Balbriggan RFC hosted 11 school teams in the Leinster Rugby Junior 3A qualifiers blitz today. A great morning of rugby including our local Ardgillan Community College Junior team.
Well done to Ardgillan Community College and Malahide Community School who have qualified for the Cup.
We are delighted to tell you all that Adel, who was puppy raised by volunteer Anne Mulligan has officially qualified as an Assistance Dog and has been matched with a young boy in Co. Kildare. We wish Adel and her new family the best of luck in the future and we want to thank Anne for all her hard work. We are also happy to announce that our Balbriggan Branch attended the Bremore Castle Food and Craft Village back on Sunday the 4th September and a total of €161.50 was raised. A big thank you to all the volunteers and all who came over to support us. Jacqui Madden was the winner of our Guide Dog Hamper, a big congratulations to Jacqui again and thank you for supporting us. Are you looking for ways to support your local Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs? Well, we are hoping to hold a Quiz night in November/December, be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook/Instagram for updates on that. Another way you can help us is if you have any old coins or stamps that are no longer in circulation. Annually our branch puts out this request, ‘If you have any used postage stamps, stamp albums, or coins which are no longer in circulation, please give them to us. We will turn them into Euros and lodge them to the guide dogs account.’ We receive coins from all over the world and old postage stamps. In our guide dog boxes and large collection dogs we find coins from all over the world and from Europe that are no longer legal currency since the Euro came into place. We get paper notes of all sorts of denominations, coins and used stamps from our branch volunteers and friends.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, email guidedogsbalbriggan@gmail.com, or you can find us on Facebook: Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.
Balbriggan woman Nina McGowan set a new world record in the Masters category of the No Fins discipline at a prestigious international free diving competition. She went on to secure a gold medal for Ireland in the FIM (Free Immersion) category during the CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) Outdoor Free diving World Championships in Kas, Turkey. McGowan, 50, from the Harbour area of the town, also set two national records over the course of the Championships. She beat the existing world record by three metres to log the deepest ‘no fins’ dive in CMAS history for a woman aged 50-54. She dived to 43m, with a dive duration of two minutes, ten seconds at the competition’s warm-up event. McGowan is one of the world’s leading exponents of free diving, which involves competitors diving deep under water without breathing equipment. “When my coach suggested a world record was within my reach, I thought it was a crazy,” she said. But because water is both my sanctuary and playground, anything is possible. The limitations of the land do not apply.To become a world champion and a world record holder in one week is simply fantastic. I had many doubts and failings along the way, but I have achieved what I set out to do and I am very proud Ireland is now represented at this level in freed diving. I hope the sport will grow in Ireland and that next year we will have an Irish team going to the World Championships. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me in this adventure. Diving Ireland, Sport Ireland and Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership for their support and belief in me. Also, my Go-Funders, friends, family and the wonderful community of freedivers who have encouraged me from the beginning and continue to cheer me on.”
Fingal County Council has been given the go ahead for a €10 million transformation of the Balbriggan town centre which will deliver a unique public civic space in the heart of Ireland’s youngest town. The proposed new public space is the first and largest signature project to be brought forward under the Council’s Our Balbriggan 2019-2025 Rejuvenation Plan. The multi-purpose plaza area and linear park is designed to host markets, events and festivals and to provide enhanced play, leisure and tourism opportunities in the town. The approval by Councillors means revitalisation plans for the area will now move forward, with the re-development of the 19,300m2 site expected to commence in early 2024 and the works completed on a phased basis by the end of 2025.Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony said: “This project will help transform the area into a much more people-oriented public space. Along with enhancing the appeal of the location, a new commercial building and two new kiosks will be built on the site of a former nightclub in the harbour area to accommodate visitor and leisure activities.”The public realm redevelopment will see areas of Quay Street, Mill Street, Harbour Road and Balbriggan Harbour become an integrated space which links the town centre and River Bracken with the harbour. The canalisation of the River Bracken will also be undertaken, opening it up as an amenity for residents and visitors to experience and enjoy. Broad steps will lead down to the water, which will feature increased planting, improved biodiversity and enhanced flood protection. 75% of the funding for the €10 million project will come from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, with the remainder financed from Fingal’s capital spending programme. Professor Brian MacCraith, chair of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, said the development is the most significant step yet in the town’s rejuvenation plan. “The granting of planning permission is wonderful news for Balbriggan and will help secure its future. Our consultations with the people of Balbriggan, clearly demonstrated support for reimagining the harbour area. The approved proposals will do just that, creating an exciting, lively pier and waterfront that will help link leisure and tourism opportunities in the town and significantly boost Balbriggan’s offering,” He paid tribute to all who contributed to the public consultation process: “I am delighted that not only have we reflected the public’s view of the reimagining of the harbour area, but also that the feedback and local insight gleaned from the public consultation process was critical in progressing plans and is ultimately reflected in the project.”
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.
