The races came thick and fast during February as club members were in action in Dundalk, Trim, Murcia and Donadea as well as cross country and indoor competition. Well done to all and to all the juveniles who participated at the Dublin Spraoi Games in the NIA. It’s not too late to take part in the 40-day 5k challenge and we hope you can join us for the Lusk St Patrick’s Day parade.

Welcome back to training and a warm welcome to our new members. There is still time to sign up to our Fit4Life & Fit&Fab groups. Calling all club members age 12+ to attend our Women in Sport evening with Catherina McKiernan. The event will take place on Friday 6th February at Corduff NS. Another important date for your diary is Sunday 1st March for the ever popular Lusk 4 mile. We expect the event to sell out again this year so please register before it’s too late. Best of luck to all athletes with upcoming races and training plans.

The boxing season kicked off in September and our young fighters hit the ground running. We entered several boxers into the Dublin Leagues and came away with great success, strong performances, and invaluable experience for the year ahead.

It was a brilliant year across all disciplines. Louis O’Riordan brought home two gold medals in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, showcasing top-level skill on the mats. In MMA, Dylan Barr and Alex Coveney both claimed gold medals, proving the strength of our rising talent.

To round off the calendar year, we entered the Louth Open Championships and finished in style. Senan Fox, Carson McCarthy, and Ryan Cowzer all won gold in their categories, and Ruby Skelly getting a Silver medal, a fantastic achievement for the club.

Roll on 2026, with even more competitions in Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and MMA. The future looks bright for Rush Boxing and Martial Arts club.

New members are always welcome, contact Paul Cowzer 0863799603
Search Rush Boxing club on Maps for location

Another hectic and action packed year has come to a close and we’re raring to go again for 2026. The club celebrated 50 years at the recent Christmas party in Rush GC and we look forward to the busy January race schedule ahead. The Cross Country season is in full swing and the usual favourites such as the Raheny 5 mile and Trim 10 mile take place in the coming weeks. A date for the diary is the Lusk 4 mile which will be held on Sunday 1st March. A reminder to all club members to renew your memberships and we welcome new members.

Takemusu Aikido Society has been named a finalist in the Sports Awards category of the Balbriggan Town Awards 2025, organised by the Balbriggan Tourism Committee. For a dojo that emerged during the unsettled times of the COVID pandemic, this recognition is a major milestone, marking how far the club has come and how firmly it has found its place in local community life.

The club’s story in Balbriggan began in 2021, when head instructor Raman Bekarevich moved to Ireland after ten years of intensive training in Japan under direct students of the Aikido founder. Bringing this depth of experience with him, Raman began the first sessions at a time when indoor activities were still restricted. Training took place outdoors with wooden weapons, on the sandy shores of Balbriggan beach and on the football pitches beside the Martello Tower. The early-days group was small but full of determination, and those sessions laid the foundations for what would become a dedicated and steadily developing dojo.

As restrictions eased and classes moved indoors, more people discovered Aikido, drawn to its non-competitive nature and its focus on balance, timing and blending with an incoming attack rather than meeting force with force. From the beginning, the club aimed to offer more than martial arts training alone, and this resonated with people looking for connection as much as exercise.

Balbriggan is a town that has changed rapidly in recent years, with new communities arriving and local residents seeking activities that bring people together. Takemusu Aikido Society positioned itself as a place where adults of all backgrounds could meet, learn and take part in something meaningful. Aikido’s cooperative practice naturally breaks down barriers between ages, cultures and fitness levels, creating a sense of belonging that many participants highlight as one of its most valuable qualities.

This commitment to opening the doors as widely as possible is central to the club’s ethos and forms part of why it was nominated for the Town Awards. Over the past few years, Takemusu Aikido Society has partnered with Fingal County Council on a range of social inclusion programmes, including Women in Sports Week, Men’s Health Week and Her Outdoors Week. These initiatives introduced many newcomers to the art and supported adults who might otherwise feel hesitant to join a physical activity later in life.
This year, the club launched a new initiative aimed at those who have recently moved to Dublin, offering two months of free practice to help people settle, make connections and become part of a positive, supportive community. For many, the weekly training has become a welcome anchor in their new surroundings.

The technical level of the dojo continues to develop alongside its community work. Raman, now a 4th Dan instructor, maintains strong links with teachers in Japan and Europe. Assistant instructor Jan Tóth has just returned from a month of intensive training in Iwama, the birthplace of Aikido, building on a previous training period there two years ago. Experiences like these ensure that the teaching in Balbriggan remains firmly rooted in the traditions of the art while staying accessible to beginners.

Saturday practice has become a fixture in the local sporting calendar, known for an approach that balances structure with friendliness and welcomes people of any experience level. The club also runs classes in Dublin city centre, but its heart is firmly in Balbriggan, where it continues to support wellbeing, connection and community spirit.

Those who would like to try Aikido are welcome to join a free trial class at Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre every Saturday from 3 pm to 4.30 pm. New members who sign up this winter can also avail of a 50% discount for their first month of practice. Further information is available at www.aiki.ie or by contacting info@aiki.ie.

Congratulations to all at the club on our 50th anniversary. The club continues to grow and we look forward to the future with great excitement. The autumn months were full of fantastic achievements with over 60 club members completing a marathon. The Dublin City Marathon was particularly memorable and our runners were grateful for the amazing support. A big thank you to all who volunteered at the event. The cross country season is now in full swing and we encourage athletes to give it a try. We would also like to thank all who have donated prizes for our Christmas raffle. This is an important fundraiser for the club so please buy a ticket if you can.

Congratulations to all club members who completed one of the autumn marathons including the Dublin City Marathon. Also well done to all who have represented the club in one of the recent cross-country events. We were thrilled to present some of our athletes with hard fought medals won at Dublin Road Races. Niamh Coughlan won F35 Gold at both the Dublin 10 mile and the F35 Half Marathon while Dara Harford won F40 Silver at the Dublin 5k. There were also team medals for Sarah Farrell, Julie Griffith and Sarah Moore (F50 Bronze at the Dublin Half) and Emma Przymusinska, Dara Harford, Geraldine McHale and Louisa Fahy (F35 Silver at the Dublin 5k). A reminder to members to purchase tickets for our Christmas party on December 12th before they sell out. Finally, we were delighted to help Donabate parkrun celebrate its 10th anniversary last month. The club always has a good presence at parkrun with a large contingent of runners as well as regular volunteers. Here’s to the next 10!

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.

Wishing club members well in the Dublin City Marathon which takes place on Sunday 26th October. You’ve put in the miles over recent months so it’s time to enjoy the day and the whole marathon experience. As usual we will be organising a Marathon bus to and from the event. Please contact the club to book your seat.

Well done to our juveniles on the Cross-Country season to date and to our club members who volunteered at any of the events. Well done also to club athletes who were in race action during recent weeks.

It’s that time of year again! The crisp autumn air is here, and our LSA groups are settling back into their new routines.

Fit4Life: Your Autumn Fitness Journey
For those looking to kickstart their fitness goals, our fit4life group is the perfect fit. We hold training sessions every Monday and Wednesday evening, catering to all abilities. Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps or an experienced runner looking for a challenge, we have groups for intermediate and advanced levels as well. To help you on your journey, we have a special offer: join us for just €65 from now until December. For more information, please contact us at lsaadultreg@gmail.com.

Marathon Season is Upon Us!
With the days growing shorter, our dedicated marathon runners know exactly what that means: the Dublin City Marathon is just around the corner! On October 26th, members from all our adult groups—from first-timers to seasoned marathoners—will be lacing up their shoes. We wish them the best of luck and hope their training remains injury-free.

Community and Upcoming Events
LSA recently had a fantastic turnout at the Donate Family Fun Day and Community Group Expo, where we saw a tremendous response and great interest from the community.

Last but not least, mark your calendars! The 4th annual LSA Peninsula Road Race is back on Sunday, November 16th. Registration is now open, and you can find all the details you need on our Instagram page, @lsadonabateportrane.

We’re excited for what this new season holds and can’t wait to see both new and familiar faces.