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Volume 6 Issue 4 - February 2021

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Show your love on Valentine’s Day by ‘Staying Safe’ In the past 12 months we have come through a lot as a county and as a people. We have come through and are going through lockdowns. We have not been allowed to see our family and friends in person and we have been told we must ‘elbow greet’ instead of hug those we love and meet. However all of these restrictions have been imposed in a loving way by our Government to try and keep us safe and healthy. To try and keep our loved ones safe and healthy and to try and safeguard our elderly and our future generations. This Valentine’s Day will be one like no other any of us have ever experienced. However that does not mean that we cannot show love to those who mean the most to us. Unlike any other period on history we have the means to stay in touch and communicate without meeting in person, whether that be through a mobile phone call or Facetime or Zoom or whatever technology we have at hand. The worldwide communications structure is so vast now that we need never feel alone and can send messages of love and support to those we care most about. Valentines is traditionally a time to enjoy with those we love so lets make this one extra special. Lets all pull together, lets all obey the Government rules and continue to flatten the Covid 19 curve again. We should also all shop locally and ensure the local jobs of our neighbours and friends. We all know the dangers of not wearing face coverings, not regularly washing our hands thoroughly and not keeping our distance when meeting others. Community transfer of the virus seems to be the problem so lets not go back to meeting numbers of people and lets avoid Valentines meet ups for one year. Simply put, we all want this to decrease again as soon as possible. We all want to reduce the number of people in hospital and worse, so lets all pull together now as we did before and turn this around quickly, get back to as near normal a society as soon as possible and stay safe and enjoy our lives while being responsible. So please, obey the rules, stay safe, lets pull together and keep supporting our HSE workers, our local shopping outlets and most of all our families and those we love. Have a happy and safe Valentines Day from all of us in the Locals team.

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BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Local News

Funding of €190,125 helps Fingal respond to Covid-19 Councillor Tom O’Leary has welcomed the news that €190,125 has been granted for projects in Fingal which will help towns and villages adapt to Covid-19. Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, recently announced the funding and details of a further 147 towns and villages that will benefit from over €15.4 million to help them adjust to Covid-19 restrictions. Councillor Tom O’Leary , said, “I am delighted that Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has made this funding available through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. “This funding has always been vitally important to help towns and villages in Finagl thrive, and it is even more beneficial as communities respond to the challenges presented by Covid-19. “Towns and villages will be able to implement immediate measures that will encourage people into towns and villages to shop and socialise, while adhering to public

health guidelines. It is important we generate economic activity while keeping the people of Fingal safe.” Funding for projects in Fingal include: Balrothery €99,000 for Development of new walking, cycling facilities , streetscape enhancement, Rolestown , Lusk €21,600, St Margarets €69,525 enhancement of physical environment. The amount is in addition to €10.4 million allocated by Minister Humphreys to 363 towns and villages since August 2020 for COVID response measures.” Councillor O’Leary concluded, “Covid-19 has highlighted the huge opportunities that remote working presents for regional development. Funding has also been provided for the development of a number of remote working facilities in towns and villages. Successful projects will see the renovation and conversion of vacant buildings into digital hubs as well as adaptions to local community centres to provide for remote working and eLearning facilities.”

Proposed Junior Parkrun at Millennium Park Needs You! Fingal’s Sports Office are looking for expressions of interest from people who would like to be part of a volunteer team to organise a new junior Parkrun being planned for Millennium Park in Blanchardstown once Government restrictions on sporting events are lifted.Junior parkrun is a series of weekly two-kilometre runs for children aged 4 to 14 held all over Ireland and the event is free to participate in, safe for users and can be completed by running, jogging or walking.There are a number of junior parkrun events around the county but none in the Dublin 15 area so for this fun run to happen we need volunteers to give just 1-2 hours of their time on a Sunday morning!A team of volunteers is required

to organise the event each week. It is really easy to volunteer and none of the tasks involved are too stressful. Among the tasks you could be involved in are: organising the finish funnel, operating the timer, or scanning the runners’ barcodes with a barcode reader. Volunteers frequently start with a marshalling type role, so they get a feel for how Junior Parkrun operates.Please get in touch if you are someone who: is passionate about health and community,is happy working with a team of volunteers, and is organised and committed.If this is something you feel you could contribute to then for more information contact: Gordon Ward, Fingal Community Sports Hub Officer, on 0833267071.

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BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Local News

“Revitalise with Foróige” during this month We are announcing three weeks of events held throughout North Fingal supporting young people’s health and wellbeing Leading the way for young people to reconnect, revitalise and build their resilience through a variety of fun and interactive activities . “Revitalise with Foróige” will run from February 8th until February 26th 2021. Young people will be engaged in FREE online events that promote positive health and wellbeing. Our aim is to build their resilience through a variety of fun, interactive and new activities. Foróige is leading the way in North Fingal and Dublin to give young people the opportunity to gain the skills to support their health and wellbeing. Young people aged between 10 – 18 years will be invited through Eventbrite to sign up for any FREE event that suits their interests. The following list of workshops will run one evening a week for three weeks : (1) Fitness - Our fitness class will lead the way to a healthier lifestyle. (2) Graffiti style art - Young people will learn how to create custom made graffiti style art from the comfort of their own homes. (3) Fast Fashion - There will be an open discussion about fast fashion with an interactive personalised upcycling piece. (4) Tick tock dances - A professional dance teacher will teach the latest tick tock dances, through this creative and high energy classes. (5) Music production - This class will take young people through a step by step

guide on how to create their own music at home. Music includes hip/hop & rap, as well as house & techno. (6) Afro hair and Beauty – Young people will get top tips on how to look after their hair and skin. (7) Nutrition & food – Know what you are eating, and make healthier choices that anyone can make at home. (8) Q&A event – An open discussion about racial diversity in

our community, hosted by a very special guest.“Revitalise with Foróige” is supported by North Fingal in association with Foróige. For more information please email sarah.butler@ foroige or if you would like more information on Foróige services in your area, please contact a Foróige staff member.

Balbriggan Meals on Wheels

At time of going to press, we have just entered another period of lockdown, with Level 5 restrictions. Balbriggan Meals on Wheels will with the help of the local people and organisations, continue to provide their service and deliver meals to the most vulnerable within our community. Since the start of the pandemic, Balbriggan Meals on Wheels has managed to operate through the help of volunteers and the generosity of those who have made monetary and food donations.If you are in a position to help, donations of dried food goods and hygiene products can be dropped to Balbriggan Meals on Wheels, 14 Hampton Street, Balbriggan. Monetary donations can be made via Balbriggan Meals on Wheels Facebook page. Balbriggan Meals on Wheels can be contacted at Tel: 01 8416743 In the meantime, please stay safe, follow the guidelines and we look forward to a brighter time as the year progresses. Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Local News

Why I volunteer with Guide Dogs Miriam and Peta - Guide Dog Day 2019

A Long-time volunteer, Peta Taaffe, tells why she volunteers to raise funds for Guide Dogs like Bruce, Nimo and Sarge, to assist Tom O’Neill. “ I’ve always liked dogs. We never had one when I was a child until we returned to Ireland,having been in England during the war, and then in Malta.I worked in the Department of Health and one day I visited the switchboard where I met a telephonist Tom O’Neill and his Guide Dog Bruce.I used to visit and chat with Tom regularly and upon my retirement I went to meet him to say goodbye. Immediately Tom said “Aha now you’ll have plenty of time to help with Guide Dogs”.That chat was 20 years ago and today, at

82 years old, I still enjoy being involved.I started by changing boxes. Sorting and counting the contents by hand. Then a machine arrived, it did it all, amazing. There is always fundraising, selling cards and calendars at Christmas, having a stall at events, sponsored dog walks, raffles, and many other ways of fundraising.Training a guide dog is complex and personal and based in Cork. As Tom travelled by train to work in Dublin the dog was trained in Cork station before Tom met him to familiarise him with trains. Cork is a terminus where trains start or stop. No-one remembered the Enterprise which doesn’t stop at Balbriggan station. Tom and Guide Dog Nimo,

with instructor PJ Hogan, were training on the platform when the Enterprise thundered by with no warning, at an enormous and noisy speed. All were taken totally by surprise and poor Nimo’s nerves were shattered and never recovered. Nimo was retired and returned to his puppy raiser who could never slam a door as Nimo got so frightened. 7 months later Tom was successfully partnered with Sarge, who had been trained to expect a fast noisy nonstop train going through a station.To hear more or become involved please contact Balbriggan/North Co Dublin branch of IGDB.phone/text 0857663107 or contact them on Facebook/Balbriggan.Branch.of.Guide.Dogs.”

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BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Finance

Joint plans for unmarried couples is the wrong way to do it By Dave Kavanagh I often review life cover plans that people have in place and realise that they have been set up wrong. Due to our very dated Capital Acquisition Tax laws, if an unmarried couple have a joint policy, in the event of a claim the survivor could be facing a large tax bill. This is because married couples can give or bequeath any value of assets without there being a tax liability. For a cohabiting couple, they are treated in the “strangers” bracket, which means (in the current tax year) after a threshold of €16,250, any balance is taxed at 33%. So if we take John & Mary as an example, who have a joint life policy with €250,000 life cover, in the event of John passing away, Mary will be paid out the policy proceeds but also now has a tax bill of €77,137.50. Is there any way to be exempt from this tax bill? - The correct advice when commencing cover for an unmarried couple, should be instead of setting up a joint plan, to set up two “life of another” plans. So John takes out a plan on Mary and pays the premiums and Mary takes out a plan on John and pays the premiums for that. When done this way, if the same as above happened and John passed away, Mary is deemed to have paid for the cover herself and so is not liable to pay any tax, meaning she receives the full €250,000 policy proceeds and no tax bill. It’s worth also noting that unmarried couples that buy a house together can face a

similar problem if one of them passes away. The survivor that inherits the deceased’s share of the property may then be liable to pay tax on that portion of the property. There are ways to plan for this and to be exempt. If anyone is in either of these situations, please get in touch for advice.

Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or information (with no cost or obligation) he can be contacted by emailing info@financialcompanion. ie or use the contact form on www. financialcompanion.ie or phone 0876414570, or @Davekav_advice on Twitter and Instagram. Combined with his previous role of gym/ nutrition adviser, he regularly gives talks and workshops at seminars and events for groups, companies and government departments on financial wellbeing, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM and TV3.

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Feature

Help me to parent and deal with stress!

By Siobhan O’Neill White It’s not easy being a parent right now! Between home schooling and keeping the children entertained while they cannot mix with their friends, it is almost inevitable that tensions will run high. I know for me, every time one of my children comes into the kitchen, opens the fridge and proclaims that ‘There is nothing to eat in this house’ it feels like there is steam coming out of my ears. Heavens forbid, they would make themselves a sandwich! But no, that would require some effort and they would rather scoff a yoghurt or bag of popcorn because its easier. And I just know, if I wasn’t working from home in the kitchen, they would be searching for crisps and biscuits! When I feel myself getting very tense (shout out to all the Mammies who are nodding along right now!), I get my runners on and either go out 8

for a walk, do an exercise DVD at home or if I am really lucky, have a bath and try to ignore the noise of them for half an hour. The thing is, I always feel better after taking some time out. For my husband, his release is spending half an hour on the playstation or reading his kindle. There is a lot of pressure on parents right now and if you feel yourself getting stressed, its ok to have a few minutes for yourself to

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

unwind. Even if you have to bribe the kids to watch TV or to play a video game for a bit so you can read a magazine, do it. It will make you a calmer parent and will give them some relief from all the home schooling.I recently picked up a great little book called ‘Parenting in my pocket’ by Parenting Coach, Allen O’Donoghue. It has lots of parenting advice and tips and we

have been dipping into it a lot; especially when Covid restrictions are high. With 20+ years experience, Allen also runs online courses to help parents deal with stressful situations at home. You can find out more at helpme2parent.ie.and if you feel like chatting with other parents to blow off some steam or have a natter, log on to free parenting website mams.ie.

Local News

Fingal Libraries launch new eServices during lockdown

Homeschooling and online learning can be extremely tricky, especially under the current circumstances. However, Fingal Libraries would like to lend a hand with the launch of two brand new eServices which support literacy and STEAM education.The first of the new additions, Lexia, works on fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, allowing users of all ages to practice the crucial skills that make a successful reader. Well suited to personalised learning, the programme is easy to use, with one facility for primary school pupils, and another for secondary school students and adults. Best of all, it can be accessed at school, at home, or even in the

library.Lexia is an online program designed to help improve reading skills. With Lexia, users get to practice and develop the skills that make a successful reader. These include fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Also, they are designed in a way which enables learners to use the program at school, in the library and at home. There are two versions of Lexia available to our members: Lexia Core 5 is suitable for use by primary school pupils, and the Lexia Power Up literacy program is for secondary school students and adults. There are four clubs currently open for membership for ages 6 – 7; 8 – 10; 11-13 and 14+. While the younger age groups will require

parental assistance, the classes are set up to allow the older age groups to work independently at their own pace.Through coding, children can become digitally literate in a new language; one that is becoming increasingly important. Coding fosters creativity and helps the learning process by allowing coders to learn through doing and experimentation.Our online coding clubs with Coding Ireland will provide easily accessible tools for both parents and children who are interested in learning to code. Enquiries through Fingal libraryeservices@fingal.ie or call the nearest library.

“The Cove” at Maydenhayes

CROSSWORD COMPETITION WINNER Congratulations!! Eve Heeley Broomfield, Malahide Co. Dublin YOU ARE LAST MONTHS COMPETITION WINNER

10 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Are you looking for more space for your family to live in? Would a top floor working space in your home make your life more productive?Would you love a better quality of life, living 5minutes from beautiful Mornington Bay Beach and its beautiful environs?If this has tweaked your interest, then prepare to be wowed by an exquisite new house in Maydenhayes Cove, Mornington, County Meath, a private enclave of 6 gorgeous new family homes at a very affordable/reasonable price. These new large 5-bedroom detached houses are laid out over 3 levels, maximising space for comfortable living; with a bespoke comfortable airy space at the top-floor level presenting the opportunity for a fantastic space to work from home. Other features in these spacious A-rated homes include five comfortably sized bedrooms and family bathroom, generous ensuites, walk in wardrobes, an unusually spacious landing at first floor level, underfloor heating and high-quality sanitary fittings. On approach to the house, the stained glass in the front door sets the tone for a chique new house that manages to combine the cosy feeling of home with being comfortable, modern and on trend. The front door opens into a charming and stylish entrance hallway filled with a happy and homely personality that permeates the whole house. The hall leads into a wonderful airy, spacious, and light-filled living/dining/ kitchen area featuring high ceilings at this level. Patio doors lead out into a generous garden with its favourable south westerly aspect to the rear. The house also comprises a good-sized boot/laundry room kitted out with plenty of storage for buckets and spades… and also features a smart guest cloakroom.A visit to the show house is strongly recommended if only to see how efficient living and working in a spacious, tranquil and beautiful setting could be. The Maydenhayes Cove show house is on view each Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 4pm and on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 12pm and 4pm, or by private appointment – prospective purchasers can feel free to call to make an appointment and/or to get help with any questions. Enquiries to: Pivotal Construction Limited (01) 4732473 Knight Frank New Homes (01) 6342466 or Sherry Properties (041) 9841149 Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Local News

Fingal County Council Unveils Community Get Active Initiative

Fingal County Council is calling on sports clubs and the local community to come together to help people get active once Government restrictions are lifted and activities are allowed resume.As part of a new “Active Club Challenge”, Fingal’s Sports Office has formed partnerships with Cricket Leinster, the FAI, Leinster Rugby and Tennis Ireland, to create an enjoyable way for anyone, but particularly those who may have struggled to get active during the pandemic, to make that step towards a more active 2021. Thanks to funding from Sport Ireland, the six-week programme which will begin when Government restrictions allow, it is free of charge for any Fingal sports club and is specially designed to provide a safe, enjoyable, and encouraging environment to allow participants to build up fitness and stamina.Fingal County Council will hold a free online ‘Nutrition Information’ session for all participants and an online ‘Introduction to Exercise’ session to give participants some health-related support and advice to encourage people to stay involved in the programme. Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David Healy said: “The sports groups across Fingal do great work for communities and it would be great to get as many of them as possible involved in this excellent initiative. COVID has shown us that we are stronger together so let’s make Fingal the most active community in Ireland as soon as government restrictions allow.” Contact the Council for further information. Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Local News

Extension on closing date for Conservation Funding Schemes

Conservation Projects

Fingal County Council announced in November that it was inviting applications under a number of schemes for works to be done in 2021 for small, medium or large-scale repairs or conservation projects to Protected Structures and in certain circumstances to buildings that enhance Architectural Conservation Areas within the Fingal area. The initial closing date for applications was the end of January. Due to current restrictions in place the closing date for this funding has been extended. The closing date for the submission of completed applications for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Historic Structures Fund has been extended to 5PM FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2021. For the Stitch in Time Grant a specific closing date is not being set, instead it will remain open until the budget it fully allocated so applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis.

Conservation Officer Helena Bergin said “Despite the significant disruptions to contractors and business by the localised and national Covid 19 restrictions in 2020 it was possible to complete most of the conservation projects that received funding approval. With the experience of working through 2020 there is an understanding of the need for some flexibility to timelines and so the closing dates for applications to the funding schemes for conservation repairs have been extended to give additional time to obtain quotations from contractors.”Funding is available under the following schemes: Architectural Heritage Fund’s “Stitch in Time Grant” 2021,Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2021, Historic Structures Fund 2021,Pilot Stream for Historic Shopfronts & Traditional Irish Language Shopfronts under Historic Structures Fund 2021, Pilot Stream for Vernacular .Structures under Historic Structures

Fund 2021.For owners carrying out routine maintenance or small repairs to the historic fabric of their homes Fingal County Council’s own Stitch in Time scheme offers grants between €100 to €2,500 For more substantial works funding is available through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme or the Historic Structures Fund. The Historic Structures Fund has been expanded in 2021 to allow applications for a pilot scheme for the conservation of a vernacular structure that is not a Protected Structure and another pilot scheme for the refurbishment of a historic shopfront and traditional Irish Language shopfronts. Application forms for all three schemes are available on Fingal County Council website.Please note that applicants cannot avail of funding under both the Historic Structures Fund and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in the same year and so should only apply for one scheme.

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Local News

Fingal County Council Announce Artists’ Support Scheme, 2021

Odd Morris members - Daragh Griffin – Vocals, Guitar, Kris Hassett – Guitar, Ciarán McCarthy – Bass and Sam Martin – Drums.

Fingal County Council invites applications for the Artists’ Support Scheme 2021. This strand of funding allows professional artists to avail of an award up to €4,000 towards travel/professional development opportunities, a residency or towards the development of work.The objective of the Artists’ Support Scheme is to support individual professional artists from Fingal to develop their artistic practice. The award, with a total combined fund of €100,000, is open to practising artists at all stages in their professional careers working in music, visual art, drama, literature & dance. To be eligible to apply, applicants must have been born, have studied, or currently reside in the Fingal administrative area. The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David Healy commented “The arts have a positive effect on our wellbeing which was particularly evident in 2020 through the online entertainment they provided as they, like us, adapted to Covid-19 restrictions. Fingal is proud of its rich

and vibrant art and cultural sector. The 2021 scheme will greatly benefit our artists so they can produce work and continue to enhance our lives.” Among the 65 artists awarded under the Artists’ Support Scheme in 2020 were Odd Morris, a four-piece band from Swords. Funding was allocated for the recording of their new EP, Cityscape the ballet. Since their inception in late 2017, Odd Morris have earned a reputable name through their brooding live performances across Ireland, and recently the UK. They released their debut single in March 2019 and have played shows with the likes of Ezra Furman and Fat White Family and performed on two of Ireland’s biggest music festivals Electric Picnic and All Together Now. The funding is for projects/ initiatives which will take place from 1 May – 31 December 2021. Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 26 February 2021 at 4pm. For further information contact Nicole Kelly on 087 9266727

CommunityLocals.ie 14 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Home Cook Recipes

Healt

Niamh’s Super ‘7 a Day’ Roasted Veg With Wintry weather and the season for colds and flu, the below recipe is a simple way to help achieve ‘ 7 a day’ for fruit and vegetables and boost intakes of the all important nutrients for our immune systems including Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Make a big batch and use leftovers the following day or to make a ‘veggie’ tasty soup!!! Please feel free to use whatever vegetables you like or are available/in season.Although as the saying goes “Variety is the spice of life”!!!

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • • •

3 Sweet potatoes 2 Carrots 1 Courgette 2 Red onions 4 Cloves of garlic 1 Green pepper 1 Yellow pepper 1 Red pepper 10 Cherry tomatoes 1 Chilli (or 2 depending on if you want it hot!) 4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons dried Basil or other herbs

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•

of your liking Black pepper to season.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200’c. 2. Prepare all vegetables by washing, peeling and chopping as appropriate. I diced, sliced and roughly chopped my vegetables into chunks as in the image. 3. Place the sliced sweet potatoes with x2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar onto a large and long baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20minutes at180’c (160’c fan oven) Gas mark 4. 4. Remove tray from oven. Turn the sliced sweet potatoes around on the tray and add the carrots, red onions, garlic, chilli, herbs, spices and the other x2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar. Ensure all the vegetables on the tray are coated in the herbs, spices and Balsamic vinegar 5.Place tray back in the oven for another 15minutes. 6. Remove tray from oven. Turn vegetables around to ensure even cooking. Add the

remaining vegetables left (peppers and tomatoes). Place back in the oven for another 15minutes or until the vegetables are cooked how you like them!

(Tip: Some vegetables take longer to cook than others hence the different lengths of baking time for the different vegetables)

Please follow’Biabites’Facebook for other food ideas especially in the ‘Fun food’ and ‘Recipes’ albums. Please follow @BiaBites on twitter. For nutrition talks/workshops at events or in schools/workplaces/ community groups= please email: niamh@biabites.net. Niamh Arthurs BSc, Msc Registered Dietitian Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Local Sports

Fingal’s Latest Ireland Cricket International

Neil reverse sweeps a four.

Fingal County Council is delighted to learn of Rush Cricket Club’s Neil Rock selection to the Cricket Ireland’s Senior National squad for their forthcoming tour of the UAE in January. Neil, born and raised in Fingal has a fine pedigree with no lesser judge than ICC award-winning Fingal Development Manager Brian O’Rourke rating him as ‘one of the finest wicketkeeper batsmen I have worked with’.Aged just 20, Neil is already a former Leinster youth captain, Catholic University School and Glenwood High School student in South Africa.He has made a rapid rise through the cricket ranks of Irish teams featuring for the u15, u17, u19s, Academy, and A-teams.He had a most successful u19 World Cup campaign in 2018, held in New Zealand, scoring 235 runs in six games joining former Leinster batsmen Eoin Morgan, Kevin O’Brien, Lorcan Tucker, Harry Tector & Jamie Grassi who returned similar impressive batting statistics at previous World Cups.Neil has also already made 38 appearances in Ireland Inter-Provincial cricket, making him one of the most capped aged 20-year olds in Ireland. Almost all these appearances came against his teammates in Leinster, playing for Munster and Northern Knights, such has been Ireland’s desire to find games for him and the talent available to Leinster in the wicketkeeping department. Mayor of Fingal Cllr. David Healy said: “On behalf of the whole Fingal County Council I send our congratulations to Neil, and Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Neil Rock who took the winning catch

his family, on his international call up.”.A modest Neil was quick to thank everyone who has been contacting him and sending their congratulations. He said: “It is at these times you appreciate how many people have helped you along the way, in particular in Fingal. I am really looking forward to being part of this trip to the UAE and hope

the experience gained will help further develop my game.” If people are right, then Neil may well shed his nickname ‘Pebbles’, and soon become known as the “Irish Rock” for the strength he adds to the Irish batting line up for the decade to come. All Irish cricket fans would be thankful for that. BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! This is easy… we are offering you the chance to win €50. All you have to do is correctly fill in the crossword and discover the name of an area in Fingal spelt out in the coloured squares. Then send the completed crossword and your answer by email, with your name, address and telephone number to communitylocals@ gmail.com before 5pm on February 16. The first correct entry to be drawnwill win €50..Good luck

18 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-FEBRUARY 2021

Down

1. A place for old things. (6) 5. Atoll and swimwear. (6) 10. This economic sector employs over 200,000 people in Ireland. (7) 11. Said something unproven. (7) 12. Expression of petulant annoyance. (4) 13. Fruit with green rind and acid juice. (5) 15. Move swiftly and lightly. (4) 17. The colour of anger. (3) 19. Aid in time of danger, particularly from a siege. (6) 21. The largest city in Spain. (6) 22. A brief account covering the main points of something. (7) 23. Coarse, crude, common. (6) 25. Stinging antiseptic. (6) 28. Proposal at an auction to buy at a specified price. (3) 30. A narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster. (4) 31. Recreate something on a smaller scale. (5) 32. Long poem about a hero’s deeds. (4) 35. Any of the four substances air, water, fire, and earth. (7) 36. Liquorice-flavoured seed or oil. (7) 37. White mineral used to make cement. (6) 38. Join the military. (6)

2. Out of the ordinary. (7) 3. This land is our land. (4) 4. Written account of a life. (6) 5. Made stronger with wood or iron. (6) 6. Curly Brassica. (4) 7. Someone who constantly criticises in a petty way. (7) 8. A state of near-unconsciousness. (6) 9. Prepared for publication. (6) 14. Half woman, half fish. (7) 16. Took a filed test again. (5) 18. First citizen of Dublin. (5) 20. Dense coat of a mammals. (3) 21. Tissue scanner. (3) 23. A silky densely piled fabric with a plain back. (6) 24. Government organised gamble. (7) 26. Make a deep impact on someone. (7) 27. Pre-Euro currency in Portugal. (6) 28. The lowest side of anything. (6) 29. Ten years. (6) 33. Fixed charges for professional charges. (4) 34. Last legal document. (4)

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