Dublin Voice North

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dublinvoice February 15-29, 2020 t: 01 901 5565, e: info@dublinvoice.ie

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Unit 5, IDEA House, Killarney Road Business Park, Bray

‘Make them walk’ Official wants ban on parents driving kis to school A DUBLIN City Council R൶FLDO KDV FDOOHG IRU D EDQ RQ SDUHQWV GULYLQJ WKHLU FKLOGUHQ WR VFKRRO DV SDUW RI D SODQ WR PHHW DLU TXDOLW\ WDUJHWV E\ %UHQGDQ 2¶%ULHQ ZDV VSHDNLQJ DW FOHDQ DLU FRQIHUHQFH 7KH &OLPDWH %UDYH ZKHQ KH PDGH WKH FRPPHQWV ZKHUH KH DGPLWWHG WKDW D QXPEHU RI ³GL൶FXOW DQG SRWHQWLDOO\ XQSRSXODU GHFLVLRQV´ ZRXOG QHHG WR EH PDGH LQ RUGHU WR PHHW WKH FLW\¶V WDUJHWV 7KH ,ULVK 7LPHV UHSRUWV WKDW 0U 2¶%ULHQ VDLG WKDW LI LW ZHUH

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James MacNeill from Killiney at the 2020 Water Babies Little Heroes Awards. Lots more pix inside

02 | newsinbrief 200 bed hotel is planned for Croker

dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020 Students from sixth class at Our Lady of Lourdes, Catholic Primary School in Inchicore at the launch of ESB Science Blast 2020. Pic: Shane O’Neill

$ SRSXODU KRWHO JURXS KDV announced plans to build a fourstar hotel with 200 bedrooms near Croke Park. The Dalata Hotel Group has signed a lease agreement for a Maldron Hotel to be built beside *$$ +4 LQ WKH QH[W WKUHH \HDUV to facilitate the hundreds of thousands of sport and music IDQV ZKR ÀRFN WR WKH DUHD HDFK year.

Two charged in credit card scam Two men have been charged RYHU WKH VHL]XUH RI FORQHG FUHGLW FDUGV LQ 'XEOLQ ,Q D KXJH KDXO E\ LQYHVWLJDWLQJ RŕľśFHUV *DUGDL VHL]HG WKH IUDXGXOHQW cards along with documents, re-encoding devices, cocaine, a weighing scales and â‚Ź2,000 in cash. Gardai received reports from WKH 8. WKDW D JURXS ZHUH XVLQJ card reading devices to clone FUHGLW FDUGV LQ ,UHODQG

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No love lost for resturant ,7 PXVW EH GLྜFXOW WR H[SHULHQFH VR PDQ\ ODVW PLQXWH FDQFHOODWLRQV RQ D GD\ ZKLFK LV VXSSRVHG WR EH RQH RI WKH EXVLHVW RI WKH \HDU IRU UHVWDXUDQWV 7KH RZQHU RI 'XEOLQ UHVWDXUDQW 0LFKDHOœV LQ 0RXQW 0HUULRQ KDV YRZHG WR QHYHU WDNH ERRNLQJV RQ 9DOHQWLQHœV 'D\ DJDLQ ZLWKRXW WDNLQJ SD\PHQW LQ IXOO *D] 6PLWK KDV GHVFULEHG WKH DPRXQW RI ODVW PLQXWH FDQFHOODWLRQV WKH UHVWDXUDQW UHFHLYHG RQ 9DOHQWLQHœV 'D\ DV ³VRXO GHVWUR\LQJ ´

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City 9th favourite for Euro ex-pats THE Capital is the ninth most liveable city in the world for European expats, according to a new study. The annual report from global PRELOLW\ ÂżUP (&$ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO looked at factors like housing, infrastructure and health services for workers who are considering relocating. Dublin is described as a “popular hub for the expats from around the world thanks to havLQJ WKH EHQHÂżWV RI D ODUJH FLW\ while also managing to avoid the negative aspectsâ€?. The city scored positively for its crime rates, air quality, culture and infrastructure. Canada remains the most attractive country outside of Europe for Europeans to move WR IRU WKH ÂżIWK \HDU LQ D URZ ,W LV GHVFULEHG DV ³¿W IRU UR\DOty with its clean air, free healthcare, low crime and political stabilityâ€?.

BUYING? SELLING?

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Tenants move into block that has a gym and cinema 7(1$176 have moved into a new build-to-rent development LQ &ORQJULŕľśQ LQ QRUWK 'XEOLQ many of whom booked the appartments online and without seeing them. 7KH ÂżUVW WHQDQWV GLG QRW physically see their new homes before moving in as the rental agreement had already been completed, according toa report on RTE.ie 7KH 2QH 7KUHH 1RUWK GHYHOopment, which will have a toWDO RI UHQWDO XQLWV LV EHLQJ managed by Vesta and was built by its sister company Twinlite ZLWK IXQGLQJ IURP %ULWLVK investors. ,W KDV D IUHH J\P FLQHPD DQG soundproof party room for tenDQWV ZKR DOVR EHQHÂżW IURP IUHH KLJK VSHHG ZLÂż FR ZRUNLQJ IDFLOLWLHV DQG DQ $ HQHUJ\ UDWLQJ The monthly rent is â‚Ź1,550 for a one-bed, â‚Ź1,990 for a two-bed and â‚Ź2,499 for a three-bed. Most of the new tenants are understood to be from abroad, but some are on the Housing $VVLVWDQFH 3D\PHQW VFKHPH 5LFN /DUNLQ H[HFXWLYH GLrector of Vesta, said the site had been lying undeveloped for four years, despite having planning permission, as it was uneconomical to build and sell individual apartments. He said the current sales price for suburban property does not

cover the construction costs for builders. %XW KH VDLG EXLOG WR UHQW ZDV an attractive long-term option for investment funds. 5LFKDUG 0D\QHV IURP /RQGRQ who has come to Dublin to take up a new job, was moving in today and said he had been attracted by the “community feel� of the scheme, as well as EHLQJ LPSUHVVHG E\ WKH VL]H DQG spec of the apartments. He said he was used to booking apartments online in /RQGRQ /HFWXUHU LQ +RXVLQJ DW ',7 /RUFDQ 6LUU VDLG VFKHPHV VXFK as these mark an evolution in WKH ,ULVK UHQWDO PDUNHW EXW GR not address the question of affordability for the vast majority of people who are renting. He said the high cost of rent was the result of government policy and was driving people further out into the commuter belt.

A punter’s sweet Valentine gift $ '8%/,1 SXQWHU LV WKDQNLQJ their lucky stars after they received a sweet Valentine’s Day boost by turning one coin into a ¿YH ¿JXUH VXP The anonymous player placed D Ÿ EHW DW WKH %LQJR LQ D %R\OH6SRUWV VKRS LQ WKH FDSLWDO on the eying of Valentine’s Day picking numbers 4, 14, 17, 19, 22 and 27 to be six of the 49 numbers drawn. $ SUL]H RI XS WR Ÿ ZDV available if the selections were WKH ¿UVW VL[ QXPEHUV FDOOHG

That wasn’t the case but as good fortune had it, the next six numbers out weralentine gift exactly what he had picked. The magic winner was able to go back up to the counter and swap their ticket for an astounding ₏10,000. %R\OH6SRUWV VSRNHVPDQ /DZUHQFH /\RQV VDLG ³7KHUHœV not many better gifts to receive on Valentine’s day than a ₏10,000 payout from a ₏1 punt.� What price love,eh?

dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

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Airport examines mobility access DUBLIN Airport has partnered with Hack Access in a bid to improve the travel experience for passengers with reduced mobility. The two will host an accessibility hackathon event on February 21st to 23rd, to look at ways of improving the customer experience for passengers who have challenges with accessibility.. Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport’s Managing Director, said: “We work very closely with a wide range of groups to ensure passengers with varying disability challenges have a comfortable and smooth journey through the airport. “This hackathon is a unique opportunity to challenge the airport’s environment and to present ideas and initiatives for Dublin Airport to consider that ZLOO EULQJ IXUWKHU EHQHÂżWV IRU passengers with reduced mobility.â€? Hack Access’s purpose is to ensure no person is excluded IURP FLWLHV GXH WR GLŕľľHUHQFHV LQ ability; connecting public and private sector companies to local start-up communities.

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Green letter day: An Post deliveries go emission free

Jake Power at the launch of the VHI Run for Fun’ programme. Pic: Julien Behal

Morrison Hotel goes on market for a cool ₏85m THE owner of Dublin’s Morrison Hotel, Yelena Baturina, has reportedly instructed commercial real HVWDWH VHUYLFHV ¿UP &%5( WR put the property on the market in the coming weeks. It is understood by The Irish Times that the hotel’s guide price will be between ₏80m and ₏85m. Baturina acquired The Morrison from Nama in 2012 for ₏22m and it is believed

dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

that she spent up to â‚Ź10m revamping the venue in the year following her purchase of it. Developed originally in 1996 by the late publican +XJK 2Âś5HJDQ WKH 0RUULVRQ Hotel occupies a prime city centre location overlooking WKH ULYHU /LŕľľH\ ZLWKLQ ZDONing distance of Temple Bar, the shopping areas of Henry Street and Grafton Street, DQG WKH ,)6&

'HVLJQHG E\ -RKQ 5RFKD the boutique property comprises 145 guest rooms and suites, seven meeting and events facilities capable of accommodating up to 240 guests, as well as a stateRI WKH DUW J\P DQG ÂżWQHVV centre. The sale of the Morrison is H[SHFWHG WR DWWUDFW VLJQLÂżcant interest from a range of international hotel operators and investors.

AN Post has added the country’s ÂżUVW PHWULF WRQ HOHFWULF WUXFN WR LWV Ă€HHW PDNLQJ HYHU\ GHOLYery in Dublin emission free. The Fuso eCanter has been DGGHG WR WKH Ă€HHW ZLWK $Q Post saying every letter and parcel delivered by the national provider in Dublin city center is now emission free. They will be carried E\ ]HUR HPLVVLRQV YHKLcles with an improvement in air quality in the capital city. Zero-carbon deliveries will be rolled out to Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford by the end of 2020. $Q 3RVW KDV LQYHVWHG Âź P LQ LWV Ă€HHW RI HOHFWULF YHKLFOHV and the number will exceed 900 within two years. David McRedmond, CEO of An P ost, said, “We’ve proven WKDW ]HUR FDUERQ HPLVVLRQ GH-

livery in a capital city is achievable. If An Post can do this, delivering 100,000 parcels and OHWWHUV WR PRUH WKDQ premises daily in this area, there is no reason why other companies can’t. Let’s aim for a 100% Green Delivery Zone in Dublin,â€? he said. Kate Ruddock, deputy director of Friends of the Earth, said, “We commend An Post for leading the way to become WKH ÂżUVW SRVWDO VHUYLFH LQ WKH ZRUOG WR DWWDLQ ]HUR FDUERQ emission delivery status in a capital city. “We also commend An Post for rolling out their green deOLYHU\ ]RQH WR RWKHU PDMRU FLWLHV and towns across Ireland while calling on other organisations WR GR WKH VDPH EHQHÂżWWLQJ WKH health and air quality of the country.â€?

Councillor in bid to quash homeless hub DUBLIN City Councillor Mannix Flynn has been given permission by the High Court to seek to quash a decision to build a family hub for the homeless R྾ $XQJLHU 6WUHHW The challenge is over the council’s plan, in partnership with the Peter McVerry Trust, to convert a former tourist hostel at Avalon House on Whitefriar 6WUHHW LQWR D KXE FRQWDLQLQJ individual family units. The council’s original plan was for an emergency hostel for single people but, the court heard, that was dropped following local opposition and replaced with a family hub proposal. Cllr Flynn says the council failed to follow legal requirements in proceeding with the plan or to comply with

planing legislation. He argues it was done without any form of oversight, planning control or QRWLÂżFDWLRQ WR LQWHUHVWHG He says the council also failed to comply with its own development plan including a provision that here should over concentration of institutional type facilities in the one area in order not to have a There are seven other institutional type facilities within an 800m radius of Avalon House including ‘Care $IWHUÂś LQ $XQJLHU 6WUHHW WKH 6DOYDWLRQ $UP\ LQ /RQJIRUG 6WUHHW /LWWOH DQG WKH VXSHUYLVHG injection facility at the Merc Quay food and drug outreach service, he says. There were rumours about a homeless hostel proposal during the summer but it was only as a

result of questions by him that information about the council entering into a lease with the McVerry Trust came into the public domain, he claims. The lease is to be for 20 years at a cost of â‚Ź2 million a year, he says. The process adopted by the council and the McVerry Trust “has at all times been characterised by secrecyâ€?, and lack of transparency and a failure to notify interested parties about decisions with a potential impact on their interests and rights, Cllr Flynn VD\V LQ DQ DŕľśGDYLW Mr Justice Charles Meenan ZDV VDWLVÂżHG WKDW DUJXDEOH DQG substantial grounds had been made out to grant leave to judicial review. He adjourned the case for two weeks.

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

opinion&comment

One thing they must not change

W

hatever o t h e r policies the next Government jettisons, it should not abandon Ireland 2040, the plan for decentralisation. Nor should new ministers tinker or toy with this so-called National Planning Framework. If they can strengthen the SURSRVDOV ¿QH $QG LI WKH\ can speed up things that would be great, for the outgoing Government has done very little to implement the plan since announcing it in 2017. But the concept is crucial and it should not be weakened or abandoned. Lack of decentralisation is at the root of much of the social unrest and unhappiness which drove voters in the recent general election. Dublin has grown out of all proportion to the size of the country and has sucked in far too many of the nation’s jobs, facilities and resources. That’s why people are spending hours every day on miserable

Tadgh Tyrrell (2) from Tyrrelstown with Sophia Poveda (8 months) from Greystones at the launch of Caldesene’s new look

Michael Wolsey FRPPXWHV RU ¿QGLQJ WKHPVHOYHV working around the clock to pay R྾ VN\ KLJK 'XEOLQ PRUWJDJHV or even higher rents. Ireland is one of the most centralised countries in the developed world. We can all see the problems this creates but attempts to solve them have been thwarted by parochial politicians who moan about the decline of rural Ireland while rejecting any remedies which do not directly favour their own little neck of the woods. There isn’t a high-tech factory for every tiny village. Every small town can’t have a fully HTXLSSHG DQG VWD྾HG KRVSLWDO There can’t be a third-level college for everyone in the

audience. But we can spread these facilities around - give more of them to our few cities and bigger towns and less to 'XEOLQ $QG ZH FDQ GHYHORS pleasant dormitory towns and a decent public transport system to link them to these larger centres. Until quite recently this sort

of commuter community had been developing unaided in the greater Dublin area. Places such as Balbriggan and Drogheda, Bray and Greystones, were thriving as dormitory towns where the cost of living was relatively low and connection to the city relatively easy. The crazy growth of Dublin

has spoiled that. These are now expensive places and FRPPXWHUV ZKR FDQ D྾RUG WR live in them are faced with extremely unpleasant journeys on packed public transport and bumper-to-bumper roads. For the sake of greater Dublin, as well as the regions, we must decentralise. That’s what

Ireland 2040 is all about. We tried it before and failed. In 2002 a Fianna FĂĄil government announced what it termed a National Spatial Stragegy based on ‘gateways’ the regional cities - and ‘hubs’, the dormitory towns that would serve them. The plan was destroyed by parochialism. Politicians feared WKDW IDYRXULQJ 7RZQ $ RYHU Town B would be electorally fatal, so every place with a handful of votes had to get something and we ended up with gateways in every county and hubs at the end of every boreen. We cannot let this happen again. Good planning needs to move beyond local rivalries and Ireland 2040 is designed to do just that. But I fear for it, as Independents and backwoodsmen from the back benches start naming their price for supporting a government. If we waste this opportunity, as we did with the spatial strategy plan, then by 2040 we will still be fretting over the problems of 2020. Nothing will have been solved, everything will be worse.

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

dublininpictures Advertorial

Mona Lxsa Taurus, Cassie Stokes, Erica Cody and Najmo Abdille at the Virgin Media intimate Eat Your Films event. Pic: Brian McEvoy

Lisa Purcell, Katie Boylan and Katie Bermingham at the Irish Premiere screening of Birds of Prey at Cineworld. Pic: Brian McEvoy

Sarah Shanahan, Michael Towers, and Abidur Rahmanat the National Surgical Skills Competition 2020. Pic: Julien Behal

Doireann Garrihy at the Big Mac Special Sauce Valentine’s Day event at McDonald’s Grafton Street. Pic: Julien Behal

Clementine MacNeice and James Patrice, and Tara O Farrell, at the Blossom Tree Ball. Pic: Brian McEvoy

dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

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12 | WILDLIFE with Justin Ivory

Paving Paradise

dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

topten BOOK of the week

RUNNING FROM THE SHADOWS

‘They paved paradise And put up a parking lot..’ So sang Joni Mitchell in her hit Big Yellow Taxi 50 years ago. 50 years on and here we are in the middle of a Biodiversity and Climate crisis that will at best significantly adversely affect life for all species on the planet and at worst threaten the very survival of humankind. Even though urgent and immediate action on a local, national and global scale is needed more than ever, what are they planning to spend our tax euros on in Co. Wicklow? A so-called coastal ‘green’way from Greystones to Wicklow Town that will see an existing, well-used natural trail running through an area rich in wildlife with magnificent vistas of mountains and sea, tarmacked and suburbanised. An area protected under EU law (it is a designated SAC and SPA) for its unique habitats and biodiversity, already visited and walked by thousands of people annually, (for not just decades but probably centuries). They want to throng this very special place with 250,000 visitors annually and fill it with human noise and activity. Destroying the very reason people go there in the first place for peace and quiet, to get away from it all and enjoy nature.

Beautiful vista from the Wicklow coastal trail (Photo Justin Ivory)

Why is this needless vandalism of nature even happening? The financial selfinterests of a few business people in Wicklow Town with some populist and dubious PR around human recreational activities appears to this writer to be the primary motivations. This is symptomatic of the lack of a long-term sustainable approach to all our activities in favour of short-sighted, human-centric, short-term benefits for a minority with a long-term negative impact for the majority, future generations and other species that has been played out locally, nationally and globally over the last few decades. It beggar’s belief that this sort of thinking and project is still being given credence and funding. We owe it to ourselves, our children, future generations and other species to do better than this.

FILM of the week

HOROSCOPES

by Stephanie Hickey EU protected Little Tern along the Wicklow coastline (Photo Justin Ivory)

TV SHOW of the week

Stephanie Hickey tells, in her own words, how she survived abuse at the hands of a trusted family member and of how running, a simple physical activity helped her achieve mindfulness, but also to rediscover love and faith in her body - to reclaim it. Charting her life growing up in the rolling countryside of Waterford in the safety of her beloved family to the moment her childhood was shattered, to the court case where she waived her anonymity, to how she was able to reclaim a sense of herself through the sport which became like a therapy, Running from the Shadows is told with humour, strength and incredible courage.

GIG of the week

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING OSCAR Thursday 20 February, RTE1 @ 10.15pm

HARLEY QUINN: BIRDS OF PREY Running Time: 1hr 49min

A star-studded documentary drama providing an account of Oscar Wilde’s glittering career before his trial for homosexual crimes and his tragic fall from grace. Wilde enthusiasts and experts such Stephen Fry and Wilde’s grandson Merlin Holland provide revelatory accounts of how the writer’s own life informed his work, intercut with adaptations of his comedies and books performed by a cast including Freddie Fox, Claire Skinner, Anna Chancellor and James Fleet.

It’s open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big fat target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of narcissistic crime boss Black Mask, his right-hand man, Victor Zsasz, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women -- Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya. Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell. Director: Cathy Yan. Genres: Action, Adventure

PLAY of the week

FESTIVAL of the week

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KAISER CHIEFS

Sunday 23rd February, 6.30pm 3Arena, N Wall Quay, Dublin 1. Price:â‚Ź49.50 Kaiser Chiefs – with very special guests Razorlight and Somebody’s Child. Recently, Ricky Wilson was travelling on the London Underground when he pressed play on a finished mix of the huge new Kaiser Chiefs anthem People Know How To Love One Another. “Sh*t man, we’ve done it,â€? the frontman thought to himself. He’s still taken by that feeling of triumph, that the band have reclaimed the creative swagger that underpins their best work. There is a restorative energy at the heart of the quintet’s forthcoming new record Duck. “What this album is about is regaining trust in the fact I enjoy what I do.â€?

FOODIE of the week

THE FALL OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC Monday 24th February - Saturday 14th March Abbey Theatre, 2.00pm | 7.30pm. â‚Ź13 - â‚Ź45

THRIVE FESTIVAL Saturday 29th February - Sunday 1st March 9.30am @ The CCD. Price:â‚Ź35.35 | â‚Ź82.79

The Fall of the Second Republic – Emer Hackett is a fearless and determined investigative reporter. Her target is the Taoiseach, Manny Spillane, a wily political survivor. Their paths cross in the ruins of an old theatre, set to be the site for a banking centre, which promises to bring wealth to the Irish economy as well to Spillane and his cohorts. What Emer uncovers sparks a fury of consequences for her newspaper, her colleagues and the political framework of the country. A new ensemble comedy from the creators of the much-loved Dublin By Lamplight, The Corn Exchange.

Get your 2020 off to a happy and healthy start at Thrive Festival. A celebration of fitness & wellness - Thrive Festival, Ireland’s premier fitness, wellness & food festival returns to The Convention Centre, Dublin from 29 February – 1 March 2020. Over 2 days, we will host over 200 fitness classes, wellness workshops and cookery demos in one state of the art venue! Thrive Festival unites fitness fans and wellness warriors for the ultimate wellbeing event of 2020.

TRIBUTE of the week

EVENT of the week

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PLANT BASED @ BALLYKNOCKEN Saturday 22nd February - Sunday 23rd February 10am. Price:â‚Ź13.41 - â‚Ź16.62 Citywest, Saggart.

LOVE D8 COMMUNITY FAIR TRIBUTE TO BILL HICKS Saturday 29th February. St. Catherine’s Church Wednesday 26th February 7.30pm - 11.00pm The Sugar Club, Leeson Street Lower. Price:₏17.50 Thomas St, Merchants Quay, Dublin 8

Ireland’s largest sugarcraft show and will have 23 different competition categories to suit all levels and styles, from novice to masterclass. The Show is open to all and competition entries will be judged by The British Sugarcraft Guild. Irish Sugarcraft Show are delighted to have, in association with the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA), a new baking competition. There will be six categories, one category is closed and the other five are open to all. Each baking category will be judged by ICA judges.

Tribute To Bill Hicks with Special Guest Steve Hicks. Steve will share his own memories and answer any questions you always wanted answered about the life and times of Bill. The 3 hour show will also feature live tributes by comedians singers and poets who play from their f**kin’ heart, video tributes and other surprises. A raffle will take place for a portrait of Bill. As always a local charity and Bill Hicks Wildlife Foundation billhicks.org will benefit from door and raffle receipts, after costs.

Love D8 Community Fair returns to The Liberties at the end of February. The venue for this year’s community showcase is St Catherine’s Church on Thomas Street, with events running from 11am to 4pm on Saturday 29th February. Partnering Dublin City Council, St Patrick’s Cathedral and The Liberties Dublin, and featuring over 100 community groups, clubs, schools, businesses and agencies, LOVE D8 will transform St Catherine’s Church into a bustling market-style community fair celebrating all that’s great about Dublin 8!

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

T

hey say the best wine should be saved till last and in the beautiful, serene Maydenhayes Development in County Meath, this has certainly been the case. Prospective house hunters can prepare to be wowed by the exquisite new show house opening this weekend and it’s definitely a case of forget the wine and crack open the champagne, since this large new house is stunningly good value and also a serious contender for anyone working in the City (as are the 3 and 4 bed semi-detached houses and showhouses in the other part of the development of which there are still a few available). The Cove at Maydenhayes is a private enclave of six detached houses each with a south westerly aspect to the rear. The stained glass in the front door sets the tone for a chique new house that manages to combine the cosy feeling of home with being comfortable, modern and on trend.

This spacious home has five comfortably sized bedrooms and family bathroom, generous ensuites, walk in wardrobes, an unusually spacious landing at first floor level, and not surprisingly, comes A rated with underfloor heating and high-quality sanitary fittings. The front door opens into a charming and stylish entrance hallway filled with a happy and homely personality that permeates the whole house. The hall leads into a wonderful airy, spacious and light filled living and dining, kitchen area which is in part thanks to the high ceilings at this level. Patio doors lead out into a lovely garden currently patiently waiting for the long evenings so the barbeque can be fired up following the daily trip after work and school to the local beach. There is also a good-sized boot/laundry room kitted out with plenty of storage for buckets and spades…, and also a guest cloakroom.

But what really makes this house sing is the surprise that awaits at second floor level. This floor has been laid out to accommodate a bedroom with ample room for a sitting area, an ensuite, a walk-in wardrobe, a separate study and a landing area (not to forget the little snug in the dormer window for a sneaky peak at the sea). It is easy to see that there are other possibilities for this large space and the developers will be happy to work with prospective purchasers who have other uses in mind that don’t require structural or planning/ building regulation changes. This is a true gem of a house just waiting to be called home. Happy Days at Maydenhayes – Make the Move! For those new to Maydenhayes, thanks to major road developments in recent years, Mornington, which sits where the River Boyne meets the Irish Sea is only minutes from the M1 northern corridor, the M50

and the national motorway network. There is a train link from Drogheda – a 5km distance from Maydenhayes – to Dublin and Belfast. It is home to all kinds of new amenities including shops, schools, churches and sport and leisure facilities. Maydenhayes is within easy reach of all points North, South and Central. Only 40 minutes from Dublin City Centre, 30 minutes from Swords and Dublin Airport. Maydenhayes is also readily accessible to the bright new shopping centres at Southgate, Scotch Hall and Drogheda itself, as well as being convenient to the many important business and industrial parks located along this great new thoroughfare all the way north to Belfast and south as far as Wexford. All show houses at Maydenhayes are on view each Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 4pm and on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 12pm and 4pm, or by private appointment.

Enquiries to: Pivotal Construction Limited (01) 4732473 Knight Frank New Homes (01) 6342466 or Sherry Properties (041) 9841149

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

opinion&comment

Why the taxpayer needs a break

N

ow that the election is done with we have to wait and see if we will get a government out of the results the vote threw up. There are sums to be done, D MLJVDZ WR EH ¿WWHG WRJHWKHU before the picture of the next Dail becomes clear. I hope we get an actual coalition – with a working majority – rather than another µFRQ¿GHQFH DQG VXSSO\¶ arrangement, or no deal at all. For this to happen though, it will need to be a three-way deal, at least. No more ‘it takes WZR WR WDQJR¶ WKLV FRXOG EH D three or four way dance. My preference is for a FF)* *UHHQ FRDOLWLRQ ,¶P D centre-ground voter, with a green conscience, so such a coalition would be right up my street. It would have the numbers too, and despite Mary /RX 0F'RQDOG¶V DVVHUWLRQ WKDW Sinn Fein won the election and WKDW D JRYHUQPHQW WKDW GRHVQ¶W involve them is going against the will of the people, a FFFG-Green coalition would have

Former student and Deputy Head Girl Rachel Morrissey with the Badminton Ireland School of the Year Award which was given to St Mary’s Secondary School, Baldoyle at the recent Badminton Awards held in the Hilton Hotel on the Malahide Road

85 seats, a clear democratic majority. Fine Gael has supported a Fianna Fail minority government before [1987 $ODQ 'XNHV¶ µ¶7DOODJKW 6WUDWHJ\¶¶@ DQG ZH KDYH MXVW had Fianna Fail supporting a minority Fine Gael government. The people have VSRNHQ DQG WKH\ GRQ¶W ZDQW D two-party system any more. The centre-ground parties [FF is historically centre-left and )LQH *DHO FHQWUH ULJKW@ QHHG WR accept that even between them WKH\ ZLOO ¿JKW IRU DQ RYHUDOO majority from here on. ,W LV GH¿QLWHO\ WLPH WR JR LQWR a full-on coalition now, and going forward the old Civil war GL൵HUHQFHV QHHG WR EH VHW DVLGH The parties should merge, in my opinion. I realise that might never happen, or even if it did that it would be some way down the road. Coalition will do for now. 7KH R൶FH RI 7DRLVHDFK ZLOO need to be rotated between Michael Martin and Leo Varadkar. Martin should get to ZHDU WKH MHUVH\ ¿UVW :LWK WKH Greens as the third member of the government, I think it

would make sense for Eamon Ryan to become and remain Tanaiste for the duration of the administration. :LWK FDELQHW SRVLWLRQV to be shared out, FF and FG should get six each, with three going to the Greens [one of ZKLFK VKRXOG EH (QYLURQPHQW@ 7KHUH¶V DQ DUJXPHQW IRU 3DVFKDO 2¶'RQRJKXH FRQWLQXLQJ LQ Finance, to provide continuity, but Simon Harris needs to be moved out of Health, if not out of the cabinet altogether. Jobs need to go to people who are able for them. ,¶OO EH UHOLHYHG SHUVRQDOO\ LI we get a centre-led government. 6LQQ )HLQ¶V 3URPLVHG /DQG LVQ¶W VRPHZKHUH , ZDQW WR JR $ SODFH where you can spend as much as you want and it will all be PDJLFDOO\ SDLG IRU E\ µWKH ULFK¶ is pie in the sky. Sinn Fein know this – and know that it is the ordinary taxpayer they would end up shafting - but when a wave of populism was there to push them up to 37 seats, who could blame them for pushing the myth?

- Brian Quigley

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

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dublinvoice.ie February 15-29, 2020

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