Gerald Boland, Skerries Co. Dublin and formerly Killimor, Co. Galway. Gerald passed away peacefully in the care of his loving family on 1st May 2025, age 94. Beloved husband to Pacelli and adored father to Angela, Kevin, Geraldine, Maria, Thomas and Jane. Dear grandfather to Jennifer, Aisling, Conor, Ryan, Adam, Daniel and Ella. Dearly missed by his sons-in-law Tony and Paul, daughter-in-law Eliza and sisters-in-law Margaret, Bernie and Angela. Predeceased by his father Thomas, mother Jane, brothers Tom, Willie and Pat and sisters Mary (Midie) and Bridget (Ciss). Reposing at his home (21 Shenick Drive, Skerries, K34 N237) on Friday 2nd May from 4pm to 7pm. Requiem Mass on Saturday in St. Patrick's church Skerries arriving for 10am, burial afterwards in Ardla cemetery Skerries. Family flowers only please, donations if desired to St. Francis Hospice. Please click on link below to donate. 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A NEW FARE structure introduced today has led to complaints from rail commuters in the north Dublin towns of Balbriggan and Skerries that they pay nearly twice the Dublin zone pricing despite being located in County Dublin From today, commuters travelling from up to 50km from Dublin are able to use Leap Cards for trains Balbriggan and Skerries have been grouped into the Dublin Commuter Zone — along with towns in counties Kildare and Louth — rather than being included in the Dublin City Zone like other Dublin stations Although Balbriggan and Skerries are in the traditional area of County Dublin they are also located in Fingal County Council’s jurisdiction Balbriggan is also located less than five kilometers from County Meath Balbriggan and Skerries commuters can expect to pay €3.90 for an Adult €1.95 for Young Adult/Student and €1.95 for Child Leap Cards for a journey into Dublin City Centre commuters in nearby Rush and Lusk can expect to pay €2.00 for Adult €1 for Young Adult/Student and €0.65 for Child Leap Cards One Facebook user commented on the Irish Rail page: “I just would like an explanation why Balbriggan and Skerries are not in County Dublin according to the train Another commenter on the same Facebook post said: “Ridiculous fare hike to Skerries and Balbriggan.” Politicians from commuter areas across the capital in addition to locals on social media platforms have expressed their frustration at the increase in train fare prices for the two towns that are located in Dublin county Increasing fares and taking skerries and balbriggan out of the Dublin zones is shocking and a terrible management strategy You’ll have more people back driving on the roads now “Other commuters are seeing their public transport costs fall Balbriggan and Skerries commuters should be no different I am calling on the National Transport Authority to urgently review this and deliver fairer fares for the people of Balbriggan and Skerries,” said Lorraine Clifford-Lee She demanded that Balbriggan and Skerries be reclassified into the Dublin City Zone to ensure they are treated the same as every other rail station in Dublin “I have been contacted by many concerned commuters and as someone who relies on public transport to get into work I can completely appreciate their concerns and frustration around this decision,” said Grace Boland She added that this change in the fare structure could encourage people to drive to Zone 1 which would be counter-productive to get more people to use public transit said: “While many commuters from outside Dublin will see a decrease in their fares under these zonal adjustments commuters from two of the fastest growing areas in Dublin said the NTA and Irish Rail must “urgently review” these new fare increases A spokesperson from the NTA said “the new structure links fares more closely to distance travelled making the system easier to understand and more equitable for all.” They added that some passenger will see fare reductions especially those travelling from outer commuter towns and Wicklow to Dublin are being reduced by 37–50% particularly those just outside the new City Zone Greystones and Skerries to Dublin fares will rise from €3.00 to €3.90 “This is not a revenue-increasing exercise on the part of NTA The overall fare-take is not projected to increase as a result of this restructuring,” they also said Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user Create an email alert based on the current article “There aren’t enough opportunities to practise just to provide a forum,” says Anne McGough It was just after 2.30pm when singer and flautist Dónal Kearney arrived at Joe May’s pub on Harbour Road in Skerries He wandered through the bar, fixing posters to walls and doors, advertising the latest Folk Club a local singing session held on the last Sunday of each month The club was celebrating its third anniversary and he had been reflecting on this by doing some maths “We’d thought about each session lasting two hours and we’ve collaborated with a few festivals we calculated we’d done roughly 1,008 songs,” he says Nothing major is planned for the anniversary But there has been one recent evolution in the session a change which was printed on a second poster he put up beside the usual one advertising the singing circle The inaugural Skerries Gaeltacht took place in late February the idea for the pop-up Gaeltacht grew from the Skerries Folk Club Eithne O’Connell began to drop into the Folk Club in July 2023 She had been going to singing sessions and festivals for years who is a senior lecturer in Dublin City University’s School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies The first time she actually sang in public was at one of Kearney’s sessions on the first floor in Joe May’s she had studied Irish in school and later immersed herself in the language when she lived for six months on the Aran Islands “Then I worked in Connemara for six months and did an evening degree in Irish,” she says “So I had a lot of sympathy for adults who wanted to improve their Irish.” His desire to improve his Irish sowed the seeds for the idea and he would say it to me whenever he heard me speaking it.” He wanted to know if there were any groups or circles They were either on a workday morning or a Friday evening in a pub neither of which was good for practising or bringing in a mix of people We’re all coming here anyway,” O’Connell said as he set up a few chairs around the room before the second pop-up Gaeltacht was due to begin at 3pm and conversations just started to break out,” he said people climbed the stairs and stepped inside A shy young girl in her early teens with her grandmother who admitted it had been a while since she had spoken Irish and accidentally dropped a couple of German words a language she’d been more proficient at in school members of the folk group The Gladstone Band Everyone introduced themselves one-by-one, some in broken sentences, others confident, and a few fluent, with the chat moving from music, to school and to the redevelopment of the Irish Language Centre on Harcourt Street the conversation shifted from one involving the whole room to a few breakaways culminating in 15 minutes of everyone chattering carefree in both Irish and English so we’re interested in any event for practising and improving it,” said Anne McGough The couple had set that as a goal when they retired But “there aren’t enough opportunities to practise McGough had really enjoyed Irish in school and life was busy so I neglected it for a long time.” One of the joys is remembering and rediscovering words and phrases that she thought she’d forgotten years ago but turned out just to be in storage saying that the Folk Club’s third-anniversary gathering would start now “This is a new one by an up-and-coming songwriter,” he said he started to sing a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” Michael Lanigan is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer You can reach him at michael@dublininquirer.com You've successfully subscribed to Dublin InQuirer Check your email for magic link to sign-in ‘There’s no justification for it’: Skerries commuters react to Irish Rail fare rises Skerries commuters have said “there is no justification” for the recent fare hikes which have left them paying more than fellow passengers in north county Dublin A number of commuters waiting at Skerries station on Wednesday morning said they are considering driving to Rush and Lusk as it is now cheaper to catch the train there Changes introduced by the National Transport Authority (NTA) this week mean commuters travelling from Rush and Lusk benefit from cheaper train fares but those travelling from nearby Skerries and Balbriggan are facing hikes Under a major shake-up of rail fares in the Greater Dublin area the cost of a Leap Card journey from Rush and Lusk to Dublin’s Connolly Station remains unchanged at €2 passengers boarding at nearby Skerries now face a 30pc increase Balbriggan and Skerries have been grouped into the Dublin Commuter Zone – along with towns in Kildare and Louth – rather than being included in the Dublin City Zone like other Dublin stations “It’s really shocking to be honest with you,” said Fiona Monroe who was waiting on the northern commuter train to Dublin It’s just another pinch point on top of the other costs and high cost of living as well “We’re so close to the Dublin boundary and we were previously within that commuter belt so I just think it’s very unfair for the NTA to enforce that on us “I think now when going to meet friends in town I’ll be driving I just feel so annoyed we’ve been afflicted with this extra cost,” she added New fare structures have increased costs for commuters in Skerries and Balbriggan who was among those getting the train into Dublin city centre said that Skerries and Balbriggan are the only two train stations in the whole of county Dublin seeing fare increases “It is simply not acceptable at a time when we’re trying to encourage more people to take public transportation,” she said “I’ve been inundated with emails from commuters but also parents with children travelling into town to go to school.” Deputy Boland also said she has heard of people considering driving to Rush-Lusk railway station instead “The problem with going to Rush and Lusk is that it’s a very rural road that is already overburdened,” she said “It’s a very dangerous entrance and exit to the station a limited carpark and it also defeats the purpose of having public transport in your local town.” The NTA has defended the new fare structure which introduces a four-zone system stretching out 50 kilometres from Dublin city centre While most passengers in areas like Drogheda Laytown and Enfield are seeing significant savings Kilcock and Sallins are being hit with increases who takes the train roughly 10 times a week said she was disappointed with the fare increases I didn’t know this was happening and I’m on minimum wage so it’s just an added cost,” she said Fellow commuter Kevin O’Sullivan said he has signed a petition calling for Skerries to be treated the same as other train stations within Dublin county “It seems a bit extreme that down the track in Rush they’re paying €2 while we here in Skerries are paying €3.90,” he said whose son and husband regularly commute in and out of the city centre said she feels it’s “unfair” that Skerries hasn’t been included in the Dublin City Zone “I can’t help but think there’s no real justification for it,” she said This article was amended at 3pm on Thursday to clarify that the cost of a Leap Card journey from Rush/Lusk to Connolly Station remains unchanged at €2 League of Ireland‘He wants to listen… he paid for the coffee so I’m happy’ – Stephen Bradley on ‘really good’ Heimir Hallgrimsson talkStephen Bradley believes Heimir Hallgrimsson has a better attitude to feedback than the ‘closed’ approach that he has come to expect from high-profile FAI employees The front bar was busy when we arrived in Keane's Bus Stop Bar in the picturesque town of Skerries in north Co Dublin ​Three years have passed since the pub-mobile made its last pit-stop in Skerries and our Commandos were delighted to be back in the north Dublin coastal town “We’ve surely seen them all around Skerries over the years,” the Young Commando said as we drove past the Skerries Harps GAA pitch “There can’t be anywhere we haven’t had a pint or ten at this stage,” he joked “I wouldn’t be too sure,” the Old Commando replied immediately “I think I know of a spot that we haven’t inspected and it’s been on my radar for quite a while.” Our designated driver let us out of the pub-mobile on the Main Street while he took on the unenviable task of looking for a parking spot The Old Commando pointed us towards Keane’s Bus Bar and claimed this would be a first time visit for the Pub Spy crew “We’ve never been here before but I’ve heard good reports on the Guinness,” he told us as we stepped inside the front door There was a brilliant atmosphere among the mixed clientele but there is probably a maximum capacity of between 30 to 40 people Most of the customers were middle aged to elderly and there was a good mixture of groups of men couples and even a couple of lone rangers seated at the counter A young barman was on duty and his youthful exuberance was on display for all to see “Hardly old enough to drink himself I’d say,” the Old Commando joked The barman ran the front bar by himself and served customers as soon as the front door swung open He was full of chat and was busy throughout our stay The creamy pints of stout cost a whopping €6.30 and although they tasted lovely Orchard Thieves and Beamish were all available on draught while they were offering specials such as pints of Heineken or bottles of Hope Underdog Pilsner for €5 Some of the cocktails on offer were Belfast Coffee and Jalapeno The timber wall panelling and counter are nice features and there are plenty of old black and white photographs of Skerries town from many years ago “I don’t see any of Skerries favourite sons?” the Old Commando remarked referring to Dublin’s 2011 Sam Maguire winning captain Despite the touristy nature of an area like Skerries the clientele all seemed to be local and the barman was on a first name terms with most especially the men in the snug area just inside the front door The green velvet bench seating was in excellent condition as were the handful of barstools at the counter The Young Commando informed us the second section of this pub was massive with a large number of tables and chairs and a huge projection screen but that it was relatively quiet and the atmosphere was certainly all happening in the front bar He told us the toilets were clean with one cubicle a black coated steel urinal and a powerful hand dryer We really enjoyed our first visit to Keanes pub and we’d recommend a visit if you’re in the Skerries area Its exactly 11 years since Pub Spy and the team last visited The Balrothery Inn – but were glad to report that it’s still as impressive as it was that day in March 2014 There were fewer staff on duty this time around but the young barman with a moustache and glasses who served us was full of conversation He gave each of the customers a friendly ear and pulled nice pints of porter too Corona Extra and Beamish were just some of the drinks available on draught and one table even had its own dispensers The brown leather barstools were in good condition and the shelves and fridges were all fully stocked It was extremely busy during our stay with a mixed clientele of all ages The toilets were spacious with two cubicles a powerful hand dryer and a ceramic urinal 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 Route 33 will operate to and from Skerries Train Station only They will not serve stops from Selskar Road to Balbriggan due to the road closure to facilitate the Skerries Triathlon Skerries Triathlon Sprint Triathlon further race day details available at this website. PLEASE NOTE THAT LOCHLAINN'S REPOSE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FUNERAL HOME NOT FAMILY HOME. Reposing at Lannon's funeral home Monday from 5pm to 8pm. Removal Tuesday to St. Patrick’s Church, Skerries arriving for 12 noon funeral mass, burial thereafter in Baldungan cemetery. Those who cannot make the funeral mass, please leave a personal message for the family below marked "Condolences". CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday ​Mel Connors moved to Skerries in 2003 because she wanted to live as close to the sea as possible where she crosses the road to take a dip – “I’m a dipper rather than a swimmer” – all year round Mel Connors at the dining table of her Skerries home The north Co Dublin seaside town was recently declared by anthropologist Daniel Miller to be the world’s happiest in his book The Good Enough Life which was written after he studied the local population for 16 months The gateway leading from the courtyard out to the beach The social scientist might have noted how well Connors’ home is set up for a life of genteel indolence incorporating morning dips and afternoon ambles It is located at the north end of the long bow-shaped beach that is Skerries’ top attraction Constructed on the footprint of a two-up two-down the “upside-down house” allows for travel-free daily swims and the observance of both the sunrise and sunset from its upstairs entertaining deck has inspirational bay views from its living room ‘Bringing the outside in’ may have become a cliche in the world of the home improvement TV shows but this is exactly what Connors has done here this helps it feel much bigger than the sum of its shoreline parts “Because I live upstairs and sleep downstairs It’s like you’re living right in the middle with hot tub and sculpture by Anne O’Driscoll but it’s so much more beautiful to look down into water than it is to look straight out at it you can see the moon from whichever direction you look when you are in the hot tub,” she says “Because it reflects off the windows and the mirrors.” The house was designed by architect Orla O’Callaghan Given the relatively modest footprint of the house Connors was in a position to include some luxury materials you could afford to do some really beautiful things with it and the travertine inside and out – the kind of things you can’t really do in a very big house.” Connors and her husband Brendan owned Seasons Cafe and Delicatessen in the town which established itself as one of Skerries’ favourite spots until it closed after Brendan passed away in 2017 The Connors’ business was very much driven by sustainability and an environmental awareness They used environmentally-friendly packaging and tried to work with local producers who grew organically though reluctant to leave her seaside nest behind Connors says she wants to have some new adventures beginning with a trip to Svalbard in the Arctic to work as a volunteer on a climate change research station there “I hope to be footloose for a bit and find another place to live in Ireland but I really want to find a place where I can do all of the things I like to do here like cycling “The one thing I don’t do is paddle board here It’s like watching a ballet on the water here in the evenings I also want a place that is convenient for the city where I can just hop on the train and I’m in town in a half an hour.” Connors’ home is accessed via a gated carport which forms the main entrance to the property leading into a courtyard and a choice of entrances into the house – one via smart concrete stairs there is a hot tub and a bronze sculpture of three geese by artist Anne O’Driscoll – which the Connors acquired from its previous setting in a factory in Ballycoolin west Dublin – as well as storage space for Connors’ kayaks an outdoor dining and entertaining area which connects to the main living spaces The main living room has glass on two sides and a sea view on one; while the kitchen/ dining area has a long aperture window looking out to sea despite having stood the test of time for over a decade The storage cupboards are finished in a blackened timber designed to be sleek and maximise the impression of floorspace The main bedroom has an en suite bathroom and French doors leading out to the courtyard while the second bedroom has built-in wardrobes There is also a wet room on the ground floor You can’t hold on to bad feeling if you’re walking along a beach The polished plaster finish in all of the rooms adds luxurious texture to the walls and double-glazed timber windows setting off the travertine tiled flooring did Connors have a vision of her new home fully formed and she had the vision of how to make it very habitable for us,” she says “And she knew about framing views – people imagine you want huge but you don’t because that doesn’t give you privacy Number 18 The Hoar Rock has an asking price of €850,000 with DNG McKenna Healy Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Some car parking spaces would be moved from Harbour Road further up the peninsula Few besides the fishermen and wagtails were willing to brave being out in rainy Skerries late on Monday afternoon and down at the Goat in the Boat café looking out towards the pier soggy parents and kids had retreated indoors to wait for clearer skies the road that bends along the western side of the peninsula was almost exclusively occupied by parked cars Most had slotted into the designated spaces next to the low fence separating the street from the North Strand beach The others took a spot over on the side of its sole footpath But most of those parking spaces may not be on the Harbour Road much longer as Fingal County Council moves forward with a proposal to transform the peninsula into a spot that is more accommodating for cyclists and pedestrians The Harbour Road and Red Island loop would see cycling lanes going around the peninsula with many of these Harbour Road parking spaces being moved further up the peninsula This loop would also connect in with the Fingal Coastal Way, a proposed greenway between Donabate and Balbriggan “But a decision hasn’t been made on the greenway yet.” the council has suggested adding a new footpath while the existing one is expanded and upgraded with more trees and outdoor dining a senior executive engineer in the council’s active travel unit at the Balbriggan/Rush-Lusk/ Swords Area Committee on 13 February But that path can’t handle all the footfall it gets during busy times “We’ve an awful lot of people meandering over and back across the streets so that’s what we’re trying to tackle with this project.” The idea is to push a lot of car parking spaces off the Harbour Road The plan proposes to reduce the number of car parking spaces in Harbour Road from 50 to 25 while maintaining the same number (191) on the peninsula overall according to a 6 February council presentation and they all expressed this during the public consultation back in late autumn Among the 99 submissions to the public consultation on the scheme last autumn and it simply is not appropriate to continue using one of the most beautiful streets in Skerries as a glorified private carpark,” writes Shane Duffy “Stunning views of the harbour are blocked by parked cars and pedestrians are squeezed onto poor quality footpaths that are far too narrow wheelchairs and other accessibility aids,” he writes So he’s pleased with most of the changes proposed by the scheme to open up the area for pedestrians and cyclists including “the provision of a cycle track around Red Island and I think this will become a valuable amenity” Following a public consultation between 11 September and 7 October local councillors were presented with the council’s current proposal for the Harbour Road and Red Island loop It is an area with inadequate pedestrian and cycling facilities said Doris of the active travel unit during the 13 February meeting The starting point of the loop is the Dorn a small gravelly laneway that links the Harbour Road with Red Island Bay Beach the Dorn is disused and in need of an upgrade “This would be more of a public realm space where people can gather.” Designs for the lane were also redone to accommodate the sailing club next door so that they would be able to offload their boats and park their vehicles elsewhere “specifically on days where there would be a sailing event on” the proposal also suggested a traffic-calming scheme Some car parking spaces would be kept outside the sailing club with these being age and disability friendly “We’ve done away with the parking on the seaward side to provide a new footpath.” An existing loading bay outside the 5Rock restaurant along the street would also be doubling up as a parking space during out-of-hours and the nighttime one of the major ideas floated during this presentation is to close off the slip road onto the harbour to create a new public realm Alterations have been made, however, to ensure that access is maintained for harbour users the number of spaces on the Harbour Road will be reduced from 50 to 25 The existing parking spaces on the road weren’t adequate “They were opening out onto live traffic with no crossing points.” the council would be adding strategic crossing points where the “desire lines” are But even if some of the parking spaces are being pushed off the Harbour Road New ones would go just around the corner at a more convenient point for businesses On the eastern side of the peninsula at Red Island the existing pathway is susceptible to flooding and needs an upgrade showing plans for both a pedestrian walkway as well as a three-metre-wide cycle lane A new link to the two-way cycle-path is also proposed at the top of the Harbour Road with these lanes running all along the north and eastern side of the peninsula Some lighting will be provided up by the Martello Tower on this route around Red Island but during the consultation one issue that was raised was how lighting would affect the dark skies Stargazers raised concerns about how lighting might interfere with their ability to look out at the night sky at the north-eastern side of the island “So we’ve altered our public lighting design to cater for that and to remove the lighting in that particular section,” Doris said the next step is for the council to proceed with the Part 8 planning procedure That’s when the council goes through a process of deciding whether to give itself planning permission for its own projects these new plans were due to go on public display before the end of February but a council spokesperson on Tuesday confirmed that this was now due to occur on 4 March Fine Gael Councillor Tom O’Leary said at a local meeting earlier in the week that residents in the area were concerned that the reconfiguration of parking would mean a loss of green space up at Red Island – where spaces would be added Doris said removing some green space to add parking was something that was suggested by some of the residents during the public engagement But they would also be trying to reclaim green space elsewhere Sinn Féin Councillor Malachy Quinn said residents and business owners had legitimate concerns about pushing traffic up off Harbour Road and onto Red Island as it could lead to people waiting up near the pier to park they’re going to sit and wait,” Quinn said traffic is already being pushed onto Red Island from Harbour Road “Because there is no dedicated space on Harbour Road I could drive down Harbour Road any day or night during the week geographically that the parking is on the opposite end to where the intended destination point is we are reducing the traffic speeds throughout.” Many of the aspects of this €6 million project were positive Labour Councillor Brendan Ryan said at the meeting But as both Harbour Road and Red Island were key destinations for tourism the project is unlikely to reduce the number of car trips to the area “Displacement of car parking from the seaside and Harbour Road creates problems for residents and businesses,” he said All of the local businesses were opposed to it the owner of Joe May’s Pub on the Harbour Road whose family also owns the Stoop Your Head restaurant three doors down It’s going to reduce what is a well-used green space at the top of the Harbour Road “And you’re going to get two lanes for cycling there said some of the businesses had said they are particularly concerned for elderly customers The five age friendly parking spaces down by the Sailing Club is one way that the council is trying to address that and there is also similar parking for people over 55 just north of Goat in the Boat the reconfiguration could make for a nice dining area with a pedestrian walkway on the seaward side of the Harbour Road There’s 191 car spaces when this is finished.” There is still one last period for the public to offer an input as it goes on public display in early March before the council votes on the proposal 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 peacefully at Beaumont Hospital surrounded by his loving family brother of the late Helen (Roche) Castleblaney and Mary (Lambe) Foxrock Sadly missed by his loving wife and best friend Christine extended family and a large circle of friends and wide Rugby community Reposing at Lannon's funeral home Sunday from 3pm to 6pm Patrick's church Skerries arriving for 10am funeral mass a private family cremation will take place on Wednesday donations if desired to IRFU Charitable Trust https://irfucharitabletrust.enthuse.com/cp/537c1/donate#!/ Artist impression of Skerries Harbour after scheme is implemented Sarah BurkeThu 27 Feb 2025 at 18:06Plans to enhance the Skerries harbour area by creating more cycle lanes and pedestrian-friendly spaces have sparked concerns among residents and businesses Some of the potential issues highlighted include a lack of parking for residents and businesses Other concerns include the possibility of attracting large crowds to an already congested area and long walking distances from Red Island car parks to businesses The proposed €6m scheme by Fingal County Council seeks to transform Skerries and safe space that promotes more social interaction and active travel Some of the major changes being proposed include the removal of car parking spaces near the cafés and bars along Harbour Road to make space for a footpath on the seaward side with the parking spaces being moved further up the peninsula They also hope to expand the existing footpath on Harbour Road adding more trees and space for outdoor dining Other key proposals include a segregated cycle path called the Harbour Road and Red Island Loop which would provide cycling lanes around the entire peninsula and connect with the Fingal Coastal Way a proposed greenway between Donabate and Balbriggan Additional pedestrian facilities are also being proposed including new crossings to improve links between car parks on Red Island and Harbour Road There will also be a number of age-friendly parking spaces located near the sailing club Fine Gael councillor Tom O’Leary said the project has been under discussion for the past two to three years “It’s a great plan and a positive plan for the area especially if we can get approval to link it with the Fingal Coastal Way,” he said who have elderly customers who usually park right outside their doors “They are worried that the lack of parking outside their premises during the winter months may have an impact the council has carried out a lot of consultation and is looking to introduce a drop-off zone at specific points along the road so people can be dropped off and then park around the corner at Red Island “There will be no reduction in the number of parking spaces; we will maintain the current total of 191 parking spaces for visitors “We are now asking for people to submit their feedback and understand this is for active travel so people can cycle safely around Skerries,” he added The council revisited the plans last September to incorporate feedback from businesses Senior Engineer with Fingal County Council told councillors at a meeting earlier this month that they now propose to initiate the project under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations This ensures that the proposed development is advertised to the public who can then submit further feedback on the project Site notices and newspaper notices will be published on March 4 and documents will be available for inspection at County Hall in Swords and Skerries Library New fare pricing mean Skerries commuters are considering driving to Rush and Lusk to catch train as it is cheaper there This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Bhappa Singh walked out of the Workplace Relations Commission hearing A restaurant owner ordered to pay €143,000 to a former worker after losing a sexual harassment case has had his business go into liquidation without paying her compensation was awarded the sum following a hearing at the Workplace Relations Commission last January The case heard how she was sexual harassed threatened with blackmail and deportation and worked 50 hours a week for as little as €200 a week with just five minutes’ break every day who owns Bombay Bhappa Ltd which had been trading as the Bombay House restaurant in Skerries walked out of the WRC hearing as he was unhappy that gardai attended A garda detective who gave evidence to the tribunal said Ms Kaur had been left “very traumatised and damaged” after her employment with the firm The case attracted significant negative publicity for the restaurant and it closed permanently in April last year shortly after the case was reported in the media Singh did not respond to requests for comment from the Sunday World when we called his business and home after the case which hasn’t filed any accounts since 2023 A meeting of creditors took place on February 25 The firm had not paid Ms Kaur any of the compensation owed to her before going into liquidation A spokesperson for the Migrants Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) said paperwork has been filed through the liquidator for Mr Kaur to get her award paid by the social insurance fund The spokesperson said there had been cases in the past where companies have deliberately closed down to avoid paying out WRC compensation but in this case it may have also been down to negative publicity The spokesman said over the past year the MRCI has had a 100 per cent increase in the number of people who have faced severe labour exploitation coming to them for assistance “Workers on employment permits need better protections It is very difficult for people to change jobs on their permit which makes it very hard for workers to stand up for their rights,” they said Ms Kaur said her work permit said she would be paid €30,000 per year or €576.92 per week She shared accommodation with seven of Singh’s employees In reality she worked approximately 50 hours a week over six days and was paid approximately €200 per week She also said she had only one daily five minute lunch break and was never paid annual leave Ms Kaur said Singh would pay €500 into her bank account each week but then drive her to an ATM and get her to take out €290 to return to him in cash The WRC heard she was “subjected to a catalogue of distressing treatment” over the course of her employment from September 2021 until she was fired in November 2022 She said one perpetrator “touched my cheek arms and upper body” and said that he “wanted to spend time with me”; that “he wanted to kiss me”; and that he “wanted to have sex with me” She said she dreaded having to go into the cold room as she feared sexual assault and rape Adjudicator Elizabeth Spelman upheld her complaints on various grounds This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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Award-winning Dublin restaurant Potager has announced it is making the “incredibly difficult decision to close” after nearly six years in business The Skerries-based restaurant featured in the 2023 Michelin Guide also taking home the award for best contemporary Irish cuisine at the Irish Restaurant Awards last year owners Cathal Leonard and Sarah Ryan said: “We have battled for the last two years to keep going; however “We have had the most wonderful times over the past almost six years We have made great friends and have had the privilege of meeting some of the most lovely customers who we would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts “Looking after all of you never felt like work and made the business struggles disappear as soon as you all walked through the door we have been so lucky to have some of the hardest working best spirited and loveliest people on the planet working in Potager all of whom helped to make it the special place it was some of the most amazing hard working people you will ever meet Potager was recently awarded a gold star for the best short wine list in Ireland as part of the 2024 Star Wine List of the Year awards Their announcement comes as the Restaurants Association of Ireland has called for increased support for hospitality businesses. RAI and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland organised a march in October which saw about 1000 restaurateurs and publicans take to the streets of Dublin in the wake of more than 600 restaurants closing since the 13.5 per cent VAT rate was restored in September last year Business owners have voiced their concerns over VAT increases and rising labour costs, with several respondents to a recent Irish Times call-out saying they suffered sleepless nights due to the manifold uncertainties in the sector. Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family Daughter of the late Thomas and Elizabeth (Lily) Sadly missed by her loving husband and best friend Albert extended family and a large circle of friends Reposing at her residence Saturday from 3pm to 5pm MacCullins Church Lusk arriving for 11am Funeral Mass https://www.sfh.ie/donate/ Removal Wednesday to St. Patrick's Church, Skerries for 10am Funeral Mass burial thereafter in Holmpatrick Cemetery. The family would appreciate their privacy to be respected at this sad time. Bright colours would be appreciated on the day of Funeral, to celebrate Sinead's life. The death has occurred of John James Plant, Balrothery, Co.Dublin on April 7th peacefully at St. Francis hospice in Blanchardstown. John will be deeply missed by his loving family, wife Sheila, son Andrew, daughter Fiona, grandson Kyle, brothers Derek & Tommy as well as his extended family and friends. Reposing Thursday 10th April from 6 - 8 pm at Duff's Funeral Home, Skerries, removal from Duff's Funeral Home, Skerries, Friday 11th April to Dardistown Crematorium for 12pm, where a service of remembrance will take place to honour Jim's life. Messages of support for John's family can be left by clicking on the condolence book below. Potager in Skerries has closed its doors after almost six years in business An award-winning restaurant in north county Dublin has announced its closure after losing a “battle for the last two years” to remain open announced the the “incredibly difficult decision to close” after nearly six years in business the owners said: “We have battled for the last two years to keep going; however We have made great friends and had the privilege of meeting some of the loveliest customers whom we would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts we have been so lucky to have some of the hardest-working and loveliest people on the planet working at Potager all of whom helped make it the special place it was Potager featured in the Michelin guide in 2023 and won an award for best contemporary Irish cuisine at the Irish Restaurant Awards last year It was also awarded a gold star on the Star Wine List of the year alongside restaurants such as D'Olier Street and Etto which won silver stars The news comes as the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) called for increased support for hospitality businesses over 600 food-serving hospitality businesses have closed since the VAT rate increased from to 13.5pc in September last year celebrity chef Dylan McGrath announced the immediate closure of two of his restaurants McGrath said the hospitality industry in the city was “not sustainable” “It’s hard to put into words what has happened to restaurants and the city centre in the last four years,” he wrote on Instagram “Brasserie Sixty6 had 25 years in business We would like to thank all of our customers over the years and all those who spent their happy times dining with us.” Despite the challenges facing businesses in Dublin Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said there is “vibrancy” and “vitality” that show the city centre is not dying when I’m spending time here in the city centre but I see vibrancy and vitality in our city.” we couldn't find the page you are looking for © Copyright Dublin GAA Board, Parnell Park, Donnycarney, Dublin 5. Made by Together Digital passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in the wonderful care of the team in Loughshinny Nursing Home Loving father and best friend to his son David McGuinness and daughter Rachel McGuinness Sadly missed with love by a wide circle of friends Reposing at Duff’s Funeral Home Tuesday 15th October from 6 - 8pm. Removal Wednesday 16th October to Saint Patrick’s Church, Skerries for 10am Funeral mass, link to view online: https://churchmedia.tv/st-patricks-skerries. Following Jack will be laid to rest at Ardla Cemetery, Skerries. Reposing at Lannon's Funeral Home Friday from 6pm to 8pm. Removal Saturday to St. Patrick's Church, Skerries arriving for 10am funeral mass, thereafter to Ardla Cemetery. Those who cannot attend the funeral service please leave a personal message for the family below marked "Condolences". (peacefully) surrounded by her loving family We would like to thank the staff of Rathbourne Nursing Home who went above and beyond to care for Carmel during her time there Messages of support for Carmel's family can be left by clicking on the condolence book below. Road Closure and Newspaper Advertisements Fingal Alerts For Out of Hours Emergency Flooding Contact Details  Fingal a library in each of the towns Please see individual library for opening times Archaeological Information and Advice  Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) Register  Heritage Plan Monuments and Places Record  Protected Structures Record Adopt a Patch Conservation and Leakage Conservation Campaign Composting Initiative Seagull Information Leaflet Green Dog Walkers Initiative Reuse Month 2022 The Fingal Water Project Housing Construction Programme Project Talamh Call for Properties Planning Permission Extension of Duration of Planning Permission Part V Planning Exemption Certificates Vacant Sites Register Current Job Opportunities and Results Draft Dublin Airport Local Area Plan Proposed Variation No. 1 To Fingal Development Plan 2017 - 2023 Part 8 - Proposed Construction of new Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge in Donabate Part 8 - Proposed development of 69 no. dwellings & associated site works at Cappaghfinn, Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 Annual Reports Budgets, Expenditure and Financial Statements Data Protection Council Meetings the residents of Mourne Estate unveiled a new stone wall featuring the well-known "Mourne View" name carved into a naming stone overlooking the Skerries coastline at the front of the estate This event is part of the Mourne 50 project officially cut the ribbon in the presence of many Mourne Estate residents local councillors and political representatives including Minister Joe O’Brien and Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee as well as members of the wider Skerries community. Speaking at the event O’Donoghue praised the collaborative efforts of the residents and the Fingal County Council Operations Department “I would like to commend the Mourne Estate Residents on their work and continuing landscaping achievements to make the estate look its best during its 50th year will continue their work with Fingal County Operations Department and I look forward to seeing their collaboration with Sustainable Skerries who are representing Fingal County Council in the Bio-Diversity Category of the Pride of Place Awards in September,” said Cllr Mourne 50 celebrates 50 years as an estate in Skerries The Fingal Community Development Office set up the Mourne Estate Development Working Group to plan the celebrations and engage with the community on Mourne 50 the group has conducted a colouring competition with local school Realt Na Mara to find a Mourne 50 logo and hosted a Street Feast event in Mourne Grove in May Saturday’s unveiling also marked the start of a Family Activities day featuring the annual Mourne Celtic FC memorial 5-a-side soccer tournament Senior Executive Officer for Fingal County Council’s Community Development Office “The work of the Mourne Estate Development Working Group has made events like today’s unveiling possible as the community comes together to recognise 50 years of community in Mourne Estate including Mourne Estate Residents Association supported by Local Councillors and Cormac McDonagh on their combined efforts and vision now and into the future.” Mourne 50 events will continue throughout 2024 including a talk on the history of the estate by local resident Martin Russell and a photographic exhibition to close the 50th year All Rights Reserved © Fingal County Council Fingal County Council Officially Launches newly enhanced walking routes and Art Trail in Skerries Fingal County Council was delighted to officially launch St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail at Skerries Sailing Club on Saturday June 22 by Acting Mayor of Fingal Cllr Robert O’Donohoe representatives of Fingal County Council and Fáilte Ireland Guests were invited on a special walking tour where they got insight into the new artworks The St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail has been developed by Fingal County Council with funding support from Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns Scheme This trail is designed to enhance the local and visitor experience of Skerries with map boards and information located at key points on a trail that can be accessed as a 5km walk and enjoyed at multiple locations from Skerries Mills to South Strand The trail is designed to highlight the significance of the towns historical Acting Mayor of Fingal Councillor Robert O’Donohoe remarked at the launch: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in developing the fantastic Trail we are launching today St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail demonstrates how collaboration technical and specialist knowledge from Fingal County Council and beyond has culminated in helping Skerries to tell new stories about this town and through the Fáilte Ireland Destination Towns Funding Scheme these stories are now clearly available to visitors arriving here and we can see how this will have a significant economic impact for the town.” The trail includes a unique art trail featuring commissioned public artworks by 5 very exciting artists: Atsushi Kaga; Bennie Reilly;  Liliane Puthod;Marie Farrington and Mary Conroy Skerries Art Trail was developed by Fingal County Council’s Public Art Programme where the five artists were curated from Fingal County Council’s Public Art Panel and tasked to create a series of small-scale public art commissions which respond to the unique landscape of Skerries The Mapboards which feature at key locations throughout the trail also include a QR code which contains further information on the history and the art trail Chief Executive of Fingal County Council Ann Marie Farrelly explained “This programme of work has been delivered and developed by the council’s Economic Tourism & Cultural Department in partnership with our operations and heritage teams and in close communication with local representatives in Skerries The investment from Fáilte Ireland and the Destination Town’s Scheme has been the catalyst for collaboration and a demonstration of a shared vision where heritage arts and environment are celebrated and will continue to drive tourism and economic benefits for Skerries for many years to come” Fáilte Ireland’s Dublin Regional Manager emphasised: “As art and urban animation plays an increasingly important role in re-imagining our public spaces as welcoming and vibrant places for locals and tourists alike Fáilte Ireland is pleased to have part fund The Patrick’s Way and Art Trail through our Destination Towns Investment Scheme Fáilte Ireland looks for every opportunity to expand the number of destinations that offer compelling visitor experiences with the potential to drive visitors across the regions are critical in doing this by boosting the tourism appeal of destinations across the country This 5km trail launched today highlights Skerries' historical and cultural treasures and brings the story of the town to life to new and exciting ways for visitors and the local community” Fingal County Council’s Public Art Co-ordinator Caroline Cowley explains that “We were particularly keen to select Artists who were emerging in a public art practice and so uniquely the commissioning process included a number of Artists Professional Development supports including a partnership between Fingal’s Public Art Programme and Leitrim Sculpture Centre”.  The Skerries Artists were supported through a Joint Residency for two weeks at Leitrim Sculpture Centre which included a range of masterclasses where they worked intensively with a group of highly experienced Leitrim and Regional Artists exploring hands on technical skills and materials metalwork including pouring molten bronze and aluminium this process was supported with the expert mentorship of  public art specialist curator Annette Moloney who also delivered bespoke guidance on how the work could be developed for the public realm.  The overall feedback from the Skerries Artists on the residency partnership was quite positive especially as it was designed to be open and flexible as a research residency more so than being specifically linked to what they might go on to develop for Skerries Art Trail The artists were briefed on the scope of the trail experience through local research and how new works might integrate into an already breath-taking landscape Each artists response is different and has picked up on the feeling or the pace of the trail in that they encourage discovery enjoyment and play; all of the things that make Skerries an attractive Destination Town We will continue to add to the experience of the trail with an engaging map created by well known illustrator Aoife Dooley and in consultation with Skerries Autism Friendly town the trail will have a social story for those accessing the experience who are neurodivergent Later this year renowned Irish Sculptor Jackie McKenna will create a new artwork for the trail celebrating the significance of St Patrick This work will form a central touchstone along the trail and promises to be very special For Further information on the trail and the featured artists please visit https://www.fingal.ie/st-patricks-way-and-art-trail-skerries Susan Bolger, Windmill Drive, Skerries, passed away on 13th January in the wonderful care of the staff of Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. Predeceased by her parents Maureen and Charles. Susan will be sadly missed by her loving older brother Charlie, brothers Anthony, Raymond, Vincent, sister Maureen and their partners, nieces, nephews, aunt, uncle, cousins, friends and neighbours in Skerries. A service to celebrate Susan’s life will take place on Thursday 23rd January at 10am in the Victorian Chapel, Mount Jerome, Harold’s Cross. Dublin. D6W HY98 The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to all of the staff in Beaumont Hospital, for the exceptional care and kindness shown to Susan during her time with them. Those who would like to leave a message of condolence for the family may do so in the 'Condolence' section below. The webstream links are provided and managed by an independent streaming company. The funeral director accepts no responsibility for its functionality or any interruption to a live transmission. Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Cremation / BurialDate Published: peacefully and unexpectedly at Beaumont Hospital brother of the late Pat and Johnny and his grandson Freddy Reposing at Lannon's Funeral Home Tuesday from 6pm to 8pm burial thereafter in Old Balgriffin Cemetery https://www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/donations Jack Hanratty: ‘Social media was difficult I can switch it off but it was such a drain on the players.’ Photo: Frank McGrath It’s Monday morning and Dublin Airport is awash with excitement ahead of the arrival of Ireland’s Olympic heroes an Irish coach who has just led his adopted nation to an historic silver medal goes about his business as just another stranger plucking his luggage from the carousel until a fella walks by him and shouts: “Jaysus Celine NaughtonFri 7 Jun 2024 at 06:00Seaward Agent: Sherry FitzGerald Cumiskey Kelly (01) 691 3000 the appropriately named Seaward will float the boat of anyone looking for a seaside property in North County Dublin it also has private access to the South Shore Beach through its back garden which is hidden from public view with a high stone wall and mature trees and shrubs the property was originally owned by Ion Hamilton with Dublin Airport a handy 20 minute drive away the current owners bought the property as a holiday home they set about a renovation and extension project that increased its size to 2,336 sq ft A central vacuum system helps speed up cleaning the extended floor space The layout of the house was then turned upside-down to make the most of the sea views during waking hours a kitchen/breakfast room opens on to a balcony that’s perfectly placed to soak up the views over Skerries Harbour The living area/garden room with floor-to-ceiling windows family/dining room with vaulted ceilings and a double bedroom with en suite bathroom also have sea views The train from Skerries gets you into Connolly Station in around 35 minutes Sligo's Eoin Ryan celebrates after Conan O'Donnell's try Sligo picked up their second All Ireland League win in a row when they overcame previously unbeaten Skerries RFC at Hamilton Park on Saturday Sligo’s forward power combined with excellent defensive organisation provided the foundation for a well crafted performance on a day where conditions were challenging due to a swirling wind and heavy drizzling rain Sligo kicked off playing towards the Knocknarea end The early exchanges saw both sides looking for a chink in the armour of the other with the Sligo front row of Luke Timms Matthew Earley and Conan O’Donnell getting on top in the battle at the scrum Eoin Ryan and Archie Maclean were secure at the lineout A 5 meters scrum in the left corner gave scrum half Aorelian Dunkin’ the platform to move the ball infield Full back Euan Brown joined the line and was stopped in front of the posts A quick recycle gave Fintan Crawley the chance to drive for the line and the number 8 crashed over with some help from his back-row colleague Ben Hynes Brown increased the lead with a well struck penalty on the half hour mark before the visitors opened their account with a Ronan Mulcahy penalty 3 minutes later Brown and Mulcahy traded penalties each side of the interval before Sligo struck a telling blow to move the gap out to two scores A scrum penalty on the Skerries 22 was despatched to the corner by Stewart Cruden Earley was through the lineout to Ryan and the play was launched ‘off the top’ Kuba Wojtkowicz was stopped short of the line before Conan O’Donnell collected and drove over for the touchdown Mulcahy kept Serries in the hunt with successful penalties on the 60th and 64th minutes but Brown put the game out of reach with another penalty with 2 minutes on the clock A rare defensive lapse from Sligo in the last move of the match saw Skerries number 8 Peter O’Neill pick up a consolation try but it was the Sligo faithful that cheered when the referee blew the long blast Sligo now take a break from AIL action before resuming with a trip to Magherafelt on November 9th to face Rainey RFC League of IrelandSligo Rovers boss John Russell explains why star midfielder Connor Malley was left out of Shamrock Rovers tripSligo Rovers manager John Russell has suggested that midfielder Connor Malley was left out of the squad for yesterday’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers because of how he has trained and conducted himself around the group.