Welcome to the latest edition of the Blanch Bulletin.

Tributes have been pouring in following the death of Anthony Long, who died after a serious assault in the Parslickstown Drive area of Mulhuddart in the early hours of last Friday morning.

Anthony, who was in his 40s, was taken to hospital after the incident but sadly later passed away. Family members described him as someone with "the biggest heart" and "a gentle soul" who would help anyone he met.

Gardaí continue to investigate the incident and are appealing to anyone who was in the Parslickstown Drive area between 3:00am and 4:30am on Friday 3rd July, or anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage, to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line.

Our thoughts are with Anthony's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

More than €268,000 has been awarded to 134 community organisations across Fingal through the 2026 Local Enhancement Programme, with many Dublin 15 groups receiving funding to improve facilities, purchase equipment and expand local services.

Some of the local recipients include:

• Huntstown Family Resource Centre (€4,500)

• 179th Huntstown Scout Group (€3,517)

• Castleknock Community Centre (€3,973)

• Castleknock Tidy Towns (€1,500)

• Corduff Community Resource Centre (€4,000)

• Corduff FC (€4,500)

• Mountview Community Centre (€4,357)

• Mountview Family Resource Centre (€4,000)

• Mulhuddart Community Centre (€3,000)

• Mulhuddart Men's Shed (€2,000)

• Ongar Community Centre (€3,000)

• Hartstown Sports & Leisure Community Centre (€2,000)

• Dublin 15 Irish Red Cross (€2,500)

• Blanchardstown Chess Club (€1,203)

• Women's Shed Clonee (€2,550)

The funding will support everything from youth programmes and sports clubs to community centres, resident associations and volunteer organisations across the area.

A huge milestone for local sport.

Ongar Chasers Basketball Club will compete in Basketball Ireland's National League for the very first time during the 2026/27 season.

The club's hugely successful women's side has been promoted to the Domino's Women's Division One after winning the Dublin Women's Division One title and the National Intermediate Cup last season.

Meanwhile, the men's team will also make history by joining the brand new Domino's Men's Division Two.

Founded in 2012, Ongar Chasers have grown rapidly over the last decade and now become one of Dublin 15's newest clubs competing on the national stage.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the club — players, coaches and volunteers.

One of the region's biggest music success stories had another unforgettable moment this week.

Dunboyne singer CMAT opened for global superstar Robbie Williams during his concert in Luxembourg.

CMAT shared photos backstage alongside the singer, describing the experience as "huge life news" after supporting one of her musical heroes.

The performance is another major milestone in what's already been an incredible rise for the Meath artist.

Looking for something to do over the next week?

Here's what's coming up at Draíocht:

🎨 Colourings – July Provision
Creative gallery sessions continuing throughout July.

🎭 Summer Project: Taster Theatre Week
Runs from 13th–17th July, giving young people the chance to explore theatre in a fun workshop environment.

📚 Family Day: Story Moments with Corrina Askin
Taking place on Saturday 18th July, featuring interactive storytelling sessions for families.

It turns out the queues weren't just good for Popeyes.

Blanchardstown Centre has revealed that the arrival of Ireland's first Popeyes restaurant resulted in a 10% increase in footfall across the centre during opening weekend.

Thousands of visitors travelled to the shopping centre, with eager fans famously beginning to queue 26 hours before opening — believed to be the longest pre-opening queue for any Popeyes restaurant across Ireland and the UK.

Centre management says the increased visitor numbers benefited retailers and restaurants throughout the centre, highlighting the growing importance of destination dining in attracting shoppers.

More retail and restaurant announcements are also expected later this year.

Summer is finally arriving.

Thursday: Sunny and very warm with highs of 23–26°C.

Friday: Even hotter, with temperatures reaching 29°C in parts of the country.

Weekend: Dry, sunny and hot with temperatures remaining between 22–29°C, although coastal areas will stay a little cooler thanks to sea breezes.

Warm nights are also expected through the weekend.

If you run a local business, event, class, or community initiative, you can now promote it directly to our 1000+ 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.

Summer Promotional Offer: 1 slot: €30, 2 slots: €50, 3 slots: €75

Check out Éirigh Media - your independent growth partner!

Interested? Reply ‘MARKETING’ with some details about what you need or check out our website below.

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