Every year, on the last Sunday of April, Phoenix Park transforms into a lively celebration of Japanese culture during the Experience Japan Hanami Festival. Visitors from across Ireland gather to enjoy authentic food, live music, traditional and modern dance performances, cultural workshops, art displays, and martial arts demonstrations. Families picnic on the grass, children try their hand at calligraphy and origami, and performances on the main stage bring Japan’s rich heritage to life in the heart of Dublin.
The festival takes its name and inspiration from Hanami, the Japanese tradition of admiring cherry blossoms. In Japan, sakura blossoms are more than just beautiful flowers — their brief blooming period is a powerful symbol of the fleeting nature of life. This awareness of impermanence, and the calm acceptance of it, is deeply woven into Japanese culture. The same philosophy shaped Bushido, the code of the samurai, where martial arts were not merely for combat but for cultivating discipline, resilience, and clarity of mind. These old values remain central to Japanese society even today.

That’s why martial arts demonstrations became an organic part of the Experience Japan Festival. This year’s performances featured both classical and modern disciplines — from Kashima Shinto-ryu, a traditional sword style, and Naginata, a polearm-based art, to Karate and Aikido, which adapt centuries-old principles to the modern world. Despite their differences, all these arts share the same core values: self-awareness, control, and respect.

Takemusu Aikido Society, a local club, proudly represented the Balbriggan community at this year’s festival. We train weekly at the Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre, and it was a pleasure to bring our practice to a wider audience in Phoenix Park.

Our 20-minute demonstration didn’t just display Aikido techniques — it guided the audience through the art’s structured progression, offering insight into how Aikido is studied and internalised over time. Aikido, though modern, is rooted in older forms of Jujutsu and swordsmanship, and it carries forward the samurai spirit: composure under pressure, centred movement, and profound respect for both partner and opponent.

The demonstration followed the traditional structure of Aikido studying: starting with sword-work, moving through empty-handed techniques, and concluding with staff practice. We began with solo and paired sword forms, demonstrating how Aikido movements originate from classical swordsmanship. Sword exercises form the foundation of Aikido, training balance, focus, coordination, and a refined sense of timing — all essential skills that underpin the entire art.

We then transitioned to empty-handed techniques, demonstrating how throws progress from basic to more advanced forms, including powerful hip throws. In Aikido, effectiveness doesn’t come from brute force, but from blending with an attack and redirecting it using whole-body movement. To highlight this principle, a 12-year-old boy performed clean, precise throws on a well-built adult partner — a beautiful illustration of how skill, timing, and connection outweigh size or strength.

We then moved on to staff techniques, the third pillar of Aikido practice. These exercises blend the principles learned through sword and empty-handed practice, building precision, rhythm, and responsiveness.

To conclude, our head instructor demonstrated how the same movements could be applied across all situations — empty-handed, disarming a sword, or neutralising a staff. This final sequence illustrated the universality of Aikido’s principles, regardless of weapon or context.

The demonstration ended with a dramatic staff-versus-sword defence, bringing everything full circle: from sword, to body, to staff — all connected in one seamless flow.

It was an honour to represent Balbriggan at this celebration of Japanese culture. We welcome new members of all ages and backgrounds to join us on the mats and explore the depth, clarity, and grace of Aikido for themselves.

To learn more, visit www.aiki.ie or find us on social media.

April and May were busy months for our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs. On April 12th our Branch was presented with two cheques from the Tesco Balbriggan and Tesco Rush Community Fund. There were many doggies in attendance, Qeb the working guide dog, Lulu the guide dog puppy in training, Marco the assistance dog, Gigi the assistance dog and Adel the ambassador dog who were all very grateful to Tesco Balbriggan and Rush for their kind donation. Of course all the humans were at the cheque presentation too and we want to give a big thank you to all the residents of Balbriggan and surrounding areas who took the time to place their tokens in the Irish Guide Dog Tesco Community fund box.

On April 13th our Branch fundraised at Hers Upstairs at Mrs O’s craft fair and a great day was had by all. Keep your eye on our social media pages to see when the next craft fair will be and you might just see us there.
Of course, May was a busy month with Guide Dog Day on the 23rd May! Fundraising kicked off on the 22nd May as Skerries Community Choir held a summer concert in Holm Patrick Church who made a generous donation from the proceeds to our Branch. We can’t thank the Skerries Community Choir enough for their support. Our Branch then fundraised at Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan for Guide Dog Day where we sold merchandise along with raffle tickets at €5 to potentially win a luxury holiday worth €5,000! We also fundraised on Saturday the 24th May in SuperValu, Balbriggan. A great day was had by all and a big thank you to anyone who came along and said hello and supported us.

If you would like to come and support us, you can find us next at the Balbriggan Summer Fest on Sunday 1st June, where we will have raffle tickets for €5 each to win a holiday, along with other merchandise and perhaps a Guide Dog or two will be there to say hello.

If you would like to get in touch with us, you can contact the Balbriggan/North
County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs by phone/text 0857663107,
email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.

Pictured at the UCD/BSTAI Awards Night at the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business are [L–R]: Ciara O’Riordan, President, BSTAI; Students Muireann Bagley; Nikola Bodrova; Zara Bradvica; Unain Browne-Donnan; Sarah Farrell; Robyn Foster; Sophie Mohan; Aisling Murphy; Aoife Doherty, Director, UCD Quinn School of Business; Paula Gartland, Business Studies Teacher, Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan.
This prestigious event recognised the outstanding achievements of secondary school students who excelled in the Junior Certificate State Examinations in 2024.

The ceremony celebrated the hard work and dedication of 123 students who achieved a Distinction in their Higher Level Business Studies exam, which represents the top 3% of students. This marks an exciting milestone for these students, many of whom are now in their Transition Year and visiting UCD for the first time.

Each student was formally presented with a Certificate of Achievement by the President of the BSTAI, Ciaran O’Riordan, and Director of UCD Quinn School, Associate Professor Maeve Houlihan, in recognition of their academic excellence.

The internationally touring American comedy show, Scriptless in Seattle, brings its one-of-a-kind musical improv to the Lark in Balbriggan on 4th June at 7pm, where a show will be written and performed for the first (and last) time anywhere!

No two shows are ever the same. “I’ve been touring with this show for years, and not one performance has ever been like another,” says tour manager and emcee Justin Folger. “We like to say the show the audience sees has never been performed before—and will never be performed again. And we mean it.”
Folger, who’s been on stage without a script for over seven years, is joined by a team of seasoned improvisers known for their quick wit, crowd work, and unpredictable hilarity.

“I love looking out at the audience and seeing everyone from families with young kids to couples who’ve been together 55 years,” says longtime performer James Trombka. “Everyone leaves smiling.”

Performer Eli Popik adds, “We’re thrilled to be bringing this show to Ireland. It’s a perfect family night out. It’s affordable, clean, and interactive—you might even end up on stage!”

Scriptless in Seattle specializes in family-friendly sketch-style improv that’s fully unscripted and shaped by audience suggestions. The tour includes stops in over a dozen cities across the U.S. and two this summer in Ireland.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ScriptlessInSeattle.com. Get yours while you can!

Make way for something different, there’s a new band in town, and they’re setting the stage alight with timeless charm. Meet “Let’s Be Frank,” a Frank Sinatra cover band founded by a group of jazz students at Dublin City University, led by the velvet-voiced James Gallen.

Formed in late 2023, Let’s Be Frank are on a mission to rekindle the soul of the Rat Pack era, delivering fresh takes on Sinatra classics with youthful energy, sharp arrangements, and a deep respect for the musicality of the greats, pre the auto-tune era.

“Our goal is to capture the elegance and swagger of Sinatra, but give it a modern heartbeat that feels relevant today,” says frontman James Gallen, whose smooth vocals and magnetic stage presence are earning attention well beyond the lecture hall. Band members include Joey Leamy, Theo Johnson, Sean Crehan and Jarlath Byrne.

The band, all trained in jazz performance, are gearing up to record their debut album, a curated blend of faithful renditions and daring reinterpretations of Sinatra’s most beloved hits. Expect to hear new life breathed into timeless tracks like Fly Me to the Moon, My Way, and The Way You Look Tonight, all with a modern twist.

With a string of live performances around the capital under their belt, already drawing jazz aficionados and newcomers to date, Let’s Be Frank are proving that the classics aren’t just alive — they’re thriving.
The Debut Single “Fly Me To The Moon”, from Let’s Be Frank was released on Saturday May 10th on all digital platforms, and it’s sure to be swingin!

Balbriggan’s Front Strand has lost its ‘Poor’ status in an Environmental Protection Agency report on Bathing Water Quality, with almost 20 samples resulting in ‘Excellent’ ratings.

Intensive works by Fingal County Council over five years, aimed at improving water quality at Balbriggan’s Front Strand, have paid off, it has been revealed.

Since a poor rating in June 2023, 23 samples have yielded 18 ‘Excellent’ ratings.

Now, the EPA has deemed Front Strand to have changed status and all-season notices advising people not to swim will be lifted.

Fingal County Council’s Balbriggan Beach Management Plan, introduced by the authority’s Environment section, and implemented with the help of Uisce Éireann, identified risks causing poor water quality at Front Strand.

And the authority introduced an action plan to mitigate against the causes of poor water quality, which included water misconnections, waste water accidental releases and wastewater stormwater overflows.
Other issues identified were agricultural run-off, dog fouling, bird fouling, water pollution from oil leaks and challenges presented by heavy rain.

Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, which oversees Fingal County Council’s Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme, warmly welcomed the announcement.

“A lot of work has been done to address issues at Front Strand over the last five years and it is great to finally see this effort reaping positive results.

“Much has been accomplished, particularly around misconnections, and hopefully the improvement in water quality can be maintained.”

It is another boost for the Balbriggan Harbour area as work continues to deliver the major infrastructural elements of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme.

Work is progressing on the plan’s flagship €15million project, the re-development of the Quay Street and Harbour area.

The €54-57million Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme is led by Fingal County Council’s Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development Department.

Balbriggan Meals on Wheels was founded in 1975 to provide meals for people who are ill, recovering from a serious illness, or for some reason are unable to provide meals for themselves.

On May 8th, Balbriggan Meals on Wheels hosted a special 50th Anniversary event to celebrate serving the Balbriggan Community for the past 50 years.

Balbriggan Meals on Wheels would like to thank those who sponsored the celebration and all those who came along and joined on the night. Huge thank you also to all those members of the local community who have helped us out over the years, by volunteering, through sponsorship, by donating to our service and supporting our fundraising events. We are truly grateful to everyone who has supported us.

For more information on Balbriggan Meals on Wheels and their services, please contact 01- 8416743 (Mon – Sat between 9am and 1pm) or email mealsonwheelsbalbriggan@gmail.

A new €10m six-lane 25 metre public swimming pool is to be built in Balbriggan, Fingal County Council has announced. The new facility will be built at Castlelands, one kilometre south of the town.

The project has now moved to preliminary design and planning stages. It is expected the project will be ready to go to planning by the end of this year and, subject to funding, construction could commence by the end of 2026.

The new facility will incorporate a changing village, reception area with café and a viewing gallery. It will be located south of the area’s Link Road, directly opposite the site of a proposed new school. An integrated design team led by UK-based company ReCreation has developed preliminary plans.
The provision of a public swimming pool was a key ask of the survey by Balbriggan.ie in 2019, aimed at shaping an order of priorities to transform the town. The findings subsequently shaped Fingal County Council’s ongoing €54-57million Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme.

In 2024, a study which reached out to local teens also highlighted the need for a public swimming pool in Balbriggan. Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, which oversees Fingal County Council’s Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme, warmly welcomed the announcement.
He said the swimming pool would have a profound and positive social impact on Balbriggan. “As we know, Balbriggan is home to one of the youngest, fastest growing and most diverse populations in Ireland. There is an unmatched determination across the community of Balbriggan to build a bright future for the area and this initiative will assist in doing just that.

According to AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, the long planned facility will prove hugely significant.

“Fingal County Council has long been aware of the need for a public swimming pool in Balbriggan. We will plan well to deliver a very significant facility for the people of the town and surrounding areas.
“The announcement is another significant milestone in our ambition to redevelop Balbriggan and represents further significant investment in the town by Fingal County Council. It makes perfect sense for any new swimming pool in Fingal to be located in Balbriggan, given its ever growing young population.”

Balbriggan Summerfest is returning once again this year from 27th May to 1st June 2025 with a packed programme of events for all the family. Running since 2009, Balbriggan Summerfest has grown into a vibrant community event that brings together residents, local groups, organisations and visitors to celebrate what Balbriggan has to offer. From live music, carnival fun, family-friendly events, sports and seaside traditions, the festival showcases the wonderful spirit of the community.

Balbriggan Summerfest has always been about people, neighbours, families, local clubs, organisations and volunteers coming together to create memories for everyone. It gives local people a platform to showcase their talents in music, art, craft, food and sports. The Balbriggan Summerfest Committee make every effort to keep everything local, reflecting the many cultures, traditions and talents that make the town such a vibrant and welcoming place. By celebrating what is unique about Balbriggan, the festival creates community pride and encourages people to take part by getting involved or just simply enjoying the festivities.

With the current regeneration projects happening across the town, the festival location has changed to Bremore Castle which means that some of the festival favourites such as the Duck Derby have had to be put on hold. However, over the week, the community and visitors can enjoy a varied line up of events such as the Summerfest 5k, charity football match, fireworks display, Bremore Castle tours, Blessing of the Boats, live music, carnival, vibrant food and craft market and much more.Our festival is not just about events, it is about bringing together the community, making memories and highlighting all that is great about our town.

It is that time of year again when Guide Dog Day is fast approaching. If you would like to support us, our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs will be fundraising on Guide Dog Day, Friday the 23rd of May in Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan where we will be selling merchandise along with holiday raffle tickets at €5 to potentially win a luxury holiday worth €5,000! We will also be fundraising on Saturday the 24th of May in Supervalu, Balbriggan where if you missed us on Friday, you could get your hands on our merchandise and those exciting raffle tickets at €5 each.

If you do not make it down to see us on either day, don’t worry there are more ways you can support our Branch. Did you know for example, that we placed a Q.R. code in Supervalu in Lusk of a large collection dog, so if you don’t have change to put into the large dog, you can scan the code using your phone and donate to the Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs as much or little as you like. We also have Q.R. codes on our large dogs in Balbriggan in Supervalu, Millfield Shopping Centre, Cuddles Pet Store located beside Millfield Shopping Centre. We also have them located in Skerries in Supervalu, The Framing Shop, McMeel’s Pharmacy and the Shore Line Hotel located in Donabate where you can simply tap your phone to donate to our Branch. We appreciate all your continued support and hope to see you on Guide Dog Day. Keep an eye on our social media pages for more information and events to come.
If volunteering is something you would like to do, you can contact the Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs by phone/text 0857663107, email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.