Work & Life - Issue No 20

www.impact.ie

ISSUE 20 • SPRING 2013

THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

PREVENTING SUICIDEUNION BENEFITS

SHOP ETHICALLEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP

ANOTHER HEALTH SERVICE RESHUFFLE

ALSO INSIDECROKE PARK LATEST. IMPACT PEOPLE. ELIZABETH PRICE. SPRING FASHION.BEN AFFLECK REVIVAL. MAGICAL MADRID. BAKING. GARDENS. IT’S RAININGMUSIC. ROMANCE IN THE AIR. BOOKS. COMPETITIONS. ALL THE NEWS.

SAVE OURFORESTSWhy access to ourcountryside is at risk

WORK

2. STRANGE WORLDGetting it wrong.

6. SAVE OUR FORESTS

Why access to ourcountryside is in peril.

9. HEALTH RESHUFFLEHealth structures to changeagain.

13. FAIR SHOPNew campaign aims to helpshop workers.

14. PUBLIC SERVICEHelping those at risk ofsuicide.

17. YOUR CAREERClimbing the leadershipladder.

19. UNION BENEFITWhy union members aresafer.

21. CROKE PARKTalks intensify.

1WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS

work&& life – Spring 2013

In this issue

43. YOUR MONEYGet your finances in shape forthe New Year.

44. SPORT

Caught in a Trap.

NEWS

39. AUSTERITY BUDGET

39. PROBATION PROBLEM

40. LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHANGES

40. WATER JOBS ASSURED

40. VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCIES

41. GERMAN PAY SURPRISE

41. ALLOWANCES

41. RETIRED MEMBERS

42. HUMAN RIGHTS IN BAHRAIN

PRIZES

36. Win a copy of Tyringham Park.

46. Win €50 in our prize quiz.

47. Rate Work & Life and win €100.

Work & Life is produced by IMPACT trade union'sCommunications Unit and edited by BernardHarbor.

Front cover: Photo by Dreamstime.com. Story page 6.

Contact IMPACT at: Nerney's Court, Dublin 1. Phone: 01-817-1500.Email: [email protected]

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Unless otherwise stated, the views contained in Work &LIfe do not necessarily reflect the policy of IMPACT tradeunion.

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LIFE

4. IMPACT PEOPLEThe write stuff.

22. FASHIONSpring cleaning yourwardrobe.

24. FOODBake off.

26. GARDENSLifting the spirits.

28. TRAVELMagical Madrid.

30. HEALTHA fine romance.

32. MOVIES

Ben Afflick’s revival.

34. MUSICWet behind the ears.

36. BOOKSFirst book at 70.

80 years ago

70 years ago

That was then…

SPRING 20136

Save our forests

“WE PLANTED those forests forthe next generation, the next oneafter that and beyond. To brutallygo out and fell those trees? I don’tbelieve anyone has a mandate todo that. I believe that if the Irishpeople understand what’s at risk,they’ll stand up and be counted.”

Retired forester George Hipwellspeaks with genuine passionabout the threat to Ireland’sforests. A member of the Societyof Irish Foresters and Tír NaMona, the community council for

Kildare’s greater Donadea area, he was at the recent launchof a campaign to stop the Government selling the rights tocut and sell timber from State-owned Coillte forests.

Karl Boyle, chief executive officer of Mountaineering Ireland,is another who fears the policy will damage rural economiesand severely restrict public access to our forests. “Eighteen

million people visited Coillte lands in the last 12 months. Fromfamilies having a day out or a picnic, to children learning toride their bikes or being introduced to nature,” he says.

At the end of 2011, the Government announced plans to sellthe rights to harvest Coillte forests for up to 80 years.IMPACT’s Coillte branch says this will destroy the characterand quality of Irish forests and limit countryside access forwalkers, cyclists, school groups and the general public.

The branch’s new report, Save Our Forests: The social, economicand environmental case against selling Coillte assets says theplan could also damage tourism and jeopardise up to 12,000jobs in the Irish forest products sector – currently worth €2.2billion a year, including €286 million in exports.

The launch of the document was supported by a range offorestry, sporting, environmental and rural groups includingthe Tree Council of Ireland, the Society of Irish Foresters,Mountaineering Ireland, the Irish Ramblers Club, the DublinMountaineering Initiative, the Woodland League, and theDonadea Forest Group.

George Hipwell

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WORK & LIFE: THE MAGAZINE FOR IMPACT MEMBERS 7

Other groups that share our concerns include the IrishMountain Running Association, the Irish Orienteering Asso -ciation, and Mountain Views. Trade union groups like SIPTU,ICTU and the Irish National Teachers Organisation, whosemembers are concerned at the potential impact on schoolprojects and events, have also rowed in.

ExploitationSave Our Forests says private buyers of Coillte wood will focuson the commercial exploitation of timber. That means they’llbe unlikely to maintain “safe and optimum” access to forests.This would severely restrict countryside access in Ireland,which has no public ‘rights of way’ over private land. It couldalso have a major impact on the tourism sector and theavailability of quality timber for Ireland’s successful woodproducts sector.

Drawing on the limited privatisation experience of NewZealand, the publication says: “Commercially-driven ownersor concessionaires could not be relied on to interpret access

liberally, or to undertake the expenditure necessary to main -tain forest land for safe and optimum recreational use. It isimpossible to imagine how the State could maintain publicaccess to Coillte lands after harvesting rights were sold toprivate companies.”

Karl Boyle of MountaineeringIreland agrees. He’s unim -pressed by Government re -assu rances that certain parksand recreational areas will bepreserved. “We see the entireCoillte estate as having a hugeimportance. The open accesspolicy of Coillte, which hasbeen in place for 50 years ormore, provides routes onto thehills and uplands that ourmembers use. There is noother right of access to anyprivate or public land on theisland of Ireland,” he says.

Government plans to sell Coillte assets are putting public access to the countryside at risk.

NIALL SHANAHAN reports on a growing campaign to stop them.

Karl Boyle‰

Photo: N

iall Shanahan

But time is of the essence. “There’s a really naive message being sent out. The minister andothers have said the land is not being sold. But whoever owns the crop will control the land tosome degree and the open access policy will no longer exist. No matter how you spin it, thosewho own the crop will control the access to land,” says Karl.

Rural jobsVisitors to Coillte properties also bring tangible economic benefits to local economies,particularly small businesses. “People spend their money in the local areas. Maintaining accessto rural areas and outdoor tourism means avoiding job losses in local shops, pubs, hotels andB&Bs. That has other benefits like sustaining communities and keeping teachers in schools,”says Karl.

SPRING 20138

Save our forests

One small business developed from Coillte tourism is the coffee shop at Donadea forest park,which is run by Pamela Doran of Tír Na Mona. “We have several thousand visitors a year. Onesurvey shows that we get about half from the immediate locality. The other half travel more than30 kilometers to spend time here,” she says.

Pádraig McEvoy, chair of the Friends of Donadea group, high -lights the ecological imperative for protecting Irish forestry.“Without the contribution of new forests, Ireland’s climatechange targets will be very difficult to achieve. Renewablebiomass will be needed in greatly increased amounts in thefuture. To sustain supply and climate change benefits, increasedafforestation over the next two decades is a must,” he says.

Pádraig also highlights the significant economic opportunitiesthat exist if Coillte forests are retained and expanded. Forinstance, EU rules for carbon trading could bring additionalinvestment in Irish forests, which are restoring biodiversity to thecountryside and playing an important role in water quality.Forestry investment can also provide green goods and serviceswith benefits to employment, the economy and society.

CampaignSpeaking at the launch of the IMPACT report, Coillte branch chair Colm O’Dwyer said therehad been no consultation with stakeholders about the proposals. “We believe the people ofIreland have a right to know what the Government’s plans are before irrevocable decisions aretaken. We believe that the people should have a proper opportunity to let the Govern ment knowtheir views on the matter,” he said.

Colm also made the point that assets developed over gener ations were being put at risk for arelatively small short-term financial gain. “In current market conditions, the social, economicand environmental consequences are entirely disproportionate to the relatively small sums ofmoney the Government could hope to raise from a sale,” he said.

Meanwhile, George Hipwell remembers training as a forester over 50 years ago. “I love forestry.It was my vocation and the old foresters taught me how to plan, looking at the lifespan ofconifers over 30, 40, 50 years. We were planning several generations of forest at any giventime.”

George is keen to mobilise the Irish public to defend their forests. “When the UK Governmentwas trying to privatise the British Forestry Commission in the 1980s, MPs got more calls fromthe public than they did about the poll tax. They tried again a few years ago and it died a deathagain. I think if we are properly organised, and if Irish people are told the truth, they won’t allowit to happen,” he says.

Join the campaign to save our forests. Download the Save Our Forests report and subscribeto the campaign at www.saveourforests.ie l

Pamela Doran

“If the Irish people understand what’s at risk, they’ll stand up and be counted. If we are properly organised, and ifIrish people are told the truth, they won’t allow it to happen.”

Photo: N

iall Shanahan

€4,000 free cover for eligible members whosuffer critical illness or death-in-service

A free legal advice helpline for non-workplace issues. The unioncontinues to handle workplace issues (lo call: 1850-77-66-44)

A free confidential counselling helplinefor members and their partners andimmediate family members (lo call: 1850-77-66-55)

Free legal representation in bodily injury cases (lo call: 1850-77-66-44)

A free domestic assistance helpline (lo call: 1850-77-66-44).

Terms and conditions apply. See www.impact.ie for details.

Fair shop campaign launched

Suicide services need investment and coordination


POSSESSING LEADERSHIP skills can be essential to take thenext step on your career path. But it’s a challenge, particularlyif you’ve been working in an entry-level job. So, can youdevelop leadership skills? Or are they something that justcomes naturally?

Warren Bennis, a world renowned expert on leadershipdevelopment, is famous for his claim that leaders are made,not born. He says the idea that leadership qualities likecharisma are inherent is a dangerous myth.

What do good leaders do? Looking at the qualities of goodleaders we can see that they have common attributes. Leadersare passionate and enthusiastic about the task and the teamor organisation they work with. They know their team and areable to inspire and motivate them to get tasks done.

They don’t micromanage. Instead they delegate to those theyknow are able to undertake the job and let them do the task,providing guidance when asked and taking responsibility ifthings go wrong.

Priorities and praiseLeaders recognise their team’s efforts and support andencourage them. Organisational skills are core to effectiveleadership. Another famous expert in the field, Stephen Covey,said: “The key to this is not to prioritise what’s on yourschedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

Excellent communication is central to modern leadership.Good leaders listen to seek understanding rather than simplylistening to respond. This also demonstrates that they arepaying attention and value what is being said, which inspirespeople and builds trust. Leaders also cultivate trust by havinga positive attitude, responding constructively, empowering,and accepting responsibility.

Your career

Learning to leadHave you ever pulled backfrom applying for the perfectjob because you lack therequired leadership skills?ISOBEL BUTLER says youcan learn and earn thequalities you need.

“Leadership and learning areindispensable to each other."

John F. Kennedy.

A final point worth mentioning in these recessionary times isthe need for leaders to be able to manage conflict construc -tively and, in doing so, deal with the issue or solve theproblem without destroying the trust of their team orfollowers.

Gaining the skillsThe first step to developing your leadership skills is to becomeself-aware. Reflect on yourself and your strengths and weak -nesses. Do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportun ities andthreats) analysis and create your own development plan.

Take heart if you are not currently in a management rolebecause being a manager is not necessarily the best way todevelop your leadership skills. Managers don’t automaticallybecome leaders. ‰

Isobel Butler is an independent organisational psychologist who works with people on a wide range of workplace issues including conflict management, dealing with change and solving problems. If there are specific issues you’d like her to tackle in these

articles send them in via the editor, Work & Life magazine, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1 or [email protected].

SPRING 201318

Having a position of authority does increase the likelihoodthat you can influence someone, but leadership requires thatyou influence in a manner that doesn’t simply arise from theauthority of your role or position. Influence can be wielded inother ways.

People are influenced or led when theysee that another person has desirableabilities or personal traits that can beshared or copied, or when they see thatthe other person knows their job or hasexpert knowledge relevant to the job orproblem in hand. They will be influencedif you are honest and open, share yourknowledge, and demonstrate itsusefulness.

Learn how to lead by seeking out rolemodels. Watch how other peopleinfluence, especially those who are ableto influence their fellow team mateswithout depending on the authority of asenior position. Watch managers whostand out from the crowd for the waythat they manage, those managers whoinspire their teams and departments tofollow them and where staff go the extramile because of their trust in theirleader.

Be a team player. Listen to the people you are working withand don’t be daunted when problems arise. Spell out clearlyand honestly your vision of how to solve the problem andmove things forward. But don’t simply tell and expect peopleto do. Get in there and solve the problem with them.

Your career

Good leaders lead through example. Model the behaviour thatyou believe is necessary and work with people. John Adairdescribed leadership as being about focusing group effortstowards a common goal and enabling people to work togetheras a team.

EncouragementWarren Bennis has described how goodleaders make people feel they are at theheart of things. So encourage people asyou are working towards your goal.Provide support and guidance for thosewho need it, recognise the efforts ofthose around you, listen to theirsuggestions and seek the views of thosetoo shy to speak out. Teach those whohave few skills.

Seek feedback from your manager andyour fellow team mates and be preparedto listen and accept what they say inorder to learn and become more self-aware.

Start your leadership development todayby acting like a leader and cultivating

both the interpersonal and intrapersonalskills of good leaders – listening, enabling, encouraging thosearound you, and inspiring a shared vision. Most of all,modeling or demonstrating the way forward.

Once people are following your lead, then you know you’redemonstrating leadership l

l Be passionate

l Lead by example

l Take on the hard tasks yourself

l Listen and weigh up opinions and ideas. (You don’t have to know everything. You do have to siftthrough information and choose the correct path)

l Trust your team and they will trust you.

l Reflect and learn from your experiences. Repeat successes and don’t repeat mistakes

l Thank people for their efforts and recognise their contribution.

7 Steps toLEADERSHIP

"Management isefficiency in climbingthe ladder of success;leadership determineswhether the ladder isleaning against the

right wall."Stephen R Covey.

You’re better in than out


Public service jobs and pay

NEGOTIATIONS ON an extension to the Croke Park agreement will in-tensify in the early part of this year. IMPACT and other public serv-ice unions had preliminary meetings with public service managementat the end of 2012, after the Government issued an invitation to talks.

No specific proposals to achieve the Government’s aim of saving anadditional €1 billion from the public service pay bill between 2013and 2015 had been put to unions as Work & Life went to press in lateDecember. But Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform BrendanHowlin has said that Croke Park protections on pay and job securitycan remain in place if new cost-saving measures are agreed in thetalks.

Last November, officials from the Department of Public Expenditureand Reform gave unions a detailed analysis of the county’s budget-ary situation. This confirmed that the Croke Park agreement was oncourse to deliver €3.3 billion in payroll savings by 2015 – but thatlack of growth in the economy meant that the Government now hadto find more if it was to meet troika deficit targets.

IMPACT’s 2012 conference passed a number of motions, which gavethe go-ahead for the union to enter negotiations at the appropriatetime. The Government hopes to reach an agreement early in the NewYear with the target of putting proposals to national ballots of unionmembers in the first few months of 2013.

It is expected that the Labour Relations Commission will facilitate thetalks, as it did in the original Croke Park negotiations in 2010.

In a recent letter to IMPACT branches, Shay Cody said memberswould benefit from an extension of the Croke Park protections – whichguard against compulsory redun-dancies and further pay cuts – inlight of the very difficult economicand budgetary forecasts for 2013and 2014.

“We are in talks with the objective ofprotecting members’ pay and pen -sions against further cuts, andpre vent ing any imposition of com pul - sory redundancies. Achievingsucc ess will mean agreeing tomeasures that cut the public servicepay bill in other ways,” he said.

In its first two years, the Croke Parkdeal has already delivered recurringannual savings of €1.5 billion with-out recourse to compulsory redun-dancies or further pay cuts. This has required substantial changes inwork practices including changes to sick leave and holiday entitle-ments, additional working time in local authorities, roster changesfor many health workers, and the redeployment of thousands of pub-lic servants.

If the negotiators are able to negotiate a package, the outcome willbe put to a national ballot of the members concerned.

Keep an eye on www.impact.ie for updates l

IMPACT’s branches gave the go-ahead for

talks at the union’s conference last year.

Croke Park talks intensifyTalks on an extension to the Croke Park agreement are underway. BERNARD HARBOR reports.

Shay Cody

“Any measures will have to be fair, which means they can’t fall disproportionately

on any group of staff, particularly those on low and middle incomes.”

IMPACT general secretary Shay Cody, who also chairs the ICTU pub-lic services committee, told management that unions were willing totry to reach an agreement, but that it would have to meet three cri-teria to succeed.

Firstly, management would have to prove that its proposals wouldmake genuine savings. Secondly, any measures would have to be fair,which meant they could not fall disproportionately on any group ofstaff, particularly those on low and middle incomes. Thirdly, the out-come would have to pass the tests of ballots in IMPACT and otherunions.

Shay also said members would be influenced by events in Europe,particularly the issue of Ireland’s payment of bank debt.

SPRING 201322

Looking good

SPRING IS the time to do some Feng Shui on yourwardrobe. Decluttering serves more than onepurpose, creating space for the spring-summer2013 temptations while working with your previouspurchases.

Be ruthless, but not ridiculous. Get rid of items thatdon’t fit, items that are irreparable and thosepieces that you loved, but owe you nothing. Repairwhat’s worth repairing. Recycle the rest.

Hold onto items worth hoarding including staplepieces like jeans and dresses, timeless classics andyour favourite gear that makes you feel good. Veryfew can afford to throw out everything, much as wemight want to. So buy wisely and make everypurchase earn its place in your space.

SavvyEvery season sees multitudes of trends emerging.Naturally that’s ideal for designers and fashionhouses. They just want you to spend. But be savvyabout what you buy. Choose trends that suit you,your pocket, your lifestyle and your currentwardrobe.

There was a definite easing up at New York FashionWeek, and more of a sense of having fun withfashion. In fact, the laid back look is comingthrough on international catwalks. It probably hassomething to do with worldwide recession andpeople being unable to afford to take fashion asseriously as when we thought we were rich.

I think of it as dressing down to dress up. To achieve the look,wear a bomber jacket over a pretty dress or a pencil skirt.Finish with flat shoes or sneakers. Practically every designerwent for this look.

Some form of embellishment on your bomber jacket will giveit a feminine look. A great look too with skinny jeans andslouchy pants.

SportyThe sporty theme was around last season and it’s continuinginto 2013. It’s more relaxed and versatile than full-on sporty,you don’t have to don the entire tracksuit. Buy pieces thatcan be dressed up or down.

At some point in the week this is a look everyone dips into,whether it’s in the evening after work, going to thesupermarket or going for a walk in the woods at the weekend.Look out for Anjhe Mules label which is as popular withathletes and celebrities as it is with the fashion conscious.

TRISH O’MAHONY says it’s time to be ruthless, but not ridiculous, as you declutter your wardrobe.

Spring clean yourSome trends are so practical you’re probably alreadywearing them. For confirmation see Moschino,Cheap and Chic Cat walk collection. Wear neonbrights by Nike Air or state ment-making wedgestyles.

According to the fashion bible Vogue, Laduréecolours are the colours this season. Ladurée, youmight ask? Apparently it means pastel colours likespearmint, fondant pink, violet lemon and baby blue.

Colour clashing is still on trend, as is neon. Choosebetween pretty pastels or brilliantly bright like hotpink, grass green, orange and cobalt blue. If whiteis your go-to colour each spring and summer thenyou’ll be happy this season because Simone Rochaand Missoni have teamed every colour with white.

For high street versions shop in Topshop and UrbanOutfitters. Hold on to any silver or gold pieces you’vebought recently as they are strong transition coloursfrom winter into spring.

ShinySome trends just keep on giving and monochrome isone of them. That’s why it’s important not to discardanything from your wardrobe too hastily. If you’renot a lover of all-white, go for black and whitegraphics, monochrome stripes, squares andcheckerboard prints.

If you are a lover of all-white. the look is oversizedplain white buttoned-up shirts and shirt dresses.

Wear all white, including footwear, to say goodbye to the winterwoollies. If that sounds a little too pure, finish with a neonbag, belt or scarf.

That same neon is popping up in all kind of places like neonyellow zips on indigo denim jeans. It’s a good way toincorporate the neon trend while avoiding overkill.

Trending fabrics include shiny, glossy satin, porous spongymaterials that create a shape (like wetsuits) and wet lookfabrics that cling. See-through material, like clear plastic, isincorporated into other fabrics. Just make sure you’re happywith its bodily location. White leather is popular and RiverIsland has a selection in dresses and tunic tops.

You’re also going to see influences from eighties icons likeMichael Jackson in the form of powerful shoulders – and fromthe sixties with boxy shapes and Mary Quant-style minidresses. Flower power is big too, as are oriental influences. Ifyou don’t believe me, look at Prada’s spring-summer ready-to-wear collection.

The moral of the story is that there’s something for everyone’stastes. Anything goes, so long as you’re having fun l

Yellowlacedress,Hobbs.


wardrobe

“If white is your go-to colour each spring and summer then you’ll be

happy this season because Simone Rocha and Missoni have teamed

every colour with white.”

White lace top, River Island. White geometric top, River Island. Print jeans, Next. Camonda skinny jeans, M&S.

Orange trousers, Debenhams. Millie Derby shoes, Hobbs.Egocentric slip shoes, Office. Green shoes, Office.

In the kitchen

SPRING 201324

I LOVE baking. I love the comfort of it and the fact thatit’s the closest thing to magic you can experience in akitchen. By putting a few very ordinary ingredients to-gether and giving them the good love of a hot oven, youcan completely transform them into something so much morethan the sum of its parts.

When you take flour, raw eggs, sugar, butter, baking powder,and make a Madeira sponge, you can’t actually taste any ofthe ingredients. They have all become simply and indisputablythe taste of sponge.

You look at the packet of flour (basically, wheat dust), butter(a block of fat, albeit very yummy fat), raw eggs (alien slime)and sugar (the pretty one of the bunch) and it’s really hard tobelieve they can produce something that tastes like a hugfeels. But, reader dear, they can.

Baking, like all the DIY skills that foster independence andself-reliance, is super-cool right now. In the grey fog of reces-sion, it’s a glimmer of sugar-iced frivolity and fun.

Forget the rain, the bills, the 200 impossible things that haveto be done by bedtime, and break out the apron. There arefew things as therapeutic and satisfying as some weighing,measuring and mixing, and then tucking in to the resultinggoodies.

The smell of baking is one of the all time magnificent smellsof life. It smells of cake with base notes of clean sheets andfresh pyjamas, baths and reading by the fire, hugs, and some-one to put a fresh plaster on your knee when you fall. It’s freearomatherapy.

When you touch plastic keyboards all day, or deal with hordesof people and their problems, the feel of chilled pastry doughunder your hands is exhilarating. And, as you smooth andstretch the dough with the rolling pin and trim the edges ofan apple tart, the kinks and tangles in your thoughts seem tounwind as well.

There are some rules you need to keep in mind. Baking is anexact science so follow the recipe, and measure your ingredi-ents carefully. Pastry needs cold ingredients and little han-dling. Too much kneading will activate the gluten in the flourand make the pastry tough. You need to let the dough rest inthe fridge for 30 minutes or so, so that the glutenwill relax! If the pastry splits, the mix maybe a little dry, but you can’t fix it. Justpatch as you go and it will still tastegreat.

It’s the opposite with yeast-based doughs, where you areobliged to pummel, stretchand pinch the life out of it be-cause you want that same glutento get very active indeed. The wateryou add to a yeast mix should bewarm. And it likes to rise in a warmplace, free from draughts.

Sponge-based cakes needto have everything, in-cluding eggs, at roomtemperature, with soft but-ter and fine caster sugar.Beat the ingredients together in se-quence to form a soft mix and don’tleave it hanging around as the risingagent will start to interact with the wet in-gredients very soon after they’re added.

The mix may become a little curdled with the ad-dition of the eggs, but this is not serious at all. It willstill rise and taste divine. If the cake sinks in the middle itmay be that the mix was too slack – overly wet ingredients –or the tin you cooked it in was too big. If it’s dry and tough,or doesn’t rise, the mix may not have been liquid enough.Check the recipe again – it’s a learn-by-doing skill l

It’s a kind of

MARGARET HANNIGAN dons her apron and gets down to some baking.

magic


Heavenly pudPear and almond pudding pie.

This recipe is family favourite, from Hugh-FearnleyWhittingstall’s River Cottage Family Cookbook.

To serve 6

l 150g soft butter

l 125g caster sugar

l 2 eggs

l Almond essence, 1 tsp (optional)

l 75g ground almonds

l 75g self-raising flour

l 3 Pears, firm but not rock hard (Conference pears are good) orapples.

l 25g butter

l 1 tbsp sugar

l Cake tin, about 20cm in diameter. Loose-bottomed is best.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line the tin with baking paper.Peel the pears, and quarter them, slicing out the stringy core. In awide saucepan or non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add the25g butter. When it sizzles, add the sugar, and stir to make a bub-bly sauce. Add the pears and fry for a few minutes until they startto pick up a few brown flecks. Leave aside to cool.

Now make the sponge base. Beat together the butter and sugaruntil soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between.Don’t worry if it looks too eggy. Add the almonds, and sieve in theflour, then fold them in gently to the mix with a metal spoon or spat-ula. Turn the mix over on itself gently, until they’re incorporated.

Put the mix into the tin, and gently spread it out. Arrange the pear(or apple) slices on top. Scatter some flaked almonds over thepears. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.The cake is done when a skewer or cocktail stick inserted in themiddle comes out clean. Serve hot with cream or cold on its own.

Lifting the spirits

Lifting the spiritsJ!"s t# d#

Madrid is officially Europe’s greenest capital city, with itsnumerous parks and tree-lined avenues. The Casa de Campolies on the edge of the city. At almost 3,000 acres it’s one ofEurope’s largest urban open spaces and is home to Madrid’szoo and fun fair. Retiro park is less than ten minutes walk fromPeurto del Sol and well worth a visit.

SafeThe Madrilenos are proud of their city and naturallywelcoming to tourists. Unlike Barcelona, Madrid is one of thesafest cities in Europe and crime is quite low by comparison.The climate helps too, especially appealing in April, May andSeptember. But be warned, it gets intensely hot in the summermonths and cold in the winter.

Rain in Madrid is rare, but it got its annual quota the day wearrived. What better place to head for but the Prado museum,Madrid’s top cultural sight and one of the world’s greatest artgalleries. We availed of free entry on Friday from five-seven. Itusually costs €12.

As a special treat we went to the Bernabeau stadium to watchReal Madrid play Deportivo La Coruna. The classy soccer wasthe treat for some. Others settled for a glimpse of the mightyMourinho.

Page titleTravel and trips

SPRING 201328

IMAGINE HAVING to go to Madrid. That’s the reality for menow that the city is home to my daughter for the next twoyears. Virtually everyone I know who’s been to the Spanishcapital falls for its relaxed charms.

Madrid doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s there to beenjoyed by all types of traveller. Whether you want to seemuseums, sit in the park or dine al fresco, it’s a majestic citysteeped in history and politics. But it’s relaxed about it.

There’s the cultural old town, Las Letras, literally around thecorner from the busy, action-packed Sol centre. Here you’llfind creative Madrid at play. It’s like stepping back in timewith pretty old balconied buildings and quirky shops, curios,art galleries, florists and boutiques.

Virtually traffic free, go for a leisurely stroll around the marketon Saturday or Sunday morning for bric-a-brac, plants andantique jewellery. By night enjoy great restaurants, wine barsand jazz clubs. Sol is the vibrant part of the city and Plaza deSanta Ana is especially lively by night, crammed with open airbars and restaurants.

‰

The magic of TRISH O’MAHONY finds it easy to relax in Europe’s greenest capital.

Plaza de Santa Ana

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BarsMadrid has an abundance of Irish bars. See it as anadvantage if you want to watch a GAA match, rugby or anymajor sporting event. The James Joyce Bar on Calle de Alcala,Salamanca was my favourite. Positioned on one of the oldeststreets in Madrid, in full view of Puerta de Alcala – a neo-classical monument built in 1599 – it serves reasonablypriced food, has a great atmosphere and offers live music atweekends. En route to the James Joyce Bar you can enjoysome of the best architectural views of Madrid. Leaving mightbe a different story.

Madrid

A lot of cities are overpriced but Madrid isn’t. Youcan eat, sleep, travel around and sight-see more

economically than in most European cities. Westayed in an apartment in Las Letras wherea five-minute walk will take you into Sol

Central or – going in the other direction– to the Prado. NH Paseo del

Prado hotel is perfectly pos -itioned opposite the Neptunefountain and Retiro park l

As a special treat we went to theBernabeau stadium to watch Real Madrid play Deportivo La Coruna. The classy soccer was the treat forsome. Others settled for a glimpse

of the mighty Mourinho.

Where to eatSpanish cuisine wouldn’t beanything to write home aboutunless paella and tortillas arecounted in. I would rec -ommend El Baril in the oldtown for delicious, reasonablypriced cuisine in a very taste -fully furnished room. Near it isLa Mucca, also well worth mentioning. Ginos is achain frequented by students; my verdict was cheap,cheerful and reliable.

Where to shopGoya is the main district for exclusive designers.Calle Jose Ortega y Gasse and the narrower sidestreet Calle Claudio Coello has the likes of Miu Miuand Cop Copine. Cristina Castaner, one of Spain’stop shoe designers, is here too.

As Manolo Blahnik is Spanish,pay a visit to his store atSerrano 58. It doesn’t cost tolook and you never know whoyou might ‘celebrity’ spot. Forhigh street go to Gran Via. Forless known, quirky boutiquesgo to Calle Fuencarral.

Getting aroundMadrid is compact and you can cover a lot on foot.Buy a ten-pass ticket for €12.50 for use on busesand Metro. Use metro or shuttle bus to and from theairport. Aerocity is a specialised taxi service, reservein advance. Aer Lingus flies to Madrid BarajasAirport. If you book well in advance you’ll get flightswell below €100 all in.

At the movies

SPRING 201332

THE RECENT release of Argo marksthe continuing revival of its directorBen Affleck. By the early 2000s,Affleck had become a figure of funwhose once promising career was onthe downward slide. A series of badperformances in even worse filmsseemed to be ushering in the Afflecktwilight. But in recent years the oncemaligned actor has turned director andproved himself a credible presencebehind the camera.

Affleck first came to attention in theearly 1990s with small yet notablesupporting roles in Richard Linklater’sDazed and Confused (1993) and KevinSmith’s Mallrats (1995). The lattersubsequently gave the actor a lead inthe follow-up, Chasing (1997), whichseemed to confirm Affleck’s potentialin undemanding comedic fare.

However, it was the surprise success ofGood Will Hunting (1997) thatpropelled Affleck to superstardom.Along with his co-star Matt Damon,Affleck earned a screenplay Oscar forthe film. However, while Damon plotteda more interesting acting path, Affleck

drifted through various underwhelmingfilms such as Armageddon (1998),Forces of Nature (1999) and ReindeerGames (2000).

Looks could killAffleck was sundered by his own goodlooks and continually employed inroles requiring little more thanhandsome vacuity. None more so thanin Michael Bay’s interminable and ill-judged Pearl Harbor (2001), whereAffleck wandered inertly around thescreen.

The actor became more noted for hispersonal life than for films that wereeither forgettable (The Sum of AllFears) or memorable only inasmuch aswe wanted to forget them (Daredevil).Affleck’s nadir was reached through anill-starred professional and personalassociation with Jennifer Lopez, whichyielded the disastrous Gigli (2003).

The tumult in Affleck’s life saw him doa stint in rehab, and there seemed littleindication that his career would find

any focus. But in 2006 he featured inHollywoodland, a murder mystery witha solid cast featuring Adrien Brody,Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins. Affleckplayed George Reeves, star of the1950s Superman TV series, who wastormented by his failed career. The roleseemed apposite, and drew from theactor a performance that earned aGolden Globe nomination.

Affleck suddenly seemed renewed andturned to direct Gone Baby Gone(2007) an adaptation of the DenisLehane novel of the same name. TheBoston-set drama about two privatedetectives investigating a missing childwas a commercial and critical success.The direction was assured, with Afflecknavigating the story’s morallyambiguous terrain with a deftness thatbelied his inexperience.

CharacterWhile he continued to perform on-screen, Affleck took on smallercharacter roles such as a soundsupporting performance in State of ‰

Les Miserables (11th January)

Tom Hooper (The Damned United, The King’sSpeech) directs Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowein an adap tation of the successful stage musical.

The Paperboy (11th January)Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron investigate amurder to exonerate a man on death row (John

Cusack). Nicole Kidman channels the maliciousqualities last seen in Gus van Sant’s To Die For.

Gangster Squad (11th January)This stylish noir period piece, set in the 1940s,features Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling as LAPDdetectives going up against Sean Penn’s eastcoast mobster.

DjangoUnchained(18th January)Inspired by SergioCorbucci’s 1966spaghetti westernDjango, QuentinTarantino’s latestouting features Jamie Foxx as a freed slave whotravels with a bounty hunter (Christophe Waltz) to

rescue his wife from a cruel plantation owner(Leonardo Di Caprio).

Broken City (25th January)

The Hughes brothers direct this crime drama abouta New York cop (Mark Wahlberg) who uncovers ascandal that implicates the Mayor and his wife(Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones).

The Affleck revivalOnce a figure of fun, Ben Affleck’s behind-the-camera moves are

putting him back in the frame. MORGAN O’BRIEN reports.

The New Year promises someinteresting cinema releases, with

notable Oscar contenders to the fore.

Play (2009). His second feature asdirector, The Town (2010), was a solidcrime-movie where Affleck starred aspart of an ensemble cast with JonHamm, Rebecca Hall and JeremyRenner.

This year he directed Argo, about the1979 Iran hostage crisis, which works


In Hollywoodland, Affleck played the starof the 1950s Superman TV series, who

was tormented by his failed career. The role seemed apposite.

Lincoln (25th January)Perennial Oscar-botherersSteven Spielberg and DanielDay-Lewis are director andstar in the story of theeponymous 16th president’sattempts to abolish slavery.

A Late Quartet (1st February)This drama about competingegos in a string quartet feat -ures a strong cast includingPhilip Seymour Hoffman,Christopher Walken andCatherine Keener.

Flight (1st February)Denzel Washington stars asa pilot with substance abuseissues. The impressivesupport cast features JohnGoodman, Don Cheadle, andMelissa Leo.

Hitchcock (8th February)The first of two films about thefilmmaker stars Anthony Hopkins andfocuses on his relationship with his wifeAlma (Helen Mirren) during the makingof Psycho.

This Is 40 (15th February)Reprising their supporting roles fromKnocked Up, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann star as a bickering married couple slidinginto mid-life.

A Good Day to Die Hard(15th February)Bruce Willis returns as the lucklessJohn McClane who, in a seeming nodto Taken, travels to Moscow and getsembroiled in a terrorist plot.

Cloud Atlas (22nd February)Based on David Mitchell’s celebratedand complex novel, this charts sixinterrelated stories across different

times. Directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski’s, it features Tom Hanks, HalleBerry, Hugh Grant and Susan Sarandon.

like a caper movie wrapped in apolitical drama. The film adroitlybalances tense drama and blackhumour, feeling like a movie of anearlier time with clear stylistic parallelsto 1970s conspiracy thrillers like ThreeDays of the Condor.

The future for Affleck now appears to

show more promise behind thecamera. As a director he’s displayed asteady restraint and lack of pretensionreminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s recentwork on films like Mystic River andGran Turino, which should make hisnext steps as a director of fascinatinginterest l

Play it loud

SPRING 201334

WE GET a lot of weather at this time of year and there’s no es-caping the fact that the Irish people are world leaders in dis-cussing the elements. If you discount Bono, who talks rubbishabout every other subject imaginable.

In his book Isn’t It Well For Ye: The Book OfIrish Mammies, Colm O’Regan sums up ourweather situation beautifully. “In geograph-ical terms Ireland is an island with a tem-perate climate that is heavily influenced bythe North Atlantic drift and a prevailingwind from the South West. In more prac-tical terms, Ireland is sitting in an awfuldraught,” he writes.

No wonder the weather provides theperfect lubricant to any random con-versation – a genuine rival to southern

England’s obsession with queuing. But wearen’t the only ones banging on about climate vari-

ables. Musicians do it too. And it’s clear to me that opinion onheavy precipitation is clearly divided.

Take the Ann Peebles classic I Can’t Stand The Rain. An ad-mirably clear and unambiguous position. And she had manysupporters if the number of acts who covered the song aretaken as a yardstick: Humble Pie, Ronnie Wood, Graham Cen-tral Station, Missy Elliott, Tina Turner (aarggh!), Bad Manners(oi!), and Michael Bolton (STOP!) to name but a few.

While in the depths of economic depression, Cliff Edwardswas so happy he was Singing in the Rain in the early MGM mu-sical The Hollywood Revue of 1929, the happiness was only

Musicians are obsessed with the weather, just like the rest of us, says RAYMOND CONNOLLY.

Raining them in

‰

Modern timesI’VE HEARD a suggestion in some quarters that this col-umn over-eggs the nostalgia pudding, particularly the1970s model. Naturally I reject this mad claim out ofhand.

Mind you, if you heard the last singles from Bruno Marsand Lykke Li, a thought should occur. Bruno, prior to de-livering Locked Out Of Heaven had definitely been swayingalong to The Police in the late 1970s.

Equally, Lykke Li’s excellent I FollowRivers has St. Etienne (this columncan do 1990s revisionism too) all overit. Incidentally St. Etienne is a superbEnglish pop-dance band and a Frenchfootball team which shot to promi-nence in the, er, 1970s.

Now I’m off on a campaign to bring rosettes back to foot-ball grounds.

St. Etienne

firmly lodged in the public mindset when Gene Kelly splashedhis way through several artificial puddles (according to mydad, “that doesn’t be real rain”) in the 1952 musical of thesame name.

Gene would have no problem filling the away end at Ports -mouth with rain-heads either. John Martyn, The PasadenaRoof Orchestra, Sammy Davis Jr, Jamie Cullum (ah here, leaveit out) and Eric & Ernie all recorded the song.

Personally I support Ms Peeble’s disposition. As a young ladrain ruined so many weekends. There once was a newspapercalled the Evening Herald. It seemed that every Friday’s backpage carried a late notice saying “All Dublin Corporationpitches except Saint Anne’s No.32 are unplayable for theweekend.” That meant another Saturday morning on thehoovering.

Bob Dylan must have had it bad though. He upgraded fromHard Rain to Hurricane in just a few short years. The Doorswere highly concerned about the welfare of jockeys in a storm

Soduko difficult solutionSoduko easy solution

Spring 2013solutions (From page 46.)


Winter 2012 Crossword SolutionsSee page 46 for the competition winners from Issue 19.

ACROSS: 1. Greys Anatomy 5. Diced 8. Gabby 9. Blimp 10 Alder 11. Insipid 14. Yield 17.Spree 20 & 23. Nothing to declare 21. Bree 22 & 31D. Fair City 23. Nothing to declare 24Ceded 27. Stand 30. Outcast 32. Array 33. Adder 34. Lactary 35. Genie 36. Susan. DOWN:1. Gabby 2. Exile 3. Sapid 4. ETSI 5. Dyads 6. Cedar 7. Dirge 12. Such Heart 13. Paint Lisa15. Intrude 16. Lynette 18. Perfect 19. Epsilon 24 & 26. Craig Doyle 25 & 29. Duran Duran26. Craig Doyle 27. Stays 28. Aide 29. Craig Doyle 31. Fair City

5 SUNNY DELIGHTSSunrise by The Who (1967)“You take away the breath I’ve been keeping ‘til sunrise.”Early poignant Who classic.

Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks(1966)“Taxman’s taken all my dough.”Times haven’t changed.

The Sun Always Shines On TV byA-Ha (1986)You’d be “hunting high and low” tomatch this pearler.

There’s Always The Sun by The Stranglers (1986)Always, always, always. Another 1986 gem. Not that the

sun shone that year.

Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top(1980)“She was as sweet as molasses butwhat really knocked me out wereher cheap sunglasses.” For lyricalcontent alone...

5 DAMP SQUIBSWhy Does It Always Rain On Me? By Travis (1999)As long as a wet week in Scotland.

(Join Me Dancing) Naked In The Rain by Blue Pearl(1990)Nobody’s imagination should be allowed to stretch thatfar.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Headby BJ Thomas (1969)Dylan turned this one down. Rain-drops weren’t hard core enough. Hepreferred hurricanes.

The Wind Of Change by Robert Wyatt(1984)No, not Robert Watt.

It’s Raining Men by The WeatherGirls (1982)Female revenge for the entire Carry On series. Amen

and everywhere Crowded House went theytook the weather with them.

As for the artist formerly known as theartist formerly known as Prince, nowPrince. His rain was purple! Try explainingthat to your kids. Can we talk about any-thing other than the weather? l

The Doors

The Kinks

ZZ Top

Robert Wyatt

2 4 3 9 5 8 6 7 1

1 5 7 3 4 6 8 9 2

6 8 9 2 7 1 3 4 5

5 1 4 6 8 7 9 2 3

7 3 8 5 2 9 4 1 6

9 2 6 1 3 4 5 8 7

3 9 5 4 1 2 7 6 8

8 6 1 7 9 3 2 5 4

4 7 2 8 6 5 1 3 9

7 8 9 1 3 2 4 5 6

5 2 6 4 9 8 1 7 3

3 1 4 5 6 7 2 8 9

8 9 2 3 1 4 5 6 7

4 3 5 7 8 6 9 1 2

1 6 7 2 5 9 3 4 8

2 5 3 8 7 1 6 9 4

9 4 8 6 2 5 7 3 1

6 7 1 9 4 3 8 2 5

From the author

SPRING 201336

Win a copyPoolbeg Press has given us three copies ofTyringham Park to give away. To be in with achance to win, answer the question belowand send your entry to Roisin Nolan,Rosemary Competition, IMPACT, Nerney’sCourt, Dublin 1. Entries must reach us byFriday 8th March 2013.

Where was author Rosemary McLoughlinborn?

MOST OF the many people who’ve enjoyed RosemaryMcLoughlin’s bestseller Tyringham Park are probably unawarethat its first-time author was over 70 years of age when thenovel was published. Not bad for a woman who also starteda successful painting career – in her fifties!

A magnificent country house in the south of Ireland,Tyringham Park is a haven of wealth and privilege until itspeace is shattered by a devastating event which revealed thechaos of jealousy and deceit beneath its surface.

Eight-year-old Charlotte Blackshaw has to struggle alone withher loss, with no support from her hostile mother andmenacing nanny, when her little sister Victoria goes missingfrom the estate. She finds comfort in the kindness of servantsand later reaches out for happiness.

But the mystery of Victoria’s disappearance continues to casta long shadow over Tyringham Park – a mystery that has thepower to destroy its world and the worlds of those connectedto it.

The book’s impressive author describes herself as a latestarter. “I loved rearing my two children, but I wasted a lot oftime. Imagine all the other paintings I could have painted andthe books I could have written,” she says.

Born in the Australian outback, Rosemary’s adventurous spiritled her to Ireland when she was in her twenties. “I had Irishties that went back three generations. I fell in love with thiscountry right from the beginning. People said I’d get sick ofit after a while, but I never did,” she says.

She also fell in love with her future husband while working inDublin’s Powers hotel. Marriage and two children followed. “Ifeel very satisfied. I have fulfilled my destiny. I loved raising mychildren. The painting and the writing has capped it. It’swonderful to finish life like this,” she tells me.

Rosemary says she loves making up characters and storiesthat have causes and effects. “I love opera and the grandthemes of love, passion, jealousy and betrayal, which I bringinto my books. I love having characters in moral dilemmas;getting good people doing bad things for good reasons.

“I try to make the historical details accurate, but it’s reallyabout the characters and what happens to them. Often againsttheir wishes, which happens a lot in real life,” she says.

Rosemary urges struggling authors to start with their ownfamily history. “Don’t be daunted by the pressure of writing abook. We often don’t ask the questions about family, and therelationships they had with people, until it’s too late. When Italk to my siblings, instead of talking about the weather, wetalk about our parents, what they thought about other peopleand what they did. It’s marvellous,” she says.

Rosemary’s not one for resting on her laurels. She’s currentlyfinishing her second book, Twelve Thousand Miles and has fivepaintings to complete in time for a show. No pressure then, asshe puts it. “It’s a moment of desperation. I have to finish thebooks before I get too old.”

Interview by Martina O’Leary.

You’re nevertoo oldROSEMARY McLOUGHLIN started hersuccessful painting career in her fiftiesand has published her first novel in herseventies. Tyringham Park spentseveral weeks on the bestseller’s list.

Book reviews


A city in turmoil:Dublin 1919-1921

Pádraig Yeates (Gill & Macmillan, £14.99 in the UK)

‰more reviews on page 38

THIS HANDSOME and generously priced vol-ume follows Yeates’ previous histories ofDublin in the 1913 Lockout and Dublin inWartime: 1914-1918. In the previous vol-umes, Yeates analysed the history of Dublincity as the cockpit of the new Ireland; en-during the class confrontations of the 1913lockout, the devastation of the Easter 1916rising, and now, in this volume, the terror ofthe war of independence.

Dublin city was the seat of a crumblingBritish civil administration in Dublin Castleconfronted by a rival underground adminis-tration in Dáil Éireann. It was the headquar-ters of the DMP G-Division, theill-disciplined Black and Tans and the moredisciplined and formidable Auxiliaries.

The forces of the British state were con-fronted by the guerrilla army of the Repub-lic and Collins ‘squad’ of assassins on the streets of the city.The history of the war of independence in the city is master-ful. The account of the events of bloody Sunday, 21 Novem-ber 1920 is tautly written, showing a masterly command ofvarious sources but always judicious in evaluating them.

As an account of one of the most written about events of thewar of independence it is hardly to be bettered. It utilises the

recently released witness statements of the Bureau of Mili-tary History to great effect in revealing the inner turmoil of theIRA activists and the often ad hoc way in which the war wasfought on the city streets.

However this history is much more than a narrative of the mil-itary campaign. The role of Dublin City Corporation, the an-cestor of the present City Council, is another central theme.

The January 1920 local elections gave Sinn Féin a powerfulgrip on the government of the city. But Yeates shows that theformer unionists and some nationalists, reconstructed as Mu-nicipal Reform Association candidates, could pose a signifi-cant defence of the status quo disguised as ‘value for theratepayer’ politics.

The initial bewilderment, and then fury, of protestant Dublinas it realised that Ulster exclusion was not a spoiling tacticbut actually the final goal of the Ulster Unionists is carefullytreated. The records and minute books of the Corporation areused to great effect to reveal the city fathers as sympathetic

to the Dáil but still proud of their own traditions and jealousof their status. They were determined to ensure that the gov-ernance of the city by the elected Corporation would endure.

A further significant element within the history is the labourmovement and its struggle to secure its place in the new Ire-land being shaped on the streets of Dublin. IMPACT mem-bers will find the activities of Harry Nicholls and the MunicipalOfficers (Ireland) Trade Union of special interest as he andthe union he founded are the rootstock of local and publicservice trade unionism in Ireland. The role of the labour move-ment in resisting British government repression and in sus-taining the revolutionary administration, usually neglected inhistories of the war of independence, gets a full treatmenthere.

However the enduring voice that emerges, for this reader atleast, is that of the mass of ordinary Dublin citizens. Thestruggle to survive, always difficult in the wretched conditionsof the slums, acquired the additional terror of sudden gun-fights and explosions. Yeates captures the panic of Dublin cit-izens when a shopping street suddenly became a battlefield,and how often they were the unlucky random victims.

The book is therefore a social, rather than military, history ofthe war of independence in the city of Dublin. The abrupt endof the book with the truce of July 1921 signals that a finalvolume on Dublin in the civil war is on the way. I look forwardto its publication. A City in Turmoil is a landmark in the historyof the city and of the emerging new independent state. Get itfor a friend, but get a copy for yourself!

MARTIN MAGUIRE. (Dr Martin Maguire is the author of thehistories of the Local Government and Public Service TradeUnion and of the Union of Professional and Technical CivilServants, published by the IPA and available at IMPACTheadquarters).

“IMPACT members will find the activities ofHarry Nicholls and the Municipal Officers TradeUnion of special interest as he and the union he

founded are the rootstock of local and publicservice trade unionism in Ireland.”

Photo: D

ublin City C

ouncil – digital collections

GPO ruins

More book reviews

SPRING 201338

The plots thickenBLOOD LOSSAlex Barclay (Harper, £6.99 in the UK)

WHEN THE Whaley family arrives in Breckenridge, Coloradofor an exciting family weekend of skiing, little do they knowthat disaster lies ahead. For Mark this is an extra specialweekend because he’s been allowed overnight access with his11-year-old daughter, Laurie, for the first time since the acri-monious marriage break-up.

Mark and his current wife Erica, book a hotel baby-sitter forLaurie and three-year-old Leo. When they arrive back fromdinner, Laurie and the 16-year-old babysitter are missing.

But is she happy?HAPPILY EVER AFTER Harriet Evans (Harper, £6.99 in the UK)

SPOILER ALERT! In the title!! HappilyEver After – like Hello? Is she tryingsome kind of hipster double-bluffthere, loaded with irony and sarcasm?Or is it just blatant advertising?

We who follow the Tao of The Chick-Lit know the rules. The heroine mustbe plucky, and a littlesad/mad/dying to be bad. Or allthree. There has to be a bad guy be-fore there’s a good guy, a friend tobe a foil, heartbreak, sex and, in-creasingly, everyone has to be bril-liant at their jobs as well.

It helps if there’s some sadness. Nothing so hor-rendously tragic it would put you into a depression for amonth, or make an episode of Love/Hate look like a day atthe races. No, we don’t want to be appalled. Just full of em-pathy and the desire to hug, in a safe cosy place where there’slots of tea and chocolate.

So, here we have Eleanor Bee, a shy, book-loving girl whowants to work in publishing. And be glamorous, successful,sexy and partnered up with a guy so fabulous everyone wouldhate her if they didn’t already love her so much, be-cause she’s just so amazing!

She’s also naive and a little too dim to pick up on theclues that are just screaming at the discerning reader.But we don’t mind. We’ll be there to pick up the pieceswhen it all falls apart which, of course, is a big part ofwhy we bought the book in the first place. No matter howmany woes befall our heroine, we know she’ll keep going.

Oh, and about the book? Well, Eleanor’s mum is a bit of ahandful and her Dad’s a bit distant, what with the new fam-ily and all, and her brother’s a bit of a pain at times. Youwon’t need me to put you wise about Rory, though there areone or two others you might miss. She does shuffle up thecareer ladder (ah, but is she happy?) but the book doesn’tmake you feel like you’ve been anywhere, except inside Ellie’shead. Apart from that, it’s well-written, engaging, and in-stantly forgettable.

Margaret Hannigan

Posthumous paper?PAPER: AN ELEGYIan Sansom (4th Estate, £14.99 in the UK)

THIS IS a lament for the passing of the age ofpaper, an obituary to its magnificence, and a gen-tly undulating dissertation on its history, origins,and multifarious uses. But, despite the melan-cholic premise, Sansom thinks paper is here tostay.

Yes, swathes of newspapers, books and mag-azines are falling to advancing armies of Kin-dles and iPads. But takeaway coffee sits in apaper cup, nappies remain largely dispos-able, and boarding passes, tickets andmoney continue to be made of paper. On-line news media and the rise of bloggingmay have made the print media virtually

redundant, but Sansom argues that we’ve simplychanged the order of things. We used to print information andthen distribute it, now we distribute it electronically, and printas necessary.

Sansom says paper is the most important man-made mate-rial ever invented. This may appear to overstate the case, butthe invention of paper in China 2000 years ago made thewidespread dissemination of information possible. And, withthe arrival of the printing press in the 15th century, it tookeducation and art out of the hands of the privileged elite.

A few centuries later, paper made currency easily transferrableand facilitated the creation of the great Industrial societiesof Europe and America. Without paper, Shakespeare, theBible, Dickens and Karl Marx would be the preserve of cultsand elites, and we would fight over nuggets of gold.

There’s no doubt that Sansom has done his research and mar-shals his arguments well. But it’s hard to think who his read-ers will be. Not quite a text book, and not quite quirky enoughto be a breakout book, like Lynn Truss’s Eats Shoots andLeaves, I think it will be a case of love’s labours lost, as somepoet I googled on my smartphone put it.

Margaret Hannigan

Suspicions are aroused once it be-comes clear that Mark spent 40 min-utes supposedly checking on thechildren earlier. Meanwhile FBI agentRen Bryce, who’s been investigatingthe rape and assault of a teenage girlin a derelict asylum, is called in tohelp.

It would spoil the enjoyment of thebook to give any more of the plotaway, but there are plenty of twistsand surprises and nothing is as simple as it firstappears. There’s also the subplot of the assault in the asylumand another involving an ex-agent, now working as a privatedetective, to add further intrigue.

There are dark themes in the book and the underside ofteenage life is quite disturbing. This is a well-written and sat-isfying thriller, with believable characters and snappy, hu-morous dialogue that will keep you turning the pages.

Kathryn Smith

Going global

SPRING 201342

IRISH TRADE unionists recently heard harrowing first-handaccounts of the suffering of the people of Bahrain. Or-thopaedic surgeon Dr Damian McCormack and Caoimhe But-terly, a human rights activist representing BRAVO – theBahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organisation – toldICTU’s Global Solidarity Committee about human rightsabuses and asked the Irish trade union movement for help.

Since the February 2011 ‘Arabspring’, state repression and acrackdown on peaceful protestshave left hundreds dead and manymore in prison. Despite concernfrom respected inter nationalbodies like the Inter national TradeUnion Con fed er ation (ITUC) andthe UN High Commissioner forHuman Rights, Bahraini auth -orities continue to repress allfreedom of expression, whilecomm unication with the widerworld remains difficult.

Despite major restrictions on public gatherings and demon-strations, thousands continue to gather on the streets de-manding political and social reform.

Bahrain rightsabuses stir IrishunionsSIOBHÁN CURRAN

“Medical staff who tended to wounded citizens after the Government crackdownon protests were taken from their homesand hospitals into detention and torture.

They received sentences of between five and 15 years.”

An independent inquiry, set up by the King of Bahrain, con-firmed that beatings, torture, arbitrary arrests and almost4,000 dismissals were among a range of serious rights viola-tions aimed specifically at the country’s trade unions.Bahrain’s half a million migrant workers are excluded fromkey protections and many continue to suffer major violationsof human and trade union rights.

Public servicePublic servants have been singled out for punishment. LastMarch 85 medical staff, including surgeons who tended towounded citizens after the Government crackdown onprotests, were taken from their homes and hospitals into de-tention and torture. Eventually tried on spurious charges, theyreceived sentences of between five and 15 years. Most havesince been freed or got reduced sentences on appeal to civil-ian courts.

But some medics who remain in prison started a hunger strikelast October to support their demand for charges to bedropped. Many of them had originally been trained by Dr Mc-Cormack in Dublin. They got news of their plight to their for-mer tutor and mentor and, fearing they may be killed, hefound himself trying to highlight the situation to Irish au-thorities.

Some individual members of the Oireachtas have supportedtheir cause, but more is needed. Many Irish companies con-tinue to have strategic and commercial interests in Bahrainand this needs to be reviewed in light of the sheer scale of theabuse of their citizens. IMPACT is supporting BRAVO’s workand is campaigning on this issue along with colleagues inother trade unions.

Get more information from www.bravo-bahrain.org l

Constitutional guarantees which recognise the right to strikeand the right to join a trade union were first introduced in2002. But last year’s annual survey of workplace rights vio-lations, published by the International Trade Union Confed-eration, said Bahrain was flouting its own laws as theGovernment attempted to systematically quash trade unionsin reprisal for their role in political protests.


Your money

Ivan Ahern is a director of Cornmarket. *Savings based on price comparisons from the Health Insurance Authority effective from 01/12/12. We cannot beheld responsible for the content contained on the websites listed in this article. This information is intended only as a general guide and has no legal

standing. Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. A member of the Irish Life Group Ltd. Telephone calls may be recorded for quality control and training purposes.

BUILD YOUR budget andstick to it. Devising a clearbudget at the start of themonth will ensure youkeep stress and money-related anxiety at bay.

There’s a handy budgetplanner on the NationalConsumer Agency’s web -site (www.nca.ie) to helpget you started. You’llneed to record yourmonthly expenses including mortgage, utility bills, food,family expenses, mobile phone and energy bills, socialisingand other living expenses like toiletries and clothes.

Keep your monthly budget in a place where you caneasily refer to it, like your wallet or purse. This will helpyou stay on track.

Box clever Withdraw enough money to cover your weekly costs at thebeginning of each week. Try not to use your laser card oran ATM during the week. This will reduce the risk of over-spending and minimise any bank charges to youraccount.

AIB and Bank of Ireland now charge 20-28 cents per transaction for use of yourdebit card, ATM, standing order, directdebit, cheque and other transactionsincluding phone and internet.

Capitalise on coupons Groupon, Pigsback, and Living Social offer daily deals withup to 70% off almost everything from hotels, spa breaks,meals, dental, beauty and even jewellery. And now you canview all the deals available on the market through one website,www.mydealpage.ie.

These offers are great for gift-buying or weekend breaks. Theyregularly run hotel deals like a two-night stay for two peoplein a four-star hotel with dinner included for €120. Terms,conditions and expiration dates apply so ensure you readthem in full before purchasing.

Save on petrolYou can’t control theprice at the pumps, butyou can cut down onpetrol or diesel bills justthe same. Don’t leaveheavy items like golfclubs in the boot or carroof rack. They increasethe cost of your fuel.

Be aware of how youdrive. The harder you accelerate andbrake, the more fuel you burn. Driving at aslower speed can dramatically cut costs.For example, cutting your speed from110kph to around 80kph, will burn about25% less petrol.

Keeping fitIf your New Year’s resolution is to join a gym, make sure youtry before you buy. Shop around and ask for a free trial. Andnegotiate: Always ask for a better price and, where possible,a couple or group discount deal.

You should also consider off-peak membership or deals thatdon’t tie you to a 12-month contract. That way you can savemoney over the summer months by exercising outdoors.

Review your policies Competition in the general insurance market is fierce at themoment so there may be a better deal out there, with morebenefits at a cheaper price. For example you could save from€720 to €895* on your health insurance alone when youswitch one individual from VHI Health Plus Extra to either anAviva Corporate Plan or the GloHealth Better Plan l

Get yourfinances in trimFeeling the pinch after Christmas? IVAN AHERN has some savvy

money saving tips to help shape up your New Year finances.

Image: dream

stime.com

46

Just answer five easyquestions and you could win €50.

YOU COULD add €50 to your wallet orpurse by answering five easy questionsand sending your entry, name andaddress to Roisin Nolan, Work & Lifeprize quiz, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court,Dublin 1. Send your entry by Friday 8thMarch 2013. We’ll send €50 to the firstcompleted entry pulled from the hat.*You’ll find the answers in this issue ofWork & Life.

The Irish forestry products industry is worth:A A bird in the bush B A flutter on Coillte privatisationC €2.2 billion a year.

David Gunning plays for:A Dundee UnitedB The Republic of IrelandC Ballymun Kickhams.

The HSE was created in:A The mind of a small childB 2005 C 1805.

Singing in the Rain was first brought to the screen by:A Gene Kelly B Crowded House C Cliff Edwards.

Mandate’s new ethical consumer campaign is called:A Fair ShopB Fair CopC Fair Dues.

The small print*You must be a paid-up IMPACT member to win. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will not beconsidered). Entries must reach us by Friday 8th March 2013. The editor’s decision is final. That’s it!

win€50

Win Win Win

Prize quiz

Winners! The winners from competitions in the autumn/winter issue were:

Quiz: Fiona O’Brien, Dublin City. Survey: Teddy Foley, Kerry. Book competition: Anne Tyna, Laois and Stella Curran, Kildare.

Lots more competitions to enter in this issue!

Win €50 by completing the crossword and sending your entry, name and address to Roisin Nolan, Work & Life crossword, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1, by Friday 8th March 2013.

We’ll send €50 to the first correct entry pulled from a hat.

ACROSS1. Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, renowned 11th

century Spanish hero, is best knowunder the title (2,3)

5. Large ox-like African antelope (5)8. Guitar-like musical instrument from

Hawaii (7)9. James Watt was au fait with this (5)10. The only Irishman to win the Tour de

France (5)11. Hawaiin Island (7)12. North eastern Scottish shire (5)17. Come in (5)20. Ruby rodent (3,4)21. Plant or grain yield (4)22. Would this lean person have dash? (4)23. Computer message accesable to all (4,1-4)24. Slide for sonveying material, usually

water, to a lower level (5)27. This much used code is a system of

telegraphic symbols (5)30. Large African antriopid ape (7)32. Change (5)33. Of or pertaining to cities (5)34. Scenic Meath village, known in Irish as An

Bóthar Buí (7)35. Lease again (5)36. Was this Clare town really under siege?

Céilí dancers might like to know (5)

DOWN1. Has this English race course more downs

than ups? (5)2. Make a way or path by removing objects

(5)3. He/she is unable to speak (5)4. Highest male singing voice (4)5. Weird, awesome (5)6. Could a Caledonian have names this

Berkshire race course village? (5)7. Dreary, as the poet would have it (5)12. Walter Scott extolled this Scottish border

hero (9)

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, columnand 3x3 box contains the digits 1–9.There is no maths involved. You solve itwith reasoning and logic.

S U DO K U

Easy

win€50

PRIZE CROSSWORD

SPRING 201346

Difficult

13. correspondence from this delightful kingdom(5,4)

15. Large two-toed bird of African and Arabianorigin (7)

16. Where air flights commence and end (7)18. Did this Welsh music composer like to gather

lilacs? (7)19. Enlarges, swells (7)24. Seat (5)25. Up to the time of (5)26. Long loose-plumed heron (5)27. Tennyson invited her into the garden (4)28. Was this hooded hero something of a red bird?

(5)29. See 36 across (5)31. You will find it in your eye (4)

Crossw

ord composed by

Sean Ua C

earraigh

1

5 6 8 9

8 7 3

1 8 7 3

5 2 9

9 1 3 8

5 1 6

6 1 7 5

4

8 3 2 4 5

5 8 1

3 6 7 2

8 9 6 7

4 6 4 8

3 8 7 4

8 6 1

7 1 9 4 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8

9 10

11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19

20

21 22

23

24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

32 33

34

35 36

The survey1. What did you think of the articles in the spring 2013

issue of Work & Life?

Excellent o

Good o

Okay o

Bad o

Awful o

Comments ________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. What did you think of the layout, style and pictures inthe spring 2013 issue of Work & Life?

Excellent o

Good o

Okay o

Bad o

Awful o

Comments ________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

3. What were your favourite three articles?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

4. What were your least favourite articles?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

5. What subjects would you like to see in future issuesof Work & Life?

1 __________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________

6. What did you think of the balance between unionnews and other articles?

The balance is about right o

I want more union news o

I want less union news o

7. Any other comments? ______________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Name ________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Email ________________________________________________

Phone________________________________________________

IMPACT branch ______________________________________

How do you likeWork & Life?WE HOPE you enjoyed this issue of Work & Life, the

magazine for IMPACT members. We want to hear yourviews, and we’re offering a €100 prize to one lucky

winner who completes this questionnaire.

Simply complete this short survey and send it to Roisin Nolan,Work & Life survey, IMPACT, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1. You can also

send your views by email to [email protected].

We’ll send €100 to the first completed entry pulled from a hat.*

win€100

Your view

The small print*You must be a paid-up IMPACT member to win. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will not be considered).

Entries must reach us by Friday 8th March 2013. The editor’s decision is final. That’s it!


SPRING 201348

Commercial membership services

IMPACT has facilitated the provision of a number of national membership services and discount schemes on behalf of its members. These include Additional Voluntary Contribution Schemes (Pensions),Life Assurance, Salary Protection in the case of illness and Car, House and Travel Insurance Schemes. A number of local discount schemes are also negotiated by local branches.

The Union uses the size and composition of its membership base and, where possible, competition between the various service providers, to seek the best possible deals for the widest possible sectionsof our membership. It is probable that the majority of members will get better value from these schemes than if they sought the same service individually. However, this will not be true in all cases andthere will be occasions where individual members may, because of their specific circumstances, be able to get better value elsewhere. It is not possible always to ensure that all schemes will be acces-sible equally to all members and the scheme underwriters will not depart totally from their normal actuarial or risk assessment procedures and rules.

IMPACT does not make any claims as to the quality or reliability of any of these products/services and while advising members of the availability of the National Membership Services and DiscountSchemes does not endorse or recommend any particular product or service. IMPACT's role is that of facilitator to ensure that such schemes are available to its members. All contracts are directly betweenthe product/service provider and the individual member. IMPACT is not in any way a party to these contracts and will not accept any responsibility or liability arising from any act or omission on the partof the product or service provider. Neither IMPACT nor any member of its staff receives any fees or commissions or other rewards from these product or service providers arising from such schemes.

While IMPACT does occasionally provide such product/service providers with limited information regarding IMPACT branch and/or workplace representatives for the purpose of advertising such schemes,the Union does not make any personal data relating to individual Union members available to them for any purpose.

The Union requires that product/service providers agree to ensure that all such schemes comply with all lawful requirements including the Equal Status Act 2000.

Advertisements for agreed membership services will have an logo on them.

Some of the companies providing agreed membership services may offer other products or services (that are not as a result of any agreement or arrangement with IMPACT) directly to IMPACT members.The Union has no role whatsoever in relation to such products or services. Likewise, other product or service providers may make offers directly to IMPACT members through advertisements in the Unionnewspaper or otherwise. These do not arise as a result of agreements or arrangements with IMPACT and the Union does not ask members to consider availing of such products/services and accepts noresponsibility whatsoever for any such offers.

The product/service providers with which IMPACT has agreed the provision of membership services and/or discount schemes are as follows:

Brassington & Co. Ltd. Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd.Travel Insurance – all Divisions. Car Insurance – all Divisions.

Salary Protection and Life Assurance – Local Government and Health Divisions only.

Group Insurance Services (GIS) Marsh Financial Services Ltd.Car Insurance – all Divisions. AVC Schemes – all Divisions excluding Municipal Employees.House Insurance – all Divisions. Salary Protection and Life Assurance – Civil Service and Services & Enterprises Divisions only.

December 2004

DISCLAIMER (Approved by CEC 10th December 2004)

FACILITATED

Work & Life - Issue No 20

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Transcript of Work & Life - Issue No 20