Balbriggan Community Council are working together to make a difference to our Town and recently welcomed the opening of two new playgrounds by co-ordinating with different groups within our community and beyond. A special mention and a huge thank you to the playground committee for all their hard work into making this happen for the families and children of Balbriggan! The two beautiful new playgrounds were opened recently (one at Bandstand and one at Quay Street)

There are many interesting roles a Volunteer can enjoy when joining a branch of Irish Guide Dogs. In the Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch we have a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and other volunteers. One is our Roster Co-Ordinator who tells how she organises a roster for an event. “I have two lists of volunteers, one for Balbriggan and another for Skerries. Local volunteers increase the likelihood the fundraising team will be known and successful.For an annual event the first volunteers contacted are those who participated previously.Volunteers often attend the same event annually. New volunteers are paired with an experienced volunteer. Two key slots are, setting up and closing. A driver is rostered when merchandise needs transporting to/from an event. The stock is in a secure lockup controlled by two volunteers. A list is given to the stock controllers who gather everything together and leave it ready for collection. The driver and an authorised person collect everything the morning of the event. Where possible, a guide, assistance, ambassador, retired guide dog or puppy in training attends with their owner. A dog or puppy can contribute to the success of the event. A gazebo is used for outdoor events. It is booked in advance to be delivered 30 minutes before the start time. I phone each volunteer a couple of weeks before an event to agree a two-hour slot time. Closer to the date I text confirming everyone’s time and availability. If someone cannot attend, I slot myself in or look for someone else. The roster with the volunteers’ names, time slots and my mobile number is given to the lead volunteer in case someone does not turn up or any other issue occurs. Advice due to Covid is given to the volunteers regarding public health, wearing of masks, social distancing, and sanitation. Creating a roster is enjoyable. I get to talk to and know a lot of volunteers I wouldn’t necessarily know, and I look forward to more events in 2022”. To volunteer, please phone/text 085 766 3107 or email GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com On Facebook at facebook.com/Balbriggan.Branch.of.Guide.Dogs”

Many thanks to Balbriggan Historical Society for their generous donation to Balbriggan Tidy Towns recently. The Historical Society’s Brian Howley (Chair) presented the Tidy Towns with a cheque and a copy of their fascinating book on the history of Balbriggan. This was to acknowledge the work the Tidy Towns volunteers do for the town but particularly maintaining the plaque to Balbriggan-born, Sinead Flanagan, author, and wife of Eamonn DeValera. A spokesperson for the Tidy Towns said, “Thank you to all in the Historical society; we look forward to planting many more flowers there. If you would like to join Tidy Towns meet us on the beach any Saturday @11.”

Very recently we hosted yet another memorable night at Balbriggan RFC as the U18 North East girls played in their first ever competitive match. Their opponents were the Metro U18s, in the Sarah Robinson Cup and the North East girls came out on top 40 v 14. Well done to both teams, who provided superb entertainment to a large crowd of supporters on a cold and crisp night.

Well done to our AB girls, Alma, Shannon, Cliodhna, Molly, Naoise, Skye and their North East team-mates.

Our Sunday morning Softball Cricket returns on the 23rd of January in Castlelands Community Centre at 10am These Sessions are ideal for a child to try a new sport , are open to boys and girls aged 5-11 will be run by our team of qualified and experienced coaches. The sessions will run for 8 weeks in 2 blocks of 4 weeks and will be €20 for each block of 4 weeks. Block 1 will be on Feb 6th and Feb 13th Text 0860644238 to reserve a place or places for Block 1. Places are limited to 30 and will fill up quick !!!

Advance works for a new €8.5m Pedestrian and Cycle Route along the Harry Reynolds Road in Balbriggan began recently. Fingal County Council had appointed a contractor to carry out advance works along the 2km route. The advance works contract includes tree planting and tree clearing work along the length of the intended Cycle Route.These works are being carried out at this time to optimise the growth potential of new trees planted and to also ensure that tree removal works are completed before the start of the bird nesting season on March 1.The completion of the advance works will also ensure a quicker start to the main construction phase once the contract is awarded.The main works contract is due to commence in August 2022 with an estimated 12 month duration and further consultation will be undertaken with the community for those works in due course.After consultation with local Councillors, Balbriggan Community Council, Balbriggan Tidy Towns, and other stakeholders, Fingal County Council revised its advanced works plan. It has agreed that 304 new trees and additional hedgerow will be planted along and adjacent to the route in order to compensate for the 130 trees which will be removed to accommodate construction of the new cycle lanes. During the advance works phase, 174 new trees and hedgerow are being planted in several areas along the route including the R132 intersection on southern end of the route, Moylaragh and Ashfield.The remainder of the trees will be planted alongside the new cycle lanes during the main construction phase.These cycle lanes will facilitate safe travel by bike and scooter to schools, shops and businesses in the local area.

Balbriggan Adult Education are providing a free Irish beginners class in their centre for anyone interested. The class will begin on Wednesday February 2nd at 2pm – 4pm and will run each Wednesday thereafter for 8 weeks. Places are limited due to social distancing in the classroom so please email BalbrigganLibrary@fingal.ie as soon as possible to reserve your place.

There is a phrase I’ve heard which says, ‘There is money in rubbish’. All of us in the Balbriggan\North County Dublin branch of Guide Dogs have proved this over several years, especially over the past two years. Annually our branch puts out this request, ‘If you have any used postage stamps, stamp albums, or coins which are no longer in circulation, please give them to us. We will turn them into Euros and lodge them to the guide dogs account.’ We receive coins from all over the world and old postage stamps. In our guide dog boxes and large collection dogs we find coins from all over the world and from Europe that are no longer legal currency since the Euro came into place. We get paper notes of all sorts of denominations, coins and used stamps from our branch volunteers and friends. The stamps go into a box and over the past two years a total of 41 kgs were accumulated. We also received 13 kgs of old foreign coin and 18 foreign notes. A stamp and coin collector from the UK bought them. We received €610 for 41 kgs of stamps, 13 kgs of old coin and old notes. We actually collected 12 kgs of old Irish coin and 22 different old Irish notes. There were some part or torn euro notes, these and the old Irish notes were brought to the Central Bank of Ireland for converting to Euros. The old Irish coin was sold to a local coin collector for €100. The Central Bank needs old Irish coin sorted in a particular way before they will convert them into Euros for us.We also received sterling coin which came to £165. A branch volunteer took them up North and converted them into sterling notes. These were then converted into €187.93. All money was lodged to the guide dogs’ account.If you have any used postage stamps or old Irish coins or notes or foreign coins or notes, please contact us at 085 7663107 or email GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com Thank you, Tom O’Neill, Guide Dog Owner.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD was briefed on the Our Balbriggan Regeneration Plan when he visited the town recently for the official launch of the Irish Institute of Music and Song. During a walk from the Our Balbriggan Hub in St George’s Square to Balbriggan Harbour, the Taoiseach, who was accompanied by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, was shown the sites for several major regeneration projects which have received funding from the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF). Among the projects the Taoiseach was shown was the Heart of Main Street, the one hectare area of natural green space along the Bracken River which, with the help of almost €7m in Urban Regeneration Development funding, is going to be transformed into a Green Corridor linking Millpond Park with the centre of Balbriggan and leading to the Beach and Harbour. The Taoiseach was also taken to Quay Street, the Harbour and the Beach where over €11m of URDF support will transform the area on both sides of the Railway Viaduct. Following the short tour, the Taoiseach said that he was very impressed with the Council’s plans for the town: “I’ve been in Balbriggan before and I must say that I am impressed with the development that is underway here. The Our Balbriggan Regeneration Programme is really exciting and I think will open up the wonderful natural beauty of this area and coastline and the public realm to enhance that.” The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh, said she was delighted to show the Taoiseach around Balbriggan and talk to him about what is planned: “The town is set to be transformed through more than €50 million investment with an ambitious new vision, which will, with the support of all of our stakeholders, realise the town’s full potential.“The Irish Institute of Music and Song will be at the heart of this I have no doubt. The construction of a 400 seat Concert Hall in Balbriggan is significant locally, regionally and nationally..“

First Time author Balbriggan Woman Linda Murray recently launched a children’s book called ‘Dragon Fire and Fairy Dust’ with all the proceeds of it going to Temple St Childrens Hospital.
Linda said, ‘I am a Balbriggan local and started writing during the first Lockdown as I was not an essential worker. I found myself very isolated, being alone all day and missing my working life and social outlet. So I started writing poems and moved onto verse stories which are great fun, because you can really let your imagination run. I post my stories on a public Facebook page- Linda Murray Poetry for Life and I got a lot of encouragement so I decided to get a children’s book together. ‘ Well done Linda !