Hi FingalEMers — 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️ good auld Irish weather! Just when we thought we had turned a corner it got cold again. I hate to bring you bad news but this week isn’t going to be a lot better. Met Éireann says it will be cloudy, a little cold and a little wet. Maybe next week will show an improvement.

This week’s featured photo is a 13th century fortress built by the Knights Templar, called Baldongan Castle. It is situated between Skerries and Lusk, on the road to Loughshinny.

In our poll last week, 46% of respondents said the reason they opened the newsletter every week was the events calendar. But there was also strong support generally for the content, which was very positive.

Our weekly newsletter is designed to keep you up to date on what’s happening in the week ahead. But because some events need more notice for booking or planning, this week’s poll is testing whether there would be interest in a separate once-a-month edition focused purely on upcoming events further out.

Would you like us to trial a separate monthly events edition with advance notice of upcoming local events?

Login or Subscribe to participate

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:

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This week we have given our headline spot to Swords Tidy Towns. This is to recognise the amazing work they do in the community! Swords Tidy Towns is one of those groups doing the kind of steady, positive work that makes a real difference to daily life in Swords. It is a warm, volunteer-led community made up of people from all ages and backgrounds, all giving their time to help keep the town cleaner, greener and more welcoming.

Their work goes far beyond litter picking. Alongside caring for streets, parks and shared spaces, they also support biodiversity through pollinator-friendly planting, get involved in practical sustainability projects, and work with schools, residents and local businesses on initiatives that bring a real sense of community pride.

At its heart, Swords Tidy Towns is about local people coming together to do something good for the place they live. If you would like to learn more or get involved, you can find them through their social media links above. ☝️

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

News

Tracking all the developing stories that affect our community.

👀💛 Three Hidden Fingal East Event Nuggets to Keep an Eye On

  • There is a lot happening in and around Fingal East that can slip below the radar, and SCÉAL’s Brigg Bus is a good example. Based in Balbriggan, SCÉAL describes itself as a creative collective working to make the town a destination for the arts, and Brigg Bus is one of its most accessible ideas: a weekly Wednesday-night gathering in The Warehouse where you can turn up, meet people and encounter different creative disciplines in one place. For anyone in Fingal East who says there is never anything different to do locally, this feels like one of those projects that has probably been there in plain sight for a while, but still hasn’t reached as many people as it should.

  • Then there is Steam Trains Ireland, which is not a Fingal East operator in the local-community sense, but absolutely matters to this part of the coast when its trains run out of Dublin. The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland runs heritage rail tours and says its schedules are published through its Trains & Events pages; its archive also shows Balbriggan- and Skerries-linked workings and festival specials in past years. That means people in Fingal East who enjoy the railway, the coastline or the novelty of seeing a steam-hauled excursion passing through may be missing a genuinely unusual day-out opportunity simply because they are not checking those listings often enough. These events seem to book out very quickly after they are announced, particularly on the Fingal East lines.

  • The third one is Mystery Trails, and this may be the easiest of the three to overlook because it is less like a traditional event listing and more like a ready-made adventure you can buy and do yourself. The company describes its product as a self-guided themed walking game, delivered as a PDF, and its current trail range includes at least Malahide and Skerries, with social snippets also pointing to Rush and Balbriggan. In practice, that means parts of Fingal East already have interactive detective-style experiences built around them, turning a familiar walk into something more playful. For families, visitors or even locals who think they know these places well, this is exactly the sort of thing people may not realise exists until someone points it out.

🚛👷‍♀️Swords Cultural Quarter Moves Towards 2027 Opening as Wider Civic Vision Takes Shape

Artist’s impression of the planned Swords Cultural Centre

  • The Swords Cultural Quarter has been a long-running town-centre project rather than a sudden one-off build. Public consultation on the civic and cultural centre began in 2015, followed by a further Part 8 consultation in 2022. Approval was then granted later that year, enabling works began in 2023, the main construction contract was awarded in 2024, and the current expectation is that the main building will open in 2027.

  • What is being developed is much more than a single arts venue. The quarter covers the area around North Street, Seatown Road, Bridge Street and Main Street, tying together key landmarks including Swords Castle, County Hall, the Courthouse and the Carnegie Library. At its centre is a new four-storey civic and cultural building, now referred to as Culture House Fingal. The scheme includes a county library, theatre, gallery, exhibition and arts spaces, maker and workshop areas, study and meeting rooms, archive or local studies space, a café, and supporting facilities. It also includes major public realm works such as a civic plaza, terraced seating, upgraded paving, lighting, street furniture, cycle parking, road layout changes, and better pedestrian links between the new building, the park, County Hall and Swords Castle.

  • Looking ahead, the project is intended to continue developing beyond the opening of the main building. Later phases are expected to complete more of the public realm around Swords Castle and County Hall, including the main plaza and seating areas, while wider plans have also pointed to stronger links into Town Park and a more connected civic space. Future ideas associated with the quarter have included heritage and visitor features such as interpretive or story-based elements, while cultural programming is already beginning ahead of completion, with a Musician-in-Residence programme scheduled for 2026.

😋🍔 Flavours of Fingal Named by The Irish Times Among Ireland’s 36 Food Festivals to Watch

  • Flavours of Fingal has grown into one of the biggest dates in the local calendar. Held at Newbridge House and Farm in Donabate, the event is now in its 14th year and is described by organisers as Fingal County Council’s flagship festival. Over time it has expanded from a county show rooted in farming and food into a much broader summer event built around agriculture, artisan produce, music, sport, crafts and family entertainment.

  • It is also a major event in terms of scale. Fingal County Council says Flavours of Fingal is Ireland’s largest county show, and the official event information says more than 65,000 people attended in 2024. Earlier council material projected crowds of around 80,000, which gives a sense of how large the event has become in recent years. It is free to attend and takes over the Newbridge grounds for two days, with food producers, farm animals, machinery, live cooking, shopping and family activities all packed into the programme.

  • A wide mix of people and groups help make it happen. The event is run by Fingal County Council, and council material says it has been staged in conjunction with the Fingal Farmers Group and the Fingal Harriers, while food producers, exhibitors, entertainers and the Fingal Food Circle all feature in the wider offering. Its reputation also got a national nod this week, when The Irish Times included Flavours of Fingal in its list of 36 food and drink festivals to watch in Ireland this year.

Civil

Planning decisions, road closures & community notices.

Planning applications & decisions

🏗️ Habitat Development - lands between Whitestown Road and Old Road, Rush Swords - F26A/0182E

A new residential scheme is proposed for the site, involving demolition of a derelict cottage and the construction of 25 homes made up of detached, terraced, semi-detached and duplex units. The development also includes 52 parking spaces, visitor cycle parking, and a new 890 sq m landscaped open space with a play area.

The plans provide for a new vehicular access from Old Road, a pedestrian link to Whitestown Road, a new on-site pump station, and associated drainage, lighting, landscaping and infrastructure works across a 0.587-hectare site.

🏗️ Balbriggan Business Campus - Padel Courts - F26A/0183E

The development will consist of the construction of four new padel courts (3 no. will have a roof over), the erection of an associated modular amenity building and ancillary siteworks to include new access, parking area, bike racks, seating, landscaping, drainage & four totem signs (one located within the site, one located on the south-east corner of the site and two located on the footpath alongside the Harry Reynolds Road).

Road closures & changes planned

🚧 Main Road Closures & Works

  • Swords

    • Seatown Road - Shuttle system for kerbing works; expect short delays : 31 March 2026 (all day)

    • North Street - Southbound closure begins for Public Realm construction; diversions via R132 : 30 March 2026 (Ongoing)

    • Balheary Road - Speed limits and Stop/Go systems for sewer pipeline installation : 30 March 2026 – 1 April 2026

    • Rathbeale Road - Intermittent delays for gateway treatments, signage, and kerbing : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

    • Brackenstown Avenue / Jugback Lane: Localised traffic management for new pedestrian crossing installations : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

  • Balbriggan

    • Old Market Green: Possible minor delays for new zebra crossing and pedestrian crossing works : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

    • Balbriggan Town Centre: Public realm and resurfacing monitoring (intermittent local access only) : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

  • Malahide

    • Townyard Lane: Preparation works for upcoming wastewater connection (minor site prep) : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

    • Malahide Village: Traffic calming scheme consultations active; potential minor surveying work : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

  • Rush

    • Palmer Road & Old Road: Traffic management in place for installation of 15 total traffic calming ramps : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

  • Lusk

    • Dublin Road: Localised delays for new raised pedestrian crossing installation : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026

    • Lusk Area: Monitoring and preparation for resurfacing intervals (various non-national roads) : 30 March 2026 – 5 April 2026


Events Calendar

Things to do in the week ahead.

Don’t forget 29th Apr - 3rd May

Monday 30th March

  • Balbriggan | Balbriggan Ring Road | K Allen & Sons - Freestyle Amusements (last day) | All your favourite rides, fun for all the family with treats, games & a great atmosphere. So don’t miss out – come along and enjoy the excitement before it’s gone! | 15:00-23:00

Tuesday 31st March

Wednesday 1st April

  • Malahide | Malahide Castle & Gardens | K-Pop camp (last call) | Stop everything and book the last remaining slots for the K-Pop Experience at Malahide Castle. We’re talking the biggest music on the planet right now, high-octane choreo, and total Demon Hunter vibes. Relevant to kids of primary school age. | 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-18:00

  • Malahide | Hidden Acres | Pink Moon celebration by Laola Movement | Come move, laugh, connect and celebrate under the Full Pink Moon. Join Celine & Taty for Moonlit Hearts — a joyful, heart-led evening. | 19:00-21:30

  • Swords | The Pavilions Shopping Centre | Fossett's Circus - New Show for 2026 | Ireland's favourite circus. In business since 1888. | 19:00-21:30

  • Balbriggan | The Lark | Together in Song: Prior Lake High School and Cór Linn | Prior Lake High School Tour Choir brings together outstanding singers from four auditioned choirs in grades 10-12, offering a dynamic and polished choral program as part of their Ireland tour. | 19:30-21:30

  • Swords | Applewood Community Center | Hawthorn Tea Ceremony and Shamanic Journeying | Tea ceremony and shamanic journeying session. | 21:00-22:00

Thursday 2nd April

Friday 3rd April

  • Swords | The Pavillions Shopping Centre | Fossett's Circus - New Show for 2026 | Ireland's favourite circus. In business since 1888. | 14:00-16:30 & 17:00-19:30

  • Malahide | Malahide Castle & Gardens | Boots & Brews in collaboration with Hope Beer | An inclusive, high-energy, social night out with a little Easter-style yee haw! We’ve paired a line dancing lesson with our Fingal brewery partner for the ultimate country-inspired evening. | 19:00-21:00

Saturday 4th April

Sunday 5th April

  • Laytown | Sonairte Ecology Centre | Easter Egg Hunt | Get your Egg & Treasure Hunt Checklist in the Ecoshop and make your way into our walled garden to go exploring and hunting! | 14:00 & 17:00

  • Swords | The Pavillions Shopping Centre | Fossett's Circus - New Show for 2026 | Ireland's favourite circus. In business since 1888. | 14:00-16:30 & 17:00-19:30

📢Finally, stuff from Fingal East we just like - Portmarnock’s Abigail Sexton is one to watch!

Abigail Sexton - a rising star from Portmarnock

It is always nice when someone from our own area starts making serious waves internationally, and Portmarnock’s Abigail Sexton is doing exactly that. Signed to Morgan the Agency at 16, she has already built an impressive body of work, becoming a regular on Irish runways and fronting campaigns for Brown Thomas, Louise Kennedy, Helen McAlinden and The Landskein.

Her career appears to have moved up another gear over the past year. A recent feature on rising Irish models noted that, alongside studying Politics and Economics at UCD, she worked in Paris and London and added major fashion names to her CV, including Roksanda, Tamara Ralph, Armani, Thom Browne and Gucci. One standout moment highlighted was her appearance in the Gucci show alongside Alex Consani, Emily Ratajkowski and Amelia Gray, which gives a sense of the level she is now operating at.

The same feature also suggested that her ambitions stretch beyond modelling alone. Abigail said she wants a career that allows her to grow creatively and personally, with dreams of working with Vivienne Westwood and Chanel and of expanding into creative direction. Morgan also lists her for acting, and her published CV includes drama and stage training, suggesting there may be more creative avenues ahead for her yet.

Have a great week, but remember to keep a jumper and an umbrella handy! 😉

Image Credits

Photo: “Baldongan Castle” — photo by Declan Geraghty (Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0.

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