Congratulations to the Squad of 17 JKS Swords members who took part in the JKS Autumn Interclub Competition in Tallaght recently. They had a very successful outing bagging 7 Gold, 9 Silver and 14 Bronze medals overall. JKS Swords hosted the JKS Ireland Open Squad and Brown & Black Belt training session recently. Members of JKS Ireland from all over the country spent 2 hours training in Applewood Community Centre, going through ring craft for competition and also syllabus work for grading’s.Members of JKS Swords joined other JKS Ireland members on a competition squad and attended the Kanazawa Cup 2022 in Tallaght. The Squad had a very successful day with lots of medals won. Congratulations to everyone who took part. A big Well Done to Tadhg Comiskey and Harrison Beaumont on being selected as Students of the Month for November. Both boys train very hard and on a regular basic to develop their karate. Regular training continues weekly as we prepare for the Winter Grading. Students are putting the final touches to their kihon, kata and kumite in preparation for the Grading exam on 17th December 2022. If successful in their grading, the students will earn a new coloured belt and progress to the next level of their karate training.
We would like to wish all our members, Parents and Guardians and all our Supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We take new members (Children, Young People & Adults) throughout the year. Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. Contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or alternatively contact us on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club.

St Colmcilles is currently recruiting for a Coaching/Management Team for their Junior Men’s Football team. These candidates should have an excellent knowledge of Gaelic football, Team Coaching and team Strategies. All applicants can call Marian 0876819540 or Aaron 0863888944. Or email their interest to secretary.st Colmcilles.dublin@gaa.ie.Annual Christmas Draw will take place Friday 16th Dec at 10pm. Tickets are available in the clubhouse bar and any committee member. Tickets cost €10 each with the main Jackpot Prize €1000. Juvenile Section - All teams will finish up for the Year at the end of November, to enjoy the festive season. All teams will return the first week in February 2023Training times for Feb - Saturday Morning’s @ 10.30am and Wednesday evening at 7pm (over 7 years) all sessions are 1 hour long. For more information, please call Cora 0833741305.Gaelic for Mothers And Others, is a great initiative from the LGFA, it is for women over the age of 25. G4M&O brings together women who enjoy learning Gaelic football (even if you’ve never played, this is for you) and having a bit of fun while exercising. Contact Deirdre 0879309962.We would like to take this opportunity to Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year, and to Thank each of you for all your support throughout the year.

Congrats to our U13 Girls who won the SC final recently, well done to the girls and their mentors. Also Fingallians GAA will host our children’s Christmas party on Saturday 10th December. Great fun will be had with our DJ who will conduct our annual Christmas dance-off. We will have music, singing, dancing, jokes and other party pieces. Rumour also has it that a very special guest, a man with a white beard and red costume (Fingallians colours!) will be visiting and every child will have a chance to meet him. Fingallians GAA would like to thank Swords Local Magazine along with the parents and children of Swords for their ongoing support through 2022. We look forward to welcoming old friends and new members in 2023. Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh.

Article By Ken Duffy

Once again our hard working volunteers who are out in all weathers year in year out have been justifiably rewarded for their efforts. On Friday 28th Oct we attended the National Tidy Towns Awards Ceremony in the RDS Ballsbridge where we were awarded a National Silver Medal in our category. This makes five National Silver Medals in a row, as our member Gerry Brennan remarked afterwards, if we win another Silver next year, we will equal the Dubs six in a row, what an achievement that would be. The presentation of our award will most likely take place early in the new year in Trim as they were the regional winners. As I have written many times in the past, our success is down to a collaborative effort with Fingal County Council, in particular with the hard-working lads in their Operations Department who we work hand and glove with. Swords Tidy Towns have linked up with other Swords based organisations in our ongoing efforts to work with other like-minded groups to make Swords the best it can be, to help it achieve its true potential. No man or group is an island, when we collaborate together with determination and goodwill with a common goal, its amazing what can be achieved. New volunteers are always needed and very welcome, whatever your skillset it will be put to good use. Donations are also much needed and very welcome to help continue our great work which can be seen all around Swords town centre. We have come a long way since the 2003 Irish Business Against Litter report which designated Swords the 3rd dirtiest town in Ireland. With your help and backing we will continue to make strides in making our town the very best it can be. You can contact us by email at swordstidytowns@gmail.com.

On Saturday October 8th, St Colmcilles Gaelic for Mother and Others hosted their Blitz in aid of St Francis Hospice. Many teams were invited, 7 of them took St Colmcilles up on the offer, St Finians, Fingal Ravens, Na Dubh Ghall, Erins Isle, O Dwyers and Starlights. Over 100 women took to the pitch throughout the day, where each team played 3 matches each. All our referees volunteered their time and for this we are appreciate greatly.Friday night the preparation started where all the St Colmcilles ladies gathered and arranged all the spot prizes which were donated by local businesses and got the hall set up. O’ Dwyers from Balbriggan were voted Team of the Tournament by the referees. Each team donated to the Hospice and there was a raffle after the games to help raise further money for the hospice. Raising just under €3000 we would like to thank everyone involved in this great event.St Colmcilles G4M&O are always looking for new players, even if you’ve never kicked a football before, this LGFA initiative is a great way for women to meet up and have a laugh while getting exercise and learning a new skill. Contact Marian on 0876819540

We were privileged to host the head of JKS Worldwide, Kagawa Shihan 9th Dan JKS, recently for a training seminar. Over 4 hours, Kagawa Shihan gave masterful karate instruction in kihon, kata and kumite. Over 100 JKS members from across Ireland attended Applewood Community Centre to take part. The attendees ranged in age from 6 to over 60 years and Kagawa Shihan was mindful to cater to everyone who was training. We hope to have him visit next year again. It is great to offer our students the opportunity to train which such a high calibre Karateka. Congratulations are in order for three students who were presented with their Dan Diplomas by Kagawa Shihan at the seminar. Brian Horgan and Conor Glennon received their 1st Dan Diplomas, while Vincent Clarke received his 4th Dan Diploma. All of these karateka were dedicated in their training to achieve their Dan grades through tough examinations. Regular training continues weekly in Applewood Community Centre. All classes are enjoying being back to a regular schedule after the summer break and are working towards the next event which is the 2nd JKS Inter Club Competition which will be held in Tallaght.We hope to have some medal winners on the day.We take new members (Children, Young People & Adults) all through the year. Contact Dermot on 087-8073885 for details on how to join. Contact us on Facebook: JKS Swords Karate Club or on Instagram: @jks_swords_karate_club

By Ken Duffy

This year we have once again linked up with the Transition Year students from both Fingal and St Finnian’s Community Colleges. We linked up with the students as community work is one part they must undertake to achieve their Gaisce Awards. Recently Swords Tidy Towns have had enquires from other Tidy Towns asking how they should go about involving Transition Year students in their areas. It is a great initiative which we have embraced wholeheartedly, the students are a joy to work with, youth and age working harmoniously together, it bodes well for the future. We wish other Tidy Towns success and good luck in their efforts to link up with their TY students. Swords Tidy Towns await with bated breath the results of this year’s National Tidy Towns competition, a lot of hard work has been put in this year. We have been successful the past four years achieving a National Silver Medal on each occasion. It would be nice if a gold was awarded to us this year, it would be a fair reflection on the hard work and dedication put in over many years by our volunteers. The early nights are upon us, so Swords Tidy Towns have cancelled their usual Wednesday night clean ups. We now only meet on a Saturday morning at 10am in the car park of Colourtrend opposite the Central SC, we are very grateful to Colourtrend management for facilitating us. We can be contacted at our email address swordstidytowns@gmail.com

By Liam Ó Culbáird

On Sun 2nd October. A fantastic day was had by all at the Dublin County Final of Scór Sinsir 2022 (the GAA’s talent competition) that was hosted by Fingallians GAA and Fear an Tí Liam Ó Culbáird.With strong representation from northside and southside, Dublin now has a very strong team as they enter into Leinster. A special thanks to all the clubs that participated and those that helped promote the competition within their clubs. Thanks to our moltóirí Ann and Cóilín and our cabhróirí Sinéad and Donna but most of all thanks to the participants.The winners were as follows in these different categories: Tráth na gCeisteanna: Ranelagh Gaels, Rince Foirne: Cuala, Amhránaíocht Aonair: Cuala, Aithriseoireacht / Scéalaíocht: Fingallians, Bailéad-Ghrúpa: Cuala Ceol Uirlise: Cuala. It was great to see three local Swords GAA clubs represented; Fingallians, St. Finian’s and Colm Cille’s. Pictured are all the Swords competitors.

Fingallians GAA’s Culture Officer, Liam Ó Culbáird, told the Fingal Independent: “The Irish language is a central part of our heritage, as are our national field games. We are working to create an environment where it is not unusual to hear Irish spoken both willingly and enthusiastically. An environment where Irish is not just associated with the classroom. Fingallians GAA are receiving great recognition for this on a national stage. We had visitors this week from each of the main National Irish language promotion organisations; Conradh na Gaeilge, Fóras na Gaeilge and Glór na nGael. All commended Fingallians for the ongoing work. Fins are now regarded as an exemplar club in the promotion of the Irish language outside of An Ghaeltacht.”Games Promotion Officer Naoise de Bhaldraithe said “I am delighted that the Campa Samhraidh was so successful. We had 102 children playing sport through the Irish language medium. There are not many such camps taking place in Dublin but we are proud to lead the way.” Fingallians GAA Camp Co-ordinator Donagh Mac Liam commented: “2022 was our second year running the Irish language camp and again it has proved a great success. We have a template established and we look forward to expanding into the future. The Camps are tough work but seeing the enjoyment of the kids makes it a privilege to be involved.” Ní ábhar í an Ghaeilge, is teanga í. Is ár dteanga í. - Irish is not a subject, it is a language. It is our language.

Despite a 2-1 loss against Beechwood FC recently, Swords Celtic U15.4 celebrated last seasons league win after finally receiving their medals and trophy. Both managers are very happy that the team has remained fully together for another season. A very happy captain Max Savage lifted the trophy to start the celebration with his teammates. Well done to all involved