Open Mic Extravaganza – In Collaboration with the Parish Hall Donabate & Portrane, this one’s for you!
Hey, music fans aged 15 and over ready to rock your socks off? Whether you’re a budding musician or the next shower-singing sensation, Music Makers is the ultimate place to let your talent shine.
When? Sunday, 9th February 2025; Time? 2 PM – 5 PM; Where? Parish Hall, Donabate
No skill? No sweat. Don’t worry if you can’t tell a bass line from a clothesline—this event is for everyone!
Pick up your ukulele, guitar, drumsticks, or just your enthusiasm and join the fun.
Why come? Unleash your inner rockstar. Hang out with cool, music-loving people
Share some laughs (and maybe a few missed notes). Email musicmakersph@gmail.com for more details.
Grab your gear, bring your friends, and let’s make some noise! If under 18 please bring an adult with you
The start of the New Year brought exciting achievements for Takemusu Aikido Society, as two major milestones were reached during an international seminar held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 2nd to 5th January. This gathering of Aikido practitioners from across Europe included over 50 participants from Sweden, Lithuania, Poland, France, Germany, Ireland, and beyond.
The seminar was led by Ulf Evenås Sensei, a revered figure in the Aikido world and he was awarded the rank of 8th dan, the highest possible grade, reflecting his extraordinary contributions to Aikido’s development as a martial art and way of life.
The seminar unfolded against a backdrop of wintry beauty. Sweden welcomed the Irish visitors, Raman Bekarevich and Jan Toth, with cold winds and bare landscapes. However, overnight snow transformed Gothenburg into a winter wonderland, adding a magical touch to the experience.
The culmination of the seminar was the dan grading examinations, a rigorous test of skill and dedication. Candidates were evaluated not only on their technical proficiency but also on their understanding of Aikido’s principles. These gradings represent years of consistent practice and embody the art’s values of discipline, harmony, and resilience.
For Takemusu Aikido Society, the seminar brought two proud moments. Raman Bekarevich, the head instructor, was awarded the rank of 4th dan. This rank signifies the pinnacle of technical mastery in Aikido, requiring the ability to perform all techniques with exceptional precision and fluidity. Beyond this rank, Aikido practitioners are no longer tested on technical skills; instead, they are recognised for their contributions to the art and their role in guiding others.
Another significant milestone was achieved by Jan, an assistant instructor at the club, who earned his Shodan (1st-degree black belt). This achievement was particularly meaningful as it marked the first black belt awarded to a student of Raman Bekarevich and a historic moment for the Takemusu Aikido Society. Jan’s success symbolises the dedication and strength of the club’s teaching and its commitment to fostering the growth of its members.
You too can become part of this story. Takemusu Aikido Society offers regular classes open to everyone, including complete beginners who are curious to try something new. Classes are held every Sunday in Balbriggan and on Mondays and Wednesdays in Dublin. To start your journey, visit www.aiki.ie or email at info@aiki.ie.
The Irish Chamber Orchestra turns the spotlight on the saxophone in the first concerts of its Spring Summer Season 2025 with its debut performance in the Lark Theatre Balbriggan on 7th February being joined by the extraordinary saxophonist Jess Gillam.
Jess has forged an amazing career since shooting to fame as the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician. In her twenties, she has already achieved an MBE for services to music, a Classical BRIT award, her own show on BBC Radio 3 (This Classical Life), and appearances at the BBC Proms both as their youngest-ever soloist and latterly, as a presenter.
From BACH TO BOWIE is an electrifying, eclectic showcase that demonstrates Gillam’s versatility on saxophone as she, along with Irish Chamber Orchestra, sweep audiences away on a voyage of discovery.
Celebrate the youthful wonder in Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 2 as ICO revel in the composer’s sense of fun and sheer joy in making music. Feel the pull of this energetic tug-of-war between orchestra and saxophone in Bach’s Concerto in A Minor as Gillam soars high leading the orchestra in its flight of fancy. Hear the rhythm and purity of expression bursting to life in David Heath’s The Celtic as he delights in the saxophone’s singing quality.
Audiences can catch a breath with ICO as Elaine Agnew’s atmospheric Twilight evokes a peaceful time of meditation after sunset before sunrise.
Meanwhile, Jess’s rendition of Boulanger’s Cantique is tender with an exquisite melody that captures the most enchanting image of stars sparkling in the night sky. Bowie’s iconic Life on Mars will mesmerize as the saxophone stretches into the stratosphere of the unknown - a real treat!
John Harle’s nostalgic and wild “Rant” is a traditional British folk dance, dedicated to Gillam and her saxophone. Explore and enjoy “her energy, her sound and her presence, painted in music from her own part of England” says Harle.
Work will continue at pace on delivering the major infrastructural elements of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme in 2025, after a series of significant developments last year.
According to Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, 2024 was one of momentous progress for the €54-57million plan.
Following the appointment of a contractor, John Craddock Ltd, work began on the plan’s flagship €15million project, the re-development of the Quay Street and Harbour area - including the RNLI Boathouse.
Separately, enabling works have commenced at the boat and bathhouse at the Martello Tower to bring these back into use. The Quay Street and Harbour redevelopment is due to be completed in late 2025.
The Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme is set to transform the town through public investment, and has seen work commence and continue on a number of key infrastructure projects.
“Five years on from the launch of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme 2019-2030, the bricks and mortar transformation of Ireland’s youngest town is now beginning to take real shape,” said Dr Begg.
“There has been huge progress on the ambitious vision contained in the Rejuvenation Programme, the result of an historic community engagement which saw more than 25 per cent of Balbriggan’s residents outline their preferences for the future of the town.”
Work at the Quay Street and Harbour area has already seen the Mill Street Town car park redeveloped, with new trees and public lighting in place. And an exciting milestone was reached with the appointment of a design team to redevelop the De Bruns site.
Fingal County Council appointed an architect-led multi-disciplinary Integrated Design Team (IDT) for the transformation of 6a-14 Bridge Street.
The Integrated Design Team model, which employs local stakeholder engagement to progress plans, has already been successfully deployed on other Our Balbriggan projects, including the Quay Street and Harbour project and the development of a creative hub at 2-4 Dublin Street, on which work is ongoing.
Leading award winning Dublin City-based architects, McCullough Mulvin is leading the IDT for De Bruns and is co-ordinating ongoing local stakeholder engagement for the 10,000 square metre site.
Fingal County Council has proposed a mixed-use commercial, community and residential development, with the River Bracken at its heart.
The plan is to link Millpond Park to a new park entrance at 14 Bridge Street to facilitate a pedestrian and cyclist route down to the transformed Quay Street and Harbour area.
It is estimated work will begin at the site in 2026.
The buildings are within an architectural conservation area.
A review of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group and its Pillar Groups was completed in 2024 to future proof governance.
The Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme is led by Fingal County Council’s Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development Department
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels was established to provide meals for people who are ill, recovering from a serious illness, or for some reason are unable to provide meals for themselves.
It’s not all about delivering meals, however!
As well as cooking and distributing meals, we host a Dinner Club three mornings per week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday in our premises at 14 Hampton Street, Balbriggan. At the Dinner Club, you can enjoy a hot meal and relax in the company of the other members. This provides an enjoyable social outlet to people who primarily live alone. We also run activities and occasional trips for Dinner Club clients.
If you, or anyone you know would be interested in coming along to the Dinner Club, please contact us on 01 8416743 (9am – 1pm, Mon – Sat) for further details.
Did you attend our last fundraiser of 2024 in Hers Upstairs above Mrs O’s in the Central Pub Drogheda St Balbriggan? We sold Christmas cards, car raffle tickets and calendars and raised €329.75 for our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs. Thank you to Andy, Simon of Mrs O’s and everyone who attended and supported us on the day. We hope to see more of you in 2025.
If you want to continue to support our Branch and also have a fun and entertaining February weekend, the Annual Balbriggan Feis is back and being held on Saturday the 8th and Sunday 9th February at Clann Mhuire GAA Hall, Naul, Co. Dublin, K32HK76 with all proceeds in aid of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Musician Kevin Warren will be in attendance and there will be plenty of fantastic dancing for you to enjoy! Entrance tickets are available on the day at €5.00, why not go along for a great day out and to support our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs. Last year the wonderful sum of €9,500 was raised for our Branch. We want to say a big thank you to the organisers Damien O’Shaughnessy and Anne McFadden, the participants, attendees and volunteers who put the Feis together for their amazing continued support.
Finally, we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs in 2024, we are delighted to say a fantastic total of over €50,000 for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind was raised throughout the year, which would not be possible without your support! Please keep an eye on future articles and we will confirm the exact amount.
In 2024, 27 people visited the HQ in Cork from our Branch, if you would be interested in visiting the HQ in 2025 please reach out to us on the information below;
Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Irish Guide Dogs you can do so phone/text 0857663107, email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.
Fingal County Council have been allocated €20m funding from The National Transport Authority for the ongoing delivery of active travel schemes in 2025.
With a total of €294m being awarded to local authorities, this funding will support a range of walking and cycling schemes including improved pedestrian environments, new segregated cycling lanes, pedestrian and cycling bridges and pedestrian crossings.
Welcoming this announcement, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh said: ’’ We are very happy to have received this funding from the NTA. It is a significant support and endorsement for our commitment to Active Travel in Fingal. Active Travel has many benefits for the entire community, it is an essential tool to fight global heating and will deliver a healthier environment for everyone. We want to push harder and do more so we will happily take all the funding we can get.’’
This funding has been awarded to 48 different projects in the Fingal area and includes a variety of Active Travel investments such as Fingal Coastal Way, Donabate Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, Harry Reynolds Road Cycleway in Balbriggan, Feltrim Road Cycling Infrastructure and Skerries Active Travel Plan.
16 Schools will receive funding under the Safe Routes to School Programme which aims to improve ongoing issues of safety and congestion at the school gate. It also focuses on improving routes to school by improving walking and cycling infrastructure.
To learn more about active travel and strategic infrastructure projects in Fingal visit www.fingal.ie/activetravel
Fingal County Council has announced updated charges for its non-recyclable and green household waste at its Recycling Centres located at Estuary in Swords and Coolmine in Dublin 15.
Charges for disposing of household recyclable waste at the centres is free and remains unchanged.
The Council stated that, “The changes reflect a balanced approach to maintaining and improving this vital local service while addressing the expanded expenditure costs. A review of the service by the council found that there had been a significant rise in the use of the recycling centres resulting in a deficit of costs for managing and maintaining the facilities. This has risen from €0.8m in 2015 to more than €2m for the current year.”
Locals will now have to pay €12 for a car boot containing General Waste (e.g. bulky waste such as carpet, mattresses, wood, metal, etc., with full cars, jeeps and SUVs charged €30; Small vans or cars with a trailer will now be charged at €50 while
Vans (Transit size) will now see a cost of €128.
Car boots of Green Waste (e.g. grass clippings, leaves, tree branches and trimmings, etc.) are now charged at €6 with a full carload, Jeep or SUV priced at €10 while Small vans and cars with trailers charged at €35 and vans (Transit size) at €80.
The council also stated, “While the access costs will rise for the domestic non-recyclable and green waste service at the Fingal facilities, it is important to note that there remains no charge for disposing of recyclable items at the Swords and Coolmine centres. This would include items such as paper, bottles, clothes, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), tins and discarded cooking oil.”
A detailed list of items that are accepted at the two facilities can be found on the Council’s website: https://www.fingal.ie/recycling-centres
By Mike Power
At this time of year, we often take a nostalgic look back on how things panned out for us and for our families, in the year gone past. We’re certainly older but are we any wiser? Looking at how some former residents of Swords lived their lives before us here, might provide some clues as to what the future holds for us.
Whenever someone sinks a spade into Swords, they often uncover dead remains! This happened in 2010 when archaeologists digging where Butlers stands in the Pavillions today, found 68 ancient bodies at a place called Mt Gamble. These folk lived in Swords from 600 - 1,000 ad and were pagan and Christian people buried together. Some of these men suffered a violent death having been hacked to death with swords, many of the women prematurely aged with arthritis. The Swords of that day was violent, and unpredictable, a population tiny compared with today, of maybe of 50/60.
All these people had dental decay, many having actual abscesses. Imagine living your life every day with constant, unremitting toothache- no dentists for them! These folk had grindingly hard lives, their children inadequate food and suffered premature death as a result. To them, our lives today in Swords would be like living in paradise. Life-Lesson? Appreciate your life.
Later, in medieval times, most people in Swords lived on allotments called ‘burgages’. These radiated off main street on both sides. The houses we see here today stand on exactly the same sites as these old medieval wooden, thatched houses did. What a continuity of over 1000 years of history in our village!
These tenants paid one shilling rent to the authorities, and were also expected to carry swords, bows and spears to defend our town when danger came. The whole area of the East side of main street from the Arches up to the Malahide Road was laid out in 122 of these plots. Forster road runs right over these ancient gardens. These settlers were the first freemen/women of Swords and would have been mainly of English stock. Our village then would have been enclosed by defensive walls, the main gate of which stood right where the Malahide and Dublin roads join today outside of Weatherspoon’s. Life Lesson? An investment in land always pays off!
Our final bit of nostalgia concerns the medieval abbey which was destroyed to build the current St Columba’s church by Francis Johnson in 1811. Only the tower of this gothic church remains to be seen today. The noted historian John D’Alton visiting Swords in 1838 commented on the fine towers and walls which surrounded this important church, one of the finest Irish gothic abbeys of that day. Like much of ancient Swords, we need imagination to conjure up just what an important and historic place both ecclesiastically and politically, our little village was in times past.
Life Lesson? Love the place you grew up in and stand by the kids you played with then.
This makes the child , which makes the man , which in turn , makes the family. Is anything more important…?
Wishing you and your family a prosperous, happy and flourishing 2025 !
2024 will go down as one of the best years the club has had since COVID.
Along with our regular weekly schedule of classes, we also found time to fit in monthly Squad training sessions to prepare members of JKS Ireland for the World Karate Championships which were held in Japan in July 2024. Along with this we also crammed in multiple fund-raising activities to help fund the cost of travelling to the World Championships.
We had a total of five members selected as part of the twenty strong Irish team trained and guided by Dermot Sensei 7th Dan JKS for these World Championships and it was a fantastic experience for everyone who travelled.
We hosted several JKS Ireland National Training events with visiting JKS Japan Instructors. We had a visit from Toyama Sensei in January. We had our annual seminar with World Chief Instructor Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS in May and in October Yamaguchi Sensei visited at the beginning of the month, with Watanabe Sensei visiting at the end. All these Japanese Instructors delivered exciting and dynamic sessions, inspiring attendees to develop their Karate Skills further.
We participated in several competitions during the year, Piltown Open Championships, The Kanazawa Cup, the ONAKAI National Kata Championships and the Murakami Open Sheild. We had a mixture of participants at each event, some novices, and some more experienced competitors. We did well at each bringing home medals and competition experience to the club.
We held two club gradings, in early July and mid-December, where club members showed off what they have been studying during the year and all members who took the grading examinations progressed to their next coloured belt.
2025 promises to be another exciting year for the club as we prepare to take part in the European Karate Championships in Denmark in September. We will have our usual schedule of classes plus additional Squad training sessions, and we will have more visits from Japanese Instructors to help us in our training.
Our membership is growing but we are still looking for new members (Children, Young People & Adults). Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. You can also contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club
