By Jon Kavanagh

The appearance of the new Cultural Quarter on the Swords Skyline reminds us how much the town has evolved over the years. Before the bypass was constructed in the eighties, the main street formed part of the Dublin/Belfast Road. The street was much wider then, as heavy-duty trucks and buses crawled through with all the pace of a tortoise on Valium. Small locally owned businesses including: a couple of butchers, a hardware and drapery, a television repair and rental and several corner shops lined the town.

here was an old-style garage (not a cappuccino or croissant to be seen) in the heart of the town; with just a couple of fuel pumps mounted on the footpath and a rustic workshop to mend punctures and do repairs. Long queues formed there during the oil crisis (sounds eerily familiar) in the seventies. The proprietor operator a strict ‘regular customers only’ policy as he dispatched unfamiliar faces without ceremony.

Parking was a free for all; drivers played dodgem, as they battled their way into any available space. In pre NCT days cars often carried their own body weight in rust; exhaust pipes held up with wire, boots kept in place by a length of rope, and tires as bald as Kojak were not an uncommon sight. The castle lay derelict and unappreciated, as pigs foraged in its grounds. Whilst the bypass brought traffic relief, it was not without its teething problems. Articulated trucks jacked knifed and turned over all too often on the Pinnock Hill Roundabout. A tipper truck struck and brought down a pedestrian fly over bridge. Thankfully, there was no one on the bridge at the time. A hapless man from a rural hinterland in Fingal, encountered a roundabout for the first time whilst astride his Honda 50. Like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights, he panicked and propelled his machine anticlockwise against the traffic. In a daring deed worthy of a Hollywood stuntman, he managed to crash land onto the centre, with seconds to spare before disaster struck.

Time has moved on but despite the multiplicity of changes, Swords maintains its congenial atmosphere. A place where friends, neighbours and acquaintances still find time to stop for a chat during their busy day.

The one-day event will see interviews, workshops and family-friendly events across the town of Rush with Catherine Ryan Howard, Andrea Mara, Sinéad Gleeson, Anna Carey, Eamon Carr and more
Irish literary titan John Banville will be appearing in conversation with Kevin Curran (author of YOUTH, Beatsploitation) at the brand new literary festival, which takes place in the North County Dublin seaside town of Rush on April 25th 2026. As author of modern classics including The Sea, The Book of Evidence, his series of hugely successful crime novels under his Benjamin Black pen name, as well as Christine Falls - which is this year’s One Dublin One Book choice - it promises to be a varied interview examining one of the most fascinating writers of our time. Tickets are €15 and are on sale now via rushfestivalofwriting.com.
Fans of crime fiction will be delighted to see a double bill of bestselling novelists Catherine Ryan Howard (56 Days, Burn After Reading) and Andrea Mara (All Her Fault, It Should Have Been You) on the programme. They will be discussing their work, including the recent TV adaptations of 56 Days and All Her Fault, in conversation with Sinéad Cuddihy of Tired Mammy Book Club.

Alongside these two evening events taking place in the 140-capacity Millbank Theatre, the Rush Festival of Writing programme will see several free-to-attend events.

Irish cultural luminary Eamon Carr will be sharing stories from his life in writing - from his Tara Telephone performance poetry days, to his decades in iconic band Horslips and his career as a sports and showbiz journalist - in conversation with music writer Pat Carty, including some of the incredible tales from his journalism days recounted in his recently-published book Pure Gold: Memorable Conversations with Remarkable People Sinéad Gleeson (Hagstone, Constellations) and Anna Carey (Our Song, Love Scene) will also be dispensing their own pearls of wisdom in what promises to be an illuminating conversation for aspiring authors.

The youngest members of the family won’t be left out of this year’s programme. For the 5+ age group, former Laureate na nÓg Niamh Sharkey (The Ravenous Beast, I’m a Happy Hugglewug) will be hosting a workshop at Rush Library based on her latest picture book, Penguin TV. Inspired by Dublin Zoo’s penguin cam, Niamh will host a reading and an interactive giant doodle based on the book, as well as a post-workshop signing - so be sure to bring all your books along!

Also taking place at Rush Library, children’s author, illustrator and comic creator Alan Nolan (The Grand Central Cinema Club, the Sam Hannigan series) will run a ‘Design Your Own Superhero’ workshop for ages 8-12, where he’ll talk about his favourite comics and superheroes from his childhood (as well as modern-day comic superstars like Dog Man, Bunny Vs Monkey and The Investigators). He’ll also show attendees how to draw one of his own creations and lots more. These events are free but space is limited, so booking is essential.

You can stay updated on programme and ticketing details, as well as the running order, on Instagram and via www.rushfestivalofwriting.com

Furniture Upcycling Workshop

Rush Community Centre was buzzing with creativity recently as participants gathered for a hands on workshop led by Marie Anne, better known as The Revamp Tramp. Her session on furniture upcycling proved both practical and inspiring, giving attendees the confidence to see old or worn pieces in a whole new light. Marie Anne shared expert tips, demonstrated techniques, and encouraged everyone to embrace upcycling as a sustainable, budget friendly way to refresh their homes. A huge thank you to her for delivering such an informative and enjoyable workshop, definitely one that left people eager to start their next project.

Little Free Library Restocked

Good news for book lovers! The Rush Tidy Towns Little Free Library on Convent Lane has been freshly restocked and is ready for readers of all ages. Everyone is invited to stop by, browse the selection, take a book, and if you can leave one in return. These small exchanges help keep stories circulating and strengthen our shared love of reading within the community.

Let’s keep the books moving and the joy of reading growing across Rush!

Spring Seed & Plant Sharing Event

A highlight of the spring calendar returns once again, our free Community Seed and Plant Sharing Event, now in its sixth year. What began as a modest gathering has grown into one of the most well attended events hosted by Rush Tidy Towns, bringing together gardeners, growers, and curious beginners alike.
This year introduces an exciting new addition: Christine from Bird of Paradise will be giving a live demonstration on flower arranging. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn creative techniques, pick up new plants, exchange seeds, and strengthen connections within our gardening community.

See flyer for details, and be sure to join us as we celebrate spring, sustainability, and shared green fingered enthusiasm.

A big thank you to the community and participants who helped us to run another fantastic Lusk 4 mile. Well done to everyone who is taking part in this year’s 40 day 6am challenge. Our athletes have put in some amazing performances in the early months of the year. There have been some fabulous results at home and abroad. If you’re training for a race we have training plans to suit all.

Lusk ICA which was founded in 1966, are delighted to be marking their 60th Jubilee anniversary this year. The group carried a special commemorative banner at this year’s St Patrick’s day Parade celebrating this momentous anniversary.

A Huge thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate International Women’s Day at Lusk Community Cultural Centre. A very special thanks to our wonderful guest speakers Sharyn Hayden, Amy Cooney, and Rosanna Darby (Lusk ICA) for sharing their experiences and insights with us.

The ladies enjoyed a fantastic night in the TLT Drogheda at the Carpenter’s tribute show starring Sally Creedon as Karen Carpenter The British Carpenters from London’s West End. Singing along to classics like Close to You Top of the World, Rainy Days and Mondays

On a sad note, Lusk Guild wish to send their condolences to the family of Sylvia Fox who recently passed away and was a former and active member of Lusk ICA.

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is celebrating fifty years of changing lives this year, you might have even seen Leinster House turning green to mark our anniversary and kick off the milestone year! To celebrate the milestone birthday, there will be a number of events held throughout the next few months, including ‘The 50 Plus Show’ which was held at the RDS on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th March from 10am – 4pm.

There is also the Cork City Marathon, if you have taken up running this year, why not sign up as there is currently 50 places across three races at the Cork City Marathon available, you can join and raise money to support our work and make a difference! You can find out more information on guidedogs.ie.

To celebrate 50 years of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Tom O’Neill of our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs on ‘The Blind Guys podcast’ where he joined to talk about the impact of our work and his life. It is a fantastic listen.

Our Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch of guide dogs will be marking 50 years of guide dogs at a function in O’Dwyers G.A.A. new club house Balbriggan on Saturday 8th of August. More details to follow, so make sure you are following our social media pages to be up to date with all upcoming events. We will also be looking forward to Guide Dog Day on Friday 22nd May and there will be a number of events on the lead up to that!

As always in the meantime if you would like to help our Branch, if you have any used postage stamps or coins which are no longer in circulation, please give them to us. We will turn them into Euros and lodge 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 that are no longer legal currency since the Euro came into place.

You can contact Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Irish Guide Dogs by phone/text 0857663107, email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs

Plans are on track for the new €11million public swimming pool to be built by Fingal County Council at Castlelands, Balbriggan.

A provision of €11million has been allocated to the project over the three year period of the Council’s 2025-2027 Capital Programme.

The new facility will incorporate a changing village, reception area and a viewing gallery.

It will be located south of the area’s Link Road, directly opposite the site of a proposed new school.

An integrated design team led by UK-based company ReCreation has developed preliminary plans.

The provision of a public swimming pool was a key ask of the survey by Balbriggan.ie in 2019, aimed at shaping an order of priorities to transform the town.

The findings subsequently shaped Fingal County Council’s ongoing €54-57million Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme.

In 2024, a study which reached out to local teens also highlighted the need for a public swimming pool in Balbriggan.

Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, which oversees Fingal County Council’s Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme, warmly welcomed the announcement.

He said the swimming pool would have a profound and positive social impact on Balbriggan.

“As we know, Balbriggan is home to one of the youngest, fastest growing and most diverse populations in Ireland.

“There is an unmatched determination across the community of Balbriggan to build a bright future for the area and this initiative will assist in doing just that.

“This project is a symbol of the progress being made in Balbriggan - informed and shaped by the community - and which will provide a well-designed public facility for people to not only enjoy, but feel proud of.”

Local Enterprise Office Fingal has announced that this year’s Junior, Intermediate and Senior Category Winners will represent the county at the National Student Enterprise Finals in Mullingar this May. The announcement follows a vibrant and competitive County Final held on 19th March at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, where over 1,300 students from 21 schools showcased exceptional entrepreneurial talent through innovative products, strong branding and confident pitches, reflecting months of teamwork, creativity and resilience.

In the Junior Category, the students representing Fingal at the National Final are Sam Patton and Andrew Low from Sutton Park School, with their project Powerblocker.

In the Intermediate Category, Juliane Amelia O’Neill from Loreto Balbriggan, will showcase her enterprise, Tiny Terrariums, which focuses on Horticulture.

In the Senior Category, Daniel Strautnice, Jack Atkinson, and Jedd Umeh from Coolmine Community School secured their place with Micro Forge 3D, an innovative business centred on 3D Printing.

The winning teams will now compete against student businesses from across Ireland, presenting their ventures to a panel of judges and vying for national recognition.

A range of special awards were also presented, recognising excellence across key enterprise areas. These included the Best Display Award, Sustainability Award, Social Media Award and Innovation Award, each honouring students who excelled in creativity, communication, design and forward‑thinking business development.

The Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year Award was presented to Teacher Liz Byrne, Hartstown Community School, acknowledging outstanding commitment to enterprise education. The Enterprising School Spirit Award was awarded to Luttrellstown Community College, recognising the strong culture of creativity, teamwork and ambition fostered within the school community.

Speaking at the event, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, praised the contribution and professionalism of all participating students: “The creativity and drive on display here today are outstanding. You have taken ideas from concept to reality, worked collaboratively, overcome challenges and stood confidently behind your businesses. The skills you have developed will serve you well long into the future.”

Last month Fingal County Council launched a new destination tourism brand: Explore Fingal. As part of the rollout of Explore Fingal a Roadshow visited seven venues around the county, meeting with community tourism groups to discuss the new brand. Between Monday 2nd and Thursday 5th March the Roadshow visited: Balbriggan, Skerries, Lusk, Howth, Malahide, Rush and Blanchardstown.

Explore Fingal has its own websites and social media platforms. It is a key milestone in the implementation of the Fingal Tourism Strategy 2024-2029 and includes a full programme of marketing and development initiatives that will support Fingal’s tourism growth.

All tourism businesses and organisations in Fingal are encouraged to go onto the website (www.explorefingal.ie) and connect through the Trade link at the bottom.

For over 30 years, artist and broadcaster Tina Mation has been inspiring children to discover the joy of drawing and creativity. Many families across North Dublin and Meath know Tina not only from her long-running television art programmes, but also from the art classes and summer camps she has been running for generations of young artists.

Tina held her very first children’s art classes in Swords more than three decades ago. What began as a small local class quickly grew as children discovered how easy and fun it was to draw using Tina’s unique step-by-step teaching method. Tina believes that every child can draw and create, in most cases, they just need to be shown not only how to draw, but more importantly, that they can draw. Over the years, she has taught thousands of children in person and as the presenter of the longest-running television art series in the world by the same presenter, she has shown millions of children and adults just how easy it is to bring drawings to life.

Working directly with children in local communities remains one of the most rewarding parts of her career, alongside her work on RTÉ television and the publication of over 60 drawing and animation books.
Each summer Tina runs her much-loved Big Box Summer Art Camps, packed with drawing, painting, constructing miniature theatres, making games, designing T-shirts and many other creative projects. This July, the camps will take place in Lusk, Swords and Ashbourne, welcoming young artists for fivedays of hands-on creativity. Each child receives their own Big Box, which transforms during the camp into a collection of complete artworks and activities they can proudly bring home.

After more than 30 years teaching her unique method, Tina continues to inspire a new generation of children to pick up a pencil, use their imagination and discover that, with a little guidance, they can create their own magic. As Tina says “Learn to draw… Create for life!”

For more information visit: tinamation.net