Swords Tidy Towns members enjoy a well-earned day out
Article by Ken Duffy
Swords Tidy Towns had a great day out at the Vintage Picnic Concert in Swords Castle. We got stuck into a delicious picnic of our own which was generously sponsored by Supervalu in the Pavillions SC. We bumped into Swords Womenshed as we have done in previous years, them ladies sure know how to dress up and party. The Swords Tidy Towners group are no shy violets either, we were up showing off our moves to all and sundry. The bad
weather forecast never turned up which was a blessing for this outdoor event. Well done to Fingal County Council for putting on such a wonderful age friendly event each year, as always, you played a stormer, can’t wait for next year.
Remember Swordonians, we are always looking for new volunteers, trust me, it’s all fun. We are also looking for volunteers to help out at our Clothes Swops, Seed and Plants Swops which are held at the Rivervalley Community Centre. Contact Ken on 086-6008313
New Mayor wants to ensure Fingal continues to thrive
Councillor Tom O’Leary (Fine Gael, Balbriggan) has been elected as Mayor of Fingal at the Council’s Annual General Meeting held in County Hall in Swords recently. His election means he becomes the 20th Mayor of Fingal. The AGM also saw the election of Cllr Gráinne Maguire (Independent, Balbriggan) as Deputy Mayor.
Cllr O’Leary is a long-term resident of Skerries and has served as a Councillor in Fingal for over 15 years. He is a proactive advocate on key local issues and has held significant roles on transport, strategic infrastructure, planning, coastal management and housing during his time on the council. Married and with three adult children, he has worked as a parliamentary assistant to a number of Fine Gael spokespeople/Ministers in both the Dáil and Seanad.
Addressing councillors for the first time as Mayor, Cllr O’Leary said: “It is a great honour to be elected as the 20th Mayor of Fingal. I sincerely thank my colleagues for placing their trust in me to serve in this role to help ensure Fingal continues to be a great place to live for all.
“Throughout my time as a councillor, my focus has consistently been on delivering homes, strengthening infrastructure, and enhancing community facilities across Fingal. From affordable housing and measures to tackle anti-
The Age of Coffee
By Jon Kavanagh
In the early noughties I arrived in a trendy Dublin city hotel for a social/business meeting with friends and colleges from the media. When asked to name my beverage, I said “a coffee please”, prompting the bar tender to break into a language I didn’t understand; containing words like latte, ‘Capuchino, and expresso’, that meant nothing to me. Unknowing to me a coffee craze had pitched its tent in Ireland. I realised I was swimming way out of my dept. As a red face descended, I sheepishly said “just an ordinary coffee please”. By now the gathering had no doubt reached the conclusion they were in the company of a blundering bumkin who made Mr Bean look
social behaviour, to improving youth amenities, schools, and sports facilitiesI am proud of what we’ve achieved and am eager to build on that and ensure that Fingal continues to thrive.
“I am particularly looking forward to seeing progress made on the delivery of a new Sports Hub in Skerries, accelerating the delivery of more homes alongside key community infrastructure, advancing the development of the Bremore Deepwater Port, the opening of the new Skerries Carnegie Library, expanding our Active Travel initiatives and identifying a large annual event for the people of Dublin 15.”
Councillors also selected the Chairs for each of Fingal’s three Area Committees at this evening’s AGM. These committees focus on the local delivery of services within their respective regions, addressing issues such as roads, litter, playgrounds, water services, housing, and libraries. The newly elected Chairs for this year are:
• Balbriggan/Rush-Lusk/Swords: Cllr Luke Corkery
• Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart/Castleknock/Ongar: Cllr Eimear Carbone-Mangan
• Howth-Malahide: Cllr Cathal Haughey
like a sophisticated man about town. Today I consider myself a connoisseur of the aromatic bean. A surprising development, given my first childhood introduction to the then unfamiliar liquid. On an otherwise normal Saturday, my mother and father took me in hand and set off on a welcome and all too rare break from the gate lodge where we lived. On reaching our destination my mother disappeared into a hair saloon leaving me in the sole custody of my father. “Come on, we’ll go down the road to the eating house”, a term then used for cafes and restaurants, he said. A good man, he worked tirelessly to provide for us. But like many men of his generation, hands on parenting, did not rate high on his skill set. With all the grace of a farmer lifting a sack of spuds, he plonked me on a chair and wedged me under the table. What happened
next remains a mystery to this day. I know my father would not have ordered coffee in a million years. Yet, that is what a lady in an apron gave us. Were they out of tea? Or did she just assume we wanted coffee, and he was too embarrassed to say anything? We will never know. I thought things couldn’t get any worst till I finally managed to extricate myself from under the table and tasted the bitter tar like substance masquerading as coffee. Although certainly not my favourite, the accompanying biscuits somewhat softened the blow.
Coffee culture is just one of the many changes since that far off day in the mid-sixties. Around our Fingal towns and villages, we are never far from top quality outlets; ranging from comfortable indoor areas to the now familiar ‘horse box’ types which are a positive spin off from the covid era. Enjoy your coffee!
Cllr Tom O_Leary has been elected as Mayor of Fingal
Fingal Mayor Tom O_Leary with Deputy Mayor Grainne Maguire
Summer has begun - let’s play!’
The kids starting their summer holidays are celebrating..... while parents are wondering how they’re going to entertain them for 8 weeks!! So let us help you with some top tips for places to go! Dublin city has lots to offer. National Concert Hall has great events & concerts. While The National Wax Museum has interactive exhibits the kids will love. Check Mams.ie for Wax Museum Competitions!
For family dining, Shake Dog Diner offers fantastic value for burgers, shakes, hotdogs etc. For delicious Mexican food, Acapulco on Georges St is excellent and very child friendly.
Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan has easy access to Dublin via regular trains and buses and they do packages that include Emerald Park, Flynn Park, Funtasia and other fun activities. Plus they’re right beside the beach.
Skypark in Carlingford is brilliant for all the family. I’ve zip lined there, much to my childrens amusement, its so fun! Go to Mams.ireland
FB for our Skypark competition. The lovely Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford is nearby and ideal for making a staycation out of your trip! For a memorable family break, Farnham Estate is wonderful. The spa, golf, indoor/outdoor pool are fabulous and the food is top notch! We love staycations there. The woodland walks are great for kids - look out for squirrels and lots of birds!
Malahide Castle and Gardens is beautiful for picnics and exploring the stunning grounds. They often host events too. And Avoca cafe is a perfect pitstop for yummy cakes & coffees!
Newbridge House & Farm is brilliant for kids who like animals and exploring. Watch out for the peacocks, their colourful feathers are spectacular.
We will have competitions running throughout the summer, for Flormar makeup, Artessa Coffee Beans, Arc Cinema tickets & lots more, so stay tuned to Mams.ireland on FB, Mams.ie on Insta and www. mams.ie