Castleknock

Shining star: Fionas voice brings festive cheer to WestmanstownMEZZO Soprano Fiona Murphy was the star of the show when she brought her incredible voice to the Westmans-town Sports and Conference Centre in Clonsilla for An Evening of Seasonal Music and Song presented by The

Garda Survivors Support Association. Fiona, joined by the Band of An Garda Siochana, performed many Christmas classics that really created a fantastic festive atmosphere.

Full Gallery on Page 10

House thefts on rise, warn GardaiQ LAURA WEBB

RESIDENTS are being warned to ensure their properties are secure this festive season fol-lowing a significant increase in the number of burglaries in the Dublin 15 area.

Speaking to the Gazette, Philip Jennings of the Safer Blanchardstown Community organisations, said that no area in particular was being target-ed but that residents should remain vigilant.

There has been an increase in incidents of house break-ins in the Blanchardstown/Castle-knock area and it seems to be for car keys left on hall tables.

Gardai are telling people to lock all windows and doors. What people dont do is they have an alarm and they dont use it. People should use it even when they are in the house, just switch on the alarm. Also dont leave presents on display in cars just be mindful, Jen-nings said.

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ....................10MOTORING ....................18BUSINESS .................... 21TRAVEL ......................... 22ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

Football: St Brigids run ends in Leinster final defeatPage 31

RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.

INSIDE: Local busi-ness man gets a

grip on winter P6

FREE GAZETTECastleknock

A FESTIVE DOUBLE EDITION DECEMBER 22 & 29, 2011

GL G

L6HL

HERE WE GO-HO-HO: Santa and the Gazette team look back at 2011 Page 3

Sports Awards: Decembers nominees are announcedPage 29

2 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 22 & 29 December 2011

Funds to re-open popular pool

CHARITY: ST VINCENT DE PAUL

THE Daughters of Char-ity service are to receive over 800,000 in funds to re-open the popular St Vincent De Paul swim-ming pool on the Navan Road.

Prior to its closure in 2009, the pool was used by people with intellectual disabilities from the char-itys St Vincents centre on the Navan Road and was a popular facility for resi-dents of Dublin 15.

This week, Dublin West TD and Minister for Trans-port, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar, confirmed an allocation of 865,509

to help the Daughters of Charity re-open the pool.

Funding is being pro-vided by his department under the Local Author-ity Swimming Pool Pro-gramme, and matching funding will be provided by the Daughters of Char-ity.

Speaking this week, Minister Varadkar said: This pool had been popular with residents in Dublin 15, particularly those with intellectual dis-abilities. I am very pleased to have been able to assist the Sisters in getting the pool re-opened.

Push for Educate Together school for Dublin 15Q LAURA [email protected]

A MASSIVE 1,000 par-ents have signed a peti-tion calling for the estab-lishment of an Educate Together second-level school in Dublin 15.

But in spite of the huge number of parents who have expressed an interest in setting up the school, organisers of the campaign are urging more parents to express their interest before Feb-ruary 2012, when the Department of Educa-tion considers applica-tions for the patronage of two new second-level schools in Dublin 15.

Its really great to have received such wide-spread support from par-ents locally, and we are increasingly confident that Dublin 15 could

be one of the first areas for Educate Together second-level schools in Ireland. Were still wide open for new expres-sions of interest through our website and were on Facebook, too.

An Expression of Interest is just that, it tells the Department of Education that the parent supports this type of school in Dub-lin 15, said Michael McLoughlin from Car-penterstown, a local parent who chairs the campaign.

There are already a number of other types of post-primary school in this locality, and we believe it is time for par-ents to have the addi-tional choice of an Edu-cate Together second-level school. It would be great if Dublin 15 could

lead the way in this regard. Our approach is learner-centred, demo-cratic and inclusive, with all students encouraged to achieve their very best.

Looking around the country at recent devel-opments in this area, we can see the importance of the local community having a say in what type of schools are provided in an area.

Educate Together has developed a blueprint for second-level which is at the cutting edge of mod-ern, progressive thinking in education, and this type of school will be a fitting addition to the education landscape in the area, Michael said.

Expressions of inter-est can be made online at http://www.et2ldub-lin15.info/eoiform.html

Spinathon: Wheelie good workSTAFF from Sodexo Ireland catering and support services team at locally-based com-pany Ebay/Paypal, organised a wheelie good spinathon recently in aid of Barnardos, one of the two Irish charities sup-ported by the companys global Stop Hunger campaign. Sodexo and Ebay/Paypal senior man-agement and staff all saddled up for the 12-hour non-stop fund-raiser, clocking up an impressive 940 km in the end. Pictured is Elaine Deignan of Barnardos (centre) being presented with a 2,204 cheque by Karen Rob-erts, Finbarr Collins, Suzanne OConnell and Sinead Kenny from Sodexo.

22 & 29 December 2011 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 3

A very merry Xmas from all at The GazetteQ CORMAC CURTIS

THE team at the Gazette were busy this week putting together the very best in local news, fea-tures, sports and picture coverage, to give our readers the best possible insight into what is hap-pening in your commu-nity over Christmas.

At the same time, our commercial team were bringing the best value in local advertising to the businesses of Dublin the kind of businesses that know our industry-lead-ing readership and circu-lation figures have been approved by the Audit Bureau of Circulation.

As regular readers

know, the primary focus of the Gazette is local coverage. We started this year with further news of the big freeze, and how it was affecting life in our local communities.

The Gazette reported on how local councils, transport services and emergency services, as well as volunteer groups, all coped with the added pressures of frozen roads, interrupted services, and shortages of salt and grit.

As the freeze gave way, and 2011 unfolded, it became clear that our political landscape was changing dramatically.

The prospect of fur-ther austerity and lack of growth meant Fianna Fail

faced an impossible battle, as the electorate prepared to send a clear message to a Government that had left the people feeling betrayed, let down and completely abandoned by its public representatives.

As a result, the General Election brought with it the end of an era for Fianna Fail, as well as the complete decimation of the Green Party.

Hand-in-hand with these changes came the rise of the Left, as many Left-leaning councillors took seats in a number of Dublin constituencies.

Moving in to spring-time, Dublin entered a period of near jubilation, with the visits of Queen

Elizabeth II and US Presi-dent, Barack Obama.

After a scorching April, our summer weather let us down. Dublin expe-rienced more extreme weather in autumn, as record rainfall figures brought the capital to a flooded standstill.

However, despite a mixed bag of news in a

year that saw little or no improvement to the coun-trys economic standing, our local communities remain as vibrant and exciting as ever.

Community groups, schools, sports clubs and societies have not lost their appetite for activity, and The Gazette thrives on their enthusiasm.

The Gazette is an open resource for the commu-nity, and we would like to thank all of those who involve us, interact with us, and those who go as far as to write stories, take pictures and take the time to contribute material.

If it werent for the efforts of these people, it would make it impossible

to produce the kind of material that highlights what is bright, beautiful and unique about our area.

So, from the whole team at the Gazette, let me extend our very best wishes to you and your families this Christmas season and wish you a happy and healthy 2012.

The Gazette team wish all our readers a very merry Christmas. Picture: Anita Ward

GREETINGS A look back at 2011, and looking forward to 2012


Work set to begin on new schoolsBUILDING work on six new schools in Dublin West is set to begin next year as part of a 430m education infra-structure plan for 2012 announced by the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn this week.

Under the funding, Mulhuddart National School; Scoil Bhride Boys school Blanchardstown; Scoil Bhride Girls School Blanchardstown; Blan-chardstown West Educate Together National School and Luttrellstown Community College will see work on their new premises begin in 2012.

Meanwhile, Scoil Choilm, in Dis-wellstown, will undergo an extension

and refurbishment. Welcoming the announcement,

Dublin West TD and Minister for Transport, Sports and Tourism Leo Varadkar said: The news will be wel-comed in all these communities and right across the area. These are all growing communities, and there is a need for all of these school projects.

The difficult economic climate means that we have had to postpone some significant large-scale projects, like Metro North. While that is regret-table, it does mean that the Govern-ment can focus efforts on education and health.

EDUCATION: FUNDING ANNOUNCED EVENT Draiocht to host graduate show

Lisa Shaughnessy, second from left, pictured at the exhibition opening

Lucky Lisa chosen for art exhibitionQ LAURA [email protected]

A DUBLIN 15 native is one of three lucky Fin-gal residents chosen for a special art graduate exhibition to be show-cased at the popular arts and entertainment hub Draiocht Thea-tre.

Cast leknock resi -

dent, Lisa Shaughnessy, studied fine arts for four years at DIT and now the talented art-ist has been chosen to showcase her work at an annual exhibition, Amharc Fhine Gall VIII, for local art col-lege graduates.

This years exhibition is entitled Unknown Knowns and is sup-

ported by the Fingal Arts Office.

Lisa is one of three who were chosen by curator Ailve McCor-mack for the exhibi-tion and her work will feature alongside that of Andrew Carson and Sally-Anne Kelly.

Speak ing to the Gazette, the 24-year-old said: Fingal Arts Office was looking for art graduates from the area. I had to submit a proposal and appli-cation. From that the curator picked the art-ists.

EntrantsSelected from a huge

number of entrants, Lisa said she was thrilled to hear that she had secured a place in the exhibition.

I was delighted. I handed in the applica-tion at the last minute so I really wasnt expect-ing to hear back, I was thrilled when I was.

I have four pieces on display. Its paint and sculpture. My work plays on historical and conceptual views of painting and sculpture.

It plays with the tra-ditional aspect of paint-

ing and kind of taking the painting and turn-ing it into a piece itself, instead of having a con-cept behind the work that is the concept.

During her college years, Lisas work was displayed in a number of exhibitions, includ-ing one in the Market Galley in Dublins city centre and Cork.

Now that the work is on display in her home town, Lisa is a little more mindful of her critics.

It is a little daunting because you know a lot of people in the area and a lot of people dont get the work, but that is a challenge in itself.

It is good to get feed-back from people from your own area. I am just asking people to come along and have a look.

Once this exhibition is finished she is hop-ing to get more studio work.

At the moment I am working from home and I hope to make it as a professional artist, well see how it goes.

Unknown Knowns runs until February 25 at Draiochts Ground Floor Gallery.


Castleknock on Ice opens

CHRISTMAS: ICE RINK

CASTLEKNOCK will be transformed into a winter wonderland with the establishment of an indoor ice rink this festive season.

Since the establishment of Castleknock on Ice by event management Pro-file Music Group, more and more people have been getting to grips with ice skating, and being an indoor venue, people cant seem to get enough of it, come rain, snow or shine.

Event manager Darren Murphy, told the Gazette there had been a huge amount of interest in the ice rink with group book-

ings from schools, youth clubs, etc increasing every day.

Anyone can skate. Our ice masters are there every day to pick you up when you fall down, but they are also there to give you tips and hints on the best way to skate, said Darren.

Castleknock on Ice is located on the Old Navan Road, Castleknock (opp Bradys garage) and runs until the end of January. For further information, search Castleknock on Ice on Facebook or call 01-8229020 for book-ings.

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESSYOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS

CALL 60 10 240

*based on standard industry measurements

D15 Company supplies equipment for freezing conditions

James Jordan with Snow Socks, which are available

from Gripman Snow Shop. Pictures: Ania Sherlock

New business gets to grip with winterQ LAURA WEBB

A NEW Dubl in 15 business is getting to grips with unexpected weather by supplying all the equipment needed to keep safe during the winter months.

Gripman.ie, a new snow store located in the Coolmine Industrial Estate, is the brainchild

of James Jordan who says last years arctic-like conditions gave him the idea to supply prod-ucts to ensure people are fully prepared for severe winter weather.

The store stocks snow grips for shoes, which include childrens sizes the first in Europe to supply kids sizes, snow socks and snow chains for cars and vans, ice scrapers for windows, rock salt for pavements, heavy duty snow shov-els, and other things are available to buy in store or online.

Last year, during the extremely bad weather I was amazed to see how we, as a country, were so ill-prepared for the snow and ice that brought the country to a virtual standstill.

I witnessed elderly people trying to go about their daily rou-tines, small children try-ing to get to school and hard-working people doing what they could to get to work. It was a nightmare for us all, says Jordan.

That was when it occurred to me that we, as a nation, tend to wait for things to hap-pen before reacting, and then its usually too

late. I tried to buy certain

products at the time to get around, but found the prices too high and a serious lack of avail-ability.

So now I have tried to do something about it, by forming my own company Gripman.ie, the businessman explains.

Items like the ice scraper is a vital piece of equipment needed in a car.

According to Jordan using hot water to get rid of ice is not best way to go.

What people dont realise is hot water makes glass crack and if some-one is pouring it over their car on a driveway that slants, water runs down the path turning it into a very dangerous ice-rink for walkers.

We want to get the message across to peo-ple not to wait for it [winter weather] to hap-pen, have it ready and be prepared by having it in your car or garage ready for use.

To see the wide range of products on offer, visit Gripman.ie or visit the store at 104, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Clon-silla, Dublin 15.


No to marking requestCALLS for a raised cycle kerb in Carpenterstown to be marked more clear-ly, have been rejected by Fingal County Council for not being warranted.

During a recent area committee meeting in Blanchardstown, Castle-knock Council for Peggy Hamill asked council management to investi-gate the raised cycle kerb at the Lavena roundabout which, she said, needs to be marked more clearly.

But, responding to Cllr Hamill, an FCC spokes-person said: The raised cycle track was provided on Carpenterstown Park East as part of the con-struction of the Castle-knock QBC scheme. The works have been com-pleted in accordance with design and to approved standards. The provision of additional lining/sig-nage at the start of the cycle track at the Laverna roundabout is not consid-ered warranted.

COUNCIL

Sale of work raises 6,300Q LAURA [email protected]

CASTLEKNOCK locals turned out in force to raise a staggering 6,300 for two worthy causes by attending the Sisters of St Joseph Cluny Mount Sackville annual sale of work recently.

This week, the Sisters presented Brother Kevin Crowley, of the Capuchin Franciscan Order, with a cheque of over 3,000 for his work with home-less. The remainder of the money raised through the sale of work, which took place in November, will go to a Cluny mission in Cameron for a new school.

R e s i d e n t s o f S t Josephs nursing home, located at the Mount Sackville schools com-plex, and students from the national and sec-

ond-level school made some very special gifts to sell at the fair, which many people purchased as Christmas presents.

We have a nurs-ing home here and the residents take part in an activity programme, on every day during the week. Once a year we get together with the two schools at Mount Sack-ville for the big event. This year we decided to divide it up and support our own here. This year we raised 6,300 in four hours, Sr Benedicte, director of Nursing at St Josephs nursing home, told the Gazette.

It was a great suc-cess. Lots of school chil-dren and parents came. They did very well. It was packed with people. They made cards, jewel-lery, decorated candles we had toys collected

from the two schools. There was also a cafe and a raffle.

According to Sister Benedicte, the residents of St Josephs nursing home, who are retired Sisters, see taking part in the sale of work as their way of contribut-ing to society.

To be able to con-tribute to the mission, even if they are retired, is good for them.

Other convents from near and far contributed to the sale of work with hampers, silk scarves and more.

This is the time of year that everyone looks forward to.

The staff and students of Mount Sackville, as well as the staff and residents of the nursing home, were thanked for making it a great suc-cess.

Presentation: Local hotel awarded with Spa Accreditation CertificateIT WAS a proud day for Castleknock Hotel and Country Club recently when they were presented with the Failte Ireland Spa Accreditation Certificate at the National Spa and Wellness Conference in Cork, which was organised by Failte Ireland. Key research released by Failte Ireland shows that 104,000 overseas visitors visited a spa when on holiday in Ireland in 2010. Pictured is Tony Lenehan, Failte Irelands Head of Quality and Standards, presenting the certificate to Aimee Kavanagh, Castleknock Hotel and Country Club.

EVENT: LOCALS TURN OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS TO SUPPORT CHARITY EVENT


COMING SOON IN YOUR GAZETTE...

DONT MISS OUT ON TAKING PART IN THIS POPULAR SUPPLEMENT......FOR ADVERTISING CALL US NOW ON 01 60 10 240

FEATURING EVERYTHING FOR A NEW YOU IN THE NEW YEAR... INS IDE YO UR F REE LO CA L G A Z E T T E T H U R S DAY 1 2 T H JA N

Its Joans Q LAURA WEBB [email protected]

A MUCH-NEEDED Alzheimer Day Centre providing care for people living with dementia in Dublin 15 was officially opened by local TD and Minister Joan Burton last week.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, in partnership with the HSE, will oper-ate the centre three days per week for clients living with dementia in Castle-knock, Blanchardstown, Clonsilla, Hartstown, Mulhuddart, Huntstown, Cabra and the Navan Road.

The new Failte Day Centre will provide dementia-specific, per-son-centred care to peo-ple with dementia and their carers.

The vitally-needed centre operates a home-from-home day-care service in the midst of the

community from the Fold Housing Complex in the Cherryfield Estate.

Speaking at the open-ing, Minister Burton said the new service illustrat-ed the importance and effectiveness of a partner-ship approach between The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the HSE in meeting shared objec-tives.

As a public represent-ative for the area, I very much welcome the open-ing of this much- needed facility and look forward to supporting the society to address the issues of dementia and Alzheim-ers in West Dublin now and in the future, she said.

Figures revealed by the Alzheimer Society of Ire-land show many carers are now at crisis point, as waiting lists for dementia services have shot up by 20% in the last year to a number of 1,212 across

the country.Even operating at full

capacity, however, the new centre is still only able to cater for half of those requiring its serv-ices in the area.

Over 30 people are currently on the waiting list at present and, with an ageing population in the constituency, it is likely the demand will increase.

Also speaking at the launch, The Alzheimer Society of Irelands CEO Maurice OConnell wel-comed the Minister to the centre and praised the wonderful achievement of all those who have worked, volunteered and supported The Alzhe-imer Society of Ireland in bringing this centre to the community.

We are very proud of Failte Day Centre and how it demonstrates the huge benefit services like this can have for people

Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton was more than happy to open the Failte

Day Centre, which will provide dementia-specific, person-centred care

FACILITY Minister attends the opening of a new Cheaper travelling with new Leap cardDUBLIN West residents can now avail of cheaper fares and easier travel following the launch of the new Leap card.

Dublin West TD and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar launched the Leap card, which can be used as a single ticket for travel on bus, Luas, Dart and rail services across the city including Dublin 15, last week.

This is good news for all users of public trans-port, but especially for commuters who will see significant discounts. The card represents one of the cheapest ways of getting around Dublin, said the Minister.

It will also make pub-lic transport a far more attractive alternative by allowing just one ticket to be used for a range of services. You can switch easily from one service to another, he said.

LAUNCH



ADVERTISE YOUR YOUR BUSINESSBUSINESS TO OUR READERSCALL 60 10 240


warm D15 welcomeliving with dementia.

We would like to extend our thanks to all those who have helped us bring this centre to this community like those attending today from the HSE, McDonalds and Fold Housing.

We hope to continue expanding the service to eventually provide a five- day service to clients into the New Year. However, this is largely dependent on funding.

Strain

Currently our services nationwide are under severe strain to meet the existing needs of people diagnosed with demen-tia. Not only that, but we are acutely aware that the recession is impact-ing people living with dementia with job cuts, cuts to carers allowance and cuts to services. The prioritisation of demen-tia at a government level

is a very welcome step in that regard, OConnell added.

On attending Failte Day Centre clients are offered age-appropriate therapeutic social care activities such as social care, spiritual therapy,

social outings, cooking therapy, relaxation thera-py, cognitive therapy, gar-den and outdoor therapy, pet therapy, Sonas, art and crafts, reflexology, beauty therapy treatments, along with auditory and visual entertainment.

For further information on the service offered by the centre, phone: 01 640 9392

For more information on the services provided by The Alzheimer Society Ireland log onto www.alzheimer.ie

Minister Burton is pictured with client Tim Canavan and wife, Mary

A 0.25% reduction in rates to local author-ity mortgage holders has been welcomed this week by local politicians.

Rates will now be reduced from 3% to 2.75%.

While welcoming the decision, Fine Gael Cllr Kieran Dennison said that more needed to be done by the Housing Finance Agency to reduce the rates even further.

While I welcome the decrease, the differential between the rate charged to local authority borrow-ers and the average varia-ble rate in the market has now grown out to around 1.75%. The Housing Finance Agency needs to do more to reduce this, he said.

I am also pleased that there will be a substan-tial reduction in the new rate to be paid under the newly negotiated Mort-gage Protection Insur-ance Scheme, he said.

Mortgage reduction welcomed

HOUSING

The Minister with Alzheimer Society CEO, Maurice

OConnell and Failte Day Centre manager, Mary

Barden

Client, Christy Cummins from McKee Park who sang

Youll Never Walk Alone

day centre for treating people with dementia


MUSIC At Westmanstown Sports and Conference Centre

WESTMANSTOWN Sports and Confer-ence Centre in Clonsilla was full of festive cheer recently when locals gathered for An Evening of Seasonal Music and Song presented by The Garda Survivors Support Association.

Mezzo Soprano, Fiona Murphy, and the Band of An Garda Siochana performed some

fantastic Christmas classics that really got everyone in the festive mood. Musical director on the night was Inspector Pat Kenny, while compere was Ray Kennedy, from RTE. The event proved to be really popular with every-one and was the perfect event to kick-start the Christmas season.

Mary ONeill

Breda Hand, Irene Tighe, Frances Morley, Ann McCabe, Margaret Dixon, Eileen Griffin and Violet Harmon

Mezzo Soprano Fiona Murphy who sang on the night

Michael OReilly, Daniel Creevey and Ross Elwood. Pictures: Rob Love

Seasonal songs of joy to support survivors

Audrey Dowdall

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSSUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

CastleknockGazetteCALL US ON 60 10 240

gazette group

ww

w.

.com

All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

22 & 29 December 2011 GAZETTE 11

12 GAZETTE 22 & 29 December 2011

GazetteBEAUTYBEAUTYBrides can win big, its wedding time!G

AZETTE Group Newspapers has teamed up with T he Wedd ing

Journal Show to offer lucky readers a chance to win a pair of VIP tick-ets, and 10 pairs of run-ners-up tickets , to the Wedding Journal Show, Citywest Complex, Dub-lin from January 13 until January 15, 2012.

The Wedding Journal Show 2012, in associa-tion with Ireland AM, will feature over 450 exhibitors and provide brides and grooms alike with a one-stop-wedding shop, together with all the inspiration they need to plan their big day. From venues and flowers to dresses and cars, the

Wedding Journal Show has it all and all under one roof!

As always, the Wed-ding Journal Show is pulling out all the stops for their 2012 exhibition. Celebrating all thats Irish, there will be an Irish Bridal Designers Area to help you find that dream gown, as well as Wedding Jour-nals unrivalled inter-national catwalk show, which takes place three times daily. This exclu-sive event provides a rare opportunity to see a selection of designer wedding gowns, brides-maids, mothers of the bride and groomswear, some of which have never been seen in Ire-

land before!Whether you are look-

ing for the perfect dress, suit hire, an exclusive venue, flowers, station-ery, entertainment, cars, photographer or a deli-cious cake, every aspect of your wedding plan-ning experience will be covered.

Whats more every-one who buys a ticket to the show either online or on the door will be entered into a prize draw to win a wedding work 25,000!

For more information, or to book your discount-ed tickets, visit www.wed-dingjournalonline.com

See below for full details on this incredible competition.


ADVERTISE YOUR YOUR BUSINESSBUSINESS TO OUR READERSCALL 60 10 240



Brides can bag a bargain at the Wedding Journal Show in Citywest next month. See our incredible competition

below for your chance to win VIP passes for the inspirational event


Q LEILA JOHARI THE holiday season has arrived, party time is upon us. We want to look good in that little black dress but all that fun and feasting can take its toll on our bod-ies.

Between late nights, eating and drinking, it is no wonder our bod-ies find it hard to keep functioning effectively.

Research has shown that the average person consumes up to 7,000 calories on Christmas day, and dont forget about the festive good-ies we feast on the weeks before.

Christmas is a special time of year we want to enjoy so here are some tips to keep healthy and keep our spirits up!

Dont go to a party hungry

Eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day so that you are not starving when you arrive at the party. Por-ridge in the morning is ideal followed by a lunch of lentil soup and

whole-grain bread.

Portion ControlAllow yourself to try

the festive goodies you dont have during the year but opt for small portions, this way you can try a bit of every-thing.

Make food swaps and limit high-fat foods

Choose open-topped mince pies to reduce the amount of pastry

Serve whole-grain bread sticks with salsa instead of potato crisps and sour cream dip

Swap ice cream for fresh fruit sorbet

Swap salted nuts and chocolates for unsalted nuts and dried fruit dipped in dark chocolate

Serve marinaded chicken, beef and fish instead of breaded ver-sions

Avoid the egg nog as this is made with sugar and cream!

Choose your drink carefully

Instead of beer, cider

and Baileys try dry wine, Bloody Marys or spirits with diet mixer, which has fewer calo-ries.

C h o o s e o r g a n i c drinks where possible, as they have less addi-tives, sweeteners and chemicals.

Dont forget that peo-ple who are overweight gain weight more eas-ily when they consume alcohol.

Drink plenty of water to rehydrate your body and avoid a hangover.

Dont let others refill your glass and only top up when your glass is empty.

Holiday HangoverThe main symptoms

of a hangover are a banging headache and extreme fatigue.

Alcohol robs your brain of water resulting in your brain shrinking from the inside of your skull, giving you that throbbing pain.

This is best avoided but, if the glare of the sunlight and the crash-ing sound of cutlery in the kitchen the next

morning is unbearable, there are some cures that may help.

Fried Breakfast: Yep, believe it or not this is the one time a fried breakfast should be on the menu.

Fried foods such as eggs, bacon, mushrooms

and toast contain lots of salt and amino acids.

Your body needs salt after weeing and sweat-ing so much as a result of alcohol, which is a diuretic.

The amino acids help to get the liver back on track after it has worked hard to expel the alco-hol.

A big breakfast will boost your glucose, helping you shake off

that tiredness.

Fresh Fruit Smooth-ie: This will provide Vitamin C which helps the liver to process the last of the alcohol and the liquid content helps you rehydrate.

A glass of warm water with freshly squeezed

lemon juice and grated root ginger flushes out the digestive system and a bowl of pure porridge with mixed berries and cinnamon will stimulate digestion.

Finally, get out, get moving and get some fresh air.

Take the dog for a walk to look at the Christ-mas lights and soak up some more of that festive atmosphere.

GazetteNUTRITIONNUTRITION

Surviving the holiday season

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Research has shown that the average person consumes up to 7,000 calories on Christmas day, and dont forget about the festive goodies we feast on the weeks before- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Party time is upon us so, to make sure you keep healthy over the festive period, check out our guide

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

GOT A STORY?

GazetteMUSICMUSICMRU ready to listen to the new breed?

Dave Duggan, David Spain (WDAR), Keith McLoughlin supporting Music Review Unsigned

IF YOU turn on nation-al radio at any time of the day, you will likely hear Rhianna, Coldplay or whatever it was that won The X Factor, all of which have the finan-cial backing of major record labels.

But what becomes of our Irish home-grown talent? R ight now, according to ukairplay-chart.com, the Irish Radio Airplay Chart consists of a top 10 list of artists who all are international.

According to the web-site, the top 10 list was compiled over 99.7% of the general audience in Ireland.

If 99.7% of the gen-eral public are currently listening to internation-al artists in Ireland, it means an industry rich with talented musicians dont have an opportu-nity to create a platform for themselves and get to the level they truly deserve.

However, local artists have now a voice in the media. Music Review Unsigned (MRU) was set up in 2006 by Bal-lyfermot man, Trevor Halpin.

The website reviews unsigned musicians from all over the world, and has set up a social side to their site, attract-ing many unsigned art-ists to set up profiles for free and share their music and get reviews from MRU users.

T h e w e b s i t e i s involved with local radio stat ion, West Dublin Access Radio (WDAR) 96FM, which runs a weekly chart show every Thursday at 4pm.

They also play all the latest unsigned music on the show. One of the ideas behind putting on such a show was to give more airtime to local talent.

Keith McLoughlin, a local radio present-er with West Dublin Access Radio 96fm and Dublin South FM, is on the front line in the bat-tle to create this plat-form for many artists.

I have been going to gigs and watch-ing unsigned acts for

NEW ARTIST FORUM: HELPFUL WEBSITE FOR EMERGING ACTS

many years, and I go home feeling buzzed by watching new talent, said Keith.

But when I turn on the radio, all I can think is why are these artists not getting the recogni-tion they deserve?

For almost six years, Music Review Unsigned has quietly built a strong following in Ireland and now around the world.

With over 1.5 million views per month on their website, together with an online maga-zine that is published every month, the com-pany has now become a staple in the Irish music industry, and has given many artists another platform to showcase their music.

D a v i d D u g g a n , online design editor for musicreviewunsigned said: We could blame it on the government not putting proper leg-islation in place to force commercial stations to play unsigned music, but if we have a strong s t r uc ture to make musicians and bands aware of the financial and bureaucratic sys-tem that exists in the Irish music industry, we could see a 50/50 share of listenership in Ireland for existing and unsigned acts.

Trevor Halpin, the editor of MRU, is equal-ly enthusiastic about the sites potential.

It could be many years before such art-

ists as The Barley Mob, Autonomous I, The Slick Hippys and many more local acts reach the ears of the general public on prime-time radio.

We should be try-ing to put the proper infrastructure into the Irish music scene where our artists could work alongside promoters, venues and industry insiders to build the knowledge that would help new acts to suc-ceed.

If we were honest, money can buy you suc-cess, and a number one single or album, but we know the real listeners would prefer to hear real Irish home-grown talent on their radios.


X FACTOR, Glee, Justin Bieber...somewhere theres a production line spitting out shiny, sing-ing puppets to destroy the brains and ears of young people.

Why not give the gift of real music this Christ-mas? Some of this years best albums make great stocking fillers.

The Foo Fighters generated earth tremors at a gig in New Zealand recently; see if you can do the same with their great album, Wasting Light, from earlier this year your neighbours would love you for it!

Red Hot Chili Peppers Im With You will get you in the mood for next years gig, as will Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, with Noel announced as support for RHCP.

Or, and heres a few words I never thought would be in the same sentence, Pearl Jam leader Eddie Vedders subtle and lilting Ukelele Songs.

The Chinese said 2011 was the year of the rabbit. 2012 should definitely be the year of the gig. Huge acts are gracing our shores next year, including The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, who will bring his E Street Band back to the RDS, albeit without the master of sax, the late Clarence Clemons, who died earlier this year.

Croker will be the setting for the Red Hot Chili Peppers with support from Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, while Van Morrison and Tom Petty both have gigs lined up at The O2. Rock n Roll on the New Year!

Billy Joel may be off Bonos Christmas card list. He told music fans in Massachusetts last week that when he was at a U2 concert in New York, he found another band under the stage adding to their live sound. I think he may have found what U2 were looking for...

Listen to Dee Woods from Radio Nova every weeknight from 7pm to 12am on 100.3FM

FastTunes with Radio Novas Dee Woods

ChristmasWere always look-

ing for foster families to socialise our cats and kit-tens throughout the year. Why not become a feline friend this Christmas and give a cat a home over fes-tive season.

New Year/New YouThrow a New Years

Eve party at your house and ask guests to make a resolution to become more animal friendly in 2012.

Adopt the Perfect Partner

Visit us and adopt your forever friend. We have lots of wonderful animals, all deserving good homes, just waiting for their new families to love and cher-ish them.

Our adoption consult-ants are all expert at plac-ing the right animal with the right family using their unique, meet your match programme.

Go Online: www.dspca.ie

The Dublin SPCAs gift shop has lots of gifts for this holiday season, from Christmas cards to wrap-ping paper, from 2012 calendars to cute, cuddly teddies, complete with full veterinary scrubs, from stationary to novelty mugs and aprons, etc.,

You could even Spon-sor a Pet by going online at www.dspca.ie and sponsoring one of our much-deserving shelter animals as a goodwill gift for a friend or family member.

A Symbolic GiftGesture:

Why not support us

GazettePETSPETS Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCATHE FACTS: LAST YEAR, THE DSPCA HELPED OVER 4,400 ANIMALS, AND THEY NEED YOUR HELP

Support the DSPCA this ChristmasT

HIS Christmas its business as usual for the good folk at Ire-

lands oldest and largest animal welfare charity, the Dublin SPCA and our wonderful staff and volun-teers are all bracing them-selves, not just for the cold snap, because, lets face it, the conditions are practi-cally arctic up here in the Dublin mountains, but for the surge in the many rescue requests well no doubt receive.

Last year, the Dublin SPCA helped in excess of 4,400 animals, an amaz-ing feat when you realise it costs us 2m to run the shelter and we do all of this without Government funding; depending heav-ily upon donations from kind members of the pub-lic.

So, while most of you will be opening your presents and tucking into the turkey and ham, our frontline staff will be on full alert, helping animals in need.

And, even though we all adore Christmas at the shelter, animal welfare, just as it is every other day of the year, remains our top priority.

However, the great part is we arrive at work to cheerful barks, luscious licks and energetic tail wags and every animal gets their visit from Santa, who puts lots of animal-friendly treats and toys into their stockings now, how many of you reading this gets to experi-ence that type of yuletide pleasure? How lucky are we?

So, in order to help res-cued animals and support the countrys favourite charity this holiday sea-son, take a quick look at my hints below.

A few coppersThis yuletide, designate

a day where co-workers, family members, school-mates, etc., donate their small change to the Dub-lin SPCA.

Make it a Puurrrfect

Animal welfare remains the DSPCAs top priority even

on Christmas Day


by becoming a monthly member?

By donating a small amount each month, you could provide our charity with a sustainable income that will help us give sick, Injured, cruelly treated, abandoned and forgot-ten animals a happy end-ing. For example: If you donate 5 per month you will enable us to buy vaccines for 30 dogs and cats. If you donate 9 per month you will help us provide special milk to bottle feed 40 orphaned kittens.

If you donate 21 per month, or more, this will qualify for tax relief,

which means your annual gift will be increased from 20-42% (depending on your tax bracket) at no additional cost to you.

If you donate 32 per month you will save a life. Let me explain. The average cost of a rescue, veterinary treatment and boarding of each animal we take care of is 475. When we re-home an ani-mal, having rescued, treat-ed, rehabilitated, spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, de-flead and de-wormed him, and after adoption fees are paid, there is still a deficit of 379 on each animal, or 32 per month.

Too Much StuffTake a look at our wish

list on www.dspca.ie and see if you have anything in your home you no longer want that you can donate to us.

Lobby forLegislation

Contact your local TD and lobby him/her to get legislation passed at local and national level and join us in the fight to save animals lives.

Q For more information, log onto www.dspca.ie or email [email protected]

GazetteMOTORSMOTORS

LAST WEEK, the eco creden-tials and mind-blowing econo-my of the Skoda Fabia Green-line were at the centre of the Gazette motoring pages.

This week, without wanting to be too repetitive, were going to take a look at another Fabia, but this time, its something that brings a lot more fun to the table.

Enter the Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2TSI.

Its an interesting experience when you get two different ver-sions of the same car to drive back-to-back, and that is what happened to me with the Fabia Greenline and Monte Carlo last month.

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again, Skoda are hitting all the right notes in the looks department these days.

From the time I picked it up, this car made me smile.

I find the overall look of Skoda cars very easy on the eye, and the designers kept it simple when they were styling the Monte Carlo.

Sporting a bold red body, sunset tinted windows, and enhanced by a black roof, black boot spoiler and black painted body parts, the car stands out with the addition of a set of 17 black alloy wheels.

Eye-catching interior details include stainless steel pedals

and Monte Carlo inscribed sill strips.

The red and black uphol-stery lent an exciting feel to the cabin, even if the dash is a little less imaginative.

So far, so Skoda ticking all the right aesthetic boxes.

But does it have enough of the fun-factor to back up its impressive looks?

The short answer is yes within reason.

The car I drove was the 1.2TSI version, working off 105 bhp.

Lets just say it never ceases to surprise me just how much poke car manufacturers can get out of such modest engines.

This is a driving car, and its turbocharged petrol engine, with direct petrol injection and just delivers a wonderful level of performance to a car that isnt weighed down by anything as superfluous as air conditioning.

But, being honest, I would

have liked a few buttons on the steering wheel to avoid being distracted by music that didnt fit the driving experience.

The week I spent with this car saw me travel to and from Dundalk on a number of occasions, detouring through Drogheda twice.

The mix of off-peak motor-way driving and some fun sec-ondary roads really let me have some fun with this car, and it didnt disappoint - and, as far as I am aware, my driving licence is still clean.

Its also worth noting that Skoda are currently offering zero per cent credit terms on the Fabia range.

Back in black, but shes laden in red


HONDA TOP OF THE CLASS IN RELIABILITY: THE latest Car Reli-ability from Which? Car said: Not only did Honda owners respond in the largest numbers to the 2011 Which? Car Survey, they also reported that Honda was the most reliable of all 34 brands we covered.

Thats no mean feat, and it makes Honda one name thats worth remem-bering when its time to replace your car. That is praise indeed from the biggest sur-vey of car reliability and owner satisfac-tion in the UK.

The Which? Car Reliability survey,

that asks car owners to rate their own cars, is calculated from the number of break-down, faults and niggles suffered by all models in the last 12 months. The score for each of these are then combined to provide an overall reliability score for each manufacturer. As breakdowns are more serious than faults or niggles, they are given a heavier weighting than the other two areas.

Frank Kennedy, of Universal Honda, was delighted with the result: The Which? Car Survey is very comprehensive in that car owners who live with their cars are the people who rate the cars. This means that potential buyers will be able to make an informed decision as how good it is to own a Honda which has been rated so highly.

Honda is up one place from last year when it came second.

RoadRoadSignsSigns

Pretty as a picture, but its not a case of style over substance with Skodas Fabia Monte Carlo there is some real fun to be had here too, says Cormac Curtis

Back in black, but shes laden in red

Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2TSIQ 0-100 km/h: 11.7 secQ Max speed: 177 km/hQ CO2: 121 g/kmQ Price: 16,775

SPECS

RoadRoadSignsSignsRenault create 47 jobs in six monthsMOTOR company, Renault, generated 47 jobs in Ireland over the last six months. The jobs were as a result of the launch of Renault Finance, the introduction of ZE ambassadors and the opening of two new dealerships.

In August, Renault Finance saw 15 new jobs created in their operations, finance and marketing roles.

In September, Renault announced eight new recruits. These ambassadors are dedicated to the Renault range of electric vehicles and will help to build awareness and assist customers in making informed choices.

November saw the opening of two brand new premises; Tullamore Motors in Offaly and Dennehy Motors in Limerick. The two new premises will see 24 new jobs created over the next 12 months, which is great news for both counties.

The Clondalkin-based AD Dublin have opened in the former Capital Brake & Clutch building

New premises a fresh start for AD DublinTHIS month sees AD Dublin motor factors move into a new location in the former Capital Brake & Clutch building in Clondalkin.

AD Dublin is a branch of AD Ireland, that has a network of 19 branches countrywide.

From this strategic location, the firm plans to further develop and expand their quality parts delivery service to their existing, as well as their new, customer base.

In addition to the Clondalkin branch, AD Dublin also have a branch in Stadium Busi-ness Park in Ballycoolin, which services their cus-

tomers on the northside of the city.

Traditionally, AD Dub-lin was a car and light-vehicle parts business, but this move sees the company becoming the first one-stop-shop for car, van, comercial vehi-cle and body repair parts in the Dublin area.

They have a fully equipped diesel fuel-injection workshop on site, with full capability to diagnose and repair any diesel pump and injector problems.

AD Dublins new loca-tion supports 30 jobs in the locality, and they hope to grow this as the business expands.

The company boasts a wealth of experience to help customers with all of their requirements.

They carry a full range of car, van and commer-cial vehicle parts, as well as a full range of auto body repair shop require-ments.

Diagnostic equipment is becoming more preva-lent in the auto repair business.

AD Dublin are the

distributors for Delphi, Denso, Bosch And Texa diagnostic equipment, to which they have dedi-cated staff to answer any questions or queries their customers may in rela-tion to auto diagnostics.

For the companys full range of products and services, visit their website at www.adire-land.ie

The AD Dublin team can be contacted at 01-4613400 and are located at Unit 15/3 and 15/4 Crag Terrace, Clondalkin, D22.

They can be emailed at [email protected], and their Ballycoolin number is 01 8975210.

GazetteMOTORSMOTORS

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The company boasts a wealth of experience to help customers- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


GazetteBUSINESSBUSINESS Supported by AIB

WITH Christmas around the corner, many business owners and professionals are considering their next move, keen to upgrade their phones for the New Year to help maximise their working day in the current, challenging eco-nomic climate.

Step forward Micro-soft, in partnership with HTC, with their work-ing relationship proving a natural fit in making a mobile office a practical reality on a mid-range smartphone.

In addition to a wide range of the usual social and casual programs found on smartphones these days, and sport-ing Microsofts colourful Windows 7.5 (or Mango) OS, the HTC Radar fea-tures a fully integrated office hub, presenting a full suite of office applica-tions.

This free software Excel, Word and Power-Point puts mobile work-ing on the go in the palm of the hand, cleverly using the SkyDrive system to make cloud computing a

mobile reality.With this ability to eas-

ily edit and synchronise data when out and about via what Microsoft have cleverly dubbed a Cloud in your pocket, its hard not to be impressed by the flexibilty of seeing mobile computing now expand-ed to being truly mobile working, as well.

When coupled with particularly well-adapted calendar integration, which, again, can synch data with ease, and its clear that Microsoft has faced the challenge of cre-ating a mobile offce and succeeded, with ease.

With such useful office heavyweight programs sitting under the bonnet, the HTC Radar, running Microsofts Mango, lays down a serious challenge for rivals to match, with the phone potentially proving a must-have for business people and pro-fessionals and even stu-dents in 2012.

The HTC Radar, run-ning Microsofts Mango OS, is available now at a range of outlets.


The HTC Radar, running Windows Mango OS, is

available from a number of outlets

WITH Emirates inaugural flight from Dublin to Dubai just around the corner, senior execu-tives from the award-winning airline arrived in Dublin recent-ly to meet the media and host a gala dinner at the Convention Centre.

Thierry Antinori, Emirates executive vice-president, pas-senger sales worldwide, said that Emirates had made a con-siderable investment in the Irish market, and was confident of the success of the new route, follow-ing unprecedented bookings for the first weeks of service.

We can see unusually high demand for the first two weeks after launch, Mr Antinori said.

This is an excellent response from the Irish market, and we have not witnessed this level of bookings, nor such strong inter-est in a new route, for many years. This gives us huge confidence in Ireland and the figures support the commercial research that precedes any decision we take to launch a new service.

From January 9, daily flights will connect Dublin to Dubai, the airlines intercontinental

hub. The new route will be served by an Airbus A330-200 with a combination of Irish and multinational cabin crew.

By January, passengers will be able to conveniently connect from Dubai to more than 100 onward destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Emirates has 70 flights per week to the key Ire-land market of Australia, includ-ing an A380 service to Sydney. The airline is also the largest A380 operator in the world with 19 double-deckers in the fleet and 71 on order.

We are in the process of establishing our new office in Dublin, employing 25 staff on the ground in Ireland in the areas of management, sales, cargo and airport services, Mr Antinori said.

Emirates has demonstrated just how committed it is to the new DublinDubai service, sup-ported by a high-profile national marketing and advertising cam-paign, which extends around our route network, Mr Antinori added.

In the four years to 2010, Irish

nationals made almost 170,000 visits to Dubai hotels, according to Dubais Department of Tour-ism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Amongst that figure will be those who travelled via the UK to join the Emirates net-work.

Dublin has always been on our radar, and there are already strong levels of trade and tour-ism activity between Ireland and the UAE, not to mention the important equine affiliations, said Mr Antinori.

Equally, Emiratis like to trav-el to Europe, particularly during the hot UAE summer and, with its rich cultural heritage and rep-utation for hospitality, we think that Emirates will have a role to play in encouraging inward tourism to Ireland, added Mr Antinori.

The direct daily service will open new business opportuni-ties for trade and commercial relations between the two coun-tries and Irelands direct export capacity will be expanded with 15 tonnes of bellyhold space on each Emirates passenger flight, leaving the capital city. Emirates

SkyCargo, the air freight division of Emirates, is already active in Ireland and will have a dedicat-ed team in Dublin supporting the new route.

Exports trade is expected to flourish as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the fastest-growing markets for Irish companies in the Gulf region, with sales by indigenous Irish companies growing by 23% in 2010 to 58.5m, according to Enterprise Ireland. An estimat-ed 5,000 Irish nationals live in the UAE.

More than 250 Irish staff are employed across the Emirates Group in areas such as cabin crew, flight deck crew, sales and cargo. Recently, nearly 500 can-didates showed up across four separate cabin crew recruitment days held in Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork. Success-ful cabin crew applicants will be brought to Dubai for seven weeks of training.

The new Emirates team for Ireland will be headed up by country manager, Margaret Shannon. For further informa-tion, see www.emirates.com

AVIATION NEWS: Airlines f irst f lights to Dubai depart Dublin in January

Emirates gear up for a new takeoff

Emirates cabin crew Zana Greer, from Australia; Kristina von Heideman, from Sweden; Emma Allen, from Cork, and, inset, Thierry Antinori Microsoft put a cloud in pockets

Why not join the Scots or Danes on New Years Eve ...FOR those looking to cel-ebrate New Years Eve in memorable style, a trip to nearby neighbours, Scot-land or Denmark, could be just the ticket.

Ring in 2012 with one of the worlds best New Year celebrations Hog-manay

A key event in the Scot-tish calendar, Hogmanay celebrations on Decem-ber 31 will be taking place across Scotland.

Events included in this years line-up are sure to surprise visitors, as Scotland will play host to incredible bands and entertainment from every corner of the globe.

You could join some 80,000 party goers at the Edinburghs world-famous Hogmanay festi-val.

Set beneath the stun-ning backdrop of Edin-burgh Castle, Mark Ron-

son, electro-pop band Friendly Fires, Primal Scream and Bombay Bicycle Club will be one of many bands to ensure that Edinburgh hosts a night to remember.

Alternatively, one of the most surprising sites to see in the New Year is the The Fireballs known as Stonehavens

most unique festival, and which attracts thousands of spectators each year.

Swinging fireballs around their heads in a spectacular style, partici-pants parade 175 yards up and down the High Street in the Old Town, illumi-nating the dark skies as they walk.

The event is finished off by throwing each fireball into the sea at the harbour as the New Year sets in.

Meanwhile, over in Stirling, and adding to the appeal of one of the brightest and best Hog-manay parties, and set against the stunning backdrop of Stirling Cas-tle, Scots singer and song-writer, Eddi Reader, and the emphatic rock n roll bagpipers the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are sure to bring 2012 in with style.

The combination of fantastic live music, a

amid giant sand dunes, or a sky-high designer dining experience above one of the worlds liveliest cities?

Denmark, the country that lays claim to having the happiest inhabitants in the world, has it all for your New Years Eve experience.

Check out the follow-ing fantastic events taking place this New Years Eve around Denmark.

Join thousands of peo-ple on the lawn of Ame-

The delightful sights of the

Celebrate New Years Eve in Black and White style at the BurlingtonRING in 2012 in style this December 31 at the Bur-lington Hotels New Years Eve Black and White Gala Ball, where New Year dreams and wishes can be made for the year ahead.

Taking place in the hotels stunning ballroom, which will be decorated in accordance with the Black and White theme, the Ball is sure to draw Ire-lands finest to say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012.

The party starts at 7.30pm with a prosecco recep-tion, followed by a mouth-watering four-course dinner, expertly prepared by executive chef, Tony ODonnell, and his experienced team.

Revellers can enjoy a delicious organic cured-salmon starter, followed by curried parsnip soup, a choice between sirloin of Irish beef, grilled sea bass or spinach and asparagus tartlet for the main course, followed by a wintery wild berry tart, and tea or coffee.

Live music The celebrations will continue into the night with

a late bar extension, as well as music performed by The Camembert Quartet and a DJ until 2am.

When the clock finally strikes midnight, attend-ees and their table will enjoy a complimentary bot-tle of prosecco to toast the New Year.

Tickets for the Burlington Hotels New Years Eve Black and White Gala Ball are available for 75 per person.

Take the stress out of travelling home once the party is over overnight accommodation with breakfast the following morning, and a ticket to the Gala Ball, costs 149, or, for two people sharing, including a pair of tickets to the Ball, prices are from 229.

Alternatively, a package, including overnight accommodation for three people sharing, with full Irish breakfast the following morning and a ticket each to the Ball, is available from 299.

For further information, contact The Burlington Hotel on 01 618 5600, email [email protected], or see www.burlingtonhotel.ie.

FastTravel

GazetteTTRAVELRAVEL22 GAZETTE 22 & 29 December 2011

friendly atmosphere and a great firework finale is set to make Stirling the place to be as the bells peal.

As another destination to delight, and widely rec-ognised as a fantastic des-tination for bagpipers and lovers of the bagpipes, but also for its diverse and busy music scene, Inver-ness will have you jiving this New Years Eve.

Stir l ings musical extravaganza takes place from 8pm, right through to the wee hours of the morning.

Scottish bands, Sker-ryvore, Hoodja, Bags of Rock and Wolfstone, and renowned Scottish comedian, Craig Hill, will be in attendance on the night to ensure that visi-tors are entertained, right through to 2012s arrival and beyond.

To help visitors plan a New Year break in Scot-land, VisitScotland has put together more than 300 offers on places to stay, and things to see and do.

For further information on Scotlands many New Year celebrations and destinations, see www.visitscotland.com/sur-prise.

Meanwhile, if you still havent decided how to ring in the New Year, or feel like taking to a fur-ther afield destination, then why not consider a romantic, seaside gour-met getaway, nestled

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Whether interested to head to sublime Scotland, or delightful Denmark, theres lots of choice for holidaying on New Years Eve- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Historic Hollyrood House Palace is just one of the many stunning sights to take in

on a Scottish visit, whether for New Years Eve or at any time of the year

LOCALMATTERS

S U P P O R T L O C A L B U S I N E S S

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL

60 10 240

rising ranks of Edinburghs historic streets and buildings, rising to the imposing silhouette of the castle

So much to help celebrate New Years around Northern IrelandNORTHERN Ireland has a host of activities for the New Year period that are not all that far from Dublin.

Belfasts wackiest winter event Penguin Curl-ing returns to W5, and all the family can have a go from Tuesday, December 27 to Tuesday, Janu-ary 3.

The aim of the game is to freeze out your oppo-nent by knocking their penguin away, and get the points to snatch the match.

For a different start to the year, why not make a trip to the New Years Day Dip in Antrim?

CLIC Sargent, the leading childrens and young peoples cancer charity, is calling for people to brave the elements and sign up for a sponsored dip in Portrush East Strand Beach to help raise money.

Meanwhile, Christmas on Ice at Lisburn Lei-sure Park is guaranteed fun for everyone.

Not only is the 2,500 sq ft fully-enclosed syn-thetic ice rink in place until Sunday, January 8, but a brand-new activity is also available Water Ball.

Here, you can get in a watertight Zorb-like ball and walk, roll or run on water.

Alternatively, board a steam train at the Down-patrick and County Down Railway on New Years Day for the popular Mince Pie Special.

The same steam train used by Santa will coast through the County Down countryside while all guests enjoy free mince or apple pies, and some festive mulled wine or winter punch.

Why not walk the woods with an experienced guide? Take part in the New Years Day Walk at Mount Stewart. Dogs are also welcome, so no member of the family has to stay at home.

People planning a festive visit to Northern Ire-land can take advantage of the exclusive accom-modation offers available from the Tourist Infor-mation Centre, which include a two-night break with breakfast and one evening meal from 64.50 pps at the Ramada Encore, Belfast; 99 pps at the Ramada Portrush; 89 pps at the Armagh City Hotel; 79 pps at the Tower Hotel, Derry; 85 pps in the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor; 89 pps at the Killyhevlin Hotel in Fermanagh, and 89 pps at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh.

For further information on these and many other events and offers, contact the Northern Ireland Tourist Board on Callsave 1850 230 230; visit the Tourist Information Centre, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 to avail of its free advice and booking service, or see www.discovernorthernireland.com.

TravelBriefs

Edited by Mimi Murray


A steam train ride with mince pies is just one

imaginative New Years event in Northern Ireland

lienborg, the winter resi-dence of the monarch of Denmark.

The Danish equivalent of Times Square in New York will ring in the New Year with a boisterous crowd and fireworks, after Queen Margrethe II gives her New Year speech.

Fireworks in Tivoli Gar-dens is an exciting way of celebrating New Years Eve in Denmark. In fact, they offer a full five-day festival of fireworks right after Christmas, and all

the way through to New Years Eve.

The fireworks are also accompanied by music, which makes the event even sweeter.

If your idea of a New Years celebration is being at one with nature, then Denmarks north-ernmost town, Skagnen, may be the perfect loca-tion for you.

Book into a historic hotel and sample their gourmet offerings as you enjoy the surrounding

sand dunes, wide open beaches and the roaring sea.

Alternatively, you could celebrate the arrival of 2012 at one of Copen-hagens designer sky res-taurants, and watch the fireworks light up the night sky.

Take in the city views from Hotel Bella Sky Comwell Scandina-vias largest design hotel or Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, the worlds first design hotel.

Of course, Copenhagen isnt just a city of design, its also a city of music.

Start your New Years Eve celebration with a classic music extravagan-za at the citys heritage Royal Danish Theatre.

Clubbers and night-owls will enjoy the New Years Eve party in one of Copenhagens top night-clubs, Culture Box.

This event started in 2005, and has grown since then. This year promises to be the best

yet, with a massive DJ line-up, featuring the likes of Tom Collins and DJ Bjarke.

Dont miss out on any of the action SAS fly direct from Dublin to Copenhagen, twice daily, from as little as 69 one way, including all taxes and charges.

So, whether you head to sublime Scotland, or delightful Denmark, theres lots of choice for holidaying New Years Eve revellers.


Xmas crackers ...?Some films for your consideration this Christmas season ... Puss in Boots, Arthur Christmas, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn and New Years

Eve all competing for your attention, adding to the diverse range of films out this festive season

GoingOUT1GazetteENTERTAINMENTENTERTAINMENT

Some may be duds, while others will entertain, in Kates seasonal roundup of some films on release this seasonQ KATE CROWLEY

TIS the season to be jolly jolly glad that the only turkey Ill be going near for the next cou-ple of weeks will be the one located close to the Crowley households Aga, rather than the type of turkey I see all year round on a big screen in the city centre, quietly driving me gaga.

Turkeys of the cin-ematic variety, at least well, those turkeys can live on to fight (for the remaining Recessionist buttons and fluff clatter-ing around in my Hermes purse) another day.

However, as much as I love cinema despite being nicknamed Two-Stars back at Gazette Towers, on account of my harsh-but-fair ratings I imagine that most readers will be celebrating the joys of Christmas by concen-trating on the small screen at home, rather than the big screen, over the next

couple of weeks.Still, should the delights

of turkey-surprise for approximately 18 days, or the comforting glow of an Eastenders Christmas Special somehow fail to keep you at home, let me point you at a few Christ-mas crackers to catch, if you havent already.

(Note that I use the term crackers with more dryness than the Crowley turkey if Mr Crowley is allowed near the Aga, but lets proceed.)

For families, theres a bunch of child-friendly films to take in, such as Puss in Boots (G, 90min,

+++), which sees Anto-nio Banderas return to voice the popular Shrek character, who gets his own adventure.

If you ever wanted to learn more about the talking cat adventurer, and how he came to be so well-known, this is the one for you.

Meanwhile, Arthur Christmas (G, 97mins, +++) sees Wallace and Gromit makers, Aard-man, present the defini-tive version of how Santa Claus annual Christmas operation really works, courtesy of his blabber-mouth son, Arthur.

I cant say I knew very much about one Arthur Christmas beforehand, but this cheerfully daft film takes an interesting approach to the iconic fig-ure, making it okay family fare, and at least there are no vampires around.

I spoke too soon. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (12A, 117min, +) continues the love affair between bland Bella and drippy Edward.

Personally, I think the Twilight saga would be somewhat livened up if only someone would call for Buffy, the girl with an oft-remarked-upon dis-like for vampires. Alas, but no.

Still, as relentlessly awful as all of the Twilight films have been, Id stake my Christmas dinner on this being a massive hit, even though I still insist fangs, but no fangs.

Sticking with the 12A slot and comparable levels of quality New Years Eve (117min, ++)

is another one of those American rom-coms that appear a couple of times of year, typically when ones resistance is lowered by seasonal celebrations.

You all know the drill by now a big cast, com-prising stock characters (The Beautiful But Sad One, The One With Ishh-oos, The Bad One With A Heart Of Gold, etc), with disparate paths and life journeys and lessons to be learned, all colliding on well, as I love saying the clues in the title, folks!

Seeing as its Christmas, the kindest thing I can say is that its not totally awful. (New Years Eve, you owe me...)

And thats yer lot, as I doubt many are so inter-ested in cinema for the next week or two. That said, ol Two-Stars here would like to wish all my readers (yes, both of you) the very best this Christ-mas, and a Happy New Year, both at home and at the cinema. Humbug!

FILM OF THE WEEK:Various +++ (G to 12A)

OUR VERDICT:ALTHOUGH not a collection of true Christmas crackers, a selection of some of the (previously unreviewed) films on current release features some interesting choices for cinema fans, this Christmas. Children and families are well-served with these, and other choices, while, although new blockbusters are as thin as snow on the ground, theres still an interesting choice of films on release for all audiences.

Directors: VariousStarring: An adventurer cat, Santas son, angsty vampires and Stock Characters though not, sadly, all in the same fi lm

PAVILION 01 231 292947 RosesDESPITE Christmas being upon us, The Pavilion is showing no sign in slowing down its line of great shows for arts and theatre fans, with a number of terrific acts heading to The Pavilion right after Christmas. For example, in mid-January, 47 Roses will bring the sights and sounds of 1960s Dublin to life, in a coming-of-age tale that recreates the bygone era. This tale of the past is definitely one to look out for in the very near future! For more, see www.paviliontheatre.ie.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Rainbows EndWHAT a colourful way to prepare for the end of the year! In Rainbows End, The Mill presents a delightful family show, as the tale of a lost Crown Prince and missing rainbows is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Can Wendy, a student witch, get the rainbows back and save the day? And did anybody say they heard pirates? All will be revealed with Wendy to the rescue ... Catch Rainbows End on Wednesday, December 28 at 2.30pm. For full ticketing and performance details, see www.milltheatre.ie.

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622Caroline DonohueA LONG-term exhibition, Caroline Donohues body of work has been fascinating visitors to the first-floor gallery since its installation in November. Her selected works, to date, examine the point where Man and the natural world co-exist, or in some cases, collide. By examining these spaces, and their occasional paradoxes, Caroline provides glimpses of places to think, and dream, as internal and external worlds collide. You can see Carolines thoughtful body of work at Draiocht until her exhibition closes on Saturday, February 25.


Q SHANE DILLON

ITS been another great year for games, with some superb titles appearing on all formats, and giving lots of choice for great Christmas presents.

Regardless of gam-ers platform of choice, and whether or not titles were platform-exclusive or multi-platform, some vintage titles came out in 2011.

Starting off, Microsoft had plenty of terrific titles, with some enormously popular franchises seeing very strong additions.

Although hardcore gamers were busy tack-ling the Locust menace in Gears of War 3 and the like, it was interesting to see how Microsofts Kinect began to make inroads into mainstream gaming.

While I expect therell be lots of people having fun with Kinect Dance Central 2 this Christ-mas, and a number of other cool Kinect-ena-bled titles, it was seeing

Kinect enabled in racing title, Forza 4, that was a bit of an eye opener for the XBox 360.

Meanwhile, while Microsoft had some out-standing titles, Sony were hardly a slouch in the games department either, with recently-released Uncharted 3 proving a particularly strong con-tender for Game of the Year.

The PlayStation 3 was also well served by a number of exclusive titles, with Killzone 3 proving another big winner.

In fact, virtually any-thing with a 3 in the title served both the 360 and the PS3 well, as did

other sequels and itera-tions.

Unfortunately, 3 wasnt quite as lucky for Nintendo, as its 3DS underperformed for a variety of reasons - and, to be fair, 3D hasnt quite caught on with people as had been expected.

With the 3DS some-what floundering, Nin-tendo seemed somewhat adrift this year, leaving the bigger games battles to be slugged out as usual by the two biggest contenders.

Still, a late return for Link, in the latest, high-ly-imaginative Zelda adventure, and notable other titles, showed that Nintendo still has plenty of life, whether on the Wii or the DS.

However, the biggest gaming story of the year was also one that was somewhat under-report-ed the rise and rise of Apple as a major gam-ing force to be reckoned with.

Main street retailers, and international com-

panies, continued to report on declining sales, and issue profit warnings, as the industry seemed to contract more than ever before, with key titles propping up otherwise slack returns, and with several games companies going under this year.

Lots of theories were bandied about, from dig-ital distribution channels siphoning away custom-ers to consumers having less money.

Few paid much heed to the idea that lots of casual gamers the kind whod never think of spending 40 on a game, but eas-ily snapped up iPhone games from 0.79 a pop were suddenly focusing on Apple products, and eating into mainstream gaming markets in this way.

Meanwhile, PC titles continued to flail around this year, with few titles of note, and with nowhere near the same level of public interest as on the more mainstream plat-forms.

Even the mighty World of Warcraft lost some lustre, with its inter-mittent official magazine folding pun intended after just five issues.

And so, despite some superb titles, but con-sidering the volatility of the gaming sector, itll be interesting to see how the markets develop in 2012, and to see what these platforms have lined up.

Still, looking ahead, gamers have lots to look out for in the near future. Gotham City Impost-ers, Final Fantasy 13-2, Metal Gear Solid HD collection, Binary Domain, Max Payne 3, Silent Hill: Downpour, The Secret World, Diablo 3 and many more titles are on the way, help-ing to show that, no mat-ter whats going on in the rest of the increasingly poor world, at least gam-ers worlds will be as rich, imaginative and varied as ever.

Heres to a happy new year of great games, on great consoles ...

GazetteGAMINGGAMINGTrigger memories of great 2011 games

A modern-day cross between Lara Croft and Indiana

Jones, Nelson Drakes continuing adventures proved

a 2011 gaming highlight in Uncharted 3, on the PS3

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Regardless of gamers platform of choice, some vintage titles came out in 2011- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Crazy Daves Xmas bid to help ConcernITS not often that zombies can be counted on for help, but this year, theyre doing their bit to help fundraise for Concern.

Or, rather, Crazy Dave the oddball shopkeeper with a saucepan on his head from the hit comical strategy game, Plants vs Zombies has tem-porarily taken a break from selling garden rakes, bacon strips and compost to make a fundraising Christmas single.

Ignoring the peril of nearby garden-invading zombies, Crazy Dave or Cray-Z, as hes renamed himself has released Wabby Wabbo,

with games developers, PopCap donating all PopCap proceeds earned from the singles sale, before December 22, to Concern Worldwide.

With more than 465,000 views of his single on YouTube, and with almost 5.5 million followers of Plants vs Zombies Facebook page, Cray-Z is looking for lots of his fans to purchase the track, and help to support Concern.

Wabby Wabbo is available on iTunes, priced 0.99.

Winners picked for Kinect competitionTHE Gazette had a great response from readers for our

Kinect prize giveaway com-petition for the XBox 360.

With the chance to win a copy of the games, Kinect Sports 1 and Kinect Sports 2, lots of readers emailed in the correct answer to the following question:

Which of the following sports can you play on Kinect Sports 2?

A. DartsB. RugbyC. Water Polo

The correct answer was Darts. Under the strictest of conditions (involving a hat), all correct answers (with one per entrant) were put into the hat, with five winners then

Five readers have won a copy of

Kinect Sports 2, for the XBox 360

Bytesandpieces

Fi e eaders ha e o a co of

selected at random.The five winners are: Patrick

Kavanagh; Rita McTague, Blan-chardstown; Michael Wisely, Navan Road; Mary Doyle, Windy Arbour and Ann Crow-ley, Glenageary.

Prizes will be posted out at the start of the New Year. Congratu-lations to all the winners!

CASTLEKNOCKclassifiedsGAZETT

EGA

ZETT

E

Email us at [email protected]


To advertise, call us now on 01 60 10 240

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK*based on standard industry measurements

ADVERTISE YOUR YOUR BUSINESSBUSINESS TO OUR READERS CALL 60 10 240

DVD SERVICES

DIVORCE SERVICES

CLASSES

PAINTERSPOLISH PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND DECORATING Best quality. Free Quotations. No job too small. Very reasonable prices. References available on WWW.MARKCOMPANY.IE find us on FACEBOOKPlease phone Mark on 087-9442445

BRICK, BLOCK AND STONEWORK20 years experience ,living locally. Garden walls, sheds, brick piers, patio and paving. Decorative internal brick work, Plastering Insurance quotes. Call Dave anytime 0872917647

BUILDING

WEFIXFURNITURE.IEWe repair: Leather, Frames, Recliners, Flat Cushions, Upholstery service available. Repair at the fraction of the cost of a replacement 087 8547566

REPAIRS

PET MINDERSSafe, Cosy, Pet Boarding. 5 minutes from Castleknock,Blanchardstown, Lucan.Call now for early booking.Call 086 8126387/01 8223690. Reasonable rates.

PET SERVICES

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL

Planning permission is sought for construction of single-storey extension to the side & rear of existing dwelling, incorporating extended kitchen / living / dining area. Planning Per-mission is also sought for widening of existing pedes-trian entrance to create vehicular entrance to front of property, including asso-ciated dishing of pavement. All at 27 Saint Brigids Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, for Anita OFlynn & Shawn ODonoughue. The planning application may be inspected or pur-chased at a fee not exceed-ing the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offic-es of the planning authori-ty during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the pre-scribed fee (20Euros) with-in the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the author-ity of this application.

PLANNING NOTICE

14430

MOTORING

RECRUITMENT

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 6010240

LOCALMATTERSS U P P O R T L O C A L B U S I N E S S

O [email protected]

COOLMINE cyclist Phil Lavery has made the switch from the Irish-owned An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly professional team to race instead for the new Node4 Giordana squad in 2012.

Speaking this week about the move, Lav-ery said the new team is likely to provide him with a better fit. I felt

that An Post was not the right team for me. The kind of race programme like the [An Post] Ras, Tour of Britain, Tour of Norway and stage races in France, Spain and Portugal suits me more than a lot of the Belgian races.

There are also the Premier Calendar events and I will be released to ride the midweek Nations Cup Under-23 races for Ireland. At the start I plan to remain in

Dublin but will move across during the sea-son.

Lavery is one of seven new riders, with James Moss, Kieran Frend, Matt Higgins, Dave Clarke, Matt Cronshaw and Rico Rogers to join the new team.

Rogers won a stage on the Tour of China where Nicolas Roche picked up his maiden win and will be the teams main sprint option.

CYCLING: COOLMINE MAN BELIEVES LATEST TRANSFER WILL SUIT HIS RIDING STYLE

Phil Lavery, in international action, has switched from Sean Kellys team to a new British pro outfit

Lavery switches to new British Giordana outfit

The Blanch man could make his debut in the Australian Cri-terium championships early in the New Year, a competition in which he finished fourth last time around.

It has not yet been announced when Lav-ery will begin his sea-son. He finished second in the Under-23 classifi-cation at the Irish road race championships last year and rode solidly in

Europe. He adds that this new

team can provide the springboard to pushing on in the professional world.

I still have plenty of international ambitions

and would like to get on a ProTour team in the next couple of years. I know I have the abil-ity, it is a question of showing the confidence and getting the right results.

GazetteSPORT22 & 29 December 2011 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 27

SPORT STARS: SPORT STARS: Decembers Decembers nominees arenominees arerevealed: revealed: Page 29Page 29

GazetteSportSport28 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 22 & 29 December 2011

SPENCER CUP S-FINALDundalk 52

Coolmine RFC 12Q [email protected]

COOLMINES firsts finished off the year with another win, this t ime in cup action against Malahide.

T h e v i c t o r y h a s secured them a place in the final of the Spen-cer Cup, a title that has eluded them in last few years.

It was a cold night, but the surface held up

well, not freezing until well after the game had finished.

It was a comfortable victory for the home side, in the end run-ning in eight tries alto-gether, thanks to, among others, Rob Savage and Alan Cousins.

Coolmine led from the start, and were 14-0 up after the first 10 min-utes, and went into the break at 33-5.

They continued to dominate the second half, running the ball at every opportunity.

Eoin Carbury stepped in at out half for an injured Donal Crotty and managed to con-vert seven out of eight kicks.

The home side were 54-12 to the good at the final whistle, and will be keen to see who their opponents are in the upcoming final next year, which will be Coolmines first opportunity to secure some silverware in the 2011/12 season.

Both players and supporters retired to

RUGBY: ASHBROOK MEN INTO SPENCER CUP FINAL AFTER CONVINCING HOME WIN

Coolmines firsts ended their 2011 on a high with a victory that sees them into the final of the Spencer Cup

Malahide mashed as Coolmine hit the final trail

the clubhouse for some well-deserved Christ-mas drinks and food.

Meanwhile, Cool-mines seconds Byrne Cup semi-final against Stil lorgan was can-celled, and the ficture will be rescheduled for

the New Year. Competitive action

has now finished for the Christmas break, Cool-mines first and second XV will face local rivals Garda RFC on January 7.

Our Under-21s will

take on Castleknock College next Wednes-day at Ashbrook in a bid to win back the Eddie Melvin Trophy. Kick-off is at 7pm.

Elsewhere, the Under-13s took on Castle-knocks first-years in

what is now an annual event. Castleknock ran out easy winners, in spite of Coolmine hav-ing most of the ball, but this game was not about winning or losing, but more about sportsman-ship.

in association with


FastSport

PLAYERS from Railway Union Rugby Football Club got Heineken Cup match-goers into the festive spirit last weekend when they serenaded Leinster and Bath fans on their way to the Aviva stadium.

The Sandymount club were raising funds for much-needed floodlights for their Park Avenue pitch, and impressed the fans with their carol-ling.

With many sports clubs struggling in recent times to secure funding for necessary facility additions and repairs, several have turned to innovative ways of raising the funds. Railway Union RFC decided to flex their vocal chords and the players were put through their paces in the changing rooms every night after training.

Leinster fans were treated to the dulcet sounds of the Railway Union choir at two locations in the hours leading up to the important Cup showdown.

Railway Union join voices to salute Leinster effort

WELCOME to the 2011 Dublin Sports Awards, as we mark our local sportsmen and womens December sport-ing achievements across the capital and, indeed, across the nation.

Were delighted to once again be able to celebrate the finest achievements in Dub-

lin sport, with some huge efforts at local levels coming to our attention in a variety of well-known, and some, less prominent, sports.

Every form of sporting achievement, at any level and in any sport, is valuable and gives an indication of the diversity of spo

Castleknock

Documents

dublin tidy

pool reopened

people dont

popular st vincent

reopen popular poolcharity

dublin west td

st brigids

festive cheer