Family Fun Day Coming to Ongar Community Centre – Sunday 6th September 2026

Family Fun Day Coming to Ongar Community Centre – Sunday 6th September 2026

A Fantastic Day Out for All the Family in Ongar

Ongar is getting ready for a fantastic afternoon of family entertainment, fun and community spirit as the Ongar Community Centre Family Fun Day takes place on Sunday 6th September 2026, from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

With a great selection of activities planned for children and families, this promises to be a wonderful opportunity for local residents to get together, enjoy themselves and celebrate everything that makes our community special.

The event is particularly welcome as the summer holidays come to an end, giving families in Ongar and the surrounding areas a chance to enjoy one last big afternoon of summer fun before the children return to school.

And with admission costing just €1, with children under two going free, it looks set to be an affordable afternoon for local families.

Plenty of Fun and Activities

There is something for everyone at the Family Fun Day, with a colourful programme of entertainment planned throughout the afternoon.

One of the highlights for younger visitors will undoubtedly be the Kids Train, giving children the chance to enjoy a fun ride while soaking up the atmosphere.

There will also be face painting, allowing children to transform themselves into their favourite characters, animals and colourful creations.

For those who enjoy getting creative, a craft fair will provide another attraction, while an indoor show will add even more entertainment to the afternoon.

Music lovers will also have something to look forward to, with a brass band included among the planned activities.

And, of course, no family fun day would be complete without plenty of balloons! Balloon madness promises to bring plenty of colour and excitement to the event.

The organisers have also promised lots more, so visitors can expect a lively afternoon with plenty happening.

A Chance to Bring the Community Together

Events such as this are about much more than entertainment.

A successful community depends on people getting involved, meeting their neighbours and creating opportunities for families, children, older residents and local organisations to come together.

Here at Ongar Tidy Towns, we believe that community spirit is incredibly important.

Whether it is people volunteering to keep our streets and green spaces clean, residents supporting local events, families getting involved in community activities or local groups working together, every little contribution helps make Ongar a better place to live.

The Family Fun Day is another opportunity for the community to come together in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

You might meet someone you have never spoken to before, bump into an old friend or simply spend a few hours enjoying the afternoon with your family.

Sometimes the simplest community events can create the best memories.

Supporting Our Local Community

Ongar has grown enormously over the years, with families from many different backgrounds now calling the area home.

That makes community events particularly important.

They provide an opportunity for everyone to feel included and welcome while celebrating the local area.

Events such as the Ongar Community Centre Family Fun Day can also help introduce people to the different groups, organisations and activities available locally.

If you are new to Ongar, this could be a great opportunity to discover what is happening in your community and perhaps get involved in something new.

For families who have lived in Ongar for years, it is a chance to support an event close to home and enjoy an afternoon with friends and neighbours.

A Great Way to Finish the Summer

September can be a strange time of year.

The evenings begin to get shorter, the children are heading back to school and everyone starts thinking about the autumn months.

That is why an event like this is a perfect way to squeeze in one more afternoon of summer fun.

The colourful decorations, balloons, entertainment, music and children's activities should create a fantastic atmosphere around the community centre.

And because the event runs from 2pm until 4.30pm, there is plenty of time to come along, enjoy the activities and still have your evening free.

So whether you have young children, grandchildren, friends or simply want to support something happening in your local community, why not come along?

Ongar Tidy Towns Encourages Everyone to Get Involved

At Ongar Tidy Towns, we are always encouraging local people to take pride in where they live.

Community spirit doesn't only mean picking up litter or looking after our green spaces. It also means supporting local organisations, attending community events, helping neighbours and encouraging people to get involved.

The Family Fun Day is a great example of that community spirit.

We would encourage residents from Ongar, Blanchardstown, Clonsilla, Clonsilla Village and the surrounding Dublin 15 area to support the event and help make it a great success.

Bring the children, bring your friends and come along ready for an afternoon of fun.

Put the Date in Your Diary!

The important details are:

📅 Date: Sunday 6th September 2026

⏰ Time: 2.00pm – 4.30pm

📍 Venue: Ongar Community Centre

🎟️ Admission: €1

👶 Children under 2: Free

With a kids train, face painting, craft fair, indoor show, brass band, balloon madness and plenty more entertainment, there should be something to keep the whole family entertained.

Most importantly, this is an opportunity to come together as a community and enjoy an afternoon in Ongar.

So, mark Sunday 6th September 2026 on the calendar and get ready for the Ongar Community Centre Family Fun Day.

Let's support our local community, support local events and make it an afternoon to remember.

Ongar Tidy Towns wishes the organisers every success and hopes to see plenty of local families there

August 15th clean up

 

Come join us!

New Sheriff in town

 

🤠 Meet the Sheriff of Ongar: There’s a New Law in Town… and It’s Called Litter!

There are many characters you might expect to encounter around Ongar. You might see dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, parents rushing after children, people heading to the shops, or volunteers from Ongar Tidy Towns armed with litter pickers and bags.

But every now and again, a mysterious figure appears on the streets.

He wears a cowboy hat.

He has a sheriff's badge.

He walks with the confidence of a man who has seen things that no ordinary citizen should ever have to see.

And when he looks down and spots a discarded bottle, crisp packet or takeaway container lying on the ground, his expression changes.

The Sheriff of Ongar has arrived.

And he's here to clean up the town. 🤠

Wanted: Litter!

The Sheriff isn't interested in gold, glory or fame. He has absolutely no interest in becoming a celebrity, and he certainly isn't looking for trouble.

He's looking for something much more important.

LITTER.

That's right.

The Sheriff of Ongar has declared war on rubbish.

His mission is simple: keep Ongar looking clean, tidy, green and welcoming for everyone who lives here.

Every morning, he surveys the streets like an old-fashioned sheriff surveying the Wild West.

Only instead of looking for outlaws hiding behind a saloon, he's looking behind hedges, underneath benches and around street corners.

And sometimes, what he finds is enough to make even the toughest sheriff shake his head.

“Who left that there?”

A discarded drinks bottle.

A takeaway carton.

An empty packet.

A coffee cup.

Another packet.

And another.

The Sheriff sighs.

He reaches for his trusty litter picker.

“Not on my watch.”

The Sheriff Takes Out the Trash 🗑️🗑️🗑️

There's a simple rule in the Sheriff's town:

If you bring it in, take it home.

And if someone has unfortunately decided that the street, footpath, woodland or green space is their personal rubbish bin, the Sheriff has another solution.

He takes out the trash.

Literally.

Bag by bag, piece by piece, the Sheriff and the good people of Ongar Tidy Towns work to reclaim the streets.

It's not glamorous work.

Nobody is going to make a Hollywood blockbuster about picking up 37 crisp packets on a wet Tuesday morning.

There won't be a red carpet.

There probably won't even be a cup of tea waiting at the end.

But it matters.

Because every piece of rubbish removed makes Ongar a little bit better.

And the Sheriff knows something important:

A clean town doesn't happen by accident.

It happens because people care.

Wanted: Volunteers!

The Sheriff might look like a one-man operation, but even the toughest lawman needs backup.

That's where Ongar Tidy Towns comes in.

Volunteers give their time to help clean up the local area, collect litter and improve the appearance of the community.

They don't do it because it's glamorous.

They do it because Ongar is their home.

They want residents to be proud of where they live, and they want visitors to see a community that takes care of its surroundings.

The Sheriff is particularly impressed by anyone willing to grab a litter picker and get stuck in.

In his book, these people aren't ordinary volunteers.

They're deputies.

The Deputies of Ongar.

And there is always room for another one.

The Great Ongar Litter Hunt

Rumour has it that the Sheriff occasionally sets out on what he calls a “Litter Hunt.”

He rides through Ongar — although these days, for practical reasons, his trusty steed is more likely to have four wheels than four legs — and searches for rubbish.

The Sheriff has developed an extraordinary ability to spot litter from a considerable distance.

A plastic bottle hidden underneath a bush?

Spotted.

A drinks can lying beside a footpath?

Spotted.

A takeaway container abandoned beside a wall?

Spotted.

A crisp packet blowing down the road at approximately 40 kilometres per hour?

SPOTTED.

The Sheriff springs into action.

His litter picker is drawn.

The bag is opened.

The offending rubbish is captured.

Justice has been served.

And somewhere in Ongar, another piece of litter is no longer somebody else's problem.

But the Sheriff Has a Message…

Despite his tough appearance, the Sheriff isn't angry with everyone.

In fact, his message is remarkably straightforward.

Please don't litter.

It really is that simple.

If you have a bottle, packet, coffee cup or takeaway container, please put it in a bin or bring it home with you.

If a bin is full, don't leave your rubbish beside it.

And if you're out walking and notice a piece of litter, why not pick it up if you can safely do so?

One person picking up one piece of rubbish might not seem like much.

But imagine hundreds of people doing it.

That's how change happens.

That's how a community becomes cleaner.

And that's how the Sheriff likes to see Ongar.

The Sheriff of Ongar's Code

The Sheriff's code is short enough to fit on the back of his badge:

Respect your town.

Take your rubbish home.

Don't litter.

Look after green spaces.

Help when you can.

And never underestimate what a small group of volunteers can achieve.

He also has one final rule.

If you see someone from Ongar Tidy Towns walking around with a litter picker and a bag, give them a wave.

They are doing something positive for the community.

The Sheriff approves.

There's a New Law in Town

So, the next time you're walking through Ongar and you notice a suspicious-looking cowboy hat appearing in the distance, don't panic.

It might just be the Sheriff.

He'll probably be standing beside a pile of rubbish, holding a litter picker in one hand and a full rubbish bag in the other.

He'll look towards the horizon.

He'll look at Ongar.

He'll look at the rubbish.

And he'll say the words that have become famous throughout the community:

“This town ain't big enough for litter.”

Then he'll get back to work.

Because the Sheriff of Ongar isn't here to make arrests.

He's here to make a difference.

He's here to take out the trash. 🗑️🗑️🗑️

He's here to help keep Ongar clean.

And most importantly, he's here to remind all of us that keeping our community tidy isn't just the Sheriff's job — it's everyone's job.

So let's give him a hand.

Grab a litter picker.

Grab a bag.

Get involved with Ongar Tidy Towns.

And together, let's show litter that it has picked the wrong town.

Welcome to Ongar, Sheriff.

The streets are yours. 🤠🌳🗑️

And remember… LITTER HAS NOWHERE TO HIDE!

Bonus Clean up for July

 

Join Ongar Tidy Towns for Our Community Litter Pick and Bonus Clean Up – Sunday 26th July at 10:00 AM

A clean town doesn't happen by chance—it happens because people care. Every piece of litter picked up, every path cleaned, and every flower planted is a reminder that a community working together can make a real difference.

That's exactly what Ongar Tidy Towns is all about.

We're inviting everyone to join us at the Ongar Basketball Courts for another community litter pick, followed by a Bonus Clean Up to tackle some extra areas that need a little attention.

Whether you've joined us before or this will be your very first event, we'd love to see you there.

Every Pair of Hands Makes a Difference

People often think one person can't change much. The truth is, one person picking up one bag of litter inspires another person to do the same.

When twenty, thirty, or even fifty local people come together, the results are incredible. Streets become cleaner, parks become more enjoyable, wildlife is protected, and the whole community benefits.

Even an hour or two of your time can leave a lasting impact.

Why Community Clean-Ups Matter

Litter isn't just unpleasant to look at—it has real environmental consequences.

Plastic waste can remain in the environment for hundreds of years, harming wildlife and polluting waterways. 

Glass can become a safety hazard for children and pets, while discarded cans, food packaging, and cigarette butts spoil green spaces that everyone should be able to enjoy.

By removing litter before it spreads or breaks down, we're helping to protect local biodiversity and making Ongar a healthier, safer place for everyone.

More Than Picking Up Rubbish

Our litter picks are about far more than cleaning streets.

They're about neighbours meeting neighbours.

They're about families spending time together outdoors.

They're about children learning the importance of caring for the environment.

They're about taking pride in where we live.

Every event brings together people from different backgrounds and age groups, all with one simple goal—to make Ongar the best place it can be.

Everyone Is Welcome

You don't need any experience or special equipment to take part.

Whether you're:

Coming on your own

Bringing the kids

Joining with friends

Representing a local group

Looking to volunteer in your community

there's a place for you.

Young volunteers are always welcome when accompanied by an adult, and it's a fantastic way to teach children about environmental responsibility while having fun outdoors.

Our Bonus Clean Up

This month's event includes a Bonus Clean Up, giving volunteers the opportunity to help tackle additional areas that need extra attention.

Once we've completed our main litter pick, we'll move on to locations that have accumulated rubbish over time, ensuring we leave even more of Ongar looking its very best.

It's a chance to go the extra mile—and every extra bag collected makes a visible difference.

Building Community Pride

One of the best things about Ongar Tidy Towns is seeing the pride people take in their local area.

When residents work together, it creates a ripple effect.

Cleaner streets encourage others not to litter.

Visitors notice the difference.

Local businesses benefit from a more attractive environment.

Children grow up seeing adults care about their community.

These are the small actions that help build a stronger, friendlier neighbourhood.

What to Bring

If you're planning to join us, we recommend bringing:

Comfortable clothing suitable for the weather

Sturdy footwear

A water bottle

Sunscreen if it's a warm day

A smile and plenty of enthusiasm

Litter pickers, gloves, and bags will be available for volunteers, although you're welcome to bring your own gloves if you prefer.

Together We Can Make a Difference

Every event reminds us that positive change begins with ordinary people deciding to do something extraordinary for their community.

You don't need to dedicate every weekend.

You don't need to spend hours volunteering.

Just giving a little of your time can have a lasting impact on Ongar and the people who live here.

If you've ever walked through a clean park, enjoyed a litter-free footpath, or admired a tidy green space, you've already benefited from the efforts of volunteers.

Now is your chance to be part of that effort.

Event Details

📅 Date: Sunday 26th July

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM

📍 Meeting Point: Ongar Basketball Courts

Whether you can stay for the full event or just an hour, every volunteer makes a difference.

Let's work together to keep Ongar clean, welcoming, and something we can all be proud of.

We look forward to seeing you 

Together, we can make Ongar shine. 🌿♻️

July's big clean up

 

🧹 Come Join Us for the Ongar Tidy Towns Litter Pick! 🌿

A clean community is a happy community, and we need your help!

Ongar Tidy Towns is inviting everyone in the community to come along and join our next litter pick on Saturday 11th July at 11am, meeting at the Ongar Basketball Courts.

It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors, meet neighbours, have a chat, and make a real difference to the area we all call home. Every bag collected helps keep Ongar looking its best and shows the pride we have in our community.

Whether you’ve joined us before or this will be your first time, everyone is welcome. Bring along family, friends, and neighbours — the more people who get involved, the bigger the impact we can make together.

So please mark it in your calendar and come along on Saturday 11th July at 11am. We hope to see as many of you as possible there!

A big thank you to everyone who continues to support Ongar Tidy Towns and helps make our community a cleaner, greener, and nicer place for everyone.

📅 Date: Saturday 11th July

⏰ Time: 11am

📍 Meeting Point: Ongar Basketball Courts

See you there! 😊

#OngarTidyTowns #CommunitySpirit #KeepOngarClean #TeamOngar #TidyTowns #VolunteerIreland

Come join us 13th June 2026

Grab Your Gloves, Ongar! Let’s Make Our Community Shine on 13th June

There is something incredibly special about the place we call home. Ongar is more than just a dot on a map or a collection of housing estates, shops, and roads. It is a vibrant, living community where children play, neighbours chat over garden fences, and local businesses thrive. It is a place of daily commutes, weekend walks, and shared spaces.

But like any bustling community, our beautiful neighbourhood faces a quiet, persistent challenge: litter.

From a stray plastic bottle rolling down the main street to crisp packets tangled in our hedgerows, litter diminishes the natural beauty of the place we love. It affects our local wildlife, impacts our environment, and, frankly, it just doesn’t represent who we are as a community.

That is why we are calling on everyone—long-time residents, newcomers, families, teenagers, and local business owners—to join forces for the Ultimate Ongar Community Litter Pick!

The Details: When and Where?

Mark your calendars, set your phone reminders, and tell your neighbours. Here is everything you need to know to get involved:

Date: Saturday 13th June

Time: 11:00 am sharp (we expect to wrap up around 12:00 pm)

Meeting Point: Ongar Basketball courts 

Who: Absolutely everyone! Kids, adults, seniors, and well-behaved dogs on leads are all welcome.

Why Should You Join Us?

If you have never taken part in a community clean-up before, you might be wondering, "Why should I spend my Saturday morning picking up other people's rubbish?" It is a fair question, but litter picking is about so much more than just filling rubbish bags. Here is why this event matters:

1. Instant Environmental Impact

Litter doesn’t just look bad; it does real harm. Plastic wrappers and aluminium cans can easily wind up in our local waterways or green spaces, threatening birds, hedgehogs, and other local wildlife. By spending just a couple of hours collecting this waste, you are directly preventing pollution and creating a safer, healthier ecosystem right on our doorstep.

2. Connect with Your Neighbours

In our fast-paced worlds, it can be tough to find the time to actually meet the people who live down the street. A community litter pick is an incredibly social, low-pressure event. You will be walking, chatting, and working alongside fellow Ongar residents who share the same pride in their neighbourhood as you do. It’s an amazing way to make new friends and strengthen our community spirit.

3. A Great Activity for the Kids

Looking for a productive, screen-free activity for the kids on a Saturday morning? This is it! Bringing children to a litter pick is a fantastic, hands-on way to teach them about civic duty, environmental responsibility, and the impact of waste. Kids love the "treasure hunt" aspect of searching for litter, and they get a massive sense of pride seeing a clean street that they helped fix.

4. Boost Your Own Well-Being

There is a proven psychological boost that comes from doing good deeds and spending time outdoors. Getting outside, moving your body, and immediately seeing the tangible, positive results of your hard work is incredibly rewarding. You will walk away at 1:00 pm with a smile on your face and a serious sense of accomplishment.

What to Bring and What We Provide

We want to make this event as easy and accessible as possible for everyone. To ensure safety and efficiency, we have teamed up with local organisers to provide the essential gear.

Ongar Tidy Towns: Let’s Come Together for Our Biggest Clean-Up Yet – Saturday 16th May 2026

Ongar Tidy Towns: Let’s Come Together for Our Biggest Clean-Up Yet – Saturday 16th May 2026

There’s something powerful about a community that rolls up its sleeves and takes pride in where it lives. In Ongar, that spirit has been growing stronger with every clean-up, every bag of litter collected, and every friendly face that shows up to help. Now, it’s time for our next big push—and you’re invited.

On Saturday 16th May 2026 at 11am, the Ongar Tidy Towns group will be gathering at the Ongar Basketball Courts for what promises to be one of our most impactful clean-up events yet. Whether you’ve joined us before or you’re thinking about coming along for the first time, this is your chance to make a real difference in your local area.

Why It Matters

We all notice it—litter in green spaces, discarded packaging along pathways, and the occasional trolley or bulky waste left where it doesn’t belong. These things don’t just affect how our neighbourhood looks; they impact wildlife, community pride, and how we feel walking through our own surroundings.

But here’s the good news: change happens quickly when people come together.

Every clean-up event we’ve held has shown just how much can be achieved in a short time. What might look like an overwhelming mess can be transformed in a matter of hours when a group of motivated locals gets stuck in. And beyond the physical transformation, there’s something even more important—the sense of ownership and connection it builds.

More Than Just Picking Up Litter

If you’ve never been to a tidy towns clean-up before, you might be picturing a quiet, solitary task. In reality, it’s anything but.

These events are:

Social – You’ll meet neighbours, make new connections, and share a few laughs along the way.

Active – It’s a great way to get moving outdoors without it feeling like a chore.

Rewarding – There’s nothing quite like seeing the immediate results of your effort.

Families are welcome, individuals are encouraged, and no experience is needed. Whether you can give 30 minutes or a couple of hours, it all counts.

What to Expect on the Day

When you arrive at the basketball courts at 11am, you’ll be greeted by the Ongar Tidy Towns team. Equipment such as bags, gloves, and litter pickers will typically be provided, so don’t worry if you don’t have your own.

You’ll then be grouped up and assigned areas around Ongar that need attention—this could include green spaces, pathways, or roadside areas that have built up litter over time.

The atmosphere is always relaxed and welcoming. There’s no pressure—just a shared goal to leave the area better than we found it.

Who Should Come?

Short answer: everyone.

Residents who want to keep their neighbourhood clean and welcoming

Families looking for a positive, community-focused activity

Young people who want to make a visible impact locally

Anyone new to the area hoping to meet people and get involved

You don’t need to commit long-term. Even showing up once makes a difference.

The Bigger Picture

Clean-ups like this aren’t just about one day—they’re part of a larger movement to build a stronger, more sustainable community.

Groups like Ongar Tidy Towns often work alongside local initiatives and organisations such as Fingal County Council to improve public spaces, promote recycling, and encourage responsible waste habits.

Every event sends a message:

We care about our area. We take pride in it. And we’re willing to do something about it.

Small Actions, Big Impact

It’s easy to underestimate what one person can do—but when dozens of people come together, the results speak for themselves.

Think about it:

One bag of rubbish removed is one less hazard for wildlife

One clean pathway makes the area more enjoyable for everyone

One visible effort encourages others to think twice before littering

And perhaps most importantly, it creates momentum. People notice when an area is looked after—and they’re more likely to respect it.

A Community Effort Worth Celebrating

If you’ve seen the difference recent clean-ups have made in Ongar, you’ll know this isn’t just talk—it’s real, visible change.

Areas that were once neglected are now cleaner, greener, and more inviting. And that transformation didn’t happen by accident—it happened because people like you showed up.

This next clean-up is an opportunity to build on that progress and take things even further.

How to Get Involved

It couldn’t be simpler:

📅 Date: Saturday 16th May 2026

⏰ Time: 11:00am

📍 Location: Ongar Basketball Courts

Just turn up on the day, ready to lend a hand. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes—you’ll be moving around a bit, but nothing too strenuous.

If you have questions or want to connect beforehand, you can reach out via email at ongartidytowns@gmail.com.

Final Thoughts

Communities don’t improve by chance—they improve by choice.

Choosing to spend a bit of your Saturday helping out might seem like a small thing, but it contributes to something much bigger. It helps shape the kind of place Ongar is—and the kind of place it will be in the future.

So if you’ve been thinking about getting involved, this is your moment.

Come along. Bring a friend. Bring the kids.

Let’s make this the biggest and best clean-up yet.

See you on the 16th.