Oh, my first published article!

I'm ever so proud! My article! Oh! Put in the Parish 25th anniversary book! I'm, I'm going to cry! Apparently it almost made someone tearful. It was, in a way, thrown together, on the date on the deadline. But, I think I pulled it off, whatever it is.


I have lived in Rivervalley my entire life, and I recognise nowhere else as home. I’ve gone to school here, I’ve made my friends here, I’ve played sports on the pitches and hall in Rivervalley and I’ve gotten on a countless number of buses coming through this area.

I remember the stage at which I wasn’t allowed to come home from school, Holy Family, by myself. I’d wait for one of my parents somewhere between the school gate and the church. I thought that was far. But that was my world, from school and back. As I’ve grown up I’ve watched new development after new development spring up around Rivervalley, and around Swords. Our community has spread at the speed of a virus, you could say.

We’ve heard that Swords is the fastest growing town in Western Europe , with an ever-growing population of approx 40,000. Yet, recently, I’ve read that Swords has fewer facilities than Waterford , a town of equal inhabitants.

Somehow, we’ve managed not to collapse as a community here. But we can see cracks, seemingly evident in education. Our schools are good schools, but demand is high and supply can’t cope. The queue across from the community centre every year proves this. I’d like to see an end to education troubles in our town and country.

St. Finian’s parish is 25 years old this year. The church there is, in my humble opinion, the nicest I’ve ever set foot in, and as long as I live, I hope it remains there for me to visit.
I’ve seen much change within the last few years in Rivervalley. The redevelopment of the Millennium (it’s lovely, so I hear), the appearance of Tesco and apartments in Ridgewood and the opening of the road through Boroimhe have all changed the area. Of course, there is much more going on that has enhanced Rivervalley, such as the planned soccer pitches near Rathingle.
All I can hope is that Rivervalley continues its development in a safe manner, with the right resources being given to its residents.