Gazette LUCAN
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July 13 - 19, 2017
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GROUPS MEET MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT TO LOBBY FOR RESOLUTIONS
Locals unite in bid to steer a fix for area’s traffic
MARK O’BRIEN A NUMBER of residents’ associations from estates along the Newcastle Road have joined forces in an attempt to lobby for resolutions to the traffic issues in the area. Representatives from Finnstown Abbey, Fairways, Adamstown, The Paddocks, Westbury, Hillcrest and Cannonbrook recently met Transport Minister Shane Ross to outline their concerns and push for resolutions to the traffic issues. Continued on Page 4
2 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
LUCAN | LOCAL DELIGHT AS PROJECT HITS ANOTHER KEY MILESTONE
Pool closer to reality as design plan passed MARK O’BRIEN THE long-awaited Lucan swimming pool moved one step closer to becoming a reality last week with the news that the design plans have been approved. The project will now move on to Part 8 of the planning process, which
will allow the public to give their views on the plans. Cllr Liona O’Toole (Ind) , who has campaigned for the pool for a number of years, said she was delighted that the project was progressing. She said: “When I was canvassing in Lucan, many residents did not
believe we would see a pool any time soon and some residents reported that some Lucan party politicians were saying that Lucan wouldn’t get a pool cause of its close proximity to Clondalkin. “I promised I would keep it on top of the agenda and began by ensuring that it was inserted back into the County Development Plan. “This was possible as I worked closely with my Independent colleagues Guss O’Connell and Paul Gogarty on this, and since then we have included it in every Area Committee meeting.” Local TD Frances Fitzgerald also welcomed the news, and praised the
James dances off with a top U17 trophy
WELL done to Palmerstown lad James McDonagh on winning the World Open Irish Dancing Championships for U17 in Killarney recently. The talented dancer from Scoil Rince Nolan Dunleavy in Palmerstown was one of several dancers from the school who did well at the championships, with James dazzling in his category thanks to some outstanding Irish dancing and an impressive attitude as well. James and his fellow school dancers had their work cut out for them at the intensely contested championships in Killarney, but they did their area and the capital proud.
efforts of locals in campaigning for a pool in the area. T he Tanaiste said: “The plans for the development include wet and dry changing rooms, a gym, cafe, wellness area, meeting rooms, a large and small pool, garden space and more. “The larger pool will be shallow at both ends and deep in the middle. “The smaller pool will include a moving floor and will facilitate very small children as well as those with a disability. “My colleague, Cllr Vicki Casserly (FG) worked with the council extensively to ensure that the pool is designed to be inclusive to all residents. “Well done to South
Dublin County Council and the entire design team on these plans.” The Pool4Lucan campaign also welcomed the news but reiterated their concern that the plans do not include a viewing area which, they say, will lead to a loss in revenue as the pool will be unable to host competitions. The dates for the public consultation period have not yet been set but local councillors have confirmed that they hope to meet council officials in the next two weeks where they hope to highlight local concerns about the design. The pool is expected to be completed in early 2019 at a cost of approximately €13 million.
FASTNews
St Andrew’s appeals to parents after vandalism ST ANDREW’S Church have appealed to parents to make sure they know where their children are in the wake of a spate of vandalism at the church. In a statement, the church said it would not take the matter further once the vandalism ceased immediately. The statement read: “Over the last three weeks there have been a number of windows broken at the church and attempts to break in through the skylights into the parish centre. The parish community are prepared to ignore these events if they stop now. Those involved are teenage boys aged between 13 and 16. “We urge parents to check where their young people are before this matter is brought to the attention of the Gardai.”
HP campus goes on sale with rumoured €50m tag HEWLETT Packard have put their Leixlip campus up for sale, with the asking price rumoured to be around €50 million. The campus was developed by Hewlett Packard in the mid-1990s before the group restructured into HP Inc and Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2015. HP Inc – the personal computer and printer side of the business – announced earlier this year that they would be closing their global print business in Leixlip, resulting in the loss of almost 500 jobs. Hewlett Packard Enterprise was not affected by the decision and continues to operate at the Leixlip campus. Estate agent CBRE has been engaged to sell the 1.46 million sq ft campus.
Time’s almost up to apply for a share of €100k fund WITH a looming deadline of this Friday, July 14, not-for-profit and community organisations in Dublin have been urged to apply for a share of the CocaCoca Thank You Fund, which is offering €100,000 in grants for projects that inspire and support young people. For further information about the fund or to apply for a share, see www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou. The fund’s administrators are looking for new programmes which bridge the divide between education and the workplace; foster diversity and inclusion among young people; or empower young people to become the leaders of the future. Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 3
DON’T let this fun day SLIP by Water way to go! One of last year’s thrilled Last year’s
riders sets
super-long
off, hurtling
slide – and
off along
this year
the slide ...
it’ll be even
DUBLINERS have been going crazy over the past two weeks trying frantically to get their hands on 98FM’s Big Slide Festival wristbands – a must-have accessory this summer. Excitement is growing as the largest water slide the capital has ever seen is coming to the Christchurch area this weekend. The whopping 260ft slippery dip – which will run down the entire length of Winetavern Street – will be even longer than Liberty Hall (194 ft) or Google’s highrise HQ at Grand Canal Dock (220 ft) are high! In partnership with Dublin City Council, our friends at 98FM are recreating the Big Slide Festival for a second year running, so get your swimming gear ready for what promises to be a slippery ride, packed full of music, entertainment, food – and, of course, fun for all the family. The event is free, but only a limited number of wristbands allowing access into the festival have been released each day over the past two weeks, with some of the 4,200 wristbands still
WIN U2 longer, and even more fun to try!
available right up to the day of the Big Slide. The free Big Slide Festival is definitely for anyone who wants to experience Dublin like they never have before. We had a terrific reader response on our Facebook page when we gave away some of the elusive, exclusive wristbands (well done to the lucky winners, and sorry folks to everyone else), but 98FM still have some to give away. 98FM presenter Dara Quilty said: “After the success of last year’s Big Slide, I’m absolutely delighted to announce we’re bringing it back. “Last year was the first time Dublin had a 260ft water slide going through it, and I guess this year is the second! We’ve made some adjustments and the slide is going to be way faster, way wetter and way more fun this year. Bring it on!” To get your hands on a wristband, tune in to our official media partners 98FM for instructions on how to register. You can’t let a chance like this slide by!
THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION OF
THE JOSHUA TREE
THIS U2 JOSHUA TREE SEVEN LP SUPER DELUXE BOX SET CONTAINS: 7 pieces of original, live and unreleased recordings on 12” 180gsm vinyl. 3.5hrs of audio content / 49 tracks (25x unreleased tracks: 17x live, 7 x new mixes, 1 x archive track) • The Joshua Tree double album (gatefold) with a download code for digital version • The Joshua Tree Live at Madison Square Garden double album 1987 (gatefold) • The Joshua Tree Remixes • The Joshua Tree Outtakes • The Joshua Tree B-Sides • The Joshua Tree – Photographs by The Edge. An 84-page hardback book of personal never-before seen photography by The Edge, taken during the original Mojave Desert Joshua Tree shoot, 1986 • A folio of 8 rare 12” Anton Corbijn colour prints
TO MARK 30 years since the release of U2’s fifth studio album The Joshua Tree, an anniversary edition of the seminal record was released by Island Records last month. Alongside the 11-track album, the super deluxe collector’s edition includes a live recording of The Joshua Tree Tour 1987 Madison Square Garden
concert; rarities and B-sides from the album’s original recording sessions. It also includes 2017 remixes from Daniel Lanois, St Francis Hotel, Jacknife Lee, Steve Lillywhite and Flood; plus an 84-page hardback book of unseen personal photography shot by The Edge during the original Mojave Desert photo session in 1986.
TO WIN this magnificent prize, just answer the following question:
What city are U2 from? Email your answer along with your contact details to competitions@dublingazette.com, or see our #GazetteGiveaway post on our Facebook page. Best of luck!
4 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
ADAMSTOWN | LOT ATTRACTING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR TO BE SECURED
Developer set to tackle unsightly compound site MARK O’BRIEN A DEVELOPER currently working in Adamstown has confirmed that they will be taking steps to secure a site that has recently been a target for anti-social behaviour. The site, opposite Castlegate Close in Adamstown, is planned for future development by owners Castlethorn Construction. The site is currently
being used as a construction compound but has recently become the target of increased break-ins. Residents say they have become concerned by the anti-social behaviour and the unsightly nature of the compound (right). Resident Stuart McKenna told The Gazette that he felt the building equipment stored in the compound should be moved closer to where Castlethorn are currently building in
Adamstown. He said: “When I moved in, this was still a building site and they [Castletho-
rn] were still building the apartments across the road, but they finished up about nine years ago and the construction compound has been there ever since.” Stuart added that he has noticed a recent increase in anti-social behaviour at the compound, saying: “In the past month or two, there have been kids
breaking in there. “At the weekend, there were kids in there at night time, and they’re bringing some of the rubbish from in there out on to the road and causing an inconvenience.” A spokesperson for Castlethorn confirmed that they would be taking steps to clear and secure the site. In a statement to The Gazette, he said: “The area that you refer to is a former construction compound which has been and is presently utilised as a temporary storage area. “The hoarding around the area was secure; however, it has been the target of mischief over the past while. “Our mobile security
does regularly visit the area following which any damage seen or reported is repaired. Unfortunately however, the area now seems to attract more regular unwanted attention. “This is an area for future development, and in this regard we recently commenced a process of replacing existing hoarding on the Adamstown lands with new security fencing. “I can confirm that in the coming number of weeks, it is planned for this area to have the stored equipment relocated, the area cleared, and the hoarding removed with the overall area for development fenced off with a new security fence.”
EDUCATION | OPPORTUNITY AT ITB
Get plugged in to digital work skills MARK O’BRIEN
THE Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) is recruiting a new wave of digitally-curious students to participate in its Learn & Work Networking Technologies Course. This is the second year of the Learn & Work Programme – a full-time course combining blocks of academic study with blocks of paid industry work placement. This work experience gives learners the opportunity to apply their learning, be coached by industry experts and develop the work-ready skills to gain employment upon graduation. Following completion, students are awarded a higher certificate in science in computing and networking technologies. Students like Emmet Quinn (23) from Raheny received exposure to experienced and creative mind-sets, whilst making connections with companies such as Fleet Connect, based in Blanchardstown Corporate Park. Emmet said that the paid work experi-
ence was a clincher in applying for the course, helping him to keep his independence and focus on his studies. He said: “The lack of fees allows me much more time to focus on my studies and puts me at a great advantage in terms of having the time to work on assignments and certifications. “The certifications themselves are also massively beneficial to my professional development, and for future job applications.” Mark Keyes, Work Placement Coordinator, ITB said: “The businesses we partner with tell us that they see the course as a low-risk recruitment opportunity; using the placement period as a method of assessing prospective employees for future vacancies. The programme prepares candidates for careers in a wide range, including networking, data centre and Cloud-based disciplines, with roles including desktop service and support, network operation centre engineer and many more. Interested applicants can apply directly to www.itb.ie/learnandwork for an aptitude test and interview.
FROM PAGE 1
‘Transport is an issue that affects all Lucan’ – O’Toole The meeting was organise by Cllr Liona O’Toole (Ind), who told The Gazette that the residents were keen to ease the chronic traffic issues that have been affecting Lucan residents. She said: “All these residents are working together in relation to one common issue and that’s to deal with the traffic and infrastructure issues around existing Lucan and new planned developments.” The group asked Minister Ross to undertake a Greater Access Study to examine the traffic issues in Lucan. A Lucan Access Study was previously undertaken by South Dublin County Council but the residents feel that the scope of that study is too small. “The study would need to take in where the traffic is coming from and going to,” said Cllr O’Toole.
Train station The group also asked raised other issues with the Minister, including the frequency of trains to Adamstown train station and the possibility of reopening tributary roads – such as Esker Lane – as a short-term solution to reduce the amount of traffic on the N4. The group have agreed to draft a report that they will send to Minister Ross, outlining all of their concerns, and Cllr O’Toole praised the residents for working so well together. She said: “It’s very rare to get seven groups together working towards a common goal. “We could spend all day looking at individual issues, but these are issues that affect not just the people on the Newcastle Road but everybody in the Lucan area.”
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 5
6 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
Out and About
Sweet sounds at a Beatles night Claire O’Reilly
Laura Greene and Siobhan Deegan. Left: Emer Phelan. Pictures: Aishling Conway
Ruth O’Connor and John Moore
THE Maynooth Gospel Choir came together last week at the Sugar Club for a night of beloved Beatles songs with a gospel twist. The choir got into the ‘Beatlemania’ of the time, covering songs such as Let it Be, Blackbird, Imagine, Come Together, Here Comes the Sun, Octopus’s Garden, and Hey Jude. Ruth O’Connor, John Moore and Emer Phelan joined their choirmates to deliver an evening that left listeners on cloud nine. Founded in 2007, the choir has performed alongside a diverse range of stars, including Jack L, Brian Kennedy, Niamh Kavanagh, the Harlem Gospel Choir and many more. Pictures: Aisling Conway
Ronan McCabe, Damien Kearney, Breanndan O’Beaglaoich and John Moore
Emer Phelan, Michael Fay, Laura Greene and Mandy Frawley
Celine Keegan and Damien Kearney
Martha Allende
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 7
Out and About
Inflatable fun at St Catherine’s Park
T
HERE were lots of extreme but fun obstacles at this year’s Super Milk Wild Air Run at St Catherine’s Park recently. Locals of all fitness levels came together at the park to enjoy Ireland’s first inflatable obstacle course.
Michael Church (right) collects his award from Gerry Mooney, Press Photographer of the year 2016
Dominic Reddin, IPF and Denis Brazil
Success is a snap for camera club
L
Nina Butler
Peter Walsh
Gerry congratulates Aldrin Fantonai
AST week Palmerstown Camera Club held their annual exhibition in the parish hall in Palmerstown. A great night was had by all, as medals and trophies were won by several members, who also praised their friends’ work. The club will be running a sixweek photography course in September. For details, see its Facebook page.
Marie Forester collects her award from Gerry
8 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
LUCAN | COUNCILLORS RUN OUT OF TIME TO DISCUSS ST CATHERINE’S PARK LINK
Controversial road plan parked until September MARK O’BRIEN THE potential removal of the controversial planned road through St Catherine’s Park has been delayed until at least September. A motion to remove t h e i n d i c a t i ve r o a d from the Fingal County Development Plan was brought before the full council meeting of Fingal County Council on Monday by Cllr Mary McCamley (Lab). A large group of campaigners attended the meeting and watched from the public gallery. The motion was brought at the end of
the meeting – however, not all councillors who wanted to speak on the motion had the opportunity to do so, meaning voting on it was suspended until September when the council meets again. The indicative road has proved controversial as it would run through the public park. In suppor t of the motion, Cllr McCamley said: “The park is an amenity area which is protected and is absolutely vital to the enormous population of Dublin 15, Lucan and Kildare that enjoy [the] amenity.” Cllr Tania Doyle (SOL)
Despite their disappointment at the council pushing back discussing the road plan at St Catherine’s Park until September, locals have vowed to keep opposing it
also voiced her support for the motion, pointing out that there were also environmental issues to consider. She said: “I have a solid record in calling for housing and infrastructure but thoroughly believe that we must have the tandem approach of protection
of the environment.” Cllr Matt Waine (SOL) pointed out that the indicative road had not initially appeared on the Fingal maps and, had it done so, he was confident that no councillor would have approved of it. This opinion was echoed by Cllr Paul
Donnelly (SF) , who added: “It’s a wonderful, wonderful facility and the amount of investment that has gone in there has created a real bonus for people, not just in Dublin 15 but in the surrounding areas.” Cllr Roderic O’Gorman (GR) reminded councillors from
other parts of Fingal that St Catherine’s Park is a regional park, which means the same status as Ardgillen and Malahide Castles and Demesnes. He said: “I think it is really important for our north county colleagues to remember this because that’s why there is so much upset, so much concern, so much outrage about this particular proposal.” In spite of the meeting being extended by 10 minutes, this was deemed insufficient time for councillors to discuss the motion, so the decision was taken to revisit it at the next full council meeting in September. C a m p a i g n e r s expressed their disappointment at the delay and say they plan to hold a further meeting on the issue on Tuesday, July 18 in the Springfield Hotel, Leixlip.
You’re growing to love Diarmuid’s free masterclass AWARD-winning garden designer Diarmuid Gavin will present his Gorgeous Gardens Masterclass at The Retail Park Liffey Valley this Saturday, July 15. The event will take place in the car park in front of The Range from noon to 1:30pm. Attendees will be in with a chance of winning €500 worth of vouchers to give their garden a summer makeover. Diarmuid will be on hand for talks, demonstrations and a Q&A session with all guests at the free family-friendly event, for which no booking is required. His discussion topics will include working with small spaces, bringing the outdoors indoors and petfriendly gardens plus much more. For further information, see the Facebook page, and theretailpark.ie.
FASTNews
Praise for extra SNA allocations SCHOOLS across Dublin will be allocated extra Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for the coming school year. The allocation is part of a national provision of 975 additional SNAs which will be available for allocation to schools over September to December – a 7.5% increase in order to meet the level of assessed demand. Local TD, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald welcomed the news, saying: “The extra posts announced today will ensure that every child that needs access to SNA support in schools across Lucan, Palmerstown, Clondalkin ... can receive this support. “SNAs have continued to play a key role in helping children to participate and progress. “The extra posts announced will ensure that every child that needs access to SNA support can receive this support. That is my priority.” Details of the SNA allocations are available to view at www.ncse.ie.
Cllr Ed O’Brien to chair Lucan Area Committee CLLR Ed O’Brien (FF) has been elected as the new chairperson of the Lucan Area Committee of South Dublin County Council. Cllr O’Brien will serve as chairperson for the next 12 months. The committee meets once a month in SDCC’s offices in Tallaght. Writing in the Lucan Newsletter this week, Cllr O’Brien said: “I am delighted to have been elected chairperson of the Lucan Area Committee for the coming 12-month period. “Thanks to all of my colleagues who supported my election.”
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 9
PUBLIC INPUT INVITED
LUCAN | TAOISEACH ATTENDS FG PARTY
Have a say on home care help
Kenny’s BBQ dishes up Leo as a top guest MARK O’BRIEN AN TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar popped in a Lucan pub over the weekend to enjoy a barbecue and meet some local Fine Gael party colleagues. The event at Kenny’s last Friday night was organised by local councillor William Lavelle as a thank-you to volunteers and people who have supported him throughout the year. Cllr Lavelle was one of the first councillors to publicly support the Taoiseach in the Fine Gael leadership race against Simon Coveney. Speaking to The Gazette after Mr Varad-
kar’s election, Cllr Lavelle said: “I’ve known Leo for 17 years and I was one of the first councillors to come out and publicly declare for him. “I am par ticularly delighted that he has won; I think Leo will make a great leader and a great Taoiseach.” Fine Gael councillors from neighbouring areas also attended, including Clondalkin councillor
Emer Higgins and Castleknock councillor Ted Leddy, along with local TD and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald. One attendee took to social media afterwards to say: “Congratulations and well done to Cllr William Lavelle for his initiative in bringing the Lucan community organisations together tonight to honour their hard work and contribution to making Lucan a thriving and successful town. “Delighted that The Chief and his second in command came along to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication.” Cllr Lavelle thanked the
Sharing a golden (and silver) feeling with their successes
LUCAN Harriers Carol Kearney and Edith Coakley had every reason to look happy – they were both winners at the Northern Ireland Masters Athletics Championships over the weekend. Carol won gold in the 100m and 200m, and Edith won gold in 80m hurdles and silver in 100m, with their win further adding to the successes of sportspeople from the area. In addition to their great results, Lucan’s Chelsea Olumba won gold in the 60m U-12 girls race at the Irish Life Health National Juvenile Track & Field Championships held over the weekend, showing some up and coming talent to chase after the grown-ups’ success.
MARK O’BRIEN
Cllr William Lavelle with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar outside Kenny’s, where a local FG party BBQ was held
Taoiseach for attending and extended his gratitude to all of the locals
who have helped and supported him throughout the year.
LUCAN and Palmerstown residents are being encouraged to contribute to a new consultation on the future of home care services in Ireland. T he consultation, launched by the Minister for Health Simon Harris, and Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly, is aimed at people who use home care services, their families and the public. Cllr William Lavelle encouraged as many residents as possible to take
part in the survey, saying: “I know from talking with older residents in Lucan and Palmerstown that they want and deserve the opportunity to stay in their homes and in their own communities for as long as possible. “ Ho m e C a r e s e rvices are essential I and want to see this service expanded and improved upon.” Residents can find the consultation paper online at http://health.gov.ie/ consultations. The closing date for submissions is August 31.
10 GAZETTE 13 July 2017
Out and About
Family fun for all L
AYA Healthcare’s City Spectacular returned to Dublin’s Merrion Square last week, showcasing some of the very best in international street performance, interactive family activations and workshops, delicious artisan producers and international street food, making it one of the upbeat highlights of the summer so far. Families from all across the country flocked to Dublin to enjoy this free event which even had Dustin the Turkey in attendance.
Lessons in C ‘Lagom’ for Ballymun children
HILDREN from St Joseph’s Junior National School in Ballymun got a great lesson in how to live more sustainably at IKEA’s Live Lagom (‘the right amount is best’) project. IKEA is encouraging customers and those who work for the company to use just the right amount of energy, food, water, etc, creating a more sustainable way of living. To bring this concept to life for the children of St Joseph’s, IKEA supplied the class with a hydroponics set to grow lettuce leaves. They also supplied recycle bins, a basin for the sink and a timer for their water tap. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon
13 July 2017 GAZETTE 11
GAZETTE
12 GAZETTE 13 July 2017
DUBLINBUSINESS
SURVEY | WORRIED ABOUT IMPACT OF AGE, TWO-THIRDS ARE UPSKILLING
Older workers fight back to stay relevant ALMOST half of Irish workers worry that age might affect their chances of finding a new job. Research from IrishJobs.ie reveals that older workers who are planning on changing roles worry their age might stop them from getting a new job. However, those who are planning to change roles in the next two years report that they are upskilling (65%) to stay employable. The research carried out by IrishJobs.ie amongst 1,038 jobseekers across multiple industries shows that 31% of older workers believe they lost out on a job opportunity due to their age at least on one or more occasion. A quarter believe they were passed over for promotion due to
The IrishJobs.ie survey reveals some positive steps many older workers are taking as they consider looking for new jobs
their age; as a result, 62% of older workers were apprehensive about looking for a new job, with 45% planning to stay in their existing sector. The research showed that older employees are going a lot further than their younger counterparts to stay competitive for new roles.
To overcome the perception of being older, 40% are going to the gym more with 64% switching to a healthier diet and another 43% taking more vitamins. When it came to more extreme measures, some 38% considered dying their hair, with 29% thinking about having their teeth whit-
ened, 44% planning to give up smoking, and another 26% considering giving up alcohol. Some 8% of those surveyed considered anti-aging injections. Orla Moran, general manager, IrishJobs.ie said: “While it’s illegal to discriminate against employees because of their age, it’s obvious that older jobseekers are concerned about how their date of birth will impact on their search for a new job. “It’s terrific to see that many older workers are doing the right thing and keeping their skills up to date. In fact, it’s something we’d advise workers of all ages to do – continuing to upskill and staying relevant within their chosen industry is essential for continual employment.”
‘Don’t EU listen to the leavers’ THE notion of Ireland leaving the EU would be “simply idiotic”, says Fine Gael Senator and Government spokesman on EU Affairs, Neale Richmond. Senator Richmond was speaking at a meeting of the Oireachtas EU Affairs Committee which was attended by the new Minister for European Affairs, H e l e n McEntee. He said: “In the wake of Brexit, the EU is understandably looking at its own future. The launch of the European Commission White Paper on the future of the EU is therefore welcome and allows all citizens and stakeholders to feed into what that that future should look like.
“It is my strongly held belief that Ireland’s future should not just be as part of the EU but at the heart of the EU. “The notion peddled by some ill-informed sources that Ireland should follow the example of the UK and leave the EU is, to be blunt about it, simply idiotic. “The decision of the people of the UK to leave the EU is a bad decision based on emotion, influenced by a campaign of mistruth. “Since joining the EEC in 1973, Ireland has flourished. Our active membership and commitment to the European project has allowed us to fully mature as an independent and sovereign state.
“We have grown socially, economically and culturally through our commitment to Europe. It has allowed us, a small peripheral nation, to take a seat at the top table of global
affairs. “I am urging the Government and Minister McEntee to double-down on Ireland’s commitment to Europe, to embrace the 88% of Irish people who
are in favour of continued membership, and rebut directly the small minority living in a fantasy land who think Ireland would be better off outside of the EU.”
CarePlus Pharmacy appoints its new commercial director CAREPLUS Pharmacy has announced the appointment of its new commercial director . Niamh Lynch takes over the key role, bringing a wealth of commercial knowledge and experience to the position. With more than ten years of senior leadership experience, and more than 15 years buying and selling across many consumer categories, including health
and beauty, Niamh’s comprehensive skillsets and insight will play a key part in supporting her role. N i a m h ’s p r e v i o u s
roles include positions as global business unit director of Tesco PLC, and national acocunt manager with Unilever. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Food Business from university College Cork. CarePlus is a network of franchised pharmacies, owned and managed by community pharmacists with the aim of providing a superior pharmacy experience.
Initiating dialogue with a manager could help you both
Maybe it’s time to start managing your manager? TURNOVER of staff happens most frequently because of relations with a manager. People tend to move companies because of low job satisfaction more often than because of money. This can happen for a number of reasons, including not getting enough support, unrealistic demands, or no participation in decisionmaking. However, all is not lost – there is a way to create a better workplace for you and your manager or supervisor. Poor communication is often the common issue in the above causes of low job satisfaction. Of course, some managers could be better communicators, but instead of waiting for them to improve it’s possible for you to take action and ‘encourage’ your manager to exchange information more freely. Start by opening a dialogue. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing something up face to face, send a short email outlining what you’d like to discuss and then suggest a time to meet. If the above tips don’t help, perhaps you need to find a new job with a new manager. For further information, contact RecruitmentPlus at 01 2788 610, or also see www.recruitmentplus.ie.
The email you sent will act as an agenda when you do meet up, and will keep your conversation on course. Another thing to suggest to your manager is implementing an evaluation and review process. This process can take place as often as needed, but usually annually or bi-annually. T his provides the opportunity to meet and discuss performance. These meetings offer a perfect opportunity to engage with your manager and to change the communication levels between you. Some people may say that it is not their responsibility to upskill their manager. However, anything that enriches your workplace and makes everyone more productive is something that will benefit your job satisfaction in the long run. You may be able to change the work environment so you don’t become one of the people who leave because of your manager. Make communication easier for your manager, and things will be easier for you.
13 July 2017 GAZETTE 13
TRAVEL P20
DUBLINLIFE Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
CINEMA P24
GAZETTE
DIARY P14
SHE’S A BEAUTIFUL BEAGLE, REVIEW: ONCE AT THE OLYMPIA IS A WONDERFULLY PRODUCED PACKAGE AND CHUNLI HAS A LOT OF LOVE FOR A CARING OWNER OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Chunli, a very sweet, two-yearold Beagle. She can be quite shy at first when she meets new people; however, once you give her time to get to know you, Chunli comes out of her little shell and shows her true, adorable nature. Chunli is looking for a quiet, adult-only home without too many visitors. As she feels at her best around other dogs, Chunli is looking for a home with another friendly and social canine which is going to boost her confidence. She is looking for owners that will not expect too much of her initially, but will allow her to grow in her own time. Given proper care, love and time, Chunli will become a wonderful companion and a friend for life! If you can be Chunli’s #SpecialSomeone*, then 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, at www.facebook.com/dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.
Show stopper JAMES HENDICOTT H AV I N G p u t a f o c u s o n obtaining a really musically talented cast, brought the simpler elements of the story to the fore and utilised a clever set extremely well, the latest incarnation of Once –showing at the Olympia Theatre until late August – is astoundingly well done. Adapting Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova’s music and taking much that is good from the 2007 movie, the musical is set entirely in a surround with the feel of an old-school Irish pub, the fluid cast almost constantly on stage in their entirety as they
perform the backing track to a gentle tale. Niamh Perry, playing ‘Girl’, is the undoubted star. Credit has to be given for her convincing and unwavering switch into a Czech accent, but what really stands out are her vocals, and the restrained tension she creates around the lead man, Brian Gilligan. While the pre-interval part of the show is relatively lighthearted, full of local colour and witty patter, things take an intense turn after the interval, with the emotional love story at the heart of the tale coming to the fore to glorious effect. Continued on Page 17
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DUBLINLIFE
DIARY
Digging in at Zoorassic World at Dublin Zoo are teacher Kelly Mara with Senan Shah, Maisie Conroy, Beth Healy, Alfie Conroy and Rian Shah
FAMILIES: DIG INTO THE PAST WITH DUBLIN ZOO’S T-REX-IFFIC NEW INSTALLATION
Pictures: Patrick Bolger
Boning up on dinosaurs DUBLIN Zoo’s latest attraction, Zoorassic World, is sure to get a roar or two of approval from visitors to the brand-new home for reptiles of the past and present. With lots of fun dinoand reptile-related features at the latest attraction at the zoo, the lord of them all has to be Stan – a towering life-size replica fossil skeleton of a male adult Tyrannosaurus Rex that lived 65 million years ago. Stan’s name isn’t very exciting (sorry, Stans everywhere), but the big, bony beast is very impressive in the flesh, standing 3.7m high and 12.2m long. He’s not alone – other replica dinosaur skeletons at Zoorassic World include a Velociraptor, Oviraptor, Anhanguera,
and an Archaeopteryx, plus life-sized replicas of a Galapagos tortoise and a Komodo dragon, while Zoorassic World is also now home to the zoo’s many living reptiles. For further information, see www.facebook. com/dublinzoo and www. dublinzoo.ie.
JOIN THE CROWD TO CONTROL THE MUSIC HEADING to some concerts this summer? Make sure to check out Live Your Music, a new concept from Heineken. Debuted at Sea Sessions festival in Donegal last month, the concept hands over control to the crowd, empowering them to programme the lighting, the visuals and the atmosphere, with a few surprises thrown in. This weekend, July
14 – 16, Live Your Music will descend on Longitude in Marlay Park with a fully responsive, custombuilt space featuring DJs and collectives from the worlds of house, disco, hip-hop and R&B, including Lui Rwego, Bobofunk and District Magazine. Music fans can join the crowd and sign up for exclusive experiences at: www.heinekenmusic.ie.
BIG ADVENTURE FOR CHAIN’S MINI CEOS HOTEL brand Radisson Blu has announced a unique nationwide search to find a new board of directors with a difference – a group of Mini CEOs (Child Entertainment Officers) are being sought to help consult on the hotels’ family offering across the UK and Ireland this summer.
T he chosen mini CEOs will win a free stay at a Radisson Blu of their choice for them and their family, along with all the perks of a weekend getaway, including free restaurant meals. Boys and girls between the ages of 6 – 10 years can apply for the role (and ask their parents or guardians to be a reference for them), with their ‘duties’ to involve reviewing leisure facilities in the hotels. For further information and to nominate, see http://www.radissonblu. com/miniceo.
DISPENSE AN AWARD TO YOUR PHARMACIST DUBS are being called on to nominate Ireland’s most dedicated pharmacists. T h e C l a nw i l l i a m Pharmacist Awards have
RACE OVER TO €32K CHAMPION STAKES
launched for 2017 and the organisers want Dubliners to nominate pharmacists who go above and beyond for their patients. You can fill out an online nomination form before the July 21 deadline, with the winning pharmacist to be recognised in the company of hundreds of their peersat the Clanwilliam Pharmacist Awards
in November. An adjudicating panel comprising pharmacists from various branches of the profession will select three finalists for each category, to be announced in October, with and a winner in each to be revealed on the awards night. To make your nomination, see http://www. pharmacistawards.com/
READY to race over to some exciting events at Shelbourne Park? You should be, as the popular stadium has laid on some summer sports highlights to look out for. Kevin Hennessy and Leon Blanche, representing Irish Independent bookmaker BoyleSports, are pictured (left) with Shelbourne Park racing manager Declan Carey at the launch of a bumper calendar of racing events at the greyhound stadium. The BoyleSports Champion Stakes, worth more than €32,000, run over two weekends in July and August. For further information on the calendar of events, see www.shelbourneparkgreyhoundstadium.ie.
13 July 2017 GAZETTE 15
POPCORN RECIPE Three Corn Tacos
THE people over at Propercorn have come up a perfect popcorn-inspired recipe to make your summer meals extra special.
Ingredients: Serves 4 12 small corn tortillas 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5cm pieces (keep the peelings) Small tub of sour cream 2 x 20g packs of Propercorn Sour Cream & Black Pepper For the pickled onion: Half a red onion, finely sliced juice 2 limes pinch of sugar For the guacamole: 2 avocados, halved and stoned Half a lime Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Quarter thinly sliced red onion For the salsa: 200g cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters Quarter red onion, finely sliced 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Juice half a lime For the corn: 4 corn on the cob (or 4 small tins of sweetcorn) 2 large knobs of butter 2 tsp smoked paprika pinch of salt and pepper Method: 1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Mix the pickled onion ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 2. Place the sweet potato chunks on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until slightly charred on the edges. 3. Cut the kernels off the corn on the cobs. In a large frying pan, melt the butter on a high heat add the corn, paprika and salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the kernels are caramelized. Once cooked, turn off the heat and set aside to keep warm. 4. To make the salsa and guacamole, mix the salsa ingredients in a small bowl with a squeeze of lime and a handful of chopped coriander. 5. Mash the avocados then add the red onion and red chili. Squeeze in the lime juice and set aside. 6. A few minutes before the potatoes are ready, add a dash of oil and salt to the peelings, spread evenly on a baking tray and pop in the oven to crisp up. Cover your tortillas in foil and add to the bottom of the oven to warm up. 7. Tortillas are best filled by the person eating them, so to serve, place everything in bowls and tuck in!
GAZETTE
FOOD&DRINK
Say ‘buongirono’ to tasty Italian dishes
MUSIC lovers at the upcoming Punchestown Music Festival at the end of the month can send their tastebuds racing with a dash of tasty Italian fare, courtesy of Italian cuisine specialists Barilla. The opening of its popup restaurant, By Barilla, will serve a range of authentic Italian fare with a twist for hungry festival goers, with its pasta dishes coming with a threecourse (€25) offering that won’t need a win on the gee-gees to enjoy. By Barilla’s fare on July 29 and 30 will give diners at the popular music festival some tasty meals that look set to draw upon the family-owned company’s expertise in creating Italian dishes. Starter options include antipasti dishes, with a selection of meats, cheeses, olives and breads to choose from.
For their main course, diners will be able choose from favourites such as Barilla Fusilli with tiger prawns and served with arrabbiata sauce; Barilla Tortellini of four cheeses with a sage and nut butter sauce; Barilla Linguini Primavera with chicken, julienne of vegetables and flat parsley. Adding the finishing touch, dessert options will include the ever-popular Tiramisu. Adding to the Mediterranean-flavoured feeling at By Barilla, guests will be served “Italian family style” at long tables, with starters to be presented on platters, allowing visitors to help themselves. Following the first course, at intervals a selection of three pasta dishes will be brought to each table, inviting guests to indulge in a variety of
Punchestown Music Festival will have Italian fare, courtesy
dishes. Wine will also be included as part of the By Barilla festival offering. Adding a pinch of flexibility, diners can also schedule reservations
around their favourite artist so as not to miss a thing while also not missing their meal. For further information about Barilla products and recipes, see the site at
of Barilla
www.barilla.com, while the full list of performers at this year’s 2017 Punchestown Music Festival is over at https://mcd. ie/artists/punchestownmusic-festival/
Mini pizza bases serve up a big, delicious treat EMMA NOLAN KEEP the kids entertained during the s c h o o l h o l i d ay s b y cooking up a storm with Pizza da Piero’s mini pizza bases. Get crafty in the kitchen and add a range of tasty toppings to these four inch bases – the perfect size for little ones. P i z z a d a P i e r o ’s founders Piero and Cliona love to decorate each pizza with their
three little girls, making faces with broccoli, sweetcorn and peas, breaking all of Piero’s Italian pizza rules. It’s lunch and playtime wrapped into one! Delicious and wholesome mini pizza bases by Pizza da Piero are the perfect treat for all the family, kids and adults alike. Pop them in the oven, adorned with your favourite pizza toppings and five minutes later – finito!
Piero creates these fresh and authentic bases at his Dublin bakery every morning using only six simple ingredients; white flour, water, soya f lour, yeast, sea salt and extra virgin oil. Just as scrumptious as the rest of Pizza da Piero’s range, each mini base is carefully made over a two-day process. This allows time for the dough to ferment, making it light and easily digestible, so no bloated tummies.
Mini pizza bases by Pizza da Piero are perfect for all the family
Pizza da Piero’s mini bases are a great choice for a light summer lunch or a pizza and movie night with the kids. At RRP €3.99, they
can be found in SuperValu, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Avoca, Cavistons Food Emporium, Ardkeen Quality Food Store and Sheridan’s Cheesemongers.
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JAMES HENDICOTT A SELF-PROCLAIMED college band reformed to a heyday later in life that far exceeds their 90s peak, King Kong Company are fast becoming Ireland’s go-to festival act, and with good reason. The Waterford-based act are a high-energy, upbeat dance six-piece with plenty of stage moves. One member performs in a cardboard box with crudely cut eyeholes, while recent outings include a trip to iconic UK festival Glastonbury, a tea party at Michael D Higgins’s house, and even the launch of their own unlikely beer infused with Buckfast, with King Kong Company plastered across the front. Colin Hoye, the group’s trumpeter, is the one member currently based in Dublin, and met The Gazette to describe what’s been a strange journey and a wildly busy summer to date. Amazingly, their self-titled debut of 2016 is the band’s only formal release to date, despite performing together from 1996 to 2000, and then from 2011 to today. “The technology wasn’t really there to do what we wanted to do back then,” Hoye recalls. “We had this massive eight track and you couldn’t even get the drums alone onto it. We have so many channels now. We had a manual drum machine that we started and stopped for every track back then. We did the best we could, but trying to actually make an album would have been too hard, or too expensive at the time. “Second time around [following the band’s reformation in 2011], I think we were looking for a mid-life crisis and found one. We had no misconceptions about what we were going to get out of it this time, but we’re surprised at how well it’s gone for us. “When we decided to get back together, we used the power of social media to help us along the way. We decided to do 12 tracks in 12 months, and our friend John Loftus basically said that he’d do the videos for us. “Those videos sparked a lot of the characters we have now, and those characters came into the live shows. It’s almost more of a product at this stage.”
Ireland’s Wild Festival Heroes
One album, their own beer and performing in a cardboard box: 20 years of King Kong Company
N O S ’ T A H W
E D I U G S T N EVE
with JAMES HENDICOTT
Belle and Sebastian
Scottish indie darlings are one of the highlights of a series of gigs at the Iveagh Gardens, and are sure to explore the emotive backdrop of their nine experimental and touching albums. €45 entry fee. July 20
Longitude Festival
Marlay Park’s annual bash bring their camping-free city-festival vibe back for another summer, with star appearances from Mumford and Sons, Stormzy, Skepta, The Weeknd, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Villagers (plus many more) across the weekend. July 14-16
98FM’s Big Slide
Slip through Dublin streets on a 260ft waterslide running down Winetavern Street, thanks to the radio station and Dublin City Council. You’ll need to grab sliding tickets in advance, and have your swimsuit ready. July 15-16.
Dropkick Murphys
Another of those Iveagh Gardens shows, Bostonian act Dropkick Murphys will bring their punk-tinged nu-Irish stylings to play in an invariably riotous live show. Support from indie-pop heroes of ten years ago The Fratellis adds colours. July 16.
A Night At The Museum
The National Wax Museum diversifies with a new theatre experience, promising to “push boundaries between reality and imagination,” and “you might end up in Heaven or Hell.” July 15
Token Retro Gaming Tournament
The exciting new Smithfield venue that combines a bar, food and retro gaming launches the first of one promises to be a long line on old-school gaming tournaments. July 15.
New album of the week
Coldplay - Kaleidoscope Right after playing their Croke Park date, Coldplay launch a new EP featuring six ‘companion’ tracks to 2016 album ‘A Head Full Of Dreams’. Having been delayed twice, fans will be queueing up for this one.
Continued from Page 13
A unique look – and now, a unique beer as well! It could only be King Kong Company, who talk to
Live When it came to the album, Hoye recalls the live set-up being very much a key factor. “We had to do everything we could to bring the live sound into the album,” he explained. “It would have been very easy to just do it very electronically, but you want to move the music around to have that live effect to it. “We are very much a live band, and we wanted to show people what we sound like live with the album. In a way we were kind of dreading the album as we knew it would be so much work. We used to be more like acid jazz, so it’s a bit of a change of direction from what we sounded like in the late 90s, but nobody sounds like that anymore.” Whether the album or an incredibly noto-
MUSIC
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The Gazette about their rise and rise so far.
rious live show are the defining factor, there’s little doubt that King Kong Company are on an all time high this year. Last month, their striking imagery appeared on the front of a new brand of beer from Wexford craft beer company, Yellowbelly, entitled ‘Commotion Lotion’, and infused with Buckfast. The launch came within days of their Glastonbury appearance, a lively slot at Body and Soul and a toned-down show at Aras An Uachtarain. “We did a gig down in Cork, at the Irish Beer Festival last year,” Hoye recalls. “It was a really good festival with a lot of craft brewers at it. They approached us then about it, and we made the beer. Yellowbelly did all the imagery and
everything. It’s very surreal to have your own beer, really odd.” Then came the recent trip to the Phoenix Park. “We had to censor [hit track] Donkey Jaw a bit,” Hoye says of the performance at the President’s house. “We were thinking of doing the full version at the garden party, but there were a lot of young kids there. It was censored enough to not offend. It was the strangest gig ever. We were very nervous about it at first, and I think the organisers were a bit nervous about it, too, wondering what we were going to do! “But our frontman, Mikey Graham, got on the mic at the start and said: ‘Listen, we usually play in muddy fields at festivals, so what we’re
going to do is ask all the children if they want to come up to the front of the stage and dance’. So they did, and they all started dancing and it was great; we won everyone over within five seconds. It was a great honour to do it.” And the future? Hoye admits that a new album isn’t really on the horizon, but adds “we’re always in some shape or form working on new music”. He added: “A lot of the stuff that made this album we played live for a long time before we recorded. I think that’s just the way it’s going. We make music to play live, not to make an album, so it’s good to road test.” Few bands ‘test’ with quite such a sense of fun.
The stage comes to life to suit, too, and there’s an impressive array of character development, in the narrow but entertaining lives of Girl’s Czech housemates, the occasional but memorable appearances of her daughter, and Phelim Drew’s wacky interludes as music store owner Billy – a lively stereotype of the witty North Dubliner. Then there are the gimmicks. The best come in the pre-show, pub-style performance from the cast, which takes place with the audience on stage and able to buy from the bar positioned as part of the scenery. It works well, too, but the key here
is in the simplicity and the casting. Perry is outstanding all round. Gilligan has a solid voice and his character constantly seems on the verge of a nervous breakdown, while the extras have a smart dynamic, adding to the humour. All in, Once is a wonderfully produced package, with ample entertainment value that also tugs firmly on the heartstrings, with the relationships thoroughly believable. The emotion in Perry as she bowed before an opening night audience said it all: this might be just another step on the road this musical has been powering down over the last few years, but it is also something very special.
ONCE and always terrific
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DUBLINLIFE
Carousel in a spin over nod from The New York Times
Vivien Butterfly Print Dress €59 EMMA NOLAN
AN IRISH-ow ned vintage boutique was recently mentioned in a New York Times article about places to visit in Dublin. Carousel design and manufacture their own nostalgia-inspired col-
lections under the “Circus” label, and are stocked in more than 180 independent shops worldwide, and in their boutique on the corner of Drury Street and Exchequer Street. T he ow ners said they were delighted to be mentioned by the
Brigette cat print dress €65
Nathalie Lemon Print Dress €69 New York Times. “We were over the moon to be included and have seen a surge of interest from USA customers through our website as a result.” T hey now have a great selection of summer stock in store (pictured above).
Premium Lux Coat €399
Blossom Print Swing Dress €139; Abigail Patchwork Boot €209; Funnel Neck Fitted Knit €85
MINT VELVET LUXE
EMMA NOLAN Style Editor
THE Autumn/Winter collection from Mint Velvet is chic and understated. Taking its inspiration from effortless Parisian style, it combines boyfriend-dressing with the brand’s signature softer, feminine elements. Longline silhouettes, blazer and wide-leg trouser combos in both structured and relaxed fabrics are inspired by the 90s power-suit, and suits are paired with trainers for a new take on modern sportswear. Functionality is key here – everything can be worn with jeans, including dresses. Layer a polo neck underneath lighter fabrics or heavier knits for colder months, as another homage to luxe French dressing.
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STYLE Embroidered Sleeve Shirt €129
Oversized Tri-Acetate Blazer €249; Imogen Print Neck Scarf €39
Blossom Print Blouse €99
Tie Back Cotton Shirt €99; Paper Bag Waist Trouser €119; Pippa V Front Shoe Boot €169
Beaded Shirt €119
Split Seam Coat €399
Velvet Blazer €209
Lace Back Dress €169
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Ballyvolane House will A veritable eden awaits just a few hours away from Dublin at a family-owned country house located in the historic region of the Munster Blackwater Valley
JESSICA MAILE
TIME FOR A TIPPLE?
An ode to Bertha and the ‘grass to glass’ approach YOU MAY be asking who is Bertha and what does she have to do with Ballyvolane House? It’s simple, really – Bertha, a cow, is the inspiration behind Bertha’s Revenge, a pure Irish milk gin which is conjured up, distilled and bottled at the estate. Bertha was truly a one-of-a-kind. This Droimeann cow from Sneem, Co Kerry, lived a legendary 48 years, which earned her the title of World’s Oldest Cow. She died in 1993, but Bertha’s Revenge creators Justin Green and Antony Jackson have kept her ‘spirit’ alive in this finely-crafted gin made from whey alcohol from local dairy farmers, natural spring water and locally grown and foraged botanicals. Their ‘grass to glass’ philosophy is an ode to Bertha and keeps her memory alive. Bertha’s Revenge is a spicy yet refreshing small-batch, hand-crafted gin that has notes of cardamom, cumin and sweet citrus. The whey alcohol base makes it an extremely smooth concoction that can be enjoyed in the lush atmosphere of Ballyvolane House or at home in a martini or mixed with your favourite tonic.
IT’S summertime and what’s on the menu for some summer getaway fun? Glamping. Yes, glamping. Camping in luxury is definitely the way to go when the temperatures rise and the weather is a bit more cordial, and there is no better place than Ballyvolane House near Fermoy in Co Cork to do so. The house was originally built in 1728 as a classically Georgian-style home but was subsequently remodelled in Victorian times to give it a more Italianate style. It has been a home to just three families, with the Green family now managing this successful country house. Its rooms are filled with family heirlooms, portraits and antiques but still offer a relaxed atmosphere to read or just take in the splendour of it all. This warm and inviting family period home actually gives the option
of staying in one of its six finely-appointed bedrooms or to indulge your wild, bohemian side and stay in one of the 11 cosy bell tents. The tents are very spacious, with a double or two single beds, and plenty of comfy blankets should you need extra warmth as the night goes on. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the fresh summer air on this expansive estate. The house is surrounded by lush woods and well-maintained gardens. There are trout lakes and salmon fishing on the River Blackwater, and even a variety of fly fishing courses are on offer.
BALLYVOLANE HOUSE
Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co Cork
Open January 1 to December 24 B&B room rate from €195, Single Occupancy €150 Glamping Bell Tents, B&B pps: €60-€75 (May-Sep) Dinner from €60 Tel: 353 25 36339; email: info@ballyvolanehouse.ie www.ballyvolanehouse.ie
As I wandered the grounds, I discovered the picturesque lakes, little man-made waterfalls, friendly ducks, two very nosey donkeys, an expansive walled garden full of
fresh produce and flowering plants, a tennis court, a pitch to kick a ball around and the perfect place to play a bit of croquet. After all my wanderings, I was treated to a spectacular meal of roast chicken, fresh new potatoes and greens from the walled garden and, to top it all off, a batch of heavenly Eton Mess. They only source ingredients from their walled garden, farm, river and from the local area. Before I headed to bed, the staff kindly lit the candle chandelier in the tent and placed hot water bottles in the bed for the ultimate in cosiness. After a refreshing night’s sleep, a nice hot breakfast
The official greeter will also steal your heart!
was certainly in order. My favourite part of brekkie is the fact that it’s served up until noon, which is heaven for those who like to stay up late and get up even later! You have a choice of a continental breakfast or ‘The Full Monty’, but the latter seemed the way to go and it didn’t disappoint. The most refreshing aspect of Ballyvolane House is how relaxed and inviting the home is and how comfortable Justin Green, his family and staff make you feel there. And despite all of the grandeur, the care-free atmosphere completely puts you at ease. It’s simply a true get-away in every sense of the word!
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steal your heart
TRAVEL
TRAVELNews
Holiday deals this August from €439
IT’S NOT too late to get some sun this summer. Choose your destination and plan your perfect August getaway now. Whether it’s the knockout scenery and all year round sun of the Canaries, the Balearic’s Spanish culture with nightlife that rivals the rest of Europe or the second-to-none sandy beaches, bougainvillea-splashed villages and round-the-clock nightlife of the Greek Islands, we have something for you. • 28-Aug, Dublin to Lanzarote, San Marcial, Matagorda, 2-star, SC, 7 nights from €549pp. • 30-Aug, Dublin to Rhodes, Amfitriti Hotel & Studios, Pefkos, 3-star, SC,7 nights from €439pp. • 26-Aug, Dublin to Kos, Emmanouel Studios, Lambi, 2-star, SC, 7 nights from €629pp. • 27-Aug, Dublin to Crete, Golden Bay Apartments, Gournes, 3-star, SC, 7 nights from €559pp. • 31-Aug, Dublin to Ibiza, Casa Luis, Santa Eulalia, 3-star, SC, 14 nights from €729pp. Visit www.falconholidays,ie for more details.
Ballyvolane House in Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co Cork is a family -owned period home that offers finely-appointed bedrooms or a perfect spot for a bit of glamping if you fancy a bit of fresh air
Lake Garda
Lake Garda deals: • Depart 15 July, stay at the 3-star Hotel La Perla, Garda, for 7 nights, on a half-board basis, from just €799pp. • Depart 19 July, stay at the 2-star Furstenhof, Alpbach, Austria, on a B&B basis, for 7 nights, from €499pp. • Depart 29 July, stay at the 3-star Hotel La Perla, Lake Garda, on a half-board basis, for 7 nights, from €799pp. • Depart 29 July, stay at the 4-star Hotel Splendid Palace, Limone, for 7 nights, on a half-board basis, from just €989pp. • Depart 12 August, stay at the Doria Apartments, Garda, for 7 nights, from just €1,545 (based on 2 sharing) or €2,275 (2 adults + 2 children). • Depart 26 August, stay at the 4-star Hotel Majestic Palace, Malcesine, for 7 nights, on a halfboard basis, from just €985pp. To book call (01) 433 1080, visit www.crystalsummer.ie or contact your local travel agent.
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Mini but mighty I’VE re-lived the Mini experience in the new generation Mini Clubman in recent weeks and it has rekindled a warm relationship with the iconic British car brand. Those who were reared with the original Mini as their first driving experience will appreciate the transformation that the Mini brand has undergone. Younger drivers will take the car for what it is; a solid small car with great driving ability that despite its size always pervades a feeling of strength. This Clubman version plays on a van-type design with twin opening rear doors and that design feature gives stand-out identity to the car that’s anything but a van in image and driving experience. The Clubman version of the Mini gives it a more male perspective, because the standard Mini has become seen as more of a female desire car. This Clubman with its extended wheelbase adds a different sense of appeal, while it uses all of the design features and more to change how you look at the car. What you get from a Mini Clubman is more space and more flexibility with a different boot access through the twin opening rear doors. The rear legroom from the extended wheelbase (that’s 100mm longer than the standard Mini) gives impressively more rear legroom, even if the headroom remains a shade challenged. That rear space seems less crowded and the enhanced legroom is instantly noticed. Mini, which is owned by the BMW group, has the benefit of BMW diesel engine technology and that’s seen first-hand in this Mini One D version of the Clubman, powered by an impressive twin-
FASTNews June new car sales dip by 14% as Dublin market grows NEW CAR registrations for June took a 14% dip, according to the latest official statistics released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). The SIMI figures show that 1,397 new cars were registered last month compared with 1,623 for June 2016. The year-todate figures for the first half of the year show a 10% drop in new car registrations, compared with last year. The five top-selling car brands for the year to date were Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai,
The new generation Mini Clubman is a four-door spacious car which retains some of the Mini low profile go-kart driving feel across a longer wheelbase. Entry prices start at €28,278.
Ford and Nissan, while the Hyundai Tucson remains Ireland’s best-selling car in 2017,
Mini Clubman One D 1.5 SPECIFICATIONS
Engine Engine power 0 – 100km/hr Economy Fuel Tank Capacity CO2 emissions Road Tax Band Main Service Euro NCAP Rating Warranty Entry Price
turbo diesel three-cylinder engine that’s very powerful. The engine’s smoothness under the cramped bonnet area has to be driven to be appreciated. The power output at 115bhp
1.5 litre 115hp I was equally impressed 10.4 seconds with its fuel economy 26m/litre figures. The official rated (3.9/100km or 60mpg) economy level is 26m/litre 48 litres (3.9/100km or 60mpg); my 600km test drive returned 102g/km a 30% lower figure. A3 €190 The fact that the car 15,000km/12 mon could cruise at 120km/hr 5 star (2015) on motorways at just shy 5 years/100,000km of 2000rpm on the engine, €28,278 made this economy level
and 270Nm of torque is so impressive, while its performance in acceleration terms at 10.4 seconds in a 0 to 100km/hr race, is very acceptable. I took the car across a range of conditions and
followed by the Nissan
Mini gives you more space in a Clubman as Michael Moroney found out when he took the new model for a lengthy test drive.
possible. This level of economy could give me a range of about 950km with the car’s 48 litre capacity fuel tank. Anywhere close to the 1,000km range on a full fuel tank is where I believe a modern car should be, and this new Mini Clubman meets that challenge. The car came with the standard six-speed manual gearbox that seemed to have some high points in terms of ratios that took a little getting used to. I found that the gear
change was a little less smooth than I would have liked, and the clutch pedal a shade heavier, not exactly what you want if you’re planning a drive to a night out in your best ‘car-to-bar shoes’. The additional boot space in the new Mini Clubman is one of its key selling features. The boot space at 360 litres – which extends to 1250 litres – is impressive and deceptive for the relatively small car. I tested the extended load capacity with a stepladder and the flexibility of the space impressed. The boot area is deeper than other Mini models to give a depth of load space that surprised me. Despite this, the Mini does not come with a spare wheel, which I consider one of its very few drawbacks. This new Mini is a solid-feeling car that scores highly in terms of safety
Qashqai, Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Remarkably, the best-seller in the car
too. The car has a fivestar Euro NCAP safety rating. Mini claims that in addition to the stiff, rigid and light-weight body structure, a complete set of standard safety features also gives enhanced occupant protection of the new Mini One D Clubman. Fitting that child seat takes a bit of bending down, but that’s because of the low stance of the car itself. The standard specification features of the new Mini Clubman are impressive, including Mini Navigation, a sport leather steering wheel with multifunction control and 16in alloy wheels and alarm with immobiliser. The entry price for the petrol version is €28,278 while the new diesel option that I drove adds another €2,000 to the price.
market in June was the expensive and impressive BMW 5 Series. SIMI anticipates that new car sales in the second half of the year should mean that the market for new cars will reach a total figure of 132,000 that was predicted at the start of the year. Sales of new cars in the Dublin region showed one of the smallest declines at 4%, while the Dublin region now accounts for an increased proportion of the Irish car new market, up from 38% in 2016 to account for 40% in the first six months of 2017.
The BMW 5 Series
13 July 2017 GAZETTE 23
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MOTORING
Kia crosses over with compact Stonic KIA HAS a new compact crossover type of SUV, called the Stonic, on the way for the end of 2017 as the Korean brand aims to get a slice of one of Europe’s newest and fastest-growing vehicle segments. This market segment is called the B-SUV segment in motor industry language and currently accounts for 1.1 million new car sales in Europe each year, around 7% of the market. The segment is forecast to expand to more than two million annual sales in Europe by 2020. Kia claims that the new Stonic will be the most customisable Kia ever, inside and out, and that it boasts true European design flair. The design of the car includes the familiar Kia ‘tiger-nose’ grille designed in Europe, in collaboration with Kia’s Korean design studio. The new Stonic’s ‘Targa’-style roof enables buyers to choose a two-tone paint finish. It will be available in up to 20 two-tone colour combinations, with a choice of five distinctive colours for the roof. A range of lightweight, downsized, turbocharged petrol and diesel engines are available, each paired with a manual transmission, claims to deliver maximised driver engagement and effi-
ciency. Buyers have the choice of Kia’s lightweight 1.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged petrol direct injection) engine, producing 120bhp, as well as 1.25or 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated MPI (multi-point injection) petrol engines. An 1.6-litre diesel engine completes the range, offering the lowest emissions in the line-up. Kia claims that the car’s European-tuned steering and suspension are designed to offer an exciting drive, with immediate handling responses and a stable ride. The car is fitted as standard with electronic stability control and vehicle stability management (VSM), ensuring the front-wheel drive Stonic can cope in all conditions. Specific functions of VSM include torque vectoring by braking, straight line stability, and cornering brake control. The car gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, bringing seamless smartphone functionality to the touchscreen infotainment system. Like other Kia models, it is available with heated front seats, automatic cruise control and keyless entry. The car claims class-leading shoulder room and generous leg- and head-room. The impressive 352-litre boot capacity expands or shrinks as required with a two-step boot floor.
The Stonic compact SUV due here by the end of the year comes with Kia’s quality promise; the car will be sold as standard with the company’s unique seven-year, 150,000km warranty
GAZETTE
24 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
DUBLINLIFE
CINEMA
SPIDER MAN HOMECOMING: FRANCHISE GETS A MUCH-NEEDED KICKSTART
ReelReviews
Spidey gets a breath of fresh air in fun reboot A F T E R a n u n w a rranted franchise reset with Andrew Garfield’s regrettable turn as one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes, no one was asking for another Spider-Man movie. Thank God we got one. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Cer t 12A, 133 mins) Spider-Man: Homecoming, directed by Jon Watts, returns the characters to his fundamentals, giving us the friendliest neighbour Spider-Man we’ve seen on the screen thus far, and a much-needed return to super-hero basics for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most refreshi ngl y, Homecoming comes unburdened with the now entirely unnecessary Spider-Man origin story. This is a clever and genuinely admirable move on the screenwriters’ part; after two franchise resets, everyone and their uncle knows how Spidey got his powers and why he does the things he does (FYI: radioactive spider bite, murdered uncle, compulsion to help others). After some brief backstor y to the movie’s
MARTIN MACNAMARA
villain, T he Vulture (Michael Keaton), we’re returned to the air-strip battle of Captain America: Civil War, in which we first met Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. This time around, the action is captured straight from Spidey’s phone, and comes complete with excited post-battle commentary from their hero in a manner befitting any teenage YouTube enthusiast. When the narrative starts proper, Peter is just getting used to his new life as a superhero, operating under the guise of an internship at Iron Man’s “Stark Enterprises” to cover his frequent disappearances from family and friends. Peter navigates relationships at home with Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and at school with best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his crush, Liz
(Laura Harrier). While Peter spends his extra-curricular time fighting street thugs, eventually moving up to bigger villains with the Vulture, Spider-Man’s real battles are those of the average teenager: struggling with authority figures, a need to grow up too fast, and the heartaches of high-school romance. Spider-Man: Homecoming gets its priorities right – we don’t need another movie about superheroes battling world-threatening forces. This is a genuine breath of fresh air. Indeed, the spirited tone and vibrant palette of Homecoming is the perfect foil to DC’s overly grey, ultra-grim ‘Expanded Universe’, and Spidey finds the time to poke fun at that world’s everbrooding caped crusader. However, Mar vel’s stable of heroes get its fair share of mockery too – none more so than Captain America, who frequently appears in educational classroom videos at Peter’s school, and who Hannibal Buress’s jaded gym teacher refers to as
OKJA
Deliciously subversive NETFLIX serves up its first bona-fide cinema hit – which most of us will watch at home instead – with Okja (Cert 15A, 120mins). Long story short: company creates Okja, a genetically modified superpig to make some superbucks; little girl who raised pig goes on a rescue mission when the company decides it’s time to go makin’ bacon. While its tone is all over the place, Okja is a movie marvel, and an enjoyable romp.
DESPICABLE ME 3
Merry minion mayhem
We’ve had more than enough dour, grim superhero films of late – thankfully, this new
THERE are plenty of Grusome scenes in Despicable Me 3 (Cert G, 90mins) when the eponymous baddie-who’s-not-so-bad and his yellow pals get mixed up with his long lost twin brother. Cue mishaps, minions, and an amusing threequel in the popular franchise. There’s nothing very fresh or innovative here, but the Despicable crew do what they do well in this enjoyable film.
Spiderman film has a much more lighthearted centre, and is all the better for it
a “war criminal” in one of the film’s most subtly hilarious throwaway gags. Without a world to save, there’s plenty of space for Downey Jr’s Iron Man to operate at his most loveably pigheaded. After all the brooding and feuding of Civil War, where Iron Man undoubtedly pulled the narrative short straw, this is a welcome return to form for the character. Michael Keaton turns in the MCU’s best badguy performance since Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. The Vulture is a villain
not fuelled by a hunger for power or world domination, but by disdain for the state and a need to provide for his family, justifying his life of crime in a manner similar to Tony Soprano. However, it’s Holland that shines here, delivering on all the promise of his brief appearance in Civil War. Spider-Man: Homecoming demonstrates, with an expertise crafted over 16 MCU films (mistakes made and lessons learned), that you can update, modernise or outright alter a superhero’s story, just as long as
you stay true to the heart of the character (protesting fan-boys be damned). Not since Marvel’s first go-round at Captain America has a hero been so wonderfully in swing with the spirit of the source material. It may suffer from a lack of tension and some clumsy action set-pieces, but Spider-Man: Homecoming is the best version of the character yet. Maybe not the hero we asked for, but in these trying times, he’s certainly the hero we need.
Verdict: 8/10
THE BOOK OF HENRY
Stunning in its own way ANOTHER week to give a nod to this spectacularly strange and truly, truly terrible film. The Book of Henry (Cert 12A, 105mins) is all about your typical boy genius, Henry. SPOILER: he dies halfway through the film, but not before leaving how-to instructions for his single mum to murder (yes, murder) their next-door neighbour, who may be abusing his stepdaughter. Words fails us ...
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 25
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GAMES While an awful lot of the game is spent with a first-person view of your ship’s cockpit and HUD, as well as in-game menus, the game’s optional cameras show off some very, very pretty places. Whether in your ship, visiting a space station, cruising through space or roaming about on a quiet moon, the game can look pretty incredible at times, regardless of your platform. Screengrabs: Shane Dillon
ELITE DANGEROUS: CONSOLES GET A GREAT PORT OF THE HIT 2015 PC GAME – BUT AT A COST
A stellar experience
SPACE is an awfully big place, but when it comes to games set in space – on contemporary consoles, at least – gamers are pretty much stuck on terra firma. The reasons are many and varied, but by and large they boil down to the view that space-set games are probably too potentially complex, and too niche, to bother developing a game for. Still, console gamers can now set off on their own galactic adventure with the recently released Elite Dangerous (PS4, XBO, Cert 7, c. €25) – a long-awaited port of the popular 2015 PC title. On whatever platform, ED is a modern take on the legendary 1984 BBC Micro title, Elite, following pretty much the same principle, but with shiny 2017 visuals and some
SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com
serious programming grunt under the hood. Now as then, gamers are given an entire galaxy to explore – our own Milky Way – with countless star systems to make their way to, with their starting spaceship (little more than a tin can with big dreams) getting traded in for ever bigger, better ships along the way. It’s down to the gamer to choose the way they want to play the game, and thus shape the unique adventure that they’ll find along the way. For example, miners might happily dig around
in asteroid fields looking for lucrative minerals; space pirates might raid shipping lanes for goods to sell; couriers might ship sensitive information around – there’s even space for people to run glorified taxi services for rich snobs, if they like. Whatever you want to do, ED provides lots of choice to do so, as you set about choosing the missions you want to tr y, and then spend time upgrading your ship and tinkering with all kinds of systems to help you stay on the right – or wrong – side of the law. As a game that can be played solo or with others online, players can even spend their time exploring, trying to find and
blow other gamers out of the skies, further adding to their loot and reputation (or they can be a big wuss like me, and just run a lucrative freight service with no weapons but one hell of
an engine to outrun any trouble). Needless to say, there’s an awful lot of content here, with a daunting amount of stuff to see and do in a vast game, which requires
And now, a warning. The ‘base’ game is available here for €25, with all of the galaxy-hopping fun you could ever want. However, an entire second half of content – including being able to visit planets, zip about in a rover, as well as some other cool stuff – is locked away behind a €25 paywall. While I think it’s worth it, this seems like a strange system to me, and is likely to be offputting to many.
serious grinding (levelling up) to progress. However, alongside some content set behind a paywall (see left), the daunting choice in the game, its steep initial learning curve, as well as the frequently clunky controls, could leave Elite circling the shelves in search of a patient owner. It’s also worth noting that despite the relative paucity of some parts of the game, the graphics can stutter at times, with some unwanted lag. Still, despite its flaws and ED’s niche nature, those who stick with the game will find it a rich and uniquely atmospheric experience. After all, there’s just
nothing quite like Elite on consoles at the moment, with it bundling in some of the add-ons that have fleshed out the PC original since its release, further adding to its value. Ultimately, the spirit of the 1984 original is also very much to the fore here, with ED providing a truly vast amount of things to do. Elite Dangerous is another ‘Marmite’ title – some gamers will love it, while an awful lot will find it deathly dull. Would-be Elite commanders are unlikely to find themselves making the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs here, but if you have the time and patience to tinker around with ship loadouts, galaxy maps, warping about solar systems and planning your rise from Harmless to Elite, it’s a must-buy.
26 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
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28 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
SPORT
FastSport CLONDALKIN DENIED IN SMITH CUP DECIDER: ETB CLONDALKIN missed out on the Bobby Smith Cup title last week as they were undone 2-0 by ETB Carrigaline at the Carlisle Grounds. The Cork outfit had most of possession in the first half in a very entertaining game but failed to break down a very resolute Clon defence which was well-marshalled by Dolapo Lawal. Cal Sheehy opened the scoring midway through the first half. Clondalkin created the better opportunities as Sam Afolabi went close after a right wing pull back from Glen Fullam and Eoin Devereux got in on goal a few times but failed to hit the target. The game was more even in the second half with Clondalkin’s Leon Foley going close and Claudio Silva very prominent for Clondalkin in the middle of the pitch. But substitute Ryan McCarthy side-footed home a corner from Graham Bogue in the final minute to wrap up the victory for Carrigaline.
PARALYMPICS: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BECKON FROM RAHENY ATHLETE
Comerford goes from zero to 100 with scholarly outlook
JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
IF ORLA Comerford’s emergence onto the Paralympic scene in time for the Rio Games last year was something of a dramatic one, her trip to London to take part in the 2017 World Paralympic Championships later this month will be much more conventional. Comerford traveled to Brazil almost straight off the back of her leaving cert last summer, a move she described as “zero to one hundred” as she jumped in the deep end of a first major championship. The Raheny Shamrocks club runner has been competing since the age of six and does battle in the visually impaired T13 category, reaching the final in the 100 metres last summer. Now a student at NCAD, she feels more prepared this time around. “It’s going really well,” Comerford told the Gazette. “The competitive season so far has been good; the main difference from last year is that I’ve come through all the
Orla Comerford in action at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Picture: Paul Mohan/Sportsfile
rehab for a long-term injury and I’m feeling a little more confident. I seem to be able to get through a little more prep without getting injured. “I’m not really sure what I’ll be up against in London as there are often people out
there you don’t know about,” she adds.
Classification “New people are classified before races, and other people move categories, for example between T12 and T13.
“You think you know who you’ll be facing, but there are often a couple of people running good times who you haven’t come across before. I’m expecting a lot of the same competition as in Rio, but also a few new young peo-
ple, or people who’ve moved into my category.” In between the two major championships, Comerford made the brave decision to attend NCAD, a college with no athletic pedigree to speak of, turning down scholarships at more sport-leaning universities like UCD and UL. “It was a really hard decision to make but I’m very artistic minded, and I wanted to put together a portfolio and have a go,” she explains. “I said I’d only try once and if I didn’t get in, I’d treat that as what’s meant to happen. “They’ve been understanding about training camps and competitions and things like that, so it’s been great. I’ve been training with the same group at Raheny for years, and I’ve had the same coach for quite a while now, so I have plenty of support elsewhere.” As for aims for London? “It’s hard to say, it comes down to the race on the day,” Comerford tells us. “I always look at times, of course, and good times do tend to mean good results, but what happens on the day is what really matters.”
Multi-talented Rosser preaches touch rugby gospel BERNARD DUFF sport@dublingazette.com
Ireland’ women’s touch rugby side in action against Scotland last weekend. Picture: Gordon Heggie
THE multi-talented Tania Rosser is looking to spread the gospel of touch rugby this summer following her dominant performances on the netball court. The former Irish contact rugby international scrum-half says the touch version is starting to spread in Dublin. “Touch is a 6-a-side game,” she said. “It’s very fast and very skillful. Anyone can take it up as the contact is minimal so you mostly won’t need prior experi-
ence in other versions of rugby.” The game is run by the Ireland Touch Association and in Dublin the action takes place in Terenure School on Wednesday evenings. “We have a mixed sex competition and a women’s comp too” says Rosser. “We also expanded and now we have six clubs in Dublin. For instance, we are starting in Clontarf and DLSP in Kilternan this summer too. “The IRFU are also starting a new Touch competition this summer too which will be located in Donnybrook. Just check
out Ireland Touch on Facebook and you can get playing”. The Ireland team are the Irish Falcons and both a men’s and a women’s team travelled over to Edinburgh to play in the international Premier Permit Tournament last weekend – important development prior to next year’s European Championships. Playing against their more established neighbours, the results didn’t go as planned. Chris Tuataga also of Dublin Sports Club and the Irish Falcons said: “We took a while to tighten up our defence and once
we did that we were glad that we definitely could compete at the top teams’ level”. With multiple national teams from England, Scotland, France and, just for the men, Wales, the competition at the Peffermill Playing Fields in Edinburgh was a bit too tough this time for Ireland. They finished in the plate competition below the main cup by finals day on Sunday. But with the game expanding dramatically here it won’t be long until the Irish Falcons are beating the best.
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 29
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FASTSport
Rugby World Cup fever as Ireland fight on four fronts BERNARD DUFF
IRELAND’S men’s team are ramping up their preparations for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup in October having booked their passage via last autumn’s qualifiers. But they aren’t the only Irish rugby league team competing in a World Cup this year. Prior to the World Cup, Sydney will host the Festival of Rugby League World Cups in early July in which four competitions will take place: women’s, Army, Police and Universities. It’s the latter that the Ireland Students team is currently participating. With a cost of close to €4,000 per person, it might have seemed impossible to send the team of 21 players and four staff. But as Rugby League Ireland (RLI) executive Richard Egan explains: “A portion was contributed by our sponsors McGettigans and there were contributions too from Sport Ireland too but it was the students themselves, their families and friends who contributed the vast majority of the funds”. The team is a new one as the cycle only began in January. “We held open trials in all four provinces. We even had players coming in who had never played league before who made it through the trials and onto the panel.” With four matches scheduled against Pacific Nations, Scotland and the might of the hosts Australia in the group stages before a placement match the experience will be great for the development of the game. “The 2021 World Cup is just four years away and the students who mostly are in their early 20s now can look ahead to the tournament in the UK and possibly get to play in the main Rugby League World Cup if they stay focused.” With Rohan Smith, a professional league coach joining with Ireland students coach Karl De Chenu already the players have had a great experience. “We used our contacts to train with the Canterbury Bulldogs Under-20 team and also got to watch an NRL match.” Ireland lost their first game to an experience Pacific Nations 48-4 on Friday. But the true benefit will be in the years to come.
Brill’s blind ambition at Irish open championship Dundrum woman fulfils her dream of landing golf title with victory, beating the world champion by 15 shots; she did so while also co-hosting the event and running its organisation JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
BLIND GOLFER Carol Brill fulfilled her dream in winning the Irish Blind Open golf championship last weekend, a frantic victory in a tournament she also had a huge part in organising. The Dundrum native suffers from Usher Syndrome, a progressive condition that causes the slow deterioration of both eyesight and hearing, and currently has a visual range of approximately 1% of the normal range, as well as some hearing difficulties. Her title, won over two days, came with a massive 15-shot win over the reigning World Blind Golf women’s champion,
American Linda Port. Describing an intensely busy weekend, she also greeted many of the competitors, had a key role in the scoring of the competition, acted as the main contact point for visiting golfers, and even organised the logistics of getting competitors back to the airport. She explained that the win hadn’t sunk in until she had the chance to call her mum and pass on the news. “The catchphrase of the weekend came from my guide Theresa Schutte [of the same family as the Dublin and Cuala hurlers], who told me to focus on ‘self-care’ ahead of my first round on the Thursday,” Brill recalled. “The practise day on
Carol Brill is presented with her Irish Open title.
Thursday didn’t really happen, as I spent so much time talking to competitors. On Friday, Theresa took me off to a nearby course, Malin Castle, to warm up away from the logistical stuff. “Despite the lack of practise on the main course, which I’ve played a few times before, I had a great front nine,” Brill recalls of her opening round at the championship course in Greenore, County Louth. “I’ve always had a bad front nine on that course. I kept scratching the second hole, in particular, but surprisingly it went really well. “I was absolutely exhausted by the 18th, so much that I don’t remember it well. I do remember
myself and Theresa falling out of the golf buggy as it pulled away, and I think that jolted me into action. I was amazed to find I was five shots up on Linda Port, but I was aware a lot of these players always have better second days.” Having had a rough night working on scoring and second day pairings, Brill’s Saturday started badly. “The front nine weren’t great, and the 10th hole was disastrous; I hit two bunkers,” she recalls. “I was in tears leaving the tenth hole because I thought it was over, but I pulled myself together and promised myself that I wouldn’t be more than one over par for the last eight holes. I managed that, and learnt when I got in that I’d won by 15 shots.” Brill’s win is all the more extraordinary given that she also spends much of her life campaigning for political recognition for dual sensory loss. “We’ve formed an advocacy group, meeting a few times a year, with the aim of first gaining recognition for dual sensory issues, and then creating a register looking at needs. There are over 70 types of blind deafness, and their needs are very different,” she explains. “For example, one of my friends has the same syndrome as me, but she has far more problems with her hearing, where-
as mine are more with sight. She also lives very rurally and can’t rely on the phone signal. “And that’s just within one syndrome. The government but out guidelines for deaf blindness recently, but they take a very extreme view of everybody as being totally blind and totally deaf, which is just not the case. “The guidelines talked about translators as a key point, for example. I don’t need that, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have other issues. “A register of specific issues applying to specific people would be really helpful in aiding help in this area, especially in employment, education, public transport problems, areas like that. Ironically, when it comes to this area, policy is somewhat deaf and blind. “We’re not hopeful of change under this government, but I’m also expecting an election in the next twelve months, so we’re playing a long game with the white paper. “Essentially, it’s doing the work for them, in order to make it very clear what’s needed.” Brill, meanwhile, will continue in competitive golf, heading to Vienna for the Austrian Open in September, and Sydney for the Australian Open in October. The political angle will remain “simmering in the background”.
GAZETTE
30 LUCAN GAZETTE 13 July 2017
SPORT
FASTSport
Arthur Griffith Park riding crest of a wave ARTHUR Griffith Park’s Under-14 side enter their summer break on a high following a superb run of 12 wins and one draw to sit top of their DDSL Saturday B division following an excellent first half of the new summer campaign. The team received an extra boost recently when they picked up sponsorship from Toyota Liffey Valley. They are pictured above with Tom Staunton from Toyota with their new kit. In the second half of the campaign, they are looking forward to a prolonged battle with Verona and dark horses Broadford Rovers as they pursue the title.
Liffey Valley set for top class FAI summer school LIFFEY Valley Rangers are once again hosting the FAI Summer Soccer this year from Monday, July 31 until Friday, August 4. All children aged from six to 14 years of age are welcome to take part. It costs €65 per child who will all receive a training top, shorts, socks, a back pack, a football and a participation certificate and promises to be a fun-filled week. Log on to www. summersoccerschools.ie to secure a place for your child. Elsewhere, the club is looking forward to hosting their Frank Keane Summer Challenge Cup for Under14 teams. The competition is designed for clubs to get ready
for the second half of their campaigns with a week of challenge football. For more information and to registers a team to take part, contact Tony on 085 196 9468. The start date for the competition is August 15.
Maginnis gets Ireland call-up KING’S Hospital’s James Maginnis made his Irish hockey bow as he lined out for the national Under-16 team in their three-games series against Scotland last weekend in Belfast. He will travel to Nottingham next weekend with the Irish squad again for a high quality six nations tournament that features Germany, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and England.
KICKBOXING: LUCAN BUSHIDO DUO REPRESENTING IRELAND
Wade and Lamari to kick on in Macedonia DAVID DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com
TWO Lucan kids are to travel to Macedonia to represent Ireland at the WAKO Cadet and Junior European Championships in Skopje from September 2 to 10. Ten-year-olds Amy Wade and Zach Lamari are both aiming for gold after being selected as part of the Irish kickboxing team to compete at the tournament in the former Yugoslav republic. The duo train at Bushido Martial Arts Clondalkin and are the younger of the four competitors from the gym travelling to Macedonia as part of a team comprising more than 60 fighters and coaches. Competing at junior level will be 16-year-olds Dean Murphy and Karyna Nikitina, the latter the reigning European and
former world champion in point and continuous fighting. Amy and Zach both compete in point fighting in the ages 10-12 category and, coincidentally, both compete in the -37kg weight division in girls and boys respectively. Having only taken up kickboxing seriously in the past couple of years, the pair have experienced a meteoric rise under coach Ilija Salerno. Both Amy and Zach are national champions in their age and weight classes having won gold at the National Kickboxing Championship in Citywest earlier this year. “For both of them this is their first European Championships,” Andy Wade, Amy’s father, tells GazetteSport. “They’re very young and inexperienced. They
HERMITAGE HERO McGrath lands matchplay victory on home course STEPHEN Byrne (Chief Executive, Mercedes
Benz) is pictured presenting Fred McGrath (Hermitage) with first prize at the 2017 Mercedes Benz Hermitage Matchplay Team competition after their victory at Hermitage Golf Club last Sunday. They are pictured with Andy Cooke (Hermitage), Paul Rodgers (the event’s chairman) and Paul Maher (captain, Hermitage Golf Club). Picture: Pat Cashman
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train, between the kickboxing and taekwondo, about six or seven times a week. “They’re only really getting into everything within the past two years – there could be other kids fighting since they were four or five. “But where they’ve gone in such a short period of time has been phenomenal. I can’t walk into my daughter’s room without seeing all the medals she has.” While there’s no pressure on the kids to win, especially as they’re both on then younger side of the 10-12 grouping,
they expect to compete given the success they’ve achieved at home. “They are going over there, first and foremost, for experience, because they will qualify again. “We’re hoping they medal. That itself would be a huge achievement for their first-ever European Championships.” Ireland is currently ranked fifth in the world by the World Assocation of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO), behind Italy, Hungary, Russia and Great Britain. As kickboxing is not an Olympic sport, and thus not funded by Sport
Ireland, kickboxing is heavily reliant on private funding and sponsorship. BMA Clondalkin has been helped by the patronage of Clondalkin and Lucan Credit Unions and is grateful for any additional sponsorship that helps cover the costs. “T he President of Kickboxing Ireland is trying to get it as an Olympic sport hopefully in the next 10-15 years. “As it stands it’s not an Olympic sport and it’s not funded by Sports Ireland. 99% of the funding comes from the parents.”
13 July 2017 LUCAN GAZETTE 31
GAZETTE
BEHIND THE BALL
Brogan helps deliver 55,000 balls for clubs
CLUB NOTICEBOARD LUCAN SARSFIELDS THE postponed car draw will take place
DUBLIN’S Bernard Brogan, Monaghan’s Conor McManus, Kerry’s Donnchadh Walsh, Lee Keegan of Mayo were all on hand to launch SuperValu’s #BehindTheBall campaign at Croke Park. SuperValu is set to donate 55,000 footballs to clubs across Ireland and deliver volunteer camps throughout the summer. Picture: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
HURLING: LUCAN SIT TWO POINTS OFF TOP IN SIXTH PLACE
ter with Naomh Olaf on the August 22.
on the night of August 26 when Aslan play
Lucan Sarsfields golf society’s next
at Lucan Sarsfields. Tickets for Aslan are
outing will take place at Tulfarris Golf
available online form Ticketmaster.ie.
Club on Saturday, July 22 from 9.30am
Last week there was no winner of the
to 10.50am. To request a tee time, please
€6,600 lotto and the numbers were 19,
text John Clancy at 086 0412953 as soon
25, 26 and 27. This week’s €7,000 draw will
as possible but no later than 6pm on Sun-
be managed by Team Shay Hurson and is
day, July 16. New members are always
sponsored by Finnstown Pharmacy. Tick-
very welcome.
ets can be purchased online, at the club,
The annual family fun day, originally
in Carey’s Newsagents or in Vesey Arms
scheduled for Saturday, July 1, has now
or Kenny’s Bar.
been moved to later in the summer.
Dublin senior camogie had a two point win over Waterford, helped by Lucan’s Emma Flanagan, Ali Twomey and Marie Moynihan. Senior hurling came away from St Anne’s Park with a draw from their Raheny encounter; next up is a home encoun-
Bingo continues on Wednesdays at 8pm in the club bar. Club shop is closed for its summer break. Items can still be purchased online or in O’Neill shop on the Long Mile Road. Lucan District Credit Union Academy are also on their summer break.
ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN WELL done to the U-14 footballers with
their good solid win v Clanna Gael, 5-12 to 3-3. In camogie, congratulations to St Pat-
night in Palmerstown House at 8pm. Then, at 9pm, relive the St Patrick’s GAA
was selected to play for Dublin U-14s on
club OsKaRs as we invite you along to see
Friday in an intercounty blitz v Water-
all seven movies once again followed by
ford, Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford
entertainment from tribute singer as
and Antrim. Well done Rachel, St Pat-
George Michael at 10.30pm.
your achievements to date. Sunday morning, the minor footballers had a great win at home against
Raheny sting Sars with late equaliser AHL DIVISION 2
Raheny 1-13 Lucan Sarsfields 0-16 sport@dublingazette.com
LUCAN Sarsfields’ senior hurlers were forced to share the spoils with Raheny at St Anne’s Park last weekend. It pegged back their hopes of closing in on the leading quintet of sides who all sit on ten points as the season approaches the business end with Lucan sitting two points back in sixth. They led for the guts of the tie before Raheny got back level at the death. A depleted Lucan start-
ed brightly and got the first five scores but Raheny gradually got in to the game and Lucan lead by just three at half time, 0-9 to 0-6. Sars started the second half well and had stretched the lead to six points again with 15 minutes to play. However, Raheny finished stronger and a goal with five minutes to play left just a point in it and they eventually got the final free chance to level it. Matt McCaffrey dominated in the middle while brother Johnny lead a solid defence. Paul Crummey and Aidan Roche
worked hard in the forwards while Gary Coleman took his chances well. Tommy Somers landed five frees with Coleman landing four points from play with Roche scoring two points. Lucan face key games against Naomh Olaf next week and Ballinteer St John’s in mid-August in their bid to try and get back into the top league tier. Elsewhere, Lucan’s junior E hurlers closed out the group stage of the championship campaign in second place with a 3-13 to 1-11 loss to Castleknock.
Both teams qualified for the quarterfinals but Castleknock claimed the home berth with this eight point win. Lucan started well with Killian Boylan getting an early goal and a couple of nice points. Castleknock fought back and got two goals to lead 2-6 to 1-4 at the break. Lucan were better in the second half and had got the deficit back to just one point with 10 minutes to play. However, a few chances went a begging and Castleknock got on top again with another goal and finished comfortable winners.
Saturday, July 15 we celebrate our senior camogie team at their awards
rick’s camogie player Rachel Walsh who
rick’s GAA club is very proud of you and
Lucan Sarsfields’ Johnny McCaffrey
takes place from July 17 to 21.
Naomh Fionnbarra. Well done lads and mentors.
All welcome to join us on the night. Our annual golf classic will take place on September 1 at the Hermitage golf club. Lotto numbers were 8, 11, 12 and 13. Next week’s jackpot is €2,000. Tickets
Our U-13 footballers had a great win
available from SuperValu, Manor Hair
Sunday against O Dwyer’s, 11-6 to 7-10,
Studios, Palmerstown House and Post
down by three with only a few minutes
Office Chapelizod. The next draw is July
to go and they scored three goals in last
16.
few minutes to win the game. Great display lads. Dates for your diary: The club camp
Thanks to all our ticket sellers and lotto participants for your continued support.
GARDA/WESTMANSTOWN
NO INTER or junior activity last week but
Busy week ahead for GPO Declan Jen-
our ladies and minors were involved in
nings and his coaches when hundreds of
two high scoring contests winning both.
children arrive in Westmanstown for Cul
The minors had a league outing away at
Camp week. Best of luck to all concerned.
Naomh Mearnog and hit top form win-
Congratulations to Peter McNamara
ning by 4-26 to 4-7. Match against St
who played against Offaly for Dublin U-17
Vincent’s postponed till later this week.
on Thursday night.
The ladies cup match away to Ballinteer
Thanks to all who turned out for the
St John’s ended in a one-point victory on
club race night on Friday night as well as
a 6-13 to 6-12 scoreline.
all those who bought horses and spon-
The intermediates travel away to St
sored races. Great to see former club
Mark’s, Tallaght for a 6.30pm start. The
member George Heneghan and his wife
juniors travel to Glencullen to take on
Mary Home on holidays from Australia.
Stars of Erin at 11am.
Thanks to all who took part in the
Juvenile activity is quiet due to holi-
recent club survey which was capped
day season but U-15 boys had a good
at a hundred responders. The commu-
win over Templeogue Synge Street in
nications sub-committee are working
Dolphin.
through the feedback and raising mat-
Park winning by 5-17 to 2-13 with Aaron
ters with the relevant club officers to
Rice scoring 2-7. The U-14 hurlers lost out
prepare a full response to be published
to a very good Round Towers of Lusk.
in September.
GAZETTESPORT
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Dublin boss Jim Gavin is hopeful the GAA world can move on from the Diarmuid Connolly furore
Gavin wary of pro ballers Dublin manager says Kildare’s Brophy, Flynn and Feely all bring top experience of paid sport to the table for Sunday’s Leinster senior final DAVID DONNELLY
sport@dublingazette.com
ROUND Tower’s man Jim Gavin reckons the professional football experience in Kildare’s ranks could give the challengers an edge during Sunday’s Leinster Championship final at Croke Park. The Dubs have the last six Leinster Championships in a row, stretching back to 2011, but they face reinvigorated opposition in the form of Cian O’Neill’s perennial semi-finalists. Forward Paddy Brophy returned to the panel in May following three years playing Aussie Rules in Perth with the West Coast Eagles while ex-Port Adelaide man Danny Flynn is finally fit again.
Midfielder Kevin Feely spent three years playing professional soccer in England with Charlton Athletic and Newport County after leaving Bohemians before returning in 2015. And the Dublin manager – who spent many years serving in the air force around Kildare – believes their experience added to heightened expectation among lilywhite fans will make for an intriguing contest. “They’ve got three players returning from professional football. Kevin Feely looks very good in midfield,” Gavin said on Wednesday. “He’s scored, I think, 23 points already in the year so far. With Tommy Moolick there looks to be a very good combination there. “Danny Flynn at full forward is very promising, 1-3 or 1-4 over the two games, and Brophy
we’ve met before. “We’ve seen him in 2013 and he’s back from the AFL as well. Those two lads from Australia bring back a lot of experience. “Ollie Lyons seems to have as much life in his legs as he had in the past, continuously foraging forward, so I think we’re up against a big challenge on Sunday.” Gavin refused to be drawn on what exactly Diarmuid Connolly is and isn’t allowed to do while serving a 12-game ban for laying his hands on a linesman in the quarter-final with Carlow. He confirmed Connolly has been put on a program to keep him ticking over before his potential return before the end of the All-Ireland Championship, should Dublin make it
that far. Gavin expressed no regrets over his refusal to speak to give one-to-one interviews with broadcasters following the semi-final win over Westmeath last month. He did so in protest against what he felt were unfair remarks that disparaged Connolly’s character by TV analysts on the Sunday Game and elsewhere. “I hope the lessons have been learnt and we can move on. If I believe a player is being disrespected, and Croke Park don’t step in and protect the player and his good name, I have no option but to react as I did. “Unlike other sports, our boys have to go out – intercounty players have to go out – on Monday morning and seek out a living.”