Malahide Local V9I12-JAN 2026

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A New Year Dawns in Fingal

Local News

As the clock strikes midnight and the echoes of fireworks can be heard along the coast, Fingal steps once again into a New Year — a population rooted in history, shaped by community, celebrate optimistically about what lies ahead.

Fingal is a place of contrasts. Ancient castles sit beside new housing estates; farmland meets data centres and runways; fishing boats share the horizon with early-morning commuters and the New Year invites us to reflect on how these contrasts can become strengths rather than tensions.

The past year has not been without challenge. Housing pressures, cost-of-living concerns, traffic congestion and climate change are not abstract issues here — they are felt in school queues, bus stops and family kitchens across the county. Yet Fingal has also shown resilience.

Community groups have stepped up, volunteers have looked out for neighbours, and local businesses have adapted with determination and creativity.

A New Year is more than a calendar change; it is a moment of collective pause. It asks what kind of county we want Fingal to be. Can we grow without losing our character? Can development serve communities rather than overwhelm them? Can we protect our coastline, parks and farmland while providing opportunity for the next generation?

There is reason for hope. Investment in active travel, green spaces and town renewal signals a shift toward more sustainable living. Cultural events, sports clubs and libraries continue to bind communities together. Fingal’s young people — diverse, ambitious and outspoken — are demanding a future that is fairer and greener, and they deserve to be heard.

As 1st January breaks, perhaps on a bracing walk along Portmarnock beach or a quiet moment in the Dublin Mountains foothills, Fingal residents can take pride in where they live. The New Year will bring its uncertainties, but it also brings possibility.

If Fingal can meet the coming year with the same sense of community that has carried it through the last, then 2025 can be not just a new chapter, but a better one — written together, from coast to countryside.

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Fingal News

Fingal County Council awarded CPD accreditation for another three years Fingal County Council has been re-certified as an Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employer for the maximum duration of three years. The award recognises Fingal’s ongoing commitment to continuous professional development systems and practices for its staff.

The Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employer Standard is a strategic framework which enables engineers and engineering employers raise competency levels and deliver tangible business benefits by investing in engineers through continuing professional development.

Welcoming the re-certification Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly said: “We are very proud to have been recognised as a CPD Accredited Employer for a further three years, the maximum duration that can be awarded. Fingal County Council is a vibrant and dynamic place to work, and we are committed to ensuring our employees have the tools they need to succeed. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all involved”.

Fingal County Council has over 70 engineers who work in a wide variety of services across the county. This includes staff operating in the areas of housing, transport, active travel, public infrastructure, water, and environment. Examples of major projects being carried out include Culture House, Swords, and the new Ongar to Barnhill Road.

Senior Engineer and chair of the CPD

Committee at Fingal County Council, Colin Gallagher said: “The Fingal County Council CPD Committee provides clear and strong leadership promoting an inclusive CPD culture for the benefit and development of all our Engineers. The Committee has worked tirelessly to assist with the continuous skills development of Fingal’s Engineers, providing an excellent

Tempus Fugit My aging muscles remind me of their presence, as I stretch across my desk to hang up the new calendar on the office wall. 2026 has arrived - how can we have entered the second quarter of the 21st century!?

When youth was on our side, and we thought we knew it all, the older generation would say “Time goes faster as you get older”. But being a mixture of hormones, unjustified optimism, and arrogance, we dismissed their observation as yet another example of the auld nonsense they inflicted upon us. Well, now we know they spoke the truth. The years have flown by like leaves in a hurricane. Those of us who proudly wear the Baby Boomer badge, now inhabit a world that seems light years removed from the one we grew up in. We learned to write with a bottle of ink and a nib pen. “Blotting your copybook” wasn’t just a idiom,

active and dynamic resource for innovatively improving the Engineering roles and areas of expertise that are managed and performed so well here in Fingal. The emphasis on Continuing Professional Development of Engineers ensures that the Council is future-proofed to cope with any challenging obstacles that may arise in the future”.

it was a literal crime in primary school. If found guilty, one could be sentenced to a lengthy period standing in the corner or worst still ‘six of the best’. We counted on our fingers and an abacus, an instrument far too complicated for my neurodiverse brain. At second level we saw the overhead projector as cutting-edge technology in Swords Tech. If lucky, our homes had a rented, valve driven black and white television; which required regular adjusting of the ariel, twiddling of the knobs and the odd thump accompanied by an expletive, in order to maintain a snowy picture on the one or two channels available.

In our lifetimes science fiction has become a reality; Today’s technology makes Star Treck look like an episode of The Flintstones.

As AI invades every aspect of our lives, it’s easy to feel disempowered.

But life constantly involves and I’m sure there were those who cast a suspicious eye when the new-fangled wheel was first rolled out. Happy New Year.

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Stockton’s Wing & Ralph McTell The Dublin Legends & Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones Peggy Seeger Freddie White Altan Seán Ó Sé at 90 Féile Barney

Celebrating Dubliner’s Legend Barney McKenna

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Feature

Meet Boomer, Ireland’s only dual-certified search and rescue dog An interview with a Mountain Rescue Volunteer and his search and rescue dog, Boomer.

By Erica Elliott Thirty years ago, Swords man Joe Egan began volunteering with the Dublin Mountain Rescue Team, training with a dog unit, and working independently on site.

One day they were in Wales, and while they were recertifying the dogs for live victims, nearby cadaver training was going on. Joe recounts this moment speaking of Boomer, his search and rescue dog, “finding the bait before the dogs that were supposed to find it”. This was not something that had crossed his mind, he tells me. In fact he says it “was just by chance we found he was good at the dual work”.

Boomer is the only dog in the country that’s certified to search and rescue live and dead victims, and the training process is extensive as it’s difficult to train them once they go over a year.

“The first thing he has to do is speak. You get him to speak on command, then you have to train him with livestock, and he has to be able to both sit and stand, so if I find someone that’s injured I’ll be able to treat them without him”.

He tells me training a dog for dual work can be “confusing for the dog”.

“It’s not something I would set out to do”, he says.

“I have to be careful that if the person that’s missing is still walking around, that he can pick up on the fact that I have to find every person.

But to see him when he works, he’s so laid back and chilled. Other dogs run frantically around looking for the scent and that’s the way they’re trained to work. He just walks along really slowly, methodically”, he comments.

“I can read him like a book. So if you’re walking with me, I’m not looking at you. I have to watch him, every move he makes, and when he makes that turn, that’s it, he’s gone”.

When Boomer makes a strike, “he bolts”, he says. He goes to the person or the body, identifies it, and comes all the way back to him. This could be hundreds of metres away depending on the conditions of the weather and terrain.

“He comes back and barks at me. That’s how he speaks”, he adds.

“He lets out a loud speak and that indicates to me that he has found somebody, and I say show me, and he goes back to them and I follow him and he shows me exactly where they are”.

“That’s what you get after two years of training.

It’s a continuous tough two years for the handler, meanwhile the whole time the dog thinks it’s just a game”.

As for the training process for him. To train with the Dublin Mountain Rescue Team,

“originally you have to be a team member to train with the dogs team”, he says. As well as having navigational skills, first aid skills, and rope and rescue training.

But once they find the people, they have to treat them.

“If they’re injured, we assess them, we get the appropriate first aid up to them , up to and including helicopter evacuation, depending on injuries. Some people are just lost, some people are just lost and injured. With modern technology, the search engine sometimes can be quicker, they can send sire locking. We sent you a notification on your phone, and you respond to it and it pinpoints it. So that’s just a modern take. It saves the dogs, it saves the drones”, he tells me.

“If the batteries are dead or there’s no coverage, it’s not going to work. So if someone is lost on a particular mountain, the quickest way to find them with no technology is the dog”.

After thirty years, he says technology has advanced helping Dublin Mountain Rescue, and that they are soon to acquire a base.

“It’s evolved completely. Yeah, completely evolved with technology. We were flying in the helicopter there two weeks ago”, he responds.

“If there’s someone lost on top of the mountain, rather than me walking up the mountain, they can fly us up to the top, deploy us from the top. and that could include coming out on the rope. If they

can’t land a helicopter they have to put us out on the rope and hang us down. So we haven’t done that yet but we’re hoping to train him”.

Boomer is trained to walk off lead, not only while he’s working, but on a day-to-day basis.

However there are times where this is not the case.

“He’s on a lead right near the start or the end of a search. Because when you go to a search base, maybe the car park, the entrance into a forest or wherever it is. There could be press around, there’s always someone with a camera. If another dog was aggressive towards him and I’m dressed in rescue gear and he has his search jacket, it looks bad if I haven’t got control of him. And if someone walks away with a German Shepherd, I just lose control of him. He loves German Shepherds. So I keep him on the lead for that reason, and the family might be distressed waiting on their loved ones” he says.

“Because we set up our own dog unit, we had to find an assessor and the assessors we get are in Wales. So we travel to Wales for training and assessments and they come over here as well”.

Joe tells me they’ll soon be returning to Wales at the end of November for cadaver training, at the place where they first made their discovery.

Erica Elliott, from Swords, Co. Dublin is a final year Journalism student studying in DCU

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Finance

Positive Changes That Actually Benefit You

By Dave Kavanagh Here we are again at that time of year when, after possible excesses over the festive period, 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 your 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

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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. In addition, keeping these positive changes going, can actually let you save enough to pay for the following Christmas.

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.

MALAHIDE LOCAL-JANUARY 2026

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9

Feature

Getting into the New Year spirit!

Hello 2026!! Yes, it’s January and its cold and dreary but hey, why not try and plan something nice for yourself to look forward to. Our daughter is heading off skiing so we have been trawling the postChristmas sales nabbing ski bargains for her. Regatta has a great selection online and in stores and Dare2B.ie is brilliant for ski gear and essentials.

They currently have a huge sale on which is helpful for the parents who are paying for these ski trips!!! An important thing you might not think about when skiing is sunscreen – it is so important to wear it on the slopes, the reflection of the snow against the sun can cause major sunburn and it’s best to have a really strong sunscreen. We love Elave SPF50, made in Ireland it is very effective and kind to sensitive skin.

If you are not jetting off to hit the slopes, or lucky enough to going on a winter holiday, then try to do something nice for yourself. It can be a small thing, like booking in for a haircut or a massage or even sneaking off for a walk, coffee and

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MALAHIDE LOCAL-JANUARY 2026

glossy magazine by yourself. I like to relax in a bubble bath with a magazine and maybe even a cheeky glass of wine. If it means I can go 30 minutes without someone calling ‘Mam’ then that’s good enough for me!

If you do feel like a mini break to break the January blues, Farnham Estate in Cavan has great winter breaks offers. Their outdoor pool is open all year round and is amazing!

If you like to spend some time in Dublin, it can be tricky finding a nice hotel at a good price, so we usually check into Bracken Court and then hop on the train or bus into Dublin. It’s only 30 mins on the train. There are lots of cool events on in January including family friendly show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The National Concert Hall.

Book at www.nch.ie For some lovely new year competitions, go to www.mams.ie and follow our socials where we’ll be doing giveaways and offers to help chase away the January blues!

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Film Review

‘The Shining’ in IMAX is a Colossal Nightmare

By Jack Shanley Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece, The Shining, has long been a benchmark for psychological horror, with its suffocating visuals evoking a sense of unrelenting dread. Now, over four decades after its initial release, the film makes its debut on IMAX screens, resulting in a spectacle that is both deeply unsettling and gloriously intense.

The IMAX format is not just a matter of bigger screens; it’s an amplification of the film’s already potent atmosphere. From the iconic opening shot, where a yellow Volkswagen winds its way up a deserted mountain road, the scope is immediately immersive, drawing the viewer in. The vast expanse of the Colorado landscape, typically a symbol of freedom, instead conveys a sense of absolute isolation, inescapable and overwhelming.

The true power of the IMAX presentation lies within the Overlook Hotel. Kubrick and cinematographer John Alcott’s pioneering use of the Steadicam created those signature, smooth tracking shots that now, on the massive IMAX scale, feel almost like a physical presence, haunting the viewer as they glide through the endless, geometric corridors. The checkerboard carpet, where Danny rides his tricycle, transforms into a dizzying, three-dimensional maze.

Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance’s descent into madness is magnified to devastating

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effect. His frantic, desperate face, often centered in the frame due to Kubrick’s meticulous symmetry, takes on a monstrous, intimate quality. Every twitch of his eyebrow and every terrifying grin fills the viewer’s peripheral vision, making his breakdown feel far more visceral and unnerving. Meanwhile, Shelley Duvall’s performance as the increasingly hysterical Wendy, though initially controversial, is now heartbreakingly realized as a portrait of sheer terror.

The IMAX sound system pairs perfectly with the film’s discordant score and oppressive sound design, transforming the Overlook into a sensory prison. The eerie silence, the ominous low-end rumble, and the legendary elevator blood-flood scene, which rushes toward the audience, all combine to create a moment of overwhelming cinematic shock.

Although The Shining was not originally shot with IMAX in mind, the newly remastered digital presentation remains true to Kubrick’s meticulous craft. The fact that scaling up the film only serves to amplify its terror is a testament to its timeless, layered artistry, making this an essential experience for both cinephiles and horror fans.

As the Overlook Hotel comes alive on the IMAX screen, viewers won’t just watch the film – they will feel trapped inside.

I’d recommend checking out ‘The Shining’ in IMAX and see what you think of it; I shall give

it a score of Five Stars. You can go check it out at Cineworld. Director Stanley Kubrick – Rating: 16 – Genre: Horror/Mystery – Run Time: 2h 23m Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.

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With Susan

Managing Stress & Insomnia with Traditional Chinese Medicine Stress and insomnia often go hand in hand, forming a cycle that can be difficult to break.

When the mind is overactive and the body tense, restful sleep becomes elusive. Over time, poor sleep further heightens stress, leading to fatigue, irritability, and lowered resilience.

Chinese medicine and acupuncture offer a holistic path toward restoring peace, balance, and rest naturally. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), stress and insomnia are interpreted as signs that the body’s energy, or Qi, is out of harmony. The Heart, which houses the Shen or spirit, plays a central role in sleep and emotional health. When the Heart is disturbed by excessive worry or emotional agitation, the Shen cannot settle, causing the mind to remain restless at night.

The Liver, too, is vital because it regulates the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. Stress or frustration may cause Liver Qi to stagnate, showing up as tension, irritability, or disrupted sleep. Acupuncture helps restore balance by gently guiding the body back to its natural rhythms.

Very fine needles are inserted at specific points to release blocked energy and calm the nervous system. Common points such as Shen-men, Yin Tang, and Anmian are often chosen to ease anxiety and encourage restful sleep. The experience of acupuncture itself can be soothing, as it lowers stress hormones, slows the heart rate, and promotes a deep state of relaxation. With consistent treatment, many people find that their mood steadies and their sleep gradually becomes deeper and more refreshing. Herbal medicine often complements acupuncture. Chinese herbal formulas are carefully tailored to each person’s unique pattern of imbalance.

For those whose stress causes restlessness and irritability, herbs that nourish Yin and calm the Heart, such as Suan Zao Ren, may be included

under a qualified practitioners guidance . When overthinking and fatigue are the main issues, herbs that strengthen the Spleen and replenish Qi help restore emotional and physical stability. Over time, herbal therapy supports the body’s ability to maintain balance naturally, reducing both tension and sleeplessness. Lifestyle adjustments also play a vital role. Chinese medicine encourages gentle daily routines that promote calmness and even energy flow. Practices such as qi gong, tai chi, or mindful breathing can help release stress and centre the mind.

Eating warm, nourishing foods, avoiding caffeine late in the evening, alcohol, heavy or spicy meals late at night, and creating a peaceful bedtime environment all support healthy sleep patterns. The true goal of acupuncture and Chinese medicine is harmony—where body, mind, and spirit move together in balance. When stress is eased and Qi flows freely, sleep returns not as a struggle but as a natural rhythm of rest and renewal.

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Fingal News

Annabel takes Top Tech crown at Women in Business Excellence

Annabel Russell, the creator behind the popular family resource website TotsSpots.com, was the celebrated winner of the Tech and Digital Award at the prestigious Women in Business Excellence Awards on Tuesday, November 25th. The ceremony, a beacon of female achievement, was held in the stunning setting of the Hotel Kilkenny.

Ms. Russell’s win in the Tech and Digital category, which was proudly sponsored by Arc Engineering, recognises her outstanding contribution to the digital landscape through TotsSpots.com. The platform serves as an essential online guide for parents, providing a central location for activities for children across Ireland.

“I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive this award,” said Annabel Russell. “This recognises the hard work that goes into not just building a technical platform, but one that genuinely helps Irish families navigate their day to day lives. Technology has the power to connect communities, and I’m delighted Tots Spots is playing its part. This award really means a great deal to me as I have been a champion of women in tech for my entire career.”

Annabel left a decade long corporate career a year ago to start TotsSpots. com, Ireland’s only dedicated platform for baby, toddler and kids groups. The site has helped over 25,000 parents locate local classes and all groups can sign up for free. The idea came about during maternity leave where Annabel found it difficult to find activities for her baby. Previously, Annabel had been

working in tech for Penney’s, Aer Lingus and Kerry Group, where she has been a business analyst, change champion and strategist. She has also been an advocate for championing young women into tech by attending career fairs for secondary and college students, while mentoring them through their careers.

The Night of Celebration was hosted by the Irish Women in Business Network and the awards ceremony was impeccably MC’d by renowned style expert and broadcaster, Marietta Doran. Ms. Doran guided the evening’s proceedings, celebrating the resilience, innovation, and leadership of women across various Irish industries The event at the Hotel Kilkenny brought together successful female entrepreneurs across industries from every corner of the country for a night of networking and recognition. The inaugural Irish Women in Network Awards Business Excellence Awards champion the role of female entrepreneurs in the national economy and inspire the next generation of female leaders.

Arc Engineering’s sponsorship of the Tech and Digital award underscores their commitment to supporting innovation and growth within the digital sector and recognising the crucial role of women in driving technological advancement in Ireland.

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MALAHIDE LOCAL-JANUARY 2026

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