Fingal County Council has commenced works on the much anticipated Rathmore Park Sports Recreational Hub in Lusk. When completed, the new hub will provide state of the art sports and recreational facilities and excellent opportunities for increased engagement with local sports clubs and community development in line with the council’s Development Plan.
The beginning of works was marked with a sod turning ceremony attended by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Tony Murphy, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, alongside Oireachtas members and local community groups. The new Rathmore Park Sports Recreational hub will contain an all-weather synthetic soccer & GAA pitch along with an eight-lane floodlit athletics track to World Athletics specification.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr. Tony Murphy said: “In a young, dynamic and growing community, sport plays a vital role in promoting inclusion, wellbeing and connection. High quality facilities such as this are essential in encouraging healthier and more active lifestyles for people of all ages. The development of this significant new recreational hub represents a major investment in the local community. It will provide greater opportunities for people to participate in sport and physical activity, helping to increase participation, strengthen community connections and support the continued growth and development of sport in Lusk and the wider area.”
For anyone interested in practicing or improving their Irish language skills there is a group that meet at Cate’s Cafe (beside Supervalu), Donabate each Saturday at 14.00
There is no cost involved. The group is an informal get-together to let participants improve their Irish in a supportive environment.
All levels are welcome. Bíonn fáilte mhór roimh cairde nua i gcónaí. There is always a big welcome for new friends.
Tuilleadh eolais / Further info: Liam @ 086 3814422
In September the Peninsula Pacers celebrated National Walking Day - they went to Skerries by train - visited the Mill & Markets - then went on a long circular route towards the beach, went left along the sea up to Red Island & back by the Harbour for food - a good walk!
The next two walks are on:
Saturday 31st October - Halloween!
The Clontarf Greenway a 7/8km walk up & down to the Port - then food after in the Yacht. Travel by train to and from
Donabate Station.
Saturday 21st November - City Walk!
The Dodder Way is a 8/10km walk along the River Dodder - with food along the way. Travel by bus & train to and from Donabate Station.
For further information please contact
Margaret O’Brien on - 086 1956058
Jim O’Donohoe on 086 3694316
At the recent first screening of out Autumn/Winter season we revealed something new for December – The Lambay Cinema Club Audience Choice. You get to choose what film you want to see at our December screening. We have hand picked four films to choose from. Reflecting the range of movies we show, these range from “exhilarating and funny” to “profoundly tender”. See Lambaycinemaclub.com for more details.
Meanwhile we continue our Autumn/Winter season with Blue Heron, a festival award winner set in the 1990s. It introduces us to Sasha – an 8-year-old girl who has recently moved, along with her family, from their native Hungary to Vancouver Island.
While Sasha and her other siblings get used to their new environment, their parents become increasingly concerned about the unpredictable behaviour of their eldest son, Jeremy.
As the parents keep attempting to help Jeremy, Sasha struggles to understand what is happening around her. This uncertainty will return to her as an adult when she works on a deeply personal filmmaking project.
This autobiographical film from first time director, Sophy Romvari, opened this Summer and has been described as “One of the best of the year.”
Other critics have called the film “A bold and intimate stunner”, “An extraordinary debut feature”, “An unexpected triumph” and “Surprising and tremendously moving”
Blue Heron will be shown at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland church in The Square, Donabate (K36 Y521) on Thursday Oct 15th at 8:00pm.
Tickets go on sale on Thursday Oct 8th at 9:00am and cost €10 (€8 for students/OAPs)
For more information and to buy tickets, please visit lambaycinemaclub.com
Bring your own cup for free tea and coffee – we even supply the biscuits!
If you want to get in touch, email us at info@lambaycinemaclub.com.
Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you on the 15th.
In the last month The Parish Hall regular activities have got back into full swing, includes Drama & Yoga Classes, Bridge & Cards, Senior Citizens & Youth Services.
There are a number of cultural & music groups that use the Parish Hall - Leithinis CCÉ have a Traditional Irish Music Session two Fridays a month, while The Peninsula Voices local community choir have performed there in a charity fundraiser every year.
The Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society are celebrating their 90th year in existence with a number of performances in the Parish Hall over two weekends Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th November & then Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st November. This will be followed by an exhibition of photographs by local group ‘Through the Lens’ over the weekend of Friday 27th November - Sunday 29th November.
A highlight of the year in the Parish Hall is the Christmas Craft Fair & Turning on of the Lights held on the first Saturday of December.
If you need any more information on what is taking place in the Parish Hall or wish to enquire about booking a time for a class in the Parish Hall contact the Parish Office on 01- 8434574.
DP Crossroads has launched a newly revamped website, providing residents with a clearer and more accessible picture of the campaign’s work over the past three years and the continuing challenge of ensuring that community infrastructure keeps pace with the rapid growth of Donabate and Portrane.
Established in late 2023, DP Crossroads began with a campaign for the delivery of a dedicated Youth, Arts & Cultural Centre for the peninsula. Since then, its work has developed into a broader campaign for balanced and sustainable growth, with a consistent message: new housing and the infrastructure needed to support it must be delivered together.
The redesigned website brings that story together through a new visual “Our Journey 2023–2026” section, highlighting key moments from three years of community action. These include community surveys, the development of a business case, public information events and meetings, more than 2,000 petition signatures, engagement with Fingal County Council and elected representatives, national media coverage, planning submissions and appeals, and continued scrutiny of major development and infrastructure proposals.
The site also puts the scale of change taking place across the peninsula into sharper focus. Donabate and Portrane had a population of approximately 5,000 at the beginning of the century. Today, with thousands of additional homes built, under construction or planned, the population is expected to continue growing substantially to top 20,000 residents by 2029.
“The houses are being delivered. The question we continue to ask is: where is the community infrastructure?” said a Ann Hogan, Chair of DP Crossroads.
Young people remain at the heart of the campaign. DP Crossroads’ community research found that 31% of the local population was under 19, while 84% of respondents supported a dedicated Youth Centre and **83% said there were insufficient safe places locally for young people to spend time.
The revamped website also explains the wider need for appropriate spaces for arts, culture and community activity; places where local organisations can rehearse, perform, create, meet and bring people together.
DP Crossroads said the redesign was also an opportunity to make its position particularly clear.
“We are a voluntary, independent and non-politically affiliated group of residents. We are not opposed to housing or development. We support investment in schools, sports, transport and other essential infrastructure. What we have consistently challenged is the idea that communities should have to choose between them.”
The group said that while much has happened since the campaign began, its central objective remains unresolved.
“Three years on, Donabate and Portrane still do not have the dedicated Youth, Arts & Cultural Centre that our growing community was promised by FCC. In fact, we now have LESS indoor infrastructure per capita than ever before. We will continue to research, question, engage and campaign for infrastructure appropriate to the population our peninsula is becoming.”
The new website brings together campaign updates, research, publications, planning information and the story of DP Crossroads’ activities since 2023, providing residents with an accessible record of both what has happened and what remains to be delivered.
Cllr Corina Johnston continues to receive a high volume of complaints regarding the reliability of the 33B bus service, with repeated reports of buses not showing up particularly from residents in The Burrow, Portrane, which is served by just one bus per hour.
“In recent weeks I again contacted the National Transport Authority to highlight the continuous cancellations on this route and the serious impact on commuters, especially those in The Burrow, Portrane, who are left without any alternative transport when a service fails to operate. While the NTA has outlined the issues facing the operator, the reality for commuters in Portrane and Donabate remains unchanged.”
Cllr Johnston continued: “The Burrow is served only once per hour, and any missed service leaves passengers stranded for a minimum of two hours. Despite assurances that fleet related issues have ‘broadly stabilised’, I continue to receive regular reports of cancellations. These incidents are not isolated, they represent a persistent pattern of unreliability that is disproportionately impacting communities with limited alternative transport options.”
“The NTA has stated that construction works and traffic management arrangements make timetable adjustments difficult. However, this does not address the core issue commuters are repeatedly left without any service at all. I welcome ongoing engagement between the NTA and Go Ahead Ireland but the lived experience of passengers continues to fall far short of what a public transport network should deliver.
Communities in Portrane and Donabate deserve a reliable, dependable service not recurring disruption and prolonged waiting times.”
Cllr Johnston concluded: “I will continue to press both the NTA and the Department of Transport for immediate and sustained action to restore reliability on the 33B route. The current situation is not acceptable, and meaningful improvements must be prioritised.
Explore Fingal launched an impressive programme of events for Ireland Home of Halloween 2026 with more than 100 events in over 20 venues. The launch took place at one of those venues, Howth Castle, which is hosting several different events during October.
Now in its second year, Ireland Home of Halloween is a collaborative all-island programme led by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland that celebrates the island’s role as the birthplace of Halloween through festivals and visitor experiences inspired by Samhain traditions. Fingal is one of the seven counties chosen as Ireland Home of Halloween hubs.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tony Murphy, said, “Home of Halloween celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Samhain and our 2026 events promote our very special connection to Halloween through performance, storytelling, spectacle and spooky experiences. There are events suited to all ages and stages of life whether you’re a foodie, a history fiend or seeking family fun. With vintage cinema screenings in Balbriggan, writer’s workshops in Howth, Harvest food and fine dining in Naul, ghost stories in Blanchardstown and Goddesses in Skerries, there truly is a unique experience for every person to enjoy.”
Highlights and key events for 2026 include:
Pumpkins After Dark
A spellbinding open air event running from 2nd to 31st October, Newbridge House and Farm on the dauntingly named Hearse Road in Donabate is transformed into a magical Samhain wonderland. Step into a breathtaking 1km long illuminated farm and walled garden walk where over 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins glow scarily in the darkness.
Festival of Fire
On Halloween night 31st October, the Festival of Fire takes place in three locations around Fingal –Bremore Castle, Swords Town Park and Millennium Park Blanchardstown. It kicks off at 7pm with a Scary DJ, an electrifying musical prelude setting the mood for an unforgettable night. Then fireworks displays will light up the night sky with explosions of colour and awe-inspiring light. It’s free and fun, the perfect way to celebrate Halloween with friends and family.
The Ardgillan Residents Return: Craic from the Crypt
Ardgillan Castle taps into its own shadowy history from 22nd October to 1st November for this atmospheric Halloween tour. During Samhain, when the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, the Taylor family return to Ardgillan Castle, Fingal, the home they once knew. Costumes encouraged!
Feast of Samhain
This Halloween, iconic Howth Castle will come alive with a full programme of events including shadowy Samhain tours with the Castle Historian with chilling tales of ghostly encounters and Castle folklore, a Foraging & Sorcery Workshop, a Feast of Samhain Candlelit Supper Club and a choice of seasonally appetising cookery classes in Howth Castle Cookery School. The successful Hooks and Reels writing workshop takes place over Halloween week.
A Traitorous Tale: A Ghoulish Feast
Malahide Castle’s hosts a one-of-a-kind immersive dining and interactive event including an after dark tour behind the velvet ropes. Guests are invited to sip deadly cocktails, indulge in an autumnal feast, and interrogate suspicious historical guests to unravel a centuries-old betrayal. Based on the Castle’s own history and hauntings.
Fingal-born singer-songwriter and producer Paul Redmond is bringing his original musical, The Promise Love Story, back to the stage in Balbriggan on Saturday, 24 October.
The special showcase concert takes place at The Lark Concert Hall at 8pm, following previous sold-out performances at The Helix in 2012 and Swords Castle in 2017.
The musical, inspired by five interconnected love stories set against a turbulent period of Irish history, explores love, loss, loyalty, secrets and forgiveness. It has been developed from its Fingal roots with ambitions for a major production during St Patrick’s Week 2027.
There is also an international element to the October event. The performance will be livestreamed, allowing Irish people and audiences around the world to experience the production. One of the original songs, Across Blue Waters, was inspired by the story of the Jeanie Johnston and Irish emigration across the Atlantic.
The creative team includes award-winning director Niamh McGowan, with musical direction from David Hayes, internationally recognised for his work with Riverdance, and Terry Merrick, co-musical director and founder of Origin Recording Studio.
Balbriggan-based banana distributor, Fyffes was twice on the winners’ podium at the National Parenting Product Awards gala ceremony held in Dublin recently when Bananas topped the list for Irish parents when it comes to choosing a snack food for their baby or toddler.
On foot of research conducted amongst parents and industry experts, first prize in both the ‘best baby / toddler snack’ and ‘best baby/toddler snack for on the go’ sections was awarded to the popular pre-packed bananas, ‘Freddy Fyffes’.