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Local Solicitor has moved but still a great service!

Local Solicitor has moved but we are still in your corner. Our bright spacious modern office is located on the Top Floor of the Town Centre in Lusk. The office is wheelchair accessible via the lift from the lobby. There is also plenty of free parking nearby. You can find us when you scan the QR code. As a general practice law firm, Local Solicitor provides legal service in relation to a wide range of legal matters including: - buying and selling property, Landlord and Tenant

matters, Personal Injuries, Wills and Probate, Contract Law, Debt Collection, Family Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law and general legal advice. With more people on board, we can provide a broader range of services in a more efficient manner. Talk to us about your legal matter. You can contact us when you scan the QR Code.We look forward to hearing from you soon. Best wishes to you all.

Liam Fitzgerald

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Moving Forward and Paying it Back

What a year we have had and we at the Community Locals hope all our readers have had a wonderful 2024 and wish you all the best for 2025!

There is so much to look back over the past 12 months and January always brings with it a period of reflection on the many memories we have made; our achievements, successes, losses or bereavements. But January also brings that exciting feeling of what is to come for the next year. It’s the time when we make our plans, book summer holidays, arrange visits with long distance friends – so many possibilities.

For many of our community volunteers and the many employees of the hospitality industry January is also the month where they can have a short, but well-deserved break after the Christmas period when they selflessly looked after the rest of us on our holidays.

The New Year will surely be a great year for Fingal with so many voluntary community organisations planning bigger and better events to take place throughout the county over the coming months. They are the lifeblood of our communities and should be commended for all of their hard work. Voluntary is the main word here, these amazing groups rely on the general public to get involved to make sure all of these wonderful services are available and that their events go ahead each year.

We hear a lot about resolutions for the New Year ranging from the sensible, to the absurd! Placing unreasonable expectations on our shoulders so early on in the year is pressure that we simply don’t need! Instead of putting these expectations on ourselves maybe we should be making smaller, and more achievable goals. Lots of Small goals will add up to those bigger goals.

We do wish you all a prosperous New Year and that it is filled with success, good health and fortune. Let’s make 2025 another great year to remember and something that we can look forward to and also paying it back!

STRICT DEADLINE FOR NEXT EDITION: Submissions by the 15th for inclusion in next months edition

Festive Filled Month for Lusk ICA Guild

What a busy month the ladies of Lusk ICA had of celebrations fun and hard work.

We joined Lusk Heritage who invited us to their Christmas Card Launch in GAA. We wish all the best to Pat Kelly and thank her for all her hard work over the years.

10 members travelled by train for four nights to Tracy’s Hotel in Waterford for the Christmas cracker celebration.

We had a really enjoyable time together with the lovely food dancing entertainment every night, and we shopped till we dropped during the day. A special thanks to Marie OSullivan for organizing it.

The ladies enjoyed a lovely meal in The La La Restaurant, followed by the fantastic The Ronan Collins Showband Hits show in the Lark

Theatre and he came out and met us all after the show.

Then we held our annual Christmas market on Sunday, 1st December in the Lusk Scout Den. It was a great day of hard work, baking making crafts, jams and chutneys hampers.

Our thanks to everyone in the community who supported it, and of course all the children who came see Santa in his magical grotto.

A number of us joined the Senior Citizens and met all our lovely neighbours and friends in the Glenside Hotel for their annual Christmas dinner.

The Lusk ICA Guild meet on the 1st Thursday every month in the Scouts Den at 8.15pm, we would be delighted for new members to come along and join us.

Councillors agree Council budget of €389m for 2025

There is extra funding for the Fingal Library service in Fingal County Council’s 2025 Annual Budget.

Fingal County Council’s annual budget for 2025 has risen to €389m after Councillors voted for the 7.5% increase shortly before Christmas.

The increased budget will allow Fingal County Council to continue providing a high level of service to its 330,506 residents and represents an expenditure of €1,181 per head of population.

The overall objective of the 2025 Budget is to sustain and enhance quality services and to increase the funding to deliver the required infrastructure projects in the county.

The Housing budget has increased by €18.5m to €135.7m and this includes €16m of additional expenditure on housing delivery through Approved Housing Bodies and long-term leasing. The funding for housing adaptation grants has increased by €1m and the Council’s contribution to the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive has also increased by €1.5m.

The Operations budget has risen by €1.4m to cover increased expenditure on road maintenance, public lighting, recycling centres, parks, pitches, open spaces, public conveniences and burial grounds.

Capital projects in community centres, libraries, heritage properties and corporate buildings will see an increase of €1.25m in funding.

An additional €500,000 has been allocated towards the detailed design and planning of a swimming pool in Balbriggan. Increased funding will be required in future budgets to fund the construction and operation of a pool.

The library book fund has been increased by €325,000 which will bring

Wishing all in our

Firstly, we would like to congratulate our newly elected TDs, Louise O’Reilly, Grace Boland, and Rob O’Donoghue. A special congratulations to Rob, who has supported and represented our community for the last five years as a councillor. Rob has been an integral part of LAG’s committee since its founding and has been central to Lusk’s progress. His success in the general elections is testament to how hard he works for our community, and we wish him every success at a national level, and look forward to having his continued support. We thank all our outgoing TD’s, especially Joe O’Brien, who gave such support to our community during his time in Dáil Eireann.

Following on from a recent meeting with community, An Garda Siochana, Fingal County Council and Foroige, Lusk Action Group is looking to support the set-up of resident’s

the spend per head of population to €4 in line with the national target. There is also an additional €150,000 allocated to funding of events run by community groups while an additional €240,000 will be spent on the development of the arts within Fingal.

At the Council meeting in October councillors voted to retain the rate of Local Property Tax at minus 7.5% for 2025 which provided €3.5m for housing, operations, community, and libraries.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh, said: “This is the first budget passed by the new Council and it is extremely positive that we have been able to increase it by 7.5% at a time when there are a lot of challenges. It will ensure that the Council continues to deliver a high-quality service to the residents and businesses of Fingal.”

The budget includes allocations to the following key areas:

€136m - Housing & Building (35%); €44m - Road Transport & Safety (11%); €19m - Water Services (5%); €36m - Development Management (9%); €55m - Environmental Services (14%); €74m - Recreation & Amenity (19%); €2m - Agriculture, Education, Health & Welfare (1%); €23m - Miscellaneous Services (6%)

Councillors also agreed to leave the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) unchanged for 2025. The Budget comes on the back of Fingal’s three-year, €1.57billion Capital Programme which was approved by councillors in October and consists of 331 projects.

community a very happy new year!

associations in all Lusk estates. Just 2 of our 12 estates are active as associations. The benefits are many, including proper representation in Fingal County Council, access to funding for community days or improvements within estates etc and a great structure in which to have informal sports events for kids and teenagers, to name a few. It is a tool to create positive change in your estate, to find solutions to issues and is a place to create friendship and strong community. This will be supported by Fingal County Council and set-up will be made to be as simple as possible. Having properly formed associations is an advantage for FCC and an advantage for the residents and the wider community.

At least 6 people would be needed to form a committee. Ask your neighbours to get involved. Lusk has a wonderful and strong history of

volunteerism. It is the thing that sets us above other communities and is what recently won us the prestigious Pride of Place award. Get in touch with us by email at luskactiongroup@gmail.com

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Seven (1995) Hits cinemas once again

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPY

By Jack Shanley

David Fincher’s “Se7en” hits its 30-year anniversary this year and with it also coming back to cinemas in a stunning IMAX screening, its sure to be a fantastic cinematic experience. ‘Seven’ is a haunting exploration of morality, sin, and the depths of human depravity. This 1995 neo-noir thriller stars Brad Pitt as Detective David Mills, a hot-headed young cop, and Morgan Freeman as Detective William Somerset, a seasoned veteran on the brink of retirement. Together, they are tasked with hunting down a serial killer whose murders are inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins.

The film’s dark, gritty atmosphere is perfectly captured by Fincher’s meticulous direction and Andrew Howard’s stunning cinematography.

The rain-soaked streets of a decaying city provide a bleak backdrop for the horrifying crimes committed by the killer, known only as John Doe. Kevin Spacey delivers a chilling performance as Doe, a man who believes he is punishing sinners and cleansing the world of

their corruption.

“Se7en” is a masterclass in suspense, with each new discovery leading to even greater horror. The film’s pacing is deliberate, building tension and dread as the detectives delve deeper into the killer’s twisted mind. The climax is a gut-wrenching confrontation that leaves a lasting impact.

While the film’s violence and disturbing subject matter may not be for everyone, “Se7en” is a powerful and thought-provoking cinematic experience. It is a timeless exploration of the darkness that lurks within humanity, and a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.

In all truth I’d recommend checking out ‘Seven’ and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of 4 and a ½ stars. You can watch it today at selected cinemas throughout January or rent it off YouTube for €3.99. Director: David Fincher – Rating: R – Genre: Crime/Horror– Run Time: 2h 10m Language: English. For more film content please follow @ movies4fanatics on Instagram.

22-26 JAN

Stockton’s Wing

Eleanor McEvoy

Celebrating Stephen Rea with Matt Molloy, Maighread Ní Dhomnaill, Paddy Glackin, Derek Hickey, Neil Martin, Louise & Michelle Mulcahy, Sinéad Cusack, Paul Muldoon, Felispeaks, Emily Cullen

Karen Casey - The Women We Will Rise

Mike Hanrahan & Eleanor Shanley

Celebrating Barney McKenna with Gerry O’Connor & Friends

Mick Hanly with Anto Drennan & Eoin O’Neill

Declan Sinnott & Evelyn Kallansee Tara Breen

Eoghan Ó Ceannabhaín Ines Khai

Molly O’Mahony Emma Langford The Henry Girls

Bernadette Nic Gabhann Jacqui Martin & Derek Hickey

Paudie O’Connor & Aoife Ní Chaoimh

Frank O’Rourke & John Feely Molly Donnery

Brídín Macdara Yeats Sorcha Costello plus plenty of free community eventskeep an eye on our socials for more details

TradFest Returns to Fingal For Third Time

Celebrating 20 years this month, experience TradFest everywhere you go, from the Mountains of South Dublin across Dublin City and to the castles and coastline of historic Fingal.

Now in its third year in Fingal the festival will return to the many unique and historic venues across the region: Malahide Castle, Swords Castle Chapel, The Millbank Theatre, Skerries Mill, Draíocht Theatre and the iconic Seamus Ennis Arts Centre, while increasing its musical footprint in additional new venues: The Lark, Ardgillan Castle, The Abbey Tavern and Donabate Community Centre.

Fingal Acts for 2025 include: Karen CaseyThe Women we will rise, Jacqui Martin & Derek Hickey, Tara Breen, Eoghan ó’Ceannabhaín, Mike Hanrahan and Eleanor Shanley, Luka Bloom, Ines Khai, Molly O’Mahony, Paudie O’Connor &

Aoife Ni Chaoimh, Emma Langford, Stockton’s Wing -Voices from Fingal Mick Hanly with Anto Drennan and Eoin O’Neill, The Henry Girls, Bernadette Nic Gabhann, Frank, O’Rourke & John Feely, Molly Donnery, Brídín, Sorcha Costello, Evelyn Kallansee & Declan Sinnott

There will also be a special celebration of the actor, local resident and TradFest patron Stephen Rea. The Oscar-nominated and multi awardwinning actor has for long had a global reputation for his exceptional skills on both stage and screen. Over four nights in The Lark Theatre, Balbriggan, TradFest will honour Stephen through words and music. Joining Stephen over the 4 nights will be poet Paul Muldoon and musicians Neil Martin, Louise Mulcahy, Matt Molloy, Maighread Ní Dhomnaill, Paddy Glackin and Derek Hickey.

TradFest in Fingal will also celebrate the life of Barney McKenna, original member of the Irish band The Dubliners and Fingal resident across two days and nights in The Abbey Tavern, Howth in January 2025.

Mike Hanrahan and Stockton’s Wing will give a special concert in Donabate Community Centre where they will be joined on stage by the voices of Fingal Choir

In line with its audience development objectives, TradFest also will deliver an expanded community programme later this year which will outline a series of new exciting, free communityled events in Fingal.

Whether you’re a fan of live music, or just looking for a night of Irish culture and craic, TradFest is where you want to be in January 2025.

How Effective Will Your Resolutions Be?

By Dave Kavanagh

It’s a new year, 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 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.

New Year, New Beginnings!

CommunityLocals.ie

It’s January.…often considered the most miserable month of the year but how about enjoying the quiet that January brings and making the most of the calm after the busy and often stressful festive season? Instead of feeling blue about all the fun being over, try to enjoy January. Movie nights snuggled up with a hot chocolate. A brisk walk in the fresh air. Soaking in a relaxing bath. Reading that book you’ve been wanting to get stuck into but haven’t had the time. There is a lot of joy to be found in doing nothing and having time to relax and chill out. January is not all doom and gloom…. especially for those in love! Christmas and New Year are times when many couples get engaged and weddings excitement begins. One of the biggest expenses is often The Dress!! But we know an amazing store called Devotion Dresses, upstairs from My Kind of Dress, at Unit 1, Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin that has a whole floor dedicated to wedding dresseswhich start at an affordable €600. Downstairs you can get bridesmaids, wedding guest and mother of the bride dresses and upstairs, bridal! Follow them on Instagram

at devotion_dressesireland and book an appointment at dublin@ devotionweddingdresses.com There are some absolutely stunning dresses there and it’s great to buy local, it makes life so much easier for fittings etc. We had a family wedding where the dress was bought in Newry and it was a slog having to traipse up there for fittings and collection. It added extra cost and time, so we really think, shopping local is the way to go! Having been in Devotion Dresses for a look, we can definitely recommend them! The staff are super nice too., which makes a huge difference.

If you are one of the lucky ones going Skiing, Dare2B has a cool pop-up shop in Kildare Village for all things ski wear. They have a huge sale online too, so you can nab really snuggly clothing at knocked down prices. Even for everyday fleeces, we love their range!

Whatever your January looks like, remember, it’s only a few weeks and we can get through it! Be kind to yourself and try to do little nice things as much as you can and soon enough, the daffodils will be popping up for Spring!

Fingal Sports Awards 2025: Celebrating Outstanding Local Sports Clubs

Fingal County Council is delighted to announce the Fingal Sports Club of the Year Awards 2025, an initiative designed to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of sports clubs throughout the county. These awards shine a spotlight on the vital role sports clubs play in fostering community spirit, promoting inclusivity, and encouraging sustainable practices. With over 100 awards available this year, the competition offers clubs a unique opportunity to be recognised for their dedication and hard work.

This is a wonderful opportunity to honour the diverse array of sports that are making a meaningful impact on local communities across Fingal. The county boasts a proud tradition of sporting excellence, with athletes and teams achieving success on local, national, and international stages. A number of categories are open for nominations. This includes: Green Club of the Year

This award celebrates clubs that have demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. The winning club will have taken significant steps such as reducing their carbon footprint, promoting recycling, and encouraging sustainable transport. They may also lead environmental education and awareness initiatives that benefit their community. Club of the Year

Honouring a club that has excelled in community engagement and governance, this award recognises efforts to foster social inclusion, support volunteerism, and promote physical activity. The winning club will have demonstrated best practices in governance and collaborated with local organisations to make a positive impact.

Sports Inclusion Club of the Year

Recognising clubs that break down barriers to participation, this award celebrates those who create accessible and inclusive opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. This may include programs for people with disabilities, outreach to underrepresented groups, and ensuring affordability for members.

Along with an award, winning clubs will also receive a €500 sports equipment voucher to further support their growth and success.

Fingal Sports Office are hosting the exclusive awards ceremony on Monday 27th January 2025 at the Carlton Hotel in Tyrrelstown to honour and recognise outstanding clubs in Fingal. The event will also see the announcement of the Fingal Sports Volunteers of the Year.

Clubs are encouraged to submit their nominations by 5pm on Monday, 6th January 2025.

Nominations can be made via: https://bit.ly/sportscluboftheyear2025

St. Maurs GAA is ‘on the ball’ with sponsor Carroll Estates

St. Maurs GAA club in Rush has announced Carroll Estates as the headline sponsor for its ball wall and skills area, which is being upgraded to include a 3G surface, new fencing and improved lighting. With over 1,300 members, 40 juvenile teams, 16 adult teams and an All-Stars section for young adults with special needs, the ball wall is a vital resource for every player to sharpen speed, agility, footwork and hand-eye co-ordination.

To celebrate the sponsorship, Roisin Carroll, director of Carroll Estates visited the club on Sat 7 December to unveil the new wall ball mural commissioned from local artist Sheena Joyce and Darragh Mulryan of Darragh Signs.

Club treasurer Peter Monks said “The Carroll Estates sponsorship is key for St Maurs as it will enable us to fund the upgrade of our vital ball wall area, and we aim to have the project completed by summer 2025. This forms the last infrastructure phase in our development plan, ‘Create the Future’, which was launched in 2018 and sets the club on a good path towards our centenary in 2028.”

It also marks the beginning of an eight-year partnership between the club and the company. To support the amazing work of the staff and volunteers at St. Maurs, Carroll Estates will be providing a ‘Local Hero of the Month’ prize of a €100 One4all voucher to a deserving winner picked by the club in January 2025.

Carroll Estates, which is celebrating 50 years in business, will be building homes in the Rush area over the next eight years. Roisin Carroll, director of Carroll Estates, said, “We are delighted to partner with St. Maurs GAA, a cornerstone of the Rush and Loughshinny communities, as they continue to inspire and empower people of all ages through sport. Supporting the development of the ball wall and skills area aligns with our commitment to fostering community growth and well-being.

The club, which was founded in 1928, has doubled in size over the past ten years as its local catchment area of Rush and Loughshinny continues to grow and also provides playing facilities for five local schools. Recent achievements for the club in 2024 include winning the Dublin Men’s Under 21 Football Championship, ladies football played at Division 1 level, and becoming the crowned champions in the Camogie Intermediate 2 category.

The club was recently honoured at a ceremony in Croke Park on Saturday 9 November 2024 as one of 90 Green Clubs across Ireland taking sustainability action for the club and community.

Roisin Carroll with (l/r) Rebecca Fitzpatrick (19), Peter Monks, treasurer, Martin Mulvey, chair; John Loughnane (13) and Henry Mulvey (13) and ‘Ros’ the club mascot

Roisin Carroll with club member Rebecca Fitzpatrick (19) and ‘Ros’ the club mascot

What a Year for Lusk AC!

We would like to wish all club members a very happy and successful New Year. 2024 was another fabulous one for the club with record membership levels and fantastic performances in all races and competitions. Well done to all our athletes and a huge thank you to our hardworking coaches and committee members. Membership for 2025 is now open and we ask all existing members to please renew as soon as possible. New members are very welcome. The increasingly popular Lusk 4 mile road race is only two months away so register before it sells out. Some of our athletes travelled overseas for December marathons in Valencia and Turin. There was also a Lusk AC parkrun takeover where our latest Fit4Life group completed their graduation 5k runs. The races will be coming thick and fast from January onwards so talk to your coach for a training plan to suit your needs.

The club did a volunteer takeover at Donabate Parkrun

Well done to Eoin McGuirk on his National Juvenile Cross Country medal

DaraAnn and David were in great form at the Valencia Marathon

Bernard Kenealy was delighted with his run at the Torino City Marathon

Junsa Taekwondo Club News

Grading Time!

Recently at Junsa Taekwondo we held our annual belt grading and graduation

When you start taekwondo, you start as a white belt and as time progresses and you learn new skills and new Poomsae’s (a set of moves that must be performed as part of your training) that range from basic to advanced. We use the grading system to set our students goals and improve their skills.

The grading is full of many different aspects so that if one individual is not as good at one skill but is better in other aspects, then this can give them a great sense of accomplishment.

Advanced group grading 2024

Intermediate grading 1

Thomas (R) demonstrates his sparring with Liam

Intermediate group sparring techniques

Conor on the pads during grading 2024

Robbie scores well in his sparring demo

Ellen makes the grade

WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!!

Blakes Cross, North, Co Dublin Contact: 0892138043 info@dollace.com www.dollace.com

Aidan Caroll BSc (Hons) Conselling & Psychotherapy

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 month. The first correct entry to be drawn will win €50..Good luck