Balbriggan Local V10I6-APR 2025 by Irish Media Group

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Fingal is Looking Fine in Spring

While the first buds of spring have started to appear, and warm(ish) conditions have returned, Fingal as burst into a sea of wonderful green. The extra hours of daylight don’t hurt either, giving locals more time to resume a lot of their outdoor activities.

The efforts of so many people to make Fingal look so beautiful, not only for spring but all year round, can fly under our radar somewhat but we should take the time to appreciate these things that we take for granted.

There’s never a better time of year to get back into the swing of things and there are so many local sporting clubs and social groups right on our doorstep. We once again have to thank the vast number of local people who volunteer to ensure that these services are available to us.

We are constantly amazed by the sheer volume of volunteers in the many areas of Fingal that give their time and energy so selflessly to make their area’s look as beautiful and welcoming as possible. Tidy Towns groups, Men Sheds, scouting troops and so many other groups made up of local people should all be given huge praise for their work and the best praise they can be given is by their fellow residents with a simple thank you.

We simply wouldn’t have such beauty in our areas if it wasn’t for volunteers so if you have some hours to spare get in touch a local volunteer group and ask if they need help. And if you can’t give your time at least give your thanks to them when you see them on the street and show them their work is appreciated.

As a community-based magazine group we really do deeply appreciate all of our contributors and advertisers without whom the magazines would not be possible. But we also appreciate all the great work that is being done in Fingal by the community/voluntary and charitable sector.

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Bill & Barry take on the Wild Irish Run for Mental Health

Changing

Lives One Paw at a Time

In February 2025, volunteers Tom O’Neill, his guide dog Qeb, puppy walker Anne Mulligan along with Pat Harney of the Portmarnock/Malahide Branch of Guide Dogs, his Ambassador dog Belle and Jennifer Hurley who is the Regional Development Officer for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind all attended Skerries Library to promote awareness of guide dog puppy training and are looking for volunteers for the Balbriggan/ North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs.

Tom has had guide dogs for 40 years and got his first one when he was 28 years old. Qeb is his seventh guide dog. Anne has been puppy walking for over 13 years and just got her 14th puppy, Lulu, a few weeks ago. When Tom was giving his talk at the library, Qeb was focussed on Anne and Tom explained that as well as her puppy walking, Anne also takes Qeb for runs in Argillan and he adores her. Qeb was obviously hoping Anne would bring him for a run!

Tom explained how Qeb was a very special dog because of the dual

ownership and that his late wife Breege had him first and Tom had him after she passed away. Qeb is unique and of all the guide dogs in 40 years, Tom said this kind of dual ownership had never been done before.

Tom and Anne explained how all guide dogs begin their training with puppy walkers for the first year and the importance to have a deep love for dogs and a lot of patience. It is clear from Qeb’s reaction to Anne, how good she is with dogs. Tom is looking for volunteers for the Branch. The next fundraiser the branch is doing is Sunday 13th of April a craft fare in Mrs O’s upstairs in the Central Pub Balbriggan from 12 o’clock to 4 pm where our branch will be selling tickets for a holiday raffle at €5 each. If volunteering is something you would like to do, 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.

In June 2025, Balbriggan native Bill Staunton and his friend Barry Lee who are currently living in Sydney, will return home to Ireland to run the length of the country – 600km from Mizen Head to Malin Head – in just 10 days, all in aid of Pieta House.

This incredible journey is not only a personal challenge but a powerful statement in support of men’s mental health.

Speaking aahed of the challenge Bill explained, “Every year, over 600,000 people worldwide lose their lives to suicide, with 70% of them being men. These statistics are a stark reminder of the mental health crisis we face, and it’s time to make a change. There’s great work being done in Ireland for men’s mental health however there’s work to done. We’re doing this run for those who can’t, to raise awareness, spark conversation, and show that it’s okay to talk, to seek help, and to be heard. We invite you to join us on this journey— whether it’s supporting us along the way, raising awareness in your community, or simply spreading the word. Together, we can make a difference. Mizen to Malin – 600 in 10 Days. Do it for those who can’t.”

Bill and Barry are hoping that the people of Balbriggan can get behind them for the challenge and for those who would like to support them they can go to the dedicated fundraising page at https://gofund.me/40ba587d.

Tom O’Neill, Anne Mulligan and guide dog Qeb in Skerries Library

Consider More Than Just Life Cover

By Dave Kavanagh

At times when the topic of insurance cover comes up, it’s usually Life Cover that springs to mind. Something that pays out a sum of money in the event of death is not everyone’s favourite topic over a coffee. But other types of cover, sometimes referred to as Living Benefits, should certainly be considered by anyone that would suffer a financial loss in certain eventualities. Firstly, Income Protection. If someone cannot work due to any illness or injury and suffers a loss of income, they can be paid up to 75% of their usual salary, either until they can return to work or up to a chosen retirement age if they can never return to work. Consider what the impact would be if your current salary dropped to the current state illness benefit for a couple of years. Next, Serious Illness Cover. This pays out a tax free lump sum on diagnosis of any of the illnesses that are covered. While companies in Ireland cover approximately 50-60 different illnesses (as well as many more minor events that pay partial payments) the vast majority of claims in Ireland, are for “The Big 5”, Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Loss of Independence. The key is to get cover in place while you are relatively young and in good health, not just because there is a much higher chance of being accepted for cover but because the premiums are so much cheaper.

At present, a 29-year-old putting a convertible term plan with €250,000 life cover and €100,000 serious illness cover for a 30-year term, would cost €48.78 per month. A 49-year-old doing the same levels of cover but for only a 10-year term (both finishing at age 59) would cost €128.74 per month. Lastly, introduced in recent times is Multi Claim Protection Cover. Similar in many ways to Serious Illness Cover, this option allows people to claim for more events on a needs basis. For example, if someone has a heart attack, a percentage is paid out. If they were required to stay in hospital for a certain period, a further percentage is paid out, and again if follow up treatment is required, another payment. While everyone’s needs are different, it’s worth taking time to see what is right for you.

Dave Kavanagh QFA has been advising people financially for over 25 years. For quotes or information (with no cost or obligation) he can be contacted by emailing info@ financialcompanion.ie or use the contact form on www.financialcompanion.ie or @Davekav_advice on Twitter and Instagram. Combined with his previous role of gym/nutrition adviser, he regularly gives talks and workshops at seminars and events for groups, companies and government departments on financial wellbeing, positivity and motivation. As heard on RTE 2FM , LMFM and TV3.

Thrive Balbriggan wins All-Ireland Community and Council Award

Congratulations to Thrive Balbriggan which has won the 2025 the All-Ireland Community and Council Awards in the Best Mental Health Initiative at the awards ceremony which took place on Saturday 22nd February in Cork.

The Balbriggan Great Places & Spaces Wellbeing Map is an intergenerational project that highlights locations in Balbriggan that promote mental health and well-being. The map was created from survey responses gathered from local Transition Year students and the Balbriggan community, identifying places where they feel relaxed, happy, energised, or calm.

Coordinated by Thrive Balbriggan, the map was created by local artist Lauren Fernandes and designed by Áine O’Beirne, a local graphic designer and Vice Chairperson of Thrive Balbriggan. The project was inspired by the Wexford Great Places and Spaces Wellbeing Map, which was administered and coordinated by the Wexford Mental Health Association.

Commenting on the win, the Great Places and Spaces Project Lead, Thrive representative Séamus Quigley said: “This award is not only a recognition of Thrive Balbriggan’s presence, but also a tribute to the dedication of its members and volunteers who have worked hard to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of the Balbriggan community. The Great Places & Spaces initiative was a unique concept

for the area, and as demonstrated by its success at the All Ireland Community and Council Awards, it was a project that made a real difference—one we are eager to build on. I want to commend the team for their tireless efforts, creativity, and initiative in transforming this map from an idea into an attractive, functional resource that will benefit the community. This project was created for the community, by the community, with invaluable contributions from local residents and produced with the support of Mental Health Ireland, Our Balbriggan, Empower and 123 Print Balbriggan. We are thankful for their willingness to share their insights about the different places and spaces in Balbriggan, and we also appreciate the support from everyone involved”.

Thrive is a community-led movement aimed at creating happier and healthier communities by conducting activities promoting mental health and well-being. Thrive was introduced to Ireland in 2021 by Mental Health Ireland and currently operates in two locations in County Fingal in Balbriggan and Swords.

Thrive Balbriggan is an initiative of Mental Health Ireland and is supported by Fingal County Council. For further information please contact thrivebalbriggan@mentalhealthireland. ie or visit Thrive Ireland – Mental Health Ireland

Cllr Boland takes up seat in Rush-Lusk LEA

Labour Councillor Mark Boland is one of two new councillors who have been co-opted to Fingal County Council to help fill vacancies created in the Rush-Lusk and Castleknock Local Electoral Areas.

Labour nominated Cllr Boland to fill the new vacancy created by the departure of Kevin Humphries. He will represent the Rush-Lusk area. Endorsed by Cllr Brendan Ryan, Cllr Boland said it was a huge honour and privilege to accept a role as local councillor.

Saying that he was immensely proud to call Fingal home, Cllr Boland said that having worked within the Irish media industry for a number of decades that he has been taught the value of collaboration, creativity, perseverance, and dedication. Alongside his professional career, he said that he has been deeply involved in the community, whether that is playing, coaching, or leading local football and soccer clubs or serving on the various community committees. Becoming a Councillor in the region, he said, would allow him to help amplify the voices of the local people and help build a thriving and inclusive community.

Meanwhile, Solidarity nominated Cllr Helen Redwood following last year’s General Election that saw Deputy Ruth Coppinger move to Dáil Éireann in the Castleknock constituency. Cllr John Burtchaell supported her nomination.

Egg Hunts and Family Breaks for Easter!

If you are planning an Easter hunt, here are some clues for hiding spots you can use to make it a fun treasure hunt style game for the kids!

1. When you sit against it, its comfy but with an egg behind it, its bumpy! (Cushions on sofa)

2. We close them to keep out the light….but today behind them is an egg in sight ( behind curtains)

3. Behind the seat….is a chocolatey treat (behind the chair in living room)

4. Look behind the books….in the crannies and nooks (in a bookshelf)

5. We use them to dry the plates… today the treats inside are great (hidden in the tea-towel drawer)

6. It’s what we use for stew.…but today, it’s for chocolate too (the big stew pot)

7. This box is full of fun….but today inside are things yum (inside their toy box)

8. When the sun is in the sky, we use these to shield our eyes…..but today there’s some eggs inside (the drawer where we keep sunglasses)

9. Flowers are pretty and sweet – look in the vase for something to eat (in our dry flower arrangement)

If you’ve got teens and want to treat them to something other than chocolate this Easter, the new make-up collection from Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Sweet Tooth’ has beauty products shaped like chocolate bars. Fab treat for teens along with some yummy Easter eggs.

For Mammies, Irish brand Mervue Organic has a beautiful range of skincare including body oils, serums, as well as soy candles and diffusers which all smell amazing!

If you are planning a family break this Easter, Bracken Court Hotel Balbriggan is an ideal spot. Close to buses and trains for easy access to Dublin, right beside the beach and just up the road from Flynn Park which is now open for 2025. Flynn Park is a wonderful spot for families with loads of activities both on and off the water, including paintball and the Aqua Lough!

Another fab spot for a family break is Silken Thomas in Kildare town. We’re heading down over Easter with our kids. It’s close to Irish National Stud and near Kildare Village, so all our kids will be happy! The food, music and atmosphere in Silken Thomas is fantastic – if you haven’t been, we highlight recommend!

Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii

By Jack Shanley

With Adrian Maben’s 1972 film, “Pink Floyd at Pompeii,” returning to cinemas in stunning IMAX from April 24th, its only right to review this classic. The film is less a concert film and more a hypnotic, surrealist document of a band at their creative zenith. Filmed over four days in the eerily silent ruins of Pompeii’s ancient amphitheatre, it captures Pink Floyd performing without an audience, stripped bare of spectacle, and bathed in the stark, natural light of the Italian sun.

The absence of an audience transforms the performance into a ritualistic exploration of sound and space. The band, young and intense, play with a raw energy that contrasts sharply with their later, more polished stadium shows. Visually, the film is a masterstroke. Maben’s use of long, sweeping shots, closeups of the band members’ intense concentration, and the stark, sundrenched ruins create a powerful sense of isolation and timelessness. The lack of stage lighting or special effects focuses the viewer’s attention on the music itself, allowing the viewer to truly appreciate the band’s artistry. The intercut footage of the band in the studio, working on the

“Dark Side of the Moon” sessions, provides a fascinating glimpse into their creative process, hinting at the masterpiece that was to come.

The upcoming IMAX release promises to elevate this experience to a whole new level. The sheer scale and clarity of the IMAX format will undoubtedly enhance the film’s visual and incredible sound. Imagine the vastness of the amphitheatre, the intricate details of the ruins, and the raw power of the band’s performance, all rendered in stunning detail on a giant screen.

The panoramic shots of Pompeii will be breathtaking on the IMAX screen, immersing you in the film’s unique atmosphere. This IMAX release is not just a remaster; it’s a reimagining of a classic film, a chance to experience the magic of “Pink Floyd at Pompeii” in a way that has never been possible before.

I’d recommend checking out “Pink Floyd at Pompeii,” and see what you think of it; I shall give it a score of FIVE stars. You can watch it at Odean or the Lighthouse Cinema. Director: Adrian Maben– Rating: 12A – Genre: Documentary/Musical – Run Time: 1h 32m Language: English. For more film content please follow @ movies4fanatics on Instagram.

Plenty of Awards and Residencies on offer for Fingal Artists

The Fingal County Council Arts Office has announced that there are now a number of awards and residencies available for 2025, providing welcome support for professional artists across a range of career stages and disciplines.

To help artists prepare their submissions in advance, a new calendar has been produced which showcases the various organisations that Fingal has partnered with and provides a time stamp for the opening and closing dates for each award.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh said: “Art cultivates a community’s sense of belonging and pride, which is why we want to support artists as much as possible so they can share their passion and creativity with the public. For over

20 years Fingal has been celebrating the amazing contribution of artists across the county, and we know that these awards and bursaries have really helped develop the careers of local talent in different disciplines.”

The awards and residencies include: The Performing Arts Forum; The Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts; The Ardgillan Castle Studio Award; Tyrone Guthrie Centre and Age & Opportunity; The Graphic Studio Dublin Fine Art Print Residency; The Draíocht Studio Award and The MART Gallery and Studios Graduate Award.

Fingal County Council Arts Officer, Sarah O’Neil remarks: “This showcase detailing our

upcoming awards and residencies is essential for professional artists, as it offers both space and time in order to expand and strengthen their practice. These awards also offer a nurturing environment allowing artists to connect with their peers, which is one of our strategic goals of the Fingal County Council Arts plan 2019-2025, ‘Connecting People and Ideas.”

To view the awards calendar go to: https:// ow.ly/EW6B50VftuW. More information on each of these awards and residencies will become available on our website and online closer to the time of applications opening. To find out more about current and previous awards, please see: www.fingalarts.ie and www.fingal.ie/arts

Takemusu Aikido Society on the Move

February marked an exciting new chapter for Takemusu Aikido Society as the club moved to a more spacious and accessible location in Balbriggan. Now based in the Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre on Dublin Street, the new facility provides a larger training area with high ceilings — an essential feature for practising Aikido with traditional wooden weapons like the aiki-ken (wooden sword) and aiki-jo (wooden staff). This move allows the club to offer a more complete Aikido experience, blending emptyhanded techniques (taijutsu) with weapon training, a hallmark of the Iwama-style Aikido the club follows.

The new venue not only addresses the technical needs of Aikido practice but also paves the way for future growth. Previously, the club shared space with a local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu group, but the low ceilings restricted the range of techniques that could be safely practised. “We hope to expand our presence in Balbriggan by introducing classes for children and teenagers,” says Raman Bekarevich, the club’s head instructor who runs all club initiatives. However, the transition hasn’t been without its challenges. Since the community centre lacks mats suitable for Aikido practice, the club is actively fundraising to purchase their own mats, ensuring a safe and authentic training environment.

Behind the scenes, Raman has been supported by a dedicated group of volunteers who have played a vital role in the club’s success. Among them is Jan, the club’s newly promoted black belt and recently named Sport Volunteer of the

Year for 2025. Jan’s tireless efforts, both on and off the mat, have inspired others to contribute. Other club volunteers have been very helpful in preparation for recent events and ensuring the club’s smooth operation during this period of transition. Their collective commitment reflects the spirit of community that lies at the heart of Takemusu Aikido Society.

This spirit of inclusivity and community was further demonstrated in early March when the club participated in Sport Ireland’s Women in Sports Week, a national campaign aimed at increasing the visibility of women in sport and encouraging greater participation. Recognising that women are often underrepresented in martial arts, the club offered for them three free Aikido classes during the week: two in Dublin city centre and one in Balbriggan. While many expressed interest, only a few could attend, reflecting the challenges some women face in balancing new activities with their existing commitments. Those who participated, however, had an enriching experience and were presented with small gifts sponsored by Fingal County Council as a token of appreciation. Building on this momentum, the club also took part in Balbriggan’s St. Patrick’s Parade, showcasing the art of Aikido to the local community and further strengthening their ties within the town.

Aikido, unlike many other martial arts, does not rely on physical strength. Instead, it emphasises balance, structural stability, and coordinated movement — making it accessible to people of all ages and abilities. “We want women to

feel equally welcome and capable,” says Raman. “Aikido is something you can pursue throughout life, whether you’re a child, an adult, or a senior.” This philosophy of inclusivity is at the core of Takemusu Aikido Society’s ethos, and the club remains committed to fostering a welcoming environment for everyone. Plans are already underway to continue offering free classes to underrepresented groups, including women and older adults, ensuring that the art of Aikido is accessible to all.

The recent move to the Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre and the success of community initiatives like Women in Sports Week reflect Takemusu Aikido Society’s broader mission: to create an inclusive, supportive environment where people from all walks of life can explore the art of Aikido. As the club settles into its new home, the instructors and volunteers remain dedicated to expanding their reach and ensuring everyone feels welcome on the mats. With a renewed focus on community engagement and accessibility, Takemusu Aikido Society is not just teaching martial arts—it’s building a space where individuals can grow, connect, and thrive. Whether you’re curious about Aikido, looking for a new way to stay active, or simply want to be part of a welcoming community, Takemusu Aikido Society invites you to step onto the mat. Classes in Balbriggan now take place every Saturday from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at the Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre—an open invitation to discover the art of Aikido for yourself.

WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!! WIN €50 !!!

This is easy… we are offering you the chance to win €50. All you have to do is correctly fill in the crossword and discover the name of an area in Fingal spelt out in the coloured squares. Then send the completed crossword and your answer by email, with your name, address and telephone number to communitylocals@ gmail.com before 5pm on the 16th of this month. The first correct entry to be drawn will win €50..Good luck