April and May were busy months for our Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs. On April 12th our Branch was presented with two cheques from the Tesco Balbriggan and Tesco Rush Community Fund. There were many doggies in attendance, Qeb the working guide dog, Lulu the guide dog puppy in training, Marco the assistance dog, Gigi the assistance dog and Adel the ambassador dog who were all very grateful to Tesco Balbriggan and Rush for their kind donation. Of course all the humans were at the cheque presentation too and we want to give a big thank you to all the residents of Balbriggan and surrounding areas who took the time to place their tokens in the Irish Guide Dog Tesco Community fund box.
On April 13th our Branch fundraised at Hers Upstairs at Mrs O’s craft fair and a great day was had by all. Keep your eye on our social media pages to see when the next craft fair will be and you might just see us there.
Of course, May was a busy month with Guide Dog Day on the 23rd May! Fundraising kicked off on the 22nd May as Skerries Community Choir held a summer concert in Holm Patrick Church who made a generous donation from the proceeds to our Branch. We can’t thank the Skerries Community Choir enough for their support. Our Branch then fundraised at Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan for Guide Dog Day where we sold merchandise along with raffle tickets at €5 to potentially win a luxury holiday worth €5,000! We also fundraised on Saturday the 24th May in SuperValu, Balbriggan. A great day was had by all and a big thank you to anyone who came along and said hello and supported us.
If you would like to come and support us, you can find us next at the Balbriggan Summer Fest on Sunday 1st June, where we will have raffle tickets for €5 each to win a holiday, along with other merchandise and perhaps a Guide Dog or two will be there to say hello.
If you would like to get in touch with us, you can contact the Balbriggan/North
County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs by phone/text 0857663107,
email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.
Pictured at the UCD/BSTAI Awards Night at the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business are [L–R]: Ciara O’Riordan, President, BSTAI; Students Muireann Bagley; Nikola Bodrova; Zara Bradvica; Unain Browne-Donnan; Sarah Farrell; Robyn Foster; Sophie Mohan; Aisling Murphy; Aoife Doherty, Director, UCD Quinn School of Business; Paula Gartland, Business Studies Teacher, Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan.
This prestigious event recognised the outstanding achievements of secondary school students who excelled in the Junior Certificate State Examinations in 2024.
The ceremony celebrated the hard work and dedication of 123 students who achieved a Distinction in their Higher Level Business Studies exam, which represents the top 3% of students. This marks an exciting milestone for these students, many of whom are now in their Transition Year and visiting UCD for the first time.
Each student was formally presented with a Certificate of Achievement by the President of the BSTAI, Ciaran O’Riordan, and Director of UCD Quinn School, Associate Professor Maeve Houlihan, in recognition of their academic excellence.
The internationally touring American comedy show, Scriptless in Seattle, brings its one-of-a-kind musical improv to the Lark in Balbriggan on 4th June at 7pm, where a show will be written and performed for the first (and last) time anywhere!
No two shows are ever the same. “I’ve been touring with this show for years, and not one performance has ever been like another,” says tour manager and emcee Justin Folger. “We like to say the show the audience sees has never been performed before—and will never be performed again. And we mean it.”
Folger, who’s been on stage without a script for over seven years, is joined by a team of seasoned improvisers known for their quick wit, crowd work, and unpredictable hilarity.
“I love looking out at the audience and seeing everyone from families with young kids to couples who’ve been together 55 years,” says longtime performer James Trombka. “Everyone leaves smiling.”
Performer Eli Popik adds, “We’re thrilled to be bringing this show to Ireland. It’s a perfect family night out. It’s affordable, clean, and interactive—you might even end up on stage!”
Scriptless in Seattle specializes in family-friendly sketch-style improv that’s fully unscripted and shaped by audience suggestions. The tour includes stops in over a dozen cities across the U.S. and two this summer in Ireland.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ScriptlessInSeattle.com. Get yours while you can!
Make way for something different, there’s a new band in town, and they’re setting the stage alight with timeless charm. Meet “Let’s Be Frank,” a Frank Sinatra cover band founded by a group of jazz students at Dublin City University, led by the velvet-voiced James Gallen.
Formed in late 2023, Let’s Be Frank are on a mission to rekindle the soul of the Rat Pack era, delivering fresh takes on Sinatra classics with youthful energy, sharp arrangements, and a deep respect for the musicality of the greats, pre the auto-tune era.
“Our goal is to capture the elegance and swagger of Sinatra, but give it a modern heartbeat that feels relevant today,” says frontman James Gallen, whose smooth vocals and magnetic stage presence are earning attention well beyond the lecture hall. Band members include Joey Leamy, Theo Johnson, Sean Crehan and Jarlath Byrne.
The band, all trained in jazz performance, are gearing up to record their debut album, a curated blend of faithful renditions and daring reinterpretations of Sinatra’s most beloved hits. Expect to hear new life breathed into timeless tracks like Fly Me to the Moon, My Way, and The Way You Look Tonight, all with a modern twist.
With a string of live performances around the capital under their belt, already drawing jazz aficionados and newcomers to date, Let’s Be Frank are proving that the classics aren’t just alive — they’re thriving.
The Debut Single “Fly Me To The Moon”, from Let’s Be Frank was released on Saturday May 10th on all digital platforms, and it’s sure to be swingin!
Balbriggan’s Front Strand has lost its ‘Poor’ status in an Environmental Protection Agency report on Bathing Water Quality, with almost 20 samples resulting in ‘Excellent’ ratings.
Intensive works by Fingal County Council over five years, aimed at improving water quality at Balbriggan’s Front Strand, have paid off, it has been revealed.
Since a poor rating in June 2023, 23 samples have yielded 18 ‘Excellent’ ratings.
Now, the EPA has deemed Front Strand to have changed status and all-season notices advising people not to swim will be lifted.
Fingal County Council’s Balbriggan Beach Management Plan, introduced by the authority’s Environment section, and implemented with the help of Uisce Éireann, identified risks causing poor water quality at Front Strand.
And the authority introduced an action plan to mitigate against the causes of poor water quality, which included water misconnections, waste water accidental releases and wastewater stormwater overflows.
Other issues identified were agricultural run-off, dog fouling, bird fouling, water pollution from oil leaks and challenges presented by heavy rain.
Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Our Balbriggan Leadership Group, which oversees Fingal County Council’s Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme, warmly welcomed the announcement.
“A lot of work has been done to address issues at Front Strand over the last five years and it is great to finally see this effort reaping positive results.
“Much has been accomplished, particularly around misconnections, and hopefully the improvement in water quality can be maintained.”
It is another boost for the Balbriggan Harbour area as work continues to deliver the major infrastructural elements of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme.
Work is progressing on the plan’s flagship €15million project, the re-development of the Quay Street and Harbour area.
The €54-57million Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Programme is led by Fingal County Council’s Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development Department.
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels was founded in 1975 to provide meals for people who are ill, recovering from a serious illness, or for some reason are unable to provide meals for themselves.
On May 8th, Balbriggan Meals on Wheels hosted a special 50th Anniversary event to celebrate serving the Balbriggan Community for the past 50 years.
Balbriggan Meals on Wheels would like to thank those who sponsored the celebration and all those who came along and joined on the night. Huge thank you also to all those members of the local community who have helped us out over the years, by volunteering, through sponsorship, by donating to our service and supporting our fundraising events. We are truly grateful to everyone who has supported us.
For more information on Balbriggan Meals on Wheels and their services, please contact 01- 8416743 (Mon – Sat between 9am and 1pm) or email mealsonwheelsbalbriggan@gmail.
Camping season is in full swing with Scouts from all over Fingal just finished their County Shield Event. This is a competition amongst them all to see who can rise to the challenges set for them over a weekend. As well as camping and cooking and being totally self-sufficient for the weekend, this year‘s event was held at the Scout campsite in the Bog of the Ring, with approximately 200 people participating and helping run it, Scouts have spent weeks preparing for this event.
Training included meal preparation and cooking, camp skills where they must build all their own furniture for the weekend. First aid training is also a priority in the scouts with a very real-life scenario presented to them involving multiple casualties. Each team has eight members, and they work together from 10 o’clock on Friday morning till about 3pm on Sunday this year. Friday’s weather was quite frankly awful, but they got on with it and no complaints. It’s a great opportunity for young people to mix and see other scouts from the towns around North Fingal.
Friendships were made on the weekend that will last a lifetime. And it was a totally phone free zone. The top 3 teams qualify for the all-Ireland competition held in late August. With up to 1000 participants. This year’s event will be held in Limerick.
As Ireland readies itself for the summer bathing season, Fingal County Council is delighted to announce it has once again been awarded Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards in 2025.
The beaches at Portmarnock (Velvet Strand) and Balcarrick Beach in Donabate have each retained their Blue Flag status, reflecting their outstanding water quality, safety, and environmental management. In addition, Balcarrick Beach has once again received a Green Coast Award, which recognise beaches for their natural beauty, clean environment, and high-quality bathing water.
Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh, welcomed the news, saying: “The Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards are a reflection of the hard work by council staff and our communities to keep our beaches clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. As someone who has been swimming on Portmarnock Beach my whole life, I am delighted that we have yet again retained our flag. I want to particularly thank all the Tidy Towns and Clean Coast groups for the work they do on our beaches.”
Director of Operations in Fingal, MaryT Daly, added: “These awards are not only about water quality but also about community engagement, environmental education, and sustainability. I want to sincerely thank all the community groups, volunteers, and residents whose ongoing efforts play such a vital role in keeping our beaches clean, safe, and environmentally sound. I encourage everyone to enjoy all of our beaches responsibly and continue supporting efforts to protect our natural coastline.”
Fingal would also urge dog owners to clean up after their pets. Just one instance of dog poo can contaminate an area the size of a tennis court, posing a serious risk to public health. To highlight this, see this informative animation that illustrates the real impact of not picking up after your dog: https://youtu.be/7bas6zvBmM4.
For details on locations along Fingal’s 88km of coastline, visit: https://fingal.live/2p8rdrrw.
By Mike Power
With longer days and (hopefully) sunnier skies, this time of the year is ideal for giving you and your family the ‘walking habit’. Beginning walkers prefer to have definite starting and ending points, while making the walk a ‘heritage hunt’ gives the kids something to collect and examine later. They can collect ‘magic’ stones to examine at home. Walking and exploring is healthy, interesting and ‘bonds’ a family together. The whole Swords area is rich in interesting heritage walks. I’ve chosen these particular strolls both for their enjoyment, and to safely avoid the ever-present danger of the traffic that swirls everywhere around our village nowadays.
Walk 1. The Ward Heritage Park Walk
Most Swords folk are familiar with the ‘Jacko’ but have you ever continued your walk past the children’s playground and into the park ahead? If you do, you will be rewarded by the discovery of an area full of interest for all family members to explore, especially your dog !
This fabulous but little-known park lies to the west of Swords. If driving there, Park at the Brackenstown roundabout down from the Manor. The entrance to this park lies on your right, past some iron railings and down the hill to begin your walk. Continue to explore the area, walking around a pond which locals call ‘Ushers’ but which was actually dug out by a local nobleman Viscount Robert Molesworth in the 1710s.
You can do short, (3/4 hr) medium, (1 hr), and long ( 2hr) walks in this park. Further information at:
Walk 2: The Brackenstown Road/Swords Village Heritage Walk
Again, drive to the Brackenstown roundabout, park and walk straight ahead. This small track was the original road into Swords! Emerge onto the Brackenstown road proper and walk ahead until you see on your right a set of wooden stairs leading back down to the park. The kids will love this! Descend into the ‘Jacko’ and walk back along the path to your right. Let the kids play in the playground, before ascending the path opposite. When up this path, walk ahead to your left to rejoin your car at the Brackenstown roundabout.
Happy Walking!
Look out for Mike’s book on Swords: Swords History and Mysteries. A Community Guide, to be published in August.
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped at our Marram grass event on the South Beach in April. It was also great to meet Heidi from Malahide Tidy Towns and Catherine from Donabate Tidy Towns, both of whom helped out. We also got a great talk from Aidan Clean Coasts representative on the importance of the dunes and the unique properties of Marram grass, and finally the kids were transfixed our by Liane, Clean Coasts biodiversity officer who showed them how to identify mermaids, purses and other examples of marine life.
Let’s Play Easter
Thank you to everybody who came along to our free Let’s Play Rush Easter Event in Kenure Woods today in conjunction with Rush Tidy Towns, 38th Rush Scout Group, Rush Community Council and funded by Fingal County Council & Progressive Credit Union Ltd. In particular thank you to all the volunteers with special mention for the Scouts who were fantastic. This is yet another circular economy event as all the props used for the trail, and all the toys are reusable.
Best Kept Town
Rush has a unique opportunity to shine on the National stage. We are one of only 3 towns nominated in the large town category of the national Best Kept Town competition. See the flyer to see how you can contribute to the efforts to put our best foot forward. Judging happens during May.
Courtesy of Rush Tidy Towns.
