On telling ourselves stories

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Plato’s dialogue Timaeus has bequeathed to us a famous phrase, eik?s muthos or “likely story.” Today we use the idiom “a likely story” to dismiss what we are told as a “tall tale.” But, here in the 4th century BC, the phrase refers to an articulation of possibility or a plausible report like a myth or a fable that offers an explanation for some mystery by way of stories and images. It makes perfect sense this phrase appears prominently in the Timaeus, for that dialogue is a story about the formation of the universe; of course, there are no eyewitnesses to that event to whom we can turn for a description.

The important question becomes - why attend to likely stories at all? The point is not about whether a likely story can or should be entirely empirically accurate. Rather, it is about how helpful such likely stories are to us in living well, wisely, and virtuously. For example, likely stories are beneficial in the scientific method when hypotheses, the analytical versions of the “likely story” because they permit us to explore our world in ways we could otherwise never do. They are especially valuable as fairy tales and fiction when they paint value-saturated pictures for us of types of characters, situations, actions, and outcomes.

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Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Athenry Cancer Care building damaged in burglary
Gardai in Athenry are investigating a break-in at the Athenry Cancer Care building which was vandalised during the incident last week.

Petition to save Kinvara post office gathers pace

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Locals in Kinvara have opened an online petition in a bid to ensure that the village does not lose its post office later this month. Those behind the petition say that the impending vacancy in the post office was not widely advertised in any local or national press and therefore, the lack of interest in taking it over is not reflective of reality.

Department of Transport urges development of Quiet Man Greenway

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Fine Gael Deputy Ciaran Cannon has welcomed a submission to the Galway County Development Plan by Minister Eamon Ryan and the Department of Transport, urging Galway Co Council to develop the Quiet Man Greenway connecting Athenry to Milltown.

Atlantic Studio at former airport to create hundreds of jobs

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Backers of the state of the art 40,000 sq ft film and TV studio to be built at the former Galway Airport at Carnmore have been given the green light to move to planning stage with the objective of being open for production next summer.

QuinnBet free bet for 0-0 draws in all Premier League matches

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

The Premier League takes centre stage soon with newly promoted Brentford hosting Arsenal in the season opener on Friday August 13.

The odds suggest that it’s Manchester City’s title to lose again, with QuinnBet setting odds of (4/6) for the champions, with the main contenders Liverpool (5/1), Chelsea (5/1) and Man Utd (8/1).

Time for us all to spread the soundness

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

When we look back at the history of this time in a decade or more, we will see in a graph the ebbs and flows of curves of the national mood. The initial shock, the coping time when loaves of banana bread fed the five thousand, the novelty of the new situation, the loneliness of our towns and villages with all places of community shut off; the realisation that jobs were lost and may never come back. The emptiness of those Sundays when we were thrown back to the time when nothing happened at weekends without sport or worship, when people spent time together and ate meals at home, cooked in their own kitchens.

And now we are at another phase — when hope seems close, but like a dinghy just off shore, it comes close and then is carried out again on a new wave. So we watch at this shore as the situation keeps everchanging. Arguably, it is at this time that we need each other more than ever. Last winter when the normal loneliness of the long nights was elongated by the restrictions, we all answered the cause and looked out for each other. Now, at the height of holidaytime, with the sun shining into the night and day arriving sooner than it should, there is no reason why we should let up.

CO2 monitoring indoors to curb the spread of Covid-19

Thu, Aug 05, 2021

Carbon dioxide is generated by the exhaled air from people, air that has been in close contact with lung tissue. Alongside CO2 the exhalation also contains tiny liquid droplets (aerosols) which can float in the air.

Joy at Olympic glory for Galway rowers

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Champagne was popped and joyous tears were flowing in Moycullen and Furbo villages last night to celebrate Galway's two Olympic medallists who were part of the never-say-die women's coxless fours team that had the nation on the edge of its seat early on Wednesday morning.

Ray McBride - ‘an exceptional artist’

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

“The death of Ray McBride, actor, dancer, and superb artist, will have been heard with sadness by all those who love Irish theatre and performance.”

Mayor concerned gardaí 'not taking action' against 'illegal and unacceptable behaviour'

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Mayor Colette Connolly says she is deeply concerned that the gardaí are "failing to take action" across a wide range of "illegal and unacceptable activity" in Galway city.

A look back at 25 years of the Kiltartan Gregory Museum

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

In 1990 – exactly 100 years after Sir William Gregory granted a 99-year lease on a section of land at Kiltartan Cross on which to build a schoolhouse – the Kiltartan Gregory Cultural Society was founded. Its aim was to restore the derelict red-brick schoolhouse, the very one commissioned by Sir William Gregory, and to preserve the history of Kiltartan for future generations. The next six years were spent doing just that.

Charity demands ‘heads should roll’ for the ‘disaster’ of the Kirwan Junction design

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

“Nothing short of a disaster,” is how one county councillor has described the new signalised junction at the Kirwan Roundabout in Terryland, for which he said “heads should roll”.

A hub with a thatch — Connemara West opens pop-up remote working hub

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Connemara West has opened a pop-up remote working hub with a difference in Tullycross village. The Hub is located at Renvyle Thatched Cottages making it possibly one of the most unusual and picturesque digital spaces in the West of Ireland. Users of the pop-up hub also have the option of booking accommodation in a separate cottage although accommodation availability is limited for the next few months due to high demand.

Most vulnerable are those hit by housing shortage

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

The current housing situation in Galway, if you look at accommodation search websites and on facebook, is not great. In comparison to Dublin, where rents are dropping, it is becoming more expensive and more difficult to secure accommodation to rent. Those who are the most vulnerable financially can often be the worst hit, and include students and people in receipt of HAP payment.

Planning process begins on new Athenry fire station

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Within the next three months, Athenry will know if it is getting a new fire station, when a final decision is made on a planning application which was submitted this week.

More than €170,000 secured to develop new ‘creative space’ at Nuns Island

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

More than €170,000 has been secured to develop a ‘creative space’ at the Nuns Island Theatre - a move which will represent a further 1,800 square feet of cultural space in the city.

Galway could be first Irish city to embed Sustainable Development Goals in city planning

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Galway could become the first city in Ireland to embed Sustainable Development Goals in city planning, if new proposals from the Galway Community Network are followed.

‘Disastrous’ Bus Eireann decision on Galway to Dublin service will disadvantage rural communities, warn Galway politicians

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

“Disastrous”, “mind boggling”, and “shocking” is how Galway politicians have described Bus Eireann’s decision to cancel the 20/X20 Expressway service from Galway to Dublin.

GCCN calls on City Hall to develop a greenhouse gas emissions baseline for Galway

Thu, Jul 29, 2021

Developing a greenhouse gas emissions baseline for the city, a ban on fracking, and providing access to information of public interest, are issues the Galway City Council is being called on to address over the next year.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.