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see page 16 July 23 - 29, 2015

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Month XX, 2012 Palmerstown • Celbridge • Leixlip • Adamstown • Dodsboro • Liffey Valley • ballyowen

INSIDE: Former Irish rugby union hooker Shane Byrne has plenty of ways to escape the mayhem P15

eighth Amendment: Clare Daly argues against in first of a two-part series P6

In the pink: Fun run for Irish Cancer Society Camogie:

Lucan stars aid big Dublin win in championship Page 30

LUCAN local Grace Jordan is in the pink and having a perfect time at the Irish Cancer Society’s annual Colour Dash which took place in Phoenix Park recently. Colour Dash is a 5km with a difference.

Sponsored by Crown Paints and supported by SPIN 1038, all money raised from the Colour Dash goes towards the Irish Cancer Society’s important work.

Picture: Andres Poveda

Cycling:

Westmanstown rider shines at Sundrive track Page 31

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES..................... 10 DUBLIN LIFE................... 13 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28

Pool plan rides wave of public approval Swimming facility is included in draft development plan for 2016-22

 Ian Begley

A swimming pool for Lucan has been included in the South Dublin County Council Draft Development Plan for 2016-22, amidst widespread public approval.

The draft development plan is now up for public consultation and the inclusion of the swimming pool is likely to remain in the final plan in November unless a motion is passed against it.

According to the report, a

swimming facility on a new sports and leisure centre campus at Griffeen has been identified.

Speaking to The Gazette, Lucan Deputy Joanna Tuffy (Lab) said: “I believe the restatement of the swim-

ming pool objective in the community infrastructure chapter of the new draft plan, reaffirms the commitment of councillors to the pool, and is a clearer statement of intent than the previous objective.”

Full Story on Page 3

2 LUCAN Gazette 23 July 2015

Coolamber Saving poplars saves green space for residents

Developer told to leaf trees alone A PLAN to develop 58 houses in Coolamber has been significantly reduced due to a protection order granted on a number of poplar trees on the site’s green space.

The residents’ association group in Finnstown Abbey has held a long campaign to stop the development of these houses from occupying

 ian begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com

the green space in Coolamber, adjacent to the Lord Lucan Bar. A number of local coun-

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

cillors also lobbied for the protection of these trees and at the July county council meeting a retention order was granted to preserve 11 large poplars in Coolamber.

This means the developer (Greg and Hugh Kavanagh of New Generation Homes) has lost 25 houses that were supposed to be constructed on this site.

Cllr Liona O’Toole (Ind), said: “As a resident of Finnstown and having been involved with this tree issue for many years I was delighted to be able to deal with this as an elected representative

once and for all.

“The tree preservation order identifies 11 trees in total which the developer must protect and retain during the construction of the housing development.

“It was clear that local residents including myself did not necessarily object to the development of houses on the site but not at the expenses of mature trees being removed,” she said.

The residents have also submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanala against a decision by council planners to open up the boundary between the proposed housing development at Coolamber and the existing area of Finnsview, Finnswalk and Finnsgrow.

The proposal was not included in the developer’s planning application, meaning that residents had no chance to respond to the proposal by way of submission.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Cllr William Lavelle (FG) are publicly supporting this appeal.

Minister Fitzgerald said: “The implementation of this condition would require the removal of the boundary and of mature hedging on the existing open space at Finnsview.

This would dramatically and detrimentally alter the ‘green’ character of the Finnstown estate.

“I support development on this site, but not the unnecessary interference with adjoining residents,” she said.

Cllr William Lavelle added: “What makes things worse is that the proposed removal of the boundary was ‘sneakedin’ by the planners by way of condition, thereby denying the community any opportunity for public

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

consultation.”

Finnstown resident John Coleman told The Gazette he was satisfied that the council voted to protect these trees and was collecting funds to present the appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

“The residents got

together and bombarded each local councillor with emails to put this issue to the council.

“We are very happy that we were able to successfully halt the destruction of the trees which has put the whole planning application process

back.

“Our next step is to raise €270 from local residents so we can go to an oral hearing with An Bord Pleanala,” he said.

A council spokesperson said that the council’s planning unit had no comment on this matter.

23 July 2015 LUCAN Gazette 3

lucan Griffeen identified as default site for long-awaited facility Lucan

Campaign for swimming pool is making waves  Ian Begley

A swimming pool for Lucan has been included in the South Dublin County Council Draft Development Plan for 2016-22, amidst widespread public approval.

The draft development plan is now up for public consultation and the inclusion of the swimming pool is likely to stay in the final plan in November unless a motion is passed against it.

According to the repor t, a swimming

pool for Lucan on a new sports and leisure centre campus at Griffeen has been identified.

The report also stated that: “Alternative locations [will] be sought as part of an extensive public consultation process but with Griffeen identified as the default site. The new sports facility will ensure that sufficient capacity is built in to provide storage space for sports equipment from local clubs.”

The campaign for a public swimming pool

in Lucan has been going on for about 30 years and has been the topic of many county council motions tabled by local representatives.

A lobby for a public swimming pool for Lucan has also been set up by local residents and to date has amassed over 3,500 signatures in a petition.

Welcoming the recent development, Lucan TD Joanna Tuffy (Lab) said: “I believe the restatement of the swimming pool objective in the community infrastruc-

Woodland fairy trail is opened

Lucan TD Joanna Tuffy (Lab) welcomed the inclusion of a swimming pool in the South Dublin County Council Draft Development Plan

ture chapter of the new draft plan, reaffirms the commitment of councillors to the pool, and is a clearer statement of intent than the previous objective.”

Deputy Tuff y also congratulated the members of the lobby for a public swimming pool for Lucan on their community-based campaign, which she said, had given a new momentum to the strong case for public funding for a pool in Lucan, with its population of over 45,000.

“I would now urge our councillors to ensure the reinstatement of the Lucan swimming pool in the council’s rolling capital programme budget.

“It was a bit of a setback when the Lucan swimming pool was omitted from that budget, having been kept in it for many years.

“I have raised the matter of funding for the pool in Dail Eireann a number of times, and am currently awaiting a reply to another Parliamentar y Question which I have submitted on the issue,” she said.

Liona O’Toole (Ind) also welcomed the news, saying: “It’s a great step further in acquiring a swimming pool for our area, but there still is

a lot more work to be done.

“The last assessment on the estimated cost for a swimming pool was about €10m. We can get a certain amount of

money from the council and from the sport’s capital funding but we will also have to bang on some of the other Department’s doors to get the rest.”

Seventeen woodland fairies have found a home at Lucan Demesne in St Catherine’s Park recently after the opening of a new woodland fairy trail.

The permanent new feature in Lucan Demesne, created by the Clondalkin-based Irish Fairy Door Company, is free to enter and open all year round.

Within the demesne there is a worry tree where children can place their hands on it which will make all their worries go away.

There is also a handcrafted wishing seat and miniature fairy doors in the park.

For more information on woodland fairy trails in your area, visit www. theirishfairydoorcompany.com

4 LUCAN Gazette 23 July 2015

scheme: council issuing grants of €75-€670 to business owners

theatre

Top prize for Lucan writer A Lucan writer living in New York, has won a prestigious writing prize at the annual Manhattan Repertory Theatre oneact play competition.

Michael Fitzpatrick, from Ardeevin, beat off 35 other entrants for his play Counting Apples, which stars former boxer John Duddy and his wife Grainne Duddy. The competition had different heats, concluding in a final on July 1 at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre.

Counting Apples is a play about an Irish couple and their best friend who are involved in an incident which pulled them together and tore them apart. It has won widespread praise and has encouraged Fitzpatrick to pursue further productions.

Companies urged to seek funding  ian begley

Update: Lucan native Fachtna Clandillon on the continuing aid work in Nepal construction continues in Nepal following the devastating

earthquake that struck the area three months ago. Lucan native Fachtna Clandillon who has been living in the area since then has first-hand experience of the disaster. In a recent update he said that many locals have constructed temporary shelters in the area, with emergency aid groups working their hardest to assist those that need it. The next step on their list is to build temporary learning centres and to continue to assist families in the area that require shelter. For more information on how to donate visit www.nagarhope.com/

Those who run their own businesses in Dublin Mid-West are being encouraged to apply for the Business Support Grant 2015 following the success of the scheme in 2014.

The council, in conjunction with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in South Dublin, is issuing grants for local business owners ranging from €75 to €670.

Those wishing to apply must occupy a rateable property in the jurisdiction of South Dublin County Council.

Your rate liability per rated property for the current year has to be €10,000 or less and your

rates for 2015 (including arrears) must be paid in full by September 30.

Those wishing to apply must do so by September 30 at www.sdcc.ie/ bsgrant.

Meanwhile, local Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said that grants of €331,265.14 paid from the LEO are providing great support to local businesses in Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown, Rathcoole, Saggart and Newcastle.

T h e L EO s w e r e launched last year to deliver an improved system of local enterprise supports to start-ups and small businesses across the country. They provide a “first-stop-shop” for all Government supports for small business in eas-

ily accessible locations across the country.

She said: “A survey I conducted last year of businesses across the local area showed a very positive attitude to the services offered by the LEOs. The majority of responses highlighted the positive interaction local businesses have had with the LEOs, availing of valuable guidance and supports on a number of levels.

“Previously some businesses were considered too large to access supports from city and county enterprise boards or as they were not exporting, they did not qualify for Enterprise Ireland supports and so fell between two stools,” said Minister Fitzgerald.

23 July 2015 LUCAN Gazette 5

lucan ‘Each lifebuoy removed is potentially a life lost’

Residents fuming as ringbuoys stolen  Ian Begley ibegley@dublingazette.com

Residents were furious after the theft of four recently-installed lifebuoys from the banks of the River Liffey at Lucan Demesne.

Last year 66 new ring buoys were to be installed at 36 waterside locations around Dublin Mid-West following a successful campaign by local representatives and a group of students from St Joseph’s College in Lucan.

T he students conducted a “Think before you splash” water safety campaign before the council installed 10 ringbuoys in Lucan

Demesne in early June.

The first lifebuoys were installed last month, with Lucan Demesne being one of the first locations to get the new safety ads.

On the morning of July 21 council workers discovered that four of the devices had been removed from their housings in Lucan Demesne with two being located downstream.

Lucan Cllr William Lavelle (FG) expressed his “disgust” at the recent incident.

Speaking to The Gazette, he said: “Last month, I issued a statement welcoming these new lifebuoys and I again commended the students

from St Joseph’s College in Lucan whose campaign in 2014, which I actively supported, led to a safety review of waterside locations in our county and the eventual installation of these new lifebuoys.

“However, now we see that [four] of the recently-installed new life buoys at Lucan Demesne have been taken, with reports of some of them having been seen flowing down the river.

“I would reiterate the famous water safety tagline of ‘A Stolen Ringbuoy - A Stolen Life’. The reckless removal of these lifebuoys is a slap in the face for all those who

campaigned for improved water safety.

“The thugs who stole or disposed of these lifebuoys should be ashamed of themselves.”

Commenting on the incident, Brian Sheehan, the council’s senior parks superintendent said that the ringbuoys have now been replaced and warned residents to be vigilant and report missing lifebuoys to the council.

He said: “Ten devices were installed in Lucan Demesne in early June.

They were all in place when checked on Sunday (July 19).

“It has come to our attention that four ring-

Four ringbuoys have been removed from their housings in Lucan Demesne

buoys have been removed from their housings in Lucan Demesne and two have been located downstream.

“The ringbuoys have been provided by the council in the interests of public safety at a cost of

€250 each. Each lifebuoy removed is potentially a life lost should an emergency arise.

“The council would ask the public to be vigilant and report any incidents of persons interfering with ringbuoys directly to

the council during working hours or to An Garda Siochana.

“It is an offence to remove a lifebuoy and the council will prosecute any person found engaging in such activity,” said Sheehan.

6 LUCAN Gazette 23 July 2015

report ‘Inflated rents, cuts and repossessions drive crisis’

Rise in homeless families continues  ian begley

The number of families listed as homeless has risen by nearly 30% in Dublin Mid-West compared to the start of the year with urgent calls for the Government to increase funding for social housing.

In January, out of the 233 people in the county listed as homeless, 60 of them were families. By June 15, however, this figure increased with 252 listed as homeless and 84 of them families – a difference of 29%.

This report was recently published at the July county council meeting at the request of Cllr Eoin

O Broin (SF).

The report also showed the number of families assessed as “immediately at risk” rose from 36 in January to 47 in June.

According to the council all families placed in emergency accommodation (including hotels) are referred to Focus Ireland’s new presenter’s team for assessment and care planning in order to identify all housing options available to families and support them out of homeless services.

T he spokesperson added: “It should be noted that the council is meeting its obligation under the Minister’s directive to make 50% of

all allocations available to homeless or vulnerable applicants.”

Commenting on the number of families listed as homeless, Cllr O Broin said: “Many of these families are living in totally unsuitable emergency accommodation in local hotels or city centre hostels.

“There is no let-up in the number of individuals and families presenting as homeless. Difficulties with rent supplement, rising rent costs and rising house repossessions are driving the homeless crisis.

“The ongoing lack of investment in social housing means that the long-

term housing solutions are simply not available.

In the meantime families are being forced to live in unsuitable accommodation. We now have a waiting list for people to get into emergency accommodation.

“Central government must significantly increase the funds available to the council to build and buy more social housing,” he said.

Clondalkin councillor and founder of the Clondalkin Helping Homeless group Francis Timmons (Ind) believes that the Government needs to release more funding in order to tackle the homeless situation.

Cllr Eoin O Broin (SF): “The ongoing lack of investment in social housing means that the long-term housing solutions are simply not available.”

He said: “For the shortterm we need to use any available properties and/ or mobile homes as a temporary solution. Also, while I deplore raising children in a hotel they are another short-term solution. We need the Government to release funds in order to build social housing on a large scale to deal with the issue.

“We need to put in rent caps to stop people from losing their homes and

get banks to work with people who are in danger of losing their homes rather than reprocessing people’s homes.

“We need an urgent review of the homeless services [and how these] services could be better spent dealing with longterm solutions,” said Cllr Timmons.

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment said that Minister Alan Kelly has announced the first major

direct build social housing programme with the kickstarting of over 100 separate housing projects.

He has also announced earlier in the year that at least 50% of social housing in Dublin will be given to people who are homeless or vulnerable.

Last December, Minister Kelly announced a €25m plan to tackle homelessness, following the death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie near Leinster House.

23 July 2015 LUCAN Gazette 7

don’sdublin Erwin Schrodinger’s journey from Vienna to Baile Atha Cliath FOR A man interested in colour and who published scientific papers on the subject, the adjective colourful certainly applies to Erwin Schrodinger.

The famous scientist lived for 17 years on Kincora Road, Clontarf and certainly left his mark. His lecture What Is Life, given in Trinity College in 1943, was inspirational to many younger scientists and led to the discovery of DNA in 1953.

He was an only child born in Vienna in 1887 to middle-class, educated parents and was tutored at home until age 11. Later he attended school, then university where he excelled and gained a PhD in physics. World War I interrupted his progress and he spent it as an officer in the Austrian army.

After the war he had a number of different positions, married Annemarie (Anny) Bertel in 1920, before he was offered the chair in theoretical physics at the University of Zurich in 1921. His 1926 paper explaining the movement of an electron as a wave provided a theoretical basis for the atomic model, and he was awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 1933.

By that time he was aware that many of his Jewish colleagues were being dismissed from their posts and he decided to leave Hitler’s Germany. He went to Oxford University for three years before returning to Austria in 1938. The following year he accepted Eamon de Valera’s offer of coming to Ireland and helping establish the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. De Valera, himself a mathematician, got his man and made sure that Schrodinger’s visa arrangements were processed speedily. For Schrodinger’s needs were indeed complicated and had previously stymied him at Princeton and Oxford, as he lived with both his wife and his lover, Hilde March, with whom he had a daughter. Of his relationship with the fairer sex he said: “Poor things, they have provided for my life’s happiness and their own distress.

Such is life.” Colourful indeed!

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

Erwin Schrodinger, the famous scientist, lived for 17 years on Kincora Road in Clontarf

gyms Gory video stills are displayed on internet

Islamist group hacks websites  ian begley

The websites for three gyms in South County Dublin were targeted recently by a group claiming to be Islamic hackers.

On the morning of July 17, the websites of Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght Leisure Centres featured a message

on their homepage from hackers which said the sites were “defaced cuz [sic] we want to show the reality to da [sic] world that this is real terrorism”.

Avideo was also embedded on their homepage which showed scenes from areas in the Middle East where Western

military forces have been involved in conflict.

Under the words “this is real terrorism” were gory video stills and pictures of dead men, women and children. The messages were allegedly put there by a Tunisian-based group called Fallaga Team.

On the gym webpages they said “we have to

stop killing Muslims” and “respect existence or expect resistance.

“We are Muslims, we love peace but if you provoke us be ready for our reaction.”

A spokesperson for the three gyms, which are under the same management, said they contacted their IT department imme-

diately which has since taken down the content.

The hackers have a Facebook page which shows a list of other websites they have recently hacked.

Similar hackers are known to attack pages which are run on the Wordpress content management system.

8 LUCAN Gazette 23 July 2015

costs Plebiscite bill comes to €4,090 The cost of the 2014 Palmerstown plebiscite that restored the “W” in the town’s name came to a total of €4,090.01.

The price of the plebiscite included fees such as advertising, acquiring a business licence permit, printing, postage and staff costs.

To date, six signs replacing Palmerston with Palmerstown have been provided at a cost of €2,460. A further six signs will also be installed in the near future.

Palmerstown Cllr Guss O’Connell (Ind) said: “This vindicates my contention all along that the plebiscite would not cost anything like €13,000 which was estimated by the council in 2013 when I successfully steered a vote to hold the plebiscite.”

opinion ‘It’s time to repeal the 8th Amendment so

Abortion

Deputy Clare Daly: “When I moved legislation to propose a referendum on the 8th Amendment, it was voted down by all the political parties, not for the first time showing how out of touch they are with the real lives of citizens”

A RECENT Red C poll, commissioned by Amnesty International, revealed that 90% of Irish people agree with abortion in certain circumstances, with 81% of those believing that abortion should be available in circumstances beyond the current right to abortion when a woman’s life is in danger.

Some 68% of people recognise that the constitutional barrier of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution, which equated the life of a woman with that of a foetus, has not stopped Irish abortion – it has just meant that it takes place in England or Holland, or with a packet of pills bought over the internet.

This hypocrisy has gone on long enough. It’s time

to repeal the 8th Amendment so that we can protect women’s lives, health and choices. Every day, between 10 and 12 Irish women and girls travel to the UK to access abortion.

The majority are aged between 20 and 34.

The women who have abortions are the women who have children – your mother, sister, friend, daughter, partner. Their reasons for terminating their pregnancies are all different, and all valid, but their reasons for travelling are the same: they cannot access safe and legal abortions in Ireland.

In the past, women with crisis pregnancies could be sent to Magdalene Laundries – now, they are sent to other countries in order to exercise their right to health and bodily

23 July 2015 LUCAN Gazette 9

that we can protect women’s lives, health and choices’

laws must reflect our society

Amnesty International and the United Nations have called for changes to Ireland’s legislation, writes Deputy Clare Daly integrity.

The 8th Amendment does not stop abortion, but it means that those women who are too poor or too sick or of precarious immigration status and therefore can’t travel can be forced to carry a pregnancy to full term against their will, sometimes endangering their lives.

When Alan Shatter was Minister for Equality, he said: “The reality is that there is no impediment to men seeking and obtaining any required medical intervention to protect not only their life but also

their health and quality of life ... it can truly be said that the right of pregnant women to have their health protected is, under our constitutional framework, a qualified right, as is their right to bodily integrity.”

But no proposal to deal with this discrimination was put forward by the Government. In fact, when I moved legislation to propose a referendum on the 8th Amendment, it was voted down by all the political parties, not for the first time showing how utterly out of touch they are with the real

lives of citizens. The 8th Amendment has negatively affected the quality of care that pregnant women receive in Ireland.

This was evident not only in the tragic case of Savita Halappanavar, but also in the many cases of fatal foetal abnormality where women and couples are effectively deserted by our health services.

Left with a choice of continuing a pregnancy when the foetus has no chance of survival or travelling to the UK to avail of the health services in that country, Ireland has failed

these women and their families.

Amnesty International criticised this double standard in their report, She is Not a Criminal, published last month, which highlighted how Ireland’s abortion laws violate human rights.

[It stated] “These laws violate women’s and girls’ rights to life, health, privacy, non-discrimination and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment.”

Within weeks of the Amnesty report, the United Nations’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called for

Ireland to hold a referendum on abortion.

The committee was concerned at Ireland’s “highly restrictive legislation on abortion”, and called for a referendum to repeal Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution.

The UN committee was also particularly concerned at the criminalisation of abortion, including in the cases of rape and incest, and of the risk to the health of a pregnant woman, the lack of legal clarity on what constitutes a real and substantive risk to the life, as opposed to the health, of the pregnant woman, and the discriminatory impact on women who cannot afford to get abortion abroad.

Next month, tens of thousands of young adults will be getting their

Leaving Cert results. They will be starting college or looking for jobs – most of them were born 14 years after the 8th Amendment was passed!

It is beyond ridiculous that we can allow this restrictive legislation to remain in place for these young adults. Not a single person of present reproductive age has had a say on this issue.

Decisions for women about our health and bodies has no place in the Constitution. With a General Election on the horizon, let’s make Repeal of the 8th a reality.  Deputy clare daly

Independent Socialist Next week, The Iona Institute will provide an opposing view.

charity Beware of fake collections Pieta House, the Lucanbased suicide and selfharm charity, is warning residents to look out for individuals conducting door-to-door collections who claim to represent the organisation.

Recently, a number of cases have been reported to Pieta House where people have been conducting collections in the Dublin area on behalf of the charity.

However, the charity says that it does not allow door-to-door collecting.

A spokesperson from Pieta House told The Gazette: “We strongly advise people not to donate money to collectors claiming to represent Pieta House through door collections.”

To donate money visit www.pieta.ie/donate.

10 LUCAN GAZETTE 23 July 2015

GAZETTEGALLERIES

, ces Fitzgerald Minister Fran ly, ul on Sc st n er on th d Lee Wea Principal Eam Stephanie an

Mia Daly and Ruby Dodd and (inset) Miss Ni Fhiaich leads her senior infant’s class through the village

Past pupils: Bridget Breen, Dorothy Ahearne, Principal Eamonn Scully and former school secretary Pauline Molyneaux

ST FINIAN’S: DOORS OPEN ON NEW SCHOOL BUILDING

Mr Whelan’s fifth class are ready to celebrate

New facility in a class of its own

S

T FINIAN’S opened the doors of its new school recently. The building features 24 mainstream class rooms, resource rooms and fine new hall and An Chaislean – two classrooms specially designed for children with autism and moderate intellectual disability.

The first school here (currently the parish den) opened

its doors in 1825.

A new two classroom school was built in the 1930s and a third classroom added in the 1960s. The third school on the site was built in the 1970s and this will be completely demolished this month to provide playground facilities for the new school.

Bill and his grandson Joe McMahon with Lollypop man Brian McDonough

Angela Maskevich, Cormac Cullinane, Bridget Galvin and Fiachra Mooney

23 July 2015 LUCAN Gazette 11

12 gazette 16 July 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Helping to choose the healthier options

T

op blogger and model Pippa O’Connor teamed up with GAA All Star Henry Shefflin at House in Leeson Street recently to help launch Centra’s newest initiative, Centra Live Well.

The latest initiative aims to redefine everyday convenience retailing

in Ireland by providing shoppers with choices and information about healthy and nutritious food.

Under the new Live Well banner Centra is offering shoppers healthy and nutritious choices across a range of 300 plus products whatever their needs are throughout the day.

Speaking at the launch, Sarah Keogh, consultant dietician with Eatwell.ie, said: “I am delighted to be working with Centra on Live Well.

“I find too many people are confused about healthy eating or think that it is simply too difficult.”

Henry Shefflin with Hugo Kirley and Ely Kirley from Maighread Cremin and Niamh Scally

Kilkenny at the launch

Andrea Smith

Henry Shefflin with Pippa O’Connor. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Michelle O’Connor and Laura Curtin

Sarah Keogh and Liz Costigan

23 July 2015 Gazette 13

escape P15

asdfsdaf feature P27 P16

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

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Gazette

diary P14

what’son Rockin’ And A Rollin’ and a runnin’: Run-

Alan Ardiff: “We don’t get much of a summer here in Mayo so I have to find sunshine somewhere”

day in the life: jewellery designer Alan Ardiff is a coffee and muesli man

Making sunshine in Mayo  Aisling Kennedy

Living on the beautiful west coast of Mayo, Artane man Alan Ardiff is one of the most well-known jewellery designers in Ireland and he took time out this week to talk to the Gazette about a day in his life.

“I normally get up at about 8am because we have young children so it’s all part of the routine of being a parent. I’d like to stay in bed longer though.

“I’m a coffee and muesli man in the mornings as I like to try and stay healthy.”

When he is not busy designing his kinetic and delicately hand-carved character jewellery, Ardiff is a family

man who enjoys spending time with his wife and three children Zoe (17), Sam (14) and Sophie (10).

“They keep me young at heart,” he explains.

Every day, Ardiff drives his daughter Sophie to school in the morning and then he makes his way to Mount Falcon Estate where he goes for a swim and does a workout.

“We don’t get much of a summer here in Mayo so I have to find sunshine somewhere and I find that at the swimming pool.

“After that I make my way back to my studio where I work on the current design I’m developing.

“I just recently finished my woolly jumper pendant (€350) which took

time as I wanted to incorporate a sheep jumping over a fence into the design.

“There’s a little cog on the inside of the design and as the chain roles over it, it actually moves the sheep to allow it to jump over the fence.

“That piece fits quite well to reflect my rural background.”

Ardiff explains that a lot of time goes into the production process of a design but it’s worth it when he finishes a piece.

Ardiff takes his lunch break each day at 1pm and explains: “I usually just go into the house and make a ham sandwich or something like that for myself.”

He then works until 6pm most days

perfecting the design he is working on and at 6pm he looks forward to joining his family for dinner.

“After dinner I usually go back into my studio and if I’m not working I usually use the studio as a bit of a man cave where I listen to music, create a drawing or read a book. I love listening to Lyric FM.” At the end of a busy day, Ardiff gets into bed at about 11pm and recharges the batteries for another creative designing production day the next day.

Alan Ardiff will be at the Kilkenny Shop in Swords on Saturday, July 25 where he will be launching his new jewellery range in store from 11.30am to 2pm.

ners and rockers mark your calendars as the Dublin Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon is set to take place again this year on August 2.

Starting from Dublin’s Docklands and heading to the Phoenix Park, participants will race past the city’s famous sites, including Ha’penny Bridge, Christ Church, the Brazen Head Pub, the James Joyce Museum and the Guinness Brewery.

The top three male and female finishers will receive €500 (first prize), €300 (second prize) and €100 (third prize).

Volunteer opportunities are also available on the day at the water and medical stations on the route, and at the start and finish line. All volunteers will receive a race crew t-shirt. To find out more about the run and to sign up for the price of €49, visit www.runrocknroll.com/dublin or the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon Facebook page.

Online registration closes on July 26.

Gazette

14 Gazette 23 July 2015

dublinlife

DIARY

Molly Malone is ‘too sexy’ for Facebook Apparently Molly Malone is too sexy for Facebook as the social media site refused to let a Dublin author use a picture of the iconic Dublin statue to advertise his new book on the site.

F i r s t- t i m e D u b l i n

author Frank Whelan submitted an image of the cover of his debut novel, Diar y of the Wolf, which shows two wolves, a full moon, and a picture of the Molly Malone statue, to the Facebook Ads Team but was told that Facebook

is no place for the scantily clad maiden.

A member of Facebook Ads Team wrote to the author, stating: “Your ad was rejected because the image doesn’t follow our ad policies.

“Ads may not use

overly sexual images, suggest nudity, show a lot of skin or cleavage, or focus unnecessarily on specific body parts.”

He argued that the statue is located in one of Dublin’s busiest thoroughfares, but Facebook was having none of it.

bank holiday food festival Attention all food lovers – the Temple Bar Food Festival is set to take place over the August bank holiday weekend and it’s one not to be missed.

This is the first time The Temple Bar Company has run this event and it promises to be a great weekend for all the family with dishes from some of the best restaurants in the area including the Boxty House (traditional) , The Chameleon (Indonesian), Klaw by Niall Sabongi of Rock Lobster (Seafood), Bar Pinxto (Spanish) and Monty’s of Kathmandu (Nepalese).

The festival will take place in Meeting House Square and will see the area transformed into an urban picnic area with games for the young and old such as a giant Jenga, giant Connect 4, giant chess, face painting and a DJ. The food festival will take place on August 2 and 3, 2015.

For more information

Frank Whelan’s cover of his debut novel, Diary of the Wolf, shows a picture of the Molly Malone statue

see www.templebarfestival.com.

outdoor yoga at Stephen’s Green Every Saturday at 11am, outdoor yoga classes take place in Stephen’s Green by the bandstand.

Each class is donation-based and every weekend the event supports a different charity.

Recently, participants were required to write down an act of kindness that they promised to do during the week and then hand it to their teacher as an exchange for the lesson.

If you have ever done outdoor yoga you’ll know exactly what all the fuss is about, and if you have never tried it here is the perfect excuse to give it a go.

Yoga is a great way to work on your flexibility and strength. Just about everyone can do it, too - it’s not just for people who can touch their toes or want to meditate.

For more information on the weekly event, visit w w w.facebook. com/OutdoorYogis or www.theyogahub.ie.

The Happy Prince at Bewley’s Cafe If you’re a fan of Oscar Wilde then make sure you don’t mis s the upcoming performance of The Happy Prince in Bewley’s Cafe Theatre at Powerscourt in Dublin city centre.

This widely acclaimed show has been one of Bewley’s Cafe Theatre’s most successful productions to date.

The show will run for

three weeks and will be performed by Michael James Ford with the composer Trevor Knight performing his haunting piano score live on stage.

The Happy Prince tells the story of a gregarious swallow who befriends a melancholy statue while en route to Egypt.

The bird helps the prince to alleviate the suffering of his poor citizens and in doing so learns profound truths about the nature of love and suffering.

The show will run from July 27 to August 15, 2015, with tickets ranging in price from €8 to €12 depending on the day.

For more information log onto www.bewleyscafetheatre.com or call 0868784001.

16 July 20154 Gazette 15

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: Former rugby star Shane Byrne leads quite a hectic life

Friends and family help the ‘Mullet’ to tackle stress  Ian Begley

Former Leinster, Ireland and Lions hooker Shane Byrne leads quite the hectic life keeping up-to-date with the latest rugby news on top of running his family’s waste disposal business in Wicklow.

In this week’s Escape the Mayhem, The Gazette catches up with the former Irish rugby union hooker to see what he does to unwind from his day-today life.

“I have twin daughters – Alex and Kerry (12) and two dogs in the house so whenever I’m free I seem to always end up on the beach in Killiney or wherever with them.

“I like to spend as much time with my girls as possible because I’m at work so much, but I also really like getting out and unwinding with the lads at night.

“There is always so much to do in Dublin.

Myself and my girls were in Tayto Park and on the Viking Splash recently, which they really loved. It must have been their third time on it at this stage.

Former Irish rugby union hooker Shane Byrne says he loves spending time with his twin daughters

“They’re going from primary to secondary school now and have now developed into proper characters.”

Nicknamed the “Mullet” for his renowned hair style, Byrne is a director with ArklowWaste Disposal, his family business, and is also head of operations for Focus

International Property.

In June 2014, Byrne made his acting debut with the release of Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie on top of being featured as a regular rugby pundit on television and radio.

“We’re now leading into a huge time of rugby which is something

to look forward to, but at the moment I have a lot of family time but every now and again a good old blow out is something I really like to have with my friends.

“I’m honestly too busy at work to dedicate much time for watching telly, but I have a house full

of girls so whenever I do get the chance to sit in front of the TV they always dictate the things I watch.

“I do, however, love a good movie and when myself and the wife get a few hours to ourselves we often run away and go to the cinema.”

Gazette

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM Lynott’s mother donates artefacts

Phil Lynott’s mother Philomena has presented several sentimental artefacts belonging to her son to Dublin’s Rock ’n’ Roll Museum.

Philomena made the presentation at the museum in Temple Bar recently, where she presented three of Phil’s guitars, four of his beloved leather jackets, and a collection of gold discs will now be exhibited in the newly-opened museum.

The new memorabilia items that are now featured in the museum also include a school report that reveals that the iconic star got a grade of 88% in arithmetic when he was a schoolboy.

Speaking after the presentation, Philomena said: “It was just so good to know that Philip’s prized possessions are now safe.

“I spent a long time with a duster shining them up this morning and I can tell you Philip used to shine those guitars himself.

“In fact, he would put a mirror on the guitars and every time I went to see him play in concert he would make sure I had a front row seat or a balcony seat and he would get the lighting man to shine on that mirror on his guitar and he would direct it at me,” she said.

Gazette

16 Gazette 23 July 2015

dublinlife

feature

Calling all Dubs – help the capital win culture title  Keith Bellew and Ian Begley

The European Capital of Culture for the year 2020 will be hosted by Ireland and Croatia.

Dublin, Galway, Limerick and the south east are now competing to win the coveted title.

Dublin2020 is Dublin’s campaign to make sure our city wins.

The European Capital of Culture is awarded for a period of one year, highlighting the diversity, richness and integration of cultures in Europe and the chosen city.

While 2020 may seem like a long time away, the judging is happening in mid-October of this year when a panel of European judges will arrive in Ireland and shortlist their favourites.

A number of projects is being undertaken by the Dublin 2020 team, one of the most interesting of which is a mini series of short films made by Dubliners called We Are Dublin 2020. Each We Are Dublin2020 film concentrates on one person, their Dublin story and the reason they love Dublin.

Two films have been made so far, the first of which is The Unofficial Lord Mayor of Ballymun, a film which focuses on 16-year-old Jamie Harrington, who talks about his belief in community, his love for Ballymun and his desire to make it a place where everyone wants to live.

The latest film is called More Than One Million Hits and focuses on taxi

driver John McCartney, who gives wise words on maintaining the balance between his love for Dublin and his blog, which can be viewed at www.dublin2020.ie.

Another interesting initiative is Dublin: Let’s Chat, which is a series of conversations with prominent Dublin figures about what Dublin means to them and why they love the capital.

The first in this series was Senator David Norris who said: “I think Dublin is a wonderful city. If you look at it in the European context it has made an absolutely disproportionate contribution to literature: Yeats, Shaw, Wilde, Joyce, Beckett, Colm Toibin, Roddy Doyle, it’s just an endless list of people. We’ve made an utterly amazing contribution to 20th century literature, written some of the greatest poetry with Yeats, we’ve contributed the greatest novel of the 20th century: James Joyce’s Ulysses.”

The second in this series was former Lord Mayor Christy Burke who said: “What makes Dublin home for me is, when I’m away and I’m coming in on the plane and I see Howth or Dublin Bay, then I know, this is home. It’s that sort of pride that hits me, makes me proud to be a Dubliner.”

According to the Dublin2020 team: “The reason we are competing for the European Capital of Culture 2020 is to build a new story for Dublin, based on

A number of projects is being undertaken by the Dublin 2020 team, one of the most interesting of which is a mini series of short films made

by Dubliners called We Are Dublin 2020

--------------------------------------------------------

‘What makes Dublin home for me is, when I’m away and I’m coming in on the plane and I see Howth or Dublin Bay, then I know, this is home’

--------------------------------------------------------

Former Lord Mayor Christy Burke

--------------------------------------------------------

shared ideas, inclusion and confidence. Dublin can be a leading city in Europe. We can take advantage of our talented young population, our informed older population and everyone in between to

initiate major progress in communities and neighbourhoods. We need everyone in Dublin to join in. If you are part of Dublin you are part of Dublin2020.”

Dublin’s distinguished Artane Band also

showed their support for Dublin 2020 recently in Connolly Station by performing in front of hundreds of morning commuters who were on their way to work.

Keith Kelly, director of Artane Band, told The Gazette that the young members of the band really enjoyed the experience and said that the public really showed them their support.

He said: “In the runup to the performance we were all a little nervous as we considered that it could go either

way. At eight in the morning you’re going to people in good or bad forms.

“When the band started to play some people just walked past with their heads down, but the majority of commuters stopped and listened and seemed to really enjoy what we had to offer.

“Some people even started dancing while the band were playing.

“The band enjoyed it so much that the kids asked could if they could go outside the sta-

tion and play outside the Luas.

“The kids then picked up their instruments and started playing out towards the street. It was great fun and a really worthwhile experience.

“We’ve offered our support for Dublin 2020 since Artane would be considered one of the most visual parts of Dublin, especially considering our connection with Croke Park,” he said.

For more information on the Dublin2020 bid see www.dublin2020.ie.

23 July 2015 Gazette 17

travel P20

asdfsdaf P27 food P22

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

style P18

Pets quiet ritzie is looking for a calm home

Dublin band The Hot Sprockets will play at Whelan’s

festival: live music, automobile displays, fashion exhibits and more!

Get ready to rock and roll!  Keith Bellew

A festival celebrating the sights, sounds and styles of 1950s and 1960s era rock ’n’ roll will take over Dublin’s Dame Street and surrounding areas from July 31 to August 2.

Now in its second year the Rock ’n’ Roll Conference returns as the Dublin Rock ’n’ Roll Festival with music performances, automobile displays, barber’s conventions, fashion exhibits and banging live music.

Crowds can avail of live music throughout the weekend with the best of rockabilly and rock ’n’ roll bands performing in various venues.

Speaking to The Gazette, festival organiser Kieron Black said: “This year

I decided to do this because I have a passion for that genre of music and style. It’s all [about] good people coming together for the love of rock ’n’ roll, and rock ’n’ roll is so huge, it can be something from the 1950s and other people consider Rock ’n’ Roll as something from the 1980s.”

The festival kicks off on Friday, July 31 with the Rock ’n’ Roll Dance Off presented by SwingScene.ie at The Mercantile from 8pm.

Pulp Fiction fans can show off their Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace impersonations at this event which will see Dubliners exhibiting their skills in the art of swing, lyndy hop, boogie and woogie, the twist and more.

Dancers of all skill levels are urged to

take part in the dance off which will be followed by live music from the Jive Cats.

Giants of the American motor industry dating from its unrivalled glory days will be on display at Hot Rod City Vintage car show at Dame Court from 12 to 4pm on Saturday, August 1.

Classic American Motors Ireland V8 will be on hand with 18 of the most amazing hot rods and streetcars straight from the vintage days of the USA. Black said that this event was one of the highlights of the festival, with around 10,000 attending last year.

Visitors to The Mercantile on Saturday, August 1, will be lost in a sea of quiffs as the rock ’n’ roll fashion show will see Dubliners decked out in frocks

and bobby socks, blue jeans and Brylcreem and plenty of plaid and polka dots.

Sunday, August 2 will see a motorcycle rally across Dublin, as a convoy of motorcycles roars through the city from the Garden of Remembrance to the Phoenix Park where it will coincide with the finale of the rock ’n’ roll half marathon.

The festival ends with a bang on Sunday, August 2, with the Dame District Rock ’n’ Roll closing party at The Mercantile from 11pm.

There will also be free live music all night from 10-piece big band Sweeneys Jazz Men at Sweeneys and The Hot Sprockets, The Mighty Steph and The 45s at Whelan’s.

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

Our Dog of the Week this week is Ritzie, a three-year-old female Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossbreed.

She is quite wary of unfamiliar people and dogs, but with time, love and commitment from her new owners, her sweet, affectionate and playful nature will emerge.

Ritzie loves playing ball and will happily trade one ball for another and play tug with soft cuddly toys.

She is looking for a home with older children and, if possible, a calm canine companion.

If you think you could offer Ritzie a loving home 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.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT M&S Hat €47.50

Five of the best bronzer brushes

Races f House o

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Debenhams Preen dress €112.5 0

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Harvey Nichols Issa dress €643

House of Fraser Top €124

M&S Autograph brush €15

Mint Velvet Lucia print dress €145

WITH sunshine supremely lacking this summer, a bit of bronzer is essential if we don’t want to look anaemic for the entire year, that is.

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THE Galway Races are almost upon us and it’s time to take the fascinator out of the box, get the best guna to the dry cleaners, and practice walking in stiletto heels in mud and muck.

Alternatively, splash out on a fabulous new frock – especially if you want to be in with a chance

to win a best-dressed ladies competition, of which Kilkenny Shop is this year’s sponsor.

I have picked some of my personal favourites, with a few curve balls thrown in there. Who says you can’t wear a trouser suit to the races?

Thanks to these great outfits and accessories, we’ll get you trotting straight to the winner’s post in style.

And they’re off!

River Island Bag €33

23 July 2015 Gazette 19

Gazette

STYLE River Island Dress €80

Lucy Kennedy with Caoimhe Barrett and Kyle Doyle

La Roche-Posay wants you to take a selfie and help Temple Street Children’s Hospital

The Kilkenny Shop Aideen Florence dress €215 River Island Heels €75

Mint Velvet Textured biker coat €209, Wrap top tunic €89, Wide leg trouser €89

TV PRESENTER Lucy Kennedy joined dermatological skincare brand La Roche-Posay to call on fans of the brand to share a “selfie” with their favourite La Roche-Posay product.

She was joined by Caoimhe Barrett and Kyle Doyle to launch the campaign, which will help to support Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

La Roche-Posay is known for developing products formulated for sensitive skin, ensuring the highest tolerance and safety. The brand has committed to donating €1 to Temple Street Children’s Hospital for the first 10,000 selfies shared on its website: www.laroche-posay.ie/ yousharewecare.

Kennedy is calling on fans of the skincare brand to get involved with the initiative. She said: “This campaign provides people with a really quick and easy way of helping the hospital.

“I visited Temple Street, and it was plain to see the fantastic work that goes on in Temple Street and this campaign will provide much needed funds to the hospital. Every selfie shared will make a big difference.”

Denise Fitzgerald, chief executive, Temple Street Foundation,

said: “We are so grateful to have the support of La Roche-Posay this year through their You Share, We Care campaign.

“By taking a selfie and sharing it, each individual has the power to make a difference to the lives of sick children in Temple Street.

“For years, the hospital has delivered worldclass care in challenging -------------------------

‘This campaign will provide much needed funds for Temple Street Children’s Hospital’ -------------------------

Lucy Kennedy

-------------------------

conditions and many of the facilities are struggling to cope.

“The support of La Roche-Posay will help us to continue to fund specialist equipment, and the redevelopment of critical wards, that will save a lot of little lives,” she said.

To make your €1 donation to Temple Street, firstly, take a selfie with your favourite La Roche-Posay product, then click on www.laroche-posay.ie/ yousharewecare and upload your photo, and explain why you love the product.

Gazette

20 Gazette 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

fast

TRAVEL NEWS

Cruise through two countries in style  ian begley

IF YOU fancy a romantic getaway this September, a cruise along the River Rhine might be the perfect trip for you and your other half.

The trip, organised by Travel Department, offer passengers a cruise that will take you through Germany and Holland along the River Rhine on September 25.

This €1,529pp offer includes all transfers and one night at the four-star Maritim Hotel Cologne in Cologne on a half-board basis, and seven nights on board the four-star Superior A-Rosa Aqua on a full-board basis, with an unforgettable trip taking in fascinating cities.

In Cologne, you will see the magnificent Grand Cathedral and its rivalling neighbour, Dusseldorf, the City of Fashion. Afterwards, you will travel to Holland and visit Rotterdam, from where you can visit beautiful Delft. Then it’s on to Amsterdam, the Venice of the North, before returning to Cologne via Arnhem and Bonn.

For further information, see www.traveldepartment.ie.

Stena Line offers for a family getaway  ian begley

FAMILIES who are still looking to book a summer break may be pleased to know that Stena Line has launched a new holiday package offering travel by car and seven night’s accommodation from €525 for a family of four – €131 per person.

This offer includes return Stena Line travel from Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard, Belfast to Liverpool or Belfast to Cairnryan for a car, two adults and two children, and seven nights’ self-catering accommodation in Pontins Prestatyn Sands in North Wales, or Southport in Merseyside.

For those who don’t want to drive, a coach option to Prestatyn is also available from Dublin on selected dates.

For further information, see www.stenaline. co.ie/pontins.

northern ireland: game of thrones’ lands are part of the lovely province

Visit some of the best sights in Westeros  ian begley

NORTHERN Ireland is renowned for its inspirational locations, stunning landscapes and the friendliest of welcomes.

A summer break within the Six Counties will leave you spoiled for choice with things to do and see.

This week, The Gazette has compiled a list of the main attractions in Northern Ireland this summer.

Game of Thrones With Northern Ireland playing a starring role in HBO’s Game of Thrones, Tourism Northern Ireland has welcomed news that The Causeway Coast and the Glens of Antrim have

been placed third in a list of 30 film and TV destinations adults most want to visit.

Thanks to Game of Thrones, Northern Ireland’s stunning mountains, forests, lakes and countryside are now familiar to millions of people around the world, having helped create the magical backdrop that much of the show’s action is filmed against.

Some of the locations based across the Causeway Coast and glens that Game of Thrones fans can visit for themselves include The Dark Hedges, in Stranocum (which is used to portray King’s Road), Downhill Beach

See for yourself why places like Murlough National Nature Reserve attract visitors from all across the island of Ireland, and much further afield

(Dragonstone), Larrybane (The Stormlands), Ballintoy Harbour (Pyke, The Iron Islands), Cushendun Caves (The Stormlands), Cairncastle (North of Winterfell), Murlough Bay (Storm’s End) and Slemish (Dothraki Grasslands).

A geological jewel One of the jewels in the crown of the Causeway Coast has to be The Giant’s Causeway, with its famous basalt columns, dramatic cliff faces and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Just along the coast of Antrim is the dramatic Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which was first built by fishermen 350 years ago and is suspended nearly 100 ft above the sea.

These days, it’s a popular attraction for visitors, but crossing is not for the faint-hearted.

Further round the coast, take time to enjoy the delights of Portstewart Strand – one of Northern Ireland’s finest beaches, with two miles of golden sand.

With their use in early series of the smash-hit show, area. However, wherever any visitors roam, they will

It’s much more than just a beach though, with its sand dunes forming an important nature conservation site with fantastic walks.

From the beach, you can see Mussenden Temple, and it is worth continuing your journey to explore Downhill Demesne, where both the temple and Hezlett House are situated.

With amazing ruins, endless woodlands and stunning gardens, you won’t be disappointed.

Festivals There is also a vast range of festivals taking place this summer in Northern Ireland, which cater for all ages.

August Feile, which takes place from July 30 to August 9 in Belfast, is Ireland’s largest community festival, which features headlining music as part of a diverse range of events including com-

edy, sporting, exhibitions, tours, drama and debates.

The SunFlowerFest is set to return again this year in Hillsborough, County Down, from July 31 to August 2.

This well-established and family-oriented festival will feature superb live music, storytelling, poetry and interactive art, dance and music workshops, in a beautiful setting with on-site camping at Tubby’s Farm near Hillsborough.

From August 28 to 30, the Hilden Beer and Music Festival will occur once again in the Hilden Brewer y in County Antrim. Enjoy more than 20 acts across three music stages, with three bars serving more than 30 ales, stouts, lagers and ciders from Ireland and Britain, plus a food village in the front garden.

The much anticipated Carnival of Colours will also be making a comeback this year at St

23 July 2015 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

Travel fast

TRAVEL NEWS Detox – take time out from digital living IT’S set to become the new buzz term: “digitally detoxing”. We know that we all need to do it, but somehow it always seems that tiny bit too difficult not to check your Facebook page for another Like, or your mobile for a response to a text message.

Dunderry Park (above) in County Meath is putting on a digital detox weekend that will require you to do just that – switch off from all things digital. We spoke to the founder of Digital Detox, Emily Duffy, who gave us her top five reasons to detox.

Game of Thrones (inset, lower-right), Stranocum’s The Dark Hedges (main) have become a fixture for the show’s fans visiting the find lots of places with outstanding natural beauty.

Columb’s Park, Derry, from August 29 – 30.

This flagship circus, arts and music festival will be filled with top treats for all the family. Highlights include the very best of international and local street theatre, storytelling, workshops and international foods, with evening cabaret, music and comedy.

Local beaches Within Northern Ireland, you will find some of the most spectacular beaches in Europe. The naturally stunning formations of the coastline provide long stretches of golden sand and impressive sand dunes. The Causeway coastal route has more than 10 magnificent beaches alone, and views to match.

Whitepark Bay’s sandy beach forms a white arc between two headlands on the North Antrim coast.

In this secluded location, even on a busy day there is plenty of room for quiet relaxation.

The beach is backed by ancient dunes that provide a range of rich habitats for bird and animal life.

Downhill Beach offers a wealth of activities, including water sports, scenic walks and facilities for that perfect family day out, as well as the prominent Mussenden Temple – one of the most photographed buildings in Northern Ireland.

Tyrella Beach, a small enclosed beach and dune complex within Dundrum Bay, is situated alongside the Mourne coastal pathway.

The stunning waters invite water sport enthusiasts all year round, and it is one of the top beaches in County Down.

The Murlough National Nature Reserve is a fragile, 6,000-year-old

1. We are too connected to the opinions of others.

“Whether other people’s opinions of you are good, bad, or indifferent, relying on what they think to determine how you feel about yourself makes you more vulnerable and less capable of maintaining your self esteem.”

2. We are less capable of having real conversations.

“When was the last time you had a full, uninterrupted conversation with a friend that didn’t involve someone checking their Facebook, taking a selfie or messaging other people?

“Our smartphones have become such a part of who we are that, at times, we use them to ignore what is right in front of us.”

Hillsborough, Co Down, is set to once again welcome the SunFlowerFest in late July

3. We suffer from information overload.

“The internet has made information more accessible, and that’s great, but the trouble is, we have access to so much information that we can’t process any of it.”

4. Our privacy has disappeared.

“One only has to look at the Jennifer Lawrence photo leak to know that what we share with our friends privately isn’t safe from hackers, snoopers or creepers.”

Must-visit Benone Beach is just one of the North’s many welcoming, golden strands

sand dune system owned

by The National Trust, and is perfect for walkers or anyone interested in bird watching due to its spectacular location at the edge of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains.

Benone Beach is also a must-see when visiting Northern Ireland. With seven miles of golden sand and a magnificent backdrop of mountain and cliff scenery, and stunning views across to Donegal, this is an attractive

sightseeing environment along with the usual seaside activities, including picnic spots, watersports, and fishing.

For further information on Northern Ireland holidays, see www.discovernorthernireland.com.

5. We need fun, non-digital hobbies!

“That’s why we’ll have mindfulness meditation, laughter yoga, falconry, storytelling, art and much more on the weekend, which takes place in Dunderry Park from August 14 to 16. The rate for the weekend is €200.”

For further information, call Emily at 087 747 2147, email emily@spiritoffolk.com, or see www. digitaldetox.info.

Gazette

22 Gazette 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

BITESIZEDNEWS

FOOD&DRINK

Chop House (Shelbourne Road) Prime Irish Hereford cote de boeuf €60

L’Gueuleton (Fade Street) Chargrilled 10oz rib eye steak and chips with bearnaise or cafe de Paris butter €26.50

This cucumber mint margarita is perfect for July

Make a margarita (for when summer arrives) THE sky out there may think it’s October lately, but we have a recipe for a lovely, refreshing cucumber mint margarita that you’ll be glad to whip up whenever the summer finally arrives for more than a day or two. This drink recipe serves two.

Ingredients Half cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded 2 tablespoons sugar Quarter cup key lime juice Quarter cup chopped mint One-third cup tequila reposado 2 tablespoons orange liqueur One-eighth teaspoon Tabasco sauce 6 ice cubes Garnish Salt to rim glasses 2 cucumber slices Preparation • Blend ingredients in a blender for one minute.

Divide between two 6-ounce salt-rimmed glasses.

• Garnish each glass with a cucumber slice, then serve, and enjoy!

Bord Bia survey shows rise of local suppliers MORE than 95% of Ireland’s leading restaurateurs have increased the amount of local suppliers they work with in the past 12 months, and 85% spend in excess of 40% of their monthly budgets on local food and drink.

A Bord Bia Just Ask! survey has indicated that leading Irish restaurants actively promote local supplier details to their customers.

From name-checking suppliers on menus and websites, to including supplier photos in their restaurants, to spreading the word via social media and arranging “meet the maker” events, restaurateurs have recognised the merit in showcasing their support of local producers and the resulting bottom-line effect on their business.

Take5

Brookwood (Baggot Street) 28oz porterhouse steak for two, served with sides and a glass of wine or craft beer €50

 james martin

WHEN it comes to good beef, Ireland is very lucky. Our rainy, evergreen fields mean that we are in a position to create some of the best and tastiest farmed produce in the world.

This, of course, means great steaks!

Coupled with a rise in top-class restaurants devoted specifically to the bovine banquet, we are indeed punching well above our weight.

From thick and juicy filet mignon to the hefty t-bone for two, Dublin city has a fantastic range of eateries offering chargrilled perfection.

We have compiled our list of top-five places to get a super sumptuous steak in the city.

Have we missed anywhere? Let us know on the Gazette Newspaper’s Facebook page, or on Twitter at @DublinGazette. Next month, we will be unveiling our top pizza places in the city.

FX Buckley (Pembroke Street and Temple Bar) Rib eye on the bone 22oz, served with cajun onions €38

Asador (Haddington Road) Dry aged cote de boeuf for two €60

23 July 2015 Gazette 23

BUSINESS PROFILE

Gazette

COMMERCIAL FEATURE tom browne, Salus Training Services

A whole world of skills and experience Salus Training Services was formed in 2005 to service a growing market in safety training, consultancy and traffic management.

Tom Browne (above) was one of four directors who took the lead in developing the business so that Salus could provide the services to a range of existing clients from his previous company, Aztec Training Ltd, and new clients through

the partnership of South Midland Construction who at the time were working on behalf of Bord Gais, ESB, local authorities, the RPA, NTL and many more.

Salus provided specialised training in partnership with our technical associates in the UK. Salus is now in the process of seeking approval for City & Guilds qualifications including

confined space, poly pipe welding to start with and progressing to a number of others.

Managing director Browne has a wide range of skills and experience not only in Ireland but in the US, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, UK and across Europe.

He also studied at UCD, Maynooth College, Salford University and in Australia.

Salus also has an operation

in Australia and can deliver training for persons hoping to emigrate to Australia/New Zeland and can have their qualifications converted and recognised through their associate companies based in Australia.

There is also a traffic management division at Salus which has been successful since 2008 and growing continually.

How long have you been in business?

ents that differs from your competitors?

minimised the effects.

the business to a sustainable level offering more programmes to our existing and new clients.

Salus Training Services has been in business since 2005.

What makes your business successful?

Strong customer focus and quality service provided.

What do you offer your cli-

We offer our clients a strong understanding of their needs and willingness to adapt to their needs.

How has the recession affected your business?

Our strong relationship with existing clients has

How do you use social media?

We use Facebook/Twitter/ LinkedIn to promote our business.

What is your ambition for the business?

Our ambition is to grow

What is the best piece of business advice that you ever received?

Offer a good service at a fair price and be honest throughout.

GAZETTE

24 GAZETTE 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

FURTHERPREPARATION JIMMY’S TOP TOOL KIT AND ACCESSORIES WHILE everyone has their favourite musthave item, some equipment is essential to ensure you’re fully prepared for anything that might happen out on the course. New products have come on line in the past few and they’ll help you save time.

Happy pedalling!

Tube and tyre levers: For mechanical problems, you’ll need the right kit to help you get back on your bike. Remember that no one can help you in the race so you absolutely have to know how to use your kit. The original and can’t-do-without kit is a tube and three tyre levers. Why? Obviously a puncture is your most likely source of problems. Make sure you have the right tube size to match your bike and valve style and only use plastic tyre levers. So you’ve nothing to inflate this? That brings us neatly to our next item.

Co2 inflator: A very simple device that will inflate your wheel in seconds to the

correct pressure.

Mini pumps simply don’t do the business, using mini pumps to attempt to inflate a tyre can take a lot of your energy and never fully inflate the tyre fully.

Multitool with chain-splitter: These guys will suit all fittings on a modern bicycle.

If your saddle slips or handlebars turn in transition out on the course the multitoll will come to the rescue. Getting one with a chain-splitter is crucial also to cover that eventuality.

Powerlink for chain: The powerlink is designed to quickly rejoin a broken chain. Using your chain-splitter to clear broken debris from your chain, then install the powerlink to instantly reconnect your broken chain.

Castelli Retro Cap €19.00 The retro cycling cap features a classic eight-panel design and styling that harks back to the old days of European racing. Italian or multicolor strip and screen printed Castelli logos. Universally sized.

Compressport Race Belt €12 The new compressport race belt is functional, adjustable and easy to clip on and off. It has three clips for attaching a race number and four elasticated gel holders on each side.

LOUIS GARNEAU TRI SPEED €75.00 Interchangeable HRS heel retention system 2 reversed velcro tabs for easy slip-on and quick attach patented ergo air. Compatible with SPD, SPD-SL, TIME, LOOK and SPEED PLAY cleats, Weight (size 41/1 shoe): 281 g/10 oz Ergo Air.

Elasticated laces LockLaces €7.50 Elasticated shoe laces feature an adjustable toggle fastener that provide a custom fit. Replace your race day trainer’s laces with these elastic alternative and never tie your laces during a race again.

Specialised PROPERO II €99.99 This race-inspired design is known for its great fit and great value. The composite matrix internal reinforcement allows larger vents for greater cooling.

The bike section is the longest part of the race going from Dun Laoghaire out as far as Kilcock in County Kildare

IRONMAN: PART 2 OF 3 TO GUIDE YOUR TRAINING

It’s onto land as the race really gets going  GARY CROSSAN

SO Ironman wannabe – you’ve completed the 2km swim. This week, GazetteHealth picks up where we left off with Gary Crossan of Triathlon Ireland. And he recommends that competitors take a moment to steady themselves on dry land after the swim.

One swift change later and this is where the race really starts.

Time to face the 90km bike ride (shown above).

Crossan advises that the course is flat, fast and consists of a single lap with total elevation gain of 240m. It leaves Dun Laoghaire, heading out towards Finglas and taking in Counties Meath and Kildare.

Anyone who has cycled the course before May, be aware of a slight change around Kilcock which was made to make it safer.

Things he reminds us to be aware of during the bike section are drafting and nutrition.

Last week, we recom-

These products will help you to get the best out of any bike or foot race and are all available from Base2Race, Unit 46, Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin 24.

Keane claims 21st place at championships BRYAN Keane battled to a 21st place finish at the European Championships in Geneva recently, finishing in a time of 1.57.27.

Keane admitted to a poor swim which resulted in the leading pack opening up a gap and pulling away throughout the 40km bike leg.

The Cork man found himself in the second chase pack in which world number one Javier Gomez of Spain was also to be found. Once off the bike, Keane produced one of the fastest runs of the day in 33.03.

For more info visit www.triathlonireland.com

The run section takes place in the beautiful Phoenix Park

mended drafting. But on the bike leg of a triathlon this is illegal and will result in a time penalty and a possible disqualification.

Official draft marshals on the course enforce these rules.

The bike section is also the longest part of the race, and therefore it is the best time to give the body some needed fuel and hydration. You can either stick gels to the cross bar of the bike or have premixed drinks in the fuel bottles on the bike.

All this should be practised in training. There will also be a fuel station in Maynooth at the University Campus.

The final section of the very flat three-lap half marathon race takes place in the beautiful Phoenix Park (shown left).

The run section’s main feature is the pacing strategy runners must employ. With crowds of spectators and the adrenaline rushing, it’s tempting to start out too fast, says Crossan.

When it comes to running races the best strategy is to run negative splits which means running the second half of the race faster than the first. Keep taking on fluids and fuel at all the feed stations to ensure you keep as well hydrated as possible.

A main area for all competitors to be aware of and something most people will not have experienced before is the split transition. Have a check list of everything you need for transition one – after you come out of the swim.

This should include bike gear, for example helmet, sunglasses, cycling shoes. Then have a separate check list for transition two – after the bike leg in Phoenix Park.

This should include running gear, for example runners, vaseline, socks, sun cap. Make sure you are not the person without your runners in transition one in Dun Laoghaire. It will happen to someone, warns Crossan.

23 July 2015 gazette 25

Gazette

GAMING

WEEBYTES

The late Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo

Tributes paid to late Satoru Iwata

 shane dillon

IT SEEMS that The Caped Crusader (aka Batman, aka billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne) is never far away from popular culture, including videogames, as a number of products demonstrate at the moment.

While cinema fans look forward to Ben Affleck putting on the cape in next year’s Batman V Superman, and TV watchers delve into the murky city that the newly orphaned

child Bruce Wayne grew up in, gamers have never been left wanting for some great Batman games, with Batman: Arkham Knight

(developed by Rocksteady Studios, published

by Warner Bros Interactive) delivering Bats and “friends” in style.

The recently released game has been a smash hit on next-gen (now current gen) platforms, delivering a visual tour de force as one of the flagship titles to really show what the Xbox One and PlaySta-

tion 4 are capable of. PC owners, however, experienced a different Gotham (see panel, below).

The title’s stunning graphics have really brought the seedy, criminal underbelly of gothic Gotham to glistening life.

This week, we take a look at the rain-slicked streets, towering architecture, interesting characters and chaos of Gotham in Arkham Knight that have created such a stylishly memorable dark knight ...

‘Holy unplayable, Batman! now what?’

WHILE Arkham K night is indeed a pretty spectacular title – on next-gen consoles, at least – PC fans weren’t happy after the game was released, as it was extremely buggy and crashed or froze a lot, even on high-spec gaming rigs.

Indeed, Warner Bros and Rocksteady have temporarily suspended PC sales, offered refunds, and issued a statement,

apologising to fans.

“We want to apologise to those of you who are experiencing performance issues with Batman: Arkham Knight on PC. “We take these issues very seriously and have therefore decided to suspend future game sales of the PC version while we work to address these issues to satisfy our quality standards.”

At the time of writing, PC sales

are still suspended while the developers try to fix the bugs and performance issues, with PC Batman presumably left to practise his Batarang aim rather than face his adversaries on Gotham’s mean streets.

Who would have thought that Batman’s greatest adversary could end up being just a few lines of problematic code?

TRIBUTES have been paid around the world to Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s president, who recently died of cancer, aged 55.

Nintendo released a short but respectful statement, simply saying: “Nintendo Co Ltd deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile ductgrowth.”

Earthbound director Shigesato Itoi’s tribute was particularly poignant, saying: “When I’m parting with a friend, regardless of the circumstances, I find it best to just say, ‘See you later.’ We’ll meet again.

After all, we’re friends.

That’s right – nothing unusual about it. I’ll see you later.”

During his time with the company, which he joined in the 1980s, Iwata oversaw some of the highs and lows in the company’s fortunes, seeing it introduce a wide range of consoles.

Its hardware and titles may not always have set the gaming world on fire, but they always showed the company’s singular vision at work.

Popular with the industry and gamers alike, Iwata was the embodiment of Nintendo’s willingness to experiment in the name of fun, and was a driving force in gaming. He will be missed.

26 lucan gazette 23 July 2015

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28 Gazette 23 July 2015

SPORT Ryan is Ireland’s golden girl

FastSport

cycling: garda cyclist leads irish challenge at sundrive track meet

St Pat’s to face Manchester city next week:

ST PATRICK’S Athletic are delighted to announce that the Saints will take on a Manchester City XI in Richmond Park on Wednesday, July 29 at 7.45pm.

Liam Buckley’s side will take on The Citizens as they continue their preseason preparations ahead of the 201516 English football season.

The last Premier League sides to have faced the Saints in Richmond Park were a Chelsea XI in 2009 that featured the likes of Fabio Borini, while a Tottenham Hotspur side with Gareth Bale, Dimitar Berbatov, and Robbie Keane amongst their ranks were visitors to Inchicore in 2007.

Ticket details for the game will follow and be announced on stpatsfc.com in the coming days; ticket details when confirmed will go on sale from the St Patrick’s Athletic club offices on Emmet Road.

 sport@dublingazette.com

MOST of the medals and records from last weekend’s Dublin Track Cycling International at Sundrive went to international stars, but Garda Cycling Club’s Caroline

Ryan took home a gold and reduced the track record for the 3km pursuit on her way to medal success.

Beating her own Sundrive best by almost four tenths of a second, the rower turned cyclist was

one of five riders to lower the track record in their events as competitors from 13 countries competed at the Crumlin venue on Saturday and Sunday of last week.

The event was Ireland’s only UCI level one track

Ryan with her gold medal

Caroline Ryan on track at Sundrive

meet of the year and it attracted three current world track champions, a reigning junior road race champion, and numerous former and current medallists at world, European, and Olympic level over the two days.

Ryan’s record setting victory actually came at the expense of former world road race champion Tatiana Guderzo over Italy. Aside from the Westmanstown woman, who just missed out on third in the women’s points race, there were a number of other local cyclists who tasted success over the weekend.

New Zealand cyclist Regan Gough dominated the men’s 4km pursuit over Ulsterman and Dublin-based cyclist Martyn

Irvine and Gough’s ride included an improvement of 2.5s on Ryan Mullen’s venue record set at the same event last year.

Irvine was also involved in the men’s 15km scratch race and started extremely aggressive. He was joined early on by Max Beyer of Germany before both returned to the bunch and Irvine was eventually reeled in. It wasn’t long before he went back on the attack, riding solo all the way to the final six laps of the 460km circuit before Beyer raced clear again to claim the gold medal ahead of Belgium’s Moreno de Pauw and Alex Frame of New Zealand. Irvine also finished fifth in Men’s omnium event.

Gough added another

win in the men’s points race with another dominant showing in which he lapped the field twice.

Norway’s Aleksander Perez took second while local Sundrive rider Murt Rice raced clear of the rest to claim the bronze medal.

Orwell Wheelers’ Naoise Sheridan took the gold in junior women’s scratch race, while in the Men’s, club-mate Conor Murnane made it a double for Orwell as he edged out Xeno Young of Powerhouse Sport and Barry Talt of Murphys Surveys Kilcullen.

To round-up the Irish interest, Dubliner Lydia Boylan mirrored Irvine’s fifth place finish in the omnium in the women’s category.

National basketball cups get boost from Hula Hoops  sport@dublingazette.com

Lynn Tunnah, left, from Dublin, Dylan Phelan and Keavy McDermott help launch the Hula Hoops National Cup

THE biggest annual event in Irish basketball is to have a new partner for 2015-16 as Hula Hoops has been unveiled as official sponsors of the National Cups.

The announcement of the Hula Hoops National Cups comes in a period of growth for the sport. Over 125 clubs from 16 counties are expected to take part in this season’s elite competitions while a new national intermediate club championships will give more Dublin clubs

a chance to play at the National Basketball Arena.

Forty-five Dublin teams took part in 2014-15. Twenty one titles have stayed in the capital over the years but it was a lean season with UCD Marian, Killester, St Vincent’s, DCU Mercy and Oblate Dynamos were all beaten in the 2015 finals.

“There are 10 national cups catering from Under-18 right up to our two senior flagship competitions, which will be televised live on TG4,” said Basketball Ireland sponsorship and marketing manager JP Montgomery.

“The national cups have been a platform for great Irish basketball players and great drama for over 30 years but we feel that Hula Hoops coming on board marks a new chapter for knockout basketball in Ireland.”

The draw for the Hula Hoops National Cups takes place on September 23 with the first rounds in October and the finals played in January in the National Basketball Arena.

Elsewhere, Meteors have appointed Mark Byrne to take over from outgoing head coach Eoin Chubb.

The South Dublin side took their play-off push all the way to the penultimate round of the league last season and will aim to go one better this term.

Byrne has enjoyed a long and successful playing career with Delta Notre Dame ,Tridents and UCD Marian. As a coach he has had success with Maol Og and UCD Marian.

He said, “I’m looking forward to working with this talented squad. Our pre-season programme is challenging and will ensure we are in the best of shape for the new season”

23 July 2015 Gazette 29

Gazette

Personal bests and the glint of bronze Dublin-based Paralympic swimmers produced a series of superb performances in Glasgow last week with Clontarf’s Ellen Keane and Daragh McDonald earning a podium place  nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

IRELAND’S Paralympic Swim Team, packed with Dublin-based swimmers, began and finished their World Championships campaign with a bronze medal and three personal bests, repeated the feat on the event’s final day last Sunday.

Last Monday, UCD’s Darragh McDonald swam a season’s best of 5.11.26 in the 400m freestyle (S6) which won him his heat and booked a spot in that evening’s final. In the final, McDonald was just over a second outside of that time which earned him third spot on the podium.

Speaking after the final, he said: “I’m really happy to make the World Championship podium tonight.

It’s been a tough season, and the medal makes for

a great finish to it. I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and the road to Rio.” McDonald was back in the pool on Thursday, and finished fifth in 50m freestyle heat with a time of 34.01, which left him ninth overall meaning he just missed out on the final. He also missed out on a place in the final of the 100m freestyle (S6) on Sunday by just one spot.

Blanchardstown’s NAC Swim Club had three of the swimmers on the Irish squad and London Paralympian James Scully was the first Irish athlete in the pool last Monday, recording a time of 45.18 in his heat in the 50m backstroke (S5), leaving him in sixth spot.

Scully’s club-mate Ellen Keane was also in the pool on Monday and swam a personal best of 1.18.69 in her 100m back-

stroke heat, but unfortunately just missed out on a place in the final in what is her least favoured event.

Keane was back in action on Tuesday and produced a lifetime best of 1.22.97 in her 100m breaststroke (SB8), which won her heat and booked her place in the evening’s final.

She set another personal best in the final of 1.22.50, which earned fifth spot in a race in which second and fifth spot were separated by just a second and a half.

Scully was the first of the Irish in the pool on Wednesday and he swam a season’s best in the men’s 200m freestyle (S5) of 2.54.84 in the second heat to qualify seventh fastest for the final.

Just like Keane the day before, Scully turned in another season’s best

Castleknock’s Ailbhe Kelly competes in the heat of the Women’s 100m Freestyle S8 where she finished seventh. Picture: Ian McNicol/Sportsfile

in the final of 2.53.77 to finish sixth in one of the most competitive events at the World Championships.

The third NAC Swim Club member on the Irish squad, Castleknock teenager Ailbhe Kelly, made her world championship debut on the Thursday

of the women’s 400m freestyle (S8) of 5.37.45, beating her previous best by over five and a half seconds.

She just missed out on the final but can take comfort from the fact that her time was inside the minimum qualifying standard (MQS) for Rio

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘I’m still in shock; I was happy with a personal best but saw the three and I couldn’t believe it!’ - Ellen Keane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

morning in Glasgow.

She showed no signs of nerves as she swam a lifetime best of 1.20.44 in the women’s 100m freestyle (S8) to finish seventh in her heat and 12th overall.

Keane was also back in action on Thursday and swam another season’s best in the heats of the 50m freestyle of 31.03.

Scully competed again on Friday morning and added another lifetime best to the growing personal records being broken in the Irish camp.

He recorded a time of 38 seconds flat in the second heat of the 50m freestyle.

In the final later that day, he beat his time from the morning by an impressive .08 of a second which resulted in an eighth place finish.

Kelly recorded a lifetime best in the sole heat

2016.

The next day, Kelly reached the final of the 100m backstroke (S8) event, finishing eighth and recording another lifetime best time of 1.27.24.

On the final day of the championships, Keane finished second in the first heat of the 200m individual medley (SM9).

In the final that evening, she set another new lifetime best of 2.40.31 which earned her a brilliant bronze in the event, which she spoke about afterwards.

“I’m still in shock,” she said. “I didn’t think I got third! I looked at the clock and registered my time and was happy with my PB, then saw the ‘3’ and couldn’t believe it!

“I’m just so delighted and especially for my parents after dressing up in their Irish suits all week!”

FastSport

Royal Dublin’s Devine eyes PGA Foursome final PATRICK Devine hopes to emulate the greatest week of his professional life as he bids to reach the final of the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship.

Devine, of Royal Dublin Golf Club, will team up with Killiney Golf Club’s Leo Hynes for the qualifying event to be held at Headfort Golf Club in Co Meath on July 22.

And the pair will go into the competition with impressive track records. Devine is a former champion having won the final with Stuart Taylor in 2009 when it was held at Forest Pines Golf Club in Lincolnshire.

And if Hynes qualifies, he will be looking to improve on his joint 16th place finish in last year’s final at St Mellion in Cornwall.

They will be aiming to reach the £35,000 Skycaddie and BMW supported grand final at Carden Park in Cheshire between August 12-14.

Devine has fond memories of his title win six years ago.

“It was probably the greatest day as a PGA player when we won at Forest Pines,” he said.

“Everything went to plan, myself and Stuart played well, we made a lot of birdies and had fun doing it at the same time. If you can’t enjoy weeks like that in golf, when can you?

“It was a fantastic tournament for us and I remember it well.”

Devine hopes that he and Hynes will find the winning formula.

“We’ve known each other since we were amateurs, we go way back,” said Devine. “But we’ve never played together in this competition before.

“I hope it’s a good combination and I know Leo played in the final last year. He did well and would want to improve on that.

“If we can get to the final, we’d be trying to win it.”

Devine also admits this year’s final venue - the Jack Nickalus designed course at Carden Park - is another incentive.

“I’ve already had a look at the course graphics online,” he said.

“When you can see the standard of the venue where the final’s going to be held, that’s something that makes you want to play there.”

Gazette

30 LUCAN gazette 23 July 2015

SPORT

fastSport

Gaelic games: lucan quintet part of senior county panel

Fitzgerald second in two Blackchurch races BRENDAN Fitzgerald produced a fine set of results at the latest round of the Blackchurch Fiesta Championship in Mondello last week.

The Lucan man claimed pole position from the 36-car field in both races and finished second both times to give him a boost in the championship, which he also sits second overall.

His brother Michael was running fourth in race one when he went off the circuit after a nudge from another driver. The subsequent gearbox damage made him fall back in the pack and he eventually had to stop. His second race was equally ill-fated.

Fair Play book fundraiser set for Kiltipper PAUL O’Brien is hosting a five-a-side football tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Postal United’s Kiltipper grounds as part of his efforts to raise money for his book Fair Play.

The book will document the history of famous footballers

from Ballyfermot and neighbouring areas from which all profits raised from its sale will go to Our Lady’s Hospice.

Entry is €80 for a squad of eight players with each team taking part in a series of games in an initial group format before breaking into a knock-out cup and shield.

To take part, contact paulobrien5aside@gmail.com.

Dublin celebrate their victory over Derry last weekend in Swartragh. Picture: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho

Dublin hopes remain alive senior camogie Dublin 0-12 Derry 0-8  sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN kept their hopes of progression to the quarter-finals of the Liberty Insurance senior camogie championship alive by eking out a 0-12 to 0-8 win over Derry in Swatragh.

The side features a healthy Lucan Sarsfields’ quotient with Emma Flanagan starting in the corner forward role while Mairi Moynihan came off the bench during a strong second half.

A l i Tw o m e y w a s named on the bench as she continues her comeback from injury

while Kate Whyte and Claire Rigney were also part of the panel On the day, Alison Maguire was named player of the match a f t e r s c o r i n g s e ve n points from frees that enabled the visitors to keep their noses in front despite the drive o f E i m e a r Mu l l a n , Meadhbh McGoldrick and Karen Kielt.

The Dubs led by 0-5 to 0-4 at half time but that was as close as Derry got, with the Oak Leafers struggling to make headway against their sweeper system.

Maguire punished their indiscretions to edge them clear before Emma Flanagan hit the insurance point.

It built on last week’s draw with Clare that got Dublin off the mark in the group and sees them sit third in their group.

They must now wait and see how Clare and Derry fare next week in the final round-robin tie to see if they take up a quarter-final spot.

For now, they have done what they can to go through to the knock-out phases.

Backed by a slight but not insignificant breeze, Dublin were out of the traps early and when a long delivery from Louise O’Hara was picked up by Siobhan Kehoe, the corner forward bagged the first of a three points match tally.

T he same player brought her haul to two three minutes later with another clinical finish but for much of the rest of the half, the supply was fitful.

Aisling Carolan, in the less than accustomed position of left corner-back, was having a stormer while in midfield, Miriam Twomey put in a wonderful hour’s play.

With Kielt to the fore, Derr y bounced back from an initial threepoint deficit to move within a point at halftime.

From there, though, Dublin were in much greater control while the introduction of Aisling Maher to corner

forward had a telling impact and Rose Collins stormed into the game at full-back.

With Maguire finding her range, Dublin kept chipping away and eventually out of range of the Derry challenge.

They moved five points clear with 13 minutes to go and Kielt could only get one back in reply.

Miriam Twomey did an amount of covering in her own half and although Derry’s Kielt with another free left the margin on a precarious three points with as many minutes to go.

Dublin’s hearts rose as the game entered injury time with a superb finish by Aisling Maher.

23 July 2015 LUCAN gazette 31

Gazette

camogie: lucan riding high with castleknock win

Sarsfields stay top of Summer Cup group

 sport@dublingazette.com

LUCAN Sarsfields remained on top of the We are Dublin Senior 4-5 Summer Cup Group 3 Table with a convincing 2-8 to 0-5 win over Castleknock last Thursday night.

On a wet and windy night in the round four clash in Castleknock, Lucan actually started the game slower than their nearby rivals but the hosts only managed a single point in that early spell of domi-

nance.

That was largely due to the resilience of Kelsey Fahy, Catherine Carron and Kate Britton and Nicole Fitzgibbon between the posts.

The resolute defending seemed to inspire the Lucan ladies further up the field as Aoife McKearney soon fired over three points before Fiona Daly added another.

The opening goal then came from Grainne Eley who soon followed that effort with a point

before Castleknock hit -back late in the half to lower the deficit at the break.

Sarsfields began the second half playing against the wind although it couldn’t hold them back as McKearney and Eley added to their tally while Meabh Dowler also got in on the act to bring the score to 1-08 to 0-3 after 50 minutes.

The undoubted move of the match saw Avril Quinn play a great ball into space which Lucy

Fleming gathered and she fired a pinpoint pass to Eley.

She subsequently waltzed around the Castleknock defence to score her second goal and ultimately seal the result.

Castleknock did their best to inspire a comeback but that Lucan’s defence held firm for the most part, and when they didn’t, second half goalkeeper Jane Doran was on hand as she pulled off three marvellous saves.

Club Noticeboard lucan sarsfields MANY thanks to all the teams who sent

Bookings are now open for our sum-

in match reports this weekend. Full

mer camps; football from August 10-14,

details can be found on our website,

hurling/camogie from August 17-21.

www.lucansarsfields.ie. There were

See the website for details.

over 1,500 players in action in the last week across all four codes from age seven to 40+.

The Club Shop is closed for the summer.

Results from our latest golf outing

Well done to our senior camogie girls

in Beech Park – first: Michael O’Grady

Emma, Alison, Kate, Claire and Marie

[17] 35 pts, second: Sean O’Ceallaigh

who helped Dublin to a vital win in the

[15] 34 pts; category one: Damian

fourth round of the All-Ireland senior

O’Brien [9]33 pts, category 2: Dave

camogie championship over Derry on

Whittle [19]32 pts; category 3: Dave

Saturday.

Mescall [23]26 pts.

Our senior footballers also had an

There was no winner of this week’s

excellent win over O’Toole’s on Satur-

€2,000 lotto; draw numbers were 9, 10,

day evening.

12 and 14.

Lucan Sarsfields are also proud to

This week’s jackpot is €2,500; Dia-

announce that Ozone Cars are the

mond and Gem Jewellers are sponsor-

proud sponsors of this year’s Lucan

ing with Josephine Donohue’s team in

Sarsfields summer camps.

charge.

st pat’s palmerstown THE lotto numbers for this week are

be €2,600. The draw takes place in the

4, 10, 15 and 20; there was no winner

Palmerstown House every Sunday

this week so next week’s jackpot will

night at 10pm and tickets cost €2.

32 LUCAN gazette 23 July 2015