Lucan 14 1 16

Gazette LUCAN

INSIDE: Has Christmas shopping given you a wobbly

balance? Money Doctor has just the right cure Page 8

Pilgrim’s progress: For a holiday of a different kind, why not try Spain’s Camino? Page 20

Cinema: A powerful start to new generation of boxing franchise

January 14-20, 2016

Find us on

Are you joking?

Festival of funny at the Comedy Showhouse

see page 17

The best things in life are FREE!

young scientists tackle teen sleeping

roisin Tuohy and Gabriele Kolesnikovaite from Lucan Community College stand proudly in front of their project as they took part in the recent BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS Dublin. Their project title was: Does screen time affect the quality of sleep of Irish teenagers? 2016 saw the exhibition celebrate its 52nd year, making it one of the longest standing exhibitions of its kind in the world. The overall winners were announced as Maria Louise Fufezan and Diana Bura of Loreto Secondary School in Balbriggan.

Picture: Pearl Phelan

Page 25

sport Soccer:

Lucan United’s Masterson gets Liverpool call Page 30

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Planning permission for Finnstown project denied

Development was perceived to lack an ‘appropriate mix of house types and sizes’

 Ian Begley

A CONTROVERSIAL housing development to be built in Finnstown has been refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanala.

T he application, by Crekav Landbank Invest-

ments Ltd, originally sought to develop 74 units on the green space in Coolamber, adjacent to the Lord Lucan Bar. On January 4, An Bord Pleanala decided to refuse permission for the development because it was per-

ceived to lack an “appropriate mix of house types and sizes, to the lack of permeability for pedestrians and cyclists, and the poor quality of the residential layout and design”.

John Coleman, member of Finnstown Priory/

Cloisters Residents’ Association, said he was satisfied with the decision, but believed the council did not foresee the negative impacts this proposed development might have had on the area.

Full Story on Page 2

2 LUCAN Gazette 14 January 2016

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residents | Locals concerned that rejection hinges on too few units

Finnstown plan stumbles at Bord Pleanala stage A controversial housing development to be built in Finnstown has been refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanala. The application, by housing developers Greg Kavanagh and Patrick Crean of Crekav Landbank Investments Ltd, originally sought to develop 74 units on the green space in Coolamber, adjacent to the Lord Lucan Bar. This number was later reduced to 58 houses due

 ian begley ibegley@dublingazette.com

to a retention order granted on a number of Poplar trees on the site, following a vote by elected members of the council.

The application was then appealed to the bord

by Finnstown Priory/

Cloisters Residents Association, along with Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Cllr William Lavelle (FG).

Concerns were raised regarding the lack of consultation with residents on the revision of the design and the overall impact it might have throughout the area.

On Januar y 4, An Bord Pleanala decided to refuse permission for the development of the houses due to a lack of

an “appropriate mix of house types and sizes, to the lack of permeability for pedestrians and cyclists, and the poor quality of the residential layout and design”.

In its report, the independent body added: “It is considered that the proposed development would seriously injure the residential amenities of the area and the residential amenities of future occupants and would, therefore, not be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

John Coleman, a member of the Finnstown Priory/Cloisters Residents Association, said he was satisfied with the decision but believed the council had not foreseen the negative impact this proposed development could have had on the area.

He said: “It is good news and we’re delighted that the planning application has been blocked, but it comes with a lot of worrying points.

“The inspector [for the bord] said they refused the application because the housing density was too low in the plan proposed, which means that they actually want to increase the housing density there.

“This would be totally out of character with the immediate area of Finnstown and completely destroy the character of

The resident’s association group in Finnstown Abbey has held a long campaign to stop the development of houses from occupying the green space in Coolamber

the estate.”

Cllr Lavelle also commented on ABP’s decision, saying: “I have no objection in principle to the development of the site and I would have gladly supported the development if it did not impact negatively on the neighbouring Finnstown estate.

“There will probably be a further application coming in from the developer and if that does happen I would hope that the developer and the council would take on board the concerns of the Finnstown residents.”

A council spokesperson said that the council’s planning authority has no comment to make regarding ABP’s decision.

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Top Floor, Clarendon House, 39 Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

14 January 2016 LUCAN Gazette 3

fundraiser | ‘charity could not be more important to the young’

awards

Innovative projects recognised

Gemma goes all out to help Childline  Ian Begley

A Lucan college student is currently on a mission to bring the community together in one big fundraiser to help raise €1m for Childline as part of the 100minds initiative.

A social enterprise that brings together some of Ireland’s top college students, 10 0 m i n d s c o n n e c t s them with one cause to achieve big goals in a short space of time.

The programme has now par tnered with Childline to try to raise vital funds for the service.

Gemma Lyons, who is a past pupil of St Mar y’s GNS and St Joseph’s College, told

The Gazette she was trying to get as many schools and businesses as possible in the area to show their support for the initiative.

She said: “This charity [Childline] could not be more important and relevant to the young people of Lucan and further afield.

“Its services support young kids to those aged 18, morning and night, helping them to deal with problems such as loneliness and isolation, depression, low self-esteem, bullying and bereavement.

“Childline is in danger of cutting its nighttime service unless vital funds are raised.

“With 15 primar y schools, five second-

ary schools, over 400 teachers and staff and hundreds of businesses – the idea is to see as many people as possible in Lucan wearing red [the colour of Childline] on one designated day and donating just €1 each.

“I’m currently in the middle of getting all of the schools to agree on a set date where they will hopefully decide to hold a non-uniform day and have the student’s wear red.

“I hope to create a big buzz around it because Childline is such a vital service to young people all over the country,” said Lyons.

For more information on Chldline’s services, visit www.childline.ie.

cutting edge of medicine

Mariam Khan from St Joseph’s College in Lucan tries her hand at stitching when she attended the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) open day in Dublin recently. Mariam was among 350-plus students from second-level schools throughout Ireland who got a taste for life as a medical, pharmacy and physiotherapy student at the event. Several interactive workshops in medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy were also held. Picture: MAXWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.IE/JULIEN BEHAL

THE council, along with several other community bodies from Dublin MidWest have been shortlisted for the Local Authority Members Association’s National Council and Community Awards.

The awards highlight and recognise community and councils together, bringing national recognition to projects and developments that may otherwise go unrecognised.

The council was shortlisted for Most Innovative Authority and is up against Cork Innovates, Fingal County Council and Mayo Day 2015.

Aspen Counselling Service, Lucan, was shortlisted for the awards in the Best Community Based Initiative. Winners will be named at a ceremony on January 30 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

4 LUCAN Gazette 14 January 2016

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

education | Facility’s open day gives advice and an overview of life in the college

Sallynoggin College calls on potential students SALLYNOGGIN College will hold its annual open day on Thursday, January 21 from 10am to 2pm. The open day is the perfect opportunity to view the facility’s extensive range of courses, exhibitions, demonstrations and facilities.

College staff and students

will be there to answer queries and give information to potential students and their families on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, the back to education allowance and the higher education authority fund, among other items.

Sallynoggin College, within walking distance of Dun Laoghaire, has earned a reputation for excellence in further education and many of its students have achieved national and international recognition in the areas of fashion, sports and photography and more.

The college continues to expand and develop courses. It has introduced a course in the childcare department, childhood education and training for the coming academic year 2016-17, and focuses on hotel and leisure operations as well as the popular airline training

course. All courses are quality assured and certified by national and international exam bodies and are designed to maximise potential for employment or progression to degree programmes.

The college welcomes applications from all age groups

and backgrounds such as school leavers, mature students, graduates, international students, and those who are recently unemployed.

Application is free at www. scfe.ie. Visit the Facebook page to see what life is like at at Sallynoggin College.

Substation plan would see removal of almost 3km of overhead lines

State-owned energy company EirGrid has submitted an application to build a new electricity substation in Dublin Mid-West, which will see the removal of almost 3km of overhead lines and 13 pylons at Adamstown. The proposed substation is located just south of the Nangor Road and will connect to the existing Inchicore to Maynooth 220 kV double-circuit overhead line.

The connection will be made using underground cables and will allow EirGrid to remove almost 3km of overhead lines, which currently run along the Adamstown train line. It will also see the deconstruction of 13 pylons on this route, including the one in Adamstown.

The new development will also allow

for the expansion of Grange Castle Business Park, which is hoped to boost employment in the area.

EirGrid spokesperson Shane Griffin said that during the course of this project, the energy company has worked closely with public representatives, community groups and individuals.

“Space at Grange Castle Business Park is in high demand from international business customers. To accommodate this growth the area requires further power, to meet both current electricity needs and to plan for future electricity demand.

An Bord Pleanala is currently running a period of public consultation on the application until February 22.

Lucan Library is holding a vast array of activates throughout January

courses | a to z of everything on offer

Library opens year in a busy fashion  ian begley

ibegley@dublingazette.com

LUCA N L i b r a r y i s holding a vast array of activates throughout the month of January – from pre-school events to adult learning courses.

Mondays are when Lucan Knitting Club come together from 10.30am to 12 noon along with an adult creative writing group on Thursdays from 10am to 11.30am.

Every Tuesday at 3pm a children’s story time for three- to five-yearolds takes place and on

Wednesday, January 20 and 27 at 3.30pm a children’s arts and creativity class is in train.

A fun, interactive musical workshop for six month- to five-yearold children will take place on Friday, January 15 at 10am and on Tuesday, January 26 a children’s book club for kids aged 10 to 12 takes place at 3.45pm.

On Monday, January 18 and 25 from 6.30 – 8pm, first year pupils and their parents are invited to a group meeting which looks at the challenges and common worries that secondary

school can bring.

On Wednesday, January 27 from 10.30am to 12.30pm, a citizen’s information drop-in facility will be held at the library and on the following day from 2pm to 4pm people interested in volunteering in south County Dublin can find out what opportunities are available to them.

For those struggling to keep up with their phones, a smartphone workshop is on offer on Thursday, January 12 and 28 from 12 noon to 1pm.

On Thursday, January 14 and 28 from 1.30pm

to 3.30pm, a Japanese Family Group session will take place that consists of arts and crafts activities for local Japanese families.

O n Tu e s d a y a n d Thursday evenings, a 10-week course of English and Irish learning classes is also available in the library.

For a full list of events taking place in Lucan Library and for more information contact (01) 621 6422 or visit w w w. s o u t h d u b l i n l i braries.ie Many events must be pre-booked at w w w. eventbrite.ie.

14 January 2016 LUCAN Gazette 5

6 LUCAN Gazette 14 January 2016

don’s dublin The black drop never came – so the black stuff had to do . . .

MY FRIEND had told me, jokingly, not to hold my breath –

Operation Transformation fever grips local clubs

 ian begley

A NUMBER of clubs and community groups will hold community walking programmes during Operation Transformation (OT).

With the return of the RTE programme, members of the public are being encouraged to join in and attempt to lose a collec-

tive one million pounds in weight during the six weeks.

Clubs and groups organising the walks include Round Tower GAA; Ballyboden St Enda’s; Lucan Sarsfields; Lucan Community Group; St Bernadette’s JNS, Quarryvale; An Cosan in Tallaght, Kiltipper Ramblers; and Greenhills College.

South Dublin County Sports Partnership and South Dublin County Council are supporting these community walks along with a series of indoor walk sessions.

These are especially suited to those seeking to become active/ regain fitness and allows participants the opportunity to do so in

a weather friendly environment.

A free nutrition course is being offered locally in the Rossecourt Centre, Balgaddy each Wednesday from 8pm to 10.30pm until Febrary 17. To book a place on the course, contact Liz Griffin on liz.griffin@sdcpartnership.ie.

For more information visit www.sdcc.ie/services.

and I didn’t.

Looking at the Pitch-Drop experiment in Trinity College recently all I could do was laugh,

page corred

for if I was to see the drop drip I would have to wait about 10 years.

Holding my breath was out of the question, but the experiment, quirky as it is, did certainly hold my attention.

The Pitch-Drop experiment was set up in October 1944 by a colleague of Nobel laureate Sir Ernest Walton, and remained unmonitored for decades on a shelf in a lecture hall where it gathered dust.

The experiment was to measure the viscosity or thickness of pitch, and when in 2013 scientists noticed that a drop had formed, the glass jar in which the experiment was housed was moved and a webcam set up to record the “drop”.

And it came to pass that on July 11, 2013 at 5pm the first ever drop was recorded.

Based on analysis of the experiment the scientists in Trinity College estimated the viscosity of the pitch to be about two million times that of honey, and about 20 billion times the viscosity of water.

A similar experiment was set up in 1927

by Prof Thomas Parnell in the University of Queensland (Brisbane) and this is acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest, continuously running laboratory experiment.

In 2006 Parnell and current professor, John Mainstone, were awarded the Ig Noble Prize in Physics for the experiment!

After waiting for a black drop that never came, my friend and I went to a well-known, local hostelry where the black drops, thankfully, dropped much more quickly! Slainte.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

The Pitch-Drop experiment in Trinity College was set up in October 1944 by a colleague of Nobel laureate Sir Ernest Walton

Dublin Mid-West TD Joanna Tuffy (Lab) with Jemin Joseph from Colaiste Phadraig

young scientists | machine cost just €50 to make

Students’ electric braille pad wows at exhibition

 Ian Begley

Two Lucan students have amazed spectators at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition with their electric braille pad machine that cost just €50 to make.

Jemin Joseph and Joel Antony from Colaiste Phadraig built an affordable electronic device that allows blind people to learn and read braille.

According to Joseph, the device works through solenoids, a type of electromagnet that powers the device to create braille patterns that correspond with the different letters of the alphabet.

Speaking to The

Gazette, Joseph, aged 15, said that in Ireland families have to pay thousands of euros for braillereading software and says he wants his device to be affordable to everyone.

“Families in Ireland shouldn’t be paying so much for something that cost me only €50 to make. With our braille pad, blind children can learn how to use it at home. We don’t want to take kids out of school, we just want to make it a lot more affordable to them.

“In Ireland 30% of blind students do not attend braille school because it is so expensive. This is completely

unfair. Our original plan was to make a computerised version, which would mean that we would have a keyboard hooked up to the device.

“Unfortunately, the one we originally intended to present wasn’t the one we intended to exhibit due to components that never arrived. We then had to resort to our plan B which involved a manual project instead on an automated one.”

Joseph added that a potential investor approached him and his partner while exhibiting their project.

“T he person who contacted me said that he was interested in an

automated version of our device. He advised us to make a new, upgraded one and to patent it before exhibiting it in the 2017 BT Young Scientists Exhibition.”

Joseph said that he developed the idea for the project on a trip back to his native home in Kerala, India.

“Near my home there is a blind and deaf orphanage and I noticed that the children there only have access to a few braille displays to share.

“Joel’s inspiration for the project came when he was on a trip to London during the summer. He mentioned the project to his cousin’s neighbour,

who is blind, and he thought it was a fantastic idea.”

Colaiste Phadraig in Lucan had nine qualified projects for the exhibition, St Andrew’s College had three, and Lucan Community College had one qualified project.

D u b l i n M i d -We s t TD Joanna Tuffy (Lab) thought the standard of projects was very high this year.

“I commend all the students from Dublin Mid-West schools and in particular Colaiste Phadraig, Lucan, for its commitment to the exhibition year on year with several entrants this year,” she said.

14 January 2016 LUCAN Gazette 7

8 LUCAN Gazette 14 January 2016

put your house in order | the money doctor’s top tips to help

A sound plan to transform

According to the latest survey conducted by travel and leisure website, lastminute.com, getting out of debt is a top priority for many in 2016 with nearly one in four (24 %) choosing this as a top goal.

When asked about the main reasons for January blues, worries about future financial instability (17 %) and postChristmas debt (14%) came second and third after post-festive weight gain (20%).

But the turkey is well eaten now and the bills are starting to mount on the hall table. Do you despair over your finances? Are you one of the many affected by

apathy, ignorance or lack of time when it comes to addressing your financial issues This is a brilliant time of year to put your house in order, physically emotionally and financially.

We should literally take a leaf out of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield, written over 165 years ago. A certain Mr Wilkins Micawber quipped: “Annual income – £20, expenditure £19.19s.6d – result happiness. Annual income £20, expenditure £20.0s.6d – result misery.” Apparently we still have not learned the lesson.

Whether you are a government, business, a

family or an individual, the philosophy is the same. If expenditure exceeds income, you have two choices – earn more or cut costs.

For some, earning more is currently a bridge too far so cutting costs is sometimes the sole choice but the Money Doctor mantra remains – Stop Spending And If You Must, Ensure Best Value.

In other words, if you MUST buy a product or service, ask yourself, do you REALLY need it and secondly if you do, is there a cheaper or better alternative? 2016 is the year for ensuring best value.

So if you want to trans-

form your finances, the first thing you need is a sound financial plan. Set short, medium and longterm goals.

These might be such things as ‘pay off all my debts’ or ‘sort out my retirement’.

You can’t go forward until you know what you want to achieve. There are several categories you need to address and to help, here are just three sturdy tips to help you out.

1. Do an annual budget

It is so important to create your own income and expenditure statement. Only then can you truly plan – if you have surplus income, the surplus could be invested in a regular saver account (saving €100-€1,000 per month for up to 15 months, attracting up to 4% a year) or a pension fund (or additional voluntary contributions – AVCs).

If you are in deficit, you either have to cut existing expenditure or earn more. Why annually?

Because circumstances change and each year is different where you may have different needs or wants.

Track your spending if you are unsure where all those ATM withdrawals are going to – use an ordinary diary or download the Money Doctor app (it’s free and available through both iphone and android app stores) to identify your spending pattern.

Part of that budget should be a regular saver commitment – save €100 to €1,000 each month and earn up to 4% interest, a great way of funding your costs for next Christmas, never mind the summer holiday! The current best deals are: • N a t i o nw i d e U K

John Lowe, aka the Money Doctor, has some great advice on cutting costs

(online and based here in Ireland ) 4%, save for 15 months.

• EBS 3%, save for up to 12 months.

• KBC Bank, 2% (but if you open a current account 3%) save for up to 12 months.

You can withdraw at any time without penalty and you cannot put lump sums into these accounts.

2. Paying off expensive personal loans and credit card debt

Moneylenders (author-

ised by the Central Bank) can charge up to 200%+ interest legitimately. The ordinary term loan or car loan also have punitive rates of up to 14% and more, while even the cheapest personal loan interest rate is around 7% (certain credit unions).

Equally as punitive is the short-term nature of these loans.

The repayments on short-term debt is greater than on longer term debt. Unlike a mortgage or home loan which is long-term, personal loans

eat into your disposable income – your number one asset.

There is a simple but effective formula for dealing with debt. If you can, consolidate all your debt into a single, less expensive loan and then pay it off as quickly as possible.

If you can’t, hustle all your lenders until they give you a better rate or longer term and always pay the most expensive debt off first – the sniper approach.

The rate of interest you

14 January 2016 LUCAN Gazette 9

you make your money work for you

your finances pay makes a huge difference. Don’t be complacent. The standard variable rate on high street lenders mortgages can vary between 3.5% and 5.9% plus - on a mortgage of €100,000 over 25 years for instance, that is a monthly difference of over €200.

Credit card interest rates vary from 9.11% up to 20% plus. There are also so many charges and fees – late payments, exceeding credit limits (51,000 cards exceeded their limits last October resulting in charges of €7 to €8.50 for that oversight) using outside the eurozone, withdrawing cash – you should use it like a charge card and pay off the balance every month.

Paying the minimum each month means it could take you up to 20 years to pay off your card

debt.

For many it is not possible to pay off the balance each month and for some who have “maxed out” their credit card, one solution is to transfer to one of the three credit card companies - Permanent TSB, KBC Bank and Tesco Clubcard that allow you to transfer at 0% interest rate for six months which basically gives you six months to pay off your debt at no further cost.

Seize this opportunity if you can.

3. Cut down your banking and insurance bills

Overdrafts and especially those exceeding the limits should be a no -no. Arrangement fees, high interest rates, referral fees, surcharges (additional interest for exceeding overdraft limits – can be another 12% pa on top of the overdraft

rate) and unpaid fees all take their toll on your disposable income.

Direct debits and standing orders are also costly – An Post offer a free bill paying service throughout their network (BillPay) or even go online (www.mybills.ie).

You should also shop around for the best mortgage and loan deals, not to mention those insurance premiums – life, health, buildings and contents, travel, even your car – how much time do we spend on car selection and the detail at this time of year but little or no time on the funding or insurance comparisons.

You could be paying twice the price just on the loan interest!

Finally, make sure the financial advice you are being given is independent, authorised and expe-

rienced.

Remember, if there is no fee, the only way an adviser can earn income is by selling you a financial product. Caveat emptor.

10 LUCAN Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazettegallery

| Community Endeavour Awards acknowledge

Local heroes have their day in the sun

2FM presenter Ruth Scott, who was host on the night

Cllr Paula Donovan (FG) and Cllr Vicki Casserly (FG)

Cllr Liona O Toole (Ind), Mario Aprile, Cllr Joanna Tuffy (Lab) and Kevin Kelly

The Social Inclusion Award went to Fettercairn Youth Horse Project

South Dublin Taekwondo Tallaght, Anas Belmaati, Juan Boccia, Annette Cllr Vicki Casserly and Alison Silke

Woolley and Aoibhe Thornton

14 January 2016 LUCAN Gazette 11

the good work of voluntary organisations

Multipurpose Community Centre of the Year is Rathcoole Community The Sports and Recreational Award went to Killinarden Angling Club

Centre

Neighbourhood Community Facility of the Year is Dominic’s

Pictures: Cathy Weatherston Active Age Award went to The Newcastle RAMS

Community Centre

12 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazette

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



asdfsdaf diary P27 P16

Gazette gallery P14

what’son have an art and help homeless:

Jason O’Callaghan is Ireland’s only Trinity College Masters trained psychologist

a day in the life: tackling weight loss and smoking addiction issues

Jason’s mesmerising agenda  Emma Nolan Jason O’Callaghan is a hypnosis psychologist by day and a stage hypnotist by night. The TCD educated professional says his daily life is a balance between work and family as he looks after his two young toddlers while running the D4 clinic in Blackrock.

“I can do the same stuff as Keith Barry but I’m also a trained psychologist so I can do the clinical stuff as well,” he says.

O’Callaghan says there is such a demand for his hypnotic weight loss service that the clinic is open six days a week from half nine every morning till half nine every evening.

“We have clients every half hour.”

O Callaghan said that overcoming weight loss and smoking addiction are the two primary reasons people visit the D4 clinic.

After dropping his children, aged two and three, to the creche first thing in the morning, O’Callaghan starts his day with one-on-one client sessions, which involve hypnotic clinical therapy .

This aims to tap into the “unconscious mind” to combat food cravings and cigarette addiction which he describes as “unconscious problems”.

“Ninety per cent of your mind is unconscious – the way we describe it is like an iceberg, 90% is under the water.

If the problem, like trying to lose weight or give up smoking is unconscious, it has to be fixed in an unconscious way.

“If you ask any smoker or person who wants to lose weight, most of them want to quit smoking and lose weight so you might think, ‘why don’t they just stop?’

“Well, it’s unconscious behaviour so there’s no point in dealing with it in a conscious way such as therapy where you’re wide awake so it can’t help your unconscious mind.”

He then takes a break in the afternoon to pick up his kids and look after them until his partner, who is a dietician and weight loss expert comes home from work.

For the hypnotist, it’s then back to the clinic for his remaining client sessions which are all face to face.

As for his nighttime endeavours, O’Callaghan performs at everything

from corporate speaking events to society weddings and black tie balls, charity events.

Although he describes this part of his career as “more of a hobby”, O’Callaghan is keen to stress the difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy which is “completely different to what Keith Barry does”.

As a successful businessman and highly trained psychologist, O’Callaghan gives talks to companies and sales teams to “show them how their unconscious mind can help them increase profits”.

He also gives demonstrative hypnosis performances.

For more information on the D4 clinic, visit jasonocallaghan.com

THE Irish Housing Network are calling on the public to submit their art for a charity auction to raise funds for homeless services at the end of the month.

Where The Heart Is is taking place on January 29 in No 12, Henrietta Street from 7 to 10pm.

Organiser Evan Musgrave said: “We’re calling on anyone interested to create an original piece of art, or to contribute something they may have lying around at home, in order to hold a popup event where the artworks are sold and the money goes towards a homeless charity.”

The Irish Housing Network was established last May to tackle the housing crisis.

Its current members include North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Committee, Housing Action Now, An Spreach Housing Action Collective, Social Workers Action Network, The Hub, Lay Litigation Ireland, Help 4 the Homeless, Help the Hidden Homeless, A Lending Hand and Radical Roots Ireland.

For further information or to contribute, email wheretheheartisireland@gmail.com.

14 January 2016 Gazette 13

14 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazettegallery

| young scientists gather to display projects at

Ewan Jarvis, Dean Gleeson and Dorian Dederko, Marian College Ballsbridge

Daniel Ahmed and Hector McCarroll, Wesley College Balinteer

Colaiste Pobail Setanta’s Otilia Elena Boutiuc with

Harry Kearns, Blackrock

her mother, Maria

College

Niamh Ni Mhaonaigh and Aimee de Ris, Gaelcholaiste Joshua Murray, Malahide Community School

an Phiarsaigh

14 January 2016 Gazette 15

the rds at annual exhibition

Khadija Gull and Emily Tierney, Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan.

Students on a quest for knowledge

Pictures: Pearl Phelan

T

HE exhibition hall at the RDS was transformed into a hub of learning recently when young hopefuls in the annual BT Young Scientist of the Year awards set up their stalls. Schools from across the city, and country, were eager to give visitors, their peers and judges a first-hand look at their projects, which as always covered an extremely diverse range of topics, backed up by meticulous research. The Gazette was impressed by the quality of projects on show, with some very serious topics covered alongside those that were more light-hearted. The projects demonstrated once again how young Irish minds continue to quest for scientific knowledge.

Ryan Noronha, Joe O’Driscoll and Ryan Alec O’Brien, Castleknock College

O’Connor, Clonkeen College Blackrock

Gazette

16 Gazette 14 January 2016

dublinlife

diary

Looking for some young Les Mis stars to light up the stage Ireland’s largest theatre school is on the look-out for the next Broadway and West End stars.

The Belfast School of Performing Arts has announced an all-Ireland search for young actors wishing to play the highly sought after roles of Cosette, Valjean or Javert from Les Miserables in what is set to be the company’s most exciting production to date.

The audition process begins in Dublin on January 16 and is open to children and young people aged nine to 19.

The show will take place in Belfast’s Grand Opera House in August 2016. The three-week rehearsal and show process will be a residential for those travelling from across Ireland

to take part. To register for an audition, visit www.thebspa.co.uk

Thousands sign up to quit smoking this new year The H SE has announced that over 1,000 smokers have signed up to QUIT.ie since New Year’s Day. While there are still 700,000 smokers in Ireland, the HSE’s findings reveal that those numbers are dropping as they expect that on every day of 2016 14 families will be bereaved as a result of cigarettes.

T h e H SE ’s Q U I T Team is a personal support ser vice to help quitters – providing a team of trained advisers, interactive digital tools, empathy and support.

The QUIT team can help over the phone, on

Facebook or Twitter, via email or text, or through Live Chat via the QUIT. ie support website.

They also have a network of face-to-face HSE QUIT services in many locations around the country, providing one-to-one and group support for smokers.

Dave Molloy, National Tobacco Lead for the HSE, said: “70% of smokers want to QUIT, and we’ve seen how support from fellow quitters can make a big difference.”

Donate unwanted gifts to gorta self help africa Gorta-Self Help Africa is asking Dublin people to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to its charity shops on Capel and Liffey Street.

“Households the length and breath of the country are busy this week clearing up after the long holiday break. Inevitably, there will be gifts received that people either don’t like or don’t have any use for,” said retail manager for Gorta Maggie Dwyer.

“Donating festive gifts to charity is a great way to find a good home for that particular unwanted present, and at the same time contribute vital funds to support the charitable projects that Gorta-Self Help Africa is implementing to end hunger and poverty in rural Africa.

“Books, clothing, jewellery, DVDs/CDs, brica-brac and household goods are all gratefully

received, and if they help householders to clear up after the Christmas festivities and do a bit of spring cleaning into the bargain, then it is a win-win for everyone,” she said.

For more information visit www.selfhelpafrica. org.

fifth annual haiti week filled with plenty of events The fifth annual Haiti Week, an initiative run by Irish NGO Haven which aims to raise awareness and funds for Haiti, is taking place in Dublin from January 18 to 24.

This initiative was conceived as a joint venture between Haven and partner organisations to promote Ireland’s relationship with Haiti and was launched by President Bill Clinton and attended by Haiti’s President Michael Martelly in its inaugural year in 2012.

Events are taking place throughout the week highlighting Haiti’s vibrant culture.

O n We d n e s d ay, January 10 Haven and UCDVO hold a special advance private screening of Fr Joseph in the UCD campus cinema.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with movie producer Jeff Kaufman and Fr Joseph.

This is a free event and tickets are available by emailing haitifilm@ ucdvo.org.

The Haiti Ball is taking place on Saturday, January 23 in the Intercontinental Hotel. The William Jefferson Clinton

Searching both north and south for a new Cosette is James Huish, musical director and founder of Belfast School of Performing Arts, with Caitlin Stitt, aged 11, who played the role in a previous BSPA production of Les Miserables

Award will be presented at the Ball and will recognise extraordinary people who have shown outstanding leadership in personal philanthropy to bring about sustainable social change in Haiti.

findings released on workplace accidents Three people died in workplace accidents in Dublin in 2015.

The health and safety authority released findings that reveal 55 lost their lives in the work place in Ireland last year.

Two-thirds of workrelated deaths (37 of 55) occurred in businesses with fewer than 10 employees, mainly in agriculture, construction and fishing.

Fatalities in agriculture were down by 40%, with 18 deaths reported compared to 30 in 2014.

However, construction

fatalities increased from eight in 2014 to 11 in 2015 and the fishing sector also saw an increase from one in 2014 to five in 2015.

Incidents involving vehicles were the main cause of fatal accidents in the workplace, accounting for 21 of the total. Fifteen people were killed as a result of falls from height, the second most common cause of death.

Reclaim the Vision of 1916 put poetry in the spotlight An international poetry programme inspired by the strong connections between poetry and the Easter Rising – often known as the Poets’ Revolution, has recently been launched by the Reclaim the Vision of 1916 group.

Many of the Rising’s leaders were accomplished poets, including Padraic Pearse, Joseph Mary Plunkett, James Connolly and the eminent

Thomas MacDonagh.

Also acclaimed for his talents as a teacher, playwright, Irish language scholar, and literary theorist, it is in MacDonagh’s honour that the chosen prize for the competition is a medal etched with MacDonagh’s licence designed by noted Irish artist Robert Ballagh.

Along with this, the winner will receive a cash award of €1,000. The judges are poet Catherine Ann Cullen, Ciaran Carty and Louis de Paor.

In its aftermath, the Rising motivated a generation of poets not least Nobel prize winner William Butler Yeats.

In this spirit, Reclaim 1916 is now inviting the present generations of poets to reflect on the competition’s theme and submit up to three entries for consideration.

See www.reclaim1916. ie/international-poetrycompetition/

14 January 2016 Gazette 17

food P22

asdfsdaf P27 health P24

OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week



Gazette

travelP20

Pets

can you give blake a new, loving home?

Irish comedy heavyweight Andrew Maxwell will feature in the inuagural radio comedy festival on RTE later this month

in good humour: inaugural comedy festival to take place on RTE

The funny thing about radio…

 keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

Ireland’s inaugural radio comedy festival takes place on RTE later this month, featuring performances from Irish comedy heavyweights such as Sean Hughes, Andrew Maxwell, Deirdre O’Kane, Karl Spain, Aindrias De Staic, Foil Arms and Hog, Fiona Looney and Colm O’Regan and others.

The Comedy Showhouse festival will be presented by RTE Radio One and Sideline Productions, and produced in association with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and grintageireland.com. Between January 31 and February 7, the festival will celebrate and promote Irish comedic performance and writing talent and features a host of live shows at Space

Upstairs at The Project Arts Centre in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Twenty shows over eight days (two performances each night) with performances recorded in front of a live audience and edited into 18 half-hour shows for a new comedy slot on RTE Radio 1.

The aim of the festival is to build on the success of comedy sketch show Callan’s Kicks, the brainchild of comedian Oliver Callan and music and entertainment editor at RTE Radio 1, Ann-Marie Power, who said she was delighted that they now had the opportunity to build on that.

“Our listeners have huge appreciation and desire for Irish comedy and on their request, we have decided to give them more in 2016. More than 40 acts are due to perform over the eight days and, according to RTE will ‘bring together the

finest current and upcoming comedic minds in the country’,” she said.

The festival begins on Sunday, January 31 with chat show She’s Having a Laugh presented by Deirdre O’Kane plus special guests, the following day will see Don’t Quote Me – a special live recording of the hit RTE radio comedy panel show.

One of the big draws will be Cullivan’s Travels – A Journey Through Irish Satire.

Ireland’s premiere satire expert Paddy Cullivan is a writer and performer on RTE’s Callan’s Kicks and leader of The Camembert Quartet, The Late Late Show‘s house band. In this show, Paddy and special guests look back at Irish satire through the years – from Hall’s Pictorial Weekly to Scrap Saturday, Callan’s Kicks to Bull Island, Pictorial Weekly to The Savage Eye, incorporating both chat

and performance.

Another show which promises to be a big draw is one performed by Comedian, BBC radio presenter, star of Kilkenomics and best-selling author of the Irish Mammies series, Colm O’Regan. Who brings his unique storytelling to the Project stage and with special guest actors and interviewees unpicks the linguistic foibles that characterise this nation of ours.

The Cube, which is downstairs in the Project Arts Centre, will also have a programme that coincides with the main event with Q and A sessions and masterclasses in comedy writing, radio production and film and television production.

The programme for these events will be available from January 11.

For more information see www.rte. ie

The Dublin Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs.

Blake is a one-year-old male terrier cross. He arrived into Dogs Trust from a hoarding situation with 11 other dogs.

Blake would be best suited to a home with children aged 16-plus and would benefit from living with a friendly, confident dog. He will need a family who will do some training with him and put in the time to help his confidence around people grow.

If you think there is a place in your family for this clever, eager and very sweet boy, please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000.

They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50.

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

You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

OUT&ABOUT 1

4

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Warehouse High rib neck top €46

Gazette

18 Gazette 14 January 2016

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Oasis striped embellished jumper €44

Jumpers for joy TOP FIVE

Penneys Crop cable jumper €14

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14 January 2016 Gazette 19

Vichy IDEALIA Day €26

Guinot Creme Hydra Finish Face Cream €39.50

s p Drop y Sho m €35 d o B The Crea h Day of Yout

Nuxe Creme Fraiche normal skin tube €21.75

Clarins Multi-Active Jour, All Skin Types €38

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It’s that time of the year again when it’s almost a daily battle to keep your skin moisturised. Winter winds and low humidity can leave skin dry, thirsty and irritable. Here are a selection of creams that can help rehydrate and smooth many types of winter skin and give your complexion a rosy, nourished glow.

Ziaja jasmine day cream anti-wrinkle SPF 6 €7.99

Gazette

STYLE

20 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazette

OUT&ABOUT fast TRAVEL NEWS For a ‘clean break’, look no further than Spain’s Camino

Camino De Santiago De Compostela: Over 776km of track await

The beautiful Mexican city of Cancun

Get planning your dream honeymoon

If you are thinking of tying the knot this year or if you are already in the process of planning your dream honeymoon then you will be happy to know that there is a wide range of honeymoon destinations on offer for 2016.

For €1,049pp you can spend an all-inclusive seven nights in the beautiful Mexican city of Cancun in the Occidental Grand Xcaret or in the Riu Cancun for €1,129pp When holidaying or honeymooning in Cancun you will be able to enjoy direct access to the beach from your hotel, spend time swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and choose from a host of water-sports that are directly on your doorstep.

If you and your better half long to be treated like royalty on your honeymoon, then the Caribbean island of Barbados will not disappoint.

For €1,059pp, you will stay at the Coconut Court Beach Hotel for seven nights.

This Caribbean Island is famous for its tropical

year-long weather, white sandy beaches and its turquoise waters which are ideal for enjoying an exotic honeymoon.

Experience unbelievable sunsets in the Caribbean island of St Lucia during your honeymoon and for €1,199pp you can stay at the Windjammer Landing Beach Resort for seven nights.

Bask on the white sandy beaches, enjoy a dip in the crystal clear lagoons, explore the length and breadth of these St Lucia or enjoy a peaceful getaway and relax and savour pure bliss.

A holiday to the Dominican Republic is highly recommended if you’re into stunning mountain scenery, breath-taking rainforests anwd pristine beaches.

Newlyweds can stay at the all-inclusive Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa for seven nights for €1,239pp.

These offers must be booked by January 31 with flights leaving in May. Visit www.escape2.ie for more information.

 therese caherty

Pilgrimage – the word conjures up austerity of a Lough Derg kind: three days on Station Island where St Patrick underwent his purgatory, with black tea, dry toast, no sleep and an abundance of prayer resulting, it’s hoped, in a closer walk with god. Or the loss of a few pounds, maybe.

Looking further afield, what about northern Spain’s Camino De Santiago De Compostela?

The Way of St James can engage body, mind and spirit singly or in triplicate if that’s your wish.

Peregrinos from all corners of the globe are attracted to it, those of all religions and none, who are fighting fit or more used to the armchair. Everyone has their way!

Home is the starting point and Santiago de Compostela the end. This is where the remains of the apostle, St James, were reputedly shipped from Jerusalem for burial in the Middle Ages.

St James’s Gate in Dublin 8 was Ireland’s tradi-

tional departure spot – it could be yours if you rise to the challenge.

St James’s Day is July 25 and when it falls on a Sunday, Santiago’s cathedral declares a holy or jubilee year.

The next is in 2021 – so you’ve plenty of time to plan, do the odd reccie.

Seriously!

Over 776km of track await you, winding over hills, through vineyards, almond groves, down into valleys, alongside noisy motorways, through cities, towns and villages dripping in history.

A vast current of “peregrinos” flows through the area every year, recharging their spirits and helping to fuel a depressed local economy in the process.

People drive, walk, cycle, run or, in my case, hobble towards the west.

The ever-helpful Irish Society of the Friends of St James (www.camino. ie) is there too for practical advice. I booked a return to Santander which unfortunately determined my route – I couldn’t start in the Pyrenees without the journey devouring

days of walking. So the society advised starting in Pamplona, finishing in Burgos, home of El Cid and, during the Spanish civil war, base for General Franco’s government.

Its 13th century Gothic catholic cathedral is a vast and undeniably impressive mass of spires, gargoyles and golden stone.

Preparation is key for a stint on the Camino and the trick is to travel light. I decided to take a suitcase, however, for stuff that wouldn’t fit in my 35kg backpack and have it forwarded to the following night’s B&B. Here my language deficiencies glowed. More than once, my case went AWOL and I finished up buried in a beer.

Why didn’t I listen and learn Spanish? Even a smattering would have helped.

Once you arrive, your days, however many or few, will be totally governed by a pattern of rising before the sun, walking, eating, sleeping.

Buy John Brierley’s guide to the Camino. It divides the route into 33

Engage your body, mind and spirit on northern Spain’s

stages with an average 23.5km per stage, from St Jean Pied du Port to Santiago de Compostela.

In fairness, it will become your own pocket resource centre – worth the investment.

Brierley subdivides each stage further with elevation and terrain ahead clearly explained.

You always know where you are, how high you’re going to go, and so can judge your energy en route and stop if you know you can’t finish the full stage.

An accompanying commentary recommends and rates albergues, restaurants, historical sites … and this is only a fraction.

On advice, I brought no books. But in my two weeks, I couldn’t find an English newspaper or magazine so I read the

guide from cover to cover and back. It was worth it.

But be advised – bring a (light) book.

My first trek, out of P a m p l o n a t ow a r d s Puente la Reina, was unforgettable.

At 6am half the world was walking and smiling with me. I found the scallop shell markers no problem. The fact that I hadn’t had breakfast - not even coffee - meant nothing.

And although in the days ahead I got lost once or twice or found, particularly in the cities, that I was doubling back, the shell and arrows and John Brierley helped me hold course.

In all, I completed eight only stages. Alas, a mosquito bit my eyelid as I made my way out of Logrono one morning for

14 January 2016 Gazette 21

Gazette

TRAVEL you, winding over hills, through vineyards, valleys, through cities and towns

The Scallop Shell: The symbol of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage The scallop shell is like an old pal,

legends involving the apostle, St

turning up at just the right time

James. In one story, as the saint’s

to reassure you when the way is

remains were in transit to Galicia

unclear.

from Jerusalem a knight’s horse

It’s everywhere: swinging from

was said to have fallen into the

backpacks; embedded in the path

water and emerged covered in

or on buildings; snuggling behind

scallop shells. Others give it a

shrubbery and scrub or sculpted

pre-Christian slant, claiming

into rock.

that the Camino was a fertility

Medieval pilgrims used the

pilgrimage for childless couples

shell too, sometimes for practical and the scallop a pagan fertility reasons: weighing little, it could

symbol at its outset. Finally, the

be used as cutlery or food dish.

shell’s contours and drills are

But it was also proof that they had indeed walked the walk.

Native to the

sun – an important daily event and heav-

the scallop

ily symbolic for

evolved into a

pre-Christian

souvenir – and

societies. An appropriate

income

enough

for local

take given

shops

that the

along

way is a

the

journey

way.

to the

Some

west,

things

to the

never

“end of

change!

Inevitably it’s associated with Camino De Santiago De Compostela

I brought a pair that were great for Ireland’s springy bogs. But on the hard gravel of the Santiago trail? They were a killer.

If you’re travelling in the heat, make sure your boots are light but with a really substantial sole so your feet don’t bruise and blister from pounding the rocky earth.

Bring plenty of plasters, creams, powder and socks too. Look after those feet, they’re doing a tough job.

Finally, the food is plain, simple and when it comes to dietary requirements, you’re on your own. The lack of choice makes life so simple it would be great if we could bottle it and bring it home.

Finally, this you’ll hear everywhere you go from everyone you meet: buon camino peregrinos!

as imitating the setting

Galicia coast,

source of

Navarrete. It knocked me off track for a day and left me looking as if I’d gone the full 18 with Rambo.

Get the EU health insurance card from the HSE. I didn’t and it cost.

What do I remember most? The friendliness of the Spanish and their patience as I mangled their language; the massive cathedrals in almost every tiny town that seemed to heave with gold. An Irishwoman I met on the way went for the regular pilgrim blessing and was invited along with others into a room where many gold icons were on display. How can all that be in there, she said, when the people here are so poor?

I also remember feet - all shapes, sizes and various states of distress.

interpreted in some quarters

Preparation is key. John Brierley’s guide to the Camino is essential as are the right boots

the world” (Finisterre) and the setting sun.

Gazette

22 Gazette 14 January 2016

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

BITESIZEDNEWS

The Jar rolls onto the city’s trendy bar list THE latest trendy bar on the scene is The Jar, on Wexford Street, in the old Solas premises.

The Jar’s promise is to reflect the charms of an old Irish pub while embracing the energetic atmosphere of its location.

With a drink menu consisting of “old favourites, new loves and a couple of adventurous unknowns”, the bar aims to add its own welcoming charm to the sometimes chaotic street.

With its food offering consisting of base woodfired pizza, it may have some competition with the numerous pizza joint offerings in the city, such as the nearby P Mac’s and The Bernard Shaw.

However, the sharing plates on the menu consist of choices such as salt and chili squid, duck spring rolls and wild mushroom and tarragon tartlets, which make it more of a foodie destination than its pizza counterparts.

Fish Shop

Seafood, fish and chips

Queen Street, D7 Since opening early last

www.

dublin

its refreshingly simple

.com

g a ze t t e

All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

WHEN it arrived early last year, Picky Eater thought Fish Shop was a humble chipper – should’ve known better The logo – elegant and discreet – and the waiter in a bow tie wearing a look of polite mystification when I asked for a one-and-one were enough to send me packing, with plans emerging for a more dignified return.

The mistake was understandable – Queen Street, with its three lanes of honking motors and the Luas running through it – has long lost any of its Victorian charms.

Notwithstanding a few sound watering holes (Ryan’s, The Dice Man), it’s possibly the least likely spot in the capital for posh fish and chips – this is Picky’s defence.

The second visit was far more satisfying. We dropped in and found the protocol was first-come, first-served; no bookings taken.

A wait of 40 to 45 min-

year in Smithfield, Fish Shop has made a name for itself, thanks to its crowded but friendly interior and range of dishes. Great for classic – and very tasty – fish and chips, oysters, mussels. Be impressed.

The Picky Eater utes? No problem. Repair to Ryan’s for an aperitif; a phone call later, and we cantered hungrily towards our tea.

The Fish Shop interior is really lovely: space is at a premium, and Picky’s guest was tickled to find he was sitting on a stash of beer!

The dozen or so diners squish themselves happily around a single row of rough wooden tables; others sit on high stools at the window.

There’s much smiling, nodding, snippets of cross conversations, and then there’s the delicious aroma – a far cry from the pong of old fat or oil that regrettably some of us now associate with the national dish.

The menu, as you might expect, is refreshingly simple: you can start with fried oysters or mussels or cockles, moving on to a fillet o’fish (burger), or battered haddock served with tartare sauce or whatever the batter-free catch of the day is.

Sides include bread and butter (no nods in the direction of glutenfree, but what the hell), twice-fried chips, green herb salad and tartare sauce or garlic mayo. You can wash it all down with wine or beer by the bottle.

Our jaded Christmas palates were happy to have our decisions made easy. Very quickly, we plumped for the oldfashioned item (a oneand-one), and the fish burger (hake fillet on a toasted brioche bun with fennel, apple, garlic mayo and mint).

The latter was judged a taste sensation! Being greedy, we also ordered chips, salad and extra tartare sauce.

My hake was deliciously tender and moist – frankly, the best fried fish I’ve ever tasted, and that’s no lie. The batter was light, crisp and something not intended to be left on a plate.

Otherwise, the chips were crisp, the salad was

fresh and lightly dressed.

Service friendly, efficient and unobtrusive, despite the squash.

Yes, there are no desserts – in this instance, an occasion of sin happily avoided. With a glass of white and a bottle of ale, the bill came to around €55.

Smithfield has a dearth

of good eating venues, so Picky and pal vacated the premises with the following slogan: The Fish Shop on Queen Street – long may she reign!

It’s closed Monday and Sunday; open for lunch (from noon) Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, otherwise open from 2.30 to 10pm.

Conclusion PICKY was feeling decidedly chipper after a visit to Fish Shop (at No 6, Queen Street, Dublin 7; tel 01 430 8594). The fish couldn’t have been better – in fact, was the best Picky has ever had – while its no-nonsense setting was unexpectedly convivial, making it definitely the plaice to eat ...

14 January 2016 Gazette 23

Gazette

24 Gazette 14 January 2016

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

Make quitting smoking your No 1 New Year’s resolution

Free app to quit smoking

Carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels the most, so the amount of carbohydrate eaten daily is important

nutrition: keeping insulin levels on target

Curbing carbs With the festive season now over, it’s time to get back on track.The first step is to take stock of your nutrition regime.

Go through your kitchen presses and bin all the tempting t r e a t s y o u ’ ve e a t e n over the last few weeks.

Then restock with fresh wholesome foods. The most important component for weight loss is insulin management.

Insulin aka the fat h o r m o n e , p l ay s a n important role. It’s key for recovering from exercise, building muscle and maintaining optimal blood sugar levels. Insulin and carbohydrates are tightly linked.

The more carbohydrates eaten, the more insulin released.

Carbohydrate foods affect blood glucose levels the most. Examples of these foods are the fruit group, the starch and starchy vegetable group and the milk and yogurt group. Carbohydrate-only foods raise

blood glucose quicker than those containing fats and protein. Carbohydrates eaten with fats and protein will have a slower impact on blood glucose.

Food composition

Blood glucose levels vary depending on whether you eat carbohydrates, proteins, fats, or a combination of these three. Carbohydrates will cause the highest and quickest blood glucose rise.

Carbohydrate containing liquids (milk and juice) will cause blood glucose to rise faster than solid carbohydrates (bread). This impact makes carbohydrates the most important macronutrient for people with diabetes to monitor.

Portion size

The amount of food eaten also affectson blood glucose levels.

Eating bigger portions causes blood glucose levels to rise more. Keep-

ing track of the amount of carbohydrates eaten daily is important in controlling blood glucose levels To measure the quantity of carbohydrates eaten daily, you need to know about food groups, serving sizes and Nutrition Facts labels.

One serving from each of the three carbohydrate groups contains about 15g of carbohydrates. Therefore, eating one serving from any of these groups will affect blood glucose levels in the same way. For comparison, one slice of bread has about 15g of carbohydrate. For weight loss aim to keep your total carbohydrates for the day to around 50g.

Timing

glucose levels. Ask your doctor or dietician how many meals/snacks to eat daily.

Blood glucose levels are affected by the timing of meals and snacks.

It’s important to eat the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal or snack to keep blood glucose levels within target.

To optimise insulin for fat loss, aim to get most of your carbohydrates from vegetables and some fruit and good carbs like steel-cut gluten-free oatmeal, sweet potato, winter squash and any type of rice, quinoa or legumes (beans and lentils) directly after exercise.

In reality carbs are neither “good” nor “bad”. Some carbs are simply better choices than others.

Blood glucose levels are affected by the timing of meals. Eating three meals and one or two snacks at the same time daily will maintain consistent blood

 Greg Marsh Fat loss expert, personal trainer and owner of Synergise Personal Training in Stepaside. For further information, see www.synergise.ie.

A NEW free digital health coach app – iCoach – hopes to help people quit smoking in 2016, and maximise their health. According to the app makers: • Some 41% of registered Irish iCoach users stopped smoking after three months.

• 80% of Irish smokers want to quit.

• The highest percentage of smokers in Ireland are aged 25 to 34 years (some 28.7%).

• The average Irish smoker smokes 12 cigarettes a day – that means the average such smoker spends €2,299.50 per year on cigarettes.

• Finally, the new iCoach app update shows you exactly how much money users will have saved since the

day they quit.

With 2016 looming, now is the perfect time to think about quitting smoking for good. Thousands of smokers make a promise to themselves every December to give up smoking in the new year – without adequate support and assistance this is a promise often broken.

For those who feel like they have tried everything to quit, now may be the perfect time to download the iCoach app to help stick to that difficult New Year’s resolution.

The app makers say that iCoach can be a personal safety net, at hand 24/7. The app’s latest update now comes with a “panic button” to help smokers at their weakest

moments – hitting it triggers instant advice on how to conquer the craving to smoke.

Backed by the EU Commission, the iCoach app is free to download from iTunes and Google Play stores, and is also designed to provide former smokers with the help they need during their weakest moments.

The app acts as a free online health coach that will support users on the journey to a smoking-free life, while also providing daily tips, seeing what the iCoach community is up to, and providing a way to share progress to support others trying to quit smoking.

For further help to quit smoking, see http://stopsmokingcoach.eu/

Try a new way to lose weight Weight Watchers is famous for ferent perspective on fitness. Whether “points” and its new SmartPoints plan you want to get active and don’t know takes healthy weight loss to a new where to start, or are ready to take level. Today, rather than dieting to lose your fitness to the next level, Weight Sinclair, chief at fun and easy weight, Weight Watchers is looking Martina Watchers is looking Weight for a more holistic approach to eat- executive, ways for you to move more with ideas ing and living healthier and happier Watchers that fit your life. To find your nearest lives overall. Counting calories alone class, visit www.weightwatchers.ie. doesn’t lead to healthier eating.

The new SmartPoints plan makes healthy eating simple by putting complex nutritional information into one simple number, giving you credit for eating more lean protein, less sugar and saturated fat, and nudging you towards making healthier choices while everything is still on the menu.

Success goes beyond just the Martina Sinclair, number on the scales – it’s a combinachief executive, Weight Watchers tion of how you feel, your confidence, health and happiness, and much more.

The SmartPoints plan gives us a dif-

14 January 2016 Gazette 25

Gazette

CINEMA

Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) steps into the role of the grizzled mentor for Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan)

creed: The Rocky film franchise is in better shape than it has been in years

A film with a familiar ring to it Few films epitomise the American dream more than the Oscar-winning Rocky franchise.

The archetypal story of the hard-working underdog is so deeply cemented in our cultural and cinematic heritage that just hearing the opening bars of the famous theme can cause even the most unathletic among us to begin bounding enthusiastically up nearby steps.

Rocky became an icon, and the Rocky films became a celebration of the Protestant work ethic upon which America was founded: have faith, toil relentlessly, and you will justly rewarded.

 Dave phillips

Forty years on from the original film and a new stratum of the Rocky mythos emerges in Creed.

Written and directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), the story follows the rise of Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) whose father, Apollo Creed, was world champion before being beaten by Rocky Balboa.

Adonis has plenty of physical potential,

but no formal training, and knowing that his father became steadfast friends with Rocky, Adonis seeks out the long-retired Balboa to help him.

Littered with visual and structural allusions to the 1976 Rocky, the film has no qualms about staying tight to its source material.

Adonis runs through the streets in a familiar grey tracksuit, drills relentlessly in the gym, and chases chickens to improve his footwork just like Rocky did all those years ago.

While Balboa steps into the role of the grizzled mentor, barking gravelly encouragement just like Mickey did all

those years ago. Oh, and there goes Adonis, getting romantically entangled while he should be training, just like Rocky did, all those years ago.

It plays out like a topsy-turvy trip down memory lane, complete with suitably epic montage sequences.

Creed manages to be familiar, but not staid thanks to some persuasive performances.

Michael B Jordan is fresh and enigmatic in the lead role, managing to capture both the physical prowess and psychological naivete of an up-and-coming contender.

Stallone suits the world-weary support-

ing role, and the two gel together nicely.

When Rocky has Adonis come stay in his apartment as training intensifies, the pair enter in a kind of familial bond – with Rocky becoming the long sought after father-figure for Adonis, and Adonis fulfilling the role of an ideal son for Rocky.

Adonis’s love intere s t , B i a n c a ( Te s s a Thompson) serves to add another level of depth – allowing us to see another side to Jordan’s range, while also providing a plot-line that puts some tension between Rocky and Adonis.

Creed manages to mirror so much of what

made Rocky successful, as Coogler essentially retells the Rocky story for a new generation, a n d o p e n i n g we e kends in the US (where it was released some weeks earlier) suggest that there is still a large appetite for an underdog story. But in retelling the story, Coogler a l s o p r e s e r ve d t h e original American myth – work hard, and you can get what you want, which is where things fall short.

Because there is also a distinct feeling that the cultural milieu has shifted since the 1970s, and something about the simplicity of the story-arc and central philosophy that Creed

adopted rings out of kilter with the kind of stories we encounter in cinemas today. Next to Southpaw, or The Wrestler, Creed’s story seems a little facile.

Not that there is anything wrong with an old-fashioned good versus evil tale, but Creed doesn’t even manage to do that. In trying to craft a more modern and realistic retelling of Rocky, Coogler loses the dynamic between Rocky and Apollo, as the lines between good and bad become necessarily blurred. Enjoyable, albeit hollow, Creed is a powerful start to the new generation of the boxing franchise.

Verdict: 6/10

26 lucan gazette 14 January 2016

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14 January 2016 lucan gazette 27

LucanCLASSIFIEDS +"/6"3: DVD TRANSFERS

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CineFilms Video & Camera Tapes Music & Titles added

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Gazette

28 gazette 14 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport Shelbourne march on in league cup: SHELBOURNE Ladies got their Continental Tyres women’s national league cup off to a great start in heavy rain at the AUL Complex last night.

Shels and Galway cancelled each other out in the horrendous conditions with the deadlock finally being broken in the 73rd minute by Rebecca Creagh.

Siobhan Killeen’s right wing cross found Creagh at the back post to head home her third goal in two matches against the Galwegians. Killeen doubled Shels’ advantage with 10 minutes remaining with a strike from the edge of the box then Noelle Murray sealed the victory in stoppage time.

Last season’s beaten finalists Peamount United got off to a winning start with a Lauryn O’Callaghan double sealing the points in Castlebar.

Lauren Kelly got the other goal for the visitors in an impressive 3-0 win for the Greenogue club.

cricket: late invite extended to ireland for bangladesh trip

Nine Dubs bound for World Cup  sport@dublingazette.com

IRELAND have made three changes to their s q u a d f o r t h e IC C Under-19 World Cup tournament which starts in Bangladesh later this month with nine Dublin-based players called up.

Spinning all-rounders Fiachra Tucker (Pembroke) and Harry Tector (YMCA) rejoin the 15-man squad having missed out on the Malaysian qualifiers, while Rush opening batsman Stephen Doheny - captain of Ireland’s Under17s - earns a first callup at this level after an impressive summer.

Tucker and Tector join their elder brothers in the squad, with Lorcan

Tucker named as vicecaptain, and Jack Tector once again skippering the side.

Pembroke’s Josh Little, Merrion’s Tom Stanton and Phoenix’s Ben White and Rory Anders retain their places in the side.

The inclusion of twin brothers Gary and William McClintock mean there’s a real family affair look to the lineup.

Ireland initially missed out on qualifying for this World Cup but were offered the chance to compete after Australia withdraw from the competition for security reasons.

Cricket Ireland were satisfied that they could take up the offer to step

in from the International Cricket Council and head coach Ryan Eagleson is looking forward to the challenge ahead. “ We p l ay e d s o m e excellent cricket at both the European qualifiers in Jersey and the global qualifying event in Malaysia,” he said.

“Unfortunately we lost out at the final hurdle on both occasions, but we’ve been handed this lifeline which we intend to make the most of.

“We’ve strengthened the spin bowling, drafting in Fiachra [Tucker] and Harry Tector, while Stephen Doheny is an accomplished batsman who has scored heavily this season at all levels.

“Our group looks tough with India and

Irish underage internationals Fiachra Tucker, Ben White, Lorcan Tucker and Jack Tector along with Colin Curry (centre)

New Zealand, while we will have a chance of revenge over Nepal who pipped us in Malaysia.

“We’re all extremely grateful to the ICC for the opportunity to play in the World Cup and although we know it will be tough, we’re determined to make everyone proud.”

The chance to captain Ireland at a World Cup is a dream come true for Irish skipper Jack Tector and he can’t wait to lead his country in Bangladesh.

“It is a massive opportunity for the squad to represent Ireland on the world stage. I can’t

thank the ICC enough for their invitation and Cricket Ireland for acting so fast as a result.

“Fortunately we have been training regularly, and with four days preparation in Dubai before we head on to Bangladesh, I know we will be ready for the India game on the 28th.

“We have experience in sub-continental conditions having been to Sri Lanka and Malaysia over the last 12 months, so hopefully this will stand us in good stead once we get to Bangladesh.

“To captain my country in a World Cup is

something I have dreamt about over the last few years and now that it’s actually happening is a truly unbelievable feeling.”

Ireland are in Group D and will play matches against India (in Mirpur on January 28), Nepal (in Fatullah on January 30) and New Zealand (in Fatullah on February 1).

If Ireland finishes inside the top two in Group D, then it will progress to the Super League, while it will feature in the Plate Championship if it ends up third or fourth in its group.

Captain Deasy plays pivotal role in Lansdowne win  sport@dublingazette.com

Lansdowne got the better of Clontarf in the UBL Division 1A clash last weekend. Picture: Deryck Vincent

SCOTT Deasy played the captain’s role as his late penalty guided Lansdowne to a gritty 19-18 victory over play-off rivals Clontarf on the 4G pitch at Castle Avenue in the Ulster Bank Division 1A. The steely out-half kicked 14 points in all, including four penalty goals, to deny Clontarf who had been within touching distance of the win thanks to replacement Eoghan Browne’s try.

History was repeating itself as

back in late November, Clontarf missed out on an away triumph over Lansdowne when a late Deasy-converted try saw Mike Ruddock’s men sneak a 23-all draw.

The north Dubliners, beaten by Garryowen last week, got off to a poor start today as Deasy slotted two penalties and converted returning scrum half Adam Griggs’ try - the New Zealander seized his chance to dive over from a close-in ruck.

Deasy’s opposite number, Joey Carbery, showed lovely hands to create an unconverted try for

winger Rob McGrath which settled Tarf down. Carbery tagged on a penalty early in the second half to make it 13-8.

The tide seemed to be turning as Carbery soon made it a twopoint game. A costly yellow card for Clontarf replacement scrum half Sam Cronin saw Deasy respond off the kicking tee and although Carbery successfully converted Browne’s try, it was Deasy who had the decisive say for the reigning champions.

It was business as usual at the Belfield Bowl where Division 1A pacesetters UCD swept Garryo-

wen aside in a 45-19 bonus point triumph.

With Leinster young guns Ross Byrne and Nick McCarthy directing operations from halfback, the students extended their winning streak to six games and pushed seven points clear at the summit.

They led 21-7 at the halftime whistle. Barry Daly broke through midfield to set up a fifth minute opener for fellow winger Adam Byrne, and the long-striding Daly soon got over in the right corner for his eighth try of the league run.

14 January 2016 gazette 29

Gazette

Cabo’s social reach knows no boundary The south Dublin club made plenty of waves online in their first year in the League of Ireland thanks to media strategy  james hendicott

sport@dublingazette.com

WHEN Cabinteely FC were accepted into the League of Ireland first division at 38 days’ notice early in 2015, they were little-known outside of the immediate area.

A common reaction, in fact, was the lament of another Dublin-based

club being added to a top two divisions that is currently contains no less than six capital-based clubs.

Since the Dun Laoghaire suburban club were admitted, however, their reputation has soared, in part off the back of social media.

Dillon Foley took over the club’s social media

accounts as one of the first clients to join up with his fresh-from-university start-up The Link Marketing. Foley has been a member of Cabo for most of his life, as have much of his family.

The relative unknowns soon picked up a lot of traction, and the season has seen a fan added to the Football Manager

Cabinteely ran a series of unique initiatives in their maiden season in the League of Ireland. Picture: cabinteelyfc.ie

franchise as a player (and a season ticket), thanks to a collaborative contest.

It has seen free tickets handed out to losing gamblers after the club equalised in the dying seconds against the league leaders, and spending money on the social antics just once: in buying a birthday cake “for Yaya Toure” to post on social media. The multi-millionaire Manchester City midfielder had had a minor meltdown about his own club’s failure to do so.

“We reached 3.5 million people last year,” Foley told GazetteSport. “The club has been the biggest referral to my business, and it’s the only thing clients want to talk about when I meet with them.

I think it’s successful in part because people are surprised by it. It’s about building our image, but we started with a blank slate - essentially with nothing to lose.

“We wanted to get our name out there,” Foley explained. “Publicity

leads to a fan base, and builds the club’s image.

Later, we’d like the majority of League of Ireland players to have come from within the club, and obviously anything that gives us a bigger name will help with that.”

The social media campaign has been so successful that in their first League of Ireland year, Cabinteely did take home a trophy: an FAI Award for Best Social Media.

On the field, Cabinteely finished bottom of the League of Ireland first division in their first season, but with 38 days to prepare, that was to be expected. Their high attendances, fast-rising reputation and seemingly genuine commitment to the community.

If you need any further proof of their positive intentions, season tickets for kids at less than €2 a game and a free Leaving Cert grinds deal for young players show a club that’s building on sturdy, localised roots.

FastSport

Rovers claim Leinster indoor title for fifth time HAT tricks from Jody Hosking and Ross Canning inspired Three Rock Rovers to win back the Leinster indoor hockey title from arch rivals Railway Union 10-7 in the final at St Columba’s.

It was level five times before the Rathfarnham side pulled clear in the last 10 minutes. Hosking – later named man of the match – had made the early inroads with his three goals all coming in the first half.

He had them in front at 1-0 and 2-1 before completing the first half scoring to make it 5-4 at the interval in a helter-skelter battle.

Luke Madeley put two between the sides for the first time two minutes into the second half. Railway, though, looked the side in the ascendancy for much of the next 10 minutes with Nick Tate the key impetus from the back.

They created two brilliant openings for Nowakowski which he took to make it 6-6 with nine minutes left.

But, once level, they could not carry on with the same threat and Rovers pounced. Canning scored from a narrow angle off White’s assist to retake the lead.

He then scored a stroke after Rovers’ second corner hit a body on the line. Railway pulled their keeper in favour of an extra outfielder but the strategy backfired as Fred Morris finished into an open net as did White for a 10-6 lead.

David Richardson got one back on the final whistle but Rovers were celebrating their fifth Tony Byrne Cup success. Both Railway and Three Rock now advance to the national finals which take place in Ulster next weekend.

Gazette

30 lucan gazette 14 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: former lucan united man called into liverpool squad

Westmanstown unveil new sponsorship deal WESTMANSTOWN RFC girls’ team unveiled their new jersey last weekend following new sponsorship deals with Day Today Ongar and 3D Project Plus Management for their Under-18 and Under-15 teams’ matches against Tullow last weekend.

The new jerseys were actually designed by the girls themselves and boasted an added addition of the logo of a charity close to one of the players hearts: Nurture Africa.

Westmanstown is one of the newest youth clubs with its girls’ section one of its fastest growing areas.

The Under-18 girls had a big season in 2014-15 with a Leinster title and a player capped for Ireland. It meant promotion for this season to Division 1 for both sides. It is proving challenging but the club is holding its own.

The more experienced Tullow side proved too strong for Westmanstown who fought valiantly and learned a lot from the game.

Westmanstown RFC girls train every Thursday at 6.30pm and are always looking for new players, as are all age groups in the club - both boys and girls. Go to www.westmanstownrfc.com or call 086 2323344 for more information.

Sponsor PJ Delaney is pictured below handing over a jersey to club president Batty Hester.

Conor Masterson in action for Lucan United before making his switch to Liverpool

Masterson’s FA Cup call

 nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

FORMER Lucan United schoolboy Conor Masterson experienced his first days as First-Team squad member at Liverpool last week when he was included in Jurgen Klopp’s squad for the FA Cup 3rd Round.

T h e 17 - y e a r - o l d centre-back trained at Melwood ahead of last Friday night’s FA Cup game at Exeter City and was then named on the substitute’s bench.

The Liverpool squad on the night was one of the club’s youngest in recent times due to sev-

eral injuries and Klopp’s attitude to trying youngsters in the cup.

Masterson remained on the bench throughout the game but insisted it was still an unforgettable experience. “It’s a bit of a dream come true if I’m honest,” he said in the aftermath.

“It was surreal. I got told Thursday that I was going to go up and train at Melwood and then on Friday I travelled with the team.

“We had the team talk and I got told I was on the bench. I just couldn’t believe it. It was an unbelievable feeling.

I was taken aback to be

track development Harriers launch big year of fundraisers lucan Harriers launched their programme of fundraisers for 2016 as they bid to raise €95,000 toward their new running track at Griffeen Valley Park.

These include Golf Days at the K Club (April 14) and Lucan Golf Club (September 23), Who wants to be a Thousandaire in June and a black-tie gala ball to be held in November. If interested in supporting and looking for more information, contact Will Byrne at fundraising4lucanharriers@gmail.com or 086 804 7839.

honest.

“Jurgen just said to me, ‘if you get a chance to go on, then go out and enjoy yourself.

There’s no pressure on you. Just go and do your best.’”

There was a moment where Irish eyes, and Lucan ones in particular, would have thought Masterson’s time to be introduced was about to occur as star ting centre-back Tiago Ilori was forced off through injury on 77 minutes.

Klopp however opted to replace him with the slightly more experienced left-back Joe Maguire.

Even by remaining on the bench, Masterson became the first Irishman since Robbie Keane to be part of Liverpool’s matchday squad. There was no resting on his laurels for the young Dubliner as the next morning he started for Liverpool’s Under-18s in their 3-0 win over Manchester United at the club’s Academy.

“I tried to get to bed as quick as I could and get ready for this game because I wanted to play. Critch [Under-18s manager Neil Critchley] said to me, ‘you don’t have to play because they might want you for

Sunday’ but I wanted to play.

“It is always good to beat them. The way we did beat them was comfortable and really good. We weren’t really worked at all to be honest. We just focused on what we had to do and we did that.”

With the cup game finishing 2-2 after an entertaining 90 minutes, Exeter will now come to Anfield for a replay and if Klopp continues his faith in the club’s youngsters, Masterson may get his chance to grace the famous stadium this season in senior action.

14 January 2016 LUCAN gazette 31

Gazette

Dublin teach DCU a lesson in O’Byrne  sport@dublingazette.com

DU BL I N ove r c a m e DCU at Parnell Park to book a date with Longford in the pre-season O’Byrne Cup semi final, despite a strong showing from the students, coming out on top by a scoreline that slightly flattered the visitors at 1-16 to 1-12.

T he Boys in Blue

started slowly, with DCU finding plenty of space in among a Dublin defence that looked substantially below par, while Dean Rock and the rising minor Con O’Callaghan kept the sky blues in touch at the other end, before O’Callaghan notched the Dubs only goal with a sharp finish in the 19th minute.

An increasingly feisty

game saw the ever-domineering Dean Rock bully the DCU backs, scoring 0-6, while Jason Whelan’s second half cameo saw the Ballymun Kickhams man use his energy to make incisions into the students’ backline.

Shane Carey’s late net saw the students flatter to deceive in a game Dublin never really looked like losing, but

will still leave Jim Gavin feeling he has plenty to sort before the league season rolls around.

The manager’s trial of almost 30 different players across the three group stage games makes his strategy clear, however, and if only the boisterous O’Callaghan comes from the experiment, it will have been one worth undertaking.

Club Noticeboard lucan sarsfields 2016 is now well under way with many

formation started last week at Lucan

senior teams having already returned

Sarsfields in association with SDCC

to training.

Sports Partnership.

While some enthusiastic juvenile

Cupla Focal Club resumes on Mon-

mentors have their teams already

day night, with Sean O’Lanagain. Ocht

back training, this week will mark the

a clog for the novices agus naoi a clog

start for most.

do na daoine ag iarraidh feabhasu a

The new all-weather pitch schedule

Bingo resumes on Wednesdays at

facilities we are, with teams getting,

8.30pm along with set dancing, also

at most, a single 45-minute slot per

at 8.30pm.

week.

hurling: mccaffrey and crummey hit pair each

chuid blas.

illustrates just how tight for training

The 25-card drive continues on Fri-

Next week, we look forward to

day night at 9pm; it’s open to all and

a busy car park, lots of mentors

new participants are always wel-

enthusiastic with noble training

come.

plans matched by players panting

Leopardstown Leaps is a big day

out of breath after a relaxed break

at the races for Lucan Sarsfields this

and inevitably the shout “youz never

Sunday. The event is well subscribed

washed the bleeding bibs!”

but in case there are any cancella-

The club has always been well rep-

tions, contact Eoin on 086 2734114.

resented in camogie at county level.

Date for the diary – Saturday,

That pattern looks to continue with

February 6 will be the club’s annual

four Lucan players announced on

awards night.

Dublin’s latest Under-16 panel: Two

After Padraig O’Driscoll’s big win

players with a year to spare, Laura

last week, there was no winner of this

Quinn and Aoife Mahon, and two from

week’s €1,000 lotto draw; numbers

this year’s Under-16 team – Jess

were 4, 9, 16 and 17. Lotto sponsor was

McClelland and Rhionan Withero. Best

Carey’s Newsagents.

of luck to them in the year ahead.

The excesses of Christmas and New Year are behind us, Operation Trans-

Next week’s jackpot is €1,000, and the draw will be managed by team Mary Flannery on Sunday night.

round tower, clondalkin Dublin manager Ger Cunningham was content with his side’s showing against Antrim

Lucan pair weigh in Dub’s Antrim victory

walsh cup Dublin 3-25 Antrim 1-17  sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN hurling manager Ger Cunningham is looking to build on early season victories over UCD and Antrim when his side meet Laois in Rathdowney in their third Bord na Mona Walsh Cup clash next Sunday.

Lucan stars Chris Cr ummey and John McCaffrey both weighed in with two points each while St Pat’s, Palmerstown’s Liam Rushe lined out at number six.

Cunningham was content with last Sunday’s victory over Antrim when Dublin improved in the second half to run out comfortable winners.

“It was a cold day for hurling, but I think the guys did well - it’s early in the year and we have a tough test next week to go to Laois.

“It’s great to be hurling, considering the bad weather and the start to the year to play two good matches in four or five days, so being honest it is a good workout,” said Cunningham.

The Dublin boss has been encouraged by the

early season form of forward Eamonn Dillon, who hit 1-3 against Antrim in an attack that scored 3-25 with Paul Ryan contributing 1-10 (0-7).

“I think once Eamonn’s goal went in (45th minute) that was the game for us at that stage and we were were going to pull away.”

Second half goals from Dillon and substitute Sean Reilly helped the Dubs cruise to a comfortable victory over the Glensmen.

Cunningham’s men led by the minimum at the break, 1-11 to 1-10, with

Paul Ryan, who finished with a tally of 1-10, grabbing Dublin’s opening goal in the fifth minute.

The second half was a more straightforward after when after Dillon’s 45th minute goal they ran out easy victors with the accuracy of the Naomh Fhionnbarra man and Ryan to the fore while Chris Crummey impressed throughout.

The contest was settled in the 54th minute when the influential Dillon set up debutant Reilly for a goal while further points from Niall McMorrow and Ryan saw the Dubs move out of sight.

ROUND Tower GAA Club is once again

to play and non-playing member-

extending an invite to the wider com-

ship is also available. You can regis-

munity to join us in participating in

ter your membership online at www.

Clondalkin Follows Operation Trans-

roundtower.ie.

formation 2016.

Our Under-14, 15 and 16 boy foot-

This follows on from the fantastic

ballers will continue their pre-season

success of last year’s series of walks;

training on Saturday, January 16 and

3km and 5km walks will be taking place

23 from 3-5pm at Monastery Road.

over a six week period two nights a week.

These sessions are being coached by some senior football players and

The first weigh-in took place on

we invite members to come along

Monday at 6.30pm at Round Tower

and support. It’s a great opportunity

Monastery Road. The first of the

to see the future adult stars of our

series of walks was on Wednesday.

club.

Applications are invited for the

Our Under-15 ladies footballers

post of AHL3/senior B championship

return for a new season on Thursday,

hurling manager.

January 14.

We’re seeking an ambitious man-

This follows on from a very suc-

ager who can take our hurlers onto

cessful season for the ladies last year,

the next level.

during which they reached a champi-

This is a great opportunity to man-

onship final and hosted a Feile.

age at senior hurling side seeking to

Training will take place from 5.45pm

make the breakthrough to the top

on the all-weather surface at Monas-

divisions.

tery Road. New players are welcome

The team has previously competed in a senior B hurling champion-

and anyone interested in joining in can contact Annette at 087 2827631.

ship final and the more senior talent

A huge thank you to Braudstone

is being bolstered by the younger

Motors Ltd for their sponsorship of

incoming players. Interested appli-

our new Under-8 boys hurling and

cants can call 086 6048546.

football team. We encourage all our

Membership for the year ahead is now due. Players must be registered

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GazetteSPORT all of your lucan sports coverage from page 28-31

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Conor McGregor is moving up a weight class. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

McGregor’s next target UFC star zoning in on ambitious and historic plan to hold two belts as lightweight date with Rafael dos Anjos confirmed for March 5 in Vegas  sport@dublingazette.com

CONOR McGregor will look to become just the third fighter in the history of the UFC to win titles in two different weight classes on March 5 as details of his next bout were announced on Tuesday evening.

The Lucan resident will face Rafael dos Anjos as the main event of UFC 197 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with the featherweight champion moving up to lightweight division for the bout.

It comes less than three months after his dismissal of Jose Aldo and marks another phase of his ambitious project to hold and defend two UFC belts simultaneously.

Speaking on his Facebook page about the match-up, McGregor was in typically exuberant form with a third person description of his thoughts: “This McGregor Inc. executive business decision is brought to you by the King himself in association with EA Sports.

‘McGregor is the Game.’

“Mr McGregor would like to thank the fans and the media for their patience in this decision. Mr McGregor was still busy counting the take from his last fight.

“He has chosen to dedicate this demolition job to the loyal people of Brazil and all the fans around the globe who stay true to their roots and loyal to their land.

“Mr McGregor has said that Rafael is a

traitor to his people and vows to ‘behead the American Gringo Rafael Dos Anjos’, in the name of La Brasilia!”

Fighting for and defending two belts, though, looks set to be a big logistical operation with the need to yo-yo in weight to regularly compete at both levels.

McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh, though, says it is very much within the realms of possibility, saying earlier this week: “On average, Aldo defended the featherweight title once every seven months.

“It would be a seven-month gap between Conor’s fight with Frankie [Edgar in a possible featherweight defence], but I don’t recall Jose having to deal with the same amount of

accusations of holding the division up.

“This might not be the case for other fighters, but due to Conor’s level of activity, he can afford to hold two belts and defend them regularly.

“Conor has been cutting down to 145lbs since he was 16. He’s now 27 so it will be nice to take a break from that weight-cut. We’ve done it plenty of times before and we’ll do it again.

“Funnily enough, the last weight-cut — for the Aldo fight — was probably the best one yet thanks to the help of George Lockhart, who’s on board again for this fight.

“You’ve seen Conor on salads… now watch what he’s like on steak.”