Work has started on a €1.3 million upgrade at Skerries Town Park, focused on improving the GAA and soccer pitches used by local clubs and the wider community. Fingal County Council says the project will upgrade the playing surfaces and install better drainage, with the aim of making the pitches more reliable and usable throughout the year. The start of the works was marked by a sod-turning ceremony attended by the Mayor of Fingal, local community representatives, Skerries Town FC, Skerries Harps GAA Club and council officials.

The project is not just about the pitches. The works will also include new landscaping and improved pathways through the park, helping walkers, families, spectators and local sports groups move around the area more easily. Skerries Athletics Club is expected to benefit from the new 3-metre pathways, which can be used for training, while the wider park improvements should make the space more accessible and welcoming for people beyond the organised sports clubs.

The upgraded pitches are expected to take around five months to construct, followed by a 12-month maintenance period to bring the surfaces up to GAA and FAI standard. During the project, access to Skerries Mills, the Community Centre, the all-weather hockey pitch and the tennis courts will remain open, and the new paths will be available during the maintenance period. For Skerries, this is a significant investment in community sport, outdoor activity and local facilities, with benefits aimed at clubs, families, young people and everyday park users.

A new 06:05 Drogheda to Dublin Connolly morning commuter service will begin on Monday, 20 April, following approval from the National Transport Authority. The limited-stop train will serve Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush & Lusk, Donabate and Malahide, before arriving at Dublin Connolly at 07:09. For Fingal East commuters, this adds another early option into the city at a time when capacity and reliability on the northern line remain major daily issues.

Irish Rail says the new service will use a six-carriage train and will increase the number of morning peak trains leaving Drogheda with city-centre arrivals before 09:00 to ten, and before 09:30 to twelve. The announcement follows engagement between the Minister for Transport, the National Transport Authority, Irish Rail and other stakeholders on ways to add capacity and ease congestion in the short term.

The extra train comes ahead of a bigger planned change on the route: the introduction of the new battery-electric DART fleet on the Drogheda to Dublin Northern Commuter line, expected to begin entering service in the first half of 2027. Irish Rail says the new fleet and charging infrastructure at Drogheda should allow longer trains on some services and free up existing trains for use elsewhere. In practical terms, Monday’s new service is the immediate improvement; the DART fleet is the longer-term capacity upgrade commuters are still waiting for.

Rush is preparing to welcome a brand new literary festival by the sea, with the inaugural Rush Festival of Writing taking place on Saturday, 25 April 2026 across venues in the town. The one-day festival is built around books, writing and storytelling, with author interviews, readings, workshops and family-friendly events planned for locations including The Millbank Theatre, Rush Library, Rush Community Centre and The Strand Bar & Restaurant. And clearly, the idea has struck a chord — the festival is now fully sold out, a brilliant achievement for a first-time event and a strong sign of just how much appetite there is locally for this kind of cultural celebration.

The headline name is John Banville, 😮😮 the Booker Prize-winning author of The Sea and The Book of Evidence, who will appear in conversation with Kevin Curran at The Millbank Theatre. The programme also brings together a strong Irish writing line-up, including crime writers Andrea Mara and Catherine Ryan Howard, who will discuss their work and screen adaptations with Sinéad Cuddihy of Tired Mammy Book Club. Elsewhere, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Carey will talk about the writing life, Belinda McKeon will lead a creative writing workshop, and Eamon Carr of Horslips will share stories from his life in music, journalism and writing.

What makes the festival especially welcome is that it is not just aimed at established book lovers. The programme includes children’s events at Rush Library, with Niamh Sharkey hosting a Penguin TV storytime and doodle session for younger children, and Alan Nolan running a superhero-themed storytelling and illustration workshop for ages 8 to 12. With free events, ticketed headline sessions and workshops all packed into one day, the festival gives Rush a serious cultural moment of its own. For anyone who missed out this time, the message for next year is simple: keep an eye on Fingal East Media and we’ll do our best to keep you informed — because if this first festival is anything to go by, tickets will not hang around.

A Section 5 planning report has been submitted to Fingal County Council seeking a declaration that using the Emmaus Retreat Centre in Balheary, Swords, for short-term homeless accommodation would not require full planning permission.

Planning sought for 24 new homes in Lusk, including houses, apartments and duplexes, on lands near Rathmore Road and Racecourse Green.

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Swords | Swords Library | Hands and Tales: Story Time for All | 11:00-12:00

Swords | The Riasc Centre | The National Conversation on Education: the First Five Years and School-Age | Public consultation session on early learning, childcare and school-age services. | 15:00-16:00

Malahide | Paddy’s Hill | Outdoor Pilates with Laola Movement | Outdoor Pilates session in Malahide, suitable for coming along solo or with a friend. | 19:00-20:00

Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Self-Protection Training | Practical self-defence training focused on real-world safety, awareness, confidence and preparedness, with fitness and coordination as added benefits. | 20:00-21:00

Swords | Brackenstown Parish Centre | Hatha Yoga Classes - CalmnessWithCaroline | Hatha yoga sessions designed to help you pause, unwind and relax both body and mind. | 09:30-10:45 & 11:15-12:15

Balbriggan | O'Dwyers GAA Club | Seaview Memory Café | Supportive community café for people living with memory loss, along with families and carers. | 11:00-12:00

Skerries | Skerries Library | Art Classes | Creative art class at Skerries Library. | 11:00-12:00

Balbriggan | The Lark | The Unsinkable Entrepreneur: Charity Event in Aid of Atlantic Youth Trust | Charity event sharing the story of entrepreneur and sailor Enda O’Coineen in aid of Atlantic Youth Trust. | 18:30-20:30

Lusk | Saint Macullins Centre, Lusk | Information Evening: A Youth Club for Neurodivergent Teens | Information evening on plans for a youth club supporting neurodivergent teenagers and those who find social connection challenging. | 19:30-21:00

Lusk | Murray's Lounge | After Work Social for Remote & Hybrid Workers in Lusk | Informal social meetup for remote and hybrid workers in the Lusk area. | 18:30-19:30

Swords | The Carnegie | Alannah Thornburgh: The Thinning Veil | An evening of music, storytelling and folklore at The Carnegie. | 19:00-21:00

Donabate | Donabate Portrane Community Centre. | DPCC Annual General Meeting | Community AGM for those interested in the future of Donabate and Portrane Community Centre. | 20:00-22:00

Online | Online | Digital Boost LEO’s Digital Toolkit for Success | Online session on digital tools and supports available to small businesses through LEO Fingal. | 09:30-11:30

Swords | Swords Men's Shed | Swords Women's Shed Present Biodiversity talk with Rumana | Biodiversity talk on making gardens more nature-friendly and supporting local environmental awareness. | 19:00-21:00

Malahide | St. Sylvester's GAA Clubhouse | The Challenge of Parenting in a Digital Age | Information session for parents on supporting children and teenagers in the digital world. For parents of primary school children from 19:00-20:00, and secondary school children from 20:00-21:00. | 19:00-21:00

Swords | Brackenstown Parish Centre | Chair Yoga Classes - CalmnessWithCaroline | Gentle chair yoga session designed to help you pause, unwind and relax both body and mind. | 09:30-10:45

🚗City Centre | National Concert Hall | Connor McKeon: The Soul of Motown | Live Motown and soul show featuring a 14-piece band and vocalists. | 20:00-23:00

Online | Online | Fingal Business Network: The Grit & the Glory | Online networking event exploring the realities, challenges and resilience behind running a business. | 10:30-13:30

Swords | Leisure Box, Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre | Ninja Warriors | Indoor ninja-style obstacle course event for children. | 18:00-19:00

Balbriggan | St. George's Square | Balbriggan Historical Walk and After Work Social | Guided historical walk through central Balbriggan, followed by an informal social gathering. | 18:00-21:00

Balbriggan | The Lark | The Love Hungry Farmer | Theatre performance by Seamus O’Rourke telling the story of the romantic and hopeful John Bosco McLean. | 20:00-22:00

🚗Blanchardstown | Draíocht | Tom Cole Jr - Songs That Shaped The World 2026 | An evening of swing, big band and classic American songbook favourites. | 20:00-22:00

Balbriggan | Ardgillan Castle and Demesne | Bagmaking Workshop | One-day workshop guiding participants through the process of creating their own handmade bag. | 10:00-16:30

Swords | Airside Business Park | Restorative Yoga + Yoga Nidra Workshop | Gentle yoga and relaxation workshop designed to release tension and calm the mind. | 10:15-12:00

Skerries | Skerries Library | Musical Tots | Music session for young children at Skerries Library. | 10:30-11:30

Malahide | Malahide Library | Tote Bag Block Printing | Creative workshop where participants can decorate their own tote bag using block printing. | 11:00-12:00

Malahide | Main Beach Car Park | Beach Clean Up Event at Main Beach | Community beach clean-up bringing residents, local businesses and volunteers together to help care for Malahide’s coastline. | 11:00-12:30

Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | The Herb School – Introduction to Foraging Workshop | Introductory foraging workshop covering seasonal wild plants and safe, confident foraging. | 11:00-13:00

Donabate | Donabate Library | Páistí! Scéalta! Amhráin! Spraoi! | Irish-language stories, songs and fun for children at Donabate Library. | 11:30-12:30

Rush | Rush Library | Design Your Own Superhero storytelling & illustration event with Alan Nolan | Children’s storytelling and illustration workshop with author and illustrator Alan Nolan. | 11:30-12:30

Skerries | The Toy Library | The Toy Library Swap & Play | Family-friendly toy swap and play session encouraging children to share and reuse pre-loved toys. | 12:00-15:00

Donabate | Shoreline Hotel | Cliff Walk & Sauna by the Sea x Gals On Adventures | Coastal walk along the Portrane cliffs, followed by a relaxed seaside wellness experience. | 13:00-14:00

Balbriggan | Bremore Castle | Family Fun Day | Family celebration for Polish Constitution Day with music, dancing, local performances, food, coffee and raffles. | 14:00-18:00

Malahide | Hidden Acres | Danu Yoga and Wellbeing | Women’s wellness afternoon with gentle yoga, tea and time to slow down and reconnect. | 14:00-17:00

Rush | Rush Library | Creative Writing Workshop with Belinda McKeon | Creative writing workshop for fiction writers with author Belinda McKeon. | 14:45-16:45

Swords | Peacocks Pub, Rivervalley | George Murphy & The Rising Sons | Live evening of Irish ballads and folk music from George Murphy & The Rising Sons. | 19:30-23:00

Balbriggan | The Lark | ABBAESQUE | Ireland’s ABBA tribute show brings the band’s biggest hits to The Lark. | 20:00-22:00

Swords | Swords Castle Chapel | Open-mic experimental art event | Open-mic and experimental arts evening exploring the theme “Bloom” through poetry, writing and performance. | 15:00-19:00

Swords | Airside Business Park | Root to Rise sound meditation workshop at Violet Sky Studio | Sound meditation session focused on stillness, relaxation and gentle reset ahead of the week. | 19:00-20:00

It’s not often we can say, “go to the cinema today and one of the top-billed films was created by a Skerries lad,” but that’s the case this week. Lee Cronin, the director behind the new film The Mummy, is from Skerries, and his latest release marks another huge step in what has become a seriously impressive horror career. Cronin first built his name through short films before making his feature debut with The Hole in the Ground, which premiered at Sundance in 2019.

Since then, his rise has been remarkable. He went on to direct Evil Dead Rise, taking on one of horror’s best-known franchises and bringing it to a new audience. Now, with The Mummy, he is putting his own stamp on another famous title. Written and directed by Cronin, this version leans into horror rather than adventure, with a cast that includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace and Verónica Falcón.

For us, this is one of those lovely local pride moments. You see Lee Cronin’s name attached to a major international film, you see The Mummy on cinema listings, posters and trailers, and then you remember — he’s one of our own. Whatever your taste in horror, it is hard not to admire the scale of what he is doing. Fingal East can be very proud to call him one of us. Well done, Lee. 👏👏