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19th November 2013 • Volume 20, Issue 44 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • Tel: 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie
Swords Lad Is Real Inspiration Y
oung Swords man, Thomas McDonagh is set to become an inspiration to young people in the North County, after he was the proud recipient of a Gold Gaisce Award. The award was presented to Thomas by President Michael D Higgins, at a presentation ceremony that took place at Dublin Castle last week.
people. Our plays included topics like drinking, drugs, depression and suicide. Our aim was to focus the attention of young people,” said Thomas. He then became involved in a writing Twenty-two year old Thomas, from By Patrick Finnegan group, through his Personal Skills Castlegrange, is an active member of segment. “We had young people Swords Youth Service and he the residents have dementia and we from Spain, Norway and other parts completed his Gold Award with the compiled photos and memories from of Ireland and we all met in Galway. help of his President’s Award Leader their past and put it in a scrap book, I’m not really into writing, so this (PAL), Allyson Lambert. She encour- so that the residents could look was quite a challenge for me. I had aged him to go for his Gold Award, through it from time to time and never written before, but I stepped by helping him to believe he can do remember the good old days,” he out of my comfort zone and ended said. anything he puts his mind to. up loving it,” said a Thomas told the proud Thomas. County Leader, “I As part of his was doing a lot of Adventure Journey, work with the Thomas travelled to Youth Service here Spain and did a five in Swords and day walk of the Allyson told me Camino de Santiago. about the Gaisce He really enjoyed it award. I didn’t and would love to do know what it it again. He said involved and when having no phone and she explained it to Facebook was very me, I decided to hard, but he enjoyed give it a ‘bash.’ talking and meeting There are four different people. categories to be When asked if the completed in whole experience winning the had changed his life, award; Community Thomas was very Involvement, positive. “When I Personal Skills, was young, I was a P h y s i c a l troublemaker and Recreation and only for my school, Adventure. Fingal Community For his Community College and the Involvement Youth Service in section, Thomas Swords, who never volunteered in gave up on me, I Hamilton Park Swords man, Thomas McDonagh is pictured receiving his Gaisce award from would be still sitting Nursing Home in President Higgins at Dublin Castle. on a wall every day, Balrothery. He thinking this is great, doing nothing. attended the nursing home every The next category was Physical The Camino was a real eye opener Tuesday for a year, from 5:30pm Recreation, which involved Thomas for me and the Nursing Home made until 8pm, engaging with the resi- joining a local gym for 52 weeks and me appreciate older people. It was dents in a really meaningful way. He getting fit. For his Personal Skills, an incredible experience. I now really enjoyed this part of his Gold Thomas decided to opt for drama. concentrate on what I have, rather Award and felt that he was doing “I’ve always had a passion for drama and I decided to opt for this. Instead than what I have not, “ concluded something worthwhile. Thomas, who is bound to be a great “We played bingo together and we of traditional plays, I concentrated role model for young people all over also did a programme with the resi- on drama involving social issues the North County. dents called, ‘Life Maps’. Many of involving teenagers and young
Local Credit Unions In Good Health The recent news that Newbridge Credit Union in Co Kildare was taken in charge by Permanent TSB, caused quite a stir in financial circles. In an effort to allay the fears that members of local credit unions may have, the County Leader asked credit union chiefs in the area if their organisations were in a position to continue trading independently. Not all credit unions has no bearing on responded, but the ones Rivervalley & Rathingle that did, were very positive CU, as every Credit Union is financially independent about their situation. Fiona Cunningham, of other credit unions.” manager of Swords & “We remain a strong District Credit Union was very upbeat about the future, but hinted that changes may be on the way in the not too distant future. She told the County Leader, “We are a strong independent entity and we will be paying a dividend at the end of the year. Our AGM has been approved by the Central Bank and will take place on 2nd December.” “There is no doubt that there will be consolidation and amalgamation of credit unions down the road, but this is a very positive development for borrowers and savers. Scale is very important in our environment and we are keeping all our options Swords & District Credit Union open. We have our own sort code and ATM card, secure financial co-operawhich is vitally important tive, which continues to for our members,” she offer a secure place for said. Yvonne O’Sullivan savings and access to manager of neighbouring loans. We will continue to Rivervalley & Rathingle operate in a co-operative Credit Union said, “Our manner in the best intercredit union is safe, strong ests of all our members,” and secure. The recent she said. news relating to Meanwhile, Edel Bourke, Newbridge Credit Union manager of St Joseph’s
Credit Union at Dublin Airport, answered our query by saying, “I am happy to report that St. Joseph’s Irish Airports & Aviation Credit Union complies with all funding requirements as required by the Central Bank, and is
financially sound to continue to service its members, as has been done for the past 50 years. The situation in Balbriggan is also very healthy, as manager, Sean Staunton confirmed that Balbriggan Credit Union are in a position to trade independently.
New Jobs Announced There was By Jennifer McShane some excel@TheCountyLeader lent news on the jobs front in the North County, with the news that Ryanair have announced that they will create over 300 new direct jobs in 2014, as part of their decision to accelerate growth at the airport. These new jobs are for pilots, cabin crew, customer service specialists and software developers, as the airline rolls out an extensive programme of customer service and website improvements. These 300 new Ryanair jobs will be in addition to the 1,000 indirect jobs that will be created at Dublin, Knock and Shannon airports to cater for the 1 million passenger growth which Ryanair will deliver from April 2014 following the scrapping of the travel tax. They will open nine new routes from
Dublin from April 2014, as well as increased frequencies on eight existing routes. This will deliver an additional 700,000 passengers and support new on-site jobs at Dublin Airport. This new capacity is the final part of the one million passenger growth that Ryanair promised to deliver at the main Irish airports as a direct result of the Government’s decision to scrap the €3 travel tax from April 2014. The DAA’’s Kevin Toland told the County Leader: “DAA is pleased by Ryanair’s decision to accelerate its growth at Dublin Airport in response to the Government’s decision on the air travel tax. This year represents the third successive year of growth at Dublin Airport on both short and long haul services, which is very positive for tourism and the overall economy,” he said.