President to be special guest at TG4 20th birthday

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

President Michael D Higgins will be the guest of honour on Monday night next at a spectactular birthday party at NUI Galway held to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of TG4.

One man's love affair with ice

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Doug Allan would make a dream dinner guest with his fund of stories from an eventful life. He has travelled all over the world, from the Andes to Africa and from the Antarctic to the Arctic. He is a wildlife cameraman and has had close encounters with whales, sharks, and polar bears. His screen credits include classic David Attenborough series like Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Life in the Freezer. And finally, he is a compelling and charismatic speaker.

Brexit could be the Republic’s chance to bale out of the EU

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty was in fine form during the Budget debate. Particularly enjoyable was his contrasting the Cabinet ‘s bellyaching over when to pay the miserly €5 extra to pensioners with the carefree approach to dishing out another €4,000+ per annum to ministers.

Don’t miss Meetwest 2016

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

As the closing date for registration draws ever closer, Meetwest 2016 is an opportunity not to be missed.

Meetwest this year is being held in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, on the 24th and 25th of November 24-25 and is being hosted by Mayo County Council.

Aran Islands ferry crisis will be annual problem unless state changes island transport policy — O Tuathail

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Island Ferries Teo announced that it will cease the operation of the winter ferry service to Inis Mór, citing lack of profitability of the service and calling for changes to landing charges imposed by Galway County Council. This is the second year in a row that the beleaguered island has faced the threat of the loss of their ferry service and also follows threats to the regular air service.

Niall Ó Tuathail, recent general election candidate for the Social Democrats, claims that the core of the problem is the lack of state control over a natural monopoly. He said: “At the heart of this, we have a government policy that expects multiple ferry companies to compete to improve the service and drive down prices. The reality is that it would be foolish for another company to match the millions of euros that Island Ferries has invested in boats and so there is a natural monopoly where there is effectively only one company who can provide the service.”

Peter Forde — The sportsman who helps people be injury-free

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Turloughmore man Peter Forde was always used to being busy. He was involved in a number of sports and was self employed as a carpenter.

Filmmakers asked to back movie on Alcock and Brown’s historic flight ahead of 2019 centenary

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

A Dublin author is appealing to Irish filmmakers to progress a proposed movie on John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown’s first non-stop 1919 Atlantic flight from St John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden.

Collins McNicholas host Monster Table Quiz for Pieta House

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

A fundraising Table Quiz will be held in the Huntsman Bar on Thursday November 10 to raise funds for Pieta House. Commencing at 7.30pm, the entry fee for teams of four is €40, so get your workmates or family along to raise funds for this worthy cause.

Pieta House is a suicide and self-harm crisis centre founded by psychologist Joan Freeman. It first opened its doors in Lucan, Co. Dublin in January 2006, and there are now six Pieta House centres in Ballyfermot, Mungret, Roscrea, Tuam, Bishopstown and Castleisland. They also have an outreach centre in Finglas. Pieta House provides a professional, face-to-face, free of charge therapeutic service for people in the acute stages of distress. The unique clinically-based model developed by Pieta House is used across all of its centres. Pieta House’s primary aim is to reduce suicide by helping people get through that critical phase when suicide becomes a plan rather than just an idea.

Galway farmer wins Bord Bia Sustainable Farming Award

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Alfie Kirwan from Killimor, Co Galway was selected as one of Ireland’s ‘greenest’ farmers at Bord Bia’s inaugural Origin Green Sustainable Producer Awards which took place on Friday night.

Take care this weekend when using the roads, say local gardai

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

The stark reality is that to date this year, 156 people have been killed on Irish roads, thirty more than the same period last year. 166 people lost their lives on Irish roads in 2015. 23 persons have been killed on Western roads to date in 2016 and nine of those have been in Galway, four in Mayo, two in Clare and eight in Roscommon.

This October Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána is appealing to all road users to take extra care when using the roads. As this is the last Bank Holiday before the Christmas period, there will be an increase in traffic as many will be travelling to different parts of the country. The school holidays will also be commencing for all school children, so we appeal to all motorists/motorcyclists to slow down, always wear their seatbelts, wear the appropriate safety clothing at all times, be well rested and never ever drink and drive.

Pioneer table quiz at Menlo

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

A fundraising table quiz for the Pioneer Association Galway Region will take place at the Menlo Park Hotel, Terryland, Galway, on Friday November 4 at 8pm.

Tables of four are priced at €40 and there will be lots of spot prizes on the night. The quiz is not confined to Pioneers with members of the public welcome.

NUI Galway celebrates a remarkable graduate

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

NUI Galway’s oldest living alumna, Anne Byrne, née Gannon, is being honoured by her alma mater next Thursday, 3 November at 6pm with a public interview about her time spent at the University, her life in America and her music.

Local campaign highlights the importance of folic acid for women

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Women are being urged to take a folic acid supplement if they are likely to become pregnant in a bid to help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.

Galway City Early Years committee is supporting the recent Safefood campaign on folic acid called “Babies know the facts about folic”.

Mains electricity supply restored to Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr using world-first ESB technology

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

After almost three months, ESB Networks and ESB International have repaired the undersea cable fault located about 2km off the coast of Inis Mór, restoring mains electricity supply to Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr using world-first in-house technology.

Galway Indian Community to host Diwali celebration

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

The Galway Indian Community will hold its annual Diwali celebration, to mark the Indian festival of lights, at the Presentation Primary School Hall, on Saturday November 5 at 5 pm.

Business France Galway networking event

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

On November 2 from 6pm, Business France Ireland will be holding its first networking event in Galway, at the Galway Technology Centre, Mervue Business Park, in partnership with Galway Chamber of Commerce, CCEF, La French Tech, and Schneider Electrics.

The aim of the evening is clear; give Irish companies the opportunity to discover what France has to offer, network with Irish companies who have already made the move, and meet Business France experts.

Marcon secures fit-out of new visitor centre at Pearse’s Cottage

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Marcon has been appointed to carry out the interpretive fit-out of the new Pearse Cultural Centre Connemara (Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh Conamara) at Pearse’s Cottage, Ros Muc, Co Galway, a popular tourist attraction overlooking the breathtaking lakes and mountains of Connemara. The famous cottage was used by Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising, as a summer residence and summer school for his pupils from St Enda’s in Dublin.

Support volunteers needed for sexual assault treatment unit

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

Olivia Lavelle became a psychological support volunteer at the Sexual Assault Treatment unit in Galway three years ago. She had completed a masters in the Psychology of Education - her thesis was on sex education - and applied for a community employment scheme position in administration at Galway Rape Crisis Centre (GRCC). From there, she went on to becoming a volunteer with the organisation.

It was one of the best decisions she ever made. “It’s an incredibly, incredibly rewarding experience for those who do it,” says Ms Lavelle, who is originally from Tuam but now lives in Salthill. “You are trained to a certain level professionally and that impacts you positively in life. But the most important thing is the feeling you get of making a difference in the world, you get out 10 fold what you put in. I work with a team of amazing women also and we all support each other.”

Claddagh School’s monster march for charity

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

A horde of miniature marching musical monsters take to the streets of Galway tomorrow morning, but do not be alarmed, as it is only the pupils of the Claddagh School band, who will be in fancy dress and raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

Claddagh NS principal Michael Gallagher said: “The children in Claddagh have always enjoyed dressing up to celebrate Halloween on the last day before mid-term break. This year, we decided to give them an extra chance to perform in the band. The march also presented an ideal opportunity to support the Irish Cancer Society, in memory of our late colleague Avril Duffy, who passed away recently.”

Galway Pro-Choice memorial for Savita Halappanavar

Thu, Oct 27, 2016

The fourth anniversary of the death of Savita Halappanavar will be marked in Galway city tomorrow with a memorial event orgainsed by Galway Pro-Choice.

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