InTallaght EDITION 69

FOREWORD

ADDRESSLevel 3, The Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

TELEPHONE01 451 9717 WEBSITEwww.intallaght.ie

GENERAL [email protected]

EDITORGenna [email protected]

DIRECTORSEdward Lam [email protected]

Riyadh Abdelkader [email protected]

ADVERTISINGPat [email protected]

Laura [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHYFergus [email protected]

George KellyRobert Goggins

DESIGNGwen [email protected]

Edward [email protected]

Riyadh [email protected]

FEATURE WRITERSPadraig [email protected]

Rachel [email protected]

Jack [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORSColm O’MuiríDee MaherMick Jordan

Welcome to issue 69 of InTallaght

Magazine!We are still all abuzz

from the amazing win for the Yes vote in the Marriage Referendum here at InTallaght Towers. It was a truly moving and beautiful expression of support from the Irish people to turn out and vote for equal rights for their friends, family and colleagues in moving this country forward. Who knows, with all the new weddings coming up, Ireland could become a destination for gay couples!

This month we interviewed the great comedian Dave McSavage who told us about his move toward movie and theatre roles for their daily structure, despite still thinking that most actors are a**holes. He also reveals that he is back on the wagon after a slip in sobriety and how it is

impossible to be creative when drunk.

Our secondary interview is with the outgoing Mayor of South Dublin, Mayor Fintan Warfield. At aged just 22, he has achieved so much, with a focus on marriage equality, homelessness and youth issues in the area. We talk to him about his future plans and how he hasn’t had much time for reflection as the marriage referendum has kept him so busy, although he didn’t get a proposal on air like Independent Senator Katharine Zappone!

Finally, we have our regular features including music, game, tech and

movie reviews, as well as the Shamrock Rovers section where we interview Maxime Blanchard. Or if fiction is your preference, turn to our Writer’s Corner, where we publish local writers and are always looking for submissions.

As we move closer into the summer, we look forward to many events coming up, and would love to hear from you if you have something worth telling the people of Tallaght.

We hope you enjoy our magazine as much as we enjoy creating it for you.

Genna Patterson

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CONTENTS

News10 News Dublin South West Leads

Ireland in Yes vote for Marriage Equality

38 Entertainment News Tallaght boy stars in Irish

Horror Movie

50 Business News Fit4less celebrates its

second anniversary

Interviews16 Dave McSavage Comedian Dave

McSavage tells us about why actors are awful and why The Savage Eye had to end

22 Mayor Fintan Warfield

Fintan Warfield speaks to InTallaght about his year as Mayor of South Dublin

Sq. Magazine24 SQ NEWS We welcomed VIP guest

Mason Merrigan and his sister Holly to The Square

28 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

A look at the offers from Direct Sports on Level 3

29 COMPETITION Colour your way to win a

Square Gift card

30 SQ FASHION We checked out the latest

styles from Direct Sports on Level 3

Reviews36 Cinema We review this month’s

best movie Mad Max: Fury Road

40 Music Of Monster & Men’s

new single and Brandon Flowers new album

42 Tech We review the highly

anticipated Windows 10

44 Games Farming Simulator and F1

2015

46 Motor The Range Rover Evoque

48 Book We review NYPD Green

by Luke Waters

Sport52 Sports News Greenhills Tomiki Aikido

Ryu celebrates its first anniversary

54 InRovers We interviewed Maxime

Blanchard, the French rock in Rovers’ rearguard

Culture49 Writers’ Corner Mick Jordan writes about

the internal thought process in Viewpoint

58 InCulture A round up of all the

best events in Tallaght this June

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36

NEWS

Congratulations to one of our InTallaght Magazine contributors– Eileen Casey, who has two new works published in two anthologies. Eileen wrote a book review for us for One City, One Book last year, in which she had a story published.

This year, Eileen also has work published in The Faber & Faber All Over Ireland Short Story Anthology that was released in April, while she is currently editing an anthology of work loosely based around ‘shopping centres’ as a theme for Literature. This will celebrate The Square’s 25th anniversary. Guest writers of the book include Ferdia McAnna, Martin Dyar, Paula Meehan, Dermot Bolger, Kevin Power, Geraldine Mills and Louise Phillips. We wish Eileen every success with the book and will let you know once the work is complete and released.

25 People, One Question

Community activist James Lumumba put a difficult question to 25 people in Tallaght last month. The piece entitled 25 People, One Question put a significant question to people from Tallaght, including our very own InTallaght managing directors Ed Lam and Riyadh Abdelkader.

Other well-known faces featured in the video included presenter Pamela Flood, ex-Mayor Cathal King, UFC fighter Paddy Holohan and new Trinity College Student Union President Lynn Ruane. So what was the difficult question James asked–What is your biggest regret? To watch the video, visit http://bit.ly/1dsXMVn

InTallaght Contributor Releases New Writing Work

The South Dublin County Council have revealed that they are investing €700,000 in upgrades to the public lighting system with low energy LED lanterns. The new lights will use significantly less energy compared to existing street lights and have a lifetime in excess of 15 years. This will ensure savings of over €60,000 per year in lower energy costs to the area, as well as improve visibility and be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Chief Executive Daniel McLoughlin said, “Improving the quality, efficiency, and reliability of our County’s streetlights is essential to the public safety of our residents. We want to

deliver on our commitment to reduce energy use, increase sustainability and offer our citizens and businesses a better quality of light.”

Council Invest In LED Public Street Lighting


NEWS

Tallaght girl Jordanne Jones was nominated for an Irish Film & Television Award (IFTA) for Best Lead Actress in Film for her portrayal of Amy in the movie I Used To Live Here. While Jordanne, the youngest IFTA nominee ever at age 14, did not take home the award–it went to Deirdre O’Kane for Noble–she was thrilled to be nominated.

Jordanne comes from Killinarden where the film was shot with locals from the area, very few with any acting experience. I Used To Live Here tells the moving tale of teen suicide and was directed by Frank Berry of Ballymun Lullaby.

Jordanne is the daughter of another famous Tallaght

woman, Lynn Ruane, who hit the headlines earlier this year after being elected as the President of Trinity College Students’ Union.

Jordanne has since been signed by the Lisa Richards agency since the movie came out and hopes to pursue her acting in future.

Congratulations to Jordanne for her amazing feat and who will no doubt win the IFTA in years to come!

On May 22nd Ireland voted a resounding Yes to marriage equality, with 62.1% of the nation in favour. Dublin South West showed its support for equal marriage rights by voting an impressive 71% for Yes, which is a victory for all who believe in equality, fairness and justice, according to Independent Senator Katherine Zappone.

Senator Zappone and her wife Dr Ann Louise Gilligan had been campaigning around the Dublin South region for months in the run up to the voting day. She said that the strong local vote sends a powerful message to young members of the gay and lesbian community that they have the support of their families, neighbours and friends. She said, “The

voters of Dublin South West have literally led the nation in this historic vote which completes a journey to equality. Every single person who voted, canvassed or rallied their family and friends owns this victory. I want to congratulate each and every one of them.

“It has been a privilege to have the opportunity over the past few months to meet the voters on the doorsteps, in the shopping centres and at public events right across our local communities.”

Senator Zappone met more than 11,000 people in Tallaght, Rathfarnham and Citywest during an extensive canvass by local members of the Yes Equality Campaign. It is estimated that same sex couples will be eligible to wed by September this year.

Dublin South West Leads Ireland In Yes Vote For Marriage Equality

The Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald announced last month that there will be an extension of Garda Youth Diversion Projects. This €2.8 million funding will benefit ten locations including Kilmainham.

Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne welcomed the funding to the Dublin 8 area and said, “The Kilmainham Garda district includes Inchicore, Rialto, and the canals area and it is great to see these communities

benefit from this new project designed to prevent and tackle crime, particularly youth crime. It is so important that we deal with criminal behaviour where it presents in the younger generations, thereby breaking the cycle of crime that presents a threat to our community in the future.”

The new projects are designed to prevent and tackle youth crime and the funding is targeted towards areas of social and economic disadvantage.

Kilmainham Gets New Garda Youth Diversion

Tallaght Girl Nominated For IFTA

june 2015 // 13

NEWS

Ireland’s youngest kidney donor Mum and her transplant recipient child took part in the Irish Kidney Association’s annual ‘Run for a Life’ last month. Ten years ago Cassandra O’Brien from Navan, Co. Meath donated a kidney to her son Jack when she was just 20 years old and he was only 26 months.

They remain the youngest living kidney donor to youngest transplant recipient since the transplant programme began at Temple Street Hospital in 2003. The ‘Run for a Life’ took place in Corkagh Park, Clondalkin, on Saturday, May 23rd. Race Organiser, Colin White said, “Our annual Run for a Life which

is now in its seventh year is a great day out for all of the family. The Irish kidney Association sees this event as a positive way to promote organ donor awareness.

“We are looking to encourage the public to think about it, talk about it and make a commitment to organ donation. The support of families who have been touched by organ failure in helping us to promote the event is very much appreciated. All of this is underpinned by the continued support of the event sponsor, Astellas Pharma Ltd.”

For an organ donor card Freetext the word DONOR to 50050 or visit website www.ika.ie/card

Youngest IrishKidney Donor & Transplant Recipient Join Charity Run

South Dublin County Council (SDCC) have allocated €15,000 of grants under the Community Tourism Diaspora Initiative 2015. The initiative was launched in association with Fáilte Ireland and IPB Insurance and aims to provide support to community-based events that involve overseas visitors in order to carry through the legacy of The Gathering in 2013 and beyond.

The initiative is also focused on fostering the growth of strong county Diaspora networks on the basis that Diaspora relationships are rooted in ‘people and place’. The applications for funding for 2015 events are now closed and will be paid out after the events have taken place. The SDCC said that for those who missed out this year, it’s worth

starting to plan for next year’s grant which will re-open in early 2016. SDCC said, “The application process is very simple and we would encourage groups to start considering an application for 2016 for events that meet the criteria and attract overseas visitors back to Ireland.”

For more information visit sdcc.ie

€15,000 In Grants For Community Tourism Diaspora Initiative

South Dublin County Council has announced over 200 new homes to be built in conjunction with the Department of the Environment.

The houses are due to be built by 2017 and are part of the Government’s plan to build 1,700 homes in each local authority for a total of €312 million.

The South Dublin County Council will be spending €40 million on social developments in Dublin mid-west in an effort to reduce the waiting list for social housing.

Tallaght will get 50 new social houses at a cost of €10 million while Clondalkin will get 18 at a cost of €3.6 million.

A further 48 houses are to be developed at Lett’s Field.

200 New Social Homes For Tallaght And Clondalkin

“Spot The Ball” – Participants in the Dublin Masters Basketball Tournament in 2014. The Dublin Masters Basketball Association were approved an offer of assistance from South Dublin County Council under the Community Tourism Diaspora Project for the Dublin Masters Basketball Tournament which took place between the 16th and 18th of May, 2014.

TALLAGHT LEISURE CENTRE

Tallaght Leisure Centre is a thriving hub of

activity these days with so much to offer visitors.

From the 25 metre swimming pool with an adjustable floor for changing depth, to a fully fitted gym and fitness studio, to the crèche and sports hall, it really has an impressive offering for all.

Built in October 2006 by the South Dublin County Council, the Tallaght Leisure Centre is open seven days a week to members and non-members alike. For those who join the Centre, there are varying membership prices which offers gym access and free studio classes including Zumba, TRX, Spin, Body Conditioning and Box Fit to name but a few of the many classes held in the two gym studios. Additionally access to the swimming pool, sauna and steam room is part of the membership programmes.

Of course, non-members can avail of most of the facilities too. There are classes open to the public as well at €8 each. Likewise, the public can buy passes to the pool and its facilities if they prefer water-based exercise with prices starting at €4 for kids and €6 for adults, with a family pass on offer for just €12.

For parents wanting to fit some exercise into their busy schedules, there are crèche facilities in the Leisure Centre, so that mums and dads can drop

the kids (over age 2) off for an hour or two and still fit in a workout of some sort. Or for older children there are very popular gymnasium classes as well.

To keep the kids occupied during the holidays, the Centre offers seasonal Splash Camps with activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, treasure hunts, dancing, drama, and a number of sports like basketball, soft tennis and of course fun and games. Reasonably priced with the four day camp starting at €35 for aged 3-5 years, and €56 for 6-12 years, there’s more than enough reasons to let the kids blow off some steam when off school.

And, if you were looking for an idea for the children’s birthday, there are pool parties for €14 per child too. This includes time in the pool with a pool inflatable followed by a private room with hot food, a goodie bag and tea and

coffee for the adults.The Centre is also host

to a number of clubs from the Dublin areas including South Dublin Taekwondo and Fortunestown Swim Club. There is also a large sports hall used for multiple events, that offers a seating capacity of around 150 people which can be booked through reception.

If that wasn’t enough to offer, the leisure centre has just built four all-weather pitches, which will be opened to the public very soon. The Tallaght Leisure Centre is a great place to burn off some energy, especially because they were winners of a gold industry standard award and came third in the Leisure Centre of the Year awards in 2014.

For more information on what the Leisure Centre has to offer you, visit www.tallaghtleisure.com or drop into the venue on Fortunestown Way in Tallaght.


COVER STORY


june 2015 // 17

Padraig Conlon talks to comedian Dave McSavage about the end of The Savage Eye and why actors are his least favourite people

The NobleSavage

If you’re a comedian the worst thing that can happen is people don’t laugh, you’ll lose confidence, and you’ll die.”

“”

David McSavage brings his unique stand up show to The Civic at the end of June.

However, since arriving on the Irish comedy scene in the late 90’s he has divided people’s opinions. To some he’s a comic legend, not afraid to poke fun at the sacred cows of Irish public life. To others he’s a narky upstart who goes out of his way to offend. Personally I’ve always been a fan. I like the way he sees the world and down the years I’ve enjoyed both his stand up and his TV show The Savage Eye. Because I’m a fan, and because of his spiky demeanour I was nervous about having to interview him. In the end I had no need to be as he was extremely friendly, honest and funny and came across as a genuinely warm person who is great to talk to.

In the last couple of years he has branched out into movies and theatre. He had a small part in the 2014 movie Calvary and he’s recently finished a run doing the Martin McDonagh play The Pillowman in the Gaiety, an experience he found very positive. He explains, “I’d never done anything like that before. It took a bit of getting used to at the start and because I’ve been doing stand up comedy for the last 25 years I wasn’t used to the format. I just thought ‘what’s the worst

Jewish kid.” So where did this anger stem from? “My first experience of those people was about ten years ago. I was warming up The Late Late Show audience for a tribute to The Abbey Show and they were a horrible crowd. You could say they were up their own holes. Their attitude towards me was ‘Who is this filthy low b*stard?’ If you said it to any of them they’d be in complete denial that they’d been like that. I suppose it’s a feature of all walks of life. That crowd, they’re the same as the church, they’re always going to be around.” However Dave says that they weren’t the toughest crowd he’d ever faced. “That would’ve been a gig I did in Listowel years ago, they were a very tough crowd, it was like they didn’t want to be made laugh. Maybe it was to do with the fact that they are isolated down there in Kerry. Their attitude towards me was ‘Don’t think you can come in here and make us laugh!’”

Even though he has moved into acting in the last few years Dave still doesn’t have much time for actors. He explains why, “Because actors think they’re far more important than they are. It’s a trick, like the trick an electric lightbulb plays on a moth. The moth thinks it’s flying around the moon when in fact it’s flying nowhere.

that can happen with a play?’ If you’re a comedian the worst thing that can happen is people don’t laugh, you’ll lose confidence, and you’ll die. With a play? People will hate it, or they’ll hate your performance, or you’ll forget your lines. It’s gotten good reviews and I’ve enjoyed having a structure. When I’m working everyday I tend to thrive. It’s when I’ve no structure to my day, that can be challenging.”

I remind him of how he once described theatre actors as “self-important w*nkers who put punters off the theatre” on Brendan O’Connor’s Saturday Night Show back in February prior to The Pillowman opening. He also described them as “Nazis” and himself “like a little

People see somebody from the TV and they go up and tell them they’re great and all they can reply with is ‘Thank you.’ They see them as alpha people but they’re not. As far as I’m concerned you’re better off getting in with the local plumber, doctor or builder because they are of more use to society than some actor off the telly. I think I’m going to go to a pound shop, buy a load of little mementos so when they come up to talk to me I’ll give them the memento to show my appreciation!”

Dave’s highlight of acting in Calvary was getting to work with the legendary Brendan Gleeson. “It was the first film I was ever in, it was fantastic. When I was working on it I was so into it I didn’t have time to think ‘Jesus Christ that’s Brendan Gleeson!’ He was such a gentleman, it was an absolutely fantastic experience and something I’d love to do again. I’d love to get a really good role. I used to do acting classes when I was young and I gave it up because I thought a career as an actor was unattainable to me but it is something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Savage Success

Dave says that his acting roles so far are very small parts and he’d need to be getting bigger roles to make it worthwhile as a career. Meanwhile, his fans will be wondering if The Savage Eye is ever likely to come back. Dave says, “We did four series and sketch shows don’t usually go beyond that. At the moment there’s no plan to bring it back but never say never.”

“Making that show is lots of hard work, lots of writers working for nearly the guts of a year. People have this idea that comedy is great fun but it’s very hard work.” Sadly Dave says that he doesn’t really miss The Savage Eye. He says, “Obviously I’m very happy with the success it had but when you’re doing the Bull Mick for a

full ten hour day for six weeks by the end you’re very tired of it.”

Of all the people he’s poked fun at on the show the only two who ever took exception were Joe Duffy and Des Bishop says Dave. “They should’ve been glad because if a comedian is targeting you it’s a healthy sign your career is going well, that you’re culturally significant enough to be taken notice of, it’s like a tribute. Joe Duffy could’ve laughed it off but he decided to let people know he didn’t like it. He’s alright about it now though. Why should he care? I don’t care if I look like an eejit. This is Ireland, we take the piss out of people.”

I ask him about the sketch RTÉ pulled from the last series which was a parody of the Diet Coke ad that featured three nuns in a garden looking longingly at a half naked gardener called Jesus carrying a cross on his back. He tells me, “The point we were trying to make was how Christ is portrayed and how nuns are described as being married to Jesus, brides of Christ. RTÉ said they couldn’t show a sexualised version of Jesus but I thought is people’s faith so weak that something like that could effect it? Of course not. We were just trying to get to the truth. RTÉ said it had “no respect for the sacredness that Christian viewers attribute to this iconography.”

I put the question to him that if he can go after Christians why does he not go after Islam in the same way?

He explains, “I get asked that a lot and my answer is I wouldn’t because it’s not my religion and because they are so hardline, it’s a very dangerous thing to do and I wouldn’t go there. That would be suicide by comedy. You saw what happened in Paris–while on the one hand what [Charlie Hebdo] did was incredibly brave, it was also very dangerous. What did they think was going to happen by publishing those cartoons? I likewise wouldn’t have a go at black people. We can rip the shit out of English people because we’re a ‘lower status’ though.”

When it comes to Catholicism however Dave doesn’t hold back. “If you were from another planet and you heard Catholic dogma for the first time you would think it was crazy. If a person presented at a psychiatric hospital and said they eat Christ’s body and drink his blood they would be viewed as being crazy yet this is what we believe. What I find most disturbing about the Catholic Church is the way they involve themselves in sexual mores. It’s very invasive to be interested in people’s sex lives. It’s none of your f*ckin’ business what people do. Sex was one of the few things that was free that you could enjoy but they want to restrict that and make you feel sh*t about it. I think we’re all recovering Catholic-aholics. Stand up to me is a form of therapy really. You can stand up there on stage, and you can vent at the audience. When it works, it’s a good forum.”

Comedy Colleagues

Dave is happy to discuss the comedians that inspired him when he was young. “Billy Connolly and Gene Wilder–I loved the way he was so brilliant in everything he did. The first stand up I ever got into was Richard Pryor, I remember seeing him for the first time and just thinking that was amazing, so it was something that I was always pulled towards, the idea


COVER STORY

When you’re doing the Bull Mick for a full ten hour day for six weeks by the end you’re very tired of it.

“”

june 2015 // 19

DAVE MCSAVAGE

of one person being on a stage and being able to captivate and entertain a big audience by just talking. Of the current comedians I really admire Harry Hill, Phil Kaye, Simon Murray, Al Porter, PJ Gallagher and Stewart Lee.”

I ask him what he thinks of comedians like Michael McIntyre who are totally uncontroversial. “Well he is successful because he covers the spectrum, he’s very accessible, kind of like Ronnie Corbett. People go on about Mrs Brown’s Boys but if people find it funny then that’s fair enough. People come in from work and they’re tired and sometimes they just want to laugh. I think likeability is a huge thing in whether you find somebody funny. What’s the name of the guy from Liverpool with the big teeth?” he asks me.

The first name that comes to me is Ken Dodd? “Ha! Ha! No not him”, he says. “John Bishop?” I suggest. “Yeah, him, I don’t find him funny at all, but he is very likeable, which is a huge thing,” Dave says. “You know if someone you like tells a story they think is funny, you will laugh because you like them, even if it’s not funny. And if someone you hate tells a really funny story you won’t laugh because you’ll be thinking ‘he’s a c**t’”.

Thankfully Dave has a lot planned for his future career. He says, “I’m working on a pilot called Poor Me and

the B*stards. It’s about people who are incredibly selfish and narcissistic and can’t form truly proper relationships with other people as they’re so wrapped up in their own heads and how ultimately disappointing your experience of life is when you’re like that. It’s examining the characters that gravitate towards broadcast TV, creative types and all the distractions involved in that.

“I’m working with the same crew, Pat McDonnell, John Colleary, Dorothy Cotter, which is great. I think they don’t get enough appreciation for The Savage Eye. I know how good they are, they have a massive influence with their writing. Dave says he also wants John Carney (Once) to direct it, “because I want to create something that’s quite obviously brilliant. That’s the desire. And the kind of thing I’d want to do. I want people to watch it then to think ‘f*ck that’s amazing. Who did that?’ When I say this I just do it to gee myself up.”

Dave says that when it comes to comedy you can never rest. “I remember when Jerry Seinfeld went back to do stand up. Here was a massively successful comedian who’d made a fortune and he went back playing small clubs. Even someone like him, with everything he’s done, when he walks on the stage he’ll only get a few minutes goodwill and if he’s not funny the crowd will let him know. I was sort of in shock, this is Jerry F*ckin’ Seinfeld!”

In terms of being recognised on

the streets, Dave says people are generally nice. “But this being Ireland they’re probably telling me they like me to my face and then calling me a prick after I’ve walked away!”

Before we finish up I tell him that I was sorry to hear he had fallen off the wagon last year after a decade of sobriety. He has always been open about his struggles with alcohol and I ask him if he’s still drinking? “I’m back off it again. I’ve packed a lifetime of drinking into seven years. I had to stop because whatever chance I had to be productive was made harder by being hungover and unable to do anything. When I’m hungover I can’t write, I can’t do anything. I think we drink too much in this country, we’re not hard enough on the drinking culture. If people carried on like that in other countries they would probably be marginalised. Don’t get me wrong, drinking is f*cking brilliant. When you’re in a pub and you feel great, that sense of love and wellbeing for yourself, towards other people, I love that very seductive feeling. My problem is I’d keep on chasing that feeling.”

Tickets to Dave McSavage’s show in The Civic Theatre on June 19th are up for grabs on The Square Facebook page. Check it out to win two tickets and see the man in person!

COVER STORY

Stand up to me is a form of therapy really. You can stand up there on stage, and you can vent at the audience.

“”



INTERVIEW

Rachel Lynch caught up with Mayor Fintan Warfield to talk about the end of his role as Mayor of South County Dublin, and what he achieved over the year.

Farewell to Fintan

It’s hard to believe that Fintan Warfield’s time in office as South Dublin County Council Mayor is

just about to come to an end. After a fantastic year in the role he has overseen many changes and this May he was delighted to see the Yes vote passed by the people of Ireland after a campaign that was very close to his own heart.

When taking office in June 2014, he pledged to focus on those who had been left out or behind. His main priorities were to campaign for change, for inclusion and for equality. He was also strongly involved in promoting practical solutions to the youth unemployment crisis in the area.

To many Fintan was almost a child when he started out with Sinn Féin at just 16. He says, “I went to play Irish music in America but I was a bit of a home bird so I came back, then I was asked to stand so people don’t really know or there isn’t enough awareness about how to get involved in politics and that you can just join a party.”

Fintan stood as a candidate for Sinn Féin in 2014 for the new Templeogue-Terenure local electoral area incorporating Greenhills, Templeogue, Terenure and Knocklyon and he attended St. Mac Dara’s Community College and continues to play gaelic football for St. Judes GAA Club in Templeogue. At the age of 17, he moved to Galway City where he would later graduate with a Bachelor of Arts. It was there that he really found himself and discovered a love for politics and so he began to voice his strong opinions on equality.

vote as to which way the final result would go. “Considering there was a 30% turnout for the bi-election a couple of months ago, it clearly didn’t capture imagination like the Marriage Referendum did and a lot of gay people said do we really need to do this? Do we really need to ask everybody to vote? Can we not just legislate for it? But our constitution meant that we had to go down that road and as a result we have seen such a positive representation of gay people publicly speaking out in support.”

Fintan discusses how the stories leading up to the vote helped convey the Yes campaigners’ messages. “Those positive representations, for instance Ursula Hanaigan and the other heartbreakingly emotional stories–they can only make it so much easier for gay people to come out.”

Fintan was at the tally of the opening of the first box and was anxious about how it would go. “We had done a lot of canvassing around Templeogue, but we kind of knew from the off the outcome and in terms of the vote—the Sinn Féin vote —we knew there would be support there but we certainly didn’t think it would capture the imagination like it has.”

Meeting people on the street from the community Fintan said he doesn’t believe he changed many people’s minds, he simply mobilised the Yes vote. On the question of Marriage Equality Fintan told us that he has no plans to get married just yet but is delighted that the option is now there. “I was only asked yesterday were there any messy proposals at the weekend but no,” he laughs.

Fintan explains how the year has been a learning curve for him, going from having only just having been elected to then being asked to take on the role of Mayor in such a small period of time. “The experience I have gained has been so positive, and reflecting back on the 12 months I’ve learned so much, not being able to speak off the cuff or needing a script or not thinking I was good enough.”

Although he is sad that his time has come to an end Fintan says he is ready. “You enter the office knowing your time is going to be pretty short so symbolism is pretty important. We tried to focus on three issues; youth issues broadly, marriage equality and housing/homelessness.”

Voting Yes

One of Fintan’s main priorities was supporting Marriage Equality and he wrote the foreword in our last issue supporting the Yes vote. He says, “I came out when I took on the role of Mayor in my opening speech and I’m just so chuffed it’s been passed.” Fintan was nervous right up to the

The experience I have gained has been so positive... I’ve learned so much.

“”

FINTAN WARFIELD

Reflections

Looking back over the past 12 months Fintan explains how he hasn’t had a minute to really reflect the year as it has gone by so quickly, but he does talk of his many highs, one being that 10% of his wage went to local charities like Saoirse Women’s Refuge in Tallaght, BeLonGTo (a national organisation for LGBT young people) and Citywise (a group that provides young people with educational support in Jobstown)–each received €1,000. “That was one of the things I was most proud of and the youth conference we held over in RUA RED was great. We invited 70 young people from each school just to come along and we had a panel and it was really good. One of their concerns was that there just wasn’t enough experience on their CVs so from that we had work experience weeks in the County Council offices.”

Fintan also launched a blog on Tumblr where people could ask him Mayor questions. Not long after it went live it was trending and saw the questions flood in. He says, “A lot of the questions focused on students who were concerned about not being great in school. I wasn’t great in school either–I got 300 points in the Leaving, so I would never let your Leaving Cert or your school performance hold you back in anything. There are routes right up through education

for whatever you want to do. It might take you longer but you will get there.”

Fintan has been the face of many events here throughout Tallaght over the past 12 months and he says he has really enjoyed the role of Mayor. Next month he will continue with his works in the community as local councillor right up until 2019. It’s a part-time job so Fintan is hoping to try out new avenues when he finishes up in office in June.

It’s been a serious few months so Fintan is planning on enjoying some of his free time by attending some of the summer festivals this year and of course the Gay Pride Parade which is being held in the city centre on the weekend of June 19th.

He also hopes to fit in a little holiday along the way,

“After the election I had planned to go on a holiday but I didn’t in a million years expect to be asked by Sinn Féin to come in here, I was shocked to even get elected.” After a long and productive year as Mayor of South Dublin, we think he deserves a good

rest, but hope to see him progress in the

future, as we think Fintan is one to watch.

june 2015 / 23

24

SQ. MAGAZINE

EDITION 51 JUNE 2015

Welcome to the Square Magazine.

We’ve had a busy time here at The Square this May, with the organisation and welcome of little Mason Merrigan and his sister Holly. Mason suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and so together with local man Antony Dempsey, we set up a special shopping day for our V.I.P. guests Mason and his family on Tuesday 19th May here in the Centre.

It was wonderful to see Mason’s face light up when he met with his Super Heroes Batman and Spiderman, who were on hand to help him select some free goodies. We’d like to extend a massive thank you to all the stores that got involved and offered fabulous gifts for Mason and his family. A special thanks to Think N Blink our events company and especially Rachel Lynch from InTallaght for their support on this special day including all outside organisations who donated and supported this excellent event for Mason. Due to Antony’s help with setting up the day for Mason, we thought it only fitting that he

be nominated for our Community Champion Award. Antony worked tirelessly to get it all set up, and suffers from CF himself, all to make the day a special one for Mason.

As always, there is plenty going on in The Square this coming month, with our next FREE event on Saturday June 6th. The Outback Reptile Party will be held in the Centre Mall from 1-4pm and all kids are welcome to come and have some fun!

We would also like to wish good luck to all the ladies running the VHI Mini Marathon for the National Children’s Hospital Tallaght on June 1st. We are delighted to be sponsoring the hospital team running to raise funds. As always, we hope to see you all soon in The Square.

Happy shopping,

______________________Cathryn McMenamyThe Square Town Centre, Commercial Manager

25

Prince Mason’s Big Shopping Day

Last week saw the arrival of two very special V.I.P. guests to the Square, Mason aged 3 who has Cystic Fibrosis and his big sister Holly aged 6 arrived in style by stretch limo with a Garda escort along with his mam Claire and dad Stephen all the way from Gorey, Wexford.

This event was organised by Antony Dempsey along with our team to make Mason a ‘Prince for a day’ and enjoy a full day’s shopping with his family.

As befitting any Prince, Mason stepped from his limo onto a red carpet decked with balloons and sports

cars to the welcoming cheers of well wishes and staff and of course his

superheroes Spiderman and Batman. Also on hand to greet Little Prince Mason and Princess Holly was TV3 camera crew and FM104 along with several photographers eager to get a shot of our special guests.

After ‘meet & greet’ our little guests headed to our Cheeky Monkey Jungle Castle for some refreshments and a little play time with Spiderman and Batman.

It was then time to go shopping and our first stop-off was Tesco where Mason and Holly had a trolley-dash in store picking up as many toys as they could fit into

their trollies cheered on by all the staff.

Mason and his family then headed off to Dominos where they were treated to a first-class reception. The staff taught Mason and Holly how to prepare their very own pizzas.

After learning to throw dough and make their own pizzas our guests headed back to the Centre Mall to be presented with their Little Stars Trophies and a big cheque for €3,000 for Cystic Fibrosis charity on behalf of Mason. Funds were raised through Square Management for this excellent charity.

It was off to Nando’s for a much needed delicious meal and more importantly for a rest before they hit the rest of the stores, the fun

was only beginning at this stage.

After visiting a number of other stores the family then headed

over to Tallaght Stadium for some fun on the pitch along with a selection of treats from Shamrock Rovers Football Club.

As the day drew to an end and as we helped pack up the limo with toys and gifts for not just Mason but his whole family, we said our goodbyes.

We are delighted to have both Mason and Holly as our Little Stars and we wish them and their family all the best for the future. We would also like to thank all the stores who got on board with celebrating this special day at the Centre and of course Spiderman and Batman and our real superhero Antony Dempsey who made a little boys wish become a reality for a day.

If you’d like to find out more about Cystic Fibrosis and how you can donate to this great cause go to www.cfireland.ie

Sq. Magazine

This month saw one of our long-standing tenants relocate to a new unit. The Square Jewellers remains on Level 1 and don’t worry you don’t have to go too far as they have relocated right beside Peter Mark.The new store is brighter than ever and has received fantastic feedback since

it opened its doors with customers commenting on just how well it looks. The store’s new look is elegantly presented and in fitting with our continued commitment in enhancing the modern look of the Centre.

Great Give-aways At The Square

Over the past few weeks as usual, we have had a selection of prizes up for grabs over our social media sites.

First up we had two sets of tickets for the highly anticipated Mad Max: Fury Road and also some spending money for popcorn and goodies to see

the movie here at The Square.

There was also a give away from Insomnia

Coffee on Level 1 who offered a fabulous hamper full of their products to one of our Facebook friends.

Remember to keep your eyes on our Facebook and Twitter account for your chance to win one of our prizes!

26Sq. News

DV8’s 1st Birthday

DV8 here on Level 1 celebrated their first birthday this month. The ever-popular clothing store which caters for both men and women has gone from strength to strength over

the year. DV8 has got you covered from head to toe and will have you dressed for either a casual day in work or a night on the town. Drop into the team today who are on hand to help with any of your style queries.

Community Champion

Our Community Champion Award this month goes to local man Antony Dempsey. Antony was the man behind the organisation of Mason’s Big Shopping Day here last week.

He also suffers with Cystic Fibrosis but is aware of just how important these events are for not just the sufferers of CF but also their families.

Antony travelled to Gorey to meet little Mason and his family and get them settled into their limo for their journey with Garda escort to The Square for their special day of fun and shopping. Antony has helped organise many events over the years and we would like to thank

him for helping us make Mason’s day here so enjoyable.

Along with Antony’s award, Square Management presented a cheque for €3,000 to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland on behalf of Mason. Congratulations on the award Antony and thank you again for all the hard work you have put in to this event and all you do on behalf of Cystic Fibrosis.

Wishing Ciara O’Grady All The Best

We would like to extend our best wishes to Ciara O’Grady, Director of Fundraising and Events at The Children’s National Hospital, as she moves on to pastures new. Ciara has worked in the hospital for eight years and was second to none in her

efforts to raise funds for a number of projects to improve the lives of patients there.

The Square would also like to welcome Ciara’s successor, Lillian McGovern to her new role in the hospital.

27 Sq. News

New External Priority Seating

We are delighted to have introduced a new customer initiative for our customers with limited mobility. Our new priority seating was recently installed outside our South Entrance Level 2 beside River Island following a request by one of our regular customers, so that customers with limited mobility can sit and rest in close proximity to the entrance door before or after shopping.

Good Luck To the NCH Mini Marathon Team

We are delighted to be the official sponsors of The National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght Team for the VHI Mini Marathon on June 1st. We wish all the ladies who plan to run or walk the 10km race all the best on the day and in their efforts to raise money for the hospital.

The Mini-Marathon is an annual event in Dublin,

which sees thousands of women from all over the country train up to raise money for much-needed funds for charities. Over 40,000 women took part last year, and continues gain popularity each year.

You can donate to The National Children’s Hospital by visiting www.mycharity.ie/charity/thenationalchildrenshospital

DIRECT SPORTS

28A Closer Look At...

It’s been a busy few months for Direct Sports who at the beginning of the year relocated from Level 2 to Level 3 just across from Starbucks.

The ever-popular sports store, which has been a firm favourite with our customers over the years offers top brand sportswear at discounted prices. With the Women’s Mini Marathon coming up in the next few weeks why not drop down

to the team and kit yourself out with some competitively priced sportswear?

They’ll have you covered from head to toe, not to mention all the accessories in between, from gum shields to your foam yoga mat. There is also a large selection of casual wear clothing. Direct Sport’s selection of footwear is vast so there will be something for all requirements and also all styles. From Nike to Adidas and then of course Asics running shoes for the fitness element.

With school coming to an end it’s always clever to be prepared before the stores

become manic. So remember to do up your list early–it’s not just books and stationary that need to be ticked off the list but also the school runners and a winter coat for those cold morning starts.

Then there’s the afterschool activities and Direct Sports has football boots and Astroturf boots in store in a selection of colours. If you prefer the plain black boot or you like a bit more colour in your life well then the choices are endless.

Store manager Aubrey Golding explains how the relocation has added a new stylish look to the store, “We are delighted with

our new location, the shop is brighter than ever and we have received really positive feedback from our customers.”

Drop in to the team today here on Level 3 and pick up a bargain!

The ultimate action blockbuster of

the summer.Mad Max: Fury Road

does one thing–it gets the action movie genre right. Marking the start of the summer blockbusters, Mad Max pretty much has every ingredient needed for a good cinema trip; a likeable lead character, plenty of fighting and chases, and a vigilante cause you can get behind.

The title role of Max is played by Tom Hardy, who spends the first third of the movie in a mask reminiscent of his character Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Other stars include Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa and Nicholas Hoult as Nux, a warlord in training.

The movie starts with Max getting captured by a

gang of warlords who use people as ‘blood bags’ or ‘breeders’. He gets pulled into a war when he is brought along on a convoy chase as a live blood donator for the warlord Nux.

Considering most of the fight and chase scenes were done as stunts and not CGI, it is amazing that no one got hurt during the making of this film. It is full of fuel-guzzling tankers and hybrid monster cars, many of which shoot flames and the like, and there is more than enough for any car-fanatic to gaze upon.

While there are some rather silly moments (the guitar player attached to a truck as a form of battle horn), the costumes, stunts and sheer ferocity of the action more than make up for it. From start to finish it is an incredible ride, quite possibly because it is one long car chase! It’s quite possibly one of the best action movies I’ve seen in a long time.

RELEASED: MAY 14TH

// by Genna Patterson

CINEMA

MAD MAX FURY ROAD

DANNY COLLINS

A heart-warming comedy

about aiming for redemption

Danny Collins is the almost true story of an ageing musician (Al Pacino) who decides to change his life after receiving an encouraging letter from John Lennon–34 years too late. Danny is now a narcissistic playboy, with a fiancée half his age and is on yet another best hits tour, playing songs from 30 years ago.

When he finally receives the letter from Lennon telling him to stay true to his music, Danny starts to make some major changes in his life, albeit a little late, including tracking down the son he never knew. He moves to a nondescript hotel in New Jersey to ‘keep it real’ and write new songs, then strikes up a friendship with Mary (Annette Bening).

Danny Collins a sweet, funny effort at a heart-warming movie. There are plenty of laughs

and more than a few touching moments as we witness an old man trying to make good a life of debauchery. Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club) and Bobby Cannavale (Chef) play supporting roles too, along with the legendary Christopher Plummer (Up). A nice enough way to spend an evening, and worth it for a few giggles.

RELEASED: MAY 29TH

// by Genna Patterson

A movie full of action and the

perfect amount of eye candy.

Dwayne Johnson takes on the role of Ray, a search and rescue pilot whose family life is just as hectic as his day-to-day job. He has recently split up with his wife after the devastation of the death of one of their daughters.

When the San Andreas fault triggers a magnitude 9 earthquake Ray must navigate the destruction from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save his remaining daughter and his estranged wife.

If you enjoyed films like Dante’s Peak and Volcano, then this is one you won’t want to miss. The special effects alone will have you on the edge

of your seat and you do genuinely feel like the world is coming to an end.

There is even a guest appearance from none other than Miss Kyle Minogue who plays the part of Ray’s ex-wife’s new partner’s sister.

Kylie’s scenes alone are suprisingly comedy at its greatest as she plays a character not as nice as you’d expect!

RELEASED: MAY 28TH

// by Rachel Lynch

june 2015 // 37

SAN ANDREAS

CINEMA


ENTERTAINMENT

Tallaght Boy Stars in Irish Horror Movie

Dublin Distributor Signs Amy Winehouse Documentary

A star is in our midst in South Dublin as 7-year-old Calum Heath from the Old Bawn area in Tallaght is currently appearing in The Canal movie. Calum plays the character Billy Williams in the movie, which tells the story of a family moving to an old haunted house by a canal.

The movie was shot in Wicklow in the summer of 2013, and Calum spent a full five weeks on set at age five. Calum was put forward by Talented Kids/MVW Talent Agency to audition for The Canal in Spring 2013. There were three rounds of auditions and hundreds of kids applied but the director, Ivan Kavanagh said he saw a natural talent in Calum and offered him the exciting role.

Some of the scenes in the movie were quite frightening, so the crew ensured that Calum was protected at all times with some scenes shot separately and then edited afterwards to include him. Calum was also required to do three

stunts during the course of filming; one jump onto crash mats, one in a moving vehicle and one underwater but there were stunt co-ordinators on set to ensure his safety and to make sure the correct equipment was being used to protect him.

The Canal had its world premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in NYC and has received rave reviews. It was released in Ireland last month and is doing well so far. We wish Calum all the best in his future career, and hope he will interview with InTallaght Magazine when he’s a big hit in Hollywood!

Wildcard Distribution, a Dublin-based movie distribution agency has gained the release rights of the documentary Amy, about the life and troubles of singer Amy Winehouse. Wildcard partners with Altitude Film Entertainment to distribute the film around Ireland.

The Amy documentary was released first at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday May 16th and was directed by award-winning director Asif Kapadia (Senna). It is an intimate portrayal of the troubled star whose second album Back To Black sold over 20 million copies worldwide and whose tragic early death in 2011 aged 27, sent fans around the globe into mourning.

Wildcard CEO Patrick O’Neill said, “We’re extremely honoured to be working on this magnificent film. Amy Winehouse remains an icon, but Asif Kapadia’s film reveals the all too human fragility of the woman behind the headlines. It’s both a powerful meditation on the pitfalls of fame and a moving celebration of a once in a lifetime artist.”

The documentary is made up of archive material

including Amy’s own home movies, early demos, personal recollections from friends, family members and friends and creative collaborators.

Altitude Film Entertainment’s Head of Distribution Hamish Moseley said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Wildcard Distribution to bring Amy to Irish audiences. With rave reviews continuing to pour out of Cannes Film Festival, we’re extremely proud to support Asif Kapadia’s intimate and moving documentary on arguably one of the most important cultural icons of the 21st Century.”

Amy will be released in Irish cinemas on July 3rd 2015.

march 2015 // 39

Getting Forbidden Fruit Ready

Forbidden Fruit is one of the easier-to-prepare for festivals, in that if you live in Dublin it is easy enough to get to and get home, and you don’t need to pack the tent or air mattress. While there’s a point in the evening when people have had one too many over-priced beers or ciders, it’s generally one of the safer, less rowdy festivals.

So how do you prepare for a day festival, especially if you are attending all three days? With a line-up of headliners that includes Fatboy Slim, Wu Tang Clan and Richie Hawtin, this year will likely draw in the clubbing and hip hop crowd, with plenty of DJs and electronica as well. No doubt there will be plenty of dancing so remember to wear your favourite dancing shoes to last the whole weekend. Flip flops are a dodgy choice, unless you want to get trampled on when things get lively.

It’s unlikely you’ll want to bring a big bag, but there are some festival necessities that you will need to pack, so a small satchel, or khaki pants á la Bear Grills with multiple pockets could come in handy. Of course the very first thing you will need is money, as last year there was just one ATM in the venue, and it pretty much had a long queue outside of it for the whole day. Travel passes will save you carrying change for the bus, but remember to keep some over for the taxi home, plus

plenty for food and drink.Another must-bring item is tissue

or toilet paper. Even at the best-run and most organised music festival, there will inevitably be one visit to the portaloos that results in a panicked search for the loo roll, and often some other person will have either used the last bit, or knocked it into the actual bowl. If and when this happens, by having a pack of tissues, you avoid a mishap and can go on your merry way to enjoy the music again. Hand sanitiser can also be a lifesaver, as you’ll likely be touching all sorts of manky things, and eating with your hands.

Next up you’ll need a clothing balance of ‘probable rain’ and ‘possible sun’– essentially a rain jacket that ties up small can double as something to sit on, while a pair of sunglasses that can push your hair back when it gets dark, leaving you with full vision to enjoy the band. While it’s difficult to know whether it will be sunny or not, having a small suncream bottle ready could save you some discomfort in the long run.

Lastly, remember to charge your mobile phone up to full capacity, as if you’ve to meet up with friends or like to take lots of photos, it’s likely use up your battery fairly quickly. Above all though, if you bring only one thing, make sure it’s your ticket!

The Desired Effect is the follow-up to 2010’s Flamingo from The Killers’

front man Brandon Flowers. His solo debut only really received

a lukewarm response from fans and critics alike. So has he managed to do a better job this time round?

The Desired Effect opens with the very Bruce Springsteen-esque Dreams Come True about a couple taking on the world. About half-way through the song I had a serious case of deja-vu. I

was wrecking my own head thinking I have definitely heard this before. Then I realised I had. Except the last time I heard it it was called Runaways, and it was the second track on The Killers 2012 album Battle Born.

After that uninspiring opening the next song Can’t Deny My Love is a massive improvement. It’s catchy without being too cheesy, helped by a Miami Sound Machine sample it’s

a proper dance floor filler that shows Flowers can write un-Killers-like songs when he puts his mind to it. The big problem is he doesn’t seem to want to and this lack of adventure on his part puts me off this album.

Don’t get me wrong he does try new things on this record, he just doesn’t do it enough for me. Most of this album sounds like the leftovers from a Killers album–bland songs not even worthy of being B sides.

As a practicing Mormon, Flowers quotes the New Testament on the track The Way It’s Always Been; “Everybody’s sitting around waiting for the Son to come again, and hoping that he’s really got the power to save us from these sins,” he sings, but I think even

God himself would probably think this album sucks.

Meanwhile I Can Change channels Bronski Beat’s 80’s classic Smalltown Boy, but it never hits the haunting heights of the original, probably because Flowers can’t match Jimmy Sommerville’s high vocal range.

The whole thing reminds me of an album of easy listening 80’s driving music and I half expected to see Status Quo pop up on the writing

credits. I lived through the 80’s, and have no great desire to revisit the decade through the power of song. However, it seems that Flowers would rather plunder that decade than adhere to modern digital pop rules on how to make music. Lash the synth onto a lump of multi tracked harmonies and away ya go.

// by Padraig Conlon


MUSIC

The Desired Effect

BRANDON FLOWERS

Crystals, is the first single off forthcoming album

Beneath The Skin.Four years on from their

debut album My Head is an Animal, and massive hit Little Talks, this latest offering continues in much the same vein with an anthemic chorus and beautiful, flowery, lyrics.

The track opens to rhythmic drumming until singer Nanna starts signing about “skies of powdered gold” and “clouds of silver ropes.” The imagery created is powerful and I’m really getting into the track until she gets to the next verse where she’s joined by co singer Raggi; “I know I’ll whither so peel away the bark, because nothing grows when it is dark.” Sorry lads but many things grow in the dark, mushrooms for instance, but I like the song so I’ll let it slide. This time.

In the chorus the band urge the listener to “Cover your crystal eyes, and let your colours bleed and blend with mine.” It’s a lovely song, but as an opener of a new album it’s a little bit underwhelming.

// by Padraig Conlon

Crystals

OF MONSTERS AND MEN

SUMMER FUN

Windows 10 is an upcoming operating system which is

being developed by Microsoft, and it will be the successor of Windows 8.1 which was released in 2013.

At the moment Microsoft have not confirmed a release date for Windows 10 but it is expected during the Summer with a lot of speculation that the operating system will be available in late July.

Although we don’t know exactly when it is being released, there is already plenty of information on what Windows 10 will do. The first thing to acknowledge is that Windows 10 will be free to new or existing devices that run Windows 7, 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 for the first year. To receive the free update you must sign up with your email.

Windows 10 will have seven different editions; Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, Mobile, Mobile Enterprise and IoT Core. Each one is specific to certain people and you can choose which one suits your lifestyle. Currently no pricing for any of the seven editions has been announced however.

A key feature for Windows 10 for mobile phones was announced in January called Universal Apps (or Windows Apps). This is where Microsoft are developing special versions of its apps such as Office for Windows 10 on tablets and phones under eight inches.

This means that Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook will be the exact same as their desktop versions, but the

ones for your phone and tablet will be more optimised for touch due to the screen size.

Once you download Windows 10 you won’t have to keep going back and downloading and updating it. Windows automatically updates when it is ready and it updates your device directly.

Windows 10 also brings back one of the most missed aspects of Windows 8 and that is the Start Menu returns to its rightful place in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. Live tiles and metro apps also appear when you click on the Start menu, however these can be turned off and you can just have a desktop-focused Start menu.

Cortana returns in Windows 10, which is your very own clever digital assistant from Microsoft. Early reviews of

Cortana on 10 are that it is improved from the previous version although it takes time to build up your preferences to get the best

out of it.More

and more information is being released about Windows 10 the closer it gets to it being released and there are many features

which are worth checking out on the website. The Microsoft HoloLens video which

shows Windows 10 compatible with it, is very impressive and shows the potential of holographic computing.

From early previews and reviews it is seen as a major improvement on Windows 8, with plenty more still to be found out about this upcoming operating system.

// by Colm O’Muirí


TECH

WINDOWS 10

F1 2015 is an upcoming racing

video game that is being developed and produced by Codemasters and is based on the 2015 Formula One Season.

As you would expect the game features all cars and drivers from the current Formula One season, along with all the tracks. F1 2015 features the grid from the very first race of the season which sadly means Manor Motorsport will not be present.

However an update which is due after the game is released will have the Manor team in it, along with some other performance updates based on the racing action over the season’s first few races.

In F1 2015 you will be able to race around all your favourite tracks with your favourite drivers. The 2015 season also sees the re-introduction of the Mexican Grand Prix, which features in the game, this

means that you get to race the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, even before the actual drivers.

For those of you who wanted to have F1 2014 on the next generation consoles last year you will be happy to hear that F1 2015 features all cars, drivers and tracks from the 2014 season as bonus content, all built to suit F1 2015.

One of the main features of F1 2015 is that the race commentary and the broadcast before each race in the game will be brought to you by the Sky Sports F1 team of David Croft and Anthony Davidson.

Another feature for those of you with Kinect for the Xbox One or the PlayStation Camera for the PS4 or other compatible headsets is that you will be able to interact with your race engineer.

This includes asking for race info, updates on the weather, your tyre status and to request tyre and front wing changes as just a few of the options which will be available when the game is released.

One of the good things about F1 2015 is that the game will be out in June rather than October as per the previous editions by Codemasters.

RELEASE DATE:Friday June 12th on PS4, Xbox One & PC


GAME

Farming Simulator 15 is an upcoming

video game that has been developed by Giants Software.

A highly popular gaming simulator among computer gamers, Farming Simulator has sold millions of copies worldwide, and now Farming Simulator 15 has arrived on consoles.

This is an ‘open world’ game, filled with amazing details and visual effects thanks to the brand new graphics and physics engine used for this new version. Farming Simulator features both multiplayer and solo activities in the game.

As you can imagine all these activities are farming based and you can develop your own farm by

FARMING SIMULATOR 15

F1 2015

harvesting, selling the fresh produce and invest in new and more powerful tools.

New to Farming Simulator 15 is that you can do a brand new activity, woodcutting, which also features a new selection of entirely dedicated vehicles and tools for the process.

The game gives you access to hundreds of acres across a North American-based landscape, in which you can use and drive over 140 authentic vehicles and farming tools.

Included in the game are 140 authentic

vehicles from over 40 of the most famous manufacturers worldwide; New

Holland, Ponsse, Case IH and Deut-Fahr

as well as Massey Ferguson.

By playing online the game allows your friends to help develop your farm and increase

productivity, and

you can also do the same for your friend’s farms.

Although the game has been available on PC since October 30th 2014, Farming Simulator 15 is now available on all the major consoles.

For anyone interested in giving Farming Simulator a try before purchasing you can download a demo of the 2013 version from their website for your PC.

RELEASE DATE:Tuesday May 19th on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 & PC.


june 2015 // 45

GAME

Some people love a car that grabs the attention of the public, and if that’s

you then the Range Rover Evoque is the car for you.

It looks like the ultimate dream drive and that it is, but that’s not the only reason that you might be interested–it’s also relatively reasonably priced for a model of its standard.

While you may not be rushing out to buy two of them in a hurry, compared to some similar models on the market it’s one of the best-priced. So what is it that makes this car so special? Let’s start with what type of trim lines that are available; Pure, Prestige and Dynamic, which all come in 5-door or coupé versions and all offer the younger driver something different.

The Evoque is more stylish and sophisticated than the others in the Range Rover collection too. The exterior takes little or no need to explain as they say, “what you see is what you get”, and it’s simply stunning and unlike many cars on the market is a model that almost everyone will agree needs no altering.

Meanwhile the interior is compact but well-arranged and the team really have made the most of the space available. The front seats are spacious and comfortable with plenty of adjustment, while the rear seats don’t give as much room but are still suitable for adults. The boot space is just what

I expected and is more than adequate for its size. In the Dynamic models, bright colors liven up the trim options whereas the Prestige versions offer a mellower, earthier medium.

The Evoque is powered by one of two engines starting with the 147bhp diesel and that same engine is also available with 187bhp. While it feels quicker on the road, the smaller engine will suit most buyers. The only petrol engine available in the range is a 240bhp turbocharged petrol and it’s only available on the Dynamic and Dynamic Lux trims.

As with all cars, the more you spend the more you get and although the trim levels give you that added fun to create your own version, I was completely shocked at just how much was included with the standard model–I actually feel I’m doing the car an injustice by even referring to it as “the standard model”.

Car tax for the Evoque starts at an impressive €280 for the year and pricewise it starts from €41,935 and can rise all the way up to €66,775, depending on the specifications you choose.

So what’s the verdict? Well if you have the money and wish to buy a car that in my opinion ticks every box, then the Range Rover Evoque is the one for you. If you aren’t sold visually then as soon as you sit inside you will be.

// by Rachel Lynch


MOTOR

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

Luke Waters writes about keeping law and order on the streets of New York in

his memoir NYPD Green.NYPD Green is a fascinating, funny

and honest memoir of the author’s journey from Finglas to New York City where he served in the famed NYPD for over 20 years.

Luke Waters grew up in the rough-and-ready Dublin suburb of Finglas in the 70’s and had ambitions of following his Grandfather and Brother to serve in An Garda Síochána. These ambitions were delayed by his three-year battle with the Irish paper in the Leaving Cert and Luke found himself following the well-worn path across the Atlantic while he waited for the recruitment process to start.

He immediately fell in love with New York, a city full of characters and life, and as he worked in the Irish bars of the city he was right in the thick of all the action. Luke never lost sight of his dream of entering the law enforcement business and the stories of the strokes that were pulled to get this undocumented Irishman onto the NY force are both interesting and sometimes remarkable.

His journey through the Academy and his early years on the force were eventful and Luke’s eyes were opened by the reality of life in one of the toughest police forces in the world.

His experiences did not often correlate with the notion that the NYPD was as squeaky clean as he had thought. Often officers that he

had served with and under were later found to being more interested in the side-money they could earn in overtime, expenses and sometimes by engaging in criminal activity themselves.

The 20 odd years of Luke’s police career covered in the book saw a huge change in New York as its people dealt with the Crack Epidemic of the 90’s and then the terrible events

of September 2011 to become the relatively low crime city it is today, mainly down to the sterling work of officers like Luke led by Mayor Gulliani.

The book is full of anecdotes and tales of some of the real crimes Luke was involved in investigating as he made his way from a green Rookie to Lead Investigator in the Bronx Homicide Division.

Cases that involved murder, drugs, gang violence, gun crime and lots

more, and he gives the reader an idea of the day to day perils of life “on the job”. The author’s relaxed writing style makes the book a really enjoyable read. Some of the characters are so well described that they are almost recognisable to us from the myriad of cop shows and movies we have seen involving New York’s finest.

Having met the author prior to reading the book I had no doubt that

he would tell his story in an enthusiastic and passionate way–the book also tells the tale of Luke’s personal development as he raised three children with his wife Susan while working in one of the hardest jobs on the planet.

Throughout this journey Luke never forgot who he was–a proud Irishman–and he helped many a young person straight “off the boat” to settle as well as immersing himself in the Irish and GAA community in the Big Apple.

NYPD Green is a fast-paced and enjoyable read and is available in Easons and all good bookshops.

// by Fergus McNally


BOOK

NYPD Green

LUKE WATERS

Hailing from Finglas, in August 1993, Waters joined the

ranks of New York’s finest as a ‘rookie’, and became a homicide detective in one of the toughest places in the world, The Bronx. Waters retired from the NYPD in 2011 and now lives in County Cavan with his wife and three children.

by Mick Jordan

K arla! Damn it it’s Karla! Oh for God’s sake! What a pain. I’m going to miss my bus now.

Why does she keep turning up when I least want her to? Okay–I never want her to but still. She does manage to turn up at the worst times. She’s always hanging out of Ellie. I don’t know why she puts up with it. Okay slow down, she hasn’t seen me. Walk slower, walk slower. Damn. I suppose I could turn around and walk back. No, what if she happened to turn around herself and saw me, just as I was turning round–she’d guess what I was up to. She’d be offended, she might get upset, she might even cry but worst of all–she might tell Ellie. Then Ellie’d be offended, she might get upset, she might even… okay she obviously wouldn’t cry but she wouldn’t be happy and she’d be pretty unimpressed by me. She’d think it damn rude, and to her friend as well. Why does she hang round with that girl for God’s sake? Doesn’t she see what an annoying little whiner Karla is?

Hold on. Oh God, she’s stopped. What do I do? I can’t stop too, it’s a busy street and I don’t have a convenient window to be looking in. Laces. I’ll tie my laces–anyone passing won’t see anything odd and hopefully by the time I’ve finished Karla will have exhausted all the excitement of that book display and hurried about her way. Thank God I didn’t put on the slip-ons this morning. I’ll tie up both shoes, and if by some calamitous tragedy she should spot me I can claim I was just about to run up to her. In fact I was tying up my laces to make sure I didn’t fall in my desperate dash to her side!

Of course I could actually catch up with her. Make the grand gesture. “Oh hi Karla, fancy bumping into you. I’m just off to get my bus, where are you off to?” Of course it’ll then turn out she’s going for the bloody bus as well and I‘ll be stuck with her all the way home! No wait, I think she gets a different one–I should be okay. In fact now I think of it she gets the Luas. I could offer to walk her to the stop, there’s one of them every two and half seconds so I wouldn’t have to hang around. Might even still make it for my bus. And if I walk with her and talk to her a bit she’s bound to tell Ellie. “Oh guess who I met in town. He walked me to the Luas. It was so nice of him, he’s such a gentleman”. And Ellie’d be… hang on, no Ellie might get completely the wrong end of the stick. She might think I fancied Karla. Oh dear God. That just doesn’t bear… no, need to nip that one in the bud sharpish! I’ll stay back, she can find the Luas on her own.

Grand she’s off–we’re laughing. I might be lucky and she might actually go into one of the shops she keeps looking at. Okay, we’re a good distance now, should be okay. Ah you’re not serious! Not again! Go inside woman, stop fussing outside. I’m going to catch up, I know I am. Damn it. Okay that’s it, there’s no choice this time, I’ll have to turn round, I have to risk it or I’m going to walk right on top of her. Damn and blast! Okay, take it slowly, discreetly now, make it look natural and… Oh wow. Oh that’s a happy chance, Ellie! What a lovely surprise. Great I can… why is she looking like that? She looks embarrassed or something and, and… why is she tying her laces?

By Mick Jordan, 46, from Firhouse is a mature student doing a BA in Film at Dublin Business School.

june 2015 // 49

WRITERS’ CORNER

Viewpoint


BUSINESS NEWS

It’s two years since Fit4less, the local low cost Health Club opened its door to the public to help get Tallaght fit and healthy. Since the opening of the club it has grown from strength to strength.

Due to the massive amount of interest in the gym, Fit4less has already opened up a large fully-equipped studio that caters for over 40 classes a week

which are included in the membership package of just €24.99 a month.

The club’s success has been put down to a number of factors such as brand new state-of-the art equipment, friendly and helpful staff, high standards in hygiene and of course its low price point.

To help celebrate their two-year anniversary the club sold over 50 memberships at a reduced rate of €179,

and held a one day event to celebrate its successes. If you are interested in fitness or whatever your personal goals may be, feel free to

drop down to the club at any time or contact the sales team for your free complimentary trial. Phone 01 5517242 or email [email protected]

Fit4less Celebrates Second Anniversary

Bikram Yoga has finally arrived in Tallaght thanks to a local woman Judith May – a Certified Bikram & Vikasa, Thailand Style Meditation & Yoga & Pilates Teacher.

The classes are being held in Rua Red beside the Square Luas stop. Classes are €15 for a drop in class or €50 for an introductory offer of 30 days unlimited. Classes are 90 minutes in duration and will be held morning and evenings from Monday to Friday.

Bikram Yoga is a therapeutic series of 26 hatha yoga asanas (yoga postures) and two breathing exercises performed in a heated room. It has been designed to increase flexibility, strength, aids in injury recovery, improves health, both physically and mentally and reduces stress levels. You will leave the class feeling energised and rejuvenated.

Check out Bikram Yoga Tallaght on Facebook for more information.

Newly Opened Bikram Yoga In Tallaght

Local TD Welcomes Dunnes Stores Pay Rise

After the strike action last month by staff, Dunnes Stores has agreed to adopt a 3% pay rise for all its employees. However, Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe, has said that while he welcomed the announcement, the company needs to realise that this is the 21st Century and recognise their employees union Mandate.

He said, “Dunnes and other supermarket multiples also need to eradicate the awful practice of zero hour contracts that trap workers into poverty wages. Vulnerable low-paid workers need to have some security around the number of hours they work or any proposed pay rise, while significant, will have no long term benefit for its employees.”

Crowe added that a cornerstone of decent work should be job security and this has to include a mechanism where employees are guaranteed decent and secure earning from week to week. He said, “Exploiting workers benefits no one. It is bad for business, bad for society and bad for the economy. Dunne’s Stores needs to engage with Mandate and work towards finding a long term resolution to its antiquated attitude to their employees and their working conditions.”

may 2015 // 51

The Lynch family and owners of The Cuckoo’s Nest Pub in Kilnamanagh closed their business on May 20th after 53 years trading. 20 staff members were let go with statutory redundancy at a meeting with the owners.

Peadar and Phyllis Lynch from Cavan bought the pub back in 1962, which was a centre for the Kilnamanagh community and held many a sports and music night. Locals in the community were saddened to hear of the closure of the pub which was reportedly due to financial issues.

The family posted a note on the pub door that read, “It is with enormous regret and heartbreak…there are not sufficient words to describe how we feel to say how sorry we are that we have no choice but to cease trading.

“We would like to wholeheartedly thank you for your custom, your loyalty, all the laughs, the slagging, the banter, the fun we have enjoyed sharing all of your life time celebrations – the happy and sad times.”

InTallaght Magazine would like to wish the family and staff all the best for their futures.

Rathfarnham Telecoms Company €1 Million Investment

Irish-owned company Telecom has announced a €1 million investment in its infrastructure making them the newest Internet Service Provider to enter the market here. The Rathfarnham-based company will upgrade to a 10 gig core network, through Agile Networks and TelecityGroup, both in Dublin.

As part of its investment programme, Telcom have teamed up with independent integrator Agile Networks to design and install the new network and will host it in the TelecityGroup, within their carrier-neutral data centre.

Founder and Managing Director of Telecom, Liam Tully, said: “Telcom may be the newest Internet Service Provider on the market, but we’ve already gained a strong foothold in the voice services sector over a long number of years. There’s a greater demand from business customers for faster and more reliable fibre speeds, so this investment in our core network will deliver a new data solution in addition to our existing voice offering to offices and workplaces throughout the country.”

The new ICT infrastructure equips Telcom to provide direct managed fibre service to companies in Ireland across all sectors and industries, with ‘zero’ contention rates. It will also enable businesses to avail of speeds of up to 1 gigabit on their voice and data networks nationwide.

The Cuckoo’s Nest Pub Closes


SPORTS

Greenhills Tomiki Aikido Ryu is celebrating its first birthday this year having first opened their doors to the public on May 28th, 2014.

Tomiki Aikido Ryu

The club has gone from strength to strength since its opening and has seen members attend

and compete at numerous seminars and events and be given opportunities to train with World Class instructors and coaches.

Keith McClean, 3rd Dan, first established a Junior and Youth Development Programme back in August 2013 with five students attending the first class in Belgard Community Centre, but as the club grew in size a bigger venue was needed and Greenhills Community Centre became the home of the newly established Greenhills Tomiki Aikido which now has 50 members aged five to 55! Keith was pivotal in forming the first Junior and Senior Irish Squads and alongside Pamela Dempsey and Jeremiah Ryan travelled to Antwerp to compete at the European Championships in April 2014 where the club gained valuable experience, finishing mid-table in most events.

In May of 2014 Keith and Pamela travelled to England to begin training with a combined British and Irish National Squad and have been

attending once a month ever since as they prepare for the upcoming Sport Aikido World Championships in Brisbane this coming August.

The Junior Squad has been hugely successful amassing three gold cups for best individual, two silver medals and a bronze at their first competition in June 2014 in Leeds before following up with a massive haul of one Gold Cup for Best Individual, one Gold medal, five silvers and three bronze at the Junior Open South at High Wycombe in November.

In July 2014 the brilliant Pamela Dempsey was successfully graded a 1st Kyu Brown Belt, becoming the highest graded female in Ireland and is currently training with the hope of achieving her black belt in July of this year.

The club hosted the Rising Dawn Seminar which was the biggest ever Sport Aikido event to be held in Ireland and saw members of every Irish club in attendance. The guest instructors included Bob Jones 7th Dan, Shaun Hoddy 6th Dan and Vanda Fairchild 5th Dan and Junior and Senior members were successfully graded on the day with the highlight

of the weekend being Sensei Joe Cheevers achieving the grade of 2nd Dan Black Belt.

The club continues to evolve successfully due to their dedicated members and receive fantastic support from parents, volunteers and senior members. They are currently in the finals of the 98fm Best of Dublin Awards in the Best Local Sports Club Category. The awards ceremony is being held on the 27th May.

You can find the club at www.greenhillstomikiaikidoryu.webs.com or on Facebook at Greenhills Tomiki Aikido Ryu.

june 2015 / 53

SPORTS

Tallaght RFC John Madden Plate Champions

Tallaght RFC has been crowned the John Madden Plate Champions following their epic victory over the BGF Ravens at Malahide Rugby Club on Thursday April 30th.

The Ravens, who represent Ballymun, Glasnevin and Finglas and were formerly known as Unidare, took the game to the Tallaght side that fought hard throughout and were

deserved 35-22 winners come the full time whistle.

Tries from Andrew Rudd, Colm O’Reilly,

Tony McManus and Stephen Heaney as well as the boots of Brian Tyrell and Paul Cunningham were enough to see Tallaght to a famous victory. It was a deserving ending to a tough season for Tallaght RFC and a worthy farewell to both Joe Ivers and Alan Bernes who are retiring and have been tireless workers for the club both on and off the pitch.

GAMEWEEK 38TOP 20 STANDINGS

# Team Manager PTS

1 BD FC Marcus Walsh 2,178

2 The Christ Punchers Al O’Driscoll 2,169

3 Atletico Sherlocko Mark Sherlock 2,151

4 Headingtothetop Dean Hudson 2,115

5 The Soccer Cannons Evan Sherlock 2,099

6 We_Need_More_Cowbell Thomas Murphy 2,096

7 Oops I won it again! Anthony Davis 2,094

8 The Sherlock Holmies Ben Sherlock 2,092

9 Hanula Janusz Sokulski 2,091

10 Pacemaker Peggy Derek Kelly 2,079

11 Trevs Boys Trevor Scally 2,078

12 cometh the Birr mush Dylan Hoctor 2,064

13 LUU FC John Luu 2,063

14 THE 3 BOYS FC Floyd Donnelly 2,055

15 Cesc Drogs&Rock&Roll Paul Mc Quillan 2,055

16 The Hit Squad Ross Shannon 2,046

17 Flying Solo Garreth Irvine 2,043

18 Bogey Bandits John Mc Manus 2,032

19 ChinaGirl Ying Jiang 2,026

20 STERLING31 Elton Bennett 2,014

WHERE’S PADDY? (OUR 2014 WINNER)67 This Year Again Paddy Troy 1,823

AND LIMPING ALONG IN LAST PLACE...129 Completely Awesome Caoimhe Napier 1,333

Katie McCabe Does It Again!

Tallaght’s very own Katie McCabe slid home an extra time winner in the FAI Continental Tyres National League Cup Final to secure victory for Raheny United on Saturday April 25th in Tolka Park. McCabe had given her side the lead inside ten minutes when she converted a penalty but Peamount United fired back and looked to have the game won with ten minutes of normal time to go as they led 2-1.

McCabe’s teammate Jamie Finn popped up with the goal that would send the game into extra time and it looked like McCabe would be getting set for

another penalty, this time in the shootout, as both teams failed to convert their chances.

With the last minute of extra time on the clock McCabe raced onto a loose ball and placed it past the Peamount keeper to record her 33rd goal of the season and seal a dramatic victory for Raheny United.

The Tallaght woman has now been named in the Republic of Ireland Senior Women’s squad for May friendlies against the USA and Haiti and will be looking to impress manager Sue Ronan as she tries to emulate her club form in the green of Ireland.

Padraig Conlon interviews the French defensive stalwart Maxime Blanchard

To The Max

“Everything I know about morality and the obligations of men, I owe it to football.” Albert

Camus; French philosopher who loved football.

Max Blanchard became only the fifth French born player to play for Shamrock Rovers when he stepped on to the Tallaght Stadium turf for this season’s opening game with St Pats. Just seventeen minutes into his debut he supplied a wonderfully controlled cushioned pass to Danny North who scored the only goal of the game to get the Hoops off to a winning start. Since that brilliant introduction the man who can play in the centre of defence or midfield has made a big contribution to his new team’s unbeaten start to the season. I had a chat with Rover’s latest foreign star to hear his early impressions of life in the League of Ireland.

Ireland and France share many deep historical and cultural links. Our flag was inspired by the French Republican tricolour and for centuries our two countries have enjoyed a special alliance. The evidence of these strong bonds is everywhere; from the amount of twinned towns to our love of French food. Ireland remains a hugely popular destination for French tourists and vice versa.

Sure even the LUAS trams are made by a French company, and the whole operation is run by another. Yet despite all this shared history very few French footballers have played in the League of Ireland. With the strong culture of football academies in France it is not necessary for young French players to leave their home country. One of the very impressive things Pat Fenlon has done since taking over at Rovers has been his desire to look beyond the small pool of players in this country and bring in players from other leagues. This approach has been paying dividends and all of the new

arrivals have each brought something very important to this year’s squad.

Maxime Blanchard was born in Alencon, Normandy 28 years ago. He grew up in love with the game of football and took his first steps as a pro with local club Stade Lavallois. He stayed in his native country for another five years through spells with L’Entente and Moulins before moving to Tranmere Rovers in 2010. After one season in Merseyside he moved down to the south coast of England for a three-year spell with Plymouth Argyle that culminated in him winning the Player of The Year award. At the end of last season he found himself out of a club when his contract finished with the Pilgrims. It was just after the new year when the call came from Pat Fenlon.

Maxime explains, “I had been on trial in Scotland and I got a bad cut in my leg which put an end to that. My brother lives in Dublin so I came over to visit him in January. My agent knew Pat from his time with Hibs so I went and met with him. He told me Rovers were looking for someone that plays my position. After

They made me feel welcome from the very first day. The fans also are so passionate and they have been very nice to me as well. Rovers is a special club.

“”

that meeting I was very interested. I was very impressed with him and his plans for the club. They offered me some trial matches and after that I was offered a contract. I was delighted to sign for Rovers. It’s a very good opportunity for me. “Their history is very interesting and at a club like Rovers there is always the need to win matches and titles. The opportunity to play in Europe was also a massive plus because that is something I’ve never done in my career. The lads sometimes talk about reaching the Europa League Group stages in 2011 and this is something I would obviously love to experience as well.”

Settling into to his new home was no problem for Max as his brother had been living here for the previous fifteen years. “My brother had been living in Clare and has only moved to Dublin recently. I had been to Ireland once before so I had a good impression of the country before I came here and it hasn’t let me down! My girlfriend and I are still settling in but I really like Dublin, it’s a cool city with really nice people and there is so much to see and do.” The welcome he got from his new team mates also helped. “They have been brilliant, they are a great bunch of lads, there is not one bad guy in the whole squad and I’m enjoying life at Shamrock Rovers. They made me feel welcome from the very first day. The fans also are so passionate and they have been very nice to me as well. Rovers is a special club,” he says.

Since his opening day heroics he has performed well in both the centre of the defence and midfield and has even chipped in with three goals, two coming in the one game versus Longford. I tell him I’ve seen (on YouTube) the wonderful last minute overhead kick he scored for Plymouth against Crawley to rescue a point for the Pilgrims and ask him should the fans expect more goals from him as the season progresses? He laughs and says, “It was very nice to get the goals

against Longford but it’s very unlikely that I score, that’s the first time I ever got two in one game. Expect more defensive interventions than goals from me!”

Seasonal Start

Maxime seems fairly happy with The Hoops start to the season so far. He says, “On the pitch it’s gone alright, I’ve missed some games, we’ve had some good wins and it’s been a decent start. We’re happy we’re still undefeated but we still haven’t reached our peak. When we start taking more of our chances we’ll start turning some of those draws into wins. As long as we’re in touch with four games to go then we’ll be in a position to win the title.”

What do you say to people who think the title race is all over and we should just hand the trophy over to Dundalk? He laughs and says, “Their form is impressive, they’re setting a decent tempo but it is nonsense to say the league is over already, we’re not even half way through yet. Hopefully the Dundalk players think it’s over as well. (Laughs) No I am joking, their players will know it’s far from over. Last year they led by 12 points at one stage and still ended up only winning the title on the last day against Cork. There are loads of games to come and there’s also Europe and the other cups plus teams may lose players as the season goes on.”

With his experience of playing in Leagues 1 and 2 in England how does the League of Ireland compare? “Well, here there’s a massive difference between the top 5 or 6 clubs and the rest but all the teams in the Premier here try and play a bit more than the lower leagues in England. Here the ball is in the

air less and it’s not as physical, there are less flying elbows if you know what I mean! The players here are technically good and everyone wants to play football. The fact that Maxime has already lived away from his native country has probably helped him settle so quickly here. His English is excellent and he comes across as a very positive, strong person. His first move from France was to Liverpool when he agreed to sign for Tranmere Rovers.

Surely this move to Merseyside must have been a massive culture shock for the lad from Normandy? “It was but it is a good culture shock, it was great, I really enjoyed my time with Tranmere. I had a friend who played for Rochdale and I went through his agent who got me a

trial with Tranmere. It was amazing, I

experienced a crazy year! The city of Liverpool has a special personality, it is a great city with a

lot of culture. I had always

june 2015 // 55

INROVERS


INROVERS

wanted to experience English football so for me it was something special.”

In the summer of 2011 Maxime made the move to English League 2 side Plymouth Argyle. The club was in turmoil off the pitch, having been in administration and staring into the abyss it was up to the players to try and keep the club in existence. In their new French signing the fans had a player they could trust to give everything for the club. At the end of his first season there the fans voted him their player of the year.

This call from local paper The Plymouth Herald gave the reasons why: “It has become apparent Blanchard hardly ever puts a foot out of place. Regardless of how he clears the ball, he does it with the minimum of fuss. There is never a sense of panic about him. His reading of the play is also excellent, as demonstrated by the way he moves across to make perfectly-timed tackles. Blanchard was initially only on a short-term contract but it did not take Fletcher long to realise what an asset he had on his hands. The defender soon had his deal at Home Park extended for the rest of the season. If you are looking for an Argyle player-of-the-year, then in my opinion you look no further than Blanchard.”

Maxime looks back fondly at that period of his career. “Plymouth is a fantastic club, they are in League 2 but they’re not a League 2 side, they’re way better. The people at the club were amazing, the fans are amazing and they were very good to me. They get 6,000 fans at their home games and they are so passionate, it makes you

want to fight for these people. It was really nice to win but to be honest I would prefer to win some collective prize than an individual one.”

Irish League

So how does Maxime think we can improve our League? He says, “Honestly it is too early for me to be commenting on something like that, I’ve only been here a few months plus the political side of things is not really my forte. I just love playing football, I’ve always been like that. Something you have here, and in England, that France doesn’t have is the great culture between the fans and their local club. The fans here have such great passion,

they love the club and it is a part of their life, in France this culture doesn’t exist on the same level. Fans here could teach some French fans about what it means to really support your club.”

We talk about French football and the players that inspired him when he was young. “Loads really, the two biggest being Zidane and Ronaldo, the real one obviously! They were amazing. I had loads of defenders I admired but those two were the greatest,” he says.

I say to him that it must have been an amazing experience to have been a football mad kid in France in 1998 when the national team won the World Cup? “Yes it was, it was amazing, a wonderful thing to experience. I was 11 that summer and I was picked on my regional team to play a match on the Stade de France pitch before the Nigeria v Denmark 2nd round game. It was a dream for me. When you are a kid something like that is magical. During that summer the only thing that mattered in France was football. All of a sudden France was being viewed as a football institution. It was an amazing buzz when we won though I think the buzz would be even better in Ireland if they won the World Cup. What a party that would be?! “

We chat about Irish sports and I ask him has he had a chance to sample any GAA games? “Not yet no but I’m looking forward to going to Croke Park this summer and seeing it live. I have seen clips of hurling and it looks so physical and technical, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world,” he says.

Maxim says he hasn’t had too much trouble adapting to Irish food and has done only some sightseeing so far. He says, “I have no problem at all with the food in Ireland. I wouldn’t be the type of French person who cares a lot about food and wine and every country has their own good foods. So far I’ve been quite busy with football so I’ve haven’t had the opportunity to travel around

We’re happy we’re still undefeated but we still haven’t reached our peak.

“”

the country. There are loads of things I want to see. From visiting my brother over the last few years though I’ve been to Galway, Ennis, Bunratty and I think we went to the Cliffs of Moher before. The west coast of Ireland is very wild, very inspirational and so beautiful.”

As far as plans in other countries go Maxime is unsure about the future. He explains, “I’m not really thinking like that, I’m concentrating on the present and I’m really enjoying it and happy to be here. I’ve always wanted to play in different countries, to experience different cultures. I’ve always believed that to only stay in France would be a waste of life. You learn a lot more from living in different countries and England and Ireland have taught me a lot.”

This is the first time in his career that he has played summer football, something that must be a little surreal for him. “It will be strange as the summer goes on to be playing, next week will be the first time I’ve watched the FA Cup Final and not be sore all over and recovering from a season! I think I’ll enjoy it all, it’s a new experience to enjoy. Football is a short career so I aim to enjoy every bit of it. To win the league and do well in Europe would be such a great thing.”

Finally I ask him was the decision to live in Blanchardstown done on purpose? He laughs and says, “Yes I really like the name! No I didn’t specifically chose Blanchardstown, it’s quite hard finding places to rent in Dublin and that was just a coincidence I’ve ended up living there.” I ask him if his friends and family think he is some sort of a god in Dublin and he laughs again and says, “Yes I tell them I am a legend and the football is going so well they have changed the name of the town for me! I’m going to start claiming parts of it, some of it must belong to me!”

// Photos by George Kelly

INROVERS

june 2015 // 57

Paddy Moore Headstone AppealLast year we did a feature on

Rovers legend Paddy Moore, widely regarded as being

one of the greatest Irish footballers of all time and Ireland’s first superstar player.

The Ballybough native signed for Rovers in 1928 and would go on to play for The Hoops during four different spells spanning almost the entire 1930’s. He won every major honour in Irish football, scored the winner in the 1931 and 1932 FAI Cup finals and was immortalised forever when he became the first player to score four goals in a World Cup game against Belgium in Dalymount in 1934.

Aside from his heroics with The Hoops Paddy also had spells at Cardiff City and Aberdeen. He earned legendary status with the Scottish club where he equalled the club record for scoring a double hat trick in 1932.

After he finished playing in 1941 Milltown became a second home for him and he continued to make an almost daily pilgrimage to Glenmalure Park to spend his mornings there helping and encouraging young players.

Paddy had struggled with alcoholism throughout his career and when he finished playing his condition continued to deteriorate and sadly he passed away at the young age of 41 leaving behind a wife and young children. Paddy was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery; as matters stand today there is no headstone on his grave.

Unable to address this matter themselves Paddy’s family recently

contacted Shamrock Rovers in a heartfelt appeal to have this rectified. His son Pat, who lives in Dun Laoghaire, is not in the greatest of health and is praying that he will see the day when a headstone can be put onto his father’s grave. I spoke with him last year about his Dads’ love for Shamrock Rovers.

He said, “Everyone loved my Dad, he was a great character, a bit of a rebel and a brilliant footballer. I have lovely memories of my Dad from when he used to take us out on the street to play football and when he used to take me to Milltown. He absolutely loved Rovers big time, he was always talking about them even though by that stage it had been over 10 years since he’d played for them. They were his team and he regularly went to watch them play whenever he could. When he’d get to the turnstile he’d just say ‘Paddy Moore’ and he’d be ushered in for free!”

The Board of SRFC have asked the Heritage Trust to assist in the matter and hence this project now in motion. We are appealing for any individuals or groups of fans at the club who would be willing to make a donation to please do so. Shamrock Rovers is a tremendous community within itself; the fans have proven time and time again that no task is too great when it comes to looking after one of our own.

Donations can be made directly to the Heritage Trust account at: SC:90-09-73 A/C:17759232.


INCULTURE

Welcome to the InCulture section of

InTallaght Magazine.Here you will find a

guide to all things cultural, art and drama that is happening in the next few weeks in Tallaght’s Civic Theatre, and RUA RED.

First up, events at the Civic this May:

In June the Civic Theatre has a great mix of drama, dance, music and comedy on offer.

From June 3rd – 7th Rathfarnham and Terenure Stage School (RATSS) will perform Snow White which is a musical and dance extravaganza. Meanwhile Al Porter returns home to Tallaght “for one night only” with his show Al Porter is Yours on Thursday June 11th. Tickets are on sale from €15 and are available from the Box Office on 01 4627477.

On Tuesday June 16th the Civic has school performances for children ages three to eight. These productions are by Branar

Téatar do Pháistí (Ireland) and Teater Refleskion (Denmark) in association with Baboró International Arts Festival for Children and is called The Way Back Home.

On Wednesday June 17th, to mark the 150th Birthday of W.B. Yeats in 2015, Michael Scott has composed a new song cycle exploring his poetry, focusing on the development of the Irish state and his unrequited love for Maude Gonne. Poems include Innisfree, Sailing to Byzantium, When you are old, The Sorrow of Love, and No Second Troy.

And finally our Civic theatre trivia for this month:

Did you know… in 2014, 250,000 people passed through the Civic Theatre to use the space, enjoy the various shows on offer, perform or visit our bar and café–the Interval Bistro. The Civic sold 43,000 tickets–lots of people in the community have enjoyed various shows throughout the year!

Meanwhile there is lots more happening at RUA RED

First up, RUA RED’s brand new-look website has just launched over at ruared.ie – be sure to check it out and let them know what you think!

On Monday June 22 and 29th, June 6th and July 13th, RUA RED will be hosting an O55s Photo Sharing and Printing event. It is an opportunity to have your tech-related questions answered while learning about how to use your computers and mobile devices to share and develop your photographic skills, as well as backing up online, printing services, and much more. The event is on at 7pm and costs €40 for the four weeks.

On Friday June 19th at 2pm there will be a Busking Competition as part of Love Live Music Day. It is a free event, and if you’re an aspiring soloist, band, comedian or just like to perform, you’re welcome to take part in our annual busking competition!

It’s open to all ages, but remember to register beforehand at [email protected].

Saturday June 20th brings to RUA RED a free Pre-Form Performance Day. Starting at 12 pm, RUA RED Associate artists pre-form will present a series of solo and collaborative performances with international artist and workshop facilitator, Poppy Jackson and invited artists.

There will also be a Performance Workshop with Poppy Jackson on Friday June 19th from 10am to 6pm for €35 (€30 conc). Poppy Jackson will host a workshop entitled The Use of the Body in Performance Art as an Activist Practice, unpacking methodologies for activating the body’s inherent political potency that employ its interconnectedness with society. Participants will use their bodies as source and medium to generate and perform impactful socially-engaged actions.

InTallaght EDITION 69

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