DP Crossroads submitted the petition on a multifunctional centre to FCC on 14th October 2024. Accepting the petition on behalf of the council was Mayor Brian McDonagh. DP collected over 2,000 signatures in support of their campaign for FCC to meet LAP objective 6.12 and provide a dedicated multifunctional center for the rapidly expanding population of Donabate Portrane.

Speaking at the event, Ann Hogan Chairperson of DP Crossroads said, “This center would be a base for the existing arts and cultural groups who have no performance, rehearsal or meeting space and for our youth population who have no dedicated youth space.”

The response to DP Crossroads to date by the Council has been disappointing as Ann continued, “The proposed relocation of the library and small extension is short term thinking – it is not good value for money and cannot provide the facilities required by existing residents never mind our future large population. A strategic and long-term solution is for the council to provide a site and funding for a dedicated cultural and youth groups in Donabate Portrane as part of their capital expenditure program and in liaison with housing developers on the peninsula”.

The group receives cross-party support from many Councillors and is looking forward to working with the council to achieve their objective.

As we enter the winter months, most of the work on Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed’s plots at Turvey Allotments is winding down, apart from planting a crop of winter onions. Despite this, we have a busy schedule ahead.

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed will be hosting an event for Fingal Inclusion Week, involving all of the Men’s Sheds in Fingal, at 11am on Wednesday 13th November in Donabate Portrane Community Centre. This fun day is sponsored by Fingal County Council. There will be gentle exercise, suitable for the age of the expected participants, an inspiration speaker, light refreshments and entertainment provided by Gerry and the Plonkers, the Men’s Shed music group. Men who are not members of a Men’s Shed are welcome to join us. See the poster.

That day will be a busy one for Gerry and the Plonkers, with the group continuing their series of free concerts in Donabate Parish Hall at 12 noon. All adults are welcome and light refreshments will be served. The other dates for these concerts are 4th December, 27th January, 10th February and 10th March, all on Wednesdays at 12 noon until 2pm.

Our annual Christmas dinner is planned for Keeling’s on Friday 6th December. We expect to have the usual singsong led by Gerry and the Plonkers.

As reported last month, a group of members visited the National Ploughing Championships and we have at least one photo to prove it; the rest aren’t for publication, we told!

All of this and our usual weekly activities - exercise classes, croquet, band practice and our Thursday morning get-together for tea or coffee and a chat. If you, or someone you know would like to join us, please call or text Jim, our PRO, on 086-3694316.

Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society is delighted to announce the upcoming performances of the comedy “Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney from the 28th to the 30th of November 2024 (with two performances on the Saturday) in Donabate Parish Hall.

“Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Lisa Buckley, is the story of Greg who brings home a sassy female dog he found in the park—or that has found him—bearing only the name “Sylvia” on her name tag.

While on the one side Sylvia offers Greg an escape from the frustrations of his job and the unknowns of middle age, on the other hand she becomes a major bone of contention between him and his wife Kate who is completely immune to Sylvia’s charms.

“Sylvia” is a smart, frisky, and occasionally salty comedy about relationships, growing older and life changes.

On stage we have a combination of familiar faces and new talent, while behind the scenes the production team are working hard to bring the play to the stage.

Performances will be on in Donabate Parish Hall on the following dates and times: Thursday 28th November at 19:30, Friday 29th November at 19:30, Saturday 30th November matinée at 14:30 and Saturday 30th November at 19:30.

Tickets cost €12 per person and can be purchased online on ticketsource.eu or at the door.

Donabate Dramatic Society is also extending an invitation to all people in the community become a patron of the society and support the local arts. The annual fee for patronage is €60 per person and it includes two tickets for to their biannual productions along with light refreshments.

If you want to become a member or a patron of DPDS do not hesitate to contact donabateportrane.drama@gmail.com. And don’t forget to follow Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society on Facebook and Instagram!

Hello! My name is Anna, and I recently moved to Donabate. I care about activities that bring the community together and ensure inclusivity for everyone. As a wheelchair user, I am particularly conscious of the need for accessible infrastructure and activities that allow all community members to participate fully.

I am enrolled in a PLC course in social care and got a distinction in 5 modules last year and I’d love to find any other work experience or voluntary opportunities within the community.

Although I don’t currently play any sports, I used to, and have had the opportunity to try sports like wheelchair basketball. I’d love to get involved in disability-inclusive sports such as Boccia. I am involved in voluntary work down in Malahide Castle at the junior parkrun, a sports event involving kids of all ages and I love going down on a Sunday to help out. Thanks for reading

A picture paints a thousand words they say. See the newly refurbished kitchenette in the Parish Hall in the photographs. Thanks to the Parish Hall Committee with some support from FCC, this has been possible. It has a fridge and dishwasher but most importantly a new Burco boiler with instant hot water for tea and coffee.

It is hoped after Christmas, in the first week or two of January, to repair and revarnish the Main Hall floor to keep it in tip-top condition.

The Parish Hall serves a number of daily activities but take note of some of the special events programmed into their calendar.

Soon the Through the Lens Photography Group will hold their annual Exhibition; then the Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society will have their play on - both not to be missed!

Gerry and the Plonkers will perform in the Parish Hall from 12-2pm on Wednesday 13th November for the adults on the Peninsula, especially older adults. This is a FREE gig and all adults are welcome. Refreshments are provided for all!

Part of the activities the Parish Hall offers is now a Music Makers Club for Donabate and Portrane; this is led by Noel Dowling ably assisted by Sean Collins, with a small support team.

Music Makers is a local music club for anyone aged 18 and over, living locally. In collaboration with the Parish Hall. Music Makers is a blend between an open mic and a music club.

The Music Makers Club will meet once a month, starting Friday, 18th October 2024 at 7.45pm. Whether you’re an aspiring musician, a singer / songwriter or just love music, everyone is welcome! If you’re interested, please email musicmakersph@gmail.com -
Music Makers Club Donabate & Portrane

For any further information re the Parish Hall - please ring the Parish Office on 01 8434574

We’re excited to announce that the Winter Fete is back at Donabate Portrane Educate Together National School! Join us on Sunday, November 24th, from 12 PM to 4 PM for a fun-filled day that the whole family will enjoy!

For just €2 per adult, you can experience a vibrant atmosphere featuring delicious food, local crafts, and a wide range of activities. Children and senior citizens can enter for free!

This beloved annual event is our largest fundraising initiative, and we’ll have a fantastic selection of preloved games, toys, books, and clothes available for purchase.

Don’t miss the chance to engage in friendly competition in our game room, pamper yourself in our beauty room with face painting and hair braids, or enjoy live music performances throughout the day!
There’ll also be an exciting raffle with incredible prizes, including vouchers, hampers, and gift baskets. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase on the day of the event and at SuperValu on November 9th and 10th, with the draw taking place on the day of the event.

We look forward to welcoming everyone for a day of fun and community spirit.

Members of the Ukrainian community in Donabate have organised to host a special free concert on 17th November in St Patrick’s Church to thank the local people for everything they have done for Ukraine.

The Kobzar Armada was formed the morning of February 24th, when Russia began its large-scale invasion and bombing of Ukraine. The group is composed of the traditional Ukrainan bards, or kobzars, who were executed in 1933 during the Ukrainian genocide by starvation.

The program is in English and Ukrainian, and geared toward sharing Ukrainian culture and cause to local English speakers. This is the Kobzar Armada’s mission.

“So far we have conducted around 500 concerts on the Eastern front, playing for military camps, schools, hospitals, and refugee camps, but also worldwide, using cultural diplomacy, specifically to the countries who are helping Ukraine the most. Help us spread the truth about Ukraine! Help us end the slaughter of innocent Ukrainian lives! Glory to Ukraine and the truly Free World! Thank You!”

Donations are graciously accepted through Paypal, to jurij_fedynskyj@hotmail.com.

Active Age for All croquet players were delighted to accept the kind invitation from Anne Collins, chairperson of Newbridge House Croquet Club, to a fun croquet day in Newbridge Park.

We met on a beautifully sunny Wednesday on the well maintained, historical, croquet lawns of Newbridge House which AAfA are privileged to share with NHCC. The day was meticulously organised by Bernie Andrews ( I think she must have had a say in the weather as well !) with members of both clubs mixed to play together, and a few skills games which were great fun.

We had a wonderful afternoon with lots of laughter, great games and lovely goodies. It was great to make the connection with NHCC and we look forward to many combined events in the future.

Active Age for All is celebrating and welcoming over 35 new members and at the beginning of October had a membership of 270! Most classes are full but you can see where there are spaces on the website www.activeageforall – and if there is a space you are interested in, you can text us on 086 8806808 (TEXT ONLY) and we will contact you and give you a pro-rata price until the end of term.

We have been busy organizing classes and arranging tutors, registration days and supporting many other initiatives that all keep us active, physically and mentally for nearly 10 years now – and all done with volunteers - Everything. If you think you have some administration / organisational / web / computer skills / can-do attitude, we would love to hear from you as there are some spaces available on the committee. We have about nine meetings each year and the summer is free.

Some of our early volunteers moved on to sharing their skills to other groups who all work with the intention of improving what is available to us on the peninsula. Breda Dockrell represented us all on the recreational side on the Donabate Liaison Group and Eilish McDermott represented the cultural side and the Bleeding Pig. After their 5 years on the Liaison Group, they are stepping down and we thank them for looking after our interests… but beware – heavens knows what they will be doing next!

The Annual Peninsula Walk took place on Sat 14th Sept to coincide with the Bleeding Pig Festival and Trad & Pizza at the Brook Pub. A great day had by all - walkers, musicians & ceile dancers!

The next two walks are listed below:
Saturday 19th October

Walk from Greystones to Bray - this is a challenging new route of about 10km - exact route TBC.
Saturday 9th November

Walk a flat easy route either Beach, Canal or Greenway also about 10km.

There will be further walks in January, February & March 2025.

All walks subject to the weather! If interested: Contact Carolyn on 087-9284307 or Des on 087-7846813

For a few years since we got the acoustic panels, we have been working towards providing a good space for over 18s to practice their music.

We are now ready to rock & roll! Actually, any type of music is welcome e.g. trad, jazz, folk, rock.
Noel Dowling, new to the parish, will be the leader of the Music Makers. Read his bio below and you will know why! He will be ably assisted by local musician and songwriter Sean Collins.

It is intended to run the sessions once a month on a Friday evening, starting for all on October 18th at 7pm. (This may become twice a month). We have the equipment for you to use; you just bring your instrument along.

Please email musicmakersph@gmail.com or WhatsApp or text 089-4916437, the Music Makers’ phone monitored by Noel, with an expression of interest if you are over 18 and playing music at present with nowhere to rehearse or create music in a warm inviting atmosphere - where you don’t drive the neighbours mad!

Noel is a husband and father of two living in Donabate and is a lifelong music enthusiast whose passion for music was ignited during family sing-alongs and gatherings. He studied Sound Engineering & Music Production at Ballyfermot College under the guidance of Pat Daly and Pete Holiday. Over the years, Noel worked as a sound engineer for renowned bands like U2 (on their Claw tour), Brody Dalle, Mumford & Sons, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Sneaky Sound Systems, among many more….

Outside of music, Noel has been a youth club leader at St. Pappin’s Youth Club and is currently on the committee of Gaelscoil Na Mara. Now working in Global HR Operations, Noel continues to support the music community and shares his love for music as an unofficial member of Gerry & the Plonkers. Music remains his first love, and he is passionate about nurturing future generations of musicians.

It’s all music this month Gerry & the Plonkers will be playing in the Parish Hall from 12 - 2pm on Wednesday 16th October all adults in the Parish welcome, especially seniors refreshments sponsored by the Parish Hall Committee. They will have a gig in November & December also. Then in 2025 three more gigs are planned for January, February & March.

Any queries re booking, events and activities contact Parish Office 01-8434574.