Our thanks for these great pictures from Theresa Gannon Junior Convenor for the club of the Fingal Boys Final hosted in Balbriggan very recently. Congratulations to Portmarnock GC. The overall winners on the day were Portmarnock with Beaverstown and very close second. Rory Callaghan won best gross on the day. The cadets are playing this evening in the Cadets End of Year scramble, accompanied by the Captains and vice Captains and others a great way to cap off a very successful season , A great days golf in BGC. Well done again to all concerned.

Our society was inaugurated on Thursday 16th July 1981 with the aim to promote an interest in the local history of the area through lectures, publications and exhibitions and also to establish a Museum in the Balbriggan District.The idea was born in the Balbriggan Library as a result of the keen interest and demand for local history information from the general public. Jim Walsh Librarian at the time became aware of the vast amount of material available in various areas like the National Library of Ireland, Gilbert Library and other Dublin City resources and sought to ensure that a lot of this could be made more accessible by public presentations, local exhibitions and ultimately publications specific to the historic area of Balbriggan and its general surrounding areas. Jim’s colleague Don Griffin worked closely with him and they were joined on the first committee by Michael Banim, Antonia Cassin, Pauline Corcoran, Marion Crane, Bernie Healy, Eileen McKenna and last but not least May and Pat McKeon.The first ever presentation was ‘The Gaelic Placenames of Fingal’ by Brendan Scally and was followed by Bob Browne- The building of the Dublin-Drogheda Railway –1838-1844.Next was Christy Geraghty with illustrated lecture of Local Shipwrecks with particular reference to Sarah of Runcorn (1873) and Bell Hill (1875).In 1982 the Committee decided to hold an exhibition in the Grand Hotel and exceeded all expectations in terms of both participation and also attendance. We were delighted by the generosity of the populace who gladly donated many items of historical and familial interestMay McKeon remembers with fondness some of the talks on the ‘Balbriggan flyer’ Harry Reynolds, Balbriggan’s daughter Sinead Bean De Valera nee Flanagan and several talks covering the 1916 events in Fingal.Of particular pride to May is also the event organised in 2017 to commemorate the hugely important Siege of Jadotville in the Congo in 1961 and the heroic efforts of Balbriggan native Pte Terence Joseph McMahon. One particular source of pride to Chairperson Brian Howley is the enormous effort that the Committee undertook to ensure the Centenary of the Sack of Balbriggan last year 2020 would have a fitting and appropriately respectful commemoration despite all of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and our Seminar was posted online on Youtube for all to see and experience and there are still a small amount of the beautiful Commemorative Medals available.To anyone who has attended our talks, seminars, historical walkabouts, summer tours or our schools programmes Brian says that we thank you most sincerely for all of your support and we look forward to the next 40 years with great positivity and enthusiasm. Learn more on our Website www.Balbrigganhistory.com

We set up Fingal Jazz Impro Group over two years ago and are currently looking for a rhythm section to compliment our line up. We are currently looking for Drums, Bass, Piano and Guitarist, and must be able to read a lead sheet (except the drummer). Rehearsals will re-commence in September on Thursday evenings in Balbriggan. For further information contact Antony on 0857836404 or by email at aoflaherty1234@gmail.comWe are also setting up an Opera Group, and it will be called Fingal Opera Group. We are currently looking for Male Singers. Singers must be Classical Trained or currently have singing lessons. Please note there is also a waiting list for Female Singers. Rehearsals will commence in September in Balbriggan on Monday or Wednesday evenings.For further information contact Antony on 0857836404 or by email at aoflaherty1234@gmail.com Finally, we are also currently organising the Balbriggan Diversity Festival which will take place every May Bank Holiday weekend. We already have venues booked, and most acts booked.

In the months of April to July Foroige Balbriggan Youth Services established three youth groups, two junior and one senior, from the Pinewood/ Castlelands area. During these months, due to government guidelines under the current restrictions all our youth work needed to take place outdoors. Balbriggan Meals and Wheels on Hampton Street generously offered the yard behind their premises as a base for the groups to meet weekly to take part in clubs and week long summer activity programmes.As a thank you Foroige Balbriggan worked with the young people in the area to create a vibrant mural and pollinator planters in the yard for the volunteers of Balbriggan Meals and Wheels to enjoy all year round.This project was part of a national week-long event of Foroige organised Youth Community Action events such as litter picks, painting and planting. Foróige is the leading youth organisation in Ireland and has been working with young people since 1952. Our purpose is to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society. If you are a group or indeed an individual and would like more information about the work Foroige do in Balbriggan please contact the Foróige Senior Youth Officer Aine Mc Guinness for more information, which she will be happy to supply to you. @ aine.mcguinness@foroige.ie.

Meanwhile Balbriggan Meals on Wheels were also delighted with the murals that the Fingal Lighthouse Art Group did at the back of their kitchen area and want to say a big thank you to all involved. Fingal Lighthouse Art Group is a Not for Profit Art Group. Founded in April 2019, this art group helps those Artists without a platform to display their work. To become an associate member, contact Bernie on 086 817 1518.

Recent confirmation on the IAAF website that the Olympic Qualifying table has been finalised, showing unbelievably, that Andrew Coscoran from Balbriggan has finished in 41st place of the 45 qualifiers for the 1500m in Tokyo! It’s been an emotional few weeks following Andrew’s touch and go performances on his quest to qualify for Tokyo for us here in Balbriggan and his club Star of the Sea. How stressful it must have been for Andrew himself, but he’s proved he’s a champion and can rightfully take his place among the World’s elite athletes! Some names that flash through my mind are that of Joe Roy (Backbone of Juvenile Athletics in Balbriggan for years), Siobhan White (Balbriggan Community games), Alison Browne (Balbriggan Community games), Brendan Meade (Star of the Sea coach supremo who has inspired many a champion over the years) and Feidhlim Kelly (coach and creator of the Dublin track club) who have helped get Andrew to where he is today. Volunteers like these are priceless in finding and encouraging young future Andrew Coscorans. We involved in athletics are all delighted and thrilled in Balbriggan Roadrunners/ Balbriggan & District AC to have helped Andrew in some small way!

Balbriggan Basketball are delighted to announce we will return to training in August.

Great news, we are so excited to partner with Bremore Educate Together Secondary School (bremoreetss.ie) as our new home base. Our training schedule will be listed on our Facebook page (9) Balbriggan Basketball -Irish Vikings Club | Facebook. A big thank you and welcome to Rafael, Ken, Chris some of our coaches for the upcoming season and if you have free time and would like to volunteer and/or coach, get in touch with us on 0866004340.Balbriggan Basketball is an all inclusive club.Balbriggan Basketball Club founded in 2009 is a non profit club promoting inclusion through sport in the Balbriggan Community for all age groups. Our club’s accomplishments include:
Team of the Year Award 2018 and also Person of the Year 2019.We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Mary Ellen (Molly) Adrien was born on 25 September 1873. She is remembered as one of Fingal’s ‘Revolutionary women’. Molly joined Cumann na mBan after its establishment in April 1914 and is said to have been instrumental in forming the Lusk branch. On Easter Sunday 1916, Cumman na mBan were ordered to assemble at Black Church Phisboro, an order countermanded and were sent away to await recall. However Molly remained in the city and was chosen to bring the order to rise from Pearse to the leader of Irish Volunteers Joseph Lawless and then to Thomas Ashe Commandant of the North County Brigade. The ‘redoubtable Miss Adrien’ cycled in and out of the city during the week of the Rising having been sent by Ashe into the city to report his situation to Pearse. After the battle of Ashbourne the wounded were taken to Dr Richard Hayes (medical officer of Balrothery Union), who was assisted by two nurses one of them Molly Adrien. The link with Balrothery Union and Miss Adrien was well-established as she was the first female to serve on its Board. When she entered the boardroom for the first time she was roundly cheered. Chairman TL Smyth said it was an honour for him to preside over the introduction of the Board’s first lady guardian and he had long thought the board suffered from a lack of female participation (reported Drogheda Independent 11 July 1914). Molly remained staunchly republican and an active member of the IRA through the War of Independence and into the Civil war. In 1920 in response to a request from local government Board for access to the Balrothery Union books, she explained that they had sworn allegiance to Dail Eireann and was not about to kow-tow to any other authority. Her obituary described her as ‘one of the most outstanding women of Fingal’.

Balbriggan Senior Cricket club is located in Balbriggan Town Park , Balbriggan. New playing members of all ages and abilities and pavilion members are always welcome.Balbriggan Cricket Club is based in the heart of Balbriggan and has 5 Senior Adult teams , a Social cricket team and a big underage section of boys and girls teams.The Adult Senior teams range from Premier league level down to the lowest league so if you are interested in joining you can be sure we will have a team that suits you’re playing level. We have excellent facilities with top class wickets and nets and you will find people practising most days of the week.The underage set up in Balbriggan is thriving , our ground and nets is a hive of activity every day from April to Sept in Balbriggan Town Park when underage coaching and Practice takes place. Kids from 5 years up can come along and experience cricket and will learn how to play the game with our experienced coaches.We also go to the local schools to teach kids the basics of the game during Jan, Feb and March. To enquire about membership or training call or text 0860644238

Congratulations to Aitzol King, who has been called up to the Leinster U20’s squad. This is just reward for years of hard work and dedication on Aitzol’s part. He is really striking out on his own now as this is the first time he has made it to this level without one or more of his fellow Balbriggan team mates with him. He will especially miss Abdul who he has played alongside with at Balbriggan, the North East and Leinster.We at Balbriggan RFC are all so proud of Aitzol and all that you have achieved. Best of luck Aitzol. We look forward to seeing you in Leinster blue again soon.