Year in Review 2018: December

Year in Review 2018: December

By Hayden Moore

WITH Christmas preparations ramping up throughout December, the news cycle kept ticking along as many reflected on the year they have had while looking forward to the forthcoming year.

This month saw the community come together to combat anti-social behaviour and raise funds, all in the spirit of the festive season.

Although that Christmas spirit was brought into question when a lone raider armed with a knife snatched more than €5,000 in donations raised by parishioners of St Aengus in Balrothery for St Vincent De Paul.

Fr Ben Moran 09

Fr Ben Moran looking at the SVP appeal poster in St Aengus's church

With no arrests made, the community rallied and banded together in a Christmas mission to help recoup some of the stolen money – with students of St Rose’s National School and Scoil Aonghusa Senior School holding Christmas jumper days while St Joseph’s Special School had a jersey day to help raise funds, while €1,600 was raised through two GoFundMe pages created by residents.

Christmas came early for St Anne’s GAA Club in Bohernabreena as it emerged that they where close to securing a deal with a housing developer for three-and-a-half acres of land worth an estimated €3.2 million, while an artist’s impression of the Lidl development on the former site of the Belgard Inn showcased how the site should look after its completion in February 2019.

The Cherry Orchard community wrapped their arms around a family who had all their Christmas presents stolen just three weeks after moving in to their new house.

Neighbours at the new Orchard Meadows estate started a donation drive, led by Jennifer Carey, that saw the donations of hampers and funds pour in for the single mother and her three children.

Over €4,000 was raised at an event in Aherne’s for a family whose house was destroyed in a fire last July that the gardai treated as an arson attack – this follows on from a further €6,000 that was previously raised by the community through a GoFundMe page for the family.

After 27 years of service in Tallaght Fire Station, a special event was held for Martin Molloy, who held the most senior badge number in the station up until his retirement this month.

USE Tallaght DFB retirement 1

Martin Molloy (front middle) with staff from Tallaght Fire Station

The proposed development of an 81-unit older persons’ housing scheme in Sean Walsh Park came before the South Dublin County Council chambers – and was passed – while a feasibility report on plans for a €4.7 million expansion of Tallaght Stadium was presented to the councillors.

Six-year-old Shayne McCabe from Springfield, got an early Christmas present when his hero, Liverpool forward Mo Salah, handed him his jersey following Liverpool’s win over Napoli in Anfield.

The Echo rounded out the year by presenting a cheque worth €3,111 to Social Circle following our 12-hour static bike challenge that saw us raise the money through bucket shaking and a GoFundMe page.

TAGS
Share This