www.newsfour.
ie August / September 2020
Web: www.newsfour.ie  Email: newsfour@gmail.com  Local newsdesk phone: 01 667 3317
Serving Sandymount, Irishtown, Ringsend, Pearse Street, Docklands, Ballsbridge & Donnybrook
HOPE IS CONTAGIOUS
I
n Beibhinn Byrne
t was the Chinese New
Year but in the city of Wu-
han there was no evidence
of celebrations. This teeming
place was a ghost town. No
lanterns were lit red, and the
dragons, unlucky, in this dismal
New Year, did not dance in the
streets.
The everyday frenzy of peo-
ple working and living had
been completely stilled, people
were afraid of using transport,
sharing the same space or the
same air, leaving silent roads
empty and evacuated buildings
and places abandoned.
A virus was infecting peo-
ple. Fear and unease marked
this Year of The Rat, that car-
rier and eternal emblem of
The Black Death, the deadli-
est, recorded pandemic in his-
tory, that peaked in Medieval
Europe, scything down mil-
lions. An event so traumatic it
is embedded in our collective
memory where it gnaws at us as
a revulsion of rats and a terror
of any contagions widespread
or not.
This virus was more elusive,
both less deadly and obvious
but marked by phobia and an
authoritarian response to it that
heightened the anxiety and hor-
ror. What was it? With a dearth
of facts, there was a plethora of
rumours; it came from pango-
lins, it came from bats, it came
Page 15: Remembering Eaven Boland
from the wet markets, it was
engineered and escaped from a
lab, a shady scientific-military
Chino-American secret spliced
with different disease strains, it
was deadly, it wasn’t dangerous
at all, it was unknown, it was
simply flu. It was airborne and
you could catch it through your
eyes, it lived for days on sur-
faces. Yes it did. No it didn’t.
Reality and evidence trick-
led through via news reports
and footage. A young Irish man
working as a teacher in Wuhan
caught our attention here. Cas-
ual, articulate and relaxed, Ben
Kavanagh gave his interview to
Channel 4 News using a screen
video and internet. Technology
that everyone would be forced
onto within weeks for any com-
In this issue…
Page 21: Covid Performers
munication purposes or human
contact.
He described how some were
“freaking out” but said, “I try
not to worry until it’s time
to worry.” He filmed himself
stockpiling food on a trip to the
shop and the bizarre surreal-
ness of this gargantuan city at
a standstill, a situation every-
one would experience soon. It
quickly became time to worry
and, shortly after, international
workers including him were
evacuated by their govern-
ments. There were disturbing
images of Chinese people be-
ing forcibly carried out of their
homes and locked into metal
boxes, draconian measures and
quarantine were enforced.
Wuhan was the epicentre of
Pages 28-29: Lockdown Creativity
August / September 2020
what would rapidly infect us all
– a flummoxing global disrup-
tion and an abrupt and grievous
dismantling of our way of life.
We watched and listened
from our island. China was far
away but we knew it was travel-
ling and inevitably contagious.
It hit mainland Europe hard, we
shared the social media, in hor-
ror and empathetic solidarity, of
all of Madrid clapping at night
on balconies for hospital work-
ers and Italians singing across
to one another from prisons that
were their homes.
The elderly and the immuno-
suppressed were more vulner-
able and the susceptible and the
nursing homes were ravaged by
it. The healthcare system after
20 years of ruinous underin-
Page 1
FREE
vestment and privatisation was
distressfully under resourced
and ill equipped to cope with it.
Despite all of our technology,
it was the Medieval methods of
quarantine and masks that were
the best protection against it
and ultimately all we had. All of
it would come to us, our lock-
down less harsh, though just as
unwanted. The starkness of the
situation was difficult for the
Irish mindset to grasp. A sub-
tle, slippery resistance resides
in us from hard won freedom.
The question hovered, ‘Surely
it won’t happen here?’ But we
already knew the answer.
Culturally we are relaxed,
casual and articulate. We may
even confuse talking with tak-
ing action and there was talk,
COVID talk everywhere: We
breathed our way through daily
reports, statistics, analysis and
conjecture, we breathed on top
of one another, and breathed
easy, at our ease, continuing
to do all the activities we need
and like to do; travel, cultural
and artistic events, hardwares,
bookies, garden centres, gyms
and sports, racetracks and
stadiums, allotments, parks,
schools, public services, busi-
ness and industry, restaurants,
pubs, cafes, parties; and we
touched, hugged, kissed, and
gathered, operating in close
proximity to one another.
Continued on page 2.
Page 30: Save St Mary’s
Page 2 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020

hope is contagious
Continued from page 1.
Ordinary, meaningful human life
that is so necessary and fulfilling to
NewsFour Newspaper our nature because it is of our na-
is part of a DEASP ture. We not only know now how
Community Employment precious and cherished this ‘ordi-
Programme nary’ is but also how alien life is
without it.
NewsFour Citizens were advised to return
home from other countries, the pur-
posely fashioned National Public
Editor
Health Emergency Team was assembled,
Beibhinn Byrne NPHET sounded like some avenging an-
gel, but the procrastination was all too un-
Online Editor derstandably human, ‘Maybe-perhaps we
Kathrin Kobus would temporarily close or curtail regular
activities, perhaps-maybe.’
Journalists There was the added complication of an
Kathrin Kobus unformed government, the general elec-
Eoin Meegan tion outcome had not been conclusive
Peter McNamara for anyone and parties were embroiled in
David Prendeville messy pacts, squabbling over carve ups,
Geneva Pattison rather than rerunning the election quickly
Dermot Carmody or forming a unity government and focus-
ing on the unprecedented emergency at
Contributors hand.
Felix O’Regan But then the WHO officially announced
Gavan Bergin COVID as a pandemic. It was lightning
Shay Connolly striking the tower. The progression was
as rapid as it was destructive and as unex-
Crossword pected as it was catastrophic. Our distract-
Gemma Byrne ed, casual, articulate country was sieged
with strict orders, decrees and an abrupt
Design and Layout rescinding and muting of our society as we
Eugene Carolan knew it.
It impacted everything. The way we
Ad Design work, interact, travel, play, compete, com-
Dara O Riordain
municate, plan, relax, our spaces, our in-
comes, all our services, our routines, our
lives. Our outlet of collective catharsis
whether for entertainment or protest was
driven into irresolution. Our circles and
Sandymount
gatherings were disrupted as well as our
Community Services,
children’s needs, normality and expecta-
13A Fitzwilliam Street,
tions, shops were boarded up, curfews an-
Ringsend, Dublin 4. nounced, special Gardai powers conferred,
only businesses deemed essential such as
Telephone: (01)6673317 chemists and supermarkets remained open.
The Internet boomed. Everything went
E-mail: online. Soon many items online were sold
ment. For most it was devastating, for
others an inconvenience, then there were
those relieved by it all to find the world
has aligned with them whether that was in
trauma or relaxation. It was both a scram-
ble and a humbling. A strange mixture of
bold moves and doing nothing.
It’s been a pivotal moment, and is, it
turns out, a very bad thing and a very good
thing. Suffering is absolutely individual.
So is relief.
We know what we’ve lost, livelihoods,
economy, personal milestones, rites of
passage, celebrations and rituals that were
cancelled, time lost with love and to love,
too many have had to endure the ultimate
grief, death of their loved ones, infinitely
worsened by being barred from their buri-
als. And more misery certainly awaits us.
But possibility never ceases, nor does
the human spirit and in the dark we seek
the light. At the start of the outbreak and
lockdowns, the artist David Hockney de-
clared, “You can’t cancel Spring.”
Beneath the oppressive canopy of vi-
rus and fear, the undergrowth of hope has
sprouted, and now we welcome a return to
a better life with an emphasis on what we
value and how we want to live. It is time
for the human ingenuity and energy that il-
luminates the dark and ourselves to shine.
During the worst deprivation we found
ways to cope. Community bingo from bal-
conies and outdoor discos sprang up, peo-
ple shopped for others in total quarantine,
families had more time together – the stark
duality of every situation also became ac-
knowledged and exigent – where abuse
and violations soared it forced action on
general scrutiny now prompts what
we remunerate, alongside a recali-
bration of our priorities, our system
and how we ensure our needs, well-
being and safety are met.
Many now prioritise the necessity
of nature, realising what a resource
our parks, green spaces and wild-
ways are. Our survival dependent on
her health. The temporary absence
of cars, their toxic fumes and noise
was paradise regained. More people are
cycling and walking. We also discovered
how kind we are, how innovative, how
community is everything. How expressive
of ourselves and to one another we are.
The sacrifices of lost mirth and customs
recast what is really important. We need
to fasten and support our own sovereign
resources and food security and supply, as
well as micro economy. Work should be
fulfilling, purposeful and flexible.
Our lives are supposed to be balanced,
productive and healthy. You can’t cancel
the human spirit. Throughout it all we
found ways to be together and to help one
another. The deprivation charmed back the
real luxuries of our lives: The joy of fam-
ily, friends and colleagues, our values, the
purpose and net effect of our work, our
ability to insightfully question ourselves
and our system. What is really important?
A better way of life is in our focus.
Welcome back! To the gift that is our
lives, Yes, we’ve to proceed with caution
but proceed we will. Our lives and our fu-
ture are an uncancellable Spring. It renews
again and again. We are now presented
with this threshold and the opportunity to
embrace with new meaning our old lives.
Hope is contagious.
We now have the chance to reassert and
reset our priorities. To create better lives
and live in a better world. The life force of
the human soul and the dragons of pros-
perity and health that represent generation,
regeneration, celebration and family reun-
ion will dance again.

newsfour@gmail.com
Website:
www.newsfour.ie
Opinions expressed in NewsFour
do not necessarily represent
the views of Sandymount
Community Services.
Printed by
Webprint,
Mahon, Co. Cork
out. Seeds, flour, or sanitiser were unob-
tainable. Soon some websites were unob-
tainable. They hadn’t the stock or couldn’t
cope with the orders. Pubs were ordered
shut, Children were sent home from
school. We learnt a new vocabulary over-
night, “Essential workers” “Self isolate”
“Social Distance/Distancing” “Zoom/
Zooming” “R-rate” “New Normal” “Surg-
es” “Spikes” “Cocooning.”
Only mad foxes and Garda went out at
night and if you ventured out it was like
walking on the moon, an alien landscape
of streetlamps, silence and nothingness. It
was an indefinite pausing of our lives with
a confusion about the near and long term
future, accompanied by a whole spectrum
of emotions in no particular order. There
was loneliness, grief and plenty of judge-
services and highlighted provision in these
cases.
The risks and costs that are worth taking
for ourselves and each other showed up.
The pressure of COVID made untenable
injustices insupportable, as the unstop-
pable Black Lives Matter protests at the
height of lockdown proved. Direct Provi-
sion has entered the national conscious-
ness as an unacceptable stain on us, there
is a greater sense of equality and connec-
tion and what is worth fighting for.
Homeschooling emphasises the pro-
found, vital importance of our teachers
and affords them the respect and gratitude
they deserve. The backbone of our coun-
try and needs are met by essential workers
and there is a new awareness of the im-
portance of their work and their honour. A
W
THE EDITOR’S CORNER
elcome Back! It has been
the worst of times and the
best of times and how we
have missed each other and the routine
customs we took for granted. There is a
lot to question and a lot to accept, just
as there is much to be fearful of but
also grateful for. Both are true as our
current situation evolves. We must be
the ones who shape it, safeguard it and
take responsibility for what we will
accept or resist. Our lives and liberty
are precious and all that matter in the
end. We hope you enjoy our editorial
feature on it all. Stay Human, stay con-
nected, stay observant.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 EDUCATION Page 3

Education Expo in the RDS & Virtual Education Expo 2020 ucation Expo 2020 promises to
be a great day for those wishing
to enrol in courses or upskill,
with some of Ireland’s biggest
colleges and course providers
set to exhibit.”
The extra safety measures
that will be implemented for the
physical event will involve at-
tendees having to book a time
slot prior to their arrival to pre-
vent overcrowding. This can be
done online through the Educa-
tion Expo website.
Upon arrival, you will have to Covid-19, they will be taken to ter and receive online access to
confirm your registration with an isolation room as a preventa- this virtual event, visit educa-
security personnel, have your tive measure to avoid spreading tionexpo.ie.

T
n Geneva Pattison
he annual Education
Expo is expected to take
place on August 29th
of this year, with added safety
measures put in place to ensure
social distance is maintained.
The free event will allow pro-
spective students to meet course
providers and college represent-
atives from across the country
in person, to discuss different
course options and the opportu-
nities that they offer.
The event is geared towards
anyone wishing to further their
education, whether you’re a
first-time student, someone
looking to up-skill or seeking a
change of career. As mentioned
on the Education Expo website,
“Maybe you’re thinking of a
career move and looking for a
course that’ll introduce you to
a new industry. Or you simply
want to learn a new hobby, hone
a new skill and keep feeding the
old noggin new knowledge. Ed-
temperature taken with thermal
imaging and use the provided
hand sanitiser. Failure to follow
this protocol, will result in no
admittance.
On the Education Expo web-
site, they have also stipulated
that the inside of the venue will
be well ventilated, that all public
areas will be cleaned frequently
and hand sanitiser will be made
available throughout the entire
expo space. Should an exhibitor
or attendee exhibit symptoms of
of the virus.
There will also be a free Vir-
tual Education Expo held on
September 10th for anyone who
wishes to take part remotely.
The online event is run by Ca-
reers Ireland and offers many of
the same one-to-one perks of the
physical fair in the RDS.
People can chat online to
college representatives, enrol
in courses, ask questions and
watch informative webinars
from their own home. To regis-
Both of these events are
completely free of charge.
To book a free ticket and
secure a place online for the
RDS Education Expo, visit
www.educationexpo.ie and
click the ‘register’ tab.
To register for the virtual
expo, visit the Careers Ireland
webpage on Eventbrite.
Photos: RDS courtesy Wiki
Commons. Computer and desk
courtesy Pixabay.
Page 4 CHEQUES CHARITY www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Locals raise money for three
deserving charities during Covid
C
n Kathrin Kobus
harity begins at home,
and calls for charitable
causes mushroomed
during the past days, weeks and
months. Many clubs all over
the country from all sports set-
tled for activities under walk,
run, cycle for a cause.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy went
“global” to engage its mem-
bers in getting back to fitness
levels for competitions once
more. Run, cycle or walk
around safely within allowed
parameters and donate for
three charities in Dublin 4 and
Dublin 2.
Members from all their
teams took part to raise mon-
ey for Enable Ireland, the Iris
Charles Centre and The Light-
house. On a lighter note, it was
also a chance to reconnect with
former members, players or
coaches now living and work-
ing in other parts of the world.
The covered distances were
added up and this way CGF
circumvented the globe in only
a fraction of the 90 days Phile-
as Fogg once needed. At the
official cut off time on the 21st
June 70,500 kilometres were
logged and €20,000 raised.
The main man behind the
initiative was Anthony (Tony)
Murphy, juvenile co-ordinator
and coach at the club. No sur-
prise that Declan Darcy got
Jim Gavin to record a clip,
but Ben Dunne also had a few
words of encouragement for
Clann teams to go for a ride or
run.
It helped that non-contact
training had started again in
Sean Moore and Ringsend
Park, so a group of 12 or 15,
twice or thrice around the pitch
as warm up or cool down exer-
cise brought up the kilometres
count.
A month after the event, the
final tally had been divided up.
Enable Ireland received a lit-
tle over €11,000 because of
the size and range of support it
provides for its service users.
As Frankie Barrett, Direc-
tor of Services, Enable Ireland
said on the day, “The money
will pay to get the pool done
up. We hope to return with our
services in September. The
work on the pool will start
right away, next Monday (20th
July).”
The other 40% of the raised
money was shared equally be-
tween the Iris Charles Centre
and The Lighthouse.
The Iris Charles Centre also
hopes for a return of their ser-
vices as well when it is deemed
safe to do so. The bridge play-
ers might for the time being
continue online, but that does
not quite replace the joy of
real social interaction. Phyllis
Ennis and Claire McElvaney
received the cheque of over
€3,700.
And finally, at The Light-
house in Pearse Street CEO
Joe Murphy explained during
a quick tour of the premises
that since the lockdown came
in, demands on the centre
have nearly quadrupled. Pre-
Covid around 100 to 120 users
availed of services, that went
up to around 350-400 people,
seven days a week. Donations
are always welcome.
The symbolic cheques were
handed over, and that chap-
ter of the fundraiser is closed.
However, it might not be the
end of the story, as future possi-
bilities of helping the charities
in other ways will be explored.
Well done to all concerned for
raising so much money for
three excellent causes that the
community benefits from.
Pictured from top left:
The Lighthouse: from left:
Kate McKenna CGF, Aubrey
McCarthy Chairman Light-
house, Joe Murphy CEO, An-
thony Murphy CGF and Shau-
na Curtis CGF, kneeling Jay
Bobinac CE manager.
Pictured at Enable Ireland:
at back Donal Kitt, national
fundraising manager (interim)
and Frankie Barret, Director
of Services and Anthony Mur-
phy CGF. In front are Eoghan
Heneghan and Declan Darcy,
both CGF
Iris Charles Centre: Bernard
Barron and Anthony Murphy
CGF, Claire McElvaney, treas-
urer and Phyllis Ennis Chair-
person.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Ringsend and District Autism Support Group
R
n Shay Connolly
ingsend and District Au-
tism Support Group held
their first meeting in
RICC on Wed, 1st July last. The
Group was set up to offer sup-
port and for information sharing
for parents who are struggling
with the everyday problems that
they experience, from diagnosis
to school placements, access to
speech and occupational therapy
and many other issues.
One of the first issues is to
try and establish just how many
children are officially on the
spectrum in this Constituency of
Dublin Bay South.
Many parents are on huge
waiting lists to have their child
assessed and they cannot be
entered on to the HSE list un-
til that assessment takes place.
This leaves the official figures
way down on the probable true
figures for this Constituency.
Many people are forced to
go private to access these basic
services and it can cost up to
€2,000 to have your child as-
sessed.
This Constituency has the
worst services in this field in the
entire country.
Chris Andrews TD who at-
tended the meeting has put a
LOCAL
question down to the new Min-
ister for Education and The
HSE as to the official num-
bers for this constituency and
age breakdown of same. Jim
O’Callaghan TD sent his re-
grets to the meeting and will
also assist in any way he can.
Former Senator Maire Devine
also attended and offered in-
valuable advice from her many
years involved in this area.
The next meeting will take
place in RICC on Wed, 22nd
July at 7.30pm. Parents affected
in this area are very welcome
to attend. We would also make
a plea for volunteers in the area
to become involved, as the free
time that these parents have is
very limited, such is the care
they have to deliver.
Please visit Facebook Ring-
send Autism Support Group for
more info.
Many thanks to Lorraine and
her staff in RICC for providing
the facility.
Image: courtesy of Ringsend and
District Autism Support Group
Page 5
Let’s re-imagine a society without discrimination
St Patrick’s Mental Health Services have just
launched an exciting No Stigma campaign, which
aims to reimagine a life without mental health
stigma. They hope you can join them in growing
the conversation around mental health and show-
ing how life without stigma benefits us all.
What’s the campaign about?
No Stigma aims to highlight how a society without mental health
stigma is better for us all by showing the positive effects when we
do not experience stigma or discrimination: life without stigma
means we all get to live it.
Right now, minding our mental health and supporting each other
is key to getting through these challenging times. This is true for us
all – from parents working at home while caring for children and
people cocooning for extended periods, to essential and healthcare
workers working so hard at the frontline.
As we move into a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we
have an opportunity to leave mental health stigma behind.
How can you get involved?
You can visit our campaign website – nostigma.ie – and take part
by:
• Sharing examples of the positive difference it makes when mental
health stigma or discrimination is not experienced
• Learning about what a home, work or community without stigma
would mean
• Sharing the campaign materials with friends and contacts, or in
your work or community environment.
• You can also help us build our voice by sharing the campaign
message on your social media channels. You’ll find us on Twitter,
Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn: please do tag us in your posts
and use the campaign hashtags, #nostigma or #lifewithoutstigma.v
 Page 6
New breakthrough
in coping with Dyslexia
D
n Eoin Meegan
yslexia is a condition that
affects approximately
one in ten people in Ire-
land. The Dyslexia Association
of Ireland defines the condition
as “a specific learning difficulty
affecting the acquisition of fluent
and accurate reading and spelling
skills.”
Many well-known people have
the condition including comedian
Brendan O’Carroll, actress Keira
Knightley, and Noel Gallagher of
Oasis fame. 450,000 people in Ire-
land are said to have dyslexia, and
around 700 million worldwide.
So, if you are one of those you
may be interested in a new prod-
uct recently launched. The prod-
uct is called Dyslex.ie and is the
brainchild of DCU computer sci-
ence student Kevin Cogan.
So what exactly is Dyslex.ie?
Very simply it is a new online tool
to enable those with dyslexia to
read faster while making fewer
errors. Dyslex.ie can be easily
downloaded as a Google Chrome
extension and used across all sites.
After it is initially downloaded,
the user is invited to take part in a
survey which will determine their
level of dyslexia and how the new
programme can best serve their
needs. Dyslex.ie then automati-
cally tailors the visual and textual
information on the page to the
user’s specific needs.
It can change the size and col-
our of the page you are on, arrange
the amount of words on each line,
even determine their size, and
the size of the spaces between
Irish Hospice Foundation proposes COVID-19 remembrance events
T
he Irish Hospice Founda-
tion (IHF) is calling on the
new Government to put in
place a process for remembrance
and reflection in post-COVID-19
Ireland. The Foundation has sub-
mitted a paper outlining a series of
proposals for Ireland to remember
and reflect on the pandemic.
Proposals from Irish Hospice
Foundation include:
• A national series of mourning and
remembrance events for all who
have died since the pandemic start-
ed in order to express our collective
connection with the bereaved and
to honour, comfort and support.
• Reigniting a national conversa-
lines and words. It can change
the background colour, font sizes,
styles, perform syllable splitting,
paragraph delineation and lots lots
more.
Later the person can go in and
change or customise this informa-
tion any time they wish according
to their needs. It is the software’s
ability to make alterations to any
online script that makes this tech-
nology both friendly and intuitive.
Recently NewsFour talked to
Denise Brennan, who together
with Kevin set up an Enactus
DCU project to launch Dyslex.
ie. Enactus is a global not-for-
profit organisation, and one of the
world’s biggest experiential learn-
ing platforms. Kevin is the CEO
of the project and Denise, who has
a background in marketing and
business, is the Chief Operating
Officer.
At present they have a 10-strong
team working with them, includ-
ing a marketing unit, a business
unit, and a tech unit. And Den-
ise can’t praise the team enough,
“they come up with some brilliant
new ideas, and always get every-
thing done really quickly.” When
the Enactus project expires they
envisage setting up a registered
company.
The product was very success-
fully launched last June. It was
an online launch, of course, due
to covid-19. Since then Kevin
has been doing lots of radio in-
terviews around the country, in-
cluding Kildare FM, and Shannon
Side to promote the product.
Denise believes Dyslex.ie
tion on dying, death and bereave-
ment in Ireland, led by Govern-
ment, to be followed by an offcial
process to make recommendations
and put them into effect
Chief Executive of Irish Hospice
Foundation, Sharon Foley said:
“Although we are not through the
pandemic, we must begin to plan
for a process of active collective
remembrance, reflection and re-
covery as part of the recuperation
in post-COVID-19 Ireland. The
ongoing response to the crisis con-
tinues to challenge us all in how we
confront and deal with dying, death
and bereavement. Our collective
experience over the past number
INNOVATION
has the potential to help people
across the world, and says, “We
want to see people opening up a
conversation about it, saying this
has helped my daughter, and so
on.” She pointed out that the pro-
gramme has shown an increase
of 30% in the reading speed, up
to 50% in some cases. “You can
imagine what a benefit that is to
someone doing college work,
such as writing a thesis, and the
amount of reading that is required
for same. The programme will
drastically cut the amount of time
they need to spend reading.”
Kevin noted from conversations
with some of his friends who have
dyslexia that existing aids tended
to be a ‘one size fits all’, and failed
to take account of the fact that
every person with dyslexia is not
the same and do not experience
the written word in the same way.
To give an example, some
people might find a yellow back-
ground would help them, while
others would prefer another col-
our; some needed to have the
words large, while others not so
much but more gapped out. Basi-
cally, what works for one person
didn’t necessarily work for an-
other.
Because of its chameleon-like
ability to change the page, Dyslex.
ie bypasses these problems and
feels like it’s personally made for
the individual user.
Understanding of the condition
varies too. At primary school level
there tends to be a healthy support
for those reporting dyslexia, while
at secondary school this drops off
of months has shown us that we
can’t afford to turn away from our
collective mortality and we need
to come together and learn how to
face it, head on.”
“We are calling for a national day
or week of remembrance events
www.newsfour.ie
somewhat. However, it is at third
level that the support seems to be
most lacking, leading to concerns
when people enter the workplace.
Inability to read memos, emails
and other correspondence can
quickly lead to frustration, lack of
advancement, and in some cases
even dismissal. Not everyone is
sympathetic to the condition, and
sadly, a lot of stigma around dys-
lexia still persists.
In an attempt to correct this im-
balance Dyslex.ie will be availa-
ble free of charge to all third level
institutes from September next,
and Kevin and Denise hope to
make the programme as accessi-
ble to as many people as they can,
and at as low a cost as possible. To
this end, they have set up individ-
ual plans that will start at around
€2 a month, with special annual
subscriptions for schools.
They have big plans for the fu-
ture too, hoping to finalise a deal
with Microsoft which would see
the programme on all android
phones. At the moment it is avail-
able across all platforms with the
exception of Safari.
Dyslex.ie was part of the win-
ning DCU team in the 2020 En-
actus Ireland annual social enter-
prise competition, and will now
for all who have died since the
pandemic started in order to ex-
press our collective connection
with the bereaved and to honour,
comfort and support. This should
be accompanied by a deeper en-
gagement with Irish society on
the reflections from COVID-19
and how we address dying, death
and bereavement. We have already
shared our recommendations with
Government and call on our new
government to lead this work in
partnership with critical agencies.”
For nearly 35 years, IHF has advo-
cated for a more strategic approach
to dying, death and bereavement
and led various initiatives to get
August / September 2020
go on to represent Ireland in the
Enactus World Cup in September
in Utrecht, in the Netherlands,
which will of course also be an
online only event.
Enactus assists third-level stu-
dents to set up social enterprise
schemes with the proviso that
they must be financially, socially
and environmentally sustainable,
and impact positively on the com-
munity. The students are trained
and monitored by business and
faculty advisors. This was the
sixth time in nine years that the
DCU team won the competition.
Among its other projects was one
to help develop public speaking
skills in primary and post primary
students.
Kevin, Denise, and all con-
cerned would like to acknowledge
funding for the project which they
have received from, among oth-
ers, Enterprise Ireland, the Social
Innovative Fund, Citibank, and
KBC. And they would especially
like to thank Enactus and DCU for
their help, support and encourage-
ment in seeing this very worthy
project come to life. Within a few
short years it could revolutionise
our approach and understanding
of dyslexia. Hopefully, more un-
derstanding will follow that.
people talking about mortality. In
conjunction with the HSE, IHF
launched Ireland’s first national
Bereavement Support Line in June
to offer support and assistance to
all those bereaved, especially dur-
ing the pandemic.
IHF has also received funding
from Creative Ireland to deliver the
Government’s new Creativity in
Older Age Programme announced
this week. Over the next 18
months, IHF will produce a series
of projects designed to give mean-
ing to the difficulties experienced
through dying, death and bereave-
ment including the curation of a
poetry collection, By Your Side.
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 COMIC BOOK
Indy and Poppy save the Chimneys
J
n Kathrin Kobus
ohn Carpenter was pretty cheerful when
he came round to the NewsFour offices
one day in July and allowed us a quick
look at his own water colour illustrations sta-
pled together. They gave us a glimpse of the
comic book he had created and which was
even then already at the printers. It is called
“A Chimney Adventure (How Grandad, Pop-
py and Indy Saved the Chimneys).”
The chimneys of Poolbeg that is. The red
and white striped landmarks visible from far
away, whether you are approaching by land
or sea.
It was from the land direction that John
Carpenter brought his granddaughters into
Dublin, and the usual questions came up
during the long car journey. Only instead
of “Are we there yet?” little Emma and Zoe
rather asked: “When can we see the chim-
neys? Once we saw them they knew we were
close.”
But a few years ago, two or three by John
Carpenter’s reckoning, there were rumours
abounding that the chimneys would be de-
molished and disappear. Something neither
he nor his grandchildren wanted to happen.
“We all couldn’t imagine this place without
the chimneys, so on our walks together with
my grandchildren and the two dogs we came
up with different ideas. They stuck in my
Page 7
head to do a comic book about it. I had some
doubts about my drawing skills at first, but
I got the courage to get the drawings done.“
Suddenly, there was more time at hand
when everything came to a standstill. The
arts tutor could no longer do his library tours
so he set to work on the book instead. “I had
the idea for some time and now during lock-
down I did the drawings and texts and it be-
came a picture story book.”
Grandad John and his granddaughters
Emma and Zoe came up with bright, funny
ideas on how to save them The whole pro-
ject became a family affair to get it out to the
public and onto the bookshelves; local sup-
port was easily found.
“My wife edited the text, my son helped
with getting the word out and Brian from
Books on the Green already took a pre-or-
der.”
Indy, one of the dogs and John Carpenter
have planned a visit to the book shop early
in August, on the weekend after the bank
holiday for the official launch. But you don’t
have to wait that long to get your hands on
this excellent book.
A Chimney Adventure (How Grandad,
Poppy and Indy Saved the Chimneys) is
available right now at Books on the Green,
and also at Star of the Sea stationery, at
just €12.
 Page 8
Only three in 10
Irish men would
attend counselling
F
n Eoin Meegan
ollowing a recent survey
carried out by the Irish
Association for Counsel-
ling and Psychotherapy (IACP),
it was revealed that only three
in 10 Irish men said they would
attend counselling/psychother-
apy.
The startling finding is com-
pared to that of two in five
women saying they would be
‘very likely’ to attend if strug-
gling in some way with their
mental health.
The IACP hopes their latest
campaign “Look After Your-
self” will encourage young men
to attend therapy. The IACP un-
veiled a Joe Caslin mural today
on Montague Lane, Dublin in a
bid to encourage males aged 25-
34 to normalise therapy among
this demographic and encour-
age young males to seek out
help and talk with therapists.
The mural unveiled was cre-
ated by well-known Irish Il-
lustrator and Street Artist, Joe
Caslin who said, “The figures
that populate my murals are
ordinary people, that in turn
become spokespeople for their
own experiences. The ‘Look
After Yourself’ campaign is all
about ordinary young males and
encouraging them to be vulner-
able and speak to a therapist. It
isn’t something they should be
ashamed of or see it as a sign of
weakness; it’s actually a sign of
huge strength.”
The survey also found that
men are less likely than women
to have personally attended a
counsellor/psychotherapist
one in nine men have attended
compared with one in seven
women.
Lisa Molloy, CEO of the IACP
said “These figures show that
young men need to be encour-
aged to look after their mental
health. Our hope with this cam-
paign is that it will motivate
them to start talking and asking
for help. We want to show them
that attending therapy is normal
and a safe space for them to be
themselves”.
The IACP also welcomes
Philly McMahon and Shane
Carthy as brand ambassadors to
push this messaging among this
MENTAL HEALTH
–
demographic and show them
that being vulnerable is not a
sign of weakness.
GAA star and founder of the
charity Half Time Talk, Philly
McMahon, added, “Your men-
tal game is just as important
as your physical game and the
www.newsfour.ie
younger generation need to
learn this from an early age, that
looking after your mental health
is key to your overall health.
There is no failure in going to
see a therapist.”
Fellow ambassador and for-
mer GAA Dublin Player Shane
August / September 2020
Carthy said, “We need to take
the stigma from attending ther-
apy. I myself have attended
therapy and found it hugely
beneficial. I would recommend
all young men who feel like
they need to get something off
their chest to have a chat with
a therapist and look after your-
self.”
The IACP encourages young
males to see therapy as normal
and not something that “has to
be done” but rather something
you do for yourself.
IACP represents over 4,500
accredited and CPD certified
counsellors and psychothera-
pists in Ireland. You can find a
nation-wide directory of thera-
pists at iacp.ie.
About the IACP:
Established in 1981, the IACP
identifies, develops and main-
tains professional standards of
excellence in counselling and
psychotherapy through educa-
tion, training and accreditation.
In promoting best practice and
the professional development
of its members, IACP is a reg-
istered Charity (CHY 6615).
More information is available
from the IACP’s website www.
iacp.ie.
Photo: Joe Caslin mural.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
T Have you claimed your
he government covers cer-
tain dental benefits for PRSI
workers under the Treat-
ment Benefit Scheme. This scheme
is available to insured workers, the
self-employed and retired people
who have the required number of
PRSI contributions.
Dr Jennifer Collins, lead general
dentist at Northumberland Dental
Care in Ballsbridge, says: “Although
the cost savings are quite signifi-
cant, many people are still unaware
of their dental entitlements. The best
way to prevent dental worries is a
regular dental examination, and a
thorough cleaning routine. Regular
check-ups can help to avoid unnec-
essary pain and minimise unexpected
dental costs in the longer-term.”
Dental Exam, Scale and Polish
Among the benefits available under
the Treatment Benefit Scheme, is a
free oral examination once a calendar
year, as well as an annual contribu-
tion towards a scale and polish.
A dental examination looks at the
general health of your teeth, gums
and mouth. Regular check-ups allow
your dentist to detect conditions such
as tooth decay, teeth grinding, gum
disease and even oral cancer. The
HEALTH
PRSI Dental Entitlements
for 2020?
dentist will also offer profession-
al advice on hygiene, diet and best
maintenance.
A scale and polish is another way
to describe a dental cleaning, where-
by your dentist or dental hygienist
will remove plaque and tartar from
your teeth, leaving them clean and
smooth. In addition to a good daily
oral health routine at home, profes-
sional cleaning helps to prevent a
build-up of plaque bacteria which
can lead to gum disease.
Top Dental Health Tips
You can help keep your mouth
healthy by following a number of key
steps:
• Brush your teeth twice daily, es-
pecially last thing at night
• Use a timer to make sure you
brush for a full two minutes
• Floss teeth once a day to remove
plaque, preferably before brushing
• Use a fluoride toothpaste to help
keep teeth strong and prevent dental
decay
• Reduce frequency of sugary
snacks and carbonated drinks
• Spit out excess toothpaste after
brushing, but avoid rinsing, so that
fluoride remains on your teeth
• Drink plenty of water to help di-
lute any acid attacks caused by food
or drinks
• Schedule a full dental check-up
with your dentist at least once a year,
or more frequently as advised
Northumberland Dental Care in
Ballsbridge provides an annual exam,
scale and polish for €15, to those
who qualify under the Treatment
Benefit Scheme. To check your 2020
dental entitlements, contact the prac-
tice on 01 536 3974 or visit nidm.ie
About the author
Dr Jennifer Collins is lead general
dentist at Northumberland Dental
Page 9
Care in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. She
qualified in dentistry at University of
Wales in 2004 and has been working
in private practice for over ten years.
Dr Collins has a special interest in
cosmetic, restorative and implant
dentistry and is fully trained in facial
aesthetics.
About Northumberland Dental
Care
Northumberland Dental Care, for-
merly The Northumberland Institute
of Dental Medicine (NIDM), was es-
tablished over 25 years ago in Balls-
bridge, Dublin 4.
Led by a multi-disciplinary team
of experts, the state-of-the-art prac-
tice offers a full range of general,
cosmetic and specialist dental treat-
ments. Northumberland Dental Care
is part of the Dental Care Ireland
group.
For further information, visit www.
northumberlanddentalcare.ie
For media queries, please contact:
Michelle Downey, Marketing Ex-
ecutive – michelle.downey@dental-
careireland.ie | (01) 8532504
 Page 10
Free musical instruments loan scheme
for 12 to 17 year-olds at Dublin City Library
I
n Eoin Meegan
f you’re a teenager and you envisage
yourself having a future career in the
music business, but frustration bugs
you because you don’t have, or can’t
afford, a musical instrument, then keep
reading.
Musical instruments, even second-
hand ones, are out of the range of most
teens (and let’s face it, it’s unfair to
expect hard-pressed parents to always
cough up the cash). However, now
thanks to a really innovative scheme run
jointly by Girls Rock Dublin and Dublin
City Libraries, if you’re aged between
12 and 17 you can get a new instrument,
learn to play it, and possibly one day end
up in a band, all for free!
The idea is the brainchild of one Ros-
sella Bottone the founder and director
of Girls Rock Dublin. Rossella, who
hails from the beautiful Abruzzo region
of Italy, famous for its wine, is a sound
engineer by profession, an accomplished
musician, and multi-instrumentalist. She
established Girls Rock Dublin, which is
part of the world-wide Girls Rock move-
ment, in 2016. The goal of the umbrella
group is to empower young women in
the music industry.
“We all share the same values, such
as supporting each other, fighting sex-
ism, sharing skills and resources, and
providing opportunities, particularly for
girls and gender non-binary people.” She
says.
How the scheme works is simple: Girls
Rock Dublin organises the instruments,
including checking the gear after it re-
turns to make sure there is no damage;
and the library deals with the lending
end.
Back in February, before the lock-
down, Pearse Street librarian Gillian
Colton took NewsFour on a tour of the
basement where all the instruments are
stored. Among the gear there are electric
guitars, short-scale basses, synths, drums
and mixers, along with a supply of plec-
trums and amps; and a beautiful water-
proof ukulele.
Gillian says: “The scheme ensures
there are no economic barriers to peo-
ple learning an instrument and getting a
band together. Creating music is a crea-
tive experience, but it’s also a communi-
ty experience and one that brings people
together. It fosters self esteem and iden-
tity, and allows a valuable element of the
communal back in.”
She is truly amazed at how quickly
young adolescents today learn to play
the instruments. “They go on YouTube
and learn from video tutorials, they don’t
even need lessons, so it’s cost free!”
It all began last September on Cul-
CULTURE
ture Night, back in very different times,
when Pearse Street library launched the
initiative. That night a group of young
musicians literally took over the library
and made a lot of noise, and everyone –
participants and spectators alike – had a
fabulous time.
Already a new all-girl band has come
about as a result of the scheme. They’re
called 17C, after their local bus route,
and are one to watch out for. The girls
met in school and from there decided to
form a band. Gillian says their music is
really catchy and they could be the next
U2! More girls are now starting their
own groups and demanding to be taken
seriously, a trend which Rossella only
sees as a positive. Traditionally, perhaps,
girls were seen as an adornment only to a
band or group.
Naturally, the library lending scheme
applies equally to both sexes, and Gillian
reports that so far there has been roughly
an even number of boys and girls avail-
ing of the service. Both Rossella and
Gillian have nothing but praise for the
young people who use the service. To
date, everyone has taken really good care
of the equipment; damage has been mini-
mal, and nothing stolen.
Feedback from the parents thus far has
www.newsfour.ie
been very positive, with many reports of
seeing children who were shy, or maybe
being bullied, grow in confidence. “Some
people think they are weaker than others,
but in fact they are stronger,” Rossella
says, “it brings out what is inside them
and makes them shine.”
Rossella is planning on setting up a
similar scheme in Ballyfermot in the
near future, as well as arranging work-
shops in Creative Studio, a free-to-use
recording facility in Ballyfermot Library.
She would like to do workshops at some
stage in Pearse Street too.
In the States, Girls Rock already has a
partnership deal with a few local librar-
ies, but the initiative is still very much
in its infancy even there. Norway at the
moment is also in the process of starting
up a similar lending scheme, and Rossel-
la believes the model will catch on and
has the potential to go global one day.
“It encourages people to try out different
things, to try different instruments, and
expands to other parts of their lives. It
encourages young people to believe they
are more than they think.”
So how is the initiative funded? Well,
while Girls Rock Dublin received some
instruments donated by bands that have
split up, notably the now defunct Le
August / September 2020
Galaxie, they still had to raise cash with
which to buy most of the instruments.
However, through a combination of as-
tute entrepreneurial skills, and a very
successful social media campaign, Ros-
sella managed to secure a lucrative deal
which enabled her to buy new equip-
ment. But then a new problem arose.
“The instruments were starting to pile
up in my home,” she says “which is a
one-bedroom apartment, and at one time
I had about 50 altogether. It was driv-
ing me crazy!” So she hit on the idea
to approach local libraries with a view
to lending the instruments out. Initially
some libraries turned her down. How-
ever, all that changed when she walked
into Pearse Street and met Gillian who
was very responsive right from the be-
ginning. “It was like meeting a kindred
spirit,” she said.
Built around the principles of coopera-
tion and friendship, the initiative serves a
sector of society that is often overlooked,
and sometimes unfairly maligned. Teen-
agers face many difficulties and pressures
in their lives. If they can be encouraged
to develop hidden talents, in whatever
area, this should be encouraged.
But having talent can seem futile if
one is unable to fully nurture it. The
gear lending scheme provides practical
assistance to those who might other-
wise be unable to afford it. It really is a
demonstration of community working at
its very best. “We use music to develop
as people really, it’s done in a spirit of
support and cooperation, and not one of
competition,” Rosella says. Something
to keep in mind in these unusual times
we find ourselves in.
Speaking to Gillian recently, she tells
me the gear lending library, after a hia-
tus of a few months, is operating at full
swing again.
“It really is a great feeling to welcome
people back into Pease Street library –
the place has felt empty and lacking soul.
I have really missed our regulars and the
chats we have at the desk and at library
events.”
So if you’re aged between 12 and 17
and have a valid library card you can
walk into the library today and leave with
a shiny new guitar, drums or synth. All
who are involved are to be applauded.
It’s an idea that will help many to shine.
If you want to know more or get in-
volved with Girls Rock you can con-
tact them at girlsrockdublie@gmail.
com
Top: Gillian Colton lending an instru-
ment at Pearse Street Library.
Bottom: Testing the drums.
Photos courtesy of Pearse Street Library.
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 Page 11
 Page 12
W
n Kathrin Kobus
hen Tom Brabazon
took office as Dublin
Lord Mayor earlier
this year, neither he nor anyone
else expected that his four-month
term would cover the huge chal-
lenge of the Covid 19 pandemic.
As the crisis began to unfold Ire-
land went into lockdown; com-
munity spirits awoke and helped
us to get through the dark times
together.
Activities varied but the com-
mon denominator was a devotion
to lift community spirit and show
selflessness in helping each oth-
er, from doing the shopping for
neighbours, bake sales, deliver-
ies of food/lunch boxes, and bin-
go and karaoke entertainment.
The latter [bingo] began in
Canon Mooney Gardens be-
fore being swiftly picked up by
other flat complexes, each with
their individual bingo callers,
because all these community
gatherings were residents-only
events. We stayed in our bub-
bles or pods, defined by place of
residence at close quarters.
When the country began to
reopen Dublin City Council
and the Lord Mayor wanted to
honour the helpers of the com-
munity. Under #covidheroes
Early Childhood Ireland wel-
comes Covid-19 stimulus pack-
age and highlights work of
Dublin childcare providers in
preparing for re-opening
I
n a statement issued on July
24th last Early Childhood Ire-
land, the leading organisation
in the early years sector, has wel-
comed the Government’s stimulus
package, which was announced
yesterday. The organisation said it
will provide essential support for
childcare providers in Dublin and
nationwide.
Early Childhood Ireland sup-
ports 3,800 childcare members
across Ireland, who provide edu-
cation and care for more than
100,000 children and their fami-
lies.
Commenting on the stimulus
package today (24.07.20), Franc-
es Byrne, Director of Policy and
Advocacy at Early Childhood Ire-
land, said: “We are really pleased
to see the continuation of the wage
subsidy scheme and other busi-
ness supports. We have our first
formal meeting with the Minister
for Children next Tuesday after-
noon, and we look forward to
hearing more detail at that stage.
Covid heroes: Plaques and scrolls
the general public were asked
to nominate their local heroes:
1,200-plus nominations went in
for 215 people or groups.
The Lord Mayor said: “I was
privileged to witness the resur-
rection of community values
and see members of the com-
munity pulling together and
helping each other. There were
so many stories of people who
helped their communities in
many ways during Covid19. It
was truly inspirational to read
them all and very difficult to
choose a top five.”
Glenda Harrington from
Friends Helping Friends was
one of the five selected. True to
the name of the group, she and
her friends never stopped their
soup run for homeless people
throughout. Also included for
a trophy for Dublin 4 was Mi-
chael Larkin who, along with
family help, put Ringsend bin-
go, karaoke and dance routines
on the map; attracting interna-
tional radio and tv crews.
They both received Dublin
Crystal plaques. The other three
recipients were Moira, Aoibhín
and friends from Scoil Bhríde
“It is critical that the stimulus
package supports childcare servic-
es to re-open in the safest and most
effective way possible. Our sector
has previously availed of govern-
ment supports to allow Summer
services re-open confidently at the
end of June. We now look forward
to the full re-opening of the sector
in late August.”
Almost 2,000 childcare workers
in Dublin undertake Skillnet Ire-
land’s ‘ReBound – Back to Busi-
ness Safely’ training in partnership
with Early Childhood Ireland.
Early Childhood Ireland said
the commitment of the early years
and school-age childcare sec-
tor to re-opening safely has been
evidenced by the huge demand for
training courses associated with
re-opening.
Of the 1,500 childcare services
COVID / child care
who raised €5,655 for the
Ranelagh Covid Response Team
by holding a cake sale and raffle;
Rev Rob Jones who helped vul-
nerable citizens in Rathmines
and spent time with people in
Harold’s Cross Hospice whose
families couldn’t visit; and The-
resa Kelly who organised food
deliveries for vulnerable people
in Raheny.
All nominated persons and
groups got the recognition they
deserved in the form of a com-
memorative scroll. Among the
long list was Derek Buckley,
who had the novel idea to en-
tertain his neighbours not only
that have reopened since Monday,
29th of June, over 92% have com-
pleted bespoke ‘ReBound – Back
to Business Safely’ training in re-
cent weeks. This includes 1,966
practitioners from 992 businesses
in Dublin.
Launched in collaboration with
four Skillnet Networks, through
its ReBound ‘Back to Business’
initiative, the training equips
childcare providers and practi-
tioners with the information and
skills they need to re-open safely
in the wake of the Covid-19 pan-
demic. To date, 6,907 childcare
practitioners have registered from
across 1,502 member organisa-
tions of Early Childhood Ireland
for training delivered by Duhal-
low Skillnet, Limerick Chamber
Skillnet, Midlands Border East
Skillnet and Next Level Skillnet.
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
from the carpark slot, but from
the comfort of his living room
with a facebook quiz.
Adrienne Dent wrote of her
brother: “I am super proud of my
local COVID hero – my brother
Derek Buckley. Congratulations
for the well deserved recogni-
tion you received from the Lord
Mayor. Thank you again for be-
ing so selfless of your time, for
putting a smile on our faces, for
bringing some normality into
our lives and for keeping our
spirits up during the pandemic.
And a big thank you to all the
local COVID heroes who have
helped the community.”
Let this acknowledgment go
out to all who helped each other
to pull together through the dif-
ficult weeks and months, with-
out much fanfare.
On leaving office on July 29th,
Lord Mayor Brabazon said in a
statement: “Today I finish my
four-month term as Lord Mayor
of Dublin. It was not a standard
Mayoral term due to Covid19,
but I was privileged to witness
the resurrection of community
values and see members of the
community pulling together and
Additionally, Early Childhood
Ireland has hosted online work-
shops and training sessions for
members on topics such as sup-
porting children with additional
needs, wellbeing and HR matters.
These workshops and training ses-
sions have been attended by an ad-
ditional 2,048 practitioners.
Commenting on the high take-
up of training, Ms Byrne said:
“We’re delighted to have seen a
total of 8,417 practitioners par-
ticipating in online training with
Early Childhood Ireland in prepa-
ration for reopening the childcare
sector. These figures reflect what
we’ve been hearing directly from
our members – that staff are eager
and energised to get back to work,
and have embraced the new proto-
cols and safety measures and up-
skilled themselves to ensure they
helping each other.
On top of this, I saw first-hand
how our public services organi-
sations and staff worked to keep
services going for the citizens of
this great city. It was an honour
to hold this office and I thank
everyone for the courtesy they
showed me as first citizen. Slán
agus Beannacht.”
We would also like to ac-
knowledge Lisa Gaskin and all
her co-workers for all their hard
work delivering meals five days
a week around the area to the el-
derly and people in need during
the lockdown. Well done Lisa,
your Lord Mayor’s Award is
well deserved. You even got that
sister of yours Tracey Gaskin to
help out one of the days!
Also, a big shout out to eve-
ryone in The Fair Play Café for
lunch packages. And last but
not least, the residents of Cam-
bridge Court had a collection
and raised €280 for the Bridge
Cafe in thanks for the sand-
wiches and other goodies they
received. So, well done to all.
We’ll conclude with a line
written by Bertolt Brecht in his
play Galileo Galilei. “Unhappy
the country that is in need of
heroes.” It will never be said of
Dublin or Ireland.
can continue to provide an excel-
lent standard of care and educa-
tion for children nationwide.”
Michael Lynch, Network Man-
ager at Midlands Border East
Skillnet said, “Getting the coun-
try back to work has been at the
core of the ‘The ReBound – Back
to Business Safely’ initiative. Pro-
viding childcare workers with the
tools and knowledge needed to re-
open their businesses in a safe and
sustainable way is a key step in
building the sector and economy
back up after the global pandemic.
The training is available free of
charge through online webinars
and can be accessed through ei-
ther Duhallow Skillnet, Limerick
Chamber Skillnet, Midlands Bor-
der East Skillnet and Next Level
Skillnet.”
About Early Childhood Ireland
Early Childhood Ireland is the
leading membership organisa-
tion in the early years sector. Its
3,800 childcare members support
over 100,000 children and their
families through preschool, after-
school, and full day-care provi-
sion nationwide. Early Childhood
Ireland provides support services
and advocacy for its members.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
John Hume: Peacemaker
T
n Beibhinn Byrne
here has been an out-
pouring of tributes for
the late John Hume,
the former SDLP founder and
leader, architect of the Peace
Process and co-recipient of
the Nobel Peace Prize along-
side David Trimble in 1998.
He died over the August
Bank Holiday weekend, on
Aug 2nd. He himself said
during his lifetime, “I never
thought in terms of being a
leader. I thought very simply
in terms of helping people.”
Ireland was ablaze on the
Bank Holiday Monday with
praise for “The most signifi-
cant figure in nationalism and
republicanism in a century,”
“A great man of conviction
who put his life on the line
for the betterment of soci-
ety,” “A man of peace,” “A
true statesman,” “Ireland has
lost a hero,” were just a few
examples of the respect with
which he is regarded.
President Higgins’s state-
ment highlighted his great
hallmark and philosophy of
respecting differences and di-
versity and learning to work
with them not against them,
“It is no exaggeration to
say that John Hume radically
changed and reshaped Irish
politics, through his words,
wise diplomacy and willing-
ness to listen to the ‘Other’
opinion, which was some-
times difficult to accept and
seek he was at peace with his
personal bravery and leader-
ship as well as his firm belief
in the principles and values of
​​
true democracy.”
“John Hume, through his
words, his astute diplomacy
and willingness to listen…
transformed and remodeled
politics in Ireland and the
search for peace, with person-
al bravery and leadership.”
John Hume himself de-
scribed The Troubles as, “A
quarrel of centuries,” and
in a speech to the European
Parliament, he underlined the
“respect for difference and
diversity,” which allows “real
healing to begin.” No real so-
ciety, new or old, can be built
or rebuilt with power imbal-
ances at play.
He summarised this funda-
mental principle of harmony
in his Nobel Prize address:
PROFILE
“Difference is an accident of
birth and it should therefore
never be the source of hatred
or conflict. The answer to dif-
ference is to respect it. There-
in lies a most fundamental
principle of peace – respect
for diversity.”
Leaders of the government,
opposition and political par-
ties also released statements.
Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou
McDonald tweeted, “John
Hume was a towering figure,
a national icon. I am so sorry
to learn of his death. Deep-
est condolences to his wife
Pat, to his children and wider
family, friends and colleagues
in @SDLPlive “Ní bheidh a
leithéid ann arís.” “Ar dheis
Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”
An Taoiseach, Micheál
Martin, Leader of Fianna
Fáil said, “It is impossible to
properly express the scale and
significance of John Hume’s
life. He was one of the tower-
ing figures of Irish public life
of the last century. His vision
and tenacity saved this coun-
try. We owe him and his wife
Pat so much. Ar dheis Dé go
raibh a anam.”
An Tánaiste, Leo Varad-
kar and Leader of Fine Gael
tweeted, “Today, we mourn
the passing of one of Ire-
land’s greatest ever sons. He
ranks alongside O’Connell
Page 13
and Parnell in the pantheon
of Ireland’s great leaders. He
was a patriot, a peacemaker,
a democrat, and a great great
Derryman. RIP John Hume.”
Green Party Leader and
Minister for Environment,
Climate Action, Communica-
tions and Transport, Eamon
Ryan, expressed his personal
sadness and remarked, “As a
powerful advocate for human
rights and democratic poli-
tics, he will be remembered
as one of the key architects of
the 1998 Good Friday Agree-
ment. “He was a man who
saw beyond division and the
cycle of violence that had
consumed Northern Ireland.
He worked relentlessly, at
great personal risk, to bring
peace and stability to this is-
land and every one of us owe
him a debt of gratitude for his
life’s work.”
A towering figure of peace
and humanity and a force for
good. He has and will contin-
ue to inspire people to strive
for selfless good and better-
ment and to resolve conflict
through peaceful means. May
his legacy live on in all our
spheres of life.
Above: John Hume Assisted
from a civil rights demonsta-
tion.
Credit: Four Courts Press
The Peacemaker Eds Séan
Farren & Denis Haughey
Bottom left: John Hume Ac-
tivist and Peacemaker.
Photo credit Jimmy McCor-
mack The Irish Times.
Below: David Trimble, and
Bono with John Hume after
the Good Friday Agreement.
Page 14 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Remembering Eavan Boland
Poet, feminist and inspiration
I
n Geneva Pattison
n a year filled with
so much death, dev-
astation and sad-
ness, the loss of Eavan
Boland on the 27th of
April felt somewhat
surreal. People may
have known her from
studying her poetry
during the leaving cert,
some may have been
introduced to her po-
etry later in life. How-
ever, and irrespective
of the ‘how’ and the
‘when’, Eavan’s work
has touched countless souls
across the globe.
Eavan was born in Dublin in
1944 to noted painter Frances
Kelly and diplomat Frederick
Boland. When Eavan was six
years old, she and her family
moved to London, as her father
Frederick had been appointed
the Irish Ambassador to the UK.
During this period of her life,
Eavan had her first experience of
anti-Irish sentiment. Her experi-
ences during this time inspired
her poem, An Irish Childhood in
England: 1951.
Reading the poem, you find
yourself transported directly into
the centre of every uncomfort-
able moment relayed by Eavan.
The “bowls of dripping” and
eerie smiles fixed in place, the
sleepless nights “filled with
some malaise of love” for some-
thing she never knew she had.
A specific incident, recalled by
Boland in the poem, regarding
her time spent as a young girl in
a London convent school, stuck
with her. The young poet uttered
the phrase “I amn’t,” to which
the teacher turned and said to her
“you’re not in Ireland now.”
It’s such a touchingly sad
and ground-breaking poem that
makes a political statement on
the erasure of Irish culture and
heritage and how the Irish were
viewed and treated in England
during that time. In a way, it also
reminds us to cherish the ‘now’
and find peace in your present,
while observing the past and not
living in it.
At 14, Eavan moved back to
Dublin and attended school in
Killiney. She went on to attend
Trinity College, studying Eng-
lish Literature and Language in
1962 and published her first col-
lection of poetry, entitled 23 Po-
ems, in the same year.
Much of Eavan’s poetry was
written on the subject of mother-
hood, the role of women in Irish
history and the domestic lives of
women. Through this work, she
sought to liberate and expand
people’s perceptions of the lives
of ordinary women and recognise
the individuality and importance
of every woman’s experience.
She focused on aspects of
the everyday, finding beauty
and power in traditional female
roles. However, Boland also
highlighted the conflict, isola-
tion and monotonous drudgery
that often went along with being
a mother or a woman. Boland
wanted the true lives of women
to be reflected in the poetic dis-
course and history of an Ireland
that was dominated by male po-
etic voices.
Poems like Woman In Kitch-
en, illustrate the post-breakfast
dance of tidying up and strug-
gling to find self-purpose for the
rest of the day. “She watches the
machines go fast and slow” as
they clean items, but the woman
is “islanded by noise”, and has
“nowhere definite to go”. She is
surrounded by white, the side-
boards, the surfaces, even the
cups “wink white in their sau-
cers”.
This gives us an impression
that this woman takes pride in
her environment and cleanli-
ness, but the all-encompassing
white nature of her surroundings
feels as if it will engulf her. This
monotone expanse is her life and
it appears as if it will devour her.
As the morning tasks end, “the
wash done, the kettle boiled, the
POETRY Page 15
tinuing to produce poetry collec-
tions.
From 1996 onwards, Eavan
on through her daughters, hus-
band and the wealth of poetic
gifts she has given the world.
was a tenured professor in Eng-
lish studies at Stanford Universi-
ty and divided her time between
A selection of works by Eavan
Boland, for further reading:
sheets spun and clean”, her work in California and her • The War Horse. London: Victor
the true existential dread home in Dublin. Gollancz, 1975.
of isolation hits. “The si- Upon the notice of her death • In Her Own Image. Dublin: Ar-
lence is a death”, and the on the 27th of April, there was an len House, 1980.
room becomes buried “in outpouring of tributes made by • Night Feed. Dublin: Arlen
white spaces’’ of nothing- the literary and arts community House, 1982. Reissue: Manches-
ness. The woman moves both from Ireland and abroad, ter: Carcanet Press, 1994.
to “spread a cloth on the with The Irish Times publishing • The Journey and Other Poems.
board and iron sheets in many of the heartfelt messages Dublin: Arlen House, 1986;
a room white and quiet all together. Paula Meehan, Anne Manchester: Carcanet Press,
as a mortuary”, the sheet Enright, Vona Groarke and Colm 1987.
like a death shroud, pos- Tóibín were amongst the names Irish Times tributes to Eavan
sibly mourning the life to pay tribute to the late poet. Boland:
she could have outside President Higgins honoured h t t p s : / / w w w. i r i s h t i m e s .
the home. Eavan’s memory, in saying that com/culture/books/eavan-bo-
Even the title Woman she was “one of the most insight- land-pathfinder-farewell-trib-
In Kitchen plays on the ful inner sources of Irish life, not utes-to-a-pillar-of-irish-poet-
archaic viewpoint that ‘a wom- only in life as expressed but as ry-1.4240218
an’s place is in the kitchen’. sensed and experienced.” Statement released by Presi-
However, as evident from read- During a period of great sepa- dent Higgins following the
ing, Eavan’s woman struggles ration in the course of our initial death of Eavan Boland: https://
to find physical, metaphorical lockdown, reading the messages president.ie/en/media-library/
and psychological space in her of remembrance, side by side news-releases/statement-by-
kitchen; she needs out. and coming from all over the president-michael-d-higgins-on-
There are numerous other in- world, was a comforting remind- the-death-of-eavan-boland
fluential and poignant poems by er that we may be distances apart
Eavan that reflect the varying but our hearts remain united. Photo of Eavan Boland courtesy
and, at times, under-represented Eavan is survived by, and lives Wikipedia.
truths of women. We see The
Achill Woman, a poem which
is largely a reflection of the lost
voices of Ireland’s island wom-
en, reminding us of the genera-
tion eclipsed by modernity.
The cherished poem, The
Pomegranate, is a poem about
how myths and tales mimic our
own life narratives. A poem
for mothers and daughters, and
mothers who were once daugh-
ters. It tells us that it’s ok to
embrace the learning curves of
youth and and sit back and ob-
serve in later life.
Boland’s epic piece, Anna
Liffey, touches on history, na-
tional identity, politics and lan-
guage, while still remaining an
innately personal and intimate
poem about the poet herself.
Again, this is a statement about
the importance of the lives of
ordinary women the poet sought
to write into the history of this
country. This is just a cross sec-
tion of the work of Boland and
it’s difficult to capture the pro-
foundly soulful qualities of her
poetry within these rationed
lines.
Eavan Boland started to lec-
ture shortly after her BA gradu-
ation in 1966, and held various
lecturing and teaching positions
in universities including Trinity
College and UCD, while con-
 Page 16
A
n Geneva Pattison
midst this global pandemic, the
surreal state of lockdown pre-
sented a myriad of challenges for
people across Ireland. Feelings of anxiety,
loss, worry and longing seem to be a uni-
versal experience in relation to this new
era of covid-19.
Bags of Almonds, written by Dublin
poet Alicia Byrne Keane and edited by
Aifric Kyne, is a forthcoming poetry col-
lection that was created during lockdown.
The collection reflects upon the nature of
being during this chaotic and lonely pe-
riod of time we’re all living through, as
experienced and expressed from the poet’s
own perspective.
The resounding themes of the collection
focus on that of memory, the construct
of time, disruption and isolation, as il-
lustrated through lush descriptions of the
poet’s current, past and imagined future
surroundings.
Keane’s opening poem, Shoulder, pre-
sents the idea of discomfort and a sense
of frustration. The poet repositions “light
on dim glass”, trying to find a modicum of
physical peace for themself, in what ap-
pears to be a less than adequate situation.
A feeling of disconnectedness is intro-
duced when the poet reflects on the kind
parting message in a yoga video. She un-
derstands that these videos are “instructed
in a faraway voice”, a distant nicety for
wound up viewers. However, the words,
“take break, take a load off, I don’t know
what you’ve got going on in your life”,
seem to stop time itself, tearing it apart to
conjure a memory. Once again, the poet
finds themself in a time when “the week
seemed something to be exhaustingly re-
made”.
This glimpse into the near distant pre-
pandemic past, illustrates how important
routine and ritual can be to a person in
shaping their ideation of self and finding
solace. We are pulled back from this vi-
sion of the past by the poet, as they “put
on suncream in the garden”. This physical
POETRY
New Irish Poetry
Bags of Almonds by Alicia Byrne Keane
act reminds them of the present and the
“temporary freshness reconnects” their
mind and body to the current moment in
time. Keane’s delicate yet powerful de-
piction of feeling out of one’s body and
the fragility of one’s own state of calm,
encapsulates the feeling of current times
beautifully.
After Maths is another poem by Keane
that deals with the question of time and
our perception of it. The poet plays tricks
on the reader, asking for our full atten-
tion, as we try to connect the narrative of
the poem. The poem takes us to a playing
pitch that looks “like a poured thing, holds
a gold fuzz, seems pixelated”. The speaker
“points themselves to where the ground
flattens” and tries to forget that their neck
is a “thin stem holding worries”. The fo-
cus shifts as the speaker’s mind jumps to
talking about a website about the depth of
the ocean’s various levels.
“It tells you about jewel squids, about
red being the last colour to leech from the
spectrum before things gel in
A uniform shadow.”
The first stanza runs into the second
stanza, as we’re presented with a linked
thought. “They are going to get CGI
crowds for films now”. The “uniform
shadow”, grey and soulless, where all col-
our, all life leeches out. We learn that the
poet is already burdened by their thoughts
when watching certain films, “whenever I
watch a film I just imagine them having to
do every scene over and over”. Film and
the Arts are generally made for audiences
to enjoy the final product. Here, the poet is
acknowledging and empathising with the
work behind the scenes in the craft, could
an absentee crowd fully appreciate this
work? This point also begs the question;
Will the Arts survive this pandemic?
In the third stanza, the poet reflects on
their own struggles with maintaining co-
hesion in life, “I myself lack continuity”.
Time continues to flow forward, yet life
doesn’t, “dayslip and hourslip and the
slow ebb of light when you forget to be a
person in public”. Keane relates a strange
state of limbo, where elements of the self
are firmly ingrained in the past, the present
seems to slip by and the future remains an
anxious mystery.
The poet seems to find some sense of
solace in the final stanza, as though all
thoughts in time seem to connect, they
are “preserved in a dim vacuum and right
on time”. This remarkable final line is a
strong reminder to readers that confu-
sion often ends where acceptance begins.
Keane’s words stay with you, as you re-
member the world continues to turn.
Bags of Almonds is a collection of po-
etry for our current times. Relatable, with
a shared universality to it, while present-
ing a totally surreal landscape and time-
line that prompts you to traverse that of
www.newsfour.ie
the seemingly unknown. Keane’s ques-
tioning of her own place in time asks one
to reevaluate their own standing, security
and hope. Ultimately, with most of the po-
ems in this collection, there is light at the
end of the tunnel, much the same with this
current trying period of all our lives.
Bags of Almonds will be released late
August 2020 and will be available in se-
lected bookshops.
You can also contact Alicia through her
Twitter handle @keane_byrne to enquire
about getting a copy of the book.
Interview with Poet Alica Byrne Keane
NF: Your poetry collection was written
during lockdown, what specific elements
of being in lockdown shaped your poetic
voice in the collection?
ABK: The elements that inspired me
will probably sound very cliche – I guess,
like a lot of people, I became much more
interested than usual in spending time in
nature since it was one of the activities
less affected by lockdown. I also became
obsessed with the idea of an immeasurable
quantity of time ahead – I began to think
of ‘the wait’ – whether that is the wait to
see loved ones again, the wait for lock-
down to lift fully, the wait for a cure or
a vaccine – as a sort of personified entity.
I think many of my poems became about
describing the wait itself, picturing, per-
sonifying it.
NF: The concept and exploration of time
is a large thematic component throughout
your works, often paired with a sense of
anxiety. Is this reflection in any way in-
formed by aspects of our modern, driven
society pre-Covid?
ABK: This is a really interesting in-
terpretation, thank you for putting it into
words! I think I was writing about the
change of pace to life in lockdown spe-
cifically, so I really like the fact that the
poems maybe unintentionally highlight
our need to be busy, or the way we feel a
toxic pressure surrounding ‘productivity’
in a negative sense the rest of the time too.
NF: I suppose it takes great states of
flux to make us ‘create’ or ‘curate’ time
for reflection.
ABK: Exactly!
NF: With regards to the poem “Hill”,
you treat a lot of man-made structures
more so as organic elements, and the natu-
ral elements as something created by man.
Does this juxtaposition represent harmony
in the urban landscape and a longing to be
at the centre of that harmony? A centrality
that lockdown has prevented?
ABK: That’s a really interesting ques-
tion, because I feel in other poems I’ve
been writing recently that I am often very
negative about the Dublin cityscape. Be-
fore lockdown, I lived in an area of the city
August / September 2020
near Grand Canal Dock where everything
seemed very impersonal and corporate
and I remember finding that environment
very bleak. I know that I was thinking a lot
about ecocritical theories of how humans
can’t seem to avoid thinking of nature in
anthropocentric terms. So I think some of
that mixing up of natural and human-made
structures in poems like “Hill” is a com-
ment on that.
I was also definitely thinking of cer-
tain areas of the city in sort of surreal or
idealised terms though, because I hadn’t
seen them in months they sort of took on
a dreamlike quality. I think that’s maybe
where I’m going with descriptions of
buildings that look like water and such.
There’s definitely a sense of reinventing
the mundane city landscape as a more
surreal landscape, almost ethereal or oth-
erworldly. Something like a place of wor-
ship.
NF: Finally, poems like “Channelling”
and “Memory” touch on how stillness, or
trying to meditate to clear the mind can
sometimes have an opposite effect, caus-
ing the mind to flood with unwelcome or
unhelpful thoughts. Is the peaceful mind
an enemy of the creative mind?
ABK: I think your final sentence there is
possibly the sort of paradox that the whole
collection hinges on, or that I was trying
to explore! I wanted to look at the idea of
trying to make a suspended state like lock-
down peaceful, but also the potential for
that stasis to be full of feelings of threat or
grief. Like, a character succeeding in es-
caping the fear sometimes, through nature
or through meditation, but the sense of a
fraught situation underlying everything.
I’m still not sure what feeling wins out,
or which one I ended up capturing more,
but I think it’s really accurate of you to
word things in terms of a peaceful mind
and sort of overthinking.
Portrait courtesy of Alicia Byrne Keane.
Book cover designed by Aifric Kyne, cour-
tesy of Aifric Kyne.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Book Review
Everyday People: The Colour of Life
E
n Geneva Pattison
veryday People: The Colour of
Life, edited by Jennifer Baker, is
an anthology of short stories that
showcases the work of both emerging
and well renowned writers of colour and
indigenous writers from across the globe.
Each tale in the book explores the depth
and variety of the human experience
through stories surrounding familial is-
sues, cultural values, political discord and
a myriad of personal trials.
The anthology is wonderful for readers
who don’t have a preferred literary genre,
there’s something for everyone’s tastes,
while remaining a powerful social com-
mentary on diversity. Thematically, the
stories range from modern-takes on Sci-
Fi, to reinvented ancestral otherworldli-
ness, to focusing on the everyday occur-
rences that are often stranger and more
unbelievable than any piece of fiction
could be.
Touching down first on UK soil, the
book opens with an imaginatively bril-
liant story, Link, written by Courttia New-
land. The protagonist Aaron must traverse
the precariousness of teenage years while
balancing the responsibility of conceal-
ing a mysterious higher power he seems
to possess. While Aaron struggles to find
his place in the world, we learn that he
is part of something much bigger, some-
thing that might just change the face of
the world as we know it.
The tale is set against the background of
urban London, and the author has encap-
sulated snippets of the everyday life of the
brimming, varied and sometimes harsh
city beautifully. Born in 1973, Newland
is himself a London native and was a rap-
per involved in the emerging Drum and
Book Review
After This Our Exile by Aubrey Malone
A
n Dermot Carmody
fter This Our Exile is a novel
by Mayo-born author Aubrey
Malone. Malone, a freelance
journalist, has lived in Dublin since
1970, was a teacher for some fourteen
years and started writing books in 1996.
He has published several books of poetry
with Belfast publishers Lapwing, and
other novels including The Things That
Were and A Nursing Life, as well as a
number of biographies and film books.
After This Our Exile is the story of Bri-
an Kilcoyne’s journey from Loughrea in
Galway, through student life in Dublin,
to a spell of travelling in Europe and the
USA and back to Galway again. It also
deals with a restless emotional journey
after he loses his beloved mother.
He struggles with the vagaries of his
BOOK REVIEW
Bass scene in the late 90’s, before moving
to the world of literature.
He has previously held the position
of writer in residence at Trinity College
Dublin, published eight books and has
been nominated for various awards, in-
cluding being longlisted for the Frank
O’Connor International Story Award.
A Sheltered Woman, by Yiyun Li, is
a cross-generational story that takes us
from modern day America to China of the
past, and back again. The main character,
Aunty Mei, is a live-in nanny for new
mothers who has never had any children
herself. Taking her job very seriously,
Mei tries to distance herself emotionally
from the children she works with by mak-
ing a rule of only staying with the families
for one month after the child’s birth.
The family Aunty Mei currently finds
herself with, causes her to have to reeval-
uate her approach to childcare, re-exam-
ine her hardened view of the world and
reflect on her strange family history. Mei
must leave her eccentric and sheltered up-
bringing in China in the past and finally
allow herself in her golden years to trust
people and let love in.
There are so many nuanced layers to
this seemingly mundane tale, it takes you
by surprise. Although it is a short story,
the depth to each character’s personality
is palpably exciting, so much so you want
to follow them beyond the last page.
Yiyun Li grew up in Beijing China, be-
fore moving to America in 1996 to pur-
sue a Masters in immunology. In 2005 Li
went on to get a MFA in creative nonfic-
tion and fiction and has been writing ever
since. Her writing has graced the pages
of the New Yorker and The Paris Review,
and she is a past recipient of the Guardian
alcoholic father, Bartley, and has a dif-
ficult relationship with Bartley’s partner
Angela and her over-fussy and doomed
efforts to somehow take the place of Bri-
an’s dead mother.
Brian leaves behind his sweetheart Jen-
nifer when he decides to study at UCD.
A sense of his alienation follows him as
he deals with university life and the city.
He quickly becomes disillusioned with
the reality of academia and his education
continues largely through the medium of
other experiences.
He has a book of poetry published and
forges an unlikely relationship with a girl
who is a drug addict. All the time there’s
the distant presence of the absence of Jen-
nifer, and the open question of whether
they will ever resume their relationship.
Seeking an escape from the disil-
First Book Award and the Whiting Award,
along with numerous other accolades to
her name.
Another very touching story in this col-
lection comes in the shape of If a Bird
Can Be a Ghost, by Allison Mills. We are
introduced to Shelly the protagonist, as
her grandmother teaches her how to catch
ghosts in her hair. “If you carry ghosts in
your hair, then you can cut them off when
you don’t need them anymore”, we learn
that otherwise, they plant themselves
deep within you and never leave.
Shelly is fascinated with her grand-
mother’s house call ‘ghostbusting’ job,
but her mother is worried about overex-
posing her daughter to the world of the
dead. Young Shelly’s world is turned up-
side down overnight, which causes her
to gravitate more and more towards the
world of ghosts and less towards the land
of the living.
Shelly’s grandmother provides matri-
archal wisdom on real world issues such
lusionment of college life, he travels
around Europe and ultimately drops out
of UCD and travels to New York. He has
Page 17
as cop cars, “never get in the back of a
car with doors you can’t open”, and also
spiritual wisdom in relation to letting go
of the weight of grief. This marvellous
story is about loss, acceptance and find-
ing courage in times of great doubt. The
author, Allison Mills, is a Cree and settler
writer from Vancouver. Her first novel,
The Ghost Collector was released in 2019
and her writing has appeared in Apex
Magazine.
The book, Everyday People, is a cel-
ebration of diversity, inclusion and vis-
ibility. An added bonus towards the end
of the book, is the thoughtfully curated
thirty-six page reading list of contempo-
rary works by women, non-binary and
transgender Indigenous writers and writ-
ers of colour. The inclusion of this list is
a reminder that we need to go beyond
conversations of inclusivity, or preforma-
tive inclusivity, and actively seek out and
support works by writers who may be
eclipsed by mainstream publishing.Liter-
ature isn’t just about genre, style, or sale-
ability. It’s about the true representation
of all voices, the broadening of perspec-
tives and enrichment of mind and spirit.
Editor Jennifer Baker encompasses the
soul of the collection beautifully in her
introduction, in saying, “The name of this
anthology is not meant to solely focus
on the racial composition of the writers
or characters but to showcase the larger
story and relationships depicted as well
as the landscape—be it in New York City,
Maine, Alabama, Great Britain, South
Korea, Ghana or Sri Lanka. As the Sly
and the Family Stone song of the same
name goes, “I am no better and neither are
you / We are the same whatever we do…”
Everyday People: The Colour of
Life– A Short Story Anthology, pub-
lished by Atria Books, is available in
selected bookshops and on Amazon
at £8.99.
a genuinely tender relationship with Mia,
who is working as a waitress while she
plans to travel to Africa. He wonders if
he’s just part of this transitional period
in Mia’s life, while at the same time the
open-ended question of Jennifer is al-
ways a presence in the back of his mind.
Returning to Ireland and to Galway,
Brian finds himself still in an unsettled
emotional landscape as he struggles
with his relationships with his father, his
brother Derek and with Jennifer. Can he
find a way through this maze and ulti-
mately be at peace with himself?
Aubrey Malone’s understated style and
dialogue-driven plot, along with charac-
ter development work well to make this
novel roll along and the book is leavened
by some well-observed evocations of
place and atmosphere.
After This Our Exile is published
by Penniless Press and is available
through online book retailers includ-
ing Amazon and Lulu.
 Page 18
Book Review:
Antkind
T
n David Prendeville
he first novel by the great Char-
lie Kaufman is every bit as origi-
nal, disturbing and hilarious as
one would expect. The Oscar-winning
screenwriter of unique, brilliant films
such as Being John Malkovich and Eter-
nal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and
writer-director of the masterful Synec-
doche, New York, has here crafted an
extraordinary piece of postmodern litera-
ture. This novel pushes the boundaries of
its form every bit as much as Kaufman’s
film work has sought to do.
The novel follows film critic B. Rosen-
berger Rosenberg, a narcissistic, washed-
up film critic. The thrust of the plot, for
what there is of it, is around B’s discov-
ery of an undiscovered film by an elderly
outsider, Ingo Cuthbert. The film itself is
a stop-motion epic that follows, among
other things, the travails of an Abott
and Costello-like comedy duo known as
Mudd and Molloy.
Ingo’s film is three months long and
took Ingo ninety years to make. As well
as constructing all the puppets used in
the film, Ingo also created puppets who
never occupy the frame, known as The
Unseen, as a means to express the true
nature of social exclusion.
In the course of B watching the film,
Ingo dies. B ignores Ingo’s request that
Book Review
His Rising by Suzanne Byrne
I
n Eoin Meegan
n this time travel novel, events
around Easter 1916 in Dublin are
seamlessly integrated with 21st
century settings. We meet Kate, an
online blogger from Chicago who is
about to make her first trip to Ireland
to discover her roots, namely where
her grandmother came from.
However, events of dark doings and
violence are presaged even before
the journey begins, in the form of a
strange dream Kate has. In the dream
she is being chased down a laneway by
some very angry looking men bearing
firearms. Then, at the eleventh hour (a
common trope in dreams and novels
alike) she is rescued by a tall, hand-
some stranger.
However, the nightmare seems to
follow her to Dublin when she makes
her actual trip, in the form of people
and events that belong more to the
dream than reality.
First she meets someone who intro-
duces himself as Ciaran and bears an
uncanny resemblance to the man who
came to her rescue in the dream. Fol-
lowing this is a mysterious woman in
BOOK REVIEW
the film be destroyed once B has viewed
it. Instead, B attempts to take this mar-
vellous discovery with him back to New
York. However, en route, in B’s car, the
nitrate film catches fire, thus destroying
Ingo’s unsung masterpiece and B’s shot
at relevance in the film critic community.
All that remains of the film is a single
frame. B believes from this single frame
he may be able to create a novelised rec-
reation of Ingo’s lost masterpiece, using
his “eidetic” memory. However, B finds
it more difficult to remember the film
than he expects. He undergoes a labyrin-
thine journey through his mind, under the
watchful eye of hypnotist Brassini in an
a bookshop who shows Kate a book on
witchcraft (there is an interesting twist
involving this lady at the end). Kate
discovers she has something called
‘the Gift’, although she has no idea as
to what that means or where exactly it
could take her.
The reader, like Kate, is gradually
shown more and more about this mys-
terious Gift, and learns of its potential
powers. Finally, things take a dramatic
twist when after a car accident Kate
finds herself transformed back to 1916
where she is right in the centre of the
preparations for insurrection. This
time it isn’t a dream.
No book would be complete without
romance, and an amorous affair awaits
Kate back in the past when she meets
and falls in love with Michael Byrne.
Incidentally, Michael turns out to be
the man from her dream, with Ciaran
being some kind of avatar. A bit con-
fusing? Yes, but it will all make sense
when you read the book.
Byrne, whose ‘rising’ of the title it
is, is a die-hard rebel and is in the pro-
cess of trying to arrange a shipment of
arms for the Rebels leading up to East-
www.newsfour.ie
attempt to relocate his memories of the
film.
Along the way, he becomes a shoe
salesman, a clown and has dreams in
which he is visited by a beautiful robot
from the future, who needs him to enter
the mind of Donald Trump, or Trunk, as
he’s known in the future. Through all
this B exercises his innate ability to fall
into manholes and is concerned about his
continued shrinking. He wonders if there
is some higher power over him? And one
that takes great humour in his suffering?
This is a novel that is endlessly rich in
imagination and wit. The central theme
(if there is one), appears to be around the
role of humour and comedy in society.
In doing so, Kaufman has crafted some-
thing that is perhaps most notable for just
how funny it is. Segments are genuinely
laugh out loud hilarious, Kaufman’s hu-
mour the driest of dry wit and his imagi-
nation endless.
There are clear parallels with some of
Kaufman’s film work. B occupies the
mind of others in a way similar to the
characters in Being John Malkovich. The
theme of memory runs deep throughout
the novel and the way it is wrought is
similar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spot-
less Mind.
The haunting engagement with mortal-
ity seen in Synecdoche, New York also
lingers throughout the novel. The obses-
sion with puppets calls to mind Being
John Malkovich and, more pertinently,
Kaufman’s terrific 2016 stop-motion
er week when the lovely Kate walks
into his life, turning it upside down.
He is also on a secret mission for
Countess Markievicz. All the time
Kate is wondering how (or even if) she
will get back to her own time, and Mi-
chael too is puzzled as to who his mys-
terious young woman is with whom he
is so enamoured.
The writing moves at a fast pace,
with each alternate chapter advancing
August / September 2020
black comedy Anomalisa. And resem-
bling Adaptation, this is a novel about
creating, about writing and the nature of
fiction. Like that film, it is also deeply
self-reflexive. B frequently chimes in
with assertions on films. B is a big fan of
Jean-Luc Godard and Judd Apatow, but
reserves his most bitter disdain for the
films of one Charlie Kaufman.
This is a wonderful, one-of-a-kind
book. Conspicuously unfilmable, this
hugely ambitious work, while certainly
not for everyone, has real depth to it. It is
wonderfully wry in its observations and
outrageously creative in its scenarios.
Highly recommended, and a must-read
for Kaufman fans.
Book cover image courtesy of Harper
Collins Publishing. Photo of Charlie
Kaufman courtesy WikiCommons.
Kate and Michael’s story. This tech-
nique allows the reader to experience
the perspective of both protagonists’.
Time travel is a genre that leaves scope
for plenty of imaginative interplay,
and the idea of placing the protagonist
in actual real historical situations from
the past has been popularised by writ-
ers like John Heldt (‘The Fire’).
Local Ringsend native Suzanne
uses this technique skillfully here.
She has now penned several novels
in this vein, such as ‘Hidden in Time’
(Elizabethan mystery), ‘My Highland
Laird’, ‘Legend of the Sword’, and
‘The Return of the Scottish Princess’
(Scottish romances). I’d like to have
seen things pulled together more at
the end, but it’s a very good read all
the same, with plenty of unexpected
twists and surprises.
So, if you like history, with a little
bit of spookiness along the way, plen-
ty of romance, including some adult
content, then this book is certainly for
you. And should you be planning on
a staycation this year instead of head-
ing off to Ibiza His Rising could be the
perfect book to have beside you by the
pool.
His Rising is published by Petrova
and is available on Amazon, priced
£9.99 paperback, or £5.99 download.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
A new voice
in Irish literature
I
n Eoin Meegan
zzy Hodder’s first novel
Someone Like You deals
with the perennial tale of
teen pregnancy. We meet Amy,
a 17-year-old girl in her final
year at school, whose world is
turned upside down when she
unexpectedly discovers she is
pregnant.
Amy has very supportive par-
ents, a loving boyfriend, Luke,
a small coterie of close friends,
and a precocious brother who is
into photography. Her first anxi-
ety is at having to break the news
to her parents. (I couldn’t do that
to them, was my first thought,
yet I had to was my second –
page 12) followed by the inevi-
table choices which lie ahead,
an abortion or see the pregnancy
through to term; heartbreaking
decisions that countless young
women have to face daily, hence
the title. To find out what Amy
does you will have to read the
book, which I wholeheartedly
recommend.
Background:
Izzy studied English and phi-
losophy at university but found
the subjects didn’t grab her. So
after taking a year out she re-
turned to Trinity College Dub-
lin to pursue a subject that she
holds dear, psychiatric nursing.
She is currently working in St
Pat’s where she finds the going
tough but rewarding.
Initially several publishing
companies expressed interest in
publishing Someone Like You,
including an Irish publisher who
wanted the setting changed from
London to Ireland, but Izzy held
out for the deal that she wanted.
Her tenacity paid off when
she landed the perfect deal with
Austin Macauley. The book
was launched back in February
in Hodges Figgis bookstore in
Dawson Street, by Senator Lynn
Ruane with an attendance of
over 100 people, when we lived
in very different times.
The launch was a great suc-
cess and the book immediately
became a Hodges Figgis best-
seller. Additionally, it sold very
well across Europe and in Aus-
tralia.
At only 21, Izzy Hodder
is probably one of Ireland’s
youngest published writers and
BOOK REVIEW Page 19
a name to look out for. Before
the lockdown NewsFour met
Izzy to discuss, among other
things, this her first novel. The
obvious question needed to be
got out of the way first.
Is Someone Like You semi au-
tobiographical?
Izzy clearly, and with a smile
that lights up the room, answers
in the negative.
“Absolutely not. I was doing
the Leaving Cert at the time,
and like most teenagers started
messing around online when
I should have been studying
(laughs). Then I happened upon
a blog that dealt with 16-17 year
old girls who were pregnant.
I didn’t realise how big it was,
and that’s when the idea got
somehow implanted in my head
for the book. I wrote consecu-
tively for a few months, there
were no plateaus, the ending and
the beginning were there from
day one. It was like it came to
me fully formed, like the book
wrote itself.”
Was there a specific reason
that Someone Like You was
set in London and not, say
Dublin?
“Yes, when I wrote Someone
Like You abortion was still ille- doney beach [Izzy is a lover of planned for the future? Far East, and of course Australia
gal in Ireland, so that wouldn’t riding the big waves], when I “I’m working on a completely where her father comes from.
have been an option. Also the got the incredible offer from the different book now, which in a She was hoping to go there in
support groups for teen preg- Irish surfing magazine Tonnta way is more challenging. It is March to visit family but unfor-
nancies we encounter in the [Irish for waves] to interview about a sexual assault at a party, tunately Covid-19 put paid to
book didn’t exist here. So it just Bethany Hamilton, it was an op- and it is set in Ireland. I think that.
wouldn’t work.” portunity I jumped at.” I’m a cause-driven writer.”
The book explores the idea of [Bethany, for anyone who When confronted with dra- Summary
choice. I’m thinking of Crys- doesn’t know, is an Hawaiian matic change sometimes the While the story of an unwant-
tal, another girl in the novel girl who had her arm bitten off loyalty of close friends is test- ed pregnancy isn’t new, Some-
who came from a different by a shark when she was a teen- ed. I liked the way this theme one Like You brings a freshness
socio-economic background ager. Later she went on to be an was explored in Someone Like to it that is invigorating, with
to Amy, and didn’t enjoy the accomplished surfer, and is an You. I have to say the reaction characters that are finely drawn,
same family support. inspiration to thousands.] caught me a little off guard. intelligent and believable. The
“Yes. We have a real thing So, what writers inspired you “I think for some people when choices we make in life all help
about how we think a young growing up? faced with big life-changing to define us, as they impact not
pregnant girl would look. In “My teen hero was Dawn events it can sometimes bring only on ourselves but on those
another world Amy could have O’Porter whose book ‘Paper out their flaws. But that’s ok, be- we love.
been Crystal. Sometimes peo- Airplane’ is based on her dia- cause no one is perfect, but we In the final throw it’s not per-
ple feel obliged to do certain ries. I was always writing dia- still love them anyway.” fection that matters, but family
things, and it may not be the ries and stuff as a teen and al- and love and togetherness. An
right thing to do, but they feel ways felt, somehow, someday I At leisure intelligent work from a woman
it’s what other people want would have material in there for After a hard day’s work or you will definitely hear more of.
them to do. I think the book a novel.” study Izzy’s preferred way to Someone Like You is pub-
shows that any girl or woman [Other streams of inspiration unwind is dance. She is a trained lished by Austin Macauley
can make the choice that is for Izzy include Jeffery Eugen- pole dancer, and has an aerial and is available in all good
right for them.” ides’s, Middlesex, Tayari Jones, sports studio called Tribe where bookstores, price €8.95.
Is your first published work? American Marriage, and Chanel she works out six days a week.
“No. I had an article published Miller (Emily Doe) Know My Another hobby of hers is to trav- Above: Izzy signing copies of
when I was only 13. I was surf- Name.] el, which has taken her all over her book, photo courtesy of
ing in Clonakilty, on Inchy- So what has Izzy Hodder Europe, as well as to Dubai, the the author.
 Page 20
Churches under lockdown
S
ometimes the silence can seem threatening, like
when lockdown first hit; the absence of traffic,
revving engines, and even children playing
gave rise to a certain eeriness that was hard to define.
However, silence can also mean peace, that inner
feeling of serenity we get when we turn inside and
PHOTO DIARY
listen to our inner voice. Churches, like nature, often
encapsulate that sense of the sacred in silence. Dur-
ing lockdown Eoin Meegan photographed churches
around D4, locked and turning people away, so unnat-
ural for them. Among those pictured are the Church
of the Sacred Heart, Donnybrook; Our Queen of
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Peace Church on Merrion Road; St Bartholomew’s,
Ballsbridge; St Mary’s Anglican Church, Simmons-
court, also Ballsbridge; St Mary’s Haddington Road;
St Stephen’s on the canal (the famous “pepper canis-
ter”; and the beautiful old St John’s Church in Sand-
ymount, basking in the April sunshine.
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 PHOTO DIARY Page 21

Dance, DAnce, Dance!

A big thank you to Ashley Wood Larkin, Sarah Dennis
and Dylan Gregg (in black tops in the back row) who
organised a fantastic dance routine together with their
core performers: Madison Tucker, Regan Tucker, Olivia
McGough, Demi Doolin and Holly Larkin as DJ, and
filling in whenever needed.
“Dylan (Gregg) and I put the mix together with vari-
ous snippets of different artists. I created the routine in
one hour, and our core little group practiced for three
days.” Ashley told NewsFour. “The girls jumped to it
and enjoyed every minute.” Safe to say: in 90 minutes
flat everyone was put quickly through their paces for the
2 and a half minute routine. Ashley and her team made
it work. The full performance was filmed at each loca-
tion by Pat Larkin, just to keep it in the family.
From Sunday 25th of May from Cannon Mooney
Gardens to Friday 29th final at Pearse House the Col-
lide Academy journeyed via George Reynolds House,
O’Rahilly/Whelan and over the bridge into Markievicz.
Leo Fitzgerald in Dublin 4 and 2, and nothing is going
to stop them now and in the future.
 Page 22 POETRY PAGE www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020

A Child’s View of Life with the Coronavirus

T Humankind
Although I’m only 10 years old, I hate to let it out.
Some adults of mine, just rant rage, and tell us children not to shout.
h You do not need to get approval, you are seen by those who wish to see,
Stand proud, you are a genius if you wish

e
Sometimes we get frustrated and run and jump about. I’m Genesis begin new everyday
But when we do some adults leave us out. With illness. God says: “you choose,”

They tell us we are silly too, this gives us such a shock. I choose faith and health for me.
Because God knows we’re not silly, we know we’re really not.

P
I CHOOSE:-
So how do we get round it kids, do any of you know? faith, health, hope, joy, love, prosperity, a long life and a peaceful death for
Because we need the help of kids, because some adults just can’t grow, you.
Kids do everyday. (MENTALLY)

o God says you choose for you.

e
They tell us all the time that we have brains,
to bring us where we want to go! Do not feel the cuts into your little heart and soul and mind
They tell us to use our brains, other people might need to knock you from that simple smile that God gives
We do, we read, read, read but it just doesn’t show.

t you every day.

In your home and my home parents people numb to this need,

r
So how do we get around it kids, do any of you know? indeed
Because we need the help of kids, because some adults just don’t know. From them a swelled head you never got
maybe a slap maybe not!
They say if we have a problem “come and talk to thee God”
But when we do, they say “children it’s time for tea, right now!

“So how do I get round it kids do any of you know”?

Because I need the help of kids because some adults are making a show!
y They did their best, but you must do the rest,
it comes from within, that little heart and soul and mind.
When you see that you’ll see the light, the light of Christ.
Look to the clouds, when it gets too much,

Just take a look at them and see, it’s really such a shock.
P He tumbles rain on each of us.
To wake us up.

l
They say they will sort out everything but with the recession, But sometimes pitter patter in rain drops.
world debt, poverty and the coronavirus Or snow flakes.
and the News we know they will not. But when your pain gets too much,

So how do we get around it kids, do any of you know,

a Let it go pitter patter in tear drops.

c
because we need the help of kids, because some adults can’t grow, Do not let it swell inside that little heart and soul and mind.
don’t know, make a show and go, go, go. He loves you so much without one single touch
And I’m just like Granny and Grandad and underneath all your pain he knows you know that already.
Taking life slow.

By Siobhan Walsh e
ACROSS:
By Siobhan Walsh

The NewsFour Crossword 1) Recently deceased honorary Irish

sporting legend (4, 8)
Compiled by Gemma Byrne 9) Bumps in the road, obstacles (13) Solutions for
10) Noah’s ride (3) THE JUNE / jULY 2020
11) Ruminate (painfully) (7) Crossword
12) All bar this holy woman (3)
13) Accumulate (5) Across:
15) Misprint (4) 1) Incessant; 5) Trial; 8) Docu-
16) Unlikely, hard to believe (11) mentary; 10) Vin; 11) Complica-
19) Irish seafood development agency (1.1.1) tions; 13) Therapist; 14) Debug;
20) Someone that lives nearby (9) 15) Beef; 16) Dialect; 18) Nub;
23) Becomes bitter (5) 20) Hoe; 21) USA; 22) Absurd,
25) Uncomfortable in enclosed spaces (14) 25) Ideal; 26) Gabardine; 28)
Kale; 29) Cryogenics.
DOWN:
1) Placement together for contract and Down:
comparison (13) 1) Indication; 2) Cucumber; 3) Si-
2) Residence for hens (7, 4) multaneously; 4) Nut; 5) Thyroid;
3) Deep fried burrito (11) 6) Invisible; 7) Long sightedness;
4) Combines, unites (11) 9) Attitude; 12) Cliffhanger; 17)
5) Rich and luxurious (8) Amber; 19) Brie; 23) Uni; 24)
6) Leaving out (8) Mink; 27) Din.
7) The hills are alive with this show (3, 5, 2, 5)
8) Stiffly, like a bad actor (8) Prize of €25 book token.
14) This little mammal is a double agent (4) Post entries to NewsFour, 13A
17) Fall behind (3) Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend,
Name:…………………………… Telephone:………………… 18) Computer port (1.1.1) Dublin 4 by 25th September
19) Promotional description (5) 2020.
21) Ailing (3)
Address:………………………………………………………… 22) Choose (3)
24) Heart warming 2009 Pixar movie (2)
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Election of SEAC Chairperson
At the start of the meeting on
July 13th of the South East Area
Committee (SEAC), Cllr. Der-
mot Lacey (LAB) was re-elected
to the chair. Anne Feeney (FG)
was elected vice-chairperson.
Demolition of block of apart-
ments at St Andrew’s Court
The committee heard a presen-
tation from Ms. Elaine Johnson,
DCC Executive Engineer with
the City Architects Department,
notifying of the intention to
demolish Block 1 at the St An-
drew’s Court site.
The block is a 1970s sen-
ior citizen flat development of
14 units. The existing building
does not meet current Building
Regulation and Housing Stand-
ards. As well as the removal of
the buildings, the work will in-
clude demolition of two associ-
ated pram sheds and works at the
adjacent car park, paths, trees,
plants, lighting poles etc., and
the asphalt resurfacing and fenc-
ing of the area.
There are no specific current
construction proposals for the
site beyond the aim to redevelop
it in line with current standards,
which will also provide greater
housing density. A design team
to work on the redevelopment is
in the process of being appoint-
ed.
In response, Cllr. Mannix
Flynn (Ind) welcomed the demo-
lition of these “decrepit” build-
ings, saying that there were many
more like them which ought to
be meeting the same end. How-
ever, he expressed concerns that
the proposed fenced asphalt area
could be the focus of antisocial
activities, including dumping.
He suggested the area could
instead be used as a playground,
football pitch or community gar-
den with raised beds while await-
ing further redevelopment. Cllr.
Tara Deacy (SD) wondered if the
SEAC had the capacity to decide
now that the site ought to be used
as community gardens rather
than left empty.
Cllr. Lacey, however, suggest-
ed that in the context of discus-
sions between the council and a
hotel group about proposals to do
a land swap that could potentially
yield greater density of housing
units in the area, it was likely that
the site would not remain empty
for long. Asking where residents
from St Andrews would be re-
located, Cllr. Calire Byrne (GP)
named The O’Callaghan Hotel
Group in connection with a pro-
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL
DCC Notes
Compiled by Dermot Carmody
posed land swap deal. of councillors where changes to
Concerns were raised by Cllr. traffics and access for residents
Kevin Donoghue (Lab) about was being caused by COVID 19
the cost of the demolition, the mobility measures. She called for
rehousing of existing tenants and a proper CRM keeping council-
the overall impact on housing lors informed in advance of such
units available in the South East changes rather than individual
area. councillors having to spend a lot
Cllr. Pat Dunne said he was of time trying to find out what is
“uncomfortable” being asked to happening. She characterised the
agree to the demolition without current state of communications
knowing what redevelopment with councillors “not acceptable
plans would be and stressed the and unprofessional.”
importance of using the site for Cllr. Deirdre Conroy (FF)
public housing. Cllr. Lacey sug- said it was really frustrating that
gested these points be put to the changes were made to traffic
Manager and his answers in- without councillors being noti-
cluded in a report which could fied in advance. She pointed out
be presented to the full council that this resulted in angry emails
meeting when it considers the from constituents to whom
matter in its September meeting. promises had been made that
Ms Johnson agreed that it was councillors would inform them
anticipated that there would be of proposed changes to traffic.
a relatively short time between This could be remedied if coun-
demolition and redevelopment cillors in a particular area affect-
and said that therefore there was ed by traffic changes were auto-
a reluctance to create a green matically informed when such
area in the short term, which decisions were taken.
would then be taken away. Agreeing with her colleagues,
In answer to questions put by Cllr. Mary Freehill (Lab) said
Cllr. Claire Byrne, she said ten- that DCC management and staff
ants had been rehoused through have a “responsibility to commu-
the area office, as would the two nicate with elected representa-
remaining tenants in Block 1 and tives.” She accused management
did not have further information of “sliding away” and deliber-
on the details of that. She could ately diminishing the influence
give no exact figure for the pro- of elected representatives and
posed housing density of any re- called on leaders of all political
development, although she said groups in council to hold man-
the intention would be to provide agement to account in this re-
greater density. spect.
Councillors frustrated by lack Proposed Heated Outdoor
of notice about COVID19 mo- Swimming Pool in Dublin
bility measures City Centre
Cllr. Anne Feeney (FG) high- Dublin Dockland Admin-
lighted the difficulties being istrative officer, Derek Kelly
caused by lack of notification gave a presentation to the
committee about a prelimi-
nary feasibility review of the
potential to develop a heated
outdoor swimming pool public
amenity in Dublin City Centre.
The report references similar
facilities of this sort in other
cities such as Helsinki, Berlin
and Paris. The location options
looked at for the development
of such an amenity in Dublin
include Grand Canal Dock,
Spencer Dock, a site adjacent
to Sean O’Casey Bridge and
one adjacent to the 3Arena.
The review concluded that
the site adjacent to Sean
O’Casey Bridge would be
most suitable, primarily be-
cause of its proximity to the
city centre. The funding of
€15 million to build the pool
and amenities would not come
from the council. Interested
commercial investors would
be found.
Cllr. Tara Deacy (SD) sug-
gested that ownership of the
facility should revert to the
city after a 30-year lease and
said any such development
should be accessible to the
community and sustainable.
Cllr. Flynn (Ind) and Cllr.
James Geoghan (FG) were
among those voicing suspicion
that the idea for such a project
originated not from the coun-
cil but from an outside inter-
est. Cllr. Goeghan said the
city management should un-
derstand that such large-scale
proposals were seen as a “two
fingers” to communities like
that in Crumlin and elsewhere,
where existing facilities were
under-funded and not able to
open all the time. He felt that
Page 23
in the case of the White Wa-
ter Rafting proposal the sug-
gestion that the Dublin Fire
Brigade would benefit from a
training standpoint has turned
out to be a “ruse” to curry fa-
vour for the project with the
council.
It later transpired that the Fire
Brigade spent only €25,000
per annum on such training in
alternative locations, a small
fraction of the multi million
euro development of the pro-
posed White Water centre.
Cllr. Paddy McCartan (FG)
said the proposal should be
looked at in the context of the
current situation and COVID
19. He said leisure facilities
were closing in Dublin because
they could no longer get insur-
ance and queried what would
happen if an investor in a pool
found themselves in that situa-
tion and the council was “left
holding the baby”. He said the
project should be shelved.
Committee Rejects Moore-
head Report
Cllr. Deirdre Conway (FF)
proposed the motion reject-
ing the Moorehead Report on
remuneration for councillors,
claiming that rather than in-
creasing pay it would result in
a net loss of income for coun-
cillors. She said the suggestion
in the report that councilors
work two and half days a week
did not reflect the reality that
elected representatives work
seven days a week.
Supporting the motion, Cllr.
Claire Byrne (GP) said the re-
port did not deal with the re-
ality of modern councillors’
work, taking no account of
time spent dealing with email
and social media platforms.
She said she did “not know
what century [the report’s au-
thor] thinks we’re in.” The
report was widely disparaged
by councillors, including Cllr.
Flynn (Ind) who said the re-
port “seems to be on another
planet, of another universe
that bears no relation whatso-
ever to our reality.” Cllr. Lacey
(Lab) described the report as
“the most offensive and ill-in-
formed document” he had ever
read.
Above: Proposed outdoor
swimming pool amenity illus-
tration.
Source: Dublin Docklands/
Dublin City Council Prelimi-
nary Feasibility Report.
 Page 24
R
ethink Ireland has fund-
ing of €5.5 million
available to support so-
cial innovation projects from
across Ireland who are acting in
response to the COVID-19 pan-
demic.
The Innovate Together fund
was established by Rethink Ire-
land with support from govern-
ment and private organisations
to support emerging innova-
tions that address the current
and long-term social, economic
and environmental challenges
arising out of the COVID-19
crisis.
Z Zurich Foundation is the
latest private donator to the
fund, pledging €500,000 to
support the fund and its mission
of helping social innovators
to continue the essential work
they’re currently carrying out
for individuals and communi-
ties across Ireland.
The Z Zurich Foundation is a
private foundation, funded by
the Zurich Insurance Group,
and the main initiative by which
the Group delivers on its global
community investment strategy.
Through targeting funding sup-
port models, the Foundation
empowers vulnerable people
within various communities to
better protect themselves from
risk, and to adapt and thrive in a
rapidly changing world.
The fund is also supported by
a commitment of €5 million
from the Department of Rural
and Community Development
through the support of the Dor-
mant Accounts Fund, along
with additional funding contri-
butions from Medtronic, Twitter
and Oakfield Trust.
Rethink Ireland are now ac-
cepting applications from social
innovation not-for-profit organ-
€2 million prize fund for research into food waste and plastics
From Science Foundation
M
Ireland
inister for Further
and Higher Educa-
tion, Innovation
and Science, Simon Harris,
TD, has announced two new
competitions, with a prize
fund of €2 million each, as
part of the SFI Future Inno-
vator Prize.
The SFI Food Challenge
will support the development
of novel, potentially disrup-
tive, sustainable solutions to
reduce food loss and waste
Innovate Together fund
isations and are urging organi-
sations to get their application
in without delay.
Over 480 applications were
received when Round 1 funding
was disbursed in May, point-
ing to the real need for sup-
port among organisations at
the frontline of Ireland’s social
response to Covid-19. Rethink
Ireland has pledged to raise
additional significant philan-
thropic funds and is calling on
companies, foundations, fami-
lies and individuals to donate to
the initiative.
Minister Heather Humphreys,
Minister for Social Protection,
Community and Rural Devel-
opment and the Islands stated:
“It’s my pleasure to officially
launch the second round of the
Innovate Together Fund in part-
nership with Rethink Ireland
and the Z Zurich Foundation,
across the full breadth of the
food supply chain from “farm
to fork”.
The SFI Plastics Challenge
will support the development
of innovative STEM-led so-
lutions that will enable the
sustainable use of plastics in
a circular economy, restore
and preserve our oceans’
health, and maximise how
we use the Earth’s finite re-
sources.
Announcing the new Chal-
lenges Minister Harris said:
“We have seen how innova-
FUNDING / COVID
which will continue to help or-
ganisations across the country
who contribute so much to our
society. My department has pro-
vided €5 million via the Dor-
mant Accounts Fund so that as
many organisations as possible
can get the help they need to
help to continue to support those
affected most by the COVID-19
pandemic.”
Further commenting, An-
thony Brennan, CEO of Zurich
Ireland, the latest donors to the
fund, said: “This is a hugely
proud day for Zurich in Ireland.
We have a unique and power-
ful opportunity thanks to the Z
Zurich Foundation to deliver
on our global community in-
vestment strategy and empower
vulnerable Irish communities to
better protect themselves from
risk, and to adapt and thrive in
a rapidly changing world, par-
tive, disruptive thinking has
delivered solutions in the
fight against Covid-19, so
I am delighted today to an-
nounce two new Challenges
as part of the SFI Future In-
novator Prize, which seeks to
bring the same new and fresh
way of thinking to some of the
broader issues Ireland is fac-
ing. SFI is seeking research
teams to develop innovative
solutions in the areas of re-
ducing food loss and waste,
and enabling the sustainable
use of plastics in a circular
www.newsfour.ie
ticularly to deal with changes
caused or accelerated by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Through
our engagement with Rethink
Ireland we are confident this
fund will help to create a fairer,
more open and sustainable so-
ciety across Ireland. Together,
by embracing innovation, we
can find new ways to meet to-
day’s challenges head-on with
solutions that better serve and
protect people across our com-
munities.”
Terence O’Rourke, the chair
of Rethink Ireland says: “There
is a huge need for support
amongst Ireland’s social inno-
vation sector. We have been re-
ally impressed with the quality
and innovation of the proposals
we got from every county in Ire-
land when we disbursed funding
in May. While we’ll be able to
support up to 50 of these 480
economy. Both of these is-
sues have the potential to
have a significant impact on
our shared future and I would
call on Ireland’s bright-
est talent to get involved in
building a more sustainable
Ireland with research and in-
novation at its core.”
Commenting on the fund-
ing calls, Professor Mark
Ferguson, Director General,
SFI and Chief Scientific Ad-
viser to the Government of
Ireland, said: “Challenge-
based funding is of high stra-
August / September 2020
organisations thanks to this fund
and its donors, we urgently need
more philanthropic donations.
“This fund’s goal is to not
only support these projects
through the immediate issues
and difficulties they face, but
to also ensure their needs are
addressed in a sustainable and
long-term manner. The size of
the Round 2 fund will depend
on the donations that we can se-
cure between now and the end
of August.
“I know that many companies
have been busy managing their
own issues during COVID-19,
but as the country begins to
open up again, I am asking
companies and individuals who
are able to do so to consider do-
nating to the Innovate Together
Fund – your donation will be
matched by Government.”
The Innovate Together Fund
is seeking applications from
projects countrywide achieving
impact in the below categories:
Sustainable Ireland: seeks
innovative solutions to make
Ireland a more sustainable place
including projects which work
in areas of food provision, cir-
cular economy, climate action
and biodiversity.
Economic Recovery: seeks
innovative solutions that will
aid the economic recovery
through reskilling the work-
force, youth employability and
identifying new and innovative
ways of working
Community Outreach: seeks
innovative solutions to address
the challenges COVID-19 has
created on the most marginal-
ised and vulnerable of society.
The Innovate Together
Fund is open for applications
now and you can learn more
at https://rethinkireland.ie
tegic importance to Ireland,
enabling publicly-funded
research to be applied to ad-
dress significant national and
global societal challenges.
We have seen a fantastic cali-
bre of innovative thinking
and truly novel approaches
as part of the submissions
for previous SFI Future In-
novator Prize competitions,
and I look forward to seeing
the different solutions that
present in the areas of food
waste and enabling the sus-
tainable use of plastics in a
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 EARLY LEARNING Page 25

Support Announced for Early
Learning and Care (ELC) and
School-Age Childcare (SAC)
Sector in the Form of Jobs Stim-
ulus Package
In a press release on Saturday
25th July last the Minister for
Children, Disability, Equality and
Integration, Roderic O’Gorman
T.D. announced a package of
measures to support the Early
Learning and Care and School-
Age Childcare sector as remain-
ing services reopen in late August
/ early September.
Access to the Revenue Em-
ployment Wage Subsidy Scheme
(EWSS) within the July Stimulus
will bring total funding provided
by Government to the sector be-
tween 24 August and 31 Decem-
ber to just under €300m. A special
exemption for early learning and
childcare services to the turnover
rule within EWSS will be includ-
ed to recognise the need to retain
capacity in the sector and support
parents to access childcare places
and get back to work.
Guidance around the applica-
tion process and operation of the
EWSS will be available on the
Revenue website in due course af-
ter the legislation has been passed.
The Minister said that this pack-
age of measures would support
services to operate in a sustain-
able manner. He said the funding
was needed to cover the costs of
operating with lower occupancy
due to reduced parental demand, a
feature he hopes will change over
time, and to cover extra, public
health related costs.
Minister O’Gorman recognised
the importance of the early learn-
ing and childcare sector for chil-
dren’s positive development and
in terms of supporting the econo-
my to return to normal.
The funding package will en-
able providers to continue to oper-
ate with lower capacity and extra
operating costs. The continued
financial support will benefit par-
ents as well as providers as pro-
viders will not need to pass on
increased costs to parents through
increased fees.
Minister O’Gorman said “Par-
ents need childcare to help them
get back to work. Children need
access to early learning and care
to support their development and
wellbeing. I am delighted that
over 85% of childcare services
that are normally open over the
summer are back open and that
more will open next week. This
comprehensive package of meas-
ures will help services already
open to stay open, and it will help
all those other childcare and early
education services that are due to
open at the end of August / early
September to do so. This €300m
package to the end of the year
also prevents parents from having
to pay higher fees to cover extra
COVID related costs.”
Minister O’Gorman also
thanked the eight representative
groups from the sector that had
assisted him in putting together a
firm evidence base to identify the
sector’s needs. He praised child-
care providers for the efforts they
had gone to to get their services
reopened and their focus on the
safety and wellbeing of children,
families and staff.
The details of the package are
attached.
Appendix
Funding Package for ELC and
SAC
August 24 to Dec 31
Part 1: DCYA and Revenue Fund-
ing Measures
The funding package for the Ear-
ly Learning and Care (ELC) and
School Age Childcare (SAC) sec-
tor from 24 August to end 2020
includes:
• Continuation of all DCYA ELC
and SAC subsidy schemes (NCS,
CCSP, TEC) and resumption of
the ECCE Programme at existing
capitation and subsidy rates, in-
cluding ECCE Higher Capitation
**;
• Access to the Revenue-operated
EWSS. This will cover an average
of 38% of the costs of individual
services.
• A sustainability fund will be
accessible to providers (not-for-
profit and for-profit) who can
demonstrate that the other meas-
ures are not sufficient by them-
selves to enable viable operation
of their business.
The cost of the funding package
to 31 Dec is estimated at €87.4m
EWSS and €211m for DCYA
schemes and sustainability. This
totals €298.4m.
Part 2: Temporary changes to ad-
ministrative procedures
In addition to this funding pack-
age, the DCYA has introduced, on
a temporary basis, added flexibil-
ity on attendance rules due to the
likelihood in greater variability
in patterns of usage (see below).
This will assist providers to max-
imise income and reduce costs.
• That NCS will allow for two
hours variation in attendance
against registration per week
without triggering a report. This
is not two extra hours per week
in terms of registrations, it is a
fluctuation against normal attend-
ance patterns which is exceptional
to the current environment. This
means that as soon as we deem the
emergency measure to no longer
be required, providers will revert
to actual attendance levels.
• For non NCS: A 30-minute vari-
ance tolerance per day per child.
e.g. If the child is being picked up
at four hours 45 minutes attend-
ance, this will enable the crèche
to retain the full-time rate. The
purpose of this is to facilitate stag-
gered drop-ins/pick-ups necessary
to avoid clustering of parents/
children at those times. This is
expected to apply to non-ECCE
services only.
Both these measures are excep-
tional and will last until the end of
2020. The situation would be re-
viewed at that time Record keep-
ing, attendance tracking reporting
arrangements and compliance fa-
cilitation remains in place for the
duration.
Part 3: Other Supports Available
Across Government
The July Stimulus includes other
supports that ELC and SAC ser-
vices may be eligible for, depend-
ing on the specific circumstances
and eligibility criteria, including:
• The Credit Guarantee Scheme
• The six-month waiver of com-
mercial rates
• The Restart Grant for Enterprises
• The early carry-back of trading
losses for previously profitable
companies
• The new income tax relief for
self-employed individuals who
were profitable in 2019 but, as a
result of the COVID 19 pandemic,
incur losses in 2020
• Legislation for the previously
announced warehousing of tax li-
abilities
• Liquidity and enterprise invest-
ment measures provided via Mi-
croFinance Ireland and LEOs
Part 4: Previously announced sup-
ports
The above is in addition to the
€14.2m Capital Grants and the
€18m Reopening Support Grants
that have been made available to
services and which the deadline of
28 August for application applies.
Miscellaneous
Contracts will shortly issue to
providers now that the Govern-
ment has made its decision to give
the ELC and SAC sector access to
the EWSS.
DCYA asks that services not
increase parental fees given that,
on average, 38% of their costs are
now being met through the EWSS,
the fact that all the schemes are
available again alongside parental
fees, the projected levels of de-
mand for ECCE and full /part-day
services, and given other supports
made available to the sector.
Some employers reported not
being able to restore staff salaries
in recent weeks; this package of
measures should ensure that they
can now do so.
**It appears that the EWSS
will cover most or all of the cost
of AIM Level 7 staff, thus replac-
ing most DCYA AIM L7 funding.
DCYA will issue further guidance
on this asap, but in any event,
Level 7 funding will continue to
be made available by Govern-
ment.
It is important to note that NCS
enhanced hours are increasing to
45 hours per week from a previ-
ous maximum of 40 from 7 Sep-
tember, and standard hours are
increasing to 20 hours. This will
have a much welcomed impact on
school-age / wrap around child-
care services.
Issued by the Press and Com-
munications Office at the De-
partment of Children and Youth
Affairs,
Tel: 01 647 - 3153/3114
Email: media@dcya.gov.ie

circular economy.”
The SFI Future Innovator
Prize seeks to challenge the
country’s best and brightest
unconventional thinkers and
innovators to create novel,
potentially disruptive tech-
nologies in collaboration
with societal stakeholders
and end-users to help us as a
nation address significant so-
cietal issues.
The SFI Future Innovator
Prize has a strong team fo-
cus with each member bring-
ing necessary expertise to
advance the project. Teams
work to tight deadlines, with
the necessary supports and
flexibility, in order to ac-
celerate progression towards
their proposed solutions.
Through a partnership
with the Department of For-
eign Affairs, projects may
be funded that focus on de-
livering impact in countries
where Ireland’s official de-
velopment assistance is di-
rected.
For research teams inter-
ested in the funding call in
the area of food waste, the
challenge is for cutting-
edge solutions to challenges
across areas, that are not lim-
ited, to but could include:
• sustainable and efficient
production of food in marine,
land and non-soil systems
• supply chain innovation to
minimise food loss and waste
• creation of circular bioec-
onomic opportunities from
food waste
• functional foods
For those interested in so-
lutions that will enable the
sustainable use of plastics in
a circular economy, it is ex-
pected that applications will
address challenges in the fol-
lowing areas:
Remove: challenges associ-
ated with removing polluting
plastics from value chains,
waste streams or the environ-
ment;
Replace: challenges asso-
ciated with making plastic
usage sustainable, such as
novel feedstocks or alterna-
tive materials;
Recover: challenges asso-
ciated with recovering value
from end-of-life plastics,
such as depolymerization,
upcycling or recycling
More information on both
funding calls visit www.sfi.
ie/challenges.
 Page 26 PROPERTY www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020

Good news at last for renters

W
n Eoin Meegan
ith soaring rents
in recent years in
the capital, it ap-
pears good news is at last on
the horizon. The Residential
Tenancies Board (RTB) has
published a report ‘Exploring
the Impact of the COVID-19
Pandemic on Rental Prices in
Ireland from January to June
2020: Early Insights from a
Monthly Rent Index’, carried
out by the Econnomic and So-
cial Research Institute (ESRI),
that examines the short-term
impact of the COVID-19 pan-
demic on private rental prices
in Ireland.
The findings show that the
annual growth rate of rent
amounts declined significant-
ly compared to the period pri-
or to the lockdown. While the
annual growth rate in March
was over 3%, by April this
had fallen to 0.4%, and it de-
clined again in May to 0.1%. the ESRI to produce a short the same data structure and ered by the Rent Index series Q2 Rent Index which will be
By June, the annual growth run index covering the period modelling strategy as per the was as up-to-date as possible, published later in the year.”
rate had turned negative with from January to June 2020. quarterly Rent Index, which is given the pandemic, we drew The RTB has also published
prices falling by 3.3% com- This work has allowed us a re- documented in the Rent Index on real-time data from the the quarterly Rent Index for
pared to the same month the al-time view of developments publication series. The index RTB to estimate a monthly the January-March period
previous year. in the private rental sector, so is estimated on real-time data rent index, giving us data for (Q1) of 2020. In Q1 2020, the
In addition, between March we can begin to understand up until 16th June. It is there- the January to June 2020 pe- national standardised average
and April there was a signifi- the pandemic’s impact. It’s fore subject to potential data riod. This allows us to provide rent was €1,231 per month,
cant decline in the number of clear from the analysis since revisions as many landlords an early view into the impact up by 5.4% (€64) from Q1
tenancies registered with the the pandemic began that the may not have registered ten- of the pandemic on rental pric- 2019, and quarter-on-quarter
RTB. While in March there rental market has been im- ancies for the later months in es and tenancy registrations in rents increased nationally by
were over 7,000 registrations, mediately impacted by lock- the sample. Ireland. 0.8% (€10) from Q4 2019.
in April this had fallen to less down, with prices falling by Conor O’Toole, Senior Re- “This report provides a clear Following referral from
than 4,000. The number also 3.3% nationally in June com- search Officer at the Econom- insight at the present juncture. the Housing Agency and the
remained subdued in May. pared to the same period the ic and Social Research Insti- With the economic situation Minister for Housing, Local
Commenting on the report’s previous year. Dublin experi- tute, said: relating to the pandemic rap- Government and Heritage,
findings, Padraig McGoldrick, enced the most immediate re- “The spread of COVID-19 idly evolving, it is difficult to Darragh O’Brien T.D., the
Interim Director of the RTB duction, however, as we went and the resulting lockdown assess the trajectory of prices RTB, using the Q1 2020 Rent
said: further into lockdown, we saw is likely to impact all facets in the short to medium term. Index, has confirmed to Min-
“A core function and strate- price growth outside of Dublin of the Irish economy. This However, it is very likely they ister O’Brien that one Local
gic priority of the RTB is the gradually begin to decline at a includes prices in the rental will closely mirror develop- Electoral Area (LEA) Ban-
provision of accurate, relevant greater level. We understand market, which have been ris- ments in incomes and unem- don-Kinsale LEA, has met
and authoritative research. that the COVID-19 crisis pre- ing rapidly in recent years due ployment of households. A the Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ)
Every quarter, the RTB pub- sents new challenges for both to excess demand and strong more detailed granular assess- designation criteria. As a re-
lishes the most accurate and landlords and tenants across economic growth. ment of trends in pricing will sult, this LEA is designated an
authoritative rent report of its the country. “To ensure the analysis cov- be presented in the upcoming RPZ as of today, Thursday 16
kind on the private rental sec- “We are continuing to en- July 2020.
tor in Ireland.Today, we are courage those who are expe- The RTB Rent Index, which
launching the Q1 2020 Rent riencing issues in their tenan- is compiled in conjunction
Index Report. The latest In- cies during this time to visit with the ESRI, is the authori-
dex Report would under nor- our website [www.rtb.ie] for tative report on the Irish rent-
mal circumstances be signal- information on how to resolve al market. It is based on actual
ling continuing signs of price issues and, if necessary, use rents paid on 20,878 tenancies
moderation with the national the RTB’s telephone media- registered with the RTB in
standardised average rent up tion service, which is a free the quarter, which is made up
by 5.4% from Q1 2019. How- service to help landlords and of housing stock new to the
ever, the Q1 2020 Index can tenants resolve a dispute in a rental sector, new tenancies in
only really provide us with a mutually beneficial manner, existing housing stock and re-
pre-pandemic benchmark. and does not require people to newals of existing tenancies.
“That is why, as part of the leave their home.”
Rent Index series, we asked This estimated index uses Images courtesy of Pixabay.
www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 COMMUNITY
Ringsend & Irishtown
Community Centre (RICC) – Covid 19
C
ovid 19 has brought many challenges for
the RICC. Our newly refurbished Centre
would normally be a busy hub of activity.
But when the Government announced widespread
closures of schools on 12th March due to Covid 19
the manager, Lorraine Barry knew we would have
to change how the Centre would do their business
serving the Community.
A team meeting was immediately held and look-
ing after the elderly, health and wellbeing were the
main topics of conversation. The team was very
creative with ideas on how to serve the Community
and the RICC Stay Safe in your own space cam-
paign began.
We would like to thank Avolon Aircraft Leasing,
Artisan Food Co and the Bridge Café for their sup-
port by supplying the food for the vulnerable and
elderly in the Community. Since 16th March Team
Page 27
RICC have been delivering meals and providing
essential services to the elderly.
We are also delighted to have supported all the
initial events that commenced in March in the
Community by staff with music equipment, tables,
projectors and prizes.
The Facebook Live Stay Day Parade was a huge
success, hosted by Derek Buckley and entertain-
ment was provided by Ringsend Rock School and
all local entertainers. Our audience reached all the
local Community and we had viewers from as far
away as Canada and Australia.
Thank you to all our groups and users who sent
videos which were also shown on the day. We
would like to also take this opportunity to thank the
Ringsend, Irishtown and surrounding Community
for participating in all our on-line events and activi-
ties. Your support is always very much appreciated.
Page 28 CULTURE www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020

Pause for Harmony:

Art in Lockdown
Launch by the Gerard Byrne Studio

T
n David Prendeville
his September, the
Gerard Byrne Studio will
launch the highly antici-
pated ‘Pause for Harmony – Art
in Lockdown’ exhibition.
Gerard Byrne’s second major
solo show of 2020 features an
extraordinary and very unusual
collection of plein air paintings
which form a visual diary of
Dublin City in lockdown.
While the world came to a
standstill during the pandemic,
Byrne used this time to create
his latest series of plein air art-
works, predominantly oil paint-
ings with a number of charcoal
sketches.
As a plein air (outdoor) paint-
er, used to travelling for a sub-
ject to paint, a lockdown was
the last thing Byrne needed.
Confined to staying at home,
Byrne had no choice but to
paint from his rooftop, a place
he would never have thought to
be inspiring.
Unexpectedly, he found sol-
ace and peace in painting the
rooftop scenes in such a quiet
and tranquil time. News trav-
elled fast and it wasn’t long be-
fore Byrne’s new painting spot
was featured in The Irish Times
video, soon becoming locally
known as “the artist from the
roof.”
Encouraged by the positive
feedback he received, Byrne
then ventured further afield,
changing his view to the neigh-
bouring streets of Ranelagh.
Invigorated by the warm and
bright days of spring and early
summer, Byrne painted daily,
exploring his new neighbour-
hood in South Dublin. Eventu-
ally allowed to travel within the
whole county, Byrne’s series ex-
panded to include scenes from
the South Dublin Bay coastline,
from Seapoint to Dalkey.
The collection reflects By-
rne’s discovery of the charming
and picturesque buildings, often
overlooked in the ordinary busy
life.
In a time of such fear and wor-
ry, the colourful depictions are
uplifting, showing the beauty
Byrne has found in the simplest
of things. With many people
watching Byrne paint from a
distance it brought a sense of joy
and community to the streets.
“The collective energy of peo-
ple’s positivity and emotions as
the city’s nature was reborn with
birds chirping minus the sounds
of cars and jet engines, fed into
my work,” Byrne says.
During the course of these
three months Byrne has com-
pleted over 50 oil paintings,
which incorporate his signature
flair for florals and foliage rec-
reating the beauty of Dublin 6’s
Victorian and Georgian archi-
tecture and green urban spaces.
“When I paint outdoors I cap-
ture not only what I see but also
the energy of my surroundings.
I thought this was a very spe-
cial time and I wanted to cap-
ture that collective energy in as
many works as I could,” says
Byrne.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 CULTURE Page 29

To celebrate this year’s Culture Night,
Gerard Byrne will launch the virtual ex-
hibition, ‘Pause for Harmony – Art in
Lockdown’ on Friday, 18th September.
A preview of the physical exhibition
will also take place on the evening with
30-minute tours and live Q&A with the
artist.
The physical exhibition will then run
from Friday, 25th September until Sun-
day, 25th October at The Gerard Byrne
Studio & Gallery, 15 Chelmsford Road,
Dublin 6.
Photos courtesy of the Gerard Byrne
Studio.
 Page 30
I
n David Prendeville
n June it was announced
that the long-established St
Mary’s Nursing Home on
Merrion Road (Telford) was to
close. Currently, the Centre is a
healthcare facility for blind and
visually impaired women.
It is run under the auspices
of the Sisters of Charity and is
made up of a Registered Nurs-
ing Home and Registered Dis-
ability Centre operating on the
Campus using shared services.
The Centre is unique in the ser-
vices it provides for blind and
visually impaired residents.
The closure at the end of the
year will see long-term resi-
dents, some of whom have lived
there for 20 years, with some
past pupils of the blind school
having lived there for 50 to 60
years, lose a much-loved home
surrounded by friends and staff
who are like family.
This will also bring to an end
a long-standing relationship
between St Mary’s and its sur-
rounding communities of Ring-
send, Pearse Street, Irishtown,
Sandymount, Booterstown,
Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire.
St Mary’s has historically
been a significant employer for
these surrounding communities,
while also providing essential
disability and elderly care ser-
vices to these communities and
others further afield.
Since the notice of closure
was publicised, there has been a
public outcry and show of sup-
port to staff, residents and their
relatives, all of whom are still
shocked and reeling from this
news. Out of this outcry, a cam-
paign to Save St Mary’s Nurs-
ing Home Merrion Road was
born and has grown steadily in
numbers.
Joe Brabazon, whose wife
Kay is a resident in St Mary’s,
tells me of his shock at the an-
nouncement: “When I first
heard the bad news about the
closure, I was actually shocked.
I never for one second thought
that it would close. I trusted
the owners, the owners are the
nuns. I trusted management
even though I’d never met them
and I wondered why. That has
never been explained to me
either. I still don’t understand
why nobody from management
came and said: ‘Hello, we un-
derstand your problem, we are
here to help.’ They didn’t even
say hello.”
Joe goes on to tell me about
the toll this has taken on him,
Save St Mary’s Nursing
Home campaign
and the constant worry he has
about where Kay will go: “The
closure itself, like I say, apart
from the first shock, it left me
in a hole so far as where do I go
from here? Where do I find an-
other place for my wife, Kay?”
On top of the distressing
news of the closure itself, Joe
is also not happy with the com-
munication he has received
from management with regard
to the closure: “They told us
nothing. And that was more
frustrating than bad news. It’s
just frustration, one drip feed
at a time. A drip feed of noth-
ing, to be honest, because I’ve
had no satisfaction with them,
I had a meeting arranged yes-
terday. Then, the night before
last, after dinner, around 9pm,
I got a cancellation by email.
LOCAL
So that’s how we’re treated. It’s
very hard to put into words how
upset and how annoyed I am. I
go to sleep thinking about it, I
wake up in the morning think-
ing about it. And there’s nothing
I can do about it. I’m very, very
upset. I’m very worried over it.
I’m just up against a stone wall.
People who can tell me what the
next move will be, haven’t told
me.”
Staff were notified about the
closure on June 3rd by general
manager William Corkery. The
closure is put down to “insur-
mountable funding issues.”
Communication with staff has
been poor since the closure and
a member of staff, who wish-
es to remain anonymous, has
told me: “Senior management
hasn’t met with any of the staff.
www.newsfour.ie
There have been no assurances
with regard to staff being kept
on contract until the end of the
year, no assurances they’ll be
able to pay wages. Basically,
there has been no communica-
tion from the senior manage-
ment other than the email that
was circulated telling us that
they were closing.”
Staff are also concerned for
the wellbeing of residents being
transferred. While St Mary’s
has remained covid-free and
the staff received a covid hero
award from the Lord Mayor of
Dublin, there are no guarantees
that the virus is not present in
whatever homes residents are
moved to.
“It’s appalling to think in the
middle of a pandemic that these
residents are effectively being
August / September 2020
evicted. They’re being moved
out of their homes. We feel that
these are the people of our soci-
ety who, during the height of the
Covid pandemic were the most
vulnerable and most precious of
our society, according to Simon
Harris. And these people are be-
ing discharged, three or four per
week. We have no cases of resi-
dents with Covid in the nursing
home and we are now facing
these residents going out and
we don’t know to what nursing
homes, we don’t know if the
nursing homes had any cases of
covid where they’re going. We
have no assurances.”
The lack of communication to
staff is particularly disappoint-
ing considering the strain of
what was asked of them during
the pandemic. “Realistically,
what the government and what
public health were asking front
line staff to do was to do a clini-
cal assessment on themselves
every single morning. And
make a decision. Make a clini-
cal decision of whether they’re
healthy to come into work. And
I know for a fact there were
some members of staff who
had sleepless nights. They were
worried about how they felt,
if they were coming in, if they
were bringing the virus in with
them. And that’s what it was like
in the early stages of the Covid
pandemic in the nursing home.
Staff were afraid that they were
going to infect the residents and
that they were going to die.”
The staff member goes on to
tell me that timelines were dif-
ferent for when things were
announced publicly and when
they actually came to fruition in
the nursing home. “While there
were announcements in the pub-
lic domain about what was hap-
pening on the ground, there was
a time lag of about two or three
weeks. There were announce-
ments that there was going to
be testing in nursing homes.
That was very early in April
that it was announced publicly.
From our experience here in St
Mary’s, we weren’t tested until
the 27th of April. So what was
happening in the public domain
wasn’t necessarily what was
happening on the ground.”
The closure notice of St.
Mary’s states that the: “deci-
sion was reached by the Board
following a number of meetings
and detailed reviews concern-
ing the funding of the Nursing
Home, the necessary implica-
tions for the viability of the
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Nursing Home and its capacity
to meet statutory and regulatory
requirements namely: the ability
to recruit and retain staff needed
to provide the high standard of
care of the residents to which
the Board aspires; the ability
to ensure full compliance with
HIQA’s requirements; the abil-
ity to meet both the capital and
current funding requirements to
provide the highest standards of
both care and regulatory com-
pliance thus ensuring the opti-
mal health, safety and wishes of
the residents.”
St Mary’s was initially found
to be substantially non-compli-
ant by HIQA in an inspection
in December 2018. A follow-
up inspection was carried out
in November of last year, the
results of which were recently
released, since the closure no-
tice. This report states that the
premises were substantially
compliant.
The areas in which St Mary’s
was not compliant were Gov-
ernance and Management, Re-
cords, Training and Staff Devel-
opment, Statement of Purpose
and Written Policies and Proce-
dures.
This backs up the question
raised by Save St Mary’s cam-
paigner Ann Ryan as to why
closure appears to be the only
option on the table. Ann tells
me: “There seems to be a con-
versation going on between the
board of management and the
HSE and it’s a conversation
about the progress of the clo-
Roadworks, repairs and tall stories
T
n Kathrin Kobus
he footpath at Irishtown
Nature Park was closed
for most of July because
of surface damage and weather-
ing; temporary repairs were no
longer sufficient.
Dublin County Council said:
“This is a particular problem af-
ter periods of prolonged rainfall
when water channels are cut out
of the surface making it difficult
to walk on for pedestrians and
dangerous for cyclists. The path
will be resurfaced with a simi-
lar type and colour of aggregate,
which is in keeping with that of
a Nature Reserve location, and
disturbance to vegetation at the
edge of the path will be kept to a
minimum.”
The work was completed
sure, not a question of whether
it should close, so that has been
the kind of response we’ve been
getting. That worries us because
it’s projecting the idea that there
is no alternative but a closure.
And we don’t accept that ac-
tually. We feel it’s a very sim-
plistic view of how to deal with
whatever the issues that are go-
ing on for the Sisters of Charity
in this situation. So there’s a lot
of questions we want answered.
Why the closure? Why the clo-
sure now? Why not address the
HIQA requirements? So, it’s
kind of incomprehensible how
we have gotten to this stage –
closure or nothing.”
Ann goes on to tell me how
the campaign has been pro-
gressing: “Initially we had a
protest, or more a supporting
within the time frame of three
weeks and was fully open for
the August Bank Holiday week-
end.
Other road works have been
underway at the stretch between
the junction of Tritonville and
Seafort gardens. This was due to
water mains being fixed and re-
placed. Traffic is being directed
via a stop/go system.
News has just come in that
a development on York Road
which had received planning
permission for a seven-storey
complex, mostly one and two
bed apartments, might now be
increased to 15 storeys. This
will mean the block will rise
way above the current two sto-
rey building which is the office
base for Dyno-Rod.
LOCAL
display, of action outside the
gates of the Merrion Road cen-
tre. It was within a week of it
being published that it was due
to close. Relatives also weren’t
able to be with their relatives
when this information was re-
ceived, so there was a lot of
stress perpetuated for the resi-
dents and staff were trying to
deal with that. They were trying
to be there in a very emotionally
supportive way for residents.
Trying to deal with this, on top
of the realisation that their own
jobs were going to be lost. So
we put together a protest of sup-
porters just to show staff that
look, we know we can’t be in-
side with you but there is sup-
port to maintain the centre, to
keep it open, keep jobs and keep
future jobs for the community
The firm has already an-
nounced that they will have to
vacate the premises by February
2021 at the latest. Unconfirmed
sources say that the proposal
comes with an exemption clause
for the 10% Social Housing
given to them by Dublin City
Council under section 97.
Needless to say local residents
are not happy and have met re-
cently with councillors to dis-
cuss the proposals for this site.
A facebook group York Road
Development Ad Hoc has been
formed.
NewsFour will follow up on
this development in our October
issue.
Photo: New surface on Nature
Park walk, by Kathrin Kobus.
and future services for the local
community. We pushed for the
campaign to demand for that, to
fight for that. As of yet we are
waiting for the unions to come
along and endorse things. We
are having conversations with
them as we speak. We are going
to ask them to come out public-
ly to endorse the Save St Mary’s
campaign, to fund it, don’t close
it. So that’s our action at the mo-
ment. Then we’re proposing for
another onsite protest, with the
supporters, the volunteers, the
various different stakeholders in
St Mary’s. And we’re planning
for that over the next couple
of weeks, for that to happen.”
Since I spoke with Ann, another
protest took place on July 22nd.
Questions have been raised
about St Mary’s closure in the
Page 31
Dáil, Ann also tells me. “We’ve
had a number of mentions at
government level. Richard
Boyd Barrett brought it up as a
parliamentary question for the
then acting Minister for Health
Simon Harris, who referred to
it saying he had to have a con-
versation with the HSE. So lit-
tle has come back in response to
that. Secondly Bríd Smith also
brought it up at the special Cov-
id meeting. Again, very little
has come back. We’re basically
looking to put as much pressure
on the government, the newly-
formed government, that they
literally put their money where
their mouth is when it comes
to wanting to protect the most
vulnerable in society while they
forge ahead to open up the econ-
omy and society again, by mak-
ing sure that accountable, qual-
ity, elderly care be provided in
communities. And making sure
it’s public as well. Access to the
quality care for all. So that’s the
plan of action.”
If any NewsFour readers
would like to contact the cam-
paign to lend their support.
They can do so on Facebook:
https://m.facebook.
com/Save-St-Marys-
Nursing-Home-Merrion-
Rd-102109541541418/
And can sign the petition of
the same name here:
h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k .
com/102109541541418/
posts/116648726754166/?d=
Photos Courtesy of Ann Ryan.
 Page 32
Bringing Sunshine to those in need
W
n Eoin Meegan
hile not open at pre-
sent, Sunshine House
normally provides
week-long breaks for kids in
need between May and August.
Overseen by the Sunshine Fund,
a unique branch of the Society
of Saint Vincent de Paul, Sun-
shine House has for the past 85
years provided summer holi-
days for children, aged 7 to 10,
from Dublin and surrounding
counties.
For the most part, children se-
lected come from backgrounds of
socio-economic disadvantage, as
well as those suffering from be-
reavement or family breakdown,
or whose parents are separated.
They are nominated through local
Vincent De Paul conferences, so-
cial workers and teachers.
Founded in 1935 Sunshine
House is a purpose-built holiday
home a short walk from the beach
in Balbriggan, North Dublin,
which can cater for up to 90 chil-
dren per week.
The well-equipped grounds
boast a concert hall, play centre,
and an indoor jungle gym (sounds
wonderful!) as well as sports ar-
eas including football pitches and
basketball courts.
Here they are provided with
food, board, €10 spending mon-
ey, and the chance to meet and
make new friends; all under full-
time positive adult supervision.
Save fuel, money and emissions on your motoring staycation
F
n Advice from SEAI
or those who haven’t
switched to an electric
vehicle and are still driv-
ing a petrol or diesel car, the
Sustainable Energy Authority of
Ireland (SEAI) has some tips to
help you drive more efficiently.
This will help you use less fuel,
reduce your emissions and also
stay safe, not only this weekend
but all the time.
Fuel consumption tends to be
affected most by your driving
style, excessive rapid accelera-
tion, unnecessary short trips, a
cold engine, poor car mainte-
nance and incorrect tyre pressure.
A less aggressive, energy con-
scious driving style could save as
much as 10% on your fuel costs.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE
This tip applies all the time but
Many exciting activities are laid
on daily, including beach trips,
crab hunting, a trip to Ardgillan
Castle, and two days shopping;
ensuring tons of fun for all the
children.
Since opening its doors, over
100,000 young people have
passed through Sunshine House,
including children from Ringsend
and Pearse Street. Most children,
and indeed adults who went as
kids, treasure the fond memories
of the holiday they had there;
indeed for some it was the only
holiday they ever got.
Emer Simmons, a professional
Community and Youth Worker
based in Ringsend and Irishtown,
has been an active volunteer with
The Sunshine Fund for the past
six years. She told NewsFour:
“From a personal view, I think
Sunshine House is a special place
which allows children to just be
children, have fun and escape the
often harsh reality of their daily
lives. The benefits are huge, even
the simple fact of having your
own bed and a guaranteed three
nutritious meals a day, things that
many children are denied.
I’ve seen really shy children
become confident over the space
of a week, make new friends
and showcase their talents, be it
sports, dancing or singing.”
Emer started out as a volunteer
when she was in college. Sun-
shine House is now an integral
is especially important ahead of a
long journey or a motoring holi-
day. A properly maintained pet-
rol or diesel car will have; good
engine lubrication, wheel align-
ment and well-adjusted brakes,
reducing your fuel use. It will also
mean your car is safer and more
reliable.
CHECK TYRE CONDITION
AND PRESSURE
Be sure to check your tyres
regularly. Tyres in good condi-
tion, with the proper thread depth,
and at the right pressure, improve
both safety and fuel consumption.
Tyres that are 10% below recom-
mended pressure increase fuel
consumption by around 2%.
READ THE ROAD
By watching the road ahead and
anticipating any likely problems,
COMMUNITY
part of her life and she has nomi-
nated children to have a holiday
there, having seen the benefits it
brings both to children and their
families.
“When you’re in Sunshine
House it’s like a bubble, you don’t
care about the news and forget all
your own worries and stresses.
The main focus is that the chil-
dren receive a top-quality, mem-
orable and safe holiday. I have
come in contact with many chil-
dren who were lucky enough to
get a holiday in Sunshine House
and indeed many adults who went
as children. They all speak very
fondly of their time there.
One man I work with went on
a holiday to Sunshine House in
the 1980s and told me it was one
of the first places he was shown
love. It’s stories and comments
like that which show the lasting
your driving will become smooth-
er, more controlled and be safer
for all. Drive in as high a gear as
is suitable to road conditions and
at bends, reduce your speed gen-
tly and accelerate smoothly when
you are halfway through to help
reduce fuel use.
AVOID IDLING
Once you turn the engine on,
drive off gently without delay.
This will reduce excessive fuel
consumption and pollution. Even
www.newsfour.ie
benefits and effect such a simple
holiday can have.”
The centre is run by volunteers
who all receive child protection
training and are Garda vetted, so
parents can rest assured their chil-
dren are safe. In addition, there is
a designated Child Safeguarding
Officer present who deals with
any child protection or welfare
concerns should they arise.
“Volunteers come from all
walks of life and vary in age from
18 to people in their 60s. Each
volunteer brings their own set of
skills and experience which is
great for children to interact with
loads of different characters and
personalities. For me, my summer
wouldn’t be complete without a
week in Sunshine.”
Sunshine House depends on
public donations to ensure as
many children as possible receive
if you’re waiting only 30 seconds
it is more economical to switch
the engine off and start it again
when necessary. Incidentally,
many newer cars have an auto-
matic stop/start function, which
means you don’t have to think
about this.
REDUCE UNNECESSARY
DRAG
After you arrive safely at your
destination make sure to take off
any unused bike racks or roof
August / September 2020
a holiday. Due to Covid-19 this
year sadly the holidays had to be
cancelled. This is a great source
of regret to all concerned. How-
ever, Emer told NewsFour that
Sunshine House are hoping to
do Christmas parties and Santa
visits for children in December,
depending on HSE guidelines and
restrictions.
Let’s hope it won’t be long be-
fore they will be back doing what
they love best, providing love,
support, and a well-deserved
break for those who need them.
You can find more infor-
mation on Sunshine House at
0877547511. Or if you wish to do-
nate, as they rely on public dona-
tions, the number is 0851430103
or sunshine.fundraising@svp.ie
Image courtesy of Sunshine
House.
boxes and save as much as 20%
on your fuel costs. You can save
a further 3-5% by using the car’s
air-conditioning to cool down
rather than leaving the windows
open while you drive.
AVOID SHORT JOURNEYS
A cold engine uses significantly
more fuel than a warm engine. So,
once you reach your staycation
destination opt to walk or cycle
where you can and avoid using
your car for short journeys.
SEAI is encouraging each of
us make changes in how we use
energy. For advice and informa-
tion on supports, including Gov-
ernment funded electric vehicle
and home energy grants, to help
reduce your energy use this bank
holiday and into the future visit;
www.seai.ie
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Herbert Park home of The
O’Rahilly faces demolition
A
n Dermot Carmody
decision is due by Au-
gust 24th from An Bord
Pleanála on a Social
Housing Development (SHD)
planning application by the own-
ers of The Herbert Park Hotel. If
plans for a 12-story apartment de-
velopment on the site go ahead,
it would mean the demolition
of the house at 40 Herbert Park
that was home to Michael Jo-
seph O’Rahilly, the only person
among the leaders of the Rising
who was killed in action in 1916.
The early life of The O’Rahilly
Born Michael Joseph Rahilly
in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry on
April 22nd 1875, he later adopted
the surname O’Rahilly, presum-
ably to connect the name more
closely with its ancient Gaelic
roots and later still styled himself
“The O’Rahilly” in the manner
of a tribal chieftain.
He was educated at Clongow-
es, leaving in 1893, the same
year that he met his future wife
Nancy Brown. He was a medi-
cal student at the Royal Univer-
sity of Ireland but he gave up his
studies to run the family business
in Ballylongford when his father
died in 1896.
Two years later he sold the
business and sailed to New York,
where he married Nancy in 1899.
Their son Bobby was born in
New York, but O’Rahilly moved
back to Ireland in 1902.
He also spent a time in Eng-
land, where he was involved
with the United Irish League and
with the Irish Home Rule Party.
His friend James O’Mara was a
member of the party and an MP.
Later, after O’Mara had resigned
and joined Artur Griffith’s Sinn
Féin, O’Rahilly himself was also
to be a Sinn Féin supporter.
The move to Herbert Park and
political activism
After spending a few years in
Philadelphia, where he helped
with his wife’s family’s business,
he returned finally to Ireland
in 1909 and in 1910 signed the
ground lease on the as-yet un-
completed house at 40 Herbert
Park. He lived there from 1911
until his death in 1916.
Herbert Park was previously
the site for the Great Exhibition
of 1907 and No. 40, along with
Nos. 36 and 38, was built on the
site of The Exports Hall. Herbert
Park itself was opened in the
same year
The O’Rahilly’s house was
completed, 1911. In June of that
year The O’Rahilly was promi-
nent in protests at the celebrations
of the coronation of King George
V and against his visit to Dublin
subsequently. This was the last
visit by a British Monarch until
the King’s granddaughter Eliza-
beth II visited in 2011.
O’Rahilly worked on Arthur
Griffith’s Sinn Féin newspaper
and was acting manager of The
Gaelic League’s publication An
Claidheamh Soluis. He played a
significant role in the founding
of the Irish Volunteers in 1913.
It was he who sent invitations
to the meeting in Wynn’s Ho-
tel at which the Volunteers were
formed. He went on to act as
Treasurer and Director of Muni-
tions for the Irish Volunteers and
was instrumental in the organisa-
tion of the purchase and landing
at Howth and Kilcoole of guns
for the Volunteers in 1914.
The 1916 Rising
In the run-up to the Easter
Rising in 1916, The O’Rahilly
supported Eoin MacNeill in
opposition to the insurrection,
LOCAL HISTORY Page 33
threatening Pearse with a gun at
St Enda’s school when he heard
that Clarke and McDermott had
arrested O’Neill’s ally Bulmer
Hobson, and purportedly telling
him that whoever tried to take
him “had better be quicker on the
draw!”.
When O’Neill issued an order
countermanding the rising, The
O’Rahilly drove around Munster
carrying the order. He believed
the rising to have been averted
but when he realised the fighting
had begun on Easter Monday,
he nevertheless donned his uni-
form and headed in his car to join
the rebels at the GPO, declaring
“Well, I’ve helped to wind up
the clock, I might as well hear it
strike!”
The O’Rahilly was shot in the
face as he led a small detachment
of men towards Moore Street
from the GPO. He bled out for
hours, and efforts to move him as
he lay bleeding out were thwart-
ed by English officers.
He wrote a note to his wife
Nancy as he lay dying, and that
note is addressed to their home at
40 Herbert Park. He’s also said
to have written his name in his
own blood where he lay in what
is now named O’Rahilly Parade
in his memory. He was the only
leader of the Rising who died
in action and he was buried in
Glasnevin Cemetery.
of fighting.” ing Leaders, Volunteers and
Arguments for the preserva- There are contrary opinions, of members of the Irish Republi-
tion of 40 Herbert Park today course. In June of this year The can Brotherhood,” but also ar-
Despite being the home of one O’Rahilly’s grandson, Proinsias gues that the houses built on the
of the leaders in the 1916 rising, O’Rahilly claimed that the house boundaries of Herbert Park rep-
documents lodged with An Bord should be on the Record of Pro- resent an example of the “begin-
Pleanála in connection with the tected Structures and ought to be ning of family-friendly architec-
SHD planning application for a National Monument, claiming ture as well as having varied and
the site refer to an “Architectural in an Irish Times interview that entertaining facades.”
Heritage Assessment, prepared “the meetings which took place She claims that the houses
by Cathal Crimmins Conser- in the house played a pivotal role represent “an announcement to
vation Architects, which also in the foundation of the State. Ballsbridge that this is a lived-in
includes a report on the histori- Another relative of the 1916 area, surrounding its own park.”
cal associations of No.40 Her- leaders, Honor O Brolchain, She points out that one of the
bert Park by Professor Charles grand niece of Joseph Mary key guidelines in considering
Townsend, FBA.” Plunkett, who herself lives close the conservation of buildings
In this report Professor by Herbert Park in Donnybrook, is that those which have served
Townsend, while acknowledg- has lodged a formal objection to over a hundred years of useful
ing to some extent the histori- the application on the grounds of life should be conserved, and ar-
cal significance of the building, both the cultural and historical gues that if 40 Herbert Park is de-
puts forward the opinion that importance of the building and molished, as 36 and 38 adjacent
“it would be hard to argue that on its architectural merit. to it have already been, it could
its significance was on a par In her written submission, set an undesirable precedent and
with other key sites associated Ms O Brolchain says that “The threaten more examples of the
with the 1916 Rising, includ- O’Rahilly house had constant Crampton built Arts and Crafts
ing St Enda’s or any of the sites traffic, particularly of the Ris- buildings like it in the area.
 Page 34 SPORT www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020

Football returns and the clubhouse is (nearly) ready

I
n Kathrin Kobus
t was a long interruption no one had truly anticipated back in
March when suddenly the Covid 19 crisis grew much larger and
stopped everything, not just on the sports level, in its tracks.
The football leagues were about to begin, training was in swing after
the winter break. Suddenly the slogan was “stay at home and safe”.
Of course, we had the park at the doorstep. So exercise was possible.
Runs, jogs are one and for team sports it really mattered to get back
together on the pitch. But all teams from all age groups waited for the
anticipated return for contact training allowed which finally came 29th
of June.
Since then training has restarted and friendlies were played on the
pitches again.
The first really big event came on Friday 24th July for the new wom-
en’s team in the EWFL.
Before this very first competitive game between St Pats CYFC and
Sportslink got the inaugural cup for the new tournament. It is the Teresa
Healy Cup and her daughter Fiona took the honours.
“We wanted to pay tribute to Teresa Healy, who represented in every
way how important strong women are in all our lives and to keep her
memory alive through football, and we have commissioned a cup for
the newly-established Eastern Women’s Football League (EWFL) a fit-
ting tribute we hope.” it said in a statement released by the club.
The game on the pitch inside the stadium was quite enjoyable when
after a nervous start Kim Flood scored the first goal just before half
time. In the second half Bethane Hand secured the win with another
goal. Later, the team played their next group game away at Whitehall
Rangers. After that it was one win, one defeat after two games and now
it is back to training till the league will kick off soon.
Still in training and in preparation for a new season is the team for-
merly known as the Cambridge FC minors, who will now play as St-
Pats CY for two seasons in the U19 category. A friendly game against
Broadford Rovers saw the young squad of Alan Cummins and Bren
Heyes 3:2 winners. One word Bren Heyes uses when talking about the
new challenge of U19 is transition. “We were actually asked by St Pats
last year, but the boys were really too young then. So now we have a
team, some are 2002, some 2003. They will play one or two seasons in
the U19 and then it makes the transition easier to continue playing in
an adult team. It is the right pathway.”
That is in line with the big plans St Pats announced to combine the
efforts with Cambridge FC to keep lads and girls playing football be-
yond school age and locally. It offers a chance “To allow all ages in our
community to enjoy football throughout their playing career.”
So far in the last few weeks the U19 group has held open training
sessions to welcome new players. While this is still an opportunity,
training proper shifts now for a season start in September and they are
entered as St Pats CY.
There will be once a week a combined training session with the sen-
ior O35s team. Makes interesting times, surely.
The O35s started their league as well with a win, 5:2 over Rialto
FC, the score line is a bit harsh on the visitors given “a rusty Ringer”
performance in the second half.
Lastly, there is the clubhouse, the stadium extension finally ready to
be taken over for the finishing touches inside and hopefully ready for
purposeful use in the autumn.
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
Stephen Kenny
takes over as
Ireland manager
O
n David Prendeville
ne very small piece of
good news to come
about over the last num-
ber of weeks is that Mick McCa-
rthy’s reign of terror as Ireland
manager has come to an end.
I’ve documented in this pa-
per the absurd selection deci-
sions, the dinosaur tactics and
arrogance of approach inherent
in McCarthy’s second coming.
It was a terrible, retrograde ap-
pointment by the FAI.
In fairness, McCarthy never
got to see out the end of the cam-
paign to see if they would have
qualified for Euro 2020 through
the play-offs.
However, had Ireland squeezed
their way into the tournament
(something I would not be con-
fident of), it still could not be re-
garded as a success story. Sure,
Ireland don’t have a great team
at this moment in time, but it’s a
lot easier to qualify for the Euro-
pean Championships than it used
to be, and I believe Ireland can
do a lot better than they did in
the qualification campaign. Se-
lecting some of their best players
such as Matt Doherty might have
helped in that department.
The man McCarthy has been
replaced by is Ireland Under-21
manager and former Dundalk
manager Stephen Kenny. The
manager is noted for his posses-
sion-based, expansive approach
to the game, which should stand
in stark contrast to McCarthy’s
eye-bleeding fare. He’s also ex-
celled at getting the best out of
limited players, his European
adventures with Dundalk the
most prominent example of this.
The 48-year-old is also familiar
with and has had success with
our promising batch of Under-21
players.
One of the most depressing
aspects of McCarthy’s tenure
was his refusal to bring through
young players. McCarthy al-
most relished pointing to the fact
Aaron Connolly had gone off the
boil after a blistering start to his
senior Brighton career, as justi-
fication for why he was slow to
play him.
That’s not what anyone wants
from a manager and what a dis-
couraging message that sends
out to the players who are the fu-
ture of our national team.
One would expect to see far
more engagement with youth
under Kenny’s watch. We would
hope to see much more of ex-
citing talents such as Connolly,
Spurs’s Troy Parrott, Brighton’s
Jayson Molumby (currently on-
loan at Millwall), Southampton’s
Micheal Obafemi and Willy
Smallbone and Derby’s Jason
Knight, to name but some.
It will be interesting to see
who from the old guard will be
retained in Kenny’s vision. This
is complicated further by the fact
that this changeover has essen-
tially happened in the middle of
the qualifying campaign.
One wouldn’t expect to see the
widespread changes that come
with the retirement of players
after major tournaments. Surely,
however, it spells the end for
players such as Glenn Whelan,
SPORT Page 35
plying his trade in League One
Fleetwood Town and now 36?
One would expect and hope to
see more of Matt Doherty under
Kenny, but that is unlikely to be
at the expense of captain Seamus
Coleman, in the play-offs and
Euro 2021, should we qualify.
Kenny, unlike his predecessor,
may actually do some work on
the training ground in attempting
to find a way our two best play-
ers can play together.
He can do this either by play-
ing Doherty as a winger, or by
pushing Coleman into the back
three position he’s recently been
playing for Everton, and deploy-
ing wing-backs – something that
would suit Doherty and Enda
Stevens on the other side won-
derfully.
Coleman, who’s been a fantas-
tic servant, may well hang up his
boots post Euro 2021. Now 31
and with his injury history, it’s
hard to imagine him remaining
an option for the World Cup in have plenty left in the tank for time there is reason to be excited
Qatar in 2024 and thus he will another qualifying campaign and about the future of Irish football.
probably retire before that quali- Qatar, should we qualify. Stephen Kenny kicks off his
fying campaign. Kenny has already made a campaign against Bulgaria in the
Other players likely to be canny move in an effort to dem- Nations League on September
phased out before Kenny’s first onstrate his authority and dis- 3rd. Our European Champion-
full qualifying campaign include tance himself from the previous ship qualifier against Slovakia is
David McGoldrick (32) and regime, through his decision not scheduled for October.
possibly James McClean (31), to retain Robbie Keane on his NewsFour would also like to
though one can’t imagine him re- coaching staff. This is in spite of take this opportunity to express
tiring from international football the fact Keane had a contract to our sadness at the news of former
so long as he can run. remain so (another brilliant deci- Ireland manager Jack Charlton’s
All of this will also really de- sion by the FAI). passing. We pass on our condo-
pend on whether Ireland qualify This indicates how he is very lences to his family and loved
for Euro 2021 and, if so, how they much his own man and also that ones.
fare there. Other players such as he will not shy away from tough
Doherty, Shane Duffy, Jeff Hen- decisions. Kenny’s appointment Above: Stephen Kenny.
drick and Robbie Brady should means, for the first time, in a long Photo: WikiCommons.
 Page 36
JOE BAMBRICK
The record-breaking scorer
J
n Gavan Bergin
oe Bambrick was born on
November 3rd 1905 in the
Grosvenor Road area of
Belfast. As a boy Joe was ex-
ceptionally good at football,
and he grew up into one of the
best players in Belfast youth
football.
At the age of twenty, Joe was
working full-time while play-
ing junior football for Ulster
Rangers, when his talent was
spotted by the Irish League
club Glentoran, who signed
him in May 1926.
Joe was excellent for Glen-
toran from the start of his first
season with them. On Sep-
tember 25th 1926, he scored
six goals in a match against
Larne, and he continued to do
brilliantly well thereafter. He
kept playing great football and
scored numerous goals and by
the end of the 1926/27 season
he had scored 44 goals in 37
games for Glentoran.
That turned out to be his only
season with them, because he
moved to Linfield FC in the
summer of 1927.
The 1927/28 season was
an excellent one for Joe, who
somehow managed to improve
on his stunning record from the
year before.
All season long he tormented
defenders who had the thank-
less job of trying to stop him
getting forward, and by the end
of the season he had scored 81
goals.
That certainly was an excel-
lent scoring record, and it was
just the beginning of a long
spell of super scoring achieve-
ments by Joe, who went on to
become the dominant striker
in the Irish League. In his
second season, he scored 78
goals as Linfield finished sec-
ond in the League. Then came
the 1929/1930 season, and
Joe outdid himself again. He
scored 96 goals!
That was an astonishing
record-breaking tally, and it
wrote his name into the histo-
ry of football forever. No one
scored as many goals that sea-
son: Joe Bambrick was the top
goalscorer in the world.
As well bringing him indi-
vidual glory Joe’s goals also
contributed to considerable
team success that season. His
fifty goals in the Irish League
were crucial to Linfield win-
ning that competition by a
mere six points.
Then, in the 1930 Irish Cup
Final, Joe literally made all the
difference for Linfield when
he scored four goals in the 4-3
victory over Ballymena that
won them the Cup.
Over the next five seasons,
Joe remained a prolific goal-
scorer and Linfield continued
winning trophies. Between
1930 and 1935, along with the
Irish Cup, they won the Irish
League and the County Antrim
Shields three times each, while
Joe scored a total of 276 goals,
including 119 in 107 League
matches.
During that period, Joe was
undoubtedly the best striker in
the Irish game, but he wasn’t
satisfied with that. He wanted
SPORTING HISTORY www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020
to test himself at a higher level
by playing in England.
Midway through the 1934/35
season he left Linfield and
signed for Chelsea FC. On De-
cember 25th 1934, Joe made
his debut for Chelsea, against
Aston Villa at Stamford
Bridge.
The very next day, in his
second appearance for Chel-
sea, away to Villa, Joe scored
his first goal in English foot-
ball. And he kept up the good
work thereafter, showing him-
self well able to thrive against
the best defenders in England.
By the end of his first season,
he had scored 16 goals in 21
league matches for Chelsea.
Joe continued to do the busi-
ness for the next few seasons
with Chelsea, scoring 38 goals
in 66 games for them, before
he left the club at the end of the
1937/38 season.
By that time, Joe was in his
thirties and, while nearing the
end of his time as a top-class
striker, he had a plenty of life
in him yet. In 1938, he moved
to the Division Three club
Walsall FC, and scored 20
goals for them in 1938/39, his
last season as a professional.
Afterwards, Joe moved home
to Belfast. He played one final
season for Linfield in 1939/40,
scoring 20 goals in 35 games.
That was the end of his career
as a player.
As well as being a top-class
goalscorer at club level, Joe
was also a brilliant striker
in international football. He
scored in his first game for Ire-
land, against England at Liv-
erpool on October 22nd 1928,
then got another two goals in
his third match, against Scot-
land in February 1929.
Although Joe didn’t score in
Ireland’s next match, his strike
rate of three goals in four inter-
national games was certainly
enough to make him Ireland’s
first choice striker.
But, as impressive as he had
been, and as well as he had
played in his first four interna-
tional matches, there was noth-
ing that could compare to what that any other Irish footballer That game was Ireland v
came afterwards. Nothing he ever did before or since – com- Wales, at Windsor Park in
did before it, and nothing he pared to what Joe was to do in Belfast on February 1st 1930.
did after it – in fact nothing his fifth international game. It was Ireland’s first match of
 www.newsfour.ie August / September 2020 SPORTING HISTORY Page 37

that year’s British Champion- as the match entered the last The Belfast News Letter, in
ship tournament, a competition minute he made another bomb a 1928 profile of Joe, heralded
that Ireland had won just once up the pitch and advanced on his knack for scoring spectacu-
in their history. the ragged Wales defenders lar goals with “rasping shots
But any nerves or doubts the once again, closed them down, and old time piledrivers from
Irish players might have had robbed the ball, then dashed long distance.”
before the game were banished forward and smashed another In 1930, the Northern Whig
in the third minute, when Joe ace of a shot in past the de- focused on his excellence
made a lovely feint to lose his spairing keeper. With that, he when playing in a deeper for-
marker and get into space on had his sixth goal. ward position, “creating goals
the edge of the penalty area, And from the moment it went for his teammates with clever
where he took a through pass in, Joe became an immortal of movement and incisive pass-
from midfield in his stride the game. No one before or ing, and proving his ability as
and, in the same move, struck since has scored as many goals a schemer.”
a hard, low snap shot past the in an international match, and