COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)
Monday, May 27, 2013
QUESTION NO. 14
QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney
"In the context of the Bealtaine festival, to ask the Manager to give details of the community organisations in the area under the remit of this Committee who work specifically with older people and with whom the Council have contact; to ask the Manager to give details of financial contributions under various schemes made to these organisations in 2012 and 2013; and to ask the Manager to report on the Bealtaine festival?"
REPLY:
In the context of the Bealtaine Festival the Community Services Department have contact with the following organisations in the Tallaght area who work specifically with older people:
Castle Park/Castle Lawns Residents Association, St. Aengus Community Centre
Firhouse Golden Years, Firhouse Community Centre
Jobstown Active Retired, Jobstown Community Centre
Silversurfers, Belgard Community Centre
An Cosan, U3A, Kiltalown Village Centre
Kingswood Active Age Mens Club, Kingswood
St. Aengus Men Active Retired Club
Dominic Active Ladies Club, Dominics Community Centre
Dominic Active Mens Group, Dominics Community Centre
Older Person Active Retired Group, Fettercairn Community Centre
Manager, Dominics Community Centre
Manager, Fettercairn Community Centre
Glenshane/Rossfield Resident Association
Mary Hickey, Dementia Care Centre, Tymon North Place, Tallaght
Mary Bolger, Killinarden Resource Centre
New Horizons (Eve) Tallaght
St. John of God Menni Services, Tallaght
Cheeverstown House, Templeogue and Tallaght Village
National Learning Centre, Tallaght
Walk Association, Tallaght
With regard to financial contributions for the Bealtaine Festival the Social Inclusion Unit gave €100 to Fettercairn Community Centre to host an event in 2012 and €100 to Dominics Community Centre in 2013. The Community Services Department invited all of these groups to participate in the Bealtaine Festival events and to host an event of their own. We also give them an opportunity to advertise their events/activities in the Bealtaine Brochure free of charge.
On Wednesday 1st May at 11.30 am in Tallaght Stadium, Tallaght Mayor Cathal King launched the Bealtaine Festival, the festival celebrating Creativity in Older Age. Bealtaine is co-ordinated by Age and Opportunity, the national organisation working to promote greater participation by older people in society. The theme this year for South Dublin County is ''Grow Happy – it's not life that makes us it's what we make of life.'
We hosted an information fair on the day focusing on the areas of health, physical activity and social activity. It was organised by Tús Nua (Older Person Council for South Dublin) in partnership with Community Services Department. Over 300 people were in attendance at the launch.
South Dublin County Council organised a number of events during the month to celebrate the festival and produced a brochure to advertise events for older people during Bealtaine. Each week has a different theme including technology week, arts and culture week, grow happy week and the final week. Some of the activities include tea drinking workshop, tea dance, horticultural workshops, computer classes, arts and crafts and lots more.
In total there are 81 events taking place county wide in community centres, libraries and leisure centres.
This year we invited people to submit a written expression of thanks for all the good things in their life or to share their favourite recipe and the memories behind it. The prize giving ceremony will take place on Friday 31st May 2013 as part of the Bealtaine Closing Ceremony.