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

By Ken Duffy

Halloween recently paid us a visit and Swords Tidy Towns was not shy or found lacking in taking part in the celebrations. Normally we would hold our annual fund-raising Halloween Bucket Collection, but this year we decided to join in on the festivities. We met up at the main entrance to the park for 7.15pm, dressing up for the evening was optional. As per usual the fireworks were a massive success, it was the best year so far we thought. A massive big thank you to the Events Team of Fingal County Council headed up by the irrepressible Mr Paul Barnes, they all put in a trojan shift to pull it off. We then adjourned to the 44 Hotel afterwards for a couple of hours, the craic was mighty as you would imagine on the night that was in it. Great craic was had with the alcoholic skeleton who was sitting at the bar. We even managed to fit in a mini quiz, and each person got to ask a question which we all endeavoured to answer, it was a taster for our Quiz Night fundraiser in the New Year. Swords Tidy Towns are always looking for new members especially people with admin and IT experience. You can contact us at swordstidytowns@gmail.com or contact our Chairperson Ken Duffy on 0866008313.

We would like to take this opportunity now the season of good cheer is on the horizon to wish the people of Swords, our 4000 Facebook followers, our local business supporters, family and friends, a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

Wow! Very well done to our amazing shedders who won the Pearl Grogan Scramble Cup in Ballyboughal Pitch and Putt club ,representing Swords Women’s Shed thank you Susan Casey for looking after everything Pitch and Putt, and Ann Johnson who organised this evening celebration with Ballyboughal Pitch and Putt, so very well done. A very Happy Christmas to all our Shedders and their families and supporters.

National League iSecure Swords Thunder, the formidable local ladies’ basketball team, has roared back to life this season, demonstrating an astonishing turnaround from their previous year’s performance in the Basketball Ireland MissQuote.ie National League. Last year, they achieved a modest record of 4 wins and 14 losses, but this season, they are emerging as a force to be reckoned with. The turning point for Swords Thunder has been the strategic acquisition of pro-player, Jensen Caretti, hailing from Ohio State. Caretti has proved herself as a scoring machine, consistently delivering a stellar performance with an impressive average of 20 points per game. Her exceptional skills and experience have breathed new life into the team and positioned them as competitors this year. Adding to the excitement, Jasmine Walker, originally from New Jersey, but who has dedicated her last five years to Irish basketball, has been an invaluable addition for the team. Her strong presence on the court and her unwavering dedication have further fuelled the team’s resurgence. iSecure Swords Thunder’s remarkable journey back to the top has been highlighted by their exceptional start to the season. They kicked things off with a thrilling victory over Phoenix Rockets, the reigning League Cup Champions setting the tone for the season. Their remarkable momentum continued with a resounding win over the National Cup Winners, Dublin Lions. Excited fans and supporters can stay up-to-date with the latest scores, highlights, and game information by following the Swords Basketball Club on their social media channels. Swords Thunder is eager to continue their incredible journey through the National League, and their recent successes suggest that they are well on their way to becoming a formidable force within women’s National League basketball. As the season unfolds, expect more thrilling games and a continued display of excellence from iSecure

By Ken Duffy

Swords Tidy Towns attended the National Tidy Towns Awards in Croke Park on the 6th Oct where we were successful in retaining our Silver Medal status making it six in a row, just like the Dubs. There were only three tickets made available to each Tidy Towns group as the venue as it only caters for 600 seated invited guests. Naturally there was indeed a little disappointment within the group as we only lost out by one point to Drogheda for the Gold Medal, so close and yet so far. (well done, Drogheda) We organised a special celebratory get together after the awards for our members, the Old Schoolhouse was the venue. We gathered in the Whiskey Room which was kindly made available to us by management to celebrate in private, they also provided us with complimentary food platers for which we are very, very grateful. We held our Annual Tidiest Estate Competition in mid-September. The standard this year was very high which made our independent judge’s job that much more difficult. We are very grateful to the sponsors of this year’s competition Redmond Property Estate Agents and Hennessy Perrozzi LLP Solicitors for their generous contributions and for their participation in presenting the winners with their awards: Tidiest Estate Winners Were Joint First Place: Carlton Court and Highfields Second Place: The Nurseries – Third Place: Hilltown Enviro Awareness Group River Valley Rise and the Special Bio Diversity Award: Comyn Manor Again, a big thank you to our independent judges Ann O’Meara, Micheal Connolly from the Fingal Horticultural Society and Martin Nulty of Nulty Landscaping. Well done to everyone who took part. Next year we hope to introduce new categories and broaden the scope of our competition, so keep up the great work and we will see you all again next year.

Fine Gael has selected 21-year-old Luke Corkery to contest next year’s local elections in the Swords electoral area, which includes the town of Swords as well as parts of Santry, Kilsallaghan and Dublin Airport. The party’s selection convention was held in Applewood Community Centre on Tuesday night, and attended by Ministers Simon Harris and Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill, as well as local representatives Alan Farrell TD, Senator Regina Doherty, Cllr. Tom O’Leary and Cllr. Anthony Lavin. Despite his relatively young age, DCU graduate Corkery says he has experience in politics, having worked in Leinster House and having been involved in local campaigns and student activism since his school days. In his address, Corkery said: “I’ve never been more optimistic for my hometown and its future. If elected next June, I promise to bring new energy to the Council Chamber to stand up for the things that really matter to people right across what is one of Ireland’s fastest-growing towns. “I’m a commuter, dependent on unreliable bus services to get me to and from work each day amid traffic chaos. I understand the frustrations of so many others like me. We need to fast-track frequent, reliable public transport that people can depend on. “I’m a young person for whom the prospect of renting, yet alone buying a home locally, seems practically out of reach. We need more homes here in Swords, particularly the large-scale development of affordable housing like we have seen elsewhere in Fingal. It’s an absolute priority for me. “Anti-social behaviour, from break-ins to vandalism, has become all too common, and people want to see more Garda patrols out on the beat in their communities. We can by building stronger, safer communities through investment in local infrastructure and a focus on community, neighbourhood policing. Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, who chaired the convention, said: “Luke is a great new candidate; we need young people and energy in politics. We’re going to work to deliver a third-level campus for Swords – a College of the Future. It’s not right that we don’t have a third-level presence in such a large area like this one. I hope everyone gets behind Luke and his campaign.” Corkery concluded: “I’m looking forward to taking my message to people across this huge town; the town I’ve grown up in and lived in my entire life. I’m ready to double down, and I’m only getting started.” Corkery hopes to win a seat on Fingal County Council in the seven-seat Swords electoral area in next year’s local elections, which take place in June 2024.

By Jon Kavanagh

My earliest memory sees my mother lighting an oil lamp on a winters evening. It’s the 60s. JFK is in the White House, there are satellites circling the earth, radio Caroline is blasting out pop music from international waters and Bob Dillion tells us The Times They Are a-Changin’. But there’s not much evidence of change in our neck of the woods. Although the gate lodge where I’m spending my formative years is only a few miles from Swords and Dublin Airport, there is no running water or electricity. My father does a circus clown impression as he cycles home from the roadside pump, steering with one hand whilst precariously balancing a bucket of water with the other one. We toilet alfresco. Our humble abode which makes Steptoe and son’s den look like Home of the Year, consists of a kitchen and one tiny bedroom, separated by a wooden partition which stretches half way to the celling. The ice-cold blue flag stones on the kitchen floor serve as a barometer, turning damp when rain is on the way. An open fire multi tasks as a cooker, heater, clothes airer and bread toaster. Double glazing is a sheet of ice on the inside of the window. Home insulation is a sack slung across the bottom of the door to repel the easterly breeze. The duvet is an ill matched pile of blankets and overcoats. Heavy army coats are much sought after for bedding purposes. We live on the edge of a wood which has a healthy population of wild life. Bats, various insects including daddy longlegs, mice and the odd rat are familiar visitors. For reasons best known to himself, a rouge rodent decides to make off with my mother’s false teeth. Luckily, his lack of manual handling skills does not allow him to manoeuvrer them through his exit point and he is forced to abandon his loot. There is a temptation to look back through the lense of today and feel one had less than an ideal childhood. But my rustic upbringing gave me a reservoir of resilience. A resilience I was very glad to tap into when the covid lockdowns came.

September was a busy month for the Club. Along with our regular 7 hours of training each week we had two special events. Early in the month our Tigers (4 -7yr olds) and our Juniors (7-12yrs old) were challenged to bring a Parent/Adult with them to training. Parents came out in force to support their kids and took part alongside them in training. They had great fun learning punching, kicking, kata and kumite and left with a newfound respect for what their kids do at training each and every week.

We also hosted a JKS Ireland Interclub Competition mid-month and had competitors attend Applewood Community Centre from Limerick, Monaghan and Drogheda as well as closer to home from Tallaght, Blanchardstown and Coolock. The first half of the morning was devoted to Kata competitions where the competitors gave of their best showing off how well they do Kata. After the break saw the competitors don their mitts for Kumite (Fighting). There were some great displays of karate technique on the day and the results for Swords Karate Club were excellent with members winning 7 Gold, 4 Silver and 12 Bronze medals. We take new members (Children, Young People and Adults) all through the year. 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