Lucan

YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER February 2, 2012

RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.

INSIDE: Minister Shatter discusses his proposed

Insolvency Bill P6

Local man saved in Atlantic boat ordealCapsized vessel was 520 miles from destination

� PAUL HOSFORD

A PALMERSTOWN man was plucked to safety from the Atlantic Ocean this week.

Aodhan Kelly, a 26-year-old who began his rowing career in Neptune Rowing Club, Chapelizod, was part of the crew of the Sara G, who

were trying to raise money for Plan Ireland by breaking the record for the quickest row across the Atlantic.

The team were 27 days into their journey when the vessel overturned on Monday, 520 miles from their destination.

Coastguards in Cornwall said the rowers were picked

up from a raft by the Nord Taipei, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship.

A coastguard spokesman said that the crew would be in Gibraltar next week.

“They are all safe and well on board, and proceeding to Gibraltar, where they are due to arrive on February 9.”

A spud-tacular day: Mr Tayto helps open GalaA CRISPLY-dressed special guest almost took all the attention at the opening of Gala, Rosse Court. However, rather than saying any cheesey lines, Mr Tayto quietly did his best to help everyone have a fun time, and posed for photos with those attending the open-ing, including Jerry McDonnell, national sales manager, Gala Retail Services Ltd; proprietors, brothers Paul and Alan Whitty; and Olivia Kenny and Paddy Conway, Padraic Tuffy Ltd.

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Soccer: Carroll moves to St Pat’s on two-year contractPage 32

Sports Awards: Gala night for local heroes set for this weekPages 28-29

2 LUCAN GAZETTE 2 February 2012

Debbie’s children’s tale for World Book Day� STAFF REPORTER

LOCAL schools, libraries and bookshops are busy gearing up for Ireland’s 15th World Book Day, the annual event aimed at promoting reading.

On March 1, schoolchildren across the country will receive a World Book Day token worth €1.50, with which they can buy a specially produced book. www.worldbookday.com.

In the run up to the annual event, the Lucan Gazette is run-ning four excerpts from Dead Hairy, a children’s book by Cel-bridge writer Debbie Thomas.

Published by Mercier Press, it’s a comedy adventure for girls and boys aged 9 to 99.

Debbie has been writing for children since moving to Ire-land with her family six years ago, after 10 years in South Africa and Bangladesh where

she wrote for aid agencies. Having spent almost a year

writing the book, Debbie is delighted to see it on the shelves. “It’s been a long journey. I sent it to quite a few agents and pub-lishers before Mercier Press took it up,” she said.

Her three daughters, 13-year-old Emily and 10-year-old twins Ruby and Rosa, have been a huge help. “They’re the best critics and will soon tell me which jokes work and where the plot has loopholes.”

Set in a Museum of Hair, Dead Hairy was inspired by a trip to the hairdresser. “While I was waiting for a cut I started thinking of hairstyles, espe-cially plaits, as a metaphor for storytelling,” Debbie says.

“The strands of a plait – and a plot – intertwine before tying up neatly at the end. Based on this idea, Dead Hairy weaves

three stories into one, as the heroine Abbie investigates the mysterious disappearance of her friend’s mother.

“Along the way she meets some crazy characters, from Fernando, a lovesick shrunken head, to the burger-shaped vil-lain, Dr Hubris Klench.”

Since Dead Hairy’s publica-tion, Debbie has been visiting local schools and libraries to

encourage creativity through stories. “Whether it’s painting, baking or organising, everyone has something original to con-tribute, their own story to tell. Reading is a wonderful way to unlock the imagination and build compassion by discover-ing other worlds and perspec-tives. For those who struggle with reading, books can be off-putting. But through fun

activities – inventing a crazy museum or creating a villain from a kitchen utensil - it’s fan-tastic to see a reluctant reader come up with a brilliant idea and realise that he or she has created something unique,” Debbie said.

To find out more about Deb-bie’s creative writing classes go to www.debblogs.com/word-press/

Chapter 1: STUCK

SQUASHY Grandma lunged for her knickers. They slid with a sigh down the back of the radiator. ‘Blast!’ she tried to say. But it came out as ‘Vast!’ That was because, as she reached over, her false teeth fell out.

Abbie looked up from her book. Everyone knew Squashy’s knickers were vast. Why bother announcing it? ‘What’s up, Grandma?’ she said.

‘My feef!’Abbie went over and peered behind

the radiator. The teeth grinned up from their flowery knicker nest. ‘Dad,’ she said, ‘Grandma’s lost her teeth. And her marbles,’ she muttered.

‘Marbles,’ echoed Dad from behind the paper, ‘an ancient game …’

Abbie rolled her eyes. Here we go, she thought.

‘… played two thousand years ago by

Julius Caesar …’Hello? Earth calling History Nerd.‘… who also – interesting fact –’I doubt that.‘… used to pluck

out his body hair with tweezers.’

‘Dad –’At last he put the

paper down. ‘What?’‘Grandma’s teeth

are stuck.’ Not that there was any point explaining. When it came to practical prob-lems Dad was less use than earwax.

He came over to the radiator. He peered down the back. He rubbed his bald patch. He did his pretend-to-scratch-your-lip-while-picking-your-nose trick.

‘Abbie,’ he said, ‘get the Hoover.’

‘You what?’He did his don’t-argue-with-me

word jiggle. ‘The Hoover, Abbie. Get.’Sighing, Abbie went

into the hall and wheeled out the Hoover from the cupboard under the stairs. She dragged it by the neck into the sitting-room and plugged it in. Dad pointed the tube down the back of the radiator.

The Hoover growled into life. The teeth chat-ted to the wall.

‘Oofeff!’ Squashy Grandma got as close to snapping as anyone

without teeth can get.‘Not useless, Mother,’ said Dad. ‘It’s

bound to loosen them.’It did. The teeth flew up from their

flowery folds. They lodged in the

mouth of the vacuum tube.Dad shook the tube. The teeth were

stuck. He tugged his beard. ‘Get the phone book, Abbie.’

‘But –’‘Abbie. The phone book. Get.’Abbie went back into the hall. She

knew the numbers of the plumber, electrician and carpenter off by heart. But the Yellow Pages had no Vacuum Cleaner False Teeth Removal man. Between Vehicle Testing and Video Repairs, however, she saw a small advert.

Wobbly widgets? Drooping drains?Dad less use than earwax?Call the VERY ODD JOB Man.

Dead Hairy, by Debbie Thomas, is published by Mercier Press and is illustrated by Stella Mac-donald. Available in most book-shops priced €8.99

Excerpt 1 from Debbie Thomas’ Dead Hairy

Local author, Debbie Thomas, is helping to promote the 15th World Book Day

� PAUL HOSFORD

[email protected]

COUNCILLOR William Lavelle, has warmly wel-comed the appointment of a design team for the new Lucan South second-level school

The proposed school, which is to be co-man-aged by both County Dublin VEC and Educate Together, is to be located at Grange Castle Road (the new name for the Outer Ring Road).

The school will have 1,000 places and will serve children living in the Lucan South area and attending local pri-mary schools including Archbishop Ryan NS and Griffeen Valley and Lucan East Educate Together.

Cllr Lavelle, who is a member of County Dublin VEC, said that the school was a huge priority of his and the delivery of it was a boon to local school chil-dren and their parents.

“Delivery of this much-needed new school was my number one priority during the 2009 local elec-tions, and the appoint-ment of a design team means the school is on-course to open in 2014.

“I am delighted to have been able to play an active role in helping to progress this important project. In December 2007, as plan-ning consultant to the Lucan South Secondary School Action Group. I wrote the two amend-ments to the Clonburris Local Area Plan which secured for the first time a commitment for a sec-ondary school.

“Following my election I pressed for identification and sale of a site to the Department of Educa-tion for this much-needed school, and, in February 2010, the council signed-off on the sale of a seven-acre site next to the Outer Ring Road.”

Lavelle further advised that the Department of Education granted “devolved authority” to County Dublin VEC to expedite the planning and development process.

Design team for Lucan school

WELCOME: LAVELLE

EVENT Promoting reading in children of all ages

2 February 2012 LUCAN GAZETTE 3

EVENT Huge community day project to raise funds

Mini-telethon is planned for Pieta House� PAUL HOSFORD

[email protected]

T H E p e o p l e o f Clondalkin and Lucan are being called on to make March 9 a huge community day in aid of Pieta House.

People For Pieta is an initiative by a number of local people, with well-known local DJ Dave Devlin, and John Quinn, whose story with Pieta House was shown in last year’s RTE show, The Secret Millionaire.

The idea behind the event is a mini-telethon, aimed at raising funds and awareness for Pieta House, the suicide pre-vention centre.

Devlin, who is known locally as DJ Dave, says that the centre has approved the idea and that he hopes to bring together the Mid-West Dublin area for one huge event.

“The plan is to bring the area together for one day, where they can do their own events to raise money for Pieta House.

“We’ve already had pledges of support for parachute jumps, non-uniform days and other fundraisers, so we’re hoping that people can continue to get behind us,” says Devlin.

The event, which will be housed in Finches

Pub, Neilstown, on the day, has the potential to be a huge fundraising event, says Dave.

“We know things are hard and there’s not much to go around, but if you got 400 school-kids paying 50 cents each for a non-uniform day, that adds up to €200.

“If we got every school across Clondalkin and Lucan to do that, it adds up.

“I’m involved in fund-raising in the local area for other organisations and, when you do it all indoors at a pub, there are only so many peo-ple that can come. With an event like this, we

Joan Freeman, CEO and Founder of Pieta House, who will benefit greatly from a

planned community day

don’t cap the number of people who can get involved and we can bring the whole com-munity together.”

T he even t looks likely to receive a visit from John Concannon, who last year gave a large donation to Pieta House on RTE’s show,

The Secret Millionaire.John Quinn, was the

face of Pieta on that show, and is on the committee for People For Pieta. Back in September, John told the Gazette that for every €1,000 raised, a life is saved.

“We work out that it costs €1,000 to put

someone through coun-selling in Pieta, and that’s the bottom line. The money saves lives.”

For anyone looking to get involved in the event, call Dave Devlin on 086 245 2174, Marie Peelo on 01 601 0000 or John Quinn on 087 931 51 51.

Seamus’ Subways in top ten storesLOCAL businessman Seamus Griffin, was celebrating this week when the Subway stores that he owns in Adam-stown and Westmore-land Street were rated among the top ten Sub-way stores in Ireland for cleanliness and custom-er service.

Seamus and his staff came very close to see-ing his Adamstown store named as the outright winner of the Subway chain’s coveted Store of the Year 2011 award having scored highly in a series of monthly inspections.

They had to settle for second place after achieving an aggregate score of 97.47%, which had been enough to outperform all but one store in the competition that involved 184 Sub-way stores on the island of Ireland.

AWARDS

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Mayor Jones lends a hand at Foxborough� PAUL HOSFORD

[email protected]

THE Mayor of South Dublin County Coun-cil, Caitriona Jones, visited the Foxborough Maintenance Associa-tion in Lucan last week to congratulate them on their participation in the Social Credits Scheme.

The Mayor said: “I am delighted to be here

to witness the positive results of the members of Foxborough Mainte-nance Association. This is an excellent example of communities getting involved in their area and making a difference. It is very evident that Foxborough is a place where people care and are willing to take action to maintain it.

“I wish them continued

Towpath is set to be reinstated

GRAND CANAL: WORKS AT 12TH LOCK APPROVED

COUNCILLOR William Lavelle has welcomed agreement from Water-ways Ireland for works to reinstate the Grand Canal towpath west of the 12th Lock.

Cllr Lavelle said that work to install under-ground cables had left the tow path in a bad state, leading to complaints from locals.

“Last year I received numerous complaints from Lucan residents over the very poor state of reinstatement works along the towpath west of the 12th Lock, follow-ing earlier works to install underground cables.

“Initial responses to residents from Waterways Ireland stated that, due to the cabling works, ‘dam-age to the towpath was unavoidable. It has, how-ever, now been almost fully reinstated…’.

“This response angered residents, who felt the reinstatement works were unsatisfactory,” Cllr Lavelle said.

“However, Waterways Ireland officials agreed to hold an on-site meet-ing in November with the contractor to review the

reinstatement works.“On foot of this meet-

ing, I have now been advised by Waterways Ire-land that at this meeting various further reinstate-ment works were agreed to by the contractor.

“Some of this has now been completed but the wet stretch in question between the 12th lock and Hazelhatch has not yet been completed.

Damage

“To do so with the ground in its current wet state would cause damage to other parts of the tow-path. This will be com-pleted when the weather dries up in spring.”

Cllr Lavelle added that the works would be wel-comed, especially given that the area is so pictur-esque.

“I look forward to see-ing these works com-pleted, as I’m sure will the many Lucan residents who walk this very pictur-esque stretch of the Grand Canal. I wish to thank Waterways Ireland for their proactive response to my intervention on this matter,” the Fine Gael councillor said.

CONGRATULATIONS Foxborough Maintenance Association

Mayor Caitriona Jones pictured with group members

success and look forward to coming here again,” Mayor Jones said.

The Social Credits Scheme is an initiative run by South Dublin County Council empow-ering local communities to undertake positive, environmental and sus-tainable projects and actions which direct-ly affect their local-ity. In return, commu-

nity groups can avail of rewards, including access to council facili-ties and services.

Aspires

T h e p r o g r a m m e aspires to motivate, assist and reward groups, who may not be involved in the enhancement of local area, to get involved and to take ownership of the county.

Foxborough Mainte-nance Association have completed a range of local projects, including community cleanups, anti-graffiti programmes and weeding of footpaths and have received clean-up supplies, free public swims in Clondalkin Leisure Centre and will attend drama produc-tions in the Civic Thea-tre, Tallaght.

App l i ca t ions a re assessed by weighing the practicality of action to enhance the commu-nity, the feasibility of project targets/actions, community involve-ment and participation, structure and layout of proposal and additional information supplied.

Assessments are then carried out by a cross departmental sub-com-mittee.

To apply to the scheme, community groups can visit www.socialcredits.ie and complete an appli-cation form, or contact SDCC directly on (01) 4149000 or by email [email protected] for further information.


Explaining the � ALAN SHATTER TD

Minister for Justice, Equality

and Defence

IN addressing issues of insolvency, a balance has to be struck between people in debt through no fault of their own, and those who have been reckless.

Many businesses , although carefully run, find themselves in enor-mous difficulties due to non-payment by others for goods and services.

A variety of circum-stances can result in individuals becoming mired in unsustainable debt with no prospect of ever discharging it. Every country needs to have in place reasonable legal mechanisms to address insolvency while ensur-ing that no one ben-efits from fraud or illegal activity.

Last week, the Gov-

ernment agreed to my proposals for the Per-sonal Insolvency Bill. The Bill delivers on a commitment contained in the Programme for Government and in our EU/IMF Agreement. One of a number of measures that will con-tribute to our overall economic recovery, its objective is to address the situation of those whose debts are unsus-tainable and who have no realistic prospect of resolving their difficul-ties.

The intention behind the proposed new law is to design a system that is fair to both creditors and debtors alike.

The proposed Bill will, for the first time in Irish law, provide a legal mechanism for those in difficulty with their debts to enter into agreements with their

creditors to resolve their debts through a negoti-ated settlement without the necessity of a costly court procedure.

It is not only about money owed to banks. It also includes smaller creditors, such as busi-nesses and suppliers. The new arrangements are designed to allow for sufficient flexibility to allow debtors and credi-tors to reach a fair and sensible agreement that takes account of the true financial circumstances of the debtor.

Importantly, it will be possible to include mort-gage debt in the agree-ment, subject to certain criteria.

Three new non-ju-dicial debt settlement systems are being intro-duced, subject to rel-evant conditions in each case. These are: • A Debt Relief Certifi-

cate to allow for the full write-off of qualifying unsecured debt con-cerning debtors with “no assets and no income” up to €20,000, after a one-year moratorium period;• A Debt Settlement Arrangement for the agreed settlement of unsecured debt o f €20,001 and over; and• A Personal Insolvency Arrangement for the agreed settlement of both secured and unse-cured debt of €20,001 and over.

The Personal Insol-vency Bill (PIA) provides for a unique and specific mechanism to assist resolving difficulties confronting thousands of home owners in nega-tive equity with mortgage arrears who are genuine-ly incapable of discharg-ing their monthly mort-gage repayments.

COMMENT Alan Shatter puts into plain and simple English

The Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, TD


Insolvency Bill

Use of this mechanism has the potential for agreed debt settlement arrangements being put in place that will ena-ble people to continue residing in their homes and avoid judicial bank-ruptcy.

The Bill’s provisions will be of assistance not only to those in mortgage arrears, but also to those who are overwhelmed by credit card bills, car loans and overdrafts. It will allow those in dif-ficulty to get back to liv-ing a more normal life by alleviating some of the

stress and uncertainty that they may currently be experiencing due to financial pressures.

The new arrange-ments are not, however, designed to be an easy option for those who won’t pay or simply behaved recklessly in relation to their financ-es.

LegislationThe draft legislation,

which is available on my Department’s website – www.justice.ie – has a number of safeguards to protect against abuse of

the system.The final element of

the legislation is the reformed bankruptcy arrangements which will include, critically, the introduction of auto-matic discharge from bankruptcy, subject to certain conditions, after three years in place of the current 12 years.

This continues the reform of the Bank-ruptcy Act 1988, which I began last year with changes I introduced in the Civil Law (Miscel-laneous Provisions) Act 2011.

The Bill also pro-poses the establishment of an Insolvency Serv-ice to operate the new non-judicial insolvency arrangements. The new legislation, when opera-tional, will complement a range of other policy init iatives across a number of Government

Departments aimed at assisting those in finan-cial difficulty. For those in mortgage difficulty, in particular, there are a range of initiatives ema-nating from the recom-mendations of the Keane Report last year that are either already in place or being actively worked on by Government.

This suite of measures, including the new per-sonal insolvency legis-lation, will offer a menu of options that can be availed of depending on the severity of the mort-gage problem.

The outline of the leg-islation is now to be con-sidered by the Oireach-tas Justice Committee, and the Bill in legislative form will be published by the end of April. It will then be considered by the Dail and Seanad and become law later this year.

his latest proposal to the Dail

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‘The Bill will be of assistance not only to those in mortgage arrears, but also to those who are overwhelmed by credit card bills, car loans and overdrafts’- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Mr Tayto had bags of appeal at GalaA

CRISPLY dressed visitor drew lots of attention at the opening of the new Gala outlet at Rosse Court,

with Mr Tayto taking time out from his busy schedule to help open the new store. The well-known Irish celebrity was a firm flavouri– sorry, favourite

– for many on the day, with the com-munity turning out to welcome the opening of the new Gala store.

While Mr Tayto, face-painters and balloon modellers added to the day’s fun, the store’s opening was particular-ly welcome as, in addition to provid-

ing several new full- and part-time positions, its proprietors, brother Paul and Alan Whitty, present a 3,400-sq ft store full of a wide range of produce, with a deli, baker’s corner and even a fish and chip takeaway, adding to the large store’s already notable appeal.

Ciaran Somers, Kyle Hanlon and Mantas Stamkevicius were happy yto meet Mr Tayto at Gala’s opening at Rosse Court. Pictures: Andrew Foley

While Mr Tayto was a big hit with the locals – so much

so that some didn’t want to leave him (above) – the day

was lots of fun, thanks to the welcoming atmosphereWhile lots of children wanted to have their faces painted (left and right), adults thought Mr Tayto was flavour of the month at the new store

RETAIL New store opens at Rosse Court, Lucan


Higgins welcomes libraries usage rise� PAUL HOSFORD

[email protected]

NEW figures have shown that usage of local librar-ies is on the rise, but local Fine Gael council-lor Emer Higgins says that the usage must be met with an increase in resources.

She said: “I was very encouraged to learn this week that library usage throughout our local area is increasing.

“With many homes finding themselves in changed circumstances, due to the recession, free facilities such as library services are increasingly popular, and I understand that a number of people now use our libraries as ‘pop-up offices’.

“I think it is fantastic that our council can sup-port people in this way, and that the services of

the libraries, and, indeed, mobile libraries, are being utilised more and more by local communities.

“I understand that the mobile library services at Larkfield and Foxbor-ough have proven par-ticularly successful.

“I know that the coun-ty librarian and her staff are all the time looking at new and innovative ways of delivering library and digital services to local residents, and I will continue to support them in seeking financial resources for expanding our library services,” said Cllr Higgins.

She said that the upcoming launch of his-torical websites focusing on Lucan and Palmers-town would be boons to the local community.

“Just one of the initia-tives being progressed by the Library Services is the

provision of web pages, detailing the history of Lucan and Palmerstown and suggesting historical walks in the area.

“These sites are due to be up and running by spring and will, no doubt, prove a great resource for local historians, and stu-dents researching school projects, alike,” said Cllr Higgins.

“Another progressive concept being explored by the County Librarian is the New Age-Friendly County Initiative, which is aimed at providing access to digital facilities and is specifically aimed at retired people.

“Last year, I met with members of a group in Lucan who are involved in a new age-intergen-erational third-level education project, and I thought it was fascinat-ing to see how successful

the group is at integrating younger and older people, encouraging intergenera-tional learning from one another, and the develop-ment of a mutual under-standing of generational issues and cultures,” said Cllr Higgins.

“If this sort of ethos can be brought into a library service through the New Age Friendly-County Initiative, I think it could provide a really important and beneficial service for our community.

“I will be campaign-ing for such an initiative in Palmerstown, which although offering library services in Stewarts, lacks a primary library.

“A digital hub, offer-ing age-friendly services, would be ideal for this area and I look forward to helping to progress this in any way that I can,” said Cllr Higgins.

FACILITIES: PLANS TO FURTHER MEET NEEDS

Jedward meet ‘Dogward’: Pair of pooches meet equally well-groomed pair of popstars ‘DOGWARD’ – better known as Lucy and Emily – sported some unusual style when they met Lucan’s finest, Jedward, recently.

The well-groomed pairs of exotic creatures compared looks, with the boys turned out in some eye-catching animal prints in honour of the day, which saw John and Edward join-ing Lucy and Emily to help highlight Dogs Aid Annual Sanctuary’s work.

Established in 1987 to help dogs that were unwanted and abandoned in Dublin, the charity has since grown to care for other animals in addition to its primarily dog care, with the volunteer-staffed service striving to ensure that it can rehabilitate and rehome as many pets as possible. For further informa-tion on the charity, which is striving to build a new sanctuary, see www.dogsaid.ie.


Father, son deny threats to kill detective gardaTHE TRIAL of a father and son accused of threat-ening to kill a detective has heard evidence of the forensic analysis of CCTV footage taken from the accused’s family home.

The men allegedly made threats against Detective Garda Stuart Gleeson that he would be killed and left in a ditch.

Det Gda Gleeson pre-viously told the jury that Ian and Graham Dutton made threats on his life on a number of occasions and also knew details about his personal life, including where he lived and what car he drove.

Ian (48) of Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin has pleaded not guilty to three counts of threats to kill between September 2008 and April 2009.

His son Graham (26)

Dublin’s Central Criminal Court

of the same address, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of threats to kill during the same time period.

The footage was intro-duced as prosecution evi-dence following a request from the defence team.

Mr Giollaiosa O Lide-adha SC, defending Ian,

earlier suggested to pros-ecution witness Garda David Howard that the CCTV footage showed an unmarked garda car occupied by Det Gda Gleeson and himself, pulling up outside the Dutton family home on April 7, 2009.

Detective Garda Mar-

tin Hogan told the jury that he had been pre-sented with the CCTV footage, stored on a USB key, for examination.

He said the files had been downloaded from the CCTV system on April 17, 2009 and since that time there has been no changes or alterations

made to the files.He agreed with Mr

Remy Farrell SC, defend-ing Graham, that it was not a “straight forward” process “to cook up the footage” or doctor the files, but clarified that this was dependant on the capabilities and knowl-edge the person altering

Call out for Youth ServicesIF YOU are over 18 years of age and are interested in getting involved in your community in a practical and helpful way, Lucan Youth Service is looking for you.

The adult volunteer team of Mega Bites Youth Cafe is currently looking to recruit like-minded, creative and enthusastic individuals.

Full training and induc-tion provided.

For further informa-tion, contact Mary or Joan at one of the following: Lucan Youth Service on 01 6217640, email [email protected] or on Facebook www.facebook.com/mega-bites.cafe

VOLUNTEER

the files had of the CCTV system.

Det Gda Hogan told Mr O’Lideadha that he had not been given an opportunity to view the footage on the CCTV system itself, so he could not comment on its state before it was downloaded onto the USB key.

Mr Colm O’Briain BL, prosecuting, told the jury that the State accepts that both Ian and Graham Dutton were arrested, detained and interviewed in September 2009 and denied the allegations when gardai put them to them.

The prosecution case has now closed and the trial continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of six men and six women.

COURTS Clondalkin men facing multiple counts of threats to kill


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2 February 2012 GAZETTE 11

GazettePETSPETSBrought to you by Miriam Kerins of

the DSPCA

THE FACTS: CARRIED OUT PROPERLY, A CRATE BECOMES A SECURE AND SAFE HAVEN

The many benefits of crate trainingAS a dog owner who adores her dogs (the kids complain I favour my dogs over them… er, like that’s a bad thing?) I am also very house proud, and don’t do untidiness, something else that annoys the kids, so it was an obvious choice for me to crate-train my dogs when I became a pet par-ent.

Why?Because I believe there

are many benefits to crate training, and if carried out properly and respon-sibly, the crate becomes a secure and safe haven for your pets.

You see dogs natu-rally live in dens and, by providing a crate large enough for your pet to sit, stand, lie down, spread out and turn around in will ensure he’ll keep his

personal living area clean and pee- and poo-free. I like to think of the crate as a five-star room with a view.

Also, some breeds, for example Patterdale Ter-riers, (I have two), can be a tad boisterous and, instead of acting out, they now know to go to their “bed”, and remain calm.

So, whether you have a puppy or an older dog, here’s a few essential housekeeping tips that I hope you’ll find useful when it comes to crate-training Fido.

The process: Choos-ing your crate is impor-tant and there are several types available. You’ve got the plastic one, which is good for use in the car and for ferry and flight travel, the fabric one which is

Choosing the right crate for your pet is important

foldable (but chewable), or the ones I use which are more sturdy (albeit expensive), the collaps-ible metal-framed ones. All are available at good pet stores.

If you’ve got a puppy, then make certain the crate is large enough for the adult version of your

dog but not so large he will feel uncomfortable. Remember, he needs to be able to move around, stand up, lie down, and at the same time, feel cozy and safe. If the crate is not utilised properly, your dog can feel trapped and isolated.

Are you someone who

travels a lot or has a busy schedule? That’s fine – impose this schedule on your dog, teach him to be in his crate during those times; after all, he will know what to expect and fall in line with your routine.

The placing of your crate is very important. Dogs love company so keep the crate in a fam-ily area. Mine are in the kitchen… well, we are at our best chez Kerins when we’re eating.

Plan your crating based on your dog’s needs, remembering all the time that he requires and responds to routine, which makes for a posi-tive experience for eve-ryone.

Patience is the key. In order to quicken the

process I rewarded my dogs and eventually they voluntarily went to their own private areas, happy in the knowledge that it was their “down time”.

Take your dog outside the second you release him from the crate in order to allow him pee or poo. When he does this, reward him. This brings me to stage of dog – i.e. puppy or adult. Young puppies do not have con-trol over their bladder, therefore you must take them outdoors every hour to do their business.

As they get a little older, for example, 20 weeks, they start to gain a little control and gradually get better with age and understanding.

However, common sense is the key and you

need to exercise it and get to know how much time your dog can last before losing control of his blad-der. If you leave them in the crate for too long you’ll force them to soil it and this will only make for a very unhappy dog.

Never use the crate as a form of punishment! It’s your dog’s little haven, it’s where he feels safe; it’s where he goes when he needs to feel calm, so respect this. Once you use the crate as a form of punishment, it loses its value and you’ve lost the respect of your pet and this may result in destruc-tive behaviours.

� For more information log onto www.dspca.ie or email me [email protected]

12 GAZETTE 2 Februay 2012

Tasty treat for storeE

STEEMED chef Ken Hom, hosted a dem-onstration day in the newly-opened Tesco store in Cabra recently.

Hom cooked up his authentic Chinese food suitable for the health-conscious, to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the arrival of the simplistic, yet flavourful, range of real Chinese food.

Competition winner Muireann Quinn, competed in a “wok off” against Hom, cooking a Chinese favourite, sweet and sour chicken. “I try to cook healthy, I mostly cook vegetarian food. I’ve been a vegetarian for 26 years, but today I’m looking forward to cooking sweet and sour chicken.”

The range is designed exclusively for Tesco, concentrating on delivering pure, traditional and affordable Chinese cuisine. Dishes include spare ribs, crispy chilli beef and aromatic duck.

The Woods family and Ken. Picture: Ania Sherlock

Winner Muireann Quinn competing in the “wok off”

Eugen Smocinchi, from St Joseph’s school for the Deaf, and Ken

Peter Wong and Bob Boland from St Joseph’s School

for the Deaf

Tesco Cabra store manager, Martyn Saunders, with

Ken

Competition winner, Muireann Quinn, and her

daughter, Roisin, with Ken

EVENT Top Chef Ken Hom’s demonstration at Tesco Cabra


14 GAZETTE 2 February 2012

800,000 hybrids for HondaHONDA Motor Co, Ltd, has announced that Honda’s cumulative worldwide hybrid vehicle sales surpassed 800,000 units, as of the end of December 2011. This milestone was reached 12 years and two months after the start of sales of the first generation Honda Insight in Japan in November 1999, which delivered fuel economy of 35km/litre, then the world’s highest fuel economy among all petrol-powered vehicles.

Honda introduced the first generation Insight, Civic Hybrid and Accord Hybrid equipped with Honda’s original lightweight and compact IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid system. More recently, following the introduction of the second generation Insight in 2009, Honda introduced a total of six new hybrid models in the last three years to expand the hybrid vehicle line-up and sales. Honda’s annual world-wide hybrid sales for 2011 was approximately 200,000 units (up 30% compared to 2010), and Honda’s total hybrid sales during the last three years exceeded 500,000 units.

Boyzone’s Shane Lynch urges drivers to beat budget and VAT increases by driving smart

Unique additive gives Topaz an economic edge

GazetteMOTORSMOTORS

BOYZONE’S Shane Lynch has launched a new efficient driving campaign by leading fuels and convenience retailer, Topaz.

Shane, a keen driving enthusiast, says motorists could knock hundreds of euro off their motoring costs by adapting their driving styles and mak-ing a number of small, but key, changes.

To mark the new cam-paign, the Boyzone star visited the Topaz site at Glasnevin in Dublin – not far from where he grew up in Sherriff Street – and also visited the state-of-the-art Topaz site at Cashel on the Dublin-Cork motorway.

“Accelerating smooth-

ly, removing unnecessary weight, avoiding tail-gat-ing and driving at a mod-erate speed are just some of the ways motorists can save money. Motoring costs are rising all over the world and Ireland is no different, so it is up to drivers to drive smart and save money,” Shane said.

Topaz director, Paul Candon, said it was clear motorists wanted value for money, especially in light of the recent Budget and VAT increases on fuels.

“Not all fuels are the same. The additive in Topaz fuels makes them more fuel efficient – up to 3% more efficient when compared with fuels with

no additive. So, if drivers use Topaz AA quality-checked fuels, and follow the driving efficiency tips outlined on our website, they can cut costs by up to 20%,” Candon said.

Candon said the com-pany also intended to highlight the rise in fuel laundering in Ireland and the dangers this illegal trade posed for motor-ists. A recent report esti-mated that 12% of the diesel market was now being supplied from ille-gal sources.

“Laundered fuels pose a high risk to motorists and their engines. While low prices may seem very appealing in the current environment, consumers should always purchase

their fuels from trusted retailers, as the costs of repairing an engine dam-aged by laundered fuels can run into thousands of euro,” he said.

Candon also urged the authorities to clamp down on this illegal trade.

“Every tanker of illegal fuel costs the government €20k in lost taxes. If the government was to elimi-nate fuel laundering it would raise up to €200m in taxes from licensed and law-abiding retailers. It’s worth comparing that figure to the new proper-ty tax, which is generat-ing a lot of headlines and which it’s estimated will raise €160m,” Candon said.

ONE in eight drivers on Irish roads have either had a near miss or col-lision with a cyclist within the last two years, a new study by AA Motor Insurance has revealed. The study, which looks at incidents involving vulnerable road users, also indicates that 11% of motorists have been involved in similar incidents involv-ing a pedestrian or an animal.

The AA Motor Insurance study, which polled a sample of more than 12,500 drivers in Ireland,

equally reveals that 5% have either hit, or almost hit, a motorcyclist while 0.7% said they’d done the same with someone on horseback.

Without exception, across all categories of vulnerable road users included in the AA Motor Insur-ance study (cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, horse riders and ani-mals), a higher percentage of men than women stated they had a near miss or collision within the last two years. Fourteen percent of the

male drivers polled, for example, compared to 11% of females, said they’d collided or had a near miss with a cyclist.

The AA Motor Insurance study also looks at incident rates by county and by light and weather conditions. Most notably in rela-tion to weather hazards the highest number of incidents, 17%, occurred when raining, while 4% occurred during fog or mist, according to poll results.

12% admit to near miss or collision with cyclist

RoadRoadSignsSigns

AISLING Sullivan hails from Grey-stones, Co Wicklow.

Over the past 10 years, she has worked with many prominent arts organisations and festivals in Ire-land, including the Anna Livia Inter-national Opera Festival, The Gate Theatre, Mermaid Arts Centre and Music in Great Irish Houses.

For seven years Aisling held the position of artistic administrator and company manager with Opera Ireland.

During this time, she worked on over 28 grand-scale opera produc-tions in The Gaiety Theatre, RDS Concert Hall, NCH, UCH Limerick and the Staatstheater, Wiesbadden, Germany.

Other projects included the first ever CD recording of Balfe’s opera, Falstaff, in association with RTE and Lyric FM, Opening Night Live (Live transmission of opera from the theatre to Meeting House Square in Temple Bar, in association with Platform Ireland), the managing

of the European Opera Directing Prize and the La Boheme Mountjoy Prison Project. She also devised and produced a children opera event, What’s Opera Doc?

Aisling also managed the annual Opera Masterclass series, featuring renowned artists such as Rosalind Plowright and Dame Gwyneth Jones.

In 2010, she founded Arts Path and has presented numerous per-formance masterclasses with leading tutors from prestigious companies, including The Royal Shakespeare Company.

As an independent producer, she has produced Melodies of the Musi-cals, Music of the Night, Vino & Verdi and Opera d’Arte.

Aisling joined the team at The Mill Theatre, Dundrum in January, 2012, as creative director. In this role, she will develop an artistic vision for the theatre through the increased pro-gramming of professional produc-tions of the highest quality.

Interview: Aisling Sullivan, creative director,The Mill Theatre, Dundrum

Q&A

Mill-ing over new ideas

Aisling Sullivan, creative director, The Mill Theatre, Dundrum

GazetteBUSINESSBUSINESS Supported by AIB


Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?A: Ballerina (the mu-

sic box kind, not the

Black Swan kind!)

Q: What was your first job?A: Working in Glenroe

Open Farm when I

was a teenager.

Q: And your first pay cheque?A: About £5, I think.

Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed?A: Data entry.

Q: When did you start your present job?A: Last month (Janu-

ary). A great start to

2012.

Q: What is the best thing about your job?A: Scouting for new,

exciting productions

to bring to The Mill

Theatre.

Q: Have you achieved

anything that you once thought you could not pull off?A: I’ll use one of my

favourite quotes to

answer this one: “To

succeed, we must first

believe that we can.”

Q: What part of your working day do you ‘delegate’?A: None.

Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be?A: A half-eaten choco-

late bar (the New Year

detox is not going

well!)

Q: What sport do you follow?A: Gaelic Football (Up

The Kingdom!)

Q: What sport can you play?A: I’m not a sporty

person, but I take

dance class twice a

week which keeps me

fit.

Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to?A: The West End

production of Equus,

which comes to The

Mill Theatre in March.

Q: What is your guilty music/TV or movie pleasure?A: Re-runs of Murder

She Wrote.

Q: What music/pic-tures/movies do you have on your iPod/iPad?A: I don’t own an

iPod, iPad or anything

technological begin-

ning with ‘i’!

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Face-book?A: Mainly theatre

companies, actors,

singers and comedi-

ans.

Q: What was your last Tweet/status update?

A: “Very excited about

our new box office sys-

tem which allows you

to choose your own

seat when booking

online!”

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivo-lously?A: Dundrum Town

Centre. All my favour-

ite shops under one

roof, heaven!

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?A: 35 pairs, plus a

single boot that I can’t

find the match for (It’s

got to be here some-

where, right?)

Q: What would be your dream job?A: I’m doing it!

Q: What do you plan to do when you retire?A: No plans yet, but

I still have about 30

years to decide!

Look your best on your big day

WIN YOUR WEDDING P20WIN YOUR WEDDING P20THE PERFECT VENUE P18THE PERFECT VENUE P18 MARRIAGE VALUES P22MARRIAGE VALUES P22

GUESTS are cordially invited to a wedding showcase taking place at The Lucan Spa Hotel on February 19 from 1.00pm to 5.00pm.

The Lucan Spa Hotel has become one of the most exclusive wedding venues in Ireland since their recent renovation.

The magnificent Boyne Suite is a spectacular venue for the perfect

wedding day. This is an opportu-nity for brides and grooms to be to experience The Lucan Spa Hotel as it would be for their wedding day. Their team of dedicated wed-ding co-ordinators show guests the full experience of the wedding facilities at the hotel. Admission is free of charge and couples are welcome to bring a guest.

The hotel has also recently been shortlisted for Wedding Online’s Top Wedding Venues in Leinster and has been named in the Top 50 Wedding Venues in Ireland. To see why, visit their wedding showcase and prepare to be amazed at the fantastic facilities at the hotel. For more details, visit www.lucanspa-hotel.ie or call 01 620 8468.

&Bride groomBride groomD u b l i n ’ s c o m p l e t e g u i d e

t o yo u r w e d d i n g


Wedding showcase at the Lucan Spa Hotel


ADVERTISE YOUR YOUR BUSINESSBUSINESS TO OUR READERS


CALL 60 10 240

MA T C H delicacy, r e f i n e -m e n t ,

gracefulness and ele-gancy with powdery blue, pale lemon, or del-icate pink in your bou-quet and you are “bang on trend” as a bride in 2012.

If having your make-up applied by a profes-sional make-up artist, book one early to guar-antee an appointment and avoid disappoint-ment.

If you’re going to use fake tan ensure that you use it for your trial makeover.

A good tip is to wear a top the same colour as your dress and bring a camera with a flash to the trial.

This will give you a good idea of what your finished look will be like.

� A month before: Book yourself into a reputable beauty salon for a microdermabra-sion.

� A fortnight before: If you’re getting your eyebrows waxed do it now. Your foundation will not hold properly otherwise.

� The week before: Have an exfoliating treatment to balance your skin and ensure a radiant complexion.

Make-up

� If applying the make-up yourself as Kate Middleton did, fol-lowing the simple steps below will guarantee a beautiful, polished ver-sion of yourself.

� Cleanse and tone your face and apply a small amount of primer avoiding the eyes.

� Use a brush to apply a long-lasting matt foun-dation and conceal any

imperfections.� Around the eye

area, apply concealer on the lid and inner eye and seal with powder.

� Using a large brush apply translucent over your face.

� Under the cheek-bone brush matt bronze to contour.

� Apply natural shad-ow all over the eye area.

� Contour in crease with darker natural shade.

� Curl eyelashes and apply false eyelashes.

� Apply waterproof pencil to line your upper eye and waterproof mas-cara.

� Line your lips with natural pencil.

� Apply soft shade of lipstick with a pop of gloss.

� Add a touch of shimmer to your shoul-der and collarbone.

Smile and enjoy the day!

l CHOOS I NG THE R ECEPT I ON S ET T I NG l

ONE of the biggest deci-sions for every couple planning their big day is where to host the wed-ding party – and Dublin offers some of the best hotels in the country for wedding celebrations.

Voted Best Wedding Venue in Dublin, and also listed as one of the top-ten wedding venues in Leinster, Thomas Prior Hall is the perfect option for those seeking a unique wedding venue.

Originally built as a school, many of the origi-nal features still stand. This wedding venue can be viewed at their show-case on Thursday, Febru-ary 16 from 5-9pm, and Sunday, February 19 from 2-6pm.

It can also host a civil ceremony for up to 180 guests, and having a cer-emony or blessing out-doors is also possible. The lawn is available with manicured lawns, tall trees and water fea-ture. For further details, call 01 668 1111, email [email protected], or see www.thomaspriorhall.com.

Meanwhile, Bewley’s Hotel Leopardstown has unveiled The Power Suite, which is an intimate set-

ting that can host small weddings for up to 100 guests.

This is one of the new-est wedding venues in South County Dublin, and offers a contempo-rary and cosmopolitan backdrop for the big day.

Their introductory all-inclusive package of €45pp includes such fea-tures as a red carpet wel-come, a four-course din-ner, glass of house wine for guests, evening finger food and a resident DJ.

There are also special accommodation rates for guests, and complimen-tary bridal suite. For fur-ther information, call 01 293 5000, email [email protected], or see www.bewley-shotels.com.

Meanwhile, the con-temporary, elegant, bright and spacious Baskin Suite at Bewley’s Hotel Dublin Airport can host fabulous weddings to suit both large and small par-ties, while civil ceremony facilities are also avail-able.

The hotel has launched a great deal, catering for 100 guests for €3,000. There are many varieties of packages available to suit all budgets, and their

dedicated wedding team can tailor-make a wed-ding package to suit your requirements.

For further information, call 01 871 1200, or email [email protected].

On Sunday, February 5, the Red Cow Moran Hotel will be hosting their own wedding showcase from 2-6pm.

This prime Dublin wed-ding venue will be dressed as it would appear on your wedding day, to give guests a taster of the great day that lies ahead for the happy couple.

The wedding team will be at hand to answer questions regarding wed-ding planning and wed-ding venue requirements.

For those who attend and book their wedding at the showcase, guests will get €1,000 off their wed-ding bill, and they will be entered in a draw to win their wedding.

There will be various special offers available on the day, along with com-plimentary canapes and wine.

For further informa-tion, call 01 459 3650, email [email protected] or see www.moranhotels.com.

Superb selections to find a perfect venue

&BRIDE GROOMD u b l i n ’ s c o m p l e t e g u i d e t o y o u r w e d d i n g


Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 or email [email protected]

GOT A PICTURE?

Voted Best Wedding Venue in Dublin, Thomas Prior Hall is one of a number of great venues for the big day, while

the Red Cow Moran Hotel (inset) is another top-notch venue with a wedding package to appeal

l MUL L I NG AR G I V E AWAY l

THE Bloomfield House Hotel in Mullingar has launched a free wedding giveaway, called Red or Black. The event is based on the TV game show of the same name, and will take place in Bloomfield on Sunday, February 12.

All entries will be given the opportunity to play for the wedding of their dreams, valued in excess of €15,000, and everyone who plays the game has an equal chance of win-ning.

The wedding giveaway will include a band, DJ, florist, photographer, wedding car, wedding cake, hair and make-up, Irish dancers and much more.

For full details on how to enter, contact the hotel at 044 934 0894.

Bloomfield House Hotel is a truly roman-tic venue, with luxurious surroundings and excel-lent facilities. The hotel enjoys an idyllic setting on the shores of Lough Ennell, and is surrounded

You could win your wedding

Bloomfield House Hotel’s setting in Mullingar affords several striking spots

for photos, building on the hotel’s already considerable charms

by magnificent parkland – ideal for wedding photos.

With more than 32 years’ experience in hosting wedding recep-tions, this charming hotel is renowned for excellent service, terrific atmosphere and a strong emphasis on customer care.

T h e b e a u t i f u l l y -appointed suites are

elegantly and tastefully decorated, and provide a backdrop of luxury and warmth.

The bridal suite, which is complimentary to all wedding couples, offers a rich, velvet-clad four-post-er bed, spacious open-plan living area, separate shower and bath, robes, slippers, luxury toiletries, and unsurpassed views over Lough Ennell.

Bloomfield House Hotel also offers a lake-side civil ceremony venue for those who wish to exchange vows and say “I do” on the shores

o f L o u g h Ennell.

E x p e r i -enced wed-ding co-ordinators, and the management team, will be delighted to answer any of your que-ries and to offer advice.

They will work closely with you to ensure a won-derful reception for you and your guests, and that every aspect of your wed-ding is carried off with style and perfection.

The professional and experienced team are dedicated to making your wedding day unique and

memorable.Bloomfield House

Hotel invites you to view the wonderful facili-ties and meet the wed-ding team, who will be delighted to show you around this superb wed-ding venue.

For further information on Bloomfield weddings, contact Maria Condon on 044 934 0894, email [email protected], or visit www.bloomfieldhousehotel.ie.



d bl

Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 or email [email protected]

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l ADV I C E F OR MEN AND WOMEN T Y I NG THE KNOT TO E ACH OTHER l

MARRIAGE is as popu-lar in Ireland as it has ever been. Despite the recession, and, for the most part, an unknown future, thousands of cou-ples choose to get mar-ried each year.

In our work with cou-ples preparing for mar-riage, we at ACCORD meet thousands of them, and their expectations of what marriage is about are very interesting.

Many have the same ideas and expectations that previous generations had. They want security, fulfilment, love, respect, an opportunity to grow, a safe place for themselves and their family.

Many of these expecta-tions could be classified as “traditional” which, for some, might suggest that they are old or outdated.

Yet, given the opportuni-ty to describe what they believe marriage is all about, these are the types of responses offered.

ACCORD, in its work with couples, emphasises that marriage is a journey, not a destination. This journey began when the couples first met, and it is a journey that combines their individual journeys so far in life.

Despite all their dif-ferences, many couples enter into marriage with the intention of staying married to each other for life, and do so. This commitment that cou-ples make to each other is what getting married is all about.

They commit them-selves to everything that their partner is to become in the future, and this

commitment is mutual.They announce public-

ly their intention to stay together for better and for worse, in the knowledge that life will deliver good and bad times to them in the course of their life.

The couples who present themselves to ACCORD for mar-riage preparation do so because of their inten-tion to get married by the Catholic Church.

By doing so, they express a wish to avail of the Sacrament of Mar-riage. This sacrament is unique, in so far as the couple are the co-min-isters of the sacrament, one to the other.

In the presence of the priest, their families and guests, they declare their consent to become hus-band and wife.

Catholic marriage values

Despite all their differences, many couples enter into

marriage with the intention of staying married to each

other for life, and do so

Marriage is not lived in isolation, but in com-munity, and the newly-married couple enter the community as witnesses to marriage, and to all that this special sacra-ment stands for.

ACCORD wishes to congratulate you as you

prepare for your mar-riage.

We promise to help you prepare well for this wonderful adventure, and to be there for you at all times in the future, offering our support and care for you and your marriage.



BRIDES and grooms pre-paring for their wedding will be delighted to know that Thomas Sabo have opened its largest Irish “shop in shop” at Bernard John Jewellers, located at the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords.

For cutting-edge, fash-ionable jewellery for your big day, this north county Dublin store is the ulti-mate destination.

With the recent refit, the Bernard John store is an ultra-modern concept, with a reserved number of premium jewellery brands included in its offering.

Previously, it was a tra-ditional jewellers, stocking a large range of jewellery and watch brands. Open-ing its doors to the public in November proved to be a great success with a positive response.

Amanda Keogh, store retail manager, Bernard John Jewellers, said: “We are delighted to welcome Thomas Sabo to our store. We feel this is a refreshing addition, and is not only proving popular with our exist-ing loyal customers, but is also enticing new visi-tors to our premises. We are very happy with the initial response.”

Every element of the decor and the specific material used were chosen in a spirit of refinement, with a unique objective which gives character to the space.

Thomas Sabo will offer three collections at this retail location, and presented with a high-end ambience – Sterling Silver, Charm Club and Watches – with all the lat-est jewels and watches for trend-conscious men and women.

All existing collec-tions are harmoniously coordinated with each other, and can be com-bined in a variety of ways which go beyond the limits of the individ-ual collection lines.

Thomas Sabo is open at Pavilions

COSTELLO Flowers has been in the heart of Dun Laoghaire for the past 20 years, and services all of the south side, from Dalkey and Bray to Stil-lorgan and Foxrock.

Costello Flowers has the proud boast of hav-ing the best selection of flowers in the south side, stocking Irish-grown flowers and plants that only become available once they’re certain the quality is the best avail-able.

Ann Joyce has been at the helm since 1992, while Olivier Besombes is the designer, and loves looking after brides, while Linda Mac is available to view your site, if neces-sary, while the florists say that every budget can be accommodated.

Costello Flowers’ heritage


l W EDD ING FA I R l

THOSE who have vis-ited the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire will agree the refurbish-ment has added to the splendour of this mag-nificent listed building. It is a stunning vision of “old and new”.

With high ceilings, wide corridors, intricate detail on the cornicing, Victorian staircases, large sash windows wel-coming the natural light of the bay, the hotel truly stands above its peers in the hotel industry.

CharacterThere is a tremen-

dous sense of history and character found in all the nooks and cran-nies of this Victorian building.

The hotel’s Wedding Fair is taking place on

Sunday, February 5, 2012, from 2pm until 5pm.

With 228 bedrooms including 15 Suites, Sansana SPA and The Pier Health Club, as well as a selection of banqueting suites, the Royal Marine Hotel has it all.

TraditionThe hotel has a long

tradition of hosting weddings. Set on four acres of gardens, with direct access to Dun Laoghaire promenade and pier, it is also ideal for photos.

All members of the wedding party will feel spoilt by the grandeur of this Victorian setting overlooking the Bay.

The hotel has recently been approved for civil

ceremonies.Previous guests of

the hotel include Frank Sinatra, Laurel and Hardy and Charl ie Chaplin.

Queen Victoria had a 16-course breakfast when she arrived off the boat at Dun Laoghaire and even Michael Col-lins is believed to have hidden out in Room 210 with Kitty Kiernan.

Whether your wed-ding will be large or intimate, formal or cas-ual, a marquee, a soiree, a luncheon, or a civil ceremony, the hotel can cater for all of your needs in comfort and style.

Call (01) 271 2512, (01) 271 2513, (01) 271 2514 or email [email protected] for fur-ther information.

A venue with a sense of history

Enjoy the grandeur of this Victorian setting overlooking the bay


THE Suit Co is a new European suit concept now available in the Irish market.

The people at Suit Co know planning a wedding is a costly and sometimes pressured experience.

They ask the question – why hire a suit when you can own your suit for the same price?

Well, over the past few years, fashion trends have changed greatly for wed-ding attire - gone are the days of the top hat and tails.

Men are now focused on contemporary fashion trends, opting for slim-fit, tailored-fit and regular-fit in two- and three-piece suits, and the Suit Co has a style for every man.

They also carry a fantas-tic range of French cuffed shirts and Italian silk ties to complement the suit of choice.

Not forgetting the page-boy, the company can offer a range of suits that will complement the wed-ding party on this special day.

They have on offer unbeatable suit deals, while maintaining very high levels in suit quality, style, and fashion.

The Suit Co pride them-selves on having the best suit value in Ireland, and customer service second-to-none.

Call into them at their O’Connell Street branch, located just beside the spire, or at their Blan-chardstown Westend store.

A full tailoring and alteration service is also available.

Suit Co comes to Irish market

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The height of clicheNick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) appears to be a desperate man, precariously walking a ledge, high above Manhattan’s streets. However, is

Nick really as desperate as he seems – or the perfect foil for a distraction, while something equally dramatic is unfolding elsewhere?

GoingOUT�

GazetteENTERTAINMENTENTERTAINMENT

What sounds like a dramatic tale never really rises above being a standard Film With A Twist, and lets viewers down� KATE CROWLEY

ADAM Sandler! Katie Holmes! Al Pacino! Goodbye! Nothing, alas – nay, not even the threat of having to see Clive Owen starring in a French com-edy with, I dunno, CG singing chickens, or some-thing – can force me to sit through the prospect of an (alleged) comedy star-ring those three.

Brain, I see you sidling over to the back door. Well, put that suitcase down, because you and I – and both of my delight-ful readers – shall be con-sidering Man On A Ledge, this week, rather than that lot’s Jack And Jill.

Man On A Ledge doesn’t star Sandler and Holmes, so we’re already off to a good start.

Instead, it stars the slightly more appealing Sam Worthington, Ed Harris and Jamie Bell, with solid support from Elizabeth Banks.

I’d like to say that we’ll

be staying on the dizzy heights of cinematic bliss from this point on ...

... but sadly, no, as we’re soon back to earth with a bump, as Man On A Ledge eventually reveals that it has feet of clay, rather than a head for heights, and, err... oh, enough cliches, on with the review.

Nick Cassidy (Wor-thington) is the titular man on a ledge – a Man-hattan hotel window ledge, that is, far above the milling crowd of bystand-ers and police below, once he clambers out onto the ledge – an act that seems

prompted by the, err, umm, height of despera-tion. (Sorry.)

It’s not long before police negotiator Officer Lydia (Banks) is on hand, trying to coax the would-be jumper back inside, while frantic scenes play out on the street below, with Cassidy at the centre of the predictable media storm. Only ...

And, damnit, I’m now at what I call The Sixth Titanic Planet Of The Apes Sense moment, whereby I’m caught between press-ing past the first act set-up and revealing too much of the rest of the film. What’s

a gal gonna do?Sing like a canary on a

ledge, that’s what. (Read-ers wishing not to know much more can join my brain in sliding out the kitchen door, and I’ll see you back here next week, folks.)

It turns out that – stone the crows! – Nick’s not quite as desperate as he appears, and, in fact, he has no intention whatso-ever of jumping, tripping, leaping, hang-gliding, par-achuting, flying, teleport-ing or in any other way leaving the ledge. Howev-er, by distracting everyone and creating chaos below, he’s creating a terrific diversion for a heist in the building opposite.

Why, he’s only a wrong-ly-accused man pulling off an incredibly unlikely stunt to clear his name, isn’t he? Err, yes.

So it is that while Nick’s practically tap-dancing around on the ledge above, his brother, Joey (Bell) and Joey’s girlfriend

Angie (Rodriguez) are breaking into the building opposite, in a bid to – oh, , does it really matter what the film’s McGuffin plot device is? No.

See, it’s all to do with Ye Token Rich Villain – a cape-twirlin’, scenery-chewin’ Ed Harris – and how best to clear Nick’s name. With a little bit of breaking and entering, naturally. Can they pull off the big heist, or does everything go downhill from the initial premise?

Yes.Oh, wait, my review’ll

be too short if I leave it at that. The problem with a film like this is that, well, you’re never really in any doubt of how things are going to go. Honestly, who really would expect Nick to come to any harm in this film?

So, it’s just not a film that you have to vertigo to, and rather than say-ing: “Don’t look down”, I’ll just say: “Don’t look at all.”

PAVILION 01 231 2929Joanna Trollope

INTERNATIONAL best-selling author, Joanna Trollope, is sure to delight her many fans when she delivers a reading on Tuesday, February 7. With 16 top-selling titles behind her, Joanna will be highlighting her latest book, The Soldier’s Wife, which deals with the difficulties a soldier’s wife faces upon his return from a tour of Afghanistan – but will be the same man, once he returns home? Catch Joanna’s reading at 8pm, with tickets priced €10/€8.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Ger Carey Live

IT’S time for the Mill Theatre to present Ger Carey Live, marking an early comic highlight for 2012 for the venue. Ger’s show for teenagers, Stand-Up For Teenagers, is set to deliver a fascinating – and hilarious – insight into the difficulties and delights of being a teenager in Ireland today. Although some years past his own teenage years, Ger’s shows promise to be hilariously insightful. Look out for his 11.15am show on February 8, with tickets priced €10/€7.50.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622Welcome to the Forty Foot

FAMOUS for decades as a men-only bathing area, the Forty Foot was eventually reclaimed as an equal bathing spot for women in the 1970s, with Welcome to the Forty Foot capturing some of the voices and thoughts of the famous site’s lady swimmers. Niamh McCann has an insightful, personal journey to recount, celebrating the legacy of the Forty Foot along the way. Catch the show on Friday, February 3 at 8.15pm, with tickets priced €15/€12.

FILM OF THE WEEK: Man On A Ledge�� (12A) 102 mins

OUR VERDICT:IT’S not awful by any means, but there’s just nothing new here to really elevate the film above its peers, as Man On A Ledge follows a pretty standard template to deliver a film that the audience is often one step ahead of. Still, despite its increasingly daft storyline, some deft camerawork, and spirited turns from some support players (notably, Kyra Sedgwick) lift the film a little – just.

Director: Asger LethStarring: Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Genesis Rodriguez, Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

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SOUTH DUBLINCOUNTY COUNCIL

Michael Burke is applying for Permis-sion for Retentionfor Single storey entrance porch and utility room to side and sunroom to rearat 13 Cherbury Park Avenue, Lucan, County Dublin. This applica-tion may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of South Dublin County Council during its public open-ing hours of 9am - 4pm, Mon-Fri, and a submis-sion or observation may be made to South Dublin County Council in writing and on pay-ment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within theperiod of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by South Dublin County Coun-cil of the application.

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� [email protected]

LOCAL athletes from Phoenix, Guinness and NAC Swimming Clubs were celebrating last week after returning from the Winter World Swim-ming Championships in Riga, Latvia, with two gold and two silver med-als.

Jerry Kiersey, who trains in Clondalkin pool with Phoenix Swim Club, and Rachel Doyle, also from Phoenix, won

the gold medals for the Irish team, both in their respective 450m endur-ance races.

The 450m endur-ance swim really was an endurance swim, with the water temperature at -1 degrees, and com-petitors had to swim 18 lengths of the 25-metre pool.

Anne McAdam, also of Phoenix, won the silver medal for the 50m free-style, and Rachel Lee of Guinness won silver for

the 25m freestyle.The athletes were

swimming in a 25-metre outdoor pool cut into the ice on a frozen lake, and they will take part in the 25m breaststroke and front crawl, 50m breast-stroke and front crawl, and a 450-metre endur-ance swim.

The competition took place where the river and the Baltic Sea meet, where the air temperature can be below -20 degrees. A motor keeps the water

WINTER GAMES: GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS CLAIMED BY HARDY SWIMMERS IN RIGA

Some of the swimmers who took part in the World Winter championships in Latvia

Local swimmers chilling after Riga successes

moving in order to stop it from freezing over.

With water conditions in Ireland at present about four or five degrees, the training that they undertook at the Forty Foot in Sandycove in the

run-up to the event was way off the conditions they faced in Riga.

Overall, Ireland were placed seventh out of the 27 countries who entered the championships.

Those who travelled

to Latvia to compete included Anne McAd-am, Andre Ray, Bernard O’Sullivan, Isabel Col-lins, Sean Dervan, Barry Dunne, Rachel Doyle, Adam Lynch and Jerry Kiersey from Phoenix;

Rachel Lee, Tom Healy, Susan Dillon and John Egan from Guinness; Siobhan O’Brien, Declan Harte and Brian Wolver-son from NAC, and Caro-line Hyland from Dublin Swimming Club.

GazetteSPORTNEW GOLD YEAR: NEW GOLD YEAR: 2012 Sports Awards 2012 Sports Awards begins with January’s begins with January’s nominees nominees Page 28Page 28


FastSport

Jackies to open 2012 campaign in KildareDUBLIN ladies’ foot-ballers, the reigning Bord Gais Energy Division 2 champions, will play their open-ing game in the 2012 Division 1 NFL league campaign against Kil-dare this weekend,

and the venue for the match has been announced as Bal-lykelly, Co Kildare.

The match will tip off at 2pm on Sunday, February 5, with Pat Kehoe from Carlow set to be the official in charge of this all-Lein-ster league clash.

For directions to Ballykelly, see http://www.ballykellygfc.ie/Teagmhail.asp

GazetteSportSportin association with

Ras to begin and end in Gazette country in 2012THE 2012 An Post Ras route, the 60th anniver-sary of the race, was announced last week, and will begin and end in Gazette country.

Starting on February 20 in Dunboyne, and ending a week later in Skerries, the Ras will be a a challenging eight days of racing, including 28 categorised climbs, including three of the hardest and best-known ascents in the country.

Ras organiser Dermot Dignam believes the 2012 An Post Ras is going to be one of the tough-est in years. “It is going to be the most challeng-ing course in recent memory,” said Dignam. “This is cyclist Stephen O’Sullivan’s second year to design the route, and he has really planned a very hard eight days of racing.”

�STARof the

MONTHAVA HUTCHINSON

THE DSDAC athlete was in

sparkling form in Montreal

in January to claim the

Olympic qualifying standard

in the Marathon, joining

teammate Linda Byrne.

DARRAGH ZAIDAN

LUCAN Cycling’s Zaidan

was signed up by one of

France’s top amateur

teams, VC Morteau, as the

young star continues his

impressive progress.

DAVID BURROWS

BURROWS was part of

one of two Irish crews

who took a final place in

the first Olympic class

regattas of 2012 in Miami

in January

�TEAMof the

MONTH

2012 DUBLIN SPORTS AWARDS - JANUARY NOMINEES

ST KEVIN’S CC

THE Clondalkin school

claimed the Leinster

FAI Paul Murphy Cup in

January with an emphatic

5-0 win over St Kilian’s

DSD.

CASTLEKNOCK U-21

SOMERTON was celebrat-

ing once again last month

when the club’s Under-21

footballers claimed their

first Dublin championship

title.

SWORDS JUDO CLUB

THE Swords club claimed

an incredible nine All-

Ireland titles at the

National schools dojo in

Finglas in January, with

an eye on more at NUIG.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GazetteSportSport


FAI INTERMEDIATE CUPPhoenix 1

Lucan United 1


LUCAN United’s fairy-tale run in the FAI Inter-mediate Cup continues after they scraped a draw at Scribblestown, when Mark Rutherford’s pen-alty cancelled out John Brophy’s header in a mat-ter of manic second-half minutes.

For the most part, Lucan were under the cosh by the hosts, an unsurprising state of affairs given three divi-sions separate the teams in the LSL rankings.

But the ’Nix were frus-

trated for long periods, as Collie O’Neill and Simon Carroll put in massive stints, while the big calls went their way, with Phoenix twice hav-ing loud penalty claims turned down. Their irri-tation got the better of them when Brophy’s dissent earned him a red card three minutes from time.

He will miss the rematch for a place in the quarter-finals of the com-petition, with Lucan hop-ing to add to the scalps of Glebe North, TEK United and Cobh Wanderers.

Played on the slick, astro-turf surface, the hosts settled quicker, with

Danny Giffney’s probing behind the front line, to force a save from Conor Barco.

It was a rare chance to unlock the visitor’s defence, as Lucan sat deep and closed down options. On the counter, Conor Walsh was a will-ing runner, while Shel-bourne legend Ruther-ford won a free-kick in prime position.

Donal O’Donoghue strode up and came agonisingly close to an opener, banging against the crossbar, while Walsh first-timed the follow-up attack over the bar.

It was the closest either side went in the first half

as, for all of Phoenix’ pressure, chances were scarce.

The hosts did up the ante after the break, with Brophy the focal point for their attacks, and he was the one to nod in a 56th-minute goal when Ray Kearns pick-pocketed the Lucan midfield. He battled forward to space on the left-flank and floated a delicious cross for the tall frontman to head powerfully in.

It looked to have eased the tension markedly, but Lucan’s immediate response was a bolt from the blue. Sub Stephen Meehan whipped in a devilish cross which

Walsh skipped over, allowing O’Donoghue to take man and ball at the same time. Rutherford calmly picking out the bottom corner with his spot-kick.

In the aftermath, Swan and Brophy both felt they should have had penal-ties, but the former was booked for a dive, while the latter’s claims simply fell on deaf ears.

Brophy subsequently had a header go inches wide and a driven effort stick in the side-netting. Gar Cooney, Kearns and Darren Sargent all came close as the game became frantic, but there was to be no late winner.

Lucan keep the dream alive

SOCCER: REPLAY AT HOME FOR UNITED AFTER CUP TIE PARITY

Lucan United were in stellar form at Scribblestown to hold their higher-division hosts to a draw in the FAI Intermediate Cup

Team spirit: Bulls take third in leagueBARNHALL landed a draw in the AIL Division 2B and, in the process, claimed third place in the league, and put themselves within touching dis-tance of a promotion play-off place.

The hosts, Wanderers, were the equal of the Blue Bulls in the first half, and only trailed by three points going into the second half.

However, Barnhall were unable to capitalise on their advantage, and the only points scored in the second half came from the boot of Wanderers’ kicker before the final whistle to tie up the scores.

FastSportO’Donovan tops Irish at Sydney tournamentLUCAN golf club’s Richard O’Donovan was the top Irish player in the prestigious Lake Macquar-rie tournament at the Belmont Club,Sydney.

The East of Ireland champion finished with a 69 in his fourth and final round to boost his score to four under after four rounds.

It left him ten shots off overall winner Daniel Nesbet, but was good enough to see him lead a strong Irish contingent, beating West Waterford’s Gary Hurley by a single stroke, while Mourne’s Reeve Whitson was in 31st place with Dermot McElroy on 290 and Niall Gorey on 295.

Debut Lucan BMX medals TOP Lucan cyclists Adam Stenson and Kayleigh Gibbons competed in Ireland’s first ever Indoor BMX Race last week at the new track in Cherry Orchard.

Both riders have

been National Cham-pions in the past but this was their first ever outing on a BMX.

Gibbons finished second in the wom-en’s race and Stenson third in the Youth Race. More of the Lucan youth Team are expected to test the track in the com-ing weeks.

in association with


CLUB NOTICEBOARD

THE Intermediates had their first

game of the new season with a good

work-out against St Finian’s of

Swords at the Garda Grounds in the

Phoenix Park last Sunday morning.

The game, played in difficult condi-

tions, ended in a draw, 1-06 each.

Pre-season activity picks up

with training on Tuesday nights at

7.30pm, and then a challenge game

this Thursday against DMR South

Central at 3pm, both at Westman-

stown.

On Saturday, the action moves to

Bunclody, Co Wexford, where Garda

GAA take part in a tournament with

the local club. The first game starts

at 1pm.

Ladies training continues at

Parkwest on Mondays, Lucan on

Wednesdays at 7pm and Westmans-

town on Saturday morning at 9am.

Westmanstown Gaels member-

ship is open to all. Gaels’ teams play

football from nursery to Under-15

level for boys and girls and hurling

from nursery to Under-9s.

For more information, visit http://

www.westmanstowngaels.ie.

Annual membership is only €60

for the first family member and €30

therafter.

Following last week’s AGM, we

would like to thank the outgoing

committee for their past efforts

and we wish Larry Coady, newly

elected chair, and the new commit-

tee the best of luck for 2012.

Training for the nursery section

is run every Saturday from 10am

at the Westmanstown Sports Com-

plex.

GARDA/WESTMANSTOWN

ST PAT’S, PALMERSTOWN

LUCAN SARSFIELDSMEMBERSHIP is now due and can be

paid online at www.lucansarsfields.

ie or by submitting the form to your

mentor or the clubhouse bar.

There will be a table quiz in aid of

James Casserly, grandson of Tom

who runs our club shop, this Friday,

February 3 in the clubhouse.

Visit www.forjames.com for more

information.

Set dancing classes every Wednes-

day at 8.30pm. All welcome.

The Nagarhope celebrity challenge

match and magic show will be in the

club at 3pm on Sunday, February 12:

Celebrity football team V Lucan.

Our nurseries for boys and girls,

born in 2005, 2006 and 2007 are

every Saturday at 1.30pm on our all-

weather pitch at the 12th Lock.

This is your child’s chance to be

coached by Dublin senior hurling

captain, Johnny McCaffrey.

Gaelic4Mothers and Others train-

ing is on the all-weather pitch at

8.30pm on Wednesday nights.

If you are interested in taking

part, contact Aisling Maloney on

087 218 6502.

Opening times for our club shop

are Tuesday and Thursday from 7.30

to 8.30pm, and Saturdays from 10.30

to 11.30am.

Lotto: Numbers drawn were 4, 10,

24 and 27. There was no winner.

Next week’s jackpot will be €12,000.

Gerry McAndrew’s team will be

in charge next Sunday, when our

sponsor will be McDonald Bros, Auc-

tioneers.

MEMBERS: Please note your Croke

Park Spring Series tickets can be

collected at the clubhouse this

Thursday only from 7.30 to 8.30pm.

The AGM takes place on Wednes-

day, February 29, in the clubhouse

at 8pm.

Nominations for committee posi-

tions and motions / recommenda-

tions must be returned to the club

secretary, Pauline Mooney, on or

before February 22.

To view our website, log on to

www.stpatricksgaa.ie

Lotto: Numbers drawn were 4, 12,

18 and 28.

There was no winner of the €7,800

jackpot.

There were no match any three

numbers winners.

Four X €50 lucky dips winners

were Finbar O’Mahony, Philippe

Kelly, Andrew Maguire and Paul

Heffo.

Nex t week’s jackpot wi l l be

€8,000.

Draw held each Sunday night at

10pm in the Palmerstown House.

Follow GazetteSport on Facebook and Twitter and at www.gazettegroup.com

WALSH CUP FIRST ROUNDLaois 2-14

Dublin 1-14


DUBLIN’S hurlers got their 2012 campaign off to a stuttering start when they fell to Laois in the first round of their Walsh Cup defence on a 2-14 to 1-14 scoreline in atrocious conditions at O’Moore Park

St Pat ’s Palmers-town’s Shane Stapleton made a welcome return to the starting line-up for the Dubs, clipping eight frees as part of a new-look midfield pairing, with Anthony Daly forced to ring the changes due to colleges’ absences.

L u c a n ’ s J o h n n y McCaffrey was initially switched to the full-back line, while young charges Ronan Walsh, Conor Clinton and Danny Sutcliffe got first starts, having impressed in the Dubs Stars match last month, while top

stars Alan McCrabbe and Paul Ryan started on the bench.

Ryan O’Dwyer had given the Sky Blues a decent start with a score inside 30 seconds, while Stapleton nudged the Dubs in front, but Willie Hyland’s trio of scores put the O’Moore men into a lead they never relinquished.

Hyland’s sideline cut found Tom Fitzgerald who hammered home for a half-time lead of 1-8 to 0-6, with Staple-ton scoring four points.

Fitzgerald’s second goal and a score from John Brophy put nine between the sides with half an hour remain-ing, before Ryan and McCrabbe entered the fray.

The latter scored a brilliant goal, while Stapleton’s scoring — en route to a personal tally of eight points — brought the gap down to two points, but Laois hung on with Fitzgerald

getting an extra insur-ance point.

Daly was in no mood to offer limp excuses for the performance, saying afterwards: “Fair play to Laois. They wanted it more than we did.

“When we showed the bit of urgency at the end we showed that we could do it, but we weren’t up for it enough, and if fellas can’t get themselves up for it, there will be somebody else playing - that’s the thing.

“At the minute we are

so short of boys - we had Gary Maguire and four subs, that’s all we had - there was no one else available.

“Dotsy (O’Callaghan) is sick, Paul Ryan is even in bed sick all week and we had to bring him along just to have enough - that’s what you have, but there were positives as well.

“It was fantastic see-ing Danny Sutcliffe there at 19 being able to step up and hold his own at that level,” said Daly.

HURLING: DUBS FALTER WITH MAKESHIFT SIDE

Dublin doubtful as new season begins

St Pat’s Palmerstown’s Shane Stapleton was one of the returning players for Dublin in the cup tie

ALL OF YOUR LUCAN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31 FEBRUARY 2, 2012

UNITED FRONT: Lucan fight back to nab FAI Inter Cup replay against Phoenix P30 G

azetteSPORT

� ANDREW HARTE

[email protected]

THE Black Pearl was the nickname given to Paul McGrath during his time at St Patrick’s Athletic and many people associated with the Inchicore club are predicting that 20-year-old left-back Jake Carroll will follow in McGrath’s footsteps after being dubbed The New Black Pearl.

Lucan native Carroll isn’t letting the nickname go to his head and, after signing a professional contract with Pat’s, he just wants to put his head down and gain some more first-team football expe-rience.

“Last year I was signed as an amateur to pro-vide back up to the left back,” he said. “But this year I’ve signed a professional contract as a more established first team player and hope to be given a fair chance to prove I’m good enough to play every week in the team.”

“I’m on a two-year contract so I’ll be looking to improve as a player and win honours. But, like

many players in the league, I still have the ambi-tion to play at the highest level which, in mine and many others eyes, would be England.”

He has already had a taste of English football after a trial with Championship side Brighton, say-ing of the experience: “When I look back, I feel it benefited me greatly and gave me a good insight into the life of footballers and what needed to be done to play at the highest level.

“I had been asked to go back over for another week trial because of my performances in training while over there were good but I feel it will benefit me mentally and physically to stay here and try play first team football for a couple of years before I test myself in England.”

Newly appointed Saints’ manager, Liam Buck-ley has already made an impression on Carroll and the young left back is hopeful that the football played this year will be easier on the eye for the spectators.

“We played a lot of long ball but the new man-ager has changed that totally and is encouraging us

to play inventive and attractive football, which suits all the players perfectly.

“When Liam managed Sporting Fingal they were known for playing attractive football and I believe we can play that style of football this sea-son.”

Buckley is back at Richmond Park after two years with Sporting Fingal in which time he guided the team to promotion to the Premier Division and an FAI Cup.

Carroll has already had a taste of European foot-ball playing the last 20 minutes against Ukranian side, Karpaty Lviv, in front of 20,000 people and would hope to gain more European experience this year. But trophies are on the mind.

“I think we can definitely compete this year. Obviously there will be tough competition with Shamrock Rovers and the likes of Sligo and Derry always there or thereabouts but I believe, with the players Liam’s brought in, and the way we plan to play, I think a season without a trophy would be very surprising.”

New ‘Black Pearl’ New ‘Black Pearl’ to follow McGrathto follow McGrathLucan man Jake Carroll is ready to step into the Irish hero’s shoes as he signs up for two years with St Pat’s

Jake Carroll has been signed by St Patrick’s Athletic for the next two seasons following an impressive time with the club’s youth setup

SUPER STARSJanuary nomineesrevealed inside P28

Lucan

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