...
DerbyNow() throws IOException {
    // create socket connection
    socket = new EventSocket(new Socket(DERBY_NOW_HOST, DERBY_NOW_PORT)) // EventSocket throws IOException as well
    ...

try {
    DerbyNow derbyNow = new DerbyNow();

    setDerbyNow(derbyNow);
} catch (IOException e) {
    Log.bad("error while setting up Derby Now: ", e);
}

Error:(382, 19) java: exception java.io.IOException is never thrown in body of corresponding try statement

apply plugin: 'java'
apply plugin: 'groovy'

...

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
    mavenLocal()
    ...
}

...

dependencies {
    compile 'org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:2.3.11'
    ...
}

try {
    DerbyNow derbyNow = new DerbyNow();

    setDerbyNow(derbyNow);
} catch (Exception e) {
    if (e instanceOf IOException) {
        Log.bad("error while setting up Derby Now: ", e);
    } else {
        throw e;
    }
}