Harold's Cross

Rosary Hall : The fantastic news is that the DCC’s Budget Committee has approved in principal the request by our local Councillors, for full funding for the building remedial works for Rosary Hall.  This funding will allow the building to be brought back into use for both the Youth and Football Club and Harold’s Cross Village Community Council and will enable many of the initiatives for roll out under the Age Friendly Village Plan.

This is a mammoth testimony to the persistence of our local councillors Mary Freehill, Anne Feeney, Pat Dunne, Deirdre Conroy, Tara Deacy and Carolyn Moore for constantly putting forward the motions, sending the emails and making the phone calls. We are very appreciative of all the work that they do representing the neighbourhood in Harold’s Cross.  The village has benefitted hugely from all of their efforts. Thank you !

Rosary Hall and Park have been central to the social fabric of Harold’s Cross for generations. In his book “Harold’s Cross”, local historian Joe Curtis writes:

“The clergy bought Westfield Park at auction in 1954, an early Georgian two-storey house of three bays, with big gardens attached. A hall, with corrugated asbestos cement roof, was added on the west side, and the original house was used as the changing rooms. The gardens were laid out as football pitches. The altar boys party was held in the hall around Christmas time, when a box of chocolates was presented to “Altar Boy of the Year”. In the mid 1990’s, most of the land was sold off for town houses, now called Kenilworth Manor, but the rear of the site was retained for one football pitch and a new Community Centre, with a youth club on the ground floor, and a hall/meeting room at first floor level.

Many concerts, mostly by the Harold’s Cross Musical Society, were held in the old hall over the years,.”

Indeed for decades it was the “Copper Face Jacks” of Harold’s Cross. Dances & hops were held there and despite the supervision of the “man in the round collar” many’s the match (figuratively & literally) was ignited in The Rosary through the decades !

In 2019 the Dublin Diocese transferred ownership of the grounds and building to Dublin City Council for a nominal sum in order to ensure that the vital role that The Rosary provides will continue.

The Rosary deserves a proper, dedicated historic record when this round of works is completed. Click : HERE for the official Harold’s Cross YFC Club History.

2.     Planning : The main developments since the last update are :

·       Shamrock Villas : The Harold’s Cross Village Community Council and others have submitted objections to the Application for Registration of Title. The Dublin City Council position, as stated in their submission to the Property Registration Authority, is that “the application for registration of possessory ownership is invalid as the relevant limitation periods have not been met.”

Cllr. Mary Freehill has requested a meeting of DCC executives, local councillors and the HCVCC to understand the process adopted by DCC to apply the Conditions attached to the 2009 motion to extinguish the Public Right of Way of Shamrock Villas and whether they were fulfilled within the five year time limit.

·       DD O’Brien’s : DNG has begun to market 34 apartments at 126-128 HCR. Brand new development comprising of large studio, 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments in a exclusive development located overlooking Harold’s Cross Park. Click: HERE

·       Mount Argus Old Monastery : An Bord Pleanála granted the developer’s appeal to develop an additional 21 family accommodation units with a new vehicular access at Mount Argus Avenue.

A new date for the adjourned court case brought by DCC Planning Enforcement to determine the legality of a Site Access entrance from Church Park, is awaited. Click: HERE

·       St. Clare’s : Marlet seeks over €1bn for prime Dublin residential rental portfolio including St. Clare’s. Click: HERE

3.    HX Grow Project : Wildflowers and Biodiversity – Saint Patrick’s Day is not just about Shamrock ! This is the day each of us can create a wildflower patch that collectively transforms into a giant patchwork wildflower meadow in our community. Collect your FREE seed packet of Cornflower Meadow Mix; Oriental Poppies; Foxgloves and many more that will bring colour and blooms through the summer and beyond.

The HX Grow Learn Library is now live! This is a veritable treasure trove of info, factsheets and all you could need to bring your seeds to fruition.  Many thanks to the builders and curators of the platform; Deirdre, Fiona, Kieran and Claudine!  The library can be accessed via https://bit.ly/2LqoaW6.

If you would like to join the HXGrow WhatsApp Group Click HERE.

4.     Dublin City Council (DCC) in partnership with Dublin City University (DCU)  are hosting an online survey to identify what roles and functions the parks fulfilled for all Dublin citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic, how these can be maintained after the pandemic and what future developments you would like to see in parks across the city. This is your opportunity to have your opinion, experiences and voice taken into account to shape the development of parks across Dublin in the coming years. If you would like to take part in this survey, please click on the link below:

https://dcusciencehealth.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYqkHAuKt9rDQj4

If you would like your child/adolescent (10 – 18 Years) to take part in this survey and have their voice heard, please click on this link instead:  

https://dcusciencehealth.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9pKw85x82gvFgYm

`           The survey runs from Monday 15th to Sunday 28th March 2021.

5. Three Harold’s Cross National School Head-spinners : RTÉ has teamed up with ESB Science Blast to investigate the science behind some curious awe-inspiring questions for Zig & Zag,

This weeks head-spinning question was posed by Harold’s Cross National School in Dublin.  Click:HERE

6. Change for Life : DCSWP Health & Wellbeing Virtual Hub is launching on the 15th March  with our Free 8 week Change For Life Programme, there will be loads of fitness classes , nutrition talks & cooking demos and weekly challenges to keep everyone active ! Plus plenty more as the weeks progress.

There will be daily classes to cater for all levels along with nutritional advice and wellbeing tips. Classes are geared towards adults but children are more than welcome to join in. Click:HERE

7. ’Holding It Together Apart’ : is a Community Development project aimed at helping people to maintain their physical, spiritual and mental well-being at home. It has a huge range of FREE easy-to-access activities, events, classes and talks with literally something for everybody. Click:HERE

8. HX Community Festival ‘21: The Festival Team is hard at work behind the scenes scheming and cajoling to bring the delights of the Community Festival to the village in the middle of May. A programme of live and virtual (but real) events is in pipeline. Despite the restrictions the team plan to reach as many local residents as possible working with Residents Associations, Schools, clubs and Dublin City Council. If you have dreams, talents, ideas, suggestions or initiatives we would love to hear them. Just email haroldscrossf@gmail.com.

9. Aer Lingus – Permanent Positions

Aer Lingus has posted a range of Dublin based job vacancies for experienced people and graduates Click Here to Apply

They are also recruiting Cabin Crew for their new base in Manchester Click Here to Apply

10. Here’s contact details for our Kimmage-Rathmines Councillors:

Deirdre Conroy (FF) deirdre.conroy@dublincity.ie / 086 280 5413

Tara Deacy (Soc D) tara.deacy@dublincity.ie / 087 938 9904

Pat Dunne (I4C) pat.dunne1@dublincity.ie / 087 776 4422

Anne Feeney (FG) anne.feeney@dublincity.ie / 087 295 5256

Mary Freehill (Lab) marycfreehill@gmail.com / 086 812 6378

Carolyn Moore (GP) carolyn.moore@dublincity.ie/ 087 645 2800

12. Many more FREE EVENTS in Dublin this week HERE