COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

The Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc with people’s lives, with people’s livelihoods and with the country generally.   All of the projects the BBN has been planning for the coming months have had to be cancelled or, at best, postponed.  Please look after yourselves and your loved ones.  Don’t forget the latest position:

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has recommended that all non-essential retail outlets close to members of the public. All other retail outlets are to implement social distancing.

Cafés and restaurants are limited to takeaways and deliveries only. All sporting events are cancelled – including those behind closed doors.

All theatres, clubs, gyms, leisure centres and hair salons are to be shut.

Places of worship are to restrict numbers visiting and no unnecessary travel should take place in the country or overseas, now or during the Easter break.

The Taoiseach has said that people need to stay at home and only leave to:

• go to work
• go to the shops for essential supplies
• care for others
• exercise

Help for the Elderly and Vulnerable at Blackrock Gárda Station
The Gárdaí are very keen to work closely with the community and at this time more than ever they will support the most vulnerable in our society, particularly the elderly and the isolated.
To avail of assistance email: blackrock_ds@garda.ie or at weekends phone 01 666 5200

See the Assistance Request Form to Blackrock Gárda Station with full details of how to access the service.   

Blackrock “Connect Day” a big success

The BBN has for some time been planning a Connect Day aimed largely at people living alone, and at those who for one reason or another were more likely to fee a sense of isolation.   This was the brainchild of our Board Member Mary Boissel and she planned and executed a very successful morning at the end of last month.  There were three venues to host and entertain the guests, Blackrock Park, The Breffni Inn and BFEI.  Diarmuid McAree, formerly Chief Forestry Inspector of the Irish Forest Service, and now a Forestry Consultant and Advisor, led the group in the Park giving a tutorial on all things trees and plants.  There was an informal gathering at the Breffni Inn where the Blackrock Ukulele group provided the entertainment, together with people from the mens’ shed.  Aidan Fitzgerald generously donated a voucher for €100 to the winner of the prize draw in the Breffni.  BFEI once again stepped up to the plate with its students and staff providing massages and manicures to the group in their building.  We were also very grateful for the support given by Community Gárda Gemma Conway.  It is hoped that this very successful outing will be the first of many into the future.

New Mural in the Village

A new mural designed by illustrator Fuschia MacAree, commissioned and paid for by the BBN, was recently put up on the wall of Central Cafe.  It adds another impressive element of creativity and colour to our village.

Parking Charges Rethink

Following objections to the proposed dramatic increases in parking charges across the borough, DLRCoCo has rowed back on their initial proposals and voted through much reduced increases.  We in the Blackrock Business Network vehemently objected to the planned increases, and in our submission we pointed out that after all that business in Blackrock has had to endure in recent years, to now hit us with a parking fees sledgehammer was ill considered, anti-business and counterproductive.   We are pleased that the increases are now of a more modest and realistic nature.