👋 Hi FingalEMers,

You already know we love writing about the amazingly talented people in Fingal East that we do not hear enough about. This week, we are starting something new and using the newsletter to showcase painting and artwork created in Fingal East that celebrates the area. Our first featured artist is Marie Fallon, and we are delighted to share some of her work with you.

You can see more of Marie’s amazing work by following her on Instagram and Facebook. We would also love to hear from other artists in the area who would like to share work inspired by, or created in, Fingal East. You can contact us at [email protected]. Helping spread the word about local talent is exactly why this newsletter was created in the first place.

We also have a lovely giveaway this week. Sharon from Soluna Sound & Movement, whose Sound Bath at The Chapel in Swords Castle is our featured event, has kindly provided a pair of tickets for Sunday July 12th from 12pm to 1:30pm.

If you would like to be entered into the draw, just click the giveaway option in the poll below, before midnight on Thursday. We will pick one winner from the entries and contact them directly.

By selecting Yes, enter me, you will be entered into our draw for two tickets to the Soluna Sound Bath at The Chapel, Swords Castle on Sunday July 12th from 12pm to 1:30pm. One winner will be selected at random from valid entries. We will only use your newsletter email address to contact you if you win.

🛋️✨ This week’s sponsor: Jaqi, Malahide

A lovely addition for anyone locally who enjoys interiors, design, or simply having a browse somewhere a little different. Irish interiors brand Jaqi has opened a new shop and studio in Malahide, bringing its considered approach to furniture, lighting, artwork, vintage pieces and lifestyle objects closer to home.

Jaqi was founded by interior designer Jackie Tracey and already has a Dublin city space at Charlemont Square. The new Malahide opening gives local readers another place to discover the brand, which combines a curated retail collection with the wider work of Studio Jaqi, its full-service interior design and architecture practice.

So, whether you are planning a bigger home project, looking for a standout piece, or just want some inspiration for making your space feel more personal, Jaqi is well worth a visit. You can browse online or call into the new Malahide space to see the collection for yourself.

Visit Jaqi

🏛️🤝 Fingal marks Ireland’s EU Presidency

Fingal County Council has marked the beginning of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union with an official EU flag-raising ceremony at County Hall in Swords.

The ceremony was led by Mayor of Fingal Cllr Tony Murphy, Greece’s Ambassador to Ireland H.E. Georgios Stilianopoulos, and local councillors. Ireland will hold the rotating Presidency for the next six months, helping to guide negotiations, build agreement between Member States, and support EU laws and policies that affect more than 450 million people.

As part of the Presidency, each local authority has been paired with an EU Member State to encourage cultural exchange and stronger local European links. Fingal has been partnered with Greece, with Ambassador Stilianopoulos expected to take part in community engagements across the county, including visits to schools, libraries and local organisations.

🎶🚐 Sounds of Summer rolls into Balbriggan

One for readers in and around Balbriggan. Sounds of Summer: Fingal Festival in a Van is coming to Taylor Hill Estate, Balbriggan on Saturday 18 July at 3pm. The event is listed as suitable for all ages and is part of a touring programme of live music and performance across Fingal.

The programme is presented by Festival in a Van and Fingal County Council, with the stage popping up in community spaces across the county during July. The idea is to bring music, creativity and performance directly into local places, including parks, estates, libraries, youth facilities and residential settings.

The Balbriggan stop will feature Theresa McKenna and Claudio & Mathilde. The wider Sounds of Summer programme includes a mix of folk, hip-hop, spoken word, traditional music, jazz, samba and global sounds, with guest performers from local communities also joining parts of the tour.

Click here to read more

🏗️ No significant planning events this week.

🚧🚦 Road closures & changes planned

• Swords
  • Seatown Road closed between St Columcille’s Drive / Seatown Road and North Street / Seatown Road for Swords Cultural Quarter works : Tue 30 Jun 2026 17:01 - Wed 31 Mar 2027 17:00
  • Irish Life Fingal 10K road closures around Balheary Road, Seatown West, Harlockstown Lane and Magillstown Road : Sun 12 Jul 2026 05:00 - Sun 12 Jul 2026 14:00
  • Dublin Bus routes 33 and 41C diverted due to the Fingal 10K : Sun 12 Jul 2026 first bus - Sun 12 Jul 2026 approx. 13:00
  • Bus Éireann Route 101 affected by the Fingal 10K, with some Swords stops not served on selected services : Sun 12 Jul 2026 08:30 - Sun 12 Jul 2026 11:30
  • R132 Connectivity Project temporary roadworks speed limit of 50km/h : Sun 1 Mar 2026 - Sun 28 Feb 2027
  • St Colmcille’s NS Safe Routes to School works on Seatown Road due to begin late in the week : late week of Mon 6 Jul 2026 - Sun 12 Jul 2026
• Balbriggan
  • White Hart Road included in Fingal’s resurfacing closure programme, with closures expected for 1-5 days within the wider works window : Thu 2 Jul 2026 - Tue 1 Dec 2026
• Skerries
  • Skerries Triathlon bike-course closures on Red Island, Harbour Road, Quay Street, Hoar Rock, the R127 to Balbriggan and parts of Strand Street, Thomas Hand Street and Balbriggan Street : Sun 12 Jul 2026 08:00 - Sun 12 Jul 2026 12:00
  • Cross of The Cage included in Fingal’s resurfacing closure programme, with closures expected for 1-5 days within the wider works window : Thu 2 Jul 2026 - Tue 1 Dec 2026
• Lusk
  • Church Road included in Fingal’s resurfacing closure programme, with closures expected for 1-5 days within the wider works window : Thu 2 Jul 2026 - Tue 1 Dec 2026
• Rush
  • Old Barrack Road included in Fingal’s resurfacing closure programme, with closures expected for 1-5 days within the wider works window : Thu 2 Jul 2026 - Tue 1 Dec 2026
• Donabate / Portrane
  • Portrane Road Enhancement Project roadworks due to begin in July, with one lane of traffic to remain open : Jul 2026 - approximately nine months

🧘‍♀️🎶 Featured event: Sound Bath at Swords Castle

This week’s featured event is Soluna Sound and Movement’s Sound Bath at Swords Castle, taking place on Sunday July 12th from 12pm to 1:30pm.

The session takes place in the beautiful Chapel at Swords Castle and offers a gentle space to unwind, reset and reconnect through sound and stillness. Booking is by WhatsApp to Sharon on 086 1674542.

For anyone who has not tried one before, a sound bath is usually a relaxation session where you sit or lie down while instruments such as singing bowls, chimes or similar sounds are played around the room. The idea is not to “do” very much at all, but to slow down, listen, and let the sound create a calm, restful atmosphere.

Monday 6th July

• Swords | Swords Library | Getting to Know Your Android Smartphone | Handy library session for building confidence with Android phones | 10:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Nature, Yoga & Art Summer Camp | Four-day camp with yoga, mindfulness games, art, healthy snacks and nature adventures | 10:00-14:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | Drama House Donabate Summer Camp | Alice in Wonderland themed drama camp for children | 10:00-14:00

• Swords | Swords Library | Summer Stars Crafts | Creative library craft session for children | 14:30

• Balbriggan | ASTER Family Resource Centre | You First Wellness Café | Peer-led wellness café with cuppa, chat, board games, art and journaling | 14:00-18:00

• Swords | Thornleigh ETNS | Zumba Class | Friendly dance-fitness class with no experience needed | 19:00

• Swords | Swords Castle Entrance | Swords Men’s Walk & Talk Group | Relaxed Monday evening walk for local men | 19:15

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Self-Protection Training | Practical class focused on confidence, awareness and personal safety | 20:00

Tuesday 7th July

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Hatha Yoga | Gentle Hatha Yoga class with Calmness with Caroline | 09:30-10:45

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based yoga session at the library | 10:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Nature, Yoga & Art Summer Camp | Four-day camp with yoga, mindfulness games, art, healthy snacks and nature adventures | 10:00-14:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | Drama House Donabate Summer Camp | Alice in Wonderland themed drama camp for children | 10:00-14:00

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Sound Bath Meditation | Relaxing library session with calming sound meditation | 11:00

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based yoga class with Calmness with Caroline | 11:15-12:15

• Swords | Swords Library | Summer Poetry as Gaeilge | Library poetry session through Irish for summer creativity | 14:30

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Beginners Bargello | Creative needlework craft workshop for beginners | 14:30

• Swords | Fingal County Childcare Committee | Beyond Behaviour: Neuro-Affirming Practice in Action | CPD-accredited workshop for early years educators | 16:00-20:00

• Rush | Rush National School | Zumba Class | Friendly dance-fitness class with no experience needed | 19:00

• Malahide | Bridgefield Car Park | Green Nuts Men’s Group – Walk & Talk | Friendly men’s walk and talk for connection and fresh air | 19:00

• Swords | Peacocks, River Valley | Fosterstown Development Public Meeting | Residents’ meeting about the proposed Fosterstown development | 19:30

Wednesday 8th July

• Online | LEO Fingal | Canva for Beginners | Online workshop introducing Canva for small business marketing materials | 09:30-12:30

• Swords | River Valley Community Centre | Iyengar Yoga with Sue | Weekly Iyengar yoga class with an experienced local teacher | 10:00-11:00

• Donabate | Unit 16, Donabate Town Centre | Therapeutic Yoga Donabate | Gentle one-hour therapeutic yoga class | 10:00-11:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Nature, Yoga & Art Summer Camp | Four-day camp with yoga, mindfulness games, art, healthy snacks and nature adventures | 10:00-14:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | Drama House Donabate Summer Camp | Alice in Wonderland themed drama camp for children | 10:00-14:00

• Swords | Swords Library | An Introduction to Dungeons & Dragons for Teens | Library session introducing teens to Dungeons & Dragons | 14:30

• Swords | Carnegie Library, North Street | Swords Main Street Transformation Drop-In | Public consultation session about the future of Swords Main Street | 16:00-20:00

• Donabate | Parish Hall | Strength & Conditioning Classes | Welcoming local class focused on strength, fitness and conditioning | 17:00-18:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Sound Bath Meditation | Relaxing evening library session with calming sound meditation | 18:30

• Balbriggan | Flemington Community Centre | Outcomes LGBT+ Support Service Meet & Catch Up | Adults-only LGBT+ support meet-up and catch-up in Balbriggan | 19:00-21:00

• Swords | Thornleigh ETNS, Applewood | Zumba with Gill | Midweek Zumba class in Applewood | 19:00

Thursday 9th July

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Chair Yoga | Gentle chair-based yoga session at the library | 10:00

• Donabate | Community Well Studio, Lambay House | Nature, Yoga & Art Summer Camp | Four-day camp with yoga, mindfulness games, art, healthy snacks and nature adventures | 10:00-14:00

• Donabate | Donabate Parish Hall | Drama House Donabate Summer Camp | Alice in Wonderland themed drama camp for children | 10:00-14:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library / Hamilton Hall | Toy Library Swap & Play | Family-friendly toy swap and play session with eco activities | 12:00-14:00

• Balbriggan | Balbriggan Library | Studio Ghibli Film & Craft | Library film and craft session for young fans of Studio Ghibli | 13:30

• Donabate | Donabate Library | Family Yoga | Gentle movement session for families at the library | 14:30

• Skerries | Skerries Library | Make a Suncatcher | Creative children’s craft workshop making colourful suncatchers | 14:30

• Swords | Roganstown Hotel & Country Club | Women’s Social Golf Community – 2026 Roganstown | Social golf evening for women at Roganstown | 18:00

• Swords | Swords Parish Centre Brackenstown | Hatha Yoga | Evening Hatha Yoga class with Calmness with Caroline | 19:00-20:15

• Swords | Holywell Community Centre | Combat Cardio | High-energy strength and conditioning session | 20:00

• Donabate | Donabate Portrane Community Centre | DPCC Community Bingo | Friendly community bingo night with a social atmosphere | 20:30

• Balbriggan | Man O’War Gastro Pub | The Show-off Sessions | Showcase night for musicians, poets and spoken word artists | 20:30

• Swords | Rivervalley Community Centre | Badminton | Local badminton session in Rivervalley | 21:00-22:00

Thanks for reading and for being part of this growing Fingal East community. Every share, reply and recommendation helps us reach more local people and shine a light on what’s happening around us.

Enjoy the next few days, and we’ll talk again on Thursday morning.