Balally Pharmacy

Call Directions Contact the business

Balally Pharmacy Independent family run pharmacy located in Sandyford Dublin 16. Tom McKenna is the Pharmacist owner since 2014. I have 34 years experience and I’m a dad of four.

We have a wonderful highly qualified team instore. Vaccine Information: email [email protected]

15/10/2026

💊 Ever wondered what your pharmacist REALLY thinks? I don’t sugar coat my answers 🤣

From supplements and vitamins to everyday medicines and the questions we get asked behind the pharmacy counter. Nothing is off limits in this rapid-fire pharmacist Q&A on supplements! 🎤

As community pharmacists, we’re here for so much more than prescriptions. Whether you’re confused about which supplements you actually need, have questions about your medication or interactions, or simply want trusted health advice, your local pharmacy is a great place to start. The advice is free and evidence based💚

Because when it comes to your health, there’s no such thing as a silly question!

👇 Your turn! Did any of these surprise you? Drop it in the comments. Should I do these rapid fire Q&A more often?

📌 Save this reel for later and share it with someone who loves their vitamins and supplements!

I hope this helps 🙏

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

Educational content only. Always consult your own pharmacist or doctor for advice specific to your circumstances.



IrishPharmacist VitaminAdvice MedicationSafety PharmacistQandA HealthAdvice

33 years as a community pharmacist and there are some conversations I still have every single day! 😂💊From believing the ...
14/10/2026

33 years as a community pharmacist and there are some conversations I still have every single day! 😂💊

From believing the flu vaccine can give you flu, to thinking antibiotics will clear up a cold, to collecting prescription medicines but forgetting to actually take them.

Some pharmacy myths have remarkable staying power!

Then there are the questions about menopause, HRT, vitamins and supplements. Often things people have wondered about for years but never quite got around to asking. Or thought it was a “silly” question ( there’s no such thing in my book).

One thing I’ve learned is that you should never assume everyone knows the same things about medicines and their health.

📱 Yes we all have access to health information on our phones. Something unheard of when I started out. It is probably the biggest and most dramatic change in my career. I love technology and use it all the time. But the information you get back is only as good as the question you ask in the first place. Fear can take hold and you believe the worst.

Pop in and ask me in person or check out my Q&A on stories on Thursdays. Health advice needs context. Your history. Your medications. Your lifestyle.

I’m Tom, a community pharmacist at Balally Pharmacy in Dublin. I share practical, evidence based advice about everyday medicines, women’s health, menopause, HRT and supplements, with the occasional bit of humour from behind the pharmacy counter.

Because good healthcare advice doesn’t have to be complicated.

💬 Which one have you heard, believed or perhaps even said yourself? No judgement here!

Follow me Tom McKenna MPSI | Balally Pharmacy | Sandyford Dublin | for more straightforward pharmacy advice from someone who’s spent 33 years answering the real life questions that matter.

12/10/2026

If you have asthma and you’ve been using the same inhalers for years, it’s worth knowing that asthma treatment has changed.

One thing that still worries me as a pharmacist is how many people assume their asthma is “fine” because their blue inhaler gives relief.

But relief isn’t the same as good control.

If you need your reliever inhaler regularly, waking with symptoms, getting short of breath more often, or finding asthma is affecting your day-to-day life, it may be time for a review.

Asthma treatment should be reviewed regularly, not just when things get really bad.

I’ve put together a free asthma guide to help you better understand control, treatment reviews and what to ask at your next appointment.

📩 Comment ASTHMA and I’ll send you my free asthma guide.

💙 Know someone who’s been using the same asthma inhaler for years? Send them this. It might prompt an important conversation about their treatment.

👨‍⚕️ Follow me for practical, evidence based medicines advice a pharmacist with 33 years of experience.

I’m tagging the Asthma Society of Ireland because they have excellent free asthma resources, including Asthma Action Plans and patient education materials and support. They also provide asthma resources for health professionals and patients on their website.

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

Sunday evenings for me means making my to do list for the week ahead. May this be your reminder to include YOU on your t...
11/10/2026

Sunday evenings for me means making my to do list for the week ahead.

May this be your reminder to include YOU on your to do list.

Maybe it’s that blood pressure check. That prescription renewal. That vaccine. Or simply just a cup of coffee and a chat with a friend.

Take care of yourself 🤗

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

08/10/2026

Every autumn, people walk into the pharmacy asking “Should I start taking a multivitamin for winter?” 🍂

My first question?

“What are you hoping it will do?”

Because October isn’t a vitamin deficiency. 💊

Yes, our diets aren’t always perfect. But a multivitamin won’t magically fix that.

👉Supplements absolutely have their place. The right supplement, for the right person, for the right reason.

Before you think vitamin D — yes, there are specific Irish recommendations for autumn and winter supplementation depending on skin tone and age.

That’s very different from saying everyone needs a multivitamin.

After 33 years in pharmacy, here’s my advice.

👉Don’t buy a supplement just because it’s supplement season.

Follow me for independent, evidence-based advice on medicines, vaccines and supplements. No hype💚. No sponsorship or affiliate codes.

Hope this helps

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

General education only. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personal advice

06/10/2026

Can you still get pregnant during perimenopause? Yes and it’s an important part of the menopause conversation that can easily get missed.

Fertility declines as we get older, but perimenopause does not mean infertility. If you’re still ovulating, pregnancy is still possible even when your periods have become irregular or your menopause symptoms have started.

A few things I regularly discuss with women in the pharmacy👇

💊 HRT is not contraception.
If pregnancy is still possible, you may need contraception alongside your HRT.

💊 Irregular periods don’t necessarily mean you’ve stopped ovulating.
Perimenopause can make cycles unpredictable and erratic, which can make things even less obvious and less predictable.

💊 The combined pill can complicate the picture.
Hormonal contraception can affect bleeding patterns and symptoms, so working out where you are in the menopause transition isn’t always straightforward.

💊 When you can safely stop contraception depends on more than whether you’re having menopause symptoms.
Your age, contraceptive method and individual circumstances all matter.

After 33 years as a community pharmacist, this is one of those conversations where I’d much rather a woman ask the question than make the assumption.

👉Because declining fertility and no fertility are not the same thing.

As I say in the Reel. Nature has a sense of humour you really don’t want to test 😂 I have had more than my fair share of shocked/surprised/stunned and upset women in the consultation room believing pregnancy was not possible.

🙏Share this with a woman in her 40s who might not know this. It’s a part of perimenopause I believe isn’t discussed enough.

If you want practical, evidence-based conversations about perimenopause, menopause, HRT, contraception and medicines, follow me,
Tom the Pharmacist at Balally Pharmacy. 💚

General information only. Your contraception and HRT choices should be based on your individual medical history.Always consult your own doctor or pharmacist for advice.

05/10/2026

Coughs, colds and flu season are coming. Is your medicine cabinet actually ready? 🤧💊

After 33 years as a community pharmacist, I can tell you that the worst time to discover you’ve no thermometer, the paracetamol is out of date or there’s nothing suitable for the kids is when somebody is already sick. 😂

As a pharmacist and a dad, these are 5 basics I’d check before winter properly gets going:

1️⃣ Pain & fever relief
Paracetamol or ibuprofen, where appropriate. If you have children, make sure you have an age-appropriate product and know the correct dose for them. This is really important and largely goes by their age and weight. So you can have 2 kids needing paracetamol from different bottles.

2️⃣ A working thermometer 🌡️
Not the one you vaguely remember owning but haven’t seen since 2022. With new batteries. Time to find it now 🤣

3️⃣ Something for a blocked nose
Saline rinse is a very useful option. Decongestants can help some people, but they’re not suitable for everyone, so check with your pharmacist if you have high blood pressure, take other medicines or aren’t sure.

4️⃣ Something to soothe a sore throat or cough
Lozenges, simple soothing remedies or honey for adults and children over 1 can be useful. Not every cough needs a cough bottle. Always ask in the pharmacy.

5️⃣ Oral rehydration sachets
Handy to have at home at the ready if vomiting or diarrhoea joins the winter party.

While you’re checking your supplies , check the expiry dates. 👀

You don’t need a cupboard full of medicines “just in case”. A few sensible basics can make dealing with everyday coughs, colds, sore throats, fever and winter bugs much easier.

I’ve made a simple Winter Medicine Cabinet Checklist you can save on your phone.

💬 Comment COLDS and I’ll send you a copy.

📌 Save this for cold and flu season and share it with someone whose medicine cabinet could do with a clear-out. 😂

I hope this helps

Tom the Pharmacist 👨‍⚕️

Balally Pharmacy | Sandyford, Dublin

Educational content only. Always ask your own pharmacist or doctor for advice.

04/10/2026

Children’s flu vaccine: nasal spray or injection? 💉

✨ This is our Q&A highlight question of the week. I answer your questions on stories every Thursday evening.

👉Most children aged 2 to 17 can receive the nasal flu vaccine. It’s quick, needle free and considered very safe. It contains a weakened form of the flu virus and cannot cause flu infection.

But the nasal spray isn’t suitable for every child. Children with a severely weakened immune system, for example, may need an alternative.

The important bit 👇

If your child can’t have the nasal flu vaccine, that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be vaccinated against flu. An injectable, non live flu vaccine for children may be suitable instead.

👉That matters because some children who cannot receive the nasal vaccine are also among those we particularly want to protect from complications of flu.

For parents worried by the words live vaccine.
👉The virus in the nasal vaccine has been weakened. The HSE describes the children’s nasal flu vaccine as very safe, and it cannot cause flu infection.

Not sure which flu vaccine your child should have? Speak to your pharmacist, GP or specialist.

📍We provide children’s flu vaccination at Balally Pharmacy in Sandyford, Dublin, including advice on which vaccine is appropriate for your child. As a dad of four I get how this may be a big decision for any parent.

💬 Comment KIDS for the link for more information from the HSE or pop in and ask us in person

Please share this with a parent who may not realise the difference between the spray and needle options for an immunocompromised child 🙏

I hope this helps

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

📷 Fluenz image: Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons licence.

Address

Sandyford Shopping Centre, Blackthorn Drive Sandyford D16V2P 5
Dublin
D16V2P5

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 7pm
Thursday 8:30am - 7pm
Friday 8:30am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+35312954084

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Balally Pharmacy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Balally Pharmacy:

Shortcuts

Share

Category