St Colmcilles GFC is based near the village of Applewood in Balheary, Swords, we host a number of teams of various ages.We hope to be back on the pitch training as soon as restrictions allow.We have taken every measure to ensure that all our coaches and mentors have all updated coaching courses along with being Garda vetted and First Aid training. We aim to be compliant in all aspects related to Covid -19.Training for our under 8’s and 9’s is every Saturday at 11am and Wednesday at 7pm and for the CUBS (under 6’s) Saturday at10am. All of our training is outdoors.The Men’s Junior team train each Tuesday and Thursday at 7.15, contact Mick (0861067145) if you are looking to get involved.Gaelic for Mother’s and Others - open to all women aged over 25, even if you’ve never played, this is a great opportunity to get to know ladies from the area and have a bit of fun along the way. Our Super Club Lotto, the club lotto has started back in the past couple of weeks and is a great success. We can only offer this online at the moment, and you can play through the Clubforce App. Once restrictions are lifted we hope to be resuming the weekly club lottery through envelope entry. Also club membership is available through the App.We hope to see you all very soon when the Club house is fully opened and restrictions allow!

Swords Tidy Towns volunteers care for the town of Swords. They generate enthusiasm and co-operation in order to enhance the natural and built environment. We plan to use the clear targets set by the Tidy Towns competition to give strong focus on these tasks we undertake on your behalf.Community: build strong communication with businesses, residents association, local council and schools to promote our work and to seek their help for the benefit of the community as a whole Diversity: actively seek new volunteers across a broad section of the community, and promote Swords as a town of diversity and inclusiveness .Environmental: be a champion of biodiversity and environmental issues

In an increasingly complex world, Lions provides one of the most basic human needs, the need for friendship. And the opportunity to make a difference. As an individual you can have limited impact but as part of a group you can achieve so much more. Lions Club membership brings more awareness of community and the average Lions Club has, at its heart, the intention to make the community it serves a better place to live. Wherever there is a need, you will find Lions there, actively involved in getting the job done and making things happen. No skills required to roll up the sleeves and find a solution. No job is too big or too small. Lions above all are nice people, who genuinely want to give of their time and means to assist others and have a lot of fun doing it. The Club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. And the Service is fun.One of the best reasons for becoming a Lion is the chance to do, as a group, what we cannot hope to achieve on our own, to serve our fellow man.Our motto says it all “We Serve” To show you some of tthe work we have done and continue to do in Malahide we have put together these pictures and we hope they will interest you enough to make you want to get involved. These are just some of the things we have been involved in and maybe you can suggest other things for us to help the community in the future..Check us out for fun, laughter and community service at Malahide Lions Facebook Page. More information about projects and activities at our Malahide Lions Club website and use our contact form to apply. An easy watt for you to contact us is at malahidelionsclub@gmail.com or contact any member you know. We urgently need your help and we look forward to hearing from you.

Former players from Malahide United are making their mark both here and in England showing how the great coaching at the club has been a huge success. The club truly is the home of Football in North County Dublin with 1,200 footballers playing on 55 teams and in two academies. Based in Gannon Park, one of the finest facilities in Ireland. This month we feature some former players who are really heading for the top in their respective leagues both in this country and in the English Leagues.

Firstly we say congratulations to Conor Grant who made his first league start for Rochdale AFC in their League 1 game against Northampton Town on February 23 last. Conor made the switch from Sheffield Wednesday on deadline day this year. The game ended in a nil all draw with Conor contributing greatly to his teams performance which should ensure lots more starts for him soon with his new club.

Next Everyone at Malahide United would like to wish Darren Craven the very best of luck as he embarks on League of Ireland life with Bray Wanderers. Darren has been with the club from Nippers right the way through to Seniors and was captain as we won the Leinster Senior League for a historic first time. Darren has also been capped at Junior level for FA Ireland over the last few seasons. Bray are getting one hell of a player and an even better man. All the best Skip.

Fingal County Council was delighted to be informed this week that Malahide Cricket Club in Fingal will be hosting four matches in the forthcoming tour of Ireland by Cricket South Africa.Fielding one of the world’s best cricket teams including the world’s fastest international century-maker David Miller, South Africa will be returning to Fingal and Ireland, for the first time in fourteen years from July 11th to 20th 2021, as both teams seek to secure the qualifying points for the Cricket World Cup to be held in India in 2023.The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David Healy was delighted to welcome the news of the South African tour adding: “This is a tremendous boost for Fingal. It shows yet again, that if we can work together to defeat this virus now, we can look forward to world-class sport in our local community in July.”South African cricket has strong links with Fingal as some of our leading Transition Year (TY) cricket students were able, thanks to our Fingal County Council Development Manager, Brian O’Rourke’s work in conjunction with Cricket Leinster, to have the privilege of educational placements at some of South African’s leading schools, such as Glenwood High School, Durban & St Stithians in Johannesburg.Brian O’Rourke welcomed the news of the tour: “Another exciting cricket opportunity for Fingal, one that I hope that will feature local cricketers, and TY graduates playing for our country against some of the world’s best cricketers.”He further added his hope that the community can be engaged in the fixtures: “I hope that just as in 2018 when Pakistan played the historic first Test match in Ireland at Malahide CC, Covid-19 restrictions will have eased, to allow not only spectators but local school cricketers able to attend special coaching opportunities, which did so much to help inspire the young cricketers in Fingal.”Margaret Geraghty, Director of Housing and Community Development for Fingal County Council sent the council’s fullest support for the tour, and for Malahide CC’s selection to host: “Congratulations to Malahide CC, a club that has worked tirelessly during the pandemic to help support its local community, on being selected to host such prestigious fixtures in July. We hope that the matches are not only a success on the field for Ireland, but for you as a club off the field, in showcasing all of the excellence you have now to host such world-class teams here in Fingal.”Cricket Ireland will continue to work with Cricket South Africa, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, and the Sports Expert Group to ensure all fixtures comply with the COVID-19 protocols in place, so all details are subject to change but let uus hope that will not happen.
Ireland v South Africa series - * Matches form part of the ICC World Cup Super League
11 July: Ireland v South Africa, * 1st ODI, 13 July: Ireland v South Africa, * 2nd ODI, 16 July: Ireland v South Africa, * 3rd ODI , 20 July: Ireland v South Africa, 1st T20I
Matches form part of the ICC World Cup Super League with all games played in Malahide

At the March Area meeting Cllr Rob O’Donoghue tabled a motion regarding the Lusk Sports Hub. Virtual engagement between the Council and the 2020 Sport Group has continued during the current lockdown, the group were advised that further development of the Hub is contingent on the transfer to the Council of the balance of open space zoned land by the developer so that the key sporting infrastructure objectives can be met. Cllr O’Donoghue welcomed the continued engagement and urged the speedy delivery of remaining Class 1 Open Space to the Council for the benefit of the all the community in Lusk.In other Council news, the Fingal Development Plan 2023 - 2029 public consultation was opened on the 12th of March and will be open until the 12th of May. Councillor O’Donoghue ask that the people of Lusk have their say in development of Lusk into the future by making your submission on how you would like to see the town develop on the FCC website. The Council have also committed to bringing the pathway at the top of Orylnn Park which has been in need of repair for some time up to standard in the calendar year.

All may be quiet on the pitches of Lusk United Football Club, but behind the scenes the club is very much active. The club’s Youth Council, newly formed before Covid, are unable to interact with members as first planned…but they’ve not let a pandemic stop them. Rather, they have formed their very own ‘Skillz School’, broadcasting through the club’s social media platforms, urging younger members to get involved and get active. Indeed, The Youth Council took a front seat organising the St. Patrick’s Day Virtual Parade, which was a huge success. We are so proud of these young people getting involved in their club and community in a positive way. Follow their hashtag, #luskutdYC, to keep an eye on what they’re up to. On International Women’s Day, we celebrated our 30% female members aged 18 or under, female mentors and managers, ladies kick fit team and our female volunteers. Our girls team members reflected upon what sport and being part of Lusk United means to them. It was truly heart-warming to hear the girl’s thoughts and reflections. We were delighted to be joined by Jamie Finn, Irish International player. Jamie sent a contribution to the club’s International Women’s Day video, encouraging all girls to believe with determination and hard work anything is possible. Jamie has also been working via zoom with the U-11 girls team during lockdown…ready for the much awaited return to football.One of our academy coaches, left in October to go on tour with The Irish Army. A few months later a message was sent by Coach Paul asking if any jerseys or football boots could be collected and sent to Mali. An SOS call was sent out. We were overwhelmed by the response from the Lusk community, St. Michael’s House and from Paul Keogh of the FAI. A huge shipment was sent to Mali. We are delighted to hear it has arrived safely this week and Coach Paul is back doing what he does best…coaching soccer. All in all a busy month for us, but one which embraces our ethos #workhard #havefun.

The recent Lusk 4 mile Virtual race was a tremendous success with over 700 registrations including over 200 Juvenile entries of the Thomas Ashe Dash. This was the highest number of juvenile entries in a Virtual race since lockdown began. We really appreciate the support of local athletes, other club runners and sponsors in making the event so successful. Thanks also to Annette Foy and Nicole Hodson for organising the event. There were some fantastic times recorded with Darren Ryan and Alex Bell retaining their titles as fastest male and female Lusk AC athletes.We would like to congratulate members for continuing their own training during this extended lockdown. Some of the times recorded over the last few months have been phenomenal and show the hard work being put in is really paying dividends. We are very excited to resume group training once allowed.The 40 day Sunrise Challenge is almost at an end. Well done to everyone who took part.

There is an old saying – the secret to getting ahead is getting started and that’s what we at Junsa have done, instead of waiting for lockdown to finish, and an end to restrictions so we can train together safely , we have gone training , online, and separately but together.Even though our students are safely training at home they are training together where they can still see and chat ( but not too much !) to each other over our Zoom training sessions.While it’s still not the same the students are still keeping their fitness and Taekwondo skills up to date.The club made their kick pads available to the students for home training, which means they need someone to hold the pads,and in steps the mams and dadsw to help out.It’s great to see the parents and guardians getting involved in the students sport.Well done to everyone , and huge thank you to all for the support. Here are some of our students training at home via Zoom.A huge thank you to everyone who has kept up their training online and we hope to see everyone back for training face to face as soon as it’s safe to do so.

At the March area meeting of Fingal County Council Cllr Brian Dennehy raised the issues of works required to be carried out at the Open Space at Chapel Farm Drive, Lusk and also the need for bollards at Rogerstown Estuary . Having previously allocated 100,000 Euro for the works in the 2021 – 2013 budget the Manager outlined the planned works to be carried out. “The additional area of land was acquired by Fingal County Council in 2016 when the remainder of public open space in Chapel Farm was taken in charge from the Receiver. It remains the intention of the Council to merge this additional area of land which is fenced off and not landscaped, with the adjacent developed Class 1 Public Open Space. There is provision in the 2021-2023 Capital Programme to commence landscaping works to facilitate the incorporation and merging of the two pieces of land. Initial works planned for 2021 /2022 are to remove the railings and reposition them to the rear boundary of the site. This will be followed with some earth moving to level and grass seed the new land. When these works settle it will be possible to start planning a perimeter pathway and a more detailed layout for the site. A corner of the site is currently being used as a Pyrite remediation holding area, so once that is vacated the council will be free to commence further works.” Mr Dennehy also welcomed Fingal County Councils positive response to erecting lockable bollards at the access points to Rogerstown Estuary as a measure to combat the large escalation of fly tipping in the area. He said, “ The stretch of the estuary which is accessible from both Lusk and Rush has witnessed in recent months, what can be only described as fly tipping on an industrial scale as rogue dumpers are taking advantage of the ready access to the area. Only the usage of trucks or other large vehicle would explain the volume of material dumped on occasions. Having chased after the implementation of the bollards over a long period of time it is great that the Council also see the benefit by having restricted access to the area while at the same time accommodation of local landowners as they work their lands. Removable bollards are listed on the general works list for installation at the entry points of Rogerstown Estuary from the access point at Rogerstown Park, and between the ramparts leading onto the Channel Road. However, discussion will have to take place with the landowner who utilises this area to access his lands.”