Galway households could pay extra €400 next year on heating costs

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Soaring heating bills and hikes in prices from energy suppliers could see Galwegians shelling out an extra €400 next year for heating costs.

€30,000 for improvements to footpaths and roads in Old Mervue

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

A total of €30,000 in the 2022 Galway City Council budget has been secured for improvements to footpaths and roads in Old Mervue.

Newcastle Combined Community Association AGM

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The annual general meeting of the Newcastle Combined Community Association will take place via Zoom on Wednesday December 8 at 8pm.

Headford Road ‘a danger for pedestrians’, a ‘cycling blackspot’, says councillor

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

Dangerous roads, inaccessible estates, and general under-investment have created major problems in the Headford Road area, which must be urgently addressed.

School Streets pilot scheme sees 14 per cent drop in daily car use

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

A 14 per cent drop in daily car use, and an 11 per cent rise in the number of children walking to school, has been achieved following one year of the Galway City Council’s School Streets pilot scheme at Scoil Iognáid.

Canney demands fast track funding for private wastewater treatment plants

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

A Galway East TD has called on the Government to fast track funding for existing wastewater treatment plants so that they can be taken in charge by Irish Water.

Ireland must lead demands to end ‘fortress Europe policies’

Thu, Dec 02, 2021

The only way to prevent the loss of life witnessed recently in the English Channel is through ending the “brutal fortress Europe policies” - a role Ireland should take the lead on.

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.

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.

The recruitment drive comes as the demand for Pieta’s services for under 18s has increased by 42% since 2020 and almost a quarter of these have attempted suicide.

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.

Both the national and local government bodies have recognised that Oranmore is one of the fastest growing residential areas in the country. MÓR Action believes that this growth should be reflected in any local transport and development plans and that such plans should cater for the needs of both the existing and the potential population. We are living in a global climate and biodiversity crisis.

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.

Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, a national organisation that enables older people to age at home, leads the calls for ways in which the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of the elderly can be improved, but the challenge is getting greater.

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.

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!

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