Swords Local V7I9-NOV 2022

be found in our local retail outlets. This helps not only the owners but the staff who are our neighbours and friends. It is also a way of involving all the family as you spend the day shopping in your local area. Many of us will indeed be Christmas shopping but we would suggest that where possible this is exactly the time to do it as we all have a been at a stage in the past where we were jostling around in a flurry at the last minute which was far from ideal. So we feel whether its to book your Christmas turkey and ham or vegetarian or vegan alternative or to find the right present for Grandad and Granny or the children or Grandchildren, now would be an opportune time to do so. The advantage of shopping for presents now is also that we will save that little extra that will help with our energy costs which have been rising in recent months. This is also the time of year when we should keep and eye on our elderly friends and neighbours and make sure they have all their needs. Evening a quick call into them for a chat means so much to those who live alone and who knows they may need a wee message when you are there. Some may say that is for the Christmas period but remember it is less than 7 weeks now until Christmas Day so our Yuletide period has begun. One thing the pandemic has taught us all is that we can succeed if we work together for the betterment of each of us and what better time to do it than now in the lead up to Christmas. Stay warm, stay safe and look after yourselves and each other.

The Locals Team

OUR LOCATION

Our MAST Centre is based in the stunning setting of Malahide Marina, in the Fingal Bay area. We have excellent facilities, ample car parking, close proximity to the Malahide DART station and several regular bus services. Our classroom, fully equipped for all courses, is located on the water’s edge, where you can enjoy the beauty, panorama and shelter of Malahide Harbour.

Malahide Estuary is an ideal learning and training environment - while sheltered, the tidal ranges will provide additional learning opportunities and challenges, when practicing boat handling, mooring, berthing and man overboard techniques along with the use of fairways and slipways when encountering commercial and leisure traffic.

The Fingal coastline stretching from Howth to North of Balbriggan, with large, protected estuaries and salt marsh habitats, has a strong conservation and amenity value. The Bay is a place of many ports and harbours, fishing, offshore islands, rocky coasts and beaches, offering a fantastic variety of training ground for some of our more advanced courses. The Malahide Estuary is an important wintering bird site and holds an internationally important population of Brent Goose and nationally important populations of a further 15 species of bird life. Respecting our environment is fundamental in our training.

I must go down to

Welcome to the world of marine training with Malahide Sea Training (MAST)! We are very proud to be recognized as an official training centre by our national governing body Irish Sailing (IS), and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).

Gain an internationally recognized certificate in powerboating or sailing at the MAST Centre - the qualifications gained through the IS and RYA schemes are recognized around the world and can be the foundation for commercial endorsements.

We welcome all boat users, whether sail, powerboat, cruiser, leisure fishing, new boat users or refreshing your knowledge. We provide all of the necessary gear to get you on the water for a fun, interactive and educational experience. Our dedicated Instructors deliver training in well-equipped facilities with approved boats and equipment. We look forward to meeting you!

Powerboating to us at our range courses in First Aid, ICC and

The MAST Centre, established by Therese Flavin, who has been in the industry for over 3 decades, and complimented by staff whose combined experience range over 100 years, the MAST

OUR VISION

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MESSAGE FROM THE CENTRE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the MAST (Malahide Sea Training) Centre at Malahide Marina, offering professional and recreational powerboat and sailing experiences and training courses to clubs, organisations and individuals or groups.

WHY TRAIN WITH THE MAST CENTRE

Therese leads a team of

chosen for their sailing and powerboating ability, experience, passion,

and

Sailing (IS), and the RYA.

in Sailing, Powerboating,

MAST Centre is approved by

offer a

list of

VHF Radio, Sea Survival, Safety

Building on Irish Sailing and Royal Yachting Association standards you can earn a national and internationally recognised licence, further building your knowledge, skills and experience along the way.

Our students’ learning experience is very important to us. We place great emphasis on safety, our environment and constantly strive to meet and address the demanding challenges in the marine industry.

Our professional, qualified instructors have local, national and international experience and knowledge. We pride ourselves on the quality of our curriculum content and our multicultural ethos. It is my pleasure and privilege to welcome you to the MAST Centre. Our dedicated team look forward to supporting you in your exciting voyage.

Therese Flavin, Centre Principle

Swords GAA clubs strongly represented at Scór finals!

By Liam Ó Culbáird

On Sun 2nd October. A fantastic day was had by all at the Dublin County Final of Scór Sinsir 2022 (the GAA’s talent competition) that was hosted by Fingallians GAA and Fear an Tí Liam Ó Culbáird.With strong representation from northside and southside, Dublin now has a very strong team as they enter into Leinster. A special thanks to all the clubs that participated and those that helped promote the competition within their clubs. Thanks to our moltóirí Ann and Cóilín and our cabhróirí Sinéad and Donna but most of all thanks to the participants.The winners were as follows in these different categories: Tráth na gCeisteanna: Ranelagh Gaels, Rince Foirne: Cuala, Amhránaíocht Aonair: Cuala, Aithriseoireacht / Scéalaíocht: Fingallians, Bailéad-Ghrúpa: Cuala Ceol Uirlise: Cuala. It was great to see three local Swords GAA clubs represented; Fingallians, St. Finian’s and Colm Cille’s. Pictured are all the Swords competitors.

CommunityLocals.ie

Why Joint Plans Are Wrong For Some

By Dave Kavanagh

Many couples have joint plans in place for things like Life Cover. That is fine if the couple are married, but not if they are not married. Due to our very dated Capital Acquisition Tax laws, if an unmarried couple have a joint policy, in the event of a claim the survivor could be facing a large tax bill. This is because married couples can give or bequeath any value of assets without there being a tax liability. For a cohabiting couple, they are treated in the “strangers” bracket of amounts you are permitted to receive before tax is due. This did not change in the recent budget, so after a tax free threshold of €16,250, any balance is taxed at 33%. So if we take John & Mary as an example, who have a joint life policy with €250,000 life cover, in the event of John passing away, Mary will be paid out the policy proceeds but also now has a tax bill of €35,887.50 (this assumes premiums were paid from a joint account that they both contribute to, if John paid the premiums from his own account, Mary’s tax bill would be €77,137.50!) So how can you avoid being liable for such a large, potential tax bill? The correct advice when commencing cover for an unmarried couple should be, instead of setting up a joint plan, to set up two “life of another” plans. So John takes out a plan on Mary and pays the premiums and Mary takes out a plan

on John and pays the premiums for that. When done this way, if the same as above happened and John passed away, Mary is deemed to have paid for the cover herself and so is not liable to pay any tax, meaning she receives the full €250,000 policy proceeds and no tax bill. It’s worth also noting that unmarried couples that buy a house together can face a similar problem if one of them passes away. The survivor that inherits the deceased’s share of the property may then be liable to pay tax on that portion of the property. There are ways to plan for this and to be exempt. If anyone is in either of these situations, please get in touch for advice.

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.

Order fresh fish and seafood products for next day delivery to your home. We source the freshest fish from local fishermen in Howth and around Ireland, bringing you sustainable, quality food at a price that won't be beaten

DELIVERY TO THE GREATER DUBLIN AREA

Swords Tidy Towns and the Transition Year Students!

By Ken Duffy

This year we have once again linked up with the Transition Year students from both Fingal and St Finnian’s Community Colleges. We linked up with the students as community work is one part they must undertake to achieve their Gaisce Awards. Recently Swords Tidy Towns have had enquires from other Tidy Towns asking how they should go about involving Transition Year students in their areas. It is a great initiative

which we have embraced wholeheartedly, the students are a joy to work with, youth and age working harmoniously together, it bodes well for the future. We wish other Tidy Towns success and good luck in their efforts to link up with their TY students. Swords Tidy Towns await with bated breath the results of this year’s National Tidy Towns competition, a lot of hard work has been put in this year. We have been successful the past four years achieving a National Silver Medal on each occasion. It would be nice if a

gold was awarded to us this year, it would be a fair reflection on the hard work and dedication put in over many years by our volunteers. The early nights are upon us, so Swords Tidy Towns have cancelled their usual Wednesday night clean ups. We now only meet on a Saturday morning at 10am in the car park of Colourtrend opposite the Central SC, we are very grateful to Colourtrend management for facilitating us. We can be contacted at our email address swordstidytowns@ gmail.com

Fingal County Council has welcomed the announcement by Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a €150,000 grant under the Shared Island Local Authority Development Funding Scheme for the Corridor Enterprise Hubs project.The Corridor Enterprise Hubs project is a Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC) initiative for which Fingal County Council is the lead authority. DBEC is a partnership of eight local authorities and two universities located on either side of the border. The grant will enable Fingal to commission a feasibility study on developing regional innovation hubs within the DBEC area. Innovation hubs have been identified by the DBEC partnership as having the potential for collaboration between the partners based on existing local strengths and the importance of the establishment of local clusters as highlighted in national and regional plans.The DBEC partners have identified a number of economic clusters with the potential for cross-border collaboration including: -Fintech Cluster- Circular Economy Cluster - Digital Health Cluster - Agri-tech Cluster and Advanced Manufacturing and Renewable Engineering Cluster.Welcoming the funding announcement, the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony, said: “The funding from the Shared Island Scheme will allow Fingal County Council, and our partners within the Dublin

Belfast Economic Corridor partnership, to undertake this important feasibility study which will examine how we can create cross-border sectoral clusters, using new or existing facilities, to promote enterprise in the region.”Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly said: Following today’s announcement, a multidisciplinary team drawn from within the DBEC partnership will prepare the Terms of Reference for the feasibility study, with Fingal County Council leading and managing the procurement process with the tender award anticipated in December. The successful tenderer will

commence the feasibility study in January 2023 and will be supported by a Steering Committee comprised of relevant officials from within the DBEC partnership to produce a final report in Q22023. The Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor partnership consists of Belfast City Council, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Armagh Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Newry & Mourne District Council, Louth County Council, Meath County Council, Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council plus academic partners Dublin City University and Ulster University.

Householders in Fingal will see their 2023 Local Property Tax bills reduced by 7.5% following a decision by councillors at last night’s monthly meeting of Fingal County Council.The elected members in Fingal voted by 26 votes to eight to reduce the Local Property Tax by 7.5% up to 31 December 2024. This is the sixth successive year that bills have been reduced by less than the 15% rate. The previous five reductions were for 10% and the extra income raised facilitated increased resources in areas such as housing, operations, community, and libraries. The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Ann Marie Farrelly, said the decision of councillors will benefit both the householders and the communities they live in.This is the sixth year we have been able to give householders a reduction while creating a fund for local services. Having that extra funding has made a tangible difference across the county and I would like to thank our Elected Members for their continued support,” said Ms Farrelly. The effect of new valuations and the increased number of residential properties liable for Local Property Tax will result in an average decrease of around 1.3% on what people were paying in 2022,” she added. The number of properties playing Local Property Tax in Fingal has risen by 10.7% from 98,300 in 2022 to 108,800 and the average amount

paid will reduce from €349 to €345.The decision not to apply the full 15% reduction means that Fingal County Council will have an additional €2.26m to spend on local services.

The menopause and perimenopause should not secret

By Siobhan O’Neill White

When I was 12 my Mam told me about periods we also learned about periods in school – albeit in the most unhelpful and shameful way, like it was some horrible secret girls should never talk about! When

was pregnant, I read loads of books about pregnancy, birth and being a parent. When

had a miscarriage, I got support from my Mam who had been through a miscarriage herself and advice from www.miscarriage.

So why is it, when I hit my 40’s, no-one told me about Menopause, or her evil little sister, perimenopause? My periods were erratic, my mood was all over the place, I had trouble sleeping and my hips ached.

was anxious and fearful but didn’t know why. I got into my car one day and couldn’t remember how to drive. I sat there for a full 5 minutes with no clue how to start my car. It’s called Brain Fog apparently!

had tests for arthritis, a brain scan, CT scans – all manner of tests to see what was going on but no answers. And then a miracle happened when Davina McCall made a show about menopause. All I knew about menopause was that women got hot flushes and their periods stopped in

their 50’s. Oh how ignorant I was! I had never even heard of perimenopause. It was a huge relief to know I was not alone and that every woman goes through this. Finally, armed with information, I had my hormones tested and was put on HRT. Its early days but already my sleep is better and my joints are not aching as much.

In addition to HRT, I use the Balance App (a free app for women dealing with perimenopause & menopause) which is full of advice and support. I have also found the supplements from Better Body Co. helpful with bloating, which is a common problem for women dealing with perimenopause and menopause. For anyone who wants to find out more or get support for perimenopause or menopause, find chat and advice on the Balance App. I would highly recommend checking out the Menopause Documentary on the RTE player and the Davina McCall documentaries on Channel 4 on Demand. I would also recommend having your partner and children watch these documentaries with you because the more we speak openly about perimenopause & menopause, the better it will be for women who are affected and their families.

Workplace Health & Safety

Blade Runner still cuts it after all these years

By Jack Shanley

Forty years ago, Ridley Scott released one of the most captivating Sci-fi films of all time. As it approaches its 40th anniversary, I just had to give ‘Blade Runner’ another rewatch and it never fails to amaze me.It’s an extraordinary film, both beautifully crafted and visually stunning. From the amazing Score by the late genius Vangelis to the phenomenal detail in every shot, it truly is a jaw-dropping cinematic experience. Although it’s a futuristic Sci-fi film from the ‘80s, it still very much clings to the classic film noir style of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Detective Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a masculine yet vulnerable character, a character we’ve seen multiple times throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. ‘Blade Runner’ is influenced enormously by the film noir style and, of course, other movies such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Star Wars’ and probably its biggest influence, Fritz Lang’s 1927 futuristic classic ‘Metropolis’. There is still a freshness and distinctiveness in the material no matter how many times you watch it. One of the greatest elements is

the spectacular visuals that suck you in, and as a viewer you can’t help but get lost in it.From the opening aerial shot of the beautiful mesmerising dream-like city, Scott has our attention, and we want to dive in there and then and explore every inch of this amazing city. However, what’s rather interesting is we never really get the chance to, for up high it looks astonishing but down low it looks like an overpopulated, run down, damp claustrophobic city. Although ‘Blade Runner’ looks amazing, it also sounds amazing. Due to the spectacular visuals you can turn down the sound and still enjoy every second.The film also delves deep into the study of the human condition and essentially questions how we live life. It truly is a science fiction masterpiece and for that I give it a score of FIVE stars.You can watch ‘Blade Runner’ on Amazon Prime or pick up the final cut version for €9.99 in Tower Records.

Director: Ridley Scott – Rating: 15 – Genre: Sci-fi/Action – Run Time: 1h 57m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @ movies4fanatics on Instagram.

Councillors approve Council’s €989m Capital Programme

Councillors have approved Fingal County Council’s €989m three-year Capital Programme which provides for significant investment on projects across the County during period from 2023 to 2025. It represents a €205m increase on the previous Capital Plan with the 2023-2025 programme identifying 266 individual projects with an estimated spend of €988,990,218 over the three years The Programme projects a capital spend in 2022 of €269m, followed by €354m in 2023 and a further €366m in 2023. Around 55% of the €989m has been allocated to Housing with

the €543m budget underpinning the Council’s commitment to delivering a significant housing programme under the Government’s Housing For All policy. Another 15%, or €146m, has been earmarked for Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development projects. A further €139m, or 14%, is set aside for Planning and Strategic Infrastructure projects The remaining 17% of Capital Programme spending will be on Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel (€68m); Operations and Water Services (€41m), Community and Sports Development (€35m)

and Corporate Affairs and Governance (€17m). The Capital Plan is a rolling programme which is revised annually as time and other constraints may vary the progress of projects within a given period. The decision of Councillors to agree the Capital Plan 2023-2025 does not confer approval on any individual project. This can only be done through the normal statutory processes and compliance with the Public Spending Code. Funding arrangements also need to be clearly identified and secured in advance of committing to any project.

Swords Karate Club News

We were privileged to host the head of JKS Worldwide, Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS, recently for a training seminar. Over 4 hours, Kagawa Shihan gave masterful karate instruction in kihon, kata and kumite. Over 100 JKS members from across Ireland attended Applewood Community Centre to take part. The attendees ranged in age from 6 to over 60 years and Kagawa Shihan was mindful to cater to everyone who was training. We hope to have him visit next year again. It is great to offer our students the opportunity to train which such a high calibre Karateka. Congratulations are in order for three students who were presented with their Dan Diplomas by Kagawa Shihan at the seminar. Brian Horgan and Conor Glennon received their 1st

Dan Diplomas, while Vincent Clarke received his 4th Dan Diploma. All of these karateka were dedicated in their training to achieve their Dan grades through tough examinations. Regular training continues weekly in Applewood Community Centre. All classes are enjoying being back to a regular schedule after the summer break and are working towards the next event which is the 2nd JKS Inter Club Competition which will be held in Tallaght.We hope to have some medal winners on the day.We take new members (Children, Young People & Adults) all through the year. Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. Contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_ club

Conor Glennon with his diploma and Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS,

The attendees at the training seminar

Vincent Clarke with his diploma and Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS,

Brian Horgan with his diploma, Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS, and Dermot O Keeffe Sensei, 6th Dan JKS.

As the temperature drops, we add the winter layers of clothing including scarves, hats, gloves and other woollies! We may also find ourselves opting more for comforting, warming foods to heat us up from the inside out! Rice, semolina or tapioca pudding is a classic consoling dessert or treat. This recipe is quite simple using milk, a grain of your choice such as quinoa/rice/tapioca/semolina and is flavoured with spices and dates. I used quinoa in the recipe below just because there was some in kitchen cupboard that I wanted to use up!

Home Cook Recipes

Niamh’s Nourishing Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 cup quinoa or rice/tapioca/ semolina

• 15 dates (soaked overnight or heated for a few minutes in water)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Place in a saucepan with boiling water and let it come

to the boil.Then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Add in the spices, dates and vanilla.

3. Gradually add the milk. Cook and stir over a medium heat until the mixture becomes thick, creamy and luscious looking!!!

Sprinkle some cinnamon on top and Voilà!

For 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. Niamh Arthurs, Public Health and Clinical Nutritionist

St Colmcilles host highly successful G4M&O blitz!

On Saturday October 8th, St Colmcilles Gaelic for Mother and Others hosted their Blitz in aid of St Francis Hospice. Many teams were invited, 7 of them took St Colmcilles up on the offer, St Finians, Fingal Ravens, Na Dubh Ghall, Erins Isle, O Dwyers and Starlights. Over 100 women took to the pitch throughout the day, where each team played 3 matches each. All our referees volunteered their time and for this we are

appreciate greatly.Friday night the preparation started where all the St Colmcilles ladies gathered and arranged all the spot prizes which were donated by local businesses and got the hall set up. O’ Dwyers from Balbriggan were voted Team of the Tournament by the referees. Each team donated to the Hospice and there was a raffle after the games to help raise further money for

the hospice. Raising just under €3000 we would like to thank everyone involved in this great event.St Colmcilles G4M&O are always looking for new players, even if you’ve never kicked a football before, this LGFA initiative is a great way for women to meet up and have a laugh while getting exercise and learning a new skill. Contact Marian on 0876819540

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. Sudden feeling of excitement and pleasure. (6)

5. Wood for a cricket bat. (6)

10. There’s four each year (allegedly). (7)

11. Find by searching a closet. (7)

Sound like an owl. (4)

Reset the wood-providers. (5)

Form of public transport. (4)

Showing sorrow or unhappiness. (3)

19. Have enough money for something. (6)

21. Approval where approval is due. (6)

Radioactive metallic element. (7)

A usually short sermon. (6)

They make for hirsute faces. (6)

Put into service, employ. (3)

A female relative. (4)

Up to a time that. (5)

Where the air is unconfined. (4)

A violent storm of small extent with whirling winds. (7)

Of greater weight. (7)

The form of a word that is used to denote more than one. (6)

Uttered a sudden loud cry. (6)

Down

2. Prevent from happening. (4,3)

3. Golf club with a relatively narrow metal head. (4)

4. People who consistently fail.. (6)

5. Travelled by shank’s mare. (6)

6. A strand or cluster of hair. (4)

7. The exterior appearance of something. (7)

8. Common respiratory disorder. (6)

9. Top clothing, often with a message. (1-5)

14. Not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal. (7)

16. With sincerity, without pretence. (5)

18. Carrying weapons. (5)

20. Remove the moisture from. (3)

21. An awkward and inexperienced youth. (3)

23. Recess at the end of a chimney. (6)

24. A dog of no definable type or breed. (7)

26. Cold-blooded animal. (7)

27. Military watcher in waiting. (6)

28. Spread out a carpet. (6)

29. Fourscore. (6)

33. Just, unbiased and blond. (4)

34. Basic brick structure. (4)