News Four April 2006

Does anyone realise the scale of the proposed redevelopment plans

for Lansdowne Road Stadium? The computer-generated visuali-sation shown here may be eye-catching but can you imagine living underneath that huge pro-jectory?

A resident of OʼConnell Gar-dens told ʻNewsFourʼ: “People donʼt realise the scale of this project. Iʼm looking out at day-light at the moment but in three yearʼs time I wonʼt see the sun-shine and the outlook will be dark.”

If the new stadium were to be built to the current plans it would rise to 160ft, which is higher than Croke Park (115ft). Some would say this is unacceptable in the midst of a residential area.

However, another resident felt there might be a danger that if they didnʼt build the stadium then the land would be sold to property developers and high rise apartments would be con-structed.

Itʼs not too late for these plans

to be modifi ed and at the present time things are not going so well for Lansdowne Road Sta-dium Development Company (LRSDC). For many months, local residents have been object-ing to the proposed height of the new stadium and have made their feelings known to Dublin City Council, who have obvi-ously been listening.

After receiving the redevelop-ment plans to make Lansdowne Road a 50,000 seat stadium,

Dublin City Councilʼs planners have requested further informa-tion on no less than 43 points. In over 12 pages of text, DCC have requested clarifi cation on such issues as size, landscape and ecology, traffi c, noise control, fi re prevention, water supply and waste management. LRSDC have six months to provide the further information required.

Under issues relating to size, mass, shadowing and glare, DCC are requesting two further

perspective photomontages from the north end of Havelock Square and from the centre of OʼConnell Gardens, looking south from the front of Nos. 14/15 OʼConnell Gardens.

They are also concerned about the durability of the proposed polycarbonate roof in relation to sunlight and UV radiation and how the roof will be cleaned and maintained. They require a noise analysis in relation to the effect of rain and hail.

With regard to ecological is-sues, DCC are concerned that any work carried out would not interfere with fi sh spawning in the Dodder and Swan rivers. The development company are also requested to analyse the impact on fl ora, fauna, otters and birds. Reasons have to be given for the removal of trees and a tree sur-vey undertaken.

Detailed work plans are being sought for the safe removal of all asbestos on the site and for the monitoring of dust levels dur-ing demolition and construction. There are also concerns regard-ing access for fi re services.

Other matters under consid-eration include noise nuisance, sanitation, the objection lodged by Wanderers RFC, the capac-ity of the proposed pedestrian underpass and the impact on the operation of the Dart.

ʻNewsFour ̓readers can obtain a copy of the further information required by Dublin City Council planners from ʻNewsFourʼ, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4.

Web: www.news4.ie • E-mail: [email protected] • Local Newsdesk: Phone 6673317

NewsFour Free Community Newspaper serving Sandymount, Irishtown, Ringsend, Docklands, Ballsbridge and Donnybrook

AP

RIL 2

00

6

THE STADIUM– OVERSHADOWING THE COMMUNITY?

DUBLIN CITY MOORINGS in the Docklands has been chosen as the home port for the inaugural Ireland Challenge which starts on 22nd April. 6 identical 72-foot yachts, each with a crew of 16, will race around Ireland non-stop over Easter.

ON PAGES 20 to 21 James OʼDoherty takes us ʻStrolling Through The Years ̓in historic parts of Dublinʼs Liberties, including Marshʼs Library, above.

NEWSFOUR APRIL 2006PAGE 2

NewsFourManaging EditorAnn Ingle

Advertising ManagerGrainne McGuinness

StaffBrian KellyMaggie NearyDavid HusseyGrace McKennaBrian RutherfordDorothy ColeMiriam HolmesFergal Murphy

ContributorsMichael HilliardChristy HoganSaoirse O’Hanlon TobinMary GuckianBrian SigginsHelen WalshJames O’DohertyEddie HanrattyAidan O’DonoghueFionn RuadhShay ConnollyJessica Fitzgerald

Music CorrespondentBrian Kelly

Web DesignerAndrew Thorn

PhotographyJohn Cheevers

Design, Typesetting, LayoutEugene Carolan

Community Services,15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4.

Telephone: (01)6673317

E-mail:[email protected]

Affiliated to Comhairle,South-East Area Network,(SEAN)Local History Research,Community Resource Service,NewsFour Newspaper,FÁS Community EmploymentProgramme.

Opinions expressed in News Four do not necessarily represent the views of Community Services.

Our address: NewsFour, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, RingsendPhone: 6673317 • Email: [email protected]

Visit our website at: www.news4.ie

This edition has a predominant Easter fla-vour. We had a great time tasting Easter eggs in the office (the things we do for

our readers) and our rather unscientific findings can be seen on page 34. Benoit Lorgeʼs choco-late-making and the French Easter experience by Saoirse will have you on a chocolate high. The repercussions of 1916, the anti-incinera-tor meeting, the work of Enable Ireland and the Lord Mayorʼs call to nominate Unsung Heroes (p.24) are some of the features bringing us back down to earth.

I would like to acknowledge the support that we have received from the Dublin Docklands Authority, Dublin City Council and Dublin Port. Without their grants and assistance our equip-ment would still be in the dark ages. Thanks to FÁS who fund this project and many other Community Employment projects throughout Ireland.

Our advertisers are the lifeblood of the pa-per as we need their continued support to make ends meet. Thank you all. To all our friends who bring in photographs and articles for inclusion in the paper, thank you. I have enjoyed sharing memories with you.

This is the last time I will be writing to you in the capacity of Editor of NewsFour. FÁS will not make funding available for any participant or Supervisor over the age of 66 and therefore I

must retire from this position and I will try to do so gracefully. Grace has written a lovely tribute to me on page 33 but I would like to acknowl-edge the work of supervisors who went before me: Dermot Rafter, Denis McKenna and Martin Lacey who all helped to make ʻNewsFour ̓and the project in general a success. Under Denisʼs leadership SCS produced three history books, helped many aspiring journalists and photogra-phers and is remembered very fondly by eve-ryone. The Sponsoring Committee of SCS has been a great support to me, especially the oracle that is Ed Penrose.

I am going to miss my colleagues here. All of you have been loyal, hard-working and fun to be with. Eugene has had to put up with all the last-minute items I want him to squeeze in, Miriam has been a great help balancing the books, Grainne has remained smiling when I have urged her on to meet her targets and John is placid in his acceptance of my constant de-mands for photographs.

I know I leave NewsFour in good hands and give my best wishes to the new Managing Edi-tor/ Supervisor for the future.

Ernest Hemingway said that retirement is the ugliest word in the language but Iʼm not really retiring– Iʼm just moving on!

Ann Ingle

The Editor’s Corner SHELBOURNE PARK RESIDENTSASSOCIATION LTD

Swimming in SportscoWe have a Swimming Session Every Sunday

Morning from 11am to 1pm in Sportsco.Price: €25 per 3 Month Session or €5 for

one Swim.Children under 3 years are FREE!

This Swimming Session is open to any one who wants to join. It is not just confined to

people living in the Sth.-Lotts-Rd. area.For further Info just call over any Sunday

between 11am-&-1pm.Ask for Mary or Billy.

RingsendActive Retirement

AssociationRetired with time on your hands?

Why not visit us atthe CYMS in Ringsend

any Tuesday to Friday from 2.30 pmNew members (men and women)

always welcome

Guitar LessonsProfessional TeacherContact Tony at 087 9743775

Avon Easter CompetitionPrize hamper of Avon beauty products to the value of €100 including a set of three exclusive Crusade gifts.

Just answer the following questions:

What date is Easter Sunday this year?A: 16th AprilB: 9th April

What animal is associated with Easter?A: ReindeerB: Rabbit

Sent your entries by post to Avon Easter Competition,ʻNewsFourʼ, 15 Fitzwilliam Street Ringsend, Dublin 4

or email your answers to [email protected]ʼt forget to include your name, address and telephone number.

LEGENDARY Arsenal sup-porter, Noel McDonagh, pay-ing homage to Arsenalʼs home ground, Highbury, which is to be demolished at the end of this season. We all remem-ber Arsenal superstar and Ireland legend, Liam Brady, who celebrated his 50th birth-day recently. Unfortunately, Noel was unable to attend the birthday bash as he had an important prior engage-ment with Clanna Gael that evening.

IT’S NOEL… AGAIN!

This year the Avon Breast CancerCrusade starts earlier than usual with

a set of three exclusive Crusadegifts launched in February:

a handbag-sized pink notebook,a slimline silver and pink pen

and a ribbon-shaped lapel pin. These products are available from

the Avon brochure.To find details of your nearestrepresentative or to become a

representative call Carol on 087 2032332or email [email protected]

NEWSFOUR APRIL 2006 PAGE 3

Ford Main DealersBeach Road

Sandymount Dublin 4Phone: 6686011

Sales and accident repair centreFor your new Ford ʻ06 car or commercial

We also have a large selectionof quality used cars

Best Boot Forward!The Over-35s Soccer Tournament, above, took place recently in Herbert Park. Pictured on right are, left to right: Joe Behan, Head Soccer Coach at New York University; Mick Behan; Gerry Cronin with Evan Healy-Cron-in in front. Joe is on a short holiday and commented that the football was top-notch.


By Brian KellyRiain

Riain Verdon attends pre-school in Enable Ireland Sandymount. He is a happy, playful child who will celebrate his fifth birthday next month.

Riainʼs day begins when he is picked up from his home in Dun-drum by coach and brought to Sandymount. He shares a class-

room with 11 other children: six able bodied boys and girls from the immediate area together with six children with disabilities from the wider south Dublin area. All the children play and learn to-gether with three teachers on hand to ensure each child gets their full attention.

Riain is very happy coming to Enable Ireland every day. On Fri-days he loves going to the pool next door and swimming with

his mum. Riain was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy from a very young age and also has a learning disability. The support services in Sandymount mean Riain gets all the help in needs in terms of physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Riainʼs mother Lisa is delighted with the progress he has made since he started pre-school three years ago. Early diagnosis of his condition and a swift introduc-tion to Enable Ireland by doctors in Holles Street where Riain was born means he enjoys, much like any other four year old, a full and active life.

His term in Sandymount is com-ing towards the end (Riain will attend a Junior Infantʼs school in Ballsbridge in September, but will continue to receive therapy and treatment in Sandymount). Leav-ing Sandymount will be a wrench for both Lisa and her son. Lisa has made friends with other mothers who come to the school. Howev-er, she is happy in the knowledge that Enable Ireland will still be very much part of Riainʼs life for many years to come.

Above: Riain with his mum Lisa in Enable s̓ Sandymount centre.

(Continued on page 5)

As the Voluntary Tuition Pro-gramme celebrates its twen-tieth anniversary, ʻNews-

Four ̓looks at the benefits to the 5000 local people who have availed of the successful programme

Back in the mid-eighties a local woman asked the Social Service Cen-tre in Westland Row for help with her son who was struggling with maths. This led to Trinity College being ap-proached with a request for college students to act as voluntary tutors.

Negotiations began with Susan Parks of Trinity College Education Department, which resulted in Trinity student Eddie Manning providing tui-tion for one child at the beginning of

the year and finishing with six more joining by the end of the year. Over time more pupils and students came on board and this has evolved into the VTP (Voluntary Tuition Programme) which runs so successfully today.

Funded by various local bodies, the programme offers children choice when it comes to their education. The VTP celebrated its 20th anniversary recently. “We aim to encourage and inspire students and to show them that with a solid education almost anything is possible,” explains TCD student Damian Hanlon, Vice Chairman of the VTP.

The programme currently pro-vides one-to-one tuition to nearly

400 primary and secondary schools from Ringsend, Sandymount and the Pearse Street area. In order for the pro-gramme to continue each year there is a huge drive during fresher week in Trinity to recruit approximately 250 new students that will go on to service the programme.

Pupils and students meet once a week every week for the school year. This is a huge commitment from both pupils and Trinity students alike, not to mention the parents and commu-nity volunteers. The VTP with its part-ner, the St Andrew s̓ Resource Centre, run a number of smaller educational programmes such as the Voluntary In-School initiative for teaching, which

gives classes in French and Science at primary level.

As a former beneficiary of the pro-gramme Hanlon, who lives in Sandy-mount, is aware of the need to sup-port and motivate students in order to continue to allow students to achieve their full potential. Hanlon believes that while helping to build a child s̓ self esteem and confidence at an early age it is essential to demonstrate that the learning process can also be enjoy-able.

When Hanlon noticed a need to en-courage third year pupils who might otherwise drop out of education after the Junior Certificate he set up the Par-allel Programme, which is designed to encourage pupils to stay in school through one-to-one tuition and extra curricular activities. “For many ado-lescents, second level schooling can be a form of involuntary incarceration,” he says. “Many find themselves in an environment that is socially intimidat-ing to them. Schools must conform to a curriculum that students often have difficulty relating to.”

It is hardly surprising then that many reject it. Hanlon believes that the only way forward is to recognise that the school will become the central and dominant building block in child development, with the family and

community playing more of a role.He also believes that for students to

get that maximum benefit from their education there should be benchmark-ing for teachers, so that problems in the classroom can be dealt with. The pro-gramme often picks up on issues that are unnoticed or ignored in schools.

Most would accept that the future of our children lies in their education. Bet-ty Watson, Ann Murray and Dolores Salmon put children in touch with the VTP, not just to complete their educa-tion but also to qualify for third level education and secure employment.These women were founder members of Adult Education Department in St Andrew s̓ Resource Centre.

The VTP is run as a student-com-munity initiative and this partnership between Trinity students, parents and volunteers from the local communi-ties of Westland Row, City Quay has created over five thousand pairs of pupil and student tuition partnerships over the past twenty years. Those who know the value of education will hope the programme continues for at least another twenty.

For more information on the VTP contact Betty Watson at St Andrew s̓ Resource Centre on 01 6771930

Above: David Norris cuts the cake!

EDUCATION IS THE KEY

Enable IrelandEnable Ireland provide a wide range of services for children and adoles-cents with physical and learning disabilities. At Enable Ireland s̓ Sandy-mount centre, a range of staff including teachers, child care staff, social workers, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists cater for children s̓ physical, educational and social needs from early infancy to adolescence. Every child s̓ requirements are identified and addressed with an Individual Service Plan. At present, over 100 children from many areas of south Dublin use the services of Enable Ireland Sandymount on an ongoing basis.

The Sandymount Centre works with children from a pre-school age right up to students preparing for Junior Certificate and the NCVA. Chil-dren are referred to Sandymount from primary schools, while others be-gin their education earlier with therapy and tuition specifically designed to each child s̓ needs.

To ensure the highest possible standard of education, Enable Ireland uses a specially adapted curriculum, aided by the latest technology and approved by the Department of Education. Teacher and pupil ratios are another integral feature of Enable Ireland s̓ school services with one teacher to six pupils being the norm in each class. There are also a number of special needs assistants as well as a nurse to provide support to teach-ing staff.

Enable Ireland Third Annual Art ExhibitionEnable Ireland Third Annual Art Exhibition will be take place in the Sandymount Avenue Centre on Saturday 6th May 11.00am to 6.00pm and Sunday, 7th May from 11.00am to 6.00pm. The exhibition will be host to approximately 45 artists, some up to RHA standard. Up to 250 paintings will be on display. There will be an offical opening on Saturday evening 6th May from 5 to 6pm, with special guests in attendance. All are welcome.

Mid-Summer Gala BallThis glamourous event takes place on Saturday 24th June in the Roy-al Hospital, Kilmainham and will be hosted by Anna Nolan (ex-ʼBig Brother ̓contestant and current RTE presenter). The line-up wil include fantastic entertainment and a top Irish band in performance.

If you would like to be part of this exciting fundraising event, tickets can be purchased for €150, or €1,500 for a table of ten people. This includes: Drinks reception in the Courtyard, gourmet five-course dinner with wine, entertainment and an auction and raffle.

To reserve your tickets or table or donate a prize for the auction or raffle, please contact the Fundraising Office on 01-2615921 or email [email protected]

ENABLING CHILDREN AND PARENTS


Geraldine M. Lynch(formerly of Irishtown Road)

General Legal PracticeTelephone: 087 9874577

for appointment

Email: [email protected]

KillianKillian Pugh from Sandymount

has been attending Enable Ireland since last September. Three morn-ings a week his mother brings him the short distance from Park Avenue for the pre-school créche service.

Like Riain s̓ class, Killian s̓ is also fully integrated. He is able-bodied and his classmates are able-bodied as well as disabled. Not yet three years of age, Killian is another child who loves his time in Enable Ireland. His day is filled with play and activi-ties of all kinds with a break at mid-morning for some munchies. Killian will probably enjoy another two

years in Enable Ireland before begin-ning in a nearby primary school.

For his mother Theresa, Enable Ireland is as much a pleasure as it obviously is for Killian. In fact, Kil-lian is her fourth child to have passed through the doors of Enable Ireland, Sandymount.

Theresa cites a number of reasons why she keeps bringing her children here. “I love the noise in this place,” she says. “You sense the happy at-mosphere as soon as you come in. You never see a grumpy face and the most common sound you hear is laughter. The atmosphere is really good and you can tell from looking at

all the children s̓ faces how glad they are to be coming here. It s̓ a lovely, lively centre and I have to say all of it is down to the staff. They are terrific with the kids and very personable with all the parents who come in.”

Theresa Pugh considers herself very fortunate to have so many children come to Enable Ireland. Through word of mouth from par-ents, the Sandymount Centre has little need to advertise. The current waiting list stands at two years for its pre-school facilities.

Above: Killian presents his mum with a gift bouquet he made for Mother s̓ Day.


Beach Road Tyre Services(Rear Kilroy College)

CAMBRIDGE ROAD, RINGSEND, DUBLIN 4PHONE: 6683805

Computerised Wheel BalancingFast Puncture Repair

New & Remoulded Tyres Stocked

FREE FITTINGALL WORK DONE WHILE-U-WAITOpen 6 Days a Week • Phone 6683805

The LetterboxDear Madam Editor

I enjoyed very much James OʼDoherty s̓ article on cherry blossoms in your last publication. Indeed I have enjoyed all his con-tributions to date in your excellent newspaper.

I wonder If James can tell us an-ything about our own Sandymount Green. I have often wondered why it is not utilised more and when it came about etc. I am sure that James has something in his vast knowledge of Dublin Parks and landscapes about this amenity on our own doorstep.

I wish you continued success with ʻNewsFourʼ, it s̓ a great as-set to our local community. I send a copy of every publication to my brother in Canada and he feels like he s̓ still among us when he reads it each time.

Thomas Maher,Durham Road,

Sandymount

Dear Madam EditorI am an Australian living in

New Zealand, seeking information about my Irish antecedents.

When Robert Wentworth Wade died in 1870 in Sandymount his death notice appeared in two southern New Zealand newspa-pers. He was my great great grand-father, who with his wife Annie Gibbons lived in Pembroke Street, Irishtown. I do not know anything about Annie or when she died.

I only know of two sons, Fred-erick Wentworth Wade born about 1838 and Robert Wentworth Wade born about 1842. Both carved names for themselves in NZ. Fre-derick, who probably left home at an early age and was said to have been a midshipman, went first to Australia and then to Invercargill on the southern tip of NZ where he eventually became one of the city fathers, and a practising so-licitor and barrister. Robert turned up some 10 years later on the wild west coast of NZ where he was an

accountant and auctioneer and the Mayor of Hokitika in 1896-8.

Both brothers married Irish-women in NZ, but only Frederick had children, whose descendants are now scattered around Australia and NZ. Frederick died in 1912 and Robert in 1903.

Would any readers have knowl-edge of the Wade or Gibbons fami-lies? One of Frederick s̓ obituar-ies said he was connected to the Clonebraney Wades but I have been unable to prove this.

I would welcome correspond-ence from readers - my e-address is [email protected].

Nancy Gibb

Dear Madam EditorAs a former resident of Ring-

send, Irishtown and Sandymount, I follow with great interest the pro-posal by the Dublin City Council to have an incinerator installed in the Poolbeg area.

No doubt, we have to have some efficient method in dealing with the vast amount of ʻleft oversʼ, refuse and natural waste that our consumer society generates. In my days in Dublin 4 this was not such a big problem as Dublin and Ireland were not such huge consumers.

Waste management is now a very big industry in Western soci-ety and Ireland is considered a very big country if not population-wise then in spending and consuming. Before rushing to the merits of having or not having an incinera-tor in the Poolbeg area, we could examine the pros and cons of the proposals.

A little bit of history about Dub-lin 4 would not be amiss. I was born on Irishtown Road in 1934, when the Dublin City Council was beginning to off-load all the waste of Dublin on to the Strand at Irish-town. So for many years the resi-dents of Dublin 4 had to endure the obnoxious smells from both the ʻDumps ̓as the waste disposal area became known, and the sewage

plant down at the Pigeon House.This sewage was the effluent

from all of Dublin. The scenario had to be lived through to appreci-ate and understand what was hap-pening. Here we had trucks trun-dling through our town and these trucks and lorries were all open, not like the modern ones. The filth and dirt had to be seen to be be-lieved. Then you had the seagulls all feeding on the waste.

It was quite a scene and this went on for decades. The people of Dublin 4 were the salt of the earth and were not ones to complain. Anyway there were very few alter-natives. That was then and this is now and now is the time to move the “whole process forward” to borrow a phrase from our politi-cians.

Where can we put the incinera-tor? Iʼm sure our political parties in the area will have some good insights. Off the top of my head I could think of a few. Howth, St Anne s̓ Park, Lambay Island, the Phoenix Park, Iʼm sure there are plenty of other areas that would be willing to take their share of the burden. But Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount have all done more than their share and it s̓ now time for concerned others to get a chance. Dublin 4 is lucky to have good Residents Associations and there are of course the political parties. They will be very anxious to be seen to be involved with a General Election looming.

Best wishesBro. Martin J.Murphy S.J.

Jesuit Mission Office Dublin 1

Dear Madam EditorI wonder if any of your readers

would know of the address of Ann Cummins (maiden name) who lived at 4 Serpentine Road until the early fiftes. She was last heard of in London in 1989. I would like to contact her.

Dick Pollard([email protected])

PLAYING WITH FIRE…

Dear Madam EditorI was in Dublin in August last

year and while I was away my Au-gust ʻNewsFour ̓ arrived and my daughter put it away and forgot to tell me. I just found it today and enjoyed reading it cover to cover.

On Page 22 is a story about Ringsend chapel. Reading Jimmy s̓ story I felt I was walking in chapel myself, so thanks Jimmy a beautiful story about somewhere I called into every evening on my way home from Arnotts where I worked.

Is Jimmy Purdy the same man who worked with my late hus-band Gerry Lynch as I would love to know? Also Page 27 has a Photo of 1945 school children s̓

first communion, Iʼm sure the lit-tle boy second row is a boy named Michael Sheridan who lived next door to my mammy in Coast Guard Station, Pidgeon House Rd. His grandparents ̓name was Stapleton, his mom s̓ name Maggie. Iʼm sure it s̓ him, even if it s̓ 55 years since I came to Melbourne I knew his face right away.

This ̒ NewsFour ̓paper is so great for people like myself who live so far from home. When reading it I always feel Iʼm there in good old Ringsend. So thanks to you for all for your good news, it means a great deal to me and many others whom I pass it on to.

J Lynch, Melbourne, Australia

St Patrickʼs Day, Merrion Square.


Phone: 6643548 • Mobile: 086 235 8913Web: www.keegan2007.ie

CouncillorGarry Keegan

If you want to contact me please do so on6643548 or 086 235 8913

New Constituency Office:60 Upper Grand Canal Street,

Dublin 4.(Above Washboard Launderette, opposite Slattery’s)

Advice CentresSt. Andrew’s, Pearse Street, Dublin 2

Tuesdays 7pm–8pmCommunity Centre, Ringsend, Dublin 4

Thursdays 7pm–8pm

Two Sandymount residents have set up a charity to help children with Cere-

bral Palsy in a remote part of the world. Bob and Fran Corazza first visited Nepal in 1997 to work as therapists with young people af-fected by Cerebral Palsy.

Realising the facilities they worked with were inadequate, the couple launched a fund-rais-ing campaign to establish a new therapy unit for the children.

The money was raised and construction began in 2004. In February of this year, a specially designed building was open for

business 7km south of the capital Katmandu.

On the same plot of land, the couple now plan to open a school where they hope to house 60 chil-dren in 8 classrooms. Local peo-

ple using raw materials sourced from the nearby Katmandu val-ley will build the school.

So far, one quarter of the es-timated cost of €125,000 has been met. With your help, Bob and Fran can raise the remain-der and help improve the lives of dozens of needy children liv-ing in one of the worldʼs poorest countries.

If you would like to make a donation to the Nepal Cerebral Palsy School Charity, please contact Bob or Fran.

You can also contribute by taking part in the Dublin Mini-Marathon on June 5. The mon-ey raised in sponsorship for the event will contribute to the school building in Nepal.

Contact Bob or Fran on 668 7538 for full details or you can email [email protected]

FUND A SPECIAL NEEDSSCHOOL IN KATMANDU

By Mary Guckian

Delphiniums in the vase fill reception on my way to the library this morn-

ing. The heavy blue colour takes me back to the photograph in the garden where my Auntie Ellie stands among her family.

It was on this day in 1905 that she sailed from Cobh, heading for New York. My memories of the garden continue to give me solace, a place full of colour among a path of boxwood, peony roses, sweet pea, lupines along-side raspberries and a sweet ap-ple tree.

Today, I wonder how my Aunt coped with leaving her family of seven children, and she the eld-est, moving to a high-rise enor-mous city, searching for work, later sending home parcels and money, which helped her sib-lings keep healthy.

Returning for a short holiday

before she married in 1910 she never made a trip again, but her family line have come to visit a few times during our last cen-tury, Patrick and Paul, her great grandchildren arriving last year, sitting around the home she left and all of us speaking about how Ireland was then, James Joyce leaving to do his writing, my cousin Larry lecturing on the history of Boston and the many Irish Politicians who helped to shape much of America.

Now better-off here in Ireland, we depend on immigrants to do some of our menial jobs, as our own people are better educated,

work for Google and other tech-nology companies. Many immi-grants have left harrowing and traumatic times and are prepared to work hard. It is only a century and a half since so many of our ancestors left our shores, sent home money as our new immi-grants do, to their homes hoping they can return with some help from our new Ireland.

I will pass those Delphiniums on my way home this evening and will remember my Aunt El-lieʼs kindness to my Father, my Mother and my family, we need to thank the country that helped her settle, raise her children.

HOME DECLUTTERINGIS THE THOUGHT of tidying the garage driving you round the bend? Maybe the idea of clearing out the attic is giving you the creeps. Well fret no more. Home Decluttering are a Dublin based clean-up company who will come to your house and sift through all your wares, separating them into ʻkeep ̓piles and ʻdonʼt keep ̓piles.

Ros Sparks set up the company eighteen months ago after decid-ing to turn her love of ʻorganising ̓ into a business venture. As the decluttering consultant, Ros oversees the general house clear-out but also gives advice on what should remain on your wardrobe hanger. Any unwanted clothes will be sent to charity shops along with other discarded items like books and toys.

The cost for this service does depend on size of house, number of rooms and clutter but a standard price for the service would cost around €800 per day (excluding skip hire).

If you would like to arrange a Home Decluttering consultation with Ros, Tel: 086 8137984. Website details: www.homedeclutter-ing.com

By Grace McKenna

Four steps to a clutter-free home1. Make sure to keep a box or sack beside your recy-cling area.2. Top it up regularly with your clutter.3. On the way to the recycling centre, pay a visit to your local charity shop.4. Anything thatʼs not useful there can go to the recy-cling centre.Watch your clutter disappear....youʼll feel so much lighter without it!

REMEMBERING AUNT ELLIESailed from Cobh to New York on 24 March 1905


By Grace McKenna

I read an article recently about a man claiming he “knew people in every townland

in Ireland.” I was fascinated. Ireland may be a small country but it has oceans of townlands. I was keen to know if Peter Mur-phy knew anybody in the ʻstony grey soil ̓ where I came from. But first I had to find out how he came to be one of Irelandʼs best known TV and Radio per-sonalities.

Originally from Clonegal in Carlow, Peter began his career at Huntington Castle, where his father worked as a farm man-ager. He loved working in Clon-egal and had no aspirations to move on or do anything else.

It was only when he joined Macra Na Feirme (social and cultural organisation for rural living) he discovered a love for public speaking. I was curious to know what people debated about in those days. Having lis-tened to my own father talking about how simple things were then, I figured there wasnʼt a lot to give out about.

Peter remembers the topic of his very first debate with a smile. ʻWill the tractor ever take over from the horse? ̓ In 1950s Ireland, nobody ever believed it would.

In 1953, Peter was selected by the Macra Na Feirme Nation-al Council to lead a campaign to form The Irish Farmerʼs Associ-ation. On the campaign trail he

met some of the most colourful characters he has ever encoun-tered.

One such character called George was from my hometown in Emyvale. I knew him well as he was the local healer who had cured my strep-throat.

Peter remembers it as being one of the funniest interviews he had ever conducted. The day he arrived George was digging a well. Not one to stop work in progress, Peter interviewed George in the well– but there was a ʻslight ̓hitch. George had his dog in the well with him and every time George went to an-swer a question the dog barked, making it impossible for Peter to hear him.

Peterʼs love and natural way

with people captured the interest of Radio Eireann in 1960. There were no screen tests or auditions involved. Whelehanʼs, a Farm Supply Company, simply asked Peter to say a few words on a ra-dio programme they were airing from a Spring Show in the RDS. When the heads of radio heard the programme they were so im-pressed with Peterʼs voice and personality they offered him a presenting job with the Whele-hanʼs show. Peter accepted the job and it wasnʼt long before other farm supply companies wanted him as their front man.

From these humble begin-nings Peter went on to travel the world meeting all sorts of interesting people, including Muhammad Ali and the Pope. A love of quizzes from his Macra Na Feirme days resurfaced and Peter became the face of ʻCross Country Quiz ̓which he hosted

for RTE. On his living room wall hangs a framed collection of his widely published quiz books and crossword puzzles.

When I mentioned that my mother swears by crosswords for keeping Alzheimerʼs at bay and that she had now become a huge Sudoku fan, Peter flinches in slight panic. Like the trac-tor versus the horse issue, Peter hopes that Sudoku doesnʼt kill off the crosswords, as he still en-joys compiling crossword puz-zles for the ʻSunday Independ-entʼ, the ʻFarmers Independent ̓and the ʻFarmers Monthlyʼ.

Whatʼs more, he loves it when people stop him on the street and ask him “whatʼs the answer to 21 Across and 3 Down in yes-terdayʼs paper?”

Before leaving, I asked Peter to share with me a few special moments heʼs had in his life. There are many, which include

marrying his lovely wife Bridie in 1967, the birth of his four wonderful children, fixing the flowers on Patrick Kavanaghʼs coffin as it crawled down the ca-nal (a moment remembered not by him but by a local who re-called it to him later), being the last to interview Luke Kelly be-fore he died and meeting Pope John Paul in 1984.

Peter vividly recalls how that interview came about. The Pope was still recovering from his as-sassination attempt and was giv-ing very few interviews at the time. Unperturbed, Peter con-tacted the Popeʼs private sec-retary, Monsignor John Magee and a meeting with the Pontiff was arranged. “It lasted seven minutes,” said Peter, show-ing me a photo of him and his wife (pictured left) meeting the Pope.

I asked him if he remembered what they spoke about and what kind of questions he asked him. Peter laughs and tells me to ask his wife Bridie. “I asked him if theyʼre would ever be women priests?” said Bridie. To which the Pope candidly replied, “Not in my lifetime.”

Peter is now happily settled in Sandymount but his heart will always remain in his belov-ed Clonegal. Every wall in his home is filled with photographs of all the folks he has met down through the years. To this day, Peter loves meeting people, which he does on his many walks around Sandymount and the surrounding areas.

He has recently been ap-proached by someone to write a memoir about his life and travels, which he is now con-sidering. Hopefully, Peter will share his gift of story telling and charm us with stories of all the wonderful characters he met on his jaunts through Ireland.The Yacht

Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, 6680977

Happy Easter fromBob, Monica and all the Staff

QUIZZING PETER MURPHY

What time?11 am to 1 pm each day

For whom?Boys and Girls from 8 to 15 years

Cost?€9 contribution to cov-er 3 sessions

CRICKET COACHING AT EASTERWITH JOHN ANDERSON – 2006 YOUTH COACH

Where?Railway Union CCPark AvenueSandymount

When?Monday 10th AprilTuesday 11th AprilWednesday 12th April


For further information contact:The Ringsend Regional Office, Cambridge House,

Ringsend, Dublin 4Phone: 01 2815918

www.dublinwastetoenergy.ie

Dublin Waste to Energy Project(Incinerator)

The Waste Management Plan for the Dublin Region has set outambitious targets for dealing with Dublin’s waste.

This includes waste prevention, 59% recycling,16% landfilling and 25% being dealt with

through thermal treatment, which will be made up ofhousehold and commercial waste that cannot be recycled.

Dublin City Council has been informing the community about this project and listening to their issues

through a series of Open Daysover the last number of years.

Do you want to have your say?Scoping Session for EISSaturday 8th April 2006

12.00pm - 2.00pmRingsend Technical Institute, Cambridge Road,

Ringsend, Dublin 4



By Grace McKenna

Eight years ago, Peter Kane left Philadelphia and moved to Dublin to take up a tem-

porary teaching post. When his contract expired, Peter was offered a full-time position with the col-lege, which he gratefully accepted.

He had by now fallen in love with Dublin and made up his mind to settle here indefinitely. Last year, the settlement became official when Peter was granted Irish Citi-zenship. “I was surprised at how easy it was,” says Peter recalling the application process, “I thought I would be required to speak a lit-tle Gaelic or at least have some knowledge of Irish History.”

The only real requirement Peter needed to gain Irish citizenship was to have worked here for a cer-tain number of years. Applying for the citizenship was for practical reasons, not some romantic notion he had of being an Irish man. Be-ing a citizen meant he could enter other European countries on his Irish passport.

Just recently, Peter gave up teaching English literature to con-

centrate on a writing career. At some stage, he plans to return to college, but not as a lecturer. He would like to do a PHD in ʻthe American identity combined with the works of Ernest Hemingwayʼ.

Since moving here, Peter has no-ticed a huge shift in Irish culture which saddens him. “I fell in love with Ireland because it was everything America was not,” says Peter talking about why he hopes American culture stops infiltrating the simple ways of Irish living. “When I moved here first, I loved the fact that I could walk into a bar without worry-ing if I had a wash-board stomach or

super white teeth. Sadly, the world is catching up with America in its obsession with aesthetic perfec-tion.”

But Peter is not put off. His part-ner Frank lives in Dublin so he

wonʼt be moving anywhere too soon. Speaking openly about his sexuality, Peter was pleasantly sur-prised to find that Dublin provides a good home for gay people like himself.

For him, it highlights the hypo-critical ideals of where he origi-nated from. “America is a constant bleat about freedom of speech, the land of the brave and free, and the American dream– but that s̓ OK if you fulfil everyone else s̓ dream– just not your own,” says Peter with a wry smile.

But Peter is not idealistic about his future in Dublin. Marriage and adoption is a dream of his but he may have to go elsewhere to re-alise those dreams. “Providing a child with love is the easy part, providing him with answers as to why he has two dads is the difficult part,” says Peter.

It s̓ not surprising, that Peter s̓ appreciation for all things Irish extends to the weird and wonder-

ful world of art. In his Ballsbridge home hangs a Francis Bacon and a collection of works from his fa-vourite artist Louis Le Brocquy (whose James joyce portrait is shown on left).

Never in his wildest dreams did he think popping out for a pint of milk would result in a chance meeting with his favourite artist. “He was standing at the check out till next to mine,” says Peter recall-ing the day he met Le Brocquy in Tesco. “After packing their bags, Louis and his wife realised they had both left their money at home. To save them the hassle of having to go back home (Louis s̓ wife was on crutches at the time), I stepped in and offered to pay for the gro-ceries for which they were very grateful.

“I gave Louis my address and a week later he sent me a cheque and a beautiful letter of thanks. I framed them and they now hang beside his James Joyce and W.B Yeats heads.”

Peter hopes that living in Ireland will continue to inspire him as he continues his passion for short sto-ry writing.

Rich, dark and good looking– chocolate is so enticing that our love affair with the co-

coa bean has never waned since the days when Christopher Columbus discovered it in the South Americas in the 1500s.

Today in an age of mass manu-facture hand-made chocolate eggs are becoming more sought-after as the skill of chocolate makers such as Benoit Lorge offer an explosion of gourmet pleasure.

With the Irish so well travelled their expectations and tastes, even with regard to chocolate, consistently up the standards of the most humble egg. As a result this Frenchman as I write is busy creating his selection of Easter offerings in The Chocolate Crust in Bonane, a tiny village just outside Kenmare in Kerry.

Like all good chefs Lorge knows that success lies in its ingredients. Choosing only the finest French and Belgian chocolate in its preparation such as the renowned Valrhona, a name synonymous with quality, along with 50% almond in his mar-zipan and 60% nuts in his praline the ingredients dictate the superiority and excellence of his creations.

Born in Nancy, France after quali-fying as Head Pastry Chef, Lorge worked in different restaurants in France. After a stint doing military service, he wanted to study the Celt-

ic culture and learn English, which brought him to the Inverlochy Castle in Scotland, one of the most famous hotels in the British Isles.

Lorge returned to France, work-ing in the Michelin Star chateaux, La Villa, in Corsica. As the son of a train driver his passion for travel began at an early age when he toured the whole of France as a young boy.

Itchy feet and curiosity about Ire-land brought him to Le Chateaux in Athlone in 1999 where he fell in love not just with the people but also with the country itself. He chose Athlone to work because it is in the centre of Ireland and offered the possibility to easily explore the whole country which he did at every opportunity.

When his partner became pregnant they decided to return to his home place for the birth of their son and to be near family and friends during which time Lorge worked as Head

Pastry chef in Zemp pastry shop in Nancy.

But Ireland had got into his blood and having visited Kenmare during his travels he knew that it was the place he wanted to raise his son. So he returned to Kerry working for four years in the Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare.

In December of 2003 during a qui-et period in the tourist season Lorge asked if he could use their kitchens to make 200 boxes of chocolates to raise money for the Kenmare play-ground. His chocolates quickly sold in less than two weeks. Spurred on by this success Lorge invested all his money to build the Chocolate Crust in 2004, where he started to make hand-made chocolates in the tradi-tional way that he had learnt in the chocolate shops Genot & Godart in France.

To day he lives out his dream

working for a living making choco-late. Constantly updating his range of chocolates, he creates a new rec-ipe every month. This month it s̓ a mouth-watering concoction of white chocolate and coconut truffle.

Every occasion and celebration is catered for, from communion to confirmation, engagement to wed-dings. He is kept busy supplying the local Kenmare Park Hotel as well as his former employers, Sheen Falls Lodge. While most of the west coast is fortunate enough to have Lorge s̓

chocolates in their shops and hotels, in Dublin his eggs and chocolates are available in Morton s̓ in Rathmines and La Maison De Gourmet, Castle Street with The Merrion Hotel offer-ing his assortment of sweet delights.

So for all you sophisticated choco-holics out there, you can make your next special occasion a mouth-water-ing treat by contacting Benoit Lorge at 087-9917172 where he will design a chocolate sculptured masterpiece if you so require that will certainly be good enough to eat!

CITIZEN KANE

RICH, DARK AND GOOD-LOOKING

Clanna Gael Fontenoyurgently seeks assistance in

the running of their 28 teams.As part of the club’s new recruitment drive Foundation

Courses will be provided for all newcomers.The Club has arguably the best facilities in the countryand its €3.75 million investment in the last five years isthe envy of top GAA clubs in Dublin. The Club does

not belong to any one individual or individuals.It is a community run club and anyone who wishes to

join will receive a warm welcome.The Club has a dream of where it wants to be in 3 to 5

year’s time but it needs a team at every age levelto achieve this.

The players are there but we have no one to train them.If you wish to be part of this dream and could assist inany way possible please contact any of the following:

Shay Connollly 087-9011716Pat Kane 086-3715944Ciaran Murphy 087-2333720Jacqui McDonnell 087-7832489


QUINN CHALLENGES MC-DOWELL ON POOLBEG INCIN-ERATOR

Labour Party Deputy for Dub-lin South East, Ruairí Quinn, has challenged constituency colleague and Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, to allow a motion on the proposed incinerator in Ring-send to be debated in the Dail. Deputy Quinn said it is important that locals know precisely where Minister McDowell stands on the issue.

Deputy Quinn commented, “The residents of Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount, as well as the wider community of Dublin Bay, are getting their fingers burned by the proposed Incinerator at Pool-beg.

“Michael McDowell and his Fi-anna Fáil friends promised at the last election that no incinerator would be built in Ringsend. The proposed incinerator contravenes the Dublin City Development Plan, and yet Michael McDowell allows it to be Government policy.”

LITTLE CONSOLATION TO LO-

CAL RESIDENTSGreen Party Chairman and Dub-

lin South East TD, John Gormley, said that the Progressive Democrats, at the last election, had stated clear-ly in their manifesto that, in govern-ment, they would “ensure no mass burn incineration”, a promise that they have now broken. “Michael McDowell is making great play of the fact that the planning applica-tion for Ringsend will be dealt with under existing legislation,” said Mr Gormley. “This is of little consola-tion to local residents who expected much more from him.”

DOOLAN-DAIL MOTION TO STOP DUBLIN INCINERATOR

Councillor Daithí Doolan, said

“Sinn Féin will be tabling a Dáil motion calling on the Minister for Environment to ensure that no fur-ther work is carried out in relation to the proposed incinerator on Dub-lin s̓ Poolbeg Peninsula.”

“If the proposed incinerator goes ahead in Dublin then incineration will get locked into the waste man-agement cycle and becomes virtu-ally impossible to remove.”

FINE GAEL ANTI-INCINERA-TOR CAMPAIGN BEGINS

Councillor Lucinda Creighton has criticised the Minister Michael McDowell s̓ failed record on the is-sue as the promises he made to his own constituents in Sandymount and Ringsend in 2002 have been

flagrantly breached. “The Minis-ter, who claimed he would stop the development of the incinerator (below, left), has participated in a government, which recently signed a contract with Elsam Ltd to de-sign, build and operate the incin-erator. When Dick Roche signed the agreement in November of last year, Minister McDowell did not object, despite his posturing on the issue.”

ABSENCE OF LITIGATION ON PLANNING VIOLATION ALARMING

Dublin City Council initiates less than one hundred legal actions annually in relation to planning violations– just 8 % of the overall number of complaints received. This is despite a huge increase in recent years in the number of en-forcement complaints recorded by Dublin City Council. This response is wholly inadequate, according to Councillor Lucinda Creighton “Over the period of 2003 to 2005, the total number of legal actions taken amounted to 267. This is a mere drop in the ocean relative to the total number of planning viola-tions taking place annually. While warning letters are frequently sent to developers who are violating the planning laws, it seems that there is rarely any follow up in terms of legal action,” commented Cllr. Creighton.

CITY GRAFFITI PLAGUEChris Andrews, Fianna Fáil

candidate for Dublin South East, has today called on City Council for urgent action to address what he calls the current “graffiti epidemic plaguing the city” and to provide all local businesses and retailers with full information regarding the upcoming Business Improvement District– BID– scheme. He said, although the council does provide a service to remove graffiti from public property, a concerted effort was now needed by all– Council, Community and Garda “to stem this unprecedented scourge before it gets out of control.”

Cllr. Kevin Humphreys says that with the noticeable increase of graffiti appearing on walls and public spaces across the city it is

essential to put in place a pilot pro-gramme to deal with this growing graffiti problem in an organised and systematic manner.

“This graffiti is an unsightly and lasting symbol of anti-social be-haviour sweeping the city, it is a symptom of lawlessness that this government has failed to respond to. Clearing the graffiti will not tackle the root cause of the plague of anti-social behaviour but it s̓ a step in the right direction.”

USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGELabour Cllr. Kevin Humphreys

has challenged Dublin City Manag-ers to answer the charge that they permitted the blatant breaches of the ʻUse of Sewage Sludge ̓in Ag-riculture Regulations. The Envi-ronmental Protection Agency find-ings show that the treated sewage from Ringsend Treatment Plant was spread on land in Carlow that exceeded the legal limits for metal content. Since the opening of the Waste Treatment plant in July 2003 in Ringsend the local residents have suffered from foul odours emanat-ing from the plant.

CBS WESTLAND ROW SCHOOL MAY BE CLOSED

Chris Andrews, Fianna Fáil Dáil Candidate, Dublin South East says that CBS Westland Row school is being closed by stealth. “This is not acceptable. The Min-ister for Education, whom I have been lobbying consistently on the issue, and will continue to do so, must address the issue as a matter of urgency,” says Andrews.

“Pearse Street is a RAPID area and it needs its own school. The regeneration of the Pearse Street area is one of the many good news stories, however it will all be un-dermined if the school does not have the cloud of uncertainty cur-rently hanging over it, removed. The Christian brothers and the Minister for Education need to sort it out between them and make it clear that the CBS has a future. The school has a very proud his-tory and an excellent standard of education. It is particularly inno-vative in its teaching methods and plays a central role in the commu-nity.”

SPEAKER’S CORNER

Iannelli’s

Fresh Fish Daily • Home Made PizzaKebabs • Southern Fried Chicken

Delivery Service Available 6.00 to 11.30pmPhone: 6674020

6 Bath Street

Happy Easter to all our Customers


D-O-NEE Kitchen Co.

FULL RANGE OF BOTH SOLID WOOD AND P.V.C. AVAILABLE

WE ARE NOW AGENTS FORULTRAGLIDE

SLIDING MIRROR WARDROBES

RING BILLY AT 087 2706356 OR 6688361WEBSITE: WWW.D-O-NEEKITCHEN.COM

ALL DUBLIN AREAS COVERED

By Brian Rutherford

Hello, I am Brian Ruther-ford, a journalist for ʻNewsFour ̓ and I suffer

from epilepsy. Epilepsy occurs in about 40,000 people in Ireland and is caused by damage to the brain in one way or another. Causes include head injuries, strokes, brain infec-tions , meningitis, encephalitis and birth defects. I donʼt know which of these caused my particular form of epilepsy but I have only had sei-zures at night while sleeping.

The seizures started about two and a half years ago while I lived in Dun Laoghaire. I have had about three seizures in all, my sec-ond lasting for several hours. I was unconscious in St Vincentʼs hospi-tal for the duration of this and had to be given a drip of fluids until I

regained consciousness.Seizures are a very frightening

experience and can lead to loss of blood from the tongue being chewed. I myself damaged my back after I fell during my first sei-zure. The results of the seizures is that I have a well-chewed tongue, pieces are missing along each side of it. I was prescribed medica-tion which I take each night and now sleep soundly. The thoughts of never having a normal nightʼs sleep are a bit depressing.

I can only say that I am lucky that the epilepsy developed so late in life or I could have grown up without a normal youth. I will be 37 in three months and am old enough to know that I can control things for lifeʼs duration.

Epilepsy has a lot of stigma at-tached to it because the illness makes a person feel isolated in

some way. People can come down hard on the person and not know what the real picture is, especially in todayʼs society.

These people are not worth talk-ing about and should know bet-ter anyway. I know when I was younger I had heard that a person had epilepsy and I immediately felt sympathetic towards them. I cannot understand why people donʼt think the same and feel this way too.

If you see a person having an epi-leptic fit, simply turn them on their side and make sure the tongue is not being swallowed or bitten and ring for help from the ambulance service. There is a chronic short-age of epilepsy specialists in Ire-land so do what you can to help.

For more information on epilep-sy phone 01 4557500 or visit the website at www. epilepsy.ie

Fed up with the usual two weeks in the sun on the beach, Alan Donnelly knew straight away

after reading about i-to-i, the compa-ny that offers volunteer travel abroad, that his holidays from now on would offer far more than sea, sun and sand.

Scanning the various projects he was delighted to see a placement where he could hone the skills he was learning on his journalism course in Griffith College. Alan had some sav-ings and didn t̓ have to fundraise like some who go on these projects. Aware he was going on his own the fact that he would be met and looked after once heʼd arrived at his destination was a huge plus for him.

He set out for Honduras in the sum-mer of 2003, where he worked for the newspaper ʻThis Week .̓ Tourism plays a huge part in the economy of Honduras so Alan travelled to various parts writing about places he had only dreamed of such as the Great Coral Reef and Bay Island in the Carib-bean.

Although he had no Spanish ini-tially, he quickly picked it up after the lessons he received when he ar-rived. Alan stayed with a host family that treated him like one of their own, bringing him to birthday parties and family celebrations.

When his time was up he was of-fered the opportunity of staying on at the paper in paid employment for a year. Unfortunately his Mother was ill at the time so he came home.

His time in Honduras had only

whetted his appetite for more and he signed up again in 2005 with a dif-ferent intention. Aware of how much he himself had gained from his time in Honduras, Alan felt he hadn t̓ done enough and wanted an opportunity to give more.

This time he went to Sri Lanka, post-Tsunami, where he was constant-ly busy. He worked at beach clearance during the morning, building houses in the afternoon and finally teaching children in refugee camps in the eve-nings. Alan loved every minute of it.

Looking back Alan acknowledges he has developed as a person since his experiences in Honduras and Sri Lanka. He feels more confident, hav-ing improved his practical and social skills.

He has made great friends and has an outlook on life now that has opened him up to the world. He s̓ heading back to Sri Lanka in July this year to work for his holidays again looking

after orphans as part of a community centre project.

If you are tired of the usual holiday, then how would you fancy teaching English in China, catching and tag-ging sharks, living with lions in South Africa, tracking Andean bears in Ec-uador or working with street children in India?

i-to-i has sent more than 4,000 vol-unteers to work on projects in 24 com-munities overseas. You can choose from hundreds of different volunteer projects worldwide. The five main types of volunteer projects are conser-vation, teaching, community develop-ment, building and media.

The Irish Branch director of i-to-i, Ian OʼSullivan, became involved af-ter his sister Deirdre Bounds set up i-to-i, first as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) company in Britain then quickly expanded to offer volunteer travel opportunities throughout the world. This led to

Deirdre looking at a market whereby volunteers could work not just teach-ing English but also helping in differ-ent areas like conservation and com-munity development.

For many, being thousands of miles away from home and in unknown sur-roundings can be daunting and Deir-dre saw the need for co-ordinators to meet and greet volunteers as well as 24-hour emergency back up.

i-to-i offers an amazing choice of work and places to choose from. Peo-ple of all ages can be catered for from singles, couples to whole families. You can go on a short-term one-week basis to one year, depending on what you want and what is needed.

i-to-i offers courses that include TEFL, travel photography, Spanish and travel writing that not only en-hance your experience abroad but also can be used when you return.

You have to pay your own return air

fair and project fee. Your project fee includes travel advice, choosing the right project for you, pre-departure support, and in-country support. Ac-commodation and food is also includ-ed and a local team will support you throughout your project. Post-project support includes advice on transfer-ring your experience to your CV and opportunities to work for i-to-i itself.

The affluent societies many of us live in often make us want to give something back, which is what i-to-i allows people to do by contributing to worthwhile projects during their trav-els. They also provide local projects around the world with a consistent supply of trained and committed workers. If you want a holiday that will make a difference contact i-to-i at Exploration House, 32 Grattan Square, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Tel: 058 40050, Email: [email protected] or log on to www.i-to-i.com

SEEING THE WORLD i TO i

EPILEPSY, UP CLOSE


WISHING ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS

A VERY HAPPY EASTER

Established 19655/5a Sandymount Green, Dublin 4

Traditional Fish and Chipsto take away

Phone: 01-2694130

“Save time – Call and Collect”

BORZA’S TAKE-AWAY

By Fergal Murphy

Every year Easter comes and goes and very few of us give any thought to its

conception or to how others cul-tures celebrate it.

Easter was originally a pagan festival which the ancient Saxons celebrated with an uproarious fes-tival commerating their goddess of fertility and springtime. The

rabbit was such a fertile creature that it was adopted as an earthly symbol, which is where the East-er bunny originated from.

In Bulgaria, Easter eggs are cracked after the midnight serv-ice and over the next few days one of the eggs is cracked on the wall of the church and then the ritual of cracking the eggs takes place before the Easter lunch.

Each person selects his or her egg. Then people take turns tap-

ping their egg against the eggs of others. The person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck!

Ever feel like killing some one Easter Sunday with the stress of dinner and all the family getting together? Well, donʼt in Norway be-cause in addition to skiing in the mountains and paint-ing eggs for decoration, it is traditional to solve mur-

ders at Easter. All the major tel-evision channels show crime and detective stories and magazines print stories where the readers can try to figure out who did it. That would make you think twice about committing a crime in Nor-way around that time of year!

All over the world there are Easter celebrations, with the big-gest being held in New Orleans. Mardi Gras is held on the Tues-day prior to Ash Wednesday.

This celebration is a raucous carnival with costumes, fire-works and floats. This is one of the most exuberant events of the Easter calendar and was designed as a way to ʻget it all out ̓before the sacrifices of Lent began.

If you ladies think you have it hard over here with getting the dinner ready and trying to keep the kids on their best behaviour, try living in the Czech Republic or Slovakia, where a tradition of whipping is carried out on Easter Monday.

In the morning males whip fe-males with a special handmade whip. It must be mentioned that while whipping can be painful, the purpose is not to cause suf-fering. Rather the purpose is for males to exhibit their attraction to females: unvisited females can

even feel offended.The whipped females give a

coloured egg to the male as a sign of her thanks and forgiveness. A legend says that females should be whipped in order to keep their health and fertility during the next year. In the afternoon the females can get their revenge when they can pour a bucket of cold water on any male!

Happy Easter, Everyone.

EASTER CUSTOMSFROM AROUND THE WORLD

By Ann Ingle

In the last issue we reproduced a photograph of the late Dan Redmond in his confrater-

nity habit. My colleagues and some readers were disappointed that I gave no further explana-tion other than the rather myste-rious-looking photograph.

In response to this I decided to investigate further and Tom Sheridan led me to Luke Heaney, who graduated from being an al-tar boy at 8 to joining the confra-ternity at the age of 13 until he was 32, when he moved away to Tallaght. His father was a mem-ber before him.

Apparently it is a well known fact in Ringsend that anyone who was in the Confraternity goes to heaven the Saturday after they die. Luke tells me he is taking his scapula with him and hopes he goes on a Friday so he wonʼt be hanging about.

The correct title for the con-fraternity is St Patrickʼs Con-fraternity of the Immaculate Conception. The beautiful habits were made by a lady in Stella Gardens and the members had to pay for them. Other members of the group were Harry Ince, Dan and Henry Warren, Mr Nannery,

Jack Lee and of course Dan Red-mond.

Every first Sunday at 8 am they would attend mass in their robes. The members sang an of-fice every month in the Church and whenever someone died in the district they would go to their house and sing if requested.

If one of the Confraternity died the members would all attend the funeral in their regalia. Luke re-calls a protestant friend who at-tended one of these ceremonies saying that Luke looked like an admiral!

The members would join up with other confraternities to sing and also walk in parades. It was no easy job but they did have an outing on a bus each year and also rowed in the Regatta. Luke says they always beat the other confraternity teams as the Ring-send men were good rowers.

WHAT WAS THECONFRATERNITY?


Working with you for anincineration-free future.

Mobilise forApril 8th protest

against incineration.

PADDY BEHAN of North Strand was crowned winner of the fourth annual Dock-lands Senior Talent Showcase which took place at the Abbey Theatre recently. Hu-bert Gannon of Ringsend took second place and Mary Rose Mulpeter, also of Ringsend, came third.

The prizes were presented to the winners by former Republic of Ireland international soccer player Niall Quinn.

Picture shows (left to right): Niall Quinn; Paddy Quinn, North Strand; Mary Rose Mulpeter, Ringsend; Hubert Gannon, Ring-send and Gerry Kelly, DDDA.

Congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS TO Frank Molony of Haddington Road who is the winner of a €25 book token for our February Crossword Competition.

The Irish Ordnance Survey

ON APRIL 26 Gillian Doherty, who has written a cultural and intel-lectual history of the Ordnance Survey which mapped Ireland from 1824 to 1846, will give a talk on this fascinating subject. She draws on an archive of remarkable material which gives insight to many aspects of the Irish people, their culture, folklore, historical memory and genealogy, religious practices and social structures in the first part of the nineteenth century.

Her talk will touch on the historical, archaeological and cultural aspects of Ireland before the Great Famine. Gillian Doherty is a lec-turer in the Department of History in University College Cork.

To book seats or for any further information for any of these events, please contact Gerard Whelan on 01 240 7256 or via e-mail at [email protected]

Cambridge Court Senior Citizens Complex

A NEW committee has been elected to Cambridge Court. After 20 years the Chairperson, Mary OʼToole, has stepped down and Willie Murphy has taken her place. All good wishes to past and present committees.

Mr Tilley raises €3,060 for charity

MR TILLEY raised €3,060 for charity when he turned on his lights in Bath Avenue over Christmas. Congratulations and thanks to all those who contributed.

DOCKLANDS SENIOR TALENT SHOWCASE



By Christy Hogan

This story, my friends, has nothing to do with a rogue with decaying teeth. Nor

has it anything to do with a ro-dent involved in industrial rela-tions. Blogger, Blue Tooth and IR Mouse are just new-fangled names that have emerged with new technology. All the ʻhard shaws ̓among you who know it all, are probably saying, sure we all know what they are.

Well the fact is ʻwe all ̓ donʼt know what the blazes they are. And yours truly only recently got his head around ̒ Bloggersʼ. Now be lenient with me because Iʼm only a learner with a big L plate.

Blogger is short for ʻweb log ̓which is someone who basically logs onto the web. A blogger

will also set up their own website where he or she can receive or disseminate loads of info on all sorts of matters.

Bloggers became big in the US during the last Presidential election. They chal-lenged the manifesto and policies of G.W. Bush on the web and blogged all over America. The Blog-gers encouraged de-bate on all things political during the election on websites from Alaska to Texas. Prior to this, politi-cians did the political tours, dished out leaflets and did sound bites for telly and radio.

The Blogger phenomenon in Ireland is expected to move into a higher gear when the general

election takes place next year. Bloggers will be rooting for Bertie or Enda or Pat. The Blogger web page will raise debate on everything from agriculture to envi-ronment and from education to econom-ics.

If you are apolitical then give these web pages a wide berth. If you are a real ʻpo-litico ̓ then set up your web page and start blogging to your heartʼs content. And what about the ʻBlue Tooth ̓ and the ʻIR

Mouse ̓you may ask.Bluetooth enables you to join

up all your digital parapherna-

lia without using cables. Yes, no unsightly cables in sight. Isnʼt it wonderful boys and girls. You can link your computer and your mobile phone and your palm handheld device. This is all done wirelessly within a 30 foot range with the wonderful magic of Bluetooth.

Last but by no means least is the story of the IR Mouse. Truth is this little mouse has no inter-est whatsoever in industrial re-lations and has no intention of joining congress. He is in fact an ordinary computer mouse, but once again he has no cables attached. This mouse works on infra red light and interacts bet-ter with the computer screen than the old ever did. And what about the wonderful works of the wheelbarrow I hear you cry, well thatʼs for another day.

By Brian Siggins

As the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rebellion ap-proaches and the reintro-

duction of the Easter Military Parade, my thoughts turn to the many connections that our part of Dublin had with the Rising.

Outposts had been set up by the volunteers at a few places on or near Northumberland Road. At the Haddington Road corner No 25 was occupied by Michael Malone and three others.

Further up, St Stephenʼs School and Parochial Hall were also acquired and across the ca-nal bridge in Clanwilliam House, George Reynolds took charge.

These four outposts were con-trolled to some degree by Eamon DeValera, who had his head-quarter in Bolandʼs Bakery. This ensured that Beggarʼs Bush Bar-racks, the railway and two im-portant roads into Dublin were made difficult for any military wishing to move towards the city centre.

The British set up cordons around the city, preventing the

ordinary citizen going about his lawful business. Despite the dan-gers, people kept venturing out, often under gunfire from both volunteers and military.

One woman making her way to Bolands for bread was shot down on Ringsend Road near the canal bridge. During that week four people from the dis-trict were killed: Mr P Whelan of 25 Pembroke Cottages, John Doyle of Ringsend Road, Wil-liam Gregg of 2 Simpsonʼs Lane, Irishtown and an 11 year old girl Bridget Stewart, 3 Pembroke Place Ballsbridge.

On South Lotts Road, the Pem-broke Power Station kept sup-plying electricity to the urban district, thanks to the staff stay-ing at their posts for the duration of the Rising. One of those com-mended for his diligence was Jack Geoghegan of Thorncastle Street. He was later to become my father in law!

Jack had previously been a stu-dent at the Pembroke Technical School (now Ringsend Technical Institute) and it was from there on May 1st 1916 that the care-taker Mr Clarke had phoned the

clerk of the Pembroke Council Mr J.C. Manly saying that there was and had been for several days and nights serious firing there– he thought from Ringsend Park– and that people at the north side of the river Liffey informed him they were under the impres-sion the firing was coming from the school.

“This he strongly denied and wished me to understand that

there was no truth in the accusa-tion. He also informed me that he had telephoned the military authorities at Ballsbridge (the RDS) and at the north side of the river as he was afraid that unless they understood that firing was not from the school the building might be shelled. I told him he had done quite correctly to tel-ephone the military authorities.”

The school was later occu-

pied and much cor-respondence took place with the mili-tary authorities seek-ing compensation for the period of closure. Permits to travel at this time were nec-essary and one used by JR Evans, Motor Engineering Instruc-tor in the Tech is still extant.

After the surren-der, DeValera was placed under guard in the Weights and Measures Office in the Town Hall, Ballsbridge. The In-strument of Surren-der signed by Patrick Pearse is dated 29th of April 1916 and in the five days the Re-bellion lasted 1300 men, women, and children were killed or wounded.

There are few signs today of those stir-ring times, here a few bullet holes, there a

wall plaque but the Rebellion that started that sunny Easter Monday led to the War of In-dependence and in that conflict many Ringsenders went on to play their part.

Above: The burnt-out GPO. (Sources: Sinn Fein Rebellion

Handbook 1916, The Easter Re-bellion by Max Caulfield, Pem-broke Technical Schools History 1981 by Jim Cooke)

1916-REBELLION IN

DUBLIN 4

THE BLOGGER, THE BLUE TOOTH AND THE IR MOUSE


Fi lm Scene •••By Michael Hi l l iard

‘V for Vendetta’

FROM THE creators of the ma-trix movies, ʻV for Vendetta ̓ is an adaptation of Alan Mooreʼs

revered graphic nov-el, first published as a single volume in 1988. Set against the futuristic backdrop of a totalitarian Brit-ain, ʻV for Vendetta ̓tells the story of a mysterious vigilante, known only as ʻV ̓(Hugo Weaving), and the relationship between him and his new-found appren-tice, Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman).

A fascist single-party state has risen to power, controlling the country through controlled media, secret police, and imprisonment with-out trial for racial,

political, and sexual minorities. Dressed as Guy Fawkes, ʻV ̓embarks on a violent, yet theat-rical, campaign to rally support

for his cause, and bring down the government.

Much has been made of the political allegory presented in the movie, and certain elements have been added or updated, such as the mention of the Ko-ran, references to Iraq, and deal-ing with a repressive govern-ment which exploits its peopleʼs fear of terrorism and brainwash-es them with sanitized ʻnews ̓broadcasts.

The emphasis on technology, especially CCTV, recalls the 2001 US ʻPatriot Actʼ, which grants government authority to intercept “wire, oral, and elec-tronic communications”. Inter-esting as these parallels may be, the movie must be able to hold its own as a piece of dramatic entertainment, and while mostly successful, some sloppy pacing in the third act, and occasional bouts of wooden dialogue hinder proceedings ever so slightly.

The performances, however, are wonderful across the board. The successful big screen repre-sentation of the character ʻV ̓is crucial. The movieʼs authentic-ity rests on this character, and this daunting task was met with ease through Weavingʼs remark-able performance.

Never unmasked, ʻV ̓ is pre-sented through Weavingʼs phys-icality and voice alone. Port-manʼs Evey, while occasionally falling into the Dick Van Dyke-atrocious-cockney-accent trap, is a suitably emotional presence, effectively playing off of Weav-ingʼs cold, calculated ʻVʼ.

Support comes in the form of Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, and the brilliant John Hurt. The movie also contains some beau-tifully filmed action sequences, however few and far between they may be. ʻV for Vendetta ̓is highly recommended viewing.

4 out of 5

‘Hostel’

Two American backpackers and their Icelandic friend take a trip to Amsterdam, where they learn of a Slovak hostel offering the worldʼs most beautiful women for prostitution, at very little cost, and with a preference for Americans.

When the trio arrive, however, all is not as it seems and one by one, they go missing. As horror concepts go, itʼs not incredibly original, but it is in the execu-tion (pardon the pun) that ʻHos-tel ̓really shines.

ʻCabin Fever ̓ director, Eli Roth, has made an intensely gory second attempt to inject some life into the dying genre of the creative horror movie. While surpassing his first effort in every way, ʻHostel ̓isnʼt per-fect.

A slowly progressing first act may throw off some audiences, as the diverting tone implies al-most an ʻAmerican Pie ̓type of teen sex comedy lies ahead (al-beit slightly more graphic).

Once they reach the decep-tively beautiful Slovak location, however, the pace quickens, as we painfully discover what lies ahead for the trio. Casting unknowns and utilising its mi-cro-budget to astonishing ef-fect, Roth has delivered a movie which lures you into a false sense of security before unleashing some of the goriest scenes seen on screen since ʻAuditionʼ.

Hidden among the decapitated body parts, are themes of isola-tion, ignorance, and the percep-tion of American insularity by most Europeans. Hostel suc-cessfully combines both brains and guts.

4 out of 5


Healthy dishes from the ‘Friends and Neighbours Cookery Book’

MACKEREL IN FOIL WITH HERBS

4 meduim fresh mackerel (gutted)Juice of 1 lemonFreshly ground black pepperPinch of salt4 small bunches fresh mixed herbs (taragon, chives, parsley, sage)A little olive oil

Preheat oven. Wash the mackerel and sprinkle insides with lemon luice. Add a little salt and generous sprinkle of pepper. Put a bunch of mixed herbs into the cavity of each fish and brush the skin with olive oil to avoid sticking. Wrap each fish individually in foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Take them out of the foil, leaving the herbs inside them, and place them on a hot platter with their own juice. Serve with boiled jacket potatoes and side salad of chopped cucumber, tomato and onion in French Dressing.

SMOKED FISH CAKES

1lb Smoked Cod or Haddock 1oz butter1 onion, finely chopped1lb cooked mashed potatoChopped ParsleyTo coat: 1oz Wheaten Flour or Porridge Oatflakes

Place fish in cold water. Bring to the boil and poach for 5-7 Min-utes. Remove, drain and flake. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add flaked fish, potato and parsley. Season with pepper and mix well. Form the mixture into 6 round cakes and coat with wheaten flour or oats. Fry in a little oil or butter until golden brown on both sides. Drain and serve immediately.

By Helen Walsh

Do you hate getting out of bed in the morning? Do you feel sleepy in

the middle of the afternoon? Would you love to have more of a buzz in your day?…then read on.

You can change all this in a decision that will take you 1 second! Just stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself is this what I want for myself? Is this the way I want to go through my life, struggling to get everything done. You need to be in a place where you are really not prepared to live with low energy anymore

Energy

Do you know what it is to have real energy? This comes in various shapes and forms. One person might be happy to find getting out of bed a bit easier in the morning, whereas another may need to run a marathon.

Having worked with thou-sands of people over the years, it is my strong belief that many people are running on pretty low batteries and feel tired, sleepy and exhausted most of the time. This has a huge effect on our moods– we desperately want to be in better form but just donʼt have the energy.

Wouldnʼt it be nice to land home from work and have lots of energy left over to play with your children or still be able for a social life during the week rather than hitting the couch?

Eliminating energy drains

There are many areas of your life that cause your energy to be drained. If you are in a job you donʼt like, a relation-ship that isnʼt working or you are struggling with finances or even trying to come to terms with being a mother or father for the first time, then be brave enough to face up to it get some help and advice. Here are sev-en ways to make a start:

* Hydrate: 4-6 glasses of water a day will lift your ener-gy level quicker than anything else you do.

* Get fit: a half hour walk a day will help you manage your body weight and will send oxygen through every cell in your body– it is a great way to start your day.

* Have some fun: some-times we get so bogged down with life that we forget to have any pleasure at all, remember some of the things from your childhood that you liked do-ing and see if you can recreate any of this for yourself or your family now.

* Relax: this is huge because most people laugh when they are asked to try and take more time to relax and they keep go-ing at full pace. Completely relax for even ten minutes in the day and this will make a difference

* Music: I have yet to meet someone that does not like music of some description. If you tap into that you will have a wonderful tool to boost your energy, go dance around your sitting room for 2 minutes a

day and see how good you feel… donʼt get caught!!

* Sleep: This is our bodyʼs natural way to repair every-thing. If we go too long with a broken pattern of sleep we will become irritable, constantly tired and develop a low func-tioning immune system. Try to get some help with this if it is a problem.

* Food: Always try hard to eat the best food you can at all times. Your body cannot give you what you need if you do not give it good fuel, so make a choice today that you are getting rid of all the rubbish food in the house and try eat-ing well for a week and see how quickly you will feel so much better.

Helen has a clinic in Sandy-mount and has just launched a new Hi-Energy class in The Factory Studios Barrow Street. For more information phone: 2605050. Or log on to: www.helenwalsh.ie

DO YOU WANT TO BEORDINARY OR EXTRAORDINARY?


By James OʼDoherty

It was a late spring evening and I found myself walking once again in my beloved Dublin.

This time I was walking through the old-world quarter called the Liberties,- where once the nobil-ity of Ireland had fine houses and where hundreds of weavers plied their trade.

If this old area could talk what tales it could tell, some stranger than fiction. As I walked down

Dublin s̓ most ancient streets I de-cided to make acquaintance with my historic friends whose pres-ence in this old part of Dublin will never die.

Down Thomas Street where, at house number 151, I sympathised with Lord Edward Fitzgerald who was arrested there. On to High Street where at number 65 Sars-field was born and where the great Wolfe Tone was waked, then past old St. Audeon s̓ Church built by the Normans in 1171 and named after St Owen of Rouen. I nodded

to Oliver Bond and Napper Tandy on duty as church wardens.

On Fishamble Street, where Henry Grattan was born, I imag-ined I could hear the beautiful mu-sic of The Messiah as Handel per-formed it on the 15th April 1741. I

admonished the father of the great poet James Clarence Mangan, who lived in number 3, on the severity with which he treated his son.

I looked down Castle Street and I recognised Daniel Bellingham, the first Lord Mayor of Dublin. On

STROLLING THROUGH THE YEARS

The perfect neighbourhood restaurant, situated conveniently in the heart of Sandymount, at 6a, Sandymount Green. itsa4 is a new venture by Domini & Peaches Kemp who you may know from their well-established itsa bagel stores.

You might visit for a quick coffee but donʼt be surprised if you find your-self staying to try something from the brunch or lunch menu. Lunchtime specials like the legendary “Roast in a roll”, smoked haddock fishcakes and itsa4 burger have kept the regulars coming back for more. At night, the warm and friendly atmosphere of itsa 4 is transformed into something a little more formal and this is reflected in some of the menu items. Roast rump of lamb with minted peas, broad beans and red wine jus, or the open ravioli of wild mushrooms with sage, Parmesan and truffle oil. Perfect for vegetarians.

Our chefs select only the finest produce– organic and Irish where possible– and most of the suppliers get a special mention on the menu. This is especially important to customers nowadays. It isnʼt enough to just have great food and friendly service but also the reassurance about where the ingredients have come from. This is one of the cornerstones of the company: itsa bagel, Feast Catering and most recently, itsa4 restaurant.

Although itsa4ʼs modern, smart & chic interior is as grown up and sophisti-cated as you can get, children (of all ages) are also welcome. Instead of a sepa-rate childrenʼs menu, itsa4 offer dishes in smaller and fairly priced ½ portion option. Similarly, it is also important to acknowledge that some diners come to itsa4 to have a quiet night out and that is why itsa4 asks that children are gone by 8.30pm – 8.45pm. It is essential that itsa4 lives up to its name: itsa4 kids, itsa4 parents and grand-parents, itsa4 quiet lunches, itsa for celebrations, itsa for everyone.

For reservations tel: 01 2194676Contact: Emma Donoghue/Trina Morgan

Hours of opening: lunch seven days a week from 11am – 4pm. Sunday lunch 11pm – 6pmDinner Monday – Saturday 6pm – 10pm

itsa4 is also available for private hire as a venue. If you are planning a func-tion or product launch, our associated company, Feast Catering may be able to suggest a tailor made menu for you. Contact CAROLINE on 086 384 4377.


Sandymount Credit UnionLimited

13 Bath Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4.Tel: 668 5079 / 073 Fax: 6681807email: [email protected]

Website: www.sandymountcu.ie

STANDARD LOANS TO MEMBERS UP TO €15,000 9.4% APRMULTI-PURPOSE LOANS UP TO €30,000 7.5% APRPREMIUM LOANS OVER €30,000 5.9% APRSPECIAL LOANS TO STUDENTS/APPRENTICES 6.5% APR(INCLUDING MATURE STUDENTS)LOAN REPAYMENT CALCULATOR AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE

Normal Opening HoursMonday 10am–12.30pm 2–5pmTuesday 10am–12.30pm 2–5pmWednesday 10am–12.30pm 2–5pmThursday 10am–5pmFriday 2pm–8pm

For more informationvisit our website at www.sandymountcu.ie

my left the Church of The Holy Trinity, Christchurch, whose vaults date back to the Danes and beyond. In one of these vaults St Patrick celebrated the first mass ever to be said in Ireland.

In passing this historic building,

I said hello to Strongbow and I re-membered St. Laurence OʼToole, former Archbishop of Dublin, who although buried in France left his heart in his beloved Christchurch.

On my right St. Werburgh s̓ Church was built by the men of Bristol on the site of an ancient church of St Martin. Lord Edward Fitzgerald is buried in its vaults.

I continued on my way and ap-proached St Patrick s̓ Cathedral. It was once a parochial church and did not become a cathedral until the thirteenth century. Here I re-membered Oliver Cromwell. He degraded this lovely church, using it to stable his horses. However I did congratulate him on introduc-ing cabbage to Ireland! I said hello to one of Ireland s̓ most gifted sons,

the great Dean Jonathan Swift and applauded his choice of ladies, par-ticularly Stella and the lovely Va-nessa. I greeted Primate Narcissus Marsh, still browsing in his famous library designed for him by Sir William Robinson, the architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

I also greeted Sir Edward Cecil Guinness, who set up the Iveagh Trust in 1890, a trust which greatly improved the lives of many fami-lies in this area and I realised how unique we are in possessing two ancient cathedrals which exist side by side and yet present a remark-able diversity of style.

As the evening bells of Christch-urch chimed over the city I left this ancient area so steeped in history. And as I made my way home I remembered all the great names, the men and women of history, so many brilliant stars that shine though the centuries. And although gone from our days they still shine from the distant past with a great splendour and enrich us today.

From bottom left, clockwise: St Werburgh s̓ Church; Christchurch Cathedral; St Patrick s̓ Cathedral; St. Audeon s̓ Church; this arch is the only remnant of the Smock Al-ley Theatre, where the first ʻMes-siah ̓ was performed; Marsh s̓ Li-brary.

VACANCY

Community Employment Supervisor requiredfor Sandymount Community Services,

15 Fitzwilliam Street,Ringsend, Dublin 4

The duties of the selected candidatewould include the supervision and

organisation of training for 16 CE participants,the management of accounts on Excel spreadsheets,

the use of Thesaurus wages software and the roleof Managing Editor of NewsFour.

The Supervisor will report to the SponsoringCommittee and liaise with FÁS staff on a regular basis.

It would be an advantage to be a trainedFÁS CE Supervisor, have good English

and a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Exceland wages software. Good people skills are essential.

Letter of application with CV should be sent toThe Chairman of Sandymount Community Services

at the above address by 24th April 2006


By Eddie Hanratty

In this Golden Anniversery year of Ronnie Delaneyʼs famous Olympic 1500-me-

tre gold medal winning perform-ance in the green vest of Ireland, it was fitting that Dublin City Council honoured the great man on March 5th by presenting him with the Freedom of the City.

In accepting the honour along with Bob Geldof, Delaney spoke of his strong connections not only to Dublin City, but also specifically to Sandymount, of which he was a resident at the time of his famous victory.

Delaneyʼs connections to the area go further for it was on the old cinder track at Irishtown that Ronnie broke his first Irish record over 880 yards in 1954. Local Athletics club, Crusad-ers A.C., proudly acknowledge Delaney as their most illustri-ous member and it was in their colours that he claimed four na-tional titles.

The mid 1950s was a golden era of mile running for it was then that the race for the first sub-first minute mile was on.

In June, 1956 after finishing his exams at Villanova Univer-sity, where he was on an athletic scholarship, Delaney became the seventh man, the first Irish-man, and at that time the young-est man to dip under the magical four-minute barrier. It was then

that Delaney realised that he could be a serious contender for the Olympic title.

And yet an intersting nugget of Irish Olymic history is that the selectors were in two minds whether to select him for the games at all! A dip in form over the summer resulted in a number of significant losses.

Furthermore, the Games were to be held for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere at Melbourne and due to the ex-tra costs incurred by the long travel, the selectors felt obliged to select only those whom they felt would be contenders for a medal.

In hindsight, the selectors made the wise decision to se-

lect him and indeed Melbourne yielded Irelandʼs largest harvest of Olympic medals for the Irish with a further silver and three bronzes in boxing. However, it was Delaneyʼs run in the blue ribband 1500 metres event that captured the imagination of the nation on December 1, 1956.

For Northern Hemisphere runners, the Olympics were held at a time of year in which they would have been unaccus-tomed to competing. Delaney still managed to fit in a couple of preparation races in Cali-fornia just before travelling to Melbourne. Delaney progressed comfortably though his qualifiy-ing heat to reach the final. De-spite Delaneyʼs sub-four minute

mile credentials, John Landy was the overwhelming favourite to take the Gold.

Only two weeks after Rog-er Bannister first broke the four minute mile, John Landy smashed his world record with a time of 3:58. In addition to be-ing the fastest miler in the field, Landy had the added advantage of running in his native Austral-ia in front of home support.

Back home in Ireland, the ears of the nation were fixed to the radio at seven in the morning as commentary of the race was broadcast live. For most of the race Delaney remained tucked in behind Landy before unleash-ing a devastating burst of speed over the last 300 metres, which

he covered in 38 seconds, there-by claiming Olympic Gold and the Olympic Record of 3.41.49 in front of a crowd of 110,000.

Years later Delaney remarked that his victory came as no sur-prise to him because although he wasnʼt the fastest miler in the field, he was the fastest half miler and it was his speed over the lower distance that enabled him to kick past his opponents with such effect on the last lap. He also knew that he was going into the race in his best form.

The picture on left features Delaney as he approaches the finish line, jubilant in the re-alisation that he is about to be-come Olympic Champion. Mo-ments later, after breasting the winning tape, Delaney sank to his knees. The story goes that Landy, thinking Delaney was hurt, went to help him only to realise that he was in prayer.

Before retiring from competi-tive athletics at the age of 26, De-laney went on to add a European Championships bronze medal to his Olympic Gold. He further attached a world indoor mile record to his name in addition to amassing a total of 3 NCAA Titles and four successive AAU mile titles in America.

Yet it is Delaneyʼs enduring legacy as Olympic Gold medal-ist at the tender age of 21 that made him a household name and inspired generations of Irish athletes.

RONNIE DELANEY– LOCAL HERO

Gach bliain in Éirinn, eagraíonn Gael Linn comórtas idir bun gaels-

coileanna timpeall na tíre. Tug-tar Coirm ar an gcomórtas sin. Tá mé i mo dhalta i rang a sé, Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch, Baile Munna.

An bhliain seo, in ár scoil, bhi an Coirm faoi na 1970í nuair a bhí ár dtír cuíosach bocht ach ansin dʼéirigh sí saibhir. Ach anois tá tíortha mar an Ukraine agus An Pholainn agus tá siad mar a bhí Éire roimh an ʻtíogar ceilteachʼ. Rinne múinteoir ó rang 5 an téama bunaithe ar an smaoineamh sin, agus sheinm mo mháistir an ceol ar an pi-anó.

Ar dtús bhi daoine ag canadh mar gheall ar Éire a bheith bo-

cht sa na 1970í le ceol de ʻIʼd like to teach the world to singʼ. Is cuma cad a fheiceann tú, is cuma cad tá romhat, ni féidir rá o lá go là, an seasfaidh tú an fód. Bhí siad ag caitheamh róbaí dearga cosúil le scéalaí sa tS-eanghréig.

Ansin, tháinig daoine gléas-ta in éadaí 1970í amach ar an stáitse agus thosaigh siad ag ca-nadh faoina daoine in Éirinn ag dul go dtí tíortha eile cosúil le Sasana agus Meiriceá agus An Astr·il. Bhi an ceol de ʻYester-dayʼ. Imeacht linn, gan mórán do dúchas fágtha ʻgain, go bh-faighimid seans chun teacht ar ais gan mhoill, o fágfaimid ar gcairde ʻs clann...

Ansin tháinig mo chara Daithí amach agus thosaigh se ag

gearán faoina daoine ag imeacht ó Éire go dtí tíortha eile. Bhí brón air faoi sin. Thosaigh sé ag canadh amhráin le ceol ʻMy favourite things ̓ ach go mór feargach. Cloisim na geallainti, bliain i ndiaidh bliana. Tioc-faidh feabhas mor air, ach sinn a bheith ciallmhar…

San ʻact ̓ deireannach, bhíomar le chéile in Latvia ag gearán faoi go gcaitheadh dao-ine i Latvia dul go dtí tíortha mar Eire. Ansin rinne cúpla daltai ʻsolos ̓in amhrán de ceol ʻAlleluiaʼ. Bhi cúrfa ann mar ʻThar na bánta, ina dtainte, siar go hÉireann, tá siad uilig imithe leo. ̓ Bhi na línte deire-anacha ʻGan aoin staonadh, fós le chéile, ʻnois go hÉireann, tá siad uilig imithe leo.

Bhí an comórtas ar siúl i mì Feabhra sa Mhuilleann gCearr. Tháinig a lán gaelscoileanna ó gach áit sa tír agus bhaineamar le chÈile a lán taitnimh as. Fuair ár scoil duaiseanna ʻscript ̓agus canadh ʻsoloʼ. Bhí lá iontach againn.

COIRM… LE FIONN RUADH

Cuíosach: fairlySaibhir: richFód: sodAn Seanghréig: ancient GreeceAg gearán: lamentingCúrfa: chorusFeabhas: improvementCiallmhar: sensible


‘Chris Andrews and Eoin Ryan – working for you’If you have any concerns that you would like

to raise with me, you can contact me on087-2851515

CHRIS ANDREWS SELECTED TO REPRESENT FIANNA FÁIL IN DUBLIN SOUTH EAST

JASON DONOHUE has recently been appointed Community Development Officer by the Dublin City Council and the FAI. He kicked off by organising a Football Blitz on the Futsal pitch in Sportsco involv-ing boys and girls at primary and secondary level in Ringsend, Irishtown, Pearse Street and City Quay. The winners are: City Quay (Primary School Girls), Marian College (Secondary School Boys1st and 2nd class) and St Patrickʼs with City Quay runners Up (Primary 5th and 6th Class Boys).

Jason is keen to contact any members of the community who have ideas on how to progress his aim to keep children playing soccer throughout the year. He would be happy to assist in summer projects or other such events. Jason can be contacted by email at [email protected] or 0871250444.

FUTSAL BLITZ!

Easter Greetings from Cranfield


Name:……………………………

Address:………………………… Telephone:…………………

Hands up for the Unsung HeroesCATHERINE BYRNE, Lord Mayor of Dublin City, has launched a new initiative to pay tribute to people of all ages who give their time free to benefit others within the community.

Unsung heroes can be those who contribute formally through vol-unteer organisations in their community or those who contribute in-formally through simply being a good neighbour or friend to some-one who needs a helping hand or a listening ear.

If you know of anyone who you would like to nominate you can get application forms from the ʻNewsFour ̓offices at 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend or download an application from www.dublin.ie or www.dublincity.ie. All necessary details on how to make a nomina-tion are contained in the application form. Persons who receive pay-ment for their services are not eligible. Entries must be received by 30th April 2006.

Each person nominated will receive a limited edition lapel pin and a Certificate of Recognition signed by the Lord Mayor.

Out of all the received nominations, 25 of the most notable will be acknowledged as ʻAdvocates of the City ̓and one of these will be chosen for their outstanding contribution to be a City Ambassador. It is also intended to publish a book featuring the stories of the chosen advocates.

Award ceremonies will take place in May 2006 in each of the five administrative areas of the Dublin City Council. On European Neigh-bours Day, 31st May, the Lord Mayor will formally acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Dublinʼs Unsung Heroes at a special gathering in City Hall.

The Unsung Heroes Awards are being coordinated by Dublin City Council Housing and Residential Services.

By Saoirse OʼHanlon Tobin

Everybody gets chocolates from each other, but chil-dren s̓ beliefs are different.

Instead of Easter Bunny coming, the ʻcloches ̓come, which is the French for bells. They fly through gardens, dropping unbreakable eggs. So, every Easter eve, all kids go to bed, waiting for a giant bell to pass overhead!

In Easter 2004, when we lived in La Rochelle (on the west coast, between Nantes and Bordeaux) our neighbours knocked at the door, saying that the cloches dropped loads of eggs in the wrong garden, and asked us if we could come in after lunch to clean it up. We accepted straight away!

So after lunch, we all went in, on a big egg hunt. Mum and Dad went in to the house for coffee, my sister, my brother and I start-ing looking around for any sign of chocolate. Their garden was very big, full of perfect little spots

here and there, so we spent nearly all afternoon looking for eggs. We found loads of stuff like giant chocolate rabbits, or chickens. It was a great Easter, the chocolates lasted forever.

Our neighbours across the road did the same thing that evening, as they had no children of their own. So that was us occupied for the day. A lot of people take holi-days around that time, to spend Easter with their family. Some people even go skiing, especially if Easter falls early enough.

The other big thing here is the Easter Sunday meal. It s̓ a very big family meal. The whole fami-ly is around the table, to celebrate the feast. Older people also go to the church, to pray, sing and cel-ebrate Easter there; but it s̓ more a family thing here than religious.

On Good Friday, in France, it s̓ just a normal day, all the bars and cafés open, but a lot of peo-ple still eat fish. The majority of my friends eat fish every Fri-day. I find this very odd, because

France isnʼt particularly a reli-gious country. And, Iʼve noticed, that most Fridays in school, fish is in the options for our meal, which is served up to us at the school restaurant. Last year, in my old school it was always fish, as well as most primary schools.

As I said in my last article (ʻLetter from Franceʼ) the French love their chocolate. During the run-up to Easter, in supermarkets, some of the daily products are re-placed by chocolate, from normal chocolate, to original hand made chocolates, and they take up something like 3 or 4 aisles.

Last Year, my dad went to the local supermarket, to buy some superglue, and discovered that it had been replaced by a chocolate chicken. So he came home with a chicken, instead of glue. My mum said he wouldnʼt stick a lot with that, but we were all very happy with the egg!

HAPPY EASTER TO ALLJOYEUSE PAQUES A TOUSRight: Spring in Old Nice.

Across1 Tainaiste and Minister for Health (4,6)5 Ding ---- merrily on high (4)9 Used on the computer for storing information, not good to slip one (4)11 &17 Well known Irish Times columnist who started her career with NewsFour (6,5)12 Federal Bureau of Investigation (abbrv.) (3)13 Type of lettuce (3)14 To warm or dry clothes, sound waves travel through it (3)15 Fighting men or their shorts (6)18 Vow made in marriage ceremony (1,2)19 Rare disease recently in the news again (2)20 Metric units of capacity (6)22 Distress signal (3)24 Female sheep (3)25 Slang word for having no money (5)26 An air journey (6)29 I in Latin, have a big opinion of oneself (3)30 Colloquial abbreviation for going too far (3)31 American taxi (3)33 Time and ---- wait for no man (4)34 Equipment or clothes (4)35 So be it (4)36 See 23 down

Down1 A cylinder of fur for warming the hands (4)2 These warm homes by diffusing heat (9)3 Noahʼs mode of travel (3)4 Greek god of love (4)6 One sixteenth of a pound weight (5)7 Go further than Bray for a seaside location (10)8 Might take me to the pictures, but could be a Ford car (6)10 Sounds like breakfast food but really we read them on a regular basis (7)11 Fast but precarious way of getting about (6,5)16 Seat of the high kings of Ireland (4,2,4)21 Someone who believes in government by the people of the people and for the people (8)23 and 36across New Irish manager27 A point of dispute or to publish (5)28 I never bother with people I ---- (Lady and the Tramp) (4)30 Opposite to even (3)32 Where the hay is stored (4)34 Former Portuguese overseas territory on the west coast of India (3)

The closing date for entries is Friday 28th April 2006

Crossword

EASTER IN FRANCE –NOT THE SAME AS IN IRELAND


TritonvilleBar and Terrace Brasserie

Modern DécorLarge TV Screens

Terrace and Beer GardenDELICIOUS FOOD SERVED DAILY!

Hot Dishes, Open Sandwiches, Paninis, Desserts…

Newly Refurbished RestaurantDelicious A la Carte Menu

Christening, Communion,Birthday, Anniversary…

Whatever the occasion let us cater for you

Herbert Road, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4Telephone: 00 353 1 6684321 • Fax: 00 353 1 6607077 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.mountherberthotel.ie

Whether it’s after work or the weekend, the perfect place to wind down


Dylan keeps it country

Still in June and still in the heart of this green and pleasant land of ours, Mr. Bob Dylan will once again headline The Kil-kenny Source Festival on Saturday, June

24 in Nowlan Park. Special Guests will be The Flaming Lips, who judging by their per-formance in Electric Picnic last September will be one hard act to follow. Tickets for what could be the most interesting pairing of the summer are on sale now at €55.

Original glam rockers are back!

Reunions, reforming and getting back to-gether again is very much in the air these days. In fact, it s̓ difficult to think of any band who split up years ago that hasnʼt at-tempted a comeback of some description recently. The latest major players to an-nounce a comeback are Roxy Music, who are working on an album of new material with their original line-up for the first time in more than 30 years. And the good news gets even better when you realise Brian Eno is also taking part in proceedings

The band s̓ last album was Avalon in 1982, but this new effort will be the first to feature Eno since 1973. No release date has yet been set but you can expect to hear

plenty of the new material when Roxy Mu-sic play one of the must-see gigs of the year in Vicar Street on July.

Punk’s not dead. Part 6

More good tidings for the 40 somethingʼs among us!

The Slits, who could safely be described as ʻThe First Ladies of Punk ̓ perform a reunion gig in Dublinʼs CrawDaddy on April 20 next.

The all-female trio were early pioneers of punk. Their 1976 album Cut was a bril-liant mix of punk, reggae and dub beats. Their career didnʼt last long but they have been and continue to be a huge influence on many female bands.

Original members Ari Up, Viv Alber-tine and Palmolive will be joined on stage by dub maestro Adrian Sherwood whose has worked with many famous people in-cluding Sinéad OʼConnor. Ari Upʼs mum, Nora by the way, went on to marry Johnny Rotten.

April

Jack L Olympia April 18,19,20Don Williams Olympia April 21, 22The Cardigans Ambassador April 23Janis Ian Vicar Street April 24Saxon Temple Bar Music Centre April 27Chris Rea Olympia April 28Jeff Wayneʼs War of the Worlds Point April 30Ian Brown/ Republic of Loose Dublin Castle April 30

May

Kaiser Chiefs/ Graham Coxon Dublin Castle May 1 Richard Hawley Whelans May 1The Kooks The Village May 2Jose Gonzalez Olympia May 8Josh Ritter Vicar Street May 12, 13Take That Point Theatre May 12, 13Bon Jovi Croke Park May 20Hard-Fi Ambassador May 23Editors Ambassador May 24Elton John Point Theatre May 28

June

The Wedding Present Ambassador June 3Billy Bragg Vicar Street June 3G4 Olympia June 7Robbie Williams Croke Park June 9Gun N Roses/ Motley Crue RDS June 9Metallica RDS June 11Bob Dylan / Flaming Lips Nowlan Park, Kilkenny June 24

Forthcoming Attractions

The Kooks Inside In/Inside OutThe Kooks are a four piece out of Brighton following in the Artic Monkeys trail of kids with enormous talent (their average age is only 20). This is as good a de-but album youʼll hear all year apart from the aforementioned Monkeys.

The album is full of catchy little pop/ rock songs that grab you and leave you wanting more. So full of clever guitar riffs, hooks and choruses that try as you might you canʼt help but like the little upstarts! There is hardly a bad song on this album which is a rarity nowadays.

Standout tracks include Seaside, Naíve (on which 19 year old lead singer Luke Pritchardʼs emotion filled lyrics instantly have you pressing the repeat button), Sofa Song and You Donʼt Love Me.

The only downside is lyrically itʼs pretty much the same old theme of rela-tionships and girls but what else would you expect from such a young group, profound statements about the political climate!

Rodrigo y GabrielaThis is the third album from Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and is the first instrumental album to go into the Irish charts at number one. One listen and you can hear why. Produced by John Leckie of Stone Roses and Radiohead fame, this album captures their mesmerising live essence. Listening to it you can almost visualise the notes dancing in the air with their mix of flamenco, jazz and rock styles that leave you awestruck that so much sound could come out of two guitars.

The songs are their own compositions except covers of Metallica s̓ Orion and Led Zeppelin s̓ Stairway to Heaven, that will make sure you never listen to them in the same way again! The highlight for me was the bonus DVD which includes interviews with the duo and live performances where you can see as well as hear just how talented they are.

If you like good music get this, if not I think Chico has an album out soon!

Ballad of the Broken Seas Isobel Campell and Mark LaneganStrange bedfellows number 63. Weʼve had Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra, we had Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue, now weʼve got the ex-singer with twee Scottish Popsters Belle and Sebastian linking musical notes with the ex-front man of Queen of the Stone Age. As ying and yang couples go, you couldnʼt go much further unless you paired up Lemmy and Shirley Temple.

This record sounds like nothing the duo has previously done which probably explains why it works so well. At times folksy, at times country, even whimsical in places, Ballad of The Broken Seas is timeless, dreamy pop full of seductive hooks and melodies.

Miss Campbell takes most of the songwriting credits and also produces. Kudos is due to her for utilising the talents of Mr. Lanegan. The contrast of her angelic vocals and his deep, melancholic delivery works its magic on most of the tracks here.

Albums

Music4 … By Brian Kelly and Fergal Murphy

Festival fever grips country

Infused with the success of the Electric Pic-nic, promoters POD Concerts are running a second boutique festival, this time aimed at the clubbing crowd, in Ballinlough Cas-tle, Athboy, Co. Meath on June 4. The Gar-den Party, which will no doubt become a regular on the festival circuit scene, will take place across four stages in a beautiful walled garden that is part of Ballinlough castle grounds. The top class line-up al-ready includes: Too Many DJs, Toots & The Maytals, Asian Dub Foundation, Fat Freddyʼs Drop, Nightmare On Wax Sound System, Guilty Pleasures, Scratch Per-verts (DJ set), Booka Shade, Markey and Alexander Robotnik. Adding to the Whit weekend jollities will also include a caba-ret, theatrical karaoke and a flea circus. Tickets priced €65 are on sale now.

Music News • Music News • Music News • Music News • Music News


OPENING HOURSMonday and Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm • 2.00pm-4.30pm

Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pmThursday 9.30am-12.30pm • 2.00pm-4.30pm

Friday 9.30am-12.15pm • 2.00pm-4.30pm • 6.00pm-8.00pm

AT RINGSEND CREDIT UNION WE NOW OFFER• Highly Competitive Lending Interest Rates

• Foreign Currencies• Travel Insurance

• You can now top up your telephoneand pay your household bills

All Business Transacted During Opening Hours

Ringsend and District Credit Union Ltd.

5 Irishtown Rd., Dublin 4.Phone: 6686676 • Fax: 6686288

By Brian Kelly

I t is about time another Dub-lin band went global. U2 have been top of the tree

for so long and have done us all proud, but the good citizens of the world have to realize there is more to Ath Cliath than Adam, Bono, Edge and Larry.

Enter stage right Bell X1. Four hearty fellows from the western fringes of Dublin, who in the past four months alone compiled this impressive set of statistics:

1. ʻFlock ̓ the bandʼs third al-bum went straight to number one in the Irish charts.

2. Their recent nationwide tour was completely sold out.

3. Bell X1ʼs concert in the

RDS on January 31 was the first time a Dublin band sold out this vast arena in many years.

Bell X1, whose name came from the aircraft used by Chuck Yeager to break the sound bar-rier, formed from the ashes of

Juniper, a band which featured all the current Bell boys: Brian Crosby, Dave Geraghty, Paul Noonan and Dominic Philips plus one Damian Rice.

Riceʼs rapid success as a solo artist contrasted with Bell X1ʼs

slow but steady progress through three albums and thousands of miles of travel and support slots in Ireland, Europe and America.

The band made a significant breakthrough with the release of ʻMusic in Mouth ̓ in 2003. The album went double platinum in Ireland producing four top 40 singles.

What makes Bell X1 stand out from all other contenders is the creativity and quality of their songwriting. Singer Paul Noo-nan is one of our most gifted lyricist and songwriters: his wry couplets and distinct turn of phrase mark him out as a genu-ine wordsmith amidst a school of rock hacks.

Conquering the UK is next on the bandʼs agenda. An extensive tour plus the release of ʻFlock ̓ will hopefully create a legion of new admirers for the band and generate enough press interest to raise the profile of the boys in Blighty.

Bell X1 have already enjoyed some success in the States where their song ʻEve is the apple of my eye ̓was used as background music to a famous lesbian kiss on the hugely popular TV show ʻThe OCʼ. The ripple effect caused by the record has ena-

bled the band to gain a foothold in the country.

They have toured the US sev-eral times, shifting thousands of copies of ʻMusic in Mouth ̓and completely selling venues on the last visit in 2005.

The road to rock ʻn ̓ roll suc-cess is paved with bands that never went the distance or never made the grade. It is more diffi-cult for bands to sustain a career now than in U2ʼs day simply be-cause there are too many groups vying for the attention of record companies. As well as this, big labels rarely take the time to nurture and support bands on a long-term basis. If a bandʼs first album doesnʼt sell, they donʼt always get a second chance.

Bell X1 has got thus far on talent alone. They are simply the best band to emerge from the capital in the last decade. If they can sustain the momentum they have made to date, you can expect to turn on your television in a few years time and see the band with their glamorous mod-el girlfriends beside them, inter-viewed by Lorraine Keane at the premiere of the latest blockbust-er movie.

It is all ahead of them. Proceed at the speed of sound boys.

By Brian Rutherford

Mundy ranks among the top performers in Ire-land. He is a singer/

songwriter with a certain depth that as you get to listen more, becomes uplifting. He has released three CDs, or albums as he likes to call them: ʻJelly Legsʼ, ʻ24 Star Hotel ̓and ʻRaining Down Arrows ̓and a fourth is soon to be released.

He has performed all over Dub-lin and Ireland, indeed the world, but still ranks the small-time gigs as the ones to remember. He now lives in Ringsend. I did a quick interview with him in between his busy schedule and this is what he had to say. Real name?

Edmund Enwright.

Where do you come from?Birr in Co. Offaly.

How long did it take to get a record deal?

Fast, I came to Dublin when I was 17 and at about 19 people started to take an interest. I started out at the songwriters ̓ club in the Interna-tional Bar, which was run by Dave Murphy on Tuesday nights, and it s̓ there that record companies heard about me.Where have you gigged?

The International, The Manhattan Peanut Party in Finglas, Chebangs in Ranelagh and Slattery s̓. Interna-tionally Iʼve played the UK, France, America, Australia.Where was your favourite ven-ue?

Probably the International Bar, it was kind of a special place for me, but it s̓ not in existence anymore.

Who are your influences?A lot of longterm writers like

Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams who is an American Country/ Rock singer. I like a lot of Indie bands as wellWhat inspires your lyrics?

Day to day celebrations and trag-edies. My musical influences would not inspire me lyrically, more peo-ple and their day to day lives, and the world.How many CDs have you sold?

Iʼve sold 40,000 with my second album in Ireland (ʻ24 Star Hotelʼ), 50,000 with my first album global-ly (ʻJelly Legsʼ) and 18 or 19,000 with my third (ʻRaining Down Ar-rowsʼ).Whatʼs it like living in Ring-send?

There s̓ a good community as-pect and because Iʼm from the country I find it easier than a clas-sified Dubliner, because Iʼm a bog-man I suppose (laughs) and Iʼm not threatened because of that.Where do you drink locally?

I drink in the Yacht and the Oarsman now and again but Iʼm a stone s̓ throw from Town, so Iʼd wander in there a lot.Any plans on marriage or chil-dren?

Dreams, but nothing as yet.Whatʼs the new CD about?

It s̓ a live CD recorded at the end of 2005 with a collection of audi-ence favourites from the last three albums.

LORD OF THE RINGSBELL X1 – SPEED OF SOUND

MUNDY, FROM BIRR TO THE WORLD


CRAI ARE STILL CAM-PAIGNING

In the Reduce Reuse Recycle campaign that appears on television featuring celebrity

gardener Diarmuid Gavin, one of the ads features a steel drum with burning refuse. The voiceo-ver speaks out against the burn-ing of waste material and of the harm it can cause the environ-ment and the harm it can cause us, “the burning of waste causes dangerous dioxins (airborne par-ticulates) to be released into the air which cause damage to the environment so you shouldnʼt do it.” etc etc.

Yet it looks like the construc-tion of a mass-burning facility or incinerator is to go ahead on the Poolbeg Peninsula to do just that, burn waste material and inevitably cause harm to the environment and presumably to those living nearby.

CRAI (Combined Residents Against Incinerator) is the lo-cal group who are campaigning to put a stop to the incinerator. On March 28th at the Clann Na nGael Club in Ringsend they held a public meeting. Attending were all the local politicians rep-resenting their parties along with around 250 local residents.

What was glaringly apparent at the meeting was that nobody, not a single soul, including the local Fianna Fáil man was for or knew anyone who was for the construction of an incinera-tor. So the question is who in the name of all that is holy was or is in favour of the building of the thing?

At the meeting there was much

mention of PPPs (Public Private Partnerships). These are partner-ships between the government and private companies. The gov-ernment gives out contracts to private companies for them to provide a public service. In this case of waste management the building of this incinerator has gone to a Danish subsidiary, El-sam Engineering Ltd.

Chris Andrews (FF), Senator Mary White (FF), Conor Mc-Quaid (PD), Ruairi Quinn (Lab), Kevin Humphreys (Lab), Der-mot Lacey (Lab), Dathai Doolan (SF), Lucinda Creighton (FG), Richard Boyd Barrett (SWP), Ruairi Ahern (PBPA) and John Gormley were among those present.

During the meeting all the lo-cal politicians as well as the local residents were given a chance to take the floor and speak briefly about the issue. What follows is a selection of the speakers and some of what was said:

Ruairi Quinn (Labour)“I oppose the incinerator for

three reasons. The first is that Dublin Bay is the most popu-lated Bay on this island and it doesnʼt make sense to place an incinerator right in the middle

of it. The second is the volume of traffic that itʼs going to gener-ate in order to feed it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The third is because itʼs a Public Private Partnership and I donʼt trust the ability of the private sector to run in it a manner that would be safe and efficient for us.”

John Gormley (Green Party)“I think at this stage… an in-

cinerator should not go ahead unless there was proper access. And access is the problem here because weʼre going to have 800 truck journeys to and fro, thatʼs the problem. So I have to say I will work day and night to stop it (the incinerator) because I truly believe this is a terrible thing for this community.”

Senator Mary White (Fianna Fáil)

“No incinerator should be built on a cul de sac (the Poolbeg pe-ninsula); it should be built on a ring road.”

There followed immediate vo-cal disagreement from some over this proposal for a ring road.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Social-ist Workers Party)

“Ultimately this is an issue of democracy. Whether the people of this area should decide what happens in this area or unac-countable people should force things on us. You have to ask

your local politicians are you for this or against it. The local repre-sentatives must be held respon-sible even for their colleagues in Dáil Éireann. Name and shame politicians who donʼt give clear commitments or commend those that do.”

Councillor Kevin Humphreys (Labour)

ʻLabour to a man have voted every single time against the in-cinerator. They want to put the incinerator beside the sewage plant to burn the sludge which at the moment is being sent down to Carlow by the ton. The incin-erator is not acceptable to any-one in this community. Labour will continue to oppose it.”

Lucinda Creighton (Fine Gael)

“The development of this in-cinerator is very much on track, the process has started. There is serious financial incentive to burn as much as possible. Any-one who tells you that this is part of an environmentally friendly, well meaning, well motivated policy of the government or Dublin County Council to re-duce waste in the city are effec-tively lying to you because this is a money-making operation. Itʼs a Public Private Partnership designed to make money for the company who have been award-ed the contract. Itʼs not in the in-terest of the citizens of Dublin.”

Councillor Dermot Lacey (La-bour)

“The proposal to build an in-cinerator here first emerged in 1998 at a city council meeting. I opposed it then and I oppose it now. The decision to locate an

incinerator at the heart of this community, at the heart of the city is quite simply the wrong decision. This is a political is-sue. The city manager and three separate ministers of the envi-ronment have let it through. This incinerator has been imposed on this community by Dick Roche, Martin Cullen and Noel Demp-sey. This is not acceptable to the people or the community or to me.”

Dáithí Doolin (Sinn Féin)“The incinerator is not an elec-

tric kettle, itʼs a mass burn facil-ity that needs to be going 24/7. A cross-party coalition is the only way to stop the incinera-tor. This incinerator is not an act of God, itʼs not by coincidence, itʼs a political decision made by people who are unaccountable to the people in this room. We must win; we have to win, for our fu-ture, for our childrenʼs future.”Ruairi Ahern (People before Profit Alliance)

“To the Elsam group who have been contracted to operate the in-cinerator for 20 years it is worth one billion euro. We, the public, are paying for the incinerator by paying increased waste charges so if you think about it we are paying to poison ourselves. There are many problems with Public Private Partnerships such as the issue of safety of public services provided through PPPs. Through a sustained campaign of community power and organi-sation and protest we can defeat this incinerator.”

Chris Andrews (Fianna Fáil)“I am just as concerned as you

are. I will give you my support, if you donʼt want to take it you donʼt have to.”

AN INCINERATOR IN RINGSEND– WHO WANTS IT?


This speaker had difficulty addressing the crowd because a member of the audience dur-ing Andrews s̓ address continued asking the politician for his res-ignation. The audience member was doubtful if Andrews was actually against the incinerator. Mr. Andrews said he was against it and regarding his possible resignation he replied that that would not happen.A local activist (Progressive Democrats)

“The city manger has the pow-er to put it through. I think a lot of effort should be put into fun-draising and building the case against it.”

On hearing this a woman

from the audience became ex-asperated. “But weʼve already done that!” There followed an exchange between the two until the silenced PD returned to his seat. John Hawkins (A local man)

“Iʼm a resident of Ringsend and Iʼm very much involved in St. Patrickʼs Rowing club. Our club is situated on the point where the previous incinerator was over at the Lough gates. In the last two years two young members have died of cancer. A lot of people might think itʼs to do with other things but quite a few of our members now have children who have been born with little problems. Iʼm sure if they got someone to do a study theyʼd be shocked. We used to leave the boat upside down on the point and the dust from the original incinerator used to cover the boat. The boat was white with dust and every morning we had to wash it. We have first-hand information and experience of what it was like from the previous incinerator.”

(On the present government)

“I feel robbed that they put leaf-lets in my home and I went and voted FF and Iʼm ashamed to say that I did.”A local woman

“This incinerator is going to be filled with rubbish and it need not necessarily be Irish rubbish, it can come from oth-er countries as well. They are building it to make money and they donʼt care how they make it or how many people will die, or how much the cancer will increase. I was at a meeting a few years ago and I said that the previous incinerator had caused cancer in this area but no one listened.There is no democracy at all anymore. They do what-ever they feel like doing to make money. It doesnʼt matter what it is.”John Cavendish (A local man)

“CRAI is not just against the incinerator but against incin-eration, that is very important. The politicians from the gov-ernment parties, the PDs and Fianna Fáil are giving us noth-ing but lip service.”

Some of the names of the boys in the photograph:Back row: Joe Lawless, Jack Kennedy, Billy

Dent, Danny DentSecond Row: Murphy, Doyle, Breen, Jim Moon-

ey, Mick Kinsella RIP, Martin McKeever, Noel Murphy, R Lawlor, E Byrne, H Gannon, M Weafer, Liam Aherne, Andrews, John Tierney, Whelan.

Third Row: Byrne, J Redmond, R Pullen, D Doy-

le, T Bermingham, T Murphy, Philip Murphy, Dan Redmond.

Front Row: OʼConnor, N OʼReilly, C Rooney, F Weafer, W Hopkins, Kelly, Des Byrne, Kennedy.

On the other hand…* Dr Dieter Schrenk consultant to the World Health Organi-sation and the German Federal Environmental Agency be-lieves that if a waste incinerator is properly managed and if controls are properly enforced there are no health risks for the surrounding community. He suggested that we should be asking questions about the levels of emissions so that the impact on local health can be accurately assessed.* Dr Hendrik Van Der Kamp, Head of Planning and Devel-opment in DIT Bolton Street and Senior Inspector with An Bord Pleanala said that most of the emphasis is on the in-ceration side of things, but such a plant would also be able to supply energy, which might be regarded as a positive out-come.* Frank McDonald, Environment Editor of The Irish Times, said that thermal treatment plants work very well and safely in other European countries but he felt that the same level of confidence in the authorities does not exist in Irish society.* The Environmental Protection Agency monitors emissions from plants around the country and if any of these emissions rise over the approved level, inspection teams are brought in.

The above is taken from the views of experts in the Record of Findings of the Ringsend CIG prepared by Mercator Mar-keting Research in October 2002.

Confirmation Class, Ringsend Boys ̓National School, 1944/45


By Shay Connolly

There are a lot of anxious people in our club at the moment. The club sees it-

self in the business of recreation and health for young people. We train and compete around the green fields of Sean Moore Pk and Ringsend Park.

Is this healthy pastime to be destroyed by possible emissions from an incinerator right on our doorsteps? Will people send their children down to the club to be next door to an incinerator? Lots of serious debate lies ahead among our members and a meet-ing is to be called shortly to see what effective action our club, a club that has been in the area for almost 120 years can take. There are serious questions to be asked and we intend getting answers.

Sorry folks about the last edi-tion. Depression set in and it was hard to remove it. Why depres-

sion you may ask? Well I think I lost the run of myself in the pre-vious edition. We had just won three finals in the latter end of 2005 and were contesting three more in early 2006. I forecast victories in all of these. Guess what happened. Yeah… We lost all three!

The first one up was the Mur-phy Cup Junior Football final. This was fixed along with the Intermediate Football final at the same venue at Naul in Co Dub-lin. It was a horrible wet and grey morning as we left Ringsend for the long journey to the Naul.

Apart from a spell in the first half, we were never in conten-tion for the Murphy Cup and St Maurʼs were worthy winners in the end. But the big one, the Intermediate final was the one that all our hopes were focussed on. We had a brilliant campaign throughout the league and al-ready had beaten our opponents in their own back yard early on.

It would be fair to say that we were raging hot favourites but favourite tags are not something we would be used to and from the very start we had problems with our shooting boots. We kicked 14 wides in this match and as the game progressed it became evi-dent that this was not going to be our day and we were beaten by 5 points in the end.

The long road back home was paved with disappointment. Still we had one last chance to gain promotion as we were now in the play-offs. Alas, all confidence was gone at that stage and we lost by 2 points in those play-offs.

It had been a wonderful season up until those last two matches. Indeed, if score difference was applied to the league we would never have had to play off at all as we were 40-odd points ahead of our play-off rivals.

The club would like to pay a huge tribute to Albert Hannon. Albert took over this team three years ago. The state of play at the time was that we had lost four or five top players and no one ex-pected anything from this team. Indeed, relegation was a word that was mooted strongly around the place.

However, Albert brought them to the play-offs in the first year and every year after that. Unfor-tunately, luck departed him at the crucial stages but no one can doubt the massive improvement he brought to the whole set-up. A measure of the man is that he has not walked away from us and is now training the U16 ladies football team and is also helping out with Gareth Saundersʼs U13 team.

The last final we had to contest was the Junior hurling league final. Buoyant by their Champi-onship win and promotion, the young lads gave it their all in their quest to land the double. With a couple of minutes to go the sides were level but Rahenyʼs experience prevailed and they got the last two scores to run out winners by two points.

Some of the hardiest young fellows I have ever trained on a hurling pitch were reduced to tears in the dressing room after-wards. This told how much it meant to these young lads and

how much pride they had for their club and community. Oh if we could only bottle this stuff and pass around potions of it to every club member.

So there you have it folks. Six Adult Finals. Won three and lost three. Two county champion-ships secured and two promo-tions. You can take what you want out of that but to get to six finals in one year is formidable progress in any manʼs language. Add in a couple of league titles and promotions at Juvenile level and I believe that we can safely say that last year was a huge suc-cess.

The ladies ran a very success-ful floodlit competition in the months of February and March. Our own girls lost out by the narrowest margins to Croi Ro nAaofain the semi-final. This competition was held in prepara-tion for the girls ̓new promoted league campaign.

The club is planning to build a new all-weather floodlit sur-face at the rear of the clubhouse with a hurling wall. This area is a completely negative area at present with a hive of anti-so-cial behaviour taking place at present. All we seek to do is to turn this area into a positive one where, instead of youths engag-ing in drinking and other irregu-larities, we will now see youths engage in all types of healthy recreation. As usual this area will be accessible to all members of our community.

The annual presentation night held in the Holiday Inn was a tremendous success. Expertly organised by PRO Jacqui Mc-Donald everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Chairman Pat Kane addressed the packed crowd and told all what a won-derful year it was for the club. He said it could not have been possi-ble to achieve what we achieved without the help of our Sponsors Dublin Port Co and the input of the DDDA over the years.

He continued that there was much hard work ahead for all concerned but if we stick with the project and with everyone on board we can reach the pinnacle of our dreams.

Joe Burke, Chairman Dublin Port Company responded that his company were delighted to

be involved in such a worthwhile community project and that the work that Clanna Gael Fontenoy had done for many years in this area deserved to be acknowl-edged in the highest fashion.

Matt Bolton DDDA, Joe Burke and Stephen OʼShaughnessy pre-sented the following with their player of the year trophies. Inter Football: Morgan OʼSullivanInter Hurling: David EarlyCamogie: Antoinette MaguireLadies Football: Sinead VivashJunior Football: Thomas JoyceJunior Hurling: John Fitzger-aldMinor Football: Bernard Law-lessMinor Hurling: Cormac Con-nolly

(For all the frolics on the night please see ʻBackchat ̓column)

Inter footballers have got their new campaign off to a flying start with two good wins against Naomh Mearnog and Good Counsel. It was great to see Shay White back in the club colours and some of his superb split pass-ing in that match against Good Counsel as well as a beautifully taken point brought an extra di-mension to our attack.

The club also warmly wel-comes back Anthony Darcy and the experience of both these players should help enormously throughout this yearʼs cam-paign.

And in case Stephen Mulre-aney starts sulking because I didnʼt mention him, he got the goal of the season so far and it will be hard beaten for the rest of the year.

Inter hurlers under the new management team of Mick Fit-zgerald and Ray Murphy have a lot of good work under their belt before the season starts. The Ju-venile section is all up and run-ning and match reports can be viewed throughout the year in this column.

So we start off the new season once again in the hope that we can move forward to the very top of competition in Dublin GAA. Whilst winning is always sweet it is the participation that is foremost in our minds as we continue to provide recreation for hundreds of young people in our area.

The Fontenoy FilesProposed Incinerator causing much concern among our members

IF WE cannot afford the high-rise prices of a riverside apart-ment, at least we can look forward to long, warm Summer days when we can, at last, sit by the Liffey on the new, stainless steel benches or follow the new cycle paths into Town.


But before I leave this chapter folks, please let me share with you the terrible dilemma that the club faces at the moment and that is the forced emigration of the finest upstanding young peo-ple from our Club and commu-nity to the suburbs of the county and beyond.

These young people who grew up in this area are simply not able to afford to buy homes in this area anymore. They are not even close to the finance required for a mortgage. Instead, they have to fulfil their dreams miles and miles away.

The sight of Brian Nicholson after a recent hurling match not being able to warm down after this match painted a thousand pictures. Instead, he was run-ning frantically to catch the last DART as part one of his journey home.

And Brian and his like are do-ing this three and four times a week out of loyalty for their club and area. How long can they keep that up? This area needs a social and affordable housing plan put in place immediately so that just like the country itself not so long ago we will be not be exporting our young and finest to other areas. This is one for the politicians so you know where to put the pressure on.

Backchat:* Congratulations to Therese

Nicholson on winning the ʻOverseas Dublin Supporter of the Year ̓award. Therese, a life-long loyal supporter of the Dubs said she was overjoyed at such an accolade. After the recent in-famous Dublin v Tyrone match in Omagh, Therese was so in-censed at the unjust penalties

dished out to the Dubs ̓ players that she jammed every switch-board in RTE. After many fail-ures Therese, like the rest of us resigned herself to the fact that if you are from Dublin you are dis-criminated against in the GAA world.

* Also worthy of an award is local schoolteacher and Clannʼs player Kevin Munnelly. Kevin has been nursing fellow school-teacher and fellow Clannʼs play-er Brian McDermott back to full health. Kevin can be seen regu-larly in the shops around Ring-send acting the nanny. Heavy on his shopping list are Kleenex for Mayomen, Bonnyconlon eye drops and Castlebar cough sweets. We wish Brian a speedy recovery

* Poker classic in the form of ʻTexan Holdʼem ̓ will be held in the Clubhouse on Thursday 20th April in aid of the Juvenile section. I believe you can win a fortune! Tickets from behind the bar or from Shay Connolly.

* The Camogie section ran a very successful Quiz night in the clubhouse recently. Under the new Management team of Robin Booth, Conor Dodd and Paul Kennedy they have targeted finance as one of their objectives in the new campaign. All other teams please take note (Hint, Hint).

The team would like to thank the following for their sponsor-ship on the night: Action Hire, American Holidays, Blasting & Painting Services, Rayʼs Shop, Yacht Public House, Clarkeʼs, Chris Andrews, James Morri-arity PR, Ianelliʼs Takeaway, Jack Hayes and Fleishman-Hillard.

(Gee they must have got close

on a million with those names!)* Sincere condolences to the

Murphy, Byrne and Kelly fami-lies on their recent sad bereave-ments and also to Noel McDon-agh on the death of his father.

* The Christmas presentation night held in the Holiday Inn lived up to all its expectations. I forecast in the last edition that this was the night when all hairs hang down. I was my usual self, earwigging, eye squinting and nose sniffing. What I heard, saw and smelt was enough to fill this paper for a year. The amount of snogging that went on was hard to believe.

It was as if the entire adult squad spent the night with gay abandonment. All alcoves, nooks and crannies around the hotel were engaged with players from all sides. In actual fact, some re-lationships born on the night are still blossoming. I had intended naming and shaming but all con-cerned coughed up with brown envelopes just in time.

* DJ every Friday night in the club for our adult section with DJs Jonathon Rooney and Stephen Reilly

* Special bar prices for mem-bers in operation every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

* Please see our advertisement on Page 11 of this paper regard-ing recruitment.

* The Ladies football section recently paid a visit to their twin town Cappawhite in Tipperary where they etched out a draw against the burly natives. When asked about any scandal on the trip I came up against a wall of silence. Me thinks a bit of ear-wigging, eye squinting and nose sniffing is in order! Have a nice spring!

PHOTOGRAPHS NEEDED

A low-budget film is to be shot in Ringsend in Mayby Ringsender Pat Larkin as a pilot for a TV series ʻThe

Coal Boat Kids ̓based on a group of children around 1970 growing up in Ringsend.

Pat needs photographs of people and places in the area around that time to use as stills at the beginning of the film.

If anybody has any photographs of Ringsend around 1970 Pat would be very anxious to see them and would re-turn them all.

If you can help, please bring your photographs in to ʻNewsFourʼ, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend.

Calafort Átha Cliath

Dublin Port Company

Port Centre, Alexandra Road, Dublin 1.

Telephone: 887 6000, 855 0888

Fax: 855 7400

Web: www.dublinport.ie

St. Matthew’s National SchoolSummer Fair and Art Exhibition

Cranfield PlaceSaturday 27th May 12pm to 3pm

ALL VERY WELCOME!

Children’s Green Theme Art ExhibitionCakes, Bakes and Homemade Produce

Go-Karts • Bottle StallPet Competition • Wheel of FortunePlant Stall • Lunches and Barbecue

Little Tots Creche

AND LOTS MORE!

Telephone: 6603145 • Website at www.stmatts.ie

PHYLLIS BYRNE is pictured below the plaque which was unveiled recently at Irishtown Sta-dium in memory of her father Charles Kenny, who was a director of Shelbourne FC and the original founder of the Stadium site. Also present among the group were Father Michael Coady, Eoin Ryan TD and Chris Andrews.

REMEMBERING CHARLES KENNY AT IRISHTOWN STADIUM


Ringsend has undergone many changes in recent years. Efforts have been

made to improve the area and there is evidence of this in the new footpaths being laid on the main streets. Trees have been planted, the library transformed and Bridge Street boasts some beautiful-looking shop fronts which hark back to an earlier age.

Yet much work remains to be done. Litter is an ongoing problem and it has been suggested that the corporation are planning to urge the people of the area to consider taking part in the Tidy Towns competition. This would result in a cleaner and better-looking Ring-send, complementing the many changes undergone by the village in recent times. We asked local people for their opinions on these and other matters…

Helen Yourell looks at the area outside the church and she is not happy.

“Itʼs downright disgraceful. The road and what is supposed to be the path merge into one. Itʼs very dangerous.” She fears for the

safety of pedestrians and worries about what might happen if things remain as they are.

“There were four metal bollards there and now thereʼs only two

there because cars have crashed into them. That corner is a death-trap.”

Sheʼs lived in Ringsend a long time and knows what she is talk-

ing about. Although she is unhap-py about some of the changes that have been made, there are others which she feels have improved the area, like the library and the shop fronts on Bridge Street.

“I like the library, Iʼve lived across from it all my life and I think itʼs beautiful. It could do with some plants around it but the kids would wreck them.”

Bridge Street looks good but the Chinese takeaway looks awful– it wouldnʼt cost them that much to do it up.”

Helen thinks that there is a lot more to be done, pointing out that poor lighting and litter are prob-lems which need to be addressed.

“The street lighting is rotten, there are rusty poles all over and we donʼt have enough lighting at night. Then thereʼs the cigarette butts littered everywhere and the drains that donʼt work properly. They really need to do something to sort those things out.”

Anna Goad has other concerns. With all the work that has been going on, she has lost a lot of her trade, and nobody in the Corpora-tion seems willing to discuss these

matters with her.“The paths are wider which can

make it impossible when youʼre driving. On top of that theyʼve put in a bike path right outside my door, so locals can no longer pull up outside and come in to buy their paper. So much of my trade is passing trade and they took that away from me. I had a lot of hassle when they were building the path, I lost so much business that they might as well have told me to take two weeks ̓holidays.”

Anna is frustrated at what she sees as a lack of consultation.

“I donʼt think theyʼre thinking of the people who have to earn a liv-ing. Not once did they come and discuss things with me or ask my opinion on anything and that is disappointing.

The library is lovely and they are on the verge of improving the place but they need to think of the people more. Iʼve rung them over 20 times to talk to someone about this and not once has anybody re-turned my call.”

There are good things and bad things about these changes, she says. And itʼs not all doom and

By Maggie Neary

Ringsend was the first planned village suburb of Dublin and had the No.1

electric tram servicing the area. St. Patrick s̓ Villas was the first estate in Dublin to transfer from gas to electric power.

Could Ringsend merit a first in the upcoming Dublin City Neigh-bourhoods Competition? Marks in this competition are awarded under the criteria of: built environment; absence of litter and dereliction; landscaping; culture and tradition; co-operation and communication; overall impression.

Over the past decade Ringsend and its environs have been the fo-cus of all sorts of high-powered at-tention. Developers have swooped down Pearse Street, along the back-sides of Ringsend Road and into the heart of the village. Poolbeg, with its Great South Wall slowly yields

itself up to Sewage Plants, Incinera-tors and those who plan mini cities.

Residents, and blow-ins like myself, react with varying emo-tions. Yet nothing and no-one can escape the reality that there is no stopping this march of 21st century progress.

A local business man I spoke with says that Ringsend has a proud history with some of its buildings dating from the 1700s. During the last century the area was neglected, which resulted in the deterioration of buildings and public amenities.

The Celtic Tiger has brought changes not only to the look of Ringsend but also to the aspirations of residents both new and old. The business man himself envisages the Ringsend of the future as an attrac-tive business and shopping centre, with the image of the village be-ing boosted by the restoration of the buildings along Ringsend Road to their original brickwork and the reinstating of traditional-style sash

windows and shop fronts.With strong lobbying of politi-

cians and public offices, the area could be benchmarked for improve-ments such as high quality pedestri-an streets, improved footpaths, new street furniture and an upgrade of public lighting that would enhance the church, river and older street areas.

He did comment, however, that at-tention needs to be exercised so we do not end up with changes as inap-propriate or dangerous to the safety of the community as the pavement work recently put in place around

the library and Thorncastle Street.Liam Handy, well known retired

Ringsend butcher, is devastated by the recent remodelling of the village. This took place under the Ringsend Improvement Scheme, now being referred to locally as the Ringsend Disimprovement Scheme.

In his 40 years working behind the library Liam came to see that area as the ʻvillage green ̓of Ringsend. He recalls how the older generations, known as ʻthe Ringsend Dáil ̓gath-ered on the outdoor library benches, how the convenient parking offered easy access to library facilities and

how excitement grew amongst the various groups when they convened to await the hired buses that would whisk them away to their individual outings.

Liam has seen the new arrange-ments discourage, or abolish com-pletely, many of these community-gathering opportunities. He believes that election time is the best time to get politicians and councillors to listen, and encourages people not to feel helpless but to get out there and state their case loud and clear.

Above; Bridge Street, Ringsend in the 1940s.

RINGSENDTHEN AND NOW

“IT’S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM”Aidan O’Donoghue asks local residents what they think of the changes in the area…


THE DUBLIN City Neighbourhoods Competition, previously known as Dublin City Councilʼs Tidy Districts offers an opportunity for communities such as Ringsend to pool the resources of residents and businesses in a com-bined or individual effort to enhance their environments.

This is an area-based competition which selects the best out of each of the five Dublin City Council Areas. The winners of each category qualify for the following yearʼs National City Neighbourhoods Competition. The cat-egories cover best school, new housing developments, apartment complexes, mature estates, traditional urban vil-lages, retail and commercial districts.

The overall winner of the 2005 Dub-lin City Neighbourhoods Competition was awarded to Boyne Street Resi-dents ̓ Group, a neighbourhood which is situated close to Ringsend. Cllr Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin, pre-sented the residents with a cheque for €1,250 and praised the community ef-fort that had made their area a bright, clean and cheerful place. The Lord Mayorʼs chosen theme for her term of office is: ʻWhat we do alone remains a dream, but what we do together be-comes a realityʼ.

The details for the 2006 competition will soon be finalised and will be ad-vertised in the newspapers. The clos-ing dates for the receipt of applications should be around the 26th May. Infor-mation about the competition can be sourced at www.dublincity.ie or email: [email protected]

gloom.“Iʼm all for the docklands project

and my kids have benefited from it, but itʼs all ʻbuild, build, build ̓and Ringsend is changing, what with people moving in and the kids here not being able to afford housing.”

Local man John Byrne is happy with the footpaths.

“I like what theyʼve done with the footpaths, itʼs far better than the way things were as far as Iʼm concerned. But I canʼt say the same about the library– itʼs taken away the character of it.”

What he doesnʼt like is the vol-ume of traffic coming through Ringsend and the lack of planning that goes into developments.

“Weʼve too much traffic com-ing through and I donʼt think there should be any heavy vehicles com-ing through this way. Thereʼs no protection for the people in this area: when you think of the incin-erator and the traffic issue itʼs all

very haphazard. They improve the footpaths for walking on but thatʼs about it.”

John thinks that a Tidy Towns campaign might be possible but the corporation must make the first move.

“Itʼs up to each individual. If they lead the way and lead by ex-ample there might be a chance. The corporation is falling down on their commitments. Theyʼre not enforcing the law when it comes to litter and you canʼt expect people to be cleaning up other peopleʼs rubbish.”

“The only law around here is the clampers, everyone apart from motorists can do what they like. The corporation left bins but they werenʼt emptied often enough so the whole thing collapsed. Thereʼs not enough law and order to en-force any of these initiatives.”

Mary Connolly looks at the foot-paths with puzzlement.

“I donʼt think much of the

footpaths. Just look at all the dirt around the place. Theyʼre sup-posed to drain the water when it rains but it doesnʼt work and thatʼs a problem for the people in the

houses alongside the footpath.”“I like the trees if only people

would leave them alone. The li-brary looks pretty good but that sloping wall alongside it is an eye-

sore.”She likes Bridge Street but la-

ments the need for security meas-ures. “Bridge Street looks great and I think other businesses should follow suit and go for the tradition-al look. The only problem is the metal shutters outside businesses. I wish that they werenʼt there but thatʼs the times weʼre living in.”

Mary supports the idea of a Tidy Towns effort. For her it means a chance for the whole community to pull together as one. “The Tidy Towns is a good idea but every-one would have to work together. Shops would have to keep the out-side of their premises tidy, and the same for all those chippers around the place.

“Itʼs a question of responsibility and every single one of us has a part to play.”

The new Ringsend: Left, the Raytown Bar and far left Rebecca Murphy and Lauren Mitchell out-side the Hobbler s̓ End.

By Grace McKenna

The catchphrase around the ʻNews-Four ̓office has always been “this is a good news newspaper”. It was

invented by Ann Ingle, our editor, who believes there s̓ enough bad news in the world without having to read about it. Well regretfully in this issue, we bring not so good news. Due to the fact that FÁS do not pay employees over the age of 66, Ann has to leave the ʻNewsFour ̓office. It seems unfair, when people like Ann, who are passionate about their work, are pushed out due to a small technicality like age.

Years prior to landing the job as FÁS su-pervisor, Ann had worked voluntarily with Sandymount Community Services. She was delighted when her application for su-pervisory position was successful but was under no illusion that her new role would prove challenging.

Ann s̓ career background was mainly in business and administration and not in the media. But thanks to her English degree and love of reading, it wasnʼt long before Ann mastered the art of editing. Speak-ing of her ʻmature student ̓days, Ann re-calls the huge anti-climax she felt when she graduated. “I expected to walk out of Trinity a genius!” laughs Ann. “Instead I walked out much the same as I walked in!”

It wasnʼt long before Ann s̓ presence in the ʻNewsFour ̓ office brought about change. As a result, colour pages were in-troduced, the ʻNewsFour ̓website was set up and the paper is now producing six is-sues annually. Through all the hard work,

Ann s̓ fun-loving nature always prevailed, especially at high pressure times when ʻNewsFour ̓was about to go to print.

Ann upheld the idea that ʻNewsFour ̓was a ʻcommunity ̓ newspaper. People mattered more than story content. “I think you can tell a good story– without upset-ting anybody,” says Ann, speaking about how media infringement of privacy is un-necessary and unethical.

This same level of care and respect was extended to staff and absolutely reciprocat-ed. “Everybody has something to give and part of my role as supervisor is to bring out the best in each person,” says Ann, talking about the great satisfaction she has gained from helping people into further education and other employment.

Ann doesnʼt flinch on the subject of retirement. It is something she intends to embrace and make the most of. She is op-

timistic and says “Who knows what s̓ in store for me. In any case my eight grand-children and the one on the way will keep me busy.”

Ann has experienced great sorrow in her life. The tragic death of her husband Peter, meant rearing her children single-hand-edly but without compromise. “I gave all my children confidence– if I didnʼt give them anything else,” says Ann recalling how hard times did not deprive her fam-ily of the important things in life like com-fort and love. Walton Mountain it was not, but sitting around the dinner table every evening has kept Ann s̓ family close.

Ann will be sorely missed by all her staff, most especially Miriam and Eugene who she has worked closest with. All here at ʻNewsFour ̓ office would like to wish Ann much love and happiness in the fu-ture.

‘NEWSFOUR’ BIDS FAREWELL TO ANN INGLE

“IT’S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM”

The Dublin CityNeighbourhoods Competition


dark chocolate, if however you donʼt… keep your money in your wallet.

GREEN AND BLACK CO-COA RICH MILK CHOCO-LATE EGG.

Price: €6.49Weight: 110gPresentation: 5/10“Dark and depressing, what

has blue got to do with East-er?” asks Ann.

Chocolate quality: 4/10“Disgusting after-taste” says

Grace. “Organic chocolate? I couldnʼt give a rats. Choco-lateʼs chocolate!” says Fergal.

Eggstras: none.Verdict: Safe to send to

distant friends living over-seas maybe, but for people you see on a regular basis… maybe not.

BUTLERʼS IRISHCHOCOLATE EGG

Price: €9.95 Weight: 275gPresentation: 5/10“Washed out, it looks like

a mutant bunny rabbit!” says Grace. “Horrible looking, sick-ly, anaemic,” says Fergal.

Chocolate quality: 8/10“Quality shines through,”

says Brian R. “Premium, rich-er,” says Brian K.

Eggstras: chocolate truffle eggs

Verdict: Despite its rather weak appearance, you canʼt deny the strength of this chocolate.

CADBURY EASTER EGG DELIGHT

Price: €14.99 EuroWeight: 487gPresentation: 8/10“Not your usual egg,” says

Brian Rutherford. “Lovely colour, attractive pack,” Says Fergal.

Chocolate quality: 7/10“Too sweet,” Says Grace.

“Nicest so far, full of flavour, creamy,” says Brian Kelly.

Eggstras: Inside the main egg is another smaller egg, and in-side this are small ʻflake ̓piec-es. The whole egg is sitting on a bed of ʻMini eggsʼ.

Verdict: Itʼs the priciest and although a tad too sweet, this egg was by far the fa-vourite with our tasters. An eggsellent result!

By Jessica Fitzgerald

Itʼs that time of year again. And with Easter being a time of reflection, is there a

better way to reflect than with chocolate? Everyone loves their chocolate, and Easter is a great time for a little indulgence in the good stuff– mounds and pounds of the good stuff, in every shape and size.

The most common chocolate concoction at Easter is the egg, bought and exchanged as gifts on the day by friends and fam-ily all over the country. But why an egg?

What does an egg have to do with Jesus Christ, sacrificing his life to save mankind? Yet an egg is the symbol of rebirth in many cultures. It symbolizes fertility and new life.

In fact, the Easter egg tradi-tion predates the Christian hol-iday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries-old when Christians first celebrat-ed Easter.

Shockingly for us chocohol-ics, itʼs not always chocolate eggs being exchanged. Differ-ent cultures developed their own ways of decorating Easter eggs.

In Greece they colour their

eggs crimson, to honour the blood of Christ. Austrian art-ists design beautiful patterns by fastening ferns around the eggs, which are then boiled leaving a striking white pat-tern.

Probably the most amazing masterpieces are Ukrainian eggs, or Pysanki eggs. They are decorated using a wax resist method; the elaborate designs are not painted on but written on with beeswax.

Yes, some cultures really go to town producing works of art for eggs at Easter, but when it really comes down to it I think the majority of the modern-day world lives for chocolate eggs, some masterpieces in their own right.

They are devoured one by one, children bragging about how many they consume and how much they have left to savour. And with all the dif-ferent assortments, fillings and flavours, one should make the most of their Easter and choose the best eggs. After all, it is only once a year.

Our team of intrepid tasters bravely tested out a selection of the eggs on offer this year. Hereʼs the outcome. Just use this guide wisely and remem-ber, never judge a book (or an egg) completely by its cover.

Tasters: Ann, Brian Ruther-ford, Grace McKenna, Fergal Murphy and Brian Kelly

TOBLERONEPrice: €8.99Weight: 285gPresentation: 5/10“Big box for a cheap egg,”

says Ann.“Lazy, didnʼt make use of

the Toblerone shape,” remarks Grace.

Chocolate quality: 6/10“Bland, standard, very ordi-

nary,” says Brian.Eggstras: Toblerone sweetsVerdict: An ordinary egg,

nothing to write home about.

CELTIC MINT CRISPPrice: €9.25Weight: 310gPresentation: 8/10“Looks expensive,” says Bri-

an R.“I like it because itʼs very

Irish, good slogan too,” says Brian K.

Chocolate quality: 7/10“You either like dark choco-

late or you donʼt,” remarks Grace, as Fergal bites into it and makes a shocked look of disgust. “Its nice and rich,” says Brian K.

Eggstras: Box of Irish mint chocolates.

Verdict: Great if you like

THE EGGSPERTS’ CHOICEEASTER EGGS GET THE TASTE TEST

Pride of Ringsend, Shamrock Rovers Supporters Club

SHAMROCK ROVERS have a rich history and association with Ringsend. The club was founded on Shamrock Avenue which is now the square, in 1901 and the area has provided the club with many players over the years. They have won 24 FAI cups and there was a Ringsender on the team every time. Now David Cassidy from Ringsend is a member of the Rovers first team squad.

There is now a supporters club which had its first meeting on 10th February. They met at Gleesonʼs pub which is at the back of the Vintage. The Club is open to all ages and mem-bership is €15 a year for adults and €5 a year for children under 18. The club has 40 members and is your ticket to all of Shamrock Rovers matches via minibus.

Rovers play on Friday nights at 8 pm in Tolka Park and the trips will be the same when the team moves to Tallaght. The club visits the away games too and all excursions leave from Gleesonʼs. The Supporters club was the brainchild of Ed Saul and James MacClean. They are Chairman and Assistant, Jus-tin Mason is Treasurer. New members are welcome.

Rovers were relegated from the premier league last year and are now first division, but the clubʼs excitement and sup-port is still as strong as ever.

Pride of Ringsend, Shamrock Rovers Supporters club meet on different nights but you can reach the treasurer James Ma-son at 087 6613727 for all details.

By Brian Rutherford


Walking the strand

An anniversary remindermade me search for you.They told me you were outwalking the strand with your dog–and your acid-sweet memories?I followed and missed you yet you made me take a walkalong Sandycove promenadesaluting sentinel heronson their seaweeded rockstransmitting messagesof stark endurance.I imagined you come runningtowards me with your colliebut had to settle for James Joycestarting his journey to eternal famefrom his tower in Sandycoveto his rock at Sandymountwhere he listened for the bellof the Star of the Sea benediction.

By Brian Power

Easter

Her father said“The sun dances on Easter morning”“If youʼre up early enough”Had he seen it?“Why?”“Out of joy”“The Resurrection”She wonderedDid it whirl?Were there streamers?Forks of light?Did it bounce across the skyLike a yellow balloon?FreeNo string “Pray between Friday and Sunday.Youʼll get what you want”“How?”“Jesus goes to heavenHe brings the requests with Him”She knew what sheʼd ask for.

By Carmel McCarthy(Apologies to Carmel as her last poem ʻGood Morningʼin our February issue was attributed to Carmel Maguire)

Elm Tree

They buried him in a plotUnder the elm treeShe watched and stood apartFrom all the rest.And as the family stood dignifiedThe howling winds and harsh elementsStood all around themEngulfing their nowWindswept hair and clothesNow mingled with tears.

The one that stood apartNumb with the cold, pain and griefHad always watchedAnd stood apartSo that no-one could seeThe pain that had always lived within

By Dolores Duffy

The DreamerOh, to have little flat,To own a DVD iPod and allThe radiator upon the wallListening to it heat up the bedroom and hallKnowing that my home will be warm and cosy in No time at all

Steeping under my instant shower,Wrapping myself up in my preheated gown.Slipping into my warm bed,Knowing in my head that all the techWill turn it off once I fall asleep

To have a clock so wonderful and silentThat wakes me up to the soundOf humming birds.

During the day I could be busy,Watching TV or listening to musicFrom my high Tec system.But instead I type up my CV,Hoping one day to get a job,As a program engineer.

No need for my friends and I To be quiet as we partyLong into the night,For not a sound can be heardFor miles around,Nor from my nearest neighbourWho lives three metres away.

But alas itʼs all a dream,For when I awake Iʼm still in OʼConnell Street,Wrapped in that tattered quilt,Waiting for a kind passer byTo spare me a few cents

To you big guy I pray,With these few cents Iʼll spare,To win the jackpotWould relieve my pain.And with that I promise youIʼll share with those who are the same as me.

By Fatimah Alaya Kenny, student at Scoil Mhuire(This poem is her modern version of ʻThe Old Woman of the Roadʼ)

My daddy’s a skeletonMy daddyʼs a skeleton under the groundin the grave where thereʼs room for more;I wonder will Sister Death telephone first or just barge in at the doorwhen she comes for me in her black limousinewith her black dog at her heels,and will I have time to pack my bagsbefore the death-knell peals?Will I be like Marie who swam for two hours on the day she was taken away,or more like Janet who had a few months to get ready and have her say?Will I be like Laura who went for a napat home, and never woke up,or Rosie who lingered for over a yearwhile sipping the fatal cup?Will I ever be ready, I muse today,as I lie in my cosy bed,will I always be needing a little more timeto get things straight in my head?

By Dorothy Molloy(From Gethsemane Day,recently published by Faber)

Age is a quality of mind

Age is a quality of mindIf you have left your dreams behindIf hope is coldIf you no longer plan aheadIf ambitions all are deadThen you are old.

But if of life you make the bestAnd in your life you still have zestIf love you holdNo matter how the years go byNo matter how the birthdays flyYou are not old.

By Anon

For Pope John Paul II

Some said you should retireand maybe they were right.Yet the faith your persistence showed brought solace and strength to many.Itʼs true you grew too oldto steer a rudderless churchbut to the outside worldyou were a Christ figurestretching arms to embracesuffering, serene in your role at the centre of maelstrom.

By Brian Power

Leaving

He studied hard, wanting science points.Quiet reading time. Not always out withlads at week-ends. He saved his pocket money.For his dreams of a motorbike.

He would be seventeen soon and after the Leaving, he and his dad would make his dreamcome true, whilst his mother prayed.Sweet music, as her son sped down the road.

There would be sunny days before the university.The breeze would embrace him,Delivering pizzas to each smiling face.Motherʼs sigh of relief.

The lorry driver didnʼt even feel the bump.Timʼs short life. Motor cycle wheels still spinning Departure morning– mournful pals. Tearful girls with flowers.

Leaving, science points– some answered prayers.

By Paddy Kavanagh

THE POETRY PLACE

As always, we welcome contributions toThe Poetry Place, which can be sent to theʻNewsFour ̓offices at 15 Fitzwilliam Street,

Ringsend, Dublin 4.


Sunday lunch 12 mid-day to 5 pmWeekday lunch 12 mid-day to 3 pm

Evening meals 5 pm to 8 pm

The Shelbourne House2 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4

Telephone: 6676380

Music Friday, Saturdayand Sunday

Pool and Games Room upstairs–weekly competitions

coming soom

DJ Eddie on Saturday night playing 80s music

Opening Hours9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday

11 am to 4 pm SundayTelephone: 2194555 * Fax: 2611799

Flowers forall occasions

•Donna carriesa wide range

of exotic fl owers and plants

•Also a wedding

specialist

Donna the Florist51a Donnybrook Road,

Dublin 4

Donna Ryan, Interfl ora Award-Winning Floristhas now opened her own fl ower shop

Opening HoursOpening Hours

GEORGEʼS DOCK in Dublinʼs Docklands played host to a herd of fi fty donkeys during the St Patrickʼs Festival. The donkeys were a collection of life-size photographs by internationally acclaimed photogra-pher Oliviero Toscani.

Toscani was born in Milan and studied photogra-phy and design in Zurich. He was the creative force behind some of the worldʼs most successful brands, most famously the United Colours of Benetton. In 1990 he created ʻColoursʼ, the worldʼs fi rst global

magazine. His work as fashion photographer ap-peared in such magazines as ʻVogue ̓and ʻHarperʼs Bazaarʼ.

Toscani opened the exhibition, a documentation of Portuguese donkeys, no longer part of the urban and rural landscape, having lost their main function as a means of transport. This wonderful exhibition also served to highlight the work of Irelandʼs Donkey Sanctuary, based in Mallow, Co. Cork.

By John Cheevers

DONKEYS AT DOCKLANDS


By Fergal Murphy

Fr Peter McVerry has re-cently received a lifetime achievement award from

Meteor, which included a cheque for €100,000, in recognition of the good work he does with the homeless and people with addic-tions in our society.

I caught up with him recently to talk about the past, present, and his hopes for the future.

Peter, what directed you into this line of work?

By accident, I was working in Summer Hill with young people and youth clubs. I became aware of a small number of youths who were homeless. I decided to open a small hostel for six kids aged 12-16 but when they were over 16 they were out on the streets so we opened a hostel for over 16s, then over 18s, then a detox cen-tre and two drug-free aftercare houses, so the answer is we saw a need but by accident.

Do you feel that your work is successful?

I think that it has helped some young people. For a number of young people we have had a huge impact on their lives, for some very little influence on their situation and for others no effect at all. Overall, I would say in the majority of instances we have made a considerable im-

pact on the lives of those we try to help.

What would you like to achieve?

I would like to ensure that through government policy ad-equate services would exist and that homelessness would be abolished. So the objective is to do myself out of a job.

What would you say is the biggest block to achieving this?

Well thereʼs a few: the first being the shortage of long-term housing available to the home-less means that they remain with

the same homeless services for many years.

But homeless people have other issues. The inadequacy of mental health addiction services and therapy to deal with unre-solved childhood traumas means that people find it very difficult to overcome multiple problems that are facing. We also have to change the attitude of society to homeless people. The homeless are just like anyone else with the same dreams, hopes and fears and are entitled to the same re-spect and dignity from society as anyone else.

Do you feel there is a lack of compassion in todayʼs society for the homeless and addicts?

I think that people are scared because they donʼt know them. Some can be very difficult and aggressive, but most simply want to be treated no differently than anyone else.

What would you say has changed most about Dublin in the last twenty years?

The breakdown of communi-ty– in the past many people who became homeless were known and looked after by the commu-nity. With the breakdown of com-munity they now find themselves isolated, alone and dependent on homeless services which can sometimes be very depersonalis-ing. The closure of mental health institutions has led to an increase in homelessness amongst people with mental health problems.

Do you feel there are ade-quate services to deal with to-dayʼs problems?

No. Services have improved enormously over the last ten years because we have money to improve them but there are still enormous gaps and most importantly there is a lack of co-ordination between services. So people go for addiction to one service, mental health to one and employment to another. There is need for much better co-ordina-tion.

Do you think anyone cares?I think people do care but

people feel powerless to know what to do. I often get calls from people to say going in to work they pass the same young person in the same doorway, what can they do? And to be honest I donʼt know, apart from giving money to a charity or writing to their lo-

cal TD but even if they do that the guy will still be there tomor-row. Powerlessness can look like not caring but people do care very much.

What are your plans for the money you received from Me-teor?

We need to fundraise over one million a year to keep our serv-ices going. So the money will mean a little less pressure to pay salaries, ESB bills, buy food, etc. Everything we need as running costs.

How did it feel to achieve such an award?

I feel a bit uncomfortable; it seems to suggest youʼre doing something over and above oth-ers. There are people like Alice Leahy in Trust who have been working for as long as myself and are just as deserving of an award like that.

We have a whole staff and by highlighting one individual… well it doesnʼt seem right. How-ever I donʼt want Meteor to think Iʼm ungrateful. Iʼm pleased and happy to remind people that homelessness is still with us.

Welcome Home Charity is a registered charity set up to raise funds for Fr. Peter McVerry to enable him to provide services for young homeless people in Dublin. They raise funds by ap-peals and events such as a Golf Outing on May 5th and the Wex-ford Cycle on September 16th.

You can help by partici-pating in these events or by making a donation. Welcome Home, 9 Annsbrook, Clon-skeagh, Dublin 14, Telephone: 2830745, Fax: 283 0746, Email: [email protected], website: www.welcomehome.ie

PHOTOGRAPHED ABOVE are some of the local people who took part in the annual Howth to Dun Laoghaire walk to raise funds for the RNLI. This was a very successful day which raised over €7200 and money is still coming in. I wish to thank all those who took part this year and also all those who supported them so generously. I would also

like to express the sincere thanks of all the walkers to the Stella Maris Rowing Club for opening their facilities and offering much needed refreshments to all who were taking part in the walk.

Michael Dunphy,Honorary Secretary/Treasurer,

Ringsend Irishtown Branch RNLI

FATHER PETER MCVERRY“The objective is to do myself out of a job”

SANDYMOUNTHOME HELP SERVICE

Do you have two to four hours free every week andwould you like to earn some extra money?

We pay you €13.01 per hour (gross) to visit andcare for vulnerable elderly in the community

For further information,phone Brenda Dempsey at 087- 9292119

RNLI WALK A GREAT SUCCESS


THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Swim has been running for over 15 years, and is an excellent opportunity to have fun with friends, family or colleagues, while raising essential funds for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis.

It is taking place in Marian College Swim-ming Pool on Sunday 7th May from 11 am to 5 pm.

Swimmers can enter as a team of up to six or enter as an individual. Each team is allocated a lane and will have half an hour to complete a

sponsored swim. Swimmers of all ages and lev-els are welcome.

Itʼs free to enter the swim, and all swimmers are provided with sponsorship cards to assist in collecting sponsors or donations. In 2005, par-ticipants raised over €11,000 through sponsor-ships and donations.

To enter a team, please visit www.ms-soci-ety.ie/swim/index.html. For further information please contact Carlie Blake at MS Ireland on 01 678 1612.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY OF

IRELAND’S ANNUAL MS SWIM

Tenors And Basses

Tenors and Basses – St. Andrews Choir,Westland Row, are looking for you!

Yes You!We rehearse on Thursdays from 8 to 10pm, and sing

Mass on Sundays at 11.30. If you are interestedcontact the Parish Office @ 6761270


By Brian Rutherford

The islands that surround the coast of Ireland hold stories, characteristics and breath-

taking rock forms, crashing waves and bird life. At the beginning of the twentieth century, more than one hundred Irish islands were still inhabited. Today, barely thirty have year-round populations.

Aran is in the middle of Galway bay, 30 kilometres to the north of Co. Clare and 30 kilometres to the south of Connemara. It is very popular with tourists from all over the world who travel to it all year round. On it lie the ruins of a for-tress, named Dun Aengus. There is not much left of the fortress, but the remaining wall is a good wind-breaker while you admire the mag-nificent cliffs below. Aran has two other islands alongside it, Inish-maan and Inishsheer. Each island is made of limestone. Inishmaan is still inhabited as is Aran.

The island of Owey in Donegal is 1 kilometre from the shore. It s̓ called sheep island, because farm-ers keep them there in order to lay claim to the island. It was left va-cant in 1977 when the last of its in-habitants left.

Aranmore is another island off Donegal. It is five kilometres long and four kilometres wide, and lies four kilometres from the mainland. In 1834 it had a population of 1,141 people. Famine then destroyed a large part of the population.

Because of some families leaving for an island in Lake Michigan due

to land rates on Aranmore both is-lands are now linked across a great distance. It still has inhabitants to this day.

Clare island, just off the coast of Clare, next to its neighbour Inish-bofin is still also inhabited. It has bed and breakfasts if you feel like a break and here the weather is re-ported as great.

Inishturk, translated means the island of the Hog, with a population of eighty people. It s̓ famous for fishing and there is always plenty of it going on. It too has a few bed and breakfasts. This island smacks of prosperity.

Friar island, beside Inishshark is a beautiful and wild island, once home to a hermit and, as with other islands off Ireland, is home to dol-

phins and seals. Inishshark itself has a macabre past, with sons of fishermen drowning off it and men dying of illness on it. Due to vio-lent storms the islanders decided to leave for houses on the mainland in the 1960s. It is now deserted.

Caher island is supposedly the burial place of Saint Patrick and you can see why. There are ruins of ancient churches, burial stones and stone crosses and Croagh Patrick can be seen in the distance. This is-land is situated in Clew Bay and is uninhabited except for pilgrimages. Its history dates back to 441.

The Great Blaskets are off Din-gle in Co. Kerry, with Inishbro and Inishvichillane owned in recent times by Charles Haughey. The Blaskets themselves are famous for

their writers , the great Peig Sayers being one of them.

In 1953 the Great Blasket was abandoned by its inhabitants and now only 3 people live there, a weaver, a German women and her friend. These two run a youth hos-tel, so it s̓ there if you feel like holi-daying on the western-most point of Europe. An American, believe it or not, owns one third of the island.

The Skelligs are granite islands off Co. Kerry with a monastery from the sixth century. The Vi-kings attacked this monastery sev-eral times and killed the monks by leaving them on rocks to starve to death.

The famous 670 steps from mon-astery to sea are still there, which the monks descended each day to

fish. It was abandoned in the thir-teenth century and is today one of the most famous places in Europe for pilgrimages. It is also home to the largest colony of gannets in Ireland and there is an ornitholo-gist there all summer as a guide for tourists.

Dursey island off Co. Cork, with its cable car joining it to the main-land, is a neighbour to Bere island. The cable car hangs 85 feet above the sea, holds six people and takes 6 minutes to cross. The weather is good due to the Gulf Stream. It is 6.5 kilometres long and 1.5 kilome-tres wide.

This island is a relative paradise today, but it is where the Vikings kept the Irish as slaves and it s̓ also where the forces of Elizabeth I pushed the Irishwomen, children and men off its highest cliffs into the Atlantic. The island has only seven inhabitants today.

On Bere island in 1796 a battle between Wolfe Tone, a fleet from Napolean Bonaparte and an Eng-lish fleet took place. The Irish and French lost, with the result that the British garrisoned the island until 1938.

The port of Castletownbere which was built as a military stronghold by the British after this battle also served as a watch over this part of the Atlantic and was a port for American shipping during the First World War. This island now holds a steady population and the Irish Army train there.

Ref: The Islands of Ireland, by Nutan a renowned photojouralist, published by Thames and Hudson (ISBN 0-500-51258-2)

The picture above shows the Beacon outside Baltimore in West Cork overlooking historic Sherkin Island, which is inhabited.

THE ISLANDS IN THE MIST

THIS APRIl sees the commemora-tion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Beckett (pictured right). In Dublin throughout April and beyond there will be numerous events held as part of this centenary festival celebrating the writerʼs ar-tistic achievements

One of Irelandʼs foremost writers his work is stark, minimalist and deeply pessimistic. It is about hu-man nature and the human condi-tion with the pessimism eased by a great and often impious sense of humour.

His later work explores his themes in an increasingly cryptic but composed style. He was award-ed the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969 and was elected Soai of Aos-

dána in 1984.From novels to poems to one

act plays, Beckett was a master of many genres. His works and pow-erful influence on other artists will be showcased in an exciting festi-val dedicated to celebrate the life of this incredible man.

The Beckett Centenary Festival takes place throughout April and promises to be a unique celebration of one of Irelandʼs most influential writers. The exciting programme of events will include exhibitions, per-formances of his plays, screenings of films relating to his work, musi-cal recitals and a five-day Beckett Symposium at Trinity College. For more information check out: www.beckettcentenaryfestival.ie

SAMUEL BECKETT CENTENARY FESTIVAL

Aosdána

The Arts Council established Aosdána in 1981 to honour those artists whose work has made an outstanding contribu-tion to the arts in Ireland. Membership of Aosdána, which is by peer nomination and election, is limited to 250 living art-ists who have produced a distinguished, original and creative body of work.

Members must have been born in Ire-land or have been resident here for five years. The current membership is 208 and membership is now open to archi-tects and choreographers. A number of members are recognised by their peers for outstanding achievement by the title of Saoi which is held for life. No more than five current members may be so honoured at one time.


Sue Brady is one of those artists oft described as intrepid, daring or brave.

One who looks beyond the ho-rizon and into the distance and who thinks to them self, what lies beyond?

She is an explorer, but in place of lost cities or long forgotten tribes, her field of possible dis-

covery is music. Sue, a soprano, along with two friends Geraldine Meade and Jennifer OʼNeill (so-prano and mezzo-soprano) have together created a new music group called Animae, a Latin word meaning Souls and in Latin pronounced any-na-mayah.

Sue, Geraldine and Jennifer have their sights firmly set on

success but will keep their initial reason firmly intact. “For us itʼs not about doing lots of concerts and making lots of money,” says Sue, “Itʼs about discovering what repertoire is out there and what can be done with three singers who blend and listen to one an-other.”

Of the musical genres that they will perform one is ʻEarly music ̓which is music composed around the 16th century. It is a particu-lar favourite of Sueʼs and of the group. “It is very unaffected vo-cally. There isnʼt much vibrato and there arenʼt any unnecessary emotional swells and dynamics. Itʼs all very simple and pure and that is its main attraction for us.”

While the three singers intend to place particular emphasis on Early music they will also con-tinue exploring different styles and periods. “There is a lot of repertoire that we all want to sing. From classical to jazz, so our concerts should be an inter-esting blend of different genres and different types of music.”

They plan to initially perform ʻa cappella ̓ (unaccompanied

voices; from the Italian mean-ing ʻin church styleʼ) but will not rule out the possibility of instru-mental accompaniment.

The trio also plan to perform new music and are looking at the possibility of commissioning Irish composers to compose new works for them. This presents an exciting challenge. “Contempo-rary Music can be very difficult

to take on but thatʼs what I love about it. You need to work a little bit harder to get the piece under your skin to understand and ap-preciate it. Of course this means that the audience too has to work a little harder.”

The trio plan to record a Christ-mas album which will feature in Sueʼs words “unusual” Christmas Carols from around the world.

Spring Lamb for Easter***

Chicken and Beef Stir-FryMade fresh daily

***Mexican Tortilla Wraps

***Southern Fried Chicken

Drumsticks

Clyne’s Master Butchers13 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4 Tel: 6680456

SELECTION OF FRESH VEG • SELECTION OF FRESH FROZEN FISH • SELECTION OF FRESH MEAT PIES

SUE BRADY’S MUSIC, SIMPLE AND PURE

BARBER Morris McCartney gives a trim to Pearse Redmond at the newly-opened Ringsend Barber Shop at 24 Thorncastle Street, Ringsend.

NEW BARBERS IN RINGSEND

Award WinningChicken Kievs

***Chinese Spare Ribs

***Our Own Make

1/4 lb Beef Burgers***

We hang our Beeffor 14 days

Documents

News Four April 2006