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Springing into the New Year
Spring has finally arrived after what has felt like a lifetime since we have seen some proper sunshine and some warmer conditions! Slowly but surely the seasons are changing and the time for new beginnings is upon us again. There are so many things to look forward to in Springtime. Local people throughout Fingal will be busying themselves in the first few weeks of Spring, making plans for the coming months, especially summertime and the annual summer holiday season. In Fingal we don’t have very far to travel to find something to make great memories from. We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the country; the sheer number of public parks, castle grounds and gardens accessible all year round is unrivalled; the community centres, state of the art libraries, music venues, cafés, restaurants, bars, the list goes on and on. There is so much to do in such a short distance.
There are so many wonderful voluntary organisations out there in Fingal and the work that they do is invaluable to their respective communities. From sporting groups, walking groups, youth groups, Men’s Sheds, ICA groups, Comhaltas groups and the many, many more clubs, societies and organisations – local people rely heavily on them to make a difference to their daily lives.
But these organisations can only survive with the selfless work their volunteers provide who give up their own time after work and on weekends to make our lives more fulfilled. We love seeing more for us to do in our communities and are always looking for something new and exciting; just remember there would hardly be anything to do without these voluntary organisations and their volunteers. There is always room for more people to get involved with their local voluntary organisations and the help is always appreciated.
As a community-based magazine group we really do deeply appreciate all the work done by local volunteers in their respective areas. They are the ones who make our towns and villages look so beautiful and we are so happy that they give their time so selflessly.
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WELLNESS
Generation Baby Boomer
by Jon Kavanagh
Well, here we are a quarter way through the first century of the new millennium. Tempus Fugit! Reminiscing with an old school friend we marvelled at how quickly we have gone from writing lines in Swords Tech to writing application forms for our bus passes. It got me thinking about the incredible changes we baby boomers (born 1946 – 1964) have lived through. As children we were meant “to be seen and not heard”. We learned to write with nib bens and ink, our calculator was our ten fingers. The teacher’s stick wasn’t just for pointing at the map. In many homes the wooden spoon doubled jobbed as a food mixer and law and
Will Big Bird Ride Again?
Big bird on a quad has been the highlight of the Rush parade for years but the big question for 2025 is has he retired! Here’s hoping he makes an appearance one more time.
order enforcer. We didn’t appreciate that living history walked amongst us: many who survived the 1916 uprising, two world wars, the war of independence, the civil war, the Spanish flu and a tuberculosis epidemic, were still active in the community, with a generous helping of ‘characters’ filling their ranks.
With hindsight, Tony, who had tales to tell about all the above, became my de factor grandfather (my actual grandfathers had both passed on before I was born). He would regularly give me a half crown coin, (a considerable sum of money back then) and advice on everyday life like “Always leave the wireless on when you are leaving the house to deter robbers”. Paddy, who had served in the British army, took his role of curmudgeon in residence very earnestly, sitting on a wall in the village giving his caustic take on life to all who passed by. He would have made a great keyboard warrior on today’s social media. And then there was Rosie, a would-be entrepreneur,
who used hard sales techniques to impose everything from badly knitted garments to eggs and bales of hay on reluctant locals. I recall her bursting into our gate lodge, plonking a jam jar she had crudely decorated with sea shells, on the kitchen table, whilst loudly proclaiming “Theres a nice flower vase for ten bob!” Being timid in nature my mother unwillingly shed out the said sum for the affront to the arts and crafts movement.
We remember when Swords was a small rural village and the airport (then known as Collinstown) was but a twinkle in the eye of the large international hub we see today. Fingal was as rural as any far-flung corner of Ireland. At heart we were country folks living simple lives. Don’t get me wrong, I love modernity and can wield a mobile phone and paper coffee cup with the best of them. But somehow, I’m glad I was born a baby boomer to experience a world that gave us a resilience that comes in handy during lockdowns, storms, power cuts etc.
Top Sports Award for Loughshinny United AFC Chairman
AnneMarie Farrelly Fingal CEO, John Spencer, Chairman of Loughshinny Utd AFC and Fingal Lord Mayor, Brian McDonagh
Carrieanne Spencer, Child Safety Officer, Loughshinny Utd AFC, John Spencer, Chairman, Loughshinny Utd AFC and Louise O_Reilly T.D.
What Has Changed with Capital Acquisition Tax?
By Dave Kavanagh
In Ireland, inheritance tax and gift tax are both under Capital Acquisition Tax. In 2022 in Ireland, there was over €600 million collected in Capital Acquisition Tax. It also includes estates that may have been taxed in previous generations. For example, if someone left an estate worth €1,000,000 to an only daughter, she would (in the current tax year) have a tax bill of just under €200,000. After she pays the bill and puts what’s left in the bank, any interest is taxed (DIRT). Guess what happens when she passes and leaves her estate behind? It’s taxed again! So what has changed? Spouses can leave any amount to each other tax free. After that, the three new thresholds are, a) Children - €400,000, b) Other close relatives - €40,000 and c) All others (including cohabiting partners) - €20,000. Everything received above these is taxed at 33%.
So, is there any way to prevent it? There are two main actions that can either reduce or eradicate such a tax bill. The first is to take the time to plan when making a will. Let’s say a value of €900,000 was being left to 2 adult children. (Not a big estate if you combine a house, savings and a life policy). This would create a tax bill of over €16,000. Instead, if €800,000 of it was left to the 2 children and the balance between a few grandchildren (at least 5), there is no tax bill. The
second thing that can be done is for the person leaving the estate to take out a Section 72 plan. This is a type of life policy that is allowed to pay any tax liability without adding to the value of the estate. It becomes particularly important for anybody that does not have children to plan things out, as even other relatives can only receive €40,000 before any balance is taxed. These thresholds are particularly important for anybody in the process of planning or making their will.
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.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
In 2025, we’re celebrating The Year of the Snake with a vibrant themed parade: Snakes!
This ties together the legendary story of St. Patrick chasing the snakes out of Ireland and the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Snake.
We’re calling on all local community groups to help make this event as colourful, musical, and lively as possible! Whether your part of a school, club, or organization, we’d love your creativity in crafting floats, costumes, and decorations that bring this theme to life.
We’ll be collaborating with local
junior and senior schools to create snake-themed floats, artwork, and parade pieces—ensuring a day filled with colour, music, and excitement!
Save the Date: St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2025. Location: Rush National School to the Anchor on the Square
Let’s join together to celebrate our national day in spectacular style. Slither on down and be part of this unforgettable parade!
For more information or to get involved, please contact us at manager@rushcoco.ie
www.facebook.com/BalbrigganLocal
parÁidÍ fhine gall 2025
Rush to Shine in Yellow for Daffodil Day 2025
Daffodil Day on March 28th will see the village or Rush turn yellow when Rush Daff Day Committee and volunteers take to the streets to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
Since 1988 this community voluntary group has worked for a common cause, heightened in most cases by their own experiences of cancer with family or friends. We are conscious that it’s the supporters and not the organisers who deserve the praise, the people of Rush are generous beyond belief.
Their amazing hard work and the generosity of the community over the years means that research into Cancer, trying to find a cure, supporting families thru their cancer journey, offering lifts to treatments and many other supports are able to continue. Rush has donated over 1-million-euro
Irish Cancer Society and will continue to donate for 2025.
Rush Daff Day group started in 1988 with members of Rush Badminton club holding a raffle raising a sum of £189. In 1990 the group took to the streets, selling silks, pins and merchandise and this tradition together with the annual coffee morning has continued to date. In 1998 the Paddy Cole Dance Night was started to raise funds; this became a huge success and ran for six years. In 1999 the Golf Classic started, bringing in large sums of money for the cause. The annual Christmas Swim which is now in its 15th year and the Ladies Lunch which started in 2006 are two more fundraising events. Tickets for the ladies’ lunch are usually the most sought-after
item during the month of April/May, this event is hugely popular and raises not only awareness but much needed funds for the Irish Cancer Society. The Garden of Hope in Rush Library, Michelle’s Fun Run as well as our Dash & Splash event are some of the other events run over the weekend.
Local schools support the fundraising event and St Joseph’s Secondary school transition year students support us year on year. We hope that this will encourage the younger members of our community to continue the fight against cancer and join the Daff Day Committee.
We will continue to fundraise, and our moto is ‘we wont give up till cancer does’ will be what carries us on to collect for this cause that effects almost every home in the village
Time for Springtime Treats!
Spring is great time to declutter the house and garden. Charity shops are glad of donations but it’s a good idea to get a skip too for those items you need to get rid of. We shopped around and got the same size skip from Oxigen for €120 less than another local skip company! They delivered and picked up when they say they would and the customer service was great. Happy to recommend them!
March is for treating the Mammies on Mother’s day. If you are on a budget, make her breakfast in bed, run her a bubble bath or cook her a nice dinner. If you want to take her somewhere nice, we love Silken Thomas in Kildare. They have an award-winning bar and restaurant and their accommodation is beautiful. Spoil her to a meal or
mini break or surprise her with a Silken Thomas gift voucher. I brought my Mam recently and we loved it; we cannot wait to go back!
For personalised gifts, Wanapix has a great range for Mother’s day. Use CODE MAMSIE for a 15% discount. I love my personalised Wanapix travel bag with my name on, I use it as a tote bag all the time. And my hubby loves his special ‘Dad’ glass!
If your Mam enjoys a pool and spa, Farnham Estate is stunning. It’s worth going for indoor/ outdoor pool alone. Relax in the warm outdoor pool while breathing in the country air. It’s magical! Their spa is fabulous, and accommodation and food are top notch. We love it so much we had a family wedding there!
Need some gift inspo and wanna keep it Irish? Hampers & Co. have hampers to suit every taste and budget. I especially love their wellness hampers. One Dame Lane has beautiful jewellery and gift sets. Cocoa Brown have budget friendly tanning sets. We are loving Wired Irish Crafts quirky candles – especially the coconut and bamboo. Stitch-a-name personalised fluffy robes and silky pyjamas are lovely. For hair lovers, Olaplex or Alfaparf gift sets are in salons and etailers. For theatre lovers, a voucher for National Concert Hall is a wonderful gift. The Design Gallery in Drogheda has lots of gift ideas and they gift wrap free of charge! Follow us on mams. ie in the run up to Mother’s day for more gift ideas and competitions!
“Companion” (2025) The Future Of A.I.
By Jack Shanley
In a world where technology seamlessly integrates with daily life “Companion” (2025) explores the complex relationship between humans and A.I. The film follows Iris, a young woman who discovers she is a companion android designed for human companionship. As Iris grapples with her identity and the limitations of her programmed existence, the line between human and machine blurs, raising questions about autonomy, control, and the very nature of love.
Sophie Thatcher delivers a captivating performance as Iris, portraying her vulnerability and strength with nuance. Jack Quaid shines as Josh, the man who initially appears to be Iris’s loving companion but whose true motives become increasingly ambiguous. The supporting cast, including Lukas Gage as the enigmatic Patrick, adds depth to the narrative, each character embodying a different facet of the human-AI dynamic.
The cinematography captures the beauty and unease of Iris’s world, while the soundtrack amplifies the film’s emotional core. The script is thought-provoking, exploring themes of identity, free will, and a view of advanced technology.
“Companion” is not without its flaws. Some plot developments
may strain credulity, and the film occasionally relies on familiar tropes of the sci-fi genre. However, its strengths may far outweigh its weaknesses. The film’s exploration of complex themes, combined with its strong performances and compelling visuals, make it a decent watch for fans of science fiction and thoughtprovoking cinema.
Ultimately, “Companion” is a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of unchecked technological advancement. It somewhat of a scary view of the future and with the film being told from an A.I perspective, I naturally felt a bit uneasy. I also understood that the humans were at fault., but It all goes back to Kubrick’s great 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in which he views it as humans becoming far too comfortable with technology that it would eventually consume us empower A.I and take over. Its with ‘Companion’ that you can kind of feel the same energy.
In all truth I’d recommend checking out ‘Companion’ and see what you think of it; I shall give it a score of three stars. You can watch it at your local cinema today. Director: Drew Hancock– Rating: 16 – Genre: Horror/Sci-fi – Run Time: 1h 37m Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.
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Across
1. Very enthusiastic and dedicated. (4,2)
5. An old story about mythical events. (6)
10. There’s no time like it. (7)
11. The place to go for a play. (7)
12. Abruptly terminated. (4)
13. The path of the Earth around the Sun. (5)
15. An examination conducted by word of mouth. (4)
17. A large body of salt water. (3)
19. A period of instruction. (6)
21. Commonly combined with fever, canary and belly. (6)
22. Obscured by protection. (7)
23. A line that suspends the harness from the canopy of a parachute. (6)
25. Salvation Army magazine and slogan used to rally support for a cause. (3,3)
28. Be of service, help. (3)
30. Cut the herd in size to remove the sick animals. (4)
31. Place in a grave, a short exam. (5)
32. Object used on the set of a play. (4)
35. An inscription on a tombstone in memory of the person buried. (7)
36. A device that displays words for people to read. (7)
37. Expression used for shock, dismay, sympathy, etc. (2,4)
38. Large birds of prey. (6)
SUDOKU ANSWERS
Down
2. Not helpful at all. (7)
3. The natural colour of aged hair. (4)
4. Freshwater carnivorous mammals. (6)
5. Baltic Republic, capital is Riga. (6) 6. A narrow secluded valley. (4)
7. Not artificial or imitation. (7)
8. Sit or lie with one’s limbs spread out. (6)
9. Either of a pair; a mate. (6)
14. A performance to raise money for a charitable cause. (7)
16. Bring camera image into sharp detail. (5)
18. Metal piece to mark distinguished service. (5)
20. Lower and raise the head to indicate agreement. (3)
21. Wood used for archery bows. (3)
23. Information that is not to be passed on. (6)
24. He’s said to have planted the first potatoes in Ireland. (7)
26. A small rounded boat made of hides stretched over a wicker frame. (7)
27. Expression of exuberant delight or triumph. (6)
28. Ship stopper. (6)
29. A formal discussion in a public meeting. (6)
33. Ornamental mineral, often green. (4)
34. Boys night out with a male deer. (4)
