It is that time of year again when you get to decide what exciting classes you will choose for the coming winter. Hard to think about it now with the sun shining outside, but we in Active Age have been working hard preparing our programme for 2022/2023. You will see many of your old favourites there such as Pilates, Yoga, Sit & Get Fit, Stronger for Longer Art and Singing and Music.Our free activities - Croquet, Boules and Bowls and Table Tennis will of course continue. We are also adding some classes for those who are not as interested in the more physical activities, with Drama and Crafts and hopefully Cooking to be added to our programme.The full programme will be available online for you to see in August with a date of 5th of September for Registration for classes. As you all know classes fill up fast so you need to mark the date and come and register, even for the free activities as we have waiting lists for some of these.Enjoy the rest of your summer, looking forward to seeing you all in September! The photo competition theme is Positive ageing and it is open to people of all ages and abilities.DCU are looking to find rare gems of local talent from our communities to showcase our intergenerational engagement throughout Ireland. The closing date is 28th August 2022

What an end to a busy, fun, and successful year! We concluded our year with a wonderful end-of-year party. We had face painting, music, bubbles, tug-of-war, races, and medals. Garda Michelle and Garda Colm, from Clontarf Garda station, joined us for the fun. The athletes loved their car,especially the siren, lights, and car horn. Thank you to all the volunteers, fundraisers, and supporters who helped make this happen. This year, we have welcomed many new members into our Young Athletes Club this year. We have also started our new junior basketball club for athletes from 8 years to 16 years old. Thanks to our fabulous fundraisers and to our volunteer coach Ciara, we were able to offer swimming lessons to many of our members in the Pop-Up Pool.The first two athletes to ever compete for our club came away with 4 medals between them. We are so, so proud of Tim and Becca.Finally, one of the first athletes to join our club is moving to Wexford. We’ll miss you Noah. We will see you when you are competing for Munster and Ireland in the future. Thank you to Eamon, Susan, and Lottie for all your support throughout the years. It’s not goodbye, it’s au revoir.

Local Labour representative, Corina Johnston recently said, “I was contacted by a number of local residents last week regarding a potentially significant archaeological find on lands in Donabate which are subject to a live planning application.”I met the residents on site, who confirmed that they had been alerted to the find by a local farmer who stumbled upon the opening while sowing in the field. They immediately visited the site and unearthed what appears to be an underground tunnel with writing on one of the walls similar in nature to Ogham writing an early medieval alphabet.In view of the potential significance of the find Duncan Smith TD and I contacted the National Monuments Services and Fingal County Council and requested an urgent visit and an interim inspection of the site. In the meantime the entrance needs to be protected and closed off. The manner of the demolition of Turvey House a building of historical importance in 1987 must never be allowed occur again. National Monuments have confirmed to Duncan Smith TD and I that “this matter is currently being followed up on and an entry will be added to the Sites and Monuments Record in due course.” I have ascertained that the find is located on land that is subject to a current planning application with An Bord Pleanála and I have notified the board of recent developments on the land which may have implications for the planning application. We will keep you informed of developments.”

The Mini All Ireland Football tournament is a regular annual feature on the schedule of events at St Donabate. In June 2019 a hurling version of the tournament was introduced. Covid restrictions meant that the inaugural tournament was unable to run in the years after its first launch. Three years since the first event, and with massive development of hurling in the club including a developing camogie section, meant the revival of the Mini All Ireland Hurling and Camogie tournament for 2022 was sure to be a success. Almost 300 kids from Academy age group all the way up to Senior age (U14/U13) entered to compete for the coveted Cup winner’s trophy. With the football tournament launching separate boys and girls sections, the hurling event sought to do the same. With camogie in its infancy in the club, the U11 girls its inaugural team, it is a testament to the rapid development of the sport that well over 100 girls applied to compete in the camogie section across a number of age groups. Despite changeable weather conditions during the week of the tournament, which was held leading up to the June bank holiday weekend, the best of the weather held out to allow all the games to proceed with great support on the side lines as parents and supporters cheered on their temporary county allegiances. The quality of the games meant there were some really exciting group stage games and penalty shoot outs were required in many sections to determine placings for finals day. The sun shone bright on Friday’s finals evening as the competition came to a close. There was a great atmosphere around the grounds as both the cup and shield finals took place after which winners were crowned and goodie bags devoured by all.

Donabate quilters are a sewing group who meet on Tuesday evenings 7:45 -9:45 pm in the portacabin at Donabate Community Centre from September to end of May. When last March Olive, who is one of our members, mentioned that her daughter Dr. Caoimhe Costigan had worked with the National Neonatal Transport Team, and that they used small baby quilts to cover the incubators while transporting the babies. She also mentioned that the Neonatal Unit at Holles Street Hospital was very interested in using quilts on their incubators also. We discussed this at our class and quickly decided it was a very worthwhile project and that we would be delighted to make the quilts.

We liaised with Dr. Carmel Moore, Neonatologist at Holles Street Hospital, she explained what type of quilts were required, measurements, and types of fabric. She also explained the function of the quilts. The incubator covers are important because babies born early or unwell are sensitive to light, before 32 weeks the eyelids are very thin and their pupils cannot constrict, we try to control the level of lighting depending of a baby’s stage of development and sensitivity. This also helps to develop sleep rhythms that are important for growth and brain development. So knowing this important information and exactly what was required, we got busy designing, cutting, sewing and quilting. And 2 months later, we had 22 beautiful quilts of various designs and colours ready for the Neonatal unit. On the 8th of June, 3 of our members: Maura Porter, Liz Downey, and Linda Harford brought the quilts to Holles Street Hospital, where they were met by Dr. Carmel Moore. To demonstrate its function, she placed a quilt on to an empty incubator to show how the light would be reduced while still allowing access to the baby. The Donabate Quilters were very happy to be involved in such a worthwhile project; making quilts that were colourful, functional, and a practical aid to the Neonatal unit. Please note it is important to stress that the incubator is empty in the photos.

You may well be wondering what on earth a Christmas Tree is doing on a page of this magazine in July . Th e answer is fairly simple… re-cycling and community activity at its very best! Back in the autumn/winter of 2020 when we were deep in Covid times, Inclusion Week led to the suggestion of a knitted Christmas tree to be created and to be displayed in DPCC. Some Active Age for All women and some of their friends began the work on creating a hand-knitted and crocheted Christmas tree. All old scraps of wool were dug out of cupboards and bags and shared around and needles began to click.The result was a very different tree that brought people together just when they needed to see each other and to complete a creative project. Some members of Men’s shed helped with the frame and eventually DPCC had an alternative tree to celebrate this coming together project. The local ICA women offered to take the squares when the tree was unassembled and offered to take the project a step further and to make blankets from them and to give them to the Hospice. With lockdowns in 2021, this became a really challenging job. ICA were not able to meet as often as they wanted (they meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month in the portacabin at DPCC) but were able to pass the squares around members and they put together 5 blankets in all. These have been delivered to the Hospice and they are thrilled with them and have remarked on how warm and colourful they are for patients to use when they are able to sit out. To the women (and men) who made this happen, congratulations on your creativity.

Members of The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival continue to prepare for your Community Festival in September. Blanchardstown Library is sending their Sensory Collection over to Donabate Library during the festival. Fergus and his staff in Donabate library are preparing a sensory friendly event to take place during the Festival.Some more events to look forward to..James Bond Casino Royale themed night in Balcarrick Golf Club, the Launch of the Lambay Cinema Club, Mol an Óige, local band Santoria.More on these next month.Don’t forget our fundraising Festival Quiz in Keelings on Thursday 25th August at 8.30pm. The Festival Committee recently received one of the Fingal County Council Mayor’s Awards. The awards ceremony was held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry, and many local voluntary groups were recognised and commended for their contribution to society in Fingal.

The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival has not taken place for the last 2 years due to Covid-19, but the festival is back, bigger and better than ever this year! Running from Thursday September 8th, to Sunday September 18th, the festival programme promises something to suit all tastes and age groups. From Craft Workshops for all ages to Ceili dancing, Gala concerts to Short films, and Bio-Diversity Walks to a Casino night, there will be something to satisfy all cultural tastes.All events in the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival are free of charge, but some events must be booked in advance through Eventbrite. Please keep an eye on the festival FaceBook page for details of booking, from about mid-August.

The festival will host a fund-raising Pub Quiz in Keelings Lounge, Donabate on Thursday August 25th. Tickets for the quiz are €10, available at the door on the night or in advance from Emer on 0863691871.Come along and join in with some of the events and let’s welcome the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival back to the peninsula!

Cllr Adrian Henchy has said he is, “ Immensely proud and it was a great honour to have been joined by the the Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council Ann Marie Farrelly, my Council colleague Cllr. Paul Mulville along with the Operations Dept, An Taisce, Community representatives and the staff from the local Shoreline Hotel for the official launch of both the Blue Flag and Green coast award for Balcarrick beach Donabate recently.” The Councillor said, “ 2016 was the last time Donabate beach held the Blue Flag status so it has taken 6 years to regain this much respected and coveted beach award.Blue Flag criteria include standards for quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria. The Blue Flag is sought for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards.” Five beaches nationally were awarded both a blue flag and a green coast award for the 2022 season which were Balcarrick Beach, Donabate, Dublin; Ballinskelligs in Kerry; Salthill and Silverstrand in Galway City and Trá Inis Oírr in Galway. Cllr Henchy added, “ With that in mind it was a double celebration recently with Donabate beach being the only Dublin beach to obtain both the “ Blue Flag” and Green Coast award. Great credit has to go to everyone involved from our local community volunteers, Fingal County Council, Clean Coasts/An Taisce and indeed many more, too many to mention for regaining this very important recognition of both beach cleanliness and high levels of Water quality. Finally I wish to express my thanks also to the Operations Department of Fingal County Council who carried out some improvement works at the entrance to Balcarrick beach including footpath improvements to improve getting onto the beach especially for disability/mobility impaired users of the beach and also the installation of beach shower facilities near the entrance. These small improvements will hopefully in a small way improve all users experiences at Balcarrick beach, Donabate,” Cllr Henchy concluded.

Corina Johnston Labour Party Area Representative has welcomed the commitment from Fingal County Council for the much needed pedestrian access into Newbridge Demesne off the Hearse Road. We wrote to the CEO on 10th February requesting that this project be given the priority it deserves. We also requested a footpath be provided from the new bus stop to the pedestrian crossing on health and safety grounds.” Johnston said:”I wish to compliment the role played by the residents of Semple Woods in this campaign and for their persistence on such an important health and safety issue for themselves and their children. I am delighted to have received the following response to a question submitted by my colleague Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh to a recent council meeting on my behalf in respect of the proposed new entrance. The Council’s reply said, “Following on from a meeting on the Hearse Road at the entrance to Semple Woods Estate by staff from the Operations Department, Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department and Active Travel the following list of works were identified. The current plan is to try and get all works completed by the end of Q4 2022. As the works are not included in any current work programme it will be necessary to prepare drawings/ specifications for works/ materials to be used and to arrange procurement. • Travelling towards Donabate install new footpath and heritage bollards from new bus stop to the pedestrian crossing.

(1) Open existing gate in Newbridge to allow pedestrian access to the Demesne, (2) Construct new footpath within the Demesne to link with existing path, (3) Move the 50KPH signage south of new bus stop, (4) Remove barriers at crossing and install new barriers at the entrance into the Demesne.
Consideration will also be given to the inclusion of two traffic calming ramps on the Hearse Road at Semple Woods in future Programme of Works.” Johnston concluded; “I am very pleased with the commitment given to carry out the works outlined above which should see the new access in operation by the end of the year.

LSA Juvenile training has ended for the summer break. If you are interested in signing up your child born in 2015 or older, please contact Heather on lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com Thanks to all our coaches and volunteers during the year and see you all in the Autumn. We have a 3 day summer camp on 19th, 20th and 21st July, check it out at lambaysportsathletics.clubzap.com/pages/summer-camp-2022.Our Adult section continues all year around catering for all abilities from absolute beginner to advanced marathon runners and track and field competition. For more details check out our webpage on lambaysportsathletics.ie.