Ballinasloe fair and festival launches nine day festival programme

Thu, Sep 15, 2011

The programme of events for the 2011 Ballinasloe October Fair, worth in the region of €8.5 million to the local economy, was officially launched by Mayor of Ballinasloe, Cllr Mike Kelly at a special reception at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe on Monday night.

Attended by sponsors, local councillors, and officials, committee members and volunteers, the launch event marks the beginning of the countdown to this long standing traditional fair which is set to attract more than 85,000 visitors to Ballinasloe from Saturday October 1 to Sunday October 9.

From Tinseltown to children’s theatre and Baboró

Thu, Sep 15, 2011

Saturday Night Live and theatre shows for children might seem to be at the opposite ends of the performance spectrum - can you picture what Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi might have come up with in front of youngsters? - yet they spring from the same performance philosophies and ideas developed in Illinois in the 1920s.

Something for everyone and everything is free at Galway Culture Night

Thu, Sep 15, 2011

Excitement is building for this year’s Culture Night, when artists from Galway and beyond get to showcase just why the city is at the forefront of the arts.

City outer bypass to be included in new national development plan

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The Galway City Outer Bypass will form part of the new National Development Plan, the contents of which are due to be revealed in October, it was confirmed last night.

Several major roads projects are expected to be omitted from the new capital expenditure programme as the department seeks to scale back its plans in line with the present economic circumstances. However, Galway West TD Brian Walsh received confirmation from the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar last night that he is prepared to include the Galway City Outer Bypass as a priority in the new programme.

Bed push raised vital funds for cystic fibrosis charity

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Funds raised from a charity bed push in the city will be used to improve facilities at University Hospital Galway for people with cystic fibrosis.

Members of the ARAMARK healthcare team at the hospital organised the recent event which kicked off at UHG and finished at Merlin Park Hospital.

Massive fire destroys Shannon Oaks hotel

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Extensive damage was caused to a hotel in Portumna after a fire broke out yesterday afternoon spreading quickly through the premises which was evacuated.

Ethics investigation finds Crowe breached guidelines, but did not do so deliberately

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

An investigation into allegations that Cllr Michael Crowe failed to comply with his obligations to disclose property interests under the Local Government Act 2011 has found that while the councillor breached the Act he did not do so deliberately.

Brothers get nine months for robbing a man on ‘The Line’

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Two brothers who robbed a man as he walked along the railway line in Renmore and threatened to cut his throat if he did not comply, have each been sentenced to nine months.

Operation to recover tragic diver’s body could get under way today

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Rescuers working to recover the body of an experienced cave diver who died while exploring an underground system near Gort earlier this week are hopeful that a specialist dive team will be in a position to travel here today to help with the operation.

Artur Kozlowski (33), a Polish man who had been living in Dublin since 2006, died while diving in Pollonora cave in Kiltartan on Monday. Mr Kozlowski was a very experienced diver and instructor, and was regarded as the foremost cave diver in the country. He holds a number of diving records including the deepest underwater cave dive in Ireland and the UK — 103 metres — which he undertook at Pollatoomary, Co Mayo, in 2008. He was a regular visitor to south Galway and had been exploring the Pollonora cave since 2007 and, together with his friend and colleague Jim Warny, had also discovered some 6km of new underwater passages in the Gort area.

City council labelled a ‘toxic brand’ as farcical traffic meeting offers no solutions

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A special meeting of Galway city council on Monday to discuss immediate solutions to the city’s traffic problems descended into a playground squabble between councillors and officials, offering no immediate solutions.

Bypass is not a traffic solution says Connolly

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The city outer bypass is “a non starter” for dealing with the city’s traffic congestion problem, which can only be solved by a combination of light rail and City Hall’s smarter travel initiative proposal.

This is the view of Independent councillor Catherine Connolly who was speaking following Monday’s city council ‘much talk, no solutions’ meeting regarding traffic congestion.

Baboró delightful and exciting programme promises a world of imagination and wonder

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A world of imagination and wonder will be opened up to Galway children though theatre, dance, literature, and a host of fun events during next month’s Baboró International Arts Festival For Children.

Garry Hynes awarded honorary doctorate from UCD

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Garry Hynes, the internationally acclaimed theatre director and Druid co-founder, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from UCD.

Children with disabilities wait more than six months for screening

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Children with disabilities, such as Down syndrome, have not received developmental screening or vital therapies in areas of County Galway for more than six months due to unfilled positions within the HSE’s Early Intervention Service.

Barbershop singing on the streets of Galway

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The streets of Galway will be alive with the sound of barbershop singing on Saturday afternoon as the city prepares for the upcoming Annual Barbershop Convention.

Website for city’s organic gardens launched

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A new website, connecting the city’s community organic gardens and groups and providing the public with information on such gardens, has been launched.

Students launch paper planes in protest at FG policies

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

One thousand paper aeroplanes were launched into the air in Galway this week to symbolise the thousands of school leavers and students who have been forced to emigrate.

‘I saw the whole of the moon,’ insists garda in city flashing case

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

A 29-year-old Ballindooley man accused of climbing on to scaffolding during a cold December night, mooning and exposing himself, and then giving gardai a false name, has succeeded in contesting some of the charges against him.

Win a golf trip to Portugal

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

The Revive Q10plus.com Golf Challenge, offering four Connacht golfers a trip to Amendoeira Golf Resort in the Algarve, Portugal, has been launched by Tommie O’Gorman snr, still playing off seven at nearly 60 years of age.

Amendoeira is home to the Oceanico O’Connor Jnr course and the Oceanico Faldo course. Three fourballs will travel on November 18 for three nights and flights from Dublin to Faro, accommodation and golf will be included.

Galway Choral Association seeks new members

Thu, Sep 08, 2011

Galway Choral Association, Galway’s largest community choral group, is seeking new members for the coming season and male singers are particularly welcome.

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