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Volume 7 Issue 3 - January 2022

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Our best resolution – stay safe and give hope!

Local News

As we start a new year we look back on the past 22 months or so and realise we have come through a lot as a county and as a country. We have come through and are going through on and off partial lockdowns. We have gotten used to mask wearing, social distancing and elbow greeting instead of hugging those we love when we meet. However all of these restrictions have been imposed in a loving way by our Government to try and keep us safe and healthy. In the year ahead we usually look forward and make plans and resoltions but this year after so many set backs we must be ultra careful. At this time the best resolution greatest gifts we can give each other is hope. So let us all work together to support each other. Let us stop worrying about the current hospital figures and work together to spread hope to our families, hope to our friends and hope to our communities for a brighter future. Let us all pull together, lets all obey the Government rules and continue to flatten the Covid 19 curve again.We should alsuo all shop locally and ensure the local jobs of our neighbours and friends. By now we all know the dangers of not wearing face coverings, not regularly washing our hands thoroughly and not keeping our distance when meeting others. Recently it has become obvious that the rise in Covid cases is due to community transfer of the virus. 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 a near normal society as soon as possible and stay safe and enjoy our lives while being responsible. So please,in the coming months 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.

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Local News

Balbriggan social enterprises beneffit from special grants

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Ten local social enterprises in Fingal including two from Balbriggan have been awarded over €37,000 in funding by the Department of Rural and Community Development to help them with their capital costs.The small grants were announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD as part of a €1 million fund to support 247 Social Enterprises across Ireland. The Fingal Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) will be distributing the funding to the ten Fingal social enterprises on behalf of the Department. Social enterprises are businesses that work primarily to improve the lives of people. Their core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis. Welcoming the announcement, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly said: “Social Enterprises have a positive

effect on society and play an important role within the local community. They are helping to develop solutions to some of Fingal’s most pressing social issues by creating jobs, tackling disadvantage and supporting community development “ The grants under this scheme will particularly benefit smaller or start-up social enterprises who do not have ready access to essential funding that can help them to upgrade or purchase additional equipment in order for them to help deliver services to those most in need.” Minister Humphreys said: “This funding will assist almost 250 Social Enterprises with specific costs in relation to their facilities. In some cases, it will cover the cost of fixing a leaky roof or putting in a new kitchen. The grants may be small in nature, but I know they will greatly assist Social Enterprises the length and breadth of the country who have continued to serve their communities through the Pandemic.”Balbriggan Community Childcare received €825 and Balbriggan Men’s Shed received €2,746.

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Local News

Significant LEADER Funding approved for New Projects in Rural Fingal Significant investment has been secured for Fingal projects at the most recent Dublin Rural LEADER Approvals Meeting. The Dublin Rural LEADER Local Action Group, which oversees the Programme in Dublin, approved €230,748.76 in funding for 5 new projects in Rural Dublin at its November Online Meeting. This brings the total number of projects approved during the LEADER Transition Programme to 15 since it began on April 1st, 2021, with a total value of €543,984.52. The approved projects are in the areas of Economic Development, Rural Environment and Social Inclusion. Fingal LEADER Partnership CEO, Eilish Harrington, welcomed the approval of the 5 projects. “All were excellent projects enhancing services in the rural towns and villages of Fingal. It’s great to see communities benefiting from LEADER funding to help develop and grow their amenities, especially during the difficult times we are all currently in. I would encourage more rural communities and businesses to contact LEADER to avail of the remaining funds during the next 14 months.” Amongst the projects approved for funding are: Balbriggan Meals on Wheels which is approved for €24,063.75 for an outdoor dining area which will be of enormous help to facilitate the provision of meals to their clients in a safe outdoor setting. Donabate Portrane Community Centre CLG which is approved for €24,354.00 for a feasibility study to capture the needs of existing groups that use the facilities to assist and guide them in expanding in line with community needs.Also St Maur’s GAA Club Rush which is approved for €89,154.58 to install rainwater harvesting and irrigation in St Maur’s GAA Club premises and for use on the pitches. The Project will reduce the demand on the public water supply and reduce the volume of water going into the public drainage system. Welcoming the latest funding announcement, the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Seána Ó Rodaigh said “I would like to thank the Local Action Group for its support of these Fingal Projects which will enable the continued development of sustainable communities in our rural areas’’.

Once Upon A Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE Episode 5 Louise Mulcahy Fingal County Council’s Arts Office presents ‘Once Upon A Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE’ Episode 5 featuring Louise Mulcahy.‘Once Upon A Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE’ sees acclaimed broadcaster Donal Dineen take us on a deep exploration of music in the company of some of the finest music makers in the land. Together they will tell the story of their sound, the songs, the instruments and their connection to them. In each series they will perform at THE HIDE SCULPTURE, a sculpture by artist Garrett Phelan that invites contemplation and deep listening. It is located along the Rogerstown Estuary, North County Dublin and home to a diverse population of resident and migrating birds that have chosen this place as their home. Once Upon a Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE is delighted to present Episode 5 – Louise Mulcahy. Donal Dineen describes the series and introduces Louise saying “The whole intention behind the Once Upon A Sound series is to get a look inside that special space which exists between a musician and their instrument. This 6

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

is where the magic happens and each instalment thus far has brought us closer to the alchemy.In Episode Five we finally get to examine in detail the singular magic of the Uilleann Pipes with master piper Louise Mulcahy who was born into a musical family in Abbeyfeale, County Limerick.A veteran of several highly acclaimed albums and a multi awardwinner, Louise’s repertoire is as broad and discerning as her instrumental virtuosity. The Council are delighted to present these episodes of ‘Once Upon A Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE’ with Donal Dineen who represents integrity and seriousness to his core audience, many of whom have developed their musical knowledge with him over many years. Donal is a consistent in his commitment to connect, understand and introduce to new perspectives on music to audiences for over two decades. ‘Once Upon a Sound at THE HIDE SCULPTURE’ featuring Louise Mulcahy can be viewed at vimeo.com/652500500 and will be available to view on Fingal Arts Vimeo and thehideproject.com where you can also catch up on the series so far with stunning performances by Liam Ó Maonlaí Anna Mieke, Niwel Tsumbu & Cormac Begley.

Louise Mulcahy

Finance

The Importance of Getting Financial Advice By Dave Kavanagh Recent surveys by the Royal London Group, have clearly illustrated the advantages in seeking fi-nancial advice. In Ireland, it showed that of those that received advice, savings were 55% higher, the average pension pot was €128,933 compared to €62,600 with those who had not sought advice. The vast majority felt more in control of their finances and felt they were getting the best value with the financial products that they paid for. In these times, Covid-19 has made people more anxious about money. So what stops people from seeking advice in such a crucial area of their lives? Some answers were, “I think it would be too expensive”, “it’s probably not for me” (believing it’s only very wealthy people that need advice!), “my bank looks after all of that” (when the bank is likely tied to one company and cannot fairly compare options for them.) Or “too proud or embar-rassed to let someone go through our finances”. In some ways, this can be likened to some people choosing not to seek medical advice (until potentially too late!) believing that it’s trivial or they can deal with it themselves. The one constant I’ve seen in all my years of advising clients, is the peace of mind and feeling of control that they feel. Even if the exercise of examining and analysing their finances uncovers some mistakes or wrong choices, at least they can now

take action to rectify their situation, and move forward with confidence. If, like many, you are considering making New Year changes to improve your life in some way, you could do far worse than include a review of that which is connected to almost every aspect of your life, your finances.

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 087-6414570, 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-JANUARY 2022

Local News

Christmas at St. Mary’s Baton Twirlers – We’ll be back!

Training at St. Mary’s Baton Twirlers returned in mid September and ran for approximately 10 weeks and we welcomed back many of our athletes and some new ones too.The focus for this period was primarily on improving personal fitness and worked on solo dance and freestyle routines.It was great to see everyone and get

back to some normality.However, it was with heavy hearts that the coaches made a decision to have our last session for 2021 on Wed 24th Nov. We wanted our athletes to have a joyful end to their year, and so everyone wore their Christmas jumpers or pjs and we had our annual Christmas raffle. Many thanks to all the parents for their

support.Each athlete got a selection box before they went home.We wish all our members and their families a very Happy and Safe Christmas and New Year. All going well we will return to training in January 2022. For more information about St. Marys Baton Twirlers please message our Facebook page or text 086 3270636.

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BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Local News

THINKING OF SOME

HOME IMPROVEMENTS?

Looking forward to 2022 – Irish Guide Dogs

WE ARE HERE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU!

Guide Dog Owner, Tom O’Neill with his black labrador Qeb along with Ann and Martina from McMeel’s Pharmacy, Skerries.

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2021 was another difficult year, however through your help and support your local branch has raised €25,620.98 (end November). Facebook fundraiser by Balbriggan Feis organisers, members, dancers and supporters raised €966.25. Other Facebook fundraisers brought in €449. The #100K challenge for Guide Dog Day raised €6,520. Thankfully in November, we were able to get out into the community. SuperValu Balbriggan, on the 5th & 6th November was our first event. We had our new SumUp machine which allowed payments through credit cards and laser. Through your generosity €1,763 was raised. Next it was Millfield Shopping Centre, on the 12th & 13th November, when €1,693 was raised. We were nominated in the Tesco Community fund and received a cheque for €343. Thank you, Tesco and Lisa. Santa’s Grotto returned to Millfield Shopping Centre, in association with Specsavers. Donations from everyone who visited Santa are still coming in. On the 5th and 12th December, we participated in the Bremore Castle Food and Craft Village Christmas event. Money raised will be advised in next month’s piece. A massive

‘Thank you’ to all our volunteers and to everyone who supported us. Our counter boxes and large collection dogs located around Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk and other North Co Dublin towns brought in €8,636.88. In February the new Tap to Donate €3 machine arrived in Specsavers and has raised €1,167. Thanks to Brian Brodigan, Specsavers Balbriggan, the Tap to Donate €3 machines have been rolled out through other Specsavers locations and all are doing well.

Puppy in training Adel will

celebrate her 1st birthday on the 29th January. Guide Dog owner Andy, who’s guide dog Nico retired during 2021, has qualified with a new guide dog Yorkie. Yorkie is a brother of Yarrow who Anne Mulligan puppy raised. We look forward to hearing more about this new partnership during the year. Everyone in your local branch wishes you all a safe and happy 2022 and we hope to see you throughout the year. Events will be posted online at facebook.com/Balbriggan. Branch.of.Guide.Dogs Contact us phone/ text 085 766 3107 or email guidedogsbalbriggan@gmail.com

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Local News

Fingal to benefit from joint effort between Dublin and Belfast

Members of the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor Oversight Board

A new cross-border partnership established to foster economic growth along the key strategic route between Dublin and Belfast has announced its inaugural political leadership team who will help drive employment opportunities, address barriers impacting trade and encourage the delivery of better transport infrastructure.Cllr Pete Byrne from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in Northern Ireland was elected as Chair of the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC) Oversight Board, a body made up of councillors from the eight local authorities along the corridor. Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh was named Deputy Chair.Speaking at DBEC’s first Oversight Board meeting, Deputy Chair Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said: “Alongside the obvious social and economic benefits of closer cross border collaboration in order to develop the corridor, what we are looking to help drive is greater inward investment, the boosting of trade opportunities for local businesses, increased production in key sectors and higher employment. 10 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

This will be increasing important as the population along the corridor continues to grow.”Welcoming the new appointments, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly said: “Since DBEC was launched earlier this year there has been a great deal of cooperation and collaboration going on between councils to ensure we can capitalise on the support this initiative has received from all levels of Government. Fingal is in a strong position to benefit from the joint effort to drive this key economic corridor forward, and we are working to identify new opportunities which can help boost connectivity, enable innovation, generate jobs and foster greater socio-economic growth.” New DBEC Chair Cllr Pete Byrne said: “We have a real opportunity through the work of DBEC to deliver jobs and sustainable growth along what is a major economic pipeline for the whole of the island. There is a rich and diverse range of sectors and a large number of businesses which we can help to grow, be it in Agri-Food, financial services, tourism, high tech manufacturing or construction.”

Chair Cllr Peter Byrne & Deputy Chair Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh of DBEC

Arts

Local Writers selected for Words Ireland’s Mentoring Programme

Shauna Smullen

Niamh Donnelly

Lisa Walsh

Fingal County Council Arts Office partnered with Word’s Ireland to

provide professional development opportunities to support Fingal writers through the Word’s Ireland National Mentoring Programme. Four local writers, Niamh Donnelly, Mark Kielty, Shauna Smullen and Lisa Walsh have been selected by Words Ireland to receive professional literary

mentoring over the next eight months from an acclaimed Irish writer of

their choice.Niamh Donnelly is a writer from Dublin. Her fiction has been published in The Irish Times, The Ogham Stone, The Dublin Review, and

elsewhere. She is also an arts journalist and was shortlisted for Critic of the Year at the 2019 Newsbrands Ireland Journalism Awards. She is currently

working on a novel, provisionally titled Onboarding. Her writing focuses on

any varied themes such as ambition, and also disillusion and cultural change. Mark Kielty is a Dublin based author who has already been published in

four anthologies with his writing group, Cupán Fae. In 2021, he published his first short comic in Turning Roads: Irish Folklore Stories with Limit

Break Comics. He writes mostly fantasy along with sci-fi, and superhero stories. When he’s not writing, he’s playing hurling or volunteering as

a basketball coach with the Special Olympics. Also He is also currently

Mark Kielty

working very hard on writing his first ever full length novel. Shauna Smullen is the co-editor of The Liminal Review. She is working on a collection of

short stories about the effects of physical and emotional trauma on the body. Her intriguing and very interesting work has most recently was piblished

and appeared in The Madrigal and also This is Not Where I Belong.Last but not least is Lisa Walsh is an emerging working class writer from Ballymun, now living in Santry. She began writing as a participant on the Write On

course facilitated by Colm Keegan, in the Axis, Ballymun in 2013 at the age of 43. Most recently, she has completed the Stinging Fly’s six-month fiction workshop 2020, as run, in association with the Irish Writers Centre. Lisa

is a playwright and is in the process of developing and furthering her skills as a novel and short story writer, creating new writing based on both her

experiences growing up in Ballymun and as a professionally qualified social worker.

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Send us your pics.. We Want it ALL.. Contact us today: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com Be Part of Your Community News

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Features

Be kind to yourself and your loved ones!

By Siobhan O’Neill White If we thought 2020 was tough, in many ways, 2021 was even harder. We’ve all been on a rollercoaster of emotion; worrying about catching Covid, for many people trying to get through Covid and on top of that, the stress of multiple lockdowns. It has been an extraordinarily difficult time so this January, go easy on yourself. Many of us, me included, have put on a few extra pounds since Covid barged into our lives and caused all sorts of disruption. With the levels of worry and fear we have experienced, putting on a few lbs is really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of

things. As January rolls around, lots of us may start thinking about getting fitter and losing weight but this year, we are suggesting that you be kind to yourself. If you want to cut back on the sweet treats a little, that’s ok. If you want to do add extra exercise into your life, go right ahead. But please remember, that we are all going through an incredibly tough time and we need to mind ourselves. Our mental health is as important as our physical health and it’s important to make the time to do nice things for yourself. Whether that’s going for a long walk, relaxing for half an hour with a coffee and magazine or taking a

relaxing bubble bath – do what helps you relax and unwind.And as we are staying at home more than usual, make time for nice activities, like baking with the kids or cooking a nice dinner. Maybe have a pajama day with movies and hot chocolate or bring our some board games for a bit of fun family time.Whatever you get up to this January, remember, be kind to yourself and your loved ones. We’ve got to pull together and support each other as much as possible to get through these strange, unsettling times. For indoor and outdoor activity ideas and lots of recipes, check out mams.ie parenting website.

Do you want to buy a turnkey property in advance Fingal County Council is urging developers to give them the opportunity to buy new turn-key homes in advance to help ease the housing crisis and deliver affordable housing for those most in need. The Council wants to be able to tap into the large number of unbuilt properties which have received planning permission It has ambitions to secure at least 10 residences at any one scheme, with it hoping that anything up to 150 dwellings could be sold to them in an advance purchase arrangement with developers. Under the proposal, Fingal would agree to purchase an approved number of properties at a development and provide payment on completion. Such an agreement also provides for the direct sale of homes by a developer to an eligible purchaser nominated by the local authority. Liam Burke, Acting Director of Housing and Community Development at Fingal County Council said: “The Housing for All initiative sets out some very clear ambitions around social and affordable housing provision. Having the new Affordable Housing Fund in place will go some way to making it possible for Fingal to deliver a greater number of homes for people at below market rates, so in securing an advance purchase arrangement with developers we not only ensure that we are providing much needed housing, but that we are also giving financial surety to developers and taking out some of the guess work

12 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

that often goes along with larger developments.” The council said that Joint Venture Arrangements that include an Approved Housing Body (AHB) would also be considered as part of the initiative. Under the ‘Housing for All’ plan, significant funding streams are available to Fingal in order for it to increase the number of new-build local authority homes for social and affordable housing.The government wants to see 300,000 homes built over the next decade across the four categories of social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership. On average, over 33,000 homes will be built per annum, rising to 40,000 by 2030.Further details of the turnkey programme and local requirements for Fingal are available at:.fingal.ie/sites/ default/files/2021-11/guide-to-making-a-submission-november-2021.pdf

Local News

Balbriggan Tidy Towns - Can you help Avril?

Can anyone provide a workspace for Akvile to complete a 2nd community mosaic? There may be a vacant shop or shed which someone local has and would allow her to use for just for 3 or 4 months. If you know of somewhere you can pm us or email balbriggantidytowns@gmail.com. Just look at what she has achieved with her first mosaic! The amazing mosaic pictred below was, created by local artist, Akvile Simanskiene and has recently been installed at the end of Convent Lane. Akvile and her team have managed to create this stunning piece by making each individual tile from broken crockery and other reclaimed pieces. The intricacy of the workmanship and the precision needed is impressive. A really creative upcycling project. Thank you Akvile and all your team for this lovely gift and to #ourbalbriggan for the funding and support. The response to Akvile’s art work has been phenomenal so let’s help her get the next one done. Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Healt

Home Cook Recipes

Gorgeous Granola Granola can be full of fibre from oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit in addition to lots of vitamins and minerals. However it can also be full of sugar and a lot of granola in Irish supermarkets are quite high in sugar. This homemade recipe for granola below is simple to make. Wholesome and satisfying to have. And it is scrumptious with fresh fruit and natural yogurt or milk for breakfast, supper or as a snack!

Ingredients • 350g oats • 100g chopped pecan nuts • 150g other chopped nuts (such as hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews or flaked almonds) • 150g mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, chia, sunflower, flaxseed/linseed) • 130ml maple syrup/honey • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence • 40ml melted coconut oil or rapeseed oil

• 150g dried fruit of your desire (such as raisins, sultanas, cranberries, chopped dates, chopped apricots)

Method 1.Preheat the oven to 160’c. 2.Place a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper onto a baking tray. (This is to prevent the granola mixture from sticking to the baking tray). 3.Add the melted coconut oil/rapeseed oil, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. 4.Add the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT the dried fruit) into the mixing bowl and coat the dry ingredients with the moist ingredients. Use your hands to really bind the mixture well together into small clumps/clusters. 5.Spread this mixture as an even layer on the lined baking tray. Use a second lined baking tray if needed. 6.Bake in the oven at 150’c for 35-40

minutes until the granola is golden. Keep an eye on the granola and turn the tray half-way through baking to ensure all the granola is baked evenly. Avoid stirring the granola as this will reduce the granola clumps/clusters. 7.Make sure the granola is completely cool (this will ensure you get nice crunchy clusters!). Then add the dried fruit and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.

For 1:1 clinical consultations, public health talks or workshops in preschools, primary

or secondary schools and workplaces, please email: niamh@biabites.net

See my ‘Fun food’ and ‘Recipes’ albums on ‘Biabites’ Facebook for other food ideas.

Niamh Arthurs, Public Health and Clinical Nutritionist”

Local Sports

Happy 2022 from Balbriggan Cricket Club

Balbriggan Cricket Club is a Senior Cricket club located in Balbriggan Town Park , Balbriggan. New playing members of all ages and abilities and pavilion members always welcome. The Club is based in the heart of Balbriggan and has 5 Senior Men’s teams , 2 Senior Women’s Teams , 2 Social cricket teams and a big underage section of boys and girls teams for all ages. The Men’s and Women’s Adult Senior teams range from Premier league level down to the lowest league so if you are interested in joining you can be sure we will have a team that suits your playing level. We have excellent facilities with top class wickets and nets and you

will find people practising most days of the week.The underage set up in Balbriggan is thriving , our ground and nets is a hive of activity every day from April to Sept in Balbriggan Town Park when underage coaching and Practice takes place.Kids from 5 years up can come along and experience cricket and will learn how to play the game with our experienced coaches. We also go to the local schools to teach kids the basics of the game during Jan, Feb and March To enquire about membership or training call or text 0860644238 or via balbriggancricketclub.com/contact/. Happy 2022 to all of you.

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BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Features

Here’s How To Take Control of Your Health & Fitness in 2022 Ciaran Russell It’s January and that can only mean one thing. New Year New You. But instead of finding that the ‘new you’ has disappeared by the time the 1st February has arrived, I am going to tell you how to create some lasting change in your health and fitness for 2022. The first step is to decide what it is you’re looking to achieve. Imagine we are having a chat over a cup of coffee on 31st December 2022, what has to have happened for you to be happy with your progress? This could be ideal time to write down exactly what your health looks like in 12 months’ time. Now that you know where you want to get to, the next step is assessing where you’re currently at. Naturally this will be different for everyone so here are some things to think about. Look at what your current diet is like; do you eat fruit and vegetables every day? Do you have a takeaway more than once a week? What is your alcohol consumption like? Then assess what you’re physical activity is like. Do you have some sort of exercise regime? That could be playing a sport, going to a gym, walking regularly with friends; anything that keeps you active every day. When you now where both your current diet and exercise are at you can then start to look at what’s in the gap between where you are now to where you want to be at the end of the year. This is where you start to create the process required to get you there, more specifically what do you need to do monthly, weekly and daily in order to reach your end of year goals. This is where regularly checking in with yourself to review your progress is important. This can be done weekly, monthly and quarterly. Some questions to ask before you start; how will you know you are on track in 3 months’ time? What needs to happen for you to have gotten closer to your goals at the end of the month? How will you know you’re on track come the end of this week? And lastly what can you do daily to push yourself forward? Not only is it very useful to create the plan and know what progress you’re making along the way, it’s also important to know what obstacles you may face along the way. Sure you won’t be able to account for every little problem that comes up but by starting

to think about what might get in your way, you can actively create a plan to overcome any barriers you may face. Once you’ve taken time to create your strategy for a healthier and fitter you, the next step is to take action and get started. A strategy means nothing if you don’t execute it. What can you do today that will take you a step in the right direction? I want to wish you a happier, healthier and fitter New Year. Thanks for reading. Ciaran.

“The Cove” at Maydenhayes

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 16 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

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 January 16. The first correct entry to be drawnwill win €50..Good luck

18 BALBRIGGAN LOCAL-JANUARY 2022

Down

1. Loose brightly coloured dress worn by women in Hawaii. (6) 5. Any thick fatty oil. (6) 10. Out of the ordinary. (7) 11. Moving the head in agreement. (7) 12. The national emblem of Wales. (4) 13. Leaf associated with Canada. (5) 15. Colourfully low in spirits. (4) 17. Substance for colouring fabric or hair. (3) 19. Describes tea that has been left to infuse for too long. (6) 21. Looked after, took care of. (6) 22. Someone in charge of a team. (7) 23. An habitual practice. (6) 25. Performing on stage or film. (6) 28. Turn the light down gradually. (3) 30. A hanger for sails. (4) 31. Disappeared gradually. (5) 32. A secret scheme, probably illegal or underhand. (4) 35. Sole country bordering Canada and Mexico. (7) 36. A person trained to compete in sports. (7) 37. A light touch. (6) 38. The dialect of Liverpool. (6)

2. Small four-stringed guitar. (7) 3. Handle clumsily; paw. (4)

4. Place material on the Internet. (6)

5. Soft and mild, not harsh or severe. (6)

6. A miniature whirlpool in a fluid. (4)

7. Smothered or suppressed. (7) 8. Medieval trade unions. (6)

9. Came to the same opinion. (6) 14. Massive ancient Egyptian memorial. (7)

16. A bitter yellow fruit. (5)

18. Support for a resting bird. (5)

20. Very large artificial water holder. (3)

21. The Irish drink! (3)

23. Punctuation marks. (6)

24. Person considered possibly involved in a crime. (7)

26. Malady, disease, indisposition. (7) 27. Collect in one place. (6)

28. Change for the worse. (6) 29. Damsel hides awards. (6)

33. An Italian hello or goodbye. (4) 34. Expression used in frightening away animals. (4)

SUDOKU ANSWERS

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Across

We would like to thank you all for your continued support in a very tough year for everyone in 2021 But we would like to wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2022 From all at Cuddles Unit C1 Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan, Co Dublin Tel: 01 6904422, Email info@cuddlespetstore.com web: www.cuddlespetstore.com