As with other community groups, Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed has had to suspend its normal activities over the past year and a half. However, small groups of members have been able to tend our plots at Turvey Allotments while observing all public health protocols; this has been possible with the support of our many sponsors. Fingal County Council, who lease the plots to us, grant-aided materials for a patio so members who are not so physically active can join us; Fingal Chamber paid for our greenhouse and funding from Tesco was used to purchase seeds, plants and other materials.Recently, members have also met outdoors for coffee at the Shoreline Hotel. However, with increasing levels of vaccination and easing of restrictions, we hope in the not-too-distant future to be able to resume our weekly get-togethers at Donabate Scouts’ Den. With this in mind, a Men’s Shed sign, acknowledging all of our sponsors, has taken its place alongside the other signs at the Den. As our sign says, if you wish to join us, please email donabateportraneshed@gmail.com or phone Jim on 086-3694316.

The Keep Well campaign has been running since October 2020 and covers the following headings – Keeping active; Switching off and being creative; Eating Well; and Staying connected- staying connected with people, addressing isolation, supporting volunteerism and initiatives that support person-to-person connection is important to our wellbeing.It really has become clear since the start of Covid that we have a cohort of members who are not connected and who have not been able to stay in touch fully with the weekly emails or zoom classes. While committee members have been trying to stay in touch with everyone, it has been really difficult – and it is very hard to say much in a text message! AAfA were thrilled to hear that they have been successful in receiving funding for 10 ACORN tablets. We hope to start this project in the next 2 months and it will be an opportunity for members to have the use of one of these tablets and to be trained how to use them. You will then be able to see if it is right for your use. Donabate Portrane Community Centre are also working with us on this project and we really appreciate their assistance. The ACORN has been designed in Ireland specifically to be easier to use than a computer and to give the user real access to much useful information AND, perhaps most importantly, the ability to stay in touch with ‘smart phone’ style. You can read the local papers, see family photos and much, much more. The Companion app can be downloaded for free by family and friends and when this is used to call you, or you call them, you both can see each other. The companion app allows your family to add in appointments etc., into your diary. We already have members who have expressed interest in becoming more connected and we have members who are willing to assist with training. Some will be on traditional computers and now this will be available for those who may be complete beginners. More information will go directly to member over the next few months. PLEASE NOTE: NEW MEMBERS WELCOME (OVER 55) REGISTRATION JULY, CLASSES START AUGUST. QUERIES TO CAROLYN 0879284307, OR PHILLIPPA 0874118335

Cllr Adrian Henchy has welcomed news of progress on the sporting and recreation campus at Ballymastone. He said, “Since 2014 this has been a project that started from the ground up with Lambay Sports Athletics club joining with the existing sporting clubs at Ballymastone, St. Ita’s AFC and St. Pats Gaa in creating a vision for a truly world class sporting and recreation campus to serve the needs of our 3 local clubs, our local schools and indeed the wider Donabate Portrane peninsula. In recent weeks this project took a major step forward through the direct intervention of Fingal County Council Chief Executive Ann Marie Farrelly and my colleague and Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage Darragh O’Brien who negotiated and agreed the service site funding of €11.5 million towards Infrastructural improvements within Donabate Portrane to include the early delivery of the Ballymastone Sporting, Recreational & Educational Campus which is an enormous boost to the local community and shows lessons have been learned where we are now delivering much needed infrastructure in advance of additional housing in the area.

This project would not have happened without the outstanding work, goodwill, cooperation and ability to always see the bigger picture for all all of our local community from all three of our local clubs, St. Ita’s AFC, St. Pats GAA and Lambay Sports Athletics Club who will now finally have a home and be able to move in beside the already wonderful facilities provided by both St. Ita’s and St. Pats. When delivered this top class campus will greatly add to the already wonderful facilities that have been developed & provided for the local community by both St. Pats Gaa and St. Ita’s AFC. The addition of a fully Floodlit 8 Lane running track including a grass soccer pitch as well as a Full size All Weather GAA and Soccer pitches along with improved access and parking at Ballymastone is long overdue. I am also particularly pleased that an issue close to my heart and something that has regularly been raised with me the needs to also provide for younger people outside of formal sports will also see the campus provide a Junior & Senior playground as well as a large scale Skatepark which will ensure it is truly a campus for all of our local community.

Finally I want to especially recognise the enormous efforts on behalf of St Patrick’s GAA Club from Brian Mc Grath and Felim Mc Allister, St Ita’s AFC, Conor Tonra and Brian Tighe and Lambay Sports & Athletics Club, Dara Carr and Sonia Francis who have all represented their clubs with utmost professionalism, goodwill along with an ability to always see the bigger picture on behalf of their club members and the wider Donabate Portrane area. I now look forward to over the next 12-18 months to finally see construction getting underway on what will truly be a World class sporting/recreational campus at the very heart of the Donabate Portrane community”

Corina Johnston Labour Party Local Area Representative welcomes a recent commitment given by Fingal County Council on a Garda text alert initiative for the Donabate peninsula. Johnston said; “I am very pleased to have been informed that a verbal commitment was given by Fingal County Council at the May JPC (joint policing committee) meeting to the introduction of the See Something Say Something text alert initiative on the Donabate peninsula on a trial basis.” Johnston added; “Duncan Smith TD and I first proposed that this text alert initiative be introduced on the peninsula at a meeting with Superintendent O’Neill to discuss Garda resources in Donabate and Portrane a number of months ago. At the meeting Superintendent O’Neill gave his support to our proposal. Duncan Smith TD subsequently proposed this at the March JPC meeting. A similar scheme was introduced in Swords last year and was deemed successful.“Johnston continued; “At a follow up meeting on Garda resources for the area with the Assistant Commissioner and Ronan Barry the new Superintendent for our district full support was given for the introduction of this initiative on the peninsula. This text alert initiative will enable members of the public to confidentially report incidents that might need Garda intervention. “ Johnston concluded; “ Details have yet to be finalised but it is hoped to introduce this text alert initiative on the peninsula in the coming months.We look forward to it’s introduction and hope it will act as a deterrent against anti social behaviour and other criminal activities and bring about a much quicker response from the Gardai.”

DPSO Club held their AGM in June; this always gives an opportunity to reflect and review club activities and achievements since the last meeting (which was closer to 2 years ago thanks to COVID). As our accounts were presented to the members, the thing that really stood out for us is how well supported our club is by our members, Fingal County Council and the Donabate Portrane Community. Since our club was established in 2018, our income is over €15,000. We have been supported by Fingal County Council to the tune of €4,750. Tesco Distribution Centre have selected us twice to receive a donation from their Community Fund. Local student Ella McDonagh nominated our club to receive €557.50 from Donabate Tennis Club’s stepathon challenge last November. Local athletes have run thousands of miles for our athletes; two of our parents have completed marathons for our athletes raising over €3000. Local club Mojo Fitness chose us as their charity for their marathon runners in the Dublin City Marathon 2019 raising over €4,000 for our club. We’ve also been the recipients of funds from cake sales (thank you Maisie!), bag packs, raffles, donations of pocket money from our athletes and gifts from individuals. In addition to all of this were also the recipients of a prize of sporting equipment from Decathlon who had a national “like” competition on Facebook. Despite our small size, we have so many supporters that we were among a few large well established clubs to be awarded prizes! We are proud and grateful to be part of this community; thank you everyone. In July local club LSA are hosting their first race as part of the summer Dublin Race Series.This will be a virtual event, with distances of 5km, 10km and 10 miles.We are delighted to be selected as their chosen charity for 2021. Thank you LSA! As we look forward to the launch of our athletics club and our first competitions in 2021/2022 season we are looking forward to putting all these donations to good use.

Balbriggan Senior Cricket club is located in Balbriggan Town Park , Balbriggan. New playing members of all ages and abilities and pavilion members are always welcome.Balbriggan Cricket Club is based in the heart of Balbriggan and has 5 Senior Adult teams , a Social cricket team and a big underage section of boys and girls teams.The Adult Senior teams range from Premier league level down to the lowest league so if you are interested in joining you can be sure we will have a team that suits you’re playing level. We have excellent facilities with top class wickets and nets and you will find people practising most days of the week.The underage set up in Balbriggan is thriving , our ground and nets is a hive of activity every day from April to Sept in Balbriggan Town Park when underage coaching and Practice takes place. Kids from 5 years up can come along and experience cricket and will learn how to play the game with our experienced coaches.We also go to the local schools to teach kids the basics of the game during Jan, Feb and March. To enquire about membership or training call or text 0860644238

Congratulations to Aitzol King, who has been called up to the Leinster U20’s squad. This is just reward for years of hard work and dedication on Aitzol’s part. He is really striking out on his own now as this is the first time he has made it to this level without one or more of his fellow Balbriggan team mates with him. He will especially miss Abdul who he has played alongside with at Balbriggan, the North East and Leinster.We at Balbriggan RFC are all so proud of Aitzol and all that you have achieved. Best of luck Aitzol. We look forward to seeing you in Leinster blue again soon.

Deputy Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Robert O’Donoghue, launched the initiative today at the Rusk and Lusk Educate Together National School when he presented Third Class with the first rain gauge. The Council plans to distribute rain gauges to 100 primary schools across the county in time for the start of the new school year in September. For the second phase of the project, the Council are seeking champion schools across the seven Local Electoral Areas to host an automatic weather station, which will be visible on Met Éireann’s website and will provide real-time weather data. Schools interested in having an automatic weather station installed should send an email Kevin.Vallely@fingal.ie before Friday, September 10. The launch was also attended by representatives from Met Éireann, the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, and Fingal County Council Executive Engineer Kevin Vallely who is leading the project. Cllr O’Donoghue said: “This is a great initiative as the information gathered will be used to provide a more accurate understanding of river response to different rainfall depths and can be used by the OPW, Met Éireann and Fingal’s flood sections. Most importantly the project will help to further students’ knowledge of the key challenges faced by society including climate change and flooding.” The Weather Stations for Schools project is being supported by the Chief Executive’s Innovation Fund which was set up earlier this year by the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly.“ The Innovation Fund facilitates staff submitting innovative ideas that can bring greater value to the Council, support new ways of working and create a positive impact for public services. It was launched in January and there were 14 applications from which four projects were subsequently chosen to be funded this year. This is the first of the four projects to be launched and, as well as providing valuable information, the data collection process by teachers and pupils will help to promote an appreciate of the water cycle and climate change challenges faced by the community,” said Ms Farrelly.

The first Dublin Climate Action Week (#DCAW21), will take place from Monday, September 13 to Sunday, September 19, and is being planned to demonstrate the ongoing efforts, ambitions and the collaborative approach of the four Dublin local authorities, in addressing climate action.The week is being organised and delivered by the partnership of Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council, Codema – Dublin’s Energy Agency and the Dublin Climate Action Regional Office (CARO). Dublin Climate Action Week 2021 will comprise of a range of online and in-person events, in compliance with COVID-19 measures in place at that time. In August 2021, the full programme of events will be available for registration on the DCAW21 website, at www.dublinclimateactionweek.ie. (NB: not available through this medium). The overall vision of Dublin Climate Action Week 2021 is: “To showcase Dublin’s Climate Action progress to its citizens and demonstrate the leadership role of the four local authorities in conjunction with other partners.” The agreed shared objectives of the initiative are: to Demonstrate progress on the implementation of the four Dublin local authority Climate Change Action Plans, and a regional approach to climate action; to Engage with a full range of partners to share knowledge on efforts and innovation across sectors; to Make Climate Action a ‘reality’ allowing citizens to see what Climate Action looks like; to Promote this initiative so as to fully engage with EU and international cities and our climate peers; and to Create a legacy so that this initiative can carry forward to subsequent years in a variety of ways.

Fingal County Council is delighted to announce the expansion of its popular bike sharing scheme to five coastal towns in the north of the county. Bleeper bikes are now available in Balbriggan, Rush, Donabate, Portrane and Skerries.The scheme allows cyclists to ‘grab & go’ on a Bleeper bike. These GPS enabled bikes are easy to use with no need for complicated docking procedures. Users simply download an app and register for the service. They can then pick up any available Bleeper bike across Fingal by scanning the QR code on the bike to unlock it. Once cyclists arrive in an area where Bleeper operates (see app for full location map), they can park at any cycle parking stand near their destination and lock the bike manually using the provided bike lock. With no need for special docking stations the scheme offers maximum flexibility to cyclists with the freedom to park their bike where they need it.Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Annmarie Farrelly, says that cycling schemes like Bleeper are key to Fingal’s transport strategy. “Offering sustainable and healthy modes of ‘Active Travel’ to Fingal residents and visitors is vitally important. We live in a rapidly growing county and that can provide challenges for busy town centres. Bike sharing, and cycling in general, facilitates people visiting towns while also reducing traffic congestion. It is just one element of an overall approach to travel that gives priority to cyclists, pedestrians and public transport with an aim to make Active Travel the mode of choice for all journeys under 5km.”At the roll-out of the extended bike sharing scheme on Wednesday, David Storey, Director of Services for Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel said: “The scheme has been hugely successful since its initial launch in 2018.Hugh Cooney, CEO of Bleeper, hailed the expansion as a sign of the growing demand for cycling in Fingal: “We’ve worked closely with Fingal County Council to grow Bleeper’s coverage within the county over the past few years and we’re delighted to bring our service to a new set of communities.”Bleeper bikes are now available across Fingal in Swords, Malahide, Howth, Blanchardstown, Skerries, Balbriggan, Donabate, Portrane, Rush, Portmarnock, Sutton, Baldoyle, Castleknock, Ongar, Clonsilla and throughout the Dublin 15 area. A full list of operational locations can be found in the Bleeper app. For further information on how the scheme operates, visit bleeperactive.com (NB: not accessible through this medium)