We have a fabulous line-up of music, with The Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Tenter Quartet, Doppler Effect, Ebanz and Guests, Ella Clarke, Max Turner and Friends, Medlife Crises, Eva Campbell, and, of course, Lusk’s own DJ Joe! So, bring your picnic blankets and enjoy the vibe!
We have a massive market this year again, so you will be sure to pick up something to suit you, from jewellery to clothes, to crafts of all sorts. The kids will be well entertained this year again, with loads of activities, and we will have Lusk Ravens doing hoop shoots, the GAA with a pop-up ball wall, and Lusk United doing penalty shoot-outs. Lusk Scouting Group will be with us this year with activities too! And we have Zumba and yoga classes too!
For those with children who need some quiet time, Lusk Autism Friendly Town are there with their beautiful calm space for the day.
We are excited to have Fingal Mobile Library at the festival this year, and they will be providing even more entertainment with a magic show during the day!
We have a plenty of food vans, with a tasty range of food available for the day, and you can have a wander and see what vintage cars are on view.
We always need volunteers for the day, so get in touch at volunteers@lusksummerfestival.ie You only have to give three hours of your time, and you still get to enjoy the atmosphere!
Of course, none of this would be possible without the continued support of Progressive Credit Union and Fingal County Council, for which we are hugely grateful. We are also so grateful to our business donators, and this year we also have support from IMRO, for our musicians.
We can’t wait! Lusk Summer Festival is what community is all about. See you there!
Under the guidance of Kieran Troy from Myriam Tours, seven of us joined the excursion of 7 nights to northern Italy to the 4 star Spa International Terme Hotel in the Abano near the province of Padua.
First day we went by coach to the port and took a boat, in glorious sunshine to the picturesque Island of Burano. This is the most colourful island in the Venetian lagoon and is famous for lace making and pretty, colourful houses
Next day we visited the province of Treviso, a medieval city with beautiful palaces and squares and historical churches.
Then back to our hotel in Abano to enjoy lovely spa waters of the hot swimming pools and jacuzzi. Nearby there was a beautiful pedestrian walkway with lots of art, jewellery leather and dress shops.
On Sunday we travelled to Padua, St. Anthony’s Basilica, it is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Italy to visit, where the Franciscan St. Anthony from Lisbon, is buried.
On Monday we went on a trip to the magnificent city of Venice, and saw St Mark’s square and basilica, the Rialto bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, and enjoyed hilariously trips on the Gondolas.
Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month in the Lusk Scouts Den at 8:15 PM. New members are welcome.
Freedom FM, the online radio station dedicated to the music of the 90s and noughties, is thrilled to announce its launch on the DAB+ digital radio platform. This expansion allows listeners in Lusk, Rush and surrounding areas of north county Dublin to enjoy the station’s nostalgic mix of chart-toppers, dance anthems, R&B classics, and rock favourites in crystal-clear digital quality.
Reestablished as an online station in August 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, a former Dublin based pirate radio station from the 1990s Freedom FM quickly gained a dedicated following. The station’s online success led to temporary licensed FM broadcasts across major Irish cities, including Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Galway each year since 2021. Now, with its transition to DAB+, Freedom FM is set to reach Lusk and Rush for the first time.
Freedom FM recently secured a content licence from the broadcast regulator Coimisiún na Meán which allowed it join the new DAB+ digital radio platform, as part of a trail service operated by Fáilte DAB and licensed by the communications regulator COMREG.
From humble beginnings as a pirate station in suburbs of Dublin in 1995, the station has evolved to reflect its geographical reach with presenters hailing from across the island, yet retaining that fun and youthful presentation style.
Freedom FM will be reliving the 90s and noughties with a mixture of Pop, R‘nB, Dance and Rock music as well as specialist music shows around the clock during it’s time on the DAB+ digital radio network. The station will continue its online broadcasts too via www.freedomfm.ie , on smart speakers, and through it’s free online app available on the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Our club members have been enjoying the beautiful weather recently. Some of our Juvenile athletes have had the opportunity to have their first experience on a full-size outdoor track facility when they competed with almost one thousand other young athletes in the Dublin Track and Field League at Tallaght Athletics Club, right where Rhasidat Adeleke started training just over ten years ago.
Our athletes competed in Shot Putt, Discus, Turbo Javelin, Javelin, High Jump, Long Jump and track events from 60m to 800m. Very soon we will have our own track and field facility, right here in Ballymastone.
We are very grateful to our volunteer coaches and to the parents who volunteered to help run the events.
Our secondary school aged athletes had great success in the North Leinster Secondary Schools Championships, with a total of six medals and some of them progressing to Leinster Championships. They represented their schools, Donabate Community College and Loreto College Swords. Congratulations also to Sara Dolczak who won the intermediate 400m at the Loreto Games.
Meanwhile our Under 20s, Seniors and Masters athletes have been participating in the Dublin Graded Meets. Congratulations to Xavier Hubert who won a Senior Dublin Championships Silver Medal in High Jump and Anna Gavigan who won Senior Gold in Discus.
Out on the roads and in the parks, club members have had some incredible performances in the London and Copenhagan marathons, and in the Dublin Race Series. Closer to home we had some notable Park Run milestones with Willie Cahill completing his 200th Park Run in glorious sunshine at the Donabate Park Run.
Save the Date for the LSA Peninsula Race on Sunday 16th November 2025. More details will be available shortly on our social media channels.
On a sunny Saturday at the beginning of May a group of Peninsula Pacers and Active Age for All members did a walk to explore Donabate beach and ‘The Island’. We set off from the Shoreline Hotel and walked to the top of the beach, incidentally you are at the top of the beach when you can see the Malahide church steeple ( and nowadays the Marina) down the river. On the way we remarked on the frightening degree of erosion visible at the top half of the beach, it is very concerning.
At the top of the beach we crossed over into ‘The Island’ so known because of the well-known golf club there of that name. This is an area of marram grass, scrub and tidal inlets which at this time of the year is home to nesting skylarks whose distinctive singing was lovely to hear as we watched them soaring into the blue sky.
Further on we passed the remains of the bridge and landing area of the golfers’’boat which was used to bring golfers over and back from Malahide until the 1970s. The old clubhouse sat above this area on what is now a tee box.
After a trudge down the ‘stoney beach’ we crossed back over to Donabate beach by way of the right of way between the Island and Corballis golf clubs. Then it was back to the Shoreline Hotel for soma welcome food and drink.
The need for a permanent Gardaí presence and Garda station in Donabate has been raised by Councillor Corina Johnston who recently met with senior Gardaí to raise her concerns.
Johnston said;” Myself and Duncan Smith TD met senior gardai in Ballymun recently following my request to the Garda Commissioner for a meeting in regarding Garda resources in the district and in particular the fast-growing Donabate area. At the meeting we highlighted the urgent need for permanent Garda resources and the need for a Garda clinic to commence on the peninsula immediately. We also raised the need for the provision of a Garda station in the long term.
“We raised our concerns regarding the increase in Anti Social Behaviour in Donabate and referrals by Gardai/Juvenile Liasion officers to youth services (Crosscare) who run projects that are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives that aim to divert young people from anti-social or criminal behaviour. We believe with the growing young population permanent youth services and a centre must be provided as a priority to support our youth on the peninsula.”
Johnston said; “In response the Gardai acknowledged our concerns and need for Garda resources and a station on the peninsula and confirmed the following: ongoing issues with recruitment and retention of Gardai which is compounded by increasing retirement numbers. As a result an increase in Garda numbers in the district is not envisaged in the short to medium term.
‘Peninsula Voices & Friends’, led by Áine & Tony, will host a Fundraiser Charity Concert in Aid of UNICEF - in Donabate Parish Hall on:
Friday 27th June (Doors Open 7 30pm), starting at 8 00pm
Available Tickets on Eventbrite - No Ticket Sales at the Door - Adult Only Event - Raffle on the Night!
This will be a great concert & is for a very worthy cause – children.
There will be a variety of musical genres over the two days e.g. pop, rock, trad & folk! something for everyone!
Friday 27th June
‘Peninsula Voices’ - see separate article.
Saturday 28th June
‘Music Makers’ will hold a special event for over 15’s to play & perform under their leaders, Noel Dowling & Seán Collins. From 2 - 4pm the younger performers will play & from 6 – 7:30pm the older performers will play.
These bands and soloists will include e.g.:
- Sophie Victoria & friends
- Either Side of The City
- Reminisce
- Nj & the Makers
- Graham Kenny
- And the one & only Adam Farrelly
From 4 - 5pm
‘Leithinis CCÉ’, our local Comhaltas group will play some Irish traditional tunes.
From 5 - 6pm
‘Festival in a Van’ will take to their outdoor moving stage, with their own performers from outside the area & with some local guests joining them!
From 8 - 10pm
Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich – see separate article.
It should be a great two days of music for a good cause & another chance to display some local talent. There can never be enough opportunities, especially for young people, to participate in Cultural events – e.g. music, singing, dance, drama, photography, art….!
School is over … so start the holidays with a bit of fun for all! Put the dates in your calendar now, on the phone & or at home.
We hope to have food and refreshments available on the day.
We wish to thank FCC in advance for their support for the ‘Music Fest’. We especially would like to thank Niall from The Music Outlet in Swords, near The Plaza, our music equipment supplier who sponsored extra equipment for the ‘Music Fest’.
Please note the events are aimed at older children, teens and adults. Parents, we ask you please to be present to celebrate your kids and/or keep an eye on them. Thank you.
We look forward to having a safe and enjoyable day!
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed aims to provide a safe environment for men to socialise and connect with one another while participating in activities and projects of mutual interest. Along with our weekly get-togethers on Thursday mornings at Donabate Scouts’ Den on the Portrane Road, we have a wide variety of activities and outings.
We have two plots at Turvey Allotments which require tender loving care at this time of year, with a rota of members tending to watering and weeding to ensure a bumper harvest later in the year.
There are weekly exercise classes using equipment, some of which was donated and more purchased with HSE and Fingal grant-aid. These classes are ably led by our own Fintan Delaney and tailored to suit the needs of our members.
Gerry and the Plonkers, our music group, have weekly practice sessions in the Scouts’ Den. These are obviously paying off, as the Plonkers have created quite a name for themselves with recent gigs in Beaverstown Golf Club and Donabate Portrane Community Centre and up-coming gigs at Swords Castle (as part of Vintage Picnic) and Newbridge House, which is part of Fingal Men’s Sheds Walk and Talk on Monday 9th June organised by the Irish Men’s Shed Association and Fingal County Council.
We also have occasional outings. The most recent late last month was a pitch and putt morning at Deerpark in Howth.
We are always open to new members and new ideas for activities. So, if you or someone you know would like to join us, please call our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316, or drop in to the Scouts’ Den on a Thursday morning. You’ll always get a warm welcome and a cuppa.
