This summer, the Community Center organised a family day for children with additional needs and their families. There was a Bouncy castle, a sensory room, outdoor activities and hot food and treats. This has been a real success and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to have some fun, meet friends and make new connections in the town. We thank Shay, Sharon and her team for organising this excellent day out !
We were absolutely thrilled to see our dedicated chairperson Maeve Mc Gann from Tidy Town awarded the Jim Quigley volunteer of the year award for 2026 at the Skerries Community Association – SCA AGM on Thursday June 25th.
Maeve has been with Skerries Tidy Towns for 43 years , and has been Chair for the last 10. She was part of the winning team which saw Skerries crowned Ireland’s Tidiest Town in 2016 and we have won gold medals and other commendations over the past 25 years. Her energy is inspiring and Maeve has been at the forefront of the evolving Tidy Towns vision. Now the emphasis is on promoting Sustainability, Biodiversity and Conservation and Maeve has forged links with other local groups such as Sustainable Skerries, Birdwatch Ireland, Clean Coasts, the Historical Society and Lusk, Rush and Balbriggan Tidy Towns groups.
Maeve was instrumental in the installation of the beautiful mosaic in Floraville to commemorate the landmark Supreme Court win in 1973 by local woman May McGee and her husband Shay. Their win led eventually to the legalising of contraception in Ireland. The unveiling of the mosaic on 30th August last was such a happy day for May, her family and friends and local supporters. Nobody could have guessed that May would pass away after a brief illness on 28th October. Rest in peace May.
Maeve’s nominators emphasised the huge amount of work that she does, be it planning, communicating, physical work, and the very burdensome task of the annual entry. Her work, and the Tidy Towns vision and achievements give a great boost to the morale, and sense of pride in place, of all people living in this town. She is an inspiration to us all. Well done Maeve McGann and thank you.
Launch of the automated external defibrillator (AED) at Red Island, which was attended by Mayor Tom O’Leary, Pearse Lydon (of Lydon Builders, who donated the AED), reps from the FCC, the Frosties and Tidy Towns as well as members of the Board of Directors of Skerries Community Association
A new automated external defibrillator (AED) was installed at Red Island. An AED is a portable device that can be used to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped working. This is called sudden cardiac arrest.
Effective AED programs are designed to deliver a shock to a victim within three to five minutes after the person collapses.
Pearse Lydon and Grainne Smith of Lydon Builders
The launch was attended by Mayor Tom O’Leary, Pearse Lydon of Lydon Builders who donated the AED, representatives from Fingal County Council, the Frosties (a local group of year-round sea swimmers) and Tidy Towns, as well as members of the Skerries Community Association (SCA) Board of Directors.
With the support of the SCA Board of Directors, it is planned to roll out CPR and AED training throughout our community, starting in February with the Frosties.
Onder Karayigit, General Manager of the Redbank Guesthouse, with Rowena Walsh of the SCA
This Christmas, the Skerries Community Association collaborated with Skerries woman Katie Byrne in a very successful Christmas gift drive for Red Bank residents. Katie had done the gift drive herself in 2023 and 2024, so we very much benefitted from her experience in organising the 2025 endeavour.
Katie took on matching a member of our community to shop for a gift for each and every child living there. In addition to the toys, the SCA funded a gift for every adult, and many people donated seasonal treats to ensure every family had something extra to enjoy over Christmas.
Alongside the gifts was a thoughtful note from Katie and the SCA, letting the residents know that the Skerries community is thinking of them and wishing them a happy, healthy year ahead.
Just some of the presents donated for the Christmas gift drive
Katie and the SCA want to say a massive thank you to everyone who signed up. Demonstrating the generosity of the town, we were actually over-subscribed with volunteers. To those of you who signed up but weren’t matched with a child this time: please know that your willingness to help is the foundation of what makes something like this possible every year.
Seeing so many people put their hands up to support our neighbours is exactly what makes Skerries such a special place to live. Whether you bought a children’s gift, dropped off a box of chocolates, or simply stood ready to help, you each are what makes this possible every year.
Messages from Red Bank
We gave the residents the opportunity to share a message with the community if they wished. Their responses were incredibly moving and here are a few I wanted to share just a few (anonymised) quotes so that illustrate the impact of the generosity of the town:
“Children are so happy. Thanks for your kindness!”
“Thank you so much for the Christmas gift. It has warmed my heart and uplifted my spirit. Much appreciated.”
“My daughter was so happy, and it really brought joy into our home. I truly appreciate the kindness and support from the Skerries community.”
“God bless you and thank you so much for doing this for us.”
“Thanks to all of you who make our Christmas colourful… we are so happy for your wonderful gifts. We will not forget your kindness.”
Knowing that these families felt seen and supported is the best start to the year we could ask for.
Members of the Skerries Eco Team in the community garden at Skerries Wind Mills. Photograph: Alan Betson/Irish Times
In September, Skerries received the accolade of the Greenest Town in Ireland 2025 in The Irish Times / Electric Ireland Greenest Places Awards.
The judges praised Skerries for its community-driven environmental action, its creativity and the way sustainability is woven into everyday life. From biodiversity and waste reduction to renewable energy and education, Skerries stands out as a town that leads by example.
Just consider the biodiversity-friendly planters, bee gardens, bike stands, water refill points, rainwater collection systems and the Skerries Eco Town Wall – all perfect examples of a town that understands the importance of sustainability.
In the Irish Times, it was noted that “the people of Skerries have created a pollinator corridor that runs from Skerries Mills to Ardgillan. It organises groups of local children to gather and remove plastic from the beaches. Here, as in other communities such as Inagh in Co Clare, community buildings including town halls and GAA centres have put in solar panels, replaced pitch lighting with LED, and installed water refill stations”.
The “simple but brilliant idea of creating a Beach Toybox” also received high praise from the Irish Times. The Beach Toybox does what it says on the tin: it’s a big box of all the essentials that children love to play with at the beach, it’s free to all, and it saves people from buying more toys every summer. Use them as you please, just make sure to return them to the box when you’re finished.
Behind every project in Skerries is a passionate network of volunteers and community groups working together with purpose and pride. These include Sustainable Skerries, the Skerries Community Association, Skerries Cycling Initiative, Skerries Tidy Towns, the Skerries Community Garden, Skerries Autism Friendly Town and the Skerries Sustainable Energy Community Initiative and Skerries Men’s Shed.
If you’re interested in becoming more sustainable in your daily life, email sustainableskerries@gmail.com.
Congratulations to Skerries Tidy Towns for yet another triumph in the national competition! Skerries was awarded County Second and a Gold Medal!
For full report, click here
News Talk: This article includes a radio clip of an interview with the author of the article, anthropologist, Daniel Miller https://www.newstalk.com/news/why-has-skerries-been-named-as-the-best-town-in-the-world-1619059
Irish Times: You will need a subscription to Irish Times to view the following article: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/11/27/unthinkable-its-hard-to-find-anywhere-much-better-than-this-east-coast-town-according-to-a-british-anthropologist/
The Guardian: Plato, pilates and pubs: has an Irish town found the secret to the good life?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/02/has-irish-town-found-secret-the-good-life-skerries?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Updated 2nd December 2023
