I'd rather be in Baldoyle :)

Explore Baldoyle and engage with others in your community! Follow my Twitter (X) https://x.com/ratherbaldoyle

[zobertomcnamara]

Walk of the Week #2

Seagrange Park in Baldoyle!

What once was a swamp land is now a beautiful home to colorful flowers and trees, all thanks to Baldoyle Wild Towns and all their amazing work.

Positives

It has a playground and a basketball court for kids and teens. Baldoyle United FC plays games on the football pitches. There is a high grass area with a nature path which is great for the bees, as is the all the patches of flowers that are maintained to welcome biodiversity. The park also has the Trackside Lawn Tennis Club and the Baldoyle Boxing Club. Seagrange park got rid of the kissing gates at the entrances to allow for more accessibility for all!

Negatives

There is still a small area of the park that once it rains, the swamp reappears and there is slight flooding on the paths. As we live in Ireland, we experience a lot of rain so this needs to fix asap!

Have you ever been to Seagrange Park? What improvements would you make?

[zobertomcnamara]

2 ways to become more involved in your community

Back in the day everyone knew everyone but now our lives are moving so fast we think we don't have time to get to know neighbours which. We need to do better as social connections improve peoples lives tenfold, so it's worth making the effort to rebuild that sense of community.

So here's a list of how to increase community engagement and get to know the people you love around.

Attend events Join a club, attend local events like open mics, poetry sessions, tidy towns or learning a new skill with acting classes, computer skills or yoga and mindfulness. Just find something you enjoy or go out of your comfort zone but make the effort to keep it up and make friends.

Create your own event if nothing around you feels like the right fit then create one! Start a coffee morning, a walking group or a book club. When doing something you're interested in it will increase you life enjoyment! Find a third space and make it a ritual every week, 2 weeks or month.

Building a community takes effort, you have to be proactive and intentional on building these relationships within your community. It also pays to know people, as my mom is now close with the owner of a café and even when the café is full he finds space for her!

Be brave and put yourself out there because there are so many benefits.

[zobertomcnamara]

Documentary On One - Baldoyle Racecourse

Did you know Baldoyle was famous for horse racing back?

It started in 1829 and became hugely popular due to the location as the trained served those from Drogheda to Howth. During the 20th Century, insurers could no longer insure the racecourse and so racing stopped in the 1970s.

Currently the racecourse grounds now home over 2000 houses. A pub called the Racecourse Inn was built in 1980, with the new community center also being named after the once hugely popular horse racing track in 2025.

If you enjoy old men talking slowly about history and horse racing then you will love the RTE documentary on the Baldoyle Racecourse! Give it a listen.

Do you want to learn more about the history of Baldoyle? Let me know a topic and I'll do my best :)

[zobertomcnamara]

Walk of the Week !!

This week we walk the Racecourse Park in Baldoyle. Its the home to Na Dubh Ghall GAA with 3 football pitches, 2 GAA pitches and conjoining paths throughout the park. It is also home to an outdoor gym, playground and the new and improved Racecourse Community Center.

Positives

Great place for the sportier walker/runner with flat paths throughout and a lack of swamps in the grass that can be found in the neighbouring Seagrange Park. One lap of the park is 1km approximately is handy for runners and great for me as one lap with my little dogs is more then enough to tire them out.

Negatives

Racecourse Park does need more plants as the park is very green and lacks a pop of color. There was some construction happening near the playground so I couldn't get any pictures to highlight the park facilities.

Have you ever been to the Racecourse Park, and what was the reason for the visit?

[zobertomcnamara]

Inside Dublin’s New Baldoyle Community Centre | Opening Oct 2025

You need to check out the new Baldoyle Community Center!!!

Including in the center

Sports hall with 3 courts

4 multipurpose rooms for clubs and events

Sports rooms for Baldoyle United, Suttonians and Na Dubh Ghall GAA

This center will improve community engagement for Baldoyle and beyond with activities for children of all ages and adults.

[zobertomcnamara]

REVIEW OF DUBLIN BAY CAFFE

A lovely café that offers coffees, hot or cold and delicious pastries.

Coffee

I ordered a flat white with oat milk and my friend had a flat white with regular milk. The coffee was very nice, one of the best I've ever had. The oat milk used was on the sweeter side which I prefer. It cost €4.40 which is steep for a flat white but using alternative milk comes with a price.

Vibes

Dublin Bay Caffe is right on the bay with beautiful views over to Sutton, Portmarnock and Howth. The weather was not great so we sat inside which is just as nice as the view. The café was originally a cottage but now converted to serve Baldoyle and the staff were very attentive and kind to all customers. As the café sits on the bay, it has a nautical theme but it is very subtle and warm inside.

I would highly recommend for a catch-up as we stayed for over two hours and the staff never rushed us to leave even though we only bought one drink each. I think it has been a great addition to Baldoyle as there was a constant stream of customers but it would be amazing if they started offering sandwiches and the like.

Have you ever been? Let me know your thoughts :)

[zobertomcnamara]

Please follow my twitter page (X) for shorter form content :)

[zobertomcnamara]

Can you act?

Starting in April the actor and director William Morgan every Monday and Tuesday 7-9pm in the new Racecourse Community Centre.

Find out more by clicking the link below

Instagram

[zobertomcnamara]

Home - Baldoyle community Centre

Brand new Community Center in Baldoyle! Find out what's happening in the new state of the art facilities from activities to making connections!

[zobertomcnamara]

Top Five Coffee Spots in Baldoyle

Baldoyle Bay Caffe - Great coffees and pastries, great interior seating and exterior seating with beautiful views.

Good Habits - Best taste and value for money but stuck in an industrial estate. Amazing food options like toasties and even coddle!

Meastelo Café - Great coffee and views but no indoor area for when it's cold out!

Pearl Café - Poor location as it's stuck in the industrial estate but good coffee and pastries on offer.

One Café - Great food but their iced coffees are not great and it is always hectic inside!

Have you been to any of these cafes? Which ones and how would your top five list look!

[zobertomcnamara]

How to become a Baldoyle Legend?

Did you know Baldoyle was the childhood town of footballer Robbie Brady, singer Nicky Byrne, presenter Jennifer Zamparelli, golfer Willie Nolan and singer Erica Cody?

How to join that list of legends? Simply join a new club and it just so happens that Baldoyle has loads of options.

Baldoyle Pacers Running Club

Baldoyle United FC

Na Dubh Ghall GAA

Baldoyle Boxing Club and Headon Boxing

Trackside Lawn Tennis Club

Acting Class

Baldoyle Badminton Center

Baldoyle Forum and Baldoyle Community Center are home to loads of adult classes as its never too late to learn something new. So get involved in Baldoyle, make connections and learn a new skill :)

[zobertomcnamara]

Another Beautiful Day in Baldoyle! While the sun is shining, GO OUTSIDE and explore this beautiful town, I highly recommend a coffee at Meastelo Cafe at Baldoyle Bay and walk the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway as pictured above :)

[zobertomcnamara]

How to get involved in the Baldoyle Community for Free!

Zero2Zen is on March 7th 2026 for free at the Racecourse Community Centre Baldoyle! To celebrate International Women's Day start it with a empowering guided session with other women to help you reconnect with yourself through breathwork and mediation. Bring a yoga mat, pen and paper, blanket and pillow! From 11:30am-1:30pm, make sure you arrive 5-10 minutes before the start time!

Baldoyle Pacers Running Club want to create a community of runners here in Baldoyle and invite runners of all levels to join! They have weekly runs with one on soon as March 7th 2026 at 9:30am in the Racecourse Park for free.

Forget Me Nots Choir is for older people who have been effected some how by memory loss on Tuesdays from 11am to 1pm at the Racecourse Community Centre Baldoyle.

Sutton Floral Art Group meet once a month to talk all things gardening! March 25th 2026 is the next meeting at Racecourse Community Centre Baldoyle.

Baldoyle Wild Town in Seagrange Park at 11am March 7th 2026 are meeting up to plant trees and litter pick! It's a great way to meet individuals who care deeply about the community.

Is there any free activities that you can get involved in the community with in Baldoyle that I missed?

[zobertomcnamara]

A Week of Activities in Baldoyle - Don't Miss Out!!!!

March 7th 2026 - Baldoyle Wild Town are meeting, to plant trees in Seagrange Park at 11am. All ages welcome :)

March 8th 2026 - Karaoke and BYOB in Baldoyle Community Hall at 6:30pm to celebrate International Womens' Day and raise aid for Gaza. 18+ event! Tickets on sale here at €7 http://sipandsingbaldoyle.eventbrite.ie

March 14th 2026 - Poetry Session in the Baldoyle Community Hall, it is a free event to perform poetry or soak in the magic of word! Register you're interest here! http://poetrysessionsbaldoyle.eventbrite.ie

March 15th 2026 - Indoor craft fair at the Baldoyle Community Hall from 11:30am to 5:30pm. Meet local craftsmakers and enjoy a day in your community.

Will you go to any of this events in Baldoyle ?

[zobertomcnamara]

Drone Footage of Baldoyle on a beautiful sunny day.

Baldoyle is a small coastal town but there is so much to do, walks, cafes, activities and so much more. Get out there while the sun is shiny and the rains at bay!

[zobertomcnamara]

Welcome to I'd rather be in Baldoyle!

This is the first post of what will hopefully be your go to spot for posts to keep up to date with Baldoyle. Baldoyle is a hidden gem at the coast of Dublin, Ireland with lovely walks, cafes, activities and as the sun is finally coming out, you absolutely need to explore Baldoyle and see what it has to offer.