Swords GAZET TE FREE
Hoist the mainsail for arrival of the Tall Ships SEE PAGE 13 AUGUST 23, 2012 Find us on
Month XX, 2012 SWORDS • BALBRIGGAN • APPLEWOOD • BOROIMHE • AIRSIDE • RIVERVALLEY
INSIDE: Prepare for college life with our EEducation d Options P17
AND THEY’RE OFF! Crowds turn out for first Swords 10k See Pages 6-7
On the ball: Top prizes for Diarmuid BAYER Consumer Care has
Hurling: Saint Finian’s march on in two competitions Page 31
Soccer: Swords Celtic line up stellar new season Page 32
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ..................... 6 DIARY ............................12 ENTERTAINMENT ..........15 BUSINESS .....................16 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 28 SPORT .......................... 29
announced hundreds of winners for its Berocca Performance in store promotion which ran across groceries and pharmacies nationwide. Pictured accepting his fantastic prize of premium rugby tickets and a Cian Healy signed rugby ball is Diarmuid Gilbride with Andrew Garvey, Bayer Consumer Care and Liz Hogg, manager at Dunnes Stores, Pavilion Shopping Centre, Swords.
TD slams pension delay as ‘a scandal’ Employees were promised increase in 2005
I SUZANNE BYRNE
A LOCAL TD has described as “a scandal” that former employees of St Ita’s Hospital in Portrane are still awaiting a pension increase they were promised in 2005. The former HSE workers in question are non-officer
grade whose pension entitlements are integrated with their social welfare pensions, Labour Deputy Brendan Ryan explained. Deputy Ryan said: “I have repeatedly been told that the reason these increases have not been implemented is due to the complexity of the
work involved and the lack of resources within the HSE. This is no longer acceptable.” In a statement, a spokesman for the HSE told the Gazette: “Significant progress has been made on this issue recently and a full examination has now taken place.” Full Story on Page 8
2 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EVENT: RECOGNISING THE WORK OF LOCAL GOVT
OPENING Swords based pharmacy bigger and better
Council is shortlisted for awards of excellence I LAURA WEBB
FINGAL County Council has received three nominations at this year’s Excellence in Local Government awards. This is the ninth year of the awards Chamber Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, held in association with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. Fingal has been shortlisted in two categories – Innovation in Technology and Local Authority Economic Efficiencies. In the Innovation in Technology category, FCC has two nominations, including the Fingal Open Data programme and #Apps4Fingal initiative, while the council is also short-listed for the Local Authority Economic Efficiencies category for their Process of Organisational Change 2009-2011. Delighted with the nominations, Fingal County manager, David O’Connor, said: “Here in Fingal County Council we have made huge strides to streamline our services where they are needed most. “ C e r t a i n l y, i n a n ongoing climate of less resources, both financial and staffing resources, we have to consider different ways to deliver customer services. This process of organisational change has resulted in a very different model for service delivery, one that is unique to Fingal and one which places emphasis on the locality and community, and not on the traditional service departments. “To be nominated for an award for this change process is very satisfactory, and recognises the strategic work which has been taking place in the background over recent years.”
He continued: “The nominations in the Innovation and Technlogy category are very welcome, as we strongly support openness and transparency in what we do and how our data and information is used by many other agencies and organisations.” Commenting on the short-listed nominees, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, said: “I am delighted that my department is once again supporting these awards which recognise the great work that local authorities do.
Alan Farrell TD (FG), Cllr Anthony Lavin (FG), Cllr Cian O’Callaghan Mayor of Fingal Co Council (Lab), Hannah May Devine and store manager Amanda McGarry. Pictures: Patrick O’Leary
Boots’ new extension revealed B OOTS Ireland recently opened a major new extension at its store in the Pavilions Shopping Centre. The expansion of the store has created 12 new jobs and has brought with it many new features including premium cosmetic stands, children’s clothing and baby
bedding ranges, and travel and bath products. The duty of cutting the ribbon fell to Mayor of Fingal County Council Councillor Cian O’Callaghan and also present on the day was model Hannah May Devine.
Strength
“The work carried out by local authorities plays a key part in the development of both the local economy and the local community. The strength of applications this year is to be commended and highlights the rich and diverse initiatives taking place in communities across the country.” The Chamber Ireland Awards are scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 8, in the Burlington Hotel Dublin. There will be a total of 17 awards presented across a variety of categories including: Supporting Active Communities; Festival of the Year; Sports Development and Local Authority Economic Efficiencies. Awards will also be presented to the City/ County Council of the Year and the Town/Borough Council of the Year. Local authorities across Dublin have also been shortlisted. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council seems to have impressed the judging panel already, as it gets listed in 10 categories and Dublin City Council enters the competition by getting shortlisted in seven categories.
Kornelija Lipilskaite and Agne Gmermanaite Emma Richardson and Christine Cawley
Amanda McGarry, Hannah May Devine and Deirdre King
Sean Guiden, Catlin Guidenage, Hannah May Lisa Rigney and Sandra Farrel
Devine and Rory Guiden
Nicole Geraghty and Lee Carpenter
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 3
CHARLESTOWN ‘Opening is another boost to area’
McDonalds drive-thru brings 70 jobs I SUZANNE BYRNE
THERE was good news on the jobs front this week with the official opening of a McDonalds 24-hour ‘drive-thru’ restaurant in Charlestown. Some 70 people have been employed in the venture - with most of them coming from the surrounding area. The Charlestown outlet represents the latest phase in McDonalds expansion plans, representing a €2m investment in the north of the city, which saw 300 jobs created last year with restaurants opening in Liffey Valley, Balbriggan, Ballymun and the Cashel
interchange on the M8. McDonalds Charlestown franchisee, Morgan McStay, commented: “This is a great time of year for the restaurant to open, and the reaction from customers has been very strong so far. “The opening of McDonalds in Charlestown gives another boost to the local area and to the shopping centre in which we are located. I expect that strong trading performance to continue and I look forward to building up our customer base in the months and years ahead.” Adrian Crean, the managing director of McDonalds Restau-
rants of Ireland, said that the new venture demonstrated McDonald’s determination to continue creating new Irish jobs. “McDonalds is very pleased to deliver 70 new jobs for north Dublin with the opening of our new Charlestown restaurant,” he said. “The more jobs we create, the more Irish produce we need to source and buy for our restaurants, which is good news for our Irish suppliers and for the Irish economy. We look forward to continuing to grow our business through the rest of 2012 and beyond.” T h e C h a r l e s t ow n
Jacqueline and Morgan McStay with Mayor Cian O’ Callaghan and Adrain Creen at the official opening of McDonalds in Charlestown
opening brings to 82 the total number of McDonalds restaurants in Ireland, with 4,000 workers nationally. McDonalds is the single biggest buyer of Irish beef, purchasing around 10 per cent of Ireland’s total output - and one in every five hamburgers sold in McDonald’s restaurants across
Europe is made from Irish beef. Last month, it was announced that Irish company Dawn Meats had been awarded a €300 million contract to process up to 18,000 tonnes of Irish beef a year for McDonalds Europe in Waterford, a development that will create 65 jobs.
Last year the hamburger giant grew its total exports of Irish produce to €200 million in 2011, up €40 million since 2008. It exported €110 million worth of Irish beef in 2011, up from €80 million in 2008, with Ireland also supplying dairy produce and eggs to the McDonalds network.
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PLANNING
Skerries school extension go-ahead PLANNING permission has been granted for an extension to the Skerries Educate Together school in Kelly’s Bay. T h e d e ve l o p m e n t will include eight new classrooms, a GP store, a staff room, library/ resource room, a new main entrance and an administration office. Children will now have access to two class-based special needs unit, a central activities space as well as a multi-sensory room, designed to educate children through various means of stimulation. Existing vehicular access from public road at Kelly’s Parade will be closed, while the existing pedestrian access and cycle access will be retained, and the overall site will be landscaped. C h i l d r e n f r o m 27 countries currently attend the school.
4 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
HSE Senator alleges services to be ‘drastically reduced’
Fianna Fail Senator Darragh O’Brien believes health service budget “could never have achieved the identified savings in the areas specified”
Minister Reilly’s office denies ‘false budget’ I SUZANNE BYRNE
THE office of Health Minister James Reilly has strongly denied Fianna Fail accusations that he presented a “false budget” before the Dail last year and of “secretly planning” drastic cuts to health services in Dublin in a bid to live up to last December’s savings projections. In a statement, Fianna Fail Senator Darragh O’Brien said: “It has been clear for months that Minister Reilly brought a false budget before the Dail last year for the health service. He could never have achieved the identified savings in the areas he specified [in that budget].”
The senator added: “The HSE overspend was €280m at the end of May and is expected to hit over €500m at the end of the year. The Government is now planning to rein in all of this overspend over the four months left in the year. “Due to Minister James Reilly’s incompetence in setting a budget for the year, he is putting pressure on local managers to drastically reduce essential services to deal with the deficit.” “These cuts to frontline services at all the major acute hospitals, Beaumont, the Mater, St James’s, Connolly Hospital, Tallaght and St Vincent’s, are being planned
in secret. The Regional Health Forums must be informed about the measures that are being examined and public representatives must be informed.” A spokesman for the Department of Health categorically denied that hospital managers were being pressurised to make cuts by the minister, that plans were made in secret, or that last December’s budget had been “false”. “He [Senator O’Brien] would be much better advised to consider the pressures that are being explained in public view,” the spokesman added. “The Department of Health has made clear to
the HSE that in advance of moves restricting services, savings are required to be made in other ways. Three quarters of a billion euro are currently being spent [in the health service] on three areas in the HSE: sick leave; the use of agency staff; and overtime. The Department has stated that major savings will be achieved through more effective management of these areas.” He pointed out that the sick leave bill alone – at approximately €280 million – was the equivalent of the stated overrun and added that he use of agency staff cost approximately €250 million and overtime costs around
€240 million. He denied plans were being made in secret, and added that the budget had been signed off by many people, including outgoing HSE boss Cathal McGee and “the service plan for the HSE was clearly the best estimate of what was achievable.” T he spokesman emphasised the pressure on government coffers since the budget was introduced. “Since then, we’ve seen there’s been an increase in activity in emergency departments. And if you take into account social protection – the amount of people unemployed has obviously [also] increased.”
Network’s autumn/winter diary FINGAL County Enterprise Board’s Women in Business Network is calling on all local women with an interest in succeeding in business to take part in their autumn and winter programmes, which were announced last week. Publishing its autumn/winter diary, the network has planned six stand-alone events over the next six months that will keep women business people and managers busy up to February next year. Kicking off on Thursday, August 30, Sharon Kearns from
SGK Accountancy Services will be helping participants prepare for the 2012 tax deadline. The evening event, which is being held at the Grand Hotel in Malahide, will focus on giving advice and guidance to small business owners around their tax obligations. And as part of Fingal Enterprise Week, a Speed Networking Event for members takes place on Thursday, October 4, at Roganstown Hotel and Golf Club in Swords. Meanwhile, a course entitled Digital Marketing for the Small
Business will be held on Tuesday, November 6 at the Carnegie Court Hotel in Swords, with the final pre-Christmas event taking place on Tuesday, December 11. The theme for these events will be sales and business development. The sixth and final event in the schedule, Clear and Critical Thinking for Small Business Owners, is taking place on Wednesday, February 6 at the Carlton Airport Hotel near Dublin Airport. Fingal Women in Business Network manager, Eve Bulman,
told the Gazette: “The purpose behind these events is to help members gather expert information for their own businesses and share ideas with fellow entrepreneurs, whilst making important new business contacts along the way.” For more information on the Fingal Women in Business Network, see www.fingalceb.ie The full programme of events for this year’s Fingal Enterprise Week in October, www.fingalenterpriseweek.ie, is being officially launched at the end of August.
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 5
COUNCIL: HOUSEHOLD CHARGE HAS COLLECTED OVER €100 MILLION
STUDENTS
Thirdlevel grants
‘Thanks for paying charge’ I LAURA WEBB lwebb@gazettegroup.com
were issued by FCC in July, while second data set is due for completion in September with further letters being issued by FCC then. The agency has legislative power to bring legal proceedings for an offence. However, before any proceedings are commenced those who haven’t paid will be written to and given the opportunity to pay, the council said Nearly all householders who received letters were second-home owners already liable to pay the non-principal private residence or second home tax. Payment of the charge and all penalties due can be made online at www. householdcharge.ie, or by posting an application form to PO Box 12168, Dublin 1 or at local authority offices.
Having a ball: Irish star shows his support for event in aid of hospital PICTURED at the launch of the Support Your Colours Ball at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links was 9-year-old Caoimhe Neill from Malahide with Republic of Ireland player John O’Shea who dropped by to lend his support to the event being held in support of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. The Support Your Colours Ball, supported by Mercury, will be held on Friday, September 21 in the Hogan Suite at Croke Park. For more information contact Temple Street on 01-878 4344 or visit www.templestreet.ie.
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FINGAL County Manager, David O’Connor, has thanked the majority of people in the county for paying the controversial household charge that has collected over €100 million nationally, and appealed to those who have yet to pay to register as soon as possible. It has been revealed that over €100 million has been received to date from 990,459 households nationally in respect of payment of the household charge. Mr O’Connor thanked “the majority of people in Fingal who have paid”, and said he is “encouraged by the number of citizens who continue to pay the charge”. “Fingal County Council will use the proceeds
of the charge to maintain essential local services. This money is critical to fund essential local services such as public parks, libraries, open spaces and leisure amenities, planning and development, fire and emergency services, maintenance and cleaning of streets and street lighting – all facilities that benefit everyone in the community.” Mr O’Connor went on to appeal to owners of residential properties who have not yet paid, to register and pay as soon as possible. The council said that the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) had advanced the process of analysing data in order to identify householders who had not yet registered and paid the levy. The first data set was completed and letters
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SCHOOL leavers are being urged to apply as soon as possible for thirdlevel grants for which they may be eligible. The student grant system has been reformed in recent times and a unified application process is now to be implemented by a single body, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). SUSI will replace the 33 VEC’s and 33 local authority bodies currently processing applications, so new students should apply for their grant though SUSI. Students can apply now, regardless of whether or not they have chosen a college course. Students or parents with queries on the application process can contact the SUSI Support Desk on 0761-08-7874 or by email at support@susi. cdvec.ie. Further information can be accessed on www.studentfinance.ie.
6 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
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RUNNING Crowds line the streets of Swords to cheer on
The runners fill up Swords Main Street before the start. Pictures: Paul Walsh
First Swords 10k gets off to a winning start AYOR of Fingal, Cllr Cian O’Callaghan was on hand recently to officially start the first ever Fingal 10k which saw over 4,300 runners take part in the race. They were cheered on by around 2,500 spectators who lined the streets of Swords to show their support. The race generated great excitement locally and runners from all
M
areas of the North County supported the race. The event was Part 2 of the Dublin Marathon Race Series 2012, which supports runners in their preparation for the Dublin Marathon. Bringing one of the four races to Fingal for the first time represented a coup for Fingal athletes as the other three races are held in the Phoenix Park.
Siobhan O’ Doherty wins the Swords 10k, with
Michael Keane and David Leavey
Pat McCabe and Lisa O’Connell
Some welcome refreshments for the athletes
1st Place Michael MacDiarmada, 2nd place Gary O’Hanlon and 3rd place Mark Hoey, with Mayor of Fingal Cian O’Callaghan
Caoimhe Regan, Michael Regan and Mandeep Kaur
Michael Macdiarmada wins the first Swords 10k
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 7
competitors for Swords 10k
Niamh Devlin 2nd, and Ailish Malone 3rd
Eamonn and Emily Richardson
Orlaith Ffrench, Liz McLaughlin and Suzanne Garry
John Rigney about to cross the line
Luke Storey and Colm Montgomery
8 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
DINING
Radisson Blu on shortlist I SUZANNE BYRNE
THE Radisson Blu Hotel at Dublin Airport has been shortlisted in the inaugural Great Carvery of the Year grand final. The hotel made the list in the hotels category, along with Clontarf Castle, in an announcement from Unilever last week. All 24 finalists were chosen by the public following a three-week-long public vote. Announcing the shortlist, Mark McCarthy, business development chef at Unilever Food Solutions, said: “The public has chosen some very strong venues and it’s going to be a real challenge for my team and I to whittle this shortlist down to eight provincial winners and two overall winners.”
HOSPITAL Lack of resources reason for situation
Pension delay is ‘a scandal’, says TD Ryan I SUZANNE BYRNE
NORTH Dublin TD Brendan Ryan (Lab) has described as “a scandal” the case of former workers at St Ita’s Hospital in Portrane who are still waiting for a pension rise promised eight years ago. The former HSE workers in question are non-officer grade whose pension entitlements are integrated with their social welfare pensions, he said. They include care staff drivers, porters and general operatives and
are among 2,000 people across the country in the same situation, according to Deputy Ryan. The deputy said: “I have raised this issue on numerous occasions through parliamentary questions and in the Dail chamber and I have repeatedly been told that the reason these increases have not been implemented is due to the complexity of the work involved and the lack of resources within the HSE. This is no longer acceptable and I am seeking a guarantee from the
Minister that these changes will be implemented by the end of 2012.” He added: “The implementation of the increases could see a relatively modest increase of a weekly pension of any thing between €5 and €70, depending on individual cases. “Any increase would make a massive difference to their quality of life. Regrettably quite a number of the pensioners have died during the last seven years and as such were not able to benefit from the increase in their pension entitlements.” Ryan continued: “During the past seven years, senior executives of the
North Dublin Labour TD Brendan Ryan
HSE have left the system with huge bonuses and massive pensions, whilst at the other end of the scale, nearly 2,000 of some of the lowest paid workers in the public services have been denied the benefits of an increase which was granted to them by the Government in 2005. This is a scandal that must be rectified immediately.” In a statement, a spokesman for the HSE told the Gazette: “Signifi-
cant progress has been made on this issue recently and a full examination has now taken place of all files. This process has identified approximately 1,100 people in the former EHB area as being potentially due a revision under the terms of Circular 20/2005. “In relation to those 1,100 people, work has now been completed on approximately 220 people’s files or 20% of all
cases. “It is planned that this circular will be fully implemented by the end of 2012 and that any monies due to people will be paid in that timescale.” St Ita’s in Portrane is a long-stay facility for those with intellectual disabilities and those with longterm mental illnesses. It is currently being scaled back in operations with planned mixed-use development.
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23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 9
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BAG-PACK
Call for help from charity CHARITY Anam Cara is calling on volunteers to help make their next fundraising event a big success. The charity’s national bag-pack day is taking place on Saturday, November 3 at Dunnes Stores throughout Ireland. As this is their big fundraising event for 2013, they still need volunteers. T h i s e ve n t r a i s e s awareness of the organisation and the necessary funds for them to deliver their online and face-toface services to bereaved parents throughout Ireland. The team are looking for people to volunteer in different areas, such as supervising the bag packers for a couple of hours. If you can assist, contact Anam Cara on 01 404 5378, or email c.curley@anamcara.ie or visit www.anamcara.ie for more information.
THEATRE Hollyoaks’ star thrilled to be in Dublin
Bastian buzzes as Chicago comes to town I PAUL HOSFORD
CHICAGO, one of the world’s most successful musicals, returns to Dublin this month, with an all-star cast set to light up the stage of the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Alongside Bernie Nolan, Duncan James and former Coronation Street star Tupele Dorgu, the cast is ably led by Ali Bastian. The former Hollyoaks’ and The Bill star told the Gazette that she is eagerly anticipating the Dublin dates, having grown fond of our fair city in recent years. “I’m really looking
forward to it. I absolutely love Dublin and have friends in Sligo, and I love it there. Every time I go to visit them, we spend a couple of days in Dublin,” says Ali, who plays Roxie Hart in the 1920’s musical. Based on real-life events back in the roaring 1920s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and along with cell-block rival, doublemurderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from Death Row with the help of smooth-talking lawyer, Billy Flynn. This production of the show opened in England in February and has filled theatres across
Europe since then. “We opened in February and have played to full houses everywhere, and it has been a lot of fun. It’s tough because we do eight shows a week and I’m on stage a lot, but the crew and the cast are just great to work with. “Because I’m on stage so much, it’s very easy to build a lot of momentum.” Having competed on Strictly Come Dancing, Ali is taking to the stage in her first-ever musical, but has found a character in Roxy that she finds is a joy to play. “Roxy is great. She’s so feisty and headstrong
Ali Bastian as Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago
that being able to play her is great. “I think I’m a little like her, but I’m not capable of murder! “A lot of people have played her, so I had to try put my own spin on it and avoid trying too hard to copy what had already been done.
“Rox y has a child inside her in a way, she’s very vulnerable.” As for sharing the stage with an Irish legend in Bernie Nolan, Ali says that getting to watch her perform nightly is “extraordinary”. Chicago will play at
the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for two weeks only from August 21 to September 2. Tickets, priced from €20 are on sale now from Ticketmaster. For more information, see http://www. bordgaisenergytheatre. ie.
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23 August 2012 GAZETTE 11
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SNAPSHOT: THE STORIES OF THE DAY FROM AROUND THE CAPITAL
Fantastic fringe fest set for September GET READY for absolute fun when Absolut Fringe gets under way this September for a spectacular 16-day festival packed with a variety of entertainment. Limerick radicals The Rubberbandits were on hand recently to launch the programme, showcasing what people can expect from the festival. Accompanying the Horse Outsiders at the launch were just a few of the festival’s 90 contributors including aerial acrobatic act, PaperDolls, Ireland’s leading young theatre companies THEATREClub and the hipsters of the Irish theatre world, The Company. This year is the 18th anniversary of the festival, which hosts performances from up to 90 artists with companies presenting 624 events spanning theatre, dance, music, live and visual arts in over 30 venues across Dublin. With its extensive programme of events, we couldn’t possibly name them all, so log on to www.fringefest.com for further information and booking details.
Nestle targets big fund for Jack & Jill The staff at Nestle Ireland have committed themselves to raising over €120,000 for the Jack and Jill Foundation by the end of this year. With less than 20% of the charity’s €2.7 million annual budget coming from the State, every fundraising effort is essential to the running of the foundation, including corporate fundraisers like Nestle Ireland. It is hoped that the €120,000 raised will provide 7,500 hours of vital nursing home care for children who need 24 hours a day support. The “Gift of Time” is how parents describe Jack & Jill’s support. The nationwide service includes nurs-
DIARY ing home visits and care, advice and bereavement support, with the Foundation providing funding for up to 64 hours of home nursing care per month at a cost of up to €1,024 per family. To see how you can help contribute to the Foundation, or to find out more about their work, log on to http:// www.jackandjill.ie/
AWARE to benefit from virtual cycle Last week saw Tesco staff members across Dublin get on their bikes for charity to support the depression support charity, AWARE. Tesco employees cycled the equivalent distance from Dublin to Cork to raise funds for the charity on August 16. Yet the riders didn’t go anywhere during the ride, as they used stationary bikes in stores. All day long, staff members took it in turns to cycle the 160-mile virtual journey. Aware is the national organisation providing information, support and education about depression, a condition which affects more than 450,000 people in Ireland at any given time. The focus in this year’s partnership between Tesco Ireland and AWARE is on teenage depression. Depression affects many teenagers in Ireland and funds raised through the partnership will enable Aware to deliver Beat the Blues, Aware’s free secondary schools’ programme, to approximately 16,000 additional teenagers this year. For more information, see www. aware.ie
23 August 2012 GAZETTE 13
FESTIVAL International race ends in Dublin
The Polish barquentine, Pogoria, moors for the night in Dun Laoghaire, with the vessel’s early arrival last weekend marking the first Tall Ship to reach Dublin ahead of this weekend’s festival celebrations. Picture: Geraldine Woods
Hoist the mainsail for arrival of the Tall Ships I LAURA WEBB
D U BL I N r e s i d e n t s should get ready to set sail when the spectacular Tall Ships Race Festival arrives in Dublin’s Docklands this month. Families can end the summer with a bang with this action-packed, free festival, that marks the last leg of the international Tall Ships Race 2012. People are invited to join the crew for what organisers are describing as the biggest party
of the summer when the north and south quays of the Docklands come alive over four days with music, children’s activities in a special Family Zone, a food theatre, markets, watersports, street performances and Dublin’s first-ever floating cinema. Literar y trails and art exhibitions that celebrate personal stories and memories of the city’s seafaring community and life on the docks are also part of the programme.
The capital is the last port for this visually stunning sailing race, with 60 magnificent ships taking part. The fleet set sail at the Northern French port of St Malo in early July, and will have raced across the Bay of Biscay to Lisbon in Portugal and Cadizin Spain before its arrival in Dublin. One highlight of the festival will be the Crew Parade on Saturday, August 25, which will see 1,500 sailors parade through the city to a
prize-giving ceremony. The weekend will end in spectacular fashion with the Parade of Sail on Sunday, August 26, when all the ships will leave port together with their sails hoisted. So, whether you’re a seafarer or a landlubber, there is no chance the family won’t enjoy this festival, which takes place from Thursday, August 23 until Sunday, August 26. For further details, see www.discoverireland. ie.
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14 GAZETTE 23 August 2012 Commercial Feature
The benefits of going private at the Rotunda Private Clinics
Darina Martin, Patient Services
FITNESS: HEALTHY NEW PROGRAMME FOR MUMS AND MUMS-TO-BE
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AT Rotunda Private Clinics the patient always comes first, and the professionals at the Clinic are committed to ensuring that every pregnancy is as comfortable and incident-free as possible Information and continuity are crucial for a comfortable pregnancy. This is why Rotunda Private
“Most of our patients will do a pregnancy test at home,” said Darina Martin, head of Patient Services at Rotunda Private Clinics. “But many of them come for a scan at six, seven or eight weeks, just to see that everything is ok.” Additionally, many women who visit the Private Clinics could be classified as “high risk” – they may have undergone a miscarriage in the past, or may have conceived through IVF – and in these cases it is hugely reassuring for them to be able to see at the earliest stage possible exactly how the pregnancy is progressing. These early scans are generally available only to Private patients. But what truly sets the Private experience apart is the fact that the parents will be dealing with the same consultant throughout the pregnancy, allowing them to develop a relationship with the third most important person in the pregnancy
Clinics offer not only the reassurance of dealing with the same consultant throughout the pregnancy, but also early scans to reassure mothers and fathers that everything is progressing as it should be.
process. “People want to get to know the person who will be delivering the baby,” said Martin. “A good relationship with the consultant will ensure that they are comfortable with talking about how they will deliver the baby – section, induction or natural - and what expectations they will have post-delivery.” Of course, there is also the important issue of accommodation (especially if the mother is in for a longer stay). Private patients are “99%” guaranteed a private room following delivery, and the Lillie Suite (Rotunda’s private postnatal unit) offers something close to a hotel experience, with excellent menu options and comfortable, clean rooms. The only difference is that you will generally leave this “hotel” with more people than you came in with!
Stephanie Sinnott, founder and personal trainer at Baby Body Fit
Stay in shape during and after your pregnancy I NATALIE BURKE
THE LATEST innovation in pre-natal and post-natal fitness to hit Ireland, Baby Body Fit, has already proved to be hugely popular, with mums-to-be and new mothers rushing to attend classes across Dublin. Baby Body Fit is a new fitness regime which promises to help both pregnant women and new mums to get in shape, and stay in shape, both during and after pregnancy. Baby Body Fit is the brainchild of young mum, Stephanie Sinnott, from Dublin, who, having had her own daughter in 2008, struggled to feel fit and healthy afterwards. Following some research, and realising her fitness programme should have started earlier in her pregnancy, Stephanie went back to college and retrained as a fitness instructor. Recognising a demand for her speciality, Baby
Body Fit was launched just over a year ago, with the aim of helping women to get through the maternity cycle while maintaining a good level of fitness and staying healthy. The unique fitness programme is the only course in Ireland to provide a light, safe, and effective cardio workout during pregnancy, combined with yoga and pilates exercises, and then follow-up with simple but effective sessions on how to lose weight and build energy after having the baby. According to Stephanie, Baby Body Fit is completely unique in that it takes women from early pregnancy days, right through to toddler years, providing them with a safe and effective exercise routine for during and after the pregnancy. “I know from personal experience how hard it can be to do this, so we set out Baby Body Fit to
show women how to get fit and lose weight, while actually enjoying the exercise and making new friends at the same time,” she explained. Structured into three exercise modules, Prepare, Regain and Maintain, Baby Body Fit caters for all levels of fitness. Course participants are encouraged to “bring their bumps to the pre-natal class, and their babies to the post-natal class”, with infants often slumbering in the buggy while mum works out nearby. Classes are managed in Dublin by Stephanie, while a number of qualified fitness instructors are now employed to cater for demand with locations in Dublin City Centre, Swords, Lucan, Cabinteely, Clontarf, Sandymount, Stepaside, the Phoenix Park, and Firhouse. Fur ther details of courses and venues are available at www.babybodyfit.ie.
23 August 2012 GAZETTE 15
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
John’s girlfriend (Mila Kunis) tries to get him to let go of his childhood friend, Ted, but it’s not that easy...
The bear don’t care Teddy bears are supposed to be cute but this one is something else entirely, and that’s all part of the fun I NIALL BERMINGHAM
HAVING grown up with a mother who never really had any appreciation for crass or immature comedy films, shock is the only word I have to describe how I felt upon hearing that she found Ted to be one of the funniest things she had ever seen. Honestly, I was in a state of disbelief. I decided I had to see this film and find out how it had made the woman who hates Jim Carrey and wouldn’t be caught dead watching Family Guy nearly die from laughter. Conceived by and starring Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Ted is indeed a crass, immature comedy but with some heart and soul thrown in. The story follows John Bennett (played very well by Mark Wahlberg) and his magical little
FILM OF THE WEEK: Ted #### (16) 106 mins Director: Seth MacFarlane Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel McHale, Patrick Warburton, Matt Walsh, Bill Smitrovich, Patrick Stewart
OUR VERDICT:
Crude, immature and vulgar but undeniably lovable Ted is a film for fans of Seth MacFarlane and maybe for some people who don’t hold him in high regard. This is that special thing in cinema that doesn’t happen too often: a pleasant surprise. Just don’t bring your young children to it.
teddy bear, Ted (voiced by MacFarlane). We see how the two best friends first got together when John was just a young unpopular child growing up friendless in Boston. A fter receiving the bear as a Christmas gift, little John makes a wish that his new plush toy could really talk to him. During the night, a little Christmas magic is worked and John has a brand new sentient furry friend. T he t a l k ing bea r qu ick ly becomes a household name, making appearances on late
night television shows and posing for magazine covers. Cut forward 27 years and we find John and Ted have, unsurprisingly, grown up. Physically at least. John’s successful girlfriend (Mila Kunis) is a little sick of John’s reluctance to move on and achieve something with his life and asks that Ted moves out so that John and herself can live together alone. It ’s not a hu gel y original storyline but it doesn’t really need to be as the comedy is fantastic and the relationships
b e t we e n cha r a c t er s prove enough to keep you interested. It’s quite clear that MacFarlane hasn’t been spreading himself too thin with three television shows and this film to work on. Right from the outset we see that the two main characters have brilliant chemistry together which is a testament not only to how Marky Mark has improved as an actor but also to the special effects team who have done a brilliant job bringing Ted to life. Technology has come an aw fully long way since Whiskers the cartoon cat shows up in Last Action Hero. Wahlberg isn’t the only actor showing their talent in this film as Kunis also gives a brilliant performance as worried girlfriend Lori. Giovanni Ribisi is genuinely creepy as lifelong
Ted fan and stalker, and Joel McHale shines as Lori’s over-interested boss. Along the way we are treated to some fantastic cameos, starting with Patrick Stewart as the narrator and some brilliant surprises that I’d rather not ruin for you. MacFarlane brings a lot of the people he worked with on his television outings to the film too. Some of the voiceactors have bit parts here and it was co-written by his Family Guy staff. All in all this is a solid film. It’s up there with the best comedies released over the last few years, however a weak ending and a handful of jokes that didn’t quite hit the mark stop this from being a classic. Definitely a three-star film. All the Flash Gordon references however, compel me to bump it up to a four-star rating.
16 GAZETTE 23 August 2012
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supported by AIB
Interview: Educating the next generation of local actors, Jill Anderson
OPTION FOR A COLLEGE PAYMENT Q – MY PARENTS are not well off; even the registration fee for my college (of €2,250) is beyond them. What options do I have, and what security will be asked for by any lender? Peter, Rathfarnham A - FIRST of all, well done on reaching third-level. One recent survey estimated the total cost of third level education, without fees, can run to €42,000! So, for those new parents out there, if you invest the current monthly Child Benefit of €140 into an account from birth to your child’s 18th birthday, and at a net interest rate of 3.5% each year, you will have accumulated €42,000 – and that’s just for one child ! With the current recessionary times, it is not surprising parents cannot find the money for such necessary expense. They may, however, still be required to guarantee a loan facility with certain lenders. Depending on your degree course, lenders may not require a parental guarantor. One recent development has been the launch of a loan facility for DCU students from Bank of Ireland. Parents must apply first and, while the usual parameters for these loans are required, it is expected all students will be approved. What is unusual with this loan is: - Interest rate is 5.1% (best unsecured loan rate on the market); - If, after graduation, the loan has not been repaid, the debt transfers over to the student and they become responsible for it – the rate also changes to 9.7%, compared to their normal rate of 14.02%; - The loan is up to €9,000 – covering up to four years’ registration fees (payable annually and directly to the college at the start of each college year); - These loans will probably become available throughout all third level colleges (15 have already signed up, and 10 more are in discussion); and - If the parents want to pay off on a yearly basis, the repayment on €2,250 over 12 months would be €192.72 per month. Meanwhile, the Higher Education Authority is presently putting together proposals on funding for the Department of Education, and hope to have a report published before the end of the summer covering student loans, graduate tax and a return to fees of at least €5,000 per annum. Happy studying! Contact John with your money questions at
jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor
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Staging a great local enterprise IT SEEMS that the acting bug has been busy biting in South County Dublin recently, with national and international success for local actors, most notably with Andrew Scott winning the BAFTA for best supporting actor in the acclaimed BBC production of Sherlock. Helping young thespians in the area is Jill Anderson, who runs the School of Speech and Drama, which operates from the school hall of Our Lady’s National School in Ballinteer on Monday, after school, and on Saturday mornings. Anderson trained at the Leinster School of Music and Drama and is LLSMD-qualified. All aspects of speech and drama are covered at the school, including Mime & Movement, Speech Training & Projection, Characterisation, Improvisation and Public Speaking. Students from the age of four upwards attend the upbeat speech and drama classes and, according to Anderson: “Dublin’s got talent. So many of our students have never acted before coming to classes, but it’s obvious that there’s a lot of raw talent out there, just waiting to be trained. “The enthusiasm of the children is amazing, and really makes my job very easy. They love to act and participate in the many different activities which are specially designed to encourage confidence and creativity. “Furthermore, it enables them to interact with other children in a fun environment, developing their communicative and social skills,” says Anderson. Further information on all classes and activities is available by contacting Anderson at 087 219 6516, or by emailing jillspeechanddrama@gmail.com.
Founder of the School of Speech and Drama, Jill Anderson
Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: I wanted to be a farmer, but I grew out of that notion when I realised that high heels were not farmyard-friendly
Q: What was your first job? A: A receptionist in an estate agent’s
Q: And your first pay cheque? A: Enough to save up for a trip to London to see the musical, Hairspray – magical, and worth the hours spent photocopying
Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed? A: See above Q: When did you start your present job? A: I founded my school three years ago, but as an actress you’ve got to allow me to point out that this is a vocation – my parents tell me that I’ve been acting out since I was very little
Q: What is the best thing about your job? A: Getting to do something I
love and meeting interesting, quirky and talented people who also inhabit this world
Q: What sport can you play? A: Hockey, netball and, eh – is yoga a sport?
a diverse mix of people, from Lady GaGa to Julian Lloyd Webber
Q: Have you achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off? A: I always dreamt about
Q: What habits would you like to lose? A: Being a perfectionist
Q: What was your last Tweet/ status update? A: Anyone out there who can
Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure? A: I love 80s music and musi-
make a Grease Lightning car?
having my own drama school – dreams do come true, but with a lot of hard work and effort
Q: What part of your working day do you ‘delegate’? A: None – I’m all hands on deck
Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be? A: An empty Galaxy wrapper – enough said
Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on? A: Yes – not all of my salary goes on shoes (boyfriend, please take note!)
Q: What sport do you follow? A: Anything that Ireland is involved with – especially rugby and soccer
cals; I can generally be caught humming songs from either
Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward? A: Depends on who you’re asking; for under-20s, definitely Jedward
Q: Describe your dream meal? A: Beans on toast, and champagne, of course!
Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna? A: Dame Edna all the way Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously? A: There are tons of great
Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: In music, I’m listening to
stores in Dublin city centre and Dundrum Town Centre – that’s where you’ll find me
Grease, Duran Duran (yes, I know!); for pictures, I have lots of shots of my new puppy, Harvey
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: Four wardrobes full, on the
Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook? A: Anyone who interests me –
Q: What was your worst holiday experience? A: A monkey on my head,
last count
and swimming with snakes in
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AUGUST 2012
OPTIONS
EXPLORING LEARNING
A golden opportunity: ITB’s diverse activities can enrich every student’s spirit
Choosing the right path: Guidance for students of all ages, and at all levels of learning
A fashionable fundraiser: Sallynoggin College helps disadvantaged women
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18 GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EDUCATION LOCALMATTERS
OPTIONS
Sound advice
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View your time in college as a building block towards the life that you want to lead when you graduate
SO, you have accepted the course offer that you have been working towards over the last few years in secondary school. Well done and congratulations, you are well on your way to planning your entry into the adult world of work. In selecting your course, you will have been advised on ensuring that the course choice was in a field that you have a genuine interest in, as this is necessary to ensure that you are completely engaged over the duration of the course. It would be inadvisable to select a course in a topic that you think you might like, without researching what the course content involved. In a lot of cases, you might be more interested in some mod-
ules than others and that is normal. Your overall interest in the core subject should encourage you to engage in the modules --------------------------
The main difference that you will notice between secondary and third level is that there will be no one organising your day --------------------------
that are less appealing and keep an eye on the bigger picture. The main difference that you will notice between secondary and third level is that there
will be no one organising your day to ensure that you attend lectures and complete assignments on time, what you would have called homework up to now. As young adults, you will be expected to manage your time effectively, attend lectures at the appointed time and place and submit assignments in the correct format, usually electronically, using a system like Moodle. You can also expect to be given group assignments, where you will be expected to work with other students in preparing a piece of research or writing a report. This is excellent preparation for the world of work where group or team work is the norm. You will learn how to interact with diverse
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23 August 2012 GAZETTE 19
EXPLORING LEARNING
for college first years ANDREW MULLIGAN, career coach and graduate of DIT, presents some advice and words of encouragement for all students entering their first year of life in college personalities in these situations and how to divide up the task between the group members. You will also quickly learn to spot the freeloaders, those who let the other group members do the work but share the credit. Your lecturers should explain how to deal with these situations. When you are assigned to a group, consider volunteering to be the leader, as the experience of leading people is highly sought after in the workplace. Keep a log or diary of your achievements in col-
lege as this information is valuable when constructing a CV. Record the details of the task that you were assigned, what action you took in completing the task and what was the end result. Employers will be interested in your individual contribution and it is much more valuable and impressive to be able to say, truthfully and with confidence, that you took this action and achieved the result. View your time in college as a building block towards the life that you want to lead when you
graduate. You should be in college because you want to be, as college life would be very difficult otherwise. Take part in college activities and join groups to widen your network of colleagues, some of whom will become lifelong friends. The bonds built through sharing an experience like college can be very strong and rewarding. A strong circle of friends can be a great source of support when the inevitable difficult times come along. Don’t despair in the tough times – if you are
coping with a personal difficulty or struggling with the course content. There is always help at hand and people genuinely willing to help you along. You won’t be the first or last student to need help and support and remember that, in the words of a famous song, “All Things Must Pass”. If you do find that you are not happy with your course choice, don’t give up. Talk to the college and see what alternatives are available. There are always other options and you will have demon-
strated maturity in recognising that you need to change. You will be supported and guided along the way. Everyone wants you to succeed. Finally, enjoy the journey.
Andrew Mulligan is the founder of Irish Career Resolutions Ltd. He is a fully qualified career coach holding a Diploma in Career Coaching, awarded by Dublin Institute of Technology. He is also a fully qualified trainer, holding a Certificate in Train The Trainer.
Going through financial difficulty, try the student assistance fund A LITTLE-KNOWN form of financial help for struggling students is the Student Assistance Fund. This fund was set up to lend financial assistance to full-time higher education students going through financial difficulties while in college. If you find yourself in such a situation, you can apply for student assistance to help with either temporary or more long-term financial difficulties. The fund is used mainly in emergency situations and in addition to the student grant. Each year, the State allocates a certain amount of student assistance funding to all publicly funded higher education colleges based on the size of the college’s full-time student population. To avail of this help, students can make an application in their college for assistance under the fund. The fund is, however, only open to university students and is not available in further education or PLC colleges. To find out whether you may be eligible for the fund you need to be aware of the main conditions of the programme, which are outlined on their website at www.studentfinance.ie, which also contains a wide range of information on the various types of funding and financial assistance available to students throughout their time in further and higher education.
20 GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EDUCATION
OPTIONS
Dr Trevor Duffy and Conor McNamee, at the opening of the renovated Court Yard Garden at the Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, created by First Year BSc Horticultural
Joshua Richardson
Students from ITB
and Ailish O’Brien at the
“Coder Dojo” at ITB, learning about coding, developing
ITB lecturer Rachel Freeman
websites, apps, programs, games and much more
medal in the Education category for its colourful stand at the
with horticulture
students Philip Hughes and Christopher Mills, celebrating Bloom Festival in the Phoenix Park
| 12 MONTHS WITH MANY DIVERSE EVENTS AT ITB |
So much more than just college courses ITH students accepting CAO offers and deciding what college to head to this week, it seems a fitting time to give an insight to what life at a college such as the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) offers – aside from education, of course. This past year has seen ITB connect with the local community by hosting events for children in the area, such as robotics courses and “Coder Dojos”. The college’s Digital Media students held an exhibition of the top-quality work that they are turning out year on year, showcasing their film, animation and photography skills. In the garden, ITB has had a great year, competing with distinction once again at the prestigious Bloom Festival, as well as opening a memorial garden at Connolly Hospital. The institute also welcomed delegates from the Hubei University of Economics, Wuhan, China when they came to visit the campus to further develop relations between the two colleges for academic collaboration.
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Minister Joan Burton, at the opening of the Garden at Connolly Hospital
Mathieu Chardon, Digital
in Blanchardstown,
Media student at ITB’s
created by First Year
first-ever end of year
BSc Horticultural
exhibition in Creative
Students from ITB
Digital Media
23 August 2012 GAZETTE 21
EXPLORING LEARNING
Derek Browne, Lucy Hiseman and David Oleman
of St Philip’s
School, Mountview, at the ITB Robotics Summer School
Mary Meaney, president, ITB and Hu Maocheng, president, Hubei University for Nationalities, following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Blanchardstown and Anshi universities
ITB being awarded a gold
Niamh Reid Burke, Sports Management
Traditional singer Jerry O’Reilly at the
and Coaching student at ITB, and Irish
opening of the renovated Court Yard
International Women’s Soccer player,
Garden at the Connolly Hospital in
and an Olympic Torch Relay bearer
Blanchardstown
22 GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EDUCATION | FINANCING COLLEGE |
OPTIONS
Making
A range of exclusive offers available to students from Stuff4students.ie
I DIARMUID HAUGHIAN
BEING a student can be hard on the pockets, so banks try to offer some great deals on banking and finance college years – AIB has a specialised website just for that. Stuff4students.ie is a student website that is all about the stuff students need. Anyone who is an AIB Student Plus account customer can avail of the offers available on the site. There are exclusive vouchers, weekly giveaways, discounts and treats, as well as some great spot prizes. It also gives the inside track on managing your finances by helping out with any money worries or queries. There is also a dedicated section on helping students find the right accommodation while in education. The career’s corner gives advice on making a CV, interviewing techniques and general advice on how you can plan your life after college. If you’re not already an AIB Student Plus Account holder, you can avail of what www. stuff4students.ie has to offer. For information about the AIB Student Plus account, log on to www.aib.ie
CAREER guidance practitioner Diarmuid Haughian (MA Career Guidance), the founder of careerguidance.ie, provides some useful insight into college life and ref lective career choices for both prospective students and lifelong-learning students. What advice do you have to students going into sixth year who might be worried about making the right college choice?
Career guidance practitioner, Diarmuid Haughian
First of all, there is no need to worry. Some students take the scenic route in life, which can be even more rewarding than the professional
who ticks all the boxes. The word career originates from the words race and journey; as such, we are all on different journeys. It is difficult to be fully “self-aware” at 17 years of age, and making the right decision can feel like a mammoth undertaking at such a relatively young age Keep an open mind early in sixth year and remember you can always change your CAO form in May, so there is no need to panic; always consult a qualified career guidance practitioner. Do you advise students to choose a college course that is more likely to provide a job or would you advise
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EXPLORING LEARNING
the right choice for college them to do something they love? Students should be aware of the employment prospects and challenges that certain sectors are facing; research must be carried out on labour market information and future forecast upon graduation. Regardless of what course of study you undertake, the experience and personal aptitude displayed within your period of study will be an invaluable asset which can be applied to a transferable career direction upon graduation. Research publications like FORFAS or The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and make a decision with the aid of
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a guidance practitioner factoring your interests, vales, aptitudes and employment prospects.
‘Students should be aware of the employment prospects and challenges that sectors are facing’
Is it a bad idea to take up a college course just for the sake of going to college and do you advise students to have an interest in the course before accepting? Yes, however, before any decision is made, do your research. Contact the head of the department, go to an open day, have questions prepared — what exactly is the course content, how is the course examined (coursework/exams), is there a work placement — speak to some current students of the course; what career paths did
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Diarmuid Haughian
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ing. Communicate with your lecturers and don’t be afraid to raise any issues or concerns you may have; modern day learning can be fun and enjoyable. Research and understanding the sector is key in making college choices
the past students undertake, what are the job prospects? The key is to research and know that you are making a sound decision. What advice do you
have for mature students, as going back to college at an older age can be daunting? Maintain a strong relationship with your lecturers, they understand that
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you have been away from education and that the educational landscape has changed drastically over the past number of decades. They are there to help and facilitate your learn-
What is careerguidance.ie and what does it offer students? careerguidance.ie allows you to make the most informed educational and career decision and if you are unsure of what career direction you should take
you can make a face-toface appointment nationwide to see a qualified and impartial career guidance practitioner. The website can manage your career, search courses at all levels, research jobs, reinvent your CV and make an appointment nationwide to see a career guidance practitioner. Diarmuid Haughian MA Career Guidance, MSc., BSc., QCG. is the founder and MD of careerguidance.ie.
24 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EDUCATION | ALL HALLOWS COLLEGE |
OPTIONS
| DUNDRUM |
A more personal and intimate experience STARTING your college career can be daunting, but a little faith and belief goes a very long way, as Niamh Kavanagh discovered when she started her higher education at All Hallows College, part of Dublin City University. “I decided to study Theology and Philosophy because I was always interested in questions to do with faith, religion and the meaning of life. “I found that throughout my four years studying at All Hallows College my questioning and thinking around these and many other concepts was always encouraged,
and I found that the lecturers’ presence in the college inside and outside the classroom was always friendly and welcoming.” All Hallows specialises at undergraduate level in the teaching of theology, philosophy, psychology, and English literature, as well as programmes in personal and professional development. The college is a relatively small, intimate and friendly one, with smaller class sizes in relation to other universities and colleges allowing for a great deal of interaction among both students and
staff, which the college encourages. “W hat was exceptional was the welcome I received when I became a part of the student body at All Hallows College. “From the moment that I stepped onto the campus I knew I had made the right decision, and, I received encouragement support and a sense of community from students and staff alike,” said Naimh. All degrees from All Hallows College are validated and accredited by DCU. For further information, visit: www.allhallows.ie
New social networking initiative is launched
Growing skills: Launch of programme PICTURED at the launch of Digital Skills Academy’s new WebElevate programme was Jamie McCormick, online game development company Gala Networks Europe and Paul Dunne, CEO, Digital Skills Academy (centre) with WebElevate participants Ronan Hurley and Elaine Kinahan. The new Government-funded programme, encourages jobseekers to upskill to take advantage of booming digital technology sector – over 4,500 jobs have been announced in the sector since the start of the year. Visit www.webelevate.ie.
THE College of Further Education in Dundrum has recently launched a new social networking initiative on their website, www.cfedundrum. com. The online service allows visitors and students to interact with all support services within the college. In addition, students can now access the college’s cloud applications, with the support of Google, which includes email, eLearning, and a calendar application. Visitors can access the news updates section, which provides all the latest college news. A spokesman for the college said: “We continue to renew our online services to students and the community at large, and are delighted with the result.” College of Further Education in Dundrum is a provider of post-Leaving Certificate and adult retraining courses in the areas covering Dundrum, Ballinteer, Rathfarnham, Churchtown, Sandyford and further afield. The college has an open and supportive approach to education and training, and students can avail from a wide variety of courses leading to FETAC certification in the areas of business, computing/ multimedia, health and community care, and creative studies. The college has established many links with Higher Education establishments over the years. In addition to its innovative service, students and visitors can also keep up to date on the wider social networking sites, including Facebook (www.facebook. com/furthereducationdundrum) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cfedundrum).
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 25
26 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
EDUCATION | BUSINESS TIME |
OPTIONS
| GOING BACK |
Dorset offering two degree scholarships DORSET College is this year recognising its 30th year in education, and to celebrate that, is offering a full-time and a part-time scholarship on its recently launched Bachelor of Business (HETAC) Level 7 Degree. The Bachelor of Business (HETAC) Degree programme is a new programme which aims to assist students in enhancing their ability to work within today’s complex global business environment, with the goal of giving them a competitive advantage. This programme is designed to extend knowledge and broaden students’ skill bases, with a clear focus
on practical application. In addition to the new Bachelor of Business degree, the college is offering a range of full-time programmes which also includes the ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business, which provides a comprehensive range of subject areas, providing excellent preparation for a variety of careers in a wide range of business organisations. Speaking about the offering at Dorset College, a spokesman said: “Our lecturers have a unique blend of academic expertise and real world business acumen, resulting in a truly dynamic classroom atmosphere. The pro-
grammes are designed to meet the needs of industry and provide excellent career and academic opportunities. “At Dorset College, we provide high quality, career focused and globally recognised leadingedge educational programmes to domestic and international students, delivered in a dynamic environment by a highly qualified and industry experienced team of professionals. “We focus on smaller class numbers and quality of education.” For further details contact the college at 01 830 9677, or log on to www. dorset-college.ie
Return to education assistance is available
In tune: Launching Innovation at DIT MINISTER for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, is
pictured with Martin Gallagher (left) and Dan Barry of Riffstation, the ultimate guitar software, at the launch of Innovation at DIT, a major DIT and Innovation Showcase, taking place on campus in Aungier Street, Dublin 2. The showcase highlighted the diversity and positive social and economic impact of DIT research activity.
MORE and more people are opting to go back to college as mature students and it has never been a more appropriate time to upgrade or retrain to give yourself an edge in a sparse jobs market. According to the Department of Social Protection, if you missed out on educational opportunities when you were younger, or if you need to update your skills, there is plenty on offer, including a wide range of secondchance education programmes for unemployed people. One of these is the Back to Education programme, which covers full-time second- or thirdlevel courses, and which ensures that you continue to get your social welfare payment while involved in education. The third-level option comprises a course approved by the Department of Education and Skills at any university or third level college for grant purposes, and is recognised by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). If you are starting a course, you can apply for the Back To Education Allowance (BTEA), which applies to undergraduate courses and any postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (HDip) qualification in any discipline, or a Graduate Diploma in Education (primary and secondary teaching). To qualify, you must have been accepted onto a qualifying course, be over 21 for undergraduate courses and over 24 for postgraduate and have been receiving a qualifying social welfare payment. For more, see www. welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/ BackToEducation/Pages/ btea.aspx
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 27
EXPLORING LEARNING | SALLYNOGGIN COLLEGE |
Raising your creative colours at Sallynoggin I STAFF REPORTER
SALLYNOGGIN College recently held its Fashion Industry Practice fashion show in aid of Dress for Success, the international not-forprofit women’s organisation, at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. The show proved a huge success and a lot of fun for those who took part on the catwalk and behind the scenes in putting the show together, and raised funds for
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the organisation which promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The Fashion Industry Practice course is only one of the courses available at Sallynoggin College, with this being the first year that the course has run. The course caters for those who wish to work
at the cutting edge of the fashion industry, whether as a stylist, fashion buyer, in fashion event management or as a fashion journalist. The college has also recently launched its inaugural theatre studies course, which is aimed at those who wish to develop a career in the theatre and the performing arts. Other courses available at the college, which is located near Dun Laoghaire, range from Creative Studies
Sallynoggin College students backstage at the recent fashion show, styled by Jessica Campbell
in Art, Design, Fashion, Dance, Theatre Studies and Photography to Childcare, Tourism, Social Studies, Leisure Management and Sports Therapy, among others. All courses are certified by national and/or
international examining bodies, and have strong links with industry and the professions. Sallynoggin College is well known as a centre of excellence and innovation in its field, with a lively atmosphere, and
an emphasis on developing individual strengths. Entr y is by direct application to the College of choice, and usually involves an interview. Further Education courses are grant-funded (www.studentfinance.ie),
and applications are welcomed from all, including adults who wish to return to education. For more information, log on to www.scs.dife. ie or contact the college at (01) 2852997 or email reception@scfe.ie
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23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 29
GazetteSPORT
GLORIOUS GAA: All the best GAA stories from around the city: Page 31
SUPPORT YOUR COLOURS BALL: O’SHEA AND LONG LAUNCH ANNUAL EVENT IN PORTMARNOCK
Annual ball set to raise €40,000 for Temple Street sport@gazettegroup.com
TEMPLE Street Hospital were joined by John O’Shea, and Shane Long at Portmarnock golf club this week to announce the details of Support Your Colours Ball, supported by Mercury, in aid of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. Support Your Colours Ball, supported by Mercury, will be held this year on Friday, September 21, in the Hogan
Suite, Croke Park. The evening will kick of with a drinks reception, followed by a threecourse meal, a sports quiz and entertainment throughout the night with some fantastic prizes up for grabs. Michael Lyster will MC the evening and Paul Collins will act as quizmaster. Guests are encouraged to grab an outfit in the colour of the team they support and join us for an evening of fun and entertainment.
Tickets for the ball are €100 each. In keeping with the theme of sport which is everywhere you look this year, O’Shea and Long joined up with Temple Street Hospital and some local children to hit a few balls and have a bit of fun to announce the launch of Support Your Colours Ball in aid of Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. This is the second year that Mercury has come
Cian Smith and Ava Darcy, from Malahide, with Republic of Ireland players John O’Shea and Shane Long at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links launching the Temple Street Colours Ball
on board to sponsor Support Your Colours Ball and speaking about the event, Aidan Bird, Business Development, Mercury Engineering said: “Mercury Engineering is delighted to be sponsoring the Support your Colours Ball 2012. We
have attended the event in previous years and know it is a great night of sporting fun and more importantly a great way of raising much needed funds forTemple Street.” Marianne Rowan from Temple Street’s fundraising office said:
“This is the sixth year we have been running the ball and we are thrilled by the response we have received so far. “We hope to raise €40,000 from the ball to continue to provide the best possible service and care to the children who
come through our doors. If anyone is thinking of joining us on the evening you can be sure to have a fantastic night out.” For more information or to purchase tickets for the ball call 01 878 4344 or email info@templestreet.ie.
30 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 August 2012
GazetteSport Sport Thompson GOLF: ROGANSTOWN GC PLAYS HOST TO TOP QUALITY PROFESSIONAL GOLF EVENT on top form in Motegi DONABATE’S Gar y Thompson stormed to victory last week on his return to the 2.983-mile Motegi circuit in the Japanese Formula Three Championship. T he Dubliner displayed astounding determination as he sealed his team’s first victory of the season. A hard-charging Thompson got off to a great start pulling out a small lead in his TOM’s powered Dallara F307 National Class car. Showing brilliant driving skill, Thompson was able to fend off rival Sasaki for the majority of the race before briefly losing the lead to make for a dramatic end in which he came back to seal the win.
Pro-Captains visit Fingal
I sport@gazettegroup.com
ROGANSTOWN Golf Club played host to the L omba rd C ha l lenge PGA Pro-Captain Irish qualifier last Monday with Nenagh Golf Club eventually coming out on top of the heap, making up for the disappointment of three years ago. Captain Sean Minogue partnered PGA Professional Ryan McCann at the Swords venue and won through on countback. T hey carded a si x under par round of 65 to finish level with the Naas Golf Club pair-
ing of Gavin Lunny and John Dunne. But Nenagh had a better back nine and took the honours in the PGA Pro-Captain Tournament. Now they will bid for a place in the Grand Final over the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from November 30 - December 1. And for Glasgow-born McCann, it meant a final appearance at last after narrowly missing out in 2009. Mc C a n n s a i d : “ I missed out on the final by one shot, that was the
closest I’d come to the final until now. “Myself and my then captain were looking at a trip to Bahrain that year. But it wasn’t to be. “So it’s good to finally make it. It was a close thing, we were three under for the back nine and won on countback. But we were very solid all day.” C apt a i n M i nog ue, who plays off a handicap of 22, admitted that the pair had an anxious wait before confirming their place in the final. He said: “I wasn’t looking at the scoreboard at all. But when
Sean Minogue (right) and Ryan McCann of Nenagh Golf Club at Roganstown
we came in, we heard we were level with another team. “We had to wait for an hour to find out we’d won. “But when we found out we had, we were delighted. I knew how close Ryan had come to it before and I was pleased
for him. It’s a prestigious event for our club.” Elsewhere, the Island were represented by Kevin Le Blanc at the Boys’ Under 15 Interprovincial Championship at City of Derry Golf Club last weekend. He was part of a strong Leinster team that got
the competition under way on Tuesday afternoon and is joined in the team by Portmarnock ma n Conor P u rcell. The side is skippered by Carton House’s Marc Boucher who was part of the side that won the equivalent competition in 2011.
23 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 31
HURLING: SEMI-FINAL BECKONS FOR SAINTS
CLUB NOTICEBOARD FINGALLIANS THE countdown is on to the opening
some excellent matches being played.
ceremony for the 2012 Paralympic
Special thanks to Oisin O’Murchu
Games on August 29. Catherine Walsh
and his team of helpers from across
is currently completing her final prep-
the club for making the day such a
arations in a holding camp in Portugal
resounding success.
on the road and also in the velodrome.
This was the inaugural festival in
Her team will travel to London on
what will be an annual event for Under-
August 24; log on to the club twitter
10 girls’ football teams, with several
account for updates during the Olym-
visiting clubs already in contact to
pics.
book their place for next year.
The club are currently running the
The camogie section is running Mum
Satellite Games each Wednesday
and Me programme which has been
with two weeks to go. We would like to
designed by the camogie association
encourage neighbours and members
to introduce playing skills to parents.
from their estates to come out to sup-
The six-week course which starts on
port an hour of fun games with some
September 20 will be run by Simon
football and hurling, each evening,
Lambert and is a great practical way
6pm - 7pm. Dates and venues: Bubury
of learning the basics of the game to
Estate, August 29: Glen Ellen Estate,
help your child develop their skills.
August 30: Cian Lea/Lios Cian Estate, August 31. The Rising Stars, U-10 girls football festival took place in the club on Sat-
A championship win over St Brigid’s and an AHL4 draw with Thomas Davis has kept Finian’s in double contention
St Finian’s hurlers fight on two fronts IHC QUARTER-FINAL St Brigid’s St Finian’s I PETER CARROLL
3-10 1-18
sport@gazettegroup.com
SAINT Finian’s inter hurlers enjoyed a very progressive patch last week, seeing off St Brigid’s at Russell Park to negotiate themselves successfully into the semi-final of the championship, while a draw with Thomas Davis kept their promotion hopes alive in the AHL 4. Perfect conditions were the backdrop for Finian’s who travelled to Blanchardstown and they put a pace on the Brigid’s faithful early on, taking points at will and leading at the half-time whistle with a lead of 0-8 to 0-2. The home side came out with the bit between their teeth in the second half and quickly grabbed a goal and point to put themselves within two of the Swords side. James Shelly opened up the gap for Finian’s
again with a goal that seemed to put the wind in his side’s sails, with three more points following it to create a gulf of eight points for the Blanchardstown side to bridge. Fighting hard, Brigid’s grabbed two quick goals to put themselves back in the game and, with the home advantage, no one would have put a lastgasp win past them. However, Finian’s managed to close them down and traded points until they claimed a victory in a fantastic game, 1-18 to 3-10. Dominic Harris was on form, too, in their AHL 4 tie when Finian’s met Thomas Davis in a game they needed to claim at least a point from to keep their league hopes alive. Harris’ frees were very accurate on the day and he claimed the majority of the points in the free flowing first half that finished honours even at 0-6 to 0-6 at the River Valley grounds.
The competitive element of the game continued in the second half and a goal from Daragh O’Keeffe seemed to spur Thomas Davis on who grabbed a goal themselves, putting themselves two points into the lead in the last ten minutes. Harris was on hand again to level up the game which finished 1-12 to 2-9, setting up a decisive tie with local rivals Fingallians with regard to their promotion aspirations. “It should be a fantastic game, it always is and this stipulation will only make it better,” said men-
tor Mick Lawton. “We’ve done very well so far this season and we’ve been playing some lovely hurling, so we’re all very happy the way things have gone. “A few of the minors have come into the side, so they allow us to rotate the team, keep some fresh legs to for the championship and they’ve proved themselves as very good players. “Our aim is to win every match, we’ll definitely give it our best effort and if we continue to play to our strengths we could be very successful,” said Lawton.
The course will take place on Thursdays between 6 and 7pm. At the end of the course (which is free), you will receive a hurl and a sliotar.
urday. Ten teams in total took part in
Both mothers and fathers are more
the festival from four different coun-
than welcome - it’s a great way of get-
ties.
ting an introduction to the sport and
The day was a great success with
meeting people in the club.
FINGAL RAVENS WELL done to Shannon Hogan who played on the Dublin U-12 team against Kerry at the weekend.
ery to Billy Bell. We want your old mobile phones to upgrade our defibrillator; there is a box
We are holding a BBQ and presenta-
in the clubhouse where you can leave
tion night for our minor winning cham-
them or give them to any committee
pionship team of 2011 next Saturday,
member or team mentor.
August 25 at 8pm in Kettle’s Hotel.
Lotto numbers were 19, 22, 28 and
We extend our sympathies to the Fox,
38; there was no jackpot winner, €20
O’Connell and O’Scanaill families on the
to Mick Cadet, €40 to Catherine Flana-
recent deaths in their families.
gan, next week’s jackpot is now worth
We would like to wish a speedy recov-
€4,238.
ST FINIAN’S ANOTHER quiet week for fixtures
Wednesday evening in River Valley at
with the adult hurlers getting a draw
7.15pm. Please come up to the pitch and
against Thomas Davis on Saturday
support the girls.
evening. The result keeps the lads in the top three of division four.
The summer hurling camp will be on Monday, August 27 to Wednesday,
There are matches for both our inter-
August 29. Ages 4-13 year old boys and
mediate and junior footballers this
girls with special nursery groups wel-
week. Our juniors play Ranelagh Gaels
come. Lunch will be provided. Cost for
on Tuesday evening in Bushy Park and
members is €25 (one child), €40 (two
the intermediates play Clann Mhuire in
children) and €50 (three children). Non
the Naul on Wednesday. Both matches
members are €35 per child.
throw in at 7pm. Our ladies football team play Scoil Ui Chonail in the championship on
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Summer camp registration forms can be downloaded from www.stfinians. com from the Downloads section.
ALL OF YOUR SWORDS SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 29-31
SUPER SAINTS: Finian’s power on in both championship and league P31
AUGUST 23, 2012
HURLING HEAVEN: The best GAA coverage from around Dublin P31
GazetteSPORT
Swords Celtic manager Larry Clare, pictured left, with Michael Toft and Ray Kelly, is hoping for silverware after an upbeat end to last season
Silverware the aim for Swords
Celtic LSL Sunday Major boss Larry Clare says the second half of last term bodes well for the new season PETER CARROLL
swordssport@gazettegroup.com
SWORDS Celtic’s LSL Sunday Major side are eyeing a year of success after showing a great turnaround in form after a bad start to last season and a mix-up that led to them not competing in any cup competitions. Larry Clare took on his first full season at the club after being appointed to the management position halfway through their previous campaign. Since then there has nearly been a complete revamp of the side with only three of the original players remaining from the time when he took the helm. With the lack of cup competition, Clare found the season far too short for his Celtic side that finished up their games in February and, after a bad start that saw them lose three of their opening four games, they had a lot to do to keep themselves afloat in the competitive Sunday Major. However, the team rallied together and
showed Clare a lot of redeeming qualities that he hopes will carry through to this season, one in which they managed to secure a victory in already. They started the campaign in emphatic style, beating a Fairview side with only ten men for over 65 minutes, 4-1, and are keen to push on from the fifth place finish they garnered last time around and break into the intermediate ranks. New players showcased a lot of potential in the first fixture of the league campaign, with new striker Roddy Farrell bagging a hat-trick to bolster the attacking side of the Celtic game. “The side we have now is well capable of winning trophies,” said Clare. “We’ve got a lot of potential on the panel and it’s very difficult for me to pick 11 players to go out there and we still have a few lads to come back from holidays and other commitments. “We’ve got a lot of the players back to the club this season that went elsewhere to play
U-19 football. That’s been a big boost for everyone here and its put a lot of competition back into the panel. “Realistically, we want to get at least promotion out of this campaign, we are definitely capable of winning the league, but I’d take second spot to bring the lads up into the intermediate ranks. “Having watched the lads get some great results in preseason, after such a long break due to our early finish in the league, it’s clear to see the quality we have all over the pitch. “We had a great game with Shelbourne that we only lost 1-0, all of the lads worked very hard in that game and we went on to claim some big wins against the likes WFTA who we managed to beat 5-2. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of cup ties as well because of the mix up that cost us our place in the tournaments last year. “It’ll be great to see how the lads react to the knockout element of the tournaments,” said Clare.