2024 has arrived and with it it brings new challenges for our hard-working volunteers. For those readers who are unaware, Swords Tidy Towns in 2023 missed out by only one point in achieving our very first Gold Medal, in 2024 we will endeavour through our hard work to bring home the Gold. We rely on you the public to play your part in our ongoing battle against street litter, it is you through your diligence that we will get over the line and achieve that elusive Gold Medal, team work. We have come a long way in twenty years. It has been a fantastic journey with many ups and downs. But that long journey led us to six Silver Medals in a row plus many other accolades, that alone in itself is an achievement we are all proud of. When you see our dedicated teams out and about stop and chat. Tell them how proud you are of how well your town is looking, a kind word and a smile goes a long way, and they cost nothing. We look forward again this year to working closely with the various departments within Fingal County Council, especially the Operations Dept with whom we have worked with on many projects over the years. We are always on the lookout for new volunteers. All you need do is email us at swordstidytowns@gmail.com or just turn up on a Saturday at 10.15am in the car park of Colour trend Paint Shop opposite the Garda station on Main St.

The new Swords Surgery Hub will provide nearly an acre (3910m2) of Surgery and medical rooms in an existing building -at Unit 1 at Swords Business Campus said Cllr Tom O’Leary. The Surgery Hub will be operated under the governance of Beaumont Hospital. Swords Surgery Hub Comprises of: 4 Operating Theatres (with 28 associated service rooms) an Endoscopy unit with 16 Bays/Beds, 11 Reception Beds, 4 Exam Rooms, 6 Treatment Rooms, 2 Procedure Rooms, Anaesthetic Room, Café/Shop The “Swords Surgery Centre” will serve the medical needs of a growing and aging population of 160,000 residents in Swords, Balbriggan, Skerries Rush, Lusk, Donabate, Malahide and Portmarnock and rural Villages of Fingal, said Cllr Tom O’Leary. Cllr O’Leary continued, “Full Planning Permission was granted on the 8th of December 2023, and the tender process is complete. Work on a “turnkey medical fit-out” of the existing building will get underway shortly. The Swords Surgical Hub will likely be open Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm running two surgical sessions per day in each theatre, with each session lasting four hours in length and with a 30-minute turnaround time between each session, similar to the successful Reeves Day Surgery Centre (RDSC) at Tallaght University Hospital opened in 2020. So the question is: What Procedures Might be carried out at a Swords Surgery Day Hub?

Swords Surgery Hub is for patients that need elective surgery under general or local anaesthesia or sedation and are scheduled to go home on the same day following their procedure. General Surgery – Otolaryngology - which is Ear, Nose and Throat - Orthopaedics - PlasticSurgery - Ophthalmology - Gastroenterology - Urology - and Pain Medicine - Gynaecology - Vascular surgery (peripheral surgery). The new hub at Swords is modelled on the very successful “Reeves Day Surgery Centre” at Tallaght University Hospital (opened in 2020) which has substantially reduced waiting times for day-case procedures. - Transport - Serviced by High Frequency Bus Routes - 41C, 41x, 43, 500, 503,505,506X,507. - 180 Car Parking spaces - 330m from the proposed Estuary Metro Link Station. I am hopeful of real progress on “Swords Primary Care Centre” project soon,” said Cllr Tom O’Leary.

2023 was a busy and enjoyable year for Swords Karate Club. We hosted members of JKS Ireland from all over Ireland at the National Brown & Black Belt training sessions in April, May, September & November. We also hosted National Squad training sessions in preparation for the JKS World Karate Championships in Japan in 2024. Sophia Guildea and Amelia Miller tested for their Shodan Diploma in May under Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS and both were successful. Members of the club attended 3 competitions, topping the medal table in all 3 JKS Inter-Club competitions in Tyrellstown (June), Swords (September) & Tallaght (October). In May we hosted Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS. We were privileged to have JKS Ireland members from around the country join us in this world class seminar over 3 days.

We held two club gradings, in early July and mid-December, where club members showed off what they have been studying during the year and all members who took the grading examinations progressed to their next coloured belt. Our membership is growing but we are still looking for new members (Children, Young People & Adults). Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. You can also contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club

A major milestone in the Swords Cultural Project has been reached with the publishing of the tender for the iconic building which will include a county library, theatre, gallery, arts spaces, a maker space, and a café. This is the latest stage in the tender process which has been underway for several months and responses are due to be submitted in February. A comprehensive evaluation period will follow before the tender is awarded and contracts are signed. It is hoped that construction will commence in Q2 2024 with the new building due to open in 2026. The necessary enabling works are currently taking place on the site at the junction of North Street and Seatown Road to prepare for the construction phase. Twelve houses on the opposite side of Seatown Road are due for demolition and will be replaced by 36 new homes in two blocks of 20 and 16 respectively. A further 13 new homes are due to be built on North Street as part of the transformation of this part of Swords. The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Adrian Henchy, said: “This marks another important step in the Swords Cultural Quarter project. This building with be a centre of knowledge, arts and culture for Swords and Fingal and will have a strong focus on people and experiences which, through the delivery of a modern, dynamic, inspirational and educational programme of events and activities, will become a destination and a focal point for the local community and visitors.” The Swords Cultural Quarter is a 3.89-acre area around the junction of North Street, Seatown Road, Bridge Street and Main Street and the new building, which has been designed by renowned Architects O’Donnell and Tuomey, will include a new 3,000m2 County Library, an art gallery and exhibition space, a café, a civic area, studios and rehearsal rooms, and a Black Box theatre which can cater for audiences of between 165 and 360 depending on the type of event being staged. The new library, which will be seven times bigger than the existing one, will offer the people of Swords a full suite of library services for the first time.

One Voice Singers Swords are a new multicultural community singing group based at St Colmcilles GAA Club in Swords. The group recently took part and gave a few wonderful performances of Christmas music and Carols in this year’s Christmas Market at Swords Castle. They had a wonderful time, were extremely well received and enjoyed every minute of their performances. The Singers thanked the people of Swords for all the support in the past year and also gave a huge message of thanks to their musical directors Aine and Tony. Well done to you all and we wish you continued success in the coming year.

The Swords Woodland Association is an association of volunteers, formed with the aim of researching and advocating for the maintenance of the existing green belt within the greater Swords urban area; while promoting innovative ways to ensure a greater appreciation of green spaces by the population as a whole.

The Swords Woodland Association Calendar for 2024 is now available for purchase at O’Ciobhain’s Super Value, Boroimhe and Hanley’s Card and Party Store on Swords Main Street. Featuring stunning images from local photographers with a focus on our local wildlife. Proceeds from which go to support tree planting and improving biodiversity in our area. Many thanks for your continued support. You can also contact the Association at their email : swordswoodlandassoc@gmail.com

2023 was a very busy year for the hard-working volunteers of Swords Tidy Towns. All eyes were eagerly focused on the 2023 Tidy Towns National Finals, each member did their very best to achieve the Gold Medal that had so far alluded us. Our members had already done the town of Swords proud with five prior National Silver Medals in a row, no mean achievement. Everyone put in a trojan effort to change our medal colour from silver to gold, this was reflected in how close we came to achieving that goal, missing out by only one point. So close and yet so far. We brushed it off in typical Swords Tidy Towns style and celebrated our sixth in a row Silver Medal, just like the Dubs, we are now firmly focused on 2024, fingers crossed. Not a bad run of medals considering Swords was designated a litter black spot in the 2003 IBAL report, we have certainly come a long way.

Swords Tidy Towns also won the 2023 National Tidy Towns Circular Economy Award for our upcycling, recycling, composting, Swop Shop and wild flower meadows etc initiatives. The award came with a thousand-euro cheque, our Silver Medal came with a Seven-Hundred-euro cheque, all prize money will be well spent on improving the aesthetics of our wonderful town. The Swords Cultural Quarter is well under way, Ushers Lake is getting a well-deserved face lift, the old Stairways have been replaced down to the Jacko, the good work goes on. A big thank you to Fingal County Council especially their Operations Dept with whom we have worked very closely with over many years, that cooperation will continue and blossom in 2024.

Swords Tidy Towns would like to wish all of our Followers, Supporters, Sponsors, TY Students and Teachers, Local Businesses, Locally Elected Representatives, and last but by no means least, the staff at FCC a Very Happy New Year and a Prosperous and Healthy 2024.

In early December we celebrated our last social night of 2023. It was such an amazing night of dancing karaoke and lots of laughs. We celebrated with Swords Men’s Shed and presented Ray their chairman with an appreciation certificate, for all the kindness and support they have shown to Swords Women’s Shed in 2023.

With the Food and dancing it was a night to remember. Thank you again to our biggest supporter St Colmcille’s GFC Swords. We can definitely say we raised the roof ha ha. Thank you also to our committee who created such a fantastic night.

October and November were busy months for the club. Along with our regular training sessions every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday we also hosted and participated in several other events. In October we hosted Brown & Black Belt Training for JKS Ireland members from across the country. We also hosted Open Squad training for JKS Ireland members which is in preparation for the JKS World Karate Championships in Japan in 2024.

We sent a small squad of 15 club members to the JKS Ireland Interclub Competition held in Tallaght at the end of October. The squad did fantastic, showing off their karate skills and topping the medal table on the day with 7 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze medals coming home to Swords.

In November we hosted JKS Ireland Brown & Black Belt Training as well as Open Squad training for JKS Ireland members. These are important events, not just for training but also for maintaining the friendships which have developed amongst students from around Ireland.

Sophia Guildea and Amelia Miller were presented with their JKS Shodan Diploma from Japan by Dermot O Keeffe Sensei 7th Dan JKS at the November Brown & Black training session. These Diplomas are the results of the Dan Examination taken by the two girls in May 2023 under the watchful eye of Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS, World Technical Director. At this exam, both girls had to demonstrate their skills and abilities in an examination of Kihon, Kata and Kumite which lasted approximately 45 minutes. The Club is very proud of its new Black Belt holders. The Club is looking for new members (Children, Young People & Adults). Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. You can also contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club. We wish all our members, supporters and their families a very Happy Christmas.

Hygiene Hub, the charity giving hygiene and personal care products to those who need them, and is calling on the public to Spread Kindness this Christmas as part of their Christmas Campaign by donating toiletry gift sets as well as essential hygiene products this festive season. The #SpreadKindness Campaign aims to provide at least 5,000 toiletry gift sets as well as donations of essential hygiene items to individuals and families in need this Christmas. To take part in the #SpreadKindness campaign, supporters can either donate the cost of a gift set through the #SpreadKindness fundraiser or host a hygiene drive with colleagues, friends or family and donate new, or unopened essential and luxury toiletries. Hygiene Hub will collect, pack and distribute the donations to local charities in time for Christmas.

The purpose of Hygiene Hub is to alleviate the pressure of hygiene poverty felt by many individuals and families across the country, when financial struggles mean that food, rent and bills are prioritised over hygiene products.

There are three ways that supporters can help Hygiene Hub this Christmas including donations to one of the drop-off points listed on the website, monetary donations via the iDonate page, or by agreeing to host a hygiene drive at school, college, or work.

Hygiene Hub Ireland will be collecting donations for their #SpreadKindness from 1st November 2023 until 4th December 2023. Donations will then be sorted and distributed to charity partners in time for Christmas. The first Hygiene Hub in Ireland was set up in Dublin in 2019. It has now grown into a national charity with 7 hubs so far, having donated over 50,000kg of essential hygiene products to over 45 Community Partners. Its volunteers and supporters are passionate about tackling hygiene poverty. Since 2019, over 28,100kg has been donated by the Dublin Hub. 26 Drop Off Points, Supporting 26 Community Partners Locally you can donate at McCabes Pharmacy G24, Pavillions Shopping Centre, Malahide Rd, Swords Demesne, Swords, Co. Dublin. +353 1 840 6555