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READY FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE IN DUBLIN? NOW that Christmas Day is behind us, there’s still lots to enjoy about this very special time of year – and once the city has had its fill of turkey sandwiches over the next few days, most of us will start looking ahead to the next big bash – the New Year’s Eve celebrations in the heart of the city.

INSIDE, you’ll find a brief guide to some of the biggest celebrations going on in town, with Dublin’s New Year Festival organisers again ready to wow onlookers with some pretty unforgettable acts. And, even if you haven’t been able to get an elusive ticket to some of the sold-out shows, wherever you are across Dublin city, you’re sure to find something fun, fab and free taking place in your neighbourhood ...

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COUNCIL RECEIVED OVER 600 SUBMISSIONS IN RELATION TO SDZ

Managers response to Clonburris SDZ ‘deeply disappointing’

 MARK O’BRIEN RESIDENTS and local officials say that they are disappointed with the Manager’s Report on the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).

Local councillors say that the Report has not taken many concerns into account and there has been very little change to the draft plan.

One residents’ group told Dublin Gazette that they now plan to work with councillors to push for motions to amend the plan. See Page 6

4 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

CONCERN | RESIDENTS FEARED ROAD BEING BUILT THROUGH PARK

Minister gives commitments that road will not be built through St Catherine’s Park  MARK O’BRIEN THE future of St Catherine’s Park looks to finally be secure after Minister Damien English gave an undertaking in the Dail that a road would not be built through the park.

Last month, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government wrote to Kildare County Council stating that removal of the indicative road from the Draft Leixlip Local Area Plan would be “premature”.

This was despite Kildare and Fingal County Councils voting to

remove the road from both of their Local Area Plans after locals campaigned against the proposed road.

The issue was raised in the Dail by Fianna Fail TDs James Lawless and Frank O’Rourke.

Referencing the M i n i s t e r ’s i n t e r ve n tions in the Sallins and Celbridge Local Area Plans, Deputy Lawless said: “What we’re seeing is a pattern where the democratic decision of local councillors, of local democracy is being overruled by either yourself or your officials, certainly by the depart-

ment.

“The local councillors live in the area, they work in the area, they understand what works in the area and this is three in a row if this is to go ahead in the Leixlip Local Area Plan.

“It’s not good enough the Minister and the Depar tment are not accountable and the local councillors are.”

D e p u t y O ’ R o u r ke added: “People don’t want this amenity spoiled in any way and they don’t want any infrastructure or development going anywhere close to the park or

through the park and they want it kept as it is because it’s a major positive.

“Indeed not alone for Leixlip but also for the people of Celbridge, Maynooth and the surrounding areas of Kildare and also into Lucan and Clondalkin and all around the surrounding areas of Dublin.”

In response to the deputies’ concerns, Minister English said that his role under the planning code in relation to statutory plans is to ensure that they are consistent with established national planning policies and that they comply with the relevant legislative requirements.

But he added: “With the Leixlip Local Area Plan, the statutory process is ongoing and so it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail at this stage.

“Notwithstanding this, I am very happy to refute any suggestion that my Department or I support road development proposals through

St Catherine’s Park, which is a hugely valuable and strategic amenity for the communities in Leixlip, Lucan and surrounding areas.

“To the extent that existing roads infrastructure in the area is deficient, my Department would instead encourage enhancements to the existing network.”

The Kildare TDs welcomed Minister English’s undertaking that a road would not be built through the park.

D e p u t y O ’ R o u r ke said: “Many people will be watching this debate closely and have heard the Minister of State give his unambiguous commitment that he does not support any infrastructure or roads being constructed anywhere close to or in St Catherine’s Park.

“That is a very welcome statement from him and his Department and it will be received positively by the people of Leixlip and surrounding areas.”

FASTNews Happy New Year to all our readers and advertisers!

2017 saw Dublin Gazette make the bold move to reposition its titles in line with the four local authorities in Dublin – a move that has proven hugely successful so far.

Dublin Gazette prides itself on its high-quality editorial, offering our loyal readers news and sports coverage like no other newspaper in Dublin.

Repositioning our titles allowed us to offer the people of Dublin four FREE newspapers that offer readers and advertisers alike four unique regional platforms that are specific to their county council area.

2017 was an exciting year for Dublin Gazette, a year of change. Our new website (DublinGazette.com) launched in April, and combined with the repositioning of our titles this has helped Dublin Gazette cement our position as Dublin’s Number-One Free Newspaper.

With your help, 2018 can be even bigger and better (just like your four new and improved Dublin Gazettes). So please continue to pick up your local edition of Dublin Gazette – Because Local Matters.

All of our staff here in Dublin Gazette would like to take this opportunity to wish all our loyal readers and advertisers a Happy New Year! Feel free to send us any stories or feedback to news@dublingazette.com Dublin Gazette – The future is LOCAL, the future is FREE. PATRICK FINNEGAN, Group Editor, Dublin Gazette

Kung-Fu hero garda awarded for his bravery

A HERO garda based in Clondalkin was recently recognised for his bravery after he foiled a robbery while off-duty.

Garda Dave Brennan received the Scott Medal at a ceremony in Templemore.

Garda Dave Brennan was socialising with his father when a robbery took place in a bookmakers next door.

Garda Brennan ran out and dropkicked an armed robber off his getaway bike and apprehended him.

Congratulating Garda Brennan on his award, local councilor Trevor Gilligan said: “It’s like something you would only see in a movie. That someone such as an off-duty Garda would heroically put himself at risk to uphold the safety of the community.”

“Outside of heroic Dave’s efforts, it must be noted that he has worked tirelessly for the community of Clondalkin and surrounding areas for many years.

“On behalf of the community, I thank Dave for his commitment and dedication to the safety of the area.

“We can live safely in our communities knowing that Dave Brennan has got our backs.”

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

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REPORT | CONCERNS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT SAY COUNCILLORS

Managers response to Clonburris SDZ ‘deeply disappointing’  MARK O’BRIEN RESIDENTS and local officials say that they are disappointed with the manager’s report on the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).

South Dublin County Council received over 600 submissions in relation to the SDZ, with many people citing issues such as lack of transport infrastructure, housing densities and anti-social behaviour.

But local councillors

say that the report has not taken many of these concerns into account and there has been very little change to the draft plan.

Maria Smith of the Clonburris Lucan Action group told Dublin Gazette that groups in Lucan and Clondalkin plan to work with councillors to push for motions to amend the plan.

The scheme must be adopted, amended or rejected by February 2 and motions must be submitted by January 8.

Maria said: “We’re obvi-

ously disappointed but what we’re going to do now is we’re going to focus on the councillors and try and get amendments pushed through by working with them and with the Clondalkin side as well so we’ve a unified approach.”

She added that residents were not against the development but felt that it should be done in a way that benefitted everybody.

Local councillors have said that they will work with residents to push through amendments to the plan.

Cllr William Lavelle (FG) said: “Unsurprisingly, transport was the most common cause of concern. But (maybe also unsurprisingly) the council are recommending no changes to the plan on foot of all concerns expressed over traffic and public transport.”

Cllr Ed O’Brien (FF) said: “Whilst over 600 submissions have been made by various groups and members of the public, very few of these submissions have had any effect on the plan and the chief executive has made very little change to the plan.

“This is extremely disappointing as residents of Lucan and Clondalkin are acutely aware of the potential for increased problems around traffic congestion, anti-social behaviour, housing densities and other matters.”

Local TD Eoin O’Broin described the report as “deeply disappointing”.

He said: “Unfortunately the manager’s report pub-

lished this week is deeply disappointing.

“It has suggested only minimal changes to the draft plan and has ignored the vast majority of suggested changes.

“Thankfully the plan is now in the hands of county councillors who will have the opportunity to table and vote on amendments in January.”

A council spokesperson said they cannot comment on the content and detail of the report prior to first public meeting in relation to same.

The Draft Scheme has been prepared in accordance with statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and is consistent with national planning policy and standards.

All submissions on the scheme have been considered and assessed in accordance with the above legislative and policy requirements and compiled in the report.

FASTNews

Local mini scientists set for National Grand Finals FOUR 6th class students from Scoil Aine Naofa in Lucan have qualified for the Intel Mini Scientist National Grand Final. Melissa McGrath, Phargavi Shyam Sundar, Leah Kiniry and Ayo Salawu have qualified for the final on February 2 in the Helix with their project “Air Pollution”.

The girls represented their school at the Regional Final in IT Blanchardstown. Ninety projects were on display at regional level and 20 were chosen to go forward to the National Grand Final.

The girls project examines Air Pollution in their school environment and they are investigating ways in which it can be reduced.

They have also researched the health issues surrounding air pollution and how they can help conditions for children in their school.

This is the fourth year running that Scoil Aine Naofa has qualified for the National Grand Final.

A great first term for Foroige’s Youth Clubs FOROIGE’S Youth Clubs in Lucan have kept their fun thermostats at full blast, as temperatures have fallen slowly over the past few weeks.

The clubs have had a great first term from September, with young people getting themselves involved in all sorts of merriment; scavenger hunts, Return of the Jedi Freeze Tag in the Dark, Pictionary, Ice Cream Making, to a Citizenship Project - making a radio programme, reflecting some important issues for teenagers growing up in Ireland today.

In Lucan, Foroige have a Juniors Club for 10-12 year olds, two clubs for 12-16 year olds in Ballyowen and Esker Lane and Elementals Lucan, an Autism Friendly Club for 12-17 year olds.

For further information on Foroige Clubs in Lucan, in wider South Dublin County and their volunteer programme, please contact Claire Hutchinson, Regional Youth Officer for South Dublin with Foroige on 085 1666945 or claire.hutchinson@ foroige.ie.

Ballyowen Foroige Club Radio Project DJs of the future

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 7

QUALITY BENCHMARK | FIRST TIME PARK IN SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY HAS RECEIVED AWARD

Mayor praises Corkagh Park staff for Green Flag award  MARK O’BRIEN

MAYOR of South Dublin Paul Gogarty paid tribute to the staff at Corkagh Park as he hoisted the Green Flag in the park.

The Green Flag Award is an international quality benchmark that recognises and rewards the provision of high quality parks and green spaces.

Starting in the UK and currently established in more than 50 countries, the award scheme is administered in the Republic of Ireland by An Taisce.

Speaking at the flag raising ceremony, Mayor Gogarty said: “This is the first time a park in South Dublin County has received a green flag award and so it’s a highly significant event.

“It demonstrates how much care and effort the staff put into maintaining the park and how much the local community uses and appreciates the park.

“Corkagh Park is 300 acres in size and one of our largest parks in this county.

“There are so many amenities and facilities here, including GAA and soccer pitches, the lakes, woodlands, lots of walking routes, along with things that you don’t usually find in parks such as the international cycle race track, the caravan park, the pet farm,

the beautiful rose garden, cricket field and even baseball pitches.”

Mayor Gogarty noted that although Corkagh Park has not previously been widely known outside of the Clondalkin area, that was slowly changing.

“More people need access to green space and nature as well as to get that access more often, to relax and connect with nature, play sport, appreciate wildlife and grow their own food in the allotments,” he said.

“Corkagh Park offers opportunities for all of the above activities.

“Sustainability is one of the criteria in the judging of the award and Corkagh Park uses sustainable methods where possible, which is becoming increasingly important.

“The Green Flag award is therefore a great tribute to the commitment of the staff of Corkagh Park, some of whom are working here for over 30 years.”

The park is one of just 36 public parks from across the country to achieve a Green Flag Award in 2017.

Parks are judged against acknowledged international best practice and standards on a number of criteria including cleanliness, horticultural standards, community involvement, sustainability, conservation and providing a warm welcome to users and visitors.

Mayor Paul Gogarty hoists the Green Flag in Corkagh Park

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Creative children celebrated

THE Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr Paul Gogarty presented the winners of the council Christmas Decoration Recycling Competition with their prizes in County Hall on Thursday, December 14.

Mayor Gogarty said: “It is wonderful to see so many impressive and creative Christmas decorations made out of recycled materials.

“The young people of our county are inspirational in the wide variety of recyclable materials they have used in very creative and varied ways.

“They serve to encourage everyone to look for opportunities to reuse and recycle materials in the home.”

Orla Scannell, arts officer of South Dublin County Council said: “The

possibilities for using recycled materials for handmade inspirational decorations is endless, as can been seen by variety and breadth of entries into the recycled Christmas decoration competition this year.

“Materials have been reused, recycled and upcycled into unique pieces of artwork that anyone would be happy to have in their home.”

Tadhg goes bananas for Santa’s helpers BRAVE five-year-old Tadhg Kelly-McGuirk from Tallaght had a big smile and a warm welcome for Freddy Fyffes when he arrived to assist Santa Claus and his helpers on their traditional Christmas visit to patients at Temple Street Children’s Hospital. Picture: Maximilien McKenna

LUCAN | LOCAL SCHOOL’S GENEROUS SPIRIT PRAISED

Big-hearted pupils help the homeless with crates of gifts  MARK O’BRIEN THE big-hearted pupils of Scoil Mhuire in Lucan handed over six crates of gifts that they collected for the homeless just before Christmas.

The pupils decided to organise a collection of tinned goods, biscuits, hats, gloves, sleeping bags, socks and toiletries over the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The crates were then handed over to two local women who volunteer their time helping the homeless.

Bernadette Fagan volunteers with Humans Together in the city centre.

The group was set up in 2014 with the aim of delivering food and warm clothing to the homeless, as well as offering some human contact.

The group has since started managing the Bru hostel cafe – a government funded iniative that caters for 80 homeless people per night.

Audrey McMorrow also distributes food and drinks to the homeless on Grafton Street.

Both local women were delighted to receive the donations from a local school and have always appreciated the local support they receive for their efforts.

A spokesperson for the Scoil Mhuire Parents’ Association told Dublin Gazette: “Audrey was saying that it’s unbelievable the amount of donations that come from Lucan alone. She said most of the stuff that gets donated comes from Lucan.”

The idea for the collection came from one of the children in the school.

“One of the ladies on the Parents’ Association, it

was her son that had said could they do something in school and that’s where it came from,” said the spokesperson.

“She suggested it to the Parents’ Association and we said yeah, let’s do us as a 12 Days of Christmas kind of thing.

“We put crates into the classrooms and Audrey spoke to the senior half of the school and explained what she did and that got the word out and we just encouraged the children to bring their stuff in on a daily basis or weekly basis and fill the crate in the classrooms.”

The project proved so popular that the Parents’ Association say they are planning to hopefully do another collection in the run up to the summer.

Sorting out the food for the homeless donations

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 11

PEAMOUNT HEALTHCARE | ‘CATERING FOR NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE NEXT CHALLENGE’

Minister formally turns sod on new 100-bed development

 MARK O’BRIEN

MINISTER for Health Simon Harris formally turned the sod on Peamount Healthcare’s new 100bed development on Wednesday, December 13.

This €24 million development was funded by the sale of lands belonging to Peamount Healthcare and a significant capital investment from the Health Service Executive.

Minister Harris noted that, in the past, Peamount had made an incredible contribution to tackling tuberculosis and added that catering for the needs of older people was the next challenge facing the hospital in the years to come.

He said: “What you are doing here today is already beginning to fulfil that challenge providing residential care, providing short stay care, look-

ing after people with complex needs and what you are doing today is adding more capacity to that.

“In building a new unit and turning the sod on that today we will see 100 beds, 50 will enable residents to have better facilities because we know parts of Peamount are very old and 50 beds will provide us with more neuro rehabilitation capacity, something we badly need in this county.

“I am really excited about the contribution that this development is going to make, it’s going to add additional beds to our health service.”

Peamount Healthcare has a long history dating back to 1912 when the facility opened as a tuberculosis sanatorium.

It quickly became the largest such unit in Ireland and developed as a centre of excellence delivering high

quality care to patients and service users.

In the 1960s Peamount changed service direction and opened residential services for intellectual disability.

Since that time, services have expanded and developed and now include a range of services for older people and people with intellectual disabilities.

Suzanne Corcoran, chief executive officer of Peamount said: “This development will be a support to the acute hospital system for the early transfer of patients for follow on care.

“This event marks a bright future for Peamount, its service users and staff, as we announce our development and reposition our services for the future.

“We look forward to opening this new state-of-the-art hospital facility in 2019.”

Minister for Health Simon Harris formally “Turns the Sod” with John Delaney, Chair Peamount Healthcare, and Suzanne Corcoran, CEO Peamount Healthcare. Picture: Tommy Clancy

12 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

Out and About

Noreen Scanlan and Rosemary Pluck

Festive fundraiser is perfect place for gifts Bernie Staines and Reiltinn Reddy. Pictures: Simon Peare

Fidelma Duffy and Denis Torsney

T

HERE was a large attendance at the Promise of Hope Fundraiser for Fr Kidus held recently at St Patrick’s Church, Esker in Lucan. It was a great opportunity for attendees to get that perfect Christmas gift with a whole load of festive crafts on display.

Philomena Foley

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GAZETTE

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DUBLINBUSINESS

New skills audit tool launched to help businesses MINISTER for Education and Skills Richard Bruton has launched a new skills audit tool and extra supports which will make it easier for employers to identify their skill needs.

Minister Heather Humphreys has also announced that 300 employers, in association with Enterprise Ireland, will be first to participate in the initiative.

Minister Bruton has set the ambition to make Ireland’s education service the best in Europe within a decade.

Skills for Growth is a package of supports for employers to help them understand and plan for their skill needs.

Each employer who participates in the programme will be given access to a new skills audit tool to capture

robust and consistent data on the skill needs of their business, and oneon-one assistance from a regional skills forum manager.

Announcing Skills for Growth, Minister Bruton said: “Ensuring we are planning for the future skill needs of our economy is so important to delivering on our ambitions as a nation.

“The Skills for Growth initiative is a fantastic development which will greatly enhance the ability of our regional skills fora to identify and, indeed, respond to these skills needs.

“If we want to be the best in Europe, we must ensure that the partnerships and links between the education system and enter prise are strong and continuously improved.”

Pauline Logan, network manager, Dublin City LEO Women in Business Network; Anita Donoghue, owner of The Hair Cafe Salon; Rita Smyth, Role Players for Training, and Mary McSweeney, deputy head of enterprise and economic development, Dublin City LEO. Picture: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

CELEBRATION | INVESTMENT, SERVICES SUPPORT PART OF PRIZE PACKAGES

Women entrepreneurs Irish businesses showing growth scoop top LEO awards THE number of businesses in Ireland is growing faster than seen in most major economies in the last year, , according to a new study by accounting and consultancy network UHY. Ireland ranks within the top 10 of UHY’s global business creation table out of 21 countries studied.

According to UHY, there has been a 3% increase in Ireland’s business numbers in the last year, with 205,000 Irish businesses in total in 2016, compared to 198,000 in 2015.

By comparison, the other majorWestern economies studied saw their number of businesses increase by just 2% last year, compared to the previous year. Overall, across all countries in the study, business numbers in 2016 increased by 8% on the previous year.

UHY says the figures reflect growing confidence in Ireland’s economy, as it leaves the shadow of the financial crisis behind.

However, the top-five rankings in the UHY table for growth in business numbers are dominated by emerging economies.

China topped the table, with a 19% increase in business numbers in the last year. There were over 26 million Chinese businesses in total in 2016, compared to almost 22 million in 2015.

THE Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Dublin City Women in Business Network awards saw Anita Donoghue, of The Hair Cafe Salon in Smithfield, and Rita Smyth of Role Players for Training, scoop top places.

As a celebration of exceptional women in business in the Dublin City area, the awards took place at the LEO Dublin City Women in Business Christmas networking event held at The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Kildare Street.

Award nominees were evaluated under two categories – the Rising Star award, and Best Start-Up award.

The Rising Star award went to Rita Smyth, of

Role Players for Training, with the company providing professional corporate role players to support and facilitate learning and development in business and executive education.

Rita’s win included an investment of €1,000 in her business, a €500 voucher towards services provided by Dublin City LEO, and a professional video on the company commissioned by Dublin City LEO in order to further promote Role Players for Training.

Anita Donoghue, of The Hair Cafe Salon, won the Best Start-Up award, in recognition of her business, in operation since September 2016.

The business provides

a boutique body and mind relaxation service, in addition to hair care.

Anita’s win included an investment of €500 and a €500 voucher towards ser vices provided by Dublin City LEO. Commenting on the awards, Mary McSweeney, deputy head of Enter prise and Eco nomic Development of Dublin City LEO, said; “I am delighted to present these awards to two worthy businesswomen who are growing and developing their business in the Dublin City region.

“It is great to see that there has been an increase in women starting their own businesses in the last few years, supported through Dublin

City LEO. “The Dublin City LEO office is here to encourage and support women who are starting a business or are already up and running.

“We aim to provide access to a support network of services and advice, together with access to like-minded entrepreneurs and startups, to maximise their chance for success and growth in their industry.”

G u e s t s p e a ke r a t the Dublin City LEO Women in Business Networking event was social media expert Samantha Kelly, also known as The Tweeting Goddess, who shared valuable tips with the audience on how to enhance a company’s

online presence and how to boost social media platforms in order to grow a business.

The Dublin City LEO supports start-ups and growing businesses in the Dublin city area through financial support, training and providing enterprise assistance.

One of these support initiatives is the Women in Business Network, which has been in existence for more than 10 years and has a membership of more than 100 women in business in the Dublin City region.

Dublin City LEO is supported by Dublin City Council, Enterprise Ireland and the EU European Regional Development Fund.

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

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GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

SOCIETY: PUBLIC URGED TO USE A FREE GUIDE TO ENSURE OLDER PEOPLE STAY SAFE AND WARM

Help seniors weather winter  MARK O’BRIEN

THE winter season can often be a difficult time of year for older people within communities, both in terms of weather and loneliness.

Older people may be worried about turning on their heating for fear of rising heating costs, and this in turn can lead to health issues.

In response to this, OFTEC Ireland, Age Action and Jim Daly, Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People,

have officially launched a free guide, offering key advice to help older people using oil home heating to stay safe and warm throughout the winter period.

The Keeping Warm this Winter guide, which is being distributed throughout Ireland, was created by OFTEC, which represents the domestic oil heating and cooking industry in Ireland, in conjunction with Age Action.

The guide is part of an annual awareness campaign that has proved to be very successful since its launch

three years ago.

Minister Daly said: “This free guide offers key advice to help older people to stay safe and warm throughout the winter period.

“I urge our older people to keep their homes warm and to eat well. It is essential that older people are not afraid to ask for and accept help from friends, family and neighbours when offered.

“Finally, I would like to ask our communities to be extra aware of their older neighbours this winter.

“We often assume that if

someone needs help they will ask, or that someone else will check in with them. During this festive period and the whole winter, let’s not wait to be asked or for someone else to do it.”

Age Action will be distributing the guide throughout its network of offices and shops and the guide is available free of charge. Alternatively, a digital copy is available to download from both the OFTEC and Age Actiown websites.

For more information visit www.ageaction.ie. www. oftec.org or www.oilsave.org.

Justin Moran, Age Action head of advocacy and communications, with Jim Daly, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, and David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager. Picture: Iain White, Fennell Photography

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GAZETTE

FOOD&DRINK DUBLINLIFE Yule be Avonmore cheesecake BAKING: THIS DELICIOUS, RED VELVET CHEESECAKE RECIPE IS A REAL CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Ingredients For the crust  20 chocolate biscuits of choice (eg Oreos or Bourbon Creams)  60g Avonmore Butter, melted For the filling  4 x 170g packs of soft cream cheese, at room temperature  200g sugar  3 tbsp cocoa powder  4 eggs  230g sour cream  2 tsp vinegar  60ml Avonmore Buttermilk  1 tsp vanilla extract  60ml red food colouring

For the topping  100g Avonmore freshly whipped cream  100g sugar  120ml water  200g fresh cranberries

Preparation  Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas mark 3 and place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin.  In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the crust and mix together until the mixture resembles damp sand.  Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the

prepared cake tin. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool slightly.  Cover the outsides of the cake tin thoroughly with tin foil and set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 150C/130C fan/gas mark 2.  In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each.  Stir in the sour c r e a m , v i n e g a r,

buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food colouring. Beat on low speed until well combined, then transfer the filling into the cake tin.  Tap the tin sharply on the counter a few times to release any

air bubbles.

Place the cake tin inside a larger baking dish. Fill the baking dish with enough warm water to reach about halfway up the sides of the cake tin, making sure the water level is below the top of 

the tin foil. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the door closed, for a further 30 minutes.  Crack the oven door open and leave the cheesecake in there for another 20-25 minutes or until set. Remove cheesecake from the oven and place in the fridge for at least an hour.  To make the sugared cranberries, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.  Stir in the cranberries

until well coated. Transfer the berries to a wire rack using a slotted spoon, and allow to dry for at least one hour.  To decorate, place the whipped cream in a freezer bag and carefully snip off a small corner to form a piping bag.  Beginning at the edge of the top of the cake, pipe small rosettes of cream all the way around in a circle. Begin again immediately inside this circle and pipe another circle of rosettes.  Fill the inside of the cream circle with sugared cranberries and garnish the centre with a sprig of holly, if desired.

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

DUBLINLIFE

 JAMES HENDICOTT IT’S that time again: the year’s most anticipated night out, followed by a hungover vow to change yourself for the better, a gym owner’s favourite couple of weeks, the odd salad, and finally everything getting back to normal.

Dublin’s New Year Festival has been lighting up the city (literally) over the last few years, and has slowly expanded from mainly a big gig to a whole lot more.

This year’s stars are massive Swords band Kodaline, who will be accompanied by Keywest and Hudson Taylor in an extremely local-leaning pop-fest line up.

That core event is long since sold out, but there’s plenty of other stuff to explore, much of which is free, and spread out across December 31 and January 1.

These events include several light displays (which are free ticketed events on the Custom House - register through Ticketmaster), acrobatics, smaller concerts, flyboarding and a host of pop-up performers.

We caught up with a few of the people involved to ask them all about what they do...

HELIOSPHERE Carrying out acrobatic performances whilst hanging from oversized helium balloons seems like a wacky and potentially dangerous idea, but also a nice way to present gymnasts in a new way, against a bright background, and allow them to perform.

Heliosphere pioneered the concept.

“Research, testing and practise,” were key, they say, adding “we research the science so an envelope of just the right size and which is light and strong enough to hold the helium, is used with enough ‘useful lift’ for the aerialist to fly but be manipulated from the ground safely by the crew without so much lift that they fly as well.”

“Our show consists of a big launch moment where our aerial dancer flies into the air.

It is a delightful and impossible image. We then perform an aerobatic segment to music where she flies in loop-the-loops and then flies down to meet the audience.” “[The idea] came from a desire to create the illusion of flying. We wanted to combine the talents of an acrobat, music, lights a wonderful location and some innovative design, to create a sum larger than all the parts. The venue, the event and the weather all shape the final show.

“This means that no two shows are really the same. We don’t see this as a problem but as the fun. A little piece of magic.”

FLYBOARDERS You might have come across Flyboarders once or twice: they’re those crazy looking people who seem to be surfing on jet packs out of water, powered by a kind of tube mechanism attached to a jet ski as they fly over the surface.

The sport is only five years old, having

A VERY DUBLIN NEW YEAR Kodaline, light, aerial performers, brave water-tech and drumming mayhem: what to see at Dublin’s New Year Festival

MUSIC

GAZETTE

GAZETTE

20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 26 December 2017

N O S ’ T A H W

E D I U G S T N EVE

with JAMES HENDICOTT

Dublin NYE Festival

We explore the massive two-day extravaganza that’ll help see the city into the New Year elsewhere on this page.

Kodaline will be playing in the New Year, while there’s plenty of other bits to get excited about, too.

Overhead, The Albatross

FLYBOARDERS

Probably Ireland’s finest instrumental rock act, Overhead, The Albatross are an absolute riot of a live act, guaranteed to shake the Workman’s Club to its rafters (and, frankly, worthy of a far bigger venue). They play December 28.

VIBE FOR PHILO

Vibe for Philo

The annual memorial for a certain Phil Lynott extends to two days this year at Whelan’s, with a ‘pre-vibe’ on the 3rd of January and the main event on the 4th.

Pay tribute to Dublin rock royalty with a show that’s never less than loud, emotional and memorable.

HELIOSPHERE

Something Happens

A band that pretty much only come out at Christmas these days, Something Happens will do their annual Christmas gig at Whelan’s on December 29, led as always by music radio presenter Tom Dunne.

Father Ted Day

The Bernard Shaw’s annual post-Christmas tradition returns with silly avengence, as all the priests, Mrs Doyles and lovely girls drop in for various shenanigans and a few of Father Jack’s favourite tipples. December 26, from 6pm.

Dublin GAA Return

HIT MACHINE DRUMMERS

KODALINE

come about as a result of the experiments of a French jet ski champion.

It’s quickly gained popularity, though, and will feature in the Liffey during the festival. We don’t envy them the temperature.

There’s plenty that can be done on a flyboard, even in winter. “There are numerous tricks that we can perform, back flips, 360s, supermans and dolphin dives,” they explain, “however in the winter time with the LED suits and water temperature, dolphins and underwater tricks are restricted a bit.

Both pre-season tournaments, the O’Byrne Cup and the Walsh Cup are kicking off as early as January 3 this time around, with a (no doubt much-changed) Dublin set to play Offaly and Wexford in the football, and Antrim and Meath in the hurling.

There are numerous combinations that we can perform, though, and with the right atmosphere and crowd support double and triple back flips are possible.”

“The River Liffey is quite wide compared to some of the canals that Flyboard Team Europe perform at, however with three flyboarders (for the first time ever in Ireland) at one time in a professional show it will make it a bit more difficult.

“It will be a challenge we all look forward to.”

As for actually riding those boards?

“Sense of direction can be difficult at times, especially when performing shows and tricks. One key thing to look after is the hose, which weighs up to one tonne when full of water.

This is one the most important things as if it hits the jet ski or if you fly into it, the hose can cause serious damage or injury.

Once you have direction and your position with the hose and jet ski is ok, then generally everything else works out.

We’ve had flyboarders as young as ten or as old as eighty giving it a go.”

HIT MACHINE DRUMMERS Performing a mix of high-energy drumming and a little Irish dancing, the Hit Machine Drummers are one of the rising stars of the small-scale, interactive end of Ireland’s music scene, performing short, frantic, punchy sets.

“Members of the group have toured the world with some of the biggest names in music today,” they tells us.

“Our show involves high-quality drumming, but also incorporates Irish dancing and crowd interaction, and our main aim is to make sure the crowd enjoy them-

Turning Pirate selves and to leave them wanting more.”

“We’re lucky to have some World Champion Irish dancers hidden within our drumming group. Those guys have toured the world as part of some of some of the biggest music and dance productions, like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.”

“All the members have to be very physically fit, as the show is so high energy. We know the audience feed off our energy on stage, so we always give it 100% when performing. That can be difficult to do when you’re playing three to four shows a day at

a festival, but regular rehearsal and exercise give us the stamina needed.”

“We love the challenge of producing new and exciting pieces with just drums as our instruments.

“We always have the audience in the back of our mind when working on new sets and we strive to create something that will not only excite and impress them, but will have them on their feet and wanting more.”

All the info you could possibly need on Dublin New Year’s Festival can be found on nyfdublin.com

NYE’s Mixtape Vicar Street’s annual seeing in of the New Year features an all star line up including Lisa Hannigan, James Vincent McMorrow, Mick Flannery, Booka Brass and Niamh Farrell.

It’s never less than a riot.

FATHER TED DAY

22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 26 December 2017

GAZETTE

DUBLINFITNESS

Choose the correct coach to keep you motivated in the New Year Gareth Francis is a qualified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach with over eight years experience in the fitness industry.

He now works as head coach in Kickstart Fitness.

THINKING of joining the gym and getting into shape in the new year?

A lot of us will give ourselves the annual New Years resolution of “getting into shape” but truth be told, more than half of us will give up before January ends.

Most of the time this failure will come down to some simple factors but

 GARETH FRANCIS

info@dublingazette.com

the one I see people doing most is setting themselves unachievable goals.

For example, giving yourself one week to lose a stone of body fat and telling yourself you’ll go to the gym everyday is not a realistic target or goal.

Then when you don’t reach your set goals it can be disheartening and that’s when people tend to

give up.

The first thing you should do when starting any exercise plan is to set a goal.

The smaller the goal the more achievable it’s going to be.

So my advice on setting goals in the new year is to set them small and every time you reach one it motivates you to set another and keep progressing.

Where do you start if you’re a complete beginner? Firstly you need to choose a gym to workout in or a coach to work with.

If you’ve no gym experience, I’d highly recommend finding a good coach to help you set and achieve these goals, or a gym that has plenty of classes, not only to teach you correct technique but to motivate you along the way.

Walking around a gym going from machine to machine, not knowing exactly what you’re doing could push you further from your goals and risk injuring yourself .

How do I choose the right coach?

The best coaches aren’t necessarily the guys who have the most Instagram followers, or who are in the best shape themselves and definitely not the ones who try to sell you juices

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23

CHECK OUT

www.kickstartfitness.ie

When you don’t reach your set goals it can be disheartening and that’s when people tend to give up

and quick fixes.

The best coaches are the ones who get the best results, so do your homework.

Check out how many people they’ve helped who’ve been in your situation before hiring them.

You can’t put a price on the feeling of being healthy and in good shape, so don’t be afraid to spend a little when it comes to reaching your fitness goals.

I know a lot of us would spend more on one night out in town with friends than it would cost to work with a coach twice a week.

Also be patient and trust the process. It didn’t take you a few weeks to fall out of shape so don’t expect it’s going to happen overnight when trying to get into shape.

Every exercise plan should also be sustainable. This means you can make lifestyle changes and not end up back where you once were.

So a plan that’s easy to stick by, works around your lifestyle and is effective to your goals.

GAZETTE

24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 26 December 2017

DUBLINMOTORING

FASTNews

Joe O’Grady, group head of finance and business development, Sandyford Motor Centre; Colin Sheridan, sales and marketing director, Gowan Distributors Limited; Front row: Des Cannon, managing director at Gowan Distributors Limited, Peugeot Importers in Ireland; Bruce Soraghan, dealer principal, Sandyford Motor Centre

Sandyford Motor Centre gets Peugeot SANDYFORD Motor Centre has been appointed as a Peugeot dealer by Gowan Distributors Limited, Peugeot importers in Ireland. Fronted by Dealer Principal, Bruce Soraghan, Sandyford Motor Centre is now retailing the full line-up of Peugeot passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, with a range of quality used cars for sale.

The after sales department is now also fully equipped with the latest Peugeot diagnostic equipment. The parts department is now stocking a full range of genuine Peugeot parts and accessories.

Bruce Soraghan and Joe O’Grady both are quoted as saying: “The Peugeot franchise is undoubtedly drawing lots of interest in the Irish market and it has become very clear to us that the lion-brand will be a good fit for us.

“The new SUV line up, including the new Peugeot 3008 SUV, just crowned Irish Car of the Year 2018, and the new Peugeot 5008 7-seater SUV, just launched, together with the excellent van range, will undoubtedly bring us new custom. We very much look forward to 2018 with Peugeot in confidence.”

Will 2018 be the year of the electric car?

in association with

Sales of electric cars in Dublin City and surrounding commuter regions are expected to expand significantly in 2018, with range improvements in the cars and more importantly, a longer term Benefit-in-Kind tax incentive, writes MICHAEL MORONEY as he examines the electric vehicle benefits for 2018.

THERE is growing interest in the ownership of electric cars in Ireland and specifically in the Dublin region, as range anxiety fades with improved battery performance.

Equally importantly, was the news in the recent Budget that the 0% Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) incentive as a one-year trial, will now be available for a minimum of three years. This has become a real game changer when it comes to company car ownership of electric cars.

Despite fears in the motor industry, the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe in his budget opted not to raise the price of diesel, against the background where there was a lot of speculation that he would seek to close the price gap with petrol. The only motor related meas-

ure announced in the Budget was the introduction of a new incentive for company-owned electric vehicles.

The Government estimate the cost of the BIK incentive at just €500,000, but they might be surprised as the motor industry, across many brands with electric car options, is seeing more interest in electric and hybrid cars as a result of this tax incentive scheme.

Minister Donohoe said that he was taking this approach to motoring taxes in order to allow scope for a comprehensive review of BIK on motor vehicles in time for the next budget.

This BIK extension will now make electric vehicles a far more attractive option for many commuting motorists, with

possible savings of up to €10,000 a year for lowmileage company car users. Car leasing firms, which usually buy vehicles in a three-year cycle, will now be able to plan depreciation costs of electric cars in a more viable way over a number of years.

This will mean that the electric car option will come into focus for many company car drivers and fleet managers who look for ways of reducing the costs of their daily commute into the Dublin region.

The lower BIK rate comes on top of the current vehicle registration tax (VRT) tax relief to a maximum of €5,000 and the SEAI grant of up to €5,000 which is already in place.

Nissan has been a leader in the supply of

electric cars in Ireland.

The company reports that based on 2018 pre-sales and customer enquiries in their showrooms they are already starting to see some very interesting shifts in customer preferences with regard to drivetrain.

“Pre-sales activity tells us what next year’s trends will look like and we are seeing great interest in electric car ownership in Ireland,” according to James McCarthy, managing director at Nissan Ireland.

What has happened in the electric car market for this year does not reflect the likely changes expected in 2018.

The figures in Table 1 show that while the overall new car market in Ireland dropped by 10% to 131,196 to 146,215, sales

of electric/hybrid cars rose by 65%.

The big increase has come in hybrid petrol cars, where Toyota has been promoting its hybrid range with price and car exchange incentives.

Sales of the clearly identifiable Toyota Prius are up marginally, but the big growth has come in sales of the hybrid versions of the Yaris, Auris and RAV4, all of which have significant growth in 2017.

Sales of pure electric cars also increased in 2017.

The registration figures produced by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), show electric car sales growth of 58% year on year.

Nissan expects this to increase in 2018, even though Leaf sales dipped in 2017 while imports of

Ford boosts EcoSport features THE new Ford EcoSport compact SUV, due in Ireland for January 2018, claims enhanced versatility and capability, more refined styling and sophisticated technologies for customers in Europe.

The EcoSport features new SUV styling similar to that the mid-sized Kuga and large Edge. EcoSport’s rear bumper and tail light designs also are revised to deliver a cleaner appearance.

The EcoSport for the first time offers Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive technology with claims of improved traction on and off-road. This is combined with

an advanced new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine, delivering up to 125bhp and lower CO2 emissions. This new diesel engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, with claims of 4.5 l/100 km fuel efficiency and a low 119g/km CO2 emission figure.

Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. SYNC 3 is supported by EcoSport’s floating, 8-inch colour touchscreen, which can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures and is available as standard on EcoSport

in Ireland.

When the new EcoSport arrives in Ireland in January, the car will be offered in Titanium and ST-Line versions with a range of high technology and extras as standard including, Ford SYNC 3 navigation with 8” touchscreen, DAB radio, emergency assistance, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, rear view camera, keyless start, cruise control with speed limiter, and partial leather trim.

The entry prices start at €26,900 for the Titanium 1.0 litre powered by a 125bhp EcoBoost petrol engine.

Ford has a new version of the EcoSport SUV for January 2018

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

in association with Toyota’s Prius has been among the bestselling hybrid cars for 2017 as Toyota pushed hybrid sales across the range with price and car change incentives

Keep your car lights on longer FOLLOWING this week’s Winter Solstice

lights on once the engine is running

daylight time starts to get slightly long-

even during daylight time. This is a huge

er each day as winter wanes, however,

boost to road safety as the old adage

Continental Tyres Ireland is advising

for pedestrian safety: ‘Be safe, be seen’!

motorists not to wait until darkness to

is equally true for motorists and other

turn on their lights.

road-users.”

“However, there is a significant amount of older vehicles on our roads and many of these cars and vans do not have daytime running lights, so for the drivers of those vehicles our advice is to drive with dipped headlights all day long. If motorists take this small step of

The issue of visibility is a leading

always driving with their lights on, day

contributory cause to road accidents

and night, we believe it would be a huge

in Ireland. Poor lighting outside of

boost to road safety this Christmas and

built up areas and bad road conditions

into the New Year”.

Many motorists who mistakenly leave

compound this problem. So as New Year

used Nissan Leaf’s rose from 167 to 352 cars between 2016 and 2017.

Overall, there are now close to 1,600 Leaf pure electric cars on Irish roads.

This growth sales prediction for 2018 is because Nissan’s new Leaf comes with a more powerful 40kWh battery as standard that now claims a maximum 378 kilometres range from a single charge.

The Leaf using the same three-pin plug takes up to a maximum of 16 hours from flat because of its higher capacity. If you use a more powerful EV home charger (6kWh) the new Leaf will take eight hours to charge fully from flat. A 40-minute charge at a public quick charger (50kWh) can deliver 80% capacity, according to Nissan.

Even though uptake has been relatively slow in Ireland, the Leaf is the world’s best-selling EV with close to 300,000 sales in 49 markets; there are approximately 30,000 Leafs in Norway alone Europe’s leading electric car market.

Nissan claims that the consumer interest in the new Leaf is growing exponentially and Nissan Ireland expects a 200% increase in LEAF based on pre-sales interest com-

pared with sales in 2017.

The Hyundai Ioniq was also a strong seller in electric and hybrid drive during 2017, putting marginally behind the Toyota Prius.

The Renault Zoe, BMW i3 and i8, while the impressive Volkswagen e-Golf made an initial impact but

expect to see more in 2018.

The recent Carzone Motoring Report also confirmed a significant trend toward hybrid and electric cars. The survey indicated an increasing demand for

electric cars is increasing in Ireland. It showed that 16% of those surveyed said they would consider buying an electric car in the near future.

And the number of searches for electric cars on the Carzone website has increased by over 180% year-on-year in 2017.

Being kind to the environment was the number one reason why people would switch to an electric car but a lack of available charging points was the key factor in not mak-

ing the switch. 82% say they do not have access to a charging point at their workplace and for rural dwellers availability of a charging point is an issue.

Just 30% of those living rurally have a charging station less than 5km away.

approaches, Continental Tyres Ireland

their fog lamps on when there is no fog.

is urging Irish motorists to make an

Tom added: “I think many motorists

extra New Year resolution to always

consider fog lamps as part of their front

(day and night) drive with headlights on

headlamps and they drive with them on

(dipped when appropriate).

far too regularly.

“Driving with fog lamps on when there

Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland, said, “A lot of newer cars come

is no fog is dangerous as they can dazzle

with day-time running lights (DTRLs)

all other road users, so please turn

as standard, this means they have

them off when there is no fog!”.

Impreza and XV return safety rewards for Subaru Subaru’s XV Crossover and Impreza models have each achieved the maximum five star overall rating in the 2017 European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) 4 safety performance test. The two cars achieved outstanding scores in all four assessment areas of Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian Protection and Safety Assist, well above the minimum threshold required and with noticeable high overall average.

The new Subaru XV Crossover and Impreza are the first models to feature the new Subaru Global Platform (SGP), designed to deliver higher levels of safety performance, driving enjoyment and ride comfort.

26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 26 December 2017

Out and About

Karen Hardy, Amelia Coogan, Adam Coogan and Jennifer Coogan

Enjoying an array of exciting attractions T

Niamh McDonald and Eoin McLarnon. Pictures: SIMON PEARE

HRILL seeking Dubliners headed to the RDS as Funderland returned with the best thrill rides and family attractions. This year Funderland presents an array of exciting attractions direct from Germany including the Power Wave, Break Dance and the amazing Star Flyer called “Around the World”. They have attractions to suit all ages and tastes. All the old favourites will be there too along with the Funderland Loop, Ireland’s only looping roller coaster!

Andrea Cooke, Jamal Cooke, Alison Clarke and Harry Clarke

Niamh Dillon, Louise Jane Maguire and Sinead Wollohan

Karr and Caitlin Walsh

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

Out and About

Mia McDonagh and Aoife Lawlor

Halle Keogh, Holly Clarke, Megan Keogh, Ellie Mae Clarke, Lyn Keogh and Mandy Clarke

Sarah and John Quinn

Millie Rose Wilson, Charlene Wilson, Stephen Hopkins and Ellie Hopkins

Sarah Donnellan, Luke Donnellan, Ben Donnellan, Linda Hynes, Dara Hynes, Brooke Lewis, Zoe Lewis and Eimear Lewis

GAZETTE

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 26 December 2017

DUBLINLIFE

Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) peaceful and solitary existence gets upended when he encounters Rey (Daisy Ridley)

STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI: THE RESISTANCE PREPARES TO DO BATTLE WITH THE FIRST ORDER

A force to be reckoned with

WITH a wait of merely two years, comparatively little next to what Star Wars fans are used to waiting, The Last Jedi (Cert 12a, 2 hours 33 mins) picks up right from where 2015’s T he Force Awakens left off.

While JJ Abrams’ instalment garnered plenty of critical acclaim and broke box-office records, many diehards critiqued the series’ long awaited seventh-installment’s adherence to franchise formula.

The same cannot be said here; The Last Jedi manages to be the most unpredictable installment since the series defining Empire Strikes Back.

Director Rian Johnson’s personal touch cuts through decades of convention and makes for an epic that feels both exhilaratingly fresh and comfortably familiar.

Some of the narrative decisions here may not sit well

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

with Star Wars devotees, but this expansive midpoint in the new trilogy cares little for fan service.

Picking up right after the events of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi sees burgeoning Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) interrupting the legendary Luke Skywalker’s solitary life to learn the ways of the Force.

M e a nw h i l e , Ky l o R e n (Adam Driver) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) of the First Order hunt down the remains of the resistance, following the obliteration of the Republic in the previous film.

On board a fleeing resistance ship, stormtrooperturned-rebel Finn ( John Boyega) wakes up to find himself in the midst of the chaos, while Princess Leia (Carrie Fischer), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and new addition Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) attempt to outmanoeuvre the First Order’s ceaseless assault.

Kicking off proceedings with its heroic rebels on the run and a hopeful Jedi in search of enlightenment, many will make quick comparisons to the narrative stylings of The Empire Strikes Back.

Indeed, plenty accused The Force Awakens of sticking too rigidly to the formula of franchise-starter A New Hope (ignoring the series’ fundamental loyalty to mythical storytelling archetypes).

Those early trepidations will be swiftly dashed. The

Last Jedi is the most expansive, defiant and forwardthinking instalment yet building on and injecting the Star Wars mythology with a heady cocktail of fresh ideas.

Stubborn series-obsessives, naturally, will have plenty to complain about, but The Last Jedi does much to move the franchise forward, while remaining faithful to the spirit of its legendary universe.

That’s not to say that all these new directions work.

From the word go, T he Last Jedi takes a comedic approach that’ll feel jarringly familiar to any of those millions upon millions of moviegoers who’ve attended Disney’s Marvel movies.

There are jokes here - lots of them. While the series has certainly never been some humourless desert of cold, hard space-opera, The Last Jedi’s over-abundance of

comedy is often distracting and out of place, going for the comedic jugular when it should aim to excite, thrill and terrify.

In this area, the cutesy “porgs” are the least of the movie’s problems.

Thankfully, Johnson sticks to the darker dramatic route when it really counts.

The Last Jedi is long - the longest Star Wars entry yet - but packed as it is with twists, turns, family drama, e n o r m o u s a c t i o n s e tpieces and pit stops in characteristically imaginative galactic locales, it never feels laborious or sluggish; the pace perfectly matches the epic narrative.

At the risk of spoili n g

any sur prises, I’ll resist outlining the merits of The Last Jedi’s plot points - be assured, there’s plenty of drama you won’t see coming and tension you’ll barely be able to stand. In some ways, Rian Johnson’s first Star Wars effort is the least “Star Warsy” movie yet - that’s not a bad thing.

The Last Jedi will delight hordes and inevitably disappoint many of the faithful.

Naysayers be damned, this is epic, expansive and exhilarating sci-fi drama.

Verdict: 8/10

26 December 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

Blooming marvellous garden holidays

Tatton Park

GAZETTE

TRAVEL

TravelShorts

Last minute Tenerife from €539pp MILES of sandy beaches, year-round sunshine and dramatic volcanic scenery, holidays to Tenerife offer plenty of unforgettable experiences.

Resorts like Playa de las Americas, Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos and Playa de la Arena boast large, sandy beaches that have attracted holidayWinter Gardens Cambridge

makers for hundreds of years.

The year-round sunshine, tonnes of watersports and beachfront cafes, bars and clubs make the beaches of this island hard to beat.

 SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

TR AVEL Department has launched a range of escorted garden holidays for 2018 and they’re blooming marvellous!

New tour destinations include Catalonia, Shakespeare’s Gardens and the unique winter gardens of Cambridge with visits to some of the most iconic gardens in the world.

And if you fancy flying further afield there’s a superb opportunity to experience the gardens of Japan during the spellbinding cherry blossom season.

Gardens Kyoto

The garden tours are led by expert guides Frances and Iain MacDonald, who run the renowned Bay Garden in County Wexford.

Having spent time living and working in Japan herself, Frances MacDonald is the perfect guide to bring garden enthusiasts to some of the country’s most impressive gardens and attractions.

She said: “Our garden tours are unique as our groups are small, allowing for individual attention from either myself or Iain.

“We welcome all ages and those travelling alone as the common

interest in gardening, at varying levels, unites our group and allows us to share knowledge.

“We visit not only gardens that are generally open to the public but also smaller private gardens, where the owners guide us around their creations, which inspire and delight us.

“We look forward to visiting a new selection of gardens both in Ireland and further afield in 2018, and returning with renewed energy and fresh ideas for our own gardens.”

The once-in-a-lifetime 13-night Gardens and Sights of Japan tour visits the bustling high-rise metropolis of Tokyo, the gardens of the ancient c i t y o f Ky o t o , t h e renewed city of Hiroshima and Mount Fuji.

Another highlight for 2018 is a new five-night break to the Gardens of Catalonia, including excursions to the stunning Marimurtra Botanical Garden on

Many people might not realise it, but Tenerife is an island that possesses a rich and exciting past – evidence of which can be seen in its beautifully preserved colonial towns and villages like Garachico.

Christmas and New Year

the Mediterranean, the Temps de Flors Flower Festival in Girona and a full day tour of Barcelona.

Also new for 2018 is a three-night tour o f S h a ke s p e a r e ’s Gardens and the Cotswolds, visiting some of the fine houses and gardens associated with England’s greatest playwright.

Alternatively there’s a magical Winter Gardens & Christmas in Cambridge two-night break featuring a guided tour of the winter wonderland at Cambridge Botanic Gardens.

Closer to home, there will also be new Irish tours to the Gardens of Carlow and Kildare, and the Gardens of Antrim

deals to the Canaries:

Park Guell

• 31-Dec-17, Dublin to Lanzarote, San Marcial, Matagorda, 2*, SC, 14nights from €669pp • 22-Dec-17, Dublin to Tenerife, Hotel Catalonia Las Vegas, Puerto De Cruz, 3*, HB, 7nights from €939pp Winter 18 getaways from €369: 04-Jan-18, Dublin to Gran Canaria, Tamanaco, Puerto Rico, 2*, SC, 7 nights from €499pp

and Down.

Other highlights include the Gardens of Cornwall, Gardens of the Lake District, Gardens of Lake Como, Gardens of Brittany and Gardens of East Cork, as well as trips to two major Horticultural

Shows – Chelsea Flower Show and the Tatton Park Flower Show – and two exclusive tours to Highgrove, the garden of HRH Prince Charles.

Further information at 01 6371635 or visit www.traveldepartment. ie/garden.

12-Jan-18, Dublin to Tenerife, Globales Tamaimo Tropical Hotel, Puerto de Santiago, 3*, SC, 7nights from €399pp.

To Book: Visit www. falconholidays.ie, Call 1850 45 35 45 or visit a Falcon Shop/travel agent.

30 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 31

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34 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

SPORT

FastSport DUBLIN ALIGNED WITH BILBAO: UEFA have paired Dublin with Bilbao as host city partners following a draw for host city pairings in Nyon, Switzerland.

Four matches will be played in Aviva Stadium in a unique version of the tournament that will be spread across 12 different countries and represents the biggest sporting event to be hosted in Ireland.

In a UEFA Executive Committee meeting, attended

by FAI CEO John Delaney, it was also announced that the four matches originally scheduled to be held in Brussels will now be allocated to Wembley Stadium, London.

Delaney said of the news: “The host city pairings marks an exciting chapter in the build-up to the European Championships, which will see Dublin and Ireland hosting the biggest ever sporting event to take place in our country.”

SWIMMING: IRISH RECORDS GALORE AT EURO SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dublin-based quartet make major splash in Copenhagen

 sport@dublingazette.com

A QUARTET of Dublin-based swimmers played their part as Irish swimmers broke 13 Irish records at the European Short Course Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

This added to 16 Irish records at the Irish Short Course Championships in Lisburn, making it 29 Irish records broken across a one-week period.

Swim Ireland National Performance Director Jon Rudd has been encouraged by the performances both at home and in Copenhagen: “This has been a fantastic week for Irish swimming; when you consider that we have broken 13 Irish records here in Copenhagen whilst another 16 records were broken back at home at our National Short Course Championships, you have to feel that we’re on the move as a collective.

“We’re certainly not where we want to be yet and there is much work still to be done but we’re in a good place with our national team, our national squad and our national centres and we’re about to launch what we believe is a very exciting coach development programme through and

The Irish Swim Team at the European Short course Championships in Copenhagen

into Tokyo 2020.”

On day one in Denmark, Brendan Hyland knocked almost a second off his best time in the heats of the 100m Butterfly. The Tallaght man clocked 52.20 to finish second in his heat.

In the 50m breaststroke, UCD’s Darragh Greene finished in a best time of 27.65 while Conor Ferguson, based at the NAC in Abbotstown, completed the first morning session for

Ireland with a top-twenty position in the 200m Backstroke in 1:55.84.

Alex Murphy, another based at the NAC, bettered his time of 26.66 from the morning of the 50m breaststroke to 26.52 in the first semi-final of the event but missed out on a final spot.

On day two, Murphy and Greene were impressive in the 200m Breaststroke heats with both taking significant times off their previous bests. Mur-

phy was the fastest of three Irish competitors clocking 2.08.05, just one tenth of a second off Andrew Bree’s 2007 Irish record (2:07.95). Greene clocked 2.11.02.

A day later, Murphy, swimming in the unseeded heats, dominated the field in his race in a new Irish 100m breaststroke record of 57.69, smashing Barry Murphy’s 2013 record of 58.31.

The NAC’s athlete’s previous best had stood at 58.71, comfort-

ably qualifying for the semi-final in a top-eight position. He was unable to match his heat time but was under his previous best for the second time, touching 8th in the second semi-final for 16th place overall.

On day four, Ferguson set a new Irish Junior Record in the 100m Individual Medley. Ferguson’s time of 55.41 bettered the record of 55.84 that he had set in Dublin last month.

Ferguson brought Ireland’s championships to a close with a new Irish record in the semifinals of the 50m Backstroke.

He had progressed from the morning heats in 23.97 after becoming the first Irishman under 24 seconds in a new junior and senior Irish record. The 18-year-old lowered that record to 23.84 to place 13th overall.

Ferguson said he was “really happy” with his week, “it’s been great to end the meat off on a high, this week has given me more experience. It was a bit of a rocky road at the start of the week, I was quite disappointed, but sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. I just had to change my mindset for the second half of the week and it definitely paid off.”

Molloy and Lavelle step up to shoot Alex to glory  STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@dublingazette.com

The Alexandra College Junior Cup side

ALEXANDRA College landed the first major title of the Leinster schoolgirls hockey season as they took the Junior Cup title, beating Muckross Park in a shoot-out in the final at Grange Road.

It owed much to some Amy Molloy heroics in goal and the cool head of Eva Lavelle in sudden death to eventually get the result after a well-contested tussle.

Molloy had initially stepped into the role for the semi-final with Rachel O’Mahony – goalkeeper

for the early rounds – away on holiday for the semi-final and up to the day before the final.

Molloy duly kept a clean sheet in normal time in the final and produced a series of key interventions in the shoot-out, setting the scene for Lavelle to coolly slot the winner, 3-2.

Early on, Muckross started superbly, bossing the first 10 minutes with Kate Sheridan’s thumping shot saved off the line by Lavelle at the left post.

Alex stormed back, winning a series of corners while Muckross keeper Kate O’Donnell made an

incredible diving stop to tip away Ella Tempany’s rising shot as well as keeping out a couple of corners.

Lucy Crowe and Abby Clarke – an Irish soccer international – were particularly solid at the back for Muckross as the game settled down with chances becoming rare.

For Alex, Lavelle was a quality performer in midfield with some slick skills.

The second half saw openings at a premium until the last few minutes when Ailill Dorman twice went within inches of a winner.

It sent the tie to a shoot-out where Lavelle and the impressive Isabelle Maleady both scored in the opening round before the goalkeepers took over. Molloy and Kate O’Donnell kept out the next six shoot-outs.

Emma Whelan put Alex on the brink of victory only for Clarke to make it 2-2 at the end of the regulation five.

Molloy then made a brilliant double save in the first round of sudden death, allowing Lavelle the chance to race in and place a calm winner, sparking an eruption from the red side of Grange Road.

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

GAZETTE

VOLLEYBALL

Rockford reach national final for third year in a row ROCKFORD Manor made it three All-Ireland schools volleyball finals in succession, continuing a superb five-year run of form in the sport for the Stradbrook Road outfit.

This team started off in 2013 playing junior volleyball, known as spikeball, and were the first team to play the sport in Rockford.

“Start as you mean to go on” was the mantra and the girls definitely did this by reaching the National Spikeball final. The girls set a precedent of success for later years.

In 2015, they went on to reach an All-Ireland final at cadette level, but were unlucky to lose out at the final hurdle.

They continued to work hard and learned from this defeat to go on and win the Senior C All-Ireland volleyball final in 2016.

And, on December 13, their 2017 season culminated in yet another All-Ireland final, facing off against Colaiste Mhuire, Ennis in the Senior B competition, adapting well to the standard in a higher division.

They would also have been feeling confident going into this game as they already bested their opponents Colaiste Muire, Ennis (25-15 25-15) in a league match only a few weeks earlier.

However, this was the first time any of these schools appeared in a Senior B final and anything can happen in a one-off game.

It was Colaiste Muire who hit the ground running with some great shots coming from all players putting them into a comfortable 10-1 lead with just seven minutes played, Rockford Manor had no response in the first set with the Clare team winning the opening set 25-7.

The second set was much more even until some great serves from Colaiste Muire edged them ahead before they extended their lead to win their first Senior B title.(25-15) Once again, they were unlucky to lose but can reflect on an incredible run of success to reach the national decider on three successive occasions, particularly as the school only started volleyball five years ago.

The school collaborates with Dalkey Devils Ladies team to develop young players with a lot of students play collaborating with the club, benefitting the school team and the community team.

Mercy and Marian take Christmas number one

DCU and UCD clubs sit atop the Basketball Ireland Super League standings as they finish their 2017 schedule with important wins over Glanmire and KUBS, respectively  sport@dublingazette.com

DCU Mercy and UCD Marian have a lot to celebrate this festive season as they remain top of the Women’s and Men’s Super League tables ahead of the Christmas break.

DCU continued their solid form of late in Glanmire on Saturday afternoon, winning out 62-57 against their longtime rivals in Cork.

Despite trailing 35-27 at half time, superb performances from Sarah Woods and Rachel Huijsdens sent DCU home to victory. The diminut i v e Wo o d s l a n d e d three from outside the D en route to 18 points in total while Alex Masaquel also made an impact with 11 points.

The win keeps DCU clear at the top of the table with eight wins from nine outings going into the Christmas period with their next league

tie set for decision on January 20, a derby date with Pyrobel Killester.

Elsewhere in the Women’s Super League, Courtyard Liffey Celtics got back to winning ways with an 85-51point win over Portlaoise Panthers, Jamzen Boone a n d D e vo n B r o o kshire both clearing the 20-point barrier in a comprehensive return to form.

K i l l e s t e r wo n o u t 72 - 5 8 o n t h e r o a d a g a i n s t M a xo l W I T Wildcats. The Dubliners led from the front, building a 34-25 lead at half-time with Aisling McCann, Hannah Thornton and Ella McCloskey making the difference.

In the Men’s Super League, a solid win for UCD Marian over fellow Dublin club, KUBS, on Saturday evening saw them remain top of the table going into Christmas, with just two losses

so far this season in the League.

Mike Garrow dropped in 29 points in a handy enough 88-66 victory as their 14-point halftime lead never looked in danger of being overhauled.

Elsewhere, UCC Demons built on their big Cup quarter-final win against Tralee on Wednesday evening by upsetting Griffith College Swords Thunder in Dublin on Saturday, winning out 90-77.

Black Amber Templeogue moved up to second place on the table with a 92-83 point win over Éanna – the second win for Templeogue against their local rivals in as many weeks, while Pyrobel Killester also made it back-to-back wins against Moycullen, when they overcame the Galway team 108-83 on Saturday evening.

Elsewhere in the league, Garvey’s Tralee

Warriors put Wednesday evening’s loss to Demons behind them to run out 90-67 point winners over Maree, while DCU Saints came out of Belfast with a 78-72 win over Star.

The upshot of this series of games is that UCD Marian head up proceedings on 30 points with Black Amber Templeogue, Killester and Tralee all three points back but have played a game extra.

Swords T hunder are a further three points back.

There’s just one more g a m e i n t h e M e n ’s Super League before Christmas, with the big Galway derby between

Moycullen and Maree tipping off next Saturday evening, December 23.

In the Men’s Division One meanwhile, it is a happy Christmas for Keane’s SuperValu K illorglin who have completed the entire first half of the season unbeaten at the top of the table with 13 wins out of 13 games. Cork sides, Neptune and Ballincollig, are neckin-neck in joint second place.

In the Women’s Division One, UL Huskies had the better of Griffith College Swords Thunder on Sunday afternoon, winning out 73-64 in the end.

UCD Marian’s Mike Garrow receives the November Player of DCU Mercy’s Sarah Woods was in flying form . Picture: Martin Doherty

the Month award

GAZETTE

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

SPORT

BOXING

Peters pushing for big Arena date for Ormond STEPHEN ‘the Rock’ Ormond will find himself stepping into a ring in the middle of the 3Arena next year - if one of the most influential names in Irish boxing has his way.

The 34-year-old’s last fight resulted in a controversial loss to Paul Hyland Jr at the SSE Odyssey Arena in Belfast last October, so boxing manager/promoter Brian Peters wants to see the two touch gloves once again on the mooted Katie Taylor homecoming card set for next Spring.

Peters was the force behind the Bernard Dunne era that captured the nation during the noughties, and the Meath man yearns to be at the forefront of a resurgence in Irish boxing.

More recently, Peters has acted as an intermediary between Taylor and her promoters on a fight by fight basis, and is as keen as anyone to see the Bray woman defend her WBA lightweight title on home turf.

Following Taylor’s successful first defence of her belt against American Jessica McCaskill two weeks ago, Peters spoke about the fights he would like to see on the homecoming card.

“There are loads of good fights. You want Jono Carroll and Deco Geraghty on the undercard. You want [Luke] Keeler versus [Conrad] Cummings. You want the Stephen Ormond rematch. He got stiffed up in Belfast, disgraceful decision, what the hell, I don’t know how.

But they’re the fights you want. They are good fights.

“You want to go into the bookies and see each fighter is even-money. If you’re going on a stage like this; that’s what you want. Let’s be honest, I’d sit and watch those three fights.”

Peters’ words will likely be music to the ears of Ormond with many people sharing the belief that it was the hand of the Clondalkin native that should have been raised by the referee following a split-decision by the judges.

Ormond was sent crashing to the canvas in the third round but seemed to dominate the hometown fighter over the remaining rounds.

HOCKEY: TALLAGHT CLUB PRODUCE EPIC FINALE AGAINST PEMBROKE

Glenanne celebrate Sam O’Connor’s early goal. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Shaw steals it for Glens MEN’S EY HOCKEY LEAGUE

Glenanne 4 Pembroke 3  sport@dublingazette.com

GLENANNE showed yet another incredible example of their fighting spirit to net twice in the last three minutes to turn a potential 3-2 defeat into a 4-3 win at St Andrew’s against Dublin rivals Pembroke.

It was their seventh win of the campaign by a single goal and their eighth in total, seeing them remain unbeaten into Christmas and four points clear of the chasing Three Rock Rovers.

Indeed, they have

managed to win five points with goals in the closing two minutes of games, a measure of the Tallaght club’s imdomitable spirit.

Against Pembroke, Sam O’Connor got the greens off to a dream start when he exchanged passes with Richie Shaw and then applied a dinked finish over Mark Ingram.

Pembroke replied with three corners in the first quarter while Jack Ryan and Nick Burns had big chances with Iain Walker excelling. Ingram tipped over Shannon Boucher ’s rasping reverse.

SAOIRSE’S SILVER Lucan Harriers starlet makes national impact SAOIRSE Fitzgerald took home silver as she finished second in the Under-11 girls 1500m event at the National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships at Waterford IT. The Lucan Harriers runner pushed Annalee AC’s Cait O’Reilly all the way to the line to finish in a time of 5.26 minutes; less than a second behind her rival. Emily Bolton of Metro St Brigids AC was a further second behind in third position.

Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

In the second quarter, Walker brilliantly denied Patrick Shanahan from point blank range from a fifth corner before Pembroke got level after good baseline play opened the chance for Stephen Sweetnam to score.

Shane O’Donoghue was denied from Glenanne’s first corner on the half-time whistle while another big chance for him went high and over in the second half. Alan Sothern put Pembroke in front for the first time in the 45th minute when Richard Sweetnam intercepted and laid on a

delicious pass which the striker added a finish to match on his backhand over Walker.

Walker won the next duel with Sothern with an out-stretched toe, keeping the scoreline at 2-1 at the third quarter break. Glenanne tied the game up with nine minutes to go when Boucher took on dragflicking duties to score low on the stick side.

Within a minute, Walker made two great saves but the latter fell to Richard Lynch who scooped in to restore the Pembroke lead. Burns then had a chance to wrap up the game but

he saw Walker come out to get a touch that lifted his shot onto the top of the goal.

The goalkeeper was pulled after that and the Glens duly profited. O’Donoghue was felled when through one-on-one, stepping up to score a stroke in the 68th minute for 3-3.

And they did not rest on their laurels, forging two big attacks in the closing phases, the last of which saw Gary Shaw exchange passes down the left with his brother Richie before racing in and lifting over the goalkeeper – the last act in a classic tie.

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

GAZETTE

BASKETBALL: CLONDALKIN CLUB MAKE BIG MOVE OFF THE BOTTOM

FASTSport

Ryan Doyle gets big boost from Blanch scholarship Latrell Wilson spots a gap for the Dublin Lions. Picture: Martin Doherty

Latrell roars for Lions MEN’S DIVISION 1

Dublin Lions IT Carlow  sport@dublingazette.com

98 92

DUBLIN Lions secured two victories in the space of just three days to give their men’s Division 1 league campaign a much-needed injection of life.

The Lions had only won one of their previous 11 league games and were rooted to the bottom of Division 1B. However, the two victories see them finish 2017 strongly and rise two places in the league.

The first of the two wins came at the expense of Carlow IT

at Colaiste Bride, when the Lions scored a 98-92 victory over their inform opponents.

Latrell Wilson, making his home debut, was in fine form for the Lions, finishing the game with 30 points as both sides started by looking to press the other.

The opening period was a scrappy affair with little in way of quality on show. Wilson, however, was on fire from the off and knocked down multiple threes, while also showing his vast range of passing ability.

The referee had a busy first half, calling a number of fouls for technical

and unsportsmanlike fouls. Tomasz Swiatowy was fouled out for the Lions while Carlow’s J i m my G o r d o n w a s also given his marching orders.

The Lions held a slender 55-49 lead at the half-time interval but enjoyed a stellar third quarter. Muhamed Sabic hit 21 points, and Igor Markiewicz produced an excellent 17 rebounds to keep the home side’s noses in front.

Next up for the Lions was a trip west to take on the EJ Sligo All-Stars in a bottom of the table clash. Wilson sat out this game but Sabic

was on hand to score a game-high of 24 points, as the Lions returned home with the three points in the bag thanks to a 96-76 victory.

The Lions again looked to press their opponents, and managed to take the first quarter, stealing a couple of balls and netting some quick points.

Sligo looked to dominate the basket at both ends, but the visitors consistently hit shots through Swiatowy and Markiewicz – scoring 16 and 22 points respectively.

The hosts looked to hit back in the third quarter but they were

thwar ted in their attempts by picking up a couple of technicals.

The Lions kept their cool throughout the quarter, managing to maintain their lead and eventually winning by a 20-point margin.

The Lions would have hoped things would go better for them over the first half of the season, but they can take comfort from their strong finish, and can look to build on their wins when the second half gets underway next year.

T hey also have an NICC men’s cup final against Cork side Blue Demons to look forward to in 2018.

LUCAN soccer starlet Eleanor Ryan Doyle was all among the annual sports scholarships awarded to IT Blanchardstown students.

She is pictured, above left, with fellow soccer scholar Fiona Donnelly at the announcement this week where a total of 22 scholarships were awarded to sports students in kickboxing, soccer, basketball, rugby, pool, canoeing, boxing, athletics and badminton with all packages totalling €25,000.

ITB rewards full-time students who have shown outstanding sporting ability by offering scholarships to assist them in reaching their full potential, both academically and in their chosen sport.

Students selected for the ITB Sports Scholarships benefit from a financial package as well as support services made available.

The awards were presented to the ITB students by Ronan Keaskin, ITB’s Sports Development Officer.

Keaskin said of the scholarships, “ITB is delighted to present scholarships today to such motivated students in such a wide range of sports.

“ITB has a growing number of clubs on campus and we welcome applications from anyone who wants to participate in sports at a high level while committing to their course of study”.

GAZETTE

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 26 December 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: 19-YEAR-OLD EARNS CENTRAL ROLE AT RICHMOND PARK

Jamie Lennon at the announcement of his signing for St Patrick’s Athletic

Hand looking to kick on internationally in 2018 CRUMLIN kickboxer Liam Hand closed out a remarkable year with a victory in his first international fight as the 16-year-old Dublin champion won his bout in the Netherlands just before Christmas.

Hand, based out of Hori’s Muay Thai Gym in Cherry Orchard) his coach Gabor Hortobagyi, had previously retained the national title in November at the White Lion Hotel in Derry with a strong support following him up the road.

He duly travelled to Holland for his first international fight in Tilburg and produced a focused and calm performance in the contest to sweep to victory and a big step up in experience.

Coach Hortobagyi said he was “confident we would return to Ireland with another win under his belt. Liam fought a very tough Dutch opponent. It was a spectacular fight. These two warriors fought hard in what was a thrilling and exciting three rounds of Muay Thai boxing at its best”.

Hand is fast becoming a name to be reckoned with. This young talented Muay Thai and K1 Boxer has been putting in the hours for the past year and a half and making serious inroads.

The teenager thanked his supporters for their help in 2017 and is looking forward to moving further up the ladder in 2018 with the help of sponsors Pat Brown Butchers, Brian McElroy funeral Directors, Kevin Shanahan Progum Shields, Halfway Cabs, TDs Joan Collins and Pat Dunne, Heath Services Credit Union and Thai Healing Massage.

Lennon latest on Pat’s list LOI PREMIER DIVISION  sport@dublingazette.com

ST PATRICK’S Athletic have continued their policy of recruiting young talent ahead of the 2018 campaign by handing Under-19 star Jamie Lennon his first professional contract.

Lennon, who wore the red of Shelbourne for seven years before moving to St Pat’s, made his first team debut against Firhouse Clover in the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-final last season, and marked it in style by rifling a shot into the top corner from 35 yards out.

The 19-year-old now

hopes to push on and receive more game time during the new campaign after putting pen to paper.

“It’s a big moment for me personally because, although a lot of people have been offered contract, this is my first professional [contract],” Lennon told the club’s media.

“I’ve been with Pat’s two years now with the 19s and I’ve done well each season. I feel I have developed well as a player over the course of two years and I am looking forward to making the step up to the first team now.”

Lennon knows that St Pat’s are well stocked in

TRUE GAELS Na Gaeil Oga honoured for language promotion THE inaugural Joe McDonagh Foundation awards ceremony was held in Croke Park on December 16 with Na Gaeil Oga’s Eoin Ó Murchú and Bairbre Ní Chonchúir among those honoured.

The foundation was set up by the family of the late Liam McCarthy winning Galway hurler and previous president of the GAA, Joe McDonagh. The gold, silver and bronze awards are presented to GAA clubs that are actively promoting and supporting An Ghaeilge within the Association.

central midfield, but he is looking forward to the challenge of pitting himself against players much more experienced than him.

“That comes with signing a first team contract.

You are going to have to fight for your place.

Obviously, they are very experienced players. Very good players that have been around the league a long time so if I can just learn from them, I can improve myself as a player.”

Lennon, an arts student at Dublin City University, also plays for the college team and captained them to Harding Cup success

earlier this year. He did that while also helping the St Pat’s Under-19s reach the cup final. He feels this exposure has helped his improve as a player.

“I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve had two good managers and last year we obviously [fell] short getting to the final but losing to Bohs. [We] just didn’t perform on the night but, overall, really promising.

“I feel from the first year to the second I’ve gotten much better.

Liam gave me a couple of chances with the first team last season in the Leinster Senior Cup and a

few training sessions, so I know what is expected of me now and I know how he plays.

“Liam likes to get us playing the same style of football from the senior team all the way down to the 15s, so I know what style of football is expected of us when we make the step up.”

Lennon also spoke about that goal against Firhouse.

“It was a really big moment for me, and it was a good goal as well.

Then in the semi-finals against Shels I was given the captains armband, which was another huge moment for me.”

26 December 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

GAZETTE

HURLING: NEW COACH AMBITIOUS FOR COUNTY RISE

CLUB NOTICEBOARD LUCAN SARSFIELDS MERRY Christmas to all members.

A big congratulations to Muriel Finn on winning our bingo jackpot of €2,225; she hardly misses a week of bingo so lovely to see the jackpot going to such a good supporter of Lucan Sarsfields. Maeve, Wendy, Karen and Niamh weren’t too sad to hand over the money. Congratulations again Muriel.

Dates for the diaries: volunteer

Davy Fitzgerald and Anthony Cunningham at the launch of the Walsh Cup. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

McCaffrey and Kelly back in Dubs line-up

WALSH CUP

 sport@dublingazette.com

JOHNNY McCaffrey and Peter Kelly will be back in action for Dublin next year after new hurling manager Pat Gilroy introduced them back into the squad for the 2018 campaign The former was axed by then-manager Ger Cunningham last season but has now been brought back in while Kelly will rejoin the panel after he has successfully worked his way back to fitness from a long-term injury.

Both Lucan Sarsfields players have captained the Boys in Blue in the past, with McCaffrey donning the armband during the team’s successful Leinster campaign in 2013.

The two men will be coached by Anthony Cunningham next year, who believes Dublin can push on and become one of the top four teams in the country.

“For me, Dublin have the potential to go and break through to a top four team,” the former Galway manager said at the launch of the Walsh

Cup. “I think Dublin, with the work that’s going on at underage level and the coaching that has gone on at the clubs on the hurling side, it’s now getting up to the level that is there on the football side.

“Everybody saw Dublin’s Under-17 team this year was very, very skilful.

They were like a Tipperary, Galway or Kilkenny minor team, and that’s proof that the coaching is working.

“Definitely, over the next few years, the produce coming through are very, very strong and will rival any county.”

Cunningham, who led Galway to two All-Ireland finals, also believes Dublin have put the right management structure in place.

“I’ve been ver y impressed with the management team. They’re able to coach, entice players, push players and that’s great experience to have.

“To get a chance to work with the Dublin players and Pat [Gilroy] and his management team is a great honour for me.

His knowledge of hurl-

ing is really top class and that’s going to bear fruits - we hope.

“It’s early days yet and the honeymoon is probably over. There’s going to be tough days ahead but there’s ability there.”

Cunningham’s appointment came as a surprise to many after he was initially linked with taking the main job, but the Galwegian insisted he is just happy to be involved, in whatever capacity.

“I just love going training, having the buzz, being on the pitch with players and working with players to see them develop. For

me, that is of huge significance and of huge enjoyment.

Cunningham also thinks the players have the ability to compete with the best as early as the coming campaign.

“You’ll have to be.

You’re not going to be in the Leinster championship if you do not feel you can win every match. We are no different than any other county; we want to be there and want to win.”

The Dublin hurlers will play Meath and Antrim in the group stages of the Walsh Cup with games on January 3 and 7.

The Cúpla Focal club is on Mondays 8-9pm.

Bingo is on Wednesdays at 8.30pm and is attracting a lot more players.

Club shop now closed until the new year.

Lucan District Credit Union Academy is also finished until 2018.

Last week, there was no winner of the €15,800 lotto where the numbers were 6, 12, 25 and 28.

night – Saturday, January 6; adult

This week’s €16,200 lotto draw will

awards night – Saturday, January

be managed by Mary Flannery and is

20. Live music continues in the bar on

sponsored by REA McDonald Auction-

Saturday nights.

eers.

25 Card Drive continues every Fri-

Tickets can be purchased online,

day 9pm. Caters for all levels, begin-

at the club, in Carey’s Newsagents, in

ners welcome.

Vesey Arms or Kenny’s Bar.

ROUND TOWER, CLONDALKIN IT WAS with great sadness we learned

The three €50 voucher winners

of the p a s sing of club s t a lwa r t

were: Gemma Carr, Dave McCabe(2),

Eugene Garrigan.

Sally. Thank you to all who have sup-

Congratulations to Martina Lyons who was the winner of our lotto jackpot of €3,800 on December 11.

The numbers drawn were 3, 12, 22 and 26; bonus ball was 21.

ported the Lotto in 2017.

We wish all our Members and supporters a very happy Christmas and thank you for your support throughout 2017.

ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN THINGS are winding down now as we

the weekend of January 6-7. Text Tom

come to the end of a very successful

on 087 6614029 or Ken on 087 6595491 to

year.

have your tree collected.

Congratulations to Sadhbh Duffy

Our lotto numbers for this week

on her selection for the Dublin junior

were 6, 17, 19 and 25. There was no

premier camogie team. A great talent

winner.

with a very bright future.

There was one match three winner

The St Patrick’s GAA Christmas

– C O’Leary. There will be no draw on

Charity walk took place on St Ste-

December 31 with the next draw on

phens’ morning in Glenaulin Park. A

January 7, 2018.

donation will be made to the Elizabeth McNicholas Trust.

Tickets are available from Supervalu, Palmerstown House, Manor Hair

We are actively recruiting for our

Studios, Mullingar House, and Chape-

U-7s girls and boys teams for 2018.

lizod Post Office. Many thanks to all

Anyone born in 2011 who would like to

our ticket sellers and everyone for

join these teams, please contact Den-

supporting this important fundraiser.

ise Mullins on 086 1591268 (girls) and David O’Hanlon 087 7422646 (boys).

St Patrick’s GAA would like to wish all sponsors, friends and members

Flyers will be in all local schools in

across the community a very happy

early January for any child interest-

Christmas and all the best for the New

ed in playing Gaelic football, hurling

Year.

or camogie with details of all teams, mentors and contact details.

Our U-8 boys are holding a Christmas tree collection for recycling on

Thank you for your great support in 2017.

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain fé Mhaise dhaoibh.



GOT A STORY? WE WANT TO KNOW!

Call our SPORT TEAM on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3 Peter Kelly is a high profile returnee to the panel

or email sport@dublingazette.com