All children in Fingal who are starting primary school in September are being invited to visit their local library to pick up a free book bag and take the opportunity to join the library.
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, T.D., together with Minister of State for Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands & Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer, T.D., today announced the launch of this year’s My Little Library free book bag for almost 60,000 children starting primary school.
The My Little Library initiative 2026 is expected to lead to tens of thousands of families picking up their book bags and joining their local library. Since its launch, an average of 20,000 4–5-year-olds have joined their local libraries annually.
The books and resources in the book bag, which is available in both English and ‘as Gaeilge’, support children and their parents in the transition to primary school.
From 11th of May 2026, all children completing the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme and starting primary school are invited to visit their local library and pick up a free book bag. The bags will be available throughout the summer. All families will be invited to join the library if they are not already members.
Minister Foley said she was pleased to announce the 2026 My Little Library initiative.
“I’m really pleased to announce the launch of the free My Little Library book bags for all children in Fingal who will be starting primary school later this year. I really do encourage all their families to pick up their child’s free book bag in their local library.
The books are available as Gaeilge and as Bearla. Tá rud ann do gach duine. The books are available in both English and Irish so there really is something for everyone. This is also a great opportunity for young people to join their local library and indeed enjoy the wonder and the gift of reading.”
At the heart of Fingal’s thriving food scene is the Fingal Food Circle, a dynamic network of local food and drink producers. Meet them manning their stalls at Flavours of Fingal (Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July) and at Explore Fingal Food Markets throughout the summer.
Taking place on the first weekend of July at Newbridge House and Farm, Flavours of Fingal is the county’s flagship event—and a must-visit for food enthusiasts. Blending the charm of a traditional county show with the energy of a family festival, this two-day celebration brings together everything that makes Fingal special, with food taking centre stage.
Flavours of Fingal features a dedicated food marquee, where Fingal Food Circle members and Fingal Farmers showcase their produce across dozens of vibrant stalls. Highlights include live chef demonstrations by TV chef Erica Drum, alongside talented local chefs, all spotlighting the very best of local ingredients.
Food Circle members love the opportunity to connect directly with fellow food lovers and you can mee them at markets throughout the summer. For details on all Fingal Markets visit www.explorefingal.ie/markets.
Explore Fingal Market Dates – June/July 2026
June
Every Saturday Malahide: Casino Model Railway Museum (10am-4pm)
Saturday 13th Blanchardstown: Millennium Park (12noon-6pm)
Saturday 20th Swords: Swords Castle (10am-3pm)
July
Every Saturday Malahide: Casino Model Railway Museum (10am-4pm)
Saturday 4th/Sunday 5th Flavours of Fingal, Newbridge House and Farm (11am-6pm)
Saturday 4th Blanchardstown: Millennium Park (12noon-6pm)
Saturday 18th Swords: Swords Castle (10am-3pm)
The summer holidays are fast approaching and if you’re thinking about summer camps for ages 3-12yrs, check out Bounce & Beyond Ballyboughal. They have Trampoline, soft play area and sensory room.
Camps are €150 and NSC payments are accepted. Contact LittleBrightStarsbb@gmail.com for bookings while there are still spots available
The weather is getting nice but it’s good to have a hoodie or jacket with you for when the inevitable clouds arrive. We love of Circle Edge Athleisurewear. They have sporty clothes for exercising and running errands but also, half zip & wide leg pant sets which are it is the perfect outfit for when you want to be comfy but also, look chic. They’re an Irish company too, which we love. I am wearing their matching stone set above, it’s fab!
June is busy with graduations and junior/leaving cert exams. If you want to treat your child with a congratulatory or good luck gift, Irish jewellery brand Fíor have stunning jewellery with an Irish twist. We especially love the Grá range and their shamrock ankle bracelets are stunning. Perfect graduation gifts!
Another Irish jewellery brand we love is Lulubelle jewellery. We gifted their ‘Tiny Wish’ necklace to our daughter to wish her good luck with her exams and she loves it. They make personalised jewellery, ideal for gifting someone special, especially Mammies (hint hint!) I have one of their bracelets with my children’s initials and I love it. Perfect for birthday gifting.
With school wrapping up soon, we’ve great suggestions for mini breaks and days out. Bracken Court Hotel Balbriggan has various family packages this summer - some include family passes to Emerald Park and Aquazone. They’re close to Malahide Gardens and Newbridge House & Farm too, which are easily accessible by train.
Pillo Hotel in Ashbourne has a pool and sensory room. It’s a genuinely family friendly hotel with great food and spacious rooms. It’s close to Dublin city centre too, so easy to get to attractions like The National Concert Hall, Wax Museum, Viking Splash tours & Shake Dog for lunch!
We’ve got lots of competitions running on mams.ie like Family Passes to Skypark, Malahide Gardens, Newbridge Farm and Beyond The Trees Avondale and Shake Dog Vouchers. To enter, make sure you’re following us at
www.mams.ie
https://www.facebook.com/mams.ireland/
https://www.instagram.com/mams.ie/
After a successful pilot season last year Fingal County Council have announced the return of the popular Fingal food markets. Branded Explore Fingal Markets, they take place in three venues over the summer: Swords Castle, the Casino Model Railway Museum in Malahide and new for 2026, two dates at Millennium Park, Blanchardstown.
Explore Fingal Markets begin in May and continue throughout the summer with free entry to all markets. All take place on Saturdays, and the wide range of stallholders has a focus on local produce with strong representation from both Fingal Food Circle and Fingal Farmers. Stallholders interested in trading at any of the markets are invited to email foodmarkets@explorefingal.ie.
More details will be available on the Explore Fingal website and socials.
Fingal County Council is also supporting independent markets around Fingal. Developing food markets is part of implementing the Food and Drink Policy and Tourism Strategy.
Explore Fingal Market Dates – Summer 2026
Malahide: Casino Model Railway Museum
Every Saturday from 2nd May to 29th August (10am-4pm)
Swords: Swords Castle
May-September, third Saturday of the month (10am-3pm)
16th May, 20th June, 18th July, 15th August, 19th September
Blanchardstown: Millennium Park
Saturday 13th June, Saturday 4th July (12noon-6pm)
PLUS a market at Blanch Fest - Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August)
Ardgillan Castle, Balbriggan, Fingal has launched a new immersive tour designed especially for families. Lasting 30-40 minutes it’s an engaging and entertaining way to explore the elegant world of the Taylor family who lived in Argillan for generations.
The self-guided audio tour is delivered through the voice of the 19th century matriarch Lady Marianne St. Leger Taylor. A significant community figure and socialite, Marianne kept daily diaries revealing daily life behind the Castle doors, which form the basis of the tour. Lady Marianne’s first-hand accounts of family life include household routines, social gatherings, and the joys and challenges of raising her seven children. These authentic diary reflections bring the house to life, allowing visitors to experience her thoughts, observations, and memories as they walk through the rooms where she once lived.
Well designed, informative panels in each room supplement the audio information with fascinating insights. The tour begins in the entrance hallway and includes dining and drawing rooms, the billiards room, the butler’s pantry and the basement kitchens. Secret hidden doors add to the interest and intrigue.
Throughout the immersive tour the past comes to life through sensory connections including evocative “smellometers” dotted through the rooms. Automatically triggered “soundscapes” introduce an acoustic element defining each location like the murmur of diners and clinking of glasses in the dining room while in the kitchen the busy clatter of pots and pans dominates.
In the Discovery Nook children dive into character, dressing up in historic costumes while solving puzzles and playing games. The tour includes a fun activity trail booklet including a quest to find hidden chicks in the castle – a nod to the Taylor families pet name for their offspring.
The audio tour is available in five languages - English, Irish, German, Spanish, French and Polish. These are accessed via a QR code. Headphones are not provided but visitors are welcome to bring their own. The QR code also leads to a helpful transcript as an option.
Open 7 days a week from 10am to 4pm. Ample free parking is available. Café and craft shop open daily.
Cost €10 per adult, €7 per child (u18), €30 for 2 adults and 2 children, €8 seniors (65+)
Local Enterprise Office Fingal has announced that this year’s Junior, Intermediate and Senior Category Winners will represent the county at the National Student Enterprise Finals in Mullingar this May. The announcement follows a vibrant and competitive County Final held on 19th March at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, where over 1,300 students from 21 schools showcased exceptional entrepreneurial talent through innovative products, strong branding and confident pitches, reflecting months of teamwork, creativity and resilience.
In the Junior Category, the students representing Fingal at the National Final are Sam Patton and Andrew Low from Sutton Park School, with their project Powerblocker.
In the Intermediate Category, Juliane Amelia O’Neill from Loreto Balbriggan, will showcase her enterprise, Tiny Terrariums, which focuses on Horticulture.
In the Senior Category, Daniel Strautnice, Jack Atkinson, and Jedd Umeh from Coolmine Community School secured their place with Micro Forge 3D, an innovative business centred on 3D Printing.
The winning teams will now compete against student businesses from across Ireland, presenting their ventures to a panel of judges and vying for national recognition.
A range of special awards were also presented, recognising excellence across key enterprise areas. These included the Best Display Award, Sustainability Award, Social Media Award and Innovation Award, each honouring students who excelled in creativity, communication, design and forward‑thinking business development.
The Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year Award was presented to Teacher Liz Byrne, Hartstown Community School, acknowledging outstanding commitment to enterprise education. The Enterprising School Spirit Award was awarded to Luttrellstown Community College, recognising the strong culture of creativity, teamwork and ambition fostered within the school community.
Speaking at the event, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, praised the contribution and professionalism of all participating students: “The creativity and drive on display here today are outstanding. You have taken ideas from concept to reality, worked collaboratively, overcome challenges and stood confidently behind your businesses. The skills you have developed will serve you well long into the future.”
Last month Fingal County Council launched a new destination tourism brand: Explore Fingal. As part of the rollout of Explore Fingal a Roadshow visited seven venues around the county, meeting with community tourism groups to discuss the new brand. Between Monday 2nd and Thursday 5th March the Roadshow visited: Balbriggan, Skerries, Lusk, Howth, Malahide, Rush and Blanchardstown.
Explore Fingal has its own websites and social media platforms. It is a key milestone in the implementation of the Fingal Tourism Strategy 2024-2029 and includes a full programme of marketing and development initiatives that will support Fingal’s tourism growth.
All tourism businesses and organisations in Fingal are encouraged to go onto the website (www.explorefingal.ie) and connect through the Trade link at the bottom.
For over 30 years, artist and broadcaster Tina Mation has been inspiring children to discover the joy of drawing and creativity. Many families across North Dublin and Meath know Tina not only from her long-running television art programmes, but also from the art classes and summer camps she has been running for generations of young artists.
Tina held her very first children’s art classes in Swords more than three decades ago. What began as a small local class quickly grew as children discovered how easy and fun it was to draw using Tina’s unique step-by-step teaching method. Tina believes that every child can draw and create, in most cases, they just need to be shown not only how to draw, but more importantly, that they can draw. Over the years, she has taught thousands of children in person and as the presenter of the longest-running television art series in the world by the same presenter, she has shown millions of children and adults just how easy it is to bring drawings to life.
Working directly with children in local communities remains one of the most rewarding parts of her career, alongside her work on RTÉ television and the publication of over 60 drawing and animation books.
Each summer Tina runs her much-loved Big Box Summer Art Camps, packed with drawing, painting, constructing miniature theatres, making games, designing T-shirts and many other creative projects. This July, the camps will take place in Lusk, Swords and Ashbourne, welcoming young artists for fivedays of hands-on creativity. Each child receives their own Big Box, which transforms during the camp into a collection of complete artworks and activities they can proudly bring home.
After more than 30 years teaching her unique method, Tina continues to inspire a new generation of children to pick up a pencil, use their imagination and discover that, with a little guidance, they can create their own magic. As Tina says “Learn to draw… Create for life!”
For more information visit: tinamation.net
Remember us would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and express our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported us in 2025.
We had a very successful year and our membership grew.
We continue to look for people to go on CE/TUS schemes and volunteers to help us continue and grow.
We look forward to 2026 and even bigger and better things to happen. Watch this space!!!
Give us a ring on 0860457003 or drop us an email at hello@rememberus.ie if you are interested in supporting us in anyway or if you would like to become a volunteer etc.
Remember us would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank most sincerely everyone who supported us in 2025. It is appreciated by all our members and their families. We look forward to your continued support in 2026.
We are constantly looking for volunteers. Please see poster for day and times we require help. If you have an hour or two to spare, please contact us on 0860457003 or email us at hello@rememberus.ie for more information.