Lucan GAZET TE FREE
The beauty of the blue seas and golden beaches of Malta
TRAVEL: P22-23 RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.
YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER
INSIDE: Annual Liffey Descent makes quite a splash at the weir P10
Gaelic Games: Sarsfields’ sides set for tests in championship Page 32
Interview: Bernard Dunne on life after being the champ Page 29
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ..................... 9 MOTORS ........................19 BUSINESS .................... 21 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26
October 20, 2011
FUNDING BOOST: Council’s 40,000
ways to help local sports projects P4
Council reviews winter works’ scheme Q NATALIE BURKE
WITH fears growing that a repeat of the freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls that paralysed the country last winter could be on the cards, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) has confirmed that a major review of its entire Winter Maintenance Programme has been carried out. Responding to a question raised by Fine Gael councillor Emer Higgins, SDCC said
details of the review would be presented to local councillors in the coming weeks. Welcoming the response, Cllr Higgins said: “I am delighted that the gritting routes have been fully reviewed and improved by the council since last year. “The last two winters have been particularly cold and tough for people, both in their homes and on our roads,” she said. Full Story on Page 3
Thinking pink: Fun event shows support for breast cancer LOCAL Fine Gael Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, joined Ann Bergin and Pat Lacey at Kenny’s last week, for an imaginative, upbeat way of showing support for, and raising awareness of, breast cancer. Lots of women from
Lucan, Clondalkin and across West Dublin came along to the popular bar, with most dressed in pink to help have fun on the day, which was held as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. See Story on Page 2, Gallery on Page 9
2 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
SUPPORT LUCAN BUSINESS
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SDCC Appeal on decision to grant planning permission
SHOP LOCALLY Strong opposition to takeaway
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Q NATALIE BURKE
CALL THE GAZETTE ON 60 10 240
A COMBINED group of local residents and businesses are to appeal a decision by South Dublin County Council to grant planning permission for a new takeaway at the Griffeen Shopping Centre in Lucan. The appeal by the Griffeen Glen Residents Association and Others was lodged last week and it could take up to 18 weeks before
the planning authority makes a ruling on the case. When contacted by the Gazette, the planning applicants, Gilligan Architects, who are working on behalf of the developers behind the proposed new takeaway, had not responded at the time of going to press. Dublin Mid West TD and Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, and local Fine Gael Councillor Wil-
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The appeal by the Griffeen Glen Residents Association and Others was lodged last week and it could take up to 18 weeks before the planning authority makes a ruling
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liam Lavelle are amongst those weighing in behind the campaign against planning application. Speaking to the Gazette, Cllr Lavelle said he believed the pro-
posed takeaway would represent an over-intensification of takeaway usage at the Griffeen Centre, which is zoned residential. “It (the development)
will invariably have a significant and detrimental impact of the residential amenity of the area in particular of the Griffeen Glen Boulevard residential area through compounding the existing problems of traffic, noise, litter and general disturbance as well as having an overlynegative impact on the heath and well-being of the local community; and in particular of children,” he said.
Councillor Emer Higgins, Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Helena Goodwin, Sinead McArvill, Amanda Kennedy and Jackie Callanan
EVENT: KENNY’S LOUNGE HOSTS ALL PINK MORNING FOR WOMEN
Be breast health aware Q NATALIE BURKE
LOCAL TD and Minister Frances Fitzgerald is appealing to women to be more breast health aware. Speaking at an event held in Kenny’s Lounge in Lucan last week, the Minister joined women from across the local area at the All Pink morning, that was held to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Feel Good afternoon was organised by Fitzgerald, in conjunction with the Marie Keating Foundation, and the Lucan ladies in attendance heard from the foundation’s breast health nurse, as well as lifestyle experts Brian Colburt and Aveen Bannon. “This is the third year that I have held an event in the heart of Lucan to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and
this year, we are asking women to look after their girls, to speak to their friends about breast cancer and be breast health aware,” said Minister Fitzgerald. “The statistics are startling, with almost 3,000 Irish women diagnosed every year with breast cancer, so early detection is key. “T he Marie Keating Foundation’s breast health nurse explained
the importance of being breast health aware, and I really feel she empowered women to be more responsible when it comes to our breast health. “In today’s busy world, it is very hard to make time for your own health, but, the reality is everything else can wait, cancer won’t. “It is so important for women to be breast aware, to be healthy and to be positive, and I do
hope that people took that message away with them,” Minister Fitzgerald said following the successful event. “Masseuses were on hand at the event to give people a taste of what a stress-free life would be like. I was delighted to have received such positive feedback from the women who attended and really hope that people gained from attending this event,” she said.
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 3
COUNCIL SDCC prepares for expected bad winter
Mental health free talk
Funding boost to help tackle winter freeze Q NATALIE BURKE
lucan@gazettegroup.com
WITH fears growing that there will be a repeat of the freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls that paralysed the country last winter, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) has confirmed that a major review of its entire winter maintenance programme has been carried out. Responding to a question raised by Fine Gael councillor Emer Higgins at a council meeting last week, SDCC said it had carried out a full review of their winter maintenance programme. The council said details
of the review would be presented to local councillors in the coming weeks. Cllr Higgins welcomed the response, saying: “I am delighted that the gritting routes have been fully reviewed and improved by the council since last year, and that the Minister forTransport, Leo Varadkar, has made an additional €11,000 available to SDCC in respect of our Winter Maintenance Grant. “The last two winters have been particularly cold and tough for people, both in their homes and on our roads. “Council workers were gritting the roads around
Q NATALIE BURKE
lucan@gazettegroup.com
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‘Minister Leo Varadkar has made an additional €11,000 available to SDCC [for its winter works]’ --------------------------
SCHOOLS: EXPERT
Snow ploughs at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre were one part of the local response to last winter’s Big Freeze, with the council’s preparations for the expected return
Cllr Emer Higgins, FG
of severe weather this winter soon to be presented to councillors
the clock, but, unfortunately, many of them remained hazardous for drivers and pedestrians alike,” she said. The council also plans, this year, to carry out a pilot programme of community salting, which will facilitate the salting of
local roads by resident associations and community groups. “I fully welcome this move, and want to stress that it is an additional measure on top of the gritting which will be carried out by council workers,” Cllr Higgins said.
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“This year, we will have a priority list of footpaths that need to be cleared in the event of heavy snowfall, and this will be of particular benefit to pedestrians and people getting to and from school, mass and walking to access public transport.
“This winter, the council will have access to €99,000 for gritting roads and for repairing areas which have been damaged by ice or heavy snow. “This is in addition to salt supplies purchased by the NRA,” Cllr Higgins said.
TV PERSONALITY and clinical psychologist, David Coleman, is set to present a talk on Promoting Emotion Health in Young People in Lucan next week, to help mark Mental Health Week. Parents of students currently attending Lucan Community College, St Joseph’s College and Colaiste Padraig are invited to attend the free talk, which will take place at 7pm on Thursday, October 27 at Lucan Community College. Coleman is best known known for his award-winning RTE TV series, Teens in the Wild, and Families in the Wild. Tickets are available from each of the school offices. However, places are limited, and are available on a first-come, firstserved basis.
4 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
CHARITY: SWEET EVENT
A special cake sale for hospice AN array of delicious cakes will be on sale at a special fundraiser in aid of Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, which will take place at the Church of Ireland Parish Centre on the Main Street in Lucan on Friday, October 21. The lunch and cake sale will take place between 12 and 2pm, in place of St Andrew’s Parish Centre’s annual coffee morning, and organisers Helen Ryan and Chanel Watson are encouraging members of the public to come along, buy lunch and help a great cause.
“We hold fundraisers most years for the hospice, so it’s become a bit of a tradition, and would love for as many people as possible to come and buy lunch on the day. There will be homemade soup and brown bread for sale, as well as scones and cakes, and we are hoping to raise a reasonable amount,” Helen told the Gazette. Anyone who wishes to donate any baked goods for the lunch and cake sale is more than welcome, and can bring along their donations to the parish centre on the day of the event.
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COUNCIL Grant scheme aimed at sport
EDUCATION: LUCAN COLLEGE
School places available for 2013 Q STAFF REPORTER news@gazettegroup.com
South Dublin County Council offices
€40,000 to supply fitness equipment Q NATALIE BURKE
LOCAL sporting projects were celebrating this week, after it was announced that they are to be allocated over €40,000 in funding. The announcement has been welcomed by local TD and Minister Frances Fitzgerald, who said projects throughout Lucan and Clondalkin will be amongst those who will receive funding. The funding, which is
to be invested in South Dublin County Council sports projects, is part of a targeted capital grant scheme aimed to boost participation in sport. Griffeen Valley Park, Corkagh Park, Hermitage Park and Rathcoole Park are the four locations chosen to receive €10,000 each, which will be used to supply fitness equipment for their local sports projects. Speaking to the Gazette, the Minister said: “My Department is
represented on the government’s new Special Advisory Group on obesity and we are currently working on a number of initiatives, in conjunction with other government departments, to improve healthy eating and rates of physical activity among children and young people,” she said. “I am fully supportive of the GAA, FAI and IRFU and the work they do both nationally and locally here in Lucan and Clondalkin.”
“We are very lucky to have such a great sporting culture in our area. The Round Towers and Sarsfield GA A Club remain eternally popular in Clondalkin and Lucan and local soccer clubs, Commercials Hurling Club, Rathcoole Boys Soccer and the Clondalkin Rugby Football Club continue to flourish. I am fully supportive of the work of all of the local sporting organisations in our area,” she said.
PARENTS who want to secure a place at Lucan Community College for their children in September 2013, are being reminded that applications for enrolment are now open. The enrolment is open to pupils currently in fifth class in primary school, and who will be due to start their first year of secondary school in September, 2013. Deadline for applications is 4.30 pm on Friday, October 28. Application forms have been circulated to primary schools prioritised for enrolment under the school’s existing enrolment policy, and are also available from the school office. The relevant enrolment policy is available for viewing on the school website, www.lucancc. ie, or from the school office. All applications submitted prior to the deadline will be placed in categories according to the school’s enrolment policy.
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20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 5
CONGRATS! Courtneys celebrates a milestone anniversary
20 years at the heart of this community AFTER 20 years of sitting in the heart of the Lucan community, Courtney’s Pub is celebrating its milestone anniversary and is hoping to share the celebration with the people of Lucan during the October bank holiday weekend. The 20th anniversary celebrations will take place in the much loved and well-known thatched pub in the centre of Lucan village and the family run business is hoping to give something back to the community, after enjoying the company of its loyal customers for the last two decades.
Esme Murphy, Ray Colgan, Leoni Colgan, Mary Colgan, David Nugent and Rob Colgan at the evening presentation for the Ross Colgan Golf Classic which took place in Courtneys to help raise money for local boy, Ross Colgan
Close ties
With the three children growing up in the Lucan area, and owner Hugh Courtney actively involved with local GAA clubs, the family are as involved in the local community as their business is. To celebrate their close ties with the area, the family are looking forward to sharing the landmark occasion with the local community over a four-day weekend filled with music, competitions, family fun and late night entertainment. The celebrations will kick off on Thursday, October 27, with a Pub Quiz, with all proceeds
Courtneys Pub Quiz in aid of Pieta House Suicide Awareness Week: Courtney’s go to the dogs: Hugh Courtney, Damien Boylan,
Claire Gallagher, Danielle Williams, Roisin Casey, Rachel Hurl, Derek
Johnathan Boylan at Harolds Cross Greyhound Track
Power, Catherine Clifford and Aidan Cox
going to Lucan Community College. Thursday will also be the first night of the Darts and Pool tournament, which will continue each night of the anniversary weekend, with the final taking place on Halloween
night, Monday, October 31. Friday evening will launch the weekend of great music, with singer/ songwriter Brian Costigan starting off the night in the lounge and fivepiece band Nightshade
taking to the floor of the upstairs sports bar. Saturday will be the start of the family events with Courtney’s Market Garden, which will run through the lounge and out into the Beer Garden, and will feature
market stalls, face painting, a BBQ and clowns, as well as having a surprise guest in the pub on the day. Cover band, Full Stop, will feature in the lounge from 9 pm until 11 pm on Saturday night while
the Johnny Cash Tribute Band will set up stage from 11 pm until late, followed by a late bar and disco. Courtney’s will also be welcoming the boys in blue, when some of the players from the Dub-
lin GAA team will make an appearance on Sunday, bringing with them the much coveted Sam Maguire Cup for football fans to view. The Market Garden will continue on Sunday, with the added entertainment of Jazz Band, The Trampsters, playing between 2 and 5 pm and more entertainment will continue throughout the evening with Shane Martin, Finbarr Cody and Frankly Bublé providing some great entertainment over the course of the night. While a fancy dress theme will launch the Halloween festivities on Sunday night with prizes for the best costumes, Boyle Sports will host a race night in aid of a local hospice, which will take place in the bar between 6 pm and 8 pm. Over the course of the weekend, Courtney’s will be giving away a surprise Holiday for Two with tickets being given out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and the winner being announced on Sunday, while Monday will see the ultimate day of the weekend’s festivities with the final of the Pool and Dart’s competition taking place on Halloween night, Monday, October 31.
6 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
COURTNEY’S
Celebrating their 20th anniversary with
TONY GRAY BUTCHERS
Congratulations to Hugh and team on 20 years in Lucan
TO ALL IN COURTNEY’S CONGRATULATIONS ON 20 YEARS
Gerry Browne
Promotions
Happy 20th Anniversary
We wish you all the best for the future
Like a good wine, you only get better with Age, happy 20th!
WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 20TH IN STYLE! Let us look after all your party needs in the same way…
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20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 7
support from the locals!
EuroDeli Best wishes and happy anniversary Classic Drinks Best wishes on your 20th Anniversary
COVERUP FLAGS Congratulations
on 20 years in business. Wishing you all the best for the future
Congratulations to Courtney’s on 20 years, wishing you all the best of the future!
East Coast Supplies Ltd From our Family to yours, Happy 20th Anniversary. Wishing you all the best for the future
richmond marketing To Hugh, Family and Team, congratulations on your 20th Anniversary from all at richmond marketing
MEET THE DUBLIN TEAM WITH THE SAM MAGUIRE AT COURTNEYS SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER
Come early as the HOLIDAY DRAW will take place with the winning ticket being pulled from the Sam Maguire!
8 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
FOR ALL YOUR CELEBRATIONS, 21ST, CHRISTENINGS, AND CHRISTMAS PARTIES
CHRISTMAS SET MENU (A)
CHRISTMAS SET MENU (B)
CHRISTMAS SET MENU (C)
€18.95 per Person
€24.95 per Person
€29.00 per Person
STARTERS
STARTERS ● Soup of The Day
STARTERS ● Soup of The Day ● Chicken Liver Pate Served with Red Berry Couli & Farmhouse Brown Bread ● Deep Fried Prawns in Filo Served with Hoi Sin Barbeque Sauce ● Hot & Spicey Chicken Wings Served with Blue Cheese Dip ● Crustini of Goats Cheese Ciabatta Bread Topped with Goats Cheese & Semi Sun Dried Tomatoes On a Bed of Rocket
● Soup of The Day ● Classic Caesar Salad Cos Tossed in Caesar Salad Dressing
● Crustini of Feta Cheese With Sun Blushed Tomatoes ● Classic Caesar Salad Cos Tossed in Caesar Salad Dressing
MAIN COURSES ● Traditional Turkey & Ham Served with Rich Roast Gravy ● Baked Darne of Salmon Served with Lemon & Dill Sauce All Main Courses served with Seasonal Vegetables & Potatoes
● Vegetable Spring Rolls With Sweet Chilli Sauce MAIN COURSES ● Bake Salmon Steak Served with a Light Prawn Sauce ● 8oz Sirloin Steak Served with Sauté Mushrooms, Onions & Black Cracked Pepper Cream
DESSERT ● Steamed Christmas Pudding Served with Brandy Cream
Book your Christmas Party before 15th November & get
● Tea or Coffee
● Pan Fried Breast of Chicken Served with Semi Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
MAIN COURSES ● Baked Fillet of Sea Bass Served on a Bed of Parsley Mash with Lemon & Dill Cream ● 10oz Sirloin Steak Served with Sauté Mushrooms, Onions & Pepper Cream Sauce ● Pan Fried Supreme of Chicken Served on a Bed of Parsley Mash with Semi Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce ● Baked Salmon Steak Served on a Bed of Parsley Mash with a Light Prawn Sauce
All Main Courses served with Seasonal Vegetables & Potatoes ● Selection of Desserts ● Tea or Coffee
15% off
STEAKHOUSE MENUN
STARTERS: ● Soup of the Day With Brown Soda Bread €4.00 ● Smoked Irish Salmon Served with Brown Bread €6.95 ● Vegetable Mini Spring Rolls Served with Salad Garnish & Sweet Chilli Sauce €5.00 ● Classic Caesar Salad Tossed in our Caesar Dressing €6.00 ● Hot & Spicy Buffalo Wings Served with Blue Cheese Sauce €5.80 / Lge €8.50 ● Breaded Mushrooms Served with Salad Garlic Dip €5.00
● Sizzling Stir Fry Choice of Beef or Chicken served with Noodles or Rice in an Oriental Sauce €14.25 ● Curry Choice of Beef or Chicken with Vegetables in a rich Curry Sauce €12.50 ● Sweet & Sour Chicken Served with Rice or Noodles €12.50 STEAK: Sirloin 8oz €16.00 10oz €18.00
Farmhouse Style With Onion Rings & Fried Egg €18 With Onion Rings & Fried Egg €20
MAIN COURSES: ● Pan-Fried Breast of Chicken Supreme With Parsley Mash & Seasonal Vegetables €12.95 ● Pork Shnitzel Breaded Escalope of Pork Loin with Parsley Mash €12.95 ● Joint of the Day With Mash & Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables €11.95 ● All Day Brunch Sausages, Egg, Rashers, Tomato Black and White Pudding & Chips €8.95
T Bone 16oz €22.00
Farmhouse Style With Onion Rings & Fried Egg €24
Fillet 8oz €22.00
Farmhouse Style With Onion Rings & Fried Egg €24
WORLD FAVOURITES ● Sizzling Fajitas With Saute Peppers & Onion, Flour Tortillas, choice of chicken, beef or veg from €12.00
All Main Courses served with Seasonal Vegetables & Potatoes
FISH: ● Fish & Chips With Mushy Peas & Tartar Sauce €12.95 ● Baked Salmon Steak With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Parsley Mash, €12.95
● Selection of Desserts ● Tea or Coffee
BUFFET MENU Minimum 15 people ● COLD MEAT PLATTERS FROM €10.95PP Price includes Selection of 3 Salads from the salad menu, bread rolls and butter ● ROAST DINNERS FROM €10.95PP Includes mixed Vegetables ● CURRY’S AVAILABLE FROM €8.50PP ● FISH DISHES AVAILABLE FROM €9.50PP ● CLASSIC DISHES IN SAUCES FROM €8.50PP All main course served with Baby Patotoe’s, or Chips and Rice
MAIN STREET, LUCAN VILLAGE ● FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 01-6280251
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 9
HEALTH Wearing pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness
Marie Coogan and Margaret Hennigan
A colourful way to help give support
OCAL women donned their best pink attire before heading over to Kenny’s Lounge in Lucan village for a feel-good event to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which was organised recently by The Marie Keating Foundation and local Fine Gael Minister, Frances Fitzgerald. The event featured a line-up of lifestyle experts ready to inform, advise and pamper. RTE nutritionist Aveen Bannon and life coach Brian Colbert were on hand to give some expert advice, as well as a breast health care nurse. Minister Fitzgerald said: “Health awareness, and breast health awareness in particular, is the focus of the campaign, but we want to promote this message in a fun and friendly way.”
Councillor Emer Higgins, Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Helena Goodwin, Sinead McArvill, Amanda Kennedy and Jackie Callanan
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Hazel Baker and Susan Quinn
Moira Walsh, Anne Cahill and Maureen Manning
Marie Colgan and Bernie Brennan
10 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
SPORT 52nd International Liffey Descent at Lucan weir
Making a splash crossing the weir ESPITE having been postponed due to an initial lack of water, the 52nd international Liffey Descent made quite a splash recently when almost 800 competitors followed the 17.5-mile route along the Liffey, with, as always, the sight of the competitors running the weir at Lucan proving popular. The surging waters at the weir were just one of 11 weirs the canoeists had to face, along
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with one set of rapids and a 500-metre portage around the dam at Leixlip, with the race seeing spirited competition all the way from the starting point at the K Club in Straffan to the finishing line at Trinity Boat Club. Joining the large Irish contingent, highlyskilled canoeists from as far afield as South Africa, Canada and Australia underlined the truly international appeal of this exciting event.
The annual event was well worth waiting for, as determined contestants took to the Liffey to prove their skill and mastery over the tricky stretch of water, which Spectators were delighted with the fine demonstration of skills as contestants tackled the weir’s waters
demanded all their concentration
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20 October 2011 GAZETTE 11
FESTIVE Tesco launches a choice selection of treats
Q STAFF REPORTER
THIS Christmas Tesco have everything on hand to take the hassle out of your family Christmas dinner or festive party celebrations, with an extensive range of food and drink in-store to suit every taste, and pocket. From festive fizz and canapes, to traditional Christmas favourites and meal accompaniments, Tesco has something to make this Christmas one to remember. Party Favourites/ Sophisticated Starters
No festive party is complete without the addition of some chic canapes to set the tone for the evening. Why not add a touch of class with some Tesco Finest canapes… the taste without the luxury price tag!
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‘From festive fizz and canapes, to traditional Christmas favourites’
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joint with honey and wholegrain mustard. For those looking for a different choice for the dinner table this Christmas, try Tesco’s Finest* Rib Roast Beef with Mixed Peppercorn Crumb or the Tesco Finest* Leg of Lamb. Every accompaniment to finish off Christmas dinner from Finest* Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts to Tesco’s Carrot and Parsnip Selection and Carrots all of which are Irish grown, are available this year.
Christmas Dinner
The main event of the day is sure to be a hassle-free show-stopper with the selection of traditional meats and alternatives on sale this year. Traditionalists will love the selection of fresh Irish turkeys and turkey crowns, which will be in stores from December. Look out for some real dinner table treats, such as the Tesco Finest Bronze Turkey and the Tesco Fresh Turkey Joint with Orange and Cranberry Stuffing Wrapped in Parma Ham from Grove Farm in Monaghan. Accompany the turkey with a choice of ham joints from Hilton Foods, Drogheda, such as smoked ham on the bone, dry cured loin ham joint with brown sugar, pear and bay leaf or dry cured premium ham
Delicious Desserts
There is also an extensive range of range of puddings, cakes and desserts, perfect for families and friends. For the traditional ending to Christmas dinner, try Tesco’s Finest* Christmas Pudding with Courvosier VS Cognac (908g) or Tesco Finest*’s Christmas Pudding (454g). For a dessert with a light European flavour, finish with Tesco Finest* Pannetone Pudding (227g). T h e e ve r- p o p u l a r mince pies are another family favourite, treat everyone with Tesco Finest* Deep Filled Mince Pies with Courvosier VS Cognac or Tesco Finest* 12 Mini Mince Pies with Courvosier VS Cognac, for a little bit of what you fancy!
Post Dinner treats
For those who still have room left after such an amazing feast, their is also an array of post-dinner delights to enjoy. Why not finish Christmas dinner with a choice of exquisite Irish farmhouse cheeses from suppliers across the country, including Cashel Irish Cheese Selection, the Old Irish Creamery, Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese Gift Box selection, Ardsallagh Cranberry Roulade, Horgan’s Value Selection or Horgan’s Executive Selection. Tesco’s Finest* Irish Farmhouse Cheese Selection, will also impress family and friends.
Tesco launched their Christmas range of foods and fashion last week, Heather is pictured at the event, wearing a dress from the autumn/winter fashion range Festive Tipples
No Christmas would be complete without a touch of fizz, and, this year, no matter what your budget, there is something to suit all pockets. Tesco Finest* Premier Cru Champagne NV 75cl is the perfect addition to any party. For those looking for a
nice wine to accompany Christmas dinner, the Tesco Finest* Duorois, a medium-bodied red would go well with meat main dishes such as turkey and beef. There is also Tesco Finest* Picpoul de Pinet, a crisp French white from the Languedoc which partners fish start-
ers perfectly. So, whether you are looking for a stress free Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or a Christmas Party with all the festive accompaniments get down to your local Tesco store for an exciting range of treats, mains, desserts and nibbles for all the family.
Giving the X3 the M Factor: This is a powerful, 3.0 litre M Sport performance version of the machine, with all the style, safety and luxury features thrown in
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Make your Christmas a tasty and stylish one
MOTORING PAGE 19
12 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
SPORT: STAR PLAYER, ONLINE GAME
Time to give us predictions MIMI MURRAY news@gazettegroup.com
This is the eighth consecutive year that Heineken, the world’s most international beer brand, has sponsored the prestigious UCL. Walter Drenth, marketing director at Heineken Ireland, said: “Star Player will really change the way in which Irish football fans interact with the UEFA Champions League; it has created a more social, ‘play and watch’ experience during matches. The appetite for UCL in Ireland continues to be huge and, with the introduction of Star Player, Heineken brings fans another truly premium, innovative experience.” The Heineken Star Player is available to play on Heineken.ie.
Celebrity Maitre‘D, John Healy at Ivan’s Oyster Bar and Grill in Howth
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HEINEKEN Star Player is back for another round of matches. Star Player is a world-first innovation online game that lets fans interact with realtime football matches on Heineken.ie while they watch UEFA Champions League matches on television. Star Player is transforming how fans watch the UEFA Champions League by allowing them to anticipate events unfolding on the pitch. By making second-bysecond predictions in realtime, UEFA Champions League fans build points by predicting goals, corner kicks and
free kicks. Using unique timedependent technology, with every correct forecast, fans gain points. Through the Interactive Champions League, fans can also compete and share Star player results with their friends via Facebook and with other players around the world. Irish fans will have a weekly chance to win a VIP trip to a UEFA Champions League match by topping the Star Player Irish league table. Soccer fans can log on to Heineken.ie and register for their chance to win. Each week the runnerup in the Star Player Irish league table will win a Heineken Fusball table.
GASTRONOMY Food experiences in Ireland
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CELEBRITY Maitre‘D, John Healy was at Ivan’s Oyster Bar and Grill in Howth last week to demonstrate that there is no need to “make a meal” out of sourcing the best quality food experiences in Ireland, simply log onto www.discoverireland.ie/food. The website is a virtual haven for foodies and is a one-stop-shop for information on food festivals, food trails, cookery schools, farmer’s markets, food attractions, eating out and even Foodie TV. John is very familiar with demanding critics, having worked front of house in the food industry for the last 20 years, and is happy to give the website its own five-star rating! Commenting about what Ireland has to offer foodies throughout the country, John said:
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‘It’s a virtual haven for foodies and is a one-stop-shop for information’ --------------------------
“The Irish Food industry is currently thriving and it appears that the country’s palette has collectively woken up to the amazing range of foodie experiences available to both connoisseurs and novices alike. Ireland can compare very favourably with our European neighbours and anyone can try their hand at an afternoon in a cookery schools, uncover some hidden gems on a tasty food trail or meet the makers of some of the top artisan food. I want to encourage people to get out there and discover exactly what Ireland has to offer!” An example of some of the gastronomic high-
lights that are coming up this autumn include Savour Kilkenny Food Festival, which takes place over the October Bank Holiday Weekend and features a bustling open-air market against the spectacular backdrop of Kilkenny Castle; Slow Foods Ireland’s Wild & Slow Festival will take place in a winter fest style market at Macreddin Village, Co. Wicklow on November 19-20, and the Listowel Food Fair, which runs from the November 3-6 and showcases everything from cheese making to baking and beer tasting to beekeeping. If you would like to get some inspirational ideas on eating out, or find out where to go for the best markets to stock up on some home-made artisan goodies, or if you are simply interested in experiencing some of Ireland’s fantastic food festivals and events, check out www.discoverireland.ie/ food
20 October 2011 GAZETTE 13
GazetteNUTRITION NUTRITION Foods that will help you win! LEILA JOHARI
ON MONDAY, October 31, the Dublin City Marathon will take place. For those of you taking part this is the day that you have been working towards for weeks, even months, so the last thing you want to do is to miss out on that gold medal due to poor nutrition! In addition to physical training you need a nutritional plan to ensure you are meeting your body’s increased nutrient requirements to optimise your performance in competition. Needs of runners
Carbohydrates are the most important nutrient. Some marathon runners practise “carbohydrate loading”, an approach that maximises stores of glycogen, which is the first fuel to be used during intense exercise. To achieve this, you limit your intake of carbohydrates for a couple of weeks before the event. The initial reduction in carbohydrates makes the body extremely sensitive to them when they enter the body, allowing glycogen stores to be replenished. When competing for over 90 minutes normal glycogen stores will not be enough to maintain exercise so the goal of carbohydrate loading is to superload muscles with glycogen to delay fatigue and enable you to exercise for longer. It is best to eat a variety of food from each of the four major food groups each day so that you get a
good supply of the nutrients a marathon runner needs. These nutrients include carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium and zinc.
drinks have similar benefits. Marathon runners should choose isotonic sports drinks as these quickly replace fluids lost by sweating and supply carbohydrates. Examples include Lucozade Sport.
Before the event
After the event
Exercising on a full stomach is not ideal. Food takes about 1-4 hours to fully digest, depending on how much you have eaten. On the day of the event it is best to eat a light breakfast, such as a cereal or toast and fruit juice. Drink water in small amounts after breakfast at regular intervals so that you start the race fully hydrated. You may also consider a liquid meal if you find it hard to eat solid meals before a competition as they are quickly emptied from the stomach. Fibre should be avoided precompetition as they can result in stomach upsets. Choose lower-fibre foods such as cornflakes, white bread and soft fruits with no skin.
Following the event, it is vital to ensure fast recovery. It is essential to replace lost fluids and replace sodium losses to ensure maximum fluid retention. You need to drink 1.5 times the amount of body weight you have lost from sweat and urination. Even if you are celebrating try to avoid drinks containing caffeine and alcohol after competing! A large, carbohydrate meal should be eaten within two hours of the finish. It should consist of high GI foods. Bananas and dried fruit are good immediately following a marathon. A main meal might consist of bread, pasta, potatoes and rice. It is also an opportunity for you to enjoy foods that you would usually avoid such cakes and sweets. Don’t go too crazy though! Combining protein and carbohydrate will enhance your recovery. Athletes who refuel with carbohydrate and protein have 100% greater muscle glycogen stores than those who ate only carbohydrates so try to include a good source of protein such as chicken or eggs. Remember that your nutritional plan is part of your first-place formula and will help ensure you bring home the gold!
Sheena Crotty, from Lucan, celebrates completing the Lifestyle Sports - adidas Dublin Marathon 2010
During the event
During the marathon you must prevent dehydration, prevent depletion of glycogen/energy stores, maintain blood glucose levels and electrolyte balance. Examples of suitable foods that can be consumed during the event include bananas and sports bars. Sports bars boost carbohydrate levels, help improve endurance levels, help maintain blood sugar levels and provide a sustained release of energy. Sports
14 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazettePETS PETS
Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA
THE FACTS: WHETHER CATS, BATS OR RATS, SOME PEOPLE COLLECT TOO MANY ANIMALS
Horror animal hoarding signs to look out for Although it’s commonplace for many animal lovers to care for two or more pets, some people can accumulate far too many animals to properly tend to their needs, unintentionally creating a menagerie of ill, diseased and distressed creatures
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THE other night, whilst trawling through T V channels, I came across a programme dealing with compulsive hoarding. Now, it’s my understanding that “hoarding” is the acquisition of possessions – which a person fails to use or discard – and which are in excess of what would be deemed “normal” amounts. It‘s a serious, debilitating disorder for the sufferer. However, when the hoarding compulsion involves animals, then it‘s a very real concern – the effects of which are a mental health, animal health and public safety issue. At the DSPCA, we investigate and deal with incidents of animal hoarding. Here are just some of the markers that would give us cause for concern – more than the usual number of companion pets; an inability to provide even the minimum standards of nutrition, shelter, veterinary care and sanitary conditions for the animals, and a denial of this inability, and the impact that it has on the animals and the home environment for both them and the human occupants of the home. So, why hoard animals? From what I’ve studied, some research points toward a number of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Newer studies lead toward attachment disorders, in conjunction with personality disor-
ders, paranoia, delusional thinking, depression and other mental illnesses. For example, some animal hoarders began collecting following a traumatic loss or event; then again, others see themselves as “rescuers” Very often, hoarders appear to be intelligent people, believing they’re helping animals. Many even possess the ability to garner sympathy, and can even deceive others into thinking their situation is under control. They become ignorant to the fact they’re not helping the animals, but are inflicting extreme suffering upon them. How do you spot a hoarder? Animal hoarders range in age and gender. The elderly tend to be more at risk, and this is possibly due to their own deteriorating health, and isolation either from family, community or social groups. One common denominator between them is the lack of understanding of the pain and suffering they are inflicting upon the animals. They have many animals, and may not even know the total number in their care. Their homes are in a state of deterioration, (broken furniture, in need of repair, lots of clutter). A strong smell of ammonia is present, and floors may be covered in animal poo, urine, vomit, etc. Animals in their care are emaciated, poorly
groomed, and not properly socialised. Vermin are present. The person is isolated and has neglected themselves. Despite the signs of distress, the individual insists all is well, and the animals are well cared for. Do hoarders ever pass themselves off as rescue shelters? Unfortunately, sometimes they can set themselves up as “rescue” facilities, and may appear to be sensible individuals. They convey their love for those animals that have special needs. Lately, the internet has become a tool for such solicitation. How do you know if it’s a hoarder or a rescue shelter? The hoarder is unwilling to allow visitors to see the location where animals are kept. (The rescue shelter will have no such problem.) The hoarder will not disclose the number of animals in its care. (The rescue shelter will be able to provide facts and sta-
tistics.) Little or no effort is made by the hoarder to adopt animals out. (Rescue shelters actively seek to re-home animals in their care.) Legitimate rescue shelters are viewed as “the enemy” by hoarders. Animals may be picked up or handed over at a remote location, such as at a car park, field or street corner, rather than at the hoarder’s facilities. The legitimate rescue shelter will have a headquarters. Please bear in mind that not everyone who has multiple animals is a hoarder. An individual may have many animals, have them spayed/neutered, and provide them with regular veterinary care, a correct diet, proper living conditions and a sanitary environment. Such a person would not be considered a hoarder. For more info log onto www.dspca.ie or email me at miriam.kerins@dspca.ie
All these cats – and many more – were found swarming one small apartment in an extreme hoarding case
20 October 2011 GAZETTE 15
GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY
Edited by Dawn Love
Transform your life, transform you hair JOHN Frieda is giving 15 Irish women the chance to commemorate a transformation in their life. On November 8, top stylist and Dublin native, Jake Davis, will travel to Dublin to host the John Frieda Transformation Day. From the 15 finalists, there will be one overall winner, who will travel to the John Frieda Salon in London for the ultimate hair transformation. Friends and family of the finalists will have a chance to vote on their makeovers, as the campaign will roll out on John Frieda Ireland facebook page from December until February 2012. Facebook votes will go towards the overall winner’s selection by a panel of judges from John Frieda and selected beauty media. John Frieda Transformation is a campaign to celebrate the achievements of women’s lives – how they have transformed the way they live, work or love. To enter women have to send the story of their life trans-
formation to John Frieda. From these stories, 15 finalists will be selected to attend the Dublin Transformation Day. The closing date for sending transformation stories to transformation@johnfrieda.ie is Wednesday, October 26, 2011. Stories must be based on one of the following three categories: 1) Business and Work Transformations Stories showing examples of entrepreneurial business ideas or opportunities seized to overcome financial difficulty or job loss, retraining or returning to study to transform your career. 2) Health Transformations Stories based on triumphs over personal ill health or caring for someone with ill health. 3) Life Transformations Stories based on a life event – from matters of the heart, helping a charity, lifestyle changes, inspirational encounters with groups or individuals – that have turned your life around for the better .
Transformation stories should be no longer than 300 words, and should include a recent portrait (head and shoulders only) emailable picture in jpeg format. Entrants must be available to attend the John Frieda Transformation Day on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, in Dublin. 80th Anniversary of Sudocrem It’s one of Ireland’s bestloved products, and this year, Sudocrem will celebrate its 80th anniversary. Developed as an antiseptic healing cream, it has been the first choice for generations of mums and healthcare professionals in its native Ireland and internationally since its formulation in 1931. Dublin pharmacist Thomas Smith’s Sudocrem fast became popular with Irish midwives and mothers for treating
nappy rash, becoming the market leader for soothing, healing and protecting the skin of babies’ sensitive bottoms. Clinically proven in this category, Sudocrem leads the market in over 30 countries all over the world. Sweetly scented with lavender, with a soft texture, the nostalgia inducing white cream has a water-repellent base which forms a protective barrier. Hypoallergenic lanolin provides its emollient effect and Peru Balsam its healing properties. And for 80 years, Thomas Smith’s original formulation has remained unchanged. Sudocrem is available from independent pharmacies, major pharmacy chains, supermarkets and selected children’s department stores nationwide.
John Frieda is giving 15 Irish women the chance to commemorate a transformation in their life
A comforted complexion THE changing seasons can play havoc with your complexion. Loved by celebrities, VOYA’s Maskerade is an intensely moisturising face mask with the hydrating power of hand harvested seaweed, Maskerade will rescue and replenish skin. Prepare your skin for winter by treating it to a hydrating and antioxidant-rich Maskerade face mask. Take 10 minutes to sit back and relax while VOYA’s Maskerade Mask sooths and repairs your skin. Price: €35.00 VOYA products can be purchased online at www.voya.ie. For stockist information, call VOYA on 071 9168956 & sales@ voya.ie.
16 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazetteMUSIC MUSIC FastTunes High-flying Noel back on unclipped wings RECORD REVIEW: THE TALENT BEHIND OASIS RETURNS
TO THE abject horror of many, news emerges that the divisive figure of Skrillex is to work with the remaining members of The Doors to produce a new track as part of RE:Generation, a new movie project that teams up unexpected artists to create fresh collaborations. Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robbie Kreiger were teamed with the dubstep producer on a new track that is “hot as hell”, according to Manzarek. Other collaborations include rappers Nas and DJ Premier with the Berlklee College of Music Orchestra and the Crystal Method with Martha Reeves. Rock legend and officially the nicest bloke in the universe, Dave Grohl, added to his hero status last week when he stepped in to drum for Cage The Elephant when their regular drummer, Jared Champion, fell sick during the Foo Fighters’ US tour. Grohl approached Elephant’s management when he heard Champion had been admitted for surgery after suffering a burst appendix.
A bullet dodged or opportunity missed? Noel Gallagher last week revealed that he was approached, more than once, by Simon Cowell to take a place on the UK judging panel of this season’s X Factor. Noel turned the offer down, and the place was taken by Take That’s Gary Barlow. How Noel would have fared is undertain, but the man who once called Coldplay “music for bedwetters” would surely be well able to skewer the raging egos of some of this year’s contestants. Laughing Leonard Cohen, the buddhist monk of rock and roll, is to release a new record in 2012. He is currently in the studio with son, Adam, on a new body of work, which would be his first new set of songs since 2007’s Dear Heather. Earlier this year, Leonard Cohen was awarded Spain’s esteemed Prince Of Asturias Award for literature, joining previous winners of the prestigious prize such as the playwright Arthur Miller and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
Leonard Cohen: Make em laugh...
Q ROB HEIGH
JUST after the fruit and guitars started flying in Paris, music lovers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief when Noel Gallagher called it a day on his career in Oasis. This act of humanitarian euthanasia brought to an end what had been a horrible period for all involved, most of all the fans who had watched as the fetid corpse of a formerly legendary band lumbered around the world for a decade. They had, at last, been put all of us out of their misery. Having seen Oasis at their peak at Earl’s Cour t in London in 1995, everything that came after was a massive disappointment. Had they imploded then, that would have been a fitting end and would have cemented them as one of the best bands of a generation. Unfortunately, they kept going on a cycle of ever-diminishing returns, dialling in facsimilies of former glories, ending with a fiasco at Slane, where the effort of even being
there at all seemed too much, and then the final nail in the coffin came at Rock En Seine in 2009. Liam insisted on keeping the horror show on the road, inflicting the Sixties’ zombie of Beady Eye on a public who ought to have known better, and now, after shying away from the limelight, Noel has returned to the fray with his first outing on record as Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The question being... is it any good? I’m pleased to report that being out of the knuckle-dragging shadow of Oasis’ legacy has loosened Noel up somewhat, and the record features easily the best set of songs he has been responsible for in many, many years. Albeit featuring several songs written, and even two previously recorded but not released, for Oasis, the record is a stroll through the styles that have made Gallagher a folk hero throughout his career. There is the classic Britpop sensibilities of the opener, Every-
Competition time: Win tickets to see Brendan Grace Comedian Brendan Grace is bringing his comedy stylings to the Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley, and we have four pairs of tickets to give away. “The greatest family comedian of our generation” presents a show to celebrate 39 years in the business. To win one of the sets of tickets, simply answer the following question: What was the name of the drum and bass-loving priest Brendan played in Father Ted? Send your answer to competition@ gazettegroup.com, with the subject line “Grace”, before Friday, October 28.
Noel Gallgher back with familiar but welcome set of songs
body’s On The Run, the understated guitar of If I Had A Gun, and, for me the best moment on the record, the Chemical Brothers-esque What A Life, that recalls his contribution to the Chemicals’ classic album, Surrender, the perennial, Let Forever Be. Being Noel Gallagher, the record is wholly familiar, like a pair of old slippers, but so comfortably fresh that
the hints of new directions make you salivating to hear more from the young codger. Although even that will not be far off, as early next year will see the release of an album with Amorphous Androgynous, the techno-ambient pioneers formerly known as the Future Sound Of London - expect a psychf lavoured wig-out of some epic proportions.
For the moment, however, just settle back and enjoy one of the best songwriters of the past 20 years enjoying the freedom to be himself. You are getting exactly what it says on the tin - Noel and a set of songs that aim high and fly on their classic melodies and arrangements — but rather this tin than the tin-eared tedium of the other Gallagher’s gallumphers.
20 October 2011 GAZETTE 17
THEATRE A hilarious take on the top talk show host
Springer is not for the faint-hearted Q LAURA WEBB
THE TV show is known for its controversial guests and funny antics, so what better dialogue to get inspiration for a hilarious and contentious opera than the Jerry Springer show and it’s coming to Dublin with an all-Irish cast. He was one of the most talked about talk show hosts of this generation and, when it was transformed into an opera, that buzz was reignited when Jerry Springer the Opera took London’s West End by storm with over 600 performances. Not for the faint-hearted, the show has everything you would expect from the show itself, including men in diapers, tap-dancing Klu Klux Klan members, and all in
front of a wild audience. The Irish production of Jerry Springer the Opera is the first all-Irish production and cast at the Grand Canal Theatre. Dubliner Derek Collins, who plays a Klu Klux Klan member in the first act and Adam (Adam and Eve) in the second act, says the show is brilliantly funny. “One of my characters is a redneck hillbilly and I will have a big, bushy beard by then. I haven’t shaved in about six weeks,” he laughed. Shocking
“It will be great fun. He is not a very nice character, but he gets his just desserts – it has all of the shocking aspects of the show, and it really isn’t for the soft-hearted. It is recommended for mature audiences only,
there is extremely coarse language. But if we don’t offend you, we are doing something wrong. It is the funniest show I have ever been involved in,” Derek said. “When I heard about the show, I just wanted to get in there and get an audition. There are so many reasons why you would want to do it – it’s Jerry Springer,” he joked. “I worked with John Donnelly before. He is a landmark director in Ireland – this is the first 100% Irish show that is going to be in the Grand Canal Theatre, which is hard to believe. “It is very exciting, it’s my first opera and it’s on at the Grand Canal Theatre. It’s one hell of a show. We are doing the show on a big scale. We have got an epic sound,
two musical directors, Dermot O’Callaghan and Kevin Walsh. The music is incredible.” Before the Jerry Springer Show, Derek was in Michael Collins the Musical, and nd has made variious appearancess on stage over hiss acting and sing-ing career. He iss delighted to be part of the show among cast members like Simon Delaney, playing Jerr y Springer, and Eoin Canno. The cast also includes Joe Walsh Walsh, Emma Wigglesworth, Anthony Blake, Helene Hutchinson, Jean Wallace and a chorus of over 60 singers and dancers. “Apart from Simon, the
The Irish production of Jerry Springer the Opera is the Th firs first all- Irish production and cast at the Grand Canal The Theatre which includes Dubliner Derek Collins (left)
majority of the leads are split roles, we all have at least two roles to play. There is an incredibly diverse amount of material there for the audience,” he said.
The opening night of T Jerry Springer the Opera Jerr takes place Halloween tak night, October 31 and audiences can come in fancy dress. It runs from October 31 until November 5, with tickets priced €17.50, which can be
purchased through Ticketmaster. Log onto www. grandcanaltheatre.ie for further information. This show is recommended for mature audiences due to extremely coarse language and adult situations.
18 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
20 October 2011 GAZETTE 19
GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs
FAMILIES CAN PARK AND CHARGE AT CLERYS:
Putting the M in X3 MICHAEL MORONEY took the powerful 3.0-litre M Sport Sport version version 3.0 litre M of the BMW X3 for a run in recent weeks – the exhilaration was palpable behind the wheel. Simply put, this is a performance machine with all of the safety and luxury features thrown in S THE extra power and money really worth it for the 3.0-litre M Sport version of the BMW X3, I asked myself after just one day behind the wheel of the powerful SUV? By the end of a few days driving the battle between my heart and my head remained unresolved. I enjoyed the drive, loved the power but would I feel that strongly to spend the extra money that this car commands? The M Sport styling from BMW is obviously distinctive. To a motorhead everything about this X3 is special, from the stronger, more powerful, look to the bigger wheels and tyres. The styling on its own might have been strong enough to convince
I
SPECS: BMW X3 M SPORT Top speed: 230 km/hr 0 – 100km/hr: 6.2 secs Economy: 16.6km/litre (6.0l/100km) CO2 emissions: 159g/km Road Tax Band: D (€447) Price: €61,480
me but some of my passengers were not as much in awe. I was impressed with the engine sound and performance; they looked at the creature fittings, and the road comfort, and were not as impressed. This X3 M Sport BMW is very powerful with its six cylin-
der 3.0-litre twin turbo-charged diesel engine under the bonnet. The engine has massive power at 258bhp to propel the car to 100km/hr in just six seconds. The diesel power torque is even more impressive at over 550Nm and that’s where the 6.2 seconds for a 0 to 100km/hr pace comes from. I wondered was there too much power on tap; there is limited application for such power, apart from over-taking acceleration at which I have to say, it excelled. But you’ll feel it when you get the chance to put the acceleration to the best. This is sports car performance in SUV clothing. It remains solid through the acceleration so you get the feeling of balance
in a modest size SUV that oozes with power and torque. This extra power means poorer economy, although relative to some of the bigger 4x4s the X3 3.0 M Sport figure is acceptable. The official economy figure is 16.6 km/litre (6.0l/100km or 47mpg) and that’s about 15% less economical than the entrylevel 2.0-litre version of the X3, which is rated with about 15% slower acceleration. In this sense the powerto-economy curve appears a straight line. Rising power and acceleration also means rising fuel usage. My test drive was a little less impressive in terms of economy as I returned an average figure of about 12km/ litre (8.5l/100km) on the car’s
computer. That was about 25% lower than the rated figure and I didn’t expect much more as I was driving across a range of road conditions. It was more noticeable as I refilled the 67-litre capacity tank and I soon realised that that 900km range on a full tank was going to be outside my reach. M Sport X3 was only marginally less economical than the entry-model, 2.0-litre turbodiesel version. The economy is helped by a stop/start system and brake energy regeneration. So, even with its massive power and impressive acceleration, and the €145 difference in annual road tax, it won’t cost you a whole more to run!
Drivers believe in dog restraints MORE than 60% of drivers believe it should be compulsory to restrain dogs in cars when driving. That’s the result of a new British poll on an issue that supports passenger and dog safety in cars. The poll was carried out by GEM Motoring Assist to find out driver’s views on dogs wearing seat belts/harnesses in cars, after the issue became a hot topic over the summer. Ex -Eastenders actor Todd Carty appeared on TV campaign-
ing for a new law to be introduced to make dog seatbelts compulsory after he had a near tragic accident with his Labrador. While it has been proven that unnecessary accidents are caused by unrestrained animals in the car, the consequences in a crash can be severe. If a motorist is travelling at just 50km/hr (30mph), in the case of impact, an unrestrained average sized dog weighing approximately 25kg (50lbs) would be projected
forward with a force equal to a baby elephant. The potential danger to both pets and passengers from driving with an unrestrained animal should not to be ignored and the company urges drivers to be aware of the consequences. Dog harnesses are available for dogs of all sizes. It is wise to consider the safety of the dog as well as the rest of the family when it comes to car safety.
Consider getting a dog harness to keep your dog safe during transport
ESB ecars now provides electric car charge points in Q-Park Clerys multistorey car park, in the heart of Dublin city centre. This will enable motorists to charge their car while they are shopping, dining or carrying out business in the city centre. The charge points are part of the ESB charging infrastructure network,which is being rolled out in retail parks, service stations as well as on-street and off-street car parks and in the homes of electric car motorists. Drivers can pre-book a designated electric car parking space online www.q-park.ie or call 01 8788957.
20 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY LUCAN: NEW SHOWHOUSE ADDED TO RANGE OF HOMES ON OFFER
Offers galore at Adamstown Park
The Solace dining set from Belleek Living
CLASSIC HOMEWARES: FOR THE CHRISTMAS LIST
Belleek Living add style to interior design BELLEEK Living’s range of classy homewares has something for everyone, and here we have picked some of the top items from their range that might just appear on a Christmas list or two... Belleek’s Solace tableware is a distinctive square tableware design that will add a touch of style to any dining table. The 12-piece set includes 4 bowls, 4 dinner plates and 4 side plates and retails for €140. Designed to complement the Solace tableware is a 44-piece Solace cutlery set, for €99, comprising of six table forks, table knives, soup spoons, dessert forks, dessert knives, dessert spoons, teaspoons and two serving spoons Lighting has proven a highly popular recent addition to the Belleek Living Homeware and Christmas 2011 sees the introduction of a number of new lamp designs, including the Rose lamp and shade, which features a floral relief design on the ceramic base for €70, and the Eclipse lamp and shade for €75, which features a lined design which emerges from the bottom of the base. At 49 centimetres high, this lamp will create an impact in a living room or hallway. There is also the Elegance Frame and Lines Champagne Flutes gift set, a combination of an 8 x 10 Silver Elegance photo frame and a pair of Lines Champagne flutes for €140, The perfect gift for a special couple at Christmas The Belleek Living range is available from leading giftware and tableware retailers. For futher information, visit www.belleek.ie.
CASTLETHORN Homes have revealed their latest showhouse, a four-bedroom home at the Adamstown Park development in Lucan for the bargain price of £215,000. The development is a small cul-de-sac of just 16 four-bed houses, which are generously sized at over 1,550 sq ft and extend over three floors. To the front a featured wrought-iron gate leads through a landscaped front garden to an attractive hall door. The ground floor comprises a wellappointed kitchen with all appliances included, and a family room. The first floor is dominated by a spacious sit-
ting room with featured bay window. This floor also contains the main bedroom and en suite. The upper floor contains three further bedrooms and a large family bathroom. To the rear is a private garden and parking spaces. Competitively priced, the developers have also made buying easy by permitting no deposit to be paid until purchasers actually move in; very handy if you are currently renting, saving, or have a smaller house to sell. In addition, Castlethorn has reduced the prices of its remaining homes in Adamstown
One of the attractive kitchens at Adamstown Park
Castle and Adamstown Square. You can now buy a two-bedroom apartment from €135,000, a three-bedroom duplex home from €165,000, or a three-bedroom ground level duplex from
£185,000. All homes are designed to comply with Sustainable Energy Ireland’s House of Tomorrow in terms of their energy efficiency ratios. Viewing times are
daily from 10am to 5pm, and weekends from 3 to 5pm, and viewings can be arranged by contacting Martina Dillon at mdillon@leahyproperty. ie or by telephone on 01 601 1811.
CARRICKMINES: RANGE OF PROPERTIES FOR SALE IN DEVELOPMENT
All Manor of homes for sale in Carrick
DOUGLAS Newman Good are bringing to the market a selection of two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom duplexes and four-bedroom townhouses in Carrickmines Manor, on Glenamuck Road. T he proper ties on offer are in a highly sought after area that benefits from a multitude of amenities and facilities, sporting and leisure pursuits, numerous shopping centres and reknowned primary and secondary schools, as well as transpor t links to the city and beyond. T he proper ties on offer are at a range of price points, from €160,000 for the twobedroom apartments, from €257,500 for the three-bedroom duplexes and from €295,000 for the four-bedroom
townhouses. All of the units are built to a high standard and have a number of common features. The apartments have highgloss ivor y kitchens and there are cherrywood kitchens fitted in the duplexes, while both apartments and duplexes have black granite worktops and integrated appliances.
Fittings The townhouses feature fitted high-gloss units combined with frosted glass units, complemented by stylish brushed chrome handles and polished stone worktops. The bathrooms and en suites are all fitted with stylish white sanitary ware, with heated towel rails and extensive floor and wall tiling.
Heating in the properties range from energy-efficient electric storage heating in apartments, to natural gas-fired central heating in the houses and
duplexes. There is recessed lighting in the kitchens, bathrooms and ensuites, while the properties also come with a Premier Structural
Guarantee or Global Home Warranties. For more information, or to arrange a viewing, contact Gina Kennedy of Douglas Newman Good on 01 4912600.
A range of apartments, duplexes and townhouses are being brought to the market by Douglas Newman Good at Carrickmines Manor
20 October 2011 GAZETTE 21
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supported by AIB
Interview: Aidan Mahon, Just Classes creator
Getting fit, one class at a time AIDAN Mahon is from a very old Malahide family, which had a newsagent, Maurice Mahons, in Malahide for many years. His grandmother even sold newspapers there at the turn of the century. The family closed Maurice Mahons in 2004. It was the same year that Aidan started doing personnel training in a studio in his home. Aidan recently brought a revolutionary diet system, the System 10
Plan, to his Malahide fitness studio, Just Classses. Aidan played football with St Sylvesters for 25 years, and he is currently doing a degree in strength and conditioning. He is also involved with a company that does GPS fitness testing, and has worked with Cork and Dublin hurlers, Munster and Connaught rugby and is currently monitoring Kilmacud Crokes senior footballers.
ANSWERS TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE QUESTIONS SUB PRIME LOAN Q – I have a €240,000 loan with a sub-prime lender taken out six years ago. At that time, I had missed a couple of repayments on my car loan and my adviser said the mainstream lenders would not consider me for a loan. I did not really understand the consequences – all I wanted was a home for my family. I have maintained the repayments every month but am now beginning to feel the pinch – my interest rate is 7.5% and I am paying €1,678 per month at the moment. I could save over € 600 a month by moving to a high street lender. What are my chances ? David - Clontarf A – The Irish Credit Bureau (ICB) in Clonskeagh Dublin 14 is a lender’s first port of call to check your credit history. Missed payments stay on record for five years, but, if you have kept the nose clean these past five Aidan Mahon of Malahide’s Just Classes
years, then you may have a case to swap back to a normal lender. The whole idea of sub-prime was a kind of
Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: A jockey Q: What was your first job? A: Delivering newspapers Q: And your first pay cheque? A: 2 and 6 Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed? A: no Q: When did you start your present job? A: 2004
purgatory – you did your penance but after a while, you were allowed to come back into the fold. Here is your
A: I don’t delegate
A: Beethovens 5th symphony,
A: Dame edna, no change that
checklist to see if you qualify with a high-street lender :
Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be? A: My dog
karaoke version
to enda, aussies very disingenuous when we beat them in rugby world cup
1. Check with the ICB to see if your credit record is now
Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously? A: TK Maxx
valuation of your home should be in excess of €300,000
Q: Is there anything about yoursefl that you would like to set the record straight on? A: The money was resting in my account
Q: What sport do you follow? A: Gaelic football Q: What sport can you play? A: Gaelic football
Q: What is the best thing about your job? A: Seeing and helping people
Q: What habits would you like to lose? A: Being untidy
achieve their weightloss goals
Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to? A: Dublin winning the all Ire-
Q: Have you ever achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off? A: No Q: What part of your working day do you ‘delegate’?
land again next year
Q: What is your guilty music, TV or movie pleasure?
Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward? A: Jedward, no one writes letters anymore
Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: Don’t have either Q: Who do you follow on twitter/facebook? A: Don’t do either Q: What was your last tweet/ facebook status? A: As above Q: Describe your dream meal? A: Burger and chips in the diamond burger bar malahide
Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna?
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: Five Q: What was your worst holiday experience? A: Joey the Lips’ stag
clear. 2. Ensure the loan to value is less than 80% - so the based on your € 240,000 mortgage. 3. Your joint income should be between € 53,000 to €60,000, or the same amount if the only earner in the home. 4. You will need P60, pay slips and status enquiry form along with 12 months current account bank statements AND your sub prime loan statements plus any other current loan statements.
Q: Describe your dream holiday? A: A month in Argentina
ONE-YEAR INVESTMENT
Q: What would be your dream job? A: Racehorse trainer
you suggest – An Post, bank deposit or would I be
Q: What do you plan to do when you retire? A: Get fat
A – Unless your cash flow is poor, then you can certainly
Q – Where can I get the best return on € 15,000? I don’t need this sum for at least a year. What would better off putting a lump sum off my interest-only tracker mortgage ? Mollie – Lucan better the return on a deposit account than paying off your tracker mortgage (ECB is 1.5% currently – and going down too - and with your margin say 1%, a total of 2.5%). Add the DIRT tax, and you would have to earn less
AIB getting on board with start-ups AIB has announced details of a new initiative with the Chamber Network in Ireland. This initiative provides new AIB Business Start-Up customers with a 50% discount on their first year’s annual membership of their local affiliated Chamber. The affiliated Chamber Network is the largest Irish business network with 45 affiliated Chambers around the country, and 13,000 business members.
This offer aims to provide new AIB Business Start-up customers with the support and advice they need to help them get their business up and running by giving customers access to an established local business network to build sound business connections for the future. Local Chamber membership provides excellent networking and business development opportunities for AIB Business Start-up customers.
These start-ups will have the prospect to join a unique network focused on representing the interests of member businesses and growing sales opportunities for all members.
Support This support offer provided by the Chamber Network is one element of the AIB Business Start-up Package which has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of new and early stage businesses.
Other elements of the package include:
than 3.42% for the year to justify paying off the mortgage. I would warn you though you should try and start capital repayments – interest-only payments only kick the can down the road. You will eventually have to pay the capital over a shorter period ( therefore greater repayments). Best one-year deposits in the meantime? AIB Bank and
Special two-year Current Account fee offer Online banking services -
Permanent TSB offer a 12 month fixed at 3.95%. After that at 3.75% is Investec Bank and Nationwide UK at 3,65%. Stretching it out for a further year to three-
two years free subscription
years investment would include An Post’s Savings
to iBusiness Banking or
Bond – 10% tax free, equivalent to 4.42% from a DIRT
registration to AIB Phone and
deducting deposit taker.
Internet Banking AIB Classic Visa Business Card
Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at
AIB Business Overdraft
www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the
SME Loan for Start-up
Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing
Businesses
director of Money Doctor
22 GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazetteTTRAVEL What’sHappening
In October, Spain celebrates the Safron Rose Fiesta
October in Spain, a good time for festivals, parties, gastronomy and traditions AUTUMN is a fantastic time in Spain for fiestas, with many on offer. Choose from the Saffron Rose Fiesta, All SaintsHallowee’n or Festival of St Martin. Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, celebrates the Saffron Rose Fiesta at the end of October. It aims to promote the cultural essence of Castile-La Mancha through its gastronomy, crafts, history and traditions. The event offers a highly varied programme, starting with the proclamation by Dulcinea and the Maids of Honour. Especially outstanding during the celebrations are the Grinding of Peace and Love, where a 16th-century windmill grinds wheat to make flour; the traditional La Mancha gastronomy event; the Saffron Rose harvesting competition, where participants have to separate the saffron from the flower in the least time possible, and a Folk Festival with groups from all over the region. Saffronproducers are the main protagonists of this fiesta, which has been held since 1963. Exhibitions, cultural activities and sporting competitions complete the programme. On All Saints day, Spanish families visit the local cemeteries in order to remember their dead relatives and friends. Floral offerings, particularly chrysanthemums, are placed on the graves. It is a ritual to remembrance and homage the ancestors.
The Catholic Church believes that the holiday stems from the decision of Pope Boniface IV to enshrine the “Pantheon” the cult of the Virgin and the martyrs. “It commemorated the saints thus anonymous and unknown to most of Christendom”. The current celebration of Halloween has little to do with its origins. It has become the festival of the dead but with a totally different character and adding elements that have distorted the party. Among the additions is the tradition of dressing up, possibly born in France between the XIV and XV to celebrate the Feast of All Saints. Every November 11, Aller celebrates one of the most popular autumn folklore festivals in Asturias. The festival is organised by the San Martin Humanitarian Association and begins with the traditional sung Mass of San Martin, accompanied by the sound of the typical Asturian bagpipes. Then, the auction, known as the Puya del Ramu begins, where people are invited to bid for the emmer bread which has previously been blessed in the religious service. The high point of the festivity is the great communal feast of San Martin, which consists of fabada, typical Asturian white bean stew casadiellas, and panchon typical sweets from Aller.
Roving Gazette reporter, Hiromi Mooney, has just returned from a fact-finding mission to the island of Malta. In what turned out to be a most revealing visit, she experienced far more than just stunning blue sea, golden beaches and a balmy 300C. THE GREY clouds are well and truly gathering here in Ireland, but you can escape it all and enjoy some last-minute rays of sunshine in Malta. A stunning island, that’s only a three-and-a-half hour flight away, Malta has lots to offer in the way of beaches, culture and food. Malta, Gozo and Comino make up the Maltese islands in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. The islands are bursting with culture and are rooted with deep traditions – being ruled in the past by Normans, Roman Catholics and Arabs, to name but a few. Everywhere you look is another golden-beige building shimmering in the heat. Surrounded by a crystal clear, aqua-blue sea dotted with white sails of yachts, the Maltese islands are a sunshine paradise. For Irish holidaymakers, the added bonuses are that the currency is the euro and the official language is both English and Maltese. With 40% of the population working in the tourism sector, the Maltese are a friendly people and are extremely helpful and deliver excellent service to ensure that you enjoy all that the islands have to offer. The peak summer months in Malta reach 500C, so, for anyone looking for a warm but tolerable climate, anytime from late September is
Palazzo Parisio garden
ideal, as temperatures range between 20 and 300C. With more than 365 churches and chapels dotted around the islands, the Maltese islands offer a spiritual retreat away from the highpaced city life. The beaches and the sea are an obvious attraction in Malta, but the islands are also bursting with historical and cultural sites. A must-see place is Mdina. This town is set in a walled fort, and was Malta’s first capital city during the time of the Knights of Malta, and is often called The Silent City. Since only around 400 people live here, only residents are allowed to drive their cars inside the town, so you can enjoy a nice walk. Malta’s capital city, Valletta, has many tourist attractions, including St John’s Co-Cathedral. The Cathedral is known as Home of The Knights (Grand Masters) of Malta for a good reason. It was built in 1571 and there are almost 400 tombstones of the knights buried beneath its floors. The walls are gilded with 24-carat gold leaf, the ceilings are elaborately decorated and there are many carved statues. There are also two paintings here by Caravaggio – one of which is his only signed painting.
The island of Gozo is a 25-minute ferry ride from Malta. It is smaller and more rural, with most of the island’s inhabitants involved in farming or fishing
-------------------------------
Surrounded by a crystal clear, aqua blue sea dotted with white sails of yachts, the Maltese islands are a sunshine paradise.
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Also in Valletta is the Grand Master’s Palace, where the Maltese Parliament and President sit. The corridors are lined with knight armoury and portrait paintings. The Church of St. Mary in Mosta cannot be skipped, as it is considered to be home to a miracle. In 1942, during World War II, a German bomb fell through the dome ceiling and skidded across the floor. However, it did not explode, and although the church was crowded at the time, no one was killed or injured. The
bomb has been defused and is on display for visitors to see the potential damage it could have caused. For a beautiful view of the harbour, visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens.
Exciting A new tourist attraction in Malta is the segway tours. It’s an exciting and unique to see the city, and are commonly seen used by police men in Malta. Full instructions, a practise run and helmets will be provided, and prices start from €60 for 90 minutes. For booking information, visit www.segwaymalta.com. The slogan, Once Seen, Never Forgotten, of Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar really says it all. It is a family-owned house and gardens that have been passed down through the generations, and the present owners have opened it up for the public to enjoy. The house has a captivating beauty about it, and is full
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 23
Edited by Mimi Murray
The beauty and joy of Malta
TravelBriefs Super ski bundle deal for January getaway THIS offer from travel counsellor Dairine McGarrity includes return flights, seven nights accommodation, transfers, skis or snowboard, boots, lift pass and all taxes. Austria: Depart from Dublin or Cork on January 7, and spend a week skiing in the pretty village of Westendorf. Stay in the Angerer apartments on
contact the Northern Ireland Tourist Board on callsave 1850 230 230, or visit www.discovernorthernireland.com
Rail-y good breaks in Northern Ireland LEAVE the car at home this autumn and enjoy a relaxing break in Northern Ireland from only £75pps* and avail of 1st Plus rail travel on the Enter-
Special ski deals from Dairine McGarrity
Staying there: RADISSON Blu Resort at St Julians in Malta is a luxurious getaway suitable for families, couples or for business trips. The five-star hotel features rooms with balconies overlooking the Mediterranean Sea or the outdoor pool. The buffet breakfast gives you the option to sit indoors or in the sunshine at the poolside, and there are three restaurants and two bars to choose from. The hotel is just a 10-minute walk away from the nightlife in St Julians. Phoenicia Hotel Malta in Valletta is a beautiful five-star hotel for both business and pleasure. It is also a romantic spot for an unforgettable fairy-tale wedding experience.
of elaborate chandeliers and decorations. Outside is just as spectacular, with a walled garden full of hibiscus syriacus, bougainvillea and cascading geraniums. Cafe Luna delivers fine outdoor dining at its best. To try out a tranquil winetasting experience, a visit to Meridiana Wine Estate is per-
fect. Sitting on 47 acres of land with more than 90,000 vines, they produce “World Class Wines of Maltese Character”. The island of Gozo is just 25 minutes away from Cirkewwa in Malta by ferry, and the return trip costs only €4.65. The majority of the island’s inhabitants work in farming
and fishing as the island is smaller and more rural than Malta. The Ggantija Temple is a UNESCO protected world heritage site. It is made of large slabs of rock fitted together like a jigsaw, and is one of the oldest buildings in the world, dating from around 3,500BC.
A natural attraction is The Azure Window, which is a natural rock archway at the end of a cliff through which you can admire the dark blue sea. Ta Mena Wine Estate offers visitors a wine tasting experience under the Maltese sunshine. The Estate also offers accommodation, tours, local food and produce, and also caters for functions and weddings. For more information, visit www.tamena-gozo.com. In Mdina, the restaurant Ciappetti offers a peaceful atmosphere as you dine in the courtyard, under the shade of a variety of leaves and plants. In Vittoriosa, the Riviera Della Marina Restaurant allows you to dine at the waterfront overlooking countless numbers of yachts. On a hot sunny day, you can enjoy something light and refreshing, like a melon and parma ham salad. For more information about the Maltese islands, visit www. visitmalta.com
self-catering basis from €749pp based on four adults sharing. Italy: Depart on January 7 from Dublin and stay seven nights in the Livigno apartments on self-catering basis from €689pp based on three sharing Limited availability – call today to book. For other ski destinations, there is a three-day sale currently running with prices from €302, not including ski packs. Call Dairine McGarrity on 01 2915153 for more details, or visit www.travelcounsellors.ie/dairine.mcgarrity.
Enjoy an arty two-night break in Belfast AS PART of the 130th annual Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition a number of artists will arrive to the Ulster Museum to talk about their work. These free events include talks by Rosie McGurran, Mark Shields, Barbara Freeman, Hector McDonnell and Mick O’Dea. While visiting the museum why not turn your trip into a short break by taking advantage of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s (NITB) special accommodation offer at the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast, with two nights’ accommodation, breakfast and one evening meal from £89pps. For further information
prise. Sit back and relax on the Enterprise from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Central Station, enjoy accommodation in a selection of 3, 4 and 5-star hotels across Northern Ireland, including the Ramada Encore in Belfast and Armagh City Hotel, and three days unlimited Metro, Ulsterbus and NI Railways travel. To find out more information on these great value breaks, or for further information on things to see and do in Northern Ireland, check out the free booking and advice service and callsave 1850 230 230, visit Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s (NITB) Tourist Information Centre in Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 or click on www.discovernorthernireland.com. *Subject to availability.
Spa offer in Galway THE FIVE-star g Hotel is celebrating its 6th birthday as Galway’s leading designer hotel with an irresistible offer. Book two consecutive nights to avail of their birthday rate, including full Irish breakfast and receive one pass per person to ESPA at the g’s glorious thermal suite. Cost is from €60 per person sharing per night. Offer is subject to availability on selected dates from Sunday to Thursday. Visit www.theghotel.ie
24 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Shipwrecked
IRELAND’s role as a landscape for a fugitive Spanish captain from a shipwrecked Armada galleon is explored in this innovative musical theatre event at The Pavilion theatre in Dun Laoghaire, which fuses Spanish music of the 16th century with Irish music of the same period, alongside instrumental and vocal music from Elizabethan England. An unforgettable night of music will feature more than a dash of improvised creativity, creating a shipwreck for the audience to linger around. Catch Shipwrecked on Thursday, October 20 at 8pm, with tickets costing €17/€15.
MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 The Magic of Take That
TAKE That fans are in for a treat when “the band” take to the stage in Dundrum, promosing to bring some of “their” best-known hits to south Dublin fans. All of their hits will be played, as the performers run through many of Take That’s repertoire – backed up tracks from a certain Mr Williams. So, for a Take That band you’ll be delighted by, you’re invited to let them entertain you on Sunday, October 23, at 8pm, with tickets costing €15.
DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 My Way
GARVAN Gallagher’s commendable exhibition examines the “invisible” status of older citizens, with a diverse range of work examing the status and self-image of our elders. Whether personal texts, short films, or even fashion shoots replacing younger models with more mature citizens, My Way is an excellent, diverse project underlining how valuable our “invisible” citizens are. My Way runs at Driaocht’s ground floor gallery until Saturday, November 5.
These two sleeping sisters are a picture of domestic bliss in Paranormal Activity 3 - until you learn that there’s nobody else in the room so who, or what, is casting that impossible shadow on the wall? All will be revealed, thanks to video cameras around their home ...
Not a haunting film This latest addition to the franchise doesn’t leave Kate spooked, but has a ghost of a chance at Dublin cinemas Q KATE CROWLEY
THERE are many things in life that scare me. The Eurozone-wide fiscal malaise. Mr Crowley‘s idea of a tidy kitchen. But the Paranormal Activity films? Ah, no, no. Seemingly cooked up by Hollywood execs who thought that mixing Most Haunted with Amityville would be box office gold – well, actually, the previous films in the series have done well enough, now that I think of it. Deciding that “actual found video footage” scenes would be a plausible, engaging way to make a thoroughly modern ghost story, the filmmakers certainly did their best to exorcise audiences’ minds with the previous films in the series. The plots have been similar enough, to a certain degree: Couple/ family move into a new place, only for things to go bump in the night. Cue
FILM OF THE WEEK: Paranormal Activity 3 +++ (15A) 84 mins Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman Starring: Christopher Nicholas Smith, Katie Featherston, Sprague Grayden, Lauren Bittner, one determined spook
OUR VERDICT: POSSESSED with an interesting idea for a prequel, the third addition to the popular series is an improvement over its predecessors. Paranormal Activity 3 is a diverting enough romp through a haunted house tale, proving that, as always, if you live by yourself but hear scratching on the other side of a door – whether it’s an empty room or a wardrobe – don‘t open it…
the use of video cameras to record what’s going on all around the house/ apartment. Cue footage of doors shutting by themselves in empty rooms, furniture moving around, impossible shadows in rooms, eerie noises from the attic/basement, and much more … Oh, if only they’d moved into the house where Casper The Friendly Ghost lived! (Or unlived, if The Gazette subs will let that one pass.) With this well-established template to work from, and following a
recent trend for trilogies, the filmmakers have decided that the third film should be a prequel. Linking two of the chief protagonists from the first two films, the film jumps back to the late 1980s, when they were both children, and to the start of the “fun” that would follow them into their adulthood. Dad, Dennis (Christopher Smith) is a wedding videographer living with his wife and their two little girls in a suburban house. His job gives a very plausible way for the film
to be set up, as, intrigued by the strange things that begin to happen around the house (such as the “trick” of knocking on a wardrobe door, only to hear a knock back from the inside a moment later), Dennis sets up video cameras around the home. He uses his videographer skills to film and document the ordinary family’s life – and the extraordinary things that seem to be happening. Of course, the girls’ new imaginary friend that they seem able to see, and with whom they play the knock-knock game and more, soon decides to leave the grown-ups (and, presumably, the audience) increasingly spooked. It isn’t long before it’s throwing a supernatural strop around the house, targeting them and the Inevitable Spirit Expert Guy they call in (who, presumably, had better rates than the Ghostbusters).
Seemingly possessed (geddit?) by the spirit of Shaggy and Scooby Doo, it’s not long before the freaked-out family decide that home sweet home ain’t all it’s cracked up to be – but, in a turn of events that you don’t have to be Derek Acorah to predict, things don’t end well … Actually, I have to admit a grudging admiration for the prequel’s set-up, as using a videographer in this way adds a certain level of credibility that the other films lacked, and there are plenty of interesting scenes throughout. Of course, as someone who has to face my bathroom’s weighing scales on a regular basis, I’m made of sterner stuff than most, so it‘s not a film to spook me out. However, if you’re looking for a ghost story with a difference, this one should leave you feeling chilled – in an appropriately unnerved way …
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 25
GazetteGAMING GAMING A dead certain hit for Capcom – again SHANE DILLON
IN WHAT has turned into a curious case of almost “Zombie of the Week” reviews — perhaps ahead of the upcoming “Shooter of the Week” battles due between a number of well-known titles — there seem to have been a whole range of zombie-related titles shuffling into sight, and around the charts, in recent times. As much as gamers like zombies, I think we’ve had just about enough of them by now, in a genre which, much like its subject matter, simply won‘t die – rest assured that this is the last zombiethemed anything to shuffle onto these pages for some time to come. Still, I couldn’t let this title pass, as there’s an interesting story behind this occasionally darkhearted, yet over-the-top and slightly comic franchise. Capcom’s multi-platform title, Dead Rising: Off the Record, is the latest in a series of openworld survival horror titles, yet defined with comic moments and, in this case, sees the return of goofball photojournalist, Frank West. Following a substantial zombie outbreak some years ago, Frank initially roamed around a giant shopping mall, snooping and scooping the news as he uncovered what was happening, while at the same time trying to rescue and save survivors, and avoid becoming lunch, himself. Frank – a slightly out of shape, not especially heroic character – ran around using everything in the mall to stay alive, with the menace of being eaten by zombies being substantially lightened
Bytesandpieces Nintendo hoping for a Wii push PERHAPS in a bid to make up for the surprisingly disappointing sales of the 3DS, Nintendo are soon to launch a redesigned Wii console, with the console expected to hit retailers next month. Still performing solidly enough, despite a relative drought in original or must-have titles, the “new” Wii will be largely similar to the existing model, save for some hardware reconfigurations that most purchasers most likely won’t notice. I certainly hope that a new Wii can help put a fair wind back behind the company’s sales sails once again – but, please, no more Zumba games...
While an entirely new Wii console is on the way, a slightly redesigned version is also set for release
Frank West (above, and right) returns to the Dead Rising series for his latest adventure, which sees the wrestler-cum-photojournalist attempt to y uncover the truth behind some zombie-related activities across Fortune City
by, say, slapping them in the face with frying pans, dropping traffic cones over their heads, making them fall over on scattered marbles – pure Tom And Jerry stuff.
Enclosed setting The inevitable sequel, Dead Rising 2, saw a new protagonist with a different back story running around an enclosed Las Vegas-style setting, with “Fortune City” providing a much larger, yet similar, world in which to
rescue survivors, uncover a major plot, and stay alive. However, fans had been clamouring for the cult figure of Frank to return, and now, following a couple of spin-off digital download episodes (and even guest roles in a number of other Capcom games) he returns as the star in a cheekily rejigged version of the preceding title, which, now, takes place at the same time, yet in a different, standalone
fashion. Still with me? And so, although the title is still very much an adult game (as facing down thousands of zombies is, inevitably, going to be a messy task), fans and gamers will welcome the paunchy character’s return. The wisecracking hack’s gameplay style sees him photographing key points of interest to earn him major PP, or experience, points to help level up – an entertainingly fun activity.
Off the Record is of greatest interest as something that’s almost a carbon copy of its predecessor title. While standing on its own merits, it’s curious that we’re seeing such a rejigged title being released like this, almost as a twin of the earlier title. Still, given gamers’ interest in Frank, and in the particular style of this franchise, it’s likely to be a dead-certain hit for Capcom, again.
GAZETTE
26 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
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GazetteSPORT
BACK ON TRACK: We catch up with former World Champ Bernard Dunne Page 29
MOTOR RACING: SWORDS DRIVER OPENS NEW CIRCUIT IN TAIWAN IN NEW F1 CAR
Thompson has the Formula for making history sport@gazettegroup.com
SWORDS man Gar y Thompson helped to officially open Taiwan’s all-new Penbay International Circuit in spectacular style last weekend when he got behind the wheel of a two-seater Formula 1 car. The 19-year-old driver, who has spent the 2011 season contesting the Japanese Formula 3 championship, became the youngest Irishman
in history to drive a modern grand prix car, as well as the first from any nation to pilot one in Taiwan, after accepting an invitation to offer distinguished guests passenger rides at the 3.5km circuit’s opening. It was also an opportunity for Thompson to catch up with team personnel from KCMG who, having overseen his 2011 single-seater campaign, were now
sampling their first taste of running Formula 1 machinery. It was also a new experience for the thousands of fans in attendance, many of whom had never witnessed a grand prix car in the flesh before. This was just another day at the office for T hompson who, despite the wet conditions, enjoyed his time behind the wheel of the Minardi F1x2, which
Local driver, Gary Thompson, was the youngest ever Irish driver to race an F1 car in Taiwan
produces in excess of 700bhp thanks to its r a c e - d e r i ve d 3 - l i t r e Cosworth V10 engine. “The car has a lot of power which can be difficult to exploit in the wet, but I know the cir-
cuit and KCMG CEOs enjoyed the wheelspin regardless. I’ve been racing in Asia for the past three seasons, so to be the first person to drive a Formula 1 car in Taiwan is personally
extremely rewarding,” said Thompson. “Penbay International Circuit is a great venue with a lot of potential in a part of the world that is really beginning to embrace motor sport.
Everyone at the track did a fantastic job to get it up to standard in time for the event. You never know, I might be back here one day putting my local knowledge to good use!”
28 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
RUGBY: BARNHALL FUMBLE CHANCES IN SECOND HALF
Round Towers’ G4M team. Picture GAA pics.com
Gaelic 4Mothers have a fantastic blitz day Barnhall’s first XV lost out on a four-point result in a match they should have put to bed long before Rainey claimed victory
OVER 900 women took part in the Gaelic4Mothers and Others national blitz day in Portmarnock last Saturday. Gaelic4Mothers & Others is a national development initiative of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) which has taken Ireland by storm in the last few years. The central aim of the initiative is to provide all Irish women with a pathway to play ladies’ Gaelic regardless of their age or ability. It is a recreational and non-competitive form of ladies’ football which is open to any woman over 18 who is not currently playing adult competitive football with a club. Despite the name, women do not have to be a mother to participate. One of the key elements of Gaelic4Mothers & Others is the community support network that it creates for women and the positive physical and mental impact that it has on the day-to-day lives of participants. The National Blitz Day is the biggest day on the Gaelic4Mothers & Others calendar. This year, 74 teams participated which resulted in approximately 900 women getting their football boots on for the day. Teams came from every province in Ireland. Participants had a fantastic day of football and also enjoyed strolling around the exhibitor marquees. For more information in Gaelic4Mothers & Others visit www.ladiesgaelic.ie. The event coincided with the first day of National Mental Health week, which the Ladies Gaelic Football Association celebrated with the announcement of a new partnership with Mental Health Ireland. For more information, visit www. mentalhealth.ie.
Rainey pour on woes ULSTER BANK DIV 2B NUIM Barnhall Rainey Old Boys
18 20
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A BRIGHT and fast start from the visitors in last Saturdays’ Ulster BankAll Ireland League encounter was the undoing of the young Parsonstown side when Rainey Old Boys registered a two-point win over NUIM Barnhall. A convincing display of power by Gareth Murray, Ray Dufficy, Barry Dunne and Tom McKeon brushed the visitors aside and after eight minutes and several phases of possession, the ball found its way to Ryan Hopkins who crossed over for a try close to the corner flag. Simon Gillespie was unable to add the conversion but the lead was established. The ease of the score
and the way the opposition were pushed aside gave Barnhall the impression that this would be a walk in the Parsonstown park, but that was not to be the case at all. Instead of pressing home the advantage in the tight, the Barnhall pack began to spread themselves wide almost waiting for an opportunity to score the next try. A mistake by Jim McBride resulted in a scrum to the home side on the Rainey Old Boys’ 22-metre line. Barnhall committed an error at the scrum and from the relieving kick, Rainey gathered the ball and went on a telling run, their forwards handling the ball well. Once the ball was f lashed to McBride, Rainey cut open the defence and crossed over
for an excellent try in the left-hand corner. Just before the end of the first quarter of the game, the Rainey pack again moved the ball wide, and the two second-row forwards, Nail Rankin and Danny Dawson, combined well in eating up the yards before offloading the ball to McBride, who again cut open the defence. A try close to the posts gave a simple opportunity to Gavan Martin to add the conversion which he duly did to establish a seven-point lead. This second score sparked a positive reaction from Murray, Dunne and Marcus Doyle, who continued with a pickand-go style of play which had yielded the first score. Murray crossed over for a well-worked try
which Gillespie had little difficulty converting and, along with a mid-range penalty, Barnhall stood three points to the good going into the second half. As with the game against Highfield two weeks ago, Barnhall camped on the Rainey Old Boys’ line for almost the entire 40 minutes. However, a combination of knock-ons, kicking away of possession and wrong options being taken meant that Barnhall could not widen the gap between the two sides. A needless penalty was gifted to Rainey and Martin comfortably slotted the conversion. At 15 points each, a draw looked a distinct possibility. Despite the superiority of their pack and having
75% of the possession, the home side looked like they would escape with a victory when, on 78 minutes, Gillespie’s drop goal made the scoreline 18 points to 15 in favour of the home side. Further fumbling in the forwards and a senseless kick downfield was well collected by Peter Boyle, the Rainey full back. His only option at that stage was to keep the ball alive and, again, excellent handling at speed saw the ball flashed to McBride, who was well stopped by Barry Dunne, but not before he off loaded the ball to Archie Clarke. Clarke skipped past two tackles and he crossed over for the third of Rainey’s tries. A four-point winning haul for NUIM Barnhall was turned into a sour one-point losing bonus.
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 29
in association with
Forza Bernard! Back on track Former world champion Bernard Dunne is relishing using his new celebrity status to impart his knowledge to a new generation
STEPPING away from the sport that has defined you for the majority of your life is never a simple thing, especially when you have reached the pinnacle of that sport and been the champion of the world. But for former superbantamweight world champion, Bernard Dunne, the new lease of life away from the ring is very much agreeing with him, and opening up a whole new career path for the Neilstown man. GazetteSport caught up with the champ as he prepared to get behind the wheel at Mondello Park when he took part in the launch of the new XBox 360 game, Forza
Motorsport 4. “One of the privileges of being retired now means that I get to enjoy the things I want to do. Kieran Donaghy and I are heading down there
assimilate the defeat by top contender Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, was the right one for him. “I’m adapting to life away from the fight game. Life is good and it has
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‘I want to get involved and do something that will influence kids for the better, give them some sort of belief in themselves’
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to play some games and maybe do some driving, so it’s another chance for a Dub to beat him today!” Dunne was also sure that his decision to retire, having taken time to
Formula 1 enthusiasts Kieran Donaghy, Kerry footballer, and Bernard Dunne, unveiled the latest installment of Forza Motorsport 4 at Mondello Park
changed, it was the right decision at the right time. And things are going well for me, I can’t complain. “I’ve not got back involved in boxing myself. My dad does a lot of coaching a couple of nights a week with the kids at Palmerstown, but I’m not rushing back into the sport. I’ll cover it for TV, but getting involved myself, other than getting training again soon, isn’t something that’ll happen overnight. I’m out of the ring long enough to know there’s no chance of a comeback!” Dunne is very much defined by the city he comes from, and his allegiance to the Neilstown area and Dublin as a whole is undeniable. He is also very much involved in using his celebrity for good, setting up bernarddunnecharities.com and adding his presence to raising monies for causes close to his heart in the city.
“I worked with Jimmy McGee last year, and this year we ran a soccer event and a gala dinner up at Citywest for Pieta House. That’s a charity close to ourselves in Lucan and close to myself. The basis of the event is to give them as much support as we can and give them as much awareness among the public as we can. “We had Packy Bonner, Paul McGrath, Ray Houghton and many more - Celtic’s Anthony Stokes took some time out to take part, and it was a brilliant day.” Always funny and ebullient, Dunne’s easy charm combined with his desire to give something back makes him an ideal person to appear in the media to promote causes and support young people, something that has led to an exciting upcoming project for the boxing hero. “I’ve been busy promoting things, public speaking and media work with radio and television. I’ve been working with RTE on a young people’s programme, on how to focus and push themselves, in order to achieve what they want to achieve, called Ultimate Street Challenge. “We took 10 teenagers from all over the country, set them up in Dublin, and I set them challenges they had to accomplish, whether they were physical, mental, working as a
team or working as individuals. It was about seeing how they adapted and how they applied themselves. There was a kid from Tallaght who takes place in the show - but you’ll need to wait until it’s on the air before you find out how they get on! “In the boxing club, my dad trains the kids, and he enjoys that a lot. For my dad, its’ about keeping the kids occupied, busy and off the street, as well as giving them something to work towards. “He’s teaching them as well how to behave, boxing instills that in kids. It gives them a discipline and a focus, as well as a belief that they can do something for themselves, that they can achieve, and that’s a part of what I brought to the TV show. “I’ve said for a long time now, that I do the media stuff, but there is a part of me that wants to get involved and do something that will influence kids for the better, give them some sort of belief in themselves. I’m just a kid from Neilstown made good, and if I can do it, then anyone can do it. “If you apply yourself and work hard, and never mind what anyone says about you or where you come from, if you believe in it and work had, things can really happen for you, and you can make what you want to achieve into a reality.”
FastSport
Egan to decide Olympic and World Series future NEILSTOWN hero Kenneth Egan may be fighting out of Germany in the next season of the World Series of Boxing, as he looks set to sign with the Leipzig Leopards after the collapse of the Miami Gallos franchise. With the next season of the WSB due to begin on November 11, Egan is expected to drop back down from heavyweight to the WSB light-heavy limit of 85kg for the new season. Egan’s decision is also contingent on his approach to qualification for the Olympic Games next year, following Joe Ward’s failure to qualify for London 2012 at the recent world championships. The light heavyweight berth is still vacant, and Egan has an opportunity to claim his place by claiming the senior title in the Irish National championships in April next year.
Celtic seeking new keeper Esker Celtic Over-35s are looking for a new goalkeeper. If you fancy having a laugh, and the occasional Saturday afternoon game of football, contact Ron on 087 974 8263, and for more information, see eskerceltic.ie.
Roche ends season on high NICOLAS Roche produced another excellent performance to add to his fine run of late season results in Gran Piemonte as he took fifth place, just
six days after winning stage three of the Tour of Beijing. The Dundrum man finished in the breakaway group of the 199km race, coming home in fifth in 14-rider sprint. Katusha’s Dani Moreno took the win from a high-quality group which included Paris-Tours winner Gerg van Avermaet and long-time Tour de France yellow jersey holder, Thomas Voeckler. Roche was the sole rider in the top places to have contested the Tour of Beijing, and provided another boost for Irish cycling ahead of the Tour of Lombardy.
30 LUCAN GAZETTE 20 October 2011
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
SOCCER: FIVE FOR MCKEEVER SEES RANGERS PROGRESS
Basketball tournament set for Palmerstown A TEAM of past and present students from Pobalscoil Iosolde will represent Ireland in a specially-arranged basketball competition to take place this Friday at Palmerstown Sports Complex. Teams from four different navy ships, from Estonia, Norway, Poland and Germany, currently moored in Dublin port, have accepted the challenge to participate in the friendly tournament, which will start at 11am and finish at 2pm, with representatives from each of the competing countries’ embassies attending the event. For more information, contact Stephen Bates on 086 835 0883.
Summerfest set for next weekend THE 2011 Tesco mobile SARI Summerfest, the largest intercultural soccer tournament in Ireland, is set to take part this year at the Garda and Camogie Sports Grounds, in Phoenix Park on September 10 and 11 from 11am to 5pm each day. The Summerfest will also coinciude with the CONCERN kitefest, where kite flyers from around the world will display their kites and give kite workshops for children. The two-day festival also includes a wide array of entertainment for all the family.
For more information, see www. facebook.com/sarireland.
Castleknock Celtic seeking ladies talent CASTLEKNOCK Celtic FC’s ladies and girls section are recruiting new talent to the cllub for the soccer season starting later this month. If you were born in 1996 or earlier, visit the club’s website at www.castleknockceltic.com, and pass on your name and contact details in the How To Join section provided on the site. The club are also looking to recruit girls born in 2001/2002 to play soccer in the DubliGirls Soccer League.
Dylan McKeever, pictured left earlier in the year, scored a quintet to propel Liffey Valley Rangers into the next round
Valley progress in cup DDSL U-16 NEVILLE CUP Stella Maris Liffey Valley Rangers
3 5
sport@gazettegroup.com
YOUTH international Dylan McKeever’s stunning five-goal spree helped Liffey Valley Rangers see off the tough challenge of Stella Maris and take their place in the second round of the Neville Cup. The Valley’s top marksman provided a spectacular array of high quality finishes and an impressive overall display to fire his side into the second round to back up their SFAI win over Drumfin Celtic a week earlier. It was a roller-coaster
ride from start to finish, with Stella Maris taking the lead after just three minutes, poking home after a curling corner was not dealt with. The Valley responded with McKeever and Vincent Ogbe going close, whilst Giordano Cinelli’s free kick tested the Maris keeper to his limits. They got back on terms in the 12th minute when McKeever received the ball from Corry Ward and played a superb diagonal ball to Craig Fitzgerald, who was brought down in the area. McKeever nailed the ensuing penalty and he soon made it 2-1when he
Olympian bout: Irish boxers honoured at luncheon OLYMPIC boxing medallists,
Michael Carruth and Kenneth Egan, pictured here alongside Irish boxing champion Billy Walsh from Wexford, were among the Irish pugilists who were honoured by Lucozade Sport and the Association of Sports Journalists in Ireland at a luncheon in the Radisson Hotel, Stillorgan, last week.
ran onto a great Shane Quinn pass before finishing well under the body of the keeper. Neither side was really in control, though, with the Gers struggling to press the home side enough when out of possesion, and then needlessly giving it away on numerous occasions. Stella equalised after intercepting a loose pass down the left and swiftly turning their overload of numbers into a back post tap-in and they also drew a couple of fine saves from Johner Barry to keep the tie level. McKeever, though, restored the advantage
with a fantastic solo goal against the run of play as Cinelli cleared a corner and the in-form striker picked up the ball on half-way. He ran at the backline, and beat four defenders before coolly slotting home for a 3-2 half-time lead. The break did not change the helter-skelter manner of the game as Stella again got back on terms when they exploited a glut of space to run in their third goal of the game. Valley management where forced to rejig their side, and the changes had the desired affect. Fitzgerald combined well with
McKeever before firing just wide, whilst McDonnell almost got the allimportant fourth from a corner. They did go in front in the 67th minute when McCarthy played a well weighted ball over the top to McKeever, who timed his run well before lifting the ball over the onrushing keeper. He saved the best for last, though. Fitzgerald did well down the right before driving a ball across. It was too low to head but too high to control, so the number 10 adjusted his body in mid-air to flick the ball past the keeper for a fantastic finish.
20 October 2011 LUCAN GAZETTE 31
in association with
FOOTBALL: LUCAN REVIVE TO TAKE TENSE TIE
CLUB NOTICEBOARD LUCAN SARSFIELDS THE new date for the start of quiz season is Wednesday, October 26, to be supported by the camogie section. minor hurlers in championship
tina McGilloway to be included on a
at weekend. Congratulations to
reserve list.
Well done to the juvenile camogie section that won all Division 1 championship semis and will now contest every Division 1 championship title next weekend in 12th Lock. Good luck this coming week to
DUBLIN SFC ROUND 4 Lucan Sarsfields Templeogue SS
0-14 1-9
sport@gazettegroup.com
LUCAN Sarsfields continued their bounce back from a tricky Spring in the Dublin senior football championship, getting the better of Templeogue Synge Street last Saturday in O’Toole Park. They were bumped into the qualifiers by Division 2 side St Peregrine’s back then, but they are now facing a lively quarterfinal tie against Thomas Davis this Saturday, again at O’Toole Park (3pm). They kept the southsiders at bay, despite a late salvo in which Synge Street recovered from a six-point deficit that had opened up at the start of the second half. Drawing level with seven minutes to go, it looked as if all the momentum was Templeogue’s, but Tommy Brennan and Stephen O’Shaughnessy popped up late on to grab
the vital points that closed out the tie. Lucan had started in fine fashion: Paul Casey, James O’Neill, Brendan Gallagher and Brennan from a free all finding the path to points over the bar in the first 15 minutes. It forged a 0-4 to 0-1 lead, and more scores from O’Neill, MarkTwomey and Dermot Gallagher soon had the margin up to seven with scarcely 20 minutes gone. Half-time came with the lead looking comfortable at 0-10 to 0-4, but Templeogue stormed out of the blocks in the second half, grabbing 1-5 to just 0-2 in response from Lucan, to bring matters level. Declan Treanor grabbed a couple of frees while Cathal Morley and Niall Scully were instrumental in reeling in the gap. The big moment came when Eoghan O’Gara intercepted a loose ball and found Scully, who found the net to leave the
minimum between the sides with ten minutes to go. Alan O’Brien brought the sides level, and it looked like Lucan had blown their chance. But, just when it seemed the tie was slipping, Casey embarked on a powerful run from the half-back line and was fouled. It afforded Brennan the chance to kick the free, before former Dublin senior O’Shaughnessy added another point to make absolutely sure of Sarsfields carrying the day. Next up is a testing tie against Thomas Davis, who will aim to bring the momentum of their impressive 2-13 to 1-5
victory over AFL2 champions, St Maur’s into the match. Regarded as a potential banana-skin, they showed few nerves to dispatch the Rush side. Meanwhile. Round Towers’ run in the competition came to an end in midweek in Newcastle when Ballymun Kickhams had too much quality as they ran up a 4-17 to 0-4 win. Derek Byrne was their chief tormentor, scoring a couple of goals against the Clondalkin club he used to line out for. Dean Rock added ten points while scores from Ian Ward and Liam Connolly could only make a small dent in the total.
All tables are sold for the Gala Ball. Contact Paul Stapleton or Mar-
secured promotion.
Sarsfields bounce into quarter-finals
Saturday, October 22 is Feile night for parents. All welcome.
Wins by senior footballers and
the adult ladies football team who
Lucan Sarsfields almost allowed Templeogue to claim their SFC Round 4 tie but closed out the match with skill
come.
The Lucan Sarsfields GAA Club 25 Card Drive is every Friday in the clubhouse bar at 9pm. Set dancing is at 8.30 to 10pm every Wednesday night. Fr John will say Mass in the club on Wednesday, November 2 at 8pm for our deceased members.
senior hurlers in action against
Lotto: Numbers drawn were 1,
Ballyboden, senior footballers vs
14, 20 and 21. There was no winner.
Thomas Davis on Saturday, both in
Next week’s jackpot is €4,500. Edel
championship, and the inter foot-
Mooney’s team will be in charge
ballers in relegation play-off vs St
next weekend. Do not forget you can
Vincent’s on Saturday. See website
always enter our Lotto online by
for all times, etc. All support wel-
clicking on www.lucansarsfields.ie.
ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN OUR U-8 and 9s played Cuala and
Wild Geese.
Crumlin and the U-10s played in the
Our fundraiser bag-pack takes
Liffey Gaels blitz. The U-11s and 12s
place this weekend at Moriarty’s
lost to St Annes and Thomas Davis
Supervalu, Palmerstown.
while the U-16s hurlers have now
If you have an hour or two to
reached the championship semi-
spare, you might tog out and help
final, when they will meet Raheny.
with the bag pack. Ring Joan at
Well done to our under 13 camogie young ladies who beat Ballyboden
086 820 0740 and she will give you details.
St. Endas in the semi-final of the
There are only five weeks to our
championship and now face Crum-
Jubilee Gala Ball which takes place
lin in the final next Sunday in Lucan
in the Red Cow Moran’s Hotel.
at 12 midday.
If you have’nt secured your tick-
Senior footballers are away in
ets yet please ring or text 086 7255
league to Raheny this Saturday
586and leave your order. Tickets
in St Anne’s Park at 4.30pm, while
only €45 with champagne recep-
juniors play their last league match
tion at 7.30pm and a four course
on Sunday morning at 11am away to
meal served at 8pm.
WESTMANSTOWN GAELS/GARDA JUST one adult fixture last week
side lost to Summerhill after extra-
with our intermediates going down
time in the Meath football final replay.
narrowly after putting up a great
The club is running its sponsored solo
display to Kilmacud Crokes in the
day on Saturday, October 22. Spon-
championship at Kiltipper. Best of
sorship cards have been distributed
luck to Kilmacud in the next round.
to the coaches and mentors of each
Junior 1s have important league fixture against Cuala next Sunday morning at 11am. Please come out and support the teams.
team. Please support this important fund-raising event. The juvenile club is currently recruiting new members for all of its
Well done to the mentors, parents
teams. If you are interested in play-
and players of the Westmanstown
ing Gaelic football and/or hurling in
Gaels U-10s who participated in the
a fun and safe environment, please
Blitz weekend against St Patrick’s,
visit us any Saturday morning at
Palmerstown, and which was hosted
10am in the Garda GAA grounds in
by Liffey Gaels.
Westmanstown.
Commiserations to club GPO Michael Ahern whose Dunshaughlin
For the latest information, visit www.westmanstowngaels.ie.
Follow GazetteSport on Facebook and Twitter, and at www.gazettegroup.com
ALL SPORTS COVERAGE FROM27-31 PAGE 27-31 ALLOF OFYOUR YOURCASTLEKNOCK LUCAN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE
NEW GANG INMcKeever FIVE-STAR: ’TOWN:demolishes Westmanstown Stella Maris host Leinster with stunning schools’ strikes rugbyfor blitz LVRP28 P30
MAY 26, OCTOBER 20,2011 2011
FORZA, STARS: SUPER BERNARD! May award Dunne on lifenominees after revealed being theinside champP29 P29
Lucan Sarsfields’ Peter Kelly could play a key role for the club’s hurlers and footballers when they contest major championship fixtures this week
game against Templeogue Synge Street and while they are underdogs against Thomas Davis in Saturday’s quarterfinal (O’Toole Park, 3pm), there is a steel about them which can help them advance. A blistering first-half performance saw Sars build a seven-point lead at one stage
only for Synger to get back on terms with seven minutes remaining. However, points from Brennan and O’Shaughnessy saw them over the line as 0-14 to 1-9 victors. They reached the same phase of the competition two seasons ago and making a semi-final would be a big step up for the 12th Lock club.
gazette
group
.com
LUCAN Sarsfields stand on the precipice of major breakthroughs this week as their footballers and hurlers play huge championship matches in quick succession. In both, they will be regarded as the underdog, but the autumn has seen both bounce back from slow starts to their respective senior campaigns to make big inroads at the main event. The hurlers start off the championship week with a semi-final date with five-ina-row chasing Ballyboden St Enda’s, a side who have been Lucan’s nemesis in seasons gone by. The showdown at Parnell Park will be the third time the sides have met at this stage in the past four years, with Lucan looking to finally make the step up to their potential as county contenders. Johnny McCaffrey and Peter Kelly, buoyed by an outstanding year with the county hurlers, are the de facto leaders of the team, but young stars like Matthew McCaffrey and Sean McCleland have been making their mark on the competition in recent times.
With Conal Keaney and Stephen Hiney out of the opposition line-up, Boden might be more vulnerable than usual but Malachy Travers, Stephen Nolan and Paul Ryan are among a glut of big names at the southside club who can cause umpteen problems to deny Lucan a place in the final. Their autumn-time form has flown in the face of their league results, which sees them struggling to avoid relegation but the addition of Kelly and McCaffrey has provided a big boost to their ambitions. For the footballers, it is a similar story. A mixed league campaign sees them also flirting with the relegation play-offs, while a harrowing loss in the preliminary rounds of the competition to Division 2 side St Peregrine’s had many fearing the championship was destined to failure. But they have rallied exceptionally well, with Tommy Brennan, Brendan Gallagher and All-Ireland winner Paul Casey hitting form to drive the side onwards. They did enough in the closing stages to take victory from their last 16
www.
Q lucansport@gazettegroup.com
GazetteSPORT
Lucan’s championship double bill
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