👋 Hi FingalEMers,

This feels like one of those weeks where Fingal East is doing what it does best — a bit of music, a bit of community, a bit of local history, and plenty of people giving their time to make things happen.

🐷 The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival is still underway across Donabate and Portrane, and it is a great reminder of how much can be built around local stories, local talent and local volunteers. If you have not had a chance to dip into it yet, there is still time.

We are also making a small change here at Fingal East Media. From next week’s 25th–31st May edition, the newsletter will move to twice weekly.

The idea is not to send you more for the sake of it. It is to make each edition easier to read, give events a bit more breathing room, and avoid trying to squeeze every good local story into one very long email.

So stay tuned — next week will be the start of a slightly new rhythm for Fingal East Media.

But for this week, let’s start with our regular poll. We ran this one before, but since the FingalEMers have more than doubled in size, it’s time to check in again.

If you know of an upcoming event or a local story worth sharing, drop us a line & we’ll help spread the word with our fast-growing community: [email protected]

🎶 🌾 Mayor’s Fest Coming to Skerries Mills

• Skerries Mills is set to host Mayor’s Fest, a free two-day family festival taking place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026, with festivities beginning each day from 2.00pm. Hosted by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, the event is aimed at families, residents and visitors, and gives people across Fingal East another good reason to spend time in one of the area’s best-known heritage locations.
• The weekend programme includes live entertainment across both days. Saturday will feature a Disney Princess Show and a Taylor Swift tribute act, while Sunday will bring performances from Smash Hits and Skerries-based favourites Risky Business. It is the kind of local event that should appeal to families looking for something easy and enjoyable to do without having to travel far.
• The festival is free to attend and no tickets are required. Visitors will also be able to use the on-site Windmill Café and additional food concessions during the weekend. People are being encouraged to travel by public transport, walking or cycling where possible, as there will be no parking onsite. For Skerries and the wider Fingal East area, it is a nice example of using local heritage, music and community spirit to bring people into the town.

🌊 🏖️ Fingal East Beaches Show Strong Water Quality Results

• Fingal East’s beaches have received a strong set of results in the latest EPA bathing-water report, with several local bathing spots now rated either Excellent or Good. Balcarrick Beach in Donabate, Velvet Strand in Portmarnock, North Beach in Rush and South Beach in Skerries are all rated Excellent, while Loughshinny Beach, Brook Beach in Portrane and South Beach in Rush are rated Good. Front Strand in Balbriggan is now rated Sufficient, meaning all of these named Fingal East beaches meet the required bathing-water standard.
• One of the more encouraging local points is the progress made at Balbriggan and Loughshinny. Rather than being a negative story, the latest results show two beaches moving in the right direction, with Loughshinny now rated Good and Balbriggan’s Front Strand reaching Sufficient status. For regular sea swimmers, walkers and families who use the coast, that is a welcome sign that the work around monitoring, follow-up action and local water-quality management is having a visible effect.
• The wider national EPA picture is also positive, with 150 of 153 bathing sites across Ireland meeting or exceeding the minimum standard in 2025. The EPA does still point to pressure from heavy rainfall, wastewater, urban runoff, agriculture and other sources, so the practical advice remains the same: enjoy the beaches, but check beaches.ie or local signage before swimming, especially after heavy rain. For Fingal East, though, the overall message is a good one — the local coastline is performing well, and some of the beaches that needed improvement are now showing real progress.

🚧🚦 Road closures & changes planned

• Swords
  • R132 Connectivity Project works between the Bostik junction and Pinnock Hill, with phase one focused on the Estuary Roundabout and peak-time lane capacity maintained : 27 March 2026 - approximately April 2028
  • R132 roadworks speed limit reduced to 50km/h from 60km/h for the R132 Connectivity Project : 1 March 2026 - 28 February 2027
  • Seatown Road to Estuary Road Active Travel Scheme: ducting, drainage and footpath works ongoing, with two-way traffic maintained : 12 May 2026 - ongoing
  • Seatown Road closure from the junction of St Columcille’s Drive/Seatown Road to the junction of North Street/Seatown Road : 1 July 2024 - 30 June 2026
  • Dublin Bus Route 41x departures that normally use Seatown Road are diverted via Swords Main Street, Malahide Road and Swords Bypass : 13 June 2024 - ongoing
  • Balheary Road wastewater network extension works along Balheary Road/R125 and Balheary Park, with Stop/Go traffic management, temporary bus-stop relocation and localised footpath closures : January 2026 - summer 2026
• Balbriggan
  • R132 Flemington Road Junction upgrade: footpath and cycle-track works on the western side from Flemington Lane to Hamlet Lane, with the western footpath/cycle track closed and an east-side pedestrian route in place : 12 May 2026 - ongoing
• Donabate
  • M1/N1 southbound roadworks between J4 Donabate and J1 M50/M1, with lanes affected : 18 May 2026 21:00 - 26 May 2026 22:00

Monday 18th May

• Swords | The Riasc Centre | The National Conversation on Education: the First Five Years and School-Age | A local discussion on early years and school-age education. | 15:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Memoir Writing with Anne McDonald | A friendly workshop for anyone interested in writing personal stories. | 18:30-19:30

• Malahide | Paddy's Hill | Outdoor Pilates with Laola Movement | A relaxed outdoor pilates class by the coast. | 19:00

• Swords | Thornleigh ETNS, Applewood | Zumba with Gill | An upbeat evening Zumba class to start the week. | 19:00

• Swords | Swords Castle Entrance | Swords Men's Walk & Talk Group | Meet for the weekly community walk, setting off at 7.30pm. | 19:15

• Donabate | St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland | The 🐷 Bleeding Pig Film Festival | An evening of independent short films from Ireland and beyond. | 19:30

• Lusk | Lusk Community Cottage | Lusk Tidy Towns AGM Meeting | The annual meeting is open to everyone interested in the local area. | 20:00

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Self-Protection Training | A practical self-protection class focused on confidence, awareness and personal safety. | 20:00

Tuesday 19th May

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

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Getting to Know Your Android Smartphone | A helpful digital skills session with Sabine McKenna. | 10:00-11:30

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

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Chair Yoga with Enda Greene | A gentle chair yoga session as part of Bealtaine. | 14:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Mosaic-Making with Catherine McCourt | A creative Bealtaine workshop for making your own mosaic piece. | 15:00-17:00

• Donabate | Corballis Farm Horse Trekking and Therapeutic Riding Centre | Horse Riding Tuesdays | A supportive horse-riding session hosted by Snowflakes autism support. | 16:00-17:00

• Malahide | Low Rock Beach | The Low Rock Malahide, Low-Carbon Walk | A coastal walk with a low-carbon focus. | 16:00

• Online | LEO Fingal | ChatGPT for Intermediate Level Usage | A practical evening session for small businesses looking to get more from ChatGPT. | 18:30-21:30

• Rush | Rush National School | Zumba with Gill | An upbeat local Zumba class. | 19:00

• Donabate | St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland | The 🐷 Bleeding Pig Film Festival: Women in Film | A short-film evening celebrating women in film. | 19:30

Wednesday 20th May

• Online | LEO Fingal | Pricing for Profit: Planning for 2026 | A morning workshop on pricing, margins and profitability. | 09:30-12:30

• Swords | River Valley Community Centre | Iyengar Yoga with Sue | A weekly Iyengar yoga class with Sue, teaching locally for 20 years. | 10:00-11:00

• Balbriggan | Glebe North Football Club | Wednesday Mat Pilates | A drop-in mat pilates class suitable for all levels. | 10:00

• Donabate | Unit 16, Donabate Town Centre | Therapeutic Yoga Donabate | A gentle one-hour therapeutic yoga class. | 10:00-11:00

• Malahide | Malahide Castle | Explore Fingal Regional Workshop | A tourism, food and drink business workshop for the Malahide area. | 10:00-11:30

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Chair Yoga with Enda Greene | A gentle chair yoga session as part of Bealtaine. | 11:00-12:00

• Portmarnock | Portmarnock Sports & Leisure Club | Over 50s Walking Football | A friendly walking football session for older adults. | 11:00-12:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Explore Fingal Regional Workshop | A tourism, food and drink business workshop for the North Fingal area. | 14:30-16:00

• Donabate | Community Centre, Portrane Road | Resin Workshop | A beginner-friendly creative session making your own UV resin pendant. | 14:30-16:00

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Handstands, Cartwheels & Core Floor GYMNastics Skills | A children's gymnastics skills training block session. | 15:30-18:30

• Donabate | Parish Hall, Donabate | Strength & Conditioning Classes | A welcoming strength and conditioning class with Iveta. | 17:00-18:00

• Donabate | Film Equipment Hire, Redleaf Business Park | Film Workshop | A hands-on introduction to film production with local industry professionals. | 17:00-18:00

• Swords | Thornleigh ETNS, Applewood | Zumba with Gill | A midweek Zumba class in Applewood. | 19:00

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Parent Support Meeting | A supportive evening meeting hosted by Snowflakes autism support. | 19:30

• Donabate | St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland | The 🐷 Bleeding Pig Film Festival: Feature Presentation | The festival’s midweek feature presentation in Donabate. | 20:00

Thursday 21st May

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Chair Yoga with Enda Greene | A gentle chair yoga session as part of Bealtaine. | 10:00-11:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Airdry Clay Workshop with Andrew Carson | A hands-on Bealtaine clay workshop. | 11:00-13:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | eServices Drop-In Clinic | A drop-in session for help with online library and digital services. | 14:00-15:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Pop Up Gaeltacht | A relaxed, friendly space to enjoy Irish conversation. | 17:30-18:30

• Rush | Rush Library | Chess for Beginners | An introductory chess course for adults, with all levels welcome. | 17:45-19:45

• Skerries | Skerries Library | From Coast To Rooftops: Understanding Gulls In A Human World | A biodiversity talk on gulls and how we share space with them. | 18:30-20:00

• Donabate | Donabate Golf Club | Summer Serenades - The Lambay Singers | An evening of music, song and poetry from The Lambay Singers. | 19:00

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Hatha Yoga | Gentle Hatha Yoga class with Calmness with Caroline. | 19:00-20:15

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | TSEAC Singing Session | A monthly singing session with Ian Lynch as special guest. | 19:00-21:00

• Portrane | The Brook Pub | The Showoff Sessions | An evening of music and spoken word as part of the festival. | 19:00-22:30

• Donabate | Triangle Coffee Company | Poetry, Spoken Word & Wine | A warm evening of poetry, performance and conversation. | 19:00-22:30

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Combat Cardio | A high-energy strength and conditioning session with SELF Protection Academy. | 20:00

• Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | Badminton | A new local badminton session starting in Rivervalley. | 21:00-22:00

Friday 22nd May

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Golf Club | Remember Us Annual Fundraising Golf Classic | A fundraising golf classic in support of Remember Us. | 09:00-12:00 & 13:00-17:00

• Donabate | Community Centre, Portrane Road | Drawing Workshop with artist Robert Shaw | A still-life drawing session with local artist Robert Shaw. | 13:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Millfield Shopping Centre | On the Altar of the Arts 2026 | Opening reception for the Black Lines exhibition. | 19:00

• Donabate | St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland | Sounds From The Square | A vibrant evening of music from young local performers. | 19:00

• Swords | Peacock's Bar & Lounge | Thin Az Lizzy Live at Peacock's Swords | A live tribute night celebrating the music of Thin Lizzy. | 19:30-23:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Ardal O'Hanlon: Not Himself | A stand-up comedy show from Ardal O'Hanlon. | 20:00

• Malahide | Sacred Heart Church | Enchiriadis Choir Malahide Spring Concert | A spring choral concert with Enchiriadis Choir. | 20:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | The 4 of Us | An intimate acoustic performance from the acclaimed Irish band. | 20:00-22:30

Saturday 23rd May

• Portmarnock | Portmarnock Beach | Beach Pilates, Sea Swim & Sauna with Laola Movement | A morning mix of pilates, sea swimming and sauna time. | 08:00-10:00

• Malahide | St Sylvester’s Parish Centre | Iyengar Yoga with Sue | A weekly Iyengar yoga class with Sue, teaching locally for 20 years. | 10:00-11:30

• Portmarnock | Portmarnock Coastline | Fossil Walks, Biodiversity Week, Dublin Coastline | A guided fossil walk along the local coastline. | 10:00-11:30

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Snowflakes OWLS Nature & Craft Morning | A nature and craft morning hosted by Snowflakes autism support. | 10:00

• Baldoyle | Racecourse Community Centre | Women’s Rest, Recharge & Renew Workshop | A nurturing workshop with inner peace, yoga flow, breathwork, meditation and a soothing sound bath. | 10:00-14:00

• Donabate | Community Centre, Portrane Road | Creative Drama Workshop ages 13-16 years | A creative drama workshop for teenagers to build confidence and explore theatre. | 10:00-16:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | From Celtic Roots to African Beats | A joyful Africa Day celebration with live music and culture. | 11:00-12:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Bookbinding Workshop with Lynn Cahill | A creative workshop exploring simple bookbinding techniques. | 11:00-13:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Coding Taster Class with The Academy of Code | A fun coding taster class for young learners. | 11:30-12:30

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Pop-up Coding Challenge with The Academy of Code | A lively coding challenge for curious young minds. | 11:45-12:45

• Lusk | Lusk National School | Over 50s Walking Football | A friendly walking football session for older adults. | 12:00-13:00

• Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | Adaptive Taekwon-Do Tournament | A local adaptive Taekwon-Do tournament. | 13:00

• Swords | Balheary Shooting | Balheary - 2026 Clay Qualifiers | A clay qualifier event hosted by Dublin Regional Game Council. | 13:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Cricket Club | CL Girls Under 15 Spring Coaching Sessions | A Cricket Leinster coaching session for under-15 girls. | 13:30-14:15

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Coding Taster Class with The Academy of Code | A fun coding taster class for young learners. | 14:00-15:00

• Malahide | Malahide Parish Centre | Thrive Vibrant Beyond 50 | A supportive wellness workshop for strength, movement and confidence. | 14:00-17:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre | Try Traditional Aikido Class in Balbriggan | A free introductory class for anyone curious about traditional Aikido. | 15:00

• Portrane | The Brook Pub | Pizza & Trad Ceili | A lively community ceilí with music, dancing and pizza. | 16:00

• Malahide | Grand Hotel Malahide | Gala Evening | A gala evening hosted by Kinsealy United Football Club. | 19:00

• Donabate | Triangle Coffee Company | Comedy Night: Sinéad Walsh with Jack Shortall | An intimate comedy night with sharp local storytelling and support. | 19:00

• Swords | Peacock's Bar & Lounge | John Spillane Live in Swords | An intimate live show from acclaimed songwriter John Spillane. | 19:30-22:30

• Balbriggan | The Lark | The Sensational 70s Superstars Show | A nostalgic live show packed with 70s hits. | 20:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan | Africa Day Balbriggan | A late-night community celebration for Africa Day. | 21:00-02:00

• Balbriggan | Millfield Shopping Centre | On the Altar of the Arts 2026 | The Black Lines exhibition continues upstairs in Millfield. | Time not stated

Sunday 24th May

• Malahide | Malahide Parish Centre | Thrive Vibrant Beyond 50 | A supportive wellness workshop for strength, movement and confidence. | 09:45-12:45

• Portrane | Tower Bay Beach | Martello Tower Tour 1 | A guided tour exploring Portrane’s restored Martello Tower and gardens. | 10:45-12:00

• Donabate | Parish Hall | Culture Day at the Parish Hall | A day of art, photography, live performance and local heritage. | 11:00-16:00

• Portrane | Tower Bay Beach | Martello Tower Tour 2 | A guided tour exploring Portrane’s restored Martello Tower and gardens. | 11:45-13:00

• Donabate | Donabate Railway Station | Historical Bus Tour - Donabate / Portrane | A guided heritage tour through Donabate and Portrane with local stories. | 13:00-15:00

• Malahide | Malahide Parish Centre | Thrive Vibrant Beyond 50 | A supportive wellness workshop for strength, movement and confidence. | 13:30-16:30

• Donabate | Community Centre, Portrane Road | Drumming Workshop - all ages | An energetic hands-on drumming workshop open to all ages and abilities. | 14:00-16:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Singalong Songbook Presents – Those Hucklebuck Days: The Songs We Danced To | A nostalgic showband-era singalong with classic songs and feel-good memories. | 15:00

• Balbriggan | Millfield Shopping Centre | On the Altar of the Arts 2026 | The Black Lines exhibition continues upstairs in Millfield. | Time not stated

📸 Photo Credit

• Photo: Balbriggan Martello Tower, Balbriggan, Fingal by William Murphy / infomatique, cropped from original, used under CC BY-SA 2.0.
• Original source: Flickr. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0.