St Colmcille’s GFC welcomed players, families, friends and the wider community for its annual charity blitz in aid of St Francis Hospice held on Saturday, 19th September.
The club has been holding the popular fundraising event almost every year since 2016 in honour of two of the players’ mothers who passed away and spent some time in St. Francis Hospice.
Following the action on the pitch, players and supporters came together in the club hall for refreshments, a raffle, and the real fun which continued into the evening.
Marian O Neill, Club Secretary, St. Colmcille’s, said: “Over the years, this blitz has become a really special event for our club. It brings people together for a great afternoon of football and plenty of fun, but most importantly it gives us an opportunity to support the incredible work of St Francis Hospice.”
“We have raised thousands of euros for the hospice since we first started holding the blitz, and that is entirely down to the generosity of our players, families, friends and the wider community.”
About St. Colmcille’s GAA Club
This small but busy and ambitious club has been part of the Swords Community since 1935. They are looking to grow their teams and offer the following opportunities to join in the fun.
Nursery training Saturdays 10.30 am Sponsored by Glenveagh homes.
U6’s training Saturdays 10.30 am
U8’s team Wednesday 6.30-7.15 and Saturday 10.30- 11.30
U10’s team train every Wednesday 7.15-8.15 & Saturday 10.30-12
U13 girls training every Tuesday and Thursday 6.30pm and Saturday at 10.30.
Adult men’s team are training every Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30 Sponsored by Members First Credit Union.
Our Gaelic 4 Mothers & Others team are training every Monday at 7 p.m.
Media enquiries:
Pamela Kavanagh – 085 8022707 or Pamkavanagh@gmail.com
For more than a decade, Rush juniors has welcomed children aged 4 to 14 to Kenure Park on a Sunday morning for a fun 2km run. We were actually the first ever junior parkrun event in Ireland and have hosted thousands of kids at 470 events since our launch in late 2015. There are now 47 junior parkruns across Ireland every Sunday morning, so we like to think of ourselves as trendsetters!
Despite cheering on around 30 young runners each week, we’ve recently struggled to fill our volunteer roster and have come very close to cancelling the event on several occasions. We have a very dedicated core group of Run Directors - thank you all - but are in need of additional casual volunteers who can help with tasks like marshalling, timekeeping, tail-walking and barcode scanning.
There is no pressure to commit to helping out every single week; even volunteering once every few weeks would make a big difference. The time commitment is very small - we meet just before 9.30am and are usually packed up and heading home before 10.15am.
So, what’s the benefit of volunteering? Firstly, a big hit of Sunday morning dopamine! What’s not to love about cheering on a big group of kids as they storm through the woods? You’d be supporting your local community, meeting new people, and encouraging the next generation to stay healthy and active.
If you’d like to come and help out – whether it’s once, twice, or on a regular basis – please drop us an email at rushjuniors@parkrun.com. We’d love to welcome you.
You can find out more about Rush junior parkrun at www.parkrun.ie/rush-juniors/ , or on our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/rushjuniorparkrun/ .
For many of our athletes, October sees the culmination of a summer and early autumn of a tough block of training. There are other marathons but the majority will take on the 26.2 miles of the Dublin City Marathon on Sunday 25th October. It’s something that most will look forward to with excitement and a little nervousness but with the training miles in the bag the marathon itself is just the final piece of the jigsaw. We wish everyone the best of luck and rest assured there will be plenty of Lusk members out on the course to cheer you on.
Well done to all involved in the successful Juvenile Cross Country event held at Newbridge House. Congratulations to club members who completed a race in recent weeks with many taking on a Half Marathon. Our latest Fit4Life group started on 24th September but it’s not too late to join.
Another great outing for our society in Moyvalley Golf Course.
Sponsored by Stephen Grogan Plumbing and Conrad Murray of The Top Shop.
The results were, Overall winner, Brian Sandford, Category 1 winner, Dermot Halpin, Category 2 winner, Robbie Hender, Front 9, Kevin Farrell, Back 9, Padraig Lehany, Nearest to the pin, Dara Fitz, Visitors prize, Jordan Foley.
We had a great night out at the Top Shop with music and a bite to eat.
Lusk AC is delighted to inform our members that work on the new all-weather facilities at the Hub, Rathmore Park will commence shortly. After many years of collaboration, works are scheduled for completion by July 2027. The project will include:
An 8-lane athletics track, long jump, high jump, pole vault, shot put, extended car parking, teen space, landscaping, storage and bicycle parking. Thanks to our committee, Fingal County Council, the local sports clubs and the wider community for their support and patience throughout the development of this much-needed facility.
Marathon training is now in full swing with many club members following a programme. We have plans to suit all abilities designed to achieve a range of target times. Well done to everyone who has participated in races so far this year and a big thanks to those who have volunteered at events.
Some of our club members were at Dublin Airport to welcome Rhasidat Adeleke back from the European Championships in Birmingham. Rhasidat was part of the successful Irish team and came home with a Silver medal.
The club organised a successful Man O War Round 7k race on a balmy August evening. This has now become a regular event in the race calendar.
Return to training for all juvenile groups is Tuesday 1st Sept. Please keep an eye on our Socials for locations.
The races are coming thick and fast for our club members with something on the calendar almost every day of the week during the summer months. The Irish Runner race series took place in Phoenix Park and the Irish Life Dublin race series commenced with the Fingal 10k in Swords. There was a big contingent from Lusk for the latter including an army of volunteers. That race also signals the start of training plans for many athletes who are taking on the Dublin City Marathon in October or one of the other Autumn marathons. Best of luck to all with their plans. The club held a Heavy Throws event in Lusk which was a great success. Conor McGuirk ran his final race as a juvenile with a Championship record and we now look forward to seeing his career develop in the senior ranks. A reminder to register for the Man O War Round 7k which takes place on August 13th.
A huge congratulations to the Boys’ Football Team from St Catherine’s National School on their recent victory in the FAI League Final.
After months of hard work, training, and dedication, the team travelled to the AUL Complex in Clonshaugh on Thursday 18th June, to face Scoil Aonghusa from Tallaght, in what proved to be a thrilling final. The whole school community was behind the boys every step of the way. Before they left for the match, they received a fantastic send-off from their fellow pupils and staff, who lined the school corridors to wish them the very best of luck.
From the first whistle, the match was played at a high standard, with both teams showing great skill, determination, and sportsmanship. Our boys worked tirelessly as a team, remained composed under pressure, and held onto their lead throughout the game. Their efforts were rewarded with a memorable 3–2 victory. At the final whistle, players, coaches, parents, and supporters celebrated together as the team were crowned FAI League champions. A very special thank you and congratulations to parent coach, Vicky, whose dedication, encouragement, and commitment played a huge role in helping the boys achieve this wonderful success. Well done to the entire squad on an incredible achievement.
Loughshinny Utd held their Annual funday with Mam’s v Kids games and end of season awards. Everyone had a great time with pizza, chips and ice cream as a reward for all the hard work.
Girl’s U14s Player of the Year
Kate Eksteen
Boys U14s Player of the Year
Elliott Watson
The club were delighted to hold a 24 hour relay for Charity in mid June. Multiple members completed a 5k run from the Hub in 30 minute segments throughout the 24 hours. There were some outstanding achievements during the month. Robyn Carey set a new Junior Leinster Championship record of 2:12.86 in the 800m. At the other end of the spectrum, Peter Doyle completed the 85km Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa. Congratulations to the Happy Couple, Justin and Aishling on their recent wedding. It’s time to register for our summer race, the Man O War Round. It’s a 7km route where you’ll get to experience some fabulous scenic views.
Many people reach a point in life when they realise they should be more active. The challenge is not recognising the need for exercise, but finding an activity that remains engaging year after year.
Most physical activities focus primarily on fitness. Others challenge the mind but involve little movement. Few activities develop the body, stimulate the brain and create meaningful social connections at the same time. Aikido is one of those rare exceptions.
This Japanese martial art develops balance, coordination, mobility and body awareness while simultaneously challenging practitioners to learn new movement patterns. Training takes place with partners rather than opponents, creating a supportive social environment where people help one another progress.
This combination becomes particularly valuable as we age. Maintaining physical mobility is important, but so too are mental engagement, confidence and a sense of community. Aikido brings all of these elements together in a single activity.
In many ways, learning Aikido is similar to learning a new language, except that the body becomes the instrument of communication. At first, unfamiliar movements can feel awkward and challenging. Over time, however, the body begins to organise itself more efficiently. Movements become smoother, more economical and better coordinated. Practitioners also develop greater spatial awareness, learning to understand their position in relation to other people and to move confidently and efficiently through space.
The combination of physical activity and continuous learning is particularly valuable as we age. Training challenges both body and mind, helping practitioners maintain mobility while keeping the brain actively engaged. Many students find that concentrating on movement and working with a partner provides a welcome break from everyday worries. They leave class feeling calmer, more focused and more energised than when they arrived.
The social aspect is equally important. Aikido is practised with partners, creating opportunities to meet people and build friendships. At Takemusu Aikido Society, training is followed by conversation, laughter and a strong sense of community that keeps people coming back year after year.
One of the club’s members, Eugene, joined in his fifties with no previous martial arts experience. He soon discovered a passion for training and continues to work on improving his mobility, particularly in his hips. Like many adult beginners, he found much more than exercise. He found an enjoyable challenge, a lifelong learning experience and a welcoming community.
Takemusu Aikido Society has received funding through the Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme 2026. Thanks to this support, newcomers aged 50 and over can attend one free Aikido class per week throughout Jne, July and August.
No previous martial arts experience is required, and there is no need to register in advance. If becoming more active has been on the to-do list for some time, this summer may be the perfect opportunity to start. It is never too late to learn something new, improve wellbeing and discover what the body is still capable of achieving.
More information is available from Takemusu Aikido Society at www.aiki.ie or by emailing info@aiki.ie.
