Declan Mescall’s Post

A duo of new experiences. My first time to visit Sri Lanka and my first time to take a pre dawn sunrise hot air balloon ride. I expect many more firsts during my time here in Sri Lanka.

Taking part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Singapore. 🤣Happy St Patrick’s Day.☘️ 🇮🇪

Delighted to have two of my photos of local scenes published in the Castleknock TidyTowns 2024 calendar for the months of March and July.

Many of the staff here in the Agadir Beach Club Hotel, Agadir, Morocco are sporting Ireland tattoos in support of the Irish team playing in the Rugby World Cup quarter final later this evening. Come on Ireland 🇮🇪 Allez les verts. 🇮🇪

Very few organisations commemorate the service of an individual 51 years after their passing. 2022 was the Centenary Year of the founding 100 years ago of An Garda Síochána (Ireland’s Police Service). As part of their celebrations throughout the country, serving, retired and families of deceased members of the police force were presented with a special Centenary Medal. I was honoured and humbled to accept the medal in memory of my Dad. My late father, Inspector Michael J. Mescal, left the Irish Army in 1943 after 3 years service and the very next day joined An Garda Síochána aged 22 years serving for 28 years until his sudden and untimely death in service in 1971 aged only 50 years. All his police career was spent in various stations in the Dublin Metropolitan Area. Among these stations was the Bridewell Garda Station in Dublin city centre where I was recently invited to accept the Centenary Medal in my Dad’s honour at a special and very memorable ceremony and reception attended by Garda top brass and the Garda band. My Dad was one of the 13 founding voluntary directors of An Garda Síochána’s credit union called St Raphael’s Garda Credit Union. Established in 1964 it was one of the very first credit unions in the country and has now progressed into the largest in Ireland. Incredibly to this day a meeting room in their Dublin headquarters is named in tribute to my Dad. In 2014 on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of this credit union I was privileged to be invited to their half century celebrations alongside surviving founders and was presented with a specially commissioned framed certificate in recognition of my Dad’s contribution. Another commendable example of an individual being commemorated by an organisation many years after their passing. An Garda Síochána St. Raphael's Garda Credit Union

Castleknock TidyTowns was recently nominated for a Fingal County Council prestigious Mayor's Award. I was delighted and honoured to accept a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of all Castleknock TidyTowns volunteers "In appreciation of the volunteer service given to the County and citizens of Fingal". It was a very special and glitzy event dedicated to recognising the positive benefits of volunteerism in our communities.

Spreading the word. Great article in the local Northside People newspaper, similar to one featured in the Dublin Gazette. Our local community radio station Phoenix FM, during their “D15 Today” programme, broadcast a 17 minute interview with me speaking on behalf of Castleknock TidyTowns. In addition we are making extensive use of our social media channels as we want everyone in the Dublin 15 area to know about the 24/7, 365 days a year availability of this life saving defibrillator outside Myos pub in the heart of Castleknock village.

On behalf of Castleknock TidyTowns we wish to publicly express our grateful appreciation to local residents David Hall and Susan Wiseman, owners of Lifeline Ambulance Service Ireland, for generously donating a defibrillator to the Castleknock community. The defibrillator is the only one in the neighbourhood which is accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. Instructions on how to use it are given when the unit is activated. We regularly partner with local business leaders to help make Castleknock a better place to live, work, learn, play, shop and visit. Together we are making a difference. It’s inspiring when business leaders come together to support a life saving initiative for their local communities in a very meaningful way. This recently installed device is located in a very prominent position at the front of the renowned Myos Pub in the heart of the village. Castleknock TidyTowns is very grateful to Shane Swan, operator of Myos pub for generously hosting the defibrillator on his premises. The defibrillator and cabinet were supplied by Safety Ireland. Lifeline Ambulance Service. Photo caption: David Hall (Lifeline Ambulances), Declan Mescall ( Castleknock TidyTowns) and Shane Swan (Myos).

As a travel writer who has attended many press conferences, media briefings and communication events in numerous parts of the world I was very interested to recently visit the Press Centre of the Headquarters of the European Council in Brussels. The facility was being prepared to accommodate over a thousand journalists from all over the globe who will cover the upcoming European Council Summit Meeting when US President Joe Biden will join EU leaders for a discussion on support for Ukraine and it’s people and on strengthening transatlantic cooperation in response to Russia’s aggression.