Days and knights of fun at Loughrea’s medieval festival this month

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

From August 28 to 30 all eyes will be on the medieval town of Loughrea as it hosts a spectacular weekend of events at the town's second annual medieval festival.

Medieval Banquet at the Loughrea Hotel and Spa to open Medieval Festival

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Loughrea will once again transform into a bustling medieval town for the 2nd Annual Award Winning Loughrea Medieval Festival, on August 28-30. Celebrate this years ‘Gathering of the Clans’ festival, packed full of family fun, cultural and heritage events.

‘Chernobyl children’s trip gives them hope, that is the way I see it.’

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe. 31 people died directly as a result of the accident.

Weather shone on Loughrea for sell-out tenth triathlon

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Darren Dunne and Lisa Horan took the major honours from the 10th anniversary Loughrea Triathlon on Sunday last.

World class kayak coaching in the heart of Galway

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Corrib Canoe Courses are an action packed way to learn to kayak for adults and juniors. This year the coaches are returning top Irish international athletes who have travelled to some of the most remote places in the globe in recent years to explore and compete. Each coach has extensive knowledge of the wide range of courses that Corrib Canoe provides.

Nutrition to support smoking cessation

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

In January many of us make positive lifestyle changes, with quitting cigarettes being one of the top New Year’s resolutions. This is brilliant news with more than 5,200 lives lost to tobacco related illness each year in Ireland. We are now over halfway through the year, have you still stuck to your resolution or have you, like many, found the temptation too hard and abandoned your efforts?

Go from training directly to employment in healthcare

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Bluebird Care, in conjunction with the The Cpl Institute, is delivering the QQI (formerly known as FETAC) training required to become a qualified healthcare assistant.

Study acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Traditional Chinese medicine is a system of medicine based on the concepts of Chinese natural philosophy which has essence and qi as the cornerstone, yin/yang theory as the highest generalisation, five element theory as the theoretical structure for rationalisation, and organ theory as the centre. Chinese medicine encompasses internal medicine, external medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology, ophthalmology, mental dysfunction, and gerontology.

Become a qualified fitness instructor with Maltings Training

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

Would you like to train as a fitness instructor? To work in a gym or leisure centre? To teach freelance classes? To conduct physical training sessions with teams? To make a positive contribution to the general health and wellbeing of people of all ages? Then become a qualified fitness instructor with Maltings Training.

Upskill with SAGE Line 50 award

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

In recent times many businesses are relying on debt and credit control to maintain cashflow. A working knowledge of a computerised accounts system such as SAGE will prove beneficial in achieving this task, and will also transfer as an employable skill.

Rediscover the sheer joy of running

Thu, Aug 06, 2015

I’ve always loved running. I love looking down and seeing my feet have a race with each other to see which gets somewhere before the other. I love the swishness of being able to balance on two legs and move fast and not fall over. The best part of being a kid is that you can run anywhere, up town, down the street, to the shop. When I was a Mass server, I used to run the mile to the church and run back. I always ran to school. And ran faster coming home. Much faster. I love to run because basically walking never gets me where I want to go fast enough. And if you walk too fast, it’s a look that's just a little too John Inman… And when you get older and enter adulthood, running in the streets is not so cool. Because we become so conscious of what we are doing and what people might think, as if running is an immature thing to do. If a guy is seen running now in town, it’s because there’s more likely a shop security guard running 50 yards behind him. Or a pickpocket 50 yards ahead. At least that’s my experience, your honour.

We’ve relegated the joy of simply running to times when we’re kitted out for it in skinhugging lycra that says plainly “This Man Is Running. It’s Ok. He’s Not Mad. Really. Ok Just a Bit Then.” We squeeze into running gear with luminous stripes and colourful runners to clearly signify that we are running because we want to. That we are conforming. That I am running because this is running gear. For running in. OK?

Peace event to mark anniversary of Nagasaki bombing

Wed, Aug 05, 2015

To mark the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9 1945, a Peace event to commemorate the 200,000 men, women, and children who perished, will be held in Galway.

Man blown away by waitresses honesty at Galway cafe

Wed, Aug 05, 2015

Staff at one Galway cafe certainly made one man's day yesterday. Two observant waitresses at An Pota Caife on Shop Street recognised the man who had accidentally left his entire disability allowance in the cafe three months ago and returned the money to the flabbergasted customer.

Loughrea boasts biggest drop in county-wide unemployment figures

Wed, Aug 05, 2015

The latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office have revealed that Loughrea has recorded the biggest year-on-year drop in unemployment in County Galway.

The figures show that Loughrea’s unemployment figure has fallen by 15 per cent or 331 people on last year, meaning there are now 1,865 on the Live Register in the area. However, there has been a month-on-month increase in unemployment of 1.3 per cent.

Galway’s housing crisis 'more severe than Dublin' claims councillor

Tue, Aug 04, 2015

With 4,475 applicants on the housing waiting list, Galway now has a "bigger housing crisis" than Dublin and Limerick and the second highest number, in percentage terms, of families and individuals in the State waiting for accommodation.

Charity quits Renua after just three months

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

Three months after joining Renua, Galway county councillor James Charity has sensationally quit Lucinda Creighton's party, accusing it of "U-turns on its water charges policy" and for failing to support him on "issues of local importance".

€30 million a kilometre for N6 an 'obscenity' says Connolly

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

Paying €500 million for the 16.5km N6 Galway outer bypass, which works out at €30 million a kilometre, is an "obscenity", particularly when the road will do little to solve traffic congestion in the city, and when there are "cheaper, cleaner, and more sustainable solutions".

Record-breaking crowds attend 2015 arts festival

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

Record-breaking attendances of 200,000 attended the 38th Galway International Arts Festival's 375 performances, talks, and exhibitions across 26 venues in the city, making this year's festival "the most successful ever" according to the organisers.

Galway Indian Community craft and food fair

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

Stalls displaying the work of Galway and Indian craftspeople, ranging from food to toys to hand made gifts will be on display and for sale at this weekend's Galway Indian Community.

Race week — the turning of the year in Galway

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

Everyone gets a gig during Race Week. For those who want it, and even for those who don’t - there’s always an opportunity to turn a few tricks. A trick here, a trick there. It’s as if the world will end come Sunday and a great opportunity to make money will have been lost. And long may it continue. With the clink clink clink of the hammers taking down the Big Top and the ‘up ya boyo’ of the racing fraternity replacing it,  Race Week is the turning of the year for us here in Galway.  The passing of the year from before the races to after the races. The beginning of the official countdown to the festive season. Before now, you’re not allowed mention it and even now, you’d be loath to even joke that its good news for insomniacs, with just five sleeps ’til Christmas.

Race Week brings out the entrepreneur in us all. Whether it’s lucky pens outside the races, or strumming a guitar in a band  — any band worth its salt never sees a pillow all Race Week. A trick here, a trick there. B and B. Clear the back room, Bridie, get out the auld duvet. Crank up the toaster...Roll them in…for the week…waxing, waxing lyrical, sure you can’t go to the races till you’ve been waxed to within an inch of your life…smooth operators  and shellac, sure if you don’t have nails long enough and sharp enough to turn the pages of the race card, you just not living, dahlin...kerrching. Ten thousand gallons of carrot juice. Sprayers attached to the hoses...line up ladies, close those eyes, it’s tanning time...kerrching...beer garden, beer streets more like -- plastic beakers...no washing up--kerrching. A trick here, a trick there. It’s like 2006 all over again, minus the choppers and the extravagant parties.

E-paper

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