This week, we wanted to use our headline space to shine a light on Darkness Into Light and the important work supported by Pieta. It is a cause that many families and communities across Ireland will recognise, bringing people together in the early morning as a symbol of hope, remembrance and support for those affected by suicide and self-harm.

Darkness Into Light 2026 takes place at 4.15am on Saturday, 9 May. The event began in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in 2009 with around 400 people and has since grown into a major national and international fundraiser. Pieta says supporters have helped raise over €40 million since Darkness Into Light began, helping to fund free services for people impacted by suicide and self-harm.

For those of us in Fingal East, there are several nearby official walks taking place this week:

• Balbriggan
• Donabate / Portrane
• Malahide Castle
• Swords

It is a simple but powerful idea: people walking together from darkness into sunrise, while helping to fund support for people who may be going through the darkest moments of their lives. We are very happy to use our headline space this week to give Darkness Into Light a little extra visibility across Fingal East.

🎭🎟️ Swords Comedy Festival ticket winners — and one lesson learned

Last week, we were delighted to give away tickets to the Swords Comedy Festival through Fingal East Media. It was lovely to be able to share a few brilliant nights out with readers, especially with so much great comedy and entertainment happening locally in Swords.

A big congratulations to our winners: Marie from Swords, who won four tickets to see Paul Howard, aka Ross O’Carroll-Kelly; Louise from Swords, who won tickets to see Willa White and Eric Lalor; Orla from Swords, who won four tickets to see Kila; Aisling from Skerries, who won two tickets to see Dylan Moran; and Corina from Swords, who won two tickets to see Barbara Scully.

We did run into one issue, though. A few people either did not see the email in time or could not be reached, despite our best efforts to contact them through other means. To avoid that happening again, future giveaways will ask for a mobile number so that we can contact winners quickly if they are selected. We only want to make sure that when someone wins tickets, they actually get the chance to enjoy them.

🚌💙 New minibus brings more freedom for St. Michael’s House in Swords

• There was a lovely community moment in Swords as staff from Fingal County Council presented a new minibus to St. Michael’s House Oaklands Service. The presentation took place at County Hall in Swords, with the vehicle funded through a staff fundraising effort that began after St. Michael’s House Oaklands Service was chosen to benefit from the Council’s annual Christmas raffle.
• Over three years, staff across Fingal County Council raised €31,665, helping St. Michael’s House purchase a brand-new minibus for people using the Oaklands Service. The service supports adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, and reliable transport can make a real difference by helping people get to appointments, take part in community outings and enjoy greater independence in daily life.
• For those of us in Fingal East, this is the kind of local story that is easy to appreciate. It shows the impact that steady, practical fundraising can have when people stick with it, and it also highlights the important work being done by voluntary and community organisations in places like Swords. A minibus may sound simple, but for the people who will use it, it can mean more freedom, more connection and more opportunities to be part of local life.

🌆✨ Dublin by Dusk: A new reason to enjoy the city after hours

• A new initiative called Dublin by Dusk has been launched to encourage more people to experience Dublin city centre in the early evening. Taking place on the last Thursday of each month, beginning on 28 May, the programme will see selected cultural venues, visitor attractions, shops, restaurants and hospitality businesses extend their opening hours with special events, experiences and offers.
• The idea is to create a more joined-up evening experience across the city, bringing together museums, galleries, music venues, visitor attractions, retail and food businesses. The initiative is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland and Dublin Town, and is part of wider efforts to strengthen Dublin’s night-time economy, increase footfall and make the city centre feel more vibrant, welcoming and accessible after normal working hours.
• For those of us in Fingal East, this is worth keeping an eye on. Many local people work, study, shop or socialise in Dublin city centre, and better evening programming could make it easier to turn a trip into town into something more enjoyable. It may also be a useful model for our own area, showing how culture, hospitality and local businesses can work together to create more reasons for people to stay out, visit local venues and support the evening economy closer to home.

🚧🚦 Road closures & ongoing disruptive works

• Swords
  • Seatown Road to Estuary Road Active Travel Scheme — alternative pedestrian route in place on the north side of Seatown Road, temporary bus stop relocation, and ongoing ducting/drainage/footpath works; two-way traffic is due to be maintained : 04-May-2026 time not stated - 08-May-2026 time not stated
  • Seatown Road temporary closure remains in place from the junction of St Columcille’s Drive/Seatown Road to the junction of North Street/Seatown Road : 01-Jul-2024 time not stated - 30-Jun-2026 time not stated
  • Route 41x diversion due to Seatown Road works — affected departures that normally use Seatown Road are diverting via Swords Main Street, Malahide Road and Swords Bypass : 12-Jul-2024 12:00 - 30-Jun-2026 11:59
  • R132 Connectivity Project — R132 remains open northbound and southbound, with two lanes planned during peak traffic hours and one lane in either direction during off-peak works : Apr-2026 time not stated - approx. Oct-2026 time not stated
  • R132 roadworks speed limit — temporary 50km/h speed limit in place to facilitate the R132 Connectivity Project : 01-Mar-2026 time not stated - 28-Feb-2027 time not stated
  • Swords Cultural Quarter / North Street public realm works — southbound traffic can access local streets but cannot continue onwards to Main Street; southbound buses are using the R125 with a temporary stop near Balheary Road junction : Apr-2026 time not stated - before end-2026 time not stated

Monday 4th May

• Donabate | Balcarrick Golf Club | Play in Pink at Balcarrick Golf Club | A fundraising golf day supporting breast cancer research, with open four-person team play. | Time not stated

• Swords | The Jacko | St Finian’s Rubber Duck Race | A family-friendly duck race fundraiser with ducks available to buy in support of St Finian’s. | 13:00

• Ballyboughal | Ballyboughal GFC | Ballyboughal Duck Race | A community duck race fundraiser with proceeds going to Ballyboughal GFC. | Time not stated

• Ballyboughal | The Village Inn O’Connors | BrandeD Live at The Village Inn | BrandeD return for a Bank Holiday Monday evening of live music. | 19:30

• Malahide | 📌 Paddy’s Hill | Outdoor Pilates by Laola Movement | Get stronger, more flexible and meet likeminded people through Pilates classes and special events. | 19:00-20:30

Tuesday 5th May

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Getting to Know Your Android Smartphone | A practical library session helping people get more comfortable using their Android smartphone. | 10:00-11:00

• Malahide | Malahide Library | Chair Yoga | A gentle chair yoga session, suitable for relaxed movement and wellbeing. | 14:00-15:00

• Malahide | St Andrew’s N.S. | Bealtaine Celebration with Sacred Sound | A calming Bealtaine evening of meditation, ceremony and sacred sound with In Harmony Holistic Therapies. | 19:45-21:15

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Paul Young: Songs & Stories | Paul Young brings an intimate evening of music and conversation to The Lark. | 20:00

Wednesday 6th May

• Malahide | The View | European Coworking Day for Remote & Hybrid Workers | A coworking morning for remote and hybrid workers marking European Coworking Day. | 08:30-10:30

• Online | Online | Business Supports Briefing | A Local Enterprise Office briefing on the supports available to Fingal businesses and start-ups. | 09:30-11:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Chair Yoga | A gentle chair yoga session, suitable for relaxed movement and wellbeing. | 11:00-12:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Drum Lampshade Making | A creative library workshop where participants can make their own drum lampshade. | 12:00-13:00

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | FREE Taster Sessions – GYMnastics FUNdamentals | A relaxed mixed gymnastics taster session for anyone curious to try the programme. | 16:30

• Online | Online | Chat GPT for Business Beginners | A beginner-friendly workshop introducing ChatGPT as a practical tool for business. | 18:30-21:30

• Online | Online | SME Essentials: Navigating Legal & Tax Responsibilities With Confidence | An online session helping SMEs understand key legal, tax and compliance responsibilities. | 18:30-21:30

• Naul | Three Gates Garden Centre | Tubs and Containers Demonstration | A practical gardening demonstration with Michael Connolly, hosted by Naul Gardening & Flower Club. | 20:00

• Rush | Millbank Theatre | Ulster American in Support of Rush First Responders | Rush Dramatic Society presents David Ireland’s dark comedy in support of Rush First Responders. | 20:30

Thursday 7th May

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Chair Yoga | A gentle chair yoga session, suitable for relaxed movement and wellbeing. | 10:00-11:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Lego Pixel Printing for Teens | A creative Lego pixel printing session for teens. | 16:30-17:30

• Rush | Rush Library | Chess for Beginners | A beginner-friendly chess session for anyone interested in learning the basics. | 17:45-19:00

• Balbriggan | Martello Tower | Club Tryouts 2 | Fingal Rowing Club hosts a second tryout date for adults interested in joining the club. | 18:00-20:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | The Importance of Being Earnest | Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society presents Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy. | 19:30

• Balbriggan | The Lark | University of North Florida Singers with Maynooth University Chamber Choir | A special choral evening with visiting and Irish university singers. | 19:30

• Skerries | Joe May’s | Skerries Rowing Club Pub Quiz | A pub quiz fundraiser with teams, prizes and plenty of local fun. | 20:00

• Skerries | Skerries Harps GAA Clubhouse | Skerries Town FC Table Quiz | A table quiz fundraiser supporting the redevelopment of Park Lane. | 20:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Urchin | A screening of Harris Dickinson’s debut feature, an empathetic drama about homelessness, addiction and starting again. | 20:00-22:30

Friday 8th May

• Lusk | School Hall | Book & Bake Sale | A school fundraiser with books and baked goods available to buy. | 13:30-15:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | The Importance of Being Earnest | Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society presents Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy. | 19:30

• Balbriggan | The Lark | My Leonard Cohen | Stewart D’Arrietta brings a tribute to the songs, poetry and stories of Leonard Cohen. | 20:00

Saturday 9th May

• Balbriggan | Martello Tower | Fingal Rowing Club Support Darkness Into Light 2026 | An early-morning Darkness Into Light gathering supporting Pieta and suicide awareness. | 02:30-07:30

• Swords | Rivervalley | Darkness Into Light | A local early-morning Darkness Into Light event supporting Pieta and suicide awareness. | 04:15

• Skerries | Skerries RFC | Skerries Sunrise Solidarity Walk | A sunrise solidarity walk raising funds for Skerries Youth Support Services. | 04:15

• Swords | Roganstown Hotel & Country Club | WIDA North Dublin Open Feis | A North Dublin Irish dance feis welcoming dancers to Roganstown. | 09:00

• Malahide | Malahide Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club | Malahide Lions Club Adult CPR & AED Community Training Day | A free community training session covering adult CPR and AED use. | 10:00-11:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Drum Lampshade Making | A creative library workshop where participants can make their own drum lampshade. | 10:00-11:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Beach | Explore Your Shore! and 2 Minute Beach Clean | A beach clean and seashore discovery event with Clean Coasts and Balbriggan Tidy Towns. | 10:00-12:00

• Balbriggan | Hamilton Hall | Grasshoppers Project Family Day Out | A family-friendly performance for young children, presented as part of the Grasshoppers Project. | 10:15-12:15

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Grasshoppers Project Family Day Out | A family-friendly performance for children aged 0-4 as part of the Grasshoppers Project. | 10:30-12:30

• Swords | Swords Library | Bookbinding Workshop | A hands-on bookbinding workshop. | 10:45-11:45

• Portmarnock | PSLC Portmarnock Sports & Leisure Club | Padel Club Open Day | An open day with play sessions, demonstrations and a chance to try padel. | 12:00-18:00

• Donabate | Shoreline Hotel | Cliff Walk & Sauna by the Sea x Gals On Adventures | A coastal walk and sauna experience for anyone looking for an active seaside afternoon. | 13:00-17:00

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Drum Lampshade Making | A creative library workshop where participants can make their own drum lampshade. | 14:00-15:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Balbriggan Library Film Club | An afternoon film screening for library film fans. | 14:00-16:00

• Rush | Rush Community Centre | Denim Upcycling Café & Denim Swap | A denim upcycling café and swap event for anyone looking to refresh old jeans and reduce waste. | 14:30-17:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | The Importance of Being Earnest | Donabate Portrane Dramatic Society presents Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy. | 19:30

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Brian Kennedy | Brian Kennedy comes to The Lark for an evening of live music from one of Ireland’s best-loved voices. | 20:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Kimmie Rhodes | Acclaimed Texas singer-songwriter Kimmie Rhodes brings her music and storytelling to Naul. | 20:00-22:30

Sunday 10th May

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Balance Bike Buddies Party | A fun Bike Week session for children aged 2 to 5. | 09:30-10:30

• Donabate | Community Well | Pause. Breathe. Reset Mini-Retreat | A self-care mini-retreat with cacao, meditation and wellbeing reset techniques. | 10:00

• Portmarnock | Portmarnock | Fossil Walks, Dublin Coastline | A guided coastal walk exploring fossils along the Dublin coastline. | 10:00-11:30

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Artisan Food Fair | A family-friendly food fair celebrating local produce, homemade treats and Irish food makers. | 11:00-16:00

• Swords | Applewood Community Centre | Baby Market | A market where parents can buy and sell preloved baby, children’s and maternity items. | 12:00-14:00

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | Sourdough Workshop | A hands-on workshop showing how to make sourdough bread and starter. | 12:00-13:30

• Naul | The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre | The Sourdough Workshop | A hands-on workshop with Bread With Benefits showing how to make sourdough bread and starter. | 14:30-16:30

• Skerries | Skerries Mills | Skerries Community Cycle | A free 5km community cycle around Skerries led by Skerries Cycling Initiative. | 15:00-16:30

• Balbriggan | The Lark | Declan Nerney with special guests Hugo Duncan and Shawn Cuddy | Declan Nerney brings an evening of Irish country music to The Lark with special guests. | 20:00