Located in the ALSAA Sports Complex, Swords Road, Co Dublin, Aer Lingus Bowls club have a long and proud history. Established in 1989 its founding members formed successful and formidable teams. They won many tournaments, leagues and cups over the years. At present we have teams representing Aer Lingus Bowls club in the L.B.L.I. Ladies league and the B.L.I. Men’s league. Post covid we are in the process of encouraging.new members to join us. Lawn bowls is a wonderful sport. It has physical as well as social benefits. We meet every Wednesday and Sunday at 11am throughout the year. It is a place to meet up with friends to laugh, chat and get some exercise. We certainly get our “steps in”!. In the words of one of our greatest writers “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing” (George Bernard Shaw). Aer Lingus Bowls club is an inclusive club. We welcome all abilities, ages, and genders. Are you interested in trying lawn bowls this Spring/Summer? Do you know someone who might be interested? Would your club, Men’s/Women’s shed, Active Age group, organisations for individuals with additional needs, or school be interested in trying Lawn Bowls? All equipment will be provided for taster sessions. Please contact Des Walsh on 087 0678903/ Sandra McCarthy 0863114540 for further information or send a message on Facebook messenger Aer Lingus Bowls Club. We look forward to welcoming you. You will be assured of a warm welcome.

Corina Johnston Labour Party Local Area Representative for Donabate and Portrane recently said, “I am pleased that a number of my proposals on public transport are coming to fruition. New bus stop and shelter - Donabate village - The works have finally commenced on the new bus stop and much needed bus shelter in Donabate village which I first proposed at a meeting in Leinster House with Duncan Smith TD and the National Transport Authority (NTA) in 2019. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss public transport improvements for the peninsula. Ever since then we have vigorously pursued this proposal with the NTA, Go Ahead Ireland and Fingal County Council’s Heritage and Roads Department. Planning permission was granted for the provision of this new bus stop within Donabate village in 2021. This will replace two existing bus stops and will incorporate a badly needed bus shelter and real time passenger information unit, the first on our peninsula. I believe this will improve the travelling experience for commuters and facilitate a free flow of vehicular traffic through the village. - 33B Bus Service Improvements - I am delighted that the revised 33B bus timetable has included the following amendments following my representations:-The 00:10 33B service from Swords to Portrane will connect with the last train from the city centre which arrives into Donabate Station at 00:12. - the 11:10pm 33B service from Swords to Portrane on a Saturday night will connect with the last train from Malahide which arrives into Donabate Station at 11:13pm - the 2:50pm 33B Swords to Portrane bus service has been amended to depart at 3:02pm to facilitate children travelling home from school. Bus Connects: The Bus Connects project which includes direct bus services from Portrane to Dublin airport and UCD via Vincent’s hospital is due to be implemented in late 2024. While these improvements are to be welcomed we believe that additional bus services will be required to cater for our growing population. Regarding
Rail services: Duncan and I have stressed to the Minister and the NTA the inadequacy of the rail service on the northern commuter line and the need for increased capacity as soon as possible. We have been informed that additional rail carriages due to come into service during the year will see a 10% increase in capacity at peak periods on the northern commuter line. In our opinion this increase will still be insufficient to cater for the population increase along the northern line. Irish Rail will also be taking delivery of 95 DART and carriages in 2024. We have recommended to Irish Rail and the NTA that some of these carriages be used to maximise capacity on the Northern Commuter Line. The public can be assured that both Duncan and I will vigorously continue to pursue this important issue at National and Local level.

Last month, members of Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed were saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and fellow shedder, Jimmy Carter. Although a quiet and private man, Jimmy enjoyed the company of his fellow members and joined in our outings before Covid restrictions. He liked nothing more than a good singsong, “Deportees” and “The Streets of Baltimore” being his party pieces. But his fellow shedders will remember him best as Celtic Jimmy for his love of Celtic art. Jimmy’s funeral, as he wished, was simple, without church, priest or celebrant attended by his friends. A group of Men’s Shed members formed a guard of honour for his final journey to Donabate Cemetery. May he rest in peace. Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed offers weekly get-togethers on Thursday mornings, in addition to exercise classes, music gatherings, croquet and work on our allotments on other days. We have just started a healthy cooking course delivered by the HSE. If you are interested in joining us, please call Jim on 086-3694316.

The 2010 girls (6th class & 1st year) need to find the next Cora Staunton or Sínead Goldrick and they need your help with recruitment.If you would love your daughter to join or know someone with an interest in GAA message the page or contact Elaine 0879047440 (see our attached poster). Also we are once again advertising for more participants in our Mothers and Others squad. So, If you’re female and over 25 years old, you might want to join St Pats GAA 4 mothers & others team. We train every Friday at 6.30pm and play matches every two weeks approx . It’s not a competitive league and no major commitment required but it is great craic and a really fun way to keep fit. We started back after the Christmas break recently with strength and conditioning with Mojo fitness. Message Elaine on 0879047440 if you’re interested. Approx 70 euro to join for the year and 30 euro to do 6 weeks strength and conditioning. The majority of our players have never played GAA or team sports!!!

Des Carthy & Audrey Sherlock were our Walking Leaders for Peninsula Pacers as we recently checked out of part of the Boyne Camino Walk - Drogheda Town to Oldbridge House by the Boyne River on the Ramparts. This is a beautiful walk with lovely interesting views en route. To get there we took the train to Drogheda and walked down along the River Boyne for 1hr 20mins to Oldbridge House.Then we returned after coffee & cakes to Drogheda Town Centre -1hr 20mins. You should time the walk for low tide & good weather! Peninsulas Pacers have a walk once a month. The next few walks, just to give you a flavour include Rush to Lusk and return, Sandymount to the Pidgeon House on the Southside and the City Canal Walk. If you want to join us and require any further information please contact Carolyn on 087 9284307 & Des Carthy 087 7846813

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed continues to expand our range of activities. In addition to our weekly croquet on Tuesdays, our exercise classes on Wednesdays and our tea-and-chat gatherings on Thursdays, we have started a weekly jam session for member interested in making music, also on Wednesdays. There is such a diverse array of instruments, styles and musical interests, our only problem is deciding on which songs and tunes to play together!

For those more interested in outdoor pursuits, work has now started back at our allotment plots preparing for the growing season ahead.And finally to round out the variety of interests we cater for, the latest of our occasional outings was to the National Art Gallery. Here we viewed the special exhibition Turner: The Sun is God – 90 artworks by the English painter J. M. W. Turner on loan from the Tate Gallery in London – and the National Gallery’s own collection of Turner’s watercolours, which are only displayed in January each year. If you are interested in joining us, please contact our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316. We are always open for new members.

The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival is busy preparing for the 2023 festival which will celebrate 10 successful years of this renowned local festival with the quirky name! Lots of people have asked where does such an unusual name come from. It is, in fact, a local geographical landmark, albeit only visible at very low tide and with some climbing and pot-holing involved. The Bleeding Pig is a very unusual rock formation in a cave on the cliff walk from Donabate to Portrane. This rock formation does resemble a pig and in certain tidal conditions and when the light is right, the rock takes on a reddish/pink hue, suggesting that the pig is actually bleeding. No animals are harmed in the making of this festival! So, preparations are well underway for the festival in September.In the meantime, Donabate will celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday March 5th from 12.30 ~ 6.00pm in the Donabate/Portrane Community Centre.With thanks to the generous support of Fingal County Council, the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival will host a day of activities and entertainment, specifically aimed at our female residents.Sisters Teresa and MaryLousie O’Donnell will open the day with an exhibition based on the book ‘Sisters’ about “sisters in Ireland who have made a difference”. Teresa and Mary Louise have themselves written a book called ‘Sisters of the Revolutionaries’ about Patrick Pearse’s sisters, Margaret and Mary Brigid. The O’Donnell sisters are accomplished harpists and they will also give a short performance.“A Problem Shared Is A Problem Halved” will be an informal presentation and discussion by Physiotherapist Ann-Marie Ennis. She will discuss the inconvenient and uncomfortable condition of female incontinence. Ann O’Reilly from Hair Rootine will give a presentation about haircare called “Your Crowning Glory”. She will discuss the importance of a good diet and using appropriate products. Learn how to do various types of braids including Fishtail braid, French braid, Waterfall braid, Celtic braid. A firm favourite from IWD celebrations in recent years, Marks & Spencer have promised to send a fitter to correctly fit attendants for proper-fitting bras. Bras will be available to purchase on the day.There will be some entertainment in the centre during the day, more details to follow closer to the time. Come along to the Community Centre on Sunday March 5th between 12.30 and 5.30pm and celebrate being a woman!

Cllr. Adrian Henchy said recently, “The recent surge in both Water and Electrical outages across Donabate and Portrane is totally unacceptable. I have called upon both representatives from the ESB and Irish Water to attend the next Area Committee meeting in County Hall, Swords in order to give elected representatives from across all parties and none the opportunity to hold them fully accountable for these far too frequent outages and what actions are being put in place to address them. One issue I have been campaigning on now for many years has been the all too frequent water pipe bursts and outages affecting Portrane but especially residents of the Burrow, Portrane and also residents living along Turvey Avenue, Donabate which has in recent months seen a spate of water outages.I am pleased to confirm Irish Water have committed to the upgrade of the water infrastructure network at the Burrow, Portrane and I will continue to campaign strongly on behalf of my local community for the replacement of old pipes and upgrade of water infrastructure serving Turvey Donabate.” Henchy said, “I have been in regular communication with Irish Water on these matters and my thanks also to the Burrow Residents Association who brought this issue to my attention and have been campaigning for the water infrastructure to be replaced and upgraded given the all too frequent outages. At a recent area committee meeting, I requested an update from the Chief Executive in consultation with Irish Water on any plans to upgrade the Water Infrastructure serving The Burrow area in Portrane. Irish Water have informed me today, that the Asset Management Department of Irish Water have approved the replacement of approximately 1.1km of poorly performing 4” asbestos cement water mains on the Burrow Road. This work will take place in 2023.” Henchy added, “My thanks to both Irish Water and Fingal County Council for their commitment to these much needed infrastructural improvement works and be assured I have also requested that a sense of urgency be applied for the replacement and upgrade of the major water mains network serving Turvey Avenue Donabate. I look out for updates on this in the coming weeks also.”

It has been a sad time for the members of Active Age and all who knew Philippa Coady, our
former Chairperson, who died suddenly before Christmas after a short illness. She will be missed as she was a dynamic person with great energy and ideas. May she rest in peace! In memory of Philippa we presented a cheque for €1,400,00 to St Francis Hospice Raheny, which we raised at our Carol Concert before Christmas. We are grateful to all who contributed. Our new term started on the 23rd of January with many classes full. It is not too late though, we still have places in some of our classes. Art, Singing & Music, Tai Chi, Chair Yoga. Yoga. If you want information about any of our classes or activities or about Active Age please contact activeageforall@gmail.com or TEXT only 0868806808 or see our website activeageforall.com.

Lambay Cinema Club has an exciting Spring Season ahead for peninsula movie enthusiasts with a real pick ’n mix of international films scheduled for the months ahead. We kicked off 2023 with our first screening last month with Nebraska (2013) an American comedy-drama. The story follows an elderly Montana resident and his son as they try to claim a million-dollar sweepstakes prize on a long trip to Nebraska. The film was well received by the audience.This month we will show an emotive French film, ‘Everything Went Fine’ (2021,12A) on Feb 16th. Eighty-five year old, Andréis a wealthy and successful art-collector, used to doing everything on his own terms. So, when he suffers a stroke, which leaves him unable to continue life as before, he asks his two daughters for help with his assisted suicide. The burden of dealing with this fall to his eldest daughter Emmanuèle, who must navigate the challenging consequences and practicalities of André’s decision. Remember, you do not need to be a member to attend any of our monthly screenings. We advertise on our social media platforms as well as locally and tickets are available on Eventbrite a week prior to the screening, with limited on the door availability. Our screenings take place in the beautiful setting of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland, The Square, Donabate.We are also looking for volunteers to join our backroom team, if you have a particular interest in film or have marketing experience or just like to help out, please feel free to contact us by email at lambaycinemaclub@gmail.com. Many thanks to those that have attended and supported this entirely voluntary community initiative. Without this support (as like all community groups) it would not be possible to continue. Dates for the diary. - (1). 16th February – the film - ‘Everything Went Fine’ (2). 5th March - the film -‘Wadjda 2012’ - (3) 20/04/23 –the film is yet to be decided – (4) 18th May - the film ‘Gravediggers Wife’ and (5) 10th June – the film ‘Compartment No 6.’