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Summertime in Fingal: Celebrating Community Through Festivals
Summertime brings with it more than longer days and warmer evenings in Fingal, it marks the beginning of festival season, a time when communities come together to celebrate local culture, strengthen friendships, and create lasting memories for families of all ages.
From the bustling town centres to our wonderful coastal villages, festivals have become an important part of life in Fingal. They offer opportunities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy music, arts, food, sport and heritage in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. These events showcase the very best of our towns and villages while providing a valuable boost to local businesses and community organisations.
For families, summer festivals provide a chance to spend quality time together. Children can enjoy entertainment, workshops and activities designed especially for them, while parents and grandparents reconnect with neighbours and friends. In an increasingly busy world, these experiences help build stronger family bonds and create a sense of belonging that extends beyond individual households.
At the heart of every successful festival are the volunteers who generously give their time and energy. Their contribution often goes unseen, but critical to the success of these events. From stewarding crowds to setting up venues and supporting performers, volunteers help transform ideas into reality. Their commitment reflects the strong community spirit that exists throughout Fingal.
Summer festivals remind us that thriving communities are built on participation, cooperation and shared experiences. They provide opportunities to celebrate our diversity while reinforcing the values that unite us. As residents gather at events across Fingal in the weeks ahead, it is worth recognising not only the entertainment on offer but also the dedication and goodwill that make these occasions possible.
This summer, let us support our local festivals, thank our volunteers and take time to enjoy the unique sense of community that makes Fingal such a special place to live, work and visit.
The Locals Team
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STRICT DEADLINE FOR NEXT EDITION:
Submissions by the 15th for inclusion in next months edition
Lambay Cinema Club – a year in review
Lambay Cinema Club was established in 2022 with the aim of bringing quality cinema to the peninsula. Our monthly screenings at St Patrick’s Church of Island Church in The Square continue to attract new and regular attendees and our 2025/26 season, has been our most successful yet.
Our season finale which took place in June (despite local power cuts) saw our audience enjoying The Ballad of Wallis Island – the Bafta nominated and BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) winning British comedy.
This marked the final screening in a varied programme of Irish, English and foreign language films including Korean hit Minari, Irish language horror film Fréwaka, Moroccan drama The Blue Caftan and French language Joyeaux Noel. We started 2026 with Irish drama Christy, followed by French/Vietnamese musical drama In the Nguyen Kitchen.
To mark International Women’s
day, we had a sellout showing of Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story. We closed out the season, with Nine Queens, the classic Argentinian Heist movie and Souleymane’s Story – the awardwinning story of an Guinean immigrant in Paris and his journey towards French citizenship.
We will be back in September, with another varied and interesting schedule of excellent movies, including our first ever Audience Choice – where you get the final say. More details to be released in due course. This year we also will be making a guest appearance at the Donabate Portrane Summer Festival in August – so keep a lookout for more information on that.
To keep up to date with our programme, scan the QR code to join our mailing list.
Remember, the Cinema Club is open to everyone – no membership needed. We look forward to seeing you at a future screening.
Urgent Need for more Public Health Nurses in Donabate - Cllr Johnston
Public Health Nurses are the backbone of community healthcare. They support families from the very first days of a newborn’s life, provide essential developmental checks, deliver care to our elderly and vulnerable neighbours, assess needs in the home, promote independent living, manage chronic illness, provide wound and palliative care, and ensure people are connected to the wider health system when they need it most.
Yet despite this vital role, Donabate a community of almost 15,000 people has been left with only 2.5 Public Health Nurses. This is an alarming ratio of 1 nurse for every 6,000 residents, far below what is needed to deliver safe, timely, and comprehensive care. With rising birth rates and a growing elderly population in the area, this shortfall places enormous pressure on staff and raises serious concerns about whether our most vulnerable residents are receiving the full range of services they deserve. This situation is not sustainable. It is not fair to our community, and it is not fair to the nurses who are doing everything they can under impossible
conditions. Additional Public Health Nurse staffing must be provided to Donabate without delay.
The current Health Centre originally built to serve just 2,000 people has seen little improvement over the decades and is no longer fit for purpose. For years, the HSE has acknowledged the need for a Primary Care Centre in Donabate. The decision last year to abandon the planned facility on Turvey Avenue, on the grounds of “value for money,” was deeply disappointing and entirely at odds with the needs of a rapidly expanding community.
A modern Primary Care Centre is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Donabate cannot continue to grow without the healthcare infrastructure required to support its people.
I have raised this matter directly with the HSE, and Duncan Smith TD has brought it to the Minister for Health. We await their responses and will consider further action as needed. Our community deserves a health service that is properly staffed, properly resourced, and capable of meeting the needs of every resident from newborns to older adults.
Breda Maguire, Andy Ellwood, Larry Carolan, Niamh ní Ghrifín
Portrane Road Enhancement Project to Improve Safety and Accessibility
Key works will shortly commence on the Portrane Road Enhancement Project, a major investment aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety, improving accessibility and raising the overall standard of the road network in the Donabate area. The scheme has been designed to provide safer, more inclusive infrastructure for the local community, with a particular focus on schoolchildren and families travelling to and from St. Patrick’s Boys National School and Scoil Phádraic Cailíní.
The project includes a series of upgrades such as wider footpaths along the northern side of Portrane Road and new pedestrian crossings to support safer and easier movement for all users. Traffic calming measures, including junction tightening and a raised table, will help to reduce vehicle speeds and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. A new bus layby will also be delivered, allowing buses to pull clear of the
main carriageway and improve traffic flow.
The scheme forms part of Fingal County Council’s ongoing commitment to active travel and the delivery of safer, more sustainable streets. It will facilitate safer school journeys, encourage walking and cycling and enhance the overall environment for residents and visitors alike.
Welcoming the project, Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tony Murphy, said: “This is an important investment in the local area that will significantly improve safety and accessibility for the community. In particular, it will support safer journeys for schoolchildren and their families, while encouraging walking and cycling and creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment for everyone who uses this route.”
Donnelly Civil Engineering Ltd has been appointed to carry out the works, which are scheduled to begin in July and are expected to take approximately nine months to complete.
Every effort will be made to minimise disruption throughout the construction period, with access to homes and businesses maintained wherever possible.
Director of Infrastructure and Transport at Fingal County Council, Matthew McAleese, stated: “The Portrane Road Enhancement Project reflects the Council’s strategic focus on delivering safer, more inclusive transport networks. By strengthening pedestrian infrastructure and introducing targeted traffic calming, the scheme will support a shift towards active travel while improving connectivity for all road users.”
Fortnightly updates on construction progress, including details of traffic management arrangements, will be available on the project webpage Portrane Road Enhancement Project | Fingal County Council and across Fingal County Council’s social media channels.
Parish Hall Hospitality & All!
The Parish Hall provides, through their wonderful team of hospitality volunteers, refreshments In the Parish Hall at least twice a month which includes various special days e.g. Mothers’ & Fathers’ Day. This takes place immediately after the 11am Mass. Tea & coffee and delicious cakes & buns are served and people get to chat with other parishioners in a very friendly & welcoming atmosphere. All are invited to call in, Donabate is a very fast growing community & it is good to meet the new & old neighbours.
All users of the Parish Hall submitted there requests/wishes in May for daily activities & block events and the Parish Office has now responded with the best arrangements they can provide, for all.
There may be some changes, but in general this
is the programme below.
Re Daily Activities: - There may still be some slots available, so if you need a space to do an activity or event in the hall between this July & next July please enquire ASAP.
Re Special Block Events: - Below are events that are taking place in 2026. The events for 2027 will follow in later editions. (There are still one or two events requested - awaiting final details to see if they can or will go ahead.)
July | Crosscare 1 Day Event | Wednesday 29th 12:30 - 3pm | The Drama House
July Summer Camp 2 weeks | Contact Shauna to Booking | shauna@thedramahouseireland.com
September | DP Crossroads ‘Culture Night’ Friday 18th
November | Donabate & Portrane Dramatic Society Saturday 7th - Sunday 22nd Hospitality - Fr Pat will be remembered at mass on his 1st Anniversary & a cup of tea/coffee afterwards in the Parish Hall. | Sunday 22nd
Through the Lens - Photography | Friday 27th - Sunday 29th
The Parish Office wishes the community a good summer with plenty of fine weather - stay safe & well. If you need any further information or have a query - please contact the Parish Office on 01 8434574.
Donabate
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed was delighted to play its part in the special event in Newbridge Park organised last month by the Fingal Men’s Shed branches and supported by Fingal County Council and Sport Ireland, to celebrate and raise awareness of International Men’s Health Week with the theme: “One Step at a Time – progress, not perfection”. Our shed helped with organising and participating in the walks and our music group, Gerry and the Plonkers, provided the entertainment. A great day was had by all, with
good weather, food, music and company, a chance for the various sheds to exchange ideas and learn from one another.
Earlier last month Ray, our “Outings Organiser”, arranged for our members to visit and have a guided tour of the GAA Museum in Croke Park and the opportunity of a photo with the Sam Maguire cup.
Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed is taking a break for July from most of its weekly activities, apart from croquet in Newbridge on Tuesday
mornings and of course the work in our plots in Turvey Allotments, where tending to our onions, tomatoes, courgettes and lettuces cannot be neglected.
We will be back with our full range of weekly activities in August and hopefully some more special outings organised by Ray. In the meantime, we are always open to new members. So if you, or someone close to you is interested in joining us, please contact our PRO, Jim, on 086-3694316.
How Long Will You Be Paid For?
By Dave Kavanagh
Nobody goes to work thinking that something may occur leaving them with no income for a period of time. Many people realised how vulnerable they were when the pandemic arrived, dropping some incomes from €600, €800 or €1,000+ per week down to €350 of PUP. Many don’t give much consideration to how they would cope if they suffered a loss of income for an extended period because they think “it’ll never happen to me”. Sadly, many find out the hard way following an injury or illness that keeps them out of work for months or even years. This is where having Income Protection in place, can be the difference between maintaining a level of income that keeps your lifestyle virtually unchanged, or dropping to a level that could force you to use up any savings and also get into financial difficulty. Missing or being late with a few mortgage payments will have an impact on your credit rating making it difficult or impossible to secure credit for a number of years.
So how does it work? Depending on your circumstances, you choose an appropriate level of cover. This is based on not exceeding 75% of your salary, less any state income entitlement. You also choose a “deferred period” which refers to how long you are off work before payments commence. If you are hospitalised during this period, some
plans pay a daily benefit even during the deferred period.The premiums are based on factors like your age and occupation, as some occupations would leave you more at risk of not being able to work. There is also tax relief on premiums paid for income protection, which could mean up to 40% of your premium is refunded by way of adjusting your tax credits. Considering that almost every aspect of your day to day living is directly dependent on you having an income, it is so important to research this for yourself. If dropping from your current income to the current state benefit is something that would impact badly on you, perhaps it is time to consider.
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.
Disclosure Day: A Sci-Fi Adventure with Heart
By Jack Shanley
Steven Spielberg returns to familiar territory with Disclosure Day, a science-fiction thriller that asks one big question: what would happen if the world finally learned the truth about alien life? The result is a film that feels both classic Spielberg and surprisingly modern.
The story follows a group of people caught in the middle of a global revelation involving hidden government secrets and evidence that humanity is not alone. While the plot occasionally becomes complicated, Spielberg keeps focus on the human side of the story. This isn’t just a movie about aliens; it’s about fear, trust, and how people react when everything they believe is suddenly challenged.
Emily Blunt delivers one of the strongest performances in the film. She brings intelligence and emotional weight to a character, trying to make sense of extraordinary events. Josh O’Connor is equally impressive, giving the movie much of its heart. Together, they make the high-concept story feel grounded and believable.
Visually, Disclosure Day is exactly what audiences expect from Spielberg. The film is packed with stunning imagery, suspenseful sequences, and moments of genuine wonder. Several scenes capture the sense of awe that made films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. so memorable. Spielberg still knows how to create movie magic on a massive scale and proves so especially towards the final act of the film.
The film’s biggest strength is its optimism. At a time when many sciencefiction movies focus on destruction and chaos, Disclosure Day is more interested in communication, understanding, and hope. That hopeful tone gives the film a refreshing identity, even if some viewers may find its message a little too idealistic.
Not everything works perfectly. The running time feels long, and a few supporting characters are underdeveloped. There are also moments when the story tries to juggle too many ideas at once. Some viewers may wish the film spent more time exploring the worldwide impact of its central revelation. Even with certain flaws, Disclosure Day succeeds because of Spielberg’s confident direction and its belief in humanity’s ability to rise above fear. It may not rank among the director’s absolute masterpieces, but it is an entertaining, thoughtful, and emotionally satisfying return to the kind of science fiction he does better than almost anyone else.
In all truth I’d recommend checking out ‘Disclosure Day’ and see what you think of it, I shall give it a score of Three ½ stars. You can watch it at your local cinema today. Director: Steven Spielberg – Rating: 12A –Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy – Run Time: 2h 25m Language: English. For more film content please follow @screen_.addicts on Instagram.
Record Breakers, Championship Glory and Club Celebrations
The past few weeks have been nothing short of extraordinary for our club, with athletes producing outstanding performances across Ireland and Europe.
Anna Gavigan has enjoyed a sensational start to the summer, producing a huge personal best of 55.34m in the women’s discus at the Halpus Werfertag Meet in Germany on May 22nd. She followed that with an incredible silver medal performance at the Continental Tour Challenger Meet in Italy on June 2nd, where her throw of 57.38m not only marked another massive personal best but also broke Patricia Walsh’s Irish Under-23 record that had stood since 1982.
Our distance runners also shone brightly at the Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin and the Cork City Marathon and Half Marathon on May 31st. Mary MacNamara claimed a National silver medal in the F35 category at the Cork City Half Marathon, while Jen Carpenter received bronze after finishing third in the F50 category at the Dublin Half Marathon on May 3. The Leinster Championships proved to be a memorable weekend, with the club collecting an impressive haul of medals and relay titles. Gold medals were secured in the Masters Women’s 4x100m, Senior Women’s 4x400m and
Mixed 4x400m relays, with the mixed quartet also setting a new Leinster Championship record. Dara Carr stole the show with three individual gold medals, while Xavi Hubert claimed M45 High Jump gold and a personal best in the 100m. Reuben Capocci earned bronze in the U18 800m before adding silver in the U18 1500m at the Dublin Championships, where Daniel Minto also won discus bronze.
Internationally, Sinéad O’Farrell impressed with 34th place in Slovenia as the highest-placed Irish senior athlete in the elite races, while her mother Louise O’Farrell finished 24th in the women’s open race the previous day. Congratulations also go to our Couch to 5K graduates, who completed their inspiring eight-week journey and celebrated a fantastic achievement together.
Huge congratulations also to Brian Kelly and his beautiful bride Michelle on their wedding day on the 14th of June. We wish them both a lifetime of love, happiness and every success together.
It has truly been a fantastic period of achievement, dedication and club pride for everyone involved.
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 August 16. The first correct entry to be drawnwill win €50..Good luck!
Down
1. The speed of something in a given direction. (8)
6. Remarkable, unexplainable, and bringing welcome consequences. (10)
13. Uncertain, indefinite, unclear. (5)
14. Sometimes a name for the Devil. (9)
15. The dishonest jack in a pack of cards. (5)
16. Relating to the heart. (7)
18. The darker stage of twilight. (4)
19. The lower house of the Oireachtas. (4)
20. A signed document acknowledging a debt. (3)
22. The long fish. (3)
23. Long-handled spoon used for serving soup. (5)
25. A circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool. (4)
27. The highest adult male singing voice. (4)
30. Money received for work or through investments. (6)
31. A gloss or sheen on a surface resulting from age or polishing. (6)
33. A new member of the armed forces. (7)
34. Synthetic material used in parachutes. (5)
35. Acting without consideration of the possible consequences. (4)
36. Soothe, make someone tranquil and quiet. (4)
37. Volatile liquid once popular as an anaesthetic. (5)
40. Bolster the crustacean. (7)
41. A lumberjack. (6)
42. Belgrade is the capital of this country. (6)
44. Garment traditionally worn by women from South Asia. (4)
45. This is one! (4)
46. Attempt a short piece of writing on a particular subject. (5)
48. A feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. (3)
50. Abbreviated Canadian dog. (3)
52. Maritime call to hail another ship. (4)
54. Able island for Napoleon. (4)
56. Common culinary herb. (7)
59. Moves from site to site on the Internet. (5)
60. Widespread outbreaks of disease. (9)
61. The largest city and capital of Belarus. (5)
62. Female leaders of families or tribes. (10)
63. Trek less for the small falcons. (8)
2. Strongly wanting to do something. (5)
3. A rock that contains minerals like gold, iron or lead. (3)
4. A complete idiot. (8)
5. Produced a natural or agricultural product. (7)
6. Places to get lost in. (5)
7. Precious stone which comes in various shades of red. (4)
8. Hooded snake. (5)
9. Probable. (6)
10. The fifth category of taste - sweet, sour, salt, bitter ... (5)
11. The process of moving people from a place of danger to safety. (10)
12. A scale for measuring wind speed. (8)
17. Pour light on something. (10)
21. Lewd area for an American state. (8)
22. The sword returned to the Lady of the Lake. (9)
24. Prepare material for publication. (4)
26. Hard wheat used in making pasta. (5)
28. A legal hub is so ludicrous as to be amusing. (9)
29. Move faster. (10)
32. Bad voles had their sins forgiven. (8)
35. Relating to the countryside. (5)
38. Bald crooks place barricades. (10)
39. Mythological man-eating giant. (4)
40. Lacking energy or enthusiasm. (8)
43. A brief summary. (8)
47. Suffering from mal de mer. (7)
49. A thick cable for mooring or towing a ship. (6)
51. The country now called Myanmar. (5)
53. It’s not over til the fat lady sings! (5)
55. Welsh vegetables! (5)
57. Declare invalid, a marriage perhaps. (5)
58. Chemical element vital for brass. (4)
61. Impair the quality or appearance of; spoil. (3)
