A major milestone in the Swords Cultural Project has been reached with the publishing of the tender for the iconic building which will include a county library, theatre, gallery, arts spaces, a maker space, and a café. This is the latest stage in the tender process which has been underway for several months and responses are due to be submitted in February. A comprehensive evaluation period will follow before the tender is awarded and contracts are signed. It is hoped that construction will commence in Q2 2024 with the new building due to open in 2026. The necessary enabling works are currently taking place on the site at the junction of North Street and Seatown Road to prepare for the construction phase. Twelve houses on the opposite side of Seatown Road are due for demolition and will be replaced by 36 new homes in two blocks of 20 and 16 respectively. A further 13 new homes are due to be built on North Street as part of the transformation of this part of Swords. The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Adrian Henchy, said: “This marks another important step in the Swords Cultural Quarter project. This building with be a centre of knowledge, arts and culture for Swords and Fingal and will have a strong focus on people and experiences which, through the delivery of a modern, dynamic, inspirational and educational programme of events and activities, will become a destination and a focal point for the local community and visitors.” The Swords Cultural Quarter is a 3.89-acre area around the junction of North Street, Seatown Road, Bridge Street and Main Street and the new building, which has been designed by renowned Architects O’Donnell and Tuomey, will include a new 3,000m2 County Library, an art gallery and exhibition space, a café, a civic area, studios and rehearsal rooms, and a Black Box theatre which can cater for audiences of between 165 and 360 depending on the type of event being staged. The new library, which will be seven times bigger than the existing one, will offer the people of Swords a full suite of library services for the first time.
One Voice Singers Swords are a new multicultural community singing group based at St Colmcilles GAA Club in Swords. The group recently took part and gave a few wonderful performances of Christmas music and Carols in this year’s Christmas Market at Swords Castle. They had a wonderful time, were extremely well received and enjoyed every minute of their performances. The Singers thanked the people of Swords for all the support in the past year and also gave a huge message of thanks to their musical directors Aine and Tony. Well done to you all and we wish you continued success in the coming year.
The Swords Woodland Association is an association of volunteers, formed with the aim of researching and advocating for the maintenance of the existing green belt within the greater Swords urban area; while promoting innovative ways to ensure a greater appreciation of green spaces by the population as a whole.
The Swords Woodland Association Calendar for 2024 is now available for purchase at O’Ciobhain’s Super Value, Boroimhe and Hanley’s Card and Party Store on Swords Main Street. Featuring stunning images from local photographers with a focus on our local wildlife. Proceeds from which go to support tree planting and improving biodiversity in our area. Many thanks for your continued support. You can also contact the Association at their email : swordswoodlandassoc@gmail.com
2023 was a very busy year for the hard-working volunteers of Swords Tidy Towns. All eyes were eagerly focused on the 2023 Tidy Towns National Finals, each member did their very best to achieve the Gold Medal that had so far alluded us. Our members had already done the town of Swords proud with five prior National Silver Medals in a row, no mean achievement. Everyone put in a trojan effort to change our medal colour from silver to gold, this was reflected in how close we came to achieving that goal, missing out by only one point. So close and yet so far. We brushed it off in typical Swords Tidy Towns style and celebrated our sixth in a row Silver Medal, just like the Dubs, we are now firmly focused on 2024, fingers crossed. Not a bad run of medals considering Swords was designated a litter black spot in the 2003 IBAL report, we have certainly come a long way.
Swords Tidy Towns also won the 2023 National Tidy Towns Circular Economy Award for our upcycling, recycling, composting, Swop Shop and wild flower meadows etc initiatives. The award came with a thousand-euro cheque, our Silver Medal came with a Seven-Hundred-euro cheque, all prize money will be well spent on improving the aesthetics of our wonderful town. The Swords Cultural Quarter is well under way, Ushers Lake is getting a well-deserved face lift, the old Stairways have been replaced down to the Jacko, the good work goes on. A big thank you to Fingal County Council especially their Operations Dept with whom we have worked very closely with over many years, that cooperation will continue and blossom in 2024.
Swords Tidy Towns would like to wish all of our Followers, Supporters, Sponsors, TY Students and Teachers, Local Businesses, Locally Elected Representatives, and last but by no means least, the staff at FCC a Very Happy New Year and a Prosperous and Healthy 2024.
In early December we celebrated our last social night of 2023. It was such an amazing night of dancing karaoke and lots of laughs. We celebrated with Swords Men’s Shed and presented Ray their chairman with an appreciation certificate, for all the kindness and support they have shown to Swords Women’s Shed in 2023.
With the Food and dancing it was a night to remember. Thank you again to our biggest supporter St Colmcille’s GFC Swords. We can definitely say we raised the roof ha ha. Thank you also to our committee who created such a fantastic night.
An upcoming soccer training camp is being held in the home of Malahide United, Gannon Park for two days on January 4th and 5th 2024.This camp is for boys and girls aged 8-14. The Camp will run 10am-1pm daily and all coaches are FAI accredited and have Garda vetting, If you wish to book a place for your child contact 086 247 7076 , The cost per child is €55.
St Sylvester’s GAA are and were delighted to continue to support GAA games in our local schools with a visit to one local school on December. The club and Executive really appreciate the partnership and were delighted to supply new hurleys, helmets and footballs to St Oliver Plunkett’s School for its football and camogie games! The presentation was held in early December at the school.
At the end of each boating year, the Scouts and Ventures host a ‘Laying Up Supper’, sharing stories of the adventures they got up to, remarking over the safe and successful year, saying thanks to those who have supported and enjoying some good grub with the leaders!
Well done to the Scouts and Ventures for preparing presentations and being part of the nearly 3,000 bums we had on the water in 2023! Heres to calm seas and fair winds in 2024!
Malahide Lions Club were delighted to host a Christmas party for over 100 of our Seniors Citizens in the Grand Hotel Malahide at the weekend. What a fabulous day was had by all. Many thanks to the following: Grand Hotel Malahide for top class service and food. Musician Peter Finnigan who had our guests singing and dancing all afternoon. Mary Grimes Irish Dancers for outstanding performances. Shiel family Londis Yellow Walls Road for donation of the wine. To all local businesses, family and friends who donated raffle prizes. A special thanks to the main sponsors of our guests tables whose support and generosity ensured a successful event: Mc Cabes Pharmacy Yellow Walls Road - Cathrina Murphy Fingal Community Development Office - Irish College of English - Deirdre Rochford- Supervalu Malahide - David Kennedy - Councillor Jimmy Guerin - Mischief Malahide - Trish Murtagh- Malahide Credit Union .Of course, the event would not have been possible without the sterling work carried out by Mrs .Jo Morris, who has been serving the community in many ways for “more years the we care to remember! Community spirit at its best.
We’re finding a lot of people are deciding not to replace their cars these days and are going to experiment with Go Cars, public transport and cycling. It can suit some people and it saves a great deal of money. See below - message from Minister O’Brien, for some good news on Cycle routes, I believe the Malahide Active Travel can be congratulated for the idea.
Dear Resident,
I hope that this finds you well. Cllr Eoghan O’Brien and I have been actively engaging with Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together Secondary school, Gaelscoil an Duinnínigh and local residents for over year now to secure safer pedestrian and cycle access to our local schools. You will have seen recently significant improvements to the entrance to the schools from the Feltrim Road which is very welcome and I’d like to commend Fingal for their work on this and in particular the students who worked with us to secure these improvements.
Recently Eoghan and I have received the very significant news that planning permission has been granted for a new path from Waterside to the schools. We have both met with the Minister for Education Norma Foley about this and I’m pleased to tell you that they will commence work on this really important link in the near future.
This path from Waterside will greatly improve safety for students and residents from the Swords Road area, linking them not only to the schools but onwards to the shops and commercial centre in Kinsealy.
Kind Regards,
Darragh