FREE

www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 Page 1

December / January 2022

Web: www.newsfour.ie  Email: newsfour@gmail.com  Local newsdesk phone: 01 667 3317

Serving Sandymount, Irishtown, Ringsend, Pearse Street, Docklands, Ballsbridge & Donnybrook

IN THIS IS S U E …
Pg 6: Meet Rama Pgs 8-9: Chritsmas Gift Guide Pgs 26-27: Mens Sheds Pgs 30-31: Ringsend Christmas Fair

* YOU CAN ALSO READ NEWSFOUR ONLINE AT WWW.NEWSFOUR.IE *

Page 2 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

New in 2022
Peeling Back The Pages
NewsFour Newspaper
is part of a DEASP
Community Employment
Programme
NewsFour is excited to announce a new feature
NewsFour starting with the very next issue (February 2022)
Editor
Eoin Meegan This is where we will take a look at pictures
and stories from the pages of NewsFour from
Online Editor years gone by. Starting with 1985 – and the
Geneva Pattison very first issue of the paper. The plan is to do
a different year each issue. So, once more,
Journalists you can savour the memories and times of
Peter McNamara those heady days . . .
David Prendeville
Dermot Carmody Who was making the news? What were the
Brian Quinn issues of the time? Did we really have those
Louise Whelan awful haircuts??

Contributors
And it won’t just be the politicians and big
stories. Being a local paper we will naturally
Gavan Bergin
be focusing on local people. Which means
Ronan O’Donnell
you may even see yourself from 30 odd years
Jonathan Neilan
ago! Don’t miss it!!
Teresa Weafer
Ken Brown
So here’s hoping for a wonderful (and lock-
down free!) New Year – moving forward
Crossword with stories and issues of concern to you,
Gemma Byrne while also taking a look back at the way we
were.

Design and Layout NewsFour – still bringing you the latest local
Joseph Martin news – but now with a cheeky peek back at
Gary Burke (assisting) the past!

Ad Design
Dara O Riordain

Photo Diary Design

Gary Burke
Sandymount
Community Services,
13A Fitzwilliam Street,
Ringsend, Dublin 4.
Telephone: (01)6673317
E-mail:
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
S
itting here with a very hot
and delicious coffee, the
aroma and taste brings me
back (Proustian style) to Christ-
mases long ago. And it got me
wondering how the festive sea-
son has changed over the dec-
ades. Before the era of Xbox
and gaming the big occasion
was going to Midnight Mass on
Christmas Eve, and the palpable
excitement of tearing open pre-
sents on Christmas Morning. I
still like to get a chance to attend
a carol service (with the ubiqui-
tous Nine Lessons, of course)
over the season if I can, and to
visit quality toy stores. I remem-
ber being in Bratislava some
Christmases ago and seeing
the beautifully carved animals,
dolls and puppets on display,
even whole villages made from
wood. There’s something sen-
sual almost about running your
The Editor’s Corner
hand over wood and natural ma-
terials, knowing that someone
took the time to lovingly create
this item with their own hands.
And speaking of special gifts, in
this issue you can read about the
many Christmas gifts available
locally (Pgs. 8-9).
When we hear the forecast
giving snow our adult propen-
sity is immediately to worry
about blocked roads and the
inability to travel, but seen
through a child’s eyes there is
nothing more magical in all
the world. I remember star-
ing in awe at the landscape
transformed to white when I
got out of bed as a child, and
then wrapping up tightly in
a duffle coat and gloves, and
going outside with my sister
to build a snowman and play
in the white feathery stuff.
Those special memories nev-
er die. And this is what we
need to pass on to the next
generation. It’s easy to think
we have to drown children in
gifts, or bring them to exotic
places for them to be happy,
but this isn’t so; what we need
to do is pass on wonderful
memories and experiences
that they will carry with them
a lifetime. Part of the ethos,
I believe (along with creating
things with their hands) of
the Men’s Sheds movement
(you can read on Pgs. 26-7).
The future is always uncer-
tain, and this is probably
more so this year than ever.
We simply don’t know what
the Covid numbers will be
yet and if there will have to
be more restrictions before
the Big Day or not. Let’s
hope not! But even if we
have to cut back on some
of our social activities, and
forgo the office party for
one more year, that doesn’t
mean Christmas can’t have
the same wonder and magic
it always did; Willy Wonka,
sledding, the wonder of sto-
rytelling. The memories our
children have when they are
adults is what will shape
them, and consequently the
society they live in. And it
is we, by what we unveil
to them, and for them, who
largely create those memo-
ries and experiences. Make
sure they are good ones.
And with that, from everyone
here at NewsFour, may I take
the opportunity to wish you
and yours a very happy and
peaceful Christmas.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 Page 3

Bringing the Another Dublin 4 village

doing us proud! NewsFour
would like to say well done

Sparkle
and congratulations to Don-
nybrook TidyTowns on
their 2021 Neighbourhood
Awards win for Best Urban

back to
Village! They have done
amazing work over the last
few years finding pockets
in the village to let nature

Donnybrook
thrive. Donnybrook Tidy
Towns have dedicated the
win to Sean Faulkner and
Donal Leonard, two volun-
teers for tidy towns, who
very sadly passed away this

Donnybrook year. We’re sure they would

be proud of the achieve-
ment. Long may their good
Tidy Towns land work be remembered.

Images courtesy of Donny-

well-deserved award brook TidyTowns.
 Page 4
A man taking traditions very seriously. Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
n Dermot Carmody
O
ne of the nice things
about Christmas is
that it’s a time of year
full of much-loved traditions.
From carol singing to mak-
ing an effort to put the aver-
age annual food production
of a small country inside us,
we indulge in these traditions
and profess to enjoy doing so.
Traditions bring us together
by enabling us to participate
in a sort of communal iden-
tity. They also are a link to the
past; to what came before us
and made us who we are.  A
good reason, then, to employ
A CHRISTMAS CRACKER
It’s Traditional
a healthy amount of distrust in
our dealings with them.
Take cabbages, for example.
Oh yes. I daresay most readers
will have thought little, if at
all, about the cabbage-related
traditions in Dublin during
the winter festival. And yet,
if you delve into the annals
of the folklore history collec-
tion at UCD (one of the more
illustrious Dublin 4 Universi-
ties), the iron-loaded, staple
leaf was foremost in the minds
of teenagers in the late 1930s.
Consider the sworn testimony
of John Smyth, a 14-year-old
resident of Lucan, talking in
1938.  John reports that on
New Year’s Eve it was the cus-
tom for a young, “marriage-
able”  woman to walk out into
the garden and pull a head of
cabbage. I know. Gardening
trends shift. But this was not
merely an exercise in forag-
ing for fodder. There was an
element of divination at play,
for the stringent leafy oracle
contained not only useful nu-
trients, but a reliable indication
of the stature of the harvester’s
future betrothed.
I will let young Smyth ex-
plain the rules. He warns (and
it does sound like a warning)
that “Some people play this
trick on New Year’s Eve. If a
www.newsfour.ie
girl wants to know what kind
her future husband will be, she
must go out in the garden at
twelve o’clock that night, and
pull up a cabbage-head and
bring it into the house. If it is
a long one he will be long, if it
is a short one he will be short
and if it is crooked he will be
crooked. Whatever shape the
cabbage is, it is said the man
will be the same.”
Leaving aside that young
Smyth characterises the whole
affair as “a trick”, which some-
what undermines our faith
in his belief, this does seem
like an unwieldy relationship
counselling tool, even for the
1930s. For one thing, I have
to doubt the impartiality of the
subject in the act of selecting
the cabbage, especially since
the size and shape of the leafy
prize are meant to correlate to
the length and breadth of her
future husband. Essentially,
the problem with this as a data
gathering method is that the
person can see the shape of the
cabbage, which is supposed to
determine the shape of their
future spouse, before they
pull it out of the ground. Ok,
I know you do it at midnight
on New Year’s Eve, and that
tends to be a dimly lit affair in
rural cabbage patches, but I’m
guessing the protagonist had a
lot of daylight hours in the run-
up to the pulling event to spy
out a cabbage that looked like
their desired future husband.
That surely must skew the re-
sulting data?
To counter my own sceptical
bile, I will defend the cabbage
tradition on the grounds that it
is actually meant to do some-
thing. This puts it in a loftier
realm than, say, the “tradition”
of putting on a garish piece
of LED-ridden knitwear and
staggering through the twelve
pubs of Christmas trying to an-
noy as many of the regular pa-
trons of the hostelries involved
as is possible.
So, there’s traditions, and
there’s traditions. I have a
friend for whom the repeating
of almost any random action
more than once (the touching
of a gatepost or the buying
of a specific newspaper on a
Tuesday for example) may le-
gitimately be considered a tra-
dition. And they have a point.
Dec / Jan 2022
I imagine we all have family
traditions that fit that descrip-
tion. We always go to Aunt
Ethel’s and have currants. Or
we must put the gravy in the
cracked jug before half past
one. But really? Must we re-
ally? Why don’t we just ask
Ethel to come round to our
house the Tuesday before
Christmas, because it’s more
convenient? And just drop the
current thing. It’s silly and no
one can remember why we
have them and in truth most of
us don’t really like them any-
way. Similarly, why don’t we
give the whole Christmas tree
thing a wide berth? The real
ones make a hames of the car-
pet and are attacked viciously
by the cat every year, while
the fake ones have a lifetime
of centuries and somewhere
down the line end up distribut-
ed in microbeads in the ocean
slowly killing off the hump-
back whales.
I suppose the answer is that
traditions, even old ones be-
gun long before we were born,
are just part of having a shared
human experience. And even
someone grinching about them
like me would miss them if
they were gone. Think of the
energy I save by having a
handy seasonal list of things
to give out about. If the carol
singers didn’t come to my door
I’d have to go out and look for
something to sufficiently stim-
ulate the grinch gland (a small
organ situated just behind the
front near the tut-tutting centre
in the brain).
So stick on your horrendous
jumper, hang up the mistletoe
and trot out to the cabbage
patch and enjoy it. Just as I
will enjoy thinking I’m bet-
ter than that as I flick through
the channels full of Willy
Wonka and Die Hard (yes, it
is a Christmas film) moaning
about the lack of imagination
of the schedulers. It may seem
like a pointless exercise to oth-
ers, but I do it every year and I
sort of enjoy it.
And, of course, it’s tradi-
tional.
Image: Bela Santa-tree
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 Page 5

Dublin 4 lights up with the True Meaning of Christmas

Continuing a tradition since
2005 Mr Tilly’s Christmas
Lights will once more illumi-
nate the skies over Bath Avenue
this festive season. Hope forged
in loss, Liam Tilly’s altruis-
tic act was inspired following
the passing of his beloved wife
Rita at only 58 years. So far
€155,661.09 has been raised for
Our Lady’s Hospice and Care
Services.

While across the Dodder in

Donnybrook David Doyle is
hoping to raise money for the
Children’s Health Foundation,
Crumlin. David - a man pas-
sionate about Christmas - has
adorned his house with 12,850
lights, which will be officially
switched on on December 1st.
He’s hoping they’ll be visible
from space!

Please do support these two very

good causes if you can. You will
be making someone’s Christmas
a lot brighter and more cheerful.
Thank You. And well done to
Liam and David.
Wayne, Harley and Maison
looking forward to Christmas;
Donnybrook’s Dazzling Dis-
play; Santa’s reindeer getting
ready to take flight.
 Page 6
Meet Rama – the therapy dog
n Eoin Meegan
This beautiful 5-year-old Gol-
dendoodle (a golden retriever
and poodle cross) is a friend to
all who need him. So intelligent
and kind he likes nothing more
than to share love with those
around him.
Trained by his owner Philip
Daly, whose wife runs the local
play school, at which Rama, ow-
ing to his natural empathy with
children was always a welcome
visitor. Rama has a particularly
calming effect on children who
may be hyperactive or are on the
autistic spectrum. “Sometime
autisitc children won’t look you
in the eye,” Philip told News-
Four, “but they take to Rama
straight away, and in no time
with him seem to come out of
themselves. He is definitely a
little therapist.”
A DOG’S LIFE www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
Then when covid struck and
the schools were shut Philip
brought him to his place of work
at Woodstock Court Care Cen-
tre, which prepares delicious
meals on wheels that go out to
Care Homes in the Dublin 4 and
6 areas. There Rama was an im-
mediate hit and over that pro-
longed period when residents
were unable to have visitors he
was both a friend and a thera-
pist. “Honestly a few minutes
with Rama is better than an hour
with a therapist.” Philip says.
And it’s true!
Every day Rama goes from unit
to unit and sits for a while with
each resident. Here in the pic-
tures we see him with various
residents, as well as strolling
around his native Ranelagh. He
provides both a comfort and a
calmness that is priceless.
Images: Top to bottom:
Rama around Ranelagh,
with Tommy at the Devlin,
Liz in her home, out for a
stroll with Bina, with Sami
on the lounger, Tommy, this
time in Woodstock centre,
Iris outside her front door,
and Rama driving home af-
ter a hard day at the office!
All courtesy of Philip Daly.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 Page 7

Come and See Sandymount Hotel’s

Gingerbread Village 2021
 Page 8 FESTIVE SHOPPING IDEAS www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

2021 Christmas
n Geneva Pattison
Gift Guide

T
is’ the season for giving The Gift Edit
and sharing kindness The Gift Edit is a new con-
with one another. How- cept that launched in Stephen’s
ever, Brexit has made aspects of Green Shopping Centre in No-
online shopping unnecessarily  vember and will run until De-
complex and ultimately, more cember 31st. The pop-up shop
costly than one would hope with includes a combination of sus-
extra import duties and customs tainable, Irish products from
fees. We don’t need that kind female creators. Three small
of stress during Christmas! In businesses merged together to
recent years, there has been a create this concept, those being
cultural shift towards support- The Beauty Kit (Makeup and
ing local and buying local. It’s skincare), Dainty Bear (Chil- Green Shopping Centre if Do you remember the famous chocolate and a full-bodied
a fantastic way to support small dren’s clothing and accessories) you’re passing!   ice-cream shop, Caffolla, on taste. They also stock an Oro
Irish businesses, save on import and Hue Complete Me (Quirky O’Connell Street, the great Italian blend, made from rich
fees and it helps us to be kinder stationery and ornaments). Ex- grandfather of this family ran it! Arabica beans and infusing
to the environment. Less deliv- pect to see luxurious skincare Quaffolla Coffee The proud Irish-Italian connec- them with the taste and body
ery planes and ships, less carbon products, adorable Christmassy Who doesn’t love the aroma of tion runs deep with Quafolla. of Robusta coffees, delicious!
dioxide emissions and every- baby clothes and fun-felt Christ- a freshly ground authentic Ital- They also have a blog section Quaffolla have both ground cof-
one’s happy.  mas dinosaur decorations and ian coffee? Well, the new Irish/ on their website, to tell their fee and beans at very affordable
In the spirit of this, NewsFour illustrated cards. They’ve really Italian brand Quaffolla has you family story of how they came prices, available to purchase on
wanted to do a round-up of the got a good few gift bases cov- covered. This family run busi- to Ireland; coffee and history, their website.
best local options available for ered with unique and thought- ness brings the joy and warmth a perfect match. Their products
presents during this Christmas fully curated presents. Definite- of their hometown in South Ita- include a delicious Famiglia Avoca- Ballsbridge 
season. Time to get festive!  ly check them out in Stephen’s ly, right into your Irish kitchen. Italian blend, with notes of dark This year Avoca launched a
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
selection of Christmas charity
items in support of St Patrick’s
Mental Health Services. They
stock beautifully unique, in-
house made candles in cedar-
wood and sandalwood scents, as
well as a bespoke print collabo-
ration with Dusty Boy Designs
that reads, “In the bare winter
wood, hear the hope springs of
the heart”. One hundred percent
of the proceeds from these items
will go to the St Patrick’s Men-
tal Health Services charity, ‘A
Walk in My Shoes’ campaign.
Charity Christmas cards are also
available, but what a lovely ges-
ture to help those in need while
giving the gift of kindness this
wonderful time of the year.  as a treat for yourself. After the
2 Wheels - Sandymount  self a hard time about shopping
It’s somewhat of a tradition to
get a bike at Christmas, not just
for the young but why not for us
adults too! 2 Wheels is a won-
derful local bike shop located
in the heart of Sandymount
and they stock a wide array of
children’s and adults’ bicycles
in many styles, they also have
electric bikes available. The
price range for children’s bikes
comes in at around €150-€300
FESTIVE SHOPPING IDEAS Page 9
new and for adults, it’s around
€600-1500 on average for a
new bike. There’s nothing like
feeling that rush of wind in your
hair as you hop on your bike
and hit the road, that’s price-
less. There’s an added bonus in
the sustainability category here,
not only are you shopping local Quaffolla Coffee:    https://
but you’re also cutting the emis- quaffolla.com/
sions yourself!  
There’s lots of ways we can
support local and buy sustain- 2 Wheels Bikes:     
ably this season, for example, https://2wheels.ie/
supporting your local green gro-
cer or farmers markets (shout out Supernatural Food Market:
to the Supernatural Food market https://www.supernatural.ie/
on Pearse Street!) by making
hampers to give to loved ones, or
Images: Candles/print
two years we’ve had I think it’s
- Avoca PR, Quoffolla-
well deserved. Don’t give your-
Courtesy of Quoffolla, The
online either, it’s a necessity in gift edit - Dainty Bear &
this day and age and there’s only The Beauty Kit
so many hours in the day. Just
try to think about buying from
Irish-made brands and produc-
ers because for smaller brands,
every sale makes their Christ-
mas that little bit more special.  
Brands mentioned
Dainty Bear: https://daintybear.
com/
Hue Complete Me: https://
www.huecompleteme.com/
The Beauty Kit: https://the-
beautykit.com/
 Page 10 CHRISTMAS/MUSIC www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

An Exclusive Interview With

André Rieu
N
n Geneva Pattison
ewsfour is extremely
proud to have gained
access to an exclusive
interview with the ‘King of the
Waltz’, André Rieu! The inter-
view was created especially to
check in with his Irish fans dur-
ing this special time of year, as
well as to celebrate the release
of André’s Christmas extrava-
ganza “Christmas With André”,
coming to cinemas this festive
period. 
The concert was filmed in his
dreamy, historical hometown of
Maastricht in the Netherlands,
in a specially built, magical
Winter Palace with one hun-
dred and fifty chandeliers and
fifty Venetian candelabras sur-
rounding the performers, for the
full Christmas effect! Joining
André will be a host of talents
including The Golden Voices of
Gospel and The Platin Tenors
along with guest sopranos Donij
van Doorn and Anna Majchr-
zak. Of course, you can expect Q3: How long has this spe- one day.
a wondrous show from his own cial event been in the making Q5: Are you doing anything
orchestra including dance per- and what makes it different special for Christmas this year?
formances, all under idyllically from the others?  André: Being at home and
peaceful snowfall. The concert André: For a couple of years, enjoying spending time with
will be shown in Dublin theatres I’ve been thinking and dream- my wife, children and grand-
on December 4th and 5th, just ing of this December tradition children; hopefully there will
early enough to get you into the in my hometown; since my be snow, so we can make a nice
yuletide mood (link to purchase summer concerts are so success- walk all together on the St Piet-
tickets at bottom of page). It’s ful, I thought, there might be a ers Mountain next to my house.
sure to be an event that’s fun for chance that Christmas concerts In the evening, there will be
all the family so, get the tickets will reach the same effect. Two gifts and maybe a wonderful
while they’re hot!  years ago, my dream came true movie like “The Sound Of Mu-
But what does André Rieu, (like Walt Disney already said: sic” or “Mary Poppins.”
‘King of the Waltz’, ‘King of “If you can dream it, you can do Q6: What are you hoping to
Romance’ and now arguably, it!”). It is very special, because get from Santa ?
‘King of Christmas’ have to say dinner; nowadays, they’re being the world are invited to come to it is in my ‘own’ Maastricht; I André: First and foremost,
about all this excitement? Let’s helped by their wives and their the cinema and watch my new- don’t have to travel far to go to Christmas is meant to be a feast
find out.  children. All I have to do is sit est Christmas special: there is the stage and enjoy every day for the small ones... but, okay,
Q1: Welcome back! What back and relax. There is another so much to see, to hear and to there! when you ask me: I hope to re-
makes Christmas so special for tradition: I take home a Christ- enjoy! Before you know it, the Q4: Of all the beautiful ceive the green light for all my
you? mas decoration for our Christ- cinema is turned into a winter Christmas songs, which is your concerts in 2022! I can’t wait
André: Christmas is by far my mas tree every year, and I give wonderland. Chandeliers, snow, favourite and why? to perform again for all my be-
most favourite time of the year; it to my wife Marjorie who col- everything you need for a deli- André: There are so many loved fans, they’ve been waiting
after several months of touring, lects these. So, we have a very cious Yule Time in front of a outstanding Christmas songs (just like me) far too long for
which still is very satisfying, international tree! Last but not gigantic screen. You’ll have a that I simply can’t choose just our concerts. In case this ‘gift’
we’re all coming home. At the least, I started a new tradition once in a lifetime experience, one. Just to mention a few: is too much to be asked for, I’m
end of December, I spend my in my hometown Maastricht in there is a backstage tour, I’ll tell “Have Yourself A Merry Little also happy with a nice novel or
time with my small family (my 2019: Christmas concerts! Un- you things you’ve never heard Christmas”, “I’m Dreaming Of Christmas presents made by my
wife, our sons with their wives fortunately, I wasn’t able to or- before. My beloved Johann A White Christmas”, “Oh Holy grandchildren.
and - of course - our five gor- ganise them last year because of Strauss Orchestra can be seen, Night”, “Walking In The Air”
geous grandchildren). I say de- the covid pandemic, but I have but also the lovely sopranos and “Jingle Bells” because it To purchase a cinema ticket to
liberately small family, because good hope for upcoming De- Anna Majchrzak and Donij van is so happy... Alright, there is view Christmas with André and
my big family are the lovely cember! Doorn, the fantastic Platin Ten- one song which incorporates all to check for showing times, visit
people with whom I travel Q2: What can audiences ex- ors, the Golden Voices of Gos- feelings together: “Jerusalem, the website https://intl.andrein-
around the world: my orchestra pect from this special Christmas pel, the Maastricht Dance and The Holy City”! There is joy, cinemas.com/
and crew members! For many Event? Ice Skate Company... too much hope, togetherness! And I’d like Images: Courtesy of
years our sons make Christmas André: People from all over to mention! to record “Slumber my Darling” Anna Lavery PR
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
D
o you experience dis-
comfort in your mouth
when eating hot or
cold foods, or even breathing
in cold air? If so, it may be the
result of tooth sensitivity.
“Having sensitive teeth can
mean anything from getting
a mild twinge to experienc-
ing severe discomfort that can
continue for several hours.
Sensitivity is typically the re-
sult of worn tooth enamel or
exposed tooth roots, although
it can also be an early warn-
ing sign of more serious dental
problems,” explains Dr Jen-
nifer Collins, lead general den-
tist at Northumberland Dental
Care in Ballsbridge.
Common Causes of
Sensitive Teeth
• Brushing too hard: brush-
ing with a hard toothbrush or
brushing from side to side can
How to Prevent Sensitive Teeth
cause enamel to be worn away,
particularly where the teeth
meet the gums.
• Acidic foods and drinks:
enamel erosion can be caused
by attacks of acid on the teeth
from highly acidic foods and
drinks.
• Receding gums: gums
may naturally recede or shrink
back, exposing the roots of the
teeth, which do not have an
enamel layer to protect them.
• Gum disease: a build-up
of plaque or tartar can also
cause the gums to recede and
even destroy the bone support-
ing the tooth.
• Tooth grinding: tooth
grinding or clenching at night
can result in enamel erosion,
making the teeth more sensi-
tive.
• Cracked teeth: a cracked
tooth can occur as a result of
age, injury, or even from older
amalgam dental fillings. Even
ADVERTORIAL
the tiniest fracture can expose
the dentine of your tooth.
• Dental cavities: if a cavity
has developed on the surface
of your tooth, a dental filling is
needed to prevent further dam-
age and sensitivity.
• Tooth whitening: some
patients may experience a tem-
porary sensitivity during or af-
ter tooth whitening treatment.
Ten Tips to Prevent
Sensitive Teeth
Once your dentist has ruled out
any underlying issues, there
are a number of steps you can
take to help manage and pre-
vent sensitive teeth as part of
your daily oral health regime.
1. Brush your teeth twice daily
for two minutes, especially
last thing at night, using a soft-
bristled toothbrush.
2. Try to brush in a circular
motion with gentle pressure,
rather than side-to-side.
3. Use a fluoride toothpaste
Page 11
to help keep teeth strong and 10. Schedule a full dental
prevent dental decay, or try a check-up with your dentist at
desensitising toothpaste as rec- least once a year, or more fre-
ommended by your dentist. quently as advised.
4. Floss teeth once a day to Dr Jennifer Collins is lead
remove plaque, preferably be- general dentist at Northumber-
fore brushing. land Dental Care in Dublin 4,
part of the Dental Care Ireland
5. Reduce frequency of sugary group. For further tips and ad-
or acidic snacks and carbon- vice on looking after your oral
ated drinks. health, visit www.northumber-
landdentalcare.ie
6. Drink plenty of water to
help dilute any acid attacks
caused by food or drinks.
7. After eating, wait 30 min-
utes before brushing, which
will give your enamel a chance
to re-harden.
8. If you grind your teeth, talk
to your dentist about wearing a
mouth guard at night.
9. If you are considering teeth
whitening, discuss sensitivity
with your dentist before start-
ing treatment.
 Page 12
Built This Way
BIAS – exhibition that aims to expose bias in AI
n B.J. Quinn
F
ollowing the easing of
lockdown restrictions, the
Science Gallery at Trin-
ity College Dublin reopened its
doors to the public last October
with a launch party for BIAS:
Built This Way — a free, in-
teractive, wholly thought-pro-
voking exhibition that explores
preferences, prejudices and dig-
ital equity. The exhibition is due
to run until February 28th, when
the gallery is sadly expected to
close for good.  positioning Ireland as an in-
“BIAS is a lens that distorts
how we understand the world,
warping our perception of re-
ality in ways that are often
unconscious and deeply in-
grained,” says BIAS curator
Julia Kaganskiy.  “But where
does it come from? And what
can we do about it?”
Featuring new commissions
from fresh Irish and interna-
tional artists, and collabora-
tions with expert researchers
from ADAPT, the SFI Re-
search Centre for AI-Driven
Digital Content Technology,
the exhibition will interro-
gate how prejudice can move
quickly from human to ma-
chine as algorithms and arti-
ficial intelligence systems are
encoded by humans with very
human values, preferences and
predispositions.
Ireland has the largest num-
ber of AI start-up companies
in Europe and has recently
published the National Arti-
ficial Intelligence Strategy,
ternational leader in using AI.
At a local level, understand-
ing AI has never been more
essential. These technologies
have global consequences – AI
systems can benefit innovation
that help both our economy
and society, but when used ir-
responsibly can reinforce and
amplify social bias.  24 square mounted photos of
The exhibition tackles some
heavy subjects and complex
questions – Can understanding
human bias help build more
ethical AI? Can understanding
machine bias help build more
equitable societies? What can
ART 1 EXPO
a deeper look in humans and
machines teach us about our-
selves? A subject which can
appear very complicated and
hard to understand at first.
Thankfully, the Science Gal-
lery has a team of friendly vol-
unteers on hand, who are not
only extremely knowledgeable
but explain these dense con-
cepts in ways simple to under-
stand.
Cloud Face by Shinseungback
Kimyonghun is one of the first
pieces you’ll come across.
Apophenia is the name given
to the human tendency to find
meaning in random data: be-
tween things that have no re-
lationship to one another. The
most common example for hu-
mans is our habit of seeing fac-
es in the clouds. Consisting of
clouds, Cloud Face shows us
what happens when machines
make the same mistake we do,
as each photo has been classi-
fied in error as human faces by
artificial intelligence.  require you to ‘tilt’ this and
Still, think of Cloud Face as
www.newsfour.ie
an appetizer. One of the most
enjoyable exhibits – and the
one that attracted the largest
crowds during my visit – is
SKU-Market by artists Laura
Allcorn and Jennifer Edmond.
Essentially, SKU-Market is
a satirical mini-market that
explores how our purchasing
habits and online behaviours
can be interpreted, miscon-
strued and used to shape our
lives in surprising ways. You
are instructed to mobile-scan
various items – a selection
which includes equal rights
t-shirts, daily astrology apps,
VR headsets, rosé and bam-
boo toilet paper, to name just a
few. Then at the Self-Checkout
section, you print your receipt
to see how the machine’s al-
gorithm interpreted your pur-
chases to create a vivid picture
of who you are.  our attention and hold it there
According to SKU, I “some-
times rebel against myself but
don’t have to” – not a great
start. I’m also “highly cautious
with sneaking suspicions” –
getting warmer. And I “might
also like boundaries, independ-
ent films, and black and white
choices” – bingo! Of course,
it’s all meant to be taken with
a pinch of salt, but there is an
inherent thrill of being psycho-
analyzed by a machine.
The exhibition continues on
the top floor of the Science
Gallery, where you’ll come
across more fascinating instal-
lations, including Risa Puno’s
and Alex Taylor’s Most Likely
To Succeed. This interactive
exhibit, developed with Ac-
centure Labs, gives you the
chance to prove your skills in
an exciting tactile game re-
quiring focus and dexterity.
By altering a tilting platform,
players are tasked with getting
as many balls through a maze
as possible before time runs
out! Sounds fun, but there’s
method behind the madness:
in theory, the piece aims to ex-
amine the construction and ap-
plication of AI models through
the subjective lens of fairness.
Of course, not all the exhibits
‘scan’ that; some are waiting
for you to look but not touch.
Dec / Jan 2022
Zizi - Queering the Dataset
by London-based media artist
Jake Elwes is a perfect exam-
ple. Its aim is to tackle the lack
of gender representation in the
training datasets often used
by facial recognition systems.
Across three digital screens,
we watch a procession of faces
of drag artists in constant tran-
sition. What this does is cause
the AI to shift away from the
normative identities it was
originally trained on and into a
space of queerness. 
Public information notices are
also dotted throughout the ex-
hibition, detailing important
studies on how we interact
with technology. One which
is sure to prompt interest de-
scribes the ways in which
phones are designed to grab
for as long as possible. The
exhibit goes through every
feature, colour and sound on
your phone, and explains how
each is optimised by teams of
designers and psychologists to
keep you hooked. 
With the Science Gallery set to
close its doors this February,
BIAS offers a grand send-off
by exploring what a deeper
look at the world can teach us
about ourselves.
BIAS: Built This Way is free
entry and no pre-booking is re-
quired, but, in following Covid
protocol, you will be asked to
sign in at the front desk. 
BIAS was curated with Julia
Kaganskiy and ADAPT, the
Science Foundation Ireland
Research Centre for AI Driven
Digital Content Technology.
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 ART 1 EXPO Page 13

Painting & Memory
Jack B. Yeats celebrated at The
National Gallery of Ireland
n B.J. Quinn
“No one creates. The artist as-
sembles memories.”
– Jack B. Yeats
Coinciding with the 150th an-
niversary of the birth of one of
Ireland’s most important artists,
The National Gallery of Ireland
is hosting an exhibition explor-
ing the role of memory in Jack B.
Yeats’ work.
Running till February 6th and
taking place in the Gallery’s Beit
Wing, this exhibition, comprising
84 paintings, brings together the
largest collection of Yeats’ oils
in fifty years. Speaking to The
Irish Times ahead of its launch,
Brendan Rooney, head curator at
the gallery, said, “we were incred-
ibly well served by lenders. Peo-
ple, it appears to us, who own a
Yeats love Yeats, and that applies
to public and private collections.
The generosity we experienced
was terrific.”
Yeats mastered various media
throughout his life; he trained as
draughtsman and illustrator early
in his career. But he is most cel-
ebrated for his oil paintings. He
completed over a thousand in
his lifetime, with 594 paintings
between the age of seventy and
eighty years of age. From his
early playful reimaginings to the
existential reflections of his later
work, memory proved a constant
source of wild inspiration.  The exhibition concludes with
The exhibition begins by ex-
ploring Yeats’ emotional con-
nection to Sligo, where the artist
lived from 1879 to 1885 with his
grandparents. But Yeats was a
well-travelled soul; the bustling
metropolises of New York, Lon-
don and Paris excited him, and
the paintings on display mirror
his enthusiasm, with their giddy
strokes of movement and vibrant
hues. ‘A Palace’ (1933) is a prime
example: a colourful recollec-
tion of the sparkling Grill Room
of The Cafe Royal in London: a
meeting place for writers, art-
ists, politicians and intellectuals
around that time.  ‘Sleep Sound’ (1955), painted
He was also fascinated by peo-
ple, and by the late 1930s he had
already assembled a cast of famil-
iar character types from Irish life
who made regular appearances
throughout his work. This fasci-
nation tended to focus on unique
personalities or strangers he en-
countered during his rural trav-
els. The most striking example of
these is ‘The Barrel Man’ (1912),
a depiction of a – perhaps cruel
– rural festivity, involving a man
fighting off sticks being aimed at
him from the safety of a barrel.
what’s widely considered Yeats’
best work. As old age crept in, so
did a period of deep reflection.
The death of his wife Cottie, and
his siblings – William, Elizabeth
and Susan – all within the same
decade had a profound impact on
the artist’s paintings. Where his
early work featured figures in a
state of enjoyment or pursuit, the
characters populating his later
work seem weighed down with
graver concerns. Even the titles
of these paintings suggest a deep
state of wonder towards the after-
life.  Curators | Donal Maguire and
My personal highlights include
when Yeats was eighty-five years
old, and is one of several works in
which the artist clearly addresses
the subject of death and likens it
to sleep. Fun fact: The painting
was owned by the musician Da-
vid Bowie at the time of his death
and is now worth an estimated
€210,000.
Another notable piece is the
recent acquisition ‘Bachelor’s
Walk, In Memory’ (1915), which
depicts an incident in 1914 that
saw the King’s Own Scottish Bor-
derers opening fire on a crowd of
demonstrators in Dublin City
Centre – one of very few paint-
ings with which Yeats responded
directly to contemporary political
events.
Ticket prices range from €10
- €16 (although only €5 every
Tuesday from 9.45am to 1pm).
Discounts for mid-week tick-
ets and for those booked online,
as well as for the over 65s, stu-
dents, and individuals who are
unwaged. It should take approxi-
mately 30mins to complete the
exhibition.
Dr Brendan Rooney
For further information, be sure
to visit www.nationalgallery.ie
Image: Pilot Sligo River, 1927.
Source The National Gallery of
Ireland

GERARD BYRNE
Gerard Byrne ‘Always Sunday’ oil on canvas | detail

STUDIO
ART GALLERY

01 4982909 | 086 8321094

hello@gerardbyrneartist.com
15 Chelmsford Road | Ranelagh | Dublin 6

WWW.GERARDBYRNEARTIST.COM
 Page 14 FESTIVE FILM www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

A Holly Jolly Netflix

Our top 6 film picks for the Christmas season
n B.J. Quinn
It’s that time of year again!
A time for love and cheer, for
family and friends. But, most
importantly, Christmas is a time
where we get the opportunity to
sit down, watch a heap of films
and scoff whatever foil wrapped
goodies are within arm’s reach.
And though we can’t provide
the goodies, here’s our list of the
top 6 Christmas films currently
streaming.

NETFLIX
Klaus (2019)
When Jesper (Jason Schwartz-
man) distinguishes himself as the
Postal Academy’s worst student,
he is banished to Smeerensburg, a
remote village located on an icy
island above the Arctic Circle,
where grouchy inhabitants barely
exchange words, let alone letters.
Jesper is about to give up and
abandon his postal duties when
he meets local teacher Alva and
Klaus (J. K.  Simmons), a reclu-
sive toymaker who lives alone in
a cabin full of handmade trinkets.
Klaus is the perfect way to
kick-off the Christmas season.
It is gorgeous to look at, genu-
inely funny and has the potential
to make you cry the happiest of
tears. The film also explains all
the Santa myths – from flying
reindeers to his little helpers – in
unique and clever ways. Now, the
story doesn’t reinvent the wheel;
in fact it openly harkens back to
Disney’s 2D animations of the
2000s-era. But we’re in safe and
capable hands: its director, Sergio
Pablos, created the phenomenon
that is Despicable Me, after all.
Krampus (2015)
When his dysfunctional family
falls out over the holidays, Max
(Emjay Anthony) is disillusioned
and turns his back on Christmas.
However, little does he know,
this lack of festive spirit has un-
leashed the wrath of Krampus: an
ancient evil force intent on pun-
ishing non-believers.
Forget nice – Krampus is as
naughty as they come, and is one
unholy delight! If you’re tired of
all the Christmas schmaltz and
family friendly classics, this one’s
for you. Though very much in-
spired by Joe Dante’s magnum
opus Gremlins, Krampus unleash-
es its own unique brand of terror.
Gene Wilder and Peter Ostrum in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Image Source; Paramount Pictures , via Photofest
It has jump-scares, tension and
a whole lot of creepy creations.
The creatures on show are made
from a mix of terrifying practical
and CGI effects, and the result is
pure nightmare fuel. Still, though
it’s arguably the jolliest movie
you’ll find this Christmas season,
you better wait till the kiddies
are tucked away before inviting
Krampus into your living room.
Disney +
Nightmare Before Christmas
(1993)
Bored of scaring humans every
Halloween with the same old
tricks, Jack Skellington (Chris
Sarandon), the beloved Pumpkin
King of Halloween Town, plots to
kidnap Santa Claus and take the
role for himself. But as Christmas
approaches, Jack soon discovers
even the best-laid plans of mice
and (skeleton) men can go seri-
ously awry.
This film has the unique ability
of being a crowd-pleaser during
both Halloween and Christmas.
With catchy tunes and beautiful,
nightmarish imagery, The Night-
mare Before Christmas is a ma-
cabre masterpiece. Directed by
Henry Selick, with a script from
Tim Burton and songs by Danny
Elfman, this film is not short on
powerhouse talent. The visuals
will haunt you the same way ‘This
is Halloween’, ‘What’s This’, and
‘Making Christmas’ will have you
humming for weeks: “Boys and
girls of every age, wouldn’t you
like to see something strange?”
Die Hard (1988)
For the uninitiated: NYPD cop
John McClane’s (Bruce Willis)
plan to reconcile with his es-
tranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) is
thrown for a serious loop when,
minutes after he arrives at her of-
fice, the entire building is over-
taken by a group of heavily ac-
cented terrorists. With little help
from the LAPD, wisecracking
McClane sets out to single-hand-
edly bring the bad guys down, in
his bare feet no less.
Where do I begin? Yes, it’s a
Christmas film. Yes, it’s one of
the best action films ever made
– these two things aren’t mutu-
ally exclusive. However, I take
no pleasure in saying that Die
Hard has aged into a lost art. It
has a wholly original, unpredict-
able screenplay, witty dialogue,
and Willis has never been better,
cooler or sexier. But not only did
Die Hard turn Willis into an inter-
national star, it gave us one of the
most memorable movie villains
of all time in Hans Gruber (Alan
Rickman). Have a Merry Christ-
mas and a Yippee Ki-Yay!
Prime Video
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate
Factory (1971)
If you happened to have no
childhood and, as a result, are
completely unaware of this clas-
sic, here’s the rundown: Dandy
candy-man Willy Wonka (Gene
Wilder) creates a worldwide fren-
zy when he announces that golden
tickets hidden inside five of his
candy bars will admit their lucky
holders into his secret confection-
ary. But this isn’t just any choco-
late factory, Wonka’s is filled with
chocolate rivers, Oompa Loom-
pas and madcap inventions.
Alas, another Christmas staple,
but this one has aged well – bet-
ter than most Dahl adaptations,
that’s for sure. The performances
are great, especially Wilder, who
weaves a sense of enigmatic mys-
tery through proceedings. Depp
had no chance, his performance
(in Tim Burton’s 2005 remake)
brought all the whimsy but no
emotion, and if Wilder had any-
thing, it was emotion. He could
bottle it up or let it rip! What I
love about the original version
is how the nastiness of Dahl’s
world shines through. The kids
here are absolute brats, and it’s
quite satisfying to watch them get
their comeuppance. I mean, even
Charlie is too much at times, but
at least he has a good heart – just
stay away from those Fizzy Lift-
ing Drinks, kid.
Tangerine (2015)
It’s Christmas Eve in Hollywood
and our heroine Sin-Dee (Kitana
Kiki Rodriguez) is back on the
streets. When she hears that her
pimp boyfriend hasn’t been faith-
ful during the 28 days she was
incarcerated, the working girl and
her best friend, Alexandra (Mya
Taylor), embark on a mission to
get to the bottom of the salacious
rumour.
Tangerine is the real deal! Upon
its release, critics made much of
the fact that the feature was en-
tirely shot with an iPhone, but it’s
much more than that – it’s proof
that independent films don’t have
to be dreary, artsy and filled to the
brim with static shots that suggest
cheap Bergman or Ozu. This film
breaks all the rules and has a lot of
fun doing it. Sure, it may be struc-
tured like a Jim Jarmucsh film,
but it has all the raw energy of a
Cassavetes joint. But most nota-
bly, it’s the way the film centres
the lives of trans women of color
with complexity and humour that
makes it a deeply rewarding trip
through Tinseltown.
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 FILM OPPORTUNITY Page 15

Lights. Camera. Social Action!
Walk in My Shoes launches mental health short-film competition
with €1,000 cash prize
n B.J. Quinn originality, artistic vision and
come.
This competition isn’t about
using pricey equipment either.
You can use any type of video
recording device you feel com-
fortable with – smartphones,
digital cameras, film – and there
are lots of free-to-use video
editing programmes available
online, such as Clip Champ, to
help you get the finished version
you’re happy with.
How to Enter? After complet-
ing your TikTok or short film,
you can enter the competition
by filling out the online entry
form (via www.walkinmyshoes.
ie) and confirming the permis-
sions within it, which allow us
to screen and share your crea-
tions.
Please note that only You-
Tube, Vimeo or TikTok links
will be accepted for competition
applications. If you are short-
listed in your category, you will
be asked to share an MP4 file of
your entry at that time.
Friends – all of which I rely on Submissions are now open
place winner who will receive
€500. In the secondary school
categories, first and second
place prizes will be made paya-
ble to the school, with each par-
ticipating student also receiving
a small prize. An awards cer-
emony announcing the winners
will be held towards the end of
February 2022.
For more details and terms
and conditions for this year’s
competition, be sure to visit
their website: www.walkinmy-
shoes.ie/campaigns/frame-of-
mind.  
*If you are affected by any of
the issues raised in this article,
you can contact; The Samaritans
(phone 116123), or Pieta House
(1800247247).
Image Source www.walkinmy-
shoes.ie

W
message interpretation, with
alk in My Shoes, the shortlisted films to be reviewed
flagship awareness- by an expert judging panel who
raising campaign will select the overall winners.
of St Patrick’s Mental Health If there are insufficient entries,
Services, is calling on students the judging panel reserves the
and budding filmmakers across right to decline to make an
Ireland to submit short films or award. The panel reserves the
TikTok videos that promote a right to disqualify any entry that
positive mental health message, does not fit the criteria of these
tackle mental health stereotypes terms and conditions, and its de-
or challenge stigma. cision is final.
First launched in 2014, the This year’s judging panel
Frame of Mind short-film com- comprises: RTÉ Guide Movies
petition returns for its seventh Editor, Michael Doherty; for-
year with a brand new category mer service user of St Patrick’s
that asks hopeful entrants to cre- Mental Health Services and film
ate an inspiring mental health fanatic, Sean Fitzpatrick; Direc-
film in 60 seconds or less. En- tor of Services at St Patrick’s
trants can also submit short Mental Health Services, Tom
films of up to three minutes or Maher; and Director of Com-
less. The prize – €1,000.  munications and Advocacy at
With data showing a massive St Patrick’s Mental Health Ser-
rise in the number of people us- vices, Tamara Nolan.
ing social media apps such as Speaking about this year’s
TikTok on a daily basis across contest, returning judge, Sean
the nation, the contest hopes to Fitzpatrick said: “I am delighted
use the influence and reach of to be on the judging panel again
such platforms to shine a light for this year’s Frame of Mind
on mental health through short, competition. Having acted as
shareable and inspiring film a Frame of Mind judge for the
content. past number of years, it’s al-
ways amazing to see the high
The categories for this year’s calibre of entries, which tackle
competition are: many important issues and raise
awareness of the importance of
Secondary School / TikTok good mental health. As some-
Secondary School / Short- one who has experienced men-
Film tal health difficulties, films and
General / TikTok cinema became a vital part of
General / Short-Film my recovery strategy and form
  part of something I like to call
All entries will be judged on the three Fs - Film, Football and
as a way to look after my own and must be sent in by 5pm on
mental health. Cinema and film Friday, 4 February, 2022. Each
have proven to be a lifeline for category will have a first-place
me in times of difficulty and I winner who will receive a cash
hope that, through this compe- prize of €1,000 and a second-
tition, others will take time to
discover the power of film and
its ability to highlight pertinent
issues, while also bringing joy
and hopefulness.”
Fellow judge, Tamara Nolan
spoke of the importance of the
competition’s noble cause, say-
ing: “Frame of Mind is one of
Walk in My Shoes’ most popu-
lar initiatives, and each year we
receive significant numbers of
uplifting entries from schools
and the public that challenge
mental health stigma and con-
vey positive, hopeful messages.
The Frame of Mind short-film
competition is all about harness-
ing the ability that a good film
can have to inspire people and
to spark conversations about
mental health. By challenging
entrants to keep their films to
three minutes or less, we hope to
be able to share valuable mental
health awareness-raising con-
tent that is compelling and that
has the power to reach as many
people as possible.”
With everyone’s safety in
mind, participants are encour-
aged to make their entries in line
with the ever-evolving public
health guidance: from filming
people remotely to using ani-
mation or simple stop-motion,
all innovative ways you want
to make your creations are wel-
 Page 16
A Look Back at the Year
in Film
n David Prendeville
A
nother tumultuous year
for cinema draws to a
close. As we headed
into the latter months of 2021
the outlook for cinemas and the
film industry in general has been
boosted somewhat. Hits such as
the much delayed Bond outing
No Time to Die have brought
people back into the multiplex
and given a much needed boost
to exhibitors. There have also
been other modest successes
such as Dune, which suggest
that the proclamation of cin-
ema’s death has been greatly
exaggerated.  At the worldwide box office,
Looking back on the year as a
whole it doesn’t feel as though
the output of films was much
lower than in a normal year. It
certainly marked a big improve-
ment on 2020. In 2020 the only
really expected money spinner
that was released was Christo-
pher Nolan’s dire Tenet, which
ultimately underwhelmed at the
box office. This year has seen
the release of the aforemen-
tioned Bond and Dune, as well
as hits such as Shang-Chi and
the Legend of the Ten Rings,
Venom: Let There Be Carnage,
Black Widow, F9 and A Quiet
Place Part 2, to name but a few.  Chinatown 3 (an instalment in
It’s undeniable that the theat-
rical grosses of the highest earn-
ers are down a bit from where
they would have been in the
times before Covid. If we look
at the US box-office figures
for the year, only Shang-Chi
and Venom have crossed the
200 million mark, a milestone
that would be quietly impres-
sive rather than earth-shattering
in the halcyon days of 2018 or
2019. This is offset, of course,
by the fact that many films this
year were released simultane-
ously on streaming platforms as
they were in cinemas.  they were released theatrically,
it’s two Chinese films that top
the pile at the time of writing.
The war film The Battle of Lake
Changjin is at no.1. The film
managed to gross over 800 mil-
lion in China alone. Second on
the list is the comedy Hi, Mom
- sadly not the Brian De Palma
film from 1970. In at 3 is the
ninth instalment of the Fast and
Furious franchise, F9, which
grossed over 700m worldwide.
Bond then takes fourth spot and
may add more to its cumula-
tive gross before it finishes its
FILM REVIEW
cinema run. The rest of the top
ten are made up of Detective
a popular Chinese franchise),
Godzilla Vs Kong, Venom: Let
There be Carnage, Shang-Chi,
Black Widow and Dune.  to reel punters back in. There
Again, we can see in these re-
sults, that while grosses are low-
er than what they would be in a
‘normal’ year, the figures are
strong considering the strain the
pandemic has put on cinemas
and points to a positive outlook
for the recovery of theatres in the
post Covid era. It’s also particu-
larly heartening that some films
that were released on stream-
ing services simultaneously as
posted strong attendances. This
shows that people still value the
cinema experience and that si-
multaneous streaming and the-
atrical runs have the potential to
live in harmony.  der was visceral, disturbing
In terms of the Hollywood
behemoths, there is one more
tentpole due to be unleashed
before the year’s end. It will
be fascinating to see how The
Matrix Revolutions plays for a
number of reasons, even beyond
the pandemic. It’s been 18 years
since the last instalment of the
franchise and it always felt as
www.newsfour.ie
though the poor reception given
to the two sequels killed off the
franchise. Perhaps Warner Bros
feel that nostalgia, seemingly
the new master of our infan-
tilized world, will be enough
seems, however, a curious lack
of hype for the 150m budgeted
film, less than a month before its
release on December 22nd.  Dog (currently on release) and
Looking back on my own
personal highlights of the cin-
ematic year, it maybe does seem
a tad more sparse and, perhaps,
low-key than what I would con-
sider as the standouts in a nor-
mal year, however there has
still been much to savour. Prano
Bailey-Bond’s Censor was an
imaginative and formally inven-
tive meta-horror featuring a su-
perb central performance from
Irish actor Niamh Algar. Michel
Franco’s provocative New Or-
and thoroughly uncompromis-
ing cinema. Ben Hozie’s PVT
Chat was a disarmingly sweet
and smart modern romance.
Paul Schrader carried on his
strong late career form with the
enthralling The Card Counter.
Todd Haynes made his best film
in years with the superb, de-
lightfully cinematic documen-
Dec / Jan 2022
tary The Velvet Underground,
which chronicles the brilliant
and iconic band. 
That’s also not to mention the
raft of exciting 2021 titles that
are scheduled to release here
over the coming weeks and
months, some of them slipping
into the following year, as al-
ways tends to happen. I greatly
look forward to Julia Ducour-
nau’s Palme D’or winning Ti-
tane, Gaspar Noe’s Vortex,
Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir
Part 2, Paul Verhoeven’s Bene-
detta and Paul Thomas Ander-
son’s Licorice Pizza to name but
a few. 
The latter is likely to be in
Oscar contention come the New
Year, given Anderson’s track
record in gaining nominations
from the academy. The films
being tipped to compete for
this year’s gongs also give a
good indication that the steady
release of high profile cinema
is back in flow. The current fa-
vourite for the big awards is
Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, a
semi-autobiographical drama
about a young boy growing up
in 60s Belfast. Other contend-
ers include the Will Smith star-
rer King Richard, Joel Coen’s
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Jane
Campion’s The Power of the
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost
Daughter. 
All in all, and with everything
considered, it has been a pretty
decent year for film, with plen-
ty more to look forward to this
month and into the New Year. It
certainly seems as if Covid has
not put paid to the cinematic
experience. The strain the pan-
demic has put on exhibitors is
still there to be seen, with some
independent cinemas closing
their doors permanently. How-
ever, it’s clear from the semi-
revival of cinemas in the latter
part of 2021 that there is hope
for better times for cinema own-
ers and cinema-goers alike in
the months ahead. 
Image: Julia Ducournau,
Palme D’or winner, courtesy
indiwire.com 
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 FILM REVIEW Page 17

The Last Duel

Ireland Shines in this Modern Medieval Epic
n B.J. Quinn Scott directed last year (the oth-
er being House of Gucci), is a
warned: the violence on display
is both bloody and brutal. And
you won’t need to wait till the
film’s confrontation to enjoy it;
the early battle sequences are
spectacularly gruesome and li-
able to shock even the most
stone-faced viewer.
Another shocking revelation
is that the film’s script marks
the first time Ben Affleck (who
also co-stars as Count Pierre
d’Alençon) and Matt Damon
have collaborated since their
1997 Oscar darling, Good Will
Hunting. Nicole Holofcener –
who previously co-wrote the
2018 hidden-gem Can You
Ever Forgive Me? – is also
on script duties; and hers is a
voice desperately needed. The
screenplay’s parallel contradic-
tory narratives will inevitably
prompt comparisons with Akira
Kurosawa’s classic Rashomon.
However, it seems what’s grab-
bing most audiences’ attention
is the film’s use of rape as a plot
device. Yes, there are, indeed,
some traumatic moments in The
Last Duel, but these are treated
with care and sensitivity.  A FINAL RESTING PLACE
encompassing charisma. He’s
proven himself to be a star be-
fore – last seen carrying the
revamped Star Wars franchise
on his broad, carefully sculpted
back with ease – but we had yet
to see him hold his own among
bonafide Hollywood heavy-
weights, such as Damon and Af-
fleck. He’s a unique talent, and
one you can’t help but watch. In
that regard, The Last Duel feels
like the passing of the Holly-
wood hunk torch, and long may
Driver keep its flame lit.
We all know who the real star
of the movie is, though. Ireland
has hosted various productions
in the past: The Tudors, John
Boorman’s Excalibur and, most
recently, The Green Knight
(starring Dublin native Barry
Keoghan). But if you’re still not
convinced of Ireland’s medieval
credentials, then The Last Duel
is here to settle all debate. The
film was partially shot in Cahir
Castle, Tipperary, Bective Ab-
bey, County Meath and various
locations in Dublin and Wick-
low. So, the next time you feel
like directing your own sprawl-
ing historical epic about mascu-
linity and betrayal, forget Hol-
lywood – look no further than
your own back garden.
The Last Duel (153 mins) is
currently playing on Disney +
*Support for victims of sexual
violence is available from Dub-
lin Rape Crisis Centre’s 24-hour
helpline, 1800-778888; Men’s
Aid Ireland national confiden-
tial helpline, 01-5543811; and
An Garda, 999/112.
Image: Pictured at a special
preview screening of Twentieth
Century Studio’s The Last Duel
in the Light house Cinema
Dublin are Irish cast members
Caoimhe O’Malley who plays
Elizabeth and Simone Collins
who plays Agatha. Picture An-
dres Poveda

R
emember Lockdown
#1? Cast your mind back
to a time of soda bread
recipes, viral sea shanties, insuf-
ferable Zoom quizzes and, yes,
Matt Damon. The Hollywood
superstar and his family were
holed up in Dalkey while the
actor shot outdoor scenes for
Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel.
During his stay, Damon became
something of a cult hero – sign-
ing autographs, enjoying lo-
cal amenities and providing us
with top-notch “bag of cans”
meme fodder that should last us
through any future lockdowns.
Speaking via video link at
the Dalkey Book Festival last
June, the actor told host David
McWilliams, “We made a bar-
gain with the kids that when this
all ends we’re going back and
we’re gonna do our trip . . . we
all really want to do it, we just
felt comfortable there . . . the
town is so beautiful and we’re
just walking up Killiney Hill,
walking over to Mugs (a local
café) and getting coffee.”
Thankfully, his trip to these
shores wasn’t made in vain.
The Last Duel, one of two films
thoroughly modern medieval
epic, forceful as it is propulsive.
Set in Paris, 1386, Damon
plays Jean de Carrouges, one of
two noblemen about to take part
in the final duel ever sanctioned
by French royalty. His oppo-
nent, Jacques Le Gris (Adam
Driver) stands accused of raping
de Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite
(Jodie Comer in a starmaking
turn). The film, however, uses
a cunning narrative device: the
story is split up into three chap-
ters, each from one of the main
characters’ point of view. We
see how their lives intertwine
and how their individual expe-
riences contrast and compare in
the lead up to the film’s climac-
tic, bloodthirsty duel.
When the trailer for The Last
Duel dropped last July, my ex-
pectations were lukewarm to
say the least. It built the film up
to be a sober, long-winded tale,
chock-full of Shakespearean
prose and solemn expressions.
Thankfully, that’s not the case at
all. Ridley Scott has somehow
delivered a close to three hour
period drama that rips and roars
along from start to finish. But be
Perhaps most concerning,
though, is the film’s characteri-
sation of Comer’s Marguerite,
who throughout the movie is
given no interior life and instead
is defined by the mechanics of
the plot and the rape. We hear
powerful characters often de-
scribe women as the property of
men, but with a script portray-
ing women as nothing but shal-
low victims, does The Last Duel
think any differently?
The film may feed into the
very power structure it tries to
overthrow, but at least Comer
is trying her best here, offering
a poignant, understated perfor-
mance. It’s meant to be her sto-
ry, of course, but it’s easy to tell The St Matthew’s Church Columbarium Wall is
Scott is much more interested
in the film’s reserve of testos- now available to book a final resting place for
terone. Some of that is supplied your loved ones in the Community. For more
by Damon, who enjoys playing
the heroic yet repugnant de Car- details and to receive a Brochure, call the St
rouges. Affleck spices up things
with a peroxide mullet more
Matthews Parish Office on 087 254 0378 or
suited to a Danish rave than email Jonny Bell at jonathanbell61@gmail.com
14th century France. The part of
d’Alençon provides Affleck the
chance to go big and camp, and
I’m all here for it! 
But nothing can compare
or distract from Driver’s all-
 Page 18 BOOKS www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

The Three Good Fridays: influence both domestically

Memories of an
Irish Octogenarian
n Eoin Meegan
In this book Octogenarian Bill
Morrison reminisces over his
long and colourful life, first
growing up in Blackrock, then as
a citizen of the world, and now
as a resident of Ballsbridge (he
claims the book came about in
order to kill the boredom during
Covid). Particularly striking are
the memories of a happy child-
hood in Blackrock, in an Ireland
that has long since vanished.
Such as visiting Findlaters store
with its intriguing pneumatic
pulley system, where the money
was whizzed up to the counting
house upstairs, and the change
brought back by the same seem-
ingly mysterious process, much
to the enjoyment and awe of the
children at the time. Also the old
Regent Cinema where admis-
sion set you back a staggering
sixpence! as well as travelling
on the old double-decker tram –
long predating the sleek modern
Luas. Memories too of swim-
ming and diving, both at which
Bill excelled, and long summer
days spent at the Blackrock
Baths. And let’s not forget such
eccentricities as playing marbles
and conkers (today’s kids would
have to google that to see what it
meant!) and road tennis, with a
rope substituted for the net! One
particular chapter tells the story
of Bill’s marriage to the beauti-
ful singer Mona Baptiste from
Trinidad, now sadly deceased,
penned by his friend Bill Hern.
The Three Good Fridays is as
much a social history of the
times as a description of a per-
sonal childhood. The story of
the early working life and sub-
sequent business career reflects
the changes the country went
through during those same ex-
citing times with Ireland’s inter-
national growth in diplomacy,
politics, commerce, and cultural
and internationally. Through-
published by author HOUSE,
is available directly from the-
out his very successful career threegoodfridays.com, also
with Bord Failte Bill travelled on Amazon, Goodreads and
all over the world and rubbed other online platforms. Price
shoulders with such luminar- $14.35
ies as Tony Bennett, Al Mar-
tino, Stéphane Grapelli,  Bill
Cosby, Maeve Binchy, Nuala
O Faolain, Jim Sheridan, Niall
Brophy, Paul O’Connell, Donal
Walsh, Olympians Eddie Heron
and Paddy Kavanagh, and the
greatest of them all, Muham-
mad Ali. But fame and success
rested easy on Bill, and the book
is full of lovely stories and an-
ecdotes (including the “who’s
Mona” story). The title comes
about from events that happened
on three separate Good Fridays
(all falling on April 10th), Bill’s
birth in 1936, the signing of the
Good Friday Agreement, 1989,
and his 84th birthday in 2020
which he spent (or as he says
‘endured’) cocooning in splen-
did isolation. A very enjoyable
read.
The Three Good Fridays:
Memories of an Irish Octoge-
narian by William Morrison,

Archipelago A Reader:
A Unique Literary Journey around
the British and Irish Isles

This collection drawn from the
pages of Archipelago, a literary
periodical which ran to 12 edi-
tions between 2007 and 2019,
gathers poetry, prose and visual
art in clusters grouped around
the Irish and British archipelago,
with contributions from an array
of significant artists including:
Seamus Heaney, Sinéad Morris-
sey, Bernard O’Donoghue, Alice
Oswald, Michael Longley, Tim
Robinson, Robert Macfarlane,
Moya Cannon, John Brannigan,
Derek Mahon, Terry Eagleton,
Norman Ackroyd, and founder
and editor Andrew McNeillie.
Since the foundation of the
magazine in 2007, Archipelago
has brought together estab-
lished and emerging artists in
creative conversations that have
transformed the study of is-
lands, coasts and waterways. It
journeys from the Shetlands to
Cornwall, from the Aran Islands
to the coast of Yorkshire, trac-
ing the cultures of diverse zones
through some of the best in con-
temporary writing about place
and people, raising awareness of
current issues, such as the envi-
ronment, as well as encouraging
reflection on nature. Readers old
and new can sail these imagi-
nary isles in the company of art-
ists whose works point to the far
shores of new understanding.
McNeillie, a native of Old Col-
wyn, North Wales, spent time as
a youth in the 1960s on Inish-
more, the largest of the Aran Is-
lands. The collection is laid out
in five sections, covering Ire-
land, England, Scotland, Wales
and Other Worlds. The editors
tell us they have arranged “the
collection in strands of associa-
tion that trace imaginative jour-
neys around the isles.” A really
unique and original collection
for lovers of art, literature and
the raging wild.
Before established Clutag Press
in 2000 that went on to publish
Archipelago Andrew McNeillie
worked as a news reporter in the
mining valleys of West Glam-
organ, to the north of Swansea,
and then went on to read English
as a mature student at Magdalen
College, Oxford, 1971-3, where
among his teachers was Ber-
nard O’Donoghue. After that he
worked as an editor and publish-
er, latterly at Oxford University
Press where he ran the Litera-
ture list. His Striking a Match
in a Storm: Collected Poems, is
due to be published by Carcanet
Press in March 2022.
Archipelago A Reader: edited
by Nicholas Allen and Fiona
Stafford, the Lilliput Press,
Dublin. Available in all good
bookstores and from the Lil-
liput Press website, price €25.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 BOOKS
The Ultimate Nostalgic Irish Christmas Recipe ‘Book’ Launches
on ToBeIrish.ie - Connecting Diaspora Around The World
Of all the things that make
us nostalgic for home, food
- particularly at Christmas
- has the power to trans-
port us to a time and place
we love or miss. The smell
of roast turkey, stuffing or
mince pies can switch on
all the festive feelings and  alight, with a brandy flame
‘To Be Irish At Christmas’
has collated a host of nostal-
gic Christmas recipes from
Irish chefs near and far re-
vealing them on ToBeIrish.
ie/feastivities over the com-
ing weeks beginning with
Eunice Power’s family pud-
ding recipe.  to bake and to ensure reci-
 
Curated by Ali Dunworth, it
is the ultimate nostalgic Irish
Christmas recipe ‘book’
(online) full of classic dish-
es and some more modern
twists including Mark Mori-
arty’s kitsch prawn cocktail,
Clodagh McKenna’s fool-
proof roast turkey, Anna
Haugh’s favourite seasonal
starter, Graham Herterich
show-stopping chocolate
orange pavlova, and many
more.  ingful connections with
 
In Ireland, we still love the
traditional pudding, booze-
soaked dried fruits, with al-
monds and citrus, and warm
spices like nutmeg, allspice
and cinnamon. All packed
tightly together in a pud-
ding bowl, then steamed
low and slow before leaving
it aside to mature ahead of
Christmas day when it is set
and drizzled with brandy
butter. There are many as-
sociated traditions, for some
it’s a family event taking
turns to stir the pudding
for good luck and making
a wish and it’s a wonderful
way to teach children how
pes are passed down from
generation to generation.
According to Eunice, “This
recipe was given to me by
my Auntie Joan. She has
been making pudding for 40
years. The recipe has been
handed down by her mother
before her, and her mother
before that.”
 
‘To Be Irish At Christmas’
celebrates what it means to
be Irish and creates mean-
our Irish diaspora around
the world. TobeIrish.ie fea-
tures seasonal traditions,
community initiatives, Irish
Page 19
crafts and gift ideas and
more, and will run from
December 8th - 23rd this
year. It was derived from
the Government’s new Di-
aspora Strategy as launched
by the Minister of State for
the Diaspora, Colm Brophy
T.D., in November 2020.
Targeting the 70M dias-
pora around the world, last
year’s initiative generated
engagement of people from
over 50 countries across the
world, from Australia to
The Netherlands, from Co-
lombia to Singapore. The
reopening of international
travel brings renewed hope
for those who have endured
long and painful separations
from families and friends,
but there are still many who
will not be able to travel. ‘To
Be Irish’ wants to bring the
very best of Ireland to them
through this virtual portal.
 
Follow the conversation
on social media; Twitter
@ToBeIrish | Instagram 
Facebook  TikTok @To-
BeIrish.ie | YouTube.
Images: Eunice Power’s Christ-
mas Pudding, courtesy To-
BeIrish.ie
Page 20 GOOGLE NEWS www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 GOOGLE NEWS Page 21
 Page 22 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

AVOCA’S TURKEY AND BROCCOLI BAKE

If you’re looking for a hearty
and nutritious meal to warm
you up on a long winter even-
ing, then this Turkey and Broc-
coli Bake recipe is just for
you!  Sometimes simplicity is
the key to success with classic
dishes, so why not try out this
comforting dish, guaranteed to
satisfy even the pickiest of eat-
ers. This simple one pot dish is
also a perfect way to make use
of that leftover turkey over the
Christmas period.   1 Spanish onion, peeled and
chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
A few sprigs of parsley
1 bay leaf
A few black peppercorns
300ml/ ½ pint double cream
110g/4oz roux
1 large head of broccoli, divid-
ed into florets
15g/ ½ oz butter
50g/2oz strong cheese, grated
110g/4z breadcrumbs
 
Method:
1. Place the turkey in a large
saucepan with the onions, car-
rots, celery, parsley, bay leaf,
peppercorns, and enough wa-
ter to cover. Bring slowly to
the boil, then reduce the heat
and simmer until the turkey is
cooked – about 20 minutes, if
Ingredients: cooking from raw. Remove the
(Serves 4 – 6 people) turkey from the pan and leave
to cool, then dice and set aside.
500g shredded Turkey 2. Strain the cooking liquid
Meat (left over from your into a saucepan and boil until
Christmas Turkey) reduced to 600ml/1 pint. Add
the cream, return to the boil
and then whisk in the roux a
little at a time to form a thick
sauce.
3. Blanch the broccoli in boil-
ing salted water until just ten-
der, then drain and refresh un-
der cold water.
4. Stir the shredded turkey and
broccoli into the sauce and
season to taste with salt and
pepper. Pour this mix into an
ovenproof dish.
5. Melt the butter and mix
with the cheese and the bread-
crumbs. Spread over the turkey
mixture and bake in an oven
preheated to 180°c/350°F/gas
mark 4 for 20 minutes until
brown and bubbling.

Crossword Clues December 2021/January 2022 Solutions for the

The NewsFour Crossword
Dec 2021 Jan 2022 ACROSS:
Oct/Nov. 2021 Crossword

Compiled by Gemma Byrne 1) Vaseline is a brand of this ointment (9, 5) ACROSS:

8) These unused pots are utterly amazing (10) (anag) 1) Trespassing, 6) Via, 8) Leop-
9) Benny, Björn, Agnetha and Anni-Frid (4) ard Print, 10) or, 12) Optimal,
1 2 3 4 5 6

7 10) A unit of ancient Middle Eastern money (6) 13) Champ,

11) Well known brand of orange liqueur (9) 14) Leo, 15) Grimm, 16) Hal, 17)
14) Without in French (4) Saturate, 20) Ailment, 22) Lar-
8 9

16) Uncommunicative, secretive (5-6) der, 24) Salami,

10
18) Comic opera or Jacobs biscuit (6) 26) Anaconda, 27) Ellen Keane,
23) Angela Scanlon’s new RTE show (3, 2, 8) 28) Gold
11 12 25) Percussive jingling instrument (9)
13 14 15
28) This country could be considered plane (5) (anag)
29) A total flop or disappointment (4, 5) DOWN:
16 17
1) Talking Heads, 2) Economi-
18 cal, 3) Phantoms, 4) Sediment, 5)
DOWN: Noir,
19 20 21 22
1) Tom Jones wondered what was new with this pet 7) A cappella, 9) Roller blind, 11)
23 24 (8) Bach, 13) Costa Rica, 18) Auntie,
2) Moving (8) 19) Weans
3) Exaggerate (9) 21) Meagre, 23) Jaded, 25) Abel
25 26 27 4) Put up with (6)
5) Kids around (5) Prize of €25 book token.
6) Spend a pretty penny on these shoes? (7) Post entries to;
28 29 7) A 15-millilitre measure in the kitchen (10)
12) Base units of electrical current (4) NewsFour, 13A Fitzwilliam Street,
13) Precious stone (3) Ringsend, Dublin 4
15) Mixum gatherum (7)
Name:…………………………… Telephone:………………… 17) Number or finger (5) by the 21st January 2022.
19) Scottish woven patterned cloth (6)
20) Read over quickly (4) The winner of our Oct/Nov 2022
Address:………………………………………………………… 21) Trapped (6) crossword competition is
22) This UK university made a right mess (4) Tony Murphy, South Lotts Road,
24) English band that brought us Mr. Blue Sky (1.1.1) Dublin 4
26) Over the shoulder boulder holder? (3)
27) A quick sharp punch (3)
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 LITERATURE Page 23
 Page 24
October
A motion was put forward
from Councillor Dermot Lacey
that the South East Area Com-
mittee support the Irish Local
Development Network (ILDN)
and the trade unions, SIPTU
& Forsa, in their opposition to
the new model of employment
services outlined in Pathways
to Work. This model proposes
to terminate current Job Clubs
and Local Employment Ser-
vices (LES) by the end of 2021,
and to replace the successful
25-year-old community-led and
non-profit providers with an
untested, unproven centralised
profit-driven model of delivery.
This motion was agreed.
Cllr Lacey asked the Manager
if he would arrange for a good
sweep and weed removal on
Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook
which according to residents
has not taken place for many
months now. The Manager re-
sponded that Waste Manage-
ment Services had carried out
a sweep on Belmont Avenue
on the 16th September 2021.
Belmont Avenue has previously
been scheduled for weed con-
trol as part of a list provided to
Greentown Environmental for
treatment with Foamstream.
He said it should be noted that
Belmont Villas and Belmont
Park are also included for treat-
ment on this list. The work was
scheduled for completion by the
end of September 2021.  lanes. In the current temporary
Cllr James Geoghegan asked
the Area Manager if he could
set out the indicative timeline
for the Belmont Avenue traf-
fic proposals and what happens
next. The Manager’s reply was
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL
DCC Notes
For October / November 2021
Compiled by David Prendeville
that Potential Transport Inter- ing issue of graffiti on the wall
vention options are currently in along the walkway between the
the Public Consultation process Sweepstakes complex and the
on the Dublin City Council’s Dodder. She asked if he would
Consultation Hub. This pro- consider a mural here as a way
cess commenced on the 13th to deter further graffiti. The
September 2021 and will last Manager’s response was that
6 weeks until the 25th Octo- this location may well lend it-
ber 2021. Once this consulta- self to art on an ongoing basis as
tion feedback is processed, the a legal wall for street artists to
Councillors will be advised on paint. However an approach like
next steps depending on the lev- this would only be undertaken if
el of support for these options.  there is local support for such a
Cllr James Geoghegan asked measure. He also said the instal-
the Area Manager further to lation of a mural on the length
the presentation on the ‘Sand- of the wall would be costly
ymount Coastal Flood Defence and have ongoing maintenance
Scheme’ if he could detail what costs for the local authority. A
month it is expected that a con- combination of suitable plant-
sultant for Phase 2 shall be ap- ing and localised murals may be
pointed; if constructions of more manageable. The Area Of-
flood defences on the existing fice will arrange for the graffiti
promenade will commence in along the Dodder walkway to be
October, November or Decem- removed.
ber. The Manager’s response
was that it is programmed to November
procure a consultant for Phase Cllr Dermot Lacey asked the
2 of Sandymount Flood Alle- Manager if the footpaths at Lea
viation Scheme in December Crescent, Sandymount can be
2021. Negotiations are ongoing repaired as soon as possible as
with the OPW about the avail- they are currently in a danger-
ability of their direct labour to ous condition. The manager
construct Sandymount Prome- said that these footpaths will be
nade Flood Defences. Currently inspected. Any defects that are
January-February 2022 is the recorded will be added to the
earliest possible date.  Works List for repair.
Cllr Claire Byrne asked the Cllr Dermot Lacey asked the
Area Manager if he could out- Manager if he would explore the
line the reasons for removing option of upgrading the current
safety islands on Sean Moore cycle lane route from Ringsend
Road. She said that while she to Pearse Street using a combi-
understood this is to facilitate nation of bollards and outside
the new cycle route, residents the lane parking as in Fitzwil-
have raised issues regarding pe- liam Street. The Manager said
destrian safety. The Manager re- that the Covid Mobility Team
sponded that as part of the cycle will assess this area for some
lane works, the two existing pe- rapid deployment safety meas-
destrian crossings are being up- ures and determine what can
graded. The island was removed be achieved along this route to
to make the crossing a straight provide safe protected cycling.
crossing rather than the previous In the medium term, Dublin
staggered arrangement which City Council plans to develop
required the pedestrian to cross the Ringsend to College Green
in two different movements. Cycle Scheme between Sean
The cycle lanes either side with Moore Road and College Green,
separator islands will narrow the which will incorporate Bridge
road and so help to reduce speed Street, Ringsend Road and
and the time that pedestrians Pearse Street. The project is cur-
will need to cross the vehicular rently at the inception stage and
will be progressed as resources
arrangement the crossing times become available.
for pedestrians has been sub- Cllr James Geoghegan asked
stantially increased. the Area Manager if the foot-
Cllr Claire Byrne asked the path surface outside Spar at
Area Manager if he could find 54/56 Donnybrook Road could
solutions to address the ongo- be inspected and resurfaced as it
www.newsfour.ie
is posing a hazard for pedestri-
ans and shoppers. The Manager
said that repairs had been car-
ried out in this location recently.
On subsequent inspection, one
outstanding defect was record-
ed. This has been added to the
Works List for Repair.
Cllr Paddy McCartan asked
the manager to deal with the
issue of six sewer lines con-
nected across back gardens on
Serpentine Park, Sandymount.
The connector to the road-
blocks repeatedly gets blocked
and residents have to clear this
blockage themselves. Cllr Mc-
Cartan said this issue had been
raised by him in the past and he
was asking the Area Manager
to give it urgent attention. The
Manager’s response was that the
houses in question are served by
a shared drain running along the
back gardens of these proper-
ties, which turns at No. 24 and
heads out into the public road
where it connects to the public
sewer. Shared drains are private
and thus are the responsibility
of the properties served to repair
and maintain.
Cllr Paddy McCartan asked
the manager to respond to an
email from a constituent who
lives in Sandymount, and who
is deeply concerned about ris-
ing sea waters due to climate
change. The constituent said
that he lives only a few metres
above sea level and it is getting
harder to be insured for house
flooding. The insurance premi-
ums are extremely high if one
is lucky enough to get an insur-
ance company to insure in this
area against flooding. The con-
stituent says he was told flood
defence plans were ready to go
and still nothing is happening.
The constituent says he sees
no evidence of flood defences
being built. The Manager’s re-
ply was that Construction work
on upgrading the Promenade
Flood defences is programmed
to commence early in 2022 and
will take 12 months to con-
struct. Some preliminary works
for this project were carried out
last year, but were delayed due
to COVID 19. Contract docu-
ments to procure a consultant to
design improved flood defences
for the 750m section north of
the promenade to Sean Moore
Dec / Jan 2022
Park will be going out to tender
this month. This division pro-
vides letters of flooding comfort
to homeowners for insurance
purposes, if required.
Cllr Claire Byrne asked the
Area Manager if he can pro-
pose some solutions to address
the issue of exiting from Stella
Gardens on to Irishtown Road
which is a frustrating and at
times a dangerous experience
for the residents. The Manager’s
reply was this request will be
referred to the Area Engineer
for site assessment and report to
the Transport Advisory Group
for their consideration. The as-
sessment will take place within
the next few weeks. However,
if recommended, it has to go
through the TAG process, which
will take a minimum of eight
weeks.
Cllr Dermot Lacey asked the
Manager if he would arrange
for the heavy overgrowth onto
the footpath along the Dodder at
Beaver Row and on the laneway
from Beaver Row to Beech Hill
Avenue to be cleared and cut
back as it now represents a dan-
ger to pedestrians. The Manager
said the Road Maintenance Ser-
vices Division is liaising with
the Parks Division to resolve
this issue.
Cllr Danny Byrne asked the
Manager if the junction at New-
bridge Avenue, Tritonville Road
and Sandymount Road can be
assessed in terms of safety. By-
rne said he is informed of week-
ly accidents at this junction. The
Manager said this request will
be referred to the Area Engineer
for site assessment and report to
the Transport Advisory Group
for their consideration. The as-
sessment will take place within
the next few weeks. However,
if recommended, it has to go
through the TAG process, which
will take a minimum of eight
weeks. Cllr Byrne asked the
manager if a sign can be pro-
vided for the complex at Shel-
bourne Wharf on Ringsend
Road. The manager responded
saying that Shelbourne Wharf
is a private development and is
operated by Tuath Housing. The
Docklands Office will make
contact with Tuath and ask that
they install appropriate signage
for the development.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL Page 25
 Page 26 LOCAL INITIATIVE www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

Men’s Shed Open Day – Food, Fun, and Feeling Good

n Peter McNamara

T
he volunteers of the Ray-
town Men’s Shed can
give themselves a good
pat on the back after their fan-
tastic Open Day on Saturday
November 20th. The event took
place at the rear of the Ring-
send and Irishtown Community
Centre, where the shed has won
a permanent site. And what a
site – it’s hard to exaggerate the
amount of work the Raytown
Shed team have done in the last
few weeks to get their new loca-
tion ready for the launch event.
And the finished job really must
be seen to be believed. 
The volunteers have been
working hard around the local
community over the past six
years. With the help of the Ring-
send and Irishtown Community
Centre, and now with extra sup-
port from Google, the team have
managed to make the area more
accessible, to allow even more
members to join. They have also
gotten assistance from the PH
Decking, Ennis Safety Wear,
Aviva, Ringsend Community
Services Forum, Dublin City
Council, as well as other local
groups. 
Assistance also came from
Owen Tinkler of Rathcoole Co
Dublin, who provided heapings until their Open Day, the boys
of stone, and Kevin from KB from Raytown got busy. A host
Fastening Systems, for donating of volunteers worked night and
a store of fixings and adhesives day to turn a forgotten, over-
screws, etc. Thanks are due as grown corner into a clean, classy
well to Rachel Rooney of the and comfortable space. 
Spellman Centre and to Therese With the help of a hefty digger,
Finnegan.  a tract of weeds and reeds has
been transformed into a bright
An Afternoon to Savour and tidy gravel path. Now lined
The Open Day crowd was a with flowers and potted plants,
buzzing mix of the young and tasty spread, the most impres- and before-and-after pictures
old, ladies and gents. There were sive part of proceedings was of the site, this path leads to a
speeches from Shed volunteers, the Shed itself. It’s remarkable spacious, water-side platform of
including treasurer Paul Ho- stuff. In the middle of October, bespoke decking. This pristine
ran, with local politicians Chris the Raytown Shed volunteers decking had to be installed onto
Andrews and Jim O’Callaghan decided to set a date for their very uneven ground and into an
also in attendance. There was open day – this at a time when area that is off-square at every
no shortage of music. A set of chowder and a platter loaded fer, along with brownies, cook- their shed site was little more corner. Somehow, the lads have
professional-grade speakers with smoked salmon, prawns, ies, and official Raytown Men’s than an overgrown wilderness. made it look easy. The deck is
pumped out classic songs along- and – much to this reporter’s Shed cupcakes. At the helm of The Ringsend-Irishtown Com- remarkably smooth, solid, and
side the latest pop hits – Lionel amazement – fresh lobster. It it all was shed committee mem- munity Centre very kindly allo- even. It came to be with no small
Richie meets Dua Lipa.  looks like Ringsend has come a ber Pauline Finnegan, doling cated them a spot at the rear of help from Peter of PH Decking. 
The spread of food, drinks, long way from the days of eat- out generous portions to all and their premises, overlooking the Set behind it is the new main
and desserts was on another ing only ray fish – these days sundry. water. The site was, however, in Shed space, sponsored by Aviva.
level again. Guests were treated Raytown shines with a different And even amidst the bustling need of some serious TLC.  Far from a shed, it looks more
to restaurant-quality seafood light. Curries were also on of- crowd, the great music, and the With a mere three weeks to go like a fancy ski chalet. The cosy
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
wooden structure boasts a ve-
randa on the outside, with heat-
ers, kitchen and chairs within.
The workshop, which was for-
merly the main shed, is around
the corner from this relaxation
space.
Chairperson Martin Byrne
wants people to feel it’s a place
for anyone. “You don’t have to
do anything. You don’t have to
say anything. But everyone is
welcome to have a cup of tea
and read a paper. You can have
a chat. Or you can sit in the cor-
ner. It’s your space. Pop in and
enjoy it.”
With their work done, the
sense of pride and relief among
the volunteers is palpable. They
struggled hard to get everything
in order – some finishing touch-
es were being put on the ‘be-
fore-and-after’ picture frames
that very morning. This latest
part of the long-running project
seemed to really capture peo-
ple’s interest and their imagina-
tions: volunteers came in to help
early in the morning until late in
the evening.  ers, and they have completed
“We had great craic,” says
Martin Byrne. “Sure we usu-
ally do. There’s no bosses here,
no orders. People are just feel-
ing part of the thing. They have
a sense of ownership. And be-
longing. All we want is more
and more members.”
A Place for Young and Old
The Irish Men’s Sheds Associa-
tion was formed in 2011, having
originally started in Australia.
Ireland got its first shed back in
2009, in Tipperary. In 2013, the
Irish Men’s Sheds movement
received recognition at the very
highest level when President
Michael D. Higgins became pa-
tron to the Association. Ireland
has the highest capita of sheds-
per-person in the world. There
are over 400 registered with the
Irish Men’s Sheds Association,
with at least 12,000 men visit-
ing one every week.  teers into the mix.  can get these lads feeling better
With almost thirty members
already, the Raytown Shed is
host to a diverse group of in-
dividuals, with a vast array of
knowledge and skills, that they
share among each other and the
wider community. Aside from
building the fantastic new shed,
they have worked on various
community projects, including
the Sandymount Beach Bench-
es, George Reynolds Resident
Association Benches and Plant-
other works and local improve-
ments as part of the Ringsend &
Irishtown Tidy Towns.
The Shed is a structured com-
mittee with good governance
and transparency as part of their
core values. They’re fully in-
sured and have all policies in
LOCAL INITIATIVE
place, including a constitution,
vision, goals and safety state-
ments. Their long-term goal is
to create a legacy that is struc-
tured, empowering, progressive
and ready to pass on to the next
generation.  Raytown Shed’s unique selling
It seems like the project has
reached a turning point. After
struggling to organise a dedi-
cated space, and to raise funds,
the Raytown Men’s Shed is now
fully taking flight. You can feel
the energy and positivity of the
team. And it’s something that
has been drawing new volun-
According to Martin Byrne,
the focus in the coming weeks
and months will be on getting
more younger people involved.  Time for a Well-Earned
“You don’t have to be an aule
fellah to join in,” he laughs.
“There’s a few young lads tak-
ing part already. It’s great for
the generations to mix. Younger
people face mental health prob-
lems just like the older lads.
It’s no harm getting everyone
together. Everyone learns from
each other.”
Their goal is to strategically
increase our membership go-
ing forward, which will help
them build up a buddy system,
through which they will pair in-
dividuals together according to
their needs.  the next short while the lads can
According to the chairperson,
the essential skills training has
developed an appetite in some
of the younger men wishing
to upgrade or learn a new skill
set. All sheds adopt their own
mantras. Byrne believes the
point is their focus on encourag-
ing younger men to join.  4. Séan O’Rian, hard at work on
“We do this by creating pro-
grammes to empower younger
men suffering with their mental
health. We try to get everyone
out into nature. And to up-skill
them, by linking in with the wid-
er community and the RCSF. We
in themselves. And maybe even
feeling employment-ready.”  Cox is ready to teach others in
Cuppa  Shed cupcake. They weren’t
The Raytown team have no
shortage of plans to improve
upon their already-impressive
site. There’s talk of expanding
the interior of the new main
shed, and hanging a hammock
outside it, off the camera pole
on the edge of the bespoke
deck. Only this past week, An-
gela from Ennis Safety Wear
provided all of the more proac-
tive Shed members with boots,
trousers, and jackets for winter
– totally free of charge.
Their work done for now, over
rest on their laurels. And there’s
Page 27
no better spot. When the tide is
in, and during the long evening
sunsets, the water-side Raytown
Shed is a very pleasant place
to pass the time. It’s one that is
sure to attract even more local
lads, old and young, to take part
in this great community organi-
sation. 
Friends and family are like
stars in the sky,
You don’t always see them,
but they are always there,
Especially in the Raytown
Men’s Shed.
Images Pg 26 from top;
1. The new Raytown Shed was
sponsored by Aviva. A great
place for a cuppa!
2. Some of the key players in
the Raytown Shed team, includ-
ing chairperson Martin Byrne
(centre), treasurer Paul Horan
(behind to the right), and young-
gun member Wayne O’Toole
(behind to the left). 
3. The generous buffet (with
lobster and all!). Pauline Finne-
gan was ready to serve all and
sundry. 
the decking. The frame ranged
from two inches to two feet off
the ground. Also pictured are
members Martin and Eamon.
5. The space was an overgrown
wilderness before the boys got
busy.
6. A long-time crafter of model
boats, Shed member Robbie
this delicate art. 
7. An official Raytown Men’s
long disappearing!
This page;
8. The all-new Shed space is
much more accessible. 
9. The clean and classy place is
somewhere to be proud of.
All images Courtesy of Louise
Whelan and Raytown Men’s
Shed.
Page 28 EVENTS www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 EVENTS Page 29
 Page 30 COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

Feeling Festive in the Christmas (F)air…

n Louise Whelan

I
f you can imagine Christmas
spirit as a wonderland, well
you’d be spot on because
that is exactly what the Christ-
mas Fair in Irishtown Stadium
was designed to look like, with
an amazing, classic embodiment
of an enchanting and whimsi-
cal portrayal of Santa’s grotto
and workshop. The idea for this
magical wonderland was cre-
ated by the residents of the com-
munities of Ringsend, Irishtown
and Pearse Street who came
together to brainstorm, and
through those discussions the
project was born. Rachel Roon-
ey, who is the Network Coordi-
nator in the Spellman Centre, set
up an events management team
with the residents and through
that, managed to get a sponsor-
ship from Google, and Dublin
City Council allowed the venue
free of charge. And once that
was in place, it was all candy
canes go. Rachel is all about
empowering the community and
collaborating with other groups
in the locality so that they all
work together towards one com-
mon goal, to target those who
lost their jobs during the Covid
crisis and upskill to create new
employment opportunities. 
The tickets for this festival
sold out in 20 minutes and it’s
no surprise. All the proceeds
go to a charity called Autism
Equality Dublin Bay which is
a support group for parents ad-
vocating for children on the au-
tistic spectrum in Dublin 4 and
Dublin 2. This Santa’s wonder-
land has also been designed to
include a sensory hour where
the children can roam freely
with their parents, taking their tures, and a snow machine for photographs with the eagerly hospital from buying an angel weaving his wintry tricks, jug-
time to soak up the atmosphere blowing a blizzard, the atmos- awaited children and adults!  from the local ladies which peo- gling his icicle rings and spin-
in a peaceful and relaxed setting phere was electric with the buzz The eight market stalls shared ple were more than happy to do.  ning balls on his fingertips; Waf-
while also catching a glimpse and excitement in the air. Pierce between the local communities Members of the Ringsend and fles the magic Santa spinning
of a certain jolly man in red, a Rooney and the gang from RMS of Ringsend and Pearse Street Irishtown Tidy Towns, along her plates and doing lots of rope
Snow Queen and a Grinch. Eek!  were belting out the Christmas went down a treat, selling their with some young people, gave antics; while Danspire kept the
While Donnybrook may have hits which only added to the wonderful Christmasey wares a helping hand and kept every- kids energised with their tik-tok
the Late Late Toy Show, the cheery sounds of the excited which included candle melts, body warm and cosy with de- festive dances. Not forgetting
Irishtown Stadium easily stole children as they queued up to Christmas cakes, cookies and licious hot chocolate, mulled the selfies with the Grinch and
the show with this incredible meet Santa and his helper elves, cupcakes, Christmas cards, wine and mince pies which the Polar bear who were only
transformation. Local volun- guided by the head elf who made beautiful handmade personal- were all free. Mary O Neill too happy to pose for a photo. 
teers from the various forum sure everything was ship shape ised gifts, upcycled plates and Byrne, an avid tidytowner said As the daylight faded, the
groups (60 in total) turned the in Santa’s workshop. Teamwork healing crystals. A lot of these it was great to see such a good market was illuminated by col-
car park into this magical fairy- played a major part at this fair sellers were upskilling their craft turn out for the first community ourful fairy lights and spotlights
land. So much time, effort and and everyone knew their role or changing their former careers fair with lots on offer and it was adorned the fair which gave
energy has gone into this spec- which fused the community to new adventures. There was lovely to see people dressed up it a warm welcoming feeling.
tacular scene, and the results spirit into one big ball of festive something for everyone and to and the kids having a great time. Even the Snow Queen couldn’t
speak for themselves.  joy. Even the live reindeer were suit all tastes. Special donations And the entertainment definitely help but crack a smile through
Despite the Baltic tempera- on their best behaviour posing were made to Temple Street delivered: there was Jack Frost her dazzling glimmer. If you
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
were lucky enough to catch a
ride on the Christmas train, you
were in for a treat, all thanks
to Ross McKeon from Insignia
Nights. Teresa Weafer Grennell
who is the Community Engage-
ment Manager for Google (who
sponsored the event, supported
by Dublin City Council), said
it meant people could come to-
gether in the open air having the
most fantastic opportunity to
celebrate, smile and get to know
each other in a different way,
and that Google is so delighted
to be part of this fantastic day.
She also gave credit to the or-
ganisers for putting together a
spectacular event, adding that
they are the real unsung heroes
here (see Google News, centre
pages for more). Sinn Fein TD
Chris Andrews also gave praise
to the Ringsend Community
Services Forum (RCSF) for put-
ting on a fantastic event for eve-
rybody, and was delighted eve-
rything ran so smoothly despite
the wintry weather.
Speaking to Rachel Roon-
ey, she said by the time this is
finished two and a half thou-
sand people would have come
through the fair which is abso-
lutely amazing. But what’s also
amazing is the team effort from
all the residents groups and all
the forum groups that have been
involved at some point. “It’s
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS Page 31
basically the whole community
coming together in a joint col-
laboration which is what com-
munity spirit is all about and
there was plenty of that sprin-
kled down here.”
Plenty of that and also a whole
lot of magic! 
Wishing all our readers a
peaceful and safe Christmas and
a wonderful New Year.
Images, this page from top:
Mary O’Neill Byrne from Ringsend & Irishtown Tidy Towns
(RITTE) with new member Yvonne Rossiter and Karen Saunders.
Serving up drinks
Snowy the elf, aka Luke Johnston with the big man himself and
Kyle O’Neill
Local Ladies
The Grinch
Shauna from Danspire with a very festive Shauna Joyce
Jack Frost
Amanda Blount McKinley, Julie Dilger, Andrew Hyland and
Teresa Weafer Grennell (Google) enjoying the community festive
events.
Rachel Rooney (RCSF) and Sinn Fein TD Chris Andrews
Waffles the magic Santa with the reindeer
Images by Louise Whelan and Rose Sunderland.
 Page 32
Generous Offer brings Lord
Mayor to Tears
n Louise Whelan
“A Butterfly alights beside us
like a sunbeam…”
Féileacáin is a non-profit or-
ganisation that was founded
by a group of bereaved parents
who came together to offer
hope and support to others hav-
ing suffered the loss of a baby.
They host regular support meet-
ings which offer a befriending
service and support helpline,
as well as providing a safe and
confidential setting in which
those bereaved through still-
Railway Union Football Club
has registered a girls only team
in the Dublin District Soccer
League (DDSL) this year, for
the first time in the club’s  117
year history.   Railway Union
Football Club was founded in
1904 as a senior mens football
club.  Junior football was added
in 2003 and for eighteen years,
girls played on boys teams up
to the age of thirteen with most
girls dropping out of squads be-
fore the age of ten.  
Railway Union’s team of un-
der-8 girls has sixteen players
and is coached by five commit-
ted parents who love to see their
girls having fun playing football
with their friends.  They had
their first home match at Rail-
way Union in September.  They
played St Mochtas Football
Club, a team who also was cel-
ebrating as it was their first girls
team to be registered in twenty
years. The DDSL has also seen
a rapid growth in the number
of girls only teams being regis-
birth or neonatal death can share
their experiences, and hold re-
membrance services that allow
the families space and time to
remember their baby.
Derek Buckley - recently
elected Lord Mayor of Ringsend
and Irishtown - hosted a Family
Fun Quarantine Quiz every Fri-
day night for 12 months during
lockdown. Through this event
Derek hosted charity auctions
with all the proceeds going to
Féileacáin, which to date has
raised thousands of euro.
On one particular show there
was a bidding war for a signed
Shamrock Rovers Jersey, kindly
donated by footballer Sean Ka-
vanagh. Initially it was thought
the jersey would maybe sell for
€100 or €150 but in the end
sold for a staggering €350!
The jersey was purchased by
Derek’s own brother Robert,
who then contacted the show to
compliment all the other partici-
pants on their contributions to
History Making
at Railway Union
tered in the league and this year
DDSL launched a Girls Foot-
ball Development Strategy for
2021-2024 to further build on
this growth.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
this fantastic charity, and as a
wonderful surprise gesture, he
went on to donate the signed jer-
sey to Anthony Owens. Anthony
is a member of Féileacáin Fa-
ther’s - a branch of Féileacáin
specifically for bereaved dads
to come together and share their
experiences and raise awareness
about grieving - who then came
on the live show and thanked
Robert personally for his re-
markable gesture. It all turned
into an emotional, heartfelt and
bittersweet experience which
even had Derek in tears.
Derek highlights this as one of
the most amazing and thought-
ful acts of love and kindness of
the 12 months of shows he did
and would like to personally
show appreciation and gener-
osity to the local sponsors for book and Instagram And can be Image: Derek, Ryan and Rob-
Buckley Bingo which is a com- reached on (028)51301. Email ert Buckley, Anthony Owens,
pletely free event, and to all the info@feileacain.ie Joan Kirwin (RICC) courtesy
lovely viewers who play. Buckley Bingo is played live Louise Whelan.
Féileacáin can be found on every Friday at 7pm on the Fa-
www.féileacáin.ie, on Face- cebook page.
football, led by many enthusias-
tic parent volunteers. For more
information, please visit www.
railwayunionfootballclub.com
Giving girls the opportunity to
play in a girls only squad can
provide a pathway for girls to
stay active in football for life
and Railway Union Football
Club is delighted to see so much
enthusiasm for girls football in
Sandymount. 
Image: under-8 girls team with
5 parent/coaches
In addition to the under 8 girls in 2015 and 2016.  The Junior
team registered in DDSL, Rail- Academy is a gentle introduc-
way Union Football Club has tion to football, where children
18 girls registered in their jun- participate in a one hour train-
ior academy for children born ing session to learn the basics of
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 SPORT Page 33
 Page 34
n Gavan Bergin
“Bud will always be remem-
bered as one of the greats”
(The Limerick Leader)
O
n September 21st 1949,
in front of a 50,000
crowd at Goodison
Park, Liverpool, England played
the Republic of Ireland at home
for the first time. England had
won the only other match be-
tween the two sides, in Dublin
in 1946, and since then they had
lost only one match at home. So,
when the Republic of Ireland
team walked out onto the wind-
swept Goodison Park pitch in
September ‘49, they were very
much the underdogs.
And as soon as the match
started Ireland was in deep trou-
ble. From the kick-off England
played the ball to their star for-
ward, Tom Finney, who broke
down the left wing then played
a perfect cross into the Irish box
for his centre-forward, Jessie
Pye, who should have scored
but headed just wide of the post.
That near miss came twenty
seconds into the game and, hav-
ing taken the initiative early on,
England weren’t about to ease
off. They attacked relentlessly
THOMAS ‘BUD’ AHERNE
during the opening stages of
the match and looked sure to
score, but Ireland played with
great determination and skill.
The Irish Press described how
wave after wave of English at-
tack spent itself on the rock-like
Irish defence and thrill followed
thrill as each attack was beaten
off by a set of defenders who
played with perfect understand-
ing, each doing his work in mas-
terly fashion. Bud Aherne foiled
England’s outside-right, John
Morris, who was about to get a
clear run on the Irish goal, then
thrillingly took the ball off Pye’s
foot when the English forward
had the goal at his mercy. Bud
also launched the first Irish at-
tack of the match with a smart
clearance to Peter Desmond,
who played Davy Walsh in for
a run and shot on goal that the
England keeper saved.
Apart from that one Irish
breakout, England were com-
pletely in charge for the first half
hour of the game. Then in the
32nd minute, after another Eng-
lish shot had been saved by goal-
keeper Tommy Godwin, Ireland
counter-attacked. Bud collected
the ball from Godwin, advanced
a few yards then passed it up the
left wing to Tommy O’Connor
who took it and sprinted forward
SPORTING HISTORY
Part Three
before playing a perfect through
ball for Peter Desmond to take
in his stride as he sped into the
England box. But, just as Des-
mond went to take the shot, he
was taken down by the England
right-back, Bert Mozely. The
referee immediately pointed to
the spot. Penalty kick!
Ireland’s regular penalty taker,
Con Martin, stepped up to take
the kick and lashed his left-foot
shot with such power that even
though the goalie got both hands
to the ball, he couldn’t stop it
spinning past him and into the
net. 1-0 to Ireland! After scor-
ing that goal in the 33rd minute
Ireland didn’t sit back on their
lead. For the rest of the first half
they attacked, menacing Eng-
land and giving them no time or
space to counter. At half-time,
it was 1-0 to the Republic of Ire-
land.
That scoreline was a big shock
for England, who had never lost
at home to a non-British team
and been ‘unbackable favour-
ites’ before the match, accord-
ing to the Liverpool Echo. They
had 45 minutes to save that re-
cord.
And when the second half
started England came flying
out of the blocks in search of
their equalising goal. Twice in
the first few minutes they came
within inches of scoring, Wright
with a rocket of a shot from 35
yards, and Harris with a header
from point blank range, but both
attempts were saved by God-
win. Thereafter, England’s at-
tacking onslaught was relentless
and it looked like just a matter
of time before they scored. But,
again, Bud and the Irish defence
were brilliant. They held firm
and expertly dealt with danger,
frustrating the English team and
their supporters, as the Irish
Times reported:
With England failing to get
past the heroic Irish defence,
as the second half went on the
crowd’s earlier sympathetic
cheers for Ireland turned into
cries for an English equaliser.
They chanted “we want a goal”,
but it was not to be. The Irish
defenders scraped the ball away,
kicked into touch and played
magnificently. Bud Aherne
was brilliant, timing his tack-
ling to perfection and kicking
crisply. Twice he prevented Pye
www.newsfour.ie
from scoring: first, by charging
down his shot from the edge of
the box, then coming across to
whip the ball off his foot inside
the area, just as he was about to
shoot.”
Thanks to such grand defen-
sive plays by Bud and the oth-
ers, in the 80th minute Ireland
were still ahead. A famous, glo-
rious victory was in their grasp:
all they had to do was hold out
for ten measly minutes. Still,
it only takes a second to kick
the ball into the net and, with
England desperately throwing
everyone forward in a frantic
attempt to save the game, each
of those ten minutes must have
felt like an eternity to the Irish
players. Nevertheless, they got
through four of them unscathed.
Ireland got to the 84th minute
with their lead intact. Six more
minutes to go.
A mere six minutes, that was
all Ireland had to get through.
And there was no earthly rea-
son that they wouldn’t defend as
well in those six minutes as they
had been doing all game long.
Then, in the 85th minute, Eng-
land burst forward yet again, a
dangerous one that came close
to breaking through, but the
Irish defence broke up the at-
tack then quickly played the
ball forward to O’Connor who
went haring up the left wing,
leaving the English defence in
tatters, then passed inside to Pe-
ter Farrell, who danced past his
marker, ran in and chipped the
ball over goalie Williams and
into the net for Ireland’s second
goal. Ireland 2, England 0!
That two goal lead put Ireland
in control for the first time and
they calmly played out the last
few minutes. The Republic of
Ireland had beaten England!
After getting that super win,
Ireland had every reason to be
confident going into their next
match, the World Cup qualifier
against Finland in Helsinki on
October 9th 1949. On that day,
Bud followed his top class show
at Goodison with another tena-
cious, skilful performance for
Ireland as they battled to a 1-1
draw. That result put them on
top of their qualifying group, a
point ahead of Sweden who they
had to play in the final qualifier
in Dublin on November 13th
1949.
Dec / Jan 2022
So, if Ireland avoided defeat
in that game, they would qualify
for the World Cup for the first
time. As they were at home, and
had been doing so well, a draw
shouldn’t have been too much
to ask. But they couldn’t man-
age it. Ireland lost the match by
three goals to one and Sweden
qualified for the World Cup fi-
nals in Brazil the following year.
Although Ireland missed out
on the World Cup that year, they
had taken it to the last match and
finished just one behind the first
placed team. It was a long time
before the Republic of Ireland
got that close to qualification
again.
At the end of that World Cup
campaign Bud was 30, but he
continued to be a first choice
player for the Republic of Ire-
land team. He played in every
international match they played
during the next three years. Ire-
land’s match against France in
Dublin, November 16th 1952,
was Bud’s thirteenth consecu-
tive international appearance.
But he was 34 by then and his
career was coming to an end.
He had been a fine player dur-
ing his seven years of interna-
tional football. He had helped
Ireland have some great days
and great games in an era where
they weren’t at all common.
And if nothing else, he would
always be remembered as one
of the eternal heroes of ‘49.
Bud played his last interna-
tional match, for the Republic of
Ireland against France in Dublin
on October 4th 1953.
He kept on playing for Lu-
ton until 1957, then he coached
the Luton youth team for a few
years before finishing with pro-
fessional football.
Bud had a long and happy re-
tirement from football. When he
died in 1999, there were many
tributes and obituaries written
in England and Ireland - but
fittingly the best of them came
from the man’s hometown, in
the Limerick Leader:
“Budda” Aherne was Limer-
ick’s greatest soccer player. He
will remain a hero for all time”
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022
Stephen Kenny’s World Cup
Campaign Ends on a High Note
n David Prendeville
I
reland’s World Cup Quali-
fying campaign finally con-
cluded last month, leaving
fans with a genuine sense of
hope for this team and what Ste-
phen Kenny can do going for-
ward. It would have been nigh
on inconceivable last March,
when Ireland reached their na-
dir losing at home to Luxem-
bourg, that this campaign would
end on such a buoyant note,
with the vast majority of fans
all aboard the Stephen Kenny
train. Of course, Ireland did not
qualify for next year’s finals in
Qatar, nor come anywhere near
it. However there has been un-
deniable progress made over the
course of the campaign.
Kenny has overcome a dread-
ful start to build an exciting,
youth-oriented, possession
based team. Ireland still do
not boast the quality of indi-
vidual players other countries
do, but rather than use this as
an excuse to play the type of
dreary, soul-destroying football
favoured by the likes of Mick
McCarthy, Kenny has sought
to improve his players through
coaching and encouragement.
He’s united a fanbase that were
disillusioned after the mess of
the John Delaney era. For the
first time in a long time it feels
like there is some genuine cause
for optimism at what the future
holds for the Irish team. Having
covered the team’s turbulent ex-
ploits throughout this campaign
it gives me great pleasure to be
able to end on a positive note.
Probably the biggest success
of Kenny’s tenure has been in
his introduction of promising
youngsters into the squad. Giv-
ing youth a chance has long
been something Irish managers
seemed to fear. Kenny has a
totally different outlook and
has been true to his beliefs,
often making bold choices in
preferring youth over expe-
rience in important games.
The biggest success story
has probably been Gavin
Bazunu in goal. The
19-year-old, currently on
loan at Portsmouth from Man
City, grabbed his chance after
making his debut in that debacle
against Luxembourg in March.
He has been superb, making a
string of fine saves along the
way, including a penalty save
from Cristiano Ronaldo in the
away tie against Portugal. He
concluded his campaign with
another stunning stop against
Luxembourg when the scoreline
was at 0-0.
Another youngster who has
looked really impressive of
late is Chiedozie Ogbene. The
Rotherham forward looked un-
playable at times against Portu-
gal and Luxembourg. His pace
and trickery caused all sorts
of problems for the opposition
backline. His selection in these
games was also an example of
Kenny being bold in his selec-
tions, picking a league one play-
er ahead of possible alternatives
plying their trade in the Premier
League or Championship.
A player who has more qui-
etly cemented his place in this
side is Josh Cullen of Ander-
lecht. He has been an assured,
disciplined presence in the mid-
dle of the park. Also, while he
didn’t play in the last two games
due to injury Norwich’s Andrew
Omobamidele has looked a real
prospect at the back, not least his
superb performance in the away
tie against Portugal in Septem-
ber. Let’s hope Norwich’s new
manager Dean Smith, known
for his track record in develop-
ing play- ers includ-
i n g Jack Gre-
alish, will give
t h e 19-year-
o l d m o r e
o p - portunity
in the Norwich
first
SPORT Page 35
team. The same could also be
said for his team-mate Adam
Idah, who has shown flashes of
his quality during the campaign.
All in all Kenny gave debuts to
11 players since taking over. In
doing so he has revitalised and
overhauled a jaded squad.
While not exactly a young-
ster, one of the other standout
performers in the latter stages
of the campaign has been West
Brom Striker Callum Robinson,
who’s been on red hot scoring
form. While we won’t get ahead
of ourselves, it’s great to see
somebody emerge as a possible
regular scorer for this Irish team
beyond the big centre-back
Shane Duffy. Duffy is another
player who’s shone recently
under Kenny and who has been
enjoying a huge rejuvenation
at Premier League high-fliers
Brighton, following a poor loan
spell at Celtic last season.
One of the other big conun-
drums Kenny was faced with
was getting Seamus Coleman gled for form in his first season coaching that the greatly deco-
and Matt Doherty, probably our there and now finds himself rated manager will undoubtedly
two most established Premier sat on the bench (at best - he offer.
League performers, into the sometimes hasn’t even made The offering of a new contract
same team. Regular readers will the bench) most weeks, having to Kenny to take him through
know I’ve been banging this not started any Premier League the Euro 2024 qualifying cam-
particular drum for quite some game for Spurs this season. paign is now, surely, a formal-
time, going back to the bleak Doherty has played regularly ity, despite some idiotic claims
McCarthy days. So imagine for Spurs in the Europa Con- to the contrary by certain pun-
my delight to see Kenny deploy ference League, however, and dits. It will be fascinating to see
Coleman in a back three with in an Irish team bereft of real the evolution of this team under
Doherty as the wing-back. Do- Premier League talent he is un- Kenny. For the first time in a
herty’s fortunes have changed doubtedly still one of our more very long time, there’s hope of a
somewhat since the days in accomplished performers. One brighter future for the Irish soc-
which I was particularly vocal slight piece of encouragement cer team. It may be the hope that
about this point. Back then he might also be the appointment kills you, but we are entitled to
was one of the stand- of Antonio Conte at Spurs. The cherish it while it lasts.
out wing- backs Italian brought Doherty on for
in the league with roughly the last half hour of his Images: Stephen Kenny - Wiki-
Wo l v e s . H e first game in charge at Everton. Commons, Chiedozie Ogbene
then got a b i g His predecessor, Nuno, was re- - flickr, Callum Robinson - Wiki-
move to a (semi) luctant to use Doherty at all in Commons.
elite team in Spurs, the Premier League. We also
strug- know that Conte loves a good
wing-back and plays the 3-5-2
formation that suits Doherty.
He’ll face stiff competition
from Emerson Royal for
the right-wing back spot
but hopefully Conte will
give him more opportu-
nities and may even lead
to a turnaround in his club
fortunes. He should cer-
tainly benefit from the elite
 Page 36
n Jonathan Neilan
New Gym & Fitness Studio
While delayed by Covid, we
are now proud to announce our
new gym and fitness studio, in
partnership with Movement Fit-
ness, who operate and manage
the fitness facilities on behalf
of the club. The Movement Fit-
ness team runs personal train-
ing and small group training
led by industry leading fitness
professionals six days a week:
Monday to Saturday. They also
offer strength and conditioning
classes for Club teams ensuring
they can develop and perform to
the highest level.
GYM
All members who have paid their
annual subscriptions will have
access to the ground  floor  fit-
ness space which has been fitted
with brand new fitness equip-
ment supplied by Movement
Fitness.
There will be an allocated num-
ber of spots available in the
ground floor gym space per
hour which all members must
pre book via the Movement Fit-
ness APP in line with COVID
19 regulations.
Hours available for gym use
will be 06:30 - 09:30 & 17:30 -
20:30
CLASSES  conditioning classes  On Sunday 14th November, the
Movement Fitness offers group
classes in the new, spacious fit-
ness studio on the first floor with
morning, midday and evening
Clanna Gael
classes Monday to Friday and
Saturday morning classes. CGF
members with active club sub-
scriptions can redeem a 50%
discount on monthly member-
ships by registering HERE.
CGF memberships start from
€20 per week for 3 classes (
€6.66 ) per class
Movement Fitness operates the
class formats as part of their
weekly program focusing on
strength, speed, endurance, mo-
bility, and community. Every
workout is unique, varied and
constantly changing, meaning
you’ll never do the same work-
out twice. They offer monthly
training programmes and work-
out challenges to help motivate
and push members to achieve
their true potential in a fun sup-
portive environment.
The Movement Fitness tagline
is WE MOVE AS ONE – which
aligns with the Club’s commu-
nity spirit which encourages and
supports every member to be-
come the best version of them-
selves through health, fitness
and wellbeing.
CLASS SCHEDULE
STRENGTH - Every Monday,
Wednesday & Friday
Resistance based strength and
SWEAT - Every Tuesday nells in the Minor D football
& Thursday
HIgh Intensity Interval Training  livered a stunning two-point win
SPORT
SQUAD - Every Saturday
Partner or team based workout
For more information, please
visit www.movementfitness-
dublin.com
Clans News
Double Success for Clanna
Gael Minor Boys
Clans Minor Boys Football
Clans Minor Boys Hurling
Clans Minor Boys Football
2021 has been a fantastic year
for Clans Minor Boys winning
both their Minor Football and
Hurling championships over
the past few weeks. While boys,
girls, mens and ladies teams
across many age groups had
strong performances this year,
the standout has been the double
success of the Minor boys.
Minors lined out against Par-
championship final. Having de-
www.newsfour.ie
against Na Fianna in a nail-bit-
ing extra time semi-final, Clans
hosted Parnells at home and the
boys did not disappoint. They
delivered a comprehensive six-
point win to clinch the Champi-
onship title.
Following on from this success,
Clanns Minors saw off a strong
St Vincent’s team in the hurling
championship semi-final some
weeks ago to face Kevin’s at
Sean Moore Park for a thrilling
Minor D Hurling Championship
Final on Sunday 21st. On what
was a glorious Sunday morning,
the boys led well at half time but
saw off a resurgence by Kevin’s
to clinch the title by two points.
While reaching a final two years
ago, Clanns Minors have not
succeeded in winning a hurling
championship in many years
and Sunday was a proud day
for the players, coaches and the
club.
U13 Girls Achieve Success in
First Campaign
U13 Girls Division 1
U13 Girls Division 4
U13 Girls Division 8
Having missed the whole U12
Go Games season due to the
pandemic, the U13 girls went
straight into their first proper
campaign competing in both
Dec / Jan 2022
U13 Girls Div 4 Shield Winners
Coaches
the League and Cup this year.
The squad is large enough to
field three teams across three
divisions, so it was a busy year
for both players and coaches.
A very successful summer saw
the girls win the Division 1 and
Division 9 League titles which
was a super achievement given
the quality of opposition they
met along the way.
The Cup competition ran
throughout the Autumn and
threw up some fantastic games,
‘late come-backs’ and narrow
wins and narrow losses! The
Division 1 team topped their
table with an unbeaten run but
fell to Kilmacud Crokes by a
point in a nail-biting semi-final.
The Division 4 team reached
the Shield Final and beat Bally-
boden by a point with a late goal
in a very entertaining and tight
game. Meanwhile, on the same
day having reached the Division
8 Cup Final unbeaten our girls
lost out to Castleknock in an-
other very tight game.
What a year for the U13 girls!
There was the lockdown, fitness
challenges, match drama, wins,
losses, tears and jubilation: but
most of all there was lots of fun
along the way and every player
ends the year with at least one
medal and a lot of good memo-
ries.
www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 SPORT Page 37

Thank you!

As a growing GAA club serving its

local community, Clanna Gael Fontenoy
would like to thank our players,
coaches, club management, parents,
sponsors & volunteers for their
commitment and dedication to
the club in 2021

We look forward to an exciting

2022 together.

COMMUNITY | CLUB | TEAM

www.clannagaelfontenoy.ie clannagaelfontenoy

@Clannagaelfont /clanna.fontenoy
 Page 38
Muckross Junior Hockey Club
caters for over 400 children
from 1st Class in primary school
up until 4th year in secondary
school. The club returned to
training in August and the Com-
Old Wesley Beat Malone 16-11 in All Ireland League
n Ken Brown
On a bright and breezy Novem-
ber afternoon in Energia Park,
Donnybrook, Old Wesley scored
their fifth consecutive victory in
this year’s All Ireland League
Div. 1B with a narrow and hard
fought 16-11 over visitors from
Belfast, Malone, who belied
their lowly league position with
an excellent performance. This
victory leaves Old Wesley level
at the top of the table with High-
field, with the Cork club being
marginally ahead on points dif-
ferential. In truth, Old Wesley
will be the first to admit to be-
ing a trifle lucky in eeking out
a narrow victory despite spend-
ing most of the second half in
their own territory. The first half
started promisingly with scrum
half Ian Cassidy knocking
over a good penalty after four
minutes to open the scoring.
Malone, with the benefit of the
swirling wind, levelled immedi-
ately with a penalty by winger,
Rory Campbell. Both sides were
playing lively entertaining rug-
by and after eight minutes, fol-
lowing an excellent movement
Old Wesley’s no. 8 Reuben Pim
Muckross Junior Hockey Club
mittee ensured that all training
sessions complied with Hockey
Ireland COVID protocols. This
was made possible due to the
work of the club’s COVID Of-
ficers as well as a large number
showed brilliant hands in pick-
ing up a long pass off his boots
to cross in the corner without
losing any momentum. Cassidy,
with an excellent kick, slotted
the conversion (Old Wesley 10-
3).
On 12 minutes, Cassidy added
another penalty to stretch the
Wesley lead to a useful looking
13-3. Malone came back very
strongly, but despite some at-
tractive back line movements,
they were unable to breach
the stubborn Wesley defence,
SPORT
of parental volunteers.
 
The 1st to 5th class group trains
in Muckross Park College on a
Sunday morning under the guid-
ance of Sophia Hjelseth and her
when a great “jackal” under the
posts by JJ O’Dea, and excel-
lent defensive reads throughout
by Eoin Deegan and Tommy
O’Callaghan succeeding in
thwarting the Belfast men. Fi-
nally, on 28 minutes Malone
finally breached the Wesley
defence with a well worked try
finished off by winger Andy
Bryans. Campbell failed to add
the points (Old Wesley 13-8).
Soon after Cassidy, who had a
crucial 100 percent strike rate
on the day, kicked another ex-
cellent penalty to stretch the
www.newsfour.ie
team of experienced coaches.
They teach the children the fun-
damental principles of hockey
in a positive and fun environ-
ment. So far this season the club
has participated in a number of
Blitzes against other hockey
clubs such as Our Lady’s and
Monkstown, which were en-
joyed by all participants.
The club were delighted to wel-
come former member and cur-
rent Irish Ladies International
Sarah McAuley back to the club
on 7th of November for a pres-
entation to mark her participa-
tion in the Tokyo 2020 Olym-
pics as part of the Irish Ladies
Hockey Team. Sarah happily
posed for pictures, signed auto-
graphs and answered a million
and one questions from the next
generation of hockey stars! 
Our 6th class to 4th year group
train in Muckross Park College
and Teresians under the guid-
ance of Irish Ladies Indoor In-
ternational Sophie Barnwell and
Adam Clayton. The 12 com-
petitive teams in this group play
lead to 16-8, and this, after 30
minutes, would prove to be the
home side’s final score. On 34
minutes Wesley were penalised
at a ruck in front of the posts and
critically as the match unfolded,
the kick was pushed to the right
by Campbell. Malone piled on
the pressure up to half time and
only excellent defensive work
from Wesley, in particular Will
Fay and Alastair Hoban, kept
the homesters’ line intact, leav-
ing the half time score 16-8 to
Wesley. One particular highlight
from the first half was the han-
dling skills displayed by Ho-
ban in retrieving a long line out
throw to the tail.
In the second period, Malone
were virtually camped in Wes-
ley territory for most of the half,
with the home side having dif-
ficulty in getting their hands on
the ball for any length of time.
However, the wall of defence
displayed by Wesley in adversi-
ty was very impressive in snuff-
ing out all Malone’s attempts
to score. A certain naivety and
lack of composure displayed by
Malone was definitely a contrib-
uting factor also in keeping the
Dec / Jan 2022
competitively in the Leinster
Hockey League each fortnight.
All teams have made a fantas-
tic start to the season playing a
wonderful brand of hockey and
hopefully will be in contention
for some silverware after Christ-
mas. 
Four members of our Intermedi-
ate Squad; Honor Rowell, Aliya
Davis, Kate Begley and Julia
Holmes were selected for the
2021-22 Leinster U16 squad.
This is a wonderful achievement
and testament to the hard work
and dedication that all bring to
every training session. 
Finally, the club would like to
wish all our members a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
Image: President MHC Helen
Buckley making the presenta-
tion to Irish Olympian Sarah
McAuley.
second half scoreless until the
77th minute, when Campbell
finally made it a “one score”
with a penalty with three min-
utes remaining. From the kick-
off Wesley had a great chance
to kill off the game from a line
out inside the Malone half, but
this opportunity was eschewed,
enabling Malone to launch very
dangerous all-out attacks on the
Wesley line, causing an increas-
ingly desperate Wesley defence
to concede two yellow cards
(Reuben Pim and Howard Noo-
nan).
A 13-man Wesley packed down
for the final scrum on their
line in added time, with an in-
creasingly worried home sup-
port looking on in trepidation.
Thankfully, the excellent de-
fence held out one more time
by shadowing Malone out to the
sanctuary of the touch line to
finally clinch victory in another
nerve-wracking finish. The fi-
nal scoreline of Old Wesley 16
Malone 11 delivered 4 priceless
points.
Image: Old Wesley v Malone
 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022 Page 39

NewsFour would like to thank all our

readers for supporting us throughout the
year past, we know it was a tough one
for so many people.

We will continue to bring you the

latest stories and pictures – local and
global – throughout 2022. Wishing all
our readers a Very Happy and Peaceful
Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Keep safe everyone.

Image; forbes.com

ADVERTISE HERE
 Page 40 www.newsfour.ie Dec / Jan 2022

A little
Birdie told me..
Christmas is
on its way!

Savvi offer a range of personal loans, including ones

for Christmas time. It’s never too early to start planning
so come talk to us and see how we can help.
Drop in, give us a call or go online.

01 632 5100 savvi.ie

Ringsend | Pearse St | St. Laurence O’Toole | Docklands

Loans are subject to approval. Terms & Conditions apply.

Savvi Credit Union Ltd. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Warning: If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears.
This may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future.

11907 Savvi NewsFour Advert_2021.indd 1 17/11/2021 14:18