Gardaí have arrested a man after a seizure of controlled drugs worth approximately €149,100 in Ballymun yesterday. Photo: An Garda Síochána A man arrested after a seizure of drugs worth approximately €149,100 in Ballymun yesterday has since been released from custody. A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, a Garda spokesperson said. A search of premises in Ballymun was conducted on Tuesday morning by the Ballymun divisional Drugs Unit, with assistance from the Armed Support Unit, Ballymun Detective Unit and Ballymun Community Response Team. During the search, an Garda Síochána seized approximately €87,500 of suspected heroin and €61,600 of suspected cocaine. This seizure was conducted as part of the ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North. The man, aged in his 30s, was arrested in connection with the search and detained at a Garda station in North Dublin before being released from custody. Investigations are ongoing, a Garda spokesperson confirmed. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Almost 300 social homes are planned for Ballymun in north Dublin in what will be the largest social housing development in the suburb since the demolition of the 1960s tower blocks a decade ago Councillors will in the coming weeks be asked to approve plans for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) development of 288 social homes In the mid-1990s following decades of neglect the government announced its largest ever housing and community redevelopment project with the regeneration of Ballymun 36 blocks of 2,820 flats built in the 1960s The new homes were mostly completed before the final tower block was demolished in 2015 Two years later the council published a plan for the sites which remained vacant following the demolition of the last towers The 2017 Ballymun Local Area Plan (LAP) included “site briefs” for 31 plots of land in Ballymun detailing the housing community or recreational facilities to be provided To correct what the council described at the time as Ballymun’s “skewed tenure mix” the new homes would largely be private housing be provided through the obligation of developers to set aside 10 per cent of new homes for people on the social housing waiting list Mixed tenure was needed to encourage more shops and other services to the area “The dominance of low-income households and limited disposable income is restrictive for local businesses and makes it difficult to attract new commercial activity into the area.” the council has had limited success in marketing the housing sites to developers and is coming under increasing pressure to satisfy demand for new social housing in the area [ Housing affordability crisis no longer confined to Dublin - SCSI reportOpens in new window ] The council has selected five sites it owns for the PPP project The largest site faces on to the western side of the Ballymun Road beside five- and six-storey apartment blocks built under the regeneration project This site will have 132 apartments in blocks ranging in height from four to five storeys and 34 homes which will be a mix of houses which has frontage on to Balbutcher Lane and will have 109 apartments of four to five storeys The council said it had received submissions on its plans which raised concerns about the lack of tenure diversity with all 288 homes to be used for social housing there were a number of other sites in the immediate area in the planning or development stage “that will deliver a mixed-tenure neighbourhood” “It is further noted that the tenure across the Ballymun LAP area continues to be monitored by Dublin City Council to ensure a balanced and integrated approach is taken overall to the proposed tenure in Ballymun.” The council is in talks with the Land Development Agency to build affordable housing for low- and middle-income workers on the vacant site of the former Ballymun “Town Centre” shopping complex. The eight-acre site in the heart of Ballymun, once designated for a vast Dundrum-style shopping complex, has remained vacant since the demolition of the 50-year-old centre was completed four years ago. Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Janine Melia was supposed to be in work at the airport last Thursday “Sitting in the dark with a head torch,” she said Water had dripped down from the round light and from the extractor fan in the bathroom of her home on the second-floor of The Hampton apartment block at Santry Cross in Ballymun a black bucket still sat on the white-tile floor below the freshly stained ceiling A metal saucepan was angled on a cabinet top Melia doesn’t know for sure what caused the leaks Neither do many of her other neighbours in the complex who have also in recent times returned home to pools of water who lives in an apartment across the car park in another block had water seeping into her flat in mid-November Jordyn Murray – a more recent arrival to the blocks – has grown more and more worried about the water stain spreading by the window in the corner of her living room and others have been left casting around amongst themselves for explanations is that they are social tenants Dublin City Council hasn’t told them anything they have no right to eyes and ears on the OMC which in turn hires a property manager to keep up the common areas of the building Sinn Féin TD and housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin says that for safety reasons all landlords should communicate clearly to their tenants if there are building defects and what those defects are “Social landlords should be providing information,” said Ó Broin who has also authored the 2021 book Defects: Living with the Legacy of the Celtic Tiger There is a wider problem with tenants not having a seat on OMCs too Tenants have no rights at all in these circumstances.” It’s not as if all the tenants need to be at OMC meetings “Even to nominate one person to go and take notes or whatever.” some tenants’ frustration with leaks has been compounded by poor conditions inside their flats which weren’t refurbished up to standard when the council bought them under the tenant-in-situ scheme – and the grimy state of the common areas Dublin City Council needs to be a lot more pro-active in getting to the bottom of issues for its tenants a People Before Profit councillor who has been trying to help tenants in the blocks “You would expect the council to be held to a higher standard.” Dublin City Council hasn’t responded to several queries about conditions in its flats in the blocks with some sent last Thursday and others on Tuesday morning a director of Santry Cross Management Limited said that apartment owners at Santry Cross are dealing with the fall-out from shoddy Celtic Tiger-era construction as he is involved in a commercial unit on the ground floor They have in his time fixed a litany of fire-safety issues in what was an uninsurable complex Issues mainly stemmed from poor compartmentalisation – and the fire alarm system was out of date and not working “We had to spend an awful lot of money on making the building safe from a fire point of view in order to get insurance So that was our number one priority,” says Good Good said that they have now started some work to fix leaks Hayes – a long-time resident who used to be a private renter and is now a social tenant in the same flat – said she hadn’t been told any of this a group of women gathered out in the cold of the long car park between the Hampton building and the other blocks that make up the Santry Cross complex The buildings, built by the now-bust construction giant Pierce Contracting as part of the Ballymun regeneration, were marketed in 2004 as “top end” for the city – and with the benefit of tax breaks for new owners An effort to contact a former director of Pierce Contracting was unsuccessful at time of publication “I came home one evening and there’s water coming out of the lights,” said Valerie Hayes who has lived in The Turnpike for 20 years “Underneath my flooring in the spare bedroom and down the wall.” It was the first leaks like that she had had she says – making her wonder if it related at all to work done on the roof A property manager told her it was from the apartment above a big warm coat wrapped around her and a steaming mug of tea in hand says maintenance workers said the same about her leak “They said it was the apartment above me,” she says The leak the night before is just the latest for her Water had also seeped in before through a hole in the living room wall beside the living room window which has since been patched up by the council It also drips down the corner of her hot press near the boiler Murray pulls back the edge of a curtain hanging in front of a long window to show a sepia stain at its edge Beads of water have also gathered along the metal window frames Melia says her health has suffered since she moved into her flat “I’ve never had lung problems in my life,” she says Good, the director of Santry Cross Management, says they are hoping to cover repair costs through the government’s planned defects remediation scheme once that is in place “We’re hoping to get some funds out of that.” It is unclear how long all the repairs will take A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said that it expects legislation for the scheme to be published in the first half of 2025 and that the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme will be in place shortly thereafter Dublin City Council didn’t respond to queries as to whether it was aware of structural issues in the blocks when they bought the flats and what condition surveys it had done Both Melia and Hayes used to be private-renters The council bought their homes and they became social tenants The council didn’t fully refurbish their homes The council paid €245,000 for Melia’s flat in September 2023, says the property price register But she has a litany of complaints about the conditions A maintenance worker for the landlord said he had done a quick cheap fix to bypass the problem The switch has melted on the heater in her bedroom She uses a gas heater in the living room to keep warm Melia crouches inside her en-suite bathroom in front of the sink pointing to a gap where the U-bend should be The end of the pipe into the wall is stuffed with tissue “The smell of sewerage coming out of it was absolutely vile,” she says She has been onto the council repeatedly to ask them to fix it “This is the presses I’m currently working with,” she says She opens one peeling cabinet door and it drops to the floor “They told me to put a screw in it.” Someone came to fix it Hayes meanwhile – who signed over to be a council tenant in February 2023 she says – has just one storage heater in the apartment in her hall An electrician for the council came and said they had to order heaters for her Dublin City Council didn’t respond to queries as to why they hadn’t brought all the flats  up to standard the People Before Profit councillor who is advocating for the tenants says he is struggling to get answers from the council as to why it isn’t doing essential maintenance work “The council is always slow at maintenance but it seems especially slow in this case,” he says He can’t understand the lack of communication with tenants either and he has submitted formal questions for the next full council meeting in January “There needs to be a much deeper look at the problems across the complex,” says Reddy and “a serious look at what can be done to fix them” says the council can claim money from central government for remedial works on homes that it buys under tenant-in-situ as long as the total price for the purchase and works is under a certain cap “With tenant in situ the local authority has a fair amount of flexibility if the price is below the unit price ceiling,” he says Melia says that if the council would agree to renovate fully she would find somewhere temporary to live Hayes wants to know who is going to pay to repair the water damage in her social home “I want to see who is paying for the damage Council tenants are generally expected to pay themselves to maintain their homes “I certainly haven’t got the money to do paint to do up the apartment again and my flooring.” Says Murray: “You can see in people’s houses And they’re just getting absolutely wrecked.” residents in the Santry Complex also complain of grimy common areas In the entrance of The Hampton on Thursday Tenants also complain about a lack of security Kids scrawl on the walls of the landings as soon as they’re painted fresh kids climbed onto a roof and hurled cement blocks down below “An old fella with two German shepherds.” Bring that back poor maintenance of common areas in apartment buildings can be down to owners not paying their service charges Financial statements for the OMC for the year ending April 2022 do note an operating deficit “Debtors in the company now exceed balance sheet reserves and the company does not have sufficient cash to meet it’s obligations,” they say “These conditions indicate uncertainty which may cast doubt about the company’s ability to continue of as a going concern,” they read “the directors are working with a new management team and have considered the company’s future earnings and costs and all relevant aspects of the company’s financing position including its ability to generate positive cash flow the directors are satisfied that the going concern basis is appropriate” says that payment of service charges is now not an issue and most property owners in the complex are paying There’s a diverse group of owners and some are bigger owners with many flats and they are good at paying The OMC has been working to improve maintenance of the common areas It is meeting with them soon to stress expectations didn’t respond to queries sent by email about the maintenance of common areas talk among the women gathered turns to the new apartment blocks planned for the big green spaces to the west of the Santry Cross blocks They could always welcome their neighbours Laoise Neylon is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer You can reach her at lneylon@dublininquirer.com Lois Kapila is deputy editor at Dublin Inquirer You can reach her at lois@dublininquirer.com You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer Check your email for magic link to sign-in we couldn't find the page you are looking for © Copyright Dublin GAA Board, Parnell Park, Donnycarney, Dublin 5. Made by Together Digital This website is optimised for mobile devices and modern web browsers In order to view the content correctly please upgrade your current web browser to IE9 or higher or switch to an alternative browser such as Chrome Follow the Archives for more daily updates on features The government has given the go-ahead for the demolition of the Ballymun flat complex in north Dublin Three decades after they went up it looks as though the Ballymun tower blocks may be coming down Dublin Corporation has drawn up a £200 million plan for the area will see the blocks demolished one by one as groups of residents are rehoused on a phased basis The cabinet has approved the plan for modern housing over a period of eight years on a phased basis The plan envisages a new town for the people of Ballymun There are mixed reactions to the plan from the 20,000 residents many residents feel that there is a strong community spirit which has been built up over the past 30 years.  The problems at the Ballymun flats are evident as a group of residents protest over the ease with which a drug pusher has gained access to one of the towers One resident who is in favour of the demolition says Flatten them and make a new city for the youth of today Members of government visited Ballymun as the plans were announced and say they are hopeful that the plans will be visibly underway by the end of the year Brendan Howlin TD says that the original plan envisaged for Ballymun has not worked and there is a need for change The decisions of the past simply weren't suitable to the Irish environment and we now want to provide a decent environment for the people who live in Ballymun who are part of the community of Ballymun An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 March 1997 Relief for the singer and composer of the song representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Leon Wright was charged in connection with multiple alleged robberies A Dublin man has been charged with possession of a knife following an alleged standoff with gardaí who were investigating a shop robbery in the north of the city Leon Wright (36) appeared in court today after being arrested over the incident in Ballymun on Sunday He was remanded in custody after his lawyer deferred a bail application at Dublin District Court A co-accused in one of the other robberies was granted bail and her case was adjourned for DPP directions is charged with possession of a knife with a 19cm blade at Sandyhill Gardens He is also charged with robbing staff of €100 worth of cigarettes at Spar Silloge he is accused of taking €150 cash at Dealz Mr Wright is charged with robbing €694 in cash at Hickey’s Pharmacy Finglas and €200 cash at Coolers Off Licence He also allegedly robbed €160 cash from the same off licence the day before Detective Garda Fergus Burke told Judge Aine Clancy he arrested Mr Wright at Ballymun station yesterday evening and he made no reply to any of the six charges after caution at 8.43pm He was handed copies of the charges sheets Defence solicitor Jenny McGeever said she was not making a bail application today and would defer it to another date Det Gda Burke asked the judge to “note that we were here today to make objections to his bail.” He handed over the written objections to Ms McGeever at her request She said she would notify the prosecution “if anything arises.” was not required to speak during the brief hearing and has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges he leaned forward from the dock to kiss a woman who was in the court’s public gallery to support him Judge Clancy granted free legal aid before remanding him in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday She recommended medical treatment if required Garda Dwayne O’Brien said it was alleged a man and a woman entered Hickey’s Pharmacy The woman remained at the front door and prevented it from locking while the man proceeded up to a staff member and produced a knife He told staff to open the till and took €694 in cash from it before both accused left the store it was alleged Ms Hennessy filled a bag with €315 worth of teeth-whitening products and left the pharmacy without paying She was arrested the following day and a knife was found in her possession Gda O'Brien believed she would evade justice and not appear in court if granted bail Ms Hennessy’s solicitor Colleen Gildernew said on the more serious of her charges her allegation was she played a “lesser role." Gda O’Brien said it was allegedly pre-meditated and “they knew what they were going to do.” Ms Hennessy had stood in the middle of two sets of doors in the pharmacy Ms Gildernew said her client was a “vulnerable lady” who was under a lot of pressure and her personal circumstances were “very tragic" including a bereavement Ms Hennessy was “house surfing” at the moment Judge Clancy said Ms Hennessy was presumed innocent but she had to balance this with public safety The judge granted bail in Ms Hennessy’s own bond of €500 she is to have no contact with her co-accused She must live at her mother’s address in Ballymun keep a night-time curfew and sign on daily at the local garda station She remanded Ms Hennessy on bail to appear in court again on February 25 Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open You are visiting us because we have something you value Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. GARDAÍ IN DUBLIN have arrested a man in his 30s following an armed robbery in the Ballymun area today. Shortly before 2:30 pm, gardaí responded to reports of a robbery at a retail premises on Marewood Crescent in Ballymun.  A man entered the store brandishing a knife, threatened staff and removed property before leaving on foot, a Garda spokesperson said. Later on, in the Sandyhill Gardens area of Ballymun, local uniformed and armed Gardaí from Ballymun Station, supported by the Armed Support Unit, made the arrest.  The man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Dublin. Gardaí said he had been arrested “in connection with this incident and a number of similar robberies in recent days”. “Less than lethal force options were deployed by gardaí in the arrest of the individual,” the spokesperson said, adding that investigations are ongoing. Less-than-lethal tactics include the use of 40mm direct impact munitions, tasers and OC Spray (pepper spray). The incident is not connected to a stabbing incident in the Stoneybatter area this afternoon. To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Create an email alert based on the current article Affordable homes for low- and middle-income workers could be built on the vacant site of the Ballymun shopping centre in north Dublin following assessment by the Land Development Agency (LDA) The eight-acre site in the heart of Ballymun once designated for a vast Dundrum-style shopping complex has remained vacant since the demolition of the 50-year-old centre was completed four years ago Dublin City Council in February 2023 sought expressions of interest to develop housing at the western half of the site, with the east section, facing on to Ballymun Road, to be retained for later commercial and retail development in tandem with the construction of the MetroLink rail line despite twice seeking bids for the western lands the council was unable to secure a developer Council valuers and the LDA are now assessing indicative cost-rental housing proposals and the site’s potential for affordable purchase housing with plans expected to be formalised this year A spokesman for the LDA said that while the project was at an early stage it was working with the council on the “possible development of affordable housing at the Ballymun shopping centre site This is being progressed in line with its other successful partnerships with DCC at Bluebell Waterways Cherry Orchard Point and the Donore Project at St Teresa’s Gardens.” [ Bids to replace Ballymun shopping centre soughtOpens in new window ] The redevelopment of the old shopping centre, known as the Town Centre, was central to the 1997 Ballymun regeneration plan. In 2000, Treasury Holdings paid more than £6 million (€7.6 million) for a 53 per cent stake in the site, with the council retaining the remainder. The new complex, which was to be the main shopping facility for the suburb’s 18,000 residents, was due to be built in 2005. However, it was not until 2009 that Treasury secured planning permission for Spring Cross, a vast €800 million development, which was to include an 11-screen cinema, bowling alley, public library, creche and restaurants, as well as more than 60,293sq m of retail space. It had intended to begin construction the following year, but the economic crash intervened and the town centre lands became part of the National Asset Management Agency’s (Nama) portfolio of loans before any development began. Most retailers in the centre subsequently shut and, in early 2014, it lost the Tesco supermarket, its anchor tenant. In May 2014, the council reached agreement with Nama and its receivers to acquire the Treasury stake. Two years later the council sought compulsory purchase orders to gain clear possession of the site. The final tenants left the shopping centre in summer 2018. However, it was not until the following year that the €1.9 million demolition contract was awarded, with the work to level the centre beginning in mid-2020 and finishing in 2021. Sarah O'MahonySun 9 Feb 2025 at 19:42A man in his 30s has been arrested after a robbery and a stand-off with gardaí in Ballymun this afternoon unrelated to a stabbing incident that occurred in Stoneybatter at approximately the same time saw gardaí respond to reports of an armed robbery at a retail premises on Marewood Crescent The man entered the store and allegedly brandished a knife threatened staff and removed property before leaving on foot In a follow-up operation involving local officers and armed gardaí from Ballymun Station the man was arrested in the Sandyhill Gardens area Gardaí said less-than-lethal force options were used during the arrest of the individual Videos of the incident have circulated on social media “He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a garda station in the Dublin region in connection with this incident and a number of similar robberies in recent days “Investigations are ongoing,” a spokesperson said A man has been arrested after nearly €150,000 worth of drugs was seized in north Dublin The drugs – around €87,500 of heroin and €61,600 of cocaine – was seized during raids of a premises in Ballymun on Tuesday The suspect – aged in his 30s - is currently being questioned at a garda station in north Dublin under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 “As part of the ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the DMR North Gardaí have seized approximately €149,100 of controlled drugs yesterday morning,” a garda spokesperson said “The search of a premises in Ballymun was conducted by Ballymun divisional Drugs Unit with assistance from the Armed Support Unit Ballymun Detective Unit and Ballymun Community Response Team During the course of this search approximately €87,500 of suspected heroin and €61,600 of suspected cocaine was seized.” has been arrested in connection with this search and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda Station in North Dublin.” Lisa Thompson's death left a ripple of pain throughout the entire family after a 40-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for her murder in Ballymun in Dublin almost three years ago was found guilty by a jury last month of murdering the 52-year-old in May 2022 told the court that Ms Thompson had been in a dark place before her death but she said that was not a reflection on how she lived her life The court heard victim impact statements read by Ms Duckett who were 12 and 13 when their mother was murdered Ms Thompson's son said her absence had left an irreplaceable void Her daughter told McHugh he had not just taken their mother's life but had taken her own and her brother's whole world She said half of their hearts went with their mother Ms Thompson’s friends Susan Browne and Samantha McCormack paid tribute to a woman they described as a wonderful mother and a neighbour with a heart of gold The trial heard Ms Thompson's body was found in her house at Sandyhill Gardens in Ballymun on 10 May 2022 after her neighbours became concerned She had been stabbed 11 times in the chest and a window blind cord was wrapped around her neck McHugh's DNA was found on the cord and he was seen on CCTV footage in the early hours of the morning on 9 May 2022 approaching Ms Thompson's house The court heard Ms Thompson had been dealing prescription drugs from her home and that she and McHugh had what was described as "a bit of a fling" in the year before murder The trial also heard text messages sent from another named woman to McHugh in June 2022 one of which said "I could have been like Lisa strangle n stab" at a time when details of the strangulation injuries had not been released publicly The woman also said she was "going to the cops" The jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict after just under three-and-a-half hours of deliberating Ms Justice Karen O'Connor imposed the mandatory life sentence on McHugh She said Ms Thompson's sister had represented her by ensuring the last voice the trial heard from was Ms Thompson's voice through her beautiful children She said Ms Thompson's friends and family had conducted themselves with extraordinary dignity despite the devastating and heartbreaking evidence about her violent death in horrific and brutal circumstances The judge said Ms Thompson's love for her children was palpable in the evidence heard throughout the trial We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences Lisa Thompson was murdered at her home in Ballymun in May 2022 \u003Cp\u003EBrian McHugh was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Lisa Thompson\u003C/p\u003E The 'Ballymun Is Brilliant' project launch at Better Ballymun Day last year Trinity Comprehensive will be the headquarters for Better Ballymun Day on March 14 Amy DonohoeMon 10 Mar 2025 at 07:00The Ballymun community is making the area bright and beautiful ahead of the annual day celebrating the best of the local community More than 2,000 locals from all walks of life are expected to help out in more than 60 projects for Better Ballymun Day Trinity Comprehensive School will be the headquarters for the day teachers and helpers will gather to collect the litter-pickers paints and bin bags before getting to work Top of the agenda on the day will be weeding painting and sprucing up public buildings around the town “Better Ballymun is about giving young people a voice and empowering leaders of change,” organisers said Our young people and community members are sending out a strong message by their actions “They are taking ownership of their environment They are adding to and creating a bright and beautiful place we live in They are showing true leadership by getting out into the community and making a difference “They are learning about sustainable living in a hands-on Have a look at our map which outlines the actions and locations of the amazing projects that our school community groups and locals are engaging in.” Trinity Comprehensive School is at the heart of the Ballymun community with halls and rooms open until late and available to the local scouts and various sporting groups said: “I’ve been working in Trinity Comprehensive since 1989 as a teacher there’ll be 15 to 20 projects in the school “We won €10,000 last year with AIB’s Future Spark competition We’re using that money for the project this year We’ve a website that uploads the projects before and after All the projects are spread out,” he added See www.betterballymun.ie for a full list of events and visitors are welcome CommentKsenia Samotiy: Blaming immigration for all your problems is easy to do, but it doesn’t solve anythingThere was a big anti-immigration march in Dublin the weekend before last. There were chants of “whose streets? our streets”, calls for mass deportation, and Conor McGregor posting encouraging tweets for the protesters. Derivative sentiments about … when bus services in the north Dublin suburb are taken over by routes under the Bus Connects network Route 13 has had a long association with Ballymun and until Saturday of this week ran between Grange Castle in west Dublin and Harristown The last bus into each terminus is scheduled for 11.30pm on Saturday night From Sunday there will still be a route 13 but its northern terminus is to be Mountjoy Square in Dublin’s north inner city The route will still connect with Grange Castle via O’Connell Street The changes are part of the introduction this Sunday of phase 6a of the National Transport Authority’s Bus Connects network Route 13 is to continue in name but the northern leg of the route will be dropped Ballymun will in future be covered by the Bus Connects E-Spine routes E1 and E2 – which are both 24-hour routes taking in DCU and the city centre to Ballywaltrim The E2 runs from Harristown near Dublin Airport the city centre and terminating in Dún Laoghaire From Sunday route 4 from Monkstown will be diverted at O’Connell Bridge to Heuston Station Route 11 from Sandyford will be diverted at Parnell Square to run via Phibsborough and the North Circular Road to the Phoenix Park Radial route 19 from Dublin Airport via DCU to the city centre will initially operate to and from Parnell Square and to and from Merrion Square at peak times An all-day service to and from Merrion Square will commence in April Routes being replaced from Sunday as part of phase 6a include the 46A [ Goodbye to the 46A: End of legendary Dublin bus route made famous in songOpens in new window ] Kilcoole and Newcastle in Co Wicklow will in future be served by the X1 and X2 routes The service will be between North Wicklow and Dublin city centre local services will be introduced around north Co Wicklow and south Co Dublin feeding into local schools some routes within Bray and some routes across south Co Dublin The L26 will link Kilternan to Cornelscourt and on to Blackrock Dart station; while the L27 will link Leopardstown Valley with Cornelscourt and Dún Laoghaire A full list of the new services is available at transportforireland.ie. Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist A prosecution is not being brought forward over the murder of mother-of-six Antoinette Corbally in Ballymun almost eight years ago previously of St Brendan’s Road in Drumcondra was shot dead at Balbutcher Drive along with Clinton Shannon (30) They sustained multiple wounds in a gun attack Their deaths were believed to have been connected to an attempt on the life of Ms Corbally’s brother Det Insp Liam Donoghue told the coroner on Wednesday that no prosecutions were being brought forward by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to the deaths of Ms Corbally and Mr Shannon Det Insp Donoghue said Mr Shannon’s family was appealing the DPP’s decision and he was therefore seeking a six-month adjournment to the opening of both inquests This was granted by coroner Aisling Gannon who said the next hearing in relation to the cases would take place on September 10th The incident occurred in the early hours of March 24th in the Coppinger Row/South William Street area. Mr Kailedzi, who had been living on Hatch Street in Dublin 2, died at his home as a result of injuries sustained in the incident. Two men were arrested at the time as part of the Garda investigation but were released without charge. The coroner’s court heard last July that Mr Kailedzi’s cause of death was a “traumatic blunt force head injury”. The period to appeal the DPP’s decision had expired, the court heard on Wednesday, with Mr Kailedzi’s family seeking a priority hearing for the matter. Investigating gardaí said a file was ready to proceed for a full inquest hearing, which was scheduled for October 2nd. Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times A murder trial jury has this afternoon taken just over three hours to find mother-of-two Lisa Thompson's former lover guilty of strangling her with a blind cord and stabbing her to death in her own home Evidence was heard that Ms Thompson - who was found with 11 stab wounds to her chest and the blood-stained cord wrapped around her neck - was dealing prescription drugs from her home Six of the wounds had penetrated her heart and two went through and through which the defence submitted had "an element of overkill" to it Brian McHugh with an address at Cairn Court had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Thompson (52) at Sandyhill Gardens A forensic scientist told the Central Criminal Court trial that the blind cord contained McHugh's DNA while the prosecution argued that he could be seen on CCTV footage near Ms Thompson's home on the night of the killing When asked to account for the presence of his DNA on the cord McHugh told gardai that he had been "in and out" of Ms Thompson's house "for the last three years" The jury has also heard that DNA recovered from jewellery found in the defendant's home also matched that of Ms Thompson The 12 jurors took just three hours and 24 minutes to unanimously reject McHugh's defence that Ms Thompson was a "woman of secrets" and that there was more to her killing "than would appear on the surface" also submitted in his closing address that this was not "the neat case wrapped up in a bow" which the prosecution had presented to the jury They instead agreed with Fiona Murphy SC alongside David Perry BL that the prosecution had "meticulously presented a tapestry of circumstantial evidence" painting a "compelling picture" of McHugh's guilt Evidence has been given that gardai searching Ms Thompson's home found thousands of prescription tablets worth nearly €50,000 hidden in her attic and that she and McHugh (40) had a "bit of a fling" in the year before she died Ms Justice Karen O'Connor thanked the four men and eight women of the jury for their patience and commitment throughout the trial "You should be proud of having carried out your civic duty," she added The judge told the jury that as an indication of her appreciation to them for their time given to the case she would excuse them from jury service for the next five years The judge offered her "sincere condolences" to the Thompson family and thanked them for their dignity throughout the trial "I cannot imagine your pain and what you have suffered in terms of your grief I want to thank you for the manner you represented your beloved throughout this procedure," she said Ms Justice O'Connor will hand down the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment to McHugh on March 10 and remanded the defendant in custody until that date the Thompson family will have an opportunity to make a statement to the court about the impact Lisa's death has had on their lives McHugh was due to stand trial last year but a pre-trial ruling found that the evidence from two gardai purporting to recognise the defendant from CCTV footage near the deceased's home should be excluded due to their involvement in the investigation in what was believed to be the first appeal of its kind the ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal after successful submissions by the State and as a result the evidence was restored for consideration at McHugh's current trial before the Central Criminal Court The jury had watched a CCTV montage of what the prosecution said were the defendant's and a named woman's movements near the deceased's home in Ballymun on the night of the killing The prosecutor told the jury in her closing address that McHugh chose to make no comment to gardai when asked to account for his presence at Sandyhill Gardens between 1.25am and 2.50am on May 9 2022 as depicted on CCTV footage She said the jury was entitled to draw inference from the fact that McHugh hadn't denied that the identification was accurate Evidence was also given that McHugh had received a text message from the named woman saying "I could of been like Lisa today strangle n stab" over a month after Ms Thompson was found dead a senior investigating officer told the jury that details of the ligature and strangulation injuries on Ms Thompson had not been released into the public domain at the time these text messages were sent Other text messages sent from the named woman to McHugh in June 2022 included her saying: "Murder Lisa n al" and "Move the knife did u" In another text she said: "Goin in bye I'm at Ballymun station bye I'm tellin" as well as "ur runners n the knife" the prosecutor said the named woman was with McHugh before after and at the time the murder was committed She said the named woman had specifically referenced matters she had no reason to know about unless she had some form of "insider information" that Ms Thompson had been strangled and stabbed Counsel said the woman had referenced in her text the two items which were missing in the case and that the pair of runners seized by gardai from McHugh had no blood on them Sandra McMahon told Ms Murphy that Lisa Thompson was her friend and neighbour she would call or text ahead of time and Ms Thompson would open the back gate to her home to let her in The witness knew Ms Thompson was dealing prescription tablets from her house and believed she had "maybe five or six" customers Ms McMahon said Ms Thompson sold the tablets for €15 per tray and would keep them in a black Tommy Hilfiger bag at the side of her bed Ms McMahon told the defence that customers would call and Ms Thompson would let them in through the back gate Ms McMahon was also aware that Ms Thompson had put a bag of tablets in the attic of her home The witness also said the deceased had once given €20,000 to a mutual acquaintance "in case the house was raided by gardai" Neighbour Alison Doherty said Ms Thompson and McHugh had "a bit of a fling or some kind of entanglement" the previous year but it had "kind of fizzled out" She agreed with the defence that the pair had got back in touch around a month or two before Ms Thompson died Gardai were searching Ms Thompson's house on May 12 when they found thousands of prescription tablets worth nearly €50,000 in two sports bags hidden behind a water-tank in the attic The jury spent several days watching a CCTV montage of what the prosecution said were McHugh's movements at and around Ms Thompson's home on the night of the killing In the footage a named woman is seen driving a Hyundai Tucson into Sandyhill Gardens at 1.24am in the early hours of May 9 is seen getting out of the vehicle and walking into Sandyhill Gardens followed by the Hyundai A faint light comes on at Ms Thompson's front door at 1.50am Shortly before 3am the man is seen beside the Hyundai and the vehicle heads in the direction of the Ballymun Road It was the prosecution case that McHugh and the named woman then drove to an Applegreen service station on St Margaret's Road in Swords The defence accepted it was McHugh in the front passenger seat of the car in the CCTV footage where he is seen going through a red wallet which is alleged to have belonged to the deceased The defendant was also seen rummaging through a red pillow case which the State contended was the prominent colour on the deceased's bedding Evidence was given that gardai recovered Ms Thompson's house keys and her medication in wasteland beside the same Applegreen service station a week after her body was discovered McHugh was also seen in CCTV footage on the night trying to sell jewellery - which the prosecution alleged was linked to Ms Thompson - to a service station cashier Store clerk Staven Kadar told the trial that a man who had "dove tattoos" on his hands and "a sinister vibe" "poured" a "gemmed ring" and other bands into a tray at the pay-hatch and told him he could have "the lot" for €800 Mr Kadar described one of the rings as being gold with three gems in it A search was conducted at McHugh's address at Cairn Court on May 13 2022 three days after the deceased's body was found Amongst the items seized was jewellery located in a drawer of a bedside locker in the defendant's bedroom McHugh had no comment to make when asked by gardai to account for his DNA on Ms Thompson's jewellery Gerard Donohue testified that he was once engaged to the deceased but hadn't spoken to or seen Ms Thompson since their relationship ended 15 years previously The witness said he had bought a ring from McDowells Jewellers on O'Connell Street Upper and had left the receipt with Ms Thompson which was a three-diamond ring with a twisted bar a store manager with McDowells 'The Happy Ring House' Jewellers testified that gardai had shown him a valuation receipt for "an 18 carat gold three stone twist diamond ring" signed by an appraiser and valued at €1,795 Mr Kelly confirmed the name Gerard Donohue was on the certificate and that it was dated December 2 When a search of the named woman's Hyundai Tucson was carried out on May 17 2022 a jewellery valuation certificate from McDowell's Jewellers was found in the central console of the vehicle Fingerprint expert Detective Sergeant Fiona Maguire told the trial she had no doubt that fingermarks on the certificate were made by McHugh's right middle finger and left thumb A fingermark belonging to the named woman was also found on the certificate Two gardai told the trial that they had recognised McHugh on CCTV footage near Ms Thompson's home on the night of the killing from his "big physical stature" "protruding ears" and "very distinctive walking gait" Detective Garda Cathal Connolly said he had engaged with and observed McHugh on multiple occasions through his police work in Ballymun He described the defendant as having prominent ears and swallow tattoos on his hands the witness agreed under cross-examination by the defence that he had taken statements from witnesses in the case two days prior to viewing the CCTV footage but had not mentioned this to Detective Inspector Donnacha Maguire who facilitated the identification process Sergeant Michael Harkin gave evidence that separate to the identification process he had prepared an interview plan for suspects in the case and as part of that he had viewed CCTV footage He said he had recognised McHugh in the footage from his side profile and "very distinctive walking gait" Detective Inspector Maguire denied to the defence that the "impartiality and independence" that made such an identification process valuable had not happened in the case The derelict site of the former Ballymun shopping centre which closed in 2018 could be transformed into affordable housing under new plans Dublin City Council (DCC) has engaged in talks with the Land Development Agency (LDA) to explore the potential for developing part of the site into much-needed homes While discussions around the project are at a very early stage local stakeholders are hopeful the plans could address both housing shortages and the community’s need for a vibrant central hub The Ballymun shopping centre closed its doors permanently in 2018 and the eight-acre site has remained vacant following its demolition in 2021 With businesses struggling to attract foot traffic and a lack of retail options in the area there is growing support for a redevelopment plan that includes housing to bring more people to Ballymun The new housing proposals would likely include a mix of affordable purchase which has partnered with DCC on other housing projects in Dublin and plans for the development are expected to be formalised this year there is also a desire to see a balanced approach that incorporates retail and recreational spaces to create a thriving mixed-use community While initial plans called for temporary uses like markets or pop-up stalls on the eastern side of the site the ongoing construction of the MetroLink rail line in the area has delayed these plans The LDA’s involvement may offer a fresh push for long-term solutions but timelines remain uncertain and some fear it could take years before substantial progress is made small improvements are being made to the local area including the revamp of the plaza in front of the Axis Centre A spokesperson for the LDA said: “The Land Development Agency is working with Dublin City Council to explore the possible development of affordable housing at the Ballymun shopping centre site “This is being progressed in line with its other successful partnerships with DCC at Bluebell Waterways and the Donore Project at St Teresa's Gardens,” they added A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: “The Land Development Agency is actively engaging with Dublin City Council in relation to the site of the former Ballymun shopping centre CommentKsenia Samotiy: Blaming immigration for all your problems is easy to do but it doesn’t solve anythingThere was a big anti-immigration march in Dublin the weekend before last and Conor McGregor posting encouraging tweets for the protesters A Dublin man charged with money laundering and a seizure of illegal tablets at his home has been sent forward for trial was arrested following an operation by gardai attached to the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) They charged him with unlawfully possessing alprazolam tablets and having them for the purpose of sale or supply on February 8 The offences are under the Misuse of Drugs Act Two additional charges were brought under money laundering legislation The first alleges that on the date of the tablet seizure he had €1,200 in crime proceeds in his home The second states that between 2017 and 2024 he possessed crime proceeds in a specific bank account He appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court — the Director of Public Prosecutions authorised trial on indictment Judge Kelly granted a return for trial order sending Mr Sheridan forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where the case will be listed for mention on May 16 Legal aid was granted to include senior counsel representation due to the seriousness of the case Judge Kelly also agreed to remove a curfew from the defendant's bail terms DCRT Garda Shane Cunningham said that Mr Sheridan was handed copies of the charges and "made no reply" The quantity or value of the seizure was not stated during the hearing but the court heard gardai had seized his phone He must sign on regularly at a garda station He must not apply for a replacement or alternative travel documents Curtis Pritchard lived in Ballymun for three years from 2017 to 2019 Curtis with Holly Carpenter during his time on RTÉ's Dancing With The Stars Sarah BurkeWed 15 Jan 2025 at 12:39A shout out for Ballymun wouldn’t have been on many people’s bingo cards for the new season of Love Island All Stars the northside suburb received an unexpected mention in the first episode thanks for former Ballymun resident Curtis Pritchard The English dancer revealed he had lived in the area for three years during his time working on three seasons of RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars During a conversation with Irish contestant Catherine Agbaje Pritchard revealed that he was familiar with the area Fans of the Love Island series were left baffled by the news that Pritchard had lived in Ballymun with one writing: “Curtis living in Ballymun was not on my bingo card.” Another added: “Curtis lived in Ballymun for 3 years?? Need a backstory – when and why did he live there One person said: “As someone who used to live in Dublin I absolutely cannot see Curtis living in Ballymun.” Pritchard danced alongside Irish stars Thalia Heffernan His final year on the show was meant to be 2019 but he was unable to take part after being attacked on December 27 Pritchard first appeared on Love Island in 2019 and met Maura Higgins The couple ended up finishing in fourth place in the series and continued their relationship outside the villa before calling it quits eight months later A man who had been arrested after a robbery and a stand-off with gardaí in Ballymun on Sunday afternoon has been charged is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice gardaí responded to reports of a robbery at a retail premises on Marewood Crescent A man entered the store brandishing a knife In a follow-up operation involving local uniformed and armed gardaí from Ballymun Station a man in his 30s was arrested in the Sandyhill Gardens area “He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at a garda station in the Dublin region in connection with this incident and a number of similar robberies in recent days,” garda said earlier “Less than lethal force options were deployed by gardaí in the arrest of the individual Ballymun could be in line for some new affordable housing.  Plans are in the works for homes at a site in the north Dublin town.  The new housing would be built at the old Ballymun Town centre which was demolished four years ago.  The Irish Times reports that the Land Development Agency says it's working on the possible development at the shopping centre.  It would see affordable and cost-rental housing built at the site.  A spokesperson for the LDA confirmed that they are considering the site: "The Land Development Agency is working with Dublin City Council to explore the possible development of affordable housing at the Ballymun Shopping Centre site  This is being progressed in line with its other successful partnerships with DCC at Bluebell Waterways Cherry Orchard Point and the Donore Project at St It follows plans from Dublin City Council to develop the land The move has been welcomed by local People Before Profit Councillor Conor Reddy.  Reddy says that amenities and retail outlets must be factored in to any construction plans: "Housing is always welcomed in the area there's a huge need for social and affordable homes "But I think we also need other things you look at what the shopping center used to provide for the community It was kind of a heart where people could meet each other I think Ballymun is really lacking in quality community space," he added.  "Whatever development goes forward here but I think there has to be a community aspect with it I really hope the LDA look at the community's needs in that way I'll certainly be making sure they hear the community's needs." Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe has criticised the lack of progress in developing the site Amy DonohoeMon 27 Jan 2025 at 12:40A Dublin TD says he is “running out of patience” with the lack of progress being made on the derelict Ballymun Shopping Centre site There are calls for the Land Development Agency (LDA) to help develop the derelict site and turn it into affordable housing The shopping centre closed its doors permanently in 2018 Dublin City Council are at a very early stage of discussions with the LDA to explore the potential for developing part of the site into much-needed homes Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe has criticised the council for a lack of progress in developing the site The Dublin North-West TD is urging the LDA to “get involved” and highlighted that the shopping centre site is designated for mixed use development including both retail and housing projects “It is twelve months since I sought commitments from the LDA directly for this to happen and my patience and the patience of people living in the area “The Local Area Plan has 18 sites in the area all of which have plans for a variety of housing projects “Dublin City Council is leading these and making good use of the new powers and budgets which the government has made available to councils and approved housing bodies “But there isn’t the same progress on the shopping centre site Given the large number of projects due to be delivered under the LAP by Dublin City Council I believe the LDA may be better placed to develop this complex mixed use site where the shopping centre was located.” “Given the changing nature of retail and the number of shopping centres on the northside of the city a Dundrum-style shopping centre is unlikely to succeed here but this should not hold us back from delivering much-needed housing and small retail units,” McAuliffe said “The LDA was established by the government to take the lead where a complex mix of housing and commercial use is required and I am again calling for them to work with DCC to develop a plan for this key piece of land in the heart of Ballymun “The council has been seeking a partner to develop the site with a process of seeking expressions of interest now open for more than a year.” A spokesperson for the LDA previously said: “The Land Development Agency is working with Dublin City Council to explore the possible development of affordable housing at the Ballymun shopping centre site and the Donore Project at St Teresa's Gardens.” A spokesperson for Dublin City Council added: “The Land Development Agency is actively engaging with Dublin City Council in relation to the site of the former Ballymun shopping centre Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a child was reportedly assaulted in Ballymun in Dublin A man is alleged to have attacked a young boy at a bus stop on the Ballymun Road shortly before 10pm last Friday night December 27th Anyone who was in the vicinity at the time or who may have information is being asked to contact gardaí Keep up-to-date with the top stories in Cork with our daily newsletter straight to your inbox Please click here for our privacy statement. Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter to be in with a chance to win prizes and see what's coming up in The Echo Add Echolive.ie to your home screen - easy access to Cork news A MAN WHO was arrested following an armed robbery in the Ballymun area on Sunday has been charged In a follow-up operation in the Sandyhill Gardens area involving local uniformed and armed gardaí from Ballymun Station and supported by the Armed Support Unit A garda spokesperson said that the man was arrested “in connection with this incident and a number of similar robberies in recent days” “Less than lethal force options were deployed by gardaí in the arrest of the individual,” the spokesperson added Less-than-lethal tactics include the use of 40mm direct impact munitions The man has since been charged and is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice later this morning How Ballymun Athletics Club is changing lives in the community There’s an athletics transformation taking place in Ballymun the likes of which has not been seen before in the north Dublin suburb 65 juveniles between the ages of eight and 18 had their first training session of the week with Ballymun Athletics Club at the Trinity Comprehensive school on Ballymun Road 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of daughters-in-law Nicola Courtney and Aisling If you wish you may leave a message of condolence for Michael’s family below. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one and ramp up lower-density affordable-purchase housing there instead When councillors agreed a local area plan for Ballymun in 2017 One site across the road from the Metro Hotel has been developed with student housing and another four have been built out by the Ó Cualann Cohousing Alliance Dublin City Council has started work on plans to develop social and affordable housing on 11 sites That is largely because of planning rules requiring high-density development a community planner and author of the “Ballymun: a Brighter Future” report Apartments are expensive to build and in an area where existing houses cost less than the price of building a new apartment “It doesn’t make sense in Ballymun and in lots of other places,” he says “It’s a massive flaw in the national planning framework.” Councillors in Ballymun did also refuse a proposal from a private developer a few years ago concerned that the homes cost way more than locals could afford Most commentators say the solution – if Dublin City Council’s aim is to have more private homes mixed in with the social homes in the area – is for the council to develop more affordable-purchase housing In July, Dublin City Council ran a public consultation on plans for 138 affordable-purchase homes at Balbutcher Lane in Ballymun – and it is working on proposals for others too had a vision to replace high-rise towers with lower-rise social housing and to bring in private development to create a community with a mix of tenants and homeowners Between 1998 and 2017, around 1,350 private homes were built in the area, with private investment, says the Ballymun Local Area Plan (LAP.) At the time of the LAP 29 percent of homes in Ballymun were owner-occupied while the average across Dublin was 52 percent All but one electoral district in Ballymun was classed as disadvantaged The LAP set out a goal of growing the proportion of homeowners in Ballymun It commits “to provide a choice of tenure options and house types promoting social inclusion and integration” Not everyone agrees that increasing the proportion of homeowners is vital to sustainable communities Most new housing would be private, says the plan student housing and affordable-purchase housing It said a small number of social homes would be delivered through Part V the provision that means a slice of homes in bigger private estates goes to social housing Meanwhile,the LAP envisages buildings of four to six storeys of mixed-use development along Ballymun’s Main Street The lifetime of the Ballymun LAP was extended for another five years in 2022 – and so it is in place until 2027 the private housing it envisages mostly isn’t viable in Ballymun under the current system “The planning system is only allowing the most expensive form of development in too many locations,” he says “The idea is that compact living will reduce commuting but because it is restricting supply it is increasing commuting.” Architect and housing commentator Mel Reynolds says high-rise residential developments are commercially viable in the city centre and in affluent areas But they are unlikely to be viable in other parts of the city “High density only works when you have high prices and at the top of the cycle,” he says The Department of Housing should allow lower density development in lower-income areas to get things moving “Do you want a lower density development or to grow spuds for the next 30 years?” Terraced housing with small backyards – like the traditional housing in Stoneybatter – can achieve surprising levels of density without going high-rise He points to low-rise high-density social housing built by Norwich City Council in the United Kingdom The Department of Housing’s 2018 planning guidelines called for taller and denser development in areas like Ballymun with good public transport links This year, those were updated, and the current guidelines now say that a minimum of 50 dwellings per hectare should be delivered in areas within 1 km of light rail stations “In order to maximise inner city and town centre population growth be no upper limit on the number of dwellings that may be provided within any town or city centre site subject to the following safeguards,” say the guidelines Because Ballymun is considered a key urban district planners do require higher density on its Main Street the CEO of the Ó Cualann Cohousing Alliance Cost rental might be viable at those heights Dublin City Council is pushing ahead with some plans for social and affordable housing A tally of proposals in its July housing update shows well over 1,000 homes in the pipeline 366 social homes through the public-private partnership scheme and 279 cost-rental homes from Tuath Housing Social Democrats Councillor Mary Callaghan says she thinks that affordable-purchase schemes are the way to go for Ballymun Like 227 affordable purchase homes on two sites at Balbutcher and Sillogue She can’t understand why none of those are on site yet  “It’s excruciating from a councillor’s point of view,” she says a private developer proposed some homes on council-owned land in Ballymun But councillors didn’t back the plan at the time to give the developer the land because the homes were going to be too expensive for local people to buy the homes would likely be sold in a block to an investment fund Fianna Fáil Councillor Keith Connolly says the homes were high-spec More modest development would do better in Ballymun Brennan of the Ó Cualann Cohousing Alliance says he wonders if the mixed-use developments envisaged in the plan for Ballymun’s Main Street are viable Look at the vacant commercial units already there Public money would likely be needed if the council wants mixed-use high-rise on that thoroughfare Brennan says it could be done alongside cost-rental homes the area still needs more people on higher incomes to bring in the shops that people want to see That could be done with more affordable-purchase homes Edward MacManus with community activists Beverly Maughan and Twiggy Kealy Sarah BurkeThu 13 Feb 2025 at 12:55Clothes and bottle banks in Ballymun are being “blatantly abused” and should be removed as a matter of urgency Local Aontú representative Edward MacManus said that despite “firm commitments” by Dublin City Council last October it has yet to remove the receptacles on Shangan Road and relocate them to the recycling facilities at Carton Way “I have been in regular contact with DCC on this ongoing issue which is causing a lot of frustration and annoyance in the area,” he said “Local community groups and individuals do amazing work to keep the area neat but their efforts are being completely thwarted and then discarding the clothes they do not want while taking the ones they do “They are leaving trails of clothes in their wake attracts more people who are dumping household waste by the recycling bins,” he added Mr MacManus acknowledged the work DCC does to clean the area regularly he stressed this is an exercise in futility as the clothes banks quickly become a source of “new dumping and disorder” “Locals are rightly very concerned and worried about this as it is a health hazard and grossly unfair to them,” he said “I have been told that broken glass is strewn around the place and this is dangerous for both people and their household pets.” In its latest correspondence to him on this issue Dublin City Council said it is in communication with relevant bodies and individuals to address the problem and given that the land on which the bins are currently located is earmarked for development Dublin City Council removed another clothes bank at the Ballyboggan Road bring centre A council spokesperson said that there had been a “significant increase in scavenging and discarding of clothes at bring bank facilities across the city The majority of citizens recycle responsibly there are some who choose to illegally dump their waste and some who scavenge and discard clothes with no regard for those who wish to recycle responsibly,” they said "This behaviour is why we are seeing so many instances of bring bank facilities in disarray “There has been mounting pressure from elected representatives and local residents to remove this facility for a number of months Dublin City Council has not given any commitment to removing or relocating the facility at this time “Dublin City Council is committed to recycling Provision of recycling facilities is essential “Many people are unable to attend Recycling or Bring Centres during their operational hours so it is important for Waste Management Services to provide alternative facilities wherever possible “Waste Management Services has revised the cleansing schedule for bring bank facilities in the North West Area with particular focus on facilities on Shangan Road and Seamus Ennis Road bring bank facilities in the area are now attended to each morning by the Area-based cleansing team Monday to Friday and are also attended to at weekends by the Suburban Public Domain Unit “The pilot North City Bring Bank Maintenance Team provide a second cleaning of the site each afternoon Waste Management Services will monitor the improved cleansing regime “Due to legislative changes introduced in the Climate Action and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 we are unable to reinstate CCTV cameras at this time in line with the new legislative requirements Dublin City Council intends to reintroduce CCTV cameras to all of our bring banks facilities subject to compliance with the aforementioned legislation Gift Grub: Ballymun Paschal Takes On The Monk Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is a familiar name to many but according to recent reports he is considering running for election in the Dublin Central constituency Dublin Central TD Paschal Donohoe reacted to the news that he has some competition Developed by Square1 Late of Finglas and formerly of Ballymun. Peacefully at the Mater Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Beloved husband and best friend of Jenny and adored father of Ryan, Adam, Ríon, Callan, and precious baby Jude. Paul is reunited with his beloved father John who recently passed. Deeply missed and forever treasured by his loving wife and children, his devoted mother Pat, sisters, brothers, mam and dad in law Barbara and Larry, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours, work colleagues from the Paneling Centre, and his wide circle of friends. Paul’s warmth, kindness, and joyful spirit touched everyone who knew him and will be cherished always. Paul will repose at Michael Doyle Funeral Home, Finglas Village, on Tuesday, 29th April, from 3 PM to 5 PM for Family members only please. A Funeral Mass celebrating Paul’s life will take place on Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM in the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ballymun, followed by burial at Glasnevin Cemetery. Family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved Paul are warmly invited to join us on Wednesday morning remembering and celebrating his wonderful life. Dublin City Council has been talking to the Land Development Agency (LDA) about building housing on part of the Ballymun Shopping Centre site “DCC has opened negotiations with the LDA to explore their interest in developing part of the Ballymun Shopping Centre site,” a council spokesperson said A spokesperson for the LDA confirmed these talks “The LDA and DCC are already partnering on a number of housing developments in Dublin including Bluebell Waterways “Early state negotiations are taking place between the LDA and DCC on the possible development of the former Ballymun Shopping Centre site,” he said The shopping centre’s been closed a decade and demolished for years leaving a big empty site in the middle of the area – and a lack of shops and a lack of a central hub for the community The council has tried for years to bring in some kind of replacement for the shopping centre says Ballymun for Business chair Robert Murphy the council bought the shopping centre site clearing the way for a new push to redevelop the site The following year, the council put out feelers to see who might want to build on a chunk of the site but also spaces for jobs or educational uses while the ground floors should be used for the kinds of things that the public can access – like a pub the plan was for temporary uses to draw people in with markets Metrolink plans means a more permanent development will have to wait The council’s call for proposals brought in six submissions, but none of them were what the council was looking for, it seems, according to a council report In the same way that other areas of Dublin developed around their town centres Ballymun developed around its shopping centre a pharmacist who used to operate out of it “There are some genuinely lovely parts of Ballymun but there’s a gaping black hole where the shopping centre was,” he says “Ten years on from the closure of the shopping centre “It’s all very well for Dublin City Council to be delaying these things but it has real consequences for people’s lives,” says McManus who stood for Aontú in last month’s local elections as a candidate to represent Ballymun on the council involved in doing something with the site might move things forward in a way that the council has failed to do on its own If the LDA does move forward with housing on part of the old Ballymun Shopping Centre site says local Social Democrats Councillor Mary Callaghan “My frustration is there are so many plans in place [for housing] for Ballymun they just need to get on with it,” she said says that while the LDA’s focus is on building housing “My understanding is that the LDA are going to get involved,” McManus said “I suppose the country needs more housing” but “if that was replaced purely by housing I don’t think that would be the answer” “We need to move to a more European model of development – that is developing communities not just housing,” McManus said He said he’d like to see a big Dunnes Stores or a Tesco The problem for businesses in Ballymun is that with the shopping centre closed there’s very little reason for people to come there to do their shopping If there was a critical mass of shops in the heart of Ballymun again more people from the area would go there to do their shopping which would be good for the new businesses and the existing ones say adding a lot more new shops isn’t going to work without first building more housing to bring in more potential customers “I’m not just saying this because my SuperValu closed, but the local economy is not great at all,” says Murphy, who runs a Centra and a post office in the area – and used to run a SuperValu there, before it closed in November “Unless we attract another 3,000 or 4,000 people into the area Opening more businesses with the same population and income levels “is just ludicrous” “I’d welcome the news [of the LDA getting involved] but I’d be cautious of time frames and delay,” Murphy said this could go on for at least another five years,” he said “It’s all just too slow and it’s disheartening for locals.” Callaghan said that when investors look at building a new shopping centre in Ballymun they don’t see it generating enough income for them to justify the cost of developing it There’s just not a lot of spending power in the area So redevelopment of the shopping centre site should include a mix of businesses and housing to bring in customers to support new retail – which could also be opened there Maybe a big government body could take some office space there too Those office workers would also bring more spending power to the area Although Murphy is doubtful about this proposal and might have a canteen in their building construction has finally started on the long-awaited revamp of the plaza in front of the Axis centre in Ballymun “It’s going to look fantastic,” says Callaghan Artist Aaron Sunderland Carey with one of his murals at the Poppintree Community Sports Centre in Ballymun an exhibition by Aaron Sunderland Carey in collaboration with the community of Ballymun The exhibition 'Stones' has prints based on conversations were held with a mix of different people from around the Ballymun community The prints are available in the Axis arts center and theater in Ballymun until November 22 Aaron Sunderland Carey is presenting a new mixed media exhibition made in collaboration with Ballymun Some of the photographs on display at the Stones exhibition in the Ballymun Axis Art Centre and Theatre Sarah BurkeThu 26 Sep 2024 at 10:00An emerging artist has turned conversations with his local community in Ballymun into a new mixed-media exhibition reflecting on the past said his work as a socially engaged artist means he is often invited into spaces such as youth clubs and schools recently opened at the Ballymun Axis Art Centre and Theatre and will remain on view there until November 22 speaking about masculinity and different issues with social class and I’ve been able to represent those conversations through art,” he said “Growing up in Ballymun really shaped how I approached this exhibition There’s something powerful about returning to where you’re from and reflecting on how the place and its people influence you “Each of the eight prints represents a conversation I had with someone for the exhibition “One participant shared how easy it was to get drawn into a dark world he didn’t expect simply because he thought someone was his friend and asked him to do a favour,” he added He said the majority of the mixed-media artwork in the exhibition came from “conversations with the community” “It wasn’t just about me putting something out there; the exhibition was about creating something together that reflected their lived experiences,” he said the reaction from the community has been one of delight who said that some people feel it’s making fine art like this “more accessible” The exhibition represents a the Ballymun community who have faced 'countless changes and challenges He is currently completing his master’s degree in NCAD and is pursuing a degree in Art and Social Action Stones portrays a “community who have faced countless changes and challenges reflecting on and examining the relationship between the community One of the biggest topics discussed as part of his work on this “passion project” was the regeneration of the Ballymun flats aimed to address the area’s social and infrastructural issues by demolishing the iconic tower blocks and replacing them with low-rise housing The project promised improved living conditions and revitalised public spaces while some residents welcomed the new homes many felt the regeneration failed to address underlying social problems “Some people saw regeneration as a positive while others looked at it with frustration The conflicting opinions made for a very interesting discussion,” Mr Sunderland Carey said He began working on this Ballymun project in the final year of his degree and aimed to explore how regeneration can impact communities and individuals The exhibition seeks to explore not only some of the negatives from the past but also a more positive outlook toward the future “I spoke to a wide range of different people and the general sense amongst all of them was that there was no need for a physical regeneration of the Ballymun flats,” he said and they didn’t have enough support for the community Some of the artwork reflects both the past and the present The young artist came up with the name for his exhibition because it ties directly to the inspiration he drew from the physical and symbolic presence of stones around the Ballymun flats there are three stones specifically kept from the flats Dublin 11 and former member of Shangan Celtic FC) February 11th 2025 Passed peacefully after a long illness in the loving care of his family and the staff of the Mater Hospital Julie and Lisa and beloved grandfather of the late Krystal and Seán Reposing at Rom Massey & Sons Funeral Home followed by cremation at Glasnevin Crematorium at 11.50am approximately Those who wish to leave a public message of condolence may do so in the condolence section below. No flowers please. Donations in lieu to the Mater Hospital Foundation, 54 Eccles Street, Dublin 7 or at https://www.materfoundation.ie/donate/ . House private please. Jan 22, 2025 | , , Decathlon Ireland has unveiled the rebranding of its Ballymun store modern design emulating the fresh look of the O’Connell Street store which opened last year The rebrand is described as “a step forward in Decathlon’s journey to evolve within a changing commercial landscape The redesign ensures a seamless and unified brand identity from the store’s new façade to its updated interiors The reimagined store sees it transition from from what we know as a traditional retail store to an “innovative multi-specialist sports platform.” “By aligning all elements of the shopping experience Decathlon Ballymun now offers a 360-degree approach that appeals to every sports enthusiast,” continued the statement revealing the look “This has included moving the welcome desk which is now the first point of contact for customers as they walk into the store as well as moving the workshop further towards the front of the store.” “The updated layout and design create immersive spaces where customers can explore the modern Ballymun store is designed to inspire and engage customers.” “We’re proud to present a store that not only serves as a hub for sports products but also provides a space for our community to connect and share their passion for sports,” said Elena Pecos All retail stores are in competition with their own and their rivals online offerings do making it an experience is important Having the space in Ballymun to be imaginative means that Decathlon can lean into this better than most We hope to use a Decathlon space in 2025 to host a Sport for Business event Decathlon and Sports Direct are two of the leading sports retailers that are full active members of the Sport for Business community The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations including all the leading sports and sponsors Find out more about joining us. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress THE body of mother-of-two Lisa Thompson was found inside the door of her home with multiple stab wounds to the chest and a window blind cord wrapped around the neck It was during the opening of the trial of Brian McHugh that counsel for the State said the 12 jurors will also hear that a mixed DNA profile was found on the blind cord to which the accused man couldn’t be excluded as a minor contributor McHugh, 40, with an address at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Thompson, 52, at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun in Dublin 11 on May 9 Fiona Murphy SC said the court will hear evidence from the deceased’s neighbour Rachel Barton who will say that she heard a lot of banging around 2am on May 9 Ms Murphy said: “She will say she looked out her window and saw a man in Ms Thompson’s back garden." will also testify that the man put three bags in the back of a dark green jeep She had numerous wounds to the chest, a bloody mouth and nose, and a window blind cord was wrapped around the neck. The barrister further stated that the blind cord was retrieved and sent for forensic examination. Counsel said there was a mixed DNA profile on the cord and Ms Thompson couldn’t be excluded as a major contributor, while the accused couldn’t be excluded as a minor contributor. At 2.50am the man is seen leaving the area carrying something in his hands and getting back into the vehicle which was waiting nearby The car is seen at a petrol station in Finglas and a man the prosecution say is Mr McHugh is seen showing certain items to the cashier Items belonging to Ms Thompson, including her driving licence, house keys and medication Mr McHugh’s home was searched and items were seized including jewellery linked to Ms Thompson The trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O’Connor and a jury of eight men and four women A full inquest into the death by suicide of a senior garda in Ballymun Garda station more than six years ago is expected to take place before the end of the year Det Supt Colm Fox took his own life in his office on February 10th He was the lead investigator into the 2016 gun attack on the Regency Hotel in north Dublin The attack, a major escalation in a feud between the Kinahan and Hutch organised crime groups resulted in the death of Kinahan associate David Byrne A sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Tuesday heard 55 witness depositions relating to Det Supt Fox’s death had been provided to coroner Dr Myra Cullinane in a file compiled by An Garda Síochána The inquest is expected to run over at least three days Dr Cullinane said her “preliminary thoughts” on the scope of the inquest were that it would examine “the events of the day” on which Det Supt Fox died She said these stretched from the early morning to “quite late” that night She said the inquest would also look at the weeks leading up to Det Supt Fox’s death and his interactions with other gardaí “in as far as they’re relevant to the hearing of the inquest” were the subsequent investigations into his death Several members of Det Supt Fox’s family were present in court said his clients had not yet received copies of the witness statements compiled in the coroner’s file Dr Cullinane said her office would provide the documentation in full to the family promptly once An Garda Síochána had informed the office of any claims of privilege over the file sent by the force to her She set a preliminary date of November 18th for the hearing of the inquest The court heard all other relevant investigations into Det Supt Fox’s death, including by An Garda Síochána and the Health and Safety Authority, had concluded. Det Supt Fox’s death occurred during the Special Criminal Court trial of Patrick Hutch, who was accused of Byrne’s murder. Mr Hutch, with an address at Champion’s Avenue, Dublin 1, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial collapsed in February 2019 due to the death of Det Supt Fox. Nobody has been convicted of Mr Byrne’s murder. Ms Fox actioned High Court proceeding against the State over her husband’s death and working conditions at the time of his death. She previously stated that her husband was under pressure and not sleeping well in the period beforehand. Fiachra Gallagher is an Irish Times journalist “this site seriously detracts from the centre and from the main street of Ballymun” says Fianna Fáil Councillor Keith Connolly On Ballymun’s Main Street, in front of the Rediscovery Centre which teaches people about the circular economy vacant site – land that also needs to be recycled which blocks the view of the old Boiler House – now home to the Rediscovery Centre which is the National Centre for the Circular Economy – from the main road local area councillors on the North West Area Committee passed a motion calling on the council to work with the centre to come up with a plan to bring Site 7 back into use Thousands of children come from all over Ireland to visit the Rediscovery Centre said Fianna Fáil Councillor Keith Connolly in his motion a senior executive officer with Dublin City Council said the site is tied up in a legal dispute with Bennett Construction which is “a legacy case from the Ballymun Regeneration project” “It is very valuable land that could be used for housing or to extend the Rediscovery Centre,” says Connolly by phone on Monday “We are pushing for it to be resolved as soon as possible.” The council didn’t respond in time for publication to queries about the nature of the legal dispute O’Reilly said “the settlement is nearing the final stages that will see the site taken back in charge by DCC once completed” The site is one of 31 plots – many vacant or underused due to the legacies of past approaches to planning –  that was flagged seven years ago in the local area plan for Ballymun as suitable for redevelopment Site 7 is 0.1 ha, according to the council’s 2017 Ballymun local area plan While a lot of the land in Ballymun is council-owned and zoned for commercial or mixed-use development mixed use development and should tie into the existing Plaza development and the Main Street in terms of height and design,” the plan says The council is working towards putting a plan in place for the site The council is working with the Rediscovery Centre and the residents to come up with solutions says Site 7 has been vacant since before the centre moved into the Boiler House building in 2014 Dublin City Council has been in regular contact “to reassure us that they are proactively trying to find a resolution and that they are hopeful that they will soon have possession of it.” “The Rediscovery Centre is very keen to see that the site is taken back into possession by Dublin City Council and we are really hopeful that this will be achieved in the near future” says Lambert Bennett Construction didn’t respond to queries regarding whether it is the owner and if so if it has plans for the site O’Reilly also said that in the last year the council spent €11,450 on maintenance and limiting unauthorised access to the site says that that cost to the taxpayer is not acceptable “It’s been left on the long finger so that is very frustrating.” most of which is owned by Dublin City Council and author of the “Ballymun: a Brighter Future” report The high-rise flats of Ballymun were originally designed to be surrounded by fields “They had a romantic notion that you build high-rise but it would be like living in the countryside but instead “it all ended up being wasteland” While Ballymun was a high-rise development because there was so much empty land around the tower blocks overall the area was less densely populated than the surrounding housing estates coupled with the fact that the residents were on low incomes meant that businesses couldn’t survive there The flats were knocked in between 2004 and 2015 as part of a planned regeneration of the area One of the goals of the regeneration was to bring all the vacant land into use The council originally owned most of the land in Ballymun which it transferred into a council-owned company called Ballymun Regeneration Ltd The plan was that in Phase 1 the council would build houses for the people living in the flats to move into before they were knocked it would knock the flats and sell the land to private developers to build private housing The Ballymun Regeneration Company did sell some land but then there was the economic crash of 2007 most private developers weren’t interested in Ballymun so when the regeneration company was wound up in 2014 most of the land then reverted back to the council “Most of that land is still vacant to this day.” “That sliver might be in private ownership but the land in Ballymun is overwhelmingly owned by Dublin City Council,” he says Fears conquered as students abseil off the last remaining Ballymun tower block for charity Over 100 students from Trinity Comprehensive School in Ballymun discover if they have a head for heights by participating in a charity abseil. The task involves abseiling down the side of Joseph Plunkett Tower, the last remaining Ballymun Tower The school has been involved in the event for over 10 years and this year the students are raising funds for Our Lady's Children’s Hospital Teacher Frances Neary insists the pupils love the challenge The energy and the atmosphere that it builds up around the school and everybody from the community comes over to enjoy in the day so it’s a massive success Dropping down the 4 -metre side wall of Plunkett Tower is not for the faint-hearted It is almost the end of the line for this event because in 2014 Joseph Plunkett Tower is scheduled for demolition An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 November 2009