Wicklow Voice 12-12-2020

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May 28, 2015, t: 01 901 5556/7, December 15, 2020 e: info@wicklowvoice.ie

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southdublin@schooliseasy.com wicklow@schooliseasy.com

t: 01 901 5565 e: info@wicklowvoice.ie

December 15, 2020

wicklowvoice inside: FREE

May 28, 2015, 01 901 5556/7, December 15,t:2020 wicklowvoice.ie e: info@wicklowvoice.ie t: 01 901 5565 e: info@wicklowvoice.ie

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Why we must stay safe this Christmas

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Unit 5, Idea House, Killarney Road Business Park, Bray

Arklow plant to play key role in Moderna vaccine This year more than ever, we must remember our loved ones and, according to Government and health experts, the best way to do that is to follow the Covid-19 guidelines and reduce our number of contacts.

Between December 18 and January 6, we are all allowed travel outside of County Wicklow, while up to three households will be allowed to meet indoors during this period.

After January 6, the Level 3 measures that were in place will come back into effect.

Then people will again be asked to stay within the county, other than for work, education or essential reasons, and, if possible, work from home.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Arklow pharmaceutical company Merck has played a key role in the development of the Moderna vaccine.

The plant in south Wicklow has made one of the elements used in the vaccine and is a vital supplier for the US firm.

The Government has agreed an advance purchase agreement of 875,000 doses of the Covid-19 Moderna vaccine.

Moderna’s vaccine uses synthetic Ribonucleic acid (RNA) messengers that use genetic code from the coronavirus to prompt human

cells to generate a so-called “spike” protein found on the outside of the virus.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said the rollout of the separate Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will begin the week after approval by the European Medicines Agency on Decmber 29, beginning with nursing home residents and healthcare staff.

Continued on next page

East Coast FM ‘s Declan Meehan who was named Person of the Year in the Bray Chamber of Commerce Endeavour Awards

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COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

December 15, 2020 A young child is all smiles at Wheelock’s Tree Farm

Turning the page on 50 years in newspapers COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

FOR more than 50 years Michael Wolsey has been writing columns and comment pieces for newspapers in Ireland and England.

He is a regular columnist with this newspaper.

A through-the-years selection of these writings has now been published by Amazon.

As I Was Saying: Fifty Years of Comment from the Columns of Irish Newspapers is a ramble down memory lane - a wry look at issues

that are sometimes serious, more often humorous, from the changing issues of politics to the changing face of pubs.

All royalties from the sale of As I Was Saying: will be donated to NALA, Ireland’s National Adult Literacy Agency.

As I Was Saying: Fifty Years of Comment from the Columns of Irish Newspapers is published by Amazon.

It can be ordered online from Amazon or Kindle books, in e-reader and paperback formats .

Stay safe this year Continued on next page

However, he warned that “we cannot let down our guard down” on Covid-19 because a vaccine is nearly with us, and that further restrictions may be introduced in January.

Speaking on RTÉ, he said the vaccine is a complementary tool to other public health measures and “will add significantly to our armory in putting pressure on this virus”.

Mr Martin added that public health teams and doctors will be involved, along with GPs and pharmacists, who, he said, will all be consulted about their involvement.

The Taoiseach said that January and February will see a limited volume of vaccines available, but enough for the most vulnerable groups.

The bigger volumes will come in March, April and May as other vaccines come on stream and other vaccine manufacturing ramps up around the world, he added.

The Taoiseach also warned that we could be heading for further restrictions in January, admitting he’s “concerned” at rising case numbers.

Internet sales soar but local shops fight back

ONLINE consumer spending has taken a huge jump in the county but the local retailers are confident that re-opened shops will bounce back.

‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ saw website purchases soar to new heights, a bank has revealed.

Data from AIB shows that, at peak, Irish consumers spent €4,500 a minute on clothing during Black Friday and €2,200 a minute buying electronics .

Consumers spent 337% more buying clothing online during Black Friday (November 27) compared with a normal day and 336% more buying electrical goods.

Shoppers spent an average of €75 per clothing transaction, €119 on electronics, €204 on hardware, €77 on health and beauty and €137 per jewellery transaction on Black Friday.

While Cyber Monday (November 30) has now become a major online shopping day, Black Friday still outperforms it in terms of online sales, with 50% more spent during Black Friday than on Cyber Monday.

AIB believes online spending on the two big shopping days was boosted by the closure, under Covid restrictions, of many clothes and electrical shops.

Meanwhile shoppers spent over €1bn on groceries during the nationwide lockdown and run up to Christmas to make November the busiest month for grocers since the height of the previous national lockdown in June.

New figures from Kantar show that grocery sales growth accelerated to 16.4% during the 12 weeks to November 29.

Kantar noted that shoppers spent an extra €82,000 on mince pies over the past four weeks, while sales of Christmas biscuits soared by €793,000.

Sales of alcohol also jumped by 33% with an extra €721,000 spent on mixers.

Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, Kantar said that shoppers continue to treat themselves to branded products and spent an additional €85m on household names in the latest four weeks.

Minister green lights medical cannabis Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has given the green light for patients who are prescribed medical cannabis products to have their presciptions filled in this country.

It means that patients will no longer need to travel to the Netherlands to collect their medication.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, patients or their relatives had to travel to the Netherlands to collect their medical cannabis prescriptions as Dutch authorities allow the filling of individual prescriptions from EU states.

A delivery service to Ireland to assist patients of licensed

clinicians in obtaining their prescribed cannabis products was established last April on a temporary basis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Many patients and their families have shared stories with both me and officials in my department about how this initiative has made a huge improvement to their lives,” Mr Donnelly said.

“They spoke about the stress of having to travel regularly and the associated health risks with that, as well as their concerns that they would run out of their medication. I am so pleased that these problems will now be a thing of the past for them.”

December 01, 2020

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December 15, 2020

opinion&comment

Shops, like puppies, aren’t just for Christmas - use them or lose them

T

he full re-opening of shops caused a wave of excitement in many homes.

Some people got up at dawn to be first in the queue.

And they weren’t queuing for exotic items in luxury stores. Penneys seemed to be the favourite port of call and a lot of the shoppers were buying everyday items that were not urgently required.

A woman told a radio interviewer she had been too excited to sleep and so was up from 4am. She was heading a Penneys’ queue to buy pyjamas for her children and slippers for herself.

All this would seem to be good news for Ireland’s retailers, the ones that operate out of bricks and mortar shops that is.

The future looks secure for our downtown stores, those in what Britain calls the high street.

But looks can be deceptive .

Every December for the past

Michael Wolsey four years I have written about how our shops are faring and each year I have told the same tale of online growth and high street decline with big names falling by the way. Toys R Us, Maplin, Poundworld and Mothercare have all closed their doors.

This year they were joined by Debenhams.

Pamela Scott has shut half its Irish shops and now Arcadia the company that controls Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton - is on the brink of closure.

For the first time in Ireland,

spending online has overtaken physical spending.

In November 51% of consumer spending was transacted over the internet, according to the money transfer company Revolut, which has a million customers here.

Since most shops were closed in November that is hardly surprising, but the figures for October were not very different and Revolut reports that,

despite all the excitement about re-opening, December’s figures continue to favour online shopping.

So are we a nation divided between the enthusiasts who get up at four in the morning to join the queue for Penneys and the 51 % who think a shopping trip means moving from the couch to the kitchen where the laptop is? In truth, I suspect there is a huge crossover.

Most of us like the idea of real

shops and some of us like the idea of real shopping.

But most of us also have days when we just can’t be bothered and lockdowns made those days come around more often.

We don’t really need Revolut to confirm the trend or headlines about big name closures to remind us of the consequences.

Just take a walk through any provincial town or suburban centre and you will see empty shops, even in the main streets.

Some did not join in the big reopening and some will never open again.

It is the same story in out-oftown shopping centres.

Even before the Covid crisis there was a rash of vacant premises and space once occupied by high-end retailers was being filled by charity shops and seasonal pop-ups. Now even some of those have closed.

And it is not just our stores that are vanishing.

A lot of office work had already moved awa from town centres and the increase in

working from home has added to the flow.

The work of travel agents, insurance brokers, record shops and even bookmakers, is being conducted online and they no longer need downtown premises. Our town centres are being given over increasingly to small service industries such as hairdressers, nail bars and coffee shops.

Their future is far from secure.

They rely for their existence on office staff and the passing trade of shoppers.

Take away the offices and the shoppers and our town centres will die. We will end up with soulless town centres ringed by half-empty shopping malls.

I am sure this is not what we want; the early morning queues are proof of that.

But it will take more than post-lockdown enthusiasm to save our shops.

Like puppies, shops aren’t just for Christmas. If we don’t want to lose them we’ve got to use them - all the year round.

December 15, 2020

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December 15, 2020

baby! Isobelle scoops Members to take Oh the most beautiful title court action as golf club closes

MEMBERS at one of Wicklow’s most popular golf courses are fuming after it was announced that the club was being closed.

They are now planning to take legal action over the closure of The Charlesla nd Gold Club in Greystones.

“This is disgraceful, the members have been left high and dry,” one golfer who asked not to be named told the Wicklow Voice.

Members were first informed of the news in September when the Evans family, who own the facility, announced that it was closing.

A statement released by members said: “The recent unilateral announcement by the Evans Family of their intention to shut down the Charlesland Golf Club on December 31, 2020 was met with extreme shock, disappointment, and anger by the member community.

“Charlesland Golf Club has

been a wonderful venue for golf over the past 29 years and was one of the first courses in Ireland to fully embrace gender equality membership.

“Widely known as a very friendly and welcoming club the membership stands at over 660 members all of whom are stunned not only by the decision to close, but by the decision to close with only three months notice.

“The members thought they had a mutually respectful relationship with the Evans Family but were disappointed not only by how they have been treated after an almost 30 years relationship but how, in the winddown, they are having to fight the Evans family all the way to just get what is rightfully theirs.”

The Eddie Hackett-designed course which overlooks the Irish Sea officially opened in 1992 and affiliated to the GUI and ILGU a year later. It

was the brainchild of the three Evans brothers, Clive, Lance and Wilson, the land originally a family farm, belonging to their father, Lewis.

In 1999 the Evans family, who owns the land upon which it sits, leased the course to the club for an annual fee. Initially the cost of the lease was broadly commensurate with revenue generated from the annual membership, which at that time would have roughly equated to €400,000.

Nikki Evans on behalf of the club owners, the Evans family stated: “Despite significant investment, a restructure and success of Carr Golf to build membership, increase revenue and provide a high standard golf course, the facility still requires regular cash injections from the family. Coupled with an uncertain medium term outlook for golf, after long and careful considerations, we made the difficult decision to close.”

One of Greystones’ most popular competitions, the annual search for its Most Beautiful Baby drew a record number of entries this year.

Perhaps it had something to do with the lockdown, as parents had the time on their hands to get that perfect shot of their beloved offspring, and then launch a campaign for those all-important votes.

To qualify, the babies in question had to be born in

2019 or 2020, and be living in the Greystones municipal district. And they had to be tough too, of course, living through a world pandemic.

Born in that first wave, on April 7 2020, 8-month-old Isobelle Flaherty fought off a lot of stiff competition to claim this year’s crown winning parents Sarah and Robbie a €50 voucher for The Whale theatre in the process.

“Well, all parents deserve a

big night out every now and again,” smiled Sarah as the young family picked up their framed certificate.

“We’re just delighted though that Isobelle won. Not that we ever doubted the fact that she is the most stunning baby in Greystones.”

Running every November, this year’s Greystones’ Most Beautiful Baby was sponsored by D:Res Properties.

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December 15, 2020

Zach wins Katie Taylor bursary Congratulations to Zach Cullen, this year’s winner of the Katie Taylor Bursary, awarded by Wicklow County Council.

Zach, a member of the Wicklow Senior and U20 football squads, received his award at Wicklow County Buildings

on Wednesday last (Dec 9).

As well as his Wicklow County duties, Zach also plays GAA with University of Limerick college team and his club Avondale GAA. He lives in Rathrum and is studying Materials and Architectural Technology with

concurrent Teacher Education and is a very worthy recipient.

The award was presented by the Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Pat Kennedy, who commented: “I would like to congratulate Zach on this great achievement and the very best of

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luck in his college course.”

Meanwhile, Wicklow County Council supported by the Keep Well Initiative through Healthy Ireland, Sláintecare and the Creative Ireland Programme is to present a series of “Festival in a Van” concerts at nursing homes in Wicklow.

Residents and staff alike will be able embrace the season in a safe way with Christmas Carols and other works performed live in their nursing home grounds

by Irish musicians.

Mr Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Wicklow County Council, said: “We hope that

in a very difficult year for older people and nursing homes in particular, that this will bring some joy and good cheer to their homes. This is being brought to Wicklow through the switch off and be creative strand of the Healthy Ireland Fund.”

Donnelly TD Stephen

Minister for Health

Wishing You A Happy Christmas And A Better Brighter 2021

Constituency Office: Vevay Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 T2H3.

Tel: (01) 201 7300 Email: Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie

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December 15, 2020

insideback

Brexit is back with a bang

I

have to admit that Brexit slipped off my radar for large parts of 2020, having loomed large on it for most of the previous few years. It came back into view last week though, as the talks on a future trade deal between the UK and the EU went down to the wire through the weekend.

Obviously Brexit had slipped from top billing in 2020 due to worries about Covid-19, and perhaps the good news about the Covid vaccines helped Brexit scramble back up the media pecking order as much as the looming deadline for securing a trade deal.

At this stage Brexit is a done deal, it’s just the post-Brexit trade environment after the interim period that was being sorted out.

As the week progressed it was clear that the situation was on a knife-edge, a political and financial knife-edge.

Nobody wants to be poorer or less powerful going forward, especially after the ravages the aforementioned Covid-19 has wreaked on our economies.

Yvonne, Olivia (6) and Robert Leonard (5) at the launch of Electric Ireland’s announcement that it will credit the bills of approximately ten thousand of its registered vulnerable customers with €100 credit. Pic: Andres Poveda There was a ‘transfer deadline day’ feel about the weekend.

Who would get the best deal, the UK or the EU? Would there be no deal, or a

fudged deal that wasn’t really a deal?

The stumbling block seemed to be fishing rights, and Boris was bringing out the heavy

artillery – literally, in the form of the British Navy – to try to threaten his European neighbours.

Talk of deploying the navy lost

the UK any remaining shred of sympathy they had from me.

The symbolism of this was terrible, it was like something Trump would do – but then

Trump and Boris are two peas from the same populist pod.

It was war symbolism, directed against a European project that has brought the continent decades of unprecedented peace and prosperity.

I know who’s thought processes and logic are skewed, and it is not those of our European allies.

A trade deal that veered too much in favour of the UK would be a disaster for the EU. Aside from anything else, it would get other EU countries thinking about whether they should leave, thus undermining the European project, which as I said above has been good for us all.

Brexit should never have happened. It was an example of populism running roughshod over reasoned debate, resulting in a debacle that couldn’t be overturned; a bit like Donald Trump’s election as US President in 2016.

Somebody gets richer and more powerful by orchestrating these charades, but it certainly isn’t the ordinary citizen.

- Brian Quigley

December 15, 2020

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December 15, 2020

WILDLIFE

ninenottomiss

Mamma Mia!

book of the week

with Justin Ivory

It’s December and officially winter and with it comes an influx of visitors from Scandinavia. Sporting spiky hairdos, heavy eye-makeup and some flashy outer-ware between them, these tourists could well be a raggle-taggle bunch of punks, goths and new romantics!

So, who are they and why are they here? They are wild foragers and they are here to feast on our food. In this case they are wild foragers of the feathered and non-humankind, so have a perfect right to stuff themselves on mother nature’s larder. This mobile marauding club consists of a trio of members – Fieldfare, Redwing and Waxwing.

HOROSCOPES

tv show of the week film of the week

as i wAS SAYING

by Michael Wolsey

Idris Elba Meets Paul McCartney BBC1, 9.20pm, Saturday December 19

Wonder woman 1984 In cinemas now

For more than 50 years Michael Wolsey has been writing for newspapers in Ireland and England — including this newspaper. This collection is a ramble down memory lane, a wry look at issues that are sometimes serious, more often humorous. The articles open a window on recent social history with all its fads and fashions. The changing issues of politics and the changing face of pubs get their place alongside the author’s frequent battles with public transport and modern technology.

This is a book to dip into — to read, re-read and enjoy. It is published by Amazon and can only be ordered online, in e-reader and paperback.

IN a world exclusive, two of the biggest names in entertainment come together for a special one-off show, as the music icon is interviewed by the Golden Globe-winning actor.

McCartney talks about his writing process, which has produced some of the best-loved and most performed songs ever. As a producer and musician himself, Idris is fascinated by the Beatles legend’s prolific output and delves deep to find out what inspires him to continue to innovate creatively, as he releases his 26th post-Beatles album, McCartney III.

Wonder Woman 1984 — or just WW84 is the sequel to the 2017 movie which made a big splash and screamed out for a follow-up. Why is it called Wonder Woman 1984? Drum roll please . . . because it is set in 1984. Perhaps the producers thought that the Generation Z viewers, who only care about their own futures and very little else, would be surprised to know the eighties actually existed. Or maybe it’s just a way to sneak in a little history lesson and give them a break from cancelling anyone over the age of 23. Otherwise, expect to see a wonderful woman kick some serious ass. Which is no bad thing.

IDEA of the week

RECIPE of the week

family film of the week

TaurusChange is inevitable.

Believe you can prosper. It’s easier to finish old projects now. Generosity looks good on you.

GeminiConnect with neighbors, friends and community groups. Contribute to a team effort. A goal may seem distant or blocked.

CancerKeep your wits about you to handle a mess at work. Take charge for the results you want. The action is behind the scenes.

LeoYour travels and studies could include traffic, obstacles or barriers to advancement. Keep calm and carry on.

Fieldfare (Photo Justin Ivory) The Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is a large, colourful thrush, like our Mistle Thrush in size, shape and behavior. They particularly like to feed on Hawthorn berries.

Redwing (Photo Andreas Trepte www.phot-natur.net) The Redwing (Turdus iliacus) is also a member of the thrush family. Smaller than our Song Thrush, they have a very distinctive creamy stripe above the eye (supercilium) and orange-red flank/underwing markings. They roam across the countryside feeding in fields and hedgerows and only venture into gardens in the coldest of weather.

AriesTravel could interfere with personal routines, although new views inspire.

Avoid expensive missteps.

Consider long-term dreams and ambitions.

goal mile goalglobal.org/goal-mile/

Sausage with winter veg mash bbcgoodfood.com

come away In cinemas now

FOR almost 40 years the GOAL Mile has seen tens of thousands of people run or walk a mile to raise funds for GOAL at Christmas. It has brought people together in villages, towns and cities across Ireland to help others. This year, GOAL is asking everyone to run or walk their own mile, wherever they can, over the Christmas period. So, even though we have to stay apart, we can still stand together for the world’s most vulnerable people. To keep the GOAL mile running, log on to the website and register to take part on December 25th and 26th.

AS Christmas approaches and the focus is all on the big day, it’s all too easy to take the eyes off the little prizes, the comfort food that will warm up the winter evenings mid-week. There are lots of variations on this classic, but we like this one because it includes a splash of veg and, well, before Christmas that’s no bad thing for the waistline. The veg, in this instance, is shredded sprout. Did some mention sprouts already? Yes. Sorry. But it is almost Christmas.

THIS fantasy drama includes Michael Caine and Angelina Jolie in its stellar cast and is a loose homage to the stories of Peter Pan and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Here, Peter and Alice are brother and sister in biracial family (of course) filled with all manner of adult problems — the parents, Jack (David Oyelowo) and Rose (Angelina Jolie) deal with addiction, money problems, booze and the death of a child, while Peter and Alice escape into a whimsical fantasy world full of familiar elements from their own storybooks. It sounds bonkers. But for Christmas, an absolute hoot. Bring the hip flask.

album of the week

event of the week

podcast of the week

VirgoRely on trusted teammates.

Do the homework behind a financial decision. Consider costs and consequences.

Collaborate and adapt.

LibraSupport your partner and be supported. Resolve a challenge, navigate a change or overcome an obstacle together.

ScorpioSlow down to avoid missteps or accidents. Resist impulsive moves and clean up messes immediately.

Focus on physical health and activities.

Sagittarius-

Romantic ideals and fantasies may not match the current reality. Things don’t go as planned. Prioritize love.

CapricornFamily comes first. Expect messes, chaos or disruption at your house. Don’t divulge secrets. Keep your objective in mind.

Waxwing (Photo Justin Ivory) Last, but not least, is the Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulous) who get their name from the bright red tips on some of their secondary feathers that is reminiscent of wax seals used on letters in bygone times. They have a fondness for red berries, particularly those of the Rowan tree, quite a few of which can be found in urban and suburban areas.

taylor swift Evermore

enchanted garden winter lights lafcadiohearngardens.com

spooked!

Spotify and all other sources

THE second surprise release from the singersongwriter in 2020 features contributions from Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Haim, Marcus Mumford, The National, Justin Vernon, and William Bowery (aka Joe Alwyn). The album follows the remarkable success of Swift’s brilliant Folklore — an album that came slightly out of leftfield and confounded some who wanted to hate it on principle. Evermore is equally divisive and equally brilliant.

NOW in its fifth year, the Enchanted Garden is quickly becoming one of the top Winter Light Festivals in Ireland. This year, the experience is a one way walk through the gardens and is limited to one hour. These unique Japanese Gardens in Tramore are lit at night by a sea of twinkling lights, animal sculptures and tree and foliage lighting, creating a magical winter wonderland.

Tickets must be booked and are selling rapidly.

This creepy podcast invites you to gather ‘round the digital campfire as people tell the true spooky stories that really happened to them. These are all encounters that have happened to people in their own lives, so whether yo believe them or not is up to you.

Either way, this is sure to beat a game of charades after Christmas dinner or provide an escape from the in-laws if you can get some quiet time out.

AquariusShare the news and clear up any miscommunications immediately. A controversy could have a silver lining.

Keep your tone polite and respectful.

PiscesDon’t spend your income before you get it. Look for hidden opportunities in a chaotic situation. Monitor cash flow carefully to avoid shortfalls.

December 15, 2020

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wicklowvoice.ie December 15, 2020

Local school delivers packs to homeless

St Patrick’s National School are delivering more than 300 Care Packages and providing a hot Christmas dinner to the homeless.

The Greystones school have also collected over 1200 toys for children living in poverty in the city centre.

St. Patricks Church have taken on the challenge of providing Christmas dinner and festive entertainment for the Homeless in the Lighthouse Homeless Centre, Pearse Street Dublin 1.

Speaking about the Christmas initiative, St. Patricks School Principal, Rachel Harper said : “This Christmas was always going to be different and we wanted to highlight to the children, what we can do, rather than what we can’t do. So we thought about how our community could reach out to another, less fortunate one and make a

difference. The idea just grew from there. I am blown away by the kindness, generosity and goodwill from the children and the Greystones community.

“The care packages are made up of toiletries, non-perishable food, chocolate, hats, scarves, gloves and one of the most important items is a beautiful Christmas Card with a thoughtful message, made by the children.”

The Lighthouse Centre pro-

vided 60 meals a day, four days a week pre covid. They now provide 300 meals a day, 6 days a week and totally rely on donations. They also reach out to families within the community providing clubs and after school facilities.

Pictured with St. Patricks School Principal, Ms. Harper are Zach Johnston, Harrison and Starling Pritchrid along with and Eben and Marin Quinn.

COMHAIRLE CHONTAE CHILL MHANTÁIN WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL

MOTOR TAX OFFICES WICKLOW, BRAY & BLESSINGTON Wicklow Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Wednesday, 23rd December 2020 at 3.30pm. The office will re-open on Wednesday, 30th December 2020 at 9.30am.

Wicklow Motor Tax will open on Thursday, 31st December 2020 for a half day (closing at 12.30pm). This closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of End of Year Financial Reports on the National Vehicle Driver File System.

Kathryn Thomas and Don Johnson shared some festive cheer at the launch of ALONE’s Christmas Campaign. Pic: Jason Clarke

Council spends €2m to stop dump falling into sea

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is has signed a €2m contract to prevent the old landfill on the north side of Bray Harbour from falling further into the sea.

The dump is regarded as the highest risk site in the entire country of collapsing into the bay, a study in 2019 found.

The report raises concerns over 38 old landfill sites within 300 metres of the coastline, with six deemed to be at risk, with Bray considered ‘High Risk’.

Proposal to protect the coast and prevent the landfill from spilling into the sea on the north beach went out to public consultation in December 2018.

The duration of the works is expected to be around 16 weeks although no start date has been given.

In 2017, it was found that the dump contained 104,000 cubic metres of waste, including broken asbestos tiles, excessive levels of ammoniacal nitrogen, potassium and manganese.

Tommaso is still Pitman brewin’ up a storm Training opens here Advertorial

Normal office hours (9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.00pm to 3.30pm) will resume on Monday, 4th January 2021.

Bray Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Wednesday, 23rd December 2020 at 3.30pm and re-open on Wednesday, 30th December 2020 at 9.30am. The office will open on Thursday 31st December 2020 for a half day (closing at 12 noon). This closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of End of Year Financial Reports on the National Vehicle Driver File System.

Normal office hours (9.30am to 12 noon and 2.00pm to 3.30pm) will resume on Tuesday, 5th January 2021.

Blessington Motor Tax Office will close to the public on Tuesday, 22nd December 2020 at 3.30pm.

Normal office hours (9.30am to 12.30pm & 2.00pm to 3.30pm) will resume on Tuesday, 5th January 2021.

Wicklow County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.

REVENUE SECTION The Revenue Section of Wicklow County Council will close for payments at 3.30pm on Monday the 21st, Tuesday the 22nd, Wednesday the 23rd, Wednesday the 30th and Thursday the 31st of December 2020.

This closure is necessary to facilitate the completion of End of Year Financial Reports.

Please note that the offices will be closed entirely on the 24th and 29th of December 2020.

Normal Office hours resume on Monday the 4th of January 2021.

Wicklow County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.

Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, has welcomed the signing of the contract.

“The signing of the contract last week to address the environmental disaster, which has seen the old Bray municipal landfill at North Beach in Bray being washed into the sea, is really welcome news,” he said.

“The old dump, which is located on the border between Wicklow and Dublin, was used by the local authorities in Bray right up until the 1960s.

Cafe Delle Stelle has done it again ... back in 2014, the café won Greystones’ best coffee by a very comfortable margin. And then, they won it again every year since, including this year.

Well, let’s just say that proprietor Tommaso Spenato has been smiling brightly every winter when the annual competition comes around, and he once again walks away with the title.

“It’s a very big deal for me,” says the Italian barista of his

sixth consecutive win.

“At first, I was flattered that we won. The following year, it was an even bigger thrill. As the years and the wins progressed though, I’ve begun to feel quite possessive of the Greystones’ Best Coffee title…”

Sponsored by The Wood Group Homes, the fact that it was recently calculated that Greystones’ main street had 27 outlets for coffee makes Tommaso’s six wins all the more impressive.

Jobseekers across Wicklow can now avail of a free CV Review service and career consultation at Pitman Training Wicklow in Kilcoole.

Pitman Training Wicklow is the latest of 16 Pitman Training centres nationwide, offering year-round enrolment on over 400 courses including Medical and Legal Secretary, Office Administration, Management, Accounting & Bookkeeping, Computer Hardware, Networking, Software & Programming, Web Design, Graphic Design, Marketing and PR. Pitman Training Wicklow is based at 10 Bullford Business Campus in Kilcoole and specialises in careerfocused training with a range of Diplomas and Courses designed to give students the skills they need for their chosen careers.

Pitman Training has a distinguished track record, with their Diplomas and certificates highly sought after by employers across numerous industries.

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December 15, 2020

We take a look back at extracts from old newspapers to see what was in the news this month in years gone by

Freemans Jr 24/12/1828

Freemans Jr 06/12/1828

Freemans Jr 13/12/1851

Freemans Jr 01/12/1828

Irish Ind 17/12/1934

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wicklowvoice.ie December 15, 2020