Donabate Parish Hall have just received a modular Riser Stage with grant aid from FCC. This is part one of a full large low stage and hopefully part two will come next year in a similar grant application. The stage can be put together relatively easily, if one knows how. So it will require a short course of instruction of a few hours to master the method of assembly for any groups that may be granted permission to use it. The Riser Stage compliments the acquisition, through grants in recent years, of other equipment to support performances and participation in activities and events of an entertainment and cultural nature.
We have had Céile House, Official Launch of the Parish Hall, Film ‘Angel’, Tayleur Events, Dramatic Productions, TradFest Fingal, Leithinis Inclusion Night, Musical Performances, Peninsula Voices and recently ‘MusicFest’, all of which either benefitted or would have from the use or a Riser Stage. In the past, a riser had to be rented for some events or we had to do without! One group, Music Makers, that was initiated by Breda Dockrell and Jim O Donohoe and run by a group of four Noel Dowling, Sean Collins and the aforementioned, who were brought together under the umbrella of the Parish Hall to see if, over the year of providing a venue to do music, there was interest and commitment. They are now, as planned with the assistance of FCC, setting up under their own structure , organisation and team/committee with Noel and a new team taking the reins. They will continue to offer a much needed platform for people to develop their musical talents and confidence.

The Parish Hall is in full swing now with Daily Activities. Here is a flavour: Senior Citizens, Pilates, Youth Club, Irish Dancing, Leithinis Irish Music and Cards!

There are also a number of Blocked Events taking place. So put the dates in your diaries.

Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society are putting on their autumn/winter production from Thursday 6th November - Sunday 9th November. (Patrons Night on Friday!)

Through the Lens Photography Group is exhibiting some of their photography work from over the year from Friday 14th November - Sunday 16th November.

The Farmers Market, which began this summer, took place during August and September in the green space beside the Church. It was a very welcome addition to the amenities and atmosphere in the centre of the village on a Saturday afternoon. We hope that it too will be a regular feature in the future.

If you have any queries to the Parish Hall please contact them on 01 8434574between the hours of 9:30hrs - 12:30hrs and they will help in any way they can.

September was a busy month for Gerry and the Plonkers (Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed music group), with three gigs. The first was for the ladies of Lusk ICA, where the Plonkers had the pleasure of playing to an appreciative audience who didn’t just listen but got up and danced the night away. Next was at the Community Showcase Afternoon in Donabate Portrane Community Centre. This was an opportunity for local community groups, including the Men’s Shed, to highlight their activity and hopefully recruit new members. Lastly, the Plonkers played in Malahide Castle at the end of September, too close to going to press to include photos.

But as we keep saying, Men’s Shed is more than Gerry and the Plonkers, maybe just not as photogenic (apologies lads!). The plots at the allotments kept many of our members busy right through the summer, but the fruit of their labour was bountiful last month. There was also our weekly exercise classes, croquet at Newbridge and our Thursday morning get-togethers at the Scout’s Den.

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed is always open to new members and suggestions for new activities. So, if you, or someone close to you, would like to join us, just call our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316. Don’t be shy!

With regard to Slí na Sláinte routes, Covid and some other delays made it difficult for progress to be made and impediments to be removed, for safe and acceptable routes to be put in place on our Peninsula.

Just before Covid, The Irish Heart Foundation had worked with an ad-hoc local committee, drawn from different groups in the community along with some officials in The Parks Dept in FCC, in identified a suitable Slí na Sláinte route in and around Donabate Village & Newbridge Park.

But there were 3 impediments to the establishment of the route.

Turvey: Had no proper footpath or safe crossing into Newbridge Park on Turvey Avenue. There is now a new wide continuous footpath along the northern side of Turvey Avenue leading to the centre of the village. In addition, traffic lights have been installed and a crossing provided for pedestrians to enter & exit Newbridge Park at the Turvey Gate.

Links: There has been traffic lights installed for pedestrians at the entrance to the Links - to allow safe crossing of the Portrane Rd.

Ballisk & Beaverstown: This junction is known as ‘The Hand’ and over the last few weeks a footpath has been put in there, on the corner extending down into Ballisk & down the Beaverstown Rd. This was the most important junction to be sorted in terms of safety in crossing this road. So, hopefully it is now.

At this point, there have been some changes in personnel in all of these bodies, but one would be confident that with all of the obstacles gone that the new personnel will come together to ensure this Slí na Sláinte route is put in place and will be the start of many for walkers, joggers & runners in the Donabate & Portrane area. All Slí na Sláinte routes are not always suitable for wheelchair & buggy users, but this one is! Hopefully, in the future it will be possible to have some ‘braille trails’ in our area given the number of people living in our community who are visually impaired.

These routes are very pertinent at the moment with the drive toward Get Ireland Active etc. This is a project one trusts that FCC officials & local councillors will support and ensure succeeds!

It’s that time of year again! The crisp autumn air is here, and our LSA groups are settling back into their new routines.

Fit4Life: Your Autumn Fitness Journey
For those looking to kickstart their fitness goals, our fit4life group is the perfect fit. We hold training sessions every Monday and Wednesday evening, catering to all abilities. Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps or an experienced runner looking for a challenge, we have groups for intermediate and advanced levels as well. To help you on your journey, we have a special offer: join us for just €65 from now until December. For more information, please contact us at lsaadultreg@gmail.com.

Marathon Season is Upon Us!
With the days growing shorter, our dedicated marathon runners know exactly what that means: the Dublin City Marathon is just around the corner! On October 26th, members from all our adult groups—from first-timers to seasoned marathoners—will be lacing up their shoes. We wish them the best of luck and hope their training remains injury-free.

Community and Upcoming Events
LSA recently had a fantastic turnout at the Donate Family Fun Day and Community Group Expo, where we saw a tremendous response and great interest from the community.

Last but not least, mark your calendars! The 4th annual LSA Peninsula Road Race is back on Sunday, November 16th. Registration is now open, and you can find all the details you need on our Instagram page, @lsadonabateportrane.

We’re excited for what this new season holds and can’t wait to see both new and familiar faces.

On 19th August last a group of 21 Active Age for All members were transported in style to Howth Castle in a Leonards coach. On arrival at the castle, we were greeted by our guide Daniel with whom we explored the castle and gardens hearing about the family history and the architectural evolution from a Norman keep to the grand mansion that it is today.

The castle’s origins date back to 1235 when the St Lawrence family built the original keep, and the property has remained in the same family until recently. Happily, the new owners plan to preserve the castle and grounds and to remain open to the public.

The most famous story relating to the castle involves the renowned pirate queen of the west of Ireland Granuaile (Grace O’Malley) who in 1576 sought hospitality at the castle and was refused. Much angered by this breach of the Irish tradition of hospitality she abducted the Earls grandson and only released him on condition that the castle gates always remain open and that a place be set at the table for unexpected guests, a practice that continues to this day.

After a fascinating couple of hours touring the castle and grounds, we all took the short walk to the village of Howth where we all found some lunch and even time for a short ramble in the harbour before the bus back to Donabate. A special thank you to Daniel whose knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for the subject of the castles history made for a very enjoyable trip.

St. Ita’s AFC, based in Donabate and Portrane, Co. Dublin, is proudly celebrating its Centenary in 2025. Founded in 1925, the club has spent the past century at the heart of the community, providing football opportunities for players of all ages and abilities. There are currently 38 soccer teams and 2 futsal teams.
From its earliest days, St. Ita’s AFC has stood for more than just sport. The club prides itself on promoting teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect while offering a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy the beautiful game. With thriving youth coaching sessions, senior fixtures, and the much-loved Mini-Euros tournament, the club continues to inspire the next generation of footballers.

The Mini-Euros, first introduced in the 1980s by Tony Franklin, has grown into one of the club’s flagship annual events. Attracting over 500 children aged 4–16, it brings the Donabate and Portrane community together each summer in a week-long festival of football. Entirely volunteer-driven, the Mini-Euros reflects the spirit of St. Ita’s: inclusive, community-focused, and built on a passion for the game.

As part of its centenary celebrations, St. Ita’s AFC will host a Centenary Gala Night on Saturday, 18th October 2025, in The Grand Hotel, Malahide. The evening will include a four-course meal, live music, dancing, and a chance for past and present players, parents, volunteers, and supporters to come together and celebrate 100 years of footballing tradition. Tickets are €85 and can be paid in instalments.
For tickets go to https://stitasafc.com/pages/centenary-gala-night.

St. Ita’s AFC looks forward to marking this historic milestone with the community that has supported it for the past 100 years — and to building another century of football memories in Donabate and Portrane.

Wow, what a summer it’s been for the LSA sports group! The athletes have been super busy, and their hard work really paid off in August. It was a month full of amazing achievements, with everyone giving their best.

One of the biggest highlights was our very own Sinead Farrell. Sinead represented Ireland at the World Youth Skyrunning Championships in Italy! Sinead had to run in the mountains against some of the best young runners from all over the world. It was a huge honour for her and for our whole club to see her compete at such a high level. Sinead has been selected to represent Ireland in the World Junior Championships in Canfranc, France in September.

But Sinead wasn’t the only one having a great month. Anna Gavigan won Silver in the National Discus U23, and also qualified to compete for Ireland in thU23 and an U23’s in Discus too.

The rest of the LSA team was also busy training and racing. Lots of our members were out at local races, like the weekly Parkruns in Newbridge Park, where they pushed themselves to get new personal bests. Whether they were running a short race or getting ready for the Dublin Marathon in the Autumn, everyone was cheering each other on.

The best part about LSA is that it’s a place for everyone. From experienced runners to people just starting out, the team is always there to support each other. With all this energy and success in August, we’re off to a fantastic start for the new season!

Adult membership queries; lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com
Little Athletics & Juvenile Athletics (7-18); lsajuvenilereg@gmail.com
Find us on Instagram lsadonabateportrane

Last month, there was a happy marriage of two of Donabate Portrane Men’s’ Shed’s interests – music and allotments. Gerry and the Plonkers provided the entertainment at Turvey Allotments Association’s AGM and family bar-b-que on a sunny August Sunday afternoon. This marked the second anniversary of the Plonkers’ debut, which coincidentally was at this same function in 2023.

Despite the frenetic schedule of watering, weeding, feeding and other jobs at the allotments, work there was abandoned for the day by all, not just by Men’s’ Shed’s members, The sun shone, and once the business of the AGM was completed, the bar-b-que was fired up, the music was enjoyed, and everyone had a great day out. We also have a photo from the Plonkers’ gig at Fingallians’ Memory Café, which took place at the end of July, too late to include a photo in last month’s article.

Our members have made the most of the recent summer weather with an impromptu gathering on Portrane Green for fish ‘n’ chips and Pipers’ and a pitch and putt outing to Deer Park in Howth…and we still found time for our regular Tuesday croquet sessions in Newbridge Park and our weekly Thursday get-togethers in the Sea Scouts’ Den on the Portrane Road.

If you, or someone you know, would like to join us, please contact our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316.

In August, Farmers Markets ran for some Saturdays these will now continue into September - check poster for the dates. It is a perfect central outdoor location for this type of market with a variety of products on sale. … Stands have a combination of artisan food producers from Fingal Food Circle, organic & local fresh producers … There will also be some eg hand crafts and trucks for refreshments on site. An initiative by Fingal County Council brought the Farmers Market to the grounds of the Parish Church in Donabate. Please support this your Local Farmers Market.

The Parish Hall will be in full swing again - with a variety of classes, activities & events taking place - Irish Dancing & Music, Bridge, Senior Citizens, Drama, Creche, Youth Groups and Political Clinics! There are still some limited slots available to rent a space - so if you or your organisation need a place to be - please give the Parish Office a call on 01 8434574as soon as possible.

On the 16th July Active Age for All ran their annual fun croquet day in Newbridge Park and were joined by members of Newbridge House Croquet Club and Mens Shed.

We are very fortunate to play in beautiful surroundings on the ground of Cyril Corbally the reknowned prewar international croquet champion, one of the ‘Irish Terrors’. The Irish Terrors were a group of skilled players from Ireland who dominated the sport in the early 20th century. They were known for their innovative playing styles and flamboyant personalities which brought a new level of excitement to the game. Cyril established the lawn in Newbridge House in the early 1920s and the estate became a hub for competitive play.

However the theme for our day was FUN which was had by all with some competitive play plus games such as the wobbly ball and shoot the hoop. To finish we had a thrilling play-off between three teams of two that had fought off all previous challengers. Congratulations to Paula and Rosaleen the winners and well done to runners up Mary and Noel in second place and Ger and Oliver in third.

The day had started fine and warm but the breeze grew a lot cooler as the day progressed which had everyone going for coats and sweaters begged or borrowed. This did not manage to spoil the fun or cool the enthusiasm and everyone enjoyed the day. Many thanks to all who helped out, especially Bernie, and all who brought donations of all sorts to the day. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the FCC grounds staff who keep the lawns in such magnificent condition.