Swords Local V8I1-MAR 2023

We are now in the second month of a new year and are all facing into tough times with challenges in a lot of areas. There has been a continued fall in living standards for households, figures released by the CSO at the end of 2022 showed an increased decline reflecting a continued fall in Irish living standards compared to other European countries over the past ten years. This reflects the impact the cost-ofliving crisis has had and continues to have on households. Workers and families were facing high costs long before the energy crisis and many are really struggling. Irish living standards have fallen further behind other European countries over the past decade and are now 10% below the European average and in the bottom half of the EU. This is a reflection of successive bad governments who have failed in improving prospects for Irish households – the current government has failed in areas like housing and healthcare, costs have risen and services are more difficult to access.

Housing

Sinn Féin is committed to ensuring that we deliver affordable homes to rent or buy for people on ordinary incomes.

There are many families in Fingal who have grown up kids who cannot move out and cannot move on with their lives and they are the generation who have been locked out. We need to build communities that have the necessary infrastructures in place and homes for residents that are affordable to rent or buy. People should decide what type of housing suits their needs, public, private or owner occupied but it needs to be affordable. We’ve seen too many government housing policies that aren’t delivering homes for our residents.

Working in the Community

Myself and Deputy Louise O’Reilly TD work closely together and with resident’s groups and individuals in our community to deal with local and personal issues. We listen to people’s concerns and do everything in our power to ensure that their interests are met, locally through Fingal County Council and through the Dáil, and through our constituency offices in Swords and Balbriggan.

I also work closely with Dessie Ellis TD on issues affecting the Santry area that falls within the Swords boundary and with community groups and indi-

viduals in this area. We support our communities on many campaigns and issues that affect their daily lives.

Sustainable Transport

With delays to Metro North I have called for and had a motion passed which calls for a Town Bus for Swords to facilitate those areas that have no direct access. Sinn Féin has supported residents who will be affected by the works in relation to the Metro.

Dublin Airport – Noise

The current situation with Dublin Airport ignoring noise regulations and agreed flight paths is a significant concern. Sinn Féin have met with groups campaigning against these breaches and I was happy to stand with residents in a recent protest. I’ve raised the matter with FCC and continue to do so. Along with Deputy O’Reilly we have met with the DAA and the IAA, and continue to meet with residents groups in affected aeas. The DAA ignoring noise regulations and agreed flight paths is unacceptable we will continue to raise this with FCC, ANCA (noise regulator) and in the Dáil.

Health

The current crisis in the health servic-

es is not new, despite promises by government the additional beds have not all been delivered and the numbers on trollies and the delay times for treatments and surgeries is not acceptable. Swords needs a primary care centre, I was delighted to get a motion passed to facilitate this as part of the Fingal Development Plan and we will be working closely with the HSE and the Department of Health to ensure this is delivered. There must be greater collaboration between community healthcare and acute hospitals to ensure that recovery and transitional care beds are available in the community for speedy discharges and the provision of care outside of hospitals where appropriate.

Crime

We need to tackle the growing crime and anti-social behaviour. This is a real problem– and there has been a lack of focus on making communities safe for everyone. As a member of the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) in Fingal, I have called for additional resources, community policing to be prioritised and for a local task force to deal with crime. The additional number of com-

munity Gardaí have had a positive impact in areas in Swords, but realistically the Garda station is not sufficient to meet the needs of a growing community and the resources needed to police the growth in population. This needs to be addressed as a priority to ensure the safety of our residents.

Environment

I’m a member of the Swords Woodland Association formed with the aim of maintenance of the green belt within the wider Swords area and promoting ways to ensure a greater appreciation of green spaces and promoting the planting of trees – one tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces driving 20K miles.

I also worked closely with the Save Swords Greenbelt group on their campaign to ensure that our environment is protected not just for current but for future generations to come.

Representing our Community

The Local Property Tax for Fingal was set at a 7.5% deduction, although Sinn Féin asked Councillors to support my motion seeking the full 15% reduction.

In 2022 thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin protesting the

rising cost of living including members from other political parties. Alleviating hardship is what the council should be striving to do, and not adding to it. The highest number of people who replied to public consultation on LPT requested a figure of 11-15%, and that’s what the people in Fingal wanted, however Sinn Féin were the only party who voted against the lower deduction. Sinn Féin Councillors have worked hard on the Development Plan, representing interests of our communities in areas that will most benefit them. As we come to the final stage we will continue to make our decisions based on what is best for the people we represent. I have worked hard to represent residents since my election in 2019 and before that as a community activist and will continue to do so. I have always worked in the heart of our communities and am available to meet with groups and/or individuals to provide any support or assistance that I can.

Since Covid rather than formal clinic times, I have found that pre-arranged meetings work best for people. Please contact me if I can be of any assistance.

Lets really enjoy St Patrick’s Day this year !

Plans are going ahead for a really big St Patrick’s Day across Fingal. Children and community/ voluntary groups are spending their time organising bands and majorettes and designing and decorating floats. Bands from all over the country are heading for our towns and villages in Fingal and the big one in Dublin city. We look forward to the sea of green, the music, and the joy on our children’s faces as they watch the spectacular parades celebrating our patron Saint’s day that are the envy of the world. No other nation in the world has a public display in so many other nations worldwide to celebrate their patron Saint. No other nation in the world has a tradition to wear their nations colour on that day (green) like we do and no other nation knows how to party like we do. In celebrating St Patrick’s Day let us do so responsibly but don’t let us restrict ourselves from having the craic which we are world famous for. Let us go out and attend our local parades (and show them off to our visitors) featuring our local community based voluntary and sporting organisations. We at Local magazines really value the essence of community, after all we are a community based magazine and cannot survive without the support of you the people of this community. Therefore we value the loyalty of you, our readership, and our wonderful contributors and advertisers. This St Patrick’s Day let us all set out to make it the best in years. Let us bring back the joy of being Irish which is the envy of the civilised world. After all there is no place on earth where you can celebrate our patron Saint’s day as good as here in Ireland. So lets enjoy the run up to it, every moment of the festivities and make it a safe and memorable celebration for our families while enjoying ourselves and the spectacle of St Patrick’s Day in the greatest little country in the world!

The Locals Team.

STRICT DEADLINE FOR NEXT EDITION:

Submissions by the 15th for inclusion in next months edition

One Voice Singers Swords – wants your singing voice!

One Voice Singers - Swords, the new community singing group based in St Colmcille’s GAA started back recently

. New members are welcome to come down and sing! The group welcomes adults of all nationalities, bringing people together with a special emphasis on community integration, diversity, and respect. It’s a great chance to meet new people and learn new songs, promising to be plenty of laughs, entertaining and above all fun. If you would like to sing

your heart out, please register online at eventbrite.com/e/ one-town-one-voice-singersswords-tickets-486869137697 or come along to St. Colmcille’s GAA in Swords on each Tuesday at 7.30pm. For more information contact Jacinta at community@fingal.ie The One Voice Singers are supported by Fingal Community Development Office and the One Town One Voice initiative. More information at onetownonevoice.ie.

The package to make your debts manageable.

‘Babylon’ pays tribute to Hollywood’s Golden Age

By Jack Shanley

By Jack Shanley

Outrageous, fascinating, dazzling and wild are just a few words to describe Damien Chazelle’s new film ‘Babylon’. The big extravaganza follows the rise and fall ofmultiple characters in the early days of Hollywood. I managed to catch a late screening on the night of its release and had mixed emotions at first. For the most part I was in awe but had a slight feeling of disappointment. A messy, chaotic blast from start to finish, it has everything from romance to comedy to even a dark horror sequence. ‘Babylon’ takes you on a journey, a cinematic experience that pays quite a wild tribute to the Hollywood Golden Age and the birth of the ‘talkie’. I felt it lacked direction, though. At times it just felt like a bunch of scenes thrown together, some necessary and others unnecessary. The scale is enormous, reflected in the size of the cast, thousands of extras and more than 100 speaking parts. The three-hour epic boasts an impressive cast and a wonderful soundtrack

by Justin Hurwitz, not to mention the amazing costume design taking us rightback to the glamour of the late 1920s. But over everything I liked and disliked about ‘Babylon’, there was something at the forefront of the material, a deep passion for cinema which rises above all the criticism. Chazelle brings us into his heart and leaves everything on the screen. His passion, not only for the craft of moviemaking but cinema in general, carries a breath of fresh air into the cinema, shining a light on the impact of movies on his life. As soon as the lights go down and the opening shot fills our screens, we are bewildered as to what’s about to occur, perhaps a wild journey through cinema. Who knows? It’s that unknowing that creates a story slowly unfolding into joy as our eyes are transfixed for such a magnificent ending. I really enjoyed ‘Babylon’, would recommend people go see it, and give it a score of FOUR stars. You can watch ‘Babylon’ at your local cinema today. Director: Damien Chazelle – Rating: R – Genre: Drama/Comedy– Run Time: 3h 9m – Language: English, Spanish. For more film content please follow @ movies4fanatics on Instagram.

Swords Tidy Towns working from dawn to dusk

As we leave February and migrate to March you can feel and see Spring is definitely in the air. Its that time of year when nature bursts back into life to pleasure our senses. Birds greet us with their wonderful dawn chorus, the evenings get longer, and Swords Tidy Towns spring into action. Projects that have been hibernating in their winter sleep are awoken as our volunteers crack on with our action plan. Swords Tidy Towns will once again participate in the St Patrick Day Parade this year as we have done for many years pre the Pandemic. As is our tradition we will be having a Pub Bucket Collection after the parade, your donations on the day are needed and are very much appreciated. All monies collected on the day will be pumped back into Swords to keep her looking beautiful. Your

help, helps us to fund the enormous amount of work put in by our group over the year. Our Quiz Night in Peacocks Rivervalley was very well attended by our supporters making it a great success. The craic was mighty, a wonderful time was had by all. Our Quiz Master and volunteer Noel Cosgrave played a stormer keeping proceedings light hearted with his usual good humour and banter. I would like to take this opportunity to thank local business and individuals for their generous donations which contributed greatly to the success of the evening. New volunteers are always welcome, you can just turn up on the day, we meet each Saturday at 10.30am in the Colourtrend car park opposite Penny’s, hope to see you there.

Aer Lingus Bowls Club - seeking new members!

Located in the ALSAA Sports Complex, Swords Road, Co Dublin, Aer Lingus Bowls club have a long and proud history. Established in 1989 its founding members formed successful and formidable teams. They won many tournaments, leagues and cups over the years. At present we have teams representing Aer Lingus Bowls club in the L.B.L.I. Ladies league and the B.L.I. Men’s league. Post covid we are in the process of encouraging.new members to join us. Lawn bowls is a wonderful sport. It has

physical as well as social benefits. We meet every Wednesday and Sunday at 11am throughout the year. It is a place to meet up with friends to laugh, chat and get some exercise. We certainly get our “steps in”!. In the words of one of our greatest writers “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing” (George Bernard Shaw). Aer Lingus Bowls club is an inclusive club. We welcome all abilities, ages, and genders. Are you interested in trying lawn bowls this Spring/Summer? Do

you know someone who might be interested? Would your club, Men’s/Women’s shed, Active Age group, organisations for individuals with additional needs, or school be interested in trying Lawn Bowls? All equipment will be provided for taster sessions. Please contact Des Walsh on 087 0678903/ Sandra McCarthy 0863114540 for further information or send a message on Facebook messenger Aer Lingus Bowls Club. We look forward to welcoming you. You will be assured of a warm welcome.

Airport cycle link crucial for Swords Active Travel network - Corkery

Fine Gael’s new Local Area Representative for Swords, Luke Corkery, has called on Fingal County Council to prioritise the development of the Dublin Airport ‘Pathfinder’ project, which is set to link Swords to Dublin Airport as part of an improved Active Travel network for the town. Luke Corkery said, “The Dublin Airport Pathfinder project is hugely welcome and long overdue; one of 35 nationwide initiatives announced at the end of 2022 by the Department of Transport that are set to be delivered by local authorities. We in Swords need a cycle link to the Airport. This project will be transformative. The Airport is one of our biggest employers here in Swords and the vast majority of those employees commute to work on a daily basis. Many of them live less than 5km away from the Airport and could easily cycle there rather than depend on bus services or cars, but currently the infrastructure is simply not there. It’s quite dangerous to even attempt to cycle near the Airport. A cycle link to Swords will facilitate vastly improved

connectivity, and this will be further complimented by the completion of the Airport and Swords routes under the Bus Connects scheme, as well as the eventual completion of Metro Link. The Pathfinder project will save Swords commuters time and money, with no need to wait for a bus or spend a fare. In addition to the obvious health benefits, this is a green initiative that offers an alternative to those who have no option but to drive.There is a huge opportunity here to provide a new option to Airport commuters, and we can’t afford to prolong this project. Now that €200,000 has been allocated to this specific project as part of the NTA’s Active Travel Allocations for 2023, I am calling on Fingal County Council to urgently identify a suitable route and finally develop an Active Travel link between Swords and the Airport. We need joined-up planning here. There is also a need to identify suitable parking spaces, free of charge, at the Airport. They need to be available in bulk, to cater for the expected demand”, he concluded.

FOIRA getting ready for the Easter Commemoration in Oldtown

The Fingal old IRA Commemorative society is getting ready for the Easter Sunday celebrations which takes place this year in Oldtown on Sunday 9 th of April . The Chairman of the society Paul O Brien said that it is the society’s 6th time to hold the Easter Sunday event in Oldtown , formerly in 1959 , 1969 ,1977 ,1992 ,2002 and lastly 2012 . The event will start with Mass taking place in St Mary’s church at 9.00am in Oldtown, followed by a parade lead by the Colour Party and the Black Raven Pipe Band and Volunteers to the Molly Adrian Plaque on the Bridge, at the Bridge the proclamation will be read and various speakers will talk on the day, also the last post and Reveille and National Anthem will be

played. Afterwards back to the Oldtown House Pub for tea or coffee and sandwiches , followed by the showing of the society’s award winning film ‘Who Shot Sergeant Kirwan’ directed by Society member Cathal Boland. Everyone is welcome to attend and if you need anymore information you can contact The Society Chairman Paul O Brien on 086 3518927. A Company of Volunteers was established in Oldtown back in 1918 it was formed by Thomas Peppard on the instructions of Michael Collins. Jack Smith was one of nine men who joined and it was Jack’s daughter in law Margaret Smith who wrote from Soloheadbeag to Sovereignty: The Oldtown Connection and it’s

a fantastic read and very well written, Margaret is married to Jacks son Pat who has kept his Father’s memory alive throughout the years along with his sister Eileen. Society Member Robin Bollards Grandmother was Catherine Smith the sister of Jack together they managed Sheridans farm and assisted in the setting up of Mooretown camp. The Society would also like to take this opportunity to Express our deep felt appreciation to Peter Rooney and the people of Oldtown for the work they have done to keep alive the memory of the Men and Woman from the area who took part in the fight for Independence 1916 – 1921.

Fine Gael’s new Local Area Representative for Swords, Luke Corkery

The Proclamation will be read at the Molly Adrian Plaque on the Bridge

Re-enactors at a past Easter Commemoration

Affordable Roofers Dublin is a team of highly qualified tradesmen with years of experience serving Dublin customers. They are on 24hours a day, 365 days a year, ready to respond to any type of roof repair work anywhere across Co. Dublin.

We also cover surrounding areas.

Whether it’s a leaking roof that needs to be fixed straight away, guttering that needs to be cleared, repair work to a chimney, or replacing broken tiles, we are here to help.

Our highly skilled tradesmen are available to investigate and pinpoint the cause of any water leak or roof defect and carry out the necessary repair works.

We provide affordable roofing services throughout the whole of Co. Dublin and further if needed.

St Colmcilles Nursery: “Cilles Cubs” are all back on the pitch!

St Colmcilles GFC Nursery, “Cilles Cubs” are all back on the pitch, training every Saturday morning at 10.30Am in our grounds at Holybanks. Our nursery caters for all ages, 4years up to U12 years. If you are interested in introducing your children to Gaelic Games through a fun and games why not pop down on Saturday morning. All our mentors are fully trained and

Garda vetted. We offer a great opportunity for children to become part of a local sports club, making new friends and to enjoy a great sport. We are also currently looking for new mentors to join our coaching team. Any training required will be provided along with garda vetting. For more info on training / coaching you can contact Cora 0833741305 or Aaron on 0863888944

Our U8s camogie had a wonderful surprise on the last day in Gormanstown recently ....For their comraderie, team spirit, super smiles and great skills our little super stars were awarded the title ‘GORMANSTON U8 TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT.’ Their coaches and parents

were absolutely so proud of them all. They will have a special little opportunity for medals, certs and photos with the plague very soon. Well done all involved and a special thank you to Siobhán McCann of the Fins Minor Camogie Team for coming along to encourage and support the girls.

Also the club is seeking young singers, dancers, musicians, actors or quiz buffs to represent us in some sections of the Dublin Scór na nÓg (Under 17s) competition which takes place on 26th March. Further info from Liam- 086 3814422

Our wonderful U8’s with their mentors

The Scor committee

Home Cook Recipes Healthy

Easy Peasy Dark Chocolatey Bark

Some of you may have given up sweet foods for lent. Some of you may be trying to cut back on sweet foods as part of healthy eating plans or goals or new year’s resolutions.Or some of you may just like trying out new food ideas and recipes!!! This recipe is super quick, easy and you can tailor it to your taste preferences or to whatever is in your kitchen cupboards!! I love the crunch that the dried edamame beans or nuts provide in this recipe and the richness of the dark chocolate. It is also very satisfying and filling. Edamame Beans are green soya beans which have become very popular due to their nutritious properties including high levels of protein and fibre which can help to keep us fuller for longer.

Edamame Beans also contain vitamins A, K and folate, and are good sources of calcium, manganese and iron. If you don’t have or like edamame beans, you could use nuts or seeds or dried fruit instead in this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 200g Dried Edamame Beans OR nuts OR seeds OR a combination with some dried fruit!!!

• 200g GOOD Quality dark chocolate

(Please Note: When I state good quality dark chocolate, it does not need

to be expensive. Most supermarkets have good quality dark chocolate at reasonable prices. The difference is how the chocolate melts and reforms. Good quality dark chocolate will melt smoothly and reform into a smooth bark. The not so good quality chocolate may turn lumpy and crumbled!)

Tip: I love the bright green colour of the dried edamame beans which makes them stand out against the dark chocolate but for a variety of colours, use a mixture of different coloured dried fruits, nuts, seeds etc.

You could even do an Irish flag theme for St Patrick’s Day with green pistachios or pumpkin seeds, orange apricots and white coconut chips or flakes!

Method:

1. Spread out a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking tray or lunchbox.

2. Melt the dark chocolate either: in a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and stir intermittently until just about all the chocolate is melted, OR in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each one.

Please stand by the chocolate whichever way you melt it, have patience, don’t forget to stir and be careful not to overdo it!

3. Pour the melted dark chocolate onto the pre-lined tray/lunchbox and spread it into a rectangle. Do not let any condensation or water droplets fall onto the melted dark chocolate as they do not mix well!

4. Scatter over the dried edamame beans OR nuts OR seeds or fruit. Allow it to cool and set at room temperature for a few hours. 5. When hardened, break up the bark into pieces or use a sharp knife to cut it neatly into squares, triangles or however you like!!

Store within an airtight container and use within 2 weeks. Bain sult as (=Enjoy)!!!!

Please follow ‘Biabites’ on Facebook for other food ideas especially in the ‘Fun food’ and ‘Recipes’ albums. Please follow @BiaBites on twitter. For nutrition talks/workshops at events or in schools/workplaces/community groups= please email: niamh@biabites.net Niamh Arthurs BSc, Msc Registered Dietitian and Researcher.

Swords Karate Club News

Swords Karate Clubhosted JKS Ireland

We hosted JKS Ireland Open Squad training recently. Everyone from red belt upwards was invited to attend. We covered kata fundamentals

and worked with different JKS Ireland instructors to improve our techniques.We also covered kumite drills. These are important for competitions. We also hosted Brown & Black Belt training recently. Everyone who is hoping to take a Black belt grade attended and went through the grading examination syllabus and katas required for the exam.We welcome new

members all the time.Our classes are as follows: Tigers (5yrs – 7yrs) Thursday 4pm & Saturday 10am. Juniors Tuesday 6pm and Thursday 5pm. Seniors Tuesday 7pm and Thursday 7pm. The first class to try out is free. Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join our club. Contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: jks_swords_karate_club

CommunityLocals.ie

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. Of an infected wound. (6)

5. The experience of thinking something has happened before. (4,2)

10. The largest city in Scotland. (7)

11. French ‘City of Popes.’ (7)

12. Expression used to admit mild dismay or surprise. (4)

13. With sincerity, without pretence. (5)

15. Forearm bone. (4)

17. Remove the moisture from. (3)

19. Cutting implement larger than a scissors. (6)

21. Troubled or uncomfortable. (6)

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

23. Travelled by shank’s mare. (6)

25. Fourscore. (6)

28. An awkward and inexperienced youth. (3)

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

31. Carrying weapons. (5)

32. Basic brick structure. (4)

35. The exterior appearance of something. (7)

36. Cold-blooded animal. (7)

37. Top clothing with a message. (1-5)

38. Military watcher in waiting. (6)

Down

2. Something that is representative of a group. (7)

3. Ancient Roman one-piece outer garment. (4)

4. One who shows fear in a crowd? (6)

5. Lethal, fatal. (6)

6. Place for prisoners. (4)

7. Conventional, maybe boring, food flavouring. (7)

8. Homes for Inuits. (6)

9. A state of extreme dishonour. (6)

14. Radioactive metallic element. (7)

16. Reset the wood-providers. (5)

18. Up to a time that. (5)

20. Showing sorrow or unhappiness. (3)

21. Put into service, employ. (3)

23. Wood for a cricket bat. (6)

24. Find by searching a closet. (7)

26. Of greater weight. (7)

27. Uttered a sudden loud cry. (6)

28. Approval where approval is due. (6)

29. They make for hirsute faces. (6)

33. Form of public transport. (4)

34. Where the air is unconfined. (4)

This is easy… we are offering you the chance to win €50. All you have to