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WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE SDCC AREA, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED NOVEMBER 16-22, 2017

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Joyce earns his stripes P40

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We have sets of tickets for The Gaiety’s brilliant Christmas panto, Rapunzel, to give away.

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DAMIEN ENGLISH: ‘PREMATURE TO REMOVE ST CATHERINE’S LINK’

Minister slams brakes on removing park road from plan  MARK O’BRIEN THE controversial proposed road through St Catherine’s Park may not be removed from the Leixlip Local Area Plan, despite receiving the full backing of Kildare county councillors. Last week, the Save St Catherine’s Park

Campaign shared details of a report written by Minister for Housing and Urban Development Damien English to Kildare County Council in which Minister English states that removing the indicative road would be “preSee full story on Page 6 mature”.

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CONTROVERSIAL PLAN | RESIDENTS FEARED WORSE TRAFFIC ISSUES

Council decision not to close right turn lane a ‘victory for community’  MARK O’BRIEN THE controversial plan to close the right turn lane from Woodies to the N4 westbound has been shelved by South Dublin County Council. The council had planned to close the lane to accommodate the building of new cycle lanes. But the plan was met by stiff opposition from locals who said that closing the turn would make Lucan’s traffic problems

even worse than they already are. Chair of the Woodville Downs Residents’ Association Fran Hynes said he was delighted that the council had bowed to public opinion. “It’s good to see that they (the council) listened to public opinion,” he said. “There was probably 200 – I know there was initially 195 – but they had missed out on a number of submissions that they subsequently found and I

Cllr Liona O’Toole paid tribute to locals

think 99.5% were against the proposal from what we saw of the proposals in the initial submission so I suppose it makes sense that they don’t close off a junction onto the N4.

“Lucan is choked as it is. They have already previously closed off two other access points in recent years on to the N4 in Lucan.” Local councillors also hailed the decision. Cllr William Lavelle (FG), said the decision was a “victory for our community” and paid tribute to residents who campaigned against the proposal. “Well done to all the individual residents and groups who campaigned against this proposal,” he said. “Vigilance is required to ensure the National Transport Authority don’t seek to resurrect the proposals.” Cllr Liona O’Toole (IND) also paid tribute to locals who campaigned on the issue. She said: “Well done to

all involved including the 195 submissions sent in to management.” Cllr Ed O’Brien (FF) said: “I welcome the decision not to proceed with this plan following very vocal opposition to it from residents particularly in Woodville, Roselawn and Beech Park. “I want to thank all residents who contacted me in relation to the matter.” In a letter to councillors, South Dublin County Council confirmed that the cycle lane would not be built. The council said that following consultation with the National Transport Authority and having considered the submissions from locals, it was felt that the Bus Connects project would be sufficient in addressing the bus and cycle provisions for Lucan.

FASTNews

Celbridge man wins prize driving the Porsche of his dreams A CELBRIDGE man has won a stylish six-day staycation driving the Porsche of his dreams. Over 2,500 tickets were sold nationwide in each of the nine Radisson Blu Hotels in Ireland and through Porsche Club Ireland regional members, raising an €14,500 for Pieta House. Ben Deegan (pictured) has won a stylish staycation for two people sharing: exploring the Wild Atlantic Way for six days in a Porsche, dining and staying one night in each of the five Radisson Blu Hotels located along the route taking in the West of Ireland.

Extra buses for Lucan key routes EXTRA buses are to be put onto key routes in Lucan, including the 25A and 25B to meet demand at peak times. Local TD John Curran said he was pleased with the news. Deputy Curran said: “I am pleased to confirm that management in Dublin Bus have informed me that it will now implement a series of changes to address the increased commuter demand which has been occurring for some time. “This has been an on-going issue for many that commute to work, school or university and particularly as more and more people move to the Lucan area, the level of pressure on our transport infrastructure has intensified. “A number of buses were reaching full capacity and failing to cater for intending passengers at bus stops across Lucan. “I am pleased that having raised it with management, Dublin Bus has now sought to address this issue promptly and I hope commuters see a difference on the ground straight away.”

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FASTNews

AWARE looking for 50 volunteers to help with its vital support line AWARE is urgently seeking 50 volunteers in the Dublin area to join the Aware Support Line. As Ireland’s leading organisation providing support, education and information services about depression and bipolar disorder, the Aware Support Line provides callers with telephone support and information about issues relating to their own mood or the mood of a friend or family member who may be experiencing mood-related conditions. Volunteers will receive full training for the vital role. To get involved, see www.aware.ie/volunteer, or phone Aware at 01 661 7211.

Golden Discs set to open a new store at The Square this Saturday GOLDEN Discs is to open a new store in Tallaght this week, with the new store to open in The Square on Saturday, November 18. Along with other openings, this brings the total number of Golden Discs specialist stores to 16 outlets nationwide, supported by their recently launched new web-store (goldendiscs.ie) and concession stores in 80 Tesco locations all across Ireland Golden Discs have also announced that they will be hiring an additional 50 personnel to man their new stores.

Strictly delighted to help brave boy, Jack  SYLVIA POWNALL A DUBLIN community is stepping out this weekend to raise funds for a brave boy with a rare genetic condition. Little Jack Cready was just 18 months old when he was diagnosed with the SCN2a gene mutation, which causes multiple seizures a day and can lead to brain damage. A posse of Portmarnock prancers are ready to take to the stage at the Sands Hotel this weekend as part of a Strictly for Jack ballroom bonanza, and are hoping Dubs will support Jack’s cause.

The foxtrotting fundraisers hope to raise awareness of the condition – which affects less than 400 children

worldwide – and raise money towards special equipment Jack will need as he grows older. His mother Frances said: “Everything was great until Jack hit 15 months. One morning he started to have what was actually a seizure, but we didn’t realise it at the time. “We had concerns for a couple of weeks leading up to that. He changed dramatically from being a ver y happy,

active little boy to being not able to move.” Jack’s diagnosis came just a week before his second birthday. Frances said: “We’re trying to find the right medication. But he’s such a fighter, he’s a real fighter.” Dad John hopes this weekend’s event will increase awareness around SCN2a and support for Epilepsy Ireland. He said: “Jack has an intellectual disability, so he doesn’t have the same learning potential as other children do. “He needs a large padded bed and a special walker as he’s lost the ability to walk.” Strictly for Jack is on

In a video on facebook, Jack’s parents (above) and others talk about the impact of his diagnosis

this Saturday, November 18 in the Sands Hotel, Portmarnock. To donate, see https://www.ifundraise.ie/3633_strictly-forjack.html

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Out and About

Night of celebration to mark 50 years of club T

HE Red Cow Hotel was packed with over 200 guests as Crumlin United celebrated 50 years of service to the local community. The club’s most famous son, Robbie Keane, paid

homage to his former club in a video, while MC Martin Loughran gave an honourable mention to former players, managers and friends of the club. Guest of honour was John Delaney (FAI).

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LEIXLIP | COUNCILLORS VOTED TO REMOVE ROAD FROM LOCAL AREA PLAN

Concern of a U-turn on controversial road plan  MARK O’BRIEN THE controversial proposed road through St Catherine’s Park may not be removed from the Leixlip Local Area Plan despite receiving the full backing of Kildare county councillors. In July, councillors voted to make an alteration to the Local Area Plan that guaranteed that a road would not be built through the park. Some of the park falls into the jurisdiction of Fingal County Council and in September, Fingal county councillors also voted to remove the indicative road from their Local Area Plan. These actions came after locals protested against building

a road through the park, fearing that it would ruin a valuable local amenity. But last week, the Save St Catherine’s Park Campaign shared details of a report written by Minister for Housing and Urban Development Damien English to Kildare County Council in which Minister English states that removing the indicative road would be “premature”. The report states: “The Department notes that the Draft Leixlip Local Area Plan does not feature a road proposal related to St Catherine’s Park east of the town. “The future required road and other infrastructure for the development of Leixlip…will be

examined by the council including as part of the masterplan to be undertaken for the Confey lands under Objective CSO1.3 that will be subsequently integrated into the Leixlip Local Area Plan with way of statutory amendment. “The insertion of such an objective is therefore considered to be premature and the above part (B) of Proposed Material Alteration No 31 should be deleted.” Ann Field of the Save St Catherine’s Park campaign told The Gazette she was very concerned by this development. “We have a Minister now trying to tell a full county council to do a U-turn on a vote that they made three months ago and we don’t think that’s democratic and

we don’t think he should have the power to overturn a decision that was made democratically by the full council with the backing of the residents of Leixlip,” she said. Ms Field added that the proposed road would block access to the park for people on the Leixlip side and campaigners felt there were alternatives to building a road through the park. “We feel that if there is a road needed to link the N4 to the N3, it should be over where the N3 comes down to Dunboyne,” she said. “That’s west of Leixlip and it doesn’t interfere with any parks and it also doesn’t interfere with any housing estates so it’s an ideal scenario and it’s a great solution.”

The Department of Housing confirmed that it had made the submission to Kildare County Council. A spokesperson for the Department added: “The chief executive of Kildare County Council has circulated his report on the submissions received on the Proposed Material Alterations to the elected members of the Council. “Kildare County Council is scheduled to consider the Proposed Material Alterations to the Draft Leixlip LAP 2017-23 at its forthcoming Council Meeting on 20th November next. “As the statutory process for formulating the LAP has yet to be concluded by Kildare County Council as per the legislation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

FASTNews

Whole lotto luck A TALLAGHT man scooped over €70,000 on last Saturday’s Winning Streak on RTE. Train driver Tom Wynne, from Aylesbury, spun the iconic Grand Prize Wheel and won a whopping €73,000. Before the show Tom said he considered himself a lucky guy. Tom, who has worked for Irish Rail for the past 27 years, has been married to Lorraine for the past 22 years. When asked for plans to spend any Winning Streak windfall, Tom said that with Christmas around the corner and two sets of college fees due, his massive win couldn’t have come at a better time. He also plans to take Lorraine on a Mediterranean cruise – something they have dreamed about for years.

Social Inclusion

AbbVie employee takes top honours

MICHAEL Redmond, a mechanical engineer working with the Citywest-based biopharmaceutical company AbbVie, is pictured with Shay Dalton, MD Lincoln Recruitment at the recent Irish Early Career Awards. Michael was the winner of the Early Career Professional in Engineering award and also took the highly prestigious overall Early Career Professional of the Year 2017. The event took place in the Mansion House and the awards were presented by the guest of honour, Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe. Picture: Chris Bellew

SOUTH Dublin County Council have announced a Celebration of Social Inclusion through the Performing Arts. The event will take place on November 26 in the Civic Centre, Tallaght at 8pm. MC for the night will be well-known magician Colm Dawson and Britain’s got Talent will be filming the event. Celebration showcases all of the talent and creativity in the South Dublin County. The event will feature as the grand finale of Social Inclusion Week which runs from the 20 November to 26 November. For further information please contact Maria Finn, Social Inclusion Officer, Social Inclusion Unit, Community Services Department, South Dublin County Council, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Tel: 086 380 3060 or 01 414 9270.

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COUNCIL | ‘WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY AVENUE GIVEN THE CURRENT HOUSING CRISIS’

Call for vacant housing officer to help combat housing crisis  MARK O’BRIEN

THERE have been calls for South Dublin County Council to appoint a vacant housing officer to identify and assess vacant properties in the county. Cllr Mark Ward (SF) asked the question of the council at the recent full council meeting. Cllr Ward told The Gazette that he would like to see the officer appointed in order to possibly return vacant housing to

council stock to help combat the housing crisis. He said: “The idea of it is to develop a strategy around any houses that are vacant in South Dublin County Council, compile a list and see if there’s any way - if they’re not council stock - that if they’re long-term vacant that we can maybe get them under the Derelict Site Act or we could buy them and turn them into council stock. “We have to look

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‘We need someone out there that’s going to compile a list of exactly what status [vacant houses] are [in] and maybe turn them into some sort of housing stock’

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Cllr Mark Ward (SF)

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at every avenue at the moment given the current housing crisis that we have.” Cllr Ward said that it is

not currently known how many vacant sites there are in the South Dublin County Council area. “We haven’t got a list

complied of how many vacant houses that are in the area,” he said. “There are some that have come to our attention. “Some are in receivership from banks, others there could be probate going on with them and that’s the reason why they’re vacant. “But we need someone out there that’s going to compile a list of exactly what status they are and maybe turn them

into some sort of housing stock, whether that’s affordable housing or social and council housing.” In response to Cllr Ward’s question, South Dublin County Council said that it was finalising its Vacant Homes Strategy to submit to the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government. The council confirmed that the strategy compels each local authority to address the utilisation of

existing housing. Councils are als o required to complete a register of vacant units across the county, identify the number, location and reasons for longer term vacancies in high demand areas, and set out a range of actions to bring vacant units back into use. The strategy will be presented at the Housing Strategic Policy Committee Meeting of South Dublin County Council on Monday, November 20.

Well-known west Dublin businessman Luke Moriarty (second right), is congratulated by Guy Thompson, president, Fingal Dublin Chamber and Brian Drain, sponsor, Dublin Airport, and MC Marty Whelan, RTE broadcaster

Luke who’s scooped yet another top business award for his collection

LOCAL SuperValu retailer and hotelier Luke Moriarty has notched up another impressive business achievement by scooping the coveted JC Savage Fingal Business Person of the Year award for 2017. The well-known popular figure has masterminded an empire that stretches far and wide, with

the award from the neighbouring business group honouring Luke’s outstanding business contribution to the Fingal region, in light of bringing a significant benefit to employees, customers, suppliers and the community. The award was presented at the Fingal Dublin Business Excellence and Corporate Responsibility

Awards, hosted by Marty Whelan, on Friday evening last, November 10. Originally from Kerry, Luke’s family retail and hospitality business, founded 30 years ago, now comprises three SuperValu supermarkets and two 4-star hotels, employing more than 650 people in north and west Dublin.

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FASTNews

Local schools should ‘Stand Up’ to bullying SCHOOLS in Dublin South West and across the city should join a major campaign to ‘Stand Up’ to homophobic and transphobic bullying. Minister Katherine Zapone said it is unacceptable that one in five young gay and lesbian people still face bullying in the classroom, schoolyard and wider community. Speaking at the launch of an awareness week for BeLonGTo, which works with young members of the LGBTI+ community, Minister Zappone said: “Young voices in Tallaght, Rathfarnham and Citywest have been to the fore in demanding equality in our communities. They are not shy in standing up to unfairness, discrimination and hate. “The ‘Stand Up’ Awareness Week is another opportunity for students, parents and staff in secondary schools to show solidarity with LGBTI+ teenagers. “I would encourage every school in our areas to become involved and support the Awareness Week from November 13-17.

NEW HISTORICAL GROUP | PROMOTING OUR LOCAL HERITAGE AND HISTORY

Putting Lucan on the map as a tourism destination  MARK O’BRIEN A NEW historical group wants to put Lucan on the map as a tourism destination. The Society for Old Lucan are hoping to develop a heritage trail aimed at promoting Lucan’s many historical points of interest. Chair of the group, Helen Farrell, told The Gazette that she was inspired to form the group after seeing similar trails in countries she has visited. She said: “Having travelled around a bit on holidays you’d see places in Spain, France and England, they really have tapped into their local heritage and history and are marketing it as a tourism thing. “I always found myself doing historical walks when I went to places and I thought why shouldn’t we be doing that in Lucan?”

The Society for Old Lucan are hoping to promote Lucan’s many historical points of interest

Respond! open family hub

MINISTER for Children and Youth Affairs Dr Katherine Zappone officially opened the Respond! Family Hub in Tallaght last week. The facility has capacity for nine families where seven families have their own apartments with two families sharing a kitchen in adjoining apartments. The Tallaght Family Hub has seen nine families with 24 children move into homes of their own. Overall figures show that 50 families have moved into homes of their own from five Family Hubs in Dublin. The average stay in for families in the Hubs has been seven months and eight days to nine months in Tallaght

and five and a half months in High Park. Minister Zappone said: “Respond! Family Hubs are caring new model of accommodation which includes a range of wrap-around services to help families be in a better position to move to secure housing in the short term. “I am happy to see that every family here has a key worker and support plans which are developed with every resident based on their own individual need. “This supported temporary accommodation is designed to be as close to a home as possible and to ensure that every child and adult leaves in a better position than when they arrived.”

Funding The group are hoping to secure funding from South Dublin County Council to develop the heritage trail and have already identified 30 points of interest which they hope to build on as the trail develops. “What we want to do is create the heritage trail but have the potential to build on it in the future so that we have a number of different walks,” said Helen. The group also have a number of other interesting projects in the pipeline. “We have a number of projects lined up,” said Helen. “One of them is the transcription of local history with Duchas. “They have oral history recorded from the 1940s from local school children.

“They have it for the whole country but they need people to take the written copybooks and actually transcribe them to a digital resource, so that’s one thing that we will do is do all the entries for Lucan.” The group are also hoping to restore St Finian’s Church and compile a database of old gravestones – some of which date back hundreds of years.

Expertise The group is small so far but they have a great deal of expertise in history and heritage. Helen is a former field archaeologist with a long-standing interest in local history. “Another member of the group is currently doing a diploma in local history and she’s done a diploma in archaeology,” said Helen. “We’ve got an archaeologist in the group who is doing a PhD but we could do with more people in the group.” Helen added that ultimately she would love to see Lucan develop into the tourism destination it used to be in the past. “I’d love to see a really vibrant development of our heritage and linking in with Lucan businesses and people actually coming to visit. “Lucan used to be a tourist venue up to the 1940s and that died off with the lack of a tram and the closure of the demesne and there’s a lot of money in heritage tours and it would just be fantastic for everyone.” Anyone who would like to get involved in the Society for Old Lucan can do so by contacting them at oldlucan@gmail. com.

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Out and About

Maynooth Gospel Choir goes GaGa John and Margaret Dooley

Pat Field and Helen Field

Gordon Jamieson and Nuala Lynam. Pictures: Paul O’Rourke

Greta Taylor, Colette Newman and Sinead Newman

AST week the Button Factory in Dublin’s Temple Bar was taken over by the spirit of Freddie Mercury through the spirit of the Maynooth Gospel Choir. Opening with Radio GaGa with the familiar handclaps, the choir brought the packed out the iconic Dublin venue and brought the audiencwe on an epic journey through the music of Queen. David McDonald starred as lead guitarist. One audience member said he was “Second only to Rory Gallagher” in the pantheon of guitar legends – high praise for the Leixlip native!

Mary and Denis Leonard

Linda Foster and Aishling Foster

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Maynooth Gospel Choir perfoming during their concert

Lucan Gospel Choir supporting Maynooth Gospel Choir

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TRAVEL P26

FOOD P28

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

FESTIVAL A NEW APPROACH TO HELPING MAINTAIN BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

HARIA’S A BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER COLLIE STAR!

Mojo Rising to help raise men’s spirits  MARK O’BRIEN DUBLIN will welcome a brand-new festival this week when Mojo Rising comes to the Grand Social on International Men’s Day (November 19). The festival is the debut event from Mojo – a male mental health collective that is working to raise awareness and understanding of male mental health challenges. The event features a diverse range of acts, including Paddy Casey, Attention Bebe, dance act Lords of Strut, spoken word performer Emmet Kirwan, and DJ Nialler9. Headline act Paddy Casey said he was delighted to lend his talents to such a worthy cause: “International Men’s Day is a great opportunity to reignite the conversation of mental health stigma for men and to continue raising awareness of the important work Mojo does in addressing mental health challenges faced by men. “Mojo Rising will see some of the very best performers in Ireland coming together to share in the celebration of Mojo Men. “I am so excited to be involved in what is set to be a great festival and I encour-

age as many people as possible to support this extremely worthwhile event.” Mojo courses have succeeded in achieving a reduction in depression in 83% of the men who have attended their courses. Mojo programme director and cofounder, Derek McDonnell, said the response to the announcement of the festival has been overwhelmingly positive so far.

Mental health He said: “We are absolutely delighted with the support we have received for this event so far which just reinforces our belief that there is a need for more creative ways to get the conversation of men’s mental health in the public domain.” He added that he felt it was important to challenge the stereotype of how a ‘real man’ should behave. Derek said: “Real men are emotional beings who can be vulnerable. Irish society often reinforces the stereotype that men should be the strong silent type and that don’t show emotions: ‘boys don’t cry!’ “However, it’s important for men to learn that just like physical health, there

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Some of those supporting Mojo Rising (from top) Attention Bebe, Paddy Casey, Lords of Strut and Gaff, and Nialler9

will be times in their lives where they’ll experience a dip in their mental health, and it’s okay to ask for help when they need it. “Learning to talk to family and friends about feelings takes time and practice; on Mojo we work creatively to provide space for men to do this. “We work with men from all backgrounds to help them to help themselves and get back on their feet. “These men have gone on to support

other men, their friends, their families, and this has a knock-on effect for wider society. “It’s 2017 – it’s time for a national conversation on what it means to be a man in Ireland today,” he said. At Mojo Rising, doors open at 7pm; tickets are €15, or €10 for students – however, as it’s an inclusive event, there is an option to ‘pay what you can’, be it €2 or €5, by donating that amount at the Eventbrite page.

OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Haria, a beautiful oneyear-old female Collie. Haria is a very clever, active and affectionate dog whose litter of puppies have all found homes, and now it’s her turn! Haria is definitely a star, and loves being the centre of attention. She loves people so much that she struggles when left alone, so she is looking for a home where there is somebody there for most of the time. Haria will make a great doggie friend to someone who likes an active lifestyle and can give her all the care and love she deserves. If you can be Haria’s #SpecialSomeone*, then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website, www.dogstrust. ie. You can also find them on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

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FEATURE

GAZETTE

DUBLINLIFE

Helping children big and small enjoy all the joys the season has to offer LAURALYNN, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, is once again hosting its much-loved Light Up LauraLynn from 3.30pm on Sunday, November 26. This is the fifth year that LauraLynn has hosted Light Up LauraLynn and the event is now a firm favourite in the Christmas calendar. The hospice grounds become a festival of Yuletide activities and games, including festive food and hot chocolate stands, a ‘Write to Santa’ zone, and performances by a range of acts including The SuperTones, the Legato Singers and their very own LauraLynn Choir. It costs €5.1m per year to keep LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice open €3.5m of which is generated through

to make up this deficit by Christmas. “This year’s Light Up Fair will be our best yet,” said LauraLynn CEO, Sharon Morrow. “Children big and small will enjoy a truly special evening where we remember loved ones and we look forward with hope to a happy Christmas for all LauraLynn families and friends. “The atmosphere is always fantastic and everyone has a great time.” LauraLynn’s much-loved Christmas cards will also be available on the night, and this year they come in two sets: a special pack created by the children at LauraLynn, plus a more traditional set of designs. If people can’t make the fair the

Darragh Cunningham with a frosty assistant launching the Light Up LauraLynn campaign

fundraised income from events and activities like Light Up. Since opening in 2011, LauraLynn has cared for more than 325 children and their families and provided more than 275,000 hours of short stay care provided to children in LauraLynn Hospice. However, there is a critical shortfall of €1m in fundraising this year, so every contribution received from the supporters and every ticket sold for Light Up LauraLynn will be vital in helping

cards are also available from LauraLynn’s online Christmas Shop at www. lauralynn.ie. This year the event will be ticketed for the first time, with individual passes costing €10 and family passes costing €25. Tickets can be purchased online via EventBrite at https://light-up-lauralynn.eventbrite.ie, and as numbers are restricted the public is being encouraged to snap them up before it’s too late.

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DUBLINLIFE

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CHRISTMAS RUN: FLAGSHIP FUNDRAISING EVENT

Are you Aware of this annual charity run AWARE is urging people to register today for the 12th annual Aware Christmas Run which will take place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, December 9. The Christmas Run is Aware’s flagship fundraising event, seeing over 2,000 people take part and raising more than €60,000 for the organisation’s nationwide support, education and information services. Online registration is now available at aware.ie/ events for both 5K and 10K options at a cost of €25 per person. Festive attire is encouraged and all are welcome from walkers to runners

SOAR THROUGH THE SKIES FOR CHARITY THE ISPCC are offering thrill-seekers the chance to soar through the skies at speeds in excess of 100mph next year. The exhilarating prospect of hurtling over scenic Snowdonia, Wales, has already piqued the interest of charity supporters with a thirst for adventure. Taking place on Saturday, April 21, 2018, this

day trip with a difference will see participants take on Zip World Velocity: the fastest zip line in the world and the longest in Europe. Those taking part will travel by ferry to Holyhead on the day, before being taken by coach to begin their adventures. After completing Little Zipper, a line to build confidence, participants will ascend Penrhyn Quarry towards the Big Top of Velocity. Those taking part will be asked for a deposit of €150 to secure their place on the trip and to fundraise €500 in support of the ISPCC’s work. For more information and to register interest, visit www.ispcc.ie.

DUBLIN 15 TO HOST A STYLISHLY FUN EVENT THE Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown will be hosting a terrific afternoon on Sunday, November 26, with the Let Us Shine fashion show and variety performance, courtesy of lots of models and performers who all have Down syndrome. With a prosecco recep-

tion to launch the 2-5pm event, the participating children and young adults have arranged a stylish showcase of on-trend fashions, as well as promising some great singing, dancing and other live entertainment to end the weekend on a high note. Presented by Down Syndrome Ireland, tickets are €20, or €5 for U-16s, and can be bought online at www.BookEventsIreland.com.

TAYTO PARK AUTISMFRIENDLY FOR A DAY TAYTO Park and Autism Ireland team up and celebrate Autism Awareness Day on Saturday, November 18. To support and raise awareness for Autism Ireland, the team in Tayto Park will be creating an autism friendly environment in the park on November 18 with the intention of allowing families of children with autism to enjoy the facilities. Small changes in Tayto Park will include no music being played throughout the park and queues for the attractions being kept

Presenter Cassie Stokes and elves Ryleigh Brady and Matthew Hannon who are reminding people to register for the 12th annual Aware Christmas Run. Picture: Naoise Culhane

to a minimum. Entry on the day will be €14 per person with €2 going directly to Autism Ireland. Entry includes access to Attractions in Eagle’s Nest, the Zoo & the Tayto Factory Tour.

STUDENTS GETTING CPR TRAINING IT IS estimated that approx 5,000 people per year die of sudden cardiac death in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation in association with Bank of Ireland has launched the CPR 4 schools training programme. This innovative programme is designed for post-primary schools and equips teachers with the skills to deliver CPR training to teach their students. 70% of cardiac arrests happen in the home and the chances of recovery decrease by 10% for every minute that proper care isn’t administered. The programme will be rolled out nationwide and by 2019, 72% of postprimary schools will have been trained.

To register post-primary teachers are encouraged to visit www.irishheart.ie or email schools@irishheart.ie

CALLING ALL FAIRIES AND ELVES THE Ilac Centre is on the lookout for a special Christmas fairy or Santa elf to light up the centre’s stunning Christmas Tree centrepiece this year. Families are invited to a free show on Saturday 18 November, in the leadup to the exciting arrival of Santa Claus in the Ilac Centre at 3.30pm. The crew of Fame Ireland will be entertaining the crowd with music and dance and a Christmas singalong will get everyone in the festive mood for Santa’s big entrance. One lucky child, dressed as a Christmas fairy or elf, will be selected to push the big switch and light up the spectacular towering Christmas Tree, to guide Santa on his way. The Santa Experience will open fully from Friday, November 24, from 12pm to 6pm every day, and

10am-6pm on Saturdays. Online booking is now open at http://www.santaexperience.ie.

DIT STUDENT DESIGNS CANDLE FOR CHARITY DIT marketing student Amy Walsh, from Templeogue, has designed the Jack & Jill ‘Find a Diamond’ candle, which has been launched for Christmas to make much needed funds for the charity. Each candle contains a beautiful costume jewellery pendant, with two real

diamonds in two of the candles which are Irish made by Celtic Candles (Baldoyle) and available in two scents Red Dahlia and Coconut, Water and Lime. The two real diamonds were donated to the children’s charity by Loyes Diamonds of Baggot Street. The candles are on sale at Avoca Stores nationwide, including Malahide Castle, Suffolk Street and Rathcoole stores and direct from the charity for €19.95.

DIT marketing student Amy Walsh has designed the Jack & Jill ‘Find a Diamond’ candle

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15

IT | POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON GREATER ‘STEM’ ENGAGEMENT

Bruce Murphy and Lucy

Tech forum focuses on retaining women

O’Keefe, CroiValve; below: John Molloy and Jason Sheehy, iKydz. Pictures: Conor McCabe

Seedcorn hopes high as companies vie for €100k

T WO South Dublin companies, iKydz and CroiValve, have been named Best New Start Company and Best Early Stage Company respectively, at the Dublin final of the 2017 InterTradeIreland All-Island Seedcorn Investor Readiness competition. Both companies fought off tough competition from other businesses in the capital to win a prize of €20,000 each to help finance the early stages of their ventures. Winning companies from each of the four regional finals will go on to compete in the allisland final of the compe-

GAZETTE

BUSINESS

tition, which takes place on Wednesday, November 22 at the Crowne Plaza Northwood. Companies are in with a chance to compete for the overall Best New Start Company prize (worth €50,000), or the overall Best Early Stage Company prize (worth €50,000), and ultimately the Overall Winner title (worth €100,000). iKydz, based in Parkwest, has developed a unique parental internet control system to allow parents to manage their children’s internet usage while at home and on 3/4G. Meanwhile, CroiValve,

based at Pearse Street, is developing a minimally invasive medical device to treat tricuspid regurgitation. C u r r e n t l y, f e w e r than 1% of the 550,000 patients who develop this disease annually undergo surgery, due to the risks involved. They endure long, repeat hospitalisations and a very poor quality of life. Companies can follow the competition on Twitter (@ITI_seedcorn), where they can also get valuable information and advice from experts. Further details are also available at www.intertradeireland.com/seedcorn.

SENIOR leaders from 18 top technology companies in Ireland met last week in IBM Ireland’s HQ in Dublin at the annual Connecting Women in Technology (CWIT) CEO forum. The group have been collaborating on a common goal of attracting, retaining and promoting females in the technology sector. The tech leaders were joined by Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton, who discussed the importance of promoting STEM and technology careers at school level and promoting female role models in industry – actions which will encourage young women into areas where females are currently underrepresented. Speaking at the meeting, Minister Bruton said: “I am always urg-

ing all of our young people, but especially young women, to consider a career in STEM [subjects] and I’m delighted to see senior leaders across the technology sector coming together today to encourage the same. “The vibrant technology sector we have here in Ireland is an important part of Ireland’s economic success.” Minister Bruton added that he was encouraged to see cooperation between the education and technology sectors in promoting inclusion and diversity. Over the past 12 months, in addition to their own diversity and inclusion programmes, CWIT member companies have undertaken a range of activities to improve gender diversity in their industry.

These include “IT is not just for geeks”, a programme that educates students and encourages girls in particular on the vast array of opportunities in the technology sector. More than 4,000 students were reached by the programme, and there are plans to expand this initiative in 2018. In addition, the STEM Teacher Internship programme, supported by CWIT and 30% Club Ireland, has facilitated 11 student teachers from the BSc Science Education in Dublin City University to complete 12-week paid internships in Accenture, AIB and Intel. There are plans to increase the number of internships next year, with IBM, Virgin Media and Vodafone set to facilitate placements.

BOI readies 17th Enterprise Week BANK of Ireland’s 17th National Enterprise Week Bank will see up to 26 events take place across the country. Taking place from November 17 to 24, the week is aimed at SMEs with an interest in growing their business. Each unique event has been carefully planned to support specific industry sectors with experts on hand to speak about

everything from trends, forecasts and opportunities to personal relevant business experience. The aim of the initiative is to promote and drive momentum for businesses in areas such as manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, agri, finance, fisheries and export markets. Three themed events will take place in Dublin, with True Blue in the Mansion House from

12:30 to 2pm on November 21; networking event Ready Steady Grow taking place in the Pavilion, Leopardstown from 8-10am on November 21, and Building Bridges to Your Market taking place in the Carlton Hotel in Tyrellstown from 7:3010am on November 23. Colin Kingston, Bank of Ireland provincial director said: “The events have been specifically

designed to bring together experts who are experienced in supporting business growth and who can deliver valuable information and forecast trends to drive further development for these important sectors.” For further information and to reserve a space, see: www.businessbanking.bankofireland.com/ campaigns/enterpriseweek/

16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

Out and About

Kim Moynihan, who received a Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology, with her parents, Tommy and Margaret

Sinead Pugh and

Aoife Dolan, who both graduated with a BA (Hons) in Psychology. Pictures: Robbie Reybolds

Celebrations as graduates step forward S

TUDENTS from all parts of the city, county and further afield brought their mums, dads, partners and pals along to an exciting day at the RDS recently, where Dublin Business School saw them complete their studies in style. The graduates were delighted to don traditional caps and gowns to collect their formal and precious paper scrolls, marking for most the end of study in a wide range of topics. From journalism to psychology, social science to psychotherapy, the delighted new graduates were ready for the next stage in their lives – after some serious celebrations with their friends, families and partners first, of course.

Carly Quinlan, from Howth, who received a BA (Hons)

Jack O’Connor, with his

Sarah Carson, Jamie Murphy and Sarah Louise McMahon,

in Psychology, and her husband, Paul O’Hanlon

BA (Hons) in Psychology

who all graduated with BA (Hons) in Social Science

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

Out and About

Niamh Heffernan,Dave Coleman, Natalia Gracz and Dave Mc Cabe

Serena Huggard and Anna Conaty

Emma Reynolds, Aoife O’Donnell,Mary McEnroe and Aileen

Fun for all at Dia de los Muertos T

Michelle McGrath and Lee Malone. Pictures: Julian Behal

O USE a very Irish phrase, “the craic was deadly”in the city centre recently when revellers marked Dia de los Muertos – the Day of the Dead. The Mexican celebration and remembrance of the dead is always a colourful event all around the world, and those celebrating at Number 9, Camden Street, threw

themselves into the spirit of the event with great enthusiasm. Proving much more colourful than that other recent holiday event, Halloween, the party saw lots of delicious Mexican fare whirl by – and margaritas flow – alongside plenty of live entertainment, all fleshing out what was a great night out for everyone.

Lauren Moran

Mannion

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18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

FEATURE

Pictured at the launch are Valerie Cox, author of ALONE: The First 40 Years, with service user Ann McCuley from Terenure, Minister of State with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly and service user Mary Connolly from Cork Street. Picture: Jason Clarke

BOOK LAUNCH | HISTORY OF ALONE, THE GROUP THAT SUPPORTS OLDER PEOPLE TO AGE AT HOME

Celebrating a charity’s significant anniversary  MARK O’BRIEN WILLIE Bermingham was a young man working as a fireman in Dublin in 1976. During that harsh winter, Willie and his colleagues found the bodies of a number of older people who had died alone in tenements across the city. Appalled at the conditions that these elderly people died in, Willie and his friends began to distribute food and blankets and offered support to the older people, which led to the founding of the charity ALONE the following year. Now a new book – ALONE: The First 40 Years - tells the inspiring story of the early years of ALONE, from Willie Bermingham’s selfless dedication to the people who followed in his footsteps, as well as the new challenges and issues faced by the charity today. Written by author and journalist Valerie Cox, the book is also a memo-

ry of the poverty, isolation and housing conditions endured by many Dubliners throughout the last 40 years. Valerie Cox said: “Working on this book gave me a first-hand account of the issues faced by older people in Ireland - whether it is loneliness, a lack of support, or housing. “A lot has changed since 1977, but ALONE is still needed today more than ever. “This book is dedicated to the unsung heroes of ALONE, those who continue to volunteer, donate and work to support the older members of our communities.” The book records the founding of the charity in 1977 and chronicles the charity’s achievements including the housing complexes it built and the thousands of people who have been befriended by the charity’s inspiring volunteers. Speaking at the launch of the book at the National Library of Ireland last week, Minister Jim Daly - who

Pictured at the launch is Patricia Larkin, sister of Willie Bermingham (founder of ALONE). Picture: Jason Clarke

has special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People – commended ALONE for the work they have done. “ALONE was founded in 1977 as a response to the desperate issues faced by older people in the city,” he said. “Today, ALONE continues to provide a very valuable service to older people throughout Ireland who find themselves isolated and alone. “I am delighted to be launching this book tonight in celebration of such an important and historically significant charity.” Valerie Cox has long given a voice to the voiceless in her work as a journalist and broadcaster and CEO of ALONE, Sean Moynihan paid tribute to her work on the book. “We would like to thank Valerie Cox for undertaking this project and producing such

a fantastic book that records the challenges and achievements of our organisation,” he said. “This is also a story of the joy and laughter between people, which friendship and support brings.” A number of older people who use ALONE’s services and feature in the book praised ALONE for the work they carry out in the community. Aideen Archibold, a tenant of ALONE’s housing with supports, said: “I am so grateful for the work of ALONE. “They’re such helpful, kind and cheerful people who also organise various events for us throughout the year. “The work they do is so necessary, and thanks to this organisation, I am very happy to have somewhere in Ireland that I can call home.” ALONE: The First 40 Years is available to purchase from Veritas Bookshops priced at €15.00.

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

OpenDays CONSIDERING YOUR FUTURE EDUCATION OPTIONS? GET A HEAD START AT SOME ...

ITB graduates Danielle Pugh, Niamh Crowe and Chloe Farrell celebrate after being awarded their Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sports Management and Coaching. Picture: Andres Poveda

INSIDE

COLLEGE AWARENESS WEEK FURTHER EDUCTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, AS THIS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS P21

WHY GO TO AN OPEN DAY?

DITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE WAY TO DO IT

VISITING WILL GIVE YOU AN INVALUABLE LOOK AT THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE P20

GREAT RANGE OF OPTIONS AT POPULAR THIRD-LEVEL INSTITUTION P22

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 21

OPENDAYS

Fast-track your career into the healthcare profession … work as a phlebotomist! NEXT April sees the return of Geopace Training to Dublin with their two day phlebotomy training course. An increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals has led to a shortage of allied healthcare workers, especially phlebotomists - the skilled healthcare professionals who take your blood. Demand is high within hospitals as well as many clinics and surgeries and offers a golden opportunity for that “longed for” career change! If you have good people skills, good manual dexterity and like the idea of working in a busy hospital or clinic, a phlebotomist job may be just the right job for you! Many people enter this profession when they are looking for a career change or a fresh start. Phlebotomists often work part time (mornings) but some do work full time as well as weekends and holidays.

Blood samples are usually collected before mid-day and then analysed in the Path Labs in the afternoon. “We train people from all walks of life and all ages,” explains Lauren, office manager. “We’ve had shop assistants, receptionists, beauticians and den-

tal nurses, as well as telesales staff, unemployed, school leavers and the retired,” says Lauren. Once on the healthcare career ladder ambition often drives people to progress to working in the labs and to other specialised

departments. Internal promotion is much easier once you are “on the ladder” and have some experience. Many hundreds of Geopace trainees are now working as phlebotomists and a few have even chosen to work abroad where there is often a shortage and growing demand for this specialised skill. If you like the idea of a career in healthcare then this may be just the job for you! Training takes place over two full days and culminates in the award of a nationally recognised and accredited certificate. “We practice on artificial arms”, says Lauren. “And all our students have a lot of fun learning. We get a great deal of satisfaction when we later learn that they are working in their local hospital or GP Surgery”. If you would like to know more about phlebotomy as a career or to book a place on the course in Dublin visit Geopace Training’s website at www.geopace.com.

College Awareness Week provides great opportunities for all

Why open days are important THE weeks ahead are very busy with open days and similar events that allow CAO applicants to better understand the courses in which they are interested, as well as experiencing the atmosphere of different institutions. Students have the opportunity to speak to lecturers and those already enrolled in the course. In this way, attending open days is an invaluable part of the research

process, and would-be students can get a feel for what the college has to offer. It may well be further off the beaten track than they would like, but it may be more suitable for their needs than one that is nearer to them. Open days can also be extremely overwhelming. Third-level colleges are large, busy places and, without proper planning and preparation, attendance can easily become a negative experience or a missed opportunity. However, there are a number of easy steps a student can take to get the most out of these opportunities ...

Prepare and research Before attending, students should take time to go through the college prospectus in some detail and carefully consider the courses in which they are interested, including the pros and cons of each one and the differences between one course and similar courses. It is important for students to make a list of everything they want to find out at the event, including what is involved in any subject with which they are not

familiar and how much class contact, practical work or group work is involved.

Know when they are being held It may sound obvious, but if students have not already done so, it is time to research when events of interest are taking place and create a personal calendar. Try not to be restrictive. It can be beneficial to attend as many as possible. This allows students to compare institutions more easily. Many colleges hold their open days on Fridays and Saturdays. Plan the day Before the open day, most institutions post extra information on their website, such as campus maps and lists and timings of talks and tours. Students should plan to allow time to attend the formal talks and tours, as well as time to soak up the college atmosphere. It is also important to visit the non-academic facilities such as halls of residence, gyms, sporting facilities as well as any artistic endeavours at the college, etc.

COLLEGE Awareness Week starts on Monday, November 20, with the aim of inspiring and informing students about the importance of having a post-secondary school plan. College Awareness Week is par ticularly aimed at students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as other marginalised groups that are underrepresented in higher and further education. T he objective is to ensure students of all ages and from all backgrounds know the educational opportunities that are available to them. Speaking at the launch of the event, Minister for Education Richard Bruton said: “This is a very positive initiative which has, as its aim, a vital objective: to increase participation in higher and further education by those from socially

disadvantaged communities. “Education has a transformative effect, opening doors that would other wise be closed.” College Awareness Week is a multi-organisational and collaborative campaign which invites communities acros s

Ireland to host events in schools, afterschool programmes, Colleges of Further and Higher education, training centres, libraries and businesses, among others. These community events aim to raise awareness of the opportunities available and to showcase local personal-

ities who have benefitted from further education. Now in its fourth year, the campaign has been a runaway success, with more than 1,200 events held across the country last year. Dr Graham Love, chief executive of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) said: “Equality of access to education is a key objective of the HEA and we have seen the huge success of College Awareness Week in helping to raise awareness of the oppor tunities that education creates. “We believe in the power of education to transform lives and create broad opportunities for people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Education cannot be the preserve of the few.” Further information on College Awareness Week events across the country can be found at collegeaware.ie.

ITB graduates proved the perfect cover shot OUR cover shot shows just three of the delighted students graduating from ITB recently, marking the culmination of their years of study at the popular institution. Open days provide an invaluable insight into the diverse academic, professional and social lives of institutions like ITB. The north Dublin institution has put itself on the academic map for many years, thanks to its diverse range

of courses that cater for a wide range of categories, with the award-winning college constantly revising its courses to stay up to date on trends. However, as with its contemporaries, open days are an invaluable way for ITB to engage with the community, and reach out to show prospective students the possibilities that studying at ITB affords – leading to more delighted graduates stepping out a few years later.

OPENDAYS

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20 GAZETTE 16 November 2017

Key CAO 2018 dates to take note of Chart: CAO

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

College Awareness Week provides great opportunities for all

OPENDAYS

Key CAO 2018 dates to take note of Chart: CAO

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22 GAZETTE 16 November 2017

OPENDAYS

THIRD LEVEL: A GREAT CHANCE TO TALK DIRECTLY TO CURRENT STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC STAFF

Making the most of your visit to DIT EACH year thousands of students attend DIT’s big open day events on the first Friday and Saturday of December and they say that the most useful aspect of the day is talking directly to current students and academic staff in the subject areas they wish to study. Frank Costello, head of admissions in DIT, says that doesn’t surprise him. “When you’re studying for your Leaving Cert, it can be hard to imagine what it might be like to come to college and to have the opportunity to work in science and engineering labs, or in art and media studios, or to participate in business case

study projects. “Talking to current students, in particular, is the best way to help you to figure out what you would really, really love to study and where that might lead you.” This year, DIT has added some additional sessions that might be particularly useful to students and to family members. For example, 30-minute study skills sessions could help in the months leading up to the Leaving Cert exams – how to concentrate; how to take notes that really help with revision; how not to procrastinate. There will also be ses-

DIT Design & Visual Communication 2017 graduate Clare Okura McCay with her graduation project; right: DIT Culinary Arts students

sions on minding your mental health, and specific sessions for parents of future students to give them information that will help them and their student son or daughter to make the transition successfully from second

to third level. For times of these sessions and how to book your seat go to dit.ie/ openday. While your reason for going to college is to gain your academic qualification, it is also a period in

KEEP

READING KEEP

LEARNING THE GAZETTE HAS REGULAR EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR KEEP READING TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL EDUCATION MATTERS

your life when you can explore so many interests – through sports clubs, student societies, volunteering, etc. Find out about all of these options too at the open day. DIT also hosts open

days for specific disciplines during the year, such as engineering, science and music. The first of these takes place on Friday, November 23 when the Dublin School of Creative Arts at DIT will welcome visitors

to view studios and facilities in the Grangegorman campus. The School will also hold Portfolio clinics on the day, students can secure their place by emailing creativearts@ dit.ie.

16 November 2017 GAZETTE 23

STYLE

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

Simple Micellar Cleansing Water €6

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation €19.50 Simple Micellar Facial Gel Wash €6

Payot Nutricia Baume Levres Lip Balm €18.50

La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Riche €23.99

IDC Deep Wrinkles Anti-Ageing Skincare €80

IDC Regen Boost Skin rescue Serum €62

Vichy Dermablend SOS Concealer Stick €13.50

THIS time of year is always tough on skin. The change in season, the drop in temperature, going from the cold outdoors to warm indoors and even hats and scarves rubbing off the skin can cause a number of problems. Chapped lips, dry skin, redness are common issues so a little helping hand from a few Winter Skin Saviours can ease the transition into winter, and keep your complexion bright and hydrated. Some tried and tested products we’ve been using so far this year include La Roche Posay’s Hydraphase UV Intense Moistur-

iser Rich – which provides care to hydrate, comfort and reduce skin sensitivity – and Vichy’s new Dermablend foundation, which provides 24 hour hydration with a light, long hold coverage that lasts for 16 hours. Prices range from €5 to €80, but if you find something that suits you, a more pricey investment can see you through the winter months.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Levres €8

Uriage Bariederm Soothing Repair Barrier Lip Balm €11

WinterWonders

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24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

FASTNews

Toyota launches diesel scrappage websit TOYOTA in Ireland claims that customers can see how much they will save by moving from diesel at dieselscrappage.ie, the new website created to help customers to see just how much they could save by scrapping their diesel vehicle and making the move to a Toyota hybrid car. The website uses a range of factors such as depreci-

Peugeot 3008 is voted Irish Car of the Year

The Peugeot 3008 was voted Irish Car of the Year 2018 in association with Continental Tyres as a special ceremony at Dublin’s Gibson Hotel last week. The overall winner, which was also the first SUV or crossover type car, to be named as the European Car of the Year, was chosen from a shortlist of nine category winning cars as MICHAEL MORONEY reports.

ation, road tax, NCT costs, fuel economy and servicing

Skoda’s new Kodiaq SUV was voted as the Irish Large Crossover of the Year

when calculating the savings. Toyota is the only brand launching a diesel scrappage scheme exclusive to hybrid where the diesel vehicle will have to be scrapped, delivering real societal benefits as hybrids emit up to 90% less NOx than diesel. The launch of the website coincides with Toyota’s upgrade to hybrid for free and trade in, trade up 181 promotions which make it even easier for customers to switch to a hybrid or petrol model

EU emissions targets are too high claim motor industry CAR manufacturers claim that the European Union’s 2030 call for a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions is both ambitious and too aggressive. The European motor industry representative body ACEA believes that this new goal goes beyond the EU’s wider climate and energy framework. The EU proposal calls for the reduction of 30% of average CO2 emissions by 2030 from car fleets compared with 2021 levels. It also sets an interim goal of a 15% reduction by 2025 to help ensure car manufacturers to kick start investment early. The EU’s current caps on CO2 from cars are 130g/km

The new Peugeot 3008 was launched on the Irish market in early February 2017. This new SUV to the Peugeot range features the latestgeneration Peugeot iCockpit with digital instrumentation as standard across the range. T he car combines driving efficiency with high-levels of safety and technological equipment. With a choice of five

trim levels, to include Access, Active, Allure, GT Line and GT versions, a wide range of both petrol and diesel engines is available. The 1.2-litre PureTech 130bhp turbo petrol engine, with CO2 emissions from just 117g/km, was voted International Engine of the Year in its category for the secondyear running, earlier in 2016. This engine is available with a 6-speed

manual gearbox or with Peugeot’s latest generation EAT6 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.6 THP petrol 165bhp BVA automatic has emissions from 129g/CO2. Four BlueHDi diesel engines are available, trim dependent, with CO2 emissions from 103g/km, and power ranging between 100, 120, 150 and 180bhp. The 2.0 litre BlueHDi 150bhp version is

matched to a 6-speed manual gearbox, whilst the 1.6 BlueHDi 120bhp version is available with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed EAT6 automatic gearbox. The range-topping GT version comes equipped as standard with a refined 2.0 litre BlueHDi diesel 180bhp 6-speed automatic. The new Peugeot 3008 is a stylish, safe and easy car to drive and comes with a range of advanced driver safety features as standard across the range. The entry level cars come with an impressive 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The base safety pack includes an electronic stability programme, 6 airbags, cruise control with speed limiter, speed

David Walshe and Michael Sheridan of the Irish Car of the Year Committee; Des Cannon, managing director Gowan Distributors LtdPeugeot Ireland and Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres at the presentation of Irish Car of the Year 2018 to the Peugeot 2008.

limit information with intelligent speed adaptation, driver attention alert level 1 and lane departure warning, along with two ISO-Fix seat fittings, as standard. The range starts from € 2 6 , 5 9 5 p l u s d e l i very related charges for the entry level model, the Access 1.2 130bhp PureTech petrol version. There were a total of nine category winners, all of which were in the running for the top honour. The 30 journalists on the voting panel elected the Peugeot 3008 as the Irish Car of the Year 2018 by a slight margin over the Skoda Kodiaq, another popular SUV.

set for 2015 and 95g/km fixed for 2021. The existing limits are averages for the EU fleet as

Kia’s Stinger joins

a whole. Individual car manufacturers have specific targets which are backed by financial penalties

The 2.2-litre diesel powered Kia Stinger will be available in Ireland in March 2018 priced at €53,00

THE new Kia Stinger, a powerful fastback sports car, was launched in Ireland last week. The final car production closely follows the design and engineering blueprint laid down by the 2011 Kia GT Concept. The Stinger is the highest-performance production vehicle in Kia’s history. The car features ample room to accommodate five occupants and their luggage. It’s stable and delivers nimble handling with rear wheel drive for true sports car driving ability. GT-Line models are finished with dark chrome

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

MOTORING

Subaru combines urban and rugged in new XV SUBARU’S XV crossover is now available to Dublin car buyers. This new compact SUV claims to combine stylish urban design and

SE models are equipped as standard with Eyesight, adaptive cruise control, hi-beam assist,

rugged good looks. The car is being

Subaru rear vehicle rear detec-

offered in two trim levels SE and SE

tion, automatic LED headlamps

premium with two engine specifica-

and headlamp washers, alloy

tions.

wheels (1.6 litre models – 17-inch

This new XV is built on the new

alloy & 2.0 litre models – 18-inch

Subaru Global Platform which

alloy), heated front seats, keyless

claims to enhance safety, ride com-

entry and push-button start, and

fort, and agility.

privacy glass, as well as a 8-inch

The Subaru symmetrical AWD

touch screen infotainment system,

system is standard on all models

incorporating audio, Smartphone

which claim enhanced drivability

connectivity and a rear view park-

on poor road surfaces and real SUV

ing camera.

capability. Subaru claims that the 2018 Subaru XV crossover is totally new from the ground up, inside and out and from top to bottom. The changes include a new platform with a new suspension system,

The category winners in the Irish Car of the Year Awards

passenger cabin.

a new Subaru Boxer engine and a new transmission. The car has a redesigned exterior

The system also incorporates Subaru STARLINK and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. SE Premium models add leather seats, satellite navigation, sunroof, and electrically-adjustable driver’s seat for added functionality. Subaru SV prices start at €33,495 for the new 1.6i SE Lineartronic CVT automatic, rising to €38,495 for

and claims a more spacious, more

the range topping 2.0i SE Premium

comfortable and more connected

Lineartronic CVT automatic.

Kia Picanto - Irish City Car of the Year 2018 Nissan Micra - Irish Small Car of the Year 2018 Honda Civic - Irish Compact Car of the Year 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia - Irish Medium Car of the Year 2018 BMW 5 Series - Irish Executive/Premium Car of the Year 2018 Peugeot 3008 - Irish Compact Crossover of the Year 2018 Skoda Kodiaq - Irish Large Crossover of the Year 2018 Toyota Prius PHEV - Irish Green Car of the Year 2018 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio - Irish Performance/Sports Car of the Year 2018 The new Subaru XV crossover

the high performance leagues highlights, for the ‘tiger-nose’ grille surround and front lower grille, side fender vents, and door mirror caps. 18-inch wheels complete the exterior design of GTLine models. Top-specification GT models feature the same dark chrome highlights and gloss black diffuser, complemented by larger 19-inch wheels, LED headlamps, dual twin exhausts and Brembro

disc brakes with red callipers. The Kia Stinger will be offered with either a petrol or diesel engine option and all models will be paired with eight-speed automatic transmission. T he engine anticipated to account for the majority of Stinger sales in Ireland is a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, capable of producing 200bhp at 3,800 rpm. Its maximum torque output of

440 Nm is available to drivers across a wide 1,750-2,750 rpm range, enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100km/hr in 7.7 seconds. The Stinger’s most powerful engine is a 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 ‘Lambda II’ petrol engine, with peak power of 370bhp arriving at 6,000 rpm, and 510 Nm torque accessible from 1,300 to 4,500 rpm.

BMW Ireland announces new sterling offers BMW Ireland has announced an unprecedented 9% reduction off every BMW model. As many Irish consumers look to 2018 to buy a new car, BMW is claiming to provide value, local expertise and peace of mind while protecting the long term interests of customers. This BMW ‘Sterling Sales Event’ offer is in addition to the Lower Emissions Allowance announced earlier this year by BMW Group Ireland which gives customers a further €2,000 off any BMW with emissions of 130g/km or less. The incentive is open to owners of diesel Euro 4 (EU4) emission standard vehicles or below who can trade-in their vehicle for a new BMW i, BMW iPerformance model or low-CO2 emission models. The promotional offer is available from now until the 31st March 2018 at BMW Retailers nationwide. For example the BMW 530e SE plug-in hybrid model now comes with €5,711 off the list price, €7,500 off in SEAI grants and VRT rebates, plus a potential €2,000 with the Lower Emissions Allowance dropping the price of this model to €48,249 (RRP).

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26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 16 November 2017

DUBLINLIFE

STEEL YOURSELF

MYTHS, WINE, HIKING AND DRAMATIC INDUSTRIAL WASTELANDS: WHY THE CZECH REPUBLIC’S EAST BEATS PRAGUE’S TOURIST CROWDS

 JAMES HENDICOTT THERE’S a long-standing joke in the Czech Republic’s second city, Brno. “We know wine,” they say. “We keep the best wine for ourselves. The mediocre stuff we sell to tourists, and the really bad stuff we send to Prague.” It’s fair to say the Czech Republic’s two main cities have quite a rivalry. A few years ago, Brno’s mayor spend a small fortune on building a modern-version of Prague’s spectacular clock in the city’s main square. It’s a phallic, towering, slowly-twisting statue that almost nobody can use to tell the time, and once a day it omits a strange glass marble, because ... nobody seems to be quite sure. It’s odd, largely

Vitkovice, once Europe’s largest steelworks, has found an unexpected new life as a hub for tourists and locals;

because the city doesn’t need to compete. If Bohemian Prague is home to the dark history and literary pretensions, laid-back Brno has a fastgrowing collection of its own unique lures. A once impenetrable walled city, its main attractions are in a compact hub – a spot that’s GET THERE Ryanair fly to Katowice (Poland), which is a short hop from Ostrava. Brno is a further two-hour train journey, or closer to Bratislava (Slovakia), also via Ryanair

become pleasantly alternative in the way it presents itself. Trams chug through the pretty, classical streets. Local bars consist of shacks selling hefty glasses from Moravian

vineyards, served in the open air around bubbling fountains. Cocktail bars like the magical Bar That Does Not Exist (Ktery Neexistuje, in the local lingo) have a menu of thousands of fiery, fruity concoctions made from a mind-boggling selection of boozy bottles. In fact, the general offthe-wall vibe to Brno is probably its main allure. An architect, for example, once got irritated by negotiations over compensation for his construction of the soaring Church of St James, and so adorned a window ledge with a fornicating, nude-bummed symbol who still rests there today. Then there’s the Brno dragon, adorning a tunnel in the city hall, said once

below: more rustic charms are to be found in the rolling hills near Ostrava. Pictures: James Hendicott

to have plagued the city (his modern incarnation looks suspiciously like an alligator). St James’s church’s relatively recently discovered ossuary is a creepy, claustrophobic series of

underground tunnels, home to wall-to-wall heaps of skulls and bones, while bunker 10-Z – a former secret Soviet underground bunker close to the city’s heart – might have jokingly-plastered

pictures of atom bombs on its walls today, but the other relics remind us of its deadly serious practical applications. While Brno tends to align itself culturally with Vienna (another snub to

capital Prague, we suspect), Ostrava, near the Polish border, is a totally different, if more rugged beast. This was once a Soviet metal-manufacturing heartland, and while it’s

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TRAVEL

Some of Brno’s former citizens wait out the ages in the ossuary under St James’s Church (above), while modern life – and the living – have a distinctly relaxed vibe around the city centre (left)

moved on to become something of a tech haven, the allure of those almost dystopian rusting hulks that are the former factories, and the modern adaptations of the ferric wastelands, is as surreal as it is enticing. The main draw is Vitkovice – a massive complex that once comprised Europe’s largest steelworks. Its towering empty shell soars over the city; a twisted maze of pipes and dirty warehouses that looks fresh from a dramatic war movie. At its heart, a climb to the top of the blast furnace gives you shaky views of the endless brown tubes that weave below. You can sip wine in a hard hat, eyeing up a train that’s rusting gently

into the knee-length grass 200ft below you, before exploring a cultural centre built into a former gas container. Rebranded Bolt Tower after the Jamaican sprinter won several key races STAY Brno’s beautiful Barcelo Brno Palace Hotel is housed in a gorgeous hollow historical building, with a glass-topped courtyard at its heart, and set right in the centre of the action. The Mercury Ostrava Centre offers a similarly historic hub, being smart, centrally located and carefully restored.

in the city over the years, the tour involves perilous strolls along metal paths with nothing but 100 metres of air beneath them. The theme continues

elsewhere: exploring the recently-closed mines around the city remind visitors of hardships. Miners here were paid well by most standards, but the grinding of the steam-operated machinery (still working) and the shaky lifts are just the adornments of a spot where you can also see the devastating medical records, and hear of times when the literal canary in a coalmine was still a necessity. Buildings like Dul Michal still bear the physical scars of a former life, in their simple markings like the wear on the stone staircases, as well as in the hook-filled rooms that once lifted miner’s clothes out of reach. Like Dolni Vitkovice, Dul Michael has under-

gone a transformation, and now hosts try-ityourself forges and a stark modern art gallery, hosted in a room where the windows are still marked with the paint designed to disguise the mine from bombs during World War II. Then there are the hills – the Pustevny slopes are filled with colourful wooden buildings and gentle sloping paths where you can uncover Radegast, the Slavic God

of hospitality. His chubby, horned statue guards hilltop snack shacks, where the beer of the same name flows, before you cruise the hilly roads to the base on board a souped-up, gravity-powered scooter. It might not be what you come for, but the city heartland is fast developing, too. Known for spawning Czech tennis great Ivan Lendl, and Oskar Schindler of Schindler’s List fame, it’s home

to grandiose, sweeping riverside parks, affordable high-end hotels, and manic nightlife in Stodolni Street, where party-tilsunrise bars serve cheap cocktails and pump out Euro-dance hits. There are hip graffiticoated streets bars tucked into tiny squares. Across the gentle river you’ll find a castle that’s slowly collapsing into the heavily mined soil, while kayakers make waves beneath bridges made from the

steel that used to sit beneath it. The pace of life is, it seems, dead slow. This sums up the East’s major draw: it’s not Prague. It’s not pretentious, but it is crammed with action; is cheap, adventurous, and markedly different. In Brno, the area has real class, while Ostrava has deep Soviet scars that have become a cleverly developed asset. This is Czechia, but not as you know it.

Chill out and relax in hip Ostrava Square, with the area largely overcoming the scars of a Soviet past to transform itself into a vibrant, modern setting

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Niall Murphy: Beetroot and Orange Cappucino I use the term “cappuccino” here to refer to the presentation of this starter, which serves four. I serve these in glass cups so that you can see the amazing deep ruby purple of the beetroot against the stark white of the froth.

Ingredients  Olive oil  1 onion, finely diced  450ml chicken stock  Zest and juice of one orange

Salt and freshly ground pepper  50ml full-fat milk 

Preparation  Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.  Brush the beetroots lightly with a little oil, then wrap them in tinfoil. Place them on a baking tray and roast for 30–40 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then peel and roughly chop.  Place a pan on a medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil and when the oil is heated add the onion and sweat gently until soft and translucent.  Add the beetroot and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

 Remove from the heat, add half the orange zest and the orange juice and blend with a hand blender. Pass through a fine sieve and return to the pot. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and keep warm on a very low heat.  Place a small pan on a low heat, add the milk and whisk constantly. As the milk warms up, a beautiful froth will form on the top.  Divide the soup between four serving glasses, spoon the froth on top to create the cappuccino effect and sprinkle with the reserved orange zest.

Cookbooks at the ready for top awards... THESE recipe excerpts are taken from some of the cookbooks that have been nominated in the EUROSPAR Cookbook of the Year category in this year’s Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards. These nominations include: Niall Murphy, The Cookery School, Donnybrook Fair, published by Mercier Press; Rory O’Connell, Cook Well Eat Well, published by Gill Books; Roz Purcell, Half Hour Hero, published by Penguin Ireland; Rachel Allen, Home Baking, published by HarperCollins; and The awards will take place on November 28, and you can vote for your favourite cookbook at www.irishbookawards.irish/vote/, with voting open until midday on November 23.

Rory O’Connell: Celeriac Fritters with Pears

 Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Celeriac, or root celery, as it is sometimes called, is a terrific vegetable. It make a marvellous soup, is great roasted or as a puree and is the essential ingredient in the classic remoulade, in which case it is eaten raw. The flavour of celeriac is milder and sweeter than the green celery we are more familiar with. These crisp fritters are served here as a main course (for four people) but would also be very good as a starter, in which case the recipe would serve eight people. I use peppery watercress sprigs and radicchio leaves here, but you could substitute a mixture of leaves.

Preparation  Make the batter for frying the fritters first. Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.  Add the olive oil and whisk in enough water to form a smooth batter the consistency of thick cream. Chill for 30 minutes, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg white.  Whisk all the dressing ingredients together. Taste and correct the seasoning.  When ready to cook the fritters, heat 10cm of sunflower oil in a heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless steel saucepan until it reaches 180°C, or if you have a deep fat fryer, that will work perfectly.  Mix the celeriac through the batter. Gently drop four large spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil and cook until crisp and golden brown on both sides, which should take about 10 minutes

Ingredients  Sunflower oil, for deep frying  120g celeriac (weight after peeling), peeled and cut into fine julienne, like long matchsticks  12 watercress sprigs  12 radicchio leaves

 1 ripe pear, cut in quarters lengthways, cored and thinly sliced  16 walnut halves  4 generous teaspoons homemade mayonnaise  28 capers

Batter  140g plain flour  Pinch of salt

 One and a half tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  100ml water  1 large egg white, beaten until quite stiff

Dressing  6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  2 tablespoons lemon juice  Half teaspoon honey

in total.  Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven. They will remain crisp for 20 minutes or so.  To serve, place the salad leaves, sliced pear and walnuts in a large bowl and dress with the well-mixed dressing. Divide between four plates and place a fritter on top of each salad.  Drop a teaspoon of mayonnaise on top of the fritters and scatter on the capers. Add a few grains of sea salt and serve

16 November 2017 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

Roz Purcell: Peanut Squash and Chickpea Curry You can blitz the leftovers of this curry (which serves four people) into an epic peanut and squash curry soup. All you have to do is add some vegetable stock to suit your slurping preference!

1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)  Salt and freshly ground black pepper  200ml water  1 tsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish cooked brown or wild rice, to serve  1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Ingredients  1 tbsp coconut oil  1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced  1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and spiralized  1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk  4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter  1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed  60g dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas, goji berries or chopped pitted dates  Two and a half tbsp good-quality curry powder (check to make sure there’s no added sugar)

Preparation  Melt the coconut oil in a wide-bottomed saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes before adding the squash. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  While this is cooking, put the coconut milk and peanut butter in a smoothie maker or small blender and blitz until no lumps are visible.  Now back to the saucepan. The squash will have softened but still have a bit of bite, which is perfect. Add the chickpeas, dried fruit, spices and some salt

 

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FOOD&DRINK and pepper. Turn up the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the water and let it boil for 2 minutes more before removing the pan from the heat.  Once the curry stops bubbling, pour in the coconut and peanut mixture and keep stirring until it thickens up slightly.  Ladle into bowls, garnish with the chopped fresh coriander and serve with the rice and a lime wedge on the side.

Rachel Allen: Salted Caramel Peanut Bars OK, these are not technically a bake, but they’ve earned their place in the book by being just generally incredible! The lovely biscuity peanut base is topped with a thick layer of chocolate studded with peanuts and sprinkled with sea salt, which ties it all together. This recipe makes about 18 biscuits.

Ingredients  100g (3.5oz) butter, plus extra for greasing  250g (9oz) digestive biscuits  100g (3.5oz) soft light brown sugar  250g (9oz) crunchy or smooth peanut butter  200g (7oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), roughly chopped  150g (5.5oz) tinned caramel, or boiled condensed milk (see tip)  30g (1.25oz) salted peanuts  A pinch of sea salt flakes  A 20cm (8in) square cake tin Preparation  Grease the base and sides of the tin and line with baking parchment. Put the butter in a small saucepan

over a medium-low heat until melted.  Put the digestive biscuits in a food processor and add the sugar. Pulse until the biscuits are reduced to fine crumbs. (Alternatively, put the biscuits in a plastic bag, tie the top and crush them with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and add the sugar.)  Add the melted butter and the peanut butter to the crushed biscuits and blend with the food processor, or mix with an electric beater, until they come together. Scrape down the sides of the food processor or bowl and mix again for a few seconds.  Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth it out using the back of the spoon. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.  Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring regularly for a glossy finish. Pour the melted chocolate over the biscuit base in the tin.  Use a teaspoon to spoon the caramel over the chocolate topping in blobs, then scatter with the salted peanuts.

Using a knife, or the handle of a teaspoon, swirl the mixture well to create a ripple effect, then scatter with a pinch of sea salt flakes.  Return the mixture to the fridge for 30 minutes to chill and set, then lift it out of the tin and cut into 18 bars to serve.  Tip: If you are unable to buy tinned caramel, you can buy condensed milk and boil it in the tin, unopened, in a saucepan of water for three hours. Make sure that you leave it to cool in the tin before opening. I often boil a few at a time and keep them for another time, as they will keep for a year, or even more!

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FastSport MCKINLEY KICKS KEY ITALY PENALTY: FORMER St Columba’s College student Ian McKinley kicked an important penalty on his international debut for Italy’s rugby team as they overcame Fiji for their first win of 2017. McKinley had previously been developed through the school and the Leinster academy before losing sight in his left eye following a stray boot in 2011. He subsequently retired and moved Italy, initially to coach rugby but soon started playing lower tier club games while developing a pair of protective goggles to allow him to play. Since then, he was signed up by Bennetton Treviso, impressing enough to be called into Conor O’Shea’s Italy side. Italy were 10-10 with Fiji at half-time before he scored a key penalty in their 19-10 win.

BASKETBALL: SWORDS CLUB TOO GOOD FOR GARVEY’S TRALEE WARRIORS

Swords cut apart Warriors to get back to winning ways

 sport@dublingazette.com

GRIFFITH College Swords Thunder got back to winning ways with a resounding 88-59 point win over reigning Champions Trophy holders Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in the men’s Super League. The win has them in second place behind the red-hot UCD Marian who have eight wins from nine outings to date. For Swords, Charlie Coombes landed 22 points, netting four of his five threepoint shots while all of his twopointers landed in a superb display of shooting. With Isaac Westbrooks making the play and Conroy Baltimore and Alex Dolenko pitching in with 13 points each. They led 50-33 at the break and pulled away further in the second half, ending a run of two losses in succession. UCD Marian fur ther affirmed their spot at the top of the table with a home win over Belfast Star 73-61 with Mike Garrow (18 points) and Conor Meany (17) doing most of the damage. It means they lead the table by three points from a clutch

Conroy Baltimore on the attack for Griffith Swords Thunder. Picture: Martin Doherty

of teams on 18 points – Sword Thunder, Black Amber Templeogue, Pyrobel Killester and Garveys Tralee Warriors. All have played a game extra, though, than UCD. Elsewhere in the division, a little bit of history was made Saturday evening as Maree snagged their first Men’s Super League win since their promotion from Division One. The

wait had finally ended for John Finn’s side as they recorded a 102-100 win over DCU Saints in Oranmore. A superb display from Maree and Irish international star Eoin Rockall saw him bag 36 points, and solid performances from Enda Walsh and Kenneth Hansberry helped to seal the victory for the home side. “We played very well and

matched up well against DCU,” said Maree head coach John Finn. “We have basically set ourselves up for the past few games so that when we got a game that was close we would actually win it. I think tactically, we got it right. “ Pyrobel Killester travelled to Cork on Sunday afternoon for a big clash against UCC Demons and came out with a

104-95 point win, thanks to top scoring from Royce Williams and Rodrigo García Ruiz. Over at Oblate Hall on Saturday evening meanwhile, Black Amber Templeogue launched a major comeback to take an 86-82 point win over Moycullen with Neil Randolph one of the stand out stars for the Dubliners on the night. In the Women’s Super League meanwhile, Courtyard Liffey Celtics maintained their unbeaten streak in the league with a 76-62 point win over Maxol WIT Wildcats at home on Saturday evening, with Jazmen Boone top scoring her side to victory. Pyrobel Killester recorded their fourth consecutive win when they overcame NUIG Mystics by six points in Galway. “Mystics’ record doesn’t really reflect how good they are,” said Killester’s Karl Kilbride. “But we prepared very well, we had a really good week in training and we knew what to expect.” DCU Mercy, meanwhile, held on firm despite the best efforts of Singleton SuperValu Brunell on Sunday afternoon.

Dun Laoghaire the new base for biggest Irish triathlon  sport@dublingazette.com

Action from last year’s Ironman 70.3 in Dublin Bay Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

THE IRONMAN 70.3 Dún Laoghaire triathlon has been confirmed for August 19, 2018 with general registration opening this week. The event will take the place of Ironman 70.3 Dublin on the 2018 calendar, making for a new chapter for the event at the coastal town which becomes home to the country’s biggest triathlon. The event is expected to attract close to 2,000 athletes from all over the world and will take athletes through and past the most

spectacular scenery in the area. The race features a 1.2-mile swim from Sandycove around the Martello Tower before taking athletes on a spectacular and challenging 56-mile bike course. The course travels through County Wicklow and the Wicklow Mountains National Park, its glacial lakes and rivers. Athletes will take in stunning coastal views and weave their way through the streets of the seaside town for the 13.1-mile run, before finishing with Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Dublin Bay as the backdrop. “Dun Laoghaire has become

a favourite amongst triathletes over the past few years for its pristine swim venue, breath-taking views and warm hospitality,” said Declan Byrne, Ironman 70.3 Dún Laoghaire Race Director. “Dún Laoghaire and provide athletes with a new and exciting course and a race experience to make Dún Laoghaire a race destination of choice across Europe and further afield.” An Cathaoirleach (Mayor) of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Tom Murphy, speaking on behalf of the Council said: “Dún Laoghaire-

Rathdown has a rich sporting heritage, a stunning location between the mountains and the sea, a high quality public realm and is perfectly suited to host a world class sporting event of the calibre of Ironman 70.3..” General registration can be made at www.ironman.com/dunlaoghaire70.3. Athlete inquiries may be directed to ireland70.3@ ironman.com. Ironman 70.3 Dún Laoghaire will offer 50 age-group qualifying slots for the 2019 Ironman 70.3 World Championship being held in Nice, France.

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McAfee continues to defy all bar own expectations SINCE turning professional earlier this year, Stephen McAfee has defied all expectations – except perhaps his own. The Sallynoggin super featherweight entered the paid ranks of Irish boxing with little elite amateur pedigree, but has almost instantaneously carved a reputation as one of Dublin’s most exciting fighters. With a background mainly in kickboxing and semi-pro fighting, McAfee needed something special to stand out among the dozens of new pros in 2017 – and stand out he did. Debuting in May, the former Monkstown amateur opened his account with a KO of the Year contender, flattening Poland’s Marcin Ficner in the third round having had him on the floor a number of times beforehand. That finish went viral and there were more than a few interested observers of his second fight in September and McAfee did not disappoint. Facing Hungarian Attila Horvath, the 26-yearold tore into his unsuspecting foe from the first bell and had the fight waved off within a round. Following a sustained attack to the body, the shell-shocked Horvath was carted off to hospital with broken ribs. A real character, McAfee joked afterwards how the early stoppage came as he was in dire need of a bathroom break and had to get back to the dressing rooms as soon as possible. With statements having been made in his two previous fights, McAfee has been rewarded with a big bout number three. The Jonathan Lewis-trained boxer will fight in one of the chief support bouts on the big ‘Celtic Clash 4’ bill at the National Stadium on Saturday, December 2. McAfee is well aware that he needs to be an entertainer alongside being a sportsman, and the Dub certainly has a swagger about him. McAfee described how: “You’ve got to be confident in this game and I don’t lack confidence. The more confident I am the better I perform. You always have to try and stand out and it’s great to get the stoppage for the fans. “You are thinking you want to steal the show a bit, but rounds are important too. I think after two knockout wins people will start to take a little more notice of me. The main goal was to get people talking about me and I think I did that.”

O’Brien stepping up at Celtic Clash opportunity Inner-city boxer continues his remarkable redemption story, fighting back from drug addiction and run-ins with the law, forging a fledgling life in the ring with an Irish title in sight  sport@dublingazette.com

CR AIG O’Brien will make his return to the ring next month following his maiden title victory, as his remarkable story continues with pace. Last month, the innercity light middleweight claimed the BUI Celtic title, and will look to round of a brilliant 2017 with a win at the National Stadium on the South Circular Road. O’Brien will fight on the Celtic Clash 4 card which is headlined by former top amateur and RTE pundit Eric Donovan who defends his BUI Celtic featherweight title against Juancho Gonzalez, while there is also Dublin grudge match between Dubliner’s Crank White-

house and Jay Byrne for the BUI Celtic welterweight belt. O’Brien’s star has risen exponentially in recent times following his title win against Frenchman Alain Alfred. Since this tough victory, which also played out at the National Stadium, the Northsider has been paraded at halftime at Dalymount Park during a Bohemian FC game and was given a civic reception with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. He is delighted with the recognition but is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. O’Brien notes how “I’m getting more recognition, it’s good. I’m a true believer that hard work pays off. “I’m not blowing my

own trumpet, but if you’re good enough to win it, why not fight for it? I’ll push on, eventually I want the Irish title next year. The recognition is coming with the hard work – but if you were to ask me is it a little bit big compared to others... yeah it’s definitely a little bit big! It’s all part of the game. “I’m still training hard. After the last fight I didn’t celebrate much, I was back in the gym training away and now I’m back out December 2. You get up early in the morning to run, and if you have the thought of why you’re running, the belt, eventually the Irish title, it gives you motivation to keep moving forward.” The boxing ring is somewhere you can’t rest

Craig O’Brien, right, from the Henrietta Street flats won the Boxing Union of Ireland Super Welterweight Title in the National Stadium last month. Picture: Ricardo Guglielminotti

on your laurels. Lives can change in a split-second with one punch, one mistake. This could be vividly seen in O’Brien’s last fight where he was floored heavily in the opening round. The Celtic Warriors Gym fighter though battled back to win on points. Reflecting on that fight, O’Brien says: “It was a good learning fight, an eight round learning fight. Being knocked down early on, some fighters can’t recover from it, some fighters get a shock, so it’s good to know that I can – which I don’t want to be doing again anytime soon. “All the hard work, all the sacrifices paid off there. Recovering from that knockdown, is all the graft I put in, all the training, all the eating well, all the dieting well, all the early nights and long runs, all that paid off. Getting knocked down and coming back to recover, you can say that at least I can do it – but at the end of the day, I shouldn’t have got caught in the first place. That’s the bit I’m annoyed with, but we’ll come back and learn.” Born and bred around the Henrietta Street Flats, being a champion boxer looked to be a million miles away for O’Brien at one stage. In his younger days O’Brien got mixed up in drug use and had numerous spells in jail, but turned his life around following the birth of his first child and his subsequent return to boxing.

O’Brien doesn’t shy away from his past, indeed it motivates him with the 28 year old explaining: “Does it help me? Yes, it does. If I think where I was when I was 17, 18, 19, it makes me one hundred percent stronger, seeing where I am now. That’ll help me in the long run, whether it be in a fight, a camp, or whatever. I’ve had tough times - and that’s through no-one’s fault other than my own, at that age you think you know everything. “Just as well I went to boxing at eight years old and I was half-decent at it. So I knew people around it and I was able to fall back in. Not that I said one day when I was 21 or 22, ‘I’m going to be a pro,’ that never happened. I just went to the gym to stay fit, stay active, and along the lines I met people, good friends of mine like my old trainer Niall Byrne, that shaped me into getting fit and becoming a professional boxer.” Celtic Clash 4 also features Sheriff Street’s Bernard Roe and East Wall’s Jake Hanney, as well as Colin O’Donovan, Vladimir Belujsky, John Joyce, Regan Buckley, Stephen McAfee, James Cahill, Martin Quinn, Dylan McDonagh, Thomas Finnegan, and Niall O’Connor. Tickets for the card cost €30, €40, €60, and €100 and can be purchased from Craig at 085 107 8220 or via Ticketmaster.

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SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: LEINSTER SNATCH INTERPRO TITLE WITH ULSTER DRAW

Glens corner double keeps good run rolling GLENANNE strengthened their position at the top of the men’s Hockey League as they fought off Railway Union at Park Avenue in a tie of plenty of chances but saw both Stephen O’Keeffe and Iain Walker make multiple saves. The Glens had two in the first two minutes, O’Keeffe denying Shane O’Donoghue and Gary Shaw hitting the post. Railway then had Simon McKeever in one-on-one while a top advantage from umpire Graham Hohn led to Eoin MacArthur thrashing a shot just wide. The second quarter was more structured, sitting in the handball phase for spells. Walker denied Will Fernandez on the slide with his face mask. Mark English was a classy performer throughout for Railway in a withdrawn role but he did get forward to smack an effort into the side of the goal before Glenanne closed out the first half with a trio of corners that O’Keeffe kept out. The Glens continued their run of corners with Stephen Brownlow taking on the shooting duties two minutes into the second half, a heavily deflected push that clipped a leg which wrongfooted the Railway keeper. Brownlow hit the post from another corner while Kenny Carroll took an O’Donoghue drag off the line. O’Donoghue did get his goal with a rocket to the top of the net in the 53rd minute. Railway, meanwhile, had several corners but none looked overly dangerous and Glenanne had their fifth win from six outings to date.

Tallaght club finally off mark GLENANNE’S women finally broke the shackles to beat Rathgar 5-1 in St Mark’s to end a run of five successive defeats by a single goal in Leinster Division One. Serena Rush started the scoring in the first 15 minutes with a drag-flick

Rachel O’Brien reacted quickest to another chance for 2-0 before Hannah Delaney delivered a lovely under the arm pass to Hannah Morrin who charged through and struck for the bottom corner. Delaney got a goal of her own to extend the lead before Gar got one back but Delaney snatched a second in the closing stages to complete the win.

The successful Leinster schools interprovincial side

Local quartet shine in blue sport@dublingazette.com

FOUR local players represented Leinster as they regained their Under-18 Boys’ Interprovincial title by remaining unbeaten from their three games at the AUL Complex last weekend. Having won the title in 2014 and 2015, they were edged out by Ulster last year but have returned the trophy to Leinster with the help of Kian Clarke from Moyle Park College, Alex Kelly from Maynooth PPS, and Sonny Conway and Jake Walker from Clondalkin’s St Kevin’s Community College. Walker proved the hero

as his penalty 15 minutes from time secured a 2-2 draw with Ulster to leave them sitting a point ahead of the reigning champions and Connacht, with Munster a further point behind. Leinster went into the final game knowing that a draw would be enough to take home the silverware but Ulster started brightly and tore into their opponents in search of the win they needed. They had a legitimate penalty appeal waved away by the referee after five minutes before Leinster took the lead when Colm Whelan slotted past Daniel Houghton in the Ulster goal.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR Peamount’s Barrett gets top WNL honour PEAMOUNT United striker Amber Barrett was the star of the Continental Tyres Women’s National League awards as she scooped the Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards. Barrett pipped UCD Waves midfielder Karen Duggan and Cork striker Clare Shine to the Senior Player of the Year award after a fantastic season. She is pictured with Eamon Naughton, Chairman of the WNL committee, and Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland. Picture: Eoin Noonan/Sportsfile

Whelan should have doubled their advantage minutes later but he could only find the side-netting. His miss was punished six minutes later when Ulster equalised through Michael Gallagher and the teams went into the break level. Like the first, Ulster started the second half well and took the lead 11 minutes after the restart with Gallagher’s second of the game. Ulster were now sitting on a result that would see them secure back to back titles but the referee dashed their hopes when he pointed to the spot. Walker saw his initial

effort palmed away by Houghton but he showed excellent reactions to pounce on the rebound. The remainder of the game turned into a somewhat sour affair that saw a number of rash tackles committed, with Walker and Ulster’s Corrie Lee Bogan given their marching orders. Leinster had kicked off their tournament in style with a 4-0 demolition of Munster. Clarke produced an excellent save to deny Munster from the spot after 33 minutes before Jack Ryan gave Leinster the lead from 18 yards just before the break. Walker doubled their

lead from the spot after 49 minutes and Ali Regbha made it 3-0 11 minutes later. The game was now all but ended as a contest and Leinster rubbed salt into the wounds late on with a fine goal from Lido Lotafa. The following day, Leinster played their second game against Connacht but it was a game for goalkeepers as both put on excellent displays to see the game end scoreless. Following their impressive performances during the tournament, all four local players now stand a chance of being named in the underage international squad.

16 November 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

GAZETTE

SOCCER: FRANCIS MAKING STRONG RETURN IN FAI CUP

FASTSport

Garda on the attack against RCSI. Picture: Martin Doherty

St Francis have made a positive start in the FAI Junior Cup since their return to the adult ranks.

Saints and Collinstown in free-scoring mode FAI JUNIOR CUP St Francis Newlands/Castle Park  sport@dublingazette.com

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ST FRANCIS FC marched into the fifth round of the FAI Junior Cup last weekend after recording a well-earned 4-1 victory over fellow LSL Major Sunday side Newlands/Castle Park FC at Baldonnel. The home side, one of the most famous amateur clubs in Dublin, reached the fourth round of the competition after making their way past McKelvey Celtic, while Newlands/ Castle Park progressed after an impressive victory over Howth Celtic. Former winners of the competition, St Francis got off to a good start but the visitors also looked threatening and it was the latter who took the lead after the half hour mark when Thomas McDonnell made an excellent run down the wing before crossing into the box. Liam O’Rourke was the first to reach the ball and kept his head to coolly finish past the keeper.

The visitors couldn’t hold onto their lead going into the break, however, as Jordan Hanley headed home a corner to bring the sides level. Francis enjoyed the better of the second half’s opening exchanges and took the lead when Peader Knowles slid in at the back post to turn home and excellent delivery into the box. Newlands responded well to going behind and managed to carve out a number of decent opportunities to equalise. The best of the lot came when Nathan Killeen got an effort on target but could only look on in despair as it was cleared off the line. J a m e s To n e r t h e n thought he had found the net but an excellent save saw his strike tipped over the bar. St Francis were next to score, however, to all but seal their win as they counter-attacked to devastating affect and Craig McEnroe’s strike from 18 yards found the back of the net via a deflection. Paul Caffrey then got in on the act to wrap up the

scoring late on. One potential opponent in the last 64 of the competition is Clondalkin outfit Collinstown FC who progressed to the fourth round by coming out on top 6-3 from a nine-goal thriller with Ely Woodlawn. The rearranged third round fixture saw Collinstown take the lead through Ian McNeill after 20 minutes. The visitors levelled 10 minutes later to see the two sides go into the break level after Collinstown squandered a number of opportunities to retake the lead.

Mikey Collins made it 2-1 shortly after the restart, however, before Daniel Matthews doubled Collinstown’s advantage two minutes later. McNeill then grabbed his second of the game but Woodlawn shocked the hosts with a quickfire double. That would be as close as they would come though as Dylan Clarke restored his side’s breathing space before Ger Short secured the victory. Collinstown will now have to beat Ardee Celtic if they are to enter the open draw alongside St Francis.

Collinstown are looking to back up last year’s impressive FAI Cup run

Garda shining on all fronts GARDA Westmanstown came out on on top on both the men’s and women’s side of things on a jam-packed Sunday on hom turf. First out, the ladies welcomed a strong Clondalkin side to Westmanstown and played the first half with a strong wind. The game was physical from the outset with both sides showing strong defence but it was Garda who crossed first when Orflaith Murray finished a well worked team try in the corner. Ciara McDonnell secured the conversion and at the half it was 7-0. The game continued to be a physical battle but it was Garda who made the most of possession with Aine Ni Cathain scoring. The game finished 12-0 with the Garda women back to winning ways maintaining their position at the top of Division 2. It was then the men’s turn to take the field against Royal College Of Surgeons. The game started well with Garda getting a penalty try awarded after a strong showing from the pack, dominating three scrum penalties in a row. Surgeons then fought back, scoring two tries on the trot. Garda composed themselves and finished the half 14-12 in the lead with a superb try by Declan Brady who tore through the Surgeons defence. Garda were again on the scoresheet when Enda Gormley reached over from short range. Garda then finished the game with two more tries, sealing the bonus point and securing second spot in Division 3 with a game in hand on leaders Ardee. Another solid performance from a team slowly growing into this league.

Andrews launches new SFAI Subway season FORMER Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews was on hand to launch the 2017/2018 Subway® Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland Championships. This is year two of the Subway®

brand’s three-year sponsorship of the inter-league competitions played at Under-12, 13, 15 and 16 age-levels, which are contested provincially before concluding with the national semi-finals and final. He is pictured with Cian Doyle, Endrice Avenbuan and Hugo Devine from Rathcoole FC at the launch.

GAZETTE

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 16 November 2017

SPORT

FOOTBALL: KILTIPPER MINORS EGDED OUT BY A SINGLE POINT

FASTGAA

Codd heroics not quite enough for Boden C side BALLYBODEN St Enda’s succumbed to Craobh Chiarain 2-8 to 0-13 in the ninor C championship final in Clonshaugh last Sunday morning in front of a big travelling support. Early scores from Ciaran Cashman man Malachy Codd had Boden 0-2 to the good before Craobh bounced back to score four in succession to lead by two at half-time. Two scores from Ciaran Cashman and one from Codd levelled the match at 0-5 each in a more open second half. Another four points were traded with Ben Kelly and Codd progressing the score to seven each. Craobh broke the game open with their first goal only for three wonderful Codd points to tie it at 1-7 to 0-10. The hosts added yet another goal, however, to move three up once again. Codd, en route to a tally of 0-7, reduced the gap to two with the clock ticking around to the hour. Enda Cashman then fired a rocket toward the Craobh Chiarain goal which the goalie managed to put over the bar with the final act, leaving Boden a point shy of parity.

The Thomas Davis minor footballers

Davis denied by Na Fianna MINOR A FOOTBALL FINAL Na Fianna Thomas Davis  sport@dublingazette.com

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THOMAS Davis suffered late heartbreak as they lost the Dublin minor football championship final after conceding a late goal to Na Fianna at O’Toole Park last weekend. T he K iltipper side held a four-point lead going into the last five minutes but left disappointed after a spirited

Na Fianna comeback saw them secure victory with a final score line of 1-8 to 1-7. Na Fianna side started the game strongly with James Doran grabbing the first two points. David Lacey then hit a free for Na Fianna before his teammate John Foley stretched their lead with a free of his own. In comparison, Davis could only manage a solitary point during the opening 15 minutes

Sean Currie was having a big influence on the game for Na Fianna but Davis star ted to come more and more into the game as the minutes ticked by. Adam Fitzpatrick, in particular, showed his class in front of the posts. With just a minute remaining of the first half, Davis delivered a blow to their opponents with a three pointer to leave the score at 1-4 to 0-5 going into the break. David Keogh was the

man who found the net after initially starting the move and finishing it off via a great pass from Mikey Keddy. Davis stretched their lead at the start of the second half before both sides split the posts over the following five minutes. Another point for Davis looked to have made the task too big for Na Fianna but they managed to reduce the deficit with a Lacey free before his goal really

threw the cat amongst the pigeons. It was an excellent side-footed finish to round off some fine work by midfielder Donal Ryan. Davis tried desperately to find an equaliser but time was quickly r unning out and Na Fianna were defending as if their lives depended on it. Eventually the final whistle was blown and an excellent encounter was brought to a close with neither team deserving to lose.

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S

WELL done to the U-15B football ers on taking the C shield football title. Best of luck to our U-15C in the shield D final this weekend. A big thank you to AIG and everyone who got involved in the Dublin Club Chronicles featuring Ballyboden St Enda’s. It was a great piece about the club and the community. The Annual General Meeting of the juvenile boys section will take place in the club on Monday, December 4 at 8.45pm sharp. All welcome. Climb for Clare is taking place this weekend - for more information, log onto www.

bodengaa.ie Submissions for the 2017 Boden News are to be sent to bodennews2017@gmail. com. Pictures ( high res only ) should be sent through wetransfer.

GARDA/ WESTMANSTOWN

HEARTBREAK for our gallant minor footballers who lost to St Pat’s, Palmerstown last Sunday morning at Westmanstown in the championship shield final. Leading by two points with time almost up, they conceded a goal to give victory to the visitors on a scoreline of 1-09 to 0-11. Congratulations to St Pat’s on their win. While our minors experienced

the agony of sport, it was ecstasy for our U-14 footballers who beat Man O War to add their league title to the Feile win earlier in the season, final score 6-11 to 2-6. U-11 boys hosted St Sylvester’s with three games played; the U-8 boys welcomed Crumlin with two games played; the U-9 hurlers took part in their first tournament at St Kevin’s and the U-10 girls beat Lucan Sarsfields in a very busy weekend for our younger teams. Congratulations to Liam Garrigan who played with the Dublin U-13 hurlers against Cork on Sunday. Tickets for the dinner and club awards night on December 1 are selling fast. Avoid disappointment and contact Janet Mitten or any of her

committee to book yours. The National Club Draw tickets are available for purchase from Paul Curtis and can be collected at the AGM which takes place next Monday, November 20 at 8pm in Westmanstown. As this season draws to a close, we look forward to 2018 and we invite new members to all our teams, adult and juvenile, for football, hurling and camogie. Membership is open to all both Garda and civilian and you will receive a warm welcome at Westmanstown. The club would like to extend condolences to Paul and Peter McCormack of the NYPD GAA club on the death of their father Peter Snr in New York. May He Rest in Peace.

LUCAN SARSFIELDS A SUCCESSFUL weekend on the field of play for the club with minor football claiming the championship shield, senior hurling getting ever closer to promotion and minor camogie progressing in the championship. The junior hurlers did lose out to St Jude’s but with Danny Sutcliffe scoring 1-14 of St Jude’s 1-18, it was a difficult task against an All Star playing junior hurling. U-15B football had a cracking home game against Round Towers, Lusk. Five points down with minutes to play, Lucan levelled the game, forcing extra time. In the end, Lucan etched out a one point win enough to win them promotion for next year. The senior hurlers now face Oliver Plunkett’s in their top four

promotion final. That game is currently scheduled for Sunday, November 19 at 11am at home, however that date may change. Live music continues in the bar on Saturday night. AGM 2017 will take place on Thursday, November 23 at 9pm in the club. The annual Mass for Deceased will take place on Thursday, November 16 at 8pm in the club. All club members are welcome as we remember the lives of those we lost this year. 25 Card Drive continues every Friday at 9pm. Caters for all levels, beginners welcome. The ‘Cúpla Focal’ club is on Monday from 8-9pm. Bingo is on Wednesday at 8.30pm where the jackpot is growing and attracting a lot more players. The club shop is scheduled to

16 November 2017 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

GAZETTE

FOOTBALL: CLONDALKIN CLUB BATTLE SOMERTON SIDE IN U-15 FINAL UNDER-13 FINAL

Towers’ Knock-out blow

U-15C FOOTBALL FINAL

Round Tower, Clondalkin 3-11 Castleknock 5-6  MICHAEL MCGLYNN sport@dublingazette.com

ROUND Tower suffered final heartbreak by the narrowest of margins after they lost the Under-15 C championship decider to Castleknock by a score of 5-6 to 3-11 at Blakestown Road last weekend. A late kick of the ball was all that separated the sides in an epic encounter that ran over 70 minutes. It was a tense opening to the game, with Towers starting the stronger but kicking three wides. Keeper Luke Geraghty palmed a goal-bound effort onto the cross bar but Castleknock recycled and the ball was palmed into the net. John O’Malley then found Sean O’Mahony in space to kick Towers’ first before Geraghty made another point blank save to keep two between the sides. Ciaran Courtney kicked a free for Towers af ter O’Mahony was tugged back, before Senan Walsh poked to O’Mahony and he cut in

from the right to point. Another palmed goal had Towers trailing again by three but Courtney responded with another free. A good team move finished by Aaron Curtis gave Towers their fifth point of the game, before Walsh grabbed the sixth with a great kick from the right. Walsh was involved again moments later to set up O’Mahony to give Towers a one-point lead going into the break.

Castleknock started the second half by kicking three wides in a row and they were made to pay. Sean McNabb intercepted a pass and was supported by the overlapping Jason Meehan who released to O’Mahony and from a tight angle he struck low past the keeper. That left Towers 1-7 to 2-0 clear but Castleknock responded with a goal and a point to level. Towers found the net

again, however, when Gareth O’Brien carried out from defence and Walsh created an opening for Curtis. His strike for a point fell short but Stephen Barry fielded and finished low to the net. Meehan then fielded and Walsh set up Barry to point with his left. Castleknock kicked two wides but got an important break when a free from the 40 was misjudged and found the Towers net.

Castleknock scored points either side of a Courtney free to bring the sides level once again and garnered momentum to kick another two points before their fifth goal set up the drama-filled finish. A remarkable three minutes of play saw Towers draw level but, seven minutes into stoppage time, Castleknock regained their composure and with Towers retreating, they kicked the winner from 30 metres.

Templeogue fight back for Division 4 victory TEMPLEOGUE Synge Street produced a wonderfully composed final performance to get the better of St Sylvester’s and claim the Under-13 ladies football Division 4 championship at Blunden Drive, winning out on a 3-14 to 4-4 scoreline. They had initially worked their way through the southside of the draw with wins over St Jude’s, St Mary’s Saggart and Foxrock Cabinteely in the group stages and inched past Robert Emmets in an epic semi-final in Bushy Park. Templeogue were on their way with an early goal and led by two points at the half-time interval only for Syl’s to take charge early in the second half with a goal, nudging them in front. A second Templeogue goal was quickly countered by Syl’s fourth goal of the day to keep the Malahide club in front. TSS, though, kicked for home and some fine scoring in tandem with tenacious defending gave them a four-point wedge, putting them in the clear, capping the day with their third goal in the final minutes, a magnificent way to end a cracking season.

The Round Tower Under-15 side

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

open on Thursdays from 7.30-8.30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 1pm. Lucan District Credit Union Academy is on Saturday, 9:30am for girls and 10am for boys (5+). Last week, there was no winner of the €13,800 lotto where the numbers were 2, 20, 24 and 27. This weeks €14,200 lotto draw will be managed by Seamus Clandillon and is sponsored by Colaiste Laichtin Inis Oir. Tickets can be purchased online, at the club, in Carey’s Newsagents, in Vesey Arms or Kenny’s Bar.

ROUND TOWER,

CLONDALKIN

OUR senior hurlers will face Scoill Ui Chonail in their AHL3 Final play-off next weekend. Throw-in is scheduled for 11am at Monastery Road on Sunday morning. Commiserations to our U-15 footballers who were defeated by a point against Castleknock in their championship final. Our hurlers did defeat Ballyboden in their league play-off semi-final with Good Counsel to be faced next weekend, with promotion to the second tier of Dublin hurling on the line. Round Tower AGM 2017 will take place in the clubhouse on

Saturday, November 25, commencing 5pm. Motions, recommendations and nominations can be submitted to the club secretary in a secure box behind the bar or by email – secretary. roundtowersclondalkin. dublin@gaa.ie. Only members who paid their membership on or before the GAA registration deadline of March 31 are entitled to vote. Details are available from our website: roundtower.ie. Round Tower lotto draw (November 6): Jackpot €3,200. Numbers drawn were 5, 6, 26 and 28, bonus ball was 8. No overall winner and no bonus ball winner. Three €100 winners:

Fionnula, Mary Dardis, K Cosgrove. Thanks to all who support the lotto. Bingo every Tuesday night in the club from 8.30pm. This week’s jackpot is €1,000 for a full house if checked within 47 numbers. Otherwise €20 for a full house. All in €2 to buy in, with game usually being €90 to €150. All welcome. Line dancing continues every Thursday and newcomers are welcome to participate. The beginners class runs from 7.30pm and improvers class from 8pm. Contact Linda at 086 8306740 for further information.

ST PAT’S PALMERSTOWN

SPECTACULAR weekend for St Patrick’s GAA Club on Sunday with two superb wins. Firstly, a super win for the minor footballers in the shield final with a brilliant one-point win over Garda following a last second goal. Well done to all and the best of luck to the lads that finished their minor career on a high. Then, our U-15 football team made our celebrations a double as they came back to win their championship on Sunday in great style; well done to everyone involved, what a great day for the club.

Thank you to the managers, the players, the parents and supporters and the St Patrick’s GAA club. This is what makes a club proud and happy to see the people who make these days possible through their hard work and, most of all, love of the game and reap the rewards of welldeserved success. Thank you to all those who attended first aid course held on Saturday in the club. It was well attended and feedback has been very positive. Thanks to our wellbeing officer Tom O’Connor for organising the day. Thank you to those who attended our Mass of Remembrance of our

deceased past members and friends of St Patrick’s GAA club on Sunday celebrated by Canon Tony. Our lotto numbers for this week were 4, 16,17 and 28. There was no winner. Next week’s jackpot is €5,800. Draw takes place every Sunday in the Palmerstown House at 10pm. Tickets are available from Supervalu, Manor Hair Studios, Palmerstown House, Chapelizod Post office and Mullingar House. Thank you to our lotto teams who give up their Sunday each week and to our sellers particularly Noel Fagan who as always has been one of our top sellers.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR WEST DUBLIN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 34-39

LEINSTER LEADERS: Clondalkin students play crucial roles in powering blues to interprovincial success P36

NOVEMBER 16-22, 2017

FINAL SHOWDOWNS: Single-point margins abound in seasonal deciders P38-39

Soldier boy Joyce earning his stripes  sport@dublingazette.com

HEAVY-hitting John Joyce will make his third professional boxing appearance on December 2 when he faces tough Pole Tomas Goluch at the Celtic Clash 4 night in the National Stadium as he looks to round off a thus-far flawless first year. A ten-year veteran with the Irish Army and a popular community man, Joyce has been bringing big crowds to his fights which are continuing to grow. And he notes how “tickets are flying out. I really appreciate all the support I’m getting, I can’t do this without a good following”.

The welterweight was a late starter in boxing, taking the sport up in his mid 20s and debuting as a pro aged 30 with little top level amateur experience. However, so far the Dubliner has made people sit up and take notice with two contrasting fights - albeit with two equally impressive performances. Debuting on the Celtic Clash 2 bill in May, Joyce electrified with a first round stoppage win over Patryk Jackowiak. Fight number two came in September, and Joyce was rewarded with a prominent contest against Belfast’s Jamesy Gorman. Nicknamed “The Chin”, Gor-

man is known for his durability however he was staggered multiple times by Joyce who eventually won widely on points. His is now set for a show headlined by former top amateur and RTÉ pundit Eric Donovan who defends his BUI Celtic featherweight title against Juancho Gonzalez, while there is also Dublin grudge match between Jay Byrne and Joyce’s sparring partner Crank Whitehouse for the BUI Celtic welterweight belt. For the former Lucan BC and Esker ABC amateur, he describes himself as “an aggressive fighter and I do like to come forward. “I think it’s quite intimidating for

a fighter to see someone like me who’s just relentless and just keeps coming, and I think I’m fit enough to do that, I’m going to have to. “I know quite well that, if I go looking for a knockout, it won’t come. It’d just irritate me. I’ll go out and box my game and whatever happens, happens. If it’s there, I’ll take it, it’s like a natural instinct now, if the body is open my hand just goes there. I love a body shot!” “Against Gorman, I wanted to prove a point. I am fairly unknown and was on a stacked card so I wanted to lay down some sort of marker. I thought I done well against him and I hurt him more than once.”

John Joyce lands a shot during his previous bout at the Celtic Clash 2 show. Picture: Ricardo Guglielminotti