Tourism — How the business of happiness can emerge from this crisis

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was an American writer, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Among many achievements, he is credited with the saying “travel broadens the mind”. But something we have learned in recent weeks during this Covid-19 ‘lock in’ is that sometimes staying at home can do that too, or at least it can help refocus the mind.

‘Ireland won’t lose its sense of community, we will bounce back’

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The biggest loss people are finding during the lockdown is the loss of social, face to face, contact - meeting a friend for coffee, giving someone a hug, going to a gig or to the cinema - but to endure all this, when you are also suffering bereavement, is by any stretch, a double blow and a heavy burden.

Government must deliver on childcare scheme for 'heroic' healthcare workers

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The State's frontline workers are "our heroes at this time", and the Government has a duty to "make life as easy for them as possible", and must introduce the long promised childcare scheme.

Clarity needed on plans to help nursing homes fight COVID-19

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The escalating number of COVID-19 infection clusters in nursing homes demands the Government outline in detail what extra medical help is being provided to deliver additional care for residents who have the virus.

Beware of the Wangiri or Ring Once scam, warns former Mayor

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

A former Mayor of Galway City is calling on the public to beware of the Wangiri or Ring Once scam, where people receive calls "at all times of the day and night".

'Age discrimination' preventing older workers from accessing Covid-19 unemployment payment

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

Workers over the age of 66 should be made eligible for the Covid-19 unemployment payment and the acting Government must "stop discriminating" on the basis of age.

COVID-19 places USA's moral and economic shortcomings in high relief

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

While COVID-19 has taken centre-stage here in Ireland - including shaping debate about Government formation - and there has been a sense of collective effort by all aspects of our polity, other countries, like the USA, have a rather different dynamic.

Covid-19 highlights 'unsustainability' of the Leaving Cert, says McNelis

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has "highlighted the unsustainability" of the State exams "in their current form", and further exposes the "limitations of exams which place so much emphasis on a few weeks at the end of a student’s school life".

Thanks for letting us serve you all

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

This really isn’t what any of us had planned for this time. Everyone of us had plans for what we would have been doing last weekend, and in the summer ahead. None of us could ever have foreseen just how all of these would be reduced to dust in the interest of the greater good.

Galway business provides more than 4,000 meals to frontline workers

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

A Galway business has provided some 4,200 free lunches to nurses and frontline staff working at University Hospital Galway since March 15.

Mr Waffle located opposite the hospital has been able to prepare and deliver the lunches thanks to crowdfunding initiatives through GoFundMe and Feed The Heroes as well as its staff’s volunteer efforts.

Farrell demands age restriction on pandemic unemployment payment be lifted

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is “meant to provide an income” for those who are facing “a very sudden drop in income”, so it is “deeply unfair” to exclude people on the basis of age.

Completed college an important new chapter for education in Athenry says Cannon

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

An East Galway TD has said that the completed Clarin College is “an important new chapter for education in Athenry”.

Upsurge in e-use of libraries says Canney

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

The physical closure of libraries to the public has led to an upsurge in the use of e-books and audiobooks, that is according to Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney.

The Department of Rural and Community Development recently allocated €200,000 for libraries to purchase 5,000 additional e-books and audiobooks to meet the new demand.

Competition winner makes Sunday egg-stra special with chocolate donation

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

An Oughterard woman who won 99 Easter eggs in a completion run on Instagram by Jason Murray Fitbness brought joy to many at the weekend when she donated them to deserving recipients and residents in UHG and a local nursing home.

Arainn’s Colaiste Naomh Einne announces new gardening project for students

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

Colaiste Naomh Einne on Inis Mor has come up with an innovative approach to deal with the challenge of school closures. The island’s secondary school has developed a gardening competition for first and second year students.

Canney welcomes expansion of Calf Investment Scheme

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney has welcomed the expansion of the Calf Investment Scheme as an important support for farmers during the Covid-19 crisis.

Green Party councillors call for wider footpaths to allow for distancing

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

Galway has an opportunity to demonstrate social innovation and to use the assets it has, that is according to city councillor Martina O’Connor.

GMIT producing vital equipment and ppe materials for health care settings

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

GMIT staff are producing and delivering vital equipment and PPE materials for health care workers in hospitals, pharmacies, GP surgeries, and care settings across the west, in the race to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Business, engineering, science, and computing staff, together with researchers in GMIT’s Medical Engineering Technology (MET) Gateway, are building ventilators (special purpose), and producing face visors and shields while researchers are collaborating with teams in colleges such as NUI Galway’s Lambe Institute and Medical School, and UL.

2km from home — a short story

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

It was a warm summer’s day and Trix Melancholy was sitting in the Pixie tree classroom. She was just about to doze off for the third time that day when something Miss Particals said caught her attention. Trix immediately raised her hand.

Cannon urges parents to submit school bus scheme applications

Thu, Apr 16, 2020

An East Galway TD is urging the county’s parents to get School Bus Scheme applications in for the forthcoming school year by April 24.

Minister for the Diaspora and International Development Ciaran Cannon said that while the current situation has created much uncertainty, it is important that families continue to plan as best as possible for the coming months.

E-paper

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