By Malahide Historical Society

A recent rescue of swimmers in the deep narrows channel in Malahide had a happier outcome than this sad event which was reported in the press 101 years ago.

Titled “MALAHIDE DISASTER”
“Three Dublin men, who were fishing from a boat in Malahide Creek, lost their lives on Sunday through the upturning of the boat, in an attempt to float through one of the arches of the railway bridge. Their names are Thomas, Ryan, 47 York St. , John Somerville, Manor Place and Richard Tisdall, 143 Gt. Brunswick St.With them in the boat was Robert Wilson of Robert St. The four were members of a fishing party organised by the Knights of the Silver Hook Sea Anglers. Several boats, in each of which there were four competitors, set out and took up their separate positions.

The men set their baits and, after some time, that occupied by Ryan, Somerville and their companions drifted towards the railway bridge, known as the “Eleven Arches.”’ With the falling tide a strong current flows there and, carried away by a strong wind, the small boat capsized at a point which may be described as a waterfall. The occupants of the boat were thrown out, and quickly carried away into deep water. Wilson succeeded in clinging on to the boat and was rescued by other fishermen. The occurrence was witnessed by a lady looking from a window in the vicinity. She raised the alarm, but owing to the distance from the village, before help could reach the bridge the three men were carried away to death by the flowing waters. When Mr. Wilson was brought ashore he was in a state of exhaustion.The body of Ryan was recovered and taken charge of by members of the I.R.A but the other bodies have not yet been recovered. Mr. Ryan was an employee of Messrs. West and Son, goldsmiths and jewellers, Grafton St., Dublin. Mr. Wilson is Hon. Secretary of the Knights of the Silver Hook Sea Anglers’ Club”.Source: Southern Star newspaper 1 July 1922

by Jack Shanley

Daunting disturbing and chilling Vertigo remains a masterpiece. 55 years after its original release and with it being shown later this month in the lighthouse Cinema Alfred Hitchcock’s mesmerising fascinating masterpiece still moves audiences today. Arguably Hitchcock’s best film it’s still fascinates me every time I see it. It’s the study of obsession that keeps the material so fresh and new. Its Johns (James Stewart) obsession that drives the story on and keeps us hooked from the second we see the dizzying spirals of the opening credits sequence. Although story was arguably the most important part of a Hitchcock film, with Vertigo its quite different. It’s the emotions, characters, themes that pull a story together. I’ve seen this work with many films and find it quite interesting, as a film it could have a basic story but it lives off its character development etc. This is the film that introduced the World to the famous sequence known as the Vertigo Effect which has gone on to be used in various other films. It;s basically a forward zoom with a reverse dolly meant to achieve a disorienting effect of shifting perspectives. Vertigo also happens to be Hitchcock’s most personal picture, burrowing deep into the directors own darkest wormholes: obsessions with women, the desire to control them, and to mould them into a personal ideal. The psychologically complex material is played off incredibly well by James Stewart who we sympathize with and a chilling Kim Novak performance. With the colours dazzling, and Bernard Herrmann’s extraordinary score as crisp and haunting as ever, its surely a must watch. In all truth I’d recommend checking out Vertigo as its screens in the Lighthouse Cinema on August 20th and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of five stars. Director: Alfred Hitchcock– Rating: PG – Genre: Mystery/Thriller – Run Time: 2h 8m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.

by Siobhán O’Neill White

Need inspiration for ideas to keep the kids busy this summer? Go to www.mams.ie, follow our socials FB @mams.ireland, Instagram @mams.ie and Twitter, @mams_ie for ideas, discounts and competitions galore.Emerald Park is open for visitors! Whether you’re brave enough to face Cu Chúllain or more comfortable visiting the zoo, it’s a fab day out. We’ve tickets to give away here: instagram.com/mams.ie/ Eddie Rockets want to help parents this summer, so every Tuesday, kids eat free! For every adult meal purchased for €12 or more, get one free child meal. To enter our Eddie’s voucher giveaway, go here: mams.ie/2023/05/16/kids-eat-free-at-eddie-rockets-on-tuesday-all-summer-long/ Need staycation inspiration? Farnham Estate is wonderful for family breaks. Nestled in the lush Cavan’s countryside, it’s a haven. We love to walk the grounds and visit the stunning indoor/outdoor pool! My sister got married here and it remains a firm favourite for our family. We heard such rave reviews about Carlingford Adventure Camp from parents last year that we’ve booked our 11yr old in with her best friend for their 3 day/2 night camp. Jam packed with activities and set in beautiful Carlingford, the camps are very well priced and have residential and non- residential options available, see https://carlingfordadventure.com/
For days you want to chill out, ArcCinema.ie kids’ clubs are great value. We also love their family deal which includes cinema passes, popcorn and drinks for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids or 1 adult and 3 kids) for only €39.95. With so many wonderful movies out this summer, there’s plenty to choose from! We recommend investing in some garden toys for the many summer days the kids will be playing at home or have friends over. Irish company JKC Toymaster are experts in outdoor toys. Our daughters have been on our Berg trampoline non-stop since we got it. See their fab range here: jkctoymaster.ie/. If you fancy a different kind of holiday - how about Glamping?! We’re heading to Ardmore Glamping Pods in beautiful Waterford. We’ve booked a large pod, which fits 7 people. Right next to the beach and Ardmore Open Farm, it’s a fabulous location. They even rent BBQ’s out so you can cook up a storm while enjoying the beautiful beach views! Inquire at ardmoreglampingpods.ie/. Please make sure to be sun safe this summer. We recommend Irish brand Elave SPF50 suncream. Its brilliant for all ages. Watch our socials for giveaways on this.

By Dave Kavanagh

One of the issues with planning ahead to protect you and your family’s financial future, is the fact that we don’t know exactly what the future holds. Will jobs and income change? How long will I maintain good health? Will I win the lottery jackpot in the next 3 years? The uncertainty of the future means that we often plan for a variety of occurrences. One important aspect of this planning is deciding on a term for things like Life Cover. A life cover plan can either be done for a specific term or it can be done as a “whole of life” plan. One of the problems with the old way of doing these was that the premiums were reviewed after a few years and could result in constant, substantial increases, often forcing people to either cancel them or accept a much lower level of cover. With “guaranteed whole of life” plans, you at least know exactly what the premium will always be and the level of cover but planning that far ahead can be costly. A relatively new method of dealing with this issue was introduced from one of the life companies, and it is an addition called “Life Changes Option”. This option gives the policy owners a number of choices once they have paid premiums for at least 15 years. They can then choose to either; a) Stop paying premiums and reduce the level of cover which stays in place until the cover is paid out, or b) Cancel the cover (if it is no longer required) and take a refund of up to 70% of all premiums previously paid, or c) Continue the plan as it is with the same level of cover and premiums. This option has become quite popular when people are looking to future-proof cover as it offers choices that can suit people’s changing circumstances. If they have cleared loans and have sufficient savings, a reduced level of cover might be ideal. If they have strong pensions and savings, they may no longer have a need for cover and can take back a lump sum. For more information on how this type of cover may suit you, ask your advisor or contact me for a free quotation.

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 Dave at info@financialcompanion.ie or use the contact form on 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 well being, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM , LMFM and TV3.

Malahide Abbey ruins stand adjacent to the Castle. Their size suggest that it was no private oratory or chapel. The surrounding cemetery would indicate that it probably served the people of Malahide from the 12th to 16th Century. In 1630, the Abbey was stated to be in a ruinous condition. When Cromwell installed Myles Corbet in Malahide Castle for a brief period, tradition has it that Corbet used the Abbey as stables and stripped the lead off the roof to make bullets. The present structure consists of a late fifteenth-century nave and a sixteenth-century chancel. The east wall of the chancel features a fine three-light window whilst the west gable of the nave is surmounted by a three-arched bell turret with an access stairs and a triple window beneath. It is likely the bells were fixed and the bell-ringer climbed the stairs and sat or stood beneath the bells and struck them with a hammer. Within the Abbey is the fine deeply carved 16th. Century tomb of Maud Plunkett who was “maid, wife and widow” on the one day, her husband having been killed in battle on their wedding day. On the North-East angle of the Abbey opposite the Avoca entrance may be seen a Sheela-na-gig, a grotesque stone carving, whose function it was to warn the faithful of the terrible results of sin and excess. Generations of Talbots lie buried in the surrounding cemetery and the last local burial took place here in 1960.

By Jack Shanley

The masterful A24 director Ari Aster is back on the big screen with yet another strange work of art, perhaps the strangest yet. “Beau is Afraid” from start to finish is about the long whacked out journey of an anxious man on his quest to visit his mother. Joaquin Phoenix stars picking up the role of a very abstract and complex character. Let’s just get it out the bag, this film is a dream like experience first and foremost. It’s quite overwhelming and even suffocating for its audience at times. This plays off so well, as not everything is meant to be taken literally! On the surface, there are generally many black comedy themes, with a melodramatic undertone. It’s been crafted meticulously by Ari Aster at 3 hours, making it feel richer and more detailed. Many of the films moments are left engrained into your thoughts well after the run time. With a bigger budget then his previous works “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” I thought helped with the landscape and wacky scenarios in the film. Overall, “Beau Is Afraid” is Aster’s most ambitious film to date. Although it’s the not raw and experimental horror we endured in his previous works, it still makes for an unforgettable experience and feeling that is often missed in Arthouse films these days.

This is definitely Ari Asters most complex and allegorical film, everything in this film is strange, the interpersonal relationships, the way the story is told, the dialogues, the universe of the film, everything is very strange without any logic, and in my understanding, all this represents the unbalanced and paranoid mind of our protagonist Beau. I feel the movie is essentially a look at the world through the eyes of a man terrified of his own existence.

In all truth I’d recommend checking out Beau Is Afraid at your local cinema today and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of three stars. Director: Ari Aster– Rating: 16 – Genre: Horror/Comedy– Run Time: 2h 59m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.

By Siobhan O’Neill White

Need inspiration for ideas to keep the kids busy this summer? Go to mams.ie, follow our socials FB @mams.ireland, Instagram @mams.ie and Twitter, @mams_ie for ideas, discounts and competitions galore. Emerald Park is open for visitors! Whether you’re brave enough to face Cu Chúllain or more comfortable visiting the zoo, it’s a fab day out. We’ve tickets to give away here: instagram.com/mams.ie/?hl=en Eddie Rockets want to help parents this summer, so every Tuesday, kids eat free! For every adult meal purchased for €12 or more, get one free child meal. To enter our Eddie’s voucher giveaway, go here: mams.ie/2023/05/16/kids-eat-free-at-eddie-rockets-on-tuesday-all-summer-long/ Do you need staycation inspiration? Farnham Estate is wonderful for family breaks. Nestled in the lush Cavan countryside, it’s a haven. We love to walk the grounds and visit the stunning indoor/outdoor pool! My sister got married here and it remains a firm favourite for our family. We heard such rave reviews about Carlingford Adventure Camp from parents last year that we’ve booked our 11yr old in with her best friend for their 3 day/2 night camp. Jam packed with activities and set in beautiful Carlingford, the camps are very well priced and have residential and non-residential options available, see carlingfordadventure.com/ For days you want to chill out, ArcCinema.ie kids’ clubs are great value. We also love their family deal which includes cinema passes, popcorn and drinks for a family of 4 (2 adults & 2 kids or 1 adult & 3 kids) for only €39.95. With so many wonderful movies out this summer, there’s plenty to choose from! We recommend investing in some garden toys for the many summer days the kids will be playing at home or have friends over. Irish company JKC Toymaster are experts in outdoor toys. Our daughters have been on our Berg trampoline non-stop since we got it. See their fab range here: jkctoymaster.ie/ Fancy a different kind of holiday - how about Glamping?! We’re heading to Ardmore Glamping Pods in beautiful Waterford. We’ve booked a large pod, which fits 7 people. Right next to the beach and Ardmore Open Farm, it’s a fabulous location. They even rent BBQ’s out so you can cook up a storm while enjoying the beautiful beach views! You can now enquire at ardmoreglampingpods.ie/ Please make sure to be sun safe this summer. We recommend Irish brand Elave SPF50 sun cream. Its brilliant for all ages. Watch our socials for giveaways on this.

By Dave Kavanagh

Considering almost every aspect of your life is connected to your finances on some level, it’s important to make time to review your budgeting, especially as it could leave you with more money left over each month.

A few practical tips:
(1) Carefully study 3 months’ bank statements. Make sure that you can account for every single transaction. On a regular basis, I encounter people who have been paying for things that they should not be, direct debits they forgot to cancel.
(2) Make a detailed list for grocery shopping (and don’t shop while hungry). This leads to only buying what you actually need, a lower bill at the till and less throwing out of food gone off.
(3) Compare before you shop for larger items. Just because one store has a fridge you want reduced from €950 to €850 in their “Sale”, does not mean another store nearby that does not currently have a sale on, is not selling the same one for €799.
(4) Compare utility providers. Whether it’s electricity, gas, broadband, mobile phone service or similar, there can be substantial savings to be had by switching to better deals.
(5) Check when car/house insurance renewals arrive. Don’t automatically accept a renewal premium without checking around. A few phone calls could save you hundreds of euro.
(6) Review premiums on life cover/mortgage protection/serious illness cover. Especially if you arranged it directly with a bank or insurance company that could not compare. Do an exercise where you track spending for one month. In over 25 years of helping people with their finances, I have never seen anyone NOT make savings by doing the above. If anyone would like the free budget spreadsheet in excel format that will calculate totals as you input them, just email info@financialcompanion.ie with Budget in the subject line. Happy saving!

By Jack Shanley

A fresh instalment in one of the most entertaining horror franchises out there, Evil Dead Rise hit our screens in mid-April and left a great impression for the most part. The much-anticipated film left an unsure impression on me, for it being an entertaining film I felt it lacked a little in direction. I did feel that the acting at times was a little poor, characters were boring along with the dialogue that could have been better. I felt it was dark and hard to see the film, I’ve noticed this with a lot of films that have been released over the last while a darkness when watching it as if the cinematographer decided to put a dark filter over the lenses. I felt early on that the movie took a while to really kick in, but once it did it was quite gruesome. The end of the film in particular left a good impression on me and feel now it could be the beginning of many more films in the engrossing Evil Dead series. Besides all the negativity I spout over the movie, I did feel entertained and would be interested in giving it another watch, for I found the cinematograph, art direction and costume design to be of an enormous quality.

I loved the references throughout the film to the original Evil Dead trilogy, got this sense of a love and passion that Dublin Born director Lee Cronin has not just for the horror genre but the Evil Dead franchise too. This excites me for future Evil Dead films as not only do we have one of our own at the helm of a massive horror franchise, but he has a passion and love for the Evil Dead movies and just the overall craft for movie making. In all truth I did leave the theatre disappointed that my favourite horror movie franchise could potentially be on the down swing of its existence, but it happens to the best of them, does it not? If it can happen to horror legends like Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, Pinhead, and countless others, then the Evil Dead series is not immune, and Rise could potentially mark the beginning of the end for this amazing franchise.

In all truth I’d recommend checking out Evil Dead Rise at your local cinema today and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of three stars. Director: Lee Cronin– Rating: 18 – Genre: Horror/Fantasy – Run Time: 1h 36m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.

By Dave Kavanagh

Having appropriate cover in place for you and your family is obviously important, whether it is Life Cover, Serious Illness Cover or Income Protection. What is equally as important, is knowing the details of the cover that you have in place. As time moves on and circumstances change, what was relevant for you 5 years ago, may not now be appropriate for your needs. I remember giving a talk to a group of about 50 parents, all of whom raised their hands to signal that they all had cover in place. I then asked how many of them knew (without needing to divulge to the group) which Life Company their cover was with, how much was the monthly premium and what the levels of cover were? Of the 50 parents present, not one of them raised a hand, despite paying for these plans for a number of years. Simple changes in circumstances can make it crucial to review cover details. Starting new employment that may include a multiple of annual salary as a death in service benefit, as well as income protection and a pension, could mean that other cover in place could be reduced or removed. The reverse is often seen where someone had great benefits attached to their employment but then moved to a job that does not provide any benefits at all and had not considered that they need to arrange their own cover.

Another issue that people are often not aware of, is whether any cover they have has a Conversion Option. This is an option that allows people to convert to a new, longer term plan, without any further evidence of medical health. This can be crucial if a plan is reaching maturity or if someone has experienced adverse health issues, where they may not be accepted for cover due to their new medical history or may be subject to restrictions and/or premium loadings. Having the ability to exercise a Conversion Option allows you to “future proof” cover to suit your specific circumstances. While not a fun exercise, making some time at least once per year to review the details of any cover you have in place can be a valuable exercise. If you’re unsure about some of the details, contact your advisor.

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 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.