a new food market will take place at Swords Castle Swords Castle will launch a series of monthly summer food markets “full of flavour and creativity” from 10am to 3pm on the third Saturday of each month The Swords Castle Food Market is a joint venture of Fingal County Council Fingal Food Network and Fingal Farmers Group believes it’s “a very positive thing for the community” “I think it’ll bring more footfall back to our main street arts and crafts and we’ll have a music stand as well,” he said “With the increase of people buying stuff online anything that increases footfall into our central business district is a good thing cafés on our main streets have closed down I’m hopeful this type of market would bring people back and revitalise the main streets “It’s a part of our food and tourism strategy which the council has been working on for years There was always a push to get more markets in the area and Swords Castle was highlighted as somewhere it could be trialled.” Jim Scully of Dublin Farm Dairy and Chair of Fingal Farmers Group “This represents a great opportunity for both farmers and consumers in Fingal to connect directly with each other and provide locally produced food to the local people,” he said of McNally Family Farm and Chair of Fingal Food Network added: “We’re very excited with the creation of a new market in Swords Castle this summer “This offers our members a wonderful trading opportunity in Fingal and marks what we hope will be the first of many local markets throughout the region,” she said and there will be beanbags on the grass and plenty of picnic benches to ensure there’s a spot to enjoy some of the food on offer visitors can enjoy an engaging series of food-related talks in the historic restored Chapel The space is also the venue for the kiddie colouring competition said: “The Swords Castle Food Market is a fantastic addition to our community “This initiative not only showcases the best of our local producers but also creates a unique space where families friends and visitors can come together to enjoy fresh all set against the stunning backdrop of the Castle and immerse themselves in the lively atmosphere that will make this market truly special “It’s an opportunity to celebrate our food culture and heritage in a way that brings our community closer together.” Stallholders who would like to participate should email niamh@acmecollectivelimited.com The 2025 market dates are all Saturdays – April 19; May 17; June 21; July 19; August 16; and September 20 LifestyleHollywood actress Rosie O’Donnell to make comedy debut on Dublin stageComedian and Hollywood actress Rosie O’Donnell will make her comedy debut on stage in Dublin this week Road Closure and Newspaper Advertisements Fingal Alerts For Out of Hours Emergency Flooding Contact Details  Fingal a library in each of the towns Please see individual library for opening times Archaeological Information and Advice  Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) Register  Heritage Plan Monuments and Places Record  Protected Structures Record Adopt a Patch Conservation and Leakage Conservation Campaign Composting Initiative Seagull Information Leaflet Green Dog Walkers Initiative Reuse Month 2022 The Fingal Water Project Housing Construction Programme Project Talamh Call for Properties Planning Permission Extension of Duration of Planning Permission Part V Planning Exemption Certificates Vacant Sites Register Current Job Opportunities and Results Draft Dublin Airport Local Area Plan Proposed Variation No. 1 To Fingal Development Plan 2017 - 2023 Part 8 - Proposed Construction of new Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge in Donabate Part 8 - Proposed development of 69 no. dwellings & associated site works at Cappaghfinn, Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 Annual Reports Budgets, Expenditure and Financial Statements Data Protection Council Meetings Two legendary acts have been announced for another unforgettable summer at Swords Castle Town Parks this year with the Boomtown Rats and Nathan Carter set to belt out their tunes in the heart of Swords in July.  Ireland’s leading country singer Nathan Carter known for consistently selling out his performances will once again hit the stage at the iconic Swords location on Friday thrilling audiences with his signature blend of country and folk hits The evening promises to be another show to remember with support acts from the Dolly Parton Tribute & Jem and The BeezNeez Fingal County Council are also excited to welcome the Boomtown Rats to our summer stage on Saturday 26 July their unforgettable punk and new wave anthems will take fans on a nostalgic journey creating an electric atmosphere for all who attend Special guests for the night will be The Undertones along with a supporting set from Iann Brennan.  residents and visitors eagerly anticipate these shows We are thrilled to welcome both Nathan Carter and The Boomtown Rats to Swords Concerts Series stage this summer We’re incredibly proud to host these world-class acts and we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying themselves at these brilliant events Swords Castle is a fabulous venue to see a band Tickets for both concerts are now available and are expected to sell out quickly. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to witness live music at its finest amidst the historic backdrop of Swords Castle. For more information and tickets, see: https://eventsinfingal.ie/swordsconcerts All Rights Reserved © Fingal County Council OneFootball's home page Search Settings Sign In Sign InJoin🇮🇹 Bologna and Juventus clash with blunt swords in tepid draw | OneFootballOneFootball Every Serie A match is available to watch LIVE with Home of Serie A on OneFootball to users in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Find out more here Bologna and Juventus produced a tepid yet intriguing affair to close out matchday 35 in Serie A during a 1-1 draw at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara Bologna1Juventus104:23Scorers: Freuler 54'; Thuram 9' An opening goal in the 9th minute from French midfielder Khéphren Thuram set Juve away on the night in Emilia-Romagna which is just the start Igor Tudor's men needed after seeing Roma and Lazio all seal three-point outings earlier please use a different one or install the app The first half was not without controversy, however, as Bologna could have a case for referee Daniele Doveri failing to award them a penalty after what appeared to be a stonewall decision in favor of the home side Still, Bologna looked the better of the two combatants going into the dressing room with Juve largely on the back foot in the wake of Thuram's match opener Rossoblù would finally level matters in the 55th minute through Swiss international Remo Freuler who scored his first of the season and just his second for the club with a close-range finish after Thijs Dallinga's ball into the area dropped for the former Atalanta midfielder Tudor's men seemed more than happy to remain hemmed into their defensive third as Bologna pushed for a match-winner into the final ten minutes of action but neither side could find a dramatic winner before settling on a point-a-piece Juve still climbs up to fourth and ahead of Roma on this result due to goal difference, with Bologna just one point adrift with three matches remaining 📸 Alessandro Sabattini - 2025 Getty Images Related NewsTop four race: Remaining Juventus, Roma, Lazio, Bologna fixtures rated by difficulty Juventus and Bologna share the spoils in tough Serie A game Serie A | Bologna 1-1 Juventus: Exciting draw creates crazy fight for fourth Bologna and Juventus name XIs - Watch LIVE on OneFootball! Serie A official line-ups: Bologna vs. Juventus 🚨 Club León lose appeal to play in 2025 Club World Cup The Court of Arbitration have officially rejected Club León's appeal to play at the 2025 Club World Cup.The Liga MX club were originally removed from the competition for breaching multi-club rules,... 4️⃣ things to look out for in the Champions League this week The Champions League returns with a bang this week as the finalists will be determined following some tense first leg action.Here is what to look out for...⚔️ Match of the... Wirtz informs Alonso of desire to join Bayern, BILD reports Florian Wirtz has informed Xabi Alonso that he does not want to move to either Real Madrid or Manchester City, BILD reports.Germany's popular tabloid has stated the player said to... Situated in a mature estate on the edge of the town this smart three-bedroom, two-bathroom semi-D has everything a family needs Extending to 88 sq metres (947sq ft) the brick-fronted C2 Ber-rated house has a separate livingroom and eat-in kitchen the latter spans the width of the property and it includes a utility room The kitchen leads out to a granite-paved patio and the rest of the garden laid out in newly planted lawn Upstairs there are two doubles; one of which has an ensuite There is off-street parking to the front and pedestrian side access Boroimhe Shopping Centre is one street away Minus: There isn’t a huge amount of scope to extend Plus: The traditional-style decor is charming Alanna Gallagher is a property journalist with The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC The council has just finished an audit of the sports needs of the county which will inform any decision on new facilities for Swords Fingal County Council said on 31 March that its plans to build a new public swimming pool in Balbriggan have progressed to the preliminary design and planning stages councillors are wondering where else needs a pool Construction of the six-lane 25-metre pool in Balbriggan is slated to commence in late 2026 according to Fingal Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly’s monthly report But until then, Fingal is still without a single public indoor swimming pool and independent Councillor Darren Jack Kelly wanted to know if Swords could be considered for one next At the April monthly meeting of the full council on Monday evening Kelly said he welcomed the news in Balbriggan “But I just want to know if it is in Fingal County Council’s plans to look at or even think about  – we all mentioned before in here – having a pool in Swords?” he asked There wasn’t anything in the current capital plan to deliver a pool in Swords the council is due to present its sports audit “shortly” “and that will mean we’ll need to prioritising future projects coming out of that” It isn’t just a pool that Swords needs though Fine Gael Councillor Luke Corkery had said at the Balbriggan/Rush-Lusk/Swords Area Committee on 10 April The council should also look into potential sites for a sports and recreational hub in the area He introduced a motion proposing this at the area committee meeting saying Swords Rugby Club is without a permanent home while Fingallians GAA Club will have to surrender parts of their Balheary Park playing pitches for the development of the Metrolink the council’s senior parks and landscape officer said the Ward River Regional Park Development Plan – which is being drafted – will include an expanded sports and recreational hub at Swords Manor A significant sports and recreational hub is also in the pipeline at the planned Swords Regional Park/Broadmeadow River Regional Park “The first phase of this has been provided and further phases will be developed through the  Development Management process.” The detailed planning for these extra facilities will take account of the sports audit in light of the government’s approval of the Revised National Framework Plan on 8 April was there some scope for sporting facilities to be developed alongside housing similar to the hub proposed for Ballymastone He welcomed the plans already progressing in and around the Swords But “I hope the upcoming sports audit demonstrates that we need to get the finger out when it comes to the delivery of sports facilities and I would favour a municipal pool forming part of a future sports hub development,” he said Halpenny said the council acknowledges that it must respond to the needs of clubs in the county “We will be bringing forward the plans for the Ward River Valley in the coming months.” The plan for that park in Swords has a significant number of facilities for sports and recreation the council looks forward to presenting the sports audit to councillors soon Michael Lanigan is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer You can reach him at michael@dublininquirer.com You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer Check your email for magic link to sign-in Paul HigginsSun 4 May 2025 at 08:54A father and son have been ordered to stand trial accused of attacking a man with a sword and a baseball bat Standing side by side in the dock of Craigavon Magistrates Court 70-year-old Stephen Wilson and his son Joseph (28) confirmed they were aware of the charges against them faces charges of wounding a man with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and possessing as sword with intent to commit wounding on August 27 last year faces allegations of attempting to inflict GBH with intent and possessing a baseball with intent on the same date but the pensioner faces a further accusation of perverting the course of justice Stephen Wilson offered the alleged victim “£4,000 to withdraw his statement of complaint” District Judge Natasha Fitzsimmons returned the case to Craigavon Crown Court with the arraignment scheduled to be heard on June 10 Today's News in 90 Seconds - May 4th Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices The foundation stone for the new Cultural Centre within the Swords Cultural Quarter was laid today by the Mayor of Fingal The multi-purpose Cultural Centre will contain a new County Library and a 165 seat theatre along with an art gallery Significant upgrade works will be carried out on North Street to create an enhanced public realm creating a link between the Cultural Centre and Swords Castle concluded in  July and the building contractor The Cultural Centre is scheduled to open in the first half of 2027 Duggan Brothers will also construct 36 new homes on Seatown Road as part of the overall development said: “This is another important milestone in the journey towards providing a cultural centre It is one of the major pieces of community infrastructure within Fingal County Council’s Capital Programme and will help to cater for our growing population.” Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “This is a very significant day for our county town Our county town is crucially important and it is one that we are all very proud of It is great to see the construction of the new Cultural Centre get underway and its library gallery and arts spaces will create a vibrant area in the centre of the town The provision of community infrastructure alongside housing is very important and this building will serve not just the people of Swords but also those who live in other parts of Fingal.” The Council received a grant of €3m towards the new County Library from the Department of Rural and Community Development and will meet the balance of the costs of the Cultural Centre from its own resources The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council and public realm improvements will cost in excess of €60m and I would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Rural and Community Affairs towards the overall project.  This project has been supported by our councillors from the very beginning and will be a cultural centre for everybody in Fingal It is one of 111 projects in our Capital Programme that are currently on site and shows our commitment to delivering community infrastructure for our citizens.”   The Swords Cultural Centre has been designed by award-winning architects O’Donnell and Tuomey Their previous work includes the Central European University in Budapest,  the Glucksman Gallery at University College Cork and the Lyric Theatre in Belfast The Swords Cultural Quarter project is one of 16 contained in the Sustainable Swords Strategy which is a key part of Fingal County Council’s plan to ensure that the town grows sustainably and provides a quality of life befitting the county’s capital.  For more information on the Swords Cultural Quarter project go to www.fingal.ie/swordsculturalquarter An attractive industrial-led investment opportunity, with significant rental growth potential, is coming to the market in Swords Enterprise Park quoting €17 million. The sale of a controlling interest at the north Dublin business park, comprising a portfolio of 61 enterprise units contained within a larger development of 72 units overall. The guide price equates to a net initial yield of 8.1 per cent, after the deduction of standard purchasers’ costs. Selling agent TWM suggests there is an opportunity to “significantly increase” this return to close to 10 per cent, through active asset management. Adjacent to the M1, and offering easy access to the M50, Dublin Airport and Port Tunnel, the scheme was originally developed in 2007. The units included for sale extend to more than 7,246sq m (78,000sq ft), with tenants including Fingal County Council, Newport Pharmaceuticals and Quay Logistics. The scheme is a mixture of enterprise business units and the much sought after modern industrial warehouses. It is situated on a site of about 2.78ha (6.89 acres), and the units comprise a combination of light industrial and workspace/office buildings. The light industrial units feature brick facades and profile metal cladding while the workspace units feature an attractive yellow brick exterior, complemented by areas of plastered and painted render. The current passing rent of the portfolio is more than €1.5m a year, but TWM says the potential for rental growth is “significant”, due to the demand for quality commercial spaces in the area and the positive rental outcomes. The units in sale are 95 per cent leased. Willie Norse, managing director at TWM, said: “This sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire the controlling interest in an established enterprise park in a strategically important location. The high occupancy levels and positive letting outcomes showcase the tenant demand for the asset and location, providing an investor with the opportunity to drive further rental growth and returns.” Fiona Reddan is a writer specialising in personal finance and is the Home & Design Editor of The Irish Times But in the face of stiff resistance from council managers the stretch of Rathbeale Road next to JCs Supermarket on the outskirts of Swords was busy Seven traffic lights stood around the junction leading out from supermarket’s car park and on to the Rathbeale Road there were another pair of traffic lights on either side of the road But ill-will has been brewing since they were installed by Fingal County Council back in October The lights were put in by the council to improve active travel and to make crossing on foot safer on the busy thoroughfare and at the carpark’s exit They were to ease and manage flow of traffic here “The general consensus for anybody in the area was that it was something of a blunt instrument to solve a problem causing traffic jams on the Rathbeale Road and that became one of the local issues at the doorstep during the general election “I can imagine the canvassers were told homelessness housing and can you fix those feckin’ lights at JCs?” she said The opposition was also highlighted recently by councillors in the Swords area This cluster of lights at the junction all within the space of 30 metres have caused a lot of issues for residents around the Rathbeale Road said Fianna Fáil’s Darragh Butler at the Balbriggan/Rush-Lusk/Swords Area Committee on 12 December traffic lights don’t work that close together and yet we have  this situation here where we have the lights like that,” he said Independent Councillor Darren Jack Kelly said the new lights have delayed traffic food restaurants across the road from JC’s have been hugely affected But while councillors were calling for the removal of the lights council officials were adamant that wouldn’t happen They really need to prioritise the safety of pedestrians a senior executive engineer with the council There are so many cars at the junction where the car park exit meets the thoroughfare and it has posed safety issues to pedestrians “One of the factors is the continuing building of new developments in the surrounding area The lights went into operation back in October “And since the moment they were switched on there was an enormous backlog on the main thoroughfare from one end of Swords to the Ashbourne Road.” told the area committee meeting that he had lived on the Rathbeale Road for his whole life Kelly said he couldn’t get out of his laneway just off the road on Friday and Saturday evenings because of the traffic “It’s a disaster to be honest with you and something needs to be done.” said he had been among the inconvenienced motorists to face delays during a bad teething period He got caught between the lights at the junction and the ones just east of the exit within the first two weeks of their being installed Initial irritation after the lights were switched on had grown in late November when Dunnes Stores – which owns JCs – introduced a one-way system around the supermarket said Independents 4 Change councillor Dean Mulligan and you’re increasing bad driver behaviour.” the ire directed towards the traffic measures businesses on the road saw adverse effects Sixty One Salon and Spa on the Rathbeale Road “Our phones were ringing with people cancelling appointments,” Jordan says But it’s been three weeks now since the problem was at its peak People aren’t still phoning in to cancel their appointments at the area committee meeting on 12 December Kelly and Mulligan were joined by independent Councillor Joe Newman and Fine Gael’s Luke Corkery in tabling a motion The five asked for the area committee to recognise the negative effect these lights were having on traffic management and safety with an alternative arrangement to be put in place as soon as possible said that the lights were a case of something not broken being fixed said there was a real problem to be solved at the junction The shopping centre had seen a steady and sustained increase in traffic flows And new developments have brought more residents into the area the council has observed many safety issues for both pedestrians and the movement of traffic “and it was clear that safety improvements were needed at this location” Traffic speeds had improved since the signalised junction was installed and the Operations Department would continue to monitor the area and adjust if necessary They had been consulting with Dunnes Stores “There was issues just off where the new pedestrian is with an uncontrolled crossing.” That was impacting efficiency but Dunnes have now removed the uncontrolled crossing point Signalised pedestrian crossings are a part of the Active Travel Strategy as they prioritise pedestrians and cyclists but we are trying to promote pedestrian safety and movements at this junction.” Just north of Rathbeale Road, the Glen Ellan Road will be soon opened up – after it has been partially fenced off by the developer Gannon Properties for years – Culhane said “which would add another release valve to it” said she wasn’t happy for the councillors to agree the motion asking for the lights’ removal Councillors had approved the measures in the 2024 programme of works “I know not all of you were in the chamber at that point.” The council met with Dunnes Stores on site to address issues But they’ve spent a lot on this highly specialised system and she would not be in favour of the motion Said Culhane: “I wouldn’t be in favour of removing a junction that would compromise pedestrian safety.” Each month from April to September 2025 a new food market will take place at Swords Castle Fingal. This bustling, lively market promises a winning combination of artisan food and fresh produce stalls jostling for attention alongside handmade crafts and fun family entertainment. The Swords Castle Food Market is a joint venture of Fingal County Council, Fingal Food Network and Fingal Farmers Group and will take place on the third Saturday of each month from 10am to 3pm.  Entry is free, and in addition to the market visitors can enjoy an engaging series of food-related talks in the historic restored Chapel. This lovely space is also the venue for the kiddie colouring competition; just what’s needed to keep little ones occupied for a while. Take time to wander through gate into the adjoining Swords Town Park. It’s an attractive riverside park with open grassy areas, meandering pathways and shady mature woodland. The ‘Swords of Iron’ war between Israel and Hamas has initiated profound geopolitical transformations in the Middle East. Israel has consolidated its strategic position during the conflict, but the region’s complexities have only deepened. Among these shifts is the potential transition from the dominance of the ‘Shiite Crescent’ to the emergence of a ‘Sunni Revival’, driven by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Neo-Ottoman aspirations. Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, have considerably weakened Iran’s regional influence. This diminishing of Iranian power opens the door for Turkey, a predominantly Sunni nation, to assume a leadership role in the region. Turkey’s strategic geographic location and robust military capabilities position Ankara as a natural successor to fill the vacuum left by Tehran. The emergence of a Sunni Revival, led by Turkey and potentially uniting parts of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and some Gulf states such as Qatar, would represent a dramatic realignment of power. While Iran’s grip loosens on the region, Turkey’s ambitions intensify, creating new complexities for Israel and the broader region. The rise and demise of the ‘Shiite Crescent’: Sectarian and geopolitical implications At its height, the Shiite Crescent included Iran’s backing of the Alawite-led Assad regime in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shiite militias in Iraq. However, this network has faced mounting challenges recently. The collapse of Assad’s regime in late 2024 marked a critical blow, disrupting Iran’s strategic link to Hezbollah and exposing vulnerabilities in its regional strategy. Simultaneously, a ‘Sunni Revival’ is emerging under Turkish leadership. Erdoğan’s Neo-Ottoman ambitions aim to revive Turkey’s influence in territories historically under Ottoman rule and beyond, positioning Turkey as the primary Sunni power in the region. This shift underscores the fluidity of Middle Eastern alliances and the dynamic nature of its power struggles. Erdoğan’s Neo-Ottomanism and the Sunni revival: Turkey’s expanding influence Neo-Ottomanism, a political ideology centered on reviving the Ottoman Empire’s legacy, has become the cornerstone of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision. Emerging in the 1990s and gaining momentum under the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Neo-Ottomanism seeks to restore Turkey’s cultural, political, and economic dominance across former Ottoman territories and the broaden Middle East. The ‘Swords of Iron’ war’s aftermath has bolstered Turkey’s aspirations. The decline of Iranian influence and the collapse of Assad’s regime have created opportunities for Ankara to lead a potential Sunni Revival. Leveraging its military strength, strategic location, and economic resilience, Turkey is willing to expand its influence in Syria, Iraq, and beyond. Turkey’s Involvement in Syria after the fall of the Assad Regime The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024 marked a pivotal moment in the Syrian civil war. Throughout this conflict, Russia has played a pivotal role as Assad’s primary military backer, providing air power, political cover, and diplomatic leverage to preserve the regime. Turkey, a long-standing player in Syria’s civil war, moved swiftly to establish its influence. Turkish-backed opposition forces, mainly the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), captured key cities, ending in the fall of Damascus. Turkey’s objectives in Syria include preventing the establishment of a Kurdish autonomous region, countering Iranian influence, and managing refugee flows through the establishment of buffer zones. Erdoğan’s Neo-Ottomanism has shaped Turkey’s actions in Syria. By promoting Turkish culture and governance in ‘liberated’ areas, Ankara aims to create a sphere of influence reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire. The ‘Swords of Iron’ war, which weakened Iran’s proxies and alliances, provided Turkey with a strategic opening to advance its regional ambitions. However, these moves have raised concerns about Ankara’s long-term intentions and the potential for increased regional instability. Turkey’s ambitions, however, are constrained by its deepening economic and fiscal crisis, as well as by its complex relationships with both the U.S. and NATO—which remain cautions of Ankara’s assertive moves—as well as Russia, which has its own stakes in Syria and the broader Middle East. Regional impacts of a Sunni Revival—Implications for Israel and beyond The shift from a ‘Shiite Crescent’ to a ‘Sunni Revival’ led by Turkey would mark a profound realignment in Middle Eastern geopolitics, carrying both challenges and opportunities for Israel. Sunni-majority nations could align more closely with Turkey, reshaping the region’s power dynamics. However, this realignment may intensify competition between Turkey and Iran, particularly in conflict-prone areas like Syria and Iraq. In conclusion, the ‘Swords of Iron’ war has significantly altered the region’s balance of power, weakening Iran and empowering Turkey. While Turkey’s leadership in a ‘Sunni Revival’ offers opportunities, it also poses challenges to regional stability. Israel and other regional actors must effectively adapt their strategies to manage this evolving geopolitical landscape. To provide the best experiences, we use cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions. A man who was messaging women on Tinder just minutes before he stabbed his one-time friend in the neck has been found guilty of murder. Brandon Gavin (22), of Brookdale Road, Rivervalley, Swords, Co Dublin, was on Wednesday unanimously convicted by a jury of murdering Marius Mamaliga (19) at Forest Court, Swords on the evening of February 23rd, 2023. The jury had heard that Gavin told gardaí that Mr Mamaliga “came at” him so he defended himself, claiming that he feared for his life as he owed a drug debt of €2,500. Witnesses told the trial that Mr Mamaliga had sold drugs in the past and Gavin owed him money. The jury, members of which heard that Gavin’s phone had been used to search online for “prison sentence for murder in Ireland” on the day before the stabbing, rejected the defence’s case that the accused had lashed out in fear and was not a murderer. At the opening of the trial, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ronan Kennedy SC said it was the prosecution’s case that Gavin went to meet his one-time friend armed with a knife. He got into the backseat of Mr Mamaliga’s car and without warning stabbed him in the neck. Mr Kennedy said the entire incident lasted about 14 seconds. He told the jury that Gavin dropped his mobile phone and two HSE appointment cards in his name in the rear footwell of the car, which were recovered by gardaí during a technical examination. State pathologist Dr SallyAnn Collis told the jury that, despite medical intervention at the scene, Mr Mamaliga suffered hypoxic brain injury which was caused by the deprivation of oxygen to the brain due to blood loss. Garda David Durnin gave evidence to Mr Kennedy that on February 23rd, Gavin and his father came to Swords Garda station, where the defendant’s father informed him that his son had been involved in an incident earlier and wished to hand himself in. The witness said the defendant told him he had stabbed Mr Mamaliga in self-defence because he was in fear for his life as he owed money for drugs. Witness David Octavian described to the jury the seconds-long window during which a “calm and collected” assailant got into the car he was sitting in, “slowly took out a knife” and stabbed his friend in the neck before fleeing. Asked if he knew Gavin, the witness said: “Yes, we used to hang around together as a group when we were younger. We used to be friends.” Further evidence was given by Det Garda Kevin Farrell, who said he retrieved data from a phone belonging to Gavin that was found inside Mr Mamaliga’s car following his death. Det Garda Farrell said that on February 22nd, 2023, at 6.31pm, a little over 24 hours before the fatal incident, the phone was used to search for “prison sentence for murder in Ireland”. He also told the court that the operator of the phone had been using the dating application Tinder on the day of the stabbing. In his closing speech, Mr Kennedy said there was clear, unambiguous evidence that the stabbing was “planned and premeditated” and that to suggest Gavin was acting in self-defence was “self-serving nonsense”. After the jury of seven men and five women returned their verdict, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon thanked them for their time and attention during the trial, excusing them from jury service for the next seven years. The matter was adjourned to December 2nd for victim impact statements and sentencing, with Gavin remanded in custody. The ongoing commitment to housing delivery by Fingal County Council was on display in Swords today when the Mayor of Fingal and the Minister for Housing opened a new development of 11 homes and cut the sod on a new development of 36 homes in the heart of the County town to the cut the ribbon on 11 new homes at Bowden Court on the Rathbeale Road which are currently being allocated by the Council were constructed by Broomfield Construction 2 & 3-bedrooms across the three levels of the development Work began on the project in October 2022 and was completed at the end of September 2024 All units are A2 rated and are designed to be adaptable for medical needs with two units currently being fitted out for disabled tenants in consultation with their respective Occupational Therapists the Mayor and Minister were breaking ground for 36 new homes on Seatown Road which are being built as part of the new Swords Cultural Centre project The development will consist of two blocks of apartments on either side of the junction with St Columcille’s Drive with 20 apartments in one block and 16 in the other The development will consist of 2 bedroomed apartments and all 9 of the ground floor units are adaptable for medical needs Bowden Court is a brownfield site which has been utilised to provided housing while the Seatown Road projects sees 12 council owned homes being replaced by 36 new homes right in the heart of Swords.” said: "This is a real positive day with two examples of delivery by Fingal County Council of real good quality social homes Within a year we have 11 beautiful apartments in Bowden Court for which the Department of Housing provided over €4m in funding In Seatown there are going to be 36 homes right in the middle of Swords as part of the overall Swords Cultural Quarter project We are now building more new social homes then we have done in over 50 years and we are also building affordable homes for the first time in a generation.”   said: “Fingal County Council has a very strong pipeline of housing delivery and over the next three years we will spend over €1billion on housing which is three times what was in our Capital Plan five years ago As well as providing homes for those on our social housing list we are also building affordable and cost rental homes and I want to thank the different departments within the Council who are working together to make this happen.” Fingal currently have 405 new homes under construction with a further 931 with planning permission once the tender stage is complete It is also preparing to seek planning consent for 322 homes across the county In addition, the council are negotiating with developers to deliver 778 new homes through the Part V process For more information on housing available in Fingal and how to apply for a home, go to: https://www.fingal.ie/housing-services Another major milestone in the development of the Swords Cultural Quarter was reached today with the appointment of Duggan Brothers (Contractors) Ltd as the building contractor for the construction of the new Cultural Centre and residential developments at Seatown Road In the presence of the newly elected Mayor of Fingal AnnMarie Farrelly and the Joint Managing Directors of Duggan Brothers (Contractors) Ltd are due to conclude by the end of July with construction scheduled to commence in mid-August provides for the construction of a Cultural Centre containing a new County Library and a 165 seat theatre along with an art gallery The works contract also includes the construction of 36 new homes along Seatown Road with the funding for the housing development being provided by the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage through Housing For All The Council has also received a grant of €3m towards the new County Library from the Department of Rural and Community Development and will meet the balance of the costs of the Cultural Centre from its own resources will be completed by the end of July and Duggans will move onto the site in August to commence construction This will be completed by the end of 2026 with the new Cultural Centre scheduled to open in 2027 said: “As a councillor I have watched this project evolve from the concept stage to the point where construction is now about to commence but for the whole of Fingal and is an example of the Council’s determination to ensure that community infrastructure is put in place to cater for our growing population.” said: “The Swords Cultural Quarter is a key part of our plan to enhance and invigorate Swords town centre and to deliver a county library and a theatre as well as major public realm improvements We appreciate the financial support of the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Rural and Community Affairs towards the overall project.  I would also like to thank our own councillors for their strong support for the project from its inception and for their help in delivering this significant investment for Swords This will be a spectacular cultural facility that will be used by residents and visitors alike and it will also provide 36 new homes.” Joint Managing Director of Duggan Brothers said: “This is a very significant project and is a key part of the development and enhancement of Swords and the county of Fingal We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious project and we look forward to working with the design team and Fingal County Council in making this a reality.” Duggan Brothers have considerable experience across all sectors of the construction industry and have a reputation for high standards and a professional Among their most recent projects are the new National Forensic Science Laboratories the Irish Stock Exchange and the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus Facility the town grows sustainably and provides a quality of life befitting the county’s capital.  For more information on the Swords Cultural Quarter project go to www.fingal.ie/swordsculturalquarter We use cookies to collect and analyse information on site performance and usage to improve and customise your experience, where applicable. View our Cookies Policy Click Accept and continue to use our website or Manage to review and update your preferences The following cookies are necessary to allow you to access the website including login move between pages and to receive services which you have requested They include cookies to store analytics and track user interactions so we can personalise content to best suit your interests and needs These cookies allow the Website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced and more personal features Performance cookies monitor site performance and user actions These cookies do not collect identifiable information we may use cookies to display advertisements that we believe are relevant to you or work with advertisers to display our own adverts on third party websites based on cookies set on your visit to the Website Swords Court Office and Court are temporarily relocating to Balbriggan All court matters will be heard in Balbriggan Courthouse from 2 September 2024 at 10.30am The new temporary Swords and Balbriggan District Court public office will be located at: 2nd Floor Balbriggan Public Library Those with any queries can contact the office at: The Courts Service adds that the public office will be closed due to this relocation on Monday 19 August and Tuesday 20 August Any urgent domestic-violence applications can be applied for in Dolphin House Family Law Courts Pension and health costs will go down – official report Ugandan Lydia Mugambe jailed for six years District Court’s MPV finding marks shift – RDJ Conveyancing solicitors asked to take part Division wins two prizes at 2025 Accountancy Awards Digital filing for family proceedings on way Letterkenny hearing of Imram residency case Penalty causes are ‘unenforceable’ – William Fry Fingal Libraries will be building on the success of last year’s festival to deliver a fun filled day of author visits and creative activities at Swords Castle on the 28th of September Brochure Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature  Leaflet Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature  The Fingal Magic of Stories Festival is now in its third year and is already firmly established as one of Ireland’s premier festivals of children’s literature The programme for this year’s Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature was launched on Wednesday 7th August in Swords Castle by the Mayor of Fingal Cllr The Mayor was joined by the County Librarian Betty Boardman Irish Language performer Áine Gallagher and a group of enthusiastic young readers The Magic of Stories is in its third year and aims to celebrate Irish children’s literature and the writers who weave some of the magical stories enjoyed by our young library patrons Brian McDonagh said: “The Magic of Stories Festival is going to be a lot of fun It is a brilliant and unique opportunity for young readers to meet the authors storytellers and artists who create and present the stories they love Fingal’s own Swords Castle provides a magical backdrop to fuel any child’s imagination and creativity As the parent of a small boy and son of a children’s writer I am really looking forward to this fantastic event Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly said: “The Magic of Stories Festival is an important part of Fingal Libraries’ mission to give equal access to books learning and creative opportunities to children from all backgrounds This fun family day at Swords Castle will help foster a love of reading in all those in attendance.” County Librarian Betty Boardman said: “The Magic of Stories has quickly become one of the highlights on the Fingal Libraries calendar since its debut in 2022 The festival gives young readers a unique opportunity to come face to face with the authors whose stories have inspired them to become regular visitors to Fingal Libraries The festival also offers wonderful opportunities for attendees to exercise their imaginations at any of the range of creative activities available.” Senior Executive Librarian Lilian Whelan said: “this is the third year of the festival and it’s growing all the time illustrators and artists are second to none and are a huge support to Fingal libraries all through the year This special day is all about the Magic of stories books and images and how they all contribute to the imagination and wellness of children across all communities and ages Even the adults can’t fail to feel the Magic at this festival” Shane Hegarty added: “I am delighted to again be the creative director of the fantastic Magic of Stories festival Swords Castle will provide something for everyone with a mix of author readings We can’t wait to see you there on the 28th of September for a day of fun and creativity for all the family.” There is lots to experience and discover at this year’s festival with events taking place in the Little Library Tent The Big Bear Planetarium will also make its Magic of Stories debut where attendees can discover the wonders of the universe Attendees should also keep their eyes peeled for the “Story Snail” as it winds its way through the Swords Castle grounds recounting the tale of a knight who sets off to explore do good and find love for his snailly steed The wonderfully entertaining masters of street and circus performance will be returning to entertain all present with their amazing comedy circus Drop by and say hello to the friendly Fingal Library staff who will answer all your questions about the amazing array of services in the Fingal Library network of branches The Book Doctors from Children’s Books Ireland will be back to give children and families one-to-one advice on books they will love Children can let their imaginations run wild in the Creative Zone with Street Art Ink Graffiti Workshops; Lollipop Tye Dye Workshops as well as Art and Story-making with Orlaith O’Sullivan Discover new ways to be creative with award-winning author/illustrators Mary Murphy and Niamh Sharkey at the Creation Station Come to the Little Library Tent to meet and practice your Gaeilge with “guerilla Irish enthusiast” Áine Gallagher and her giant ‘Cup of Focals’ This area also features a selection of sensory toys and a dedicated quiet space for attendees who would like to take a break The Swords Castle Chapel will be hosting authors Tarsila Krüse Paddy Donnelly and Marita Conlon-McKenna who will be reading from their books and taking questions from readers Niamh Sharkey and Owen Churcher will be reading from the brilliant ‘Hello Bird’ and giving those present the chance to add to the “Monster Doodle” in the Story Tent while musical entertainment will be provided by the Bits & Bobs Orchestra stories and puppets of Sarah Sparkles as well as Magnificent Mask-Making with Margaret-Anne Suggs Alan Nolan will be at the Tall-Tales Tent for the Great Castle Drawalong while children can meet authors Leona Forde Derek Landy and Chris Judge who will be reading from their books and answering questions Book gifting will again be a major feature of the festival and readers will have opportunities to get their books signed by the authors in attendance the brilliantly talented Alan Nolan has put together “The Magic of Stories Activity Book” which is available for free at Fingal library branches The book features the “Great Book Character Selfie Competition” where children can draw a picture of themselves as their favourite book character The Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature takes place in Swords Castle on Saturday 28th September from 11am – 4pm. Pick up a copy of the festival brochure at your local Fingal library or view it online on our website: https://www.fingal.ie/magic-stories-fingal-festival-childrens-literature-2024 Tickets are available for free from Eventbrite from Thursday 5th September at 9am: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/magic-of-stories-festival-2024-tickets-1003466323787 For further information contact: Emer Sharkey / Orla Drohan / Barry O’Carroll at Fingal Libraries Events & PR  1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of 2025 (peacefully) in the loving care of the staff at Our Lady’s Hospice Harold’s Cross and previously in the care of the staff of Tallaght Hospital Beloved wife of Henry and much-loved mam of Derek her dearest granddaughter Chloe and her husband Vishnu daughter-in-law Pauline and children Alannah and Thomas friends and former work colleagues in Arnotts and Davy Rogers Reposing at Cunningham’s Funeral Home, Celbridge on Friday evening (February 14th) between 5 pm and 7 pm. A funeral service for Vivien will take place in Newlands Cross Crematorium on Saturday morning (February 15th) at 9:50 am. Vivien’s funeral service may be viewed online (live only) by following this LINK. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Apr 28, 2025 | Navan Women’s 3rd XV…………………..24 Swords………………………………………….27 Navan RFC’s Women’s 3rd XV made history on Saturday as they contested their first-ever final taking on Swords in the Leinster Division 5/6 Women’s Plate Final at Mullingar RFC’s grounds in Shay Murtagh Park In just a few short months since their formation the Navan Women’s 3rd team have shown remarkable progress reflecting the explosive growth of women’s rugby within the club which now boasts over 70 active female players across three squads end-to-end encounter that could have gone either way Niamh Lister was the standout performer for Navan crossing the line for an incredible four tries Swords edged the contest by the narrowest of margins the achievement of reaching a provincial final at the first attempt alongside the continued success of the club’s 1st and 2nd women’s teams marks a proud moment for Navan RFC and highlights the bright future for women’s rugby at the club Navan Women’s 3rd XV Squad “Sponsored by P Bermingham’s Bar”: Kellie Behan The Navan Blub Dragons with the Balbriggan Stingers Perpetual Trophy for the best performance by a Senior Team at the Balbriggan blitz on (Photo by Grahame Morrison) Blue Dragons win silverware at Balbriggan Stingers blitz Navan Blue Dragons were on the road again last Sunday as they headed to Balbriggan for a tag blitz The Dragons played four matches in the senior blitz against St Mary’s All Stars Some of the opposition were familiar from the Dragons’ own blitz two weeks previous and there was some great teamwork on display resulting in all of the Blue Dragons players managing to get a try across the four matches the Blue Dragons were tenacious in defence All of the players’ efforts did not go unnoticed as the Blue Dragons were awarded the Balbriggan Stingers Perpetual Trophy for the best performance by a Senior Team This trophy is awarded in memory of Tony Walsh the father of one of the Balbriggan Stingers players Navan Blue Dragons are deeply honoured and delighted to be recipients of this trophy and will display the shield with pride in our clubhouse until we return to Balbriggan next year © Meath Live | All Rights Reserved | Powered by GO2WEB.IE We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These 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effectiveness of the ad campaigns iSecure Swords Thunder will play McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles in the Women’s Division One National Cup Final after an inspired double-double from Makayla Miller lead them to a 74-61 win over Oblate Dymanos at Gurranabraher Credit Union Arena on Saturday evening Jasmine Walker and Megan Howe all reached double digits for Paul Carr’s outfit as they banished the demons of a first round exit to the same opposition a year ago Ireland underage international Sophie Staunton tried to put her team on her shoulders but her 17-point haul wasn’t enough to get them over the line Both sets of starters began attacking the basket aggressively and effectively leaving a fast paced game at 11-11 just after the midway point in the first quarter  The remaining 4:16 before the break was the Makayla Miller show The former La Salle University guard scored 13 of her side’s remaining 15 points creating her own shot off the dribble and making tough finishes at the rim against a stubborn Oblate Dynamos interior defence Thunder were doing an excellent job of taking away Oblate’s main threat in Staunton Samathna Massey was one to try and fill that void She took on the scoring burden and managed to get to the free-throw stripe three times but could only manage to shoot 33% to send iSecure Swords Thunder back to the huddle with a 26-15 lead at the close of one The second and third quarters played out much more evenly Oblates found more parity on the boards and head coach Terry Staunton appeared to find a solution to the Miller problem - she was held scoreless despite seeing the floor for the full ten minutes of the second - but the Inchicore side couldn’t capitalise Turnovers were proving to be a momentum killer to the efforts of Staunton who hit her team’s only shot from beyond the arc in the quarter.as they entered the locker room trailing 42-31 If iSecure Swords Thunder head coach Paul Carr’s message to his troops was about keeping calm they carried out his instructions to a tee in the second half Every time Oblates looked to build some rhythm of their own Thunder made a shot or a big defensive play to stop them Staunton’s influence continued to grow as she made two important shots from the corner following some good work by Heather Meagher on the offensive glass but there just wasn’t enough of a consistent scoring threat within the Oblate Dynamos ranks to aid her The final period played out without too much tension Miller picked up three more boards to cement her double-double performance but when Oblates really needed to find their range from distance to force a nervy end for iSecure Swords Thunder they could only manage to shoot 14% from their seven attempts The buzzer sounded with a 74-61 scoreline in favour of iSecure Swords Thunder who will go on to face Women’s Division One table toppers McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles after they dispatched holders Limerick Celtics at MTU Arena National Basketball Arena Tymon Park, Dublin, IrelandD24 N449   (map) T: +353 1 459 0211E: info@ireland.basketball Get the latest basketball news to your inbox,ticket offers View the contact page for more contact and location information “I feel that Lorraine truly cares about us as students I will come away from my time at Trinity next year and Lorraine will be one of the professors I think I will always remember in years to come largely due to her compassion and kindness”. - Student Read more about these awards here The traffic plan will mean the section of Seatown Road between North Street and St Columcille's Drive will be closed to all traffic from July 1 People living in and visiting the Swords town centre over the last few months will have seen work underway around the Swords Castle area as preparations began for the construction of the Swords Cultural Quarter (SCQ) With a substantial amount of work now to be undertaken on the multi-million Euro project Fingal County Council has announced that following a consultation a two-year traffic management plan will be put in place from Monday 1st of July 2024 to help accommodate the delivery of the new community and civic facilities The traffic plan will mean the section of Seatown Road between North Street and St Columcille's Drive will be closed to all traffic traffic calming measures will be implemented with on street parking along St Columcille's Drive and parts of Chapel Lane being removed speed ramps being installed and an improved school safety zone on Seatown Road Further details on the alternative routes for traffic travelling in the area during the temporary closure can be found on the Fingal website: fingal.ie/RoadClosures Owing to the extensive scale of the SCQ project, the temporary road closures and diversions that will be introduced in July will impact traffic that would normally use Seatown Road, St Columcille's Drive and North Street. The period of the proposed temporary road closure is from 8.00am on 1st July 2024 to 5.00pm on 30th June 2026.  Once completed, the new Civic and Cultural Centre in Swords will include a new 3,000m2 County Library, an art gallery and exhibition space, a café, a civic area, studios and rehearsal rooms, and a Black Box theatre which can cater for audiences of between 165 and 360 depending on the type of event being staged. Fingal County Council regrets any inconvenience caused whilst construction is underway. It feels like eyes are always monitoring us and that unblinking cis gaze can be unnerving So if trans visibility is a double-edged sword maybe we should just get actual fucking swords Like so many kids with overactive imaginations I’ve been “sword-curious” since I was smacking sticks together and pretending they were lightsabers with the other prepubescents But buying a real one for myself never seemed reasonable let alone practical — particularly after a friend removed one of his prized mall katanas from its sheath to show it off only for the blade to fall right out of the hilt and impale his own foot Maybe it was time for me to start actually drawing steel — and if you’re a sword-curious trans person too maybe the answers I found will be helpful for you The modern study and practice of swordplay falls under the heading of “historic martial arts,” and hundreds of different types of blades and fighting styles are still being studied and practiced around the world today the most well-recognized of these in my country is fencing an Olympic combat sport since the modern Games’ founding in 1896 This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from Practitioners of Historic European Martial Arts (HEMA, sometimes referred to as “Western martial arts”) compete with everything from longswords and rapiers to more specialized weapons like, say, the German messer (a long, single-edged blade with a knifelike hilt); likewise, Historic African Martial Arts (HAMA) groups study and spar with weapons like the takouba or the North African sabre And that’s not even touching the thousands of years of study across various Asian sword disciplines I was somewhat stunlocked as to where I should begin several of my trans friends were far ahead of me including one who was already preparing to compete in this year’s Ladies’ Knight a trans-inclusive HEMA tournament held annually in New Jersey I got in touch with several other trans and nonbinary people in HEMA to ask about their feelings for swords and the benefits of learning to actually wield one (Some names and identifying details have been changed.) the logo for which consists of two crossed swords over a Progress Pride flag a German master fencer of the 14th or 15th century Lichtenauer’s lengthy poetic Zettel (“recital”) left instructions about how to perform his techniques for future generations but only those who could decode its cryptic verses; those who puzzle it out can then use its rhyming couplets as mnemonic devices or at least the part of my brain responsible for my poetry degree “Starting to go to my club is probably the single decision that has had the largest positive impact on my life,” Isabel stresses to me “It’s gotten me a wonderful partner who I love very very much a community that respects and looks up to me an outlet for me to be a nerd about swords and historical texts and has me in better physical shape than I’ve ever been.” “So if trans visibility is a double-edged sword maybe we should just get actual fucking swords.” HEMA swordfighting might not seem like it has many practical modern applications but that’s not entirely true (and learning to defend oneself from an attack is beneficial in any context) a nonbinary HEMA competitor originally from the Midwest says that the sport clicked for them in ways classical fencing never did El told me they’ve also felt empowered by studying HEMA grappling styles for self-defense “I was working a corporate retail job in a red county which led to having to deal with some real.. a coach offered them guided instruction on how to bodily take down much bigger opponents which they’ve implemented in the rest of their training even if it’s only during a cooperative drill I can implement techniques that end fights.” One of the most experienced swordfighters I spoke with is C a 28-year-old from Pennsylvania who told me they’ve been practicing various forms of martial arts since 2000 HEMA only crossed their mind because it was cheaper than starting judo lessons but they swiftly fell in love — and although Ehlers-Danlos syndrome prevented them from continuing their longsword training after a few years they soon found a new obsession with Italian fencing Burns explains to me that they’ve been developing a rapier style for competition that’s based on the work of famed 17th-century fencer Ridolfo Capo Ferro “My favorite thing about HEMA is working with archaic books and systems,” Burns explains Interpreting those texts involves iterative testing to figure out what the original forms might have looked like until a functional model can be defined — but the first step of interpreting those texts should be to reexamine your own preconceptions and the model you end up with doesn’t have to be a carbon copy of what came before “I will never fence exactly like an old dead dude from the 1600s,” Burns shrugs “So I look at my biases and see what I can create and do using the words of [that] old dead dude as the scaffold from which to express my own art and style.” It’s during my conversation with Burns that I realize I’ve been limiting my perspective from the beginning it was admittedly with a kind of ironic detachment the kind someone with a poetry degree and a love for cartoon weapons would bring to the topic I had already framed the idea of trans sword culture in my mind as a queer twist on the modern right wing’s meme mantra “reject modernity embrace tradition.” That’s rhetorically convenient I check my biases and realize that just like we do in so many more walks of life and countless other disciplines reimagine the possibilities allowed by “tradition,” staking a claim to our shared past and unrealized futures by synthesizing them in the present I can’t see myself ever fully becoming a firearm femme my baseline aiming prowess is quite bad.) Still these days I find myself further into my Second Amendment era than ever this foray has given you some places to start as well Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here. Fingal Libraries Hosts a Magical Festival of Children’s Literature at Swords Castle   The Magic of Stories was attended by the Mayor of Fingal Cllr. Brian McDonagh as well as our local Councillors.   The Magic of Stories was an enchanting day, filled with joy and excitement. Fingal Libraries also offered every child who attended the special opportunity to receive a book to take home, and the chance to get it signed by their favorite author in the ‘Meet the Author’ tent. The smiling faces as everyone departed was a heartwarming reminder that the love for books, literature, and libraries is alive and well in Fingal. It was a day that truly celebrated the magic of stories and the joy of reading Gardaí seized the cocaine and cannabis in the early hours of Monday morning. Picture: An Garda Siochána Officers on patrol in Swords stopped a vehicle at around 12.30am on Monday The vehicle had been alerted to gardaí after it was shown to have no tax or insurance on one of their systems was discovered to be disqualified and arrested by Gardaí approximately €70,000 of suspected cocaine was discovered concealed in the vehicle In a subsequent search under warrant of a residential property in the Swords area gardaí discovered approximately €55,000 of suspected cannabis herb The drugs seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis The arrested woman is currently detained at a garda station in the DMR North From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in Follow and share the latest news and stories A Garda wearing the new Garda baseball cap conducts a checkpoint this afternoon in Carlow A Celtic burial site from the Second Iron Age in France contains two rare Two 2,300-year-old swords discovered in a Celtic Iron Age necropolis in France "have few equivalents in Europe," and one is decorated with tiny swastikas the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) reports Both swords were found intact in their scabbards copper-alloy scabbard designed to be worn at the waist Several polished gems decorate the scabbard's edges and at least two of the gems have swastika designs an archaeologist associated with INRAP and manager of the necropolis excavation he is unsure of the swastika's significance to the Celts But due to the region's highly acidic soil A single cremation burial was discovered alongside a funerary vase with punched designs and painted bands or design patterns made by hammering the reverse side of the metallic sheet It was created sometime between the late fourth and early third centuries B.C a common decorative theme that was "fashionable among Celtic craftsmen" from the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Related: Possible 'mega' fort found in Wales hints at tension between Romans and Celtics Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox (Image credit: Flore Giraud/INRAP )A close-up image showing the swastikas on the gems near the top of the sword (Image credit: Flore Giraud/INRAP )The longer sword alongside its belt rings and a brooch (Image credit: Flore Giraud/INRAP )Two copper-alloy bracelets found in the necropolis in France The most striking items found at the necropolis were the two well-preserved swords An X-ray analysis of the short blade whose scabbard had the swastikas revealed embedded symbols at the blade's top — a circle and a crescent moon separated by a line suggesting it was created at the beginning of the fourth century B.C He noted that similar symbolism was found on other Celtic swords He added that sun and moon designs can also be found on short swords throughout continental Europe from the third and fourth centuries B.C —Elite Celtic warrior had healed arrowhead injury in his pelvis, 3D bone analysis reveals —2,300-year-old Celtic helmet discovered in Poland The second sword was longer and its scabbard still has its suspension rings that allowed it to be attached to a belt on the waist The long sword has "all the characteristics of a functional weapon," as it could be worn by a rider and its scabbard was not richly decorated But the shorter sword with the swastikas does not appear to be functional this sword was likely used as a marker of power He added that the shorter sword is "more or less contemporary with the Celtic incursions in northern Italy and the sacking of Rome in 387 BCE," when the Gauls beat the Roman army at the Battle of Alia but "it is not possible to say more at this moment." A psychology major with minors in history and commerce he previously worked in the tech and e-commerce space for brands like Digital Trends and Mashable he has reported for Science and Live Science and specializes in covering science news Being a cancer and autoimmune diabetes survivor he understands how patients can be constantly bombarded with misinformation and dedicates a portion of his work to debunking health myths Hårby Valkyrie: A 1,200-year-old gold Viking Age woman sporting a sword Archaeologists discover hundreds of metal objects up to 3,400 years old on mysterious volcanic hilltop in Hungary ASL Ireland issued a statement Friday meant to appease On Monday about 11.30am nine protestors were set up in front of the offices of ASL Airlines Ireland and the rest – some holding Palestinian flags – responded “Palestine!” A man driving a lorry for a paper shredding company drove by Protestors have been coming to this spot since 20 October a volunteer with the group Swords for Palestine That was after The Ditch reported that the Irish company was helping FedEx transport packages containing F-35 components from the US – via Cologne Those fall under the International Traffic of Arms Regulations (ITAR) “Our motivation here is to have a company like this be held to account,” O’Mahony said at Monday’s protest On 21 October, ASL Airlines Ireland published a “clarification” saying it “has had no contract with any party to carry munitions or weapons of war since recent hostilities began in the Middle East a year ago” The Ditch continued its reporting, and the protestors kept showing up. On Friday, 8 November, ASL published another statement “ASL Airlines Ireland has not … carried any weapons or munitions of war to Israel since this conflict began,” it said the company has “made the business decision not to carry certain goods on ASL Airlines Ireland’s Middle East operations including prohibiting freight such as ITAR shipments that could be interpreted as munitions or weapons of war,” it said O’Mahony said on Monday that Swords for Palestine is sceptical of ASL Ireland’s carefully worded statements “Our position is that [the 8 November statement] fails to distance themselves from the acts they have done,” O’Mahony says “We want them to stop and to prove they have stopped.” ASL Airlines Ireland has not responded to queries sent Friday. Nor has its owner, London-based private equity firm STAR Capital Partnership Also, the German government has not responded to a query sent Monday asking whether it has conducted a risk assessment of these trans-shipments of ITAR goods through Cologne, under the EU Common Position on exports of military technology and equipment The Common Position says EU member states should deny an export licence of items on the EU Common Military List “if there is a clear risk that the military technology or equipment to be exported might be used in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law” the Israeli military’s war crimes and crimes against humanity continue There are a lot of different companies connected to ASL Airlines Ireland London-based STAR Capital Partnership has a broad portfolio including German bike-share company nextbike which does cash pick-ups and deliveries around Dublin ASL Aviation Holdings has several cargo airlines: ASL Airlines Ireland that is  involved in the transport of these ITAR goods from the US to Israel is FedEx FedEx has not responded to queries sent Friday asking whether it has any concerns about facilitating the shipment of ITAR goods to Israel given the war crimes Israel is committing in Gaza It also did not respond to a query asking for its response to calls from UN experts for an arms embargo on Israel In February, the  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement from a group of UN experts calling on countries to “refrain from transferring any weapon or ammunition – or parts for them – if it is expected given the facts or past patterns of behaviour that they would be used to violate international law” They “welcomed the decision of a Dutch appeals court on 12 February 2024 ordering the Netherlands to halt the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel The court found that there was a “clear risk” that the parts would be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law As recently as 1 November, plugging a series of tracking numbers obtained by The Ditch into FedEx’s normal online shipment tracking tool revealed details of such shipments They showed the routes of ITAR goods from various locations in the United States to Nevatim Air Force Base in Israel home to squadrons of US-made Israeli F-35 fighters FedEx’s flight tracker then shows it leaving Cologne at 6.04 on 10 October reaching Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport at 11.08 According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24 ASL Airlines operated a flight that day that left Cologne at 6.08 and landed at 11.04– aircraft B738 (EI-HRB) That’s a Boeing 737, with the airline listed by Flightradar24 as ASL Airlines Ireland, serial number 32686, registered to ASL Airlines Ireland It frequently flies the Cologne-Tel Aviv route There are dozens of other such parcel numbers However, between 1 November and 2 November, the tags showing that these parcels contained goods regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations disappeared from FedEx’s shipment tracking website FedEx has not responded to a query sent Friday about this a senior researcher in international law at the Asser Institute in The Hague says in the EU there are no rules or requirements for companies to disclose where such goods are being sent and to who This lack of supply-chain transparency is a problem because it makes it harder to hold anyone accountable for how they are used in the end and that product is indeed used to violate human rights the people who have been harmed by these products will have a lot of difficulties getting access to justice,” he says The fact that these goods were shipped via Cologne raises the question of whether the German government has conducted a risk assessment on what they’d be used for The EU Common Position on exports of military technology and equipment, from 2008, applies to items on the EU Common Military List the Common Position says EU member states should deny export licences if such goods are likely to be used to violate international humanitarian law or be used aggressively by the recipient against another country or “prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in the country of final destination” “Israel seems to be a special case and the US/Germany continue to supply arms” says Simone Wisotzki project leader at Peace Research Institute Frankfurt’s research depart­ment on international security She said she doubts the German government has done any risk assessment on these trans-shipments of ITAR goods to Israel US arms are also transshipped through Germany without any national risk assessments,” Wisotzki says “I guess this is a political decision and part of the ‘special relationship’ between the US and Germany (and Israel).” outside the ASL building on Malahide Road in Swords O’Mahony and the other protestors have tea and pastries and posters saying “No profits from genocide in Swords” “We just feel we have to take action,” O’Mahony says Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open You are visiting us because we have something you value Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. A 22-YEAR-OLD man has received the mandatory sentence of life in prison for murdering his one-time friend by stabbing him in the neck with the victim’s heartbroken parents saying they have been left with “a void that will never be filled” “He never thought his days were numbered by someone who would attack him from behind,” said Inga and Victor Mamaliga of their son Marius (19) in an emotional victim impact statement delivered to the Central Criminal Court today during the sentencing of Brandon Gavin had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Mamaliga at Forest Court with the jury in his trial hearing that he told gardaí that Mr Mamaliga “came at” him so he defended himself claiming that he feared for his life as he owed a drug debt of €2,500 The trial heard witness evidence that Mr Mamaliga had sold drugs in the past and that Gavin owed him money agreed with the prosecution case that Gavin’s claim he had acted in his own defence was “self-serving nonsense” Evidence was heard that Gavin had been messaging women on Tinder just minutes before he stabbed Mr Mamaliga and that on the day before the attack the defendant’s phone had searched for “prison sentence for murder in Ireland” The jury heard that Mr Mamaliga was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car with two friends when Gavin got into the rear passenger side and stabbed him once in the neck with a knife before fleeing the scene Despite receiving assistance at the scene from passersby Mr Mamaliga was brought to hospital in a critical condition and died three days later State pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis told the jury that despite medical intervention at the scene of the stabbing Mr Mamaliga suffered hypoxic brain injury which was caused by the deprivation of oxygen to the brain due to blood loss The jury at the Central Criminal Court in November deliberated for close to five hours before returning their unanimous verdict against Gavin delivered to the sentencing court today on behalf of Inga and Victor Mamaliga by John D O’Keefe patron of Advocates for Victims of Homicide the grieving pair said that the death of a child can “bring parents to their knees” as they deal with “unbearable pain that will stay with them until the end of their days” “Nothing will be able to fill the void in the hearts of the parents who have lost a child,” they said describing their son as a young man who had hopes and dreams who worked and studied and “never thought his days were numbered by someone who would attack him from behind” They said that it had been unbearable for them to be present in the courtroom where they had to listen to how their child was killed and to look at the defendant who they said had shown no remorse for what he did They said that since the death of their son adding that everywhere they go and every step they take we go to the cemetery to lay flowers at his grave,” they said outlining how Marius’ murder had brought their entire family “into darkness” “We lost a part of our souls and hearts and have been left with a void that will never be filled,” they said going on to tell the court that they needed psychological counselling and medical treatment for anxiety and we will be proud of him until the end of our lives,” they said so that later you can get to enjoy the people they have become” The victim impact statement concluded with a reading of the W.H In a short letter to the court written by Gavin and delivered by his barrister the defendant said that he knew what he had done has ruined many lives and he asked for Mr and Mrs Mamaliga’s forgiveness for the pain and grief he has caused them Thanking the Mamaliga family for their victim impact statement and extending her deepest sympathy to them for the loss of their son Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said she must impose the mandatory sentence of life in prison on Gavin Create an email alert based on the current article A man has been arrested after cannabis worth €400,000 was seized during a garda raid in Swords Gardaí attached to the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) searched a property as part of ongoing investigations into the sale and supply of illegal drugs and related criminal activity in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) with a combined total of 20kg and a street value of €400,000 (subject to analysis) were seized,” a garda spokesperson said A garda spokesmen added: “€7,000 in cash believed to be the proceeds of crime was also seized by the DCRT “A male in his 40s was arrested at the scene for an offence contrary to Section 15 Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a garda station in the DMR.” The seized drugs will now be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) to undergo analysis DMR said: “This large seizure was another step towards the dismantling of this gang from whom An Garda Síochána in the DMR have now seized over €2 million in illegal drugs “An Garda Síochána’s continued efforts will ensure that those in our communities who are involved in criminal activity will be targeted and brought to justice.” Gardaí said the seizure forms part of Operation Tara the enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris in July 2021 dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks Swords, Sean (John), (Finglas, Dublin and late of Cabra) - 5th December, 2024, peacefully at home in the tender loving care of his adored wife Kathleen and daughters, Allison (Bedford) and Catherine (O’Leary). Predeceased by his sisters Cora and Phyllis and brother Mark. He will be very sadly missed by his family, his brother Jimmy, sons-in-law Joe and John, grandchildren Katie, Jack, Laura and Tom, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, friends and neighbours. Reposing at the Fanagan Kirwan Funeral Home, Ballygall Road West on Monday (9th December) from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm. Funeral on Wednesday morning (11th December) to St. Canice's Church, Finglas for 10 o’clock Requiem Mass followed by Burial in St. Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton. surrounded by her loving family and in the wonderful care of staff at St Francis Hospice Beloved wife of Anthony and loving mother of son Gavin Predeceased by her parents and brothers Michael and John Coolock D17 FK58 on Thursday afternoon 10th April from 3pm to 5pm Removal on Friday morning to the Church of St Cronan Swords arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am followed by burial in Balgriffin Extension Cemetery donations if desired to St Francis Hospice The Funeral Mass will be streamed live on Friday morning 11th April at 10am via the following link https://mcn.live/Camera/st-cronans-church-brackenstown-swords If you would like to make a donation to the chosen charity please click on the button below. (peacefully) at home surrounded by his family 12th) afternoon to Dardistown Crematorium Chapel arriving for 1 p.m service followed by burial in adjoining cemetery You can view the funeral service live on Dardistown's webcam through the following link Webcam link: https://www.dctrust.ie/location/dardistown/dardistown-chapel-webstreaming.html Please leave your personal messages of condolence for Seán's family in the section below St. Francis Hospice. Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland This article is 7 months oldAddress: Mountgorry Cottage, Malahide Road, Swords, Co DublinPrice: €675,000 Agent: Sherry FitzGerald It’s worth looking up old photographs of Mountgorry Cottage on myhome.ie, where the property can be found under the address Malahide Road, Swords, Co Dublin advertises “a 1920s stone cottage in need of complete refurbishment standing in a small site with room for the parking of two cars” Photographs on the listing show exactly what its current owner purchased in 2023 for €195,600 It was completely derelict and uninhabited for more than three decades with half its roof missing and trees growing internally which takes its name from surrounding townlands a property professional with expertise in renovating and flipping houses Back then “we had to dig our way on to the site” and under the guidance of architect Greg Tisdall of Studio D Architects in Dublin with the addition of an extension to the rear What once was a 40sq m derelict cottage has now been replaced with a lovely 97sq m (1,044sq ft) three-bedroom home where all new owners will have to do is unpack [ New houses in Naas offer mix of rural and contemporary living from €560,000Opens in new window ] Inside the main cottage, with newly pointed exterior stone, is a kitchen/livingroom with black wooden units, where a bespoke black staircase leads to an overhead living area on a mezzanine. Here, it’s really only the exposed stone walls that serve as a reminder that part of this property is more than a century old. A smoked larch clad extension was added to the rear, and now houses three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The third bedroom, lying close to a kitchen designed by D1 Kitchens, has a plethora of uses, including as an additional livingroom or indeed a home office. Gardens, now levelled and planted, have a courtyard to the rear, accessed via the main bedroom and kitchen, while a wooden gate allows access from the exterior. The side has also been levelled and seeded with a lawn. Besides having a new roof, insulation, underfloor heating, eight solar panels and hot water from a heat pump, high-tech future-proofing means each room is zoned and can be controlled remotely via a smartphone – in an app that also gives usage readings. In terms of location, Mountgorry Cottage is about 300m from the Pavilions in Swords, so shopping is on the doorstep. For walks, the local Swords Castle and Town Park offer a perfect spot, while Malahide, which is about two miles up the road, has plenty of leisure in terms of sailing, golfing and beach walks. With a Ber of B1 and now more than double its original size, the completely refurbished cottage is on the market seeking €675,000 through Sherry FitzGerald. Elizabeth Birdthistle, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property, fine arts, antiques and collectables Noah Jauny has gained invaluable experience as part of Stade Brestois' squad for their Champions League run After swapping Shamrock Rovers for French side Stade Brestois in 2021 Noah Jauny had been going about his business like most of his peers working his way up the academy ladder and waiting patiently for a chance with the first team A EuroMillions player is sitting on a small fortune and doesn’t even know it The National Lottery are continuing to appeal to EuroMillions players in the Swords area to urgently check their tickets from the Tuesday as a prize of €20,949 remains unclaimed.  The winning ticket was purchased at Tuthills in the Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre on the day of the draw The prize was won by matching five numbers. The winning numbers on the night were: 1 Ticket holders have 90 days from the date of the draw to claim their prize which means the Dublin winner has until 5pm this Monday to claim If you’re holding the winning ticket, you're being urged to sign the back of it and keep it somewhere safe, before contacting the National Lottery prize claims team as soon as possible on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie Arrangements will then be made for you to collect the prize at Lottery HQ.  PRETE, Raymond, 22nd February 2025, (Swords, Co Dublin and Aer Lingus, Dublin Airport). Peacefully but unexpectedly, surrounded by his devoted family in the care of Beaumont Hospital. Loving Father of Illa and Regan, beloved eldest son of Evelyn and Sergio. Raymond is very sadly missed by his brother Adriano, his sister Vivienne and her husband John, his Aunts: Vivienne, Lorraine and her husband Bernard, Stephenie and her husband Bob, and he will be remembered with love and affection by a wide circle of extended family and friends in Italy, Germany and Ireland. Reposing at Jennings Funeral Home, Oscar Traynor Rd, Coolock on Wednesday afternoon February 26th 2025 from 4pm to 6pm. Removal on Thursday morning to The Church of Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Dublin Airport, arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am on Thursday February 27th 2025 followed by Cremation in Dardistown Crematorium Chapel. The Crematorium Service will be streamed live on Thursday afternoon at 12:30pm via the following link. Donations, in lieu, if desired, in Raymond’s Memory to The Irish Heart Foundation (See Link) passed away surrounded by his loving family at his residence Beloved husband of Lac and loving father of Linh Very sadly missed by his wife and daughters Coolock D17 FK58 on Sunday afternoon 27th April from 12pm to 2pm Removal on Monday morning to Dardistown Crematorium arriving for Funeral Service at 10am donations if desired to Irish Cancer Society The Crematorium Service will be streamed live on Monday morning at 10am via the following link https://www.dctrust.ie/location/dardistown/dardistown-chapel-webstreaming.html Cremation / Burial.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Necropolis can be compared to well-known sites in Champagne I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,300-year-old Celtic sword in France decorated with glass paste and swastika engravings, a discovery shedding more light on weapons manufactured in ancient Europe The sword was found at a strange second Iron Age burial site lacking any skeletons due to the acidity of the soil However, researchers uncovered several metal artefacts at the site, including copper alloy bracelets, decorated fibulae made of iron as well as two swords still in their sheath 18 such fibulae were identified at the site with the “most exceptional” of them embellished with a cabochon gemstone and decorated with a silver leaf motif The ornament is attributable to the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 3rd century BC according to the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) After stabilising the artefacts, scientists found that one of the swords was “without a doubt, the most spectacular object of the necropolis”. Its handle and the front plate of its sheath were made of copper alloy, and the sheath also allowed a waist port, researchers say. The sword’s sheath was also adorned with ocelle decorations and several cabochon embellishments, they say. “At least two of them have swastika decorations and probably glass paste,” the INRAP reported. The distinct sword had a short, slender blade with an antenna handle made of iron and associated with spheres made of copper or copper alloys. X-ray scans revealed that there were inlays on the top of the blade, including a round and a crescent moon separated by a line. Based on the nature of these decorations, scientists suspect the sword was conceived likely at the very beginning of the 4th century BC. The other sword, distinctly lacking any decoration, was found accompanied by suspension rings, which would have allowed it to be carried at the waist. It still had some fabric fragments caught in the metallic oxidation at the back of its sheath. The fabric may have come from the deceased's clothing, a shroud, or a case, researchers say. This sword was also likely manufactured during the 4th century BC, scientists say. “The size and typology of the sword suggest a manufacture during the 4th century BC,” INRAP noted. Archaeologists also uncovered a small funerary vase covered with punched patterns alternating with painted headbands at the burial site. “This necropolis can be compared to well-known sites in Champagne, in the Paris Basin, or in Burgundy,” researchers said. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Swords,John (Séan) - 3rd November 2024 (Santry and formerly of Whitehall) Passed away peacefully at home John will be very sadly missed by his son and daughters friends and neighbours especially Olive and Billy Removal on Friday morning to the Church of Blessed Margaret Ball Santry arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am followed by cremation in Dardistown Crematorium at 12pm St. Francis Hospice The Crematorium Service will be streamed live on Friday afternoon at 12pm via the following link Dardistown Crematorium McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles ended iSecure Swords Thunder’s winning start to the Women’s Division One season after they chalked up a 59-30 victory in ALSAA on Saturday evening Lanetta Williams and Rahmena Henderson linked up for 37 points and 26 rebounds as Cavan severely shackled their hosts to secure a win that sees them join their Dublin rivals at the top of the table with a game in hand “We’re very happy with the win in Swords” said McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles head coach “We knew the Thunder would be strong “It’s never easy playing in ALSAA and so it’s nice to close out October on a positive note” he added Limerick Celtics were taken to overtime by a tenacious Oblate Dynamos in Crescent College Stephanie McBride and Shelby Harmeyer each served up 31 points along with a combined 24 rebounds and nine assists while Sabhbh Murphy hit a crucial six in overtime to help Limerick clinch a thrilling win against their Dublin rivals Adia Brisker and Samantha Massey totalled 72 between them Cleveland Rockets produced a superb fourth-quarter comeback to beat Moy Tolka Rovers 71-62 for what was their first win of the season Caitlin Gloeckner bagged 21 points and 11 rebounds while Anna Brennan put a further 19 on the scoreboard and Georgie McGrath mopped up 15 under the boards to help see the visitors battle back from 10 points down early in the fourth for a nine-point victory.  In the first round of fixtures over this double-game weekend for the Men’s Division One Titans BC and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers all extended their unbeaten starts to the season the former storming to a 111-75 victory in their derby against Limerick Sport Eagles in Crescent College where Abdul Wurie and Ariyon Williams combined for 65 points Titans had just a point to spare as they edged a 69-68 win on the road against Maigh Cuilinn while Portlaoise fought back from a slow start to beat Team NorthWest 75-68 in St Mater Private Malahide shipped their first loss of the campaign after they suffered a 90-82 reversal at home against Moy Tolka Rovers Emiliyan Grudov landing seven of his eight attempts from beyond the arc on his way to a 31-point total for the winners Tolka followed that success up with a 94-81 triumph over Team NorthWest at home on Sunday Joels Dublin Lions finally got off the mark in Division One winning out 95-91 against a Carrick Cruisers side who themselves are still awaiting their first win of the season Aidan Igiehon enjoyed a big night for the Clondalkin side with 36 points and nine rebounds Another big derby saw Scotts Lakers Killarney dig out a 91-86 triumph over Killarney Cougars in Presentation Gym Mikah Blackwell emerging top-scorer on a huge 38 points with Kani Glover just one shy of that total for the hosts Aaron Jackson and James Aboaba linked up for 54 points as SETU Waterford Vikings recorded a 96-82 success against Tipp Talons in Carrickpherish Hall while Drogheda Wolves ran out 92-85 winners over Ulster University in the lone Friday night fixture in Jordanstown Sports Village Christian Simmons nailing all five of his three-point attempts on his way to a total of 38 Ulster did bounce back from that defeat with a hard-fought 67-62 victory over Carrick Cruisers in the Phoenix Centre on Sunday Nathan Karren and Curtis Larousse totalling 34 points 21 rebounds and seven assists for the visitors ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 75-68 Team NorthWest Mater Private Malahide 82-90 Moy Tolka Rovers Limerick Celtics 111-75 Limerick Sport Eagles Killarney Cougars 86-91 Scotts Lakers Killarney Limerick Sport Eagles vs Scotts Lakers Killarney ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers vs Mater Private Malahide ISecure Swords Thunder 30-59 McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles Limerick Sport Eagles vs Ulster University Moy Tolka Rovers vs SETU Waterford Vikings Maigh Cuilinn vs ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers