Innovative community groups shine with KBC Bright Ideas funding awards

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

A number of innovative organisations across Galway have been awarded funding through KBC Bank Ireland’s Bright Ideas community support initiative.

NUI Galway Mature Students Society to hold family fun day

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

After a bumper 2013 event, NUI Galway Mature Students Society is hoping to once again attract record crowds at the Family Fun Day on Sunday August 10.

From Glen to win

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

It was a wild, winter’s night. Brian and Luke Comer’s hands were bleeding and they were crying with tiredness and pain. They were being battered from all directions by torrential rain. But they continued to plaster. It was 4am and the teenagers from Glenamaddy, who often worked 17-hour days, knew they had to get the Kerry Co-Op job finished.

Schoolwear Association blasts ‘misleading’ Barnardos survey

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

The Irish Schoolwear Association, representing more than 200 school uniform suppliers and manufacturers nationally, has called on Barnardos to withdraw what it says are misleading claims about the costs of school uniforms.

Barnardos had previously issued its annual survey of parents ahead of the back-to-school period, with a focus on the price of school uniforms.

Record numbers travelled through Knock airport in July

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

More than 91,000 passengers used Ireland West Airport Knock in July of this year, making it the busiest month in the airport’s 28 year history.

Youth unemployment increases in the west says Farrell

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

Nine young people are becoming unemployed in the west each day which means the Government’s Youth Guarantee scheme for under 25s is either not being implemented or is not working.

Two charged after €100,000 Ballinasloe drugs seizure

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

Two men charged in connection with the seizure of €100,000 worth of drugs at a Ballinasloe grow house at the weekend have been remanded in custody to appear before Harristown District Court tomorrow.

Tuam fibre broadband services receives €11 million investment

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

Homes and businesses in the Tuam area are to benefit from a €11 million investment by Eircom Wholesale to provide high-speed fibre broadband with speeds of up to 100mb/s.

Galway people invited to get involved in the Great Ethiopian Run

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

With the deadline for entry into the Great Ethiopian Run/Walk 2014 fast approaching, Ronan Scully of Gorta-Self Help Africa is calling on Galway people to sign up for this epic fundraising adventure.

Watch out for the SmartBins

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

Fret not if you’re walking down Shop Street these days and find yourself accosted by the new superdooper solar powered state of the art spanking new type of street bins. The Smartbins are solar powered so that means they’ll be grand these days when you could fry an egg on the head of a tourist, but might be useless come the dark days of November when the birds are falling off the trees with the hunger…and the birdshot.

Calling all former CIE staff

Thu, Aug 07, 2014

A special Mass has been arranged for all CIE staff, retired or working, in Galway on Friday August 15 at St Patrick’s Church, Forster Street at 7.30 pm.

It will be jointly celebrated by brothers Fr Bill and Fr Wally McNamara whose late father Thomas was the station master in Galway from 1949 to 1954.

Gaza citizen to address Galway this afternoon

Tue, Aug 05, 2014

Galway will be addressed by a citizen of Gaza this afternoon as part of a Palestine solidarity event which takes place in Eyre Square. Meanwhile businesses in Kinvara have also started to boycott Israeli goods.

Calls for NCT-style system after rented properties fail inspection

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

With over half of city private rented properties and 82 per cent of county rented properties failing local authority inspections,Threshold Galway is calling for an NCT-style inspection process to place more responsibility on landlords to ensure that their property meets the standards required.

This comes after the latest figures from the Environment Department revealed this week that close to 60 per cent of all private rental premises that were inspected by local authorities around the country last year failed basic minimum requirements. The Enforcement of Requirement for Standards and Rent Books 2013 figures show that four local authorities - county councils in Donegal, Louth, Offaly, and Limerick City Council - saw 100 per cent failure rates while other failures included Ballina Town Council (98 per cent), Fingal County Council (96 per cent), Longford County Council (91 per cent), and Cork County Council (90 per cent).

The Comer brothers — the gift that keeps on giving for Galway FC

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

The billionaire Glenamaddy brothers who are funding Galway FC to the tune of €300,000 over a three year period said this week they plan to extend their sponsorship of the city based League of Ireland side in the future.

NUIG honours racing masters Weld and Bolger

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

NUI Galway conferred honorary degrees on two outstanding members of the Irish horse racing world on Wednesday, Dermot Weld and Jim Bolger.

Feakle Festival to return for August

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

The Feakle Festival, one of Ireland’s most popular traditional music events, will be held from Wednesday August 6 to Monday August 11.

The festival will feature performances from ICE, an ensemble of concertinas, renowned concertina player Dr Tim Collins, Swedish five string banjo aficionado Lena Ullman, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, as well as the singing duo Lumiere.

Meningitis B vaccine should be included in national immunisation programme, says charity

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

The first vaccine which protects against meningitis B should be included in the national immunisation programme, a leading meningitis organisation said this week.

The Galway based national charity Act for Meningitis says the vaccine, which protects against the potentially fatal infection, was licensed by the European Commission in January 2013.

Croi leads the way in tackling bogus fundraising

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

Over two years ago, local heart and stroke charity Croi took the proactive step of reviewing its procedures and controls in the use of sponsorship cards so as to minimise the risk of the general public being duped by bogus collectors and fundraisers.

Ed Sheeran spends the weekend at cousin’s wedding in Spiddal

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

Ed Sheeran visited Spiddal last weekend to attend his cousin’s wedding and enjoy a three-day festival to mark the event.

The late Sheila O’Donnellan believed that our literary heritage should be celebrated

Thu, Jul 31, 2014

One of the great moments in the 20 year history of the annual Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering, was the arrival Lady Gregory’s two surviving grandchildren, Anne de Winton, and Catherine Kennedy. They drove up the avenue at speed, let their dog out for a run, and came over to the welcoming crowd grinning broadly.

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