Whilst walking around Swords recently a passerby asked, “Do you have the time?”. Once a common question but something seldom heard since we evolved to grow that appendage known as the smart phone. The random encounter with the time seeker got me thinking about how much daily life has changed since we Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) cast a youthful shadow upon the earth. Not everyone had a watch and those who did had to wind them on a regular basis. The local phone box was our digital hub. To use the facility, the speed of an Olympian runner and the cunning of a wise old fox were mandatory in order to reach its door before a certain neighbour. Should she cross the finish line before you, a battle of the irresistible force and immovable object ensued, as she attempted to break the world record for the longest phone call in history. We didn’t get a landline till the early nineties. Years earlier when my father was in hospital, I rang to enquire how he was doing. Instead of the stock reply “As well as can be expected”, a helpful nurse put him on to me. As he had never heard my voice on the phone before, it took all my diplomatic skills to convince him I wasn’t an imposter.

Today shopping is a leisure activity. Back then it was a necessary chore to replenish the basics. Before self-service, we queued at a high counter and timidly asked the shopkeeper (some could be grumpy and hadn’t the customer is always right) for what we wanted. Food hygiene was not in their vocabulary, as cooked and uncooked meats were cut on the same slicer. School lunches are in the news at the moment. Our mothers sent us forth with jam or soggy tomato sandwiches accompanied by a Tupperware beaker of milk to wash them down. We didn’t carry designer water bottles (that other modern day appendage) and survived drinking water of dubious quality water from the roadside pump. We learned to write with a nib pen and ink, and became highly skilled in the art of ducking - a crucial skill to avoid the incoming blackboard duster on a collision course for our heads.

Perhaps the real answer to the passerby is -A very different time!

How to be Social Media Savvy” is a upcoming talk for adults in Malahide Library on Tuesday 4th November at 6pm and aims to help attendees gain an understanding of how social media platforms work and to stay safe from scams, disinformation and various “baiting” techniques.

The topics covered will be: What are the main social media platforms and who owns them? – Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X. How do they make money? How social media companies use your data? How do social media platforms decide what you see on your feed (algorithms). How to see more of the content you wish to see and block unwanted content. What are disinformation, misinformation and malinformation? How to recognise disinformation/fake news. How to recognise our own biases. How to recognise various baiting techniques (e.g. click-bait/rage-bait). What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how is it used on social media? What are the different types of online scams? How to recognise scams online.

This talk will be of interest to anybody who uses social media themselves or parents of teens who use social media. If you are interested in attending please email malahidelibrary@fingal.ie or call 01 8704430 to book your place.

Malahide Basketball Club has been chosen winners of the Dublin County award in this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative. EUR5,000 has been presented to the Club to fund additional equipment and training sessions to cater for the increasing rise in membership numbers.

Founded in 1977, Malahide Basketball Club is one of the largest in the country, playing out of six gyms in the locality, with over 500 members and 32 teams. The only club to have attained the Basketball Ireland Platinum Award for best practice and governance, it caters for boys and girls of all ages from 8 upwards, along with a senior section too. With a 65% female membership, one of its key goals is to keep teenage girls playing sport.

Congratulating the county winners on the immense contribution that they make to the heart of community life in Ireland, James Twohig, Director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited was particularly praiseworthy of the unstinting work of club officials and volunteers, and noted that “since its inception, we are proud to have distributed almost €650,000 to a variety of more than 125 sports clubs under the Texaco Support for Sport initiative.”

Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan. Describing the Dublin club as ‘a truly deserved recipient’, he went on to add: “Malahide Basketball Club is an amazing club with a fantastic membership base – reflected in the number of teams it produces. I’m delighted the Texaco funds will be used to purchase additional equipment that will leave a legacy in the Club for the next generation. Well done all, you slam dunked it!”

Entries for the 2026 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open again in the New Year for all clubs, including those whose application may have been unsuccessful previously.

Every Thursday 10.30am | St. Benedict’s Road Malahide

What is a mens shed?

It is a community based organisation open to all men regardless of age or background. Mens Sheds are grassroots, member focused spaces which offer men a pressure free environment in which to share skills, make new friends and connect with the community.

What Happens,

Everything and anything! The activities are decided entirely by the members and participation is the decision of each member. At the shed, each man is a teacher and a learner, each having different levels of skills, professional and practical, to share collectively or just come and have a chat and a cuppa if that is all you are looking for. Men can talk about things important to them, and can improve their own wellbeing by keeping physically, mentally and socially active.
Who runs a Mens Shed?

Each shed is run by it’s own members. The members elect a committee to manage the affairs of the shed. The shed is connected to all other sheds via the Irish Mens Shed association

---

---

MALAHIDE MENS SHED

St Benedict’s, Estuary Road, Malahide, Co. Dublin

Every Thursday 10.30am.

Contact Liam – 0872214431

Ample Parking

42/102 Bus, stop outside both

Portmarnock Irish Countrywomen’s Guild is having an Open Evening on Wednesday 8th October at 8pm at The Arch Club in the grounds of Portmarnock church. There will be a crafts display, a raffle and tea/coffee will be available with cakes. Our guild provides a warm welcome for new members which offers friendship, fun activities (line dancing, chair aerobics, fitness to music, ceili dancing) and crafts (Christmas decorations, wreaths and cards, painting on silk, decoupage, knitted angels) and day and weekend away trips,

The Malahide Lions Art Exhibition and Sale will take place this year in the Gaffney Hall, at the rear of St. Sylvester’s Church, Malahide, over the weekend of the October Bank Holiday.

The principal beneficiary of funds raised this year will be St. Michael’s House, Special National School, Baldoyle (www.smhbaldoyleschool.ie ), with support also to local charities.

Baldoyle Special National School enables pupils in our region to flourish in a caring and stimulating environment. Emphasis is on learning and achievement for all pupils with a focus on everyone’s level of ability, and all progress is celebrated and rewarded. Additional funds are urgently required to upgrade specialist developmental support equipment.

The Lions are so fortunate and indeed extremely grateful that the Art Exhibition and Sale is again receiving the wonderful support from many renowned artists and our own celebrated Malahide artists to provide a stimulating and entertaining collection for public viewing over the holiday weekend. Several artists have donated to a raffle which will take place on Monday 27th. For further information contact malahidelionsclub@gmail.com

All are welcome and admission is free.

Details:
The Art Exhibition will be held in The Gaffney Hall, at the rear of St. Sylvester’s Church, Malahide, K36 HR63, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 25-27 October 2025.

Hours are as follows -
Saturday 25th October, 5pm to 8pm.
Sunday 26th October, 11am to 8pm.
Monday 27th October, 11am to 5.30pm.

There was a fantastic turnout at the very first walking tour of Malahide village held a few weeks ago.
There was a full house of 30 participants including people from Germany, South Africa and even Drogheda! Not to mention locals some of whom said they have lived in Malahide most of their lives but never knew the story of the place until today and now have a greater appreciation of our gorgeous village.

Feedback has been extremely positive, and the weather could not have been kinder to us. We cannot guarantee sunshine for every walk but we can guarantee an entertaining Tours are free, but booking is advised and each tour is limited to 30 people. Go to the website for booking and further information - www.malahidehistoricaltours.ie

Courtesy: Malahide Historical Tours

Syls Cycling Club Malahide are delighted to offer the 2025 version of the updated Route 66k program with a hugely beneficial combination of cycling theory / practical demos and out on the road group spins.
Great for your physical health, mental wellbeing and very sociable.

This year the theory part of the program will start in Malahide Community School starting on Monday September 15th (evenings). It will cover Bike Technology & Road Safety, Cross Training & Nutrition, & Group Cycling techniques. The first road spin will be on Saturday September 20th, leaving Malahide Green at 9am. The program is designed to gradually re-build your fitness, skills and confidence on the bike. The remaining places will be allocated on ‘first contact to club’, first served basis. Previous participants ranked this program very highly and we look forward to your participation.

Register now by emailing contact@sylscc.ie or visit www.sylscc.ie for more info

This Autumn the Malahide Pipe Band is offering beginners the opportunity to learn and play the bagpipes.

For parents, playing the pipes offers young people a unique hobby to learn and play a musical instrument, be part of a music group, and grow in confidence by performing at local events.
For older beginners, it is never too late to learn a musical instrument. If you have ever heard or seen the pipes and you would like to try, now is your chance!

Just email for an information pack. Enquiries welcome. Classes in Malahide.

“Toots was delighted to chat with Manager Joy Murray of Irish Rails building & properties regarding their plans for long awaited public toilet facilities in Malahide Train Station. Exiting and anxious visitors from platform 1 with their back teeth floating will be eased when the facilities are in place is welcome news indeed.

Also, please check our Dart Station board and communicate with the mobile number highlighted.
We’ve got old web pages giving outdated info so while we’re trying to remove the old web pages timings and the 2013 prices other than that we’re 10.30am start from castle but can drop down a little earlier for dart station visitors when contacted in advance. Go Toots!”