Cllr Tom OLeary said recently, “ I welcome the confirmation that Fingal Council has lodged a planning application to An Bord Pleanála to remediate and upgrade the pier at Skerries Harbour. Fishers and sailors use both Balbriggan and Skerries harbours.” (Fishers is the new term for Fishermen and Fisherwomen) It is hoped that a positive decision will emerge in 6 Months. Then, Foreshore licences/leases are also required from the Dept of Agriculture Food & Marine and these typically can take up to 2 years from the date of application. Construction work should commence in 2026 after a tender process is completed. Local Skerries Cllr Tom O’Leary said, ” It’s very important for the Fishers at Skerries Harbour that facilities are improved for them to enable them to operate efficiently in a very tough business. So, Fishers require a crane to haul the fish boxes from the boats, to be installed at the harbour, dedicated parking for Fishers, water and electricity services and new storage containers or sheds. We also need to cater for the very popular busy pleasure sailing groups and in particular look at installing a suitable pontoon for safe access to and from boats of all sizes,” said Cllr Tom O’Leary. The Plans are availabe to view at Skerries Library from 5th March to 16th April 2024 .Online at www.fingal.ie/news

The Senior Men’s team named ‘Dragunz’ have just completed their 1st year in the Dublin Men’s Basketball League in the 6th Division. Currently sitting at 3rd on the table with a possible drop out of the top 4 positions, which depends on remaining games from other teams. The season started at the end of September 2023 and ends at the start of May2024, Through this time the team succeeded to win half (9/9) of their scheduled games inthe league. Scheduled games are usually on Friday nights in Bremore ETNS, Balbriggan.The senior team is multi-national, with a core membership from within the Balbriggan community. Our club members who come from other areas include, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Drogheda and Dunleer. Congratulations to the Senior Men’s Team of the Balbriggan Basketball ‘Dragunz’ for completing their 1st year as a topflight Basketball team. A huge round of applause and appreciation to the coaching staff, volunteers, parents and members who assisted, supported and participated in the sporting activities through the season. Balbriggan Basketball operates a Youth Academy that trains young people to participate in the sport of Basketball. The goals are; knowing how to play the sport, team building exercises, active participation in sports, and a fun place to make new friends. The inclusive club caters to anybody (Boys & Girls) interested in taking part in the sport and ages start from 6 to 15 years old for our junior members, and trainings are either on a Wednesday evening or Sunday morning. Proposed League Teams for 2024/2025 season -Senior Men (16years and above) Dragunz - Senior Women (16years and above) Phoenix Flames - U16 Boys team (from 12-15years) Falcons. We require more members, coaches, referees, volunteers, and community support to fulfil the aspirations of this admirable club. Testimonial Brandon Lengenhager - “I feel like we played well this year, there is room for improvement, just like everything in life. I cannot wait to get in the gym, and I know we will be better next year to get the top spot for sure.”

Councillor Brendan Ryan has been selected to contest the Local elections in June for the Labour Party in the Balbriggan Local Electoral Area. Members of the Balbriggan and Skerries branches, as well as family members and other supporters, gathered in Balbriggan, on the 22 nd February, to finalize the selection process. The meeting was chaired by the National Organiser, Aideen Blackwood, and Duncan Smith TD and Councillor Rob O’Donoghue were also in attendance. In his speech on the night Ryan stated that once he accepted the nomination for co-option to replace Cllr. Seana O’Rodaigh in May last year, it was always his intention to contest the Local Elections in 2024. He also stated that he has no regrets about his decision to get back into a more formal role on the political scene again. “I have really enjoyed being a Councillor since June of last year” he said. “Many people are surprised when I tell them that I had never previously been a Councillor, and that I had taken a different route into politics, starting in the Seanad and then being elected to the Dail on two occasions” he added. “My clinics in Balbriggan and Skerries, which I love doing so much, are up and running and going well every Saturday morning. The people in Balbriggan seem to like the idea of having somewhere to drop in without having to make an appointment, and I will continue to provide that service” he said. Ryan thanked the members and friends for turning out in such numbers and looked forward to the work ahead.

The Balbriggan/North County Dublin Perpetual Trophy was given out this year to a very special recipient! To give a little bit of background if you are not aware, the award began due to one couple Ned and Máire Maguire from Dolahesy just outside of Balbriggan. The couple were great for our branch on the Facebook of the 80’s/90’s as they informed people as to what a guide dog is and what a guide dog does, they took part in sponsored walks and went door to door fundraising for our branch, to name a few of their amazing contributions. When Ned passed away, our branch sourced a trophy to represent a litter of puppies with their mother and each year, the trophy is given to a person or business that has done something that stands out to our Branch during the year. The latest recipient of the Perpetual Trophy was Patrick Baxter (Hucky) of Baxter’s Butchers, Clonard Street, Balbriggan who has volunteered at church gate collections, pub rambles and sells an amazing amount of our Christmas Cards and Calendars every year in his butcher shop on Clonard Street. A huge congratulations to Patrick and thank you for all that you do. Everyone will know that the Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch of Guide Dogs has a Facebook page. However, you may be unaware and interested to know that we also have an Instagram and Twitter (recently rebranded as X) page. Instagram is a free photo and video sharing app where the branch regularly posts photos and videos of events and upcoming fundraisers. If you would like to follow us or have a look at our Instagram page, you can find us with the handle @balbrigganbranchguide. Twitter/X is a free social networking site where users can broadcast short posts known as tweets and repost to share other people’s tweets. These tweets contain text, photos, videos, or links which we also frequently update with the latest Branch information. If you would like to follow our page on Twitter/X you can find us with the handle @BranchGuide. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please feel free to contact us: Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, by phone/text: 085 7663107, email: guidedogsbalbriggan@gmail.com or you can find us on Facebook: Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.

Would you have an hour to spare on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning? If you would like to help out Balbriggan Meals on Wheels as a Volunteer Driver, please get in touch by calling 01 8416743 or emailing mealsonwheelsbalbriggan@gmail.com. Balbriggan Meals on Wheels has been providing meals to the most vulnerable members of our community since 1975 and was awarded the Community Hero of the Year at the recent Balbriggan Town Awards.

Get together with your neighbours to share food and enjoy some conversation and camaraderie this summer. Annual weekend of street parties and communities’ lunches. It doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or house, all you need is a space to bring people together. Fingal County Council say people have had feasts organised in front gardens, on streets and greens, in car parks, laneways, local parks and community centres and can’t wait to see what you come up with! Registrations with Fingal County Council opened in February 2024. Once you have registered, you’ll receive your FREE Street Feast party pack, complete with bunting, posters, invites and a brilliant DIY guide! Fingal County Council ask that you host your Street Feast on the weekend of 25th – 26th May. So contact the Council now!

Fianna Fáil selected local woman Sinéad Lucey Brennan as its candidate in the Balbriggan LEA, to contest the Local Elections in 2024, following a Selection Convention last June. Since her selection as Fianna Fail’s candidate, Sinéad has been working tirelessly for the people of Balbriggan, Balrothery and the rural areas around those towns. She is a member of many committees and groups in the area. Sinéad comes to her candidacy with a strong background in local issues and a wealth of experience in both the tech sector and disability advocacy. She is originally from Cork and lives locally with her husband, Darran from Donegal, and their young daughter. Commenting on Sinéad’s candidacy, Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “Sinéad is exactly the kind of young, exciting and dynamic candidate Balbriggan needs. She is determined to help build a brighter future for the town as it undergoes unprecedented change and growth. I am excited to support her candidacy and look forward to working with her in the future.” Sinéad said “This is a great honour for me and I want to thank the members for their support and everyone who collaborated to make this happen. As a young working mum, I understand the needs of people and where I can support their future success and growth. My family and I have chosen to put down roots in this beautiful part of the world and I am excited about delivering and working for the people living in Balbriggan and the Local Electoral Area.”

Balbriggan & District Historical Society is looking forward to a new year of activities and we would be delighted if you can join us. For our first talk on March 27th, we welcome Skerries native Gerard Shannon for a talk on Liam Lynch titled - To Declare a Republic: The life of Liam Lynch, IRA Chief of Staff, 1892-1923.

General Liam Lynch was one of the most important republican leaders of the Irish revolutionary period. Hailing from rural Limerick, Lynch proved himself an accomplished guerrilla commander of the IRA’s Cork No. 2 Brigade in north Cork, masterminding important operations against British forces during the War of Independence. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Lynch soon established him as a chief opponent to the settlement, seeing it as a betrayal of the Irish republican cause. On becoming leader of the anti-Treaty IRA at the outset of the Irish Civil War, Lynch was a major driving of republican resistance to the emerging Irish Free State, with his death in April 1923 ultimately signalling an end to the military fighting of the conflict. This talk from Gerard Shannon, author of the most recent biography of Lynch, explores the life of this fascinating figure.

Bio – Gerard Shannon is a public historian of the Irish revolutionary period from Skerries and has a MA in History from the DCU School of History and Geography. His first book, ‘Liam Lynch: To Declare a Republic’, was published in March 2023 from Merrion Press and featured on the non-fiction best seller lists. He is currently developing a biography of IRA leader Rory O’Connor, to see publication in early 2025.
For our April talk on the 24th we welcome local historian and Committee member our own Jim Walsh for a talk on the tragedy of the Bolingbroke children in 1930. His talk will focus on their death in a fire in Balbriggan, and the impact on the Bolingbroke family and the community of a tragedy remembered in Balbriggan almost a century later.

On May 29th we welcome Aiden Arnold for a talk based on his recent book Barnewall de Berneval - 800 years of a Norman Irish family. As we all know the Barnewall family were associated with Bremore Castle in Balbriggan so this will be of huge interest.

All our talks take place in the Bracken Court Hotel at 8pm on the last Wednesday of the month, and all are welcome. Membership is €15 or €10 for seniors or you can pay €5 for any individual talk. For any information see balbrigganhistory.com

Please join Balbriggan Sustainable Energy Community CLG and the ORS energy team for the launch of the Balbriggan Energy Master Plan on Thursday March 7th 18.00 - 20.00 in the Bracken Court Hotel. Hear about the home and community building energy audits and the results of our Home Energy Survey. Learn about energy use in Balbriggan and new projects that will help Balbriggan transition to a low carbon community. The launch is supported by the Progressive Credit Union and thanks to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for the grant funding. We hope to see you there.

Many thanks to all the dancers, parents and teachers for the wonderful support for Balbriggan Feis 2024. It truly was an amazing Irish Dancing weekend. Thanks to our adjudicating panel - Mr Eugene Smith, Ms Belinda Murphy, Ms Briege Crawford, Mr Damian O’Neill, Ms Catherine Maher and Ms Minette Kieran for working tirelessly and flexibly through the weekend. We were also delighted to have the wonderful music from Mr Kevin Warren. We had great help from family, friends and teacher colleagues - we couldn’t have done it without ye! Parents and dancers from the Mc FOS School (and former dancers) were also brilliant - thank you all. Clann Mhuire GFC are always great to work with and volunteers help set up the hall, look after the carpark and the shop and help in every way they can. We look forward to letting you know about the proceeds that go to the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Thank you one and all and we look forward to seeing you again in 2025. All the best, Damien, Ann and all the team.