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February 6, 2014

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Month XX, 2012 MALAHIDE • BALBRIGGAN • APPLEWOOD • BOROIMHE • AIRSIDE • PORTMARNOCK • KINSEALY • CLAREHALL

INSIDE: The essential guide to making this Valentine’s Day especially sweet P19

OPINION: Ruairi Quinn on ending the ‘competition’ for school places Page 6

Flying high: Dublin Airport keeps charity in cheque Football:

Sylvester’s new manager set for AFL 1 challenge Page 32

Tennis:

Cluskey stars for Ireland in Davis Cup tie Page 30

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES...................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE...................11 OUT&ABOUT ..................17 CLASSIFIEDS ................25 SPORT ...........................27

A TOTAL of €200,000 has been

raised for three charities by Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) staff in 2013. The money was raised for the Bee For Battens, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Down Syndrome Ireland, through support from members of the public and fundraising events organised by DAA staff.

DAA’s chief executive Kevin Toland made a presentation recently to the chief executives of the three charities: Tony Heffernan, Susan O’Dwyer and Pat Clarke.

Balbriggan Library will stay where it is Residents relieved as council reverses decision to move facility elsewhere

 NATALIE BURKE

THERE was relief among residents and local representatives this week after talk of a potential move of Balbriggan Library from

its current location were quashed.

A move was being considered for the library, from its current location at George’s Square to a new location at Gallen’s Mills.

However, following a number of proposals by local councillors and a large amount of public interest on the issue, Fingal County Council confirmed the library will not be moving.

Cllr Grainne Maguire (Ind) praised the efforts of the community, saying she was not surprised by the emotion shown by the public.

Full Story on Page 7

2 swords gazette 6 February 2014

dublin GAZETTe newspapers i n f o r m at i o n

children Call to safeguard new facility

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Five-year-old Mark Barron getting to grips with the new playground at Swords Manor where there have been calls for parents and older children to get involved in helping to safeguard its use for the community

Parent support is ‘vital’ to playground’s upkeep

A LOCAL fundraising group is calling on parents of children in the Swords area to respect a new playground that opened recently.

The new playground opened in Swords Manor last week is one of three projects heavily campaigned for last year by the Swords Needs Playgrounds community group.

Construction on a second playground at Thornleigh in Applewood, Swords, is due to begin this week while an all-weather pitch is due to be completed later this month.

While she is happy to see the projects finally taking shape, the chairperson of the fundraising group, Marica Killi, said the survival of the new play areas relies heavily

 natalie burke nburke@gazettegroup.com

on the support of parents locally.

She said: “The main point we want to get across is to ask parents to talk to their older children about correct behaviour, bad language, and vandalism – to tell them that it will not be accepted and that it will be reported to local gardai.

“The playgrounds were so desperately needed that if people abuse them, they won’t stand the test of time. We still need the community to look after them,” she said.

With the Swords Manor

playground opened only a week ago, Killi says there has already been great feedback from members of the local community.

She said: “We hope that everyone will enjoy the new playground.

Already, hundreds of children have visited and played and they all think it’s fantastic.

“I was in the Swords Manor playground over the weekend and there were about 70 people in it. It just shows that there was a desperate need for it in the area. There was a real mixture of people there too, playing in harmony, so it also shows that it isn’t just for a certain age group.

“However, we wanted to ask parents with older children to please talk to them about respecting the playgrounds.

“There has been lots of interest from the teenagers, and they are using bad language when the younger children are there.

“We also hope that parents can talk to their older children about not vandalising these facilities, but [help in] looking after them so that they will be here for many years to come,” said Killi.

She is encouraging anyone who sees any antisocial behaviour taking place in the playgrounds or at the all-weather pitch to contact the local community gardai in Swords.

She said: “We purposely raised extra money so that the all-weather football and basketball pitch could be built for the older children, so that there was also something for their age group.

“We appreciate that there isn’t much for them to do, but we need them to help us look after and maintain these brilliant new facilities, which many people are saying are the best thing to happen in Swords Manor for a long time.”

With a separate community group currently fundraising for the development of a BMX track for Swords, Killi says Fingal County Council will be watching the playgrounds closely to see how well the new facilities in the area are looked after before giving any green light for any further projects.

She said: “We urge parents to talk to their children, and for the local community to be vigilant and if they see anything, please report it.”

6 February 2014 swords gazette 3

dating Unusual evening at SuperValu Lusk

Find love among the shopping aisles  natalie burke

FLIRTING by the fresh food counter is the newest way to find love, so if you fancy shaking up your usual grocery shop

in time for St Valentine’s Day, pay a visit to Casey’s SuperValu in Lusk this weekend.

The local retailer has teamed up with Getout. ie to host a supermarket

date night on Sunday, February 9 at 8pm, where singletons can shop for dinner and a new partner.

There will even be dedicated ice-breakers

such as wine and cheesetasting set up around the store to encourage interaction.

Interested participants must register on www.getout.ie prior to the event.

Swoon: A puppy love card rTE’s Republic of

Telly presenter Kevin McGahern and puppy-in-training Albert have launched the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Puppy Love campaign. Specsavers Swords have teamed up with the charity, and are now selling their range of puppy love Valentine’s Day cards in store for €2. Irish Guide Dogs is funded 80% by voluntary income and events. Last year alone, 125 puppies were born through their breeding programme.

Picture: Conor McCabe

business: open day ahead of online expansion

Ryanair to create 50 jobs in Swords  natalie burke

A TOTAL of 50 jobs are set to be created locally after Ryanair announced its first recruitment open day at its new offices in Airside, Swords.

The low-fare airline is set to create a total of 50 IT and digital jobs and will recruit a number of web developers, designers, analysts, software engineers and email specialists.

The recruitment drive is aimed at helping the company transform its website and create a digital marketing plat-

form and a new mobile app, which will launch in June.

Speaking about the recruitment drive and technology focus, Ryanair’s head of communications, Robin Kiely, said: “As Ryanair rolls out our new digital strategy, we’re hoping to recruit more than 50 IT and digital professionals to drive these revolutionary developments.

We want to meet the best of the best.”

We l c o m i n g t h e announcement for jobs, Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) said he was delighted to

see that Ryanair were creating jobs in the local area, saying it will prove to be “great news” for Swords and for surrounding businesses and areas.

He said: “With 500 existing staff moving from Dublin Airport and the city centre to Swords, along with these new recruits, this is fantastic news for Swords and for Fingal.

“More jobs equal more money in circulation, which is great for local businesses and hopefully for Swords town centre.”

Cllr Butler said he also hoped to see members of the local community apply for the new Swords jobs.

He said: “From what I’ve seen in the media, the new office looks a great place to work and hopefully there will be a lot of successful applications from Swords and Fingal residents.”

The open day will be held on Saturday, February 8, where prospective candidates will meet Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, who will brief them on the company’s plans.

4 swords gazette 6 February 2014

council Local share of Fingal’s €4.8m funding for safety works is welcomed

€17,500 approved for Baskin Lane improvements  natalie burke

A NEW and improved path for Baskin Lane will improve everyday life for the local community, according to local Labour candidate Brian McDonagh.

The Malahide/Howth candidate welcomed the funding

announced recently by the Department of Transport, which will see €17,500 allocated to safety improvements to the road on Baskin Lane.

The funding is part of a €333m investment programme for 2014 for regional and local roads across the country.

Speaking to The Gazette, McDonagh said it was “great to see” that Fingal County Council have been given what he has described as much needed funding.

After speaking to a number of local residents in the area while out canvassing, the local

area candidate said he believes many people have been afraid to walk to the nearby bus stop because the path is in such a need of repair.

He said: “One young woman in Ashcroft with a visual impairment finds it impossible to negotiate the path unac-

companied at a time in her life where [she] should be experiencing the normal freedoms of a young adult.

“I look forward to seeing the improvements,” said McDonagh.

In total, the Government has approved €4.8m in fund-

ing for the council for their local and regional roads.

Other roads in north Dublin set to receive funding include the Clonshaugh Road, Fieldstown Bridge at St Margaret’s, Hearse Road in Donabate, the Naul Road and Moyne Road/ Hole in the Wall Road.

Malahide artist’s solo show to focus on The Rural Idyll  natalie burke

A LOCAL Malahide artist will be featuring his most recent work at a solo exhibition launching in Dublin this week.

Richard Hearns, who is from Malahide and has held numerous exhibitions in recent years, will launch his newest exhibition, entitled The Rural Idyll, on Thursday, February 6.

The exhibition will be hosted at Jorgensen Fine Art gallery on Molesworth Street in Dublin 2. This will be Hearns’s 18th solo show and will run until February 22.

The renowned local artist enjoys both

national and international acclaim, and plans to travel to New York and Connecticut this spring, where he will open two more solo exhibitions.

Hearns has also been commissioned by oil company Shell to record aspects of the development and history of the Corrib Natural Gas installation in north Mayo, in a similar way to Sean Keating’s record of the Ardnacrusha Power Plant of 1926.

The paintings on view at his upcoming exhibition will consist of a series of landscapes and still-life. For further information and to view other pieces of Hearns’s work, see www.richardhearns.com.

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At the final of Malahide’s Got Talent 2014 were Malaidh Larkin, Zara Hussey, Jack Hussey and Alexandra Pusca, with the Husseys going on to win first prize. Picture: David O’Shea

talent show: siblings’ cover song wins contest

Nine Crimes lead duo to a top prize

 natalie burke

JUDGES taking part in the annual Malahide’s Got Talent competition have said they were “blown away” by local talent in the area at this year’s competition.

The final of the popular annual talent competition was held on Sunday, January 26 at the Grand Hotel in Malahide when a total of 25 different acts from around the local area performed to a full audience.

Brother and sister Jack and Zara Grace Hussey took home first prize

on the night thanks to their rendition of Nine Crimes, by Damien Rice, with the pair showing off their musical talents on piano, vocals and guitar, while second prize went to local singer, Grace Maughan.

Third prize was split between singer Robert Duff and singer Hanna Kelly as the judges found it too difficult to reach a decision between the two.

Speaking to The Gazette, Marissa Magner, public relations officer for the Malahide Musical Society, said the talent

show continues to get bigger and better every year.

She said: “I’m delighted to say that Malahide’s Got Talent 2014 was a huge success. Judges were blown away by the level of talent on display and we had to put out extra chairs due to the size of the audience.

“More than 50 acts auditioned and the judges had an exceptionally difficult task to narrow this down to 25 finalists who performed on Sunday to a full house.”

The winners on the night were selected by a

combination of audience votes and the judging panel and Magner said a “fantastic night” was had by everyone who took part and attended the event.

The event was held as a fundraiser for the Malahide Musical Society, and the money raised will go towards putting on the society’s February variety show, It’s Showtime!, which will take place from February 19 to 22 in Malahide.

For further information on the show, email malahidebookings@gmail. com.

6 February 2014 swords gazette 5

housing Resident frustrated by recurring estate problem

Council ‘has failed to stop flooding’  natalie burke

A LOCAL Swords resident has said he has lost faith in Fingal County Council after flooding in a local housing estate has become hazardous for people living in the area.

The resident, who lives in The Nurseries on Forrest Road in Swords, has said that during periods of bad weather, the road has a tendency to flood, becoming hazardous to traffic in the estate as well as being a “dangerous threat” to children playing nearby.

Speaking to The Gazette, the resident – who wishes to remain anonymous – said that

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

‘The Forrest Road has been dug up over and over again, and still the [flood] problem persists’ --------------------------

Local resident

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

the local authority has failed to find a permanent resolution to the problem.

He said: “For the past four years, the residents of The Nurseries have had a major issue with flooding in the estate. This is

due to the three ‘shores’ which all of the rainwater on the road is channelled into being backed up or blocked.”

While the resident says that people living in the estate have reported the issue to the council on a number of occasions, the council have occasionally come out to look at the flooding problem, but nothing has improved.

He said: “We were told at one point by the council that it was due to the old drainage system being unable to handle the volume [of water], leading to the system backing up and our road flooding, and that this would improve when works

were done.

“The Forrest Road has been dug up over and over again, and still the problem persists.”

However, the resident said homes have not been completely flooded, thanks to the “good fortune” that driveways are built on an upward slope.

“I no longer have any faith in the council resolving this issue, and therefore feel it necessary to highlight this problem in the hope that something might be done before there is property damage or worse – an injury to a child – of which there are many young children in the estate.”

Part of the flooding that regularly affects The Nurseries estate in Swords

Cllr Eugene Coppinger (SP) has said that while he is not greatly familiar with flooding in the area, he is aware of the issues in The Nurseries, and has received a letter from the resident who is most affected.

Cllr Coppinger said: “The resident sent me

three photographs with the letter, which gives a good insight into the problem.

“Following receipt of the letter, I submitted a question on this issue for reply to at the next local area meeting.”

A spokesperson for the council confirmed that

the gullies in the housing estate had been cleaned and jetted at the location in question last November, but said that flooding has since re-occurred.

“This area is scheduled for immediate further investigation to alleviate the problem,” said the spokesperson.

6 swords gazette 6 February 2014

opinion Ruairi Quinn on admissions policy

New Bill aims to end the ‘competition’ for school places WE ALL want the best education possible for our children. Often, as parents, this involves us trying to decide what is the “best” school in our area and applying to that primary or secondary school for our child. .

For the vast majority of children and parents, enrolling in schools is a simple and straightforward process.

But, with one in five schools over-subscribed, for some parents getting your child admitted to school can be a frustrating or anxious time.

Most schools in Ireland are inclusive and welcome all children, but I believe that parents are entitled to feel confident that there is consistency in the way schools admit pupils and that it is a fair, open and transparent process.

That is why I am introducing a new admissions or enrolment law for all schools, which will level the playing field in terms of applications for school places and make sure that all parents know exactly what criteria a school uses in those 20% of cases where there is over-subscription.

I hope that the Admission to Schools Bill will be made law before the summer. It will pave the way for a more transparent, parent-friendly school admissions process across all of our 4,000 primary and post-primary schools.

In a sense, the new legislation introduces good house-keeping measures that will apply to all schools everywhere. For example, schools will no longer be allowed to charge parents simply to apply for a place in a

school.

There will be no more open-ended waiting lists.

While on the face of it, a first-come, first served system (where children’s names are put down for school places – in some cases, from the day they were born), may seem fair, it actually is not.

For example, what about families who have had to move from one part of Dublin to another?

Or those who have moved from other counties to the capital? Or those who are returning from overseas with young families? Or for the “new Irish”, who have decided to make Ireland their home?

The first-come, firstserved system is not fair to all.

The new legislation means that schools can only accept applications for admission from October 1 of the year before a child is due to start school. There will be no more waiting lists in oversubscribed schools.

The new measures also mean that schools will not be able to conduct interviews with parents and children ahead of enrolment, or to make 12-year-old children sit “admissions” exams or competence tests.

Appeals The draft Bill also introduces a simpler appeals process, ending what can be lengthy and often costly legal disputes between parents and schools.

Appeals will now be dealt with at a local level.

This new legislation will require that all schools state clearly in their admission policies that they are welcoming of all students, whatever their ability or background.

Minister Quinn: “No more open-ended waiting lists”

This will help put an end to the “soft barriers” which are sometimes used to discourage applications from parents of children with special needs and other minority groupings.

Many of us will have heard stories about how a school might have told a parent that their child “would be better off” in the school down the road – that will not be tolerated any more.

Teachers, school management bodies, patrons and parents have all been consulted in the drawing up of this legislation.

I expect a report shortly from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection, who have held public discussions on the legislation. This will then pave the way for the drafting of the legislation.

On a related matter, I know that in certain pockets of heavily populated Dublin – for example, in Dublin 2, 4 and 6 – where demand for primar y school places is high, parents face an anxious time when waiting to see what school their child will get a place in.

The Department of Education and Skills is working hard to find solutions to problems of oversubscription in such areas, including examining if we can increase the capacity of existing schools or if new schools are needed.

I want to assure parents that there will be a school place for their child this September. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that it will be in their “first choice” of school.

Again, the new Admissions to Schools Bill will ensure that parents in such circumstances can be assured that the enrolment process in all schools will be fair and transparent.

As I mentioned at the beginning, most of our schools already operate a welcoming policy providing for smooth enrolments of children and young people.

These schools have nothing to fear from the Bill, while parents and their children have much to gain from the new law.  ruairi quinn Minister for Education & Skills

6 February 2014 swords gazette 7

balbriggan: facility to stay put

FastNews

Portmarnock’s past to Puppy Love campaign for charity for the blind come to life in talk A HISTORICAL talk on 19th century Portmarnock is set to take place in Malahide this week.

Historian and Portmarnock resident Garry Ahern will discuss how the coastal town was transformed over the period, with the construction of the Martello towers, the coastguard station, the railway line and the national school.

The talk will be held on Wednesday, February 12 in the Presbyterian Church Hall on the Dublin Road at 8pm.

Protesters make their point at a recent demonstration over the future of Balbriggan Library. Picture: Www.Balbriggan.info

Community’s relief as library wins reprieve  natalie burke

THERE was relief among residents and local representatives of Balbriggan this week after rumours about the potential move of Balbriggan Library from its current location were quashed.

The community had voiced their concerns in recent weeks after it emerged that a move was being considered for the library from its current location at George’s Square, to a new location at Gallen’s Mills on Mill Street.

The move would have opened the library’s original premises to possible use as a new Intreo office for jobseekers in the town.

However, following a number of proposals by local councillors and a large amount of public interest in the issue, Fingal County Council have decided to let the library stay at its current location.

Instead, the Intreo office, which will provide

support for people who are unemployed in the town, is being explored for a possible location at Gallen’s Mills.

The issue was discussed at a special meeting of the Balbriggan/ Swords Area Committee held last week, where acting county manager Peter Caulfield confirmed that the library would be staying in its current location.

He said there had been a significant number of representations made to the council on the issue, featuring two common elements – the need for an Intreo office in Balbriggan and the desire to retain the library’s location.

He said: “It’s clear the overall desire of the people in the town was to retain the library where it is. I was heartened by the fact that there was also so much concern around the need for an Intreo office. Everyone knows the existing facilities in Balbriggan are wholly inadequate.”

According to local Cllr Ciaran Byrne (Lab), there were “a lot of happy people” following the news, who had been pressing for the library to retain its home.

He said: “I’m personally very pleased that Gallen’s Mills is a serious contender for the Intreo offices.”

Cllr Tom O’Leary (FG) also welcomed the news, saying he was delighted the library would stay where it was, and praised members of the public for voicing their concerns.

He said: “I also want to congratulate the people of Balbriggan and I look forward to having more, positive engagements with people in the community.”

Cllr Grainne Maguire (Ind) also praised the efforts of the Balbriggan community, saying she was not surprised at their outbursts of emotion shown in recent weeks.

She said: “Balbriggan is a special place. It’s energetic and full of good people with great ideas.”

SPECSAVERS in Swords will be teaming up with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind this Valentine’s Day, as part of the charity’s Puppy Love campaign.

The people of Swords are being encouraged to spread the love by purchasing cards and gifts for their loved ones from the charity, with the funds raised from the local Valentine’s campaign to go towards funding the puppy-training programmes at the charity, thus helping to ensure the continuation of its vital services.

8 SWORDS Gazette 6 February 2014

gazetteGALLERIES

Students and coaches photographed with Pat Hickey, president, the Olympic Council of Ireland, at the opening of Swords Judo Club new permanent training hall at Kettle’s Lane. Pictures: David O’Shea Alex Glaz, Chris Veinbaums and Christopher Watts

Robin Lowry, Zoe O’Gara, Sarah O’Gara and Aoife Kearns

sport: judo club’s permanent facility is open for action The students go through their paces at the busy dojo

An Olympic seal of approval for new dojo

S Nikita Levchenko, Ciara Carroll and Jan Motivans

WORDS Judo Club welcomed a prestigious guest to the opening of its permanent dojo (training hall) at Kettle’s Lane when Pat Hickey, president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, called to see the club members’ skills for himself.

He was full of praise for the young

judo enthusiasts and their trainers, and admired the dojo’s suitability for their training. Boasting the only “sprung floor” in such a facility in Ireland, the not-for-profit organisation caters for young judo enthusiasts ranging from five years old right up to 18, with a wide range of skills

trained and developed at the popular club.

Hickey was greatly impressed by the skills of the students and teachers alike, with some great demonstrations of skills in a range of judo disciplines showcased in style by the members.

6 February 2014 SWORDS Gazette 9

Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only €6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com

Keith Gough, Judo National Squad manager; Elena Pronina, coach; Neil Mac Bradaigh, coach; Niall McGuirk, Fingal County Council sports; Tim Stewart, coach; John O’Gara, coach; Tim Gleeson, coach; Leo Gibbons, coach, and Pat Hickey, president, Olympic Council of Ireland

Ivan Sidorov, Ciara Smyth and Alexey Sidorov

Eddie McLoughlin, Bearach Gleeson and Ion Rusu

Alex Lisanov, Graham Lowry, and Alex Vrovos

10 swords gazette 6 February 2014

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The assembled protestors outside Irish Water’s headquarters at Talbot Street. Pictures: Geraldine Woods

Citizens protest at Irish Water charges

A

SMALL but highly vocal protest was staged outside the city centre headquarters of Irish Water recently, in which a number of protesters made their opposition to the upcoming charge clear.

With Irish Water very much in

the public and political spotlight in recent weeks, the protesters drew upon a number of issues to make their point, now that the company is engaged in the national roll-out of its meters.

Engaging in conversation with pas-

sers-by, the loud but peaceful protest passed off without incident, with the protesters, under the umbrella banner of the Anti Austerity Alliance, happy to have exercised their right to make their opposition known and to raise awareness regarding the State project.

The colourful banner drew attention to the protest

Colm Halpin was among the protesters, who carried placards to get their message across and inform passing citizens of why they were demonstrating

6 February 2014 Gazette 11

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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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what’son celebrations for the year of the horse

Neil Delamere and his panel guests will do their best to, err ... guesstimate what the coming week’s news will be in the comedian’s new show, Next Week’s News

comedy: neil delamere’s panel ponders what might be ahead

New TV show brings you tomorrow’s news, today  laura webb

WOULDN’T it be great to know the news before it happened? Well, Neil Delamere is testing this out with a new show that takes a comedic look at what could happen next week.

Next Week’s News is a new panel show headed by comedian Bernard O’Shea with Neil and PJ Gallagher as head panellists. Although the show is headed by Bernard, it is the brainchild of Neil and a friend.

So, why not headline the show, The

Gazette asked Neil.

He said: “I like to be the playful and unruly schoolboy rather than the headmaster. There is much more freedom being the person on the side.

“It is a slightly different way of looking at the news. Obviously, you can’t predict what is going to happen, so it really looks at this week’s news and is kind of – nominally – throwing us forward to see what could happen next week.

“It allows us talk about this week and kind of come up with some hare-brained theories of what might happen,” he said.

“We have three different regulars on it who know each other reasonably well, but who haven’t worked together before in this sort of environment.

“So, there is a nice bit of chemistry beginning to develop now over the last few episodes.

“The good thing about a panel show is that if you have two regulars, there are two chairs open to bring people through and introduce people to it. I would really hope that we would develop some Irish comics; a platform to develop young talent like that would be great.

“You get to work with a lot of people that you normally wouldn’t [in this kind of show],” he said.

If he is not in the studio predicting the news, Delamere is touring the country with his latest stand-up show Smartbomb. “It is busy but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Smartbomb’s tour will land at Vicar Street on March 21 and 22.

For further tour details, see www. neildelamere.com. Next Week’s News airs on RTE Two on Monday nights at 9.30pm.

THE Dublin Chinese New Year Festival started in style in the capital when the Lord Mayor, Oisin Quinn (Lab), helped launch the festival on January 30, with the Chinese New Year ushering in the Year of the Horse on February 1, deposing last year’s snake.

The Dublin Chinese New Year Festival features a great selection of events around Dublin throughout February.

The Westbury Hotel are playing host to an evening of conversation on the role of the horse in Irish culture, on February 11, featuring Tracy Piggott and other equestrian experts, while storytellers will regale children with Chinese tales of dragons until February 9 in Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle.

For full details of these and many other Chinese New Year celebrations, see www.cny.ie.

12 Gazette 6 February 2014

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6 February 2014 Gazette 13

people: top musical star talks to the gazette

Rebecca’s ready to storm the stage ...  ian begley

OVER the past 30 years Rebecca Storm has established herself as one of the most popular leading ladies in musical theatre, playing some of the most demanding roles there are.

She has graced theatres around the world portraying such characters as Eva Peron in Evita, Fantine in Les Miserables, Florence in Chess, Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers and, most recently, Miss Hannigan in Annie.

O n F e b r u a r y 16 , Rebecca will be appearing once again at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for a one-night-only performance.

Speaking to The Gazette, Rebecca said she has a lot of new songs and surprises in store for the night, along with a mixture of her distinguished tunes that so many people have grown to love.

She said: “We had such a great time the last time we performed there two years ago. It’s such an important place for

me, and I just want [the night] to be a bit different for the people that are sweet enough to see me sing.

“I do quite a bit of rehearsing. My husband – who is the director – and I spend quite a bit of time arranging how we’re going to do the songs.

“We have a studio at home and I usually record them and literally practise them over and over again just to make sure I don’t forget the words!”

Even though Rebecca has been involved in the

world of musical theatre for more than 30 years, she still admits that she gets nervous before she goes on stage.

She said: “I think I get more nervous as I get older. You just want it to go well because you’re standing there in front of 2,000 people and if you do something bad, you just feel embarrassed.

“Two years ago, when I opened with the song, Defining Gravity for [the musical] Wicked, the nerves just hit me.

“I walked out to all these people and I sang

From Blood Brothers to Wicked, Rebecca Storm has been delighting audiences around the world with her singing for more than 30 years

the wrong words, but I got through it and nobody in the audience actually noticed.”

Although Rebecca is very charismatic on both stage and in public, she said that she is actually quite a shy person.

She said: “I’m very shy at home and I’m actually a very basic person.

I pretty much like doing what everyone else likes doing.

“I have a husband and a dog, and a beautiful home. We have a place out in Kildare, but we’re sort of backwards and forwards from here and the UK.” W hen asked what the future may hold for

Rebecca, she said she will continue to carry on singing “as long as people will listen”.

She said: “I’m going to carry on touring as much as I possibly can, because it’s great fun seeing the rest of the world.

“I’m just very grateful that I’m still here.”

GAZETTE

14 GAZETTE 6 February 2014

DUBLINLIFE

The (graffiti) writing’s on the wall Keating. Graffiti has appeared in front of the bus stop in the heart of Lucan village.

expression: ‘I am blown away’ with the range of research.”

Perhaps the TD is now attracting a younger, cooler following around his home town? Or could he be attempting a bit of guerrilla marketing?

One thing’s for sure – Enda won’t be breaking a sweat any time soon!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! APPLICATION! IF YOU fancy being the next Kathryn Thomas, now might be the perfect time to get practising.

The Irish Academy’s TV Presenter course is set to start once again this month, with a two-day course starting on February 15 in the Photography Studio, Harold’s

Cross.

The popular course has seen its graduates working in national and online TV stations, and course tutors include TV3’s Olive Geoghegan and Paul Harney, who works with IrishTV. Each course is small in size and big on interaction.

Students will also receive advice about make-up and suitable wardrobe choices before recording their own highquality show-reels Whether their heart is set on presenting on MTV or the nightly news, the reel highlights each student’s talents.

The cost of the weekend course is €495. For further information or to book a place, see www.

i r i s h a c a d e m y. c o m / TVCourse, or call 01 278 0802.

STUDENTS URGED TO COMPETE FOR INTERNET AWARD EIRCOM has officially launched the 2014 Junior Spider Awards, which are open to entries from primary and post-primary schools across Ireland.

Now in their fifth year, the awards were established to highlight how such students embrace the internet and to mark the innovative ways they use it both in school and in their daily lives.

The awards are divided into three categories – the Mega Spiders (primary level) and the Giga and Tera Spiders (post-

SUPPORT

LOCAL BUSINESS

SHOP LOCALLY



An endoresement “4” Fine Gael deputy Derek

THE writing is on the wall for Fine Gael’s Derek Keating – or at least, on the gable wall of a charity shop in Lucan village.

Commuters alighting from Dublin buses last week were met with a tantalising piece of grafitti – Derek Keating 4 Taoiseach.

The message mysteriously appeared overnight last week, and it is not known who the artist (or culprit) was.

When Deputy Keating, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, attended the BT Young Scientists’ Exhibition in January, he got down with the kids by saying: “To use a young person’s

CALL THE GAZETTE ON

60 10 240

6 February 2014 Gazette 15

primary level).

The Giga Spiders are open to first- to third-year students, and the Tera Spiders are for fourth- to sixth-year students. Each award category has a Grand Prix award.

For further information and details on how to enter the 2014 Junior Spider Awards, see www. juniorspiders.ie. The closing date for entries is Friday, March 7.

well-being course for all PE OPL E a r e b e i n g encouraged to take better care of their well-being with a series of free talks and workshops this February run by Dublin City Libraries.

T h e M i n d Yo u r-

self programme was designed to help us take time for ourselves, perhaps try something new and achieve a deeper sense of self.

Topics covered include mindfulness, meditation, nutrition, health, massage and yoga and all events, while free of charge, must be booked at the relevant library.

During the programme, libraries will be highlighting books from their stock which encourage well-being.

A talk by John Doherty will be given on The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle.

Paticipating libraries include the Central Library in the ILAC Centre, libraries in Finglas,

Rathmines, Terenure and more. Mind Yourself was launched on January 27 and continues until February 12.

For further information, see www.dublinc i t y. i e / R e c r e a t i o n andCulture/libraries/ library.

colin’s days as a country king (linedancing) WITH Dublin going mad for all things country – due to the upcoming Garth Brooks concerts this summer – The Gazette dug up a little treat for all of our readers.

Castleknock native Colin Farrell may be more inclined to wear Hugo Boss these days,

but back in the 1990s he sported a Stetson and cowboy boots – and who knew Colin had a few country moves under his belt?

Before the days of Miami Vice, Colin was donning cut-off denim shorts, wide-buckled belts and Garth Brooks’ cast-off hats while linedancing his way around the country.

He spent a brief stint as a line-dancing instructor before hitting the big time in Hollywood.

Luckily, he had some friends in low places to help him up the fame ladder, and we can’t really hold this picture against him – we’ve all had a few cringeworthy moments in our time!

Colin Farrell – line dancer extraordinaire, back in the day

Gazette

for Derek Keating

features

Gazette

16 Gazette 6 February 2014

dublinlife

business How long have you been in business?

Q&A

The Pier Health Club and Sansana Spa have been in Operation since 2007 when the hotel was reopened after extensive renovations.

What makes your business successful?

OLGA KUBACKA, sansana spa manager

A master of relaxation

OLGA Kubacka, health club and Sansana Spa manager in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, was born in Poznan, Poland.

Her passions have always been travel and swimming and, as a result, she chose to study for a masters degree in sports and hospitality management.

On graduating in 2009, Olga moved to Ireland to pursue a career in hospitality, with roles including as a fitness instructor (and eventual leisure centre manager) in the Dunraven Arms Hotel and Leisure Centre in Adare, Co Limerick, and as club manager of the Merrill Leisure Club at the Royal Hotel, Bray, Co Wicklow.

We feel our success is born out of the holistic experience we offer to all our visitors, as we pride ourselves on being a daily retreat for both body and mind in a busy world.

The Sansana Spa, with its highly-trained and professional staff, offers an extensive range of luxurious spa treatments and products, such as the awardwinning organic range of Voya skincare products, and full body massages to loosen up and refresh tired muscles.

The health club and its motivated fitness instructors are ready to tailor any programme to client needs, and offers a fully equipped gym, pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi to give every visitor the option to reinvigorate both body and mind.

How do you use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn etc, to help your business?

It is our belief that social media

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

‘Here at the Sansana Spa, we pride ourselves on being a daily retreat for both body and mind in a busy world’ ------------------------------------

is a key component in our customer engagement and interaction plan. Our Facebook page provides our customers with up-to-date information, along with the latest offers and expert health and beauty tips.

What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?

Sansana Spa is renowned as one of the best in Ireland. It was recently accredited the title of Dublin’s Comprehensive Spa by Failte Ireland, and acknowledged as a runner-up for the Best Body Treatment at the Irish Tatler Spa Awards.

We offer the latest in spa treatment facilities, such as a thermal suite, dry flotation, mud chamber, water bed relaxation, rock sauna and an aroma room.

Finally, we also offer the Sansana Spa signature treatment,

Shirodhara – an amazingly relaxing therapy that gently removes stress and tension from the mind and body.

Our health club offers a fully equipped modern gym, with access to full pool facilities along with pilates, yoga and kettle-bell classes, allowing our guests and members to re-energise both body and mind under one roof.

What is your ambition for the business?

It is our aim to continue to develop the business while maintaining the current standards of excellence by putting in place a strategic plan to drive the business forward.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Hard work is your single biggest competitive advantage.

What living person do you most admire?

My parents, for being the driving force behind my family and for nurturing my love of travel from a young age.

What is your most treasured possession?

My photo albums with pictures of all my family and friends, documenting our greatest moments together.

6 February 2014 Gazette 17

18 Gazette 6 February 2014

Valentine’s Day

l RO M ANTI C G E TAWAYS l

Make your Valentine melt with Lindt chocolate VALENTINE’S Day and chocolate easily go hand in hand and once again the chocolatiers at Lindt have managed to create something to tend to every type of craving this February.

For the season of love, the popular chocolate makers have created a special collection of treats to help you spoil your loved one. Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate is inspired by a secret recipe and is filled with smooth, melting milk choco late, each wrapped in red foil wrapping, but for chocolate with a

A little bit of luxury: Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan and (inset) a spacious bedroom at Barberstown Castle in Co Kildare

A perfect place to get all loved up  NATALIE BURKE WHETHER it’s a candlelit dinner in a romantic castle, or a glass of champagne in a country house, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to whisking your better half away this Valentine’s Day. For a romantic weekend with a difference, visit Kilkenny’s only luxury fourstar boutique hotel, the Pembroke Hotel, which has launched a special Cupid Concierge service to celebrate the month of love. Couples who choose the Pembroke Hotel will be assigned their own Cupid Concierge who will be on hand to order flowers, arrange romantic surprises and cater to all whims.

Couples can get loved up on a two-night getaway which includes chocolates and champagne on arrival, a room adorned

with rose petals, breakfast on both mornings and dinner on the evening of their choice. If that’s not enough, lovebirds can also enjoy a post dinner his and hers cocktail.

Prices start from €155 per person. Visit www. pembrokekilkenny.com or call 056 7783500.

Collection

Alternatively, Ireland’s Blue Book features a collection of Irish country house hotels, manor houses and castles, many of which have put out all the stops to ensure you have a romantic break this year.

So if your idea of romance is relaxing at an old manor house, visit Dunbrody House in Co Wexford and make the most of their Love Is Valentine’s special. A midweek visit throughout the month of February in

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6 February 2014 GAZETTE 19

one of Dunbrody’s luxury rooms or suites, including a five-course dinner, pre-dinner canapes and cocktails, costs just €165 per person sharing. The Valentine’s package also includes a romantic Serail mud/steam treatment for two and breakfast the following morning.

For more information, visit www.irelandsbluebook.com or contact Dunbrody directly on 051 389600.

Or why not enjoy a candlelit Valentine’s dinner and a glass of bubbly at Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan. The Roses & Romance package includes two nights’ accommodation, with dinner on an evening of your choice, as well as a full Irish breakfast served each morning. The Valentine’s special also includes chocolates and a single red rose awaiting your

arrival in your room and costs from just €209 per person.

For more information, visit www.irelandsbluebook.com or contact Castle Leslie directly on 047 88100.

Closer to Dublin, whisk your loved one away for a romantic castle break in Barberstown Castle in Co Kildare. Enjoy one night’s accommodation at the castle including a full Irish breakfast and dinner in the Barton Room Restaurant.

As a little Valentine’s extra, guests will have a half bottle of champagne and chocolates delivered to their room. The Special Memories package is available for just €134 per person sharing.

For more information, visit www.irelandsbluebook.com or contact Barberstown directly on 01-6288157.

little twist, the chocolatiers have created limited edition strawberries and cream truffles, combining Lindt’s white chocolate and strawberries. For a special Valentine’s gift, pick up a Lindt Heart Box filled with heart-shaped Lindor truffles, ideal for all the hopeless romantics waiting to spoil their valentines.

See selected retailers nationwide.

Gazette

20 Gazette 6 February 2014

Valentine’s Day

l pa m per i n g l

Plump up, smooth out, party all night

VALENTINE’S DAY is just around the corner ladies and McCabes pharmacy, one of Ireland’s own healthcare and wellbeing stores, has just what you need to make your special day memorable.

Its new gift guide of beauty products and offers will be just the thing to get you ready for your Valentine’s Day plans – whether you’re hitting the clubs, eating out or staying in.

Dining over a candlelit dinner? Smooth away those workday under-eye

bags, circles and wrinkles with Freezeframe Revital EYES. At €49 looking flawless has never been easier.

Plump up those power pouts with the Freezeframe Lip Injection €45.50 – a nifty little product that is clinically proven to puff out those smiles and stretch out those wrinkles. Freezeframe is one of the best needle-free innovations on the market.

And what about those luscious locks you’ve been dying to try? Tame your hair with follicle-

friendly Babyliss ProPerfect Curl for €159.00.

This hassle free curling iron will leave your longlasting curls bouncing all night when you hit the dancefloor with your beau on the day.

And if that’s not all – McCabes has branched out in the cosmetics world and now sells professional make-up brand Make-Up Studio. Glam yourself up with BlusherIn-A-Box at €14.95. Add a dash of colour to your lips with 18-hour ColourProof Durable Lip Colour at €19.95.

So take the stress out of your Valentine’s Day and shop local – buy for yourself or buy for your friends. Make shopping a little more fun with treats and products to suit

No! No! Hair Kit €237

Make-up Studio Pink Blush-in-aBox €14.95

Babyliss Pro Perfect Curl Secret €159.99

Make-up Studio Pink 18-hour ColourProof Durable Lip Colour €14.95

Freezeframe Lip Injection €45.50

6 February 2014 GAZETTE 21

C O M M E R C I A L F E AT U R E

local beauty&Make up

Valentine’s Day is only a week away and as the dinner dates get booked and singletons get ready to hit the town with friends, nailing down the perfect make-up look is high on the to-do list.

The Makeup Crew Pro team are on hand with insider tips on getting it right VALENTINE’S Day is only a week away and as the dinner dates get booked and singletons get ready to hit the town with friends, nailing down the perfect makeup look is high on the to-do list.

To help with perfecting this year’s Valentine’s look The Makeup Crew Pro team are on hand with insider tips

ensuring a good base for foundation.

Exfoliate lightly and gently on the skin so as not to aggravated or cause redness the lighter the touch the better.

Exfoliates can range from some homemade olive oil and brown sugar made into a little paste to a brands own range to a Clairsonic (a hand held devise avail-

flaky on the skin thereby rejuvenating the top layers of your skin making it more glowy, healthy and radiant.

Next apply your chosen foundation. Favourite foundations by the team are MUD Foundation Compacts available from the Makeup Crew or FLAIR Supplies, then use a duo fibre brush with the Makeup Crew

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

‘Perfecting your skin is the first step to acquiring a perfect makeup look, ensuring a good base for foundationperfecting your skin is the first step to acquiring a perfect makeup look, ensuring a good base for foundation.’

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

on getting it right.

According to Annie Keogh Pro, Artist with The Makeup Crew, perfecting your skin is the first step to acquiring a perfect makeup look,

able from Lancome) on the more expensive end of the scale all.

They all work towards the same goal of removing any surface dead skin cells that can look

r e c o m m e n d i n g a ny MAC DuoFibre.

This is a brush that has both natural and synthetic hair and can be used on liquids and powders alike. Annie

recommends the 130 or Real Techniques by the team’s favourite bloggers PIXIWOO. These are available from Boots or a standard foundation brush will work just as good as opposed to your fingers as we can sometimes be a little too rough with ourselves and rub the product completely off instead of on.

Using a powder to absorb any excess oils that are on the skin will lock in moisture sealing your foundation keeping it staying put until the wee hours just in case you have a late night.

For more information and to book an appointment for that special occasion please contact THE MAKE UP CREW www.themakeupcrew.ie 32-36 Wolfetonw Street, Dublin 1 Alternatively Ph. 086 8178213 or 085 7359222

But what is Valentines without the perfect lip colour so here is Annie’s top tips for red lips- to get the perfect pout!

•Start out with a nude base use a foundation or concealers to dull out your natural lip line •Use a red lip liner our favourite is a Cherry or Brick red to line the lips and fill in the whole lips then after doing the outline this will ensure a base for the following product to adhere to keeping the colour locked in!

•Use a lip brush before you apply any following lip product to blend and smooth in the liner first, this will allow for a more polished lip – applying bright/deep/more noticeable lip colours should always have a sharp crisp edge as they look much better and this will reduce the risk of the colour bleeding out.

•Apply your chosen colour the ultimate in the red family is defiantly Russian Red by MAC, a blue undertone red that will also make your teeth look whiter.

Using a concealer or powder with an angled brush to sharpen around the edges and tallyho your good to go!

Valentine’s Day

upid Dang

le Charm

€55

Lovely

Pandora C

Gazette

22 Gazette 6 February 2014

gifts

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€49 Pandora Silver Pave Ring €119

ntown in Klein Dow Boots Calv 50ml €58 um Eau de Parf , ays alw As sn item o ot t le... sca

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Coast Bishop Ring €15

6 February 2014 Gazette 23

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for her WHETHER you’re dropping hints about a special gift you “might” like to get for St Valentine’s Day, or are clear as mud about what you might like to buy – don’t worry, as Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has some luvverly gifts (that won’t leave your wallet broken-hearted).

While Coast and Pandora are both perfect places to pick up a great gift, there are lots of other terrific stores at the popular centre to check out, making you sure to fall in love with the retail hub!

Coast J oplin clutc

h bag €4

t Coas

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Ring

€26

5

Gazette

The essential guide to finding that extra special something for that special someone

Gazette

24 gazette 6 February 2014

Valentine’s Day

Chocolate inspired weekend for your sweetie Looking to feast on luxurious chocolate with your other half this Valentine’s Day? Four-star Brooks Hotel is creating a lover’s dream with its Chocolate Desires Valentine’s Day package.

The hotel, located in the center of Dublin city, is pulling out all the stops when it comes to celebrating the most romantic night of the year. Marking the occasion, the team at Brooks Hotel has devised a delightful chocolate inspired package which includes a fourcourse meal, a screening of Johnny Depp’s Chocolat and an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s deluxe boutique styled rooms.

Romantic couples across Ireland can wine and dine on the hotel’s special Valentine’s menu, which has a

host of chocolate inspired dishes. Try the traditional pumpkin seed salad with a twist; its seeds are coated with chilli chocolate for the adventurous of couples.

Menu

Main courses include roast loin of venison with butternut squash and chilli mole with, you guessed it, bitter chocolate. Indulge in luxurious desserts by ordering the white chocolate and woodruff panacotta or the hot bittersweet chocolate mousse – either one is the perfect way to end a meal.

Then consider the ambient Jasmine Bar where you can order an intoxicating chocolate martini. These features and more make Brooks Hotel a magnificent Valentine’s Day break away.

The hotel’s award-winning Francesca’s Restaurant is run by top chef Pat McLarnon, who has recently been called “a chef who cares” by a prominent food critic of the Irish Times, and judging by his full gluten-free menu it’s true.

So if you’re looking to get away this Valentine’s Day think no further than this oasis in the heart of the city. Sign up for the package, pack your bags and put your feet up with a complimentary glass of prosecco.

Dine on this luxurious special menu and package on February 14-15 at €260.

It also includes a full Irish breakfast and a late checkout time. If you fancy only dining out this Valentine’s Day Brooks Hotel’s Wild About Chocolate menu is just €39.95 per person.

Enjoy a screening of Johnny Depp’s Chocolat and an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s deluxe boutique styled rooms

6 February 2014 GAZETTE 25

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t "TQIBMU 5PSDI PO 'FMU t 4MBUJOH 5JMJOH t 4JOHMF 1MZ ĂśCFSHMBTT 4ZTUFNT t 'VMMZ *OTVSFE t 5BY DMFBSBODF DFSU t t ZFBS HVBSBOUFF PO BMM /FX 3PPGT t *OTVSBODF t (SBOU XPSL

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ks in Pac Prote o order t made

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10 Turkey Burgers ₏10  4 Turkey Steaks ₏5 10 Jumbo (96%) Turkey sausages ₏9  5 Chicken Fillets ₏5

SERVING 6 THRIVING COMMUNITIES OF SUBURBAN DUBLIN. F O R U P T O D A T E N E W S V I S I T: W W W. FAC E B O O K .C O M / DUBLING AZET TENE WSPAPERS

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CARRY LEGAL/PLANNING NOTICES FOR ALL FOUR DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCILS FROM FEB 27TH TO PLACE A PLANNING OR LEGAL NOTICE CALL NICOLA ON 60 10 255 OR EMAIL N F E E H A N @ G A Z E T T E G R O U P. C O M

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PLANNING NOTICE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL

Planning Permission sought for proposed works to be carried out at Kealy’s Bar, to include provision of new external signage (to all sides of the premises) with associated external lighting, new totem sign to footpath, provision of new external seating area to front of premises, complete with awnings, parasols and low fence enclosure.

Also new enclosure to existing seating area to rear of premises with alterations at first floor to consist of new doors and windows at first floor roof garden level, 2 no. external gates at each side of premises and all associated site works at Kealy’s Bar, Cloghran, Swords Road, Co. Dublin. Signed: Trend Ridge Ltd. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the planning offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (₏20) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of this application.

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26 gazette 6 February 2014

6 February 2014 Gazette 27

camogie P28

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

dublinsport



Gazette

skiing P28

DublinGazetteNewspapers 2014 dublin sports awards january winners

H STARof the MONTH

martin moore

Former Munster and Ireland rugby star Alan Quinlan said: “Supporting our local rugby clubs is crucial for the development of Irish rugby”

rugby: funding initiative enters fourth year for clubs

FORMER Barnhall and Castleknock College rugby star Martin Moore was looking forward last month to potentially making his Irish international debut in this year’s 6 Nations campaign, and made his first appearance against Scotland from the bench.

Quinlan gives backing to Ulster TEAMof the MONTH H Bank RugbyForce competition Ulster Bank RugbyForce, an initiative which provides rugby clubs with the opportunity to win support packages to renovate their club and upgrade their facilities, is now open for entries. The 2013-2014 rugby season marks the fourth year of the initiative, which will see over €30,000 being awarded to clubs across Ireland.

One rugby club will receive a top prize of €10,000, as well as a special training session with an IRFU coach and two Irish rugby stars. Four additional rugby

clubs, one from each province, will each receive €5,000. All entrants will receive merchandise for their clubs to the value of €100.

Since its inception in 2010, the initiative has provided over €100,000 in funding to over 160 rugby clubs around the country.

Speaking about the initiative, Alan Quinlan, former Ireland rugby star and Ulster Bank rugby ambassador, said: “Supporting our local rugby clubs is crucial for the development of Irish rugby. Every week, tal-

ented young stars are lining out for their clubs – stars which have the potential to progress to the professional game.

“We saw that recently with Craig Ronaldson moving from Lansdowne FC to Connacht and Darragh Fanning being plucked

by Leinster from St Mary’s.

“Ulster Bank RugbyForce is about aiding development and providing clubs with the necessary resources to grow.”

Last year, Ulster Bank RugbyForce received entries from over 135 clubs across the country.

Four rugby clubs – Birr RFC in Offaly, Midleton RFC in Cork, Westport RFC in Mayo and Newry RFC in Down – were selected as winners of €5,000 each. A fifth club, Richmond RFC in Limerick, was also awarded €5,000 after 16 entries were shortlisted and put to a public vote.

All rugby clubs are invited to enter the initiative via Ulster Bank’s dedicated rugby website, www.ulsterbank.com/rugby.

The closing date for registrations is Friday, April 11.

castleknock CC basketball Castleknock Community College the winners of the Under-19 B Girls’ All-Ireland Cup when they beat Cross & Passion of Kilcullen at the National Basketball Arena this month with an impressive team performance that showed their prowess on court.

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28 Gazette 6 February 2014

SPORT

FastSport applications for basketball camp now open: Applications are being welcomed for the 2014 Macron Kits Basketball Ireland National Camp at Gormanston which will take place over two weeks from July 6.

The camp is the longest-running basketball camp in Ireland and has seen some of the country’s best ever players come through its ranks.

Campers also get the opportunity to work with players from the men and women’s premier leagues and receive coaching from national and international coaches.

This coming summer will mark its 42nd year with the best coaches from home and abroad attending to divulge their knowledge to hundreds of young hoopsters.

The first 50 campers to submit a completed application form along with their deposit get a GM Molten Basketball free.

Log on to www. basketballireland.ie to download an application form.

skiing: olympic hopeful trains in the gym in rathgar before games

Lyne sets his sights on Sochi  sport@gazettegroup.com

Ahead of flying out to Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, 20-year-old Conor Lyne, who will compete for Ireland in the grand slalom event, took time out to train at The Gym

in Rathgar and work on his strength and conditioning.

The young skier, who will take to the slopes against the best in the world in the coming weeks, took time out of his training programme to speak to Gazette

Sport, and began by explaining his life in the sport to date.

“My family moved to the US when I was young, and we moved to Utah, which is a big skiing area.

“As a family, we went skiing at the weekend,

Conor Lyne signs the flag of champions at The Gym which features the signatures of Olympians and world championship athletes who have trained there

Olympic hopeful Conor Lyne with The Gym manager Colin Gaffney last week

which was a big thing to do in the area. Then I started to graduate up and joined the racing club at age 11, when I realised that I wanted to race,” said Lyne.

“I continued down that route, and then applied to represent Ireland, and since then, my main goal has been to compete at the Olympics.”

Lyne has spent the last two years training in Europe where the best and most varied alpine conditions exist for those taking part in the winter sport at the highest level.

He has competed in both of the most recent world championships

in Schladming, Austria in 2013 and Garmisch in Germany in 2011.

“2011 in Germany that was really about learning what life was like on the international stage.

“I discovered I had to work even harder to bring my level up.

“In 2013 I qualified for the second run, I had enough to be part of the top 60 [racers] who got to run again. I got 52nd overall, which was great for me.”

With the challenge of Sochi on the horizon, Lyne worked hard to attain the Olympic qualif ying standard, and is expecting to use the Games as a measure

of his progress in the sport.

“I will just give my best and see what the result is afterward. I’m looking forward to the experience and matching myself against the best in the world.”

He also says that the future for the sport in Ireland is bright, in spite of the nation not exactly being the natural home for alpine competitors.

“There are a lot of young lads coming up, a lot of whom are from Dublin, who are aspiring to the same level, and in the next couple of years, we will have a much stronger team than we do now.”

Minors panel features array of local football talent  sport@gazettegroup.com

Dublin’s minor ladies footballers narrowly missed out on All-Ireland glory last year

Dublin minor manager Conor Barry and his fellow selectors have confirmed their panel for the forthcoming Leinster championship campaign and it features players from a total of 11 Gazette country sides.

Eighteen clubs have representatives in the 29-name panel with reigning Dublin club minor championship winners Kilmacud Crokes, leading the way with seven players - Aisling Whitely, Aoife Kane, Eabha Rutledge, Holly Greer, Kim Garth, Lauren

Magee and Orla McDonald.

The southside is further represented by Doireann Mullany and Katie Murphy from Ballyboden St Enda’s, Hannah Hegarty and Katie Mahon from St Jude’s and Ciara Crotty of Foxrock Cabinteely.

Dublin 15 celebrate the inclusion of Ann-Marie Troy, Katie Nyhan and Niamh O’Neill from St Brigid’s, and Leah Mullins from Castleknock.

The north county sees Rachael Brogan from Fingallians, Emma Colgan and Muireann Ni Scanaill from St Margaret’s and

Louise Ryan from St Sylvester’s in the 29, while west Dublin see Amy Conroy from Round Tower and Rebecca McDonnell from Westmanstown take their places for 2014.

Barry has chosen an experienced panel with all players bar two having previously represented Dublin previously at intercounty level.

The panel also includes 11 members of last year’s minor squad who endured injury-time heartbreak at the hands of Galway in the All-Ireland minor final replay.

Barry has also included 10 members of last year’s Under-16 Leinster championship winning panel.

Dublin’s Leinster championship campaign commences on February 15 with a home tie against Offaly, followed by a second home fixture on February 22 versus near neighbours, Wicklow.

Dublin will travel to face Kildare on March 8, with the Leinster semi-finals pencilled in for the weekend of April 12 and 13, followed by the provincial decider on May 5.

6 February 2014 Gazette 29

Gazette

Draw no distraction for camogie starlet A daunting group for Dublin’s ladies’ code holds no fear for Lucan Sarsfields player Ali Twomey, who is relishing the challenge of the 2014 national league LUCAN Sarsfields’ Ali Twomey is hopeful the underdog tag will serve Dublin well in the National Camogie League in 2014 after the county was given a particularly daunting draw.

They have been placed in an initial group with 2013 All-Ireland winners Galway, 2012 champs Wexford along with Cork who have won the league for the past two years.

Draws do not come much tougher but the Lucan Sarsfields’ starlet is anticipating that this offers a real test of character that will stand to the Sky Blues. Speaking at Dublin sponsors AIG’s launch of the 2014 league campaigns across the codes,

 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

Twomey told GazetteSport that while they can feel hard done by, there is plenty that can be learned from this draw.

“Obviously, people will look at it and think we aren’t going to do well because they are three of the top teams in the country and we haven’t won many matches in the last two years. But it is sometimes good to be the underdog and they won’t be expecting us. We will

just train hard, that’s all we can do.

“It will be a good test of character for us and will drive us on. Playing them in the league, we will know the standard we have to work to be at for the championship.”

Twomey is one of Lucan Sarsfields’ 2008 vintage that claimed the club’s first of two All-Ireland Feile titles in quick succession as part of a glittering underage career.

Indeed, she says that 2013 was the first in her playing days that she did take home a club title – something she says “won’t happen again”.

Her involvement with the Dublin senior team meant she was precluded

Camogie star Ali Twomey and ladies footballer Sinead Goldrick at the launch of Dublin’s 2014 GAA season in Parnell Park

from playing for the club in their groundbreaking Leinster League success in December.

The development of their youth system at the 12th Lock is quickly beginning to pay dividends at adult level, something that Twomey hopes can be replicated

pushed off the ball. That’s one of the things we worked on all winter - and getting our strength up.

“Experience as well would be a big thing because the oldest player in the side would be 27; next after that is 22 and then there are all the players like me who are 19 or

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

‘Sometimes it is good to be the underdog - they won’t be expecting us and it will be a good test’ - Ali Twomey --------------------------------------------------------

at county level.

“Liam Ryan was the main man, starting the teams and would have been working with our age in the Feile teams in 2007 and 2008 and we just kept on going. It carried on into the younger teams as well and they have now won loads of championships and four minor titles in-a-row.

“We went down to see the Leinster league final and we were thinking ‘we are going to be lucky to get our places back in that team’. The younger girls coming up are so good and we don’t know where we will fit back in.”

The skill level is all apparent but getting the physical aspect is one that needs to be negotiated to formally make the next step, firstly at club level.

“One of our problems last year was the team was so small and we would get

18 down to 16. That’s the main chunk of the team.”

It is something that can be replicated at Dublin level in her eyes once they are eased into the expanded training panel.

“The younger Dublin teams have had quite a bit of success at underage level, the Under-16s winning the All-Ireland and the minors winning in Leinster. There is a great bunch of younger players coming up and hopefully they will strengthen the team.

“Some might be afraid, thinking they are not good enough to step up. But they don’t realise they are.

If minor players are introduced into a few training sessions, to get to realise and see that it’s not that scary. When I was going up, I remember saying ‘I’m too scared’. If we can train with those minors, it will be good for them.”

FastSport

Local villages to host start and end of Ras 2014 Dunboyne and Skerries will see the start and finish of the 2014 An Post Ras this year when the 2104 edition of the all-Ireland cycling tour begins on Sunday, May 18 this year.

The race, launched last week at the GPO, will feature a balance between flat fast roads, undulating sections and tough climbs, with a total of five category one mountains and five category two ascents set to shake up the peloton.

Race organiser Tony Campbell believes a good balance has been struck and that one group of riders will not be favoured over another.

“There are climbs, but there are also a lot of fast roads where plenty of aggressive racing will be done,” said Campbell. “I think it is more or less one for a good, hard strong rider, a guy who can push up over the hills and who is also good when the speed is on.”

As a bonus for the county riders, An Post is running a C-Factor competition, looking for the cyclist who best exemplifies the spirit of the An Post Ras between today’s launch and the final day of the race on May 25.

The winner will earn the “chapeau”, or respect, of his fellow riders and Ras watchers through his performance in this year’s event. He will be marked as one to watch for the future, not just through his An Post Ras results but also through his use of media and social media in particular.

County riders must use the hashtag #ras2014 @ anpostras, with further details on how to participate on www.anpostras.ie.

Roche to remain in training camp to fix injury Nicolas Roche will remain at the TinkoffSaxo team’s training camp in Gran Canaria in order to fully rehabilitate from a knee injury.

The Dundrum cyclist has been

forced to stay off his bike by the injury and there had been fears that he would be sidelined for a longer time.

However, he says that the knee is now “almost 100%” and will recuperate in the Canaries until he returns to the saddle competitively for the Tour of Oman from February 18 to 22.

Gazette

30 SWORDS gazette 6 February 2014

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: league of ireland side score four at scribblestown

Cluskey stars in Davis Cup doubles encounter SWORDS LTC’s James Cluskey lined out with Davis Cup debutant David O’Hare last weekend in Minsk as part of the Irish team that fell 4-1 to Belarus in the Olympic Tennis Centre.

The pair fell in a five-set classic against Alexander Bury and Max Mirnyi – currently ranked as the number 25 doubles pair in the world – in the third rubber of their Group II tie.

The Irish duo stormed into a two sets to one lead and had a match point when leading 6-5 in the fourth set tie-break. Unfortunately, for the Irish team the Belarusian pair levelled the tie at two sets all before taking the rubber and the tie on a 6-7(3) 7-6(6) 5-7 7-6(8) 6-2 scoreline.

Before the tie, Cluskey had told GazetteSport that he could not wait to face Mirnyi, a 10-time Grand Slam doubles winner and world number one.

When Belarus visited Dublin over a decade ago in the Davis Cup, Cluskey said that Mirnyi was the most prized autograph he picked up and was among his most cherished.

Ireland, though, were unable to test the hosts in many of their other rubbers.

Belarus ended Friday’s play with a 2-0 lead over Ireland after Dzmitry Zhrymont defeated Daniel Glancy 6-2 6-4 6-2 in the first rubber of the day.

That was followed by another straight sets win for Belarus when Egor Gerasimov defeated Davis Cup debutant John Morrissey 6-4 6-1 6-2 in Friday’s second rubber.

In Sunday’s reverse singles dead rubbers, Gerasimov defeated Glancy 6-3 6-3 and Morrissey was given a walkover in the final rubber

by Zhrymont.

With the Irish captain missing three of his top players for the tie in Minsk, Garry Cahill was delighted with the performance of the doubles pairing of Cluskey and David O’Hare who had match point in the fourth set on Saturday afternoon.

The BNP Paribas Irish Davis Cup team now face a home relegation play-off on April 4-6 against Egypt after Moldova defeated Egypt 4-1 in Chisinau. The venue for that tie will be announced shortly.

Swords Celtic picked up useful experience against League of Ireland side Bohemians in a friendly match last week

Bohs give Celts a friendly lesson friendly Bohemians Swords Celtic  colm hayes

4 0

sport@gazettegroup.com

WITH Swords Celtic’s LSL Sunday Senior 1B date with Dublin University being cancelled, the Balheary side lined out for a friendly against Bohemians last Sunday in Scribblestown as the League of Ireland side began their League of Ireland preparations in earnest.

It proved a tough day out for Swords against their illustrious opponents as a goal from skipper Derek Pender

and a hat-trick by trialist Steven Beattie ensured that Bohemians’ first fixture of 2014 resulted in a comfortable victory.

Bohs began with their six off-season signings included in the starting 11 and began the game confidently.

On 16 minutes. A freekick floated into the box had been half-cleared by Celtic’s defence, allowing left-back Jack Memery, signed from Shelbourne, to hit a dipping volley from outside the area which flew just wide.

Good play from the former Manchester City youngster Karl Moore on the wing saw him

harry’s haul St Finian’s welcomes new and old stars sam Maguire and Bob O’Keeffe made

an appearance at the recent St Finian’s GAA Club registration day, and were well looked after by future stars including Harry Curley, pictured here, at the Rivervalley club last weekend.

The club were recruiting for their girls’ and boys’ juvenile sides for the coming season, and if you are interested in finding out more information, log on to www.stfinians.com.

pick out Craig Walsh inside the box leading to the opening goal. The ex-UCD midfielder’s blocked shot fell to Pender, who coolly finished with his left foot from just inside the area.

Swords seemed rattled by falling behind and a poor lofted backpass which goalkeeper Simon Dunne couldn’t clear fell to Patrick Kavanagh, but the former Derry City winger could not steer it home.

Bohs made seven changes at the break but this didn’t seem to disrupt their rhythm as Walsh shot just over with the second half barely a

minute old.

On 58 minutes, a disallowed goal from Celtic for a handball allowed Bohs to clear with a searching ball from defence. It eventually found its way to Beattie who, on the turn, hit a stunning scissor kick volley into the top corner of the net.

But Beattie was not done yet. Ten minutes later, a short corner found its way to sub Kevin Devaney, whose cross went through a melee of bodies untouched only to find Beattie creeping at the back post. The striker finished tidily from six yards to claim his second

of the night.

Swords began to visibly tire at this point and striker Corcoran missed two chances to put a real gloss on the scoreline.

The first set up by Anto Murphy’s header and the second saw the former Drogheda and UCD man fluff his lines after nice interplay between Stephen Traynor and Mulligan.

Bohs would not be denied a fourth though and three minutes from time, Beattie completed his hat-trick. The forward rounded the keeper and slotted home after a brilliant through ball by Traynor.

6 February 2014 SWORDS gazette 31

Gazette

football: Mccaffrey seals croker win in league

Club Noticeboard fingallians

Dublin came from behind to register a debut win in the National Football League against Kerry

Dubs’ subs make the difference nFL round 1

Dublin 2-8 Kerry 1-10  sport@gazettegroup.com

JACK McCaffrey came off the bench to score a late winning point for Dublin to see them shade a close encounter with Kerry in Croke Park on Saturday evening to start their National League campaign in decent fashion.

He latched onto a clever crossfield pass from Castleknock man Ciaran Kilkenny to slot the winner.

Dublin’s subs bench again played a key role in this victory with Michael Darragh Macauley, Paul Mannion, Davey Byrne and McCaffrey making telling contributions as the Dubs finished the

game with 14 men after Sean George was redcarded 10 minutes into the second half.

Plunketts’ man Alan Brogan also made a very welcome return to the jersey having missed out entirely in 2013 and he improved as the game went on and will get a huge lift out of the 70 minutes.

In the opening half Kerry played most of the better football with James O’Donoghue in very dangerous form, including a superb 17th minute goal.

However, Dublin struck for two goals through Kevin McManamon and Eoghan O’Gara to leave the minimum in it at the interval, 1-7 to 2-3.

McManamon’s goal arrived in the ninth

The footballers displayed their strength in depth

minute when league debutant Cormac Costello brilliantly turned his marker before accelerating through on goal and unselfishly off-loading to the St Jude’s man to apply the finish.

Costello went on to have a very promising opening night as he was fouled on several occasions for pointed frees which helped the Dubs over the line.

O’Gara’s 20th minute goal pushed Dublin 2-3 to 1-5 in front when Ciarán Kilkenny won a Kerry kickout before and long ball from Ciaran Reddin was won by O’Gara whose angled shot found the net.

It was a trick he almost repeated just before the break but this time the ball went just outside Brendan Kealy’s righthand post.

Points from O’Donoghue and Stephen O’Brien opened Kerry’s account to the second half before Costello converted a free after the Whitehall Colmcille’s man had been fouled.

Then came one of the

talking/turning points for the game - George’s red card - after which Dublin really upped their game and combined with the introduction of subs helped Dublin to victory with McCaffrey’s point the last word.

Dublin travel to Mullingar to face Westmeath next Sunday in the second game of this league.

Earlier in the doubleheader, Dublin missed out on the first silverware of the 2014 intercounty hurling season, falling by four points to spare in Saturday’s Bord na Mona Walsh Cup final at Croke Park.

The Cats were full value for the victory but the Dubs were left to rue some poor use of possession and missed scoring chances, particularly in the opening half.

Anthony Daly’s men started well with two fine Mark Schutte points, however Kilkenny immediately came to life and bossed the best part of the opening half as they reeled off seven points without reply. It ended 0-24 to 1-17.

The trophy cabinet was opened for

March 2 and minor A and B hurlers

the first time in 2014 as our U-16

will start on March 9.

hurlers won the Leinster Winter

The current hours for all paid-up

Sevens Mick Holden Memorial Cup.

members wishing to use the club

Many thanks to host club Cuala who

gym are as follows: Monday to Fri-

we beat in the semi before over-

day open until 10pm, and Saturday

coming Naas in the final.

and Sunday open until 7pm.

Mana ger s are a sked to note

The club would like to remind

that Balheary and Holywell pitches

players and new players that the

are still unplayable. This includes

adult men and ladies representa-

friendlies and training.

tives for 2014 are Domhnail Con-

The 2014 adults’ leagues will com-

nor and Nicola McKittrick. They are

mence for football on February 16

contactable at domhnail@hotmail.

and hurling on March 2. Our minor

com and fingalliansladies@gmail.

A and B footballers will start on

com.

st sylvester’s Ciaran Roche and Donal Ha yes

a manager for the senior football

banked a whole lot of cash for the

team. Please direct all enquiries or

club with a wonderful fundraiser on

suggestions to any member of the

Saturday, the football sevens. They

Ladies Games Committee, Michael

also banked even more for the club in

Stuart, Angela Aherne, Suzanne

terms of the solidarity and goodwill

Shiels, Katharina Ryan or Brian Sul-

generated by bringing the whole club

livan.

together for a great day in the field

All the men’s teams now have man-

and a full house in the club. Well done,

agement in place and Broomfield was

it was a great occasion.

a hive of activity even on Friday night

The ladies were well represented

last. Sincere thanks to all who have

in the football sevens and they will

generously taken up the challenge.

be running their own fundraiser this

Go n-eiri libh.

Friday, February 7, with a bumper

The lotto jackpot continues to

quiz night. Please come along and

grow and this week there is €5,050 to

support this event.

play for. Play and win on www.stsyl-

The ladies are also in search of

vesters.ie.

fingal ravens Membership for 2014 is now due.

bership registration on the night

Forms are available on our club

and would ask for your support in

Facebook page and through indi-

attending.

vidual team mentors.

The club will be taking part in the

Our juvenile presentation night

National GAA draw. Prizes include a

will take place this Friday, February

trip to the 2014 International rules

7 at 6.30pm in the Roseanna suite in

in Australia, All-Ireland football final

Kettle’s. All 2013 teams from U-9 to

tickets, All-Ireland hurling tickets

U-16 boys/girls to attend. Player of

and a trip to New York. Tickets at €10

the year, most improved and win-

are available from Ciaran Norton by

ners’ medals will be presented.

calling 087 991 6785.

We will also be holding mem-

Lotto numbers were 8, 19 and 32.

naomh mearnog There are still a few membership slots

our senior and AFL 5 football teams

available in our club golf society. If you

with very useful challenge games

are interested, please join up immedi-

over the weekend. Senior hurlers and

ately. The men’s captain for the year

footballers are also planning to play

is Andrew Rittweger, while the ladies’

challenge games next weekend if the

captain is Ann Kenny.

weather permits.

Well done to our U-11 camogie girls

Our junior hurlers train on Satur-

who played in Croke Park at half time

day afternoons at 3pm. New players

during the Dublin-Kilkenny game.

are welcome.

Congratulations to Shane Carthy

Well done to Portmarnock Commu-

who put on a fine display for Dublin

nity School U-14 football team who put

footballers against Kerry.

on a fine display in the Leinster semi-

Thank you to Clontarf who provided

final.

GazetteSPORT all of your swords sports coverage from page 27-31

davis cup crusade: Swords LTC’s Cluskey part of epic match in Ireland’s series against Belarus P30

february 6, 2014

the camogie challenge: Twomey hails Dubs spirit ahead of league campaign P29

New manager Robbie Brennan is hoping to fire his charges to further success in league and championship competitions in 2014

Syl’s new season hope

Former Roscommon manager Robbie Brennan appointed to lead St Sylvester’s in this year’s AFL 1 with an eye on opener with Thomas Davis

 stephen findlater

sport@gazettegroup.com

ST SYLVESTER’S are among a number of local clubs looking forward to the new AFL season with a new look management team as the Malahide club appointed former Roscommon boss Robbie Brennan.

He will work with Dave Clare and Cathal O’Donnell for the 2014 campaign, taking over the reins from Gabriel Bannigan after a four-year stint.

Brennan has had a couple of meetings with his predecessor since taking on the role and will hope to build on a series of strong league performances, hoping to translate

that into a push for the championship in the coming years.

He takes over a side that only finished their 2013 season on December 12 with a league final defeat at the hands of St Brigid’s but, after initial sessions with the panel, he is enthusiastic about the challenge ahead.

“It’s still early days and it is going well so far,” he told GazetteSport. “It’s obviously a big club and I was eager to get involved with a great history and tradition and once I knew there was an opportunity to come over, I jumped at it straightaway.

“There’s good young players coming through, guys with the Dublin Under-21s and the seniors as well. It’s a right mix but

the age profile is definitely there. We are looking to develop as much as we can.

“Everyone will get a run over the next couple of weeks and we’ll have a good look at everybody but absolutely the potential is there.”

His side meet Thomas Davis on February 16 in their first AFL1 outing and Brennan says that it will be great to see the team in competitive action.

Currently, his side is likely to be without the likes of Nigel Dunne and Eugene Keating due to intercounty commitments while it remains to be seen if Eoin Fanning and Gary Sweeney will be released for club duty from the Dubs’ panel.

John Coughlan is also carrying a knock but Brennan says that his injury list – unlike previous years – is not as “dramatic” as recent years.

Squeezing the best out of a talented panel, therefore, is the next key task “The general feeling is that while they have reached league finals and won it, they have just been a touch off in the championship. We’re there or thereabouts. We just need to find the extra few per cent to push over the edge [in the championship].

In Dublin football, there are a lot of good teams around. It does come down to what happens on the day. We’re not far off from achieving big things.”