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The shape of things to come Cork’s city and county boundaries to be reviewed

By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

T

he Lord Mayor has said her office’s title must be “kept intact” and Cork’s local authorities must remain as separate entities, as a newly– established statutory committee examines whether the Cork City and Cork County Councils should be amalgamated. Fianna Fáil coun-

cillor Mary Shields stated that in light of Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly’s appointment of a five–member independent group to review the boundary — which could see up to 79,000 residents living in County Cork being ‘moved’ to the city — it is “important” for both councils to remain.

“Cork is a huge county. If you start driving from Castletownbere to Dublin, you’re only half way when you hit

Everything you need to say "I do" in 2015

Cork city,” Councillor Shields told The Cork News. “That’s only from the west, as the county also extends out to Mallow, Macroom and so on.

In my view, it’s important that they are kept as separate entities. However, it is vitally important that the city and county co–operate with each other.”

Cllr Shields added that the office of Lord Mayor of Cork

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Index

Winter wonderland in Cork

Editor’s letter This is going to be a year of momentous change. In a matter of months we’ll take to the polls to decide on the matter of equal rights for gay and lesbian people and between now and then, no doubt, lie many weeks of fraught and contentious debate. But following the events in Paris at the start of the month, it might be time to really reflect on what liberty, equality and fraternity will mean for each of us as we continue to blaze a path into the 21st century.

The attack at the offices of Charlie Hebdo and subsequent events have given us all a reason to take a step back and examine the issue of free speech and freedom itself. George Hook has laid out his opinon on the matter of free speech in this week’s issue of The Cork News, and hurling legend Donal Óg Cusack features too, discussing equality for gay people. Personally, I think the march of progress has gained such momentum at this stage that there can be no turning back, nor even stopping off along the way, but a lot can change, as we have seen, in just a few months — or in a matter of minutes.

On the matter of free speech, and in common with George, I’m naturally approaching this from a journalist’s perspective.

The hypocrisy of many of the world leaders (or their proxies) who marched in Paris in solidarity with the people of France, each and every one of them claiming to be a Charlie for a day, has been brought up repeatedly in other publications and online. The Turkish government, one of the most repressive in the world if you’re a journalist, was criticised. The Israeli government likewise. The Egyptians drew scorn for their attempt at solidarity when they have been holding journalists in prison for doing their job, likewise the Jordanians, the Russians, the Tunisians, Georgians, Bulgarians, Bahrainis, Qataris, Palestinians and, on the far left in that already–famous photograph, our own Taoiseach, categorised with all of them because of Ireland’s anti–blashphemy legislation.

There had been hope that the issue of blasphemy in Ireland would be dealt with in the lifetime of this government. I was very disappointed this week to hear that instead of asking the people of Ireland to amend Bunreacht na hÉireann to remove article 40.6.1.i (“The publication of utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law”) on the same day we will vote on marriage equality, Enda Kenny has stated categorically that it will not happen before an election.

Most of you will know that nobody has been prosecuted for blasphemy, which was cemented into the statute books in 2009.

Dermot Ahern drafted it using such vague language that practically everyone can be deemed guilty in one way or another, but allowed so much extenuation that nobody ever would be. He had to, in order to satisfy the Constitution, but that’s not the point. People of any creed have recourse to deal with statements “grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion” through the courts if they see fit. In the wake of people dying for the right to be critical of fundamentalists who have degraded and mutilated one of the world’s great faiths, this constriction of our free speech is increasingly under the spotlight and it’s a shame the leader of our government didn’t take this sacred bull by the horns.

The Cork News is a newspaper by and for the people of Cork, and I know that some of you will not agree. You’re fully, unequivocably entitled to your opinons — and to the right to express them. In fact, I hope that if you disagree you’ll write to us and let us know why, because freedom of speech means freedom to debate, freedom to engage, freedom to criticise and freedom to defend your point of view without fear of repercussion. It is one of the most basic freedoms there can be and, in spite of one or two flaws, I’m proud to live in a country where most of us don’t even have to think twice about that.

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The shape of things to come should also remain, due to its “huge historical significance”, with figures such as Tomás Mac Curtain and Terence MacSwiney both having held the office previously.

However, she stated that the boundary of Cork city should be altered, highlighting that it is “long overdue”. “We were hoping that this would be solved by Cork city and County Cork deciding among themselves what is to be done, but it didn’t happen like that,” said Cllr Shields.

In 2012, then–environment minister Phil Hogan granted Cork City and County Councils five years for an agreement to be reached on the boundary. However, Minister Kelly’s announcement has effectively side–stepped that process three years in.

Cllr Shields stated that a boundary extension is “extremely important” for Cork,

particularly as there are no green field sites left in the city.

“It’s also unnatural for towns like Douglas to be half in the county and the other half in the city. The same stands for Bishopstown and other areas,” said the Lord Mayor. “It’s a step in the right direction now to form a group.”

Minister Kelly outlined that from the point of view of “coherent” development, it’s “important that both the city and county are not held back in terms of economic progress” and resolving the boundary issue “permanently” is part of that: “This is about selecting the most appropriate system of local government for Cork city and County Cork and ensuring proper democratic representation,” he said. “Issues such as commercial rates, planning and unnecessary duplication of administration are holding Cork back and need to be addressed.”

He added that the environs

of the city which are not part of the Cork City Council area for local government purposes have a population of 79,000 people. “There is a clear need to have an independent overview of local government structures in Cork,” he emphasised.

The minister said the option of unifying the city and county structures should “also be considered”, in view of the “potential benefits” such as strengthening local government, elimination of administrative duplication, improved service delivery, and economies of scale.

The statutory committee now tasked to review the local authority structures in Cork within nine months include leading academics from University College Cork, and will be chaired by former Beamish & Crawford CEO Alf Smiddy.

Cork North Central TD and Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection Dara Murphy, who served as Lord

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Mayor of Cork from 2009 to 2010 stated: “One thing that I am certain of, and have been since my time as Lord Mayor, is that the boundary as currently drawn doesn’t work for the people of Cork generally, and particularly the people who live within a 25km radius of Patrick Street. That is not a criticism of either local authority.”

He added the “reality is that Cork has a single brand and a single identity”. “Cork people are very proud of their identity and I think all of us collectively have the potential to work better if we remove some of the duplication that exists by virtue of the current boundary arrangements between city and county,” said Minister Murphy. “Whether we move to a boundary extension and where that would be, or whether we move to a single authority, both options represent exciting challenges for the committee to consider.”

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To contact the editor: editor@thecorknews.ie 4 Carey’s Lane, Cork • t: 021 4252255 • e: info@thecorknews.ie • w: thecorknews.ie

thecorknews

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16 January 2015

3

Quantum leap for Cobh completed by April in time for the first cruise call — Regal Princess — on Saturday, April 25th. Regal Princess is currently the 11th–largest cruise ship in the world.

In total, 55 cruise liners are scheduled to call at Cobh in 2015, 10 of which are maiden calls. 20 will be carrying in excess of 3,000 passengers each.

Captain McCarthy stated the trend in bigger vessels mooring in Cobh will “assure that Cork is to the forefront” in the cruise liner industry in Ireland. “We are currently the only port in the Republic of Ireland that can handle the last three generations of cruise ships and now with this, the fourth generation, we want to be able to assure we can do it. By putting in these bollards we will be ready for them.”

“We know that the cruise industry is worth between €13 and €14 million annually to Cork alone so there are some major opportunities for the tourist industry

Cobh. Picture by Lorcan MacMuiris.

to capitalise on this,” he said.

“The likes of Blarney Castle, Midleton Distillery, all of these will get busier due to the increased volume of passengers coming their way.”

During the initial period of construction, there will be some temporary changes to parking at the east end of the Five Foot Way car park in Cobh and some limitations for pedestrian access.

However the Port of Cork outlined that it will ensure that any disruption is “minimised”.

Regal Princess. Picture by C Messier.

Cobh is to accommodate ‘mega ships’ from this April as part of a €1.5m upgrade to the facilities at the east Cork town’s cruise liner terminal.

The move will enable the Port of Cork to accommodate ‘Quantum Class’ vessels — the largest cruise liners currently operating in Europe, which carry in excess of 4,000 passengers each — and is expected to provide a knock–on tourism boost for the entire Cork and wider south Munster region.

Captain Michael McCarthy outlined that he has been “chasing the likes of Royal Caribbean” for the larger cruise ships. “In meetings with them we identified that we needed to upgrade our mooring system, in other words, our bollards for the ropes of the ships,” he said.

“We brought the proposal to our board in December and they agreed with it as a commitment to the cruise industry.” The upgrade work, set to commence before the end of January, is expected to be

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16 January 2015

Cork father fights for his son

By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

A Cork father is hoping for movement this yera in his legal battle to have his three–year– old son brought back to Ireland after he was taken to Zambia in 2013 by his mother. Patrick Beary’s son Troy remains in the African country. “I’m trying to get a court date in Zambia to see how I can get some sort of custody of Troy over there,” Mr Beary told The Cork News. “It’s a fairly long process. I need to get custody, then get a passport and I’ll be able to get Troy home. The passport is key.

“I cannot get a passport for Troy. The Department of Foreign Affairs will not grant a passport without custody or the signature of the other parent. Obtaining custody or even getting a court date in Ireland is only feasible if Elizabeth (Troy’s mother) is present. Bearing this fact in mind the obvious route is to try and obtain custody of Troy in Zambia. After obtaining custody there, I’ll present the documentation to the DFA.”

“I’m trying to get a court date in Zambia to see how I can get some sort of custody of Troy over there.”

Patrick Beary and his son Troy Mr Beary stated that fathers in Ireland have to “fight for rights for their children right from the moment they are born”. “Unless the mother is cooperative getting guard-

ianship is almost impossible,” he said.

The last time Patrick saw his son was in July. “It’s awful,” he said, “but I would hope for some movement

this year. It’s been going on long enough.”

Troy was born in Ireland and “spent the first two years of his life here” said Mr Beary.

“His half brother Ethan and

his half sister Anna — my 12– year–old daughter — all live here. I have managed to bring up a 12–year–old girl, albeit as a part–time dad, but I have definitively proved myself as a re-

sponsible parent,” he said. “As a result of all this Troy doesn’t get to have a home, go to school or have anything that resembles a normal life while I remain frustrated with my hands tied.”

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Cork students excel at Young Scientists Cork students made their mark across the board at the 51st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

Transition year students Ian O’Sullivan and Eimear Murphy, both 16, from Coláiste Treasa in Kanturk scooped the top prize for their project Alcohol consumption: Does the apple fall far from the tree?, meaning they now have the opportunity to represent Ireland at the 27th European Union Young Scientist competition in Milan in September. Speaking about the winning entry, Professor Ian Robertson — one of the judges — said: “This study aimed to identify one potential cause of hazardous drinking in teenagers: parental drinking habits and attitudes to their children’s drinking. Fifth– and sixth–year students from the Kanturk–Mallow area were surveyed, with over 902 students reporting on their drinking. Uniquely for this type of survey, the parents of 360 of these students also agreed to report on their own drinking and attitudes.

“Using sophisticated statistical analysis, the students

“This research can help shape family alcohol behaviour in a very positive way into the future.”

BT Young Scientist 2015 winners Ian O’Sullivan and Eimear Murphy (both 16), from Colaiste Treasa, Kanturk, pictured at their homecoming celebration.

Picture by Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

discovered that teenagers whose parents believe that it is acceptable for their children to drink alcohol on special occasions are up to four times more likely to engage in hazardous drinking

than other adolescents. They also discovered that fathers’ drinking levels were a major factor in teenagers’ excessive drinking. Fathers’ attitudes to alcohol are crucial in shaping drinking habits in children,

but if mothers disapprove of teenagers’ habits it can halve their risk of hazardous drinking. The message from this research can help shape family alcohol behaviour in a very positive way into the fu-

ture.”

Other Cork schools whose students secured awards included Cork Education and Training Board (Cork ETB) post-primary schools Coláiste and Gaelcholáiste

Choilm, taking home seven awards in a number of categories and of varying levels for projects ranging from e-cigarettes to marathon kayaking safety, while Mark O’Dowd from Glanmire Community College won the EU SYS Sustainability Award and was also named as overall runner–up for the Intermediate Biological & Ecological Sciences category for his project, Injury increasing crop yields. Clonakilty Community College students Tom O’Donovan, James Hayes, and Robbie Matthews were highly commended for their project investigating the effect of LEDs on plant growth, and Elyssa Curran, Aishling Connolly and India Bartholomew from Schull Community College were named group runners–up in the Intermediate Social & Behavioural Sciences category for their project Stand Up, Stand Out!. Tarah Fleming and Aoife Nash were highly commended in the Biological & Ecological Sciences category for their project, which investigated Ireland’s linecaught pollock.

thecorknews 16 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Cork singer set for The Voice ‘I didn’t play for six months after You’re A Star’

By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

A

Singer and entertainer Pat Fitz. Picture by: Rory Coomey

Thursday afternoon and he mentioned that they’re auditioning for The Voice again,” explained Pat. “I said ‘feck off ’ and left it there. That

night the idea wouldn’t leave my brain so I looked up the website to find ‘applications for The Voice Of Ireland 2015 close tomorrow’. And here we

are now!”

He stated that there was a “few months work” and smaller auditions before contestants “face the back of the four red chairs”. “For those few months, travelling to Dublin auditioning, waiting for call backs, rehearsing, I didn’t tell anybody,” he

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well–known Cork entertainer has vowed to take full advantage of the “doors that might open” when he stands in front of the famed red chairs of The Voice of Ireland this weekend, coming seven years after he was left devastated when he was voted off another RTÉ TV singing competition just before the final.

Singer and actor Pat Fitz, who came fifth in 2008’s You’re A Star, is preparing to face it all again when he sings for mentors Kian Egan, Bressie, The Saturdays’ Una Foden and S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens this Sunday, January 18th, on RTÉ One at 6.30pm.

The winner of this year’s The

Voice of Ireland will secure a recording contract with Universal.

Pat told The Cork News that while he is “very appreciative” of You’re A Star, which opened “a lot of doors” for him, it also knocked his confidence. “That’s why it has taken me so long to come back,” he said. “Back in the day, after getting knocked out just before the final, on my strongest performance, I didn’t play or sing for six months after. This time, however long we last up there, I want to take full advantage of the doors that might open and kick down the ones that don’t.”

Pat’s friend Neil Shannon, who helped him secure a place in the You’re A Star bootcamp, was also responsible for him ending up in the blind auctions for The Voice. “We were chatting one

“I want to take full advantage of the doors that might open and kick down the ones that don’t.”

revealed. “They all grew very suspicious but I kept schtum.”

He added: “I must say I went into the show quietly confident, thinking my months of experience from You’re A Star would stand to me. When it came to the blind auditions, standing backstage, just like when a Vietnam vet gets horrible flashbacks of the war, I panicked! I moped out onto the stage, like a mixed bag of nerves and man–flu, and did a horrendous version of Jackie Wilson’s Higher and Higher in the hope of anybody silly enough to turn. Secretly though I did hope for Kian or Una.” Pat outlined that when he last talked to The Cork News, he was at a “crossroads” and quoted George Harrison who said “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there”. “The last time we were being pulled down that road like a few kids on their Leaving Certificate holiday, behind a speedboat on a rubber circle hanging on for dear life,” he laughed. “This time I hope we’re at least driving.”

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Hook uncorked Qui est Charlie? George Hook reminds us that free speech must also include the right to not speak, no matter how important or historic the subject, and that the fight to do the right thing takes many forms.

T

he right to free speech stands as one of the immovable pillars of the Irish constitution. It is the platform through which citizens of this country are free to express themselves, however they see fit, and without fear of reprisal or recrimination.

The human brain provides for reason, argument, analysis and debate and where conflict comes as a matter of course, Ireland has remedies in legislation to deal with any issues that might arise.

Free speech ties most of Europe in a common bond of understanding and, where democracy leads a state, a person’s right to free expression is usually guaranteed.

“I do not agree with what you say, sir, but I will defend to the end your right to say it.”

For me, as a working journalist, an intrusion on free expression is akin to a personal assault. Save for breaches of defamation law, I could not imagine living in a country where a person’s right to free expression is tapered or diluted in any way.

Every day, newspapers in Ireland carry opinion and comment on all sections of society and while one person’s opinion can be divisive, offensive even, we are all free to voice our thoughts in whatever medium or manner we so choose.

The horror of last weeks attacks on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris not only struck at the fabric of French society, but it was also a strike against democracy as we know it.

The cold blooded murder of 12 journalists at a satirical magazine wrenched at the heart of human decency and ripped at the foundations of European freedom.

Even now, as the dust begins to settle on the streets of Paris, the barbarity and mindlessness of the attacks is difficult to fathom.

george@thecorknews.ie

“I could not imagine living in a country where a person’s right to free expression is tapered or diluted in any way.”

For Ireland, the motive behind the violence is as foreign as the despicable acts themselves. The taking of human life in the name of religious extremism is almost impossible to process. In France, with its multicultural ethnicity and religious diversity, it is equally difficult to stomach, but ironically, this latest sav-

agery appears to have galvanised those whom terrorism was supposed to stun into submission.

As I write, the staff at Charlie Hebdo are in the process of printing five million copies of their latest edition. In blatant defiance of last week’s attack, the front cover has a cartoon of the prophet Muhammed

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crying ‘Je Suis Charlie, All is Forgiven’.

In impossible circumstances, under what must have been horrific emotional strain, the surviving team members at Charlie Hebdo clearly felt they had little option but to continue their work. Their bravery and their dedication is nothing short of

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astonishing.

Across Europe, debate continues over the merits of following Charlie Hebdo’s lead.

Newspaper editors all around the continent have been faced with the excruciating choice of printing Charlie’s satirical sketches or continuing their coverage through reports and

analysis.

There remains substantial support for printing the original images this week, under the proviso that refraining from doing so would hand victory to the terrorists. I cannot agree with that logic.

The fundamental principal of journalism, in any code, allows for editorial independence. If a particular newspaper has no history of religious satire, or has never previously entertained religious sketches, why would it begin to do so now in the name of free speech?

Is a terrorist attack at a magazine in Paris sufficient cause to radically alter the editorial policy of a newspaper in Ireland? And does the right to free speech not also allow for a refusal to follow a particular line of satire?

Just as freedom of expression is protected under the constitution, so too is the right to abstain from following another’s lead. Deciding against publishing Charlie Hebdo’s images is not a strike against free speech, rather it is an affirmation of editorial policy.

In so far as any fundamental right applies, a person is only bound by the strength of their conviction. Free speech is all encompassing and does not differentiate on the grounds of subjective morality.

We are all fortunate enough to live in a democratic state and we enjoy the benefits that such a freedom provides. And when someone or something attempts to take that freedom away, our strength is in our united response to that assault. For Charlie Hebdo, their response this week was to stand unbroken in the face of their tormentors. And though Ireland is choosing a different path in empathy, our support remains constant and unwavering.

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16 January 2015

Hearts and minds in Ukraine A team of international heart surgeons will fly to war torn Eastern Ukraine at the end of the month to carry out life– saving operations on 30 critically ill children thanks to the generosity of the Cork people who responded to a dramatic Christmas appeal for financial support for the “flying doctors” mission.

The mission is funded by Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International Charity, which has been working with the cardiac surgery team at Kharkiv Hospital for the past six years.

Ms Roche told The Cork News “The people of Cork should be so proud of what they have enabled us to do. It’s the power of the ordinary to do the extraordinary, by opening up their hearts and purse strings so a child’s life can be saved”.

Following a dramatic pre– Christmas plea for help from the Director of Cardiac Surgery at Kharkiv Hospital, Dr Igor Polivenok, to Adi Roche personally, she set about securing funding for the Ukrainian hospital.

“The people of Cork should be so proud… it’s the power of the ordinary to do the extraordinary”

Adi Roche and Director of Cardiac Surgery at Kharkiv Hospital, Dr Igor Polivenok Picture by: Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International

M.C. on

“I will also be there at the end of January to oversee where Cork people’s money is going. The surgeons will provide side–by–side training so the local medical staff can continue to save lives” added Ms Roche.

For more information or if you would like to make a donation, visit chernobyl-international.com.

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Fundraiser for Blarney Cork’s budding Roses boy’s ‘first steps’ The search for 2015’s Cork Rose has begun. The lucky lady chosen to represent the Rebel County for 2015 will attend an all expenses paid week at the Rose of Tralee International Festival and receive prizes sponsored by businesses both in Cork and beyond.

The 2014 Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh, joined forces with the 2014 Cork Rose, Anna Geary, and Escort of the Year Conor Walsh to launch the search for the 2015 Cork Rose. The selection is open to ladies aged between 18 and 27 years old. There are no heats involved in the Cork Rose Selection, so everyone will be involved right up to the very end taking part in all the events.

The Cork Rose selection

By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

The parents of a Blarney youngster born with a condition that causes a buildup of fluid on the brain are determined to fulfil a promise they made to their young son to enable him to walk. Orla Christian and Aaron Barry have launched a campaign for their two–year–old child Michael, who was born with hydrocephalus — often called ‘water on the brain’ — so that he can attend specialised physiotherapy at First Step Rehabilitation Centre in Patrickswell, outside Limerick city, which will give him with the power to hold himself up and learn to walk.

His mother Orla outlined that the night before Michael had his first surgery at just five days old in Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, she made a promise to him that if he showed her signs that he wanted to walk or talk she would do “anything and everything for him”.

“When he’s sitting on my lap, with his legs on either side of one of my legs, he puts the pressure in his feet and lifts himself up,” said Orla.

“When he is in that position, we have held him under the arms, and he has lifted his left leg, lifted himself off the ground and put it back down in the same place.”

Orla explained Michael is to be assessed at First Step on Tuesday, February 3rd and

2014 Cork Rose Anna Geary, Escort of the Year Conor Walsh, 2014 Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and Juan Pablo Trossero, Front Office Manager, Silver Springs Moran Hotel. Picture by Will Nolan.

takes place on June 12th and 13th at The Silver Springs Moran Hotel. For more in-

formation, call 087 147 4100 or email corkrosecentre@yahoo.com.

Gurranabraher moving forward

it’s hoped that he will commence physiotherapy once a week, before building up the sessions.

Orla said that Michael’s condition, which causes excess cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in the brain’s ventricle, means “his eating, his thinking and his movements” are all affected. “It’s everything,” she said.

She stated that to get the

funding to give Michael the chance to walk, a fundraiser has been organised for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin on the June Bank Holiday Monday. “We are hoping to do the Cork Mini Marathon in September,” she said.

Those wishing to join the fundraising initiative can contact “Michael’s Little Steps” on Facebook.

Gurranbraher Credit Union members can now avail of a new customised app, called cuAnywhere, with which members can access their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The new app will allow more than 15,000 members to access their accounts and carry out transactions from a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet. After downloading the app, members will be able to transfer money from one credit union account to another, transfer money to bank accounts, check their account balances, set up standing orders, pay bills and apply for loans.

The launch of the app at Gurranabraher Credit Union is part on the on–going strategy

Staff member Paula Guiney, all smiles at the Gurranabraher Credit Union members App launch at Gurranabraher Credit Union. Picture by David Keane.

of providing a full banking service to its members.

“It is now important that credit unions are able to deliver services to members in a range of forms, and this includes providing members with access to their accounts, and to be able to

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Happy Talk Experts in early years childcare have been gathered in Cork to learn about a successful children’s language development programme. The Happy Talk programme is an pioneering project designed to improve the language and learning skills of children aged up to six years old in The Glen and Mayfield.

“Our aim is to increase the language skills of these children with a keen interest in empowering parents and teachers so they can continue to support children’s language development” said Aoife O’Shea, Programme Coordinator, Happy Talk.

The Happy Talk programme incorporates parallel learning by up–skilling parents and teachers. Their Speech and Language Therapists work with parents, childcare staff in crèches and pre-schools, and teachers in the primary schools. They provide ideas, strategies and support around language development.

“It doesn’t come without its challenges though, getting parents involved can tricky but it’s great that we have 75% parental engagement,”

Junior Infant Children Meiling Lin (St. Brendan’s The Glen), Morgan Crowley and Jimmy McDonagh from St. John the Apostle School Mayfield and Teacher Vivienne Melia at Happy Talk.

Picture by: Donagh Glavin

“We’ve seen a 15% improvement in language skills.” added Ms O’Shea.

The Happy Talk programme was heralded a success recently when a report found that it achieved a major reduction in delayed language skills among young children in The Glen and Mayfield.

“We’ve seen a 15% improvement in language skills, so that’s children going from below average to average, and going from average to above average. There’s been an upward shift,” continued Ms O’Shea.

The programme will be funded up to the summer of 2015, through the Tomar Trust, the HSE, Cork City Council and Cork City Partnership, but will need to secure further funding after that.

Remembering too–short lives Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, a non–profit group supporting parents who have suffered the devastating loss of a baby with ‘remembrance photography,’ has arrived at Cork University Maternity Hospital, which now has two photographers affiliated with the foundation.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep enables families to honour their babies and celebrate their short lives with images that capture the child’s legacy and can serve as an important step in the family’s healing process.

The Cork News photographer Rob Lamb is involved with the charity and has worked with four families to

15

date. “It’s tough and every family is different” he said.

“It reinforces how valuable the service is. The photos I take will often be all families have. It’s hard but it makes such a huge difference to parents.”

At a family’s request, a NILMDTS affiliated photographer will come to CUMH and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session with a family and their baby. The portraits are then professionally retouched and presented to families on an archival DVD or CD. The photographers give their time and their expertise entirely for free. For information, visit nowilaymedowntosleep.org.

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

At the Grand Hotel in Fermoy for the event to announce the arrival of US company ABEC Inc. to Fermoy, with 100 new jobs to be created in the town, from left to right: Brian Conroy, Dept.

Mgr., EICT Division - IDA, Minister Sean Sherlock TD, Cork County Mayor Alan Coleman, Brady Cole - VP Commercial Operations ABEC Inc., Ray O’Connor, Manager, Ireland South, IDA. Picture by Dermot FitzGerald

100 new jobs for Fermoy ‘A positive economic impact for the region’ An employment boost for Fermoy “further substantiates” the strength of the Cork region as a “location of choice for companies looking to expand into the European market” the Cork Chamber chief executive has said.

ABEC Inc. is to create 100 jobs over the next two years as it establishes an European HQ and Manufacturing Centre in Fermoy at the former FCI facility site in the town. The announcement came almost eight

years to the day after French firm FCI Ireland announced they were shutting down their plant.

The new operation at the site will produce engineered process equipment for biopharmaceutical manufacturing and provide a range of service offerings to meet the growing demand from global pharmaceutical and biotech customers. Refurbishment works at the facility are underway, as well as recruitment for a range

of management, engineering, manufacturing, services, and business development personnel. Cork Chamber’s Conor Healy stated the announcement adds to the “already significant level of investment in the biopharmaceutical related sector that Cork has succeeded in securing”. He added that ABEC’s investment will have a “positive economic impact for the region”.

ABEC’s CEO Scott Pickering said: “This investment is a key component of ABEC’s broader strategy to deliver integrated process solutions on a global basis. The Fermoy facility will increase our capacity and allow us to better support our grow-

ing customer base in Ireland and Europe.” He added his appreciation of the support of the IDA. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton stated that ABEC is a company “deciding to invest in a regional area of high unemployment”, in a facility “left vacant in a devastating 2007 job loss announcement”: “Engineering and manufacturing companies form a key part of the government’s Action Plan for Jobs,” he said. “A large part of the reason we have targeted companies in this area in particular is because of their potential to invest in regional locations.”

Potential benefits of insolvency option According to figures released by the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI), there was a sharp rise in the number of applications for personal insolvency in the last quarter of 2014. The figures showed that more people applied for insolvency schemes in the f i n a l three months of 2014 than in the previous nine months combined.

Quintas, a leading accountancy firm in Cork, told The Cork News they expect this rise in activity to continue and grow in 2015. There have been 548 approved arrangements since 2013: this means 548 people are no longer under financial strain, or have to worry about legal letters and phonecalls from creditors.

The number of telephone calls, emails and website visits to the ISI continues to

grow as people become more aware of the benefits of the insolvency legislation, which was enacted in 2013.

“My advice is to contact a Personal Insolvency Practitioner (PIP) as soon as possible so they can review that p e r s o n’s fi n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n” said Mark Ryan, Director and Pe r s o n a l Insolvency Prac ti ti oner, Quintas. “Some people are leaving it too late. A PIP can then advise what scheme, whether it be PIA or DSA, will work.”

A Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) deals with unsecured and secured loans, such as home loans. A DSA deals with unsecured debts where there are no assets.

“These schemes are alternatives to bankruptcy and it means debts can be written off in five to six years” added Mr Ryan.

thecorknews 16 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Picture by: Rob Lamb

‘Technology and trust’: new partnership for two Cork companies Two high–profile Cork companies have partnered to offer secure cloud server backup and disaster recovery solutions. Leading Irish IT Company Smarttech, based on the Monahan Road, and Cork Internet eXchange (CIX) in Holyhill have announced a long–term alliance agreement that brings together distinct capabilities in security, services, and scale from the two industry–leading information storage and management companies. “This partnership offers customers a unique combination of technology and trust,” said Ronan

Murphy, Smarttech CEO. Business Development Manager of CIX, Bob Grantham (above) added: “Combining Smarttech’s expertise as an innovator in data protection with CIX’s reputation as a trusted provider of secure colocation services will provide organisations with security, reliability, and trust.” Companies interested in finding out more about data backup and recovery can attend a free Smarttech and CIX seminar on Thursday, February 5th at 3pm at the Cork Internet Exchange in Hollyhill Industrial Estate.

Epilepsy monitoring unit for CUH An epilepsy monitoring unit is to “significantly enhance” services at Cork University Hospital for those with the neurological disorder. The first patients are being admitted to the newly opened unit this week, which will particularly aid those with acutely unstable epilepsy and chronic disabling epi-

lepsy. Patients referred from the southern region — Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford — will be able to attend for monitoring, assessment and treatment.

The new unit consists of a customised four–bed room with continuous nursing supervision and continuous 24/7 video–EEG monitoring.

Tony McNamara, CEO of the Cork University Group, said the staff needed to open the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit have been successfully recruited: “We recently appointed five staff nurses trained in the management of epilepsy patients and a newly–appointed advanced nurse practitioner (ANP)

with specialist training in epilepsy,” he said. “These new staff will improve on the specialist care already provided by the existing neurology service at CUH. The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit will be an integral part of a number of services aimed to improve the care of people with epilepsy.”

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thecorknews 16 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Conference to focus on Cork construction projects Upcoming Cork construction projects are to be outlined at a conference next week.

The planned public projects for the county and the rest of the Munster region will be discussed at a conference being organised by the Con-

struction Industry Federation (CIF) at the Rochestown Park Hotel on Friday, January 23rd from 8.45am to 1pm. Among those participating in the conference will be procurement representatives from the Office of Government

Procurement, the HSE, the Department of Education and Skills and Irish Water. The State’s chief procurement officer Paul Quinn will also speak at the conference, joined by CIF President Michael Stone and CIF Director General

Tom Parlon.

CIF director general Tom Parlon stated: “One of the big issues for construction companies in Cork at the moment is forward planning. The sector is beginning to recover but there is little certainty about

what projects are actually going to construction. That is why we have set up this conference. It will provide a better insight into a range of upcoming public projects planned for Cork and the wider Munster region. This is something

that we think will be of great interest to anyone involved in construction activity.”

Tickets for the event, priced €25 for CIF members and €40 for non members are available from 021 4351410 or by emailing bcody@cif.ie.

Push for Cork – Galway link Fianna Fáil’s Spokesperson on Transport, Tourism and Sport Timmy Dooley TD believes that if a proper InterCity Service was established between Cork and Galway via Limerick and Ennis it would dramatically improve passenger numbers on the line.

Deputy Dooley has called on Irish Rail to engage in “bold thinking” in order to secure the future of the Western Rail Corridor following reports

that the government is currently reviewing the rail network with the possibility of line closures.

The Clare TD told The Cork News “we need to make it easier for people to get from one city to another, we need to connect our cities and InterCity services are a way of doing this”. Deputy Dooley continued to explain that given the strong passenger numbers that already use commuter

services on this route, an improved InterCity service would be of little extra cost but of huge potential benefit.

“The fact that you can’t get a direct train from Ireland’s second biggest city, Cork, to its third biggest city, Galway, is an anomaly in any case” said Deputy Dooley.

“If we want companies to locate outside of Dublin, these rail networks need to be available,” he concluded.

21

thecorknews 16 January 2015

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16 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

23

On the alert in “No basis for strike” says O’Sullivan north Cork “We are Castlelyons Community Alert is gearing up a new text alert service for implementation in the parish. A similar service is already in use in many community alert areas around the country and has proven to be a most valuable tool in the fight against crime.

Community Alert Groups will get live information on crimes and suspicious activity as part of the north Cork village’s new text alert system.

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local members of the Castlelyons Community Alert team, enabling them to prevent crimes before they happen.

Next Thursday, January 22nd, at 8pm in Castlelyons Community Centre, Sergeant John Kelly, Crime Prevention Officer, Cork North; Sergeant Andrew Geary, Community Policing Sergeant Fermoy District and Mr. Diarmuid Cronin, Community Alert Development Officer, Muintir na Tíre will hold a meeting to explain the details of the initiative, while Sergeant Kelly will also give a crime prevention talk.

Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan said there was no basis for futher strike action in schools, in spite of inconclusive talks with teachers.

The minister repeated her call to teacher unions to halt the planned one–day strike on January 22nd. She was speaking following contentious talks with both the ASTI and TUI in relation to the implementation of Junior Cycle reform.

“Unfortunately substantial progress was not achieved at today’s talks. There is a significant gap between both sides and I am still waiting on the teacher unions to respond in kind to the fair and reasonable compromise I tabled in November,” said Minister O’Sullivan.

Pauric Travers has agreed to liaise with both sides about how further talks can take place and the minister has indicated that she is willing to continue to engage in these talks.

“Junior Cycle reform is necessary and overdue. Parents’ organisations, the Irish Second Level Students Union, management bodies and a

willing to engage with the minister regarding the Junior Cycle as we are concerned about its standards.”

ASTI Vice President Máire Ní Chíarba

wide range of education experts are fully supportive of my reform package. Industrial action should cease as I believe that more detailed talks can result in progress,” added Minister O’Sullivan.

In response to the minister’s statement, Máire Ní Chíarba, Vice–President of

the ASTI and a teacher at Coláiste an Phíarsiagh in Glanmire, told The Cork News “we have been available for talks, there have been no developments and nothing has changed.”

With regards to the planned strike, Ms Ní Chiarba said that the ASTI and

TUI have 27,000 members who signed the mandate, which couldn’t be ignored.

“We are willing to engage with the minister regarding the Junior Cycle as we are concerned about its standard but we will not assess our own students,” concluded the ASTI Vice President.

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Sliney scores with new mural

By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

Cork artist opens NY exhibition The world famous Agora Gallery in New York’s Chelsea will feature the original work of Cork artist Maria O’Sullivan in their Portals of Perception, which opens tomorrow and runs until February 6th.

Maria O’Sullivan now lives in Venice, and her artworks are characterised as “restless imaginings of the world”.

Each mixed media composition - sometimes collage, acrylic paint, digital, charcoal,

or ink - shows structures and scenes shifted into something new. O’Sullivan layers textures to create moody scenes of urban development: Maps and urban planning inform her multifaceted images. She believes that “as my mindset shifts so does my drawing.”

“Her work capitalizes on a futurist sensibility and system of complex patterns to create dense reflections of urban space” says the gallery.

From Spider–Man to top footballing stars, the pen of Marvel Comics illustrator Will Sliney never rests. The 32–year–old Ballycotton native is the artist behind the new mural at the Sugarcube café on Cork’s South Mall, featuring his all–time footballing Irish dream team.

Sliney explained that Umbro Ireland approached him about the project. “Since I started doing illustrations for Umbro and Everton, they invited me over to watch a few Everton games with them — which of course I was delighted to go to — and the idea basically came about while chatting to them over at Goodison. The Everton 11 image was such as success that they liked the idea of replicating it for Ireland,” he said.

Sliney outlined he approached owner of the Sugarcube, Ernest Cantillon about the sporting mural — featuring the likes of Packie Bonner, Stephen Staunton and Ray Houghton

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— to replace his previous one on the side of the coffee shop, which depicted legendary Corkonians. The link between the two murals is that they both feature Corkman Roy Keane. “It was Ernest’s idea for the Cork persons mural and we always had plans to do more,” explained Sliney. “I figured the Ireland team would be a great fit there.”

He said the players were his own choice. “I picked players that really stuck out in my head as being involved is some fantastic memo-

“I figured the Ireland team would be a great fit there.” ries,” he said, adding that it was Mick McCarthy that he enjoyed drawing most. “He is the first player I remem-

ber from watching the 1990 World Cup,” said Sliney. “His ‘Captain Fantastic’ nickname always stuck with me.” Richard Dunne also features, along with the famed hand– drawn number five jersey that he wore during Ireland’s 0–0 draw against Russia in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Sliney added that the mural could prove controversial due to the players he omitted. “Pretty much everyone who heard the line–up, even before it was unveiled, was questioning it,” he laughed.

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thecorknews 16 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

16 January 2015

Daytripper Interview by Lorcan Mac Muiris Picture by John Allen

Jameson graduate distiller David Coutts (22) is from Cork and lives in Inchicore, Dublin 8, with his friend Denis and his boxer collie cross Lily.

“

Do I enjoy waking up to my oh–so–annoying alarm every day at 6.30am? No, of course not! What makes mornings more bearable are slobbery kisses from Lily — not my significant other but my boxer collie cross. She has all the smarts of a collie in the body of a boxer…and takes up most of the bed. It takes 10 seconds for me to wake up, but the second she hears the first beep she’s there. She also makes it abundantly clear the most important tasks I’m carrying out that day will be feeding and walking her.

When all is done in the doggy department I make my way to Fox And Geese, our bottling plant in Dublin, where I get to work with the most successful Irish whiskey brand the world has ever seen, Jameson.

Although I’m a food scientist, and understand the great benefits of consuming a healthy breakfast, I opt instead for half a Berocca in a bottle of Ballygowan. I really don’t see the point in breakfast if I can get 10 more priceless minutes of sleep.

The whiskey comes up by tanker at cask strength — 57% to 63% after at least five years — and is vatted, where it’s brought down to bottle strength using the purest Irish water. We have our master blender Billy Leighton, who’s the guy that checks every cask to be used in a blend, and he makes sure to accommodate for the flavours that seep from the wood depending on the previous spirits in each cask. He matches each batch so that if conforms to the Jameson standard.

It’s very much a nine to five job, and as a Jameson Graduate Distiller I get to watch over 1,000,000 bottles manoeuvre themselves down the lines each week, operated by Dublin natives — the nicest people ever, salt of the earth.

We have six lines so have well over 150 people on–site. We don’t simply deal in Jameson

“This is the longest I’ve spent away from the banks of my own lovely Lee.”

because Irish Distillers owns Paddy and Powers, and we have to accommodate for all of those.

I’m typically working on process improvement projects. I know it’s a very stereotypical thing to say, but no two days are the same. One day could be spent jetting off to the UK learning about new systems that could be implemented at Fox And Geese to allow production to run as optimally as possible, and the next day I could be in a bar in Cork or Dublin, educating consumers on the heritage

and craft of our amazing Irish whiskey. These are some of the ways I get to make a positive impact in a company that has seen literally 25 years of consecutive growth.

I had to go through a very rigorous application process.

Not only an online application form, but also a two or three minute video telling Jameson why I was the vital ingredient. I made my video in UCC’s microbrewery, and after that I waited a couple of weeks before being invited, with 29 other people, to an assessment in Dublin along-

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side various scientists and engineers. Since I’d been giving biology grinds for years, and was one step short of becoming a teacher, I decided to show them my passion for education and how that coincided with being an advocate for Jameson. I’ve been doing it since August. Coming from a food science background, especially from UCC, where the course is very heavily dairy based, it was almost assumed I’d go down the dairy route.

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With work, I might not leave until 6pm or 7pm, as when production has quietened down I become more productive. However, Dublin has such good transport that I’m home on the Luas in three stops. My evenings consist of me not cooking, but rather trying to cook. Not much works out so I stick to the basics: pasta bakes and stir– fries. I do make a mean meringue but I’m not sure if that qualifies as dinner. For that reason, I tend to explore the amazing eateries Dublin has to offer. Wherever I’m based

I try to find the nicest Italian restaurant, as I love Italian food. It’s the most hearty and the best for conversing over with friends. I worked in Scotland for six months, and found Rustico in Aberdeen, while there is Gallo & Galetti in Bishopstown, Ristorante Rinuccini in Kilkenny and, in the heart of Inchicore, there’s the hidden gem Torino.

If I’m not conversing over food or wine, I’m walking my beautiful dog along the canal or very happily plopped in a comfortable leather cinema seat in any of Dublin’s fantastic picture houses. I’m not a film buff in any regard, but I do love anything from the Marvel cinematic universe.

The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy…I think they’re brilliant. I saw The Hobbit but thought it was rushed and they didn’t use CGI to their advantage, while I loved the likes of Penguins of Madagascar, which I saw with my nephew. It’s very important for me, being from Cork, to have family and friends visit regularly as it makes the move to Dublin somewhat easier. This is the longest I’ve spent away from the banks of my own lovely Lee. I also love learning, so anything to do with nutritional issues appeals to me, and I’m a science geek. I love fantasy novels and at the moment I’m doing the Game of Thrones thing. They’re so amazingly convoluted that you could read the same one 10 times.

I’m one of those people who needs eight hours of sleep, and sometimes I even set my alarm for 2am or 5am just to wake up and know I’ve a few more hours left. I don’t know if that’s very good for your circadian rhythm, but I love doing it.

Looking to the future, I would say ‘know where you’re going’ definitely in professional life, and personally too…although I don’t know if you can plan ultimately for the personal life!”

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16 January 2015

No broadband until 2017 for north Cork communities Cusack to talk on gay rights Former Cork goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack is to take stock of gay rights, both at home and abroad, in a new documentary. Coming Out Of The Curve airs on RTÉ One next Monday, January 19th at 9.35pm, with the three–times All–Ireland winning Cork hurler, who was one of the country’s first

high–profile sports personalities to come out, asking how far Ireland has travelled from the days when being gay was effectively against the law. Cusack also talks to other sports people about coming out and interviews an ‘ex-gay’ man who claims he has been “cured” of his homosexuality.

22 villages throughout north Cork have expressed disappointment as confirmation comes that there are no plans to provide full broadband services for them until at least 2017.

Communities, businesses and homeowners have said they are “devastated” with the delay in the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in north Cork. The plan was announced late last year with the aim of delivering reliable high–speed broadband throughout the country.

“Rural Ireland is on its knees presently due to the lack of investment.”

Commenting on the delay in delivering broadband services to North Cork, local Independent Councillor John Paul O’ Shea said “this is very disappointing news for north Cork. We were all promised wonders when the National Broadband Scheme came into being in 2008 and then the Rural Broadband Scheme in 2011 but yet, in 2015, we have people in north Cork who still cannot even get broadband in their homes and businesses. And those who are lucky enough to get a service have

now been told that the reliability and speed issues will now not be even looked at until 2017.

“Rural Ireland is on its knees presently due to the lack of investment in maintaining services to our communities.

Broadband is now a huge part of what we do on a daily basis.

If this National Broadband Plan is not implemented in full over the next two years, it will be impossible for businesses in these villages to maintain and expand their services,” concluded Cllr O’Shea.

Villages that will not have access to proper broadband until at least 2017: • Ballyclough • Kilbrin • Castlemagner • Cecilstown • Glantane • Bweeng

• Mourneabbey • Burnfort • Nadd • Lyre • Kilcorney • Rathcoole

• Dromagh • Derinagree • Cullen • Kiskeam • Ballydesmond • Meelin

• Rockchapel • Tullylease • Milford • Churchtown

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16 January 2015

Marquee gig for The Frames

Protesters at a meeting between Cork City and County Councils with Irish Water at the Silver Springs Moran Hotel last year. Picture by Daragh McSweeney/Provision.

Water meter contention rolls on An announcement that more than one and half million water meters may have to be replaced by 2030 has led to criticism of potential extra costs for homeowners and tenants.

Cork Anti Austerity Alliance Councillor Mick Barry told The Cork News that a statement from Irish water indicating that the lifespan of a water meter may be just 15 years “indicates that there will an added significant cost which is bound to be reflected in water bills.”

The cost of supplying water meters to homes across the country is estimated to be in the region of €500 million — money Cllr Barry believes would be better spent on public works and public investment.

“Leaking pipes make up 40% of the national pipe network and here in Cork city that figure is just below 60% with pipes originating from the Victorian era, when we were ruled

by Britain,” he added.

The Anti Austerity Alliance councillor has also claimed

FITNESS

that a ‘privatisation agenda’ was preventing massive cuts to heating and lighting prices for households around the country.

He told The Cork News “the price of oil and gas has fallen sharply and operating costs should then be cut because of this but these savings haven’t been passed on to households.”

Cllr Barry noted that the price of oil has fallen by more than 50% in recent months and the price of wholesale gas has fallen by 27%.

The Cork News contacted two gas providers in Ireland to ask why homeowners haven’t seen this 27% reduction in their bills. Bord Gáis Energy say they “have been closely monitoring the movements in wholesale energy markets, and we are actively reviewing our pricing at the moment. As always, if it emerges that it is possible to pass on a price reduction, we will communicate this directly to our customers.

“For the past number of months, we have been working on bringing a new ‘fixed and fall’ product to market for our customers, which we have launched this week,” said Nicky Doran, Head of Retail, Bord Gáis Energy.

“This allows customers to lock down their energy costs for two years. Our new fixed product also guarantees that any new price reduction implemented in the first six months of this year would also be passed on to customers. We believe this is a very attractive offer for our customers.”

Electric Ireland told The Cork News that they, “like all suppliers of gas and electricity, purchase energy on the wholesale markets well in advance, in some cases up to three years in advance. This is to ensure security of supply and to smooth out price volatility for customers on tariffs. Movements in wholesale prices do not feed through immediately to retail tariff prices.”

Rock band The Frames will play Live at the Marquee this summer, as the group marks 25 years in the music industry. The Dublin group, who released their first album in 1992 and their sixth studio album, The Cost, in 2006, will play the Leeside venue on Saturday, July 11th. The Frames celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2010, headlining Electric Picnic as well as touring the US and Europe before finishing the year with sold–out

Dublin shows in The Olympia, Vicar St and Whelans in December.

Tickets for their Marquee

gig are priced €35 and go on sale next Thursday, January 22nd at 9am from ticketmaster.ie.

Are you a technophobe?

The search is on for Internet–phobes in Cork as Argos initiates a series of beginners’ Internet workshops. The Argos Internet Workshop will take place in the Queen’s Old Castle store on Grand Parade.

Attendees will take part in a two–hour workshop where specially trained store colleagues will help participants learn the basics of how to use a tablet, connect to and surf the

internet, use a search engine, set up an email account, stay safe online and more. Participants will receive a free 7” tablet to take away too.

Workshops will begin on February 10th and run until March 10th, with limited places available. The cost is €20 per person. To sign up and book a place, call 1800 812 279 or pop in to Argos for more information.

UCC’s 98.3FM holds Penny Dinners radiothon UCC98.3FM has announced details of a charity radiothon in aid of Cork Penny Dinners.

The student radio station, which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, will broadcast live for 24 hours on Wednesday, February 18th.

The initiative is seeking support from Cork’s business community in the form of buying an advertisement slot on the popular station for €50, which will be donated

in full to Penny Dinners. “We will produce the advertisments to industry standard” station manager Kieran Hurley told The Cork News. “Each will be broadcast 20 times per day from Monday, February 16th to Friday February 20th and will coincide nicely with UCC’s R.A.G Week – and of course during our 24–hour radiothon.”

The total cost of each advert will work out to just 50c per

broadcast for one of the city’s most beloved charities. “People are wishing us well and are supportive of Penny Dinners but we need to start seeing some bookings to actually make a difference. 100% of the money raised will go directly to Penny Dinners,” continued Kieran Hurley.

Call 021 4902008 or email radio@ucc.ie to book an ad for the UCC98.3FM Radiothon.

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16 January 2015

Trolley pressure eases at Cork’s hospitals The number of patients on trolleys in Cork’s hospitals has eased following a surge which put pressure on hospital staff and emergency departments.

On Wednesday, January 14th, Cork University Hospital recorded 18 patients on trolleys, while Mercy University Hospital confirmed 13 patients were without a bed. There was a dramatic fall in numbers on trolleys in the Mercy on Thursday, with five patients on trolleys, but this was not the case for CUH, where there were 17 people waiting for a bed.

One of the key factors contributing to the increased pressure in Cork’s emergency departments is the older age profile of patients presenting with the range of issues.

This is a factor across the country and concerns have been expressed again following an outbreak of influenza– like illnesses. With older people more susceptible to the

O’Flynn challenges National Lottery Cork’s deputy Lord Mayor is calling for the CEO of The National Lottery to review a new TV game show to make it “more age friendly”. The Million Euro Challenge offers players a separate chance to appear on the show, competing to win up to €10,000, in addition to the usual “three stars” method. However, that game cannot be entered through the post: entries are online only at crackthecode.lottery.ie.

Councillor Kenneth O’Flynn wrote to Lottery CEO Dermot Griffin after the new game show, broadcast Saturdays at 8pm on RTÉ One, was brought

to his attention by a number of older peoples’ groups in Cork and “by those that are not technically savvy but who very much enjoy using the scratch cards that the National Lottery have provided over the past decades”.

“They now feel very disconnected to the new system of entering an eight character code on the stub of your scratch card for a chance to appear on the show as part of the scratch card euro millions draw,” he said. He stated to Mr Griffin that a “number of people” throughout Ireland are “not yet computer literate” and feel “totally detached” from the new system.

‘flu, an outbreak may cause another chaotic situation for emergency departments in Cork.

Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson Billy Kelleher said that patients are being put at risk and are facing intolerable delays because of the government’s failure to act and tackle the problem.

“The Dáil will vote on a Fi-

anna Fáil motion demanding that the government immediately provide beds and increase frontline staff so that the overcrowding can be eased. We also want the number of beds funded under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to be restored to at least the level supported in 2013,” said the Cork North– Central TD.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael Cork North–Central Senator and the Party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, published the Health (Professional Home Care) Bill 2014 in December, highlighting that recent overcrowding in hospitals showed the urgent need for developing and growing professional home care services.

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In Association with...

Every week, Cork's animal shelters are called upon to take care of our city's injured, abandoned and unwanted animals. After veterinary treatment and plenty of TLC, these rescued cats and dogs are ready to start a new life with a loving owner. If you have the budget, time, space and commitment to welcome an animal into your home, adopting a rescue animal might be the right option for you. Meet this week's furry friends of The Cork News...

16 January 2015

Talk to us We want to hear from you! Email your thoughts, comments, reactions and announcements to editor@thecorknews.ie

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Meet Molly! Molly is two years old, neutered, house trained and great with other dogs.

She loves her walks and is used to children. If you would like to meet her please contact Avril at 087 7475581.

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Lovely lurcher George is about a year old, and almost permanently happy. Before he was fostered he was found starving and nearly dead on the side of the road, with a disabled leg. Now things are pretty good for him: he’s even an operation on his leg. Now he loves to run around outside and he’s really fast!

George will eat almost anything but a word of warning: he has a butter addiction. You will have to start hiding it if George comes to your house.

Call Avril at 087 7475581 to meet Gorgeous George, you’ll be glad you did!

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Rex is a good–natured, gentle, playful dog with a passion for football, frisby and fetch. He gets on very well with other dogs, small or large, and is good on and off the lead with excellent recall. Rex is excellent around older children and is clean and well behaved around the house. He is particularly bright, like most collies. He is about a year and a half old, neutered, vaccinated and wormed. Contact Avril at 087 7475581 to find out more.

For more information call Pauline’s Rescue on 087 9172474 or find us on Facebook.

BT Young Scientist 2015 winners Ian O’Sullivan and Eimear Murphy (both 16), from Colaiste Treasa, Kanturk, pictured with school principal John Murphy (left) and CEO of Cork Education and Training Board Ted Owens (right) at their school homecoming celebration.

Picture by Daragh McSweeney/Provision.

Humour versus the right to be irreverent Dear Editor, People who believe they are entitled to kill anyone who dares to mock their religious beliefs need to get a life, as distinct from taking lives. I feel uneasy about some of the more belligerent satirising of religion but no amount of mockery or humorous comment can justify murder, arson, or violent assault on a fellow human being.

We can all be offended by attacks on, or abrasive criticism of,

our beliefs. One’s person’s joke is another person’s blasphemy.

The best response is a dignified rebuff, or simply to ignore the ridicule or criticism. I remember people who were shocked when the Monty Python film The Life of Brian launched. There were protests at cinemas and many Christians were understandably upset by the movie’s scathing depiction of their religion.

And yet I distinctly remember also that some of those I heard

objecting strongly to it in later years said they’d like to have the song Always look on the Bright side of Life played at their funerals, possibly forgetting it featured in the movie in a most irreverent context.

Personally I respect Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and all the other great religions of the world and the right of followers to worship as they see fit.

But people ought to be entitled to express their disapproval of

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religion too, regardless of how offended any of us might be as a result.

A life without humour would be very dull indeed, and attempts to suppress joking and satire have never quite succeeded.

Somebody somewhere will always find a way to poke fun and make at least one other person laugh.

In one of her last performances the brilliant Joan Rivers joked outrageously about Nazis in leather being attractive, though she was Jewish. Now there was a woman who understood humour. No section of society and no belief system or mode of human behaviour escaped her savage wit.

Speaking of Nazis, in the Third Reich citizens had to be very careful what they said, with spies and fanatics everywhere, but humour still managed to surface now and again, as with the story of the family that gathered to say grace around the dinner table.

The father says: “For what we are about to receive we thank God and Hitler.” The youngest boy asks: “Dad, what happens if Hitler dies?” The father winks and says: “Then we just thank God.” We all need to lighten up about our religious beliefs or lack of them. As the Monty Python song cautioned, the last laugh could be on us.

Thanking you, John Fitzgerald

35

thecorknews 16 January 2015

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16 January 2015

Talking Heads “Oh god, you wouldn’t be long getting frostbit.”

Derry student Ruairí McSorley becomes an unlikely internet sensation after he was interviewed about the weather on UTV.

“It’s the power of the ordinary to do the extraordinary.”

Adi Roche describes the generosity of the Cork people donating to the Chernobyl Children’s International fund.

“These are men and women who want the opportunity to go to work. That means getting on the employment ladder, being able to buy the car, the girlfriend, the boyfriend or buy the boots or whatever. Live a life, as it were.”

Taoiseach Enda Kenny talks about how the extra 40,000 jobs to be created this year will help people.

“Very proud to receive 1.1million votes.

Congrats to James.

A fantastic experience & thanks to everyone (across the world) for your support!”

Irish footballer Stephanie Roche tweets about narrowly missing out on the FIFA award for goal of the year to James Rodríguez.

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“My name is Donal Óg Cusack.

I’m a hurler, an engineer, a Corkman. I’m also gay. I think I’m proof that nobody chooses to be gay.

You either are or you aren’t.”

Dónal Óg Cusack on his new documentary Coming out of the Curve, which airs on RTÉ One next Monday,

“A fear factor, and all these things, come into play. It’s a cup final game for us. We lose and we’re out.”

Munster’s Peter O’Mahony discusses the importance of the game against Saracens this weekend in round five of the European Champions

“Here is a company deciding to invest in a regional area of high unemployment, in a facility left vacant in a devastating 2007 job loss announcement – a great example of what we are trying to achieve with our jobs plan.”

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton on the news that US Company ABEC Inc. plans to expand its global operations at the former FCI facility site in Fermoy, creating 100 jobs.

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16 January 2015

Vintage Chic Splurge returns to Cork

T

he Spectacular Vintage Wedding Fair is Ireland’s first vintage–themed wedding show and is returning to Cork at last due to popular demand. As tastes and styles move ever more towards individuality and a celebration of all things retro, quirky events like this fair aim to promote original, bespoke and handmade as well as vintage designs – something different, unique and personal for your big day. The nationwide events are a hub of pop–up boutiques, demonstrations and information booths showcasing the very best of Irish talent. The fair will feature everything from original vintage dresses, accessories and decorations to vintage–themed music, cakes and flowers and DIY wedding demonstrations from leading specialists and vintage fashionistas, and much much more! As well as exhibitors,

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the event also features live music, a vintage tea party and (perhaps good news for grooms to be), a man–crèche.

Tickets are available via thespectacularvintageweddingfair.com or on the door on the day. The Spectacular Vintage Wedding Fair will be at the Castlemartyr Resort in east Cork on Sunday, February 1st, from 11am to 5pm.

Wedding Fayre Sunday 18th January 6pm-8pm Join us for the launch of our new & exclusive seasonal packages

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The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

3

Make it special at The Maritime

Aideen Bodkin pink jacquard belted dress with full skirt, aideenbodkin. com, €269

T

Cerise pink crepe long dress, tinagriffin.ie, €270

Tennis bracelet, Chic The World Of Jewellery on Oliver Plunkett Street, start from €65

Faye mesh overlay dress, Devilish Designs by Gina, Unit 7, Market Parade, €165

Always the bridesmaid...

Bridesmaids’ dresses should be worn more than once instead of being confined to the wardrobe! Be inspired by these worthy and gorgeous wear–them–again finds.

Orange Lori Lee Maxi Dress, Coast, €220

he Maritime Hotel in Bantry has just announced details of their highly anticipated Autumn and Winter Wedding packages.

For just €4,500 you can treat 100 of your nearest and dearest to an exquisite wedding reception at the exclusive four star hotel which overlooks Bantry’s breathtaking bay.

This package includes all the finer details that have become synonymous with Maritime Weddings: a red carpet arrival, a five–course banquet, an evening buffet, overnight accommodation in the Maritime’s luxurious bridal suite with Champagne breakfast, complimentary bar extension, and of course exclusive use of the Wedding Suite which boasts floor–to–ceiling, panoramic views of Bantry Bay. This package also includes a pre– or post–wedding party at the hotel, featuring either a three– course dinner for twenty people or finger food for forty people. The lucky couple can also enjoy sampling dishes from the prospective wedding menu prior to the big day and return to the hotel to celebrate their first anniversary with an overnight stay and dinner at The Ocean Restaurant.

The Autumn Winter Wedding Package is available on select dates across September, October, November and December 2015 as well as January, February and March 2016. For further information or to book your personal appointment with the Maritime Wedding Team phone 027 54700.

Last Two Christmas Dates Remaining for 2015 • Complimentary Afternoon Tea on arrival to include Tea/Coffee/Mulled Wine & Prosecco with Finger Sandwiches + Mini Jam & Cream Scones • 4 Course Menu with a choice in each course • 2 glasses of wine per person with dinner • Glass of Sparkling Wine for the Toast • Evening Buffet & Bar Extension • Room Décor Package to include Fairylight Backdrop, Chair Covers & Candelabras • Complimentary use of our Kingfisher or Alders Suite for your Civil Ceremony if required • 2 Nights in our Bridal Suite with Full Irish Breakfast

€50 Per Person

• Complimentary overnight accommodation for the Parents of the Bride & Groom • Day Before or After Family Gathering with Complimentary Fingerfood • 3 months Leisure Centre Membership for Bride & Groom

For further information please contact our Wedding Coordinator Sinead Gillen Tel: 021-4852100 Email: sineadgillen@carrigcourt.com Web: www.carigcourt.com

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The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

A perfect place to say “I do”

FREE ADMISSION

♥ Prosecco drinks reception and canapés on arrival ♥ 3pm Bridal Fashion Show ♥ Meet our experienced team to create your personalised wedding package ♥ Local wedding suppliers in attendance

T

WEDDING FAIR SUNDAY, 25th JANUARY 2015 1.30 – 5pm The West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen

and We ddin g p t io n !

6 1 0 2 / 5 1 20 e ce B o o k yo u r li me n t a r y Dr in k s R p C om R e c e ive a

For more info contact Patricia Kingston weddings@westcorkhotel.com

or call 028 21277

his Sunday, January 18th, the Carlton Hotel & C Spa invites you to their Wedding Fair from 3pm to 6pm.

Set on 90 acres of mature wooded parkland with panoramic views overlooking Oysterhaven Bay, the luxurious four star Carlton Hotel & C Spa Kinsale is the perfect choice for your wedding day.

However you want your wedding to be, Carlton Hotel & C Spa is an amazing setting, situated just 4km from Kinsale in a region renowned for its rugged coastline, beautiful harbour and breathtaking surrounds. The hotel’s specialist wedding coordina-

tor will tailor–make a package suited to your individual taste, offering the ultimate in personal attention, service and exceptional value.

With spectacular private grounds and unspoilt views over Oysterhaven Bay, The Carlton has a plethora of magical locations ideal for capturing wedding memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.

Awarded “County Cork Wedding Venue of the Year 2014” by Southern Brides and finalists in the Weddings Online 2015 Wedding Awards Munster and Waterside Wedding Venue categories, the Carlton Hotel & C Spa Kinsale is also licensed to

host civil ceremonies and civil partnerships.

Winter packages from only €55.00 per guest and the exclusive Kinsale Platinum Package from only €75.00 per guest include unique reception options such as Choc’N’Rock and Sax’N’Suds, as well as a huge range of menu choices. With 70 luxurious guest rooms, two beautifully appointed Suites and 18 three–bedroomed holiday lodges, The Carlton Hotel & C Spa is the perfect venue for you to celebrate the happiest day of your life.

For a Wedding Consultation call 021 470 6000, email csullivan@hotelkinsale.ie or visit carltonkinsalehotel.com.

Dressing the little gents Navy brace trousers, Next, €16 — €18

WEDDINGS

Paul Costelloe Living Oxford shirt and dicky bow, Dunnes Stores, €22

Navy boy’s bow tie from Baker Best

by Ted Baker, Debenhams, €11.20 /TriskelChristchurchWeddings

@TriskelCork #triskelchristchurch Photo: Dragan Tomas

We love the idea of a page boy walking down the aisle holding this ‘Here comes the bride’ sign. It’s by The Wedding of my Dreams at notonthehighstreet.com, priced €50

Toms bimini unisex junior, Schuh, €41

The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

5

Make your dreams come true in Kenmare

T

he multi award– winning Kenmare Bay Hotel and Resort will make your special day one to really remember. Their beautiful banqueting suite, boasting fantastic views of the Kerry Mountains, can cater for up to 350 guests. The food and service are second to none at this friendly venue. Add to that the choice of 126 bedrooms, holiday homes and luxury lodges, together with the on– site leisure centre, and it all adds up to the perfect choice for your wedding.

The beautiful little town of Kenmare simply oozes

romance. A quiet walkway from the hotel leads you directly into the heart of the town in three minutes, with plenty of activities locally to keep your guests occupied during a short stay: golf, fishing, walking and horse riding are among the most popular, but by no means the only ways to pass the time!

Kenmare Bay Hotel and Resort’s dedicated wedding co–ordinator is on hand to assist with anything you might need, whether it’s flowers, menus, centrepieces or creative ideas to delight your guests, with tailored packages to suit your budget and requirements.

You can also enjoy an array of complimentary extras, such as a wedding car, a pianist and a complimentary pre–reception including sparkling wine and delicious canapés.

For your perfect wedding day, look no further than the Kenmare Bay. If you’re recently engaged, make sure you keep February 22nd free so you can experience everything the Kenmare Bay Hotel and Resort has to offer at their wedding showcase, running from 12pm to 5pm.

For more, call 064 66 41300 or e-mail sile@kenmarebayhotel.com.

For budding flower girls

Get The Perfect Fit Tailored for You WEDDINGS

Dahlia dress, Monsoon, €85

Ladybird crochet/tulle Bridesmaid Dress, littlewoodsireland. ie, €35 – €40 Girls pink floral garland headband, River Island, €6

Metallic sneakers, Zara, €29.95

As an alternative to flowers, consider giving little girls a fairy sparkle star wand, Claire’s Accessories, €2.95

Why rent when you can buy? Simply Suits can cater for your wedding suits at very competitive prices. With a wide range of styles and colours, you can now buy your wedding suits at almost the same cost of a rental.

Unit 4 Kinsale Road Retail Park, Kinsale Road, Cork (next to Smyths Toys) Tel: 0214649023 Email: info@simplysuits.ie www.simplysuits.ie

WEDDING SPECIALISTS

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The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

History in the heart of Cork

I

n addition to offering weekend availability, Cork’s famous Triskel Christchurch is now open for midweek ceremonies too with a very attractive new price plan especially for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The beautiful early–Georgian Triskel Christchurch has been central to the history of Cork for centuries. A parish church has stood on the spot since Anglo–Norman times, and the current building dates to the 18th century.

Many of the original interior features remain intact to this day, lending the venue a great sense of history.

Christchurch was deconsecrated as a parish church in 1978 before being stunningly restored and integrated into the Triskel Arts Centre.

The church is now available as a perfect venue for civil

weddings, civil partnerships and personalised ceremonies — including baby naming ceremonies.

The venue seats up to 250 guests in newly upholstered original pews. Music of the couple’s choice can be played over the PA system and microphones are available if required.

The building also houses an original TC Lewis organ, which can be made available for ceremonies. It is also possible for couples to host or cater their own reception in the gallery overlooking the ground floor of the church.

Triskel Christchurch can be made available to couples for up to four hours, giving time for bespoke decoration as well as time for the ceremony itself.

For further details contact Selene via weddings@triskelartscentre.ie.

Blooming wonderful

F

lowers mean love, romance, and celebration when it comes to weddings. The art of florigraphy — literally ‘writing with flowers’ — has been making a comeback in recent years and can add a special and memorable touch to any wedding. It also gives you an excuse to shop around for unusual blooms!

Florigraphy was at its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries. Give it a whirl for your wedding, and consider making a little pamphlet for your guests to make sure they get the message. Here are just a few ideas, both cultivated and wild, from the world of petal power: Roses: the classic red rose represents intense passion.

Pink roses represent fond affection, yellow roses stand for friendship and devotion, and white roses mean purity, chastity and innocence. Blue roses, if you can find them, represent love at first sight.

Jasmine: Noteworthy for a

wonderful aroma and its delicate beauty, jasmine flowers are a symbol of profound, enduring, eternal love in India.

Carnations: Another standard at celebrations, especially in lapels, their colours can hold as much meaning as roses’. White means pure,

faithful love, pink represents a woman’s love and red a man’s. Red carnations are also a symbol of all–consuming passion.

Honeysuckle: The honeysuckle means affection, devotion, and unending loyalty between two lovers.

Tulips: Another traditional lovers’ flower. Red and purple tulips, especially, mean undying love and adoration.

Ivy: Ivy’s long fronds are perfect for decoration, and happily they also imply interdependence, longevity and faithfulness.

Your Wedding.. . your way.. . at Actons of Kinsale

Overlooking Kinsale's stunning harbour, Actons Hotel offers you the ultimate in relaxed elegance. Our newly refurbished Ballroom is beautifully decorated, giving you a tasteful and luxurious backdrop for your wedding.

MILLIONS OF TINY MOMENTS CREATE

Our accredited wedding planner, Mary, has helped over 600 couples to plan their wedding day... each day tailored to suit the couples own unique taste & style. To book a consultation and to start the planning of your perfect wedding day, call Mary on 021 477 9900 or email her on mkodonovan@actonshotelkinsale.com.

Your Perfect Love Story Actons Hotel, Pier Road, Kinsale, Co.Cork, Ireland | Tel: +353 (0)21 4779900 Web: www.actonshotelkinsale.com | Email: mkodonovan@actonshotelkinsale.com | Find us on Facebook

The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

7

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The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

Get creative!

Maria Tracey shares some of the tips and tricks she picked up on the way to her own wedding...

As it’s probably the biggest party you’ll ever throw, your wedding is the time to showcase your individuality. Something I tried to draw on for my own wedding last June was an intrinsically “Cork” link. My gorgeous gown was

by Cork–based designer Car-

oline Atelier, the headpiece from Azure, the groom’s suit from Tom Murphys, and the bridesmaids’ dresses from Amity. The church was the Honan Chapel in UCC, the drinks reception in Tom Barry’s on Barrack Street and the reception in Vienna Woods

With table numbers, add a touch of fun Hessian table numbers from 1-12, moss.ie, €11.95

Hotel. To set off the “Cork” wedding theme, the tables were all named after local landmarks — Cobh, Baltimore, The Marina, etc. — and each table had bookmark favours of photographs I took that corresponded with that location. The guest book

was made up of a selection of these images with a space for people to write a comment, with the tagline “These are the places we love, please write a message of love”. Just small touches, but with some creativity, you can set your wedding apart from others.

Get creative with a wedding cake topper, showing off your true style

Make wedding favours something your guests will actually keep

Top your cake with a wooden chalkboard bunting and write your own personalised message in chalk! moss.ie, priced €8.50

Add your own creativity to large papier–mâché numbers, available from Vibes & Scribes, priced €1.99 each.

Macaroons are a great favour as they can match the colour theme of your wedding.

Available from The Kinsale Chocolate Boutique. Contact them at 021 4774831.

It’s your day, so why not keep it personal and place a polaroid picture of yourselves on top of the cake?

For another foodie option, bake up some homemade rustic granola bars with dried fruits.

This flamingo cake topper is also available in pairs of the same gender. It’s €42 and available from bondandceremony.com

Love Hearts Wedding Table Numbers by Bombus, notonthehighstreet.com, €7.24

Invitations set the tone for the day, so make sure yours stand out

silver springs Moran Hotel C

Spread the love and make your own compote or jam for your guests.

O

R

K

Wedding Showcase Afternoon

Sunday 18th January 2-5pm

Contact our wedding team: P: 021 450 7533 E: cwhite@moranhotels.com www.silverspringsmoranhotel.com

The Old Square, Ballincollig, Co. Cork T: 087 771 17 41 | 021 487 70 70 www.weddingdresscork.ie

By Appointment Only

If you love a style but can’t find it anywhere, consider bringing it to a local printer, who will both create the design and print it for you.

For a rustic vibe, there’s this collection from Beara– based Exclusively Yours (see exclusiveweddings. ie), which comes with lace, burlap and lined envelope.

The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

9

IRISH STORE OF THE YEAR

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Ireland's leading Off The Rail bridal store where service and value is simply SECOND TO NONE. Everything is off the rail and our collection is vast and full of surprises.

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10 Patricks Quay, Cork Tel: 021 4552324 www.memoriesbridalboutique.com

Selected Dates Available For your Wedding by the Sea

WEDDING SHOWCASE Sunday 8th March 2pm to 5pm

Clonakilty, West Cork.

www.inchydoneyisland.com

10

The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

Say “I do” by the wild Atlantic

I

f you’ve always wanted to say “I do” with the sun beaming down on you and the waves crashing in front of you, then Inchydoney in west Cork is the perfect place for you to have the most wonderful day of your life. Not only do you have the astonishing backdrop of some of west Cork’s finest scenery and the wild Atlantic stretching out before you, but you also have one of the country’s top hotels and all its facilities at your disposal, creating the perfect match between nature and convenience.

The headland at the foot of the hotel overlooks not only the Atlantic Ocean but two Blue Flag beaches and an unrivalled coastline; a picture perfect location for you to walk up the aisle.

The headland features a natural amphitheatre, a picnic terrace and walkways which are perfect for taking in the awe–inspiring views. After the ceremony, the wedding party can move inside to the Inchydoney Suite to continue

the celebrations and enjoy one of the outstanding wedding menus created by Executive Head Chef Adam Medcalf.

With a range of wedding packages, tailored to meet the individual needs of each couple, there is something for everyone at Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa: all–inclusive packages start at just €69 per guest. Couples who choose Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa as their wedding venue will enjoy some fabulous extras, courtesy of the hotel, including a complimentary invitation to enjoy a two–night weekend break with a dinner to celebrate your first anniversary.

Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa has been named Ireland’s Leading Spa Resort three times at the World Travel Awards and lauded as one of the Top 10 Hotels in Ireland by the 2014 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Visit inchydoneyisland.com, facebook.com/InchydoneyIsland or twitter.com/inchydoneylodge if you’d like to know more.

Groomed

to perfection From sleek accessories to sharp suits, there’s never been a more fashionable time to be a groom.

Blue Suit is Cork men’s boutique Salingers’ house label and costs €650 as a three– piece. They are based in Winthrop Arcade.

For more information see salingers.ie

Berwick tan leather brogues, Debenhams, €225

Pre–tied bow tie, marthu.ie, €24

For the digital savvy groom, consider these hallmarked sterling silver hashtag symbol cufflinks with a polished finish.

From edgeonly.com, priced €145.

TAG Heuer Formula 1, Keanes Jewellers, €1,555

Pocket watch, Keanes Jewellers, €165

Cork’s Premier Wedding Location

Wedding Fair

Sunday 18th January 3-6pm

Co. Cork Wedding Venue of the Year

In association with our travel partners

Book Your 2016 Wedding and you could win a €1000 Honeymoon Voucher

The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

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The Bride Guide thecorknews

16 January 2015

49

thecorknews 16 January 2015

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thecorknews

Cork Biz 16 January 2015 Picture by Rob Lamb

More Irish than the Irish themselves Every Sunday morning an email entitled A Letter from Ireland arrives into 10,000 inboxes around the globe from the keyboard of Cork man Mike Collins. What started as a hobby has now become a fully– fledged business for Mike and his wife Carina, whose company Your Irish Heritage is based in Ireland’s leading business innovation centre, the Rubicon, in Bishopstown.

W

hile trave l l i n g around Ireland In early 2013, Mike and Carina Collins began sharing photos and posts of their trips on social media. They were quickly inundated with comments and queries from various friends in America and other parts of the world. People began to request information and assistance on their own connections to Ireland, particu-

larly with family surnames.

The couple began to respond and interact, principally to clear up misleading information.

“We noticed that people were posting questions about their Irish surnames, mostly Americans, and we decided to answer them because honestly, some of the answers they had been getting were fairly dodgy,” says Mike.

Fuelled by the increase in the global participation that their comments and posts

received, Mike and Carina began to post pictures of various locations in Ireland where particular Irish surnames originated, and peppered their updates with local history, place names and facts. As interest in the couple’s Facebook page spiked, they began to receive emails — sometimes as many as 200 per week — from people all over the world looking for information.

It didn’t take long to see the potential of turning their

pastime into a business.

“Initially we sold t–shirts with surnames printed in Irish on them. They went down really well actually, but what we decided on in the end was youririshheritage. com and an exclusive membership club — The Green Room — through that.” For $67 a month members can interact with other people of Irish descent and, by using surnames, place names and local information, Mike will provide a link to a family’s

Irish culture and heritage.

The site also has access to its own genealogist. “Our service is unique” he highlights; “we bring an Irish perspective to our clients, none of our competitors are doing what we’re doing.” Last year the couple met with Paul Healy, manager of the prestigious Rubicon Centre: “Paul got what we did immediately, he could see the potential in it and offered us a place at the centre, we’ve been here now since October,” explains Mike.

THINKING OF STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? SME START-UPS. Call for your initial consultation on (021)4774500 or visit www.fitzgeraldandpartners.com Follow us on

At Fitzgerald & Partners Accountants we welcome people who are about to start in business, or those with new businesses, to come and talk to us so we can help them in the process. We can help you from day one by looking at your business plan and projections by helping you to find the best book-keeping system for your business so we can add value. We have worked with a lot of entrepreneurs and start-ups to help them become successful SMEs.

The popularity of television programmes such as the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are, its American counterpart and RTÉ’s own Genealogy Roadshow have helped contribute to the popularity of international genealogy website Ancestry.com, which has approximately 2.14 million subscribers and reaches an annual turnover of $700 million. $75 million of this sum is from people claiming to have Irish heritage, and with Collins maintain-

thecorknews

Cork Biz

16 January 2015

With a history stretching back to World War II, Jeep remains one of the most iconic of all marques. Seán Creedon takes the newest version of the Cherokee out for a spin to see if it lives up to its pedigree.

ing that 85% of the people who contact him looking for information are indeed American, the potential for Your Irish Heritage’s growth is enormous: in excess of 36 million Americans claim to have Irish roots.

The Collinses now have almost 12,000 Irish surnames in their database and these numbers continue to rise.

While most come from the USA, Mike and Carina have received emails from people as far north as Prince Edward Island close to Nova Scotia and even Argentina, from where people with the family name Higgins have contacted the site. Even within the USA it is surprising to note that people are not from the areas you’d typically expect.

“People think that the majority of people who contact us would be from somewhere like Boston but we actually hear mainly from people in places like Texas, Pennsylvania and California”, Mike says.

In April the success of the website allowed Mike to launch the first volume in a series of books entitled A Letter from Ireland which went on to sell in excess of 4,500 copies. “Interestingly the biggest seller is actually the printed book, not the ebook. With a book like that people want to have something tangible to look at and show people” says Mike. A second volume was launched last month and included Mike’s favourite letters from the members of the site.

“We have some really interest-

ing characters who contact us and I wanted to share their stories,” he explains.

Another anecdote Mike likes to share is that of a family from Canada who contacted him to substantiate some information regarding ancestors who possibly came from Kilcrohane, a coastal village on the Sheep’s Head peninsula. The site’s genealogist was able to confirm that the family’s ancestors, McCarthys who had left Ireland in the 1800s, had indeed come from the area but she was also able to furnish the Canadians with a photo of the family homestead and inform them the property was up for rent.

“They were just beside themselves with delight at all this and they decided, a group of

Page 71

Drive

“We have some really interesting characters who contact us and I wanted to share their stories.”

16 of them, that they wanted to rent out the cottage and come for a visit this summer.”

This and other similar incidents are leading the Collinses to see how they can liaise with tourism entities to best capitalise on future potential opportunities. “We tie in a lot with Tourism Ireland; we’re a toddler size of a business at the moment so we’re not trying to go in too many directions at once”, says Mike. “We definitely want to increase the membership of The Green Room. I’m currently writing the Letter from Ireland email to 10,000 people a week but there’s no reason why that shouldn’t be 100,000.

I would have been shocked at that number a year and a half ago but as we go forward

THINKING OF STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? SME START-UPS. Call for your initial consultation on (021)4774500 or visit www.fitzgeraldandpartners.com Follow us on

51

At Fitzgerald & Partners Accountants we welcome people who are about to start in business, or those with new businesses, to come and talk to us so we can help them in the process. We can help you from day one by looking at your business plan and projections by helping you to find the best book-keeping system for your business so we can add value. We have worked with a lot of entrepreneurs and start-ups to help them become successful SMEs.

there seems to be no end to the potential of the business.”

With podcasts planned for the end of January and possibly more volumes in the Letters from Ireland book series, Mike leaves me with this interesting piece of information: “17% of the people who contact us believe their ancestors came from Cork, 10% from Mayo and 5% from Kerry. No one else is doing this research, only us. The potential for diaspora centres on a county–by–county basis is there for the taking.”

A well–known British advertising campaign of recent memory used to say “the future’s bright, the future’s orange.” In Mike and Carina Collins’ case the future is most definitely green.

52

thecorknews

Adult Education

16 January 2015

CAO advice for students ahead of February 1st CAO deadline With the CAO deadline of February 1st approaching, more than 50,000 leaving cert and mature students nationwide are running out of time to consider their career and college options.

While completing the CAO form can be a daunting task, it is an important step towards securing their course of choice in their college of choice.

Richard Murphy, School Liaison Officer for Griffith College in Cork, has compiled a set of tips to help guide students — and parents — through the process.

Griffith College itself offers career–focused undergraduate, postgraduate and conversion programmes across a range of disciplines, including business, computing science, design, music and drama eduaccounting and finance, law, cation.

Check the basic entry rehospitality management, applied digital media, training quirements for the courses and education, journalism you are interested in. Some will have1 15/12/2014 language and media communications, CCOC 188???

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you think you’ll get the points for. Dream big and imagine the best that you can do!

Don’t forget the “Change of Mind” facility, which is available from May 5th to July 1st and allows you to amend your choices as many times as you want between those dates.

This can be particularly handy when you have more perspective following your mock examinations.

Finally, don’t forget the “Available Places” option. If for whatever reason you mess up your CAO application or don’t do as well as hoped in the Leaving Certificate, not all hope is lost. If any places remain unfilled after all offers have been made and the waiting lists of applicants meeting minimum entry requirements have been exhausted, such vacancies will be advertised.

Many Griffith College courses are included in this list every year.

Why choose adult education?

Adult Education may once have had a vague stigma attached to it thanks to closed–minded attitudes and a strange sort of superiority complex among those with a “lifetime job” but, as the number of jobs for life decreases and the rate of change in the world increases, adult education has not just become respectable; in many fields, ongoing education or outright retraining is vital and encouraged.

As well as providing a means to keep up to date with aspects of an ongoing career (and with the rate of technological change and development there are few careers nowadays which won’t require periodic re-

fresher courses), adult education can broaden qualifications and make you more employable. And, as new skills gaps open and close in the jobs market constantly, it can also provide a doorway to a brand new career.

As the economy picks up again at long last, the Irish jobs landscape has entered a new era of high–speed communication and “e–commuting” is now a much more viable proposition than ever before. That, coupled with a looming (and potentially enormous) shortage in skilled technical and computer–literate jobs in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields means that in order

to get ahead now, computer proficiency — at the very least — is now just about a ‘must have’. Once again, ongoing adult education is very often the only answer, especially if you’re re–entering the jobs market after an absence.

One last, and very compelling, reason to seriously consider adult education, and perhaps the most basic, is that it looks good. Being prepared to retrain, upskill or hone existing skills marks you out as someone with initiative, someone who’s actively trying to develop and someone who’s prepared to put in the work to go the extra mile; all of which is highly attractive to employers.

Take the next step with St John’s College

Dementia, Healthcare, Languages, Mental Health, Psychology, Business, Childcare, Complementary & Beauty, Computing, Business, Childcare, Complementary & Beauty, Computing, Say and Play and many more Dementia, Healthcare, Languages, Mental Health, Psychology, Dementia, Healthcare, Languages, Mental Health, Psychology, Say and Play and many more €10 discount if you apply online Say and Play and many more

Find

might require portfolios, auditions or interviews.

Apply online, as opposed to on paper via post. The online form is significantly cheaper and it does not allow appli-

cants to make mistakes by entering a course code that does not exist. You should still get someone to look over the application before you send it in.

Don’t leave it to the very last minute, even with the online form, as computers can crash!

With everything else that is going on in this busy time as you prepare for mock examinations it is easy to get stressed out and make mistakes. Dedicate an hour to sit down somewhere quiet to fully concentrate on your application.

Fill in all 20 spaces provided. Each CAO applicant is given ten Level 8 choices and ten Level 6 and 7 choices. If you are unsure what the difference is between the levels take a look at the National Framework of Qualifications website.

Put course choices in order of preference. It is very important that you put what you really want to do first and not what

the Cork College of Commerce on

the Cork College of Commerce on

the Cork College of Commerce on

St John’s College has a long pedrigree, having been involved in education in Cork since the 1960s.

If you’re considering returning to education, whether you intend to upskill to keep pace with your profession, or to learn new skills

with a view towards making a change of direction or simply broadening your horizons, undertaking a night class at St John’s College is a great option.

The college offers a wide range of evening classes, from hobby–type classes to

fully certified courses. All of St John’s teachers are highly qualified, enthusiastic and committed to providing a quality education for each and every student. Full details of all of the college’s courses are available at stjohnscollege.ie.

thecorknews

Adult Education

16 January 2015

Ireland’s No.1 Student Bank is now offering Parental Student Finance Loans.

Loans of up to â‚Ź25,000 with term of up to 12 years.

Find out more today Contact Donn Horgan on 021 4340990 or donn.p.horgan@aib.ie Call into AIB College Road today.

AIB

@AIBIreland

Based on Ipsos MRBI most recent market research (2014), AIB had the highest market share of main current account amongst students in Ireland aged 18-26. Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Credit facilities are subject to repayment capacity and financial status, and are not available to persons under 18 years of age. Security may be required. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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54

thecorknews

Menu

16 January 2015

, ld r o w e h t d n u o r a m o fr d o et fo e r t s & s a p a t s e m fa t s o m The s t n ia d e r g in l ca lo m o fr d e r a freshly prep

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€6.50 to €8.95 Monday closed Tuesday 4-9 Wednesday- thursday 12-9 Friday Saturday 12-10:30 Sunday 1-9

Sample best of food from Mexico, Cuba, Latin America, Spain, Italy and Asia all in one unique place.

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2 PEOPLE €39.50

thecorknews

Menu

Winter warmer 16 January 2015

C

ork has really had it all this week; frost and ice, snow, howling gales, driving rain…our mild 2014 Winter has become a raging maelstrom in 2015. This time of year puts a strain on all of us, as the cold saps our strength and can make us more prone to infection from all the bugs doing the rounds. Luckily, we have the perfect antidote: not only will this soup fill you up and warm you up, it’s also full of goodness to boost your immune system! With just 15 minutes required for preparation and 45 minutes needed for cooking, it’s a great, quick, easy, hale and hearty powerhouse just when you need it most, it’s suitable for vegans and vegetarians and it’s gluten free too. This will serve six people.

Tomato, vegetable and white bean soup Ingredients: • 2 Tbsp olive, grape seed or coconut oil • 1 large white or yellow onion, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup carrots, sliced • 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, or more to taste • 1 tsp dried basil, oregano and garlic powder • 1/2 pound potatoes, quartered • 1 courgette, sliced • 2 tins of roasted tomatoes • 1 can tomato sauce • 5 cups vegetable stock • 1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained • 3 cups of kale, chopped to your liking.

Method 1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and prepare your

vegetables. We recommend that you leave them nice and chunky to ensure there’s eating and drinking in it!

2. Add two tablespoons of oil to your hot pot, then and the onion, garlic and carrot and

stir well. Season with salt, pepper and spices and stir again to coat everyhing.

3. Next add the courgettes, potatoes, roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce and veggie stock.

Bring the soup to a simmer

For ‘You’ and ‘The Foodie’ in your life Join Greenes Supper Club Members of Greenes Supper Club receive 40% Discount off our Table d’Hote Menu when dining as a group of 4

and then reduce heat to low and cover. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, then add the beans, another pinch each of salt and pepper, and stir.

Never boil a soup! If the soup starts boiling, be sure to lower

heat to just a light simmer and stir again to make sure nothing has stuck to the bottom of the pot.

4. Cook for another at least another 10 minutes to let the flavours meld, and then add

kale, stir and cover. Cook for five minutes more.

5.Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with a hearty, crusty bread and a selection of cheeses for a perfect winter pick–me–up.

Members Benefits: • No Membership Fee • Complimentary Bonuses for new Members.

• Preferential invitation to Food Events at Greenes & Isaacs Hotel • Discounts and Concessions throughout the year.

• Member only ‘Flash Sale’ opportunities.

• Monthly newsletter including recipes

Becoming a member is simple: Call into Greenes; telephone 021 4500011 or email gm@isaacs.ie You can also become a member by logging on to www.greenesrestaurant.com Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Greenes Restaurant and Isaacs Hotel are proud to be supporters of the Everyman Palace Theatre.

56

thecorknews

Menu

16 January 2015

Mark Kingston of Cork’s The Golden Bean Coffee keeps a close eye on a roast.

Rebels versus na Déise

T

he latest episode of the fierce yet good–natured rivalry between Cork and our friendly neighbours Waterford won’t take place on the sports pitch, but rather in the kitchen with two of Ireland’s top chefs: Waterford’s Michael Quinn, multi–award winning former head chef at

Waterford Castle, and Graham Neville for Cork, Food & Wine Magazine Irish Chef Of The Year. The two masters will clash in a cook off based around Comeragh Mountain Lamb, from west Waterford.

The cook off will take place right here in Cork, giving Graham the home advantage at the Boardwalk Bar and Grill, on Lapp’s Quay.

The Munster culinary derby will also feature a battle of the brewers as the Dungarvan Brewing Company goes up against Cork’s own Eight Degrees Brewing Company, from Mitchelstown.

To complete the night’s competition, musicians from Waterford will take up instruments in a traditional music duel with Leeside’s finest

tunesmiths.

The event is sure to be hotly contested and will bring out the best in everyone, be they chef, brewer or musician.

You can support the Rebel representatives (or the Déise hopefuls, if you’re that way inclined) at the Boardwalk Bar and Grill on Lapp’s Quay on Thursday, February 5th. ‘Kick off ’ is at 6.30pm.

In the market for Mexican Cork’s newest Mexican restaurant, El Mercado on Rory Gallagher Square, is continuing to develop the Huguenot Quarter’s burgeoning reputation for great international cuisine allied with noteworthy value.

Located above the already– popular Burrito and Blues restaurant, El Mercado builds on the traditional Mexican cooking which has made its downstairs counterparts such a popular lunchtime spot.

Cousins Tim and Dave Stone are the brains behind the new dining experience and have drawn a distinction between the two venues. Burritos and

Blues offers customers fresh burritos, nachos and sweet potato fries all prepared in front of you while you wait, while El Mercado expands on the best Mexico has to offer, offering, as the Stone cousins

say, a “slightly more upmarket” experience.

Affordability without any sacrifice when it comes to quality are the hallmarks of El Mercado, with smaller dishes — served on traditional wood-

For ‘You’ and ‘The Foodie’ in your life Join Greenes Supper Club Members of Greenes Supper Club receive 40% Discount off our Table d’Hote Menu when dining as a group of 4

en boards — such as chorizo and potato quesadillas and pulled pork tostadas coming in at well under a tenner.

More substantial fare, including a first–rate barbecue steak and fluffy deep fried cod with tangy lime yoghurt, is scarcely more expensive. South American wines and delicious continental craft beer complete the experience.

El Mercado is open Wednesday to Sunday from 6.30pm to 10pm and a welcome addition to the expanding family of top–notch restaurants in the little area centered around French Church Street, Carey’s Lane and Paul Street.

Black gold – the real deal with coffee

I

f you’re anything at all like most of us here at The Cork News you’re not fully human in the mornings until you’ve had your first coffee. The beverage, a mainstay of waking up all over the world for centuries, is at the centre of a storm in a coffee cup Leeside at the moment, as you probably know, with Cork’s native roasters and coffee shops throwing down the gauntlet to multinational caffeine purveyors Starbucks. The Americans are planning to open a coffee shop in the middle of the city, raising the level of debate about good coffee, what it is, and where you can find it.

Coffee’s position as the hot drink of choice for most of the world (it’s even beginning to supplant tea here in Ireland, where our blood types come with an additional “Barrys” or “Lyons” classification) has given it some serious financial clout and it’s one of the most important commodities on the planet. Tens of millions of tonnes of coffee beans are produced each year, ranging

from cheaper varieties, including the rough and ready Robusta beans, right up to super expensive, luxurious ‘cups of excellence’, produced in small batches on single estates in remote areas, exclusively of the subtle, complex Arabica type. If you’re keen on trying these, Cork–based The Golden Bean hunts them down when possible and although they’ll set you back a pretty penny believe me, they’re worth it.

Purists will tell you that the best way to really appreciate the complex flavour of a good coffee is to drink it black with no sugar but really, the best way to drink coffee is the way you prefer it yourself.

Whatever your thoughts about the Starbucks situation, take the time to explore some gourmet coffee at establishments like Dukes, Idaho, The Rocket Man, Costa or Filter or pick up some beans from The Golden Bean, Badger & Dodo in north Cork or Cork Coffee Roasters and broaden your caffeine horizons so you’re equipped to join the debate!

Members Benefits: • No Membership Fee • Complimentary Bonuses for new Members.

• Preferential invitation to Food Events at Greenes & Isaacs Hotel • Discounts and Concessions throughout the year.

• Member only ‘Flash Sale’ opportunities.

• Monthly newsletter including recipes

Becoming a member is simple: Call into Greenes; telephone 021 4500011 or email gm@isaacs.ie You can also become a member by logging on to www.greenesrestaurant.com Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Greenes Restaurant and Isaacs Hotel are proud to be supporters of the Everyman Palace Theatre.

thecorknews

Cork Homes 16 January 2015

Think Scandinavian design, think Ikea. This hat and coat stand is €55 from the Swedish furniture giant

Scandinavian Style

Framed photograph by Kinsale–based Giles Norman of the Fastnet lighthouse. gilesnorman.com, €55

As spring is almost upon us, it’s time to think about a fresh and uncluttered look for your home.

With a Scandinavian–inspired interior, it’s all about clean lines and wood accents, with dashes of white and grey.

Sold alone or as a set, this quirky candle holder is from Irish designer, Gráinne Lyons. They are €15 each from grainnelyonsdesigns. com.

Striped grey cushion, Penneys, €6

Helen James Considered Seagrass Basket, Dunnes Stores, €20

50

Foxi armchair, Caseys, €399

WAS €999

NOW €799

TRADITIONAL BATHS

Industrial coffee table, littlewoodsireland.ie, €199

WAS €399

NOW €299

WAS €299

NOW €199

WAS €29.95

NOW €16.95

QUADRANT SHOWER DOORS

WAS €499

NOW €299

CERAMIC TILES

WAS €39.95

NOW €19.95

CORK’S BEST PRICES! BATHROOM FURNITURE

50

SANITARY WARE

WAS €199

WAS €299

NOW €139

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CLOAKROOM BATHROOMS

TOWEL WARMERS

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NOW €12.95 Unit 6 Togher Industrial Estate, (Next door to Kearys Garage) Phone: 021-4840012

FREE DELIVERY PORCELAIN TILES

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Westlink, Unit 6, Togher Estate, Unit 1,Industrial North Point Business Park, Westlink, UnitIndustrial 6, Togher Estate, (Next door to (Next door to Kearys Garage).

Mallow Rd, Blackpool.

Tel: 021-4840012 Tel: 021-4396168.

Kearys Garage). Tel: 021-4840012 8.30am to 5.30pm Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5pm Sat 1.00pm to 5pm Sun

WAS €999

NOW

WAS €299

NOW

WAS €29.95

NOW

WAS €299

NOW

WAS €199

NOW

Westlink, Unit 6 Togher Industrial Estate, (Next door to Kearys Garage) Phone: 021-4840012

FREE DELIVERY

Unit 1, North Point Business Park, Mallow Rd, Blackpool,

58

thecorknews

Cork Homes

16 January 2015

Smart heating Conserving energy in the home, the Nest thermostat programs itself, turns down the heat when you’re away and can be controlled from your mobile phone. It’s available from Harvey Norman for €219, with standard installation costing €127.

Here are other energy saving tips from the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland: • Many people keep their thermostat too high. Check it and if its above 20ºC turn it down. Lowering your thermostat by just 1ºC will knock 10% off your heating bill.

• Much of the heat loss from a house occurs through the windows, particularly if they are single glazed. Keep your curtains closed at night, even in empty rooms, and also ensure that the curtains don’t hang over the radiators as that will just funnel all your heat out the window.

• Close room doors to separate heated from unheated areas of your home, and minimise the area you are heating. There is no need to spend money heating rooms nobody is in.

• Turn the lights off when leaving a room.

Creative Cork Message in a Bottle is to be launched by Rathcormac–based artist Siobhain Steele at the Creative Island showcase at the RDS WAS €299 WAS €999 this weekend. See NOW NOW siobhainsteeleceramics. €199 €799 com for more details.

Schull ceramist Mairi Stone sells these gorgeous bowls for €12 at etsy.com/ie/shop/ mairistone.

TRADITIONAL BATHS

WAS €399

NOW €299

QUADRANT SHOWER DOORS

WAS €499

NOW €299

A ëgoodí 50 mug

WAS €29.95

NOW €16.95

50

SANITARY WARE

WAS €199

WAS €299

NOW €139

NOW €199

If youíre indeed a ëgood ladí or ëgood girlí, or know someone who is ó and not being at all patronising of course ó then pick up one of these mugs NOW NOW NOWfrom grandgrand.ie €19priced €12. €999 €12 CERAMIC TILES

WAS €39

CORK’S BEST PRICES! BATHROOM FURNITURE

• Switch appliances off rather than leaving them on standby.

This will save up to 20% of your appliances’ energy use.

• Make better use of the timers on your immersion or boiler so you can control when the heating comes on and goes off. This means you have heating and hot water when and where you want it.

.95

.95

CLOAKROOM BATHROOMS

TOWEL WARMERS

WAS €1499

WAS €24

.95

.95

Unit 6 Togher Industrial Estate, (Next door to Kearys Garage) Phone: 021-4840012

FREE DELIVERY PORCELAIN TILES

CERAMIC TILES

STAND ALONE BATHS

Westlink, Unit 6, Togher Estate, Unit 1,Industrial North Point Business Park, Westlink, UnitIndustrial 6, Togher Estate, (Next door to (Next door to Kearys Garage).

Mallow Rd, Blackpool.

Tel: 021-4840012 Tel: 021-4396168.

Kearys Garage). Tel: 021-4840012 8.30am to 5.30pm Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5pm Sat 1.00pm to 5pm Sun

WAS €999

NOW

WAS €299

NOW

WAS €29.95

NOW

WAS €299

NOW

WAS €199

NOW

Westlink, Unit 6 Togher Industrial Estate, (Next door to Kearys Garage) Phone: 021-4840012

FREE DELIVERY

Unit 1, North Point Business Park, Mallow Rd, Blackpool,

thecorknews

Cork Homes

16 January 2015

59

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thecorknews

Family 16 January 2015

Lung Cancer Awareness Month Irish women are among the most at–risk in Europe for lung cancer in terms of incidence and mortality, according to a recent report from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland.

Lung cancer mortality for Ireland is 34% higher than the EU average and it accounts for 18% of cancer deaths in women. This worrying trend indicates that significantly more Irish women are dying from lung cancer in comparison with women from other European countries.

As the Irish Cancer Society launches Lung Cancer Awareness Month, they are calling on the people of Cork — and Cork’s women in particular — to reduce their risk of lung cancer and to be aware of the symptoms of the disease.

“As 90% of lung cancer is attributed to smoking, giving up smoking is the single most

Know what to look out for The signs and symptoms of lung cancer are: • A cough that doesn’t go away, or a change in a long–term cough • Feeling short of breath or wheezing • Repeated chest infections that won’t go away even after a course of antibiotics • Coughing up blood-stained phlegm (sputum) • Pain in your chest, especially when you cough or breathe in • Feeling more tired than usual and/ or unexplained weight loss • Hoarseness of voice, problems swallowing or swelling in the face or neck

important thing any smoker can do to reduce their risk of cancer. We are encouraging smokers to avail of the many supports available to them to quit: call the HSE Quit Team on 1800 201 203, get support from quit.ie or speak to a doc-

tor or pharmacist,” said Kevin O’Hagan, Health Promotion Manager, Irish Cancer Society.

While the incidence rate of lung cancer declined steadily in Irish males at almost one per cent annually during 1994–2012, it also increased

significantly in females. rising at a rate of over two per cent annually over the same period.

Equally, the mortality rate decreased significantly at almost two per cent in males but increased at 0.5 per cent annually in females.

Support for parents returning to work Applications for the Back to Work Family Dividend are now being accepted at Intreo and Department of Social Welfare offices around Cork.

Those in receipt of jobseeker or one–parent–family payments will retain the payment of €29.80 per week for each child, subject to a maximum of four children, for their first year in employment and half the payment, €14.90 per child, for the second year.

This is subject to the family remaining outside of the welfare system, with the exception of Child Benefit or the Family Income Supplement, and it will not be taken into account in the means test for the Family Income Supplement.

Commenting of the scheme, Cork TD Ciarán Lynch said, “this new scheme, which was

Ciarán Lynch, TD

introduced in Budget 2015, is a sign of how people will feel the recovery in their pockets, rather than just hearing about it.”

More information on the dividend and application forms are available online at welfare.ie.

Cork cares for the world This year marks the 10th anniversary of ‘Our World Irish Aid Awards’. The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion, and North South Cooperation, Seán Sherlock, TD joined students at St Colman’s Boys National School in Macroom to launch the awards for 2015.

These awards aim to help the children of Cork to understand the lives of their peers in developing countries, and the work of Irish Aid in meeting the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDG). This year’s theme is ‘Caring for our World’ and relates to all eight MDGs, with a particular focus on protecting the environment.

Cork pupils are being encouraged to take part by creating a multi–media project

The 8 Millennium Development Goals are as follows: 1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2) Achieve universal primary education 3) Promote gender equality and empower women 4) Reduce child mortality 5) Improve maternal health 6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7) Ensure environmental sustainability 8) Develop a global partnership for development

that highlights the challenges facing children in developing countries and the progress that is being achieved. Speak-

ing at the launch in Macroom, Minister Sherlock said “I would encourage schools to get involved in this great programme and look forward to seeing their projects later in the year.”

At the core of the Our World Irish Aid Awards are the eight Millennium Development Goals, which were agreed in September 2000 by 189 countries of the United Nations, including Ireland. The deadline of 2015 is upon us, and, although significant progress has been made towards achieving the goals as they were initially set down, poverty and hunger are still a reality in our world, and much more remains to be done.

For more information on how to take part visit ourworldirishaidawards.ie.

The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion, and North South Co-operation, Seán Sherlock, TD, joined students Barry Galvin, Ethan Cunningham and Benedict Otu at St Colman’s Boys National School, Macroom, to launch the Our World Irish Aid Awards 2015. Picture by Clare Keogh.

thecorknews

Family

16 January 2015

Picture by Rob Lamb.

Teddies help kids bear hospital Over 3,000 special friends have been given to brave children across Cork as ‘Teddies for Loving Care’ (TLC) provide teddy bears and soft toys to Accident and Emergency units.

Established in 2013 by the Freemasons of Ireland, TLC specifically distribute germ–free and boxed ted-

dy bears for every emergency department where children are cared for in the country.

“Children are not allowed to bring their own toys into hospitals because of germs and spreading infections. It can be a scary time for children so our aim is to provide those children, at the discretion of the medical staff, with a ted-

dy,” said Liam Cunningham (above) of the Freemasons in Cork.

A teddy can help to alleviate stress for a child in hospital and calm them when receiving an injection. The Freemasons of Ireland will have a stand at Wilton Shopping Centre on January 24th for the people of Cork for make donations.

Large teddies are €25 and small teddies are €6.

“With every sale of a large teddy, we can give a teddy bear to two children in hospital, which they also get to bring home” added Liam.

For more information, visit tlcappeal.ie or follow Tweddie Bear on Twitter @TweddieTLC.

March on for Kinsale Pink Ribbon A walk that has raised €290,000 in the past four years for Ireland’s leading provider of breast cancer information and support is to take place in March. Registration for the annual Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk, in aid of Action Breast Cancer — a programme of the Irish Cancer Society — will take place tomorrow, Saturday at the Temperance Hall in Kinsale from 10am to 4pm.

Information will also be available on the day, with a number of professionals from the Irish Cancer Society and Elite Pilates Kinsale advising and answering queries on cancer–related issues, health, fitness and good diet. The fourth Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk takes place on Sunday, March 1st at 12pm, and online registration is also available at pinkribbonwalk.ie.

Derek Davis and Jasper Smith helping launch the fourth Kinsale Pink Ribbon 10km Walk with Therese Bradley, Maria O’Mahony and Anne McCarthy. Everyone is invited to an Open Day tomorrow, Saturday January 17th, at the Temperance Hall in Kinsale from 10am – 4pm. Picture by John Allen.

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Everybody needs good neighbours Age Action is urging the people of Cork to visit their older neighbours during cold snaps and stormy weather to ensure they are safe and well in their homes.

Cold weather, snowy conditions, slippery paths, fierce winds and driving rain can make winter a particularly challenging time for the elderly. “Bad weather makes that challenge even greater as many older people may not be able to get out to buy

food, fuel or medical supplies” said Eamon Timmons, Age Action Spokesperson.

Age Action are encouraging people to visit or phone older members of their community ensuring that they have enough food and are warm in their homes. Older people can also play a role in ensuring they remain warm in their homes by maintaining a comfortable temperature in the rooms they mostly live in and dressing warmly.

Long hours are risky business Employees who work more than 48 hours per week are more likely to engage in risky alcohol consumption than those who work standard weeks. Risky alcohol consumption is considered as more than 14 drinks per week for women and more than 21 drinks per week for men. It is believed to increase the risk of adverse health problems, including liver diseases, cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease and mental disorders.

In order to protect the health and safety of the workforce, the European Union Working Time Directive (EUWT) ensures that workers in EU coun-

tries, including Ireland, have the right to work no more than 48 hours a week, including overtime. But many people, for example well–educated managers and professionals, work much longer hours to achieve faster promotions, salary increases, and more control over work and employment.

In a cross–sectional analysis of 333,693 people in 14 countries, they found that longer working hours increased the likelihood of higher alcohol use by 11%. A prospective analysis found a similar increase in risk of 12% for onset of risky alcohol use in 100,602 people from nine countries.

thecorknews

Style 16 January 2015

Leather

love We’re loving this faux leather doublebreasted coat from Zara (€129), which can be paired with jeans and converse for a day look or a classic tailored suit for a nighttime occasion. Nothing Del Boy about it… lovely jubbly!

NET SOME TULLE Tulle continues to shine in SS15, and looks incredible in this black dress with embellished waist detail

by Kerry designer Tina Griffin. The gown is priced €325 from tinagriffin. ie. Admiring glances guaranteed!

City Style Pictured: Claire McGuckin What I’m wearing: Jacket: River Island Dress: Oasis Shoes: River Island Bag: DKNY from Brown Thomas Hat: Marks & Spencer Gloves: Penneys

Go for gold Make a statement with this knock–out necklace from Amity, priced just €18.

Bracelets and charms available exclusively in fine Jewellery stores across Ireland and at Chic The World of Jewellery, Cork City.

thecorknews

Style

16 January 2015

63

Accessorise the look

McQ by Alexander McQueen snake-effect leather sandals, net-a-porter.com, €435 SS ‘15 trousers from RJR John Rocha, Debenhams, €52.50

Closet heart jacquard dress, New Look, €61.99

Master Monochrome It’s as simple as black and white… classic monochrome never goes out of style. Smart, seemingly effortless, and stylish, the timeless palette is a winning combination.

Two–in–One Black and White Stripe Bag, Penneys, €8 Cut a catwalk–worthy silhouette in a Deco Dream Drop Waist Dress. It’s €190 from French Connection

S Max Mara The Jesone Coat, Brown Thomas, €625

Chevron Wrap, Oasis, €56

Take a brave step into the new season with this futuristic black and white crop top.

This boxy piece is €43 from River Island

Bracelets and charms available exclusively in fine Jewellery stores across Ireland and at Chic The World of Jewellery, Cork City.

Armani Ladies Super Slim Ceramic Watch, Keanes, €479

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thecorknews

16 January 2015

thecorknews

Beauty 16 January 2015

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Dare Devil, Debenhams, €19

Dior Rouge Lipstick in Mysterious Mauve, Boots, €34.50

Purple Reign Purple hues are big this year, whether in your eye–shadow (see Gwyneth Paltrow’s nighttime look on the next page) or on your lips...

Dior Addict It-Line in Purple, Brown Thomas, €35

MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Designer Purple, Brown Thomas, €19

Shiseido Luminising Satin Eye Color in VI704 Provence, Sam McCauley, €27.50

OPI Pamplona Purple Nail Polish, Debenhams, €16.75

All Treatments 50 min 021 4905986 15 French Church Street, Cork www.priyatherapy.com

€50

Lancôme Colour Design Infinite in Endless Purple, Brown Thomas, €25.50

All Products

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thecorknews

Beauty

16 January 2015

Everybody needs a little bit of “me time”, as Maria Tracey discovers…

Retreat to Little Island

T

ruthfully, relaxation is not my strong suit.

With my mind constantly a go, and unable to settle, indulgent “me time” massages and spa treatments were never something that featured too strongly on my “to do” list.

At least that was the case until I visited The Retreat Spa at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Little Island. Booked in for a 20–20–20 treat-

ment — a 20 minute back massage, 20 minute Elemis mini facial and a 20 minute scalp massage — immediately I was welcomed with an aura of tranquility, from the candle–lit corridor to the peaceful relaxation suite.

In my fluffy bathrobe and

soft slippers, I was led into the treatment room, where an expert masseuse worked away my knots and tense muscles. After a blissful 20 minutes, it was onto the facial, tailored to suit my skin’s needs with a much–needed moisture boost. Leaving my

WHERE: The Retreat Spa at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island HOW MUCH: The 20/20/20 treatment costs €89 PERFECT FOR? Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day treat CONTACT DETAILS? Phone 021 4297080 or email retreatspa.cork@radissonblu.com

skin rebalanced and renewed, the scalp massage brought about the same affect for my whole body by providing instant relief from tension and stress. The relaxing 60 minutes ended all too soon, but the glorious downtime continued back in the relaxation suite, with a sumptuous chocolate cupcake and a glass of prosecco. Reclining in tranquility, my mind calm and my body relaxed, there was only one thought — for once — in my head... this needs to be done again.

Paltrow goes #GlamJan

G

wyneth Paltrow has shown off her day–to–night look on Instagram as part of Max Factor’s beauty campaign #GlamJan. Make–up free with her blonde locks worn down in the first shot, she switches to a smooth up–do and purple smokey eyes for her glamorous night look.

YOGA POSE OF THE WEEK Navasana & Purvottanasana (Boat & Upward facing plank pose) Benefits: Navasana - strengthens the abdomen and hip flexors, Lengthens the hamstrings, Improves digestion.

Purvottanasana - strengthens the lower back and thoracic part of the spine, Strengthens the muscles around the shoulder blades (mid trapezius ), strengthens and tones the arms and gluteus muscles. Opens the front of the shoulders and chest muscles, Improves lung capacity and improves posture.

Tip: stay for 5-10 breath on each pose. Repeat 3-5 times. On Navasana focus on lifting the chest and on Purvottanasana focus on lifting the pelvis.

Buy this

Get this

Pick up the gorgeous Emporio Armani Diamonds 50ml fragrance for women or men (rrp €54) for your Valentine and get a complimentary luxury Emporio Armani clutch for yourself. The offer is in stores from the end of January.

Yoga Republic will be teaching a Yoga Alliance Registered Power Vinyasa 200 hr Teacher Training course in August 2015.

The studio is now open for applications for this course.

Sackies Skalkos is the founder of Yoga Republic, Corks oldest and leading yoga studio (est 2004 ). If you would like to join Sackies in a personal interpretation of his teaching, please contact the studio at www.yogarepublic.com or phone 0876560254

thecorknews

Company Profile

16 January 2015

10 Years Younger

with New Anti-Ageing Treatment Available exclusively at Therapie Clinic Cork We’ve tried all the lotions and potions in the quest for younger looking skin but we can finally call off the search with the arrival of Laser360.

It is now possible to halt the passage of time and dramatically rejuvenate skin, erase lines and wrinkles, eliminate pigmentation and even encourage the production of new collagen to improve skin’s texture and tone.

Laser360 is FDA-approved and exclusively available at Therapie Clinic. Picture the dramatic results of a facelift, looking 10 years younger, without the dramatic down-time.

Whether you’ve lost that youthful glow and are noticing the emergence of the first few lines and wrinkles or perhaps your skin has much deeper set wrinkles and a great deal of sun damage; no matter where you are in the ageing process, the beauty of this treatment is that it can be tailored to suit your individual needs and deliver a complete rejuvenation and transformation.

We spoke to one client, Sinead O’Brien who said: “Like every other woman, I’ve spent a small fortune and have tried almost every product under the sun. I had my last treatment about 3

Before

weeks ago, after a recommendation from a friend and I just cannot believe how amazing my skin looks and feels. It’s tighter, brighter, smoother and I have to say, younger! I’m getting so many compliments and my skin specialist at Therapie Clinic tells me that I can expect my skin to continue to improve, over the next 6 months!”

Picture the dramatic results of a facelift, looking 10 years younger, without the dramatic down-time.

Another client Julie Martin said: At the age of 35, wrinkles aren’t a major problem for me just yet but something I have struggled with for years is skin discolouration – so called hyperpigmentation, caused by years of sun damage.

I had dark patches on my skin, mainly my forehead that would go even darker when exposed

After

to the sun. There were also two lines between my eyes that were bothering me.

A week after the first treatment I began to see amazing results.

People have been commenting on my skin saying it looks younger and fresher, and I can really see the difference. I can’t even find the two lines on my forehead that used to bother me and even without make up I have a beautifully even skin tone.

Therapie Clinic manager, Sinead Downey commented: “We have had an unprecedented level of demand for Laser360.

As clients began to see the results, word has really spread like wild-fire. The reality is that we all want to turn back the hands of time and not have to worry about lines and wrinkles.

Benefits of Laser360 Radically firms and smooths loose skin around the forehead, mouth and jaw, under the eyes, upper lip, cheeks, chest and neck Stimulates new collagen, improving texture and tone and erasing fine lines and wrinkles Eliminates superficial pigmented and vascular marks, evens out skin colour and reduces tiny broken blood vessels Delivers dramatically rejuvenated, line-free skin

This treatment really is unlike anything else on the market and is delivering the most incredible results for our clients”.

Therapie Clinic has clinics

younger-looking,

smoother,

nationwide including 17B Opera Lane in Cork and offers free skin consultations. To contact Therapie Clinic phone 021 427 8736. www.therapieclinic.com

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thecorknews

Going Places 16 January 2015

Enjoy a winter fairytale in wonderful Copenhagen

By Lizann Peppard in association with Hotels.com My husband and I have always wanted to visit Scandinavia but we are unsure which country or city to choose. We would love to visit an interesting and beautiful city where there is lots for us to see and explore. Is there anywhere you can recommend?

A

n enigmatic city where the charm of the old meets the innovative new, Copenhagen is the ideal destination. The cool, cosmopolitan capital city of Denmark is truly the shining jewel in the Scandinavian crown and there is a mountain of history and culture close to its heart waiting to be explored.

The Danish capital boasts a vast and varied selection of celebrated architecture, from important historic castles to contemporary buildings, from the landmark Amalienborg Palace, where the Danish royalty spend their winters, to the striking Black Diamond building, a modern addition to the Royal Library built from black marble and glass.

Reflecting Copenhagen’s progressive aesthetics, skyscrapers have been outlawed so the skyline remains unspoilt. Hop on an open–top bus tour for a great initial insight into the city’s history and architectural landscape.

Copenhagen is paving the way not only in architectural design but also on the global food scene too. It is home to the renowned Noma restaurant, which has been awarded the title of Best Restaurant in the World not once, not twice, but four times in

recent years, for its reinterpretation of Nordic cuisine.

While securing a table in the world’s favourite restaurant may be difficult, there’s still a multitude of other options amongst any of the city’s incredible 15 Michelin Star restaurants. Take time to sample the extraordinary cuisine on offer in the city for the full Copenhagen effect.

The dream–like Tivoli Gardens are a must during your stay in the city.

Opened in 1843, the Tivoli Gardens are an amusement park set in beautiful gardens and are a magical experience for everyone, no matter what your age. Walt Disney himself came here for inspiration. The park is particularly beautiful in winter and you could easily spend a day wandering, stopping off at one of the cafés for a hot drink.

The Danes regularly top

the polls as the happiest people in the world, and looking around Copenhagen it’s not hard to see why. Home to the godfather of fairy tales,

Hans Christian Andersen, and with its iconic Little Mermaid statue, this city is like your very own modern fairy tale. With canals

lined with colourful terraced houses, and cobbled squares, it’s easy to see why they call it “Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen”.

Where to Stay: Marriott Copenhagen (*****) Prices start from €154 per room per night on Hotels.com The Marriott Copenhagen is a luxury 5-star hotel located on picturesque Copenhagen harbour, within walking distance of the city’s most popular attractions. The hotel is equipped with a bar/ lounge and restaurant and the guestrooms are spacious and styled impeccably.

The Square (****) Prices start from €125 per room per night on Hotels.com The Square hotel in Copenhagen is ideally located in the heart of the city. The modern hotel is stylishly designed with wireless internet access available to all of its guests. There is also a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy views of the city.

First Hotel Mayfair (***) Prices start from €85 per room per night on Hotels.com First Hotel Mayfair is a boutique hotel in the centre of Copenhagen. The hotel has been created to provide a unique experience for all its guests and is there is a quirky theme running throughout.

The hotel is equipped with a bar and courtyard where you can enjoy an evening refreshment.

For more information and travel tips visit hotels.com or call 1800 55 3338

WAS €xxx NOW ONLY €xxxpp* ULTRA-LUXURY RIVER CRUISE SALE NOW ON! 29 March 2015

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Bordeaux, Vineyards & Châteaux Was €2,878 pps | Now €1,599 pps* On this 8 day ultra-luxury river cruise discover the unparalleled riches of Aquitaine and its charming capital city, Bordeaux. You’ll sail three stunning rivers—the Garonne, the Dordogne, and the Gironde—on one amazing journey, all aboard your elegant floating boutique hotel.

Flights & taxes included

www.uniworld.ie TO BOOK CALL HEFFERNAN’S on 021 2300 700 Cork News UW Bordeaux Lee Travel 16 Jan 2015.indd 1

UNIWORLD’S 5-STAR ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE INCLUDES:  Return flights, including taxes & port taxes  All-day onboard meals & snacks  Unlimited beverages onboard  Programme of daily shore excursions, onboard entertainment & signature lectures  Exclusive wine tasting & food pairing  All gratuities  Accommodation in an ultraluxury riverview stateroom, with handcrafted beds from Savoir of England & luxurious marble bathrooms stocked with L’Occitane en Provence body products  And much more. Other cruise destinations available *Price is per person, twin share, includes return flights, taxes & port taxes, is based on a Cat 3 riverview stateroom 15/01/2015 12:34:36

thecorknews

Going Places

16 January 2015

Verona

La via e bella Italy has been at or near the top of Irish people’s ‘European destinations’ list for decades. The gorgeous scenery, phenomenal food and vast history make it a must–see desination for any traveller worth his or her salt, and as a romantic destination for couples it has few rivals. Even the cities and towns sound like an invitation to a fairy tale: Amalfi, Tuscany, Venezia, Garda and Roma itself conjure up images of culture, beauty and relaxation.

When it comes to getting Irish holidaymakers to and from Italy, nobody can compare with Topflight, the Italian specialists with a host of charter flights going from Cork Airport right to the heart of the action on the Italian peninsula. Topflight also has a stellar reputation for tailor–making holidays with partner airlines like Aer Lingus to destinations from the top of the boot to the tip of the toe.

Highlights for the year to come include the perennially popular charter from Cork directly to Verona, where Romeo and Juliet’s doomed love affair is set, which is itself a doorway to spectacular destinations like the world–famous Lake Garda — regularly included in lists of the planet’s most beautiful places — and Lido Di Jesolo; the whole family can experience the grandeur for just €559pps.

But Topflight’s experience and range of destinations aren’t the only reasons to explore Italy: Early bird deals between now and February 28th can save up to €200 per couple on a wide selection of holidays; ‘Kids Stay Free’ offers are exactly as they sound and can make your family’s resort break even better value; and, for 2015, Topflight has ten ‘Stay & Explore’ options which give you a chance to relax and sightsee in the course of the same holiday — Puglia and Sardinia are new

destinations for this perfect holiday blend this year.

Topflight’s low booking deposit is another huge boon for Cork families who want to see the best that the Mediterranean has to offer: book your dates and flights now with just a €100 deposit and pay the balance 12 weeks before you go. And don’t forget, Italy’s prime location at the heart of the Med makes it a perfect starter for luxurious cruises too: Topflight works with cruise partners to ensure that you can explore the ancient and beautiful coasts of the Mediterranean sea from Rome, Venice, and Naples.

Visit topflight.ie or call 01 2401700 to find out for yourself why Topflight are called Ireland’s Italy experts, and why they have a 99% satisfaction rating. Then book your Italian adventure and give yourself something to look forward to through the bleak Winter and soggy Spring months!

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Call 01 240 1775 • Visit www.topflight.ie See your local travel agent

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16 January 2015

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Email: info@dineencrashrepairs.ie | www.dineencrashrepairs.ie

thecorknews

Drive 16 January 2015

Jeep and cheerful With a pedrigree stretching back to World War II, Jeep remains one of the most iconic of all marques. Seán Creedon takes the newest version of the Cherokee out for a spin to see if it lives up to the name.

A

few years back I was mildly reprimanded by a PR man from a well known brand for describing one of his SUVs as a Jeep. I suppose we all use the word ‘Jeep’ too loosely: did you know that only Jeeps made by the original Jeep company

in Toledo, Ohio, are allowed to use the title on their vehicles?

Jeeps have been in use since World War II and nowadays in Ireland they are associated mainly with the horsey set and farmers. The Irish franchise is held by Fiat.

Journalists are like relatives when a new baby is born and

are all very quick to compare the new model with older cars — or indeed older Jeeps, in this case. When the Cherokee was introduced to Irish motor writers in November it was generally agreed that the rear end resembled the back of the Kia Sportage.

Normally first impressions are gleaned from the front

of the vehicle, but the tail end seemed to catch the eye of many people. Looking at the Jeep from the front, it’s certainly very attractive with seven attention–grabbing sections on the grille.

It’s well designed, and side– on it also looks good. The latest Jeep features keyless entry: the doors open and engine starts as long as the key is on your person. In the cabin there is ample room for five well–built adults. The boot is massive and you get a full-size spare wheel. The rear door opens hydraulically.

I drove a white version and it looked good in the few rays of sun we got last week. Although ‘white seems to be the new black,’ I realise that

white might not be the best colour for navigating the narrow roads of west Cork, so of course the Cherokee is available in other colours also. It’s a bit high to climb on board, but once inside you will have no trouble finding a comfortable seated position. On the dash, everything you need to know can be found in the 8.4inch display screen.

As this is such a big vehicle, there are plenty of sensors and an excellent reversing camera. Also when you start to reverse the side mirrors dip to give you a better view, which was a nice touch. You also get heated seats, which will be appreciated at this time of year.

On the road this is a really

comfortable motor to travel in, and it has plenty of power thanks to the 2.0-litre multijet diesel engine. I didn’t take it off road, but no doubt if you had to venture away from the tarmac it would really excel, because that’s the terrain it’s made for. I had four wheels on my wagon last week and a spare wheel in the boot so, unlike the old country song, the Cherokees were not coming after me, as I was driving one!

Prices start at a hefty €47,850, without any extras like the full length sun roof, which will cost you €1,400 all by itself. If you fancy getting to grips with the Cherokee, then Dan Seaman Motors on Forge Hill is the place to do it.

THE UNBEATABLE

COROLLA from €20,995 or €207 per month*

TOYOTA IN THE CITY

Call in to our showrooms on South Douglas Road to view the complete range of 2015 Toyotas. *Available through TOYOTA Flex Finance offers.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact Lehane Motors for details.

SALES - SERVICE - PARTS - BODYSHOP South Douglas Road, Cork Tel 021 4817700 www.lehanemotors.ie

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Drive

16 January 2015

KEARYS NISSAN â‚Ź4,000 SCRAPPAGE

Trade in your old car at Kearys Nissan, and get a guaranteed minimum trade-in value of â‚Ź4,000* towards a brand new Nissan Pulsar, Juke, Micra or Note.

DRIVE IN OLD. DRIVE OUT NEW.

Kinsale Road Roundabout, Cork Tel: 021 492 9850

Carrigrohane Road, Cork Tel: 021 454 2344

HURRY! ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT For more details visit kearys.ie *Terms and conditions apply see Nissan.ie. Offer available on Pulsar, Juke, Micra and Note models only at participating dealers. Qualifying trade-in vehicles must be registered in the Republic of Ireland for at least 6 months previous to the date of trade-in and have a valid NCT and Road Tax certificate, or one that has expired no more than 6 months prior to date of trade-in. Offer only applies to vehicles registered by 31st January. Must be insured for use on the road for at least three months in the 18 months prior to trade-in. The offer is limited. This is a mutually exclusive offer no other offers apply.

thecorknews

Drive

16 January 2015

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Qashqai is king Lorcan MacMuiris has a whale of a time in Nissan’s ultra–popular Qashqai courtesy of Keary’s Nissan, and for once doesn’t feel so bad about being stuck in traffic…

T

he Qashqai set out to become a world beater pretty much as soon as it was launched in 2007 and, with more than one and a quarter million of them on Europe’s roads, the momentum shows no sign of slowing for one of the most popular cars Nissan has ever produced.

Oddly, given their popularity, I’d never been inside a Qashqai before I picked up

this test model from Keary’s but it didn’t take me long to see what all the fuss was about. This really is a ‘best of both worlds’ car. It’s chunky enough and tall enough to give that SUV feeling but still compact and well proportioned for city driving — and a good thing too, because the January traffic in Cork wasparticularly murderous as I set out. That was no problem though, as sitting still gave me plenty of time to fidget with

Nissan’s assorted doodads.

My phone was connected to the Bluetooth system with minimum fuss, and I was squeezing the plush leather steering wheel in time with the music and feeling thoroughly at home by the time I managed to wend my way to the Kinsale Road flyover for a quick drive up to the airport and down little Rathmacullig Bóthairín for a sense of just how agile the car really is.

A quick shower of bitter rain gave me a little start as the automatic wipers kicked into action, but, along with

the automatic lights, they’re just another ‘make your life easier’ feature crammed into a vehicle already replete with good ideas. I poke and prod at the climate control while pulled over outside Ballinhassig, then set off again, opening up the tiny but deceptively powerful engine for a silky smooth run towards… a closed tunnel. Typical. I’m not the least put out as I’m shunted towards the road to Mahon, however, simply because this really is a fun vehicle to drive and it’s luxuriously comfortable. Stuck

in traffic again, along with all the other schmucks who didn’t know the sub–aqua route was off–limits for another night, I’m already rueing the inevitable return to a lower driving position when I hand this fun runabout back.

I rev the little 1.2l engine just for kicks and wonder again just how such a small (but supercharged) plant can get the Qashqai moving so well.

Small, ultra–efficient engines like this mean small fuel bills and small taxes too: another great selling point for a great vehicle.

This car is just one year old and has a paltry 8000km on the clock, and it shows. It’s spick and span inside and out, which makes its price tag of just under €24,000 a bargain: even more so when you realise that Keary’s will service it completely free, gratis and for nothing for the next three years. Finally clearing the city, I get to whirr along at 120KPH, feeling right at home and count at least ten more Qashqais between Cork and Midleton. After a few hours of enjoying this one, I’m surprised there aren’t more.

DOUGLAS 021 4916 300

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Save up to e1,330 on your NEW CORSA Have you met your Perfect Match?

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Customer Deposit/ Trade-In

Finance Amount

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†Model is shown for illustrative purposes only. *Lending criteria and terms and conditions apply. RRP includes metallic paint & all delivery & related charges. Finance is provided by way of a hire purchase agreement. Finance example is based on a fixed rate APR of 0%. To qualify for this Finance Offer a minimum deposit of 50% of the recommended retail price applies and a maximum term of 24 months applies. Rate quoted is correct as at 24th November 2014 and is subject to change.

This offer is available on all New Opel Corsas ordered before 31st January and registered before 31st March 2015 at Johnson & Perrott Douglas Road. The credit provider is Bank of Ireland Finance which is a registered trading name of Bank of Ireland. Fuel consumption combined 5.1l /100km; CO2 emissions combined 119 g/km.

opel.ie www.jpdouglas.ie

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Drive

16 January 2015

TOYOTA IN THE CITY

TIME FOR YOUR NEW

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Call in to our showrooms on South Douglas Road to view the complete range of 2015 Toyotas. *Available through TOYOTA Flex Finance offers. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Lehane Motors for details.

SALES - SERVICE - PARTS - BODYSHOP

South Douglas Road, Cork. Tel 021 4817700. www.lehanemotors.ie

thecorknews

Drive

16 January 2015

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Winter driving tips

151 C: the must–have winter item New car sales in Cork were up by 18% in first 10 Days of 2015 whilst the number of imported used cars declined significantly.

The latest figures on new car sales show the number of new cars registered in the first 10 days of 2015 has increased by more than 18% on the same period for 2014. As 2014 was the best year for new car sales since 2008 these ‘first week’ figures for January are great news for car dealers Leeside, who are planning for another upswing in sales over the course of 2015.

Not only has the increase in sales bouyed dealers’ confidence, but customers have renewed faith in the market and an increase in demand has created new jobs in Cork as well.

“Showroom traffic is very brisk,” Ken Grandon of Gran-

don’s Toyota Glanmire told The Cork News. “Used car business is very good too, and overall there’s a great buzz. The specs, prices and support from manufacturers make it easier now for customers to buy cars, which all helps customer confidence.

It’s a knock on for everyone: we’ve recruited new sales, service, workshop and parts department staff because of the upswing.”

Most commentators are predicting new car sales of between 105,000 and 115,000 cars nationally for 2015 and if the current positive trend continues then new car sales for the year to come will reach the upper end of that spectrum.

The top selling new car for the first 10 days has been Hyundai’s iX35 crossover SUV, as

the small SUV segment continues to enjoy great popularity in Cork. The Hyundai iX35, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage are each in the top ten best seller list this January.

Meanwhile, sales of imported used cars in the first 10 days of 2015 were down 16% compared to the same period in 2014. Commenting on the decrease, Michael Rochford, Managing Director of Motorcheck.ie, said “It’s too early to draw any inferences from the decline in used cars being imported but this is the first time we have seen this kind of trend in recent years. The used car market grew significantly in 2014 and with new car sales at current rates it should ease the pressures on indigenous used stock by 2017”.

With wintery conditions set to last until the end of the month, the RSA has issued the following advice for drivers who have no choice but to brave the snow, sleet, hail, fog and ice which will beset us until Springtime comes: • Clear your windows and mirrors before you set out.

Carry a screen scraper and deicer. Do not use hot water on the windscreen as it can crack the glass.

• Use your dipped headlights so that others will see you.

• If the road looks polished or glossy it could be black ice, one of winter’s worst hazards. It can occur especially in sheltered and shaded areas on roads, under trees and adjacent to high walls. If the road surface is colder than three degrees, be aware that it may lurk even after other icy patches have thawed.

• Check tyres, including spare wheel, replace them if the tread depth falls below 3mm and make sure they are inflated to the correct tyre pressure. Drive slowly in the highest gear possible, manoeuvre gently and avoid harsh braking. If you have

winter tyres, don’t forget to swap them before the summer!

• In icy conditions manoeuvre gently, slow down and leave extra distance between you and the vehicle in front. Avoid harsh braking and acceleration. Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Select a low gear when travelling downhill.

• Switch on fog lamps

where visibility is reduced. As you enter fog, check your mirrors and slow down. In heavy fog, turn off your radio and let down your driver’s window a fraction, so as you can hear the presence of other traffic.

Switch fog lights off when visibility improves.

• Be extra aware of pedestrians and cyclists: they will be harder to spot and may swerve or slip unexpectedly.

Give them lots of space.

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16 January 2015

Great news for Cork City

All Q-Park parking charges reduced in Cork!

Q-Park have now introduced fairer pricing for customers by significantly reducing parking tariffs in the 4 Q-Park car parks in Cork City.

There is also an option to save even more money if you park on the roof.

Q-Park Grand Parade | €3 per hour | €2.40 per hour on the roof Q-Park City Hall | €3 per hour | €2 per hour on the roof Q-Park Carroll’s Quay | €3 per hour | €2 per hour on the roof Q-Park St. Finbarrs | €3 per hour | €2 per hour on the roof

For more information on the new prices visit www.q-park.ie/cork www.q-park.ie

thecorknews

Drive

16 January 2015

MITSUBISHI SPACESTAR

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

8 Year Warranty. From €12,995. €180 road tax.

8 Year Warranty. From €30,950. €270 tax.

Features include: Air Conditioning. CD/AUX/USB Connection. Front/Side/ Curtain Airbags.

ISO-Fix. Rear roof spoiler with high-mount stop lamp. Active Stability Control(ASC) and Traction Control (TCL)

5 & 7 Seater models. Features include; Cruise Control, Bluetooth, Multi-function steering wheel, Radio CD/MP3/USB functionality,ISO-Fix, Privacy Glass, Roof Rails, Hill Start Assist.

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FREE UPGRADE

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FREE UPGRADE to all of the following features; Complimentary black or beige leather Rear View Camera - Parking Sensors - Xenon Headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights

Features include: Full leather upholstery in beige or black leather. Multimedia Communications System including Sat-Nav, Rear view camera and rear parking sensors, Premium audio system, electronically adjustable & heated front seats, electric sunroof, Xenon headlights, side steps, cruise control.

2015 IS LOOKING GOOD

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16 January 2015

thecorknews

Sport & Fitness 16 January 2015

“We’ll be fighting all on fronts”

C

ork will be well represented next weekend at the Basketball Ireland National Cup Finals as five teams from Cork have reached the finals at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, It all begins at 11am on January 24th, when Glanmire BC take on DCU in the U18s decider. The ladies of Cork continue to make the Rebel County proud as Team Montenotte Hotel take on Killester in the Women’s National Cup Final at 6pm.

It’s a three–point score for Cork fans as UCC Demons tackle UCD Marian at 8pm on the same day. The Cork News spoke to UCC Demon’s coach and player Colin O’Reilly about the upcoming game: “We’re confident going into the game against UCD Marian and we’re excited to be in the final. However, we first need to get through the match against Belfast in the League Cup this weekend”.

Marie Breen, Team Montenotte Hotel Cork, in action against Rachel Brittenham, DCU Mercy. Basketball Ireland Women’s National Cup Semi-Final, Neptune Stadium. Picture by: Brendan Moran

Colin O’Reilly, C&S UCC Demons, in action against Marcus McDaniel and Kevin Lacey, Travelodge Swords Thunder. Basketball Ireland Men’s National Cup Semi-Final at the Mardyke Arena. Picture by: Brendan Moran

Basketball Ireland National Cup Finals Fixtures: Saturday 24th January, National Basketball Arena • 11:00 - U18 Women’s National Cup Final: DCU Mercy v Glanmire BC • 13:00 - U20 Men’s National Cup Final: Belfast Star v Moycullen BC • 18:00 - Women’s National Cup Final: Killester v Team Montenotte Hotel • 20:00 - Men’s National Cup Final: UCD Marian v C&S UCC Demons

Sunday 25th January, National Basketball Arena • 10:30 - U18 Men’s National Cup: St. Vincent’s v Fr Mathews • 12:30 - U20 Women’s National Final: Glanmire v Brunell Ladies • 14:30 - Senior Women’s National Cup Final: Oblate Dynamos v Portlaoise Panthers BC • 16:30 - President’s National Cup Final: C&S Blue Demons v SSE Airtricity Moycullen

If UCC Demons can beat Belfast without any injuries, they’ll be even more confident travelling up to Dublin for the National Cup Finals, explains Colin: “We’ll be fighting on all fronts,” he added.

The next day, Glanmire play Brunell in the U20 Women’s National Final in what is expected to be an excellent game.

Mark Scannell is involved in the coaching and training each of the three Cork ladies’ teams playing in the final next weekend. He told The Cork News “we’ve a lot of preparation to do with the three teams. Each Cork team is different and each opposition is very different. It’s all systems go now in training and we are really looking forward to the finals”. The curtain–closer for Cork fans will be the President’s National Cup Final, where Blue Demons take on SSE Airtricity Moycullen.

Tickets are available from basketballireland.ie.

City get back to training

C

Cork Constitution Picture from corkcon.ie

Mark your calendars

T

he rearranged Munster Senior Challenge Cup final between Cork Constitution and Garryowen will kick off at 4pm on Saturday, January 24th.

Irish Independent

Park (formally Musgrave Park) will host the clash as two of the province’s oldest clubs face off in a repeat of last season’s final.

It could be history in the making for the Temple Hill outfit as they seek their second ever three in a row,

last achieved by the club almost 100 years ago.

Garryowen are the competition’s most successful side and will be looking to add to their hugely impressive haul of 38 Munster Senior Challenge Cup titles.

Cork Con progressed to

the final thanks to home wins over Sunday’s Well, Bruff and Young Munster. meanGarryowen, while, navigated their way past Tipperary sides Nenagh Ormond and Cashel before their convincing semifinal win over UL Bohemian.

ork City FC have returned to pre– season training as they prepare for their first fixture against PSC Soccer Academy.

John Caulfield’s side is gearing up to take on the elite touring team from the United States at O’Shea Park in Blarney.

Cork City FC will then

travel to Athlone to play three fixtures over two days.

On January 30th, Caulfield’s men will play in the Roscommon and District League at their grounds in Lecarrow.

They will also face Finn Harps at the same venue the following morning. City will then round off their trip with a fixture against Athlone Town at the Athlone Town Stadium.

Pre – Season Fixtures January 25th: Cork City FC VS PSC Soccer Academy in O’Shea Park, Blarney. Kick Off at 1pm.

January 30th: Roscommon and District League in Roscommon League Grounds, Lecarrow. Kick Off at 7:30pm.

January 31st: Cork City FC VS Finn Harps in Roscommon League grounds, Lecarrow. Kick Off at 11am.

January 31st: Cork City FC VS Athlone Town in Athlone Town Stadium. Kick Off at 2:30pm.

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thecorknews

Sport & Fitness

16 January 2015

Duathlon set for Fota A challenging three–part sprint duathlon will take place at Fota Island Resort next month. The event, to be held on Saturday, February 28th, will see athletes take on a 4.8km run at Fota Island Resort, followed by an 18km cycle towards Cobh and looping back around before a second 4.8km run.

This year’s Fota Island Challenge Series Sprint Duathlon

is part of the National Series, a collection of the most established races on the Triathlon Ireland calendar. In order to host a National Series race, a higher level of service to participants is required than for a standard race. Triathlon Ireland members score points in their respective age groups by competing in these National Series races, a significant achievement for any athlete.

The duathlon starts at 10.30am and registration is on Friday, February 27th from 5pm to 7.30pm in the Recreational Building at Fota Island Resort, which will also be open on race day from 7am to 9.45am. The fee per participant is €39 and €75 for relay teams while registration and detailed maps of the run and cycle routes will be available on fotaisland.ie.

‘Yoga is an enlightening tool only when used wisely’

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e’ve all b e e n t h e r e , lost at the back of the crowded yoga class, watching for the teacher to execute each move and resigning ourselves to another failed resolution. This is the reason why one Cork yoga teacher has established a high–quality yoga teacher training course optimised for western lifestyles.

The Yoga Republic course is ideal for committed students who want to teach, seasoned teachers looking to expand their physical knowledge, or dedicated practitioners who would like to deepen their personal practice.

Senior yoga teacher Sackies Skalkos outlines that yoga was developed for “skinny young boys” who would de-

vote their entire life to its practice in a hot climate, far removed from the average Irish lifestyle. “Students quickly see through this concept as being unworkable in 21st century living,” he says.

“Since its development in the west, yoga has been merged with physical science to benefit both sexes as well as the demands of the 21st century practitioner.”

Sackies says that traditional teacher trainers “preach reams about the philosophy of yoga, the spirituality of the yoga lifestyle, the importance of a guru or swami”. However, he states that in such cases, students leave their classes without a true understanding of the challenges of a teacher or a “deep enough knowledge” of the physical aspect of yoga to be able to teach in a

safe, progressive and competent manner.

His classes and teaching are different, based on physical development and self knowledge, with students recognising and addressing their weaknesses and embracing their strengths. “You cannot teach a physical discipline unless you have a complete physical understanding of what you are doing,” he says: “Yoga is an enlightening tool only when used wisely.”

As with his mainstream classes, Sackies is limiting the numbers on this course. “It will not be the traditional, it will be challenging, demanding, enlightening and awaking,” he says. “You will be ready to teach.”

For more on the course, see yogarepublic.com or phone 087 6560254.

New gym for Blarney The new year means an entirely new gym for The Health Club at the Blarney Hotel Golf and Spa Resort.

Facilities now include 34 pieces of state–of–the–art equipment, including treadmills, cross trainers, steppers, two types of exercise bikes, spin bikes and row-

ing machines. In addition to the cardio machines, a new and spacious free weights area, cable cross and a power cage are also available to members, along with use of the 20–metre swimming pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. New membership options start from €99 for

two months, while there is also a six month membership for €260, and annual option at €475. The Heath Club is holding an open week from Monday, January 19th until Sunday, January 25th for anyone who’d like to visit the leisure centre for a free session.

thecorknews

Play

Anyone can be a star…

16 January 2015

Working hard, taking life as it comes, loving music and gigging are just the ticket for Paddy Casey as he prepares for an upcoming gig in Kinsale. Niamh Áine Ryan speaks with the singer/songwriter about life, music and his career.

W

ho can believe P a d d y Casey released his first album, Amen (so be it) 16 years ago? His debut came in 1999 and since then has gone on to release three more albums. He can’t believe it himself, and begins to reminisce about a gig he did in Dublin Castle: “I was lying on my bed and messing on my iTunes when I came across a gig I did in Dublin Castle which I thought was only four or five years ago but it was actually nine years ago. I couldn’t believe it. The years just fly by.”

Many people may not have

heard of Paddy until his second album, Living, was released in 2003. He cites Saints and Sinners as one of his most popular songs off that album, but he doesn’t understand why that is; the song is about homelessness, and he reasons with himself that it’s the beat that people like, rather than the depressing lyrics.

His latest album, The Secret Life Of, is his first independent album since leaving Sony. For Paddy, it was time to move on. He wanted to do his own thing. He explains that he got to a stage in his career where he had to be ‘big and bold’ enough to stand on his own two feet:

“I’m probably one of only ones who doesn’t have a horror story about a big record company. I don’t write like other people do. I couldn’t write an album a year, I write songs as they come,” he adds.

The curly haired Dubliner left school when he was 12.

He didn’t like it there. “I was never any good at school. I was crap at school. Even as far back as playschool I never liked it. I can remember running away from playschool and hiding in the bushes!”

Although he’s easy to talk

“I was never any good at school. I was crap at school. Even as far back as playschool I never liked it.”

to, Paddy had no qualms regarding his opinion on education. “You don’t need an education to succeed in the arts, in music, or in design. I never heard someone in the industry I’m in saying they are where they are because of their education,” he declares.

“If I wasn’t a singer songwriter, I’d like to have studied carpentry, but you need an education to do that. Or I’d like to be an international jewel thief!” he laughs.

So, I ask, does he think he’s changed since his first

album? He pauses and thinks. “I think I’m brainier.

I think you get brainier as you get older”. He pauses again. “With my first album, I would have never thought of rewriting or reworking a song.”

He later speaks about a song he wrote with Kim Hayden called Out Of Control, and it begins to make sense. “I don’t want to sound like a d**k but I think it’s the best song I’ve ever written.

It’s brilliant. I can be critical about myself when I want to be. Now I’m smarter about writing: I will rework a song.

I wouldn’t have done that years ago,” he says.

The Dublin troubadour is open about his personal life. He was the youngest of nine children and we joke about mothers calling their children by the wrong name.

“My mother used to call me ‘F**key the Ninth’.” He laughs it off, says he’s sure it was a term of endearment and jokes about it being a royal title. He then tells me about his 18–year–old daughter, who is following in her father’s footsteps and making a name for herself in the Irish music scene. It’s clear by the tone of his voice that he’s very proud of her. “Saoirse often comes on stage with me. The last time I played in Mallow she was on stage with me.

She might even get up and sing with me in Kinsale too.”

Paddy lives with Saoirse and his dog, Prince, in their Dublin home.

Again with no qualms, Paddy talks candidly about Cork people. “Cork people and English people can be the most hurtful on the internet, yet when I play in Cork they are the best audience.

I’ve never had a bad gig in Cork, it’s amazing. The audience are amazing at my gigs in Cork.”

To hear Paddy, and maybe his daughter, perform live then Blue Haven in Kinsale is the place to be on January 23rd. Tickets are €20 per person and available from bluehavenstore.com.

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thecorknews

Play

16 January 2015

Second is best This month, Rowan Harrington, better known by his stage name Secondcity, will take to the stage in the Savoy on January 30th. His debut single, I Wanna Feel was release in May 2014 and went to number one on the official midweek BBC Radio 1 singles charts. The American–born British DJ’s song entered the UK Singles Chart and UK Dance Chart at the top spot. He has since been championed by Disclosure and collaborated with Route 94 for the third time. Tickets for this electric event are €10 to €12 and available from secondcitysavoy.eventbrite.ie.

Cork City Hall goes Pop Dance fans young and old, from communities all over Cork and beyond, will take to the floor in Cork City Hall to the music of Evelyn Grant and the Cork Pops Orchestra on January 25th. Starting at 3pm, the Lord Mayor’s Tea Dance, hosted by Councillor Mary Shields, Lord

Mayor of Cork, is a not–for– profit initiative organised by locals from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Young people are invited to bring an older person or a group of older people to the ball. Previous Tea Dances have proven to be great fun and recognise the role of the older

Higher and higher Ireland’s Folk Band of the year, The High Kings, featuring Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey, Darren Holden and Finbarr Clancy kick off 2015 at the Cork Opera House.

With enviable musical pedigrees, The High Kings grew up in households soaked

generation, offering a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge their contribution.

The orchestra will be joined by special guest Keith Hanley who starred as Prince Charming in the Everyman pantomime.

Tickets are €10 and available from promusica.ie.

in Irish musical tradition.

They’ve sold out hundreds of shows in Ireland and the US, made numerous TV appearances and achieved platinum status with both of their albums. On January 29th, they’ll showcase their incredible versatility and skills

as multi–instrumentalists, bringing a rousing acoustic flavour to brand new songs as well as some old favourites.

This amazing show starts at 8pm and tickets are available from the Cork Opera House box office or at corkoperahouse.ie.

CORK ARTS THEATRE Wednesday 14th - Saturday 24th January @ 8.00pm

(Excl. Sunday 18th)

Cork Arts Theatre Youth Project presents

A powerful play sparked by the infamous massacre at Columbine High School that probes the psychological warfare of alienation, hostility and social pressure that can go on in all schools.

DIRECTED BY EOGHAN MOLONEY

Tickets: Opening week €10 / €8 conc.

COLUMBINUS

Wednesday 28th to Saturday 31st January @ 8.00pm

THE WOLFE STAGE SCHOOL STUDENT SHOWCASE

The students of the Wolfe Stage School take to the boards for their first show of 2015. Join them as they entertain us with a variety of dramatic pieces both comedic and serious.

Tickets: €10 / €5 conc.

Wednesday 4th - Saturday 7th February @ 7.30pm Cork Arts Theatre present

WRITERS WEEK

Tickets: €10, €8 students and OAP’s, Special Offer: See all six plays over two nights for just €15.

The six shortlisted plays from our 2014 One Act Playwriting Competition will receive their first ever performances this week.

Each play will be performed twice with 3 different plays each night. The winners of the Writing and Production Awards will be announced after the Saturday performances.

Wednesday 11th - Saturday 14th February Munster Literature Centre presents

CORK SPRING POETRY FESTIVAL

Bookings for the Cork Spring Poetry Festival must be made through the festival website: www.corkpoetryfest.net up until Sunday 8th February.

Thereafter at the Cork Arts Theatre.

Booking - Tel. 021 450 5624 Full details of our exciting Winter programme at...

www.corkartstheatre.com

Rep

Go for Green Hermitage Green started with a spontaneous jam session between friends and soon developed in to a strong acoustic outfit with an original sound for which the band have credited their contrasting musical tastes. The five–piece has spent the last couple of years touring the world, winning over

fans of all ages and selling out shows in Ireland, the UK and Australia. An unforgettable live performance and a curious arrangement of instruments help give Hermitage Green their distinctive sound, which can be heard on January 17th in Cyprus Avenue. Captivating audiences and earning respect

from music pundits, it seems fitting that their debut album should capture the raw power of the band on stage. The band released their debut EP The Gathering in September 2012, rocketing straight in at number one in the iTunes chart.

Doors open at 8pm and tickets are €15.

Tabhair Buille faoi…

Formed in Cork in 2004 by three Armagh men, brothers Niall and Caoimhín Vallely with Paul Meehan, Buille has blazed a trail through traditional and contemporary music, releasing two critically lauded genre–defying albums and performing hundreds of concerts all over the world. Although the line–up has evolved over the years, the freshness and original-

ity of the music has remained constant. Over the course of 2011 and 2012 the band organised a series of experimental concerts in Cork entitled Junctions – New Musical Encounters, where they invited a collection of their musical heroes to perform with them.

The gigs included such luminaries as Béla Fleck, Martin Hayes, Michael McGoldrick, Jean Michel Veillon, Jacky

Molard, Mairtin O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, Steve Cooney, Dónal Lunny and many others. The resultant collaborations have sown the seeds for the latest chapter in the Buille project, which will be a live album of new music inspired by the original Junctions series. This will be recorded in the Ionad Cultúrtha in Baile Mhúirne on January 27th and released later this year.

thecorknews

Play

16 January 2015

Daunt Square, Cork City Tel 021 425 3931 www.thewoodford.ie

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thecorknews

Playtime

Your guid e to what's happenin g in Cork this week ...

16 January 2015

17 20

16 18 19

Saturday

Friday

The Merry Widow, starring the incomparable soprano Renée Fleming, comes live by satellite from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York to the Omniplex, Mahon Point, where extra screens have already been allocated to cater for the record demand for tickets. It begins at 6pm.

Fresh from rave reviews and standing ovations in the Abbey Theatre, Avignon Festival, New York and Edinburgh, Irish Modern Dance Theatre presents Men in Motion, an evening of three athletic and hilarious dance pieces in the Firkin Crane tonight. Doors open at 8pm, admission is €10.

Cork–based originals band Atlantis Fire Department will bring their eclectic sound to the Crane Lane Theatre on Sunday. Bringing together influences from Indie, pop, alternative rock and funk, along with a good dash of originality and lyrical depth, their music is sure to draw you in. Doors open at 11.30pm.

Monday

Tuesday

Cork Arts Theatre present the Irish premiere of Columbinus. A play sparked by the infamous massacre at Columbine High School in the US, Columbinus is a look into the psyche of American teenagers and parents alike, which probes the psychological warfare of alienation, hostility and social pressure that goes on in high schools across America and asks “How many of those who died at Columbine were victims?”

Every Man’s Guide to Campaigns of the Heart is set in one of Ireland’s big houses in the early part of the 20th century, audiences can look forward to a night of comical misunderstandings involving debts, duels, land, livestock and love!

Tickets available from everymancork.com.

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Thursday

Wednesday

To coincide with the launch of her autobiography Down the Crooked Road and the Soundtrack album, Mary Black brings her tour to the Cork Opera House this week.

Mary will be joined on stage by her best band of musicians including Bill Shanley, Pat Crowley, Nick Scott and Richie Buckley. Tickets available from corkoperahouse.ie.

Picture by Aidan Weldon

Sunday

Duke Special is currently finishing off his next studio album and he has once again decided to work with Pledge Music to help fund and promote this release. He returns to Cork for a live show in Coughlans, where he will unveil some of the material from his new album.

Tickets available from entertainment.ie.

thecorknews

Trades & Services

16 January 2015

85

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Legal Notice IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACTS 1963-2013 AND IN THE MATTER OF ANNECTO TELECOM LIMITED To All Creditors NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to sections 266 of the Companies Acts 1963 to 2013 that a meeting of creditors of the above company will be held at e-Charleville Enterprise Centre, Bakers Road, Charleville, Co-Cork on the 23rd day of January 2015 at 10.30am for the purpose’s set out in section’s 267 and 268 of the said Act. Dated this 9th day of January 2015

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

Cork City Council: Planning Notice Jason Carroll intends to apply for permission for the replacement of existing timber shopfront and seperate glazed door unit along with the installation of an awning to front elevation at 15 & 16 Academy Street, Cork City. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, City Hall, Cork, during its public opening hours and that a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of €20 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the application.

Trades and Services Contact: Tel: 021 425 2255 ads@thecorknews.ie

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