The book “Becoming Your Best Possible Self” by Gerard Morgan has recently been published. Gerard is living in Malahide and would like to inform locals of this book and provide an opportunity to fundraise for a very worthy cause. The book was initially written as a legacy for his two sons and provides a timely transformative personal growth strategy for all readers. The book is now available in the following places; (1.) Hodges Figgis /Waterstones, Dawson Street, Dublin (near Trinity College) (2.) Manor Books, Malahide Village, Co Dublin, (3.) Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, (4.) The book is included with the adult education course “Becoming Your Best Possible Self” in Malahide Community School based on the book in the new year. (It is a 7-week course) Information is on this link malahidecsadulted.ie/best-possible-self/.
Please note all profits from the sale of the book will go to the charity Samaritans Ireland.

EggHeadz CLG is delivering programmes and support services across Fingal and Dublin. Here is some of what we’re doing…

School Engagement: The recommencement of EggHeadz in-school, after-school programmes, drop-in evening and weekend classes is in full swing since September in Primary and Secondary schools throughout Fingal and Dublin City.

Youth Recovery Programmes: EggHeadz launched a Recovery through Activity Programme. A six-week program for teenagers living in Fingal who are having difficulties with their mental health which started in October and is currently underway. The programme is supported by the Health Service Executive and CAMHS.

Community Engagement: EggHeadz supporters and volunteers took part in the King of the Castle, Cycle Against Suicide event in August. October was World Mental Health month and we marked in distributing Green Ribbon’s throughout the community.

EggHeadz Youth Camps: Our Halloween Mid-term Sport4All camp was a great success and we’re really looking forward to our future camps where we will bring more fun, fitness, outdoor activity, relaxation, sport and therapeutic supports.

EggHeadz Activities and Events: Water Sports: Weekly kayaking, and Paddleboarding was enjoyed by teenagers during the summer. HER Outdoors was celebrated with Yoga, Dip, Paddle-boarding in Donabate, Portrane and Malahide Estuary.

EggHeadz Inclusion Programmes: EggHeadz support services take place in five different centres for Direct Provision in the Fingal area. Our engagement with the migrant community has been vital for integration and inclusion of young people in local sports clubs.

FREE Youth Counselling in Donabate: This is available free of charge to young people (aged 12-25) by appointment. It is available on Mondays in Donabate Portrane Community Centre and appointments are available between 9.30am and 3.30pm. Contact Mairead on 086-329 6812 or by email eggheadzcounselling@gmail.com to book an appointment. For more follow us on social media visit our website or scan the QR code.

By Lusk Community Network

On our Facebook and Instagram pages ILoveLusk, we put up quick posts in relation to available grants and then point you back to our main website – lovelusk.ie. Even within the ‘Community Grants’ page, we provide a summary of the grants and a link to the full information. While our web page lovelusk.ie/home/community-grants/ may only give a brief description of the grant, don’t be put off by the wording. Click on the link supplied by us, bringing you to the relevant section of the grant providers’ website. If you need examples of how this grant was used by other groups, most websites provide a list of recipients in prior years and give brief descriptions about their projects. These descriptions are brilliant as you now have examples of accepted projects. You can decide if any of these projects would or could apply to your organisation. If you feel you need extra clarity, most groups have either a website or a Facebook page and so if you need to, you can contact them and from our experience, they are more than happy to talk. On our Facebook and Instagram page, we posted about the Community Water Development Fund, which is currently open. Examples of previous local recipients were provided – Balbriggan Tidy Towns, OWLS (Children’s Nature Charity) and Swords Tidy Towns, as well as the possibility of applying for this grant for a feasibility study into rain water harvesting systems, showing how St. Maur’s GAA received funding from LEADER to help with harvesting rain water from the roof of their clubhouse. In other words, this grant could be a stepping stone for further available grants. It would be very easy to miss this wide ranging grant. So, get into a habit of looking at the grants page on our website, clinking into the links provided and reading the extra information contained there. Don’t be put off by the wording and, with the examples provided of prior approved projects, think within and outside the box. Then don’t forget to apply! Check out our website lovelusk.ie, our Facebook & Instagram pages - iLoveLusk

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and one of the busiest times for our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs. Our merchandise stand was in SuperValu, Balbriggan on both Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th November and also up in Millfield Shopping Centre on Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th November for the arrival of Santa, where we had car raffle tickets, Christmas cards and calendars, all of which are still available and if you missed us at any of the events in November and would like to get the above merchandise, our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch will be at the Bremore Castle Crafts Fair on the 10th December so you can come along, get your goodies and say hello. If you are not in North County Dublin however and find yourself in Co Cavan at the Ballinagh Tractor Run on the same date, you just might run into Tom O’Neill and his guide dog Qeb who will be attending. Another way to support us this Christmas season is to donate any old Irish coins, old sterling and any other coins and notes from around the world, along with old postage stamps that you might have lying around, as our branch receives the money from everything that comes in.Finally, our counter boxes and large dogs are a very steady fundraiser throughout the year and we want to thank all the premises holders that allow these containers to be placed on their premises. We would love more help to empty these boxes and large dogs especially in the Rush, Lusk and Skerries areas of North County Dublin. If you would like to help, please contact us on the details below. We would also like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated and supported our Branch throughout the year. We wish you a happy Christmas and a fantastic new year! If you are interested in volunteering with us, please feel free to contact us: Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, you can phone or text us on 085 7663107, email us whenever you can at GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.

Fingal Arts Office in partnership with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) are delighted to announce Aoife Dunne as the recipient of the 2023 Fingal County Council and RHA Studio Award. The award offers a funded studio space within the RHA for one year providing valuable support for an artist to develop their artistic practice. The artist will also have access to the ancillary activities of the RHA school such as master classes, seminars, artist talks and drawing groups as well as placing them directly in an environment with other professional visual artists. Sarah O’Neill, County Arts Officer commented, “Fingal Arts Office is proud to support Aoife Dunne through this exciting opportunity at the RHA. This award responds to the Fingal County Council 2019 – 2025 Arts Plan objective to enable the creative and professional development of artists and encourage individuals to excel in their thinking and practice.” Aoife Dunne is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the intricacies of contemporary existence through ambitious digital installations, fusing sculpture, video, sound, performance, technology, and costume. Her approach incorporates improvisatory, interactive, and performative elements, harnessing digital technology in innovative ways. Her research centers around the profound impact of technology on our perception of place and the dynamic interplay between physical and virtual spaces. With a dedicated focus on exploring the transformative effects of these influences on reality, identity, and community. Aoife commented on being awarded, “The Fingal County Council and RHA Studio Award holds immense value for me as it provides the ideal space to experiment and continue developing my large-scale immersive works. I am very thankful and excited for the opportunity.” During her time in the Fingal RHA Studio Residency, Aoife will continue her research on the impact of technology, examining concepts of identity, intimacy, and the nature of reality, further exploring the intersection between technology, art, and embodiment. Aoife Dunne (B.1995, Ireland) graduated from NCAD Fine Art Media in 2016 and has since exhibited extensively internationally. Her work has been featured in prominent exhibitions, including shows at The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver USA, The Royal Academy of Arts London, and The Irish Museum of Modern Art..

Fingal County Council is excited to announce the launch of its Festival and Event Funding Scheme for 2024. This initiative aims to encourage groups and organisations to host their upcoming events in Fingal, building on the success of previous years and fostering community engagement and tourism within the region. Fingal has a rich tradition of hosting diverse and vibrant events, from the renowned summer music series at Malahide Castle to Flavours of Fingal, Ireland’s largest County show or the new Unison Festival. Each year, over 100 events captivate audiences across the County, spanning from major music and theatre festivals, seafood celebrations, local summer festivals, community-driven events, and parades. John Quinlivan, Director of Economic Enterprise, Tourism, and Cultural Development at Fingal County Council expressed the council’s commitment to supporting a wide range of events and festivals in the area. He said: “Fingal is already dedicated to supporting a wide array of events and festivals taking place across the County, and we want to ensure other organisations are looking at Fingal as their destination of choice for gigs, festivals, and other events. Not only will this help drive tourism and develop the visitor experience in the area, but we also hope this will help residents connect with their community and bring joy and excitement to people’s lives.” The 2024 Festival and Event Funding Scheme comprises three distinct strands of support, each catering to different event scales and objectives: Strand 1: Designed for smaller-scale events expected to attract audiences of fewer than 1,000 people. Funding of up to €6,000 will be available to eligible applicants. Strand 2: Targeting larger events that draw audiences exceeding 1,000 people and span a minimum of two fully programmed days. Organizers can apply for funding of up to €25,000. Strand 3: Tailored to support groups interested in exploring the feasibility and long-term sustainability of a festival or event. Grants of up to €10,000 are available for this category. For comprehensive information on the various funding strands and application requirements, please visit Fingal County Council’s Festival and Event Funding webpage. Applications for the 2024 Festival and Event Funding Scheme will be accepted from 28 September 2023. The deadline for submission is 31 January 2024 giving organisers ample time to prepare and submit their proposals, Fingal County Council looks forward to collaborating with event organisers to create memorable and impactful experiences for residents and visitors alike in 2024. This initiative reflects the council’s dedication to fostering culture, tourism, and community development within the region.

On September 19th , volunteer and puppy raiser Anne Mulligan and our branch said goodbye to puppy in training Cosmo, who went to Cork to continue her training to be a future Guide Dog/Assistance Dog. We wish Cosmo the best of luck and thank Anne for her hard work and we will of course keep you updated on Cosmo’s progress. Our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch had a coffee morning fundraiser on the 18th October in the Senior Citizens Centre, High Street, Balbriggan. There were sweet treats provided by our volunteers and also a raffle was held. Among other things, we had a beautiful canvas picture of a sunset over Balbriggan harbour valued at €250 and taken by local photographer Martin McNamara which was kindly donated by Anne Nightingale. We also had a hamper that was raffled. A fun time was had by all and there were some very happy winners.

It is almost that time of year again where we dust off the Christmas decorations from the attic and search for the perfect tree and that means our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch will soon have our Christmas 2024 calendars and car raffle tickets available. Christmas cards will be €6 a pack or 2 packs for €10, the calendar will be €10 and car raffle tickets will be €5 each. The car draw will take place on the 7th February 2024 and the lucky winner will win a Citroen E-C4 worth €40,000-€43,000, so make sure to get your tickets to be in with a chance to win and you could be the lucky person starting the early new year in style with a new car! Keep an eye on our social media pages in the coming months as our merchandise stands will be set up in SuperValu, Balbriggan and on the 24th and 25th November we will be in Millfield Shopping Centre in Balbriggan. We can’t wait to see you all and get into the festive spirit. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please do feel free to contact us: Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, you can phone or text us on 085 7663107, email us at GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on our own Facebook page at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.

August has been another busy month for the Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch of Guide Dogs. Tom O’Neill Guide Dog Owner and his family and friends in Farrell’s Bar in Ballinalee Co. Longford which is owned and ran by Breeges sister Mary and husband Martin held a Trad Session on Sunday 20th August where Mick Flavin Country and Western star plus, champion flute player Noel Sweeney and many others played to honour Breege O’Neill’s (nee Reilly) wonderful legacy. Farrell’s Bar said the following on their Facebook page, “While Breege was training with her last guide dog, Qeb, with The Irish Guide Dogs for The Blind in Cork, she noticed how the bus which was used to transport students was not in great shape. On that trip Breege decided she was going to fundraise to buy a new student’s bus for the centre and set about doing so when she got home from Cork in November 2019. In true O’Neill fashion, Breeges wish was carried out after she passed away in June 2021 to get a new eight-seater minibus to be donated to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in Breege’s memory. Tom O’Neill gave a fantastic speech as he launched Breege’s bus and of course Qeb had to make himself known and was in fine voice on the video emphasising everything Tom said in all the appropriate places. Qeb added to Tom’s fine speech and a wonderful evening. If you would like to listen to Tom’s speech in full, you can visit our Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs or our Instagram page @balbrigganbranchguide. A big well done and thank you to all involved. It was a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman, and we have no doubt Breege would be so proud. The bus was officially handed over to Guide Dogs Cork on Saturday 26th August at the National open day for volunteers at the centre. If you are interested in volunteering with our Balbriggan branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, please feel free to contact us by call or text: 085 7663107, or of course you can always email GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com.

Fingal County Council’s Waste Enforcement Section has taken part in a multi-agency checkpoint operation recently to tackle illegal waste activities and to ensure compliance with waste regulations in terms of movement of waste materials. Dublin City Council in its role as lead authority for the Eastern Midlands WERLA (Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority), coordinated yesterday’s operation on behalf of An Garda Síochána’s Dublin Metropolitan Region’s Multi-Agency Forum. This intelligence led vehicle check point was conducted in Fingal, in an area known for significant waste activity. The check points were located both northbound and southbound on a main artery within close proximity to the M1 to capture waste movements within the area and en route to other counties outside of Fingal. Representative agencies for this joint operation included An Garda Síochána, Fingal County Council’s Waste Enforcement Section, Dublin City Council’s Waste Enforcement Section, the Road Safety Authority and the National Trans Frontier Shipment Office (NTFSO). The Dublin Metropolitan Region is one out of four of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s multi-agency regional networks, which, enable a multi-faceted enforcement approach by bringing together key stakeholders. The participation of different agencies proved to be very beneficial. Multi-agency operations such as this have a positive deterrent effect on criminality, help to raise awareness and lead to positive outcomes relating not only to waste but other offences also. Fingal County Council supports this collaborative approach and will provide any and all further assistance through multi-agency operations to help combat illegal dumping and tackle unauthorised waste collectors.

As I enter my third month as Mayor of Fingal, I am immensely proud of all we have done, as a community, to create a month filled with cultural significance and sporting success. There are so many people to congratulate, from both the Dublin ladies’ and men’s GAA teams who were successful in their respective All-Ireland Football Finals, the Irish Women’s football team, the Irish ladies’ and men’s Hockey Teams.
I had the pleasure of attending so many sporting events this month, including the TY Girl’s Mini World Cup, the Balbriggan Beach Volleyball, The Croquet Cup, St.Ita’s Mini Euros, the Morton Games, the Donabate and Swords Parkrun, the Women’s World Cup Watch Party, the Euro Hockey Championships and the Under 23 Swimming European Championships.

That’s why I was honoured to open the Rathmore Park in Lusk. This 20 Acre Town Park is within easy walking and cycling reach of the centre of Lusk and close to residential areas and local schools making it very accessible to the local community.

Another highlight of the past month was the Swords Castle concerts,with Nathan Carter and Martin Kemp each putting on a fantastic show in this amazing venue in the heart of our County Town. Part of our vision in Fingal is to make this a great place to do business in and it was great to attend the opening of Keeling’s new flower processing facility in St Margaret’s, Keelings are one of the top businesses in Fingal and it is great to see them continuing to expand. News that construction of fast-charging facilities at Drogheda Station for new DART+ trains will commence this year is a major step to improving the rail service to Donabate, Rush-Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan. The Dart+ Service is due to commence in 2025 and Irish Rail have 95 electric carriages on order. This is going to lead to passenger capacity and improved services for residents and is extremely welcome.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone to ensure they are registered to vote! Whether you are a recent resident to Fingal, or have been living here your whole life, it is imperative to check the register and update your details when needed.