On Sunday 11th June Balbriggan locals, Paddy O’Callaghan and his daughter Niamh Kelivanova will be doing a Sponsored Parachute Jump in aid of Balbriggan Meals on Wheels at The Irish Parachute Club in Clonbullogue, Co Offaly. All money raised will go directly to Balbriggan Meals on Wheels for their ongoing work in providing meals in the local area. Please show your support for Paddy and Niamh by sponsoring them via the Balbriggan Meals on Wheels Facebook Page or by dropping your sponsorship in to Balbriggan Meals on Wheels at 14 Hampton Street. Balbriggan Meals on Wheels would like to thank Paddy and Niamh for bravely doing this fundraiser for them.

Balbriggan Secondary School students and teachers were given an opportunity to input into the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Project at the Bracken Court Hotel during the local Loves Learning Festival recently. The Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation programme is led by Fingal County Council’s Economic, Enterprise, Cultural and Tourism Department and maps a vision for the town, shaped by its people. The Loves Learning Festival provided an opportunity for a range of groups and services to platform learning opportunities available to people in Balbriggan and surrounding areas. The update with fifth and transition year students and teachers sought the further involvement of young people in the project, and celebrated Balbriggan’s role as the town with the biggest youth population in the country. The event also provided an opportunity to recognise and promote lifelong learning and showcased Balbriggan’s tremendous young talent and youth diversity.

Among the schools from which students and staff attended were Ardgillan College, Bremore Educate Together, Ghlor Na Mara, Balbriggan Community College and Loreto Secondary School. Our picture includes the following: (l-r) Sgt Darren Farrelly, Balbriggan Community Policing Unit; Fiona Kavanagh, Chair of Our Balbriggan Education Skills and Training Pillar; Eamonn Donlyn, Smart Balbriggan Co-ordinator; Katherine Kearns, TY Co-ordinator Loreto Secondary School; Emma Grufferty, is the Principal, Bremore Educate Together National Schools; Geraldine Barnett, Deputy Principal Loreto Secondary School; Ciara Menton, Ardgillan Community College; Kathy Jones, Principal, Bremore Educate Together; Jennifer Walsh, Bremore Educate Together; Breffni O’Rourke, Programme Manager, Our Balbriggan. Also in attendance but absent from the photograph was Supt Paul Franey, Balbriggan Gardai/Chair of Safe Balbriggan Pillar.

IFE Sportland recently hosted the new edition of Gardaland Cup,the youth football tournament that takes place at Easter in the fields near the beautiful Garda Lake in Italy. The tournament will involved a fantastic international atmosphere and the beautiful Gardaland park, which has always characterized it. Many teams from all over Italy and from northern Europe, awaited with trepidation the kick-off of the Gardaland Cup! It was played on fields in Castelnuovo, Peschiera, Bussolengo, Sommacampagna, Pastrengo and Villafranca. The tournament is authorized by F.I.G.C and is promoted by IFE Sportland. The Glebe North Under 14 team closed the Gardaland Cup with 2 wins in two games today. The team and parents enjoyed a very good pizza in a local restaurant after the medals presentation. Well done to all!

A recent article by Cricket Europe has recognised the wonderful achievements and players of Balbriggan Cricket Club. The article stated: The defending champions aren’t content with one Premier League crown. They have tasted success and want more silverware as they look to build strong structures throughout the club. 2022 was undoubtedly the best year in the clubs history with the first team winning the premier league at the first time of asking, as well as promotion for the seconds and thirds, plus the launching of Women’s cricket in the club. Promising South African bowling all-rounder Matt Pollard is their overseas player, while the additions of Cameron Rowe, Sam Willmse, Waqa Azmat, Emad Uddin, and Bilal Iqbal will strengthen the playing base as unfortunately, the wonderful Nathan Rooney is the only first team departure from last season. The club told Cricket Europe, “The focus is now firmly on the 2023 season and the players are chomping at the bit to get going,” said a club spokesperson.At the start of last season, first team captain Greg Ford said that any team in the league could win it or anyone could be relegated and this season will be no different with eight very strong teams and games will be as exciting as always in the Leinster Premier division. The buzz about the club is amazing and with the 3 lane indoor centre hopefully complete before the end of the year , we’re hoping that 2023 is another memorable year for the club. The players have wintered well, we have lot of young players such as Cian Rooney, Druhan and Kaelin Knight, Aadi Wankhade, Brian Dunphy, Ryan Keenan, Fionn Bannister and Jose O’Carroll , who we hope to see moving up the grades within the club. In terms of the 1s and 2s Squad , we have had a few guys training with Leinster Lightning all winter and young gun Eoin Birch is just back from South Africa with the Irish U19s, so we have guys who are ready to hit the ground running. We welcome some strong players into the club who are all looking forward to pulling on the navy and blue and working with Andre Botha.”

Welcome to the new Basketball Academy in Balbriggan which was set up to be inclusive whilst supporting youth development and empowerment in life skills and Basketball ability. Our academy opened doors to its membership in January 2023 but began in November 2022. Presently we are looking for individuals of any age and level, who would be interested in playing Basketball for weekly pickup games or to join teams who will be entering next season’s league schedule. We are also seeking Local Basketball Referees immediately, can you help? WHAT WE DO! - Our academy runs through the school year and it is a place where young people can widen their knowledge of the sport as well as gain official certification as well as leadership and management skills. WHERE ARE WE! - Our home court is located at Bremore ETNS in Balbriggan where we utilise the gym facilities on Wednesday and Friday evenings. WHO TO CONTACT! - So please feel free to use this contact email for all queries/ information and we will contact you asap balbrigganbasketballclub@gmail.com. Or contact the Academy on facebook at Balbriggan Basketball Academy;

Ardgillan College’s senior girls rugby team reached the final of the Leinster Senior Cup in March 2023 but sadly were narrowly defeated by Newbridge College. Not only did they play brilliantly however, they have also managed to qualify for the All Ireland rugby 7’s Championship which is something to look forward to. The Junior and Senior boys rugby teams won their respective Fingal Cups in two thrilling games vs Malahide CS just before Easter Break. They delighted in bringing the two trophies back to the college to show Principal Ní Mhurchu who congratulated both teams. Everyone at the college is immensely proud of the students. A huge thanks to their school rugby coaches Mr. Goodman and Mr. Conoulty and their local rugby club in Balbriggan for all their support.

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. Further details about Balbriggan Meals on Wheels can be found on our promotional video which can be viewed on our Facebook page facebook.com/balbriggan.mealsonwheels/. We would like to acknowledge the support of Fingal County Council in providing funding for this video. Balbriggan Meals on Wheels has been providing meals to the most vulnerable members of our community since 1975.

Balbriggan’s innate charm and the stunning beauty of the surrounding area is proving a hit with film and television producers. Already this year, another feature film, ‘Kathleen’ has been recording scenes in the area. The Catch, available on Virgin Media’s Player, is a tense, four-part psychological thriller starring Jason Watkins, Poppy Gilbert and Aneurin Barnard. Already aired on Channel 5 in the UK, The Catch was filmed in and around Balbriggan in the summer of 2022, despite being set in the south west of England. And it is just one of over 20 film, television and music video productions made in Balbriggan since 2019. Scenes from ‘The Green Knight’ an 2021, an acclaimed epic medieval fantasy film, starring Dev Patel, which grossed over $19 million, were filmed in the area in 2020. Other highlights have included ‘Operation Transformation’ which recorded at Bremore Castle in 2019. It was the first time the show recorded a regional template which proved so successful that the programme has moved around the country since. A two-time Emmy Award winner, who is spearheading an initiative to turn the north County Dublin town into one of the country’s leading centres for the arts, says Balbriggan has unlimited potential as a location for film and television. Former TV producer, US native Eamonn Donlyn, now settled with his family in Balbriggan, is working with local stakeholders to help grow the arts in the town. The one-time ESPN/Disney and CBS executive is developing a creative arts strategy for Balbriggan in collaboration with the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation programme led by Fingal County Council’s Economic, Enterprise, Cultural and Tourism Department. “Balbriggan offers everything a film or television producer could want, from an urban streetscape to the majestic beauty of its coastline, countryside and ancient monuments, as well as all the ancillary services required,” he said.

Two of the members of St Mary’s Baton Twirlers Dinah Black and Susan Mullen who were chosen by Fingal County Council to be part of the “Fingal She Leads Women’s Exhibition” as part of Fingal County Council celebrations 2023 International Women’s Day. Congratulations to Dinah Black and Susan Mullen who were both nominated to be part” Fingal She Leads Exhibition” which is an initiative of Fingal County Council celebrating Women in Community Action as part of International Women’s Day. A great celebration of the 45 women who were nominated with Mayor Howard O’Mahony in the Carnegie Court Hotel Swords at the launch of the Project.

The exhibition can currently be viewed at County Hall Swords and will go on tour to libraries around Fingal.#internationalwomensday #44years #SMBT.

Save the dates for our inaugural biodiversity festival (19th and 20th of May) called - Balbriggan: Our Nature. Bat walks, Nature walks, Dusk chorus, Art & Nature Photography exhibitions, Family Scavenger Hunt. Why not come along and Learn about the wildlife in our own locality? All events will take place in Millpond Park. (See poster for details) Also If you want to help us make a difference join us any Saturday @ 10.30am at Moylaragh playground or 11am on the main beach or join our garden group for mid week activities. We recently received a notification from Fingal County Council which may be of interest: Batteries contain precious mined metals such as Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Mercury, Lithium and Cadmium, and it’s really important to recycle them as part of a sustainable circular economy. You can recycle household batteries at all Fingal Libraries and Community Centres and at the two main offices County Hall Swords and Civic offices Blanchardstown. The recycling centres at Estuary Swords and Coolmine accept small household and larger batteries. ERP run this battery collection initiative with Barretstown, which is a not-for-profit camp for children with cancer and other serious illnesses. So why not recycle your batteries at the local Library.'