By Ken Duffy

The Swords Tidy Towns Tidiest Estate Competition took place is September. This year the estates were judged on 1. Entrance to Estate 2. Gardens 3. Litter Control 4. New to the competition this year was a special prize for the most Biodiversity/Wildlife Friendly Estate. We were lucky to get the services of three experienced independent judges this year. Martin Nulty (Landscape Gardener) Ann O’Meary (Fingal Horticultural Society) and Micheal Connolly (Fingal Horticultural Society). The sponsors of the competition this year were Redmond’s Estate Agents who donated €500 to cover 1st Prize and 3rd Prize and Hennessy & Perrozzi Solicitors who donated €250 for the 2nd Prize. Swords Tidy Towns are very grateful to them, without their generosity the competition would not have gone ahead. Our Swop Shop has become a regular event due to its popularity. It is held at the Rivervalley Community Centre on certain Saturday mornings, dates are posted on our Facebook page in advance, so keep an eye out for our next one. Emma and Ramune are the organ-isers, you will find them there setting up, meeting and greeting with their usual big smiles. There is no charge, just bring along four pieces of clothing which you wish to exchange at the Swap Shop. We had a very successful link up with ASL Airways Swords who wished to get involved in some voluntary work within the community. There was a good turnout, twelve ASL volunteers turned up, we split them into four groups. Each group was supervised by an experienced member of Swords Tidy towns, team leads were Rose, Teresa, Kim and Mal, they litter picked and weeded down the Main St and North St. The ASL volunteers very much enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to joining us again in the near future. Swords Tidy Towns have stopped meeting on Wednesday nights until the evenings get brighter again. We will still be meeting each Saturday at 9.45am in the car park of Colourtrend opposite the Garda Station. Anyone interested is very welcome to join us on the day, just turn up and introduce yourself or contact us via our organisa-tion’s email at swordstidytowns@gmail.com. During the preparation work for the new Cultural Quarter an ancient Well was discovered an estimated date is 8th century. Swords Tidy Towns sin-cerely hope that FCC intend putting a protection order on it and incorporate into a viewing floor for all to admire in the new Cultural Quarter building. There is a history of Historical Structure Genocide in this country, let us hope Fingal County Council do not decide to go down that shame-ful road.