Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society is delighted to announce the upcoming performances of the comedy “Wife after Death” by Eric Chappell, from the 6th to the 8th of November 2025 at 8PM in Donabate Parish Hall.
Hopefully you won’t laugh yourself to death at this reprehensibly irreverent story of finding out, and falling out, but we give no guarantees!
DIRECTED BY PAUL KEOGH, The story begins with the funeral of comedian, TV personality and National Treasure, Dave Thursby. Dave’s glamorous widow has arranged a ceremonial to remember, complete with horse-drawn hearse and an attendant dog. A mystery female guest arrives, dressed in a flamboyant outfit, and upsets the proceedings with a devastating announcement.
As the days progress other revelations come out of the woodwork and friends and colleagues begin to realise that they really didn’t know Dave at all!
The cast are: Karen Parker as Laura, Claire Humphreys as Kay, Jill Murray as Jane, Marissa Magner as Vi, Dave Costello as Kevin, and Paul Keogh as Harvey.
Performances will be in Donabate Parish Hall on Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th at 8PM
Tickets are €12 per person and can be purchased online on TicketSource.eu or at the door.
Donabate Dramatic Society is also extending an invitation to all people in the community to become patrons of the society and support the local arts. The annual fee for patronage is €60 per person, and it includes two tickets for to their biannual productions along with light refreshments.
If you want to become a member or a patron of DPDS do not hesitate to contact donabateportrane.drama@gmail.com. And don’t forget to follow Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society on Facebook and Instagram!
The arrival of winter hasn’t slowed the activities of Donabate Portrane Shed. After a bumper crop this autumn, the plots at Turvey Allotments are being prepared for the winter with a major clean-up. But time is also being found to plant winter crops of onions, sprouts and even winter lettuce.
The Men’s Shed music group, Gerry and the Plonkers, has also been busy, with several gigs in October. They started the month with a concert for the lovely people - carers and service users - at the BASE Community Centre in Mulhuddart and a couple of days later for Lusk Seniors’ coffee morning in the Community Cottage. They finished the month by playing at the Active Age for All 10th anniversary celebrations in the Shoreline Hotel. In mid-November, the Plonkers will be providing the entertainment at a Men’s Day organised by the Irish Men’s Shed Association in Donabate Portrane Community Centre and at the St Michael’s House Christmas fundraiser in mid-December.
As the winter approaches, the Men’s’ shed is organising some outings for the group, starting with a visit to Dublin Castle towards the end of November. We will also be continuing our regular weekly activities, exercises classes, croquet at Newbridge House and Thursday morning get-together for tea/coffee and a chat. So, if you, or a loved one, would like to join us, please call Jim on 086-3694326.
Recently, the new Donabate Town Team launched the Donabate Town Centre First Health Check Plan in Donabate Parish Hall. The Town Team, along with FCC, aims to make Donabate’s town centre a more viable, vibrant, and attractive place to live, work, socialise, and do business.
In September 2024, local residents, community groups, business owners and other stakeholders in Donabate worked with Fingal County Council’s Town Regeneration Office to create a 15-point Action Plan to help guide the future development of the town centre. The actions covered public realm improvements, tourism, better use of existing infrastructure, future strategic planning, placemaking, and arts, heritage and culture. Earlier in March 2024, the Donabate Portrane Liaison Group produced the Donabate Framework Plan in consultation with the local Community which had ideas for the centre of the village. The new Town Team, building upon these ideas, has taken on the challenge of working with the community to deliver a rejuvenated town centre. We wish them the very best.
The launch event was organised by the Town Team committee, led by their Chairperson, Dr. Louis Gunnigan. Members of the original group and current group members attended. The Active Age for All Photography Group and friends put on a great display of photographs of Donabate Village - Town Centre then and now.
Present on the day also was the Lord Mayor, Tom O’Leary, and FCC officials John Quinlivan and Declan Ryan along with our Community Officer Rafe Costigan. Local Councillors Corina Johnson and Eoghan Dockrell and Fr. Pat Reilly PP were also present at the event.
A very different event took place recently in the Parish Hall. Indie-folk band ‘Djouce’ has been hard at work on a new project called “Change & Continuity”, supported by Fingal Arts Office. Over the past few months, the band has been writing and recording right here in Donabate and Portrane, creating four new songs on the topics of folklore, change, community and the future of the peninsula.
They recently gave the community a sneak peek with a performance in The Brook Pub, and followed it up with a recording session in The Parish Hall. Each of the songs will be released over the coming months, and the full film of the project is planned for Spring 2026.
Again, we wish our local musician Denis Cahill and his group the very best. djouceband@gmail.com
Our community is expanding and the Parish Hall is working hard to meet some of their needs as best as possible, with additional Daily Activities and Block Events. In the first few weekends in November, Through the Lens Photography Group will have a photography exhibition and Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society will perform a play, neither to be missed.
If you have any queries please contact the Parish Office on 01 8434574
It’s that time of the year again when the Through the Lens calendar will be going on sale. We will be starting sales at our annual photo exhibition in the Parish Hall on the 15th & 16th November. This year we are delighted to be supporting a very worthy cause, the Donabate Special Olympics group who are working hard towards competing in the Irish Special Olympics in Dublin and Meath next year (18th to 21st June). So far 16 athletes have been selected to take part with hopes for a few more. They train in the disciplines of basketball, equestrian, gymnastics, athletics and young athletes, all of which are ongoing not just for the Olympics.
It costs over €500 to send each athlete, with their chaperones to the Irish Games so you can understand that some serious fund-raising needs to be done. Through the Lens are really happy to be able to help in some way with our calendar sales which we will share with the Donabate Special Olympics. So please remember folks the more we sell the more we can help.
Fingal County Council Waste Enforcement Section has initiated a campaign to help raise awareness about illegal waste collectors and illegal dumping.
Illegal waste collectors use social media and advertising sites to offer cheap waste removal services with the waste ending up being dumped in remote areas causing environmental pollution. Every year Local Authorities spend thousands of euro on clean up costs to remove illegally dumped waste, money which could be better spent on improving public services within local communities.
Before handing over your waste, always ask for ID and to see a copy of their waste collection permit which can be checked on the National Waste Collection Permit Office website at www.nwcpo.ie. No permit, then they’re not authorised to collect waste. Don’t risk getting a €150 fine or a criminal conviction if found guilty in Court.
As part of this awareness campaign a short advert has been developed which is being shown across 5 different cinemas over these months (Swords, Balbriggan, Charlestown, Blanchardstown and Santry) to highlight the issues around illegal waste collectors and the damage that’s caused by illegal dumping.
We all have a responsibility to manage our waste and to protect the environment for future generations. Our key aim is to encourage and educate individuals to make the right choices regarding their waste and to participate in authorised waste collection services.
If householders know of anyone offering these ‘Man in a Van’ services, please contact environment@fingal.ie or Tel: 01 8906799.
The videos are available on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Hi1hhzPFE and will form part of a Social Media Campaign.
In just a few short years, the Irish Institute of Music & Song (IIMS) has transformed Balbriggan into one of Ireland’s most exciting cultural hubs. As a not-for-profit organisation, the IIMS is dedicated to making high-quality music education and experiences accessible to everyone of all ages and from beginner to professional. The mission of the IIMS is simple - to enrich lives through music while celebrating creativity, inclusion and community.
At the heart of the IIMS campus is the multi award-winning Lark Concert Hall, which was voted Ireland’s Favourite New Building of 2024. Since opening in November 2023, The Lark has become a beacon for the arts in Fingal. Through concerts, workshops, and events, it connects local audiences with world-class performers while supporting educational programmes for local and international students.
Each year, the IIMS delivers over 100,000 hours of music tuition and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors through performances, school programmes, and community initiatives. From early-years classes and intergenerational events to the innovative Traditional Music Access Programme, the IIMS strives for music education accessibility.
The Lark’s events play a vital role in sustaining the not-for-profit model of the IIMS, enabling income to fund community outreach, scholarships, and artist residencies. The IIMS has a vibrant vision for arts within the region, a place where music education, performance, and inclusion come together to create lasting cultural and social harmony.
www.irishinstituteofmusic.com
www.thelark.ie
Balbriggan-based M & I Lead Contractors Ltd has been honoured with a prestigious award for its craftsmanship on the recently completed restoration of Drogheda town’s historic Tholsel Building. The project, which included intricate work on the building’s dome roof and clock tower, has revitalised one of the town’s most important heritage landmarks and reaffirmed its role as a central feature of the community
Presented annually by the Lead Contractors Association, the Murdoch Award honours the finest leadworking projects across the UK and Ireland. The recently completed restoration of Drogheda’s Tholsel Building earned M & I Lead Contractors Ltd this prestigious award. The recognition highlights the company’s commitment to preserving historic architecture and showcases the expertise of its Balbriggan-based team in delivering high-quality, intricate leadwork on heritage buildings.
Commenting on the award, Ian Whelan of M & I Lead Contractors Ltd said:
“As a Balbriggan-based company, we are very proud to bring this award home to our town. The Tholsel is a landmark deeply tied to Drogheda’s history, and we are honoured that our craftsmanship has been recognised at such a prestigious level.”
About M & I Lead: Founded in 1999, M & I Lead is a Balbriggan, North Dublin–based company specialising in the craft of leadwork. The company is renowned for delivering exceptionally high standards of craftsmanship across Europe and has previously won the Murdoch Award for McKee Barracks, Dublin, as well as the Murdoch Sponsors Award for the Lake House, Oakfield Estate, Raphoe, Co. Donegal.
For more information: www.leadroofing.ie, phone 089 983 1940
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels has lots going on at the moment and is looking forward to the support of our local community with a number of events they are hosting.
Annual General Meeting
All members of the local community are invited to the AGM of Balbriggan Meals on Wheels which will be held on Wednesday 12th November at 7.30pm in 14 Hampton Street, Balbriggan K32 P793. Please come along and learn more about this important community service and see how you can get involved.
Food Drives
Friday 7th November: Food Drive in Millfield Shopping Centre
Friday 7th & Saturday 8th November: Food Drive in Supervalu
Christmas Fair
Saturday 29th November: Christmas Fair at Balbriggan Meals on Wheels, 14 Hampton Street
Please support the work of Balbriggan Meals on Wheels in our local community.
Donate
If you wish to make an online donation to Balbriggan Meals on Wheels, you can do so by visiting: https://www.idonate.ie/cause/BalbrigganMealsonWheels
A group of young people from Really Cool Adventure, a local youth organisation based in Balbriggan, recently travelled to Antalya, Turkey, to take part in week long a European Erasmus+ project called Games United.
The project was hosted by the Turkish partner school Antalya Kapez Mahmut Celalettin Okten Anadolu Imam Hatip Lisesi, together with organisations from Ireland, France, and Poland. The aim was to learn and teach traditional games from each country and use them to promote teamwork, inclusion, and friendship among young people from different cultures.
During the week, the Irish participants shared favourite games from home Gaelic Football, Rounders, Bulldog, Duck Duck Goose and learned many new ones from their international friends. Together, all teams created a booklet of traditional games to be used later in schools and youth groups. The week also included workshops on communication, cooperation, and respect, as well as cultural exchange full of music, dance and traditional food. We also explored the stunning Turkish coast, visiting the ancient city of Side, travelled to Kemer and of course enjoyed the beauty of Antalya beach and Old town.
Really Cool Adventure opened shortly after COVID-19 to create more opportunities for young people in Balbriggan to learn through non-formal education, build confidence, improve social skills, and take part in local and international projects.
So far, the organisation has visited over 15 countries and participated in more than 50 Erasmus+ projects covering a wide range of topics — from climate change and digital skills to art, sport, and healthy living.
Project coordinator Marzena Stronska said:
“Erasmus+ projects give young people the chance to grow, travel, and make real friendships while learning important life skills. It’s inspiring to see their confidence bloom day by day.”
The Games United project was co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.
For more information or to join future youth exchanges, follow @ReallyCoolAdventure on Facebook and Instagram.
Our Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch held a coffee morning on 23rd of September in the Senior Citizen Hall in Balbriggan. Our raffle last year was a huge success at the event, and this year was no different! We gave away some fantastic spot prizes. Rosie Russell was our first prize raffle winner, Geraldine Keenan was our second prize winner, Ann Walsh was our third prize winner, Catherine Martin was our 4th prize winner and our fifth and final winner was Damien Doyle, a great morning was had by all and we can’t wait for our next coffee morning at Skinny Batch Bakery on Tuesday the 4th November. We hope to see you there.
We want to say a big thank you to Anthony Reilly of the Harvest Inn, Balbriggan who hosted a Quiz Night Fundraiser in support of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. The first prize winner won a €150 voucher, and a number of spot prizes were given out on the night. Check out our social media pages for more information on this event and make sure to follow us to be up to date with all upcoming events. We also had a great day at the Pumpkin Patch over the bank holiday weekend on the 25th and 26th October in Bremore Educate Together. Thanks to all who came along and said hello.
As Christmas time approaches, you might want to keep a lookout for our merchandise stand over the next couple of weeks as we will be out and about. Our Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch will be at SuperValu on both Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th November. If you miss us there, you can catch us in Millfield Shopping Centre on Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th November where we will have car raffle tickets available for €5, with the chance to win a 2026 Ford Puma, 2026 calendars, Christmas cards and a host of other merchandise for purchase. We can’t wait to see you.
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.