Local groups receive over €42,000 in grants to help design public spaces in Balbriggan

Local history, exhibitions, community gardens and street art are just some of the projects which will benefit from Fingal County Council’s announcement of successful grants, showcasing the town’s creativity and helping to develop a sense of identity and social inclusion in Balbriggan.

 Over €42,000 has been awarded to 16 projects through the Our Balbriggan Placemaking Fund, which aims to inspire people to reimagine and reinvent public spaces in the charming seaside town in North Fingal.  

 Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh believes that the sixteen projects provide a healthy mix of ideas helping to create a more welcoming environment in the town for all age groups. 

 “Balbriggan already has so much to offer, and this funding will further enhance the community’s connection to public spaces here. It’s great to see such a wide range of projects that will not only showcase the creative side of Balbriggan, but also help the many community and voluntary groups who work tirelessly to foster a sense of identity and social inclusion in the town,” she said.

The various projects will help strengthen a sense of place and identity within the town, support opportunities for social connection and encourage new activities in public places. Successful projects include projects led by Foroige, Castleland Community, Bremore Educate Together, and the Grasshoppers Festival, with grants ranging from €1,100 to €5,000, and supporting projects that will enhance resident and visitor experiences.

 Amongst the successful applicants is the Balbriggan Drama Society who were allocated €3,000 to host a photo and memorabilia exhibition celebrating the organisation’s 75th anniversary. Running from March to December 2022, it will be on display in the La La Café at the Irish Institute of Music and Song complex.

 Celebrating Balbriggan’s maritime heritage and coastal environment, the Balbriggan Playground Group were awarded €4,500 to create visually stunning and effective stone sculpture work created by local artist Darren Rodgers. 

 The good work of Balbriggan Tidy Towns was also recognised with a grant of €1,250 for the ‘Balbriggan is Buzzing’ project, which aims to create natural play areas for children and, encourages them to connect with nature, while also learning about biodiversity.

 The ‘Community Canvass Project’ under the stewardship of Alison O’Grady was awarded €3,000 and involves an Illustration drawn on sixty canvasses, to combine into one large image. Residents are invited to pick a time and paint one of the canvasses, to form one large image which will be digitised and reproduced for an installation.  

 Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: “Fingal County Council wants to continue to develop and support the vitality of Balbriggan through creative and engaging initiatives like these placemaking projects that will strengthen the social, physical, and economic fabric of the town and help attract new residents, businesses and visitors.”

 On his first official visit to Balbriggan recently, Taoiseach Micheál Martin undertook a tour of the harbour area and was briefed by the Council on the ambitious rejuvenation plans for the town. Over the period 2020-2027, Fingal County Council anticipates making a total projected public investment of more than €50m in Balbriggan. 

Projects successful under the latest Placemaking Fund were: