Major changes to driving licence come into effect next month

Thu, Dec 20, 2012

The New Year will see changes to the State driving licence which will see new licences issued as a plastic, credit card sized, document from January 12 2013.

The licence will be produced in a standalone secure facility, so no driving licences can be produced in the Motor Tax Office. As such, over the counter licences will no longer be available after January 12. Instead the licence or learner permit will be posted out to the applicant once he or she has applied to the Motor Tax Office.

Neuroscience at NUI Galway gains international excellence status

Thu, Dec 20, 2012

The Galway Neuroscience Cluster, based within the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES) at NUI Galway, last week gained the status of Centre of Excellence in Neurodegeneration (COEN) after a national and international review process. By gaining COEN status, the Galway Neuroscience Cluster joins a select group of international centres that are entitled to apply for research funding that is awarded through this international initiative.

Don’t cut corners when making fleas flee, hospital is warned by patients’ group

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

A patient rights advocate is calling on University Hospital Galway not to take any “shortcuts” in dealing with an outbreak of fleas at the facility.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help this Christmas

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

In all of our communities right now, there are husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, who have lost their jobs and are wondering how they are going to make it through the winter and out the far side. They know that there are just 10 days until Christmas yet they have never been as badly prepared as they are this year. Thousands of homes will experience a Christmas the likes of which they have not experienced for some years.

Witnesses asked to contact gardaí following city centre assault

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

Gardaí have appealed for information following an incident in which two men were assaulted in the city centre in the early hours of Saturday.

GUST table quiz early in New Year

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

The Galway United Supporters Trust Football Club will be hosting a table quiz on Wednesday January 9 at 9pm. The quiz is being organised to gather funds for the Galway United Supporters Trust F.C U19’s league campaign.

Protestors greet Central Bank governor at coin launch

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

A small group of Anglo debt protestors voiced their concerns and opinions to the governer of the Central Bank Patrick Honahan when he arrived at NUI Galway yesterday for the officiating of a coin launch.

Budget will drive families into crisis, warns COPE

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

The Budget will drive more and more local families - already under severe pressure from the recession - into crisis, the director of services for COPE Galway, warned this week.

Brothers charged with having no permit for soup kitchen collection

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

Two brothers charged with not having authorisation to collect money for a city soup kitchen got their chance to do something for charity when ordered to pay €100 each at Galway District Court this week.

Enhanced isolation facilities at refurbished children’s unit

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

The newly refurbished paediatric unit at Portiuncula Hospital, which opened earlier this week, includes enhanced isolation facilities as well as two additional two-bedded adolescent wards.

Major award for cancer researcher

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

A County Galway cancer researcher has received a prestigious award to develop new strategies to help improve treatments for patients with colon cancer.

Dog rescue charity feeling the bite of insufficient shelter for strays this Christmas

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

It will be lonely this Christmas for a number of dogs in the Galway area as the Connemara-based charity MADRA struggles to contend with the sudden increase of abandoned dogs being reported in the area. Kennel vacancies and other resources are being stretched at the charity and the number of calls being received by MADRA about neglected dogs is now averaging at 50 per day.

Man with 93 previous convictions jailed for series of city burglaries

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

A Limerick man with 93 previous convictions is to spend a further six months behind bars and was given a further nine-month suspended sentence for committing a number of burglaries including taking a laptop from behind the counter of a city centre clothes shop.

Dean Price (24) with an address at 7 Sean Heuston Park, Limerick, was brought before Galway District Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to two counts of trespassing with intent to commit theft at Myriam O’Reilly, Eyre Street, and at Bank of Ireland, Eyre Square, on April 4, 2012. He also pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to commit theft at Forster Court Hotel, Forster Street, on October 8, 2012.

From Rosmuc to London — how the Connemara ponies made their debut 100 years ago

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

In 1912, Michael O’ Malley brought his two ponies, Irish Dragoon and Eileen Alannah to Olympia in London. He did this in order to highlight the plight and potential of his beloved Connemaras. This was the first time that Connemaras were seen on the international stage . After another 11 years of Michael's passionate prompting and letter writing, it eventually led to the foundation in December 1923, of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society.

Find out how NUI Galway research affects you

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

Ever wondered how research at NUI Galway affects you, your family and community? The public are invited to a competition which might just answer that question on Monday, December 17, at 7.30pm in Jigsaw Galway on Fairgreen Road.

Crowe slams ‘unjust and illogical’ respite care cuts

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

“A short term saving for a long term loss” and “unjust and illogical” is how a local councillor has described the Government’s slashing of €325 from the Respite Care Grant.

Sinn Féin to hold public meeting on the Budget

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

Sinn Féin will hold a public meeting on Budget 2013 in the Vault, Dunlo Harbour, Ballinasloe opposite the Shearwater Hotel tomorrow at 8pm.

Galway County Councillor Dermot Connolly will chair the meeting and speakers will include Ballinasloe Town Councillor Michael Breathnach and party senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh.

Swing into Christmas with Youth Ballet West this weekend

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

Dance fans in Galway and Athlone are about to get a wonderful double helping of festive fun as Youth Ballet West takes to the stage of the Dean Crowe Theatre in Athlone on tomorrow Friday December 14 and the Town Hall Theatre in Galway on Saturday and Sunday December 15-16.

A Christmas concert for Lily Mae

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

A Christmas concert in support of Lily Mae Morrison and the Sunni Mae Trust will take place in the Galway Cathedral on Tuesday December 18 at 8pm.

Enterprise and job creation top of Údarás agenda

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

The promotion of enterprise activities, maintaining and creating jobs is at the top of the agenda for the new board of Údarás na Gaeltachta which has been awarded a total of €18.6 million from the Exchequer for capital and current expenditure.

The board, chaired by Anna Ní Ghallachair, met for the first time at Údarás na Gaeltachta, Na Forbacha, on December 7 last during which members were also informed that an estimated budget of €10 million, provided by the Exchequer and from the organisation’s own income sources, will go towards the creation of jobs. It is further hoped that Údarás na Gaeltachta will be able to obtain additional capital funding as a result of its co-operation with other national development agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA, BIM, and Bord Bia, to assist in the promotion of enterprise activities which will help maintain current employment levels, and stimulate further growth.

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