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WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE SDCC AREA, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED  JANUARY 18-24, 2018

LEARNINGCURVE OUR GREAT GUIDE TO FURTHER LEARNING OPTIONS

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PUZZLINGTIMES OUR GREAT PUZZLES ADD UP TO SOME FUN TEASERS

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SPORT Clondalkin’s Towns Cup focus P40

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MAKE-A-WISH IRELAND NEEDS

YOU! Making dreams come true for seriously ill children – like an out-of-this-world trip to an American space centre for this Dublin lad and his family – is all in a day’s work for Make-A-Wish Ireland. Now, the charity is calling for hundreds of volunteer Dubs to give a few hours for its upcoming Wish Day, and help make dreams come true for some of the sickest children in the country ...

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‘VICTORIAN PRACTICE’ PLACES RESTRICTIONS ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS

Workers call for end to zero-hour contracts  MARK O’BRIEN A GROUP of building workers have launched a protest over what they are calling zero-hour contract practices which restrict their employment rights. The group have been protesting outside recruitment agency O’Neill

and Brennan in Ballymount since last week. The company supply workers to the building industry but protesters say that, due to the nature of the contracts, they are afraid to raise any issues out of fear of not being offered any further work. See P6

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OUTBREAK | RECORD NUMBERS OF PATIENTS WAITING ON TROLLEYS

Hospital slammed for giving adults beds in the children’s ward  MARK O’BRIEN

TALLAGHT Hospital was forced to move adult patients to a children’s ward last week to cope with increased demand due to the Australian flu outbreak. The Irish Nurses and Widwives Organisation (INMO) have reported record numbers of patients waiting on trolleys across the country – peaking at 677 on Wednesday, January 3. According to the INMO’s Trolley Watch, a total of 122 patients were waiting on trolleys in Tallaght Hospital between Monday and Friday of last week. This prompted hospital officials to temporarily reassign an eight-

bed paediatric facility due to the demand for adult beds. A hospital statement said: “This is a temporary measure and unfortunately necessary as all adult escalation areas and beds are in use. The beds in question will revert to the paediatric service in due course. “The hospital is making every effort to balance the demands of both adult and paediatric services. There were 29 adult patients on trolleys and no paediatric patients awaiting beds/on trolleys at 8am this morning. “The hospital would like to apologise to patients for any delays they may experience during this busy period.”

The move was criticised by Sinn Fein health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly. She said: “While all solutions must be explored in trying to stabilise the trolley crisis and reduce the overcrowding, it is really not acceptable to move adult patients into beds on a children’s ward. “Management at Tallaght Hospital took the move due to what they are calling an ‘unprecedented’ rise in numbers turning up to its emergency department. “While this is described as being a temporary measure, it is still wholly unacceptable that eight beds on a children’s ward now have adult patients in them. “Children and adult patients

are separated for good reason, least of all because paediatric medicine is a separate discipline to adult medicine. “The HSE charter on children’s hospital care stipulates that children and young people ‘… shall be treated with dignity and respect, tact and understanding at all times’ and that ‘the protection of the privacy of children and young people shall be secured at all times’. “I severely doubt if sharing a specialised children’s ward with adult patients constitutes dignity, respect, or privacy for children.” Tallaght Hospital confirmed that the unit reverted back to a paediatric facility on Friday.

FASTNews

Shop front design wins store top recognition CLARKEVILLE Arts and Flowers have been awarded €1,000 in recognition of the work undertaken to upgrade the shopfront design of its business premises at Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown Village. The award for Best Designed Shopfront was in addition to a grant received to co-fund the improved shopfront design as part of South Dublin County Council’s Shop Front Grant Scheme 2017. Mayor Paul Gogarty said: “I am very pleased to present Clarkeville Arts and Flowers with their cheque for €1,000 for the Best Designed Shopfront Award 2017.” Suzanne Keena, Manager of Clarkeville Art and Flowers said: “The Clarkeville building represents an iconic and cherished image in Palmerstown and the award made it possible to lovingly restore the shopfront to a standard befitting its historic location.”

New online service launched for medical card A NEW online service has been launched that allows people to apply for a medical card quickly and easily. The new website, mymedicalcard.ie, will allow users to find out if they are eligible for a medical card immediately, with applications will be processed within 15 working days. Applicants will be able to upload and scan documents quickly, and will be guided through each step of the process.

Community Text Alert groups get extra funding

You can count on these Lucan ladies

LUCAN women Julie Sheehan and Faith Byrne are pictured with Lisa Byrne after they were conferred as Members of Accounting Technicians Ireland at a special ceremony at the Talbot Hotel. The title was a tribute to the hard work the pair had put into their studies and they were delighted to receive a Diploma for Accounting Technicians. Picture: Fintan Clarke

THE Department of Justice has announced that they will provide an additional €50,000 in funding to support Community Text Alert groups. Welcoming the news, Cllr Brian Lawlor (FG) said: “The Garda provides information by text or e-mail to each registered ‘Community Contact’ who will then forward the information by text or e-mail to all members of their ‘community group’. “The scheme provides a faster exchange of information between the Garda and the public to support crime-prevention measures in our communities and I encourage all groups to make your applications through www.muintir.ie, by January 31 to avail of this year’s rebate scheme.” Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

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GAELSCOIL EISCIR RIADA | STUDENTS SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS IN ROBOTICS TO MINISTER

Richard Bruton goes loco for Lego with Lucan kids  MARK O’BRIEN

STUDENTS from Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada in Lucan had the opportunity to showcase their skills in robotics to the Minister for Education. Minister Bruton dropped in to the LEGO Education Innovation Studio on DCU’s St Patrick’s Campus recently to see the students’ work. Using LEGO WeDo robotics materials in their school projects, the 4th class students built an earthquake simulator, a Morse Code machine, a moon rover and a windmill. Frank O Tormaigh, the students’ teacher, recently completed an MEd on the development of children’s computational thinking skills using LEGO WeDo 2.0, under the supervision of DCU’s Professor Deirdre Butler.

He said: “These computational materials are now being used from 2nd to 6th class in Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada and it is envisaged that the children’s 21st century skills will improve year on year through increasingly complex interaction with the materials.” Leon Mac Sandais and Oisin O Fearail tested the stability of five different houses with the earthquake simulator to examine why some structures stay standing longer than others. Robyn Nic Raghallaigh (10) and Ruby Nic Fhlionn (9) spelled out Christmas vocabulary from a list to see if the other child can understand what word is being communicated through Morse Code. Lauren Ni Sheallaigh (10) and Anna Ni Campion (10) programmed a robot to collect rock samples from

the moon. The samples are laid out in a course and the children have to attempt to write an algorithm which will collect all samples. Sean O hAonais (10) and Donnacha Mac Fiaich (9) independently built a fully functioning windmill to show how children can construct their own artefacts from scratch. Using computational materials such as WeDo gives children an opportunity to have an object to think with then they are solving problems, collaborating, designing artefacts and analysing their work. The ability to link these materials with the Science Curriculum brings learning to life for the children as well as exposing them to designing algorithms and learning how to programme.

Minister Bruton gets a look at the work done by students Robyn Nic Raghallaigh and Ruby Nic Fhlionn from Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada. Picture: Maxwell Photography

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Out and About

Sean, Danny, Cillian and Fran Breen with Joyce Thornberry

Cllr Francis Timmons with Keeva and Teegan Timmons. Pictures: Simon Peare

Lots of laughs at Clondalkin panto T

HERE was lots of laughs and giggles from people of all ages as Clondalkin Drama Group took to the stage at the Bawnogue Youth and Community Centre for their panto, Sleeping Beauty and the Fabulous Fairies. The amazing cast were terrific and kept the audience delighted with great gags and colorful characters. The show runs until January 21 so don’t miss out.

Emily Cruise, Chloe Lennon and Aoibheann Kerins

Rhona Kerins, Liam Scanlon and Tommy Michelle and Enya O’Donoghue

Carroll Kerins

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Out and About

Kaya Murphy Massey and Hannah Spencer

Sophie Mulvaney and Faye Maguitie

Luke Kavanagh with Alex, Callum and Ellie May Lee Higgins and Tara, Derek, Glen and Sadhbh Hollywood

O’Brien

Max and Katie Massey

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BALLYMOUNT | CALL FOR EMPLOYERS TO LISTEN AND NEGOTIATE WITH WORKERS

Workers launch protest over zero-hour contracts  MARK O’BRIEN

A GROUP of building workers have launched a protest over what they are calling zero-hour contract practices which restrict their employment rights. The group have been protesting outside recruitment agency O’Neill and Brennan in Ballymount since last week. The company supply workers to the building industry but the protesters say that due to the nature of the contracts, they are afraid to raise any issues on-site out of fear of not being offered any further work. One of the protesters, Keith Troy, told Dublin Gazette: “Basically what’s happening is, because we’re on zero hour contracts, we can’t even raise health and safety issues on the sites because if we do, what the builder is doing is the builder rings up the agency and says ‘listen, this fella is complaining, send us over somebody who won’t complain’. “So you get left at home then for a day or two, or in some cases weeks on end without any pay because

we’re on a zero hour contract.” Keith said that some labourers were being sent to sites to carry out job that they were not qualified to do. “The companies, after a few days, can tell these men are not qualified and they’re just kicking them off the sites. “Some of these lads are afraid to refuse to go out to the sites because they won’t get any other work.” There has been a steady increase in building firms using recruitment agencies rather than directly employing labourers since the financial crash of 2018. People Before Profit TD Brid Smith said that she fully supported the protest and called for an end to the “Victorian practice” of zero-hours contracts. “Firstly, I call upon the employers here to listen and negotiate with these workers, she said. “It is not acceptable that workers should have to work and live with such precarious and low hours contracts in 2018. “There has been a huge increase in bogus self-employment, while

163,000 are in a job where their usual hours vary from week to week. “We have fewer permanent jobs now than 2008. This protest highlights the continued failure of this Government to actually defend ordinary workers from this kind of Victorian practices. “This is an important stand for all workers and

I urge the trade union movement to get behind these workers.” A spokesperson for O’Neill and Brennan said: “O’Neill and Brennan recognises and engages constructively with all staff unions and is currently engaging on matters raised by three staff. “Staff safety is and always has been of para-

mount importance for O’Neill and Brennan and that is reflected in robust health and safety processes and an impeccable safety record. “O’Neill and Brennan is highly regarded within the construction industry as a fully compliant, ISO accredited, specialist recruitment agency. Agency staff benefit from pay and

conditions of employment, including pension entitlements, on par with leading employers in the industry. “At any given time, upwards of 80% of the agency’s workforce work a full five day week, often on projects of long duration providing significant clarity, certainty and stability of income and working hours.”

FASTNews

Cost of cleaning illegal dumping CLONDALKIN Sinn Fein Councillor Mark Ward has called figures released on the cost of cleaning illegal dumping by South Dublin County Council as shocking. The cost to the council over the last three years has been in excess of €4 million. Cllr Ward said: “Illegal dumping is an epidemic within our communities. The dumping negatively impacts on all aspects of our lives. “This behaviour is affecting our quality of life and is having a bearing on the mental health of people living in the areas affected.” The figures show an average of €1.3 million per year was spent on removing illegal dumping across South Dublin County. “This is money that could be spent on enhancing the community,” said Cllr Ward.

Fairtrade comes to Clondalkin

The group protesting outside recruitment agency O’Neill and Brennan in Ballymount

Calls for a dedicated bus stop at Red Cow

 MARK O’BRIEN

THERE have been calls for a dedicated bus stop to be erected on the grounds of the Red Cow Luas stop. Sinn Fein councillor for the Clondalkin area Mark Ward has tabled a council motion requesting that Dublin Bus and Transdev reroute bus services within the grounds of the Red Cow Luas stop. Cllr Ward said: “At the moment

Dublin Bus does not provide a direct service into the Red Cow Luas station. The nearest bus stop is quite a distance away. “This bus stop is in an isolated area, is very dark at night and mornings and does not have any shelter. “A number of constituents have raised this issue with me, as they feel that the bus stop is too far away and they feel quite vulnerable at night and early mornings. “The LUAS is a brilliant service

and with the addition of the cross city LUAS it is even more so. “But it does not cater adequately for the people of Clondalkin. A lot more people would feel comfortable using this service if there was a direct link into the Red Cow LUAS station.” Private bus operators already run buses into the Red Cow Luas stop and Cllr Ward said that as this was a case, it should prove relatively easy to reroute some Dublin Buses through the stop.

FAIRTRADE Fortnight is set to take place in Clondalkin from February 26 to March 11. The fortnight features a range of community events, including bake offs, an art competition and a Fairtrade coffee event. Member of the Clondalkin Fairtrade committee, Cllr Francis Timmons said: “With Fairtrade you have the power to change the world every day. “With one simple choice you can get farmers a better deal. “Clondalkin is the first Fairtrade town in South Dublin County council and we are very proud of that. “Now we would love to see South Dublin County council as a Fairtrade County.”

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CLONBURRIS | LOCAL COUNCILLORS EXPRESS RANGE OF CONCERNS

Substantial changes submitted for SDZ  MARK O’BRIEN

SOUTH Dublin County councillors have submitted a raft of motions suggesting changes to the proposed Clonburris SDZ. There were over 600 submissions lodged by members of the public prior to the publication of the Manager’s Report on the project in December, with residents citing concerns over issues such as public transport and housing density. But many councillors expressed disappointment that the report did not differ in any substantial way from the original plan. Councillors had until Sunday (Jan 14) to submit motions proposing alterations to the plan. Dublin Gazette contacted all councillors in the Lucan and Clondalkin areas to ask them what they would like to see changed on the plan. Cllr Francis Timmons (Ind) said: “I have many concerns about the proposed SDZ and will be pushing and supporting several amendments. “The need for housing both affordable and social is one of my main concerns. Traffic and community facilities are also vitally important and

that their concerns are not being addressed. “The plan is now in the hands of county councillors who will have the opportunity to table and

Cllr Ruth Nolan Cllr Mark Ward

vote on amendments in January.” He added that he would like to see an increase in social housing in the SDZ. “26% of the land zoned for development in the SDZ is council land,” he said. “We will be at a minimal seeking 26% social housing in addition to 10% of the remaining properties through the Part 5 planning process.” Cllr Madeleine Johansson (PBP) said: “I have submitted two motions relating to traffic, the first one comments on the

Cllr Madeleine Johansson

Cllr Francis Timmons

must happen in conjunction with the delivery of housing.” Cllr Mark Ward (SF) said: “The Manager’s Report was very disappointing. The changes that were suggested were minimal. “People and groups that made submissions feel let down by the process and

the lack of a Luas running to the area. She said: “I’ve called for the Luas and for

method of using 2011 traffic data for projections and suggests that at the earliest possible time a new report should be produced using the 2016 census data, which will more accurately reflect current traffic and travel behavior. “The second motion suggests that the Lucan Luas should be included in the Phasing scheme in order to ensure that public transport can sustain a growing community.” Cllr Ruth Nolan (Ind) also raised concerns about

the National Transport Authority to be called into the council to ask what is their plans with the Luas.” Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) said: “I have met with several residents groups. At a meeting in 2017 in which at least 100 – 200 residents attended, several concerns were raised. “Residents in Alpine

Cllr Trevor Gilligan

and Ashwood are particularly concerned about access in and out of Ashwood. “Proper infrastructure and more importantly, transport needs to be addressed by the council. This will bring a lot of traffic to Clondalkin so I am hoping for a positive response.” Cllr Emer Higgins said: “FG are asking that Kishogue Train Station is opened before development begins and for phasing to be linked to the delivery of key infrastructure projects. “We are also seeking stipulations around the height of new dwellings adjacent to existing homes to ensure existing residents aren’t overlooked. “FG are asking for the pepper-potting of social housing at the current rate of 10% and for social housing plans to be cognisant of the exiting social mix of adjacent established estates to ensure a diverse and inclusive mix throughout the overall area.

Deputy John Curran, Catriona Mc Clean, Senator Gerry Horkan Cllr Emer Higgins

“To us this includes specific homes for older people who may be seeking to downsize. “ T h e G ove r n m e n t is currently devising a new affordable housing scheme and, personally, I don’t think we need to wait until this is finalised before making a statement of intent that this SDZ should cater to private purchasers who wish to live in Clonburris and couldn’t otherwise afford to.” Cllr Higgins and Cllr Nolan also highlighted the need for a fire station. The motions will be debated at a series of public meetings on January 26, 29, 30 and 31 at the council offices in Tallaght.

Developments in Adamstown MEANWHILE there have been a number of new developments in neighbouring Adamstown. The construction of the sports hall and community centre building along with the adjoining all weather pitch is very well advanced and should be open to the public in the first quarter of this year. All 142 homes in The Alderlie development have also been sold. A spokesperson for developers Castlethorn said: “Alderlie was launched in October 2016 and sales to date have been very strong – all 142 homes placed on the market have now been sold. “Of those, approximately 85% have gone to first time buyers, with 110 residents now in occupation, and the balance to follow shortly.

FASTNews

“The first phase of 57 houses of St Helens launched in July 2017 and sold out quickly. 39 or over 68% were priced at €300k or under, a critical price point for FTB’s in a location within 10 miles of and with excellent transport links to Dublin City Centre. “The total scheme of 135 houses is made up of 10 x 4 beds, 119 x 3 beds and 6 x 2 beds with the majority going to FTBs. Homeowners moving in in Quarter1 2018. “Somerton, which consists of 246 larger trade-up family homes, was launched in the autumn. Again, sales and interest have been very strong. “In total, Castlethorn are looking at delivering 500 plus homes in the short to medium-term – with a pipeline of additional developments due to come on stream after that.”

Curran selected as FF candidate for next election CURRENT Fianna Fail TD John Curran has been selected as the Fianna Fail candidate for Dublin Mid-West in the next general election. Speaking at the Fianna Fail selection convention in The Lucan Spa Hotel County Dublin last week, Deputy Curran said: “I am honoured to have been selected as the Fianna Fail candidate to contest the next general election in Dublin Mid-West. “It is a privilege to be selected once again by the Fianna Fail organisation in Dublin MidWest.”

Tallaght Hospital launches patient and visitor app TALLAGHT Hospital has launched its new patient and visitor app – the first Irish public hospital to do so. The app provides users with access to information on many of the services available at the hospital including hospital facilities, wards and site map, visitor information, news and updates on the hospital and its work. The app is free to use, available on both iOS and Android, and can be downloaded from the App store or Play store respectively.

Free personal supports to help smokers to quit

SMOKERS of all ages in the South County Dublin Council area are being urged to take up free personal supports being offered to help them quit in 2018. Local TD and Independent Minister, Katherine Zappone said smoking remains one of the biggest threats to health and those who want to give up should be supported. “New Year, Ash Wednesday and Lent are when most people attempt to quit smoking,” she said. “It is not easy. Smokers need the support of family, friends and the state agencies promoting health during this time. It is important that libraries, council offices, GP surgeries, health and community centres in Tallaght, Rathfarnham, Citywest and throughout the South Dublin County Council area are used to get the message out that help is at hand.” It is expected that during 2018 a further 30,000 people will attempt to quit smoking.

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PALMERSTOWN | PROJECT ALSO WON THE IRISH RESEARCH COUNCIL AWARD

Right royal win as students triumph at Young Scientists  MARK O’BRIEN STAFF and pupils at the Kings Hospital school in Palmerstown were celebrating after two students tasted success at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. Dylan Bagnall and Richard Beattie came first in the Intermediate section of the Biological and Ecological category. T heir project, Identif ying bats from the roost using an inexpensive raspberry pi detector and PCR, also won the Irish Research Council award. A spokesperson for the Kings Hospital said: “A huge congratulations to Dylan Bagnall and Richard Beattie for coming 1st in the intermediate section of this year’s BT

Dylan Bagnall and Richard Beattie with their project. Picture: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

Young Scientist competition in their category Biological & Ecological Sciences. “With over 80 projects in their category - what an achievement.

“They also impressed the Irish Research Council and won their award for outstanding research. “T he students received huge suppor t from their

teacher, Ciaran O’Connor and many staff members and we are extremely proud of all their hard work and dedication. “We hope that the boys’ success will encourage many more students to enter the Young Scientists as it benefits them on so many levels.” Richard, who plays the clarinet and Dylan the saxophone in the school Jazz Band, also received a visit from former pupil, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who congratulated them on their success. This was the 54th staging of the Young Scientist Exhibition. The overall winner was Simon Meehan, aged 15, a Transition Year student from Colaiste Choilm in Cork, who

took home the top prize for his project entitled, Investigation into the antimicrobial effects of both aerial and root parts of selected plants against Staphylococcus aureus. The boys said: “This was an absolutely fantastic experience where we got to meet loads of people and also show off our work(which took many a late nights to complete!). “At the exhibition our project was very well received and for it we won first in our category (Intermediate group Biological and Ecological sciences) as well as an award from the Irish Research Council. “Overall we had a an amazing time at this exhibition and can’t wait to go back next year.”

FASTNews

Council commits to fix pool floor CLONDALKIN Sinn Fein Councillor Mark Ward has welcomed news that the council have committed to fix the moveable floor in the Clondalkin Swimming Pool within the next six weeks. The floor has not been working the last eight months and has had an impact on the various clubs and individual swimmers. The fixing of the floor will see the area for swimming increased from 17 meters to 25. Cllr Ward said: “The parts are currently being fabricated and a dive team have been organised to fit them. “I will be keeping the pressure on the council to make sure that this timeframe is met and that the people who use the swimming pool will be able to use it fully.”

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Out and About

Getting 2018 off to an active start Janet O’Sullivan, Jennifer Crawley, Siobhan Tighe and Caroline Byrne

Molly McShea, Aoibheann McShea and Hetty Murphy. Pictures: Simon Peare

CROWD of hundreds of all ages and abilities took part in the Operation Transformation walk at Griffeen Valley Park last week. This event was part of a national initiative to promote the message that walking is a fun way for people to get active as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Therese, Alan, Ryan and Hannah Farrell Caoimhe O’Connor, Niamh Egan and Sarah O’Connor.

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Out and About

Cian and Joseph Doyle

Jean Carpenter, Bernadette Smith and Linda Brennan

Dara and Sophie Keegan

Martina Farmer, Lisa McGivern and June McGivern

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GAZETTE

DUBLINBUSINESS Telecom companies in focus for awards Plenty of food for thought as exports soar to new heights REPORT | DESPITE CHALLENGES, 2017 SAW IRISH FARE HIT €12.6 BILLION

SWITCHER.IE has announced the nominees for this year’s annual Switcher.ie awards. The 22 awards give Irish consumers the chance to have their say on the services being provided by the nation’s telecoms companies. Now in their fifth year, the awards also shine a light on the best broadband and TV providers and products in the Irish market, as well as highlighting the best of the mobile industry too. Virgin Media leads the way in the broadband and TV categories, with 15 nominations, while Vodafone is nominated in all seven mobile categories. As the only customer-voted awards of their kind in the country, the awards serve to highlight what customers think of their provider’s performance across a range of areas such as technical support, customer service and TV content. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in The Marker Hotel on Thursday, February 1. A full list of broadband award categories and nominees is available at https://switcher.ie/broadband/ awards/, while the mobile award categories and nominees are at https://switcher.ie/mobiles/awards/

Design industries preparing for this year’s Showcase A SPOTLIGHT will be shone on the city’s leading design businesses at the upcoming Showcase 2018 – the 42nd annual creative expo that focuses on a diverse range of creative industries. Designers, manufacturers and craftspeople from throughout Dublin city and county will present their latest collections at Showcase at the RDS from Sunday, January 21 through to Wednesday, January 24. The trade-only Showcase expo is an international launch pad for the 450 Irish designers, manufacturers and craftspeople who unveil their new season collections across fashion, jewellery, home and giftware at the annual expo, which also provides a particular emphasis on new products to market, providing retailers with opportunities to discover and stock up on the latest design-led products, many of which are unique to the show. Specialised trade buyers from across the world are drawn to Showcase each year, making the event not only a testament to the unique offering of Ireland’s vibrant design and craft sector, but an invaluable marketing and networking tool for the city, county and country’s creative industries.

IRISH food, drink and horticulture exports increased by 13% in 2017, to reach €12.6 billion for the first time. The figure increases to €13.5 billion when non-edible products, such as forestry, are included. Speaking at the launch of Bord Bia’s Export Performance and Prospects 2017-2018 report, Michael Creed – the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine – said: “Bord Bia’s report provides valuable insights into the sectors and markets behind the very welcome 13% increase in the value of food and drinks exports to €12.6 billion. “Industry, in line with my department’s market prioritisation strategy, is continuing to diversify, with exports to international markets reaching €4 billion for the first time. “Trade with the UK, which remains our most valuable market, has grown in overall terms, despite the difficulty presented by Brexit and a weaker Sterling.” According to the Bord Bia report, last year’s export perfor-

Graphic: Bord Bia

mance was driven by a surge in dairy exports to more than €4 billion (+19%). Sales of Irish beef are up 5%, which represents a fifth of all exports, at almost €2.5 billion. Notable growth was also recorded for prepared foods (+17% to €2.2 billion) and beverages (+8% to €1.5 billion). Bord Bia’s chief executive, Tara McCarthy, said: “In terms of yearly growth rates, the dairy sec-

tor grew by almost 20% to reach €4.02 billion, confirming its position as the number-one exporting sector. “Within the dairy sector, the value of Ireland’s butter exports rose by a remarkable 60% this year alone, to reach €879 million.” On a more cautionary note, McCarthy also highlighted the currency risk that remains for all sectors, especially those such

as horticulture and prepared consumer foods that are hugely dependent on the UK market. She said: “Sterling volatility, combined with slower economic growth, food inflation and lower wage forecasts, will put further pressure on the UK market as an export destination. “These prospects provide an additional incentive for Irish exporters to explore new markets within the EU26 and beyond.”

RESEARCH | INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL PROJECT INSTIGATED

UCD announces €4m AI centre collaboration with Samsung

THE Insight Centre for Data Analytics at UCD has announced the launch of a new and collaborative €4 million artificial intelligence research project with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the multinational electronics

company headquartered in South Korea. The project is a joint initiative between researchers at UCD, NUI Galway, UCC, DCU, and other partner institutions. T h e € 75 m i l l i o n Research Centre is fund-

ed by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and a wide range of industry partners. The collaborative AI research project will leverage deep data science and AI expertise at the centre to help enable Samsung to

create ‘smarter’ products and more personalised experiences tailored for its customers and users. A key feature of this collaborative project will be the transfer of research skills between staff at Samsung and UCD.

In addition, there will be career placement opportunities at Samsung’s research facilities in the UK and in South Korea for the pool of computer and data science students from the centre.

DUBLINLIFE

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GAZETTE

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13

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

APPEAL: DUBS ASKED TO NOMINATE SOMEONE EXTRAORDINARY FOR PEOPLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Help celebrate unsung heroes  MARK O’BRIEN DO YOU know someone who does extraordinary things that really make a difference to their family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues or local community? This is your chance to have their unsung heroism acknowledged live on TV, thanks to The People of the Year Awards. Held in partnership with Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio 1, the awards organisers

are looking out for local heroes and ordinary people who do extraordinary things in Dublin. The team behind Sean’s show are calling out to Dubliners to nominate their heroic partners, friends, parents, neighbours and co-workers that deserve some national recognition. The winner will be honoured at the 43rd People of the Year Awards, organised by Rehab Group, which will be held on March 3.

Sean said: “Some of the most extraordinary people I have interviewed over the years are the unsung, everyday heroes. “So, if you know someone you’d like to nominate, please nominate them today.” Ireland’s ‘Ever yday Hero’ can be of any age, from any walk of life and from any part of Ireland but there is just one criterion – they must be really special to be considered. They can be the essence of Dublin’s community

spirit, or they could be the person who puts everyone else before themselves and never asks for thanks. All the nominations will be considered by the adjudication panel and will be announced live on the People of the Year Awards TV programme on RTE One on Saturday, March 3. Mo Flynn, chief executive of Rehab Group, said: “We have vital and important services for people with disabilities around

the country, including Dublin, and we see heroes in communities every day. “Ever ybody knows someone who is always doing something for others. These people often go unrewarded and unrecognised. “This is a chance to say thank-you to them in a unique way, so please nominate your Everyday Hero for a People of the Year Award.” To nominate your everyday hero, log on to peopleoftheyear.com.

Sean O’Rourke gets some enthusiastic help to launch The People of the Year Awards from ‘nurse’ Elianna Martin, ‘garda’ Rian Duane, ‘fireman’ Alex O’Reillyhall, and ‘soldier’ Leah Murray. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

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DIARY

COMPETITION: USE A SPLIT SECOND (AND JUST A FEW MOMENTS LATER) TO SUBMIT A PRIZEWINNING PIC

Snap to it if you think you’ve got a perfect photo for top contest DUBS who think they have the perfect pic are invited to submit their super snap for a new Instagram competition. Huawei’s now annual The Snapys have been reimagined as Huawei Creatives, with this year’s competition offering the overall winner a chance to attend an exclusive trip to South by Southwest – a world-renowned creative festival – in Austin, America this March. Last year’s Snapys reached more than three million interactions, with this year’s competition adding two new awards: The People’s Choice, and The Judge’s Choice. The initial 20

shortlisted in each of 13 categories will be narrowed down to a category winner who will receive a Huawei Mate 10 Pro phone, while an overall winner will then be chosen by an international judging panel. To enter, all you have to do is upload your image using #huaweicreatives and the relevant category hashtag, with the full listings and fur ther information available at www.huaweicreatives.ie.

ISPCC CHILDLINE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS IRELAND’S only 24-hour listening ser vice for children, ISPCC Childline, is now recr uiting

volunteers in Dublin. An information evening for prospective volunteers will take place at the Dublin offices of the ISPCC (at No 30 Baggot Street Lower), at 6.30pm this evening, Thursday, January 18. Ever y year, more than 400,000 calls are made to Childline’s phoneline, as well as live text and webchat services. Volunteers who help Childline listen to children do not need any prior qualifications. They receive comprehensive, ongoing, training and support before they take their first call and for the duration of their time as a Childline

volunteer. For further information on becoming a Childline volunteer, see ispcc.ie/ volunteer, email Jennifer. Farrelly@ispcc.ie, or call the Dublin office at 01 234 2046.

FREE LECTURES ON MENTAL HEALTH ISUES AWARE, the national organisation providing education and information around depression, bipolar disorder and moodrelated conditions, has announced the next three talks to take place as part of its lecture series. The topics covered will be Medicine and My Mental Health, Understanding and Managing Anxiety,

A shot by previous Huawei Snapys winner, Liz Stowe, who was sent to Shenzhen last January to capture nine images over a week. This year’s Snapys winner could be sent to Austin, while category winners will receive a top of the range phone.

and Gambling Addiction in Ireland: Current Status and Future Directions. The lectures cover mental health-related topics including depression, bipolar disorder, stress and mood disorders. All lectures are open to the public, are free of charge, and can also be watched back at aware.ie. The Aware Lecture Series is held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm in the lecture theatre, Swift Centre, St Patrick’s Hospital, James’ St, Dublin 8.

PUBLIC TO HAVE SAY IN XPOSE AWARDS

XPOSE has teamed up with Benefit Cosmetics to host the first ever Xpose Benefit Awards, which will honour the best of talent across the entertainment, fashion and beauty industries. The categories include Best Beauty Influencer, Best Session Make-Up Artist, Best Male T V Star, Best Female TV Star, Best Fashion Stylist, Best Wave Maker, Best Irish Designer, Best High Street Range, Best Male Star of the Big Screen, Best Female Star of the Big Screen, and Best Session Hairstylist. Judges include Xpose producer Debbie

O’Donnell; Lou Bennett, head of marketing, Benefit Cosmetics; presenter Darren Kennedy; photographer Barry McCall; presenter Sean Munsanje; former editor in chief of Image Magazine, Melanie Morris, and Irish Independent fashion editor Bairbre Power The nominees include Amanda Byram, Amy Huberman, Graham Norton, Simone Rocha, Paul Costelloe, Pippa O’Connor, Michael Fassbender, Ruth Negga and Saoirse Ronan. The public can vote for their favourite nominee in each category via Xpose. ie. The winners will be announced on February 1.

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PUZZLE PAGE SUDOKU - EAZY

CODEWORDS

SUDOKU RULES

Codewords are like crossword puzzles - but have no clues! Instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number! To start you off, we reveal the codes for two or three letters. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

SUDOKU - TOUGH

WORD SEARCH Find the following hidden words background blur close up contrast depth exposure film flash focus lens model negative print push processing shoot shutter tint trigger tripod viewfinder zoom

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FORGET TO CHECK NEXT WEEK FOR THE SOLUTIONS TO THIS WEEK

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17

Out and About

Siobhan Trodd and Orna O’Donoghue

Roisin Flannery

Hannah Hillyer

Laura Woods with Sarah Reynolds. Pictures: Brian McEvoy Photography

An organised book launch L Jana Stevenson

Fiona Bury and Caitriona Fleming

AURA Woods officially launched Ireland’s leading professional Organiser, Sarah Reynolds new book Organised: Simpleways to declutter your house, your schedule and your mind at Hodges Figgis Bookshop on Dublin’s Dawson Street last week. Organised, which is Sarah’s first book, centers around the old adage that life would run more smoothly if your home was organised.

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FEATURE

CHARITY: 500 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP FUNDRAISE FOR A SPECIAL DAY

We wish you’ll help to support sick kids  STAFF REPORTER

MAKE-A-WISH, the international children’s charity founded in the US in 1980, is on the look-out for 500 local volunteers in Dublin to help make its upcoming Wish Day the best one yet. Since arriving in Ireland in 1992, Make-AWish has granted wishes for more than 2,000 brave children, with the granted wishes providing some magic for the child, providing respite from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment. Now, the charity is looking out for 500 Dublin volunteers to help Wish Day on Friday, March 9, a great success. As Make-A-Wish Ireland’s flagship fundraising day, the day has grown and grown since starting in 2013, thanks to the Make-A-Wish volunteers and the support of the general public. Last year’s event raised more than €120,000 and was vital in enabling the

charity to grant 221 wishes in 2017 – more than in any previous year. Volunteers are asked to give just a few hours of their time to sell wristbands in their local supermarket or shopping centre, helping to raise much-needed funds for the charity. This will enable MakeA-Wish Ireland to fulfil its simple aim – to grant the wishes of children aged between 3-17 who are living with life-threatening medical conditions, and enriching the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since 1992, Make-AWish Ireland has granted wishes for more than 2,000 brave children across the country, while last year in Dublin alone the charity made wishes come true for 46 children living with illnesses such as cancer, cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. One such Dublin child whose wishes came true include nine-yearold Daniel Barrett from

Walkinstown, who is living with a brain tumour. Make-A-Wish granted Daniel’s wish to visit NASA by organising a truly magical visit for him and his family to the Johnson Space Centre in Texas. Daniel’s life-changing visit included meeting real-life astronauts and even walking on NASA’s replica of the International Space Station. The family had VIP access to the old mission control room, and witnessed astronauts training underwater. D a n i e l ’ s m o t h e r, Orlagh, said that the family will never forget the trip and that “it was a real, once-in-a-lifetime experience!” Making wishes come true can have a hugely positive impact on a child and their families, giving strength, hope and joy. Research shows children who have wishes granted are more likely to build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a serious illness.

Walkinstown lad Daniel Barrett, who is living with a brain tumour, had his wish come true with a dream trip for him and his family to the Johnson Space Centre in Texas, thanks to Make-A-Wish Ireland

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

‘Research shows children who have wishes granted are more likely to build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a serious illness’ ---------------------------------------------------------

This improves their quality of life and produces better health outcomes. However, Make-AWish does not receive any government funding and is solely dependent on the generosity of the general public to continue granting wishes to children. According to Make-A-

Wish Ireland, children’s wishes can range from being a princess for the day or meeting their hero, to going on a once-in-alifetime family holiday. Wherever possible, the child’s family is invited to share in the wish experience, creating lasting memories for all the fam-

ily, the wider local community and all of those involved in granting the wish. Calling on Dubs to volunteer for the day, Make-A-Wish Ireland’s chief executive, Susan O’Dwyer, said: “Children with life-threatening illnesses need your help – your precious gift of time this Wish Day will enable us to make wishes come true for seriously ill children when they most need strength, hope and joy. “We have granted almost 2,200 wishes for Irish children, which would not be possible without the support of the

Irish public. “A few hours from the people of Dublin on Friday, March 9 to help raise valuable funds will make wishes come true for more children in your community.” On Wish Day, Friday, March 9, the Make-AWish volunteers will be selling wristbands and transfers, costing €2 each, at locations all across Dublin, with 100% of proceeds going to grant wishes for children living with life-threatening illnesses. To volunteer, see www. m a ke aw i s h . i e / w i s h day, or contact Daragh at 01 205 2011, or email daragh@makeawish.ie.

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19

STILLORGAN COFE P21

ITB P22

ASDFSDAF P27 ITT P24

LEARNINGCURVE Whether you’re a first-time student or want to boost your existing qualifications, there’s a lot to learn about college life – luckily, Dublin Gazette has everything you need to know



GAZETTE

DFEI P20

Key CAO dates to note... Fee Dates Early online application (discounted)

€30 January 20, 5:15pm

Normal online application

€45 February 1, 5:15pm

Late online application – restrictions apply

€60 May 1, 5:15pm

Change of Mind – restrictions apply

Nil

Exceptional online late application

€60 July 22, 5:15pm

July 1, 5:15pm

Take the time with your CAO choices – but don’t panic if they don’t work out

NEXT STEPS

We have info on some of the best colleges to help you keep learning SEE INSIDE

WITH time running out for students looking to apply for a college place or university course through the CAO application process, Dublin Gazette’s Education Supplement provides comprehensive information for people looking to enter third level education in 2018. This is one of the most important decisions that you are likely to make in your life, to date, so it is of utmost importance that you are as fully informed before you choose what college and courses you wish to take. There are many pitfalls associated with going to college and we hope to smooth the way for you. You will find information about open days and a wide range of courses available. We also advise and inform students about how to navigate the choppy waters of applying for CAO and how it works – not forgetting the all-important information on dates and fees, as they set their sights on a third-level course that could shape their lives for the next few years and beyond. However, not everyone will end up with the Leaving Cert results required to book a place in their chosen course, and it’s important that those unfortunate to lose out don’t despair. You will also learn about PLC courses and the exciting news that Computer Science has now been added to the Leaving Certificate curriculum. There are also tips for people applying for jobs and the problems you are likely to encounter along the way. Wishing you all the very best of luck, whatever path you end up on!

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LEARNINGCURVE

A real buzz about further education in Dun Laoghaire

YOU may not immediately notice the DFEi building on Cumberland Street in Dun Laoghaire because it is situated in the quiet end of the town. However, there’s a completely different feeling

once you pass through its automatic doors – a feeling of buzzing energy, with students going to and fro as they attend the DFEi’s classes. With learners of all ages and from diverse back-

grounds drawn together, DFEi’s students all seem to be on a personal mission, with a dizzying range of courses to suit all interests. As just some examples, would-be media students

have everything from a sound studio for recording to DFEi’s very own radio studio, The Wave (at 107.8fm) to get involved with, alongside contemporary journalism studies. Others may be learning

FUNDING

€27.5m boost for education THE Government’s

announcement of a €47.5 million increase in funding for the higher and further education sector in Budget 2018 will also make €310 million available by 2021 to address the infrastructure needs of the sector. With its strong record in academic excellence coupled with a student-focused approach to education, see for yourself why DFEi in Dun Laoghaire has established itself as a superb centre of learning

in the lab, with everything from dissections to veterinary assistance skills to get to grips with. Meanwhile, business learners can get to grips with everything from computerised payroll to databases, with office administration learners acquiring the languages of medicine and the law. These are just a few examples of DFEi’s wide range of courses, with it catering for the creative and the practical alike with a true commitment to meeting its learners’ needs. W hether hands-on learning in furniture making and restoration, and musical instrument making and repair demand the tools of the trade, or more people-focused studies for the security learners, DFEi’s broad range of courses with a common

mental skills and survival techniques that will put them on the ladder to a third level qualification in their chosen area. As every student doesn’t learn in the same way or at the same pace, if you have particular learning support requirements, they will be met at DFEi. As you’d expect, DFEi’s courses are also designed to meet current industry standards, adding another impressive reason to study there. To find out more, come along to DFEi’s upcoming information day on Wednesday, January 24, from 10am – 4pm. The DFEi will be only too happy to offer advice and guidance about the courses on offer, as well as giving you the chance to view the facilities, and get a feel for its inclusive educational environment.

Computer Science set to be added to the Leaving Cert STUDENTS from 40 schools will be first to start

tion of problems, and how computing technology

studying Leaving Certificate Computer Science

impacts the world around us. Announcing the new subject, Minister for Edu-

The introduction of Computer Science as a

cation Richard Bruton said: “The introduction of

Leaving Certificate subject is part of the Gov-

this new subject will teach our young people flex-

ernment’s overall commitment to embed digital

ible, solution-orientated thinking.

technology in teaching and learning.

“It will teach them to be creative, adaptable

The announcement is one of a range of that

learners. It will increase the number of students

have been outlined in the STEM (Science, Tech-

taking up computing and STEM courses and

nology, Engineering and Maths) strategy and

apprenticeships after school, leading to a highly-

Action Plan for Education, which aims to make

skilled workforce.

Ireland the best education and training service in Europe by 2026. The move will focus on how programming and computational thinking can be applied to the solu-

Reform, Paschal Donohoe, said “continuing investment

goal of helping everyone achieve their purpose is all in a day’s work. Something else helps DFEi to really stand out – the connection between its teachers and learners, with one-to-one conversation and individual engagement a core part of the DFEi experience. Whether offering reassurance, explanation or clarification, news about work experience or progression with an assignment, its teachers are truly committed to helping each and every learner. If, for whatever reason, you do not get enough points for your chosen third level course, consider spending a year in DFEi – it’s a tried and tested way to get a place in college through its many defined progression routes. Learners are taught in small classes the funda-

from this September.

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and

“I’m delighted we were able to bring the introduction of this subject forward to this year as I think it is an important and timely addition to our education system.”

in education remains a priority for this government”, adding that the sector was vital for the Irish economy. A decision is still to be made on a new higher education funding model, following a €36.5 million increase in funding to the sector in the previous budget.

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Stillorgan draws students in to prepare for the future STILLORGAN College of Further Education has been a specialist centre for further education/postLeaving Cert courses since 1986. During this time it has developed an enviable reputation for its delivery of further education programmes. The college offers a range of practical courses that develop the necessary skills for the workplace or to progress to further study in institutes of technology or universities. The college is innovative in providing courses that meet the current

needs of industry. One of its new courses is a Level 5 course in illustration and design. This exciting course introduces students to the wide-ranging discipline of illustration and helps them gain an improved understanding of the possibilities of image-making. A second new course for 2018/2019 is a Level 6 course in photography. This course builds on the long-established and successful Level 5 course in photography. Another recent addition to the list of courses is a Level 5 course in ani-

Stillorgan College of Further Education’s Level 5 course in animation is just one of the diverse range of creative courses giving it an impressive reputation

mation. This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third-level course in animation production. With a dual focus on

drawing and computer skills, the course covers all the fundamental areas required for a successful portfolio submission. One of the longest

established courses in the college is the art foundation course. This course provides tuition in areas such as drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics and combined materials. The college also offers Level 5 and Level 6 course in multimedia and web development. Also on offer is a travel and tourism course with airline studies. This course prepares students for work in all areas of the travel industry. Courses in media production, journalism and Level 5 and 6 courses in computer skills for busi-

ness round off the extensive offering of courses in the college. The staff of the college have extensive industry experience in their respective fields and are dedicated to ensuring that, whether aiming to move to higher education or entering the employment market, students leave the college with every skill necessary for the future. For further information about the courses available in the college, see www.stillorgancollege. ie, or visit the college on Wednesday, January 24 for its information evening.

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21

FUNDING

€27.5m boost for education THE Government’s

announcement of a €47.5 million increase in funding for the higher and further education sector in Budget 2018 will also make €310 million available by 2021 to address the infrastructure needs of the sector. Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, said “continuing investment in education remains a priority for this government”, adding that the sector was vital for the Irish economy. A decision is still to be made on a new higher education funding model, following a €36.5 million increase in funding to the sector in the previous budget.

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LEARNINGCURVE

Stillorgan College of Further Education’s Level 5 course in animation is just one of the diverse range of creative courses giving it an impressive reputation

mation. This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third-level course in animation production. With a dual focus on

drawing and computer skills, the course covers all the fundamental areas required for a successful portfolio submission. One of the longest

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LEARNINGCURVE See first-hand ITB’s superb course range ON MONDAY, January 29, the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown will host an online Q&A session aimed at persons applying for a course to the CAO this year. Taking place from 11am to noon, and again from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, this session is a great opportunity to get all your questions answered by an expert team from the institute’s admissions team. Simply log on to www.itb.ie/askitb to participate on the day. If you would like to see ITB’s state-of-the-art campus in person, an open evening takes place on Tuesday, April 17 from 5pm to 7pm. Academic staff and students from all courses will be present on the night to assist you with any ques-

The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown’s upcoming online Q&A session, and open evening later this year, are great ways to learn about its excellent courses

tions you may have about applying to college, and this event is highly recommended if you are unsure of what course to choose. The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown offers a wide variety of full-time and part-time

courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Programmes include Applied Social Studies, Business, Computing, Creative Digital Media, Engineering, Horticulture, Social and Community Development, Sports Management and

Early Childhood Care & Education. Applications for part-time courses will open in March. Recently, a brand-new programme, entitled “Learn & Work”, was launched. This innovative higher education model combines training along

with work placement and aims to provide jobseekers with an opportunity get the necessary training and experience to ready them for the workplace. Students on this course will be offered work placements in a variety of prestigious companies where they will be coached by industry experts. Two programmes are currently offered under the Learn & Work programme: • BSc in Process Instrumentation & Automation • Higher Certificate in Science in Computing in Networking technologies Applications for Learn & Work are made directly to ITB. For further info, please see www.itb.ie/ learnandwork. The institute would also like to remind all

CAO applicants of its “REACH2 access programme, which is currently open for applications. REACH is an admissions scheme which offers places on ITB’s courses on reduced points, to school leavers from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Another scheme, entitled the “Sporting Prowess Programme”, is also open for applications. This programme is aimed at prospective students who display an outstanding sporting ability at a national or regional level, and offers an opportunity to participate on Sports Management & Coaching Courses on a reduced points basis. For further information, see www.itb.ie/cao.

PLCs offer a real route to success A NEW report carried out by the ESRI has highlighted the positive role played by the provision of PLC courses in Ireland. The PLC programme is the largest of the full time further education and training programmes with over 30,000 places and an investment of over €160 million each year. On average, PLC learners are 16% more likely to be in employment than if they had just entered the labour market straight after the Leaving Certificate. The report also highlights a number of challenges for policy development in the PLC sector, indicating a need for greater responsiveness of job-specific PLC courses to changing labour market conditions in terms of the types of courses offered and closer links with employers, as well as enhanced guidance for learners and extra training for teaching staff. Responding to the report, Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton said: “I am determined to increase the range and quality of the pathways for people to fulfil their career ambitions during

my time as Minister. “If we want to be the best in Europe, by 2026, we need to ensure that we provide many different opportunities for people to achieve their ambitions. “The report being published today confirms the positive role played by PLC provision. “On average PLC learners are 16% more likely to be in employment than if they had just entered the labour market straight after the Leaving Certificate.” Endorsing the plan, Minister for Skills, John Halligan said: “I am confident that the implementation of these recommendations will build on the success of the PLC programme and ensure we deliver high quality further education and training, supporting learners to achieve their progression and employment goals. “PLC has a strong regional and local footprint and will support balanced regional growth, as it is planned and delivered alongside other FET and higher education provision.” Speaking at the launch of the report,

CAREERS

Some top tips for everyone applying for a job WHETHER you’re looking to go straight into the workplace after finishing school, or if you’re looking to take the next step on your career, it’s vital that you prepare for the task ahead. Although finding that dream (or ‘just’ your next) job could seem like a daunting task, recruitment experts offer a number of simple, clear objectives to help get that job you’re looking for. Keep these next few points in mind, and you’ll be on your way ... 1. Pretty much everything and everyone is online now, so tailor your profile to meet current online standards and expectations. These days, many employers and potential recruiters will look to check a candidate’s online profile, especially if you’ve listed it for them. 2. If presenting a professional profile, such as on LinkedIn, ensure that it’s up to date and is also as accurate as possible.

Contacts 3. Don’t be afraid to turn to your existing contacts, and maintain an amicable, courteous relationship with them. Ex-colleagues, lecturers, and even your favourite teachers could all help you on the way, or down the road, and the vast majority will be delighted to help. 4. Last but not least, make your application relevant to the role itself and the company. Your one-size-fitsall CV and cover letter could be great ... if you just want a ‘McJob’. “PLC learners are 16% more likely to be in employment than if they had just entered the labour market straight after the Leaving Certificate”

However, virtually every employer or recruiter looks for, and expects, tangible

Paul O’Toole, CEO of SOLAS said: “The PLC programme is a hugely important part of the further education and training landscape.

“SOLAS welcomes today’s publication. The research has identified many benefits for the approximate 30,000 learners that do PLC coursers in Ireland each year.”

proof that you want that specific job in that company, so be clear without going overboard.

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Face the future with IT Tallaght’s superb courses, facilities ITTALLAGHT offers prospective students a wide range of career-focused certificate, degree, masters and PhD programmes that will suit a variety of educational backgrounds and career aspirations. Courses have both a practical and professional emphasis; a studentsupportive environment; smaller class sizes, and excellent levels of lecturer access and support. The primary focus of all IT Tallaght courses is to prepare students for the

world of work. For instance, work placements and/or industry projects form a key part of most of ITT’s full-time courses, helping students to become workready, and begin their journey towards rewarding employment.

Open Evening There is an on-campus open evening from 5pm to 8pm on January 25. This event is suited to those who are considering in enrolling in full- or

part-time courses in 2018, where there will be course experts available to discuss the details of the programmes and answer any queries regarding courses, CAO applications, fees, grants, careers, etc.

Bus Service Two private bus routes; (A: Kildare town to ITT, serving Newbridge, Naas and Rathcoole, and B: Maynooth to ITT, serving Celbridge, Leixlip, Lucan, Griffeen, Ballyowen, Ronanstown/Fonthill)

allow students ease of access to and from the college. These bus ser vices reflect the growing popularity of ihe Institute in the areas of southwest Dublin, Kildare and west Wicklow.

Campus Development IT T has recently secured a multimillioneuro capital investment to deliver a significant part of its overall campus development plan. This announcement follows a rigorous competitive and prioritisation process managed by the Department of Education & Skills with the Higher Education Authority. The funding will provide state-of-the art facilities for a technical development centre (ie prac-

Not content to rest on its laurels, IT Tallaght is looking to the future, with plans to develop its range of impressive courses and facilities

tice-based learning facilities for Engineering and Science programmes); facilities for the Culinary Arts and Hospitality disciplines, including new classrooms and computer laboratories.

Creche In addition, ITT’s oncampus creche opened on January 8 under the new management of Orchard House Ltd, which will operate as Oakview Tallaght to manage on-site the Early Years facility for the next three years.

This appointment of a childcare provider ensures the facility continues to operate in accordance with national childcare requirements.

Technological University (TU) ITT, DIT and ITB have created the TU for Dublin Alliance, and are committed to jointly establishing a Technological University for Dublin in the very near future. Building on their respective histories and distinctive strengths, the

objective is to combine ideas and resources to create a world-renowned institution of higher learning, and collaborating with civic, academic and industry partners. T he Technological University will be developed on three physical campuses located at Tallaght, Grangegorman and Blanchardstown. For further information, see www.it-tallaght.ie/ fulltimecourses; www.ittallaght.ie/parttimecourses, and www.it-tallaght.ie/ bus-and-rail-routes.

Students face challenging times as they look for a new place to live – but it’s vital they make sure their new place is safe ANOTHER year, and another challenging time lies ahead for many students looking to find accomodation, as many have found leases expiring or the need to move home. While it’s understandable that many may leap at finding a home – any home – in the current housing crisis, it’s vital that you ensure your place is safe. The following tips may help to put your mind at rest – and keep you safe in the coming months ... 1. Check the electrics and appliances– With rented residential accommodation it is the Landlord’s responsibility to ensure that the electrical installation and appliances provided by the landlord are safe when the tenancy begins and are in proper working

order throughout the tenancy. 2. Look for damp – If your house smells musty or you see evidence of mould, find out how the landlord is planning to fix the problem in the long term as mould has several health risks. 3. Raise the alarm – It is the landlord’s duty to provide fire and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as fire extinguishers, but the tenants should always test alarms on a regular basis. 4. Furniture and fittings – Ask the landlord for a list of everything that is included and make note of any damage that is there before you move it. 5. Heating requirements – Does your house have oil or gas fired central heating? The Health & Safety Authority recommends

that all boilers should be serviced annually and tenants looking at an oil-fired property should ask for evidence of recent servicing. If you have concerns, ask for a CD/12 Landlord Oil Installation Check, which is carried out by an OFTEC-registered technician and will give you peace of mind. If the property has a gas boiler it must be checked by a qualified technician. 6. Note fire escapes – This is important particularly for apartment blocks but make sure they are secure from the outside to prevent unwanted visitors. 7. Secure your home – burglars target student areas because of lax security. Ask your landlord to fit key-operating locks on the windows and five-lever deadlocks on external doors.

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DUBLINLIFE

 JAMES HENDICOTT HAVING put aside his demons and tackled the dramas of recording an album that really didn’t go to plan, Paddy Hanna’s had a rocky road to his sophomore release, but he’s staring proudly over those roadblocks. Castleknock native Paddy Hanna has been in a fair few bands in his time, but over the last few years he’s been operating under his own moniker, drawing the crowds though the distinctive vocals of his leftfield indiepop ditties. A former core member of popular and borderline-defunct DIY collective Popical Island and frontman for one of their key acts, Grand Pocket Orchestra, Hanna released his debut album ‘Leafy Stiletto’ in 2014. Years later, his return with his latest ‘Frankly, I Mutate’ might be greatly delayed, but has already drawn the attention of the likes of NME and Stereogum through its early singles. His style is one of emotive vocals, gorgeous yet jarring instrumentals and slowbuilding, dramatic peaks. It’s been a difficult road for Hanna, though, who’s never been afraid to speak his mind on the problems musicians face. “Things are totally different this time,” he tells us. “I’ve had line up changes and life changes. I’ve tackled some mental health issues; spent some time on finding things that work. I started working on this album when I went onto medication. I was looking at things with a new clarity.” Things were to go a little haywire, though, with the recording process brutally interrupted, and the album release - originally planned for last year - heavily delayed. “I lost my manager half way through the two weeks in the studio,” Hanna recalls. “It was strange, as he’d introduced me to Daniel [Fox, the producer who was to be heavy influence on the album’s style], and really set this project in motion. “The wall of sound affect Daniel introduced is an essential element on the new album. It was our project, in many ways, but my old manager decided half way through that he didn’t want to carry on. It’s a funny one. You’ll hear it on the album. Half the tracks are me excited about being back in the studio, and have that feel to them. The other half are very different. After the manager left there was some drinking and some really wasted vocal takes. I guess the contrast is part of the mystique of it.” Astonishingly, the studio was to close shortly after Hanna’s recording, too, meaning a number of tweaks to the record had to be done elsewhere, further complicating the process by the requirement for a new studio a fresh set up. Eventually, the seasoned performer - at something of a loose end - hooked up with Galway music legend and Roisin Dubh main man Gugai, who will release ‘Frankly, I Mutate’ on his Strange Brew label.

TAKE OUT THE CALLIPERS

MUSIC

the thick-skinned return of Paddy Hanna

Photos: Stephen White

After such a shaky process, though, there’s no question the early signs are good. “I guess the new stuff has got more attention than previous singles,” Hanna admitted. “I’m not sure if it’s because it’s better material, or because it’s building on my previous stuff.” That process has been far from smooth sailing, however. “You have to come through some difficult stuff as any kind of musician or artist. So many people just leave it behind,” Hanna points out. “It’s financially difficult, and you just have to come through so much soul-destroying waiting and sheer indifference. You have to just keep going until you get a second skin. Sometimes I just want to tell people to keep going, to wait and to grow those callipers a little bit., that they’ll get there.” Popical Island, the popular collective of friends that brought both Hanna and some of the Dublin indie scene’s most compelling contemporaries into the local music limelight, is sadly all but defunct today. Hanna’s been somewhat

critical of the group in the past, but insists his complaints came from a good place. “I love those guys. We drifted together as bordering on inseparable friends, and I guess it drifted apart in a similar way. It was very difficult to push yourself there, and I felt like they should have wanted more,” Hanna explains. “I regret saying some of the things I did about them, I was quite critical in interviews, and I think it upset some of them. But it came from a place of love. L o v e and

anger are very close together. It’s not gone, but it’ll certainly be quiet for some time.” As for reaching that much-desired success? “I have my yardstick,” Hanna tells us. “It’s to headline a certain venue of a certain size. I don’t want to say where, but I haven’t got there yet. Until I get there, it’ll be about pushing hard, because that’s what you have to do.” Paddy Hanna’s second solo album ‘Frankly, I Mutute’ is out on March 2.

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27

GAZETTE

LETS GO OUT MUSIC

PICK OF THE WEEK THE KOOKS

@ THE OLYMPIA THEATRE ENGLISH pop rock band The Kooks bring their ‘Best Of’ tour to The Olympia Theatre on January 18, 19 and 20 2018. Tickets priced from €40.05 including booking fee and €1 restoration levy.

BEST OF THE REST JANUARY 18 (Thursday) Ones to Watch - Upcoming music festival @ Whelan’s, €5 Whelan’s annual January showcase aims to bring together a host of local musical newcomers to showcase their craft across several stages. A bargain chance to see future stars, it’s €5 per evening, or €10 for all four nights (Thursday to Sunday). Check Whelan’s social media for the (often lateannounced) acts and timetable breakdown.

Three Trapped Tigers @ The Bowery, €20 Escape the Fate + Set to Stun + Shields UK @ Voodoo Lounge, €20

Michael Buckley’s Dublin Standard Time @ Bruxelles, €10 JANUARY 19 (Friday) Little Green Cars @ Pavilion Theatre, €26 With beautiful harmonies about life and love, Little Green Cars are a unheralded gem of Irish music just waiting to be uncovered. Expect beautiful vocals, loud-quiet melodrama and an understated cool.

The Kooks @ The Olympia Theatre, €40-45 Ones to Watch - Upcoming music festival @ Whelan’s, €5 Robotrock @ The Grand Social Davina and the Messengers @ The Button Factory, free

JANUARY 20 (Saturday) Cloud Castle Lake @ Bellobar, €14 Chilled and understated, Cloud Castle Lake play with tones and understated complexity on their sophisticated fuzzy indie tracks. Think intricate, quietly memorable post-rock. Ones to Watch - Upcoming music festival @ Whelan’s, €5 Little Green Cars @ Pavilion Theatre, €26 The Kooks @ The Olympia Theatre, €40-45 The Kahoots @ The Button Factory, free JANUARY 21 (Sunday) August Alsina + Tone Stith @ The Olympia Theatre, €28 Ones to Watch - Upcoming music festival @ Whelan’s, €5

Mary Coughlan @ Vicar Street, €33 JANUARY 23 (Tuesday) Lau @ Whelan’s, €20 The Ruby Sessions @ Doyles, €6 JANUARY 24 (Wednesday) Wallis Bird @ Whelan’s, €22 Wallis Bird’s relocation to Germany was a huge loss to Irish music - she’s a wonderful live musician who used to pop up effervescently all over the city. Fortunately she’s regularly back, and her jubilant live show of leftfield acoustic pop is unmissable and wonderful.

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams @ Upstairs at Whelan’s, €16.50

GAZETTE

28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 18 January 2018

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA ReelReviews

THE POST

A press worth opening SET in a time when almost everybody still bought newspapers and ‘fake news’ wasn’t yet a widespread denial of reality, The Post (Cert 12A, 115 mins) is director Spielberg’s love letter to journalistic integrity. Stars Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep excel as The Washington Post’s editor and publisher respectively, as they mull over tough choices in what they can can – and should – publish in the paper.

Playing a grieving but determined mum seeking justive over her murdered daughter, Frances McDormand yet again steals the show with her tough but very human character. McDormand’s intensity anchors the film, creating someone who’s not always likeable, but always worth rooting for.

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI: RAW, INTENSE ROLES IMPRESS

A three-mendous film

FRANCES McDormand is a force to be reckoned with in Martin McDonagh’s intimate epic, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Cert 15A, 115 mins). The filmmaker’s third feature-length outing, Three Billboards is a film mired in all sorts of tragedy, delving into characters as they grieve over the loss of a loved one, and others as they come to terms with their own approaching demise. Yet from all this pain, McDonagh finds a way to inspire joy, provoke lasting contemplation and deliver effortless laughs with razor-sharp wit and deep, dark humour. Sick of the local law enforcement’s lacklustre efforts in hunting down her daughter’s murderer, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) rents out three billboards on the outskirts of town, plastering them with

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

a damning message aimed squarely at the town’s sheriff, William Willoughby ( Woody Harrelson). More so than the sheriff himself, Mildred’s controversial act is a smack in the face to his secondin-command, Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) – a violent drunk at whom accusations of racism are frequently levelled. Though intended to light a fire under the town’s lawmen, Mildred’s act of defiance sends shockwaves throughout Ebbing, revealing its inhabitants at their best, their repugnant worst and their most devastatingly human. Crafted with a precision

honed over two solid directorial efforts, an Oscar-winning short and a celebrated playwriting career, McDonagh’s tightly woven narrative catches us off guard time after time, like an unpredictable series of devious chess moves. Ev e r y s u r e f o o t e d dramatic step, insignificant as some may feel, has a part to play in Three Billboards. This is masterful filmmaking: heartbreaking and emotional, but never sentimental; leisurely paced but never sluggish; didactic and intensely thought-provoking, but never heavy-handed. Each player in this expansive cast turns in a performance that will likely sit at the critical zenith of their filmographies for years to

Co-star Woody Harrelson has a surprisingly affecting role as an ‘inept’ sheriff

come. While the ostensible adversary from word one (if Mildred’s billboards are to be taken at face v a l u e ) H a r r e l s o n ’s Sheriff Willoughby is perhaps the story’s most compassionate figure – an instigator of certain acts both calculated and considerate; acts that push the narrative in directions we never expect. Rockwell’s Officer Dixon is drunken, violent and erratic – an unstable buffoon and a seeming bigot. And yet, coupled with McDonagh’s deft, authentic approach to crafting his

characters, Rockwell’s Golden Globe-winning performance moulds D i xo n ’s d e s p i c a b l e presence into something genuinely human; against all odds, we find ourselves quietly rooting for this idiot. Ultimately, however, Three Billboards is all about Mildred – all about Francis McDormand’s powerful, tragic and inspiring performance. T here’s something almost Terminator-like about Mildred’s intensity, her perseverance through grief and unquenchable thirst for justice. L i ke t h e b e s t dramatic turns, we know instinctively that no one else could play Mildred and, accordingly, McDormand gives us one of the year’s finest performances. As with McDonagh’s Irish-set

plays, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri exists in a kind of imagined America, somewhere between reality and what an outsider perceives looking in. Consequently, unbound to questions of authenticity, his story manages to say more about modern America than any exercise in precise realism ever could. From the offset, we’re never sure where Three Billboards will end up. This is a story laden with twists; twists both in narrative and our own perception, twists that provoke a change in our outlook on life and, as only the greatest films do, provoke a change in us on a fundamental level, leaving us a different person to the one that entered the cinema. These day, few films hold that power.

Verdict: 10/10

THE LAST JEDI

Still a Forceful franchise MARK Hamill excels as an older, jaded Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi (Cert 12A, 155 mins) – just one of several good points about the latest Star Wars film. Although it’s not as focused and tightly edited as its predecessor, there’s something spinetingling about seeing the late Carrie Fisher (as General Leia) in her final film. Oh, and our own Skellig Islands look great as Luke’s home, too!

JUMANJI

A jungle-icious update NOT quite a reboot of the classic Robin Williams film, but more of a reimagining drawing inspiration from it, Jumanji (Cert 12A, 119 mins) turns out to be a surprisingly fun romp through the Jumanji universe. Again taking a core premise of kids getting sucked into a game, some older teens find themselves trapped in their gaming alter egos, and forced to survive in the Jumanji jungle world.

18 January 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

TRAVEL Palacio Estoril Sports &

Just the sight of

Performance, Portugal

Amanpuri Awareness Immersion’s pool in Thailand is relaxing

The Retreat Costa Rica Yoga, Costa Rica

Ayii Anargyri Healing, Cyprus

WELLNESS: TREAT YOUR BODY AND MIND TO THE INVIGORATING BREAK YOU DESERVE

Make your new year plans a glorious, relaxing reality  SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

HOW many times have you heard the phrase, “New Year, New You”? “More than one too many” is the probable answer. Nonetheless, with the focus firmly on health, fitness and well-being, one of your resolutions could be a health or fitness holiday – combining a love of travel with other positive habits. Here are just a few recommendations, courtesy of the experts at Health & Fitness Travel ...

The Sports Performance Break – Palacio Estoril Sports & Performance, Portugal The five-star resort Palacio Estoril on the sunny coast of Cascais offers spor ts enthusiasts an opportunity

to overcome physical and mental barricades, enhancing performance and refining skill. Tr e a t m e n t s i n cl u d e physiotherapy and Chinese medicine to give guests improved posture and wellbeing. The programme also focuses on nutritional performance enhancement, p r ov i d i n g a l l t h e t o o l s necessary to achieve athletic goals.

The Luxury Beach Spa Break – Amanpuri Awareness Immersion, Thailand Amanpuri is hidden amidst palm-fringed, white sand beaches, and architecture inspired by ancient Ay utthayan culture and oozes timeless luxury. The awareness immersion programme, guided by a

former Buddhist monk, is a meditative experience encouraging the renewal of internal focus, synchronising the mind, body and soul. Indulgent spa treatments (such a s cra nia l sa cra l therapy) complement the programme, along with unrivalled nutritional support.

The Yoga Trip – The Retreat Costa Rica Yoga, Costa Rica The Retreat is a Costa R ican haven set among quartz mountains and lush vegetation. Master the asanas and find inner peace with daily private and group yoga practices. For beginners and advanced yogis alike, a week of seclusion and serenity will be beneficial both physically and mentally, improving f lexibility, strength, and

balance, as well as emotional clarity and stress. This healthy yoga escape also includes a hike, wellness workshops, a healing massage and a trip to a local farmers’ market.

The Mediterranean Healthy Escape – Ayii Anargyri Healing, Cyprus A boutique hotel amid a valley of mature trees in the village of Miliou, Cyprus, Ayii Anargyri promotes an idyllic location for a healthy healing escape. Restore well-being as you harness the time-tested, natural healing powers of the area’s mineral-rich waters. Find profound calmness and tranquility through hydrotherapy treatments such as underwater massage, and treat ailments in the phlebology, kinesiotherapy,

and rheumatology pools. The healing waters are also utilised in spa therapies such as the indulgent mud therapy cocoons and massages.

The Safari and Yoga Break – Karkloof Safari & Yoga, South Africa Combining passions for yoga and nature, this takes you to one of the most exceptional and unspoilt areas of South Africa and i n c o r p o r a t e s t wo g a m e drives. With daily yoga classes, mountain biking, fishing, and guided hikes, finding your connection with nature and developing inner peace has never come more naturally.

The Trip of a Lifetime – Ultimate Around the World One-Year Wellness Trip This is an unbeatable opportunity, both in terms of experience and sheer luxury. Enjoy yoga on private island ‘parrot cay’ one week, then scuba diving in The Great Barrier Reef the next. Other highlights include ayurvedic therapy in India, hiking in Utah and a guided tour of Istanbul’s architecture. With more than 20 stops on this year-long voyage, you will be both vastly cultured and a master of your own health and fitness. At €156k per person, however, you might want to check your Lotto ticket first ...

Some flights can be arranged from Dublin depending on the destination, others depart from London. For advice, further guidance and booking, see www healthandfitnesstravel. com, or telehone 0044 203 397 8891.

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SPORT

FastSport MUCKROSS AND ANVILLE ADVANCE: MUCKROSS Park and Mount Anville will contest the Leinster schoolgirls Senior Premier League hockey semi-finals on January 23 following victories last Friday over Wesley College and St Andrew’s. Muckross won through in a shootout after normal time had ended 2-2. They had led 2-0 via Isabelle Maleady and Louise McGrane before Wesley stormed back through Lynne Pomeroy and Aisling Ellis. But the Donnybrook school prevailed in the eighth round of the shootout to advance. In the second semi-final, Natasha Twomey scored twice for Mount Anville in addition to one from Grace Keane to see them win out 3-1 against St Andrew’s for whom Robyn Lewis had given a lifeline with 20 minutes to go.

BASKETBALL: UCD MARIAN SEE OFF TEMPLEOGUE BY A MASSIVE 19 POINTS

Liapakis underplays victory in cup final dress rehearsal

 KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

UCD MARIAN maintained their lead at the top of the Men’s Super League following an 85-66 point win over Black Amber Templeogue at Belfield last weekend, while Pyrobel Killester racked up the scores to remain on the heels of their Dublin rivals. The win sees them stay top ahead of Garveys Tralee Warriors on points difference but with two games in hand, and three points clear of Killester in third with one game in hand. Dan James, Barry Drumm and Mike Garrow all impressed in front of the hoop to give UCD a 10-point lead going into the half-time break. The second half was even more comfortable for the home team as they kept the score board ticking over nicely to secure their eleventh league win of the campaign. Speaking after the game, UCD manager Ioannis Liapakis spoke about the overriding feeling he experienced after the victory, with a number of big games for his side during

Killester bounced back from last week’s defeat to see off KUBS. Picture: Martin Doherty

the month of January. “Relief because af ter a huge weekend last week, it is always difficult in the next game even if you play against one of the league’s top teams,” Liapakis said afterwards. “I think we did a great job defensively, which is natural for us. That helped us to win

the game by this score.” The two teams will meet again at the National Basketball Arena in a few weeks time when they descend on Tallaght to determine who will be crowned this year’s Hula Hoops National Cup champions. However, with a league fix-

ture still to contest between now and then, Lapiakis is looking no further than the next game. “This game is history now. The only thing we have in our heads right now is the next ‘final’ down in Maree. The past week, we didn’t talk at all about the cup final and we are

not going to talk about it this week either. The only thing we have right now is Maree,” said Liapakis. Killester recovered from their cup semi-final defeat to UCD the previous week to record a 103-77 point victory over local rivals KUBS BC. Griffith College Swords Thunder also secured the win on the road to Belfast Star, while a whopping 47 points from Demetrius Proby was enough to drive DCU Saints home to a 103-77 point win over fellow Dubliners, Eanna. Meanwhile, in the Women’s Super League Courtyard Liffey Celtics kept the pressure on DCU Mercy at the top of the league with a 77-57 win away to NUIG Mystics. T he victor y sees them remain second, behind DCU on points difference but having played a game more. Killester remain in midtable, however, after suffering a crushing 58-102 defeat to UCC Glanmire in Clontarf. The Cork team controlled the game throughput and hit an impressive 61 points in the second half to keep their league hopes alive.

Dublin trio advance in hockey’s Irish Senior Cup  STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@dublingazette.com

Mitch Darling on the attack for Three Rock Rovers against Cookstown. Picture: Adrian Boehm

LEADING Dublin trio Pembroke, Three Rover Rovers and Glenanne all advanced in the Irish Senior Cup last Saturday with wins over Ulster opposition. For a second week running, Pembroke put their fans through the ringer against mid-table Ulster Premier opposition. Last week, they just scraped by South Antrim 4-3. On Saturday, it was Mossley’s attempts at a giant killing and a double of Jordan Robinson and an Aaron

Boyd effort meant they they went toe-to-toe with their illustrious visitors. It sent their quarter-final tie to a shoot-out with normal time ending 3-3, matching goals from Harry Spain, Cian Murphy and Keith O’Hare. Pembroke prevailed 4-3 in the shoot-out, making them the first semi-finalist in the competition this year. In the quarter-finals, meanwhile, Three Rock advanced to an away date against Cork C of I thanks to a strong 5-2 win over Cookstown with Mitch Darling’s individual goal the highlight.

He broke 75 metres forward before turning a couple of defenders inside out and then picked out the top corner. It made it 4-2 after Rovers had found the Co Tyrone side a tough one to shake off. John Mullins and Jody Hosking had them 2-0 up inside 10 minutes and they led 3-1 at the break thanks to a close range finish from Ben Walker. but Michael Kerr and Greg Allen goals kept Cookstown interested until Darling’s goal. Daragh Walsh added a lovely final goal to close out the result.

Lisnagarvey eliminated Railway Union at the third attempt after two frozen dates, Sean Murray and Matthew Nelson doing the damage in a 2-0 win, scoring once in each half. EYHL leaders Glenanne proved far too strong for Queen’s in a 6-0 win with Shane O’Donoghue bagging a brace with further goals from Shannon Boucher, Adam Clayton, Eddie O’Malley and Neil Byrne. The Glens face Monkstown in the next round while Garvey will face YMCA - the last remaining Leinster Division One side.

18 January 2018 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 35

GAZETTE

RUGBY

Lansdowne into Bateman final again after 86 years LANSDOWNE will contest their first Bateman Cup final since the headquarters club last lifted the trophy in 1931, with defending champions Cork Constitution providing the opposition over the weekend of April 21-22. It will be an all-Division 1A decider after the Dublin outfit avoided a potential banana skin with a 34-15 win against Sligo. The Connacht side were still very much still in the hunt when trailing 14-8 at half-time. Fullback Jack Keegan opened their account with a third-minute penalty, which whetted the big crowd’s appetite at Hamilton Park. Despite the hosts protesting that Lansdowne loosehead Greg McGrath was boring in, the visitors forced a penalty try from scrum pressure, before Sligo edged ahead on the 20-minute mark when they injected pace through their backs and centre Mark Rooney scored in the corner. Keegan, who had missed an earlier penalty, was off target with the difficult conversion and Lansdowne replied with a timely 36th-minute try. A well-executed lineout maul saw their Connacht-capped hooker Jack Dinneen touch down with Scott Deasy converting for a 14-8 lead. The sides swiftly swapped tries on the resumption as this entertaining contest continued to ebb and flow. From a poor Sligo exit, Lansdowne winger Daniel McEvoy ran back a kick at searing pace, jinking in and out to break clear and score a brilliant try by the posts. Despite losing lock Ciaran Cassidy to the sin-bin for taking a player out from the restart, 14-man Sligo dug their heels in and a fine move, finished off by winger Philip Carter, kept their hopes alive at 21-15 down. Lansdowne went for the corner from penalties but the recent Connacht Senior Cup champions defiantly held out, and out-half Deasy was soon called upon to go for the posts and give the visitors a nine-point cushion. Mike Ruddock’s men have been a class apart in the Ulster Bank League’s top flight so far this season and their strength in depth, including some strong-carrying forwards on the bench, allowed them to seal the result with two late unconverted tries from Charlie Butterworth and Harry Brennan.

Italian job offers new footballing pathway John Deans speaks to the Dublin Gazette about how Irish players can find a different route to the professional ranks  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

JOHN DEANS is using his international contacts to try and introduce a new wave of young Irish players to a more unusual path to professionalism: Italy. He aims to provide an alternative pathway to the typical plan to move to the UK as teenagers and the high attrition rate it brings. He is using the Italian contacts he made whilst working with Woods in an ambitious attempt a different method, working with contacts built up as a long time employee of UK agent Derek Woods. “I’ve been involved in football a long time,” Deans told the Dublin Gazette. “I have been trying to get these contacts

to take a look at some players for a few years, and finally I got a call in 2016 from a guy at Roma. He said he was coming over to take a look at some lads, and bringing some other scouts with him.” It was to be a slow process but one that holds plenty of promise for the young Irish players involved. “I set up three or four games in July 2016 and some agents came over to look at them. The players come from outside of the typical big youth clubs that have scouts regularly watching them in Ireland like St Kevin’s and St Joseph’s. “A lot of the players that are coming out to Italy this time come from less obvious clubs; I have lads from areas like Harold’s

Cross, Kevin Street, St Francis and Tallaght.” The games that started the process took place in Dublin in 2016 and saw just under 90 players take part. The Italian visitors chose to invite 24 players out to Italy to have another look at them. In August 2017, 120 players trialled with two dozen chosen by Italian coaches for further scrutiny. To allow for issues such as the language barrier and initial integration difficulties, Deans will be taking out two groups of 12 through January and February, the first of which arrived in Naples earlier this week. Rather than heading in smaller numbers, as is typical, the Irish lads have created ‘teams’ who have been training together

The Irish contingent that arrived in Italy earlier this week for a unique trials experience.

over the last few weeks. “They all know each other, and have been training at Sacred Heart FC, who kindly lent us their facilities for the last six weeks to work on the trip,” Deans said. “We’ll be playing 27 kilometres outside of Naples against Under-17 teams like Atletico Sorrento and Benevento, teams that play in Serie B or Serie C of Italian football, though Benevento are currently bottom of Serie A. We’ll also be playing a university team. “We don’t want to be playing the academies from the really top teams as we have to give the team a chance to show what they can do. There are one or two who I think this could go a lot further and scouts from really big clubs will be there, includ-

ing Roma and Napoli. “Lots of boys travel to the UK and end up being released after two or three years,” Deans explains of the issues facing young soccer players trying to go pro. “They bring you over at 14 and often release you at 16. The releases are actually coming from the chairmen as it costs £30,000 to £40,000 to bring a player over for a year, pay a wage, train them, and keep them in food and accommodation. “If the next year group come through and look better, players get let go. They come back from the level they’ve been at, take a look at the League of Ireland, and a lot of them decide to just give it up. Over in Italy, the Serie B and Serie C clubs survive by selling players. They’re very much routes to the bigger clubs, so it’s a great chance for the boys.” Deans has been helped in his endeavours by a number of businesses that are sponsoring his Italian trip, including Frank Keane Liffey Valley, Facility Support Services, Tritech Engineering and John Ward Construction, as well as through the lend of those Sacred Heart FC facilities. “The reality of professional soccer is something people often don’t really understand,” he concludes. “It really is dog eat dog, and we’re going to have to get things right going forward in this country.”

GAZETTE

36 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 18 January 2018

SPORT

FASTSport

NEW INITIATIVE: BOHEMIANS AND ROVERS PART OF MAIDEN SEASON

Flying Duck Anna set to hit the ice in Korea FRIDAY, January 12 was more than an ordinary school day for Anna Capcarrere, a first year student at Lucan Community College. Together with her school, she proudly handed over a cheque in the sum of €400 to Aaron Giuli, President of the Irish Ice Hockey Association. This sponsorship money was raised by Capcarrere and her fellow students to help sponsor the Irish international Under-12s Irish ice hockey team – The Saints – of which she is a member. Her team travelled on Monday to the Inaugural 2018 Commemorative Imjin-Pyeongchang International Youth Ice Hockey Tournament South Korea to compete in a pre-Olympic tournament. The team will compete against teams from Canada, USA, Russia, Korea and Japan. She is one of the 16 players travelling and is the only female player in Ireland selected for the trip. As a female athlete, she is in good company at Lucan Community College, as one of Lucan CC PE teachers is former Irish Women’s International Rugby Captain, Fiona Coghlan. When asked for her view on the importance of sport in the life of teenage girls, Coghlan said she “felt that continuing sporting activity for all had more than just physical benefits” adding that “being involved with sports is beneficial to positive mental health and promotes the engagement of students with the community by being part of a team”. Capcarrere is a passionate ice hockey player and approached her school with the idea of a nonuniform day to raise funds for the trip. The Irish Ice Hockey Association receives no Government funding whatsoever and relies completely on sponsorship and other fundraising to enable it send teams to such events. Capcarrere began playing ice hockey at the age of nine when she joined the Flying Ducks Ice Hockey Club. President of the club Anna Daly explained that that the club has over 70 junior players currently and 30% of these are female, with new players joining every week. She considers Capcarrere to be an outstanding role model and mentor for the other players within the team, particularly the girls and younger beginners who regard her as “nothing less than a hero”. She says her Under-12s team mates just think of her as “just Anna, the team’s unstoppable defender and regard her without question as one of their own. Her gender does not even enter their minds”.

Christy McElligott, left, at the launch of Bohemians amputee football with new recruits and Dublin Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha

Amputee football league launches  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

IRELAND’S amputee football league will get underway in late February with the FAI’s Christy McElligott keen to invite further players to take part. The first season will open with Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Cork City as the three teams. Ireland has had an international amputee football team for sometime, and last year that team – in the form of a club side – travelled regularly to the UK to compete in their league, in the

absence of an Irish offering. That was an expensive undertaking and didn’t encourage more players to get involved. McElligott – formerly a St Patrick’s Athletic and Ballymun United player who lost his leg shortly after winning the FAI Junior Cup with United – hopes the new tournament will draw in new players and expand competition for the international side. In amputee football, all outfield players play with crutches, having either had a leg amputated, or been born without one. The crutches are treated much like hands and

PRIMARY5 Campbell helps launch schools coaching gig FORMER St Francis player and Irish skipper Megan Campbell helped launch the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s programme with a pop-up training session at Scoil Mhuire CBS along with former Republic of Ireland footballer Keith Andrews. They provided a coaching masterclass to students from Scoil Mhuire CBS and St Vincent de Paul’s Girls NS. The five-a-side school blitzes are open to boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class, and puts emphasis on fun and inclusivity. Register for by February 9 at www.fai.ie/primary5.

playing the ball with them is considered a handball except where accidental. Arm amputees are incorporated into the game as goalkeepers and, at international level, the game is seven-a-side. “We’ve spread the international players across the new teams to even things up,” McElligott tells us. “We’ll start off with the three teams, playing a series of round robin games at each of their home grounds. I have 40 players on my database who might get involved, so we could expand quickly. If we do, I hope to have two tiers.” “The League of Ireland

clubs have been great in really embracing the idea, and they could easily end up with two teams each, one in each of those two tiers. That would help with bringing in people, and they can start playing at a lower level, away from the international players. “While we don’t need international players for Ireland at the moment, I think it’s very important that the current players are put under a bit of pressure. They might be a bit comfortable with their places at the moment. “This will add to competition. We’ll play a league with a series of round robin games to

start with, at the different venues – Dublin, Cork, then Dublin again – and when the league comes to an end, we’ll run a cup tournament, too, and then have a couple of months off. That’s the plan.” “I’ve always said football is the best medicine,” McElligott concludes. With an entirely new league about to unroll under the stewardship of a passionate ex-professional player and amputee, it’s clear he believes it.” You can get in touch with the Irish amputee football team through their website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

18 January 2018 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 37

GAZETTE

SOCCER: LATE EQUALISER SEES CLOVER NAB POINT

MARTIALArts

Caradh’s karate call for Tokyo 2020 The Firhouse Sunday Senior side

Firhouse put further dent in Saints’ hopes LSL SUNDAY SENIOR St Mochat’s Firhouse Clover  sport@dublingazette.com

2 2

FIRHOUSE Clover grabbed a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw with reigning champions St Mochtas in the LSL Senior 1 Sunday at Porterstown last weekend. The draw was the second in a row for Clover after also scoring a late goal the previous week to share the spoils at home to Portmarnock AFC. After finishing in a disappointing eight position last season, Clover got off to a decent start by winning five of their first seven games. However, they now have just one victory out of the next five league games to leave them sitting sixth. Carl Forsyth got the visitors off to a great start by finding the back of the net after just five minutes. However, the Saints got themselves back on level terms five minutes later when Dean Kelly hit the crossbar after magnificent play from Alan McGreal to set him up.

David Somers reacted quickest to the rebound to finish past the keeper. Clover then had opportunities to restore their lead with the best coming after 18 minutes when Darren Forsyth chipped towards goal, but Morgan Cranley produced an excellent save to keep his effort out. He had another chance for a second goal two minutes later but he put his shot wide with just Cranley to beat. In a game that was starting to swing from end to end, Mochta’s went up the other end of the pitch and appealed for a penalty when Dean Kelly was bundled over. The referee waved play on, however, and the game went into the break with the sides level after Ciaran Ryan had an effort blocked with the goal at his mercy. Neither side grabbed the game by the horns during the opening stages of the second half, with Kelly’s chip the first big chance of the half on 75 minutes. Mochta’s sensed the

game was there for the taking and moved up a couple of gears to put their opponents under greater pressure. They eventually got their reward on 80 minutes when Anthony Murphy met Philip Hughes free into the box and powered a header past Ian Molloy and into the roof of the net. Firhouse looked to hit back and equalised five minutes from time when Ror y O’Connor pro-

duced a sublime finish to ensure his team would leave Porterstown with a share of the spoils. The draw leaves Clover mid-table but with table toppers Killester United just eight points ahead, anything is still possible with a good run of victories. Clover will next be in action this weekend when they travel to Cork to take on Leeds AFC in the fourth round of the FAI Intermediate Cup.

FOR Caradh O’Donovan, 2018 really is a new sporting start. The former world champion kickboxer has given up her first sporting love, and will be chasing a new dream: qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she hopes to medal. Along the way, she’s hoping to inspire children to start on a sporting journey that the Terenure woman began 21 years ago, at the age of 12. The sporting change is driven, in part, by the presence of karate and not kickboxing at the Olympics, but also by O’Donovan’s desire to recalibrate. She says she’s “losing interest” in kickboxing, and has “taken things as far as I can go”. “It’s the biggest decision I’ve made, but I’ve now gone 100 percent over to karate,” she explained. “The first few months were difficult, learning the differing approach and rules, and stuff, but now I’m fully focused on the karate only and it’s become a passion. I’m confident I’ll win my first medals soon.” O’Donovan has a long road ahead of her, one that begins in Copenhagen this weekend, as she prepares for the qualifiers that could take her to Tokyo. Qualifying is a tough task: she’ll need to reach the top two in the world in her weight category (on average) across qualifying tournaments between July 2018 and April 2020 to guarantee a trip to Tokyo. Failing that, there’s the qualifying tournament right before the Japanese Olympics. She will also need to be the top ranked Irish fighter, as only one can travel from each nation. “It’s flat out for the Olympics now,” she explains. “There are two European Championships and a World Championship to think about between now and Tokyo, as well as numerous qualifying tournaments all over the world. It’s an expensive proposition when you have relatively little financial backing.” On top of the physical challenges of training and fighting, O’Donovan also competes with crohn’s disease, a debilitating illness that can be somewhat managed through diet, but could strike hard at any (and potentially unfortunate) times. O’Donovan will be taking her experiences to a couple of dozen Dublin schools in the coming year, starting with St Malachy’s National School in Dublin 11, as she takes part in ‘Sports for Schools’ and talks to primary school students about her experiences. The kids will train with a “sportivator” from the programme, before O’Donovan talks about her sporting experiences. “I’m hoping to inspire a few girls,” she tells us. “I remember meeting male sports stars when I was young, but not many female ones, and I couldn’t really imagine ‘growing up to be’ the men. “Things are definitely getting better, but this program is newly launching in Ireland and should have an impact. I hope through talks and demonstrations that I can help.”



GOT A STORY? WE WANT TO KNOW!

Call our SPORT TEAM on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3 St Mochta’s manager Brian McCarthy

or email sport@dublingazette.com

38 DUBLIN GAZETTE  WEST 18 January 2018

SPORT FASTGAA Stars come out for

GAZETTE

LADIES FOOTBALL: ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS TAKE ON THE FINEST FROM

SENIOR DUB STARS

Dublin 5-8 Dub Stars 4-7  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

Naomh Mearnog’s Cian Hendricken started

Winters’ mixed day plays key role for Dub hurlers PAUL Winters had an eventful game as he scored 0-6 for Dublin’s senior hurlers before his red card coincided with Pat Gilroy’s side running out of steam in a 1-20 to 0-16 defeat to Wexford in the Walsh Cup semi-final lats Sunday. Lucan Sarsfields’ Chris Crummey, Johnny McCaffreyand Paul Crummey all started a tie in which a storming last 20 minutes by the Slaneysiders saw Davy Fitzgerald’s men come from behind to run out seven-point victors. The Dubs led 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval and had stretched their advantage to 0-15 to 0-10 by the 45th minute, however, but Winters’ second yellow card arrived. Cathal Dunbar clinically executed 51st minute goal was the catalyst for Wexford’s charge for victory and coming so soon after Winters’ dismissal it rocked Dublin back on their heels.

THE DUBLIN ladies and the New Ireland Assurance Dub Stars played out their annual pre-season contest on Sunday, and while it ended with substantial tallies on both sides and with a win for the county team, this was very much the game of two halves. In a patchy opening period, both sides looked – unsurprisingly – a little match-weary, as a strong-looking Dublin panel conceded plenty of possession, but were hardy in their defensive interference. They prevented stand out midfield performances from Sarah Fagan (Clontarf) and Jennifer Dunne (Cuala) from having the impact they perhaps should have. It was the more familiar

face of a pitch-roaming more. In par ticular, The Dubs went in with a Dublin side were getting Carla Rowe (Clann Mhu- Laura Nerney (Foxrock 1-3 to 1-2 lead. to grips with the contest ire) who did most of the Cabinteely) broke clean There were reams of up front, and fired in two damage for the county through, only to fire high changes at half time, giv- goals early in the second team, fisting in to polish and wide when it looked ing Mick Bohan plenty to half, with Noelle Healy (St off a fluent move from easier to take a chance think about as the sides Brigid’s) scoring one and close range for the first on beating the ever-out- went all out for goals in a key in another. She was points of the contest, add- standing Dublin ‘keeper frantic second period. later to be named player ing a point late on in the Ciara Trant (St Brigid’s). The now much-altered of the match. half, and looking consistently dangerous throughout. Rowe’s frees looked a little rusty, but her general play stood out, with Eabha Rutledge (Kilmacud Crokes) and a high, swirling late score from Rebecca McDonnell (Clanna Gael Fontenoy) giving the Dublin side the narrowest of half time leads. They’d been pegged back by a period of midhalf dominance from their challengers, with a welltaken goal from Niamh Rickard (Fingallians). followed by two frees from Dunne during a phase of play in which they probably should have scored The successful Dublin ladies football side, left, following their win in the Dub Stars tie;

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

GARDA/ WESTMANSTOWN

INTERMEDIATES had first outing of 2018 on Sunday morning in a challenge away to O’Dwyer’s of Balbriggan. A nice mixture of youth and experience enjoyed a good workout against the home team winning by a point 1-10 to 0-12. Thanks to O’Dwyers for hosting and the after-match hospitality. Training for inters and juniors continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm in Westmanstown. Training for ladies begins on January 31 with a fitness assessment then Mondays and Wednesdays at 7.00pm and Saturday morning at 8am. U-14s and U-16s training on Wednesdays at 6.30pm. Fundraising table quiz on February 23 at Westmanstown. Congratulations to Heather Smith on her selection on the Dublin senior panel for last Sunday’s Dub Star game in DCU. The juvenile section is back up and running after the break with our U-12s fielding two teams at home to Naomh Barrog last Saturday morning and the nursery

also resumed activity on the allweather pitch. The club is already looking forward to the club Easter camp from April 3-6 from 10am to 2.30pm each day. Online registration will be available in the coming weeks so please put these dates in the diary Membership fees for all members are now due and members can now pay online for the first time. Details are available on the club website and each club member will get an email shortly outlining the process. Great excitement around the club with our own Davy Cryan participating in Operation Transformation. To support Davy, we are lighting up our pitches for weekly Monday night walks at 8pm which are open to all club members plus friends and families. First walk is on Monday, January 22 and Davy will be along with his camera crew to lead the way. The club newsletter is now available online and each member will be receiving a copy by email. Thanks to Anne Egan for producing an excellent record of club activity. All at the club would like to extend condolences to Colm

Maguire on the death of his father Charles. May He Rest in Peace.

LUCAN SARSFIELDS

WE ARE delighted to confirm that Ken Robinson (DCU and Dublin ladies football) has come on board as our minor ladies football coach. This is fantastic news for ladies football in the club, Ken has a wealth of experience and the team will be pushing hard after losing the championship final last year. The club is very grateful to Jackie Quinn who stepped down after a number of years involved. Jackie has put a lot into the team over the many years. We wish the team, Ken, and the ladies section all success in 2018. Minor ladies management team for 2018: Ken Robinson, Triona Leonard and Mike Wisdom. Annual awards night is on this Saturday, January 20; nominations for Club Person of the Year are being sought, and nominations with a short paragraph on why you are making the nomination should be emailed to the secretary ASAP (secretary.lucansarsfields. dublin@gaa.ie).

Peter Flannery’s annual hurling quiz is on Friday, January 26 and is always a good night, come up and test your hurling knowledge. Peter, I am sure, will be making plenty of noise; Friday, January 26 at 9pm. Back by popular demand, it’s the Lucan Sarsfields GAA Club annual dinner dance on Saturday, February 3. Tickets €30 each on sale from any of the committee members. Tickets are limited so don’t leave it too late to get yours for the social event of the year. Leoparstown Leaps continues again this year but has moved for any of you wondering. Sunday, March 4 a date for the diaries. Club shop scheduled to open Thursdays from 7.30-8.30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 1pm. 25 Card Drive continues every Friday at 9pm. Caters for all levels, beginners welcome. The Cúpla Focal club is on Mondays from 8pm to 9pm. Bingo is on Wednesdays at 8.30pm, attracting a lot more players. Lucan District Credit Union Academy is back and is on Saturdays, 9.30am for girls and 10am for boys (5+).

Last week, there was no winner of the €17,400 lotto where the numbers were 1, 4, 15 and 18. This week’s €17,800 lotto draw will be managed by Séamus Clandillon and is sponsored by Lucan Village Pharmacy. Tickets can be purchased online, at the club, in Carey’s Newsagents, in Vesey Arms or Kenny’s Bar.

ROUND TOWER, CLONDALKIN

MEMBERS are alerted to important documents featured within the downloads section on the homepage of our website. It features regrading forms for adults, details regarding the GAA injury benefit fund, club membership form, CCC rules and regulations 2018, CCC Fixture Calendar 2018. The months-mind Mass for Eugene Garrigan is this coming Saturday at 10am in the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Clondalkin village). Eugene’s remains will be interred afterwards at Esker Cemetery. Also on Saturday, Ciarán Carr’s

sixth anniversary mass will be at 6.30pm, followed by afters in the clubhouse. Thank you to all who participated in the Tommy Curran Cup over the weekend and congratulations to Jack Whelan and Liam O’Connor who were named senior and junior hurlers of the year at the hurling end of year awards night. Our minor footballers are hosting a fundraising table quiz in the club on Friday, January 26 at 8pm. Tickets available from mentors priced at €40 for a team of four or €10 per quiz participant. Membership is now payable for 2018. All memberships are to be paid online and new membership fees for juveniles and minors have been introduced by the executive. Further detail on our website. Round Tower lotto (January 8): jackpot was €1,500. Numbers drawn were 4, 11, 22 and 28; bonus ball was 30. No overall winner and no bonus ball winner. Three €100 winners: H Reynolds, Peter Redmond, Fidelma Chapman. Bingo resumes every Tuesday night in the club. First call at 8.30pm with the jackpot being €1,000 for a

18 January 2018 WEST  DUBLIN GAZETTE 39

GAZETTE

THE 2017 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ANNUAL CHALLENGE MATCH BEST OF THE 2017 JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

delight at DCU

The pace continued, a further five goals still to come, with the likes of Fiona Claffey (Foxrock Cabinteely) and Jess Tobin (Cuala) staking a claim for the challenging Stars team in front of the county manager by drilling home.

For the Dubs, the goal of the game came via a superb volleyed finish from Danielle Lawless (St Sylvester’s), who let fly at a loose looking ball into the square to smash home Dublin’s fifth. The score, at this point,

was becoming somewhat academic, and while there will be doubts defensively as it rained second half goals, there’s clearly plenty of attacking talent for Bohan to ponder in the coming weeks, with several of his bigger-name

forwards not even present at DCU for the contest. Dublin’s winning margin, ultimately, was 5-8 to 4-8, with the Dub Stars pulling a goal back with the very last kick of the game. In short, breathless entertainment.

Navy team show Blue Star quality A FINAL-minute point from Aoife Keyes helped the Navy Team to

complete an impressive comeback against their Blue Team counterparts in the New Ireland Assurance Junior Dub Stars Challenge at the DCU Sportsgrounds on Sunday, 6-9 to 5-11. With 15 minutes remaining in a gripping contest, the Blues had developed a seemingly insurmountable nine-point advantage (5-10 to 3-7). However, Navy dug deep in the final-quarter, and thanks in no small part to strong scoring returns from Gillian McCluskey, Clara O’Sullivan and Rachel Staunton, Martin Mitchell’s charges ultimately came out on top. The Blues got off to a dream start with Plunkett’s Gaby Couch scoring in the first minute before Garristown’s Edel Quinn palmed in a goal soon after. Louise Fagan replied with a major for Navy to stem the tide but the Blue side would steadily advance their lead out to 3-6 to 2-1 with a flow or scores with Ciara McDunphy scoring a goal en route to a tally of 1-4. A six-point salvo, underpinned by Gillian McCluskey’s points, saw Navy make inroads into the difference but a stoppage time Anne Whelan goal did keep a 4-6 to 2-7 lead in the Blue team’s favour. Rachel Staunton’s goal breathed life back into the Navy hopes but a trio of superb scores by Couch, McDunphy and Sweeney, the Blues quickly re-asserted their authority. Navy, though, produced a stunning riposte with McCluskey and Clara O’Sullivan at the heart of a memorable late turnaround.

Colleen Barrett takes on Lynsey Davey, right. Picture: GAAPIcs.com

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

full house if checked within 51 numbers. Otherwise, €20 for full house. All-in €2 to buy in. Game usually €90 to €150.

ST MARK’S

THE camogie section are holding a clothing collection on Saturday, January 20 from 10-11:30am only. All old clothes, bed linen, shoes, bags, towels belts etc are accepted. The adult camogie team continue to recruit new players; all ladies over 15 are welcome, contact James Aherne for further info on 087 2445520. The 2018 St Mark’s boys U-10s are currently seeking new players for both Gaelic football and hurling for the upcoming season. Boys must be born after January 1 2008. If interested, for further details please call or text Ashley Pitts at 085 1599219. All juvenile section training has returned to

date, contact the relevant mentors for info. The adult football section has returned to training. Music every Saturday in the club. Live sport every weekend. Bar opening hours: 8pm all week, 5pm on Friday and 2pm on Saturday, 12.30pm on Sunday. Set dancing classes on Mondays at 8pm. Monthly Ceili on Saturday, January 21. Music by Glenside Ceili Band, 8.45pm till late. Bingo Thursday night, starts at 8.4pm5, open to everyone. Slimming World every Tuesday at 5pm and 7pm and Wednesday morning at 9am in the main lounge. Please continue to support the club lotto. Tickets €2 each or three for €5. €4,800 Jackpot not won, numbers were 1, 7, 9 and 15; €50 winners - 1. Will Condron c/o Will Condron, 2. SEA c/o Colm Carron, 3. Emma & Barbara c/o Bingo, 4. Val

Bryan c/o Tony Bryan, 5. Paul & Ursula Kearns c/o P. Kearns, 6. Pat McGril +4.

ST MARY’S

ADULT player of the year awards take place in the club lounge this Saturday from 8.30pm. This year sees our best minor, junior and senior players honoured and, for the first time, our 2017 ladies minor player will be honoured. Live music on the night by Jay Hickey. Our thanks to everyone who gave up their Sunday morning to attend our strategic planning meeting. Some great ideas were voiced. Our thanks to Paul O’Kelly for his assistance and advice. National club draw tickets are now available. All money raised stays within the club and there are great prizes on offer. Contact Brendan Murray or any executive member for details. We would ask that tickets are

returned ASAP. Membership for 2018 is now due. Rates are: adult Player €130, third level student player/nonplaying/associate €70, juvenile €50, senior citizen €20, family membership €175. Membership can be paid on-line by clicking on the Blue “Shop Now” button on the Facebook Page or contact Siobhan Moran on Monday evenings between 7-8pm. Our thanks to the management and staff of Rathcoole Community Centre who took care of us at our monthly Ceili on Saturday. Lotto numbers drawn this week were 2, 21, 22 and 25. There was no winner so next week’s jackpot remains capped at €8,000 with a €1,600 roll-over. There was one Match 3 winner of €200, Adrienne Nugent, Pairc Mhuire, Saggart. Next week’s Match 3

will be worth €100 win/ share. You can now follow the LocalLotto link on our Facebook page to play Lotto online.

ST PAT’S PALMERSTOWN

ST PATRICK’S GAA, in partnership with Waterstown Warriors and sponsored by Supervalu Palmerstown, is hosting Operation Transformation walks in Glenaulin Park. This will run for eight weeks to coincide with the RTE TV series. Walks will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6.45pm. There will be an optional weigh-in each Tuesday at 6.30pm. The first walk was on Tuesday, January 16. All adults, teens and supervised children welcome. Our junior academy went back training on Monday from 6-7pm in the Pobalscoil sports hall. Training on

Saturdays will be from 10-11am on the all-weather pitch at the clubhouse. The academy caters for girls and boys four-years and over or who will be starting “big school” in September. Contact James on 087 6821582 or Denise on 086 1591268. We look forward to seeing all our budding young sports stars from 2017, and new members are always welcome. Our new U-7s girls and boys’ teams also began training on Monday from 6-7pm in the Ballyfermot Sports Hall (behind the St Patrick’s GAA Clubhouse). New members most welcome. Contact Denise on 086 1591268 (girls) or David on 087 7422646 (boys). In conjunction with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA), St Patrick’s GAA will be running the Peil Og programme for girls aged 8-12 years, beginning at the end of January. More details to

follow. Our new clubhouse co-ordination team met for the first time last week to devise a plan of action to maintain and improve our facilities. We are delighted to welcome several eager and enthusiastic club members who have brilliant ideas and oodles of energy. Best of luck to everyone involved. Our lotto numbers for this week were 1, 6, 27 and 29. There was no winner. There were four lucky dip winners – Marco Dutoman, Michelle McManus, Phyl Butler and Mark Collender. The jackpot next week will be €7,400 with the draw taking place on Sunday night in the Palmerstown House at 10pm. Tickets are available from Supervalu, Palmerstown House, Manor Hair Studios, Mullingar House, and Chapelizod Post Office. Many thanks to all our ticket sellers and everyone for supporting this important fundraiser.

GAZETTESPORT

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

JANUARY 18-24, 2017

IN THE CLOVER: Firhouse strike late to put another big dent in St Mochta’s LSL title retention hopes P37

STARS IN ALIGNMENT: DCU plays host to annual club and county duel P38-39

Clondalkin are back in Towns Cup this weekend following a number of memorable days out in the competition like this 2016 tie against Wicklow. Picture: Sharon Flanagan

Clon’s Towns Cup target Club chairman hoping first team can find form in cup competition to boost chances of a strong finish to their Leinster league campaign  KARL GRAHAM

sport@dublingazette.com

CLONDALKIN RFC kick off their Provincial Towns Cup campaign this week as they seek the spark to ignite a fire under their league survival hopes. The team impressed last year to finish second in the Leinster League Division 1B but currently sit bottom of the table this time round with three games left to secure their status. Before all that, however, they welcome Edenderry to Clondalkin for the first round of the cup. “We have had a ferocious run of injuries this year,” Clondalkin chairman Gerry Gilligan told the Dublin Gazette. “We had four guys selected

for the Leinster Junior squad last year and we’ve had only one of them back playing this year. Naturally, because they were selected for that, they would be four of our best players. “The team has been under-weight and, I suppose, lacking in confidence for the last while. A good game this weekend could give a bit of confidence because there is a lot of that, unfortunately, lacking with some of the guys at the moment.” Edenderry play a division below their opponents this weekend but Gilligan believes this could increase the pressure on his side rather than relieve it. “It probably adds a bit more [pressure] because we have everything to lose and they have everything to gain type thing. They are a

level below us and at the bottom half of their league. “Yet, the Provincial Towns Cup tends to raise the enthusiasm, particularly for real provincial clubs. It is the big event of the year rather than the leagues. You could see over the last number of years, the likes of Wicklow and Tullow winning, it generated enthusiasm in the towns.” This time last year, Clondalkin were looking forward to some cup finals but this time around they could act as more of an unwanted distraction. However, Gilligan is hoping some of those injured will be back in action when the league gets back underway. “It is going to be an end of season dogfight between Coolmine, ourselves and Portlaoise to avoid relegation and a relegation playoff.

“I was given the impression by the coach a week or two ago that he was hoping to have two of them back by the time the league resumes after the Towns Cup so hopefully that will happen. For his sake alone, I would like to see us survive this year” Despite the first team’s troubles this year, Gilligan believes the future looks bright for the club. “One of the big things we have had over the last 12 months is the underage. We have about three teams at Under-12s and two at Under-14s so the future is good. If we kept half of those players, then in five or six years we would be sitting pretty. “But unfortunately a lot of them get to 17 and 18 they discover sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll and go to college or whatever it happens to be!”