Remember us have set up a new adult group on Mondays and Thursday mornings for adults with special needs who are not in a day service or in a community based service and looking for something to do. We are open to new people joining the group. Activities delivered to date were Woodcraft, life skills, and computer sessions. Up coming sessions are Personal Developed and cookery. If anyone would like more information or to join the group or any of our groups please contact Nora /Anne on 0860457003 or email us at hello@rememberus.ie Check out our website for more information www.remember us.ie

Two of our local Balbriggan/North Co Dublin volunteers are husband and wife Andy and Jade. They have a beautiful daughter Sádhbh who is 2 years old. Jade is visually impaired since birth due to optic nerve damage and uses a white cane when out and about. She explains ‘I have limited vision, mainly shadows, and a little colour but not enough to read a full page of print’. Andy, is blind, uses a white cane now as his guide dog Nico retired last year. He is on a waiting list to be matched and trained with a new guide dog when a suitable partnership is found. Before the arrival of Sádhbh, Jade worried if she would know when her daughter was sick or feeling unwell. She didn’t need to worry as her maternal instincts kicked in and as Jade says, ‘I just know’. When Sádhbh was teething, Jade felt that her daughter also had an upset stomach. A visit to the Doctor confirmed Jade was correct, it was a stomach bug. Before Sádhbh was born her parents worried she might be visually impaired as well. Thankfully Sadhbh ‘can see a needle in a haystack’ according to Jade and knows how to show her mother or father something by placing their hand on it. Early on Sádhbh worked out that Andy couldn’t see her and would hide under the table or chair when he called her. The past two years have been very busy for the family, and they have recently moved house. We wish them happiness and success in all they do.

Preparations for Guide Dog Day on Friday 27th May are underway. Please help us raise funds for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Ask your family and friends to sponsor you and challenge yourself to walk, run, swim or dance 100k during the month of May. Or think up your own challenge, bake 100 cakes, read 100 books, write 100 letters, take 100 photographs. We’d love to hear your challenge, phone/text us on 085 766 3107 or email GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com. Or please contact us on Facebook at facebook.com/Balbriggan.Branch.of.Guide.Dogs.

St Patrick’s brass and reed Band are looking for new members both experienced musicians & beginners. We need drummers, trumpeters, trombonists, flute & piccolo players amongst others. All instruments and tuition provided for €5 per week plus a yearly membership of €10. Open to all from age 9 to adult. Get in touch for more info

Staff at the HSE Contact Management Programme, in Dublin, celebrated its diverse and multicultural team through Holi, the Hindu festival of colours on our St Patrick’s Day . This year Holi was observed on sundown of Thursday, March 17th ending at sundown on Friday, March 18th.

St Colmcilles is your local GAA Club, offering Gaelic Football to the community of Swords. We have fully trained coaches, who are all garda vetted and ready and waiting for the coming season.Based just on Glen Ellan Rd, close to Applewood Village, Millers Glen and Glen Ellan area, we are close by for everyone.We offer Gaelic Football to children aged 4 years +. Also junior football for men and Gaelic for Mothers and Others. Our Club Lotto Jackpot resumed online (clubforce.com) Monday, January 17th. 2022. If you or any member of your family are interested in joining the club then call Marian 0876819540. We also want to notify you that Training recommenced for the juvenile players over 6 yrs on Saturday 22nd January at 10.30am and continues each and every Saturday. Follow us on Facebook for further updates “Naomh Colmcille CLG”

Fingal County Council is delighted to announce that full planning permission has been granted to the R132 Connectivity Project by An Bord Pleanála. Fingal County Council is working in conjunction with the National Transport Authority to improve connectivity for the town of Swords and this includes a renewed focus on safe facilities for pedestrians and cyclists on the R132.The R132 Connectivity Project will improve the connectivity and safety of pedestrians and cyclists moving along, and across, the R132 and enhance facilities for all road users with particular benefits for those choosing sustainable modes of transportation such as bus users, cyclists and pedestrians.Works will focus on the section of the R132 which runs east of Swords Town Centre, from Pinnock Hill to the Estuary Roundabout. A public consultation was launched in November 2020 and, following submissions from the public, detailed designs were submitted for planning permission to An Bord Pleanála in May 2021. On January 20th of this year An Bord Pleanála announced their decision to grant permission for this very important project.The Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh says the project is key for Swords. ‘This connectivity project will make getting to work, school and the shops by walking and wheeling an easy choice for people in Swords.” The project is comprised of: (A) Carriageway changes from north of Pinnock Hill Roundabout to north of Estuary Roundabout including the establishment of designated bus lanes, cycle lanes and pedestrian walkways along each side of the carriageway, with a new reduced speed limit of 50km/h; (B) Conversion of three existing roundabouts along the R132 (Estuary, Seatown and Malahide Road roundabouts) to signalised intersections with pedestrian and cyclist crossing points; (C) Reconfiguration of the Drynam Road arm of the Malahide Road Roundabout to link directly to Malahide Road as a one-way road; (D) Three new signalised crossing points at:- North of Pinnock Hill Roundabout, - Adjacent to existing Chapel Lane/Ashley Avenue overbridge, and - North of Estuary Roundabout. This will also entail the Installation of turning areas at two separate points along the R132; Those who wish to view plans for the scheme can find them on the Consult Portal at consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/application-bord-pleanala-fingal-county-council-r132-connectivity-project

This was the first game back for the Under 11B’s after the Christmas break in tough windy and wet conditions recently. Both teams agreed to play 9 a side which suited our passing game on a bigger pitch. We played with the wind in first half and played some great passing football, stretching the opposition, letting the ball do the work. We took to lead 10mins in with a great passage of play 1 touch football down the right which was finished by Max. Their keeper was great form, with Senan clipping the crossbar and a free kick just going wide. The team adapted in the 2nd half playing into a strong wind. We made 5 changes and the players coming on did really well. Big shout out to Oscar on making debut on the left side of midfield. Terenure put us under spells of pressure in the 2nd half. The team soaked this up with strong leadership from Leo (GK) & Alex (CB). A great counter attacking move down the left was sweetly finished by Daniel M. It was end to end from last quarter, both teams playing good football, until Leon won the ball at the edge of their box, found space followed by the top corner (George Best would have proud). We finished strong with the final result 0-3 win to Swords. Players of the week were Leon & Senan. All the hard work in training in January and early February showed on the pitch. A big thank you to coaches Eugene, Tom, Anthony & John not forgetting Anita for the kits!! A great start to the 2nd half of the season!! Training continues on Tuesday night!!!

Recently we at Fingallians were delighted to welcome David Keeling to the club to launch our new partnership with Keelings Fruit. As two well known organisations in Swords we will be coming together to drive a new initiative to highlight the importance of nutrition on the physical and mental wellbeing of all our club members, their families and friends. We envisage this partnership will enable us to continue to grow and promote a healthy lifestyle across the local community through the participation in our Gaelic Games and other social activities. In addition, we are hoping this partnership will also help to improve nutritional and health wellbeing with various new ventures on the horizon through our Health & Wellbeing section.

By Ken Duffy

Swords Tidy Towns will be partaking in the 2022 Swords St Patrick’s Day Parade after a two-year Pandemic absence. I must say it feels good to get back to some kind of normal and have fun and frolics with the group.The theme of the parade this year is recognising the contribution of front-line workers, this is a fantastic tribute to them and what they did under extreme and dangerous conditions.Swords Tidy Towns will, in our own diminutive way, reflect our appreciation to front-line workers in our presentation on the day. We will also be having a Street and Pub Bucket Collection at the end of the parade; this is the first time in over two years that we have been able to raise funds. I would ask the public to be as supportive as their budgets will allow, all funds raised are ploughed back into the community keeping Swords looking beautiful.As always new members are very welcome into the group, if you have an inkling to get involved Contact Ken 0866008313 or email us at swordstidytowns@irishmediagroup

Malahide United are delighted to announce a successful Sports Capital Grant allocation of €19,737 towards sports equipment for the new all-weather pitch and a ball stop. The continued support of Darragh O’Brien TD and Cllr. Eoghan O’Brien is greatly appreciated by everyone at Malahide United