Oh, what a night it was on Friday 24th October 2025 in the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate. It was the 10th anniversary party for Active Age for All on the peninsula and we celebrated in style!
About 100 gathered that evening including some of the original committee who got the whole movement going along with much help from Fingal Co. Co. and Donabate/Portrane Community Centre. There were Peig McManus (first chairperson), Brid Hayes, Willie Cahill and Chrissy Ivory from the 1st committee, Louise Edmonds and Janette from Fingal Co Co and Jacinta Lowndes and Sandra Matthews from the Community Centre, all of whom have been, and continue to be, helpful and supportive in any way they can. Unfortunately some of the original committee were unable to attend, they are Eilish McDermott (Vice Chair), Breda Dockrell (Secretary), Miriam Scully (Treasurer), Mary O’Connor (Asst Treasurer) and Edie Keeley (Activities Organiser)
Music was provided by the Men’s Shed group ‘Gerry & the Plonkers’ and boy did they entertain us! With music suited to the audiences’ generation we danced and sang the night away. Leonards Coaches provided the transport and on request Decci Leonard was happy to delay the home run as people were having so much fun!
The Shoreline Hotel looked after us so well from planning to party, and the dinner was delicious, a big thank you from all of us. Thanks also to Mary McKenna from the AAfA camera club who set up a slide show of AAfA photos which provided a lot of trips down memory lane.
Many thanks are due to our generous sponsors whose help went a long way to our having a truly memorable anniversary party, they are: Shoreline Hotel, Cairn Homes, Donabate/Portrane Community Centre, Glenveagh, SuperValu and Ganson.
All in all, we all had a wonderful evening with a strong sense of community that bodes well for the ongoing success of Active Age for All.
On a beautiful Saturday morning in November a group of 12 from the Peninsula Pacers met at Rivervalley Community Centre to walk the ‘Jacko’ in the Ward valley. It was organised by Rosaleen O’Reilly, one of our members who lives in the area. She brought along friends Dominic and Margaret to share some of the interesting history of the area.
We set off by the very busy sports pitches and it was great to see so many youngsters out training and playing games. Along our route, led by Dominic, he pointed out some of the local landmarks so we could get our bearings and we marvelled the fact that we were so secluded in nature yet in the middle of a busy urban area.
Our route took us to the Knocksedan bridge, a historic meeting spot for volunteers of the 1916 rising, passing the old mill race on the way. The mill race once provided power to run a flour mill and a saw mill but went out of use when steam and electricity took over.
After nearly two hours of pleasant walking along the Ward river in the lovely autumnal woods we all arrived at Peacocks restaurant for a very welcome drink and some lunch. A lovely day enjoyed by all.
Johnston said: “Since elected I have been raising the need for dedicated youth services in Donabate and have been working with Crosscare youth services for the provision of such services. Donabate has a very young population with 31% of the population under 19 years of age (census 2022). This will continue to grow with so many young families moving into the area.
A recent UNICEF report found that Irish teenagers have among the lowest life satisfaction scores in high-income countries, despite excelling academically with nearly one in three 15-year-olds reporting low life satisfaction research commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth, published last year, found play and recreation amenities for adolescents are under-resourced and under-facilitated.
Johnston continued; “Our young people have no dedicated indoor space. Many are bored with nothing to do but hang around which can lead to anti social behaviour. The Minister for Justice recently confirmed in a response to Duncan Smith TD that 22 youths have been referred to youth services from Donabate in the last year.
A dedicated youth services centre can provide Youth Cafes & Group Education, Training and Employment Support, Life Coaching, Counselling Services, Summer Programmes, Mental Health and Well Being Programmes, Drug and Alcohol Awareness, Film , Photography, Performing Arts as well as a drop in space with a music and games room, snooker table, kitchen area, chill out space with support from fully qualified youth workers.”
Johnston added ;”In response to a recent question raised with the Minister of Education and Youth on this matter the Minister confirmed that supporting the provision of youth services is a priority for her department and that she is committed to developing and implementing a policy for youth spaces at local level with an action plan currently being worked upon.”
Johnston concluded; ”The young people of Donabate cannot wait for plan after plan to be published with no action. A dedicated youth services centre must be provided as a matter of urgency. Early intervention is vital. It’s the very least our young people deserve. I will continue to pursue this very important matter.”
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed activities will continue through the run-up to the forthcoming festive season. We have our music practice most Mondays, croquet at Newbridge House on Tuesdays, weather permitting and our regular get-togethers for tea or coffee and a chat on Thursday mornings at the Scouts’ Den on the Portrane Road. Our plots at Turvey allotments have been winterised but some work continues in the polytunnel. So, if you, or someone dear to you, would like to join us, please call Jim, our PRO, on 086-3694316.
Last month we had a fascinating tour of Dublin Castle; hopefully we’ll have photos of that for next month’s edition. Our annual dinner will be held in Keeling’s on 5th December, where we’re sure of a great singing session.
Gerry and the Plonkers have been busier than ever, with three gigs last month for Lusk ICA, Donabate Memory Café and for International Men’s Health Week. This last event, organised by the Dublin Men’s Sheds, was held in Donabate Portrane Community Centre, with Jim Hawkins as MC and the Mayor of Fingal, Tom O’Leary and local councillors Eoghan Dockrell and Corina Johnston in attendance. Paul Fleming, a movement and yoga coach, spoke about the need to keep active and demonstrated several simple exercises. John spoke to us about his personal experiences of addiction and suicide ideation. His message was simple: it takes bravery to ask for help! Eric Lawlor, a comedian, and the Plonkers provided the entertainment.
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed wishes a Happy Christmas to all our members and to our community for all their support over the past year.
At the end of October young people from Really Cool Adventure, a Balbriggan-based youth organisation, travelled to the coastal town of Ünye, on Türkiye’s Black Sea, to take part in an inspiring Junior Model United Nations (JMUN) project — co-funded by the European Union through Erasmus+.
The project was hosted by Prof. Dr. Necmettin Polvan İlköğretim Okulu school, together with partners from Ireland, Türkiye, Greece, and Romania. Throughout the week, young delegates stepped into the shoes of world leaders to debate the urgent global issue of climate change. They represented different countries, searched for practical solutions, and learned how diplomacy and teamwork can shape a better future. The group also met the Mayor of Ünye, Hüseyin Tavlı, to discuss how young people can take an active role in politics and climate action.
The event went far beyond formal debate — it was a vivid intercultural experience. Participants joined creative workshops, shared national traditions, and spent a day at a local Turkish school to see how education works in another country. They also explored the beauty of northern Türkiye, from Ordu’s panoramic views of the Black Sea to Amasya’s ancient tombs, apples, and the romantic legend of Ferhat and Şirin.
For many, the experience was truly transformative:
Nikola Brykala shared: “I made great friends and discovered confidence I didn’t know I had. Erasmus is way better than a normal holiday!”
Julia Gruba added: “The memories I made here are unforgettable — this trip has genuinely been one of the best.”
Project coordinator Marzena Stronska said: “Watching our young people speak with such confidence and curiosity makes us incredibly proud. This project shows them that their voices matter, and that they can lead positive change.”
The JMUN project in Ünye once again proved that Really Cool Adventure is more than a youth group — it’s a gateway for young people from Balbriggan and surrounding areas to learn, travel, and grow as global citizens.
To join our next Really Cool Adventure follow @ReallyCoolAdventure on Facebook and Instagram.
2025 was a very special year for Balbriggan Meals on Wheels as we marked the 50th anniversary of our foundation and 1st January 2026 will mark 50 years since the very first meals were delivered.
As we approach the end of this special year, Balbriggan Meals on Wheels would like to thank most sincerely, all those who supported the service throughout 2025. Huge thanks to all our volunteers and staff who enabled us to continue providing meals throughout the year. Thank you also to all those in the Balbriggan community who supported us in any way.
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels is looking forward to continuing to provide meals for those in need in our community throughout 2026. We would like to wish all our service users and supporters all the very best wishes for Christmas and hope 2026 will be a great year for everyone.
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels, 14 Hampton Street, Balbriggan.
Tel : 01 8416743
Email: mealsonwheelsbalbriggan@gmail.com
The Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs has been busy over the last few months in the lead up to Christmas. Our branch attended the Balbriggan Pumpkin Patch over the bank holiday in October and raised a fantastic €484.79 over the weekend. Our Branch also had a fantastic coffee morning at Skinny Batch Bakery in Lusk on the 4th November where coffees were flowing a plenty and a great time was had by all with some delicious cakes which made it all the better. We are delighted to have raised €284.70 on the day. A big thank you to everyone who visited us at both the pumpkin patch and Skinny Batch Bakery and of course, Skinny Batch Bakery owner Sharyn Hayden and her team for supporting us.
In November our Branch and volunteers attended SuperValu Balbriggan on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan on the 28th and 29th November with our merchandise stand selling 2026 calendars, car raffle tickets and Christmas cards to name a few items! If you would like to get your hands on any of these items, please make sure to follow us on social media to find out where we’re going to be next.
Our last fundraiser of the year is on December 5th Friday in the strand bar rush 11 am to 5 pm
Xmas Cards, 2026 calendars, Merchandise and car raffle tickets costing €5 each will be available
Finally, we want to say a big thank you to all our volunteers and supporters throughout 2025. We appreciate every single one of you and thank you for all your support. Wishing you and all yours a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
You can contact Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Irish Guide Dogs by phone/text 0857663107, email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.
Councillors have approved Fingal County Council’s budget of €433 million for 2026 which will sustain and enhance the quality of services being delivered as well as increasing funding for infrastructure projects across the county.
The 2026 budget is an 11.4% increase on last year and means the Council’s budget has more than doubled over the past 10 years from €214m in 2016. The Council is now spending €1,311 per person living in the county.
The new budget will see increases in some income streams that have not experienced rises for some years despite the Council’s expenditure more than doubling.
Commercial Rates, which amount to 40% of the overall income for 2026, will see an increase of 4% in the Annual Rateable Valuation to 0.1868. The Housing budget has increased by €24m to €159.8m and while funding for housing grants has increased by €2.5m to €9.4m while the Council’s contribution to the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive has increased by €1.25m to €5.3m.
There is an increase of €3.5m in the Operations budget which will include extra spending on road maintenance, public lighting, parks, playgrounds, recycling centres, harbours, public conveniences and burial grounds. The budget also provides for an additional €500,000 allocation to the annual programme of works with the full €3.08m works programme being brought to each Area Committee in January for approval by councillors.
An additional €600,000 has been provided towards the funding requirement for the delivery of a swimming pool in Balbriggan. The sports budget also includes sports capital grants of €975,000.
An extra €430,000 has been allocated for the development of arts in the County while there is an increase of €588,000 for events, tourism promotion and heritage properties. The Community budget includes an additional €590,000. This will provide additional funding for community grants as well as funding for the operation of the new community centre in Baldoyle.
Fingal’s contribution to the running of the Dublin Fire Service will be €27.3m, an increase of €1.5m on 2025, with the remainder of the €139m it will cost to fund the service in 2026 being covered by contributions from the other three Dublin local authorities.
At the Council meeting in July councillors voted to reduce the rate of Local Property Tax by 5% for 2026 while in October they approved a three-year Capital programme containing over three hundred projects worth €1.43billion.
The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, said: “This record budget of €433m is the equivalent of the Council spending €1,311 for every person living in the county. Along with our €1.43billion Capital Programme, the budget is reflective of the huge amount of investment required to keep pace with Fingal’s growing population. We have to keep supplying services, building houses, and delivering infrastructure because we want to build a county that is meeting the needs of its residents.”
Whilst walking around Swords recently a passerby asked, “Do you have the time?”. Once a common question but something seldom heard since we evolved to grow that appendage known as the smart phone. The random encounter with the time seeker got me thinking about how much daily life has changed since we Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) cast a youthful shadow upon the earth. Not everyone had a watch and those who did had to wind them on a regular basis. The local phone box was our digital hub. To use the facility, the speed of an Olympian runner and the cunning of a wise old fox were mandatory in order to reach its door before a certain neighbour. Should she cross the finish line before you, a battle of the irresistible force and immovable object ensued, as she attempted to break the world record for the longest phone call in history. We didn’t get a landline till the early nineties. Years earlier when my father was in hospital, I rang to enquire how he was doing. Instead of the stock reply “As well as can be expected”, a helpful nurse put him on to me. As he had never heard my voice on the phone before, it took all my diplomatic skills to convince him I wasn’t an imposter.
Today shopping is a leisure activity. Back then it was a necessary chore to replenish the basics. Before self-service, we queued at a high counter and timidly asked the shopkeeper (some could be grumpy and hadn’t the customer is always right) for what we wanted. Food hygiene was not in their vocabulary, as cooked and uncooked meats were cut on the same slicer. School lunches are in the news at the moment. Our mothers sent us forth with jam or soggy tomato sandwiches accompanied by a Tupperware beaker of milk to wash them down. We didn’t carry designer water bottles (that other modern day appendage) and survived drinking water of dubious quality water from the roadside pump. We learned to write with a nib pen and ink, and became highly skilled in the art of ducking - a crucial skill to avoid the incoming blackboard duster on a collision course for our heads.
Perhaps the real answer to the passerby is -A very different time!
The 18th Annual Valley Walk in aid of Irish Cancer Society took place on Saturday and within just a few days over €8,000 was already raised!
People come from far and wide every year meeting at Peacocks pub car park in River Valley for registration and refreshments, and the scene quickly became a sea of yellow with the walkers’ Irish Cancer Society t-shirts as they started the 5km walk around the lovely park and woods.
The total raised so far since 2008 is 130 thousand. Further details are available from Margaret Harris on 087 221 3605.
