Fingallians GAA’s Culture Officer, Liam Ó Culbáird, told the Fingal Independent: “The Irish language is a central part of our heritage, as are our national field games. We are working to create an environment where it is not unusual to hear Irish spoken both willingly and enthusiastically. An environment where Irish is not just associated with the classroom. Fingallians GAA are receiving great recognition for this on a national stage. We had visitors this week from each of the main National Irish language promotion organisations; Conradh na Gaeilge, Fóras na Gaeilge and Glór na nGael. All commended Fingallians for the ongoing work. Fins are now regarded as an exemplar club in the promotion of the Irish language outside of An Ghaeltacht.”Games Promotion Officer Naoise de Bhaldraithe said “I am delighted that the Campa Samhraidh was so successful. We had 102 children playing sport through the Irish language medium. There are not many such camps taking place in Dublin but we are proud to lead the way.” Fingallians GAA Camp Co-ordinator Donagh Mac Liam commented: “2022 was our second year running the Irish language camp and again it has proved a great success. We have a template established and we look forward to expanding into the future. The Camps are tough work but seeing the enjoyment of the kids makes it a privilege to be involved.” Ní ábhar í an Ghaeilge, is teanga í. Is ár dteanga í. - Irish is not a subject, it is a language. It is our language.

Despite a 2-1 loss against Beechwood FC recently, Swords Celtic U15.4 celebrated last seasons league win after finally receiving their medals and trophy. Both managers are very happy that the team has remained fully together for another season. A very happy captain Max Savage lifted the trophy to start the celebration with his teammates. Well done to all involved

Training returns to normal schedule after the summer in Applewood Community Centre as the club prepares for the new karate season. Classes are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Congratulations to Ashish Johnston and Sandra Ilasz who won Students of the Month for September. They were presented with the Student of the Month Trophies by their instructor Dermot O Keeffe Sensei, 6th Dan JKS recently. Ashish and Sandra attend classes regularly and puts huge effort into their training in kihon, kata and kumite. Well done, Ashish and Sandra! 20 members of JKS Ireland gathered in Applewood Community Centre recently for Brown and Bclak Belt training. The 2-hour class consisted of a variety of kihon and kumite techniques and drills. The class then studied katas Tekki Shodan, Kakyoko Shodan and Gojushiho Sho. Well done to all who took part in this training session.We take new members (Children, Young People & Adults) all through the year. Contact Dermot on 087-98073885 for details on how to join. Contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club

Fingal County Council has today confirmed its commitment to explore how best to deliver a new project that will create a vastly enhanced Ward River Valley Regional Park in Swords, as the population in the key town continues to grow rapidly and develops into well-designed county capital.The Council has outlined plans that will see an expansion of the park to some 80 hectares (200 acres) and create a space that will benefit all users on the doorstep of Fingal’s county town. The project will involve extensive consultation with the local community with the goal of developing an ambitious shared vision for the future.The project - led by the Parks & Green Infrastructure Division - aims to deliver a sustainable vision for the development of the park. Protection and enhancement of the existing heritage, ecology and biodiversity is a key element of the park’s future, along with developing new links within the park and with the wider area.The recent acquisition by Fingal of strategically located lands within the River Valley will help unlock the future potential of the park. The project will also identify current recreational needs and uses, providing a framework for development of the park from the present time into the future. Plans for the Ward River Valley Regional Park will dovetail with the Council’s ambitions as part of Sustainable Swords, which aims to facilitate an accessible, inviting public realm that links with the natural and historic context of the area. Sustainable Swords will also look to improve permeability, with green corridors around the town as well as those linking into the centre of Swords itself. An innovative consultation program is proposed to inform the public, encouraging people to have their say on the project. The first phase of public consultation will begin on Saturday 8th October with an interactive design workshop at Rivervalley Community Centre where the public will be invited to meet with the design team.Further details on the workshop and how to register interest in attending will be available shortly via the Council’s website and social media channels.

Fingal County Council has launched a public consultation on its draft plan to regenerate the centre of Swords through sustainable development. The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: “A town is never complete and it never stops changing. The population of Swords has increased ten-fold over the past 50 years and is continuing to expand. In response, Fingal County Council is working to ensure that Swords grows sustainably and develops into well-designed county capital.” The key to this is a plan to facilitate better placemaking and create a more resilient town centre by reversing the historic shift away from Main Street, which commenced in the early 2000s.These projects include a cycle network that consists of radial routes linking the outer residential areas to Swords Town Centre as well as a greenway network that utilises the green and blue corridors that exist in the area. There is also a Quietways and Home Zones project which will facilitate the sharing of streets by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles as well a project which will deliver Safe Routes to Schools and School Zones.The final project under the third theme is the Western Distributor Road which will direct vehicular through-traffic away from Swords Town Centre. The projects include the Swords Cultural Quarter as well as two feasibility studies on the creation of a heritage trail around the town and a visitor experience at St Columba’s Church and Round Tower..The final theme focuses on enhancing the natural environment, supporting community initiatives, and celebrating Swords through promotion and branding which will include a way finding strategy. The draft Sustainable Swords Strategy can be viewed and downloaded through fingal.ie/sustainableswords while copies are available to read at County Hall, Swords Library and the Civic Offices in Blanchardstown. Submissions can made to consult.fingal.ie before Tuesday, October 18, 2022. There will be a static information stand in The Atrium in County Hall until October 18.. Here are Computer Generated Images of how Main Street, Swords will be transformed under the Sustainable Swords Strategy.

Big congratulations to 9th Port Malahide Wednesday Troop who took part in the Sea Scout Rowing Regatta hosted by 8ú Calafort Dun Laoghaire recently. Wednesdays took home the Dick Vekins Memorial Trophy after coming in 1st Place in the U17s Wood-Latimer race for the first time in 6 years! 1st Place U17 Wood-Latimer - 1st Place U15
2nd Place U13s - 2nd Place O18s Leaders
3rd Place U14s - 3rd Place U16s Pair Oar
This is a great achievement, congratulations to the crews and coxswains!

The award winning writer Cecil Allen is the grandson of the famous actor and writer Ir Allen. Cecil is the author of the hugely popular novels ‘The Actor’ and ‘Constructing Alice.’ He is a retired college lecturer from the Dublin Institute of Technology and holds a BA from Indiana University and an MFA from the University of Minnesota. He was a broadcaster with RTE for over twenty years and represented Ireland twice at International Toastmasters Competitions. He is the father of two sons and lives in Malahide with his wife Julie. Cecil writings centres on our common humanity and ability to function in times of stress. His writings explore our vulnerabilities and the often forgotten reserves of strength and intelligence we can marshal when required. One of the short stories from ‘The Avenue,’ Mr Dunnock’s Day was featured in a new anthology of short stories which was published in September 2022. About the book - The Avenue - The year is 1950, World War II is over, food rationing is nearly finished and the word teenager has just been invented. There are nineteen identical yellow-brick terraced houses on one side of the Avenue and twenty on the other yet each house is a world of its own and as different from the next as the people who live in them. The people of the Avenue include a woman who defies convention, a man who confronts a despotic clergyman, an inquisitive woman who never leaves her bed, a long-lost father, a woman with a disturbing secret and a man with an empty box of chocolates. Told with insight and humour these tales of growing up, religion, marriage, emigration, mental health, widowhood and old age reminds us of the small but important moments of everyday living. ‘The Avenue’ will be published and launched in the Malahide Library on the 5th October. Admission is free and open to all.

The iconic Great Hall at Malahide Castle has reopened following significant works to the historic building that have helped restore one of finest Medieval Banqueting Halls in the country.

Malahide Castle was home to the Talbot family for nearly 800 years and with a history dating back to 1185, it’s an important part of Irish aristocracy. Receiving over 100,000 visitors from home and abroad each year, the Great Hall is an integral part of the attraction for visitors heading to Malahide Castle and Gardens in Fingal. Dating back to 1475. The Great Hall was redesigned in the 1820s by the 2nd Baron Talbot of Malahide in the neo-gothic style. It remains largely how he left it to this day. Work on the Great Hall has been done under the direction of Grade 1 Conservation Architects, Blackwood Associates Architects. The improvements are seen as being integral to future proofing one of Ireland’s most important heritage sites for generations to come. Over €500,000 was invested by Fingal County Council in carrying out the restoration. The majority of works were carried out to the external fabric of the building, which included upgrading the roof and rainwater goods.

Internally restoration of the rafters and minstrel’s gallery, as well as conservation of the 19th century windows and fireplaces took place. Mechanical and electrical systems upgrades also took place, including lighting, rewiring, CCTV and the installation of a new heating system for a room originally built in the Middle Ages. Attending the reopening was Dublin Fingal TD and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien who praised the massive effort involved in restoring such a heritage property. He said: “This castle has seen it all and has survived so many different phases of our history. Having such a superb restoration of this magnificent room is a really important undertaking, one that helps ensure that heritage is central to our lives and not something on the periphery – our history and our heritage is what we are and it is what we are about as a people.” The Castle itself is surrounded by some 260 acres of lush parkland and has held a prestigious Green Flag Award since the internationally recognised scheme began in Ireland in 2015. This week, Malahide Demesne and Talbot Botanical Gardens was also announced by An Taisce as the overall winner of the 2022 Green Flag Pollinator Award, as well being named as the winner of the Country Park/Demesne category. To book tickets to Malahide Castle and Gardens go to: malahidecastleandgardens.ie

Lusk Athletic Club athletes have taken part in lots of races recently such as the 21st World Mountain Running championships held in Ireland for the first time, The Portmarnock Beach 5K, The Ratoath AC and Dublin Half Marathons and the Dublin 5K road race championships.Two outstanding achievements by Lusk AC athletes were Stephen Brennan completing the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc and Ann Robinson winning a silver medal at the 21st World Masters Mountain running championships.Lusk Athletic Club also hosted the 1st round of the Dublin Juvenile cross-country league on Sunday 18th September. Thanks to all who organised this event and to the many club and community volunteers who helped us to put on what was a very successful series of races. Great running by all our juvenile athletes in their 1st race of the season.We also welcomed Irish Olympian, Mick Clohisey to the club where he put on a coaching session for our Dublin Marathon training group and passed on key marathon training insights. Lusk AC have approximately 50 athletes in training for the eagerly awaited return of the Dublin Marathon set to take place on Sunday 30th October. New members are always welcome at Lusk AC and our Al certified coaches will help you improve whether you are a runner or you prefer field events such as Discus, Hammer, High Jump, Shot Putt, Javelin. Training every Tuesday & Thursday from 6.55pm at the Hub on Rathmore Road.