👋 Hi FingalEMers,

There’s plenty packed into this weekend’s edition, including a new artist residency in Loughshinny, an important MetroLink update with an interesting Pavilions Swords connection, Festival in a Van in Balbriggan, the Summer Sessions at Malahide Castle, a full guide to events from Friday to Sunday, and a celebration of the people behind New Irish Art.

It’s also one of the biggest sporting weekends of the year, with Spain taking on Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday evening. (England knocked out at the semi-final stage for the 5th time in the last 4 World Cups!😬) Whether you’ll be watching every minute or taking advantage of the quieter roads, there is plenty happening locally throughout the weekend.

We’re continuing our poll about whether the Fingal East events calendar is helping you discover things happening locally. If you have already completed the poll, there is no need to vote again — we already have your response.

We’ll also have another giveaway next week, so stay tuned and keep an eye on Monday’s newsletter for all the details.

Now, let’s get into this weekend’s news and events.

🔥🚿 This week’s sponsor: Heat Merchants Swords

Whether you're planning a new bathroom, replacing your heating system, upgrading to a heat pump or simply tackling a home improvement project, Heat Merchants Swords has everything you need under one roof. Conveniently located in Turvey Business Park, the branch offers a huge range of heating, plumbing, bathroom and renewable energy products, backed by expert local advice.

Part of one of Ireland's leading heating and plumbing suppliers for almost 50 years, Heat Merchants is trusted by both trade professionals and homeowners alike. The experienced Swords team can help you find the right products for projects of every size, whether you're renovating a family bathroom or improving your home's energy efficiency.

If you're planning your next home improvement project, Heat Merchants Swords is well worth a visit. Drop into the showroom, speak with the team or browse their range online.

Visit Heat Merchants Swords

🌊🎨 Marine artist Martina O’Brien awarded Loughshinny residency

Visual artist Martina O’Brien has been selected for the 2026 Loughshinny Boathouse Studio Award, giving her a fully funded workspace beside the harbour from September 2026 until May 2027. The nine-month residency is valued at €20,000 and includes an artist’s fee, materials, production costs and opportunities to collaborate with environmental experts.

During her time in Loughshinny, O’Brien plans to explore the marine life found between the high- and low-tide marks, as well as the effect changing patterns of light and darkness may have on coastal environments. Her previous work has taken her aboard research vessels in the Arctic Ocean, Oslofjord and the North Atlantic, where she has developed projects examining deep-sea research, climate change and the pressures facing our oceans.

The residency is also designed to build connections with the wider community, with O’Brien expected to work alongside scientists, local schools and community groups. Based in the restored boathouse overlooking Loughshinny Harbour, the project should encourage people to look more closely at the remarkable ecology of our coastline and the often unseen life found along the shore.

🚇🏗️ Important MetroLink site secured — with an interesting Swords connection

Transport Infrastructure Ireland has acquired part of Hammerson’s large property holding on O’Connell Street to facilitate the construction of MetroLink. The site includes land around the former Carlton Cinema, covers approximately two acres and extends for about 200 metres along the street. Bringing it into State ownership should make it easier to construct the planned underground station while allowing a wider regeneration plan to be developed for this prominent part of Dublin city centre.

There is also an interesting local connection: Hammerson is the same property group that co-owns Pavilions Swords, holding a 50% interest alongside Irish Life. This means the company selling land needed for one of MetroLink’s major city-centre stations is already a significant property owner at the Swords end of the route, where the arrival of the Metro is expected to support further retail, housing and commercial development.

More than €350 million has already been spent on MetroLink, while the eventual cost is expected to exceed the previous estimate of between €7.16 billion and €12.25 billion. The Government expects construction to begin within the next two years, with the project potentially taking around ten years to complete. For Swords, securing essential land elsewhere on the route is important because MetroLink can only unlock the town’s planned growth if the entire connection through the airport and into Dublin city centre is successfully delivered.

Read the original RTÉ article

🎶🚐 Featured event: Festival in a Van comes to Balbriggan

Festival in a Van arrives at Taylor Hill Estate, Balbriggan on Saturday July 18th at 3pm.

The specially adapted van opens into a mobile stage, bringing live music directly into the community. This free outdoor performance features Theresa McKenna and multilingual acoustic duo Claudio & Matilde.

Bring a picnic blanket or folding chair and enjoy an afternoon of live music close to home.

View event details

Friday 17th July

• Balbriggan | The Victory Garden, 7 Bremore Cottages | Garden Opening | Wander through this private ornamental garden during its summer open days. Open until the end of August. A member of the Dublin Garden Trail. | 11:00-17:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Golf Club | O’Dwyers Annual Golf Classic | A four-ball scramble with dinner and prizes for members and friends. | 14:00-17:00

• Malahide | West Lawn, Malahide Castle & Gardens | Summer Sessions: Sharon Shannon & Band featuring Mundy | An outdoor evening of Irish music in the castle grounds. | 17:00

Saturday 18th July

• Lusk | Hedgestown National School, Jordanstown | Reset & Reconnect | A restorative wellness morning created especially for busy mums. | 08:45-12:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Beginner’s Yoga with Tanvi | A gentle, welcoming Saturday-morning yoga class for beginners. | 09:30-10:30

• Malahide | St Sylvester’s Parish Centre | Iyengar Yoga with Sue | A welcoming weekly Iyengar yoga class with an experienced local teacher. | 10:00-11:30

• Donabate | East Coast Bike Hire, Kilcrea Road | Guided Historical E-Bike Tour | Explore local landmarks and hidden stories on a guided electric-bike tour. | 10:00

• Swords | Swords Castle | Explore Fingal Market | A free local market with artisan food, fresh produce and speciality goods. | 10:00-15:00

• Malahide | Casino Model Railway Museum | Explore Fingal Market | A welcoming food market featuring local producers and tempting treats. | 10:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Harbour | Fingal Rowing Club hosts its tenth-anniversary home regatta. | A fantastic day of skiff racing. | 10:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Summer Stars Storytime | A friendly summer story session for younger readers. | 10:30

• Rush | Rush Library | Chemistry Workshop | A hands-on Nutty Scientists session exploring reactions and dry ice. | 11:00-12:00

• Swords | Chapel, Swords Castle | A Brief History of Food in North Dublin | A fascinating local-history talk exploring how people ate in North Dublin. | 11:00

• Balbriggan | The Victory Garden, 7 Bremore Cottages | Garden Opening | Wander through this private ornamental garden during its summer open days. Open until the end of August. A member of the Dublin Garden Trail. | 11:00-17:00

• Swords | Rivervalley & Rathingle Community Centre car park | Swords Neurodivergent Community Festival in a Van | A free community celebration with live music and a warm local welcome. | 12:00-14:00

• Malahide | Malahide Beach | Women’s Beach Gathering | An afternoon of walking, conversation, fellowship and a picnic by the sea. | 12:00-15:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Board Games with Eclecticats | A relaxed afternoon of modern board games for local players. | 13:00

• Swords | Chapel, Swords Castle | A Day in the Life in Viking Ireland | Step back in time for an engaging look at everyday life in Viking Ireland. | 13:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark Concert Hall | CELLOFEST Celebration Concert | A special afternoon concert celebrating the cello and young musical talent. | 13:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Chemistry Workshop | A lively Nutty Scientists workshop with reactions, dry ice and hands-on learning. | 14:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Taylor Hill Estate | Sounds of Summer: Festival in a Van | Free live music from Theresa McKenna and Claudio & Mathilde. | 15:00

• Malahide | West Lawn, Malahide Castle & Gardens | Summer Sessions: Freak 25 | A one-off night of old-school dance anthems celebrating 25 years of FM104’s Freaks on Friday. | 17:00

Sunday 19th July

• Malahide | Malahide Castle & Gardens | Malahide Castle 10km | A chip-timed summer run through the castle grounds, with a medal and goodie bag. | 10:00

• Balbriggan | Irish Institute of Music & Song, Church Street | ClassicalKids.ie Interactive Kids Concert: Strings | A lively family concert introducing children to string instruments and live music. | 11:00

• Malahide | West Lawn, Malahide Castle & Gardens | Summer Sessions: KPOP Family Festival | A family festival featuring KPOP Superslayers, a Taylor Swift tribute and a kids’ rave. | 12:00

• Malahide | West Lawn, Malahide Castle & Gardens | Summer Sessions: Vengaboys | A big outdoor celebration of 80s and 90s favourites, headlined by Vengaboys. | 17:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Weekly Shamanic Drumming Meditation Group | A welcoming weekly gathering combining drumming, meditation and connection. | 19:00-21:00

• Donabate | The Shoreline Hotel | Music Bingo | A fun evening of bingo with a musical twist. | 20:00-22:00

📢 Finally, things we like about Fingal East: Celebrating Irish art through New Irish Art 🎨

Ireland has produced generations of incredibly talented artists, but getting their work seen has never been easy. That's where New Irish Art comes in. For more than 26 years, this independent online platform has been helping Irish artists reach new audiences by showcasing their work to visitors from Ireland and around the world. Today, it features more than 22,000 original artworks from hundreds of artists, making it one of the country's largest online collections of contemporary Irish art.

What makes New Irish Art particularly special is its philosophy. The platform doesn't sell artwork or take commission. Instead, it provides artists with a free space to exhibit their work while connecting art lovers directly with the creators. Whether you're looking to discover a new painter, browse landscapes inspired by Ireland or simply appreciate the wealth of artistic talent our country has to offer, it is a wonderful resource that champions Irish creativity and supports artists at every stage of their journey.

The driving force behind New Irish Art is Tom Hogarty, an artist and technology professional who founded the project in March 2000. Tom has quietly dedicated more than a quarter of a century to building and maintaining the platform, promoting hundreds of artists and preserving an ever-growing archive of Irish visual art. With strong connections to the Fingal East area through his time living and working locally, his contribution has helped shine a spotlight not only on artists from across Ireland, but also on many talented painters and creatives from our own community.

👏👏 Well done Tom and the team! Thank you for everything you've done over the past 26 years to champion Irish artists and help showcase the incredible talent our country has to offer.

Visit NewIrishArt.com

Thanks for reading and for being part of this growing Fingal East community. Every share, reply and recommendation helps us reach more local people and shine a light on what’s happening around us.

Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll talk again on Monday morning.