Save Kinvara Castle campaign steps up pressure to reopen Dunguaire Castle

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Campaigners fighting to reopen Dunguaire Castle have welcomed confirmation from the Office of Public Works (OPW) that it would maintain and manage the landmark if it comes into State ownership, but say the time has come for Government to publish a clear plan with firm timelines to end three years of closure.

East Galway to celebrate new outdoor swimming pool with Community Open Day

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

The East Galway community will celebrate the completion of its new outdoor swimming pool with a Community Open Day at Shannon Bank Park on Saturday, 1 August 2026.

Archaeologists uncover rare Neolithic tombs in Maree

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Archaeologists have rediscovered a ‘lost’ Neolithic tomb and located a second, previously unidentified, tomb during excavations at a prehistoric site revealing new evidence about the earliest farming communities in the west of Ireland.

N6 Galway City Ring Road designated as Critical Infrastructure Project

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

The Government’s decision to designate the N6 Galway City Ring Road as a critical infrastructure project under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 has been widely welcomed across Galway as a major step towards accelerating the delivery of one of the State’s largest road projects.

The N6 Galway City Ring Road is one of three major transport projects nationally to receive critical infrastructure designation today. The designation recognises the project’s strategic importance to Galway, the wider western region and the State.

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.

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.

'Time to go': Councillors cheer to get Brits out

Thu, Jul 30, 2026

Calls from dissident republican councillor Tomás Ó Curraoin for an unconditional "British withdrawal from Ireland" were met with applause by other members at Galway County Council's plenary meeting last Monday.

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.

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