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April 21, 2011
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Cricket: Swords CC open new facilty in Newbridge Park Page 40
Exclusive: Bernard Brogan talks ahead of the league final Page 37
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ................. 8-9 MOTORS ....................... 26 PROPERTY ................... 28 BUSINESS .....................31 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 32 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 34
Deputy fears Metro North U-turn Q MIMI MURRAY
THE Government may be squaring up for a U-turn on the Metro North project, Socialist TD Clare Daly claimed this week. Daly was speaking after the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, failed to give the goahead for enabling works necessary to progress the project. The Dublin North TD said it was essential that a co-ordinat-
ed response from the community now takes place to ensure the vitally needed transport project gets back on track. Meanwhile, the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) confirmed that the decision on whether or not Metro North will proceed will be taken after the completion of a comprehensive spending review, which is expected to be finalised in September. Full Story on Page 4
Honouring heroes: At club’s annual Awards’ Night bash JONATHON Reddington and Jenna Fennell enjoying themselves at the Fingallian’s GAA annual Awards Night, which was held recently. The couple were among a large group of stylish guests who enjoyed a fantastic
dinner and a special ceremony at the clubhouse in acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication at the club throughout the 2010 season. Full Gallery on Pages 8-9
2 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
RIDGEWOOD: GROUNDS
Council to take charge of pitches Q MIMI MURRAY swords@gazettegroup.com
FINGAL County Council and property group, MKN expect that the new sports pitches, including a fullsize GAA pitch and up to four juvenile pitches at the western side of Ridgewood, are to be taken into the council’s charge in the autumn of this year. Fianna Fail councillor, Darragh Butler has welcomed the news and is asking that these pitches be permanently allocated to St Finian’s GAA and River Valley Rangers FC as the two clubs that have served this area so well since the 1980s. Councillor Butler has stated that the full-size GAA pitch at this location must be permanently allocated to St Finian’s GAA, who are badly in need of additional playing fields. “Additional pitches for St Finian’s and River Valley Rangers at this location will be a great boost to these two great clubs and the local community. “MKN have confirmed that they recently engaged landscaping contractors to maintain the pitches during what they describe as their ‘bedding down’ phase which allows the pitches to grow and mature before they are used for sporting activities. “As part of the recently completed Fingal Development Plan, MKN have agreed to provide a dress-
ing room facility at this location before any further development takes place and Fingal County Council stated that, subject to the granting of planning permission, it is envisaged that development works will be carried out over the summer and the open space, pitches and dressing rooms will all be taken in charge in the autumn of this year.” Meanwhile, he said he will be working with the Planning Department to help ensure that the Holywell Outer Ring Road is finally completed as part of the proposed development of the Barrysparks Lands. --------------------------
‘Additional pitches for St Finian’s and River Valley Rangers at this location will be a great boost to these two great clubs and the local community’ --------------------------
“The completion of this outer ring road is a vital issue for Holywell residents and myself and I will continue to keep this issue to the top of my agenda until resolved,” he said.
EVENT New piece of living sculpture at Q MIMI MURRAY
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PLANS for a new piece of living sculpture at the Broadmeadow Estuary were unveiled to the members at a Fingal County Council meeting last week. The Hide Sculpture, which has been designed by local artist Garrett Phelan, is a unique, permanent sculpture that will predominantly act as a contemporary 21st Century sculpture, but will also ser vice the bird-watching community as a fully functioning bird hide. Independent Councillor, David O’Connor congratulated the council and the artist saying that they were not afraid to try out new things and that the finished piece would be fantastic for the community. The members agreed permission for the council to go ahead with the Part 11 which will advance the project to the next stage. The artist explained how the sculpture will be carefully cast in concrete, yet will maintain a characteristic wood finish in texture and colouring. It will feature a handcarved wooden interior, depicting various birds and bird-watching activities. It will be a significant work of art for Fingal and the greater national and international contemporary art world, he said. Ultimately the project is dedicated to the people of Fingal, in particular, those who have given of their time for the protection, preservation and conservation of the local environment. Phelan is an established artist, both nationally and internationally acclaimed. He has had work s h ow n i n t h e I r i s h Museum of Modern Art, the Hugh Lane and The Arts Council, and has also represented Ireland in major international art exhibitions, including 39th Basel Statements, Switzerland; European Bienni-
al 2005, San Sebastian; Auckland triennial, 2010. Phelan says the sculpture has been in development since 2007 and will highlight the presence and preservation of a variety of avian species in Fingal “The functional element of this sculpture is central to the concept. Principally it is to be interpreted as a functional monument to the Fingal Landscape, its citizens and their proximity to, and relationship with, the natural environment.” The piece will be situated on the Broadmeadows Estuary, and an environmental screening that was carried out supports the chosen site. T he findings were approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the site was selected in consultation with Fingal’s Birdwatch Ireland Branch. Birdwatch Ireland says it is in direct proximity to an important roosting site for migratory birds, giving maximum benefit for viewers wishing to experience the birds of the area. The Hide Sculpture is endorsed and fully supported by Birdwatch Ireland and the Fingal Branch of Birdwatch Ireland. The Fingal branch and the National Birdwatch Ireland Association will get the benefits of this project as it will assist in promoting the organisation and in increasing its volunteer/ member groups. In order to complete the piece, a protoype hide made of wood will be made by Garrett and a mould of each section of the hide will be made from the prototype by expert mould-makers, Shadow Creations Each mould will be cast by Fingal company, Techcrete, and adhere to technical specifications outlined by structural engineers, Sexton. The sculpture will be assembled on location during a non-roosting period and carefully considered aesthetics will integrate with the landscape, in keeping with
Plan for a ‘living’ sculpture comes out of hiding The Hide Sculpture will predominantly act as a contemporary 21st century sculpture,
An aerial shot of the location
other Fingal hides. It will be a durable and easily maintained structure, as in keeping with all hides, and there will be no plumbing or electricity. The sculpture will be available to all interested parties by appointment with the artist and will be available for use by existing and new
members of Birdwatch Ireland; local/national/ international visual arts community and for special educational visits. “We envisage T he Hide Sculpture to last for many years and to develop and exist as a major contributor to the wider community through the Arts
Department of Fingal County Council. “It will promote both Fingal as a place of ecological beauty, cultural innovation and ornithology,” he said. The uniqueness of this project will also see it included on international public art conferences and in the press.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 3
Broadmeadow Estuary unveiled at meeting
COUNCIL: APARTMENT BLOCKS
No redress for noise problem Q MIMI MURRAY
swords@gazettegroup.com
A selection of some of the birds that visitors will be but will also service the bird-watching community as a fully functioning bird hide
Examples of other similar bird-watching hides and artist’s impressions of what the hide will look like
able to se in the area
THERE is no redress or comeback for residents living in noisy apartment blocks, according to Labour Councillor, Tom Kelleher. Cllr Kelleher said that people are being blamed for making noise when they flush a toilet, have the telly on or bang a door in their own apartment, but that should not be the case, and people should be able to do all of these things without the noise travelling. He said it is possible to build schools not fit for purpose regarding noise insulation. He added that the standard of noise insulation is insufficient and that there is no regulation insisting on a minimum standard. His party colleague and area chairperson, Gerry McGuire, asked the council to explain whether developers are responsible for noise abatement measures in apartments in Swords. He also asked the manager to report on whether it is incumbent on the purchasers of upstairs accommodation to ensure that noise does not permeate to the ground floor premises via the flooring. The council said: “Part E of the Building Regulations provide for the insulation of building to limit the transfer of sound. The parties that design and construct a building are responsible for achieving compliance with the Building Regulations and the certificate of compliance in this respect is exchanged between the solicitors at the time of purchase. The method of achieving compliance is not prescriptive and noise-containment provisions may be utilised within the building lease. In this case, the management company is generally responsible for enforcing lease provisions.”
4 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
REPORT: RECONSTRUCTION TRANSPORT No green light for rail project enabling works
Works on damaged roads start ROAD reconstruction and strengthening has begun around parts of Swords after the harsh weather last winter caused significant damage to the Fingal roads. Labour Councillor, Tom Kelleher asked the council what work was being undertaken to re-instate the roads in the Swords/ Balbriggan area after the severe weather caused damage. In it’s report the council said: “Following the sever winter of 2010/2011 there was significant damage to the roads in the Fingal area. A programme of temporary pothole repair was put in place
to minimise further road damage and improve the conditions for road users. Some roads in the Balbriggan Swords area suffered severe road damage, particularly around the Oldtown area, and road reconstruction and road edge strengthening have already commenced. “A road reconstruction improvement grant for 2011 has been provided to FCC by the Department of Transport in order to fund the necessary road repair/ improvement works. In addition a road maintenance programme for road strengthening and permanent pothole repair has also commenced.”
Socialist TD Clare Daly, inset, is concerned over the future of the Metro North project
Metro North future remains unclear Q MIMI MURRAY
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THE Government may be squaring up for a U-turn on the Metro North project according to Socialist TD, Clare Daly. Deputy Daly was speaking after the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, failed to give the go-ahead for enabling works necessary to progress the project. “There has to be a coordinated response from the community now, not to let this happen,” outspoken Deputy Daly said this week. The Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) confirmed this week that the decision on whether or not Metro North will proceed will be taken after the comple-
tion of a comprehensive spending review which is expected to be finalised in September. This is following a meeting between the RPA and Minister forVaradkar, last Thursday, April 14. A spokesperson for the RPA said there were “meaningful discussions” about all RPA projects including Metro North. “The Minister confirmed that decisions on which transport projects would proceed would be taken after the completion of a comprehensive spending review. This is expected to be finalised in September. The RPA recognises and supports the need for the spending review in the current economic climate. In the meantime, RPA are con-
tinuing with the application for a railway order for a Metro North depot just south of the airport. This application will be lodged with An Bord Pleanala in the coming weeks.” However, Deputy Daly said she is not confident there will be a happy outcome to this. “In the context of everything this government has done, in terms of U-turns on election promises, I am not feeling any commitment on this project. “It has been brought to my attention from going in and out to the Dail from Swords every day how difficult it is and how badly public transport is needed in north Dublin. It is also a concrete way of getting employment.”
she said. Labour Councillor, Tom Kelleher agrees with Cllr Daly and says he is not confident that the project will go ahead. “I’m really worried but I suppose there is a glimmer of hope as the Minister has not made a final decision on it. “Presumably he is still reading into his brief but it is certainly a huge worry as there will be a huge consequence for development in Dublin North. Everyone is waiting for it to happen including the business community and there are organisations that are waiting to move out there once it is built,” he says. He also insists it is not going to cost the state that
much in terms of taxpayer’s money. “A lot of money is coming from private investment and the European Investment Bank. It has done its sums and it is a good idea as it will be paid off over a number of years. A PPP doesn’t expect a return on money in the next two to three years and will expect to make money in about 20 years.” When asked about comments from Michael O’Leary on Metro North in the past- that Metro North should not be built, Cllr Kelleher says: “I wouldn’t be listening to anything Michael O’Leary says and you can be sure that if he thinks there is something wrong with it, the thing is right.”
No playground in sight for Reamont REAMONT will not get a playground any time soon, it was revealed at a Fingal County Council meeting recently. Socialist Councillor, Eugene Coppinger asked the council to consider putting a playground or other amenity for children on the open space nearby. “No provision was made for a playground or other similar amenity during the planning and delivery of this estate. For a
number of years the council ran a very successful initiative for the introduction of playgrounds into existing residential areas. This programme has been completed and there are no current proposals to construct any more similar playgrounds at this time. When the initiative is restarted this location can be considered as a potential location for a small playground,” the council said. Meanwhile, Cllr Coppinger
also asked that the council would consider double yellow lines in Reamont in consultation with the residents, given the very narrow width of the roads. “Reamont is a small residential cul-de-sac with a narrow carriageway, low speeds, and no through traffic. There is also an on-street parking requirement within Reamont as off-street parking is limited to one car per household. Due to the width of the carriage-
way and limited width between some driveways the introduction of lining is impractical as it would prevent people from parking outside their residence. Furthermore it is the Traffic Sections policy not to provide internal lining in such locations, outside of pay and display zones, as the introduction of such lining throughout Fingal would present enforcement difficulties for An Garda Siochanna,” the council said.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 5
COUNCIL Restoration plans for arch
Swords Castle works to start in the summer Q MIMI MURRAY
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‘Ministerial approval for these works has been received, and arrangements are being made for archaeological oversight during preliminary enabling works’
WORK on the entrance arch of Swords Castle should commence this summer, Fingal County Council said last week. Fianna Fail councillor, Darragh Butler asked the council for an update on the restoration plans for the castle and the demolition of the remaining buildings.
Stabilisation The council said: “The next phase of restoration works at Swords Castle is the stabilisation of the entrance arch. “Ministerial approval for these works has been received and arrangements are being made for archaeological oversight during preliminary enabling works. “It is intended that works on the arch will commence over the summer. “During the works, access to the Castle Keep will be restricted to pedestrian access f r o m Swo r d s Tow n Park. The works are expected to be completed in an eight to 12-week period. “Ministerial approval has not been received for other works. There is no current proposal
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to seek permission for demolition works inside the castle.” Swords Castle, which is the former residence of the Archbishop of Dublin, was bought from the Cobbe family of Newbridge House in Donabate in 1985. After that, the county council commissioned a number of historical and archeological studies of the castle and its environs with a view to its restoration as a major cultural, educational and tourist centre, similar to Ardgillan and Malahide Castles. In March 1995, work commenced on the first phase of the scheme, including the restoration of the Constable’s Tower.
The works on the entrance arch is expected to take eight to 12 weeks
This was finished in 1998 and is currently open to the public, together with a restored section of the Castle wall. Located in the centre of Swords, the complex of buildings is in the form of a rough pentagon of 0.5 hectares and is enclosed by a perimeter wall of 305 metres. The site is far larger than the norm for an Irish castle and was constructed in a piecemeal fashion over a period of 400 years, commencing prior to 1200 AD, when John Comyn was appointed the first Norman Archbishop of Dublin, in succession to St Lawrence O’Toole. Parliaments are said to have been held in the Great Hall of the Castle.
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TEST: FLASH FLOOD
Training exercise MEMBERS of the public were treated to the sight of a major flood evacuation training exercise involving members of Dublin Fire Brigade, Civil Defence Volunteers, Coastguard crews and An Garda Siochana last Saturday. Crews attended the scenario-based exercise, the main objective of which was to rescue a number of people who were stranded as a result of a flash flood.
Procedures Crews tested water rescue and also river
search procedures, with an emphasis on general water safety and providing assistance to other rescue agencies. Briefing of crews and volunteers took place at 10am at Malahide RFC and the exercise took place at 11am, taking approximately one hour. For further information contact assistant chief Civil Defence Officer with responsibility for the Fingal Area, Bill Powderly. Bill can be contacted directly at bill.powderly@dublincity.ie or on 086 380 5197.
6 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
FastNews
SHOW-JUMPING Irish team win nations cup event
Tenders sought for roundabout TENDERS for the work of providing a roundabout at the Ward Cross have been received by Fingal County Council and are currently being evaluated. “On completion of this evaluation, the successful tenderer will be asked to submit insurances, etc, to enable the contract be awarded. “A commencement notice will issue shortly thereafter. The contract period has been estimated at six months,” the council said.
Council to promote events in Swords GIVEN the huge success of the St Patrick’s Day festival in Swords, the committee who organised the festival will continue to promote events in the town, Fingal County Council said this week. “In a new initiative to stimulate enthusiasm and excitement in Swords as the capital of Fingal, a group of people have come together to look at ways of involving the community of Swords more in activities around the town centre. The group to oversee the planning of these events is known as Swords Le Cheile. “Following on from the success of the St Patrick’s Day it is intended to continue to promote events in Swords,” Fingal County Council said.
Winning Irish Pony Showjumping Team: Tom Slattery (Chef d’Equipe); Eoin McMahon, Tom Foley, Roisin Kenny and Emma O’Dwyer
Local rider is strides ahead at competition Q MIMI MURRAY
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A NORTH Dublin rider was among a contingent of Irish pony showjumpers that represented Ireland at the recent i n t e r n a t i o n a l p o ny show-jumping competition in Fontainebleau, France. Matt Garrigan, from Swords, joined the rest of the Irish team at
one of the biggest pony shows on the international show-jumping circuit. Riders were selected to compete at the event following a trial process, held over a fiveweek period. O n S a t u r d ay, t h e Irish Pony Show-jumping team took top position on the winner’s podium when they won the Nations Cup, after
a thrilling jump-off for first place. This is the second year in a row that Ireland’s pony riders have won the French Nations Cup competition.
Win Saturday’s win was followed by two Grand Prix wins on Sunday, to complete an Irish whitewash at the French show.
From the 19 international classes that ran at the event, Irish riders were in the prize money in all classes. Outright wins in 12 of those 19 classes, meant Ireland’s pony riders dominated at the event. Dublin native, Matt, took two top-ten placings, before going on the win Sunday’s Grand Prix class on board Dr Spot.
Horse Sport Ireland chairman, Joe Walsh, said: “It is fantastic to see our young riders performing so well on the world stage. “Last weekend’s performance bode ver y well for the future of Irish showjumping.” Full results from Fontainebleau are available on the Horse Sport Ireland website – www. horsesportireland.ie
Casino night for Light of Maasai Q MIMI MURRAY
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A FUN casino night will be held in the Grand Hotel on April 30, in aid of the Light of Maasai and in memory of Martin Breen. Martin’s son Rory and the Malahide Lions Club decided to run the night in memory of Martin, who was a member of the Lions Club who sadly passed away in December. “He did a lot of charity work and he ran this event every year so we decided to run it in his memory this year. “It was an Irish girl who set up the Light of Massai about six years ago and she now lives
in Kenya helping build schools and wells. “We will have eight Black Jack tables on the night as well as two roulette tables. “It is a fun casino night with tickets costing just €20. At the beginning of the night you get a €1,000 note to spend. The winners from each table get a €100 hotel voucher. At the end they also go into a phone box that blows notes around and they play grab a grand. We are also going to run a raffle on the night and we have some great prizes,” Rory says. Prizes include a four ball for the K Club, a four ball for Druid’s Glen, a four ball for Sutton Golf Club, a €200 voucher for
Malahide Travel, a €300 voucher for Venture Photography, as well as 25 other prizes, ranging from Cruzzo’s vouchers to Carnegie Court Vouchers. “We have professional tables and croupiers but they will be making it more of a fun night than serious gambling. “Anyone can come along and we are looking for people to sponsor us for €100 table on the night.” The Light of Maasai was founded by a group of four people, three Maasai and one “musungu” or Irish NGO worker, Elaine Bannon. T he three Maasai men, Joseph Nkanoni Lempira, Elijah Kilempu Joseph and
Jonathon Kipanu Ole Nampa have been educated to secondary school level and some have had the opportunity to travel to countries in Europe. This gave them a unique insight into the problems to be faced in a changing world by the Maasai who predominately remain un-educated. They recognised the need to improve the standard of living of the Maasai people and the enormous difference being educated can make to a person’s life. This money will go towards helping the Massai do that. For tickets, contact Rory Breen on 086 8201737 or Tom Breen on 086 3557516.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 7
LOCATION Councillor suggests site for WWTP
Red Zone is ‘perfect’ place for wastewater treatment Q MIMI MURRAY swords@gazettegroup.com
THE Red Zone at Dublin airport should be looked at as an option for a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that will be built before 2020. Due to the smells emitted from such a plant, it should not be built anywhere near the population or on a coastal location, according to Cllr Peter Coyle. He says the Red Zone is the perfect location as there is no one living near it. “It could go on either side or the air por t, whichever is more suitable.” He said that a WWTP for London is located directly under the flight path at Heathrow, and Fingal should follow suit. He also said that if tertiary treatment, which is treatment that encompasses anything over and above secondary treatment, is carried out, then the water can be re-used for horticulture, or even as drinking water. A spokesperson for FCC said: “There are lots of different types of tertiary treatment and the benefits and usefulness of tertiary treat-
ment vary depending on specific circumstances. “The nature and level of treatment in the proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is proposed as part of the Greater Dublin Drainage, will be determined by a number of factors, including the effluent loading to the proposed plant, the effluent standards which must be achieved, the assimilation capacity of the receiving water and legislative and environmental requirements. As part of their evaluation, the consultants will examine the benefits and requirements of providing tertiary treatment. This will be fully examined as part of the environmental studies to commence later this year.” The overall time frame for the completion of the plant from planning to construction will take nine years. C o n s u l t a n t s h ave been appointed for preparation of the preliminar y repor t and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which will take the council up until 2013. Site selection will take place in 2012 while the submission of the EIS to An Bord Pleanala should happen in 2013.
The plant could be located either side of Dublin Airport according to Councillor Coyle
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‘There are lots of different types of tertiary treatment, and the benefits and usefulness of tertiary treatment vary depending on specific circumstances’ --------------------------------------------------------
Jacob Tobin has been appointed as Technical Consultants, while RPS is heading up Project Communications. During the planning stage, it will take 24
months to complete the EIS and there will be some public consultation on sites and routes before identifying the preferred site and pipeline route.
Council received 1,231 reports of illegal dumping in 2010 Q MIMI MURRAY swords@gazettegroup.com
A TOTAL of 1,231 reports of illegal dumping were received by Fingal County Council in the Balbriggan/Swords area in 2010. Labour Councillor Tom Kelleher asked the council what resources they have to deal with the issue which, he says, is on the increase. The council said the reports received ranged from witnesses reporting litter offences, such as cigarette butts being thrown
from a vehicle, to dog fouling, to reports of fly-tipping. “As the complaints are varied, it is not possible to extract exact details of dumping of household rubbish on roads and hedgerows. However, an examination of the complaints database indicated that an estimated 40% of all reports for the Balbriggan Swords area related to dumped material. “As a result of the changed economic situation the vehicle used to remove these items is now only on hire two days per week, which means there can be a delay of a
few days in removing them. “Unfortunately, it is not possible to compare the figures with those from 2009 figures as the information was not compiled on an area committee basis at that time. However, in 2010, there was an overall decrease by 517 in the total number of complaints received than those received in 2009. “Three of the six litter wardens are deployed in the Balbriggan/ Swords area. Where evidence can be obtained from dumped items, litter fines are issued,” the council said.
THEATRE
Faulty Towers show THE Faulty Towers Dining Experience is coming to the Carnegie Court Hotel this June. Manuel, Basil and the crew will serve customers with the worst bad manners and indigestion is warned as guests will be laughing so much. On the night guests will be treated to a predinner drinks reception, and the performers will mix with the guests before dinner. It has been described as the funniest show at the Edinburgh Festival and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Arts editor with the Sunday Express in England said: “I loved Fawlty Towers, the television series, but in many ways this live production is even better.” The show is on June 2, 3 and 4 and tickets are €45. Contact the Carnegie Court for tickets on 01 8404384.
8 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
EVENT Fingallians’ GAA Club hold their annual Awards’ Night
A salute to a great season INGALLIANS’ GAA Club held their annual Awards Night in the clubhouse at Lawless Memorial Park recently to salute the heroes and heroines after a superb season. Everyone was looking very stylish as they arrived to start the evening with a Bucks Fizz reception. A fantastic dinner was also enjoyed and then on to the awards themselves which saw Derry Murphy inducted into the hall of fame. Mick Kennedy, John Matthew Sheridan, Dan Davern, David Killeen, Aoife O’Reilly, Conor Corrigan, Niall Fagan, Joe McGlynn, Suzie Manton and Eoin Collins were all honoured on the night for their sterling efforts throughout the 2010 season.
F
Anthony Mongey, Elaine Mongey, Simone Walsh, Susan Walsh, Mary O’Neill and Paul O’Neill. Picture: Peter Doyle
Catherine Logan and Barry Mullane
Yvonne Hughes and Sandra O’Brien
Gavin Downey, Emma Conway, Barry Agar and Kathleen
Jackie Howard, Nicola McCormack, Sharon Groves and Yvonne
Begg
Campbell
Geraldine Murphy, Valerie Murphy, Breda McGuigan, Lauren Kelly, Anne Kelly and Barbara Galvin
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 9
to honour heroes and heroines of the 2010 GAA season
Sinead Finnegan, Catherine Keaney, Catherine Finnegan and Breda Morrissey
Joe Murphy with Debbie and Tony Gordon
Paul Gormley and Alan Hanrahan
Kerrie Daly, Emma Farrell and Michelle Ennis
Fergus McGuinness, Geraldine Finnegan, Stephanie
Quentin Snow, Suzanne Donlon, Breda Snow and Frank
Rickard, Nicola Radford and Paul Gormley
Donlon
Jonathan Reddington and Jenna Fennell
10 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
FastNews
APPEAL Cheerleaders boost in bid for 3T scanner
Michael’s growing into fundraising HARVEY Norman’s employee Michael Patton is feeling rather prickly at the moment. He is normally clean-shaven and rather spruce but is currently growing his hair and beard for charity. “I work for Harvey Norman and, this year, they had announced the ISPCC as their charity of choice. I saw this as a great opportunity to get involved and put myself forward for the fundraising coordinator for our head office in Swords. “I decided that as Lent was coming up to organise some sort of fundraiser, so I decided to grow my hair and beard from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday. This has been tough as usually I am clean-shaven and have my hair cut every three weeks, and comments from my work colleagues haven’t made it any easier. But it’s only a laugh and for a great cause.” Harvey Norman has so far raised €9,500 and Michael says they will continue to fundraise throughout the year. Michael will now get his hair cut on Easter Monday in the Grafton Barbers at 11am. To donate go to www.mycharity. ie/event/michael_pattons_event/
Appeal for safety over Easter break WITH the Easter and May Bank Holidays approaching, An Garda Siochana is strongly appealing to all road users to heed the warnings on road safety over the extended holiday period. Already in 2011, 61 people have died on Irish roads, an increase of six compared to the same period last year. Gardai all across Ireland will be mounting additional checkpoints over the course of the two weekends and in the intervening days. In the last two years 13 people were killed and 33 people were seriously injured on Irish roads over the Easter and May Bank Holiday period. Speaking at Garda Headquarters, John Twomey, assistant commissioner for Traffic, said: “Let’s keep our roads safe this Easter and May Bank Holiday. I am asking every person in Ireland that use the roads to make a commitment that they will do so safely and with care and consideration for the other people they meet along the way. Please take heed of the warnings from An Garda Siochana and our partners in the Road Safety Authority and Community Organisations. This carnage on our roads has to stop.” An Garda Siochana will be active over the forthcoming holiday period, with the objective of saving lives. In particular, gardai will focus on drivers driving under the influence, speeding and also those using hand-held mobile phones while driving. Recent research conducted by the Road Safety Authority has shown that close to half of all Irish motorists believe they can safely exceed the speed limit on national roads. Comfort with speeding is especially high in the commuter belt in counties surrounding Dublin. Driving under the influence of alcohol is considered the most dangerous behaviour, with 33 per cent of respondents placing it as the highest risk factor. Encouragingly, alcohol is especially seen as the key dangerous factor by those in their early 20s.
North Dublin Wildcats raised an amazing €1,500 to Cappagh Hospital
Wildcats’ efforts leave trust staff smiling Q MIMI MURRAY swords@gazettegroup.com
THE staff of Cappagh Hospital in Finglas got a surprise boost to their funds recently when representatives of the North Dublin Wildcats’ Cheerleading Squad dropped by. Cheerleaders from Swords and all over north Dublin raised sponsorship for their efforts in the Great Ireland Run and this went towards Cappagh Hospital’s 3T Scanner Appeal. Thanks to the support of their family and friends, the All-Ireland Champions raised an amazing €1,500, and proudly presented their cheque, Wildcats’ style, to Cappagh recently. Their contribution will go directly towards funding the €2.3m cost of the new scanner. The first of its kind in any public hospital in the country, the powerful Philips Achieva 3Tesla MRI machine with Multi Transmit, is designed to overcome some of the fundamental challenges of MR Imaging. By advancing the previously available technology, the 3T will provide
optimal image quality to doctors, improving diagnosis and providing patients with better outcomes. The significant time improvement will also provide Cappagh with more time to help patients. More patients will be seen in the same amount of time, improving the overall diagnostic capability of the hospital. With this new machine, Cappagh Hospital can see more patients, doctors can see more in the images that it provides to better help these patients, and the patients themselves will have a better experience with greater comfort throughout. The comfort of patients undergoing MRI examination is of paramount importance to the Hospital, in particular children and special needs patients, both of whom can be understandably frightened and overwhelmed by this necessary procedure. The new 3T provides a 40% faster scanning speed, significantly reducing the time children spend in the scanner itself. Ambient lighting in the consultation room
has the added bonus of allowing the children to undergo examination in a calming, relaxing and reassuring environment. Cappagh Hospital Trust, the charitable arm of the hospital, was given the task of raising the funds required to purchase a new, state-ofthe-art scanner for the hospital, a huge undertaking given the substantial €2.3m price tag that comes with such a superb machine. Armed with the support of the hospital’s patients and friends, and groups such as the North Dublin Wildcats’ Cheerleading Squad, the Trust has already raised substantial funding towards the scanner and will continue to campaign tirelessly to provide the balance of funds required to complete the purchase, a task that cannot not be fulfilled without the continued support of the hospital’s loyal supporters. Cappagh Hospital says it is delighted to have the support of the north Dublin Wildcats and congratulates them on their outstanding achievement. They also wish them every success in their forthcoming national and international competitions.
The cheerleading squad raised sponsorship for their efforts in the Great Ireland Run
21 April 2011 GAZETTE 11
12 GAZETTE 21 April 2011
CHARITY: PERSONAL INSTRUCTOR TAKES PART IN LOOK WHO’S COOKING
Trainer to cook meal fit to raise charity cash A CASTLEKNOCK personal trainer is swapping his sweats for a chef’s attire, when he takes part in Look who is Cooking’ fundraising night at Wright’s Anglers Rest in aid of Concern’s Climb Kilimanjaro Challenge. Michal Rupinski, from Poland, but living in Castleknock, is preparing to take on the Kilimanjaro Challenge 2011. Michal has lived in Ireland for the last six years and has worked as a personal trainer in Educogym, Castleknock, helping hundreds of people transform their shape and change their health and wellbeing. The adventure-seeker heard about a group of people hiking in the Wicklow Mountains in preparation for a Kilimanjaro climb and he couldn’t resist joining the challenge. Killimanjaro Challenge 2011 is a challenge event organised by Action Challenge from the UK for a group of people who will be raising funds for Concern Worldwide. The group will leave Ireland on June 23 this year and should reach the summit on June 29, after a five-day trek. “I only signed up for the challenge in January this year and, thanks to huge support of people that I know, I have already raised over €3,500 through different events like cake sales, school talks and others. Literally everybody I was talking to offered support in one way or another, and I want to thank them all,” Michal said. Two schools played huge role in his fundraising campaign. St Benedict’s school in Ongar has organised a non-uniform day and Michal was invited to give a talk to 377 children and showed
them some of the equipment he is going to need for the climb. In the same week, St Bridget’s School in Glasnevin had a cake sale day, and Michal visited the school a few days later to show the children a short movie about Kilimanjaro. Now Michal has teamed up with Theresa Rocca, who has organised many fundraising events in the area, to host have a Look Who’s Cooking night at Anglers Rest-Wright’s Venue, Chapelizod, which was voted the best seafood bar and restaurant 2010 in Ireland, on April 28. Entertainment
The price for the tickets is €60 and will include a three-course menu, with wine tasting, chosen and cooked by Michal and entertainment by Robert O’Connor, a local talented musician who will be performing songs from his new album. There will be an opportunity to hear a speaker from Concern talking about the charity’s work in Tanzania, and the highlight of the night will be a raffle in which some amazing prizes can be won. Tickets are available online at www.theanglersrest.ie or in Educogym Castleknock. All proceeds go to Concern. Amongst the businesses that offered support is the fast-growing personal training studio, Educogym, Castleknock,where Michal and his colleagues have trained and advised hundreds of people on proper training and nutrition. Michal says: “If I wasn’t working in Educogym, it would be extremely difficult for me to raise funds because it was my clients who gave the most support to my fundraising campaign.”
TRIATHLON Focus Ireland aims to raise over
Sign up and start training for top charity Q STAFF REPORTER
news@gazettegroup.com
CAROLINE Morahan and David McSavage got geared up last week to encourage new and experienced triathletes to sign up and start training for this year’s Focus Ireland Fundraising Triathlon. The event aims to raise over €100,000 in vital funds to help the charity continue its work to combat and prevent homelessness in Ireland. This year is the seventh annual Focus Ireland Triathlon which takes place on Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin’s Southside on Sunday, July 31. The event has raised over €490,000 since it was first held back in 2005. The €100,000 Focus Ireland hopes to raise through the event this year is urgently needed to fund its work supporting over 5,500
people through its homeless services each year. Focus Ireland Celebrity Ambassador, Caroline Morahan, who has been supporting the charity for a number of years said: “Focus Ireland desperately needs to raise the vital funds through their Fundraising Triathlon to support the demand for their services across the country. There are many many people out there who have recently lost their job, have had their income reduced and have been struggling to pay their mortgage or rent. “I have heard from Focus Ireland staff on the ground that many people at risk of losing their home are now coming to the charity for help, and Focus Ireland has been doing fantastic work to prevent many of these individuals and families from becoming homeless.
Caroline Morahan and David McSavage are encouraging new and experienced
Without funding, Focus Ireland would not be in a position to provide this much-needed support. Taking part in this triathlon is a fun and rewarding way to reach out a hand to help.” Latest estimates show in the region of 120,000 households on social housing waiting lists nationwide and, earlier this year, the charity carried out an Ipsos MRBI poll which found that nearly one in ten people believe they will become homeless. Focus Ireland works directly with people who are at risk of becoming homeless to prevent them from losing their home. The charity also
works through its services to support people who are currently homeless to help them get back on their feet and in to a home - with support if required - so they don’t run the risk of becoming homeless again in the future. C o m e d i a n , D av i d McSavage said: “I would urge ever yone, from beginner to experienced triathletes, to sign up and get training for this fun event. The event attracts many triathletes every year but I would also encourage newcomers to this type of event to give it a go. What a massive achievement it would be to complete this challenge for the first time, but also to play your part in raising these vital funds and making a difference.” The Focus Ireland Fundraising Triathlon can be completed by anyone over the age of 18, from first-timers to experienced triathletes. The event consists of a 750m, or 350m, swim in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, a 20km cycle on closed roads and a 5km run along the East Pier. Teams of three can also
take part in the event with one team member completing the swim, one the cycle and one the run. Focus Ireland needs 500 people to take part this year. Race entry fee is €80 for an individual and €240 for a team of three. Focus Ireland will provide participants with a fundraising pack and online fundraising tools to help them raise whatever they can beyond the registration fee. How much each person decides to fundraise is up to them, but a suggested amount is €150 per individual and €300 per team. Focus Ireland said that they are grateful for all sponsorship, no matter how little or large, and their events team will be on hand to help with fundraising. The Focus Ireland Fundraising Triathlon is sponsored by Dublin’s Q102 and supported by Dun Laoghaire Harbour, DLR Council, DLR Sports Partnership, Dun Laoghaire Tourism and the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. Registration is now open on line at www. focusireland.ie
21 April 2011 GAZETTE 13
€100,000 in vital funds to help continue its work
triathletes to sign up and start training for this year’s Focus Ireland Fundraising Triathlon which is a fun way to lending a helping hand for a great cause
THEATRE
Story of love and betrayal A CAST of great actors, including Dave Duffy from Fair City, star in Spanish poet Lorca’s Blood Wedding, showing in the Project Arts Centre at the moment. Set in1928 in the Spanish province of Almeria, a young bride abandons her husband-to-be on the morning of her wedding to elope with her childhood sweetheart. With the town up in arms, the young lovers are hunted down with terrifying consequences. Directed by Ronnie McCann, this is a true story set to an original score, with a cast of over 20 actors. Running up to April 30, Blood Wedding is a meaty story including love, betrayal, marriage, affairs, murder and plenty of action. It is showing in the Projects Art Centre and tickets cost just €15. Phone 01 8819613 for tickets.
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GazettePETS PETS
Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA
THE FACTS: THINK TWICE ABOUT PURCHASING A FURRY/FEATHERY EASTER GIFT
Novelty pets are a costly mistake HE Easter season brings about consumerism in abundance, with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, desperate to find that something different for little relatives. Now, we all know that most kids probably already have way too much stuff, but the good weather somehow dic-
T Consider all of the facts, figures and care that goes with owning a pet
tates that we need more. Ah sure, they can just discard the old stuff they got at Christmas and if that old stuff is a pet, ie a dog that gets too big, a rabbit that gets too messy, a chick that gets too noisy, then sure everyone knows there’s always the good old Dublin SPCA animal shelter where they can show up and discard their unwanted, unloved animal.Right? Yes, you read it correctly, some people actually believe an animal is a disposable commodity that they can purchase and then dump at a shelter, when and where they darn well choose. Wrong! That is why, this week, I’m going to appeal to readers not to get live chicks and rabbits for their kiddies as Easter gifts. If you wish to get that special little munchkin in your life an innovative gift that doesn’t involve chocolate, then great. But do not give an animal. Yes, I know, you had great intentions when you purchased that furry/ feathery little cutie, but you didn’t take into consideration all the facts, figures and care that goes with it, did you? Let’s face it, young and adorable though chicks and bunnies may be, they rapidly mature into adult pets and sometimes parents don’t realise the commitment required
to take care of them. I mean, we’re talking lifelong care and attention here. These animals have very specific needs, and cannot be relegated to a little cardboard box or hutch at the bottom of the garden and left to their own devices. Novelty pets
Did you know that last Easter the Dublin SPCA received a large number of calls concerning unwanted so-called “novelty pets”, because irresponsible parents/ aunts/grandparents etc., had given them to children, who quickly lost interest or were incapable of caring for their needs? This forced me to wonder if some people, wrongly and inhumanely, regard these creatures as throwaway pets. You see, as an animallover, I consider my dogs members of my family, and continuously struggle to comprehend why some people contribute to a culture that views them as disposable, easily replaceable items. I would like to believe that the majority of pets are sheltered, loved, cherished and protected. Unfortunately, the fact we rescued over 4,400 animals last year tells me that many pets are facing a harsh, cruel existence – confused because the humans they loved and adored have now aban-
doned them, and they don’t understand what it is they did wrong. Yes, appallingly, some of these animals have even been released into the wild resulting in their deaths from starvation, exposure or predation by other animals. If you are thinking of bringing a pet into your home this Easter, then please, I urge you to first do an assessment. Make sure your family has the means and the ability to take care of this animal. Consider your lifestyle – ask yourself if you’re fully committed to taking on an animal that will live for up to 15 years, possibly more. Talk to us at the Dublin SPCA and let us equip you with specific knowledge and information regarding such a pet, or speak to your local veterinarian. Bleak
Please don’t get an animal if all you can offer him is a bleak future being treated like a piece of unwanted rubbish. I mean, do you want to be the one who breaks the news to your little darling that her pet rabbit/chick has been callously discarded because you, the parent, made a bad decision? PS! If you’re stuck for an Easter gift idea and want to support the work we do here at Ireland’s oldest and largest animal rescue shelter, then why not sponsor a pet in your child’s name from The Dublin SPCA. Now, there’s an innovative, humane and compassionate gift! For more information, log onto www.dspca.ie or email me at miriam.kerins@dspca.ie
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THEATRE Amusing take on city’s Northside/Southside Divide
A tale of 13,000 taxis, 3 scousers and a city divided Q LAURA WEBB news@gazettegroup.com
THE Northside-Southside divide is about to explode, with new comedy theatre getting ready to blow audiences away with its humorous take on Dublin’s divide in Blow up the Liffey Bridges, starring Fade Street’s Vogue Williams in her theatre debut. The tale of 13,000 taxis, three scousers and a city divided comes from the producers of the smashhit, One Night in Istanbul. The amusing take on Dublin’s Nor thsideSouthside divide stars Vogue Williams (Fade Street) in her first theatre role. She debuts along-
side Hollyoaks’ heartthrob, Kent Riley, and Emmet Kirwan, of RTE’s Sarah and Steve, in the show that sees a battle between rival taxi firms, one northside and one southside, declare war on each other. Cup of tea
Speaking to the Gazette this week, Vogue says the hilarious show is not only reaching out to avid theatre-goers, but also those who may not think theatre is their cup of tea will really enjoy the show. “When I saw the script, I thought it was so funny. I read it again last night and there are so many mentions of people in the public eye over here,
it is actually hilarious. That is what I love about it, people who are avid theatre-goers, will love the comedy. “I know all my friends are going to love it and it is something that, if I wasn’t in it, I would definitely come and see it myself. It is reaching out to normal theatre goers, but also to others who might not think the theatre is for them; this is just for everyone. “I play Molly Carol, a taxi cab owner. She is a little bit snobby. She is from the Southside, midthirties, a bit snobby and into the men as well. She wants to basically take over Dublin – and why not?” she laughed. With the show being
Model and Actress Vogue Williams, Actor Emmet Kirwan and Actress Cora Fenton pictured on the Samuel Beckett Bridge over the Liffey Dublin
her first starring role in theatre, the 23-year-old is naturally “a little nervous” but “excited” at the same time about her new venture. A DJ, model, star of reality TV show, Fade Street, and now theatre actress, there seems to be no stopping the young starlet. But, for Vogue, there is no one job she
would like to stick to. “I love everything in their own right. Modelling has a shelf-life but, with acting and DJing, it doesn’t have a shelf life, but I couldn’t choose one if I had to. I am so lucky that I get to do them all.” Proud to be a Northsider herself, Vogue said that being from Howth is
a little “northside/southside”. Asked if she had any regrets starring in reality TV show Fade Street, Ireland’s answer to American hit docu-drama show, The Hills, she said: “I don’t regret it at all. It was just great and it led onto me doing this play, so I am delighted I did
it.” Blow up the Liffey Bridges is showing at the Grand Canal Theatre, Docklands, Dublin 2 from May 16 until Saturday, May 21. Tickets are on-sale now through Ticketmaster.ie Log onto www.grandcanaltheatre.ie for further info.
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SNAPSHOT The stories of the day GAZETTE COMMENT
Now get your Gazette online
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HE GAZET TE has always been proud to bring the best in local news, sports, features and pictures to the community for over seven years. Week after week, we strive to bring relevent, exciting coverage in a format that appeals to our readers every time they pick up their weekly copy from a local self-select point. This week, the Gazette is excited to announce that our website, having gone through an amazing transformation, is now live and ready for our loyal readers to enjoy. The new, and vastly improved, site offers our printed edition online, with full and complete access to a digital version of the paper every Thursday. There is no charge for this service, no registration, no subscription - just the complete Gazette newspaper in digital form for your enjoyment. Speaking about the launch of the site, the Gazette Group’s webmaster and sports editor, Rob Heigh, was delighted with the achievement. “This is the next stage in the evolution of Gazette Group Newspapers. Having just celebrated our seventh anniversary, the time is right to enhance our online presence and give our readers a new experience of reading and interacting with the Gazette,” Rob said. “All of the major stories from each
edition will be available to read online, and special digital editions of the paper will let people have the full Gazette experience through their browsers. “Using Facebook and Twitter will give us a new way of communicating with suburban Dublin. “We want to create a new and dynamic dialogue with our readers. “We’re really looking forward to hearing directly about local issues and successes, and we will tell the rest of the community, and the city, about them, faster and better than any other local newspaper. “I’d like to invite everyone to log on, bookmark the home page, and follow us into the future,” he said. This really does mark a milestone for the Gazette Group of newspapers. Following the recent release of the Audit Bureau of Circulation figures that have shown our performance tops any other local Dublin newspaper group, we can now say that our complete offering is now unsurpassed in the market. Through our printed edition, our online paper, and the social media that we are embracing, we can reach our readers more directly than ever before. We hope that you enjoy this development as much as we enjoy bringing it to you.
Gazette Group Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the Blanchardstown Gazette, Castleknock Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette, Malahide Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.
Top prize for hot idea Pictured at the annual Student Synergy Awards in ITT Dublin, are Pat McLaughlin (ITT Dublin President), James Tucker, Bernard Lawless and Michael Carmody of Ultra-Therm, and Loman O’Byrne (CEO South Dublin County Enterprise Board). Ultra-therm were the first prize winners of the competition that encourages full-time students to develop innovative business ideas for new products or services. Ultra-therm is a system that regulates energy usage in domestic heating by using a series of sensors operated by a main control panel. Ultra-therm will minimize fuel bills, energy consumption and benefit the environment.
Voting for heroes in their hundreds A CAMPAIGN to give Unsung Heroes a chance to shine for the work they contribute to the community is getting a terrific response just weeks after it was launched. Blanchardstown and Finglas Ford came up with a community initiative that not only recognises outstanding citizens for their work, but also gives donations to charities of their choice. The Dublin company is hoping to raise €150,000 for different community groups and charities in a campaign, with 40% of money raised going to the D15 St. Francis Hospice. So far, eight candidates from across north Dublin have been entered into the campaign, including Dr. Danny Bell, founder of Friendly Call Service D15; The Leaders of the 104/144th Blanchardstown Scout Group; GAA star Paddy Christie; Ellen Gogavin, operational bed manager at Connolly Hospital and president of Dunboyne/K ilbride SVP; Mick Lynch, founder of Castleknock GAA club; Valerie Murphy, scout leader for East Finglas Scouts; Margaret O’Donnell of WFTA; and Fr. Dan Joe O’Mahony for his work with the St. Francis Hospice in Blan-
DIARY chardstown. Hundreds of votes have been received, and the leader board at the start of the week scored Ellen Cogavin in first place with 29%; Margaret O’Donnell with 24% and the 104/144th Blanchardstown Scouts securing 22% so far. However, the number of nominated candidates is continuing to rise and the organisers behind the campaign say heroes entered in the campaign could rise to about 40 as the closing date for entering an Unsung Hero is not until April 22, when the full list of Heroes entered will be announced. Delighted with the response, managing director at Ford Finglas, Enda O’Connor, said: “There has been a very generous response from corporate companies regarding donations to the campaign. People can still enter their nominees and they are put up on the website as soon as we get the nominee.” To cast your vote for your favourite unsung hero, or to enter a candidate, log onto www. unsunghero.ie. The top ten heroes go on to the final on May 20.
Barry’s more app-ealling BARRY’S Tea has recently launched an iPhone App that allows the user to send personalised postcards around the world. Tea fans capture their golden moment using their iPhone camera, and Barry’s Tea does the rest – producing tailor-made postcards, complete with personalised notes, and posting it to friends and family. Anyone in need of some cha can even find their nearest cup of Barry’s by using the Fancy A Cup Google Map feature. To download the app, go to the iTunes App store, Like Barry’s Tea on Facebook www.facebook.com/barrystea or www.twitter.com/barrysteatweets
Last call... PETMANIA are reminding dogs and their owners that the National Dog Walk 2011 will take place on Easter Monday at 2pm, raising vital funds for the Carers Association of Ireland. Registration is just €5 for an individual (plus dog) or €10 for a family. To register, visit www.nationaldogwalk.ie or drop into any Petmania store or Carers Association office.
G A Z E T T E G R O U P N E W S P A P E R S
EASTER 2011
where2shop Your guide to
Easter ‘tweets’: Egg-citing and egg-straordinary gifts at M&S Page 28
the best local Easter shopping in Dublin
Doing it yourself:
There’s a host of handy Style: It’s a fashion fest growing help and DIY for all in Blanchardstown demos with B&Q Page 22
Page 20
18 GAZETTE 21 April 2011
where2shop l BI RTH DAY l
l THIS SE ASON’S ST YLE STATEMENTS l
Dundrum Town Centre
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From retro chic to the classic cuts
Over 100 million customers flock to Town Centre DUNDRUM Town Centre opened its doors six years ago and since then, over 100 million customers have visited the Centre, and over 35 national and international awards have been won by Ireland’s biggest shopping centre. In the past 12 months the Centre has seen 12 new openings, including Inglot, Pink, Fast-Fix, Paddy Power, Bella Baby, The Star Newspaper, Early Learning Centre, Cortina’s Mexican Restaurant, Teddy’s Ice Cream and Grill, China Buffet King, Out of the Blue Interiors and The Port House. Wagamama – the renowned noodle chain, a firm favourite with Leinster rugby players, opens its doors for business in the coming weeks and one of the world’s best-known labels will soon be announced as a Dundrum Town Centre tenant. Last year over €100,000 worth of prizes were given to Dundrum Town Centre customers and 2011 will be
no different. Only last week one lucky couple from Bray, Co Wicklow, won a €10,000 wedding at Brook Lodge & Wellness Spa at the Dundrum Town Centre Wedding Experience. With over 120 shops and 38 restaurants, 3,400 parking spaces, 12 cinemas, a theatre and creche, Dundrum Town Centre continues to lead the way in retail excellence. Don Nugent, Dundrum Town Centre Director, said: “The key success at Dundrum Town Centre over the past six years lies, for me, in the stores’ and restaurants’ commitment to our customers ensuring that each and every time that they visit they enjoy the very best shopping and leisure experience.” To ensure that these high standards are maintained the Centre hosts a Retailer and Restaurant of the Year awards. Last month, Hugo Boss and Siam Thai were announced the two winners for 2010.
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UMMER’S back and it’s time for a change, so pack away those khaki neutrals and embrace this season’s latest fashion trends at your local Heatons Store. The great thing about summer fashion is the chance to enjoy bright colours and prints – embrace them and bring them into your wardrobe to rejuvenate and update your current favourite looks. Heatons’ summer 2011 collection provides versatile women’s fashions, catering for every body shape and size during the 2011 summer season. Comfortable cottons, printed jerseys and chic chiffons run throughout this must-have, quality, and importantly affordable range. This season, besides bright colours and patterns there are also great long and free-flowing lines that pay homage to the best silhouettes of the 70s.
Jump suit FAR from being a one-season wonder the jumpsuit is fast on it’s way to becoming a wardrobe classic. It can look smart or relaxed and, this season at Heatons, it comes in various seventies-esque incarnations – one-shouldered, v-necked and wide-legged. The leopard jumpsuit (€37.50) from Heatons will score extra 70s’ fashion points. The v-neck jumpsuit is a perfect addition to any summer capsule wardrobe and a fashion must at only €29.50! A sea of blue IT’S the easiest bright to pull off and with shades of intense cerulean, sky, teal and royal blue, it’s the colour making the biggest splash at Heatons this season; add a splash of red to create a fresh nautical look. The colour blue still features heavily this season so capitalise on this with Heatons stripe mock tee (€18), teamed with leggings and sling back wedge (€10) for a relaxed and comfortable ensemble. ‘Ship Ahoy’ - use the season’s must-have colour to create a stylish nautical look with Heatons’ stripe ruffle tee (€16) and floral square toe sandals (€14) or stripe jersey cardigan (€14), scoop neck vest (£7/€8), and asymmetric skirt (€16). Top it off with Heatons’ polka dot hat for as little as €6.
Nude tones NUDES and flesh tones present an elegant alternative to this season’s rainbow brights and Heatons’ beautiful beaded empire dress (€30) is just perfect to give you a summer glow. Whether you want D.I.S.C.O a la 70s glamour with maxi dresses and sexy jumpsuits or to take a more laid back hippie chick approach with your summer wardrobe Heatons has everything you need to create your desired look. To buy their latest collection, visit your local Heatons’ store or shop online at heatonsstores.com
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where2shop StyleFLASH Love your fashion this Bank Holiday IF YOU love fashion, and you love shopping, then you’ll love Blanchardstown Centre’s three-day Fashion Event this May Bank Holiday weekend! Professionally staged catwalk shows, produced by Assets Model Agency and featuring their top models ,Vogue Williams, Georga Salpa and Sarah Morrissey, will take place on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Participating stores include a/wear, BT2, Debenhams, Dunnes Stores, FCUK, H & M, M&S, Miss Selfridge, Monsoon, Oasis, Pamela a Scott, Penneys, Republic, Vera Moda, Wallis, Warehouse, Zara and MANY more! Popular kidswear brand Name It (pictured) will showcase the best in fashionable childrens wear on Saturday, along with Pumpkin Patch and Mothercare. Menswear will also feature, thanks k to t Bertoni, B t i Bests B t Menswear, Burton, Counter Propaganda, Diesel, Diffneys, Tom Tailor and Jack & Jones. Fall in love with this season's fashion and beauty looks this May Bank Holiday weekend. P.S. great spot prizes to be won!
Centre news: Rebrand and Extend: The Atlantic Homecare store in Blanchardstown Retail Park will rebrand to Woodies and expand to their full format store with a major extension, bringing the retail area to 51,500 square feet with an additional 11,000 square feet given to a garden centre. Champagne and Fine Wines: Independent
drinks retailer O’Briens will open its latest off licence on Blanchardstown Centre’s Green Mall in the coming weeks. The award-winning retailer will be a welcome addition with their range of fine wines and excellent service. New Public Facilities: Recently the Centre has undertaken a total refurbishment of its public toilets, with a major emphasis on the enhancement of the parenting facilities, which is good news for the Mums and Dads that visit with their little tots. The new facilities underpins managements’ commitment to ensuring that customers enjoy the very best facilities on their visit to Blanchardstown Centre. Digital Centre Guides
Blanchardstown Centre has now introduced the most up-to-date Digital Signage available to help guide customers to the many stores and facilities in the Centre. ICE Tech, now part of the MJ Flood Group, were contracted to customise the software and installed the large format interactive touch screen digital signage systems in the Blanchardstown Centre.
l C O LO UR F UL AND C O ST- E F F ECT IVE AT NAME IT BL ANCHARD STOWN l
Keeping the kids in comfy clobber AT A time when there is less money being spent right across the country, retailers are having to tune themselves in more keenly to the needs of their customers. Va l u e - f o r- m o n e y , product quality and service are all much bigger parts of sales strategies than they were when the country was awash with money. For Susan O’Connor and John Sherwood, who run the children’s clothing store Name It in the Blanchardstown Centre, that is something of which they are extremely aware. “The days of getting the line in and waiting for the customers to come in through the door is gone,” says Susan. “People are more choosy about what they spend their money on. “All we do all day long is look for value for our customers. We’re always looking to get the best value out there for our customers. We are always looking for quality products. “There is a customer
costs are lower,” says Susan, while Blanchardstown native John feels that the business has been able to learn from others. --------------------------
‘All we do is look for value for our customers. We’re always looking to get the best value out there, we are always looking for quality products’ --------------------------
Susan O’Connor and John Sherwood of Name It in the Blanchardstown Centre
base out there for quality products. Our products are branded, good quality and offer value for money. “Rather than an OK product at a good price,
people want a super product for a great price. “That’s allowed us to build a very loyal customer base in Blanchardstown.”
Being a recession-era start-up can help in some respects, with the pitfalls of previous businesses more clearly signposted. “It’s definitely an advantage in that our
“We knew the pitfalls and knew the mistakes that other shops had made. Some shops fell asleep at the wheel,” says John. Offering fantastic branded products, great value and situated in what John calls “the Premier League of shopping centres”, there is no sign of Name It doing the same.
Making style a bit more personal SHOPPING with your very own personal stylist is high on most women’s love-to-do list, and now - thanks to the new Personal Stylist at Blanchardstown Centre service – you can do it! The service offers far more than just personal shopping, it allows customers to learn about the critical guidelines that are tailored to their personal body shape and colouring. There comes a time when men and women alike are fed up of costly style errors and realise that, in order to minimise these errors and maximise their wardrobe, they should consult a professional personal
stylist for advice. According to Shirley Lane, founder of Personal Stylist at Blanhcardstown Centre: “Personal Stylist at Blanchardstown Centre makes it incredibly easy to shop for either a key piece or a full wardrobe from all of the best stores at the centre, all at one time.” Shirley, the stylist behind Ireland’s original styling company, www.personalstylist.ie, went on to say: “Investing in your style will instill confidence when shopping alone and it will allow you the privilege of knowing what suits and what to avoid! We are trying to offer the
most seamless shopping experience for our clients, where they learn to embrace their body shape and dress it accordingly while feeling the god/ goddess that they are. “Each client that I meet has a different lifestyle, style preference and budget and with the perfect mixture of high street and department stores, I am showing them exactly how to dress and shop successfully.” For more information, ccall 085 -1014444 or email bc@personalstylist.ie
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where2shop l NE W SKI L LS l
l G O I N G G R E E N W I T H L I F E ST Y L E S P O RT l
Yes – it’s time to get the trainers out
B&Q’s Grow Your Own offerings will make you a green-fingered master in the garden
B&Q launch DIY demos to make most of weekend LAST WEEKEND, all nine B&Q stores nationwide began a series of Project Demos focusing on DIY jobs, which can be completed in a weekend as part of B&Q’s ‘Doing it Together’ commitment to encouraging the DIY shy to overcome their fears and make DIY easier. F o l l ow i n g r e c e n t research by B&Q, which shows 53% of us are scared of DIY and fourout-of-10 of us even go so far as to say we hate DIY, the easy-to-follow onehour demos will focus on making DIY easier and less daunting, by showing people the basic skills needed and the best tools to get the job done. A team of B&Q experts showed customers exactly how to complete the project, as well as passing on helpful hints and tips to get the best result. The first session, How to Lay Laminate Flooring, was launched at B&Q on April 16. Further weekend Project Demos will follow, including How to Make a Hanging Basket, Growing your Own and Building a Deck or Walkway, and will take place throughout the Easter
period up until Sunday, May 8. To support the instore demos and to help customers even further, B&Q will also be displaying Project ‘Top Tips’ during the Easter bank holidays, focusing on DIY jobs which can be completed in just half an hour, such as hanging a picture, or those you can do in half a day, such as putting up a fence. Katherine Paterson, B&Q’s marketing director says: “We’re passionate about DIY and this Easter we want to make it easier for our customers to have a go themselves. Whether you have a whole weekend or just half an hour, there are so many different jobs you can do and we look forward to welcoming customers into our store and getting the nation DIYing again!” Project Demos taking place at B&Q: • Saturday and Sunday April 23 - 24: How to Make a Hanging Basket. • Saturday and Sunday April 30 - May 1: Grow Your Own. Saturday and Sunday May 7 - 8: Build a Basic Deck or Walkway
THE Lifestyle Sports adidas Trainer Scrappage Scheme is back and going green this year in 64 Lifestyle Sports stores throughout Ireland. From now until the May 8, the scheme will allow people to trade in their old trainers in any Lifestyle Sports store and get 25% off a new pair of adidas Response or Supernova trainers. Irish Rugby captain and adidas ambassador, Brian O’Driscoll, dropped into Lifestyle Sports in Dundrum Town Centre recently and showed his support for the scheme by throwing an old pair of adidas Supernova Glides into the trainer scrappage bin. Ireland produces over 40,000 tonnes of rubber waste a year that goes directly to landfills. By recycling rubber into other useful products, Lifestyle Sports and adidas are helping eliminate the harmful effects on
Irish Rugby captain and adidas ambassador, Brian O’Driscoll
humans and the environment. Lifestyle Sports and adidas have a target this year to collect 18,000 trainers; this will equate to 6.3 tonnes of rubber that would otherwise end up in a landfill and
directly contribute to CO2 emissions. Brian O’ Driscoll said: “This Lifestyle Sports adidas scheme is such a great idea, as most of us have trainers lying around that we will never wear again. By being part
Cooking: Let Russell Hobbs lure you back to the kitchen in style RUSSELL HOBBS is a household name throughout Ireland’s kitchens and now with their new Allure range, dining-in has become that bit more attractive. The Allure range of food preparation appliances have a sophisticated, simple, straight forward design that make them eye-catching in any kitchen. Dine and dazzle your guests this summer with the Allure range from Russell Hobbs. The Allure Black Accents Kettle (€59.99) is stylish and contemporary with brushed stainless and soft black accents, the Allure Kettle features an easy-open, push-button lid positioned on handle, LED power on indicator, dual water gauge, 1.7-litre capacity, and 3kW rapidboil concealed element. The Allure Black Accents Toaster (€54.99) features variable browning, mid-cycle cancel, and frozen setting Russell Hobbs has forged a reputation for timeless, stylish kitchen appliances and the range is available from all good electrical retailers throughout Ireland. For stockist information call 01 429 5140.
of this scheme, you can really make a difference to the environment and help create Ireland’s first environmentally green astro-turf pitch, an initiative never been done before in Ireland.” Some of Ireland’s
top sporting heroes are lending their support to the initiative; adidas athletes O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell. They will appear at three separate Lifestyle Sports stores around the country to encourage the public to donate their used trainers to the scheme. As part of the scheme, customers will be encouraged to get their gait analysed, so they can find out what type of trainer most suits their running style. Free gait analysis is available in all 64 Lifestyle Sports stores. Brian availed of the free gait analysis and had his foot scanned in Lifestyle Sports. It reaffirmed that he is a neutral runner. For dates and times of player appearances, please check www.lifestylesports.com. These will be announced a week in advance.
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Hop to it! Sweet Easter treats and gifts from M&S CELEBRATE Easter with some of
the sweetest treats from Marks & Spencer. Easter is a great time to spoil the ones you love. With everything from cakes and chocolates, to the brightest in spring fashions, M&S is the one-stop-shop for every Easter Bunny this Easter time. There are Easter eggs galore at M&S this Easter, with eggs to suit the whole family. The new FullyLoaded Eggs are the height of luxury and, with three decadent flavours to choose from, they are the perfect indulgence for the chocoholic family. They come loaded with toffee and white chocolate buttons, cranberries and pecan nuts or strawberries and dark chocolate buttons.
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where2shop Getting spring into swing with top deals THERE are so many things happening at this time of year, Communions and Confirmations are in full swing, and it’s the first time for a lot of us in venturing out to our gardens after the long winter. The Retail Park Liffey Valley has all the names and products that you need during this busy period. There are a total of 10 top tenants there, including Atlantic Homecare, Argos, Currys, JJB Sports, Carpet Right and Harry Corry. Argos have lovely sterling silver and gold pendants for both Communions and Confirmations, with prices starting from only €24.89. To record the special
moment, Argos, Currys or PC World stock a range of top-quality cameras, including Canon, Casio and Sony. Atlantic Homecare have a special Easter treat; buy the Havana 5-piece Gateleg Hardwood Patio Set, which includes a 1.2m Gateleg Folding Table and four multi-position charis (FSC certified Timber) and an Omaha twoburner gas BBQ for only €399.99, a saving a €70 The Retail Park is located behind Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. For contact details for each store, and for more special offers, log onto www. theretailpark.ie or join us on Facebook.
l LIF F E Y VALLE Y SH O PPING C E NT R E l
Month of fashionable fun HOME to over 90 top stores, including Ireland’s largest Marks and Spencer, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre offers the full-day-out experience to keep all the family happy – fashion, film and food! With free parking, easy access and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere, it all adds up to an enjoyable, stress-free day for all the family. This April, Liffey Valley is offering even more to shoppers with a month of fashionable fun, which will include catwalk shows, live mannequins and the opportunity to find your perfect pair of jeans with the help of their dedicated Jean Genius stylists.
Take the opportunity to find your perfect pair of jeans with the help of dedicated Jean Genius stylists
For anyone looking to refresh their SpringSummer wardrobe, the centre’s catwalk shows on Saturday, April 23
and May 7 will highlight the latest styles and trends available from the centre’s retailers, including New Look, Republic,
Topshop, Oasis and many more. The men folk aren’t forgotten either, with a chance for them to show-
case a new look, courtesy of Jack & Jones, Addiction Menswear, Topman, Burtons, Counter Propaganda, and more. A good pair of jeans can solve a myriad of wardrobe woes. Dress them up or keep it casual, skinny fit or bootleg, stone wash or indigo – the options are endless. If you want to know the perfect style, fit and colour for your body shape make an appointment with a style team to have your very own Jean Genius guide you to denim heaven. For more information, see www.liffeyvalley.ie or find the centre on Facebook at www.facebook. com/liffeyvalley.
21 April 2011 GAZETTE 25
GazetteGAMING GAMING
The Kinect sensor can bring an energetic twist to the traaditional console experience, as players use their bodies to control the action
So, can Kinect get the kids through Easter? Q CORMAC CURTIS
SO FAR, most of the country has been blessed with good weather throughout the Easter mid-term break. Letting the kids run riot in the garden is a great deal easier than having them mope around the house, telling parents how bored they are. The question is, will this weather keep up for another week? Or will parents across the capital spend their time trying to entertain the youngsters. One option for indoor entertainment this Easter is Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect system. There has been a lot of talk about this gadget since it hit the market last year, and, as an addition to the Xbox console, it can prove to be seriously fun piece of kit. So, what is Kinect? Kinect is a small, black box with a few little cameras in it that recognises your hands and feet so you can play a variety of specialised Xbox games by using your body instead of the traditional controller. It sounds like fun, and it is. I spent the weekend trialling the Kinect with my family and one of my nephews to answer one big question – can it keep
Kinectimals is a kids’ favourite - once the opening scenes finish
the kids entertained? The short answer is, yes. Kinect for Xbox 360 is fun that’s good for you! Kinect makes it possible to play in a whole new way by identifying the player’s movement and body position to create a truly immersive entertainment experience. Every Kinect game will get players off the couch and moving, from fitness-specific titles like Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Dance Central, or family fun games like Kinectimals, so you can enjoy guilt-free Easter Eggs. What needs to be considered carefully is what games the kids will enjoy. From the outset, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that both my daughters (four and five years of age) would fall in love with Kinectimals. Kinectimals allows the player
to pick from a selection of cubs – chosing from a tiger, panther, lion, jaguar etc. – and, once a name has been chosen, and the cub is adopted, a host of games and activities are laid on for the player. This is, without a doubt, one of the cutest-looking titles I have ever seen, but it has some serious drawbacks for young players. There is a very long introductory sequence and set-up process that you can’t skip through – and when three young kids are playing, they all want to pick their own cub – believe me, I tried to convince them to share, but they were having none of it. The up-side is the kids all loved the game when it finally got going. Surprisingly, the Kinect Sports titles turned out to be a much bigger hit than I was expecting. It
didn’t require very much fiddling to get going, and soon my kids were boxing like world champions – the game even shows a video of the player during their bout afterwards! There is an awful lot of positives about a console that gets the kids off the couch, and these titles certainly achieve all that. Any kids older than about seven should have no problem playing by themselves, but the little ones need that bit of supervision – especially when it comes to standing back from the screen when cute panthers and tigers are playing! According to Kieran Penwill, Ireland country manager for Microsoft’s Retail Services & Marketing Division: “This Easter, we are encouraging families to keep active. Through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360, gaming and entertainment is as easy as stepping in front of your TV. No matter what your age, or where you’re from, Kinect will get you off the couch and moving; it’s incredibly easy to use, and it fits in with a healthy family lifestyle!” Kinect for Xbox 360 retails at €149.99 and Kinect titles retail from €49.99. Members of the public can share the fun on the Xbox 360 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/xboxie
May D4-ce be with you: Star Wars to invade Ballsbridge this week OK, so it’s not exactly gaming, but it’s safe to say that there are plenty of gamers out there who appreciate a good Star Wars exhibition. So, for those people, we say “may the force be with you” this bank holiday weekend, as Invasion Dublin begins. Take photos with Darth Vader, R2-D2, the menacing Emperor and Darth Maul. Storm Troopers will also be there to maintain order, so be on the lookout! The Invasion Dublin experience runs from 10am to 6pm this Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the RDS. This family-friendly event will feature the world exclusive public unveiling of the Republic Clone Fighter Tank, original movie actors, costumed characters, life-size craft, props and sets replicated by Emerald Garrison. For more information visit www.invasion.ie
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GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs SAAB SHUTS PRODUCTION AGAIN:
PRODUCTION lines at Swedish car company Saab shut down again last week for the fourth time in two weeks. The struggling car company stopped production until it can stabilise its financial situation. Saab sales fell to about 32,000 units worldwide last year. This compares with sales of up to 130,000 units when under GM control. General Motors (GM) sold Saab to the to Dutch s p o r t s c a r m a ke r Spyker in 2010 after GM filed for bankruptcy in the US. The survival of the Swedish company was in doubt, until a lastminute deal by Spyker which was underwritten by $500 million in loans granted by the European Investment Bank was further guaranteed by the Swedish government.
The new Peugeot 508 is spacious and has a big-car feel to it, even when powered by a modest 1.6 litre turbo-diesel engine
A hot date with the 508 MICHAEL MORONEY took the opportunity to have a sneak early drive of
the Peugeot 508 in advance of its official arrival and here is his report DROVE the new Peugeot 508 for a short first drive on Irish roads recently, in advance of getting a longer run after its launch in a few week’s time. Relative to the older 407 model, this car design is a complete change in terms of style and features. I was never a fan of the styling of the older model, and this new 508 is, thankfully, a radical change for the good. Stand in front, and you’ll firstly realize that it’s a big car. I drove two models, the small engine 1.6-litre unit and the 2.0litre model, both of which use turbo-diesel power. The first impressions are that both the car and its engine are a complete change from the past.
I
SPECS: PEUGEOT 508 1.6 TDI Top speed: 190 km/hr 0 – 100km/hr: 11.3 secs Economy: 60mpg CO2 emissions: 124g/km Road Tax Band: B (€156) Scrappage Eligible: Yes Towing rating: 1,475kg Entry Price: €24,850
This 1.6-litre engine is a new unit, developing 112bhp of engine power and 243Nm of torque. That performance is on par with the competition, some of which have bigger engines. This new 508 is a big car. Despite its size, it weighs in modestly at 1,552kg in kerb weight terms. That’s marginally
heavier than the 407 car that it replaces and the bigger feel is emphasized by the longer wheelbase, which gives more comfort on the road. Peugeot has tuned this modest-size engine to meet the economy needs of this big car. The engine is smooth in operation and I found little sign of power shortage over some typical road conditions. The rated fuel economy figures show only marginal change from the older model. The engine differences are modest in a power sense; the engine power gets a marginal lift to 112bhp compared with 110bhp for the older one. There was no sense of the car being under powered when I drove it. The economy figures
hold good, even when you mix a lower-power engine with a bigger car, that’s an achievement in itself. The economy rating at 21.3 km/litre (60mpg) is good relative to the competition. It is almost comparable with the BMW 318d in that sense, and its economy figure is now up with the best. This level of economy always converts into lower CO2 ratings and lower annual road tax costs. For the new entry-level Peugeot 508, that figure is now 124g/km, bringing the big car in Band B and giving an annual road tax cost of just €156. The other plus of the new 508 for rural drivers is that Peugeot has boosted the towing rat-
ing with the new model. It comes with a towing rating of 1,475kg, up from 1,300kg with a braked trailer in the older 407 model. T h a t ’s a we l c o m e boost for rural drivers who are in the trailerpulling majority. It comes at a time when many other car manufacturers are lowering their towing rate figures, but is still at the lower end of the scale. This new Peugeot has an impressive safety rating, even if not yet tested in the Euro NCAP programme. It should score well with ESP, ASR-traction control, dynamic stability control among its features. The inclusion of driver, front passenger and
side airbags as well as rear curtain airbags will help it achieve a high rating. The entry price is €24,850 for the 1.6-litre HDi version that’s expected to be popular. This is the basic Access version of the car; there is also an Active and Allure specification model. Unfortunately for Peugeot, the car is coming towards the end of the current scrappage offer, and it is a car that is very much scrappage appropriate in terms of value and features. The question is, is it worth waiting for? I think that it is because you are getting so much more car for your money and a bigger car, with better features and economy for the long run.
Driving costs rise this year – but its not all bad news DRIVING has, in the past year, become significantly more expensive. But don’t put it all down to the increase in petrol and diesel prices. Diesel prices are at about €1.45 per litre at the pumps, with petrol close to €1.50 per litre. Petrol prices are at an all-time high, while diesel prices have returned to the high levels of 2008, according to AA Ireland figures. Our fuel prices, despite the significant rises, are still cheaper than the UK, Germany, Italy and France.
Judging by AA Ireland’s more recent car-running costs data, which were based on petrol costing €1.33 per litre, you can expect that following the current 12% increase in fuel costs, the average cost of running a Band B petrol car is in excess of €10,000 per year. Tyre prices are also on the increase. Tyre costs account for about 8% of total running costs. The latest AA Ireland figures show that tyre costs amounted to 1.53 cent per kilometer out of a total run-
ning cost of 19 cent a kilometer based. The increase in petrol prices coinciding with the increased tyre prices means that the balance remains virtually the same. Depreciation remains the largest part of the ownership costs. The AA Ireland figures show that depreciation accounts for about 25% of the overall running costs and is rated at an annual figure of 12% of the value of the car when new. So for a €15,000 car, you can allow for a depreciation figure of about €1,800 per
annum based on driving 16,000 km per year. The good news is that servicing costs have dropped since this time last year. And, for some new car buyers, there are now free three-year service options with the new cars being sold. And as well as the cost of a service dropping more and more, cars can run longer between service intervals, so running costs on that front should fall a little.
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GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY CELBRIDGE: RANGE OF THREE- AND FOUR-BED HOUSES AVAILABLE
Hazelwood etching memorable homes
Interior and exterior views at Adamstown
ADAMSTOWN: FRESH APARTMENTS ADDED
New show houses on view at Adamstown LAST weekend saw the launch of brand new show units at Castlethorn’s popular development at Adamstown Square in Lucan, with new two-bedroom apartments coming onstream for €135,000. The apartments boast an extremely high level of specification and are located close to the main attractions of Adamstown, including local shops, schools and train station. For those looking for a larger home, there are new large three-bed duplex units, located on the second and third floors, with over 1,000 sq ft of accommodation, as well as a spacious balcony at €185,000. In addition, there are a small number of three- and fourbed houses available from €245,000 and €275,000 respectively. All homes come with the renowned standard of quality and finish synonymous with the Castlethorn brand. All master bedrooms are very generous in size and are fitted with ensuites. In addition, purchasers will benefit from modern fitted kitchens complete with oven/hob, fridge freezer, dishwasher and washer/dryer. All homes are designed to comply with Sustainable Energy Ireland’s House of Tomorrow programme in terms of their energy efficient ratios and the BER (Building Energy Rating) rating of each home is very high. The Adamstown marketing suite and show-units are open everyday, weekends from 3 to 5pm and on weekdays from 10 to 5pm. For more information, contact Leahys on 6011800.
MAPLEWOOD Developments held the launch of a new threebed showhouse at Hazelwood, Celbridge last weekend. Three-bedroom houses at the development, which extend to 112 sq m, are on sale from €237,500, while fourbedroom houses, extending to 144 sq m, are selling from €255,000. Spacious
The three-bedroom houses and the fourbedroom houses are extremely spacious, all have their own driveways, front and rear gardens, and are specifically designed to overlook the parkland area within the scheme. This next phase of Maplewood will be finished to the most upto-date building and
insulation regulations, each house will have a minimum of BER rating of a B1 and each house will have energy saving solar panels as standard, together with a host of other features.
Amenities This attractive development is just a 10-minute walk to the newly renovated and extended Hazelhatch train station, that has a regular service to Dublin city thereby providing that perfect blend of contemporary urban living with the feel of a countryside lifestyle. As with all Maplewood developments, there is meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of the design, planning and building which contributes to making Hazelwood another of their
An array of three-and four-bedroom houses are available
signature developments. As always there is a wide choice of interior finishes to choose from. S h ow h o u s e s a r e available for viewing on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 5pm, and you can find out more information at www.hazelwood-celbridge.com or www.coonan.com.
One of the living room designs at Hazelwood
RATHCOOLE: SEMI-DETACHED LIVING IN VILLAGE SETTING
Peyton is still the place to be
THE Peyton development in Rathcoole village is presenting to the market a new set of large three- and four-bedroom semi-detached houses, available from only €275,000. There are a range of house layouts and sizes from 128 to 190 sq m, suitable for first-time buyers, trading up or down and large family homes. Constructed by Blackchurch Homes, these exclusive houses have a top-quality finish at a very affordable price in a convenient village location. All of the houses have large bedrooms, spacious living rooms, generous bathrooms and en-suites,
The fine interior design at Peyton is reflected across the range of house types
decently sized gardens, and private driveways for two cars. Local amenities on their doorstep include Rathcoole Park, and there are primary and secondary schools within
walking distance. Some of the excellent Peyton house features include B1 energy ratings, no management fees, a choice of Nolan fitted kitchens with granite worktops, and central
vacuum systems. There are 9ft ceilings in living areas and kitchen appliances are included if the sale closes on time. Viewing is recommended and the show houses are open on Sat-
urdays and Sundays from 2.30 to 5pm. For further details, contact Glenn Burrell in Finnegan Menton, Tel (01) 614 7900 or Redmond Auctioneers Tel (01) 4589833.
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GazetteTTRAVEL CLOSE TO HOME: DISCOVERING SOME WELL-KNOW, AND SOME NOT-SO-WELL-KNOWN GEMS Q MIMI MURRAY
S
OMETIMES it is nice to get out of town and sojourn by the sea or in the lush green countryside, but the arduous four- or fivehour journey to get there can often spoil the
mood. That’s what made our recent whistle-stop tour of two great locations close to Dublin city so nice. Both King Sitric guesthouse in Howth, and Tankardstown House in Slane were exceptional. Both with very different offerings, but sharing one important quality – they provided the personal touch. We had often passed the famous King Sitric restaurant, in the gorgeous fishing village of Howth, on our way for a hike around the head, but never had the pleasure of dining there. Nor did we realise that staying there was an option, but Joan and Aidan McManus now provide very good accommodation with breathtaking views of the sea. Our room was very comfortable and quiet, apart from the morning seagulls, but that is to be expected in a seaside town. Joan and Aidan have run the place for 40 years. Joan runs around, chatting to all her regular guests who amble down from the hill on a weekend night. It’s one of those places that hasn’t changed a great deal over the years, which only adds to its charm. Many of the staff are there since they opened their doors. Fish dishes are classics, and very well cooked. The Lobster Lawyer is delicious and the Black Sole Meuniere was cooked to perfection. Meringue Sitric has been on the menu since day one and had to be sampled, it was very tasty indeed. The next morning, a hearty breakfast was just what the doctor ordered, before a brisk walk around Howth Head. We bid King Sitric adieu, and headed to Tankardstown House. This really is a hidden gem, but we were still surprised more people hadn’t heard of it. On arrival, we were shown around the estate and were told to relax wherever we pleased. Plush furnishings and deep couches were crying out to us, but King Sitric, top and above, is a haven in the city we decided to make use of the sundrenched terrace while we waited for togs. Located inside a walled garden, exceptional starter of beef carpaccio our room. Not the fault of the staff, there was plenty of privacy and the was decorated with fresh sprigs that but ours, as we arrived well before lovely staff offered us extra towels and awakened our taste buds. The helpful waiter found out that it was shiso, robes to dry off with. check-in time. We sat outside enjoying a quick a Japanese herb grown in the walled It was worth the wait, as our accommodation was spacious, bright drink from the honour bar (yes, you garden. Our mains of lamb and suckling pig and extremely comfortable, with a serve yourself and keep a tab) before looked exciting on the plate and were flat-screen television which seemed dressing for dinner. The recently-built Brabazon res- fresh and delightfully cooked. slightly out of sync with the old-world A flourishing patio area, dotted charm of the bedroom, but was, none taurant is already doing a booming trade. A lot of the produce comes with heaters, was the perfect place the less, welcomed. A dip in the hot tub was called for, directly from a walled vegetable gar- for a pre- or post-dinner drink. The cocktails are very good, and and we were thankful we brought our den located on the estate, and an
Mimi’s Blue Book break
An Easter of pure imagination awaits the family in Wexford THE Carlton Millrace in Wexford will be transformed into a chocolate wonderland this Easter, with every child who is staying receiving a much sought-after Carlton Chocolate Bar. Upon carefully peeling back the wrapper, a select number of these chocolate bars will have a precious Carlton Golden Ticket. The Golden Ticket holders will then go on
FastTravel an egg hunt in search of the Chocolate Wonderland, which will be full of chocolate fountains, a chocolate factory and chocolate as far as the eye can see. One lucky child will get a golden egg, which will earn the winners a summer holiday in the Carlton Millrace. The Hatch a Plan this Easter Package is for a family of four sharing, three nights B&B, ane
The stunning surroundings of Tankardstown House in Slane, top, above and left make it a must-visit spot
our friendly bar girl said they always leave it to one particular guy to mix the drinks - he knows his stuff apparently. Indeed he did, and the tangy mojitos had just the right mix of mint and rum. After a very comfortable sleep, we headed for breakfast. The previous day, when we spied hens running around a coup, we were informed we would be dining on the freshest eggs for breakfast, and they were delicious.
evening meal for the adults and free Kids Club. Children are on B&B basis.
Fine spring weather sees the return of festival fever THE Marble City’s annual May Bank Holiday Mardi Gras, the Smithwick’s Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots Festival, takes place from the April 29 – May 2. All forms of Americana music will be wellrepresented over the four days, including swing, bluegrass, rockabilly to cajun, folk and the blues. From midday to midnight, audiences wind their way through the medieval streets, sam-
Plenty of fresh juice and fruit was also available. Then it was off to the terrace for some Sunday reading before making the short trip back to Dublin, happy and relaxed. Tankardstown has a Blue Book package available which includes two nights B&B, sparkling afternoon tea for two and three-course evening meals in Brabazon on the night of your choice, for €250 per person sharing. King Sitric costs from €210 for B&B and dinner for two people.
pling the huge range of music with over 80 shows in 30 venues. Highlights of this year’s line-up include Drive by Truckers, Kort, John Grand, Beth Orton, Wildo Johnson and Mary Gauthier. Now entering its 57th year, the Cork International Choral Festival is a world-class festival celebrating the very best of choral and vocal music from April 27 to May1. Up to 5,000 singers from all over the world participate in almost 100 festival events, including spectacular gala concerts, lunchtime concerts and informal public performances which see choirs popping up in a wide range of unusual locations throughout Cork city.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 31
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supportedby byAIB AIB Supported
Interview: Richard White, sales director, LVP Renewables Ltd
Hot water panel for people power SALES director Richard White talks to the Gazette about his career, and the recent challenges faced by Irish businesses. “2009 was a particularly hard year. Being made redundant was a huge dint to the pride. Having spent 10 years in total in the hospitality trade, I was determined to find a new career, something to really get my teeth into. “Sometimes you don’t have to look very hard to find something that has been staring you in the face as an obvious career choice. Growing up in a large family, I saw my father’s business go through some good and bad times.” Surviving in the manufacturing/robotics business, Richard’s father, Jeff, saw the contraction of the manufacturing business. In 2007 he decided to diversify into the solar industry. “Obtaining the rights to the Energie panel in Ireland was one of the greatest decisions I made in 35 years of business,” Jeff said. Richard saw the efficiency of the solar panel installed in his own home around the time of his redundancy, and asked his father for a chance to sell the product. LVP Renewables Ltd now has six fulltime employees and distributors around the country. They are linked into Expert Hardware, a firm that has 30 stores nationwide, along with providing a training programme for the major plumbing colleges around the country. “Our competitive advantage is that we can actually provide the customer
Richard White, sales director at LVP Renewables
with a solar system that will offer 100% domestic hot water 365 days a year, with no back up from oil/gas. One small panel will suffice for a family of six people,” Richard says. Based just seconds from the M50, a recent move from Coolock to their Finglas HQ has been a huge step forward, as they can now display their units in an accessible location in the heart of a thriving industrial estate. LVP’s business model is based on excellence in installations. Richard believes existing customers are crucial to
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: Mars bar taster
Q: What do you like least about your job? A: I often have long drives
Q: What was your first job? A: Banqueting waiter in the
around the country
Ardenode Hotel near Ballymore Eustace
Q: When going on holiday, what air carrier do you use? A: Ryanair
Q: And your first pay cheque? A: Can’t remember, but
Q: What kind of car do you drive? A: Opel Astra
seemed like a lot at the time
Q: Can you swim? A: More of a floater
seems to be different
Q: What do you like most about your job? A: I’m in sales, there is no greater thrill than closing a sale
Credit Union Loan Q: I have a €15,000 credit union loan. I really shouldn’t have been given it in the first place as I used it to take a holiday and pay off some other debts. My job security wasn’t great at the time, and I am now unemployed. Will they bring me to court if I just stop paying and what will happen if they do? Paul - Drimnagh
future business which is reflected in the number of positive testimonials received. LVP’s complete solution service offers turn-key hot water systems with a transparent pricing structure and single-day installations. According to Richard: “It is never easy to sell anything, but saving money and the environment at the same time seems to be a winning formula in the public’s eye.” Find out more by calling one of the team on (01)8643838 or visiting www. lvprenewables.ie.
Q&A
Q: When did you start your present job? A: It all depends, every day
ANSWERS TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE QUESTIONS
Q: Would you ever bunjee jump? A: I have done two before Q: Do you play any sport? A: I play tennis badly Q: What is your favourite food and beverage?
A: Pizza and a nice cold beer Q: Who would you rather have dinner with, Brian Cowen or Brian O’Driscoll? A: Brian O’Driscoll Q: How many times each week do you go to the ‘hole in the wall’? A: Once or twice Q: How many times each year do you shop for clothes? A: Once is enough Q: What is the name of your favourite shop? A: Books Unlimited Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: About five I’d say, not too sure
Q: Where is your favourite holiday destination? A: Going to South of France this year, as my brother lives there, so hopefully there
Q: Have you ever met Bertie Ahern? A: Served him a few times back in my hotel days in the Davenport Hotel
Q: What would be your dream job? A: Would have liked to be an actor
Q: When do you wish to retire? A: About 60 Q: What will you do then? A: Depends on how well the next 32 years go!
A: REGISTERED judgments secured by credit unions against their defaulting customers increased by 800% since January 2009. There were a total of 1,626 judgments totalling €21m in loans in the first six months of 2010 (source : Stubbs Gazette). Arrears are on the increase as is legal action to retrieve sums owed. The mounting bad debt in credit unions is one reason why the Financial Regulator last year ordered credit unions to hold the payment of dividends and interest to make provision for these bad and doubtful debts. I am presuming, in your case, the credit union evaluated your ability to repay at the time and in approving your loan endorsed that ability. The first missed payment will be registered in the Irish Credit Bureau in Clonskeagh. This is a cooperative of 95 + financial institutions from banks, building societies, insurance companies to leasing companies and even some of the bigger credit unions. They record every loan transaction in the country and every missed one too. Slow payments are monitored also. Once you have missed a payment, the record of that missed payment stays there for five years. Every time you look for credit, your credit history will be like a beacon to would-be lenders to decline such requests. If you have a judgment registered against you, it will stay on the ICB for life and it will be extremely difficult to obtain credit ever. That is why you have to guard your good name. Eventual legal action will follow after repeated default of your monthly repayments, resulting in an inevitable judgment – a mark, as I said, that is on the ICB forever, and one you really want to avoid. A positive course for you to take is the negotiation course. Communicate with your credit union; tell them where you are at, business and employment wise. Bring an income and expenditure statement with you and your latest bank statements. Show them you mean business and that you are prepared to roll up the sleeves and do what is required in order to repay this debt. Ask for an initial six months repayment freeze, dust down the CV and see what work you can obtain. You have to give them some kind of hope that this loan will be discharged at some future point and that you are making an effort. Good luck with the negotiations.
32 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1GoingOUT PAVILION 01 231 2929 Des Bishop Des Bishop’s latest internationally acclaimed show My Dad Was Nearly James Bond, tells of a remarkable life tinged with regret. April 21 and 22 at 8pm. Tickets: €20/€25.
Frankie Gavin and De Dannan Frankie Gavin is one of the genuine legends of Irish music and a Guinness World Record holder as the fastest fiddle player in the world. April 23 at 8pm. Tickets: €16, €18 and €20.
SEAMUS ENNIS CULTURAL CENTRE 01 802 0898 Twelfth Day Twelfth Day are at the forefront of innovative, modern British folk music. With a fresh, open-minded approach to song writing, the duo create an entirely unique sound, interweaving masterful Fiddle and Harp playing with beautifully harmonised vocals in stylish and dynamic arrangements. Saturday, April 23 at 8:30pm. Admission: €16.
THE HELIX 01 700 7000 High School Rocks A high-energy, foot-stomping, totally interactive production featuring all the very best hits from High School Musical 1, 2, and 3, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock and Glee! The High School Musical phenomenon which has smashed box office records everywhere, together with Miley Cyress from Hannah Montana – The Movie, the hugely successful film Camp Rock with The Jonas Brothers and the Glee Club, are all paid tribute to in this amazing show. April 27 at 1.30pm and 6.30pm. Tickets: €19, family €56.
This film, about a group of ordinary teens and youths who find themselves fighting a guerilla war when their Australian town is over-run by
MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340
There could be dark days ahead for Summer Bay, if the plucky Oz youths in this film can’t stop would-be attackers
Unoriginal Sin Eve has managed to journey well into her twenties without being kissed. Well, not properly. Bill is well passed that milestone and has been kissed – on countless occasions. He is rich, alcoholic, and girl crazy. Eve is engaged to Neville. Bill is married to Jenny. Jenny is having an affair with Jeremy, but she remains utterly devoted to her husband’s cheque book. Miles is Bill’s best friend. Or at least he was, before he discovered Bill’s underpants hanging from the lightshade in his bedroom. Then there’s Father Tomlin. At least he’s taken a lifelong vow of celibacy. Or so his daughter claims! Original Sin? It seems there’s nothing very original about it any more. April 26 to 30 at 8pm. Admission: €18/€15
DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 Hot Mikado This hilarious musical comedy is a 1940’s style update of Gilbert and Sullivan’s, The Mikado, and features highenergy dance routines with great vocal arrangements of blues, swing, hot gospel and scorching torch songs. April 27 to 30 at 8pm. Tickets €21.
CIVIC THEATRE 01 4627477 The Bad Arm – Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer If you thought Irish dancers were all curly-haired cutie pies with perfect posture, meet a scowling girl from London in this outrageous antidote to Riverdance. Written and performed by Maire Clerkin, The Bad Arm – Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer is an uproarious yet poignant one-woman play. Amid astounding bursts of rhythm and physical theatre, this ugly-duckling-never-quite-swan recounts her experiences of sex and booze and rock and roll like only a convent-educated, Irish catholic girl can. The audience is brought on a hilariously candid comingof-age journey through the pre-wig world of Irish dancing. An all-together more innocent time ... or so we thought. April 18 to 23. Admission: €16 and €12 concession. Check website for times.
invaders, feels rather odd; a curious fusion of Down-Under sensibilities and the kind of explosive silliness we’re more used to from Hollywood
An odd-tralian film KATE CROWLEY
GIVEN the sight of Russell Brand on the horizon in a thoroughly pointless update of “Arthur” (someone so odious, I’d almost watch a new Clive Owen film instead – well, almost; let’s not jump to extremes, dear reader), my feet swiftly swerve away with Riverdance levels of speed towards ... Tomorrow, When the War Began; a film that may have led to high-fives all round at the Australian Tourism Board (as it was filmed in various scenic and lovely Oz spots), yet could possibly lead to one or two raised eyebrows across the Asia Basin, of which more anon. A small group of Wirrawee youngsters set off on one of those weekends that youths in movies are always setting off on (no hanging around outside McDonalds at the local shopping centre for this lot), with the young ladies
FILM OF THE WEEK: Tomorrow, When The (12A) 103 mins War Began Director: Stuart Beattie Starring: Caitlin Stasey, Lincoln Lewis, Chris Pang, Andy Ryan, Deniz Akdeniz and the Australian countryside
OUR VERDICT: ALTHOUGH Kate thinks her dear daughter, Crowleyetta, seems barely able to find her homework at the weekend, the Australian youths in this film prove a surprisingly resourceful lot, displaying rather more intuition for guerilla warfare than one might expect. It’s a derring-do, gung-ho, boys’-own, somewhat-silly tale of teens versus tanks, more or less. Still, at least the scenery is lovely ...
and gentlemen having a lovely time indeed in a remote, scenic place that’s far from home. It’s Hell. (Fundamentalists may be a little disappointed to note that it’s a charmingly-named remote valley near their town, which must lend itself to some catchy Wirrawee Tourism Board slogans, one imagines.) But Hell is not, in fact, very far from war, as it turns out that, while they were all off working on their tans and fumbling their way through awkward relationships, A Foreign Power has
invaded, with Wirrawee proving to be a luvverlee and key place through which to invade Oz, and to start plundering her natural resources. So, it’s first stop Wirrawee, and then on to the likes of Ramsey Street. Strewth! The bounders! What are our perfectly shaped heroes and heroines to do? Why, fight back, of course, as we all know – through lots of films – that if there’s one thing that bad guys can’t defeat in the movies, it’s a bunch of bloomin’ kids. And especially if it’s
bloomin’ kids who swiftly organise themselves into a guerilla cell, and then set about thwarting “The Foreign Power’s” plans, while using Hell as a secret, unknown base in which to hide out. The bad guys’ plans focus on a bridge at the town – a key infrastructural spot that is enabling the invaders to, well, invade, it being one of their key access points into the country. Heaven knows what’s happening over in Summer Bay. And so, while the young men and women discover a newfound ingenuity with DIY firepower, and prove adept with guns and devising hit-and-run missions – well, shouting “Rack off!” just wouldn’t cut it, I suppose – the scene is set for a climactic face-off between the plucky kids and the invading army. And then, presumably, things will really ramp
up in the next, inevitable movie ... Older readers may be thinking to themselves: “Hmmm. This sounds like a twist on that 1980’s clunker, Red Dawn, booted down under to Australia, with more than a dash of Home And Away added for good measure, and infused throughout with the can-do spirit of MacGyver and The A-Team.” Well, quite. (I do hope my editor never notices such eloquent reader comments.) It’s a little curious how the bad guys here are painted as a coalition of various Asian people, as if, one day, China, Korea, Taiwan and, ooh, take your pick, all decided to unite and make a land rush on Oz; a faintly odd ideology to perpetuate, perhaps. Still, as far as somewhat silly battle movies set in Australia and aiming for the Tween market go, it’s all right, mate ...
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 33
‘Hello? Have you a AIAIAI, the big noise in audio problem? You fall for scam calls?’ ROB HEIGH
ADAM MAGUIRE
A FEW weeks ago, this column looked at the impending threat of viruses for mobile phones, although it is not the only phone-based risk out there. Going on a lot of anecdotal evidence over the past few months, Irish householders have become a common target for phone scammers, who try to trick people into handing over private information on their computer. This is not as straightforward as them posing as your bank and asking for your details; instead, they try to get you to use your computer to effectively do the same. Here is how the scam works ...
The call Potential victims will receive an unsolicited call, usually from an oddlooking number. The person on the other end will tell them they are calling from “technical support” for their computer or operating system, or something to that effect. They will then tell the user that they have noticed errors on their machine and are calling to help resolve them. The confidence trick Once the victim shows signs of believing them, they will likely ask them to turn on their computer and undertake a number of tasks. Often, these tasks are completely harmless, but they are used to make
the victim believe their computer is at risk. For example, they might get the victim, in a roundabout way, to open a folder deep within Windows. They will tell them most of the files there are viruses that need to be removed, when in actual fact they are obscure, though necessary, files that help the computer to work properly.
The scam Once they have built trust, they will ask the victim to do one of two things. The first is to go to a website and download a piece of software, under the pretence of it being a way of solving their “problem”. In reality, it is a virus, and will only create more of its own. Alternatively, they might ask the user to use Windows’ built-in remote connection software, which allows the scammer to gain access to and take control of their computer. They will claim to do this so that they can fix the problem; in reality, they just want access to their personal data.
Scammers have been cold-
The reality The truth of the matter is, no-one from Microsoft or any computer manufacturer will ever call people out of the blue about a problem they are having – they would have to ring them first. Even if there is a problem with a user’s computer, these companies cannot possibly know that, unless the user tells them first. The scammers are playing the odds. Most houses now have PCs, and most PC users have some kind of problem with them from time to time. However, if you get a call and want to be sure that it is a scam, do ask t h e m for more details – for example, what model number is on your computer (usually, the base)? But the best move is to simply hang up on them. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc The latest Androidbased phone from Sony Ericsson (above) is a clear follow-up to its original Xperia
device, and is a clear improvement, though it is still imperfect. Ironing out many of the creases still remaining in Sony Ericsson’s approach to phones, the Xperia Arc is slick, stylish and quite easy to use. It offers a powerful processor, a bright screen and impressive camera, and its user-interface is quite user-friendly, too. It even has a HDMIout port, m a king it easy to conn e c t to HD T V s , so that you can watch the videos and pictures you recorded with it on a big screen. That said, parts of the device do seem a litt l e f l i m s y, especially the cheap-feeling plastic on the back. As well as this, the company’s Timescape software is not as good a way to browse through messages, Facebook and Twitter updates as you might like. Overall, however, it is another big step forward from Sony Ericsson, and is certainly a phone worth considering for those in the market. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is available on all major networks as a bill-pay and Pay As You Go handset.
calling people for decades; now, your computer is a reason for them to target you, in a bid to steal valuable data
Visit teic.ie for the latest tech news, reviews and views.
WITH the current vogue for high-end headphones becoming essential cooltools for iPhone and iPad users, a huge range of new, chic and high-specification eargoggles are hitting the market at the moment. One of the best of these is AIAIAI’s TMA-1 headphones, designed with top performance in mind and, with the assistance of some of the world’s finest DJs and producers, including
2ManyDJs, A-Trak, and James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem, the Danish company have produced an astonishingly distinctive, elegant and dynamic product, priced €199.95. With competition from Dr Dre’s Beats and the perennial Sennheiser range, the TMA-1s are set apart by their classic, minimalist design and their ability to deliver clarity and definition of sound in every genre. At home, the headphones come into their own w h e n matched with a good soundcard, but even iPhone and laptop
sound reproduction is good. In a club setting, the frequency range is impressive and the TMA-1s pack a punch loud enough to enable you to mix with ease, the finer treble elements not being overwhelmed by the powerful bass the headphones deliver. The sound is better than a lot of the higherpriced headphones on the market, that often elevate whomping bass for tonal balance, making the warmth of the TMA-1s appealing to all ears. Packaged with Danish style and very affordable, the TMA-1s are a great addition to any audiophile’s toolkit. For more information, see www.aiaiai.com.
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21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 35
GazetteSPORT
PURPLE PATCH:
Bernard Brogan on the National League Final: Page 37
DARING RACES: ADVENTURE CONTEST SET TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS DUBLIN IN MAY
The greatest race takes place in the Fair City STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com
K AT H RY N T h o m a s became the first ever person to abseil from the top of the Aviva Stadium when she launched the inaugural Dublin Adventure Race, which takes place on May 21, in the stadium last week. T he former K ing’s Hospital student and television presenter looks set to star t a
trend for adventure, as approximately 1,000 competitors are expected to take to the streets for the unique event, which is set to get the adrenaline pumping, with participants required to run, cycle and kayak around the city. This race will transform the city into an adventure playground, showing how epic Dublin can be. In teams of two or
three, or solo if competitors prefer to go it alone, the race will kick off at the Adventure Weekend in the RDS.
Racing around Competitors will take to their bikes first, which will take them along beaches, canal paths and into parks, with a tricky assault course to master inbetween. They will then take on the kayaking section of the challenge before
Siobhan Byrne and Kathryn Thomas became the first people to abseil the Aviva
changing to their runners to complete a street orienteering section, where they will pick up points for every checkpoint reached. The real high of the event is the abseil from the top of the Aviva stadium.
O r g a n i s e r, I r i s h Olympian and former world rowing champion, Gearoid Towey, said of the event: “This is a totally unique event, which will cater for all levels of fitness from elite athletes to those
who want to tr y an adventure race for the very first time. “We are using the amazing amenities that Dublin has on offer to transform the city into a giant adventure playground.
“The aim of the game is to encourage people to get out and get active while having a whole lot of fun at the same time.” To register for the e ve n t a t w w w. d u b lindaresyou.com.
36 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
GazetteSport Sport Rugby
FastRugby
SWORDS RFC: CUP TIE SEES SWORDS LEAVE IT LATE FOR WIN
Swords duo set to line out in 4 Nations SWORDS RFC representatives, out-half Peter Carr and scrum-half Neal O’Keefe, were picked by selector Brendan Guilfoyle to represent Ireland in this week’s rugby league Four Nations’ tournament taking place in Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow. With Ireland set to face Scotland, England and Wales in the contest, it is the first time that the strengthened squad has faced top international opposition this season under Guilfoyle, who was recently promoted to head coach.
Malahide host Madden trophy event LAST Saturday, Malahide hosted the second annual John Madden trophy. The competition was run with teams from AIB, CYM, Parkmore, Tallaght and Unidare taking part in the round robin format. Tallaght, AIB and CYM all finished with three wins, with Tallaght and AIB edging out CYM by virtue of losing bonus points secured in their defeats
to CYM and Tallaght respectively. Eventually, after a count-back, Tallaght were declared the winners on a superior points difference to AIB over the course of the tournament. This was Tallaght’s first Leinster trophy and pennant and, along with it, the opportunity to compete in the Leinster Metropolitan Junior Spencer Cup next season. The competition was marked with some good-quality, competitive rugby with all teams looking to be creative throughout.
A thrilling match at ALSAA saw Swords take the semi-final berth on offer from under the noses of opponents, Dundalk
Swords edge out Dundalk MICHAEL DUNNE CUP Swords RFC Dundalk RFC
34 33
sport@gazettegroup.com
SWORDS’ second XV played host to Dundalk RFC for the Michael Dunne Cup semi-final on Friday night last at ALSAA, in what proved to be a thrilling, nailbiting encounter worthy of a cup semi-final. On a calm, cool evening, Swords kicked off to the Louth men, and so started a 20minute run of Swords’ dominance. In that time, Swords pressure and possession was awarded with three penalties within kicking range, but they were only able to convert two. D u n d a l k c o u n t e r-
attacked with renewed vigour, and were able to run in three converted tries in 20 minutes before the turn. Swords looked to be on the ropes going into the break, the score showing 6-21 to the visitors. The second half kicked off as the first had finished, with Dundalk running in a try on the wing that went unconverted before the assembled supporters were able to settle again after half-time. Swords brought themselves back into the game af ter that sucker-punch, with the forwards putting huge pressure on the Dundalk defence, which resulted in substitute prop John Codron
crashing over the line to the left of the posts for Swords’ opening try of the contest. The trusty boot of Aiden Forkan added the two points, and momentum was with the Swords side at last in the cup tie. Swo r d s r e m a i n e d in the Dundalk half following the restart, and, five minutes later, Codron crossed the line again for another converted try, bringing the scores to 20-26. Dundalk countered with a brilliant bit of back play, which saw their winger go over the whitewash under the posts for another converted try, that saw the scores at 20-33 with ten minutes to go. At this point, Swords
upped their game and threw everything at the Dundalk side. Their tenacity and determination saw them come up trumps, when Swords’ substitute backrower, Niall Kennedy, push over the line, to which Fokan added the conversion. With the scores poised precariously at 27-33 with seven minutes to go, Dundalk pushed back and, for the next five minutes, they were camped in the Swords’ 22. Swords turned over the ball with two minutes to go, and it found its way to the boot of No 10, Aiden Forkan, whose punt downfield saw a massive chase ensue, and a scramble for the ball that result-
ed in a penalty being awarded to Swords. The infringement was added to and an extra ten yards were given, bringing Swords to within ten metres of the line. With no time for a line-out, Niall Kennedy took a quick tap and sprinted for the posts, stepping left and diving over the line to bring the score to 32-33. With all the presure now on Aiden Forkan still to take the conversion, the Cavan man stepped forward and split the posts to the cheers of the Swords support. The final score, 3433, sees Swords progress to the semi- final with Tullamore, to be played this weekend.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 37
in association with
One vision for Brogan’s Dubs
FastSport
With the biggest game in Dublin football only days All Blacks’ Fitzpatrick away, ROB HEIGH caught up with Bernard Brogan to gives Crokes a lesson talk about the drive in the camp to secure the title THE opportunity to claim the first National league title since 1993 is one that Bernard Brogan clearly relishes. Last season’s AllStar and national Player of the Year spoke to GazetteSport last week when he took some time out from training to take on Eoin Cadogan from Cork, and Michael Murphy from Donegal, putting their formidable football and fitness skills to the test by playing Kinect Sports for Xbox 360. Having won the sprint challenge, Bernard turned his attention to the matter at hand and the chance to claim some silverware for Dublin in the National League final at Croke Park this weekend. We started by asking
him about the source of the consistency and momentum that Dublin have built up over recent months in the league. “At the start of the year, we put it to ourselves that
I think more than 30 lads have been tried out at Croke Park, and that’s been huge for us, and our successful league campaign, and being in the final, was our goal. Any-
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‘I think Cork learned it’s time to keep an eye on Dublin after the last game. We’re looking forward to a really good day at Croke Park’ --------------------------------------------------------
we wanted to be more competitive in the league, and over the years gone by, the management have rotated players and try to look at them, but we wanted to do that this year while winning games.
thing more this weekend will be a bonus.” With some commentators voicing concern that Dublin’s perfect 15 has not been evident so far, Bernard was far from concerned about what
Bernard Brogan is looking to deliver the knockout blow to Cork this weekend
he considers to be far less of a problem than some would think. “That we have so many good players in all positions is a benefit. They all do the job so well; if anything happens to any player over the summer, we have lads who can step in and do the job just as well. I think we have that now, with two lads for every position. If they played either one of them, there would be no question, and the competition at training is huge as well, which drives us on. But the strength of the panel has been a huge factor for our success so far this year.” With All-Ireland champions Cork as opposition this weekend, Bernard was very sure of the test that awaits Dublin in the final. “We expect a different game from the last game, when Cork had a bit of a hangover from their holidays, or rust after winning their All-Ireland. But we are feeling good. It’s going to be a very tough game, we are going out to win the title, not just to show up and hand it to Cork. We’re going out to win the title. It’s been a long time, and it will be huge for the capital to win some silverware, and we will be going all out for the win.” Brogan felt that the side had learned a lot from the match at Croke Park in February that saw Dublin come out on top.
“I think we gained a lot of mental strength from it. We learned that they’re not world-beaters, that we can defeat them. They might have been the form team for the last year, but the win at Croke Park will give us a sense of positivity that, when we turn it on, we can beat them. You can only get that from winning, and we haven’t had that for a long time. It will be huge that we have that in our heads when we meet them again. “I think they learned it’s time to keep an eye on Dublin. We have been putting different panels into play, and what team we will put out and what way we will play. We want to make it hard for teams to read us, and we want them to have a hard time finding a solution to our gameplan. We’re looking forward to a really good day.” With the Dubs filling Croke Park with the assistance of the Spring series of games, Bernard was delighted with the effect that the run of games has had on the Metropolitan’s success this year. “I think it’s been brilliant, a great publicity for the GAA. At a time when other sports are so strong, it’s great to see the GAA making it clear they want to get people on boards. The series was a huge success in terms of getting kids involved in the game, and, hopefully, that will continue.”
NEW ZEALAND All Blacks legend and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation goodwill ambassador Sean Fitzpatrick was in Dublin last week to pass on his wisdom to the Dublin footballers and hurlers ahead of their National League finals in the coming weeks. The captain of the 1990s’ all-conquering team also spent time with some of the Kilmacud Crokes’ Under-12 boys’ and girls’ teams and gave them a lesson in how to do the Haka.
Great Ireland Run winners announced WE ARE delighted to announce the winners of the SPAR Great Ireland Run 2011 competition for local runners in each of GazetteSport’s eight areas. Blanchardstown: Philip O’Leary and Bronagh Elliott Castleknock: John Quinn and Stephanie Holt Clondalkin: Brian O’Connor and Aoife Fitzroy Dundrum: Mark Sheridan and Vanessa Lenehan Dun Laoghaire: Flavio Rea and Jennifer Duffy Lucan: Derry McVeigh and Denise Lynch Malahide: Michael Flynn and Sinead Duffy Swords: Vincent Brady and Marion Doherty We will be in touch with the
winners directly.
Ireland could still appear at World Cup 2015 IRELAND could yet appear at the 2015 cricket World Cup after it was announced that the International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar had asked the executive of the governing body to reconsider the composition of the tournement last week. Ireland’s stars, including Kevin O’Brien, were insensed when it was announced that associate nations, the clubs who are not full members of the ICC, would be excluded from the tournament when it next runs in Australia and New Zealand. But the matter will be reconsidered in June at the next meeting of the ICC executive in Hong Kong.
38 SWORDS GAZETTE 21 April 2011
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
LSL SAT DIV 3: INJURY TIME GOALS TAKE POINT FROM PHOENIX
Fingal CC’s Barker added to Ireland U-18 panel FINGAL Community College’s Michael Barker has been included in the Republic of Ireland U-18 Boys’ Schools team who host England in Tallaght Stadium on Thursday, April 28 in the final game of the Centenary Shield campaign (KO 7:35pm). Barker has been an impressive performer in the past two games while this final game of the season will be a tantalising tie as Ireland goes in search of a home win and a first for the season. England, on the other hand, need Northern Ireland to lose away to Wales, as well as picking up the final four points on offer from their final two games to stand a chance of snatching the title, so it will definitely be all to play for in Tallaght come April 28. Manager Dave Archbold of Palmerstown CS will be hoping Carndonagh skipper Ryan McLaughlin can rally his troops in green to victory for the first win of their Shield campaign. Tickets for the Republic of Ireland v England Schools’ game cost €5 adults and €2 students, and are available from Diane Fay, FAI Schools, or by calling 01 8999 522 (office) or e-mail: diane.fay@fai.ie
Cluskey keeps doubles run on course SWORDS man James Cluskey continued his superb recent run of form when he reached the semi-final of the France F6 Futures in Angers, adding to two recent tournament wins. In tandem with James McGee, they overcame two French pairings before falling 6-3, 6-2 to Gregoire Burquier and Romain Jouan. They bounced
back from that defeat immediately, though, with a straight sets victory over France’s Hugo Nys and Germany’s Sami Reinwein 7-6, 6-1 in Grasse in France. It was his first battle of the year outdoors after a lengthy indoor season and, while the Swords’ man admits clay is not his preferred surface, this F7 event showed his form is still in. Cluskey was recently confirmed at doubles world number 359, the highest he has been since joining the professional ranks.
Swords Celtic came from behind in the last moments of the game to take a draw from their LSL Saturday Division 3A tie
Swords leave it late to tie LSL SATURDAY DIV 3A Phoenix 2 Swords Celtic 2 STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com
AN incredible late double kept Swords Celtic’s interest in the LSL Saturday Division 3A title alive on Monday night as they stung Phoenix in injury time at Martin Savage Park. The Ashtown club had their scares but looked to be cruising after Greg Murray’s header in the 19th minute and simple finish two minutes before the break had them cruising down the final stretch. But Stephen Sheridan
nudged his side back into contention with 45 seconds of normal time remaining and when the home defence allowed goalkeeper Stephen Caul’s free-kick bounce in the area, it was panic stations. James Smith nodded it on and Stephen Moanse stole in to sweep the ball home from three yards as three Swords’ attackers followed the ball while the Phoenix defence was marked absent. It was a stunning end to a reasonably open tie, let flow for the most part by Tony McGuinness. T he lively Johnny Murphy was the first to
have a dig at goal in the eleventh minute, intercepting 30 yards out and then firing a daisy-cutter which Gavin Hickey got a little touch to nudge out for a corner. Phoenix, though, took the initiative in fine fashion when they raced forward, bursting out from defence and setting Steve Duffy free down the right flank. His pin-point cross picked out the run of Murray who applied plenty of headed power to go with placement just to Caul’s right. He got a decent hand to it but not enough to push around the post. Anto Murray went
close soon after when put through one-on-one but Caul did well down low as ’Nix kept the ascendancy going. And they added to their lead when as Anto Murray drifted again down the right-line cut to the backline. He had two options at the back post which drew centre halves Frank Kilbride and Ray McGrane so he smartly pulled the back to Greg Murray on the penalty spot and he simply picked the gap between the spreadeagled defenders. It looked to be enough for all three points; indeed they came closer to grabbing the next
goal when Anto Murray scrambled wide and Greg Murray fizzed one past the post. Swords, though, came back stronger in the final third of the game as the tireless Murphy stung the palms of Hickey while Tommy and James Smith’s introduction – having arrived late for the start time – had a big influence. James’ poke through past the last defender to Sheridan seemed to lay up a consolation goal but the belief was there to grab a for tuitous equaliser to keep the side in third place but now level with Leicester Celtic on points.
FCC and LCU boost cricket in Fingal THE working relationship between Fingal County Council and Leinster Cricket Union continues to expand as Reinhardt Strydom (Fingal Cricket Development Officer), with the help of Stephen Moreton (Cricket Ireland Coach Education Officer) recently presented coaching courses for teachers from both the Dublin 15 and North Fingal areas. The courses were held at the Corduff Sports Centre and North County Cricket Club, with 24 teachers attending, representing schools from all over Fingal and
also included sports officers from Corduff Sport Centre. Cricket for Teachers explained the basic rules of cricket, how the game works and to show different ball/cricket games that can be played in the schoolyard. The session started with a demonstration on how the game of cricket is played, the rules involved and also a layout of a cricket field. Following that, batting was demonstrated with the grip and stance, followed by the execution of the forward drive. In relation to bowling, the basic bowling
action was demonstrated and explained. To finish, the teachers were shown hand/eye co-ordination skills and games to play with their pupils. Teachers left understanding the game better, had fun, learned to bat and bowl and were all looking forward to trying out these new games with their classes. Niall McGuirk, Senior Sports Development Officer with Fingal County Council, said: “The council are committed to developing sport in Fingal and cricket is a major part of that plan. This programme gives teachers the basic
skills of the game and enables them to pass on what they have learned to their students through fun and active games.” Further progress was made in West Dublin this week with the opening of the new ground at Porterstown Park near Blanchardstown. Over 50 people attended the official opening, including World Cup star Kevin O’Brien, where Clonee Cricket Club, Castleknock Communuity College, Setanta College and several local primary schools will use the facilities in the coming months.
21 April 2011 SWORDS GAZETTE 39
in association with
HURLING: FIXTURE CLASH LEAVES TEAM SHORT
CLUB NOTICEBOARD FINGALLIANS THE club will this year be hosting Div 7
ers who were fighting off relegation in
of the football feile. Our U-14B team are
the top-flight 12 months ago and now
in this division, with Vincent’s B, Scoil ui
they are preparing to face Kilkenny
Chonaill and Clontarf B, on the week-
in their first NHL Division 1 final since
end of April 30. Our A team will be play-
1946, on May 1.
ing away in St Mark’s: The big travelling
Put Easter Sunday in the Diary: Music
support last year played a part in the
with DJ Shay, spot prizes and craic in
club winning the feile, so please show
the club from 8pm till late. Fingallians Golf Classic in aid of
your support again this year. It was a good week for the ladies’
Ladies’ and Gents’ Adult Section:
junior team with a win in both the cup
Friday, May 6 at Donabate Golf Club.
and league. U-11 girls had a win and
Team of four €200 (€180 if prepaid 14
the senior footballers continued their
days in advance). Early bird: 6.30am
unbeaten run with victory against
to 10.30am - €180 (€160 if prepaid 14
Skerries. U-13A footballers added
days in advance). Sponsor a hole: €50.
another victory and also had ten of
Tee available from 6.30 am to 4pm and
their players at trials for the North
includes dinner in Donabate GC club-
Dublin Development Squad over the
house. There is also an opportunity to
weekend.
win two three-year tickets for Croke
Congratulations to the Dublin hurl-
Fingal were unable to field a team as club and national league matches were in conflict
Fingal future set to be decided at CCC STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com
FINGAL’S status as an intercounty hurling entity will be put up for debate later this week following the fallout from the recent walkover conceded to Roscommon. Local club representatives, the Fingal team and management – headed by former Kildare boss Ben Dorney – will meet this week with the Dublin Central Competitions Control Committee to discuss the situation. A clash between AHL club and the National Hurling League Division 3A league dates left Dorney without enough players to make the trip west. And Andy Kettle, the county board chairman, said that if Fingal is to continue to operate, clubs in the area need to be flexible about their fixtures and that Croke Park can also play a part by aligning NHL
games in the lower-tier divisions with division one to help alleviate such clashes. Speaking last week about the decision not to travel to Athleague, Dorney was keen to put on record that his side had not pulled out because their chances of reaching the league f i n a l we r e m i n i m a l despite three wins from their five games at the time, He suggested that had the game been allowed go ahead on the Saturday, rather than the Sunday when a full schedule of Dublin inter and junior league games were in operation, the tie would not have been postponed. He said: “We wanted to play the game and would have if it was changed to Saturday. We have a panel of 29 and eight players were injured. That left us with a working panel of 21 and 17 of those were involved in club hurling fixtures at 10.30am on
Sunday morning. “T he players all wanted to play those club games and then travel to Athleague, but we couldn’t ask that of them and there was no certainty that they would all come through their club games. “ We w o u l d h a v e fielded if the Roscommon game was on Saturday or the Dublin club fixtures had been postponed. “We are operating out of just two clubs, Naomh Mearnog and St Brigid’s.
“ T h e p l ay e r s a n d management team all wanted to fulfil the game against Roscommon. We take playing in the league very seriously and I certainly wouldn’t like anyone think we didn’t field because we couldn’t make the final, that is certainly not the case.” Fingal compete in the Nicky Rackard championship, which is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, but the draw has handed them a bye, allowing some breathing room.
Park for a hole in one.
FINGAL RAVENS OUR juvenile section are holding
for the use of Northlands farm.
a table quiz this Thursday, April
Best of luck to the Rolestown
21 (Holy Thursday) at 9pm in the
schoolboys’ senior team and girls’
lounge of Kettle’s Hotel, only €20 for
senior team who have made it to
a table of four, please support.
their finals.
Annual golf classic is on Saturday,
Best of luck to Darren Daly and the
May 28, in Swords Open; contact
Dublin footballers in their league
Pat Kinsella on 087-9313045 to book
final. Anyone who ordered tickets
your tee-times.
for the final can collect them on
Well done to our U-12 team who won their blitz at the weekend. Senior team play Kilmacud Crokes this Friday at 7pm in the league in
Thursday night at 8.30pm in the bar of Kettle’s Hotel (prior to the quiz) or at the Div 1 game on Friday at 7pm. Well done to the Dublin hurlers on
Rolestown. Scrap Saturday last weekend was
reaching the league final.
a great success, thanks to every-
The 2011 Provincial Predictions
one who gave up their time to help
Forms are now out, please support,
out and thanks to everyone who
only €5 per entry. Please get these back to a com-
brought their scrap to be recycled. We would like to thank Vinnie Flynn
mittee member by Saturday, April 30.
ST FINIAN’S (SWORDS) THE adult hurlers lost by a single point
years. He has represented the club
to local rivals Fingallians at the week-
at county board level both juvenile
end. The U-16s had a good win in the
and adult. He currently represents
championship, also against Fingal-
the club as a member of the Board
lians.
of Directors, as chairman and is the
The U-10 hurlers had a great win at
current secretary of the company.
the weekend against St Pat’s (Palm-
He has represented St.Finian’s on
erstown). Both sides showed some
the club management committee as
great skills. Ciara Gribbon was a sharp
an ordinary member and as chair-
shooter in front of goal with two well-
man and secretary. His experience
taken goals. This was a very good team
and advice on how to progress com-
performance with the whole panel
plex problems has been invaluable for
playing their part.
the well-being of St Finian’s GAA club.
The Benny Power Club Person of the
Chairman Robbie Callinan paid a fitting
Year award for 2010 was presented to
tribute to Con, who was presented
Con Murphy at the Tea Party on Sat-
with the award by former winner Tony
urday night. Con is a founder member
McDonagh. Con has served the club
of St Finian’s. He has served as chair-
loyally for no reward except to see St
man, team selector for our football
Finian’s progress and to contribute to
and hurling teams in all grades, and
the overall good of the community in
as a committee member for many
which we live.
ALL OF YOUR SWORDS SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 35-39
FINGAL’S DILEMMA: Hurlers failure to field team leads to CCC crisis meeting: P31
STEPHEN FINDLATER swordssport@gazettegroup.com
AFTER a number of years of f lirting with the idea, Swords Cricket Club, have taken the plunge in 2011 to become the newest club in Leinster cricket, securing Newbridge Park as their home. And they are aiming to take the field for the first time in a formal capacity on May 15 when they play in a festival at Railway Union CC, while also slotting in some friendly fixtures against local clubs in the meantime. The roots of the club lie
among the strong Indian community in the area, who have set up informal games, playing with a soft ball in areas such as Rivervalley and Holywell in the last four years. And, last year, a group of players from the area banded together to play in four tournaments, finishing runners-up in one and reaching semi-finals in the other three. From this jump-off, the group decided to pursue club status with a view to joining the Leinster Cricket Union with work starting in September 2010. Working in tandem with
EXCLUSIVE: Bernard Brogan talks to GazetteSport: P37
Swords Cricket Club’s new grounds at Newbridge Park
Fingal cricket development officer and former Ireland player, Reinhardt Strydom, along with support from Cricket Ireland’s Leinster development manager Brian O’Rourke the wheels were set in motion at the first general meeting on September 16, 2010.
Committee Fr Tony Pazhayakalam, of St Cronan’s Church, Brackenstown, was named the first chairman, while Sajeev Thomas was elected secretary, Sibu Jose as treasurer and George Purapanthanam as manager. A five-member executive committee was
also voted in. Fingal sports officer, Niall McGuirk, along with Gerry Fitzgerald, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent, have also offered assistance. Initially, Swords will play in such one-off events and cup competitions but the intention is to compete in the Leinster leagues in the years to come. It is one of a number of exciting developments for sport in the region as Fingal County Council, and developers MKN, confirmed this week that they expect the new sports pitches, including a full-size GAA pitch and up to four juvenile
pitches at the western side of Ridgewood, to be taken into the council’s charge in the autumn of this year. As part of the recently completed Fingal Development Plan, MKN have agreed to provide a dressing room facility at this location before any further development takes place, and Fingal County Council stated that, subject to the granting of planning permission, it is envisaged that development works will be carried out over the summer and the open space, pitches and dressing rooms will all be taken in charge in the autumn.
GazetteSPORT
Swords CC secure Newbridge Park base at last
APRIL 21, 2011