👋 Hi FingalEMers,

It’s another packed week across Fingal East, with 🚴‍♀️ National Bike Week and ☀️ Dublin Climate Action Week 2026 taking place and 🐷 The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival getting underway on the Donabate and Portrane peninsula.

In fact, there is so much happening locally this week that we simply couldn’t fit our usual “Things We Like in Fingal East” section into this edition. It’s a nice problem to have, but it does show just how busy the local calendar has become.

So, from the week after next (25th-31st May), we’ll be moving to two editions per week. We asked you about this before, and the response was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 90% in favour.

The aim is simple: shorter, easier-to-read editions, more room for local events, and a better chance of making sure good things happening across Fingal East don’t get missed.

Now to our poll; with the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival getting underway in Donabate and Portrane, we’d love to know how familiar people are with it.

Have you been before, are you planning to go this year, or is this your first time hearing about it?

This week’s sponsor is a real favourite of ours: Empoli Restaurant in Swords.

Empoli has advertised with us before, and we’re delighted to welcome them back. They’re a much-loved Mediterranean spot with a strong Italian focus — the kind of place you can rely on for a relaxed meal, friendly service, and consistently tasty food.

They’re also a great shout for groups and special occasions, with a team that genuinely takes pride in how they look after people.

If you’re planning a catch-up, family meal, or night out locally, Empoli is well worth a visit — warm, welcoming, and always a good feed.

Don’t forget to tell April and the team you're a FingalEMer!

🎨 🌊 New Creative Strategy and Funding Scheme Launched for Balbriggan

• Fingal Arts Office has launched a new Creative Places Balbriggan Strategy for 2026–2027, alongside a new funding scheme called Making Waves. The aim is to make the arts more accessible across Balbriggan by supporting community-led creative activity and giving local groups more opportunities to work directly with artists. For a town with such a strong mix of cultures, ages and community energy, this feels like another important step in building Balbriggan’s creative identity.
• The new strategy is built around three main themes: Creative Youth, Creative Industry and Climate Action. Speaking at the launch in The Lark Concert Hall, Mayor of Fingal Cllr Tom O’Leary highlighted Balbriggan’s growing arts scene and pointed in particular to the importance of young people, with Balbriggan described as Ireland’s youngest large town and roughly a third of its population under 18. Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly also connected the strategy to wider plans for the town, including public art projects, planned studio spaces at 2–4 Dublin Street and Balbriggan’s role as Fingal’s Decarbonising Zone.
• The practical piece for local groups is the Making Waves Seed Funding Scheme, which will support creative programmes where community members work collaboratively with an artist to develop new ideas, skills and activities. Funding of up to €5,000 per applicant is available, with applications open from Tuesday 5 May until Friday 26 June 2026. The scheme is open to individual artists, community groups and community organisations based in Balbriggan, as well as artists from outside the town who are willing to work with a Balbriggan community group.

🧪 🏆 De La Salle Students Take Top Prize at SciFest@DkIT 2026

• De La Salle College students Breffni Tuomey Lynch, Conor Douglas and Conn Sheridan were named the overall winners at SciFest@DkIT 2026, taking home the SciFest Best Project Award for their project, Under the Shell: The Hidden Effects of Sewage on Coastal Life. The event, held on the Dundalk Institute of Technology campus, brought together students from across the North Leinster and South Ulster region and formed part of SciFest’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
• This year’s competition showed just how much depth there is in school-level science, with over 273 students from 21 schools presenting 132 projects across a wide range of subjects, from environmental science and engineering to health, technology, social science and space. There were 23 awards in total, including prizes supported by organisations such as Regeneron, EirGrid, Intel, Boston Scientific, ESERO and the Irish Science Teachers’ Association.
• There was also a strong Fingal East connection. Maedhbh Gibbons from Ardgillan Community College won the SciFest Communications Award for her project on soil salinity and plant growth, while another Ardgillan team won the SciFest Maths in Science Award for work on exam language demands and grade distributions. Lusk Community College also featured strongly, with Isabel Mullally and Hannah Lyons winning the Keenova STEM Excellence Award for a project on generative AI and creativity, while Maria Renduda and Emilia Vichareva won Best Intermediate Project in the DkIT Awards for Behind the Mask: The Molecular Truth of Hair Restoration.

🚧🚦 Road closures & changes planned

• Swords
  • Seatown Road closure from the junction of St Columcille’s Drive/Seatown Road to the junction of North Street/Seatown Road : 01 July 2024 time not stated - 30 June 2026 time not stated
  • R132 Connectivity Project: road works speed limit of 50km/h, reduced from 60km/h : 01 March 2026 time not stated - 28 February 2027 time not stated
  • R132 Connectivity Project: R132 remains open northbound and southbound, but off-peak traffic may be reduced to one lane in each direction to allow for works : April 2026 time not stated - early 2028 time not stated
  • Swords Cultural Quarter / North Street public realm works: temporary southbound traffic changes, with vehicles prevented from continuing onwards to Main Street during works : April 2026 time not stated - before end 2026 time not stated
  • Seatown Road active travel works: alternative pedestrian route and temporary bus stop relocation during ducting, drainage and footpath works : 01 May 2026 time not stated - end date not stated
  • Route 41x: departures that normally use Seatown Road divert via Swords Main Street, Malahide Road and Swords Bypass; stops 7114 and 7116 are not in use : 12 July 2024 12:00 - 30 June 2026 11:59
  • Routes 41c, 41x and 43: TFI lists a diversion towards the city via Watery Lane, Rathbeale Road, Bridge Street and Swords Main Street, with several North Street/Seatown stops not served : 10 February 2026 10:00 - 31 December 2027 12:00
• Balbriggan
  • Flemington Road Junction upgrade: footpath and cycle track works on the western side of the R132 from Flemington Lane to Hamlet Lane, with an alternative pedestrian route on the eastern side : 05 May 2026 time not stated - end date not stated
• Malahide
  • Route 32x: due to roadworks along Howth Road and James Larkin Road, services towards UCD are diverted; services towards Malahide are listed as normal route : 16 March 2026 06:00 - 16 June 2026 11:59
• Portmarnock
  • R106 Portmarnock Bridge: overnight closure with diversions as part of bridge works : 11 May 2026 20:00 - 12 May 2026 06:00

Monday 11th May

• Swords | Swords Library | Memoir Writing with Anne McDonald | Interactive writing workshop using prompts to turn memories into poems and stories. | 11:00-12:00

• Malahide | Paddy’s Hill | Outdoor Pilates | Outdoor Pilates class at Paddy’s Hill. | 19:00

• Swords | Thornleigh Educate Together NS | Zumba with Gill Swords | High-energy Monday night Zumba class. | 19:00

• Ballyboughal | Ballyboughal Community Hub | Irish Dance Classes Meet & Greet | Meet Dance Hall Academy ahead of new Irish dance classes. | 19:30

Tuesday 12th May

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Hatha Yoga | Gentle Hatha Yoga class with Calmness with Caroline. | 09:30-10:45

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based yoga class with Calmness with Caroline. | 11:15-12:15

• Balbriggan | Bracken Court Hotel | The Revenue Leak - How businesses go invisible and how AI helps fix it | Free chamber networking morning on local business visibility and AI. | 09:45-11:00

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Getting to Know Your Android Smartphone | Friendly Android phone course covering everyday Android tasks. | 10:00-11:30

• Donabate | Newbridge House | Donabate Historical Cycling Tour | Guided 90-minute cycling tour through Donabate’s history. | 10:30-12:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Percussion Workshop | High-energy rhythm workshop for adults, with equipment provided. | 11:00-13:00

• Rush | Rush Library | Bealtaine Music: Grace Lambert & Michelle Gahan | Folk favourites, traditional tunes and original songs from Arro. | 11:00-12:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based movement, breathwork and relaxation. | 14:00-15:00

• Donabate | Corballis Farm Horse Trekking & Therapeutic Riding Centre | Horse Riding Tuesdays | Supported horse riding session for members aged 5+. | 16:00-17:00

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Film Screening: Ocean | Free David Attenborough documentary screening for Dublin Climate Action Week. | 18:00-19:35

• Online | LEO Fingal | Start Your Own Business | Interactive start-up course covering planning, finance, marketing and practical skills. | 18:30-21:30

• Swords | Starbucks, Swords Pavilions | Coffee Evening for Neurodivergent Adults | Relaxed coffee evening for adult members of the neurodivergent community. | 20:00-21:30

Wednesday 13th May

• Online | LEO Fingal | Microsoft Co-Pilot For Beginners | Practical beginner workshop on using Copilot across Microsoft 365. | 09:30-12:30

• Donabate | Unit 16, Donabate Town Centre | Therapeutic Yoga Donabate | Restorative yoga class for easing tension and supporting wellbeing. | 10:00-11:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based movement, breathwork and relaxation. | 11:00-12:00

• Swords | ☀️ Holywell Community Centre | Toy Upcycling with Scéal | Family workshop to repair or reimagine toys with creativity and care. | 16:00-18:00

• Rush | Rush National School | Rush MKG Martial Arts - Open Evening | Open evening for 8-16-year-olds to try the martial arts programme. | 17:00-19:00

• Donabate | Donabate Library | It is Never too Late to Be a Poet | Encouraging poetry workshop for anyone ready to give writing a try. | 18:00-19:30

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Copper Workshop with Aoife Munn | Hands-on creative copper workshop with Aoife Munn. | 18:00-19:30

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Éilís Ní Dhuibhe, in conversation | Literary evening with Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhe. | 19:00-20:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark Concert Hall | High Point University Chamber Singers | Free choral concert from the visiting university ensemble. | 19:30-20:30

• Swords | 📍 Peacocks Lounge, Rivervalley | Chancers | Local comedy from Swords Theatre Company. | 20:30

Thursday 14th May

• Online | LEO Fingal | Strengthening Skills in People, Performance & Conversations | Online HR series on clear communication, feedback and confident conversations. | 09:30-12:30

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based movement, breathwork and relaxation. | 10:00-11:00

• Swords | SuperValu, Swords Pavilions | Meet Author Mike Power | Meet the local historian and get signed copies of Swords History and Mysteries. | 10:00-20:00

• Malahide | ☀️ Malahide Library | Family Climate Lego Workshop | Creative family LEGO workshop exploring biodiversity and sustainable living. | 15:45-17:45

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Mosaic-Making with Catherine McCourt | Creative mosaic-making workshop for a hands-on Bealtaine afternoon. | 17:30-19:30

• Dublin Airport | Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport Central | Fingal PPN Plenary Meeting | Registration and refreshments from 6pm, with plenary meeting at 7pm. | 18:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Hardboiled: American Crime Fiction from Chandler to Highsmith | Myles Dungan explores classic American crime fiction and unforgettable characters. | 18:30-19:30

• Portmarnock | Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links | The Piano Men By Candlelight | Elton John and Billy Joel classics by candlelight with Frank McNamara. | 20:30-22:20

• Swords | 📍 Peacocks Lounge, Rivervalley | Chancers | Local comedy from Swords Theatre Company. | 20:30

Friday 15th May

• Donabate | Donabate Golf Club | Portrane Hockey Club Golf Classic | Annual golf classic fundraiser with early and afternoon tee times. | 08:00-16:00

• Swords | Burgundy House, Forster Way | It’s Never Too Late to Learn: Your Next Chapter Starts Now! | Warm talk on returning to education and exploring local learning options. | 09:30-11:00

• Balbriggan | Various locations | Hello Balbriggan Community Chats | Meet local support groups at information stands around town. | 10:00-11:00

• Balbriggan | ☀️ Flemington Community Centre | T-shirt Upcycling Workshop | Turn an old T-shirt into a handy tote bag in a sustainable fashion session. | 10:30-11:30

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Healthy Steps Walk n’ Talk | Friendly walk and talk with a relaxed cuppa and music after. | 11:00

• Balbriggan | Cairde, Hampton Street | Connect Café with Cairde | Inclusive community coffee morning and chat. | 11:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Céilí Beag | Baby and toddler play session for ages 0-3, with a minibeast theme. | 11:00-12:00

• Swords | Burgundy House, Forster Way | Click with Confidence: Online Safety for Everyday Life | Practical session on spotting scams and staying confident online. | 11:15-12:45

• Balbriggan | The Square | Music on The Square | Lunchtime music and community gathering for Hello Balbriggan day. | 12:30

• Malahide | Malahide Community School | Plant Sale | Community plant sale with baskets, bedding plants, bee-friendly plants and perennials. | 15:00-18:00

• Swords | St Colmcilles Club House | Autistic Teen Hang | Neuroaffirming teen hang with activities, games, arts and crafts. | 19:00-20:00

• Swords | The Orchard Bar & Lounge, Applewood | Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust Fundraiser Night | Charity fundraiser night with live music, raffle and prizes. | 19:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark Concert Hall | Kaz Hawkins | Soulful live show from Northern Irish singer Kaz Hawkins. | 20:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Zoé Basha & Band | Live folk music blending Americana, Appalachian sounds and Irish tradition. | 20:00-23:00

Saturday 16th May

• Malahide | Malahide Community School | Plant Sale | Community plant sale with baskets, bedding plants, bee-friendly plants and perennials. | 10:00-18:00

• Balbriggan | ☀️ The Warehouse, Vauxhall Street | Ecobites Workshop with the Sustainable Life School | Climate-friendly food workshop with seasonal recipes and waste-saving tips. | 10:30-12:00

• Donabate | Newbridge House | Donabate Historical Cycling Tour | Guided 90-minute cycling tour through Donabate’s history. | 10:30-12:00

• Balbriggan | ☀️ Balbriggan Library | The Lie of the Land with John Gibbons | Climate writer John Gibbons discusses practical paths through the climate crisis. | 11:00-12:00

• Balbriggan | ☀️ Playground behind Bremore Castle | Bremore Family Fun Day for Bike Week | Family day with bike checks, street games, cycling skills and a 1pm cycle. | 11:00-16:00

• Donabate | Newbridge House | Leinster Pipe Band Championships 2026 | Leinster Branch pipe band championship celebrating tradition and musical excellence. | 11:00

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Climate Escape Room with Trinity Climate Hub | 45-minute climate-themed team challenge for ages 12+ and families. | 11:00-12:00

• Swords | River Valley Community Centre | Swords Tidy Towns Clothes Swap | Outdoor clothes swap with plant and seed sharing plus a mending corner. | 11:00-13:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Spectrum Sketch - Drawing in Colour Workshop with Cormac Dennis | Hands-on drawing workshop exploring tone, colour and loose response. | 12:00-14:00

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Climate Escape Room with Trinity Climate Hub | 45-minute climate-themed team challenge for ages 12+ and families. | 12:00-13:00

• Balbriggan | Polytunnel, Bremore Park | Picnic at the Polytunnel | Bring a picnic and learn about planting, composting and wildlife. | 13:00-15:00

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Climate Escape Room with Trinity Climate Hub | 45-minute climate-themed team challenge for ages 12+ and families. | 13:00-14:00

• Donabate | Newbridge House | Donabate Historical Cycling Tour | Guided 90-minute cycling tour through Donabate’s history. | 14:00-15:30

• Portmarnock | ☀️ Portmarnock Beach | Seashore Explore with Clean Coasts | Hands-on seashore exploration and citizen science for all ages. | 14:00-16:20

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Climate Escape Room with Trinity Climate Hub | 45-minute climate-themed team challenge for ages 12+ and families. | 14:00-15:00

• Loughshinny | ☀️ Loughshinny Boathouse | W(o)ar Tracing at Loughshinny Boathouse | Seaweed walk and lumen-printing workshop with artist Maria McSweeney. | 14:30-17:00

• Malahide | ☀️ Malahide Library | Film Screening: Ocean | Free David Attenborough documentary screening for Dublin Climate Action Week. | 15:00-16:35

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Educate Together | Fast Fashion Workshop with Sustainable Skerries | Practical talk and workshop on making better wardrobe choices. | 15:00-16:30

• Skerries | ☀️ Skerries Library | Climate Escape Room with Trinity Climate Hub | 45-minute climate-themed team challenge for ages 12+ and families. | 15:00-16:00

• Balbriggan | Martello Tower | Beach Walk with Patrick | Guided beach walk as part of Balbriggan’s nature festival. | 15:30

• Portrane | 🐷 Portrane Beach | Sand Art Workshop | Bleeding Pig beach art workshop with environmental artist Sean Corcoran. | 16:00-19:00

• Portrane | 🐷 The Brook | Bleeding Pig Festival Launch | Traditional music with Eamonn Galldubh & Friends and Leithinis Donabate Portrane. | Doors 19:00; music 20:00

• Swords | Peacocks Bar & Lounge | AC/DC Tribute - Rosie’s Damnation | High-energy AC/DC tribute night in Swords. | 19:30-23:00

• Swords | The Chalk Venue | Who’s Eddie | Live band making their first appearance at The Chalk Venue. | 20:00-23:45

Sunday 17th May

• Malahide | Malahide Tennis Club | Flow Yoga & Reiki with Caroline | Gentle yoga and Reiki class to build balance, strength and calm. | 09:30-10:30

• Donabate | 🐷 Shoreline Hotel / Martello Tower | Seashore Foraging Workshop with Denise | Bleeding Pig coastal foraging walk from Martello Tower towards Ladies Beach. | 11:00-14:00

• Malahide | Grand Hotel | Malahide Classic & Vintage Motor Show | Classic cars, bikes, family fun, games and face painting. | 11:00-17:00

• Malahide | ☀️ Malahide Castle | Family Fun Day at Malahide Castle | Free family climate action day with activities, stands and movies on the lawn. | 11:00-18:00

• Malahide | Malahide Community School | Plant Sale | Community plant sale with baskets, bedding plants, bee-friendly plants and perennials. | 11:00-15:00

• Donabate | 🐷 Donabate Portrane Community Centre | The Palestine Memorial Blanket | Bleeding Pig craftivism gathering with Donabate Against Racism. | 13:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark Concert Hall | IIMS Summer Gala 2026 | Afternoon showcase of student soloists and IIMS choirs. | 14:00

• Donabate | 🐷 St Patrick’s Church of Ireland, The Square | Church of Ireland Tour | Bleeding Pig guided tour exploring Donabate’s historic church and local heritage. | 15:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Seisiún Óige – A Session for Young Musicians | Gentle slow session for young musicians of all instruments and abilities. | 15:00-16:00

• Donabate | 🐷 Ladies Beach | Sand Art Workshop | Bleeding Pig hands-on sand art workshop with Sean Corcoran of The Art Hand. | 17:00-20:00

• Donabate | 🐷 St Patrick’s R.C. Church | The Bonny Men - Live from St Patrick’s Church Donabate | Bleeding Pig live folk concert with The Bonny Men and support from Djouce. | Doors 18:45; music 19:15

• Naul | Naul Village | Traditional Irish Music Slow Session with Paudie O’Connor | Relaxed monthly slow session for adult players, with in-person and online tickets. | 19:00-21:00

Photo: Malahide - Dublin by William Murphy / infomatique, used under CC BY-SA 2.0.