Galway City Council welcomes Canadian Minister for Identity and Culture to City Hall

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Galway City Council welcomed Marc Miller MP, Canada’s Minister for Identity and Culture, to City Hall last week as part of his visit to Ireland.

Galway Simon Community report highlights need to help people move beyond homelessness

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Galway Simon Community has launched its 2025 Annual Impact Report, highlighting the growing importance of health, wellbeing and social integration services in helping people move beyond homelessness. The report comes at a time when homelessness in Ireland has reached record levels, with more people than ever relying on emergency accommodation.

Early morning Athenry to Galway service to be retained

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

The National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann have confirmed that the 06:50hrs Athenry to Galway weekday (Monday to Saturday) service, introduced as a temporary service last October, is to be retained.

Park in Galway City Centre and help keep young rowers on the water

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Visitors to Galway City Centre now have an opportunity to combine convenient parking with supporting a worthwhile local cause.

Annual Renville Cemetery Mass on Monday

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Mass will be celebrated in Renville Cemetery, Oranmore on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3 at 5pm.

Galway Church to host International Outpouring Convention 2026

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

An international gathering of Christian leaders and worshippers will take place in Galway this August as The Power House International hosts its Outpouring Convention 2026, a three-day event focused on worship, revival, prayer and ministry.

Work to begin on €3.4m Loughrea Fire Station

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Galway County Council has signed a €3.4 million contract with Burns Construction & Civil Engineering Ltd. for the construction of a new fire station in Loughrea, with work expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Exodus of staff from childcare

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

More than half of all creche and afterschool services in Galway lost a member of staff last year, in a sector where most staff receive little more than minimum wage.

IKEA Plan and Order Point store to open at end of August

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

As part of its ongoing expansion plans, IKEA will be opening the doors of its eighth Plan and Order Point and tenth overall store in Ireland, located in Galway on August 27.

Located at Gateway Retail Park, the new store will be IKEA’s largest location outside Dublin and the first in the West of Ireland to offer the Plan and Order Point experience.

Critical questions for ring road

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

After a mammoth process, beset with delay, error, legal challenges, oral hearings, environmental concern, remittance, competing analyses, pandemic, demolition of families’ homes, fundamental questions of public policy, falcons, horses, bats, butterflies, and whatever-your-having-yourself, in April, the 18km route from Coolagh to the R336 Coast Road was finally granted planning permission.

When the story changes

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

There are some journeys you can make with your eyes closed. The road west from Croke Park after another All-Ireland defeat became one of them. Out through the city. Onto the motorway. The afternoon slipping quietly into evening as the sun hung low over the bonnet, dazzling your eyes while somewhere behind you Dublin hosted another county’s triumph.

Half a million attendances as Arts Festival focus turns to 50th

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Festival organisers confirmed that this year’s programme attracted a record 472,000 attendances across its 14-day run, surpassing the 450,000 mark for the second consecutive year and reinforcing the festival’s place at the heart of Ireland’s summer cultural calendar.

Airbnb rules can ease housing crisis - McNelis

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Galway City Councillor Niall McNelis has welcomed the Government’s new national framework for regulating short-term holiday lets.

The Labour Party councillor for the city’s west ward described it as “a long overdue step towards restoring homes to local families while supporting a sustainable tourism sector”.

First tour of ‘zombie’ Galway

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

When there is nowhere to live because all the houses are let to visiting tourists, a group of activists decided to turn this situation into a tourist attraction itself.

Government 'afraid' of Údarás elections says Connemara councillor

Fri, Jul 24, 2026

South Connemara councillor Michael Leainde of Independent Ireland has said that elections to the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta have been delayed because the Government is afraid of how Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will perform in them.

In the Dáil this week, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht was unable to say when elections for Údarás na Gaeltachta will be held, despite the fact that the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Act 2026 was signed into law on July 1.

New photography exhibition captures some of Galway’s much-loved characters from the late eighties

Thu, Jul 23, 2026

A new outdoor exhibition at Galway City Museum, Faces of Galway, 1988-89, captures the town’s inhabitants through the eyes of Canadian photographer Suzanne Ahearne.

Firstborn annual prayer summit 2026

Thu, Jul 23, 2026

Have you ever wondered why the firstborn often carries the greatest weight? Like the first tree to face the storm or the first bridge to bear the load, firstborns are frequently entrusted with responsibilities, expectations, sacrifices, and battles that others may never fully understand. Yet, God never allows a burden without also providing the grace for victory. Faith Christian Fellowship Ministry warmly invites the people of Galway and the surrounding communities to the *Firstborn Annual Prayer Summit 2026,* a divine appointment for everyone believing God for breakthrough, restoration, healing, favour, and a fresh beginning.

This year’s summit will be led by Mrs. Pastor Gloria Ovie, a dynamic woman of faith with a God-given passion for raising people into their divine purpose and excellence. She will be ministering alongside *Pastor Dr. Larry Ovie,* whose powerful biblical teaching and prophetic insight have transformed countless lives.

Aran Islands RNLI hit 10 call outs in a week after busy weekend

Thu, Jul 23, 2026

The Aran Islands RNLI responded to three call outs over the weekend, bringing the total to ten call outs in the past week, highlighting what has been an exceptionally busy period for the station’s volunteer crew.

Vital that Galway Ring Road is designated as Critical Infrastructure, says Naughton

Thu, Jul 23, 2026

Responding to positive comments from her colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, local TD and Minister for Education, Hildegarde Naughton, has indicated that she will ensure that the Galway Ring Road be designated as critical infrastructure under the Critical Infrastructure Act in the coming months. Minister Chambers indicated at the weekend that he would expect the ring road to be included in the list of critical infrastructure projects.

Advertiser editor wins global award for Tuam Mother and Baby Home editorial

Thu, Jul 23, 2026

The editor of the Galway Advertiser, Declan Varley has won an international award for editorial writing.

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