Community Art Mosaic Mural - The EggHeadz Global Roots Mural unveiling took place at ‘Donabate Portrane Community College’ on April 22nd by students from Donabate Community College well-being committee. The event was well attended by locals young and old who admired their contributions to the art mural mosaic. It is and wonderful uplifting positive community creative project. Thank you to Fingal County Council for funding the mural.
Community Events - EggHeadz ‘Feel Good Fest’ was well attended on April 28th. The free of events included a range of Health and Wellness activities. We look forward to hosting our more health & wellness activities and events throughout summer for all ages.
Darkness Into Light – for Pieta House. The inaugural Darkness Into Light Donabate Portrane walk took place on May 11th. The event took place in Newbridge Park with over 500 registered attendees. The community really came together for the sunrise walk, it was an empowering and emotional morning. Thank You to the wonderful ambassadors, committee members, volunteer marshals, and local businesses for supporting the event.
The sense of community connection was evident throughout the peninsula after the event. Sometimes the simplest things can mean the most.
Petition For Facility – As we celebrate 3 years of health and well-being services in Donabate Portane and the wider Fingal area, EggHeadz are seeking to establish a permanent base. Currently our services are dispersed across several locations and venues. Please sign our petition so we can continue to provide our services and cater for our growing community.
Peninsula Art are having an exhibition and sale on the Bank Holiday Weekend, 1st and 2nd of June, from 11.00am to 4.30pm. We will be showing on the railings of Uisce Eireann’s property at The Hand, in the middle of the village. Please come and support your local artists.
For the first time, Leithinis Donabate Portrane CCÉ musicians entered the Dublin Fleadh competition which took place in Edmund Rice College on the Navan on May 18th. We are very proud of our junior members who performed extremely well.
On Sunday May 26th we were joined by members of Cluain Tarbh CCÉ at the Parish Hall for our second annual end of year celebration where tunes were played by adult and junior musicians from both branches. Slow and intermediate sessions continued in the Parish Hall every two weeks and due to the popularity of the Brook Pub Trad Sessions, the frequency has been increased to the first and third Tuesday of every month.
The Traditional Irish Music lessons concluded at the end of May and if any readers are interested in joining in September please email us with your name, age (if under 18), instrument and proficiency level at leithinis@comhaltas.net
It’s been another busy month for the committee of the DP Crossroads Campaign for a Cultural & Youth Center on the Peninsula. Following on from their meetings with FG, SF and Green TDS, they met with Duncan Smith and Darragh O’Brien this month. Both TDs commended the group’s work and strongly supported their campaign. Following this the group met Senior FCC officials and local Councilors to discuss their recently submitted business case. The business case outlines the clear need for this facility and provides solid suggestions on how it would be planned, constructed and operated.
Unfortunately, the council officials are unwilling to move from their previous position that Donabate-Portrane residents use existing facilities. The group are disappointed but vow to continue the campaign and plan to re-engage with the new council following local elections in June.
Meanwhile, the DP Crossroads Team held an Information Day in the Town Center on 26th April. Members of the committee were available to discuss all aspects of their campaign in particular the planning proposals for the peninsula and population forecasts. They had detailed information on how the town has grown over the past twenty years and illustrated the lack of accompanying community infrastructure.
They had some fun displays which allowed residents an opportunity to indicate where they think the site for the center should be. Residents were also given an opportunity to sign the groups petition in support of the new facility and if you missed your chance you can go to https://www.change.org/p/provision-of-an-arts-cultural-youth-multifunctional-community-center-in-donabate
A Bealtaine Miscellany was held in the Donabate Portrane Community Centre on Tuesday 30th April organised by Mary Farrell and Muireann Conway on behalf of Active Age for All and a very enjoyable event it was.
Following an introduction on the origins and customs of Bealtaine by Carolyn Smith there was an abundance of music and singing provided by the Cantoiri, Fran & Co, the Ukulele group and Ed and Muireann. There was a lovely reading by Enid Hughes from the Chinkwell Writers Group and Sybil Harte Weir gave us a rendition of her own composition the ‘Coast of Fingal’ as well as ‘Noreen Bawn’. A feast of entertainment followed by tea and coffee and lots of home bakes, what a lovely way to spend a Tuesday morning !
Active Age for All classes have now finished for the summer but we will be back in action in September, look out for our information day in the Mall on the 30th August. Wishing you all a happy and healthy summer, we look forward to seeing you all, and a few new friends, in September!
The Pacers had a great day out in Co. Leitrim in April and it was helped by great sunny weather!
We left Donabate Train station about 9am & returned before 11pm! Our itinerary was breakfast in Connolly Station, then a 2hr journey by train to Carrick-on-Shannon. We were then met by the Links Bus and brought to Leitrim Village where we set out on an 8km walk along the beautiful Blue Way Canal to Jinny’s famous cafe near Drumshambo where coffee & cake awaited us!
We took the Links Bus back from outside the door to the Leitrim Village Inn where we were well fed & watered before taking the next Links Bus back to Carrick, where we caught the train back to Connolly & took the train back to Donabate! A long day but a great day, with a good walk, rests, refreshments & craic!
The May Walk was to Poolbeg Lighthouse - led by Carolyn - a great time had by all!
The June walk is on Saturday 22nd. Organised by Carolyn & Breda - we will go from Northstrand to Phibsboro - do the Basin - Grangegorman -Stoneybatter - Smithfield and the Dublin Market. There will be a few good stops and dinner at the end, here’s hoping for blistering sunshine!
Contact Carolyn:087-9284307 or Des:087-7846813 if you are interested in walking.
Lambay Sports and Athletics is an Athletics club for all the Community, taking our name from the wonderful views of Lambay Island. On 26th May we will host the third edition of our 4 Mile Road race. LSA members volunteer with race organisation and we hope to welcome participants from all over Dublin and beyond to the roads of our beautiful environment. In the last month LSA members have been participating in events around the country and internationally. The LSA Community showed the power of support in an epic ultra marathon fundraiser in Newbridge Park. Our ever-popular club member Paudie Byrne ran 65km by completing 22 laps of Newbridge Park, with the support of a huge team from the LSA Events committee and our various training groups. The sun shone as Paudie completed his final laps, over €7100 (at the time of going to press) for the Cystic Fibrosis Ireland 65 Roses campaign. Dara Carr and Michal Kowalski represented Ireland in the European Masters Athletics Championships Indoors in Torún, Poland. Dara is a sprinter, and the powerhouse behind much of our club, especially our Little Athletics programme and Summer Camp. Dara was part of two Bronze medal winning relay teams in her age category: Women’s 4 x 200m and Mixed 4 x 200m. Meanwhile on the roads, our members had a great outing at the Bohermeen Half Marathon. This was followed by Leinster Senior medals and Dublin Masters Gold at the 10 mile Championships event at the Battle of Clontarf for our women’s team (Eimear Caulfield, Sinead Kiernan and Mary McNamara) on Easter Monday. The following week our Masters Men’s team (Shane O’Farrell, Keith Byrne, Fintan Counihan, Ken Spratt) won Gold in the Dublin 10km Championships at the Garristown Windmill run. Next it is our turn to host a road race - please join us at the scenic LSA 4 mile race on Sunday 26th May 2024. We always welcome new members and volunteers. If you would like to get involved please contact us - details below: Adult memberships queries please contact lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com Little Athletics and Juvenile athletes (from age 7-18) please contact lsajuvenilereg@gmail.com Keep up to date on all the events by following LSA on our social media pages!
Donabate Basketball celebrated our league win with the U14’s boys team.
We swapped the basketball for a spot of bowling. A truly Great evening was had by one and all. We continue with our training for next season over the coming weeks with some friendly games set on the calendar. We are delighted to have U14 Div 2 team and U15 Div 1 team for next season. The boys and girls academy is also in operation. Training takes place in DP Community Centre evenings and weekends. So, if you are interested in joining us please make contact: Our Key Contacts: Paul Mitchell – Club Secretary, U17 Girls - Con O’Leary & Alan Proctor – Coaches of Under 14 & 15 Boys Marie O’Leary – Child Protection Officer - Frank Koenicke & Serge Nyange – Boys Academy Coaches - Sophie Mitchell & Katelyn Byrne– Girls Academy Coaches. We urge any people living locally to contact us if they have interest in getting their children involved or volunteering to help with coaching. Contact can be made in DPCC where there are information boards that have relevant contact information.
EggHeadz will host several ‘Hello How Are You’ community events in the buildup to A Mental Health Ireland’s, National Mental Health Promotion Day on 15th May. All events are Free to attend. See www.eggheadz.ie or www.hellohowareyou.ie for event information.
Parents Support – EggHeadz successful Connect Café continues each week. A Mental Health Ireland initiative, the group meet weekly on Wednesday’s at 10am at the community centre. Parents are supported by psychotherapist Kim Cromwell. FREE Professional help, advice and neighbourly support is on hand.
Young Adolescents - EggHeadz FREE weekly 5km #mentalmiles social session is growing every week. Participants range from 16 – 26 years, a social run is followed by hot beverage and an opportunity to talk with peers. Led by Jason Dignam, it takes place on Sunday mornings 10am at Newbridge House, everyone is welcome.
Teen and Tween Workshops – Teen Art Therapy spring retreat took place over the Easter holidays. It was attended by 15 teenagers whom enjoyed a FREE two-day workshop with teen trauma expert Ivy Baretto. Thank you to Tesco Community Fund for sponsoring the fantastic workshop. Tween Jewellery making workshop took place over Easter holidays with a theme of Spring and Renewal. Led by Roisin the 10 attendees explored self-care, self- esteem, mindfulness, well-being habits and created beautiful gemstone jewellery and unique craft. - After School Activities – Term 3 ‘Spring Summer’ classes are taking place in schools each week. Junior and Senior Infants 1.30pm – 2.30pm and 1st – 6 th Class 2.30-3.30pm. Each School has a different day, our activities include ‘Fitness & Games’, ‘Yoga, Mindfulness and Creative Crafts’, ‘Nutrition and Cooking - FREE Youth Counselling EggHeadz FREE of charge and confidential counselling service for young people aged 12+ takes place weekly in the Community Centre on Mondays, email us anytime on our email address at eggheadzcounselling@gmail.com to book an appointment. Darkness Into Light – for Pieta House. The countdown is on with weeks to go, sign up and join us on the inaugural Donabate Portrane Darkness Into Light walk. Please remember the Date: Saturday 11th May Time: 4.15am Start: St. Pat’s Boy’s National School, Donabate.
Well, here we are nearly at the end of the AAfA spring term, where has the time flown to? All our classes and activities have been well attended and the latest offering ‘Ageing Dis-Gracefully’ was very popular. We will be running this again in the autumn term, places are limited to 10 so if you would like to attend, please get your name in at registration in September. In fact if anyone, be they AAfA members or not, have ideas for subjects that they would like included in our programme please let us know, email: activeageforall@gmail.com Valerie and her team for trips and tours have been busy and two proposed trips before the summer break are Farmleigh on 22nd May and The National Stud and Japenese Gardens on 26th June. If any AAfA members are interested in either, or both, trips please email a/a for further information. We have seen a few changes on the AAfA committee recently, our Chairperson Mary Farrell and Secretary Carmel Carey have retired. On behalf of the committee I would like to take this opportunity to thank both of them for their years of hard work and dedication to the association…ladies you were SUPER !! And a big welcome to our new committee members Eilish Timony and Mary Agnew, great to have you both on board.
