Dalkey Community Council Annual Collection:
The Community Council would like to thank all residents who have contributed to the Council s annual collection through the brown envelope last month. Your generosity is most appreciated as without your help the Community Council could not bring the Newsletter, Christmas Tree and many other activities to the town. To those who may still wish to contribute please contact you road representative whose name and address is on the back of this Newslette!: Once again, many thanks.

The monthly meeting of the Dalkey Community Council was held on Monday 29th March.

This was the first meeting since our AGM and our new Chairperson Dr. Susan McDonnell chaired it.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: Susan read out the NW report. Berry had attended a meeting that was held on 25th March '04 that was addressed by Sergeant Wildes from the Drug Squad and Mr. Steve Harding, Education Officer of the East Coast Area Health Board on drugs and addiction. Sergeant Wildes identified, described, and presented samples of various drugs. He reminded us that the use of drugs and combinations of drugs, account for a lot of the aggression today leading to extreme violence in some cases. He advised parents to be alert for 'danger' signs -laziness, loss of interest, being sloppy, becoming aggressive etc. His final words to parents "get informed!" Contact Drugs Unit in Dun Laoghaire if in doubt. Mr Steve Harding works in "addiction". He says trying to prevent usage is very difficult -it's not an exact science. Prevention is difficult but not impossible -we should try to tackle it by cutting supply and cutting demand. In trying to cut demand, parents should encourage communication, encourage self worth or self esteem of the child and give factual information -don't always use the scary stuff. Try to have House Rules - reasonable House Rules. Above all Parents should educate themselves. Garda Arthur gave the crime figures for the area. There were 9 burglaries, 2 thefts from the person and 1 mugging.

TIDY TOWNS:

June Bamett reported that the refurbishment of Castlepark Road/Ulverton Road junction has been completed. A Waste Management Workshop was held at Airfield House, which June attended. During April Tidy Towns patrols will be organised from groups within the community. It was suggested that the Community Council should take on Dillon 's Park as part of their maintenance area.

NEWSLETTER:
Colleen proudly announced that the current Newsletter celebrates thirty years of continuous publication. Most likely a record for a community publication of this nature.

PLANNING:
It was stated that a planning application for 4 blocks (40 units) of mixed houses and flats to be built in Dalkey Park (Hillside) had been lodged with DLRCC. We were informed that the present application has been declared invalid. The Council agreed to support the local residents in objecting to any future proposal. Concern was expressed that Bulloch Harbour had been rezoned to allow future development. The meeting concluded but there followed a discussion with three of our Local sitting Councillors. Susan introduced Councillors Jane Dillon Byme, Chris O'Malley and Kealin Ireland to the meeting. There were 2 topics for discussion Roads and Planning. Under roads were the changes carried out on the Vico Road, the deplorable state of St. Patrick's Avenue and the dangerous junction at Castlepark/Barnhill Road. The issues brought up under planning were the high number of retentions in the area, the loss of Conservation Areas, the redevelopment of Bulloch Harbour, the development at the comer of Dalkey Avenue/Castle Street and the proposed sub-station by the ESB at the dart line. The Councillors gave DCC a commitment of support and requested that DCC keep them updated of any future relevant issues.

May Day was originally a Roman festival which began on 28 April and lasted several days to mark the commencement of summer. In England, middle and lower classes would gather flowers -'go a maying' -and the prettiest village maid was crowned Queen of the May, celebrated with dancing around the maypole. Labour Day is the annual Labour movement holiday, held on the fIrst Monday each May. In the USA, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September.

Article 1-Human dignity:
Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected.

Article 2- Right to life:
(I) Everyone has the right to life.
(2) No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed.

Article 3 -Right to the integrity of the person:
( I) Everyone has the right to respect for his or her physical and mental integrity.
(2) In the fields of medicine and biology, the following must be respected in particular: -the free and informed consent of the person concerned, according to the procedures laid down by law,- the prohibition of eugenic practices, in particular those aiming at the selection of persons, -the prohibition on making the human body and its parts as such a source of fmancial gain, -the prohibition of the reproductive cloning of human beings.

Article 4- Prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 5 -Prohibition of slavery and forced labour:
(I) No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
(2) No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
(3) Trafficking in human beings is prohibited.

Courtesy of the European Commission

On I May ten countries will join the European Union -Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
The European Union all began in 1957 when six countries signed the Treaty of Rome; and formed the European Economic Community -Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. In 1973 Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom joined which made a membership of nine, in 1981 Greece became a member, in 1986 Portugal and Spain and in 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined.

The EEC then became known as the European Union and now had 15 member states.

Fact File this month on Cyprus: Cyprus is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey. It is at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. Cyprus has no permanent rivers. A number of watercourses bring the overflow from the winter rains down to the plain in spring but are dry for most of the year. The island has two large saltwater lakes and the climate there is hot and dry summers with cool and wet winters.
The main exports are clothing, craft trades, wine, potatoes and citrus fruits. Tourism is its main economic activity with attractions including Roman theatres and villas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader Castles and pre-historic habitats. In the villages, the customs and traditions of yesteryear remain as active as ever. In Lefkara the young girls are still doing the same embroideries as their grandmothers did. The potters at Foini are still inventing strange anthropomorphic forms for their clay vases. In the narrow streets of the old town of Lefkosia, the copper-beaters are pursuing the 5,000 year old traditions of their ancestors.

Courtesy or European Commission

An old farmer leaving his land
Asked to be carried out and set down;
Where he could see a certain field
"And then I will cry my heart out" he said
It troubles me, thinking about that man
And the shape of the field

Parting is sad for us, because something is over
I went out to fields that are sold
stood in the middle of one and looked around
And thought how I'd enjoyed this field when young,
I heard the song that I'd heard
From another house where a
Piano was playing.
I saw the shadow of the tall tree
That the moon made back then.
The river at night at the bottom of the field
Smooth, silent and shiny.

I remember all the prints
Cows, sheep and horses.
In winter, the dark patches in the frost,
And summer, the flattened grass
Told me they were there.
At the edges were memories.
The birds nests hidden in the "Y" of branches
And as Paddy Kavanagh said,
"A yellow sea of dandelions
With their unloved heads growing"

Then I wondered does a teacher mind
When years are spent in one place.
Would this person stand in the schoolyard
And remember?
The running children of yesterday
Still run today
The games are played with zest and energy
As before, still now and tomorrow
Pupils are young forever, the teachers age,
When there for years
The school buildings make the familiar sounds,
The room door opens and no one enters.
An old teacher from before has passed through
Perhaps!

All the seasons are on view
The windows reveal the growing grass,
The fresh buds of trees rush into leaves
And Summer comes and all leave
Till falling leaves make it all begin again

Then I'm in a field again
That's not mine anymore
And I realize that in my thinking
The schoolyard was once a field
Someone felt as lonely leaving it,
As a teacher would
A forgotten field.

Now I think I know
What shape the field was
That made the old man cry

Seán Ó Gormán

• Plant out summer bedding plants towards the end of the month.
• Support herbaceous plants while they are small.
• Apply a selective weed and moss killer to weedy lawns.
• Mow the lawn regularly, water if necessary and remove odd perennial weeds by hand or cut through them with a knife.The best lawns are achieved by regular mowing, removing all grass cuttings as you mow and feeding several times a year.
• Feed daffodil bulbs to build up next year's flowers.
• Plant up hanging baskets, include long lasting slow release fertilizer and water retaining granules in your basket compost. This will save the task of having to include a liquid feed when you water and watering should be slightly reduced.
• Lift early potatoes, there is nothing quite like the taste of home grown early potatoes.
• Summer is not far away, it may be necessary to make good any rainfall deficit.
• If both March and April have been very dry months there is a risk of a frost in early May.
• Keep on top of weeds by hoeing, never let them get too large or flower, always remove the roots of perennial weeds
• Watch out for Vine Weevil damage in container plants, grubs hatch in spring and eat the roots.

The Recycling Facility at George's Place (opposite the Old Fire Station) takes glass, drink cans, paper (newspaper; junk mail, magazines, telephone books, cards), cardboard packaging and plastic containers (drink, milk and shampoo bottles). Open Monday to Thursday 8am to 4.30pm, Friday 8am to 3.30pm and Saturday, 8am to 4pm (closed Sundays and public holidays). Postage stamps can be brought to Our Lady s Hall.

It is intended to temporarily close Convent Road, Dalkey from its junction with:-

(a) Coliemore Road to its junction with Corrig Road to through traffic in order to carry out reconstruction and resurfacing works. The dates of the intended closure are from 8.00am on 4th May, 2004 to 6.00 pm on 9th May, 2004, both dates inclusive.

The alternative route will be via Castle Street, Ulverton Road, Church Road and Corrig Road and vice versa.

And from its junction with:- (b ) Corrig Road to its junction with Leslie Avenue to through traffic in order to carry out reconstruction and resurfacing works. The dates of the intended closure are from 8.00 am on 10th May, 2004 to 6.00pm on 22nd May, 2004, both dates inclusive.

The alternative route will be via Carysfort Road, Ulverton Road, Harbour Road and vice versa.

Local access will be maintained at all times. A traffic management plan will be in operation and diversions will be signposted. Any interested person may lodge an objection in writing with the Senior Engineer, Traffic Division, Department of Transportation, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Level 2 Marine Roa Dun Laoghaire not later than 12 noon on Thursday, 8th April 2004.

We will be holding our annual fundraising CLAMBAKE in the garden of St. Patrick's Rectory, Church Road at 8p.m. on Saturday 8th May. Last year was one of our most successful and enjoyable Clambakes ever, and so the demand for tickets is bound to be high. The usual fare of seafood chowder from the Guinea Pig restaurant, barbecued salmon and wine will be on offer, with music and dancing in the marquees. Patio heaters will ensure a cosy atmosphere in this unique garden setting. Don't miss out on this opportunity to attend a highlight of the Dalkey social calendar.

In order to allow our chefs to plan ahead, tickets should be bought in advance from Ed & Helen O'Neill, 2 Ardbrugh Road (tel 2858341) or Brian Meyer (tel 086 6696 812)

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is organising free collections of Hazardous Waste items such as Aerosols, Paints, Strippers, Thinners, Batteries, Fluorescent Tubes, Insecticides, Old Medicines, Cleaning Agents, Detergents, Bleaches and Waste Oils.

These hazardous wastes SHOULD NOT be presented with normal household waste for landfill. A Cara Chemcar truck will be located at The Goat Pub Car Park, Goatstown on Saturday, 8 May between 9am and 1 pm and 2pm to Spm. It is very difficult to predict the amount of hazardous waste being deposited so unfortunately once the Chemcar truck is full on the day no more items can be accepted.

For further information please telephone 2054817, e-mail environ@dlrcoco.ie or check our website www.dlrcoco.ie.

On 16th July 2003 the TT committee were honoured by an invitation to meet the President at a reception in Phoenix Park. Her inspiring speech, published in the newsletter, praised the commitment of volunteers for having a vision for their towns for future generations.

In September we awaited the results of the Tidy Towns Competition with trepidation. There was so much building work going on in the town and so many empty properties that Castle Street at times looked derelict. This combined with our traffic congestion and litter had the committee discouraged and concerned that we might take a backward step. The adjudicators however awarded us 2 extra points from the previous year, excusing the matters that were beyond our control and giving us constructive criticism and encouragement.

The main areas that let us down are the laneways off Castle Street, the car park behind Supervalu and the road surface of St. Patrick's Avenue. In response we hope to improve the laneways before the summer, the car park is already considerably better thanks to planting but the Avenue continues to be a problem. Public awareness and support concerning litter would help considerably. Public notices about recycling sites have been in the DCC newsletter & notice board and awareness of dog fowling has been highlighted.

The Castle Park/Ulverton Road Junction is at last underway and should be completed to a high standard thanks to subscriptions from DCC and DBA and the talent within our committee. A junction's grant was also availed of through DLRCC. Year round Floral Displays have again been exceptional thanks to DL.R.C.C. and the generous financial contributions from local businesses and organisations.

Due to disappointing attendance in previous years the committee only had one Public Clean Up last year, which was prompted by DLRCC and enthusiastically supported by CIE and several exceptional members of the public. Illegal Dumping of various items has been dealt with. Anyone who sees dumping should report it with as much detail as possible to aid identification of the culprits. The Lighting of the Christmas Tree, which involves so many Dalkey organisations and individuals, was probably the most rewarding event of the year. On the strength of this we recently entered the event for a Community Project Award, which was held by The Culture Development and Amenities Department in Dun Laoghaire Town Hall. There were six categories and 66 entries. Each participant had to display details of their project. Although we were not successful there were many deserving entries ranging from drug awareness in young people, to sport and music groups and active retirement activities. It is our opinion that many of the groups in Dalkey could successfully enter for these awards. Finally, this committee's aim is to continue striving to improve Dalkey with the valued support of Community Council, the Business Association and especially the people of Dalkey.

This competition is open to everyone in the Community Council area. There are several prizes including four Perpetual Cups. In addition to nomination for the "Surprise" Garden section there are the following categories:

• Best Overall Garden
• Best Front Garden -visible from the road
• Best Display -window boxes, hanging baskets, flower troughs and pots
• Best Communal Garden/Open Space

Judging this year will take place on Wednesday, 9th June and entries should be submitted not later than Wednesday, 2nd June 2004 on the form below and placed in the box in Our Lady's Hall.

GARDEN COMPETITION ENTRY FORM

I/we wish to enter for (please tick)

• Overall Garden
• Front Garden -visible from the road
• Display -window boxes, hanging baskets etc.
• Communal Garden / Open Space

Name...............................................................................................................
Address...........................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
Tel No..............................................................................................................
Date.................................................................................................................
Signature..........................................................................................................

Please print your entry and post in box in Our Lady's Hall, Castle Street, Dalkey

As my second year as Honorary Treasurer of Dalkey Community Council draws to a close, I wish to report that the financial state of the Council is good at present. I would like to thank the road representatives for their continuous hard work and the residents for their support and generosity to our annual collection. Thank you to the chairman Mr. R. Mooney and members of the Executive Committee for all their help and co-operation over the last year. I would like to report that the advertising in the newsletter is very busy. On behalf of the council, I would like to extend our gratitude to Mr. Jim Connolly for agreeing to audit our 2003 accounts.

Helena Feely

I believe the cost of a passport has increased. What does it cost now?

A number of changes to the availability and cost of passports have been introduced. From 1 March:

• Children under the age of 18 will no longer be issued with a ten-year passport.
• Children under the age of 3 will get a three-yearpassport while children aged 3 or over will be issued with a five-year one.
• A replacement passport ( e.g. where a passport has been damaged) will no longer be issued. You will have to apply for a new one.
• People aged 65 and over will be issued with a ten-year passport at a reduced cost of €25. Previously, they could have a three-year passport for €12 or a ten-year one for E€57.

There is an 'urgent' fee of €50 for adults and €25 for children, payable in addition to the appropriate passport fee, where an application is made in person and the passport is required on the same or next day. Proof of travel is required.

The new rates of passport fees are as follows:

• Standard passport for people aged 18-64 €75 (was €57) .
• Standard passport for people aged 65 and over €25 .
• Large passport for very frequent travellers €100 (was €69) .
• Three-year passport for children under age 3 €15 .
• Five-year passport for children aged 3-17 €25 .
• Counter Urgent Fee €50 (adult) €25 (child) .
• Emergency Service Administration Fee €100 (adult) €50 (child) (out of hours emergency service)

The standard and large passports are valid for ten years.

Application forms are available from your local Garda station and from post offices. Also available from your post office is a 'Passport Express' service, which guarantees receipt of a passport within ten working days where applications are completed correctly with proper documentation. The additional fee for this service is €6.50 per application.

Further details available from the

Citizens Information Centre,
85-86 Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire.
Telephone 284 4544.

You may have seen some media coverage in recent weeks about the formation of Scouting Ireland. This new national Scout Association has been formed by the two long established organisations -Scouting Ireland CSI and Scouting Ireland SAI. This represents the culmination of a number of years' work to bring all scouts in Ireland into a single organisation, which was formally agreed by both associations last May. While all Scouts in Dalkey will now be members of scouting Ireland, the two local groups -17th Dublin (formerly CSI) and 41st Dublin (formerly SAI) -will continue to operate within SI very much as before.

• 17th Dublin has Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers and meet at the scout Den off St. Begnet's Villas. They may be contacted through their Group Leader, Martin Ellard, telephone 087 226 2317.
• 41 st Dublin (3rd Port of Dublin) have Sea Cubs and Sea Scouts and meet at St. Patrick's Hall, Harbour Road. They may be contacted through their Group Leader, Brian Meyer, telephone 086 669 6812.