Phone: 01 853 5779 . . . Email: info@willowtreetherapy.ie

Our choice of the willow tree represents our centre as a safe and welcoming haven where life’s burdens and difficulties can be laid down and worked through -discovering ways of doing things differently in an ongoing life-cycle of growth change and development like the trees that overlook our centre.

At Willow Tree we specialise in working with families and children and we offer shelter from the emotional storms and burdens of everyday life. Family Therapy may involve all family members, including young children, adolescents and parents. Or it may involve some family members or couples. Sibling groups may attend with or without their parents. Clients can attend for individual sessions separately from their families if this is their request and need.

We have the only purpose built children’s therapy room on Dublin’s northside. The room is bright and spacious, fully equipped with toys, art, paints, clay and drawing materials, sand trays, puppets, dolls houses, soldiers and other specialist play based interventions. The materials are openly displayed on shelves that are on the child’s level where he/she can choose the medium for expression. The position of this room was specially chosen as it creates a magical space for the child that is separate and different from the other rooms in the Centre.

You can find us at 80 Malahide Road (over Corrigan’s Pharmacy), Dublin 3.

View Larger Map

Visit Willow Tree Child and Family Centre’s website for further information.

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The Revenue Commissioners have started to issue letters to the owners of properties around the country providing guidance for the new Local Property Tax (LPT). This includes information about the tax, how to pay it and an estimate of the LPT due.

You should submit in the coming week or weeks your estimate of your property’s value.

Key Dates

• Wednesday 1 May 2013  is the valuation date for the Local Property Tax is not a deadline but merely a notional date.
• Tuesday 7 May is the date for owners to get their form back by post.
• Tuesday 28 May is the date for owners to submit returns through the web

If you need to call the Revenue Commissioners phone 1890 200 255

Calculate your tax

You can also assess your home’s value by going onto the Revenue’s website section.

and/or going onto the  Daft.ie website calculator.

and also see what houses sold for in your area:  the Property Price Register website.

Click here to see Revenue’s estimating map for more information.

Once you have decided what value you are putting on your property  you can get the exact amount due for 2013 by going to Revenue’s LPT Reckoner.

Return

To do your return (by 28 May) through the web go to: https://lpt.revenue.ie/lpt-web/views/login.html?execution=e2s1

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The film by Oisin Byrne and Gary Farrelly is described as a “Flann O’Brien satire”.

There were over 3,000 entries and the winner was picked from a shortlist of 14 by a public vote.

Entries, in a number of categories including film, graphics and written word, came from as far away as Africa and South America.

The winner gets €10,000, while there are seven other prizes of €1,000 each. Dublin City Council sponsored the event run by the Little Museum and the entries will be used to help find a new image for modern Dublin.

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• Venue: Smyths of Fairview
• Date: Wednesday April 17th - doors open at 7:30pm
• Donation: €5

This is a great opportunity to listen to a wide selection of talented local artists …

Tickets can be bought from Smyths or any shop in Fairview, the Forest Friends office (call 01 54 64 107), or at the door on the night.

Pat Farrell and Susan Tomelty - Blues and Jazz.

Pat Farrell is from the Business Blues Band. The Business played support to B.B. King in the National Stadium, and, in 2009, Pat Farrell launched his first solo album, Riff It Avenue.

Susan Tomelty hails from Portaferry, Co. Down from a well known theatrical and musical family. She has been performing with Pat and her band for the last 4 years in Dublin and has supported Van Morrison and Mary Coughlan.

Shadata Acapella Singers

Sean O’Neill, acoustic folk guitarist with singer Shirley Clarke

Sean began a singing career when he went busking on his 47th birthday “to feel the fear and do it anyway”. His work focuses on the universal themes of Life, Faith and Hope.

Shirley as a studio vocalist for several celebrity artists in the famous Capricorn Studio in Macon, and a native of Georgia, Shirley’s been living in Dublin for almost 15 years.

Latin American music from Jayro Gonzalez

Jayro is a Nicaraguan guitarist and singer playing Brazilian Bossa Nova’s to Cuban Cha Cha Cha’s and lots more in between.

Kevin Dolan and Bláithín de Burca

Bláithín’s background in traditional Irish singing and Kevin’s raw, Dylan-esque talent work well together to form a singer-songwriter duo with roots and influences on all ends of the musical spectrum.

Paul Loughran singer and guitarist.

Paul Loughran is a singer, guitarist & songwriter from Dublin writing in the traditional and folk style and has released two EP’s including Pawtucket Blues (2008) and Hometies (2011).

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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

• Date: 11th April 2013
• Time: 10am – 12pm
• Speakers: Dublin North Volunteer Centre
• Location: Northside Civic Centre, Bunratty Road, Coolock, Dublin 17 – Main Conference Room

Dublin City North Volunteer Centre

Dublin City North Volunteer Centre is a local service of Volunteer Ireland, the national volunteering development agency in Ireland and part of a network of 22 Volunteer Centres in Ireland. Our mission is to help people find meaningful opportunities to volunteer and to enable local non-profit organisations to involve volunteers in their work.

For volunteers, we offer a free volunteer matching service to any individual or group looking to volunteer in the local area including Dublin 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 17 and parts of Dublin 13.  For voluntary or community organisations wishing to recruit volunteers, we will help you find the right person for the right role.

.

Written by David Tynan. Performed by Emmet Kirwan. See IMDB for full credits.

• The car parks at Sandymount promenade and at Clontarf are being closed today.
• A limited number of large sandbags are being put in place in Clontarf.
• The flood gates on the River Dodder will be closed tomorrow for the weekend.
• The flood defences on the River Tolka are being put in place.
• The Liffey Boardwalk defences will be closed on Friday morning.

Dublin City Council maintains a stock of sandbags at various locations for strategic purposes and these will be deployed by Drainage staff, if required in both Sandymount and Clontarf.

14th - 23rd December, 2012 - FREE ENTRANCE

The Dame District Christmas Market is back, and it’s even bigger and shinier this year!

The Dame District is located just behind Dame Street and parallel to George’s street, where the T-junction at Dame Court has become the epicenter for socializing on any given night of the week.

For 10 days leading up to Christmas the district will be a Christmas Wonderland with all the very best of Crafts, Music, Arts, Food, Drinks, a Vintage Carousel and of course a Santa’s Grotto. There will also be live entertainment every night!

Stalls Include…

• FOOD AND DRINKS
• GIFTS
• EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
• FACE PAINTERS
• SANTA’S GROTTO
• THEATRE
• RECORD STORES
• FESTIVAL TICKETS

LIVE MUSIC:
Alan Star (DJ) - Brendan Flynn - Cat Dowling - Ciaran Brennan - CFIT - Chris Carlyle - Chocolate Orange - Cravingz - Created by Comets - Crow Black Chicken - Daire Kelly (DJ) -Frankenstein Bolts - Greg Clifford - Gypsy Rebel Rabble - Happy Hour - Juliet’s Rescue - Julyo - Katie & The Carnival - Lisa McLaughlin - MOO - Nella Dwyer - Penny Wentworth - ProudFoot - Rachel Mc Cormack - Red Kid - Red Sail - Reverend JM’s Panic Worship - Robin James Hurt - Rocher - Shawn Mullen - Simon Fagan - Third Smoke - The Amazing Few - The Hot Sprockets - The Louisiana 6 - The Rockets - The Rusty Fixtures - The Statics - The Young Folk

• DECEMBER 14^th - RADIO NOVA LIVE AT THE MARKET with MARTY MILLER.
• DECEMBER 14^th GYPSY REBEL RABBLE/Christmas Gypsy Style in Sweeneys. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 14^th AND 15^th THE HOTTEST SALSA NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY – The Mercantile, 11pm – 2.30am, With the sexy Antonio. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 15^th - Lily Mae Day - A day dedicated to Lily Mae!
• DECEMBER 15^th - Fashion Show, 4 Dame Lane - 2pm, 3.30pm and 4.30pm. €2 Donation on the door, all in aid of Lily Mae Day! Julyo plays songs that will blow your mind. Main Stage 5pm.
• DECEMBER 16^th - Vanatastival day! Early Bird tickets available in the Mercantile record store for one day only with live acts all day in the venue. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 16^th – Music Review First Annual Award Ceremony – The Mercantile. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 17^th @ 3pm  - Alan Bennet Reads from his short stories/Wordlegs online journal. It’s a great book, published by Doire Press and edited by Elizabeth Reapy. In the Banker’s. FREE IN
• DECEMBER 18^th @ 1pm - Poetry Readings from Enda Wyley and Joe Woods in the Banker’s upstairs. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 19^th @ 8pm - Dublin’s first Short Film Festival, best in short films. Speak Easy Downstairs. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 19^th @ 8pm - The Song Room Christmas Party with Hamlet Sweeny at the Globe Bar. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 20^th @ 8pm-close - Dime Store Christmas Party. Best in up-and-coming live music. Gonna be one incredible party. Upstairs Sweeneys. FREE IN!
• DECEMBER 23^rd @ 8pm - Sunday Roast Christmas Party/Christmas Market Closing party at the Mercantile. FREE IN!

Trade Fair - Car Parks Howth Road – in front of Watermill & Supervalue

2pm-6pm - Showcasing a selection of Raheny businesses (incl. Sampling / purchase of food)

FUN DAY - Field behind All Saints Drive / Howth Rd

2pm - 6pm:

• Bouncy Castles, Face Painting, Balloon Modelling, Reptile Zoo
• Scout Camp - Ever thought of becoming a Leader?
• Continuous series of novelty races: Egg and Spoon, Sack Race, Obstacle Course
• Cadbury’s Spots & Stripes: Various Races and Challenges

4pm - 5pm: Kids Disco: GAA Astroturf

Ceoltas Ceoltoiri Eireann

2.30pm-3.15pm: Watermill Car Park

Raheny Historical Society – At Graveyard

2,3, & 4.00pm: Historical Walk, starting at Graveyard

Raheny Shamrock AC / Raheny GAA – Field behind All Saints Drive/Howth Rd

3 pm-5pm: Sports Day

• Javelin throw – foam javelins,
• Shot Putt – indoor shot putts
• Standing long jump,
• Discus – indoor discus,
• GAA Skills Events; Poc Fada/Penalty, Kicks/Solo Runs etc

5pm: 2 Mile Road Race, for adults and juniors over 14yrs of age - Start Wades Avenue

Raheny United

2.00pm-5pm: Raheny United Car Park, Soccer Skills Events

Taste of Raheny – Watermill Car Park

5.00-5.45pm: Killer Ceol

6pm-8pm: Live music Flinch

6pm: Taste Culinary Delights of Raheny

Do you know anyone who would like to learn a few computer basics?

Near Online’s new Computer Classes are starting soon. These classes are beginners classes and are a great way to get to know a thing or two about how computers work.

Learn how to send and email or book a flight. The classes will be made up of 2 three hour sessions, running in the morning, afternoon, evening and at weekends. All for just €10.

For further information please contact Ebele or Tina on (01) 848 52 11 or email ITadmin@near.ie

You can see the Society’s video of the “Big Snow” of 2010 here.

You can read more about the history of the Fairview area starting here.

Next Meeeting: Date: January 16th, 8pm-10pm

Location: Ash Suite, Cusack Stand, via St Josephs Avenue

These meetings are held on a regular basis. You can see the minutes of the last meeting (October 2011) here.

Click here for more information about Croke Park Community meetings.

Croke Park Community - Waste Recycling Service

3rd-19th Jan 2012

Where? Croke Park, Cusack Stand  (via St. Joseph’s Ave)
What do we recycle?

• Christmas trees
• WEEE domestic recycling (e.g. fairy lights / batteries)
• Cardboard

DROP-OFF TIMES:
Mon-Fri 8am - 8pm
Sat/Sun 10am - 4pm

Fairview Residents Association is cooperating with our local community radio station Near fm to organise a variety concert featuring local talent.

Where: Upstairs in Smyths of Fairview

When? Friday 21 October 2011 - doors open at 7.30

How much? That’s up to you - we’re taking donations on the night.

Donations? Yes!! The proceeds will go to an Older Persons Charity organisation right here in Fairview.

Who will be playing? Local musicians, dancers and singers. Local poets & storytellers with a connection to Fairview will also feature.

Places are limited. You can pick up a ticket from FRA Committee members Pádraig & Glen or from Fairview Parish or Forest Friends on Fairview Strand or even from Smyth’s itself.

The concert will be recorded to be broadcast on Near fm. Our community radio station is currently making a five part radio series called “The Changing Face of Fairview”.

Among the performers will be traditional singer Bláithin de Burca, 1916 historian Niall Ring, Environmentalist Fr. Anthony, Pat Farrell’s 2 piece Blues band, Bram Stoker expert Denis McIntyre, Storytellers Carol Jordan and Joseph Dunne and the Marino Waltz dancers.

And More!

Their proposal comprises a series of earth mounds and walls along Clontarf Promenade between Alfie Byrne Road (Fairview end) and the Bull Wall to protect nearby roads and properties from coastal flooding. The total length is circa 3km. They propose to combine this project with the North City Arterial Watermain - essentially the water pipe will be buried under the mound of the flood defence.

Paragraph 1.3.2 of the EIS states that “the flood defence will comprise an earth bund ranging from 0.85m to 2.75m (average 1.7m) in height depending on the location and existing ground levels on site”.

It is this height that has residents on Dublin’s Northside so concerned.

Clontarf Residents Association point out that:

• The sea view when driving along the Clontarf Road will be eliminated.
• if this plan is implemented, pedestrians or joggers using the pathway close to the sea will not be able to see the road
• Equally importantly they will not be visible from the road which produces its own potential security risk.
• Cyclists using the cycle path will not have a view of the sea.
• Householders who currently have a sea view at ground level will no longer be able to see any part of the sea.
• There will be limited access points to allow you to move from one side of the berm to the other (unless you are able to walk up and over it).
• The area on the sea side of the berm will no longer be visible from the road and this will make that part of the promenade much more difficult to police and thus increase the potential for anti-social activity.

On 11 October, DCC issued a letter which undertook that the project will not be advanced for a further 2 week period - this means the project will not progress until the end of October at the soonest.

There will be a Protest Meeting against Proposed Flood Defence Wall on Clontarf Promenade on Sunday 16 October at 3pm at the Wooden Bridge.

The issue was covered on RTE radio’s Liveline on 10 October 2011 - you can listen to it below.
[See post to listen to audio]

Click here to see the heights of the proposed mound / wall at different points along Clontarf (PDF format).

Click here to see the Environmental Impact Study for the proposal (PDF format).

Venue: Marino Library

Time and Date: Wednesday 28th September 6.30pm.

Booking Highly Recommended Phone: 01-8336297 email: marinolibrary@dublincity.ie

Marino Library will host a talk on the History of the O’Brien Institute (OBI), Marino with local Historian Jim Cantwell.

Since 1982 the OBI has served as HQ for Dublin Fire brigade Service. Very little is generally known about the History of this imposting redbrick building. Jim Cantwell has spent several years researching the history of the OBI and this talk is an overview of it’s very interesting past

All welcome - We look forward to your company on this evening - please phone the library if you have any queries

Location and Access

Baldoyle is located north east of the city, and borders Donaghmede, which was formed from its western part, Portmarnock, Sutton and Bayside. It can be accessed from the coast road from Dublin to Howth, which includes a cycle track, from Sutton Cross via Station Road, or from Donaghmede, or Portmarnock. Baldoyle is served by Dublin Bus and Irish Rail, the latter currently via the Sutton station on the Howth Branch of the DART, and in future by the Grange Road station on the Northern Branch.

Name

The district name derives from baile meaning town and dubh-ghaill meaning “dark stranger”, the name given by the Gaels to the Danes to distinguish them from the Norwegians or “fair strangers” (finn-ghaill) who first settled in Ireland in 841-842. While it is sometimes rendered as “Doyle’s town” with reference to the personal name Doyle which itself derives from dubh-ghaill, there is no evidence for this usage.

Features and Development

Baldoyle village today has a coastal main street, with a Roman Catholic parish church and community hall, a branch library, and some shops, pubs and a secondary school for girls, St. Mary’s. Slightly inland, among the older suburban houses, are a small shopping precinct, a football club and other amenities. On the approach from the coast road is another large secondary school, Pobalscoil Neasain and the well-known pub, the Elphin, while on the road into Donaghmede is a light industrial estate. There are also two primary schools, St. Peter & Paul’s Boys Primary School, and St. Mary’s Girls Primary School.

Among the local residents are the retired members of the Congregation of the Irish Christian Brothers, whose retirement home is located in the town.

For most of the 20th century, Baldoyle was famed for its racecourse, which was one of three in the greater metropolitan area. Over the early 2000’s Baldoyle has been at the centre of a large house building programme, with the former Racecourse, long closed, having being sold to developers. The new developments have begun, as “The Coast”, facing a new local centre (previously marketed as “Capital North”) at the edge of Donaghmede, Clongriffin. The new rail station being constructed at Grange Road will serve Baldoyle, including Racecourse developments, and northern Donaghmede, including Clongriffin.

The old Race Course area and the Mayne River used to be good for wintering Short-eared Owl and Green Sandpiper. Merlin and Buzzard also occur. This area featured prominently in the Flood Tribunal.

Historical Notes

Baldoyle, with its sheltered waterside location, was a Viking base for many years, eventually suppressed by an attack by the King of Leinster.

A description of Baldoyle from Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Dublin, 1837 gives a useful summary of what was then a substantial rural fishing village: The village is pleasantly situated on an inlet or creek of the Irish Sea, to the north of the low isthmus that connect Howth, with the mainland: it comprises about 200 houses, and is much frequented in summer for sea-bathing. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the fishery, which at the commencement of the present century employed nine wherries belonging to this place, averaging seven or eight men each; at present nearly 100 men are so, engaged. Sir W. de Windsor, lord-justice of Ireland, held a parliament here in 1369. The creek is formed between the mainland and the long tract of sand on the north of Howth, at the point of which, near that port, a white buoy is placed; it is fit only for small craft. The manor was granted to the priory of All Saints, Dublin, by Diarmit, the son of Murchard, King of Leinster, who founded that house in 1166.

The parliament mentioned above was held at Grange Church, better known as “Grange Abbey”, which now lies in Donaghmede and was partly restored in the late 20th century.

On 31 October 1973, one of the most spectacular and audacious escapes from an Irish prison took place when three of the Provisional IRA’s key personnel were airlifted to freedom in a seconded helicopter from Mountjoy Prison. The helicopter touched down at Baldoyle racecourse where the IRA members escaped in waiting cars.

Thanks to Wikipedia for most of this information.

Location and geography

Located about 12 kilometres from the city centre, Sutton neighbours Howth, which occupies most of the peninsula, and Baldoyle and Bayside, which meet where Baldoyle Road reaches the coast. It is served by the main road from Dublin to Howth, the DART suburban rail system, on which it has its own station, and Dublin Bus route 31 and its variants and the 102 to Dublin Airport.

At the coastal side of Sutton is a tombolo connecting Howth (which used to be an island) to the mainland. The original village of Sutton was situated on the city-facing (south-western) side of Howth Head, where there are today housing terraces and a small harbour, but the area is now centred on Sutton Cross, where there are two shopping areas, one anchored by Superquinn (which replaced the local cinema), and the Marine Hotel.

Sutton is part of the Dáil Éireann constituency of Dublin North East, whose three elected representatives are currently (after the 2011 General Election) Tommy Broughan of the Labour Party, elected in 1992; Terence Flanagan of Fine Gael, elected in 2007; and Seán Kenny of the Labour Party, initially elected in 1992.

Leisure and features

Sutton is surrounded by many beaches. There is dinghy sailing off the coast, and golf at Howth Golf Club. Suttonians Rugby Football Club, at Station Road, provides for local rugby players and supporters while Sutton Tennis Club has 12 outdoor courts and 3 indoor squash courts (it is the biggest for junior squash in the Republic of Ireland).

The area is also home to one of Ireland’s Martello Towers, built in 1804 (the first tower built in Dublin) and now a holiday home, at Red Rock. Sutton also has a former home of the Jameson Irish Whiskey family, which became the residence of Belgian businessman Albert Luykx, made famous during the Irish arms trial. It subsequently became Sutton House Hotel and then Sutton Castle Hotel, before being converted in 2003 to private residences.

A major leisure walk, which goes all the way to Howth village, begins near the site of the old village and Sutton House.

There are small streams in the area, but they are largely culverted.

Education

Sutton contains two primary schools: the Burrow School, on the Dublin Road between Sutton Cross and Howth, and St. Fintan’s National School, on Carrickbrack Road.

It has three secondary schools: St. Fintan’s High School (boys), Santa Sabina Dominican College (a.k.a Santa Sabina) (girls) and Sutton Park School (mixed). Sutton Park school is also a primary school.

Religion

Sutton comprises a parish in the Catholic Church, with St. Fintan’s parish church at the base of Howth Hill, adjacent to Santa Sabina School, at the junction of Greenfield Road and Church Road. There is also a Methodist church at the junction of Church Road and Howth Road.

Sutton contains one of Dublin’s main burial grounds, St. Fintan’s, which is divided into two parts, “old” and “new.” The former contains a ruined chapel, and the latter, an abandoned keeper’s cottage.

Uphill from the older graveyard is the still-flowing holy well of St. Fintan.

Transport

• Sutton railway station opened on 30 July 1846 as Baldoyle & Sutton, being renamed Sutton in 1901.
• The Hill of Howth Tramway ran between Sutton railway station and Howth railway station until 1959.

Notable residents

• Gerry Gannon, one of Ireland’s biggest property developers, part owner of the K Club and MD of Gannon Homes, currently building, for example, Clongriffin housing estate, and with extensive land holdings in the area
• Jim Fitzpatrick, artist (Celtic style work but also the iconic two-tone portrait of Che Guevara created in 1968), Burrow Road
• Philomena Lynott (mother of Phil Lynott)
• Ian Dempsey, Radio and Television presenter.
• Patrick Hillery, Former President of Ireland lived in Sutton for many years until his death in 2008.

Thanks to Wikipedia for most of this information.

The Fun Day is open to all members of our community FREE of charge. Adult volunteers are needed to supervise games, etc.

Over the past number of years members of the Marino community have come together to organise a family fun day. The first was held in 2000 to celebrate the new Millennium, it was so successful that a committee came together to try and hold the event every year.

The day consisted of a living history pageant, speeches, four specially commissioned videos celebrating the heritage of the area from 1014 -1916, the unveiling of three plaques in various historical points in the local community and a luncheon.

St. Joseph’s School had a powerful 1916 exhibition consisting of over 500 rare historical photographs pertaining to the role that Marino & Fairview played in 1916. Both schools organised a living history pageant depicting the ICA, Irish Volunteers & Cumann na mBan on parade through the streets of Marino towards Fr. Matthew Park (St. Mary’s School) wearing authentic uniforms (for the first time in 96 years).

The event was limited to 250 guests, with some travelling from as far as South Africa. The event was filmed by a media crew for possible broadcasting for the 2016 Celebrations. The event was a critical success and was received well by the citizens of Marino and Fairview. The event firmly places St. Joseph’s CBS School in Fairview as Ireland’s most historical school!

You can read more about the history of the area starting here.

The Marino Local History Society can be contacted by e-mail at marino-history@hotmail.com

Marino memories

The Society can be contacted by e-mail at marino-history@hotmail.com

You can see the Society’s video of the “Big Snow” of 2010 here.

You can read more about the history of the area starting here.

Ógras is organising a Summer Camp in Gaelscoil Cholmcille in Coolock for children aged 7 - 11. It will take place from 11-15 July in the Gaelscoil starting at 10.00 a.m. each morning and fininshes at 2.30p.m. The cost for the week is €55 and this includesa day trip to the Viking Splash Tour and the Natural History Museum.

Imeachtaí / Activities

• Cispheil / Basketball
• Eitpheil / Volleyball
• Peil / Soccer
• Cluiche Corr / Rounders
• Toraíocht Taisce / Treasure Hunt
• Turas Lae / Day Trip
• Rince & Ceoil / Music & Dancing
• Ealaíon / Art
• Cluichí Spraoi / Fun Games

Eagrófar Feis Seantrabh don chéad uair ar an Domhnach 15 Bealtaine 2011 ag 1.00 in. i Lárionad Chomhluadar Seantrabh.

The first Feis Seantrabh will take place on Sunday 15 May at 1.00 pm. in Santry Community Resource Centre.

Fáilte roimh iomaitheoirí ó aois 5-18. Fáilte roimh daoine aonair, grúpaí, clubanna, scoileanna.

Competitors between ages 5-18 are welcome. Individuals, groups, clubs & schools are all welcome.

Comórtaisí: Filíocht, Amhránaíocht aonair, Comhrá, Agallamh Beirte. (Go léir as Ghaeilge)

Aois-ghrúpaí: 5-7, 7-9, 9-11, 11-13, 13-18 bliana d’aois.

Competitions: Poetry recital, Solo singing, Conversation, Dialogue in verse. (All in Irish)

Age groups: 5-7, 7-9, 9-11, 11-13, 13-18 years.

I gcomhair tuilleadh eolais, glaoigh ar 8426537.

There will be a special screening of the movie “Country” at the Irish Film Institute on 30 May at 6pm.

This screening will be in tribute to Donal Gilligan. Donal was a talented cinematographer known for his work on ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Love / Hate’, ‘Raw’ and ‘Omagh’. Donal died in September 2010.

Tickets go on sale from April 21 from the Irish Film Institute box office. Phone (01) 6793477 or book online at http://www.ifibooking.ie/

Country, written and directed by Kevin Liddy, was made in 2000 and is set in rural Ireland, where the older people nurse ancient grudges and enmities and the young ones want to leave and go somewhere more exciting, encouraged by a long-lost relative that turns up for a funeral.

Click here for the Facebook event details & to see who else will be there.

Click here to see the movie’s cast & crew.

Saturday 2^nd April, 2pm - 4pm

Keeping Chickens in Your City Garden. Free Q&A Session with sustainability expert Fiona Dillon. Location: Petmania, Gulliver’s Retail Park, Santry, Dublin 9.

Easter Monday, 25^th April, 2pm

National Dog Walk 2011, Dublin Centre. National fundraising event for the Carers Association of Ireland, hosted by Petmania. 5KM Sponsored Dog Walk. €5 Individual / €10 Family Registration Fee. Sponsorship cards for all participating dogs with fabulous prizes for Dublin’s Top Dog. Location: Petmania, Gulliver’s Retail Park, Santry, Dublin 9. Find out more in store or at www.nationaldogwalk.ie

Fairview Therapy Centre Website: http://fairviewtherapycentre.ie

Our skilled Counsellors/Psychotherapists are experienced to help you with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Relationship Difficulties
• Grief
• Sexual Issues
• Trauma etc…

Ballymun had a population of 22,109 at the 2006 Census. A hotel in the area was the scene of a million euro diamond heist in 2010.

Amenities

Today Ballymun has a wide range of amenities, from green spaces and the public Silloge Golf Course to a Tesco-owned shopping centre, a range of other shops and pubs and a hotel, to a public sector office development, with many branches of the city government (including a Motor Tax and Driver Licence office) and the Health Service and a very modern but small public leisure centre. There is a church in the old village centre, and a number of schools, including a Gaelscoil (Irish-speaking) primary school.

Transport

Ballymun is served by a number of Dublin Bus routes. The area is also to have an underground stop on the planned Metro North (Dublin city centre to Swords) line of the Dublin Metro. Journey time from Ballymun to the airport is estimated be around three minutes, and to Dublin city centre around twenty-five minutes. Tesco Ireland own Ballymun Shopping Centre. The Ballymun shopping centre is owned by Treasury Holdings, not by Tesco (Ireland).

History and nature

The current town of Ballymun is not in the area historically called Ballymun; instead, it is in several townlands, the most significant of which was Stormanstown. The nearest village was Santry Village, property of the Domville Family.

Due to what were seen to be undesirable associations, some say that the area has shrunk since the completion of the tower blocks. For instance in the early days of Dublin City University, then called NIHE, Dublin, this institution was sometimes referred to as being in Ballymun (part of the “Ballymun Project”), or sometimes in Whitehall, whilst today it is referred to and has a postal address in Glasnevin even though it has not changed location. Indeed much of the present day central Ballymun lies on lands once in the northern reaches of the Albert Agricultural College estate, the forerunner of the present-day Dublin City University.

Streets have also been renamed. For example, Ballymun Avenue was renamed Glasnevin Avenue after a local plebiscite in the 1970s. (Ballymun Avenue was first known as Santry Avenue Extension, then Ballymun Avenue, then Glasnevin Avenue.)

The seven towers in Ballymun were built between 1966 and 1969. In the 1960s planners and architects thought the best way to house many people very quickly was to build high towers with as many flats in them as possible.

Books about Ballymun

In September 2006, Gill & Macmillan published “The Mun”, by Lynn Connolly, is a memoir covering the history of Ballymun from its inception to the final regeneration of the town. The Mun was Lynn’s account of another side of Ballymun, of which she has fond memories. She wrote of a side of Ballymun not written of in the press stories about drug dealing and gangsters; a community that thrived in spite of the squalor. The Mun was Lynn’s way up putting the story straight for the decent people of Ballymun.

In April 2009, Irish publisher Gill & Macmillan published Ballymun resident Rachael Keogh’s account of her life as a heroin addict, “Dying to Survive”. Rachael started taking drugs aged 12 and for the next 15 years was hooked on a variety of substances. In 2006, after repeated attempts to get help, Rachael went to the media to publicise her plight.

Ballymun tower blocks

Among the opprobrium heaped on Ballymun, the deployment of the flats has been described by the environmental journalist Frank McDonald, in his book “The Construction of Dublin”, as the Irish state’s ‘worst planning disaster’. However, at the time of its construction, Ballymun was a sought after location and prospective tenants had to pass an interview to get housing there. There were three types of flats: seven fifteen-storey towers; nineteen eight-storey blocks; ten four-storey blocks. The flats were built in the 1960s under the authority of Neil Blaney, the then Fianna Fáil Minister for Local Government. They incorporated the best social housing practice of the time. The first tenants moved in between August 1966 and December 1966. By February 1969, when the National Building Agency’s contract for Ballymun ceased and control of Ballymun was handed to Dublin City Council, (Dublin County Council didn’t want it) there was a total of 3,021 dwellings in the new Ballymun, all of which was social housing under the control of the Irish state through Dublin City Council.

The tenants primarily came from the most deprived areas of inner city Dublin, places where the depth of poverty could not be conceived of in modern Ireland. Many tenants were middle class residents whose property was ‘compulsory purchased’ by Dublin City Council. They arrived in Ballymun to some of the finest social housing in Europe, having central heating and other rarities of the day in their homes.
However, there was a profound lack of amenities throughout the area - initially the only shop was a van selling at premium prices, for example - and, combined with a lack of trees, and estates built in cul de sacs, ghettoisation developed. The earliest efforts to improve services began in the 1970s with the establishment of tenants’ associations, particularly in Sillogue. By the recession of the 1980s, Ballymun was infested with social problems, most especially alcohol and other drug abuse. Although the public image of Ballymun has changed somewhat since the beginning of the Ballymun regeneration project in 1997, continuing social problems in Ballymun ensure it remains a remarkably different world to, for example, neighbouring Glasnevin.

Regeneration of Ballymun

The creation of Ballymun Regeneration Limited as a limited company controlled by Dublin City Council initiated the beginning of the demolition of the Ballymun flats and the emergence of a “new town” of Ballymun. As of 2008, six of the seven towers (Pearse, Ceannt, MacDermott, McDonagh, Connolly and Clarke) as well as three eight-storey blocks and seven four-storey blocks have been demolished by DSM, with the residents generally rehoused in new “state of the art” housing in Ballymun. The new housing is a mixture of public, private, voluntary and co-operative housing. The “new Ballymun” is due to be completed by 2013.
The regeneration project, despite well-publicised questions about accountability and democratic participation, has also delivered many other amenities, including reworked park areas, a major City Council office facility, Health Service facilities, a public leisure centre, student accommodation, a new hotel and renewed shopping areas.

As part of the New Ballymun, a major tree-planting project called Amaptocare has been run, with more than 600 people sponsoring around 700 trees, and providing inscription texts which are engraved on plaques near the trees. All of the trees will be identified on a glass panel at Ballymun’s central plaza, which was scheduled to be complete by 2007 but is not due by 2013.

Ballymun Mini-Ghaeltacht

There are plans to create a small Irish speaking community in Ballymun, consisting primarily of 40 homes, centered around the Gaelscoil that is already in the area, as well as an Irish speaking shop in the locality and the local branch of Glór na nGael.

Sport

There are a number of local sports groups, including football club Ballymun Kickhams GAA, Ballymun United Football Club and St Pats United / Ard Celtic FC.

Unidare RFC, who came runners-up in the 2007/08 Dublin Metro League, did so with a panel of players drawn heavily from the Ballymun area and young players from Ballymun now play at all youth levels for the club.

(Thanks to Wikipedia for much of this information.)

Big snow in Fairview & Marino

The Society sounds like a great idea and I’m sure we will hear lots more from them in the future. They can be contacted by e-mail at marino-history@hotmail.com

Local artist Glen McMahon also took some great photos - you can see them on his FaceBook album (FaceBook login required).

You can read more about the history of the area starting here.

The best available weather forecasts, in conjunction with the City’s tidal surge early warning system, suggest a severe low pressure off the west coast of Ireland in combination with southerly/easterly winds of 70km per hour gusting to 100km per hour over the coming days. This combination of high tides and low pressure increase the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly at high tide around midnight on Sunday 7th November and midday on Monday 8th November.

Normal high tides are predicted from Thursday 4th November to Tuesday 9th November. These high tides will not normally cause a coastal flooding risk unless accompanied by extreme weather.

Dublin City Council will start today to deploy temporary flood defences in potential at risk areas. Alerts will be issued through the radio and other media when more information becomes available.

The following 7 roads will be closed from 1.00 pm on Sunday 7th November until mid afternoon on Monday 8th November at the junction with Strand Road:

• St. John’s Road East
• Gilford Road
• Gilford Avenue
• Lea Road
• New Grove Avenue
• Seafort Avenue
• Marine Drive (junction with Beach Road)

It may be necesary to close the following roads at short notice:

Strand Road from Sean Moore Road  to Merrion Gates and the Coast Road from Alfie Byrne Road to Watermill Road (diversion via the Howth Road).

The best available weather forecasts, in conjunction with the City’s tidal surge early warning system, suggest a severe low pressure off the west coast of Ireland in combination with southerly/easterly winds of 70km per hour gusting to 100km per hour over the coming days. This combination of high tides and low pressure increase the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly at high tide around midnight on Sunday 7th November and midday on Monday 8th November.

Further reports will issue when more information is available. Advice on local flood protection for householders and businesses can be sourced from OPW at www.flooding.ie .

A couple of months ago the FPRC suggested to Dublin City Council (DCC) that a community clean-up should be organised prior to the opening of the restored park. However, the restoration will not commence until early 2011. The FPRC remain concerned with the litter in and around both the current playgrounds. Considering this we want to push ahead with a comunity clean-up of these areas in the park.

It has been arranged that DCC will meet those interested in helping out at their Depot in the park at 11am on Saturday 6th November. Gloves and bags will be supplied.

We are asking you, and anyone else who you believe would be interested in being involved, to take park in this essential clean-up of these areas in the park that all our children use most frequently. This is our park. We believe this is a significant moment in Fairview park’s future. Our communities need to join together now and in the future to create a sense of ownership in our communities. The clean-up won’t take long but will mean so much.

Please join us on the 6th of November and forward this information to any organisation or people who you believe would like to get involved.

Please advise Bonnie Brady on (086) 86 21676 if you will be able to attend.

We are kept busy all year round with a mixture of competitions and concerts and we have a mixed repertoire going from sacred music through to modern standards. Paul Deegan is our Musical Director and as retired Head of Voice at the Royal Academy of Music, he also gives us invaluable vocal training.

We are open to singers at all levels from complete beginners upwards.

A New Interest for the Winter Months - Join Our Choir

We are open to singers at all levels from complete beginners upwards.

If you are interested, why not come along to our first rehearsal of the Autumn season on Tuesday 31st August in St Vincent’s School Hall, Griffith Avenue, Marino. 7.30pm for the gentleman, 8pm for the ladies.

If you want to know more please e-mail or call Donna for more information.  (donna.callan@gmail.com / 087 411 2537)

Come along & see the plans!

Friday 7th & Saturday 8th May

St Joseph’s CBS Primary School,

Marino Park Avenue

Presentation of plans Friday 7.30pm

All welcome!

Display on view Friday 4pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 11am-5pm

Dublin City Council are planning to display the further developed plans for Fairview Park next weekend in St. Josephs CBS School. Also on  display will be the ‘dream playground’ drawings done by the children in St Joseph’s  CBS School  and the Howth Road National School and samples of possible finishes and images of play equipment and ideas suggested at the last meeting. They will show a presentation on the Friday evening at 7.30pm of the plans to date including the updated plan reflecting comments and ideas from the consultation so far. Plans will also be available to view next weekend on the DCC Parks Website.

DCC are inviting everyone from the surrounding areas of Fairview, Marino, East Wall, Ballybough and North Strand along to see how things are progressing and to hear feedback on things to date, so if you know of anyone with an interest, be sure to mention it to them . Posters will go up in the shops in the area and flyers will be available on Tuesday if anyone wants to help spread the words just let me know.

If you have any suggestions for the improvements, please leave a comment on our Fairview Park Improvements page.

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Dublin City Council Parks & Landscape Services Division is currently planning some proposed improvements to Fairview Park. These will include:

• a newly designed high quality playground,
• upgrading of the seasonal bedding areas and
• a newly designed outdoor performance area with some public seating.

The public engagement phase will take place during the month of April 2010 and the Parks Division are looking for local residents’ thoughts and ideas on the proposals. Signs will be put up in the park in the location of new improvements, and the City Council Parks website will be regularly updated as the project progresses. Keep an eye out also for the notice boards in the neighbourhood for upcoming meeting dates and for updates. Initial layouts have been drafted at this stage and background research ranging from the feasibility of the feature bandstand to current play design ideas including the promoting the value of active recreation is being carried out by the Parks and Landscape Services Division.

It is intended that these improvements will form quite a significant modification to the park, creating an interesting focal point, and an exciting addition to Fairview Park.

Parks & Landscape Services Division welcome all thoughts, suggestions and comments in relation to the proposed improvements and are planning an initial evening meeting this week to present some ideas and to welcome everyone’s ideas on the Park.

Come along to the first public meeting on Wednesday April 21 at 7pm in Marino College, opposite the Park.

This module is for beginners, or a little more advanced learners or indeed very advanced learners.

The DCU students meet with and facilitate older learners (ie older people aged sixty plus) to learn the information technology skills such as how to use the internet, how to use e-mail. The more advanced learners come to understand how to use digital photography. We also have a tea/coffee break for twenty minutes between these sessions so that the older learners can meet with and chat with the DCU students. The sessions are great fun and are very enjoyable.

The sessions will run from 6th March until the 24th April 2010.

There are places available for 30 people who are interested in attending this fun and interesting session. We meet on Saturday morning in DCU in the School of Education Studies between 10.00am and 1.00pm. We can arrange to meet our new older learners at the front entrance of the HELIX at about 9.50am and show them to the rooms where we teach and learn together. The cost for the six Saturdays is 60 euro for the full course. This however can be reduced depending on the individual circumstances of each older learner.
If you are interested please contact Trudy Corrigan at 7007865 or email trudy.corrigan@dcu.ie
For more information click here: http://www.dcu.ie/education_studies/intergenerational/