Hi FingalEMers — 👋 not sure about you, but it definitely feels a little colder than usual for this time of year, especially in the mornings. We checked the temperatures and Met Éireann says it’s actually the opposite. It must be an age thing 😒, so we need some cheering up.

Thank goodness the Swords Comedy Festival 🤣🤣starts this week, on Wednesday 29 April. To celebrate the inaugural event, we’re giving away five pairs of tickets, kindly donated by the festival organiser, just for Fingal East Media subscribers. We sent out an email on Saturday night asking which draws you would like to be included in. If you didn’t see it in your inbox it’s not too late to enter. Just click the link here to access the entry form and enter your details before 9pm tonight.

Now on to the poll. Last week it was ‘When choosing a local business or service, what would help you trust them most?’ 67% of the respondents chose ‘Local reviews or recommendations’ proving yet again, it’s all about community and trust. We will factor this into the design of our business directory.

This week, it’s all about the comedy.

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]

The sponsor of this week’s edition is:

Phone | Mail | Instagram

This week’s sponsor is Yearmark — a small Fingal East business creating genuinely unique, handcrafted jewellery.

Yearmark turns original Irish coins into beautifully made rings, with each piece linked to a year that matters — a birth year, anniversary, milestone or special memory.

It’s a thoughtful gift idea, made locally, and something a bit different from the usual. Check out Yearmark’s beautiful collection here.

And don’t forget to tell them you’re a FingalEMer!

News

Tracking all the developing stories that affect our community.

  • The Green Bay Packers made their Day 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft live from the Irish Institute of Music and Song in Balbriggan on Saturday, 25th April. The segment featured Gavin James alongside young harp musicians from the Institute, performing ESPN’s “The Pick is In” chime as well as a harp version of “Go Pack Go”.

  • Balbriggan’s role came as part of the Packers’ efforts to grow their Irish fanbase through the NFL Global Markets Program, and the Irish Institute of Music and Song gave the moment a strong Irish flavour that felt both distinctive and memorable.

  • It was a lovely spotlight for Balbriggan, placing the town at the heart of one of the biggest annual events in American sport, with the announcement carried by major US and international broadcasters. Closer to home, it also added to the growing profile of Balbriggan and tied in nicely with the wider story of the town’s regeneration through Our Balbriggan. 👏👏 Well done to everyone involved in organising this and propelling Balbriggan on to the American sports stage.

😋🎪 Fingal Food Markets Set to Return Across Three Locations for Summer 2026

  • Fingal’s food markets are returning for summer 2026 following last year’s pilot season. The Explore Fingal Markets will take place across three locations: Swords Castle, the Casino Model Railway Museum in Malahide, and Millennium Park in Blanchardstown, which is a new addition this year. Entry to all markets will be free.

  • The markets will begin in May and run throughout the summer, with events scheduled on Saturdays. The focus remains on showcasing local food producers, with traders from groups such as Fingal Food Circle and Fingal Farmers expected to take part.

  • In Malahide, the market will run every Saturday from early May through to the end of August, operating from 10am to 4pm. Swords Castle will host markets on the third Saturday of each month from May to September, while Blanchardstown will feature selected dates in June and July, along with a market as part of Blanch Fest in August.

🪸📅 Fingal East Events Highlight Dublin Climate Action Week 2026

  • Dublin Climate Action Week runs from 11–17 May 2026, with events across the county covering areas like energy, transport, biodiversity, resource use and community climate action. For us locally, there are several Fingal East events in the programme, including activities in Skerries, Malahide, Loughshinny and Donabate.

  • Some of the local highlights include the Mayor’s Cycle in Skerries on Sunday 10 May, a relaxed 5km community cycle around the town, and a BirdWatch Ireland talk on seabirds and marine protected areas on Tuesday 12 May. There is also a screening of Ocean with David Attenborough in Skerries Library, a Sunset Cycle, and climate-themed workshops in Fingal libraries.

  • Later in the week, there are more local events including Brackenstown Walled Garden tours and workshops, a Family Climate Lego Workshop in Malahide Library, a Seashore Explore and beach clean activity, a climate-related arts event at Loughshinny Boathouse, and a Family Fun Day at Malahide Castle on Sunday 17 May. The programme is a mix of family events, cycling, coastal activities, talks and practical workshops, all aimed at making climate action feel more local and accessible. Keep an eye on Fingal East Media and we’ll do our best to keep you informed of all the related events.

📕🌐 Special Mention: Maurice Colgan’s memoir now available on Amazon

Back in our 9th–15th February edition, we introduced you to ‘The Legend’ Maurice Colgan from Swords. Maurice and his late wife Maureen shared a very special connection with Elvis Presley and his wider family, and it was a lovely story to be able to share with readers.

We’re delighted to let you know that Maurice’s memoir, Memories of Maureen and Our Links to Tupelo, is now available on Amazon.

You can read our original article here.

Civil

Planning decisions, road closures & community notices.

Planning applications & decisions

🏗️ State Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Local Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) in Loughshinny PARTXI/010/25

  • The proposal is for a universally designed local play area featuring a mix of natural and synthetic surfaces, around 15 pieces of play equipment, landscaping, seating, pathways, bike parking and accessible facilities, all designed with permeable materials so no additional stormwater drainage is required. Plans are available for public review and submissions open until 27 May 2026.

Road closures & changes planned

🚧 Main road closures & works

  • Swords

    • R132 Connectivity Project roadworks at Estuary Road Roundabout, with off-peak traffic reduced to one lane each direction : Apr 2026 - approx. Oct 2026.

    • Seatown Road Active Travel Scheme between Seatown Road Roundabout and Estuary Road Roundabout, with phased works and limited traffic restrictions : Jan 2026 - approx. Jan 2027.

    • North Street public realm works, with southbound traffic unable to continue to Main Street and southbound bus stops on North Street not in use : Apr 2026 - before end 2026.

    • Seatown Road closed between St Columcille’s Drive / Seatown Road and North Street / Seatown Road : 01-Jul-2024 - 30-Jun-2026.

    • 50km/h roadworks speed limit on part of the R132 for the R132 Connectivity Project : 01-Mar-2026 - 28-Feb-2027.

Events Calendar

Things to do in the week ahead.

29th Apr - 3rd May

Monday 27th April

Tuesday 28th April

  • Swords | Fingal Local Studies & Archives Service | The 1926 Census with Claire Bradley | Talk on the historical value of the 1926 Census for family and local research. | 19:00-21:00

Wednesday 29th April

Thursday 30th April

Friday 1st May

Saturday 2nd May

  • Lusk | Round Tower site | Guided tour of Lusk Round Tower and Belfry | Guided visit exploring the history and stories of Lusk Round Tower and Belfry. | 11:00-14:00

  • Ballyboughal | Ballyboughal Community Centre | Bank Holiday Weekend Mini Vintage Fair | Mini vintage fair with clothing, handmade goods and local vendor finds. | 11:00-16:00

  • Malahide | Malahide Rugby Club | Malahide Community Games Trials | Athletics trials for children hoping to represent Malahide in the Community Games. | 14:00-18:00

  • 🤣🤣 Swords | Peacock’s Bar & Lounge Rivervalley | Kíla | Swords Comedy Festival | 21:00

  • 🤣🤣 Swords | Roganstown House Hotel | Dylan Moran | Swords Comedy Festival | 20:00

Sunday 3rd May

📢Finally, stuff from Fingal East we just like - Balbriggan’s Nina McGowan Makes a Splash on the World Stage.

Nina McGowan in action | Balbriggan

  • Nina McGowan is one of those brilliant local stories we love coming across. Raised beside the sea in Balbriggan, Nina is a visual artist, professional freediver and is listed by CMAS as a current freediving world record holder. Her connection with the coast has shaped both her life and her work. She only took up freediving in 2019, but within a few years she was representing Ireland on the world stage.

  • In 2022, Nina made international headlines at the CMAS Outdoor Freediving World Championships in Kaş, Turkey. She won gold for Ireland, set a world record in the Masters 50–54 no-fins category, and dived to 43 metres in 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Local coverage also reported that she set two national records during the championships.

  • What makes Nina’s story especially lovely is how strongly it connects back to home. She has spoken about growing up around Balbriggan Harbour, and has supported ideas to make better use of the town’s coastline for swimming and coastal sports. It’s, yet another, wonderful reminder of the talent, drive, and deep local roots we have right here in Fingal East. Well done, Nina. 👏👏

Have a great week — and enjoy what’s happening locally! 😁😁

Image Credits

Photo: ‘Martello Tower on Red Island in Skerries’ - Permission from - Sryan Bruen Photography

Help us improve this newsletter! If you have any feedback then we’d love to hear from you. You can contact us at [email protected].

Please don’t forget to follow us on our Facebook page.

Keep Reading

© 2026 Fingal East Media.
Report abusePrivacy policyTerms of use
beehiivPowered by beehiiv