On the 9th December last, undeterred by Storm Bram, a group of volunteers from Donabate and Portrane Meals on Wheels met in the Shoreline Hotel for a Christmas dinner. We were delighted that Mandy and Donna, our chef angels from St Ita’s catering could join us and have dinner served up to them for a change! We had a lovely evening, enjoyed a delicious dinner, and had time to renew old acquaintances and meet new members. A big THANK YOU to our generous sponsors SuperValu and Glenveagh Properties, and to the Shoreline for looking after us so well.

As our community is growing rapidly it is going to be necessary to have two delivery groups for the Donabate area. Would you like to give something back and volunteer as a Meals on Wheels driver ? We are seeking friendly and reliable people to join our team, to go to our elderly and vulnerable neighbours, making a real difference in their lives. You would need to commit to 2 hours, twice a month, on set days. You use your own car and would need a reasonable knowledge of the Donabate area, though it doesn’t take long to find your way around. No experience is necessary, we provide training and support, an experienced driver will travel with you for as long as you need. If you are looking for a rewarding way to give back please call 086 8276555

These photos are from the Donabate Portrane Leithinis most recent play along session which is held every second Friday in the parish hall in Donabate. Everyone is welcome to come and play.

Father Pat Reilly our Parish Priest passed away suddenly in November. The Parish was shocked and saddened by the loss of a very good man who served us all so well. He was kind and caring as many in need can testify too.

In relation to the Parish Hall, we owe him a debt of gratitude for his vision, support and encouragement in the restoration of the Parish Hall. Without his approval it could not have happened. There are many Parish Halls that were not restored & refurbished and in fact some were closed. Our Parish Hall is now a very suitable, warm inviting place for the many varied community, cultural & wellbeing activities & events that take place in it throughout the year. Every use of the Parish Hall will be one of the many remembrances of Fr Pat’s contribution to this community. It is a wonderful thing to leave a good legacy.

The Parish Office wishes a very happy & healthy New Year to all who live in our community. If you need to contact the Parish Office for any information, please call 01 8434574 any weekday morning.

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed recently had a very informative and useful meeting with Irene Igiebor from Empower Fingal, the outcome of which was an application for a grant to purchase exercise equipment for our weekly classes. A big thanks to Irene and to Rafe Costigan, our FCC Community Officer, who put her in touch with us.

As reported last month, Men’s Shed members had a fascinating tour of Dublin Castle in November and we now have the photos to prove it. We also had our annual Christmas dinner and sing-song in Keeling’s in early December, an enjoyable night out for all with great food and even better music, appreciated even by Keeling’s other patrons.

Last month was a busy time for Gerry and the Plonkers, the Men’s Shed music group, with concerts in Donabate Parish Hall and in St. Michael’s in Ballymun for their Christmas party and fund-raiser. This was the Plonkers’ third Christmas gig for St Michael’s. As before, it was a wonderful event with a very appreciative audience, enjoyed by all, especially the band.

The Men’s Shed is preparing for the year ahead. Along with our regular weekly activities, plans are advancing for outings to Dublin Docklands and to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. So, if you, or someone near to you, would like to join us, please call our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316.

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed wishes a peaceful and healthy New Year to all in our community and a big thank you for all your support over the past year.

Donabate / Portrane Labour Party Local Area Representative Corina Johnston said; ”over the last few years Duncan Smith TD and I as well as other public representatives have been campaigning for a much needed Primary Care Centre in Donabate.

In April this year the HSE confirmed to us that following a tender process a preferred operator and site had been selected and approval to proceed was being sought. In July this year the HSE confirmed that approval to proceed would be sought from the outstanding stakeholders once all recommendations to proceed were received.

Duncan and I are appalled to have received an update from the HSE to our recent representations confirming that a U TURN has taken place and this much needed facility will NOT be going ahead “as value for money for public funds has not been demonstrated.”

”We believe the purpose of Primary Care Centres is to provide accessible, integrated Health and Social Care Services in the community with a focus on early intervention and community based treatment, to support vulnerable groups and reduce hospital pressure.

It is totally unacceptable that Donabate with the population to grow to 20,000 in the next few years will now not have a Primary Care Centre to provide much needed care services. The people of Donabate have been let down again and again with broken promises by this government on the provision of much needed facilities and basic infrastructure. While welcoming the provision of a Primary Care Centre in Swords this will not cater for the needs of the growing Donabate community. “

Johnston concluded; ”Duncan and I intend to raise this matter with the Minister for Health and arising from which we will be arranging an early public meeting in the New Year to discuss this and other infrastructural issues. It is important the people of Donabate make a stand on these issues.”

Many thanks to all the Donabate and Portrane community for their support in our Four Mile Road Race in November. The race was a great success with over five hundred adults and almost one hundred young people taking part. A big thanks to our organising committee and the almost one hundred club members who volunteered to make it such a success. Even the weather was kind on the day.

LSA trains throughout the year. We are a community based club, made up of volunteers. Our Juveniles train at the Hockey Pitch on the Beaverstown Road on Thursdays and our adult groups train on various days during the week. If you would like to get involved please contact us:

For adult memberships queries: lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com and for little Athletics and Juvenile athletes (7-18) : lsajuvenilereg@gmail.com

Oh, what a night it was on Friday 24th October 2025 in the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate. It was the 10th anniversary party for Active Age for All on the peninsula and we celebrated in style!

About 100 gathered that evening including some of the original committee who got the whole movement going along with much help from Fingal Co. Co. and Donabate/Portrane Community Centre. There were Peig McManus (first chairperson), Brid Hayes, Willie Cahill and Chrissy Ivory from the 1st committee, Louise Edmonds and Janette from Fingal Co Co and Jacinta Lowndes and Sandra Matthews from the Community Centre, all of whom have been, and continue to be, helpful and supportive in any way they can. Unfortunately some of the original committee were unable to attend, they are Eilish McDermott (Vice Chair), Breda Dockrell (Secretary), Miriam Scully (Treasurer), Mary O’Connor (Asst Treasurer) and Edie Keeley (Activities Organiser)

Music was provided by the Men’s Shed group ‘Gerry & the Plonkers’ and boy did they entertain us! With music suited to the audiences’ generation we danced and sang the night away. Leonards Coaches provided the transport and on request Decci Leonard was happy to delay the home run as people were having so much fun!

The Shoreline Hotel looked after us so well from planning to party, and the dinner was delicious, a big thank you from all of us. Thanks also to Mary McKenna from the AAfA camera club who set up a slide show of AAfA photos which provided a lot of trips down memory lane.

Many thanks are due to our generous sponsors whose help went a long way to our having a truly memorable anniversary party, they are: Shoreline Hotel, Cairn Homes, Donabate/Portrane Community Centre, Glenveagh, SuperValu and Ganson.

All in all, we all had a wonderful evening with a strong sense of community that bodes well for the ongoing success of Active Age for All.

Oh, what a night it was on Friday 24th October 2025 in the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate. It was the 10th anniversary party for Active Age for All on the peninsula and we celebrated in style!

About 100 gathered that evening including some of the original committee who got the whole movement going along with much help from Fingal Co. Co. and Donabate/Portrane Community Centre. There were Peig McManus (first chairperson), Brid Hayes, Willie Cahill and Chrissy Ivory from the 1st committee, Louise Edmonds and Janette from Fingal Co Co and Jacinta Lowndes and Sandra Matthews from the Community Centre, all of whom have been, and continue to be, helpful and supportive in any way they can. Unfortunately some of the original committee were unable to attend, they are Eilish McDermott (Vice Chair), Breda Dockrell (Secretary), Miriam Scully (Treasurer), Mary O’Connor (Asst Treasurer) and Edie Keeley (Activities Organiser)

Music was provided by the Men’s Shed group ‘Gerry & the Plonkers’ and boy did they entertain us! With music suited to the audiences’ generation we danced and sang the night away. Leonards Coaches provided the transport and on request Decci Leonard was happy to delay the home run as people were having so much fun!

The Shoreline Hotel looked after us so well from planning to party, and the dinner was delicious, a big thank you from all of us. Thanks also to Mary McKenna from the AAfA camera club who set up a slide show of AAfA photos which provided a lot of trips down memory lane.

Many thanks are due to our generous sponsors whose help went a long way to our having a truly memorable anniversary party, they are: Shoreline Hotel, Cairn Homes, Donabate/Portrane Community Centre, Glenveagh, SuperValu and Ganson.

All in all, we all had a wonderful evening with a strong sense of community that bodes well for the ongoing success of Active Age for All.

On a beautiful Saturday morning in November a group of 12 from the Peninsula Pacers met at Rivervalley Community Centre to walk the ‘Jacko’ in the Ward valley. It was organised by Rosaleen O’Reilly, one of our members who lives in the area. She brought along friends Dominic and Margaret to share some of the interesting history of the area.

We set off by the very busy sports pitches and it was great to see so many youngsters out training and playing games. Along our route, led by Dominic, he pointed out some of the local landmarks so we could get our bearings and we marvelled the fact that we were so secluded in nature yet in the middle of a busy urban area.

Our route took us to the Knocksedan bridge, a historic meeting spot for volunteers of the 1916 rising, passing the old mill race on the way. The mill race once provided power to run a flour mill and a saw mill but went out of use when steam and electricity took over.

After nearly two hours of pleasant walking along the Ward river in the lovely autumnal woods we all arrived at Peacocks restaurant for a very welcome drink and some lunch. A lovely day enjoyed by all.

Johnston said: “Since elected I have been raising the need for dedicated youth services in Donabate and have been working with Crosscare youth services for the provision of such services. Donabate has a very young population with 31% of the population under 19 years of age (census 2022). This will continue to grow with so many young families moving into the area.

A recent UNICEF report found that Irish teenagers have among the lowest life satisfaction scores in high-income countries, despite excelling academically with nearly one in three 15-year-olds reporting low life satisfaction research commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth, published last year, found play and recreation amenities for adolescents are under-resourced and under-facilitated.

Johnston continued; “Our young people have no dedicated indoor space. Many are bored with nothing to do but hang around which can lead to anti social behaviour. The Minister for Justice recently confirmed in a response to Duncan Smith TD that 22 youths have been referred to youth services from Donabate in the last year.

A dedicated youth services centre can provide Youth Cafes & Group Education, Training and Employment Support, Life Coaching, Counselling Services, Summer Programmes, Mental Health and Well Being Programmes, Drug and Alcohol Awareness, Film , Photography, Performing Arts as well as a drop in space with a music and games room, snooker table, kitchen area, chill out space with support from fully qualified youth workers.”

Johnston added ;”In response to a recent question raised with the Minister of Education and Youth on this matter the Minister confirmed that supporting the provision of youth services is a priority for her department and that she is committed to developing and implementing a policy for youth spaces at local level with an action plan currently being worked upon.”

Johnston concluded; ”The young people of Donabate cannot wait for plan after plan to be published with no action. A dedicated youth services centre must be provided as a matter of urgency. Early intervention is vital. It’s the very least our young people deserve. I will continue to pursue this very important matter.”