The events have been coming thick and fast this year and by the middle of March it seems like most of the club had taken part in at least one Indoor competition or road race. Younger members of the club had a fantastic 5 days of Indoor Juvenile competition at the National Indoor Arena while our Junior, Seniors and Masters were at the same venue for the Leinster Indoor Championships. There was a huge medal haul for the club which is the icing on the cake after a hard winter of training.
The Lusk 4 mile gets bigger and better with each year and this time even the weather was on our side. 660 completed the 4 mile with over 200 also taking part in the Thomas Ashe Dash. Many thanks to all who volunteered at the event and to all the sponsors and local community for their support. The club had great participation in two Road races on Sunday 12th March with 60 of our athletes in action. The Windmill 10k (Men’s Dublin 10k Championship) in Garristown and the Bohermeen Half Marathon in Co Meath saw some brilliant running by our long distance men and women. We look forward to a summer of continued success and enjoyment.

by Aidan Arnold

This unusual picture was taken at Rogerstown Estuary, Newhaggard, Lusk, in the early 1900s, on the land running along the river from Blake’s Cross to what was Balleally Landfill and is now known as Rogerstown Park.The big man with the beard is Nathaniel Hone and the other gentleman is his Brother Herbert who owned about 600 acres there until it was taken over by the Land Commission in 1935 and divided up between local farmers. Nathaniel Hone “the Younger” (Dublin, 1831 – 1917) was a well known member of a wealthy landed family and the great grand-nephew of another famous artist, Nathaniel Hone (“the Elder”), who lived from 1718 to 1784. Nathaniel the younger married Magdalen Jameson of the family of distillers in 1872. He studied art in Paris and was primarily recognised for his landscape paintings. He lived on the family estate in Malahide where he created hundreds of watercolour drawings of the sea and sands. In 1892 he helped to set up the Malahide Golf Club. Following his death in 1917, his wife gave approximately 500 oil paintings and nearly 900 of his watercolours to the National Gallery of Ireland.

Love Lusk is an initiative of Lusk Community Network. The website www.lovelusk.ie shares information on services, clubs and organisations, it promotes Lusk as a place to live, work and play and it provides support to all within Lusk. As part of this, we have a page on the website dedicated to grants. The grants are listed in sections. At the top of the webpage which is called lovelusk.ie/home/community-grants/, a summary of all the current grants is provided and for a quick reminder, closing dates, if applicable. Grants with a specified closing date are listed in the second section. The information supplied on these grants is set out in a set format – the name of the grant and the grant provider is given, followed by the closing date. A brief description or aim of the grant is supplied. Finally, a link to the website where the application must be completed is provided, in distinctive black writing. Fingal County Council provide grants to different sectors at different times and have dedicated email addresses with whom to make contact with. This information is also contained in the second section. If you contact these specific email addresses, any information on grants will be sent directly to the email address provided as soon as the grants have been announced. We recommended that each club has two email addresses registered with Fingal County Council, so that any communication issued is not missed. The third section deals with funding that is ongoing. To make this easier to navigate, funding relating to businesses, clubs and organisations are in one sub-section whereas grants relating to houses are provided in the other sub-section. This ongoing section has details of LEADER funding, funding that is available for a hugh array of groups, including businesses. The fourth section deals with EU funding and any ongoing supports available. As you can see, this grants page provides a very wide range of information across all sectors. We hope you find this page beneficial, regardless of whether you represent a business, club or organisation within Lusk. Check out our website www.lovelusk.ie, our Facebook & Instagram pages - iLove

At this months Area Committee meeting Lusk was officially chosen as the first town in Fingal to be selected for the Town Centre First project. Town Centre First aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community. Cllr O’Donoghue welcomed this development and stated, ‘there has been a lot of work in the last two years with the Luck Community Councils production of the ‘Lusk for Life – Vision 2030’ document and the 2030 committee which looks at improving the liveability for people in Lusk, the Town Centre First project will adapt and expand on the research already completed to drive change in the town. The Town Centre First Project will consist of three pillars which the project will focus on, (1.) Community, (2). Business & Economy and (3.) The Public Realm. The local community will work closely with officials from Fingal County Council and outside stakeholders to improve all three areas. O’Donoghue continued, ‘Irish towns are facing significant challenges that require a coordinated and comprehensive response. This is a beginning of a process that has the potential to provide much needed facilities and develop a truly integrated heart in the town for Lusk and I look forward to engaging with the community and other stakeholders in the coming months.’

The first sod has been turned on a new development in Fingal which will see the delivery of much needed affordable and social housing in one of Ireland’s fastest growing regions. Situated in the coastal town of Rush, the Hayestown development will consist of 62 homes, comprising a mix of 2- and 3-bedroom properties. Joining Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony for the ground breaking ceremony was the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly and local Councillors. The new housing – on a site approximately six acres in size - will be a welcome addition for those looking to have an opportunity to purchase their own home. Once completed, there will be 38 three-bedroom houses, 10 two-bedroom houses, seven three-bedroom duplexes and seven two-bedroom apartments on offer.The mixed tenure Hayestown development will be made up of 80% affordable housing and 20% social housing.To allow for less energy demand on the power grid, the homes will be built to ensure high energy performance standards are met. That will incorporate technologies such as ground source heat pumps that will help reduce energy bills. The development will also make the most of its natural surrounds by incorporating a riparian zone around a stream, with trees featuring to help form a beautiful open public space. Some €3.9m in government funding has been made available for the development under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), which will allow for the construction of 52 affordable homes as part of the project. The AHF is a subsidy which is available to local authorities such as Fingal County Council to help with housing development costs. It enables local authorities to make affordable homes available to purchase or rent at prices and rents below market rates. The homes available at the new development will be advertised on the Council’s website in the coming months, with construction expected to be completed in the first half of 2024.

We announced some very good news for Lusk at our AGM in March. This came following our Lusk
Vision 2030 meeting the previous week. The new Town Centre First officer in Fingal County Council has been appointed to Lusk. We will be now engaging with FCC on a monthly basis, in a structure similar to “Our Balbriggan”. Balbriggan has received Millions of Euro in funding for various projects under this structure and it has proven to be very successful. There will be 3 “pillar” groups, which will consist of a member of FCC and members of our own 2030 committee and chaired by a Councillor. The pillars will be community, business and public realm. The business pillar will be formed with members of the business community and will be chaired by Cllr Brian Dennehy, Cllr Rob O’Donoghue will chair community and Cllr Cathal Boland will chair public realm. There will be a steering group, with FCC executives and a representative from the 2030 group. After what has been a very lengthy process, we will finally be in a very positive position, able to drive forward our Lusk Vision 2030 plan, with the huge benefit of having regular engagement with FCC, better forward planning and excellent access to funding streams. Conor Doyle has stepped away from our LAG committee to focus on other commitments. We wouldlike to thank him for his contribution and hard work over the past three years and we wish him the very best. Veronica Gibson is replaced by Alexander Voronov as treasurer. We would like to thank Veronica for her hard work and support over the last 2 years. She will remain on our LAG committee.FCC have implemented road changes, including pedestrian lights, path changes, speed bumps and bollards on the Rathmore Road. We would like to thank RALET and the parents committee for their work in the delivery of these “Safe Routes to School” changes. This has made a huge difference to road safety in this area. If you would like to request AGM minutes, email us at luskactiongroup@gmail.com.

The Lusk Mens walk and talk group meet at the Hub car park at 7:00pm every Monday for their weekly walk. This is open to all men and it’s an opportunity just get out of the house, have a nice walk, clear the head and have a chat if you wish. You can do it as a once off or every week, no joining necessary, just turn up. This group is organised by Ciaran Russell, so if you want to introduce yourself to him and before long you will find you have made new friends. So why not let any friends or neighbours know about it as new members are alaways welcome

Lusk Tidy Towns have recently Thank said a big thank you to Fingal County Council for the beautiful display of flowers on the Rathmore Road. They are a delight to behold and really bring colour to the area. Members of Lusk Tidy Towns are producing a book for the archives of ‘Past and Present’ Lusk, further details on this later in the year. Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter. Pat Kelly and Lusk Tidy Towns.

St. Ita’s AFC soccer club are delighted to announce that Progressive Credit Union will again sponsor the club, and be the official Welfare Sponsor for 2023. The sponsorship will allow the club to invest in a range of equipment and training to ensure that the standard of welfare of all our members is exceptional. According to St. Ita’s AFC Chairman Conor Tonra, the support of PCU as the Welfare Sponsor has proved critical for the club: “The support of PCU in 2022 allowed for an upgrading of key safety equipment such as First Aid kits and an upgrade in AED equipment, and for us to roll out a programme of health and safety training including AED training for coaches. This new commitment by PCU for 2023 will allow us to build on these strong foundations.” Progressive Credit Union were the club’s inaugural Welfare Sponsor in 2022, and this extends the sponsorship for the new season. The investment will benefit all of the club’s youth and senior 700 players and coaches. Donabate and Portrane is an important part of the common bond of the Progressive Credit Union, which was formed in 2013 and has grown strongly since. According to Sean Staunton, CEO of Progressive Credit Union: “Progressive Credit Union are delighted to once again support St. Itas AFC, and continue our long-term commitment to Donabate and Portrane. We have a large membership based in Donabate and Portrane, including among members of St. Itas, and we are very proud to support a club which has played such a central role in the community of the peninsula for almost 100 years. The club is based in Donabate-Portrane, fielding teams of male and female members, from age 4 upwards. St Ita’s AFC has approximately 700 registered playing members, including nearly 90 coaches, and are fielding 37 teams in league football, and have recently expanded the senior section to include a senior women’s team and an over 35’s men’s team. St Ita’s also works closely with other organisations in the local community, and has license agreements with two local schools (DPETNS and Donabate Community College), as well as the Donabate Special Olympics Club to use the club’s facilities.

Under the umbrella of the Parish Hall Committee, a very special event was held in Donabate Parish Hall in late February 2023. The Parish Hall became an old style Picture House for the screening of Angel (1982) featuring Stephen Rea in his very first film and starring in the lead acting role. Part of it was shot in The Burrow on the Portrane Beach, which made the occasion extra special and nostalgic for all present. Stephen, as our special guest, came on the night to watch the film and did a very enlightening and entertaining Q&A session afterwards with the well versed and prepared Leticia Agudo, who is film director herself and also tutors on the Film & Production Degree Course in Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education. It was a community event, all the main Cultural and Creative groups were invited first; then some tickets were extended to other Community groups - people who do or have enriched our Parish. On the night, a huge thanks was extended to FCC for their part in refurbishing our Parish Hall, especially the acoustic panels which make it an ideal venue for cultural and creative activities eg Drama, Film, Music, Dance, Craft. There was no Eventbrite, no Facebook, no Instagram, no Posters, no Advertising and we still were sold out of tickets for the night and there was a full house. On the night, we went down Memory Lane for a few minutes about places that use to show films in the parish. Do you remember John’s Club (now gone) or Dockery’s (upstairs in what’s now Grogan’s Shop) in The Burrow? Both places showed films once a week or month in the 1950’s and 1960, fond memories for many people present.

Now we have a great new film club in the Parish. Recently, Larry Carolan and Breda Maguire set up The Lambay Cinema Club and they and their team show a great selection of films once a month on a Thursday in the Church of Ireland at The Square, Donabate. Without Larry’s enthusiasm, expertise and experience in the screening of Angel (1982) in the Parish Hall, nothing could have taken place on the night; the film and the equipment were borrowed from the Bleeding Pig and Larry did the set up and showing. A huge thanks also to Country Crest Farm Shop who sponsored some of the refreshments for all of the people on the night. Also, a big thanks to Stephen from Keelings Pub who sponsored delicious sandwiches for all the volunteers who were working hard on the night and well before the night The Parish Hall Programme tries to co-ordinate and cater for, in a workable way, as many needs as possible, daily/weekly eg Senior Citizens, Cards, Irish Dance, Youth Wellbeing etc and blocks of cultural and creative activities eg Drama, Camps, Exhibitions etc.To that end the Dramatic Society are back again with one of their twice yearly fantastic productions at the end of April, beginning of May. Also coming up is an inclusion of some camps to cater for the children of the Parish. Lastly, a special thanks to the Parish Hall Committee and a massive thanks to all of the volunteers who helped to make it such a memorable evening, caretakers, cleaners, film showers, ticket takers, ushers, reception team, parking attendants, gift maker, photographers, video maker, setter uppers & washer uppers! for, without them all, it would not have happened. A very very special thanks to Stephen Rea; we are sincerely honoured that not alone did you come to our community event as our special guest but took such a big part in it. We hope it can be repeated again in the future!