The February meeting of DCC was held on 31st January 2005 at 8pm in OLH.
A minute's silence was held for Catherine Flynn, one of our past members who had died a little over ten days ago.

MATTERS ARISING:

The Traffic Committee submitted a thirteen-point letter regarding the "Pay & Display" system to DLRCC and further comments will be collated for a later one.

HERITAGE:

The Angelesy tours will continue in 2005. The "Dalkey Remembered" evening was very successful. Margaret Dunne is hoping to set up groups and would be grateful for any names or phone numbers of those willing to share their experiences of bygone days. It is important to record the old stories before they are lost forever.
A lot of renovation work has been carried out already to St. Begnet's Graveyard and money permitting it is hoped to do further restoration work in the future.

TIDY TOWNS:

Saint Patrick as we all know is our patron saint. It is on the anniversary of his death, 17 March (460AD) that we and many others around the world celebrate (!).

St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland 387 AD. When he was 16 he was kidnapped by Niall of the Nine Hostages and brought to Ireland, which at that time was a land of paganism and druidism. He was sold as a slave to Meliuc, a landowner in Antrim, where he worked as a shepherd in the Slemish Mountain. One night, after being in captivity for many years, he realised it was time to escape. He found refuge and under the guidance of St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre in France, he was ordained a priest and helped him combat heresy and paganism. He became bishop in 432.

He was then set the task of teaching Christianity to the Irish. He arrived in Ireland under the patronage of a landowner named Dichiu. Patrick knew that he would have to gain the support of King Laoghaire, the High King of Tara, in order to establish the freedom he would need to take his message throughout Ireland. On March 25, the traditional start of spring, Patrick built a fire in front of the King's domain, something that was strictly forbidden. On seeing this, King Laoghaire was infuriated. However, the king listened to Patrick's explanation of his plans and although he refused to accept Christianity, he gave Patrick the freedom to preach his message. Gradually the people of Ireland were converted to Christianity. However, he first had to make the people understand the doctrine and used the symbolism of the shamrock. And so this is how the shamrock forever associated with St. Patrick and Ireland.

For many the shamrock is considered a good-luck symbol. Of course St. Patrick is also attributed with having driven the snakes from Ireland. In fact the snakes were the symbol of paganism and that was what he rid of Ireland at that time. Also the expression 'drowning of the shamrock' came about when the shamrock worn on your coat was put in the bottom of a glass and when the glass was empty the soggy shamrock was thrown over the left shoulder for good luck!

Top of the morning
Is what we say
On March 17th
St. Patrick's Day.
Wear your green
And I am told,
If you catch a leprechaun
He'll give you his gold.

-Top 0' The Morning -

Women's World Day of Prayer is taking place, Friday, 4 March in St. Patrick's Church on Harbour Road at 11 am. Women from Poland are preparing the service this year-

Mother's Day is on Sunday, 6 March. In the 16th century, the Church required that the people returned to their 'mother' church or cathedral on the fourth Sunday in Lent for that day's service.
The day became known as Mothering Sunday, not through association with Mothers, but because of the journey made to the 'mother' church. This was a time when children as young as ten left home to take up work or apprenticeships and was often the only day in the whole year when families would be together.
By the 17th century, it had become a public holiday, when servants and apprentices were given the day off so that they could fulfil their duties to the church. They often brought gifts of flowers and a special cake for their mothers. The cake, made of a fine wheaten flower, called simila in Latin, has evolved into the traditional Simnel cake. It is decorated with eleven balls of marzipan, representing the Apostles (excluding Judas).
There is also another tale of how the Simnel cake came to be so called. A man named Simon and his wife, Neil, were arguing over how to make the cake -baked or boiled? They resolved the matter by doing both therefore the cake is called SIM-NEL.

In recent times, Mothering Sunday has become more like the American Mother's Day with children giving presents and cards. The original meaning has been largely lost as this custom never made its way to America. After the Civil War, a number of women campaigned to instigate a Mother's Day there. In 1872, Julia Ward Howe tried to instigate a day dedicated to Peace, which would be called 'Mother's Day' .However the campaign got a boost in 1877 when a Mrs Juliet Calhoun Blakely took over the service in her local church as the pastor had to leave. It was her birthday, 11th May, and her grown-up sons were present. They were impressed by their mother's performance and promised to return to Albion, Michigan every year to honour her. They also campaigned among business associates and friends to set aside a special day for Mothers.

But it was to be some time before the custom became acknowledged and namely through the work of a lady called Anna Jarvis. Anna's mother had been an advocate and campaigner for the establishment of a 'Mother's Friendship Day' after the ravages of the Civil War. In 1907, Anna held a ceremony in Grafton, West Virginia to commemorate her mother. This was also on the second Sunday in May (the second anniversary of her mother's death). Anna campaigned to have the day recognised as Mother's Day.

By 1911, several states had adopted the day and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the day as a national holiday. The commercialisation of the holiday began almost immediately and this angered Anna Jarvis, so in 1923, she filed a lawsuit to try to stop Mother's Day and was even arrested for breach of the peace when she attempted to stop the selling of carnations! Anna Jarvis died in 1948, at the age of 84, very upset over what had been done with Mother's Day. She spent her inheritance from her mother on trying to halt the commercialisation of the holiday she had done so much to create.

Life's richest treasure
That money cannot measure
Is a Mother's love
A heart gift from God above.

National Tree Week takes place, this year, between 6 - 12 March.
Tree Week is organised by the Tree Council of Ireland and sponsored by Coillte and 02.
This year 15,000 trees sponsored by Coillte will be distributed throughout the country by local authorities allover Ireland.
Tree Week is now in its 21st year.
This year the theme is "Harvesting an Ocean of Air" and reflects the concerns for global warming which is caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide (C02) in the atmosphere - this acts like a huge duvet, trapping heat from the sun and slowly
raising the temperature of the earth's climate. Build-up of C02 is caused by almost everything we do -driving, flying, heating our homes, and even boiling the kettle.

And as the use of technology increases around the world, there will be a corresponding rise in the demand for energy.
The aim of the Kyoto Protocol was to get governments around the world to reduce greenhouse gas levels by agreeing to cut emissions by 5.2%.
It is predicted that by 2010, Irish emissions will exceed 1990 levels by 32%, thereby overshooting the Kyoto targets by 19%.
There are a number of options to offset this projected increase -one of these is the planting of more trees...

• Trees absorb C02 and use it to make cellulose, the building block of wood.
• Trees release the oxygen (0) in C02 back into the atmosphere for us to breathe
• Over the course of a year, a single mature beech tree releases enough oxygen to support a family of four.
• Forests and trees absorb up to 25% of global fossil fuel emissions.
• One of the quickest and low cost options for reducing C02 emissions is to replace non- renewable fuels such as coal or oil with renewable fuels such as biomass wastes and residues.
• On average a typical tree absorbs one tonne of carbon dioxide for every cubic metre growth, while producing the equivalent of 727 kilos of oxygen
• The more wood we use the more forests grow -in Europe we are committed to planting more trees than we harvest. (Source: www. woodforgood.com)
  
  By simply planting a tree, everyone can help the environment -Think local, act global!

Information courtesy of the Tree Council of Ireland Website

Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves;
now the woods putforth their blossoms,
and the year assumes its gay attire. Virgil

Watch out for notice of Dalkey 's Tree Planting -Ed

SIMNEL CAKE

Ingredients:
8oz softened butter,
8oz caster sugar,
4 eggs,
8oz self-raising flour,
8oz sultanas,
4oz currants,
4oz cherries (quartered),
2oz chopped peel,
zest of 2 lemons,
2 teaspoons mixed spice.

Filling and Topping:
1lb almond paste,
2 tablespoons apricot jam,
1 beaten egg (for glaze).

Method:
Pre-heat oven to I5O°c, 300°f, Gas 2.
Line an 8-inch deep round cake tin.
Place the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat well.
Place half the mixture in the prepared tin.
Take one-third of the almond paste and roll it out into a circle the size of the tin. Place it on top of the cake mixture. Spoon the remaining cake mixture over and smooth the surface. Bake for about 2 1/2 hours until well risen and firm (if the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, cover with foil).
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for ten minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake has cooled, brush the top with a little warmed apricot jam and rollout half the remaining almond paste to fit the top. Press firmly on the top and crimp the edges to decorate. Mark a criss-cross pattern on the almond paste with a sharp knife. Roll the remaining almond paste into II balls. Brush the almond paste with beaten egg and arrange the balls around the outside. Brush the tops of the balls with egg as well. Place the cake under a hot grill to turn the almond paste golden. Decorate with crystallised flowers if liked.

Seamus Guidera, Jack Cullinane, Luke Scollard, Gary Power and Eoghan Styles from Dalkey are among the group of fifteen students from the Transition Year in CBC, Monkstown going to the Missis Compound in Zambia from the 16th -29th March.
They will be working in a school of approximately one thousand boys and helping in the aids hospice and orphanage there.
The aim of the project is to develop in the boys a sense of caring to enable them to become members of our own society and help them to forge links with people less well off than themselves.
A collection for any of the following items old or new sports t-shirts or any t-shirts with logos, colouring books, pencils, crayons, inflatable footballs, children's jewellery or any tiny toys for the children can be left into

Our Lady's Hall at 10.00am-12.00pm on Wednesday morning, 9th March 2005.

Are you aged between 7 to 18 years of age and want to take part in the Community Games ? If so we'd like to hear from you. Let us know if you are interested in, for example, swimming, athletics, art, model making, choir, variety, hockey, to name but a few.

Please leave your name, address, telephone number and what you're interested in to the Dalkey Community Council post box in Our Lady's Hall in Castle Street.

Also we'd love to hear from those over 18 who would like to help with the Games in Dalkey, please also leave your name, address and telephone number in the Community Council's post box.

Book Club
The book to read for the meeting on Saturday 5th March @ 10.30am is: "The Master" by Colm Toibin. We supply the coffee -you do the talking!
The book to read for the meeting on Saturday 2nd April @ 10.30am is: "An Equal Music" by Vikram Seth.
Dalkey Writers meet every second Thursday in Dalkey Library from 6pm -7.45pm

Club Leabhar Nua Gaeilge i Leabharlann Dheilginse
Ar an gcead oiche Mhairt de gach mhi, Mairt 1 Marta ag 6.30- 7.30 i.n. Scealaiocht le Peg agus Annette I gcornhar Glor na nGael.

Art Workshops
with Majella Burns. Suitable for ages 6-10. Maximum 15 per group. Booking essential. Dalkey Library on Friday 18th March at 3.15pm.

Storytelling every Thursday from 3.30pm-4.00pm in Dalkey Library for children aged 3-6.
Any parents who would like to volunteer in the regular story time sessions please contact the library.

Library Ireland Week
The first Library Ireland Week takes place from 7th-12th March and to celebrate that we will be having our first bargain Book Sale of ex stock. It will take place on Saturday 12th March in Deansgrange Library's seminar room from 10.30am-4.30pm. The library room will not close for lunch that day!
s
Phone Dalkey Library for further information 2855277

The Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre in collaboration with Deilg Inis theatrical animation company is offering the highly successful Living History Program again for schools for a limited period from the 3rd February-16th March 2005.

The Living History presentation involves professional actors in full period costume bringing the history of our 15th century tower house and the wider area to colourful life. The company portrays characters from early Christian through medieval and down to Victorian times. The defensive features of a medieval tower house/castle are illustrated. The Murder Hole is activated theatrically and participation by the students is encouraged. One of the archers who defended the castle from the notorious O'Byrnes and O'Tooles of Wicklow demonstrates the use of the longbow.

The history of the area is covered in a colourful, engaging and memorable manner.
The sessions will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at IO.OOam. The program lasts approximately two and quarter hours and all are welcome to come along and join in the session.

For more details on any of the above Contact the Heritage Centre at 285 8366

• Continue to sow half-hardy annuals like Petunias, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Phlox and towards the end of the month Marigolds, prick out those that have germinated
• Prune trees and shrubs at the beginning of the month,
• The lawn may need its first cut this month.
• Plant out Sweet Peas, lift, divide and plant perennial
• Hoe and weed beds and borders.
• Plant summer flowering bulbs like Gladiolus, Anemone Coronaria, Iris, Lilium and Eucomis.
• Plant potatoes and earth up as required. If you do not have room in the garden to grow some early potatoes why not try growing a few in large pots?
• You can still lay turf and it will be time to sow new lawns by the end of the month.
• Lift and split polyanthus when they have finished flowering.
• Days are lengthening and the suns rays are getting stronger, ventilate glasshouses and shade trays of seedlings.
• There is plenty to be done this month with signs of spring everywhere. Do as many routine chores as you can this will give you more time next month when things really get busy
  
  

The Community Council has learnt that a wind farm is being planned for the Kish Bank, which will be similar to that already sited off Arklow which consists of seven turbines clearly visible along the East coast.

When the Department of the Marine receives the proposal, notice will be published in the media and the public will have 28 days only to submit their observations to the Department. Following the consultative period, the Minister will ultimately make the final decision about this scheme.

There is no appeals procedure similar to that which applies to land based development.

It is therefore vital that we are kept informed of the environmental implications and voice our opinions to the Department of the Marine.

For more information on wind farm developments and the implications, log in to the Council of Europa Nostra, Pan-European Federation for Heritage website (www.europanostra.org) as well as searching the web for information about wind farms in Ireland. (several sites)

The Community Council will make known any further information it receives.

Dalkey Tidy Towns won 1st Prize in the Environment Section of the D.L.R.C.C. Community Awards on Wednesday 9th February 2005 at County Hall, Dun Laoghaire. They entered a comprehensive display about recycling, composting and waste disposal for householders, as well as their past achievements and future plans for the next three years.

The Tidy Towns Committee is at present planning its strategy for this year's competition, which includes the continuation of the litter patrols that were so successful last summer. (Check out behind Eurospar in the car park to see what happens when no litter patrols operate!!)

We look forward to even more support from the residents of Dalkey to achieve higher points in this years competition and ultimately, to become the overall winner.

Can you please give details on the new rates for hospital charges that were announced recently ?
From 1 st January 2005 the charge for attending Accident and Emergency increases from €45 to €55. If you are a Medical Card holder or have a letter of referral from your doctor you do not have to pay this charge. The charge for in-patient services in a public ward has also increased from €45 to €55 a day (subject to a maximum of €550, i.e. 10 days, in any 12 month period).

If you stay in two or more hospitals in the course of the year and your stay exceeds 10 days in hospital you should bring this to the attention of the last hospital you attend. Everyone is entitled to public in-patient services regardless of their income but subject to the statutory charge mentioned above.

There are a number of groups who do not have to pay the statutory charge such as medical card holders, women receiving maternity services, children up to the age of 6 weeks and children suffering from prescribed long- term illnesses.

In cases of undue hardship a Health Board may provide the service free of charge. The charges for private and semi-private accommodation in public hospitals have also increased by 25%. There is one exception: Health Board District Hospitals charges are the same as in 2004.

The daily rates for 2005 are:

These charges are additional to the public hospital statutory in-patient charge given above. Further details available from the Citizens Information Centre, 85-86 Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire. Telephone: 2844544

In next month's edition of the Newsletter - April, the Community Council will include its little brown envelope for the yearly collection.

The Council is made-up of a group of ordinary individuals who volunteer a little of their time to represent their road/organisation and become one collective voice as it strives to make Dalkey an even nicer and more enviable place to live (if that's possible!).

It acts always in the interests of the community of Dalkey and the protection of its heritage and environment. The Community council publishes, monthly, this Newsletter in addition to running other activities -the Art Exhibition, Garden Competition, Tree Planting, the Christmas Tree and many more.

Neighbourhood Watch and the Community Games also come under the auspices of the Council. The only income at its disposal is from the advertisers, which goes towards the publication costs of the Newsletter and this yearly collection.

Without your support the Dalkey Community Council could not function and continue. The Council is very aware of the demands imposed on your generosity but hope you will be in a position to see your way to continue helping the work of this Council for the benefit of Dalkey.

Your Road Representative's name and address is at the bottom of the back of this Newsletter. If at all possible your volunteer representative would appreciate it if you could return the envelope to his/her home.

Are you or any of your family in private rented accommodation and are unsure how secure the roof over your head is? The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 came into law in September this year providing you with greater tenant security than ever before.

For example, did you know that once a tenant has been in rented accommodation for six months, s/he will have security of tenure for the following 3.5 years unless the tenant does not comply with obligations of tenancy, or the landlord decides to sell, refurbish, change the use of the dwelling or require it for his own/family use. However, the Act contains provisions that the above exceptions are not abused.

To find out more about these provisions why don't you call into Dun Laoghaire Citizens Information Centre. We can provide you with further information on your rights and entitlements with regard to Rented Accommodation, Rent Supplement, Shared Ownership Scheme, Essential Repairs Scheme and much, much more.

With over 220 locations around the country, citizens information centres provide free, confidential and impartial information on a wide range of subjects including health, welfare payments, employment, housing, legal matters, and immigration issues.

Dun Laoghaire Citizens Information Centre is located at 85-86 Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire and is open from 9.30am to 4pm -so why not drop in for a chat. You can also phone 01-2844544 or email dunlaoghaire.cic@comhairle.ie. Information is also available through the Citizens Information Phone Service on Lo-ca11 1890 777 121 or Log On to www.oasis.gov.ie. Note: Citizens Information Centres are supported by Comhairle, the national agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy to citizens on public services.