We enjoyed our fantastic annual garden party hosted by Maria Baird and her team, with entertainment by Gerry and the Plonkers.
The Lusk ICA ladies also enjoyed a relaxing Spa Day in the Beautiful Johnstone House Hotel recently.
Our thanks to Mary Hassett and Mary Hagan for hosting the recent coffee morning in aid of Gaza, where she raised over €3,000 and still counting.
We also joined the Lusk Senior Citizens for a great day out to Kilkenny Castle recently, and the Woodstock Gardens followed by a lovely meal Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow. Thanks to Kitty McCormack and her team for organizing.
Our next meeting will be on Thursday 2nd October at 8.15 in the Lusk Scouts new members are very welcome to come along.
Lusk Village Quarter - Planning Application:
Earlier in the year, Fingal Co Council sought more information on the planning application submitted for the final phase of the Lusk Village Quarter. Among some of the information requested included the crèche location and accessibility and pub/restaurant location.
During the summer, the developers, McGarrell Reilly requested a three-month extension in which to submit the required information. This means that the developer has until 17th December in which to submit the information after which FCC will review and made a decision. Unfortunately, this means that the building on the much-needed amenities will be delayed until the planning application is approved, likely to now be in Quarter 1 2026.
Town Centre First - Regeneration:
During the summer, Fingal County Council hosted three workshop meetings with the community in preparation for the setting up of a new Town Team structure.
The Team, once in place will work with FCC in allocating various projects contained within the Lusk for Life Plan to community groups to implement. It is hoped that the Town Team structure will be finalised in October.
Summer Festival
On 3rd September, it was agreed to establish a new standalone committee, the Summer Festival Planning team to start planning for the festival for 2026.
Santa Truck – Save the Date!
Lusk has been offered an exciting opportunity to host the Santa Truck in 2025. The truck which travels around Ireland to bring Christmas cheer in aid of the Laura Lynn charity is due to visit Lusk on Friday, 12th December. LAG will be providing support to organise the event. More information will be available next month but for now, save that date!
By Ken Duffy
Swords Tidy Towns have been consulting over the last few months with various companies that manage commercial properties in the town.
The Castle Shopping Centre has undergone a long overdue facelift and is looking so much better for it. Swords based Paul Reddy Property Team worked closely with Swords Tidy Towns during the whole facelift process, this is community teamwork at its best.
Joe Callan Town Mall also worked closely with us. He replaced all the damaged barrel planters and provided the new plants for all the planters. Again excellent community teamwork.
We have been working closely with Cllr Darren Kelly who has communicated on our behalf with the new management company who are to take over shortly at Forest Mews on the Forest Road. This area has been a constant eyesore for a long period and a bone of contention for us, as it was always the Swords Tidy Towns volunteers who cleaned up the mess. The whole area is in need of a major facelift. Soundings from the new management company appear to be in favour of this happening. Yet another great example of community teamwork.
Ian Hunter manager of the Pavilions Shopping Centre has had a close relationship with Swords Tidy Towns for a number of years. As a passerby or shopper, you will be aware of the major improvement works being carried out around the front area of the shopping centre, this will also include creative works on the Pavillion roundabout. Swords Tidy Towns prior to the start of works had been liaising with Ian Hunter who kept us up to date on the type of works and a proposed start date. Swords Tidy Towns are excited about this project and can’t wait to see the finished works, we believe it will enhance the area enormously. Once again it is worth reiterating how important community spirit and teamwork is between business and local voluntary organisations, when we work together, we can move mountains.
Swords Tidy Towns are always looking for new members, just show up on a Saturday morning, we meet in the car park of Cove & Co previously Colourtrend opposite the Garda Station at 10am. Hope to see you there, check out our Facebook page.
Swords Toastmasters is a club that helps people develop their public speaking, listening, and leadership skills, in a fun and supportive environment. Members join for a variety of reasons. Some, to progress their careers, to perform better at interviews, to practice for workplace presentations, or even for that all important wedding speech.
“I would recommend Toastmasters to everyone, you meet like-minded people from all walks of life who are interested in personal development, communication and leadership skills.”
says Seamus Hynes, member of Swords Toastmasters.
A typical meeting consists of prepared speeches, Table Topics™ (impromptu speeches) and evaluations.
The club is now inviting new members to join their group. Get in touch today for an obligation free visit and take the first step towards finding your voice and changing your life!
Swords Toastmasters; Date: Every 2nd Monday Location: Old Borough School, Church Road, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 Y179. Time: 8p.m. – 10p.m.
For more information, email swordstm@gmail.com or contact the membership officer on 086 8538048.
About District 71
District 71 comprises more than 200 corporate and community clubs in Ireland, Scotland, Northern Wales, Northern England, Midlands, and East of England. To learn more about District 71 please visit: Toastmasters UK North & Ireland – District 71
About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. In a supportive community or corporate environment, members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback. It is through this regular practice that members are empowered to meet personal and professional communication goals. Founded in 1924, the organization is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, with over 265,000 members in more than 13,800 clubs in nearly 150 countries. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit toastmasters.org.
Swords resident Zdzislaw Pretki was thrilled when Fingal County Council installed some benches in Ridgewood Green recently. The greatly aid the 79-year-old who goes for regular walks there.
He said, “I would like to thank you very much Fingal County Council for their kind consideration of my request to install benches on Ridgewood Green. I am a Polish resident, I am almost 80 years old, and I often walk around Ridgewood.
I often see local people who, like me, would like to sit on a bench and rest for a while.
The appearance of the benches is a nice addition to the green square.
For the prompt and favourable consideration of my request on behalf of myself in the local community. Thank you, very much for all those who made the decision and performed the above - mentioned installation.”
Swords resident Zdzislaw Pretki was thrilled when Fingal County Council installed some benches in Ridgewood Green recently. The greatly aid the 79-year-old who goes for regular walks there.
He said, “I would like to thank you very much Fingal County Council for their kind consideration of my request to install benches on Ridgewood Green. I am a Polish resident, I am almost 80 years old, and I often walk around Ridgewood.
I often see local people who, like me, would like to sit on a bench and rest for a while.
The appearance of the benches is a nice addition to the green square.
For the prompt and favourable consideration of my request on behalf of myself in the local community. Thank you, very much for all those who made the decision and performed the above - mentioned installation.”
Donabate Parish Hall have just received a modular Riser Stage with grant aid from FCC. This is part one of a full large low stage and hopefully part two will come next year in a similar grant application. The stage can be put together relatively easily, if one knows how. So it will require a short course of instruction of a few hours to master the method of assembly for any groups that may be granted permission to use it. The Riser Stage compliments the acquisition, through grants in recent years, of other equipment to support performances and participation in activities and events of an entertainment and cultural nature.
We have had Céile House, Official Launch of the Parish Hall, Film ‘Angel’, Tayleur Events, Dramatic Productions, TradFest Fingal, Leithinis Inclusion Night, Musical Performances, Peninsula Voices and recently ‘MusicFest’, all of which either benefitted or would have from the use or a Riser Stage. In the past, a riser had to be rented for some events or we had to do without! One group, Music Makers, that was initiated by Breda Dockrell and Jim O Donohoe and run by a group of four Noel Dowling, Sean Collins and the aforementioned, who were brought together under the umbrella of the Parish Hall to see if, over the year of providing a venue to do music, there was interest and commitment. They are now, as planned with the assistance of FCC, setting up under their own structure , organisation and team/committee with Noel and a new team taking the reins. They will continue to offer a much needed platform for people to develop their musical talents and confidence.
The Parish Hall is in full swing now with Daily Activities. Here is a flavour: Senior Citizens, Pilates, Youth Club, Irish Dancing, Leithinis Irish Music and Cards!
There are also a number of Blocked Events taking place. So put the dates in your diaries.
Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society are putting on their autumn/winter production from Thursday 6th November - Sunday 9th November. (Patrons Night on Friday!)
Through the Lens Photography Group is exhibiting some of their photography work from over the year from Friday 14th November - Sunday 16th November.
The Farmers Market, which began this summer, took place during August and September in the green space beside the Church. It was a very welcome addition to the amenities and atmosphere in the centre of the village on a Saturday afternoon. We hope that it too will be a regular feature in the future.
If you have any queries to the Parish Hall please contact them on 01 8434574between the hours of 9:30hrs - 12:30hrs and they will help in any way they can.
September was a busy month for Gerry and the Plonkers (Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed music group), with three gigs. The first was for the ladies of Lusk ICA, where the Plonkers had the pleasure of playing to an appreciative audience who didn’t just listen but got up and danced the night away. Next was at the Community Showcase Afternoon in Donabate Portrane Community Centre. This was an opportunity for local community groups, including the Men’s Shed, to highlight their activity and hopefully recruit new members. Lastly, the Plonkers played in Malahide Castle at the end of September, too close to going to press to include photos.
But as we keep saying, Men’s Shed is more than Gerry and the Plonkers, maybe just not as photogenic (apologies lads!). The plots at the allotments kept many of our members busy right through the summer, but the fruit of their labour was bountiful last month. There was also our weekly exercise classes, croquet at Newbridge and our Thursday morning get-togethers at the Scout’s Den.
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed is always open to new members and suggestions for new activities. So, if you, or someone close to you, would like to join us, just call our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316. Don’t be shy!
With regard to Slí na Sláinte routes, Covid and some other delays made it difficult for progress to be made and impediments to be removed, for safe and acceptable routes to be put in place on our Peninsula.
Just before Covid, The Irish Heart Foundation had worked with an ad-hoc local committee, drawn from different groups in the community along with some officials in The Parks Dept in FCC, in identified a suitable Slí na Sláinte route in and around Donabate Village & Newbridge Park.
But there were 3 impediments to the establishment of the route.
Turvey: Had no proper footpath or safe crossing into Newbridge Park on Turvey Avenue. There is now a new wide continuous footpath along the northern side of Turvey Avenue leading to the centre of the village. In addition, traffic lights have been installed and a crossing provided for pedestrians to enter & exit Newbridge Park at the Turvey Gate.
Links: There has been traffic lights installed for pedestrians at the entrance to the Links - to allow safe crossing of the Portrane Rd.
Ballisk & Beaverstown: This junction is known as ‘The Hand’ and over the last few weeks a footpath has been put in there, on the corner extending down into Ballisk & down the Beaverstown Rd. This was the most important junction to be sorted in terms of safety in crossing this road. So, hopefully it is now.
At this point, there have been some changes in personnel in all of these bodies, but one would be confident that with all of the obstacles gone that the new personnel will come together to ensure this Slí na Sláinte route is put in place and will be the start of many for walkers, joggers & runners in the Donabate & Portrane area. All Slí na Sláinte routes are not always suitable for wheelchair & buggy users, but this one is! Hopefully, in the future it will be possible to have some ‘braille trails’ in our area given the number of people living in our community who are visually impaired.
These routes are very pertinent at the moment with the drive toward Get Ireland Active etc. This is a project one trusts that FCC officials & local councillors will support and ensure succeeds!
It’s that time of year again! The crisp autumn air is here, and our LSA groups are settling back into their new routines.
Fit4Life: Your Autumn Fitness Journey
For those looking to kickstart their fitness goals, our fit4life group is the perfect fit. We hold training sessions every Monday and Wednesday evening, catering to all abilities. Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps or an experienced runner looking for a challenge, we have groups for intermediate and advanced levels as well. To help you on your journey, we have a special offer: join us for just €65 from now until December. For more information, please contact us at lsaadultreg@gmail.com.
Marathon Season is Upon Us!
With the days growing shorter, our dedicated marathon runners know exactly what that means: the Dublin City Marathon is just around the corner! On October 26th, members from all our adult groups—from first-timers to seasoned marathoners—will be lacing up their shoes. We wish them the best of luck and hope their training remains injury-free.
Community and Upcoming Events
LSA recently had a fantastic turnout at the Donate Family Fun Day and Community Group Expo, where we saw a tremendous response and great interest from the community.
Last but not least, mark your calendars! The 4th annual LSA Peninsula Road Race is back on Sunday, November 16th. Registration is now open, and you can find all the details you need on our Instagram page, @lsadonabateportrane.
We’re excited for what this new season holds and can’t wait to see both new and familiar faces.
