wicklowvoice OVERALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AT THE BRAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ENDEAVOUR AWARDS
December 14, 2018 t: 01 901 5565 e: info@wicklowvoice.ie
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wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
wicklowvoice OVERALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AT THE BRAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ENDEAVOUR AWARDS
INSIDE: FREE
May 28, 2015, 01 901 5556/7, December 14, t:2018 wicklowvoice.ie e: info@wicklowvoice.ie t: 01 901 5565 e: info@wicklowvoice.ie
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Rents reach €1,195 Rate rise slows but costs are only going up UP, up, up ... No it’s not Santa’s VOHLJK À\LQJ WKRXJK WKH DLU EXW WKH DVWURQRPLFDO SULFH RI UHQWV LQ &RXQW\ :LFNORZ $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 5HVLGHQWLDO 7HQDQFLHV %RDUG¶V 57% ODWHVW 5HQW ,QGH[ WKH VWDQGDUGLVHG DYHUDJH UHQW IRU QHZ WHQDQFLHV LQ :LFNORZ ZDV ¼ DQ LQFUHDVH RI ¼ \HDU RQ \HDU $QG ZKLOH WKH UDWH ULVH KDV VORZHG WKDW ¿JXUH LV D QHZ UHFRUG KLJK IRU WKH FRXQW\ 1DWLRQDZLGH LQ WKH -XO\ 6HSWHPEHU SHULRG 4 RI WKH DYHUDJH UHQW ZDV ¼ SHU PRQWK SXWWLQJ :LFNORZ ¼ DERYH WKH QDWLRQDO DYHUDJH ZKLFK LWVHOI LV XS IURP ¼ RQH \HDU HDUOLHU ¼ LQFUHDVH 2Q D TXDUWHU RQ TXDUWHU FRPSDUDWLYH EDVLV UHQWDO SULFH LQÀDWLRQ GURSSHG WR LQ 4 GRZQ IURP LQ 4 $FFRUGLQJ WR 'DIW LH RQ 'HFHPEHU WKHUH ZHUH MXVW SHRSHUWLHV IRU VDOH LQ &R :LFNORZ RQ WKDW GDWH LQ %UD\ VL[ LQ *UH\VWRQHV RQH LQ :LFNORZ 7RZQ DQG WZR LQ $UNORZ 7KH 5HQW ,QGH[ VKRZV WKDW UHQW LQFUHDVHV IRU H[LVWLQJ
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Continued on next page Price of houses is €315,000: next page
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04| NEWS news in brief
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
Hotel’s giant gingerbread house
₏315,000 - that’s the median price of a house here
POWERSCOURT Hotel has unveiled a magical element to the hotel’s Christmas decorations with a Gingerbread Hotel, which is a replica of the 5-star Powerscourt Hotel itself. The tasty sculpture stands an impressive three metres in length, 1.4 metres in height and will be on display for the festive period. 7R FHOHEUDWH VWD྾ KHOG D IXQGUDLVLQJ FR྾HH PRUQLQJ for Wicklow Hospice, which opens in 2019. The impressive gingerbread
THE median price of a house in Wicklow is now â‚Ź315,000, making it the highest outside of Dublin. Residential property prices in the coun try increased by 8.4% nationally in the 12 months to 2FWREHU WKH ODWHVW RŕľśFLDO ÂżJXUHV VKRZ This compares with an increase of 8.5% in the year to September and an increase of 11.7% in the 12 months to October 2017, according to the data from the Central Statistics 2ŕľśFH In Dublin prices rose by 6.3% with house prices up by 6.6% and apartment prices up by 5.7%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in DĂşn Laoghaire-Rathdown at 8.2%, while the lowest growth was in South Dublin at 5%. In the rest of the country, excluding Dublin, prices were up by 10.6% with house prices up by 10.3% and apartment prices up by 14.5%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest rise in property prices was the Mid-West at 21.5%, while the smallest was recorded in the Mid-East at 8.3%. Overall, the national index is 17.6% lower than its highest level in 2007. Dublin prices are 20.1% lower than their February 2007 peak, while prices in the rest of Ireland are 22.7% lower than their May 2007 peak. Property prices nationally
Retail Park signs up with McVerry Trust BRAY Retail Park has joined with Peter McVerry Trust to provide presents for children in need this Christmas. Shoppers can pick up a Christmas tree-shaped tag at the tills in any Bray Retail Park store, attach it to a present for a child, and leave it at the collection point in Flanagan Kerins. There are specially-designed tags for boys and girls of GL྾HUHQW DJHV Presents should not be wrapped and will be collected on Monday, December 17. Further details are on the Retail Park’s Facebook page and in stores.
ESB safety warning ESB Networks is reminding all electricity customers to never take risks with electricity. When it comes to overhead wires and poles that ESB Networks uses to supply electricity to everyone, remember that electricity wires are always live and extremely dangerous. Never use ESB poles to hang outdoor Christmas lights. In the home, make sure your own electrical equipment is in good condition. In putting up outdoor Christmas lights and decorations, make sure that \RX ÂżUVW FKHFN WKDW WKHUH DUH QR wires nearby.
hotel took four days to build and approximately 140 hours WR ÂżQLVK The talented team who constructed the masterpiece included; Head Pastry Chef, Pawel Batko, Hotel Engineer, -RKQ *DŕľľQH\ DQG -XQLRU Sous Chef, Benjamin Corona Monjaras. The Gingerbread Hotel is made out of multiple delicious gingerbread bricks, and curved in the Palladian style, similar to the Hotel. The bricks are covered in white icing with lights
throughout the creation and 144 multi-coloured sugar glass windows, creating a truly unique masterpiece. A whopping amount of ingredients have been used to construct it, including 64kg of baked gingerbread, 15kg of isomalt sugar for the windows, and 42kg of Royal icing. Decorative touches include; jelly gummies, chocolate and marshmallows, ensuring the Gingerbread Hotel is as delicious to tatste as it is impressive.
Rent rates slow but hit â‚Ź1195 Continued from previous page “At the same time, it is a matter of deep concern that the number of landlords continues to decrease,â€? Ms Carrollo continued. Dublin’s rental market continues to be the largest in the country, accounting for nearly WZR LQ ÂżYH WHQDQFLHV WKDW were registered with the RTB. As of Q3 2018, the standardised average rent for Dublin stood at â‚Ź1,620, up from â‚Ź1,479 one year earlier. This represents an increase of â‚Ź141 euro on the standardised average monthly rent over a 12 month period or nearly a â‚Ź12 increase per month. Second highest rents in Q3 2018 were in Galway City at â‚Ź1,187 per month, which is lower than Wicklow’s. Cork City standardised average rents stood at â‚Ź1,172 for Q3 2018, rents in Limerick City were â‚Ź928 and rents in Waterford City were â‚Ź638. On an annualised basis, rents in Limerick City have been growing most rapidly at 11.8% in Q3 2018.
have increased by 83.8% from their trough in early 2013. Dublin prices have risen 98% from their February 2012 low, whilst residential property prices in the rest of Ireland are 77.9% higher than at the trough, which was in May 2013. The median price paid in the 12 months to October 2018 was Âź WKH ÂżJXUHV DOVR VKRZ Buyers in the Dublin region paid the highest median price at â‚Ź365,000 and DĂşn LaoghaireRathdown had the highest median price at â‚Ź534,999, while Fingal and South Dublin shared the lowest at â‚Ź325,000. The highest median prices outside Dublin were in Wicklow at â‚Ź315,000 and Kildare at â‚Ź290,000, while the lowest were â‚Ź97,250 in Leitrim and â‚Ź100,000 in Longford. Brokers Ireland director RI ÂżQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV 5DFKHO McGovern said: “Those who want to buy and who do not have substantial family support in acquiring a deposit, particularly in city areas, are being forced into renting where rents have spiralled way beyond what mortgage repayments would be for the same properties, sometimes double. “Alternatively, they are depending on the kindness of family and friends to provide accommodation, where they can.â€? Eamon Hetherington, director of property developers GPD, said the cost of land was also a contributory factor.
New Year’s Day swim FOUR local voluntary RUJDQLVDWLRQV ZLOO EHQH¿W IURP the 2019 Bray Lions Club Charity Sea Swim on New Year’s Day. They are Wicklow Rapid Response (WWRR), Bray Area Rough Sleepers Support (BARSS), Bray Women’s Refuge and Bray Lions Senior Citizens’/Carers’ Fund. The swim HQ is at the Esplanade Hotel and Bray Lions Club is inviting swimmers
to register at www.tiny.cc/ brayswim or on the Bray Lions Facebook page or by contacting brayswim@gmail.com Registration forms and sponsorship cards are also available from QUIN’s Pharmacy, Quinsborough Road, Bray and from members of Bray Lions Club. With many of the swimmers turning out in fancy dress, this is always a very enjoyable and colourful event.
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
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06 | news in brief Local firms have a real Heart! TECK Ireland Ltd from Wicklow Town and Cairdeas Clubhouse HSE – EVE in Bray have been recognised by the Irish Heart Foundation for leading the way in prioritising their employees’ heart health. The workplaces were amongst 98 companies from around the country which were represented at the annual Irish Heart Foundation Happy Heart Healthy Eating and Active@ Work Awards in the Gibson Hotel, Dublin. The Irish Heart Foundation has been supporting healthy workplaces for over 20 years.
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
County art winners go onto national finals ...
Santa says sorry SANTA sent his apologies this week after high winds prevented him from landing his helicopter in Glen of the Down’s Garden Centre. The man in red was due to collect children’s letters but Santa told the Wicklow Voice that the kids should be “rest assured as their letters will get to the Northpole, the Elves are on it!” Glen of the Down’s Garden Centre is over 50 years old and is one of the longest established in the country and when it started Christmas trees they only charged 5 shillings! They are currently selling 2000 home grown Christmas Trees in the Glen of the Downs
Holly Canavan and Lottie Ryan (her work is below) of Marino Community Special School with Helen Guinan; right, Tara Maher of Scoil Chualann (work right) PUPILS from Marino Community Special School and Scoil Chualann were recently celebrating as the judges of a leading national art competition named the schools as County Winners in the Junior and Senior category respectively. Lottie Ryan of Marino Community Special School with Helen Guinan and Tara Maher of Scoil Chualann, both Bray, represented Wicklow to compete with 45 other schools from around the country for the overall national ‘Someone Like Me’. Unfortunately, the entries but missed out to another school from Mullingar when the winner was announced on December 5 by Minister of State with special responsibility for Disabilities,
Finian McGrath. The competition, ZKLFK R൵HUV D UDQJH RI prizes up to the value of €750 was open to all primary school pupils from junior infants to sixth class and 2,400 entries were received from individual pupils, class groups and whole schools right across Ireland. Entries ranged from posters and collages to large sculptural installations and multi-media pieces and is supported by the National Disability Authority. It aims to promote disability awareness and nurture understanding amongst primary school students and to highlight the similarities that exist within people of all abilities. Now an annual initiative,
‘Someone Like Me’ promotes inclusion and positive attitudes towards all persons, allowing children to learn about and discuss these topics and creatively express what they have learned through art and craft. The judges, Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire, Mark Maguire and Ellen Keane, were greatly impressed with the artistic efforts of pupils and teachers at the two schools for their imaginative ‘Someone Like Me’ submissions which were selected for being exceptionally insightful and inspirational. Congratulating the Wicklow pupils on becoming county winners, Minister McGrath said that he was hugely encouraged by the number of competition entries.”
... and Charlie flies flag for poets A STUDENT from North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School reached WKH QDWLRQDO ¿QDO of the annual Poetry Aloud competition, organised by the National Library of Ireland (NLI) and Poetry Ireland, in
partnership with UCC. However, Charlie Roycroft Byrne from Bray, missed out the top spot LQ WKH ¿QDOV which took place on December 7 at the NLI. Poetry Aloud is an annual poetry speaking competition for post-primary
school students across the island of Ireland. 7KH ¿QDO HYHQW VDZ students from across the country compete in the junior, intermediate and senior categories for the Seamus Heaney Poetry Aloud Award. Each category winner received €300 as well as book tokens to the value of €300 for the winner’s school library.
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
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08 | news in brief Give blood for Xmas - Donnelly FIANNA FĂĄil health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly has said giving blood is one of the best gifts you can give this Christmas. The Wicklow TD was speaking as the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) admitted it was worried about low supplies over the festive period. Deputy Donnelly explained, “10,000 donations are needed between now and January 6th to ensure supply is kept at normal levels. But because Christmas falls on a Tuesday this year it means that most of the week will be lost for donations.
Brady welcomes pool study SINN FĂŠin TD John Brady has welcomed the news that Wicklow County Council is to carry out a feasibility study for a swimming pool for West Wicklow. He described it as an important ÂżUVW VWHS DQG WKDW 'HYHORSPHQW Levy money raised in West Wicklow should be ring-fenced for the project. “The decision by Wicklow County Council to carry out a feasibility study for a swimming pool for West Wicklow is DQ LPSRUWDQW ÂżUVW VWHS :HVW Wicklow is the only area in the County without a publically owned swimming pool.â€?
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
Tributes paid to well-known swimmer Shane TRIBUTES have been paid to Bray swimmer Shane Moraghan who lost his battle with cancer earlier this month. Shane, who passed away after a short battle with the illness in the Beacon Hospital, was originally from Raheen Park but lived in Foxrock. The son of Maura and Alec and brother of Mark, Karl, Niall and Alex, he was well known in swimming circles thoughout the country. Beginning his career at the same time of Olympian Gary O’Toole with Bray’s Triton Swimming Club, where his father Alec was a trainer, Shane also swam and played water polo for Dublin’s Half Moon. In August 2015, Shane won a prestigious swimming race from Manhattan to Long Island known as the Rose Pitonof challenge in aid of the Laura Lynn Hospice Foundation. He also completed the English and Santa Catalina channel swims, which along with the Rose Pitonof swim are regarded as the Triple Crown of global sea swims.
Elf Chefs Michael Mann (4) and Alice McLaughlin (5)with Dr Aileen McGloin of safefood and chef Adrian Martin. Pic : Andres Poveda
Having attended Presentation College Bray, a message on its Past Pupils’ Union Facebook said: “One of the greats gone to quick. Hard to believe he’s gone. heartbreaking news. leaving a fab wife and two lovely young kids. May you rest in peace Shane. its your easiest swim to Heaven. [sic]� Shane is survived by his wife Andrea (Egan), sons Jack and Luke, his parents and borthers, and will be very sadly missed by his loving parents-in-law Pat and Joe Egan, sisters-in-law Tracy, Adrienne, Darina, Claire, Siobhan, Liz and Anna, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends.
Christmas chefs warned ONE thing Wicklow has in abundance is fresh food but Safefood Ireland are warnig all chefs this year to make they don’t serve up the Chirstmas turkey too fresh ie undercooked! It’s like something from a Christmas comedy movie spending hours making the Christmas dinner and then see it all go badly wrong. And according to new research commissioned by safefood, one in four (27%) people in have experienced a Christmas cooking disaster. Almost a million turkeys are prepared and cooked on
Christmas day, but 15% of us have had issues with undercooking (6%) or overcooking (9%) their turkey. The research also showed that forgetting to turn on the oven (7%) or defrost the turkey (4%) were two of the most common causes of a Christmas Day cooking calamity. Dr. Linda Gordon, Chief Specialist Food Science, safefood commented; “Christmas dinner is one of the most special meals of the year, with turkey often taking centre stage. “But it can be an over-
whelming experience for some, especially if you haven’t cooked it before or aren’t used to cooking for big groups. “Planning ahead is the best way to stay on top of things in the Christmas kitchen. “Last year, over 80,000 people visited the safefood website between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with the most popular searches including: how to defrost a turkey; where to store it; cooking times; whether to VWXŕľľ LW RU QRW DQG KRZ WR know when it’s properly cooked.â€?
Fatberg risk to pouring turkey gravy down drain CLEAN Coasts and Irish Water are asking the people of Wicklow not to let their festive cooking become a pain in the drain this Christmas as Irish Water reports clearing more than 6,000 sewer blockages nationally so far this year. The two organisations have launched their “Think Before You Pour� Christmas campaign to raise awareness of the damage caused by pouring fats, oils and greases from the roast turkey Christmas dinner down the kitchen sink. Fats, oils and greases (FOGs) may seem like liquid when poured but once they reach the pipes they cool and can cause blockages in the sewer pipes (inset) in homes, businesses, the public sewer network,
wastewater treatment plants and ultimately damage the environment. When FOGs combine with wipes and other sanitary items WKDW VKRXOGQÂśW EH Ă€XVKHG GRZQ the toilet, fatbergs can form. Speaking to the Wicklow Voice, Pat Ă“ SĂşilleabhĂĄin of SeaLife Aquarium Bray said: “We support the Christmas campaign of Clean Coasts and Irish Water. “Life in our seas and oceans is already under constant attack from plastic SROOXWLRQ DJULFXOWXUDO UXQ RŕľľV and illegal dumping at sea not WR PHQWLRQ WKH HŕľľHFWV RI FOLPDWH change!. “So we would urge the people of Wicklow to share the Christmas spirit with their marine neighbours.
“A healthy marine environPHQW LV GHSHQGHQW RQ HŕľľHFWLYH DQG HŕľśFLHQW ZDWHU WUHDWPHQW plants. “This means that we need to avoid putting anything in our waste water system that treatment plants will struggle with: and fats, oils and grease are the enemy of clean seas and oceans. “Local recycling centres can take used cooking oils; and grease and fat that is allowed to cool down can be disposed of as part of general refuse. There have been more than 6,000 sewer blockages in the public sewer network so far this year caused by FOGs being poured down the sink and wipes and other inappropriate items EHLQJ Ă€XVKHG GRZQ WKH WRLOHW Speaking about the campaign Margaret Attridge, Regional Operations Manager, Irish Water said, “The size and scale of the task of keeping the sewer QHWZRUN Ă€RZLQJ LV VXEVWDQWLDO ´
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wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
opinion&comment
The battle against superbugs
T
here was a certain irony to the fact that Science Week in Ireland this year (12-18 November) happened to coincide with the global event that was World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW). While the former was a chance for us to celebrate all things science in a positive way, the latter ZDV DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ WR UHÀHFW RQ what I consider to be the biggest challenge facing medicine in the coming decades – antimicrobial resistance (AMR). I merged these two strands in some talks I was giving that ZHHN WR /HDYLQJ &HUWL¿FDWH students for Science Foundation Ireland by pointing out that ZKLOH QR ¿HOG RI VFLHQFH KDV had such success as medicine, nothing poses as big a threat to humanity as disease. It was 90 years ago this September that Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, by accident of course, like a lot RI JUHDW VFLHQWL¿F GLVFRYHULHV Medicine entered the antibiotic age. Fleming was aware from
Brian Quigley the outset of the limitations – as bacteria became resistant to the antibiotics newer ones would need to be brought into play to replace the tried and trusted but now tired and redundant old ones. 7KLV ZRUNHG ¿QH IRU PRVW IRU the last century, but the model is broken now and action needs WR EH WDNHQ WR ¿[ LW RU GHYLVH D new one. Why worry? More than 700,000 people died worldwide in 2016 as a result of AMR. This doesn’t seem like a huge number for a global statistic, and it isn’t. The problem is that new antibiotics aren’t being developed
Mrs and Mr Claus at the turning on of the Christmas Lights in Enniskerry to replace the old ones, and if we don’t act now then this number could rise to 10m a year within 30 years. Ten million a year is more than the number of people who currently die globally each year from all types of cancer combined.
It’s a simple equation. You need new antibiotics to be developed at a rate that keeps pace with the rate at which today’s DQWLELRWLFV DUH UHQGHUHG LQH൵HFtive by continuously evolving bacteria. Who’s to blame for the situaWLRQ" <RX FRXOG SRLQW WKH ¿QJHU
at GP’s who often prescribe antibiotics for infections that are viral rather than bacterial, because they get their diagnosis wrong (as much as 20% of antibiotic prescriptions are useless for this reason). Or the patients who don’t complete the course they are given, and stop taking their antibiotics as soon as they start to feel better. Pharmaceutical companies generally come in for the biggest share of the blame, something I think is unfair. More and more pharma companies are leaving the antibiotic space and I can’t say I blame them, when you consider the unique business model that antibiotic medicines require. Pharma companies are used to developing a medicine, bringing it to market and selling as much of it as they can before their patent expires and they face the competition of generics or biosimilars. Antibiotic medicines on the other hand need to be held back once developed, waiting in the wings until today’s ones are rendered useless. Why would any
company develop a medicine to not sell it? Their shareholders just wouldn’t understand! My take on this is that it is a problem for politicians. They need to incentivise pharmaceutical companies to re-enter the space. They need to build consensus amongst all the stakeholders – researchers, developers, manufacturers, governments and healthcare providers – to tackle this problem in its own particular way. I’m optimistic that we will get there. To quote the theme from Science Week here this year, I ‘Believe In Science’. WAAW has certainly got the ball rolling, landing a few punches in heavyweight publications and media. In the same way that I believe science will either tackle – or PLWLJDWH WKH ZRUVW H൵HFWV RI ± global warming (through megatrends like renewable energy, plant-based meats, a move towards reforestation and electric cars), I believe we will step up WR WKH SODWH DQG NHHS WKH ¿JKW against bacteria one that we are winning.
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
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wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
SEASONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREETINGS
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
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SEASONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREETINGS
Merry Christmas and thank you to our loyal readers and advertisers
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wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
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16 | WILDLIFE with Justin Ivory
Wild Books I HAD two big passions growing up – books and wildlife but best of all was getting gifts at birthdays and Christmas that combined the two – books about wildlife. With all the doom and gloom surrounding us with news about climate change and biodiversity loss what better time to introduce children to the wonders of the natural world on our doorsteps here in Ireland. This Christmas you are spoilt for choice with not just one, but two wonderful new books for children on Irish wildlife by Irish authors and illustrators recently published. One or other (better still both!) would make brilliant gifts. So what have we got? Well up first is:
wicklowvoice.ie December 14, 2018
ninenottomiss BOOK of the week
FILM of the week
HOROSCOPES
PARSLEY, SAGES, ROSEMARY & THE NICK OF TIME by A.A. Lacey available on Amazon
GRAHAM NORTON’S GOOD GUEST GUIDE CREED 2 ROI rating: 12 A Virgin 1, Wednesday December 19 11.30pm
Waterford author Aoife Lacey’s first offering is a beautiful and magical tale. The powerhungry Faeries will stop at nothing to steal her. Only a few Elves remain with the power to help her, so must call on the Pixies for their courage, the Woodland Sages for their wisdom and the eccentric vegetarian Vampire Louis for his cunning. Will these unlikely heroes summon the Giants on time and rescue the Chosen Child? Or will the Faeries success and capture her. The future of our world rests in their ability to end the Faeries’ quest for power. Will they succeed in the nick of time?
The host presents his very own guide on how to be a `good guest’ with a set of easy-toremember rules for any star thinking about appearing on his chat show. Graham uses classic clips from his back catalogue featuring the world’s biggest stars to illustrate his advice. He also hears from personalities including Ricky Gervais, Miriam Margolyes and Julie Walters on how they faced the challenge of the most prestigious sofa in television.
EVENT of the week
Dr Hibernica’s Compelling Compendium of Irish Animals Illustrated by Aga Grandowicz Text by Rob Maguire Who knew that for the last seven decades Ireland had its own female version of David Attenborough, the eminent and world renowned zoologist Dr. Hibernica Finch. Well Dr. Finch has finally emerged from the bushes and the long grass and agreed to release some of the pages from her wonderful field notebooks in this exquisite large hardback book. With a great selection of Irish animals representing air, land and sea, each double spread page per animal is accompanied by wonderfully quirky, funny and engaging text, and the most beautiful sketches and artwork. The second book that should go those Christmas lists is:
TV SHOW of the week
MARKET of the week
ARIES - This week is a 7 Explore and investigate over the next few weeks. Misunderstandings dissolve, with Mercury direct for the next three months.
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, hes up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II goes back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.
TAURUS - This week is an 8 :RUGV DQG WUD൶F ÀRZ PRUH freely, with Mercury direct. Communication, especially about money, comes easier. Articulate feelings with someone you trust.
WORKSHOP of the week
CANCER- This week is an 8 It’s easier to advance professionally, with Mercury direct for three months. Brainstorming gets more productive and creative.
GEMINI- This week is a 7 Communication barriers evaporate. Team coordination comes together naturally now that Mercury is direct.
LEO- This week is a 9 Travel and launch new projects, with Mercury GLUHFW 7UD൶F ÀRZV EHWWHU Long-distance connections come together. MEET SANTA’S REINDEER The National Garden Exhibition Centre, Kilquade Arboretum. 14th December.
CHRISTMAS KINGDOM Rathmore Country House & Villag Runs until 22nd December.
CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING Killruddery Garden House Kilruddery Demesne West, Bray. December 2018 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Take a peek at how Santa’s reindeer’s are preparing for this Christmas at Arboretum. Santa’s Reindeer are resting up at Arboretum Wicklow before their busiest night of the year. They love a bit of company though so please drop in to say hi and wish them luck for their voyage. From 17th November to 20th December Dasher and Dancer will be in Wicklow and we’ll be taking great care to make sure that they’re ready to go when Christmas comes. This activity is free of charge. For more information visit https://www.arboretum.ie/reindeer-atarboretum/
Great for all your gift shopping with loads of goods, food and activities. Enjoy a wonderful winter adventure filled with all the magic and sparkle of the festive season at The Christmas Kingdom at Rathmore. Not only does your experience include a chance to meet Santa, you’ll also visit Mrs Claus in her kitchen and help her make and decorate Christmas cookies. Write your letter to Santa, visit the reindeer and friends, Meet Santa and get a gift and be sure to stop into our christmas market for lovely treats, goodies and loads more.
Under the guidance of Sally Horn, whose wonderful creations can be seen every week at the Killruddery Farm Market, you will learn how to make a traditional Christmas decoration to pass on to next generations! This is all about rejoicing, relaxing, & creative crafting in our elegant glass-domed Orangery – with lovely mulled wine and mince pies to make sure all our Christmas spirits burns bright. Book through https://killruddery. rezgo.com/details/153321/christmas-wreathmaking-with-the-sally-garden
FUN IDEA of the week
HOTEL of the week
GIG of the week
VIRGO- This week is an 8 Buy, sell and discuss ¿QDQFLDO WUDQVDFWLRQV Exchange money, invoices and payments freely, with Mercury direct. LIBRA- This week is a 7 Lines of communication clarify, with Mercury direct. Partnership misunderstandings diminish. Send love letters. SCORPIO- This week is a 7 An obstacle is dissolving. Communication buzzes and hums, with Mercury direct for the next three months. Make lucrative deals, bargains and agreements SAGITTARIUS- This week is a 9 Practice your persuasive
arts. Share what you love, especially with Mercury GLUHFW &UHDWLYH H൵RUWV EHDU fruit.
The Great Big Book of Irish Wildlife through the seasons Text by Juanita Brown Illustrated by Barry Reynolds This large format hardback book with gorgeous illustrations bringing the text to life, brings us on a whistle-stop tour of the Irish seasons and some of the fantastic natural phenomena to be witnessed in each of those seasons, from the rutting of deer in autumn to the metamorphosis of tadpoles to frogs in spring.
SANTA’S CRAFTY LAB BLACK BANK FOLK Killruddery Garden House Kilruddery Demesne December 16, Harbour Bar 8pm Admission is free. West, Bray. 22nd December @ 11am – 2pm Black Bank Folk bring their unique blend This festive science workshop will allow of Irish Traditional, Folk and Indie to the children to engage in the awesome world magnificent Harbour Bar. on December 16. of chemistry, explore Glittery Slime and be Black Bank Folk aim to tell stories through amazed by intriguing polymers. Children will their music, and their album Rising aims to design their own electric Christmas cards highlight some of the lesser known stories of and learn about light energy, appreciate acid the 1916 Easter rising. Staying away from the base reactions, learn the Science behind well known political themes, the band give a suspension by building their very own snow more human account of a major event in Irish globes, explore bubbling liquids and engineer history, piecing together individual accounts k’nex Christmas trees in our k’nex team and investigating universal themes of hope, challenge. loss, love, celebration and sacrifice.
DUNBOYNE CASTLE HOTEL & SPA Co. Meath, 353 1 801 3500 sales@dunboynecatlehotel.com The Refurbished Terrace Lounge at Dunboyne Castle hosts a rich and inviting colour palette, along with intricate floral patterns and furnishings, create an elegant surrounding for guests to enjoy a relaxing bite to eat, indulge in afternoon tea or a delicious cocktail overlooking the hotel gardens. An extension of the Terrace Lobby Bar and the addition of a standout glass and light fixture highlights the open and chic space to complete the transformational redesign. Give the gift of Dunboyne this Christmas - vouchers available!
CAPRICORN- This week is a 7 Family communications that may have seem kinked now ÀRZ IUHHO\ ZLWK 0HUFXU\ direct. Express the future you want to create. AQUARIUS-This week is an 8 &UHDWLYH H൵RUWV WDNH D OHDS forward. It’s easier to learn and express your views now that Mercury is direct. Sign papers, post and publish. PISCES- This week is an 8 Salary talks advance as a barrier dissolves. Confusion diminishes. Banking matters take a turn for the better, with Mercury direct. It’s HDVLHU WR GLVFXVV ¿QDQFHV
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WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL COMHAIRLE CHONTAE CHILL MHANTÁIN
MOTOR TAX OFFICES WICKLOW, BRAY & BLESSINGTON Wicklow Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Friday, 21st December 2018 at 3.30pm. The office will re-open on Friday, 28th December 2018 at 9.00am. Wicklow Motor Tax will open on Monday, 31st December 2018 for a half day (closing at 12.30pm). This closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of End of Year Financial Reports on the National Vehicle Driver File System. Normal office hours (9.00am to 3.30pm) will resume on Wednesday, 2nd January 2019. Bray Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Thursday, 20th December 2018 at 2.00pm and re-open on Wednesday, 2nd January 2019 at 10.30am. Blessington Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Tuesday, 18th December 2018 at 3.30pm and re-open on Tuesday, 8th January 2019 at 9.00am. Wicklow County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.
REVENUE SECTION The Revenue Section of Wicklow County Council will close to the public on Friday the 21st, Friday the 28th and Monday the 31st December 2018 at 3.30 pm. This closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of End of Year Financial Reports. Normal office hours will resume on Wednesday the 2nd of January 2019. Wicklow County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.
BUYING? SELLING? CONTACT US TODAY
BUYING? SELLING? CONTACT US TODAY
t: 01 901 5565
t: 01 901 5565
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wicklow people in pictures Elaine, Tom, Hannah and Keith Byrne at the turning on of the Christmas Lights in Enniskerry
All smiles at the Greystones Cancer Support Christmas Lunch at the Parkview, Newtown Mount Kennedy
A happy James McGuigan who the latest Bray Credit Union members car draw
Paula Ryan and Maura Lambe at the Bray Emmets Ladies Lunch at CaffĂŠ Vergnano in The Strand Hotel
Eugene and Sandra Sutcliffe with their grandaughter Georgie at the turning on of the Christmas Lights in Enniskerry
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Brian Quigley
Rugby team are top of 2018 table
A
nother year has come and gone and with it a lot of great sporting m o m e n t s . For many the achievements of our rugby team is at the top of the list. The Six Nations Grand Slam WULXPSK DQG WKH KLVWRULF ¿UVW win on home soil for the national team over the All Blacks are memories that will last a lifetime. Just how good we are at rugby is evident in us winning world team of the year recently, with Johnny Sexton and Joe Schmidt winning the world player and world manager awards. These are incredible achievements for such a small country, and going into World Cup year we have a realistic chance of actually winning the trophy in Japan next autumn. It is even possible we could be the number one ranked team in the world by then. The same sense of achievement and excitement doesn’t apply to our soccer team at the moment, although Mick Mc-
Claire Brennan, Sharon Sheeran, Trish Byrne, Paula Kelly and Elaine Cullen at the Bray Emmets Ladies Lunch at Caffé Vergnano in The Strand Hotel Carthy’s re-appointment as national team manager was a huge step in the right direction as we seek to put the gloom and underachievement of the Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane era be-
hind us. This year for me was unfortunately the year when our national soccer team became unwatchable, the ‘3’ on the jersey a symbol of three years of GHFOLQH VLQFH WKH SOD\ R൵ ZLQ
over Bosnia to qualify for Euro 2016. Domestically Dundalk and Cork continue to lead the way and set a high standard for everyone else to aim for.
Hopefully 2019 will see some of the Dublin clubs try to reach that standard as the SSE Airtricity League will be all the better for it. Hopefully too 2018’s surprise
package Waterford will push on even further. Stephen Kenny’s departure from Dundalk (to the Irish U21 role) will certainly give the other clubs a feeling that Dundalk can be knocked R൵ WKHLU SHUFK Katie Taylor’s professional career continues to go from strength to strength. She is now one of the best-known boxers in the world, regardless of gender. Hopefully boxing fans here will get to see her in action in Ireland in 2019. On the amateur boxing front, the worrying row about the status of boxing in the next Olympic Games will hopefully be resolved; in the meantime I hope all our amateur boxers hoping to make that stage will continue their preparations and assume they will be making the trip. The year will have had many other sporting highlights for you as a spectator and / or participant. For me, getting to see IreODQG¶V FULFNHW WHDP ¿QDOO\ SOD\ full Test cricket in Malahide in May against Pakistan was a long-overdue but very welcome spectacle.
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