The Oliver St John Gogarty Literary Festival

Thu, Nov 06, 2008

Poets, writers, discussions, music and workshops feature in the second Gogarty literary festival to be held in Renvyle House Hotel this weekend. Poets Michael O’Loughlin, Gerald Dawe, John O’Donnell and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill will give readings, Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe will give a talk on the famous stained glass artist Harry Clarke, there will be a guided tour to Tullycross church to see the Harry Clarke windows there; a talk by Jim Carney on Louis Mac Neice and Omey Island, and lots more.

Limited places only.

Style Counsel

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

Q: I love clothes shopping but I’m a lot more conscious of my spending since the economic downturn. Have you any tips for looking good on a tighter budget?

Littlewoods Ireland does Gothic chic

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

Autumn winter ’08 is all about dark colours and gothic looks at Littlewoods Ireland.

Natural Serenity winner

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

The winner of a makeover, and bareMinerals make up and eye starter kits courtesy of Natural Serenity is Kirsty Talty, Quin, Co Clare.

Abalone comes to Abalone

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

It is no secret that Abalone restaurant in Dominick Street is one of my favourite restaurants, so I was very happy to accept an invitation from the chef proprietor, Alan Williams, to taste his first ever delivery of fresh abalone. What makes this fresh abalone really special is that it is 100 per cent Irish produced. It comes from Cape Clear, and if you are an avid watcher of RTE you may have seen a documentary showing how the owner Martin O’Mealoid was bringing his live abalone to the kitchens of two of the most famous eateries in London, The Dorchester and that coolest of cool sushi restaurant, Nobu.

Blackberry and apple crumble with Coole Swan Anglaise

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

This delicious dessert from Coole Swan is the perfect pudding for winter evenings.

home ground

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

The gardening year is moving along nicely and hopefully you have been keeping busy, gardening that is!

I am glad to see that the edible garden is coming back into fashion. Much of the new found interest in vegetable and fruit gardening is no doubt due to our keen regard for health and environmental issues and of course the mounting cost of the weekly shopping. We are what we eat.

An Fuarán Moycullen, for all your house and home needs

Thu, Oct 30, 2008

Looking for the perfect newly built home to tastefully decorate, or looking to tastefully decorate an existing home? Then why not visit An Fuarán in Moycullen village. An Fuarán has everything and more to offer customers who are interested in the house and home.

The American Hotel, Eyre Square, c1940

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

The O’Sullivan family first came to Eyre Square in 1765. They took over a thatched house which had been rented by a family named Glynn from their landlord, who was one of the Eyres. The premises has been in the O’Sullivan family since. They set up a bar and grocery business, and it seems they always had rooms to let. By the time this photograph was taken c1940, they also had a travel agency which represented the Holland America Line, the Cunard White Star Line and the Greek Line (there were not too many commercial flights then). It was obviously the reason why they called the premises ‘The American Hotel’. It turned out to be an astute choice of name as they always had a lot of American guests.

Dick Byrne - The man who brought light to Mayo

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

Terrible punishments awaited young transgressors in the Ireland of the 1950s. If a boy mitched from school he could end up in Letterfrack, the notorious so called industrial school, run by the Christian Brothers. It was a type of borstal, where, for almost a century, troubled boys were brutally chastened and subdued. Its grim, grey buildings still stand today, and if you pass them on a wet Connemara day, you wonder about the boys who were sent there from cities and towns around Ireland. Despite its change of usage to one of the foremost craft training centres in the country, it still looks a sad place to me. But back in the 50s and 60s its name struck terror in the hearts of most boys and youths. I remember seeing a boy handcuffed to a policeman sitting on the Dublin train. Word was whispered around the carriage that the boy was from Letterfrack. We all stared at him as if the poor fellow was an alien.

B&Q Galway celebrates successful first year

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

October 25 2007 saw the eagerly anticipated opening of Galway’s newest and largest home improvement store when B&Q opened its doors at the Gateway Retail Park in Rahoon.

gardening with Anne McKeon

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

Well here we are again with another week’s gardening over and a busy week in prospect. I hope that you have been taking advantage of the intermittent spells of good weather because I feel that so much useful gardening work can be done in the autumn winter period. If you get it right at this time of year you can save yourself a lot of hardship in the spring.

Twenty ways to declutter your home

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

Do you find it difficult to close your cupboards, get around your bedroom without tripping or find important documents in a hurry?

If so, you are at risk of drowning in a sea of clutter. What is needed is a good clear-out to free up space and restore your home to the orderly haven of rest and relaxation it once was.

Bits, bites, and bargains

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

This week is a collection of foodie comments and news that may be of interest.

Pork and Bramley bake

Thu, Oct 23, 2008

This one-pot supper is perfect for families. The magical combination of pork and Bramley apples turns a simple supper into a real treat. Plus, using only one pot reduces the washing up, so everyone should be happy!

Galway hurling legends

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

One could almost say that the Duggan family of College Road were born to play the game of hurling. A number of their predecessors had played for a famous College Road team in the 1890s, and their uncle Paddy played for Galway. They were given their first hurleys by Eddie Moore O’Flaherty from the Claddagh when they were very young children, so it was no wonder that Sean and Paddy and Jimmy would play for Galway and that Monica would become a very famous camogie player. Paddy and Monica have gone to their reward, but happily Sean and Jimmy are still with us.

‘Keep your mouth and your legs closed. Keep your ears open, and send a ticket for Anne’

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

Every time I see the long angular shape of Ken Bruen loping through the back streets of Galway, I say to myself: ‘Bet he’s on a new case.’ Ken Bruen is acknowledged as one of the world’s best crime writers. He has written an amazing 27 novels, compiled numerous collections, and won heaps of awards and nominations, especially for his first Jack Taylor series beginning with The Guards (published 2001).

Win a whole new look with Natural Serenity

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

Natural Serenity, located on St Augustine Street, stockist of exclusive top natural health and beauty products such as bareMinerials and Aveda, is offering all Galway Advertiser readers a free bareMinerials makeover.

Get the look at Visage Hair Design

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

Visage Hair Design is a contemporary award winning salon in the heart of Galway.

Anne and her team would like to congratulate Amy Martyn on reaching the finals of the young talent section in The Wella 2008 Trendvision Awards in the Helix DCU on October 20. This is the third time in five years that the team at Visage have achieved a place in the final.

Eating out — an alternative proposal

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

I was invited to a fundraising dinner in a friend’s house recently and, not knowing quite what to expect, was amazed to see how someone’s house could be transformed into a lovely dining environment. I believe that it could be a way for people to enjoy good food at much less than restaurant prices and a great way to meet people. My hypothesis is this — why are restaurants charging the prices they are? High rent, high rent, and high rent and this is why they need two and three sittings on a night. So what could be possible if you had no rent to pay? You could charge prices that lots of people who do not eat out would find very attractive. This could be done by a couple of people who can have a flair for cooking, have a spacious home, and like to entertain people.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.