Forget our woes, it’s Galway markets that pay dividends...

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

Thanks -be -to -the -hooky that when we speak about markets in Galway we are not talking about the financial markets that have us all singin’ the blues, but about our successful food, and craft markets that are money winners for the city. The Galway Christmas Continental market on Eyre Square is an astonishing success. On the weekend it opened more than 70,000 people walked through it. Those high numbers have kept up. Last Saturday the clickers counted more than 25,000, and admit they only managed to count about 75 per cent.

Party dresses for your shape

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

As the party season kicks off, here are some tips to help you find a fabulous dress that will make you feel fantastic over the festive season and beyond. Identifying your shape is essential to find out what cut of dress will flatter you.

If your tummy is the main area of concern then opt for an shift dress or empire line style. These styles are great to effortlessly create shape at the waist while camouflaging the midsection. Try to use accessories on your top half, such as neckpieces, a headpiece or brooch, and earrings. A beautiful pair of statement heels will work very well to accentuate your legs.

Stocking stuffers for €50 or under

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

When choosing Christmas gifts you don’t always have to blow the budget, even when shopping in Brown Thomas. You just need to have a clear idea who you are buying for. We have done all the legwork, and below is a list of fabulous gifts to suit everyone on your list. The best part is, they all come in at €50 or under. It is never a bad idea to grab something you do not think you will need either. Someone always shows up Christmas Day bearing gifts that you invariably were not expecting.

Magic knickers at Elegant Undies

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

Shapewear has become a staple item in most women’s wardrobes with many women discovering you may drop a dress size with the right foundation, without the dreaded diet. Elegant Undies, located on the lower level of Corbett Court Shopping Centre, is fast becoming known as a lingerie measuring specialist. It is where women in the know have been heading to get measured for their perfect bra, and now Elegant Undies also boasts the widest selection of shapewear.

Il Porcetto, Loughrea, and McCambridges Food & Wine Fare

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

There was an amazing sense of nostalgia as I had dinner in this relatively new restaurant on the main street in Loughrea. The building was originally a private house owned by the O’Loughlin family and on many, many, nights in the early seventies I practised all my best moves and chords as we played hits by people like Rory Gallagher, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and many more in what we thought was the best rock band on the planet. The band had the rather unusual name of Skab Law. How the neighbours put up with the deafening levels of guitars and drums is a credit to their tolerance.

Plug in to your personal power

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

Aonacht, an Irish word, means “oneness”, but not aloneness. It is the ability we all have to stand strong and independent, in full ownership of ourselves, but still strongly connected through our innate energy with everyone else. Aonacht is about getting back in touch with your personal intuition. It is about peeling back all the layers of negativity that have built up over the years, gradually obscuring your individual energy. It is about rediscovering who you are.

Mairéad Heagney, a successful Athlone business woman, believes that the time is now right for people to look inside themselves to find the strength to continue through these painful times. She believes that difficult changes in the world around us are inevitable, but in the long term they will open the doors to a much more transparent era, where corruption and falsehood will become things of the past.

Mind, Body, and Soul fair in aid of Foundation Nepal  

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

The inaugural Mind, Body, and Soul Fair will take place at the Harbour Hotel on Sunday December 5 from 2pm to 7pm. The event is the brainchild of Galway woman Nicky Deasy, CEO of the Galway based Irish registered charity, Foundation Nepal, to raise funds for the charity. Foundation Nepal works in some of the most impoverished parts of Nepal. The fair will also gather like-minded individuals together and offer a great day out to visitors and practitioners.

Get your water woes sorted with Grant Water

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

Water hardness, protection of household appliances, rainwater harvesting, or simply having a drink of nice tasting water, these are just some of the main concerns for Galway households and businesses, but Grant Water has the high quality and professional services which will have your water flowing in tip top shape.

The finest floors and doors from Timeless Floors

Thu, Dec 02, 2010

Timeless Floors specialises in supplying and fitting wooden floors and doors. The company also provides a dust free sanding and restoration service.

Since it was established in 2003, the company has expanded substantially. It now has showrooms open in the N17 Superstore, Terryland Retail Park, Galway, and N17 Superstore, Milltown, Co Galway, where you can view the extensive range of solid, engineered, and laminate flooring, as well as a collection of pre-finished interior doors.

From Galway to New York in 1952

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

The Aisling was a rig kedge which was built in McDonagh’s Boatyard in 1946 by John McNally to a design by AA Pemberthy, who was a district engineer with the ESB. It was intended for Mediterranean cruises. Most of the vessel was of timber cut in County Galway and it also included part of the recently demolished stand at Ballybrit. John McNally unfortunately died before the boat was built, and a man called Tony Jacob from Rosslare bought the half finished vessel. He had gone to school with Fionn and Christopher Darby from Killiney, with Anthony Blyth from Athenry, and with David Webb from Nenagh.

That strange English passion for Ireland

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

In the early years of the 20th century the Irish language increasingly was associated with poverty and backwardness. In the national school system, which was established in 1831, children had been beaten with what became known as a ‘tally stick’ if they were caught speaking Irish. Apparently every time a child was heard speaking Irish, a notch was cut on the stick, and the poor child received the same number of blows.

Far from being upset by this, many parents enthusiastically endorsed it. They felt that the future of their children depended on their ability to speak English. Understandably, Ireland experienced a steady decline in native Irish speakers*.

The power of the dress

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

The party season is around the corner and now is the best time to think about your party dress. At the Glamour in Galway event which took place recently in the Radisson Hotel, I had a little chat with Brendan Courtney from Off the Rails. When I asked him what was his top tip for women in Galway he quickly answered, “Wear a dress!”

Chic maternity wear at the Bump Boutique

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

With the help of Galway’s newest maternity boutique expecting mothers can dress up their bump rather than hiding it. At the Bump Boutique the aim is to source the most stylish, fashionable maternity wear and provide a shopping experience you will want to repeat. Galway native Orla Loughlin endeavours to cater for all maternity needs, be it work wear, party wear, casual, and of course those special occasions such as weddings, christenings, and black tie events.

Notes for the season

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

You know that feeling you get the minute you see the heroine slip down the dark staircase to check the noise in the basement and you silently scream at the telly, “Runnnnnnn!”. Below is a list of five beauty pitfalls that should elicit the exact same response.

Café 8 and Galway West Wine Club

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

One of the nicest new buildings in Galway in recent years, if not the nicest, is the Galway City Museum at the Spanish Arch. However I wonder how many of you have been there? The antiquities and cultural exhibits are, I am afraid, very scant although what is there is very well presented. There is now one very good reason to visit the museum and that is for some interesting food and to relax in what is quite a special building. The building is beside the Spanish Arch and the main entrance faces the big open courtyard area. If you are in town with some members of your family during the Christmas period it would be a good place to arrange to meet, if people are left waiting then they can amuse themselves by looking at the items on exhibit, then go in to the café for some refuelling.

Treating sports injuries with traditional Chinese medicine

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

Playing sports is a wonderful way to stay in shape and have fun with friends. Whether you are a casual sports player, a weekend warrior, or someone who trains hard every day, acupuncture can be extremely valuable for you.

From the Chinese medical point of view, the body is an energetic collection of functions, not just a mechanical collection of parts. We contain life energy, or qi, and a person is said to be in perfect health when this energy is flowing unimpeded, and in an adequate amount throughout the entire body.

Bluebird Care Galway wins the Bluebird Care office of the year award

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

Bluebird Care, a premier provider of home care services for young, old and disabled people, has named Bluebird Care (Galway) as the winner of the Bluebird Care Irish Franchise of the Year award 2010.

Managing director Sean Lyons received the Bluebird Care Irish Franchisee of the Year award at the recent Bluebird Care International conference in Birmingham. Mr Lyons owns and independently operates the Bluebird Care franchise in Galway city and county, and was among the many guests who attended the event.

Budget conscious decorating

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

Do you ever flip through home design magazines and catalogues and dog-ear pages with the looks you like? Do you wish you could achieve that look in your own home without breaking the bank? If you are looking to redecorate your home without spending a fortune, here are some smart tips on how to get the look you want for less.

Living with loss

Thu, Nov 25, 2010

It was Easter weekend 2005. The Murphy family were looking forward to a short break in Co Cork.

Dr Dan, a Salthill based GP, and his wife, Rose were taking their three children Orlaith (15) Eimear (12) and Daniel (eight) to visit his mother in Bandon.

Father Michael Griffin

Thu, Nov 18, 2010

Ninety years ago this week, Galway was abuzz with the news that Fr Griffin, a junior curate for the parishes of Bushy Park and Barna, apparently responding to a sick call, went out into the howling gale in the company of three men who were said to have trench coats and rubber boots, and disappeared. The suspicion was that he had been decoyed from his house. It was significant that he did not take the Blessed Sacrament with him. His housekeeper heard very loud knocking as if with the butt ends of revolvers on the front door near midnight, as did one of the neighbours. Apparently Fr Griffin opened his window, spoke briefly to the men, and then left with them shortly afterwards.

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