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Weekend Edition | July 18-20, 2025 | Issue #51

Weekend Edition | July 18-20, 2025 | Issue #51

Dirk Lauf
July 18, 2025

📬 SUNDAY FUNDAY VIBES, NEIGHBOURS!

The Summerfest hangover might be real, but guess what? This weekend is shaping up to be even more spectacular than last week's musical madness! While the rest of Dublin is still trying to figure out which end is up after all those festivals, we're here in DLR getting ready for some serious summer vibes that'll make you remember why living by the sea beats anywhere else in Ireland.

From sizzling BBQs on Bray Beach to post-festival recovery brunches with harbour views, this weekend has enough local magic to remind you that sometimes the best entertainment is right on your doorstep. No queuing, no overpriced pints, and definitely no fighting for DART seats with festival-goers!

☀️ WEEKEND WEATHER CHECK: Scattered clouds with sunny spells and temperatures hitting 21°C – basically perfect weather for pretending you're too sophisticated for staycations while secretly loving every minute of it!

🔥 THIS WEEKEND'S CAN'T-MISS LINEUP

Why Saturday's beach festival will have you cancelling those Airbnb plans
The affordable housing lottery that could change everything
Transport updates that actually matter to your Monday commute
Plus: The weekend markets that prove local really is best

So grab your reusable coffee cup (we're fancy like that) and let's dive into what's happening in the neighbourhood that knows how to do weekends properly...

🎪 WEEKEND EVENTS: THE REAL DEAL

SATURDAY'S SEASIDE SPECTACULAR

🍖 BEACH BBQ FESTIVAL BONANZA
Saturday & Sunday, July 19-20 | Bray Seafront
What: Ireland's most delicious beach party featuring BBQ pitmasters, funfair rides, and food trucks
Why You'll Love It: Free admission, family-friendly chaos, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you feel like you're on holidays without leaving home
Insider Secret: The BBQ pitmaster demos happen hourly – perfect timing to learn some serious grilling skills for your next garden party
Pro Parent Move: Funfair runs until 10pm, giving you proper evening entertainment that won't break the budget
📍 More Info: bbq.bray.ie

📚 BADGER BOOKS SCAVENGER HUNT CONTINUES
Thursday, July 17 - Saturday, August 30 | Cabinteely Library
What: The literary treasure hunt that's got kids actually excited about reading
Why It's Brilliant: Educational fun that doesn't feel like homework, plus prizes that aren't just participation trophies
Weekend Special: Perfect rainy-day backup plan that costs absolutely nothing
📍 More Info: dlr Libraries Events

SUNDAY SITUATION

🌹 ROSE FESTIVAL AT ST. ANNE'S PARK
Saturday & Sunday, July 19-20 | St. Anne's Park
What: Celebrating 50 years of the Rose Garden with family activities, plant sales, and live music
Why It's Perfect: Free festival with actual substance – think Fused, Back Stage Bandits, and Dublin Ukulele Collective
The Sweet Spot: Arts & crafts for kids while you browse plant stalls like the sophisticated local you are
Bonus: Practice your cúpla focal with BAC Le Gaeilge – because nothing says "I live in Dublin" like casually dropping Irish phrases
📍 More Info: Dublin.ie Events

🏠 PROPERTY PULSE: OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

THE SHANGANAGH CASTLE PHASE 2 GAME-CHANGER

The Details That Matter: The online application portal for Affordable Purchase Apartments in Shanganagh Castle Estate (Shanganagh Castle Estate Phase Two) opens for applications at 12:00 on Wednesday July 23rd, 2025 and closes at 17:00 Wednesday August 13th, 2025.

What This Means for You:

Affordable purchase apartments in the passive house development everyone's talking about
Application Window: Opens Wednesday, July 23rd at noon – mark your calendars!
The Sweet Deal: Government equity support making DLR living actually affordable
Priority System: 30% of homes reserved for 8-year DLR residents (finally, being local pays off!)

Why This Matters: The development will be the largest residential scheme certified to achieve the 'passive house' low energy use standard, which has significantly lower energy consumption and associated heating costs compared to other new builds.

📍 Application Info: DLR Affordable Housing

BUILDING BOOM UPDATE

Still Coming This Year:

St. Laurence's Park, Stillorgan: 88 new homes expected towards the end of 2025
Various DLR Locations: 13 new homes expected towards the end of 2025

Translation: More neighbours who'll appreciate that they've won the Dublin location lottery, just like us.

🚌 TRANSPORT TALK: GETTING AROUND THIS WEEKEND

DART DRAMA CONTINUES

The Reality Check: Recent timetable changes are still causing headaches, but here's what you need to know for weekend travel:

Weekend Service: Normal weekend schedules are running, but allow extra time for connections at Connolly Station.

Bus Alternative: Dublin Bus/Go-Ahead Ireland will accept valid rail tickets on services between closed stations and City Centre during any weekend engineering works.

Pro Tip: Check the Transport for Ireland app before you travel – weekend engineering works can pop up with minimal notice.

📍 Live Updates: Transport for Ireland

WEEKEND ROAD UPDATES

Current Diversions:

Bray Area: Due to roadworks on Saint Peter's Road and Beech Road, stops 4417 St Peter's Road, Bray, 4419 Raverty Villas, Bray, 4420 Maple Grove, Bray and 2113 St Peter's Road, Bray will not be in use from Monday 07 July until Monday 21 July 2025

Beach BBQ Festival Impact: Expect extra traffic around Bray seafront this weekend – DART might be your friend here!

🛒 MARKET MADNESS: LOCAL SHOPPING DONE RIGHT

WEEKEND FARMERS MARKETS

Saturday & Sunday Options:

People's Park, Dún Laoghaire: Sunday from 11am-4pm – perfect post-beach brunch shopping
Marlay Park: Saturday & Sunday from 11am-4pm – the CoCo Markets with local artists and artisans
Blackrock Market: Weekend from 11am-5:30pm – eclectic mix of art, antiques, collectibles, furniture, soft furnishings and hand crafts

Friday Regulars:

Airfield Estate, Dundrum: Farmers Market for a range of locally grown fruit, vegetables, bakery items, and artisan products (Friday & Saturday, 9am-2:30pm)

Why It Matters: Support local producers while getting ingredients that'll make your neighbours jealous of your weekend cooking game.

📍 Full Market Guide: Dublin Markets

🍴 FOODIE FLASH: DINING DECODED

STILL WAITING FOR THE FRENCH

The French Revolution Update: Those gorgeous Romanian éclairs we've been waiting for? The Romanian chain famous for making "exceedingly pretty eclairs," is eyeing up a Dún Laoghaire location... The Romanian chain will serve indulgent eclairs in various flavours from coffee to salted caramel and beyond

When: Still "coming soon" – but our sources suggest it's more than just pastry dreams now.

Meanwhile, Amazing Options:

China Tang, Monkstown: modern Cantonese cuisine... brought to you by the team behind Hakkahan in Stoneybatter
DopeTapas, Dún Laoghaire: vibrant new tapas bar... housed in the historic Lambs Fish and Poultry building, we blend tradition and modern flair

🎭 COMING ATTRACTIONS: MARK YOUR CALENDARS

NEXT WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, July 23:

Affordable Housing Applications Open: The Shanganagh Castle lottery begins – get your documents ready!

Weekend July 26-27:

Bray's Brave Maeve Family Festival: Where legend comes to life
Chrome Classic Car & Bike Festival, Bray: Sunday, July 28th

Music Lovers:

Music in Monkstown Festival: September 19-21 – classical music in stunning church setting

📍 Festival Info: DLR Tourism

🌟 COMMUNITY CORNER: GOOD NEIGHBOURS

RANDOM ACTS OF LOCAL BRILLIANCE

This Week's Feel-Good Moments:

Local cafés offering extended outdoor seating for the summer weather
Bray residents organising carpools for the Beach BBQ Festival
Someone spotted leaving positive chalk messages along the Dún Laoghaire pier walk

WEEKEND INSIDER INTELLIGENCE

Saturday Strategy:

Morning (9-11am): Hit Airfield Estate farmers market before the crowds
Midday (11am-2pm): Bray Beach BBQ Festival opening – get there early for prime spots
Afternoon (2-5pm): Rose Festival at St. Anne's Park for a more cultured vibe

Sunday Success Formula:

Late Morning (10am-12pm): People's Park farmers market for weekend supplies
Afternoon (12-4pm): Beach BBQ Festival continues, or Blackrock Market browsing
Evening: Sunday roast somewhere with sea views (because you've earned it)

This Week's Trending Topics: 🔥 Hot Takes:

"Is Shanganagh Castle Phase 2 the affordable housing answer we've been waiting for?"
"Bray Beach BBQ Festival might be better than any city centre festival"
"Why are our local markets so much better than Dublin city centre?"

📸 Instagram Gold:

Sunset shots from the Bray seafront (#BrayBeachBBQ is trending)
Rose garden photos from St. Anne's Park (#RoseFestival2025)
Farmers market haul pics (#LocalAndProud)

🎯 NEXT WEEK PREVIEW

Why You Should Stick Around:

Affordable Housing Lottery: The application window that could change your housing situation
Summer Festival Season: More outdoor events as the weather holds
French Revolution Éclair Update: Rumours suggest we might finally get confirmation on that Dún Laoghaire location

Rumour Mill:

Whispers of a new artisan bakery scouting locations in Dalkey village
Possible outdoor cinema series being planned for late August
Secret talks about expanding the Blackrock Market to weekdays

💌 CLOSING THOUGHTS

Here's what struck me this week – while the rest of Dublin was queuing for overpriced festival food and fighting for phone signal, we had everything we needed right here. World-class BBQ on Bray Beach? Check. Affordable housing opportunities that might actually work? Check. Weekend markets that prove local producers are the real MVPs? Double check.

This weekend, whether you're grilling wisdom from BBQ pitmasters, hunting for treasures at local markets, or just enjoying a coffee with harbour views, remember that we're living in the sweet spot where urban convenience meets seaside soul.

Weekend Challenge: Take one photo that captures why our corner of Dublin is unbeatable – and share it with someone still trying to convince themselves that city centre living is worth the hassle.

🔔 Stay Connected with SouthSide Scoop

Got Local Intel? See a new development? Spot a celebrity buying coffee in Dalkey? Know about secret restaurant openings?
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Next week: Affordable housing application guide, summer festival roundup, and the café openings that'll change your morning routine.

Until then, live like the local legend you are! 🌊

SouthSide Scoop is written by locals, for locals, with just enough insider knowledge to make you feel special and just enough community spirit to make you want to share it.