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November 5-11, 2015

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Month XX, 2012 malahide • Balbriggan • Applewood • boroimhe • Airside • Portmarnock • Kinsealy • clarehall

INSIDE: Stephanie Roche tells us how fame has been ‘weird but nice’ in The Gazette’s Big Interview P18

Football:

Ballyboden end St Vincent’s SFC reign in style Page 31 & 32

Soccer:

Broadford and Rathcoole play out thriller Page 30

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28

uganda: Dublin volunteers visit the children they have been sponsoring P12

Missiles put fire fighters at risk  keith bellew

FIREFIGHTERS were forced to withdraw from Balbriggan while attempting to extinguish a domestic house fire and had to seek Garda assistance due to antisocial behaviour on Halloween night. The Dublin Fire Brigade members were subjected to a barrage of missiles as they were responding to one of a number of house fires in Balbriggan on the night. The ferocity of the

attack was such that the crew was forced to withdraw from the area until gardai arrived to provide protection for them. A Dublin Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “There was a small number of isolated incidents in which crews and appliances experienced antisocial behaviour, thankfully no firefighters were injured.” Full Story on Page 2

Right royal party: Princess Chen likes Halloween festivities Pictured at the recent Pavillions Shopping Centre Halloween party is Jasmine Chen, who was a princess for the occasion. She was one of several children who attended the party and entered the Halloween-themed

colouring competition, for which prizes were awarded. While a personage as regal as a Halloween princess would have no need of it, there was face painting on hand of other fancy dress characters. Picture: Stephen Fleming

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attacks Firefighters forced to leave fire and call gardai

Halloween marred by violent attacks  keith bellew news@gazettegroup.com

FIREFIGHTERS were f o r c e d t o w i t h d r aw from Balbriggan while attempting to extinguish a domestic house fire and had to seek Garda assistance due to antisocial behaviour on Halloween night. The Dublin Fire Brigade members were subjected to a barrage of missiles as they responded to one of a number of house fires. The ferocity of the attack was such that the crew was forced to leave the area until gardai arrived to provide protection for them.

Dublin Fire Brigage tweeted: “Sadly we have experienced antisocial behaviour towards our crews at a fully involved domestic fire in Balbriggan. No FF injuries.” A spokesperson said: “T here was a small number of isolated incidents in which crews and appliances experienced antisocial behaviour, thankfully no firefighters were injured.” Meanwhile, in an incident that has been described as a domestic fire, a family in the Moylaragh, Balbriggan lost their home and possessions, when a fire broke out in an upstairs

bedroom and gutted the premises on Halloween night. At the time of going to print, the cause of the fire had not been ascertained; it was not being treated as suspicious and is not the blaze the crew was attending when attacked. Senator Darragh O’Brien (FF) called on the Government to protect emergency workers with specific legislation making it an offence to attack emergency personnel on duty. “It was very alarming to hear stories of ambulance and fire personnel coming under attack over the Halloween weekend.

Fire crews from Balbriggan, Skerries, Finglas and Swords were attacked when tackling a fire in Balbriggan on Saturday night. Fortunately none of the crews was injured but gardai had to attend to help,” he said. He said he believed the legislation in place to protect emergency personnel was not strong enough. “There have been many serious and unacceptable incidents like what happened in Balbriggan and in other parts of Dublin. It is time for such serious offences to be stipulated in law and carry a severe penalty,” he said. A Department of Justice spokesperson said criminal law already recognised the gravity of attacks against emergency workers and included specific legislation to deal with

Senator Darragh O’Brien (FF) has called for specific legislation to protect emergency service workers

assaults of, or threats to assault, emergency workers in Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. “Strong penalties are provided for these offences including fines and prison terms of up to 12 months on summary conviction and up to seven years on indictment.

Start-ups share €200k in grants THE Fingal Local Enterprise Office (LEO) has announced that it has just approved almost €200,000 in grant funding for small business. The majority of the funding (€180,000) is being used to enable small and early-stage businesses to take on new key members of staff. The businesses are located in a number of areas including Skerries, Rush and Balbriggan. Speaking at the announcement, Oisin Geoghegan, head of enterprise in Fingal County Council, said: “Of the 11 businesses that we have approved for funding this month, two are feasibility studies, two are start-ups, whereas seven are busi-

nesses that were set up during the recession. We call these our recession start-ups, that is, businesses that have set up during the recession and are now set to capitalise on the upturn in the economy “This is a very positive sign that small businesses are feeling confident in their medium-term future.” Fingal LEO has approved almost €750,000 in funding for 39 small businesses so far this year. This will see the creation of 150 jobs, 66 of which have recently come online. The other jobs will be created over the next 12-18 months. For more information visit: www.Localenterprise.ie/fingal

“Further penalties are again also available in relation to assault and homicide offences general.” Elsewhere in the county, an alleged knife fight that began in Swords continued at the emergency department of Beaumont Hospital. It is alleged that an

18-year-old man was awaiting treatment from injuries sustained earlier in the night when he was attacked and suffered stab wounds to his face. A 29-year-old man was arrested and appeared before Swords District Court on November 2. He is due to appear again at a later date.

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fill up

safety: some estate residents favoured a 10km/ph speed limit

Winner drives away with loot

Six pilot areas see traffic slowdown  keith bellew

FOLLOWING almost a year of consultation, a 30kph speed limit may be introduced in six pilot areas in north County Dublin before Christmas. These are are Boroimhe, Ridgewood, and St Cronan’s Avenue Swords; the Chantries Balrothery; Tayleurs Point, Rush; and Dun Emer, Lusk. The move follows a lengthy consultation process that began in December 2014 when Fingal County Council sought submissions from the public on the proposed implementation of a 30kph speed limit in residential areas in Fingal. The review sought expressions of interest

from residents’ associations and other representative groups wishing to support the introduction of these revised limits. Eighty-six submissions were received by the council, 60 of which were from individuals. There were 19 submissions from resident associations or representative groups. The remaining seven submissions were from councillors and TDs. According to a report from the council: “Where a resident association submitted a request for a 30kph speed limit, it was given serious consideration for inclusion in the pilot scheme, particularly if the estate already has existing traffic-calming measures in place.”

The report said the majority of submissions were in favour of the 30kph proposals in residential areas. Some submissions requested lower limits of 20kph or even 10kph. The final part of the process, which involves consultation with gardai, was recently committed to and the go ahead has been given. Cllr Justin Sinnott (Ind) said he was happy to see Boroimhe included as the area was plagued by traffic problems. He said the inclusion of estates whose resident associations made submissions was testament to the merits of public consultation processes.

What’s in a name? Kids get set for up to the minute fashion in Pavilions pictured at the latest addition to the retail experience in Swords

Pavilions, Name It, are store owners Marie and Gerry McCormack with their first customers of the day Trudie, Jamie and Daniel McEvoy, and Kathleen Corby. The shop stocks lots of trendy and up-to-the-minute styles for children, who were more than happy to browse the aisles with their parents. The store’s grand opening took place recently and couldn’t have come at a better time for parents on the look-out for something a bit special for the younger members of the family this season. Picture: Rose Comiskey

NIAMH Farrell from Malahide recently received a prize that included hotel breaks, fuel top-ups and car washes cour tesy of Maxol for being customer number 250,000 at its auto24 service station in Sutton. She was surprised by Maxol and FM104 representatives at the service station when she was presented with a top weekend break for two as well as a fuel top-up voucher for €100. The auto24 service station was opened in June 2014. Maxol Sutton offers pay at the pump service, which many motorists find more convenient because it can save them time.

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funding €12,000 for autism group SNOWFLAKES Autism Support, based in Swords, has received €12,000 in funding from the Department of Health National Lottery Grants scheme. The funding will go towards the day-to-day running of the group’s services, including support group meetings, practical workshops, family days out and coffee mornings. Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the funding for Snowflakes. “Through their hard-work and their dedication to assisting those who need a helping hand, such health-related organisations make our communities a better place in which to live.” For more information on Snowflakes visit: www.beta.snowflakes.ie

election AAA has ‘no record of delivering anything’

Labour reacts to austerity accusations  keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

A WAR of words has broken out in Fingal between Labour Party and Anti-Austerity Alliance representatives following a public meeting held by the alliance in Balbriggan. The AAA has been holding rallies to build support in the run-up to the General Election and calling for radical political change. The meeting in Balbriggan was addressed by the party’s Fingal elec-

tion candidate, Terry Kelleher, who said Labour, among other parties, was only interested in protecting the rich. He said: “Eight years of hardship due to non-stop austerity to bail out the bankers, developers and speculators has sparked a hunger for an alternative. The parties of austerity – Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour, Renua and the Greens – are committed to protecting the rich. The AAA offers the possibility of real political change.” Deputy Brendan Ryan

(Lab) said the alliance had no record of delivering anything for the people of Fingal and had no real interest in providing anything for them. “The latest budget had decreases in the universal social charge for low- and middle-income earners, increases in the State pension, restoration of social welfare reductions and also had investment in childcare and in free GP care. “The Labour Party has made some mistakes in Government but we’ve

Deputy Brendan Ryan: “The Labour Party has made mistakes in Government but we’ve also played our role in bringing this country out of austerity.”

also played our role in bringing this country out of austerity and into recovery.” He said Ireland still had some way to go to get back to full employment and to tackle continued problems in housing and the health service. “The AAA have no record of

building any alternative or delivering anything for the people of Fingal. But on housing, I ask the AAA to examine their own record of voting on local housing in Fingal County Council in the past year and stack it up against the Labour Party. When offered an opportunity to free up

€1.8m for homeless services through the adjustment of the local property tax, the AAA chose not to vote for that. “We need competence and good government, not empty words about political alternatives, which the AAA have no real interest in providing.”

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competition Balbriggan library to display anti racist visuals in the new year

Art exhibition helps show racism the red card  keith bellew

THE Show Racism the Red Card campaign’s One Race exhibition launches on Monday, November 9, and runs until Friday, November 20, in Blanchardstown Library. The exhibition will also have

a run in Balbriggan library from January 16 to 30, 2016, and will feature work from a competition that calls on young people to develop creative messages about racism and integration, through written, visual and audio-visual means. The competition is in its

seventh year. Fingal schools are well represented by Scoil Choilm CNS, Blakestown Community School and Castaheany Educate Together NS. Yvonne O’Brien, senior executive librarian, Fingal County Council, said “Blanchardstown library is honoured to

host the Show Racism the Red Card art exhibition, which recognises the excellent work that local children are doing to promote inclusion and oppose racism.” Paul Reid, council chief executive, said he was delighted to see Fingal schools repre-

sented in the exhibition, which provides a showcase for “the wonderful work of our young citizens, in the backdrop of our Blanchardstown and Balbriggan library exhibition spaces”. Garrett Mullan, executive director of Show Racism the Red Card, said he hoped the

exhibition would inspire others to be involved in promoting the anti-racism education message: “We designed the exhibition in a way that makes it easy to transfer from venue to venue, so it will be available to see in a number of different locations over the coming months.”

Council is willing to talk about providing pitches FINGAL County Council said it was open to having discussions with sports clubs in Swords with a view to providing multi-purpose, all-weather pitches. This follows a request from Cllr Adrian Henchy (FF) for the council to meet local clubs to discuss provision for their future needs as they grow. He said: “This facility could be something similar to what the council already facilitated in Balbriggan and the Dublin City Council facility on the Alfie Byrne Road in Clontarf.” The full-sized Gaelic and soccer, floodlit all-weather pitches at Bremore,

Balbriggan, were officially opened in April. They cater for the needs of O’Dwyer’s GAA Club and Balbriggan FC, which operated the pitches on behalf of the local authority. A council spokesperson said the Fingal development plan 2011-17 and the draft Fingal open space strategy provide for the development of recreational hubs at a number of locations in the Swords area. The spokesperson said: “The council is available to discuss provision of facilities at these locations with the relevant sporting and recreational clubs and other bodies.”

Frank Sullivan has just published his second novel, Savage Crossing

fiction: savage crossing is a nautical adventure

Novel approach to a love of the ocean  keith bellew kbellew@gazettegroup.com

SWORDS man Frank Sullivan has recently had his second novel, Savage Crossing, published by Whimsical Publications in Florida. Sullivan is a graphic designer and illustrator who works with a local printing company. He is a keen writer, artist and sailor, who has lived and worked in various locations around the world. These passions have provided him with subject matter for his novels.

He lived in Florida for a number of years, which gave him the fodder for his first novel, Deadly Shore. That novel tells the tale of an Irish man who travels to Florida to sail a boat for a wealthy man but ends up accused of a crime he did not commit. The book was so well received, both in Ireland and the United States, that his publishers asked him to write another. The result is Savage Crossing, this time set on a yacht travelling from Florida to the Car-

ibbean. The story follows a brave detective trying to unmask a murderer who has blended in with the crew Speaking to the Gazette, Sullivan said he first tried his hand at writing in the 1980s with historical novels, which he was unable to complete. It was only in the last few years that he decided to set his stories in environments he is familiar with. He said one of the most difficult aspects of writing these books was maintaining a balance

between his writing and his day job “I had to get up at five o’clock every morning and then I’d be writing well into the night. “It is hard work when you first start, but it’s worth it. Once you start you get hooked. “It’s a hobby basically, it’s not for the money [that I do it]; just for the enjoyment really.” His short stories have also been published in a number of journals and magazines. For more information on Sullivan’s work visit www.whimsicalpublications.com

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gazetteGALLERY

Liam Grogan, Conall Lawless and Dara Donohue

Arnoldos Driezas and Alwin Holden Bobbett. Pictures: Orla Murray/Ark Photography

Kids show staying fit is not a marathon task

HESE school kids ran the last mile of the recent Dublin City marathon, having spent the previous eight weeks getting into shape for the event. Participants in the Kids Marathon programme, which was organised by Fingal County Council and the SSE Air-

Fay McMahon

tricity Dublin Marathon, were keen to shsow their newly acquired form. The happy faces indicate they found the whole running thing lots of fun but maybe thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because the pictures were taken at their one-mile start line, and not the finishing line! The programme aimed to inspire

Daire Grant Adams, Ryan Quinn and Han McKenna

young people to run, to embrace an active lifestyle...and get ready to run the accumulated equivalent of a full marathon. Pupils from a number of schools in the Dublin area, including schools in Ballybough, took part in the programme and the one-mile run.

Gordon Rodgers

Sarah Willis and Anelia Gros

Sophie Ansaldi, Kyra Nicolagu and Madeline Flynn

5 November 2015 SWORDS Gazette 9

Daniel Steele, Aidas Arbaciuskas and Ciaran Downes

Isabelle Igbinosa, Edel Amoateng, Caoimhe Duignan and Goynnette Odiete

Ready to go - some of the participants at the start line

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sponsors There are lots more children who need support

A World Vision visit to Uganda for volunteers

Dublin group travels to Africa for eight days to visit local schools, health centres and the children it has sponsored  aisling kennedy akennedy@dublingazette.com

A group of volunteers from Dublin will this month travel to Uganda to visit the children they have been sponsoring as part of the World Vision child sponsorship programme. The trip involves volunteers visiting local schools, vocational centres, health centres, and farmer/vegetable garden projects. Anne Marie Bolger, a mother of three from Malahide who is one of the volunteers, tells the Gazette how she first became involved with the child sponsorship programme. “I first began sponsoring children through World Vision in 2004. I thought it would be a good idea and I’ve always been glad that I did it. I’m sponsoring my third child at the moment. “The first child I sponsored was Claire, and I began sponsoring her in 2004 when she was seven years old. She’s 18 now so she’s moved on with her life as she’s now an adult. I also began sponsoring a young boy called Onesmus in 2006 when he was just five years old, and this year I began sponsoring another little girl, Annah, who is five years old.” Bolger says that when she initially signed up to the World Vision programme, the organisation nominated the child

she was to sponsor. She could ask for a boy or a girl or a child of a particular age but she was happy to see whoever the charity chose to link her up with. “After they linked me up with my sponsored child, I received a letter with all the details about her; her family, brothers and sisters, what she liked to do, her level of school and a photograph of her. I then sent a postcard with my details and then you keep in touch over the years. “You receive their school reports and more information on them as they get older. You can then send them letters or cards for their birthdays, Christmas, and you can send extra gifts if you wish to the community for school supplies, immunisation, chickens, educating people on how to use mosquito nets, and numerous other things.” She says that for the past number of years she has been sending packages to her sponsored children for birthdays and Christmas. “They’re always so delighted to receive what I send them and I always get a photograph every year from them. “I must say I think this programme is wonderful and I’ve been involved with a lot of different sponsorships over the years. I find this one very rewarding because you get to know them and you know where your

World Vision sponsors help with education and other expenses and stay in touch through letters and other correspondence. Anne Marie Bolger (above, left), a mother of three from Malahide who is one of the volunteers travelling to Uganda next month

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‘I’m both excited and nervous about the trip. I’m very excited to meet Annah and I’m going to bring out gifts for her and her family and for the kids in school’ -------------------------------------------------------

Anne Marie Bolger, mother-of-three

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money is going. You become a big part of their lives. They rely on it and they look forward to it so much and you get the

opportunity to help the rest of the community whenever you can.” On Saturday, November 6, the group of 19

sponsors will fly out to Uganda to visit their sponsored children and Bolger is really looking forward to it. She will meet one of her sponsored children, five-year-old Annah, in the Busitema Area Development Programme. “I’m both excited and nervous about the trip. I’m very excited to meet Annah and I’m going to bring out gifts for her and her family and for the kids in school. This has

been something that I’ve always dreamed of doing but I never thought I’d get the chance to do it. It’ll also be lovely that there is a group of us going together who all have a common interest. “I don’t know exactly how much time we will get in the different communities. I think I will have about a day and a half in the particular region that Annah lives in and I will get to meet Annah and her family,

teachers of the school children, parents, the different groups involved, committees and things like that. We’ll be out there for eight days in total. I wish it was longer to be honest, but you never know what I might do afterwards.” World Vision is always looking for people to sponsor children in third world countries. For more information on how to get involved visit ww.worldvision.ie.

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14 Gazette 5 November 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Sean Montague and Romy Carroll

Hayley Ryan and Faye Rooney happy out at the launch of Bronze Bar and Lounge on Dublin’s Baggot Street where a party went on until late. Hosted by manager Gareth Downey, guests enjoyed cocktails, live music and an even livelier crowd! Luminaries included Ivan Yates, Noelle Campbell Sharpe, former Mr Ireland Kamal Ibrahim and former Miss Ireland Aoife Walsh. Pictures: Patrick O’Leary

Baggot Street parties as new venue opens up Lauren Walsh and Karl Bowe

Jodie O’Connor and Rachel Kean

Yasmin Hamouda and Michael Sharp

Jessica Banaghan and Wayne Law

Roz and Vicky Flanagan

5 November 2015 Gazette 15

generation energy P17

asdfsdaf P27 the big interview P18

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

a day in the life: never a dull moment for highflying presenter

Busy dedicated follower of fabulous fashion  Ian Begley

Popular TV presenter, style entrepreneur and columnist Darren Kennedy often finds himself attending highprofile fashion shows, making TV appearances and occasionally hopping on a plane to London, so there’s never a dull moment throughout the day. The alarm clock isn’t always set at the same time for Kennedy, who lives in Dublin with his partner, Aidan, and Yorkshire terrier Harry. “I usually get up around 7.30am, but it really depends because I may have to be up as early as 4am to start filming or if I have to go to the

airport. “Every day starts with at least two mugs of coffee because I can’t function unless I have a nice dose of caffeine. “I also try and give my self time to have something to eat before I leave the house like a few eggs and maybe some fruit. “It sounds completely cliched, but very few days are similar to one another. “Yesterday, I got up at 7.30am, filed a piece for a column I write, ran to the gym, and went to Dublin airport to fly to London. I had a few meetings back-to-back, then a quick dash to my place in south London. “Afterwards, I headed to a very swanky dinner

hosted by John Lewis in Berry Brothers in St James.” A f ter a long day, Kennedy likes to chill out and spend some quality time at home. “When I get home, I often take my little dog Harry out for a walk and play with him for a bit. “I also catch up with my partner and maybe get a bite to eat or just chill out and watch TV. “I usually tr y and head to bed around 11pm, but the odd time I wouldn’t hit the hay until about 4am.” Kennedy will be releasing his much-anticipated AW15 collection with Louis Copeland at the beginning of November.

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Darren Kennedy: “Every day starts with at least two mugs of coffee.”

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dublinlife Gogglebox duo get off the sofa to visit Dublin STEPH and Dom, those lovable lushes from TV’s Gogglebox, will be gracing Eason’s on O’Connell Street on Saturday, November 7, to sign copies of their new book, Steph and Dom’s guide to life. The guide reflects on their own eccentric life experiences and includes some humorous tales and liquor-soaked lessons they’ve learnt along the way. From tips on how to mix a liberally, if not excessively, measured Long Island Iced Tea to the real reason they’re always holding hands (so

Dom can prevent Steph from darting into shops) and wedding etiquette, the plastered pair say the book covers every issue imaginable, and with no “long words”. The couple, who are vaguely reminiscent of characters in a Monty Python sketch or guests from Fawlty Towers, will be in Eason’s from noon. For more information visit: www.easons.com

Radio DJ’s health tip for seniors RTE radio presenter Ronan Collins recently launched the Pneumococcal Winter Awareness

campaign, aimed at those aged 65 and over, who are at increased risk of contracting the disease. Pneumococcal disease refers to a range of illnesses caused by streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It is a major cause of serious infection that can lead to death, particularly among the elderly, and the very young. This year’s campaign, led by a number of organisations, including the Asthma Society and Age Action, encourages those over 65 to talk to their GP or healthcare professional about vaccination this winter.

diary

Steph and Dom Parker from TV’s Gogglebox, will be gracing Eason’s on O’Connell Street

The DSPCA is shaking its collection buckets in the direction of people with spare 1c and 2c coins

According to research, 57% of over-65s had not heard of the disease let alone how to protect themselves from it. Collins said it was “critical for people to learn about the pneumo bug and how you can help protect yourself”. For more information see www.pneumo.ie

free maths help on offer at DCU SECONDARY students in Dublin northeast have the opportunity to avail of free weekly drop-in mathematics support sessions at the DCU maths learning centre.

The sessions will take place on Monday from 6pm-9pm, November 9 to December 7, and will be delivered by DCU students training to be maths teachers. Students work alone or in small groups, asking the tutors for help if they need it. Students from any school, year and mathematics level are welcome. For more information visit: http://www.dcu.ie/ maths-support-sessions. shtml.

Dublin a top spot to visit in 2016 THE Lonely Planet has

named Dublin as the third best city in the world to visit next year, and it’s all down to the centenary celebrations of the 1916 Rising. Second only to the coastal town of Kotor, in Montenegro, and the capital of Ecuador, Quito, the €22m that has been invested in the centenary celebrations clinched the bronze medal for Dublin. According to the Lonely Planet, the top things to do in Dublin include: St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Literary Pub Crawl, Kilmainham Gaol, the Chester Beatty Library and Hugh Lane Gallery.

IT makes cents to help animal group TO mark the end of the circulation of 1c and 2c coins, the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is appealing to people to donate their old coins to it. The society is celebrating 175 years of helping animals and every cent can make a difference to its work. Shoppers can now volunteer to receive change in cash, rounded up or down to the nearest 5c. For more information, visit www.dspca.ie or email info@dspca.ie

5 November 2015 GAZETTE 17

GAZETTE

GENERATION ENERGY: ‘THESE GROUPS ARE ADDRESSING CRITICAL NATIONAL ISSUES’

Suas, Soar and Sheds net funding FUNDING of €150,986 has been shared between 21 Dublin-based community and voluntary organisations as part of the autumn 2015 round of the Energy for Generations community fund. Three of the groups received their cheques at a presentation at ESB Networks offices in Leopardstown recently. Educational development charity Suas received funding for its literacy suppor t programmes in Deis schools, the Irish Men’s Sheds Association netted funds for a series of local network wellbeing events for 6,000 “shedders”, and youth outreach movement Soar will now be able to deliver workshops for young women in the areas of self-confidence,

sexuality, media and body image. The ceremony sought to highlight the partnership between ESB and the charities, focusing on the positive impact of the three organisations. The fund supports the work of not-for-profit organisations, charities, and community and voluntary organisations, whose work falls under the areas of educational access and support, suicide prevention and care of the homeless. Managing director of ESB Networks Marguerite Sayers said: “We are delighted to be able to support the great work of fantastic community and voluntary organisations ...we are pleased to recognise the educational work of Suas

and Soar and to support Irish Men’s Sheds’ work in the area of wellbeing. These organisations are addressing critical local and national issues and ESB is proud to be able to ensure that they can continue to provide their much needed services.” T he remaining 18 Dublin-based organisations will receive funding for projects including counselling services, educational activities for adults with intellectual disabilities, programmes promoting science, technology, engineering and maths at second level, and an arts festival with a mental health theme. For details on applying to the fund see here: https://www.esb. ie/main/communitysponsorship/energy-forgenerations-fund.jsp

Orlagh Reilly from The Soar Foundation, Barry Sheridan from Irish Men’s Sheds Association, Marguerite Sayers, managing director of ESB Networks and Adelaide Nic Chartaigh from Suas Educational Development. Picture: Chris Bellew Fennell Photography

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18 GAZETTE 5 November 2015

DUBLINLIFE

THE BIG INTERVIEW

FACE OF FOOTBALL: LIFE AFTER SCORING A TOP THREE GOAL

Fame has been ‘weird but nice’ for Stephanie

 AISLING KENNEDY

akennedy@dublingazette.com

AFTER being thrust into the spotlight a year ago when she scored one of the top three goals in the world, Stephanie Roche has slowly come to terms with her new found fame. “It’s been weird,” she says. “But it has been really nice.” Her name first hit headlines when she was one of three football players in the world to be shortlisted for the Puskas award after she scored an incredible goal for Peamount United in 2014. The other two footballers nominated in the same category as her were international football star’s Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez. While Roche scored her goal in front of a crowd of 95 people, the winner of the award, James Rodriguez, scored his goal in front of a crowd of thousands while playing for Columbia against Uruguay during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Roche had hoped to win the award but came an impressive second to Rodriguez with a total of 1.1m votes worldwide.

A photograph of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi looking at her as she walked past went viral and since then she has achieved a level of stardom that she never dreamed of. “It has been a strange time with everything going on and especially when I think about how much --------------------------

‘I’ve said before I’m not the only girl who can play football in the world or in Ireland so it was just a lucky break that one of my goals got caught on camera’ --------------------------

my life has changed in the last few years. It’s strange to think about how many people recognise me and it’s still odd to me that when I’m walking around that people are taking a second look at me. “I was in the shop yesterday buying something

and the guy behind the till said ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’ and I kind of felt really awkward because I didn’t want to say how he knew me. So I just kind of said ‘Oh I play football’, and then he said ‘Oh I know who you are now!’ “So it can be a little bit strange and a little bit weird because I’m not used to it but I’m enjoying it and I’m just happy that everything worked out the way it did.” Roche explained that meeting Ronaldo and Messi was an exciting moment for her and she said that she enjoyed the whole awards ceremony. “I got to speak to Ronaldo and Rodriguez and pretty much anyone who was there. So I got to say hello to them at least. I said before the awards I would be as professional as I could. I was there as a nominee not as a fan even though it was a strange thing for me to be there. I tried to handle myself in the best way I could which I’m happy I was able to do.” Roche now plays for Sunderland Ladies and she divides her time between England and

Stephanie Roche hit the headlines when she was one of three football players in the world to be shortlisted for the Puskas award after she scored an incredible goal for Peamount United in 2014. She is also participating in a campaign called Let’s Talk which is a teen-focused YouTube campaign by Lil-Lets

Ireland. “Our season finished up on October 4 and then we had an Ireland match against Portugal on Tuesday. Our season is over, but I’ve been continuing my training because we have an important game for Ireland coming up. “We play this month and we play next month at home against Spain so I’m keeping myself fit for that. I live in England when I’m playing over there but I get back for one or two weekends when I can.” Roche is now one of the most famous, if not the most famous, face in women’s football, and an ambassador for women

in sports but she remains modest about her huge achievement. “I feel privileged really. A lot of people were ringing looking for interviews after the awards and it was a bit hectic. I said at the time I wanted to do everything I could to promote women’s football while I was in the spotlight and I think I did everything I could with what I was given. “However, I’ve said before I’m not the only girl who can play football in the world or in Ireland so it was just a lucky break that one of my goals got caught on camera. So I was happy to do what-

ever I could while I could. I’m happy to help out women’s football and if I see women’s football grow because of that I’m happy.” Let’s Talk

Roche is currently participating in a campaign called Let’s Talk which is a teen-focused YouTube campaign by Lil-Lets. The aim of the campaign is to help teen girls through the most important transitional time in their lives and to ensure that they are getting the right answers to their questions. “I’m sharing my experiences of what it was like

for me growing up, when I hit puberty and how my teenage years went. “It’s a great campaign to get young girls to talk about what they’re feeling, what happens to their bodies and to show them that they do not have to be ashamed to talk about it. “I think it is a bit of a taboo subject in Ireland still but it shouldn’t be because it’s natural and every woman goes through it so I’m really happy to be part of the campaign.” For more information on the Let’s Talk campaign log onto www. becomingateen.ie

5 November 2015 Gazette 19

asdfsdaf P27 cinema P24

health P22

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



Gazette

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on your toes: bord Gais stage is set for stunning swan lake and Romeo & Juliet

Russia’s prima ballerina on way  Keith Bellew

T H E wo r l d f a m o u s Tchaikovsky Perm State Ballet returns to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre this month to perform Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake. R e n ow n e d p r i m a ballerina Natalia Domracheva will star in both productions accompanied by the RTE National Sy mphony Orchestra. Romeo and Juliet will be staged on November 18 and 19 and Swan Lake from November 20 to 22. Domracheva is a

prizewinner at many international competitions, including the prestigious Krai Prize for Culture and Art for her interpretation of Juliet. She last performed in Ireland the role w i t h t h e Tc h a i ko vsky Perm State Ballet in 2013, receiving a standing ovation every night. Speaking to the Gazette, Simon Walton of Ballet and Opera Ireland, said Domracheva was one of the best performers he had ever seen since becoming involved in bringing ballet to Ire-

land. “She is brilliant, she is delicate, she is strong, which is very important in a ballerina, but she’s also not only a ballerina, she’s an actress as well. “Half the battle of ballet is that the people can act as well, so they are playing their part. “In a piece like Romeo and Juliet, for example, it’s very important that she shows true emotions and responds to the situation and people around her,” he said. He said that, along w i t h D o m r a c h e v a ’s prowess and Sergei Prokofiev’s score per-

THE Tchaikovsky Perm State Ballet returns to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre

formed by the National Symphony Orchestra, another aspect of the production of Romeo and Juliet, which makes it special is the fact that

the choreography used was designed by the late UK choreographer Kenneth MacMillan. “His is now considered the ultimate version

of Romeo and Juliet. For example, the Royal Ballet in London and the Bolshoi in Moscow both use MacMillan’s version. “They premiered it in Perm in 2013 and Lady MacMillan went over to Perm and enjoyed it so much that when we put it on in Dublin in November 2013, she came across to watch it at the Bord Gais and stayed for two nights, just to see it twice.” He added that the show would be the biggest ballet production ever to come to Ireland. The Swan Lake pro-

duction will feature 60 world-class dancers, romantic themes, sets, costumes and around 20 local young people as extras. “Swan Lake is the world’s most popular ballet. It’s beautiful, Tchaikovsky’s music is really something. There are two versions of Swan Lake, one is when the heroine dies and the other one is when she lives, but I’m not going to say which one it is. You’ll have to come and see it.” For more information, visit: www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 5 November 2015

OUT&ABOUT

STYLE

BEAUTYnews The smooth and refreshing effects of daily use of La Roche-Posay PEARL PHELAN

MY new skincare ritual has made a real difference. Using La Roche-Posay purifying foaming gel to wash my face, followed by the clarifying toner and finished with corrective unclogging cream has cleared up the problems I was having with my oily t-zone. I am way too old for teenage pimples and am pleased to report that these products have cleared the little breakouts I was experiencing. As I grow out the fringe I have worn for nearly 10 years, I became concerned about my oily forehead. This La RochePosay trio has mattified the skin there and even improved the bumpy texture of the drier skin on my cheeks. Combination skin can be difficult to treat but with Effaclar you can tone done oily areas without making the dry patches worse. The cleansing gel feels smooth and refreshing, which is just what you want first thing in the morning and at the end of a long day. The Effaclar fragrance is light and the products leave your face feeling squeaky-clean. Available in most pharmacies.

Luxury lacquers: A chance to marvel at Louboutin FOR THOSE OF YOU who like to blow the budget and money is no object, this ridiculously over

Fight dull, rough winter skin with Ziaja WINTER is swiftly approaching, along with all those annoying skin issues that come with it – dry patches, flaky skin, dullness, broken capillaries, chapped hands and lips. The combination of cold weather, indoor heating and seasonal irritants can cause skin to lose moisture, tonicity and elasticity. Ensure your skin is prepared for the colder season with Ziaja’s moisture-infused and revitalising argan oil range. Argan oil, has been used for centuries to transform the skin, thanks to its high content of omega fatty acids and antioxidants. Extract-

ed from the kernels found in the fruit of Moroccan argan trees, argan oil has high levels of vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. In simple terms, it improves the skin’s barrier function, protects against ageing free radicals and improves elasticity in one hit. All Ziaja argan oil products are easily absorbed to leave skin feeling hydrated and nourished, and are boosted with Vitamin A and provitamin B5 (D-panthenol) to ensure skin is 100% winter proofed. Available at selected pharmacies.

Freakishly Good Hair set 13.50

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Get it On... Get it Off nail set 13.50

Shine On Face & Body Illuminator 17

the top Christian Louboutin Limited Edition Nail Collection is a thing to behold. The luxury lacquer-like box featuring the architectural design of Loubiville – the concept envisioned by Christian Louboutin to host his beauty creations in stores is available in the Marvel Room in Brown Thomas. It includes all three nail colour collections (30 shades), plus three iconic rouge Louboutin’s, a total of 33 lacquers. This limited edition collection is available in The Marvel Room at an eye-watering €1,900. You would want to paint the town every colour under sun at that price. This is definitely one for Santa’s list. asdf sda fdsa fdsathe fsf saf

My Favourites 54

The Joystick, a True Stick of Joy eyeliner and smudger brush 10

Clever Claudia at M&S MARKS and Spencer is about to launch Claudia Winkleman’s first ever beauty gift range: Claudia. Capturing her signature look, Claudia covers all the elements to help you pull off the dark, smoky kohl-lined eyes, nude lips and glossy fringe, ensuring you are party-season ready. Stocking fillers and gift ideas include an eyeliner and smudger brush, conditioner and comb set, lipstick and nail polish. Launching on November 21, 2015 in time for the Christmas season, the debut collection includes nine beauty sets to help you look as red carpet fabulous as Claudia. Claudia says:“The key to happiness – pale lips, a serious amount of eyeliner and freakishly shiny hair.

I am so excited to be working with M&S, such a great British icon. I really hope you have as much fun using the range as I did creating it. Let me know what you think immediately.” Personally involved every inch of the way and at all levels including design, packaging, product selection and naming, each gift set also includes quotes from Claudia in her own inimitable, quirky style. For example: Claudia Freakishly Good Hair Set “Yes, this is it. You know when you just meet the one? You lock eyes and know that life will never be the same. That’s the deal with this. I’d have children with this conditioner if I could.”

5 November 2015 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

TRAVEL HAWAII: THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN AMERICA’S 50TH STATE

Do some research before your big trip

Hawaii boasts white sandy beaches, palm trees, stupendous sunsets and amazing wildlife

Fall in love with the breathtaking beauty of Pacific coast paradise  SUZANNE SHEEHY

HAWAII – land of white sandy beaches, palm trees, stupendous sunsets, Pacific warm as a heated pool, the “lei” flower necklace, beloved by Elvis, of course, and home of Barack Obama. Who hasn’t heard of aloha, the islands’ happy hello? There’s something for everyone in Hawaii. More usually the setting for an unforgettable honeymoon or anniversary trip, my recent visit was neither. But it was still unforgettable – not least the eyewatering travel costs. The special occasion that demanded shelling out by my mum and me was the Ironman World Championships. My brother was participating this year and so we sallied forth for Kona, the

Big Island. Autumn is a great time of year to visit. And being surrounded by world class athletes added to the vibe. I intended acting as support crew for Ironman and this turned out to be a major highlight of the trip. The hype leading up to the event was electric. If you could bottle it, you’d be rich. But enough of Ironman and on to the holiday. Top picks of the Big island for me were the following: Snorkelling kept me busy for a long time and cost me nothing. Kona’s calm clear waters are perfect for seeing sea turtles and other marine life. A highlight was the Manta Ray Night Snorkel (€70) – This bargain night out (who needs nightclubs when you can snorkel?) had me within inches of

enormous manta rays as they slowly swam beneath us. A night that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Do rent a car because that way you’ll have more flexibility getting around. Public transportation is virtually non-existent and taxis atrociously priced. If you’re of a mind to do rent a car or book a tour consider visiting Mauna Kea Summit, Kohala Zipline. Don’t forget the option of a volcano heli-

copter tour with Safari where you’ll see flowing lava and the last house standing as the lava flows around it. Seeing the sights depends on your budget. But, boy, is Hawaii worth the outlay. I fell in love with the island’s beauty and most importantly the hospitality of its people. With so much more to do I hope one day to return and say: Aloha, I’m back!

TheEssentials Travelling to Hawaii: You cannot fly direct to Hawaii from Ireland. We flew with Aer Lingus to San Francisco, CA (non-stop flight is 11 hours, average economy return flights are €700pp). To help with jet lag we stayed overnight in San Francisco. We stayed in a hostel, the Adelaide, which cost around $44 a night. For other hostels, visit http://www.hostelworld.com/ hostels/San-Francisco. Connecting flights to Kona were booked with Expedia.ie, again these averaged out at $770. The site was user friendly and offered the best prices. VISA/currency: All visitors must obtain ESTA US visa waiver pre-authorisation before travelling. For more information visit www. esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta. Hawaii’s currency is the US dollar. Top tip before you go is to download foreign exchange app- XE currency so you know how much you’re paying for goods and services. Accommodation can be expensive. I used Booking.ie but another option is www.airbnb.com. The cheaper the hotel/hostel, the more you have for activities, experiences and meals.

Swimming with manta rays is unforgettable

THE transatlantic flight to San Francisco meant we were ready for the overnight, leaving us two full days to discover the city. However short your trip, do your research before you set out and check things out so you’re ready to hit the ground running... literally! And don’t forget some comfortable footwear. Runners were certainly needed to get me up all those hills in San Fran! I’m a big fan of staying in hostels when I’m away when the occasion is right. And that goes for all ages. My mother and I proved how easy it is for younger and older to use these facilities. Hostels don’t necessarily mean dormitory living and 20 travellers to a room. Pay a few dollars more and upgrade to a smaller dorm or private room. Communal areas mean you can chat to fellow travellers who can also provide you with information on the area if they have arrived days before you. I stayed in the Adelaide hostel. It ticked all the boxes we needed for our stay which include free wi-fi, security, location, friendly staff, even breakfast! Don’t forget to leave a review and let fellow travellers know your take on the place. It’s the kind of information that helps me out – so I always feel a duty to return the favour.

Gazette

22 Gazette 5 November 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

IrishCancerSociety Limiting intake of processed meat to reduce cancer risk  Dr Robert O’Connor Head of research at the Irish Cancer Society

Avoiding or limiting dietary intake of processed meat can help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, according to the Irish Cancer Society. The society was responding to a report by the World Health Organisation which has classified processed meats as carcinogenic. There is strong scientific evidence, the society said, to support avoiding or limiting consumption of processed meat, which has been linked to colorectal cancer. The society maintains that a diet high in red and processed meat is linked to bowel cancer and recommends avoiding the latter and reducing consumption of cooked red meat to 500 grams a week. As part of a balanced diet, the society advocates eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses, cutting down on foods high in calories, fat and sugar, reducing alcohol consumption, and cutting down on salt. Eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and being a healthy weight, the society says, can reduce cancer risk by a third.

One route to a healthy life is including more fruit and vegetables in your daily diet

Code to adhere to in your campaign to stay in shape The European Code Against Cancer outlines healthier lifestyle choices that can help you reduce your risk of certain cancers and improve your general health. This includes not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, eating a healthy diet, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight.

Examples of processed meat include hot dogs, ham, sausages, pudding, salami, corned beef, beef jerky and canned meat

A varied balanced diet key to healthy lifestyle With cancer being linked to eating red meat last week, people had yet another carcinogenic to worry about. This week Ellen Roche, who is a registered dietician and member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute gives readers advice on what to do. A varied balanced diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) examined more than 800 human studies which confirmed previous knowledge on the association between diet and cancer risks. The WHO found that small increases in the risk of several cancers may be associated with high consumption of red meat or processed meat. It’s estimated that 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meat. Now, you might begin to think twice about the choice of sandwich filler for your child’s lunchbox or reconsider the types of

 Ellen Roche

founder and owner of NutriVive

protein sources placed in the shopping trolley each week.

Processed Meat Processed meat was classified as Group 1 carcinogenic to humans. This category is used when there is convincing evidence that an agent causes cancer. There is sufficient research from epidemiological studies (observing large populations) that eating processed meat causes bowel cancer. T h e r i s k g e n e rally increased with the amount of meat consumed, that is for every 50 gram (2oz) portion of processed meat eaten daily (the equivalent of two sausages), it increases the risk of colorectal cancer by a whopping 18%.

Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation. Examples of processed meat include hot dogs, ham, sausages, pudding, salami, corned beef, beef jerky and canned meat. The nitrites and nitrates used to preserve ham and sausages may explain why some studies find that processed meat increases the risk of cancer to a greater extent than red meat. In the bowel, nitrites are thought to convert into N-nitroso compounds, which can spark cancerous cells.

Red meat Red meat was classified as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans. The classification is based on limited evidence from studies showing positive associations between eating red meat and developing colorectal cancer as well as links with pan-

creatic cancer and prostate cancer. Red meat is defined as all mammalian muscle meat including, beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat. Red meat contains a red pigment called haem, which potentially irritates the cells in the bowel. These cells divide much more than normal to compensate for this damage, which stimulates a cancer growth. There is some evidence that the effects of haem could be countered by chlorophyll, found in green vegetables so try to include plenty of green veggies with dinner. Almost all red and processed meats contain more haem than white meats. This may explain why red and processed meats increase bowel cancer risk while white meats do not (chicken or turkey).

Defining moderation Red meat is an important source of iron and vitamin B12 in the diet, particularly since one in

five Irish women under 50 years of age have iron deficiency anaemia. The key messages from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are to consume red meat to a maximum of three times per week and in small portions (no bigger than the palm of your hand). Include chicken, turkey and fish on other days for main meals. Cook meats gently by steaming, poaching or stewing at lower temperatures and serve with large portions of vegetables. Try to include more plant based proteins, lentils, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, when finding the balance with red and processed meats. Limit processed meats as much as possible, by varying sandwich fillers for lunch and leave the traditional Irish grill to occasional. Ellen Roche owns Nutri Vive. They hold private clinics throughout Leinster. For consultations and seminars, contact the office (087) 680 2248 www.nutrivive.ie

5 November 2015 GAZETTE 23

FOOD&DRINK CAFE: A NOURISHING MIXTURE OF ART AND CALORIES

Abbey preens itself as Peacock cafe food is a hit

THE Abbey Theatre has launched its latest production, the Peacock cafe, serving Irish food in a modern and contemporary way. The cafe serves breakfast lunch and dinner. Examples of breakfast includes – Llewellyn’s apple juice; porridge with Highbank Irish apple syrup and toasted sunflower seeds; breakfast bun with bacon, sausage and baked egg. Lunch has things like artisan roll filled with Ardsallagh goats cheese, radish, cucumber and

beetroot relish; warm pulled brisket and pickled cucumber roll with Irish rapeseed mayo. Supper/pre-theatre includes a salad of broccoli, pea, cucumber, alfalfa, toasted seeds, guacamole and mint or beef and Guinness stew.

As you can see a big push is being put on the healthy option. In the cafe itself, eyes are drawn towards a feature wall that displays a provocative quote from Bertolt Brecht, unashamedly bold and bright red. The artwork here will be updated regularly to reflect current productions, events or even the general mood or feeling of a particular time – a statement as much as a feature wall. Other design elements include an exhibition showcasing the creativity

behind a play’s journey from the playwright’s mind to the stage. “At the Abbey Theatre, we place our artists and our audiences at heart of everything we do. Theatre more than any other artform, encourages a lively exchange between artists and audiences. We conducted customer research in 2013 and found that our audiences wanted a food offering before attending a play. This venture is our response to that feedback. “Also, we want to encourage our artists and

The Abbey Theatre has launched the Peacock cafe, serving Irish food from breakfast to dinner, with, inset, the cafe’s feature wall

staff to collaborate and work on–site in a space that is inviting and inspiring. Our motto is simple dishes, the best of Irish produce, great service. We look forward to welcoming our audiences and some new customers into the space,” said Eileen Collins, head of customer service at the

Abbey Theatre. A list of wine and Irish craft beer has been assembled to complement lunch and evening menus, while Barry’s tea, coffee and a selection of freshly baked scones, brownies and flapjacks are served throughout the day. The creativity behind the Peacock cafe includes

Hugo Arnold, whose list of previous clients features Harrods and Conran Restaurants, Eileen Collins, head of sales and customer service at the Abbey Theatre, cafe manager Bob Mansour and the Abbey’s own technical director, Aisling Mooney, who collaborated on the design for the cafe.

Gazette

24 Gazette 5 November 2015

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

ReelReviews

the martian

Red-dy to thrill viewers SCIENCE be damned – Matt Damon is trapped on Mars in The Martian (Cert 12A, 141 mins), and nothing is going to stop the astronaut from getting rescued, after being presumed dead in a mission gone awry. He puts his science skills to the test, while a rescue mission is launched – but who will triumph: the determined man or the hostile red planet? It’s an entertainingly exciting tale.

crimson peak

Could leave you cold AUDIENCES haven’t exactly warmed to Crimson Peak (Cert 15A, 119 mins), with it making headlines as a flop. The Gothic tale mixes horror and romance with unsuccesful results, despite strong turns from leads Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, all rattling around a crumbling house full of dark secrets. Guillermo del Toro’s film looks great, but it’s style over substance.

PAN

Critically panned EVER wondered about the origins of Peter Pan? Well, Pan (Cert PG, 111 mins) explores the origins of the evergreen boy who never grew up, and how he came to make the friends – and enemies – he did. Alas, it doesn’t take long to see why Pan has been one of 2015’s biggest box office bombs, with a chaotic plot and unlikeable leads making it one for Never Neverland.

Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) is offered an opportunity to escape her life in rural Enniscorthy for a new life in glitzy, urban New York

brooklyn: colm toibin’s story gives more than that Sunday matinee feel

A choice between two worlds

We all know that particular vision of small town Ireland in the 1950s, where the men were all full of clout and stout, the women kept hushed tones while baking slabs of saccharine bread, and the children roamed free with bare feet and grubby faces. It is a cinematic setting that has become staid in its familiarity – and more importantly, so synonymous with utter misery – that even the fleeting glimpse of a plaid skirt, or the tremulous rise of an angelus bell can trigger a cascading wave of panic in otherwise sound-minded and stalwart viewers. But fear not, because Brooklyn has a lot more going on than its buttoned-down exterior suggests.

 Dave phillips

Based on Colm Toibin’s award-winning novel, Brooklyn tells the story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) who is offered an opportunity to escape the predetermined drudgery of Enniscorthy life when her local priest lines up a job for her in New York. With the blessings of her sister and despite the protestations of her mother she makes the long trip across the Atlantic and begins to create a new life for herself. When a tragedy forces

her to temporarily return to her home in Wexford, she finds herself having to choose between slotting back into the groove of her old life in Ireland, or leaving the past behind for good by continuing with her newly forged life in America. The set-up is simple and effective enough to keep the viewer interested by itself, but what makes Brooklyn stand out is that there is some real substance built around that framework. There is the sense that Toibin’s source material has been skilfully tapped, as we quickly move away from the safe and secure stereotypes of rural Ireland. The fast-paced banter among Eilis and her fellow boarders in the half-

way-house they share in Brooklyn allows us to see a side of a parochial Irish sorority that we have rarely been afforded a look at on screen. The dialogue – whatever the subject - is sharp and engaging, which is unsurprising given that the task of adapting Toibin’s source material for the screen was given to novelist and screenwriter Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy). Pushing close to two hours, Intermission director John Crowley ensures that Brooklyn keeps a very consistent pace. Crowley is adept at keeping the focus steady despite the flip-flopping that we do between worlds. Part of what makes Brooklyn shine is the movement between the

cowed and seemingly dead-end world offered to Eilis in Enniscorthy, and the initially glitzy and grand world offered in New York. The juxtaposition between these two extremes builds a stage for Saoirse Ronan to give a strong and well-developed performance. Eilis is constantly facing a choice between extremes – yes, there are rival love interests on either side of the ocean, but while that story element may seem run-ofthe-mill, it never feels it. Much more interesting are the choices that are built around those love interests, such as choosing between family and individual interests, between seeking adventure and maintaining tradition, and ultimately between

being a child and being an adult. You cannot escape the Sunday matinee feel that comes with the setting, and certainly there are some twee moments in Brooklyn – the ethereal slow motion sing-song in the second act being one that stands out. But overshadowing that there is also a substantial story, with some nice comic elements – a great performance by Saoirse Ronan, and a really rock solid supporting cast (including Domhnall Gleeson and Emory Cohen as the love interests). Who would have thought you’d get a breath of fresh air in Brooklyn?

Brooklyn (Cert 12A, 111 mins) Verdict: 8/10

5 November 2015 Gazette 25

26 SWORDS GAZETTE 5 November 2015

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28 gazette 5 November 2015

SPORT

FastSport

It’s a cracker - annual Alone 5km aims to help the lonely at Christmas

ALONE – a charity focused on supporting lonely older people – has announced the first Christmas Cracker Run, a post-Christmas 5km race it hopes to host annually. Running club Clonliffe Harriers will partner with the charity for the event, which takes place on December 27, and starts and finishes at the Morton Stadium, Santry. It costs €20 to participate, with €5 going directly to Alone. Competitors will receive a goody bag on race day, with the first 500 also receiving Christmas Cracker T-shirts. Runners are encouraged to appear in costume. Alone chief executive Sean Moynihan said: “We hope that lots of people will join us for a fun morning out to shake off the post-Christmas slump and support older people in need. We’ll have spot prizes, refreshments and a few surprises to help get you moving.” Olympian and world cross country medallist Catherina McKiernan is also getting behind the event, saying: “The Alone Christmas Cracker run is a great opportunity to get out with your family, enjoy some fresh air and help a good cause at the same time. “We all like to do that extra bit for charity around Christmastime and I think this is a lovely way to support the older people that Alone works with. “I can see this becoming an annual tradition for many families.” Registration is open now on www.alone. ie, which also offers help for vulnerable older people in the community.

Women back on the ball for joust in July ‘Huge news’ and excitement as national league basketballers gear up to play – and win – in next year’s European Championships for Small Nations, writes JAMES HENDICOTT

IRELAND WOMEN’S international basketball team have reformed, and are set to play their first serious competitive tournament in six years next year. The side will play at the European Championships for Small Nations in July, and will be looking to self-fund the reinstated side, after their previous funding was withdrawn in 2009. “It’s clear there was a massive demand to give our best senior players the opportunity to represent their country again,” said Women’s National League commissioner Matthew Hall. “T he invitation to compete in Division C in Europe is an ideal

pathway back to where we want to be. “This time, we’ll have to use the self-funded model to get there but with the right support, our players can dream again of playing basketball for Ireland,” he said. The European Championships of Small Countries is due to take place in July 2016 with a host nation to be announced by FIBA Europe this November. Ireland are one of 18 Division C nations eligible to take part. Brid Kenny, chair of the Women’s Senior Clubs Committee, said: “Now that this decision has been made, we’ll be setting up the framework for this programme

to succeed in 2016. “T his will include selection of a management and coaching team as well as drawing on the resources of Basketball Ireland in terms of technical and fundraising support.” Sarah Woods was a junior player in the last senior Irish side to compete at a major tournament back in 2009, a side which finished a EuroBasket qualifying campaign with six wins and four losses, defeating the Netherlands at their last game at the National Basketball Arena. The Ireland women have played just two games since, defeating Scotland and losing narrowly to Luxembourg

Ireland women’s international basketball team are set to play their first serious competitive tournament in six years

with teams put together specifically for the oneoff games, which took place in 2013, and earlier this year. “Some of us are professional basketball players, and some are not,” Woods told GazetteSport. “But the trip to Lux-

with five months to wait for our next competitive game. “With the new side, we’ll be playing through, and training regularly. There hasn’t been a regular senior or under20 side since 2009, so it’s huge news.” T h e p l ay e r s o n l y

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

‘It was disheartening not having the international side. We spent five months of the year without picking up a ball in anger’ – Sarah Woods

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

embourg really showed what we can do. We formed our team and coaches six weeks ahead of the game, and we only lost by a couple of baskets to a team that train to a professional standard all year around. There’s a lot of potential there, it’s great to have the chance to show it. “It was disheartening not having the international side,” she continues. “ We s p e n t f i ve months of the year without picking up a ball in anger, after the season ends in March. “We would aim to peak in Januar y for the cup final, which is a major thing in Irish basketball, and again in March for the league finals, and then after that we’d be at our peak

found out about the reformation of the side at the same time as the general public. Woods says “there’s a real noticeable excitement” around her side DCU Mercy’s training, in anticipation of the national squad. “We’re really thrilled,” she explains. “We have the potential to be a very good side, and this gives everyone something to aim for. “We don’t know the set up yet, the coaches or the panel, but if past experiences are anything to go by, they’ll be an extended training panel to account for injuries, and then we’ll narrow it down for tournaments. “But we have until July to sort it out. Above all, it’s really exciting.”

5 November 2015 gazette 29

Gazette

athletics: glenageary woman produces superb run in us marathon

O’Riordan is tops in Arkansas

 james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

GLENAGEARY runner Helen O’Riordan was the first female runner home at the Arkansas Marathon on October

3, finishing in a time of 3 hours 34 minutes and 54 seconds, an outstanding achievement for a woman who didn’t take to running until her late 30s. O’R iordan, now

52, began running in 2003 as a way to deal with the hard-hitting grief that followed her brother’s passing away. She told GazetteSport of an unlikely match: “I remember running

O’Riordan presented with her medal by Booneville Mayor Jerry Wilkins

FastSport town open new pitch in style with 4-0 win:

Helen O’Riordan following completion of the Arkansas Marathon

on a treadmill to start out, and telling all my friends when I made it to 3kms; being absolutely elated. I started to like running, but also the people. I haven’t met a runner yet without a story.” O’Riordan took part in the Women’s Mini Marathon in 2003, finishing in 43 minutes for the 10km, and then experienced a kind of friendly peer pressure that’s pushed her to the challenging full distance race. The Arkansas event is part of an American trip for the athlete, who added the race as her 12th marathon, in part to combine the experience with a meet up with an old friend from her J1 visa days. The race marked her first marathon in two years, and she finished in fourth place overall. “There was a woman

standing next to me on the start line who was maybe five years my junior, and I had my eye on her,” O’Riordan jokes. “During the first half, I was running seven minute 40 second miles. I couldn’t maintain it, because of the hills. “ I j o ke d w i t h my friend afterwards that he should have stayed in Chicago [rather than moving to Arkansas], where we met, rather than moving somew h e r e l i ke t h i s . I n Arkansas, what goes up must go up!” While the final three miles “destroyed the time,” according to O’Riordan, due to “pain like a bullet in the calves,” she came in just six minutes behind the second fastest man, and just over a minute ahead of the next woman. It’s clear, though, that for O’Riordan running

has become about more than the physical act. When she talks about her impressive progression, she identifies a moment 10 years ago, clutching a heavy oldstyle mobile phone in the rain, when she decided not to call for help. “ I c o m p l e t e d 18 miles for the first time that day, having denied myself a lif t from a service station half way through. “I just decided ‘no’,” she recalls. “I signed up for the Dublin Marathon that night, and finished in 3 hours 37 minutes. “Since then I’ve qualified for and completed the New York race, and run in London and Paris. I’ve run for breast cancer and autism. I can’t keep hitting up the same people, though, so now I just run for myself.”

MONKSTOWN Hockey Club continued their imperious form on all fronts with a big 4-0 win over Pembroke in their refixed EY Hockey League tie last Sunday. The game was the first top tier game to be played at the newly opened Merrion Fleet Arena in Rathdown with the sky blues enjoying the day against what would have been seen as one of their main title rivals. Gareth Watkins opened the scoring late in the first half when he got a fine touch to Stephen Cole’s shot on goal. The second half saw the floodgates open with Kyle Good volleying home the second of the day after good approach work from Lee Cole and Jonny Bruton. Andrew Ward bundled in the third from close range before Watkins completed the rout from the penalty spot after a Nick Burns foul. The win sees Monkstown move top of the men’s division, equal with Cork C of I after three rounds of matches.

Gazette

30 SWORDS gazette 5 November 2015

SPORT

FastSport

triathlon: swords ironman competes at hawaii championships

Rivervalley AUL sides earn draw and a win WHILE Rivervalley Rangers Premier B side took a much deserved weekend off, their two other AUL sides enjoyed a couple of decent results. On Friday night, under the bright lights of the SDFL complex on the Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Rangers’ Division 1 Saturday side faced took on league leaders Donore FC. It was a game played with plenty of zip with the Swords side enjoying much of the possession but creating little in terms of chances in the opening half. Just after the half hour mark, Donore broke the deadlock when a high ball was flicked on and their striker reacted quickest to apply the finish. Trailing at the break, Rivervalley made a solid start to the second half and around the hour mark they saw some chances come their way. They still looked a bit toothless in attack but the introduction of John O’Donoghue changed that. The ever-busy attacker levelled the match with three minutes to go when Lee Murray broke down the left, sent in his cross and O’Donoghue headed home for 1-1. On Saturday afternoon, the Valley’s Division 3A side enjoyed a 2-0 win over Donnycarney in Ridgewood which ensured they remain top of the table after seven games. Both sides had their moments early on but it was the home side who took the lead after 25 minutes when Jonny Bidhawat opened the scoring with a neat finish. Donnycarney responded well and had a couple of chances to level but Rangers held their lead going into the break. Rivervalley looked the better side after the break, but it took up until the 80th minute to seal the result. When it came, it was Bidhawat once more with another tidy finish.

Donal Sheehy with his biggest supporters, sister Suzanne (left) and mother Teresa

Sheehy takes on the world  james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

SWORDS athlete Donal Sheehy competed in his first Kona World Ironman Championships in Hawaii last month, a qualification-only event that tests all-round athletes to the limit with a combined run, cycle and swim distance of over 225kms. Sheehy is based in Auckland and trains with Auckland City Triathlon athletics club, but also races with Fingal Triathlon Club. He qualified for the World Championship by clocking an Ironman time of 9.19.51 in the Taupo, New Zealand Ironman, and spent the majority of 2015 training

heavily around a fulltime job as a computer analyst. In the heat of Hawaii, Sheehy came home in a time of nine hours 58 minutes, including an impressive marathon run of 3.22.08 following the swim and run. The 112-mile cycle ride took Sheehy just under five hours and 25 minutes, while he finished the 2.4 mile swim in an hour and four minutes. The athlete’s overall time placed him 310th overall in arguably triathlons most iconic event. Describing the event itself - which he combined with the “holiday of a lifetime,” Sheehy said: “The swim was like a washing

machine. It’s the only place you’d get away with punching and kicking someone in the face. “The run was where mind over matter kicked in. I was in a world of pain after starting off too fast. It really was a mental battle.” Sheehy followed a tough agenda, with training, work and sleep the dominant. “I followed a challenging and interesting programme written by my coach Tony O’Hagan. “This programme really ramps up in the last eight weeks. I did about four swim, four bike, four run sessions, and two gym sessions per week. Training in peak weeks was over 20 hours.” He added, though,

that he was able to stick to a squeaky clean diet: “I grew up on mince meat, liver and potatoes. Hence I never really developed a sweet tooth. So eating well is the norm really. “As hard as it was, it was a great mix of sessions and I had some great training partners to train with in the Rick Wells swim squad and Auckland City Triathlon club, particularly Quentin Fogarty, great training buddy and friend to train through the winter months with and keep the spirits high. “I find it more enjoyable to train in groups so was lucky to have the set-up I had.” Sheehy, who went so far as to say the train-

ing “appealed”, said his biggest take-home from his first Kona experience was “pace yourself” and he’s already talking about next time. “There are just a few things to keep in mind to have a smarter and hopefully faster race next time,” he said. “It’s a beast of a race that’s certainly different to all others. Lots to learn out there in the lava fields” Finally, he paid tribute to his support crew who motivated him along the route. “I was so proud of my mother flying all the way from Dublin for supporting me along with my sister, Suzanne, who both were flying the Irish flag high and cheering me along all the way.”

5 November 2015 SWORDS gazette 31

Gazette

shield winners

St Finian’s Under-13s see off Castleknock

Club Noticeboard FINGALLIANS

ST FINIAN’S Under-13 girls produced a

superb performance to win the Dublin Division 1 shield final last weekend, running up a 4-9 to 3-3 win over Castleknock. It completes an excellent campaign for the side as they also saw off St Jude’s in the semi-final of the competition with a high-scoring 6-8 to 7-4 to reach the decider.

HARD luck to the U-15 girls squad that

The date of Thursday, November

were beaten in the B championship

19 has been set for this year’s annual

final in the last seconds on Saturday

general meeting. It is most important

afternoon.

that as many members as possible

Thank you to Willie Coogan and Shane Howard for the midweek coaching sessions.

ladies football: donnelly hails harps’ fine year

attend. The last date for Christmas club shop orders will be November 30 and

The club is organising founda-

the last trading day for the shop will

tion football and hurling coaching

be December 12 (opening hours 10 –

courses on Friday, November 13 and

12pm each Saturday morning).

20 from 7.30pm to 10pm. Please con-

The club’s Irish language group

tact wayne.hutchinson.gpo.dublin@

meets each Wednesday at 9pm in

gaa.ie

the club bar. New participants are

Asian Gaelic Games 2015: The annual event was held last weekend in

sought. Failte mor to all, regardless of standard.

Shanghai. The club would like to pass

The Canopies and Cocktails night in

its congratulations to Aine Deasy on

the club has been moved and will not

her victory after the heart break-

go ahead as planned on November 6

ing narrow defeat last year in Kuala

(further info to follow).

Lumpur.

Congratulations to Cuala and Bal-

We also had Kevin Lynch who made

lyboden St Enda’s on the senior cham-

a guest appearance for the Shanghai

pionship wins over the weekend and

Men’s social team. (We will have a full

we would like to wish them the best

report from Aine this week on Face-

as they represent the county in the

book)

Leinster championship.

ST FINIAN’S

The Skerries Harps ladies footballers side that won the Dublin junior A title. Picture: Peter Hickey/GAAPics.com

Skerries JFC journey ended by Dunboyne

leinster jfc final Dunboyne Skerries Harps  nathan kelly

1-16 1-11

sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN Junior A ladies football champions Skerries Harps hopes of Provincial and All-Ireland glory ended last Sunday with 1-16 to 1-11 loss to Dunboyne in the Leinster final in Clane. The game itself was a tight affair. There was plenty of experience in Meath side’s ranks and they managed to keep Skerries at arm’s length for the rest of the first half, with the score at half

time 1-7 to 0-7. T he nor th Dublin ladies raised the green flag after 32 minutes when the phenomenal Lyndsey Davey fired home a wonderful effort. Harps followed the goal with a point to go ahead for the first time since the sixth minutes. But Dunboyne drew level with about 10 to play and never really looked back. Six further points saw them reach 1-16 and while Skerries added a couple themselves, it only brought their tally to 1-11 and their season ended without the provincial crown.

Speaking to GazetteSport after the game, Skerries manager Paul Donnelly was gracious in defeat. “I’d have to say Dunboyne were the better team, I’d have no qualms in admitting it. We’ve got a great group of players with plenty of ability and a great spirit in the squad, but they just had that bit more and credit to them, they put it to use on the day,” said the Harps mentor. “Obviously we are disappointed, especially when the final whistle goes and you’re right there in the moment. But when you stop and think,

this has been a season to be proud of and I’m delighted with the players’ efforts,” he added. Having got the taste of success this year, Donnelly was asked if he thinks his side can push on next year. “I’d certainly hope so, but it will be difficult. We’re set to lose some players in the off-season, but we’ve a lot of good, young players and hopefully we can blood in a few more. I’ve been involved with a lot of teams at a lot of levels over the years, but I can quite easily say this one of the best teams I’ve worked with.”

PRIDE of place this week has to go to

national tournament involving teams

the U-13 Girls who had their Division

from Dublin, Spain and players from

1 shield final in Balheary on Saturday

across Europe.

afternoon. After a tight and tense first

St Finian’s fielded three teams and

half, the girls were ahead by a single

younger siblings got to take part in an

point over Castleknock at half-time.

U-9s tournament, making up a team

The second half was all St Finian’s when the girls powered away to win by nine points. The team performed really well in both defence and the forwards, with stand-out performances in the second half by Rachel Fagan and Ellie Kane.

for Ireland. Playing in a series of round-robin games, the lads put in excellent displays in tough, hot conditions and ended the tournament in third place. The U-9s team won their series and were crowned European champions. Team mentor Niall Comber extended

The U-13 boys also had a great win

thanks have to gracious hosts Madrid

over Castleknock away from home on

Harps, who organised a superb tour-

Saturday.

nament and to all who helped with

The boys travelled to Madrid the weekend before to play in an inter-

fundraising efforts over the last eight months.

FINGAL Ravens OUR Under-21s play Naomh Fionnbar-

and back from Kettles, admission

ra at home this Sunday, November 8

ticket, three-course meal, tea/cof-

at 2.30pm in the championship. Best of

fee, tote facilities in the restaurant,

luck to our management team of Alan

direct access to the Jameson Stand,

Casey, Luke Griffin and Paul Casey. All

race card, pre race tipster, Fingal

support welcome.

Ravens branded tickets and after rac-

Our seniors play Thomas Davis at

ing music.

home on Sunday at 11am in the league.

Money raised goes towards the all-

Thank you to those who attended

weather pitch project which will be a

our Grand Prix of Darts and after

huge benefit to all our members. We

party on Saturday. A big thank you

are hoping with your help that the race

to Derek Keogh and his committee for

day will be a sell out and it is heading in

organising.

that direction.

Our Fairyhouse Raceday takes place

If you cannot attend on the day, we

on November 28. Tickets are €100 and

are more than willing to accept dona-

include the following: transport there

tions of any size and/or prizes

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

hawaii ironman: Donal Sheehy takes on the world’s best at Kona world championships P30

november 5-11, 2015

backing green: International basketball set for an Irish return P28

Aine Deasy, above, with her brother Darragh and Michael O Muircheartaigh; and with her team mates, pictured right

Deasy’s Asian promise Fingallians woman claims silverware at the sixth Asian Gaelic Games to cap a memorable competition for the Shanghai team

 nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

FINGALLIANS’ far flung footballer Aine Deasy took part in her sixth Asian Gaelic Games (AGG) last weekend and landed some silverware for her Shanghai GAA side. This year’s AGG took place in Deasy’s current hometown of Shanghai and it looked to be one of the biggest yet with 18 countries involved. But Swords was to the fore as Deasy was joined at this year’s games by her brother Darragh for the week. The Fingallians girl wrote an account of the weekend after the event, which began with praise for the standard of football at this year’s AGG. “This past weekend gave me a chance to

play a great standard of football, captain a team, come away with some silverware, play against old teammates and catch up with coaches and friends from Korea and The Middle East,” she said. Deasy wasn’t the only Fingallians face in Shanghai which she revealed in her account. “I got to chat to Kev Lynch [minor football selector] who guest appeared on the Shanghai men’s social team. “The home tournament also brought my brother Darragh out for the week. It was great to have him in Shanghai for the games.” The Shanghai captain then got into describing the situation of her club leading up to the games. The women’s team that entered was a real international selection with players from

the UK, Spain, America and other countries involved, but it wasn’t always plain sailing. “At the beginning of the summer, we weren’t sure if we’d even have a women’s team to enter into the A league which was a must following our narrow defeat to Singapore in the Ladies Senior Cup last year in Kuala Lumpur,” said Deasy. “In the run-up to the games, interest grew and grew and last weekend we had three women’s teams playing in each of the leagues’ senior, intermediate and junior. “The same with the men, they entered an A and B team, as well as two social sides,” she added. Deasy led the Shanghai Senior Ladies to victory in their Plate competition on the Sun-

day, which, judging from the celebration shots made up for the defeat to Kuala Lumpur in last year’s final. As well as the Plate win, the other moments seemed to make the weekend for the Fins girl, which she spoke about: “The Friday night of the AGG’s is always a great night to shake the nerves, have a chat, listen to speeches and try and nab Micheal O Muircheartaigh for a photo. Darragh and I managed to do just that as we waited for the lift. “Darragh and I also managed to get a picture with The Sam! “I was thrilled as we have the exact same picture from 20 years ago with our uncle Dermot [full back and now senior Dublin ref] when he visited our school after the 1995 All-Ireland.”