👋 Hi FingalEMers,

Welcome to the first edition in our new twice-weekly format. From this week, Fingal East Media will arrive in your inbox at 9am every Monday and Thursday, giving us a little more space to share local events, community updates and stories from across Fingal East.

The Monday edition will focus on the first half of the week, while Thursday’s edition will look ahead to the weekend. Hopefully that makes each newsletter a bit easier to read, while also giving more local groups, events and organisations a chance to be seen.

We’re also introducing a new Featured Event section from this week, where we’ll give one local event a little extra attention. And this week’s poll is the same one we intended to run last week — it was omitted due to a technical issue, so we’re giving it a proper slot this time.

We’re delighted to have Bright Motor Group as this week’s sponsor of Fingal East Media. With a strong local presence in Airside, Swords, Bright is a well-known and trusted name for many drivers and families across North Dublin.

From helping people find their next car to supporting customers with servicing, finance and aftersales, Bright Motor Group is one of those local brands that has become part of everyday life in the area. That makes them exactly the kind of established business we’re happy to be associated with.

Their support helps us continue sharing the events, stories, local organisations and community updates that matter across Fingal East. We’re very grateful to Bright Motor Group for backing this week’s edition and for supporting a growing local newsletter that is trying to shine a light on all the good things happening in the area.

🎶 🏆 Cór Fingal celebrates triple success at Navan Choral Festival

• Cór Fingal enjoyed a standout day at the Navan Choral and Instrumental Festival on Sunday, 10 May 2026, bringing home three first prizes in the adult choir competitions. The Fingal-based chamber choir took top place in Popular Music, Mixed Voice and Irish Language, marking a memorable achievement for one of the area’s best-known choral groups.
• The result is all the more impressive because it shows the range of the choir’s work. Winning across three different categories is not just about strong singing; it reflects versatility, discipline, and the ability to move confidently between different musical styles. For a local choir to perform at that level across popular, mixed-voice, and Irish-language competitions is a real credit to the singers and their musical direction.
• Cór Fingal is an award-winning adult mixed-voice chamber choir conducted by Eoin Conway. The choir was formed by former members of Enchiriadis Chamber Choir and the Fingal Choral programme, continuing a choral tradition in the area that began with Dr Marion Doherty in 1988. Today, the choir rehearses on Monday evenings in St Andrew’s Church, Malahide, and places a strong emphasis on both musical challenge and community. The choir currently has a couple of vacancies for tenors and basses, and anyone interested in joining can email [email protected].
• For Fingal, this Navan success is a lovely reminder of the depth of local talent that exists across the area. Cór Fingal is not just representing itself when it competes; it is carrying the name of Fingal into one of Ireland’s established choral festivals and returning with a result worth celebrating. Their three first-place wins are a proud moment for the choir, for Malahide, and for the wider Fingal music community.

🚧🚦 Road closures & changes planned

Swords

• Ongoing Swords Cultural Quarter works continue to affect Seatown Road and North Street traffic arrangements : 01 July 2024 08:00 - 30 June 2026 17:00
• R132 Connectivity Project works continue, with speed restrictions and possible off-peak lane reductions around the main Swords roundabouts : 01 March 2026 - 28 February 2027
• Some Dublin Bus routes serving Swords continue to operate diversions around Seatown Road, North Street and Main Street : 10 February 2026 10:00 - 31 December 2027 12:00

Balbriggan

• Flemington Road Junction upgrade works continue, including footpath and cycle-track works along the R132 : 05 May 2026 -
• Northern Commuter weekend rail changes may affect late services, with some trains starting or finishing at Connolly or Drogheda and bus transfers listed where needed : 30 May 2026 - 01 June 2026

Malahide

• Night-time Irish Rail track works are planned in Malahide during the week : 25 May 2026 - 29 May 2026
• DART weekend engineering works mean DART services operate between Malahide, Howth and Connolly only, with no DART service south of Connolly : 30 May 2026 - 01 June 2026

Portmarnock, Donabate, Rush & Lusk, Skerries

• Weekend rail engineering works may affect DART and Northern Commuter services, so passengers should check live journey updates before travelling : 30 May 2026 - 01 June 2026

✍️ 🌿 Featured Event: Memoir Writing & Spring Lunch at Whitestown House

Whitestown House in Naul is hosting a lovely creative day on Saturday, 30 May, bringing together memoir writing, conversation, local history, a gentle estate walk and a seasonal spring lunch in the beautiful surroundings of Whitestown House & Demesne.

The day is co-hosted by Jane Gormley, writer and founder of CRAICLY Stories, and Aoife Keogh of Whitestown House. Guests will be welcomed with tea, coffee and homemade scones before settling into a day of reflection, storytelling and guided memoir writing.

The event is suitable for anyone who enjoys stories, memories, writing or simply taking time out in a special local setting. No previous writing experience is needed, and the session is designed to be inclusive, relaxed and sociable.

When: Saturday, 30 May, 10:00-16:00
Where: Whitestown House & Demesne, Naul
What: Memoir writing, estate walk, spring lunch, coffee & cake

Book tickets

Monday 25th May

• Swords | Swords Library | eServices Drop-In Clinic | Friendly help using Fingal Libraries’ free e-books, audiobooks and online resources. | 14:30-15:30

• Skerries | Skerries Library | eServices Drop-In Clinic | Friendly help using Fingal Libraries’ free e-books, audiobooks and online resources. | 15:00-16:00

• Donabate | Donabate Portrane Community & Leisure Centre | Basic Sports First Aid Course | A short first-aid course for coaches and sports-club volunteers, covering common sports injuries and emergency response. | 18:30-21:30

• Lusk | Saint MacCullins Centre | Lusk Community Forum Meeting | A community forum meeting for local groups and clubs to help shape a joined-up approach for Lusk. | 19:00-20:30

• Malahide | Paddy’s Hill | Laola 3rd Birthday! Pilates + Drinks | An outdoor pilates session with a relaxed birthday get-together afterwards. | 19:00

• Swords | Thornleigh ETNS | Zumba Class | A friendly dance-fitness class for everybody, with no experience needed. | 19:00

• Swords | Swords Castle Entrance | Swords Men’s Walk & Talk Group | A relaxed Monday evening walk for local men, usually around 5km to 6km. | 19:15

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

• Balbriggan | Millfield Shopping Centre | On the Altar of the Arts 2026 Exhibition | An artists’ exhibition on the theme “Black Lines”, running upstairs from Tesco. | Time not stated

Tuesday 26th 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 friendly hands-on session with Sabine McKenna to build confidence with everyday smartphone tasks. | 10:00-11:30

• Swords | Swords Men’s Shed, Aldi car park, Seatown Road | Swords Women’s Shed Tuesday Walks and Chats | A relaxed morning walk and chat for local women, with registration requested in advance. | 10:00

• Balbriggan | Ardgillan Castle | Free Over50s Flower Arranging Workshops | A free Bealtaine Festival flower-arranging workshop for over-50s, with limited places available. | 10:30 & 14:00

• 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 | A gentle movement and wellbeing session with Enda Greene, suitable for all levels. | 14:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Virtual Reality Showcase Session | Try immersive VR technology at a drop-in library showcase for ages 13+. | 15:00-16:00

• Rush | Rush National School | Zumba Class | A friendly dance-fitness class for everybody, with no experience needed. | 19:00

Wednesday 27th May

• Balbriggan | Bracken Court Hotel | Managing Challenging Conversations at Work | A Balbriggan Chamber breakfast session on handling difficult workplace conversations. | 08:00-09:00

• 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

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Chair Yoga | A gentle movement and wellbeing session with Enda Greene, suitable for all levels. | 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

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | eServices Drop-In Clinic | Help with Fingal Libraries’ free e-books, audiobooks and online resources on your device. | 14:00-15:00

• Swords | Swords Library | Robotics & Virtual Reality Showcase | A drop-in showcase of VR headsets and robotics for young people and curious tech fans. | 14:30-15:30

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Youth & Family Group GYMnastics Session | A supportive floor-skills class covering handstands, cartwheels and core gymnastics basics. | 16:30-17:30

• Donabate | Parish Hall | Strength & Conditioning Classes | A weekly class focused on strength, fitness and conditioning in a welcoming local setting. | 17:00-18:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Cybersecurity at Home: Staying Safe in the Digital Age | A practical Dublin Technology Week session covering passwords, phishing, smart devices and online privacy. | 17:30-19:30

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Adult GYMnastics Session | A supportive adults-only floor-skills class covering handstands, cartwheels and core gymnastics basics. | 17:30-18:30

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | 3D Printer Workshop | An adult workshop exploring 3D printing and how designs become finished objects. | 18:30-19:30

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

• Balbriggan | Bracken Court Hotel | Changing Balbriggan: Stories from my Place | Dr Cora McDonagh explores the 1926 Census and local stories that reveal how Balbriggan has changed. | 20:00

Thursday 28th May

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Chair Yoga | A gentle movement and wellbeing session with Enda Greene, suitable for all levels. | 10:00-11:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Virtual Reality Showcase Session | Try immersive VR technology at a drop-in library showcase for ages 13+. | 14:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | The Lark Concert Hall | Sounding Out Balbriggan | A free clinic for local musicians with Ryan Sheridan, Alannah Thornburgh, IMRO and IIMS. | 14:00-16:30

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | 3D Printer Workshop | A children’s workshop exploring creative 3D printing during Dublin Technology Week. | 15:30-16:30

• Rush | Rush Library | Chess for Beginners | A relaxed library session for adults who want to learn or improve their chess. | 17:45-19:45

• Swords | St Colmcilles GFC | Swords Women’s Shed Monthly Social Night | A friendly social evening for local women to chat, connect and get to know each other. | 19:00

• Skerries | The Rock Bakery | Mosaic Workshop | Create two unique mosaic coasters in a relaxed beginners’ workshop. | 19:30-21:00

• Donabate | Donabate Portrane Community Centre | Craft Coffee & Connect | A relaxed craft and coffee get-together hosted by Donabate Portrane Against Racism. | 19:30

• Balbriggan | O’Dwyers GAA New Clubhouse | Balbriggan Summerfest 5k | A 5km run or walk for all abilities as part of Balbriggan Summerfest. | 20:00

• Rush | St Maur’s Catholic Church | Summer Sounds for the Hospice | RMS Singers present an evening of song raising funds for St Francis Hospice. | 20:00

• Balbriggan | The Warehouse, Vauxhall Street | Scéal Sessions @ The Warehouse | A free open-mic poetry evening for Poetry Day Ireland, with sign-ups before performances begin. | 20:00-22:00

• Skerries | St Patrick’s Church | Skerries Community Choir Summer Concert | A summer concert conducted by Annalisa Monticelli, with a donation to the RNLI. | 20:00

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

• Donabate | Donabate Portrane Community Centre | DPCC Community Bingo | A friendly community bingo night with weekly prize winnings and a social atmosphere. | 20:30

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

Photo: Portmarnock County Dublin (Ireland) by William Murphy / infomatique, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped from original.