Calling all Galway foodies — the search is on for Ireland’s Foodie Town

Thu, Mar 27, 2014

The Restaurants Association of Ireland, in conjunction with Admailer.ie from An Post, is on the search for Ireland’s premier foodie destination, and a group of Galway gourmands are preparing to compete with towns and communities around the country to be named Ireland’s top foodie town.

The Foodie Town of Ireland award will recognise a destination that actively promotes itself through joint promotional activities such as food festivals, gourmet trails, or farmers’ markets as well as great dining experiences. The winning Irish town will have an established a local producer/supplier network which is utilised and promoted by local businesses. Plans for future growth and investment into the food and hospitality industry at a local level will also be taken into consideration by judges. Education, training, development, and employment will be key components of the ultimate foodie destination.

EU elections - why would anyone bother?

Thu, Mar 27, 2014

Seeing the occasional poster of a local election candidate advertising public meetings on various issues of concern, Insider noted that, within a month’s time, towns, villages, and the countryside will be radically altered as the election poster blitz takes hold.

NUI Galway study shows migrant children have less chance of college

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Children of non-migrant parents have a significant advantage over children of migrant parents when it comes to educational achoievement and ambition, a major study undertaken at NUI Galway has revealed. In the study, the Population and Migration research cluster at the Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway has identified an emerging achievement gap between young migrants and their non-migrant peers, which will result in a significant under-representation in third-level institutions.

Amenity grants available for residents associations

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Community and residents associations in Galway city have until the end of April to apply for the 2014 amenity grants from the Galway City Council.

Council to apply for modern flood barriers at Toft Park

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Galway City Council will soon be applying to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding to provide a modern flood barrier system which will be put in place, when necessary, in attempt to prevent severe flooding in the Toft Park and Lower Salthill areas.

There were a number of cars written off after being submerged in water in the Toft Park car park during the storm weather, while several businesses were also severely affected by flood waters in Lower Salthill. The extent of the damage prompted members of the public as well as representatives to call for a more permanent sustainable solution to be found.

Fine Gael to run third candidate in eastern ward

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Merlin Park’s John Rabbitte has become the third Fine Gael candidate for the six seat Galway City East ward, alongside John Walsh and Margo Kelly.

Irish Water not to open regional office in Galway

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Galway will not be provided with a regional office for the controversial Irish Water organisation, leaving the public with no direct means by which to raise concerns.

Funding to keep public areas clean

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Funding of €105,000 towards the clean-up of public areas in Galway city has been allocated to City Hall by the Department of the Environment.

Council must tell public how it will spend property tax says McHugh

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Galway County Council must publish a full account of all monies raised from rates and the property tax and detail how the money was spent in each of Galway’s five electoral areas.

O’Flaherty opposes further Group Housing Schemes

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

The Group Housing experiment has failed with some such houses left derelict or used as stables, and the scheme must be removed from the Draft Traveller Accommodation Programme.

Once off grants for work on publicly owned land

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Funding has been introduced to provide once-off grants to city and county councils to help manage parks, walkways, graveyards, and publicly owned lands and buildings.

Galway has been allocated just under €200,000 to support programmes already operated by Galway’s two local authorities.

Jimmy Horan to stand as Independent in central ward

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Jimmy Horan, a community activist from Westside, has become the latest Independent to declare for the six seat Galway City Central ward.

Group Water Scheme users must be consulted on their future says Healy

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Group Water Scheme users in Galway are being “abandoned” by the Government and there are increased fears they will be “left to the mercy” of EU law and the Irish Water “privatisation agenda”.

This is the view of Sinn Féin Connemara candidate Tom Healy who said it was a “big mistake” for there to have been no consultation with the group water sector before the establishment of Irish Water.

Gearrliosta Ghradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh 2014 unveiled

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

As part of the Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations, Cllr Dónal Lyons, the Mayoral Representative for the City of Galway, announced a mix of 12 businesses and organisations as the finalists for Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh 2014 at a press event in the Eyre Square Centre.

Galway Swimming Club table quiz

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

A Family Table Quiz is being held in the Galway Bay Hotel on Tuesday March 25 in aid of Galway Swimming Club.

Kicking off at 7.45pm sharp, adult tickets are €10 while teens are welcome at a cost of €5. There will also be a raffle on the night with a host of prizes donated by local businesses.

Give people more time to pay property tax - Mullen

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

The deadline for paying the controversial property tax must be extended to ease the burden on those in financial difficulty and “families struggling to meet their basic daily needs”.

Fashion show for Gort No Name Club

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Gort No Name Club are hosting a fashion show on Friday March 28 in Gort Community Centre at 8pm.

Magdalene story revisited as Eclipsed opens next week at An Taibhdhearc

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

The classic play Eclipsed by Patricia Burke Brogan which revisits the much documented story of the abuses in church-run laundries will open for a three-night run in An Taibhdhearc next week.

The production by Claregalway-Carnmore-based Compantas Lir will be staged at the city venue from Thursday March 27, Friday March 28 and Saturday March 29.

Galway native Times correspondent apppointed to NUI Galway’s governing authority

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Harry McGee, political correspondent with the Irish Times has been named as the most recent appointment to NUI Galway’s governing authority, Údarás na hOllscoile. Harry McGee is a native of Galway and an alumnus of NUI Galway, holding a BA (1987), H Dip in Journalism (1989) and an LLB (1993). He studied at King’s Inns and is a barrister. He worked in Galway with The Connacht Tribune before moving to Dublin where he worked with RTÉ, as Special Correspondent with the Sunday Tribune and as Editor of Magill.

Cllr Murphy calls for west to get ‘fair share’ of new ICT undergraduate places

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

An extra 1,250 information and communication technology (ICT) undergraduate places will be made available annually from 2014, according to Fine Gael city councillor Michelle Murphy who has called for a “fair share” of these undergraduate places to be made available in the west of Ireland.

“Many candidates currently in the market place in Galway have actually re-launched their careers by participating in career conversion courses, or returning to full time education, over the past two to three years to ensure they get on the ICT employment wagon when it comes to town,” said Cllr Murphy, who explained that 2,000 work permits will also be issued per year to ICT professionals with relevant skills in order to meet the demands of the industry, and there will be an increased focus on recent Irish emigrants and EEA nationals.

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