Donabate Local V6I12-JAN 2023

such as giving up sweets or cigs and other more difficult ones which mean not only abstaining from something but saving the money to use or buy something to make our life easier. This year we will certainly face price rises not only in the retail sector but in the utilities and service sectors but remember there are always better options if we can find them. However remember, many items are cheaper by purchasing them off our local outlets and suppliers as we don’t have the expense of travelling on top of what seems like a bargain. So, going to some places may seem like saving you money but when you factor in the bus fare, diesel of petrol costs it is better to shop locally. Fingal has an abundance of retailers who are very loyal to their communities many of whom sponsor local Community/Voluntary and Sporting organisations which help our mental and physical health and they deserve our support. This New Year we have the opportunity to make resolutions which will help us succeed. Resolutions which if properly thought out and executed by us will bring us opportunities to better ourselves and improve our daily lives and standard of living this year. 2023 can be the year when a few minor adjustments at the start of our year and throughout it can be sufficient to change not only our way of doing things but also our budget for certain items. With success in keeping our carefully chosen resolutions will come the joy associated with it and just think of the money you will save.

Happy New Year from the Locals Team.

Johnston questions relevance of County Development and Local Area Plans

Corina Johnston, Labour Party Area Representative has questioned the relevance of The County Development and Local Area Plan given a recent planning decision by An Bord Pleánala. Johnston said; “The decision of An Bord Pleanala to grant planning permission for the controversial Corballis East SHD (Strategic Housing Development) in contravention of the County Development and Local Area Plan is a further indication of how irrelevant the County Development and Local Area Plans have become in the planning process within Fingal and indeed throughout the country. This controversial application has been objected to by the vast majority of people in Donabate, public representatives and Fingal County Council.” Johnston said; “In my own submission to the Board I raised the issues of densities, heights,mix and the impact on the highly sensitive landscape and also that the application is a material contravention of the current County Development Plan and the Donabate Local Area Plan. “ Johnston added; “In their decision the Board overruled their own inspector and the recommendations of the council’s planning department. The Board justified their decision based on National Policy and the fact that

Donabate is “recognised as a Strategic Development Area”. The fact that it is designated as such is no justification for disregarding the existing character of the area. This land was zoned residential although controversially rezoned in 2003. “ Johnston continued; “While this application was under consideration by the Board local residents discovered an archeological monument (souterrain) on this site which had failed to be discovered during previous inspections and which could be seriously affected by this planning application. In response to representations from Duncan Smith TD and I the National Monuments Service confirmed that this monument will be included in the next review of the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP). Johnston concluded; “Although An Bord Pleánala have made this decision I am totally convinced that this is the wrong type of development on this site in Donabate for the reasons outlined and the potential implications on the recently discovered souterrain. Should this development proceed as per this permission the people of Donabate will become even more disillusioned with the planning process and realise the futility of public participation in the County Development and Area Plans.”

New Year For Your Health And Wealth

By Dave Kavanagh

January is traditionally a time when many people embark on making some positive changes or improvements in their lives. The most recognisable of these is the ‘losing weight/ getting healthier” one. To give people more of an incentive to maintain what they start, it’s worth noting that if done properly, losing weight can have the added bonus of leaving you with more money at the end of each month. So how does that work?? Well, by “doing it properly” I refer to NOT going on a diet, or buying products with magic properties that will make the weight just fall off. Instead, making small, sustainable lifestyle changes. It can be adding some exercise in week 1, drinking more water (and less alcohol/sugar laden drinks) in week 2, reducing portion sizes in week 3, substituting things like chips for wholegrain rice or pasta in week 4, breaking the association of biscuits/cakes whenever you have a coffee or tea in week 5, etc., etc. Doing it this way, makes it sustainable and when weight is dropped slower over a longer period of time, it is far more likely to be kept off. So how does that help my finances? When I analyse people’s spending budgets, it’s clear that takeaways, alcohol, sweets, cakes biscuits etc. pop up quite frequently. If you keep track of the savings when you cut down on many of these things, it’s easy to see how much you can save. One person I was helping used to enjoy

her “treat” of a chocolate eclair most days. When she accepted that she felt bad after eating it and conceded that it was not helping her goal to lose weight, I suggested it was more of a punishment than a treat. I proposed that she put the money into a jar each day and when there was enough, to treat herself to a back massage, which can positively reinforce the good changes someone has made. Make the right choices, one day at a time.

Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or information (with no cost or obligation) he can be contacted by emailing him at info@financialcompanion. ie or use the contact form on www. financialcompanion.ie or @Davekav_ advice on Twitter and Instagram. Combined with his previous role of gym/ nutrition adviser, he regularly gives talks and workshops at seminars and events for groups, companies and government departments on financial wellbeing, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM , LMFM and TV3.

Do not stress in January – Just dial down!

By Siobhan O’Neill White

Christmas is over and dreary January is here. You may be over stuffed, over tired and possibly, dealing with an overdraft after all the excesses of December. But, before you give up all your favourite foods and drinks, maybe take a breath and relax a little and remember, you are lovely just as you are. Its almost programmed into us that January is a terrible month that we have to get through, that we should all be dieting and not eating nice foods and maybe enjoying a glass of wine of hot chocolate at the weekend. But who decided it should be so miserable? Who decided we all need to sign up to slimming clubs immediately? Instead of stressing out about it all, why don’t you dial down the pressure on yourself. Take out one of the bath sets you most likely got as a gift for Christmas and chill in a deep bubble bath with a magazine and even a few candles. Stellar is a cool Irish magazine that makes for great reading in the bath. A lovely way to pass half an hour, away from all the stresses and strains of life. It’s lovely to get out and enjoy a brisk walk in the fresh and cool winter air but it’s good to try to make time to snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn and a box set. I am loving Flatshare on Paramount, based on the hilarious and charming bestselling book by fab Irish author Beth O’Leary. Another must watch show is Minx, which takes

a brilliant look at the launch of a saucy magazine for women in the 70’s – original, funny and the wardrobe is amazing. On Netflix now is season 3 of Emily In Paris. Yes, it is a bit silly but it’s also colourful, funny, sweet and romantic and who doesn’t love a good love triangle? It is pure escapism and in January, I think we all need a bit

of that in! So, yes, this month can be hard. Its cold and we are all a bit broke - so that’s even more reason to be extra kind to yourself! And to give you the hug you may well need this month, we’ve got some warm, lovely Wooliees to give away. Head over to mams.ie to enter to be in to win one.

Active Age for All past trips and the AGM this month!

The weather was wet, grey and dismal as 14 stalwarts (not being put off by a drop of rain ! ) gathered at Donabate/Portrane Community Centre for a trip to Glasnevin Cemetery and Casino in Marino. On arrival at Glasnevin Cemetery we met our guide for the tour, Grainne. Our first stop was at the Daniel O’Connell crypt which is beneath the cemeterys’ most conspicuous architectural feature, a round tower, the tallest in Ireland. It was a fitting place as Grainne explained that Daniel O’Connell,’ The Liberator’, was the founder of the cemetery. It was opened in 1832 as a non-denominational graveyard, the first of its kind in Ireland, and is the final resting

place of some 1.5 million people. Since the first burial on 22nd February 1832 the Glasnevin authorities have maintained a record of every single burial in the cemetery. We finished our tour at the grave of Michael Collins near the main building;. After a lovely lunch in the cafe we set off to our second destination of the day Casino in Marino. The Casino ( casino= small house, not a gambling establishment) was built as a summer or pleasure house for James Caulfield the 1st Earl of Charlmont and is all that remains of his 18th century demesne at Marino. All in all a very enjoyable day, the weather relented and both places were fascinating with excellent

guides.Just a reminder that Registration for our Spring Term takes place on the 9th and 10th of January between 11.00 - 14.00 so come along and meet your friends and sign up for one of our classes. You have such a choice from Pilates to Singing and Art to Yoga, Tai Chi, Sit and Get Fit to Stronger for Longer. Our age profile is from 55 to 90 so I am sure you will find something to suit you. Reminder Our AGM will take place on the 17th of January at 11.00a.m. and we hope to have a speaker at it to talk about the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme. To finish we would like to wish all our members a happy and healthy 2023!

The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival ~ What’s in a name?!

One of the most unusual names for a festival in Ireland has to be the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival, which takes place on the peninsula of Donabate and Portrane every September.

It takes is name from a sea cave on what is known as Lady’s Walk on the cliffs that link Donabate and Portrane. After pondering a number options based on the name of other caves on the Lady’s Walk, with such glorious names as the Priest’s Hole, local historian Peadar Bates put forward the name for the festival.And the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival goes from strength to strength. It started off in 2013 as a two-day event showcasing local artists and performers. Nine years later, it

is now a 14-day event featuring national acts, performers and a short film festival. It also ties in with the Fingal County Council artists-in-residence scheme. The festival won ‘Fingal Community Group of the Year’ in 2015 and the Local Authorities’ Members’ Association awards in the arts and culture category in 2018.

As in most situations, Covid-19 disrupted the festival in 2020, but it roared back last year and in September this year.Preparations are already underway for the festival next September, and the next outing for the festival will be on March 5th 2023 when an event to celebrate International Women’s Day event is planned.

Men’s Shed had a Busy 2022 and Look Forward to 2023

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed wishes our members and the wider community a happy and peaceful New Year. Despite the disruptions caused by Covid restrictions at the start of 2022, the Men’s Shed had a full, active and interesting year. We added to our regular weekly activities of exercise classes on Mondays and tea and chat gatherings on Thursdays with croquet at Newbridge House on Tuesdays, negotiated on our behalf by Active Age for All with Fingal County Council – a big thank you to both. Those working on our plots at Turvey Allotments, rented from Fingal County Council, had a very productive year with a bumper crop even better than previous years. We also resumed our occasional outings with visits to the Casino Model Railway Museum in Malahide in February, a guided tour of Newbridge House in March, the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin in May, the Custom House Visitor Centre in June and the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire in July and most recently a pitch-and-putt outing to Deerpark in Howth in November. During 2022, we completed two long-standing projects delayed by Covid, both sponsored by grants from Fingal County Council. In February, we installed a storage shed beside the Scouts’ Den and in September we completed the awning at the rear of the Scouts’ Den. We rounded out the year with a Christmas dinner in Keeling’s, our first since 2019. A great night was had by all, great food, great music and songs but, most importantly, great company. If you wish to join us, please contact Jim on 086-3694316. We are always open to new members and new ideas on how we can expand our activities.

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Labour Party Local Area Representative for Donabate and Portrane LEA

Working with Duncan Smith TD and Cllr Robert O’Donoghue

Peninsula Pacers set the Pace! in 2022

The Peninsula Pacers had a very good year in terms of walks after covid restrictions were lifted.They did some dedicated short walks mainly led by Carolyn e.g. The Royal Canal, Ardgillan Castle and around our own Cliff Walk. These walks are at a slow pace, approx 5/6kms, require reasonable fitness level, have some stops and can have some history/heritage. The longer walks are at a faster pace, approx 10/12kms, require fairly high fitness levels, have a short stop and focus is on walking although we do include some history/heritage when we can. We aim to go by public transport

mainly train most of the time & walks are once a month usually the 2/3 Saturday of the month. Last year we went to eg: The entire Donabate Portrane Peninsula, Rush to Loughshinny, Rogerstown to Rush, Balbriggan to Laytown. This year we intend to do a few new walks eg part of the Boyne Valley Camino & Howth Tram Trail and repeat some old walks. In November 2022 - no prizes for guessing we did the Poolbeg Lighthouse from Sandymount! If you are interested in further information please contact Carolyn Smith 087 9284307 or Des Carthy 087 7846813

In the heart of Malahide, AppliancesDelivered.ie is promising to deliver your chosen appliance within 24 hours if you live in the Greater Dublin area.

In the heart of Malahide, AppliancesDelivered.ie is promising to deliver your chosen appliance within 24 hours if you live in the greater Dublin area. AppliancesDelivered.ie is part of the greater Briscoe group established in 1964 with branches in Drogheda, Arnotts Henry Street, Brown Thomas Grafton Street, Dundrum, Cork and Limerick.

With a wide choice of brands and models as well as fantastic value for money.

“When you see it on our website, you can be confident that it is in stock. That is what makes us different and popular.”

delivered, Malahide, also said, “we know there is nothing more frustrating than selecting an item but then being told it is ‘out of stock’ after you have put

it in your shopping basket! That does not happen with AppliancesDelivered. ie.”

Their online shopping experience builds on a proud tradition of providing excellent service alongside value for money in their store on Main Street, Malahide.

“When you need a new washing machine, fridge or other vital appliance, it is a huge inconvenience. Ordering online with AppliancesDelivered.ie means you can browse online and be confident that if you see it, we have it in stock. If you order before 2pm, we guarantee next day delivery in the Greater Dublin area. ”

Paul Casey, manager of Appliances

Manager Paul Casey and his staff looking forward to you calling in to our newly refurbished store in the heart of Malahide

AppliancesDelivered.ie

Paul and his team are happy to answer questions and provide advice both on the phone and in person.

Now not only online, customers can visit their store in Malahide and experience, “our new kitchen showroom which has the latest models in American fridge freezers, ovens, dishwashers and other kitchen appliances. You can browse the wide range of quality options from established brands like Miele, Neff, Whirlpool and Bosch.”

Other brands available, and on display, include Fisher and Paykel, SMEG, De Dietrich, Samsung and Indesit. Or browse their Tech department for a full range of top brands for the techie in your life

“We work in a competitive marketplace and our customers expect high standards. Nothing makes us happier than seeing a repeat customer because we know we got it right the last time and we have a chance to provide a great service to them again,” Paul added.

Reviews on Trustpilot confirm the valued personal service provided by the team at AppliancesDelivered.ie where it has a score of 4.8 out of 5.

Leithinis Donabate Portrane CCE – A look at 2022

2022 was a very successful year for Leithinis Donabate Portrane CCÉ. The number of music students attending Monday evening classes in Donabate Portrane Educate Together continued to grow. Our expanded offering now includes Flute, Tin Whistle, Button Accordion, Concertina, Bodhrán, Banjo and Fiddle at beginner and improver level, for adults and children. Registrations for our Spring term are now open and places are still available. Our Friday Evening Slow Sessions hosted by Erin McGahan in Donabate Parish Hall grew

in popularity throughout 2022 and offer our students the opportunity to play tunes together and build on what they have learned at class. Our students played at various events in the Parish Hall throughout the year including Fingal Inclusion Week in November and the relaunch of the Donabate Parish Hall in August attended by local community groups and representatives. Our Annual Fundraising Raffle in September, held in Donabate Town Centre, was a great success, raising funds and awareness of Leithinis CCÉ activities. The funds were used to purchase

instruments which are then rented to students taking lessons at the Beginner level. The regular Traditional Music Open Sessions for experienced musicians resumed in 2022 and attracted a growing number of participants from all over the North County. These Trad Sessions are hosted by Denis Stack and take place at 7:30pm on the first Tuesday of every month and details are available on our Facebook page. We hope you enjoy these photos of our Christmas Slow Session at the Donabate Parish Hall on the 2nd December.

Donabate Parish Hall - Wishes Happy New Year to All in 2023

In 2022 despite the difficulties experienced with Covid early in the year the Parish Hall was busier than ever once restrictions were lifted in late Spring. The wide variety of daily activities took off, including Senior Citizens, Youth Club, Irish Dance, Pilates, Bridge & Cards. A number of new activities also started e.g. Egg Heads & Youth Drama Classes. The Cultural & Creative slots when the hall suspended daily activities enabled for e.g. the Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society to put on two excellent productions in April & November. There were also a number of exhibitions held over a few days in Photography by the Through the Lens group. This arrangement also facilitates children camps to take place. Some one day

cultural, creative & craft events also took place in the Parish Hall. These included the launch of Lambay Cinema Club, The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival Art Exhibition and FCC Inclusion Day when the Parish Hall Committee & Leithinis CCÉ jointly hosted members of the Ukrainian community in a cultural event. One of the highlights of the year was the Christmas Craft Fair run by The Christmas Festival Group.Next year we hope to continue to serve all the growing & diverse needs of our community as best as we possibly can. Again we wish the entire community a very Happy & Healthy New Year. If you have any queries re the use of the Parish Hall, contact Bernie in the Parish Office on 8434574.

Tidy Towns thank Lynders and St Pats GAA

Donabate Tidy Towns would like to thank Helen and Gerry Lynders from Lynders Mobile Home Park for their very generous donation of €250. The donation will be put to great use around the village for buying new plants for flower beds located around the village and new equipment for our volunteers when planting or carrying out a clean-up of their local area or taking part in the monthly clean-up of the village. Keep an eye on out Facebook page for details of our monthly clean-up or you can contact us through Facebook or send us an email at tidytownsdonabate@ gmail.com. The U10s boys from St. Pat’s GAA helped John Lovatt from Donabate Tidy Towns with a cleanup of the beach down at the Burrow in Portrane. It was such a pleasure for John to work with the army of St. Pat’s U10s and bring an awareness of the environmental issues and pollution affecting our coastline. John explained that litter can be washed

up onto the beach as well as being dropped there. The challenge was to bring the bags of collected litter back more than a kilometre to The Green in Portrane. This proved no problem to the boys who solved the problem with ingenuity, great teamwork and real determination. Comhghairdeagas and GRMA mór to the boys and their coaches, parents, siblings and John Lovatt who assisted in the task. If you would like to volunteer with your local Tidy Towns you can do so by contacting us via email or Facebook as given above. You could, for example, volunteer to look after and maintain your local area or estate as many of our volunteers do, please contact us and we will provide all of the required equipment. Alternatively, you could join us for our monthly clean-up or some of the projects we are currently working on in areas such as increasing biodiversity in the locality.

Records broken and a half marathon completed by LSA

2022 was a great year for LSA. We had our first inaugural road race last May. It was very successful and thanks to all the Donabate and Portrane Community for supporting us. We’ve had medals in Dublin Championships, Leinsters and Nationals across the club. 40 athletes took part in the 2022 Dublin City Marathon with huge support from

our club members on the day. We had goals set, records broken and athletes who started running for the first time in April and completed a half marathon in November. We’re looking forward to another “Runderful” year in 2023 and if you would like to join us, contact our registrar on lambaysportsathletics@ gmail.com.

Home Cook Recipes Healthy

New Year Super Fish Supper

Following the festive period, some of us may not want to see turkey or ham on the menu for quite a while! With the new year comes new years resolutions and a lot of people make goals to enhance their health. Fish is full of lots of nutritional goodness. Yet, despite being an island, our intakes of fish in Ireland are quite low. Some people say it’s the smell that fish may leave in the kitchen that turns them off or that they’re just not sure how to make it tasty. But the great news is that fish is quite easy and quick to cook. And a top tip to get rid of any unwanted odours is to place 1/2 lemon in water in a cup (cut side up) and heat in the oven/microwave for 4-6minutes. Burning a nice scented candle also helps!

Ingredients: Serves 2

• 2 Salmon fillets

• 200g Tenderstem broccoli

• 250g Asparagus

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves

• Juice of 1/2 of a lemon

Sweet potato chips:

• 260g sweet potatoes

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200’c.

2.The sweet potato chips take longer to cook, so do these first. Wash, peel and slice the sweet potato into chips.

3. Place the remaining ingredients for the sweet potato chips in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Then add the sliced sweet potatoes and coat in this mixture.

4. Place the sweet potato onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-45minutes at 180’c.

Turn them halfway through baking to

ensure they cook evenly.

5. Place the salmon onto a baking tray that is pre-greased or lined with parchment paper.

6. Mix the lemon juice, parsley leaves, oil and garlic together and brush the top and sides of the salmon with this mixture. Bake in the oven at 180’c for 12-15minutes (depending on the thickness of the salmon). When cooked through, the salmon will look opaque and flake easily with a fork.

7.Brush the remainder of the mixture from step 6 onto the broccoli and asparagus on a foil lined baking tray and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake in the oven at 180’c for 10-15minutes or until tender.

8.Serve up with a lemon wedge.

For workplace, preschool, primary and secondary school or community group talks and workshops, please email: niamh@ biabites.net

See my ‘Fun food’ and ‘Recipes’ albums on ‘Biabites’ Facebook for other food ideas.

St Pats boys and girls enjoying their #BallWall sessions

The St Pats oldest Academy group - the 2016 boys and girls - are really enjoying their #BallWall sessions. Once a month, they’re doing a session at the Ball Wall and in the Gym working on Functional Movement skills. So many people assume that the gym is only for our Adult members but it’s utilised by all our teams with their Mentors, S&C coaches and FM guides. If you’d like your 2016 child to join the fun, just PM the St Pats facebook page. Same goes for any aged juvenile from 2018 to 2005, PM the St Pats facebook page and we’ll put you in touch with the squad mentor.

This is easy… we are offering you the chance to win €50. All you have to do is correctly fill in the crossword and discover the name of an area in Fingal spelt out in the coloured squares. Then send the completed crossword and your answer by email, with your name, address and telephone number to communitylocals@ gmail.com before 5pm on the 16th of this mnoth. The first correct entry to be drawnwill win €50..Good luck

Across

1. A place of refuge from danger or hardship. (6)

5. A poor densely populated city district. (6)

10. Landlocked Central European country. (7)

11. Even more absurd. (7)

12. A metal piece of money. (4)

13. North and South country. (5)

15. Oven for a potter. (4)

17. A short day to be married. (3)

19. Substance which separates milk into solids and liquids. (6)

21. Great birds of prey. (6)

22. Quickly, speedily. (7) 23. Woven container with handles. (6)

25. Lacking physical strength or vitality. (6)

28. A state of matter. (3) 30. Dry like a desert. (4)

31. Slippers with no fitting around the heel. (5)

32. Popular Indonesian island. (4)

35. Just the place for sport and concerts. (7)

36. Trace the shape, as of a body at a crime scene. (7)

37. No longer frozen solid. (6) 38. Change for the worse. (6)

Down

2. A meeting of musicians. (7)

3. Boisterous songbird. (4)

4. A field where grass is grown to be made into hay. (6)

5. Breathed noisily, as if exhausted. (6)

6. Long fish. (4)

7. A pursuit of little importance. (7)

8. Craned at the performer. (6)

9. Swimwear for men. (6)

14. A performance of music especially by a soloist. (7)

16. A cap for the French. (5)

18. A hen kept for her eggs. (5)

20. A cheap and vulgar item. (3)

21. A mischievous fairy. (3)

23. Slowly cook food with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan. (6)

24. Vegetable mistakenly known for iron content. (7)

26. The sort of exercise that sets you up for the day. (7)

27. Expelled from your own country. (6)

28. Treated with adhesive, like an envelope. (6)

29. A good with faults, usually sold at a reduced price. (6)

33. A personal belief not based on proof. (4)

34. Flower supporter. (4)