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Christmastime is for family so lets stay safe!

Local News

Christmastime is traditionally a time to enjoy with family and those we love so lets make this one extra special. Lets all pull together like we did at Christmas last year and 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 avoid Christmas parties 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 the Christmas season. We need to protect ourselves, our mothers, fathers, children, spouses, partners and the family we love and give each other the best Christmas present ever by flattening the curve again. That way we can have as near a normal Christmas once again. If we do, the smiles on all our faces as we sit down to our Christmas dinners will be something special. 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 and lets make it a happy Christmas for everyone. Please stay safe and we wish a happy Christmas to you our wonderful readers, contributors, and advertisers and your families from all of us in the Locals team.

Editor E. communitylocalseditor@gmail.com Advertising Sean Maguire T. 087 915 9052 E. seanmaguire@irishmediagroup.ie Production Tim Evans E. communitylocalsdesigner@gmail. com Contact us Swords Local Magazine Email: communitylocalseditor @gmail.com www.facebook.com/SwordsLocal Designated Pick up Points Supervalu, Pavilions JCâ€™s, Swords Lidl, Rathbeale Road Applgreen, Malahide Rd., Swords Published by

IRISHMEDIAGROUP publishing | design | print | web

The Locals team.

Swords Local Disclaimer

Every effort is made by Swords Local Magazine to ensure that the information is correct and will not be held responsible for any advertisement or editorial errors. Swords Local reserves the right to decline, suspend or omit any advertisement or article submitted. No liability can be accepted by Swords Local for any printing errors in advertisements or otherwise.

STRICT DEADLINE FOR JANUARY EDITION: 15th December for inclusion in our January edition.

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SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020

Local News

‘Finglas Way Back When’by Ken Duffy

I grew up in Finglas, through the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, I came from your typical Irish family of that time. We lived in a household of ten, our parents, four girls and four boys. There were two sets of twins, two boys of which I was one and a boy and girl, my mother was also a twin. I started writing poems about my childhood first as a hobby to keep those memories alive and fresh. As I progressed in my writing, I found there was a lot of interest in the content of my poetry by those of a similar age to myself. I started posting on Facebook in Finglas Memories and the response was immediate, people very much related to the poems. It was the followers of this page who encouraged me on many an occasion to put my poems in a book.This is my first collection of poems which I have combined with old photographs from both sides of my family who came from Finglas and Cabra. I could not have completed the book without the help of my wonderful daughter in law Vivian. Without her incredible energetic input, her encouragement, enthusiasm, organisational skills and choreography of the graphics, my book would still be just an aspirational idea.The book can be purchased on Amazon.

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Finance

Making time for the important financial stuff By Dave Kavanagh Why is it that when the topic of planning your finances comes up, many people cite not having enough time? There are reasons for this - Firstly, it’s not considered a “fun” activity. Compared to going for a meal, walking on the beach, watching a movie etc., it doesn’t have the same enjoyment factor. Secondly, there is a subconscious negativity regarding financial planning, for reasons including, having to face possibly not being as efficient as you could have been, having to consider poten-tial financial loss in the event of a fatality, or not being able to work due to illness or injury, and hav-ing to plan your income for what will probably be the last third of your adult life. (Fun, right?) So people make all kinds of excuses to avoid dealing with it.The question therefore is burying your head in the sand wise? Many life events can happen, whether you have planned for them or not. One hour is 4% of your day, spending this once or twice per year can be hugely beneficial. The dif-ference in dealing with, lets face it, one of the most important aspects of your life, is that it will put you in control of your finances rather than your finances being in control of you, reducing the stress and anxiety often associated with “money worries”. I often see those that keep control of their budgeting having more disposable income than people earning 50% more than them who do not make

the time to plan. As a starting point, take out 3 month’s bank statements and make sure you can account for every transaction. Next, Make a list of what you think you spend every month, then keep a detailed diary of one month’s spending and compare. Then, arrange a phone or video review with your financial advisor from the comfort of your home. It’s never been easier. Make the time. Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or infor-mation (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 depart-ments on financial wellbeing, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM and TV3.

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Local News

Fingal Co Co co-hosted (CCAT) online conference on coastal management

Fingal County Council partnered with Cardiff University hosted Coastal Communities Adapting Together (CCAT), a free online conference which shared knowledge and best practice in coastal management recently.The conference facilitated sharing of knowledge and experience between policy makers, local authorities, academics and communities from Ireland, Wales and England, building on existing best practice in coastal management, climate change adaptation and mitigation. The (CCAT) project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation Programme 2014-2020 with partners in Ireland (Fingal County Council, University College Dublin and MaREI/University College Cork) and in Wales (Cardiff University, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and the Port of Milford Haven). CCAT aims to support coastal communities in

Fingal and Pembrokeshire to understand climate change in their local area and how to adapt.The project is engaging communities using augmented and virtual reality, games such as Minecraft and online learning resources to help communities better understand how climate change is affecting their local area, supporting communities in becoming more resilient to the effects of climate change. Mayor of Fingal Cllr David Healy said: “ I am pleased that Fingal is continuing its climate action efforts by partnering with Cardiff University to share knowledge and best practice so that coastal communities can adapt to climate change and protect their environment.” Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly said: “Fingal is uniquely placed both to contribute to and benefit from expertise and best practice in coastal management, as coastal environments are a major feature of our landscape.

Senior Responsible Officer with CCAT and Head of Landscape Architecture, UCD Karen Foley said: “While many countries have strategies for coastal management, Ireland has yet to create such policies.Ireland’s programme for government commits to progressing a national policy on coastal erosion and flooding in relation to climate change.This will be vital for our coastal communities who are already experiencing serious erosion and flooding issues.” Wales Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said: “I am pleased to hear that despite the difficulties posed by the ongoing pandemic, experts and specialists from across Wales, Ireland and England met for the CCAT conference, and can look at how the impact of climate change on our coasts can be managed and responded to collaboratively.”

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The National Framework for Living with COVID-19

Taking Care of our Wellbeing & Resilience in Dublin COVID-19 has turned 2020 into a year like no other. The National Plan for Living with COVID-19 is fundamentally about our personal and collective resilience and wellbeing. So, let’s start with ourselves — keeping well individually will help us support one another and our communities.

We all need a little help at times – Healthy Ireland is building a programme of activities around ﬁve simple actions that we can all take to keep well.

Keeping active

Keeping in contact

Getting creative

Eating well

Minding your mood

Outdoor activity is important for physical and mental health. Sport Ireland will support people to stay active through the winter. Look out for online activities you can join.

Person-to-person connection is vital to our wellbeing. Don’t let isolation become a problem — ask for help if you need it, oﬀer help if you can. The Dublin City and County Councils will provide a helpline and support services as part of The Community Call.

Learn something new, get back to nature, ﬁnd ways to relax, rediscover your own locality. Engage creatively with local historical spaces and places. The Dublin City and County Councils and the Creative Ireland Programme will provide initiatives in the arts, crafting, culture and heritage. Make the connection between the food you eat and how you feel, mentally and physically. Bord Bia will support healthy eating this winter. Libraries will promote a grow your own food initiative for spring. Safefood’s START campaign will help parents to introduce healthier habits with their kids. Anxiety is a real problem – do not ignore it. Find out where to go if you or someone you know needs support. The HSE’s yourmentalhealth.ie website has useful information and look out for the upcoming HSE online Minding Your Wellbeing programme.

Make a daily plan to do at least one thing every day that will keep you well. There is an abundance of things to do and to discover in Dublin. Find what’s available at gov.ie/HealthyIreland or at the Dublin City and County Councils’ websites and Community Call website.

The National Framework for Living with COVID-19 will help us to manage the risk associated with the virus. However, we also need to focus on wellbeing — the wellbeing of our country and the personal wellbeing of every one of us. That requires three things: healthy people, strong businesses and resilient communities.

Local News

Thank you to our Swords First Reponders

In these strange times we should all appreciate those on the front line of our emergency services. In the Swords area we really appreciate the Community First Responders Group who are doing such wonderful work on a voluntary capacity. Recently they launched another Public Access AED! This unit is located at Progressive

Credit Union Ltdin Rivervalley and available 24 Hours every day. A huge thank you to all involved.The group wish to thank Fingal County Council Department of Rural and Community Development, Carol Boon and Staff at Progressive Credit Union, and Karl Harte from CP Electrical in Kinsealy who

installed the unit free of charge. Also they wish to thank First Aid Systems for supplying the AED unit and Cardiac Services for the Heated external Cabinet.This unit was part-funded by Grant funding and public donations.To access the AED in an emergency please call 999/112. Thank you for your service First Responders.

Food Angels - supporting families and supplying food Many families say that they cannot afford to feed themselves a healthy diet on the amount of money they have to live on. Food poverty is a strong indicator for people being at their lowest ebb and some are struggling with their food budget. A big issue is social shame associated with being on the breadline. Itâ€™s not something people feel comfortable talking about. Thereâ€™s the fear that if you go looking for official help, that somebody else in your community would know your personal situation and judge you. Many families also live outside of the bigger cities in Ireland and have no access to food banks or food supply services. We (Food Angels) are dedicated to helping those in need to improve the lives of everyone and help within the community especially in these unprecedented times. Whether it is a basic food delivery, a nice Christmas Hamper with essentials or some Christmas treats. Nobody should have to go to bed with an empty stomach or a mind full of sorrow. We try our best and are happy to help.We strive to improve the lives of everyone and help within the community especially in these unprecedented times. We are based around County Meath and started to serve in the area of Bettystown - Mornington - Laytown. After the first weeks we also expanded to the Drogheda area and have recently started to serve many more communities all the way up to Malahide and Swords. Get in touch at foodangels20@gmail.com if you wish to get help or if you know A Food Angel Volunteer delivering in the Swords area.

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someone who needs help.Volunteers are always welcome if you want to support us. Always adhering to social distance and lockdown restrictions. Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Local News

Parking Enforcement in Swords now underway

From Monday November 16th Fingal County Council have rolled out additional Parking Enforcement Measures to protect vulnerable road users and to stop illegal parking: These include banning parking on footpaths, on double yellow lines, on cycle lanes, at school crossing points or zig-zag lines, or in blue permit parking spaces.

Swords Local Magazine NEEDS YOU!

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

PHOTOGRAPHERS , LOCAL WRITERS, LOCAL REPORTERS NEEDED!! If youâ€™re a Local and have some free time please email us on: communitylocals@gmail.com

CommunityLocals.ie Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020

Local News

Swords Tidy Towns 2020 Award and Xmas Message

Swords Tidy Towns Group

Swords Tidy Towns were runners up recently in Pride of Place Awards Category 5 – Areas with a pop of over 5000. Ballina Lions Club Co Mayo came first. This is a fantastic result for Swords, it is national recognition of all the hard work put in by our wonderful volunteers and the management and staff of Fingal County Council. Well done everyone. We shall receive a trophy and a €500 cheque from which Swords will benifit. Swords Tidy Towns volunteers have been keeping themselves very busy during the lockdowns. We keep in close contact with each other through our WhatsApp group chatting and coordinating our weekly clean ups. The web has been a life saver for us, particularly the use of Zoom which we have used for themed Quiz Nights and Committee Meetings. We have also mastered Microsoft Teams for meetings with Fingal County Council, it’s a new normal for us now. We continue to communicate with our followers on Facebook on a regular basis keeping them up to date on all our latest clean ups and projects, we are nearing our 3000th follower. Swords Tidy Towns also have a Twitter page and a Web Site where people can comment, share and retweet. We are always seeking new volunteers, and of course, donations. Christmas 2020 is nearly upon us; it will be an unfamiliar celebration for us all with the pandemic restrictions that will be in place. Swords Tidy Towns would like to take this opportunity to wish the wonderful community of Swords and the hard-working Staff and Management of Fingal County Council, a very Happy Covid free Christmas and a Happy near to normal Prosperous New Year.

Award notice

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Local News

Swords Community College News

In SCC we feel communication and connections are vitally important. Recently we had two important activities.The first was a map of the world where students pinpointed countries where they or their parents were born. We are so lucky to have such a rich & diverse cultural heritage amongst our students and staff. The map was designed by : Lauren Gaskin and Created by: Lara Shelly, Lauren Gaskin, Sean Nolan, Alex Sheehan and Rewan Al Meamar. Well done! Also students organised for every student and staff member to write their name on a piece of paper and they made and displayed a Connection Chain of everyone in the SCC community. Also, Well done to our 2nd Year students Jack, Tess, Kaitlyn, Hannah & Erin who organised and operated a Well-being Gratitude Activity with 1st Years, in the lead up to their first set of House Exams. They cut circles and asked the students to fill in what they were grateful for. Afterwards 1st year pupils Aoibhe Connell, Gabriella Socko, Gabriella Ramel created a beautiful display of their gratitude circles. Well done to everyone involved in such a positive activity.

Students with their map of the world

The Well Being activity art wall.

Council welcomes feedback on proposed R132 Connectivity Project Fingal County Council has launched a public consultation on the R132 connectivity project. The Council, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority seeks to improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists across and along the R132. Upgrade works to the R132 in Swords are proposed.These upgrade works will enhance facilities at and between key crossing points along the R132 outlined below, improving connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists travelling both north-south along and eastwest across the R132. The works will allow for safer and more convenient crossing points between existing and proposed developments. This will also improve connectivity to local amenities such as bus stops.An online non-statutory public consultation has been launched today and Fingal County Council welcomes any comments the public might have on the proposal. The proposed works includes the following:(1) Upgrade works between the north of Pinnock Hill Roundabout and north of Estuary Roundabout, to facilitate installation of new protected cycle and pedestrian facilities, retention 12

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of one bus and one general traffic lane in each direction, removal of hard shoulders and/or general traffic lanes, and reduction in speed limit to 50km.(2)Three new signal controlled crossing points provided along the R132 located as follows: North of Pinnockhill Roundabout, Adjacent existing Chapel Lane/ Ashley Avenue overbridge,North of Estuary Roundabout(3)The following three existing roundabouts will be changed to signalised intersections to facilitate pedestrian and cyclist facilities: Malahide Road Roundabout, Seatown Roundabout, Estuary Roundabout (4.)Partial/full closure of Drynam Road connection to the R132/Malahide Road Roundabout. The objective of this scheme is, primarily, to improve the connectivity and safety of pedestrians and cyclists moving along and across the R132. The preferred plans and reports and information regarding submissions for the proposed scheme are available to view online at https://consult. fingal.ie/en/browse Submissions or observations on the proposed scheme must arrive no later than 5pm on 15th of December 2020.

Local News

Swords Mens Shed outing to Balheary Shire Stud Farm A huge Go raibh Maith Agat to Maria Carrick for inviting the Swords Mens Shed recently to visit Chayanne, Princess, Penoply, Lakota and the beautiful foal Jem. These magnificent draught horses are the largest and tallest horses in the world, dating back to mid-eighteenth century. the breed is now considered at risk but with the dedication of Marie and her family the breed is being preserved for future generations.

“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 Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Dublin City Exiles Rugby League team need players

Calling all women rugby players. We at Swords Rugby Club are delighted to announce that our friends from the Dublin City Exiles Rugby League team are now recruiting for a women’s team.Contact them if you’re interested in taking part in 2021.

SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020

Local News

Buy Local and buy Irish online this Christmas by Siobhan O’Neill White There’s no doubt that Christmas 2020 will be very different but there are ways we can still try to make it special. Baking Christmas cookies, making decorations and solving Christmas jigsaws with the little ones can help set the mood. Wondering how your child can visit Santa? There’s www.driveinsanta. ie at the RDS, a safe and fun drive through with gifts and Santa! And www.santassnowglobe.com is a Santa visit at home. The child receives a parcel of gifts including a snowglobe and time capsule bauble before their Zoom call with Santa! We’ve done this in PJ’s, by the fire, sipping hot chocolate, whilst chatting to Santa. Shops may be closed but many are online so please, buy Irish instead of Amazon. There’s a jam-packed Christmas gift guide on mams.ie to help with ideas. For my sporty sister who lives in Jersey; a snuggly fleece and sporty leggings from Regatta.ie, shipped straight to her door. For my Dad, a delicious coffee hamper from Artisan roasters, JavaTheHut.ie in Balbriggan. Books from Easons for our children and for anyone who has trouble reading, see scanningpens.co.uk for their clever reader pens.Patricia O’Toole has gorgeous clothing and accessories for glam ladies. Ekotreeknitwear.store hand-

make cashmere wraps and mini travel-size hot water bottles; perfect for frosty mornings! For skincare & make-up giftsets, we love award winning BiofreshSkincare.ie and HolosSkincareTipperaryCrystal.ie has loads of gorgeous gifts online, their Birdy collection is beautiful.Teenagers are never without earbuds or headphones and cool Irish company OneSonic.com is superb for these. More affordable than bigger brands and excellent quality. TheGiftShop.ie has funky gifts, our favourites are the Bog Buddies. Glamdoll.ie have clever make-up organisers and Hollywood mirrors. Perfect for make-up lovers.Gosk8.ie has roller skates, skateboards, scooters. Shipped nationwide from the Dublin store.For mams-to-be, BabyZone.ie have cute hampers. Knight & Day in Mayo and OneDameLane.ie in Dublin have bang on trend jewellery. DSSports.ie is a new sports retailer, with affordable GAA and Hurling gear. Balbriggan based Celtictweed. ie have snazzy tweed clothing and gifts. Áine Chocolate hampers are scrumptious for chocolate lovers, see chocolates.ie There are so many wonderful Irish businesses who need your support now more than ever, so please shop local. Above all, stay safe and have a wonderful Christmas. Follow us at www. mams.ie for more gifting ideas!

The Intimate Express in such a beautiful place

Some of the Chinkwell Writers - back row, left to right; Leo Breslin, Emma Hughes. front row, left to right; Marion Lynders, Miriam Scully, Nancy Dempsey, Eilish McDermott, Peig McManus, Carol Hayden Valerie Henderson.

By Cliona O’Reilly (A Chinkwell Writer) It’s a four minute walk from my house to the train station, so I figured I’d be fine for the 8.14. The sky brightened over the Newbridge treetops in shades of pink and purple, promising a beautiful day. My pace quickened as I looked forward to a spectacular sunrise over the railway bridge.Then suddenly in the distance the announcement of the train approaching! An adrenalin rush as I clutched my rucksack to 14

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my back and mustered all my energy to run up that hill, willing my legs to run faster. A fleeting moment to savor the huge orange sun on the horizon at the brow of the hill before charging down to the station. “Don’t fall flat on your face!” I tell myself, slowing my pace. Fumbling for my Leap card I’m alarmed by the sound of the doors closing and the roar of the engine as the train prepares to leave.I race onto the platform, pressing the door button while desperately glancing down to the first carriage. The driver’s cheeky grin as he leans out the window gives me hope. I press my

hands together, pleading and give him the thumbs up as the door opens to the huddle of Donabaters standing in the middle, packed like sardines on the ‘Intimate Express’. “Those Drogheda drivers are decent” I say before joining them. I move down the carriage to de-layer as the heat rises. The train crosses the estuary and the carriage lights up, transformed by the warm glow of the sunrise on the glistening water. I take a moment to store it in my memory to sustain me for the rest of the day and acknowledge my gratitude for living in such a beautiful place. Contact us: communitylocalseditor@gmail.com

Local News

Guide Dogs Christmas Cards now on sale!

Back in early September I put out a mail and a whats app to promote a fundraiser that Breege and I wanted to do to mark our Ruby Wedding Anniversary instead of getting presents that in all fairness at this stage in our lives we didn’t really need. The fundraiser with the go fund me page and donations that came directly to the house made the incredible sum of €4,680 which allowed us to donate €1,560 to each of these charities; Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, St Francis Hospice Raheny and Balbriggan Cancer Care. We also filled out the revenue form that will allow each charity to get another small donation in lieu of paying tax in January 2021 because the donation was above €250 for each charity. We had a lovely evening in the City North Hotel, Gormanstown, Co Meath about 20 minutes north of Balbriggan on the night of our anniversary, 5th September. All ten of us, 4 grandchildren and 6 adults, stayed over and marked the occasion as a family group in the really difficult world we are now living in.Thanks for your support and friendship,

Thank you from Tom and Breege O’Neill. Pipers for Paws -a joint fundraiser between Balbriggan/ North County Dublin branch and Dublin City Centre branch with support from Na Píobairí Uilleann. We are excited to have a fantastic array of talent taking part, singers, dancers, pipers, and even some of our Guide Dogs will feature alongside their talented owners. Our own Andrew Green with his guide dog Nico takes part in the concert, which will be streamed to your home from Facebook live on Tuesday 8th December at 7pm.Please support our event, to donate visit our JustGiving page at Yarrow sends a big ‘thank you’ to his neighbours Dara, justgiving. com/fundraising/pipersforpaws Aiden, Julie and Emmet Fitzpatrick who made a donation to IGDB to celebrate his 1st birthday. Dara and Aiden wrote in a birthday card and gave Yarrow some yummy treats. Woof Woof.You can contact us by phone or text 085 7663107 or email Guide Dogs at guidedogsbalbriggan@gmail.com

ALL CONTRIBUTORS PLEASE NOTE** Due to increasing demand for space in our magazine could all contributors please note OUR STRICT DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES AND PICS IS THE 16TH OF THE MONTH PRIOR TO PUBLICATION ** Thank you.

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Tis the season to be jolly! Just a few interesting and imaginative food ideas for Christmas...These ideas can also be a crea tive way to ensure fruit and vegetables are served, even as tippets or snacks! Wishing you all a ‘veggie’ goo d Christmas agus athbhliain faoi shéan is faoi mhaise daoibh.

Fruit Angel Ingredients:-5 Slices of melon-1 grape-2 mandarin orange segments Instructions! 1.Place melon slices on the serving plate/dish for the angel’s body as shown in the image. 2.Place the 2 mandarin orange segments either side of the melon as wings.

3.Slice the bottom off a grape and pace at the top of the melon slices as the angel’s head. Sin é, bain sult as!

Funky Birdy

foods that you/the family likes for can really use your imagination and you al, ion opt are ng owi foll The -x6 Baby bell peppers stuffed with Ingredients: h as Salami, Prosciutto,Pepperoni suc ts mea cold of es Slic ge:ima ge pepper as in the image this.I used as in the m cheese-Slices of yellow and oran crea or ese che age cott ese, che sticks of celery (for a soft cheese such as Ricotta chunks cucumber (for the eyes)-2 ks-2 stic rrot -Ca ! too per pep s, salsa or sour (You could use any other coloured t flavoured and coloured hummu eren diff as h suc s dip )-2 feet the half (for the legs!)-2 green olives sliced in cream and chive the Instructions! meats as in the image. I layered ing plate first such as slices of cold serv the o ont bird the of y bod n 1.Place the mai 4 rows across. ther and in x4 rows down and x3nks into the 2 dips (the skin slices of cold meats over one ano in step 1. Place the cucumber chu ted crea as y bod ’s bird the of 2.Place the 2 dips at the top side facing out for more colour). ’s body (for feathers!). pepper around the sides of the bird 3.Add the cur ved strips of yellow serving dish . side at the top of the dips on the nose as in the image. 4.Place the carrot sticks side by top of the carrot sticks and as the on per pep ge oran ped sha ngle the serving plate. 5.Add in the rounded tria bird’s body and the lower end of the of tom bot the at legs the 6.Place the 2 sticks of celery for . end of the celery sticks for the feet 7.Add in the sliced olives at the , amusez-vous bien !! pers to the bird’s body and.....Voilà 8.Add in the stuffed baby bell pep

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

Local Sports

Congratulations and best wishes Matthew from Swords Celtic

Swords Celtic pic..Former Swords Celtic player Matthew O’Brien now with Longford Town

Congratulations from Swords Celtic to their former player Matthew O’Brien on getting promoted to the Airtricity Premier Division with Longford Town after 1-0 playoff win vs Shelbourne recently.

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SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020

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

SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020

Down

1. A place of refuge from danger or hardship. (6) 5. A poor densely populated city district. (6) 10. Landlocked Central European country. (7) 11. Even more absurd. (7) 12. A metal piece of money. (4) 13. North and South country. (5) 15. Oven for a potter. (4) 17. A short day to be married. (3) 19. Substance which separates milk into solids and liquids. (6) 21. Great birds of prey. (6) 22. Quickly, speedily. (7) 23. Woven container with handles. (6) 25. Lacking physical strength or vitality. (6) 28. A state of matter. (3) 30. Dry like a desert. (4) 31. Slippers with no fitting around the heel. (5) 32. Popular Indonesian island. (4) 35. Just the place for sport and concerts. (7) 36. Trace the shape, as of bodies at crime scenes. (7) 37. No longer frozen solid. (6) 38. Change for the worse. (6)

2. A meeting of musicians. (7) 3. Boisterous songbird. (4) 4. A field where grass is grown to be made into hay. (6) 5. Breathed noisily, as if exhausted. (6) 6. Long fish. (4) 7. A pursuit of little importance. (7) 8. Craned at the performer. (6) 9. Swimwear for men. (6) 14. A performance of music especially by a soloist. (7) 16. A cap for the French. (5) 18. A hen kept for her eggs. (5) 20. A cheap and vulgar item. (3) 21. A mischievous fairy. (3) 23. Slowly cook food with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan. (6) 24. Vegetable mistakenly known for iron content. (7) 26. The sort of exercise that sets you up for the day. (7) 27. Expelled from your own country. (6) 28. Treated with adhesive, like an envelope. (6) 29. A good with faults, usually sold at a reduced price. (6) 33. A personal belief not based on proof. (4) 34. Flower supporter. (4)

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20 SWORDS LOCAL-DECEMBER 2020