Glorious weekends in North County Dublin

It's not natural. The sun shining for two consecutive weekends (long weekends at that) is enough to convince my burnt Irish craw that something in the universe is shifting. And I love it. Bring it on, baby. I'm definitely evolved from something feline. I love to stretch all my limbs and arch my back then turn my face to the sun feeling my troubles falling behind me. I'm just a big fat lazy old tabby lolling in the sun soaking up its energy. I don't care if its not natural - it's bloody brilliant.

May is often the best month of the year weather wise in Ireland and there are lots of places in North County Dublin where I live where one can ramble on a fine day. The Estuary in Swords/Malahide can be beautiful at sunset as can any of the beaches within a fifteen minute drive of my suburban home in Swords. I'm particularly fond of Skerries but there are great beaches at Malahide, Rush, Donabate and Loughshinney as well. We're spoiled for choice in North Dublin with parks too. Ardgillan Demesne, Skerries Mills, Newbridge House and Farm are all beautiful places to ramble through ans all are child-friendly. The libraries in Malahide and Rush are well worth visits too (although they close on Sundays). Both buildings have been lovingly restored and I love the way they have used the old confessional boxes in Rush library as sound booths where one can listen to music or audio books. Ingenious.

It's a pity there is still limited access to the castle and church in Swords. The restoration seems to be taking forever and of course public money for the job has dried up now. The church is really beautiful and its restoration had been extremely sensitive. I still dream of having a book launch there some day. With a red baby grand in one corner and one of my musical friends tinkling away as people mill around sipping wine and telling me how wonderful my writing is. Dreamer? Yes, perhaps - but once I'm still breathing and writing there's hope. Isn't there?

Swords is Buzzin'

Walking into work this morning I met one of my neighbour’s kids. She’s a lovely young one, bright and bubbly, loves to chat and is a great little worker. I’m happy to say that since she left school four years ago she has never been unemployed for longer than a week or two, nor has her brother, two years behind her. And both of them have been employed in local shops/industry.

I am aware that the numbers on the unemployment registers are growing and that work in any part of the property industry, from building down to decoration is at a complete standstill but Swords and it’s immediate hinterlands, barring the closure of SR Technics ( a disgrace), seems to have been reasonably well insulated against the downturn. The Pavilions shopping Centre is jam packed every weekend and phase III with Marks and Spencer as its flagship store is going ahead. The cinema has a constant stream of people in and out, the pubs, restaurants and shops are all busy.

Maybe we should set up the independent republic of Swords. Bags I be Minister of Culture. Oooooh! Wouldn’t it be great, I’d produce on a performance of Midsummer Night's Dream in the atrium of Fingal County Hall, fairy lights strung along the high tension wires to make the place more magical, all those stairs and all that glass, it'd be deadly. Jemser could play Bottom, I'm too old for Titania so I'll direct.

I’d have a quartet - Cello, 2 violins and piano giving recitals in the recently refurbished chapel in Swords Castle. In warmer weather I’d set up a stage in Swords Town Park and have a battle of the bands for all the local head-bangers and would–be rock stars, we’d organise poetry slams and diddle-y-aye nights in all the pubs. Storytelling sessions for kids in Fingallian’s Hall, in the summer a weekend street festival – invite some of the wonderful street performers over. Have a Hip-Hop Sunday once every two months up around the Pavilions somewhere. Art exhibitions, local crafts, puc fada, tug of war. We’d fill all the hotels in the surrounding areas and bring millions into our straitened economy.
What else? C’mon lads, a prize for the most outlandish (but possible) suggestion – and it has to be cultured, ‘cause us North County people are fierce cultured. The prize will be….. a J.C. Savage 2010 calendar.