1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of 2025 (peacefully and suddenly) in the loving care of the staff at Connolly Hospital beloved husband of Ann and much-loved father of Michelle Louise and Gavin; sadly missed by his loving family Reposing at his home on Sunday afternoon (March 23rd) between 5pm and 7pm. (House private outside of these times). Removal on Monday morning (March 24th) to St. Ciaran’s Church, Hartstown arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am followed by burial in Mulhuddart Cemetery. Joe’s funeral service may be viewed (live only) by following this LINK. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityAcknowledgementWould you like to mark a birthday memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one his latest album of stories told over ambient music “casts a jaundiced eye on Ireland as a tech and financial services node” It was a calm and cloudy evening in Hartstown A few kids sat out in the middle of the street in a cul-de-sac The writer and ambient musician Richard Howard walked out from his driveway who had hopped up onto the living room window sill to bark through the glass Howard, who records under the moniker Pure Fabrication laughed as he noted the ambience of the suburb on this particular Monday It is something that has definitely influenced his work which blends spoken word with groaning and ominous noise music “There’s a kind of weirdness in the suburbs that you don’t always notice at first.” Howard had nodded to his most recent album which is composed of him speaking over atmospheric industrial drones cackling magpies and samples of trickling water The cover has a heron perched on a nearby rooftop watching a smaller bird on an electric wire and one day I saw a couple of crows and magpies trying to scare it away.” it was obviously coming to eat their eggs,’” he says “It was one of those weird moments and straight away It was an unsettlingly banal image of power and it related to the science fiction short stories that he narrates over his music “There’s definitely this theme of a power imbalance there.” Howard climbs the stairs to a cosy room where he records The room is more writer’s office than musician’s studio filled with old VHS tapes and books by writers including Isaac Asimov a 90s sampler and a small effects pedal for echoes I’ll walk over to the park and record something like a football match and treat it through the pedal to get a sense of the suburbs.” Howard had a background in electronic music He was a member of Deep Burial and I started to concentrate on that a bit more.” he had a short story published in Weird Tales ideas for stories and I knew the means to do it was right there: make audio versions.” It was three short stories with a haunting ambient backdrop Howard’s work is a darkly humorous look into a version of Dublin sometime in the near future He was always drawn towards that version of science fiction which looks at “the next five minutes” into the future “I loved that because it stays on Earth and is more philosophical It’s not as utopian or triumphalistic as the space opera is as a genre,” says Howard which in an Irish context is kinda fertile ground.” His stories tell of young men hatching plans to “disrupt” the funeral industry by innovating burial techniques in Dún Laoghaire and gardaí discussing their roles in enabling corruption within the cloning industry He takes elements from Irish history and myth and re-appropriates them to satirise the country as a hub for tech “How do you integrate ancient Irish myth with contemporary Irish business?” he asks at the start of “In the Cavity Wall” “That was the question that started it: a question first posed in those buildings down by the docks.” It dives into a version of Irish society where a tech company incentivises parents to let their children work as internet content moderators until their teens like fairies who steal children and swap them out for “changelings” temporarily exchange the real son or daughter for a synthetic copy we should be proud,” Howard reads over the sound of a deep and haunting synth To date, as Pure Fabrication, Howard has released four albums, with a fifth – The Rising Tide That Lifts All Shits – consisting of instrumental versions of Hub Putting out an instrumental companion album is something that draws from his love of hip hop “I got that from when you’d buy a twelve-inch single and they’d have the instrumental version directly after and I wondered if anybody else would listen to it.” it’s a niche audience that he is playing too “This is kinda a cult thing if it’s going to get any audience Adding ambient soundscapes is also a way of getting his sci-fi short stories out to audiences who might not otherwise read those journals where they are typically published you see in literary magazines and writers groups that they’ll say: no science fiction and horror,” he says It was one of his motivations to experiment with creating a more immersive experience through music “There’s not a lot of other outlets for this We kinda downplay the genre for more realist fiction.” Michael Lanigan is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer You can reach him at michael@dublininquirer.com You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer Check your email for magic link to sign-in Darby, Annette (Hartstown, Dublin 15 and formerly Finglas, Dublin 11) – March 30, 2025 (peacefully) at Elm Green Nursing Home, Castleknock, beloved daughter of the late Bill and Theresa; lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her brother Bill, sisters Mary and Phyllis, brother-in-law Joseph, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, extended family, kind neighbours and her many friends. Reposing at Elm Green Nursing Home on Thursday (April 3) from 6pm until 8pm. Funeral Service in the Chapel at Dardistown Crematorium on Friday (April 4) at 1pm. The Darby family greatly appreciate the kind and loving care given to Annette by the staff and residents in Elm Green Nursing Home and by the staff at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday Road Closure and Newspaper Advertisements Fingal Alerts For Out of Hours Emergency Flooding Contact Details  Fingal a library in each of the towns Please see individual library for opening times Archaeological Information and Advice  Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) Register  Heritage Plan Monuments and Places Record  Protected Structures Record Adopt a Patch Conservation and Leakage Conservation Campaign Composting Initiative Seagull Information Leaflet Green Dog Walkers Initiative Reuse Month 2022 The Fingal Water Project Housing Construction Programme Project Talamh Call for Properties Planning Permission Extension of Duration of Planning Permission Part V Planning Exemption Certificates Vacant Sites Register Current Job Opportunities and Results Draft Dublin Airport Local Area Plan Proposed Variation No. 1 To Fingal Development Plan 2017 - 2023 Part 8 - Proposed Construction of new Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge in Donabate Part 8 - Proposed development of 69 no. dwellings & associated site works at Cappaghfinn, Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 Annual Reports Budgets, Expenditure and Financial Statements Data Protection Council Meetings There is great pride in Fingal with the announcement of Hartstown Park as a Green Flag Award Winning Park bringing the total number of Green Flag parks in Fingal to seven Fingal County Council was also awarded two Green Flag Community Awards when the 2023 Green Flag Awards were announced by An Taisce Environmental Education recognizing Ireland’s best managed Public Parks and Green Spaces The Green Flag Award is the international quality benchmark for the public green space sector - now operating for over 25 years Along with newly awarded Hartstown Park the Fingal Parks retaining the award were Millennium Park Balbriggan.   The Green Flag Award for Parks benchmarks excellence in the management of green spaces which are open free the public and was awarded to 101 parks grounds and wildlife sanctuaries around the country The Green Flag Community Award brings the award to community initiatives such as Community Gardens Santry Community Garden and The Rock Garden in Swords were awarded again in 2023  By acknowledging the work done by local groups this Community Award helps empower community groups to improve their local area and environment.  Located in Dublin 15 Hartstown Park is a hugely popular recreational facility providing many amenities including an all-weather pitch and walking trails and play areas and is sustainably managed with a chemical free approach Fingal county council initiated a 3-year improvement works program for the park in 2020 after substantial consultation with all stakeholders This program has delivered a considerable increase in passive and active recreation opportunities within the park a callisthenics facility a children’s woodland agility trail A tree management program is in place and wildflower meadows were established to increase the biodiversity of the park whilst the addition of seating allows users to enjoy an extended period in the park a very popular improvement with park users and a sculpture feature at the main entrance proudly announces your arrival to the park Hartstown Park hosts a Parkrun every Saturday as well as many other events Speaking about the awards Mayor of Fingal Cllr Adrian Henchy said: “I am absolutely delighted that the excellent Hartstown Park has been recognised as it becomes the seventh Fingal park to achieve Green Flag status Hartstown Park has a huge range of facilities and we all know the health benefits and enjoyment parks provide  Well done to all the staff and volunteers who worked to achieve the very high standards being recognised in these Green Flag and Community awards.” Chief Executive of Fingal AnnMarie Farrelly said: “I would like to congratulate our Hartstown Park team and all our Parks and Green Infrastructure and Operations staff as well as the Community groups whose work is being recognised in these awards The Green Flag awards reflect the commitment and investment by Fingal County Council in providing parks which are sustainably managed and also provide high quality recreational facilities and attractions that are inclusive and accessible for all the community to enjoy.” Senior Parks Superintendent at Fingal County Council said: “Hartstown Park is a vibrant and well used neighbourhood park and a great addition to our Green Flag awards which recognise excellence in the provision and management of public parks Fingal County Council is committed to continuing to deliver quality services whilst planning and developing our parks and open spaces.” To learn more about open spaces in Fingal go to: https://www.fingal.ie/trips/find-heritage-property-park-or-open-space All Rights Reserved © Fingal County Council Big first and fourth quarter surges propelled Hartstown CS to this year’s All-Ireland Under 16C Boys Schools League title at the expense of a battling St Peter’s College whom they beat 73-44 in the National Basketball Arena on Monday Bentoy Monshengwo wasted little time in proving a real headache for St with the Hartstown player putting up 13 points in the opening quarter before increasing his tally to 20 by the half-time break Co-captains David Dron and Bartas Jocas were also making their presence felt as Hartstown opened up an 11-point advantage by the close of the first quarter The 14 points that David Cummings contributed kept St Peter’s in touch and the Wexford side did managed get to grips with their opponents defensively in the second quarter matching the 13 points that they put up in that period Jocas drained two buckets early in the third to push Hartstown’s lead out to 15 but Cummings and Deon Fakinle responded for St Still the Wexford outfit was not recouping enough ground together with scores from Dron and Meyal Monshengwo saw Hartstown take a 14-point cushion into the final quarter And they copper-fastened their hold on this title match as two big threes from Jocas ignited a run of 15 points for Hartstown in which he accounted for 11 with Dron and Bentoy Monshengwo also contributing to see their side run out comfortable winners “Everyone who played was amazing” said Hartstown CS head coach “They’ve been training since September three times a week and it’s paid off massively “We were ‘D’ three years ago and we lost the shield final which was the school’s first ever basketball final so this is a massive achievement for the school” he said Deon Fakinle (Co-Capt),  Ramiel Magbanua National Basketball Arena Tymon Park, Dublin, IrelandD24 N449   (map) T: +353 1 459 0211E: info@ireland.basketball Get the latest basketball news to your inbox,ticket offers Drogheda Town's Conor Parkinson gets up in front of the Hartstown Huntstown keeper to make it 4-4 deep into stoppage time at Blackstone Motors Marian Park on Sunday Sean Berney of Drogheda Town keeps his eyes on the ball during Sunday's final home game of the season against Hartstown Huntstown PJ MURRAYDrogheda IndependentTue 21 May 2024 at 18:00DROGHEDA Town head into their final game of the season this Wednesday with a possibility of finishing fourth in the Leinster Senior League Division 1B Sunday table It will be the fourth game for Town in the space of 10 days and two mammoth efforts over the last two fixtures have given Town a chance to end their campaign in a lofty position a Luke Haggins inspired performance saw Town ground out a 1-0 win at home to Dublin University Sean Berney accounted for the game’s only goal two goals in injury time saw Drogheda earn a dramatic 4-4 draw at home to Hartstown Huntstown Town manager Sean Brennan had nothing but praise for his side’s efforts over the last few weeks “They’ve given me everything and we keep going to the well “The fact we have something to play for on the last day is fantastic,” he said In Sunday’s match Town dominated the first half but found themselves 2-0 down at the interval However it could have been a different story as Luke Haggins saw a shot from just inside his half tipped over the bar by his opposite number Early in the second half Berney hit a fantastic goal to halve the deficit but from the re-start Hartstown Huntstown restored their two-goal lead Town pulled another goal back as Conor Parkinson rose highest to head home coupled with the warm conditions at Blackstone Motors Marian Park saw Town begin to flag and another defensive error cost them a fourth goal Hakan Topcu was played through and he finished well and then - in the third minute of injury time - Parkinson once again popped up to score and spark scenes of wild celebration It was a goal which almost certainly denied the visitors the league title as they are now three points behind MP FC with an inferior goal difference There is plenty on the line in the final game as St Paul’s Artane will host Drogheda and while Drogheda beat them 4-0 at home earlier in the season the two clubs’ fortunes have gone in different directions since then have only won twice in their last six league games and that gives Drogheda a serious chance of finishing in an impressive fourth place SoccerDrogheda Town Dragons on fire as they celebrate U12 title in North Dublin LeagueDROGHEDA Town U12 Dragons celebrated their league success on Sunday morning as they were crowned North Dublin Schoolboy League ‘C’ champions for the 2024/25 season Passed away peacefully on 9th November 2024 at Connolly Memorial Hospital Vivienne will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her heartbroken Husband Glenn Reposing at home on Wednesday 13th November from 4:00pm to 6:00pm arriving at 10.50am for Requiem Mass at 11.00am To view Vivienne’s Funeral Mass live, please click here To leave a private message of condolence, please click here or use the condolence section below. All enquiries to Massey Bros., Finglas on (01) 836 1011. Please Note: The link provided to live-stream the Funeral Mass is managed by an independent streaming company. The Funeral Home accepts NO responsibility for its functionality or interruption to a live transmission. Fingal plans to undertake substantial repair and remedial works at the centre which is a place many community and volunteer groups utilise weekly for meetings and activities to support the local area The Council will also provide support to the centre through the Council’s Community Development team to ensure it is able to continue the good work it does on community outreach and support any future support services said: “This is good news for the people of Hartstown as the centre will undergo a significant refurbishment that will enhance its role within the community and allow it to continue as a highly-valued facility in Dublin 15.” Director of Community Development at Fingal County Council said: “We have been working closely with St Ciaran’s Parish to ensure that the community centre can remain at the core of public activity in Hartstown This decision has been made in order to try and protect and maintain the operations and community services that currently operate here as well as to provide certainty for the people of Hartstown.”  Hartstown Community Centre is used to a great extent It has however faced a number of challenges over many years but thanks to the dedicated volunteer staff in place it has been able to keep open its doors and provide an outlet for the local community to gather and take part in a wide range of events and initiatives across all age groups.  said: “I welcome the transfer of ownership of Hartstown Community Centre to Fingal County Council The need for a community centre for Hartstown was recognised right from the beginning of St Ciaran’s Parish The community centre was built before the church and has always played an important role in the community St Ciaran’s National School and the community centre share the car park and co-operate for the benefit of the community." “The Parish of St Ciaran’s and the community centre will continue to be allies in meeting the needs of a very mixed community The transfer will enhance the work and the range of services offered by the small I look forward to an even more vibrant Hartstown Community Centre.” It is hoped that the transfer from St Ciaran’s Parish to Fingal County Council will be completed within a relatively short timeframe.  Deirdre and Sarah and devoted Nanny of Jamie Predeceased by her parents Tom and Mae and her beloved brothers Sean and Brendan Clonsilla on Wednesday evening (31st July) from 5pm to 7pm Hartstown on Thursday morning (1st August) arriving for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by burial in Mulhuddart Cemetery Eileen’s Funeral Mass may be viewed online (live only) by following this LINK. A special word of thanks to the palliative care team from St. Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown who lovingly cared for Eileen throughout her illness. Jack - 17th March 2025 – Late of Hartstown Passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family Jack will be very sadly missed by his beloved wife Diana Dublin 7 on Thursday 20th March from 5pm - 7pm Funeral Mass on Friday 21st March in The Church of St Dublin 15 at 10am followed by burial in Dardistown Cemetery To view Jacks Funeral Mass live, please click here To leave a private message of condolence, please click here or alternatively on the condolence section below. All enquiries to Massey Bros., Cabra on (01) 838 9774. 2024 (peacefully) surrounded by her family in the loving care of the staff at Connolly Hospital Beloved wife of Jerry and dear mother of the late Michelle Clonsilla on Thursday evening (July 18th) between 5pm and 7pm Removal on Saturday morning (July 20th) to St Dublin 15 arriving for Funeral Mass at 11.30am followed by cremation in Mount Jerome Crematorium (Garden Chapel) Joan’s Funeral Mass may be viewed online (live only) by following this LINK Messages of sympathy and condolences for the family may be left by selecting “Condolences” below or alternatively at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com Family flowers only, donations, if desired, to the Irish Heart Foundation. 2024 peacefully but suddenly surrounded by his loving family in the excellent care of the staff at Connolly Hospital Beloved son of Liam and Rita and dear brother of Keith John and AnnMarie and a adored uncle of Amber Cremation / Burial.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: Dublin and formerly of Upper Wellington Street Dublin 7) February 10th 2025 (peacefully) in the loving care of the staff at Connolly Hospital devoted grandfather and soon to be a great-grandfather CondolencesDonate to CharityAcknowledgementWould you like to mark a birthday Dublin 9) June 26th 2024 (peacefully) surrounded by her loving family and in the tender care of the staff at Beaumont Hospital Beloved wife of Tom and devoted mother of Aishling and Mark Cathy will be sadly missed by her loving husband 2024 peacefully after a short illness surrounded by his loving family in the care of the staff of St Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate Published: The death has occurred of Patrick (also known as Paddy) Timlin, Hartstown, Clonsilla, Dublin and formerly of Prebaun, Attymachugh, Foxford Paddy was predeceased by his parents Patrick and Bridget, his brothers Frank and Joe and his sister in-law Sadie Paddy will be dearly and lovingly missed by his sister Rita McDonagh, (Foxford), brother in-law Joe, and his sister-in-law Catherine Timlin (Prebaun, Attymachugh) his nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and many friends. Paddy will repose at Clarkes Funeral Home, Foxford (F26 TH27) on Thursday from 5.30pm with removal at 7pm to St. Thomas Church, Callow (F26 P447) arr at 7.30pm. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 12 midday with the funeral proceeding to Craggagh Cemetery. Fingal County Council welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD of the successful application for major funding to help upgrade the facilities at Hartstown Community Centre The Centre was the location for the announcement today by Minister Humphreys along with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar T.D. Mayor of Fingal Cllr Howard Mahony and many other local elected representatives who were greeted by local preschool children and the St Ciaran’s NS choir who provided great entertainment The €300,000 Grant will come via the new Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) which aims to deliver high quality capital projects for Community Centres that benefit the local communities and help ensure that these spaces are properly funded and maintained The Centre is a much utilised facility used by many community and volunteer groups for weekly meetings and activities to support the local area Fingal is in the process of taking over ownership of the centre from the Archdioceses of Dublin and hopes to confirm its transfer to the Council in the coming weeks Mayor of Fingal Cllr Howard Mahony said: “Community centres like this are important hubs that provide people an opportunity to socialise learn and access a range of activities The people of Hartstown will benefit significantly from this new funding as it will allow the Community Centre to undertake an essential refurbishment and give the management team here the ability to cater for the growing needs of locals on a daily basis.” Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD said it was a priority for her to put this funding in place saying: “The local community centre is at the heart of our towns villages and parishes right across the country Our Community Centres come in many different shapes and sizes and provide a wide and diverse range of services and activities The Community Centre is where the children go to play sport; it’s where meals are provided for our senior citizens; it’s where the local dramatic society perform; it’s where the ICA Youth Clubs and other local organisation come together for their meetings and events." AnnMarie Farrelly Chief Executive of Fingal County Council said: “The Board of Management of Hartstown Community Centre have invested a huge amount of time and endeavour to get to this point I am delighted that their valuable work has been recognised in this successful application and look forward to working with them as we move forward to deliver a greatly improved community space in Dublin 15.” Built in the 1980’s Hartstown Community Centre is used to a great extent including by after school groups It has however faced a number of challenges over many years but thanks to the dedicated volunteer staff in place it has been able to keep open its doors and provide an outlet for the local community to gather and take part in a wide range of events and initiatives across all age groups.  teachers and parents of St Philip the Apostle Junior and Senior National Schools in Hartstown have a special reason to celebrate this week with funding from the National Transport Authority has just completed work on a ‘School Zone’ at their campus This first School Zone in Dublin 15 has now been delivered by Fingal County Council’s Department of Environment Climate Action and Active Travel with the key objective of improving safety for every child on their way to school at St Fingal County Council say road safety in the area surrounding primary and secondary schools is a topic they are determined to address Figures from the National Transport Authority reveal that 60% of primary school children are driven to school a number almost triple what it was a generation ago The front of school is where children congregate in the greatest numbers and where they are most vulnerable to poor parking practices hazardous crossing conditions and air quality issues caused by idling cars.  School Zones discourage vehicle drop off in this critical area and instead encourage active travel as an alternative The school zone forces parents and caregivers to move their vehicles away from the school gate reducing risk of accident and injury to children School Zones also signal that active travel is the preferred mode of travel to the school and clearly indicate to all drivers that they are approaching a school and must drive with caution the School Zones treatment includes a new zebra crossing addition of retractable bollards and flexible ‘school pencil’ bollards and creation of pavement level evergreen ‘rain gardens’ to encourage sustainable drainage This is the first School Zone in Ireland to be delivered in line with the Safe Routes to School Design Guide from the National Transport Authority Howard Mahony said ‘It is so important that children can travel to school safely and enjoy some independence on that journey School Zones like the one implemented at St Philip the Apostle allow children to arrive to school by bike by scooter or on foot instead of cooped up in the car Projects like this demonstrate that measures to slow traffic and prioritise pedestrians can also deliver fun and attractive environments with the lovely rain gardens and distinctive pencil bollards here giving the children something very special to enjoy every day.’ Minster Roderic O’Gorman said ‘It’s wonderful to see the impact this new School Zone is having at St Philip the Apostle Creating a safe learning environment starts at the school gate and by providing an inviting clean air space that is designed to protect the health of every child we are showing them that we care about their future.’ The School Zone is just one feature of a wider programme of works recently completed in the Hartstown & Huntstown area where 5km of protected cycle lanes with distinctive red coloured surfaces for maximum visibility and a new raised zebra crossing all contribute to a safer cycling and walking environment for the community.  Climate Action and Action Travel at Fingal County Council said: ‘Making Active Travel the convenient choice for journeys under 5km is a key objective for Fingal County Council and being able to walk or wheel to school will now be a much safer and easier choice for families making their way to school each day We know that children really enjoy cycling and scooting with their friends and teachers tell us they arrive to class more alert and engaged leading to better learning outcomes too We are looking forward to working with more Fingal area schools in the coming year to deliver School Zones and other solutions suited to their unique needs.’ Andrew Bagnall of the National Transport Authority said ‘The National Transport Authority takes our responsibility to provide children and their families with peace of mind on the journey to school We’re working with local authorities around the country to implement vital safety improvements and make it possible for children to enjoy Active Travel to school.’ These were a couple of the issues that councillors on the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart area committee discussed recently councillors agreed a motion to start the process of planning and consultation with residents for a new playground in Hartstown Park It was at the 2 November meeting of the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart area committee that Sinn Féin Councillor Angela Donnelly proposed the motion “I just can’t understand why it takes so long to even agree to consider a playground in an area,” she said Donnelly put in a motion requesting an update on a playground in Hartstown Park a residential area along the N3 in Mulhuddart Residents have been asking for a playground in Hartstown and Huntstown for a long time she was told that this new play audit was being prepared And that it would determine what is needed But it has been more than a year since then “We still haven’t been given the presentation despite several requests,” she said at the meeting on 2 November but there’s nothing else I can do but repeat what I said last year.” Rather than waiting any longer for the audit Donnelly said she wanted to go ahead and push for the new playground at Hartstown Park The closest option for residents of the area is the Millennium Regional Park which is too far for those living in Hartstown-Huntstown “It certainly isn’t a distance that many people would walk with small children.” Millennium Park is a little over one kilometre from Hartstown Road “We’ve discussed this for a number of years now … We were told by the manager there was plans for a park in Hartstown Park.” A playground in Hartstown has been on the agenda for years “The child’s play area was always number one on the agenda … Coming up to the next local election in June and that would be on the agenda again for all the local councillors,” he said said that they should wait for the play audit have been calling for an audit of the play facilities in the Dublin 15 area over the last number of years,” he said The audit will give guidance as to what sort of play facility should be put in the park and where in the park it should be put “I’m willing to wait for that audit if it’s being presented soon,” he said a council official in the Parks and Green Infrastructure Division said that an audit of the existing and proposed playgrounds had been presented to the Planning Strategic Transport and Infrastructure Development Strategic Policy Committee on 20 June The next stage is to compare the new map of what’s there and already planned with details of demand from councillors at area committees and from the public in general over the past five years That’s due to be presented to area committees in December But the council should prioritise putting parks first where they are needed most “As opposed to just people at every area committee saying Donnelly said she wanted to proceed with her motion anyway Community facilities that were supposed to be part of a housing project in Avondale need to be brought back said Labour Party Councillor Mary McCamley It was during a discussion at the 2 November meeting of councillors for the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart area committee about disposing of the council land the housing project was built on to the Housing Association for Integrated Living McCamley said she’d no problem with the disposal “The only thing I have a problem with is they’re talking about three community facilities,” she said “There are no community facilities in Avondale,” she said was supposed to have 234 homes and three community facilities But the three facilities have been taken over by Cooperative Housing Ireland over the phone later: “This wasn’t part of the planning application an official in the council’s housing department said at the meeting that the disposal of land is separate to the use of parts of the buildings “The operational end of it in regards to the units we can look into and I can come back to you on that,” she said Children in the area need those facilities “There are a lot of children in the area who would want a place to go to in the evenings.” the director of policy and communications for Cooperative Housing Ireland said that it has looked at the evolving needs of a community and felt that the community benefited from Cooperative Housing Ireland being there He didn’t elaborate on McCamley’s comments about Foróige and which facilities it is using at Avondale The area committee noted the manager’s report on the disposal and the matter was  forwarded on to a meeting of the full council on 13 November (Hartstown / Sheriff Street) - 13th April 2023.  Kenneth peacefully,surrounded by his loving family in the wonderful care of the staff at St Beloved husband of Tina (nee Gavin) and loving father of Kelly Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his wife Kenneth will repose at his family home on Monday 17th April between 5pm and 7pm Seville Place,on Tuesday the 18th April arriving for 11.15am Funeral Mass followed by cremation at Glasnevin Crematorium Click here at 11.15am on Tuesday to view live streaming of Funeral Mass. beloved son of the late Annie and Christopher and dear brother of Ann Sadly missed by his loving children and their mother Caroline Reposing at his daughter Jamie Lee’s home (Whitestown Park) on Sunday evening from 5 pm to 7 pm. Removal to St. Ciaran’s Church, Hartstown on Monday morning (14th November) arriving for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by burial in Mulhuddart Cemetery. Martin’s Funeral Mass can be viewed by following this LINK on Monday morning. (live only). “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis” Dublin and formerly of Bluebell and Finglas 2021 (peacefully) at his home and surrounded by his family Emma and Holly and a devoted grandfather of Alison 2023 (suddenly) in the loving care of the staff at Connolly Hospital beloved husband of Elizabeth and dear father of Shane and Trudy; sadly missed by his loving wife Reposing at Cunningham’s Funeral Home Clonsilla on Monday evening (April 24th) between 6pm and 8pm Removal on Tuesday morning (April 25th) to St Ciaran’s Church Hartstown arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am followed by cremation in Glasnevin Crematorium Paddy’s funeral Mass may be viewed (live only) by following this LINK Messages of sympathy and condolences for the family may be left by selecting “Condolences” below or alternatively at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com Family flowers only, please, donations if desired to Cancer Research Cancer research | Irish Cancer Society Lorraine (Hartstown and formerly of Annamoe Terrace 2021 (peacefully) after a short illness at home the proudest grandmother of recently arrived Kyra and daughter of the late Seán a maximum of 50 mourners are permitted at Lorraine’s Funeral Mass which will take place on Monday morning at 11 o’clock in St Anyone wishing to line the route or attend outside the Church are welcome to do so while observing all guidelines relating to social distancing For live-streaming on Monday morning (August 2nd) at 11 o’clock St. Ciaran's Church For live-streaming of the Cremation Service at 12.40 o’clock Glasnevin Crematorium St. Francis Hospice She was a woman of strength, courage and dignity, One who valued herself and fought for what she believed in, A woman who never gave up on her dreams regardless of how many obstacles stood in the way, An audit of playgrounds in the county found gaps in Loughshinny Anna Polaszek pushed a pram with a snoozing six-month-old into Hartstown Park on a drizzling September morning Her own kids are past the age of playground trips But the duo marching in rings around her would love something like that Residents in Hartstown and neighbouring Huntstown have waited for decades to see a playground on the doorstep and there has never been a playground I could walk to.” The nearest playground is the Millennium Park in Coolmine Hartstown Park covers about 61 acres who had just walked from her home on the northern side of the park to its southern entrance and there are three primary schools in the area a basketball court and even a forest trail for older kids But there’s no playground for small kids.” Council officials had asked councillors to hold off on pushing for a playground at Hartstown Park until they had mapped out playgrounds in Fingal – and assessed where they are most needed showed that audit to councillors on two area committees – and will continue to roll it out to the others there should be 30 more playgrounds built in the Fingal County Council area whether by the council or private developers Of the nine that the council expects to build itself seven are earmarked for the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart-Castleknock-Ongar local electoral area Fingal’s play policy says the council has to make sure its play spaces are spread equally across the county, said Carr, the council’s park and landscapes officer at a meeting on 6 December. there are 60 playgrounds that have been “taken in charge” – in other words And another 46 playgrounds that haven’t been taken in charge Fingal County Council has nine more playgrounds planned itself and expects 21 more to be delivered as part of private developments over the next two years That number is rising as more planning applications go in Carr is doing the rounds of local area committee meetings presenting what the state of play is in different bits of Fingal the local electoral area of Howth-Malahide is the best served in Fingal Howth-Malahide area is expected to see eight new playgrounds delivered as part of private developments “That will be delivered within the next two years or I expect to be delivered within the next two years through planning and that’s from being on site meeting developers.” Carr said she didn’t think that Sutton should be prioritised at the moment for playground As part of the redevelopment of Howth Harbour its existing playground is also set to be upgraded in 2024 Fine Gael Councillor Anthony Lavin asked how quickly the eight playgrounds on the area’s list “There are other places that are notional and may take years to be delivered.” Carr said she was being conservative in her timelines “I’m expecting these playgrounds to be on the ground next year Construction workers have said that they will be on the ground in Seamount Hill next February While Fingal County Council doesn’t expect to build any more playgrounds itself in Howth-Malahide in the next two years it does in Dublin 15 where the audit found more gaps The council has 16 playgrounds in the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart-Castleknock- Ongar local electoral area Another 22 playgrounds were built as part of private developments and “not in charge” In the next two years, the council plans to build seven itself in this electoral area, said Carr at a meeting of those councillors on 7 December A further four are expected to be delivered by developers Carr said the council’s planned play facilities in Laurel Lodge and Corduff Park are out for public consultation The council has started to build a playground at Lanesborough Carr also shared the assessment of a playground at Hartstown Park There are playgrounds already that are accessible from that area “But if there was a playground there it would cover even more of that blank area of your area there,” she said that it was a “possible location for a new play space” A spokesperson for Fingal County Council said on Tuesday evening that Hartstown Park is a large neighbourhood park “The appropriate type of playground for such a park is a Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play (NEAP).” According to the council’s play policy, A Space For Play a NEAP is a play facility in an urban neighbourhood park and is located within ten minutes walking distance of homes A site survey will be undertaken in early 2024 to identify the possible locations for a playground in the park it would need environmental assessments and planning approval so they couldn’t say how long the project will take It was good to see that highlighted as a possible playground said Sinn Féin Councillor Angela Donnelly at the meeting But she would like to see more certainty about it “I would like to see Hartstown playground being more of a possibility,” she said “and it being a case of: we will be getting a playground in Hartstown Park obviously when all of the necessary Part 8 and funding stream is in place.” Donnelly had submitted a motion in September 2022 to the committee asking the chief executive to report on any plans and a timeframe for a playground in Hartstown Park Council officials asked Donnelly to wait until the play audit was done. Last month, Donnelly tabled a motion to push for a playground which was supported by the area committee councillors The audit is telling the council which places in particular are in need Fianna Fáil Councillor Howard Mahony said he was concerned about how Carr had said the council determines whether there is demand for a playground She had looked at councillors’ motions to area committee meetings and cross-checked these against the map of playgrounds But “how about the poor people who don’t have access who don’t realise that if you contact your councillor or enough councillors Fine Gael Councillor Kieran Dennison said he had held off on making representations around playgrounds for a year because the audit was being completed where playgrounds go should be based on need and where the gaps are He asked if census data had been taken into account “We have to give a lot of weight to playground facilities for toddlers and preschoolers I think that’s where most of the demand comes from.” Said Carr: “I have to be honest we are very dependent on local councillors to tell us what people want I can see a gap for example in the Castleknock area said she had lived in the area for five years asking for a play park for younger children there isn’t a lack of facilities in the park “The one thing that is really missing is a playground Young children are the age group that really don’t have anything.” while trudging through the park’s wet grass she had spotted a mother letting her young daughter swing from what looked kind of like monkey bars “I just hope that by the time my newborn grows up a little Hartstown Community School in Clonsilla features in ‘Normal People’ The principal of the school where 'Normal People' was filmed has revealed the teachers and pupils are thrilled to have played a role as extras in the hit series doubled for the Sligo secondary school attended by the show's central characters Pupils of the school formed the crowds cheering from the sidelines during the GAA match in the opening episode featuring actor Paul Mescal showing off his footballing skills with a match-winning goal The real-life teachers also pop up in the series "There are a good few of our teachers in it in the background as extras they are at the photocopier or at the door or going in around the hallways," explained principal Lucia Ryan as extras in the GAA field when the camera goes to the crowd principal at Hartstown Community School in Clonsilla "You can see loads of familiar faces in it Our pupils are the kids cheering on from the stands They knew they were filmed as extras but they didn't know until it came out whether they would definitely be in it or not "When they were able to see themselves they were extremely excited especially when everything happened in the last couple of months when we can't act as a school." The principal said she found it quite emotional seeing their school corridors brought to life on the drama in the midst of the lockdown "The sound of the bell and the pictures on the wall and watching normal school activity moving around the corridors in our uniform was very emotional especially when we can't access the school at the moment or see the kids." The coming-of-age drama has even caught the attention of Kourtney Kardashian who posted a picture of her watching it on Instagram "I knew it would be huge in Ireland and when it's gone to England and America now "You know something is big when one of the Kardashians is talking about it "I think Irish love stories capture the world's heart I think we're very good at that and romance and putting across all those awkward moments "I think a lot of people can identify with the whole transition from them being in school to college." The school uniform even plays a role after the costume designer decided to put Marianne and Connell in the same grey uniform worn by Hartstown Community School pupils to fit in with pictures on the wall in the school corridor "All the posters and pictures of past pupils around the building were left up there so I suppose it matched up to keep our uniform I think the crest is slightly different on the film one but everything else is the same," said Ms Ryan She said they would be quite open to fans paying visits to the school I expect people might want to come and see the school whenever we are open again and we would be very open to that," she said "It's such a very special part of the history of the school now and we want to keep recognising that we were the school that was chosen for it." While the TV series has come under the spotlight for its depiction of young love the principal believes the critically acclaimed production has opened up an important conversation on consent "I think the conversation it has opened up on consent and how to handle those awkward conversations when you are that age and learning how to deal with them as you get older which spent around six weeks of the summer holidays shooting in the school gave pupils an incredible insight into the mechanics of film-making which is taught in the school in transition year "It was filmed in 2018 during the summer holidays The school kind of closed for the set during mainly the month of July "They recreated some of the home scenes as well in the school grounds They set up different types of sets using our building as well "It was very special for the pupils to see how the set was made up and even to see the food trucks - they were very excited about the food trucks - and watching how everything plays out and how it is pieced together afterwards." She believes its success is in its very real portrayal of school life it reminds you of your own school time," she said "It's all kinds of little rites of passage you are watching on screen and I think everyone can identify with the groups and the cliques and the GAA lads and the girls organising the debs "I think especially during all this lockdown it's very comforting to people." Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel 2024 (peacefully) in the loving care of the staff at St beloved husband of Jo and dear father of Paul Danielle and the late Nikki; sadly missed by his loving family Reposing at Cunningham’s Funeral Home Blanchardstown on Friday evening (April 26th) from 5 pm and 7 pm Removal on Saturday afternoon (April 27th) to Dardistown Crematorium for a Celebration of Mick’s life at 1:20pm Mick’s funeral service may be viewed (live only) by following this LINK Messages of sympathy and condolences for the family may be left by selecting “Condolences” below or alternatively at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com. Family flowers only, please, donations if desired to St. Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown. Carlow) March 14th 2024 (peacefully) in the loving care of the staff at Connolly Hospital Ann Marie and the late Tom and a devoted grandfather of Jack Daisy and Davy; Sadly missed by his loving family her beloved dogs Bess and Bonnie and her cat Misty Reposing at her home on Sunday evening (27th November) between 4pm and 7pm.  Removal on Monday afternoon (28th November) to Dardistown Crematorium arriving for a Civil Funeral Service at 2pm The service at Dardistown Crematorium on Monday afternoon may be viewed (live only) by following the link below; https://www.dctrust.ie/location/dardistown/dardistown-chapel-webstreaming.html Messages of sympathy and condolences for the family may be left by selecting “Condolences” below or alternatively at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Dogs Trust Ireland. https://www.dogstrust.ie/donation/ Aidan Kestell was jailed for seven-and-a half years The courageous victim of rapist Aidan Kestell has revealed how he stalked her for three-and-a-half years before he raped her in a park – as we publish the first image of the sex beast Dangerous sex attacker Kestell was jailed for seven-and-a-half years on Friday for the rape of Paula Doyle who attacked Paula as he was walking her home from a party at his house would later tell a series of shocking lies to gardaí in a bid to cover up his guilt including the ludicrous claim that “sex took place accidentally after he fell on top of her with his penis exposed” The court heard the attack left Paula a ‘walking corpse’ in its aftermath The jury saw through the duplicitous predator’s ridiculous lies with Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt setting a headline sentence of nine years for the rape on Friday as he ordered that Kestell ‘pay a serious price’ for his crime “The actions of the predator that is Aidan Kestell have caused me immense suffering,” Paula told the Sunday World in a statement handed over afterwards “During the investigation it was found that the vile texts videos and stalking I had been subjected to for three-and-a-half years prior to the rape were from him too “He even had the audacity to drive up and down the cul-de-sac where I live since the attack “I believe in innocent until proven guilty but I also believe there’s not enough being done to protect the victim who has already had their world destroyed.” Paula described Kestell as a ‘manipulative and calculated individual with no conscience.” “You are a worthless individual and I dare not put you in the same bracket as other normal men or hurt another woman and I do believe this country is a safer place without you in it You are now and will forever be known as a sex offender Kestell (55) was convicted of rape after a four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last month Garda Leona Bellow told the court Paula was a long-standing friend of Kestell’s wife and was among the guests at a party in his house on the night in question Paula stopped several times during the walk to tell Kestell she was fine and could walk the rest of the way alone the next thing Paula remembered was lying on the ground in agony and she then tried to fight off her attacker The court heard the woman spent the weekend trying to process what had happened before going to a friend’s house the following Monday and telling her She then contacted a sexual assault treatment unit and made a complaint to gardaí Kestell was arrested and interviewed several times He initially denied any sexual interaction with the victim before claiming that she initiated sexual contact by performing oral sex he claimed sex took place accidentally after he fell on top of her with his penis exposed Kestell told gardaí: “I’m not sure if I entered her.. Mr Justice Hunt noted that Kestell had first denied the offences and then gave a “grudging acceptance” that it had come about in “a preposterous way.” Mr Justice Hunt said his actions were intentional and the gardaí for how they all handled her case my five incredible children and my bestest of friends Aidan Kestell was jailed for seven-and-ahalf years but I have spent 1,651 days since the attack looking over my shoulder holding my breath and putting my life on hold and I can finally begin to work on myself and on my recovery.. Today I am no longer a victim but a real survivor.” If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800 77 8888 access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline or visit Rape Crisis Help Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices Dublin 15 and formerly of Aughrim Street) November 19th cherished grandfather of Juliette and Myles and father-in-law of Martyn and predeceased by his brother Christy Clonsilla Village on Wednesday (22nd November) from 5.30pm to 6.30pm Hartstown on Thursday morning arriving for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by cremation at Glasnevin Crematorium at approx Tony’s Funeral Mass may be viewed online (live only) by following this LINK and his committal service by following this LINK Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate Published: Dublin University Association Football Club (DUAFC) extended their undefeated streak with an impressive league victory as they beat Hartstown Huntstown FC 0-3 in Hartstown Park yesterday DUAFC are the only team in the Leinster Senior Sunday 1B League with a 100 per cent win ratio. The win yesterday comes on the back of a 3-1 win against Peamount United and a 5-0 thrashing of Mt Merrion FC away from home in the league This victory will be a major confidence boost for the team who lie second in the table as they beat the league leaders who have played two games more This is precisely the start to the season the team would have been hoping for following their fall from the 1A League last year The match couldn’t have gotten off to a better start with DUAFC scoring inside of the first minute full of belief after scoring a goal against Leixlip United in the first round of the FAI Intermediate Cup on Sunday Pennycook nabbed the ball just past the halfway line and skilfully got by the defence before slotting the ball into the left side of the goal This goal didn’t lessen the intensity of the match as neither team were given any time to rest Hartstown immediately looked for redemption DUAFC centre-back Ciaran Maguire was involved in an off-the-ball incident resulting in a straight red card DUAFC did well under pressure despite being a man down Hartstown were left to rue their inability to capitalise on this advantage as they too were shown a red card for another off-the-ball incident a mere 15 minutes later The red hot partnership of Oisin Pennycook and Ronan Hanaphy showed just how lethal they can be as they sliced away at the Hartstown’s defence Pennycook pulled back a cross which Hanaphy managed to convert from the back post with a left foot finish to claim his second league goal of the season The second half began with as much aggression and tenacity as the first Both teams had opportunities to score and both put in their share of well-timed challenges as the game opened up The only goal of the second half came when Dean Gaynor scored a sublime header from a corner In the final minutes DUAFC were relentless in their pursuit of more goals No team has managed to score more than a goal against DUAFC in the league and the clean sheet yesterday is a credit to the defence especially given that they lost a centre back so early in the match The return from a long-term injury of Daryl McDonagh (left) was a huge boost for Drogheda Town as they pulled off a shock win away to Hartstown Huntstown. PJ MURRAYDrogheda IndependentTue 12 Mar 2024 at 15:30HARTSTOWN HUNTSTOWN 0 DROGHEDA Town shrugged off the disadvantage of having six weeks without a game to beat LSL Division 1B Sunday league leaders Hartstown Huntstown on their own patch last Thursday night An incredible 90th-minute strike from Shane Kierans gave Town a well deserved three points to move within touching distance of the top half of the table It was six weeks to the day that Town beat the then league leaders St Pauls Artane in a match which manager Seán Brennan was hoping would kick-start their promotion push But bad weather and other factors meant games were called off on a regular basis and Brennan praised his players for their workrate during that period Indeed the lack of match practice became evident in the closing stages on Thursday night as players were suffering badly with cramp and picking up muscle injuries That forced the manager to make use of all five subs Town set out their stall early on and had two chances to hit the front at Hartstown Astro Park Playing with a high press Conor Parkinson won the ball back and released Mark Murray who smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar Minutes later Parkinson was played through one-on-one and just the bobbly surface saw him struggle to get a good shot away but he did make a good connection which drew a fine save claiming a series of crosses into the box and pulling off a fine save from a snap shot with Town very much on top in terms of chances as Huntstown Hartstown were well set up but struggling to make any incisive breaks Drogheda continued their high press and workrate in the second half while Emmanuel Santos saw a shot flash narrowly wide Haggins began to launch his goal kicks on top of the Dublin team’s defence With 15 minutes remaining Daryl McDonagh made his long awaited return from injury although he was forced to play in a central midfield role due to shortages in certain positions Former Laytown United and Dundalk underage player Karl Nulty was brought on for his debut as he had only been training with the team for a few weeks Haggins launched one of his high kicks downfield the ball broke to Kierans 35 yards out and he rocketed a shot into the top corner to spark scenes of delirium from the visitors There were six additional minutes played owing to the celebrations and substitutions but Town held firm and Haggins looked composed as they saw out a much-needed victory Speaking after the game Brennan had nothing but admiration for the way his side continued to train hard despite games called off on a weekly basis They have a golden opportunity to make it three wins from three as they welcome bottom side St John Bosco to Blackstone Marian Park on Thursday night The Dublin outfit are in dire straits at the moment and Brennan is just hoping the game isn’t too soon as his side need to recover from the Hartstown game A woman has described how she was a “waking corpse” after being raped by a friend's husband in a public park after a party Reading from her victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing of Aidan Kestell (55) she spoke of the effect of the “atrocious attack” on her and her family The “dramatic ripple effects of sexual assault on friends and family can’t be stressed enough,” she said Kestell was convicted of rape after a four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last month Kestell raped the woman in a park after walking her home from a party at his house The victim waived her right to anonymity to allow Kestell of Briarwood Lawn the woman said the sentencing hearing was an important step as it would close the “four-and-a-half year sentence I've served since the attack” Today I’m no longer a victim but a rape survivor.” children and friends watched her transform afterwards into a “shell” of who she used to be She would “obsessively” check windows and doors were securely locked as she didn't feel safe because “this dangerous man” knew where she lived Her whole life and routine changed in the aftermath of the attack “She may as well have died that night; that’s how I felt,” she said happy home was destroyed” as a “dark cloud was hanging over us” She spoke about experiencing nightmares and learning the “real nightmare began each morning when I had to continue with my life...I was a waking corpse” She said she still has gaps in the timeline and “unanswered questions” from that night that she hoped would be answered during the trial She suggested Kestell thought she wouldn't come around I wouldn’t put you with any normal man,” she said adding that he's shown no remorse for his actions “I'm overjoyed your web of lies that you tried to spin has untangled...the life you once had is over” she said while they may feel “so very alone” she hoped sharing her story would help them see “you are not isolated” Mr Justice Tony Hunt thanked the woman for her eloquent statement that the victim was a longstanding friend of Kestell's wife and was among the guests at a party in his house on the night in question Kestell walked in on her when she was in the bathroom the victim said she wasn't upset by it but thought it “a bit strange” The woman stopped several times during the walk to tell Kestell she was fine and could walk the rest of the way alone the next thing the victim remembered was lying on the ground in agony The court heard the woman spent the weekend trying to process what had happened before going to a friend's house the following Monday and telling her about the rape She then contacted a sexual assault treatment unit and made a complaint to gardai The court was told the woman had also been receiving a large number of messages from an anonymous sender for several years before this incident She told her partner and friends about this and they unsuccessfully tried to identify the sender he claimed sex took place accidentally after he fell on top on top of her with his penis exposed “I'm not sure if I entered her...the ground was wet and slippy He said there had been a consensual sexual interaction with the victim on the night in question that his client answered all questions put to him by gardai and handed over phones and clothing Mr McGinn asked the court to take into account the “limited” mitigating factors including his client's lack of previous convictions and co-operation with gardai After the judge noted that Kestell was “not particularly truthful” in his dealing with gardai Mr McGinn noted that his client did not obstruct the investigation Mr McGinn said his client has a solid work history and is a father of three adult children He told the court that Kestell's marriage is “no longer viable” since his conviction He submitted to the court this was an opportunistic crime which involved no violence beyond that of the act itself Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the case to March 15 for finalisation and remanded Kestell in custody until that date Mr Gillane told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) views this case as falling into the higher category for sentencing as the incident involved an abuse of trust an element of premeditation and occurred in a public place in the early hours at a location near the victim's home The DPP also noted that sexualised messages were also sent by Kestell Mr McGinn submitted to the court that while the court would consider the “profound and devastating” impact of the offence on the woman as an aggravating factor this case did not fall into the higher category for sentencing Mr McGinn told the court that this was a single offence and did not feature particular degradation or humiliation He suggested there was no additional violence used beyond that of the act itself Defence counsel submitted that this was an opportunistic crime and that the messages played no role in the offence the woman also said the fact that “this man” lived in the local area made her recovery from this “horrendous ordeal” even harder She said she would crawl to the corner of a room during flashbacks and “hope the walls pull me in” The flashbacks could be triggered by someone driving down the road or the smell of beer on someone's breath She said she also asked her doctor for a full blood transfusion as she felt “my body was infected by him” While she was cleared of sexually transmitted infections she said she “still felt infected” and “contaminated” adding that this feeling had “devastating consequences” for her as a partner and a mother “I didn’t want to put any part of my defiled body in contact with theirs...I needed to keep them pure and safe” Her family started to blow kisses and do air hugs during times when she was unable to hug She noted she was asked during cross-examination why she didn't immediately tell her partner when she returned home after the rape “How silly of me not to follow the textbook of rules immediately after [being violently raped]...Who says what is right or wrong or how to behave after a sexual assault.” She said society's perceptions are “all wrong” and need to change The victim said her life was put on hold after the rape She also lost friendships and became “untrusting of people” “I also lost one of my best friends - your wife describing how her friend described her as “like a sister” in one message She said Kestell “also put an end” to her walking home alone after going out with friends at night She said it should not be a risk to walk home alone at night as a woman Referring to anonymous messages she'd received for years prior to the night she described efforts she and others made to find out the identity of the sender and how these messages included “vulgar pictures” She said her phone kept vibrating while she was speaking to gardai and told them it was “probably just messages from the pest number” She said gardai asked to look at her phone and found the location of the sender “I became violently sick when they showed me It was the predator’s address who had attacked me in the park.” prosecuting counsel and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre She also expressed her thanks to the jury who had “given me the chance to live again and be a mam something I’ve not done or been able to do for the last four and a half years Words can’t express what this means to me and thank you from the bottom of my heart” She also thanked her partner and her children She said she was wrong when she told them before that monsters aren't real “Little did we know that this monster lived so close by and knew our family I'm sorry I haven’t been able to protect you She noted that some of her adult children attended the trial and heard “vulgar and distasteful lies told about your mother” and she said she is “very privileged and proud as always to be your mammy” Aidan Kestell - "Monster" raped family friend in public park after a party Beloved husband of Catherine (Kay) and much loved father of Tommy James and the late Ben and Adele; Tom will be sadly missed by his loving wife Dublin) October 24th 2023 (peacefully) after a short illness and in the loving care of the staff at the St Robert and Gary and a devoted grandmother to Aaron Family flowers only, please. Donations if desired to The Mater Hospital Foundation. Peacefully in the loving care of his family and the staff at St beloved husband and best friend of Margaret and wonderful Dad to Laura and Sarah and a cherished grandfather of Alex Blanchardstown on Friday evening (May 6th) from 6.00pm to 8.00pm Removal on Saturday morning (May 7th) to St Hartstown arriving for Requiem Mass at 10.00am followed by cremation at Dardistown Crematorium Damien’s funeral mass may be viewed (live only) by following this LINK at 10.00am on Saturday morning Messages of sympathy and condolences for the family may be left by selecting “Condolences” below or alternatively at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown. Longford) September 13th 2023 (suddenly but peacefully) beloved husband of Sarah and dear father of Jacqui Dermott and Mick and a devoted grandfather to Liam and Amber