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INSIDE: The GPO’s superb new €10m visitor centre

adds a stamp of approval to The Rising’s legacy P13

Snap to it: Social media darling James Kavanagh talks about his busy life, online and off Page 15

Gallery: Alison Canavan’s book has some model advice for new mums to follow Page 12

sport Soccer:

Rivervalley ready for historic date Page 30

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The Opel Karl is small but mighty, with plenty of great features

March 10-16, 2016

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Dublin airport staff and visitors encouraged to speak as gaeilge DUBLIN Airport is supporting Seachtain Na Gaeilge by encouraging all staff to engage with passengers by speaking a cupla focal As Gaeilge.

“We are delighted to support Seachtain Na Gaeilge and we’re encouraging our customers and colleagues to get involved. Fluency is not essential; the aim is to use everyday Irish words and phrases in a fun and informal way which celebrates the Irish language,” said Dublin Airport managing director, Vincent Harrison.

Pictured are Finola Nic AnIomaire and John Hayes, Dublin Airport Terminal Services, taking part in Seachtain Na Gaeilge. – two of the hub’s staff among all those encouraged to flex their As Gaeilge muscles throughout the event. Those doing so will be assisted with visual aids and popular phrase translations.

Seachtain na Gaeilge continues until March 17.

€14.2m levies refund for scrapped rail line

Fingal County Council

 Emma Nolan

to reimburse millions

FINGAL County Council is due to refund €14.2 million in levies from about 60 residential and commercial developers for the scrapped Metro North rail line from St Stephen’s Green in the

to developers along Metro North route

city centre to Swords.

Between them, Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council are to refund €19.9 million in development contributions which they have been receiving since 2007.

The decision was made

when the government announced plans to build a new light-rail system between Dublin Airport and the city centre.

A spokesperson from Fingal County Council said: “Fingal County Council has collected a sum

of approximately €14.2 million under the existing scheme and arrangements will be made to reimburse those that made payments when the status of the scheme has been resolved.”

Full Story on Page 2

2 SWORDS Gazette 10 March 2016

transport | action over metro north payments

Council to refund €14.2m levy funds  emma nolan

A rendering of a possible Metro North line from St Stephen’s Green to Swords

FINGAL County Council is due to refund €14.2m in levies from about 60 residential and commercial developers for the scrapped Metro North rail line from St Stephen’s Green in the city centre to Swords.

Levies were paid by residential and commercial developers who were granted permission to build about 1km on either side of the proposed line.

Between them, Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council are to refund €19.9m in development contributions which they have been receiving since 2007.

The decision was made when the Government announced plans to build a new light-rail system between Dublin Airport and the city centre.

Metro North was due to be completed in 2012, but the new line isn’t expected until 2026 or 2027.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) told Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council (FCC) that there were “significant differences” between the two schemes, such as fewer stations, different lengths of tunnelling and a “substantially different” timescale.

The NTA also said that the “existing development contribution scheme for Metro North should be revoked and that the levies that have been collected, to date, under the scheme should be refunded”.

Most of the money was collected from developers in Fingal (€14.2m), but Dublin City Council collected a smaller sum (€5.7m), but from a total of 412 developers.

Speaking to The Gazette, a spokesperson from FCC said: “The Government announced a decision some time ago to proceed with a revised Metro North scheme.

The proposed project is significantly different from the previous one, so it will be necessary to deactivate the existing and put in place a new Section 49 Supplementary Development Contribution Scheme.

“Fingal County Council has collected a sum of approx. €14.2m under the existing scheme, and arrangements will be made to reimburse those that made payments when the status of the scheme has been resolved.”

The council also stated that the funds have been “ring-fenced for transfer to the NTA to contribute to the cost of Metro North so refunding the sum collected will have no consequences for the council’s finances”.

Meanwhile, Dublin Airport has invested €15m in modernising the departures floor and security screening area in Terminal 1.

A significant part of this investment relates to the delivery of 15 new automatic tray return system (ATRS) machines in the passenger security screening area.

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

FastNews

Get a practical training into film, TV and media production FINGAL Film Festival, in conjunction with City of Dublin Education and Training Board, are running a full-time local training initiative programme this April, offering local community basic Media Education in Foundation FETAC Level 5.

Taking place in the Santry area, the full-time training programme provides local community a chance to learn the process of film and TV media production, in a practical and foundational process.

The course runs for 45 weeks, and will offer modules in media analyses; TV & film production; script writing; personnel effectiveness; film and TV camerawork in lighting and editing; and problemsolving, among others.

Applicants aged 18 – 35 are preferred, but older candidates will also be considered, and are encouraged to apply. For further information, visit your local social welfare office and state the ref codes for the course: ETB/LTI, Code Ref: FG-07806.

10 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 3

community | rising events marked by school; comedy gig for kids

heritage

Digitise Rising artefacts

Focus on children’s learning, laughter  paul doyle

STAFF and students at Malahide Community School are celebrating the Rising in a big way this month.

Events star ted on March 7 with an evening lecture on Women And 1916 by author and historian, Liz Gillis, in the school library at 7.30pm.

This Friday, March 11, will see a fifth-year debate on 1916 in Scoil Iosa hall.

Next Monday, a full-day exhibition of memorabilia from 1912-1924 will be on display in the PE hall from 9am to 3.50pm.

The next day, the school will host a concert for first years on 1916 in the afternoon, and an evening concert for the public at around 7.50pm.

Finally, on the morning of Wednesday, March 16, Pat Callan, a historian and expert on Irish involvement in World War One, will speak with Joe Duffy from RTE’s Liveline about his book, Children of the Rising, in the school canteen.

Stage Away from schools, and a comedy show aimed at kids of all ages will take place this April Fool’s day, with comedians – both young and old – taking to the stage.

P unch Lion K ids’ Comedy Club takes place on Friday, April 1, at the Bracken Court Hotel, Balbriggan, and children are invited to bring their parents along for an afternoon of laughter.

Young and old audience members will be treated to some of Ireland’s best comedy acts; performers on the day will include RTEjr’s Reuben, The Republic of Telly’s comedy double act Totally Wired, as well as the Comedy Cellar veteran, Andrew Stanley.

Stand-up comedy shows are recommended for children aged 6 – 12, and children must attend with an adult.

Mark Stanley, who helped to put the event together, said: “All of the acts have adopted their material quite well for a younger audience, and the response has been very positive.”

For further information, see www.punchlion.ie/ kids-comedy.

 paul doyle

a celebration of irish

COUNCILLOR Daire Ni Laoi (SF), Cllr Paul Mullville (Ind), Margaret Reid and Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid were among those attending the council’s Oiche Soisialta – an informal social evening in the atrium at County Hall, Swords, recently. The evening marked the beginning of the Seachtain na Gaeilge festival, which is currently running until March 17. The evening featured traditional music from Sean McElwain and Donal McCague, and singing As Gaeilge from Deirdre Hurley. Council staff and Irish language enthusiasts from the Fingal area and beyond attended, celebrating the richness and vibrancy of the Irish language and culture. Reid said: “Fingal County Council is increasing the amount of Irish used within the organisation on an ongoing basis, and particularly during Seachtain na Gaeilge. I am delighted to welcome the members of the Fingal Irish language community to County Hall, and well done on all your work promoting Irish in Fingal.”

AS PART of Fingal County Council’s centenary programme, a family memorabilia day will take place in the Balbriggan area.

The public are invited to bring along items of interest such as letters, medals and photos that tell the story of their family connections to the 1916 Rising and beyond to 1923.

Experts will be on hand to digitally photograph the material, which will be used, in time, to develop an online resource.

In addition, historical experts, auctioneers, book sellers and genealogists will be on hand to give advice. There will also be a screening of A Terrible Beauty, followed by a talk.

The event starts at noon and finishes at 4pm.

4 SWORDS Gazette 10 March 2016

culture

Dancers step up to take wins in Scotland  paul doyle IRISH dancing school Scoil Rince Ni Rua recently flew to Scotland to compete in the Glasgow Championships of Irish Dance.

The Glasgow Championships of Irish Dance is an international competition which attracts dancers from all over the UK and Ireland. This year, 15 dancers from Swords and Rivervalley competed.

The school’s dancers, who competed in age categories ranging from under-11 to under-23, have represented Swords since the competition was launched in 2012.

Rosanne Roe, founder and teacher at Scoil Rince Ni Rua, said: “Over the past three years, our dancers have excelled at the Glasgow Championships, and this year was no exception.

“We had girls competing from a beginner level all the way up to championship level, coming home with a range of top placings, from 6th place all the way to a 1st place.

“It was a great bonding trip for the class. We were very well situated with the hotel, and we stayed for the entire weekend; we even had a whole day to do some shopping.”

Having recently jetted home from Glasgow, dancers from the school will be performing at the Pavilions shopping centre during this month’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Anyone who would like to see the girls’ skills in person is invited to go and watch.

They will also be hosting a raffle where the top prize is an iPad, to help fundraise for upcoming Irish dancing competitions, including All-Ireland and world championships.

council | public invited to engage in consultation process

Have a say on the way Fingal could be developed FINGAL County Council has launched a public consultation on a new draft development plan for its administrative area.

The council is seeking the views of members of the public and community groups by April 29 in order to ensure the plan is reflective of the wishes of the broader community.

Drafting of the development plan has taken place in recent months under the direction of Ann Marie Farrelly, the director of planning and strategic infrastructure, along with all elected members of the council and staff from various council departments.

Some key features of the plan include the inclusion of adequate residential zoned lands to potentially accommodate approximately 49,500 housing units over the coming years

through the development of sustainable communities, with an emphasis on consolidation and densification of existing urbanbuilt form.

The plan will recognise Swords and Blanchardstown as the key primary growth centres in Fingal and introduce rural and urban planning policies.

Due to come into effect next year, the Fingal Development Plan 20172023 will be the primary planning policy document against which all forms of proposed development in the county will be assessed by the council and An Bord Pleanala.

In simple terms, the plan will determine where housing, industry, infrastructure and community facilities can be developed, and to what scale.

Stretching from Castleknock and Blanchardstown in the southwest to

Balbriggan in the northeast, and from Howth to Garristown, Fingal covers an area of over more than square kilometres, and has an estimated population of close to 300,000 people. It is one of the fastest-growing and dynamic areas in the state.

Speaking to mark the launch of the public consultation on the draft plan, Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid urged interested groups and individuals to have their say.

He said: “The draft Fingal Development Plan supports the development of enterprise, tourism, and sustainable communities, as well as the provision of necessary physical and social infrastructure, while ensuring Fingal’s unique natural and cultural heritage is protected for present and future generations.

Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid is urging the public to get involved with the new draft development plan for Fingal’s administrative area

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

‘In simple terms, the plan will determine where housing, industry, infrastructure and community facilities can be developed, and to what scale’

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

“In simple terms, we want Fingal to be the location of choice in which to live, work and visit in Ireland. We actively encourage all interested parties to participate in the [con-

sultation] process.”

To facilitate public participation, Fingal will be hosting a series of dropin public information sessions on the draft plan at various locations across

the county during March and April.

These sessions will provide people with an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of what the draft plan contains, and members of the development plan team will be available to answer questions.

In advance of the information sessions, the draft plan can be viewed at Fingal.ie, or inspected at its offices and in the council’s libraries.

Almost 100 jobs for region from CityJet, Maxol developments

 paul doyle

CITYJET, the Irish European regional airline, has opened its new customer contact centre in Swords.

The new facility has created 18 jobs at the airline, and replaces its previously-outsourced facility, which was located in Mauritius.

The centre will operate from 7am to 7pm daily, dealing with enquiries on CityJet’s European scheduled routes, which include Dublin, Cork, London City Air-

port, Paris Orly, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Nantes and Florence.

The airline flies seven times daily from Dublin to London City Airport, and 18 times weekly from Cork to London City Airport.

CityJet’s chief commercial officer Cathal O’Connell said: “We are delighted to create additional jobs at our Swords campus.

“Relocating the call centre to Dublin and bringing it in-house ensures our customers are dealt

with by dedicated CityJet staff and enjoy our unrivalled service and attention to detail.”

Meanwhle, more jobs are set to come to the area, as Maxol are set to create 80 jobs in North Dublin, with the opening of service stations in Mulhuddart and Donabate.

Maxol M3 Mulhuddart Services is scheduled to open on Thursday, March 31, and Maxol Donabate will follow a week later on April 7.

Both businesses combined will lead to the creation of 80

new jobs, in a welcome boost to the respective local areas.

The new permanent positions include retail supervisors, shop sales assistants and deli sales positions.

The opening of Maxol M3 Mulhuddart Services follows a €6m investment on a 2.5 acre site. The new Maxol Donabate, located in north east Dublin, follows an extensive refurbishment and investment of €2m.

Commenting on the openings,Brian Donaldson, Maxol’s group general manager

said: “We are extremely proud to announce the opening dates of our new state-of-the-art facilities at Mulhuddart and Donabate, both of which represent a significant investment and achievement for Maxol.

“The creation of 80 new permanent jobs will be of huge benefit to the areas and overall economy. We are delighted to be working with our new independent retail partners, Donal and Liam Fitzpatrick at Mulhuddart, and Gerard and Fergal Ralph at Donabate.”

10 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 5

6 SWORDS Gazette 10 March 2016

skerries | 1916

Celebration for Cumann na mBan

 Emma Nolan

news@gazettegroup.com

SKERRIES Historical Society celebrated International Women’s Day this week by presenting a talk on ‘Skerries Women of Cumann na mBan.’ The lecture by Marie Bashford Synnott is part of Fingal’s 1916 Lecture Series and took place in Keane’s Bus Bar on Strand Street. The talk recognised the “brave and determined women” of Cumann na mBan and looked at the role the women of Skerries played in this revolutionary group.

Synnott is inviting families of Skerries women who were members of Cumann na mBan to get in touch with her.

She said: “I hope that the families of these Skerries women will help me in my research by

proudly coming forward with information about their many grandmothers, mothers and aunts so that I can give as clear a picture as I can of the sacrifices and dangers they had to endure for Irish freedom.”

Guests brought photographs of family members who were involved with Cumann na mBan and some of these will be featured in the Skerries Historical Society’s ‘Skerries Men and Women of 1916’ exhibition, which will be launched in Skerries Mills on April 18.

Last Saturday, March 5, Fingal County Council celebrated the thousands of Irish women who participated in the Irish nationalist, labour and cultural movements in the early twentieth century through their ‘Women of the Irish Revolution’ lecture in Ardgillan Castle.

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Deputy Louise O’Reilly (SF): “I think that the electorate is staring to polarise down the middle into a Left-Right divide”

politics | sinn fein’s louise o’reilly on new role

‘A strange experience to be called a Deputy’  emma nolan

“

Trabolgan Holiday Village, Cork have used the Dublin Gazette Newspapers for the last few years to advertise various aspects of our holiday village including special offers. We have always had an excellent reader response from the advertisements run and have found the area’s covered by all 8 papers of great value to Trabolgan.

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The help and guidance we have received from the staff has made it easier for us to communicate our message efficiently and cost effectively ensuring we get the maximum from our budget. We would have no hesitation in recommending the Gazette to any business.

B e c a u s e L o c a l M at t e r s

NEWLY elected Sinn Fein TD for the Fingal constituency, Louise O’Reilly spoke to The Gazette recently about her successful election campaign, focusing on both local and national issues and fitting into her new role.

Deputy O’Reilly has been busy finishing up in her job as a SIPTU union rep and getting ready for her new job.

She said: “There’s been a fair amount of reading and admin to get through, and some wee celebrations with my supporters and family, so it’s been quite busy.”

On her successful campaign, Deputy O’Reilly feels that her

hard work and the hard work of her campaign team are what got her the vote. “We’ve been out knocking on doors since last March,” she said.

Together with her team, she also campaigned strongly for the Marriage Equality referendum. “I think we would have been the most visible campaign group in the nor th county of any political party.

“We campaigned from then on; we made it our business to get out and talk to as many people as we possibly could – that was our ambition, and I think we achieved that.

“We were very active and busy in every section, from Malahide to

Balbriggan, and everywhere in between.”

On the diverse result from Fingal’s voters, with Fianna Fail’s Darragh O’Brien, Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell, Labour’s Brendan Ryan, Independent Clare Daly and Deputy O’Reilly successful at the ballot box, she said: “The result in Fingal is reflective of the national picture.

“I think that the electorate is staring to polarise down the middle into a Left-Right divide.

Clearly, Labour, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are on the Right, and myself/Sinn Fein, Independents and the smaller groups are on the Left of that,” she said.

Deputy O’Reilly thinks there is a “growing divide” in society,

with people thinking more about national issues and not just smaller local ones. She believes her job with Sinn Fein is to “persuade more people to our cause of fairness, justice and equality”.

She said her very first role since she has been elected TD was attending the Week In Politics programme on RTE the day after she was elected on Sunday, February 28.

“Being referred to as ‘Deputy’ has been a very strange experience! I’ve done a fair bit of media before as a union rep, but this is very different.”

Deputy O’Reilly is “really looking forward to getting on with the job”, and understands

that “there is national work that needs to be done in the Dail” – a prospect which she finds “exciting”.

Over the next few weeks, she will be establishing her office and sitting down with her new colleagues and councillors to focus on issues of transport and childcare following constituents voicing their concerns on the campaign trail.

She is also going to continue campaigning against the water charges.

She said: “My own background is in workers’ rights, and I think the Labour Party have left us with a massive amount of work to do, and I intend to be a strong advocate for workers’ rights.”

10 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 7

courts | man received €12,500 cash to process fake documents

Man organised false passports A clerical officer who was paid €12,500 to process five passports for foreign nationals who were not entitled to them will be sentenced next month.

Barry Kindregan (36) also organised passports for two other people but never received the agreed payment for them.

Kindregan of Downside Heights, Skerries, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four sample charges including, possession of a false passport and three charges of corruptly agreeing to accept a sum of money in cash as a reward for providing a passport on dates

between August 1, 2012 and July 2013. He has no previous convictions.

He had been working as an officer in the passport office since 2007 when a colleague approached him in August 2012 and sought advice “for people in South Africa who wanted to get Irish passports”.

Kindregan said they would have to look for a foreign birth registration but the colleague spoke to him again some time later and admitted the people in question wouldn’t be entitled to such registration. She asked him if he would be interested in producing passports for them for cash.

Kindregan later told gardai in interview that he considered the proposal for a few days before he agreed to process the applications. He ultimately delivered seven completed passports for South African, Vietnamese, American and Moldovan nationals, back to his colleague.

He admitted that he only checked supporting documentation to make sure the name was spelled properly and acknowledged that he knew the applicants weren’t entitled to Irish passports.

Judge Melanie Greally said she needed time to consider the case and remanded Kindregan on

bail to March 11, next.

Detective Garda Joanne O’Sullivan told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, that an agreement had been reached between Kindregan and his colleague that he would get €1,250 at the start of the application for the passport and a final €1,250 when it was completed.

She agreed that he never received the payment for the first two passports and he contacted gardai himself, following his arrest for the first two passports, to admit that he had processed a further five.

Det Gda O’Sullivan agreed with Ronan Kennedy BL, defending, that his client was “not

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

the prime mover” in the operation and was used to facilitate another person. She said she believed he was manipulated and deliberately targeted because of his known IT skills.

Det Gda O’Sullivan accepted that Kindregan co-operated fully with the garda investigation, was genuinely remorseful and was unlikely to come to garda attention in the future. She agreed that

he lost his job in the passport office but had since secured new employment.

Mr Kennedy told Judge Greally that his client wanted to apologise from the bottom of his heart and it was a gross understatement to say he was deeply ashamed of himself.

“He let down the State, who provided him with a good position, his work colleagues, whom he

respected and liked in the office and his family”.

“There isn’t a day goes by that he doesn’t regret his actions. No matter what penalty the court imposes this is something he has to live with for the rest of his days,” Mr Kennedy said.

Counsel said there were about 30 people from all over the community in court in support of Kindregan “bearing testimony to his character”.

8 SWORDS Gazette 10 March 2016

Gazettegallery

| tech experts gather for a special conference

Michelle Duffy Rudden and Felicity McCarthy

Summit for everyone in social media sector

Kathryn Dalton and Averyl Quinn

Paul Mahony

Patricia Iglesais and Louise McCormack

Over here, over here ... Brian Fanzo, Ted Rubin and Steve Dotto take a selfie. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston

S

EVERAL leading lights from social media platforms attended a special summit in Dublin recently, where they gave the largest such gathering of social media professionals in Ireland the benefit of their experience.

From stalwart internet platforms such as YouTube through to rising

platforms such as live-streaming service Periscope, the experts from a wide range of social media fields provided great insight into a fast-moving tech sector.

Workshops and talks comprised much of the summit, with attendees relishing the chance to hear first-hand

tips, advice and anecdotes from a number of leading figures, while they were also keen to focus on maintaining and developing business strategies and growth. With everything from a strong focus on business models to more intellectual points, there was something for everyone to focus on.

Carol Faughnan, Una O’Dodd, Miriam Lloyd, Esther Lawson and Melanie Boylan

Jenny Brennan

10 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 9

10 SWORDS Gazette 10 March 2016

SWORDSGazettegallery | Malahide Musical and Dramatic Society

Annette Grehan and Freda Madden

Siobhan Bradley and Orla Connolly Pedro Farrell, Des Walsh, Michael Dowling, Paul Maguire and Vinvent Oliver who took part in Malahide Musical and Dramatic Society’s recent performance of The Hot Mikado in Scoil Iosa Hall in Malahide Community School. Pictures: Stephen Flemming Photography

Ryan and Lucy Kelly, there to support their dad, Paraic, who plays Mikado

The whole cast of The Hot Mikado backstage and ready to go

10 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 11

present a lively upbeat, exciting performance, The Hot Mikado

Kristin Smith, Jackie Fagan and Pauline Collie O’Halloran and Holly Flood

Maguire

Katie, Eoin and Anne O’ Connor

Fiona McCabe and Cliona Campbell

Siobhan McQuillan, Stephen Ryan and Orla Jennings

Local talent put on a red-hot show

Paraic Kelly is The Mikado

James McDermott as Koko

Barry, Michael, Anne and Michelle Flynn

Elaine Kilbride, Una McGinty, Margaret Carvey and Evelyn Lambe

Aoife Hartnett and Laoise Sweeney

12 Gazette 10 March 2016

Gazettegallery

Lisa O’Brien and Cindy Flynn

| at alison canavan’s launch of her first book

Jonathan Sultan and Emma Coppolla

Alison Canavan with Minister for Health Leo Varadkar and his parents, Ashok and Miriam Varadkar

Helping new mums Grace, Kate and Laura Canavan

Presenter Alison Canavan with U2’s Adam Clayton. Picture: Brian McEVoy

M

ODEL, presenter and now author Alison Canavan attracted a great gathering to the launch at House at Leeson Street of her first book recently. Entitled, Minding Mum: It’s Time to Take Care of You, the €16.99 book is described as a new-mum’s guide to feeling great, inside and out. Inspired by her own experiences as a new mother, Alison wrote the book to fill what she saw as a gap in the market – a guide for new mothers to also take care of themselves, too. The launch attracted many well-known faces, all happy to help launch the book, and to get the message out that new mums also have to make sure that they’re okay. Adding a dash of pampering to the launch just ahead of Mother’s Day, a nail and make-up bar was also set up at the launch, with experts on hand from SOSU Nails and Couleur Caramel.

Alison had some help from her biggest fan at the launch – her son, James

10 March 2016 Gazette 13

feature P15

asdfsdaf schools P27 P16

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

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Animals arthur is a lovely colt in need of a home

These young visitors were captivated by history at the official opening of the €10m GPO: Witness History exhibition. Picture: Paul Sherwood Photography

heritage: €10m visitor centre explores the events and impact of 1916

Explore the Rising at the GPO THE GPO is enshrined in the history of the 1916 Easter Rising, so what better place to “witness history” than in the very place where it all happened 100 years ago?

GPO: Witness History is a €10m visitor attraction set to open this Easter, just in time for the commemorations.

This immersive centre will put people right inside the heart of the GPO during the five days in which it was both the military command centre, and the seat of the Provisional Irish Government.

This audio-visual, interactive hub really has something for people of all ages. With games for children and plenty to read for interested adults, this one is a must.

From the minute you walk into the GPO: Witness History centre, you are

absorbed by the history that surrounds you.

With a timeline that goes from 1913 to 1923, you can really involve yourself, not only in the events of the Easter Rising but the events leading up to Easter Week and the aftermath of the rebellion.

The visitor facility also features a cinematic experience – which is an excellent way to get as much information you can about the Easter Rising in as little time as possible. This audio-visual experience breaks down the events of Easter week 1916, and really puts you in the heart of the revolution.

This tour is self-guided, which means you can take as much time as you’d like to spend engaging yourself in events that particularly appeal to you.

You can read about the role that the

women of Cumann Na mBan played, how the children of 1916 Dublin suffered, and how the men of the Irish Provisional Government went about and carried through on their plans for an uprising.

There are also loads of artefacts on show throughout the experience, such as medals, badges, uniforms and equipment from the time period, along with a copy of The Proclamation of Independence.

The average tour lasts around 90 minutes and you definitely won’t find yourself ready to leave before that.

The exhibition also features a timeline of how previous anniversaries of The Rising have been celebrated in Ireland.

Also on offer is a wall of “where we’ve come since then”, which fea-

tures all the good and bad things that have happened in Ireland since 1916.

A very interesting part of this tour is the courtyard, where there is a beautiful sculpture which features several different stones, to commemorate each child that lost their life during Easter Week 1916.

The centre is set to be opened by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny on March 25, and officially opens to the public on March 29. Tours are on all day, from 9am to 5.30pm, with ticket prices starting from €10.

Not only does GPO: Witness History plunge you into the history of our emerald isle, it also presents you with the reality of where we are today, and when you see this exhibition for yourself you’ll see that we’re not that bad after all!

LITTLE Arthur was taken from his mother too early, and volunteers from My Lovely Horse Rescue first came across him when they saw him being ridden as a six-month-old foal in inner city Dublin. He was very underweight and full of worms. However, since he has been in our care, he has become a very sociable little colt.

Arthur is a sweetnatured, handsome little chestnut cob yearling with a striking flaxen mane and tail. He has almost completely lost his nervousness, with careful handling since he came to us.

He is quite good to catch, good to lead and good with other horses.

He is also used to electric fencing, and he’s great to groom with gentle, quiet handling.

With an estimated mid2014 date of birth, Arthur is a chestnut colt cob yearling, roughly 10hh.

If you are interested in rehoming Arthur, please email mylovelyhorserescue@ gmail.com.

14 Gazette 10 March 2016

Gazette

dublinlife A blooming good way to support cancer sufferers

THE Irish Cancer Society will plant a “Garden of Hope” for a seventh year, returning to the Iveagh Gardens this Daffodil Day, on Friday, March 11.

The society, together with Dell – its lead partner on Daffodil Day – are appealing to people around the country to dedicate a daffodil with

a message of hope for themselves or someone they love.

Daffodil Day is the biggest and longest running fundraising day for

the Irish Cancer Society, Ireland’s national cancer charity.

On Daffodil Day, thousands of volunteers around Ireland sell daffodil pins and flowers to raise money for the society’s free, nationwide services for those with, and affected by, cancer in Ireland.

Mark Mellett, the society’s head of fundraising, said: “Every year, we receive daffodils with beautiful messages written on them – messages from people remembering someone they have lost or messages celebrating people who are still here.

“There is still plenty of time to dedicate a message – so if you haven’t made a dedication yet, do it today.”

the rising is set to repeat at the gpo A NEW play about the Easter Rising is to take place inside the GPO later this month, and into April.

Inside The GPO is an unprecedented documentary-drama, and a once-in-a-century opportunity to experience the Easter Rising inside the main post office hall of the GPO. Recreating key events from the Rising, from the seizure of the building on Monday, to the beginning of the shelling on Wednesday, to the eventual evacuation on Friday, audiences will witness the rebel leadership navigate the perils of the event.

Fishamble theatre artis-

diary

Taking in the sights of a previous Garden of Hope, where the Irish Cancer Society planted daffodil cutouts bearing messages of loss, and hope, from many people affected by cancer. With Daffodil Day this Friday, March 11 - the society’s biggest, key annual fundraising event - the public are invited to support the day, as well as the thoughtful Garden of Hope initiative.

tic director Jim Culleton said: “Fishamble is always seeking ways to develop plays that capture contemporary life, that speak with immediacy to audiences, and that do this in a theatrically inventive way.

“We are very grateful to all our partners and supporters for their help in making this unique event happen.”

Inside The GPO runs for a strictly limited run from March 29 – April 9, at 7.30pm and 9pm.

a noteworthy new music festival A NEW music festival is to take place in Dublin’s Smock Ally Theatre, and the Contemporary Music Centre, from Dublin, from April 7 to April 9.

Music Current is a new music festival, showcasing the best in Irish electronic music and contemporary international repertoire.

With events such as masterclasses, workshops and concerts running over two different venues,

SmockAlley Theatre (concerts) and Contemporary Music Centre (masterclasses and workshops), the festival is entirely embedded into one area in the city: Temple Bar. The festival will feature public concerts, and composer opportunities – specifically, a new work commission of €2,500.

The festival will also provide opportunities for performance, collaborations and professional development in music.

There are four concerts over the three-day festival, with the first two public events being a double bill, so audiences will be treated to two shows in one night.

Tickets are available from €15 at www.smockalley.com.

a tree-mendously good week for all THIS week has seen ESB Tree Week reignite the nation’s love of trees through hundreds of events all across the country.

E S B T r e e We e k launched last week with a survey of parents that revealed almost a third of children in Ireland (31%) have never climbed a tree, and one in 10 have never even visited a forest or wooded area.

Running until March 16, a number of events are taking place all over Dublin including tree planting event in Whitechurch and Donabate, and a lecture by the Society of Irish Foresters in the Botanic Gardens.

Kevin Hutchinson, president of the Tree Council of Ireland, said: “This year’s ESB Tree Week promises to be the biggest one yet, with hundreds of events happening around the country to celebrate trees. We hope that people of all ages are able to get out and enjoy their local events.”

To find out about local events happening in your area and to find ways to get outside and enjoy trees, see www.welovetrees.ie.

10 March 2016 Gazette 15

FEATURE Advertise your business to over 280,000* readers each week *Publishers statement

call 01 60 10 240

James Kavanagh is kept busy with all of his social media activities, which have built up quite a following over the past year. Picture: Hazel Coonagh

a day in the life: james kavanagh

Working away as a top social media darling  emma nolan

DUBLIN’S social media darling James Kavanagh took a break from Snappchatting to talk to The Gazette about a typical day in his not so typical life.

Having made his way onto the phone screens of the nation through mainly Snapchat, but also through Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, Kavanagh has managed to charm the pants of his followers with his hilarious and frank commentary on life.

Through the various tropes he has created, such as Scaring William (his easily frightened boyfriend, William Murray), his Snapchat (Jameskava) has become essential viewing as he delivers an all-hours comedy show through a new medium.

As for a day in his life, to start his day he usually “scares William first thing”, before making a

healthy concoction in his Nutri Bullet blender. “I’m mad for the Nutri Bullet,” he laughs.

Kavanagh’s days differ wildly on a day to day basis since he left his job as a PR manager in February to focus on creating a food brand – Currabinny – with his boyfriend, William.

He tells The Gazette that they are going to start by opening stalls at various markets around Dublin with the goal of eventually opening their own cafe.

“The brand is called Currabinny,” he says.

“That’s where William is from in Cork; it’s a tiny, idyllic village and they have a great tradition there of fishing and growing and cooking their own food, which is where William found his love of food – it’s such a gorgeous place.”

Ballymaloe-trained William’s delicacies are well documented on

Snapchat to give future customers an insight into what they can expect from the couple’s latest foodie endeavour.

Their first stall will be at the Teelings Whisky Market in Newmarket Square Dublin 8 on March 19.

At the moment, Kavanagh’s days are filled with research, meeting with producers and suppliers, getting people on board and everything it takes to start a new business.

“Well, I still need to pay the bills in the meantime, so I’m involved in a number of campaigns as a result of my Snapchat following. I’ll be presenting the OMGAs – the Online Media Greatness Awards – in the next few weeks.”

K av a n a g h ’s d r o l l musings on anything that’s “diviinnnnee” or “goooorge” have been entertaining Dublin and beyond for best part of a year, and it looks like it’s set to continue.

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dublinlife

FEATURES

initiative: Sow and Grow project

Planting the seeds of healthy eating Thirty thousand primary school children ar ound Irel and a re putting on their “Veg Heads” for the Sow and Grow project.

G r ow I t Yo u r s e l f (GIY) and Innocent Drinks have launched the fifth annual Sow and Grow project which aims to get primar y

school children to get their hands dirty while sowing and growing their own vegetables.

This year’s initiative will facilitate 30,000 primary school children from all across Ireland in their learning to grow cress, peas and spinach.

Over the last four

years innocent and GIY have facilitated more than 80,000 school children to have their first growing experience in classrooms countrywide.

From March 1, teachers and youth-group leaders can apply for one of the free Sow and Grow packs on inno-

Daniel Iakhoa, Ephraim Dean, Aarron Dillon, Alan Morta and Michael Brady from Our Lady of Good Counsel Boy’s National School in Drimnagh. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

centdrinks.com for their classroom or group.

Each pack includes 30 growing pots, seeds, soil, lesson plans and growing guides.

Studies show that

children who grow their ow n food are more likely to eat fruit and veg, show higher levels of knowledge around nutrition and are more l i ke l y t o c o n t i n u e healthy eating habits throughout their lives.

Progress

Aarron Dillon, Alan Morta, Daniel Iakhoa, Ephraim Dean and Michael Brady from Our Lady of Good Counsel Boy’s National School in Drimnagh

Registered schools are encouraged to track their growing progress throughout the term by writing about or uploading photos of their vegetables to the Sow and Grow website.

F o r e ve r y s c h o o l that does this, they will receive a Sow and Grow certificate as well the chance to win a class trip to Bloom Festival 2016 and Dublin Zoo and €500 of gardening equipment.

Winners of last year’s Sow and Grow project,

Ms Zoe Quinn’s second class boys of Our Lady of Good Counsel National School, Drimnagh, are well-practiced planters by now.

According to their principal Aidan Knight the “growing” spirit is on an upward trend at the school. He said: “We are very proud of the 25 boys from Ms Quinn’s class last year who were announced the 2015 winners.

“Thanks to them we now have a wonderful school garden which every class in the school can make use of on a weekly basis.”

This year’s Sow and Grow ambassador is RTE’s Operation Transformation nutritionist, Aoife Hearne who was on hand to launch the project with pupils of Our Lady of Good

Counsel Boy’s National School.

Commenting on the project Hearne said: “I’m a big believer in growing your own food.

As a mum and a nutritionist, I believe that giving children the knowledge of where their food comes from as well as showing them how to grow it themselves, are two of the greatest gifts we can offer.

“Healthy eating for me is about knowing which foods are actually healthy and secondly having access to those healthy foods.

“The Innocent and GIY Sow and Grow programme fulfils both of those criteria and it is projects like this which will help us to battle Ireland’s continually increasing obesity statistics.”

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

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10 March 2016 Gazette 17

work: take part in the second annual wellbeing day

Have a healthier workplace IRELAND’S second National Workplace Wellbeing Day will take place on Friday, April 8, with public and private sector organisations across Dublin invited to participate in the day, which aims to improve employee health through promoting better physical activity and nutrition in the workplace.

On April 8, employers

are being asked to put a special focus on wellbeing by promoting existing and new initiatives available in their workplace, as well as organising special events for staff, such as the “Lunchtime Mile” – a one-mile cycle, jog, run, walk or swim for employees in the vicinity of their workplace.

This year also sees the launch of the Work-

place Wellbeing Awards, to recognise those companies who are already promoting workplace wellbeing within their organisations, and to inspire others to get involved.

With 11 million days lost through absenteeism every year, at a cost of €1.5 billion, improving employee wellbeing is in everyone’s best

interest.

According to research, only one in three workers nationally takes the recommended level of exercise for a healthy lifestyle each week.

Three in ten workers undertake no physical exercise during work time, while just over a quarter (27%) describing themselves as fairly or very physically active.

Hundreds of employers – from the smallest to the largest – supported the inaugural Workplace Wellbeing Day. Healthy breakfasts, health checks and talks, exercise and fitness classes, cookery demonstrations and lunchtime walks are just some of the events that they organised for their staff.

For further informa-

For many people, the walk to or from work may be the extent of their exercise. Employers are asked: are they doing enough for their staff wellbeing and health?

tion, more ideas and full details on how to get involved in Workplace

Wellbeing Day, and the awards, see www.nhfireland.ie/wellbeing.

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Two of the new Hydrabio products (above, below)

Bioderma’s help for sensitive skin types  emma nolan

IT CAN be difficult to find the right products for sensitive skin that provide the right balance to cover your skin’s needs.

Bioderma have launched their new Hydrabio range, which is specially formulated for dehydrated and sensitive skin types.

The Hyrdabio range aims to give “intense hydration and radiation” to sensitive skin and provide an answer for those who are looking for a “radiant complexion, exceptional hydration and an unprecedented sensory appeal”.

Bioderma’s research has shown that external factors such as pollution, UV rays, temperature variations and stress, coupled with increasingly urban lifestyles, can leave your skin dehydrated and sensitised.

The Hyrdabio products have been formulated to stimulate the skin’s cellular capacities and reactivate its natural hydration process.

Miceller water has grown in popularity in recent months as the go-to make-up remover and facial cleanser.

Bioderma’s take on the cleanser – Hydrabio H20 – is designed to thoroughly remove make-up while still

respecting the fragility of sensitive skin.

Tailored for ver y dehydrated skin is the Hyrdabio serum which, when used regularly, encourages the skin to moisturise itself; the gel creme helps to smooth the skin’s texture and enhance radiance and freshness, and the thick creme is designed to intensely nourish dry and irritated skin.

Lastly, the hydrating Gommage is a gentle exfoliator for fragile skin that deeply cleanses and protects.

By obser ving the skin’s natural hydration mechanisms, Bioderma has developed “aquagenium”, a formula that is able offer a “new dimension to hydration” to mimic the natural moisturising action of the skin.

The Hydrabio range will be available in independent pharmacies nationwide from April 4, and ranges from €11.50 to €22.

Fresh fashion at Dundrum CHILL winds and a last gasp from Old Man Winter have blown across the country recently, but there are plenty of hot new trends with warm pops of colour to look forward to, courtesy of a wide range of premium and high

street brands available at Dundrum Town Centre.

With something to suit all tastes and budgets, retailers at the busy centre are busy rolling out some of the latest on-trend styles for spring/summer 2016.

So, forget the greys and blacks still lingering around us – brighten up your wardrobe with some of these warm hues and bold signature pieces – they’re perfect for stepping out in style, ready to make a confident statement:

“Bring on the sun!”

And, sun, rain, wind – or even if there’s another lick of snow – you know you’ll look great in any of these pieces, with all these, and many more, to be found across Dundrum Town Centre.

10 March 2016 Gazette 19

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Let Truvivity support your skin  emma nolan

LEGEND 1 (Coast) Top, €69; trousers, €109; (Aldo) Shoes, €90.

2: (H&M) Top, €29.99; skirt, €49.99; neck scarf, €39.99; (Zara) Shoes, €29.95.

3: (Selected Femme) Top, €59.95; shorts, €59.95; blazer, €99.95; (Aldo) Shoes, €90.

4: (BT2), (Carven) Dress, €540; (Aldo) Shoes, €80.

5: (River Island) Top, €40; skirt, €40; (Aldo) Shoes, €90.

6: (Harvey Nichols), (Pinko) Dress, €278; shoes, €266.

7: (Zara) Top, €39.95; trousers, €49.95; necklace, €25.95; (Aldo) Shoes, €80.

Designs inspired by the humble cocoa pod AWARD-winning Irish jewellery company, Juvi Designs, which celebrates its tenth birthday this year, has introduced an exotic new collection for spring/summer 2016, inspired by travels through Mexico and the country’s lush cocoa plantations.

TheCocoa Pod collection showcases vibrant, colourful jewels paired with 18ct gold vermeil or sterling silver, and each piece features the unusual, natural shape of the cocoa pod, that contain the beans from which chocolate is made.

Each piece in the Cocoa Pod collection is named after a place or culture that Juvi’s

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STYLE

founders, Julie and Vincent Tynan, discovered during their journey through tropical Mexico.

The Tulum pendant (€89) is named after the laidback beach town on the magical Riviera Maya, while the Cenote gold bangle (€145) conveys the beauty of the natural, water-filled sinkholes found in this region.

Baja earrings (€69) and chunky Lago rings (€105) boast a range of precious gemstones, including aqua chalcedony, pink tourmaline, rose quartz, citrine, green amethyst and ruby.

“We fell in love with

Mexico when we first visited 13 years ago, and we have been back m a ny t i m e s since,” said designer J u l i e Tynan. “ O n our travels, we had the pleasure of visiting a cocoa plantation, where we were surprised by the natural beauty, colour and shape of the cocoa pod itself.

“Its uniqueness inspired our spring/ summer 2016 collection, and we have chosen the cocoa pod as the centrepiece of each design.”

Julie and Vincent are a husband and wife duo who combine their talents and backgrounds as an interior designer and silversmith to create unique, striking pieces at their studio in Dublin.

With prices starting from €65, Juvi’s Cocoa Pod collection is available now at Arnotts, House of Fraser, Kilkenny, and independent retailers throughout Ireland, or online at www. juvidesigns.com.

From this month, Juvi Designs will also be stocked in Avoca.

SKIN care takes on a new medium thanks to Nurilite. Its new ingestible Truvivity range (inset), featuring “Beauty Supplement” and “Beauty Powder Drink”, tackle skincare issues from the inside out.

The Beauty Supplement, €85, is a food supplement providing vitamin A, C and zinc, which work together to contribute to the maintenance of normal skin.

Additionally, vitamin C and zinc help to protect skin cells from oxidative stress.

The Beauty Drink, €47, is a food supplement containing vitamin

C to help the normal collagen formation for normal function of the skin, and to contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Speaking on this new skincare method, Amway senior research scientist Dawna Venzon said: “As we age, our skin can become thinner.

“The ceramides in the stratum corneum [the skin’s outer layer] become less dense and unable to serve as an effective skin barrier.

T h i s c a n result

in weaker, drier skin.”

Truvivity’s research suggests that a lot of the main stressors for skin come from within. Poor dietary habits and lack of sleep are typical causes for skin becoming dull and damaged.

In including additional nutrients as part of a balanced diet, in conjunction with an external skincare regime, the beauty supplements give skin an extra boost to fight against the factors that cause it to become unhealthy. The products are available at www. a mw ay. ie.

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OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

Cookhouse serves up a treat McGettigan’s Cookhouse and Bar has opened a new restaurant in the location of the famous Kingswood

House on the grounds of the Kingswood Hotel, Citywest, just off the N7.

Located in a stylish new extension of the

renowned Kingswood House, and adjacent to the Kingswood Hotel, McGettigan’s Cookhouse and Bar hosts a large open

restaurant and bar with seating for 150 people, and a series of luxuriously designed event spaces catering for parties from

10 people right up to 130.

The Locke Suite – the largest event space – is an exciting New York loftstyle room with exposed

brickwork and beams and polished wooden and stone flooring, offering private facilities for up to 130 people.

A relaxed atmosphere emanates from the expansive McGettigan’s Cookhouse, with exposed brick walls and beams, wooden and Porcelanosa stone floors and coloured leather furnishings.

A large pewter island bar in the centre of the restaurant serves a cookhouse menu with drinks and cocktails from the resident mixologists.

The urban decor in the large space caters for all types of diners, with long concrete and zinc sharing tables in front of an open kitchen where guests can watch the chefs at work, while other areas offer a secluded log room, large circular booths perfect for groups of friends or families, and comfortable, luxurious bar stools and chairs placed at more intimate tables.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing looks onto a manicured terrace and garden, which will soon have an outdoor kitchen and currently offers heated al fresco dining all year long.

The open kitchen serves the best of Irish cuisine and popular favourites given the gourmet treatment. Head chef Pa Brophy, formerly of The Storehouse in Naas, has developed an extensive menu with a focus on

using fresh produce from local suppliers.

The menu caters for all tastes and party sizes, and is served fresh from the open kitchen in a cosmopolitan cookhouse style.

Carnivores will be spoilt for choice, with all 100% Irish meat offering a range of steaks, duck cassoulet, roast chicken, pork saltimbocca and the Cookhouse trademark selection of gourmet burgers.

Seafood lovers can choose from a sumptuous collection of fish and shellfish, including fish chowder, tiger prawns tempura, pan-seared king scallops, tuna nicoise salads, and traditional fish and chips. Other culinary delights include butternut squash and wild mushroom risotto, superfood salads and pizzas.

Starters range from €6 to €8 with mains from €12.95 to €29. McGettigan’s Boards offer a more casual option for anyone preferring some sliders or antipasti with a glass of wine or craft beer from the extensive cookhouse menu. Mouthwatering chef’s specials are chalkboarded daily.

Bringing a wealth of experience within the hospitality industry, the McGettigan family boast three Cookhouse and bars and nine Hotels in Ireland, with 11 gastro pubs across Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and America.

Style and comfort are to the fore throughout the new Cookhouse restaurant

10 March 2016 Gazette 21

Gazette

FEATURE heritage: lots of events across the whole city

Plenty to attend as Dublin marks the events of 1916  Jodi Waters

EVENTS marking the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin started this month, with many running until May. On March 3, Kilmainham Gaol opened up its courthouse for the first time since being restored.

The courthouse was once a “session’s house” for the Dublin grand jury during the 1820s.

It ceased as a court in 2008 and was handed over to the Office of Public Works in 2013.

The gaol was opened in 1796 and closed in 1910, but was reopened in the years between 1916 and 1924 to house political prisoners.

Kilmainham Gaol was the site in which the 16 leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed.

T he ancient gaol is already a museum that operates tours daily.

March 3 also saw the opening of The National Museum of Ireland’s 1916 exhibition, Proclaiming A Republic: The 1916 Rising.

It contains 15,000 o b j e c t s f r o m 1916 , including the Proclamation and the original flag of the Irish Republic.

The exhibition explores the background to the Rising, including political events, the rise of the Catholic elite, the push for Home Rule and the

growth of republicanism.

Proclaiming A Republic: The 1916 Rising is a reflection of 100 years of collecting, commemorating and preserving the last of the physical objects that link us to the men, women and children of the 1916 Easter Rising. Admission is also free to the exhibition, so this is a must-see.

On March 25, Glasnevin Cemetery Museum will launch the start of its 1916 events with 1916 Rising Tours. The tours will bring you to the graves of all those involved in and affected by the Rising, including the graves of Eamon D eVa l e r a , M i c h a e l Collins and Countess Markievicz. Tickets start from €8 and go up to €25 for a family pass.

Facility The opening of the visitor facility in the GPO kicks off Easter weekend. Opening on March 25, this exhibition commemorates the 1916 Rising in its entirety.

Events of Easter week 1916 will be presented chronologically so visitors will be able to fully understand what happened, who was there and when it happened.

GPO: Witness History celebrates our past, experiences the present and embraces our future.

Ticket prices range from €5 to €30.

Easter Sunday will see a ceremony and parade take place in the city. At 11:30am, the ceremony will commence with the reading of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence in the same place that Padraig Pearse would have read it 100 years ago, this time by a Defence Forces officer.

There will be a minute’s silence for all who died during the rebellion, followed by President Michael D Higgins laying a wreath for the 16 leaders.

The Tricolour The Tricolour will then be raised to full mast, and you will hear the sounds of Amhran na bhFiann echo through the crowds of O’Connell Street.

The parade will be led by the Defence Forces in full military attire, beginning at St Stephan’s Green, passing the GPO and finishing in Parnell Square. The event will conclude with an Air Corps flypast and a 21-gun salute.

That evening there will be a State reception at Dublin Castle on an invitation-only basis from An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.

Another ceremony will take place at The Garden of Remembrance. Unfortunately, this is a State event but will be televised live by RTE.

The events will finish up with another ceremonious event in Liberty Hall, honouring the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) and the role of James Connolly in the rebellion.

There will be a wreath laid at the James Connolly statue in Beresford Place, followed by a reenactment of raising the flag, and an afternoon of music, poetry and literature.

If you’re not interested in visiting the city centre this Easter Sunday, Glasnevin Cemetery have a wreath-laying ceremony taking place.

There will be three separate wreaths laid on the day, one at Sigerson Monument to commemorate all who died in the Rising; the second wreath will be laid on the grave of Edward Hollywood, the weaver of the first Irish Tricolour in 1848, and finally, the last wreath will be laid on the grave of Peader Kearney, the man who brought us Amhran na bhFiann.

This is a ticketed event open to the public; however, there will be large screens in a public area documenting the event as it takes place due to limited ticket places.

With plenty of things to get see, hear and do this Easter, you’ll be sad not to get out there and commemorate the men, women and children of 1916.

As the heart of much of The Rising in 1916, the GPO features prominently in much of the State’s commemorations of the fight for independence

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OUT&ABOUT

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TRAVEL NEWS

TRAVEL

Travel Department: an extensive programme for 2016

Go west for an Easter holiday to remember

Take the family west this Easter, with an exceptional Easter family break in one of the most pristine and picturesque parts of the country.

Enjoy a two-night stay in the Victorian mansion of Ballynahinch Castle Hotel overlooking the Ballynahinch River like a fairy tale castle in the woods.

Reconnect and relax with the family, checking in to your Riverside room with breakfast in the restaurant on both mornings and dinner on the evening of your choice.

From guided adventure walks through the woods, fishing on the lake, meeting the resident chickens, ponies and pigs and fun-filled art competitions, there is

plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

Gather the family and take part in the Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday and relax in the comfortable surrounds of Ballynahinch Castle Hotel while enjoying your sweet treats.

The Easter package at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel includes two nights accommodation for two adults and two children with breakfast each morning, one evening meal in the Owenmore Restaurant and a host of activities.

Prices start from €690 for two adults and two children under 12 sharing one room.

For more details on this package visit www. ballynahinch-castle.com or call 09531006.

Enjoy a full-day guided tour of Venice

A great opera-tunity for a trip of a lifetime

 Ian Begley

Hit the slopes for a last minute holiday

For those who want a last minute holiday away, you can dust off your ski gear and spend March on a mountain with Crystal Ski Holidays.

Choose a last minute deal to a European ski hotspot and you could be hitting the slopes from as little as €316pp.

Spend seven nights at the three-star Planibel Apartments, La Thuile, Italy on a self-catering

basis, from €316pp (based on four sharing) on March 13.

Also departing on March 13, is the ski package to Pas de las Casa, Andorra, for seven nights at the t wo - s t a r M a n z a n o Apartments, from €335pp (based on four sharing).

To book your holiday or to order a guide call Crystal Ski Holidays on 01 4331080 or visit www.crystalski.ie

Travel Department has launched an extensive opera programme for 2016 with exciting destinations on offer such as Italy, Prague, Budapest and Berlin.

As part of the 2016 opera programme, RTE Lyric FM’s Marty Whelan returns to Italy this year, giving fans an introduction to some of the best operas in the world in Lake Garda, Tuscany and Sorrento, as they enjoy an Italian vacanza at the same time.

Marty will join your group before the performance for a meet and greet, some exciting photo opportunities, and to share his knowledge of the particular opera.

Throughout the rest of your holiday, you will enjoy excursions with local tour guides as well as plenty of free time to explore or relax at your

leisure.

For 2016,Travel Department’s Opera Holidays include a holiday in Lake Garda, Venice and Verona, including Verdi’s La Traviata for seven nights, departing on July 21 from €1,169.

Over this seven-night guided holiday, you can explore the historic towns that hug the coast of Lake Garda and stroll through quaint streets and squares, all set in the tranquil surroundings of blue waters and towering mountains.

Enjoy full-day guided tours of Venice and Verona before watching the beautiful scenery of Lake Garda unfold by boat over a half-day excursion.

On the day of the opera, Marty Whelan will lead an introduction to the breath-taking La Traviata over lunch, before you experience one of the performances which established Giuseppe Verdi as a first-class com-

poser at the world famous Arena di Verona.

Departing on July 26, for seven nights, join Marty for a meet and greet and introduction to the opera in the glorious surrounds of Tuscany and the Puccini Festival for this unique festival experience, which is held annually during July and August to celebrate the life and works of the famous Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini.

From €1,059, you will then take in a special open-air performance of Madame Butterfly in Torre del Lago on the banks of Lake Massaciuccoli.

On this seven-night holiday, you will also visit the beautiful city of Florence with its famous Piazza della Signoria and travel to Lucca, a walled city that was the birthplace of Puccini.

You will explore Siena,

a city famous for its art, cuisine, museums and medieval landscape, as well as the small medieval town of San Gimignano.

A highlight for many is the trip to Pisa, which is home not only to the tower, but also to some magnificent cathedrals and baroque buildings.

From €1,049, you can explore the Sorrento Coast, Pompeii and Capri for the ultimate opera holiday. Departing on September 21 for seven nights, the Sorrento Peninsula is a known popular destination with Irish holidaymakers, positioned close to Naples in Campania, offering some of southern Italy’s most famous sights.

Overlooking the scenic Bay of Naples, it is the perfect location for this seven-night touring holiday, where you will enjoy guided tours of the charming town of Sorrento, the romantic island

of Capri via hydrofoil, and the ancient ruins of Pompeii.

Enjoy a leisurely lunch at your hotel and an introduction to the night’s opera performance from Marty Whelan. Then, take a guided transfer to Naples for a spellbinding night at the opera in the beautiful Teatro di San Carlo, and enjoy a performance of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.

All prices are per person and include flights, transfers, taxes, accommodation, guided tours and opera ticket with some meals included.

Marty in the Morning which is broadcast from Monday to Friday will broadcast live from all three of these destinations and encourages Travel Department guests to participate.

For more information about this package and how to book visit www. traveldepartment.ie.

OUT&ABOUT

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CINEMA CINEMA

ReelReviews

The Finest Hours That sinking feeling

(Cert 12A, 120 mins) This docudrama depicts the incredible true story of a daring Coast Guard rescue operation off of Cape Cod during a ferocious storm in the winter of 1952. When an oil tanker splits in half, trapping its crew aboard the sinking vessel, four brave Guardsmen set out to save them.

Grimsby Big Brother

(Cert 16, 83min) Dimwitted Nobby (Sacha Baron Cohen) lives in an English fishing town with his loving girlfriend (Rebel Wilson) and nine children.

For the last 28 years, he’s been searching for his long-lost brother Sebastian (Mark Strong).

When the two finally reunite, Nobby finds out that his sibling is a top MI6 agent who’s just uncovered a sinister plot.

DEADPOOL

Unconventional anti-hero (Cert R, 108mins) Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. A former special forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego, Deadpool.

Starring Ryan Reynolds.

Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Chiwetel Ejiofor head up an incredibly strong cast

Secret in Their Eyes: pale imitation of the Oscar-winning Argentinian original

Not quite a feast for the eyes Back in 2009, the low budget Argentinian thriller – El Secreto de sus Ojos – landed amid considerable critical fanfare.

Yet despite a lot of industr y recognition (including an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in the 2010 awards), the film passed most of us by unnoticed.

In a day when English language remakes are thin on the ground, Secret in Their Eyes attempts to bottle some of the success of the original and dole it out for a fresh audience.

The result is less of a remake, and more of a power-up, as director Billy Ray (who also gets writing credits for the adapted screenplay) gets to utilise a consid-

 Dave phillips

erable budget and bring together an incredibly strong cast.

The story follows Ray Kasten (a compelling Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is on a one man mission to resurrect a murder case from 2002.

As ex-FBI, now working privately in a dogged pursuit of justice, Kasten tries to rekindle connections with his original team, which includes Jessica (Julia Roberts), who is the mother of the victim; and Claire (Nicole Kid-

man), an old flame who has risen up the ranks in the meantime.

Flashing back and forth between the two timelines (which is never quite as smooth as it should be), the complexities of the story begin to emerge.

K a s t e n f o l l ow s a chain of evidence, but the person it leads him to (Peaky Blinder’s Joe Cole) is impossible to touch – working as a deeply embedded asset for counter-terrorism, the department want to keep him protected.

W hen it becomes obvious that pursuing things legally will not bear fruit, then it becomes a moral quandary for Claire, whose bending of the rules for an old flame may cost

her a career; and Jessica, who is forced to revisit her daughter’s death a decade on and decide what kind of justice should be meted.

There is a definite old-school vibe to The Secret in Their Eyes, while much of the action unfolds in 2002, the film itself feels like it could have been released a decade earlier.

B i l l i e R ay, w h o s e main strength lies in writing, demonstrates that he has a solid handle on directing.

There is good pace here and some outstanding performances from the leads.

Julia Roberts steals the show with an emotionally raw performance – an early scene where she uncovers her daughter’s

body is harrowing.

Ejiofor gets most of the attention, proving himself to be a robust and reliable action lead.

And despite a fine performance from Kidman, it is in her simmering relationship with Ejiofor that Secret in Their Eyes begins to become a little wobbly.

And it is not for lack of chemistry between the two actors, but for having so much focus on having a romantic plot in the middle of a murder investigation.

It is one example of how the old-school sensibilities of Secret in Their Eyes begin to erode the acting flair on the screen. Julia Roberts’ powerful bursts of grief seem somewhat diminished when

they are punctuated by thrilling chases through the middle of a baseball game.

It is unfortunate that in a film filled with great actors (including some great supporting work

by Breaking Bad’s Dean Norris, and House of Card’s Michael Kelly), t h e r e a r e s o m a ny moments of great performance and so few of genuine connection.

A s e r i e s o f ove rwrought last-minute twists serve as the final nails in the coffin, dragging the movie away from all its star-studded potential and into the murky realm of a feature-length episode of Law and Order. Who said there was any justice in the world?

Verdict: 5/10

Gazette

24 Gazette 10 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

MOTORING

Two new Kia motorships are opened THE Fort Motor Group has extended its footprint in the capital with the opening of two new Kia dealerships this month.

FortMotors Kia will serve the West Dublin area from a premises close to the Blanchardstown Centre, while Airton Kia opens on Airton Road in Tallaght.

Airton Kia is situated in an impressive 45,000sq ft facility off the Greenhills Road, with an accredited state-of-the-art service and bodyshop operation.

Meanwhile, FortMotors Kia will operate from a modern 25,000sq ft premises in Coolmine Industrial Estate in Blanchardstown.

Expansion Staff are currently being recruited to supplement the experienced sales and service teams in both outlets. The expansion will bring the group’s workforce to almost 100.

According to dealer principals Cyril and Paul Molloy, adding the Kia franchise to the group makes strategic sense at a time when car sales are predicted to keep rising.

They said: “On the one hand, Kia is clearly a brand on an upward curve in a buoyant marketplace for car sales. At the same time, the Kia range very much complements our existing line-up of models.

“We are delighted to be able to provide a fuller suite of vehicles to our customers, to meet the greater diversity we are seeing in car buying.”

Aesthetically, the Karl has a strong identity, but its drivability is what most will concentrate on – in this regard, it doesn’t disappoint, at least for general use

opel karl: a pleasure to drive and handy for zipping about

It’s a small car that doesn’t scrimp on attractive features  dave philips

LAUNCHED as part of Opel’s small car expansion last year, the Opel Karl seemed like the sensible older sibling of the dinky and expressive Adam and Adam Rocks.

While the Adam range sold itself as the ultimate customizable city car, the Karl focuses on function – and while it may not be as eye-catching, it doesn’t altogether scrimp on style.

From the outside, the Karl looks solid, friendly, and compact. Five door comes as standard and there is a surprising amount of room in the back seats, making it perfect for kids or occasional passengers.

But, practical and safe does not necessarily mean dull; a nice, staggered line

running along the doors, pinched rear windows, and a vivid range of available colours gives the Karl a bit of an aesthetic bite, or at the very least, a considerable nibble.

The trend continues inside, where there is plenty of room up front, and a large glass sunroof increases the sense of space.

There are three levels available, fluctuating the price from a very affordable €11,995 for the basics up to around €16,000 for the SE model and the full rigout.

There’s a tidy control panel regardless, as seems to be the norm with the new range of Opel’s small cars – and plenty of safety features packed in.

Cornering lights bend into the turn and make a considerable difference

driving in the country at night, and there is a lane departure warning for the motorways.

Rear parking sensors are options, but handy for smaller spaces, and a hill start assist as standard adds to a range of nice features that make driving easier and safer – which makes a lot of sense, given the Karl’s low price point and inevitable appeal to beginner drivers.

Like the Adam and Corsa, a one-button press will free up the steering in city mode, making the Karl even more versatile in tight surrounds which is, in fairness, where it performs best.

The 1-litre (non-turbo, unlike the Corsa) engine is small but surprisingly powerful; you can really feel the Karl go in the low

The Karl dash has a range of helpful features as standard

gears.

In its natural environment, the Karl is a pleasure to drive – zipping around the Dublin suburbs, or even hugging the tight streets of Kinsale were a doddle.

Getting between the two was a little less so – capped at five gears, the Karl is not designed for long-distance cruising.

While the car manages comfortably, you can feel

some of the limitations of the engine once you pick up speed.

But, given that the Karl is aimed at people who want a reliable and stylish runaround, that can’t be seen as too much of a criticism.

Besides, even on the longer journey, despite the lack of a sixth gear, fuel use stayed very reasonable.

The Karl enters a

crowded small car market, and even with Opel’s range it will have to compete alongside the meatier Corsa and the more stylish Adam, but it has a place – a low price point, low tax, and low emissions will make this car appealing to a lot of suburbanites.

The Karl values safety, practicality, and affordability, and it delivers those with gusto.

10 March 2016 Gazette 25

Gazette

GAMING

WEEBYTES

Ryamond Tomlinson – the ‘father’ of email

Tech world mourns a legend’s loss

Many of the vistas and features of Firewatch’s forest park are as pretty as a postcard

 shane dillon

READERS may recall my brief mention of recently r e l e a s e d Firewatch (developed by Campo Santa, Cert 18; PS4, Windows, OS X, Linux) a few weeks ago.

T h e c r i t i c a l l y - a cclaimed, late 1980s-set game features an American forest park.

It’s an open-world setting that isn’t particularly

large, but is wonderfully designed and presented.

As Henry, a middleaged new ranger looking to take a break from a personal tragedy, players roam around the park in their new job, on the lookout for fires, in constant radio touch with a supervisor, Delilah.

The ebb and flow of their conversations feel very naturalistic (however, their occasional bad

language, and the game’s later story themes, very much make this a game for adult gamers).

B ut the enga ging characters and interesting story aside, it’s the Wyoming forest park that makes the greatest impression.

Eschewing many trends for ultra-realistic graphics, Firewatch’s world features an almost painterly look, with its

lightly-modelled and cleverly textured world looking almost like art, while some subtle timeof-day lighting effects help to create this visually arresting title.

As I sometimes focus on a striking title’s graphics and art style, here is a little of the park, and Henry’s world, which are beautifully rendered and presented throughout this very pretty game ...

These stills may look like flat, painted art, but they’re thanks to Firewatch’s striking art direction. The game features a fully 3D, explorable park to wander around, New forest park ranger Henry doesn’t get too much time to relax, with unexpected problems soon arising

taking in pretty sights like these. Screengrabs: Shane Dillon

YOU may not know his name, but every email you read or write is intrinsically linked to one American man – Raymond Tomlinson.

Who, you may ask?

Quite simply, he’s widely regarded as one of the fathers of the modern internet – specifically, he is regarded as the creator of modern email, and the person who devised the use of the ‘at’ (@) symbol in email addresses.

Sadly, Tomlinson passed away last weekend of an apparent heart attack, aged 74. However, the late computer programmer has made his mark on the world and technology alike, with his simple ground-setting rule now the global standard for communications, and used countless times since his initial steps with the @ symbol.

While the internet has existed for several decades – with its precursor roots going back to the Cold War, and far beyond – Tomlinson sent the first recognisably modern email back in 1971, as the first directly addressed person-to-person email communication.

While he always said that his – the world’s first – email was very forgettable, so he couldn’t remember what was in it, his legacy will never be forgotten ...

26 swords Gazette 10 March 2016

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28 gazette 10 March 2016

SPORT

FastSport Ryan crash ends event on painful note: A CRASH in the women’s Points Race ended Garda cycling club’s Caroline Ryan’s campaign at the UCI 2016 track cycling world championships last weekend.

Ryan was the last Irish rider in action at the championships, and had been riding aggressively in the points race before Yao Pang, from Hong Kong, crashed and slid down the track, taking down the Irish rider who suffered a broken collar bone as a result.

The race was eventually won by Poland Katarzyna Pawlowska, with Canada’s Jasmin Glaesser second.

The points race was a fast one, with no rider allowed to take a lap. While Ryan rode aggressively throughout the race, and was in many of the attempts to lap the field, none of the moves stuck.

In the closing laps, Pang lost control of her bike and came down, taking Ryan and two other riders with her.

golf: harrington bidding to get back on the road to silverware

Padraig’s healthy ambition  james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

WITH THREE majors titles to his name and widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest sportsmen, Padraig Harrington has little left to prove.

Nevertheless, the Dubliner is nothing if not modest, and fiercely pragmatic. He is unwilling to go down the traditional route of professional sportsman and feed the media with polished sound bites. Instead, he owns up to struggling mentally, publicly examines his own health, and is quick to emphasise what he perceives as his own flaws.

“I won’t celebrate anything but a win,” is one such example. “The reality

is a win is so much bigger and better,” Harrington told GazetteSport. “I don’t really care about anything else. Nobody remembers who finishes fifth years down the line.

“Right now, I realistically need to win twice to be thinking about the Ryder Cup or the Olympics. That can make things difficult, as anything else feels like failure.”

The ambitious thought process extends to majors, too, and the big tournaments are notoriously hard to win.

“I don’t think a fourth major is that big a deal,” Harrington explains, despite having won all three of his trophies at golf’s top table in the heady era of 2007 and 2008.

“There’s not that big of a difference between winning three majors and four. Six would be different, as that would be the most for a European. It feels like I can win another one. I was close last year; I led at the Open for 59 holes, until losing that ball.”

Winning, according to Harrington, is about mentality and confidence, but also about habit. He will spend St Patrick’s Day in India to this end.

“I need to play more outside the States. It’s hard to win in the States, and strangely playing abroad as the marquee player works for me.

“You get the crowd behind you, you get put up in the penthouse suite and people treat you like

Flora ProActiv ambassador Padraig Harrington has today launched the Flora cholesterol awareness campaign this week. Picture

a star. Then you play like a star. It worked for me in Indonesia recently and it builds confidence” Harrington has also hooked up with Flora ProActiv, in particular to promote care around cholesterol, for which he took a successful 21-day reduction challenge.

Harrington also hopes the health progress can help his game.

“Injuries take away confidence and cause overthinking,” he explains, suggesting along the way that Tiger Wood’s recent loss of form might have a

lot to do with his mental state.

“When you play well, your game feels great. The same happens the other way,” he argues. “You get frustrated when you’re not doing things right.

I’ve found at times that I know what I’m supposed to do, and that frustrates me, as it’s hard to understand why it’s not working. Then it gets worse.”

With a reputation for being outspoken, Harrington has occasionally shocked by making rare admissions when such cycles come into play -

including telling the press that he’s struggling mentally.

“I get some feedback,” he agrees. “And it’s valid, though I don’t pay too much attention to it. I’ll have an argument with anyone. Like sitting in front of the football, I’ll have something to say about the players.

“But you never know what’s really going on.

A player could be out of position or stifled by strategy. It’s the same in golf; there are so many factors at play someone watching will not know about.”

Meteors book semi-final berth with Wildcats win  sport@dublingazette.com

Both Meteors and Killester have advanced to their hopes in the basketball playoffs

METEORS booked their place in the semi-finals of the women’s basketball Premier League playoffs with a 59-57 win at home to Maxol WIT Wildcats.

The Dublin side now face table toppers DCU Mercy next week, having controlled their bout with the Waterford side for the 40 minutes.

“We lead most of the game and probably did enough to warrant the win,” said winning coach Mark Byrne. “The old cliche about defence winning

games did the trick for us as well.”

Emily Leer came up with a strong block on Jazmen Boone in the dying seconds as Wildcats threatened to force the game into overtime.

Pyrobel Killester made home advantage count in their quarter-final but it was another close encounter as Singleton SuperValu Brunell missed an opportunity to level the game with six seconds to go.

“We cut it much tighter than we wanted,” said coach Karl Kilbride. “It was disappointing

to give up 83 points because we’ve been working on our defence lately but we did what we came to do.”

Killester will travel to reigning champions Team Montenotte Hotel for the other semi-final.

Killester’s men’s Premier League side brought their regular season came to a close by claiming second place in the table and a semi-final berth in the post-season Champions Trophy.

Triple-digit scores against both Belfast Star and UL Eagles in the final rounds saw them

overhaul Templeogue whose win over UCD Marian wasn’t enough to hold onto the runners’ up spot.

C&S UCC Demons were presented with the Men’s Premier League trophy after their 99-71 win over Eanna.

Maree were winners of the men’s National League Division One. The Galway side finished the season with a 21-1 record to secure both league and cup honours and closed out with a 76-74 win at second-placed KUBS.

10 March 2016 gazette 29

Gazette

Flying Ducks look to future plans on ice With a new home in Blanchardstown, the Flying Ducks ice hockey club are working hard to grow the grassroots of their sport, one which has undergone plenty of recent upheaval  stephen kelly sport@dublingazette.com

AISLING Daly stands comfortably on the ice.

Her pupils listen eagerly to her instructions and patient teaching as they gingerly grasp on to the sides of the ice rink’s ledge.

They are wearing more armour than an American SWAT team – helmets, shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads with enough accompanying protective socks to survive an arctic winter.

Some of them remark that they are not wearing enough.

They are the Dublin Flying Ducks senior Learn to Skate class a group made up of some adults who just want to learn to skate, others who have ambitions of making the Flying Ducks’ senior team in the future, as well as a few parents of junior players who want to at

least try to keep up with their children.

Based in the Blanchardstown Ice Rink in a large marquee tent, it is the home of Dublin’s newest ice hockey team.

They formed after a merger between two long standing clubs: the Dublin Ducks and the Dublin Flyers.

Daly is the club president and says that for her, the reason for the merger was simple. There were not enough junior players at either club or enough adult players to have sustainable senior team.

Since setting up in Blanch, Daly says she is “seeing an increased interest from new players joining the club” with the junior section expanding to over 130 players.

Daly is hugely optimistic about the future of the club, especially with five of the clubs players representing Ireland this year in America and Canada.

Young members of the Flying Ducks club at a recent event

“Five will go to Boston and Toronto to represent Ireland and will play in two NHL arenas in both America and Canada and will play in front of 35,000 people in each of those arenas.”

Indeed, the Irish Ice Hockey Association are sending 18 young players, the majority of whom are from the Ducks, to Boston to represent Ireland in a showcase of four matches against US youth teams on St Patrick’s week, including the chance to play at the interval of a match between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, with the emergence of the Flying Ducks, the club cater for a Learn to Play group for the Under-8s, an Under12 squad, an Under-17 team and a growing senior team in the season that recently finished up.

Will Fitzgerald, who was president of the

Dublin Flyers and is now vice-president of the Flying Ducks, has been skating for 30 years, having skated for the first time in Dublin’s first ever ice rink in Dolphin’s Barn.

He and Daly know the importance of this merger for the development of ice hockey in Ireland.

cessful teams, The Dublin Rams and The Dundalk Bulls dissolve, a dark day for the sport.

Ice hockey in Ireland officially started in 1983 when the first match took place between the Dublin Stags and the Liverpool Leopards, the former winning 3-2

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

‘The aim is to give kids a passion for ice hockey and develop them to a professional level’ - Aisling Daly --------------------------------------------------------

“The aim of the club is to give the kids a passion for the sport,” Daly says.

“We also want to create a family environment and hopefully one day, develop some of our junior players to progress to professional level. We are in a far more sustainable position to do this now.”

With the season finished, there are hopes the proposed permanent ice rink at Liffey Valley can help offer year-round access to a facility for the sport.

Sustainability is such a desired commodity within the sport in Ireland. It has been plagued by ice rink and club closures in recent years. The first permanent ice rink, the Dundalk Ice Dome and its 2,000 seat stadium, closed down in 2010, which saw two of Ireland’s most suc-

From there, Ireland joined the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, taking part in the Junior World Championships in Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Iceland.

By early 2000, both of Dublin’s then existing ice rinks had closed down, including the ice rink in Dolphin’s Barn.

From there, the sport has existed in temporary ice rinks in Dublin to stay afloat.

It was in Dundalk that Ireland hosted the Division III World Championships in 2007, claiming a silver medal while they won gold at the same level in 2010.

The sport manages to stay alive via the passion and dedication of a small group of coaches and parents through its many struggles.

FastSport

Lawal leads Lucan to Tom Ticher national cup final EMMANUEL Lawal, pictured above, was the hero for Colaiste Phadraig as he snatched a late winner to ensure Lucan CBS’s path to the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Tom Ticher Junior National Cup final this season following a tense encounter at the Peace Link, Clones last Friday.

They had last met St Eunan’s, Letterkenny, in 2010 when the Minor Cup catered for the Under-14 age group and it took penalties on that occasion to decide the winner.

The game finished 1-1 in extra time but it was Eunan’s who dominated the spot kicks to record a 4-1 win to progress to the national final.

This game was edging to penalties yet again but the Lucan star striker converted following some decent build up play by Josh Hogan for Lawal to slot past the hard-working Eoghan O’Boyle.

Jimmy Mwanga was the target man for the Leinster champions in the first half as the youngster had numerous chances to break the deadlock but O’Boyle was equal to the challenge for the Ulster outfit. Equally, St Eunan’s duo Zach Gorman and Conor O’Donnell linked well but couldn’t convert from distance.

Both sides were struggling to get a shot on target in the second period as the wind was proving difficult to contend with.

The stalemate remained and additional time was called. Yasser Maheant was gifted the opener two minutes in as he missed a sitter on the edge of the box.

The counter attack saw Shane Doherty one on one with goalkeeper Cian McGrane but his effort went inches wide of the mark.

Just when both sides were getting ready for penalties, up popped Lawal with the match winner with only seconds remaining on the clock.

Colaiste Phadraig now meet Oranmore men Calasanctius College in this year’s decider. Ruth Broderick’s charges won the Minor Cup 12 months previously so they’ll be favourites heading into the final.

Gazette

30 SWORDS gazette 10 March 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: rivervalley all set for fai junior cup quarter-final

Barrable strikes late to win Luttrellstown battle SWORDS man Robert Barrable, along with navigator Ciaran Larkin claimed victory last weekend at the ALMC Endurance Trial in Luttrellstown, going one better than their performance in last year’s second place.

A cold and bright morning greeted competitors as they assembled at Luttrellstown Golf Club for round one of the 2016 Frank Keane Motors Endurance Championship, hosted by ALMC Motor Club. The route consisted of 23 selective stages, culminating in two night-time runs through the mud and loose-surfaced link roads in the grounds of the estate.

The slippery opening tests saw last year’s winners Eamonn Byrne and William Kelly take an early lead while local driver Karl O’Donoghue and reigning navigation champion Evin Hughes lay third after the opening loop.

Selectives six through to nine saw competitors travel across the county boundary into Meath to tackle two sealed-surface tests at Brindley’s and Stanley’s farmyards and a 3.5km selective at Fairyhouse racecourse.

A passing hail shower meant very tricky conditions in the farmyards, however all crews made it through unscathed. It was here that Barrable/ Larkin begun to move up the order, taking a second off O’Donoghue/Hughes in Brindley’s and matching leaders Byrne/Kelly in Stanley’s before taking six seconds off them through Fairyhouse Racecourse.

The second run through Luttrellstown saw Howard/Stewart capitalise, moving to third as O’Donoghue/Hughes and the Shinnors brothers both incurred one minute penalties for incorrectly transcribing a code board. Byrne and Kelly continued their consistent pace and remained in the lead at the halfway point just five seconds ahead of Barrable and Larkin.

After some running repairs, the crews went on their third loop of the estate and, despite some ruts developing on the selectives, most crews were still able to improve on their earlier times with Byrne and Barrable tying throughout the loop.

The leaders continued to tie throughout the second runs until Barrable again capitalised in Fairyhouse, Byrne dropping six seconds. From there on, he was unable to overturn Barrable’s advantage and had to settle for second place.

Kevin Kilbane pictured with Rivervalley Rangers’ Ciaran Lattin at the FAI Junior Cup quarter-final draw. Picture: David Maher/Sportsfile

Valley ready for historic date  nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

RIVERVALLEY Rangers will hopefully enjoy the biggest day of their 35 year history this Sunday when they face St Peter’s in the FAI Junior Cup quarter-final.

S t e p h e n D o r a n ’s exciting young group will welcome the highflying Athlone side to the AUL but look to send them back to the Midlands empty handed and broken hearted c o m e 3 p m S u n d ay afternoon.

Peter’s are leading the Senior Division of

the Combined Counties league and Doran suggests they are team of similar ilk to his own.

“They’re a quick side who play really good football,” he said. “They play brave football, similar to ourselves in their passing and pressing style. It should be a fantastic game of football.”

The Swords outfit are currently leading their own league in AUL Premier B, and go into their massive cup tie on the back of a 6-0 win over bottom of the pile Ashbourne last weekend.

“It was a really good performance,” Doran

flying high Airport taekwondo club step up to a new grade airport taekwondo students were put

through their paces recently at their colour belt testing in the ALSAA sports complex with members from age four and up testing for their striped belts.

These young learners train and learn under the eight skills of focus, coordination, control, fitness, discipline, teamwork, memory and balance. The theme of this testing was teamwork with the panthers – the club’s youngest group – showing their ability to work together in TKD, school and at home.

said of the Friday night rout. “We got back to ourselves after a defeat in the cup a week earlier.

“We returned to our normal passing and pressing game and quick play. It was good to get a win and now everybody is looking forward to Sunday.”

With a win taking them another step closer to that Aviva Stadium final, as well as the TV cameras being present at the AUL this weekend with highlights of the game being shown in the days that follow, Doran was asked if he

notices any tension or pressure amongst his group.

“No, I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure there at all,” was his sharp reply. “ T h e r e ’s b e e n n o pressure on us since we started in this competition.

“We’ve been underdogs in the rounds of the latter stages and we ’ l l b e u n d e r d o g s again come Sunday.

The game and the contest does have a certain feel to it but I wouldn’t call it pressure or say anyone is particularly nervous.

“The home draw is massive,” he added. “It’s the club’s biggest day in our 35-year history and I would love and appreciate if as many people from the Rivervalley area come out and support us. It would mean a lot to the players and could help us out on the day.

“St Peter’s run in this competition this season has seen them on the road for most of it and they’ve done well. They won’t fear any thing coming to Dublin but a massive home crowd would certainly benefit our lads.”

10 March 2016 SWORDS gazette 31

Gazette

news sponsor

Syl’s Under-11s in the fast lane with new deal

Club Noticeboard FINGALLIANS

st sylvester’s Under-11 footballers and

hurlers were boosted for the year ahead as Annesley Williams, Skoda Car Dealer, was announced as their new sponsor for 2016.

Pictured, from left to right, are Cian Bennis of Annesley Williams with Enda Dwyer, St Sylvester’s mentor, and players from the team at the presentation of their new training tops.

EASTER Camp 2016 forms will be avail-

Fingallians members will receive a

able from the club bar from Tuesday

bilingual tour of Swords Castle on

evening. Applicants can be registered

Saturday, March 12 at 12 noon. Great

this Saturday morning in the club hall

way to learn about this gem on our

from 10-11am.

doorstep. Failte roimh chach. Tuilleadh

Our intermediate footballers drew

Picture: Peter Hickey/GAAPics.com

football: parnell’s beaten in impressive style

eolais o Liam on 086 3814422.

Scoil Ui Chonaill and our junior teams

Dublin’s Scor na bPaisti takes place

drew Clontarf and Ballinteer St John’s.

in St Peregrine’s GAA, Blanchardstown

Our intermediate hurlers are in group

on Sunday, March 13. Best of luck to all

1 with Scoil Ui Chonaill, St Peregrine’s,

our competitors.

Raheny, Commercials and Na Fianna.

The closing date for entries for the

Our junior hurlers are in a group

Sports Quiz 2016 is St Patrick’s Day;

with Whitehall, Na Fianna and St Per-

€10 per entry with a first prize of €750.

egrine’s.

Entry forms can be obtained from

Congratulations to both Oisin Lynch

team mentors or at the bar.

and Cillian Power who were part of the

Golf Society Outings 2016 (cap-

Dublin U-21 football panel in the Lein-

tain Charlie Rogan; vice captain Colin

ster championship win over Meath

Foley): Corballis, Donabate – March 25

1-12 to 0-9 last week in Parnell Park.

from 2pm; Castleknock – April 15 from

Oisin came on as a substitute after 42

2.40pm; Roganstown – May 20, char-

minutes and Cillian was a sub.

ity event further details to follow; St

The camogie season is starting back

Anne’s – June 24 from 3pm; St Marga-

and our U-13s got off to a winning start

ret’s – July 22 from 2pm; Corrstown –

with a win over St Peregrine’s.

August 19 from 2pm (President’s Day);

Mar chuid de Sheachtain na Gaeilge,

Balbriggan – September 16 from 3pm.

ST FINIAN’S

The Naomh Mearnog Under-13 football side

Mearnog’s soaring in Under-13 league

under-13 football

Parnell’s 1-7 Naomh Mearnog 5-12  sport@dublingazette.com

DESPITE the unwanted cold and damp conditions on the first weekend of March, spirits were warmed last Saturday in St David’s with a cracking game of football between Naomh Mearnog’s and Parnell’s Under-13 sides.

These two sides were reuniting after an absolute cracker of a game last year in which Parnells, then Under-12s grabbed a late score that won the game by a

single point.

Going into this contest, both sides were the only two undefeated teams lef t in their respective grading league, adding further fuel to the fire.

Both sides looked switched on from the start but it was Parnell’s who started the better, putting a point on the board in under a minute.

Mearnog’s quickly hit back with a goal of their own which settled the Portmarnock side down.

T hose two early scores set the tone for

what was the follow in a cracking game, particularly from Mearnog’s who ran out heavy winners although Parnell’s played their part.

But it was Mearnog’s who deservedly came out on top with every player to a man battling for ever y break and each loose ball.

The tackling was hard but fair and the scores t h a t f o l l owe d we r e often the result of real slick football.

Parnell’s looked to be on the ropes at halftime following a late first-half onslaught from the Mearnog’s boys.

To their credit, and just like they did at the start, Parnell’s started after the break like a house on fire and quickly yet slightly reduced the deficit.

Their spirited efforts were soon quelled however as Mearnog’s settled once more before running out winners by 17 points.

The result means this talented Portmarnock bunch remain undefeated in their grading series ahead of this weekend’s final game against Cuala.

THE club will be launching our player

Martin did an excellent job organis-

and coach pathway manual on Tues-

ing the event from a club perspective,

day, March 15 in Peacock’s at 9pm.

ensuring the club got great exposure

This is a milestone for the club and

for all sections.

will help to give our coaches the tools

Loreto College, Swords are having a

to develop our players to the best of

table quiz this Thursday, March 10 at

their ability.

8pm in Peacocks. It would be great to

A very big thank you to Martin

have a GAA presence and support this

Halpin for organising and coordinat-

fundraiser as we move forward with

ing our clubhouse for the Haul D’Naul

the planning of the all-weather pitch.

charity cycle event. Over 400 cyclists

Hard luck to both of our adult hurl-

took part to raise funds for Down Syn-

ing teams who played well in their

drome Ireland.

league openers.

FINGAL Ravens

2016 club membership is now due;

There was no jackpot winner of the

membership forms are available in the

lotto, Numbers drawn were 19, 24, 28

clubhouse or can be downloaded from

and 34; €20 to Roisin Madigan, John

our Facebook page or can be done

McCarthy and Dylan Keogh; next

online on www.myclubfinances.com.

week’s jackpot is €17,000.

All membership must be paid in full

Thanks to all who sold and bought

by all sections of the club by March 31.

club draw tickets; the national club

No player of any age will be permitted

draw takes place on March 11 and the

to play if they do not have their mem-

Fingal Ravens extra draw for a pair of

bership played in full.

All-Ireland football tickets will take

Our Easter Camp will run from Tuesday, March 29 until Thursday, March 31 from 10am to 2pm daily for five to 12-year-olds. Only €25 per child, con-

place in Kettle’s Hotel on Easter Sunday.

Anyone looking for club gear, please contact Ann Fox on 086 1771027.

tact Barry on 086 1069752 or email Ray

Any enquiries about pitch playabil-

on secretarybng.fingalravens.dublin@

ity and availability, please John McCa-

gaa.ie or register at the nursery in the

rthy on 087 6599348. If any teams are

school hall at 10am each Saturday.

looking for a time slot in the school

Adult fixtures this coming week: senior team play Castleknock in

hall, please contact Alan Manning on 087 0651219.

Somerton Park at 10.30am on Sun-

Congratulations to Ciaran Norton

day; the junior team play St Brigid’s in

and Gillian McSweeney on the birth of

Rolestown at 12pm on Sunday.

their son Danny.

32 SWORDS gazette 10 March 2016