In Lusk, a group of dedicated volunteers known as Lusk Community First Responders (Lusk CFR), is working to make a life-changing impact on their community. Trained to respond swiftly to specific emergency calls, their mission is clear: to reach potential life-threatening situations in the crucial minutes before the ambulance crew arrives. Connected to the National Ambulance Service Emergency Operations Centre, Lusk CFR can provide medical assistance within minutes of a 999 call, offering a lifeline to those in distress. In Ireland, 5,000 people are lost to cardiac arrest each year, 13 lives lost every day. These incidents strike without warning, affecting people in the midst of their daily routines, from homes to workplaces, shopping centres, and sports events. 70% to 80% of these cardiac arrests occur in the presence of family or friends. For every passing minute, the chances of recovery decrease by 7% to 10%. Currently, the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest survival rate in Ireland is 5.2%. However, Lusk CFR aims to change this by emphasising the critical importance of swift response. Effective CPR and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) within the first 3-5 minutes can significantly boost survival rates to 49% to 75%. While this initiative is new to Lusk, CFR schemes across Ireland, registered with the National Ambulance Service, have already proven their impact. Lusk currently has 3 public access AEDs, available 24/7 365 days a year. At the Cottage Community Centre, Lusk Soccer Club and Centra in Dun Emer. Lusk CFR will continue to work with the community to increase the number of public access AEDs in the community. Lusk CFR is actively seeking volunteers, and no prior medical experience or training is necessary, as continuous training will be offered to all recruits. Additionally, Lusk CFR is reaching out for financial assistance to procure life-saving equipment and to sponsor the placement of public access Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) within our community. Your support can make a significant impact in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.

Lambay Sports and Athletics is an Athletics club for all the Community, taking our name from the wonderful views of Lambay Island. On 26th May we will host the third edition of our 4 Mile Road race. LSA members volunteer with race organisation and we hope to welcome participants from all over Dublin and beyond to the roads of our beautiful environment. In the last month LSA members have been participating in events around the country and internationally. The LSA Community showed the power of support in an epic ultra marathon fundraiser in Newbridge Park. Our ever-popular club member Paudie Byrne ran 65km by completing 22 laps of Newbridge Park, with the support of a huge team from the LSA Events committee and our various training groups. The sun shone as Paudie completed his final laps, over €7100 (at the time of going to press) for the Cystic Fibrosis Ireland 65 Roses campaign. Dara Carr and Michal Kowalski represented Ireland in the European Masters Athletics Championships Indoors in Torún, Poland. Dara is a sprinter, and the powerhouse behind much of our club, especially our Little Athletics programme and Summer Camp. Dara was part of two Bronze medal winning relay teams in her age category: Women’s 4 x 200m and Mixed 4 x 200m. Meanwhile on the roads, our members had a great outing at the Bohermeen Half Marathon. This was followed by Leinster Senior medals and Dublin Masters Gold at the 10 mile Championships event at the Battle of Clontarf for our women’s team (Eimear Caulfield, Sinead Kiernan and Mary McNamara) on Easter Monday. The following week our Masters Men’s team (Shane O’Farrell, Keith Byrne, Fintan Counihan, Ken Spratt) won Gold in the Dublin 10km Championships at the Garristown Windmill run. Next it is our turn to host a road race - please join us at the scenic LSA 4 mile race on Sunday 26th May 2024. We always welcome new members and volunteers. If you would like to get involved please contact us - details below: Adult memberships queries please contact lambaysportsathletics@gmail.com Little Athletics and Juvenile athletes (from age 7-18) please contact lsajuvenilereg@gmail.com Keep up to date on all the events by following LSA on our social media pages!

Donabate Basketball celebrated our league win with the U14’s boys team.

We swapped the basketball for a spot of bowling. A truly Great evening was had by one and all. We continue with our training for next season over the coming weeks with some friendly games set on the calendar. We are delighted to have U14 Div 2 team and U15 Div 1 team for next season. The boys and girls academy is also in operation. Training takes place in DP Community Centre evenings and weekends. So, if you are interested in joining us please make contact: Our Key Contacts: Paul Mitchell – Club Secretary, U17 Girls - Con O’Leary & Alan Proctor – Coaches of Under 14 & 15 Boys Marie O’Leary – Child Protection Officer - Frank Koenicke & Serge Nyange – Boys Academy Coaches - Sophie Mitchell & Katelyn Byrne– Girls Academy Coaches. We urge any people living locally to contact us if they have interest in getting their children involved or volunteering to help with coaching. Contact can be made in DPCC where there are information boards that have relevant contact information.

EggHeadz will host several ‘Hello How Are You’ community events in the buildup to A Mental Health Ireland’s, National Mental Health Promotion Day on 15th May. All events are Free to attend. See www.eggheadz.ie or www.hellohowareyou.ie for event information.

Parents Support – EggHeadz successful Connect Café continues each week. A Mental Health Ireland initiative, the group meet weekly on Wednesday’s at 10am at the community centre. Parents are supported by psychotherapist Kim Cromwell. FREE Professional help, advice and neighbourly support is on hand.

Young Adolescents - EggHeadz FREE weekly 5km #mentalmiles social session is growing every week. Participants range from 16 – 26 years, a social run is followed by hot beverage and an opportunity to talk with peers. Led by Jason Dignam, it takes place on Sunday mornings 10am at Newbridge House, everyone is welcome.

Teen and Tween Workshops – Teen Art Therapy spring retreat took place over the Easter holidays. It was attended by 15 teenagers whom enjoyed a FREE two-day workshop with teen trauma expert Ivy Baretto. Thank you to Tesco Community Fund for sponsoring the fantastic workshop. Tween Jewellery making workshop took place over Easter holidays with a theme of Spring and Renewal. Led by Roisin the 10 attendees explored self-care, self- esteem, mindfulness, well-being habits and created beautiful gemstone jewellery and unique craft. - After School Activities – Term 3 ‘Spring Summer’ classes are taking place in schools each week. Junior and Senior Infants 1.30pm – 2.30pm and 1st – 6 th Class 2.30-3.30pm. Each School has a different day, our activities include ‘Fitness & Games’, ‘Yoga, Mindfulness and Creative Crafts’, ‘Nutrition and Cooking - FREE Youth Counselling EggHeadz FREE of charge and confidential counselling service for young people aged 12+ takes place weekly in the Community Centre on Mondays, email us anytime on our email address at eggheadzcounselling@gmail.com to book an appointment. Darkness Into Light – for Pieta House. The countdown is on with weeks to go, sign up and join us on the inaugural Donabate Portrane Darkness Into Light walk. Please remember the Date: Saturday 11th May Time: 4.15am Start: St. Pat’s Boy’s National School, Donabate.

Well, here we are nearly at the end of the AAfA spring term, where has the time flown to? All our classes and activities have been well attended and the latest offering ‘Ageing Dis-Gracefully’ was very popular. We will be running this again in the autumn term, places are limited to 10 so if you would like to attend, please get your name in at registration in September. In fact if anyone, be they AAfA members or not, have ideas for subjects that they would like included in our programme please let us know, email: activeageforall@gmail.com Valerie and her team for trips and tours have been busy and two proposed trips before the summer break are Farmleigh on 22nd May and The National Stud and Japenese Gardens on 26th June. If any AAfA members are interested in either, or both, trips please email a/a for further information. We have seen a few changes on the AAfA committee recently, our Chairperson Mary Farrell and Secretary Carmel Carey have retired. On behalf of the committee I would like to take this opportunity to thank both of them for their years of hard work and dedication to the association…ladies you were SUPER !! And a big welcome to our new committee members Eilish Timony and Mary Agnew, great to have you both on board.

The DP Crossroads Committee has strongly refuted recent Fingal County Council claims that their investments in community infrastructure is sufficient. FCC have stated in Council meetings that the move of the library to the former credit union will open up additional community space for use of all groups. While acknowledging that the Council are investing in the library move, the group questions why that move was necessary in the first place. “The Council’s purchase of Ballisk house for community infrastructure is commendable but we question why this is being designated for the library.” Said Ann Hogan, Chair of local campaign group DP Crossroads. “The library is functioning well where it is – there are no demands for additional space for it. However, many local cultural groups are unable to find suitable space to conduct their activities. Plus we have a desperate need for non-sporting youth facilities. This will not change with the library move”. Hogan went on to highlight that with high local population increases the per capita indoor space allocation per person has dropped significantly. “Because we’ve so many residents the amount of available community space has fallen. We have forecast 85% population increase by 2029 and no extra indoor facilities – its really unacceptable”. “We are calling on FCC to live up to their own strategic objective to build the centre and more importantly build community infrastructure IN TANDEM with large scale housing development.”

Work is ramping up in Donabate Portrane ahead of the inaugural Darkness Into Light walk on 11 May 2024. The walk will begin at 04h15 at the National Schools on the Portrane Road and will head down towards Portrane to greet the sunrise. The committee is made up of volunteers across all age groups and has proved a very successful mix of personnel tackling the myriad of tasks involved in organising an event like this. Lexi and Jack are from Donabate Community College’s WellBeing Committee and bring the views of the secondary school students. The Darkness Into Light Ambassadors for Donabate Portrane - Aisling Read, Ellen Matthews and Seán Collins - ensure the involvement of the young adults of the community.
PURPOSE OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT - Each year the walk provides an opportunity for people to connect with their local community and to bring hope to people who have been impacted by suicide.Here in Donabate and Portrane, the local volunteers hope that everyone will join together on the day to help raise awareness and hope in the fight against suicide and self-harm. HISTORY OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT - In 2009, 400 people in The Phoenix Park has the first Darkness Into Light 5km walk to raise funds for Pieta. From small beginnings, the movement has continued to grow, and now there are over 150,000 participants in Darkness Into Light each year. Together, Pieta, their partner charities, supporters and volunteers have grown Darkness Into Light into a global act of solidarity for people affected by suicide and self-harm.HOW CAN I JOIN IN? -You can register and sign up at darknessintolight.ie - If you’d like to help the committee, you can contact them on donabateportrane@darknessintolight.ie or on any of their social media accounts.

The Parish Hall has had a busy year with lots of classes, activities and events taking place.
From Thursday 16th May - Sunday 19th May, the Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society will be putting on the world famous play “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel. This will be a fantastic show as always! Performances start at 8pm sharp on Thursday, Friday, Saturday with a Matinee on at 3pm on the Sunday. Watch out for their banners around the parish with all the details. The Parish Hall will be closed for general use, i.e. classes and activities, for a few days before the play begins for the final rehearsals and set up necessary to put on such a production. We thank you in advance for your understanding and hope that many parishioners will support our local Drama Society.After the play, all daily classes and activities will resume as normal. Then in August, to cater for the children of the Parish, there will be some Summer Camps e.g. Lego & STEM Camps (FULL details in last months edition of this Local Magazine). There is still some availability to run a suitable camp in the afternoons; so if you have one in mind please, contact the Parish Office immediately.In mid-June, the Parish Office begins to plan the details of the Programme of classes, activities and events from September 2024 - August 2025. They will contact all current daily users of the Parish Hall in mid-June in this regard. Any other possible users for daily activities, e.g. classes, meetings, clinics etc., please contact the Parish Office from now on with your request.There are some slots available for a few days at a few times during the year for Cultural Activities, Camps, Exhibition and Events. The Parish Office will be seeking expressions of interest in this regard; so if you have a request or if you are seeking further information, please contact the Parish Office.The Parish Office times are from 9:30am - 12:30pm on 01-8434574.

I’m running in the local elections because I believe we are at a crucial juncture for the peninsula. Right now, there is a dwindling number of strategic sites for much needed amenities (e.g. for another school, childcare facilities and a youth and cultural centre). Instead, we are focusing on building thousands of houses without including the necessary supporting infrastructure. I grew up in Portrane and live in Donabate. I want our peninsula to be a place where friends can move back and live (but presently, that decision is difficult because of a lack of childcare options or inadequate garda presence). Therefore, if I’m fortunate enough to receive your support I will focus on progressing these areas:
Better Local Amenities One of my core ambitions is to have better amenities that cater for people of all ages (including our youth clubs, drama society and Men’s shed). Better local amenities would benefit all residents and would only involve a relatively modest capital investment from our well-resourced local authority.

Better Development Donabate needs more balanced development, and if elected I will fight hard as a councillor for better ways to build our community. In most European countries, community infrastructure is built before or in tandem with the building of residential units. The building of amenities should be included in the initial phase of development. Large scale housing developments must include retail, dining, and childcare facilities.

Better Connectivity My priority is to do more to improve our roads, footpaths, and green spaces to ensure they are protected and maintained to a highest standard. The capability within Fingal County Council is there and I will push hard to put in place an ambitious programme of work to upgrade some of our roads and footpaths (Turvey road, the Portrane cliff walk and the road network around Corballis are just some examples). If I have your support, I will work hard for you and bring new energy to Fingal County Council.

Over the last few years, we have done a variety of walks about 6 a year. Ranging from Coastal Walks on our own Cliff Walk Donabate - Corballis the Burrow and back via Portrane Hospital to Forest Walks - in Virginia Co. Cavan to Canal Walks - along the Boyne to Beach Walks - Balbriggan to Laytown. In January we did a Greenway Walk Carlingford to Omeath In February we had to cancel the Lighthouse Walk to Poolbeg due to bad weather and in March a few of us braved an early start and mixed weather to explore Glendalough Holy & Historic Walks. We will do one of those shorter walks in Glendalough in the Autumn & make a day of it eating in the hotel. Last month in April we took the train to and from Leitrim and did part of the Blue Way the tale is in the next episode! It is hoped in May to do the Poolbeg Walk again as it’s a great walk, but the weather has not always been perfect, so third time here’s hoping in the blistering sunshine! Contact Carolyn:087 9284307 or Des:087 7846813 if interested.