Skerries, May 20, 2025 — The Confidence Clinic is proud to announce the return of its Best Life Summer Camps, now running in 10 locations across Greater Dublin and Meath. Due to overwhelming demand from parents, the camps have expanded into areas like Castleknock, Skerries, Lusk, Swords, Beaumont, Stamullen, Rathfarnham, and Templeogue. All camps will run throughout July.
Our Best Life Summer Camps offer a unique and empowering experience for children aged 6–13. They use Life Coaching and Mentoring techniques developed over 11 years of coaching children. Each camp explores age-appropriate life lessons, from building friendships and handling tricky people to speaking up for yourself and developing emotional resilience.
In addition to engaging life discussions, children take part in outdoor games, arts and crafts, yoga, and guided meditations — helping them relax, express themselves, and build confidence in a fun, supportive space.
From our 2024 feedback, 92% of children reported learning something useful, and parents regularly describe noticeable improvements in their children’s communication, behaviour, and mindset. Thanks to these lasting, positive changes, the camps have grown in popularity since launching in 2018.
Caoimhe Tegart O’Grady, Owner of The Confidence Clinic, shares:
“One mother told us that after her children attended our camp, there was no fighting in their household. Her children were getting along and not bickering — something she thought was impossible. I explained that we’d covered topics like ‘water off a duck’s back’ and choosing your battles — tools that really stay with kids.”
She continues:
“Another mother asked on the last day, ‘What magic did you perform at your camp?’ Her anxious child had slept in her own bed for the entire week — something that hadn’t happened in years.”
We do guided meditations each day to help children to relax their body and mind, creating a calm space where they can reset and feel more grounded.
At our camps, the emphasis is always on fun and kindness. Children are encouraged to be themselves, step outside their comfort zones, and grow friendships in a safe, supportive environment. Our only rule? Be kind to each other.
As we expand across Greater Dublin, we aim to help children thrive socially and emotionally through meaningful learning and joyful play.
Book a place now: https://theconfidenceclinic.ie/summer-camps
OLIO is a free app dedicated to reducing food waste by connecting people with surplus food made available through local volunteers. Rather than letting good food go to waste or end up in landfill, OLIO helps ensure it’s shared within the community—for free.
In Rush, the fight against food waste has taken root thanks to the efforts of local volunteers, supported by Rush Tidy Towns. Every Thursday, a dedicated volunteer—registered with the HSE—collects surplus food from TESCO and redistributes it through the OLIO app. This ensures that perfectly good food is rescued and enjoyed, not discarded.
This initiative is more than just a practical solution to food waste: it’s a way to strengthen community ties and support environmental sustainability. Thanks to OLIO and the active participation of local residents by collecting surplus food, Rush is playing a positive role in the fight against food waste.
To take part, simply download the OLIO app and check what’s available in your area. Best time to check in Rush is Thursday from 8PM. Together, we can make a real difference.
STATS Since July 2022 until End of May 2025
Rush is stepping up for a cleaner future with the Fingal Reusable Cup Campaign, launching in local cafés on Saturday, 17th May. In partnership with Vytal and supported by Fingal County Council, the scheme offers free-to-borrow reusable cups—just return them within 14 days.
We were delighted with the warm response from the community during our information morning on Saturday, 10th May! Huge thanks to all the volunteers, and to VOICE, Vytal, and Fingal County Council representatives for making it possible.
Look out for posters in local businesses and join us in making Rush a compostable cup-free town. Bring your own cup, sit in, or borrow a Vytal cup—simple, free, and better for the planet.
Love your Dog, Love Rush, Bag it, Bin it! : Tackling Dog Fouling in Rush
Dog fouling is one of the most common concerns raised by residents in Rush. While most dog owners clean up after their pets, a small minority are leaving a mess on our footpaths—and it’s affecting everyone.
To help raise awareness and offer a simple solution, Rush Tidy Towns recently took to Main Street, handing out free dog poop bag dispensers and bags to local dog walkers. A big thanks to Fingal County Council for supporting this initiative.
Dog waste isn’t just unpleasant—it’s a health risk, particularly for children. It can spread harmful parasites and bacteria, and pollutes our shared spaces.
Let’s all work together for a cleaner, safer Rush.
Love your Dog. Love Rush. Bag it. Bin it.
Rush Tidy Towns Needs You!
Rush is looking fantastic thanks to the hard work of Rush Tidy Towns volunteers, and there’s always more to be done. We need YOU to help keep it shining!
From repainting bollards and cleaning road signs to planting flowers and tackling weeds, volunteers have been busy across different areas of Rush. We invite all residents and businesses to get involved, take pride in our town, and help us impress the judges for both the Best Kept Town and Tidy Towns competitions.
Whether it’s picking up litter, clearing a mess, hanging flower baskets, or ensuring your area stays tidy, every action counts. Let’s work together to make Rush a place we’re all proud of.
Rush Tidy Towns needs you—let’s make our town shine!
Courtesy of Rush Tidy Towns
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped at our Marram grass event on the South Beach in April. It was also great to meet Heidi from Malahide Tidy Towns and Catherine from Donabate Tidy Towns, both of whom helped out. We also got a great talk from Aidan Clean Coasts representative on the importance of the dunes and the unique properties of Marram grass, and finally the kids were transfixed our by Liane, Clean Coasts biodiversity officer who showed them how to identify mermaids, purses and other examples of marine life.
Let’s Play Easter
Thank you to everybody who came along to our free Let’s Play Rush Easter Event in Kenure Woods today in conjunction with Rush Tidy Towns, 38th Rush Scout Group, Rush Community Council and funded by Fingal County Council & Progressive Credit Union Ltd. In particular thank you to all the volunteers with special mention for the Scouts who were fantastic. This is yet another circular economy event as all the props used for the trail, and all the toys are reusable.
Best Kept Town
Rush has a unique opportunity to shine on the National stage. We are one of only 3 towns nominated in the large town category of the national Best Kept Town competition. See the flyer to see how you can contribute to the efforts to put our best foot forward. Judging happens during May.
Courtesy of Rush Tidy Towns.
River Clean Up
Super job today and unprecedented. Marcus, Richard and Paul under the guidance of committee member Matt with support from adjacent site developers Barrymore and Meegans cleared 4 skips of rubbish from the river between Kenure Woods and the Skerries Road. 5 hours of hard graft walking the river in waders. The river is flowing freely this evening, and bear in mind, this flows into the North Beach. Thank you gents, and to Ger for the photos
Swift Boxes
Our first big biodiversity project of 2025 was completed today with the installation of 2 triple entry swift boxes at St. Catherine’s primary school. We would like to thank all who helped get this off the ground, our local volunteer Linda Mellon, who is part of the Fingal branch of BirdWatch Ireland, Mary Ryan, our friends in St Catherine’s primary school and Stephen for helping with the location choice and installation. Swifts are an endangered species and need all the help they can get. Did you know a swift will not land once between its migration from Africa to Ireland and vice versa?
Kenure Park Light
We are delighted to see the decorative lights going up at the entrance to Kenure Woods today. This was a bug bear of ours through personal experience, so we put a formal request into the lighting section in Fingal County Council last year citing health and safety concerns on a path which has so much footfall. The 38th Rush Scout Group also put their weight behind the request.
Local man Ian Cortina is currently in training to run a 130km ultramarathon in under 24 hours at the Waterville Trail Running Festival in Waterville, County Kerry on May 3rd, in aid of Fingal Additional Needs.
The challenge is very personal to Ian who explained, “My mother sadly passed away on 7th May 2024 from complications of dementia. A cruel, vicious disease for which there is no cure. One of the last things I promised to her was to complete an endurance event and try to fundraise for a worthwhile cause. The Waterville 130km ultramarathon is held close to the anniversary of her passing, which I feel is a prominent event to aim for and commemorate her memory.”
“As a parent to a child with additional needs, initiatives such as Fingal Additional Needs are invaluable and do so much good for local children and young people who I believe ALL have the right to thrive and grow with equal support and opportunities in life and their local communities,” he added.
The race begins at 4pm on Saturday 3rd May and Ian will have 24 hours to finish the race by running 3 laps, continuously across the Kerry Way. Cut off times are 8 hours per lap - so a 4pm start with the first cut-off at 12 midnight. The second lap cut-off is 16 hours (8am Sunday) and the final lap is to be finished before 4pm on Sunday 4th May.
Fingal Additional Needs offers afterschool programs, camps, and sports activities designed to create safe, fun, and structured environments where kids can thrive, while giving families much-needed support.
“By chucking a few bob in to my fundraiser, you will be helping to cover the cost of equipment, rental spaces, and materials that make their sessions engaging and so beneficial. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my fundraiser. I hope you can help me by donating whatever you can. Simply click the Donate button above. All donations are processed securely,” Ian added.
You can find more information about the race here: https://www.runwtf.com/130km and to donate please go to https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/wtf130
Daffodil Day on March 28th will see the village or Rush turn yellow when Rush Daff Day Committee and volunteers take to the streets to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
Since 1988 this community voluntary group has worked for a common cause, heightened in most cases by their own experiences of cancer with family or friends. We are conscious that it’s the supporters and not the organisers who deserve the praise, the people of Rush are generous beyond belief.
Their amazing hard work and the generosity of the community over the years means that research into Cancer, trying to find a cure, supporting families thru their cancer journey, offering lifts to treatments and many other supports are able to continue. Rush has donated over 1-million-euro Irish Cancer Society and will continue to donate for 2025.
Rush Daff Day group started in 1988 with members of Rush Badminton club holding a raffle raising a sum of £189. In 1990 the group took to the streets, selling silks, pins and merchandise and this tradition together with the annual coffee morning has continued to date. In 1998 the Paddy Cole Dance Night was started to raise funds; this became a huge success and ran for six years. In 1999 the Golf Classic started, bringing in large sums of money for the cause. The annual Christmas Swim which is now in its 15th year and the Ladies Lunch which started in 2006 are two more fundraising events. Tickets for the ladies’ lunch are usually the most sought-after item during the month of April/May, this event is hugely popular and raises not only awareness but much needed funds for the Irish Cancer Society. The Garden of Hope in Rush Library, Michelle’s Fun Run as well as our Dash & Splash event are some of the other events run over the weekend.
Local schools support the fundraising event and St Joseph’s Secondary school transition year students support us year on year. We hope that this will encourage the younger members of our community to continue the fight against cancer and join the Daff Day Committee.
We will continue to fundraise, and our moto is ‘we wont give up till cancer does’ will be what carries us on to collect for this cause that effects almost every home in the village
In 2025, we’re celebrating The Year of the Snake with a vibrant themed parade: Snakes!
This ties together the legendary story of St. Patrick chasing the snakes out of Ireland and the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Snake.
We’re calling on all local community groups to help make this event as colourful, musical, and lively as possible! Whether your part of a school, club, or organization, we’d love your creativity in crafting floats, costumes, and decorations that bring this theme to life.
We’ll be collaborating with local junior and senior schools to create snake-themed floats, artwork, and parade pieces—ensuring a day filled with colour, music, and excitement!
Save the Date: St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2025. Location: Rush National School to the Anchor on the Square
Let’s join together to celebrate our national day in spectacular style. Slither on down and be part of this unforgettable parade!
For more information or to get involved, please contact us at manager@rushcoco.ie
Big bird on a quad has been the highlight of the Rush parade for years but the big question for 2025 is has he retired! Here’s hoping he makes an appearance one more time.
What a brilliant few days for our Science students and their teachers! Huge congratulations to the entire team on what they have showcased and achieved! A phenomenal 13 projects were selected from St Joseph’s for showcase at this year’s final of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS by students in 2nd, 3rd, TY and 5th Year!
The level of detail and analytical investigation in each of our students’ projects was incredible and we are so proud of you all! Well done to Stephanie who came 3rd place in her category, to Louis who received a Highly Commended and Display award, to Martha who received a Highly Commended award, to Judy, Asha and Aoife who also received a Highly Commended award and to Allison and Emily who received a Display award. The projects covered areas such as AI, dentistry, wind turbines, energy generated by waves, water currents and a peer-to-peer tutoring app and more! Huge well done to all students who submitted projects for entry into this year’s competition - the number is growing and growing each year, highlighting the value placed on this in the school as it is now part of who we are and what we do!
A huge well done and thank you to the teachers in the Science and Computer Science departments in the school for their work and commitment to this and for mentoring, nurturing and supporting the students and their inquisitve minds! We are so proud of all of our fantastic students! The future is bright.
