< Previous© September 2020 The Meath Coaster 20 Laytown Tidy Towns F or the last few Saturdays we have turned our attention to the edging on the footpath near the Coast Tavern. There should be a small grass area but a build up of sand meant that a lot of the footpath was covered with sand and grass. We are very pleased with the end result so far, and plan to continue up as far as the promenade. Last month we reported that we had moved the Buxus Spiral Trees because they were being badly affected by the harsh winds when located near the estuary. We are de- lighted to report that planting them in a more sheltered area on the approach road has had the desired result.....as you can see there is a lot of new growth on each of them. The dead leaves are starting to loosen up as well. They shake off quite easily allow- ing for more new growth. Now we just need to work out how to shape them! Sadly the Laytown Races cannot be held this year due to Covid 19 restrictions. To mark what should have been the 152 nd running of Laytown races on Tuesday, September 1, the Laytown Races commit- tee has donated €500 each to the Laytown and Bettystown Tidy Towns organisations. We are very grateful for this donation and look forward to seeing the races next year! (see photo on page 14) As always we are keen to en- gage new volunteers to our Tidy Towns group. We meet at 10am on Saturday mornings at the Coast Tavern. We would love to see you there! §Call us on 041 9886545 for an appointment. Email: bettystowndental@gmail.com Web: www.bettystowndental.ie Triton Road, Bettystown, Co. Meath (between Funtasia & Tesco) Extended PRSI Scheme Dental exam and clean only €15 for qualified patients. To check eligibility contact us on 0419886545 Private, PRSI and Medical Card Patients Welcome Dr Matthew Crinion B.D.S. (NUI) Corns, Callouses, Verrucae, Ingrown Toenails, nail surgery and other treatments State of the art Gaitscan analysis pressure plate used in the assessment of foot, back and leg pain. Orthotics prescribed to stabilise foot function and rehabilitation Opening hours 9.00-6.00 Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: Saturday 10.00-1.00 Niamh Tully , BSc (Hons) Pod. MCh.S. S.R.Ch Main Street, Laytown, Tel: 041 9888492 Chiropodist / Podiatrist (State registered) The Foot Clinic Main Street DUNLEER County Louth A92 X57K Ireland Tel:041 6861111 REMOVABLE PROSTHETICS, PORCELAIN, CROWN, BRIDGE, RECONSTRUCTION Lannon Footcare and Reflexology Footcare: Nail Cutting, Filing & Thinning Calluses & Corns Fungal Nail & Skin Conditions Ingrown Toenails Diabetic _Footcare Verrucas Reflexology Relaxation Balances all systems in the body Reduces Stress Increases Energy Clears Toxins Find me on or contact 085 - 2522918 Clinic Opening Hours: Mon - Thur 9:30 to 14:00 Fri 9:30 to 17:00 By Appointment only. Also available for Call Outs, Nursing Home & Corporate Visits Clinic located at Anagenic Hair Design Unit 4F The Anchorage Bettystown Co. Meath Claire Lannon - Dip FH MCFHP MAFHP MNRRI Registered Reflexologist Foot Health Practitioner © September 2020 The Meath Coaster 22 Working From Home – Part 1 T he new reality for the foreseeable fu- ture for many of us will be working from home. To maximise your productivity but also make life a bit easier I will over the com- ing months provide some suggestions I hope will help to make the process easier. Broadband This is one of the key components in the mix and if the performance is weak it can make working from home a painful expe- rience. Consider the following step if you are experiencing poor performance over wifiand you’ve checked your broadband speed. The caveat as with any solution is to identifying the issue is the first step. On possible solution is outlined below: Wired Broadband Connection This doesn’t mean stringing a long cable from the hallway to your sitting room! You can purchase adapters that use the electrical wiring in your house to carry the wired (Ethernet) signal from the mo- dem to your work area. This solution will only work if your computer has an Ether- net port, many newer laptops don’t have them. You can purchase an adapter for the laptop but that’s another discussion en- tirely. These devices are called Powerline net- work adapters. I recommend the non wifi models with a built in plug if possible. Models with a wifican put additional traffic load on the connection that is not needed. Keep it simple. There are a few caveats on these devices: 1. They don’t always work as they are sub- ject to how your electric cable is wired. 2. They don’t work well or at all when COMPUTER PROBLEM? Contact Oliver 041.988.7526 087.797.0740 iPhones Smartphones Repair Laptop/Desktop Repair & Upgrades plugged into electrical extensions. (Fyi: Fire officers really dislike electrical ex- tensions as they are a fire hazard) 3. From time to time you will need to pair the devices as they can lose connectivity. 4. They provide a reduced speed as op- posed to a cable connection but they should still outperform your wificon- nection and be more stable. 5. Be aware of fire hazards by ensuring you don’t overload the sockets where you use these items. 6. Check them for excessive heat and if you have any concerns contact an elec- trician to ensure your sockets are wired correctly. 7. You will need two Ethernet cables – one to connect to the modem and the other for your pc. If you have areas you would like to see articles on about home working drop me a whatsapp with your suggestion and if I get enough interest I will do an article. Wishing you all the best. Please stay safe.”§ Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.You can con- tact him via email at help.desk@reidyonline. com, by the telephone numbers listed on this page, and whatsapp @08779707040. This ar- ticle, and all previous articles, are available to view online at http://reidyonline.blogspot.ie/ or www.reidyonline.com/blogspot.htmSTOP NO MORE CONSTRUCTION IN THIS AREA WITHOUT INFRA - STRUCTURE Lessons based In NEW PREMISES at 43 Fair Street, Drogheda Toccata House Music School, Drogheda. Junior and Leaving Certificate Music and Musicianship Associated Board and Riam Theory. Join our School Choir for free Restarting 7 th September Lessons in piano, keyboard, guitar - electric, acoustic, bass and classical, ukulele, piano accordion, flute, clarinet, saxophone, recorder, tin whistle, violin, cello, viola, drums, Voice coaching - classical and musical theatre, For Information call Olive 087 2603079, Facebook or email toccatahouse@ gmail.com Established Since 1990. All 1-to-1 Lessons with social distancing & Covid restrictions or via Zoom / Skype / Facetime 086/1733396 086/1733397 Mullenandsons1@gmail.com www.Mullenandsons.ie Alan Mullen & Sons Builders Ltd Fifth Generation Irish Builders For All Your Building Needs Fully Insured and Registered 085 2057786 e: preidcrashrepairs@gmail.com Mill Road, Mornington Panel be ating Spray painting All work guaranteedLEARN TO SWIM AT Neptune, Bettystown, Co. Meath. 041 982 7107 Boyne Business Park, Drogheda, Co. Louth. 041 980 2600 info@ifal.ie© September 2020 The Meath Coaster 25 SWIMFOR FUN,SWIM FORLIFE! www.ifal.ie AtIntegralSwimAcademyweprovide funandenjoyableswimminglessons foralllevels. SwimIrelandAccredited Ages4&up Max10perClass LessonstakeplaceTuesdays, Wednesdays,Thursdays&Saturdays SWIM ACADEMY NEXT SWIM TERM STARTS 29 TH SEPTEMBER - 12 TH DECEMBER BOOK NOW PLACES ARE LIMITED FREE Swim Assessments for all children for the month of September All lessons fully in compliance with Covid-19 precautions© September 2020 The Meath Coaster 26 The View From The Kitchen Table, By Geraldine Hughes L et’s talk about masks. How’re you getting on with yours?! Like a lot of relationships, the one I have with mask wearing is complex, but in this world you’ve gotta pick your battles and for me, to wear, or not to wear a mask just wasn’t one of them. I have to wear it for work and it just may very well stop the spread of Covid so, for me, it’s a no-brainer. I just wear it but that doesn’t mean I like it. I’ve tried them all in my quest to find the perfect one. I got some nice black ones made of a sort of neoprene fabric which were really comfortable but felt like I was breathing through a wet sock after a while, but they are easy to wash and dry so I hang one or two up in the car and they get the thumbs up for short trips, or for when I forget to bring one ,which is often. Next up were fabric ones, very nice prints on them, they look as good as a face mask can. Not very airy though and because they had no pleats, they were rigid so when I looked down, the mask rode up over my eyes. This really hampered my weekly game of ‘Beat the Aldi check-out person’, where I pack as fast as I can (this is strictly against their rules!) at the checkout. I had to admit defeat with this mask on. Even though it was Leopard print, I couldn’t see what I was doing and I had to pack at the packing area (the shame!) We wear the disposable blue ones in work and they are probably the best, though I dread to think of the landfill we’re creat- ing. When I say they are the best, I’m not in the medical profession (be grateful), so I never expected that mask wearing was ever going to be a thing in hairdressing, they were never on my radar as something I was going to have to rate but as ratings go they are the easiest to wear by far. Even though you can’t wear lipstick or lip gloss because your mouth sticks to the mask and then you end up eating it. You can’t even really wear make-up because it comes off on the mask and it’s all a bit gross. There are many, many reasons not to like the mask – they feel a little claustropho- bic. They are a continual reminder that life is just a bit strange right now. They hamper non-verbal communication so I’m doing lots of verbally communica- tion while wearing one for 12 hours a day which is giving me a sore jaw and sore ears from the straps no matter which way, I twist them. But wearing one has allowed me and 25,000 others in my sector to get back to work, and I’m very grateful for that, and it won’t be forever. The experts say another year. Or 2 years. Or until a vaccine is cre- ated. Or never. But we’ll live in hope § Read and share the article online at www.meathcoaster.com/articles Please mention The Meath Coaster when replying to advertisementsBG PAINTING & DECORATING InterIor & exterIor 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE REFERENCES AVAILABLE FREE CONSULTATIONS & ESTIMATES WALLPAPER ALSO AVAILABLE Contact Brian 086 7308449 Noel Savage Electrical Services 20 Years Experience • Security Lighting Fuseboard Upgrades • Rewires, Extra Sockets • Lights, Fully Insured and Registered No Job Too Small Bettystown, Co. Meath Mobile: 086 2518898 TREE & GARDEN SERVICES Trees Lopped, Topped and Felled Complete removal including Stump and Root Grinding. Free Estimates, Fully Insured, Long Experience Local Tree Care Contact Jim 085 1234610-042 6030099 No Job Too Big or Too Small Special OAP Rates HEDGE TRIMMING & SHAPING. All Greenery chipped on site Driveway, Patio, Power-washed, Gutter cleaning Please mention The Meath Coaster when replying to advertisements ALAN KENNEDY ROOFING 0894483195 SLATING, TILING, FLAT ROOFS, RESTIRIX, LEAD WORK, CHIMNEY REPAIRS, UPVC FACSIA/GUTTERS, DRY VERGE/RIDGE SYSTEMS, VELUX WINDOWS, VENTS Bettystown Alterations Wedding Alterations and Evening Wear Premises located behind the offices in McDonough Caravan Park on Triton Road (Opposite Tesco) Phone: 086 775 3 776 Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm Lunch 1:30pm - 2:30pm Close Tue 2pm Clothing Alterations •Wedding/Evening Wear • Leather/Suede Repairs •Curtains Same Day Service Mammy Day Care Crèche, Montessori & Afterschool Full and part-time care ECCE Free pre-school years Affordable childcare scheme After-school care Large outdoor play area 3 months to 12 years of age catered for Stamullen, Co. Meath E: info@mammydaycare.com T: 01 690 5333/086 8286927 Wishing all our chil - dren the best of luck going to primary school Laurence Shopping Centre Open for school books and toys Clinics are organised on a week by week basis due to Covid-19 Restrictions. See Website Become a blood donor 1850 – 73 11 37 or 041 – 685 9994 John Healy, Area Organiser at our or www.giveblood.ie© September 2020 The Meath Coaster 28 FRANCISCAN COLLEGE GORMANSTON BACK TO SCHOOL - SAFE AND SOUND As parents, students and staff prepare for their return to school Franciscan College Gormanston have been busy making the necessary arrangements for their safe return. Preparatory work has been ongoing since the first week in August ensuring the school is adhering to Public Health guidelines in line with the Government Roadmap for reopening of schools. With a strict limit on the students permitted in each classroom major changes, repurposing and reconfiguration of spaces and rooms has had to take place. Some of these changes are temporary, like the Study Hall & Library, and will revert to their original functions in time. With guidelines changing, sometimes on a daily basis, the school have been communicating updates to parents regularly. Franciscan College Gormanston are looking forward to welcoming back all their students and staff and although it is an anxious time for everyone feel it is really important for our students to return to the classroom. Below are just some of the measures that have been implemented in advance of the school year. STUDY HALL CONVERSION INTO 4 NEW CLASSROOMS FR. EAMONN NEWELL LIBRARY CONVERSION INTO 2 NEW CLASSROOMS ORIGINAL LIBRARY OLD ART ROOM CONVERSION INTO 2ND STAFF ROOM • Over 100 Hand Sanitising Dispensers on entry points and throughout school • Social Distance markings in classroom and corridors • Conversion of Study hall into 4 new classrooms • Updating/refurbishment of all student & staff toilets • Conversion of rooms in Teanglann to Special Education Needs Office, Consultation Room & new SEN Classroom • Clearance of excess shelving, books, etc. from classrooms for social distancing purposes (and placed in storage) • Repurposing old storage rooms into two Isolation Rooms • Conversion of old Art Room into second Staff Room • Relocation of student lockers to assist with Social Distancing • Deep Cleaning throughout school ORIGINAL ART ROOM NEW STAFF ROOM NEW CLASSROOM (Each room 4 x 6 Mtrs aprox) © September 2020 The Meath Coaster 29 FRANCISCAN COLLEGE GORMANSTON VIRTUAL OPEN EVENING Thursday 17th September 2020 Due to Public Health restrictions it will not be possible to hold our traditional Open Evening this year. However, details of a Virtual Event will be posted on our website and will be available to view from 5pm on above date. Enjoy a School tour, the opportunity to see the repurposing of the school building, the Principal’s Address and Presentation. Application and School Enrolment Form will be available on College website www.gormanstoncollege.ie Franciscan College Gormanston, Gormanston, Co. Meath Tel. 01 8412203 Email: adminsec@gormanstoncollege.ie REFURBISHED BATHROOMS PPE SUPPLIES A Co - Educational School FRANCISCAN COLLEGE GORMANSTON BACK TO SCHOOL - SAFE AND SOUND NEW SEN CLASSROOM Next >