Swords local Maurice Colgan returned to Swords in 1981 after returning from England. He recently decided to pen his own memoirs including all of his memories of Swords since 1947!
‘I am 84 years young and remember Swords from 1947 when visiting relatives living behind the Lord Mayor’s pub. My late wife, Maureen 1941-2015 was known by J C Savage and locals as the Elvis lady. The Fingal independent covered our stories for more than thirty years. I am living here in Swords after returning from England in 1981,’ Maurice explained.
The book ‘Memories of Maureen’ – named in honour of his late wife is available to purchase at amazon.ie and internationally.
History was made in St Colmcille’s GAA Club in Swords in October as its Under-13 girls’ football team has become the first female team from the club to reach a Cup Final.
The achievement is a testament to the determination, commitment and team spirit of a remarkable group of young girls who have gone from strength to strength throughout the season. Through hard work, resilience and mutual respect, the players have grown not only as footballers but as a team, supporting and encouraging one another every step of the way.
Guided by their dedicated coaches, Aaron Daly, Lorraine Johnson and Sean McCormack, the girls demonstrated that success in sport is about much more than results on the scoreboard. Their journey reflects the importance of friendship, respect, hard work and creating a team environment where everyone feels valued and included.
The whole club is immensely proud of the girls. Speaking ahead of the final, the coaching team said: “We couldn’t be prouder of this group of girls. They’ve worked incredibly hard, shown great resilience when things haven’t gone their way and, most importantly, they’ve always looked out for one another. Respect, teamwork and inclusion are at the heart of what we try to build as coaches, and these girls demonstrate those values every time they step onto the pitch. To reach a Cup Final and make history for the club is a fantastic achievement, but we’re equally proud of the confident, supportive young women they’re becoming.
Whatever happens in the final, they’ve already made us all proud.”
New Players Welcome – Be Part of Something Special!
These young footballers are helping to pave the way for the next generation within the club and St Colmcille’s Swords is encouraging more girls, boys from the age of 4 years of age upwards to the men’s senior team and the Gaelic 4 Mothers & Others team, come along and give Gaelic football a try.
Whether you’re an experienced player or have never kicked a football before, there’s a place for you at the club.
Local girl Manassanan Chanhiran known to her many friends as Manny, who represented Swords in the competition, was delighted to be crowned Mrs Ireland last month. The mother of two took the top spot in the finals that were held in Newry.
The competition’s chosen charity this year was Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
A beautiful new sculpture recently appeared on The Green (opposite the nursing home on the Rathbeal Road), in Swords. The project was a collaboration between Swords Tidy Towns and Fingal County Council’s Operations Department. It represents a selection of the Bird life of Swords - Heron, Egret, Kingfisher and Raven. All of which are present and recorded in previous ecology surveys. The sculpture was made by renowned Mullingar wood carving artist, Richie Clark.
Would you like to build your confidence in public speaking? Have you grown tired of letting fear hold you back? This September, take the first step towards overcoming this fear by visiting Swords Toastmasters for an obligation-free meeting. Discover a supportive and encouraging environment where you can develop your communication and leadership skills while gaining the confidence to speak with ease.”
That’s exactly what member Tony Wilkins did 6 year’s when he wanted to meet the challenge head on.
Tony said “I joined during Covid simply to break the monotony and just to have a look. Well, I have never looked back and last year, was honoured with the presidency of the Club.
Like many before and after me, I left it late to find Swords Toastmasters and join. What I found was a group of people with tremendous knowledge, wisdom, skill and experience. In what you might say - in all aspects of life coaching. The ability of the Club and its members to bring a person out of that uncomfortable place into a secure environment where you gain the confidence to meet, talk, express yourself; to engage with others, who were usually all from that uncomfortable place originally; to prepare a short speech and present it, to receive and accept feedback about it and to move on and prepare a slightly longer and better presentation. It is also structured to suit the individual’s needs and no one is ever pressurised and the confidence that flows is so very evident for all to see, not least by the very person who walked in the door some weeks earlier needing that lift, that boost that hits the reset button.
Swords Toastmasters is a club that helps people develop their public speaking, listening, and leadership skills, in a fun and supportive environment. Members join for a variety of reasons. Some, to progress their careers, to perform better at interviews, to practice for workplace presentations, or even for that all important wedding speech.
If you would like to see Tony and his fellow Toastmasters in action, get in touch today, for an obligation-free visit. Perhaps you will be inspired to take the first step towards finding your own voice and changing your life!
Swords Toastmasters meets every 2nd Monday from September – June from 8pm to 10pm in the Old Borough National School, Swords, K67 Y179
For more information, email swordstm@gmail.com or contact the membership officer on 085 8100411.
By Elaine Staveley
Can you recommend plants that will do well in hot, dry Irish summer, like the one we just had? Anne, Malahide
Yes, a lot of plants suffered this past summer in the heat and drought. And now is good is a good time to plant for next summer as the plants will have time to settle in. The good news is that there are plenty of beautiful plants that can cope with dry conditions, once established. These plants will cope with rain too.
Yarrow (Achillea) is a classic drought-tolerant perennial with flat flowerheads. It thrives in full sun and free-draining soil and works particularly well in naturalistic or prairie-style planting. It comes in a variety of colours, including white, pink and yellow.
Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria) has ferny foliage and daisy-like bright yellow flowers from June to October. It performs particularly well in poor, dry soil. It self-seeds quite easily, so cut it back to about 2cm after flowering to prevent this.
Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria) is a useful drought-tolerant shrub, with airy flowers which resemble puffs of smoke and a gorgeous wine foliage colour. It prefers sun and free-draining soil.
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is a fantastic choice for all gardens, providing reliable long-lasting vibrant purple flowers. And bees love it too!
Sedum is another plant which does well in dry weather as its succulent leaves store water, meaning it can last longer in drought.
Verbena bonariensis is another plant which has become more popular in recent years and will offer you really long flowering periods in dry weather. It self-seeds a little, but not so much to be a problem.
I would also consider creating areas of shade in your garden by planting trees and shrubs. And try and improve your soil health over time, by addin mulches (eg bark chips or your garden compost).
Finally, remember that drought-tolerant doesn’t mean drought-proof. Planting in autumn, or early spring gives plants time to establish their roots before the next dry summer arrives. So get planting now!
Have a question on plant selection? If you are not sure what to plant in a particular spot in your garden, send your question to ask@plantplanner.ie and it could be answered in a future edition of Malahide Local.
Elaine Staveley designs planting schemes for urban gardens. For more information, go to www.plantplanner.ie
On Friday the 2nd of October Rush Tidy Towns held a gala event for it’s volunteers in Rush Golf Club. The guests were welcomed by Piper Adam McCann, and following a lavish meal the formalities commenced, leading to awards being presented by Mayor Tony Murphy and Chairperson of Rush Tidy Towns Brendan O’Reilly to over 20 worthy winners.
The main winners on the night were:
Volunteer of the year - Ken Goslin
Newcomer of the year - David Mills
Project of the year - Harbour Park edging, Ken/Mick’s team
Gardener of the year - Edel’s team
Chairperson Brendan O’Reilly congratulated all the attendees and winners, and thanked Rush Golf Club for their excellent hospitality and all the local sponsors associated with the event.
The award ceremony was sponsored by local TD Robert O’Donoghue, and Roger Bell from Bell Architects. Prizes were sponsored by SuperValu Rush and Joyous Garden. Music was provided by piper Adam McCann and Adrian Leonard and sponsored by Creative Ireland.
Mayor Tony Murphy paid tribute to all the Volunteers and the Committee for all their hard work and dedication and added that the presentation of Rush is a credit to them all.
Please support the Rush Multipurpose & Youth Facility Christmas Card Fund raising event. We are selling packs of 10 Christmas Card, Local Art by Local Artists. This is a great opportunity to support your local community and fend your friends and relatives a warm “Rush Christmas Greeting”
The Rush Multipurpose & Youth Facility, a vibrant hub of activity and opportunity for children, young people, and community groups from Rush and the surrounding areas. Open to the public six days a week, our facility is designed to meet the diverse needs of our community through a wide range of activities and services.
Rush Multipurpose & Youth Facility is a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and a Registered Charity
At Rush Multipurpose & Youth Facility, we are committed to fostering a positive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our goal is to support community development by offering programs and resources that promote community welfare.
For detail where you can buy the Christmas cards (They also make a great Christmas Gift for a loved one) Local Art, Local Artist.
For more information please email info@rmyf.ie, Phone: 01-8702934 or call in to see us: Rush Multipurpose Youth Facility, The Millbank, Rush, Co Dublin.
The members of Rush AFC are delighted to learn that they have been awarded with the Shein ‘Fabric of the Community’ award, with the North County Dublin football club receiving €10,000 to support its work with young people and families in the local community.
The programme is offering a total of €40,000 to grassroots organisations across Ireland this year, including charities, community groups, sports clubs, youth organisations and social enterprises, with three further monthly awards to be made between now and the end of 2026.
Founded in 1970, Rush Athletic FC has almost 500 active players, including more than 100 girls and ladies, and has grown significantly in recent years. The club was awarded FAI Clubmark accreditation in 2022, recognising its commitment to governance, safeguarding and standards in grassroots football, and its former players include Irish international Izzy Atkinson, who represented Ireland at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“We are delighted to be the first recipient of the SHEIN ‘Fabric of the Community’ programme awards,” Shay Dempsey, Chairman of Rush Athletic Football Club, said. “We want to make sure that every child who wants to play football has the opportunity to do so. This funding will help us continue to provide that opportunity while allowing us to invest in the club and the volunteers who make it possible.”
The €10,000 grant will help Rush Athletic support its growing membership, providing new equipment and training gear, as well as accredited FAI coaching and first-aid training for volunteers, ensuring safe, high-quality training while supporting player development.
Rush is getting ready to sparkle this Christmas as the Kenure Woods Christmas Market returns on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November, promising two wonderful days of festive shopping, music, entertainment and Christmas magic for all the family!
Organised by Rush Tourism in collaboration with Rush Community Council, this much-loved community event is all about bringing people together, supporting local businesses and encouraging everyone to Shop Local, Support Local and Keep Christmas Spending in Rush!
A Christmas Market Full of Local Treasures
Kenure Woods will be transformed into a festive wonderland, with a fantastic selection of local craftspeople, artists and independent traders offering unique handmade gifts, Christmas decorations, jewellery, artwork and plenty of special finds for under the Christmas tree.
Adding to the magic, the wonderful David Owens will be playing festive favourites on his baby grand piano, creating a beautiful Christmas atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Families can also look forward to free festive entertainment, with the hilarious Juggling Jack Frost and a host of colourful Christmas characters bringing laughter, surprises and plenty of photo opportunities for children of all ages.
Saturday – Let’s Light Up Rush!
The excitement builds on Saturday afternoon when the Christmas celebrations move to the Carroll Estates Stage at 4pm, where Rush Musical Society and The Rock Choir will fill Kenure Woods with festive carols and Christmas favourites.
Santa Claus will make his grand arrival, piped into the main stage area by St Maur’s Pipe Band, before officially switching on the Kenure Gates Christmas Lights, signalling the start of the festive season in Rush!
It’s set to be a magical moment for families and a wonderful new Christmas tradition for our village.
Sunday – An Elf-tastic Christmas Adventure!
The festivities continue on Sunday 29th November, with the Christmas Market once again packed with local traders, delicious food, festive treats and beautiful music from David Owens.
But there’s an extra sprinkle of Christmas mischief in store!
This year, Rush Tourism is introducing a brand-new Elf on the Shelf Christmas Treasure Hunt through Kenure Woods.
Families will follow a magical woodland trail, solving clues, completing fun Christmas challenges and collecting Elf stamps along the way, with mischievous elves and festive characters adding to the excitement.
And the best part? Participating families will have the chance to take home their very own Elf on the Shelf, just in time for the Christmas fun to begin!
Shop Local, Celebrate Local, Support Rush!
Rush Tourism and Rush Community Council would like to extend a sincere thank you to our generous sponsors, Rush Credit Union, Carroll Estates and Fingal County Council, whose support helps make this wonderful community celebration possible.
Keep your business in Rush to keep Rush in business!
Follow Rush Tourism on Facebook and Instagram for event updates, entertainment details and information on the Elf on the Shelf Christmas Treasure Hunt.
