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June 4 – 10, 2015
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Month XX, 2012 Palmerstown • Celbridge • Leixlip • Adamstown • Dodsboro • Liffey Valley • ballyowen
INSIDE: Get ready to tip your hat to Bloomsday, as this year’s Joycean celebration nears P13
escape the mayhem: Broadcaster Andy Kershaw fishes out some insights P16
Leixlip Festival: Courtyard hotel rocks in the rain Canoeing:
Four Salmon Leap members off to Baku Page 32
Soccer:
Peas’ playoff issues in promtion bid Page 30
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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28
Kayleigh Lawless, Grace Nolan
and Lauren Browne pose for a quick snap in full poncho gear at The Leixlip Festival in The Courtyard Hotel recently. Bands on the night included rockers The Minutes and Lucan locals The Riptide Movement. The festival had something for everyone, with eclectic food stalls and an inflatable pub there to make things even more interesting. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston
Five schools highlight absence of wardens Council has no plans to extend State’s service for young students
ian begley
THE council has no plans to extend the county’s school warden service despite four local primary schools having no wardens to cater for young students. At present, there are no
school wardens at St John the Evangelist NS, Esker Educate Together, Adamstow n Castle Educate Together, Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada and Lucan Educate Together. Deputy Mayor of South County Dublin Liona
O’Toole (Ind) said apart from the lack of traffic wardens they also have other school safety issues. Tom Moriarty, principal of Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS, said he had been pushing for a warden and other safe-
ty measures around the school since it first opened in 2007. “Over 85% of our students walk to and from school and have to walk across very busy roads and junctions.” Full Story on Page 2
2 LUCAN Gazette 4 June 2015
service School staff and parents call for safety measures
No increase in school wardens THE council has no plans to extend the county’s school warden service despite five local primary schools having no wardens to cater for young students. The service provided by South Dublin County Council caters for thousands of children attending schools in the area on a daily basis during school terms. Despite continuous calls from school staff and parents to intro-
ian begley ibegley@dublingazette.com
duce safety measures around these schools, the council told The Gazette: “South Dublin County Council has no plans at present to extend the school warden service.”
Presently, there are no school wardens at St John the Evangelist NS, Esker Educate Together, Adamstown Castle Educate Together, Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada and Lucan Educate Together. This information was provided by the council at the request of Deputy Mayor Liona O’Toole (Ind). Speaking to The Gazette, O’Toole said: “I have made calls to most of these schools
“South Dublin County Council has no plans at present to extend the school warden service.”
to assess their situation regarding school safety/ drop off facilities. Apart from the schools with no traffic wardens they also have a number of other school safety issues which are to be examined. “The council management have been accommodating in addressing some of the issues to date including the recent slim traffic island placed in Cannonbrook providing what can be described as an ideal ‘school safety zone’ and recently installing a zebra crossing at Gaelscoil Naomh Padraig. More work needs to be done.” Tom Moriarty, principal of Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS, said he had been pushing for a warden and other safety measures around the school since it first opened in 2007. “Initially, we weren’t entitled to a warden because the roads here were not taken in charge by the council, the developers were. “W hen we first opened we had a serious issue with the develop-
ment of the railway line just beside our school. “A hundred trucks a day were going up and down the roads outside the school which resulted in very serious safety concerns, but once the council had taken them in charge [no safety measures] have come our way. “There are 400 students in our school, another 400 in the primary school next door and nearly 1,000 in the secondary school beside us. Over 85% of our students walk to and from school and have to walk across very busy roads and junctions. “The cars that drive on these roads tend to speed by extremely fast at the same time that kids are walking to school. “We have had many close calls in the past and are looking for a traffic warden and/or a proper traffic crossing here.” Lucan councillor Danny O’Brien (SF) has received calls from many local residents looking for school wardens and pedestrian crossings at their chil-
dren’s school. “We need more safety measures introduced but at this moment [the council] are saying the funding just isn’t there.
Any main road where kids are going to school, we should try our best to provide them with school wardens,” he said.
4 June 2015 LUCAN Gazette 3
equality
levy: ‘the voice of the modestly paid worker must be heard first’
High Yes vote in Lucan
Time for hated USC to be abolished Deputy Robert Dowds
TD for Dublin Mid-West
THE hated universal social charge (USC), legacy of the economic collapse, takes 7% of any annual income of €17,000 to €70,000, on top of income tax, PRSI and other contributions. The weekly USC deduction on their pay slip reminds workers of how they and their families are still paying for Fianna Fail collapsing the economy. N ow G ove r n m e n t finances are getting into reasonable shape, we must start phasing out USC for low and middle income workers, eventually abolishing it for those on modest pay. The USC takes in about €4bn a year
while Government spends €7bn more a year than it takes in, so this cannot be done at once. But removing it must be prioritised. We in the Labour Party have started reducing the USC responsibly, starting with the lowest paid. In our first year in Government, we took 330,000 of the lowest paid workers out of the USC net and have continued to add to this. By the end of the year, 500,000 of Ireland’s lowest paid workers will pay no USC. We cut the lowest rate (on incomes up €12,012) from 2% to 1.5%, and the second lowest rate (€12,012 to €17,576) from 4% to 3.5% in the most recent Budget. Modest maybe, but it is the start of
reducing the USC further. The USC should not be reduced or scrapped for higher earners – I have many reasons for believing this, not least of which is a troubling disparity in income before taxation and social welfare payments are factored in. The Government takes money from the richest and gives it to the poorest, bringing Ireland to roughly the EU average in terms of income equality after tax and welfare. The top 1% of earners pay over 20% of income tax in Ireland – not a figure I want to see fall. As Government is more able to roll back the burdens of the crash, the voice of the modestly paid worker must be heard first.
ian begley
Colourful creativity: Art students show of a wide range of works over 80 paintings belonging to 32 artists attending weekly art
classes in Palmerstown Parish Hall were exhibited at a recent exhibition. The event was held by Palmerstown Active Retirement Association (PARA) members and was officiated by TD Joanna Tuffy (LAB). The art classes take place every Friday at the centre from September to May. Pictured are PARA members Tom Shield and artist Mai Ryan, who is painting with her mouth. She will have her own art exhibition for two weeks in the Blanchardstown Library starting on July 13.
LUCAN’s overall turnout in the marriage equality referendum was 60%, with 70% of voters ticking X in the Yes box on May 22. These figures, given to The Gazette by Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes, showed 60% of people from South County Dublin came out to vote on the day. Seventy-one per cent of people in the local authority area voted Yes while 29% voted No. The results come from tallies taken in the RDS and Citywest count centres and reflect 88% of boxes. Tallaght South had the highest Yes vote in the country with 76.3% with the North Inner City (75.7%) coming second.
4 LUCAN Gazette 4 June 2015
traffic
‘We are victims of bad planning for roads,’ says Cllr Guss O’Connell
Battle to keep commercial vehicles out of area ian begley
THE high volume of traffic on Kennelsfort Road, Palmerstown, continues to be a huge frustration for residents, according to Cllr Guss O’Connell (Ind). Speaking to The Gazette,
Cllr O’Connell outlined the campaign he and the local community have conducted for the past 20 years to keep out heavy goods vehicles and other commercial traffic that have no business in the area. He said: “As a community, we in Palmerstown are the
victims of bad planning roads wise. The N4 (now R148) should never have been put on its present route. It splits the community. It should have gone to the east of Glenaulin. The Liffey Valley Town Centre should not have been put where it is, and I
strongly opposed the zoning... it’s there now and the fallout for the Palmerstown community must be addressed. Traffic that has no business in Palmerstown should be kept out. A 3.5 tonne limit on Kennelsfort Road and neighbouring roads that is strictly
enforced is the only answer. The current 7.5 tonne restriction is out of line with what the city council provides on Ballyfermot Road, which is a continuation of Kennelsfort... efforts to have the Kennelsfort restriction enforced have fallen on deaf ears.”
A South Dublin County Council spokesperson said: “The local authority is liaising with the gardai regarding weight limit on Kennelsfort Road. The council understand that the gardai are taking enforcement measures in this area.”
King’s Hospital flies fourth Green Flag for the mid-west ian begley
THE King’s Hospital, Palmerstown, recently became the only secondary school in Dublin Mid-West to be awarded a fourth Green Flag. The flag was presented to Ciaran O’Connor, teacher and co-ordinator of the environment committee, and to the students who worked on the school’s travel initiatives over the past two years. The school had a 60% increase in carpooling and a 14% rise in the number taking public transport. The promotion of the cycle-to-work scheme among staff also saw an increase in uptake of 10%
and the number of students walking or cycling to school also rose. The award ceremony took place at Dublin City University’s Helix and was attended by representatives of An Taisce and South Dublin County Council. Speaking to The Gazette, O’Connor said: “We are delighted to be awarded the fourth Green Flag. Environmental awareness and responsibility are taken very seriously by all of us at The King’s Hospital School, especially by our active pupil committee. It is a privilege for all involved to be recognised for the time and effort that is put into environmental initiatives at the school.”
Eoin Lynch, Richie Grogan, Colm Henry, Janice Flynn, Alan Dunne, Niall Donoghue and John Fox get ready to golf
fundraiser: for Spina Bifida support group
Golfers tee-off for a good cause Ian Begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com
THE fifth annual Christy Dunne Golf Charity event is set to take place this year in a mission to raise funds for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI). The four-person team golf event will be held in Citywest Hotel and Golf Resort on June 27 from 2pm to 5pm, with the awards being presented at 9pm in the Lord Lucan pub. The winners will be presented with the Christy Dunne Perpetual Cup together with team
member prizes. T he awards’ ceremony will be followed by live music and a raffle. The Christy Dunne Golf Charity was set up to remember Leixlip resident Christy Dunne, who died from a heart attack while socialising in the Lord Lucan in May 2010. In 2011 his son Alan and some close friends of Christy decided to run a charity event for the Irish Heart Foundation. To date they have raised more than €20,000 for various charities, including the Irish Heart Foundation, Pieta House,
Saplings (schools that provide education for children with autism), the local primary schools Scoil Aine Naofa and St Thomas and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. This, the event’s fifth year, was dedicated not only to Christy but to other close friends who have since died – Arthur Nolan, Eamonn Donoghue, Richie Andrews, Tony Curran, Helen Fox and Trevor Moran. Spina bifida is a relatively common condition, which affects about one in every 1,000 children born each year in Ireland.
Hydrocephalus is a complication of the condition. When a child is born with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, he or she will have to learn to live with the effects of these conditions for life. All funds raised during the event will help SBHI provide much needed services. It will cost each member of the four-member teams €50 to take part, and all participants can enjoy the refreshments afterwards in the Lord Lucan Pub. For more information, contact Alan on 086-3512677.
4 June 2015 LUCAN Gazette 5
6 LUCAN Gazette 4 June 2015
opinion Dublin is focal point of Irish and international rugby
Hosting World Cups would boost morale The double Rugby World Cup bids are vital for the continued economic recovery of Dublin brian hayes
IN December, the Government together with the Northern Irish Executive came together with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to launch Ireland’s official bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup on an all island basis. Earlier this year, the same three parties came together again to launch Ireland’s bid to host the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August 2017, and we were successful. In both bids, Dublin plays a central role. In terms of the 2017 bid, all group games to be held in University College Dublin before the knockout stages move North for the semi-finals at Queen’s University Belfast and the final at Ulster’s newly
redeveloped Kingspan stadium. In terms of the 2023 bids, 12 stadiums have been identified as likely venues for the tournament’s matches with Croke Park, the Aviva Stadium and the RDS all attracting games to Dublin. Indeed the key knock out games, including the final will be played in the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park. For many reasons, Dublin is a focal point, not just for Irish rugby, but for the game globally. The game’s governing body, World Rugby, formerly the International Rugby Board, has been based in Dublin since 1998. Both the Six Nations and the Pro 12 are run from Dublin, while the vast majority of operations for the Euro-
pean Champions Cup are also run out of Dublin as the predecessor to this, the ERC [Europen Rugby Cup], was based here. The IRFU’s bid teams for both tournaments h ave b e e n wo r k i n g strenuously over the past number of months to prepare the best possible bid for World Rugby’s executive to consider. Former International Hugo MacNeill is heading up the bid for the 2023 World Cup, while other former players such as Keith Wood and Brian O’Driscoll have weighed in to support. Both bids will require investment from the Government, including the redevelopment of the RDS to modernise it and increase its capacity. But beyond the stadiums, the Government has already invested heavily through sports capital grants in rugby clubs across the country that will play their part in the bid as training venues and team bases. Changing rooms, floodlights, gyms and artificial pitches will all be constructed in the immediate future. These will be of huge benefit to the bid process but will also be of long-term benefit to the sport of rugby in the wider community. At the moment, Ireland takes in about €50m every year in revenue from sports tourism. The 2023 World Cup alone could be worth up to €1bn in sports tourism revenue. This is not an
Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes outlines the advantages for Dublin in hosting both Rugby World Cup championships
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‘The 2023 World Cup will attract up to 350,000 visitors, most of whom will arrive via Dublin Airport’
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Brian Hayes MEP
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insignificant amount; the expectation is that the 2023 World Cup would attract up to 350,000 visitors, the vast majority of whom will arrive to Ireland via Dublin Airport. The 2023 event would have an accumulative television audience of over four billion people. The marketing potential from that alone would be worth the investment and
generate a huge number of first-time and repeat visitors subsequently to Ireland. Dublin Chamber of Commerce estimated that the two Six Nations matches held in Dublin during 2015 were worth €40m to the local economy. A study by RBS following the 2014 tournament estimated that the Six Nations gener-
ates 200 year-long jobs in Dublin and 400 jobs in Ireland. In the past decade international sporting events such as the Special Olympics World Games (2003), Volvo Ocean Race (2009 and 2012), Tall Ships Race (2005, 2011 and 2012) and most notably the Ryder Cup (2006) have been held in Ireland. We have a proud history of hosting major international sporting events with the Dublin Horse Show and Irish Open in golf being annual attractions. However, it is obvious that there is a limit to our potential. Ireland is not going to
host a football world cup and as my predecessor in the European Parliament, Gay Mitchell, found out when he was Lord Mayor of Dublin, Dublin will never host the Olympics either. However, the bid to host the 2017 and 2023 World Cups is rooted in realism. It would be a huge boost for Ireland in terms of morale and national pride but crucially it would be a massive economic shot in the arm, one that is set to benefit Dublin in particular. Brian Hayes is the Fine Gael MEP for Dublin
4 June 2015 LUCAN Gazette 7
don’sdublin GB Shaw: A giant of Irish literature and an ardent socialist GEORGE Bernard Shaw is one of the giants of Irish literature, and over a long life of 94 years he was a prodigious writer of plays, letters and an ardent socialist. He was born in 33 Synge Street on July 26, 1856, to George Shaw, a grain merchant, and Lucinda Gurly, a professional singer. He attended Wesley College and later a private school in Dalkey. Although he had a lifelong love of learning he disliked formal education, considering “schools and schoolmasters prisons and turnkeys”. Later, in 1895, he was a cofounder of the London School of Economics. He went to London in 1876 and joined his mother, who had moved there with her voice teacher George Vandeleur Lee four years earlier. Most of his early years there were spent in various libraries reading the works of great dramatists, and visiting theatres. His early novels were rejected by publishers, but he began to make a living by writing critical reviews for London magazines. In 1892, his first play Widowers’ Houses, a sharp attack on slum landlords, opened in the Royal Theatre on December 9. He considered it one of the worst plays he ever wrote, but by the mid-1890s he was one of the most popular and successful playwrights in London. Works like Mrs Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man and Candida drew critical reviews for their incisive commentaries on class-structure, morals and the prevailing social issues. This is often considered his greatest contribution to the dramatic art. In 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and in 1938 had the rare distinction of becoming the only person to also win an Academy Award for his work on the film, Pygmalion. In 1906 he moved to the small village of Ayot St Lawrence, north of London, and lived there for the rest of his life. The house is called Shaw’s Corner and his ashes, with those of his wife, Charlotte, were scattered along the footpaths and garden they loved.
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
George Bernard Shaw was born in this Dublin city centre house, 33 Synge Street, on July 26, 1856
dispute Low-hour contracts, fair pay and job security
Dunnes workers plan protest march Ian Begley
UP TO 200 Dunnes Stores staff from Dublin Mid-West who are members of Mandate trade union will on June 6 carry out a major national demonstration in Dublin over a dispute with the company over low-hour contracts, fair
pay and job security. This follows a national day of strike action carried out by fellow trade union members at stores throughout the country on April 2. Siptu has members in five stores in the state and Mandate has members in 109 stores, representing around 70% of
workers. Speaking to The Gazette, communications officer for Mandate David Gibney said the action was being taken due to the failure of Dunnes Stores to engage with staff, and because of acts of retribution against workers who supported the previous strike.
“Immediately after the strike, within 24 hours, a number of workers were told they were being let go, and a number of other workers who had been working in one department for over 20 years were shifted to another department which disrupted their rosters and schedules,” he said.
Both unions have met Junior Enterprise Minister Ged Nash to state the case of the Dunnes Stores workers and Minister Nash is currently drawing up legislation for collective bargaining which will effectively force Dunnes Stores to engage with staff, said Gibney.
8 LUCAN Gazette 4 June 2015
gazetteGALLERIES
Zeta Cunningham, David Norris and Claire Caulfield. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston
whistle-stop tour: fighting for equality for everyone
Ava Keogh
T
he Yes Equality Bus brought its nationwide tour to Liffey Valley recently to campaign for a YES vote in the recent Marriage Equality Referendum. The bus attracted a host of local politicians as well as Fine Gael Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald and Senator David Norris.
Rosa Thomas, Guia Macapaz and Sorcha Costello.
Anita Thomas
Frances Fitzgerald and Moninne Griffith
Rachel McMahon
Claire Caulfield and David Norris Orla Carey getting face painted by Sophie Davy
Amy Cawley
4 June 2015 LUCAN Gazette 9
Raquel Costa and Julie Okunowo
Susie Amadasun and Keziah McKibbon
Weston Airpark: Debbie Thomas’s new book
Launch party is a tough act to follow W
eston Restaurant at Weston Airpark in Celbridge recently played host to the launch of Debbie Thomas’s new children’s book, Class Act. The event was well attended by families and featured face-painting, clay bee-making, a treasure hunt and a special guest appearance by local bee-keeper John Lennon of the North Kildare Beekeepers Association and his display hive of busy honeybees.
Pictures: Cathy Weatherston
10 gazette 4 June 2015
gazetteGALLERY
Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins
Tom Vaughan Lawlor, Charlie Murphy, Mary Murray and Peter Coonan from Love/Hate arriving for the 2015 IFTA Film and Drama Awards at Sean Bean and Jim Sheridan
the Mansion House. Pictures: Patrick O’Leary
Glitzy awards honour the brightest and best
T
HE stars of Ireland’s film and theatre world were honoured in true Hollywood style recently at the Irish Film and Television Awards at the Mansion House. Veterans of the stage, screen and television set rubbed shoulders with some more recenet arrivals to our screens. Gay Byrne, Kathleen Watkins and Patrick Bergin were among those in attendance, as was Jim Sheridan, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award
Patrick Bergin
by Sean Bean. It was no surprise that Love/ Hate picked up a few gongs on the night. Moe Dunford took the leading actor award for her role in Patrick’s Day. Aidan Gillen took the gong for the leading male in the RTE dram, Charlie. Those who attended the event were very sad to learn that shortly after he had walked up the red carpet to attend the awards, RTE veteran broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy died suddenly.
Ciaran Hinds signing autographs
Sarah Greene
4 June 2015 Gazette 11
bloomsday P15
asdfsdaf exam time 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
Gazette
diary P12
what’son a festival of great music:
Jamie Martin: “We’d spend a good few hours rehearsing, maybe four or five.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE: Cry Monster Cry’s jamie martin on life in a band
Hitting the right notes Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
ONE OF Dublin’s most exciting bands on the circuit nowadays is folk-rock ensemble Cry Monster Cry. Ahead of numerous appearances lined up on TV, at festivals as well as their own shows throughout the summer, The Gazette spoke to Jamie Martin, one half of the fraternal duo that is the core of the band. Martin ran us through an average day in the life of a professional band member. “I normally get up at around 10am. Then I’d probably go over to my brother Richie in Rathmines and have a meeting about upcoming gigs and whatever that week entails, whether it involves
recording, radio and TV appearances or festivals. “At lunchtime, we’ll grab some food. A favourite place we like to go to is 250 Square in Rathmines because they do really great sandwiches and coffee. After that we go back to Richie’s house and will use it as a rehearsal space if we’re a two-piece or will go to a space in Glasnevin if it’s a rehearsal for the whole band. We’d spend a good few hours rehearsing, maybe four or five. “We start off by playing our instruments, I play the guitar and mandolin, and have a warm-up for about a half an hour. If a good song comes from that, we’ll stick with it. Then we’ll run through the full set list and see what sounds good. If we’re doing a festival,
we may have to cover songs to work on too.” The brothers have always had an interest in music. They attribute this to their early exposure to a wide range of musical genres thanks to their parents’ eclectic tastes. Summer holidays and long car journeys through the wilds of their mother’s home in Donegal were always accompanied by mixed tapes with Bob Dylan, The Everly Brothers, Van Morrison, Ray Charles and Simon and Garfunkel. It wasn’t long before the brothers began playing music themselves; experimenting with many instruments from the piano and violin to the guitar and mandolin before setting up the band in 2012.
Cry Monster Cry last headlined in Whelan’s and the band has another gig coming up there too in a few weeks which will be in aid of the homeless. Also coming up in October, is a gig in Temple Bar’s Button Factory. The band is also due to appear on RTE’s popular music show, The Imelda May Show, in early July. “When we’re rehearsing we won’t get a chance to eat dinner but will just grab a sandwich but if not rehearsing, we’ll cook something at Richie’s. We both like to cook and usually it will be something pasta-based or fajitas. When rehearsing, we finish late, maybe 11pm or midnight and then I’ll go straight home to bed. I’ll be too tired to do anything else except maybe read a book.”
Ireland’s longestrunning chamber music festival has been launched for 2015 with a programme featuring over 40 performers in ten unique venues over six days. KBC Great Music in Irish Houses will take place from June 9 to 14 with an array of Irish and international artists performing pieces from classical greats such as Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel and Reich. The festival will kick off at the Samuel Beckett Theatre at Trinity College with the criticallyacclaimed Colin Currie Group, who will perform scores from Reich, including an Irish premiere, Reich’s Quartet. The first of two “sister acts” of the Festival are Latvian siblings Baiba and Lauma Skride whose programme by Scandinavian composers, Sibelius and Nielsen, marks two further 150 birthday milestones this year, along with WB Yeats. The German Armida Quartett will perform works by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Stravinsky at Belvedere House on June 13. For more information on the full programme visit www. nch.ie.
Gazette
12 Gazette 4 June 2015
dublinlife
diary
Elsie McDermid’s show at the Gaiety Theatre was cancelled when the Rising started. She wrote letters home to her mother in England describing what she was witnessing on Dublin’s streets
Opera diva’s Rising letters LORD Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke revealed a rare eye-witness account of the 1916 Rising at the Mansion House last week. The Lord Mayor and City Librarian Margaret Hayes welcomed a 26-page letter by opera singer Elsie McDermid, of her impressions of the Rising while she was in Dublin. McDermid was booked to sing in a Gilbert and Sullivan show at the Gaiety Theatre but the show was cancelled when the Rising broke out on April 24, 1916. She wrote the 26-page letter home to her mother in England, dated April 25, in which she related, among other things, that digging trenches in St Stephen’s Green was going ahead and gives eye-witness accounts of the first casualties on the streets of Dublin. The letter was never published in historical accounts of the Rising. Colin McDermid, the singer’s nephew, gave
a copy to Dublin City Public Library and Archive and it will be included in the exhibition, Proclaiming the Republic.
Kenny passes audition for Radio Kerry role MICHAEL Healy-Rae is well known for bizarre outbursts and contributions in the Dail. His latest contribution to parliamentary proceedings was equally bizarre. During the orders of business, he all but demanded that Taoiseach Enda Kenny appear on Radio Kerry. He said Enda had “refused” to appear on one of the station’s shows, Kerry Today, making him the only party leader not to have done so. He also said the show’s presenter Jerry O’Sullivan had “been looking for you for a long time.” Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett told Healy-Rae he was out of order and the two proceeded to argue, using the
formula familiar to the Punch and Judy theatre that the Dail has become, until Enda weighed in saying he would be delighted to appear on the show. Don’t touch the dial.
Top world golfer is hosting A fundraiser THE annual Mary McKenna Golf Classic takes place on Friday, June 5, at Donabate Golf Club to raise funds for the Dyslexia Association of Ireland. Having raised more than €30,000 for the associatilon to date, this year’s competition, which is organised by world-renowned golfer Mary McKenna, is the largest ever with a target of 35 teams and the aim of raising €10,000. The golf classic and raffle features some great prizes including two f lights to Istanbul, which have been donated by Turkish Airlines.
Mar y McKenna called on all golfers across Dublin and surrounding counties to dust off their golf clubs and register for the event. All funds raised will be used to support the services of the dyslexia association, including assessment and tuition for people with dyslexia, and an information service. Teams of four people can enter at a cost of €200 per team. Places can be booked online at https://marymckennaclassic.eventbrite.ie or by calling 01 877 6001.
Write time to give tips to budding authors IF you are a budding new writer, hungry for more skills to allow you to make the most of your potential, don’t miss the BooksGoSocial Writers’ Conference in the Writer’s Centre, Parnell Square.
From June 26–28, the weekend of first-class training provides practical support and opportunities to meet, and get to know, fellow writers and other professionals within the industry. This unique event will bring like-minded writers together for chats and longlasting friendships as well as well as arming you with valuable knowledge of the constantly-changing digital market, not to mention important tools to help you write that masterpiece within you that’s just aching to be written. The conference is ideal for both fiction and nonfiction authors and will be hosted at the Irish Writers Centre in the heart of Dublin, the main writers centre in Ireland. Tickets are available from €90 and can be purchased at www.thebookpromoter. com
Strategy talk time at networking awards RENOWNED strategy and communications adviser Olwen Dawe, who has worked mainly in the area of economic development, will visit Dublin on June 26 for the annual Network Businesswoman of the Year Awards. The visit will be Dawe’s first to Dublin since she became president of Network Ireland, an organisation supporting women in business. T he Network Ireland Awards ceremony takes place in the Dylan Hotel on Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4, at 12.30pm. Network Ireland’s Dublin branch is hosting the awards and an annual summer lunch at the hotel. Early-bird tickets cost €49 for Network Ireland members and €69 for non-members and are available at www.eventbrite.ie/e/network-dublinbusinesswoman-of-the-yearsawards-tickets.
4 June 2015 Gazette 13
Gazette
feature bloomsday: LIterary classic still able to surprise
Join the fun to celebrate Bloom’s Dublin city stroll bairbre ni bhraonain
JUNE 16 has become synonymous with Dublin, James Joyce and Ulysses. Bloomsday is a celebration of Ulysses’ main character, Leopold Bloom, on his tramp around Dublin on that date during the course of a normal day in his life in 1904. Bloomsday has become an institution in the social, cultural and literary life of Dublin. Each year more events are added to the celebra-
tions, which have outgrown the day itself and go on for a week, from June 9 to 16. Events to look forward to inclcude some wonderful guided tours recreating Bloom’s ramble around the capital taking in places like Sweeny’s Pharmacy in Lincoln Place, where he bought the famously redolent bar of lemon soap, and the Martello Tower in Sandycove, where the younger character Steven Dedalus (the young Joyce) shared lodgings
with his pal Buck Mulligan (based on Oliver St John Gogarty). Ulysses, the novel, makes such expansive use of Dublin that it is an ideal platform to show off the capital, revealing hidden areas unknown to even diehard Dubliners.
Characters The James Joyce Centre has organised plenty of events to recreate chapters from the novel, each of which is titled after characters and
events in Homer’s Iliad, which Joyce considered the finest story ever told. The centre’s Footsteps of Leopold Bloom tour on June 4 and 18 focuses on the Lestrygonians episode of Ulysses. Here, Bloom makes his way through the city centre from Middle Abbey Street to the National Library. During his walk, he gets hungry and this leads him to ponder hunger’s effect on historical and cultural events. On June 16, Bloomsday itself, the centre’s itiner-
Hats off to Leopold Bloom ... Bloomsday enthusiast Senator David Norris with James Joyce lookalike, john Shevlin. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography
ary gets off to an early start at 8am and a visit to the Martello Tower in Sandycove to relive the Telemachus scene where Dedalus describes the sea to Mulligan as “scrotumtightening”. From 10am to 11am, the Lotus-Eat-
ers scene where Bloom buys his bar of soap at Sweeny’s Chemist is recreated. Locations change on the hour to correspond to the relevant episodes being recreated, until the final scene at 2am.
Bloom returns home to 7 Eccles Street, where in the bedroom, his wife Molly recites her famous soliloquy. For more information on the festival, go to www.jamesjoyce.ie/ bloomsday
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dublinlife
Bulmers bubblin’ at the races ian begley
FOLLOWING last year’s success with 36,000 attendees, Bulmers Live at Leopardstown is kicking off again this month. Some of Ireland’s most critically acclaimed musicians will take the stage, as well as the iconic UK 1980s group, The Human League. Commencing on June 11, the gig series returns with a strong Irish card for June, July and early August. Opening proceedings on a special Friends of Dublin Football Day, local legend Paddy Casey (June 11) gets things under way. That show is followed by The Hot Sprockets (June 18), Delorentos (June 25), Hermitage Green (July 9), The High Kings (July 16), Damien
Dempsey (July 23), and The Stunning (August 6) take to the racecourse stage. Then, one of the biggest selling UK acts of the new wave synth-pop era, The Human League, is the final act to play live on August 13. As always, the performances will be preceded by a top-class card of horse racing, a wide selection of hospitality options from the Summer Bundle to the premium Pavilion Party, with hospitality options to suit both large and small groups. Over the season, Bulmers Live at Leopardstown is set to offer a fantastic night out for individuals, groups and friends, with a huge variety of on-site entertainment on offer for just €15. For more information visit www. leopardstown.com
feature tips for testing times: don’t worry, be prepared
Look after brain and body for best results ian begley
T H E L e av i n g C e r t and Junior Cert exams are just around the corner. These can be challenging and nervous times no matter how much preparation has been done. While there is no magic way to really learn what you need to know apart from putting in the hours revising, making sure you are on your best form to apply the knowledge learnt on exam day by putting worries to one side and embracing the exam knowing you have done all you can. Neil Shah of the Stress Management Society has some top tips on how to keep on top of the exam period, while remaining calm and focussed: Manage your study time: It is important to schedule your work. Draw up a balanced and realistic revision schedule and stick to it. Studying for long periods of time will not benefit you in the long term as
Exam time: It is important to manage study time and take regular breaks
human brains can only maintain concentration for 90 minutes at a time. Take regular breaks and schedule time to do the things you enjoy. Also, be aware of when you work best; some people prefer studying early in the morning and others prefer to stay up late.
Stop comparing yourself with others; adopt a revision technique that works for you. Everyone has a different approach to revision. Choose your own method and find the revision style that suits you. Examples
Some examples include revising alone in a quiet room; revising with a friend; going to the librar y; playing music in the background; or working on the computer. Manage your study space: Avoid technology, television or social media when you are studying. Keep your study room clean and clear to avoid distractions. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eat well and don’t skip any meals, especially breakfast. Good nutrition fuels your brain as well as your body. Also make sure you keep hydrated as your
brain can only function at its best when hydrated. When in a stressed state, our bodies are expecting a physical response – fight or flight. Engaging in physical activity such as short walks in the park, going to the gym or simply doing some stretching is the best way to burn off your stress and regain focus. Get support: If you are feeling stressed, allow yourself a break to spend some time with your relatives or your friends. Some social interaction will take your mind off revision for a while and give you a mental break. You can then go back to revision feeling re-energised and focused. If it all gets a little too much to handle why not take a moment out with Rescue Remedy, which is a blend of five Bach Flower Remedies especially beneficial when you find yourself in stressful exam situations.
4 June 2015 Gazette 15
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16 Gazette 4 June 2015
dublinlife
FEATURE
escape the mayhem: broadcaster andy kershaw
It takes some fishing to relax a workaholic Renowned broadcaster Andy Kershaw is currently touring Britain and Ireland performing his one-man show based on his acclaimed autobiography, No Off Switch, which tells of his time as a tour manager for the Rolling Stones, copresenting Live Aid, the Old Grey Whistle Test, touring with the Hells Angels, covering the Rwandan genocide as a war correspondent, and most
recently, presenting the BBC’s One Show. He will make his Dublin debut on Saturday, June 6, at the Abbey Tavern in Howth as part of the Howth Literary Festival. This week The Gazette spoke with Kershaw about what he likes to do to Escape the Mayhem of his fast-paced life and career. He said he was somewhat of a workaholic, as the title of his autobiography suggests, and he is
not happy when he is not working. There are only two activities that he can enjoy apart from working and these are fishing and attending motorcycle racing competitions. “I love going fishing, all kinds of fishing, but even there when I’m sitting beside a pond or a lake or in a boat at sea I’m busy thinking, plotting and planning because it’s a very contemplative activity. The only type of fishing I don’t do is fly fishing
with the floating line and all that splashing around,” he said. He went on to say that his favourite kinds of fishing are sea-fishing from a boat and general coarse fishing in rivers and lakes for perch and tench. He employs the catchand-release technique as opposed to bringing the fish home to eat. “I have fished all over the world. I have a fishing rod that will pack down very small and go
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Renowned broadcaster Andy Kershaw
in my rucksack for when I’m travelling. I like discovering waters that aren’t regularly fished or haven’t been fished for a long time. “I love going into the Pennines [mountains in Cumbria, England]. I’m always coming across these dams up in the
moors and wondering whether anybody has ever fished them. “Since childhood I’ve been a huge motorcycle racing fan, and I love going to watch the bikes, and I love coming to Ireland to watch them because of the real road racing [in Ireland].
He went on to say that he would like to take a fortnight’s holiday in Ireland soon and dedicate all of his time to fishing and motorcycle racing. You can catch Andy Kershaw performing his one-man show at the Abbey Tavern in Howth on, June 6.
4 June 2015 Gazette 17
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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
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Pets clara could be your friend for life
The National Library of Ireland (NLI) will commemorate the 150th anniversary of poet William Butler Yeats’ birth with a month-long celebration of his life and works
National Library of Ireland: commemorating Ireland’s most celebrated poet
150 years of WB Yeats
Keith Bellew
On Wednesday, June 3, the National Library of Ireland (NLI) will commence its month-long commemoration of Ireland’s most celebrated poet, William Butler Yeats. 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of Yeats’ birth, and NLI has a packed programme of events to celebrate the life and work of the Nobel Prize winner. Events during the month will include lunchtime talks, lectures and a panel discussion; music and theatre performances; poetry readings; and public tours of the award-winning exhibition Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats. Speaking to The Gazette about
the highlights of the commemoration programme, head of outreach at the NLI, Katherine McSharry, said: “For me, one of the highlights is the Yeats birthday itself which is June 13, and the reason for that is it’s a day for anybody who is interested to come in to the National Library and enjoy listening to Yeats’ poetry, to hear some music, eat some of the Yeats’ cake and to really come in and enjoy the national library because that’s something Yeats did himself. Because he is somebody that spent a lot of time here, I think it’s lovely that we’re able to offer that opportunity to other people to really be a part of their national Library.” She went on to say that she thinks the annual Joseph Hassett Yeats Lec-
ture which will take place on Thursday, June 11, will be one of the biggest draws of the programme as this year’s lecture Players and Painted Stage: The Drama of Yeats’s Life will be given by Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford, Roy Foster. “He’s an amazing speaker, he’s also WB Yeats’ biographer so he knows the story of Yeats really intimately,” she said. The programme will not be limited to the exploration of Yeats’ poetry, as every aspect of his life and work will be looked at, from his plays, and his role in the foundation of the Abbey Theatre to his role as a Free State Senator, and his unrequited love for Maud Gonne.
“I think one of the most interesting about Yeats, unlike somebody like Joyce, is that he was so involved in so many different areas, so for that reason we have a short theatre piece which makes reference to the fact that Yeats wrote a lot for the theatre and was involved in the founding of the Abbey Theatre,” said McSharry. Another aspect of his life that will be explored is his fascination with the occult. There will be a number of interesting items on display including examples of some the automatic writing his wife Georgiana Hyde-Lees did, and various mystical tools that he made himself during the 1890s. For a full list of the programme of events visit www.nli.ie.
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 Clara, who’s a terrier of about three years old. Clara can be a little bit nervous of new people but once she gets to know you, you’ll have a friend for life. Clara loves her food and will do anything for some of her favorite treats, so she’ll definitely enjoy some positive reward based training with her new family. She also loves curling up in her duvets to go to sleep. Clara needs an adult only home with experience of dealing with nervous dogs. Her new family will be offered support from our Training and Behaviour Team here in the centre to help Clara settle. If you think you could offer Clara 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.
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18 GAZETTE 4 June 2015
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BEAUTYbits
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Bioderma’s micellar solutions to hit Ireland
Aldi ladies canvas travel bag €11.99
TWO new products are launching on the Irish market this month, with Bioderma, leading French dermocosmetics brand and creator of the world’s first micellar solution, now available in Ireland in pharmacies nationwide from June. The brand has enjoyed phenomenal success thanks in part to the innovative cult beauty product, Sensibio H2O, which sells one bottle every three seconds worldwide. Bioderma will launch in Ireland with four ranges including: Sensibio – formulated for all sensitive, prone to rosacea and reactive skin types, Atoderm -
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and recommended by pharmacists worldwide, Bioderma has a unique approach of dermocosmetic skincare. By placing biology at the service of dermatology, Bioderma seeks to understand how skin reacts and in turn, how to protect and regenerate skin cells while treating a wide range of skin conditions. For more information about the brand, go to: www.bioderma.com
Get soft, silky skin with Nimue’s milk peptides ALSO new to the consumer is Nimue Skin Technology, which introduces the new Nimue Cleansing Milk enriched with moisturising milk peptides and Cermamide-3 which helps to maintain and stabilise the epidermal barrier of the skin leaving the skin feel soft and smooth to the touch. The new Cleansing Milk is a soap free creamy milk emulsion with a soft, smooth and delicate texture that gently and effectively removes make-up, pollutants and daily impurities, leaving the skin with a delicate smooth finish. Milk peptides and Ceramide-3 works to restore the skin’s natural equilibrium with the combination of three acids: lactic, glycolic and citric acid which all work together to gently remove dead skin cells, encouraging skin renewal. The soap free emulsion is based on a liquid delivery system which acts as a built in water reservoir within the emulsion to maintain moisturisation on the skin for up to five hours. All Nimue stockists can be found at www.nimue skin.com
Mint v e skin la lvet Brandy s ce-up pump nake €119
4 June 2015 GAZETTE 19
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20 Gazette 4 June 2015
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FastTravel Travel in Scandinavian style to enjoy Hong Kong’s treasures BETWEEN September 11 and October 24, you can fly from Dublin to Hong Kong, via Stockholm, for under €600 for return flights. You’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do in Hong Kong. The city exudes sophistication, with impressive skyscrapers, museums and galleries at every turn. Sample some delicious dim sum, pick up souvenirs at Ladies Market in Mong Kok or hike to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. Scandinavian Airlines new luxury long-haul cabins feature fully flat beds in business class and top quality in-flight entertainment, allowing you the chance to fully relax from the moment you board. Book your flights with Scandinavian Airlines on www.flysas.ie.
Wi-fi fall on must-have list GLOBAL travellers’ desire for free wi-fi is still the number one amenity when choosing a hotel for both leisure and business stays, but this is slowly changing, according to the latest research from online accommodation booking service hotels. com Globally, complimentary wi-fi is the top factor in choosing a hotel for leisure stays (30%), as compared to 34% in 2013. Fifty per cent of global respondents said free wi-fi is their must-have when travelling for business, down from 56% two years ago. Free breakfast is once again the second musthave amenity for leisure travellers (21%) and third for business travellers (12%).
Soak up US sun and fun for all the family with June specials IT’S not too late to book a fun-filled getaway to the USA with American Holidays this summer. Soak up the sun and sights in sunny Orlando, Florida, in an adventure with your nearest and dearest. Orlando guarantees families adventures never to forget. Embrace your inner child at Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, SeaWorld, Wet ‘n Wild, Legoland, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure to name a few. Spend seven nights at the International Palms Resort from €699pp, which includes return flights and accommodation. Based on two adults and two children sharing this offer is available only in June. To book and for more information visit www. americanholidays.com.
Nantes: Beautiful, strange and wonderful
Bemusement gives way to amazement in this small city dave phillips
There is one feeling that Nantes seems to invoke in Irish people, and that is mild bemusement. Tell someone that you’re headed off to France for the weekend and you’ll be met with a friendly smile and the inevitable question – whereabouts? Tell them Nantes and watch their brow closely; you should be able to see a crinkle forming. For the geographically oblivious (among whose ranks I am often at the forefront) Nantes is
Europe’s green capital; a little city that sits on the Loire River, about 50km from the Atlantic coast. Officially part of the Pays de la Loire region, it was historically the capital of Brittany and still retains a strong connection to the Breton language and Celtic culture. And while Anne of Brittany – who went on to become Queen of France – left a mark on her birthplace, perhaps the biggest cultural imprint comes from Nantes other eminent enfant: Jules Verne. Ve r n e ’ s n o v e l s
embraced a particularly Victorian lust for adventure and invention, and it seems that this outlook is still very much alive and well on the streets of Nantes. Take a walk through Nantes’ Bouffay district and you’ll find a hectic blend of markets, bars and restaurants crammed into the tight medieval hub. There’s a chaotic blend of the old and new, a butcher’s shop front along one of the streets sits unchanged for decades – boucherie spelled out with painstaking detail in
The Lilian Bourgeat, Batiment Aethica,- on the Ile de Nantes is another of the city’s amazing installations. Picture: Bernard Renoux
well-maintained tiny red mosaics, while above the mantel, white plaster busts of a cow and a sheep are adorned with pink neon wigs. “This is part of an art installation,” explains Chloe, our guide. She delivers this information politely despite it being the umpteenth time she has done so. It is a line that seems applicable to practically everything in Nantes, which feels like a university town that grew up and prospered, but never lost its idiosyncratic, artistic spirit. On the other side of town, new and strange buildings continue to spring to life from disused dockland shells. Nantes had relied on shipbuilding and trade for centuries, until the nearby Saint-Nazaire became the main port on the Loire. Much like in Dublin, recent years have seen an injection of massive investment and an overhaul of the old shipyards. But the overhaul has kept that keen creative spirit intact. Now you can find an architect’s office with a massive measur-
The Grand Elephant, above, and La P
ing tape unfurled around its gardens. It adds to the feel that the city is a giant playground, just waiting to be explored. Very little in Nantes is purely functional, huge attention is paid to the aesthetic value of things as well. Across the road from the architect’s office there’s an upmarket furniture store, but the building it is housed in is clad in lightweight aluminium shreds, and discreet outdoor speakers play an ongoing loop that blends birdsong and metallic melodies. It sounds beautiful, and as people cycle by nonchalantly on their way home from work, it becomes evident how normal it is for things to be extraordinary. “This
4 June 2015 GAZETTE 21
GAZETTE GAZETTE
TRAVEL TRAVEL
FastTravel The hills are alive with the sound of a good deal
Parade de Yodel and La Parc la Beaujoire, below, illustrate how the old and new rub shoulders in this green city. Pictures: Jean-Dominique/Billaud/LVAN and Martin Argyroglo/LVAN
is part of an art installation.” The mantra repeated, we continue on. Across the river at the incredible Parc de Chantiers, the originality of Jules Verne’s vision is fully realised through a huge three-storey steam-punk carousel that allows you ride on lobsters, whales and other underwater beasties using antiquated joysticks and switches to make claws grab, tails swish and eyes spin as you whizz around. Les Machines De L’Ile Nantes is a collection of incredible machines that has to be seen to be believed. Le Grand Elephant is 45 tonnes of wood and steel that can carry 50 passengers on its back – at 40-foot high the
view from the top may be impressive, but the view from the bottom, watching the giant feet move, and eyelashes blink as water gushes from the trunk, is far better. Getting to see all the cultural highlights of Nantes is very simple. A 10-mile trail is marked out across the city that will take you from historic chateau x and churches, to pop up bars and restaurants along the Loire, and across the river, where the little clustered fishing houses with communal backyards has become one of the most popular spots to live in Nantes. It is not only marked out on the map you can pick up at the tourist office, but literally
marked out as a painted green line that stretches all across the city. There is a wholesome sense of relaxation that comes from walking Le Voyage a Nantes, knowing that if your eye is caught by an interesting cafe or gallery, you can explore away, safe in the knowledge that you will easily find your way back onto the green line. Like any bustling city, there are plenty of options for accommodation, including some that embrace Nantes quirkiness. The four star Okko Hotel forgoes the usual bar and restaurant set up in favour of a communal living room, where guests can eat together. You won’t be disappointed
by the cuisine in Nantes but really this is a place where culture is at the helm. Nantes is a beautiful, strange and wonderful little city to explore. You may arrive in Nantes bemused, but you’ll return amazed.
Aer Lingus fly three times weekly from Dublin to Nantes; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flights operate to September 12, 2015. Fares start from €59.99 oneway, including taxes. For more information on fares and schedules visit
aerlingus.com
TO mark the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music, Crystal Summer is offering holidaymakers in Austria a fantastic free Salzburg day trip and €50 off per holiday booking. Book a holiday to either St Wolfgang, St Gilgen or Fuschl am See, travelling from now to the end of September 2015, and take advantage of this fantastic offer. As the most successful film musical in history, The Sound of Music has captivated audiences for decades. The tour takes you to all of the film’s most memorable locations, including the Benedictine Convent and Leopoldskron Palace, where the legendary Do-Re-Mi was performed by Maria and the von Trapp children. Spend seven nights at the threestar Hotel Leifer in St Wolfgang from only €699pp from June 24. To book your holiday visit www. crystalsummer.ie
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June 4, 2015 Gazette 23
OUT&ABOUT
CINEMA
man up: smart script, sharp direction
The highs and lows of the mistaken identity date dave phillips
THE humble romantic comedy is a commodity that is increasingly thin on the ground. The past decade has seen a dearth of traditional rom-coms, you know the kind with two people meeting and overcoming a few stumbling blocks before settling down to eternal bliss. They really don’t make them like they used to, and arguably for good reason. There is only so much you can wring
from the nuts and bolts of fantastical romantic relationships before the audience get a sense that they have seen it all before, hence the need to subvert the genre, or fall back on gross-out humour, or God forbid, add zombies. But Man Up, the latest film from Inbetweeners’ director Ben Palmer doesn’t do this, instead it marks a return to that old-school, very British style of rom-com, relying for the most part on the classical cutesy chemis-
try between Jack (Simon Pegg) and Nancy (Lake Bell), and occasionally propping that up with a bit of crass humour. The set-up is simple: Nancy is single in her thirties, and desperately maudlin at the prospects of a life alone (we must deign to the Hollywood logic). After yet another matchmaking evening turns into awkward disaster, a hungover Nancy has a copy of a poppsychology bestseller Six Billion People and You foisted on her by a
well-meaning stranger on the train, who thinks that Nancy could use the book to develop a more positive outlook in life. Meanwhile Jack is divorced and forty and similarly miserable, waiting in Waterloo Station to meet a blind date set up. His cue to recognise her is that she will be waiting under the clock and carrying a copy of Six Billion People and You. Set over the course of a day, Man Up follows the highs and lows of the mistaken identity date
Simon Pegg and Lake Bell put in solid performances
– but what is refreshing is that the date seems relatively real. There is a beer on the South Bank, and there is bowling, and there are some tequila shots. The mundanity of it is charming, and of course things are kept interesting as Nancy is kept on her toes - she must now answer to the name Jessica, be a decade
younger, and compete in triathlons. Lake Bell steals the show as Nancy, comfortable with the awkward and bumbling style of dialogue that makes Man Up shine. Pegg also puts in a solid performance; Jack may not immediately be likeable – he’s egotistical, jealous, and cocky – but as the story develops we
start to see some of what has brought him to that space. Man Up proves to be just as mixed up and temperamental as its characters. We never stray from the well-beaten narrative path of true love. But buy into the myth for an evening and you’ll be sufficiently entertained. Verdict: 6/10
S u p p o r t l o c a l b u s i n e ss
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24 GAZETTE 4 June 2015
OUT&ABOUT
MUSIC
SIMPLY RED: BIG LOVE
Happy to accept being blue-eyed soulsters – Mick COLM MURRAY
MICK Hucknall says the love of his wife and daughter inspired him to write the first Simply Red album in eight years. The band this week announced they will r e l e a s e t h e i r 11 t h album, Big Love (East West/Universal) in June to coincide with their 30th anniversary year. Of the album, Hucknall said: “I hadn’t intended to do anything, and it was my manager who said it was going to be our 30th anniversary and I agreed to do a tour.” It’s not so long ago that Simply Red had embarked on a “farewell tour” back in 2010, so in essence they have “un-retired”. Around that period, there was the obligato-
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‘It’s not so long ago that Simply Red had embarked on a “farewell tour”, so in essence they have un-retired’ ------------------------
ry Greatest Hits packages – two, in fact, and Mick Hucknall’s tribute to Bobby Bland. On the new album, highlights include the celebratory first single, Shine On, driven by their trademark blueeyed soul sound, and The Ghost Of Love, a big soul song punctuated by wah-wah guitar and the kind of bold orchestral strokes that once powered Barry White and his Love
Unlimited. The break has done Hucknall a power of good; newly refreshed, he now has a much clearer appreciation of Simply Red’s considerable legacy. He says that the b a n d ’s l a s t s t u d i o album, 2007’s Stay, was an attempt to pull away from their sound. “With Stay, I was running away from Simply Red, but now I’m comfortable with the notion of us as a blue-eyed soul group. I had to stop myself fighting that idea. “Our sound is original too. I honestly don’t know of another band that has pulled so many musical strands together,” he said. Their tour hits Dublin on December 1. Key tracks: Shine On, The Ghost of Love
Earl Sweatshirt (right) went down a treat with the Forbidden Fruit audience. Picture: James Martin
KILMAINHAM: THOUSANDS PARTY
Bank Holiday festival bears plenty of fruit
LAST weekend signalled the arrival of the summer festival season kicking off in earnest with the uber hip Forbidden Fruit festival within the splendid surrounding of the Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Now in its fifth year, the festival (reflecting its urban location) has evolved into a more urban /dance line up. Nowadays performers have less to transport in the way of instruments and backline. And the sole requirements for this year’s headliners – Fatboy Slim, Wu Tang Clan and Richie Hawtin – barely consisted of a few mics, mixers and a couple laptops to wow the masses. Friday evening was an easing-in process with punters getting into the spirit of things with a
truncated line up and just the original stage and undergrowth stage with full line up in the form of DJs Nicolas Jaar and Mark Knight warming up for the main man, Fatboy Slim. Always one to play to the crowd, he didn’t disappoint and crammed as many of his 90s hit and remixes into a 90-minute festival friendly set. The comedy stage on Saturday and Sunday hosted some of Ireland’s top talent. This included Fred Cooke, Pat McDonnell and David McSavage. Damian Lazarus and the Ancients Moons provided an uplifting take on house to a rammed tent while over on the lighthouse stage Mount Kimbie shook things up. The original stage had its bass speakers pushed
to the limit with hip hop the order of the evening. Earl Sweatshirt kept it downbeat before Joey Bada$$ lifted proceedings with a mix of old and new dating back to the nineties. Even the absence of RZA failed to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm as the Wu Tang Clan gave ’em what they came for. Sunday was all about the four-to-the-floor and house music with the main stage and tents peppered with good time DJs and collectives. Representatives Sleep Thieves did themselves proud with a production to match their dense, deep mood over at the live live stage. Booka Shade’s hotly anticipated live appearance didn’t disappoint either. Gorgon City followed and by now it was a race against time to fit as much
as possible before the curfew crept in. A quick dart to the live live stage to lively local collective the Greedy Pig dj’ and the busy undergrowth stage to check out a mix of breaks, acid and house expertly delivered by Maya Jane Coles and then the much anticipated Hamburg resident, Cyril Hahn, followed. Shame the same couldn’t be said of pin-up Hot Since 82, as he fluffed his lines at least twice early in his set. Benefiting from the full production it should have been easy for Richie Hawtin to deliver yet seemed to be unaware of his 90-minute set time. The chugging under tune kept ticking along for 45 minutes or so with only a drop here and there to lift the masses from their shuffle.
4 June 2015 gazette 25
pond: challenges lazy expectations
Fused
A work of high art following no rules
bairbre ni bhraonain
WHAT can I say about Pond? It is difficult to quantify the unquantifiable. This is a novel in its own sphere, following no decent rules of literary device or plot in its radicalism. The heroine speaks to us from her mind and we are privy to her gumble of thoughts and snatches of memory, never really knowing w h e r e we s t a n d o r exactly what is going on at times. Claire-Louise Bennett is an experimental artist in the tradition of Aldous Huxley with loud echoes of Beckett and Joyce. The unnamed character drifts from one mood or thought to another with no discernible purpose apart from the immediate apprehension of her existence. That should be enough, perhaps, and this is what is being explored by Bennett. Pond challenges us and our lazy, conservative expectations, as all good literature should
but seldom does. Pond, as an absolute good, is most challenging about what literature is. What is demonstrated through this novel is that literature, once in the steady hand of an artist fully in charge of --------------------------
‘Whereas Beckett’s tramps find engagement through dialogue with others, the unnamed woman in this novel does not’
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her medium, can feed on any single thing, or on nothing at all. The unnamed woman in Pond is utterly selfpossessed, self-obsessed and lives a solitary life. In this way she reminds me of Beckett’s lonely tramps, but whereas Beckett’s characters do find engage-
ment via dialogue with others, the unnamed woman does not. Instead, she sometimes tells us of conversations held in the past with various itinerant lovers or her landlady. Other than this, she is quite alone. Her memory is often very sketchy too, and her priorities are odd. In one excerpt, she struggles to remember an incident and is unsure of every detail except that she is positive she was wearing a hat. In another chapter, she relates a time when a rat catcher came to her cottage. She is knocked offkilter by his presence to such an extent that she does not know how she takes her tea; so she takes it the same way the rat catcher does. She also has a problem with physical perspective, often repeating: “When I am alone it’s very hard for me to gauge distance.” T his is followed through into temporal distance as she finds it hard to remember the past and resents
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ARTS
Israel Galvan. Picture: Luis Castilla
Dancer who redefines Flamenco tradition bairbre ni bhraonain
Pond is a work of high art in the steady hand of an artist fully in charge of her medium
any form of “enforced remembrance”. Not only do we question the character’s sanity but also, as a reader, it is impossible not to try to psychoanalyse her. The book is a goldmine for interpretation. T here is so much humanity in it that it is difficult to confine criticism to any broad themes. Bennett is a magnificent writer, and the connections she makes are highly individual and always poetic. One example is her description of her cottage demolition, seen from the side of a hill. She recalls the resulting carnage as being like a “glazed and gangly calf wrenched sideways out its mother’s dazed and quaking backside”.
Claire-Louise Bennett is an experimental artist in the tradition of Aldous Huxley with echoes of Joyce
The character is charming at times and has a real innocence about her. Her engagement with her surroundings is absolute, she gives her all to it and it is impossible not to agree with everything she says. Bennett’s powers of description are simply
unparalleled and a joy to read. Even her search for a knob for her old cooker becomes a riveting quest. What can I say about Pond? It is a work of high art. Pond, published by The Stinging Fly Press, is available in bookshops for €12.99
ONE of the highlights of this year’s Dublin Dance Festival, which finished on May 30, was Israel Galvan, arguably the best Flamenco dancer on the planet. His El Edad de Oro (The Golden Age) performance at the Abbey Theatre, was full of unexpected invention and great fire. Galvan commands a stage with enormous prowess and magnetism, and the audience was putty in his hands. Although he is nontraditional, his form of Flamenco is highly artistic and authentic. He uses, not only his lightening feet in his performance, but also his arms and body to create, at times, a single undulating movement. He also uses stillness to great effect, filling the gaps between action and quietness with great tension, making the audience wait for what will come next. Galvan also claps to accompany his dance, merging sound and movement to perfection. It is no wonder he is renowned for his cutting edge innovation, which embellishes the tradition of Flamenco he has inherited.
26 lucan gazette 4 June 2015
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Gazette
28 Gazette 4 June 2015
SPORT
FastSport First ever table cricket tie in dublin: CRICKET Leinster held a hugely successful first ever Table Cricket match in the province with St Michael’s, Belcamp Lane in Coolock taking on their counterparts from Ballybough. Both teams have had approximately eight training sessions in the game designed for people with severe physical or learning disabilities. Coolock won the toss and opted to bat first. They put up a good total of 282 but it wasn’t enough as Ballybough replied with 290, edging a victory by eight runs. Lynn Conroy, one of the players, said of the new sport: “The training was very interesting and I enjoyed the tournament. I got to make new friends and to engage with the Leinster coaches again. I’d love to keep playing this game.” The sport is supported by Dublin City Council and The Lords Taverners.
cricket: D’Arcy and morrissey inspire big senior cup fight back
Big stand sees Tarf through sport@dublingazette.com
CLONTARF ran up a remarkable victory over Leinster in the opening round of the Leinster Senior Cup as they recovered from a seemingly down and out position
to stun their Rathmines opponents. Struggling at 84 for six, chasing Leinster’s first innings of 200, Adrian D’Arcy and Joe Morrissey put together a century stand that set up a great win.
Clontarf are safely through to the second round
D’Arcy carried his bat for 114 and led Tarf to the win. In the first innings, Leinster also had to recover from the loss of early wickets – Queenslander Mick Granger removed five of the top order in a devastating spell of five for 24 – as they dropped to 15 for four. But JP O’Dwyer clipped 58 and Ritchie provided 93 not out to launch them to a century partnership and a respectable total. But Tarf rallied after their similar early travails to land the victory and their place in the second round. In Phoenix Park, the hostes looked to have laid the foundations for a win with a massive first innings total of
Clontarf’s Mick Granger picked up five wickets. Picture: Deryck Vincent
327 for seven with runs from Sam Anderson (91), Alistair Taylor (79) and Masud Ahmed (76). But YMCA kept their composure throughout their innings and maintained a steady pace, keeping wickets in hand and never letting the run rate get out of hand. A win by eight wickets sounds comfortable enough but a couple of wickets at any stage could have turned the match on its head. As it transpired, YM planned it perfectly and secured the win in the gloom in the 59th over. There were two centuries in the innings Jack Tector [107] and Simmi Singh [125*]. Milverton saw another tense match with fluctu-
ating fortunes. Pembroke batted first and lost early wickets but a century stand between Jono Cook (70) and Lorcan Tucker (50) saw them post a competitive 249/9 in the 60 overs. Although The Hills reached 100 for two i n ve r y g o o d t i m e and looked comfortable, wickets fell steadily thereafter and when the 7th wicket went down at 167 Pembroke were well on top. But Tomas Murphy led a fightback and at 198 for seven with plenty of overs remaining, The Hills looked like they were back in with a chance. But three wickets for four runs from Jack Balbirnie, introduced late in the innings, finished off the
match. Although North County could be said to have never really lost control of their match against, Balbriggan they were made to fight all the way. Balbriggan were another team to lose early wickets and Mooney and Harper out with only four runs on the board. Balbriggan made something of a recovery from their disastrous start but the final total of 135 never looked like being enough. North County also lost a couple of early wickets but at 89 for the loss of only two wickets the game seemed in the bag. But six more wickets were to fall before North County were finally able to get over the line.
Five Dublin-based players in China-bound selection sport@dublingazette.com
UCD Marian’s Conor Meany is among the players named in the 12-man selection.
UCD Marian Conor Meany and Dan James along with Templeogue’s Conor Grace and Jason Killeen and DCU’s Martins Provisors have all been named in a 12-man Premier League selection by coach Colin O’Reilly to compete at basketball’s SinoEuropean Championships in China in July. The C&S UCC Demons Player-Coach is also available for selection for the trip to Jiansgu province while four other players from the undefeated treble
champions are also included while Neptune’s Roy Downey completes a Cork sextet. Killeen and Grace are some of the only players in the squad with professional basketball experience. Twenty-three players were named on the initial panel. “It took us five weeks, three training weekends and three games to finally come to agreement around the selection,” said O’Reilly of the selection. “As always, when you bring the best talent in the country together, it’s hard to really
decide between one player and the others within that sample size but we feel we have picked a balanced squad with one eye on the present and one on the future. “Our goal now is to turn a selection of players into a cohesive unit with everyone on the same page trying to better the team. “From the five weeks working with this group I feel this is very achievable before heading to China. “The commitment shown by each player has been sensational
and their improvements are very evident even at this early stage.” O’Reilly added that the side will look to create its own character in the coming weeks. “We are trying to establish a player driven culture of improvement, while implementing a style of play that’s fun and also rewarding for guys. “Over the next few weeks we will run individual sessions in Dublin and Cork to build on the foundations put in place so far while continuing to build momentum towards the competitive action in July.”
4 June 2015 Gazette 29
Gazette
Blind golf a perfect fit for brilliant Brill Despite suffering from Usher syndrome, Carol Brill is enjoying a new sporting lease of life; she tells JAMES HENDICOTT about playing golf internationally despite having less then 3% vision CAROL Brill, who suffers from a rare eyesight and hearing-affecting genetic disorder, Usher syndrome, is set to be the first Irish woman to compete in the Italian Blind Golf Open in Milan this coming October. Dundrum’s Brill is an active campaigner on issues surrounding Usher syndrome, having recently spoken to the Oireachtas about the debilitating genetic problem. Usher syndrome causes progressive damage to both eyesight and hearing. The rare condition is passed through recessive genes, and affects approximately one in 20,000 people. Astonishingly, Brill first picked up a golf club early in 2015. Her visual problems kicked in at the age of ten, but have slowly worsened ever since,
leaving just a 3% visual window - through which she has perfect vision directly in front of her. Somewhat surprisingly, golf is well-adapted to blindness, in that changes to the practical rules are relatively insignificant. Besides a few minor tweaks, the only rule changes are based around the participants reliance on a well-established guide for information on the distance and direction of the hole, as well as assistance in lining up shots. While simple in theory, though, the game is clearly a massive challenge in practise. Brill also sees it as “a chance to get out of my own head. “I can see the golf ball, but that’s it, I don’t see anything else around the golf ball”, Brill explains, “but I don’t feel the limi-
tations of my condition. I just focus on the ball and hit it. I might miss it a few times, but I hit it. “I’m so busy, even though I’m classified unemployed”, Brill tells GazetteSport “because I’m always campaigning around deaf and blindness. I just want to make life better for people who are losing communication and mobility. “We see and hear the world, and to lose both of those senses is a massive, massive challenge. “For the Milan Open, only three classifications can play, B1, B2 and B3. I’m classified as B3. B1 is completely blind, while I’m B3, because I have very limited 20-20 vision,” Brill explains. “My coach Gary has nicely demonstrated that it’s possible to hit the ball without seeing
Carol Brill is campaigning for more awareness of people with sight and hearing issues.
at all, by putting stickers on his classes. Of course, I worry about the day I really can’t see the ball, but he does it without a problem. “I had to give up my tennis, so its really encouraging to know I’m not going to lose this. You lose parts of your life
course. Leopardstown Golf Course have been great, too. It’s so encouraging to have people so interested in helping you.” “Carol’s a very determined woman”, Cullen said. “When she puts her mind to something she just goes and does it.
--------------------------------------------------------
‘I don’t feel the limitations of my condition. I just focus on the ball; I might miss a few times but I hit it!’ - Carol Brill --------------------------------------------------------
altogether. I’ve lost driving, too, for example. A lot of this is about finding ways to make up for those losses. “I try to be positive all the time. Of course, there are days I get down, otherwise I wouldn’t be human. I just don’t allow myself to stay there, I keep picking myself up.” Coach Gary Cullen, a former Irish international golfer now working with American Golf, talks passionately of Brill’s progress, after meeting her through a contest on Twitter. The meeting came about through “complete chance, after professional lessons came up for grabs,” Brill says. “They’ve been so supportive, letting me use their driving nets when there are no customers, and helping me on the
She’s just completed her first 18 holes, which went really well for only four months’ training. “She had a few blow outs, but it’s seriously different to your everyday golf, and I’m learning while I do it as well. “We use a lot of numbers, and adjust Carol’s stance to help her measure how hard to hit the ball.” Cullen’s admiration of Brill is unquestioning, though, and he had little hesitation in agreeing to guide her around the Milan course. “She’s extremely inspirational; she’s done a huge amount of work on many different things. I think for her it’s a nice bit of head space”, Cullen says. “She’s a brilliant woman. She doesn’t let the world stop her.”
FastSport
Dun Laoghaire’s Doyle stars in billiards finals DUN Laoghaire’s Wayne Doyle won both the long format and 150-up championships last week at the Irish Billiards Championship as he got the better of Aidan Murray from Wicklow. It was a highlight of the Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association season as they held their biggest ever championship finals weekend with 14 national snooker and billiard champions were crowned in the Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow. Doyle also reached the quarter-finals of the World Billiards European Open earlier in the week and is fast emerging as one of the top young billiard players in the world. Aonghus McAnally, also from Dublin, won the intermediate billiards long format championship when he beat Robert McCrum but it was McCrum who came back to win the Intermediate 150-up Championship when he beat Brendan Devlin from Celbridge SC in the final. Colm Gilcresest, another Celbridge SC member, retained his master snooker championship with a dramatic five frames to four victory over John Farrell from Terry Rogers SC in Dublin. Andrew Doherty from Terenure became the first Dubliner to win a RIBSA Junior National Championship since 2006 when he beat Adam Fitzgerald from Youghal CYMS 4-1. Fitzgerald bounced straight back after losing the U-19 final to win the Under-21 Championship and qualify for the IBSF World Under 21 Championship later this year when he beat his club mate Noel Landers 4-3. The match was tied at 3-3 when Landers called a foul on himself that no one else saw it and that let in Fitzgerald to get back into the frame which he won to claim the title. Michelle Sherwin from Q’s SC Dublin, continued her domination of the ladies game in Ireland when she won her 11th Irish ladies championship with a 4-0 victory over Irish number two Claire Mill. Brendan O Donoghue from the New Institute snooker club in Nenagh won the title for the second time in his career when he beat Robert Murphy from the QClub Wicklow 7-2 in a high quality final.
Gazette
30 LUCAN gazette 4 June 2015
SPORT
fastSport
soccer: greenogue club promoted but denied title
Lucan Harriers on form at team championships LUCAN harriers had 17 juveniles competing in the team championships in Santry last Saturday, producing a series of fine performances. Saoirse Fitzgerald and Isobel Cuffee made a dynamic team with silver medals in both the long jump and the 300m while Oisin Mullally and Liam Fitzgerald came fourth in their 500m race, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal. Another very strong performance came from James Nealon, showing great determination in the 600m and long jump. The Under-10 girls were well represented with Aisling Fitzpatrick and Lauren Philips taking home gold in the turbo javelin. This gold was down to the superb coaching they have received of late from the club’s very own Leinster medal winner Pat O’Dwyer. Fitzpatrick also won bronze with Chelsea Olumba in the 500m. Olumba and Eimear Smyth narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the 60m sprint with a season’s best performances by both girls. The Under-10 relay team performed brilliantly and were unlucky not to place in the final. The Under-11 girls were well represented in the long jump. Sarah Kazmi, Elena Vincent, Aoife Nealon and Amy Green all jumped off the board with perfection to record their longest jumps yet. Hannah Moriarity and Milly Hughes won gold in the long jump for the second year running with a combined jump of 6.72. Moriarty produced the overall longest jump of the day. She continued her winning streak to bring home silver with Eve Noctor in the highly competitive 80m sprint. Green and Lili Alinquant both were unlucky not to place in the 600m but, again, they ran the best time of the season and proved that the longer distances are where they excel. There was great excitement with not one but two teams for the Under-11 girls’ relays. The final for this relay was the very last race of a very long and exciting day and they managed to cap it in real style by earning a silver medal.
The Peamount United Under-15 side that earned promotion for a second successive season
Peas frustrated by playoff row james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com
CONTROVERSY has marred Peamount United Under-15’s second successive promotion through the DDSL leagues. A disputed abandoned match led to a threeway playoff at the top of the league being used to decide the fate of the title but Peamount intend to boycott that series. The issue dates back to a game with co-leaders St Paul’s Artane, after a delayed kick off between the sides led to Paul’s refusing to play. They
were later awarded the points. “They were given a walkover despite the game only running about half an hour late,” Peamount United manager Gavin Earley told GazetteSport. “We were told it would be reviewed at the end of the season. We were willing to play, as was the referee, so we don’t understand why they’ve been awarded the points.” Earley has indicated his side will likely refuse to participate in the playoff series, and simply take their promotion and third place. He’s particularly
subsidiary cup Burtenshaw inspires Lucan to Under-18 win lucan United’s Under-18 girls won the MGL Umbro Subsidiary Cup Final last week as they got the better of Shankill 3-1 in the final. Lauren Keeler netted twice while player of the match Ciara Burtenshaw was also on the mark in the victory. Captain Zoey Barnwell was presented with the trophy by the MGL’s Declan Quinn following the game, capping a superb season for the team.
incensed that the first game between St Paul’s and the other top side St Joseph’s Boys was played without his knowledge. “We should have a game against St Paul’s from which we’d need a draw to win the title,” Earley argues. “We didn’t even know there would be a playoff until we heard that the first game had been played. We’ve heard it’s because one of the other sides will lose players to the Gaeltacht shortly afterwards. There should be an open draw.” Nonetheless, the side have kept busy of late,
recently played English touring side Biggleswade Town, a feeder club for English conference side Stevenage Town, losing 4-1 over an extended game of three 30 minute periods. Peamount went 2-0 down in the first thirty minutes, before pulling back a goal through Tom Griffin, who tapped in after a save from Aaron Hennessey’s shot. Biggleswade added two late goals, but praised Peamount’s style of play, crediting the slightly younger side [age group football works by school
year in England] with “playing football the right way.” Regardless of the playoff situation, Peamount United Under-15’s will begin their 2015/16 season in the top Under-16 division of the DDSL, and aim to impress by doing more than just staying up. They hope to add to a strong core of players at the club. The side have bonded recently over international trips, including picking up two wins in Sevilla and playing friendly fixtures at Ipswich Town earlier this year.
4 June 2015 LUCAN gazette 31
Gazette
Sarsfields continue rebuilding process sport@dublingazette.com
LUCAN Sarsfields produced an excellent performance to beat St Brigid’s 4-8 to 1-6 in senior camogie to continue their superb development work. Indeed, the side featured 14 outfield players with an average age of 17.4 years old at the 12th Lock
as they look to manage without a string of regulars, leading to 12 players being handed their first team debuts. Indeed, they coped admirably with a Brigid’s side that featured Dublin seniors Rose Collins and Grainne Quinn. They three gave Lucan plenty to think about around the middle but
the performances of Annemarie Courtney, Claire Rigney and Ailbhe Ryan in dealing with these threats were at the heart of the Lucan victory. Rigney reverted to her accustomed left-half-back position, from which she attacked all night in her inimitable swashbuckling style. Courtney, at centre-
back, swept up for the hour and passed every ball accurately while Ryan ran the show at midfield. Brigids struck the first goal after six minutes but a goal from Laura Murtagh settled Lucan. Ryan took over with a run of 1-4 for a 2-5 to 1-43 half-time lead before second half goals from Sarah Courtney ended the contest.
hurling: local schools contest conor griffin cup
Club Noticeboard lucan sarsfields MANY thanks to all the teams who
timesheet for our classic on Friday,
sent in match reports this week-
June 19. To book a slot or sponsor a
end.
tee-box call Michael at 087 2331983.
Full details can be found on our
Clarevoyant Bernie Stokes will
website www.lucansarsfields.ie
appear at the club on June 13. Tickets
over 1,500 players in action in the
on sale every Tuesday and Thursday
last week across all four codes from
at the bar 7.30pm.
age seven to 40+.
Have you got your tickets for The
Condolences to the McNally Fami-
Kube this Friday, June 5? If not con-
ly on the death of Mary, late of Beech
tact the organising committee on
Park, in Lifford, Co Donegal.
087 4650729.
Best of luck to St Mary’s BNS sen-
The club shop is open on Thursdays
ior hurling team in the Division 1
from 7.30pm to 8.30pm and Saturdays
Cumann na mBunscol final on Tues-
from 10.30am to 1.30pm.
day, June 9 at 2:30pm in Croke Park.
The Lucan District Credit Union GAA
Bookings are now open for our
academy at Lucan Sarsfields, 9.30am
summer camps; the Kellogg’s Cul
for camogie and girls’ football, 10am
camp (football) – July 6-10; hurl-
for boys’ football and hurling, for boys
ing/camogie – July 13-17; football
and girls born in 2008, 2009 and 2010 –
– August 10-14; hurling /camogie
12th Lock, Lucan. Contact Johnny on
– August 17-21; see website for
085 1294102. There was no winner of this week’s
details. The next Lucan Sarsfields’ bingo
€18,000 lotto jackpot. Draw numbers
night takes place Wednesday, June
were 2, 5, 11 and 16. This week’s jack-
10 at 8.30pm in the clubhouse; eyes
pot is €18,500. Carey’s Newsagents
down.
are sponsoring with Shay Hudson’s
There are only four slots left on
team in charge.
round tower, clondalkin THERE were excellent championship
13-17. Further details on the website.
wins midweek for our senior hurlers
Bookings are being taken at the club
against Kilmacud Crokes and their
nursery on Saturday mornings.
junior counterparts against Civil The St Mary’s and Allstars teams following their Conor Griffin Cup tie
Mary’s prove too strong for Allstars sport@dublingazette.com
THE annual Conor Griffin Cup for Lucan primary schools senior hurling teams saw current holders, St. Mary’s Boys National School against a Lucan All-stars. The Allstars team comprised players nominated by their schools to represent them on a combination team to battle for local hurling. A large crowd took in the eagerly awaited clash on a windy evening at the 12th Lock and they witnessed 40 hurlers put on a show of superb hurling. It was the superior
teamwork and slick interplay among the St Mary’s boys that proved the difference on the night, combined with their ability to create space in the forwards and take their scores that ultimately proved the difference. St Mary’s, backboned by their 2014 all-conquering team, had control but were met by resistance from a resolute Allstars defence, led by centre back, Fintan Ward. A great save from Rian Kerry from an Oisin Ryan shot, was the first of many superb saves from the young goalkeeper. Mary’s did open the
scoring with an Evan Dowling free followed by a point from the razor sharp Joey Dunne. The Allstars had a couple of narrow wides but, midway through the half, the Mary’s pressure paid off with a superbly taken goal from Joey Dunne. It was followed shortly after by a goal from a goalmouth scramble following an Evan Dowling pile driver 20m free. Some brilliant defending by Pearse Farrell and superb blocking and tackling from Aiden Sheery kept the St Mary’s lads at bay but they still managed to tack on a couple
of points from Dunne and Dowling The Allstars’ attack did force two great saves at the far end while a free from Hugh Cuffe got them on the board before the break. The second half was end to end. A goal from man of the match Ward raised some hope that the fightback was on but scores from Ciaran O’Brien, Luke Curran, Oisin Ryan and Alex Connelly put the game beyond their reach. A brilliant goal near the end from Jack Behan proved a late highlight for the Allstars.
Further detail is available from James (086 4082561) or Catherine (086
Service. Commisserations to Emma O’Malley
8303207).
and the Dublin U-14 ladies footballers
Fancy an experience of a lifetime?
who lost the Leinster final to Meath on
Our hurling section is running a very
Saturday.
novel fundraiser. Raise €100 and be in
This coming Friday, the club is hosting a very special evening for
with an opportunity to undertake a parachute jump.
first and second year students. A fun
A night of entertainment in the
quiz is taking place that will test their
club on Saturday, June 13 will deter-
general, sporting, music and movie
mine the last man or woman standing
knowledge. Admission is €5 and all are
to undertake the jump. Sponsorship
welcome.
cards are available behind the bar.
Friday week, the U-13 football and
We encourage all our adult teams
hurling teams host an evening of trad
to support Round Tower GAA Club golf
music with EZE-PZE. Admission is €5
classic. It will take place Friday, July
and all are welcome.
10 at Newlands Golf Club.
Bookings are now being taken for
If you know of a business that might
our Summer Camps 2015. Kellogg’s
be interested in entering a team or
Cul camp will run from July 6-10. The
taking tee box sponsorship please let
club camp will take place from July
us know.
Got a story? we want to know!
Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3
or email sport@dublingazette.com
GazetteSPORT all of your lucan sports coverage from page 28-31
playoff furore: Peamount promoted but title bid likely to be out of their hands amid controversy P30
june 4-10, 2015
Granger inspires clontarf: Leinster senior cup sees huge fightbacks across the board P28
Tom Brennan, Simas Dobrovskis, Peter Egan and Jenny Egan are all bound for the European Games
Baku calls for quartet
Salmon Leap Canoe Club will provide an incredible four athletes for the inaugural European Games in Azerbaijan following this week’s selection
james hendicott
sport@dublingazette.com
SALMON Leap Canoe Club has seen four members selected to represent Ireland at the first European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Jenny Egan (K1 200, K1 500 and K1 5000), her brother Peter Egan (K1 5000), Simas Dobrovskis (k2 200 in partnership with Peter Egan, and K2000) and Tom Brennan (K1 200) will all travel to represent Ireland. Andrzej Jezierski, a Polish born canoeist with an Irish passport, will also travel. Jezierski previously represented Ireland at the London 2012 Olympics. Jenny Egan, who took home Ireland’s first
ever Senior European Sprint Canoe medal in the Senior K1 5000m event at Racice in the Czech Republic a month ago, will lead the charge. Egan’s bronze in the Czech Republic came on top of two previous podium finishes at world level, and makes her a major contender to take home a medal in Baku. “This is about the same level as the European Championships”, Egan told GazetteSport. “I’ve just come off a really tough block of training, and I’ll be tapering until the championships. It’s a big, important event for us. “What I’m hoping for is a clean race, which is never certain in the K1 5000. To get on the podium I’d need to have a great race,
it’s extremely tough. But of course that’s an aim.” Egan and her team-mates will arrive in Baku on the 9th of June, and travel the following day to the course four hours away in Mingachevir, a city of 150,000 not far from the border with Georgia. Egan’s first competition gets underway on the 14th of June. “It’s definitely a good thing that there are a few days between arriving and the competition,” Egan said. “It’ll give us a chance to get over the jetlag and recover from the travel. The course is totally new for me, and I’m hoping that there are no cross winds that give an advantage to any lane over another, and that it’s a good course.”
For the K1 500 and K1 200 races Egan’s expectations are somewhat more modest, with the Kildare athlete aiming for a B-Final or better, in line with her form in those events. “It’s exciting to be part of Team Ireland, which will consist of 63 athletes, travelling out,” Egan says. “It’s a big event, and you can’t entirely control how it goes. It’s all about doing everything you can. “I just hope we all have clean races and come back happy with our results.” Salmon Leap fans will be able to follow events as they unfold in Baku, with Setanta Sports and BT Sports both covering the games extensively.