Welcome to Edition 20 of the Blanch Bulletin — and this week’s edition is proudly brought to you by Shaka Vibes Cafe in Phibblestown, who are celebrating their 1 year anniversary on the 29th May with an exclusive offer for Blanch Bulletin readers 🎉

What started as a small coffee van called Thrice As Nice has grown into one of Dublin 15’s favourite hidden gems - built around community, positivity and good food.

Let’s get into edition 20! 👇

Tucked away in Phibblestown, Shaka has gone from a small local coffee stop to one of Dublin 15’s favourite hidden gems - known for its warm atmosphere, quality food and genuinely welcoming vibe.

This month, the café celebrates its first anniversary, marking a huge milestone for the team behind the business and the loyal local community that helped it grow from day one.

And to celebrate, they’ve given Blanch Bulletin readers an exclusive offer:

🥣 Mention “Blanch Bulletin” in-store and get 2 açai bowls for €10
📅 Available during their anniversary celebrations on Friday 29th May

The story behind Shaka started with a small coffee van called Thrice As Nice, launched by owner Lindsay after deciding to take a leap and build something of her own following her second pregnancy.

What began as a modest mobile coffee business quickly grew through loyal customers, word of mouth and a focus on creating a genuinely positive customer experience. Lindsay later partnered with Pavel to expand the idea into what is now Shaka Vibes, with Kamile joining the growing team more recently.

Inspired by the Hawaiian “shaka” gesture — symbolising positivity, friendship and good vibes — the café was designed to feel welcoming, relaxed and community-focused from day one.

Owner Lindsay told us:

Over the past year, Shaka has become a favourite stop for coffee lovers, families, students and gym-goers across Dublin 15, with customers returning for everything from speciality coffees and matcha to gourmet toasties, smoothies, pastries and açai bowls.

As they celebrate turning one, get down there to support local and avail of this fantastic offer! 🍓 🥣

Looking to get more involved locally?

The Fingal Volunteer Expo takes place next Saturday May 23rd from 12pm–3pm in the Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown.

Over 30 charities and community organisations will be there showcasing volunteer opportunities across Dublin 15 and Fingal — from event volunteering and befriending to remote and corporate volunteering roles.

There’ll also be:
🫀 CPR demonstrations
📻 Live broadcasts from Phoenix FM
💬 Community information stands
🤝 Opportunities for all ages and schedules

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Huntstown Community Centre is asking locals to support a new fundraiser to help purchase an external defibrillator for the area.

Residents can now donate recyclable bottles and cans through the Re-turn orange bin located outside the centre, with all proceeds going directly toward the life-saving equipment.

A simple idea — but one that could make a huge difference locally.

The Irish Heart Foundation will host free blood pressure and pulse checks in Huntstown Community Centre on Friday May 29th from 9:30am–2:15pm.

The event aims to raise awareness around hidden high blood pressure, with organisers saying many adults over 50 may not realise they are at risk.

Nurses will provide:
🩺 Blood pressure checks
❤️ Pulse checks
📋 Heart health advice and information

A great local service - and completely free to attend.

After close to a decade of fighting for their children’s “right to an education”, the parents of children with special needs in Dublin 15 are celebrating a major victory.

The area will see 12 new special education classes after a taskforce made up of parents and school representatives worked with the Department of Education on the recently published ‘Special Education in Dublin 15’ report. 👏

However, the Dublin area is yet to be allocated a second special school, despite years of campaigning.

It’s official - Popeyes will open its first Dublin restaurant in Blanchardstown Centre on Saturday June 6th at 10am.

And yes… people are already talking about the giveaways.

According to Popeyes:
🍔 First 3 people in line win free chicken sandwiches for life
🎁 First 50 receive exclusive merch
🔥 First 100 get a free chicken sandwich

The New Orleans fast food chain is expected to create more than 80 jobs locally.

Safe to say queues are expected.

Another packed few weeks ahead at Draíocht with comedy, theatre, workshops and family events all coming up.

Highlights include:
👶 Toddler Take Over — May 14th
🎨 National Drawing Day — May 16th
🤠 Summer Country Show — May 19th
🎬 The Charlie O’Leary Story + Q&A — May 20th
🌟 Starkids on Stage — May 22nd–24th
😂 Killian Sundermann — May 29th

The Wonder Walls graffiti workshops also continue every Friday throughout May.

The Sauna District in Dunboyne has been shortlisted for the 2026 EVOKE Wellness Awards in the Outdoor Saunas/Ice Baths category.

The business has grown rapidly in popularity over the last year as wellness-focused experiences continue to rise across Dublin and Meath.

A nice local recognition story for the area.

Blanchardstown Traveller Development Group is inviting locals to a community BBQ event on Tuesday May 26th from 5pm–7pm at the Powerstown Allotments.

The event promises food, soft drinks and a relaxed afternoon focused on bringing people together.

Kepak has confirmed redundancies in its Clonee operations following a consultation process linked to reduced livestock supply and rising operational costs.

The changes affect roles within the deboning section of the facility.

The company says the restructuring was part of broader operational reviews taking place across the sector.

Award-winning author and Hollystown native Dr Katriona O’Sullivan has featured in a major interview with The Gloss this week.

In the piece, she reflects on home, writing, growing up in Dublin and the success of her memoir Poor and new book Hungry.

She also spoke warmly about Hollystown and Dublin’s northside community roots.

A brilliant local success story.

If you run a local business, event, class, or community initiative, you can now promote it directly to our 1025+ Blanchardstown locals through The Blanch Bulletin.

We offer featured placements and sponsored spots to help local organisations get extra visibility in the newsletter.

Interested? Reply ‘INTERESTED’ with some details about what you would like to advertise and we can discuss further or download our media pack below.

We currently have availability on:

Current promotional offer: 1 slot: €50, 2 slots: €80 (20% off), 3 slots: €120 (20% off)

And as always, if you have:

Reply ‘INTERESTED’ to this email and we’ll take a look for an upcoming issue.

Big thanks again to Shaka Vibes for supporting this week’s newsletter - and don’t forget:
🥣 2 Açai Bowls for €10 when you mention Blanch Bulletin from May 29th

We’d also like your input: is there anything we don’t cover that you would like?

Thanks {{first name | Blanch}} and have a great weekend! 😊