Galway-based artist Tom McLean is Highly Commended at Zurich Portrait Prize at National Gallery of Ireland

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Tom McLean, a contemporary figurative painter and illustrator who lives and works in Galway City, has won a highly commended prize for his work Note to Self at the National Gallery of Ireland’s Zurich Portrait Prize. Me Ma Healing Me by Salvatore of Lucan was announced as the winning portrait this evening at a virtual ceremony. Vanessa Jones’ portrait Cabbage Baby (Self Portrait) also received a highly commended prize to the sum of €1,500.

Originally from Laois, Tom McLean is a Studio Artist and Co-Director of the 126 Artist-Run Gallery. He was involved with Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture and initiated the Circuit Arts Festival in Galway that same year. After graduating from the Centre for Creative Arts and Media at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in 2016, specialising in painting, McLean completed an additional year of study in the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHS) School, Dublin.

Green spaces continue to flourish in Galway City

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The annual Galway City Tidy Towns Garden Competition results have been announced, illustrating the great range of green spaces that abound across the city.

Never Too Old Charity Shop, Claregalway wins national awards

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The excellent Never Too Old Charity Shop in Claregalway recently won three Awards at the Irish Charity Shops Association 2020 Awards (ICSA) – Coming 1st Place for ‘Shop Manager of the Year’, second Place for ‘Best Shop Team of the Year’ and third Place for ‘Best On-line Presence’ This has created great delight and joy for the team and local communities, and represents an amazing achievement for this local shop.

Garda advice for safe online shopping

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

At this time of year online shopping becomes increasingly popular and there are a few things you can do to protect yourself when shopping online. Gardai in Galway have offered some advice on how to shop online safely.

Be suspicious of “too good to be true” offers.

Cannon welcomes funding for leisure ways

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Fine Gael Deputy Ciaran Cannon has welcomed an allocation of just under €1m in funding for outdoor recreation projects across Co. Galway. The funding announcement has been made this week by Rural Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys as part of the national Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Pieta to create therapist roles in Galway as demand for services jumps

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Pieta, the national suicide and self-harm prevention charity, has announced it is on a current recruitment drive to hire qualified and accredited therapists, specifically with child and adolescent experience in Galway City and Tuam.

Galway Simon — empowering those who find themselves homeless

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The Christmas season is always a poignant time for services supporting people who are homeless. A time of togetherness that also leaves many feeling lonely. It can be a particularly challenging time for people who cannot be with family, where connections have been lost or were never there. It is extraordinarily difficult where people do not have a home of their own, or where their home is at risk. All year round, Galway Simon Community work with people in these circumstances, and sadly we are working with more and more people every year.

Christmas joy for Claddagh twins who are off to Lapland today

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Two lucky 9-year-old twin brothers from Claddagh, Galway City, are set to jet off to Lapland from Shannon Airport today (Thursday) having won a special competition organised by the airport to celebrate their Lapland flight.

MÓR Action call for growth of Oranmore to be considered in plans

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The MÓR Action group which has been campaigning for improved infrastructure to take into consideration the growth of the Oranmore area have called for that growth to be recognised in both transport and development plans.

Loneliness among the elderly has doubled in the past year, says ALONE chief

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

At this time of the year, the impact of loneliness on our elderly is greater — the dark evenings, the cold winters, the reduced socialisation due to the ongoing pandemic — these are all factors that have led to an increase in loneliness over the past year.

Coping with loss

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

As Ailish Scully talks about her son Aidan, who sadly died of cancer in early 2020, the essence of this fine young man shines through her story. She brings him to life again and shows him off proudly, as a quiet and gentle child, an uncomplicated teenager, an ambitious young man about to embark on his chosen university course, the uncomplaining patient and finally the accepting soul who peacefully left them that night.

advertiser In brief...

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Heat system stolen in Corrandulla burglary
Gardai are investig the theft of a heat recovery system from a house in the county. Sometime between 5 pm on Friday November 26 and 8 am on Saturday November 27 a house under construction at Glenrevagh, Corrandulla, Co Galway was broken into.

Gardai are investig the theft of a heat recovery system from a house in the county. Sometime between 5 pm on Friday November 26 and 8 am on Saturday November 27 a house under construction at Glenrevagh, Corrandulla, Co Galway was broken into.

Gift a Dog’s Dinner to a MADRA rescue dog this Christmas

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

At just five weeks old, Melon, Plum and their siblings were abandoned in Connemara but luckily for them, they were rescued by MADRA (Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption). It’s been a ruff year for all, but a special gang of MADRA hounds would really benefit from a Dog’s Dinner with a difference this Christmas!

New professorship for NUI Galway

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

NUI Galway has secured approval and funding for a new professor of chemistry role under the Government’s plan to improve gender balance in higher education.

Santa is back and coming to a home near you

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Furniture is delighted to announce the return of our hugely successful Santa messages from 2020. These custom-made videos come directly from Santa himself and include personal details about your child/children.

Pale Blue Dot® Recruitment to support Annual Cope Galway Sleep Out

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Anthony Griffin of Pale Blue Dot® Recruitment is gearing up with other business leaders to spend twelve hours sleeping rough in Galway city this December to raise awareness and funds for COPE Galway’s homeless services.

Coldtober raises staggering amount for Helplink mental health services

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Helplink provide accessible, free or low cost mental health services; locally, nationally and internationally, seven days a week and out–of–hours. The three types of mental health services that Helplink provide are: Counselling, Information Provision and Education.

Time to start seeing the invisible homeless

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

There is an easy-held perception of homelessness that it comes about after a longrunning series of catastrophic events; that one’s life must have been on a spiral before they land at rock bottom; without a place to call their own, or a light to guide them in the tumble downwards.

However, that is not always the case. For many for whom life seems to be motoring along just fine, it can take just the slightest change in direction to throw everything out of sync. A loss of a job, a spurt of debt, a loss of confidence, the breakdown of a relationship and suddenly, the factors that lead to homelessness are lining up and falling into place like reverse dominoes, flattening your self belief.

Visiting hours updated for Galway University Hospitals

Wed, Dec 01, 2021

Visiting hours have been updated at University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital following a review, with visiting now permitted from 2pm to 3pm and from 6pm to 7pm daily.

Access to visitors is limited to one person per patient each day. Visits must be pre-arranged and visitors should contact the relevant ward or unit in advance.

‘Disbelief’ that Galway will get no additional hospital beds this winter

Tue, Nov 30, 2021

No additional beds will be provided for University Hospital Galway in the Winter Plan agreed at Cabinet, despite 205 additional beds being provided nationwide.

E-paper

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