Tidy Towns: Local Skerries Winners 2015

What do Skerries Mills, Shoe Horn, Barbara Ryan of The Old Rectory, the residents of The Kybe and Wisteria all have in common? They were recipients at the recent Skerries Tidy Towns Awards Night! And they, as well as many, many others here in Skerries, contributed significantly to our very good results in the national Tidy Towns competition 2015.

Below is the list of awards, their sponsors and their winners.

Well done, everyone!

 

Area Judged

 

Sponsored By

 

Winner

 

Best Floral Display on a Business

 

 

The Progressive Credit Union

 

Skerries Mills

Accepting: Ray Hunt

Presenting: Sinead Morgan from the progressive credit union

 

 

Best Window Display

 

The Red Bank

 

Shoe Horn

Accepting: Marian Butterly, Debbie and Sandra

Presented by: Frances Owens

 

 

Best Presented House in the Town Centre

 

The Progressive Credit Union

 

The Old Rectory

Millars Lane, Holmpatrick.

Accepting: Barbara Ryan

Presented by: Sinead Morgan from the progressive credit union

 

 

Best Presented House in an Estate

 

 

 

 

Kelly & Co Auctioneers

 

 

34 Downside Heights

Accepting: Geraldine Palmer

Presented by: Frances Owens

 

 

Best Presented Estate

 

 

S.C.A. Skerries Community Association

 

The Kybe

Accepting: Caroline Dwyer and residents

Presented by : Brendan Sherlock

 

 

Best Signage on a Business

 

Skerries Tidy Towns

 

Piccolo, Thomas Hand St

Accepting: Giorgio

Presented by: Frances Owens

 

 

Best Presented Business

 

Tom and Denyze Joyce

Skerries Art School

 

Wisteria

Accepting: Camille Dennis

Presented by: The artist

Shane McInerney

 

Previous Public Consultation – Irish Rail

You may have seen the link and information on the SCA Facebook page or Newsflash – Irish Rail were engaged in a consultation process concerning their proposed changes up to last week.

We are working closely with Bob Laird in this regard, who is a member on Fingal County Council’s Strategic Policy Committee for Transport and who went through the proposals with a fine-toothed comb. Based on his thoughts and our own analysis, we felt that there were some changes that would not be so good for Skerries.

We shared these with the recipients of the daily SCA Newsflash, encouraging to make their own input to the consultation process on irishrail.ie – but we also drew up a submission and forwarded it to Irish Rail. It follows here:

trains consultation snippetSkerries Community Association
Website: www.skerriesca.com
Contact: info@skerriesca.com
7 December 2015

We wish to begin by stating that Skerries residents have been loyal users of the train service over the years, and that many of us rely very much on the trains for mobility.

In general the train service, when not overcrowd, is reliable and comfortable. Having said that, some improvements are necessary. The frequency in off-peak is not sufficient for the numbers travelling and there are a number of negative implications for users in the draft 2016 timetable, especially for those returning home in the afternoon/evening peak. We consider it crucial that overcrowding on off peak trains be reduced as many less able bodied people choose to travel off-peak in the hope of getting a seat.

We wish to say also that the time allowed for the consultation is not sufficient for train users to study a long PDF document and analyse the implications of what is being proposed.

Comments on draft Timetable.

We welcome the introduction of an express from Dundalk at 07.55 am, which serves Drogheda, and which will free up space for Skerries and other stations further south.

Below is a list of the omissions from, and proposed changes to, the draft timetable which we believe will adversely affect users of the service travelling to and from Skerries.

Issues which we feel have not been adequately addressed:

Weekdays inbound:

  • we need extra trains around 1000 to 1200 to reduce overcrowding;
  • the 1758 from Balbriggan should stop at Rush & Lusk, and Donabate

Weekdays outbound:

  • extra trains needed in off-peak to relieve overcrowding, especially on current 1444 and 2013 from Pearse
  • a train between the proposed 1523 and 1623 from Pearse will be needed. The proposed 60 minute gap is far too long
  • The later departures of 1713 and 1728 from Pearse to 1723 and 1743 won’t work. It means not enough capacity between 1700 and 1730, the 1723 will be overcrowded before it even leaves Pearse. Also a very long gap for Pearse/Tara St. to Donabate. Propose that 1712 from Connolly to Balbriggan starts at Pearse at 1705 and becomes an 8-coach. Also all trains should stop at Donabate
  • Last train should be kept at 2330 from Pearse, not 2323

Saturdays inbound:

  • train leaving Balbriggan at 0920 should be 0925, to be consistent hourly with all the other trains
  • need extra trains (above the basic hourly) mid-morning when more people travelling into city, rather than in afternoon as proposed

Saturday outbound:

  • need extra train at 1600. Gap from 1530 to 1630 is too long
  • need extra train at night to give hourly departures from 1830 to 2330
  • Why is 1658 from Pearse stopping at Clongriffin to let Enterprise past, adding 7 minutes to journey? Would it be better to run a few minutes later, leaving Connolly after the Enterprise?

Sunday inbound:

  • Three hour gap in evening is too long. Should be no gap bigger than two hours, with second last train at same time as weekdays

Sunday outbound:

  • Need extra trains to bring it to hourly at key afternoon times when people are coming home. Most critical is a 1815 from Pearse, also need a 1615

Sunday outbound:

  • Need extra trains to bring it to hourly at key afternoon times when people are coming home. Most critical is a 1815 from Pearse, also need a 1615

We trust you will consider our concerns and endeavour to accommodate our suggestions.

Yours sincerely,

Michael McKenna, Vice Chairperson, Skerries Community Association

Welcoming our new SCA Directors!

Since September 2015, a number of new Directors have joined the Board of Directors of the Skerries Community Association.

The three snapshots below were taken during our December Board meeting in Skerries Community Centre / The Old School.

Tony Graham is a long-standing member of Skerries Cycling Initiative and has been a mentor with Skerries CoderDojo since their very first session.

Joyce Moore is part of the Skerries Skate Park Committee.

And Mary Marsden is part of the Sustainable Skerries committee, as well as being involved in the Skerries Allotments Association.

These new Directors have slotted neatly & seamlessly into our Board of Directors, and it is great to have them. Not just because we can now spread the work more!

At the same time, we would like to thank Martin Russell, Zaneta Wright and Ciara Leonard for their contribution to the Skerries Community Association over the years. In addition to their role as company directors, they all held officer positions – Martin and Ciara were both chair persons at different times, and Zaneta was our Company Secretary.

We wish them all the very best and hope that our paths will cross often in the future!

 

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