Gondolas of Galway — 16-seater bikes to ferry commuters and tour groups around the city

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

A 16-seater covered bicycle capable of carrying group of pedalling passengers from place to place in the city could soon become commonplace after the idea was deemed one of the winners at the Galway Start Up Weekend held at GMIT from Friday to Sunday.

The unusual vehicle can carry a lead cyclist and 15 passengers and backers are hoping that it can become a key transfer option for people using the car parks around the city.

Family raise €5,000 for neonatal intensive care units which treated premature baby

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

A County Galway family whose baby was born prematurely a year ago was so impressed by the level of care their son received that they organised a fundraiser to benefit the facilities which looked after him.

Get ready for a nasty election campaign

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

So this is it. Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Stop the dog from barking, with a juicy bone.  Cancel all those pesky appointments, for the election is in sight. Silence the pianos, and with a muffled drum, let us move forward with the end of November in sight. This is the Most Important Election since…. the last Most Important Election four years ago.

And just when it seemed that we were just going to swallow the Enda-isms, roll on past Halloween and then down into Christmas, now comes along the seemingly grounded speculation that we will probably be going to the polls on November 20, with an official announcement on this to come sometime next week.

Gondolas of Galway — 16-seater bikes to ferry commuters and tour groups around the city

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

A 16-seater covered bicycle capable of carrying group of pedalling passengers from place to place in the city could soon become commonplace after the idea was deemed one of the winners at the Galway Start Up Weekend held at GMIT from Friday to Sunday.

Inclusive approach to 2020 bid impresses Minister Humphreys on whirlwind visit

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

Yes Minister.
No Minister

Sandyvale residents demand halt to water meter installation

Tue, Oct 06, 2015

Residents in Sandyvale Lawn are up in arms over the perceived failure of Irish Water to take heed of a report by the Galway City Council on the nature of the area's pipe network, and to inform its workers of the potential dangers when installing water meters in what is a wetland area.

Tommy Roddy to run as Independent in Galway West

Mon, Oct 05, 2015

Tommy Roddy, who ran in last year's local elections, will stand as an Independent candidate in Galway West at the General Election, campaigning on water charges, better supports for the unemployed, and issues relating to mental health and suicide prevention.

165 vacant council houses in County Galway 'evidence of housing emergency' say Sinn Féin

Mon, Oct 05, 2015

There are 165 vacant council units in the county boundaries of Galway, a situation that has led one general election candidate to declare that with "thousands of people on housing waiting lists", the situation is now at "emergency levels".

Minister launches NUI Galway 1916 programme of events

Fri, Oct 02, 2015

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD has just launched NUI Galway’s 1916 Programme of Events, ‘A Nation Rising: Commemorating 1916 and Beyond’, as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.

Time to stop pussyfooting around the doggie dilemma

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Roll back about a month when we were in the throes of preparing for the hurling final and when our heads were full of thoughts of history and success and homecomings and of the McCarthy Cup being hauled around every primary school in the county.

Major step forward in the planning process for Galway port extension

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Galway Harbour Company has received communication from An Bord Pleanála, which sets out the information required to move the proposal for the Galway Port extension on to the next stage of the planning process.

Free pay parking initiative in county towns from January

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Shoppers visiting Galway towns are to get a reprieve from pay parking from early next year. This follows a motion passed by Galway County Council at this week’s meeting to allow two hours daily free parking in Loughrea, Ballinasloe, Tuam, Gort, Athenry, and Clifden.

No change to Local Property Tax rates in County Galway

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

There will be no reduction to the Local Property Tax rate in Galway city or county next year. At the September monthly meeting of Galway County Council, local representatives voted to keep the property tax rate unchanged while city councillors passed a similar motion at their meeting a fortnight ago.

Hospitals’ finance department targets tardy consultants who delay signing off private health insurance claims

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Hospital consultants who fail to sign off private health insurance claims promptly are being “actively followed” by Saolta University Health Care Group’s finance department to ensure the cash strapped health service is not missing out on millions of euros in vital income.

The Saolta Group comprises three local hospitals - UHG, Merlin Park, and Portiuncula - as well as Mayo General, Letterkenny, Roscommon and Sligo Regional Hospitals. 

Why Trevor Ó Clochartaigh can win a Dáil seat

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Whether the date of the next General Election is November 20, as has been mooted recently, or comes during spring 2016, two predictions are already confidently being made - indeed they have become an article of faith for some, an incontrovertible truth for others - regarding the fate of two high profile candidates in Galway West.

Close heart defects without placing patients on bypass — NUI Galway academic writes paper on innovative development

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Researchers, including four Irish researchers, while based at the Wyss Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital have jointly designed a fundamentally different way to implant an innovative patch to close a heart tissue defect that eradicates the need to place a patient on bypass. Their work was published recently in Science Translational Medicine, and features as the cover article.

Ellen Roche, PhD and a graduate from the Biomedical Engineering Program at NUI Galway was the first author of the paper. Roche completed the work published in Science Translational Medicine during her PhD at Harvard University and is a current research fellow at NUI Galway under Professor Peter McHugh, working on a project in Biomedical Engineering in the area of novel cardiac drug delivery device development. The PhD scholar is a future faculty member at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Can you handle the ACT Rockin’ Rainbow run at the airport?

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

ACT for Meningitis will host their first annual Rockin’ Rainbow run, the ultimate paint throwing, disco dancing, most fun loving 5k on the Planet, at Galway Airport on Sunday at 2pm with all funds raised going directly to the charity.

Aoibheann McNamara to host Open Home this weekend

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

“From dereliction to delight” is how Aoibheann McNamara has described her journey in converting a rundown derelict warehouse in the heart of Galway city into a contemporary urban home. She will host an informal chat on this exciting and challenging project at her home in Folan’s Lane, Henry Street, this Saturday, October 3, at 4pm.

Life’s a pitch — are you ready for StartUp Weekend?

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Startup Weekend is coming to Galway this weekend when developers, designers and business development folks will come together to pitch an idea and launch a business, all in one weekend.  

Places still available on community exercise programme

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Places are still available for a new community exercise programme, Exercise4Health designed for those who due to health issues are reluctant to engage in exercise. The programme is a collaboration between NUI Galway, Croí and the Kingfisher Fitness Club.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.