Recently, an Open Mic Extravaganza was held in the Parish Hall one Sunday afternoon. It was a special event organised by the Music Makers in collaboration with the Parish Hall; so, with adults present to keep an eye as minors played & sang, the 15-year-olds & upwards got a chance to perform their music, some of them for the first time!

It was all about participation - giving it a go - not about perfection; so, you could start & restart, no problem at all! They even got to have a coffee and a chat with pals and meet a few new like-minded music lovers. It was a success for all those that came and they all want more!

Fridays are music nights in the Parish Hall. Two Fridays a month Leithinis CCÉ run their Slow Sessions. They are an established group with a committee and run under Comhaltas as the umbrella organisation. The other two Fridays, Music Makers invite musicians who are over 18 come & do their thing! Under age cannot be catered for on a regular basis - only for occasional events unfortunately. A committee of adults needs to be established, or a group needs to be found as an umbrella, so that the younger teenagers can be included in regular sessions.

At present the Parish Hall and some responsible adults keep the show on the road. So simply commitment is needed to further the Music Makers! The enjoyment and real buzz the young ones got from the afternoon was just brilliant & infectious.

It is hoped to run another special event coming into summer for all the local budding talent over 15yrs. In the meantime, if you as an adult have something to bring to the party in terms of energy, expertise, effort & enthusiasm, please do not hesitate to contact Noel (Dowling) & Seán (Collins) at this email:
Musicmakersph@gmail.com

NEXT MUSIC MAKERS SESSIONS - Friday 4th April, Friday 2nd May & Friday 6th June.

The Memory Cafe in Donabate is run by the Donabate/Portrane Community Centre in co-operation with Active Age for All. The cafe is held on the last Wednesday of every month from 11am to 1pm in the community centre and is always free of charge.

Memory cafes offer people with dementia and their care partners the opportunity to enjoy regular enjoyable social interaction with others in similar circumstances in a safe welcoming environment.
There are regular talks and presentations from healthcare professionals and support groups; for instance the March Memory cafe had presentations from Maria Heffernan from Healthy Eating made Easy and Mary Woods Murphy from St Francis Hospice in Raheny. Also popular is playing cards and games that promote physical co-ordination and mental acuity.

Refreshments of tea, coffee and home bakes are served and the cafe always winds up with music from local groups or musicians to enjoy and sing along with.

Saturday 8th February was a big day for Team LSA last month with four athletes competing in the National 50Km Championships at the 15th Donadea 50k. Conditions were a little bit challenging, but it did not stop Team LSA. Eimear Caulfield was LSA’s first female runner to compete in this Championship along with Dino Higgins, Stephan Bueck and Stephen Brennan. Alongside them was an unbelievable crew of supporters on the day!

We are extremely proud of all our members who were involved: from Eimear the first LSA finisher to the support crew who motivated everyone through to the finish line.

For anyone who aspires to running something a little shorter, we have just commenced a new Couch to 5k program - ideal for the complete beginner or those who are returning to running after injury or time out. This seven week program involves committing to running three days per week: Monday and Wednesday at 7pm at Donabate Portrane Community Centre and Saturdays at Donabate Park Run.
Meanwhile, our older Juveniles have had some great success at the recent Leinster Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships: Sinead Farrell progresses to All-Ireland Championships. She was an impressive third scorer on the winning Senior Girls Team. Reuben Capocci qualified for All-Ireland Championships in the Intermediate Boys event, with James Keegan and Leon Capocci both impressing in Senior and Minor Boys respectively.

We’ve had some great success at the recent Dublin Juvenile Indoor Championships in Abbotstown: James Keegan and Reuben Capocci took the title of Dublin 800m Champion at Under 18 and Under 17 respectively. They now progress to the National Championships in Athlone later this month with Liam Handley (Shot Putt), Lea Hubert (High Jump). Reuben also competes in the U17 1500m after his second-place finish in Dublin.

Congratulations to all our athletes and their coaches for their hard work and dedication.
Keep up to date on all the events by following LSA on our website and social media pages!

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lambaysportsacademy
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lsadonabateportrane/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LSARunning
https://lambaysportsathletics.ie/
Adult memberships queries: lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com
Little Athletics and Juvenile athletes (7-18) : lsajuvenilereg@gmail.com

This Saturday 8th March - we have a change of place for our walk - we are doing the Brigid’s Walk first in Dundalk - we will honour Patrick at our next walk!

We will meet at the Parish Hall 11 30am - do a car-pool then head up to North Dundalk for our 6/8km walk - then we will head into a good cafe restaurant for food & refreshments!

Last month the Pacers went on a scenic coastal route. They took the train from Donabate to Portmarnock then walked back to Malahide. This is an easy flat walk about 6/8km - we had to use the road as the tide was in on the Portmarnock beach, it was still a lovely walk with good sights & good toilets open in
Portmarnock & in Malahide at the beaches on the way.

It is a great way to spend a few hours on a Sat afternoon - a nice walk, a good chat, finishing with great food! We also get to see new places - a bit of exploring!

Further information from Carolyn 087-284307 or Des 087-7846813

Donabate Parish Hall & The Men’s Shed have come together for a special FREE event for adults with a focus on Irish Music to celebrate Paddy’s Day on Wednesday 12th March from 12noon - 2pm. Light refreshments served. Singin & Dancin welcome from all those attending - or just come & listen! All FREE and for you!

The Plonkers & Parish Hall - had a fantastic event for Valentine’s on a Wednesday in February - it was full of fun - lots of dancin & singin! A large crowd came from a variety of groups in the Parish and as many men as women! We are a Parish with great musical talent - Gerry & the Plonkers are beyond amateur with a number of professional musicians in their midst! Noel (Dowling) brings an added dimension - with sound & lights, like one was at a good wedding! This gives people an opportunity to dance nowadays without waiting on a wedding or a big birthday to happen!

So, let us have a great one for Paddy’s Day - we will celebrate St Brigid too - as we had no event for her! So if you do a bit of Céilí or line dancin’ great - if not, get up and dance & sing anyway. Not alone is it good for the body, but it’s also uplifting for the spirit and a bit of craic on a Wednesday afternoon! They are sometimes joined by Edel (Dempsey) whose long whistle renditions are fantastic & famous!
The Music Makers were on in February also with a special event and it was a great success; hopefully to be repeated and further report is elsewhere in the magazine.

The Parish Office has been looking at Cultural & Educational Camps for the Parish Hall for 2025 at suitable times after successful camps last year and may have some spaces left. Also, if you have any queries re renting for daily activities & classes contact the Parish Office on 01- 8434574

Labour Councillor Corina Johnston has voiced concerns about the reliability of the 33B Bus Service for Donabate, Portrane and The Burrow. “At a recent meeting with the CEO of Go Ahead Ireland I raised my serious concerns in respect of the following: the reliability of the 33B bus service; the current and future of contract; the impact unacceptable cancellations has on commuters in Donabate and the Burrow, Portrane with every second bus servicing this area with commuters late for school, work, college, hospital appointments and having to take a taxi at a huge cost; the need for double decker buses to be utilised on the Donabate peninsula given our growing population to ensure passengers are not left behind; concerns regarding buses bypassing the town centre ; need for improved communication with commuters; need for connectivity between trains and buses.”

Johnston continued; “in response Go Ahead Ireland confirmed: recent service issues as a result of issues with recruitment of mechanics and winter flu; Recruitment process for additional drivers underway; improvement in services over last week with further improvements and return to full services anticipated within 10 days; double decker buses used at peak with ongoing monitoring of service capacity; Go Ahead has entered into a letter of intent with the National Transport Authority (NTA) for a new contract for Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area (ODMA) North and South to commence in October 2025; anticipated Bus Connects roll out in 2026 with every bus to service the Burrow, Portrane with the 33B services operating to and from Dublin Airport, improved connectivity between trains and buses •investigation of buses bypassing Donabate town centre ; communications review underway

Johnston concluded, ”I will continue to raise the ongoing issues with the 33B service with Go Ahead Ireland and the National Transport Authority (NTA) to ensure a reliable bus service is provide for commuters.”

Last year the Donabate Portrane Darkness Into Light walk raised over €21k to help keep the wonderful work being done through Pieta going. This year’s planning and organising is already well underway for the walk which takes place on Saturday morning 10th May at 4.15am in Newbridge House. We had a wonderful group of volunteers and participants join us to deliver what was a moving, memorable and successful event both in terms of bringing our community out and together as well as from a fundraising perspective. We like to keep things simple so for this year’s event we are hoping to exceed the 450 participants we had last year and the amount we raised so we encourage you, your family and friends to sign-up, join us and help make the Donabate Portrane DIL walk another memorable one. The online link to register and fundraise for the walk is open and we encourage people to sign up as early as possible - https://www.darknessintolight.ie/#Signup. We will have an in person registration day in Donabate this year closer to the event for those who miss out online but as with everything the earlier you register the better. Thanks everyone!

The Donabate Portrane Darkness Into Light committee.

Active Age for All held it’s AGM on Friday 17th January this year and we were very pleased with the attendance, many of whom stayed for a cuppa and a chat when the business was done. Active Age continues to go from strength to strength due in no small part to the vision of the first committee and the dedicated work of following committees. None of this would have been possible without these volunteers and the support and cooperation of the community centre management and staff, a big debt of gratitude to all. Many committee members past and present represent AAfA on various organisations and groups: Valerie Henderson (Donabate/Portrane Liaison Group), Mario Mc Cormack ( PPN), Louis Gunnigan ( Town Centre First), Carolyn Smith ( D/P Community Council), Peig McManus ( Forum for Older People), & Mary Farrell ( DPCC Board)). This year we are delighted to welcome on board Adriana Ganet as tutor for Spanish 2 (intermediate) on Monday mornings. We are also very pleased to have two past committee members returning to the committee, Mary Farrell and Carmel Carey; and welcome to first timer Ann O’Hanlon.

Active Age is now entering its 10th year, and we plan to continue growing and developing with the community of the peninsula.

Through the Lens has had another successful calendar sale with the 2025 issue. The club has produced a limited edition of 300 calendars for the past few years with the help of the local businesses who take advertising space in it. It started as a fund raiser for the club whilst also being able to sponsor a local group, it is also a good exercise for the members and a promotion for the club. All photos selected for inclusion must be related to the peninsula and may probably be an historical reference in years to come given the rapid changes afoot in the area.

This year we are proud to sponsor Foroige a local youth group based in the community centre. Foroige caters for 12- to 18-year-old teenagers and they meet every Friday from 7.30 to 9pm. There are table games as well as snooker and table tennis, and drinks and snacks are available on the night. They do trips such as to the Awesome Walls and take part in activities like the Foroige Dublin & National talent championship.

Contact for Foroige: Kevin Barnes 087-9580129 and contact for Through the Lens: Mary McKenna 087-2321852.

Work has commenced on the new Donabate Library which is scheduled to open by the end of this year.
The development of the new public library at Ballisk House is one of a number of projects being undertaken by Fingal County Council that will enhance the provision of community facilities in the Donabate area as envisaged under the Donabate Framework Plan and the Capital Programme agreed by the elected members of Fingal County Council last October.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh, said: “I am delighted that the contractor is on site and work has begun on Donabate’s new library which, when opened, will offer so much more to the local community than just books. The move from its present location in the Community Centre will also free up significant space which can now be used by different groups on the Donabate peninsula.”

Fingal County Council acquired Ballisk House in 2022 following the decision of the Progressive Credit Union to close its Donabate branch which had been located in the premises. The land had originally been owned by the Council but was sold in 1995 to Donabate Credit Union to facilitate the building of Ballisk House.

Vision Contracting were appointed last December to carry out the refurbishment works on Ballisk House and went on site at the end of January to commence phase one of a two phase project. It is anticipated that the new library will open to the public by the end of this year.

Phase one will deliver a contemporary library with children’s and young adult areas on the ground floor of the building. The installation of wheelchair accessible lifts will provide access to the adult lending area and a library events space on the first floor. The new library will also be a ‘My Open Library’, which will give registered members access to the building beyond normal staffed hours.

Planning has begun for Phase Two of the project which will consider the addition of an extension to the building to further enhance library facilities.