LSA February 2024 LSA Masters athletes have been out in force over the last month. Three teams participated in the Dublin Masters Cross Country Championships with Anthony Sharkey finishing 10th overall out of 465 finishers. Overall our Women’s Over 35 team placed 5th in their category; our men’s over 50 team placed 8th and our Men’s Over 35 team placed 11th in a very competitive category. Superb performances all round meant that LSA was the 8th placed club in the Pat Hooper Memorial Cup, which is a relatively new award in these Championships. Meanwhile our track and field athletes got their Indoor season underway at the National Indoor Championships in Athlone and at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown. Our Junior athletes have also been out on the track and later this month our Juvenile athletes will take on their Dublin Championships. For anyone who is inspired to get running, we plan to run another Couch to 5k next month. 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! Contact us on Facebook .facebook.com/lambaysportsacademy instagram.com/lsadonabateportrane/ Twitter https://twitter.com/LSARunning Please also visit our website lambaysportsathletics.ie/

In 2021, a new tradition began in Corballis, Donabate. Bryan Kelly Junior and Joey Collins organised a road bowls event on St Stephen’s Day. This is now an annual event that marks and acknowledges long-stating families of (the area or Corballis, Donabate). This competitive game stacks families up against each other with two members representing each family challenging the title. Road bowling (Irish: Ból an bhóthair; also called long bullets) is an Irish sport in which competitors attempt to take the fewest throws to propel a metal ball along a predetermined course/track of country roads. The sport originated in Ireland and is mainly played in Armagh and Cork. The “bullet” or “bowl” (Irish: ból) is a solid iron cannonball of c.18 centimetres circumference and 28 ounces. There are two or more players or teams in a match or “score”. The one with the fewest shots to the finish line wins. For the last couple of years, a “score” has been played on St Stephen’s Day between local Corballis families (Collins, Kellys, Smiths and Davis).

The track starts at the Collin’s Lane and ends just before Corballis farm (Smiths). Expertly stewarded by Bim Collins and Bryan Kelly Snr. This year’s event had a crisp morning, the tide was in on the estuary and the track was in prime condition. The Nevilles were 1st to arrive and the Kellys were last having to travel from the Balcarrick. The 2023 teams and winners were:1st place representing the Davis’s (Richie and Stephen Neville), 2nd place Garth Smith and Joey Collins, 3rd place Cormac, Eddie and Bryan Kelly.
Other teams included Finn and Keith Collins, Daniel Collins and David May and newly invited from Newbridge Avenue Jimmy and James Carolan (who had a tough day 1st time out). The singles event was won by Bryan Kelly Junior.

In January for our first walk of the year we walked 8km of the coastal Green Way - Omeath to Carlingford. We did a car split between the two villages so we could all do the walk - so we started in Omeath with a visit to Cafe Rosa the best cafe ever with coffee & homemade cakes made by Ivan. We then walked along the coast with clear & beautiful views over Carlingford Lough and the Cooley Mountains. After the walk we went to Fitzpatrick’s Bar and Restaurant on the way home, where the food was delicious a great finish to a great day. If you are interested in joining the walking group please contact: Carolyn Smith: on her mobile 087 9284307 or Des Carty: 087 7846813

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed has had a busy New Year. We started a new HSE- sponsored “Healthy Food Made Easy” course on Wednesday mornings for six weeks. Gerry and the Plonkers, our music group, played a free concert in Donabate Parish Hall at the end of January and will perform another free concert there on Wednesday 21st February as part of a two-day event, “Tayleur Tragedy Talks and Tales”, which will commemorate the sinking of the RMS Tayleur at Lambay Island 170 years ago with the loss of nearly 400 lives. We are also planning a visit to the Men’s Shed in Mountjoy Prison. Although work on our allotments continued through the winter, the real work starts soon. If you wish to join us, please call Jim, our PRO, on 086-3694316. We are always open and welcoming to new members.

The Poc Fada Committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the St Pats GAA annual Poc Fada marking the first event of St Pats GAA Centenary year. The weather stayed dry to add to the occasion. Special thanks to Edel Byrne of Fingal County Council and Newbridge house for the use of the grounds and facilities. St Pats GAA Execute for promotion and Insurance. We are very grateful for the attendance and participation of Club Chairman Rory O’Neill. Thanks to everyone who helped on the day, from the Men’s Sheds: Sean Buckley, Des Carthy and Oliver Mc Donald and Photography and online promotion Larry Carolan. St. Pats: Mick Mc Gleenan, Bryan Kelly, Niall O Connor, Daniel Murphy, Cathal Carty, Conor Davey, Paul Kennedy, Alan Quinn, Cormac Kelly and Tim Kelly.

The event saw enthusiastic involvement with 19 Family Teams and 9 Adult Teams competing in the Poc Fada courses. The adult/juvenile longest Poc competition was a particular highlight, filled with spirited fun.

2024 Honor list

Adult Team winners: Richie Seaver/Ruairi Convrey,
Family Team winners: Donagh & Sean Wilkinson
Adult long Poc winner: Niall O’Connor
Juvenile age 9-12 winner: Eoin Quinn
Juvenile age 13-15 winner: Senan Ryan

Thanks to Fiachra O’ Mathuna and his 2012 players who competed among themselves. The placings were: 1. Eoghan Tully and Killian Folco - 2. Donnchadh Elmiger and Josh Ryan 3. Harry Reilly and Hugh O’Mahony

EggHeadz CLG is delivering programmes and support services across Fingal and Dublin. Here is some of what we’re doing: Community Engagement: EggHeadz supporters, volunteers and community members took part in the Christmas Day Dip and Sip event. This event was hosted by Wayne and Eithne Hand of ‘The Carriage’ Coffee Van at Tower Bay, Portrane on Christmas morning. The community raised over €3,000 towards directly supporting our youth counselling service. Thank you to all who supported the event and contributed. Pictured (L-R) is Mairead (Counsellor), Diarmuid Tonra (Fitness Instructor, Fresh Fitness, Donabate Portrane Community Centre) and Sophie Matabaro (EggHeadz). Activities & Events: EggHeadz is proud to announce that we are an official host for Pieta House annual ‘Darkness into Light’ event. Donabate Portrane is now an official participant of Darkness into Light for Pieta House. This a truly uplifting event which takes place in communities nationwide. All members of the community are encouraged to join us on 11 th May 2024 to walk together, enjoy the sunrise together, have a cuppa and highlight mental health in the community while raising much needed funds for Pieta House. Thank You to Sinéad Ronan Wells (Campaigns Events Officer, Pieta House) pictured with Sophie Matabaro (EggHeadz) Youth Camps: Our Spring Camp returns for a third year where we will bring more fun, fitness, outdoor activity, relaxation, sport and therapeutic supports. This inclusive camp takes place over 3 days from 26 – 28 March, book online. Tween & Teen Workshops: A variety of workshops for Tweens and Teens focused on relaxation, health and wellness will take place over spring break. Workshops include jewellery making, kayaking, yoga, wellness workouts, crystal energy, pottery painting, nutrition, meditation and exam anxiety. FREE Youth Counselling - Our Youth Counselling Service is a FREE of charge and confidential service for young people (aged 12-25). Appointments take place weekly in Donabate Portrane Community Centre on Mondays between 9.30am and 3.30pm. Contact Mairead on 086-329 6812 or by email eggheadzcounselling@gmail.com to book an appointment.

NEW Website: EggHeadz is delighted to start 2024 with a NEW Website. Our services have been running for over three years now in the Fingal and Dublin area. Log on to www.eggheadz.ie to read about our impactful programmes and upcoming community events, activities, and educational workshops for the year. For more follow us on social media visit our website or scan the QR code.

This two-day event, with exhibition, talks, music and film, will commemorate the 170th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the RMS Tayleur ship off the coast of Lambay Island in 1854 with the loss of nearly 400 lives. The Tayleur has been referred to as the “First Titanic Shipwreck”. The event will be held on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd this month (February 2024). Donabate Parish Hall and Donabate Portrane Historical Society have come together to put on this special event. We will be charging €5 for each evening event and will sell tickets in advance to all interested groups. A limited number of tickets will be available to individuals and will be available for buy from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesday, 6th February in Committee Room in Donabate Parish Hall. We are delighted and very grateful that we have sponsorship to cover the main costs of the event from Martin Harte CEO of Temple Bar Company, who runs the hugely popular TradFest, which came to Donabate for the first time last month and was a great success. Any surplus from ticket sales will be donated to the RNLI Lifeboat. The Programme of the Event in Summary is as follows: Wed 21st February - 11 30am - 12 00noon: Eithne O Connell who lived on Lambay & Laddie De Jong a diver will open the exhibition of artifacts from the Tayleur Ship & chat with adults present. Light Refreshments. 12 00noon - 2 00pm: Playing & Singing by Men’s Shed “Gerry & the Plonkers” to include Sea Songs. 7 00pm - 8 00pm: Reception & Viewing artifacts, with historians and divers present, opened by the Mayor of Fingal, Adrian Henchy. (Ticket Only) 8 00pm - 10 00pm: Talks on Lambay Island Eithne O’Connell raised on the Island and Edward Bourke author & diver on the Tayleur. Cormac Lowth and Laddie De Jong will also be there on the night. Local historian, Peadar Bates, will close proceedings on the night. (Ticket Only) Thurs 22nd February 11 00am - 2 00pm: Local Primary School visits (By Invitation Only) – 7 00pm - 8 00pm: Viewing of artifacts, with historians and divers present (Ticket Only) – 8 00pm - 10 00pm: Screening of “A Night to Remember” (1958 Film), reputed to give the best account of the Titanic Tragedy. The Tayleur has been called “White Star Line’s First Titanic”. For general information about Donabate Parish Hall, please contact the Parish Office at 01- 8434574.

January was a very busy month with Registration for classes and classes starting. Registration was very successful with some classes full in the first 30 minutes. We had online Registration for the first time and many managed this very well. But still it was nice to see everyone at our in-person Registration days. We still have some places left in Yoga, Art, Singing & Music Functional Yoga (Chair Yoga) and our language classes Intermediate French and Beginners and Intermediate Spanish so please contact us if you are interested, see our website for details activeageforall.com We held our AGM on the 19th of January and we had a very good attendance! A new Committee was elected and Mary Farrell wished them well for the future as she finished her term as Chairperson Breda Dockrell, a founding member of Active Age gave a very interesting presentation at the meeting, titled The Beginnings of Active Age - A Record for Posterity, as we are now just 10 years since the first seeds of Active Age took root. This presentation was very well received by her audience. It is amazing how we have grown from such small beginnings, mainly through the foresight of those early founders and carried on by other dedicated members of the Community. We have gone from strength to strength with 250 members at the last count. If you would like to help or serve on the Committee, we are always looking for willing volunteers, please contact us. As always for any information about AAfA please email activeagefor@gmail.com. TEXT only 0868806808 or view our website activeageforall.com.

A lack of facilities is a significant concern for residents in Donabate and Portrane. The Donabate Local Area Plan allows for 4,000 additional residential units to be built in the coming years. While increased housing supply is very welcome, we should equally be pushing for better facilities. Our local authority should approve planning applications by developers on the condition that adequate sporting and social infrastructure are part of their application. Fingal currently has no public swimming pool. There has been an ongoing campaign to have a public swimming pool built in Fingal for many years. With the population of Fingal now at over 170,000, this is not an unreasonable or overly ambitious proposal. And given that a significant number of houses that are being built in north county Dublin are planned for Donabate, we have as good a claim as any other area for a pool to be located on the peninsula. By comparison, Leitrim has a population of 35,000 and has two public swimming pools. A pool in Donabate could cater for residents here and nearby towns. While the pop-up pool that was in the car park of the community centre in Donabate was a great temporary addition, we should be advocating for a permanent facility. The pop-up pool demonstrated that there is huge interest in swimming on the peninsula. I have written to the Minister for Sport making enquiries regarding the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) and how communities can best access funds under this scheme. A public pool is a proposal I will continue to advocate for at local and national level. If you want me to keep you updated on this campaign or if you would like me to share with your correspondence or responses I receive from State Agencies, please email me: eoghandockrellfg@gmail.com.

Corina Johnston, the Labour Party Local Area Representative for Donabate and Portrane said recently, “I am pleased that a Motion submitted on my behalf by my colleague Cllr O’Donoghue and co-signed by Cllrs. Mulville and Henchy was unanimously passed at a recent Council meeting. The motion recommended that a site within the Ballymastone/Corballis area of Donabate and in the ownership of the Council, be identified and designated as the site Cultural/Arts/Youth/Multifunctional Community facility meeting. I am however disappointed with the Council’s response and while acknowledging the council’s commitment to relocate the library from the Community Centre to the recently acquired Credit Union site to free up additional community space this will not meet needs of the current and future residents of our peninsula. Duncan Smith TD and I held a public meeting in October 2023 to outline our ongoing campaign for the provision of such a facility within the Ballymastone/ Corballis lands. The well attended meeting endorsed our objective and a committee (DP Crossroads) has since been formed. At the meeting we outlined that the Donabate LAP facilitates the growth of the population of the peninsula to 20,000 with 3000 housing units in Ballymastone and Corballis within the next decade. The LAP supports the provision of a Community/ Cultural/ Exhibition and Performing Arts Centre for Donabate/Portrane and encourage the development of multi - functional community buildings which are not used exclusively designed for any one group. According to Census 2022 41% of the population of the peninsula are under 30 years of age. There are over 30 active Arts, Cultural and Youth groups on the peninsula who have no permanent home. It is apparent from the response that FCC are not in favour of providing a site for the Centre. It seems that it is acceptable to FCC that Donabate can grow to a population of 20,000 people but not provide the necessary infrastructure to support the needs of the current and future population. This is totally unacceptable to me and contrary to the LAP. It is imperative that a site for this much needed community infrastructure be ringfenced as a matter of urgency before there’s not a suitable blade of grass not built upon. FCC undertook to meet the Crossroads group on this matter in the near future.”