Top bridal designers coming to Galway

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

Belladonna Bridal, Galway’s leading designer bridal shop, will host a very special designer weekend on April 17 and 18. For the first time in Ireland Marta Raich and Maria Teresa Raich from Novia D’Art of Barcelona will be present in Belladonna Bridal to show their fabulous bridal collection and also to give a preview of their 2010 collection.

A chat with Kevin Dunne, head chef at The White Gables restaurant, Moycullen

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

This week is the first in a series of interviews with several head chefs of Galway’s restaurants. There are very few well known chefs in Ireland, but very often the person responsible for all the creativity in the kitchen is a behind the scenes person. So to find out a little more, Kevin and I chatted for a couple of hours over a coffee.

Chicken leg with pistachio and apricot

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

The chicken is probably the most intensively reared animal in modern agriculture. Chicken produces a highly versatile meat which up until the early 20th century was considered a luxury food.

Heneghans opens new premises at The Bridge Mills

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

Twenty years ago, in April 1989, Frank and Ellen Heneghan opened their first cafe in The Bridge Mills. They painstakingly restored the derelict corn mill that had functioned until the 1970s.

In 2004, they expanded their Sea Road Floral premises, opening the budding cafe, serving vegetarian cuisine and home baking. Following on the award winning success of the Budding Cafe, they are opening an additional outlet.

The colours of living — part one

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

Blue Monday, green with envy, in the pink -— colours are often associated with moods and emotions. Colours affect us psychologically, a fact that should be considered when decorating.

LolaRose helps the renewed interest in knitting

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

One Galway shop is benefiting from the renewed interest in creative past-times of yesteryear.

Managing your career

Thu, Apr 16, 2009

If you are reeling from being made redundant, having had your working hours cut or failing to land your first real job despite countless efforts you may be finding it increasingly difficult to stay positive and interested in your future.

Joe Togher, a Galway volunteer

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Joe Togher was born in Headford on September 8, 1898. His father was a shopkeeper and his mother was from Carlow, and they had three more sons and a daughter. His father died when he was very young, so in 1910 his mother moved the family into Francis Street in Galway where she opened a small hotel (see photograph) to support them. She was very busy with the business so it was Joe’s sister Nell who looked after him. He went to ‘The Mon’ where a nationalistic Brother Leo was a major influence. Joe was a good oarsman, a champion sculler.

At home With La Maison Chic

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Hardwood floors
Hardwood floors are a classic choice for many homes, and they work with most kinds of décor. However they are sensitive to climate changes and may expand and contract throughout the year. They are also susceptible to water damage and need constant maintenance, however if you opt for an oiled floor, especially oiled oak floors, they can be resistant to water for up to a week. Remember that oak floors have been used throughout Europe for the past 500 years in castles and period homes and are still in the same houses nowadays. Finally, like all in interior design, some very light or dark woods can be very fashionable for a few years but become suddenly old fashioned.

Stay safe with Armour Locksmiths

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Family-run Armour Locksmiths has been in business for 18 years on the lower level of the Eyre Square Shopping Centre. As well as operating out of the shop the company provides the entire west of Ireland with a full locksmith service, travelling to homes and businesses and giving security and peace of mind to clients.

Grow your own greens

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

If you would love to grow your own vegetables but feel that keeping a vegetable patch would be too difficult, a Galway company has a range of ideas which allow people to grow their own fruit and veg with the minimum of fuss.

Green Touch Plants specialises in the supply of interior plants and stylish pots that range from bright bold colours to dramatic textures and designs. With the increase in demand for fresh homegrown veg, the company has branched out to provide a range of raised beds and pots for growing vegetables, herbs, and fruit. These systems are the ideal way for novice gardeners, children, and experienced gardeners to produce delicious homegrown vegetables. Green Touch can also provide advice to help get you started with the vegetable garden you have always wanted but never had the time or patience to try until now.

Invest in quality, experience, and security with Craughwell Furniture

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Craughwell Furniture can offer you the experience and knowledge that comes with 35 years in business. During this time the Cummins family have owned, managed, and nourished the company from humble beginnings into Galway’s premier furniture retailer.

Keeping baby’s skin soft and protected

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

A mother’s work is never done. One of the many tasks is to ensure that your baby’s delicate soft skin is protected and to help to accomplish this The Body Shop® has recently launched its new Buriti Baby range.

Get fit in a Unique way this summer

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Get in shape for summer with Unique Personal Training, the dedicated personal training studio that offers tailored training programmes. You can enjoy regular workouts either with a one-to-one trainer or as part of a small group, and have the ultimate celebrity workout with the club’s new Power Plate.

Say goodbye to acne with the Galway Laser & Skincare Clinic

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Acne is the bane of many teenagers’ life and often adults’ too, with approximately 90 per cent of all teenagers suffering at some point. Acne can be a source of embarrassment and discomfort for many people. It is not caused by eating chocolate, greasy foods, or bad hygiene! While the physical appearance of acne is quite obvious, the emotional pain can be devastating, and long lasting. The important thing is to seek out treatment — the acne spots will eventually go, but untreated acne can lead to permanent scarring. If acne is treated during your teen years, there is a high likelihood that you will not suffer any long-term scarring.

Find your perfect jeans

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

We all want a pair of jeans that will flatter our figure and feel comfortable, but most of the time it be a difficult mission. Here is the ultimate guide to help you find the one to suit your body shape for all budgets.

Making the case for a picnic

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Every Galwegian is looking forward to the last section of the motorway from Galway to Athlone opening. This will mean that you can hop in your car and be at the Liffey Valley Centre in approximately two hours.

However, can anyone please tell me why we should not be allowed to eat, rest, or go to the loo on our long awaited motorway? And although my title above suggests that you bring a picnic there is, I’m afraid, no facility to pull in and eat! The Government is looking for ways to get revenue — well surely a very simple idea would be to auction or rent six or eight pieces of the already compulsory acquisitioned land on the Galway/Dublin motorway and I can guarantee that there would be a queue of people willing to find several million for such guaranteed revenue generating enterprises.

Connemara hill lamb/uain sléibhe Chonamara

Thu, Apr 09, 2009

Parma ham, feta cheese, champagne, Parmigiano reggiano, Roquefort cheese, and Connemara hill lamb. So what do these and a select number of other great foods have in common? PGI or protected geographical indication — in other words the lamb reared in exclusive designated areas of Connemara is recognised as being unique, and as such is protected under EU law. The achievement of gaining this unique status is such that Greece has fought a legal battle for the past 20 years to gain this status for Feta cheese. Now that’s something for each and every person in Galway to be proud of. Anyone familiar with Connemara hill lamb will have little difficulty verifying why hill lamb is so special. The lambs tend to mature at a slower rate, which allows the meat develop a deeper, fuller, flavour. Also the diet of the lamb, which includes a distinctive selection of herbs and heathers, adds considerably to the succulent taste and texture of the meat.

Saint Joseph’s Church, a brief history

Thu, Apr 02, 2009

In the 1870s the parish of Rahoon extended from Corcullen to Furbo. It had two chapels, one in Barna and one in Bushypark. Those people who lived in the town side of the parish attended Sunday Mass in the chapel attached to the Presentation Convent, but it was quite small and worshippers often had to kneel on the ground outside, no matter what the weather was like. As a result many of the major parish ceremonies were moved to the Pro-Cathedral. In 1881 no fewer than 300 children from the parish were confirmed in Middle Street, which gives us an idea of the population of the area.

Unexpected visitors during World War II

Thu, Apr 02, 2009

Shortly after dawn on Saturday, September 16 1944, Michael Conneely, a bachelor of 55 years was asleep in his cottage at Ailleabreach, Ballyconneely, when loud banging on his door woke him. He shouted ‘who’s there?’ The storm of the previous two days had abated but he couldn’t make out what the voice said. Grabbing a pitchfork, he slowly opened to door. Outside were two men, wet to the skin, in deep distress. Michael put the pitchfork to the throat of the first man: ‘Who are you?

“We’re Americans. United States Navy. We need your help.”*

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