Lucan

Gazette LUCAN

hey, dolly: A living, breathing creation lies at the heart of a classic ballet, now set in the 1950s P17

Big interview: YouTube and TV chef Donal Skehan is very busy – and cooking up even more ideas Page 16

Yeats fans: Literati gather at an eclectic exhibition celebrating artist’s legacy Page 8

sport MMA:

McGregor’s date with Aldo finally on the horizon Page 32

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

December 10-16, 2015

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The best things in life are FREE!

Burglary rate puts Lucan in top 50  Ian Begley

In Lucan, 233 burglary offences have been recorded so far this year and Lucan is ranked 37th in the Top 50 crime spots for burglary crimes in South County Dublin.

As revealed at the December Joint Policing Committee (JPC), 285 burglaries per 100,000 people take place in Lucan and outlined that the neighbouring town of Clondalkin is the fourth highest on the list with 519 burglaries per 100,000 people.

A senior officer from Lucan Garda Station told The Gazette they have developed a strategy that targets repeat offenders with the aim of reducing burglaries.

South Dublin area takes 37th slot in crime hotspot rankings for this year “Every week there is an analysis done on burglaries that have taken place.

“These create hotspot areas and our patrols would then concentrate on these locations,” he said.

Full Story on Page 6

TV star Nancy brings good cheer to hospital The Emmy award-winning television star Nancy Ashmawy joined Amy Akpan, and her cousins, Ajoke Auzina and Donatello Petrova, to arrange the Christmas decorations at Our Lady’s Children’s Crumlin. CMRF Crumlin, the fundraising body for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and the National Children’s Research Centre, has joined forces with Ireland’s

biggest gift card company One4all (www.one4all.ie) to spread smiles of joy this Christmas. With an average 130,000 patients passing through the hospital each year, the joy of Christmas is needed at the hospital and a number of organisations have come forward to support CMRF Crumlin to raise much-needed funds.

Picture: Mark Stedman

2 LUCAN Gazette 10 December 2015

courts | culprit driving Ford Focus with one brake light not working

Drunk driver knocked down pedestrian A WOMAN who was almost three times the legal limit when she knocked down a mother of two leaving her with a brain injury has been jailed for three years.

Jayne Kearney (26) told gardai she had intended to stay at City West Hotel that night rather than drive her Ford Focus home but she had a row with her boyfriend. She drove off after she hit Blathnaid Molloy, who was walking towards the

hotel entrance to get a taxi home.

Kearney of Foxborough Downs, Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and driving while intoxicated at City West on March 8, 2014.

Ms Molloy’s husband was in front of her that night, while her friend was walking behind her.

The couple had been out celebrating their wedding

anniversary at a fundraising event for the local GAA club.

Kearney, who doesn’t know the couple, had been at the same event.

She has eight previous road traffic convictions, including having no insurance, no tax, exceeding the speed limit and having no rear seat belt for a passenger.

Ms Molloy, who has no recollection of the incident, was left with a fractured skull and slight

bleeding on the brain.

She has a speech and hearing impairment as a result and suffers from dizzy spells.

She outlined in her victim impact report that on her return home from hospital, for the first few months, the room would spin and the best place for her was lying on her side without moving her head.

She said she missed her eldest’s son’s first day at school because she vomited every time she tried to move. She was not able to care for her youngest child, who was 11 months old at the time of the accident, and said it had taken some time for her to re-establish their bond. She said there were times when she was so unwell that she wished she had gone because she felt it may be easier for her loved ones to deal with “rather than the horrible life I have given them”.

Judge Martin Nolan noted the “horrendous” effects of the incident on Ms Molloy and said aggravating factors in the case were that Kearney was over the limit and left the scene. He took into account Kearney’s expression of remorse, full cooperation with gardai and guilty pleas.

Imposing a three-year sentence and disqualifying her from driving for three years, Judge Nolan said he thought Kearney was a “genuinely good person”

Jayne Kearney pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and driving while intoxicated

but this was a “very, very serious fall from grace”.

Garda Alan Mooney told Vincent Heneghan BL, prosecuting, he was informed by a witness to the accident, that the culprit was driving a Ford Focus with one brake light not working.

He later spotted a car fitting that description in the area and instructed Kearney to pull over. He got a strong smell of alcohol from her and arrested her. She was later found to have 198mg/ml of alcohol per 100ml of urine, the legal limit is 67mg/ml.

Gda Mooney agreed with Sean Gillane SC, defending, that Kearney was “sharply conscious of what she had done” as her brother had been killed as a teenager in a road traffic accident in 2009.

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

10 December 2015 LUCAN Gazette 3

homeless | ‘people wanted to do something but didn’t know how’

library fair

Lots of gift options on offer

Call for donations of winter clothing  ian begley

TWO Lucan residents, who have set up a local homeless appeal, are asking people to donate warm winter clothes at a collection event at Esker Cemetery on Saturday, December 12.

Working with the vo l u n t e e r o r g a n i s a tion Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH), Brian McLoughlin and Gar Rice ran a similar event two months ago, where they collected about 400 black bags full of clothes for the homeless.

The pair will collect clothing, including jackets, jumpers, hoodies, shirts, scarves, hats, gloves, as well as duvets, sleeping bags and toiletries. They are also incor-

porating this charity drive with the group’s annual Christmas shoebox rappeal.

Speaking to the Gazette, McLoughlin said that after seeing the homeless crisis worsen over the past year he and friend Gar decided to do something to help those living rough.

“There’s been a lot of press about how bad the homeless situation is in Dublin and with people dying on the streets. A few months ago I got in touch with my friend, Gar, and we decided to do something to help.

“We decided to work in conjunction with the ICHH because they are a completely voluntary group, who are committed to helping the home-

less in the capital.

“We basically just organised our first event on Facebook and got about 150 people accepting the invite, but on the day we got 400 or 500 bags of clothes, along with other donations.

“It was such a big success we’ve decided to do another drive in the runup to Christmas. People kept on contacting us saying they wanted to do something to help but didn’t know how to and were thankful that we gave them an outlet to do so.”

For more information about this initiative visit the Lucan Christmas Homeless Appeal Facebook page and www. innercityhelpinghomeless.ie.

 ian begley

The Mighty Quinn

IRISH football legend Niall Quinn was at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre recently to open Sky’s new state-of-the-art flagship retail store. It is one of 36 Sky Retail Stores in Ireland which provide new and existing customers advice and demonstrations of Sky products at shopping centres nationwide. Niall (centre) is pictured with Keith Ruane of Sky and fan Johnny Watson.

Picture: Philip Leonard

LUCAN Library is once again celebrating its annual Christmas Fair on December 11 and 12.

Residents are advised not to buy all their Christmas presents just yet as the festival will display a range of unique gifts by local crafts people.

Some of the items on sale include ceramics, candles, cakes and cards.

Meanwhile, the librar y is hosting a diverse range of seasonal activities throughout December for people of all ages.

For a full list of the events taking place in Lucan Library visit w w w. s o u t h d u b l i n l i braries.ie.

4 LUCAN Gazette 10 December 2015

Beanstalk at the helix | pupils chosen after acting boot camp

‘Panto part makes me feel I’m magic’  ian begley news@gazettegroup.com

A GROUP of Leixlip and Lucan school children have won a ticket to theatrical stardom in Ireland’s only panto boot camp and are now lighting up the stage in Jack and the Beanstalk at Dublin’s The Helix Theatre.

The youngsters were among 200 young hopefuls who were put through their paces at a special panto school this summer.

Only the top talent was picked to perform, and among them are Emma Rochford, aged nine, and her sister

Naya (11), who are from Leixlip’s Louisa Valley; Caoimhe Cronin (13), Caoimhe Brennan (15), Tom Quinn and Sarah Bradley, both aged nine, all from Glen Easton; Molly and Ella Coughlan, aged nine and 11, from Castletown; Eabha Brennan of Rinawade; and Danu and Neasa Nic Shuibhne, aged nine and 12, from The Grove.

“Being in the panto makes me feel like I am magic because we make people laugh and smile, and that is so much fun,” said third-class pupil Sarah Bradley.

Yo u n g C a o i m h e Brennan was particu-

larly pleased to be chosen for this year’s cast at The Helix.

She said: “When I heard I’d been picked for the panto I was so thrilled I did cartwheels across the kitchen floor and then jumped up and danced.”

The young stars now have six weeks on the national stage as Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Dublin’s The Helix Theatre until January 10.

We s t E n d h e a r t throb Niall Sheehy, of Les Miserable and Miss Saigon fame, who plays Jack in the panto, believes the talented Leixlip kids are as good

as any to be found on the London stage.

Sheehy said: “They are young but really professional, and every night they deliver an outstanding performance.”

“The youngsters are great to work with too.

“As Jack, I have an axe for the beanstalk that I pretend to wave around backstage in case anyone steps out of line, which they think is hilarious.”

Set in Ballybrutal, a town on its uppers, The Helix’s Beanstalk takes a rollicking contemporary twist on the magical fairytale.

It boasts a cast of

Science competition for schools THE Intel Mini Scientist Regional Final will take place at Intel, Leixlip, with budding primary school scientists hoping to progress to the grand finals.

The competition, which is open to fourth, fifth and sixth class students, gives kids the chance to develop science-related projects, which are then exhibited at fairs within their own schools.

T h e r e w i l l b e 71 schools participating in this regional final over two days, on December 10 and 11, from across the Leinster region Winning projects selected at this school level exhibition then go on to take part in the Mini Scientist Regional Final event, with the possibility of continuing on to the grand final event.

For more information about this event, visit www.miniscientist.ie.

The Leixlip Panto Kids with the stars of Jack and the Beanstalk at Dublin’s The Helix theatre. Picture: Iain White, Fennells Photography

pantomime favourites including Orla Jennings as Jill, Liam Butler as Dame Lola and the hilarious Eoin Cannon as the dastardly Profes-

sor Plonceur.

The Leixlip crew are among 46 children and teenagers aged seven to 16, who have graduated from panto boot camp

to become a cast member.

To get further infomration about this panto performance, visit www. thehelix.ie.

10 December 2015 LUCAN Gazette 5

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FastNews Sing with Dublin Simon, Vogue Williams and Lucan Gospel Choir at Christmas DUBLIN Simon Community, Vogue Williams and the Lucan Gospel Choir have launched the Sing for Simon campaign and are calling for individuals, choirs, groups of friends, families and companies to take to the streets, shopping centres and markets to Sing for

Statistics | 285 burglaries per 100,000 people

Lucan is 37 in top 50 crime spots

 Ian Begley

Simon. By singing and pledging support, people will help Dublin Simon Community light the path out of homelessness and to be there for people every step of the way. The public is invited to sing for Sing for Simon anytime or anywhere by organising a musical fundraiser in the workplace, school, college or community.

Simon also has many carolling locations in the lead up to Christmas and the exclusive 24-hour Carolathon is taking place on Grafton Street in December.

From December 10 – 12, the Simon House of Light projection show will be at Powerscourt Townhouse.

Those who want to be a part of it can take a spot outside or inside Powerscourt and sing for the crowds coming to see the House of Light. On December 18-19 the 24-hour Carolathon takes place on Grafton Street to give hope this Christmas to those in need. Dublin Simon also needs plenty of bucket shakers. Call the fundraising team on 01 6715551, email fundraising@dubsimon.ie or visit www.dubsimon.ie for more information.

Lucan is ranked 37th in the Top 50 crime spots for burglary and related offences, with 285 burglaries per 100,000 people, as revealed at the December Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

The information, which was provided to the Central Statistics Office by An Garda Siochana, revealed that neighbouring town of Clondalkin was the fourth highest with 519 burglaries per 100,000 people.

Ronanstow n was ranked 34th with 285 burglary offences, Tallaght 11th with 372, Rathcoole

49th with 266, Rathfarnham 27th and Ballyfermot in at number 48 with 268 burglary and related offences per 100,000 population.

The statistics also showed that to date this year, 233 burglary offences have been committed in Lucan, 592 in both Clondalkin and Ronanstown, 705 in Tallaght and 121 in Rathcoole.

A senior officer from Lucan Garda Station told The Gazette they have developed a strategy that targets repeat offenders with the aim of reducing burglaries.

He said: “A list of repeat offenders has been drawn up and they’re now being targeted. Some of them are residents in our own area and some of them come from neighbouring areas.

“Every week there is an analysis done on burglaries that have taken place - where they happened and the time they occurred. These create hotspot areas and our patrols would then concentrate on these locations.

“The level of burglaries is reducing, but still high.

There are in the region of 10 burglaries a week in the Lucan and Ronanstown area, but this is coming from numbers that were nearly double that.”

The Garda source also said that he would advise the general public to be very conscious of their property, especially during the Christmas period.

“We do not expect people to stand guard over their house, but we would ask them to keep their doors and windows locked and to activate their alarms when they leave, and not to leave their property visible or exposed in their car or

A senior officer from Lucan Garda Station told The Gazette they have developed a strategy that targets repeat offenders with the aim of reducing burglaries

house.

“The only person that should not enter your house through your front door during Christmas time is Santa Claus,” he said.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald told The Gazette that the Government’s response to burglaries and crime focused on two key objectives: investing in more gardai and vehicles; and strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders.

“We want gardai to be mobile and visible in the community, not stuck behind desks in stations.

That’s why this Government has invested over €34m in new Garda vehicles since 2012 - a massive increase on the paltry €4.8m provided by the previous Government in their last three budgets. Over 640 new vehicles are coming on stream in 2015.”

The Minister added that the recent launch of Operation Thor, a €5m plan to tackle prolific bur-

glary gangs, is a very good initiative to reduce crime.

These strategies i n cl u d e : a d d i t i o n a l high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hotspots; increased used of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.

10 December 2015 LUCAN Gazette 7

8 LUCAN Gazette 10 December 2015

Gazettegallery

| Exhibition to celebrate birth date of wb Yeats

Cast and welded bronze by John Coll

Catherine O’Riordan and Jessica Imhoff. Pictures: Stephen Fleming Photography

Gathering for Lonely Impulse to Delight S

O FINE Art Editions joined the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of William Butler Yeats recently with the opening of A Lonely Impulse of Delight exhibition at its Anne Street gallery, which features original works from Ireland’s top writers and artists.

John Sibbery

Inspired by the poetry of WB Yeats, works included in exhibition are drawn from John Banville, Colm Toibin, Edna O’Brien, Paul Muldoon, Eavan Boland, Donald Teskey, Hughie O’Donoghue, Richard Gorman, Martin Gale, John Behan, Lars Nyberg, Diana Copperwhite, Amelia

Peter Fallon and Senator Susan O’ Keeffe (Lab)

Declan Ronan and Eleanor Kelly

Stein, Michael Canning, and Barbara Rae. The exhibition also includes items of historic and artistic interest from Cuala Press, which was set up in 1908 by Elizabeth and Lilly Yeats.

The show will tour in Ireland and internationally, starting in Sligo.

Kate Betts

Kate Lawlor and Dairine McCafferty

10 December 2015 LUCAN Gazette 9

10 LUCAN Gazette 10 December 2015

lucanGazettegallery | Prizes for winning writers and artists

Tom Reilly who took third spot, with Mayor Holland

Roisin, Sinead, Orlaith and Robert Jolley

Some of the winners with Mayor of South County Dublin Sarah Holland (SF). Pictures: Cathy Weatherstone

What’s the story?

S

OUTH County Dublin Mayor Sarah Holland (SF) was on hand recently to officiate at the prize-giving ceremony for colouring and writing competitions run by South Dublin Libraries during Children’s Book Festival, which took place at the county library in Tallaght. The colouring competition was for the

under sixes, while the writing competition, Terrifying Tales, had entry categories up to age 15.

The council thanked Leisureplex for providing wonderful prizes to the winners. The outdoor Unwrapped arts festival, which usually follows the children’s book festival, had to be cancelled because of bad weather.

Luciana Grendon Riberio took Brendan, Sinéad, Ciaran, Eabha and Hannah Ryan first place in the competition

10 December 2015 LUCAN Gazette 11

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10 December 2015 lucan gazette 13

14 Gazette 10 December 2015

Gazette

diary dublinlife Oceans of fun at Imaginosity IRELAND’S only interactive children’s museum for those under nine years, Imaginosity, is gearing up for Santa’s Science Lab. The little ones can join the Imaginosity elves as they experiment and conjure up festive workshops in the lab in the Plaza in Sandycove.

Santa will visit Imaginosity on December 19 for one day only, to meet everyone and get his delivery list prepared.

Tickets are €4 in addition to Imaginosity standard admission rates, and each child will leave with a small gift following their chat with Santa. Tickets can be booked by calling 01-2176130.

Oceans of Fun with Imaginosity will take place on Sunday, December 20, in the National Maritime Museum of Ireland as part of this year’s

Dun Laoghaire Maritime Christmas Festival.

This interactive family experience will include craft-making, storytelling and lots of Christmassy science. Tickets are €5 on Eventbrite.

Having recently enjoyed a day out there, The Diary can highly recommend Imaginosity for a couple of hours of fun.

Guinness toasts its many fans THE Guinness Storehouse recently marked its 15th anniversary and celebrated the 14 million visitors from 25 countries it has welcomed in that time. The iconic St James’s Gate site first opened its doors to visitors in December 2000 following a €42m redevelopment of the 113year-old former fermentation plant.

Former US President Bill Clinton was the first in a long line of famous faces to visit the Storehouse in its inaugural year, other famous faces who have visited since include Queen Elizabeth II, Chris Rock, Will Ferrell, Susan Sarandon, Dermot O’Leary, Adam Sandler, Pink, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Conan O’Brien, The Coronas, The Script and Chris O’Dowd.

“Our first 15 years have been truly amazing with many highlights but winning the title of Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards in September is a particularly special one,” said managing director Paul Carty.

Christmas tree dilemma solved THE Christmas tree

Drummers Ronan Brady and Maire Dee get into the swing and are suspended in the pint-shaped centre of the seven-floor visitor attraction. Picture: Andres Poveda

conundrum of whether to go for a real, authentic tree with its beautiful scent and texture or invest in the convenience of an artificial tree that will last for many Christmases to come may

have been solved by the Garden House, Airfield Estate, Dundrum, which stocks a wide selection of both.

Bryan Maher, founder of The Garden House, says you cannot have enough lights on a Christmas tree. He makes a number of useful suggestions about how to dress your tree to best effect. In addition, he throws some light on the important issue of lights, again providing many useful tips on how best to use and maximise their effect, including the lights’ tone and those that can be timed to turn

on and off at a certain time each day.

For a more comprehensive insight into how to make the most of your Christmas tree this Christmas see www.thegardenhouse.ie or call The Garden House, Airfield Estate, Dundrum on 01 531 2010.

bus users get info for christmas IRELAND’S second National Workplace Radio station 103.2 Dublin City FM and Dublin Bus will work together in the run-up to Christmas to ensure commuters have service

updates about buses in the city. Chief inspectors from Dublin Bus will be located in the traffic control centre at Dublin City Council from where the Livedrive Programme is broadcast.

Mick Hanley, chief executive of Dublin City FM, said that while the station had been giving traffic commuters upto-the-minute information each day for over 10 years, this would be the first time information relevant to bus commuters will be broadcast, including the Nitelink services in the city.

10 December 2015 Gazette 15

Gazette

feature A DAY IN THE LIFE: Suzanne jackson likes to dine out with loved ones

A busy blogger who is always on the go  Keith Bellew

IRELAND’s leading fashion and beauty blogger Suzanne Jackson of So Sue Me is one busy woman.

From running her successful blog to starting her own beauty brand, r unning workshops, maintaining a large social media following and public appearances, Jackson somehow manages to squeeze it all in. The Gazette caught up with her to discuss what a day in her hectic life entails.

She has just returned from fundraising for charities close to her heart, Dogs Aid and Dogs Trust and says: “I’ve been raising money for this in the run-up to Christmas.

There are always a lot of unwanted dogs around this time so they need the extra support.”

As for a typical day in her life? Well, there isn’t one.

She usually starts each day the same way: “I get up in the morning and I always have breakfast, which gets me ready for the day and gives me energy. I work from home – I did have an office but I just felt that I was more productive at home.”

Jackson then sets about organising her emails: “I’ll sit down and spend about an hour on emails. I have a PA who goes through them for me and marks

important ones that I need to get back to. Then I will get myself ready and go about my day.

“Generally speaking, I could be going to an appearance so I’ve got to get full glam; I’ll do my hair and make-up and then travel to whatever event I’m appearing at.

“I’ll then usually spend about an hour there, just meeting with other guests or doing a talk depending on the type of event.”

The later part of the day usually sees Jackson attending another event.

“I would usually have a launch party to attend, like the launch of a new make-up palette for example, or a film premier.”

Last week, she was a judge at Ms Universe Ireland and before that she appeared as a guest host on TV3’s Xpose, which she loved even though it was somewhat nerve wracking to present one of the country’s most popular shows. “I was really nervous because it’s a show I’ve always watched, and I’ve always looked up to the girls there and admired it for years.”

Later in the day, Jackson blogs and manages her social media.

“When I come home in the evening, I blog. I’ll probably have my dinner around six and then blog from around seven till 11 at night. This involves

Fashion and beauty blogger Suzanne Jackson

scheduling Facebook posts for the next day and writing blog posts. Then I check my emails one more time and go to bed!”

She rarely gets a chance to switch off, especially with the number of social media followers she has, particularly on Snapchat

where she gets about 65,000 views a snap.

“It’s so immediate, it’s so interactive and it’s a more personal way to

connect with followers.”

She likes to unwind by eating out with her friends and family. Her favourite spots are Siam Thai in

Malahide and Blue Bar in Skerries. “I manage to fit it in, I have a very active lifestyle. I’m always out and about.”

Gazette

16 Gazette 10 December 2015

dublinlife

the big interview

donal skehan: perfects his recipe for success

A brilliant year ends with a fresh take on lifestyle  aisling kennedy

DONAL Skehan is, in many ways, not your stereotypical chef. He is, however, one who is ahead of the curve when it comes to bringing new ways of cooking to his fans.

He does this through his YouTube channel, which has amassed a quarter of a million subscribers in a few years.

He is also a TV chef, author and all-round hard worker who, in addition to travelling around Ireland and

abroad for work, married his Swedish sweetheart Sofie Larsson in June.

Skehan took time out this week to talk to the Gazette about how he maintains work-life balance, and how the first year of married life is going. “Married life is

great; it’s going really well. It’s our first Christmas together as a married couple, which will be great. I don’t think much has changed but it’s been really lovely and it’s a lovely time to kind of step back and look at the year we’ve had. It’s been a really brilliant year.

“We will be doing a Swedish Christmas this year. We do it year-on year-off, and so this year is Sophie’s year. They do a different type of Christmas dinner in Sweden because they celebrate Christmas on the evening of Decem- Enjoying the great outdoors at Howth with Max, Donal Skehan is planning to expand ber 24. They have pickled his career horizons in 2016 fish, Christmas ham and a kind of fishy potato dish; every weekend right from that we have such beauti- continues to be. It’s such we’re also going to do a the summer up until ful landscape on our door an amazing world though, traditional Irish Christmas Christmas. I was doing all step so I really enjoyed and we’ve just shot a dinner on Christmas Day sorts and not getting the that side of it...I’m not an documentary about the so I’ll get my Irish Christ- time to eat right or exer- extreme sports person Food Tube phenomenon mas dinner after all.” cise. I wasn’t getting the but I do exercise on a for RTE 2 as part of their Skehan admits that at time to stop and breathe regular basis now.”

Reality Bites series.” times he has pushed him- deeply. So the cookbook S ke h a n h a s a l s o His fame on the interself to the limits, and says came out of that. become a global internet net has led him to think this time last year life was “We looked at how sensation on his YouTube about capitalising on the not quite as calm as it is we could translate the channel, with over a quar- online market. “In Irenow. “At the end of last cookbook to TV, and ter of a million subscrib- land, there’s only about year, I came to a point that’s when we came up ers. Jamie Oliver signed a handful of us creating where I knew everything with idea of my TV pro- him up to his FoodTube content and making it a needed a bit of a shake gramme, Cook Eat Burn. channel, which is a first business online from a up. I knew I wasn’t eat- The interesting thing is for any Irish chef. Oliver YouTube perspective. ing the right foods and I how you match exercise has since praised SkeI don’t think Ireland wasn’t exercising prop- with food.” han’s strong work ethic has even got into that rouerly, and I think that was Cook Eat Burn, run- and ambition. tine of watching YouTube the catalyst for me.” ning as a six-part series on “I’m separate to Jamie’s the way the Americans This led him to take RTE, sees Skehan take on Food Tube now; because or the British would. It’s stock of his life and physical challenges such I’ve grow n so many sub- an interesting place to inspired his recently as mountain climbing, scribers we moved on by be, and we’re planning to released book, Fresh. kayaking and coasteer- ourselves. We were with move to LA to pursue a “Fresh is a cookbook ing, during which he got him for the last two years bit of the YouTube side that is all about healthy to see some of Ireland’s though and he’s been fan- of things in February for eating. Last year, I was most beautiful scenery. tastic to us. He’s been a a few months. So watch out working pretty much “We forget as Irish people really great support and this space!”

10 December 2015 Gazette 17

cinema P22

asdfsdaf P27 music P23

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

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style P18

Pets can you be cosmo’s whole universe?

Ballet Ireland lead dancers Kesi Olley-Dorey and James Loffler during final rehearsals for the much loved and witty ballet Coppelia Picture: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

opera: how one man’s solution to loneliness influenced others

It’s a doll’s life for Coppelia

 keith bellew news@gazettegroup.com

BALLET Ireland’s edgy new take on the 19th century comic ballet, Coppelia, will visit Draiocht, Blanchardstown, on December 18 as part of its national tour.

Coppelia tells the story of a dollmaker, who creates an incredibly lifelike doll to ease his loneliness.

The result is a doll so realistic that everyone who encounters her thinks she’s a living woman, and one unfortunate young man falls in love with her.

In this new production, the action takes place at a 1950s country fair, and Coppelia is the face of a cosmetics line.

Speaking to the Gazette, director Anne Maher says Ballet Ireland always attempts to give its own spin to any production, to make it easier for audiences to identify with.

She says the reasoning behind setting it in the 1950s was manifold.

One reason was that the feminist movement was very strong in the 1950s, and the heroine of the piece, Swanhilda, is “very much a feisty and independent woman so we thought that would be a great place to set her.

We were looking around for different ideas and this sort of jumped out”.

She says the idea worked really well.

“Musically, the theme is around some of the more traditional pieces of music in the original score; folk danc-

es like the mazurka or the csardas.

“Obviously, the large sections of the score have stayed in their original format, but then we’ve taken some parts and tinkered with them a little.

“Some of them are set in a more bluegrass style, and because those are originally folk tunes, they transcend beautifully into another kind of idiom.

“It worked fantastically well on a musical level and also stylistically, and then from the perspective of the actual libretto and storyline.”

She says the most challenging aspect of the show was not in the adaptation or the performance, but containing their ambitions for the show, so they do not exceed the budget “That would be the biggest thing.

We had such fine and fantastically creative collaborators working with us on the production, it was all about containing the amount of ambition that they had to manage as much as we could within the budget that we had,” she says.

The show has been on tour for a number of weeks now, performing at numerous venues throughout the country.

Maher says it has been very well received. The best part of it, is the audiences really seem to “get it”, she says.

Ballet Ireland’s Coppelia will visit Draiocht, Blanchardstown, on December 18 as part of its national tour. For more information visit www. draiocht.com

Dublin Gazette Newspapers has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Cosmo came to us as a puppy and has been in a home before but has struggled hugely with being left alone and his previous family just didn’t have the time to meet his needs.

His devoted team of carers at Dogs Trust have done so much to help him and now he’s ready to find a home to call his own. It’s all he’s ever wanted. If you live in an adult-only home with someone there the vast majority of the time, then Cosmo could be the most perfect companion for you.

He will need a little help to learn to settle in to a home again but when he does, you will see just how loving and wonderful he truly is.

If you think you can offer Cosmo a loving home, please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_ie.

OUT&ABOUT

STYLE

Littlewoods Spot mesh prom dress €35

Gazette

18 Gazette 10 December 2015

River Island Turquoise gem statement necklace €26

River Island Black bead embellished crop top €65

Debenhams and Shaws

A good foundation is the key to being well-put together Any good stylist worth her salt will say that good undergarments are the foundation to a well-put together look. Now that it’s party dress season, a great strapless bra is a must. Eve’s bra is a great solution to discrete dressing. The bra has been updated too. The new wing bra is under-wired for extra support and the adhesive wings are stronger, again for extra support.

While finding the right size bra is often half the battle, tricky necklines, plunging backs, falling straps, and poking underwires are just some of the problems every woman faces at one time or another Eve’s Silicone Bra is the perfect solution.

Comprising just cups, it’s a skin friendly selfadhesive silicone bra perfectly attachable to the skin. A strapless and backless bra only consisting of a couple of self-adhesive silicone bra cups. It’s perfect for wearing under any sheer clothing, with backless dresses, party dresses and low-cut necks. The adhesive is extremely strong and can be worn up to 200 times. The bra can be machine washed but it’s recommended to hand wash it for a longer life.

Eve’s Bra is available in Shaws and Debenhams nationwide and costs €29.95 . The new Eve’s Bra is in stores from December 1.

The

LBD  jessica maile

Littlewoods Fringe hem tunic €53

Eve’s Silicone Bra is €29.95 and available at

River Island Black suede lace-up heels €85

the little black dress. Simple and timeless and a staple of the holiday party season. Some say it’s the safe route but I say it can be original and, the best part, it usually can be worn year round.

Whether it’s sparkly, fringed, laced or just a simple mini dress, the sky is the limit here. You can always add a shot of colour with some bright heels or a quirky clutch.

Penneys Ruffle front sandal €19

Rochelle Humes Cape mini dress €80

Penneys Jump suit

10 December 2015 Gazette 19

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OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

BITESIZEDNEWS

These cupcakes will go down a treat

Enjoy tree-mendous Christmas cupcakes THIS week, we have a delicious (and very timely) recipe for Christmas Tree Cupcakes, which makes 10-12 cupcakes, topped off with buttercream. These cupcakes use that timeless Irish kitchen staple, Siucra sugar; for further information, see www.facebook. com/siucraireland, Instagram.com/SiucraIreland or www.siucra.ie. They’ll look great on any Christmas table – but they won’t stay there for long, once hungry eyes spot them!

Cupcakes Ingredients 125g Siucra light golden brown sugar 125g butter, at room temperature 2 medium free-range eggs 150g self-raising flour 3 tbsps milk 2 tsps vanilla extract Preparation • Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.

• Line a bun tin with 12 paper cases.

• Beat together the butter and Siucra light golden brown sugar until pale and fluffy.

• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

• Mix in the vanilla extract, flour and milk.

• Divide the mixture equally between the 12 cases.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, then cool on a wire rack before piping on the buttercream.

Buttercream Ingredients 450g Siucra icing sugar 225g butter, at room temperature 3 tspn vanilla extract Green food colouring Sugar decorations: silver balls, stars, circles Preparation • Beat the butter and Siucra icing sugar together. Add the vanilla extract and beat again. It takes a few minutes to turn into buttercream.

• Add the green food colouring gradually until you have the desired colour.

• Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.

• Pipe onto each cupcake, starting wide at the bottom and getting narrower as you go up. Try to do this in one movement.

• Place a star decoration on top and coloured sugar decorations or silver balls around the tree.

The Elephant’s Ear Fusion restaurant

Landscape Road, D14 Come to Churchtown create a comfortable

NEW restaurants are popping up all over Dublin lately, but they’re usually in the city centre.

For those of us who live and work in suburbia, it’s like manna from heaven when a new place opens its doors, especially if they are offering something exciting and that is on a par, if not surpasses, what you can get in the city centre.

That is the case with The Elephant’s Ear, in Churchtown. Strange name, I know, but nothing is strange about the food – exciting, inventive, colourful and downright tasty are just some of the adjectives that spring to mind.

Just above the Glenside Pub, this place has been given a complete overhaul and the soft, muted greys, along with the boothed seating and soft lighting, attribute to the relaxed atmosphere.

The maitre-d said they were still working on the music, which is a bit of a mishmash, but if this

and you could be singing the praises of The Elephant’s Ear, above the Glenside pub. Soft, muted tones space – all the better to leave you receptive to the dishes on offer, which certainly don’t disappoint.

The Picky Eater is the only thing they haven’t got right after five weeks in operation, then they are doing well.

And, when it comes to the food, they have got everything spot-on. They encourage sharing in this place, and with a selection of “naughty nibbles” or light bites on offer, as well as straight-up starters and mains, there is a big selection to choose from.

I would recommend you go for tapas-style dining, and choose from the many delicious small plates on offer.

Taste explosion The fish tacos (€7) were an absolute taste explosion in the mouth, with plenty of sprightly garnish and a dash of lime thrown in for good measure. This dish had us singing, and we couldn’t wait for what was to come.

Tuna nachos (€10) with seared tuna fish and plenty of guacamole, were equally as exciting, as

the tacos just came alive on the plate and on the tongue. A gorgonzola dip (€6) with toasted breads had us licking the last droplets from the bowl.

Next up were chicken flatbreads (€8), with chicken that felt like it was torn straight from a roasted bird, and came with plenty of peanuts and some satay sauce lashed on top.

My sister decided to try a larger plate, just to see what could be expected there, and in the name of research! She loved her pan-roasted rump of lamb with sumac and pomegranate molasses (€15), but in comparison to the smaller plates, there was none ...

A dessert combo gave us a sample of a delicious crumble with a crunchy and creamy honeycomb ice cream. A winter fruits jelly and ice ream combo was equally good.

The wine list is great too, featuring some adventurous new wines.

We chose a Spanish

The colourful dishes were great value, with a taste to match their attractive visuals. Picture: The Picky Eater

Rueda (€26).

All in all, this place was a joy from start to finish, with a great team of staff on the floor and in the

kitchen. They also offer brunch and lunch with much of the same menu on offer. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Conclusion AT LAST, someone has remembered the suburbs do exist, and The Elephant’s Ear (at 20 Landscape Road, Churchtown, Dublin 14; tel 089 608 0556) proves a delectable delight, thanks to decent dishes and excellent accompaniments.

10 December 2015 Gazette 21

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22 Gazette 10 December 2015

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

the night before: entertaining, but muddled

Not quite a turkey  dave phillips

IT IS that most wonderful time of the year, when Christmas begins to buoyantly creep into the movies.

On cinema screens around the world, films are being angled to become part of the festive pantheon. There is certainly no sense of subtlety in Jonathan Levine’s The Night Before.

Smash together The

H a n g ove r a n d B a d Santa, and you’ll have the strange sludge from which Levine has brought to life this full-blown, bad-taste Christmas monster.

Taking the tag-team of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, and pairing them with Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Winter Soldier), Levine sets out to tell a very X-rated Xmas adventure.

After the sudden death of Ethan’s (Gordon-Lev-

itt) parents over a decade ago, he and his two stoner high-school buddies have made a point of spending Christmas Eve together.

But, as they transition into different stages of their lives, they realise that the tradition of getting festively wasted must be broken.

Isaac (Rogen) is on the cusp of becoming a father, and Chris (Mackie) is hitting a new level of fame in his NFL career. Ethan, has

just ended a relationship and is struggling to find his place in the world.

The intensity of their last Christmas Eve together is ramped up when Betsy (Jillian Bell) gifts Isaac a smorgasbord of drugs and Isaac finds three tickets to the most exclusive party in town – the Nutcracka Ball ...

So begins the 100minute rollercoaster comedy that is The Night Before. It may be Christ-

These three buddies find their typical Christmas routines getting interrupted as real life and grown-up issues interrupt their usual slacker habits

mas Eve, but nothing is sacred here.

While it hits more often than it misses, you can’t escape the feeling that there is something lacking. While the script is highly improvised, it lacks that sense of genuine ban-

ter that typifies much of Rogen’s earlier work, and makes you wonder where James Franco was when they were casting leads.

For fans of Pineapple Express and Knocked Up schools of comedy, this one will be a hit. But

beyond that, will The Night Before earn a place amid the Christmas pantheon?

It seems very unlikely, but strange miracles have been known to happen around this time of year.

Verdict: 6/10

10 December 2015 Gazette 23

Gazette

MUSIC neil young: bluenote cafe

Take a trip through the archive to 1988  colm murray

Ellie Goulding uses big-name producers, including Max Martin on this album and has already announced a world tour to promote her latest offering to the dance scene.

Ellie Goulding: big guns hit marketing mark

Repetitive Delirium not very memorable  colm murray

WITH Delirium (Polydor/Warners), British singer Ellie Goulding has put together what is essentially a playlist of singles destined for frequent repeat on the radio and in the clubs, all with catchy rhythms and her this-can-onlybe-Ellie-Gouldingsinging distinctive vocal style.

She’s pulled out the big guns, working with big-name producers like Max Martin, and has already announced a world tour for the

album — there aren’t any ballads as such in the 16 tracks.

Overall, Delirium is a polished effort, if not a particularly memorable one.

I t i n c l u d e s L ove Me Like You Do, her smash hit from the Fifty Shades of Gray movie as well as the single currently getting airplay, On My Mind.

Other highlights are Keep On Dancin’ and Don’t Need Nobody.

I t g e t s r e p e t i t i ve , dance track after dance track, and lyrically it’s fairly bland — Love!

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

‘Part of the problem is the album’s length...it is almost an hour long in its shortest form’

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

Attraction! Ooh! But if you’re looking for something that will get you to move, this will do it.

It is unfortunate that Delirium cannot reach that level more consist-

ently.

Part of the problem is the album’s length: Delirium is almost an hour in its shortest form, and there are deluxe versions of the album that stretch out over 25 tracks.

Even appreciating Goulding’s prolific output, this suggests she likes these songs so much she can’t bear to let them go.

But pop is an ar t form that rewards concision, and this album’s stronger tracks get lost in clumps that do not connect.

FEW artists could keep us entertained with an ongoing series of live releases in an archives series.

Neil Young can.

Bluenote Cafe (Warner Brothers) is the latest in the series, which has released live albums every one or two years since 2006.

Containing seven unreleased songs, the 23-track double album was recorded in 1988 at a variety of venues with the Bluenote Cafe band.

Featuring a six-member horn section to play tracks from the 1988 studio album This Notes for You, which also used a horn section on the majority of the album.

Young has performed with a variety of bands throughout his career, from Buffalo Springfield, Booker T and the MGs (whom he brought to Slane in 1993), and Crazy Horse, who also feature.

Young toured in support of his 1988 album, This Note’s for You, the year it came out

Although he recorded each show, the footage has never been available — until now.

The albumn features favourites from this “funky and heartfelt” period of Young’s career, as well as previously unreleased tracks like Soul of a Woman, Bad News Comes to Town, Ain’t It the Truth, I’m Goin’, Crime of the Heart, Doghouse, Fool for Your Love and a 19-minute long rendition of Tonight’s the Night.

It is seriously strong with more than two hours of live tracks from what was possibly the funkiest period of Young’s career.

5sos: sounds good feels good

Album without gamble  colm murray

THE album sounds okay and feels exactly like what you’d expect from a band with the sole mission of delivering palatable rock songs to a global audience of teenage girls.

5 Seconds of Summer are not in a position to gamble away their fame by veering too far off course here.

The result is Sounds Good Feels Good (Capitol/Warners) , which has 17 tracks that push no musical boundaries and explore no topics so salacious as to deter fans of this generation’s Blink-182.

Permanent Vacation speaks to the underachiever in us all, but the track sounds like every song Green Day might have lef t on the cutting room floor because it was too soft around the edges.

Sounds Good Feels Good is obviously more pop than punk – the slick production is peppered with unnecessary vocal overdubs

and the album’s sof test ballad, San Francisco, sounds like One Direction.

Cynics will also sneer at some clunky lyrics – “I want to feel your love like the weather, all over me” they sing on Vapor.

But then again, there’s plenty here for the band’s teenage fans to relate to. Within the first four songs, 5SOS shout out underachievers, college dropouts and kids battling low self-esteem.

No fear, 5SOS will be there for you, just charming enough to deliver songs you’ll disavow liking as soon as you hit college!

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OUT&ABOUT Gazette

24 Gazette 10 December 2015

Shaws & Boyers Dice evening bag €25

10 December 2015 Gazette 25

Gazette

GIFT GUIDE

Guinot Complete radiance set €82.75

La Roche-Posay Christmas set €34.99

t €17.99

Ziaja Natural olive se

Thomas Sabo Eau de Karma gift set €54.95

Opportune Eau de toilette €26.46

Boo the ts Be Ball lle o set f €17 .50

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50

Perfect for THIS week, our gift guide has a strong focus on care and pampering. Whether you’re looking to help soothe skin that’s faced winter weather, ease feet into cosy footwear, or even to give a fun or useful helping hand in the kitchen, we have a wide range of gifts.

And, if pampering presents aren’t

Items not to scale

pampering quite your thing, we have a number of other items to consider, too.

Set sail for comfort with a Moomin cushion, give tums a treat with tasty chocolate, or get in touch with a loved one using their new phone!

Lindt Chocolate reindeer 100g €3.99

4 pers €9

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26 lucan gazette 10 December 2015

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28 gazette 10 December 2015

SPORT

FastSport St Pat’s make early signings for new term: ST PATRICK’S Athletic confirmed the signings of David Cawley from Sligo Rovers and Michael Barker from Bray Wanderers, while also the re-signing of goalkeeper Brendan Clarke this week.

Midfielder Cawley joins the Saints having won the League, FAI Cup and the Setanta Sports Cup at the Showgrounds.

Defender Barker, 22, joins the Inchicore side having played with Bohemians, UCD and Bray Wanderers where he made 32 appearances in the Premier Division last year.

The re-signing of Clarke means the Saints’ keeper is entering his 13th season with the club, having made 169 appearances to date between the posts. Clarke became the first ever Saints’ goalkeeper to be named the PFAI Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013, while he has also won the SSE Airtricity League, FAI Cup, EA Sports Cup and President’s Cup,

cricket: 2016 world cup place secured for irish women’s side

Delany’s runs key in T20 win  sport@dublingazette.com

THE Irish women’s cricket team, made up entirely of players currently with Dublin clubs, finished their T20 World Cup qualifiers with a flourish last Saturday as they saw off Bangladesh in the final in Thailand with a last-ball victory.

It was a game that had everything, ending with the umpires forced to adjudge on a “Mankad”style run-out off what would have been the final delivery with the scores tied and thunder and lightning rapidly closing in on the Terdthai Ground in Bangkok.

Salma Khatun sent down the 20th over for the Tigers with Ireland needing nine to win but

Leinster CC’s Laura Delany and YMCA’s Lucy O’Reilly managed to get eight runs from the first five balls to tie it up.

Khatun then attempted to run out Delany without delivering the last ball but, after much deliberation, the umpires ruled against the bowler’s appeal.

O’Reilly gleefully thumped the actual final delivery – a rank long hop – to the midwicket boundary to spark wild celebrations in the Irish camp.

It concluded a superb week for the side as they cruised to the showpiece World Cup finals in India which take place in 2016.

They swept past the Netherlands, China and Zimbabwe in the group phase before, crucially, beating

Scotland in the semi-final in what was a playoff for the World Cup. With that target assured, Ireland duly won the overall title. Having won the toss and opted to bowl against Bangladesh, Pembroke’s Ciara Metcalfe took wickets in successive balls to reduce the Asian side to 21-2.

A 74-run stand between Nigar Sultana and Rumana Ahmed then had Ireland very much on the back foot before Metcalfe again came to the rescue, dismissing the former for an impressive 41.

Bangladesh ended with a very competitive 105 for 3 from their allotted overs while for the fielding side, Metcalfe was the standout with 3-14.

Merrion’s Cecilia Joyce

The Irish women celebrate their final win over Bangladesh. Picture: Ian Jacobs/ICC

and YMCA’s Clare Shillington gave their side’s reply a solid start with 24 before Shillington was bowled by Ahmed for 12.

Three quick wickets fell to get Bangladesh back on top before a valuable stand between Laura Delany and Gaby Lewis edged the batting side into a good position.

A pair of run outs threatened to ruin their day. But Delany stood firm at the other end and was there unbeaten on 26 as the frenetic conclusion was played out

before a delighted Isobel Joyce was called forward to receive the trophy.

Speaking after the final, a delighted Ireland captain Isobel Joyce said: “It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so proud of my team for getting over the line in really tough conditions.

“Bangladesh are an excellent bowling team, especially Salma Khatun who was bowling the last over, who is so experienced and would back herself every time to keep any team under

eight runs.

“I’m really delighted for Laura Delany because she didn’t have it her own way during her innings, but she stuck in and was there to help the team and Lucy O’Reilly over the line.

“The team took it one ball at a time, which is important especially in Twenty20 rather than thinking about the whole match which can overwhelm you, because if we needed 12 or 13 runs off the last over it might have been too much.”

UCD hold edge over Clontarf for the Christmas break  sport@dublingazette.com

UCD have enjoyed a fine start to the season, reaching the head of UBL Division 1A

UCD will lead the pack going into the New Year following their 20-12 win over Old Belvedere in the ninth round of Ulster Bank League Division 1A. The Students had the benefit of a very strong wind at the Belfield Bowl and duly swept into a 15-0 interval lead. From a 5m scrum on the quarter hour, the ball was moved wide for winger Tom Fletcher to squeeze over in the left corner.

Leinster’s Ross Byrne missed the conversion and a tricky

penalty in the 33rd minute, but UCD enjoyed a productive spell approaching half-time. A lineout maul was finished off by former Ireland Under-20 prop Jeremy Loughman, and Byrne tagged on the conversion and a superb penalty from the 10m line.

Classy full-back Daniel Riordan threatened early on the resumption, yet UCD played well facing into the elements, with Byrne’s cross-field kick almost finding Hugo Keenan.

UCD were unable to capitalise on a yellow card for Belvo lock Jack Kelly and it was not until

the 63rd minute that flanker Peadar Timmins forced his way over following a succession of five-metre scrums.

College’s sixth league win looked assured, but Belvo bounced back with two closing tries - the ever-influential Riordan struck in superb fashion in the 74th minute and a prolonged spell of pressure yielded a score for Kelly. However, the latter conversion was missed

by Aidan Wynne, meaning they missed out on a losing bonus point. The teams meet again in the Leinster Senior League Cup

final in two weeks’ time.

UCD and Clontarf are locked together on 31 points at the top of the table, with an eight-point gap between them and third-placed Belvo. Tarf picked up only their second try-scoring bonus point of the campaign with a 39-25 victory over Garryowen.

The north Dubliners’ new allweather pitch showed its worth on a day when Storm Desmond claimed eight league fixtures, including two top flight games - Cork Constitution v Terenure College and Young Munster v Galwegians.

10 December 2015 gazette 29

Gazette

The swords are out as Rio Olympics near Elite level fencing came to Loughlinstown last week with 21 nations represented at the ninth Irish Open Championships and homegrown athletes are setting sights on the Olympics  james hendicott

sport@dublingazette.com

THE BATTLE for Olympic fencing qualification came to Ireland this weekend, as the ninth annual Open Fencing Championships saw fighters for 21 nations clash swords for a place at Rio 2016.

DLR Leisure Loughlinstown hosted the event, that included Ireland’s men’s senior team as well as a hefty influx of foreign fencing talent, and comes at a time when the sport appears to be on the up in Ireland.

Seventeen-year-old Anna Lee is fresh from a bronze medal at the senior Welsh Open in Cardiff, while teams of young Irish fencers have hit highs at cadet (under16) level over the last few months, dominating contests in Belfast and Marburg (Germany),

capturing four gold medals across a range of age categories at the latter event.

Locally, the sport is putting the parts in place to capitalise on recent young successes.

“We are beginning to see the blossoming of young talent at a junior (Under-20) and cadet (Under-17) level where young Irish fencers are in turn starting to make their mark abroad” explained Irish Fencing Federation (IFF) chairman, Philip Lee, reflecting on the results.

“Attracting these top athletes from abroad to compete here in Ireland is part of our strategy of raising our fencers’ level of competition.

“We are looking to encourage and develop our young athletes to one day compete at the highest international level and

I believe it’s working.”

The championships, which took place over the weekend of November 28-29, forms the latest part in a deliberate strategy from the sport’s national governing body to nurture young Irish talent and build a sustainable base for the sport in Ireland.

The governing body is keen to encourage plenty more to get on board, too, pointing to the array of physical benefits that come with battling it out in the sport.

“There are a myriad benefits to fencing from fitness and sporting standpoint,” Lee argues.

“Balance, power, anaerobic and aerobic fitness, but it also engages the grey matter through tactical and mental awareness.

All of that wrapped in the framework of respect and discipline coming from

Bas Vervuijlen, The Netherlands, right, in action against Mateusz Antkiewicz, Poland, during the Irish Open Fencing Championships final. Picture: Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

the great tradition in this Olympic sport.”

Most important, perhaps, Lee believes the sport is “great fun”.

Those thinking of involving their children in particular are encouraged to contact Olga Velma on info@pembrokefencing. com. Velma will shortly

Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy, Israel, New Zealand, Poland and Turkmenistan and a large contingent from Ireland competed in the world cup event this weekend.

While several fencers ranked within the top 50 in the world were includ-

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‘Anyone is beatable in this sport; on any given day you can get into the right space and take on anyone’ – Geoffrey Corcoran

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be opening a new club in Loughlinstown, at DLR. So what chance do Ireland’s young fencers have against the world’s best?

Speaking about the event, Geoffrey Corcoran, who at 21 has already competed at Junior World Championships, is not intimidated.

“Anyone is beatable in this sport,” Corcoran says.

“On any given day, if you can get yourself into the right space physically and mentally you can take on anyone. That’s a big part of why I love this sport”.

The hope is that enthusiasm can be passed down to the even younger generation of fencers who are looking to follow in his footsteps at World Championships and beyond.

Fencers from 21 nations including USA, Canada,

ed in the field and were amongst the favourites to take the much coveted international ranking points, the eventual winner was Bas Vervijlen, former World Championship bronze medallist. The man from the Netherlands edged out Mateusz Antkiewicz of Poland in a competitive final.

Along with the men’s Epee satellite World Cup event a further five weapons (men and women’s foil, sabre and epee) were contested in a packed weekend of fencing with over 150 competitors competing.

Just over 200 competitors are eventually expected to make their way to Rio, equally balanced across men and women, and featuring in 10 different events.

FastSport

Mini Max McGovern gets reward for super 2015 SANDYFORD’S Harry McGovern, 15, was presented with his trophy for winning the 2015 Mini-Max Karting Championship at the Motorsport Ireland Awards in Dublin last week following a superb year.

McGovern added the Motorsport Ireland title to the Munster Mini Max championship and the prestigious “O” Plate and “IRL” Plate championships he also won this year.

Having competed in 13 races in 2015, the Medical Banks sponsored driver never finished lower than third and scored an impressive six wins.

McGovern drives a Tonykart chassis, runs with the Brennan Tech team and is hugely appreciative of the support he has received from Noel Brennan and the rest of the team.

Despite being just 15, he is in his fifth season of karting. In 2012, he won the Most Improved Driver of the Year and, a year later in 2013, he won the Motorsport Ireland Cadet Championship. He then graduated to the faster Mini-Max class and in 2015, won both the C Plate.

Looking towards 2016, he will test a Ginetta Junior Ireland car over the winter with a view to possibly competing in that championship but is keen to consider other karting opportunities also.

The Motorsport Ireland Awards Ceremony is an annual event in Dublin’s city centre where the champions of all disciplines are honoured by the governing body.

This year’s event was held at the Double Tree Hilton hotel and Harry was presented with his award by Brian Kavanagh, chairman of the Motorsport Ireland Karting committee.

He was among a number of Dublin winners at the awards event. The award for the national Autocross Grass Surface Saloon Champion went to Ian O’Connell, also from Sandyford.

The Ivan Webb Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Irish Motorsport went to Frank O’Donoghue, from Clonsilla, who has been an integral part of the Irish motorsport community for many years.

Gazette

30 lucan gazette 10 December 2015

SPORT

FastSport

Liffey Celtics bow out at cup quarter-final stage COURTYARD Liffey Celtics bowed out of two national basketball cups at the quarter-final stage over the weekend as they fell 74-58 to Meteors in the women’s cup while their Under18 side lost 58-50 to Portlaoise.

In the former tie, a 28-point fourth quarter in Leixlip put Meteors through to the semifinals.

Mark Byrne’s hard working side were behind at the end of each of the first three quarters as Sorcha Tiernan and Suzanne Maguire turned in fine shooting performances for the home side.

Tiernan and Maguire scored 19 points each with Meagan Hoffman landing 11 points but they could not keep pace in the final quarter with a Meteors side led by Emily Leer and Meghan McGuinness.

At Under-18 level, Portlaoise Panthers made it through to the semi-finals after a 58-50 win over Liffey Celtics.

A half-time lead of 31-18 proved telling as Liffey Celtics looked to come back into the game in the second half. Sorcha Tiernan was scorer in chief for the Kildare side.

The Under-16 international was the top scorer for Celtics’ women’s Premier League side on Saturday night but was again on the losing side as Ireland teammate Claire Melia confirmed her status as the competition’s top scorer with 28 points.

soccer: westmanstown club build panel for 2016 challenge

The Garda AFC Major Sunday side

New faces galore for Garda  nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

THIS first season back in junior football has been a bit hit and miss so far for Garda AFC, but firstteam boss Noel Tallon is hoping the signing of several new recruits can reignite their promotion charge.

The Westmantown side’s latest outing in the LSL Major Sunday Division resulted in a 4-4 at Phoenix FC last Friday night. It is a game Tallon still cannot really believe they failed to win, which has been a recurring theme so far

this campaign.

But, the addition of Anthony T hompson, Philip Leddy, Gar y Cleary, Gavin McCormack, Ian Greene, Mark Carmody, Dan Murray and Davy Cullen to the first-team in the past week or so will have a positive effect on the squad according to the manager.

When he was manager at Liffey Valley, Tallon worked with the likes of Leddy, Cleary, McCormack and Carmody, as well as other members of the Garda squad which swapped the Valley for the Guards in

goal mile Harriers set to host annual Christmas event the Lucan Goal Mile, hosted by Lucan

Harrier and Athletic Club, will take place on Christmas morning from 10am to 12 noon.

The event will take place at the Lucan Harriers athletic track on the Newcastle Road with everyone welcome to run, jog or walk to support. For more information, contact Gerry Martin on 087 2132244 or areuactive@gmail.com, www.lucanharriers. com or www.goal.ie. Eamonn Coghlan is pictured promoting the national event.

pre-season.

Leddy was involved in Friday night’s game.

T h e S c r i b b l e s t ow n hosts went ahead after 30 seconds through a long-ball. David Morgan struck two first half goals either side of a TJ O’Brien effort and another Phoenix goal that saw the Guards go in 3-2 ahead at the break.

The hosts levelled from the spot early in the second half when Leddy hauled dow n a Phoenix man who probably should have been sent off for a foul on the new Garda man

just minutes earlier. A mistake from the visitors’ goalkeeper towards the end saw the Blanch boys go back in front but other debutant Murray got the eighth and final goal of the game to secure a draw.

Up n e x t f o r Ta l lon’s side is the visit of league leaders Enniskerry to Westmanstown on Friday night. They lost 6-3 in Wicklow earlier in the season in strange circumstances that saw the Lucan side start the game with just eight players due to late arrivals. The manager believes his new signings

can have an immediate positive impact, starting this weekend.

“We had Phil and Dan play last week and they looked settled in the squad already. Gavin and Ian have trained too in the last week and have played with some lads before. Mark’s a quality goalkeeper and Davy is a real tidy footballer.

“The additions have made competition for places the strongest they’ve been in years at this club and we would still be targeting promotion. We just need a win, one win and I think we can go on a run.”

10 December 2015 LUCAN gazette 31

Gazette

aussie visitors

Wanderers take on Sars in special challenge ties

Club Noticeboard lucan sarsfields

LUCAN Sarsfields played host to a special

visiting team from Australia last weekend as Wanderers AFL side played against the 12th Lock club’s Under-16 footballers last Friday and Saturday evening.

In total, the Australian outfit brought 34 players to Ireland to play in a couple of challenge matches which were played on the all-weather pitch amid very inclement weather conditions.

ON SATURDAY last, Storm Desmond,

many of our footballers made the

with all his wind, failed to stop the U-21

grade this week.

hurling championship semi-final game from proceeding at the 12th Lock.

The wind did make it a game of

2016.

two halves with Lucan 1-12 to 0-4 up

Testament to the work done on our

against Faughs at half time. Lucan

own pitches, they are still in great

just about held on playing into the

condition.

wind eventually winning out 1-14 to

Christmas Draw tickets are available from any club mentor or at the

2-10.

It will probably be into the New

camogie: st jude’s pair of late goals seals deal

All SDCC pitches will be closed from December 13 and re-open January 16,

club.

Year before they meet the winners

Lucan Sarsfields Leopardstown

of Craobh Ciaran and Finbar’s in the

Leaps is on Sunday, January 17. A

final.

four-course dinner followed by a

Minor camogie lost out in the cham-

superb day of national hunt racing

pionship final against St Jude’s and

will set the scene for a great day’s

Storm Desmond did cause the U-15

fun. For further details, contact Eoin

camogie game to be called off at the

on 086 2734114.

weekend in the Phoenix Park.

Every Wednesday at 8.30pm, set

On Friday and Saturday last, Lucan

dancing continues in the club, all wel-

U-16 footballers played host to visiting

come. Every Friday at 9pm sharp is

Wanderers AFL side from Australia.

the 25-card drive.

The 34 visiting players really did

The club shop is open on Thursdays

show their athletic prowess in three

from 7.30pm to 8.30pm and Saturdays

football matches played on a very

from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

windy all-weather pitch.

Lucan District Credit Union GAA

T h e 2 0 15 D u b l i n Bu s / He r a l d

Academy at Lucan Sarsfields: this

Dubs Stars hurling selection was

Saturday, it’s Christmas party time

announced last week and Lucan are

for academy players; there may even

well represented with Chris Crum-

be a special visitor.

mey, Johnny McCaffrey, Eoghan

There was no winner of this week’s

O’Conghaile and Kevin O’Reilly all mak-

€9,000 lotto draw; numbers were

ing the grade.

1, 7, 12 and 19. This week’s jackpot is

We look forward to seeing how

€9,500.

The Lucan Sarsfields minor camogie side

Lucan denied minor glory by late flourish

minor a camogie final St Jude’s 3-13 Lucan Sarsfields 1-10  sport@dublingazette.com

LUCAN Sarsfields missed out on the Minor A camogie championship to St Jude’s who became the first recipients of the Orla Quill Cup when they won out 3-13 to 1-10 in a superb final at Parnell’s.

It was the latest in a series of great games between the sides over the years, contesting league and championship finals with victory always in the balance.

This final would prove

no different with both sides giving up a great show for the crowd.

After 10 minutes, the sides were level on two points each before Lucan went in front when Aoife McKearney cleverly took advantage of a mix up in front of the Jude’s goalmouth and send the sliotar to the net.

Jude’s rose to the challenge, going on to outscore the Lucan girls six points to two for the remainder of the half to give them a slender 0-9 to 1-4 lead at half-time.

In reply, Lucan opened the second half with two quick points to leave the

sides level for the second time and it was very much game on. A point from Faye McCarthy and one from Caragh Dawson saw Jude’s eke out a slender lead once again.

But, on 15 minutes, McCarthy gave Jude’s that little bit of breathing space when, after a determined run, she palmed the ball to the net, giving Jude’s a fivepoint.

They were playing the better camogie at this stage and were finishing the stronger but there was still some 10 minutes of normal time

and probably plenty of added time due to injury to Lucan’s goalkeeper Amy Gorman.

The Terenure side, though, closed out any Lucan hope of a comeback when Caragh Dawson latched on to two clever passes.

She gave the goalie no chance as she superbly dispatched the sliotar to the back of the net on both occasions to secure the victory.

It meant her side were awarded the newly commissioned cup, named in memory of Orla Quill, a young Cuala player who died earlier in the year.

ST pat’s palmerstown THE lotto numbers for this week were

and 2008; just drop down and ask for

11, 19, 20 and 30, there was no winner

Conor or Emer.

so next week’s jackpot will be €6,600.

Any girls or ladies out there inter-

The draw takes place in the Palm-

ested in playing girls’/ladies’ football,

erstown House every Sunday night at

please contact the secretary by email

10pm and tickets cost €2. Thank you to

secretary.stpatrickspalmerstown.

all our sellers and to all that support

dublin@gaa.ie stating date of birth.

our lotto every week.

Congratulations to our minor cam-

Our senior hurling/camogie ses-

ogie team who had a great win on

sions will continue in Glenaulin on Fri-

Sunday by five points to win the shield

days from 7-8pm, weather permitting;

final, brilliant performance and well

it’s open to U-14 up to minor to improve

done to all involved.

their hurling/camogie skills with the senior hurlers taking the sessions.

The big man in red visited the children from the creche on Sunday in the

The U-9 camogie and girls football

clubhouse; a great time was had by all

training is on every Saturday morn-

the children and the adults, well done

ing at 10am; all welcome born in 2007

to all involved.



Got a story? we want to know!

Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3

or email sport@dublingazette.com

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

new recruits: Garda hoping that additions to LSL panel will improve club’s chances of promotion P30

december 10-16, 2015

dublin swords are out: Elite fencing comes to town as Rio hopes grow P29

McGregor’s judgement night arrives  nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

AT AROUND 5am on Sunday morning, the wait will finally be over for fight fans when Conor McGregor takes on Jose Aldo in the Octagon at UFC194.

A fight almost one year in the making, the world featherweight championship will be on the line at the MGM in Las Vegas and no doubt plenty of Lucan locals will stay-up to watch one of their own go to war in Nevada.

McGregor (18-2) goes into the bout holding the interim featherweight belt which he won by defeating Chad Mendes, who

stepped in for Aldo (25-1), when the Brazilian pulled out of their scheduled UFC 189 title fight.

Aldo will enter the Octagon holding his UFC Featherweight Championship belt that he’s held since 2010. After all is said and done however, only one man will leave as champion.

The ever-confident Lucan resident fails to even entertain the idea of him losing the fight. In an interview this week, the SBG fighter reacted to the question of “if” he’ll beat Aldo rather than “when” he beats Aldo up.

“What are you talking about?” he said. “I have beaten him already. He is dead. Look at his

body language. His body is weak and his mind is weaker.

“I can smell the lack of confidence. If the mind is not in it, the body won’t follow. He cannot beat me. He knows it. It’s why he went running last time.”

Following that, it was put to the 27-year-old that his opponent may be feeling a similar confidence.

“No way,” he reacted. “I can hear it in his voice; I can see it in his eyes, I know when a man is beaten, and he is beaten mentally.

“I am trying to be optimistic but I am never wrong, I always predict the outcome of my fights and I am never wrong.”

There is no doubt that Aldo will

put McGregor under more pressure than he’s ever experienced in the UFC. As fight night draws near, much debate has been had as to how the bout will play out, and the answer could ultimately be the deciding factor to who comes out on top.

Barring some surprising tactics from either man, it would be expected that McGregor will want to fight to happen standing upright, and if possible force Aldo towards the cage walls, in order to land fast strikes.

On the flip-side, the more-experienced Brazilian will look to keep the fight in the middle and try to force the Irishman to the ground.

Conor McGregor is hoping to bring home the world featherweight title on Sunday morning