Wicklow Voice

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The attack of the Giant Hogweed WICKLOW residents have told to be on the lookout for the invasive Giant Hogweed (pictured right) after an 11-yearold girl was burned in Bray recently. The toxic plant is believed to be spreading along the banks of the Dargle River and this is where the young child came in contact with it. Wicklow Sinn Féin representatives John Brady TD and Cllr Grace Mc Manus issued a statement this week calling on Bray Municipal District to put in place a management and eradication plan to tackle the Giant Hogweed. “The child received toxic burns to her legs which badly blistered,” Mr Brady told the Wicklow Voice. “The invasive plant grows along the Dargle River at a QXPEHU RI GL൵HUHQW ORFDWLRQV and over the last few years has spread considerably.” 7KH *LDQW +RJZHHG ZDV ¿UVW introduced to Ireland in the last

Brooke Gaynor at the Burnaby Lawn 10th Anniversary Gardaí Soccer Match. » Lots more pictures from around the county inside

150 years and has since spread nationwide - each of the bulbs contain around 50,000 seeds and it typically spreads on rivers. Hogweed can cause severe blisters to the skin which are said to be equivalent to thirddegree burns and which will continue to cause pain for a OLIHWLPH RQ D൵HFWHG DUHDV ZKHQ exposed to the sun. ,W FDQ JURZ XS WR ¿YH PHWUHV in height, and its sap contains toxic chemicals that react with light when they come in contact with human skin. Continued on next page:

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04| NEWS news in brief New library moves a step closer WICKLOW Town’s new library moved a step closer this week with the signing of a contract for the construction work on transforming the old bank building. The former Ulster Bank building on the town’s Main Street has been sitting idle for a number of years and was purchased in 2017 by Wicklow County Council as the location for a new library and County Archives. Contracts for the construction phase of the development were signed on July 1 by Chief Executive Frank Curran. Since then, following procurement, O’Connell Mahon, Architects, has been appointed to lead up this project.

Wuerzburg visit A 23-strong delegation from County Wicklow travelled to Wuerzburg in Germany last week for the St Kilian’s Festival which coincided with the visit of President Michael D Higgins. Amongst the delegation were the Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Mr Frank Curran, and the Leas Cathaoirleach, Cllr Pat Kennedy, who were invited by the Mayor of Wuerzburg to have lunch with President Higgins.

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

New register for Polio Polio survivor and Wicklow County Councillor Miriam Murphy, with Niamh Murphy, Polio Survivors Ireland, at the Arklow Municipal District Offices

THE National Polio Register is rolling out to get a clearer picture of how many polio survivors are living in Wicklow, to help advocate for their future. “The Polio Register is of KXJH EHQH¿W WR WKRVH ZKR aren’t accessing services that could be had by polio survivors if they need them,” says Councillor Murphy, herself a polio survivor. “When you get older it puts D GL൵HUHQW VODQW RQ WKLQJV 7KH\ PD\ QRW KDYH VX൵HUHG when they were young, but now… it is important that

survivors understand what services are available to help them.” It is believed that there are 7,000 polio survivors in Ireland, yet only 1,000 are members of the support charity. As they age, survivors can be impacted by Late (൵HFWV RI 3ROLR RU 3RVW 3ROLR Syndrome. “It is great to have the Register,” Councillor Murphy says. “I would have been slow, even ten years ago to look at what supports I can get. It can be tough for people to come forward, having been

so independent all their lives and to say, ‘I need help’. But if they sign the Register they are linked in and will know help is there if they need it.” By registering polio survivors are helping to safeguard the future of all polio survivors, whether or not they are experiencing the /DWH (൵HFWV RI 3ROLR With their help Polio Survivors Ireland can make sure that polio survivors have a stronger voice. For more information: www.polio.ie, info@ppsg.ie or call 01 889 89 20.

Attack of the Giant Hogweeds Bray Credit Union Ltd. is now inviting applications for the following permanent full-time positions:

7HDP /HDG 0HPEHU 6HUYLFHV 2ɝFHU 0HPEHU 6HUYLFHV 2ɝFHU Ȃ /HQGLQJ Member Services Administrator

JOIN OUR TEAM Closing date: Wednesday, 17th July 2019 Please go to www.braycu.ie to view the full job descriptions and contact details. BRAY CREDIT UNION LTD IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER. BRAY CREDIT UNION LTD IS REGULATED BY THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND.

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Continued from previous page The toxic burns in humans can take up to six years to heal and has been known to cause blindness in some cases. “The European Regulation of Invasive Alien Species was enacted in 2015, involves a dynamic list of 49 invasive species of concern in the EU, this included the Giant Hogweed,” Mr Brady added. “Once a species is added, each member state is required to carry out appropriate prevention, early detection and rapid eradication and management measures.” The sap of the giant hogweed plant is phototoxic. Contact with the plant sap prevents the skin from protecting itself from sunlight, which leads to phytophotodermatitis, a seriRXV VNLQ LQÀDPPDWLRQ A phototoxic reaction can begin as soon as 15 minutes after contact with the sap. Photosensitivity peaks between 30 minutes and two hours after contact but can last for several days. Authorities advise that both adults and children should stay away from giant hogweed.

Halting site house plan faces new court challenge THREE men have been given permission to challenge a decision by Wicklow County Council to not build three houses for them and their families beside a halting site outside Wicklow Town. The High Court was told that John, Michael and William Connors are living with their families “in appalling conditions” on a vacant site next to the Ballinteskin halting site outside Wicklow Town. Since 2014, there has been a proposal to build TravellerVSHFL¿F KRPHV DGMDFHQW WR WKH site. The court was told that the council decided not to proceed with building the houses after the council was told that there was an alleged agreement with local residents not to expand the halting site since 1996. $ ¿QDO GHFLVLRQ RQ WKH project would have been taken following a vote by councillors but the council itself decided not to proceed before that stage. Counsel for the three men said provision was made for the families in the council’s 201418 accommodation programme and continued in the draft 2019 programme.

A process was begun this year where the plan was put out for submissions from members of the public before those submissions would come before the council CEO, who would prepare a response and a report for councillors who would then consider it, counsel said. However, in this case no report was made and the executive of the council took a decision not to proceed despite it being a mandatory requirement of the process, counsel said. The decision appeared to have been taken on April 12 on the basis that in 1996 there was a purported agreement with local residents that the Ballinteskin halting site would not be expanded, counsel said. Even if there was such an agreement, it was not enforceable because, counsel said, it was their view that the duty to provide this accommodation cannot be fettered and because this was not an expansion of the halting site but a housing development beside it. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted leave to bring judicial review proceedings following the one side only represented application.

Council meetings on move BRAY Municipal District has passed a motion to move meetings to Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue once a year. The motion was put down by Councillor Rory O’Connor to build awareness, transparency and political participation across the County. The proposal is now being explored by Wicklow County &RXQFLO WR ¿QG VXLWDEOH YHQXHV and to understand the requirements and technicalities of such a move. Once the Council has completed its review, the Municipal District will meet once a year in both Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue.

Councillor Rory O’Connor said: “There’s a real disconnect in Kilmacanogue and Enniskerry with Bray’s municipal council, I heard it on the doors all the time, people didn’t understand why they were part of the same ward. I recognised this was an issue and that we needed to bridge the gap between council business and voters.” “My inspiration for this was the Citizens Assembly which was revolutionary in looking at new ways to democratise processes which seem far removed from everyday life. I’d like to thank all my colleagues for their

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

We top the new electric car table ,1 WKH ÂżUVW VL[ PRQWKV RI the year, electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for 11.8% of all new private cars licensed, up from 6.5% from 2018. While licensing of new petrol and diesel private cars IHOO LQ WKH ÂżUVW VL[ PRQWKV RI 2019, the number of electric and hybrid new private cars licensed increased by 68.5% to 9,150. 1HZ &62 ÂżJXUHV VKRZ that Wicklow had the largest proportional increase in new private electric cars licensed in WKH ÂżUVW KDOI RI DW This was followed by Kildare (3.6%) and Leitrim (3.5%). For hybrid vehicles, Longford had the highest proportional increase at 14.6%, followed by Galway (13.1%) and Cavan (12.5%). Overall, Dublin, Cork and Galway had the highest number of electric/hybrid new private cars licenced between January and June 2019. Hyundai, Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen and BMW represented 93.4% of all new electric private cars licensed in WKH ÂżUVW VL[ PRQWKV RI Toyota represented 82.8% of all new hybrid private cars licensed in the same period.

Local jewellers on show at Drayton Manor at top goldsmith exhibition price tag slashed by 40% to â‚Ź2.25m

TWO emerging jewellers from Wicklow were among a group of 12 graduates who had their work featured in Aurea, an exhibition of stunning silversmithing work and precious jewellery in gold, silver and gems that opened at the National Design & Craft Gallery in Kilkenny on July 12. The exhibition presents pieces designed and created by the 2019 graduates of DCCoI’s renowned Jewellery & Goldsmithing Course and runs until August 5. Eve Doyle (above left), originally from Ashford, graduated with BDes (Hons) in Craft Design specialising in Metalwork & Jewellery from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in 2009.

In 2018, Eve’s design and prototype was highly commended in a

commissioning process to create the trophies presented to winners of the Talamh Smart Agricultural Awards

Bray Credit Union Ltd. is now inviting applications for the following permanent full-time positions:

7HDP /HDG 0HPEHU 6HUYLFHV 2É?FHU 0HPEHU 6HUYLFHV 2É?FHU Č‚ /HQGLQJ Member Services Administrator

JOIN OUR TEAM Closing date: Wednesday, 17th July 2019 Please go to www.braycu.ie to view the full job descriptions and contact details. BRAY CREDIT UNION LTD IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER. BRAY CREDIT UNION LTD IS REGULATED BY THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND.

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and she was chosen to be a leader in the Young Ambassadors programme at the Homo Faber exhibition in Venice. She has secured a full-time position with Stonechat Jewellers in Dublin and will continue to challenge her ability as a designer and maker by submitting private works for exhibitions. Siobhån O’Sullivan, from Blessington Lakes, completed the Core Year at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and then left to focus on becoming a goldsmith under the tutelage of Lee Harding for two years with the goal of attending the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCoI) Jewellery & Goldsmithing Course.

CELEBRITY solicitor Gerald Kean has been forced to slash the price of his Wicklow mansion by 40% to ₏2.25m. Drayton Manor, a 17,000sq ft (1,580sq m) modern mansion close to Brittas Bay, is back on the market more than two years DIWHU LW ZDV ¿UVW ODXQFKHG IRU sale seeking ₏3.75million. The big price drop in price UHÀHFWV WKH VORZ PDUNHW IRU country properties in this price bracket. In October 2017 it was reported that then selling agent Knight Frank had withdrawn the house from sale six months after its launch. Then in December 2017 a payment of ₏1.45million appeared on the Property Price Register attaching to the address. It’s not apparent what this payment represented, and according to Savills it refers to its FOLHQW ³UH¿QDQFLQJ WKH SURSHUW\ in the normal course�. Mr Kean still lives at the property. The 11-bed house was built 12 years ago after the solicitor acquired the property from the late developer, banker, publican Patrick Gallagher for about ₏2.

.HDQ KDV EHHQ D ¿[WXUH RQ WKH Dublin social scene since the late 1990s, when he and his exwife, Clodagh Hopkins, became regulars on the Irish celebrity circuit while he built a business representing many enterWDLQPHQW ¿JXUHV +H FRXQWV the singer Simon Le Bon, of Duran Duran, among his closest friends.) 7KH &RUNPDQœV ÀDPER\DQW lifestyle has been well documented by the media, and he and his practice are never far from the headlines. Kean is pictured regularly attending and hosting charity events, frequently with a glamorous woman on his arm.

Mortgage arrears scheme valuation raised to ₏395K FAMILIES in mortgage distress in Wicklow have been given fresh hope after the county’s upper housing valuation limit for the mortgage-to-rent scheme ZDV VLJQL¿FDQWO\ LQFUHDVHG WR ₏395,000. This ₏30,000 rise from the previous mark allows many homeowners in unsustainable mortgage debt to now qualify as part of the expanded scheme which became operational this week. It will allow those previously above the upper ceiling limit of ₏365,000 the opportunity to seek reassessments of their cases. However, the upper limit on valuation for apartments stays at the same level of ₏310,000, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government announced. A total of 826 households in Wicklow were in mortgage arrears for over two years at the end of 2018, according to the

Central Bank, while over 630 of those had been in arrears for at OHDVW ÂżYH \HDUV The CEO of mortgage-torent operator Home For Life, Paul Cunningham from Bray, said the decision to introduce a more realistic upper threshold VKRZHG D FRPPLWPHQW WR ÂżQGing solutions for as many of the estimated 25,000 families in serious mortgage arrears in the State as possible. “This sends a message out WR WKRVH LQ ÂżQDQFLDO WURXEOH that there is a way back and by increasing the threshold, the Government is showing it believes mortgage-to-rent is a scheme that can work for all sides,â€? said Mr. Cunningham. Well-known homeless champion, Fr Peter McVerry, described the expansion as a step in the right direction. “This is a small step because in my view mortgage-to-rent should be expanded to include most unsustainable mortgages. I

would include in that the 12,000 buy-to-let mortgages of two or more years in arrears,â€? he said. “I believe that alongside the current increase in house value thresholds there should be a rise in the income limits which apply to mortgage-to-rent.â€? Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Housing and Urban Development, Damien English, said the changes would enable more properties to qualify for the scheme. The Minister also welcomed the rise in the number of mortgage-to-rent cases completing. Âł7KLV FRQÂżUPV WKDW WKH VFKHPH is a good solution to unsustainable mortgage arrears and one that is being recognised as such by the borrowers,â€? said Minister English. The government’s mortgageto-rent scheme aims to keep owners with unsustainable debt in their current homes debt-free as long-term tenants of their local authority.

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

opinion&comment

Come on ye girls in green

I

T has been a very good year for women’s sport, culminating in some thrilling contests at Wimbledon. For me, it started last summer with the World Cup exploits of the Irish hockey team. I was in Spain at the time and watched several of their games in a bar where people of all nationalities seemed to be cheering our girls in green. I’d guess most of these fans had never seen a hockey match and, like me, were pretty hazy about the rules. 7KHUH ZHUH VKRXWV IRU µR൵VLGH¶ and ‘handball’ and a guy at a table beside me wondered why they couldn’t catch the ball and strike it in mid-air. “I VXSSRVH WKDW¶V WKH GL൵HUHQFH between camogie and hurling,” he suggested to his exasperated wife, who pointed out that he wasn’t watching camogie and tried to explain some of the ¿QHU SRLQWV RI KRFNH\ He wasn’t listening. He was too busy cheering. We all were. It was great seeing an Irish team perform on a world stage

Karla Wlash, Lucy Walsh and Louise Murphy at the Roundwood FC Soccer Camp

Michael Wolsey before a big crowd. I never use that phrase ‘I’m proud to be Irish’, but I was proud that day ZKHQ RXU KRFNH\ WHDP TXDOL¿HG IRU WKH :RUOG &XS ¿QDO For as long as there has been a game called hockey, women have played it. So it was no great surprise that it was our ZRPHQ¶V WHDP ZKR PDGH LW ¿UVW to the big time. But Irish women have also been excelling at sports that were once regarded as maleonly. I was sceptical about whether women could play rugby but in 2013 the Irish women proved me wrong, winning the Six Nations with a Grand Slam.

Next year the team - led by Niamh Briggs, the galloping garda from Waterford - beat New Zealand and topped their World Cup pool. They won the Six Nations again the following year. The team has slipped a bit since then. But they introduced me to the women’s game which I now happily watch, knowing that it can be just as exciting as the men’s version. Or just

as boring. Because there is nothing magical about women in sport. At the top level they are elite athletes and they will have good days and bad days just like the men. If I was sceptical about women playing rugby, I was downright hostile to the idea of women boxing. I’m not sure why. In part, I think, it was an old-fashioned view about what was appropriate for ‘ladies’ but

also, to be honest, a belief that they wouldn’t be any good at a sport I have always liked. Katie Taylor proved me ZURQJ 6KH LV D ¿QH ER[HU ZLWK the guile, skill and courage that are the mark of true champions. Women’s sport needs role models. And, sure enough, a string of women have followed Katie and restored Irish amateur boxing to the top rank. I would love to see an Irish

soccer team in the women’s World Cup. It was a great tournament. The women showed individual skills as good as any the men can produce. They lacked some tactical awareness, I thought, but they made up for that with other things their game lacked. There was no pouting or pretending to be injured. There were no attempts to get opposition players booked or VHQW R൵ 7KHUH ZHUH ZLWK D IHZ exceptions) no mass arguments with the referee. There was no segregation of the fans and QR R൵HQVLYH VRQJV RU YLFLRXV chants about players on the other side. Will it last, I wonder? Or will matching the success of the men’s game mean adopting its worst aspects? I have been hearing for years how women at the top would improve the conduct of business and politics. Sadly, I see no evidence of it. Female CEOs and prime ministers behave no better than their make equivalents. Maybe sportswomen will set a better example.

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

‘Gates of Hell’ virtual reality comes launches in Gaol

A GROUND-breaking new Virtual Reality Experience has been launched at Wicklow Historic Gaol by Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle T.D. following a €200,000 investment by Fáilte Ireland. The ‘GATES OF HELL’ Visitor Experience , which opens to the public on the August will transport visitors back in time on a 3-D journey through 200 years of life in Wicklow Historic Gaol.

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

SUMMER

FUN They will get a taste of the 1798 Rebellion, the famine era and the War of Independence through the eyes of Gaol inmates… and meet many an imposing character along the way. The paranormal realm and its ghostly inhabitants will also open its Virtual Reality doors along the journey, giving a glimpse into the strange activities that have earned the Gaol the title of “Ireland’s Most Haunted Building”. World-class technology puts

the new visitor experience at the forefront of best-in-class Virtual Reality Visitor Attractions on an international level. The ‘Gates of Hell’ will be also be made available in French and Spanish which will increase Wicklow’s attractiveness to key overseas markets. This is one of 19 new technology-driven visitor experiences to open over the coming year across Ireland’s Ancient East as part of Failte Ireland’s €2.3million Storytelling Interpretation

Eryn Cushnahan (12) prepares for the 14th annual Bray Air Display which will take place on July 27 and 28. Pic: Joe Keogh Grants Scheme. This scheme is designed to transform the quality of interpretation, animation and storytelling at existing heritage and visitor attractions throughout Ireland’s Ancient East. Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, and local TD, Andrew Doyle says Fáilte Ireland are trend-setters in supporting and encouraging the use of modern 3-D technology to enhance fully-immersive visitor experiences.

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

wicklow people in pictures

A Community Reaches Out at the Mermaid Arts Centre: Robbie Doyle, Cllr Tom Fortune, Shiela Naughton, Colette Ghith, Darren Hicks, Adam Burke, Hannah Stockwell Quinn

John Costigan, Mary Harte, Robert Butler and Rita Morrissey at Do You Know Bray Quiz at the Esplenade Hotel for the Holy Redeemer Refurbishment

All smiles at the Ardmmre Rovers World Cup recently

Saoirse Crean and Eve Byrne at Burnaby Lawn 10th Anniversary Gardaí Soccer Match

Cllr Tom Fortune Cathaoirleach of Greystones Municipal District presents the man of the match award to Mick O’Brien at the Burnaby Lawn 10th Anniversary Gardaí Soccer Match

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

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14 | WILDLIFE with Justin Ivory

Brilliant Bramble

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

ninenottomiss BOOK of the week

TV SHOW of the week

FILM of the week

HOROSCOPES

Bramble flowers (Photo Justin Ivory) TO celebrate mid-summer and the schools getting their holidays, mother nature has adorned our hedgerows with a gorgeous display of mainly white and some pink flowers. This wildflower show comes courtesy of the least, likely of suspects – the Bramble (Rubus fructicosus). The normally hard and butch looking Bramble gets to show us its softer side at this time of year. The Bramble is a tenacious, scrambling plant with arching stems armed with vicious thorns, that root to form new plants wherever they touch the ground. Much maligned in some quarters, the Bramble is one of the best plants we have for wildlife and biodiversity and deserves our respect and praise. With its dense, thick nature and prickly defenses, Bramble bushes provide shelter and homes for a variety of mammals (foxes, mice, rats and hedgehogs to name a few), nesting birds and a myriad of invertebrates.

Bumblebee feeding on Bramble flowers (Photo Justin Ivory) The wonderful bramble flowers blooming now are a fantastic source of food to a whole host of pollinators (bees, butterflies, hoverflies). The bushes are veritably humming with activity at the moment. Later on, due to the services of these pollinators, the flowers will become that most wellknown of fruits – blackberries. These fruits provide an important source of energy and food to our wildlife late in the season. Maybe this autumn, rather than stripping the brambles bushes clean of all their lovely blackberries for our own consumption we might consider leaving them in situ for our ever-beleaguered wildlife to avail of. All-in-all the Bramble is a brilliant plant and we could do with much more of it around the place.

IDAHO by Emily Ruskovich

SPÉIS SA SPÁS RTE 1 Thursday 18th July 7pm

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME Released 2nd July 2019

Winner of the International Dublin Literary Award. One hot August day a family drives to a mountain clearing to collect birch wood. Jenny, the mother, is in charge of lopping any small limbs off the logs with a hatchet. Wade, the father, does the stacking. The two daughters, June and May, aged nine and six, drink lemonade, swat away horseflies, bicker, sing snatches of songs as they while away the time. But then something unimaginably shocking happens, an act so extreme it will scatter the family in every different direction. Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize .

In the week celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing, this documentary finds out what the next generation of Irish space researchers and scientists are up to. They include 18-year-old Fionn Ferreira from Co Cork, who has won several international science awards and even has a dwarf planet named after him, Kim Heary, who has undertaken a traineeship with the European Space Agency, and Lána Salmon, one of 20 PhD students designing a cube satellite at University College Dublin.

Peter Parker returns in Spider-Man™: Far From Home, the next chapter of the SpiderMan™: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent! Spider-Man: Far From Home contains a sequence of flashing lights which might affect customers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

EVENT of the week

GIG of the week

TOUR of the week

ARIESYour work and attention are in demand. You can advance to the next level. Physical action provides satisfying results. TAURUSHave fun with family and friends. Romance blossoms easily. Games can entertain. Intellect and intuition agree on a winning strategy. GEMINIPrioritize home and family time. Cook up something WRJHWKHU 7UDGLWLRQDO ÀDYRUV soothe and satisfy. CANCERYou’re especially charming and persuasive. Motivate others into positive action. Provide a shining example. Get the word out. LEOAvoid overspending and frivolity. Stick to basics for a positive balance sheet. Put your heart into your work, DQG UHDS WKH EHQH¿WV

POP UP PICNIC Saturday, July 20, 2019 Mermaid Theatre, Bray. T : 01 2724030

TIMELESS Friday July 19, 2019 @ 8pm The Hotspot, Greystones, T : 087-2917519

WICKLOW BREWERY TOURS. Daily from 5pm or ring for a private group tour. Main Street, Redcross. T : 0404 41661.

Helium in partnership with Mermaid is delighted to invite you to join us for Pop Up Picnic. Friendly buzzy bees … dancing oranges … fluttering songbirds … a picnic full of magical delights! Helium Arts’ Pop Up Picnic is a feast of multi-sensory play, relaxation and surprise for young children with complex needs and their families. A soothing world of music, sound, puppetry, movement and tactile fun is waiting to be discovered in this enchanting, interactive performance.

John Abercrombie is World renowned for his creativity & contribution as a Composer & Guitarist to the world of jazz music.He was one of the most important & influential guitarists in Jazz History. His compositions have become part of the Jazz repertoire, namely Ralph’s Piano Waltz. Perhaps more than any other electric guitarist, his playing approach defined the classic 1970’s “ECM” sound. Along with some of the other players that emerged in the late ’70s and ’80s on the ECM label, such as Terje Rypdal, Bill Frisell, Jan Garbarek.

The beer hall is the first of its kind in Ireland where you can enjoy fresh craft beers surrounded by the brewing equipment. As well as serving our own beers we will have craft beers and ciders from both Ireland and Internationally available along with a selection of craft Spirits. Our brew-master Mathis has come over from Germany after many years working in breweries in the Bavarian region of Germany. Live acoustic set every Friday. “Hooley In The Brewery” every Saturday night from 9pm till 11:30pm

VISIT of the week

SHOW of the week

CINEMA of the week

VIRGOAs you gain strength, you gain options. Reject a farfetched scheme in favor of a practical solution. Your past deeds speak well for you. LIBRALay low to avoid fuss or crowds. Enjoy private contemplation, walks in nature and secret rituals. Make plans and visions. SCORPIOEnjoy fun with friends, allies and teams. Share information, tools and resources. Encourage and motivate high performance. SAGITTARIUS-

Take care of business before going out to play. Practice makes perfect; keep in action. Your status is on the rise. CAPRICORNCreate your agenda and itinerary. If you can get away, then go. Get advice, and make your own decisions. Learn through direct experience. Explore.

COOL PLANET EXPERIENCE Powerscourt Estate & Gardens, Enniskerry. T : 01 5180197

TREASURE ISLAND Sunday 28th July 2019. Powerscourt Gardens, Enniskerry,

WESTLIFE - THE 20 YEAR TOUR Friday July 19th 8pm. Whale Theatre Greystones, Co. Wicklow, T : (01) 201 0550

Grab your friends and family and embark on an interactive journey to discover what climate change is all about! Through immersion, gaming, competition and more, experience the highs and lows of our changing climate whilst discovering the exciting innovations and solutions that you can embrace to solve the problem. Become empowered to change your life for the better. This is a timed interactive experience for you and your family to enjoy.

Join Chapterhouse Theatre Company for this brand-new adaptation of everyone’s favourite swashbuckling pirate adventure: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. When he stumbles across a coveted treasure map, young Jim Hawkins finds himself on an epic adventure in the hope of finding Treasure Island. But not everyone is to be trusted, and a dark secret is lurking on board the ship... Don’t miss this much-loved story, adapted for stage in one of the most beautiful open-air venues there is.

Westlife are back! It’s been 20 years since they smashed into the charts in 1999 with ‘Swear It Again’ and went on to achieve a staggering 14 number one UK singles, selling 55 million records worldwide. Now, their highly anticipated reunion tour is coming to cinemas worldwide captured live from Saturday 6th July. The final spectacular show of the UK and Ireland leg of the ‘The Twenty Tour’ has been captured LIVE from Dublin’s iconic Croke Park stadium. For one unforgettable night, Westlife fans will raise the roof once more.

AQUARIUSJoin forces for the funding with a shared project. Changes necessitate budget revisions. Keep your objective in mind. Strategize carefully. Tap into a secret source. PISCESEnjoy your partner’s company. Romance is a distinct possibility. Discover something new about someone familiar. Follow through on shared goals.

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

opinion&comment

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

insideback

Brian Quigley

When Chelsea came to town

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o did you go to Dalymount Park or Richmond Park recently to see Chelsea draw with Bohemians 1-1 or their 4-0 win over St Patrick’s Athletic? Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was in charge of &KHOVHD IRU KLV ¿UVW JDPHV There are two schools of WKRXJKW RQ JDPHV OLNH WKHVH 7KH ¿UVW LV WKDW LW LV D JUHDW opportunity for Irish soccer fans, many of whom are fans of the English Premier League, to see one of that league’s leading OLJKWV Plus, bringing people into League of Ireland grounds who mightn’t otherwise frequent them might encourage them to come back and keep coming EDFN The contrasting view is that these games are a blatant money-grab and poor value for WKDW PRQH\ Thirty euro for my ticket, plus another €15 to bring my son; WKDW¶V MXVW WR JHW LQVLGH WKH JDWH

Chelsea won’t put out a full team (or even a second string) DQG WKRVH WKDW GR WDNH WKH ¿HOG PD\ HLWKHU EH XQ¿W RU WDNLQJ LW HDV\ IRU IHDU RI JHWWLQJ LQMXUHG As for the Irish teams, we’re in the middle of our season and these games are a distraction (in St Pat’s case the Chelsea game comes between legs of their Europa League game against ,). 1RUUNRSLQJ I’m neutral on this, and can VHH ERWK VLGHV RI WKH DUJXPHQW I wouldn’t criticise anyone who JRHV WR WKH JDPHV On the other hand I won’t be expecting anything more than a novelty game, and can fully understand why some Bohs and 3DWV IDQV ZLOO VWD\ FOHDU I enjoyed friendlies against cross-channel teams a lot more back in the days when we had a ZLQWHU VRFFHU VHDVRQ I wasn’t waiting for the glamour names to come to the Carlisle Grounds; the chance to see Bray take on lowerleague teams from England and Scotland appealed to me more and were a better preparation for Bray for their season, even

Who’s that standing beside our Scotty? Scott O’Neill from Bray meets with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante at Carton House recently

if these games only brought in a KDQGIXO RI SHRSOH The friendlies I’ve enjoyed PRVW DJDLQVW KLJK SUR¿OH WHDPV in recent years were when Bray played a Manchester United XI in 2014 and a Liverpool XI a IHZ \HDUV EHIRUH WKDW It was known in advance that these teams would be playing DFDGHP\ SOD\HUV The crowds swelled because of this; people wanted to see the stars of the future when they were on the cusp of breaking WKURXJK 7KH WLFNHW SULFHV VWD\HG UHDVRQDEOH I’m sure Frank Lampard was PDGH ZHOFRPH LQ 'XEOLQ I remember when Bray played Celtic in 2000 in Martin 2¶1HLOO¶V ¿UVW JDPH LQ FKDUJH and we made a big fuss for the IXWXUH ,UHODQG ERVV Talking of Martin, I wonder what the future holds for him after being forced out of Nottingham Forest by player SRZHU If I was him I’d go into TV SXQGLWU\ +H FRXOG KDYH VWDUWHG with the pair of games in Dublin featuring Chelsea!

| 19

wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

DONEGAL NAMED COOLEST PLACE ON PLANET BY NATIONAL GEOG GRAPHIC

SELF -CATERING HOLIDAYS AT ROCKHILL HOLIDAY PARK & ADVENTURE CENTRE - a great idea for all the family At Rockhill we offer a range of on-site facilities, friendly and helpful staff, children’s camps during bank holidays and the summer months and quality accommodation - that is our promise to you. Rockhill Holiday Park is located along the shores of Mulroy Bay within walking distance of Kerrykeel village, 20 minutes from Letterkenny and a short drive to blue flag beaches. We offer Failte Ireland approved three and four bed cabins or two and three bed mobile homes for short breaks or longer stays. All accommodation is self catering with full cooking utensils, TV/DVD player and outdoor decking as standard. Beds are made up on arrival. We appreciate that children have an incredible amount of energy. We also know that keeping kids entertained while on holiday can sometimes be hard work for parents. You won’t have that problem at Rockhill as we offer a whole host of activities that are guaranteed to leave your kids exhausted and happy every night.

COME AND ENJOY A REALLY FUN DAY OUT AT ROCKHILL ACTIVITY PARK Have a great time in our newly renovated games park, you can enjoy hours of fun on a whole host of rides including water walkers, zorb balls, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, rodeo bull, bouncy castles, bouncy games and our golf putting course.

DAY VISITOR PASSES AVAILABLE

Kids under 5 can enjoy their own indoor play area in Little Rockers or spend some time in our playground or go for a drive around the park in our barrel train. Refreshments are available in our café and games room.

TRYING OUT NEW SKILLS - JUST FOR A BIT OF FUN Book a session to try out a new skill or sport! Booking is easy and competitively priced but if you can book a day in advance as places go quickly.

KIDS/ADULTS PUTTING PARK You can also book our floodlit Astro Turf Football Pitch or Tennis.

TOURING / MOTOR HOME

WE ALSO DO PARTIES FOR TOTS ŏ Bouncy Castles ŏ Face Painting ŏ Arts & Crafts ŏ Nature Trails ŏ Mask Making ŏ Paint & Glaze ŏ T-Shirt Making ŏ Hand Painting and much more

TOTAL WIPEOUT BATTLEFIELD LASER QUEST RODEO BULL

ARCHERY CANOEING/KAYAKING SAILING

ROCKHILL HOLIDAY PARK: Kerrykeel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. t: +353 (0) 74 91 50012 email: info@rockhill.ie web: www.rockhill.ie

POTTERY PAINT & GLAZE LASER TAG FOREST CHALLENGE

site with shower block

BUNGEE TRAMPOLINE CLIMBING WALL FOOTBALL & TENNIS ®

FAMILY DAYS, TRIPS, SCHOOL TOURS, GROUP ACTIVITIES & GAISCE TRIPS

All activities must be pre-booked at least one day before and payment is required at time of booking. Stag & Hen Parties cannot be accommodated.

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wicklowvoice.ie July 12, 2019

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