Donal, last week. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hAnam dilís.

NAOMH PEREGRINE

THERE was a great response

to Seachtain na Gaeilge last week with an excellent pop-up Gaeltacht and Feile Quiz supported by the entire juvenile section.

Thanks and well done to all the organisers and participants.

St Patrick’s Day features a sponsored walk starting at the clubhouse at 10am with face-painting, cake sale and breakfast rolls available. Then there’s Irish dancing and music in the clubhouse from 11am followed by participating in the Blanchardstown St Patrick’s Day Parade from 1.30pm. Afterwards in the clubhouse, there will be live music and Irish dancing from 4 to 6pm.

Registration for our Easter Camps is now available. Academy Camp (6-7 years old) and GAA Skills Camp (8-12 years old); both run from Tuesday, April 3 to Friday, April 6.

Details of times and fees and registration are now available on-line at cnp.ie.

There was no winner of the club lottery. The

numbers drawn were 1, 4, 14 and 19. Next week’s jackpot rises to €5,200 with the usual 10 consolation prize draws of €40 each. Support your club’s and players’ development by entering the draw at €2 per entry.

The club is very fortunate and honoured to receive sponsorship from the local community and commercial entities.

We particularly appreciate and would like to acknowledge, with gratitude, the recent sponsorship received from D15 Taxis and also Community Credit Union for their continued support over many years.

Their contributions, and those of all our other sponsors, help our ongoing commitment to the development of players in the club.

Membership fees for 2018 are now due and payable. If not paid by the end of March, a “No Pay-No Play” policy will be strictly applied. Check cnp.ie for the easy on-line way to pay. Details of all membership registration

15 March 2018 FINGAL  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

GAZETTE

TROPHY WON IN DECEMBER

FANTASTIC FEILE

Mara

blocking and pressurising the Dundrum boys.

As the second half clock ticked on Glór na Mara began to pick off scores one by one. Ó Murchú, Ó Ceallaigh and Ó Carthaigh all kicked points as did Eoin Ó Dufaigh.

When Mitchell De Faoite and substitute Callum

Mac Craith rifled in two goals, the writing was on the wall for St. Tiernan’s.

A gutsy first half performance was not enough to stop the Glór na Mara juggernaut, which is showing no signs of slowing down.

Glór na Mara’s U-16 boys face into their semifinal in two weeks’ time.

Picture: Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

John West hand over jersey design JOHN West, in conjunction with O’Neills, are handing over the design of this year’s official 2018 Feile jersey. Anyone wishing to enter the competition can visit O’Neills website and search for John West then let their creative juice flow. Once logged in, applicants can download the templated John West blank jersey and begin designing.

The best design winner will also win a weekend trip to Killary Adventure Centre for all the family.

CLUB NOTICEBOARD plans available are included.

ST BRIGID’S

ALL juvenile teams and parents are invited to march in the Blanchardstown St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17. Meet at Scoil Brid Blanchardstown at 2pm.

Parade starts at 3pm.

There will be a bus after the parade to bring all back to the clubhouse for refreshments in good time for the Ireland v England game.

Massive thanks to everyone who supported the GAA National Club Draw and to Jerry Nolan in particular who led by example. We are delighted that the club feature twice in the winners list, congratulations to Allison Ryan and to John Fleming. The full winners listing is available on the GAA website.

St Brigid’s Easter GAA Camp for five to 13-year-old boys and girls takes place from March 26 to 29 from 10am to 2pm daily. Nursery continues each Saturday

from 9.30 to 11am, all four to seven-year-olds are welcome.

Rain disrupted fixtures last weekend with late call offs needed as pitches became unplayable due to Friday night rain. Our U-14 girls recorded a good camogie win and a draw in football.

There was no winner of the lotto jackpot last week, the next draw is in the Greyhound on March 15. The jackpot will be €2,400. Make sure to have your tickets in the draw, you can also buy online via our website www. stbrigidsgaa.com. Many thanks to our great lotto committee.

Well done to all who participated in the Feile quizzes last weekend, two great evenings and some ingenious and entertaining questions in the mix. Thank you to all who supported.

Club membership fees are now due – they can be paid online from our website.

All in St Brigid’s would like to extend our sympathy to the Duignan family following

passing of Mary Duignan, mother of Sean and Des.

ST FINIAN’S

THE effects of last week’s snow rendered River Valley & Ridgewood pitches unplayable resulting in most of the weekend’s home fixtures being cancelled.

Congratulations to the AHL8 team who beat Castleknock in Somerton.

The first two games of the season have seen minor players Jack Malone and Andrew Cowley make their adult hurling debuts with Jimmy Hammond and Eoin O’Malley in good form on their return to hurling action.

Well done also to the Thomas Ashe minor team who had a great win in their Division 3 clash with St Sylvester’s.

Congratulations to the U-16 camogie team who won their first Division 1 league game against Faughs in a very tight encounter on Saturday while the U-16 LGFA team beat Kilmacud Crokes in Ridgewood on Sunday.

Well done to the U-8 2010 girls who played their first Go Games camogie match on Sunday against Whitehall Colmcille. The girls are currently being coached by members of the U-16 championship winning camogie team and this was reflected by the skill levels on display.

With St Patrick’s Day approaching, a reminder that all juvenile members are invited to walk with their team in the Swords St Patrick’s Day parade accompanied by their parents wearing their St Finian’s colours or something else.

The parade starts at 11am and all parents & children are requested to meet in Colaiste Choilm car park on the Forest Road at 10am.

Parents and coaches are by now aware of the club’s plans for the Parade and a big thanks to all those who spent a great deal of time helping with the preparations.

Everybody is invited to the clubhouse for some ceol agus craic and refreshments.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR FINGAL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 34-39

GLORY, GLORY, GLOR NA MARA: Balbriggan school wins yet another title in just their fourth year P38-39

MARCH 15-21, 2018

UNDERDOGS ON THE RISE: Castleknock College set up semi-final with Blackrock P36

Tipp in Burke’s sights Na Fianna’s Donal Burke at the launch of the AIB Future Sparks Festival. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Na Fianna teenager Donal Burke is looking forward to a NHL quarter-final date with Tipperary having seen his influence on the Dublin team grow

 JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

YOUNG Dublin corner-forward Donal Burke is revelling in his increasingly regular starting role for the county hurlers, taking on free-taking responsibilities in the absence of Cuala man David Treacy so far in 2018.

The Na Fianna man hit 1-10 in the win over Laois at the weekend, guaranteeing the Dubs Division 1B status and a quarter final contest against Tipperary in the process, as a shaky campaign got back on track with a comfortable win.

The 19-year-old DCU student is very much taking things in his stride.

“I’ve had a lot going on with DCU in the Fitz-

gibbon Cup and the Dublin stuff,” Burke tells the Dublin Gazette.

“I kind of take every game as it comes, I treat them all the same and don’t dwell on the county pressure. There are a lot of great players in the Fitzgibbon, and you pick up some different experiences in terms of training and ideas that you can bring back to the club and to Dublin.

“The club set up is a bit better now as the championship starts in April and I’ll get to spend a bit of time back at Na Fianna. I try to get back whenever I can, as it’s important to set an example and be around.”

Getting involved in the lives of teenagers is something that Burke will be taking further when he offers career guidance to sport-loving

attendees at the AIB Future Sparks Festival at the RDS on Thursday, March 22, alongside Gordon D’Arcy, Colm Cooper, Sarah Keane and David Treacy. The panel will cover sporting topics ranging from the business of sport to career opportunities.

Burke is currently studying accountancy and admits: “it was quite easy for me, as I always knew that was what I wanted to do. I remember it being much harder for some people to make a choice.

“My brother is going through it now, and it’s not easy. I want to talk to people about how it’s not important to know everything before you choose a course. You can always change later.”

Nevertheless, glancing at his own future, Burke

has observed how some of the Dublin football side have aligned accountancy roles with GAAfriendly firms, and he hopes to get involved.

“We’ll see what comes up,” he says of his graduation and future employment. “Some of them are very good about things like training and matches, and obviously hurling will be a factor.”

As for staying in Division 1B and keeping access to contests against the top county teams, Burke thinks it’s vital to the Dubs future.

“Playing competitive games and getting experience as a young team all the time is so important.

I’m lucky right now as lectures aren’t the same as a part time job, so I can fit in time in the gym, and training, without the same strain of going to work on Monday morning.”