If you’ve a child (or teen) in Fingal East who’s always sketching outfits, customising hoodies, or itching to learn how to actually use a sewing machine, Project Fashion is really worth a look. They run kids & teen fashion/sewing classes year-round, teach in dozens of locations nationwide, & list local options for Swords, Malahide, Donabate & Balbriggan. The programme is led by professional designer Paul Alexander & his fashion design team, with projects & patterns developed in-house & a clear progression from beginner skills through to more advanced “wear-it-proud” pieces.

For teenagers who are serious about design (or even thinking about an art or fashion path after school), their teen course focuses on the full “idea to outfit” journey: design research, colour & fabric choices, & tutor-led garment construction (including pattern cutting), with students building a design sketchbook along the way. It’s aimed at ages 13–17, & the course finishes with students styling & modelling their work in a photoshoot, followed by a teen exhibition night where they can show off what they’ve created.

They also run Fashion Summer Camps from age 7 up through the teens, with new themes each year & a strong hands-on mix of mood boards, sewing & making a finished piece to present at the end — plus upcycling projects using repurposed materials. And for kids who love a big goal to work toward, students can take part in a runway-style showcase through their annual “Young Designer of the Year” show. The latest show celebrating 2025 took place in Croke Park earlier this week (Sat 17th Jan).

To find a class near you check out the Project Fashion location page here.

Work is starting this month on a major upgrade to the wastewater network along Balheary Road in Swords, which Uisce Éireann says will increase capacity & support sustainable growth — including enabling the delivery of 2,980 new homes by relieving pressure on existing infrastructure & improving system performance.

The works, will link in with Fingal County Council’s R132 Road Connectivity Project, including planned changes around the Estuary Roundabout (which is expected to become a signalised junction). Part of the sewer works will be delivered alongside the road scheme to keep disruption & coordination on track.

The project involves installing over 360 metres of new wastewater pipeline between the Balheary Road/Castlegrange Green junction & the Estuary Roundabout, including sections along the R125 & within Balheary Park. Completion is expected by summer 2026, with the Estuary Roundabout section due by end-2026.

Fingal County Council has announced it’s been shortlisted for the 2026 LAMA (Local Authority Members Association) Awards, with four Fingal projects nominated. The LAMA awards, now in their 20th year, recognise strong collaboration between communities & local authorities, & Fingal says the shortlist reflects continued investment in local services and partnerships with community groups and businesses.

The four shortlisted projects span wellbeing, inclusivity & local development: The Fingal Write Time Literary (Fingal Libraries’ writing & literature festival), the Water Sport Ability Camp (an inclusive watersports camp with adaptive equipment & one-to-one support), the Talking Heads initiative (working with barbers to reduce stigma around suicide & signpost support), & the Church Fields Mixed Tenure Housing Development (a mixed-tenure housing scheme focused on affordability, sustainability & integrated community living).

With 533 entries submitted this year, the Mayor said the shortlist is a meaningful recognition for Fingal. The awards ceremony is due to take place at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on 28 February 2026, & we’ll be watching to see how Fingal gets on.

Swords: Seatown Rd remains partially closed (to Jun 2026); Main St bus stop 3679 is suspended (12 Jan–2 Feb, routes 33/41/41c/43); Balheary Rd/R125 has Stop/Go traffic and footpath impacts due to wastewater works (Mon–Sat, some stops relocated).

Clogheder: (near Balbriggan / Skerries corridor) Clonard Rd is closed 19 Jan–13 Feb (08:00–19:00) for deep sewer replacement.

Rail (noise): Night works on the Donabate line 19–25 Jan, and Baldoyle level crossing to Sutton 24–25 Jan.

Malahide | St. Andrew's church | Open Rehearsal | If you love singing, that’s this is the place to be. Come join us to make some gorgeous music in 2026. | 19:00-21:00

Swords | Fingal Community College | Fingal Community College Parents’ Association Meeting | Your voice matter …. | 19:00-21:00

Online | Facebook for Beginners | Facebook may have been around for a few years, but its real impact is only now being valued. | 09:30-12:30

Rush | Community Centre | Tidy Towns AGM | The Rush Tidy Towns AGM takes place on Wednesday the 21st of January at 7.30pm in Rush Community Centre. | 19:30-21:30

Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Swords Autism Friendly Town - AGM | Swords Autism Friendly Town (as part of Swords Neurodiversity Network) are using our AGM next week. Message us for more details or pop down to have a chat with us. | 19:00-21:00

Online | Online | Leveraging Chat GPT for SME Strategy | The aim of this workshop is to enable participants to utilise the functions of Chat GPT to maximise their business strategy. | 09:30-12:30

Online | Online | One Day to Transform Your Digital Future | Stop guessing your way through social media & start the year with a professional, actionable plan. | 09:30-12:30

🎶Portrane | The Brook | Tom Canning & Friends | Cosy Portrane comes alive as Tom Canning & Friends kick off the Smithwick’s Sessions in Fingal at The Brook. | 21:00-23:30

🎶Rush | Mill Bank Theatre | Stephen Rea A Film Retrospective The Butcher Boy | Celebrating the film career of award-winning actor Stephen Rea, with screenings of 3 of his most renowned movies including. The film will feature an introduction by Stephen Rea. | 20:00-23:00

🎶Skerries | Joe May's pub | Trad Tunes Session & Pop Up Gaeltacht | Get into the middle bar early to enjoy these local players. | 19:30-23:30

🎶Donabate | Donabate Community Centre | The Dublin Legends & Derek Warfield And The Young Wolfe Tones | The Dublin Legends are a quartet of genuine legends of the Irish folk music scene – Seán Cannon, Gerry O’Connor, Paul Watchorn & Shay Kavanagh. | 20:00-23:30

Balbriggan | Glebe North Football Club | Adult dancing | Entertainment: Blue Lace | 21:00-00:30

Rush | Rogerstown Green, bottom of Channel road | Learn about the birds of Rogerstown Estuary. | Linda Mellon from Birdwatch Ireland will provide us with a guide to birdwatching at Rogerstown Estuary. Free event | 11:00-13:00

Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | Seed & Plant Share | Swap | Gather & exchange seeds & knowledge | 11:00-13:00

🎶Rush | Mill Bank Theatre | Stephen Rea A Film Retrospective: Michael Collins | Michael Collins (1996) is Neil Jordan’s epic drama starring Liam Neeson as the revolutionary leader, tracing Ireland’s fight for independence & its tragic aftermath. | 14:30-16:30

🎶Rush | Mill Bank Theatre | Stephen Rea A Film Retrospective: Black '47 | Black ’47 (2018) is a grim Famine-era thriller about an Irish Ranger who deserts the British Army & returns home to tragedy, triggering a ruthless revenge quest. | 20:00-22:00

🎶Lusk | Lusk Community Cultural Centre | Thomas Ashe Photo Exhibition | An exhibition tracing Thomas Ashe’s journey from his Kerry roots to his leadership & cultural legacy in Lusk. | 12:00-14:00

🎶Malahide | Malahide Castle | Diane Cannon | Traditional & folk artist Diane Cannon (debut album 2018) collaborates internationally, runs festivals, & founded IrishSongLessons.com for Gaelic song tutorials. | 13:00-16:00

🎶Lusk | Lusk Village Square | The Black Raven Pipe Band | The Black Raven Pipe Band, founded in Lusk in 1910 by Thomas Ashe & John Rooney, plays Lusk village square & continues its legacy through its School of Piping & Drumming. | 13:00-15:00

🎶The Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | The Garden Where the Praties Grow – Documentary & Q&A | Screening of The Garden Where the Praties Grow, a documentary on Ireland’s traditional farming life, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. | 20:00-22:00

🎶Malahide | Malahide Castle | Padraig Jack | Aran Islands singer-songwriter Padraig Jack blends bilingual folk & contemporary music, performing in Irish & English, with his debut Making Sand earning an RTÉ Folk Award nomination. | 17:00-19:00

Balbriggan | The Lark Centre | The life and times of Paddy Armstrong | A one-man show, starring Don Wycherley as Paddy, the play is inspired by Paddy’s memoir Life After Life, a Guildford Four Memoir (2017). | 20:00-22:00

Balbriggan | The Lark Centre | Adventures on Old McDonald’s Farm | For aged 1-7 years old. With an original script & brand-new songs written for this production, along with many singalong favourites is a thrill for younger children. | 13:00-15:00

Lusk | Belfry Café | Lusk Autism Friendly Town January coffee morning | No need to register, just come along & enjoy a relaxed chat in good company.🧁 | 11:00-13:00

🎶Malahide | Malahide Castle | Dónal Clancy | Dónal Clancy—son of Liam Clancy & a founding member of Danú—is a singer-guitarist whose solo work includes Close To Home (2006) & keeps the Clancy song tradition alive. | 13:00-15:00

🎶Skerries | Little Theatre | TRÚ | TRÚ is a critically acclaimed Northern Irish alt-folk trio that puts a modern edge on traditional music, inspired by the mythic Ulster poet-musicians, & is touring through 2026. | 19:00-21:00

🎶Malahide | Malahide Castle | Fingal Gospel Choir | Fingal Gospel Choir, founded in 2013 in North County Dublin, is an award-winning community choir known for high-energy performances spanning rock, pop, gospel, soul & contemporary classics. | 13:00-15:00

🎶Donabate | Ardgillan Park | IIMS Harp Ensemble | The Irish Institute of Music & Song’s Harp Ensemble (ages 9–12 & 13–18) gives young traditional harpists in north Co. Dublin performance & workshop opportunities as they develop their skills. | 16:00-18:00

🎶Malahide | Malahide Castle | Áine Tyrrell | Áine Tyrrell is a globally performing multi-instrumentalist & songwriter who’s built a strong online community, appeared in a 2021 tribute with President Michael D. Higgins & Sabina Higgins, & topped RTÉ’s Independent Music Charts. | 17:00-19:00

🎶Skerries | Joe May's Pub | Skerries Folk Club Singing Session | Skerries Folk Club has been running its singing session on the last Sunday of the month since 2022. Singers & listeners are welcome. | 16:00-18:00

🎶Lusk | Community Cultural Centre | Open Session | Free open trad session led by the Palmer Family—bring an instrument, join in, & enjoy lively tunes in a welcoming community atmosphere. | 14:00-16:00

🎶Skerries | Little Theatre | Pop-Up Gaeltacht - Everyone welcome! | Learners & speakers of all levels & ages are welcome to join to practise their cúpla focal or meet new friends as Gaeilge. | 17:00-19:00

🎶The Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | The Black Raven Pipe Band & Family Céilí | The Black Raven Pipe Band followed by a family céilí in the Piper’s Garden with Jerry O’Reilly & Rosie Davis, live music, & the Cottage Café open—book ahead & dress warm. | 13:00-15:00

🎶Skerries | Joe May's pub | Tunes Session | Get into the middle bar early for this brilliant regular session, led by musicians involved in organising Skerries Traditional Music Weekend every week. | 20:00-23:30

🎶Donabate | Argillan Castle | Gleas-IIMS Youth Trad Ensemble | GLÉAS is the Irish Institute of Music & Song’s teenage trad ensemble in North County Dublin offering workshops, friendship & performance opportunities. | 13:00-15:00

🎶Lusk | Lusk Community Cultural Centre | Thomas Ashe Photo Exhibition | An exhibition tracing Thomas Ashe’s journey from his Kerry roots to his leadership & cultural legacy in Lusk. | 12:00-14:00

🎶The Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Traditional Irish Music Slow Session with Paudie O’Connor | Relaxed Slow Session led by Paudie O’Connor, with trad tunes played at an easy pace for learners & listeners alike, running in person & on Zoom. | 19:00-21:00

🎶Portrane | The Brook Pub | Alan Burke, Daire Bracken & Éamonn Galldubh | A free Smithwick’s Session filled with melody, rhythm, & local soul — all part of the Fingal music revival. | 20:00-23:30