The Playroom Project to be officially launched today

Local creche Ages and Stages closed its doors in August of last year but the facility will be reopened by Women’s Aid today

The creche at Mullaharlin, which closed last year, will be officially launched at 10am this morning before reopening on Monday.

The Playroom Project, in association with Women’s Aid Dundalk, will provide full day care from 8am to 6pm daily and is now enrolling for the year ahead. It will be open today from 10am to 4pm and all are welcome to come along and see what it has to offer.

Catering for up to 43 children from infants to 12 year of age, it will fill the void left by the closure of the Ages and Stages creche last August. There will be 17 fully qualified and trained staff running the creche.

For further details call 042 9333245 or 042 9327289. Alternatively you can email childsupport@womensaiddlk.net

Creche at Mullaharlin to reopen next month

Local creche Ages and Stages closed its doors in August of last year but the facility will be reopened by Women’s Aid next month

The creche at Mullaharlin, which closed last year, will reopen on Monday August 17^th.

The Playroom Project, in association with Women’s Aid Dundalk, will provide full day care from 8am to 6pm daily and is now enrolling for the year ahead.

Catering for up to 43 children from infants to 12 year of age, it will fill the void left by the closure of the Ages and Stages creche last August. There will be 17 fully qualified and trained staff running the creche.

For further details call 042 9333245 or 042 9327289. Alternatively you can email childsupport@womensaiddlk.net

County Council to lease buildings to local groups

Louth County Council is set to lease a community building in the Lios Dubh estate on the Armagh Road to SNAP and the North East Family Support Network.

Previously occupied by the local residents’ association, it was handed back because they couldn’t maintain it.

Councillors welcomed the fact the building would go to good use.

Meanwhile, the former creche at Mullaharlin Park, off the Dublin Road, is to be leased to Women’s Aid Dundalk Ltd at a monthly rent of €700 for five years.

Both buildings will still be made available to the local authority as required under the terms of the lease.

Five Charities Golf Classic this Friday

The event will take place in Dundalk Golf Club, as pictured here from the air by Niall Carroll

The 5 Charities Golf Classic will take place in Dundalk Golf Club in Blackrock this Friday.

The event is in aid of the Maria Goretti Foundation, Lordship, Dundalk Simon Community, Women’s Aid Dundalk, The Birches and Cuan Mhuire, Ballybay. It will be hosted by the social club of Cuchullain Credit Union and sponsored by Chapter 5 of The Irish League of Credit Unions.

Donations welcome and payable at the credit union.  General information available from Seamas at 087 9228414

Ó Ríordáin meets with local groups to discuss drugs counselling services

Minister of State Aodhan Ó Ríordáin and Senator Mary Moran on their visit to Craobh Rua

Senator Mary Moran welcomed Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality, New Communities, Culture and Drugs Strategy, Aodhan Ó Ríordáin TD to Dundalk yesterday to meet with local groups to discuss the National Drugs Strategy and the ongoing issue of drug use in the under 18s age group.

The pair toured the area and met with a number of groups for meetings which the local Senator felt were highly useful.
She said: “I was delighted to organise a meeting with the relevant local groups and Minister Ó Ríordáin to discuss the ongoing issue of drug use amongst local young people and drugs counselling services available locally.

“The meeting was attended by representatives of the local HSE addiction services, ISPCC, Tusla and An Garda Síochana Juvenile Liaison Officer.

“I have been raising the closure of drugs counselling services in Market Street Dundalk over the last number months following serious concerns raised locally.  Drugs counselling services are crucial as first port of call for young people who are dealing with addiction and particularly young people who do not have the option to attend private counselling services.

“I also welcomed the opportunity to invite Minister Ó Ríordáin to visit Craobh Rua and see first-hand the excellent work they are undertaking with local youths.

‘The dedication and commitment to addressing this issue was evident amongst each of the groups that met with the Minister.  I look forward to continuing to work with these local groups and Minister Ó Ríordáin on this important matter over the coming months.

“I also invited the Minister to visit Women’s Aid Dundalk in his role as Minister of State at the Department of Justice & Equality.  Women’s Aid Dundalk is a crucial service in our community and most importantly a safe and secure place for women and children in need.  I was eager for the Minister to learn of the invaluable work carried out by Women’s Aid Dundalk on an ongoing  basis and the issues they deal with daily,” said Senator Moran.

Keenan invited on stage to perform with Glen Hansard and The Frames

It has been something of a dream year so far for David Keenan but things got even better for the Dundalk singer/songwriter at the weekend.

Keenan burst to prominence earlier this year when he performed his track ‘El Paso’ in the Maxi Taxi.

It appears his growing reputation has reached further afield than Dundalk though as he was invited on stage by Glen Hansard to perform with The Frames at the Women’s Aid Dundalk fundraiser in The Spirit Store on Sunday.

Not only that, but Glen requested that he play one of his own songs, ‘Matchbox’ with Hansard and his bandmates providing accompaniment in the background.

You can check out the performance here, courtesy of Margaret Clarke.

RehabCare Resource Centre to host WOW show this Thursday

The RehabCare Resource Centre in Carroll Village will host The WOW (Worn Our Way) Show this Thursday night at 8pm.

A night of creativity and style, the event will feature fashions from local stores including Elmay Boutique, Tony McDonnell’s, Horseware, Outdoor Exchange, Toolfix and more with contributions from Dundalk IT and Coláiste Rís students.

There will also be hair models from the likes of The Hair Shop, Stand Out Style, Cutting Crew, Fusion, Utopia, Blade FX, Signature Hair and Grafters.

Entertainment on the night will be by Dynamix.

Tickets, priced €10, are available from the Rehabcare Resource Centre in Carroll Village or by calling 042 9328766. Proceeds will be in aid of Women’s Aid Dundalk and the North Louth Hospice.

Glen Hansard to headline at Women’s Aid Dundalk fundraiser in The Spirit Store this Sunday

Oscar-winning musician Glen Hansard will be performing in The Spirit Store next Sunday afternoon in a fundraiser for Women’s Aid Dundalk.

The Frames frontman will be supported on the day by Lisa O’Neill, Mark Geary, Brendan McCahey, Third Smoke, David Keenan and more.

The entertainment gets underway from 4pm downstairs with the doors for the main venue open at 8pm.

Tickets, priced €25, will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday morning and will only be available from www.spiritstore.ie

 

Quiz night in aid of Women’s Aid Dundalk this Friday

St Nicholas’ Parish Church Mothers’ Union will host a quiz night in aid of Women’s Aid Dundalk this Friday at 8pm in Wellington Hall on St Mary’s Road.

Table of five costs just €20, with €100 for the winners and €50 to the runners-up. Refreshments will also be served on the night.

Tickets are are available from Oriel Office Supplies on the Ramparts Road.

Women’s Aid Dundalk receive funding towards new playground

Women’s Aid Dundalk are set to receive €7,000 of funding for a new playground.

The capital grant for the new facility at their local refuge comes from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and was announced yesterday by local TD Peter Fitzpatrick.

Elsewhere, the 10th Louth Cu-Chulainn Scout Troup in Tallanstown will receive €2,500 towards new camping equipment and a storage facility while Rape Crisis North East will receive €2,400 for training for counsellors and play therapy products.

There was also a €2,300 grant made available to Dundalk Counselling Centre for therapeutic art equipment and materials.