City outer bypass to be included in new national development plan

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The Galway City Outer Bypass will form part of the new National Development Plan, the contents of which are due to be revealed in October, it was confirmed last night.

Bed push raised vital funds for cystic fibrosis charity

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Funds raised from a charity bed push in the city will be used to improve facilities at University Hospital Galway for people with cystic fibrosis.

Remembering Ann Marie who never came home

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

About 18 years ago when I was working in The Tuam Herald, word came to us that there had been an attempt to bomb the World Trade Centre. The plan involved parking a truck below the North Tower, near one of its corner crutches. The intention was to bring down one tower, possibly into the other, and kill thousands of people. The plan did not work, but unfortunately seven people were killed and thousands received varying degrees of injuries. The reason there was a Tuam connection is because there was a local woman who was working on one of the towers. Ann Marie McHugh came from a well-known local family — her parents Padraig and Margaret ran the Town Hall Tavern in the heart of the town — so news of her terror on that occasion was a story of considerable local interest. On the phone from New York (because there was no email or internet in those days), she told me how, as an asthmatic, she was terrified as she had to descend 80 flights of stairs to make it out from the smoke-filled building. It took her hours to make her way down the darkened stairwell and she spoke of her relief reaching the ground and seeing the light through the smoke.

Ten years ago on Monday next (the day not the date), the news came through that a plane had crashed into one of the towers. We switched on the TV and watched the burning building, horrified to see another plane approach the other tower. At first we thought it was a TV replay of the first one, but were shocked to quickly discover this was not the case. My thoughts immediately went to Ann Marie McHugh as she was the only person I knew who had worked in the towers. But I had no knowledge of whether she would be caught up again in a second drama at WTC.

Massive fire destroys Shannon Oaks hotel

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Extensive damage was caused to a hotel in Portumna after a fire broke out yesterday afternoon spreading quickly through the premises which was evacuated.

Ethics investigation finds Crowe breached guidelines, but did not do so deliberately

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

An investigation into allegations that Cllr Michael Crowe failed to comply with his obligations to disclose property interests under the Local Government Act 2011 has found that while the councillor breached the Act he did not do so deliberately.

Brothers get nine months for robbing a man on ‘The Line’

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Two brothers who robbed a man as he walked along the railway line in Renmore and threatened to cut his throat if he did not comply, have each been sentenced to nine months.

Operation to recover tragic diver’s body could get under way today

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Rescuers working to recover the body of an experienced cave diver who died while exploring an underground system near Gort earlier this week are hopeful that a specialist dive team will be in a position to travel here today to help with the operation.

Artur Kozlowski (33), a Polish man who had been living in Dublin since 2006, died while diving in Pollonora cave in Kiltartan on Monday. Mr Kozlowski was a very experienced diver and instructor, and was regarded as the foremost cave diver in the country. He holds a number of diving records including the deepest underwater cave dive in Ireland and the UK — 103 metres — which he undertook at Pollatoomary, Co Mayo, in 2008. He was a regular visitor to south Galway and had been exploring the Pollonora cave since 2007 and, together with his friend and colleague Jim Warny, had also discovered some 6km of new underwater passages in the Gort area.

City council labelled a ‘toxic brand’ as farcical traffic meeting offers no solutions

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A special meeting of Galway city council on Monday to discuss immediate solutions to the city’s traffic problems descended into a playground squabble between councillors and officials, offering no immediate solutions.

Bypass is not a traffic solution says Connolly

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The city outer bypass is “a non starter” for dealing with the city’s traffic congestion problem, which can only be solved by a combination of light rail and City Hall’s smarter travel initiative proposal.

This is the view of Independent councillor Catherine Connolly who was speaking following Monday’s city council ‘much talk, no solutions’ meeting regarding traffic congestion.

Baboró delightful and exciting programme promises a world of imagination and wonder

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A world of imagination and wonder will be opened up to Galway children though theatre, dance, literature, and a host of fun events during next month’s Baboró International Arts Festival For Children.

Garry Hynes awarded honorary doctorate from UCD

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Garry Hynes, the internationally acclaimed theatre director and Druid co-founder, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from UCD.

Children with disabilities wait more than six months for screening

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Children with disabilities, such as Down syndrome, have not received developmental screening or vital therapies in areas of County Galway for more than six months due to unfilled positions within the HSE’s Early Intervention Service.

Barbershop singing on the streets of Galway

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The streets of Galway will be alive with the sound of barbershop singing on Saturday afternoon as the city prepares for the upcoming Annual Barbershop Convention.

Website for city’s organic gardens launched

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A new website, connecting the city’s community organic gardens and groups and providing the public with information on such gardens, has been launched.

Students launch paper planes in protest at FG policies

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

One thousand paper aeroplanes were launched into the air in Galway this week to symbolise the thousands of school leavers and students who have been forced to emigrate.

‘I saw the whole of the moon,’ insists garda in city flashing case

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A 29-year-old Ballindooley man accused of climbing on to scaffolding during a cold December night, mooning and exposing himself, and then giving gardai a false name, has succeeded in contesting some of the charges against him.

Win a golf trip to Portugal

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The Revive Q10plus.com Golf Challenge, offering four Connacht golfers a trip to Amendoeira Golf Resort in the Algarve, Portugal, has been launched by Tommie O’Gorman snr, still playing off seven at nearly 60 years of age.

Amendoeira is home to the Oceanico O’Connor Jnr course and the Oceanico Faldo course. Three fourballs will travel on November 18 for three nights and flights from Dublin to Faro, accommodation and golf will be included.

Galway Choral Association seeks new members

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Galway Choral Association, Galway’s largest community choral group, is seeking new members for the coming season and male singers are particularly welcome.

Irish Geology Association opens first branch in the west

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The first Irish Geological Association (IGA) branch west of the Shannon was launched yesterday evening at 8pm in the geology museum (Quad building), at NUI Galway. Activities of the new IGA branch will include the recording and collecting of data on field trips to places of local geological interest, trips further afield with like-minded groups, and involving itself with the conservation and protection of local sites of scientific, educational and heritage interest. On meeting nights lectures will be provided for members by visiting speakers. Annual membership will be €20 per individual, €30 per family, or €5 per student.

Galway leads way with new female entrepreneur mentoring programme

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A new mentoring programme for female entrepreneurs, designed to help them through the first challenging years of their new businesses, has been launched in Galway.

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