17/05/2006

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Four Districts Day Care Centre Celebrates 25 years

At a most enjoyable function in Citywest Hotel, Saggart on Sunday night last, The Four Districts Day Care Centre in Rathcoole celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The centre operates as a day care centre for the greater Brittas, Saggart, Newcastle and Rathcoole areas.

Mayor Thérèse Ridge of South Dublin County praised the spirit of volunteerism and the community spirit which had nurtured the growth and development of the Centre and continued to support it over the past 25 years. To mark the occasion the Mayor launched a book A Pictorial History of Brittas Saggart Rathcoole Newcastle Part 1. The book had been previously published by the Four Districts Day Care Centre in 1993 On this occasion the book was published by South Dublin Libraries with the addition of material from Kit Brady’s collection on Saggart Mill. In all the book has over 250 photographs depicting people and life in the area.

Helen Sheehan, one of the founding members of the Centre outlined its history. When the suggestion was made by Public Nurses that the disused Medical Officer’s residence could be used, local people were very involved and supportive. Money, furniture and other equipment were generously given and volunteers cleaned and refurbished the premises and an ambulance was purchased.  In no time at all the house was humming with life. Early in the morning volunteers come in to clean all the rooms and prepare the vegetables for the cook. Tables are set and by 10.30. Eacyh morning the ambulance arrives with its loads of senior citizens. They come from Rathcoole and Saggart every day and from Brittas and Newcastle on alternate days and from all the outlying areas mentioned earlier.

When the centre first opened in 1981, there were very few centres of this type in the country and frequently visitors came from as far away as Wexford and Tipperary to see how such a centre is run.

Funding was raised in a variety of ways: a “Lord Mayor” competition, golf classics, garden fetes, race nights, raffles, etc were generously supported. All in all it was and is a very happy centre. Helen reckons that in today’s terms over 1 million Euro has been raised for the running of the centre for the last 25 years.

With the assistance of the Garda bus various outings have been undertaken: to Knock, an annual retreat at Orlagh and an annual shopping trip to Blanchardstown. Trips were also organised on 2 ocassions to Aras an Uachtaráin, the Mansion House, Dublin Castle, Howth, Malahide Castle, Powerscourt, around the Blessington lakes, Wexford to historical houses and a number of visits to the Civic Theatre in Tallaght. Train trips were undertake to Limerick, and to Cork and the Blarney Stone.

Copies of A Pictorial History of Brittas Saggart Rathcoole Newcastle Part 1 are available from the centre, from local newsagents and from any branch of South Dublin Libraries, priced €10.00)

Captions

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87 year old cuts the cake at the celebration of 25 years of the Four Districts Day Care Centre in Citywest Hotel on Sunday night.

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Helen Sheehan, a founding member of the Four Districts Day Care Centre recounts the history of the Centre at the celebration of 25 years of the Four Districts Day Care Centre in Citywest Hotel.

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Mary McNally, Rathcoole answers the Mayors questions about A Pictorial History of Brittas Saggart Rathcoole Newcastle at the celebration of 25 years of the Four Districts Day Care Centre in Citywest Hotel on Sunday night. Mayor Ridge launched the book at the celebration.


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Pictured at the celebration of 25 years of the Four Districts Day Care Centre in Citywest Hotel on Sunday night
Back Row: L to R Evelyn Mansfield and Kathleen Mansfield, Rathcoole with Mayor Thérèse Ridge.
Front Row L to R Dick Grace, Noel Redmond, Tom Hoxey and Johnny Scahill.