Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Lucan Model Car Club - Christmas Event

Lucan Model Car Club are holding a special Christmas event on Friday 28th December from 10 am to 5 pm at the Mill Community Centre in Celbridge. Drivers from different parts of Ireland will be taking part. The public are welcome to come along and see the top drivers racing. Admission free.
Further details from Brendan on the Club's Connect Website:
www.lucanmodelcarclub.com

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Microsoft comes to Grange Castle Business Park

South Dublin County Council in conjunction with the IDA has secured a highly significant strategic investment for the County with the announcement that Microsoft Inc. is to locate their new European, Middle Eastern and Asia Data Centre in Grange Castle Business Park. This is the first time that Microsoft will build a data centre outside of the United States and the selection of Grange Castle as the location elevates the profile of the Business Park in terms of the attractiveness of South Dublin County as the key place to conduct your business.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

City Channel @ Connect School

Local TV station City Channel have been filming in St. Aidan's Connect School this week. Thanks to all the students, management & staff for taking part. We hope to post the completed video on this blog once we get a copy.

Launch of South Dublin County Social Inclusion Week 2007

Mayor Billy Gogarty in the presence of Minister for Integration Conor Lenihan, TD will officially launch South Dublin County Social Inclusion Week on Monday 19th November at 12.00 in South Dublin County Council Headquarters.

Full Programme of Events

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Chambers Ireland’s Excellence in Local Government Awards 2007

We are pleased to announce that South dublin County Council's Sports Flexibility Programme was successful in the Sports and Recreation category of the Chambers Ireland’s Excellence in Local Government Awards 2007. The Awards ceremony was held on Thursday 8th November in the Burlington Hotel. The Sports Flexibility Programme is a joint venture between South Dublin County Council and FAS which is aimed at early school leavers who are sports minded people and wish to pursue a career in that field.

The Council was also short-listed in the following categories:
* Outstanding Customer Service for the Libraries e-Books Service
* Environmental Initiative for the Green Building, Vesey Park, Lucan
* Partnership with Business for the Grange Affordable Housing Initiative project
* Technology for the Connect – Communities on-line project and
* Local Government of the year

Monday, November 12, 2007

The Connected Life

Ireland's Technology News Service, Silicon Republic has posted an article on it's website about Connect. Gordon smith writes: 'South Dublin County Council’s (SDCC) Connect project aims to help citizens use technology to improve their quality of life, providing easily accessible and relevant local information through the internet.'
Read the full article here

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Citizens Information

CitizensInformation.ie now have a section on their site called 'Voluntary and Community Sector News'. This will be updated regularly & will provide News for the Voluntary and Community Sector on upcoming events, funding and grant availability, training courses and calls for submissions.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Participation: A Tool for Integration? - Conference

1 Day National Conference
TITLE: Participation: A Tool for Integration? Models, Strategies and Practices of Immigrants Participation and Integration in Local Communities
Date: Wednesday 28th November 2007
Venue: Shannon Suite, Tower Hotel, N81 Whitestown Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Conference is the culmination of the 1 year EU INTI Research Action Project – ‘Integration through Participation – sharing best practices in 5 European contexts’. Event will feature high profile presentations from speakers across the country and international experts.

For Further information contact:
clement.esebamen@tallpart.com 01-4664242

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Microsoft in Grange Castle Business Park

Microsoft has shown its confidence in the Irish economy & South Dublin County as it announced that it will locate its new European data centre in Grange Castle Business Park.

The company - the world's largest software firm - will invest $500m in the new plant. About 10 to 15 new jobs will be generated when the 51,000 square foot plant is up and running by summer 2009.

With the growth of audio and video applications, social websites, mobile devices and other internet demands, data centres are becoming more and more important as companies strive to increase online computing support centres to provide users with enhanced web services, a statement from the company said.
Full story on RTE.ie

Monday, November 5, 2007

Have your Say! Connect.

You can now comment on any item on this Connect Blog. Underneath each item you can click on comments and submit your thoughts. We will then share them with other visitors to the blog. Have your Say! Connect with your community.

New Permanent Southbound Off-ramp @ N7/Red Cow Interchange Open

New Permanent Southbound Off-ramp at N7/Red Cow Interchange now open.

Since Saturday 3rd November, traffic traveling Southbound on the M50 and exiting at the N7/Red Cow Interchange to go south is directed on to the new permanent Southbound Off-ramp for the N7.

This brings to an end the movement where this traffic had to travel to Ballymount and do a U-turn. This movement has now ceased.

The final permanent layout at Ballymount Junction is scheduled to be in place in late November. Drivers on the M50 are asked to slow down and follow the traffic signs in place. For further information, please contact Mary Murphy 087 2336415.

Friday, November 2, 2007

He invented the World Wide Web

A graduate of Oxford University, England, Tim Berners-Lee holds the 3Com Founders chair and is a Senior Research Scientist at the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (CSAIL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He directs the World Wide Web Consortium, founded in 1994.

In 1989 he invented the World Wide Web, an internet-based hypermedia initiative for global information sharing while at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory.

In 2004 he was knighted by H.M. Queen Elizabeth. He is the author of "Weaving the Web". On 21st September 2007 he delivered a video presentation (see below) entitled 'The Future of the World Wide Web' at the 4th Ministerial eGovernment Conference entitled “Reaping the Benefits of eGovernment” in Lisbon, Portugal. Connect were invited to attend as Award Nominees.

What will we do next?

South Dublin Community Services Department held the 1st National Play Day at Griffeen Park Lucan in summer 2006. Activities included street games, messy play, tug-of-war, pillow fights, creative play, art, dance, music and much more.

The purpose of the day was to promote active play in children using traditional Irish games while also encouraging parents to play with their children using low cost materials. A direct result of National Play Day was the collaboration between Community Services and Libraries to produce the Council's 1st play publication of games, entitled 'What will we do next?'.

To access the book go to www.southdublinlibraries.ie

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Connect Newsletter - Issue 3 October/November 2007

The latest Connect Newsletter - Issue 3 October/November 2007 - has just been sent today. If it did not arrive in your email inbox & you want to subscribe just send us an email to connect@sdublincoco.ie with 'Subscribe' in the subject line & we will add you to our mailing list.

Connect Web Training

We are currently scheduling a string of Connect Web Training dates throughout the month of November. Participants will be notified of the dates/locations shortly. We have been getting a huge response from Community Groups to this training. Well done to all who participated throughout 2007.

See Something! Say Something!

See Something! Say Something! a message from the Environmental Protection Agency, working with you to protect Ireland’s environment. If you are out and about and you see evidence of illegal dumping or burning of waste, phone the number below and help us catch those responsible....Phone: 1850 365 121

Advertisements, Events, Press Releases

Just thought we should point out that the latest Advertisements, Events & Press Releases from South Dublin County Council are now displayed on the right hand side of this page. Hope you find this useful.