Celebrating Tradition, Friendship and Generous Support. Centrally located on the Swords Road, within sight of Dublin Airport, Sportslink Bowls Club stands as a beacon of camaraderie and friendly competitiveness. With 25 years of history behind us, our club has grown to become a cherished gathering place for enthusiasts of all skill levels.

The club is thrilled to announce that they have recently received generous funding from Fingal County Council, a gesture that has invigorated our club. This support has enabled us to purchase new equipment, including special equipment for our older and less vigorous members, who are a hugely important part of our club. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Fingal County Council for their invaluable contribution which ensures that our club will thrive for many years to come.

The club story begins 25 years ago, when a group of bowlers just gathered on the Sportslink bowls green, united by their shared love of bowls. Over the years, we have expanded our membership, with limited facilities, to become the thriving friendly club that we are today.

The Bowls Club is more than just a sports facility.It is a vibrant social centre, where lifelong friendships are forged. We take part in league, cup, championship and practice sessions, with social events that bring together families and friends. Our club prides itself on its inclusive atmosphere, encouraging everyone to take part, regardless of age, ability or disability.

Whether you are a seasoned bowler, or a curious newcomer, we invite you to join our Bowls Club. Come and experience the joy of the game, the warmth of our community, and the beauty of our surroundings. Together we can continue to build on our proud history, and to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Would it be possible for the parent’s association of MCS to advertise our upcoming plant sale in your magazine please? The details are as follows-

The Parents Association of Malahide Community School are holding their annual Plant Sale on the second weekend in May. The times are as follows: Friday 9th - 3pm to 6pm, Saturday 10th - 10am to 6pm &, Sunday 11th - 11am to 3pm.

It will take place in the school canteen and there will be lots of colourful flowers, window boxes, hanging baskets, compost and more for sale. Everyone is welcome so please come along and support this fundraising event. All profits will be spent by the PA to improve the school facilities and support the students in various ways. We hope to see you there.

Congratulations to the students at St Sylvester’s National School, Malahide who were recently presented with €2,000 worth of O’Neill’s sports equipment by Shiel’s Londis Malahide as one of the five winners of Londis’ nationwide competition to coincide with the airing of Ireland’s Fittest Family on RTÉ One television, proudly sponsored by Londis.

Londis shoppers were simply asked to nominate their local Primary or Secondary School to be in with an opportunity to win the O’Neill’s sports equipment, further reflecting Londis’s ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and rewarding shopper loyalty.

John Shiel of Shiel’s Londis Malahide is pictured with St Sylvester’s National School Malahide representative Donna McGinty receiving their prize.

Fingal County Council will move immediately to complete detailed design of the public realm changes to New Street in Malahide following a recent High Court decision to dismiss a challenge to the scheme
At last night’s monthly meeting, councillors welcomed the High Court decision and were told that the Council will now engage with all stakeholders to complete the detailed design as quickly as possible before going out to tender for the €6m project which will take around 16 months to complete. A detailed timeline for the project is being drafted and will be circulated to councillors when completed.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh, said: “Councillors past and present have supported the plan to pedestrianise New Street and they will be delighted to see the project finally getting the green light to move ahead. The public realm improvements will enhance New Street and create much needed space in the centre of the village for people.”

AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, said: “Planning permission for the New Street project was granted in January 2024, so it is our intention now to complete the detailed design, allocate the funding, and go to tender as soon as possible. The New Street project links in with both the Broadmeadow Greenway and the Sutton to Malahide Greenway and is a key competent of our active travel plan for the area.”

David Storey, Director of Environment, Climate Change, Active Travel and Sport, said: “We continued to work on the detailed design over the last number of years, so we have a lot of the work done. The funding will come from the active travel allocation given to us each year by the NTA who have been strong supporters of the project.”

The New Street project, which was commenced in 2020, is designed to bring an open air, European-style feel to the heart of Malahide village.

View a 3D visualisation of the reimagined New Street in Malahide: https://fingal.live/3kscfecv
Further information on the New Street project is available at: fingal.ie/newstreet

When Brazilian indie folk artist Jean Lone returned home after spending a year in Malahide, the area captured his heart so much that he decided to write and record a new song titled ‘Sweet Malahide’.
Based in Mossoró, Brazil, Jean’s new track blends warm acoustic textures with nostalgic storytelling, capturing the beauty and emotions tied to the place.

“The production, recording and mixing of the track were carried out in my home studio, and the cover of the single is a watercolour painting handmade by my partner, Bruna Medeiros, visually capturing the poetic essence of the song,” Jean explained.

To listen to Sweet Malahide please visit: https://onerpm.link/103214560540

The introduction of annual perpetual awards by the Club in 2024 marks a significant milestone in recognizing and honouring the outstanding contributions of its members. These awards not only celebrate individual achievements but also build a lasting legacy of excellence and community spirit within the club. Here’s a breakdown of the five distinct awards and the 2024 winners:

SylsCC Spirit Award: This award is presented to the member who has inspired and positively influenced others throughout the year. The 2024 recipient is Deirdre.

SylsCC Good Shepherd Award: Given to the ride leader who consistently goes above and beyond to support fellow cyclists. This year’s recipient is David.

SylsCC Leader of the Pack: Awarded to the member who has shown remarkable improvement in their performance over the year. The 2024 recipient is Seamus.

SylsCC Rookie of the Year: This award recognizes a first-year club member who has demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm for cycling. The winner for 2024 is Tracey.

SylsCC Community Award: Awarded to the member who has made a meaningful impact on the broader community. The 2024 recipient is Phillip.

At the Gala Awards Ceremony, each of these deserving members was presented with a silver salver to commemorate their achievements. The club is proud of their diverse accomplishments, which include significant personal feats like completing the Mallorca 312 and conquering the Australian Munda Biddi Trail, as well as contributions to the club’s social program, providing exceptional care during rides, and new members who embrace the club cycling and social ethos. The recognition of these achievements further strengthens the club’s sense of community and shared values.

This annual awards program will surely continue to inspire future members, creating a rich history of celebrated excellence over the coming decade.

Malahide Lions Club was delighted to recently present a cheque for €960 to Aoife’s Clown Doctors. The donation will pay for four visits of the Clown Doctors to either Temple St. or Crumlin Children’s Hospitals in Dublin.

Aoife’s Clown Doctors was set up to provide visits to hospitals by professional clowns, using humour as a form of healing joy to sick children, the staff who care for them and the children’s families. This is done by professional actors working in pairs, meeting the individual children at their bedside and in the waiting rooms and corridors of the hospitals. The clown doctors parody the hospital routine with jokes and antics involving the children, staff and the children’s families.

The charity relies solely on fundraising events, charity partnerships and donations to pay for the clown doctors’ visits.

As well as visiting Temple St. and Crumlin hospitals in Dublin, the clown doctors also visit Galway University Hospital, Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway and Mayo University Hospital. Nearly 2,000 children in these hospitals were visited by the clown doctors in 2024.

The charity was set up in 2005 in memory of Aoife Hendrick from Malahide who sadly died of leukaemia, having spent periods of time in Crumlin Hospital’s St. John’s Ward. Aoife’s parents set up the charity so that Aoife’s legacy would live on through the smiles and laughter of other children.

The students of Portmarnock Community School went ‘Back to the 80s’ over four nights last month with students from all year groups within the school community taking part in the production.

Some familiar faces from previous award-winning school productions featured along with a host of new faces making their stage debut. First year Grace Flanagan of Drama House Ireland took on the role of teacher Sheena Brannigan, while returning to the cast this year were 2nd year Trystan Bruen of Billy Barry fame, 5th year Sarah Brady, and 5th year Ryan Mc Hugh from the Gaiety School of Acting while taking part for her final year was Kate Shalvey of 6th year who has previously starred in the school’s productions of Mamma Mia and Grease.

Director Amy Fidgeon proposed this jukebox musical for its upbeat floor-fillers. She commented that the classic tunes from the 1980s were “nostalgic, yet current because they are so ubiquitous on our radio stations.” She also felt that the storyline was “a classic tale of the troubled teen years” and she is very excited to see this come to life on the stage in Portmarnock Community School. The show featured choreography by Leanne Downey of Showtime and the musical direction of Lauren Gaffney who recently debuted her very own show off Broadway.

Back to the 80s told the story of a group of high school friends as they navigate the ups and downs of teenage life, love and friendship and was narrated by Corey Palmer.

The audience were also treated more than 20 hit songs from the 80s including “Material Girl,” “Wake me Up Before you Go Go,” “Don’t stop Believing,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Eye of the Tiger,” “Time of My Life,” and many more, Back to the 80s is a musical for the grown ups: a toe-tapping, hand clapping trip down memory lane.

As St Patricks Day approaches people’s minds turn to the annual parades. Pipe bands are synonymous with these parades, where the sound of the pipes and drums add to the spectacle and atmosphere. But many may be surprised at the origins of the bagpipes and how easy it is to join and play in a pipe band.
Today bagpipes are usually associated with Scotland. In fact the instrument traveled from Ireland to Scotland. Studies suggest it was introduced to Scotland around 470 by the invasion of Scotland by Fergus Mor the Great. The first bagpipes are mentioned in Chaldean scriptures 4000BC. The Egyptians, Persians and Romans all had bagpipes. Many European countries have their version of bagpipes too.

While the sound of the bagpipes is impressive, to start learning is more modest and inexpensive. Beginners start with a practice chanter (tin whistle size) where they learn to hold the chanter, play notes and simple tunes. The chanter is not loud, so families and neighbours are not disturbed by practice! As the beginners advance, the big pipes are later introduced at band practice. A wide variety of tunes can be played on the pipes from traditional to more modern compositions.

Joining a pipe band is much like joining a football team and training for matches. The band members practice together each week culminating in a parade, event or competition. It combines learning an instrument, music theory, being part of a team and making friends too. Learning to play builds confidence, especially for young people, and offers the opportunity to travel and compete against your peers.

If you or a son or daughter or grandchild would like to find out more, just email for information. It could be the start of a rewarding hobby. No previous musical experience necessary. Learn to play tunes like Raglan Road, Amazing Grace, Waltzing Matilda or Scotland the Brave. Once competent on the bagpipes, players can also try the small pipes, best suited for indoor music sessions.

The first marching band in Malahide was started over 100 years ago. To help maintain and be part of this musical tradition, just reach out to the Malahide Pipe Band today. Beginners welcome.

Huge congratulations to our U16 Girls Basketball team who came out on top as the best team in Ireland when they were crowned All Ireland Champions, U16 Division A after a thrilling final against St Mary’s, Mallow in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght yesterday.

The girls were amazing throughout the game and held a strong St Mary’s team to a 41-33 win.
Special word of thanks to their Head Coach, Christian McDonnell who has worked so hard for the girls. Christian is a former MCS Student who also won some All-Ireland medals in school!

We could not be prouder of the girls for their achievement!

To read a full write-up of the match from Basketball Ireland and a gallery of photos taken by our Malahide CS’s roving photographer, Dan Clohessy (6th Year) visit www.ireland.basketball.com.